Chapter 5

Clang, clang, clang clang clang clang.

With a loud noise, the target and the poles that supported it shattered and fell to the ground.

...It seems to be broken.

I said to the examiner,

"Although it broke on the first shot, what should we do for the second and subsequent shots?"

"..., ah, ah..."

The examiner's tone was unclear.

"...Was there no protective magic? No... When I shot the Magic Arrow first, it was fine..."

He muttered.

"Examiner?"

At my repeated question, the examiner was startled.

"...S, sorry. It seems there was some abnormality. Could you please try again with the target next to it?"

"Understood."

I said and moved to the next target.

And then—

"Magic Arrow"

Boom!

With a loud noise, the target shattered into pieces.

"No, no, no, no, no, no! That's not right, oh no!?"

The examiner shouted.

"It's impossible for both to be out of order! Are you cheating!?"

"Cheating...?"

"That's right. Even if they were out of order! A mere Magic Arrow shouldn't cause that much damage!"

The examiner pointed at me and shouted.

"You're cheating, aren't you!?"

"...!?"

"Are you using another magic, pretending it's a Magic Arrow!?"

This is troublesome.

It's impossible.

Because I can only use Magic Arrow.

However, that's just my situation. The excited examiner wouldn't understand.

If I had known it would become this troublesome, I should have held back like when I shot the bird. I shot without thinking because the examiner said, "It won't break with your level of magic."

I was wondering what to do when—

"What's going on?"

A voice came from behind.

I turned around and saw an unexpected person standing there.

Court Magician Carail.

His gentle face was looking at us.

The examiner answered, straightening his back and reporting to Carail in a tense voice.

"Ah! This examinee is suspected of using another magic, pretending it's a Magic Arrow, and I was investigating it!"

"Hmm. Why do you think so?"

"The target with protective magic shouldn't be destroyed by a mere Magic Arrow. And two in a row! It must be cheating!"

"I see."

Carail nodded.

Then, he looked at me and said,

"Did you cheat?"

"No, I didn't."

"Ah, I see."

With a smile, Carail nodded and turned to the examiner.

"He says he didn't. It's fine, isn't it?"

"B, but—!"

"Do you have any evidence?"

"..., eh?"

"Any evidence. Proof that he definitely cheated."

"I don't have that..."

"Then, there's no case."

Carail shrugged.

"Examiner, your job is to evaluate the examinees and detect cheating. If you can't prove it's definitely cheating, it's your loss."

"..."

"For example, you could use a magic to analyze the magic he used?"

"I can't use that... Can you, Sir Carail?"

"I can?"

The examiner's face brightened.

"Then, could you—!"

"Nope."

Carail laughed.

"I'm just an auditor. I can't help with the evaluation."

He patted my shoulder.

"So, you, the first test is over. Just wait for the next one."

"No, it's not over yet."

I shook my head. A puzzled look appeared on Carail's gentle face.

"What do you mean?"

"The test is three Magic Arrows. I've only shot two."

"Hahaha! I see! That's funny!"

"...Is it funny?"

"But it's fair. It's right for you to assert your rights. However, I'm also troubled if the target breaks again. We don't have that many."

After putting his hand on his chin and thinking, Carail continued.

"I know! I'll take your Magic Arrow specially!"

The surrounding examinees murmured.

"You will?"

I asked, and Carail smiled.

"I can at least be a target."

"No, no! That's not possible!"

The examiner interrupted in a panic.

"W, what if you get hurt—!"

Carail's thin smile remained as his eyes caught the examiner.

"The seventh Court Magician getting hurt?"

"N, no! I didn't mean that, but—!"

"Accident? There's no such thing."

He waved his hand.

"What do you think? How about it?"

"I'm fine with it."

I answered immediately.

"I just need to shoot a Magic Arrow."

"Good, good. This is getting interesting."

Carail walked to where the broken target was.

"Is this distance okay?"

Carail extended his right hand.

"Hard Protection!"

A circular shield appeared centered on Carail's right hand.

"Whenever you're ready. No need to hold back?"

"Understood."

I extended my right hand towards Carail.

And I spoke the trigger word.

"Magic Arrow"