Editing CubexCursedxCurious:Volume11 Chapter2 (section)

===Part 7===

On Saturday, Haruaki's group went to school as usual. Since their classes only last half a day, the students on the way to school seemed especially happy and excited. But unlike usual, Sunday, tomorrow was not going to be a holiday but the welcoming festival instead. It was a festival for welcoming new students and could also be considered a festival for clubs to recruit new members.

Despite being one day before the event, a festival's atmosphere had already covered the entire school. An arch in vivid colors, under construction, was placed beside the school gates while students on the executive committee were swinging their hammers vigorously. In various corners of the front yard, frames for supporting tents had been placed in advance. They were probably set here for now to be assembled into stalls after classes.

"Hmm~ I find every festival to be great. I start feeling excited for no particular reason."

"We're not participating this time, so we just walk around casually. Compared to the cultural festival, we should be able to have more fun in leisure... But our main battlefield comes after the welcoming festival. Take care not to get too exhausted in having a good time."

The Knights Dominion had selected Sunday night, in other words, after the welcoming festival. Since they had decided to engage the enemy in battle directly without any tricks, things were definitely not going to develop too smoothly&mdash;But they had already made their decision. Haruaki was prepared so all that was left was to follow through.

Currently engaged in preparations for the festival were not just the students making the arch. The front yard was packed with students. Some boys were painting armor made from cardboard boxes. Some people were using saws to cut wood. Next, Haruaki's group saw an especially large board erected in front of the school building. A closer look revealed it to be the urgently anticipated list of contestants for the school beauty pageant to be held for tomorrow's climax. Hanging on the board were dozens of name plates with the contestant's names with inexplicable advertising slogans added to each of them. "The tea ceremony club's ace! Watch the power of knees glimpsed during seiza sitting posture!" "The antelope residing in the track and field club! Join us in a crouching start!" Among them, some of the contestants had added school identification photos or photo booth pictures. A boy in a headband was standing in front of the board, grinning widely while recruiting students.

"Okay, the show is finally starting tomorrow! Until just before the contest starts, nominations are still accepted on the day of the event! Oh, hello there, you're very cute! Wanna enter?"

Written on his headband were the words "MissCon Executive Committee." What was scary was that this was apparently an official event on a premature start already.

"So that's the legendary school beauty pageant... How lively and full of vigor."

"Yes, after all, it's the finale event. It's also a chance for contestants to introduce their clubs, so many clubs should be sending representatives to participate."

"Are there prizes?"

"There should be gift cards for books and shopping. Although I forgot how much, seeing as this is a school event after all, the monetary values should be within sensible bounds. I remember that the nearby shopping street is also supposed to sponsor the school beauty pageant... The shopping street provides goods as prizes and in exchange, Miss Taishyuu High has to help with the shopping street's events for a whole year. Like serving as the MC for the Bon Festival party in summer."

"So that's what's known as give and take~ Say, I'm sure someone will use this chance to start a betting pool."

Noticing the surroundings, Haruaki suddenly whispered. Students could be seen all around, enthusiastically looking at the contestant list and writing in notebooks. Konoha nodded.

"Yes. Perhaps the executive committee might be discreetly acquiescing, hoping to make the scene more lively and exciting through the bets. Honestly, I believe this is the only advantage to announcing the contestant list before the event."

"Everyone is so full of spirit. With so many people entering, I can't guess at all who will win... To be frank, the way I see it, everyone is the same, or rather, everyone has a chance of winning."

At this point, Haruaki noticed Fear was staring intently at him. Her gaze seemed to be giving off worries, displeasure and some kind of doubt. But as soon as their eyes met, she hastily turned her face away. What was going on?

After weaving through the noisy bustle of the welcoming festival preparations, Haruaki's group headed for the school building's entrance. Just at this time, they spotted the familiar colors of red and white ahead. She was currently sweeping the ground but amidst this familiar scene, there was also something different from before.

Instead of the bamboo broom she normally used, this seemed to be a rather high-class western broom.

When they approached, Isuzu looked up while swinging the broom and greeted:

"Please allow me to say in fear and trepidation, good morning everyone~ Isuzu received a letter~"

"A letter? From who?"

No idea&mdash;Isuzu tilted her head and presented the broom's shaft to Haruaki's group. Clipped on the metal component of the broom's tip, there was a letter addressed to "Yachi Haruaki-sama."

"Uh~ This morning, Isuzu went to the storeroom at the back of the school building where the cleaning equipment is kept~ There was a female student sweeping with this broom in front of the storeroom. She looked quite happy and I could almost hear her humming a song. I was thinking she was probably someone who loved sweeping a lot. But when Isuzu greeted her, that female student suddenly acted awkward, blushing intensely then she stuffed this letter and broom to Isuzu together&mdash;"

Halfway through Isuzu's explanation, Haruaki realized. He believed that Fear and the others should have realized it too.

The broom in Isuzu's hand looked very familiar.

It was precisely something that attacked them as a weapon in the past.



&mdash;Upon seeing this letter, please come to the west side at the back of the school immediately&mdash;

Following the letter's instructions, Haruaki's group headed to the location indicated. They also took this chance to call Kirika who was already at school to meet up with her along the way.

Hence, they arrived behind the school. As expected, the person there was&mdash;

"...You finally started cosplaying?"

"That's so mean~! Satsuko knows that someone like Satsuko isn't suited to wearing this, but this is a disguise to avoid attracting too much attention. But it suits Fourt quite well, right?"

"E-Eeeee~ No no... D-Don't say things that'll attract attention to me..."

Before their eyes were two members of the Draconians, dressed in Taishyuu High's uniforms. The familiar-looking broom really was something that Fourteen had taken out from herself.

As usual, the pair gave off a very lighthearted atmosphere but Haruaki's group did not dare lower their guard. After exchanging glances with one another&mdash;

"Why did you come here, Satsuko? Class is starting soon. Be quick if you've got something to say."

Fear spoke with wary eyes while Satsuko frowned apologetically.

"Oh~ ...That's right. But sorry."

Satsuko then made a solemn expression immediately and declared clearly:

"But this is something that will force you to skip first period. Also, please listen carefully and let Satsuko finish."

"How dramatic the way you're putting it. What on earth is it?"

"To be honest, Satsuko still can't confirm this yet. But Satsuko hopes that everyone can listen with an open mind conceding that 'this might be the situation'... No, even so, if it really turned out to be true, the effects are too great, which is why Satsuko decided to report to you all."

"Your intro is so long-winded that it's absolutely ridiculous. Just say it out directly."

As the class representative, of course she was feeling anxious about skipping class after all. After being urged by Kirika in exasperation, Satsuko hunched her neck slightly and swept her gaze across everyone. "So..."

The words she immediately followed with were&mdash;

"The actions of the Knights Dominion so far might be all a ruse. The deal with you guys is completely irrelevant and they don't need to attract unnecessary attention or hurt every unrelated student&mdash;That's right. The Knights Dominion might possess a method to find Nirushaaki-senpai on their own."
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