“We haven’t decided on any tactic, is that okay?”

Having already arranged our cavalry battle position, Shinohara, who was beneath me, muttered these words right before the competition started.

“I don’t think there’s any problem. In a sports festival, you only have to take it seriously to some extent.”

“Eh? Ah, ok. But Karuizawa-san, if you thing this is okay for you---“

“Do I look like that type of motivated person?”

“It’s because you opposed Horikita-san’s proposal when the class was deciding about the competitions by recommendation, so I was under the impression that…”

“Ah…”

That wasn’t my idea. I acted following that guy’s orders. Honestly, Horikita-san’s proposal about distributing the participants according to their abilities not only made things easier, but also it was a stratagem that ensured the success of the class. It could even be said that this was looking after the students who were unwilling to try hard. It seems that I was ordered by that guy to do some unnecessary things, causing me to be looked with different eyes by other people.

“In short, let’s do it at random”

“Roger--”

After saying these words, the cavalry battle began. There shouldn’t be anything extraordinary in the school’s cavalry battle –these thoughts were immediately subverted.

The reason being Class C quietly advancing forward and unceasingly attacking Class D. The vanguard was Ibuki-san. She was that existence that thrown my class into chaos.

Ibuki-san led the cavalry to do a surprise attack to Horikita-san.

“Shinohara, go! Support Horikita-san!

“Eh? Ro-roger!”

Even though she was surprised at me suddenly issuing an order, the horse still dashed forward.

“Although I’m not interested in winning, I don’t want to lose like this…!”

I didn’t know whether these words were said to Shinohara, or myself.

In brief, Horikita-san was targeted and leaving her alone would cause a terrible situation.

“Stop! I’m sorry, but I can’t let you go past here!”

The one who came to block us was Ichinose from Class B. Even though I haven’t really interacted with her that much, I thought she was difficult to handle.

“What do we do, Karuizawa-san…?”

Shinohara-san, who was holding the center position of the horse, sook for my instructions.

“We have no choice but to go forward, even though I don’t really want to do that”

My physical capabilities are not very outstanding and I don’t want to do troublesome things. But—

Right now that guy is probably looking here. Although I don’t know why, but I just don’t want that guy see me suffering a crushing defeat. That existence that knows about the darkness of my heart. That existence that said he will protect me.

Fortunately, Ichinose’s movements are not as difficult to handle as I thought. I can barely deal with her. While dodging her, I issued a specific instruction to Shinohara-san, to keep a suitable distance.

“Why am I trying so hard…?”

This time I was talking to myself. Everybody was trying hard so nobody heard my whisper.

During the summer vacation, I was also involved together with that guy. The same thing happened with this sports festival, making me help him with things I failed to understand. I just kept helping him, not knowing what he was doing or what he wanted to do.

Normally this would be unpleasant. But I don’t know why I never like this.

That’s certainly because the harm I’m really worried about deep down has not appeared.

The girls from Class C who wanted to look for problems with me haven’t come back again. Is this merely a coincidence? No, absolutely not. That guy… Ayanokouji-kun, did something for me.

Just because he let me have this premonition, that I’m obeying him.

“!?”

I barely evaded Ichinose’s hand.

“Ah, really, this doesn’t look like me!”

The image of Horikita’s horse falling entered my field of view. Ah, we are going to lose.

But the only thing I can do right now is to focus on the adversary in front of me.

I was gradually changing.

I was gradually receiving change.

But the unexpected thing was that I don’t dislike it.

Right now I’m unable to confront the gradually changing myself.