From the Warlord's Empire Read Online Free PDF

they wanted to participate in, she’d assign people using her own independent judgment. She took a hard-line stance: If you had a problem with your assigned event, you were on your own when it came to negotiating a trade.
    “Geez,” said Asagi, exhaling, seeming somehow dejected.
    “Give it up already. Former hot-blooded, annoying jocks are only worth anything at sports festivals like this, so put some more energy into it, Kojou the Irritating.”
    “Who’s Kojou the Irritating?! Careful what you say. Hey, you should apologize to all the former athletic club members in the country—”
    Reaching the top of the stairs, shooting the breeze in their usual fashion, Kojou and Asagi went into the classroom.
    A moment later, the atmosphere picked right up.
    About 70 percent of the students were already in the classroom. Every last one of them turned and looked at Kojou.
    “Wh-what?”
    “Don’t ask me. I just got here, same as you.”
    There was an eerie mixture of consent and trust floating in the classroom’s air. It was not a frigid feeling. Indeed, it was a strange feeling of anticipation.
    Responding to the puzzling behavior, Kojou and Asagi stood in place, feeling rather awkward.
    “Heya, Kojou. Showin’ up carryin’ your partner’s equipment like this, man, you’re really into this.”
    One student near the teacher’s desk called out to them in a very good mood. The boy, his short, spiky hair combed back and giving off a frivolous air, was Motoki Yaze. He was both Kojou’s bad friend from middle school and Asagi’s childhood friend.
    Kojou and Asaki glared with apparent displeasure at the friend who knew them so well.
    “Partner?”
    “…What are you talking about? Did getting dumped by your older girlfriend scramble your brain?”
    “I’m not scrambled, dumped, or acting! There, there! You see?”
    Speaking in an excited voice, Yaze pointed toward the blackboard standing behind him.
    Rin Tsukishima was standing right there. She was a tall schoolgirl who gave off an adultlike air. She had written on the blackboard, with her characteristic attention to detail, the names of all of their classmates.
    “I was just announcing who’d be participating in which sports festival events.”
    “Right…”
    Kojou and Asagi both tried to sound sensible as their faces met. They had no idea why this would draw attention to the two of them. Unable to settle down his nerves, Kojou looked over the curves of what was written on the blackboard in white chalk.
    “Badminton mixed doubles? Me and Asagi, paired up?”
    Kojou was in mild shock when he noticed their names in an unexpected place.
    Of course, Kojou had no experience in badminton at all; he didn’t remember asking to be in that event, either. He knew from the start that it was going to be mixed doubles. On top of that, all of the player pairs beside Kojou and Asagi were publicly acknowledged couples.
    “…Why do I have to team up with Kojou?”
    Asagi asked with a guarded expression on her face. However, Rin made a composed smile.
    “It’s a new rule for this year. Singles are scrapped, so there’s room for more mixed doubles pairs. Ah, and actual badminton club girls aren’t allowed.”
    “So why does it have to be me and Kojou?!”
    “Asagi, you told me before that you liked him, didn’t you?”
    “E-excuse me?! Wh-wh-when did I say anything like that…?!”
    “For badminton.”
    Rin spoke with her normal, serene voice. Asagi made a small sound and chose her words more carefully. “…I only practice with my older sister once in a while, so I’m not actually good or anything.”
    “If you understand the rules, that’s plenty.” Speaking in a very calm tone, Rin silenced Asagi. “Akatsuki said he didn’t have any preference for events, so no complaints there, yes? I’d actually thought about having him play basketball, but sorry, I had no idea.”
    Watching Rin awkwardly cover her eyes, Kojou bounced a question back with a suspicious look