CH 323.2

Here the perspective turns to the narrow-eyed, brown-haired female student.

(Dammit! I got a bad draw first thing in the match.)

Aside from Jayanne’s duo of beauties, there were thirteen students remaining. The Club woman in front of her was one of the least popular among them.

For her, it would be beneficial if one of the two of them crushed her first.

(Here she comes.)

The red-haired braids’ Knight rushes forward while holding the round shield in the front.

Her opponent dodges to the side and throws a slash, but the red-haired braid Knight forcibly bends its path and repels the slash with its round shield.

(I can’t deal with this. I’ll have to start over.)

She leaped backward to keep her distance, but the red-haired braid didn’t let her. She leaped in as if to hit her with a round shield.

The moment they were at point-blank range, she began swinging her club like mad.

(This is such a stupid way to fight. I will never accept this.)

There is no elegance, no art of the sword, nothing. It is just like an infant throwing a tantrum.

For the narrow-eyed brown-haired female student who excels at feinting and tactics, this is a very bad match.

She was unable to overcome the onslaught and was pushed into the outer edge of the magic circle, even though she used her shield to block the attacks.

(This persistence of hers. It’s fucking annoying.)

The brown-haired female student just endured a series of attacks with her lips distorted.

The reason she is inferior despite her superior swordsmanship and experience is that the amount of magic power that her opponent possesses is above average.

Right from the start, her red-haired braids are always in full bloom. The miniature Knight continues to display its maximum physical strength.

(This is not a children’s fight. A fight between Knights should not be this inelegant.)

She thinks strongly, but she can’t change reality. She resolved herself and poured her magic power into the Knight.

「Go away! You annoying bitch!」

She put out the same maximum output as her opponent. With skill and force, she swung through and jumped inside the magic circle.

She then turned around, switched her weapon to a short wand, and shot a Thunder Arrow.

「Damn youuuu!」

The Knight consumed a lot of magical power in an attempt to break the deadlock, but the round shield blocked the magic, even if just barely, and ended up inflicting no damage at all.

The red-haired braids’ Knight kicked the ground in small steps as it hid behind its shield.

『Keep an extremely low profile and run with your shield hold out in front of you.』

Looking from the side, it’s an awkward position that you can’t help but want to burst out laughing. But from the front, the looming figure is a nightmare for the narrow-eyed brown-haired female student.

「You’re fucking disgusting, you know that!?」

The club and sword, are forced to clash in close combat.

She was on her feet in the cockpit, her thighs spread open, exposing a different pair of black underwear than yesterday. The audience’s eyes were focused on her, but she had no time to feel them.

『It’s like a boy simply chasing the ball in a little kid’s soccer game.』

The red-braid way of fighting is similar to this.

They don’t pass or dribble. They just rush in and kick with all their might.

She chases after her opponents, and she does not flinch when she is hit by offensive attacks.

(Even though you’re just accepted into this school…!!)

Unfortunately, the narrow-eyed brown-haired don’t have the decisive offensive power to break the shield’s defense. At this rate, they will be brought into a simple match of attrition.

If so, the result would be obvious. She, who doesn’t have as much magical power, would lose.

(If I lose here… I won’t be able to stay in this school anymore!)

Although she continues to remain in the advanced class, she has never made it past the qualifying rounds in the regular practical exam to date.

She has never won a fourth-place prize and has therefore never participated in the training of the Kingdom knight order.

『Losing in the first round to a newcomer, despite staying in the school for so long.』

Such a failure would make a terrible impression on the instructors.

(They’ll throw me away as a “no prospect”.)

Tuition and uniform fees. Everything else is free, and the school is dry.

Tomorrow, the main gate may never be opened for her anymore.

(I don’t wanna lose! I can’t lose! If I lose, it’s all over.)

She bit her lips until they bled.

But the battlefield is ruthless. The moment she ran out of magic and stalled, the balance tipped sharply and hit the bottom.

The narrow-eyed brown-haired girl’s Knight was drowned to the floor by a barrage of club blows that looked like a turbulent stream.

***

The perspective returned to Tauro.

「Match over!」

The referee shouted, and the red braid’s Knight thrust its club into the air in joy.

I exhaled loudly at the sight of it.

(How should I put it… It’s really amazing.)

It is hard to believe that a very young woman is controlling it. Just looking at the way she fights, one might get the impression that she is a primitive human.

(The reason for winning was, after all, the difference in basic ability.)

It would be like a man fighting a bear. Even if he had a sword and swordsmanship, he would not be able to overturn it unless he was extremely skilled.

「She did it, Tauro-san! Thank goodness!」

Herbivore Mechanic cheered with glee and sparkly eyes.

The most credit goes to him, after all. With a simple weapon and a simple fighting style, he brought out the best in her without compromising her strength.

Next would be her who accepted this 『unsightly fighting style』 with open arms.

(It seems everything goes well for him.)

It looks like he doesn’t have to try hard to look good or anything. Their relationship must be progressing well.

Herbivorous Mechanic is still talking excitedly in front of me. While I was listening to him, I casually looked down at the venue.

(The Red Butterfly mask. I see…)

Out of the corner of my eye, I found Plain-chan transformed into the Plain Queen and sitting in the simulation cockpit.

I couldn’t picture her as she was, fighting. However, I was convinced by this image.

Next, I moved my eyes to the simulation cockpit on the opposite side, and I was mildly surprised.

(It seems I’ve grown up huh.)

Because I found my former classmate, the Smirking Boy, there.

『Yo, coward.』

『Hey there, coward.』

『You’re saying something, coward?』

He would say something like that every time he saw my face while smirking and laughing. His cronies used to laugh with him in mockery.

Now, to my surprise, I feel calm and unaffected.

(So this is what growing up is like.)

I started to understand.

I feel that it is too much of a hassle to even try to talk back to him. I don’t know how to say it, but it’s like I have lost interest in him.

Perhaps the reason is that he’s no longer involved in my life.

『A merchant guild Knight who has subjugated many monsters and brought safety to the highway.』

This is what people thought of me and Old Lady. And our relationship with the knight order has not been so bad since the upper echelons were replaced completely.

In other words, to me, the smirking brother is 『an existence that I don’t care whether he becomes my enemy or not』. On the other hand, from his point of view, I am someone who would be at a great loss if he were to make an enemy of me.

(Now then, setting him aside, let’s see how Plain-chan will perform.)

Ability and fighting spirit. I recommended her, so I have a responsibility to observe her.

I put my former classmate out of my mind and turned my attention back to Plain Queen in the simulation cockpit.

***

At this point, the perspective shifts to the freckled girl with red hair in braids.

She is called 『Drinker Girl』 by her colleagues in the low-class brothel, and she is waving from the simulation cockpit to the herbivore mechanic, the 『Brandy Onii-san』.

(As expected of a real expert. I followed his suggestions and advice and managed to become stronger.)

She thinks as she gives up her seat to the next student.

(But seriously, how could he recommend a club to a girl he likes?)

For a moment, her brow wrinkles, but it soon relaxes along with her cheeks.

(Well, I guess that is so like him.)

Incidentally, the Drinker Girl is more enamored with the Herbivore Mechanic than she thinks.

The women in her group had to listen to a lot of her romantic stories every time, to the point they almost lost their appetites.