CH 331.1

This is the pilot school in the royal capital.

(Jayanne’s shining star, huh.)

The Plain Queen looked sideways at her opponent and thought unamusingly.

『A woman who made a name for herself in the women’s flower arrangement division when she was a student and went on to become a member of one of the three most prestigious brothels in the capital. Although she is said to be the best in the store in terms of ability, she has left the sideline at her own request to sit on the lower-priced platform.』

Light Cruiser-sensei is an elite who has always walked the bright path of life. She is different from Plain-chan who was discovered as an order taker at a food stall and worked her way up from a lower class to a middle-class brothel.

(A life free from setbacks. I bet you enjoy every day of your life.)

An aura that seems to emanate a halo, unique to those who have lived a full life. There’s no way she experienced nightmares as she did.

(Tch.)

She clicked her tongue as she remembered something that happened late at night.

What she saw was a dream in which she was doing her business in the washroom. After a pause, she exhaled and felt something like a presence in the ceramic vessel she was sitting in.

(Eh?)

She lifted her butt in wonder and looked down to see the face of a man with a kaiser mustache, stuck tightly in the trap seal of the toilet bowl.

The corners of his eyes are downcast as if he’s enchanted and he’s moving his chin from side to side.

『Très bien』

Then, after swallowing something down, he opened his mouth and said with a big smile.

(Hyaaaaaaa!!)

Plain-chan woke up with a soundless scream. Her heart is beating wildly, and her pajamas are soaked with sweat.

She was awakened by her first nightmare in a long time, probably because she had subconsciously guessed that the Knight Commander of the knight order would be coming for the regular practical exam.

(How distasteful.)

Her gaze deliberately focuses on the opponent so that the audience is out of her sight. Without her realizing it, a dark flame flickers behind her eyes and her mouth twists into a smile.

If she were in her normal state, she would not have thought of something like this. Now that she’s in her queen form, her thoughts inevitably turn in a negative direction.

(I’ll show you what mud tastes like.)

The narrow-eyed girl and Smirking Boy who talked bad about her family.

Although it was an unjustified grudge, Plain Queen put her butt in the cockpit seat with the same motivation she had for those two.

***

On the other hand, on the Light Cruiser-sensei side. She is looking at the female student in a butterfly mask sitting in the distance in front of her, with the audience’s eyes drawn to the bare skin stretching out from her tight skirt above her knees.

(I’ve watched your battle just now.)

She couldn’t suppress her elated feelings before the fight against a strong enemy. But her mind was calm and turning to how she should attack.

(How wonderful.)

Until now, what has been a pain for her opponents is her attack range which is more than ten times that of the sword. But that is only possible because of Plain Queen’s skill.

It has unbelievably high accuracy, and although still inferior to a sword, it has a destructive power that cannot be ignored. Furthermore, her dense series of attacks that keep her opponents from approaching her that would be impossible to do for anyone else than her.

(She must’ve worked very hard.)

It’s respectable, she thought. First-rate skills no matter what field it is never cease to fascinate Light Cruiser-sensei.

(But so far, she’s hardly moved from her spot.)

But it wasn’t just praise. Apart from the whip fluttering in the air, she was also keeping a sharp eye on the enemy Knight’s feet.

(Although it can also be said that she doesn’t even need to move against them.)

In every match, she was only a few steps away from the starting position. But that was enough for Light Cruiser-sensei, who had reached a high point in her training as a fighter.

(Compared to her whip handling, her footwork seems to be inferior.)

Then the only way to counter is to charge in and close the distance.

『Close and cut.』

She has set her strategy, but there is a problem.

The three matches since this morning. All of them are shot down under her whip barrage, except for the boy who fell down in the first match, unable to move a step.

It would be no small feat to break through that. But she thinks that she can do it.

(A last-ditch competition to prove which one is stronger. Ahhh this is going to be fun.)

The officials of the knight order who invited her to enter the pilot school. And a formidable enemy who appeared in front of her.

She was sincerely grateful to both of them and let the Knight’s feet move toward the center of the magic circle.

「Begin!」

『Hide behind the shield and close the distance while under attack.』

『Jump backward or sideways to avoid the whip tip.』

This was the first move of Plain Queen’s opponents, including the qualifiers. However, instead of hiding behind the shield, Light Cruiser-sensei was forging ahead, swaying her body from side to side like a serpent.

(Don’t look down on me.)

In the face of a weapon of absolute confidence, the Knight of Light Cruiser-sensei closes the distance without showing fear.

『I’ve been underestimated it seems.』

She must have felt that way. The Queen’s eyebrow suddenly raised.

Of course, Light Cruiser-sensei was not taking this lightly. On the contrary, she was challenging her with a heart overflowing with respect.

However, the sense of inferiority of the Plain Queen prevented her from conveying her feelings.

(As if I’ll let you continue!)

After a period of paranoia, she glared at her hatefully and greatly increases the frequency of her barrage. However, Light Cruiser-sensei shifts her body axis to the left and right or bends down to avoid it.

(This is bad.)

In a few moments, she will be within Light Cruiser-sensei’s reach.

And the Plain Queen knows it. She knows that Light Cruiser-sensei’s sword strike will be extremely heavy.

(My defense is too fragile to receive her blow.)

She learned from the last Divine Tournament that she has difficulty with durability.

Lightning’s 『Lightning Sword』. Her knees were trembling and her butt was shaking before the series of three thrusts from his groin.

(Cassabel’s Queen fighting against Jayanne’s platform girl huh.)

But the Plain Queen did not budge. She is proud to be the store’s signature girl, but the most important reason is the lack of a chance to win.

『Fixed turret.』

That’s what she is if described in a single word. Plain-chan, who has no martial arts training, is a complete amateur in the field, other than using the whip.

On the other hand, Light Cruiser-sensei is a martial artist who can approach through a barrage of whip bullets without a change in her expression. To challenge her to close-quarter combat would be nothing but suicide.

(If that’s the case, let’s use that then.)

The beautiful girl wearing a butterfly mask clenched her teeth.

「Orraaaaa!!」