CH 23

Well then, although it was only an impromptu practice with mom, she taught me various things and techniques that might be useful for my fight. After three hours of practicing, it’s now time for the match against Knight Commander-sama.

「Wonder if I need a new bag?」

「Hmm, well I think it should be fine if you just put it in your pocket, or you could use a small pouch to carry them so long as it doesn’t become a hindrance, right?」

「Don’t need it now, putting inside pocket will do」

These miscellaneous things won’t probably be used for a while after this fight, but well, having them also won’t be much of problem.

Although I did prepare countermeasures for unexpected things, they did say that Knight Commander-sama is not one to would use such tactics and trickery, and would only fight fair and square. Well, I’m only carrying them now to have a piece of mind.

I have bought everything I needed this time, and then I shove everything in my pockets.

I also dropped by the office where Lutie was stationed, I wonder if she will say that no matter what you do, you just 『Can’t Win』, but well, that’s not really what I want to know though, and I wonder if she could at least tell me what the knight commander-sama is like.

If I would at least get an idea of how he fights, then I might be able to prepare some strategies for the battle.

Aren’t you just boasting about him?

「Lu~tie~」

「Oh, Toto, what brings you here?」

I found Lutie watching over from the window, she waved back at me as waved to her and I approached the office. I run a bit as I close in to the window.

「Um you see, can you tell me about the Knight Commander-sama!」

「Co, about the Commander is it?」

I was a bit too excited that I might have nudged her a little too strongly, she also surprised that she backed off for a bit, well mom was also following from behind so she explained the situation.

「Toto, she will be troubled if push her too much like that, you know」

「Oh, Toto, who’s that?」

「Mom」

After hearing that, Lutie corrected herself once more and properly greeted her just like when we’ve met for the first time.

「Greetings, I am an apprentice knight of the Aries Royal Knights, Lutie Esta Aries」

「Pleased to meet you, I am Rihanna, it seems like you were the one who took care of Toto when she was wandering the city, thank you」

「Ah, no, you don’t have to, I also enjoyed that trip, so there’s no problems」

「Well, other than that, I don’t see anyone around, are the only one here today?」

「Yes, it might be boring but it can’t be helped」

「Lu~tie~?」

Before the talk with mom continues, I called on to Lutie. Seemingly noticing me, she remembered.

「Ah, that’s right, Toto-dono. It seems like an unusual participant was going to challenge the Commander this time, I have also heard various rumors」

「Un」

「It was a child, with long black hair, red colored eyes…… wait, was that you?」

「Un」

「Eh, so you really did participate」

「Told you, would join, strong」

Placing my hands on my waist, I puffed out my chest, and she looked at me with a tired expression.

「Heracles-dono, Ornica-dono, and Ernolla-dono, were you also the one who beat them!?」

I don’t know about the other two, but I did fight against Ornica-san on the semifinals.

Those two were probably participants who didn’t reach the semifinals. Heracles-san was the one who was defeated by Benihana-san, and Ernolla-san was someone who lost to Etoile-san. I didn’t really care about it so I didn’t remember them.

「Ornica-san, beat him」

「Fue, he was really strong, you know」

「That so, that’s why, Commander, want to know more」

When I asked that, Lutie murmurs for a bit then looks up at the sky thinking about it, then explained while entwining her fingers.

「Well, this is based on my opinion. He was a strict leader and always calm. When I got injured during our training, he would use recovery magic to cure me.」

I have heard that he was adept at using magic, but recovery magic was also included in his arsenal.

「Any special measures?」

「I don’t know, I’m just an apprentice you see, I can’t really match up to their training, and also, I’ve never seen the Knight Commander fighting seriously.」

「I see」

「Oh, thinking about it, the Commander is more adept at fighting with a sword than magic, so it maybe more advantageous to fight from a distance」

「Oops, that’s impossible for me to do……」

Those low power air bullets would probably be useless, Benihana-san did suffer damage from it, but that was just a special case. When I was using it against Etoile-san, it was really useless.

On the contrary, if I would be able to use magic, I might be able to use something more powerful than just air bullets.

「Mu, never mind, will try hitting to win」

「You seem to be very confident about it, I also wanted to witness it if I could」

「Un」

In fighting, it’s better to think that you could defeat your enemy, rather than thinking that you would lose.

But more than anything else, I want the money.

「See you around」

「I am kind of conflicted about who to support, since I also want to support Toto」

「Nn, thanks」

Waving my hands, we left Lutie and went towards the Stadium. I couldn’t really hear anything about the commander’s fighting style but it was still good and I was able to boast to her about myself for a bit. Ufufufu.

When we arrived at the Stadium, there seems to be more people watching, but the arrangement didn’t seem to have changed that much from yesterday’s arrangements.

When I was thinking about it with imaginary question marks floating above my head, mother asked me noticing my confusion.

「What’s wrong?」

「People, more came, but didn’t change much」

「Ah, that’s because nobles are seated on a different side, there will more nobles coming today, from different places」

「I see」

After entering the stadium, we went to buy drinks, and then mom separated from me as I went to the waiting room while mom went to the audience area.

I still have free time for now, but I don’t know what to do with it. I haven’t really seen any people who seem to be nobles in this world, but when I thought about nobles from written works that I know of, so I didn’t really get a good impression of them, and it would be nothing but trouble if I got involved with some annoying ones.

「Nn」

「Oh, you’re quite early this time. Ok then, may I have your verification」

After showing my participation ticket to the soldier-san, I was guided inside the waiting room.

But well, there is nothing for me to do right now in the waiting room.

I asked the soldier-san to buy me something to drink because my throat was dry and don’t want to be a reason to hinder my battle performance.

I still have a lot of free time, so I sat on the bench waiting for the event to start.

Ah, the sleepiness is attacking me again. No, I don’t want to sleep again! Suddenly opening my eyes, I saw something pop out of my vision.

「『Doppel』!!」

I screamed out while still lying down, she stood right in front of me and opened her mouth.

『Really Close』

A voice was heard, not by the way of movement from her mouth but from something else, I have also experienced something like this in the past.

Seeing that her plan has succeeded, she showed me a wicked smile, and then for some reason I felt chills run down my spine.

「Just who――」

The moment I was about to ask her something, she vanished, and it was only my voice that was left resounding in the empty room.

It’s been a long time since she has shown herself, really, just what is that person?

But still, that grin of hers was kind of scary, how did I end up like this, or more like just what is up with her?

「The match is about to start, please prepare」

Oops, that was dangerous, I was probably in a daze, and the soldier-san also thought that I was acting funny.

「Ready, anytime」

After confirming my condition, the soldier-san went back to his position.

Well then, I wonder what kind of opponent the Knight Commander-sama will be like.

I felt uncomfortable seated on the bench and doing nothing, so I decided to do some light warm-up as I waited for the match to start.