CH 68

“Ohh!”, cheered the audience.

The shrill voice of the female students and the deep voice of the male students all blended together.

The outdoor arena of the Royal Luminous Magic Academy was filled with excitement.

The stone outdoor arena is exposed under a blue sky, as is to be expected. The place is also used for the “swordsmanship” class that Mika and Machina are taking, but now it is surrounded by a water magic barrier, making it look as if it were in a waterfall. The court mages go to great lengths to put up barriers for the “magic battle” that is scheduled for the day after this swordsmanship tournament.

Now… The final match between the top eight sixth graders was over.

Next to Jelaire, who was hanging his head on the arena floor, Oswald bowed to Brother Seth, who was sitting next to me. When I glanced at my brother’s face, I could see that he was smiling softly.

(Well…next to him, there’s someone whose face looks like an ogre, though.)

Across from Brother Seth, is Brother Vincent with an angry look on his face. I’m terrified that it feels like he’s going to yell at Jelaire after this…I couldn’t help but think that way.

However, Oswald’s strength is real. He has never missed a day of training since he was a child. Perhaps it was because of his honest nature, but I have seen him wielding his sword in the rain, wind, or even snow for that matter. Even his physique looks quite large, unlike the skinny type such as Mika.

Brother Vincent squeezed his fist on the knee where he was sitting.

Perhaps he couldn’t bear it, he stayed where he was and let out an angry cry as he looked at the arena.

“Hmph, what can we make out only from our knights fighting in a sword battle like this!”

“Strength, perhaps.”

“There is no such thing as power to estimate. It has nothing to do with politics.”

“That might be true. I do not think you should be bothered by the fact that your knight was defeated, Vincent.”

Smiling, Brother Seth coldly replied.

I couldn’t say a word from beside him and was frozen by the snowstorm that arose next door.

Brother Vincent’s face was red in contrast. He flipped off his ceremonial cloak, made a clacking sound of footsteps, and left the place.

They rarely exchanged words, but when I thought that they were blood-related brothers, my stomach felt hurt for some reason.

Although I’m glad that I said something like “Brother Vincent will also support us,” in Miss Yoshino’s article, and she wrote the consensus of the article as the first prince faction taking a “strong stance,” those who know about this current situation might have thought I was a blasé and unthinking opportunist.

But…

Brother Vincent is a man who shows his anger like that. That is very easy to notice, unlike Brother Seth who hides everything behind a smile. Just like me, the type which the other party…will be able to notice easily.

“Brother. I think the problem is the second queen, and I don’t think Brother Vincent is such a bad person.”

“Hmm? Even you are trying to pick a fight with me, Nagi?”

“…Brother, you must be a little tired these days.”

“…Sigh…”

I tilted my head in confusion at his thorny response.

Brother Seth sighed with his hand on his forehead, as if he thought his response was thorny as well.

I wonder if it was the pressure from the Dukes of Tyndall that Mika mentioned. If Pluvia took even the slightest hard stance against the Rubrum empire, the Dukes of Tyndall would show tremendous opposition.

Is there anything that the useless baggage prince can do for his brother now?

“Brother, I’m gradually increasing my political work as well. I know that I am a useless pawn in the eyes of my older brother who can do anything. But if there is a domestic dispute about how to deal with the Rubrum Empire, I am of Malacian heritage. Should we go and see if we can suppress it with pressure from the outside?”

“…”

“For example, something like a contingency agreement. The Kingdom of Malacia has been fighting naval battles recently. The barbarian tribe is coming from the other side of the ocean, isn’t it? That is if the contingency agreement with the Kingdom of Malacia can be reached, which of course it will be if this proposal is passed by Congress.”

This kingdom of Pluvia is a country sandwiched between the Kingdom of Malacia and the Empire of Rubrum.

If the Rubrum Empire is supporting the second prince faction behind our backs, we can get the Malacia Kingdom to support us here. It’s something I’ve been thinking about for a while. If my mother’s blood, now deceased, could be used for anything, this was the place to use it.

My grandfather, who loved my mother dearly, and my uncle. If they see me, who looks just like my mother, they will at least listen to me.

In my first life, I was scrambling on my own and couldn’t think of anyone to turn to. But I think it’s time to actually start moving.

(There are some problems at a level where even if I were the only one trying to do something, I wouldn’t be able to do it.)

It is a country that has always had a good relationship with Pluvia from the beginning. But there had to be a difference between just thinking so and having a proper friendship on the basis of an agreement.

It is somewhat of a deterrent against the Rubrum empire.

Brother Seth made a serious face.

It is really rare for him to show emotion this way. If he did, it would only be in front of me and Oswald.

“I am sorry that I said that in a strange way.”

It was not said in a calculating way, nor was it said reluctantly. I laughed when I saw my brother, uncharacteristically, with a childlike sullen expression on his face. I ended up saying strange things, but…I hadn’t told him yet.

“Oswald, good for you. To be the winner.”

“…Yes.”

But…

For me, the main show was just beginning. A high-pitched whistle sounded.

With a resounding sound of footsteps, eight people from fifth graders entered the arena.

My heart skipped a beat when I spotted a familiar redhead among them.

Even though it’s not about me, I got nervous every year when the final round of my school year started.

I heard a thud and looked over to see Brother Vincent had returned to his seat. Even though he was very angry and didn’t want to see Brother Seth, he had to be here as royalty, so he returned like this.

(He’s proper…I wonder if he went to the toilet…)

I still think that Brother Vincent himself is not such a nasty person.

But I quickly turned my eyes back to the arena.

Mika and Machina were there. Our school grade always ended up with Machina winning this tournament every year. It always seemed to me that Mika wasn’t taking it seriously, but I wonder what will happen this year.

Brother Seth seemed to be looking forward to it, and he said.

“This year…Mika will be different, will he not?”

“Well…I wonder.”

“I hope that your knight, who has been in third place all year, can make it to third place again this year.”

∞ ∞ ∞

The wind blew through.

Until now, the place has been filled with excitement, and yet, I couldn’t take my eyes off that shimmering line of sword.

Mika’s blade swayed gracefully, as if the wind were dancing.

(…He’s so cool…)

The sound of metal clashing against each other. Machina’s white blade boldly confronted Mika’s sword, which moved like a softly swaying wind.

In contrast to Mika, who looked like he was about to whistle, Machina’s forehead was covered in sweat.

With a swoosh, Makina’s sword drew an arc. Twisting his body, Mika avoided it with minimal movement. When I thought he had spun around to take advantage of the force of his evasion, the tip of his sword was firmly at Machina’s neck.

“…You got me.”

Machina said in a low voice, with a bitter look on his face as if he was gritting his back teeth.

Mika smiled with a smug expression. As he swung his sword one last time, a beautiful blue wind seemed to be sucked into his sword sheath.

I always thought about it.

Mika seems to be loved by the wind.

I’ve seen many different knights since I was little, but he’s not like any of them. Mika appears to be fighting using a free form that I have never seen before, only him.

The lean movements, the dancing sword strokes, the light footsteps, yet the sharp flash that pierces through.

And then I thought.

(I knew it… He must have been taking it easy all this time.)

The current battle was the finals of the fifth grade.

In other words…this year’s winner is Mika Lennart Chardin.

That’s what it means.

After the battle, the two of them climbed the stairs and came back close to our seats. I could hear the conversation between Mika, who had a nasty smirk on his face, and Machina, with blood veins popping on his temple.

“You…just because you don’t have to help with the knight order anymore…!”

“Hahaha. The personal knight of the prince can’t afford to lose, after all.”

“I think I might hate you.”

Machina’s eyebrows are deeply furrowed.

Indeed, Mika who has been chosen as the personal knight of the royal family, will not be sent out to the knight order even if he wins first place in the swordsmanship tournament.

But that doesn’t stop me from feeling a sense of helplessness when I think of Machina’s feelings, who was suddenly and easily defeated.

When they passed by the royalty’s seat, I called out to them.

“Good fight, both of you.”

“Your Highness Nagi, I…hate Mika.”

“That’s what they call unwillingness to admit defeat.”

“Well…I know how you feel.”

Glancing toward the arena, I saw that there was some kind of a mess, and the top eight fourth graders had not yet entered. Mika and Machina said they would go out for a drink, so I walked to the courtyard together with them.

“How frustrating…”

“Don’t say that. You were the first place for four years. There’s still next year.”

“Don’t say it so condescendingly! Damn it, that composure pisses me off.”

Seeing the two of them arguing, I couldn’t help but chuckle.

In my first life, I had never seen Machina this angry before. He always protected me, and he had a relaxed smile on his face.

Words of appreciation for his hard work…I thought about whether there was anything I could say, so I told him what I thought for the time being. …However.

“You were doing great too, Machina.”

“You don’t need to comfort me…”

“Huh?”

“Leave him be. He’s never been lost that often, so he’s kind of prideful. Though, he’s hiding it behind a big smile.”

After squeezing his eyes shut, Machina opened his empty eyes thinly and said, “Don’t talk like you know me.”

So that’s how it is…I don’t think I knew he was prideful because he was always so easygoing. In that sense, I am glad to see that we have become a little closer in this world.

But…

I’m sure it was because I didn’t choose Machina as my knight in this second life.

“Machina, you’re going back to Lambert territory after graduation, right?”

“Huh, ah…yes, well, it’s a national border, so I still want to take command of the defense.”

“I see… So we can only see each other like this every day until graduation.”

Even though we had just gotten along with each other. I’m sure we’ll get along better a year from now on.

But when it came to the Lambert Territory, it couldn’t be helped. I sighed and became solemn.

At that moment, I saw a light-brown head in front of me. Machina, who was bending down, peeked out from under me.

“Are you feeling lonely?”

“Huh?”

“Feeling lonely without me.”

I blinked my eyes as I looked up and into those pale blue eyes.

It was kind of like being asked that by Machina from my first life, and my heart skipped a beat. After all, he was the knight who was with me until just before I died in my first life. My heart tightened.

If he asked me that question, that’s… of course, I’m going to feel lonely. But just as I was about to say that, Mika’s hand fell with a thud on Machina’s head.

“He won’t be lonely. Also, use honorifics.”

“I didn’t ask you, Mika.”

“Nagi was feeling troubled, so I answered for him.”

“Like I said, I didn’t ask you, Mika.”

As I listened to Mika and Machina arguing, I still wished that days like this could continue.

But…

Tomorrow is the day of the magic battle.

I still didn’t know if it was really going to happen. I’m hoping it doesn’t happen. But the person in question said so herself. So, we have to be prepared.

(For the incident in which Baroness Tessier’s battle robe was cut into pieces by Vivienne…?)