Chapter 2

“I’m so sorry. I know you were at the Royal Academy entrance ceremony today.”

When I arrived at the entrance of the royal guard’s maneuvering ground, escorted by a palace guard, I found Lydia and Lynne’s older brother, the future Duke Leinster, waiting for me. His Highness, Lord Richard Leinster was the very image of a knight—tall and handsome, with a head of curly red hair. He was also decked out in his magnificent knight’s uniform; he must have been participating in the ceremony. I couldn’t help being impressed by his looks the moment I laid eyes on him.

Oh no. I feel as though he just beat me at something.

After all, he was also the enemy of any man who was unlucky in love. He had once casually told me, “I’m quite a hit with the ladies in the guard, you know? Still, I’m engaged, and I can’t exactly date my subordinates. It’s not easy having to turn them down and send them away in tears every time.”

All right, I’ll admit it: I had no luck in love at the Royal Academy, or at the university either!

What a depressing admission. Of course, because a certain someone had dragged me along when she’d skipped years of school, I didn’t have many friends my own age, and my plate had been more than full with a string of difficult problems over the past four years. The few female friends I had managed to make had all become distant at some point or another, and while I was confident that my underclassmen at the university didn’t dislike me, they were always smirking at me. But I digress.

Lord Richard was one of the two vice commanders of the knights of the royal guard and was ranked second in the organization. His glorious accomplishments over the past few years included subduing massive bandit gangs and monsters. The able nobleman was twenty-five years old and, like myself, a victim—we both tended to get drawn into danger and wind up holding the short end of the stick.

Victims of whom, you ask? I imagine you can deduce that for yourself.

“It’s been far too long, Your Highness.” I greeted Richard deferentially, mindful of the other knights nearby.

“Give it a rest, Allen,” he told me. “We know each other too well to stand on ceremony, and they’re all veterans I can trust. You can relax.”

“Thank you, Richard. I’d love to catch up with you, but it doesn’t look as though we have time for that.”

“You’ve got that right,” he admitted after a rueful pause. I couldn’t tell if the look in his eyes was resignation or enlightenment—at any rate, he was exhausted. He seemed to comprehend the cruel destiny that lay in store for him.

I had been catching glimpses of what was going on behind him for some time, and I could hear the clash of swords and the roar of spells activating. I mustered the courage needed to take a proper look, turned my eyes to what was happening in the maneuvering ground...and groaned.

What does she think this is, an execution ground? Doesn’t she realize we’re in the middle of the royal capital?

I promptly looked away again. I’m convinced that, sometimes, escapism is the best thing for a person.

“It appears we’re running out of time,” I said. “She’s furious. What’s the plan?”

“We don’t have much longer before they’re all wiped out. And once they are, I’m next,” Richard explained. “I assume my mother knows about this too, and that means my life hangs by a thread! Oh, how I curse my ill fortune. Allen, I want your sympathy and comfort. Please get me out of this!”

“I sympathize with your position, and I can offer you some comfort,” I said. “But Richard...”

“Yes?”

“I wish you’d stop using me as a human shield.”

Richard was cowering out of sight behind me; he knew that Lydia had good eyes. I wished he would just face her himself.

“Allen, I’m merely a knight of the guard,” he said. “You can’t expect me to face her head-on when she’s angry. I don’t have the kind of deviant kink it would take to willingly charge into purgatory!”

“But you don’t mind sending me?” I asked.

“I’m sure you’ll be all right,” he said. “You may lose a little blood, but some sacrifices have to be made.”

“You could have phrased that in a less unsettling manner.”

The number of people standing in the maneuvering ground was decreasing ever faster as we spoke; they truly wouldn’t last much longer.

I guess I’ve got no choice, I thought as I shoved Richard ahead of me as a shield. Don’t bother resisting; it’s my belief that hardships should be shared. Now stop struggling and let’s go die—ahem, try to sort this out.

“S-Stop it, Allen! Th-Think of my lovely, lovely fiancée!” Richard begged.

“I know,” I said. “It’s strange, but that makes me want to bring you with me even more. Death is just what a knight with women falling all over him deserves! But don’t worry—you’ll get off with moderate burns. Probably. I hope. You’ll live, in any case; she knows how to hold back, albeit not by much.”

“Y-You call that ‘holding back’?! Th-The only people who can laugh off her attacks are you and my mother!”

“Lisa is so far beyond me that there’s no comparison. Anyway, she’s like a playful cat; she could never seriously hurt someone she cares about.”

Richard took a moment to process my words. “I can’t believe you really mean that,” he grumbled, slumping exhaustedly. “O God, why must you give me such trials? Please, save them all for Allen—I’m sure my sister would like that.”

I’m sorry to say that she won’t hesitate to slice up any run-of-the-mill god.

We were approaching the maneuvering ground one step at a time. A reek of blood filled the air, accompanied by screams and faint cries of pain.

I can’t let the girls see this, I thought. They might stain their dresses, for one thing. Hm, what’s this? What are you sobbing like that for, Richard? Keep your feet moving. One, two. One, two. There; that’s the spirit.

“She’s a nice girl, deep down. You know that as well as I do,” I said, keeping my voice gentle, as though I were soothing a small child. “Can’t you have some faith in your sister?”

“Now I know just what my sisters are talking about when they call you mean,” Richard answered listlessly.

How rude. I’m kind to everyone, no matter the time or place—I just make an exception for knights with women falling all over them.

I pushed my cowering shield ahead of me, and my field of view suddenly expanded.

Beheld from a bird’s-eye view, the royal guard’s maneuvering ground was a circle surrounded by a stone wall that came up to about my shoulders. Now that I was looking at it again, it bore a striking resemblance to the training ground at the Howards’ mansion; they might originally have been built to the same plan.

The maneuvering ground was equipped with magnificent spectator seating unbefitting a military facility because it also played host to the kingdom’s annual martial arts competition. Tickets were popular and hard to come by, or so I heard—I’d never had to obtain them myself since on both occasions I’d attended, it had been as a “plus one.” Still, the competition was a special occasion. The facility was primarily for the knights’ use, so it was even more solidly built than the Royal Academy and nearly impervious to damage—or at least it should have been.

A gruesome scene spread out before me. The walls were covered in sword cuts, some of which extended to the highest row of spectator seats—others threatened to reach all the way to the royal palace itself. That was odd; no spell should have been able to inflict that kind of damage.

Lydia’s opponents were knights—apparently young members of the royal guard. The ones in white gold-embroidered robes, desperately weaving spells with their long staves, must have been court sorcerers. It appeared that some of them were fresh appointees; their equipment was brand new.

More than ten of them were already slumped, motionless, against the walls. A number of broken swords and staves lay abandoned or stuck in the ground, which was also scattered with fragments of rent shields, helmets, and breastplates. Even the court sorcerers’ robes, which were woven with powerful magical barriers, were torn and stained with red. Blood pooled in several places.

The only ones left standing were— Oh, she laid low the last four in one fell swoop. One after another, they crashed into the structure with renewed screams and cries of pain and then fell still. If this had been one of the popular board games currently making the rounds in the royal capital, it would have been a total victory.

“Is that all? After all your bragging, that’s all you can do? And you call yourselves knights of the guard and court sorcerers? You’d need to train for another ten thousand years to get good enough to look down your noses at him.” Lydia coldly judged them, turning slowly as she spoke. “What kind of training have you been doing to end up—”

The next instant, a Firebird took flight. Richard shrieked.

Oh, honestly... I thought as I vaulted over the wall and scattered the spell with a wave of my right hand. “I can’t say I approve of your abruptness. And that spell is no substitute for a hello.”

“Wh-What are you doing here? I-I didn’t sense your mana at all,” Lydia stammered. “My stupid brother!”

Richard chuckled. “I do everything I possibly can to survive in the moment, even if that means I won’t live to see the sun rise tomorrow—that’s the Richard Leinster way!” I would have agreed with about half of that had he not been retreating at full speed while he said it.

“So, what happened?” I asked. “Lisa won’t like you getting violent on your big day.”

“B-Be quiet!” Lydia shouted. After a short pause, she added, “And what kind of coward hides his mana until he gets this close?! It’s not fair! I refuse to accept it!”

“You would have run away if you knew I was coming and then lost your temper if I didn’t chase you,” I said. “Whenever you swing your sword, the brunt of it always falls on— There are no traces of mana. Richard?”

“What?” the vice commander called back. He had reached the stands and secured a seat for himself. It appeared that a small group of eccentrics was also spectating in spite of the danger.

“A new challenger! My money’s on him!”

“Are you blind? That lad won’t stand a chance.”

“I’m betting on the long shot!”

“I’ll keep to the safe bet. It’s the Lady of the Sword for me.”

“Ha! I shall stake everything on a draw!”

“Do you know something we don’t, Squad Commander?”

“Chilled fruit juice, going cheap!”

It was hard to be mad at them when they were taking it that far. The crowd included people who appeared to be high-ranking nobles in addition to knights of the royal guard and court sorcerers. If they had been summoned to the investiture ceremony, they must have been earls at the least. Something about that unnerved me, but I couldn’t quite put my finger on it.

Oh well. It can wait.

“Did someone challenge her to a fight with swords alone?” I asked Richard.

“They did indeed!” he affirmed. “The rookies on the ground there were calling you a—”

“Repeat it and you won’t even live to see the moon rise tonight,” Lydia said, cutting him off.

Richard gave a forced laugh. “Actually, it’s completely slipped my mind!” he declared.

“Listen, Lydia,” I said.

“What?” she asked after a brief silence.

“Thank you.”

“I-I didn’t do this for you,” she stammered. A beat later, she added, “I didn’t, okay? D-Don’t get the wrong idea!” She wasn’t terribly convincing when even her ears flushed as she said it—not that she wasn’t downright adorable at times like this.

Hey, don’t shake like that.

Still, challenging her to a sword fight had been beyond reckless. Her Firebird was a powerful spell, but the albatross around my neck was known as “the Lady of the Sword” for a reason. One would have to be crazy to assume that she would be weaker without her magic.

I offered her my right hand with a wry grin. “Come on. Let’s go. The entrance ceremony must have ended without incident by now, and the Leinsters and Howards will be holding a delicious feast tonight to celebrate—wine included. Haven’t you had your fill of violence?”

The willful noblewoman fixed me with a sulky glare. “No.”

“No? Really?” I asked.

“That wasn’t nearly enough.”

For the umpteenth time that day, I had a bad feeling about what was going to happen next—and this one was worse than the rest. Lydia grabbed a knight’s sword sticking out of the ground near her and tossed it to me. I rested one hand on my forehead and sighed as I caught it; it was easy to predict what she would say.

Oh dear. Why does she look like she’s enjoying this so much?

“So,” she said, “keep me company once in a while.”

✽

I swelled with satisfaction at a job well done. My lovely little sister had been positively radiating bloodlust, but that had all vanished without a trace as soon as I’d offered her Allen as a sacrifice—ahem, present.

“That was a nice bit of work,” I remarked to myself. “It ought to defuse the situation and keep me out of harm’s way. Now I’ve just got to think up a strategy for dealing with my mother.”

“I quite agree. This may be the ideal solution, given how taken Lady Lydia is with Mr. Allen. But that, Lord Richard, is beside the point. How could the future Duke Leinster cower in fear of his own sister and offer up his future brother-in-law? The mere thought fills this humble maid with sorrow. I might even weep.”

A shudder ran up my spine. I frantically looked over my shoulder, but there was no one there. Had I imagined it? For a moment, I’d thought that our head maid, the pride and terror of my house, was already here.

Maybe I’m tired. I’ll get my fiancée to comfort me on my next day off.

“I believe your time might be better spent thinking of ways to survive the scolding that the mistress has in store for you. After all, she and Lady Lynne are fond of Mr. Allen as well—Lady Lydia isn’t alone in that regard. That being the case, perhaps you ought to go see her first. It might be your last chance before you are parted permanently,” the angel of death said cheerfully from the seat beside me.

“A-Anna?!” I shrieked, leaping to my feet and backing away from her.

“Yes, my lord. Anna, head maid to the Ducal House of Leinster and president of the Society for Watching over Lady Lydia and Lady Lynne in Public and Private. I have come on my mistress’s orders,” she replied. “Sir Knight, might I have one of those drinks as well? I’m simply parched.”

There sat our head maid. She had chestnut hair and a figure that left much to be desired in one particular area. She said that she was thirsty, but you would never guess it from looking at her—her brow was free of sweat, and her clothes were in perfect order. She was recording the maneuvering ground with a video orb in her left hand.

It’s just going to end without a fuss anyw— Lydia pulled a knight’s sword out of the ground and tossed it to Allen, who caught it with a rueful smile while keeping his distance from her. Hang on... Don’t tell me they want to keep going!

Lydia had surpassed me a long time ago. Only a handful of swordsmen and sorcerers in the whole kingdom were able to face her head-on. I knew that Allen was a capable sorcerer, and I’d heard that he was the only person my sister trusted to watch her back, but facing her in a swordfight? That was just foolhardy! I needed to stop them!

Before I even had the chance, however, I was restrained by the head maid. “Hm. Not bad, but hardly good enough for the House of Leinster,” she commented, sipping her fruit juice. “Lord Richard, interrupting a lovers’ tryst is the height of boorishness. Kindly return to your seat.”

“Y-You call this a tryst?”

“It’s beginning.”

Anna pointed to the maneuvering ground. In an instant, Lydia vanished from sight. Her disappearance was followed by a high-pitched metallic clang—Allen had just blocked a strike from Lydia Leinster, the Lady of the Sword, one of the finest swordswomen in the kingdom, without so much as breaking a sweat.

A stir ran through the group that had been absorbed in betting on the duel, and who could blame them? None of the knights of the royal guard or court sorcerers my sister had just run roughshod over had managed to block even a single blow.

After a few more clashes, Lydia suddenly leapt to one side. I was still wondering why when chains of earth rose from the ground in pursuit. Dozens of spell formulae appeared in the air around my sister, cutting off her escape on all sides as they activated one after another. She countered by slicing through the spell formulae themselves, securing space to evade as she sprinted across the maneuvering ground. She was taking advantage of the opening to close distance with Allen, who was keeping out of reach of her sword as he blocked or evaded the slashes that slipped through his bombardment of elementary water, earth, and lightning spells.

No way. Am I really seeing this? What kind of spell formulae are those?! They’re definitely not by the book.

Offensive spells typically deployed in front of the caster. An experienced fighter might deploy a spell from above or below to catch an opponent off guard, but not against a fast-moving close-range fighter like Lydia—that made it many times more challenging to aim even a single spell. Controlling that many at the same time was just—

“Lord Richard, you’re blocking the view from the seats behind you,” Anna warned me. “Please sit down.”

The head maid apparently found this spectacle unsurprising. Still, did she have to give me that disappointed look, like I ought to know better? I mean, this was the Lady of the Sword we were talking about! Lydia might be my sister, but she was also basically a monster. How could a sorcerer like Allen put up so much of a fight against her?

I went to sink back into my chair, but Anna stopped me with an emphatic shake of her head. “Who said you could sit there?” she asked. “The mistress commanded me to ‘make you repent.’” After a moment, she added, “And you were just having unkind thoughts about my physical characteristics. Sit down right where you are, Young Master Richard.”

“O-On the ground?” I asked. “I-I have a reputation to consider.”

“Sit down.”

“L-Listen, I can’t just—”

“Sit.”

“...Yes, ma’am.”

Anna was strict. This brought back memories of my childhood. I hoped that my subordinates and the spectators weren’t watching.

D-Don’t look at me now! I-It was an emergency! I was justified in my actions! There was nothing else I could do to save my own skin! One look at what’s going on in front of you should make that obvious! Besides, he’s stronger than I thought he was, so— Huh? A-Are we up north? It’s awfully chilly all of a sudden.

“Young master,” Anna said, “do you understand why you’re being forced to sit?”

“Because I tried to make him clean up a mess that the royal guard helped cause,” I ventured. “And because I thought about your—”

“My what? And you’re half correct.”

“I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. Please just don’t kill— Only half...?”

“See for yourself.”

Confused, I turned my attention back to the maneuvering ground in time to see Lydia break through Allen’s hail of spells and close in on him, swinging her sword. Allen frantically blocked a few strokes and tumbled on the ground to avoid others—staining his formal wear and mussing his neatly coiffed hair in the process.

“Do you understand now?” Anna asked.

“He’s at a disadvantage at close quarters.”

“No. Mr. Allen dressed in formal wear and had his hair styled today because he would be attending the Royal Academy entrance ceremony. Have you any idea how much time Lady Lydia spent selecting that outfit? Mr. Allen is a sensible young man—he rarely consents to appear in public in clothes prepared for him by the House of Leinster. And you, Lady Lydia’s own brother, permitted your subordinates to spoil one of those precious opportunities for her!”

“Th-That’s what you’re mad about?” I stammered. “B-But Lydia is destroying his outfit herself! I don’t have jurisdiction over the court sorcerers either!”

“Young master, that is beside the point.”

“Oh, come on...” I felt bad about the situation and planned to take responsibility, but really, shouldn’t she be more concerned that he might get hurt?!

“There’s nothing out of the ordinary about Lady Lydia roughhousing with Mr. Allen. I dare say she does it mostly for attention...among other things. There’s no question of her injuring him—my lady is far too skilled for that.”

Lydia sliced and wove her way through countless elementary spells to close in on Allen for the umpteenth time. To my surprise, she was grinning from ear to ear as she struck with terrifying speed. Allen just barely fended off her strikes and unleashed another barrage of elementary spells, putting distance between them again.

They repeated those same steps over and over again. Unlike the first time, Allen showed no sign of rolling around on the ground to avoid Lydia’s strikes. He kept a fixed distance and constructed “corridors” of elementary spells; it looked like he was trying to limit the direction of her attacks.

A commotion started among the knights and mages watching the bout as they began to realize what was going on. I knew just how they felt—“superhuman” didn’t even begin to describe it. How many knights or court sorcerers could pull off something like that?

Come to think of it, why isn’t Lydia casting Firebird? She hasn’t used a single offensive spell this whole time. I don’t see why she would stick to the rules from her last fight, unless...

Anna nodded. “Lady Lydia limits herself to physical enhancement spells and refrains from all offensive magic, while Mr. Allen casts only elementary spells. Do you understand the significance of those rules?”

“You mean this is a form of communication?” I asked.

“Precisely. Neither one of them is in earnest. As far as Lady Lydia is concerned, this is merely a display of affection, and she’s always in a wonderful mood afterward. Mr. Allen is a master of indulging her.”

Aha ha ha. Maybe my eyes have finally given out on me, because the fight I’m seeing wouldn’t be out of place in the tournament finals.

The crowd in the stands—the same people who had been shouting about betting a mere moment ago—was now debating with serious looks on their faces. The knights and sorcerers seemed especially tense.

There! That’s the reaction I was looking for! I’m glad you agree! This maid who just keeps filming is the crazy— Uh, forget I said anything.

“Anna, do you think you could beat him?” I asked frankly.

“That’s a good question,” she replied. “Were I ever to encounter him on the battlefield, I suppose I would begin by considering how to escape.”

So not even Anna, the leader of the House of Leinster’s covert operatives, a woman who had passed through countless dangers with a smile and even forced my mother to draw her sword, would consider fighting Allen. I might have seriously underestimated him. Lydia liked him, and I had heard a variety of rumors about their exploits, but most of those rumors had centered on my sister. It seemed that very few people accurately gauged Allen’s abilities. I was no exception, even though I knew him personally. I could only imagine that others had even lower opinions of him.

The rumors about the court sorcerer exam were true, then. Prince Gerard had lost badly to Allen and then raised objections to make him fail the exam in retaliation. I could hardly believe it.

“Now do you understand why Mr. Allen is hailed as Lady Lydia’s partner—as the Brain of the Lady of the Sword?” Anna pronounced gravely. “Neither appearances nor caprice gained him his place at her side; rather, he earned it by his own merit. The entire House of Leinster is aware that you have been working hard, young master...but it’s not enough. You must apply yourself even more diligently.”

“I will,” I promised after a moment of stunned silence. There was no denying that I needed to work harder.

By the way...my legs have gone numb. Is there any chance you’ll let me off the hook now? What? You won’t? Ah. Yes, ma’am! You don’t have to tell me twice, Ms. Anna!

✽

Lydia easily avoided a hail of the elementary water spell Divine Water Shot from above as she closed in on me with incredible speed. I activated the elementary lightning spell Divine Lightning Shot on a delay in the direction she dodged, but she saw through my trap. Even varying the activation time and velocity of each individual shot made no difference; she was picking up speed as she cleaved her way through dozens of spells.

I could hardly believe it—she was even stronger than she had been during our last bout half a year before. Had she revisited her own training while she had been educating Lynne? I supposed that was just the sort of thing she would do, but the thought did nothing to stop my cold sweat.

I attempted to slow her down using the elementary earth spell Divine Earth Chains, but she sliced through more than a few of my spell formulae before they even had a chance to activate. What was I to do? She was pushing me hard enough already.

As I wove my next spells, I reluctantly steeled myself to clash swords with the willful noblewoman. The next thing I knew, she was charging me head-on.

“I think you might have gotten a little too strong,” I protested after blocking one of her strikes. “I-I’d like to request a handicap.”

“Oh really?” Lydia responded. “You seem so confident, though. I bet you wouldn’t mind if I got serious.”

“No thank you. I long for kindness!”

I pushed back her sword and then made an immediate and calculated retreat, deploying weak examples of the elementary wind spell Divine Wind Wave in the resulting space between us. I was about to attempt to disengage her posthaste when...I stopped in my tracks. If this gambit played out as I expected, it wouldn’t do to have an audience. I wouldn’t like it much either.

“What’s wrong?” Lydia asked, putting some distance between us while shooting me a questioning look.

“Oh, well, um...” I stammered. It wasn’t an easy question to answer. It was probably none of my business, for one thing. I couldn’t stop my eyes from darting from the spectator seats to Lydia’s skirt, and it was then that she started to exude unmistakable bloodlust.

“I see you’ve got a death wish,” Lydia said after a tense silence. “All right. I wouldn’t mind slicing you up.”

“Wh-Why is that your response?! I-I mean, a skirt that short is—”

“Don’t try to argue.”

“Be reasonable!”

Lydia charged in before I had time to deploy my spells. Metal clanged against metal as I weathered her onslaught with difficulty. My sword was making some unnerving sounds.

Downward slash, upward slash, horizontal sweep, diagonal slice, intense thrust. She finished with a blindingly fast string of eight thrusts and two perpendicular slashes before repeating the sequence in a different order. It was a merciless recapitulation of basic techniques. Did she want to drag me into the world of swordsmanship that badly? She was even making a show of whistling as she struck.

Don’t pick on me just because you’re running out of people to spar with. H-Hang on. Are those rapid thrusts and perpendicular slashes basic techniques? I don’t remember seeing many swordsmen use them in real combat!

I stopped a horizontal sweep, parried the backhanded thrust she shifted it into, and blocked a downward slice, but her onslaught was far from over. The thousands—maybe tens of thousands—of her strikes I had taken over the past four years had taught me that I wasn’t cut out to be a swordsman, and this assault was a keen reminder. I might manage to become better than average, but I would never be a true master. Before Lydia had learned to cast spells, she had believed in nothing but her sword. My improvised swordplay would never be a match for her dedication.

Weathering Lydia’s onslaught was simple—she was only aiming at one spot, and it was easy to defend. In other words, she was holding back as much as she knew how! There could be no other explanation for how I was still standing in a fight at such close range, especially with my ability to deploy spells partially restricted.

That said, even I had my pride. I didn’t plan to let it end like this. Besides which, my sword was nearing its limit—it was sturdily made, but Lydia’s blows were too fast for me to properly deflect. I would need to buy myself a little time to prepare a counterattack!

I fended off another of Lydia’s slashes and restrained her sword with the elementary darkness spell Divine Darkness Threads. It would have bought me time against most swordsmen...but my opponent wasn’t like most swordsmen. The spell was tough to cut through, but it wouldn’t last more than a few seconds against Lydia.

I leapt backward as I readied my next spell.

“You use these crafty tricks every time!” Lydia snapped as she easily sliced through my threads.

“Thank you for the compliment!” I quipped back as I unleashed a wild volley of Divine Light Shot, the fastest of all elementary spells. It was impossible to even react to it within a certain distance, and while unlikely to inflict a fatal blow, it was quite capable of stopping an opponent in their tracks. Against the Lady of the Sword, however...

“Too slow! You’ll never even touch me with spells like that!” she shouted.

“That was your cue to get pinned down and wail that swordplay is a thing of the past!” I complained.

“Ha! In your dreams! Did you seriously think the same spell would work on me twice?”

Blocking or evading my spells would have been one thing, but she had deliberately taken them on the blade of her sword and played at returning fire with the ricochets. She even had the time to accelerate them with her own power. The reflected shots were too fast for me to dismantle, so I canceled them out with identical spells, burning through my mana.

Lydia must have gone overboard working out ways to counter this tactic just because I had quickly pinned her down with it during our match the year before. Was she an eager student or a sore loser? Either way, I wanted to stress that there was no need to go that far. I racked my brain about canceling out and deploying spells, but it was no use—I couldn’t handle her using elementary spells. I couldn’t cast anything beyond intermediate spells, and that meant I stood no chance of winning—not that I had ever expected to. Still, she would get annoyed at me if I lost on purpose.

“Come on!” Lydia goaded me. “Show me what you’re made of! That can’t be all you’ve got!”

“I know someone who’d be angry if it were. May I stop now?”

“How rude. I wouldn’t be angry. I’d just use the story to tease you for a while.”

What to do? I was in desperate straits. I knew that she didn’t mean any harm, but she was still Lydia Leinster. If I wasn’t careful, there was a good chance I would be crying myself to sleep for the next several months. I felt a desire to sympathize with herbivores driven to the brink by their predators. I might not be able to win, but I would have to find some way of minimizing my disadvantage to give myself room to negotiate.

Lydia finished swatting away my Divine Light Shots and began to charge me for the umpteenth time. I’d hoped to make my preparations carefully, but I would have to do the best I could under the circumstances.

I stopped deploying spells and closed in on Lydia. The flash of surprise on her face quickly changed into a charming smile—she was enjoying this too much!

The distance between us closed rapidly, and our swords clashed in the center of the maneuvering ground. The impact of our escaping mana filled the air with dust, and the weight of her strike made me grunt with exertion.

Lydia giggled. “I’ll commend you for deciding to settle this head-on,” she crowed.

“G-Give me a moment...” I groaned.

“No,” she chirped, putting even greater strength behind her blade.

Y-You do remember that we’re only sparring here, right? And that you’re using a real sword? If you cut me with that, it really is going to hurt. I know better than anyone that you’re too skilled to let that happen, but still... Now, how would you like a surprise?

I brought my left hand to the blade of my sword and slid the spell I had been weaving along it. Lydia’s eyes widened as a thin layer of magical ice coated the weapon, dyeing it azure.

Good. It worked.

“Well now,” Lydia remarked, “is this a souvenir from the Howards? It’s an interesting spell formula.”

“I was fortunate enough to witness the Azure Fists,” I explained, “so I took a crack at reconstructing it.”

“Oh really? I hope you don’t think it will be enough to beat me.”

Lydia’s enchanted sword glowed, shattering the ice on mine, but I had anticipated that. Dozens of icy vines materialized from my blade to assault her. She quickly retreated, clicking her tongue in vexation, but the vines followed her. I waved my left hand and fired off a wild barrage of Divine Light Shots, Divine Lightning Shots made to resemble them, and Divine Wind Waves, which were difficult to see and covered a wide area.

I felt relieved as the gap between us widened. I had managed to regain my footing. The only problem was that victory still seemed unattainable. I didn’t want to think about what would happen if my mana ran out.

Now that I had actually tried this technique—which I had decided to call the “Azure Sword” in imitation of the Howards’ Azure Fists and the Leinsters’ Scarlet Sword, although its power and substance were a far cry from either—I realized that it guzzled mana. But without it, I had no way of bringing the match to a draw.

I was keeping Lydia at bay with countless vines and elementary spells, but she seemed to have adjusted to my new tactics. She was standing stock-still and striking them all down without even trying to dodge. She was fast, and her slashes even seemed to be slightly sharper than before. Her cheerful mood had also done an about-face; now, she seemed discontent.

“Um, Lydia?” I asked timidly, halting my barrage of spells.

“What, you faithless ingrate?!” she snapped back.

“Why are you so upset?”

“I’m not upset. Do you need your eyes checked?”

“No, you’re upset all right.”

“Don’t make me repeat myself.”

“What choice do I have?” I protested. “You know I can’t attempt your family’s art in public.”

“I told you, I am not upset,” she insisted. After a brief pause, she asked, “If you can use it, why don’t you?”

“I thought it would be a bad idea to unveil an imitation of a ducal house’s secret art in a place like this without permission.”

“You’re using the Howards’ though,” she pointed out. “So why won’t you use mine?!”

“Oh, well... Y-You see...” I stammered.

The Scarlet Sword was a secret art wielded by the direct lineage of the Ducal House of Leinster. Alongside Firebird, it was their trump card and the symbol of their martial prowess. I believed that it shared its origin with the Azure Fists but that both techniques had been refined independently. As someone who had observed both, it was my opinion that the Scarlet Sword focused on offense, while the Azure Fists combined offense and defense. I was certain that the Azure Fists Duke Walter had employed during Tina and Ellie’s final exam had been merely a taste, far from what he was really capable of.

For better or worse, Lydia had trained me in the Scarlet Sword herself, and I had mastered at least the form of the technique—with Duke Leinster and Lisa’s permission, that is. If we had been sparring without an audience, I would have opted for my more practiced Scarlet Sword. Or maybe not—I couldn’t imagine fire having any effect on my current opponent.

My Azure Sword was a work in progress, but it also had the advantage of novelty. It was the better choice. But the glare of the sulky girl in front of me made it clear that logic was beside the point. Still, she was ordinarily a bit more reasonable in public. Perhaps this was her pent-up frustration showing—my failing the court sorcerer exam and taking a job as a private tutor had combined to keep us apart for more than three months. It was the first time we had been apart for so long since our meeting four years prior. Then again, we had been seeing each other every day recently. How selfish could she be?!

I moved my sword to a horizontal position and ran my hand along the blade again. As the sword shifted from azure to scarlet, it glowed and immediately radiated heat.

“You should have done that in the first place,” Lydia said. “Inconsiderate servants are such a handful.”

“This is going to cause problems,” I replied, “so I hope you’ll apologize along with me. Please?”

“If you beat me.”

“Have I ever beaten you?”

“Of course not. How could you ever get the better of me in a sword fight?”

Lydia relaxed her stance. Her right hand, holding her favorite sword, hung loosely as the tension left her body. This was the Lady of the Sword’s real battle stance—it appeared that she was done practicing.

We faced each other in silence. The spectators seemed to be holding their breath as well. There were also more of them than before.

“Get ready,” Lydia told me.

“I am. Let’s begin.”

We nodded to each other and then abruptly accelerated. Seconds later, the gap between us was gone, and our sword strokes crossed. Sparks flew and dust swirled. I grunted with exertion as Lydia stepped forward with a piercing cry. She was going to overpower me!

Sorry. Still, this is a competition.

My blade turned back to azure and sprouted vines of ice that bound Lydia’s enchanted sword. Her eyes widened. “You tricked me!” she shouted. “You coward! Have you no shame?!”

“Will you be able to say that once you’ve lost?” I asked. “I intend to win!”

I waved my left hand and cast Divine Earth Chains on the ground beneath Lydia’s feet, causing stone chains to coil around her legs. Now if I could only cast Divine Light Shot at point-blank range...

I’ve won. I know it’s just a game, but after four grueling years, I’ve finally won!

I was overconfident. The next thing I knew, Lydia had let go of her sword, seized me by the collar, and tossed me with a shout. My body spun through the air before being slammed into the ground. The impact scattered the spells that I had been preparing. It was all I could do to hastily brace myself against the fall—and it still hurt. I felt the edge of a sword against the nape of my neck.

“Ow. All right. You win,” I conceded, raising both hands and forcing a smile. “I lost again.”

“You need to train harder if a little move like that is all it takes to make you throw in the towel!” the willful noblewoman announced dispassionately. It sounded as though she still wanted more.

Honestly, even just playing along with her meant putting my life on the line. Her magic was impressive, but she was still a swordswoman, and her swordplay made her spells look trivial in comparison. I had limited her direction of attack, startled her with an unfamiliar technique, and launched a surprise attack, but this was still the result. She was incredible.

I stood up, dusted myself off, and picked up the knight’s sword.

Oh. I knew it.

“That’s all for now,” I told her. “Just look at this sword; it’s missing a huge chunk here. Oh, and here. And another one here. I can’t believe you did this to the royal guard’s equipment. Then again, I suppose you’ve smashed more important things than that—what’s the point of grinding the knights’ and court sorcerers’ pride and confidence to dust on their first day?”

“I held back as much as I possibly could, and it still ended up a wreck,” Lydia scoffed. “You weren’t blocking properly. You need to train harder!”

“Be reasonable,” I pleaded. “I really tried, you know? I think I deserve a compliment.”

“Well, I don’t. Hurry up and get good enough to make me use my Scarlet Sword seriously!”

T-Trying to block that would be suicide. If I had that kind of talent, I would have applied to join the royal guard.

Naturally, Lydia’s sword was completely unscathed despite the at least several hundred spells I had hammered it with.

I-I won’t let it get to me. Only freaks—ahem, masters like “the Swordmaster,” the commander of the royal guard, or the Hero are capable of stopping her swordplay head-on.

Unlike them, I was an ordinary person, and I would insist that I had put up a good fight. I wondered whether Lydia would keep going. Once she got started, she refused to stop until she was satisfied.

Lydia took something silver out of one of her pockets. It was the pocket watch I had given her. She checked the time and then snapped it shut.

What for...?

“I guess I have no choice,” she said. “I’ll let you off with that.”

“Thank you. I didn’t realize you bring that watch to work with you.”

Lydia suddenly looked flustered. “Wh-Why shouldn’t I?” she asked defensively. “Y-You gave it to me, so it’s mine! I can do with it as I please!”

“I’m glad to see you’ve found some use for it,” I assured her. “But did it always have that crest on the lid? I thought it had only letters and numbers.”

“C-Come on!” Lydia shouted to cover her embarrassment, although her face was bright red. “We’re all done here! Clean up!”

That was why I’d told her not to swing her sword around like that. Did she realize how tired I was after casting that many elementary spells in a row? My spellcasting was far more efficient than it used to be, so I hadn’t exhausted my mana supply, but I still didn’t have enough to...

I lost my train of thought as I surveyed the arena.

Oh, all right. I’ll fill in the holes and cracks.

I cast multiple earth spells and set about repairing the maneuvering ground, which looked as though it had been through the horrors of war.

“Unbelievable,” Lydia muttered—she was now standing beside me. “All that control and nothing else.”

“How so?” I asked. “You could do the same thing.”

“It’s tedious. Trifles like that are your responsibility.”

I had no response, but I wished she hadn’t said it with a smile.

Oh, I realized, this would make an excellent learning opportunity for the girls.

“Hurry up and fix it already,” Lydia said. “I’m sure you were just thinking that this would make a good learning opportunity, weren’t you? Most people would call that bullying.”

“And who was bullying me in front of a live audience just now?” I mused.

“Excuse me? You should be shedding tears of gratitude for the privilege of fighting me.”

“Yes, yes. Richard!”

I looked for the traitor who had abandoned me and soon found him...kneeling on the ground? Anna was beside him with a smile on her face. I decided against getting involved. That was Anna at her strictest—a harsh taskmaster feared by all the Leinster servants.

Don’t give me that look, Richard. You sold me out, remember?

“A-Allen,” he pleaded. “H-Help me—”

“Would you mind if I healed the injured?” I asked him.

“Suit yourself, b-but don’t ignore—”

“Thank you. Goodbye.”

I thought that I heard a scream from behind me, but I must have imagined it. Indeed, I couldn’t hear a thing. Besides, Richard ought to consider himself fortunate that he didn’t have Lydia and Lisa to deal with. Or did that mean his true ordeal was yet to come? I prayed that he would be strong.

I began dispensing first-aid healing spells to the knights of the royal guard and court sorcerers lying along the walls. My sparring match with Lydia must have prevented aid from reaching them. I signaled with my hands to the knights and sorcerers standing by outside that it was safe to approach.

A lot of eyes seemed to be on me. I wondered why. I supposed I had stood out a bit—Lisa and Duke Leinster might scold me for that—but I couldn’t recall doing anything to merit such interest. Perhaps they pitied me? They were right to, if so—I certainly had it rough.

I completed my repairs to the maneuvering ground and stretched my stiff shoulders. I was exhausted. Meanwhile, Lydia sheathed her sword with an impressive sound. I thought that was cool, although I wouldn’t tell her so—I’d once put her in a bad mood for several days by doing that.

“Whew. I’m exhausted,” I said. “Oh, just look at the state of these nice clothes. There’s nowhere near enough in my wallet to reimburse you for these.”

“How many times do I have to tell you?” Lydia shot back. “I know you love your parents, but you need to stop sending them so much that you have barely anything left for yourself.”

I forced a laugh. “I’m sorry.”

Lydia paused to consider my apology. “Are you really?” she asked, staring intently at me as she closed the distance between us. The next thing I knew, she had seized me by the chest and pulled me toward her.

Hasn’t she ever heard of personal space?

“You reek of sweat,” she pronounced.

“Wh-What a thing to say!” I stammered. “I can’t control my physiological responses!”

“I’m not sweating. Would you, um...like to check?”

“Lydia,” I said after an awkward pause, “I don’t think you should make the offer if you can’t stand the embarrassment.”

“Th-That’s enough out of you! A-Anyway, it’s time for lunch.” She fell silent for a moment and then added, “I got what I wanted, anyway.”

Having spectacularly hoisted herself with her own petard, Lydia offered me her right hand. I was still pondering the meaning of her last statement when she seized my hand with evident impatience.

H-Hang on. I’m still all sweaty and—

“Disgusting. You’re all clammy.”

“R-Remember what I told you yesterday,” I reminded her. “Caren will be eating with us today. Do you mind?”

“Not in the least,” she said. “Later on, teach me how to disguise an enchanted sword like you did just now. You’re always thinking up underhanded tricks like that!”

“I exercise my ingenuity,” I corrected her. “I don’t mind teaching you, but I doubt you’ll need it.”

“Because fire spells are the only advanced magic I can cast properly?” she asked after a moment of silence.

“No,” I assured her with a grin, “because you should focus on slicing things up. Everything else is my job.”

Lydia gave a slight nod. She fought in the vanguard while I supported her from the rear. That was how we had always dealt with things, and I saw no reason to change it. I was relieved that she seemed to agree. Of course, I would still teach her later.

We were just about to join Richard and Anna when a dark shadow raced up and leapt nimbly at me. I felt a weight on my shoulder. It was Anko, the black cat familiar.

Of course. I should have known he would be here.

The current ministers were forced to invite the former leader of the court sorcerers and His Majesty’s own instructor in magic, no matter how much they might have preferred not to. I remembered how the man in question used to have a mean-spirited laugh about it every year.

“You certainly took your time getting here, considering that one of your students was in danger,” I called to the man in the top row of the spectator seats as I stroked Anko with one hand. “You do realize that it wouldn’t kill you to make an effort, right, Professor?”

✽

The gentleman in formal attire descended from the spectator seats with a broad grin. Nearby onlookers rose to their feet and bowed their heads to him as he passed. He was none other than the head of the department that Lydia and I had belonged to at the Royal University—one of the kingdom’s most accomplished sorcerers, commonly known as “the professor.” He had also engineered the reason why I was staying on in my position as Tina and Ellie’s tutor.

Now, what was his real name, again?

I was sure that he had quite a long name, coming as he did from a venerable and distinguished lineage, but no one ever called him by it, so it had completely slipped my mind.

The professor laughed. “I would never be so boorish, Allen. Perish the thought,” he said.

“What do you want? Do I need to slice you up?” I asked him after a pause, menacing him with the point of my sword. He wasn’t a bad person, but he did have a bad habit of throwing the game board into chaos, so this was the reception he deserved. The albatross was weaving a Firebird as I spoke.

“S-Since when is that your line?! The nerve of you!” he protested before turning to the girl beside me. “Hello, Lydia. My sincere congratulations on your appointment as a court sorceress. I see you really cut loose.”

“It was self-defense, Professor,” she said. “They started it. Won’t you testify to that?”

“Yes,” he agreed. “I saw the whole thing, and no one could lay the blame at your feet. After all, those oafs went so far as to call Allen a—”

“One more word and I’ll incinerate you, slice you up, and then incinerate you again,” Lydia said, gripping the hilt of her sword and preparing to charge. She had a Firebird ready to cast without warning, and she kept sneaking quick glances at me. It was easy to guess what she was thinking.

I gave her a gentle tap on the head. She immediately glared at me, but her embarrassment seemed stronger than her anger.

“Don’t provoke her,” I told the professor. “Of course, if you’re willing to face her, I won’t object.”

“I don’t plan on ending up in a coffin just yet,” he replied. “A gentleman was just expressing an interest in meeting the two of you, and knowing what you’re like, I was sure that you would skip off, hand in hand, the moment you were done. Now, it looks like your debut is over, so give me a moment of your time.”

“Don’t tease her either,” I pleaded. “Didn’t you just say that you value your life? And what do you mean, ‘debut’?”

“It’s nothing,” Lydia said after a moment of silence. “Very well, then. It’s not like we’d actually be going anywhere hand in hand...would we?”

I gave her another little tap on the head with one hand while scratching my cheek with the other. I wished she wouldn’t play right into the professor’s hands like that.

“The next time you tease us, I’ll hold a student tribunal,” I told him. “If you confess all your wicked deeds now, I’ll reduce the interest—but only by a little.”

“I-It would be less unnerving if you named a specific figure,” the professor said. “But really, I never get bored of watching you; I just can’t help myself. There’s never so much as a wicked thought in my mind, but... Here he is now.”

The professor indicated the new arrival with a hand gesture and immediately sank into a deep bow. I was wondering whom in the kingdom he would show such deference when out of the corridor above the spectator seats stepped—

I immediately dropped to one knee and lowered my head. Anko likewise left my shoulder and sat beside me.

Oh no! I knew he’d get us mixed up in trouble! I should have taken Lydia and left when I had the chance!

The albatross seemed to share my opinion, because she was muttering beside me. “When this is over, I’ll slice him up, incinerate him, and then slice him up again...” I couldn’t agree more.

Multiple sets of footsteps approached us.

“You may all raise your heads.”

A deep voice filled the maneuvering ground. In the entrance stood a large, imposing man clad in dazzling white, with a muscular physique and a golden crown atop his blond head. It was His Majesty, the king. He was followed by another large man, whose platinum hair was faintly tinged with blue—His Highness, Duke Walter Howard—and a slender man with curly red hair whose placid demeanor betrayed glimpses of his inner severity—His Highness, Duke Liam Leinster. Both were giving us worried looks.

“Lydia, Allen, it’s been a long time. I see that you’ve been diverting yourselves quite entertainingly; why was I not invited?”

“Your Majesty,” was all Lydia had to say in response.

I kept silent, deciding it best to let her handle this. I had met His Majesty unofficially on several occasions, but it still wouldn’t do for a commoner such as myself to answer him directly in front of such a large gathering—it might cause trouble for the two dukes. Besides which, His Majesty had not specifically asked why Lydia had gone on a rampage. Silence was golden.

Ow! Lydia, don’t pinch my back like that. Don’t worry. You can overcome this. D-Don’t push! This really isn’t the place!

Stifled laughter interrupted our argument.

“Enough. You may answer directly,” His Majesty declared. “Lydia.”

“Yes, Your Majesty?”

“I won’t fault the young for pushing each other to reach new heights. That said, this is the day of the investiture ceremony for new knights of the royal guard and court sorcerers—the future swords and shields of my kingdom. It is an occasion for celebration. I trust that you have a good reason for following that ceremony with such strife?”

“I would prefer not to state it here,” Lydia answered clearly.

“Oh? And why not?”

“I trust that Your Majesty need not ask.”

So, he was involved. That explained a lot, including the spectators.

Lydia appeared dignified at first glance, but I could see that her right hand was trembling very slightly. I gave it a gentle squeeze.

All right. If you don’t want to say any more, I’ll take over. I am a man, after all.

“Your Majesty, if I may?” I said clearly, raising my head.

A stir went through the onlookers and several foulmouthed jeers flew my way. I heard curiosity and contempt—the crowd seemed to be aware of my origins, and it sounded as though that man and his hangers-on were in attendance. Thankfully, the two dukes silenced the hecklers by clearing their throats.

“You may,” His Majesty loudly declared. He sounded amused.

I felt Lydia squeeze my left hand.

Don’t worry.

“Thank you, Your Majesty. Her Highness, Lady Lydia Leinster, renowned as the Lady of the Sword, would never draw her weapon without cause. Having spent the past four years at her side, I know that better than anyone. Your Majesty, Lady Lydia has said that she would prefer not to state her reasons here—I humbly request that you trust her judgment. If I may reiterate, Lady Lydia is kind. She would never draw her sword—or even wield a sharp word—without ample justification.”

“Very well. Liam, Walter.”

“Your Majesty!” both dukes answered in unison.

“Report the details to me later. Even if they concern the royal family.”

Both dukes silently nodded their assent.

Thank goodness. Now we can—

A tall young man in the uniform of the royal guard sprinted out of the stands and across the maneuvering ground before coming to a stop before His Majesty. I supposed that his hangers-on were watching from a distance.

“Why, father?” he demanded, his face flushed with rage. “Why do you not punish this insolent woman?! Not only has she persistently refused my offers of marriage; she has taken offense at the concerns of my friends, who out of the goodness of their hearts warned her against that man’s birth and the lowly beastfolk he calls family! And for no more reason than this, she disturbed the peace on this day of celebration! The victims of her outrages merely spoke the truth!”

The young man then turned his fury on me. “And you, base peasant! Do you honestly believe that you can speak directly to my father and get away with it?! Know your place! You’re nothing but a loser who wasn’t good enough for the court sorcerers!”

“Gerard.” His Majesty interrupted the torrent of abuse.

The furious young man was His Majesty’s second son and second in line to the throne, Prince Gerard Wainwright. The prince was twenty-three years old, two years younger than Richard. Like Richard, he served in the royal guard, of which he was eighth in command. He must have been extremely agitated—his blond hair, of which he was quite proud, was in disarray, his handsome features were hideously contorted, and he was gesticulating wildly. It had been quite some time since he had made such a show of stabbing himself in the foot.

The prince had been my opponent in the practical portion of the court sorcerer exam and the reason for my failure—an incident that I had heard required considerable effort to cover up. Besides which, who was he to call me a “loser” when he had lost that fight? Of course, if his main goal had been to ensure that I failed the exam, then he had indeed achieved a total victory.

As a strained silence settled over the maneuvering ground, I shot a sidelong glance at Lydia and found her gripped by a mixture of embarrassment and rage. Her beautiful profile was flushed all the way to the nape of her neck, but she was also squeezing my hand painfully tight.

She had been so reckless. Did she realize that she could have been forced to resign from the court sorcerers on the spot? I would have to get mad at her later—not that I wasn’t glad she had done it.

“Have you nothing to say for yourself?!” Prince Gerard shrieked. “You were raised by beastfolk, and that makes you half subhuman yourself. The likes of you has no place at the side of a daughter of the House of Leinster, a distant relative of my own family. It is impermissible. Do you realize that Lydia is unable to so much as find a fiancé because of you? Your animal stink has rubbed off on her. I have nevertheless graciously offered to accept her on numerous occasions, but the woman refuses to listen to reason. You must convince her to accept as punishment for your past impudence. Do so, and I shall show some slight favor even to you brutes who crawl in the dirt with the beasts, and—”

“You should not have said that.” After letting go of Lydia’s hand, I closed the distance between the prince and me, seized him by the collar, and lifted him off his feet, strangling him in the process. A commotion filled the stands, accompanied by angry shouts, jeers, and insults.

The prince grunted and spluttered. “Wh-What is the meaning of... I-I can’t breathe...”

He never learned. He ought to have known that I wasn’t mature enough to ignore such things. What would become of me later? I didn’t care.

I slowly explained my feelings to His Majesty. “As you say, there is a great difference in social standing between Her Highness and me. If my presence will have a negative effect on Lady Lydia’s future...then I will never see her again. I made up my mind about that the first time we met. I swear it by my parents and the Great Tree in my homeland.”

Lydia gasped behind me. I could sense a shudder run through her, but I meant what I said. I had steeled my resolve for that a long time ago.

“But I cannot overlook your other remarks,” I continued. “I have resigned myself to accept personal insults, but insinuating that Her Highness has an ‘animal stink’? Or that my family members ‘crawl in the dirt’? You may be royalty—no, because you’re royalty, you should not make such brainless remarks. Now, my response depends on yours. May I take it that your ideas represent the opinion of the royal family?”

The prince groaned. “It hurts... H-Help me...”

His Majesty let out a long, long sigh. He suddenly looked exhausted. “Allen,” he said a moment later.

No. I haven’t heard your answer yet, I thought as I pulled the prince’s collar tighter. The blue in his face was a sign of oxygen deprivation.

“The royal family is with its people,” His Majesty said. “Naturally, that includes beastfolk. One day, should it prove necessary, I shall lead my troops in person and defend my subjects even at the cost of my own life—that is my duty as king. In my name, I retract the slights against Lydia Leinster and against your parents.” He paused for a beat. “Now, stand down.”

I let go of the prince, who collapsed to the ground with a thud, breathing heavily. I dropped to one knee and bowed my head low.

“I sincerely apologize for my indiscretion,” I said. “While I realize that my humble head is little recompense, I beg that you will pardon Her Highness, my family, and the wolf clan.”

“Don’t be absurd,” His Majesty scoffed. “It’s clear as day who deserves punishment. At bottom, it was my lax judgment that brought on this affair. Your court sorcerer examination was—”

“Your Majesty,” the professor interrupted, “you needn’t bring that up again.” I didn’t like the look on his face. He was trying to put me in his debt because he knew that I hadn’t told Lydia the truth. And to be frank, I was grateful for it.

Thank you very much. That was a close one!

My heart was racing, and the whole ordeal had taken years off my life, but I was safe for the time being. I could never tell Caren or the girls about this—I had no doubt they would take me to task for it.

Prince Gerard finally steadied his breathing and looked at me. There was fury and madness in his eyes. Without warning, he threw himself in front of Lydia, his hand on the hilt of his sword.

“And what do you think you’re doing?” Richard, who had been receiving a lecture from Anna the last time I had seen him, seized the prince’s hand.

“U-Unhand me!” the prince bellowed in consternation. “That’s an order!”

“An order?” Richard repeated.

“Yes! I’m a prince! It’s your duty to obey me! All royal subjects live to serve me, their potential future king. The House of Leinster is no exception!”

The prince’s words hung in the air for a moment.

“Gerard,” Richard said, “you’re a knight of the royal guard, and I’m a vice commander and second in command. And in the royal guard...”

The prince spluttered as Richard forced him onto his hands and knees in the dirt, restraining him. The spectator seats produced hesitant protests and a roar of applause. His Majesty grimaced, apparently unpleasantly surprised by his son’s unpopularity.

“We don’t allow weak knights like you. We also have penalties for anyone who looks down on the people they’re sworn to protect or gets too carried away by their social standing. I’m sentencing you to two weeks’ suspension from duty. That’s the official verdict of Richard Leinster, vice commander of the knights of the royal guard. You’re welcome to talk it over with the commander if you want to overturn it, but I’m pretty sure he’ll just kill you. Does Your Majesty have any objections?”

“What?!” the prince exclaimed. “Th-That’s absurd! You’ll never get away with—”

“Two weeks isn’t long enough,” His Majesty answered, ignoring the prince. “Make it one month. He is henceforth forbidden from making contact with Lydia Leinster or Allen, and if he breaches the peace during his suspension, strip him of his title as a knight of the royal guard.”

“Father?!”

“You’re an absolute fool! Knights, apprehend this imbecile!”

At His Majesty’s command, the knights of the royal guard who had been watching from outside the walls of the maneuvering ground moved to restrain the prince.

“Please wait, Your Majesty.” A shrill, nervous voice cut in, making the professor frown. A man in his prime wearing a sorcerer’s robe and carrying a thick tome emerged from the corridor. The monocle over his left eye and his long white beard attracted attention.

Lord Gerhard Gardner, the current leader of the court sorcerers, was a model conservative and champion of the nobility. As a second son, he had been unable to inherit the title of marquess, but he was nevertheless a stickler for bloodlines and critical of meritocracy. He also figured in numerous dark rumors.

“Let it not be forgotten that Lydia Leinster caused a disturbance,” he advised His Majesty in an emotionless voice. “She is now a court sorceress and must be held accountable. In addition, that commoner insolently presumed to harm the prince’s person. Punishment must be impartial if it is to set a good example.”

His Majesty appeared to consider that for a moment. “In that case, Lydia will also receive a month’s suspension. Liam?”

“I have no objections. It may do my daughter good,” Duke Leinster replied.

“Allen is henceforth barred from the royal palace except by special permission,” His Majesty continued. “I want you all to remember that I love my people, whether they be noble, common, beastfolk, or anyone else! It makes no difference to me. The royal family is with its people. Gerard, if you want to blame anyone, blame the father who never had time to teach you that. Take him away!”

“F-Father?” the prince stammered. “Father! Father! Fatheeer...!” His screams faded to nothing as knights of the royal guard marched him out of the maneuvering ground. It was no more than he deserved. Lydia was right—even breathing the same air as him was unpleasant. I hoped that I would never see him again.

His Majesty looked rueful. As for the two dukes... Duke Leinster was furious—hardly surprising, given how he doted on Lydia. Duke Walter beside him looked rather worried, an unfortunate outcome that I felt quite bad about. Lord Gardner was silent, but his cold stare was fixed on me. The professor was deep in thought; I hoped he wouldn’t get me mixed up in anything else.

A large, warm hand came to rest on my shoulder. I could hear teeth grinding nearby.

“I’m sorry to put you through so much yet again. I will make it up to you,” a voice whispered in my ear. “Visit my daughter once the uproar has subsided—she has been asking to see both of you.”

The hand was withdrawn, and the footsteps that had previously approached now began to depart. Another weight soon rested on my shoulder; this time, it was Anko.

It must be over, I thought as I stroked the familiar’s soft back. I’m exhausted—really exhausted. Actually, “worn down” is more accurate.

I stood up, stretched, and then turned to the girl beside me, who hadn’t spoken in some time. “Thank you, Lydia,” I said.

“Really?” she responded after a long silence. Something was wrong.

“H-Hang on!” I stammered. “I was just... When it comes to us, I...”

She began to sob, and I started to panic in earnest. Hang on. I-It’s not what you think. I didn’t mean it that way.

“What do you think you’re doing, Allen? You certainly have a knack for making young ladies cry,” the professor cut in, never one to miss his chance to stir up trouble. “Now, I trust you know how to comfort her at a time like this, so get to it.”

“Please don’t mind us, Mr. Allen,” Anna chimed in. How long had she been there?

“I feel conflicted about watching my little sister take another step on the road to adulthood,” Richard added.

They were all unbelievable! Just because they thought it wasn’t their problem, they treated it as entertainment. The spectators in the stands had even begun placing bets. Was I going to kiss her? I was not! That said, Lydia was clinging to the hem of my jacket and looking at me uneasily, so I was at least going to comfort her.

“It’s all right,” I told the teary-eyed noblewoman, stroking her head as gently as I could. “I’m right here, at your side.” She must have been feeling overwhelmed—doing anything like this in public would normally earn me a merciless scolding.

“Liar,” she said after a moment. “I know you meant it. I’ll never let you run off like that.”

“Oh dear. What can I do to earn your forgiveness?”

She paused again before answering. “Nothing. I won’t forgive you, so never leave me.”

“All right. I promise,” I conceded, then relaxed with a sigh. “I was so nervous that I started sweating again.”

“I can tell,” she remarked. “You smell sweaty.”

“D-Don’t sniff me!”

Good grief... And this is only her first day. Not that I considered myself unfortunate; getting to meet my parents, Caren, Lydia, and the girls was more good luck than I had a right to hope for. Oh, maybe that explained things—I had used up my luck on meeting people, so...

A tug on my left hand cut my musings short.

“I bet you’ve got some weird idea in your head again,” Lydia said. “Come on. Let’s go.”

“That’s not very nice. You looked so much more charming when you were in tears just now.”

“N-Not another word!” she stammered. “And I wasn’t c-crying!”

“You most certainly were. Isn’t that right, Anna?”

“If I may say so, this year’s Best Video of Lady Lydia Award is mine!” the head maid replied.

“You heard her,” I told Lydia. “That bodes well, don’t you think?”

“Well...what else was I supposed to do?”

“Oh, well...” I fumbled for an answer. “I’m sorry.”

Lydia being upfront with her feelings wasn’t playing fair. If we hadn’t been in public...

I checked the time on my pocket watch to mask my embarrassment and discovered that this mess had taken longer than I’d thought. The entrance ceremony was over, and we wouldn’t even be in time for lunch. I would have to apologize to Caren.

“Yes, let’s go,” I said. “Everyone must be tired of waiting for us.”

✽

I didn’t have it much easier after we got back to the Leinster mansion. Tina, Ellie, and Lynne were waiting anxiously for us—Anna, who had wasted no time in her return from the palace, had apparently filled their heads with who-knew-what. As a result, Tina and Lynne had been on me like a shot as soon as they got a look at my stained suit.

“Sir! What have you and Lady Lydia been up to without us?!”

“Dear brother and sister, how could you leave me out? I’m crushed.”

Ellie’s reaction had actually frightened me a little. Her smile had been almost intimidating when she said, “Please undress, sir; I’ll launder your clothes. Don’t dawdle.” At that point, Lydia and Anna had joined in. They had all ganged up on me while I changed and...and...

I’ve been defiled. I’m unfit for marriage now. O God, you really don’t like me, do you? And you must be a bully at heart. I’m terribly sorry, but I already have all the bullies I need right here.

“Stay here tonight,” Lydia offered. “You can prepare for your tutoring job here, can’t you?”

“I’d love to,” I said, “but I have to escort Tina and Ellie home, and I think Caren is visiting my place.”

The sun had set, and the moon was in the sky. The royal capital was a safe city, but I would still have to see the girls home. Tina and Ellie were already watching us from inside a Howard carriage waiting outside the massive front gate. Lynne, who had come to see them off, was taunting Tina.

Hey now. No spellcasting. Ellie, don’t try to secretly join in.

The albatross was refusing to look at me. A lot had happened, and she had been suspended from duty, even if only for expediency’s sake. She couldn’t be happy about that.

“Lydia,” I said.

“What?” she asked after a pause.

“Thank you for getting angry for me. And that sparring match this afternoon was to show off what I’m capable of, wasn’t it? But then I had to go and...” I let my words trail off and then began again. “I’m sorry. I ended up tarnishing your record.”

She took another moment to answer. “Don’t be. I don’t care about that.”

“All right. What about those ruined clothes?” I asked.

“I-I picked them out, and I can do as I please with them!” she stammered. “And tomorrow?”

“I’ll drop by.” I brushed a hand against her hair and then began to walk down the marble passage toward the carriage. I wondered what she planned to do with the suit I had worn. It had gotten so dirty and torn that it couldn’t be easy to mend.

Lisa had sounded quite pleased when she heard what had transpired at the palace.

“Well done. I’m proud of you,” she had said. “Richard, kneel on the floor. Anna, fetch some stone slabs.”

“Here, mistress,” the head maid had replied. “Everything stands ready.”

“My, that was quick. How many shall we start with?”

I’ll never forget you, Richard. You even redeemed yourself at the end.

Duke Liam had been surprisingly appreciative as well. “I’m sorry to put you through such constant trouble,” he had said. “Look after my daughters.”

I would do my best, but...“daughters”?

The duke would apparently be returning to the south the next day. He planned to spend the evening drinking with Duke Walter, who would likewise be returning to the north, and their old friend the professor.

In any case, this had all been familiar territory—apart from speaking with His Majesty, at least. Calling on a certain esteemed personage, however, would presumably have to wait, given that I was now barred from the palace.

Caren would probably have a lecture waiting for me when I got back to my lodgings. I had broken my promise to eat lunch with her after the entrance ceremony, so I would have my hands full restoring her mood for the time being. I could imagine just what she would say: “Your treatment of your lovely little sister leaves much to be desired. Repent.” I would need to prepare myself.

Tina, Ellie, and Lynne in the morning, Lydia in the afternoon, and Caren at night? Ha ha. It’s not easy being so popular...

Okay, I’ll stop now. That hit a little too close to home.

The next day, I would call at the Leinster mansion and then meet with the professor to discuss the diary that the Howards had left in my keeping. It would probably end up in the headmaster’s hands—decryption was his area of expertise. I would also have to devise materials for the girls’ lessons. I might not be a court sorcerer, but my days were still filled with—

A gentle bump from behind interrupted my thoughts.

“Lydia?” I asked.

“Don’t turn around,” she said. “Just listen.” She was pressing her head against my back, staying relatively hidden from the girls.

“You’re not allowed to leave me. All of that is over and done with; never do it again. It doesn’t matter that my father’s a duke and you’re a commoner. If...” She hesitated. “If anyone tries to separate us, I’ll renounce my family and leave the country with you. The city of water might be nice.”

I was certain that she would have no difficulty making her way in another country, but I couldn’t let her do that. Duchess Lisa and the rest of her family loved her and would be sad to see her go.

“Lydia.”

I tried to look at her over my shoulder, but she held my head in place before I had a chance to turn it. I couldn’t move an inch.

“Th-That hurts,” I protested.

“I told you not to turn around,” she responded after a beat. “As punishment, you have to...”

“What do I have to do?”

Her answer was barely audible.

“What?” I asked.

“Y-You heard me.”

“H-Hey! No kicking!”

It took dexterity to kick someone in the calves and hold them still at the same time. I groaned. What was I to do with her?

“I heard you,” I assured her. “I’ll come to see you every day.”

“You big idiot,” she responded after a pause. “Thanks,” she added in a voice so small it was practically a whisper.

I felt something wet on my back. I tried to turn around, but a loud cry interrupted me.

“S-Sir! What are you doing?!” Tina exclaimed.

“Uh, um,” Ellie stammered, “I don’t think this is the time or place for that sort of thing.”

“Dear sister, you lucky devil...” Lynne added wistfully.

They had evidently seen through us. Ellie and Lynne were staring at me, while Tina was actually leaning out the window of the carriage and windmilling her arms wildly.

Lydia was slowly departing. Neither of us turned to look at the other—we knew better than anyone that we were connected. My nickname was “the Brain of the Lady of the Sword,” after all, meaning that I was her partner.

It would all work out in the end; nothing could stand in our way as long as we tackled it together. Lydia hadn’t really meant all that about fleeing the country. It was just a cliché...wasn’t it?

“Sir!”

“Allen, sir!”

“Dear brother!”

Yes, yes. Oh, I almost forgot—I’ll need to compliment the girls for all I’m worth.

I couldn’t help but smile at my predicament. I’d had my hands full dealing with one willful noblewoman; now I wouldn’t even have time to worry.

And so, I resumed walking toward the carriage in the moonlight, my heart full of warm feelings.