Sakura-Colored Strange Girl~I Thought I Reincarnated as a Slum Orphan, But I'm a Duke's Daughter and a Villainess. I'll Survive Using Store Summoning! Volume 2 chapter 3

​Chapter 3: Toward the Match

​"Right then. I don't mind forgin' yer magic sword, but there's a slight problem."

​Right after it was officially decided that Bianca would get her magic sword, Baray-san threw another wrench in the works.

​Ugh, what is it this time? You better not be asking for more alcohol.

​"Nah. It's about what material I'm gonna use to forge it."

​"Material? You mean the metal for the blade?"

​"Aye. If ya ain't picky, I can forge it outta iron or steel, but since it's a magic sword and all, ya probably wanna use somethin' like adamantite, hihiirokane, or mithril, right?"

​Even if you ask me if I want to, I honestly have no idea what those are.

​The game never actually explained what Jean's magic sword was made out of. It might have been mentioned in an official setting book or something, but I didn't remember.

​"What is Gloria's magic sword made of?"

​"Adamantite. Adamantite's hard as all hell. Makes for a sturdy blade. Hihiirokane conducts magic power easily, makin' for highly adaptable magic swords. But mithril blows 'em both outta the water when it comes to storin' and amplifyin' magic. If yer lookin' to forge the absolute finest, mithril's yer only real option."

​Hmm... I definitely wanted something at least on par with adamantite to feel safe.

​"Do you actually have the materials on hand?"

​"Askin' a magic sword smith a question like that is downright insultin'. But if yer wantin' me to forge it outta mithril, I'm gonna need ya to sweeten the pot a little..."

​Baray-san threw a subtle glance at the whiskey bottle, which was already half empty. See, it was about wanting more alcohol!

​"...I will provide an additional two bottles of a completely different brand every month. Just use mithril and forge the absolute best sword possible for this girl."

​"Now yer talkin', lass! Leave it to me! I'll forge ya the greatest magic sword you've ever laid eyes on!"

​Baray-san chugged the rest of his whiskey and slammed the glass down onto the table with a loud thud.

​Hearing this, Jean, who was sitting nearby, also called out to Baray-san. Jean had eventually cleared the 'Magic Sword of Trials' as well, and had secured a promise from Baray-san to forge him a sword.

​"Then I'll take a mithril one too..."

​"Don't mind doin' it, but ya sure about this, boy? For you, it just means yer debt's gonna skyrocket. Well, I reckon I can cut ya a deal—somethin' you can pay off after about ten years of workin' in the Knight Order."

​"Grrrk...!"

​Ultimately, Jean was going to have to pay out of his own pocket. Isn't a debt of tens of millions of yen a bit much for a six-year-old? Though I suppose if push comes to shove, he could always sell the magic sword to pay it off.

​Of course, Jean couldn't actually get the sword forged without his parents' consent. Because he wasn't paying in full upfront like I was (albeit with alcohol), he needed a guarantor at the very least.

​After all, there was always the possibility that Jean would just grab the magic sword and run off without paying. If that happened, his father, Commander-san, would be on the hook for the bill.

​Alternatively, they could form a [Contract] using a Gift bestowed by Contract, the God of Pacts.

​A [Contract] enforced by a Gift is absolute. For instance, if they made a [Contract] stating, "If payment is delayed by a year, you lose your right arm," the power of the god would make it an unavoidable reality. Though naturally, a [Contract] cannot be formed unless both parties consent.

​"How long will it take? The tournament is in a month."

​"Piece of cake. I'll start today and have 'em ready in two weeks. ...By the by, if ya happen to have another type of booze lyin' around, I could have it done in one week—"

​Without a word, I reached into my pochette, pulled out a bottle of Junmai Daiginjo sake, and slammed it down onto the table with a thud. You absolute drunkard!

​"You had better make sure it is done, you hear? It will be quite a problem for us if you just sit around drinking and forget to forge the swords!"

​"Don't fret. I'll do my damn job. I'll lay off the sauce for a week and get right to hammerin'. I'll save this beauty here as a celebratory drink for when the blades are completely finished."

​Was that true? Well, I had no choice but to believe him.

​In any case, we had successfully commissioned the swords, so it was time to take our leave. Promising to return in a week, we departed Baray-san's workshop.

​On our way out, Grandfather secretly asked Baray-san to forge a magic sword for him as well. It seemed he was paying out of pocket. Well, unlike Jean, Grandfather could easily afford it.

​◇　◇　◇

​"Must be nice, all of you having fun together. You really should have invited me, too..."

​"Well, you had a party hosted by the Imperial Family, didn't you, Elliot? And Jean merely forced his way along with us."

​Upon hearing that we had gone out to get magic swords forged, Elliot—who had shown up at my house for whatever reason—was now pouting.

​That was some fast information gathering considering we just got back yesterday. Did he hear it from Jean?

​Speaking of Jean, he hadn't accompanied Elliot today. Was he currently begging his father on his hands and knees to get permission for the magic sword?

​Having the greatest magic sword smith forge a blade for him. While that was definitely something to be happy about, the sheer price tag was another story... It was only natural for a parent to hesitate before dropping that kind of money on a weapon for a child.

​"U-Um, I know it is terribly late to ask this, but... are you truly certain it is alright for someone like me to receive a magic sword...?"

​After returning home yesterday, Bianca had asked me that very question. It truly was far too late to be asking that.

​"I requested the magic sword strictly for the use of my personal attendant, so there is no problem whatsoever. And naturally, even if you were to somehow break it, I would never demand you pay me back, so rest easy."

​If you think about it, this was simply a necessary business expense. To skimp out on funding for the very attendant tasked with protecting my life would make it seem as though I held my own safety in complete disregard.

​Furthermore, from the perspective of the Ducal House, outfitting my attendant with a high-profile weapon added a certain level of prestige.

​Though Tanya-san, my actual bodyguard, had given me a rather complicated look. I know, I know. Once this whole mess is sorted, I'll have Baray-san forge one for you too, Tanya-san...

​"Lord Jean is His Highness the Crown Prince's attendant, is he not? Why do you not simply pay for the magic sword yourself, Your Highness, exactly as Sakurariel-sama has?"

​"Eh? Ah, well, that's..."

​With a completely innocent smile plastered on her face, Estelle fired off a rather ruthless proposal at Elliot.

​While Jean was indeed Elliot's attendant, he was currently only an apprentice. Elliot already had fully official knight escorts guarding him.

​If he were to provide magic swords for them, His Imperial Majesty would likely authorize the funds from the national treasury. But dropping that kind of money on Jean was a tough sell. If Elliot truly wanted to do it, he would have to pay out of his own allowance.

​It seemed that even the Crown Prince's pockets weren't deep enough to casually drop the cash for a top-tier magic sword on a whim.

​Well, considering we were paying for ours with whiskey, we were getting it for an absolute steal.

​Was it fraud? No, it's merely the perfect intersection of supply and demand. Baray-san wanted incredibly rare liquor. We wanted a magic sword forged by Baray-san. It was a win-win transaction for both parties. ...Probably.

​"Use your footwork! Weave left and right! Do not let the opponent predict your next move!"

​"Yes, ma'am!"

​Julia-san's sharp instructions rang out. On the training grounds of the ducal estate, Bianca continued to relentlessly swing her sword, even as she was blown backward time and time again.

​Ever since it was confirmed she would receive a magic sword, the intensity of her training had ramped up even further.

​Even to my untrained eyes, she looked dangerously close to overworking herself, but seeing how desperately she was trying, I couldn't bring myself to tell her to stop.

​Estelle was supporting her by constantly healing her with her [Gift], but I really wished she wouldn't push herself quite so hard...

​Rumor had it that Gloria was also growing rapidly stronger. It was undoubtedly the power of the magic sword, 'Discord.' Stealing power from her opponents and making it her own. Gloria likely believed she was getting stronger through her own merit, but it was nothing more than the sword's boosting effect.

​The mental erosion might be starting right about now, too.

​According to Baray-san, at first, the wielder gradually becomes restless, increasingly irritable, and quick to anger. Once past that stage, they become unnervingly calm. However, the moment they enter combat or a state of heightened excitement, every suppressed emotion violently explodes.

​That was exactly how the magic sword-wielding knight in the game acted. Until he drew his blade, he was a perfectly calm and composed knight, but the second combat began, he devolved into an uncontrollable berserker.

​I didn't think Gloria had gone quite that far off the deep end yet, but...

​As Baray-san mentioned, magic swords required compatibility. Every blade had wielders it synergized with, and wielders it rejected entirely. I could only pray Gloria wasn't a perfect match for that cursed blade.

​In the absolute worst-case scenario, if things reached the point of no return, I might have to draw the [Holy Sword] and shatter 'Discord' myself.

​In 'Holy Sword Mode,' it should be capable of severing 'Discord's' curse.

​To prevent the birth of that slasher serial killer ten years from now, I absolutely had to dispose of that magic sword.

​Just as I was silently solidifying my resolve, Jean walked over with an incredibly conflicted look on his face.

​"Jean? What is with that expression?"

​"Oh, Elliot's here too. Nah... it's just about the magic sword stuff with my old man..."

​According to Jean, he had told his father, the Knight Commander, the whole story: that he was going to have a magic sword forged, that the smith was the legendary Barkbray, and that he needed a guarantor to pay for it.

​At first, Commander-san suspected the smith might be an imposter. Well, that's entirely reasonable.

​But when he heard that Grandfather—the 'Lion of the Empire'—was with us, he concluded it had to be the real deal.

​The real issue was the cost of the magic sword. They were an Earl's house, so even if it was expensive, it wasn't as if they couldn't afford a single magic sword.

​The problem was whether it was appropriate to entrust such a weapon to a child like Jean.

​However, obtaining a sword from the legendary smith Barkbray was an opportunity that practically never presented itself. Concluding that it would be foolish to let this chance slip away, the Commander's final decision was...

​"My old man said he'd pay for it. But he also said he's keepin' the finished sword in his own custody..."

​"I see. So that is how it played out..."

​"Wait, what does that mean?"

​Estelle blinked rapidly, completely failing to grasp the situation.

​"It essentially means Commander-san is buying the magic sword Baray-san forges. He is taking on Jean's debt. Because Commander-san is the one paying for it, whether he hands it over to Jean or not is entirely at his discretion."

​If Jean had argued, "I'll take on the debt myself, so give it to me immediately," Commander-san definitely wouldn't have acted as his guarantor. And without a guarantor, the sword wouldn't be forged at all. Jean practically had no other options.

​"But isn't it wonderful that you are getting one forged at all? Lord Staccato likely intends to present it to you as a gift once you enroll in the Academy or officially join the Knight Order, yes?"

​"How many years is that gonna take...? I want it right now..."

​Jean grumbled back at Elliot. Well, that's roughly around the time he obtained it in the game anyway, so he didn't need to be quite so depressed about it.

​I mean, in the game, he was completely buried in debt. Having to pay it off continuously for ten years after joining the knights was a nightmare. Since his father is Generously shouldering that burden for him, he really ought to be grateful.

​◇　◇　◇

​"Listen closely, My Lady. Countless deities reside in the heavens, but among them, there are a select few of utmost importance."

​Saying so, my elderly private tutor, Master Arwen Strum, began writing the names of the gods on the blackboard before me.

​This much, I already knew. These were the Nine Goddesses said to have created this world.

​Yuminaria, Goddess of Judgment, who sees through the future.

​Linzevere, Goddess of Fate, who spins the threads of destiny.

​Elzevere, Goddess of Courage, who reveres martial prowess.

​Yaete, Goddess of Blades, clothed in the tempest.

​Luriet, Earth Mother of Compassionate Harvests.

​Suutiara, Goddess of Life, who nurtures all living things.

​Linberte, Goddess of Knowledge, governing all forms of magic.

​Hildarte, Proud and Noble Goddess of Justice.

​Sakuracleria, Guardian Goddess of Music and Song.

​These were the primordial gods inscribed in the holy scriptures kept by the Church, known as the Genesis. Collectively, they were referred to as the 'Nine Goddesses of Genesis.'

​These nine goddesses stood entirely apart from the deities who bestowed [Gifts] upon mortals.

​According to legend, this world was first created by these goddesses, which then drew the interest of the other gods. Those other gods, in turn, bestowed [Gifts]—special powers necessary for survival—upon the people of this world.

​"However, it is said that these Nine Goddesses alone never bestow [Gifts] upon the people. Theologians interpret this to mean that the power of the 'Goddesses of Genesis' is directed not toward humanity, but toward the maintaining of the world itself."

​In this world, gods were not mere abstract concepts of faith, but undeniably real entities.

​Obviously, considering [Gifts] actually existed, people had no choice but to acknowledge their existence.

​However, as someone who heavily suspected this was the world of a game, I couldn't shake the idea that 'Gods' simply equaled 'Game Developers.'

​Though, I suppose even the gods of this world could have been created by the developers, too.

​Frankly, I much preferred the idea that this wasn't literally a game world, but rather a parallel world that simply happened to perfectly resemble the game.

​If this truly was a game, its premise as an otome game was already rapidly falling apart. If the 'Gods' (Developers) were watching this unfold, they were probably panicking right about now.

​In a manner of speaking, I was effectively a walking glitch that had wormed my way into the code. Please, just don't patch me out...

​For those reasons, I desperately wanted to believe this was a parallel fantasy world, not a game simulation.

​"Many parents bestow a portion of these Nine Goddesses' names upon their daughters to receive their blessings. You are one such example, Sakurariel-sama."

​"Umm, you mean Sakuracleria?"

​"Precisely. Goddess Sakuracleria governs music and song, and is also revered as the patron deity of cats. It is said she keeps a bipedal cat as her divine guardian beast."

​A bipedal cat? Like Puss in Boots or something? I could understand a tiger, but could a cat really protect anyone as a guardian beast? Well, considering it's the guardian beast of a literal god, I'm sure it's absurdly powerful.

​"My, it is already noon. Let us conclude today's lesson here."

​"Yes. Thank you very much."

​Strum-sensei gathered up the reference books he had brought and left the room.

​Strum-sensei was originally a highly esteemed educator who taught at the 'Academy.' When he retired, Father immediately scooped him up to serve as my tutor.

​As expected of a seasoned professional, his teaching methods were superb. He skillfully wove my personal interests into lessons about history and the essential knowledge required of a noble, making it incredibly easy to understand.

​Thanks to Strum-sensei, I was actually enjoying studying—something I used to hate in my past life. Praise be, praise be.

​"So your name was taken from the Nine Goddesses, Sakurariel-sama."

​"I believe they also tied it to normal Sakura blossoms, though."

​I offered a wry smile in response to Estelle, who had been sitting in on the lesson with me.

​In this world, the word 'Riel' translates to 'flower.' Inside the game, the heroine Estelle's name meant 'star.' Which was an obvious nod to the game's title, 'Starlight Symphony.'

​Finishing our lessons, we headed out to the courtyard together. There, just as she always was, Bianca was completely absorbed in her training with Julia-san.

​Ever since it was confirmed she would receive a magic sword, the intensity of her training had ramped up even further.

​To the point where it was starting to feel downright obsessive. Despite my telling her to take proper breaks, she refused to listen. The moment I took my eyes off her, she would plunge right back into training.

​I was seriously worried Bianca was going to evolve into a total meathead at this rate.

​"Guh!?"

​Taking a harsh blow from Julia-san's wooden sword directly to her wrist, Bianca dropped her own wooden blade.

​That clearly hadn't been supposed to happen, as Julia-san hurriedly rushed over to her in a panic.

​Seeing this, we ran over to Bianca as well. Her right arm had turned a sickly, purplish-black, with the ugly mark of a severe bruise already visibly swelling. This looked awful.

​Bianca was sweating profusely, clutching her injured right arm in pain.

​"Estelle, could I ask you to handle this?"

​"Right! Leave it to me!"

​At her mother's prompt, Estelle held her hand out over Bianca's arm.

​"[Holy Miracle]!"

​With a soft pulse, motes of radiant light spilled from Estelle's hand and washed over the injury.

​The ghastly purplish-black bruise vanished before our eyes, completely restored to normal in a matter of seconds. It really was an incredible [Gift].

​Bianca repeatedly opened and closed her fully healed right hand, testing its grip. The pain seemed to be completely gone.

​"Thank you, Estelle. Now I can resume my training."

​Bianca immediately took her healed injury as a green light to continue practicing. Still smiling sweetly, I shot her a piercing glare.

​"Bianca? Did I not specifically tell you to take appropriate breaks?"

​"S-Sakurariel-sama!? B-But, I must prepare for my battle with Gloria...!"

​"Do you honestly think I haven't noticed you going entirely non-stop since this morning? You were out here doing practice swings for hours before Julia-san even arrived, weren't you?"

​"Er, um, that's..."

​Bianca stammered, looking extremely guilty. Julia-san also let out a heavy sigh, practically screaming her exasperation.

​It was clear overwork. No wonder she took a clean hit to the wrist. I'm sure Julia-san only struck with that much force because she assumed a well-rested Bianca would easily dodge it. But exhausted as she was, Bianca couldn't react in time and ended up taking the blow head-on.

​"No wonder I thought your movements were far more sluggish than usual."

​"I am so sorry..."

​Bianca shrank back under Julia-san's thoroughly exasperated tone.

​Too much of a good thing is just as bad as too little. Overdoing it was strictly forbidden. They were children, for heaven's sake; putting an unreasonable burden on her body would absolutely stunt her growth.

​"And so, Bianca is going to rest! This timing is perfect, so please join us for lunch, Julia-san! [Store Summoning]!"

​With a thud, the kitchen car materialized on the training grounds.

​For today's lunch, we had decided on hot dogs, per Estelle's request. I had originally planned to just drop off some refreshments for Bianca and Julia-san, but eating together here seemed like a much better idea.

​Since the weather was gorgeous, we spread out a picnic sheet I had bought from the pawnshop over the grass and all sat down to eat.

​"So gooood! French fries truly are the greatest! I would be perfectly happy eating these every single day!"

​Stuffing her cheeks with her recently discovered favorite—french fries—Estelle cried out in pure bliss. I really wouldn't recommend eating those every day. Those are a large size, you know...?

​"If you eat those every day, you'll gain weight. They're fried in quite a bit of oil, after all..."

​And because they were root vegetables, the carb content was terrifyingly high.

​At my words, Estelle's hand—which had been reaching for another fry—froze in mid-air.

​After a brief moment of intense hesitation, she tossed the fry straight into her mouth anyway. It seems even the Holy Saintess couldn't win against the allure of junk food.

​"I will restrict myself to the small size from next time on..."

​Yes, that's probably for the best.

​To be fair, Estelle wasn't actually eating them every day, and since she was constantly doing dance practice and sword training with me, I doubted she would gain weight that easily. Still, one must never lower their guard.

​Fat was a silent assassin that crept up and clung to you before you even realized it...

​Considering how absurdly much Bianca had been exercising lately, there wasn't a snowball's chance in hell she was gaining weight. Honestly, I was far more worried she was going to spontaneously collapse.

​"Oho, Sakurariel! So this is where you were! My, that looks like a delicious spread."

​"Grandfather?"

​While we were eating our hot dogs, Grandfather the Margrave strolled over from the direction of the mansion.

​Not that it's really my place to say anything, but Grandfather is a Margrave, isn't he? Margraves are supposed to govern the borderlands and stand ready for invasions from neighboring countries. He really ought to be at his domain as much as possible, so is it actually okay for him to be lounging around the Royal Capital this much?

​The country bordering Grandfather's territory is the Allegretto Empire, and we are currently on extremely bad terms with them. Shouldn't Grandfather be over there glaring menacingly across the border or something?

​When I subtly inquired about this matter to Grandfather—who had plopped down on the picnic sheet with us and started munching on a hot dog—he answered plainly:

​"You have no need to worry. My son has everything completely under control over there. We have arrangements in place for immediate contact should anything occur. And besides, with this contraption of yours, I could return in less than a day, could I not?"

​With that, Grandfather lightly patted the side of the kitchen car. Well, yes, that's technically true, but still.

​By the way, Grandfather's son is my Mother's older brother. In other words, my uncle. I've never actually met him, but I hear he is quite the exceptional individual, excelling in both martial and literary arts. In contrast to Grandfather, the 'Lion of the Empire,' my uncle is apparently known as the 'Young Lion of the Empire.'

​I wonder if Jean will end up being called the 'Young Tiger of the Empire' once he grows up.

​"Excuse me! Lord Margrave! If it pleases you, would you be willing to grant me the honor of a spar!?"

​The moment lunch was over, Bianca immediately shot that request at Grandfather.

​She really wants to keep going, huh... Has she fully committed to the meathead route...? I understand her desperation after losing to Gloria once, but...

​"Umu, I have no objections. As Sakurariel's attendant, you must grow strong, after all. Very well. I shall teach you the techniques of the knights who live on the frontier—methods entirely different from both Lord Julia's and the central knights'."

​"Yes! Thank you so much!"

​Her eyes practically sparkling at Grandfather's words, Bianca bowed deeply.

​After that, Bianca's nonstop, grueling special training resumed. Letting out another sigh, I renewed my resolve to physically force her to take a break before she actually dropped dead.

​◇　◇　◇

​One week has passed. We were once again riding in the two kitchen cars, heading toward the town of Fuoco.

​The only difference this time was that Jean's father, the Knight Commander, was riding in Car Number Two.

​Well, since Commander-san was the one paying for Jean's sword, his presence was entirely natural... No, wait, he's definitely planning to ask the smith to forge a sword for himself while we're there. Absolutely zero doubt.

​Well, whatever deals Baray-san and the Commander struck up between themselves was none of my business, so I didn't particularly mind.

​When we arrived at Baray-san's house, we found him sitting at the table out front, already pleasantly buzzed and enjoying a drink. Looks like he was completely finished. ...In both senses of the word.

​"Yo, Holy Sword lass. Good of ya to come."

​"We've come to collect the magic swords."

​"Don't fret, they're perfectly finished."

​Baray-san picked up two swords leaning against the wall of the house—one in a red scabbard, the other in a blue scabbard—and laid them out on the table. Hm? Two swords?

​"Felt better than I have in years, I did. Went ahead and forged the boy's while I was at it. Just a little bonus round, eh?"

​Baray-san laughed heartily. Oh wow, he actually finished Jean's sword within the week as well. I hadn't asked, but what kind of [Gift] does Baray-san have anyway? Something like [High-Speed Magic Forging]?

​Clearly not expecting his sword to be done already, Jean pumped both fists into the air in a massive victory pose.

​...I hate to rain on your parade while you're celebrating, but your old man is about to confiscate that magic sword from you, isn't he? You probably shouldn't be so happy.

​I didn't want to ruin the mood, so I kept my mouth shut.

​"The blue scabbard there is the silver-haired lass's magic sword, 'Ensemble.' The red one's the boy's, 'Fortissimo.'"

​Hm? Wait a minute. Bianca's isn't Fortissimo?

​Fortissimo was the name of the magic sword Jean obtained in the game. Since I was having Baray-san forge the sword early, I completely assumed the sword he made would be Fortissimo... Well, it was made, but still.

​"...Do they have different properties?"

​"Damn straight they do. Magic swords are meant to be forged specifically for the wielder. A magic sword stripped from its true master won't even put out half its actual power."

​I see. So magic swords that are sold or otherwise abandoned by their original owners can't output their true power.

​Magic swords are fundamentally meant to be custom-ordered. Though, I suppose there are cases where a sword passes into the hands of someone whose compatibility perfectly matches the original owner... like the slasher knight in the game.

​In that slasher knight's case, their compatibility was too perfect, to the point where 'Discord'—stuffed full of stolen magic power—ultimately hijacked his entire body. I highly doubted a normal magic sword would do such a thing, though.

​Since Gloria isn't the true owner, I don't think she's in danger of being fully possessed, but continued use will inevitably erode her sanity all the same. I really do need to confiscate it fast.

​Since magic swords are forged to match their wielders, does that mean forging one for Jean will inherently result in 'Fortissimo' every single time?

​Which meant this magic sword, 'Ensemble,' tailored specifically for Bianca, was an entirely original magic sword that never existed in the game.

​"The silver-haired lass fights with speed and numbers rather than brute force, right? I forged somethin' that's absolutely perfect for her. Course, it'll take years of trainin' to actually master the damn thing, but..."

​"But of course. I intend to become a knight worthy of wielding this blade. No, I will become one!"

​Clenching the magic sword 'Ensemble' handed to her, Bianca boldly declared.

​She drew the blade from its scabbard with a smooth shing. Its hilt was a deep blue, and the mithril blade sparkled brilliantly in the light.

​It wasn't overly ornate, but rather a sword of simple, refined beauty. The length was somewhere between a short sword and a longsword. It felt a bit large for a child like Bianca, but considering she had the [Perfect Elasticity] Gift, I doubted she would struggle with it too much.

​Furthermore, magic swords supposedly adapt their shape to become the wielder's ideal weapon as they grow. Does that mean the magic sword will literally grow when Bianca and Jean become adults? Magic swords really just ignore all the rules, huh...

​Taking a central stance, Bianca gave the magic sword 'Ensemble' a single practice swing.

​"Amazing...! It's so light, and it fits perfectly in my hand...!"

​"Well yeah, I specifically forged it to do exactly that."

​Mithril was lighter than iron or steel, yet far sturdier, and it acted as an incredible conduit for magic power. Conversely, this meant it could easily deflect incoming attacks infused with an opponent's magic power. It's said that an absolute master could even slice through spells themselves.

​With this sword, she should be able to deflect 'Discord's' energy-draining property entirely.

​"Uwoaaaah...! So cool...!"

​And there was another person currently completely engrossed by their magic sword.

​Jean's magic sword, 'Fortissimo,' featured a crimson hilt and a broad blade with a vivid red line running straight down its center from the handguard. Its length appeared to match that of a longsword, making it quite massive for the current Jean. Still, that was likely the optimal size for him to wield right now.

​The magic sword 'Fortissimo' looked completely identical to the weapon I had seen in the game. So Jean's magic sword really was always fated to become Fortissimo.

​"The boy's magic sword, 'Fortissimo,' amplifies even the tiniest spark of flame into a roarin' inferno. And that ain't all. If ya compress those flames inward, the blade itself superheats. Master that, and ya can burn clean through practically anythin' in the world."

​Yep, it functioned exactly like that in the game. In the climax, he ended up slicing the cornered slasher knight completely in half with it. It basically turns into a glowing red laser blade, and the trajectory of his swings looks like red shooting stars.

​I felt it was the absolute perfect magic sword for Jean, who inherently possessed the [Flame Sword] Gift.

​"And what properties does Bianca's magic sword have?"

​"'Ensemble' is a spacetime-attribute magic sword. Well, it's faster to just use it. Why don't ya test it out by sparrin' against either the 'Lion' or the 'Tiger' of the Empire?"

​"Allow me, then."

​At Baray-san's suggestion, the 'Tiger of the Empire'—the Knight Commander—was the very first to volunteer.

​You know Commander-san too, Baray-san? Well, he is incredibly famous in this country, so I suppose it makes sense.

​We relocated to the backyard where Bianca and Jean had taken the magic sword trials a week ago.

​Bianca readied her newly forged magic sword, 'Ensemble,' while Commander-san drew his own magic sword, 'Pesante.'

​"I will not initiate any attacks. Strike at me with everything you possess. Otherwise, the magic sword will not answer your call."

​"Yes, sir!"

​Bianca gripped her blade with both hands, while Commander-san casually held his with one.

​Like an arrow loosed from a bow, Bianca shot forward, launching a direct assault at the Commander.

​The magic swords 'Ensemble' and 'Pesante' clashed, ringing out with a high-pitched metallic shriek.

​Bianca pressed her assault from the left and the right, but Commander-san parried her blows effortlessly, his expression cool and unbothered. He hadn't moved a single step from his original position.

​"Haaah!"

​"Hm?"

​Commander-san caught Bianca's blade. Huh? Was it just my imagination, or did Bianca's figure just blur for a split second...?

​Thinking my eyes were playing tricks on me, I rubbed them just as Bianca lunged at Commander-san again.

​Her figure blurred once more. I wasn't seeing things. Bianca literally split into two people, attacking from both the left and the right!?

​""Haaaaah!""

​"Nuo!?"

​Faced with simultaneous magic sword strikes from both sides, even the great Commander was forced to take a step back, utilizing the split-second he bought to parry both incoming blades.

​Reverting back to a single person, Bianca collapsed to her knees, gasping violently for air. What the heck was that!?

​"Well, since it's her first time, guess [Duo] is the absolute best she can manage."

​Baray-san stroked his beard, muttering in deep satisfaction. Was that Bianca's magic sword's ability?

​"A magic sword that projects illusions...?"

​"No, Lord Staccato deflected both blades. Which means they were both physically real. They are not illusions."

​Julia-san answered Tanya-san's question. 

“What does that mean? Cloning jutsu?”

​"Clonin' jutsu? Don't know what that is, but 'Ensemble' lets the user summon copies of themselves from parallel timelines, anchorin' their existence in this world for a brief window. Put simply, both of the girls ya just saw were the real, genuine article."

​So basically cloning jutsu, I retorted to Baray-san's explanation inside my head.

​Wait, aren't the cloning techniques used by ninjas just moving so fast that they appear to be in two places at once... Afterimages, was it? Bianca's ability felt like a massive step up from that.

​Isn't this an absurdly powerful magic sword? Becoming two people meant she could force a two-on-one fight at any time. And the fact that the magic sword itself was duplicated was just insane, wasn't it?

​"Does something like this violate the 'spirit of chivalry'?"

​"While interpretations vary in other nations, in our Empire, chivalry means doing absolutely everything in one's power to protect what must be protected, and acting in a manner that brings no shame upon oneself. A magic sword is merely an extension of one's own strength. To hold back one's power, and consequently suffer a shameful defeat... that would be a true violation of the knightly code."

​Commander-san answered my question. If the literal head of the Knight Order says it's fine, then there's no issue.

​"Once ya master 'Ensemble,' the number of copies ya can summon will increase. Duo, Trio, Quartet... How far ya push it is entirely up to you."

​"Up to me..."

​Bianca stared intently at the magic sword 'Ensemble' resting in her hands.

​Would she be able to master it in the three weeks we had left? That Duo thing from earlier only lasted a split second, and it looked like it completely drained her stamina.

​"Yer gonna need to learn how to spawn those copies at will. Gotta extend the duration, too. Once the magic sword and the wielder become one, you'll be able to control it like yer own limbs. Should drastically cut down on the stamina drain as well."

​"Indeed. Magic swords are much like untamed horses. Breaking them in is a tremendous ordeal, but once they accept you as their master, they become fiercely loyal."

​Grandfather nodded sagely at Baray-san's words. So, basically, all she could do was train like a maniac?

​"Old man! I'm next! Let me test out my magic sword!"

​"It is not your magic sword. Since I am the one paying for it, it remains my magic sword for the time being."

​Commander-san unceremoniously dumped a bucket of cold water over the screaming, overly-excited Jean, who was clutching the magic sword 'Fortissimo.'

​Jean groaned, looking completely stifled. He literally said "for the time being," meaning he's obviously going to give it to you eventually, though.

​"Very well. Let us test it. Come."

​"All right! Here I go!"

​With a sudden FOOSH!, Jean's magic sword was cloaked in roaring flames. That wasn't the magic sword's ability; that was Jean's [Flame Sword] Gift.

​Wielding the flaming blade, Jean swung heavily at the Commander. Apparently well-accustomed to sparring with his Gift-using son, Commander-san effortlessly deflected Jean's flickering sword, lightly swatting his strikes to the left and right.

​"What is the matter. Draw out the magic sword's true power."

​"You got it! Just watch!"

​Jean leveled the magic sword and focused deeply. The flames clinging to the blade suddenly flared up as if exploding, before instantly vanishing—as if they were sucked straight into the steel itself.

​At the exact same time, the previously silver blade began to glow a white-hot, furious red.

​"Ahhh... well, that ain't gonna work."

​"Eh?"

​I was briefly distracted by Baray-san's blunt muttering, but a sudden scream of "HYAAA-HOT!?" from straight ahead snapped my attention back. I saw Jean frantically hurling the magic sword away.

​"Hot, hot, hot! Water! Get me water!"

​Shaking his hands wildly, Jean sprinted around the yard until he found a wooden bucket filled with water and shoved both of his hands straight inside.

​"What on earth just happened...?"

​"He couldn't control the magic sword's power. Course he's gonna burn himself if he superheats the hilt along with the blade."

​Hearing Baray-san's explanation, I immediately understood. Ah, I see. So that's how Jean burned his hands.

​The burns didn't look overly severe, but I asked Estelle to heal him up just to be safe.

​In the end, Commander-san confiscated the magic sword entirely, telling Jean he first needed to perfectly master the output control of his [Flame Sword] Gift before he was allowed to touch it again.

​Currently, Jean's [Flame Sword] was constantly stuck on maximum output. In car terms, it was like having the pedal permanently glued to the metal.

​That might have been fine until now, but if he wanted to wield a magic sword, the Commander was right: an inability to freely dial the flames up or down was simply far too dangerous.

​Jean had been sulking heavily after having the magic sword taken away, but the moment the Commander told him he could use it in the joint tournament in three weeks provided he mastered his control, he was suddenly fired up all over again.

​What an incredibly simple-minded boy.

◇　◇　◇

The day after Baray-san forged the magic sword for us, the crest on my right hand leveled up again. I suppose that's what happens when you clear an event on Jean's route.

​However, I'm stuck on a subtle detail: did it level up because Jean received the magic sword, or because Baray-san forged it for me?

​Or perhaps it's simpler than that—do I just need to trigger scenes that look like they'd have a CG illustration in the game?

​Hmm, but there are some CGs that are just scenery, and there are plenty of events without any CGs at all.

​Well, whatever. It couldn't be helped this time, but from now on, I'll try to avoid the capture targets' specific events and aim for the minor events scattered throughout the common route. Assuming I get the chance, that is.

​Accompanied by my father and mother—who had long since grown accustomed to seeing me receive blessings from Lord Samonia—as well as Estelle, who had come over for early morning training, I headed to our usual summoning grounds.

​Bianca and Julia-san had stayed behind at the training grounds; they wanted to squeeze in as much practice as possible before the upcoming tournament. I honestly think they could afford to take a little break, though...

​Now then, I feel like it's high time a store I actually want gets summoned. What do you say, Lord Samonia?!

​To put it bluntly, I want to eat rice. I haven't had a single grain of rice since coming to this world. I'm starting to suspect it doesn't even exist here.

​I never saw it while traveling with the apothecary granny, either, so it's safe to assume the neighboring countries don't have it.

​Maybe it exists in some faraway land, but who knows if it would even be the kind of rice I'm craving.

​In that case, using <Store Summoning> to call forth a shop that handles rice would be much faster!

​A convenience store, a family restaurant, a diner, a beef bowl joint, a curry house—heck, a literal rice distributor would do!

​Please, give me rice! Give me rice!

​"<Store Summoning>!"

​Pouring all of my desperate longing into the spell, I summoned a store. Ooh! It's pretty big! Is it here?! A restaurant?!

​But when the blinding light faded and a blue sign came into view, I dropped to my knees in despair. This store...?

​Rows of capsule toy dispensers lined the storefront. Through the wall-to-wall glass windows, I could see countless small boxes. No matter how you looked at it, this was not an eatery.

​The text on the sign read, "Date Model Shop." It was the hobby shop located right near the vocational school I attended in my previous life.

​My design program had a 3D modeling class, so I used to buy materials and paint there occasionally, but...

​"Sakurariel, what kind of store is this?"

​"Umm... it's a model shop. They sell small scale models that you assemble yourself..."

​"When you say models... do you mean like the architectural maquettes built before constructing a building or a ship?"

​Well, he wasn't exactly wrong. This store probably had models of ships and houses, too. But the vast majority of the stock consisted of things that didn't exist in this world. Heck, they didn't even exist in my old world... Things like giant robots and space battleships.

​"Oh, it's those things they had at the candy stores, right? The ones you put together to make little armored dolls?"

​"Yes, exactly. This is a specialty store for those."

​Mother chimed in, looking triumphant. By "armored dolls," she probably meant plastic robot models. Cheap plastic models were often sold at nostalgic candy stores, so it made sense she'd know what they were.

​"Ah, this cat doll is so cute!"

​Estelle was completely captivated by one of the capsule toy machines out front. I mean, sure, it's cute, but that costs two hundred yen a pop. In this world's currency, that's equivalent to two thousand yen!

​Ignoring my warnings, Estelle, who desperately wanted that cat capsule toy, shoved her allowance into the slot and gave the dial a kachunk, kachunk turn.

​Delighted by the cat toy that popped out, she immediately slotted in two more copper coins and turned the dial again. Kachunk, kachunk. Huh? Did she not get the one she wanted?

​"This one is for Bianca-san. I just know she'll want one."

​Ah, it was a souvenir for Bianca. When did those two get so close? The heroine and the villainess being best buddies is something that would never happen in the game... Well, I suppose the same applies to Estelle and me.

​We passed through the sliding automatic doors and entered the store.

​The interior was crammed tightly with boxes of plastic models. The majority were from mecha anime, but there were also cars, motorcycles, airplanes, and battleships.

​In the back, they sold fine brushes, paints, and all sorts of little tools used for model building.

​Ah, superglue and paint thinner are actually dangerous, so I need to make sure I warn them about that.

​Father picked up one of the model boxes off a shelf and stared at it intently, letting out a low hum.

​"Hmm... this is quite a sturdy-looking piece of architecture. Could this be a fortress?"

​"U-Umm... That's a castle. Kumamoto Castle."

​If I recall correctly, Kumamoto Castle was renowned as an "impregnable" fortress. It wasn't unreasonable for Father to get that impression.

​Opening the box to check the contents, Father—who had just been admiring the box art—furrowed his brow.

​"...Assembling this will result in that castle? It certainly does not look like it... Would it return to its intended shape if I used my Gift?"

​"No, these are manufactured in separate pieces from the start, so even if you cast <Object Restoration> on them, they won't form the castle."

​Wait a minute. If Father used his Gift, <Object Restoration>, he could instantly undo any mistakes made while cutting or painting. Father might actually be surprisingly well-suited for model building.

​The problem was that the instruction manuals were written entirely in Japanese. But the people here could read the numbers, and the diagrams were usually intuitive enough, so it wouldn't be impossible for them to build one.

​"How should I put it... This is a very mysterious shop. It's almost overwhelming, seeing so many things I've never laid eyes on before..." Estelle remarked.

​Well, yeah. Cars, motorcycles, tanks, airplanes, rockets, space shuttles, and even anime girls—it was a collection of completely incomprehensible items to the people of this world.

​Mother seemed more interested in the brushes and paints than the models themselves. She was particularly curious about the small plastic bottles and the disposable vinyl gloves, presumably meant to keep paint off one's hands.

​"Does this fly through the sky? Does the otherworld possess such flying vessels...?"

​Father was gazing at a box for a fighter jet model in awe. While flying vessels did exist in this world, they were lost magitek airships from an ancient civilization.

​Their speed couldn't even remotely compare to the fighter jet Father was holding, and flying them required a massive amount of magic stones, making them practically unusable for everyday transport.

​Oh, magic stones are crystallized formations found inside the bodies of magic beasts. They're semi-transparent ores brimming with stored magical energy.

​They can be used as batteries just as they are, or melted down and crushed for various other purposes. They're incredibly convenient stones that serve as the core of magical tools.

​Depending on their rank, these magic stones trade for a hefty price. In short, magitek airships are massive money sinks, and unless it's an absolute emergency, they stay grounded. I've heard rumors that the Empire is developing a magitek airship that can fly without magic stones, but who knows if that's true.

​To me, that just sounds like a normal blimp. Won't it explode or something?

​Anyway, enough about magic stones.

​We decided to try building something for the time being, so I bought everyone an easy-to-assemble, super-deformed car model that even a beginner could handle.

​They'd seen the food truck before, so the cars didn't seem to trigger any weird sense of dissonance for them. That being said, I'd never really built a plastic model myself, either.

​Wait, no, I did once. Back when I was a third grader, I remember building one for my younger cousin. I distinctly remember thinking, If you can't build it yourself, don't buy it!

​What I built back then was an anime robot, but these chibi cars looked much simpler than that.

​These were snap-fit kits that didn't require any glue, making them even easier. There were very few parts, and the colors were applied via stickers at the end, so no painting was necessary.

​The store had a dedicated workspace, so we decided to build them right there. There were two large tables, plenty of tools, and even a painting booth. Very convenient.

​"First, you look at this instruction manual and assemble it in order. See? These first two parts. You take these clippers and snip out the ones labeled A3 and A4..."

​Following the manual, I snipped two pieces from the runner and snapped them together with a satisfying click.

​Everyone else efficiently snipped their parts and snapped them together, too. Though Father seemed mostly impressed by the sharpness of the clippers.

​After a little bit of guidance, everyone quickly grasped the concept of a plastic model. Soon enough, they were proceeding with the assembly without needing any explanations from me.

​I, too, worked on my car in silence. What is it about doing fine, detailed work that naturally makes everyone go completely quiet?

​"Done!"

​The very first person to finish was Father. He's surprisingly dexterous, isn't he? Holding the completed car in his hand, Father admired it from every possible angle.

​Seeing him act so much like a little boy, I found it a bit funny and let out a chuckle. Glancing over, I saw Mother smiling in the exact same way.

​Everyone managed to complete their chibi cars without any major issues. As expected, Japanese models are renowned worldwide for their precision for a reason. Even absolute beginners could assemble them with ease.

​"I see, so this is how one builds a model. These are meant for appreciation, not practical use, I take it?"

​"It's about the joy of assembling them, and seeing how realistic... how close to the actual object you can make them. It's a type of personal hobby."

​This particular store might not be very useful in this world. Plastic models are an inherently niche hobby, and since that culture hasn't spread here, there wouldn't be much demand. Even if I tried to introduce it, trying to sell them on incomprehensible robots and cars would be a tough sell.

​Maybe the sailing ship models would sell? That's about it. But I feel like you'd need a certain level of technical skill to build a sailing ship model.

​What else... the brushes and paints? If anything, I think the tweezers, clippers, hobby knives, and glue would sell much better than the models themselves.

​"Personally, I quite fancy this. Piecing it together one by one until it's finished is rather enjoyable. Building it with my own hands naturally fosters a sense of attachment, too."

​Father seemed to have taken a real liking to plastic models. I wonder... do boys in fantasy worlds gravitate towards the same things as boys on Earth?

​I made sure to thoroughly instruct my newly-enthralled father on the dangers of the glue, paints, and thinners. Well, I mostly just read the warning labels aloud to him.

​If you aren't careful with ventilation and open flames, things can go horribly wrong. I'll make sure to write these safety precautions down in this world's language and hand them over to him.

​They have dangerous chemicals in this world too, so I'm sure they understand the importance of proper handling.

​It goes without saying that, a few days later, Father's room was lined with an ever-growing collection of cars, motorcycles, and robots.

​◇　◇　◇

​The day of the tournament drew near.

​Day in and day out, Bianca devoted herself to special training with Julia-san as her opponent, utilizing the magic sword Ensemble.

​Currently, Ensemble could only produce a single clone. And it couldn't sustain it for very long, either.

​If she was going to win using that, it had to be a one-hit knockout. A finishing blow reserved for the absolute perfect moment. Once the trick was revealed, her opponents would be on guard against it.

​The tournament brackets for the Squire Joint Tournament had already been distributed to everyone.

​Given Bianca's current skill level, the only ones she couldn't afford to let her guard down against were Jean and his older sister, Cecil.

​I had been worried about her facing them before getting to Gloria, but thankfully, those two were in a separate block. Even if they all kept winning, Bianca wouldn't face either of them until the finals.

​Which meant Cecil and Jean would face each other before the finals, knocking one of them out.

​However, if everything went smoothly, she'd be facing Gloria in the semi-finals.

​If she defeated Gloria, and then took down either Cecil or Jean in the finals, Bianca would be the champion.

​But for Bianca, winning the championship seemed to be of little importance.

​Winning would give her an overwhelming advantage when officially enlisting in the Knight Order, but she was already an apprentice knight serving our Philharmony Ducal House. The practical benefits of winning were minimal for her.

​To her, defeating Gloria and proving she was worthy of being my attendant was far more important.

​"Naturally, I am aiming for the championship as well. I intend to exhaust every ounce of my strength as an apprentice knight of the Philharmony Ducal House."

​I don't know what it is with this girl. Being serious is a good thing, but she's so inflexible... so utterly stubborn. If you wreck your body before the tournament, it defeats the whole purpose, you know?

​When I warned her about that, she simply replied:

​"It will be fine. We have Estelle's healing magic, after all."

​That is not the point...! My attendant is turning into a total meathead...

​I'm gonna have to order her to rest the day before the tournament, even if I have to use a direct command.

​"The Joint Tournament, hm? Perhaps I shall go observe it as well."

​Elliot casually made this remark while munching on cookies on the terrace overlooking the training grounds.

​"My, does His Highness the Crown Prince truly have so much free time on his hands?"

​"Rather than having too much free time, it's just a bit lonely being the only one left out, you know?"

​"Left out? Oh no, viewing His Highness the Crown Prince as a mere peer would be far too presumptuous. We are a sovereign and his subjects. If you were to attend the tournament, it would only cause everyone to shrink back in intimidation."

​I adopted a policy of complete non-interference, completely ignoring the back-and-forth between Estelle and Elliot in front of me.

​She's basically telling him, 'Don't come.' Elliot doesn't seem to realize it, though. He can be pretty dense.

​To be fair, Jean is Elliot's attendant, so it wouldn't be strange for his master to show up.

​"But still, to think you actually obtained a magic sword forged by the master Barkbray. Even the Imperial Family only possesses a handful of them."

​"Oh, the one the first Emperor used?"

​"Yes. The magic sword passed down through Generations of Emperors."

​In other words, the magic sword that Elliot would eventually inherit. That wasn't in the game. Probably because Elliot ends up obtaining an even more powerful <Holy Sword> later on.

​"Speaking of which, is Jean going to be allowed to use his magic sword in the tournament?"

​I wonder if he's gotten better at controlling his problematic Gift. If he's still burning himself, I doubt the Commander will give him permission to use it.

​"It seems he's gotten the hang of it, to an extent. However, that's merely his mastery over his Gift, the <Flame Sword>. It doesn't mean he's fully mastered the power of the magic sword itself."

​Well, that makes sense. Even the Jean from ten years later in the game suffered countless burns and struggled to draw out the magic sword's true power. With the help of Estelle's devoted healing magic, Jean finally succeeded in mastering the sword and defeated the Phantom Slasher Knight.

​I threw a sideways glance at Estelle.

​"Sakurariel-sama? Is something the matter?"

​"Nope, it's nothing."

​As of right now, Estelle didn't seem to have the slightest shred of interest in Jean. The chances of entering Jean's route seemed low, but...

​But if the magic sword Discord claimed Gloria's life, and eventually fell into the hands of the Phantom Slasher Knight, Jean's route flags might suddenly trigger ten years from now.

​My fate on Jean's route ended in one of two ways: either being violently munched on by the magical beast I summoned via <Beast Summoning>, or being defeated and arrested by a reformed Bianca, who acts as the villainess of Jean's route.

​Currently, I don't possess <Beast Summoning>, and I haven't done anything evil, so I shouldn't be arrested... I think.

​Honestly, as long as my ruin events don't trigger, I don't really care who Estelle ends up with.

​Well, as her friend, I obviously don't want her ending up with some deadbeat guy, though.

​In that sense, I'd say Elliot is a highly promising candidate. But for some reason, Estelle views him with hostility.

​"By the way, have they decided on your fiancée yet, Elliot?"

​"What's with this right out of the blue...? No, it hasn't been decided yet. A lot has happened recently, so it hasn't exactly been the time for it."

​So it's still undecided. I know choosing the future Mother of the Nation is a massive decision that can't be made lightly, but if they don't hurry up, all the good candidates will be taken, you know?

​Most likely, Princesses Luka and Tifa of the Kingdom of Prelude and the Minuet Queendom rejected the offers.

​The marriage inquiries were probably moving forward behind the scenes, without Elliot's knowledge. Having their Crown Prince rejected is a bad look internationally, and it would probably shock Elliot quite a bit.

​Perhaps sensing this, Estelle's gaze toward Elliot softened into something resembling pity.

​"Well, I'm sure you'll find someone wonderful eventually. Probably."

​"Yes, assuming Your Highness's luck takes a turn for the better, absolutely. Probably."

​"...Why do I feel like I'm being consoled?"

​Elliot looked baffled by my and Estelle's highly questionable encouragement.

​"What about you, Sakurariel? Uncle mentioned that inquiries for your hand are pouring in like a mountain from nobles all over."

​"I-Is that true, Sakurariel-sama?!"

​For some reason, Estelle shrieked in shock at Elliot's words. Huh? Did I not tell her?

​Ever since the incident where we defeated the Black Dragon, our house has indeed been flooded with such proposals. Though, since we're a Ducal House—even if only in name—we don't receive any from lower nobles ranked below Earl.

​I'm the 'Princess of the Holy Sword' who saved the country, and from an upper noble family, no less, and I don't have a fiancé yet. It was no surprise that nobles brimming with ulterior motives were making their moves.

​Of course, my Father is currently rejecting every single one of them with a smile so terrifying it makes the suitors tremble in fear. He really is reliable.

​"I don't need anything as bothersome as a fiancé right now. Besides, there are plenty of other things I need to do..."

​"Things you need to do?"

​"Like crushing my doom fla—I mean, studying! And dancing! And etiquette, you know?!"

​I frantically glossed over Elliot's question.

​That was close! I almost said 'crushing my doom flags'!

​I did actually crush Elliot's ruin flag, after all... Which means I actively crushed Elliot and Estelle's super-lovey-dovey True End, so I always feel a bit guilty whenever I look at those two.

​"Anyway, the point is, I don't need a fiancé."

​"R-Right! You don't need one! Absolutely not!"

​"Huh...?"

​I have no idea why Estelle looked so happy about that. Was she just glad to have a fellow 'no-fiancé' comrade?

​"Have you received any proposals, Estelle?"

​"M-Me?! My family is a newly-minted noble house that just received its peerage! We haven't received anything of the sort."

​I see, so they haven't.

​But Estelle can use a Healing Magic Gift. Or at least, that's the official story.

​In reality, her Gift is on a much higher level, but even standard Healing Gift users are incredibly rare and valuable.

​If an upper-tier noble pressured her family into marriage just to get their hands on her healing magic, a newly-established Baron house might not be able to refuse.

​"If some upper noble ever tries to force you into an unwanted marriage, you make sure to tell me, okay? Our house will take care of it."

​"Yes. Thank you very much."

​I doubt any noble would be stupid enough to pull something so egregious against a family connected to our Ducal House, but idiots are everywhere.

​Especially the spoiled, pampered sons of nobility—they're apparently the worst of the worst. This is just what I've heard from Arisa-san the maid and Tanya-san the guard, though.

​Thankfully, it seems Elliot and Jean weren't raised to be spoiled brats.

​Come to think of it, there was a mob character exactly like that in the game. Some idiotic Earl's son who hit on the protagonist, Estelle, spewing garbage like, "Become my woman." Well, he was just a minor character who got yelled at by whichever capture target stepped in to protect Estelle, and then scurried away with his tail between his legs.

​But since she's a noble now, political marriages are bound to happen. And in Elliot's case, his marriage partner could literally dictate the future of the entire country, so I really want them to choose carefully.

​When you think about it that way, the Elliot in the game really did fight for his love to the very end. His partner was a lower-tier Baron's daughter, after all.

​Granted, Estelle was the <Holy Maiden>, so the country probably had plenty of its own ulterior motives for accepting it.

​According to Father, there are quite a few voices among the nobility suggesting that I, the 'Princess of the Holy Sword,' should become Elliot's fiancée.

​"But I refuse."

​"Huh? Refuse what?"

​"Oh, nothing. Just talking to myself."

​Putting the doom flags aside, I absolutely refuse to become Empress. It sounds like way too much work.

​I'm a Duke's daughter in name only; I was raised in the slums. In my past life, I was a perfectly ordinary commoner, too. I'm fundamentally unsuited for high society.

​The only reason I stay in this Ducal House is because of my Father and Mother.

​Because those two shower me with love, I can bring myself to try my best here.

​If they had been cold parents who viewed their daughter as nothing more than a tool for political marriage, I definitely would have run away from the estate and gone straight back to the slums.

​That's why I want to be a good daughter to them. And to do that, I need to crush these doom flags.

​I absolutely refuse to be exiled, ruined, or killed.

​I already shattered Elliot's. Next, I'll shatter Jean's.

​I'm going to smash every last doom flag into pieces and forge my very own Good End.

---

Toc