CH 79

[Cooperator Needed]

Military academy. An academy with the purpose of nurturing knights, that were military personnel that protect the security of the nation.

Humans belonging to the ruling class, including Julia, had obligation to protect the nation, and they had roughly two routes from which to choose.

One was to be involved in domestic affairs and contribute to the development and maintenance of the nation. The other was to contribute to maintaining domestic security, such as cracking down on criminals and managing dungeons.

And the person who chose the latter would enter the military academy, to which Julia belonged.

In the real world, the place called military academy was a place to nurture military personnel with the position to command soldiers, but in this world, it meant a place to nurture military personnel in general, and knight apprentices, who belonged to it, lived collectively with strict discipline, unlike the students of the adventurer academy.

In addition, the ‘student council’, to which influential aristocrats belonged, was a placed at the highest level of power in the academy excluding the teachers in order to enforce the hierarchy of the command system as well as aristocratic class, and Julia, as a royalty, was filling in the position of student council president, the highest position among the students, so she had high influence in the academy.

And that Julia was scouting them. Seen from onlooker’s perspective, it was a direct head-hunting from a royalty, a most honorable situation.

But hearing her words, Amanai involuntarily looked up at the sky with the expression of ‘as expected’.

If what she said was, “Are you interested in the military academy?”, this would be just the start of their interaction like in the original story.

However, she said, “Would you like to become members of the knight order.” These were words that could only be heard at the initiation of her, Julia von Knaust’s, individual event.

(This should be our first time meeting. When did her favorability to me rise? No, it isn’t something that should occur in my current level in the first place.)

Apart from her favorability, Julia’s individual event required the level of the protagonist be above a certain level.

Because there would be many battles in her individual event, and there would even be a duel, of which stage was inside a dungeon outside the wall.

Only then, regardless of his status in the academy, he was allowed to get out of the wall with her influence, however, outside the wall was basically a field that only upper-class students could come and go. Therefore, if there was no ‘level’ limit in the event requirements, some problems would occur.

This meant that if this event was initiated while his level was low, he would not be able to reach the dungeon outside the wall and would have no choice but to renege his promise with her.

Moreover, she was treated specially by the creators in a sense. In case the duel event was reneged, she would torment herself with the thought, “I am not someone who deserve fighting alongside him,” and as such sided with the Black Sword, became a demon-kin, and stood in his way.

So that the promise with her wouldn’t end up being reneged, current level was also added as one of the event requirements.

(Although it seems that the Black Sword has been almost destroyed… if by any chance, she, a royalty, joins the organization, that would be extremely bad.)

Supporting them with the pocket money she received as a royalty, lending a place inside the military academy as their base, or providing knight apprentices as guinea pigs.

Unpleasant imaginations of what might occur if she were to join the Black Sword crossed Amanai’s mind. Moreover, there was likely a reincarnated person in the Black Sword; all imaginations that he thought of would probably be realized.

If it comes to pass…… so Amanai inwardly dreaded. Julia, on the contrary, happily continued her words,

“I have heard from none other than Luisina that you all have done a splendid job in the opera house incident. I thought she was exaggerating a bit, but still, my heart throbbed wildly when I was hearing about your fight. To tell the truth – thought it might sound improper – I want you as much as my hands would come out of my throat*.” (Julia) [*Desperately]

“……Then, why, why did you invite me too?”

At that time, Akano’s frosty voice threw cold water on Julia’s words of praise.

It was so cold that Amanai’s involuntarily stopped thinking and looked at her face. The tone was one that even he, her childhood friend, had never heard of.

“I couldn’t do anything during the incident. I was completely useless.” (Akano)

Words overflow from Akano’s mouth.

After all, during the incident, she wasn’t able to stand on the stage as she had lost her consciousness, being ‘at the mercy’ of the situation, and confronting her the reality that she was weaker than the other two.

And her unknowingly weakened mind had a negative impact on her perception of the words to which she was directed.

In other words, she took her inclusion in the invitation was only so that Amanai and Ethel would have even a little bit less reason to refuse— an incidental matter.

“Indeed. To be clear, it’s true that Akano-san is falling a few steps behind the other two.” (Julia)

“Haah? Hold on a sec there, Princess. Do you wanna say Reika is weak?” (Ethel)

“Yes, Akano-san is weak. But don’t get me wrong, I don’t think she’s inferior.” (Julia)

Ethel, who thought that her friend had been spoken ill of, frowned at those words.

Julia was inwardly amused her silently glare, which looked as if to encourage her to talk, and then turned to Akano with a mischievous smile.

“Although it’s impolite, I did a special investigation on you. Things such as your grades at the academy and the views of the teachers regarding your success in the dungeon. On top of all that…… yeah, to point out the area in which you easily surpass others…” (Julia)

“——nh!” (Reika)

At that moment, Julia shot her magic power toward Akano.

Even though she knew that pure magic power was harmless, Akano reflexively raised her arms to protect her face.

Ethel, on the other hand, tilted her neck, whereas Amanai responded with only a slight raise of his eyebrow.

“Hey Reika. What’re you doing?” (Ethel)

“Reika?” (Amanai)

“Eh? I mean, just now, Knaust-san was…!” (Akano)

“That’s it. That’s your forte.” (Julia)

Julia made a satisfied look at Akano’s confusion, and then puffed up her chest as though she had done a meritorious deed, and announced,

“Akano-san is very good at perceiving magic power. To the point that she reacted so sensitively to even the slightest projection of magic power like just now. That is undoubtedly the making of a great mage! There’s no way you’re inferior!” (Julia)

Then Julia leaned over the table and clasped Akano’s hands.

Even though she knew that Julia was a woman, Akano was charmed by the well-organized features of the beautiful woman dressed in male clothing who had suddenly and naturally approached her, and her cheeks immediately reddened.

“Eh, ha, wawa!?” (Reika)

“You have more room for growth than anyone else, Akano-san! That’s precisely why I want to welcome you to the military academy!” (Julia)

“Cough.” (Amanai)

At Amanai’s deliberate coughing, the leaning over Julia returned to her seat with a wry smile and breathed out to calm herself.

And on Amanai’s face, looking at Akano who had also regained her composure, a slight displeasure was visible.

“I’m going to put this out first. It’s an honor to receive the invitation, but I will have to reject it.” (Amanai)

“Fumu. Are you in a bad mod because I got too close with your precious girlfriend? If that’s the case, then I apologize, I got a little excited.” (Julia)

“That’s not the case. I simply don’t want to be a knight, so I’d like to decline.” (Amanai)

“No matter what?” (Julia)

“Yes. But since you won’t be convinced if I just turn you down outright, I’ll give you a condition. If you accept it, I won’t mind becoming an exchange student at the military academy for a short period of time.” (Amanai)

“A condition? Alright then, let’s hear it.” (Julia)

The intimidating air of Julia, facing him, swelled up. It didn’t stem from anger, but expectation.

Amanai unconsciously held his breath feeling the tension. He then rose up from his seat, looked down on Julia and said,

“I will assist you at the military academy for a short period as an exchange student but, only if you win the individual award at the academy festival.” (Amanai)

If you want me to follow you, show me your strength.

Moreover, this is simply the starting line to scouting me—— was what Amanai conveyed to her.

It was no wonder Akano opened her eyes wide and Ethel turned toward him with a gaze like doubting his sanity at his statement.

After all, a mere commoner made a statement like he was testing a royalty, and he even said it while looking down at the other party.

Even if the other party had allowed him to act casual as they were both students, it wouldn’t be weird if his statement was taken as a lese majesty.

However, Amanai wasn’t afraid, instead he put challenging fighting spirit into his gaze.

On the other hand, Julia, receiving his gaze, covered her eyes with her hand as though to hide the expression in them, and slightly lifted the corner of her mouth.

“——‘Conversion*, Hit’.” [*as in into money]

The table top exploded from below.

In a split second, Amanai created a gauntlet made of magic power on one of his arms, and caught the thing that flew toward his face at the speed of sound.

“Hayato!” (Reika)

“Amanai.” (Ethel))

“I’m okay. You two should back down a bit.” (Amanai)

At first glance, it looked like a huge golden needle.

However, Amanai, who caught it as if he was holding a needle, knew for a fact that it was actually a thin blade literally made of gold.

Although the flow was the same as the original, if he had made one wrong step, the gold blade would have penetrated his brain.

Imagining that outcome, cold sweat ran down his spine, but he gritted his back teeth slightly so it didn’t get found out and threw the blade away in a deliberate manner.

“Are you satisfied?” (Amanai)

“Yeah, I’m truly satisfied, Amanai-kun. I see, it seems you have the skill to back your words.” (Julia)

The burst open table made a sound and then collapsed.

Julia, sitting so as to face Amanai, had crossed her legs before one knew it, grasping something like the grip of a pistol hanging from her waist and pointing its tip toward Amanai.

She used some kind of skill to shoot the gold blade from the muzzle-less, grip-only pistol?

Having identified that, Akano and Ethel began to be wary of Julia, who made a clear attack, but the person in question was laughing at Amanai unconcernedly.

“Originally, I was thinking of proposing you to come study in the military academy for short period in case you refuse, so you proposing it yourself makes things convenient in a sense. Although I prefer simple duel as a method to determine victory or defeat, since you ask me to display my might for you to follow me, let’s go with that.” (Julia)

“However,” Julia, standing up after saying that word, confronted Amanai.

The smile she made was different from the gentle smile she had been making; it was a ferocious smile as though she enjoyed being tested, and from it her true nature exuded.

“Since you are testing me, you absolutely have to keep your words. And I, too, will use all my strength to prove my might, and swear that I will accept regardless what the outcome is.” (Julia)

She finally stopped hiding her eyes which gave off the feeling of looking at her inferior.

However, there was no ridicule in them. It was the manifestation of her confidence that she was still in the upper hand despite recognizing Amanai as a competition.

Julia put her hand on her Amanai’s shoulder, pulling it to get his ear closer to her lips, and she whispered,

“Now, the battle’s on. Amanai Hayato.” (Julia)

Then she gently stroked his right cheek, as if finally marking him as her prey.

———

Amanai put his hand on his cheek and cut off his recollection.

After that, Luisina, whose black tea ruined because the table was destroyed, blew up and the meeting broke up there.

(For the time being, I was able to change the content of her event into competing in the competition of the academy festival. Next is working to prevent her from winning the individual award, while during the third competition, the battle royale… I mean the round-robin tournament, I will fight her to recreate the duel event in a simulated matter. I’m sure she would be satisfied with that.)

Strangely, the opera house incident gave flexibility to Amanai’s thought.

As a result, he combined the academy festival and Julia’s event on the spot, and prepared a condition where he could deal with both at the same time, so that the influence on the original was minimized as much as possible.

There was an insecure factor. However, outright rejection would definitely push Julia to the hostile route.

That was why, since she had set her sight on him and her event started, he had to at least prevented her from turning hostile.

(Julia von Knaust, she was essentially a lonely combat maniac.)

She had gone through various educations as a royalty. In terms of status and grades, she was a cut above the rest. And although only in the academy, she had been reigning as the absolute one, that was the student council president.

She therefore had no one standing next to her, and her status as a royalty inevitably got in her way of making friends.

Though there were some who talked with her with a smile, Julia must always pay attention as her every action could potentially influence the faction conflict in the academy, and from the people she talked with, she didn’t feel any feelings of friendship that she longed for.

That was exactly why she sought equality in the battlefield.

There was no room for status to get in her way in the battlefield.

Sure, Julia was a talented people enthusiast, but that only stemmed from her wish for an outstanding talent to stand next to her.

(The higher her favorability, the more likely she is to turn hostile if I don’t follow her. Given that, I don’t know how high her favorability for me is, I have no other choice but to clash with her to satisfy her.)

Amanai Hayato thought.

What can he do to satisfy Julia and bring her to his side? What steps does he need to take?

As he was absentmindedly drawing a blueprint so that they could reach a common ground and thought what he had to prepare for tomorrow’s chariot race, a voice called out to him from beside him.

“Hayato.” (Reika)

“Hm, Reika, did you cal——!?” (Amanai)

When he looked to the side, he found Akano staring at him with cold eyes.

She had a smile on her face, contrary to the coldness in her eyes; that contradicting expression conveyed her anger.

Akano Reika’s expression, which gave off the feeling of “something’s sticking in my throat”, made Amanai flustered without knowing what he had done.

“Hey, umm, Reika? What made you to be in a bad mood all of sudden?” (Amanai)

“Listen here, Hayato. I can understand how happy you are to be approached by a very beautiful person like Knaust-san.” (Reika)

Her expression was one that she could understand, but didn’t accept it at all.

“But you see. We’re in a situation where we might have to transfer to the military academy. This is not the time to indulge in your reverie about Knaust-sama, or at least that’s what I thought.” (Reika)

“………….Ah.” (Amanai)

Listening to her words, Amanai was able to reflect on his current condition.

He had been putting his on hand on his cheek, one which she stroked at the time of their parting, forgetting the surrounding and thinking to himself. What did that look like from her perspective?

“Amanai. It’s fine if you’re happy getting approached by a beauty, but can you take this a little more seriously?” (Ethel)

“Hold, hold on a sec! You got it all wrong!” (Amanai)

“Then Hayato, can you tell us what you were thinking while looking like that?” (Reika)

“Of course, it’s about what to come! I was thinking about how to prevent her from winning the individual prize while being satisfied with the result at the same time!” (Amanai)

Akano’s anger abated for the time being at Amanai’s desperate explanation. Seeing that, he let out a sigh of relief.

“So. I also hate the idea of transferring to a strict as hell place like the military academy, so I’m grateful that you took the brunt, but… do you have a plan?” (Ethel)

“The condition I gave to Knaust-san is to win the individual prize at the academy festival, so what we do is obstruct her and at the same time we also collect points in the competitions ourselves.” (Amanai)

“Collecting points in the competition is one thing, but won’t we be lacking people when it comes to obstructing her?” (Ethel)

“Yeah, that’s why we need a cooperator.” (Amanai)

“A cooperator? There’s no way there’s someone who would be willing to cooperate with us against the student council president of the military academy and moreover a princess…… hold on. Don’t tell me, you…” (Ethel)

Ethel made a stiff smile, having guessing who Amanai had in his mind.

Beside Akano who slightly tilted her neck, he nodded as though affirming it and said clearly.

“——Sakurai Tōru. Let’s go to his place.” (Amanai)