《The Hero King, Reincarnate to Master the Art of War》


 Chapter 1: The Hero King, Inglis

    The Capital of Sylveria, Sylvair Kingdom¡ª


    Within the royal palace atop the hill that towered the town beneath it, the Hero King Inglis, the man who founded a great kingdom across the continent, was counting his final breaths. Beside the grandiose bed was a row of the King¡¯s vassals, each one of them had anxiety plastered all over their face, much like children who lost their parents. It was hardly a surprise ¡ª the existence of the old king meant that much of an absolute being to them.


    During his youth, the young Inglis who received the blessing of the Goddess Alistair, had awakened a godly power transcending any human, ¡ºDivine Knight¡». Wielding such power in his hand, young Inglis annihilated demon beasts and Evil Gods off the continent and built the Sylvair Kingdom after. He established an excelling governing body, enriched the country and brought smiles amongst the people. The Sylvair Kingdom, which was then said to have lasted for millenia, was built within a single generation.


    Between the various achievements he left behind and the noble spirit he held for his people to give selflessly, the scholars were convinced that the King Inglis was the single greatest King in known history. There would be hundreds, if not thousands of songs the minstrels and troubadours sang, praising the King.


    There was a Hero with such a big name, and this country was about to lose him. No matter how reputable a Hero one might be, no one could escape the death by old age. Nobody can even begin to imagine the Sylvair Kingdom without Inglis as its King. It would be impossible for one not to be saddened.


    ¡¸Men. Don¡¯t make such a face. I can¡¯t pass away if you keep tugging my robe.¡¹


    Even with the peaceful tone, the joke King Inglis spewed was anything but. For his body that had been weakened by old age, even getting up from his bed was a huge struggle.


    ¡¸If-, if so, please, restore your health once again! Both this country and its people still need your guidance, Your Majesty!¡¹


    So said one of the ministers, drowning in tears.


    ¡¸Don¡¯t ask the impossible. This is what the heaven wills ¡ª I sure have fought hard, if I do say so myself. I had been saved a lot by all of you too¡­ you have my gratitude, my men. I leave the rest to you¡ª¡ª¡¹


    Having received their King¡¯s words, the vassals began to sob. The King was happy they were thinking of him but he had long since made his resolution, along with his senile body. He would have preferred a cheerful departure and who could blame him for that wish?


    ¡¸Inglis¡ª¡ª¡¹


    That was when a clear, beautiful voice of a female rang in his ear, that voice flooded King Inglis with nostalgia. As far as he was aware, this individual was the only person who would ever call him by his given name since he had become someone of this position, regardless of his own wish.


    Life is a mystery. He never even thought he would become a King in his younger days. He planned to live only off his sword, relying only on his own strength but after he met this individual, everything changed.


    ¡¸Ou¡­ Long time no see.¡¹


    King Inglis casted his mask aside. A beautiful woman clad in a white dress stood by his bedside, she had shown up so suddenly, without any warning.


    ¡¸Your Majesty, what¡¯s wrong?¡¹


    His vassals seemed to be incapable of witnessing her appearance. That would be obvious. No human could perceive the sight of a God, unless the God themselves wished to. The reason King Inglis could see her was because, as a Divine Knight, he was half-man half-god himself. And the one who blessed the young Inglis to be a Divine Knight was none other than the Goddess Alistair standing in front of him.


    ¡¸It¡¯s nothing. Everyone, leave me for a moment. I want to be alone.¡¹


    With those words, King Inglis made his vassals leave the room. No one seemed to notice the existence of Goddess Alistair. After he was alone with the goddess, King Inglis smiled delightfully.


    ¡¸How nostalgic. When was the last time we met? You¡¯re as beautiful as the last time I saw you. I really wanted to see you for one last time.¡¹ ¡¸Me too. Inglis¡ª¡ª¡¹


    The Goddess Alistair gently swept King Inglis¡¯ wrinkled cheeks.


    ¡¸I¡¯m really grateful for your hard work. You fought really well for this world and the people in it.¡¹ ¡¸If you¡¯re the one saying so, it makes the little strength I exhausted feel worth the struggle. You¡¯re making this old man blush.¡¹ ¡¸Fufufu. That¡¯s the same for me. So my eyes didn¡¯t make a mistake when I made you a Divine Knight, after all.¡¹


    Goddess Alistair showed a smile so brilliant that nothing in the world could even compare.


    ¡¸Inglis. The reason I showed up before you today¡ª¡ª¡¹ ¡¸I understand. You¡¯re here to care after this sickly elderly on his deathbed, right?¡¹ ¡¸No, far from it. I¡¯m here to reward you for all the achievements you have done¡ª¡ªHave you any wish? I can fulfill anything you want, as long as it¡¯s within my power.¡¹ ¡¸Anything, you say?¡¹ ¡¸I did. Considering of the work you have done, this much should be obvious.¡¹


    With a smile still decorating her face, the Goddess nodded. Upon such, King Inglis fell into thought. He held no shame in the life he lived. He really felt that he had done his best. However, there were, of course, paths in which he regretted he had not chosen. Emotions and life weren¡¯t such simple things, after all.


    The only regret of King Inglis ¡ª that was to say, was that he wasn¡¯t able to master his own martial arts. Certainly, he did obtain the power that transcended any other as the Divine Knight, but he was swamped with his obligation as a King, especially after the foundation of the Sylvair Kingdom, that he had no time to train at all. It was a regret he held as a warrior. For that was King Inglis¡¯ wish, he responded.


    ¡¸Let me see¡­ If I may hope, I wish to be reborn.¡¹ ¡¸For what reason, Inglis?¡¹ ¡¸I¡¯m interested in living a different life. My whole life was devoted to my country and my people. There is no regret for what I did. They are my prized treasure.¡¹ ¡¸Indeed.¡¹ ¡¸However, what if I dedicated my life, not as a King, but as a warrior ¡ª I cannot say that I am not curious about the limit of my strength. If you were to allow me, I want to live such a life.¡¹ ¡¸¡­I see. Now I remember, you were a soldier when I first met you.¡¹ ¡¸That¡¯s right. I believe I¡¯m more of a warrior and less of a king at my root. In addition, wouldn¡¯t it be interesting to know where this country heads to if I were to be born in the future? Just how would everyone lead this country from here on out ¡ª I want to know all of it.¡¹ ¡¸¡­I understand, Inglis. I shall grant your wish.¡¹


    So said the goddess with a smile.


    ¡¸I look forward to seeing you again, reborn anew, far in the future¡¹


    She then softly embraced King Inglis¡¯ thin, withered body. Inglis closed his eyes, letting his body fall into said pleasantness. As he did so, the goddess disappeared, unnoticed by any.


    That evening, King Inglis departed. At the end of his life, he was on his room¡¯s balcony, watching the breathtaking sight of the Kingdom and the people he poured his everything into. Many of his loyal subjects witnessed the fall of the great hero. His face was calm, kind and full of affection for his people. The Kingdom of Sylvair had just lost their father. They would have to walk on their own feet from now on¡ª¡ª


    And time passed¡ª


    After a period of unconsciousness, a window of time that both felt like an eternity and an instant, King Inglis was finally regaining his consciousness. In the haziness of his vision, he could see the silhouettes of two people. A woman with black hair and a man with silver hair.


    The man hugged his body. His body was small and hard to operate. This was how it felt to have the body of a baby.


    So I really reincarnated, as expected of a Goddess


    Inglis couldn¡¯t help but admire.


    ¡¸Ha ha ha ha! Here Inglis, go high~?¡¹


    This man would be his father. The silver-haired man lifted him up in elation. Apparently, the name given to him was the same name he always had, Inglis. Personally, it was very welcoming. After all, it was a name he had been living with for such a long time, he was attached to it.


    ¡¸Dear. Inglis might get scared if you swing her so much.¡¹ ¡¸Aah, I see, sorry. But really, you did well Selena! What a pretty girl she is, much like you are!¡¹


    What!? A girl!?


    Inglis freaked in her heart. Her shock then simply turned into a cry of a baby.

 Chapter 2: Inglis, 0 Year Old

    King Inglis really had reincarnated due to the miracle of the Goddess but being in the body of a baby had its fair share of trouble. Not only was it difficult to operate, moving around even a little bit would tire her to sleep. For him¡ªher who hadn¡¯t even reached one year old, it was a concern that she perhaps had no other choice but to spend the days like ordinary babies.


    The family Inglis reincarnated into was the Eux household, the household of Knights. It seemed like her father, Ryuk Eux, was the head of the feudal lord¡¯s chivalry order while her mother, Selena, was a knight under him when she was on duty, though she had now retired.


    Since Inglis still couldn¡¯t speak, she decided to just listen to her parents¡¯ conversation and that was how she learned all of it.


    There was the element of surprise that she was reborn as a female but the inconvenience of having an infant body superseded it. In the first place, Inglis didn¡¯t really concern herself about genders.1 Just how long had it been since then; since the time she was alive? What happened to the Kingdom of Sylvair that he had built and loved with all his being? Even if Inglis was dying to know, it was impossible to learn any of it when she could neither speak nor move on her own.


    This day, too, Inglis was still in a cradle by her mother¡¯s care, Selena. Apparently, it was about time for a nap, she pretended to be asleep. When her mother thought she had fallen asleep, she went to do the house chores and Inglis made a window of time for herself for practices. But it wouldn¡¯t be long before she actually fell asleep from the drowsiness¡­ That had been Inglis¡¯ routine recently. However, she fully devoted herself to train within that short interval of time before sleep took her over. She couldn¡¯t hope to hold a sword with her baby hands but there were other things she could do.2


    Even with her being a baby after reincarnation, the Goddess Alistair¡¯s blessing was still alive within her. An existence shrouded with the spirit of the Gods ¡ª half-man half-god ¡ª the Divine Knight. She knew that blessing was still there because she could clearly feel the presence of ether.


    Ether was the root of everything for every matter in this world was made of ether. The difference between one matter to another was the amount of ether they possessed. Even mana, the so-called source of sorcery, was originated from ether fusing with each other. Manipulating ether meant manipulating the world as you will it, manipulating the law of cause and effect as you want it. In other words, the power of Gods.


    Whereas, manipulating mana could shape supernatural phenomenon through sorcery. However, manipulating ether was nothing like manipulating mana, it was overwhelmingly more difficult and the miracle brought forth was also more staggering ¡ª far exceeding that of mana. Inglis, in her previous iteration as a King, was blessed by the goddess and awakened as the Divine Knight only after she had reached adulthood. Ultimately, all she managed to learn after that till the day she died was just the fundamentals of ether control.


    With that level of mastery, she had achieved enhanced strength and was referred to as a hero and a superhuman to the commoners, gaining her the title of the King of Sylvair. However, this meagre level of mastery was possibly akin to a baby flailing around in the eyes of actual superhumans and Gods. Inglis was just collecting years under her belt without the time to actually improve herself.


    In her current life as Inglis Eux, she wanted to start her ether manipulation training from an early age and she wished she would reach a new height her previous life couldn¡¯t achieve. Her dream was to master the ether manipulation to a level surpassing the Gods. She wondered how that might feel like and with no way of obtaining that answer, she could only reach it to find out. 3


    Now that she had been reborn to master her own art of war, there was no time to waste. Even if she couldn¡¯t move her body, she could still knead ether around. And that was what she did, by sharpening her mind and focused on the ether around her.


    As weak as it was, the ether she controlled was able to lift her infant body softly into the air. As a newborn, she considered it to be an excellent performance. All she needed to do was to keep this pace of practice. At least that was how it was supposed to go down but things never went that smooth in life.


    ¡¸Magic Stone Beast! Everyone, take shelter! Evacuate to the castle!¡¹


    The shout of a dying person was heard outside the mansion. Just what is a magic stone beast? She heard it quite often from her parents¡¯ talk but she never witnessed it in person. There was nothing like that in her previous life. She wondered if it was something like a variation of a dreadful demon beast.


    ¡¸Lil¡¯ Glis! We have to¡ª¡ªWHAAAaa!?!? My child¡¯s f-, floating¡­!?¡¹


    In her panic, her mother Selena rushed into the nursery. ¡­Did she see me!? Inglis immediately went back to her cradle and cried, trying to deceive her mother. 4


    ¡¸Waah! Waah!¡¹ ¡¸N-, no, I must be seeing things! We still have to evacuate! I can¡¯t face that person if something ever happened to this child! It¡¯s okay, Inglis. Let¡¯s take shelter with mom!¡¹


    Selena picked Inglis up and left the room hastily. Now then, I wonder if this would present me with an opportunity to see this magic stone beast fella. Even if she had acquired power exceeding her previous life, it would be pointless if she didn¡¯t have anyone to test it on. Hopefully, it¡¯s an atrocious monster worth defeating! Baby Inglis swayed in her mother¡¯s embrace, hoping desperately in her heart. 5

 Chapter 3: Inglis, 0 Year Old (2)

    Selena carried Inglis to evacuate to the castle and when they reached the gate, there was someone waiting for them.


    ¡¸Selena! Thank heavens, you¡¯re safe!¡¹ ¡¸Irina! You waited for me!?¡¹


    Irina was Selena¡¯s older sister which made her Inglis¡¯ aunt. The two sisters shared a close relationship with each other and Inglis often saw her aunt around. Her aunt was the Marchioness of the Fortified City of Ymir, married to Marquis Wilford, the lord of this city where Inglis was born. And her mother was married to the head of the knight order under Marquis Wilford¡¯s command.


    Inglis¡¯ new heritage was that of a relative of the Marquis¡¯ and the daughter of the Knights¡¯ commander. When compared to the heritage of her previous life as a village boy from a rural area, the difference was that of Heaven and Earth. Though, she was hardly bothered by the difference in birth statuses.


    ¡¸Of course I did! I¡¯m worried sick!¡¹ ¡¸But you shouldn¡¯t leave Raphael and Rafinha alone! Poor children, they must be frightened.¡¹


    Irina had two children, a son and a daughter. However, Rafinha, in particular, was the worrisome one as she was around Inglis¡¯ age. Inglis had met Rafinha a number of times before. As fellow babies, Inglis had wondered whether Rafinha had also felt inconvenienced with her fragile body. However, her consciousness was that of a child¡¯s, unlike Inglis¡¯. So, in truth, that had not been the case since Rafinha hadn¡¯t known any better.


    ¡¸It¡¯s okay, Rafinha has Raphael to look after her! Now, come with me!¡¹ ¡¸Yes!¡¹


    Inglis was brought inside the castle in her mother¡¯s arms and evacuated into a private room for the Marquis¡¯ family on the third floor. It was much safer inside the robust castle over the mansion where Inglis and her family lived. There was a young boy around the age of 7 or 8 years old holding a baby waiting for them in the room.


    ¡¸Dear mother! You made it safely!¡¹


    The boy had black hair and eyes, with a face that exuded intelligence. That was Raphael, the eldest child of Marquis Wilford, the city¡¯s future lord.


    ¡¸I did, Raphael. Is Rafinha okay?¡¹ ¡¸Yes, as you can see! She¡¯s been a good child.¡¹ ¡¸I see. I¡¯m glad. Now, let¡¯s wait here until the knights drive the magic stone beast away. ¡¹ ¡¸Let¡¯s.¡¹


    The pair of mothers nodded in agreement. From her mother¡¯s embrace, Inglis was watching the view outside the window. The room had a good overlook. One could see the battle that unfolded outside the encircling city walls.


    Those so-called magic stone beasts seemed to be a colony of huge lizard monsters, easily twice the size of an adult. 1 They had a pair of blade-like rigid wings, with crystallized gems embedded on their foreheads, necks and all the way down to their backs. The color of their hides differed from one another; some were red, some were light blue and the remaining were purple. Inglis pondered whether they were called Magic Stone Beasts because of the jewel-like things embedded in their skin. Although it was difficult to discern at this distance, she could glimpse the gleam of those stones that looked like it was produced from condensed mana.


    There were more than ten lizards in the colony. The chivalric order the mothers mentioned wielded their weapons and faced those lizards in order to drive them away. Selena, Irina and Raphael watched the battle unfold while holding onto their collective breaths.


    The situation was grave but it was nothing out of the ordinary that they couldn¡¯t handle. In other words, this kind of situation was commonplace in this time and age.


    Hmm¡­ It seems like the world has become more dangerous. However, that¡¯s just convenient for me. 2


    Inglis was not unfamiliar with war. Treading the path of a hunter and pursuing the mighty and ferocious Magic Stone Beast didn¡¯t sound too bad to her. Either way, Inglis couldn¡¯t wait to grow up and face one of those lizards to test her strength.


    Aah, my arms are itching! They¡¯re itching for a sword! What a nuisance to have a weak baby¡¯s body that¡¯s difficult to control!


    Inglis¡¯ cry of frustration could only be translated into a baby¡¯s cry from her mouth.


    ¡¸Daaaah¡ª¡ª! Abububuuu!!¡¹ ¡¸G-, Glis¡­! Don¡¯t move around too much.¡¹ ¡¸Don¡¯t blame her. It¡¯s her first time seeing a magic stone beast, isn¡¯t it? She must be scared.¡¹


    Compared to Rafinha who was bawling in her mother¡¯s arm, Inglis¡¯ blubbering was considered tame.


    ¡¸You have a point, sis. If only there¡¯s a world without Magic Stone Beast around, for the sake of these children¡¯s future¡­ ¡¹


    No, dear mother, that would be troubling! Ineedsomething to fight against! We need to have the magic stone beasts around! They look battle-worthy!


    ¡¸Abubu abuu abuuu!!¡¹ ¡¸Here, here, don¡¯t be scared. Mommy will protect you¡ª¡ª¡¹


    With an expression full of love, Selena held Inglis tighter to her chest.


    It¡¯s not that! I¡¯m frustrated! There¡¯s a fight in front of me and yet I can¡¯t move!


    As it turned out, there was a person who shared Inglis¡¯ feelings.


    ¡¸¡­I feel miserable. Even though I already possess a Rune, I can¡¯t believe I¡¯m just standing here and watching.¡¹ 3


    That was yet another new thing for Inglis. She knew that every knight in the current era had those Runes engraved on their body. Her father as the captain of the chivalric order and her mother as a former knight, both of them carried something akin to a crest on their dominant hands. Those were apparently something like a weapon used to fight against the magic stone beasts. 4

 Chapter 4: Inglis, 0 Year Old (3)

    ¡¸Raphael. Listen carefully, what you possess is a Special-Grade Rune. A rune only granted to the chosen ones. You are destined to one day become a beacon of hope for everyone in the world. That¡¯s why, no matter what happens, you¡¯re the only one we can¡¯t stand to lose. You can join the battles only when you have matured and reached your full potential. Am I understood?¡¹


    Aunt Irina strongly admonished Raphael. Now that she knew the rune Raphael had was special ¨C the mark of a chosen hero ¨C Inglis knew well just how constrained it was to be in the position of a hero, to be placed on a pedestal above everyone else, as the previous Hero King of Sylvair. Also, taking into account his standing as the heir to the Marquis, she could understand just how precarious his future path would be. Really, what troubles.


    ¡¸Y-, yes, mother¡­¡¹


    Raphael was shocked to receive such a sharp retort from his mother. From his point of view, his words came purely from his sense of justice. He had not expected his mother to respond as strongly as this.


    ¡¸Since this is a good chance to bring it up. Remember this, if something was to happen, even at the cost of everyone here, you alone must survive. Know that you¡¯re in a substantial position now.¡¹ 1


    ¡¸N-, no way! Mother¡­¡­!¡¹


    Even though that was for a hypothetical situation, for this boy with a strong sense of justice, it was nothing short of painful. However, words oftentimes, when spoken, could lead to jinxes. Situations such as ¡®truths borne from lies¡¯, ¡®speak of the devil¡¯, and other things along those lines.


    KERCHLAANK!!!


    All of sudden, the window was blasted off, along with its frame and all. One of the magic stone beasts had strayed from the knights and plunged headfirst into the room.


    ¡¸KYAAAaaaAAAHH!!!¡¹ 2


    Right after it got inside the room, the winged lizard rammed into Aunt Irina. 3 Irina had just enough time to protect the baby with her own body so that Rafinha wouldn¡¯t get injured. However, that left her with nothing to protect herself ¨C she lost consciousness upon a sharp hit on her head. Shocked by the impact, Rafinha burst into a wail.


    ¡¸MOTHER!!¡¹ ¡¸NO! You should escape!¡¹


    Selena stopped Raphael from unsheathing his sword, went to scoop Rafinha into her arms and then entrusted her and Inglis to Raphael. She did that while pulling out a rapier that was hanging on the wall.


    ¡¸I¡¯m holding it back! You bring Inglis and Rafinha to safety!¡¹ ¡¸But, aunt! That kind of sword can do nothing against it!¡¹


    The magic stone beast leapt towards Selena. Being a former knight, her mother managed to evade the onslaught even though it had been a while since her last active duty. However, her chosen weapon was a fragile rapier. It could only endure so much attack ¨C it was nearly snapped from that single exchange.


    ¡¸Go already! What are you doing!?¡¹


    Selena reprimanded frantically. However¡ª¡ª


    ¡¸Rani! Glis! I¡¯m sorry, wait here a bit!¡¹


    After Raphael placed Inglis and Rafinha on the floor behind the pillar, he unsheathed his sword and went to assist Selena in her fight.


    ¡¸Let me back you up! If we manage to stall it, a knight with an Artifact might come to our aid!¡¹


    Inglis was beginning to understand that the so-called Artifact thing was a weapon that was effective against the magic stone beasts, used by knights in the current era.


    ¡¸I¡¯m telling you it¡¯s pointless! Get the infants and yourself to safety!¡¹ ¡¸No! How can I save other people if I can¡¯t even protect the people I cherish in front of me!?¡¹


    What a young, passionate warcry. However, that¡¯s good! That¡¯s the spirit! Inglis thought proudly. One could only gain the right to be called a hero if they could eclipse such situations and come out triumphant. A hero was not someone the people chose to do their biddings. A hero was someone the people looked up to for the things you¡¯d done due to your own heart¡¯s desires.


    ¡¸Ugh¡­ kuh¡ª¡ª! UWaah!?¡¹ ¡¸Kyaaah!?¡¹ 4


    However, their effort was in vain. A single shove from the lizard had both of them thrown into the wall.


    ¡¸A, aunt¡­¡­! Are you okay¡­¡­!?¡¹ ¡¸Uuh¡­¡­¡¹


    Both Raphael and Selena were already on the edge of their consciousness. If things were left as they were, both of them would be in grave danger. And then after that, Irina and the pair of babies ¨C Rafinha and Inglis ¨C would also peril.


    Then, let me give them a hand so that they¡¯d survive ¨C I can¡¯t possibly let my mother die and also, in honor of that young man¡¯s spirit.


    In her current life, Inglis had decided to live only for herself. For that reason, she had no interest in heroism. However, in saying that, she still wouldn¡¯t hesitate to lend a hand to a hero in the making. The kid deserved better than dying in this place. Though she was trapped in her infant body, she could still find out whether there¡¯s anything she could do.


    Even in her current condition, her basic level of ether manipulation that she had learned in the previous life should allow her to strike her opponent. Inglis wondered briefly if it would be fit to call it ¡®Ether Strike¡¯. Since ¡®Ether Strike¡¯ held the potential of demolishing the entire mansion, she had never used it in her cradle before. Fortunately for her, it seemed like everyone present was unconscious, save for the wailing baby. Thus, Inglis faced no risk of exposure to use it now.


    ¡¸Daaaah¡ª¡ª! Abububuuuuu!!¡¹ 5


    Baby Inglis¡¯ eyes shone brilliantly. Then, a blinding flash of light rippled through the room and formed a large concentrated ball of light that flew towards the magic stone lizard.


    BooOOOooooOOOooomm!!!! 6


    The light swallowed the beast whole, while also destroying the wall behind it with a tremendous force. The force had the magic stone beast launched into the air and out of the room, with its body scorched and disintegrated into white ashes.


    Hmm¡­ Quite the power it packed for something a baby made!


    It seemed like her routine training was not for naught.


    ¡¸G-, Glis¡­¡­? Wh-, what was¡­¡­?¡¹ 7


    Raphael who was leaning heavily against the wall muttered in a daze. Is he awake? Inglis clicked her tongue.


    ¡¸Th-, thank god¡ª¡ª¡¹


    Raphael then lost his consciousness immediately after. Phew, good thing he fainted, his memory would be hazy and he would think of it as nothing more than a dream. Inglis attempted to convince herself. It was then when she was hit with a strong spell of drowsiness from overextending the limit of her infant body. This was what usually happened to her.


    ¡¸Lady Irina! Young master Raphael! Are you two okay!?¡¹


    A flustered voice called out from the ground outside. Aid is finally here, huh. It should be fine now then. Or so Inglis wanted to believe. She wanted to watch over the situation until the end but with her fatigued body, she could no longer fight the sleep.


    By the time she woke up, Inglis was laying in her cradle back at home. From what she could eavesdrop from her parents, everything had ended well. After that incident, for a while, Raphael was the only one who suspected that there was something off with Inglis. However, nobody would buy that an infant such as Inglis could have done something like that. Plus, since Inglis never showed her true colours again after that, Raphael began to believe that it was just his brain playing a trick on him.


    Considering that the existence of a being such as the Magic Stone Beast had been absent in Inglis¡¯ past life, she did not know much about them. However, what she learned from her parents¡¯ conversations were that the Magic Stone Beasts that attacked Ymir that day were on the weakest end of the spectrum, and there were other stronger, more atrocious kinds of Magic Stone Beasts out there. The strongest Magic Stone Beast could even bring a whole country into ruins, or so her father said.


    It was quite an interesting piece of information. For her first goal, she decided that she would find the so-called strongest Magic Stone Beast and crush it under her feet! That was the resolution Inglis made as a 0-year-old baby.

 Chapter 5: Inglis, 5 years old

    Since that fateful incident, the days had been peaceful¡­ Five years had gone by since King Inglis¡¯ reincarnation as a baby girl, also named Inglis. Inglis spent her first few years as a completely ordinary baby. After all, being trapped in a fragile body that was difficult to control and easily subjected to drowsiness could only afford her being nothing more than ordinary. She had only recently regained a bit of the control of her muscles. That being said, it was still the weak, young body of a child. Let¡¯s train other areas of my body whilst waiting for it to develop. And that was how she spent her days.


    ¡¸¡­¡­¡¹


    The sight of the 5-years-old Inglis was seen reflected in a large mirror. Inglis had mystically silver-colored hair and brilliant red eyes ¡ª the color of which resembled a flower. It was a phenomenally charming profile of a little girl, even from an objective point of view. Everything about her was particularly dazzling. She would surely become a peerless beauty in the future.


    Good heavens, I have certainly been reborn into one endearing creature. I wished I had a granddaughter like this.


    Her mind immediately thought of that since she didn¡¯t have a child in her previous life. She had initially thought that she would be reborn as a man, thus, being reincarnated as a female came as a big surprise to her. However, she couldn¡¯t possibly complain to have it reverted now of all time after five years had passed.


    Inglis decided to take this as the goddess¡¯ sign to encourage her ¡ª wherein she wouldn¡¯t be flustered by other women and could focus on the path of a warrior! As one would expect, having the body of a male meant that you¡¯d be prone to distraction by females. Perhaps, this was the better choice if she wanted to be a dedicated warrior.


    In addition, when she looked at her own smile, it was so cute it soothed her heart. 1 Once she had gotten used to it, it was still nice in its own right. With that thought lingering in her mind, Inglis traced her smile on the mirror.


    ¡¸Oh dear, Lil¡¯ Glis really likes her mirror.¡¹ 2


    ¡¸Doesn¡¯t she, sis? Even though she¡¯s an outstandingly brilliant and obedient child, this behavior of hers is just beyond me.¡¹


    Commented the two beauties who were watching her ¡ª they were her mother Selena and her aunt Irina. I was seen, huh¡­ A bud of embarrassment sprouted in her heart. Irina, the older sister of the two, was married to Marquis Wilford and stood as a Marchioness. And Selena, the little sister of the two as well as Inglis¡¯ own mother, was married to Ryuk Eux, the leader of the chivalric order under the Marquis. Inglis¡¯ new life as the sole heir of the Eux household, the daughter of the leader of the knights, and a relative to the lord of the region, was just starting. 3


    ¡¸It¡¯s fine, Isn¡¯t it? Lil¡¯ Glis here is a lovely child! She couldn¡¯t help herself from looking, isn¡¯t that right?¡¹ ¡¸Aunt dearest, you have seen my embarrassing side.¡¹ 4


    ¡¸Oh my, what a refined manner of speech. How did you teach her to be like this?¡¹ ¡¸I have no idea. I really didn¡¯t do anything special¡­¡¹ ¡¸It¡¯s something I learned from the books, aunt.¡¹ 5


    ¡¸What a brilliantly bright child! So, this is what they meant when they said a child was cut from a different cloth.¡¹ ¡¸I¡¯m flattered.¡¹ ¡¸Although compared to you, she may seem like a child in your eyes, Inglis, please play with Rafinha too, okay?¡¹


    Asked her aunt as her gaze locked on a girl who was trying to swing a wooden sword. The child had black hair and black eyes, with a charming face. She was the same age as Inglis. That girl was her aunt¡¯s daughter, Rafinha, Inglis¡¯ cousin. 6


    For Inglis, playing with a five-years-old was equal to babysitting her. Although, Inglis didn¡¯t exactly hate the idea. Accompanying her made Inglis feel like she had a cute grandkid, it soothed her spirit. 7


    ¡¸Hiya~! Ah¡­!? Kya! Uuu¡­¡¹


    Rafinha lost her balance while swinging her wooden sword and fell to the ground ¡ª promptly breaking into tears.


    ¡¸Are you okay Rani? Here, take my hands.¡¹


    Inglis pulled Rafinha back on her feet then patted her head softly.


    ¡¸Uuuu¡­ Gliss¡­¡¹


    Glis was Inglis while Rani was Rafinha. Those were their respective pet names. 8


    ¡¸You need to lower your hip and swing, observe what the others are doing.¡¹


    Said Inglis, pointing at the men nearby who were also practicing with wooden swords. Currently, they were on the knights¡¯ training grounds within the castle walls, in the middle of a practice session. The place was jostling with energy, cheers and shouts all over the place. On an unused spot in one corner, Selena and Irina took their children to observe the practice. Why would these ladies take their children to a place reeking horribly of old sweat, one might ask. It was because they had an aim.


    ¡¸Okay, young master Raphael! I won¡¯t hold myself back! Come at me!¡¹ ¡¸Yes! Please guide me well!¡¹


    A young boy in his early teens was facing off against a knight in his prime. Raphael, now a thirteen-years-old boy, sported a fearless look, along with the dignity of his bloodline. Everyone in that place knew just how well-disciplined and hardworking he had been.


    ¡¸Big brother! Do your best!¡¹


    Rafinha cheered for him. Raphael was the son of the Marquis. In other words, for all the knights there, he was their future lord. 9 Having him practicing so hard on the same grounds as them was a major morale boost for the knights. Raphael¡¯s reputation as the next feudal lord was remarkable, no matter who they asked in the fortified city of Ymir. And he was the reason why Selena and Irina were here. Because after this, there would be a scheduled bout with someone from outside the city. Inglis couldn¡¯t wait to see how Raphael would fare in that battle. 10

 Chapter 6: Inglis, 5 years old (2)

    ¡¸Here I come! Uoooh!!¡¹ ¡¸I have no intention to lose!¡¹


    Raphael and the Knight began to exchange blows with their wooden swords. The young teen, still barely a gangly boy growing into his own body, in a practice combat against a Knight who had spent years honing his body and skills. Anyone would assume that the teenage boy was weaker. However, Raphael made up for his lack of strength with his agility. Moreover, he had the mind of a tactician ¡ª with the ability to find openings in his opponent¡¯s defenses and use them to his advantage.


    Raphael kept locking swords whilst redirecting the inertia of his opponent¡¯s strike. In response to that, his opponent put more strength behind his blows in an attempt to break through Raphael¡¯s defenses. As the exchange continued, the knight¡¯s swing became wider and wider. That had been the teen¡¯s intentions all along ¡ª for when his opponent took a wide step to strike, Raphael took the opportunity to step in and deliver a blow onto the back of the knight¡¯s knee, crumpling the knight instantly. The battle ended swiftly with the teen¡¯s sword pressed into the knight¡¯s throat.


    ¡¸Match over! Young Master won!¡¹


    Declared Ryuk, Inglis¡¯ father.


    ¡¸Mu¡­! Young master, you were splendid!¡¹1


    ¡¸Not at all, my arms are already numbed from the impact. The battle could have tipped either way had it been dragged out longer, you see.¡¹ 2


    Seeing her brother¡¯s victory, Rafinha jumped in joy with a big smile.


    ¡¸Big brother~! You were so cool~!¡¹ ¡¸Your son is really something else! To think that he can actually win a battle against an adult knight¡­!¡¹ ¡¸To be honest, I didn¡¯t really do anything special.¡¹ ¡¸Now, this is what they call a child cut from a different cloth, sister.¡¹ ¡¸Ufufufu. That makes the two of us then.¡¹ 3


    The mothers were delighted with the development. Even Inglis had to admit that Raphael was indeed outstanding. As a matter of fact, Inglis assessed that there wasn¡¯t anyone in the training field who could win against him, excluding Ryuk, the order¡¯s leader. And of course, Inglis was also excluded.


    It was always a good thing to have skilled family members including one such as Ryuk. Since that would mean that Inglis wouldn¡¯t need to search for a good training partner.


    ¡¸Young Master Raphael! Please have a bout with me!¡¹ ¡¸Okay! Please guide me well!¡¹


    The next contender raised his sword arm and charged at Raphael, exchanging a few blows. However, the boy once again showed who was the better combatant, easily outwitting his opponent. After that, one knight after the other stepped up to challenge him ¡ª each taking turns to practice with the future feudal lord. Raphael had come out of each battle victorious just as Inglis had predicted, the boy¡¯s ability was no joke.


    That¡¯s quite the talent he has. If he had been one of my retainers, he could have ended up as the strongest of my imperial guards, or even the supreme commander¡­ Anyhow, I really want to test my skills against him.


    Inglis thought as she watched Raphael¡¯s consecutive victories. Then¡ª¡ª


    ¡¸Greetings, master Ryuk! We¡¯ve finally arrived!¡¹


    A group of armed men led by a huge man strode into the training field. Judging from their attire, Inglis guessed that they were something similar to mercenaries. However, they were actually people of the Lambert firm ¡ª a group of armed peddlers. Travellers often possessed their own Artifact to protect themselves since the world had become more treacherous and one wouldn¡¯t know when or where the Magic Stone Beasts would attack them. Thus, this kind of conduct was approved by the surrounding Kingdoms and feudal lords.


    The knights under Marquis Wilford and these armed peddlers had good relationships with each other since they often held joint practices together. As a part of the joint practice, they would be having sword matches today. A smile graced his lips as Ryuk returned the well-built man¡¯s greeting.


    ¡¸Why, if it isn¡¯t Mr. Lambert! Thank you for coming. We¡¯ll be under your care for today. Let us spar and learn from one another.¡¹ ¡¸Of course! It¡¯s an honor for us to be able to borrow some of the esteemed knights¡¯ time.¡¹


    With a smile, Mr. Lambert introduced a young boy about the same age as Raphael to Ryuk.


    ¡¸This one is my son, Rahal. Rahal, come greet him.¡¹ ¡¸Nice to meet you, Master Ryuk. My name is Rahal.¡¹


    He was a rather skinny boy with a sharp glare and his greeting sounded a little strained.


    ¡¸Oh, best regards. It seems like Rahal is around the same age as young master Raphael, isn¡¯t he? Why don¡¯t we let the two polish each others¡¯ skills then? Young master! Please come and greet our guests!¡¹ ¡¸Okay!¡¹


    Raphael answered delightedly and approached them. With a smile, Raphael held his hand out to Rahal.


    ¡¸I¡¯m Raphael Wilford. I¡¯ll be under your care for today. Please go easy on me.¡¹ ¡¸Me- me too¡­!¡¹ ¡¸Great, let¡¯s do some warm-up first before we start the match!¡¹


    Ryuk immediately took charge of the situation after the introduction, quickly getting the knights and the armed peddlers to mingle together and begin their sword practice. From the matches Inglis could observe thus far, the knights appeared to be more skilful than the peddlers. She assumed that would also be true for Rahal, that he would be skilled for his age but he wouldn¡¯t be quite up to par for an adult knight. She thought that Raphael was an exception and normal growing boys just couldn¡¯t be that strong. If it¡¯s like this, our knights will surely win all the matches. Or so Inglis had thought. However, when the matches began earnestly, something unexpected happened.

 Chapter 7: Inglis, 5 years old (3)

    For a while when the sword match practices started, the knights¡¯ side had the upper hand. Each knight was paired off with an armed peddler in a one-on-one match and the number of armed peddlers gradually decreased. The tide turned when Mr. Lambert¡¯s son, Rahal finally stepped into the arena. The knights couldn¡¯t even touch him and the consecutive defeats began.


    ¡¸Guah!?¡¹ 1


    The knight who was currently facing him dropped his wooden sword when his sword arm was hit.


    ¡¸Match over! Rahal won!¡¹


    Ryuk announced Rahal¡¯s victory. At least ten knights had lost to Rahal already. As the number of consecutive losses of the knights under him increased, Ryuk¡¯s mood had also turned a little sour.


    ¡¸Hahaha. Dear knights, aren¡¯t you guys way too dull? Has it been that long since you guys were last attacked by magic stone beasts?¡¹


    Inglis wondered whether the consecutive victories had gotten into his head, or this was his true nature ¡ª big-headed arrogance ¡ª and that the earlier timidness was merely a pretense.


    ¡¸Whereas, we¡¯ve been encountering magic stone beasts everywhere we travel. Or should I say, our goods are needed precisely at places under the threat of magic stone beasts.¡¹


    Mr. Lambert appeared to be elated with his son¡¯s victory and from the looks of it, his nose was raised so high up in the air that Inglis wondered how he even managed to breathe. 2


    No matter how indignant the knights felt for being belittled, they couldn¡¯t dispute him when they couldn¡¯t even hit him once. The truth was that the knights hadn¡¯t been slacking off at all, they were constantly dispatched to other regions of the Marquis¡¯ territory that had been attacked by the magic stone beasts. However, there was no point in voicing that statement, for it would only embarrass them more.


    ¡¸????????????????. That damn brat, he suddenly got stronger when things actually started!¡¹ ¡¸You¡¯re right. He didn¡¯t look that strong when he was doing the warm-ups.¡¹ ¡¸Somehow, when I was facing that kid, I felt like I couldn¡¯t fight properly¡­¡¹ ¡¸I felt that too. Is his spatial awareness that extraordinary¡­?¡¹


    The knights that had lost against Rahal were discussing among themselves. Overhearing them, Inglis had a different thought.


    Are they for real¡­¡­? They were official knights of the order with Runes engraved on their dominant hands. No matter how you slice it, that¡¯s sorcery. One that binds the opponent¡¯s movement.


    Even though it piqued Inglis¡¯ interest in how Rahal was able to perform sorcery, she was more baffled of how the others reacted to him. Nobody appeared to notice that sorcery was at play when anyone with a general knowledge of sorcery should have noticed it.


    Even more so was that Rahal¡¯s sorcery skill was not even that outstanding, he was actually quite poorly skilled. The original form of the sorcery could seal the movement of any opponents in sight. However, he couldn¡¯t even completely bind his foe, they just became slightly more sluggish when under its effect.


    Apparently, the people of this time and age had forgotten all knowledge and senses of sorcery. Does the existence of Rune and Artifact have anything to do with it?


    As the founder of a Sorcery School that popularized sorcery amongst her people, this fact was rather heartbreaking for Inglis. In the past, the prejudice and discrimination against sorcerers were deeply entrenched in the people. So much that Witch Hunts used to be common practices. When Inglis had put a stop to it, she swayed the people¡¯s hearts and made them accept sorcery so that they could go hand in hand under the same banner of peace. She had thought that her people had fully accepted sorcery by the time she was at her old age.


    ¡¸Rahal¡­ you¡¯re amazing. But, I won¡¯t lose either!¡¹


    Even Raphael, the owner of the Special Grade Rune, was the same. He showed no sign of noticing.


    ¡¸It¡¯s my honor to face the future Holy Knight. Let¡¯s fight, fair and square!¡¹


    Inglis nearly scoffed at the words coming out of Rahal¡¯s mouth. 3


    For someone who used underhanded tricks like sorcery to defeat his opponent, the word shameless wasn¡¯t even enough for the likes of him, especially in Inglis¡¯ eyes ¡ª she who could perceive mana itself. If there was something to be praised upon, that¡¯d be his acting skill for a boy his age.


    ¡¸G-, Glis¡­ Big brother¡­ will win, right¡­?¡¹


    Rafinha who was watching from the sidelines grabbed Inglis¡¯ sleeve anxiously.


    ¡¸It¡¯s okay, Rani. Your cheers will surely motivate big brother Rafa.¡¹


    That was all that she could say to Rafinha.


    ¡¸Yeah. Do your best~! Big brother~!¡¹


    When he heard his little sister¡¯s cheer, Raphael turned his head and grinned brightly at her.


    ¡¸Yeah. I¡¯ll do my best, Rani. Thanks.¡¹


    Soon after, the grin disappeared when he turned back to face Rahal with a focused expression.


    ¡¸Then, please guide me well!¡¹ ¡¸I accept your challenge!¡¹ ¡¸In that case, let the match begins!¡¹


    Ryuk then gave the two the starting signal.

 Chapter 8: Inglis, 5 years old (4)

    ¡¸Here I come!¡¹


    Raphael yelled and he immediately charged with all his might towards Rahal. Since Raphael had the idea that his opponent was much stronger than what he was, he thought that the charge would help him gather more momentum for his attack.


    Ah! That¡¯s a bad move. What is he thinking?! Thought Inglis as she sighed. This battle would probably face the same ending as all the previous ones.


    ¡¸Naive!¡¹


    Rahal¡¯s wooden sword easily blocked his powerful strike. If this battle had truly been fair and square, without Rahal¡¯s cheating with his sorcery, that strike would have pushed Rahal off his feet. 1


    ¡¸Guh¡­!¡¹ ¡¸Kukuku! So the future hero is not that big a deal!¡¹ 2


    Rahal 3 took the opening to counterattack Raphael and this would have been an easy block for him, if not for the sorcery dulling his movements. This resulted in Raphael being one step too late in his block and in turn, he received a solid strike from his opponent, making him lose his sword. The trajectory of the disarmed sword flew in the direction of Rafinha.


    ¡¸Kyaah!¡¹ ¡¸Rani!?¡¹ ¡¸It¡¯s okay.¡¹


    Clasp! Inglis easily caught the wooden sword in midair with one hand.


    ¡¸G-, Glizz. Dhank yuu¡­!¡¹


    Rafinha was all in tears.


    ¡¸Oh my, you were awesome Inglis!¡¹ ¡¸Good heavens! Thank you so much, Lil¡¯ Glis!¡¹


    Words of praises rained down on Inglis from her mother and aunt.


    ¡¸Rani! Glis! Sorry! You saved me there!¡¹ ¡¸It¡¯s nothing. Here, brother Rafa.¡¹


    Inglis returned the wooden sword back to Raphael who had come running towards them as soon as he could.


    ¡¸Thanks, Glis.¡¹ ¡¸Um, brother. A bit of advice.¡¹ ¡¸What is it, Glis?¡¹ ¡¸You should avoid seeing him as much as possible during the fight.¡¹ ¡¸Huh? What do you mean?¡¹ ¡¸Something doesn¡¯t sit right with me. Everyone¡¯s movement is so slow in contrast to Rahal¡¯s movement and he¡¯s always moving to match his opponent. There must be something to it.¡¹


    That was indeed how Rahal had used his sorcery but she doubted that Raphael would just trust in her words if she had told him outright. Plus, he might start to question how she knew such things in the future. She figured that by using a suggestive tone, it would not raise too much suspicion.


    ¡¸Fighting without seeing, huh. Indeed, my body feels heavy when I get close. ¡­I got it, Glis. Thanks.¡¹


    After Raphael nodded, he went back to face Rahal.


    ¡¸I¡¯m sorry Rahal! Can I ask you to fight me again?¡¹ ¡¸Of course. We weren¡¯t finished yet after all. Either way, you won¡¯t understand that you¡¯ve lost unless I beat the crap out of you, right?¡¹


    Rahal taunted with his viper-like eyes staring down on his prey. However, Raphael took the challenge unprovoked.


    ¡¸¡­Here I come!¡¹


    This time when Raphael charged at his opponent, his eyes were firmly fixed to the ground. He used his opponent¡¯s shadow on the ground as his reference to Rahal¡¯s position and swung his sword.


    ¡¸ Mu¡­!?¡¹ 4


    That blow broke Rahal¡¯s stance since Raphael¡¯s movement was no longer hindered by his sorcery. This proved that Rahal would have difficulty receiving his opponent¡¯s attacks if Raphael could exert his usual strength.


    ¡¸It¡¯s true¡­! Inglis was right!¡¹ ¡¸Ugh¡­ damn!¡¹


    Raphael kept pushing Rahal back until he was driven into the wall. However, that turned out to be his undoing.


    ¡¸Uooooh!¡¹


    Just as Raphael went in for the finishing strike, his opponent barely managed to deflect his attack. The momentum of his attack caused him to strike the wall instead.


    ¡¸Uwah!¡¹


    Since he had been keeping his eyes on the ground, he hadn¡¯t noticed the wall in front of him. The hard impact of his sword striking the wall resulted in his stance breaking, allowing Rahal to get a hit in.


    ¡¸Haahahaha! An opening!¡¹ ¡¸Gaah!¡¹ ¡¸Match over! Rahal won!¡¹


    Ryuk announced.


    ¡¸Aah! Ueeeeh¡­ big brother looosst~~¡¹


    Rafinha broke down in tears, so Inglis patted her head softly to pacify her.


    ¡¸It¡¯s okay. I shall take revenge for your brother.¡¹


    It was unpleasant for her to see the knights losing due to the unrighteousness. In addition to that, she couldn¡¯t bear watching Rafinha cry anymore. Protecting her was a role Inglis had taken upon herself.


    Inglis picked up Raphael¡¯s sword that had fallen then strode towards Rahal briskly.


    ¡¸Superb. Now, would you mind giving a lesson to this lil ¡®ol me?¡¹ 5


    With a grin on her face, she called out to him.

 Chapter 9: Inglis, 5 years old (5)

    ¡¸Oi oi, stop spouting your jokes. I don¡¯t have the time to play with kids. I¡¯m thinking of fighting against Master Ryuk next, you see.¡¹


    Rahal said with an irritated look.


    ¡¸Mmmm¡­ Then, I¡¯ll reveal what you did behind everyone¡¯s back, is that fine with you?¡¹


    Inglis pretended to contemplate the issue with an innocent angel look on her face. 1


    She tried not to pinpoint his sorcery skill since she didn¡¯t want to be questioned as to how she knew these things. She figured that as long as she didn¡¯t explicitly address the problem, she could always evade the questions later.


    ¡¸D-, don¡¯t kid with me! Are you saying I¡¯m cheating¡­!?¡¹ ¡¸I wonder¡­ Why don¡¯t you ask yourself, is it a cheat, or is it not? So, what are you gonna do now? Will you humour me?¡¹ 2


    ¡¸ ¡­Aah, fine! Don¡¯t weep if I beat your ???! Okay!?¡¹ ¡¸Same goes for you.¡¹


    Once that was settled, Inglis strode towards Rahal.


    ¡¸H-, hey, Inglis¡­! You¡¯re being absurd!¡¹


    Ryuk, her concerned father, tried to stop her. While her mother could only watch anxiously.


    ¡¸Worry not, Father. I am still your daughter, after all. I must protect the honour of the chivalry.¡¹


    Truth be told, the main reason she wanted to do this was merely due to her simple desire to fight. The second reason was to stop Rafinha¡¯s tears and lastly, she wanted to discipline Rahal for using underhanded tricks. If kids like him learned to enjoy easy victories through deceitful methods since young, they wouldn¡¯t mature into honourable warriors in the future. Thus, Inglis was certain that Rahal would benefit from this mental reformation before it worsened.


    ¡¸I really want to believe in that spirit of yours.¡¹ ¡¸If you don¡¯t let me, I¡¯ll snitch you to mother for buying another expensive vase.¡¹ ¡¸Got that, Inglis. Have a nice one!¡¹


    At least her father was easy to negotiate with so that Inglis was able to face Rahal in a proper match.


    ¡¸Begin!¡¹


    Rahal stood still at first, trying to measure up his opponent. While Inglis knew that he was trying to use his sorcery on her, she wasn¡¯t particularly worried. After all, an amateur¡¯s poorly executed sorcery would not be able to affect the Divine Knight herself ¡ª the strong Ether circulating within her body naturally dispersed any sorcery.


    However, in saying that, it wouldn¡¯t be fair if she utilized her Ether either. For one, the battle would be dull; For two, the victory would be all but guaranteed for her; And last but not least, a single Ether Strike would possibly decimate any remains of her opponent since small-scale control of Ether had proved to be rather trying for her.


    Inglis decided that fighting with just sword techniques would be the best way 3 to go about this. Since it was presumed that the sorcery would affect her, she chose to shut her eyes for the entirety of this battle. Fighting with eyes shut compared to Raphael¡¯s technique of using shadows as his references, it could be said that fighting without sight would be a completely different level of difficulty.


    However, Inglis had been wanting to test the extent of her current ability for a while now. She had often done this particular training called ¡ºMind Eye¡» to fight in a blind state. In her previous life, she had been practicing it since she was young but she was severely lacking in her training after she was crowned the king of Sylvair. This would serve as a good opportunity to use Mind Eye in a fight once again.


    As to make fun of the little girl who had her eyes shut, Rahal tried to go around her to take her backside.


    ¡¸¡­¡­¡¹


    With her other senses, Inglis was able to pick up her opponent¡¯s movements and her stance kept shifting to face him with sharp precision.


    ¡¸Tch!¡¹


    Rahal tried to move around several more times but with her Mind Eye, she was able to follow his movement without any trouble. The teenager was appalled by how the little girl could do this, he wasn¡¯t even confident that he could do the same. However, he immediately shook the feeling off ¡ª this would all be over as soon as he could get his hands on the puny little girl. 4


    ¡¸Soryaah!¡¹


    Rahal quickly circled around her then struck before Inglis had the time to turn around. However, with her fast reflexes, she turned just in time to deflect his sword with hers and slipped past his attack with a parry.


    ¡¸!?¡¹


    With her smaller, less trained body, it would be disadvantageous for her to meet his strikes head-on since he would definitely be stronger than her in terms of body strength. Thus, parrying his attack was the better option ¡ª with just the addition of a small force, she would be able to redirect his sword.


    With his attacks being parried repeatedly, Rahal¡¯s complexion paled significantly. Something¡¯s off. My attacks that should¡¯ve hit her are slipping away like sand through her fingers. The teenage boy thought in panic. Rahal had not even met this kind of resistance before when he was facing the knights and Raphael. She was just one puny little girl and she even had her eyes closed. And you¡¯re telling me this is possible for her¡­!?


    ¡¸Wh-, what the ???? are you¡­!?¡¹


    Uncertainty resurfaced in Rahal¡¯s mind.


    However, Ryuk and Raphael were in an even bigger shock than he was. Compared to Rahal whose sword skill was third-rate without relying upon his sorcery, these two had a better understanding of the techniques Inglis displayed. The techniques and stunts she was pulling off like a child¡¯s play were techniques they couldn¡¯t even hope to reproduce.


    Just how many years of practice¡ª¡ª Nay, perhaps they would never be able to reach the same height as her even if they were to spend the rest of their lives training. If they were the ones fighting against Inglis in an honest match, they might have a chance of defeating her. In the worst-case scenario, they would have to sacrifice an arm or a leg just to get a hit in. However, when it came to imitating that technique of hers alone, they would be left hopeless.


    ¡¸Ha ha ha¡­! A prodigy has been born in my family¡­!¡¹ ¡¸Amazing! Inglis, you¡¯re amazing¡­!¡¹


    Both Ryuk and Raphael murmured in awe.


    ¡¸UWAAAaaaah!!!¡¹


    Rahal yelled out a warcry in his increasing frustration. His next attack was ungraceful, carrying no shreds of composure that he had originally held, leaving him with an unbalanced stance. After Inglis had parried that reckless blow, Rahal stumbled on his own feet, causing himself to fall face-first onto the ground with his arse sticking out in the air. Inglis wouldn¡¯t miss this solid chance for an attack.


    Thump!


    The wooden sword she swung hit Rahal¡¯s shoulder.


    ¡¸I-, I give up¡ª¡ª!¡¹


    Rahal finally acknowledged his defeat on his own.


    ¡¸¡­¡­Thank you very much¡¹


    Responding with a smile, Inglis then bowed her head. It was a good fight for her. 5 Now, she could at least say that her current ability was passable. However, it was still lacking and there was definitely still rooms for improvement. After all, wasn¡¯t that the very reason behind her reincarnation?


    It went without saying that, after her little display, Inglis was greeted with jostling by Rafinha and her other family members.

 Chapter 10: Inglis, 6 years old

    The Eux family was about to head out for the baptism day. Inglis, now at the age of six, was in the manor¡¯s living room as she gazed out of the window at the pouring rain over a valley further out of town. The rain was far from the ordinary, for it carried with it a prismatic hue.


    This phenomenon was called the Prism Flow which was rumoured to be the cause of Magic Stone Beasts. When showered by it, the natural flora and fauna would turn into magic stone beasts and attack people. However, humans remained unaffected by the phenomenon.


    The presence of the rain so close to town had the people on high alert since none of them wanted their livestock to turn into magic stone beasts if it was to hit the city. Just as people said that every rose has its thorns, the rain was much the same ¡ª While it was breathtakingly beautiful, it was also an abomination to the people.


    That was for everyone, except for one little girl¡­ Inglis, whose blood boiled and heart leapt at the mere sight of the rain. She sincerely hoped that it would produce a strong magic stone beast that was worthy of combat with her. While training with Raphael and Ryuk was good and all, she wanted to try fighting something that had every intent to kill her. Magic Stone Beasts were the perfect candidates since they held no compassion for human lives.


    Pour more! Come closer! Give me more opponents to practice with!


    Inglis thought happily 1


    In contrast to Inglis and her happy thoughts, Selena looked dejected.


    ¡¸How awful, what an ill omen¡­ Even though today is the girls¡¯ baptism day.¡¹


    Inglis and Rafinha were finally at the age that they could receive their Rune ¡ª an indispensable tool for humans to operate Artifacts (another essential weapon used to fight the magic stone beasts). But of course, that rule did not apply to Inglis as she had learned a few months back when the Prism Flow had fallen near the city, allowing her to try out a few techniques. While ordinary metal weaponry couldn¡¯t injure magic stone beasts, she had confirmed that as the Divine Knight, she could defeat the magic stone beasts with ether-infused techniques. Nonetheless, Runes and Artifacts were absolute musts for citizens who wished to secure lands near the area where the Prism Flow occurred.


    Runes were divided into four categories ¡ª Lower Grade, Middle Grade, High Grade, and Special Grade Runes. The stronger the Rune was, the stronger the Artifacts one could wield. It was said that the people who owned Special Grade Runes, such as Raphael, were akin to a one-man army.


    The so-called strongest magic stone beasts that were capable of razing an entire country could only be stopped by the Special Grade Rune holders. Thus, people like Raphael had key roles in preventing national crises involving the lives of millions. One could see just how much Irina treasured Raphael by how overprotective she was of him.


    ¡¸Rune, huh¡­¡¹


    With her eyes still gazing out the window, Inglis murmured. Being the Divine Knight, Inglis had no need for such things as Runes. More importantly, she¡¯d rather not receive a Special Grade Rune like Raphael, for it would only raise the people¡¯s expectations of her and she¡¯d have an obligation to answer to them. One could easily see the weight of the world pushing down on Raphael¡¯s shoulders. Although Inglis did find that Raphael made a rather noble, dashing figure when he put in the effort to answer the calls of the people, just as she had in her previous life as the Hero King Inglis, she would rather dedicate her current life as Inglis Eux to the mastery of her martial arts. It would be too troublesome to add to her burden.


    In contrast to everyone else, Inglis was afraid of receiving the Special Grade Rune ¡ª literally any Runes would be better than a Special Grade in her opinion.


    ¡¸Listen, Inglis¡ª¡ª¡¹


    Inglis was embraced by her mother Selena.


    ¡¸Mother? What¡¯s wrong?¡¹ ¡¸It¡¯s imprudent to say this right before your baptism but¡­ mom doesn¡¯t want you to get a Special Grade Rune, okay? I feel like it will bind your life to our people and you¡¯ll only live for them, and not yourself. That¡¯s basically the same as being confined.¡¹ ¡¸How strange, mother. I would also prefer anything that¡¯s not a Special Grade Rune.¡¹ ¡¸Really!? You seem to take great interests in battles, so I thought you¡¯d wish for even stronger power.¡¹ ¡¸Well, I guess that¡¯s true but¡­ I don¡¯t want a power that will rob me of my freedom.¡¹ ¡¸I-, is that so? Then, when you¡¯re baptized, just pray in your heart that you don¡¯t want Special Grade Rune, okay? If so, I¡¯m sure the gods will hear you.¡¹ ¡¸I understand. I will do so.¡¹ ¡¸Good girl. Then, let¡¯s depart.¡¹


    Her hand now held in her mother¡¯s, they left for the castle where the baptism would take place.

 Chapter 11: Inglis, 6 years old (2)

    When Inglis arrived at the temple within the castle walls with her mother, Ryuk was already waiting by the entrance. Rafinha would be baptized along with Inglis and thus, all members of the Marquis household were also present for the baptism ¡ª this just went to show how important the baptism day for Runes was.


    ¡¸Rani, it¡¯s okay, don¡¯t be nervous. Let¡¯s just hope you¡¯re granted a good Rune. As for Glis, you don¡¯t even have to worry. A High Grade Rune is almost guaranteed! You might even receive a Special Grade Rune. If so, we¡¯ll be matching then! I¡¯m looking forward to it!¡¹


    Raphael told Inglis and Rafinha. At the age of 14, Raphael was expected to leave the fortified city of Ymir and depart for the Knighting School in the Royal Capital. His impending departure was in a few days and he was just grateful that he was able to witness his younger relatives¡¯ baptisms.


    While Inglis abhorred the idea of receiving a Special Grade Rune, she just nodded her head in agreement anyway. In her opinion, there really wasn¡¯t anything to look forward to.


    ¡¸Ha ha ha. Master Raphael, it¡¯s still too soon to say that.¡¹


    Ryuk commented with a laugh.


    ¡¸He¡¯s right, Raphael. No matter how much of a sword prodigy Glis is, it doesn¡¯t always mean she¡¯ll receive a Rune equal to her talent. Although, in most cases, people do get Runes that match their talents.¡¹


    Said Marquis Wilford, Raphael¡¯s and Rafinha¡¯s father.


    ¡¸Hahaha. Father, Captain Ryuk, even though you¡¯re saying that, you don¡¯t seem to be worried at all. Just look at how lax you two are.¡¹ ¡¸Good heavens, that¡¯s not true.¡¹ ¡¸He¡¯s right, Hahaha. Just the thought that my city of Ymir will be producing another knight with High Grade Rune or over, I can¡¯t help but feel proud.¡¹ ¡¸Even I only have a Middle Grade Rune. I can¡¯t wait to see my daughter surpassing me~¡¹


    With such good humor, the baptism ceremony began. After an elderly-looking priest stood by the altar and did his sermon, he then invited Rafinha to climb the altar. There was a cube made of a mysterious stone material on the pedestal, and it had a cavity, or a hole, in the middle of it. This was an instrument known as the¡ºBaptismal Box¡», for which one could use to receive a Rune.


    ¡¸Now, please, Young lady Rafinha, put your hand in.¡¹ ¡¸O-, okay¡­¡¹


    Rafinha timidly put her hand into the box. After which, the box illuminated in a bright light before a small, resonating sound rang from it.


    ¡¸Ah, it¡¯s a bit warm. Ahaha, it¡¯s ticklish! Glis, it¡¯s okay! It¡¯s not scary!¡¹ 1


    ¡¸Rafinha, you¡¯re in the middle of baptism, be quiet.¡¹


    Irina scolded Rafinha quite harshly. After a while, the light began to simmer down and the noise quietened.


    ¡¸It¡¯s finished. Young lady Rafinha, please remove your hand from the box and take a look at it.¡¹ ¡¸Okay¡­ ¡¹


    Rafinha pulled her hand out of the ¡ºBaptismal Box¡» and checked the back of her hand. There was a Rune in the shape of a pure white bow shining with a pale light. The elderly priest then raised his voice.


    ¡¸A bow of light¡­! Congratulations, Young lady! It¡¯s a High Grade Rune!¡¹ ¡¸Eh¡­!? Uwaah! Yaaay! Look, everyone! Look!¡¹ 2


    The diagram of the bow indicated the corresponding Artifact she would wield and the radiating white light was proof that it was a High Grade Rune. With a huge smile on her face, Rani hoisted her hand into the air to show it off.


    ¡¸Congrats, Rafinha! Mom is so happy!¡¹ ¡¸Rani! You¡¯re amazing! Let¡¯s practice bows from now on!¡¹ ¡¸Hahahaha! Good job, Rafinha! To think you¡¯ll receive a High Grade Rune, with this, the future of Ymir is secured!¡¹


    Rafinha¡¯s whole family celebrated her baptism.


    ¡¸Young Master Raphael has a Special Grade Rune while Young lady Rafinha has a High Grade Rune, huh¡­! What a wonderful pair of siblings, it¡¯s such an honor to be of service! ¡¹


    Ryuk nodded his head repeatedly, captivated in his admiration.


    ¡¸You¡¯re right, they¡¯re splendid!¡¹


    Selena was more or less the same.


    ¡¸Congrats Rani. With this, you two can be splendid knights.¡¹ ¡¸Yeah! With this, I can always be with brother and Glis too after I grow up, right!?¡¹


    Rafinha believed that Raphael and Inglis would surely become magnificent Knights in the future. Thus, she thought that she would have to be one too, just to stay with them.


    ¡¸You¡¯re right.¡¹


    Inglis agreed readily even though she couldn¡¯t really care less about becoming a Knight. Although, as for Raphael, that might be a different story.


    All was fine and dandy for her, as long as she was allowed to fight magic stone beasts and many other strong opponents anytime she wanted. However, she would rather not gain too much attention from it, seeing as how that was the way she had gotten crowned as the King in her previous life ¡ª by getting promoted to the position of the commanding officer and continuing to meet the peoples¡¯ demands.


    Although she had no qualms and regrets from her past life ¡ª it had been her pride and joy to live for her people, she would rather walk another path this time around, to try something different.


    She didn¡¯t mind becoming a Knight but if things turned south for her, Inglis would have to reconsider her next move. She thought that being an armed peddler like Mr. Lambert would be a good alternative. Either way, what she cared most for was to always stand on the front line. That was the only position she wished for in her future.


    ¡¸Next, young miss Inglis. Please come forward.¡¹ ¡¸Yes.¡¹


    It¡¯s time. With another nod, Inglis strode towards the ¡ºBaptismal Box¡».

 Chapter 12: Inglis, 6 years old (3)

    Inglis put her right hand into the ¡ºBaptismal Box¡». Just like it did with Rafinha, the cubic instrument illuminated in bright light and hummed resoundingly ¡ª this indicated that the ¡ºBaptismal Box¡» was working. Once she had actually touched it, Inglis could immediately determine the mechanism of the instrument quite clearly.


    This is¡­ I see, so it¡¯s a device to affix the flow of mana and turn it into a carved seal. Inglis thought to herself.


    The people of this era didn¡¯t have the sensibility to manipulate mana to use sorcery. However, it didn¡¯t mean mana was gone from existence. They only forgot all the necessary techniques for it at some point in time in the past.


    From the looks of it, people would subconsciously yield mana if Rune was engraved onto them by this device called ¡ºBaptismal Box¡». In other words, they would automatically pump mana into Artifacts if they had these Rune engraved onto them.


    The principle itself was the same as using sorcery with mana. However, since the people of this age weren¡¯t privy to such knowledge, it¡¯s understandable that they used the Rune as an auxiliary mechanism.


    But, if that¡¯s true, then¡­ Inglis thought as she predicted the outcome.


    By this time, the ¡ºBaptismal Box¡» had simmered its radiance.


    ¡¸It¡¯s finished. Please take a look at your hand, young miss Inglis¡¹ ¡¸Sure.¡¹


    Inglis pulled her hand out of the cavity and checked the back of her right hand. There was nothing on her skin at all. It was the same pale Rune-less hand as it always was.


    This was the obvious outcome. Since she was the Divine Knight, a being akin to a Demigod who ranked just below the Gods themselves, she only had ether residing in her body and not mana. A low-grade instrument that could only affix the flow of mana could never hope to influence a Divine Knight such as herself. Thus, the ¡ºBaptismal Box¡» would fail to work on her no matter its mechanisms since she had no mana at all. However, it was still a huge relief to her that the Special Grade Rune wasn¡¯t forced upon her.


    ¡¸¡­Nothing happened.¡¹


    With a small sigh of relief, Inglis raised her hand up high to show everyone.


    ¡¸¡¸¡¸Wha¡­..¡¹¡¹¡¹


    The ones who were most shocked were Ryuk, Raphael and Marquis Wilford.


    ¡¸Impossible! Inglis, a Runeless¡­!? That couldn¡¯t be possible!¡¹


    She assumed that was the moniker they used for people who possessed weak mana and were unable to form a rune. Although in her case, it was the complete opposite, as a Divine Knight¡¯s power was too overwhelming for the ¡ºBaptismal Box¡» to engrave a rune on her. The logic was completely different but the outcome was the same.


    How interesting. She thought.


    ¡¸He¡¯s right! Not Inglis of all people! Something must¡¯ve gone wrong!¡¹ ¡¸Is there a problem with the ¡ºBaptismal Box¡»? Check it, quick!¡¹


    They remained unconvinced as they urged the priest to check again.


    ¡¸Y-, yes¡­ But it worked perfectly in young miss Rafinha¡¯s case¡­¡¹ ¡¸It could¡¯ve broken right after that. Either way, just try it once again.¡¹ 1


    Marquis Wilford demanded.


    ¡¸W- well then, young miss Inglis¡­¡¹


    Well, let¡¯s just go along until everyone is satisfied.Them, not me¡ªof course. She thought in annoyance.


    After that, at least four to five attempts were made. The trio who had been most assertive at first eventually lost their fighting spirits. Although this was what she had wanted, Inglis felt sorry she had betrayed their expectations.


    ¡¸This must be a nightmare. Without a Rune, she can¡¯t be a formal Knight¡­ at most, she would only be permitted to be a knight apprentice. I see¡­ so Inglis won¡¯t be able to inherit the chivalric order after me.¡¹ ¡¸Father. I¡¯m terribly sorry for disappointing you.¡¹


    After Ryuk¡¯s dejected statement, Inglis felt even worse and apologized but Ryuk only shook his head vehemently.


    ¡¸Never! That is not and will never be the case! You¡¯d never disappoint me, Lil¡¯ Glis! Forget what I said and don¡¯t take it to heart, dear!¡¹


    The only reason he had despaired was for her sake because he thought that becoming a Knight was what she had wanted. He was certainly a considerate father. Although Inglis did wonder if it was due to her immaturity that had led him to think that she had wanted to become a Knight. Whatever the case, it was best that her true intentions remain hidden from everyone.


    ¡¸Even if I don¡¯t possess a Rune, there are things I still can do. That¡¯s what I¡¯m seeing in my prospect. I¡¯m sure Rani will become a splendid Knight in the future, and I shall serve her as a knight apprentice. Even without an Artifact, this body of mine will serve as Rani¡¯s shield.¡¹


    Inglis uttered with a smile plastered on her face. After all, this was actually a happy occasion for her. Being Runeless earned her certain benefits such as not being able to climb higher than a knight apprentice. Plus, being an apprentice or so-called underdogs, she could stand on the front line of battlefields and still hone her skills without fear of career advancement. This was basically a dream come true for her. Although in saying that, it wasn¡¯t as if she needed one anyway. 2


    She did have to feign cheerfulness by looking forward to the future to redirect any questions of her intentions.


    ¡¸You¡¯re right. You¡¯re very right¡­¡¹ ¡¸I¡¯ll trust Rafinha under your care, Inglis.¡¹


    With a heavy nod, her father Ryuk and Marquis Wilford assented. Her mother and her aunt didn¡¯t say anything but their cheeks were wet with tears.


    ¡¸Glis¡­! You¡¯re so mature, really¡­!¡¹


    Raphael said as he hugged Inglis tight, soaking her in his own tears. He was such a deeply compassionate person.


    ¡¸Glis, I¡¯m happy. So, we can always be together from now on, right!¡¹


    Rafinha was the only one who encouraged her with a genuine smile. Thus, with a guilty conscience eating her away, this was how the baptism day ended for Inglis.


    A few days later, Raphael departed for the Knight School in the Royal Capital.

 Chapter 13: Inglis, 12 years old

    Six years after the baptism day, Inglis had reached the age of 12. In the pretext of serving Rafinha who had received a Bow of Light High Grade Rune and preparing for her enrollment into the Knight School, Inglis¡¯ days of training continued.


    Since her father Ryuk had begun to allow her to attend the chivalry¡¯s training and exterminate Magic Stone Beasts alongside Rafinha, those had been productive days to hone her skills. However, she still hadn¡¯t met the infamous strongest Magic Stone Beast that was said to be capable of demolishing an entire nation. It was said that only the ultimate Artifacts wielded by Special Grade Rune owners could defeat it but she wanted to see if that was really the case by trying her hand on it.


    It seemed like its sighting within the country hadn¡¯t been reported in recent years, the latest dated back to at least 2 or 3 decades ago. Apparently, there were some reports of recent sightings in the neighboring country ¡ª what she wouldn¡¯t give to be able to travel there to fight one. When Inglis made the suggestion to Rafinha, the younger girl had been scared and refused to consider it.


    Inglis wanted to get stronger, way stronger than anyone and anything else, ever. Living the life of a warrior is the way of Inglis Eux!


    She thought as she stood watching her unwavering reflection in the mirror. The mirror reflected back an image of a beautiful girl with long, silvery hair, glowing like the full moon in the dark of the night, and a pair of crimson eyes that glittered as bright as gemstones. The smile that adorned her face could cause flowers to go into full blooms.


    She had developed well for someone her age ¡ª she was taller and looked more mature than girls her own age. From her looks alone, she could have been passed off as a 14 or 15 years old.


    She was currently dressed in a brilliant red gown, she twirled around and watched as the hem of the gown fluttered and swayed gently.


    Mhm~ I¡¯ve grown into quite a looker, all right. 1


    Looking at herself, Inglis was certain that she would eventually turn into a peerless beauty.


    ¡¸Glis~? Are you done changing?¡¹ ¡¸Yes, I¡¯m done, Rani.¡¹ ¡¸I¡¯m entering then~! Ooh~! You look so mature! Inglis is really pretty after all! Haah¡­ you¡¯re stealing my heart ????¡¹


    Rafinha who entered the fitting room said so as soon as her eyes fell on Inglis. As for Rafinha herself, she grew up into a lively girl, with her glossy black hair kept at shoulder length. Furthermore, her personality was also innocent, bright, and clever.


    ¡¸Heavens. You really are beautiful. I¡¯m sure that even the gown appreciates being worn by a lady as pretty as you, miss Inglis.¡¹


    The middle-aged woman who was watching the scene along with Rafinha could only let out a sigh of content. After all, she was the official dressmaker who lived near the castle and responsible for designing and creating most of the wardrobe for the Marquis¡¯ household.


    ¡¸Thank you very much. This is another good dress you¡¯ve introduced me.¡¹


    The pair of young girls loved to pass their time by visiting the store occasionally and put on various dresses. Or well¡­ mainly, it was Inglis who modelled the dresses and Rafinha just liked to play dress-up on Inglis with the various clothes the store provided.


    As for Inglis herself, she didn¡¯t really hate being dressed up like a doll. This was, after all, the kind of guilty pleasure a female could enjoy. So, there was technically nothing wrong with her indulging in the activity as a female. Moreover, it provided a good respite from all her days of training.


    Although she had initially been embarrassed with the activity, she had grown accustomed and developed a liking for it after the numerous times of being dressed up by Rafinha. She had enjoyed it so much that she had commenced looking forward to how each ensemble would emphasize her certain features. Plus, even though it sounded impertinent coming from herself, Inglis was indeed very beautiful and literally anything would look good on her.


    ¡¸Hey, hey, Glis, why don¡¯t you tie your hair with this ribbon? It may change the whole impression, you know? You¡¯ll look cute.¡¹ ¡¸Of course. Then, do you want to tie it for me?¡¹ ¡¸Okay, you two. Let me give you a hand ????¡¹ ¡¸Thank you, Miss Seamstress.¡¹ ¡¸No problem. After all, I¡¯m a woman too. I can¡¯t help but want to see pretty things.¡¹


    And thus, with her silver hair tied up, her entire outlook did a three-sixty, making her look even more mature. Not bad. Very stunning, indeed. Inglis stood in front of the mirror with a pleased grin. 2


    ¡¸Waah~! This is good too! It¡¯s so good~!¡¹ ¡¸Isn¡¯t it ???? Ah, what about this gown next? I placed it here just now since I think it¡¯ll suit young miss Inglis! ¡¹ ¡¸Then, let¡¯s wear that one too, Glis!¡¹ ¡¸Hahaha. I understand. Let¡¯s.¡¹


    They then spent their day having fun dressing up Inglis until evening came. As Inglis and Rafinha made their way back to the mansion, a massive shadow passed them by in the sky. It was¡­ a floating island. It was so enormous that it was easily double the size of the fortified city of Ymir. Even more miraculously, there were signs of people living on that floating island.

 Chapter 14: Inglis, 12 years old (2)

    ¡¸Ah! It¡¯s the Highland! I¡¯ve heard that it¡¯s been a while since it¡¯s been seen around here!¡¹


    After that, Rafinha immediately closed her eyes and clasped her hands together.


    ¡¸Rani. What are you doing?¡¹ ¡¸Wishing! I heard that if you wish upon a Highland, your wish will come true.¡¹


    Inglis wondered whether it¡¯s similar to wishing upon a shooting star. Nonetheless, the Highland was indeed a rare sight for the population of the fortified city of Ymir, so this would be considered a rather unusual occurrence. Moreover, Inglis had never seen it before as there was no such thing in her past life, thus it really piqued her interest. She also heard that the Artifacts and the ¡ºBaptismal Box¡» were both made on the Highland. The Midland were then provided with those tools in order to protect their people.


    ¡¸Hahaha. Isn¡¯t that just a superstition?¡¹ ¡¸Isn¡¯t it fine? Just. In. Case! C¡¯mon, why don¡¯t you make a wish too, Glis?¡¹ ¡¸Hmph. Can¡¯t be helped, I guess¡­¡¹


    Inglis closed her eyes and thought of the only wish she had been yearning for.


    Please give me a tough and strong opponent to fight! 1


    ¡¸I wished for big brother Rafa¡¯s wellbeing.¡¹


    Even after he graduated from the Knighting School in the capital, Raphael had stayed back in the capital to serve as a Knight. Knighting work had run him so haggard that he hadn¡¯t found any time to return to Ymir ever since and not for the foreseeable future, either. Inglis couldn¡¯t remember how many years it had been since she last saw him.


    ¡¸What about you, Glis? What did you wish for?¡¹ ¡¸I wished for a tough opponent, I guess.¡¹ ¡¸Ahaha. Really Glis, you always have the soul of militant hiding behind your angelic features.¡¹ ¡¸I can¡¯t deny that.¡¹


    It was an expression that perfectly fitted her. That only went to show just how much the younger girl understood Inglis. After all, they had been brought up as if they were blood-related sisters for the past 12 years. Even more so, Rafinha was also the only one who knew that Inglis could defeat a Magic Stone Beast without needing the powers of Artifacts. 2


    ¡¸For the time being, I just hope that my wish will be granted. Glis, yours¡­ not so much. If it does, we¡¯d probably be facing a big emergency.¡¹ ¡¸That¡¯s what one calls a double standard. Double. Standard!¡¹ ¡¸If so, why didn¡¯t you make a cuter wish? Look, things like, ¡®please give me a wonderful boyfriend~!¡¯ or something?¡¹ ¡¸I-, I don¡¯t need, no¡­! Ugh, that¡¯s out of the question!¡¹


    This kind of terrifying thing will never happen. Just the mere thought of it makes me shudder. While I may now be comfortable with getting dressed up like a doll in a female¡¯s body, that¡¯s only because I¡¯m seeing and enjoying my own reflection with the point of view of a male, precisely~ because my consciousness remains that of a male. That¡¯s why, when I think of my male self getting a male lover, it makes me feel uncomfortable. 3


    ¡¸You¡¯re right. I also don¡¯t want Glis to be a lover of someone I don¡¯t know. I¡¯ll only allow big brother Rafa. I also don¡¯t want anyone else to be big brother Raph¡¯s lover if not you, Glis.¡¹ ¡¸E-, erm¡­. I don¡¯t really¡ª¡¹ 4


    ¡¸Well, why don¡¯t we get back home first?¡¹


    The wishes Inglis and Rafinha made that day: The wish to fight a strong opponent; And the wish for Raphael¡¯s good health. They might have just been pure coincidences but both of them were granted a few days later¡­


    ¡¸An inspection administered by the Royal Capital?¡¹ ¡¸That¡¯s right, that¡¯s what Father said. They¡¯ve been coming here once every two to three years but this is the first time a person from the Highland will come with them.¡¹


    During the Chivalric Order¡¯s break time, at the training ground, Rafinha relayed this information to Inglis.


    ¡¸ ¡­ Hmm? Is that so?¡¹ ¡¸We have never met someone from the Highland, right? Aren¡¯t you curious about what kind of person they are? Father told me that we should come to the welcome party, so we can take a look at them then.¡¹ ¡¸Yeah, you¡¯re right.¡¹


    Rafinha seemed to be thrilled about it but Inglis was seriously questioning whether it really was such a joyous occasion. Midland might have gotten the Artifacts from the Highland to protect themselves against the danger known as Magic Stone Beasts but those Artifacts weren¡¯t free. They were actually exchanged with a vast amount of materials and harvests produced on their very land since the Midlanders couldn¡¯t survive without doing so.


    It was fortunate that this country still had a functional ruling class with the Royalties and the Nobles. However, it was entirely possible for the Highlanders to eliminate them and directly control the world.


    This was the first time ever that there was a Highlander accompanying the inspection under the royal decree, this could very possibly be taken as a sign that they were planning to take direct control over the country¡­ or, Inglis would assume so.


    It was difficult for the 12-year-old Rafinha to wrap her head around such political conspiracy. It was only due to her past life as the King that Inglis was able to see the bigger picture but as for the current Inglis Eux, who planned to spend the rest of her life being an apprentice knight fighting in the front line, things like this weren¡¯t her concern.


    Even so, Inglis didn¡¯t want her hometown Ymir and her family who lived here to suffer any casualties. If push came to shove, she would spare no qualms to use her strength.


    And thus came the day of the delegated inspection.

 Chapter 15: Inglis, 12 years old (3)

    On the day of the inspection, the prep room in the Marquis¡¯ castle was buzzing.


    ¡¸How gorgeous! You look stunning!¡¹ ¡¸It¡¯s as if you¡¯ve just stepped out of a painting!¡¹ ¡¸For someone so young, you¡¯re as charming as an adult!¡¹1


    The maidservants sighed at the vision that was one Inglis Eux.


    ¡¸That should do it! I also tied up your hair, young miss Inglis. Good things are really meant for the right person in the right place, isn¡¯t it? This gown was literally made with you in mind.¡¹


    The seamstress that lived near the castle smiled as she finished the touch-up on Inglis¡¯ hairdo. Tonight would be the welcoming banquet for the emissaries from the royal capital. Thus, the seamstress was summoned to the castle to help the females prepare their wardrobe for the banquet.


    The gown Inglis wore was the same red gown that she had tried on the last time she was at the shop. Her parents had bought it for her to attend the banquet tonight.


    ¡¸Ah, thank you. But still, this is a little embarrassing¡­¡¹ 2


    Inglis said shyly. While she didn¡¯t mind getting dressed up and complimented by people like Rafinha or the seamstress to whom she was closer to, she was rather unused to the attention that she had garnered from everyone in the prep room.


    Even though she had been the spotlight of her numerous subjects as a King in her previous life, this was a different kind of attention. This had proved to be quite embarrassing for her.


    ¡¸What are you saying now, young miss. You¡¯ll be center of the attention once you enter the venue this evening, you know that, right? Now, smile and flutter around like you always do! Please practice on it.¡¹ 3


    ¡¸Erm¡­ Like this?¡¹


    When she twirled around, the hem of her gown and her hair swayed gently with the momentum. The smile on her face elicited coos from the maidservants in the room due to how adorable and lovely she looked.


    ¡¸I-, I knew it, this is embarrassing¡­¡¹ ¡¸Now now. Please straighten your back, puff up your chest and hold your head up high. You¡¯ll look more beautiful that way, after all.¡¹ ¡¸Glis~ Are you done~? Oh! You¡¯re done! Hmm~ You look as pretty as ever!¡¹


    Donned in a beautiful yellow dress, Rafinha walked over to check on the progress of Inglis¡¯ preparation and was delighted at the sight of the older girl. Rafinha herself also looked gorgeous dressed in her gown with a flower hairpin in her hair. Upon hearing Rafinha¡¯s compliments, Inglis¡¯ mood immediately brightened and she also felt distinctly cuter.


    ¡¸You too, Rani. You look so cute in that. Really!¡¹ ¡¸I do~? If I stand next to you, Glis, I¡¯ll be but just a foil for you, you know?¡¹ ¡¸That¡¯s not true! You¡¯re really cute. I¡¯m moved when I think that the little cutesy pie Rani has grown into this!¡¹


    Looking back, Inglis couldn¡¯t believe that the little baby girl had grown into this beautiful young lady. Time sure flew by. Although Inglis was not her mother, she wondered whether this feeling she had in her heart for the younger girl was parental love. Her heart felt full just by thinking of how much the girl standing in front of her had grown.


    ¡¸Ahahaha. What¡¯s that, you sound like a grandpa. But, still, thanks Glis. If Glis said so, then I¡¯m sure it¡¯ll be okay. I¡¯m also not used to wearing gowns, so it¡¯s making me kind of nervous.¡¹ ¡¸You two look great! Now that the preps are all done, you girls are ready, so~ break a leg out there!¡¹


    The seamstress said while pushing on Inglis¡¯ back.


    ¡¸Alright! Let¡¯s go, Glis!¡¹ ¡¸Yes, let¡¯s.¡¹


    Rafinha held Inglis¡¯ hand as she led the way to the venue for the banquet. The banquet would be held right at the castle, in a large room facing the courtyard on the first floor. As soon as they approached the room, they were met with a young female knight, named Ada who had an intrepid, stiff look on her face.


    Despite her young age, she served as the vice commander of the chivalric order of Ymir. Unfortunately, Ryuk had been deployed to aid another territory of the country. Therefore, she was the one in charge of security for today¡¯s event.


    ¡¸Oh my, young lady Rafinha and young miss Inglis, you two look wonderful! You¡¯re as cute as buttons!¡¹


    The two young girls often accompanied Ada when she was sent off to subjugate magic stone beasts. Plus, the three of them usually trained together so they were rather close with one another. The knight also appointed herself the responsibility of looking after them since they were all females.


    ¡¸Thank you, Ada.¡¹ ¡¸Thank you very much.¡¹ ¡¸Go on, you may head inside. I¡¯m sure the Marquis is waiting for you two. Please enjoy yourselves.¡¹


    Ada said with a smile. Immediately after that though, her face stiffened a little as she continued.


    ¡¸But, just in case, I would appreciate it if you can survey the area for me. I don¡¯t think such an individual would show up in Ymir but I heard some rumours about an anti-Highlanders guerilla organization. It would be a disaster if something happened to the envoy.¡¹ 4


    ¡¸You¡¯re such a worrywart, Ada. Ymir is just a rural area, that kind of thing doesn¡¯t concern us, you know?¡¹ ¡¸Rani. With my father absent, Ms. Ada is currently the one responsible for our people¡¯s safety. Let¡¯s just cooperate, okay?¡¹


    Although Inglis chided the younger girl, she would have liked to test her combat skills against the perpetrator if they had dared to show up.


    ¡¸You have a point. Ada told us that because she believed in our abilities, right?¡¹


    Ada had informed them of that information because Rafinha was a High Grade Rune holder ¡ª the highest grade rune currently available in the chivalric order, plus even though Inglis possessed no runes herself, her swordsmanship was impressive.


    ¡¸Of course. I shall leave it to you two.¡¹ ¡¸Alright. Then, we¡¯re off.¡¹ ¡¸Understood. Well then, godspeed.¡¹


    Only then did Inglis and Rafinha enter the room. As they did, all gaze fell upon them, mainly on Inglis though.

 Chapter 16: Inglis, 12 years old (4)

    ¡¸Waah! Everyone is looking at you, Glis!¡¹


    Rafinha revelled in the attention given to Inglis, even though Inglis herself didn¡¯t really relish in the extra scrutiny. She could still stomach the looks that she received from the females, though they might be a little embarrassing for her. Those could be considered looks one gave when appreciating a piece of beautiful artwork, thus, they didn¡¯t bother her as much.


    Whereas, the leers that she was subjected to by the males were something entirely different and they were not as pleasing. Especially since this was the first time that she had been on the receiving end of this kind of attention. While Inglis might only be 12 years old, her mature profile would let her pass as a ripe 15-year-old girl. And in this era, a female at the age of 15 was considered an adult and could be courted by the male population.


    Inglis¡¯ face, hair, slender legs, and especially her cleavage that was visible through the revealing cut of her dress were being ogled by the lustful males. 1


    In her previous life as a male, she had been one of the offenders of such behaviours too. When a beautiful woman showed up on an evening party like this, Inglis wouldn¡¯t have been able to help herself but to appreciate her beauty. It was just a slight interest on her part as a male, but now that she was on the receiving end of those same eyes, she finally realized just how uncomfortable it was to be exposed to those probing and ogling gazes.


    Only now did she wonder just how the females in her previous life had felt when they were in her position. And although she knew that it was too late, Inglis told herself that she needed to reflect on it since this was simply impolite. 2


    ¡¸R, Rani¡­! Let me borrow your hand!¡¹


    In spite of herself, Inglis took shelter behind Rafinha¡¯s back.


    ¡¸What¡¯s wrong with you, Glis? You shouldn¡¯t hide away, everyone is looking at you.¡¹ ¡¸Th-, that¡¯s exactly why¡­! I¡¯m being looked at weirdly!¡¹ ¡¸You look so adult, after all, Glis. Isn¡¯t it good, you¡¯re popular you know? I envy you.¡¹ ¡¸D-, don¡¯t say something stupid¡­!¡¹3


    Inglis thought that perhaps this kind of attention would not be as unpleasant for an actual, inside-out woman. 4


    But of course, this was not the case for her because even though she was reborn as a female, her mentality stayed that of a male. Thus, this current predicament of hers was akin to be lusted by people of the same sex. She could only express disgust for this kind of attention.


    ¡¸Huu¡­ Anyway, let¡¯s go to where lord Marquis is already!¡¹ ¡¸I-, I understand, Glis.¡¹


    She would leave the venue the very second they were done greeting the envoy. With Inglis following closely behind her, Rafinha scanned the room for her father. When they reached the innermost part of the venue, they spotted him leisurely conversing with the guests.


    ¡¸Father!¡¹ ¡¸Lord!¡¹


    Having recognized the two, the Marquis grinned joyously.


    ¡¸Ooh, if it isn¡¯t Rafinha and Inglis! You two look wonderful in your gowns. Precisely the flowers needed to make the banquet bloom! You two have grown so big before I even noticed it.¡¹


    After which, he introduced them to the people around him.


    ¡¸Let me introduce you. They are my daughter Rafinha and my niece Inglis.¡¹ ¡¸I¡¯m Rafinha. Nice to meet you.¡¹ ¡¸My name is Inglis. Thank you for having me tonight.¡¹


    Just like the ladies they were, Inglis and Rafinha curtsied politely.


    ¡¸Ooh. So you two are the girls Raphael has been telling me about. Best regards!¡¹


    A man donning a Knight¡¯s apparel in his late twenties said that with a smile.


    ¡¸Wah! You know Big Brother Rafa!?¡¹ ¡¸Yeah, well¡­¡¹ ¡¸Mr. Leon here is a Holy Knight who works alongside Raphael in the capital.¡¹ ¡¸Holy Knight!!!¡¹


    That was the rank given to the Knights who had been permitted by the King to handle the ultimate Artifacts. In other words, the Holy Knights were all Special Grade Rune holders. And, true to that, the Rune that was sitting on Leon¡¯s hand was a rainbow-colored Rune, which indicated that it was indeed a Special Grade Rune.


    ¡¸I apologize for being here instead of Raphael. This mission was supposed to be assigned to him so that he can visit his family but he has been bogged down with a lot of responsibilities recently.¡¹


    Leon smiled awkwardly while scratching the back of his head. For a Holy Knight, he didn¡¯t seem to be as stiff with regulations, this was also revealed by his more casual clothes and his sparse facial hair. 5


    ¡¸This gentleman here is Sir Shioni, the inspector.¡¹ ¡¸Beautiful young ladies. Pleased to make your acquaintances.¡¹


    A man in his forties with a distinguishable mustache greeted.


    ¡¸And the envoy sent by the Highland is the one over there.¡¹


    A young man at the end of Marquis Wilford¡¯s line of sight turned his head to them. If Inglis¡¯ eyes weren¡¯t pulling a trick on her, then his face was one that she was familiar with.


    ¡¸Ra-, Mr. Rahal¡­!?¡¹


    It was Rahal, the son of Mr. Lambert who was the head of a group of armed peddlers.


    ¡¸Hey there! Been a while, hasn¡¯t it, Inglis?¡¹


    Rahal grinned. The impression on his face wasn¡¯t much different from when he was a boy. It seemed like Inglis was right after all. However, just how did Rahal end up coming here with the status of a Highlander? 6

 Chapter 17: Inglis, 12 years old (5)

    ¡¸So it really is you, Mr. Rahal. Thank you for training with me back then. It has indeed been a while.¡¹


    Inglis curtsied politely. Even so, she still couldn¡¯t fathom how Rahal was the envoy sent by the Highlands.


    ¡¸Don¡¯t you find it baffling that I¡¯m a Highlander?¡¹


    The now 20-year-old Rahal was wearing a feather headpiece and something similar to a rune was suspended between his brows. 1 Also, the color of his eyes had turned a shade of emerald green.


    ¡¸Yes, it really gave me a shock.¡¹ ¡¸I bet. But this stigmata on my forehead is the undeniable sign of a Highlander. I am a genuine Highlander, you see, through and through.¡¹ ¡¸I see, so you can become a Highlander even if you aren¡¯t born on the Highland.¡¹ ¡¸Of course you can. All you need to do is provide the Highland with a great contribution to gain its citizenship.¡¹


    Said Rahal, proudly displaying the stigmata on his forehead.


    ¡¸What kind of contribution are we talking about?¡¹ ¡¸Cash, simple. We offer most of our profits from the trade to the Highland. Though, you¡¯d also need a connection with a high-class Highlander that holds authority.¡¹ ¡¸I see¡­ ¡­¡¹ 2


    Simply put, it¡¯s bribery huh. That doesn¡¯t sound very nice to me. Inglis thought.


    ¡¸Well, it did strip me of everything I had but if that means I could buy this position, this price ain¡¯t mean nothing. I mean, Highlanders are essentially above these lowly aristocrats crawling on the ground.¡¹ ¡¸I don¡¯t particularly concern myself with such matters.¡¹


    Largely, what occupied her mind was how to perfect her martial arts and only that. It wasn¡¯t like she didn¡¯t understand politics and social norms but she would rather disregard that and live on freely as Inglis Eux.


    ¡¸Then, what do you concern yourself with? You seem to have grown to be quite the looker, I wouldn¡¯t mind showing you around the Highlands, you know.¡¹


    The gaze he used to look at Inglis was the lustful kind, it was so revolting she wished he¡¯d stop.


    ¡¸My only interest is to further hone my skill.¡¹ ¡¸Oioi, from what I can see, you¡¯re just a Runeless. Where¡¯s the benefit of training for you? Have you never heard, a prodigy at childhood is just an ordinary person when they reach 20? Isn¡¯t it better for you to go under a bridal training from now on?¡¹ ¡¸That is still outside my prospective.¡¹ ¡¸Is it? I¡¯ve gone out of my way to give you advice, you know? You should use your time efficiently. Even the likes of this guy here are stronger than you currently.¡¹3


    Said Rahal as his eyes indicated to a bulky man that stood by the wall next to him. He was huge, at least two heads taller than the average adult. That physique of his was indeed eccentric but his appearance was even more so. He wore a full iron mask that covered his entire face which he didn¡¯t even take off even on this occasion.


    ¡¸¡­Who might that be?¡¹ ¡¸Just a slave I brought along as a guard. Having one is commonplace for Highlanders. He looks even worse without his mask on, so let him wear it, okay?¡¹


    Rahal said it over his shoulder uninterestedly. The man he called a slave didn¡¯t even respond, not even a flinch.


    ¡¸¡­¡­¡­¡­¡¹


    This was another unpleasant story to hear. The more she talked with Rahal, the worse her image of the Highlanders got.


    ¡¸Oh, that reminds me! I have someone I want to introduce to you girls! I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll love to meet her!¡¹


    The one who tried to break the silence with an exaggerated enthusiasm was Leon who¡¯d been listening from the side.


    ¡¸Mr. Leon, who is it?¡¹


    Asked Rafinha, taking the bait. Leon, being a Holy Knight and all, wasn¡¯t someone they could meet easily, so Inglis believed meeting him here was already a thing to commemorate about. On top of that, they also met Rahal who was now considered a Highlander. They sure met a lot of unusual people tonight.


    ¡¸Of course it¡¯s that, the one who¡¯s always paired with a Holy Knight wherever we go. You know what I mean?¡¹ ¡¸An Artifact? Wait, if you¡¯re talking about a Special Grade Rune¡¯s Artifact, then¡­!¡¹


    Rani¡¯s eyes began to sparkle in anticipation. Inglis was much less the same.


    ¡¸That¡¯s right, a Hyrule Menace! They are popular among women, aren¡¯t they?¡¹


    Hyrule Menace referred to individuals who could transform into an Ultimate Artifact exclusive for Special Grade Rune bearers. 4 It was still unclear if those individuals were actually people or artifacts but apparently they usually had the shape of a girl and could turn themselves into a weapon at will. 5


    And the Artifacts those Hyrule Menaces transformed into could exhibit a dreadful amount of firepower, only Holy Knights had the capacity to wield them. Goddesses sent by the Highland to protect Midland in exchange of abundant tributes ¡ª The last ace in the hole, the hope of the people. Those were what they were.


    A combination of a Hyrule Menace and a Holy Knight was the only countermeasure against the strongest magic stone beast that could destroy a whole country, or so it said.


    ¡¸Wah! Wah! I want to meet, I want to meet! Where is she!?¡¹ ¡¸Dunno, but that¡¯s why we gotta look for her! Come!¡¹


    Said Leon before he strode away, beckoning Inglis and Rafinha.


    ¡¸Kaay! Let¡¯s go, Glis!¡¹ ¡¸Yeah. I got you.¡¹


    Perhaps, Leon was trying to get the two away from Rahal. Continuing the conversation would bear no fruit anyway, so Leon¡¯s conduct was a helping hand for her. Inglis expressed her gratitude for his consideration.


    ¡¸Oh man~ Listening to him only irks you out, right~ I¡¯m glad I could use the two of you to bail. My apologies for taking advantage of you.¡¹


    Leon said, smiling broadly. Apparently, he did it for himself as well.

 Chapter 18: Inglis, 12 years old (6)

    ¡¸I also think he¡¯s creepy, just not as much as Mr. Leon thinks so. What about you, Glis?¡¹


    Still following after Leon, Rafinha pouted.


    ¡¸You¡¯re right he is, a little bit.¡¹


    Indeed as she said, Rahal didn¡¯t grow into a proper gentleman at all.


    ¡¸I wonder if all Highlanders are like that. If so, I think it¡¯ll be hard for me to like them.¡¹ ¡¸Well, this is coming from me who¡¯s seen quite a lot of Highlanders but I think most of them are like that. This also applies to Highland-born Highlanders.¡¹


    Leon shrugged.


    ¡¸From the oh-so-great Highlanders¡¯ standpoint, we Midlanders are like the poor and needy, crawling on the same mud we s?h?i?t? on. In fact, we need the Artifacts they give to protect our lives down here. Of course we¡¯ll be taken as some lowly cretins. It doesn¡¯t matter how you feel about it, all we can do is to kowtow before them so they will give us the Artifacts.¡¹


    Inglis was convinced that the relationship between the Highland and Midland was just like how Leon described. Although, since Ymir was largely a rural area, the region didn¡¯t really hook the attention of the Highlanders.


    ¡¸Our lifeline is literally in their grasp. That¡¯s why, regardless of what you have in mind, just maintain your smile before them, you got me? The two are you are such cutiepies. Give it a year or two, you¡¯ll be proper ladies. So if you¡¯re being shamed, groped here and there, touched up and down, just bear with it. Even I got treated like some underdog by them. I¡¯ll even lick their shoes if I have to!¡¹1


    Is that something he should laugh about? What a happy-go-lucky person. Inglis thought


    ¡¸Aahahaha! That¡¯s funny! Mr. Leon, I didn¡¯t know you can joke!¡¹


    Rafinha was entertained, being all smiles.


    ¡¸Of course. After all, my looks can¡¯t even begin to compare with my colleague Raphael¡¯s. So, I¡¯m running this well-spoken mouth of mine to attract ladies like you two¡­ Oh, there she is! This way, girls!¡¹


    Said Leon as he led the two to a tree that stood on the courtyard, right outside the venue. A single figure of a person was there, holding what seemed to be a glass of wine.


    Her outward appearance was that of a late teenage girl, with her illusory glossy blonde hair. Her deep, blue eyes felt like they would suck you into them. Except for herself and Rafinha, Inglis never saw a girl more beautiful than the one in front of her. 2 Despite being at a night party, she wore a knight armor instead of an evening gown. There was a pair of twin swords hanging on her hips. 3


    Seeing from how she decided to be alone, away from the hustle and bustle, just like the sublimity of a feline living in isolation, Inglis could tell that it wouldn¡¯t be an easy task to get close to her. On the other hand, she also felt that this girl must be quite lonely.


    Towards such a dainty girl, Leon approached her as high strung as ever.


    ¡¸Yo, Eris! Don¡¯t alienate yourself in such a place, come in and have some fun. The foods inside are quite delish, you know?¡¹


    The girl he called by the name Eris sighed. The expression she had as she stared into Leon was much like a cat bearing a grudge against someone who ruffled its fur without consent. 4 But what really took Inglis by surprise was that the girl could only be seen as an unfriendly little girl, no matter how she looked at her.


    A girl like this was a Hyrule Menace? And they said she could transform into an Ultimate Artifact? Unless Inglis saw it with her own two eyes, she really couldn¡¯t quite believe it yet.


    ¡¸Precisely because I don¡¯t want to, I¡¯m staying here. Don¡¯t bother me.¡¹ ¡¸Oh come on, don¡¯t be like that. You¡¯ve got some guests. These girls want to meet you.¡¹ ¡¸Huh? Me?¡¹ ¡¸The none other. They¡¯re Raphael¡¯s little sister Rafinha and his cousin Inglis!¡¹


    As soon as Leon introduced Inglis and Rafinha to her, Eris the Hyrule Menace was wide-eyed and suddenly lashed out in rage.


    ¡¸You utter idiot! Stop it!¡¹


    It was a loud yell addressed to Leon. However, the yell was not enough, it seemed. Her hand also found its way to Leon¡¯s cheek.


    ¡¸Ooouuuch! Lay off with the violence, these girls were looking forward to meeting you, you know?¡¹


    That threatening attitude she showed was conveyed to both Inglis and Rafinha as well.


    ¡¸U-, umm¡­ what is¡ª?¡¹


    Upon receiving the surprised Rafinha¡¯s question, Eris avoided meeting her eyes.


    ¡¸I-, I¡¯m sorry¡­!¡¹


    Leaving only those words, she left the place as though trying to flee.


    ¡¸E-, err¡­ Mr. Leon, did we do something bad¡­?¡¹ ¡¸Ah, perhaps we should apologize to her¡­?¡¹ ¡¸No, it¡¯s fine. It¡¯s not your fault. It was me who couldn¡¯t read the atmosphere. Sorry for surprising you two. Then, why don¡¯t we go back inside and have some grub while I talk about Raphael¡¯s recent development? Don¡¯t you want to hear it?¡¹ ¡¸Yay! Is big brother Rafa doing alright?¡¹ ¡¸Oh, he¡¯s doing very well. He¡¯s a rather competent guy, after all, he¡¯s been achieving feats after feats. I¡¯ll tell you about him bit by bit.¡¹ ¡¸Please????¡¹


    Inglis squinted her eyes at the elated Rafinha. The wish Rafinha had was regarding Raphael¡¯s wellbeing, and she could hear it through Leon. Tentatively, that could mean that her wish might come true too.


    It was then¡­


    ¡¸¡¸¡¸GYaaah!¡¹¡¹¡¹


    Shrieks were heard from within the venue. 5

 Chapter 19: Inglis, 12 years old (7)

    ¡¸Wh-what¡­!? What¡¯s happening?¡¹ ¡¸Let¡¯s check it out, Rani!¡¹


    The shrieks weren¡¯t something Inglis could just brush off. She led the way back into the venue. The room¡¯s attention was focused on the innermost area. As they approached, the awful smell wafting around became more prominent. She recognized this distinct stench from her past battle¡¯s experience as the smell of burnt flesh.


    And the scene that they came upon was exactly as she imagined. Inside the large room exactly around the area where Marquis Wilford had been entertaining his guests now stood a corpse of a man burnt to a cinder ¡ª that was the inspector from the capital, Sir Shioni¡¯s corpse. His body was charred to the point of which he could no longer be recognized and remained motionless ¡ª his life completely burned out.


    Close to the corpse were Marquis Wiford and Vice Commander Ada, as well as Rahal and the big man who was his guardian-slash-slave. The Marquis and his knight were stunned while Rahal smiled daringly. As for the big man, Inglis couldn¡¯t read his expression under his mask.


    ¡¸What the f¡­!? O-, oi, what happened here!?¡¹


    Leon raised his voice in a slight panic.


    ¡¸Hmph! All I did was teaching this insolent man a lesson. He wasn¡¯t the most polite when addressing me, a Highlander, you see.¡¹


    Rahal responded with a sneer whilst Marquis Wilford and Ada were petrified still.


    ¡¸Ms. Ada! What happened¡­!?¡¹


    Inglis shook Ada lightly on her shoulder to snap her out of it.


    ¡¸M-, miss Inglis¡­! That¡¯s ¡ª It¡¯s my fault! It¡¯s because of me that Sir Shioni is¡­!¡¹ ¡¸What do you mean? Please, take a breath and tell me, slowly.¡¹ ¡¸Th-, that¡¯s¡­. Um ¡ª Master Rahal ordered me to attend to him tonight¡­¡¹ ¡¸Eeeh¡­!?¡¹


    What a vulgar thing to say. And adding to the fact that Inglis knew him from her childhood, it was rather disheartening to hear. Even though Inglis recognized herself as the same gender as him on the inside, she still couldn¡¯t fathom this kind of behaviour. If things like these happened in her previous life, with her as the king, they would have been executed where they stood.


    ¡¸I-it took me by surprise so I couldn¡¯t answer on the spot, but then Sir Shioni defended me. He was usually rather outraged when dealing with people of such deplorable behaviour but¡­ He was quite lenient this time. But then Master Rahal produced fire out of nowhere, then¡­!¡¹ ¡¸And that was how Sir Shioni ended up like that!?¡¹ ¡¸Y-, yes¡­! I-, I have no excuses! I-, if only I¡­ If only¡ª¡¹ ¡¸Ms Ada. No. You are prohibited to say further. You did nothing wrong. Right, Rani?¡¹ ¡¸Of course! It¡¯s exactly as Glis said, Ada!¡¹ ¡¸S-, still, this has turned out to be very messy¡­ No matter how I think about it, it¡¯s a blunder I can¡¯t escape from. Even before we got here, Sir Shioni and Mr. Highlander here had been at odds. After all, Sir Shioni was such a righteous and straightlaced man¡ª¡¹


    Notwithstanding the fact that this kind of person was the most suitable to be an inspector, however¡ª


    ¡¸It¡¯s nothing to fuss at.¡¹


    Jeered Rahal with no hint of remorse.


    ¡¸Just say that he died of a sudden illness. Since I, the Highlander, am the one saying it, it¡¯s the undeniable fact.¡¹ ¡¸¡­I should¡¯ve known but I still can¡¯t accept it. The current monarch can¡¯t say anything against the Highlanders, he¡¯s got no balls to. ¡¹


    Said Leon as his entire body trembled with pent up anger.


    ¡¸What I¡¯m saying here, Lord Wilford. Whether Sir Shioni here had died because of a sudden illness or because of an assassination plot your people schemed, I have the say over that. Do you get what I mean? You do, don¡¯t you?¡¹ ¡¸Y-, yeah¡­!¡¹ ¡¸Now, order that female knight of yours, make her do as I told! Show me you¡¯re willing to expend your underling for the sake of your own butt!¡¹ ¡¸¡­Ho-, how deplorable¡­ you highlanders!¡¹ ¡¸Father!¡¹


    Rahal was trying to make the Marquis submit to him for his own entertainment right in front of his own daughter, Rafinha. Hardly anything was as cruel as this. If Inglis was shown something like this, she¡¯d¡ª


    ¡¸P-, please wait! Let me¡­!¡¹ ¡¸You can¡¯t.¡¹


    Ada must¡¯ve thought she should take the initiative and offer her own body. Having predicted this, Inglis immediately stopped her and took the spotlight herself.


    ¡¸Mr. Rahal. You¡¯re so crooked. Is it fun doing things like these?¡¹ ¡¸Oh, it¡¯s fun, very! I have finally become a Highlander after losing all of my worldly possessions. I¡¯ll stomp and play on these lowly nobles¡¯ and knights¡¯ useless trashy dignity and honor and all the ???????????????? they have! What¡¯s this if not the absolute fun, Haahaha!¡¹1


    ¡¸¡­I despise you.¡¹ ¡¸Hmph. Talking so big for a single win from the past. What can you even do? Oh, why don¡¯t you take over that female knight¡¯s position then? I won¡¯t mind.¡¹ ¡¸I see. I don¡¯t really mind it either.¡¹


    When Inglis replied so, Rafinha rebutted with a scream.


    ¡¸G-, Glis!? You can¡¯t! What are you thinking!?¡¹ ¡¸That¡¯s right, Miss Inglis! If you did that, I don¡¯t know how I could ever apologize to Captain Ryuk later!¡¹


    Ada was on the same wavelength as Rafinha.


    ¡¸¡­Mr. Rahal seems to have a grudge with me, so¡­ I should be the one who brings this matter to an end. I should¡¯ve done this from the beginning.¡¹


    After Inglis was done reasoning with the screaming two, she turned back to Rahal.


    ¡¸Promise me. You won¡¯t lay your hand on Rani and Ms Ada.¡¹ ¡¸Ah, fine. You¡¯re still young but there¡¯s no one better than you here.¡¹


    On the inside, Rahal was already jumping in delight. The foe that had injured his pride whilst he was a boy, that Inglis of all people, had grown into such a beautiful flower. And he got to have the chance to lay his hand on her, breaking her. Conquering her. Making her succumb to him. That would be the ultimate revenge. The ultimate restoration of his majesty. The affirmation of his own dignity.


    ¡¸Come to my lodging later, and come alone. By tonight, you got that? Don¡¯t beg me to wait until tomorrow.¡¹ ¡¸I understand. I will make sure to come.¡¹


    With a perfect poker face, Inglis nodded.


    ¡¸Laters then. I¡¯m going back first.¡¹


    Said Rahal as he left the venue of the night banquet. 2

 Chapter 20: Inglis, 12 years old (8)

    Later that night¡­


    Once Inglis was done with her business in the prep room, she left the castle. Rahal¡¯s lodging was the Marquis¡¯ unused villa located on a hill, a bit farther from the castle. Inglis walked up there, all alone at night. She didn¡¯t wear the gown from the party, instead, she wore the light armor of an apprentice knight.


    Inglis had forgone wearing her own personal equipment that was stored back at the Eux mansion and had decided to wear the ones in the castle¡¯s barrack because she didn¡¯t want to cause concern for her mother. The reason that Rahal had wanted this to be done this very night was so that Inglis couldn¡¯t flee. However, this was actually favorable for Inglis since she wanted this over and done with, with her mother none the wiser.


    Rafinha had kicked up quite a ruckus until the very end, saying that she couldn¡¯t possibly let Inglis go alone but Marquis Wilford literally cried and stopped her. Therefore, Inglis managed to sneak out on her own amongst all the ruckus.


    ¡¸Now then¡ªWhat should I¡­ do~¡¹


    Of course, she never planned to simply offer herself. For sure, Rahal too should¡¯ve expected as much. But then again, maybe not, it seemed like being a Highlander had gone way over his head, he was now full of himself and overconfident and possibly thought that this much was enough to win Inglis over.


    Even if that was the case, there should be at least some ace up his sleeve. Plus, there was also that big man with an iron mask. Ada also said that Rahal had produced fire out of nowhere and killed Sir Shioni with it. That was most likely sorcery or something similar. Which could very well be the reason that he believed himself to be stronger. Either way, Inglis only hoped that he would be able to show just a bit of resistance. If Rafinha¡¯s wish could come true, then all the more hers should be, as well.


    ¡¸Hmm?¡¹


    As she approached the villa where Rahal should be waiting and the gate came into her sights, she saw the figure of a man standing in front of it. It was the big man in the iron mask who served Rahal. After Inglis had closed the distance between them, she gave him a polite salute.


    ¡¸Good evening. I am Inglis Eux. I have come due to the invitation.¡¹


    After saying that, the man opened the gate without uttering a word. The gate opened with a loud shriek and then the man turned to face Inglis, signaling with his neck for her to follow after him.


    Inglis decided to obediently follow the man at a distance. The front yard leading to the main building wasn¡¯t that large but the trees lining the path were all well-groomed and watered.


    For a moment, their footsteps were the only sounds echoing in the darkness of the night. Halfway through the path, the man stopped on his tracks.


    ¡¸?¡¹ ¡¸I¡¯m so¡­ rry..¡¹


    A cracked voice, no more than a hush, was all that she could hear. Although his looks imposed fear, it seemed like he had more decency than the master he served. While he didn¡¯t say anything during the whole ordeal, he had felt deeply ashamed of Rahal¡¯s conduct.


    ¡¸Thank you very much for the consideration. However, please, don¡¯t mind it.¡¹


    Inglis awarded the man¡¯s back with a smile.


    ¡¸¡­¡­¡¹


    The man didn¡¯t respond at all and resumed his gait. Then, as they reached the end of the path, a silver flash tore through the darkness. The slash that appeared from the tree¡¯s shadow hit the man in the front of Inglis.


    ¡¸!?¡¹


    Its power and speed were extraordinary. Two lines of silver light chopped off the big man¡¯s head in an instant. 1


    ¡¸Fast¡­!¡¹


    It was a splendid slash. Even though Inglis felt sorry for the man, she was more fascinated by the incoming sword. Her body shivered in excitement. 2


    The owner of that swordplay was a beautiful girl with blond hair and blue eyes. She didn¡¯t proceed to attack Inglis, only approached her with quick strides.


    ¡¸You¡¯re¡­ Ms. Eris?¡¹


    The Hyrule Menace she met during the night banquet. She left after she got angry at Leon for introducing her to Inglis and Rafinha. What was she doing here?


    ¡¸Yes. Hey you, it¡¯s fine already. Go, run.¡¹ ¡¸¡­Are you here to save me?¡¹ ¡¸Well, yes. I heard it from Leon. You¡¯re Raphael¡¯s cousin, right? All the more reason I can¡¯t ignore this.¡¹


    This had been rather unexpected for her, Inglis had thought that she hated them.


    ¡¸Thank you very much. However, I cannot back down now. After all, I don¡¯t know what will Mr. Rahal do if I don¡¯t go.¡¹


    There was no doubt that the Marquis and the people of Ymir would be accused for assassinating the inspector. Obviously, that must be stopped.


    ¡¸You think I¡¯ll just watch you become that man¡¯s plaything under my own nose? Treasure yourself more! I¡¯ll manage the rest!¡¹ ¡¸What and how will you do? Are you perhaps going to kill Mr. Rahal? That¡¯s too dangerous. You will only jeopardize this city and everyone in it.¡¹ ¡¸¡­It¡¯s nothing you should be concerned with. Just, go! Home!¡¹ ¡¸I can¡¯t.¡¹ ¡¸You¡¯re a girl who can¡¯t listen to others! Fine, if you move another step, I¡¯ll have to attack you. If you don¡¯t want to end up like that, then listen to me and go!¡¹


    By all means, a Hyrule Menace like her threatening a little girl like this was nothing short of shameful. However, this was done to protect this little girl named Inglis. Eris felt sorry for scaring her like this but the girl seemed to have a head made of stone, and Eris didn¡¯t have enough time for this. Inside, Eris apologized to her. Outside, she pointed her swords at her.


    ¡¸Fu¡­ fufufufu¡¹


    However, the response Inglis showed was completely different from what Eris expected. She laughed. So daringly, so delightfully. 3 From the depth of her eyes, a bottomless will to fight began to set ablaze. The cutesy image she held all this time had vanished, taking a 180 degree turn into something else in an instant.


    ¡¸Thank you very much. So you¡¯re saying, one more step and we can have a match?¡¹


    That smile she wore was truly charming, and it was delightfully sparkling. 4

 Chapter 21: Inglis, 12 years old (9)

    ¡¸Then, let¡¯s start the fight at once. Please guide me well.¡¹


    Inglis took that one step and strode towards Eris. 1


    Just how strong a Hyrule Menace was? Inglis was only too excited to find out. Eris¡¯ swordplay that she displayed before was tremendous. This was a perfect opportunity for Inglis to measure her own strengths.


    Rahal and his business could wait. He must¡¯ve been sick of waiting for Inglis to arrive just so that he could assault her. Letting his desire cook for a little while should get him even more excited.


    Inglis honestly couldn¡¯t let this opportunity slip away. She was sure that if she had asked for a match with Eris formally in a normal circumstance, she would not be taken seriously or she would be refused. However, with the current circumstance at play, Inglis could pull out Eris¡¯ serious side.


    ¡¸F-, fool! What are you thinking, now of all time¡­!?¡¹


    Eris was impatient. She was convinced that Inglis would leave the place if she was at swordpoint, even if there was no intent to fight behind it. Instead, Inglis was coming at her, smiles and all. And she was just a Runeless little girl? Just what was going on in her head?


    ¡¸Aren¡¯t you the one who said it?¡¹ ¡¸Yeah, but¡­ geez! Don¡¯t blame me for this!¡¹


    Eris changed her mindset. Since it was like this, she¡¯d tie her up and then bring her home. The girl was just a bit confused. She couldn¡¯t blame her. Such a young girl, forced to be disgraced by a person she didn¡¯t even like. It was no wonder for her to lose her reason.


    After Eris had made her resolution, she bent her body and kicked the ground. From her perspective, she had slowed down quite a bit to slip into Inglis¡¯ attacking range. She would surprise Inglis by slashing just the tip of her nose, then using the chance to pin her down. That was what Eris planned, however¡­


    The right hand that was meant to deliver the slash was caught instead. And since Inglis was capable of such a feat, it could only mean she had seen through all of Eris¡¯ movement.


    ¡¸!?¡¹ ¡¸Haa!¡¹


    Inglis took ahold of Eris¡¯ arm, putting it over her shoulder without a moment¡¯s delay. Then, using her own body as the leverage, she flung her over! With great momentum, Eris¡¯ own body was thrown towards a wall. As it was, she would have collided with the wall, but of course, Eris¡¯ body wasn¡¯t really built like common humans either. Eris adjusted her body midair, and as soon as her feet touched the wall, she launched herself towards Inglis.


    ¡¸As I expected of you!¡¹


    Inglis turned her body and evaded Eris¡¯ attack with a breadth of a hair. Eris landed on the ground while raising a cloud of dust. Before long, she turned over and plunged back in. Her speed as she charged, her flexibility to instantly kill her momentum, her agility to change her trajectory. All of those qualities were ones Inglis couldn¡¯t find within the knights of Ymir. And the cherry on top was that Eris hadn¡¯t shown her full potential. If so, Inglis only needed to pull it out!


    ¡¸Why are you having so much fun¡­!¡¹


    Eris¡¯ twin swords waved as though they danced, drawing near Inglis.


    ¡¸I like it! Fighting against someone strong!¡¹


    Inglis unsheathed her own sword to receive those blows and warded them off.


    ¡¸That¡¯s one hell of an annoying quirk!¡¹


    Every time the swords locked with one another, a rigid metal clank echoed in the dark of the night, leaving only a trail of sparks.


    Amidst the intense sword fight, Eris shuddered. Inglis¡¯ foothold mostly hadn¡¯t moved from its spot. Inglis had been repelling Eris¡¯ swordplay without moving. Eris had two swords while Inglis only had one. Just by the number, Eris should have the upper hand. 2


    A Hyrule Menace¡¯s ability when they¡¯re in a human form was as high as that of a Holy Knight¡¯s. In addition, the twin sword was Eris¡¯ forte. There was no doubt that, in regards to her sword skill, she was considered the cream of the crop. And Inglis warded Eris¡¯ attacks with plenty of room to spare. What an exceptional sword handling, observation, and flow reading.


    No, that still doesn¡¯t add up. That won¡¯t even explain it.


    So what if her skill was outstanding, skills didn¡¯t directly relate to one¡¯s own physical capabilities. Eris¡¯ physical capabilities greatly exceeded that of an ordinary human. When a knight with a rune wielded an artifact, their physiques would be enhanced. But Eris was an artifact with the soul of a human, a Hyrule Menace. The makings of her body greatly differed from any ordinary human.


    And now she was being withheld by a mere human who, not only didn¡¯t use an artifact, but also a Runeless? There had to be something up Inglis¡¯ sleeve. However, Eris didn¡¯t know what that something was. It was not like Inglis used sorcery like the Highlanders did, either.


    ¡¸Please, put in some serious effort!¡¹ ¡¸I¡¯m damn serious!¡¹


    At least, on the swordplay front. However, soon after, a chance to win was given to Eris.


    CLAAANKK!!!


    Inglis¡¯ sword blade was broken in half. This was due to the difference in the quality of their weapons. Eris¡¯ weapon was one that was tailored for a Hyrule Menace like her. Inglis¡¯ weapon was a mass-produced, commonly used sword for knights of a suburban region. The difference between them was literally Heaven and Earth.


    ¡¸ £¡¡¹ ¡¸HAAAaaa!¡¹


    The slight chance of victory blinded Eris of her initial aim as she went for the attack.3

 Chapter 22: Inglis, 12 years old (10)

    ¡¸!?¡¹


    It was right after Inglis¡¯ sword shattered. Even for Inglis, she couldn¡¯t evade in time, as such one of Eris¡¯ swords managed to embed itself into Inglis¡¯ arm, albeit shallow. Inglis had tried to jump backwards, but Eris was closing into her. Apparently, this strike of hers was backed with a force more immense than the last one.


    This was exactly what Inglis had expected from a Hyrule Menace. Just by giving a slight opening due to an unexpected situation, Eris could deliver an injury at that very moment. But, that was good. That was why it was worth the fight.


    The wound on Inglis¡¯ arm was only bleeding slightly, a minor laceration at most. It would pose her no problem to leave it alone. Her sword broke but the fight was still on. Things were getting interesting. 1


    ¡¸Ah¡­ Y-, you okay?¡¹


    However, Eris instead gave Inglis a worried look. After all, her body had only moved reflexively as she saw that small window of golden opportunity. She was glad she didn¡¯t let herself loose with that attack. Still, receiving her attack in that circumstance and yet only suffering a slight injury, this Inglis girl was truly a force to be reckoned with. That opening she gave away should¡¯ve claimed her life. However, despite all odds, she¡ª For a girl at a very young age, her skill was indescribable.


    ¡¸Ms. Eris. Don¡¯t ask me something like that. Are you not satisfied that I¡¯m your opponent?¡¹


    Being shown concern by her opponent made Inglis feel disgruntled.


    ¡¸N-, it¡¯s not like that, but¡ª¡¹ ¡¸¡­Ms. Eris, tell me, please. Can Hyrule Menaces like you sense mana?¡¹


    Basically everyone of this era lacked the ability to sense mana but Inglis wondered if that was the same for Hyrule Menaces as well.


    ¡¸Y-, yeah, to some degree.¡¹ ¡¸I see. If that¡¯s so¡­¡¹


    Inglis breathed in a controlled manner and focused her mind. From this point of time, she decided to unveil a technique she had been working on recently, which was the ability to convert Ether into Mana. Mana was the source of Sorcery as well as the fuel to power Artifacts. However, if considering the quality of force it brought forth, mana¡¯s efficiency was remarkably poor. To put it into perspective, let¡¯s say someone was to produce fire using sorcery. If they used 10 units of mana, the amount that was truly converted into the fire was at most 2 units, if not 3, and the rest would be dispersed into thin air. That wasn¡¯t the case for Ether. If one used 10 units of ether, 10 units of fire would be produced, if not more.


    For that reason, converting ether into mana was seriously just a great waste of power. But, for now, when facing off against Eris who seemed to be incapable of sensing ether but could sense mana instead, Inglis would resort to using mana.


    ¡¸Hah¡­! Imposs¡ª A¡­. Wh-, what¡­.!? Who are¡­..!?¡¹


    When she saw Inglis who suddenly clad herself in an enormous amount of mana, Eris backed down in spite of her better judgment. Eris couldn¡¯t feel anything from her until now. She looked just like any ordinary person, not a bit of unique power was felt from her. That was why Eris found it weird that Inglis could fight against her so well. She couldn¡¯t be more mistaken. Inglis hid an abundant amount of mana within her person, so much that it could drown her in it was Eris¡¯ genuine thought.


    ¡¸Do you understand now? Please, don¡¯t pull your punches.¡¹


    What Inglis did was a visualization of her power. She changed ether into mana so that her opponent who couldn¡¯t sense ether could see how strong she was. In other words, lowering herself to their level. Ether was the root of all creation. The difference between one matter to another was just how much ether was in them. If so, it was entirely possible to arrange ether in a way until it reformed into mana.


    Fundamentally speaking, this maneuver would only make Inglis lose more of her power, but in this particular case, it would serve her well. With this, Eris should¡¯ve realized that she could go all out. Up until now, Eris was under the preconception that Inglis had no power in her, so she held herself back. Inglis wanted to get rid of that preconception.


    This training also served as a practice to micromanage ether, and it was just a byproduct of what was originally an attempt to produce a rune of her own to please her parents. 2


    As rune was a mechanism to control the flow of mana, she couldn¡¯t start making a rune without having mana inside her.


    ¡¸S- so that¡¯s how it is. Maybe you don¡¯t need my help at all, after all.¡¹


    Said Eris as she put her twin swords back to their scabbard.


    ¡¸I won¡¯t stop you now. Go if you want.¡¹ ¡¸EEEEeeehhhh!? Please wait a minute! That¡¯s not fair! You¡¯re mean!¡¹ ¡¸Wh-, why am I the¡­? I was trying to make you escape since I thought you were a frail girl, even if I had to use force to do so. But looking at that much mana you have, doesn¡¯t that mean you can protect yourself? If so, I have no reason to stop you here.¡¹ ¡¸Uwaaah! So that¡¯s how it is! What a blunder¡­.¡¹


    Inglis regretted it bitterly. 3


    Even though they finally had a match, she just wanted to show her strength to her opponent in an easy-to-understand manner, but now she was judged to be unnecessary to be stopped. What a miscalculation. How frustrating. Even though it was finally getting fun¡­¡­!


    ¡¸O-, oh, how poor this lil damsel in distress that is me! Oh please, stop me! By all means!¡¹ ¡¸No, I¡¯ve seen enough from you. Come on, don¡¯t make Mr. Highlander wait.¡¹


    That was all Eris had to say. She turned on her heel and began to head towards the gate. It looked like she was going home now.


    ¡¸Uuu¡­. I shouldn¡¯t have done that!¡¹


    A blunder of a lifetime¡­! Inglis could only watch Eris¡¯ back as she was leaving while gnawing on her own nail.


    But, suddenly, Inglis saw Eris being struck by something in her view. 4

 Chapter 23: Inglis, 12 years old (11)

    It had a beast-like figure formed of condensed lightning, crackling as it was. It leaped onto Eris who had her back to Inglis, striking her from the side. Just with that, it produced a loud thunderous crackle, reverberating all over the place.


    ¡¸Kuh!¡¹


    From the looks of it, just touching that thing would electrocute you. But not only that, the lightning beast rammed into the villa¡¯s fence whilst still holding onto Eris. After which, the beast then exploded, body and all!


    ¡¸Kyaaaaah!?¡¹


    Eris shrieked. The beast roared. The lightning impact from the beast¡¯s explosion destroyed the fence.


    ¡¸Ms. Eris!?¡¹


    She really took that surprise attack head-on. Was she okay?


    ¡¸Uh¡­ uuh¡­¡¹


    Eris brought herself to her feet, wobbly as she was.


    ¡¸Are you okay!?¡¹ ¡¸Y-, yeah¡­ somehow.¡¹


    it seemed like it wasn¡¯t fatal, however, the damage she suffered wasn¡¯t insignificant either. Inglis tried to run over to her but before she could reach Eris, the lightning beast from before reappeared and blocked her path. It was threatening her, telling her to stay wherever she was.


    ¡¸That¡¯s a¡­!?¡¹


    Pseudo life form born from sorcery, or a similar technique. Eris seemed to have a clue behind the attack she received; a violent burst of fury made its appearance on her face.


    ¡¸Do-, doing something like this¡­! What is he thinking!? Show yourself! Leon!¡¹ ¡¸Eeeh!? Mr. Leon did this¡­!?¡¹ ¡¸Yo. Well, I guess it does give it away.¡¹


    Said Leon lightheartedly as he walked out from the building¡¯s shadows. He wore the same knight costume Inglis saw at the party, with the exception of a thorny gauntlet that radiated purple on his hand. Was that an Artifact?


    ¡¸Thanks Lil Inglis, for making Eris lowering her guard, you really saved me some trouble there. Thanks to you, I can settle this with a surprise attack. After all, if I faced her upfront, only one of us would come out alive.¡¹ ¡¸I misjudged you! What¡¯s the meaning of this!? You plan to betray us!? You, the joke of a Holy Knight!?¡¹ ¡¸Well, things inevitably turned that way, I guess?¡¹ ¡¸Mr. Leon¡­ You said you¡¯d even lick the Highlanders¡¯ boot if you have to, so I take that wasn¡¯t a joke from your part?¡¹


    Was it Leon¡¯s aim to stop Inglis and Eris from harming a Highlander? If so, did that mean he was working for Rahal?


    ¡¸Don¡¯t say something stupid, of course it¡¯s just a joke. You hurt me if you truly think that way. Even if I¡¯m just a sorry excuse of a Holy Knight, I¡¯m still a Holy Knight. I have my resolution to throw my life away so long as this country and everyone in it is safe.¡¹ ¡¸Then, why did you do this? I thought Ms. Eris is your precious company?¡¹ ¡¸¡­It¡¯s because I was already on my last straw, I guess? I mean, you guys have seen it too. If things stay the same, Midlanders will always be playthings for the Highlanders. Even if I keep my position as a Holy Knight, my oath to keep this country and everyone in it safe will never be accomplished. We can¡¯t fight back those pigheads above. We¡¯re not allowed to. It¡¯s a ??????? contradiction. Freaking disgust me to death.¡¹ ¡¸¡­So, you¡¯re seeking a great cause using your own strength. Quite a noble spirit, surprisingly.¡¹ ¡¸For a young girl, you have a way with your words. Just what kind of life you lived up till now, really.¡¹


    With an astonished look, Leon stared at Inglis.


    ¡¸But without depending on the Highland, the countries on Midland can¡¯t survive! Without Artifacts, they can¡¯t even ensure their own safety! One cannot stay alive without enduring pain, that is life!¡¹ ¡¸So you¡¯re telling us to just cry when things like what happened today and let it go the next day? I won¡¯t accept it. I will let neither the Magic Stone Beasts nor the highlanders to do whatever they want.¡¹ ¡¸¡­Are you perhaps saying that there is a way to achieve it?¡¹


    When listening to them, Inglis couldn¡¯t help but think that Eris had a more convincing point than Leon.


    ¡¸Inglis, girl, have you ever heard of the Ironblood Chain Brigade?¡¹ ¡¸No, I don¡¯t believe I have?¡¹


    As Ymir was just a rural area, and that Inglis only had thoughts of training in her head. She was quite ignorant of the world¡¯s affairs.


    ¡¸It¡¯s an anti-Highland guerilla organization. They have been gaining power lately! Thanks to them a lot of Magic Stone Beasts subjugation operations have been hindered, and I even heard that, as revenge for one Highlander they killed, the Highland decided to destroy the whole town. Such a pain in the back! All they do is making a mess everywhere!¡¹ ¡¸I bet that¡¯s how the Highlanders see it. The Ironblood Chain Brigade¡¯s ultimate goal is to forge a chain of iron with their blood to drag the Highland down into the ground. You understand what it means, don¡¯t you, Lil¡¯ Inglis?¡¹


    ¡¸Defeating the Highland and publicizing the technology they¡¯ve been monopolizing to Midland, is that what is it? If Midland had the technology to produce Artifacts of our own, we could survive by ourselves.¡¹ ¡¸Oh! How brilliant! Exactly as you said. We could protect ourselves from Magic Stone Beast without needing to kowtow before those entitled Highlanders. Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s ideal? I¡¯ve been scouted by them for a long time, but after today¡¯s incident, I made my decision.¡¹


    ¡¸You¡¯re underestimating the Highland too much! There will be a war between Midland and Highland if that happens! And you have no chance to win! Have you just thought about the number of casualties this will result in!?¡¹ ¡¸That¡¯s precisely why the Ironblood Chain Brigade is garnering strength. For that purpose, I¡¯m thinking of bringing Eris with me as a gift. If they did a research on an Ultimate Artifact like Hyrule Menace, it might be the necessary trigger to produce Midland Born Artifacts.¡¹ ¡¸I refuse! I won¡¯t lend my hand on something that will produce a lot of casualties!¡¹


    Eris, even when she still couldn¡¯t stand properly, she unsheathed her twin swords to show her resistance.


    ¡¸Inglis? What about you? If you¡¯d like, you can come with me.¡¹ ¡¸¡­I¡¯ll have to refuse.¡¹ ¡¸Why¡¯s that? Are you like Eris, preferring to maintain the status quo?¡¹ ¡¸Never. I¡¯m just thinking, if I take Ms. Eris¡¯ side here, I can have a fight with you, so¡­¡¹ ¡¸Say what!? Oioi, you¡¯re a power holder, girl. You should consider the meaning behind your strength more!¡¹ ¡¸¡­J-, just how much of a battle freak¡ª¡¹


    Leon was in disarray handling her, Eris had it enough of her.


    ¡¸I fully understand what you want to say, Mr. Leon. However, I am done with associating strength with a great cause.¡¹1


    Inglis had taken that path in her past life. If she poured her strength for a great cause, one day she would be taken from the frontline to guide the people. For Inglis Eux, that was not in her schedule!


    ¡¸Now then, if you wish to take Ms. Eris from me, you should do it with force. Now, shall we begin?¡¹


    With those words, Inglis challenged Leon. 2

 Chapter 24: Inglis, 12 years old (12)

    ¡¸Inglis, from what little I¡¯ve seen, I can tell that you¡¯re strong. So much that I find it hard to believe that you¡¯re such a cute girl¡­ That¡¯s why, it may be immature of me but I¡¯ll come at you full force. Haaa!¡¹


    Leon clapped thunderously with the thorny iron gauntlets donned on his hands, a high grade Artifact. Holy Knights would only partner up with a Hyrule Menace when they were facing off against the strongest Magic Stone Beast. Otherwise, they typically used high grade Artifacts.


    When it came to high grade Artifacts, things weren¡¯t as straightforward as simple physical combat, they could be able to manifest special phenomenons. These phenomenons, or Gifts, were predetermined for each artifact. The Artifact Leon possessed had the effect of producing and manipulating lightning beasts.


    The number and the strength of the summoned lightning beasts differed from one user to another. And if Leon, a Special Grade Rune bearer, the Holy Knight, put all of his power into it, then¡­


    The Artifact produced a small sphere of light that immediately struck the ground. Then, the moment it hit the ground, it turned into the same kind of lightning beasts from before, only it was now numbered in the twenties, if not thirties. And those lightning beasts instantaneously encircled Inglis. It was rather blinding to stare at the sight of the lightning beasts.


    ¡¸Two of you, come with me! The rest, attack the girl!¡¹


    Said Leon as he dashed towards Eris, with two of the lightning beasts in tow Eris gripped her twin swords, preparing herself for his attack.


    Even if Eris and Leon were equal in terms of individual strength, she was at a disadvantage in terms of number. Leon had no intention of killing Eris. However, in saying that, it was still unknown if a Hyrule Menace like her could die in the same sense as humans could. Of course, it was still completely possible for her to be neutralized and taken away. That was what Leon was aiming for.


    I¡¯ll have you stop there! Inglis thought to herself, whilst the rest of the lightning beasts were inching towards her.


    GRRRRrr!! GRAAAAH!!! GROOOO!!


    First of all, she had to break through the encirclement. Quite interesting! As I would expect from a Gift handled by a Holy Knight.


    ¡¸Haah!¡¹


    Inglis plunged herself into the nearest one and tried to hit it with her fist. She envisioned that the lightning beast wouldn¡¯t have enough time to respond to her approach. But, before she could even hit it, a sword suddenly appeared from thin air and cut the beast into two. That sword was one of Eris¡¯ twin swords.


    ¡¸GYooo!?¡¹


    Along with what sounded like a shriek, the monster¡¯s body released a dazzling light followed by an explosion.


    I wonder if it¡¯s releasing the same attack as the one that Eris took earlier.


    As Inglis was in the middle of delivering a punch, she could only barely avoid the explosion in time. She was only exposed to the lightning burst for just a short while but her body was already starting to feel numb from the small impact. She was certain that If she had received a direct hit, the damage she suffered wouldn¡¯t be as small as this.


    ¡¸Watch out! The stronger you hit them, the bigger their explosion! You can¡¯t attack them carelessly!¡¹


    Eris called out to Inglis, warning her of the lightning beasts.


    ¡¸Okay! I understand!¡¹


    But, really, what¡¯s with that technique? She could kill a lightning beast from that far of a distance? Could Hyrule Menaces also manifest Gift or something similar when they were in human form? That was a technique she didn¡¯t display in the previous bout. How unfair. Inglis thought to herself.


    ¡¸Please have a bout with me next time using that technique!¡¹ ¡¸I refuse! I¡¯m not a battle crazed freak like you!¡¹


    Inglis¡¯ proposal was shot down quickly. Anyway, Eris had given her a plan to cope with the beasts. If Inglis hit one of them with a melee attack, she would suffer a significant degree of injury if she couldn¡¯t evade the self-destruction that came afterwards. In other words, she should attack the beasts from a distance to avoid getting the explosion, was what Eris was trying to say.


    ¡¸Either way. Thank you very much for the warning, Ms. Eris. I¡¯ll use it as a reference!¡¹ ¡¸Fufu. Even though you can¡¯t use that technique repeatedly, you used it so you could teach Inglis the rope. I knew it, no matter how much you run your mouth, you like taking care of others. They have a word for people like you, you know?¡¹ ¡¸Shut up!¡¹ ¡¸So it¡¯s like that. Please hang on, I¡¯ll come for you!¡¹


    Inglis clenched both of her fists and focused her mind.


    ¡¸HAAAaahh!¡¹


    Light covered Inglis¡¯ entire body She condensed ether into waves and clad it around her.


    Eris and Leon couldn¡¯t comprehend what was really happening since they were unable to sense ether. All they could see was a brilliant light enveloping her body, so they weren¡¯t too impressed. However, to the better of their knowledge¡ª¡ª


    The now-ether-enveloped Inglis made a beeline towards the nearest beast and lunged in. Her speed was godly compared to just now. Riding the momentum, she bent her leg and delivered a full roundhouse kick.


    ¡¸GYOOooooo!!¡¹


    The beast shrieked, indicating that it received quite a lot of damage.


    ¡¸Wh ¡ª That idiot!! Just when I told¡­!¡¹


    An explosion came afterwards, overpowering Eris¡¯ shout. Inglis was completely caught within the explosion, however, she didn¡¯t even suffer a scratch from it. Not a twitch. Not even a wince. She was completely safe and sound.


    ¡¸Eeh¡­!? Wh-, what hap¡ª¡ª!?¡¹ ¡¸Just what kind of logic¡­!?¡¹


    Both Eris and Leon haphazardly stopped their fight.

 Chapter 25: Inglis, 12 years old (13)

    ¡¸Next!¡¹


    Inglis mowed down the lightning beasts one after another with her bare hands. The explosion engulfed her body over and over again while scattering thunderous roar, cratering the ground and destroying the lines of trees. All the while, she remained fully intact, with not a scratch in sight. The lightning beasts could hardly handle her brutal onslaught, the number of the beasts kept diminishing fast.


    ¡¸Eris, thanks to you, now I know how to deal with them! If I get counterattacked from attacking within melee distance, then all I have to do is to make myself strong enough that the counterattack is rendered null and void!¡¹ ¡¸That¡¯s not what I meant! I¡¯m telling you to get out of the way and attack from a distance!¡¹


    Eris chastised the younger girl. At this point, the number of beasts was already less than half of what it used to be. Her movement was fast, too fast for even Eris, the Hyrule Menace, and Leon, the Holy Knight, to follow with their eyes. Back then during their little bout, Eris had indeed gone easy on her but Inglis was even more so. And that fact alone made Eris shudder in fear. Eris thought that Inglis was a rather formidable little girl, with an unknown amount of power hidden within her. That amount of power could possibly determine the fate of the world.


    ¡¸Doing it this way is faster!¡¹


    Inglis said. She had condensed ether into a wave of the visible spectrum and clad herself in it like an armour. An appropriate name for it would possibly be Ether Armor. The Ether Armor acted as a barrier for her to nullify the impact of the beasts¡¯ suicide bomb while it also further strengthened her physical abilities.


    Being a Divine Knight, a being that was half-man and half-god, she had half the physical capabilities of a god which was markedly a lot more than that of any ordinary man¡¯s. And as she grew older, that fact became more prominent. Plus, with the enhancement provided by the Ether Armor, her physical capabilities were immensely boosted.


    ¡¸HAaa!¡¹


    Inglis delivered a palm strike towards the last lightning beast standing. Its body was distorted greatly by the force, exploded, and engulfed Inglis in it but before, she remained unharmed because of the Ether Armor.


    Immediately after, Inglis moved towards Eris with inhuman speed and stood beside her.


    ¡¸I¡¯m sorry for making you wait.¡¹ ¡¸¡­What a liar. You¡¯re telling me to get serious while you yourself didn¡¯t even go all out.¡¹ ¡¸That is not true.¡¹


    The technique was not without its flaws; she couldn¡¯t have made it last for long. The moment its effect was lifted, she would be weighed down by waves of fatigue. Thus, this was one of her trump cards. She would have to get a lot stronger to make the Ether Armor last longer for future drawn-out warfares. But for that to happen, she would have to focus her training from here on out.


    ¡¸What a terrifying child. That many beasts and it couldn¡¯t even trip you up.¡¹


    Leon couldn¡¯t help but surrender, shrugging his shoulders indifferently. Since she could even overpower both a Hyrule Menace and a Holy Knight, then¡­


    ¡¸I¡¯m starting to question myself if we can even win against you without working together¡­ We had to work as a Holy Knight and his Hyrule Menace before we could even call it a fight. Do you get what I mean? I¡¯m saying that you¡¯re such a monster that you might as well be on equal standing with a Prisma, the strongest Magic Stone beast.¡¹ ¡¸Yes. I¡¯m training myself so I can defeat that strongest beast with my own power.¡¹ ¡¸Hah!? Ar- are you for real?¡¹ ¡¸I very much am.¡¹ ¡¸HAAHA! Now that¡¯s something. Quite the big dream you have there! Still, though, while I do wonder how you¡¯ll turn out in the future. For now, I¡¯m expecting that you would have a weakness or two. For instance, let¡¯s say, that power you just displayed. I would believe that you wouldn¡¯t be able to use it over a long period of time, since it would be draining your stamina like crazy. How¡¯s my guess?¡¹


    A man with a sharp intuition. Even though he was frivolous with his words, he was ingenious and resolute. Inglis thought. If Leon was an officer under Inglis in her previous life, he might have become a chief vassal of hers.


    ¡¸Even that was true, what are you going to do about it?¡¹ ¡¸Well of course, it¡¯s a contest of endurance! I can still produce more of these bad boys, y¡¯see!¡¹


    Leon, once again tried to clap the iron gauntlets against each other to summon more lightning beasts. CLANK! However, no beasts were summoned this time because of Inglis.


    ¡¸Wh¡­!?¡¹ ¡¸I won¡¯t let you.¡¹


    She said as she interrupted the Holy Knight with a kick just before his gauntlets could be triggered. The metallic noise just now was produced from the impact of Inglis¡¯ shin guard and the gauntlets. Inglis had figured out that as long as the gauntlets didn¡¯t hit each other, the Gift wouldn¡¯t be triggered and so she had stopped him right before he could act upon it.


    ¡¸In the name of fu¡­. really?¡¹


    Leon had not expected that move from Inglis at all. When he realized it, what rested in front of his eyes were Inglis¡¯ shin guard and her round juicy butt peeking out. 1


    ¡¸¡­Please, don¡¯t stare a woman¡¯s legs too much.¡¹ ¡¸What a joke! You¡¯re the one showing it!¡¹


    Said Leon as he took a big leap backwards. Whilst he pulled himself together, he once again tried to hit the gauntlets, only to be stopped again.


    ¡¸I¡¯m telling you, I won¡¯t allow it.¡¹


    Inglis was stuck to him like glue. She grabbed Leon¡¯s wrists and sealed his movements.


    ¡¸Kuh¡­!¡¹ ¡¸Eeei!¡¹


    She followed it up with a knee to his stomach. It packed enough power to bring Leon¡¯s whole body afloat.


    ¡¸Guhoook!?¡¹


    Just from that one blow, Leon nearly lost his consciousness and he would have if he was left alone. However, a sudden situation distracted Inglis. The villa¡¯s walls collapsed outward, followed by a scream.


    ¡¸Kyaaah!?¡¹


    It was Rafinha who jumped out of that wall.


    ¡¸Rani!?¡¹ 2


    Inglis reflexively averted her attention and called out Rafinha¡¯s name.

 Chapter 26: Inglis, 12 years old (14)

    It wasn¡¯t just Rafinha who had just leaped out of the villa.


    GRRROOOAAAAA!!!!


    A giant humanoid creature, one that was easily double the size of a human was right beside her. Considering its size, it was easy to assume that Rafinha wasn¡¯t the one who destroyed the villa.


    Its upper half was disproportionately huge compared to its lower half, making it look rather short but wide. Its skin was hardened like a rock, with crystallized gem buried in its forehead, neck, and down its back. The gems¡¯ colors were light blue, indigo, green, black, and more.


    ¡¸That¡¯s¡­ a Magic Stone Beast!?¡¹


    Even though there wasn¡¯t any Prism Flow!? Also, it¡¯s the first time I see a humanoid magic stone beast. Inglis thought before she realized that this kind of thought was for later. She had to prioritize Rafinha¡¯s safety over anything else.


    ¡¸Wait, no¡­. Rani!¡¹


    That was Inglis Eux¡¯s only oath and constraint she imposed upon herself, other than honing her martiality. This was merely proof of just how much Inglis treasured Rafinha.


    GRRRAAAA!!!


    The humanoid magic stone beast swung its enlarged fist down on Rafinha.


    ¡¸Kya¡ª¡ª¡¹ ¡¸I won¡¯t let you! Haa!¡¹


    With god-like speed, Inglis stepped in and struck the creature¡¯s fist with her own. The simple difference in weight and mass should have overwhelmed her but those factors had no place when compared to a Divine Knight. Inglis¡¯ punch overpowered its fist, easily pushing back the beast¡¯s arm back. The impact alone was enough to make the beast stumble and roll back until it hit the villa¡¯s fences.


    ¡¸Rani! Are you okay!?¡¹ ¡¸Th-, thanks, Glis!¡¹ ¡¸What are you doing here¡­?¡¹


    Inglis knew that Rafinha wouldn¡¯t have just stayed silent with the state of affairs, however, did the Marquis really fail to stop her from going?


    ¡¸I escaped from my father by force. It just doesn¡¯t seem right that Glis has to bear everything alone! That¡¯s why I came here first to take on Rahal, but¡­. it¡¯s weird!¡¹ ¡¸Weird how?¡¹ ¡¸When I sneaked in and shot at him with my bow¡­ He turned into that when the arrow hit him!¡¹


    Said Rafinha as she pointed her index finger to the humanoid magic stone beast that was struggling to get back up.


    ¡¸Wha¡­!? THAT¡¯s Mr Rahal¡­!?¡¹ ¡¸I-, it¡¯s true! I saw it with my own two eyes!¡¹ ¡¸INNGGRISSSSS!!!¡¹


    Rahal, or the beast that was him, called out Inglis¡¯ name and stumbled forward with a groan.


    ¡¸It¡¯s shouting my name!? So it really is Mr Rahal!? But that¡¯s impossible! I¡¯ve never heard Prism Flow can morph a human into a magic stone beast!¡¹


    Humans couldn¡¯t turn into a magic stone beast even if they were showered on by the Prism Flow. It had been repeatedly tested and experienced by many people before. This was just the common sense of this world. It was hard to imagine that there would be an exception. 1


    ¡¸B- but it¡¯s true! Hey¡­ Glis, is it my fault? What did I do¡­!?¡¹ ¡¸Don¡¯t worry. That ain¡¯t your fault, Rafinha girly.¡¹


    Said Leon as he struggled to regain his footing from his previous altercation with Inglis. He had already resummoned the lightning beasts and they were standing all around him. What a cunning man.


    ¡¸Prism Powder, a secret drug that¡¯s basically an extremely concentrated composition of Prism Flow. The Ironblood Chain Brigade has ¡®em, y¡¯see, they give me some to coax me into joining them. Even so, its effect was too weak when used on Humans but if Highlanders used ¡®em, this happens. I mean, we¡¯re used to the Prism Flow down here, after all. What I¡¯m saying is that they¡¯re taking it too lightly is all. It¡¯s a pity that things turn out like this. Now he¡¯s just a mindless beast.¡¹


    Leon then shrugged at Rahal who was now a magic stone beast. There was a heartfelt contempt towards the drug within his gesture.


    ¡¸¡­Any way to revert it!? Can¡¯t he change back!?¡¹ ¡¸Hold it right there, Eris, you want to save that stuck up brat? Death is his only salvation, just so you know.¡¹ ¡¸Even so, we can¡¯t have a Highlander die in this place!¡¹ ¡¸Wow, you sure hold onto that status quo. I mean, like, you¡¯re asking me if there¡¯s any method to revert him? If there was, we can just use it on every magic stone beast and voila, world peace!¡¹ ¡¸Uu¡­¡¹ ¡¸Well, you can just push all the blame onto me. Tell them that Leon had defected to the Ironblood Chain Brigade and did all this! Anyways, I¡¯ll make my getaway for now. It would be embarrassing if I get caught as soon as I decide to leave the Holy Knight! Well, laters!¡¹ ¡¸Ah! Wait, you!¡¹ ¡¸Explode!¡¹


    All the lightning beasts exploded at the same time with such a bright flash that everyone within the vicinity was blinded for a moment.


    ¡¸Kuh!¡¹ ¡¸Crap, he ditched us!¡¹


    By the time Inglis and Eris regained their sight, Leon had already made his escape. Capturing Leon and making him confess everything at the Royal Capital would be the best outcome but¡­ it was simply impossible to leave this beast-Rahal to its own devices.


    Inglis had to put aside chasing after Leon. If she couldn¡¯t find him, she¡¯d have to ask Eris to speak for Ymir and explain everything. It might not be as effective as having Leon, the perpetrator himself but if it was spoken by a Hyrule Menace, legitimacy to some degree could be expected.


    ¡¸INGRIIIISSSSS!!¡¹


    That shriek didn¡¯t sound like it was seeking for salvation at all. Although it was hard to deny that this was a just punishment for Rahal, who had grown into a detestable adult, all Inglis could feel towards him right now was¡­ pity.


    ¡¸¡­Due to my past relationship with him, let me be the one to put him to sleep.¡¹


    Inglis said regrettably as she stepped towards the thing that was once Rahal. 2


    Is that how it went? Wow, author, for making Rahal a junkie on top of all the bad qualities he already has.

 Chapter 27: Inglis, 12 years old (15)

    ¡¸Now, what should I do?¡¹


    With a body of this size, its life force should not be scoffed at. Inglis wanted to end its suffering with just a single strike but unleashing such a powerful attack in the middle of the city would also bring about great collateral damage. It would have been fine if the villa would be the only collateral damage, considering that it was already on the verge of collapsing but more than likely, the damage would be much more than that. That meant that the only solution would be to lure the beast Rahal outside of the city walls. However, the probability of the beast destroying all the buildings along the way out of the city would be much too high. Plus, that would also endanger the citizens of Ymir.


    ¡¸Alright!¡¹


    I¡¯ve made up my mind!


    ¡¸INNGLIISSSS!!!¡¹


    Immediately afterwards, Rahal¡¯s fist flew towards Inglis. She easily saw through the attack and leaped backwards to avoid it. While she could¡¯ve easily taken the punch head-on or parried it, she chose to widen the gap between them instead. She landed on the ground with a crouch before sprinting right back at the beast, taking advantage of the gap between them to build up tremendous speed. However, she heard a commotion in the distance.


    ¡¸Rafinha!! Inglis!! I can¡¯t leave everything up to you two after all! That stinky Highlander, just what is he doing to them?!¡¹ ¡¸Lady Rafinha! Miss Inglis! I¡¯m here to save you two!¡¹


    Marquis Wilford and vice commander Ada had just arrived at the villa with a troop of knights marching behind them. 1


    ¡¸Father! Ada, too! You two came for us!? Really, there¡¯s no helping you two!¡¹


    Rafinha said with a slow smile forming on her lips. Due to her sense of justice, she couldn¡¯t have just left Inglis to fight alone and that¡¯s why she had rushed here to help. And although her father was late, the fact that her respected father had arrived to help really brightened her mood.


    To be perfectly honest, if things had gone as it was supposed to be ¡ª with Inglis doing as Rahal asked ¡ª this current situation would have worsened Ymir¡¯s position. Especially since the Marquis and Rafinha were from the ruling household of Ymir, their actions could have devastating consequences on their city; such as further angering Rahal and even the promise of ruining Inglis would not have sufficed for him. They really should have thought everything through before acting upon them. Rather, Inglis believed that the cons outweigh the pros in this case.


    However, ¡®human emotions¡¯ and ¡®bonds¡¯ were something that couldn¡¯t really be controlled. Plus, they had done it out of the goodness of their hearts, so, for that reason, she really didn¡¯t have the heart to blame them. At any rate, since things had gone far too awry, she had already made her decision on what had to be done. And their arrival would not change anything. All that would change was that she had to put on a little act.


    ¡¸Ah, Rafinha, Inglis, are you two okay!? Ooh!? What¡¯s that magic stone beast!?¡¹ ¡¸This is bad, don¡¯t let it go outside the fences! Men, spread out and attack from all sides!¡¹


    Ada ordered the knights that they had brought with them.


    ¡¸Please wait a minute! That magic stone beast is strong, don¡¯t carelessly get close to it! It¡¯s okay, Miss Eris will help me out, so it¡¯ll be over soon!¡¹


    Informed Inglis, halting the knights on their track.


    ¡¸Eh? Me? I mean, I¡¯ll help, yeah, but that thing¡¯s quite¡ª Hieek!?¡¹


    Inglis hastily approached Eris in the middle of her sentence and took her hand.


    ¡¸Let¡¯s go! We¡¯re leaping into it!¡¹ ¡¸O-, okay!¡¹ 2


    The two ran at full speed into the belly of the beast Rahal. Although in saying that, it was mostly just Inglis pulling Eris along at her own pace. But, as expected of a Hyrule Menace, Eris was somewhat able to keep up. The beast unleashed a few punches to intercept them but the pair moved too fast for it to hit them.


    ¡¸Match my movement! We¡¯ll kick it!¡¹ ¡¸O-, okay!¡¹ ¡¸¡¸HAAAAAA!!¡¹¡¹


    Inglis and Eris put their everything and kicked the beast high in its abdomen. That extraordinary kick they delivered made a roaring sound and caused the enormous magic stone beast to soar high into the sky. It drew a parabola in the air like an arrow shot through the sky, went over the city¡¯s outer wall and landed outside of the city grounds.


    This was the best and quickest solution that Inglis could think of, by kicking it out, quite literally, it wouldn¡¯t pose any danger to the city and it would also throw the magic stone beast outside of the city wall.


    ¡¸¡¸¡¸O-¡­. OOOooohhh!!!¡¹¡¹¡¹


    The Marquis and the knights under him were cheering in awe. 3


    ¡¸Wow! As expected of Miss Eris! You¡¯re amazing!¡¹


    Inglis clapped her hands joyfully.


    ¡¸No, wait, what are you talking about? Like hell that can happen with my¡ª¡¹ 4


    Inglis interrupted her with a soft whisper.


    ¡¸Hussh! I¡¯m begging you, please play along with me!¡¹


    Inglis had been hiding some degree of her power to everyone except for Rafinha. She was typically viewed as a Runeless ¡ª someone who wasn¡¯t blessed with a Rune, but an exceptional prodigy of the sword. She couldn¡¯t afford to invite a needless confusion by revealing her true strength. It would bind her to handle all of Ymir¡¯s defenses, which would be troubling since that would hinder her quest of searching for stronger opponents. Thus, she had been hiding it all along.


    In her quest of pursuing strength, the fewer bonds she made, the better. The expectations of the people were enough of a bond for her. After all, the result of her continuing to respond to those expectations was the birth of the Hero King Inglis.


    ¡¸I-, I got it.¡¹


    Eris nodded in acknowledgement.


    ¡¸Now, let¡¯s wrap it up! Rani too, let¡¯s go!¡¹ ¡¸Yeah! Glis!¡¹


    Inglis took both Eris¡¯ and Rafinha¡¯s hands and left the villa grounds in the blink of an eye.

 Chapter 28: Inglis, 12 years old (16)

    The trio navigated through Ymir at night and reached the outermost city walls. As it was so late into the night that the gate had been shut for the day, thus they decided to climb the walls and jump down. Eris had no trouble keeping up with Inglis, however, Rafinha was falling behind the two of them for obvious reasons. Inglis had decided to carry her in a piggyback ride halfway through.


    ¡¸ ¡­It¡¯s still alright!¡¹


    The beast-Rahal was struggling to get back on its feet and inching towards the city walls, staggering with minimal damage on it.


    ¡¸How tenacious. Even though Glis and Eris had kicked it so hard¡­¡¹ ¡¸Not me. It¡¯s mostly her. Ridiculous, really.¡¹ ¡¸Wah! You¡¯re great, Glis! You¡¯re being praised by a Hyrule Menace.¡¹ ¡¸Fufufu. Putting that aside, normal attacks won¡¯t have any effect on Magic Stone Beasts.¡¹ 1


    ¡¸No, that doesn¡¯t count as a ¡°normal¡± attack, considering just how much power it held. I mean, just look how far it went.¡¹ ¡¸Yeah. But it¡¯s not about power, after all.¡¹


    As she had guessed, Magic Stone Beasts wouldn¡¯t sustain much damage when attacked with normal means, even if they fell from a great height. To defeat them, they needed a power similar to the one provided by an Artifact.


    Inglis could try her Ether Armor technique, one where she clad herself in a wave of condensed ether but that was a barrier type technique that enhanced her defense and physical abilities, not the kind used for ether attacks.


    While weak Magic Stone Beasts could be dealt with using Ether Armor, the Magic Stone Beast that Rahal had transformed into was rather formidable. The injuries on the beast varied but none of them was fatal. They needed an attack that was more powerful and lethal.


    ¡¸Eris, would this beast-Rahal be similar in strength to a Prisma?¡¹ ¡¸¡­No. I mean, I think this is quite strong but, honestly, they can¡¯t even be compared. It¡¯s like comparing a child to an adult.¡¹ ¡¸I see. Then, if my attack can¡¯t bring it down, it would mean that I won¡¯t be able to even scratch a Prisma. Let me try. Rani, please watch over me.¡¹


    Inglis stood alone in the face of the approaching Magic Stone Beast. She took a stance with her right hand out, palm facing the enemy. In front of her palm, a vortex of light appeared and converged.


    The condensing ether roused the flow of air. Inglis¡¯ long, silver hair swayed greatly. The dazzling, revolving specks merged into one gigantic cluster of light.


    Its size was enormous, as though it could swallow the entirety of the beast-Rahal. This technique was Ether Strike, the one she had pulled off a few months after her birth. However, 12 years had passed since then, and Inglis had never stopped training. Its firepower was undeniably stronger than it used to be.


    This is a good chance to see how strong I¡¯ve gotten with my own eyes!


    ¡¸INNGGGLLIIIIISSSSSS!!!¡¹


    As soon as it recognized Inglis¡¯ figure, the beast-Rahal jumped to its feet and rushed towards her.


    ¡¸Lord Rahal¡­ farewell!¡¹


    Inglis unleashed the Ether Strike.


    BOOOoOoOOOOOOOOoooooooooomm!


    The larger-than-ever ball of light rushed forward, leaving a long and deep crevice in the ground as it went by. It completely engulfed the beast¡¯s whole body and everything surrounding it. In the blink of an eye, the beast dissipated into pure white ashes. While the beast-Rahal was robust and tough, the ball of light was so powerful that it was as though Rahal¡¯s existence was nothing but a puff of smoke.


    And just like that, as if there was nothing on its path, the ball of light continued to carve into the ground until it disappeared beyond the horizon.


    ¡¸A-, amazing!¡¹ ¡¸Now that¡¯s my Glis! You killed it!¡¹


    Eris mumbled in mute amazement while Rafinha was jumping up and down in delight.


    ¡¸Phew. That took a lot out of me.¡¹


    As expected, she had used too much Ether. A sense of fatigue suddenly overtook her body. She staggered and fell on her butt. She was still lacking in discipline and stamina but her body was still in its growing phase, after all.


    ¡¸Glis!¡¹ ¡¸Are you okay?¡¹


    Rafinha and Eris rushed over to her.


    ¡¸Rani¡­ what you said back then, it was true, huh?¡¹


    Inglis said to Rafinha, a smile gracing her face.


    ¡¸Hm? What did I say?¡¹ ¡¸Wishing upon the Highland. Today¡¯s battle was quite a tough one. I had the chance to fight various people.¡¹ ¡¸Geez, that¡¯s all you have in mind. That¡¯s why I don¡¯t want Glis¡¯ wish to come true since it¡¯ll be a big emergency¡­¡¹ ¡¸Haha. Well, the wish has to be even, you know. Although, it is true that it has become quite the incident¡­ That part really hurts my conscience.¡¹ ¡¸Well, to be fair, if it wasn¡¯t for you, things would¡¯ve gone horribly wrong. I would¡¯ve been abducted and brought to the Ironblood Chain Brigade and that Magic Stone Beast would have gone on a rampage in the city without anyone stopping it. I¡¯m just saying, this isn¡¯t the worst-case scenario.¡¹


    Eris said, trying to look on the positive side of things.


    ¡¸Hearing you say so eases my heart.¡¹ ¡¸Once I get back to the capital, I¡¯ll report that all of this was Leon¡¯s doing as he double-crossed us to join the Ironblood Chain Brigade. I¡¯ll work with Raphael to find a way so that none of your names will show up, so rest assured. Though, take it with a grain of salt.¡¹ ¡¸Thank you in advance! Also, if my involvement is omitted, then¡­ that means that you were the one that repelled the beast, Eris.¡¹ ¡¸Well, if that¡¯s what you wanted, that¡¯s how it¡¯ll be. But, you owe me one, you hear? One day I¡¯ll come to collect it.¡¹


    With a simper, Eris reached out her hand to Inglis.


    ¡¸Yes. I understand.¡¹


    Taking the Hyrule Menace¡¯s hand, Inglis pulled herself to her feet. Then, as she checked the perimeter, she saw the Marquis and his knights making their way over in the distance.


    ?????


    The next morning. The search for Leon was left to Ymir¡¯s people and Eris was about to return to the capital. Inglis went to see her off and asked a question that had been bugging her.


    ¡¸Excuse me, Eris. Can I ask one thing?¡¹


    Inglis called out to Eris, who was already astride a horse when they were alone.


    ¡¸What is it?¡¹ ¡¸During the night banquet, you were angry when Leon introduced us to you. Can I ask what¡¯s the reason?¡¹


    Now that they had fought together, against each other, and some time to talk, Inglis believed that Eris clearly wasn¡¯t being herself at that time. Eris wasn¡¯t such a person with undulating emotions. If anything, she felt like she had a rational and composed character.


    ¡¸¡­Sorry. Perhaps you¡¯ll find out why someday, but¡­ I don¡¯t want to answer. And if possible, I don¡¯t want you to know either.¡¹ ¡¸I see. I¡¯m sorry for overstepping my bounds.¡¹ ¡¸It¡¯s fine. I¡¯m going then. You said you want to defeat Prisma with your own strength, right? Do your best then, I¡¯m cheering for you.¡¹ ¡¸Yes, thank you very much.¡¹ ¡¸Until later, then.¡¹ ¡¸Until we meet again.¡¹


    Being sent off with Inglis¡¯ smile, Eris¡¯ figure gradually vanished from the sight of the fortified city of Ymir.

 Chapter 29: 15 year old Inglis, Departure to the Royal Capital

    Three years had passed. 1


    The incident from three years ago; Sir Shioni, an inspector issued by the Royal Capital, and Rahal, a Highlander that accompanied him, lost their lives during an inspection in the city Ymir. However, the position of Ymir and its lord Marquis Wilford was protected and unchanged.


    Another inspector was sent by the Royal Capital after that and he brought no Highlander with him. After investigating the details of the case, it was judged that the city Ymir was innocent.


    It was not hard to imagine that there were efforts made by Eris and Raphael behind the judgment.


    Within the last three years, Inglis had intensified her training. Rafinha usually kept her company, mainly training her own archery with Inglis.


    The day after they reached the age of 15¡­


    A wagon was parked outside the outer gate of the city Ymir. Standing there were Inglis and Rafinha, their parents who came to see them off, the knights of Ymir and the residents of the city.


    ¡¸Rafinha, take care. Make sure to get along with Raphael in the capital. And pay our gratitude to Ms. Eris if you meet her.¡¹ ¡¸Yes, Father. I will write to you as soon as we reach there. Big brother Rafa rarely sends us any, perhaps because he is busy, so I will be the one updating our situation in his stead.¡¹


    Rafinha, who was hugging her father with a smile on her face, had grown quite mature at the age of 15 in Inglis¡¯ mind. She was now beginning to show her womanly appeal, and with her bright personality on the table, her charm was overflowing. She grew up to be quite the beauty that would warrant a second glance if you ever passed by her on the street.


    At the age of 15, Rafinha was going to officially enroll in the Knighting School in the Royal Capital. Since Inglis enrolled together with Rafinha, she was going with her. Today was the day of departure.


    On the surface, Inglis was just a Runeless, a person who was not granted a Rune. A Runeless could not be a formal Knight of the nation, at most they were allowed to become an apprentice knight. However, it was possible to enroll in the Knighting School even without possessing a Rune, since there was also a course opened for private squires.


    Although the courses she would receive were different from formal knights such as Rafinha, there were also a lot of common grounds in academic lectures and martial arts training itself. Plus, since they would live in the same dormitory, their livelihood wouldn¡¯t change too drastically.


    ¡¸I ask you again, Inglis. I leave Rafinha in your care¡¹ ¡¸Yes. You don¡¯t need to worry.¡¹


    As Inglis nodded in affirmation, Marquis Wilford whispered in her ear.


    ¡¸If there are any bugs swarming around her, swat them away for me, okay? This child of mine is brimming with curiosity, after all.¡¹ ¡¸Roger. You can leave that to me, Lord Marquis¡¹


    In Inglis¡¯ opinion, Rafinha was still too young to have a lover, anyway. Rafinha might be Marquis Wilford¡¯s beloved daughter, but for Inglis, she was akin to a granddaughter she never had.


    ¡¸Well, I¡¯m sure those bugs will come to you instead if you¡¯re next to her. Either way, I¡¯m relying on you.¡¹


    Whereas Rafinha¡¯s cuteness was one that would invite second glances, Inglis¡¯ beauty was one that would easily enrapture anyone in just a moment. Her silvery hair that gleamed like moonlight and her ruby-red crimson eyes only appeared more refined as time passed, while her supple skin only grew more feminine. She still looked more mature than her actual age, even at the age of 15, her appearance suggested that she was 18. 2 By now she had already become an unrivaled, impeccable beauty that couldn¡¯t be disproved by anyone and anything.


    ¡¸But to have a daughter this beautiful, doesn¡¯t that invite a lot of concern as her father? Right, Ryuk?¡¹


    Claimed Marquis Wilford to her father, Ryuk, who also went to see the two girls off.


    ¡¸It may be presumptuous of me to say this as her father but what you said is true. No matter where I brought her, she never even once brought shame to me, which actually made me feel troubled instead.¡¹ ¡¸It¡¯s alright, it¡¯s alright! We can just make Glis the future marchioness!¡¹


    Said Rafinha with a smile. 3


    ¡¸Hm. If it¡¯s Inglis, even that introverted son of mine couldn¡¯t be helped but be entranced by her.¡¹ ¡¸¡­¡­If so, arrogant as I may sound, the future of Ymir would be bright indeed. Of course, this is left to how young master Raphael wills it.¡¹ ¡¸Yeah, yeah! If it¡¯s Glis, then that¡¯s for sure!¡¹4


    The trio merrily chatted away. Apparently, her close relatives had placed an expectation on her for growing up so beautifully.


    ¡¸Wait a minute¡­ everyone, please calm down.¡¹


    What about my opinion¡­¡­!?


    Inglis couldn¡¯t help thinking that. It wasn¡¯t that Raphael was a bad partner, it was simply impossible for her to marry a man. 5 Just imagining it sent shivers down her back. After all, her mind was still that of a male. Marrying a woman would be more ideal for her. For the time being, Inglis coughed to gain control of the room.


    ¡¸I am a squire who serves Rani. As I am accompanying her to the Capital in order to learn more of what I can do for her, I don¡¯t intend to waste my opportunity there.¡¹


    Right after her proclamation, their mothers rushed over, out of breath.


    ¡¸Rafinha!¡¹ ¡¸Inglis!¡¹


    Each of them carried a large bundle under their arm.


    ¡¸Mother!¡¹ ¡¸Mother!¡¹ ¡¸¡¸Sorry for the wait! Here is your lunch!¡¹¡¹


    The two mothers¡¯ lines synchronized perfectly. Each brought a bundle enough for a grown man¡¯s three days worth of provision. Those were clearly beyond mere lunchboxes but for Inglis and Rafinha, that amount was normal. The two of them ate several times more than a normal person. 6


    This didn¡¯t apply to only the two of them, but also Raphael, Selena, as well as Irina. Their mothers¡¯ appetites and metabolism had been inherited by their children. Therefore, when the two families got together for a family meal, what one would see was the sight of two grown men dazed at the amount of food wolfed down by the females.


    ¡¸¡¸Thank you very much!¡¹¡¹


    Looking at their daughters¡¯ smiles, the two mothers hugged them with eyes full of tears.


    ¡¸Take care of your body¡­¡­ treasure Lil¡¯ Glis as much as you can.¡¹ ¡¸You two will always have each other, okay? It may prove difficult but don¡¯t let go of each other.¡¹


    When she thought about it, in her past life as King Inglis, she was born as the only child of farmers from a poor village, and her parents had passed on by the time she reached the age of eight. Compared to that, these 15 years of her life as Inglis Eux was blessed with her parents¡¯ love and her surroundings, as she was allowed to practice as much as she wanted without any major inconvenience. As for the rest of the coming years, she would venture out to the big wide world and further polish herself in battles.


    She believed that in the Royal Capital where a lot of people and information gathered, it would be possible to meet a tough opponent. After all, information regarding such opponents would surely spread around the population. And if the country mobilized the students from the Knighting School for emergency affairs, she might be able to stand on the front line. With these anticipations of hers, she and Rafinha left their hometown Ymir, all the while expressing her gratitude for their parents.


    ¡¸We¡¯re off!¡¹ ¡¸Thank you for taking care of us, we¡¯re off! Everyone, take care!¡¹


    Whilst waving their hands to the people seeing them off, the wagon began to take off. Inglis was the one holding the reins while Rafinha was sitting next to her.


    After her parents¡¯ figures fully vanished from her sight, Rafinha sniffled. Goodbyes were always such sad affairs and she couldn¡¯t stop the tears brimming in her eyes.


    ¡¸Come on, Rani. Don¡¯t cry. The hard part is still ahead¡ª¡¹


    Inglis wiped Rafinha¡¯s tears with her fingertips.


    ¡¸Y, yeah¡­ you¡¯re right. I have Glis with me too. Thanks. Okay, let¡¯s eat our lunch now~???? I¡¯m starting to get hungry!¡¹


    Rafinha immediately took out the lunchbox from the roofed wagon behind them.


    ¡¸Ah, not fair! You know I can¡¯t take my hands off the reins¡­¡­!¡¹ ¡¸Here, I¡¯ll feed you ???? ¡¹


    Rafinha thrust a sandwich into Inglis¡¯ mouth.


    ¡¸Dh-, dhank yhou¡­.. nomnom. Idh ghoot¡­¡­¡¹


    Although it was just a sandwich, it was still her mother¡¯s cooking, one that she wouldn¡¯t be able to relish in again for a while. She should enjoy it while it lasted.


    Behind the two girls who were enjoying their lunch, the fortified city of Ymir gradually faded into the distance.

 Chapter 30: 15 year old Inglis and the Town ruled by a Highlander

    About ten days had passed since they left Ymir. The journey from the fortified city of Ymir to Chiral the Royal Capital would take a little less than one month. So far, they had traversed around one-third of the journey, and their trip was going well¡ª¡ªnot!


    ¡¸Mm~! So tasty~ ???? Going on a trip is fun, we can eat a lot of tasty food in so many different places!¡¹


    The town of Nova, where Inglis and Rafinha were currently at, was a town close to the mountains, so there were plenty of wild fruits and vegetables to harvest. Rafinha smiled blissfully when she devoured a slice of pie fully packed with fruits and raspberry jam. The town¡¯s specialty raspberry desserts and sweet treats were all lined up and piled on the diner table Inglis and Rafinha were stopping at. This was merely the amount left over after they had wolfed down enough for several adult men. Customers from other tables were, of course, casting a startled look at the pair but they were already used to this kind of attention, so this hardly bothered them at all.


    ¡¸Rani, honestly, aren¡¯t you eating too much?¡¹ ¡¸But Glis, you eat just as much as I do.¡¹


    It was just as Rafinha said, the silver-haired girl was stuffing her cheeks with pie just as quickly as Rafinha. She just couldn¡¯t stop herself when there was so much sweet, delicious food in front of her. While she had been quite fond of eating back in her previous life, it had never been up to this degree. And she hadn¡¯t liked sweet food as much either.


    However, after being reborn as Inglis Eux, she had developed quite the sweet tooth. Was this due to being in the body of a female? If so, this was definitely one of the few enjoyments she didn¡¯t have in her past life. 1 Dressing up and admiring oneself, smacking one¡¯s lips when eating sweet treats, being in a female body was definitely enjoyable at times. 2


    ¡¸That¡¯s true, but¡­ this is really a crisis.¡¹ ¡¸What is?¡¹ ¡¸The travel fund. If we don¡¯t ration out one meal a day after today, it won¡¯t hold until we reach the capital.¡¹ ¡¸EEeeeeehhh!! But that means we can¡¯t enjoy the foods in the places we visit next!¡¹ ¡¸That¡¯s right. That¡¯s why I told you, you¡¯re eating too much¡­¡¹ ¡¸Then how about this? We take the shortest route and don¡¯t visit any¡ª¡¹ ¡¸That¡¯s an absolute no! We have to visit the town of Arlman!¡¹


    It was a little detour from their trip to the Royal Capital but there was a town Inglis really wanted to stop by no matter what. She had planned this from the very beginning as part of their journey to the capital. If someone were to ask her what was there in the town of Arlman that Inglis just had to visit, it was the carcass of the strongest magic stone beast that laid there.


    Apparently, around more than 50 years ago, a Holy Knight partnered with their Hyrule Menace had defeated one there. By all means, she wanted to see it with her own eyes. She wanted to feel the strength of that Prisma. She might not learn anything from it but there might be remaining traces of its might. That meant that she just had to go there and see it for herself.


    ¡¸We¡¯ll have to hold back from now on, after all. This is the final luxury we can afford.¡¹ ¡¸No! Then it won¡¯t be fun! Our long-awaited trip has to be fun!¡¹ ¡¸Then, what do you want?¡¹ ¡¸If we¡¯re lacking funds, then we just need to make more! There¡¯s still time until the date that we were supposed to arrive, right?¡¹ ¡¸Well, we did depart earlier to open up some time.¡¹


    She was conscious of it but Inglis was spoiling Rafinha. She felt like she was watching her own granddaughter, so she just kept overlooking her hijinks even though she wasn¡¯t supposed to. Even now, she chose to play along with Rafinha¡¯s sudden idea.


    ¡¸Okay then, let¡¯s make money for the sake of our fun culinary travel! You don¡¯t work, you don¡¯t eat after all! It¡¯s okay, with our skills, it should be no problem for us to make a ton of money!¡¹ ¡¸Yeah. Then, let¡¯s do it in the next town!¡¹ ¡¸S¡¯cuse me! Miss!¡¹


    Before Inglis finished her speech, Rafinha already raised her hand to call out the waitress. It was indeed very Rafinha-like, to quickly take action the moment she made her decision.


    ¡¸Umm¡­ Rani, wait¡ª¡ª¡¹ ¡¸Yes, may I help you? Do you want to order more?¡¹ ¡¸Ah, yes, make it three portions of raspberry pie ????¡¹ ¡¸Understood. Thank you very much.¡¹ ¡¸Hey, Rani.¡¹ ¡¸Ah, not that! Well, keep the order just as is but can I ask you, where can we find work in this town? One that might require our skill sets with quick but high payout?¡¹


    Asked Rafinha, showing her Rune to the waitress.


    ¡¸Oh my! Isn¡¯t that an outstanding Rune?¡¹ ¡¸Yes. We also have an Artifact!¡¹


    Rafinha¡¯s bow Artifact was one that was suitable for her, a High Grade Artifact. Ymir¡¯s chivalric order hadn¡¯t possessed such a good Artifact, instead, this Artifact was hard-earned by Marquis Wilford, especially for her. When she wielded this artifact, it possessed such high war potential that any run-of-the-mill knight and Magic Stone Beast weren¡¯t up to par for her.


    ¡¸Despite being so young, you¡¯re already such a splendid Knight¡­!¡¹ ¡¸No, well, we¡¯re still on our way to enroll in the knight¡¯s academy, though.¡¹ ¡¸At any event, if it¡¯s a job that fits your requirements, why don¡¯t you ask the feudal lord? She is currently recruiting knights and mercenaries. You might be just temporarily lending hands exterminating Magic Stone Beasts but I¡¯m sure she¡¯ll be happy for it.¡¹ ¡¸Aah, that is fitting for us! Isn¡¯t that right, Glis?¡¹


    Rafinha¡¯s eyes shone brightly


    ¡¸That is true, but¡­ Umm, that is because of the lack of soldiers, right? May I ask why?¡¹ ¡¸It is because the feudal lord just changed, and she drove out bad Knights and mercenaries from the previous lord¡¯s time. Thanks to that, the town has become much safer and the tax has lessened. However, as a result, she lost a lot of manpower. Although, that doesn¡¯t mean that she will just accept any applicants.¡¹ ¡¸I see, she is quite bold to expel the previous retainers.¡¹ ¡¸Well, must be because she isn¡¯t affiliated or even related to any of those people. After the noble house that ruled this land was kicked out, the whole area moved directly under the jurisdiction of the Highland. The current feudal lord is a Highlander, you know.¡¹


    The waitress said casually. 3

 Chapter 31: 15 year old Inglis and the Town Ruled by a Highlander (2)

    ¡¸¡¸A Highlander!?¡¹¡¹


    This news took both Inglis and Rafinha by complete surprise.


    ¡¸Ah, I might have gotten it wrong? We¡¯re under the direct jurisdiction of the King and the Highlanders are given the right to lord us by his majesty, I think that was it? I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m not very well versed in this kind of thing.¡¹ ¡¸¡­Well, that must be for the best.¡¹


    The background story didn¡¯t really matter because on paper, the King had lent the territory rather than giving it away. This would make sure that he would not appear as incompetent and unable to protect his own territory. Plus, when it was under the pretense of the king¡¯s decisive judgement to retire an unreputable lord from its land, the lord was the one at fault while the king received no retribution from it. In actuality though, the king must¡¯ve been incapable to oppose the Highlander¡¯s demands and had to surrender a piece of his territory.


    But¡­ What benefits do they gain from this? Do the Highlanders want to colonize this area? Do they really think that living on Midland is a good idea? From what she had seen thus far of the Highlanders, they had the mindset that living on their floating island was a privilege only their own. Did they wish to have a plot of land so that they could plant their own crops and such? That would certainly end up being cheaper than getting the kingdom to repeatedly offer up so much payment in exchange for bestowing them Artifacts.


    Stationing an administrative official on Midland to directly govern it also had its own dangers. It could stir up opposition from the Midlanders, which would, in turn, encourage the anti-highlanders movements such as the Ironblood Chain Brigade.


    Did the Highland really possess that much of an overwhelming strength that such a risk didn¡¯t even bother them? Since they even gave out Hyrule Menaces, the alleged Ultimate Artifacts, they must also have the means to defend themselves when threatened.


    If so ¡ª perhaps, after defeating a Prisma class magic stone beast and having a duel with a Holy Knight brandishing a weaponized Hyrule Menace, Inglis should set her goal on the Highland next. They might show her some of the secret weapons in their possession.


    That actually sounds fun. Maybe it¡¯s time for me to plan out my next move for when that happens.


    ¡¸Y-, you aren¡¯t treated badly, right?¡¹


    When it came to Highlanders, the only one Inglis and Rafinha knew was Rahal. It was understandable for Rafinha to be concerned. After all, the impression he left wasn¡¯t exactly a good one.


    ¡¸Not at all. As I said before, our life has become easier now because the lord has expelled the thugs and such. While our sales have dropped, at least we can rest assured at night now.¡¹ ¡¸Is that so¡­ ¡¹ ¡¸But, you see, the lord takes in children who have no relatives and the sick who can¡¯t move into the castle and personally look after them. Knowing that makes me feel relieved since I know that I¡¯ll be treated the same if it happened to me. We¡¯re happy that we have such a good lord.¡¹


    Said the woman with a smile.


    ¡¸So there are good Highlanders too¡­ right, Glis?¡¹


    Looking at how surprised she was, it was clear to see how Rafinha thought of the Highlanders.


    ¡¸You¡¯re right. Perhaps visiting her would be a good idea. Should we?¡¹


    Perhaps, this was a good chance for them. This applied to Inglis herself too, but this opportunity might help Rafinha to widen her perspective.


    ¡¸Let¡¯s! After I¡¯m done with the raspberry pie!¡¹ ¡¸Okay.¡¹


    After devouring the incoming three portions of raspberry pies, the two headed to the feudal lord¡¯s castle that was located in the center of the town.


    After expressing their will to apply as mercenaries, Rafinha was soon hired after a few short conversations. After all, the combination of a High Grade Rune and a High Grade Artifact made a very desirable mercenary. Moreover, with Inglis as Rafinha¡¯s squire, there was fundamentally no problem for her to be recruited as well but she had to undergo a few tests for formality¡¯s sake.


    In the castle¡¯s courtyard, Inglis was facing a heavily built knight who was said to be the knights¡¯ organizer. He was rather young, perhaps somewhere in the early twenties. Even with his large build, he wasn¡¯t stern at all, he was more like a calm and gentlemanly person.


    ¡¸I¡¯m Nacht. Sorry to say, but I gotta test your skills here. We can¡¯t have you getting mortally wounded after being deployed onto the front line, y¡¯see.¡¹ ¡¸Of course, I don¡¯t mind. You do it out of concern, after all.¡¹


    They each held a wooden sword, facing each other in the form of a match.


    ¡¸Hoawa~ Even though such a thing is useless for Glis¡­¡¹


    While the knights and the mercenaries were all watching, Rafinha was busy trying to stifle her yawn. Inglis decided that if she were to prove her combat skills in front of them, they wouldn¡¯t need to worry about her nor would they dare to get in her way. So, this was a golden opportunity for her to show how big of a difference in ability was between her and the knights, here and now.


    ¡¸Yosh, come on and hit me!¡¹ ¡¸Well then.¡¹


    Inglis plunged right in and swatted away Nacht¡¯s sword without even giving him time to react at all. The wooden sword easily flew away from Nacht¡¯s grip.


    ¡¸Wha¡­!?¡¹


    The small opening allowed Inglis to strike his belly with a palm strike.


    ¡¸Gowaakh!?¡¹


    Nacht¡¯s body was bent in the shape of V, and thrown off a few meters back.


    ¡¸¡¸¡¸OOOooooooh!?¡¹¡¹¡¹


    The astonishment of the crowd could be heard. Nacht landed on the ground rear first and further rolled back another three times.


    ¡¸Y-, you¡­ passed.¡¹


    Having his breath knocked out of him, he barely wheezed out those words with his eyes still spinning.


    ¡¸Ah. Shoot. I put too much strength into it! I¡¯m sorry, please get up.¡¹


    Without realizing her own strength, she might have just done something inexcusable. She quickly ran up to Nacht and slapped his cheeks a few times.


    When suddenly¡­


    ¡¸Emergency! Magic Stone Beast¡ª! Captain Nacht! Uwaaah captain!? What happened to you!?¡¹


    A man shrieked, out of breath, when he saw the state Nacht was in, whose eyes now only showed their whites. This was bad ¡ª very bad timing.


    ¡¸Ah¡­ A-, at any rate, everyone, we should intercept them!¡¹ ¡¸O¡ª ou!¡¹ ¡¸Th-, that¡¯s right, we have to!¡¹ ¡¸Let¡¯s go! Make haste!¡¹


    After Inglis called out to the taken aback group, knights and mercenaries alike, they finally began to move.

 Chapter 32: 15 year old Inglis and the Town Ruled by a Highlander (3)

    Inglis and Rafinha took action along with the knights of the town to intercept the incoming magic stone beast. Although it had only been moments since they were hired, they had still been hired. Thus, this was now also their town to protect.


    The fortification around the town of Nova provided little to no protection. It was merely fenced with a stone wall about the height of an adult.


    When compared to Ymir in which the walls would be at least three times as high and thick enough for people to stand and move around on, the walls here might as well be paper thin. They were so thin that it would be impossible to station people on top to intercept magic stone beasts. Whereas, the feudal lord¡¯s castle was even more robust than Marquis Wilford¡¯s castle back in Ymir. This clearly emphasized each lord¡¯s character. 1


    That being said, there were materials scattered around the walls as well as some scaffoldings being constructed, perhaps they were there to expand and reinforce the walls. Was this an attempt initiated after the feudal lord was replaced by the currently ruling Highlander? Inglis heard from someone affiliated to the castle that the current lord was a female by the name of Cyrene.


    ¡¸Hmm¡­ Defending this town looks hard.¡¹


    Said Rafinha bitterly.


    ¡¸Yeah. These walls won¡¯t stop magic stone beasts at all. We have to intercept them outside.¡¹


    Fortunately, the magic stone beasts hadn¡¯t entered the town borders. The battle had to take place past the walls.


    ¡¸What types are they?¡¹


    Inglis asked as she gave the wall a kick to jump on top. For Inglis who could effortlessly leap on top of Ymir¡¯s walls, this was a child¡¯s play. But with the elegance she pulled with such an action, the surrounding knights and mercenaries were awed by it.


    ¡¸Animal types and insect types ¡ª Dragonflies, I guess? They can easily breach the walls.¡¹


    Much like Inglis, Rafinha also kicked the wall and climbed on top, laying her eyes on the enemies. When an Artifact was used by a knight with a Rune, they didn¡¯t serve their purpose simply as weapons but they also had the effect to raise their user¡¯s physical abilities. The higher the Rune¡¯s grade and the Artifact¡¯s rank, the stronger the effect and vice versa. Thus, in Rafinha¡¯s case, it was pretty 2 effective, such a feat hardly meant anything to her. Leaping on top of Ymir¡¯s walls was something Rafinha could do as well.


    ¡¸You are right. We should dispatch them now.¡¹


    In the middle of their conversation, a knight called out to them.


    ¡¸Excuse me¡­! You two! Sorry, but can I have a word!?¡¹ ¡¸Yees! What is it?¡¹ ¡¸Is there something wrong?¡¹ ¡¸If possible, I wish for you to take command here. As you know, captain Nacht is immobile and none of us has the experience to command in a battle¡­ You possess a High Grade Rune, right? We can fight under your command!¡¹


    Apparently, the military strength the current government had seemed to be lacking battle experience. Inglis had heard about how bad knights and mercenaries were driven out, perhaps that was the reason why. Bad, not in war potential, but in terms of conduct and discipline. Once those people were replaced to reform the state of affairs, the military¡¯s strength also consequently decreased.


    Having been nominated, Rafinha grew quite flustered.


    ¡¸¡­Wh-, what do we do, Glis? I¡¯ve never given commands before¡­. ¡¹


    She had experiences subjugating magic stone beasts along with the chivalric order of Ymir but she had never taken command before. She had only faithfully followed the instructions from Ryuk or Ada, the commander and the vice commander.


    ¡¸¡­It¡¯s better for you to get familiar with it, you know? Rani, you are the owner of a High Grade Rune. There will be plenty of scenarios where you will have to be in command after you become an official knight.¡¹ ¡¸B-, but, can you show me the ropes? I¡¯m still an amateur in this, you know?¡¹ ¡¸It¡¯s alright. I¡¯ll speak in your stead. First, you need to be bold. A calm leader brings about a calm platoon.¡¹


    While Inglis had never taken command of Ymir¡¯s chivalric order, she had plenty of experiences from her past life. Plus, it wasn¡¯t just a small group of people like this one either, it had always been an army of at least a thousand men. So, this much wasn¡¯t any trouble to her at all.


    ¡¸G-, got it¡­ Okay, everyone! Follow after me! We¡¯re repelling those beasts!¡¹


    Rafinha hoisted her Artifact high and called out to the men below.


    ¡¸¡¸¡¸OOOoouuu!!!!¡¹¡¹¡¹


    She was answered with a spirited war cry. Perhaps being led by such a cute commander just naturally heightened their spirits. 3


    ¡¸Th-then? What next, Glis¡­?¡¹ ¡¸Yeah, leave it to me.¡¹


    Inglis cleared her throat, stealing their attention before she raised her voice.


    ¡¸Well then, as unworthy as I may be, this Inglis Eux shall give out the orders as per the commander¡¯s instructions! All hands are to be stationed outside near the town¡¯s walls and hold defense! Only take action when a magic stone beast is nearby!¡¹


    In other words, it was an order to just stand still and watch. They, in turn, raised bewildered voices. Inglis took no heed of them and continued.


    ¡¸Squire Inglis will charge at the enemy as the decoy to derange the incoming enemies! Once those magic stone beasts are at dismay, the High Grade Artifact will eradicate them! That¡¯s all!¡¹


    Taking account of the power Rafinha¡¯s Artifact had, this plan would be far quicker and safer than the otherwise mingling with the enemies.


    ¡¸Understand now, Rani?¡¹ ¡¸¡­¡­So, the usual thing, but said with difficult words, right?¡¹4


    ¡¸That¡¯s right. You¡¯re good now?¡¹ ¡¸Yeah.¡¹


    They exchanged quiet whispers with each other.


    ¡¸Then. I, Inglis Eux, shall be dispatched to derange the enemies!¡¹


    Inglis exclaimed loudly so everyone could hear her before she leaped outside and plunged into the incoming herd of magic stone beasts. Those beasts numbered dozens, but she took no regard of it and made a beeline at them.


    ¡¸Wh-, what is she doing¡­!¡¹ ¡¸That¡¯s crazy! That number is too much!¡¹ ¡¸Oi, wait! We have to stop her!¡¹


    There were screams from behind Inglis, as what she did seemed like a suicidal act in their eyes. However, they soon would understand. This wasn¡¯t even enough to make her break a sweat.

 Chapter 33: 15 year old Inglis and the Town Ruled by a Highlander (4)

    As Inglis dashed into the oncoming horde all by herself, all the magic stone beasts snarled and tried to attack her at the same time.


    GRRR!! GUUU!! GAAA!!


    The first three were canine-type magic stone beasts that mutated from either dogs or wolves. They were positioned in front of her, then diagonally to the right and left respectively.


    If so¡­!


    Inglis evaded the incoming maw from her front as she swept her foot at the beast on her left.


    ¡¸Haa!¡¹


    Instantly, she delivered a high kick to the monster and hurled its body into its brethren on the right, they got tangled up and rolled along with each other. With this, the second beast¡¯s attack was interrupted.


    Not a second later, the third beast attacked but an instant was all Inglis needed to evade with a somersault. The beast¡¯s jaws closed down on thin air and its momentum caused it to slam its mouth into the ground in the process.


    This single opening was all Inglis needed to land on its head. She ran along its back and jumped as high as she could. Flying overhead was a swarm of insectoid magic stone beasts. This was her attempt to attract their attention.


    Due to the mutation caused by the Prism flow, the arthropods¡¯ legs now resembled lengthy blades. They glided their legs dangerously in the air in an attempt to slice her. Though they might be weapons, for Inglis, they were merely footholds.


    With great expertise, Inglis caught the blade¡¯s trajectory and used it as a footing. She leaped further, landing on another blade, then leaped again. Repeating the same action until she found a good spot to stop, then she changed tactics.


    ¡¸Taaah!¡¹


    She leaped from her perch and landed a high jump kick with her heel on another insect¡¯s head, felling it to the ground. The dragonfly crashed, wailing as it collided with a number of beasts below.


    The horde had stopped in its tracks, shifting their focus to Inglis alone. Normal weapons were ineffective against magic stone beasts, much less a simple kick or two, so none of the beasts was truly harmed. However, this was perfect as a distraction.


    It was entirely possible to defeat them using Ether Strike or Ether Armour but there was still the issue of her endurance. As no one could predict what would happen on a battlefield, she¡¯d rather save her trump card for when it was truly needed.


    And, most of all, it wouldn¡¯t be much of a challenge if she did use such techniques. Let¡¯s say, if she had used Ether Armour here, she would be able to nullify all of them without even lifting a single finger whilst standing in the middle of the swarm.


    In her current state, Inglis had to move around quite a lot if she wanted to fulfill her role. In other words, this would also serve as training for both her physical prowess and battle tactics. Every battle must be used as an opportunity to temper oneself. 1 Thus, she chose to fight this way to build experiences, little as it might be.


    ¡¸T- terrific! Those movements are astounding!¡¹ ¡¸Tha- that kid¡¯s outrageous¡­!¡¹ ¡¸H- how pretty, it touched something in me¡­! ¡¹ 2


    Not only did Inglis capture the attention of the beasts, but she also stole the attention of the knights and mercenaries. They were completely captivated by her dance-like movements while in a horde of magic stone beasts ¡ª an otherworldly beauty mixed with impossible maneuvers. Were they dreaming? If so, they never wanted to stop watching. 3 Each and every one of them on the same wavelength as they clenched their fists and cheered with hoarse voices.


    Amidst that, Rafinha was the only one who had begun to move towards the horde. She strode forward until she was roughly in between Inglis and the makeshift army. In her hand was her Artifact, a bow of light. She drew its string back to its limit. A rod of light assuming the shape of pure white arrows manifested in her hand, gradually and evidently getting larger and longer. 4


    This bow Artifact didn¡¯t need arrows since arrows of light would magically appear when a Knight of suitable grade Rune drew its string. That was the Gift of this High-Grade Artifact, or Flowing Radiance 5 as Rafinha named it.


    Additionally, although there was a limit to it, the longer one drew its string, the more powerful the manifested light arrows would be. It also had another ability ¡ª one that was about to be demonstrated by Rafinha.


    ¡¸Okay, you ready Glis!? Here I go!¡¹ ¡¸Yeah, Rani! Do it!¡¹ ¡¸Yooshi! GOOOoo!!¡¹


    Rafinha launched the light arrow way above the flying magic stone beasts and this wasn¡¯t because her aim had gone awry. As the arrow soared through the sky and reached a spot right above Inglis¡­


    ¡¸Burst!¡¹


    The moment Rafinha gave her command, the thick arrow of light separated into countless small light arrows which left traces of light on their trail as they showered down like rain made of light.


    The hail of light brought about death and destruction to the magic stone beasts. It pierced the magic stone beasts like swiss cheese, annihilating them without a shred of mercy. 6 While death shrieks raised endlessly in her vicinity, Inglis was the only one who managed to predict the trajectory of each showering arrows and evaded accordingly. This was a fairly hard exercise to accomplish, which served as a good practice for Inglis. For this reason, she quite liked this tactic.


    This was the reason why Inglis had the army on standby at the sideline. There was no other person who could evade this rain of light like Inglis could. This method was the best method to fully utilize Rafinha¡¯s power. It was a strategy they had long trained together, unique only to them.


    After the arrow shower let up, Inglis was the only one left standing. She returned to Rafinha, brushing several strands of hair from her shoulder.


    ¡¸You did it, Rani. You didn¡¯t miss even one! You¡¯re amazing.¡¹ ¡¸They¡¯re just low-level beasts after all¡­ But, you¡¯re the amazing one Glis. I can just incorporate you in the attacks without reserves, you¡¯re the best decoy. And you¡¯re as unreasonable as ever, avoiding Flowing Radiance like it¡¯s nothing.¡¹


    As the two young girls walked back, they were engulfed with cheers of joy from the small squadron.

 Chapter 34: 15 year old Inglis and the Town Ruled by a Highlander (5) [1/3]

    Later that night, Inglis and Rafinha were enjoying the bath in the feudal lord¡¯s castle.


    ¡¸Hmm~ that hits the spot! The lord here sure is generous! I mean, we¡¯re even allowed to use the bath ???? ¡¹


    It was a magnificent bathhouse paved with stone and decorated with plenty of ornaments. It used to be a bathroom exclusive for the lord¡¯s family, but now everyone in the castle could use it, including the pair of newcomers. However, due to the late hour, it almost felt like they had reserved the whole place for themselves. The bath which was just a little bit too hot felt perfect on their tired body. Rafinha was humming cheerfully.


    ¡¸You¡¯re right. It¡¯s been a while since we could take our time soaking in a bath.¡¹ ¡¸Our dinner was an all-you-can-eat buffet, and we¡¯re given guest rooms because we¡¯re girls too! This is way better than renting an inn by ourselves, isn¡¯t that right~?¡¹ ¡¸This goes to say how much they¡¯re expecting from us, I think. We did some solid work earlier, after all.¡¹


    It seemed like the story of how Inglis and Rafinha defeated dozens of Magic Stone Beasts on their own had become the hot topic within the castle. It was such a great achievement that they had received some bonus payments for the day. They couldn¡¯t meet the Highlander Lady today since she was preoccupied but it seemed like they would be granted an audience tomorrow.


    ¡¸Come at us! We¡¯ll just use the ¡®Blast, decoy and all!¡¯ tactic again!¡¹ ¡¸Isn¡¯t there a better name for it¡­?¡¹ ¡¸It¡¯s easy to understand, so who cares ????¡¹


    Said Rafinha, rising up from the bathtub in good humor.


    ¡¸Come on, I¡¯ll wash your back alright?¡¹


    She then asked Inglis to move to an open area so that she could wash her back.


    ¡¸Okay, I don¡¯t mind, but¡­ can¡¯t you at least act a little more modest?¡¹


    Inglis chided when Rafinha got out of the bath and didn¡¯t cover her body with a towel, but instead, wrapped one around her hair. Rafinha moved around in her birthday suit without even a shred of shame.


    Looking at her now, Inglis realized that Rafinha had indeed grown up ¡ª while the size of her breasts was modest, they were certainly there. The glistening droplets of water running down her silky skin were captivating. And when Inglis realized what she was thinking about, feelings of guilt nearly drowned her. This was the reason why she had asked Rafinha to cover herself as soon as possible. The silver-haired girl promptly covered her modesty with a towel as soon as she got out of the bath.


    ¡¸You¡¯re just too shy, Glis. Why do we have to hide from each other anyways?¡¹ ¡¸W-, wait, don¡¯t pull it¡­!¡¹ ¡¸You have good assets, it¡¯s such a waste if you don¡¯t show it~ That¡¯s why~ let me see, don¡¯t be shy! He he he he!¡¹ ¡¸G-, geez¡­! Come on, you¡¯re supposed to be washing my back, aren¡¯t you!?¡¹ ¡¸Whoopsies, right! Glis, your body is just too lovely, you stole my attention right away. Your breasts are huge and they have such pretty shapes. And your butt is so tight too!¡¹ ¡¸D-, don¡¯t say such things so frequently, it¡¯s embarrassing¡­ ¡¹ 1


    It was true that while Inglis was only 15, her body had grown remarkably more than the average girls her age. She was certainly a sight to behold but all she could think about was how her breasts were such bothers that weighed down on her shoulders. The only thing that she didn¡¯t mind about her large breasts was that they made dressing up in beautiful dresses more appealing.


    ¡¸How perfect¡­ Mine are so childish. Ah, sit here, I¡¯ll wash your back.¡¹


    Inglis sat with her back facing Rafinha before responding to her comment.


    ¡¸That¡¯s not true. Rani is still in her growing phase, right? Your breasts are still growing.¡¹ ¡¸I¡¯ve been massaging them myself, after all. They get bigger if you rub them, right?¡¹ 2


    Rafinha scrubbed down Inglis¡¯ back with a small lathered towel.


    ¡¸I know, I always watch you after all.¡¹ 3


    ¡¸Glis, yours are big even without being massaged, right?¡¹ ¡¸Yeah.¡¹ ¡¸How envious. This is unfair¡­!¡¹


    Rafinha said with her eyes glinting suspiciously, however, Inglis didn¡¯t notice since she had her back turned.


    ¡¸Ei!¡¹


    Rafinha thrust her hands to Inglis¡¯ front and immediately grabbed onto the two huge lumps.


    ¡¸Hyaah!? H-. hold on, Rani!? What are you doing!?¡¹ ¡¸Uwaah! It¡¯s big and heavy and springy! So this is how big breasts feel like¡­ awesome! It¡¯s really different from mine, you know? Aah, how lucky of you.¡¹ ¡¸N- now that you know¡­ Stop it and let me go!¡¹ ¡¸Hmm~? I¡¯m not done yet ????¡¹ ¡¸G, geez¡­! I told you no! It¡¯s over! My turn to wash your back now!¡¹ 4


    While they were making such a ruckus¡ª


    ¡¸Oh my, someone came before me? Ufufufu, you two seem to be having a lot of fun.¡¹


    An older girl called out as she entered the bathhouse. Her long platinum hair that hung down her back in gentle waves, plus her slightly drooping, narrow eyes altogether gave her a delicate appearance. There was a Stigmata on her forehead, the Rune-like mark signifying Highlanders. Most surprisingly, she didn¡¯t look too much older than them, possibly only in her late teens.


    ¡¸Good evening. Are you two perhaps the mercenary girls I¡¯ve been hearing about?¡¹ ¡¸¡¸G-, good evening¡­¡¹¡¹ ¡¸I¡¯m sorry I was late to introduce myself. I¡¯m Cyrene, the acting Consul of the town Nova.¡¹


    The Highlander Lady bowed with a smile. 5

 Chapter 34: 15 year old Inglis and the Town Ruled by a Highlander (5) [2/3]

    As the Lady of the castle politely greeted them, they quickly scrambled for a quick apology.


    ¡¸My name is Inglis Eux. We¡¯re sorry for the commotion.¡¹ ¡¸I¡¯m Rafinha Wilford! Sorry for being so noisy!!¡¹ ¡¸No, it¡¯s okay. Bathtime here is usually much louder than this.¡¹


    Cyrene waved off their apology with a gesture of her hand. She looked just like any other ordinary person, but kinder and prettier. However, this attitude only just baffled Rafinha.


    ¡¸What do we do, Glis¡­? She¡¯s a Highlander but she seems like she¡¯s a good person.¡¹


    She whispered.


    ¡¸Isn¡¯t that good though?¡¹


    Even when they asked the lady from the restaurant and the castle keepers, they all had only good things to say about the Highlander. And they appeared to be true. At least at first glance, she gave off such an impression. However, who could deny that her smile could just be a disguise used to fool them?


    ¡¸What¡¯s the matter?¡¹ ¡¸¡¸N-, no! It¡¯s nothing¡­!¡¹¡¹


    The two immediately hushed themselves.


    ¡¸If you¡¯re fine with it, why don¡¯t we chat while soaking in the bath? This is a rare occasion after all.¡¹


    The moment Cyrene said so, pitter-patter footsteps were heard from outside the bath.


    ¡¸Lady Cyrenee!¡¹ ¡¸We want to enter the bath together!¡¹ ¡¸We didn¡¯t sleep just so we could join you!¡¹


    Three girls, about four to six years of age, rushed into the room with their clothes still on. Looking at them, Inglis recalled herself and Rafinha a few years ago. Such cute little children. 1


    ¡¸Dear me. Rino, Miyumi, Chiko. You girls are still awake?¡¹ 2


    Cyrene called them by their names.


    ¡¸Ah, come on, girls! You¡¯re getting your pajamas wet! Come, let¡¯s go back to your beds.¡¹


    A middle-aged woman with a fairly fit physique came in chasing after them.


    ¡¸It¡¯s okay, Mimosa. Everyone, take off your clothes. Why don¡¯t we enter the bath together? Also, don¡¯t trouble Mimosa too much, okay?¡¹


    The children were happy and jumping around.


    ¡¸Waai!¡¹ ¡¸I¡¯m in, I¡¯m in!¡¹ ¡¸Me first!¡¹


    Again, pitter-patter footsteps were heard exiting the bath.


    ¡¸Good gracious¡­ They don¡¯t listen to me at all.¡¹ ¡¸I¡¯m sorry for the trouble, Mimosa. You have to work so hard because of me.¡¹ ¡¸Never. It¡¯s not hard at all. My son was around their age too when he died¡­ They remind me of him.¡¹


    The woman called Mimosa smiled and went after the children to help them take their clothes off.


    ¡¸Wild little bunch, aren¡¯t they? Usually, the boys join in too, so it is usually even crazier than it is now.¡¹


    Cyrene said, with a smile full of affection. After which, as the trio ran around the bath with their small feet, splashing water at each other, Inglis and Rafinha told of their story.


    About how they came from the fortified city of Ymir. How Rafinha was the daughter of the Marquis while Inglis was the daughter of the Commander of the Chivalric Order. How the two of them were traveling to the Royal Capital to enroll at the Knight School. And how they had used up their traveling funds in the middle of the journey and had to work as mercenaries.


    ¡¸Ahahaha! You two are too cute! You ran out of money because you ate too much tasty food, really?¡¹ ¡¸Well, the food here is delicious after all¡­ Right, Glis?¡¹ ¡¸They¡¯re delightful.¡¹ ¡¸I should be grateful of all that food then since it brought you girls here.¡¹ ¡¸We will repay your favor to the best of our ability!¡¹ ¡¸I don¡¯t think we can stay for that long but I¡¯m pleased to work with you.¡¹ ¡¸Yes, me too.¡¹


    A gentle smile greeted them back.


    ¡¸Excuse me, can I ask something?¡¹


    Suddenly, Rafinha cut in.


    ¡¸What might be it?¡¹ ¡¸Are those girls the children the castle is looking after?¡¹ ¡¸Yes, they are. These children have no family to take them in. They used to live in the back alleys without food or shelter. I can¡¯t bring myself to just leave them out there like that.¡¹ ¡¸Even though you¡¯re a¡­. Highlander?¡¹ ¡¸Maybe it¡¯s because I¡¯m a Highlander, at least that¡¯s what I think¡¹ ¡¸What do you mean?¡¹ ¡¸There are no children like these girls on the Highland. Children who are cold and hungry. We do not lack in food, with all that we receive from the kingdoms of Midland, so everyone has enough for themselves.¡¹ ¡¸¡­Heeh, so it¡¯s like that.¡¹ ¡¸I had the opportunity to visit Midland before I became the Consul of this town, and I was surprised to learn the circumstances of the children down here. What we took for granted in our home in the sky, was a luxury down here. This was what I learned in my journey on Midland. Ever since then, I had been asking myself if there was anything I could do for those children¡­ In the end, I volunteered to be a consul so that I may be sent to Midland. All because I wanted to help these children in any way I could¡­ same goes for the sick and the injured.¡¹ ¡¸I¡¯m sorry to ask, but aren¡¯t Highlanders who share this same opinion part of the minority?¡¹


    Inglis raised a question as well.


    ¡¸You¡¯re right. But, what¡¯s important is not what the other Highlanders think, it is what I want to do. And I want to see those children smile.¡¹


    From within Cyrene¡¯s normally soft eyes, a spark of strong will radiated.


    ¡¸S-, so admirable! I support this! We¡¯ll do our best to meet your expectations, just ask anything of us!¡¹


    Rafinha¡¯s eyes were gleaming as she was holding Cyrene¡¯s hand tightly. Due to her strong sense of justice, she was susceptible to other people¡¯s goodwill and virtuous mind. She only saw the person in front of her instead of the bigger picture. That was why she was so supportive of Cyrene.


    In short, she was pure. Although, Inglis couldn¡¯t say that aspect of hers was a bad thing but¡­ Had Cyrene been sent as the Consul of Ymir instead of Nova, would Rafinha still think the same of her? Since this had happened to Nova, it could only be a matter of time before the same befell Ymir as well.


    Cyrene wasn¡¯t the one at fault. The territory¡¯s lending-owning process was beyond her authority. She just happened to be sent here after the papers were stamped, with her own ambition and understanding of the situation.


    ¡¸I¡¯m glad you said that! Thank you very much!¡¹


    Cyrene smiled gently in return. These two seemed to be getting along quite well. 3


    ¡¸Pardon me, but I have another question to ask¡­.¡¹


    This time, Inglis raised her hand. 4


    ¡¸Yes, please do.¡¹ ¡¸I feel like the Mana flow in this town is odd. Is there a reason to it?¡¹


    It was a sense of discomfort Inglis had been feeling ever since they set foot in this town. From how she looked at it, it seemed like the people¡¯s mana was pulled out from their feet. Or perhaps sucked out, if that served a better explanation.


    Since most Midlanders couldn¡¯t perceive mana, nobody seemed to notice this fact. And, as the amount of mana taken was minuscule, there wasn¡¯t any strong effect on their physical condition.


    Fearing it might do something to Rafinha¡¯s body, Inglis wanted to recommend changing towns first when Rafinha brought up the topic of work. But, since it had come to this, Inglis would rather look for the cause of this phenomenon if she could. Perhaps there was a strong opponent slumbering at the end of this mystery. If so, she¡¯d gladly wake it up and defeat it.


    When she thought about it, ever since her last fulfilling fights with Eris the Hyrule Menace, Holy Knight Leon, and the beast-Rahal when she was twelve, she hadn¡¯t yet encountered any more tough opponents.


    She had waited for three years. It was time for the next strong opponent to show up already. 5


    ¡¸I¡¯m sorry, I have no clue.¡¹


    Said Cyrene, shaking her head.


    ¡¸Is that so?¡¹ ¡¸I don¡¯t understand but you sure it¡¯s not just you, Glis?¡¹ ¡¸Hmm¡­ I don¡¯t think it is¡­¡¹


    I¡¯ll investigate it myself then. Inglis thought


    ¡¸Umm. I too have something to ask of you two, may I?¡¹


    This time, Cyrene was the one to ask the question.


    ¡¸Yes, ask away!¡¹ ¡¸Of course. Anything you want.¡¹ ¡¸Okay, then. Umm¡­Would you two still be willing to help me if you had to fight against humans instead of magic stone beasts?¡¹


    With her eyes dead serious, Cyrene¡¯s eyes stared straight at the two.

 Chapter 34: 15 year old Inglis and the Town Ruled by a Highlander (5) [3/3]

    Cyrene¡¯s request went like this.


    The bad knights from the previous lord grouped up and had been making suspicious movements for a while. There were already several incidents throughout the town which had them attacking the official knights.


    If this continued on, something might happen that put the townspeople in danger. That was why Cyrene wanted to mend the situation before anything happened.


    If a rumor was spread that Cyrene, the feudal lord herself, was to lead an expedition to subjugate them, those people would surely try to ambush and take her out. They should dispatch everyone they had for the ambush. On the contrary, Cyrene would like to use this occasion to apprehend them all at once.


    When it came to military might, the current army was far weaker than the rebels, and certainly not one that could deliver a solid attack, but¡­ if they added Inglis and Rafinha into the mix, then this strategy had a higher chance of succeeding. Since the two of them could only stay for so long, it had to be done as soon as possible. Cyrene wanted them to lend their power for the sake of this town.


    Inglis was honestly surprised when she heard that Cyrene would entrust her life to two mercenaries who she had just met. They were indeed skillful and about the same age but still¡­ should she call her bold or reckless? Or perhaps she¡¯s already on her last legs, so she¡¯s willing to do it regardless of the price¡­ Although¡­ Rafinha was really gung-ho to cooperate so maybe, Cyrene was just a very good judge of characters.Is there some form of mystical communication between gullible people that I am unaware of? Inglis mused to herself.


    Inglis wouldn¡¯t object if Rafinha wanted to do it. She didn¡¯t care either way unless it involved fighting strong opponents. That was Inglis Eux¡¯s principle after all ¡ª to not get wrapped up in politics. While she was hoping that someone strong would show up when protecting Rafinha, she knew that she couldn¡¯t expect much from the knights of such a remote region. Their strength didn¡¯t make much difference compared to thugs¡¯.


    Three days later¡­ Inglis, Rafinha, Cyrene, and the consulate¡¯s army were heading towards an abandoned church outside the city walls. They numbered around thirty when including Cyrene.


    Their opponent most likely had the advantage in numbers and would try to use it to the fullest. Once Inglis and Rafinha cornered and caught them, their work would be done.


    Cyrene hoped to capture them all if possible. Which Inglis found much more preferable than to massacre everyone. 1 Plus, that would be easier for Rafinha, too.


    ¡¸It¡¯s coming into view, Glis.¡¹ ¡¸You¡¯re right. It¡¯s about time for the enemy to show up.¡¹


    The abandoned church was surrounded by forest and had poor visibility, there were many entrances to natural caves in the surrounding. There were many places to hide which made it an excellent location for an ambush. Moreover, Inglis also felt the presence of people hiding in the surrounding area.


    ¡¸It¡¯s about time. Lady Cyrene, everyone, please take care.¡¹


    After Inglis called out to alert her, Cyrene nodded with a serious look.


    ¡¸Yes¡­! I believe in everyone!¡¹ ¡¸It¡¯s alright. We¡¯ll protect you and use our bodies as your shield¡­!¡¹


    Captain Nacht, who seemed very energetic today, gave Cyrene a word of encouragement.


    Then, as they advanced¡ª


    Enemy Knights rushed out from the abandoned church, surrounding forests, the natural caves and all other cracks and crevices they had managed to hide in, all at once.


    ¡¸Wah! There they are! It¡¯s just like the young lady said.¡¹ ¡¸You¡¯re right.¡¹


    Inglis calmly counted the heads. Almost a hundred men? Approximately three times their army.


    Well, nothing really to be worried about.


    ¡¸Ahahaha! We¡¯ve seen through your plan, you cur! You damn Highlander thief, stealing our hometown! I¡¯ll execute you here like the thief you are!¡¹


    A young and mature Knight with a solid build emerged from the church, raising his head high in a laugh.


    ¡¸¡­That¡¯s Hawker, the former Commander! He¡¯s their leader! ¡¹


    Captain Nacht informed Inglis and Rafinha.


    ¡¸Right, so we just need to capture him, right!? Let¡¯s go!¡¹


    Rafinha walked forward as she drew her Flowing Radiance. She suppressed the power output to be far less than when she fought with the magic stone beasts, with its current strength just enough to land them on their a?s?s?e?s?. The main feature of this Artifact was its ability to adjust its firepower.


    ¡¸HA HA!! You think you alone can fight all of us!?¡¹ ¡¸Quality over quantity! More people only means more targets, after all!¡¹


    Rafinha launched an arrow of light straight ahead.


    ¡¸Burst!¡¹


    The arrow split into numerous arrows, hitting her opponents and throwing them off their feet.


    ¡¸¡¸¡¸UWAAAAAHHH!?¡¹¡¹¡¹


    That one arrow was enough to incapacitate tens of the enemy troops.


    ¡¸W-what the hell was that!? High-Grade Rune and High-Grade Artifact!? Awawawaaa!!¡¹


    Although not as strong as Holy Knights with their Special Grade Rune, a.k.a. saviors of the nation, Knights with a High-Grade Rune wielding a High-Grade Artifact were seen as a great threat in the eyes of the public too. Thus, such a reaction was expected.


    ¡¸Sorry ¡¯bout that! Now I kinda feel like I¡¯m bullying the weak!¡¹


    Even when saying that, Rafinha drew Flowing Radiance again for the second time.


    ¡¸That¡¯s my line.¡¹


    The moment those words were spoken, a spear appeared from the sky and destroyed Rafinha¡¯s light arrow, creating a high pitch sound as it did.


    ¡¸Wh¡­.!? What!?¡¹


    It was a woman with long, lustrous red hair, who had thrown the spear. She looked to be in her early 20s, tall, slender, and well-built. Her most defining feature was the strong-willed, dignified look in her eyes.


    ¡¸Sorry but I¡¯m going to destroy your artifact. Blame your own bad luck for running into me.¡¹ 2


    The woman said so matter-of-factly and easily plucked the spear off the ground.


    ¡¸Oooh! Ms. Cystia! As expected of you!¡¹ ¡¸Shut up. You lot go deal with the rest of the small fries.¡¹


    The woman called Cystia cut off her colleague¡¯s comment without even batting an eye. Step by step, she drew closer to Rafinha.


    This overpowering presence, this aura, Inglis remembered it. She¡¯s a Hyrule Menace! The aura she donned was awfully similar to Eris¡¯ from back then.


    Why she was in such a place or what her aim was, Inglis couldn¡¯t care less. Currently, right in front of her eyes, a Hyrule Menace was offering herself up as an opponent. That was all she ever cared for. What a godsend¡­!


    Finally, after three long years, a chance to check my growth in an actual battle has finally shown up! Inglis suppressed her excitement and moved to block Rafinha from Cystia¡¯s view.


    ¡¸Rani. Please protect lady Cyrene and everyone else. I¡¯ll be fighting this person.¡¹ ¡¸O-, okay¡­ Glis, you look really happy right now.¡¹ ¡¸¡­Eh? Is it that obvious?¡¹


    I thought I did my best to suppress my excitement and hide the greed in my heart.


    ¡¸What are you saying? Your eyes have changed and you¡¯re basically grinning ear to ear.¡¹ ¡¸E-, eh¡­?¡¹


    So, it isn¡¯t hidden at all?Oh, this can¡¯t do, they¡¯ll think I¡¯m just playing around.


    ¡¸¡­What are the two of you talking about? Are you looking down on me? An incompetent fool such as yourself actually dares to stand before me.¡¹ ¡¸Ufufufu~¡¹


    Inglis showed her most charming smile and converted her Ether to Mana. Not a moment after, Cystia¡¯s expression twisted immensely.


    ¡¸Imp¡­ wh, wha¡ª!? How is this possible?! You were powerless a second ago!!¡¹


    As she guessed, converting her power so her enemies understood the situation was necessary after all. Like this, they would fight her without holding back. Learning this technique was a good thing, after all.


    ¡¸Ah! I-Impossible¡­ Inglis actually had¡­ so much¡­¡¹


    Cyrene gasped in reply, noticing the change in Inglis¡¯ mana too. Inglis chose to confront Cystia without heeding Cyrene¡¯s remark.


    ¡¸Hyrule Menaces like you think that you¡¯re the best at everything, but didn¡¯t you know that there are things you can¡¯t see or comprehend?¡¹


    Inglis¡¯ eyes sparkled. Those were the eyes of a warrior that had both the sharpness of a blade and the heat of battle.


    ¡¸Spare me your meaningless reasons to hold back and self-obsessed attitude. Please, come at me with your everything.¡¹


    Inglis said, standing in place with a lovely smile gracing her face.

 Chapter 35: 15 year old Inglis and the Town Ruled by a Highlander (6)

    ¡¸¡­ Very well. I was starting to get bored without any worthwhile opponent to fight. I¡¯ll fight you.¡¹


    Cystia brandished her spear around once and took a stance, a grin pulling on her lips. Even though they were both Hyrule Menaces, her belligerent personality was nowhere near resembling Eris¡¯. While the enormous mana Inglis showcased did throw her off, she didn¡¯t falter nor did she lose her fighting spirit. That fact alone raised Inglis¡¯ interest in Cystia.


    ¡¸That makes the two of us. I¡¯ve felt the same for the past three years.¡¹


    Inglis was exhilarated that they ran into Cystia. After all, even if she met with Eris in the capital, they were basically allies now. And while it would be possible to arrange a match, they wouldn¡¯t be able to really fight all out.


    ¡¸Don¡¯t get too arrogant, lass. It¡¯ll be your downfall.¡¹


    The sharp, glistering golden spearhead neatly glinted at Inglis. There was a fine killing intent in the air that made her skin crawl, an addicting mental strain to her. 1


    ¡¸Come on, draw your sword.¡¹


    Cystia seemed to be waiting for Inglis to get ready. However, to Inglis, that sword was merely a decoration, a cheap weapon at most. She hadn¡¯t had much opportunity to use it yet. Not only did it have no effect on Magic Stone Beasts, but it would also fold under pressure if exposed to a strong concentration of Ether which meant that it couldn¡¯t be used together with Ether Armor or any other ether techniques. This also applied to Low-Grade Artifacts. As for Middle or higher Grade Artifacts, she couldn¡¯t be sure since she didn¡¯t dare to experiment on them ¡ª breaking such high-class items would surely cause havoc.


    As a matter of fact, ether manipulation had caused her to break too many swords in her previous life. King Inglis had only gone on subjugations after he had acquired the Holy Sword, but the current Inglis Eux didn¡¯t have that kind of resourcefulness She would like to get a weapon that could withstand Ether one day, but as of now, that would be asking for the moon.


    She remembered the last time that she¡¯d fought against Eris, her sword had been demolished mercilessly. The same thing would probably happen if she were to go up against Cystia with it. It would only open up a wide gap in her defense if her sword was broken in an unfavorable situation, so it was safer for her to go without it from the beginning.


    ¡¸There is no need for that. It is just a dull sword, after all. Now, please don¡¯t hold back.¡¹ ¡¸Hmph. I¡¯ll just see for myself if you¡¯re bluffing or not then!¡¹


    Cystia kicked off the ground. Her charge was fast, as though she was the wind itself that had been given physical form. She closed their gap in just a moment, and the spearhead was approaching Inglis with fierce momentum.


    Any run-of-the-mill knight would be rendered immobile and would have been pierced through by now.


    However, all Inglis did was tilt her neck to evade the spear in the last second. It was an action that utilized the least amount of muscle contractions.


    ¡¸Mu¡­!¡¹2


    However, that didn¡¯t surprise Cystia anymore. That was just a warmup. It wouldn¡¯t be much of a fight if Inglis couldn¡¯t evade even that.


    ¡¸Then¡ª!¡¹


    Next was the three thrust step, with the speed and the force behind each thrust increasing with each strike. She still hadn¡¯t expended all of her strength, but her spear seemed like it had split into three, striking from each side.


    However, again, Inglis evaded the three thrust step with minimum effort. Moreover, she did it while advancing towards Cystia, with one forward for each thrust evaded.


    ¡¸Hmpf¡­! Not bad!¡¹


    Cystia further enhanced her speed and power. Yet again, Inglis evaded everything by a paper-thin margin and drew closer with each attack.


    ¡¸Tsk¡­!¡¹


    If Inglis got too close to her, she would enter the spear¡¯s blindspot. Cystia needed to back off before continuing her assault, which only resulted in the same predicament. She thrust out her spear, pulled it back, and adjusted her breath in the slightest moment before she thrust out again. Indeed, Inglis had still been inching closer.


    It was proof that she had completely seen through all of her attacks. And the fact that Cystia was a Master at spearmanship only made her notice it more quickly than anyone else.


    I¡¯ve gradually been pushed back by an unarmed opponent, who has only been evading thus far!?


    ¡¸Kuh¡ª! ¡¹


    As Cystia drew back for the nth time, she felt something solid behind her. It was the wall of the abandoned church. She hadn¡¯t realized that she was slowly being backed into it. Her mind had been completely occupied by Inglis. There was nowhere else to retreat¡­


    ¡¸HAAaaaaa!!¡¹


    At last, Cystia raised a war cry and unleashed a consecutive rush attack with all her might. This was a high-speed technique she took pride in, as it was capable of pulverizing a boulder many times larger than her into pebbles. However, she didn¡¯t feel as though she had hit anything with her thrusts.


    When she was finished, she could feel a hand patting her shoulder.


    ¡¸That was one fine attack.¡¹3


    And there was the face of a beautiful girl, smiling splendidly, right in front of her.


    ¡¸Wha¡­¡¹


    The innocence and loveliness she displayed only brought dread for Cystia instead. The chill that ran down her spine almost froze her in place.


    BAM!! A tremendous impact pierced her abdomen. It was from Inglis¡¯ palm strike.


    Just like an arrow shot from a bow, Cystia¡¯s body crashed through the church¡¯s walls, destroying the floorings on her landing as she skidded along it.


    ¡¸Kuh¡­!¡¹


    Staggering as she was, she brought herself to her feet. The durability of a Hyrule Menace¡¯s body far exceeded that of ordinary humans¡¯. And that was true, even when being compared to Holy Knights. After all, the makings of their body were different in the first place.


    I can still go on! Cystia¡¯s eyes hadn¡¯t lost their fighting spirit.

 Chapter 36: 15 year old Inglis and the Town Ruled by a Highlander (7)

    ¡¸Yup, I¡¯m not too bad.¡¹


    Inglis nodded to herself and followed the roughed up Cystia into the abandoned church.


    She was able to evade the vehement attacks of a Hyrule Menace without relying on a weapon, and even delivered a strike.


    Compared to three years ago when she could hardly handle Eris even after having drawn her sword, she could see that her skills had definitely improved over the years since she could easily advance on her opponent while thinking on her feet. With that in her mind, she nodded her head imperceptibly at her own growth. This was the result of her training by avoiding the rain of light from Rafinha¡¯s Artifact to further improve her skills. Recently, simply avoiding what she could see or hear didn¡¯t feel like enough anymore, so she had tried cutting off her senses while evading as well.


    ¡¸¡­ B?a?s?t?a?r?d?!¡¹


    Cystia got back up on her feet while scowling at her like a feral dog.


    ¡¸You still have a hidden ability, don¡¯t you? Please show it to me. Miss Eris also seemed like she hid something from me, so I¡¯m sure you also have a trick up your sleeves.¡¹ ¡¸Eris? Ah, the Hyrule Menace affiliated with this nation¡­¡¹ ¡¸Do you two know each other?¡¹ ¡¸Don¡¯t know her. Never met her.¡¹


    Eris was one of the two Hyrule Menaces affiliated with the nation. In short, she was a famous character, so it wasn¡¯t strange for someone to know her name. The other one was called Ripple, if Inglis remembered correctly. Clearly, Cystia was not one of the two who was affiliated with their nation.


    ¡¸If I may ask, for formality sake, who are you? Why is a Hyrule Menace who isn¡¯t even affiliated with the nation here?¡¹ ¡¸Hmph. Don¡¯t you worry about that.¡¹


    As Inglis had guessed, she would not reveal such sensitive information. Although, she could really care less about it, she didn¡¯t plan on asking again, or to try and force an answer.


    ¡¸What about you¡­¡¹ ¡¸¡­?¡¹ ¡¸Why do you follow a god damn Highlander around while having this much power? Don¡¯t you know those b?a?s?t?a?r?d?s? steal land from us? It would be better if you just stayed silent, but you actually help them?¡¹ ¡¸¡­Even though lady Cyrene is a good person and everyone in her vicinity adores her?¡¹


    After staying in the lord¡¯s castle for the last three days, Inglis knew that everyone there was happy to have Cyrene as their lord. Her popularity was through the roof. Especially the children she took in, they loved her like she was their own mother.


    ¡¸What¡¯s important is not who leads the people, but how they lead us. Isn¡¯t that true?¡¹ ¡¸Yeah, on the surface but it¡¯d be too late by the time you notice it. Couldn¡¯t you sense how strange the town was?¡¹ ¡¸Are you talking about the peculiar flow of the mana¡­? Is there something going on?¡¹ ¡¸Go find out yourself.¡¹


    There IS something, after all? But, still¡­


    ¡¸¡­While it does bother me, I don¡¯t have a reason, nor the motivation to look into it.¡¹ ¡¸What?¡¹ ¡¸We simply ran out of money from overeating and decided to lend a hand in order to earn some quick cash. Although, I guess there is an upside to our food habit, after all, I¡¯m fighting you because of it.¡¹ ¡¸Are you saying you¡¯re enthralled for the sake of the fight itself? What is even the meaning behind your power if you don¡¯t use it for what is just?¡¹ ¡¸It¡¯s fun for me! That¡¯s all there is to it.¡¹1


    Apparently, Inglis¡¯ remark angered Cystia.


    ¡¸You imbecile! Strength without a cause is just the same as a body without blood, a corpse and nothing more!¡¹ ¡¸That is not true. Strength is talent, disciplined training, and experience built through battles. If one spews out some nonsense belief while lacking training and battle experience to back them, now that is a corpse.¡¹


    She spoke of her experience in her past life as King Inglis. She worked too much for her kingdom and the people in it that she had no time left to pursue her own strength. Now, after 15 years of hard work, perhaps her current self had far surpassed King Inglis¡¯ strength.


    ¡¸Shut your mouth! I will never allow people like you to have strength!¡¹ ¡¸If so, defeat me and prove yourself. Judging from our previous bout though, that¡¯s impossible, isn¡¯t it?¡¹


    Inglis then openly chuckled as though she was putting airs in front of Cystia.


    ¡¸B?a?s?t?a?r?d?¡­! Don¡¯t say another word¡­!¡¹


    Her provocation was as clear as day, but it seemed to be very effective for the prideful Cystia. She cast a distinct glare filled entirely with the intent of killing Inglis.


    After which, a low hum vibrated through the area as a unique aura sprung forth from Cystia, making her body look hazy. It was as if she was standing in a mirage.


    ¡¸Let¡¯s see if you can take this!¡¹


    Cystia thrust her spear out in front of her even though Inglis was at a considerable distance away from her and was by no means within reach. However, Inglis could see how the spearhead seemed to distort and then, not even a moment later, she sensed the same killing intent behind her!


    ¡¸!?¡¹


    Inglis twisted her body intuitively. The golden spearhead appeared there as though it was chasing after her back, grazing her flank in its rush. Her clothes were torn and blood dripped from a few shallow cuts.


    ¡¸Hmph. You did well evading that.¡¹ ¡¸I see. Now, this is what I expected¡­!¡¹


    A thrust deployed from outside her range suddenly attacked me from behind.She¡¯s able to attack whilst ignoring the space and distance¡­ is that how it is?So this is what it¡¯s like when a Hyrule Menace is serious.It¡¯s pretty dangerous. I could only avoid that one just now mostly by intuition. If she were to attack me consecutively¡­Interesting. I can¡¯t ask for less from an opponent!


    ¡¸You can only laugh for now!¡¹


    Cystia brandished her spear again.


    ¡¸Haa!¡¹


    Without a moment¡¯s delay, Inglis broke into a run at high speed. A beat after, the golden spearhead pierced the floor underneath her as she ran around the church without pause.


    Even if the spear emerged from behind her or under her, as long as she kept moving, she would leave it in the dust. It would be too dangerous for her to stop.


    ¡¸HAAAAAAaaaaa!!¡¹


    DODOODODODON!!!


    Cystia¡¯s ability that ignored distance caused her spear to pierce holes all over the abandoned church while pursuing Inglis. Floors, windows, walls, not a place was left intact, making it resemble a beehive. However, as Inglis ran around at her full speed, Cystia couldn¡¯t deliver a solid blow on her, managing only grazes at most.


    After which¡ª


    ¡¸Take this!!¡¹


    Suddenly, the spearhead emerged in front of Inglis, at the same height as her eyebrows.


    Cystia thought that since attacking from behind or below didn¡¯t work, then she¡¯d just attack her from the front! She wouldn¡¯t be able to just avoid it like this.


    However, this was exactly what Inglis was waiting for!


    ¡¸Here it comeesss!¡¹


    She reached out and grasped the stump of the head. This kind of attack was predictable as long as she kept calm and waited¡­!


    ¡¸Kh¡­ W-, what!?¡¹


    Cystia tried to pull her spear back, but Inglis held it tight and had no intent to let it go.


    ¡¸Now, what will you do¡­!?¡¹


    Said Inglis as she sent a playful glance to Cystia.

 Chapter 37: 15 year old Inglis and the Town Ruled by a Highlander (8)

    When Inglis glanced back at Cystia, the Hyrule Menace was grinning back at her.


    ¡¸You fool! In the end, you¡¯ve only made yourself an easy target!¡¹ ¡¸!?¡¹


    Right when she said that, she whipped out her long, slender legs and Inglis felt a heavy strike on her abdomen. Cystia¡¯s kick had ignored the time and space to strike Inglis too. Not only her spear but her other attacks can ignore the distance too!


    Inglis hadn¡¯t expected that. If her ability extended beyond her weapon then, the moment Inglis blocked her spear, she would be wide open for other attacks. She had been deceived so masterfully! As expected of a Hyrule Menace. 1 Even when she looked like she had lost control of herself, her battle tactics were cunning, leaving no room for error!


    ¡¸Kh¡­!?¡¹


    The kick sent Inglis soaring into the air. This could end up being lethal! Inglis thought in a mild panic. She couldn¡¯t control her movements very well while in mid-air.


    ¡¸Got ya!¡¹


    Without a moment¡¯s delay, Cystia brandished her spear. If she used her ability on the spear now, Inglis certainly wouldn¡¯t be able to avoid getting stabbed. 2


    Time to use that, then!


    ¡¸HAAaaaaaah!¡¹


    A circle of light quickly enveloped Inglis¡¯ body ¡ª a sign that Ether Armor had been activated.


    Immediately afterwards, Cystia¡¯s spear jumped through space and aimed at Inglis¡¯ back. However, that attack couldn¡¯t meet its target. The moment the spearhead nearly touched Inglis¡¯ skin, it was repelled.


    ¡¸Wha-!?¡¹


    The condensed Ether formed a firm barrier that protected Inglis¡¯ body. The strength behind Cystia¡¯s spear was unable to penetrate it.


    ¡¸That shouldn¡¯t be possible!¡¹


    Cystia knew that her only chance at winning was to take advantage of the opening during the time when Inglis was airborne. Even though the barrier kept up its odd resistance, she just kept attacking without stopping. Eventually, Inglis landed and readied herself to attack again after Cystia¡¯s many failed attempts. The moment Inglis¡¯ feet touched the ground, she crouched and dashed off, her figure disappeared as if into thin air.


    ¡¸!?¡¹


    At least, that was how it looked like for Cystia ¡ª Inglis disappeared, leaving only a pale flash of light behind.


    CRAASSSHHH!!


    A sudden impact lifted her entire body! The fiercest impact Cystia had ever experienced in her life just landed on her solar plexus. Before Cystia even noticed what was happening, Inglis had kneed her in the stomach.3


    ¡¸Ah¡­! Uuughh! This is impossible¡­¡¹


    Her legs quivered, unable to support her body any longer, and buckled. The spear fell out of her now powerless hand with a loud clang and rolled on the floor.


    In Inglis¡¯ perspective, all she did was activate Ether Armor to defend against Cystia¡¯s attack, and the moment she landed, she went for the counterattack. But of course, that wasn¡¯t all, the Ether Armor also had the effect of further enhancing Inglis¡¯ physical capabilities and her heightened full speed was far outside the scope of what Cystia could perceive.


    ¡¸¡­It was a good fight. It¡¯s more enjoyable than I ever thought it would be.¡¹


    With a plop, Inglis patted Cystia¡¯s shoulder. Then she gave her a beautiful and refreshing smile as if she was rewarding her for the hard work. At the end of the day, Inglis had no choice but to use Ether. Cystia was a good opponent. She reminded her that she was still lacking strength.


    ¡¸Kuh¡­! If I lose like this, how I can show my face to¡ª¡¹


    It was then¡­


    ¡¸Glis! We¡¯ve apprehended everyone outside! How did it go on your¡ª Ahk¡­.?! Kah¡­. c-, can¡¯t¡­ brea¡­.¡¹


    Rafinha was just coming by to check on the situation before her slim neck was gripped by a hand that emerged from the void, obstructing her airway.


    ¡¸RANI!?¡¹ ¡¸DON¡¯T MOVE!!¡¹


    It was Cystia¡¯s handiwork. 4 She jumped through space to strangle Rafinha.


    ¡¸¡­¡­¡¹ ¡¸I can¡¯t die or get caught in a place like this¡­ If you care about this girl¡¯s life, you¡¯ll let me go!¡¹ ¡¸¡­¡­You are free to your devices. Please, take your leave.¡¹


    Inglis lifted both of her hands, showing that she had no intent to get in her way. Upon seeing it, Cystia picked up her spear and cautiously walked backward towards the building¡¯s backdoor, not daring to show her back to Inglis. Her fluttering gait only showed the magnitude of the damage she suffered.


    ¡¸¡­A word, if I may?¡¹ ¡¸What¡ª¡¹ ¡¸I will gladly take you on however many times you want, I¡¯m fine even if you want to redo it again and again if you think you¡¯re at a disadvantage. I want to fight with you many more times in order to polish my skills and get even stronger. However, if you lay your hands on Rani ever again¡­ consider your life over.¡¹ ¡¸¡­¡­¡¹


    It was just an instant when a terrifying bloodlust flashed through Inglis¡¯ eyes. Seeing it almost had Cystia petrified on the spot. Such a ferocious look and spirit for a young girl. She felt an unfathomable depth from her.


    ¡¸That is all. Have a good day.¡¹


    Suddenly and precipitately, her face turned into an innocent loveable smile, as if she couldn¡¯t even harm a single fly. She just couldn¡¯t comprehend, who was this little girl? To the better of her judgment, Cystia asked.


    ¡¸¡­Give me your name.¡¹ ¡¸I am Inglis Eux.¡¹ ¡¸Mine¡¯s Cystia Rouges. We¡¯ll meet again.¡¹


    As soon as Cystia left the abandoned church, Rafinha was released.


    ¡¸Rani! Are you okay!?¡¹ ¡¸Cough cough¡­! Yeah, I¡¯m fine. Sorry, did I come in at the wrong time?¡¹ ¡¸No, you didn¡¯t. We had just finished when you came in, and it was for the best. Let¡¯s go back? It¡¯s finished outside, right? ¡¹


    Inglis helped Rafinha back to her feet then patted her head gently.


    ¡¸Yeah, I captured everyone. Our reward for this will be great, so we racked a haul for our travel fund, right?¡¹ ¡¸You¡¯re right. I¡¯m satisfied too. It has been a long time since I had such an enjoyable fight after all. Going along with your ideas can be good sometimes, Rani.¡¹ ¡¸Yaaayyy, let¡¯s go back then?¡¹ ¡¸Yeah.¡¹


    The two nodded at each other with a smile.

 Chapter 38: 15 year old Inglis and the Town Ruled by a Highlander (9)

    The next day, the apprehended ex-Knights were taken to the town¡¯s plaza. The residents came out of their homes to watch the execution that was about to take place. This seemed like a logical course of action. After all, they had planned to assassinate the feudal lord.


    ¡¸¡­These are the people we caught. We have to watch until the end.¡¹


    Rafinha said more to herself rather than to Inglis. Although Inglis suspected that, deep down, the younger girl didn¡¯t really want to watch the sword fall.


    Meanwhile, Cyrene was standing in front of everyone, her face blank as the ex-Knights spat at her with disdain and profanities.


    ¡¸I am the one who exiled you. It is no wonder that you hate me¡­ But, you must understand that change was needed. Crushing the weak while at a position of power is a despicable act. It is important to respect each other and treat everyone equally. I wish you had realized that¡­¡¹


    She spoke loudly so as to be heard by everyone present. The residents who were harassed by the previous feudal lord and his knights applauded loudly. The ex-Knights¡¯ reactions varied ¡ª some hid their faces in shame while the others just relentlessly cursed at Cyrene.


    Cyrene watched them silently for a moment before she directed a command at her subordinate Knight.


    ¡¸Please undo their cuffs.¡¹ ¡¸ ¡­EH?! Lady Cyrene, aren¡¯t you going to execute them!?¡¹


    Captain Nacht¡¯s eyes widened in shock and asked. Cyrene only shook her head to show her disapproval. Then she strode to the ex-Knight Commander, Hawker, and knelt before him.


    ¡¸I beg of you, please change your mind and lend me your strength¡­! We can¡¯t abuse our power while living on Midland where Magic Stone Beasts run amok! We have to join hands and fight together! Please, use your power not for yourselves, but for those who are powerless!¡¹


    Cyrene kowtowed right before him, so much that the stigmata on her forehead that marked her as a Highlander brushed the ground. No one could hide their surprise when they saw that a Highlander could go to this length. She was different compared to the Highlanders they had heard from rumors; Highlanders who were so proud that they wouldn¡¯t even consider anyone who lived on Midland as humans. She was¡­ someone they could put their faith into. Inglis could see it when the people started to reconsider their image of her, even the ex-Knights.


    ¡¸So you¡¯re saying you forgive us¡­ ¡¹ ¡¸I¡¯m the one who should ask for forgiveness¡­ I have treated you harshly. If you can¡¯t forgive me, you may leave right now, I won¡¯t stop you. However, please, I ask of you, don¡¯t repeat the same mistake.¡¹


    As though her actions had taken him off his feet, when Hawker approached her, he nearly crumbled to his knees.


    ¡¸Your word is my order¡­! Please, use me however you will it¡­! Oi, b?a?s?t?a?r?d?s?! Get your a?s?s?e?s? over here and join me!¡¹


    With just one command, the ex-Knights started to kneel before Cyrene one after another. The town residents cheered upon seeing the scene. Starting now, this town would begin anew.


    ¡¸AWESSOOMMEEE!! Lady Cyrene¡¯s cool isn¡¯t she!? Right, Glis!?¡¹


    All the while, there was another girl here, jumping around with her eyes gleaming in elation.


    ¡¸Hahaha. She is.¡¹


    Instead of executing them, Cyrene had somehow swayed the former Knights to rejoin the army and, by extension, significantly improved the town¡¯s defense in one big swoop. This was a truly effective method albeit it was a bit too daring for Inglis¡¯ taste, she guessed that it must be due to Cyrene¡¯s youth and enthusiasm. If she was one of Inglis¡¯ vassals from her past life, Cyrene might have been a promising young parliament officer who would gather a lot of attention to her career prospects.


    ¡¸Thank you very much, everyone!¡¹


    Cyrene smiled from the bottom of her heart at everyone around her.


    That night, a feast was held in the castle. Both Inglis and Rafinha stuffed their cheeks. 1 Their action made people around them pull away, but even that wasn¡¯t enough to destroy their appetites.


    After their stomachs had been filled, Cyrene drew near and told them that there was something that she wanted to talk about with them. The three then decided to leave the venue early and enjoy a tea break after dinner in the lord¡¯s private room.


    ¡¸You were really cool, Lady Cyrene! You make me fall head over heel!¡¹ ¡¸Fufufu. It was scary, you know. My knees were trembling. I feel so tired, perhaps because I was so nervous back there.¡¹


    Cyrene then touched her lips lightly to stifle an almost-yawn before she smiled apologetically for her conduct. It was quite an endearing gesture of hers.


    ¡¸That¡¯s worrisome. I put a herb effective for fatigue in today¡¯s tea, so please drink it and relax.¡¹


    Mimosa remarked with a smile as she brewed a pot of tea. She was the woman who took care of Cyrene and the children¡¯s wellbeing.


    ¡¸Thank you, Mimosa. Mmn¡­ Quite a unique taste, but not bad at all. I can feel my body starting to relax. It really takes my fatigue away.¡¹ ¡¸Yeah, it¡¯s very good.¡¹ ¡¸You¡¯re right.¡¹


    Then, after some light banter, Cyrene then leaned forward with heed.


    ¡¸I¡¯m sorry, but there is something I have to talk to you two about¡­ will you follow me?¡¹


    The gentle profile she had up until now took a sudden 90-degree turn, a sign of seriousness flashed across her face.


    ¡¸Hmm? What¡¯s wrong?¡¹ ¡¸What do you want to talk about?¡¹ ¡¸It¡¯s about the matter Inglis asked before¡­¡¹


    About the peculiar flow of mana in this town?


    ¡¸Please, tell us.¡¹


    Inglis was just wondering herself if she should look for the cause on her own, but they also had to continue their travel since they had gathered enough for their travel fund. With the opportunity coming up right now though, she might as well listen to it.


    Cyrene took Inglis and Rafinha outside her private room and led them into a hidden underground passage. It seemed like Cyrene was the only one who was aware of this underground passage as the lord of the castle. There was even a barrier that only allowed Highlanders to pass. Cyrene temporarily lifted the barrier to allow Inglis and Rafinha to pass, then led them further below after putting the barrier back in place.


    Eventually, they reached the end of the passage. There was an open space made with stone paving there, and a magic formation so big it took up the entire space all by itself. The magic formation was structured with complicated and bizarre patterns, closely packed with each other.


    From the dim glow it emitted, Inglis could see that it was absorbing Mana from the surrounding.


    ¡¸What is this¡­? This Magic Formation is absorbing and gathering mana¡­?¡¹


    This must be the cause of the bizarre mana flow in the town. This thing had been hibernating underground and sucking mana from the people.


    ¡¸Lady Cyrene, w-what¡¯s this¡­?¡¹


    Rafinha seemed to be creeped out by this mysterious phenomenon.


    ¡¸This is the seed of a Highland¡¯s nucleus,¡ºLevitation Magic Formation¡». It gathers Mana from the surrounding until it reaches a sufficient amount and then it¡¯ll detach the entire region from the crust and send it floating into the sky. This land will then become a new Highland.¡¹


    Cyrene said, her hand gesturing upwards.


    ¡¸!? So that¡¯s what it is¡­¡¹


    So this is what Cystia, the Hyrule Menace, meant back then when she said, ¡°These bastards are stealing our land¡±At first, I thought she meant by authority, but¡­ To think she meant that they would literally steal towns with living people and bring them to the sky. It¡¯s literally ¡°stealing the lands¡±.


    ¡¸EEH!?!? That means, this town will fly in the sky!? What about everyone who lives here!?¡¹


    Just how would Cyrene answer Rafinha¡¯s question? Inglis carefully waited for the answer. 2

 Chapter 39: 15 year old Inglis and the Town Ruled by a Highlander (10)

    ¡¸Since the newly built Highland would be populated with Highlanders¡­ In the event of its completion, the original residents would either get deported or be turned into slaves for the Highlanders¡­ or, worst-case scenario, the whole town would be razed to the ground by the Highland. That¡¯s what the upper echelons said.¡¹1


    ¡¸Th-, that means, everyone is either expelled, made into slaves, or get killed!? That¡¯s¡­!¡¹ ¡¸Yes. I won¡¯t let them.¡¹


    Cyrene glanced at the ceilings with a serious and determined expression. It almost appeared as if her eyes could see through any barrier and look straight at the Highland.


    ¡¸It doesn¡¯t matter what the higher-ups think, I am with Midland ¡ª I came here to help the people who suffer down here. That is why I won¡¯t allow such a thing to happen. I will negotiate with the higher-ups so that the people who wished to stay will be able to stay, not as slaves, but as freemen. Even if that means they will become Highlanders. And, without fail, I will see everyone soar the sky together!¡¹ ¡¸¡­I-is that possible?¡¹ ¡¸I will make it possible even if that means I will have to fight the entire Highland¡­!¡¹


    A streak of defiance was engraved on her face.


    ¡¸I see, so that¡¯s why you forgave those ex-knights since you need to increase your army strength 2 if it has to come down to that¡­¡¹


    Cyrene nodded at Inglis¡¯ statement.


    ¡¸That¡¯s right¡­ I want to be able to protect this town as soon as possible, in its truest meaning. Until the time the other shoe drops¡ª¡¹ ¡¸Lady Cyrene¡­ Why did you tell us something this important?¡¹ ¡¸¡­Perhaps, I want to be forgiven by someone. The fact that I am here as a Consul, while it is a good thing for the current development, it is a disaster in the making¡­ and there are no two ways about it. And yet, I keep it hidden from everyone and¡­ Even I keep asking myself again and again, is it really okay to continue being like this? That¡¯s why I¡¯m asking the two of you, is it okay for me to stay here¡­? What do you think?¡¹


    Forlornly, Cyrene smiled at them, gazing deeply into their faces.


    ¡¸If you can¡¯t forgive my existence, then I have no regret even if you kill me in the place I stand. My death would trigger the Guardian of the¡ºLevitation Magic Formation¡»as a failsafe, but¡­ I believe the two of you will be able to defeat it and protect everyone in the castle. Once that happens, I¡¯ll leave the rest to you.¡¹


    She unwittingly clenched his fists on her clothes as she took a deep bow. Those fingers were trembling almost imperceptibly.


    ¡¸H-, hey Glis¡­ What do we do¡­?¡¹ 3


    Rafinha asked anxiously.


    ¡¸Rani. Lady Cyrene is asking for your thoughts on this. That¡¯s why you have to think about it for yourself.¡¹ ¡¸Then, what about your thoughts Glis¡­? What do you think we should do, Glis?¡¹ ¡¸Me? I¡¯ll follow your will. After all, I¡¯m your squire, Rani.¡¹ ¡¸EEH!? I have to decide everything by myself!? But that¡¯s not fair¡ª¡¹ ¡¸That is what it means to stand above others, Rani. Make sure to remember the feeling.¡¹


    The life of seeking a great cause and justice was over for Inglis. Such a thing was better left for the youngsters of this age, as they were the ones to bear the future. 4


    In addition, from her investigation back in Ymir, the Sylvair Kingdom ¡ª the fruit of her previous life devoted to her ideal, had vanished from history without so much as a trace.


    She should¡¯ve left the Kingdom in an ideal condition in her past life, and yet people everywhere were suffering again now. The existence of people trampling others, like those of Highlanders, was commonplace.


    If so, that meant that everything that she had fought for before was gone like the wind, reduced to nothing. Just what had she been fighting for? All she could feel was vast emptiness. like every time I forgot to save my documents before closing them">5


    That was why, if history would only repeat itself, then she would rather not intervene with it. She only needed to tread on her own path, devoting herself to her own amusement. That was what she concluded.


    ¡¸Okay, Glis. I understand.¡¹


    Rafinha adopted a composed and serious face with one big inhale. And then, she approached Cyrene and took her hand.


    ¡¸Lady Cyrene¡­ I want to believe in you! After all, I know that your feelings are genuine. Please, take care of the people in this town!¡¹ ¡¸Ms. Rafinha¡­!!¡¹ ¡¸If you need my help when the town is taken to the sky, I will come to your aid¡­! I am on my way to enroll in the Knight School in the Royal Capital, but¡­ I¡¯ll make sure to train and study hard to become a helpful person! After that, please make me a Knight of this town!¡¹


    Her smile was like a sunflower, bringing warmth to anyone who saw it.


    ¡¸T-, thank you¡­! Really, thank you very much, miss Rafinha¡ª!¡¹


    Washed over with gratitude, Cyrene embraced Rafinha tightly which the younger girl returned with just as much gusto. She knew it, the two of them hit it off amazingly. Rafinha might get taken away. Inglis was suddenly hit with a pang of jealousy. 6


    ¡¸It¡¯s okay, right, Glis? It¡¯s something that I thought about and decided for myself, you know?¡¹ ¡¸Yeah, it¡¯s alright. If things go well, we can even fight with the army of the Highland, right?¡¹ ¡¸No, that¡¯s when the things don¡¯t go well!¡¹ 7


    Rafinha retorted to Inglis¡¯ remark.


    And then, after they concluded their conversation in the palace underground, Cyrene retired to her bedroom to sleep while Inglis and Rafinha headed towards the bathhouse.


    Their work had earned them enough for their travel fund. As such, they would depart tomorrow morning. They wanted to enjoy the huge bath for the last time.


    ¡¸Mmm~ That hits the spot ???? I¡¯m so reluctant to part with the bath here.¡¹ ¡¸Next time we¡¯re here will be after we graduate the Knighting School, I guess?¡¹ ¡¸That right~ But, while it was entirely just by chance, it sure is a good thing we dropped in this town, right? After all, now I want to do my best in the school to become an even better Knight than I am now. We¡¯ll get to help Lady Cyrene!¡¹ ¡¸You¡¯re right. That was a lot of fun, and there will be even more fun the next time we come here too!¡¹


    Just thinking of the ¡°fun part¡±, Inglis broke out into an uncontrollable grin.


    ¡¸Really, you¡¯re like a war general trapped inside the body of an angel¡­ Now, should I wash your back?¡¹ ¡¸¡­¡­¡¹ ¡¸Eh, what? You¡¯re putting up guards?¡¹ ¡¸¡­I am. You won¡¯t do things like touching my breasts again, right?¡¹ ¡¸I won¡¯t, I won¡¯t. After all, today your butt¡¯s my target¡ª¡¹ ¡¸You can¡¯t!¡¹


    As they were joking around¡ª


    GOGOGOGOGO¡­! ZUZUZUZUZU¡­¡­!


    Something shook the entire castle. 8

 Chapter 40: 15 year old Inglis and the Town Ruled by a Highlander (11)

    Screams raised all over the castle were heard even from within the bathhouse. Parts of the ceilings fell into the bath with a great splash.


    ¡¸W, WAAAHH!? Wh-what is it, an earthquake¡­!?¡¹ ¡¸Maybe. It sure is big.¡¹


    The two sat beside each other as they watched the situation unfold. Then, after the tremble came to an end, next was¡ª


    ¡¸M-, Magic Stone Beasts! We¡¯ve got Magic Stone Beasts!!¡¹ ¡¸Assemble! Protect the lady!¡¹ ¡¸Women and children, take shelter in the basement now!¡¹


    Concerned shouts began to echo from various sources.


    ¡¸!? Magic Stone Beasts¡­!? Even though there¡¯s no notice from the guard outside the walls¡­!?¡¹ ¡¸Either way, we have to help too! It¡¯ll be a disaster if something happened to Lady Cyrene!¡¹ ¡¸You¡¯re right. Let¡¯s get dressed ASAP.¡¹


    Just as Inglis and Rafinha were readying themselves¡­


    DOONN!!!


    The bathhouse¡¯s roofs were blown away as though it just exploded. Fortunately, the rubble fell in a vacated spot, so they were safe and sound.


    However,


    GYAAAA!!! GIGIGIGIIII!!!


    Rodent Magic Stone Beasts jumped in through the hole on the roofs. Each last of them were bloated to the size of a large feline, large enough to easily kill and devour an adult man. They numbered in ten or so.


    ¡¸¡­Rani. I¡¯ll hold them off here, can you get your Artifact and the clothes?¡¹


    Inglis was reluctant to fight in her birthday suit, but the situation called for it.1


    ¡¸Yeah, got it. Glis.¡¹ ¡¸Here I go, then!¡¹


    Performing her role as the distraction, Inglis advanced towards the enemies. The three closest beasts leaped at her one after the other.


    ¡¸Attacking a woman while she¡¯s taking a bath! You have no manners¡­!¡¹


    She then sped up and closed the gap in an instant. The high kick she delivered sent the foremost of the three flying into the bathhouse¡¯s wall.


    Without losing her momentum, she lowered her leg onto the ground and spun in place. Next, she struck the second incoming beasts with the back of her hand, making sure to send it knocking into the first beast.


    She twisted her body further, executing a back kick to the third beast. The Magic Stone Beast was thrown into the previous two, pinning them all to the wall.


    ¡¸There¡¯s more of me!¡¹


    That wasn¡¯t the end of it. The remaining Magic Stone Beasts were all kicked, punched, and thrown off by Inglis, one after the other, to the exact same spot, piling them up. In the meantime, Rafinha succeeded in withdrawing from the bathhouse.


    By the end of it, every last beast was pinned to the wall in a row.


    ¡¸Hmm¡­¡¹


    Not bad at all. Had any other person witnessed the scene2, they would be slack-jawed, calling it a superhuman feat, but this much was nothing more than a warm-up for Inglis.


    The Magic Stone Beasts had been rendered immobile, but they were not defeated yet. They would start moving again soon enough.


    ¡¸¡­I guess I should do it.¡¹


    This was an emergency, just waiting for Rafinha was wasting enough time.


    Inglis stuck out her index finger. From there, the pale brilliance of Ether began to converge into a small mote of light. She then directed her fingertips toward the squirming row of beasts.


    ¡¸Go!¡¹


    Pshoo!


    A thin ray made of Ether flashed from her fingertips and penetrated the magic beasts all at once, right through the wall, then disappeared into the night sky.


    Every single Magic Stone Beasts spasmed all at once and before long, they stopped moving altogether.


    Should Inglis dub this technique Ether Pierce? The principle of this attack was to condense Ether and focus on its power to penetrate.


    Each and every battle technique that involved Ether would always pack a tremendous amount of firepower and cover a wide area, so to micromanage them was a difficult task. Amongst those battle techniques, Ether Pierce was controlled to have small firepower and area of attack, it was categorized as a comparatively small technique in her book. Its energy consumption was on the smaller side as well.


    However, being able to manipulate small tricks using Ether was proof that her mastery over it had considerably improved. This level of mastery was unachievable in her previous life as King Inglis. In a way, it could be said that this was evidence that she had reborn and surpassed her previous strength. She was ecstatic the first time that she managed to pull the trick off.


    ¡¸Sorry for the wait, Glis! Wait, you¡¯re done already! So fast!? There¡¯s nothing left for me now.¡¹ ¡¸It¡¯s alright. There are still more, this is just the beginning. Come on, let¡¯s change already.¡¹ ¡¸You¡¯re right.¡¹


    The two hastily put their attires on and then kicked off the bathhouse¡¯s wall to get an extra boost for them to exit through the ceilings.


    Then, as they laid their eyes on the scenery below, they witnessed a large Magic Stone Beast sitting on the courtyard. In its vicinity were Knights who had fallen victim to it, collapsed in a pool of their own blood.


    That Magic Stone Beast was a humanoid one.


    There were wings on its back and bulges on its chest, indicating that it was once a female before.


    And, on its forehead was a stigmata, the symbol of a Highlander.


    ¡¸!? No way¡ª!¡¹ ¡¸I-, impossible¡­ that¡¯s Lady Cyrene¡­!?¡¹


    With her voice trembling with shock, Rafinha called her name. 3

 Chapter 41: 15 year old Inglis and the Town Ruled by a Highlander (12)

    Cyrene who had completely transformed into a Magic Stone Beast raised her hand overhead, on her palm was a lump resembling a gem bulging out. From the gem, a flash of white light gushed out. When the light hit the nearby wall, the wall visibly turned red and disintegrated, as if it was burned instantaneously. Inglis assumed that it must be a heat ray of fairly high heat.


    Cyrene unleashed it in every direction, trying to engulf the whole castle in flames. The Knights who tried to stop her would only get inevitably swallowed into the light. If this continued on!


    ¡¸¡­Lady Cyrene has become a Magic Stone Beast! Don¡¯t tell me¡­!¡¹


    As Inglis tried to look for the cause, she was reminded of a similar event in the past. Three years ago, the incident where the former Holy Knight Leon turned Rahal into a Magic Stone Beast.


    If she recalled correctly, it was due to a secret drug by the name of Prism Powder. Using that, Leon turned Rahal into a Magic Stone Beast.


    Did the same thing happen here as it did back then? Leon confessed that he received the drug from the Ironblood Chain Brigade, an anti-Highlander guerilla organization.


    ¡¸Is this the Ironblood Chain Brigade¡¯s doing¡­?¡¹ ¡¸Just like what Mr. Leon did to Rahal¡­!?¡¹ ¡¸Yeah, maybe. But, when did¡­¡¹


    At this particular time, Inglis¡¯ ear caught the echo of a woman laughing in the courtyard below.


    ¡¸AHAHAHAHAHA!! EAT S?H?I?T?!! YALL HIGHLANDERS SHOULD GO DIE IN HELL! MY SON WAS KILLED BY YOU PIGHEADS! I¡¯LL NEVER EVER EVER EVER F?U?C?K?I?N?G? FORGIVE YOU ALL!! GO F?U?C?K?I?N?G? ROT IN HELLL!!!!!¡¹


    The one who raised such a frenzied shout was¡­


    ¡¸Miss Mimosa¡­!?¡¹ ¡¸No way, that person did this to Lady Cyrene¡­!?¡¹


    She¡¯s the mole from Ironblood Chain Brigade?


    ¡¸That means¡­! The tea Miss Mimosa poured us, there was Prism Powder in it¡­¡¹ ¡¸EEEEHH!?!?¡¹


    Leon had claimed that Prism Powder had no effect on Midlanders1, Inglis and Rafinha were proof of that.


    The credulous Cyrene had Mimosa right by her side, ignorant of her true intent. No, even if Cyrene was aware of the danger, she was a woman with deep insight. Perhaps, despite being aware of Mimosa¡¯s misgivings, Cyrene deliberately placed her nearby in order to unravel her heart. She probably believed that she would surely understand her.


    In the end, she was too naive for her own good. And this was how it backfired at her.


    ¡¸AHHAHAHAHAHA!!!!¡¹


    Cyrene¡¯s heat ray eventually moved towards Mimosa who was still lost in her laughter. It burned Mimosa¡¯s upper body into cinders, leaving her waist below in her place. And thus, her life came to an unexpected end.


    ¡¸Wh-, why would she do that¡­!? And she even died because of it¡ª just what is the meaning behind¡­!?¡¹


    Rafinha bellowed, eyes flooded with tears.


    ¡¸I¡¯m sure there is no logic behind it¡­ Grudges never disappear that simply.¡¹ ¡¸But Lady Cyrene wasn¡¯t the one who did it!?¡¹ ¡¸Yeah¡­ I¡¯m sure her grudge was against every Highlander¡­ ¡¹ ¡¸But that¡¯s fruitless! It¡¯s wrong!2 ¡¹ ¡¸¡­At any rate, we have to stop Lady Cyrene! I¡¯ll hold her off, you defeat the other Magic Stone Beasts, Rani!¡¹ ¡¸Y, yeah¡­! Hey, Glis, anything¡­ can you think of anything to save her?! Please! ¡¹ ¡¸Yeah¡­ I¡¯ll do what I can. Let¡¯s go.¡¹ 3


    The two descended towards the courtyard, jumping from roof to roof.


    ¡¸Everyone, please escape! We¡¯ll take over from here!¡¹


    Inglis slipped in front of the transformed Cyrene as she shouted.


    ¡¸The Knights too, don¡¯t mind us and run!¡¹


    Rafinha fired her light arrows at other Magic Stone Beasts as she instructed the knights. These beasts were probably rats that lived in the castle before they were exposed to Prism Powder. The remaining beasts weren¡¯t that large in number. It would be alright to leave them to Rafinha.


    OOOOoooo¡ª


    Cyrene turned her palm towards Inglis, raising a wail that sounded as though she was in grief and agony. 4


    Rather than poorly trying to avoid it, Inglis stayed in place. After all, she couldn¡¯t imagine just where the heat ray would hit should she avoid it. She had to receive and repel it by herself in order to minimize the damage.


    ¡¸HAAaa!¡¹


    Inglis activated Ether Armor. Her body was veiled with the pale brilliance of ether. Just as the Ether completely surrounded her body, Cyrene¡¯s heat ray manifested before Inglis.


    ¡¸Please, stop!¡¹


    Inglis slammed her fist at the incoming heat ray, the power was enough to change its trajectory skywards. 5


    Obviously, receiving that attack barehanded would have led to injury but the armor of condensed Ether remained intact. This happened again for the second time, and then the third time. Each heat ray Cyrene shot at Inglis ended up vanishing in the night sky.


    OOooo!


    This time, Cyrene aimed at the trees and walls instead of directly at Inglis. She¡¯s trying to attack me indirectly with flying rubbles and falling trees, huh.


    ¡¸I won¡¯t allow you!¡¹


    Right before the ray hit, Inglis moved to intercept them.


    ¡¸Lady Cyrene! If you can hear my voice, please stop yourself!¡¹


    However, Cyrene shot the rays into multiple directions this time.


    ¡¸¡ª¡ª! HAAAAaaaaa!!¡¹


    And yet, Inglis bounced off all those innumerable shots as well. Her movement was paranormally fast, and so elegant she looked like she was dancing with the night sky as the backdrop. Those who witnessed her, all saw her as a beautiful goddess dancing in the moonlight.


    They should¡¯ve run, and yet their feet refused to take another step. 6


    ¡¸I-, incredible! Just how incredible is she¡­¡¹ ¡¸She¡¯s moving so fast that it looks like she¡¯s everywhere at once¡­!¡¹ ¡¸H, how pretty¡­ Am I dreaming right now!? ¡¹7


    Just one glance at her urged them to watch more, endlessly more.


    ¡¸It¡¯s no time to be watching! Run away now!¡¹


    Inglis gave them a prompt warning before she immediately returned her attention to Cyrene. It was at this point in time that Inglis spotted a golden spear piercing Cyrene¡¯s shoulder for a short moment before it vanished.


    A pretty woman with red, long hair, Cystia the Hyrule Menace, was advancing towards the scene, attacking with her spear and her space distortion ability.

 Chapter 42: 15 year old Inglis and the Town Ruled by a Highlander (13)

    OOOoooo!


    Cyrene raised a shriek full of anguish from Cystia¡¯s attack. Bodily fluids in the color of purple gushed out from the deeply pierced spear wound.


    ¡¸Drop dead!¡¹ ¡¸NO!! Please stop!¡¹


    Just as Cystia was about to deliver consecutive thrusts, Inglis rushed in, forcing her way through. She rushed her to the nearby wall and pinned her back to it strongly.


    ¡¸Kgh¡­! Don¡¯t get in my way, b?a?s?t?a?r?d?! I have no intention to fight you now! That gotta be defeated fast before more damage is done!¡¹ ¡¸You are with the Ironblood Chain Brigade, aren¡¯t you?¡¹ ¡¸So what of it¡­?¡¹ ¡¸¡­If only I killed you back then!¡¹


    Should I do it now?1 Thought Inglis, clasping her fist tightly. When suddenly, another voice sounded out from behind her.


    ¡¸You¡¯re wrong, it wouldn¡¯t change anything either way. My comrades have Prism Powder with them at all times. Comrade Mimosa had brought her own.¡¹ 2


    Since when did he get behind me? She only then realized that there was a black gloved-hand grasping her own fist, as though trying to halt it.


    ¡¸¡­¡­!?¡¹ ¡¸Because our plan to ambush her by manipulating the ex-Knights had failed, Comrade Mimosa made her move. She didn¡¯t even ensure her own safety. I respect her to no end for it.¡¹ ¡¸Who are you!?¡¹


    He was a strange man, sporting a black mask concealing his face, draped in a black outfit, completed with a cloak. Inglis could only tell he was a male from his stature and voice. However, she felt a hint of familiarity from the muffled voice he uttered 3.


    ¡¸I am one who leads the Ironblood Chain Brigade. As I have no name, you may call me however you wish. I hastened myself here in order to protect this land.¡¹


    The masked man seemed to have no intention of naming himself 4.


    ¡¸Even though you¡¯re the one who made it happen?¡¹ ¡¸Precisely why. We indeed eliminate the Highlander, but the people of this region bear no sin. We can¡¯t have them be injured.¡¹ ¡¸I won¡¯t let anyone get injured, neither the people nor Lady Cyrene.¡¹ ¡¸There is no way to reverse the transformation. What are you even saying?¡¹ ¡¸¡­I am thinking up one now. Don¡¯t get in my way.¡¹ ¡¸Like hell we¡¯ll play by your rules!¡¹


    Cystia made a beeline towards Cyrene.


    ¡¸I won¡¯t allow you!¡¹


    Inglis went after her. However, she was stopped in her tracks by the black-masked man.


    ¡¸Get away!¡¹


    Without a moment¡¯s delay, Inglis threw her fist at him. It was a blow with Ether Armor activated. The blow packed more than enough power to render even a Hyrule Menace immobile but¡­


    KERCHLAANK!!


    The black-masked man¡¯s hand stopped Inglis¡¯ fist, reverberating an earth-shattering noise as a result.


    ¡¸WH-!?¡¹ ¡¸Kgh¡­! What a heavy punch¡­!¡¹


    All her punch had managed to do was push his hand back a little. There wasn¡¯t a single person who could properly receive Inglis¡¯ punch when her strength was enhanced with Ether Armor, up until now.


    The world was vast. There were still people like this. How fantastic. How very interesting. Her warrior instinct yelled at her to fight with this person to her heart¡¯s content¡­ But, now, she had to stop Cystia! 5


    ¡¸Get away!¡¹ ¡¸I¡¯m sorry, but I can¡¯t let you go!¡¹


    Black Mask overpowered Inglis¡¯ fierce consecutive hits by devoting himself in defense. All he needed to do was to distract her. He knew that full well and fought accordingly.


    In the meantime, Cystia had made her way closer to Cyrene.


    ¡¸Got y¡­!? Kgh!?¡¹


    Before Cystia could even deliver an attack, she had to quickly dodge out of the way as arrows of light chased after her.


    ¡¸I won¡¯t let you do it! Lady Cyrene is our friend!¡¹


    Rafinha had shot repeatedly at the Hyrule Menace. Her arrows of light exploded into numerous smaller arrows in rapid succession so as to hinder Cystia from drawing any closer.


    ¡¸Then I¡¯ll start with you!¡¹


    Cystia diverted her attention and focused on Rafinha. 6


    It was then when¡­


    ¡¸L-, lady Cyrenee!¡¹ ¡¸Lady Cyrene, are you alright!?¡¹ ¡¸Are you hurt¡­? Are you in pain¡­?¡¹


    Rino, Mayumi, Chiko. The three endearing girls Cyrene took under her care. So they haven¡¯t evacuated!! They seemed to recognize this Magic Stone Beast as Cyrene, as they were getting closer to her out of worry.


    Cyrene only thrust her jewel embedded palm at them, and it began to glow.


    ¡¸Rino, Mayumi, Chiko! Run!¡¹


    Rafinha shrieked.


    ¡¸Oh no¡­! Stop it, Cystia!¡¹ ¡¸Sir!¡¹


    Even with her full speed, Cystia wouldn¡¯t make it in time.


    And Cyrene suddenly redirected her palm towards herself right before the ray was shot.


    ¡¸Ah¡­!¡¹


    That conduct alone said it all. Faint as it might be, Cyrene still had her some of her own consciousness left. She would put the children before herself, as long as the children were safe, she would even end her own life.


    Her choice of action only spoke of the truth; that her desire to be of help to the Midlander was by no means a lie. She thought and spoke too much of an idealism that Inglis even doubted that Cyrene had any hidden side to her.


    Precisely because she is this kind of person, I can¡¯t let her get killed here¡­!


    ¡¸Ether Pierce!¡¹ 7


    A ray of Ether was released from Inglis¡¯ fingertips, hitting Cyrene¡¯s palm and redirecting the heat ray to the sky.


    ¡¸Phew¡­! Okay!¡¹ ¡¸You¡¯re great, Glis!¡¹ ¡¸The hell are you doing, b?a?s?t?a?r?d?!? That thing¡¯s already choosing death by itself! Noble conduct; yet you didn¡¯t let it finish itself!¡¹


    Cystia spoke ill of what Inglis just did. However, even if she ignored what Cystia said, Inglis didn¡¯t know any method of saving Cyrene.


    She knew, however, that she would definitely regret it had she let Cyrene die just like that. Inglis also worried about how Rafinha would recover from it.


    They had replenished their travel fund, they were going to continue their fun trip, feasting on meals all the while. Inglis had been looking forward to visiting the town of Arlman, where the carcass of a Prisma was encased in ice. If she had let Cyrene die just like that, this fun trip would no longer be fun.


    Thinking along those lines, one thing popped in her mind.


    That¡¯s right¡­ if I can get her away from here, maybe I can do it!


    ¡¸I have a proposal! Just for a little while, please draw Lady Cyrene¡¯s attention without hurting her! There¡¯s something I want to try! If that doesn¡¯t work, then I won¡¯t bother you people again! What do you think?¡¹


    Inglis said to Black Mask and Cystia.

 Chapter 43: 15 year old Inglis and the Town Ruled by a Highlander (14)

    ¡¸Did you think such a selfish¡ª¡¹ ¡¸Hold, Cystia. Hmm¡­ We have a deal, then. Regardless of the outcome, I only wish for the two of you to leave this town as soon as possible. We will destroy the ¡ºLevitation Magic Formation¡», but it will be a problem if you two were to intervene.¡¹


    Black Mask commanded Cystia before he gave his answer.


    ¡¸¡­Understood. Although, it is regretful that I couldn¡¯t continue my fight with you.¡¹ ¡¸Hum¡­ You¡¯ll have to excuse me for that as well. I rather fight alongside you as comrades rather than enemies. Off you go, then. Cystia! Draw its attention without harming it!¡¹ ¡¸Yes!¡¹


    It appeared that Cystia took Black Mask¡¯s words as absolute, easily obeying him and carrying out Inglis¡¯ plan. With this, Cyrene would be fine for the time being.


    ¡¸Glis! What are you going to do¡­!? Is there something I can help with?¡¹ ¡¸It¡¯s alright. You¡¯ve helped a lot already.¡¹ ¡¸What do you mean?¡¹ ¡¸You¡¯ll understand soon enough. I¡¯ll do something to stop Lady Cyrene, okay?¡¹ ¡¸Yeah¡­! Please, Glis!¡¹ ¡¸Here I go then!¡¹


    Inglis closed her eyes and controlled her breathing. After which, she began to convert Ether into mana, which she had occasionally done as a show of strength.


    However, the difference was, unlike before, she was now using everything she had. Every last drop of Ether she had, she converted them into Mana!


    ¡¸HAAAAAAA!!!¡¹


    If she unleashed the mana in its current raw state, it would only dissipate into thin air, a huge waste, which she obviously wouldn¡¯t be doing so. Inglis immediately felt the intense strain of fatigue, but she continued on to the next phase, mana manipulation.


    Runes were an auxiliary system to help people that couldn¡¯t perceive mana by redirecting the flow of mana into their hand. Artifacts would then receive the mana and could execute various battle prowess similar to the sorcery of the past era. If one could reproduce the same mana flow that happened during that process, the same phenomenon would be produced.


    At the age of 12, Inglis had managed to convert Ether into Mana. For the past three years, Inglis had been practicing to see if she could efficiently utilize the converted mana.


    Manipulating Ether was a herculean task, and trying to control two instances of Ether at once was nearly impossible for Inglis. In short, she couldn¡¯t launch Ether Strike while cladding herself in Ether Armor.


    On the other hand, while Mana was weaker compared to Ether, manipulating it was easier. Perhaps manipulating converted Mana alongside Ether techniques was feasible. And if it was, then one could theoretically increase their maximum strength for a short time, this was only in theory though.


    Inglis had been watching closely whenever Rafinha used her Artifact, memorizing the arrangements of Mana and its flow pattern. And, until she could reproduce it by herself, she practiced just that, time and again. It took her almost two years until her practice took shape for the first time.


    As the mana flow within Low-Grade Artifacts was simpler compared to the rest, Inglis took it upon herself to operate Low-Grade Artifacts and learned the mana flow from there. Now, she could reproduce up to a Middle-Grade Artifact¡¯s functionality on her own. Middle-Grade Artifacts didn¡¯t have supernatural phenomena such as the Gifts, but they could shoot fire, produce ice, and other kinds of Elemental Sorcery.


    When Inglis opened her eyes, she had finished molding the Mana into shape. All she had to do now was convert all the Ether she had into Mana!


    ¡¸FREEEZZZEEEE!!!¡¹


    SHRRRRKKK!


    Ice, radiating a blast of cold wind, began to materialize around Cyrene¡¯s feet. Within just a moment, it completely encased her, containing her within the cold prison. Its appearance was like an iceberg that suddenly appeared out of nowhere.


    ¡¸Phew¡­ I guess it went well.¡¹


    Inglis exhaled at her fatigue. Mana was weaker compared to Ether, and it was far more inefficient. Almost all of her vitality was drained in order to produce a pillar of ice at such an amount.


    ¡¸A-, awesome¡­! Such an enormous pillar of ice¡­!¡¹ ¡¸¡­What a tremendous scale.¡¹


    Rafinha and Cystia voiced their astonishments.


    ¡¸Very well done of you to pull this off with something as weak as Mana.¡¹


    Black Mask also seemed to be impressed, judging by his word choices.


    ¡¸H-, hey Glis, it¡¯s true that she¡¯s calm now, but¡­ is Lady Cyrene okay like that?¡¹ ¡¸She has the life force of a Magic Stone beast, after all. She¡¯ll be fine once it melts. Let¡¯s bring Lady Cyrene away like this. Anywhere but here. We have to get her away first.¡¹ ¡¸C-, can we really bring her with us? She¡¯s huge!¡¹ ¡¸We have to. Give me a moment to rest, I¡¯ll carry her on my back after¡ª¡¹ ¡¸But you won¡¯t be able to move freely if so, will you? We wish to have you leave the town as soon as possible.¡¹ ¡¸There is no helping it. Bear with me, will you?¡¹ ¡¸Pardon me. I didn¡¯t mean to berate you. I¡¯m merely suggesting that I can make it easier to be transported.¡¹ ¡¸? What do you mean?¡¹ ¡¸Just you watch.¡¹


    Black Mask said and then drew closer to the Ice Pillar Inglis created, touching it with his hand.

 Chapter 44: 15 year old Inglis and the Town Ruled by a Highlander (15)

    Where Black Mask¡¯s hand and the Ice Pillar met, a pale instance of light rose, imitating smoke. And it kept puffing, raising into the sky, dispersing without traces. That light was¡ª


    ¡¸Ether¡­!¡¹


    It was the first time Inglis had seen another person manipulating Ether. Then, is this man a Divine Knight too?However, a blessing from the Gods is indispensable in the baptism to become a Divine Knight.If so, then Gods still exist somewhere in this world?


    Inglis couldn¡¯t feel the presence of the Gods in this world after her reincarnation, she had tried to find them for a long time now. The Goddess that had baptized Inglis to become a Divine Knight and gave her the chance to live her second life was Alistair, yet, Inglis couldn¡¯t feel her or the other Gods anymore.


    Divine Knights were demigods. When they focused their mind, they could feel the presence of the Gods, watching over the world with affection, but now, that presence was gone. Have they permitted the people to live independently, or have they chosen to forsake us?


    Inglis hadn¡¯t an answer to that question, but with the existence of another Divine Knight in front of her, she knew that there was some ordeal outside of her knowledge. That was one definite answer she had.


    In addition, Black Mask¡¯s manipulation of Ether was completely foreign to her. It only spoke of the finesse of his mastery over Ether.


    ¡¸By disassembling the Ether that made up its body without disturbing the composition ratio, just like so, its shape will be preserved, and¡­ ¡¹


    As he finished speaking, the fume of pale Ether light suddenly increased explosively. Afterward, a change was happening to the frozen Cyrene. Just like what he said, the ice pillar¡¯s shape was maintained while its size kept getting smaller.


    ¡¸Wah! Wah! She became so small!¡¹ ¡¸¡­! Incredible!¡¹


    It was a method of Ether manipulation that Inglis herself couldn¡¯t begin to imagine. Instead of manipulating one¡¯s own Ether, he reduced the amount of Ether that dwelled in other objects, like the Magic Stone Beast and the Ice Pillar that encased it. It wasn¡¯t something he could half-a?s?s? either, this required a rather delicate operation that would maintain their original shape to the T. It was a formidable feat that couldn¡¯t be done unless one was adept in the complex composition of Ether in living beings.


    Eventually, all that was left was a palm-sized block of ice near Black Mask¡¯s feet, and the transformed Cyrene that was trapped in it. Black Mask picked it up then approached Inglis to pass it on.


    ¡¸This should make it easier to carry. What I did was disperse the Ether that made up its body, so reverting to its previous size would be nigh impossible. Meaning that it won¡¯t somehow revert back and go on a rampage.¡¹ ¡¸¡­Forgive me if I¡¯m being presumptuous, but to be honest, I am surprised. I never thought that Ether could be used that way.¡¹ ¡¸It is hard to accomplish unless the target¡¯s Ether stopped, being completely still. It¡¯s all because you encased it in a pillar of ice.¡¹ ¡¸¡­How vexing. The current me could never do such a thing.¡¹ ¡¸The difference lies in the quality of our power. You are gifted with overwhelming strength, I am with my techniques. I¡¯m not a powerhouse like you.¡¹ ¡¸I want to hone both my power and my techniques all the same!¡¹ ¡¸Fufu. How very obstinate. Off you go, then. I bet you didn¡¯t expect a guerilla organization would hold up their end of a promise, did you?¡¹ ¡¸¡­But the people in the castle and the residents¡ª¡¹ ¡¸Be at ease, we won¡¯t hurt them. We will make sure to protect them. Our enemies are Highlanders alone.¡¹ ¡¸Understood.¡¹ ¡¸Well, then. Let us meet again.¡¹ ¡¸As opponents, gladly.¡¹


    Inglis shot a sharp glance towards Black Mask.


    ¡¸For a girl with the appearance of an angel, she is fearsome¡­¡¹


    As expected, even Black Mask was perplexed by Inglis.


    ¡¸Let¡¯s go, Rani? We have to melt the ice soon.¡¹ ¡¸Yeah! G-, goodbye¡­!¡¹


    Rafinha gave a small bow towards Black Mask and Cystia before she ran after Inglis.


    These people made Cyrene drink Prism Powder in the first place, Rafinha shouldn¡¯t have any reason to give them any courtesy. It only showed how relieved Rafinha was since Cyrene was ultimately not killed, albeit even if that meant becoming an icicle.


    ¡ô¡ó¡ô


    After that¡­


    After leaving the town Nova behind them, Inglis and Rafinha continued their journey towards the capital. By now, they were just a few hours away from the town of Arlman, the town where the carcass of a Prisma was encased in ice.


    splash¡ª¡ª splash¡ª¡ª


    Raindrops fell on the tip of Inglis¡¯ nose while she was sitting on the coach¡¯s seat.


    ¡¸Ah, it¡¯s raining.¡¹


    Fortunately, it wasn¡¯t Prism Flow, just regular rain. However, nobody could tell when the rain would turn into Prism Flow. As such, it was best to seek shelter as soon as rain fell.


    ¡¸Sure is! Let¡¯s take shelter, Glis!¡¹ ¡¸Yeah. Let¡¯s move under that tree.¡¹


    Inglis led the wagon towards the shelter of a large tree.


    ¡¸An obstacle so soon¡­ Even though I want to reach Arlman as fast as possible.¡¹ ¡¸There¡¯s no other way. Let¡¯s take our time. There¡¯s still time until the Knighting School¡¯s entrance ceremony, after all.¡¹


    Rafinha sprawled her body out on the coach¡¯s seat.


    ¡¸Why don¡¯t we get in and put on some blankets? You¡¯ll get a cold otherwise.¡¹


    Just after saying that, some squirming movements were evident from Inglis¡¯ clothes in her chest area. The one that popped out from her cleavage was the small figure of Cyrene, a mini Magic Stone Beast.


    Cyrene, after being shrunk by Black Mask, was mobile as soon as the ice was thawed. She was adorable in her palm-sized figure, but she was still a Magic Stone Beast. She couldn¡¯t talk and her temperament was fundamentally aggressive, but she gradually got used to her new circumstances, as she seemed to recognize both Inglis and Rafinha. 1 After traveling together for some time, she had now become something akin to a pet to them. The two called her Rene, taken from the last two syllables of Cyrene¡¯s name. 2


    Although, the only troublesome part of the whole ordeal was that Rene¡¯s favorite spot was Inglis¡¯ cleavage. Rafinha¡¯s chest was too modest for Rene¡¯s taste, so she would always snuggle in Inglis¡¯ whenever she wanted to be enveloped by cleavages. lesbian vibes">3


    ¡¸R-, Rene. Don¡¯t move around so much, you¡¯re tickling me¡­¡¹


    After showing an adorable gesture of tilting her neck in confusion, Rene dived in again. And then¡ª


    Squirm squirm squirm squirm!


    She rustled around even more than before!


    ¡¸Hyaah!? Ah, I said you can¡¯t, Rene¡­! Hey Rani, stop Rene for me!¡¹ ¡¸Hmm? I wouldn¡¯t mind letting her do it to me instead, but mine aren¡¯t enough, you see. Well, hang in there, Glis.¡¹ ¡¸How cruel!¡¹


    Rafinha just squinted away, watching the development. After a while, Rafinha let out a big sigh when Rene finally held still.


    ¡¸What¡¯s wrong, Rani?¡¹ ¡¸Hey, Glis. Rene, you see, she¡¯s a really good person when she was Lady Cyrene, right?¡¹ ¡¸You¡¯re right.¡¹ ¡¸But the Highland¡¯s big shots wanted to make that town fly in the sky, right?¡¹ ¡¸Yeah. Lady Cyrene wanted to stop them, however.¡¹ ¡¸And, you see, the Ironblood Chain Brigade people also said that they did what they did to protect the townspeople, didn¡¯t they?¡¹ ¡¸You¡¯re right, they said they would destroy the ¡ºLevitation Magic Formation¡» too¡­ ¡¹ ¡¸In the end, I don¡¯t know what is right or wrong. It¡¯s, like, things don¡¯t make sense in my heart¡­¡¹ ¡¸Rani, you¡¯re in puberty, aren¡¯t you? 4¡¹ ¡¸No, can you say this is puberty? I feel like it¡¯s not¡­ Glis, you don¡¯t feel bothered by it?¡¹ ¡¸Yeah. I¡¯m not thinking about it, after all. Since all I have in my mind is how to make myself stronger, such a thing doesn¡¯t bother me, you know? Why don¡¯t you try the same, Rani?¡¹ ¡¸Ahahaha¡­ that¡¯s very you, Glis. I¡¯ll have to decline.¡¹ ¡¸Think a lot, worry a lot. I¡¯ll always be by your side.¡¹


    As Rafinha threw herself down on the wagon¡¯s floor, Inglis ran her hand through her hair and caressed it.


    ¡¸Yeah. Thank you.¡¹


    As their sober moment sheltering from the rain let up, Inglis and her group reached the town of Arlman.

 Chapter 45: 15 year old Inglis and the Frozen Prisma

    Standing proud at the center of Arlman was an enormous cathedral, its sheer size alone put any castle to shame. And the frozen body of the Prisma was enshrined within the cathedral.


    Strictly speaking, even though they managed to defeat the strongest Magic Stone Beast Prisma, they couldn¡¯t move it anywhere else or process it in any manner. Thus instead, the people built the cathedral around the carcass and stationed forces to guard it, along with establishing a town in the vicinity for the soldiers¡¯ lodgings. Apparently, that was how the town came to be. Obviously, the cathedral¡¯s security was as tight as can be, and one could only enter under special circumstances.


    Rafinha was the daughter of Marquis Wilford and the little sister of the Capital¡¯s overachiever Holy Knight Raphael, she was amongst the people who had permission to enter. Inglis was allowed to come with, as her entourage.


    ¡¸Uwaah¡­ So that¡¯s Prisma. It looks so strong¡­!¡¹


    Both Rahal and Cyrene were huge when they had been transformed, but the creature in front of them was a couple of times, no, ten times larger than that. It was a giant bird with beautiful prism-colored glittery wings. The cathedral itself was pretty enormous, but once the two stepped inside, they could see a huge shaft in the middle of it and the upper half of Prisma protruding out of said shaft. The enormous figure that was seen on the surface was just the tip of the iceberg, quite literally.


    There were visible injuries on the creature¡¯s wings, feet, and various other parts. But, questionably, Inglis could feel some kind of mysterious surges of energy swirling within the ice prison. By chance, perhaps this creature hadn¡¯t been completely vanquished yet, but she couldn¡¯t be certain since she had never seen a living Prisma.


    ¡¸Geez, Glis. Don¡¯t stare at it with your eyes glittering. You¡¯ll be seen as a weird kid, you know?¡¹


    Fundamentally, the people allowed to enter the cathedral were those of higher standings, such as the High-Grade Knights, high ranking nobles, and administrative officials. The purpose was to instill the fear of Prisma to those people so they could brace themselves for the threat of Magic Stone Beasts. Therefore, people who witnessed this figure would usually look at it with fearful faces. That was how it was supposed to be.


    However, Inglis was peering up at it with her glittering eyes as though she was admiring pretty dresses or accessories. As far as reactions went, hers was definitely out of the norm. She might even alert the Knights who were on patrol.


    ¡¸Aah, how dreamy¡­ I want to fight it¡­ I wonder if it will move again if I thaw the ice, like what happened with Rene.¡¹ 1


    The aforementioned creature was apparently instinctually terrified of Prisma, she was hiding inside Inglis¡¯ cleavage with only her eyes peeking out. 2


    ¡¸I¡¯m telling you no, Glis¡­! This is the most important ward, don¡¯t say anything weird or we¡¯ll get arrested¡­!¡¹ ¡¸But, but, you see. Even though it¡¯s indeed frozen, I feel some kind of power surging out, you know? Maybe it¡¯s not dead yet. That¡¯s why I think it¡¯s better if we let it out and deal with it completely. I wonder if they¡¯ll let me do it.¡¹ ¡¸Geez, Glis, I¡¯m telling you¡­!¡¹ ¡¸Hey, you two!¡¹


    A Knight, part of the Cathedral¡¯s security, called out to them.


    ¡¸Hieek!? Ahahaha¡­ it¡¯s nothing! This girl has some loose screws, you see. Look, she¡¯s cute, right? But she¡¯s just a liiittle bit weird, you see? But, it¡¯s okay, I¡¯ll make sure to keep my eyes on her!¡¹


    The male knight shook his head when Rafinha forced a smile, trying to pull wool over his eyes.


    ¡¸No, I don¡¯t even know what you¡¯re talking about¡ª wait, not that! Currently, there are Magic Stone Beasts all over the town! It¡¯s very dangerous, so please don¡¯t go out of the cathedral until the commotion is settled. The security here is tight, so it¡¯s safer in here¡­¡¹ ¡¸Magic Stone Beasts? Just right when I was starting to get antsy!¡¹


    Inglis broke into a grin and started to run towards the exit. What a perfect timing, she was thirsty for action after seeing Prisma. Normal Magic Stone Beasts couldn¡¯t possibly match a Prisma, but she¡¯d have them to quench her thirst for battle.


    ¡¸O-, oi, you!¡¹


    The Knight that went to notify them tried to stop Inglis, but of course, his warning fell on deaf ears.


    ¡¸Aaah, geez, Glis! It¡¯s rare to see you this frantic¡­ But, I¡¯ll come along!¡¹


    Some lives could be saved if the two of them jumped into the fray. There¡¯s also the fact that Rafinha¡¯s sense of justice wouldn¡¯t let her stay still in a safe place.


    ¡¸We¡¯re sorry, we¡¯ll jump in! Thank you for the notice!¡¹


    After giving a simple bow, Rafinha went after Inglis.


    The scene that laid before Inglis as she stepped outside was an infestation of a large number of Magic Stone Beasts all over the town. There were a lot of beasts that seemed to originate from birds, flying over the sky and perching on roofs here and there.


    However, the number of Knights that went to subjugate them wasn¡¯t low either. The town was originally a station to watch over the carcass of a Prisma, after all. They had more than enough forces to deploy.


    Now, where should I start? Inglis scanned the perimeter as she ran around.


    That plaza on the far right!There are at least ten bird-type beasts flocking around over there.That would be the nearest place with the highest number of beasts.


    A squad of Knights made a row of human barricades, inching closer towards the Magic Stone Beasts.


    ¡¸¡­I won¡¯t let you!¡¹


    Inglis ran up towards the knights from their back and leaped over their heads. She then lunged into the flock of beasts all by herself.


    ¡¸Uwah!? Wh-, what¡­!?¡¹ ¡¸O-, oi, what are you doing!? It¡¯s dangerous! Oi!¡¹ ¡¸Don¡¯t be reckless! Stop! Get back here¡­!¡¹


    The Knights were worried for Inglis¡¯ safety, calling out to her from behind, almost screaming.


    ¡¸Thank you. I¡¯m fine.¡¹


    I should at least appreciate their worry. With that in mind, Inglis turned around and gave them a smile.


    At that very moment, a humanoid silhouette jumped at her from the streets.


    ¡¸You idiot! What the hell are you doing!?¡¹ ¡¸Uwaah¡­!?¡¹


    The figure tackled Inglis, splendidly pinning her down. While she wasn¡¯t enhanced by Ether skills at the moment, the person was skilled enough to follow her movements and caught her off guard. Who is it? They¡¯re quite talented. Curious, Inglis directed her attention to the person.


    It was a girl, around the same age as herself, with indigo blue hair.

 Chapter 46: 15 year old Inglis and the Frozen Prisma (2)

    ¡¸You, jumping into a flock of Magic Stone Beasts without an artifact or even a rune, that¡¯s practically suicide! You¡¯re such a beauty, don¡¯t throw away your life like this!¡¹


    The one who was frantically trying to convince Inglis not to forfeit her life was a beautiful young lady. Her features were refined with her hair tied into low pigtails, complemented with a pair of ribbons, giving her an overall cute image. Whereas, her body figure was supple, with her chest as big as Inglis¡¯, if not bigger. Rene would probably be delighted to jump into them. 1


    To prove that she had what it took to stop Inglis, there was a glowing black Rune in the shape of a great sword on the back on her hand that resembled the two-handed great-sword sheathed on her back. That glowing Rune signified that it was a High-Grade Rune, similar to Rafinha¡¯s. Thus, the girl was a High-Grade Knight, a rarity amongst the people.


    ¡¸Th, thank you¡­ but, I¡¯m fine¡ª ¡¹ ¡¸Here they come. You fall back!¡¹


    The girl stood in front of Inglis, shielding her. The running bird-type beasts flocked towards the two of them, having recognized the duo as hostile creatures who had stepped into the plaza. The beasts planned to crush them under their feet, utilizing their sheer number and mass to their advantage.


    The girl didn¡¯t show any sign of fear, she instead grinned as though it was all under control.


    ¡¸That works better for me! ¡¹


    She immediately pulled out her great sword Artifact. There was still quite the distance between the sword¡¯s attack range and the birds, but she indifferently brandished her sword horizontally anyway.


    ¡¸¡­?¡¹


    Inglis was curious as to just what the girl would do on this occasion. Hence, she decided to stand by and watch her for now.


    ¡¸All in oneee!¡¹


    The artifact shone brilliantly as the blade began to grow in size. The greatsword kept growing until it was long enough to completely engulf all of her enemies in one fell swoop.


    ¡¸Cut!¡¹


    The enlarged great sword hummed as it slashed through the air, looping the beasts¡¯ head off, showing its potential to cleave the bodies.


    ¡¸Heeh. That¡¯s interesting.¡¹


    Inglis nodded, impressed. This mass-transforming phenomenon is the Artifact¡¯s Gift, huh?It seems very handy and interesting. Inglis had been longing to have a weapon of her own, so seeing an Artifact with this kind of function made her envious.


    The girl who wiped out all the running bird-type beasts in one slash turned her head towards Inglis.


    ¡¸Are you hurt? You have to evacuate somewhere¡ª¡¹


    Suddenly, Inglis noticed several flying bird-type Magic Stone Beasts diving into the plaza from the roofs of the adjacent buildings over the girl¡¯s shoulder. Those beasts took a big breath all at once and spewed out freezing breezes out of their mouths with icicles as sharp as daggers swirling in it. These were the types of Magic Stone Beasts that could spew elementals, such as fire and ice. Similarly to Rene who could emit white heat rays from her hand after she became a Magic Stone Beast.


    ¡¸Behind you!!¡¹ ¡¸!¡¹


    The girl¡¯s reaction to Inglis¡¯ warning was fast ¡ª she whirled around and stabbed her sword into the ground not a moment after.


    ¡¸Useless!¡¹


    She made her sword two times longer and several times wider. With that, both the girl and Inglis were completely shielded behind the blade of the sword. The icicles were hurtling against the great sword, but none of them could even leave a single scratch on it. Inglis¡¯ impression of the girl was that she had really mastered her Artifact, utilizing it as both means of offense and defense.


    After the freezing breeze had passed, the girl made her counter attack. She pointed her sword towards the birds on the rooftop.


    ¡¸Back at you!¡¹


    The extending sword tip was rushing at the beasts. However, as Inglis had guessed, the birds only took a few flaps to evade it, either because the distance between them was too great or the birds were just too keen.


    ¡¸Mu. These cheeky beasts¡­!¡¹ ¡¸Let me help. Wait there for a while.¡¹


    Inglis whispered to the girl before she jumped onto the blade that was pointed towards the roof. And with a single leap, she ran up all the way up there.


    ¡¸Eeeeh!? S, so fast¡­!¡¹


    As the girl was captivated in awe, Inglis kept drawing closer to the beasts, leaping onto the roof. Above her head was the flock of Magic Stone Beasts that had evaded the girl¡¯s attack. With a splendid summersault, Inglis planted her heel on one of the beast¡¯s temples.


    Gyooo!?


    The beast fell towards the plaza head first. Inglis then called out to the girl below.


    ¡¸Now! Kill it!¡¹ ¡¸Go-, got it!¡¹


    The girl splendidly cleaved the falling bird¡¯s body in midair.


    ¡¸Here comes another!¡¹


    Inglis continued to her second, third, and more prey as she kept cleansing the air of the Magic Stone Beasts, while the girl below kept cleaving the falling beasts with no fail.


    ¡¸You¡¯re great!¡¹


    Inglis called to the girl in the plaza. The latter smiled back at Inglis.


    ¡¸Same goes to you! I was worried because I couldn¡¯t see both a Rune and an Artifact on you, but it seems like my worry is misplaced. Forgive me for that.¡¹ ¡¸It¡¯s okay. I appreciate the concern.¡¹ ¡¸Hey, what¡¯s your name?¡¹ ¡¸It¡¯s Inglis Eux.¡¹ ¡¸I¡¯m Leone. Leone Olpha. Why don¡¯t we fight hand in hand for now?¡¹


    The surname Olpha sounds familiar, where did I hear it before? The thought invaded Inglis¡¯ mind, but she brushed it aside as vanquishing the Magic Stone Beasts took priority.


    ¡¸Of course, Miss Leone. Pleased to meet you.¡¹ ¡¸Just call me Leone. Our age isn¡¯t that different, right?¡¹ ¡¸Okay, I understand. Best of regards, Leone.¡¹ ¡¸Best regards!¡¹


    The two exchanged smiles, then continued mowing down the Magic Stone Beasts.

 Chapter 47: 15 year old Inglis and the Frozen Prisma (3)

    Inglis and Leone cooperated with each other, easily subjugating the Magic Stone Beasts in the town.


    Leone mainly dominated the ground where she relentlessly mowed down running bird-type beasts with her enlarged great sword artifact. While Inglis positioned herself on rooftops, knocking down flying bird-type beasts into the ground where Leone was waiting to slice them up.


    The scattering arrows of light from Rafinha¡¯s Artifact would only bring about collateral damage in this townscape. And ?Leone¡¯s Artifact ?would do better on such an occasion, considering its tight maneuver.


    As Inglis was assessing Leone¡¯s performance with a side glance, she jumped towards a rooftop with three beasts perching on it.


    ¡¸One!¡¹


    Right after she landed, she sprung and twisted herself in the air, hammering down the nearest bird with a kick.


    Inglis had seen through an attack from the second beast that tried to peck her from behind. She sent a fist to the bird¡¯s chin, then scooped it up. With her hand now circling around its neck, she lifted ?and threw it around, using it as a club to bash on another beast.


    ¡¸Two!¡¹


    The two beasts collided with significant force, sending the latter falling towards the waiting Leone with no means to resist.


    ¡¸Three!¡¹


    And at last, she ?threw the beast she held in her hand below not a second later.


    However, her timing was too fast. Leone who had just finished dealing with the second beast was not ready yet.


    ¡¸Ah! Sorry¡­!¡¹ ¡¸Wawawaah!? Too fast, Inglis!¡¹


    From behind the panicked Leone, an arrow of light flashed through. It tore through the third falling bird, snuffed it out before it even touched the ground. Now that the beast¡¯s falling trajectory had changed, Leone wouldn¡¯t be crushed by it.


    ¡¸Bullseye! Geez, Glis! It¡¯s because you¡¯re going off on your own that I came late.¡¹ ¡¸Rani! I¡¯m surprised you know I¡¯m here. I¡¯m pretty sure I went around quite a lot.¡¹ ¡¸Well, you two made quite the show here?.¡¹


    Rafinha said as her eyes locked onto Leone.


    ¡¸She¡¯s Leone. She was here when I got around so I¡¯m fighting alongside her.¡¹ ¡¸Nice to meet you. You saved my hide back there.¡¹ ¡¸You¡¯re welcome! I¡¯m Rafinha Wilford. Let¡¯s get along.¡¹


    When Rafinha introduced herself with a wide smile, a shocked look appeared on Leone¡¯s face.


    ¡¸Wilford¡­? Rafinha¡­ Then you¡¯re Sir Raphael¡¯s little sister!?¡¹ ¡¸Wah! You know big brother Rafa!?¡¹ ¡¸Y-, yeah¡­ I have been under his great tutelage.¡¹ ¡¸If you don¡¯t mind, can you tell us about him later? Now, let¡¯s put in more spirit!¡¹


    With Rafinha joining the fray, the speed of the dwindling number of Magic Stone Beasts doubled.


    As the result of them running around the town for about an hour subjugating Magic Stone Beasts here and there, the surrounding scene finally regained its serene, with just a few things left to clean up.


    ¡¸Phew~ That¡¯s all, right? Good work out there, Glis, Leone.¡¹ ¡¸Sure. We made so much progress thanks to you two. You have my thanks.¡¹ ¡¸But, it sure is weird that they suddenly appeared within the town walls. Even though the town¡¯s security is tight¡­ It¡¯s not like there¡¯s Prism Flow falling over the town, either.¡¹ ¡¸Glis is right¡­ I wonder why?¡¹ ¡¸It¡¯s been a recurring event recently. Magic Stone Beasts appearing even without Prism Flow.¡¹ ¡¸¡­ You have it good, all this action to chase away your boredom.¡¹ ¡¸Eh? Umm¡­?¡¹ 1


    At hearing Inglis¡¯ comment, Leone was caught off guard.


    ¡¸W-, well, don¡¯t mind her, okay? This girl has a war general trapped within her angelic body.¡¹ ¡¸Ahahaha. But I understand somehow. She looks so peaceful after the battle ends.¡¹ ¡¸I do?¡¹ ¡¸You very much do. And you¡¯re just like a frenzied beast during battles, Glis.¡¹ ¡¸Indeed. When I first saw her, she was jumping into a flock of Magic Stone Beast all by herself. Sure took me by surprise.¡¹ ¡¸Aah, so that¡¯s how it was. Tell me about it. Seeing that for the first time really makes your heart jump. I mean, she¡¯s just a single, runeless girl trying to break through like a sole horseman. Thinking about it normally, that means death, isn¡¯t it?¡¹ ¡¸I reflexively tackled her down because of that! Turned out, it was unnecessary.¡¹


    Watching Rafinha and Leone oddly getting along well, Inglis gave them the stink eye. But this encounter must be a blessed one since the three of them could just laugh it off together.


    ¡¸Hey, the two of you! The black-haired and silver-haired girls!¡¹ 2


    Suddenly, a middle-aged Knight came over to their group.


    ¡¸Thank you for helping us defend the town! It¡¯s not much, but we wish to offer you a reward in return. Can you come with us?¡¹ ¡¸Eh? What about Leone? She¡¯s the one who fought the hardest.¡¹


    Rafinha asked with a confused look on her face. Inglis had the same question in mind.


    ¡¸Don¡¯t say something so stupid. Why the hell would we give anything for a traitor¡¯s kin!¡¹


    He spoke as though that was the most natural thing in the world.


    ¡¸Hold on there! Leone fought the hardest amongst us!¡¹ ¡¸I-, it¡¯s okay, Rafinha. Don¡¯t mind me, just go.¡¹ ¡¸No! That¡¯s just weird!¡¹ ¡¸We can¡¯t trust that girl. Since you two seem to be unaware, I¡¯ll tell you this much. That woman is Leone Olpha. She¡¯s the little sister of the ex Holy Knight who originated from this town, the traitor who backstabbed the country and deserted this nation, Leon Olpha! We don¡¯t have any reason to acknowledge the kin of a traitor that sullied the entire town¡¯s reputation.¡¹3 ¡¸EEeeh!?¡¹ ¡¸That¡¯s right¡­ Olpha is Mr. Leon¡¯s¡ª¡¹


    The middle-aged Knight¡¯s remark made Inglis connect the two dots in her head. She knew the surname Olpha rang a bell, and only now did she realize it was Leon¡¯s surname. The Holy Knight who had disappeared, saying that he would join the Ironblood Chain Brigade.


    ¡¸Now that you know, I suggest you stop associating with that girl. Else you two will face contempt from everyone?.¡¹ 4 ¡¸No thanks! And we don¡¯t need your stupid reward!¡¹


    Rafinha scowled, her tongue sticking out. For the daughter of an aristocrat, her conduct was inappropriate.


    ¡¸Let¡¯s go?¡¹


    Inglis took Leone¡¯s hand, pulling her along down the street.


    ¡¸She¡¯s right, let¡¯s go!¡¹


    Rafinha took her other hand without a moment¡¯s delay.


    ¡¸¡­ Thank you.¡¹


    The corner of Leone¡¯s eyes watered as she let the two pull her away.

 Chapter 48: 15 year old Inglis and the Frozen Prisma (4)

    ¡¸What¡¯s his deal!? That¡¯s just mean!¡¹ ¡¸Yeah¡­ For now, let¡¯s have a talk in a quiet place, shall we?¡¹ ¡¸¡­ Then want to come to my mansion? It¡¯s not the cleanest, but we attract too much attention outside, so¡­¡¹


    Leone¡¯s volume lowered the more she spoke.


    ¡¸Thanks. Sorry to bother you, then.¡¹ ¡¸Yeah. Let¡¯s go take our carriage.¡¹


    The trio went to retrieve Inglis and Rafinha¡¯s carriage, then they went to Leone¡¯s mansion. Inglis, taking hold of the steer, asked Leone.


    ¡¸¡­ Are the people in this town always like that?¡¹ ¡¸Yeah, they are, starting from when big brother Leon threw away his identity as a Holy Knight and joined the Ironblood Chain Brigade three years ago¡­¡¹ ¡¸You¡¯re still fighting for them though?¡¹


    Rafinha asked profoundly.


    ¡¸Don¡¯t say that when we¡¯re all facing Magic Stone Beasts all the same.¡¹ ¡¸You¡¯re admirable! That¡¯s right, that¡¯s all that matters! You have my respect!¡¹


    With her eyes glowing as though she was just enlightened, Rafinha grasped Leone¡¯s hand tightly.


    ¡¸Ahaha. It¡¯s not something that admirable, you know. I¡¯m just hoping they would forgive me, even just a little¡­¡¹ ¡¸You work so very hard to protect the town, they shouldn¡¯t have said that. Right? These people are so narrow-minded.¡¹ ¡¸But, don¡¯t blame the townspeople too much, okay? They had their expectations and respect turned on them. This town was created to watch over Prisma¡¯s corpse, so there are many Knights stationed here, and the people¡¯s loyalty for the Royalty is consequently high. That was why, when big brother Leon became the first Holy Knight the town produced, he was everyone¡¯s pride and joy¡­ And that very brother of mine killed both a Highlander envoy and the Inspector administered by the Capital¡­ no wonder everyone lost their heart. The more you love something before it betrays you, the more you hate it after, they say.¡¹ ¡¸Eh? Wait a minute, but the one who killed Sir Shioni was¡ª¡¹ ¡¸I¡¯m sure that¡¯s how it was to the public; Mr. Leon was a burden on everything. If the fact that a Highlander like Mr. Rahal killed Sir Shioni was made public; anti-Highlander organizations and political factions that opposed the King for being lenient against the Highlanders would rise in power¡­ That¡¯s why, the way things now are better for current politics.¡¹ ¡¸But that¡¯ll make Mr. Leon look like a villain. Even though Mr. Leon made his move precisely because he was angry at Rahal for his tyranny and hijinks¡­¡¹ ¡¸Are you two acquaintances with big brother Leon?¡¹ ¡¸Yeah¡­ he¡¯s a sociable and fun person, you know? He¡¯s not a bad person by any means.¡¹ ¡¸My impression of him is the same as Rani.¡¹ ¡¸Is that so? Thank you for saying that. But I¡¯m alright. His Highness Wayne and Sir Raphael carefully explained everything to me while giving their apologies¡­¡¹


    His Highness Wayne that Leone mentioned must be the name of the prince of this Kingdom. Which meant he was Raphael¡¯s direct superior.


    ¡¸No less from my brother! That¡¯s right. We can¡¯t leave things just like this. Those people owe an apology to Leone!¡¹ ¡¸They¡¯re being considerate of me and have been visiting me from time to time after that. That¡¯s why I don¡¯t hold any grudges or say that it¡¯s unreasonable. Regardless of how it ?went, my brother discarded his status as a Holy Knight and threw the country behind him remained unchanged. That alone is enough to betray everyone¡¯s expectations of him. That¡¯s why I¡¯ll be the one to restore the honor of the Olpha family. I¡¯ll become a formal knight, gain reputations, and capture big brother Leon from the Ironblood Chain Brigade.¡¹


    With a determined look flashing in her eyes, Leone made her statement.


    ¡¸You¡¯re strong, Leone. I have to learn a lot from you.¡¹


    Rafinha seemed impressed by her. Inglis, on the other hand, was bugged by another thing.


    ¡¸You¡¯re not a formal knight, Leone?¡¹ ¡¸Yeah. Soon, I¡¯ll leave town to enroll at the Knighting School in the capital. My father passed away last year¡­ I have nobody that holds me back anymore.¡¹ ¡¸EEEeeeeh!? Is that true!? Us too! We¡¯re on the way to the capital to enroll in the Knighting School!¡¹ ¡¸Eh!? Is that so!? That¡¯s very reassuring, to have the two of you with me.¡¹ ¡¸What a fortunate coincidence. Take good care of us from now on.¡¹ ¡¸Let¡¯s get along!¡¹ ¡¸Yeah, me too!¡¹


    The three shared tight handshakes.


    ¡¸Ah, Rene!¡¹


    Suddenly, Rene appeared from behind Rafinha, leaping towards the tip of Leone¡¯s nose.


    ¡¸Oh my, what a cute child. I¡¯ve never seen an animal like this, though¡­¡¹ ¡¸She¡¯s Rene. Something like our pet.¡¹ 1


    After Rene showed up literally right in front of Leone¡¯s eyes as if to say hello, she dived right into her cleavage. 2


    ¡¸Kyaah!? H-, hold on, this child is going to weird places¡­ sto¡ª N-, NO¡­! H-, hey, do something¡­!¡¹ 3


    ¡¸R-, Rene¡­! I¡¯m sorry, this child likes girls with big breasts.¡¹ ¡¸Yaay. Now I¡¯m not the only one.¡¹


    Leone¡¯s presence sure was big¡­ Inglis kept the thought to herself. Rene was finally calm after a little while, and Rafinha then spoke with a huge grin on her face.


    ¡¸At any rate, now I¡¯m only getting more excited for the school.¡¹ ¡¸Although, now I¡¯m worried about the recent Magic Stone Beasts appearing within the town walls. I want to solve that problem before I leave the town, but¡­¡¹


    Leone¡¯s face tightened.


    ¡¸Do you have anything in mind?¡¹ ¡¸The rumors going around mentioned that the frozen carcass of Prisma is ?giving off dangerous influence, or the Ironblood Chain Brigade is doing something behind the doors, and things like that. I¡¯m more inclined towards the Ironblood Chain Brigade¡¯s handiwork¡­ and even if Prisma somehow caused the phenomenon, then why now? Something like that.¡¹ ¡¸¡­ Hmm. What about you, Glis?¡¹ ¡¸For me, I think it¡¯s not the Brigade¡¯s doing. Those people only have one thing in their mind; they want to defeat the Highlanders. There is no Highlander Consul in this town, right? That¡¯s why I don¡¯t think they have their eyes on this town.¡¹ ¡¸I¡¯m with Inglis in this, I guess¡­ then, it¡¯s because of the carcass of Prisma¡­ is that how it is?¡¹ ¡¸But nothing ever happened before, though?¡¹ ¡¸I didn¡¯t know about before, but I feel that Prisma hasn¡¯t completely died yet. That¡¯s why I think it¡¯s not weird that it somehow summons Magic Stone Beasts.¡¹ ¡¸EEeh!? You can tell something like that, Inglis¡­!?¡¹ ¡¸Pretty much, but¡ª¡¹ ¡¸The other question is, what can we do about that?¡¹ ¡¸We only need to let Prisma out of the ice and defeat it completely. Won¡¯t they let me do the honor¡­? haah.¡¹


    Just like a lovesick maiden longing for her destined partner, Inglis exerted a deep, wistful sigh.


    ¡¸¡­ What do I do, Rafinha. This girl just uttered something so audacious, it¡¯s scary.¡¹ ¡¸Tell me about it. But it¡¯s the usual for her, so don¡¯t think ?she¡¯s gone cuckoo, okay? She¡¯s like this from the start.¡¹


    Rafinha and Leone shared a whispering conference.

 Chapter 49: 15 year old Inglis and the Frozen Prisma (5)

    As Leone guided Inglis and Rafinha, they reached a mansion with a magnificent front gate. However, there wasn¡¯t a single shrub of vegetation in the front yard, which frankly ?made it look bleak.


    ¡¸I feel bad for saying it, but it seems desolate¡ªright?¡¹ ¡¸You¡¯re right Rani, it does.¡¹ ¡¸An angry mob of citizens came over one day. They didn¡¯t harm the building, but they burned the garden to cinders. I didn¡¯t fix it, since they might just do it again. I¡¯m sorry the place is like this. It¡¯s tidy inside. Also, I¡¯ve given the housekeepers a break, so there is only us.¡¹ ¡¸It¡¯s fine, it¡¯s fine. I told you not to be reserved with us.¡¹ ¡¸I¡¯m happy if you think that way.¡¹


    As Leone said so while opening the gate¡ª


    VOoooommmm


    A humming object flew overhead. When they looked up, they saw a vehicle that was best described as a small iron boat with wings.


    As it was constructed of complex machinery, it was naturally impossible to be something built by anyone on the surface; it must be another gift from the Highland.


    A vessel called Flygear.


    Basically, it was a vehicle you stood 1 on to ride, with wings protruding on the left and the right of the hull. The hull itself was composed of an iron box and a control rod with handrails to better help climb on it. In terms of the hull¡¯s size, it was ?a two-person ride; a pilot and a passenger.


    It was a new piece of equipment that had only been given to Midland recently, making it rare and valuable. At least, in the comparatively rural area of Ymir, Inglis had only seen a handful of these.


    What was so groundbreaking about the Flygears was that, while a Knight must fuel it with their Rune, one didn¡¯t need a Rune to operate it. Even those who had no Runes like a Squire¡ªApprentice Knight could pilot it.


    The word ¡°Knight¡± originally meant honored soldiers mounted on a horse, but for the Knights who soared the sky, what they rode was not a horse, but a Flygear steered by the squire. This would allow them to slay flying Magic Stone Beasts easier, and they could move their forces in a more maneuverable way than before.


    Being able to deploy over a wider area in a shorter amount of time would definitely help them protect the people from Magic Stone beasts. That was a welcome development.


    The Military Academy in the capital, which stood at the forefront of Knights¡¯ war tactics and strategies had recently opened a course explicitly for squires, with the purpose of training those people how to handle and pilot the Flygear.


    Knights with Runes could wield their Artifacts and fight, while the Apprentice Knights who possessed no Runes could pilot the Flygear for them so that the Knights could fully realize their potential.


    Since the course Inglis would go to was the Squire program, she would handle this Flygear equipment a lot.


    The base tactic was to have the Knight with a Rune ride on the back while the squire controlled the Flygear on the front, so, eventually, she would ride it with Rafinha.


    ¡¸It is descending¡­¡¹


    The Flygear slowly descended onto Leone¡¯s front yard as it was. There were two people riding on it. One of them was a chestnut-haired girl with a rather small but toned physique. She had a bright, curious look sparkling in her eyes, almost resembling Rafinha. There were beast ears and a tail on her, which told them ?she was a beastman. A part of the minority. Were those dog¡¯s ears and tail?


    The other one was a tall young man with dark hair in his early twenties. He sported a gentle, but sharp and unperturbed look on his extremely well-defined face. He sure has grown into a fine young man. thought Inglis. It was Rafinha¡¯s brother and Inglis Eux¡¯s cousin, Raphael.


    ¡¸T-that¡¯s¡­! Big brother Rafa! Big brother!¡¹


    Recognizing Raphael¡¯s appearance, Rafinha rushed over to him who just stepped down from the Flygear, then leaped to his chest.


    ¡¸Wah¡­!? Hmm¡­!? Rani! Isn¡¯t that you, Rani! I¡¯m surprised to see you! Have you been well!?¡¹ ¡¸Yeah, I¡¯m doing great, big brother! We came here on our way to the capital to see Prisma¡¯s corpse! Glis wanted to see it!¡¹ ¡¸I see¡­ then, Glis is with you?¡¹ ¡¸I am, big brother. It¡¯s been a while.¡¹


    Inglis who followed Rafinha from behind saluted Raphael with a bow.


    ¡¸¡­! Y-, you¡¯ve grown prettier¡­ Really, I didn¡¯t recognize you.¡¹


    Inglis was 15 years old, but her appearance suggested that she was 17-18 years old. 2 The age in which a woman would be called a lady. Raphael couldn¡¯t help but be conscious of Inglis as someone of the opposite sex, making him ?nervous speaking with her. Apparently, his pure innocence had not changed.


    ¡¸Uwah, that¡¯s rare! To think Raphael would praise a girl¡­! The world¡¯s number one popular introvert, that Raphael¡­!¡¹


    The woman accompanying Raphael said with wide eyes.


    ¡¸S-, stop it please, Lady Ripple¡­!¡¹ ¡¸Thank you very much, big brother Rafa.¡¹


    While it was true that Inglis had grown into a peerless beauty, so she didn¡¯t really mind being complimented, but¡­ Rather than that, she would be happier if Raphael went ¡¸It¡¯s been a while, let¡¯s fight¡¹3 and came at her with his sword pulled. As Inglis smiled at him with that thought in her mind, Raphael smiled back.


    ¡¸Yeah. It¡¯s been a while. I¡¯m glad we can meet again, Glis.¡¹ ¡¸When you mention Miss Ripple, do you mean the Hyrule Menace?¡¹ ¡¸Yeasies, that¡¯s me. I¡¯m Ripple. Nice to meet you.¡¹


    Ripple smiled charmingly.


    ¡¸Big brother Rafa, are you here today to meet Leone?¡¹ ¡¸Yeah. I ?have a mission over here, so I thought that I¡¯d drop in.¡¹ ¡¸Ooooh? What mission do you speak of?¡¹ ¡¸About that¡ª Let¡¯s see, are you hungry? Why don¡¯t we talk over a meal?¡¹ ¡¸We¡¯re starving! Right, Glis?¡¹ ¡¸Yeah.¡¹ ¡¸Ah, then please come inside. I¡¯ll make something fast¡ª¡¹


    Raphael shook his head at Leone, who offered.


    ¡¸No.¡¹ ¡¸I¡¯m sure¡ª¡ªno, it¡¯s definitely¡­¡¹ ¡¸Not enough for us, right?¡¹


    Rafinha and Inglis followed suit.


    ¡¸You can join us, Leone. We won¡¯t stand out much if we reserve one private room for us alone.¡¹


    Led by Raphael, the group headed out to eat. 4

 Chapter 50: 15 year old Inglis and the Frozen Prisma (6)

    ¡¸I see. Something like that happened at Nova¡­ I have heard some rumors about a Consul going missing. You two have gone through some hardship. You even encountered the Ironblood Chain Brigade, I¡¯m surprised you came out alright¡­¡¹


    After Rafinha finished briefing the events that happened in the town of Nova, Raphael was relieved that at least Rafinha and Inglis were safe.


    ¡¸What I¡¯m concerned about is the ¡ºLevitation Magic Formation¡». Did the Kingdom give the town away to the Highland fully knowing of its existence?¡¹


    If that was the case then that meant they intentionally sold off the city and its people.


    ¡¸This is the first time I¡¯m hearing this. Although, who can say if it¡¯s common knowledge amongst the King and his confidant.¡¹ ¡¸If they knew and still gave it away, big brother, then I think I have some problem with them.¡¹ ¡¸You¡¯re right, Rani. It¡¯s exactly as you say. Thank you for the information, Rani, Glis.¡¹ ¡¸It¡¯s nothing. I¡¯m happy I can help.¡¹ ¡¸You¡¯re welcome.¡¹ ¡¸That being said, that creature over there is the Miss Consul that has turned into a Magic Stone Beast, huh¡­ I¡¯m surprised to see a Magic Stone Beast cuddling with a human.¡¹ ¡¸She was originally a Highlander?, not some beasts or insects, and she was very rational before she became like this. I¡¯m thinking ?those aspects must¡¯ve held down her Magic Stone Beast instincts?.¡¹ ¡¸And I think that her body being this small might have helped with that.¡¹ 1


    ¡¸I see¡­¡¹


    Leone and the Hyrule Menace Ripple had their eyes peeled wide as they witnessed these three holding a discussion.


    ¡¸¡¸¡­¡­¡¹¡¹


    Each of those three had already wolfed enough food that would last two to three days for a grown man in a single sitting, with their empty dishes piling up a mountain on the table. And even then, they were still busy stuffing their cheeks even while talking. 2


    ¡¸Uwaah, so it¡¯s not just Raphael, but his little sisters too!¡¹ ¡¸I-, indeed, the food I have at home wouldn¡¯t even have been enough¡­¡­¡¹


    While popping three steamed chicken legs into her mouth in quick succession, Rafinha asked Raphael. 3


    ¡¸And what are you doing here, Big Brother?¡¹ ¡¸We¡¯re here to enact a countermeasure plan to the spontaneous appearance of Magic Stone Beasts phenomenon, the one ?you just helped with, Rani.¡¹ ¡¸Ah, that issue is lingering in my mind too. I was thinking of solving that before I left the town, but¡­¡¹ ¡¸Yeah. Which is why it¡¯s going to be alright, Leone. It won¡¯t happen again in the next few days.¡¹ ¡¸What are you going to do, big brother Rafa?¡¹ ¡¸Well, Glis. We have assumed that the cause of that is on the frozen corpse of Prisma.4 Which is why¡­¡¹


    Raphael, his mouth full of meat?, explained with a serious look plastered on his face. 5


    A few days later¡­


    All of them were at the Flygear Carrier that floated high in the sky.


    This vessel was the mothership for Flygear, as was indicated with the many ports all around the winged circular hull storing Flygears.


    The Carrier acted not only as an airborne Flygears carrier but also as the terminal to recharge Flygears.


    The basic formation was to have the Flygear Carrier in the center surrounded by Flygears that belonged to it and have them act as a single battle platoon.


    ¡¸If the frozen Prisma is giving birth to Magic Stone Beasts then when that very cause is taken away, Magic Stone Beasts? shouldn¡¯t show up in the middle of the city again.¡¹


    What was happening in front of Inglis and the girls¡¯ eyes was exactly as Raphael just said.


    The roof of the Cathedral where Prisma was enshrined had been removed, and the ice pillar was being pulled up into the sky with countless wires wrapping around it by the Carrier and many Flygears.


    They were going to transport the frozen Prisma by air. They deployed hundreds of Flygears around it and the view was ?spectacular to behold. The one in charge of this Air Transport Operation was the Holy Knight Raphael. And Ripple, the Hyrule Menace, accompanied him in case the worst-case scenario happened.


    ¡¸What a sight¡­! So Flygears can do something like this!¡¹ ¡¸It sure can. Flygears are actually often being used even on the Highland, it¡¯s a very convenient piece of technology. By acquiring this, things that we can do ?increase by a great magnitude.¡¹ 6


    Raphael nodded at Rafinha¡¯s comment.


    ¡¸And even if it was a handiwork of those Ironblood Chain Brigade, it¡¯s ?likely that their aim is the frozen Prisma. And so, taking it away will make the town safe again all the same¡­ huh.¡¹


    Even though Leone seemed to be most suspicious with the Ironblood Chain Brigade, they managed to convince her after they explained it as such to her.


    Transporting Prisma was fine and all, but the bigger question was; where to? If it were to be taken to another town, then the same thing would just happen again in its new resting ground. But¡­


    ¡¸And the place it¡¯ll be taken away to is a frontier city where the Prisma will be enshrined near the opposing country. So, if it produces Magic Stone Beasts, the opposing country would have a hard time invading us. Fighting fire with fire, is it? What a waste¡­¡¹


    From Inglis¡¯ point of view, this operation was nothing but an enormous waste of opportunity for her to fight and grow, since two of her ?opponents were going to attack each other. She had to admit though, this was a very efficient tactic, strategically speaking. 7


    ¡¸Glis¡¯ sickness relapsed again¡­ isn¡¯t this a good idea? We can hinder the enemy¡¯s invasion without losing our own military strength.¡¹ ¡¸That¡¯s true, but.¡¹ ¡¸Even though Magic Stone Beasts indiscriminately attack people regardless of what country or politics, there are still people who keep trying to invade others¡­¡¹ ¡¸That right. Fighting between humans is a big waste, especially since you live where the Prism Flow falls. Today¡¯s operation is a step to avoid that pointless fight¡ª though, it feels like we¡¯re borrowing the strength of Magic Stone Beasts, so it kinda leaves an unpleasant aftertaste.¡¹


    The neighboring country of Venefique had attempted invasions many times in the past. They had continued their attempts in recent years, and now they were the biggest threat to the Kingdom second only to Magic Stone Beasts. Apparently, the primary goal for this transport operation was to move Pisma into the bordering mountain to create a natural barrier against the Venetian army. 8


    The one who came up with the idea was Raphael¡¯s direct superior, prince Wayne. Perhaps the Prince was quite the strategist.


    ¡¸Now, Rani, Glis, Leone. The Carrier will head back to the Capital, so you three should go with them. Lady Ripple and I will continue to command the air transport operation.¡¹ ¡¸Okay. Thanks, big brother Rafa!¡¹ ¡¸I¡¯ll be under their care.¡¹ ¡¸Sir Raphael, thank you very much for everything you¡¯ve done for me¡­!¡¹ ¡¸Yeah. Everyone, do your best in the Knighting Academy. I¡¯m looking forward to the day we can fight together.¡¹


    Raphael gave an affectionate smile to the three girls.


    ¡¸Hey, hey. Lil¡¯ Inglis, can you come with me~?¡¹


    Then, Ripple took Inglis by herself to the corner of the Carrier and spoke in a hushed voice.


    ¡¸¡­ It¡¯s you, right? The incredible girl Eris told me about?¡¹ ¡¸Did you hear about me from Miss Eris?¡¹ ¡¸Yup. Though it¡¯s still a secret between us Hyrule Menaces, you know?¡¹ ¡¸¡­ Thank you very much.¡¹ ¡¸Then, when you look at that Prisma, what do you ?feel?¡¹ ¡¸it¡¯s regrettable that it¡¯s going away.¡¹ ¡¸Aha???? You¡¯re not afraid of it, even a bit? How is it, you think you can win?¡¹ ¡¸There is no sane man who will fight a losing war.¡¹ ¡¸¡­ This is still a secret, okay? But the day you can finally fight it may not be that far from now, you know? ¡¹ ¡¸Eeh!? Is that true¡­? Indeed, for a corpse, I can still feel some power from it, but¡ª¡¹ ¡¸You see, actually, it isn¡¯t even dead, to begin with. That guy just froze his own body in that ice¡­ I saw it happen. Well, it¡¯s a story from a few decades ago, though.¡¹ ¡¸¡­! I have heard that Hyrule Menaces have a long lifespan.¡¹ ¡¸We do. I¡¯m actually a granny, yanno? Eris too, though.¡¹


    Well, I¡¯m actually a Grandpa inside too¡­Saying it won¡¯t help anything though, so let¡¯s keep silent.


    ¡¸¡­ We said that it¡¯s a corpse to make everyone feel safe. Despite the fact that it made no movement over the past few decades and yet it suddenly begins to move now, that could only mean that it¡¯s going to be revived. And if it¡¯s going to wake up, then better have it happen in the middle of nowhere, right?¡¹ ¡¸You¡¯re right. It¡¯ll be a good place to fight since there won¡¯t be any hindrances around.¡¹ ¡¸Your face says you¡¯re excited.¡¹ ¡¸I am, verily.¡¹ ¡¸Yup, yup???? You¡¯re good, girl. You¡¯re not basing it on some heroism. I¡¯ll definitely call on you when that time comes, so come help us. Until then, ?practice diligently and hone your skills, kay?¡¹ ¡¸I understand. Please ?do call on me.¡¹ ¡¸Of course. Why don¡¯t we make a pinky promise then?¡¹ ¡¸Yes, please do.¡¹


    After they hooked their fingers¡ª


    ¡¸Then, everyone, let¡¯s meet in the Capital once this mission is over!¡¹ ¡¸Bye bye~ Do your best, girls! Laters????¡¹


    Raphael and Ripple hopped on a Flygear, then flew away.


    ¡¸Okay, off we go! We don¡¯t know when it will produce more Magic Stone Beasts! Always be ready for interceptions and peel your eyes wide!¡¹


    Then, under Raphael¡¯s command, they carried the Prisma away. Inglis and the two watched it from the top of the Flygear Carrier for a while.


    Please get revived soon and let¡¯s fight to our hearts¡¯ content! 9


    Inglis called out to the Prisma in her heart.


    ¡¸Then, the Carrier will head back to base!¡¹


    The Knight who seemed to be the Captain of the Flygear Carrier announced. The figure of the town of Arlman gradually became smaller as the Flygear Carrier soared away.


    Leone, who watched her hometown slowly turning into a speck, declared with a determined look.


    ¡¸¡­ I have to come back here with my chest held high.¡¹ ¡¸Yeah, yeah. Just get back at those people.¡¹ ¡¸We will help you.¡¹ ¡¸Thanks, you two.¡¹


    Thus ended Inglis and the girls¡¯ journey to the Capital, and the days they spent in the Knight Academy would soon come. 10

 Chapter 51: 15 year old Inglis and Chiral’s Royal Knight Academy

    The day of the entrance exam for the Royal Knight Academy of Chiral, the knighting school in the capital, had finally arrived.


    ¡¸As the Highland has supplied Flygears, from now on, a Knight¡¯s operation and strategy will take a sharp turn. I wish for all of you to stand at the forefront of the revolution upon a new era¡­!¡¹


    A beautiful young man with blond hair, donning an extravagant outfit with a cape, stood on a podium and gave words of encouragement to the new students that lined up. He was about the same age as Raphael and his direct superior, Prince Wayne. Due to his handsome appearance and young age, a lot of the female students were enthralled by him.1


    And since he was the one who came up with the idea of transporting the Prisma, this man wasn¡¯t all looks, but also sharp-witted.


    This Knight Academy had a basic curriculum of three years. They allowed ones with excelling grades to jump ahead. Most of the students who enrolled were usually the children of noble or knight houses.


    There were also a few civilians enrolling, but those were only because they were blessed with good Runes. And it was likely precisely because of that, that some families took them under their banner.


    Inglis also heard that the Academy also accepted students from abroad. She overheard that there were some foreigners in her batch.


    ¡¸Waah. His Highness Wayne is so cool~¡¹ ¡¸You can¡¯t, Rani. Don¡¯t say something like that, we¡¯re here to study.¡¹ ¡¸? Just a bit would be fine.¡¹ ¡¸No can do. It¡¯s still too early for you, Rani. I¡¯m telling you, no.¡¹ ¡¸Kaay. You¡¯re such a wussy like this, Glis¡­¡¹ ¡¸Calm down, you two. I also think ?His Highness is cool, you know? You don¡¯t think so, Inglis?¡¹


    Leone asked.


    ¡¸I don¡¯t.¡¹ ¡¸Then, who is cool to you?¡¹ ¡¸E-, err¡­?¡¹


    It¡¯s troubling if you ask me that¡­ For Inglis, she could not see men as members of the opposite sex.


    ¡¸¡­The Prisma that we saw last time, I guess? It looked so powerful.¡¹ ¡¸That¡¯s not even a human¡­! Just why is it, Inglis, you¡¯re unbelievably beautiful, but you hold no interest at all in romance?¡¹ ¡¸Yeah. I don¡¯t.¡¹ ¡¸That¡¯s a waste. If I had your look, Glis, then I¡¯d have boyfriends left and right like crazy.¡¹ 2


    ¡¸Ahahaha¡­ that sounds possible. Inglis looks really mature, after all.¡¹ ¡¸No. You can¡¯t, Rani. What are you even saying?¡¹ ¡¸That part of you really resembles my mother~¡¹ ¡¸Watching out for her Knight is a Squire¡¯s duty?.¡¹


    Just as Inglis commented so, Prince Wayne also finished his speech, then he continued with the facilitator raising his voice to announce the next agenda.


    ¡¸Then, His Highness Wayne will present our Academy¡¯s school badge to you! Whoever¡¯s name is called, come upon the stage!¡¹


    Prince Wayne ?spoke to each student that came onto the stage. Many of the students had their eyes glimmering at the honor of receiving the badge and talking to the Prince personally. The prince was also keen on getting to know the better side of people.


    ¡¸Rafinha Wilford!¡¹


    Rafinha¡¯s name was called, and so she went to the stage. It was a well-known fact that she was the little sister of the Holy Knight Raphael. Hence, her appearance triggered a buzz amongst the new students.


    ¡¸That girl is Holy Knight Sir Raphael¡¯s little sister, huh¡­! She looks rather cute.¡¹ ¡¸She¡¯s also an owner of a High-Grade Rune, right? That¡¯s one incredible pair of siblings!¡¹ ¡¸If I get close to her, maybe I can meet Sir Raphael¡­!¡¹


    Watching the scene unfold, Prince Wayne then spoke to Rafinha as she approached him.


    ¡¸Hey. So, you¡¯re Raphael¡¯s little sister? You two look so similar. He has always helped me; you see.¡¹ ¡¸M-, me too¡­ My brother has always been under your care¡ª¡¹ ¡¸If you¡¯re Raphael¡¯s little sister, then you¡¯re my little sister too.3 Come my way if you meet any trouble. I¡¯ll help you as much as I can.¡¹ ¡¸Thank you very much.¡¹ ¡¸Being Raphael¡¯s little sister, your vicinity won¡¯t be a peaceful one. But don¡¯t mind them, be carefree, and enjoy yourself. That¡¯s what Raphael hopes from you too.¡¹ ¡¸Yes, I understand!¡¹


    After Rafinha, it was¡­


    ¡¸Inglis Eux!¡¹


    Another kind of buzz erupted as they saw Inglis walking towards the stage.


    ¡¸Amazing¡­ first time I saw someone so beautiful.¡¹ ¡¸Damn right, she is. But, she doesn¡¯t seem to own a Rune, so a squire?¡¹ ¡¸Even though she can score any noble house with that look, what an eccentric person.¡¹4


    Inglis saluted the Prince politely before she stepped in front of him.


    ¡¸You are¡­ Miss Rafinha¡¯s cousin, yes?¡¹ ¡¸Yes, I am.¡¹ ¡¸Making full use of Squires like you is the new way to fight?. Even without a Rune, your accomplishments will surely pave the path for many of us to walk on. In that sense, too, that our future lies on your shoulder. Strive for the best. And take good care of Miss Rafinha. You¡¯re her chaperone, yes?¡¹


    Besides the Inglis and Rafinha pair, it wasn¡¯t uncommon for nobles and knights to send someone they trusted to the Squire department to accompany their children. Those Squires would be the exclusive Flygear pilot for their master.


    ¡¸Yes, sir. I will do my best.¡¹


    A bit after Inglis left the Prince behind her¡­


    ¡¸Leone Olfa!¡¹


    And yet another kind of buzz occurred, one that was different from those of Inglis and Rafinha¡¯s.


    ¡¸O-, oi oi. Olfa? Isn¡¯t that¡­?¡¹ ¡¸The Betrayer Leon¡¯s little sister¡­!?¡¹ ¡¸She dares to come here!¡¹


    Towards Leone who was thrown such remarks in front of him, Prince Wayne opened his mouth.


    ¡¸Forgive me, Leone. We the Royal family are partly to blame for all this. Our inability to loudly announce the deeds of the Highlanders made you¡ª¡¹ ¡¸N-, no, that¡¯s not true¡­ your words are wasted on me. All I have to do is capture my big brother and clear the name Olfa of all the mud he has thrown on it.¡¹ ¡¸Very well. Leon is Leon. And you are you, not him. I believe in you. I pray that your future is bright and cheerful. Don¡¯t lose to these voices and live up to your potential.¡¹ ¡¸Yes¡­!¡¹


    And so, the entrance ceremony was over and classes were to begin immediately. Originally, new students should be divided into two groups; Knight course students and Squire course students. This time, however, they were all gathered in the Academy¡¯s premises without differentiating one another.


    There was a large disk-shaped boulder prepared, and a young woman standing in the center, all by herself. On her hand, she held what appeared to be a staff-type Artifact. She was a rather beautiful woman with pale blonde hair, dressed in a robe with a fluttery and endearing design. The small round glasses she wore allowed her delightful face to leave a powerful impression.


    ¡¸Good afternoon, everyone~ I¡¯m Miliera, this school¡¯s Principal~ Glad to meet all of you.¡¹


    This reminded Inglis that she didn¡¯t see the Principal during the entrance ceremony. She didn¡¯t expect her to be such a young woman or one with such a fluttery and light aura around her. However, the Rune that shone on principal Miliera¡¯s hand was a Special-Grade Rune. It was proof of someone fitting to be a Holy Knight ¡ª she wasn¡¯t someone ordinary.


    ¡¸So, without further ado, let¡¯s get the orientation started! I¡¯ll introduce to you how we do our lessons in this Academy. First?, we are all going to have some warm-up exercises. Okay, everyone, please step onto the ring~. Ah, Knight students, bringing your Artifact is a no-no~¡¹


    Principal Miliera called out to the students.


    ¡¸¡­ Very well. It looks amusing.¡¹


    Inglis hopped lightly into the ring, but¡ª


    THUMP!


    ¡¸!? WHA¡­!?¡¹


    Her body felt as heavy as lead, and so she didn¡¯t land on her feet properly.


    ¡¸Gggguoohh¡­ h-, heavy¡­!¡¹ ¡¸I-, I can¡¯t stand¡­!¡¹ ¡¸Can¡¯t m-, move!!¡¹


    When she looked around, she saw that everyone was on their knees, while several of them couldn¡¯t even move.


    ¡¸This is a High Gravitational Pressure generated by an Artifact. It¡¯s the basic training regimens in this Academy, so get used to it~ We teachers are saddened to see our students dying in battlefields, so we will train and train and train and train you again and again to your breaking points so that none of you will suffer the same fate ???? ¡¹ 5


    Hearing that, the new students questioned if they had come to a dangerous place ¡ª not all of them, not Inglis, who was more than appreciative of this new development.


    The structure of Mana that made her body heavy, it was especially magnificent. Was this the Gift of the staff Artifact the principal Miliera had?


    If Inglis could replicate this mana structure on her own, not only could she train her mana control, she would also train her physique while she was at it. Killing two birds with one stone.


    ¡¸Ooh, amazing¡­! Quite the fine school this is!¡¹


    I very much would like to learn how to do this! Inglis immediately lost herself in analyzing the arrangements and the pattern of Mana around her. 6


    Here are a few examples: ¨C A girl who has a taste for fat balding oji-sans. ¨C A dweeb who only likes unpopular idols. ¨C People who put pineapple on pizza. Eli- YOU TAKE THAT BACK! Hawaiian pizza is best pizza. Also, could probably use ¡°Perverse¡± instead Sil- Hawaiian Pizza ain¡¯t that bad, try anchovy pizza and come back to tell me which is worst Al- Oi, Mab!! How dare you! Pineapple on pizza is the best!! YOU¡¯RE THE WEIRD ONE WHO DOESN¡¯T LIKE IT! HMPH!


    This is the perfect place for our beautiful Inglis. Eli- Ignoring physics is the past time of all authors Al- Anyone else getting DBZ flashbacks over here?

 Chapter 52: 15 year old Inglis and Chiral’s Royal Knight Academy (2)

    ¡¸KYAAaaah! What¡¯s this, so heaavyyy!!¡¹


    Rafinha used all her might just to stand on her feet.


    ¡¸Being in this gravitation field without Artifact is ?hard¡­! Good for practicing, though!¡¹


    Leone seemed like she had a comparatively wider wiggle room.


    ¡¸Yeah, this is good, isn¡¯t it? I didn¡¯t know you can train like this.¡¹ ¡¸But if we do this all the time, my legs are going to get fatter than they already are now¡­!¡¹ 1


    Leone seemed to be concerned about her firm and thicc lower half. It was her speech habit to blame on her lifestyle of swinging a sword around that made her body the way it was.


    ¡¸Okay everyone, get ready¡ª¡ª! Here we go!¡¹


    As principal Miliera snapped her finger, three humanoid holes opened up in the ring and three figures came out of them, animating as though they were alive.


    ¡¸Rock Golems, huh¡ª¡ª¡¹


    ¡ª¡ªIs that also the power of that staff Artifact?Or does she possess another Artifact?


    I don¡¯t know. But she must be ?powerful since she produced three giant bodies twice as large as a human.Mastering two Gifts from two Artifacts at the same time¡­ as expected of an owner of a Special Grade Rune.By all means, I¡¯d like to test my skills on her. If I¡¯m lucky, perhaps I can get her to fight me now?


    ¡¸Okaay. Let¡¯s play tag. These three Rock Golems will be it. The time limit is 10 minutes, anyone who isn¡¯t out of the ring by then¡ª¡ªwe¡¯ll give you a special coupon for a month of free meals in the Student Cafeteria ????~ Do your best and survive!¡¹ 2


    It was a generous offer that came out of the Principal¡¯s mouth.


    ¡¸Ooh, that¡¯s great¡­! That¡¯ll definitely help.¡¹ ¡¸We have to last until the end¡­.! But it¡¯s heaaavvvyyy!!!¡¹


    For Inglis and Rafinha, who ate as many times more than the average person, this prize was as many times more tantalizing to them than the average person.


    ¡¸It¡¯s okay, Rani. There are only three of them.¡¹


    ¡ª¡ªSo long I defeat them, the game will end.


    ¡¸Well then, let¡¯s start! Ready, seeet¡­.¡¹ ¡¸HAaaah!¡¹


    The moment the Principal started the count, Inglis leaped to one of the Rock Golems and hit it with an uppercut. The blow made the Rock Golem soared high, landing on a spot outside the ring, cracked and turned immobile.


    ¡¸Nnnn¡ª¡ª!?¡¹


    And while the Principal was still confused¡ª¡ª


    ¡¸Eei! And there!¡¹


    Inglis sent another fist to the second Golem, then ?threw the third golem outside. Her body was heavy, but that didn¡¯t mean she could not do such a feat. The gravitational pull was just right, it felt perfect for physical training.


    ¡¸Yosh¡ª¡¹


    Now she could eat as much as she wanted for a month without worrying about money.


    ¡¸Yaay! Now we get an all-you-can-eat buffet for a month ????¡¹ ¡¸You¡¯re awesome, Inglis¡­! I expect no less of you!¡¹


    Rafinha and Leone were happy with the development, but the others seemed to have a harder time to process what was happening.


    ¡¸E-, erm¡­.?¡¹ ¡¸Since it is outside the ring¡ª¡ª?¡¹ ¡¸We all passed, right? Yeaah!¡¹ ¡¸We can eat as much as we want for a month!¡¹


    Thinking ?it would be ?bad if every single new student could eat for free for a month, the Principal broke out in cold sweat and spoke¡ª¡ª


    ¡¸¡­ And just like that, if it is outside the ring, then everyone inside will pass~ It was just a demonstration, okay~¡¹ 3


    So she pulled the wool over their eyes.


    ¡¸Principal, isn¡¯t that foul play¡­.¡¹ ¡¸I¡¯msorryI¡¯msorryI¡¯msorry! It was a blunder from my part! One more time, please¡­!¡¹ ¡¸¡­¡­¡¹


    If she begged her that hard, then Inglis had no other choice but to comply. Well, she just needed to defeat them again. It served as training for her too.


    ¡¸Eehh¡­.? That¡¯s weird, did I mess up¡ª¡ªnonono, that can¡¯t be.¡¹


    Principal Miliera craned her neck. After mumbling to herself for a few moments, she recreated the Rock Golem again. And then¡ª


    ¡¸Okay, let¡¯s do it again¡ª ready, set, go!¡¹ ¡¸HAAaahhh!¡¹


    Dogon! Dogoon! Doggooonn!!!


    The golems were blown out of the ring with three consecutive palm strikes.


    ¡¸¡­¡­¡¹


    The Principal¡¯s smile stiffened yet again.


    ¡¸ ¡­.Ufufufufu! That one is a demonstration too~ You know, important things need to be said twice, okay~?¡¹ 4 ¡¸Principal! As expected, that¡¯s over the¡­.!¡¹ ¡¸Hussshh!!¡¹


    Then principal Miliera rushed over to Inglis to silence her.


    ¡¸L-, let¡¯s negotiate, okay¡­? It¡¯ll be three months for you, so can you please stop sending the Golems outside the ring until the end? I don¡¯t mind even if you step out of the ring in the middle of the game¡ª¡ª¡¹ ¡¸¡­ If you make it for three people, then I won¡¯t mind.¡¹5 ¡¸I understand. I¡¯ll take care of it.¡¹ ¡¸Also, can you make the gravitational pull heavier for me?¡¹


    It would only become good training if the pull gave Inglis a hard time moving around.


    ¡¸Eeh¡­? Hmm¡ª¡ªI¡¯m applying it uniformly all across the ring, so it¡¯s impossible to make it heavier just for one person. If you insist, then we can have a training session outside of regular class¡ª¡ª¡¹ ¡¸Please do.¡¹ ¡¸¡ª¡ªThen, I¡¯ll make it two months of coupons for three people instead.¡¹ ¡¸I understand.¡¹


    And so we made the terms. Inglis would analyze how the Mana operated as much as she wanted until she could reproduce the same effect by herself. That would be her first goal in this Academy.


    ¡¸Then, let¡¯s do it again, again, for real. Start!¡¹


    Three new Rock Golems came out of the ground and chased the students around.

 Chapter 53: 15 year old Inglis and Chiral’s Royal Knight Academy (3)

    On the ring with a high gravity field, the Rock Golems caught the slowed down students one after another then threw them out.


    ¡¸Okaay, 90 seconds to go! There are six people still on the game, do your best!¡¹


    Principal Miliera¡¯s cheering roused them. Amongst the surviving six, the three were Inglis, Rafinha, and Leone.


    Inglis put her attention onto the other three. Amongst them, two were of the Knight division, while the last one was of the Squire division. Contrary to everyone¡¯s expectation, the Squire student put up quite a good fight.


    First was the combination of a female Knight student and the male Squire student¡ª¡ª


    ¡¸Oi, Pullum! You¡¯re such a slowpoke, so make sure you¡¯re always hiding behind me!¡¹ ¡¸Yes, Lahti. Are you okay? Your knees are trembling.¡¹ 1


    ¡¸I¡¯m fine, you need not worry about such a thing!¡¹ ¡¸Wawawa¡­! I-, it¡¯s here! Go away!¡¹ ¡¸DA¡ª!? Don¡¯t push me! Why are you always pulling my legs¡­!?¡¹ ¡¸I-, I¡¯m sorry¡ª¡ª¡¹


    While she looked like she was all over the place, thanks to the Knight student Pullum shoving the Squire student Lahti, they conveniently avoided the Rock Golem¡¯s chase. Did Pullum do what she did, fully knowing of the outcome? If that was true, then she must be ?strong herself.


    ¡¸Come to me! You won¡¯t take the life off of this Liselotte Althea that easily!¡¹


    And then there was the female Knight student whose tone ?spoke of a noble¡¯s daughter. Her light-colored blonde hair curled elegantly, which only contributed to her ¡°high-class family¡¯s princess¡± atmosphere. She was beautiful, but she also seemed ?hard to approach.


    She was protected by some students that seemed to be her attendants until a few minutes ago, but they all dropped out already. Inglis expected her to be ousted too without her attendants, but the person herself was agile, even within this gravitation field. In addition, she intentionally stood on the edges of the ring, intending to shove the golems away if the chance came by.


    Which meant¡ª¡ªshe wasn¡¯t just a sheltered young lady.


    ¡¸60 seconds to go! Let¡¯s go for the last push here! I¡¯m increasing the gravitational pull!¡¹


    THUD! Their bodies felt even heavier.


    ¡¸Wah¡­! This feels good¡ª¡ª¡¹


    Inglis was happy with the new development, but that wasn¡¯t the case for the rest.


    ¡¸Aaah I¡¯m beat¡­.!¡¹ ¡¸Uugh¡­.! C-, can¡¯t move¡­.!¡¹


    Perhaps things would¡¯ve been different if Rafinha and Leone both had their Artifacts, but the two seemed to be incapable of fighting against the heightened gravitational pull.


    ¡¸Kyaah!?¡¹ ¡¸UWaah!?¡¹


    They were finally captured by the golems and thrown outside the ring.


    ¡¸Now, it¡¯s the last four people!¡¹


    The other students couldn¡¯t withstand it and were caught one by one.


    ¡¸GYaaah!?¡¹ ¡¸A-, are you okay Lahti¡ª¡ªKyaaah!?¡¹ ¡¸GUOOOooh!? Heavy heavy heavy I¡¯m deaaaaddd!!! Save meeee¡­!!!¡¹


    As Lahti fell under the weight of the gravitational pull, Pullum tried to come over but stumbled over Lahti instead. While Lahti was dying under Pullum, the golems caught them and threw the two out of the ring.


    ¡¸Y-, you imbecile¡­! Don¡¯t you dare touch me with your fingers¡ª¡ª!¡¹


    Liselotte also showed some struggle, but once she was captured, nothing could be done.


    ¡¸Okay, it¡¯s the last person standing!¡¹


    And finally, there was only one person left. Inglis.


    ¡¸It¡¯s that Squire student¡­!¡¹ ¡¸I knew she¡¯ll last until the end¡ª¡ª¡¹ ¡¸Then, the first two rounds really weren¡¯t a blunder¡­.¡¹


    The peanut gallery buzzed, their eyes glued on Inglis.


    But?¡ª¡ª


    ¡¸¡¸¡¸But ?she¡¯s so beautiful¡¹¡¹¡¹


    Men and women alike who gazed at Inglis became spellbound.


    ¡¸¡­¡­¡¹


    Even if she looked at it objectively, Inglis knew there were aspects of her that would inevitably draw people¡¯s eyes on her. She was glad that it could appease Rafinha and the people close to her, and she had fun looking at herself in the mirror, but still¡ª¡ª


    Maybe she was bad at coping herself from all the attention she garnered from the public¡¯s view. She had been basked in her subjects and the people¡¯s attention in her past life as King Inglis, but that was a different ?attention.


    Let¡¯s get this over with¡ª¡ª thought Inglis as she glanced at principal Miliera; the other answered with a nod. Well, let¡¯s do this then.


    Inglis stepped forward and positioned herself right in the middle of the three golems that had been spread from each other. All three golems rushed at her at once.


    ¡¸Hah!¡¹


    Inglis leaped right above them, avoiding the chase. Under the gravitational pull that normally would hinder anyone to even stand, Inglis jumped over the golems¡¯ head like it was child¡¯s play.


    The pull affected her alright, but it actually felt comfortable instead. Losing their target, the three golems collided with each other and bounced back.


    And Inglis landed in the middle of the three just right the moment they fell.


    ¡¸You¡¯re finished!¡¹


    Her supple leg drew an arc, and she kicked all three golems in one fell swoop. The golems flew like they were made of cotton and fell far outside the ring. There were students right nearby the ring, so she kicked them to the distance where nobody was present.


    A commotion stirred amongst the speculating students.


    ¡¸I-, it¡¯s over~! And so, we will present the congratulatory gift to Miss Inglis! Now, we¡¯re going to experience flying on a Flygear~! Everyone, let¡¯s head to the Flygear Dock~!¡¹


    Clap clap clap clap!


    Inglis exited the ring while bathing with a round of applause and cheers. Principal Miliera then came running up to her


    ¡¸Principal. The promise you made¡ª¡ª¡¹ ¡¸I¡¯ll fulfill it. Please come to my office later. That being said, Miss Inglis. By any chance, you¡¯re not secretly a Hyrule Menace, are you?¡¹ ¡¸I am not.¡¹ ¡¸¡­¡­ Right? You have a unique atmosphere compared to them, too¡ª¡ªhmm, interesting! If you¡¯re okay with it, I¡¯d love to hear more about you!¡¹


    The Principal looked at Inglis with her eyes sparkling with excitement.


    ¡¸Y-, yes¡­ I don¡¯t mind.¡¹


    Inglis couldn¡¯t help but feel that something was amiss, but she nodded her head, anyway.

 Chapter 54: 15 year old Inglis and Chiral’s Royal Knight Academy (4)

    ¡¸Okaay. Well then, everyone, we¡¯re going to go to the Flygear Dock~ ?it is the centerpiece of this Academy, so ?pay attention, okay ????¡¹


    Just as principal Miliera instructed, ?silhouettes descended from the sky with a low hum as if they aimed for the perfect timing. Those silhouettes were revealed as multiple Flygear Carriers. Each one of them was being operated by a single teacher.


    ¡¸Now, please get on. The Dock is ?far from here; you see~ We¡¯re moving with this~¡¹


    The students excitedly boarded onto the Flygear Carriers. These vassals were something yet to be spread nationwide. Many of the students hadn¡¯t ridden one such a thing.


    For Inglis, she and her group came to the Capital riding on a Flygear Carrier, so this would be her second time on one. Still, it was a little exciting?. She loved riding them. She never saw a vehicle that could soar through the sky in her previous life, so riding one was still a refreshing experience for her.


    ¡¸Hmm~! The wind feels nice! Flying is pleasant, right?¡¹


    Rani was in a good mood as well. Inglis smiled at her words and nodded in affirmation.


    ¡¸As of now, in terms of airborne battle strength, the Flygear Carriers are the largest vessels we have. After all, we still don¡¯t have any Flying Battleships like the ones used by the Highlanders.¡¹ 1


    Explained principal Miliera.


    ¡¸Will there be a time when we can get one of those?¡¹


    Asked Leone.


    ¡¸Hmm~ We wish to have those too, but isn¡¯t it difficult to get them? We only finally got the Flygears and the Flygear Carriers after long negotiations with the Highlanders?. Our ?priority is to master the operational strategies for Flygears and Flygear Carriers, without expecting to acquire one of the Battleships.¡¹


    Even for the Highland, if they granted such strength to those below, those could be turned against them. They would have no choice but to take a cautious stance in lifting the ban on new weapons and equipment.


    The Flygear Carriers carrying the students crossed the sky above the city and headed towards a large lake next to the Royal Capital. This lake, Vault lake, was connected to a river that would eventually lead to the sea, and there was a large harbor standing at the river mouth. With the abundance of marine products and the convenient water transportation running right next to it, it was no wonder this place became the Capital city.


    ¡¸Please memorize the route from the Academy to the Dock, okay~! We give you a lift today for freebies, but, more often than not, you will have to traverse the distance by yourself as ?training~¡¹


    Amid the exclaims such as ¡°Eeh!?¡± and ¡°So far!¡± rising all over the place, the Flygear Carriers arrived at the Dock on the shore of the lake, a bit farther from the harbor.


    The reason ?it was in such a remote location was to minimize the damage to oneself and others in the event of an accident during the Flygear training. For example, if one fell out of the Flygear above a large body of water, then the risk would be significantly lower compared to on a hard surface.2 The Academy itself had been long established since before they distributed the Flygears amongst the Midland, so inevitably, the Dock was far removed from the main building.


    The moment the students stepped inside the armory-like building¡ª¡ªthey were greeted with many Flygear Carriers and Flygears surrounding each one of those.


    ¡¸Ooh, amazing¡­!¡¹ ¡¸Waah~! The sight kinda gives you the throbs, right!?¡¹ ¡¸It¡¯s incredible. As expected of an academy of the Royal Capital. They¡¯re standing on the forefront¡ª¡ª¡¹


    Principal Miliera then called out to the overwhelmed new students.


    ¡¸There is approximately one Flygear for every three to four students, okay~ Make a group of three to four people and pilot the Flygear~! The starter lever is under the control stick, switch it and pull out the Flygear from the Port~¡¹


    Inglis headed to one of the Flygear with Rafinha and Leone in tow. When the starter was switched, a low hum was heard, and the Flygear lit up.


    ¡¸Please don¡¯t touch the control stick just yet, just push the Flygear outside~ It will stay afloat if you let the engine on, so you can just push it with ease~¡¹


    Just as the Principal said, when Inglis started it up and pulled it away from the Port, the Flygear was floating off the ground at a small distance.


    ¡¸It is ?light to the push.¡¹ ¡¸It¡¯s so floaty, funny!¡¹ ¡¸It really is.¡¹


    The three brought the Flygear outside whilst chatting with each other¡ª¡ª


    ¡¸Once it¡¯s outside, hop on it~!¡¹


    And the Principal gave her permission.


    ¡¸Here I go! Uwah, it¡¯s more rocky compared to the Flygear Carrier.¡¹ ¡¸You¡¯re right, it¡¯s ?wobbly.¡¹ ¡¸Maybe the Carrier is more stable because it¡¯s bigger.¡¹


    The other students also climbed onto their Flygears clamorously, much like Inglis and her group did.


    ¡¸Okaay, let¡¯s try moving it a little~ Please have one of you grab the control stick~ The others please hold on to something so you won¡¯t fall~¡¹


    Inglis asked Rafinha and Leone.


    ¡¸Can I try it first?¡¹ ¡¸Of course. Glis, you¡¯re in the Squire division, after all.¡¹ ¡¸Do your best, Inglis!¡¹ ¡¸Yeah. Thank you.¡¹


    Answering their expectation, Inglis took up the control stick. Oh my, isn¡¯t this just as exciting as before the start of a battle?3


    ¡¸First, we¡¯re going to head over the lake while ascending slowly~ The maneuvering instructions are on the panel on your front, so ?follow it, okay~! You have to pull the control stick back and slowly step on the acceleration pedal~ The pedal on the right under the control stick, okay~¡¹


    As the Principal said, there was ?a diagram stretched across the panel explaining the how-to. Inglis checked that, then slowly raised her Flygear and floated above the lake.


    ¡¸Ooh¡ª¡ªit¡¯s going, it¡¯s going¡­!¡¹


    Just doing this alone woke something up inside Inglis. Such a fresh sensation, just like when the first time she got to ride a horse.4


    ¡¸WAaah~ It feels good!¡¹ ¡¸You¡¯re right. And the view is pretty as well¡ª¡ª¡¹


    Exactly as Leone said, the view of the lake¡¯s bright blue water below them was a pleasant sight. Inglis could feel her spirit rising.


    ¡¸Once you¡¯re familiar with it, you can speed it up a bit~! Please take precautions when turning to avoid a collision, okay!~¡¹


    Hearing that, Rafinha opened her sparkly eyes wide.5


    ¡¸Glis, Glis! Go full speed, full speed!¡¹ ¡¸Eeh¡­? A-, are we allowed¡ª¡ª¡¹


    Leone seemed a little uneasy with the suggestion, but¡ª¡ªInglis¡¯ eyes sparkled just as brightly.6


    ¡¸Hold on tight. I¡¯ll make it fly.¡¹


    And thus the pedal met the floor metal.


    VOOOOMMM!!!


    The hum emitted by the Flygear became louder and higher as the vehicle rapidly sped up! The speed at which the landscape slid, the sound of the wind cleaving through, the pressure of the air that hit. Everything was on a ?different level than before.


    ¡¸Ooh¡ª¡ª! It can go pretty fast¡­..!¡¹ ¡¸It¡¯s faster than I thought~! Ahahahaha ???? Feels good!¡¹ ¡¸HYAAUUuuu!? A-, aren¡¯t we too fast!? It¡¯s p-, pretty scary you know¡­!?¡¹ ¡¸But we are going to fight Magic Stone Beasts while riding this, aren¡¯t we? We have to get used to it as soon as possible.¡¹ ¡¸Right-o right, mastery through familiarity!¡¹ ¡¸Even if you say thaaAAAAA!? Wah! Waah! There¡¯s a merchant ship up ahead!¡¹ 7 ¡¸It¡¯s fine, there¡¯s still a distance. We¡¯ll circle¡ª¡ª¡¹


    Inglis gradually slowed the Flygear down to do just what she declared, but¡ª¡ª


    Something strange happened to the merchant ship that came into their sight. The hull of the ship tilted heavily. The merchant ship was not defective for it to happen¡ª¡ªas the one responsible was a large shadow creeping right underneath the ship. That thing pushed the ship from below.


    ¡¸WHAA!? That ship is going to sink!?¡¹


    Rafinha raised her voice.


    ¡¸I can see something below it¡­!¡¹ ¡¸That¡¯s¡ª¡ª!?¡¹


    And now it came out of the water and bit into the side of the ship. It was¡ª¡ª


    ¡¸Magic Stone Beast!?¡¹


    Prism Flow also fell on lakes and seas. So, naturally, sometimes marine creatures turned into Magic Stone Beasts.


    ¡¸It¡¯s a fish Magic Stone Beasts!¡¹ ¡¸T-, that¡¯s dangerous¡­! If this continues on¡­.!¡¹ ¡¸Let¡¯s save them! We¡¯re charging in!¡¹ ¡¸Let¡¯s! We¡¯re the closest after all!¡¹ ¡¸U-, understood!¡¹


    Leone didn¡¯t object to this, and they unanimously charged in.


    They lowered their altitude to make it easier to fight it, still diving in at full speed. When it got closer to the water¡¯s surface, the Flygear rolled some magnificent waves and left a trail in its wake. While raising a water pillar on its back, the vehicle plunged right into the scene.


    ¡¸Okaay, let me try it!¡¹ ¡¸Do it, Rani!¡¹


    As the outline of the ship drew near, Rafinha pulled out her beloved bow Artifact, Flowing Radiance, and pulled its string. The light arrows it produced went to hail on the Magic Stone Beast, but¡ª¡ª


    Perhaps it sensed the incoming attack, as the Magic Stone Beast dived underwater. Blocked by the lake, the light arrows Rafinha unleashed died out.


    ¡¸Ah, it got into the water!¡¹ ¡¸Leone. Your sword can reach it underwater!¡¹ ¡¸Sure, leave it to me!¡¹


    Leone drew her black greatsword Artifact and pointed the blade into the water.


    ¡¸GOO!!¡¹


    The blade extended, invaded the water, and caught the enormous silhouette of the beast.


    ¡¸Okay¡ª¡ªI got it!¡¹


    But, right at that instant, the hull of the Flygear rocked heavily. The movement of the writhing Magic Stone Beast transmitted directly to them through the extended blade.


    ¡¸Kyaah!? U, uugh¡­.! H-, heavy¡­.!¡¹ ¡¸Let me help. Rani, the control stick.¡¹ ¡¸Got it, Glis!¡¹ ¡¸Inglis, h-, help¡ª¡ª!¡¹ ¡¸Leave it to me.¡¹


    Inglis lent her hands to Leone and together they grabbed the black greatsword Artifact.


    ¡¸Here we go. Ready¡ªnow!¡¹ ¡¸EEEEeiiii!!¡¹


    The two of them forcefully lifted the sword to pull the beast out of the waters.


    SPLAAASSHH!!!


    The Magic Stone Beast was launched up from the water¡¯s surface. But it slipped away from the sword and soared high.


    ¡¸Ah¡­! It¡¯s pulled out!¡¹ ¡¸It¡¯s okay!¡¹


    Inglis jumped down from the Flygear with light feet. Then, without sinking even a millimeter deep, she ran on the surface of the water. She was running on the water. A result of her daily training. It wasn¡¯t so difficult, you just needed to continually raise your feet right before they sunk¡ª¡ª Thought Inglis.8


    ¡¸EEEEEHHHH!?!?!? She¡¯s running on the water!? WHAT!?¡¹ ¡¸Well, it¡¯s Glis after all.¡¹


    With the astonished Leone and the slightly proud Rafinha watching her, Inglis walked up to the spot where the beast would fall onto.


    ¡¸HAAAAAAHH!!!¡¹


    She kicked that enormous body as hard as she could, and that body once again found itself high in the sky. Inglis then went to its drop point again and repeated to hurl it high again.


    ¡¸And again! And again! And again!¡¹


    And as she routinely kicked the beast¡ª¡ªit finally reached the lakeside.


    ¡¸Someone, please kill this Magic Stone Beast. Someone! ¡¹ ¡¸Ah, sure¡ª¡ª¡¹


    It was principal Miliera who accepted the request, dumbfounded as she was.


    ¡¸I felt like I just saw something terrifying, but you girls did great¡ª¡ª¡¹ ¡¸You¡¯re right. It¡¯s hard to grasp that there is a Magic Stone Beast lurking under these waters. It¡¯s a terrifying thought.¡¹ ¡¸No, I didn¡¯t mean that, but¡­ very well. I¡¯m delighted to have such an incredible student coming to our Academy. At any rate, I¡¯ll inform you and your friends¡¯ achievement to the people on the ship, okay?¡¹


    After that, they continued their flight experience on the Flygear for a while longer, and then returned to the main Academy building to tour the facilities before they were dismissed.


    Inglis¡¯ impression of her first day in the Academy was that it was an interesting place.


    This girl is broken.


    I wish I know aerodynamics. I want to know how much force she exerts to push through the air pressure.

 Chapter 55: 15 year old Inglis and Chiral’s Royal Knight Academy (5)

    Kyah Kyah!Ufufufufufu~Ahahahaha!


    Her surroundings were buzzing with the voices of young girls like such. Inglis felt pangs of guilt stabbing her heart whenever she looked around.


    ¡ª¡ªAfter all, everyone was naked.


    ¡¸Just where should I rest my eyes on¡­.¡¹


    She muttered to herself as she soaked in the water. Females made up 30 to 40 percent of all students, and they numbered a lot. And the girl¡¯s dormitory¡¯s bathroom was enormous. It wasn¡¯t as luxurious as the large bathhouse in Nova¡¯s castle, but it was still huge and aesthetic.


    That ?was great, but the people who used the bath were proportionally as much, and so it was the girls¡¯ naked body everywhere Inglis looked at. Rafinha was a relative, and someone like a granddaughter to her, so Inglis was still fine taking a bath with her. However, if it was with another girl, she couldn¡¯t help but get attacked by a wicked emotion, which then translated into guilt.1 Even if she told herself she shouldn¡¯t look, her eyes kept glancing around.


    Watching Inglis get flustered like such, Rene was looking up to her from Inglis¡¯ cleavage, half-submerged.


    ¡¸You look like you¡¯re having fun, Rene¡ª¡ª¡¹


    Rene was acting docile in Inglis¡¯ cleavage, solemnly taking in her surroundings. As she seemed to enjoy being spoiled by girls, perhaps Rene was looking for a girl that fit her tastes. For whatever reason, she didn¡¯t jump into Raphael, but ?into Leone and Inglis, so perhaps that was what she was into.2


    If you look at it like that, maybe Lady Cyrene is actually a woman who likes other women ¡ª¡ªassumed Rafinha boldly.3 And since she¡¯s transformed into a Magic Stone Beast, her reasoning has faded and she acts following her carnal desire¡ª¡ªor something. It would be quite a bother if it wasn¡¯t the case, but Rene herself couldn¡¯t affirm or deny it, so there was nothing they could do.


    Someday, when the day Inglis could turn Lady Cyrene back had come, everything would be clear. So long as Ether techniques could manage it, chasing for the possibility was a must. The Black Mask from the Ironblood Chain Brigade proclaimed he couldn¡¯t undo the transformation. Which meant, if Inglis did it, then she had surpassed him in terms of Ether techniques. Although, it was under the pretext that they could trust his words.


    ¡¸What¡¯s wrong, Inglis? Are you feeling lonely because Rafinha was taken away from you?¡¹


    Said Leone as she walked up to her. Her warmed up fair skin showed a slight cherry-looking blush, and her bust was as ample as Inglis¡¯. The slightly plump and round hips and thighs of hers were actually more alluring for men than otherwise, but¡ª¡ª


    If the current Inglis said so, it wouldn¡¯t be so convincing, so she said nothing. Inglis still couldn¡¯t help but steal a peek, however. Perhaps it would lighten her heart if she took this as her special privilege and just enjoy the scene.


    ¡¸N, no¡­. It¡¯s not like that.¡¹


    At the moment, Rafinha was occupied with the other students who came up to her. She stole the public¡¯s attention for being the Holy Knight¡¯s little sister, and the person herself was sociable and sported a bright personality. She responded to being spoken to with a thousand-mile smile, and so the circle of people around her just kept getting bigger, creating an even merrier environment.


    It was a good thing that Rafinha was popular. And personally, for Inglis, she would happily look after her from afar. But any insects trying to get close to her would get exterminated.


    There were only girls in the bath, so it was also a safe zone. Inglis would let her do whatever she wanted.


    ¡¸She¡¯s so popular¡­. it makes me ?jealous.¡¹


    Considering Leone¡¯s circumstances, Inglis could understand the meaning behind her sigh. Rafinha and Leone stood on two opposite ends of the spectrum for factors ?outside of their influence.


    ¡¸It¡¯s okay, Leone. It looks like Rene really loves you.¡¹


    Rene tried to move from Inglis¡¯ to Leone¡¯s cleavage.


    ¡¸Ahahaha. This girl really enjoys being there.¡¹ ¡¸She does.¡¹ ¡¸She¡¯s been hopping between you and me, I wonder what¡¯s the difference.¡¹ ¡¸I wonder? Rene doesn¡¯t speak, after all.¡¹ ¡¸Well then, let me be the one to confirm!¡¹


    Suddenly, Rafinha¡¯s face intruded into the gap between Inglis and Leone.


    ¡¸Wah!? R-, Rani¡­! Hyaau!? I-, I told you, no¡­.!¡¹ ¡¸W-, when did you¡­. No, wait, where are you groping¡­!¡¹


    The two of them were enveloped in Rafinha¡¯s arms, their breasts groped by her¡ª¡ª


    ¡¸¡ª¡ªGlis¡¯ is springy and tender, while Leone¡¯s is ?firm to the touch? Haah~ You two are so big, it¡¯s nice¡­¡¹ ¡¸L-, let it go¡­!¡¹ 4 ¡¸Y-, you¡¯re done, right¡­.!¡¹ ¡¸Hmm~? Okaay, once we¡¯re done taking bath, let¡¯s have some dessert?¡¹


    The Academy¡¯s cafeteria was still operating until quite the late hour, so it was still open now.


    ¡¸Yeah, let¡¯s. That¡¯s why, let it go, okay?¡¹ ¡¸Y-, you two are eating again¡­? You¡¯ve eaten so many desserts before.¡¹ ¡¸And we can still go for more¡­! It¡¯s free?, not eating them is a waste, right?¡¹ ¡¸I-, it¡¯s impossible for me, so I¡¯m retiring first, okay? I¡¯ll get fat if I eat too much¡­¡¹


    And with that, Inglis and Rafinha went to the cafeteria to enjoy some desserts and went back to the dormitory. As they did so, they found a disturbance happening in the corridor of the third floor on the east wing where their room was at.


    ¡¸And I¡¯m telling you, I can¡¯t stand being in this room! She is the flesh and blood of the Holy Knight that has betrayed the Kingdom, I can¡¯t believe her! Are you telling me to sleep with her, not knowing when will she take my life when I¡¯m defenseless!? In the first place, I¡¯m questioning your credential for permitting someone like her attending this school!¡¹ ¡¸No? she is already¡­ and even from my standpoint, I have judged that the person herself has nothing to do with her brother¡¯s deed, and so¡ª¡ª¡¹


    The blonde girl was lashing out at principal Miliera.


    ¡¸And I¡¯m telling you ?it¡¯s your judgment I¡¯m questioning about!¡¹ 5


    She was one of the students who showed excellent results back during the game of tag in the High Gravitational Pull field, a girl named Liselotte. Judging from the Rune on her hand, she was an owner of a High-Grade Rune?. There was no bearer of Special-Grade Rune amongst Inglis¡¯ generation, so these High-Grade Rune girls were the most elite out of the bunch. Excluding Inglis herself.


    It seemed like the girl had problems with Leone. The latter was seen standing nearby, her head hung down. Two students shared one room in the Girls¡¯ dormitory, with Inglis and Rafinha sharing the same room. And, apparently, Leone was assigned to be in the same room with Liselotte.


    And Liselotte objected to that decision¡ª¡ªthat was what it seemed to be.


    ¡¸I can¡¯t stand it, not until she or I change rooms.¡¹ ¡¸Haah¡­ It can¡¯t be helped. Erm¡ª¡ªIs there anyone here who wishes to swap rooms¡­?¡¹


    Principal Miliera then looked around at the gathering students. But everyone was ?shaking their head or avoiding her gaze.


    ¡ª¡ªFrom the looks of it, no one will share a room with Leone. It seemed like the word had already spread that Leone was the sister of the former Holy Knight Leon.


    ¡¸Here! Just come to our rooms!¡¹


    And the one who raised her hand in such a tumultuous atmosphere was Rafinha. ¡®Of course Rafinha would do it,¡¯ Inglis thought.


    The similar and the most beautiful quality the siblings shared, Raphael and Rafinha, was that they would act on their sense of justice without being influenced by their surroundings.


    ¡¸You¡¯re all cruel! Leone has been fighting against Magic Stone Beasts to protect Arlman¡¯s residence all by herself! She¡¯s not even appreciated for it! A girl like her is in no way a bad person!¡¹ ¡¸Rani. I understand how you feel, but calm down.¡¹


    Rafinha was infuriated so much she seemed to be ready to bite anyone in front of her. Inglis put her hand on Rafinha¡¯s shoulder to soothe her down. It was aggravating, but there was also the fact that it was hard to believe something that didn¡¯t happen in front of your eyes.


    ¡¸Us three will share a room together! That¡¯s fine, right? Glis?¡¹ ¡¸Of course. Let¡¯s go, Leone.¡¹


    Inglis pulled Leone¡¯s hand away and brought her to their room.


    ¡¸¡­ I¡¯m sorry, again and again¡­¡¹


    Said Leone, tears almost fell out of her eyes. After that, they took Leone¡¯s belongings from Liselotte¡¯s room and carried it away.


    ¡¸I have predicted that the students will react, but¡­ I never thought it would be like this so early. Haah¡ª¡ª¡¹


    Principal Miliera who lent her hand on the process said so to Inglis and Rafinha.


    ¡¸¡­. You know that and still gave her permission to enroll?¡¹ ¡¸Well, she has the recommendation from His Highness Wayne and Mr. Raphael, after all¡ª¡ªadults have their own circumstances. And not just that, Miss Leone is an owner of a High-Grade Rune herself, and we can¡¯t let such a talent to waste away. In addition, I ?believe that miss Leone must learn how to respect herself.¡¹


    Saying so, the Principal bowed to Inglis and Rafinha.


    ¡¸I¡¯m sorry for this, but I leave her to you two. I¡¯ll check if I can get a bigger room for you three¡ª¡ª¡¹ ¡¸Yes!¡¹ ¡¸I understand.¡¹


    They both went back to their rooms and, along with Leone, called it a day. It was best to forget bad things with a good night¡¯s sleep.


    ¡¸I¡¯ll sleep on the floor.¡¹


    Claimed Leone, her words carried no strength. As their room had a bunk bed for two, the extra had no place to sleep.


    ¡¸It¡¯s okay. Come here. Let¡¯s sleep together.¡¹


    Inglis who took the lower bunk invited Leone to her side. It was a bit cramped, but it wasn¡¯t impossible for them to sleep side to side.


    ¡¸Ah. Then I¡¯m coming too.¡¹


    For some reason, Rafinha who took the upper bunk came down?, and now the three of them ended up snuggling like parents and their child.6 It was pretty cramped¡ª¡ª But, it was most probably a good thing, as the two of them could watch over Leone when she was at her lowest. After a while, though, Rafinha fell asleep first.


    ¡¸¡­She¡¯s, umm, she makes¡ª¡ª¡¹ ¡¸She¡¯s snoring. She¡¯s always like this when she¡¯s tired. I¡¯m already used to it.¡¹ ¡¸But still, it¡¯s really been a while since I slept with someone else. I think I¡¯ve calmed down now¡­¡¹ ¡¸You¡¯re not alone, Leone. Don¡¯t worry, we¡¯re here for you.¡¹ ¡¸Thank you, Inglis¡ª¡ª¡¹ ¡¸Yeah.¡¹


    Inglis closed her eyes as she hugged Leone, whose shoulders trembled as she sobbed without a voice. In the past, she used to comfort Rafinha, who would say things like ¡°I¡¯m afraid of ghosts¡± or ¡°I had a nightmare.¡± While Inglis was immersed in such a nostalgic feeling, before they knew it, the three had fallen asleep.7

 Chapter 56: 15 year old Inglis and Chiral’s Royal Knight Academy (6)

    The day after¡ª¡ª Today was the day they divided the Knight division students and the Squire division into their own classes.


    While the Knight division students were practicing to use their Artifacts in battle, the Squire division students were learning how to fly with Flygears by themselves and maintaining the vehicle. On days with classroom study, basic combats, and joint exercises with Flygears, the Knight division would and the Squire division would have joint classes.


    They gathered Inglis and the other new students of the Squire division at the Academy¡¯s front main gate. Standing in front of them was a large muscular man with a bald head. The instructor uniform that he wore was torn apart with his bulging muscles.


    ¡¸The instructor in charge for Squires is me, Margus! Listen closely! It is the basic that you Squire students don¡¯t have any Rune or Artifacts! But don¡¯t you think even for a moment that you are inferior to those who do! Let our dispute be against those beasts alone! If we don¡¯t have Runes, then let us temper our body to make up the difference! I¡¯ll have you lots to train several times harder than those of the Knights division! First, we will run to the Dock! Come, follow ?me!¡¹


    Leaving those words, the instructor ran off towards the Vault Lake.


    ¡¸EEeeeeh!?¡¹ ¡¸But that has nothing to do with Flygears¡­..!?¡¹ ¡¸So fast!? We¡¯ll lose sight of him!¡¹ ¡¸W-, we must follow him for now!¡¹


    Everyone ran after instructor Margus.


    ¡¸¡­ Something like this isn¡¯t that bad either.¡¹


    Inglis agreed with the instructor, tempering one¡¯s own body was the basic of basic. However, just plain running would be boring.


    An Artifact¡¯s Gift that Inglis witnessed yesterday produced the gravitational pull effect, she tried to recreate it now. ¡ª¡ªShe remembered well the placements and the patterns of the Mana. However, it was still a delicate formula. The big question was whether she could operate it.


    ¡¸Hmm¡­.¡¹


    Inglis closed her eyes and focused her mind to change Ether into Mana. She manipulated it so it would clad her body¡ª¡ª The Gift from yesterday applied the gravitational pull towards a large area, but it would take a higher skill and Inglis had no use doing it either. She only needed to apply it to herself.


    She only needed to recreate a part of the Gift. If so, even with her immature skills¡ª¡ª


    THUMP!


    Inglis felt the sensation of her body sinking into the ground. Hop! Hop! Inglis tried jumping in place. She could tell she was heavier than usual.


    ¡¸Oh¡­. I did it¡ª¡ª!?¡¹


    The pull is about a few times my own body weight?I can say that it¡¯s still too light for my taste, but I¡¯m sure I can make it heavier as I improve my skills.At any rate, it¡¯ll make my training more efficient than otherwise.


    ¡¸Okay¡­! This much is enough for now.¡¹


    Inglis started last amongst everyone. However, even after being pulled by the extra gravity and started from the very end of the line¡ª¡ª She caught up with instructor Margus, who ran at the front in no time at all.


    ¡¸Fuhahaha! Don¡¯t push yourselves! It¡¯s just natural that none of you can catch up to me! Anyone who loses sight of me may ask the townspeople for directions to the DoooOOOOOOO!? S-, since when you¡¯re theeerreee!??¡¹ ¡¸Instructor. May I head there first?¡¹ ¡¸Y-, you can, but¡ª¡ªyou remember the way there¡­.!?¡¹ ¡¸¡­..Come to think of it, I don¡¯t. I will follow ?you for today then.¡¹


    It was still unsatisfying, but Inglis decided to just follow along while trying if she could increase the gravitational pull even further. ¡ª¡ªAnd then, a silhouette came from her behind.


    ¡¸FUNGAAHHHH!!! WAAAIITTT!!!¡¹


    It was a short young man with a face that said he¡¯d rather die than lose. He was desperately chasing after Inglis and the instructor If she didn¡¯t mistake it, he was the Squire student who showed an excellent result during the game of tag yesterday¡ª¡ªa boy named Lahti.


    ¡¸Ooh, that¡¯s awesome.¡¹


    This young man didn¡¯t own a Rune and wasn¡¯t a Divine Knight like Inglis, he was genuinely an ordinary man inside out. It must be the person himself who had fast legs. The sight of him frantically doing his best brought a smile to Inglis¡¯ face


    ¡¸S?h?i?t?, wipe your damn smirk¡ª¡ª! I¡¯m running with my life on the line here¡­!¡¹ ¡¸Hahaha! There sure are a lot of promising students in this year¡¯s Squire division! Good, very good!¡¹ ¡¸Don¡¯t forget us.¡¹ ¡¸Damn right! Did you think we won¡¯t be able to catch up with you!?¡¹


    Behind him, a pair of young men with blue and red hair respectively came into view. The color of their hair was opposite to each other, but their profiles were like two peas in a pod. They must be twins. 1 Inglis felt like she had a recollection of them. If she recalled it correctly, they were Liselotte¡¯s followers who protected her during the game of tag yesterday.


    In other words, they were her Squires¡ª¡ª The two of them had a Rune each on their hands, the shine told Inglis those were Middle-Grade Runes. They naturally fit the criteria to be admitted into the Knight division, so they must¡¯ve chosen to be here to serve under Liselotte?.


    There were other Squire students who owned a Rune, but the twins were the only ones with a Middle-Grade Rune, the rest only had Low-Grade Runes. Inglis had heard that Liselotte was the daughter of the king¡¯s right hand, prime minister Althea. She was the daughter of the most influential man at the moment, so Inglis supposed that her Squires must be those with high qualifications?.


    They both carried sword Artifacts with them. Artifacts had the effect of altering the wielders¡¯ physical abilities when they were activated. The twins seemed to be able to catch up with Inglis relying on this effect, as Inglis could feel the flow of Mana from them. Instructor Margus didn¡¯t prohibit anyone from using Artifacts.


    ¡¸Uugh¡­.! Damn it¡­.!¡¹


    Inch by inch, Lahti gradually fell behind the four.


    ¡¸Woah there. Take it easy, boy. Mister ordinary citizen like you just need to eat our dust and follow from behind, kay?¡¹ ¡¸Indeed. Humans can¡¯t force themselves to grow. Like in the height department.¡¹


    Liselotte¡¯s attendant twins snarled at Lahti. The red-haired one had a rough speech tone, while the blue-haired one spoke with a condescending tendency. 2


    ¡¸Shut up! You guys just came to the Squire division to make yourself look big since you have no chance to win in the Knight division! Like hell Imma lose to such small-balled b?a?s?t?a?r?d?s?¡­.!¡¹ ¡¸What you say, punk!? You dare to say that on our faces!?¡¹ ¡¸Pfft¡­. for someone who can¡¯t run after us, your mouth sure runs fast.¡¹


    True enough, Lahti had hit his limits.


    ¡¸¡­ Do you remember the way to the Dock?¡¹


    Inglis drew near Lahti and asked in a whisper.


    ¡¸Y-, yea¡­ I remember, why¡­.?¡¹ ¡¸Then, guide me.¡¹


    She grabbed Lahti¡¯s hand and sped up their run, dragging the latter most of the time.


    ¡¸¡ª¡ªWe¡¯ll be going ahead!¡¹ ¡¸DDOOOOoO!? Fast! You¡¯re too fast! GYAaaaaah!?¡¹ ¡¸Bear with it. You don¡¯t want to lose, do you?¡¹


    From behind the two, the Instructor called them.


    ¡¸W-, when you arrive, take your Flygears and do your flight self-study¡ª¡ª!¡¹ ¡¸Yes. Roger that.¡¹


    Inglis turned her back to give a smile towards the instructor, then sped up even further.


    ¡¸Wha¡­ fast!?¡¹ ¡¸N-, no way, what the hell¡¯s that!?¡¹


    In no time at all, Inglis had lost the Instructor and the twins behind her.

 Chapter 57: 15 year old Inglis and Chiral’s Royal Knight Academy (7)

    ¡¸Wheeze¡­wheeze¡­bleeergh, I¡¯m feeling sick¡­. ¡¹


    After they arrived at the Dock running ahead from the batch, Lahti was at the end of his breath, his knee kissing the ground.


    ¡¸Isn¡¯t it good that you didn¡¯t lose?¡¹ ¡¸I was only dragged along, so it wasn¡¯t by my ?power¡­. it was ridiculous.¡¹ ¡¸You¡¯ll get used to it if you keep experiencing it.¡¹ ¡¸You meant to do it to me again!?¡¹ ¡¸I¡¯ll do it again if you want me to¡¹ ¡¸Spare me, I¡¯d die if you dragged me like that again¡­. But let me say my thanks. Thank you. I¡¯m Lahti, nice to meet you.¡¹ ¡¸Inglis. Nice to meet you too.¡¹ ¡¸I¡¯m not someone from this country, I come from Alucard.¡¹


    It was a country to the north of this kingdom of Charalia. The cold climate was harsh to live on, but they also had the advantage of relatively less occurrence of Prism Flow with their low precipitation rate. That didn¡¯t mean that there was no Magic Stone Beast at all.


    ¡¸Is that so? You¡¯re an overseas student, then?¡¹ ¡¸Yup, I am. You guys have it nice. It¡¯s warm down here.¡¹ ¡¸Yeah. That Pullum girl too?¡¹ ¡¸Hm? Ah, her? Yeah, she¡¯s from Alucard too.¡¹ ¡¸So, you came here to learn to be her Squire, Lahti? Me too. I¡¯m going to be the Squire for a girl named Rafinha Wilford.¡¹ ¡¸Aah. That Holy-Knight¡¯s-little-sister girl? Pullum and I aren¡¯t exactly like that.¡¹ ¡¸Is that so?¡¹ ¡¸But I will learn how to steer Flygear, hone my skills, and contribute in the fight against those Magic Stone Beasts¡­! This place is the only place I can learn Flygear, so I came far only for that¡­! Okay, I¡¯m done resting. My arms feel itchy, so let¡¯s bring out those Flygears!¡¹ ¡¸Yeah. Let¡¯s.¡¹


    Inglis and Lahti asked a different instructor who was stationed at the Dock and received permission to access. They then brought their Flygears out and flew.


    ¡¸Hell yeah! It¡¯s free time until everyone¡¯s here! Let¡¯s fly as much as we want!¡¹


    Once he went on top of the lake, Lahti floored the pedal.


    ¡¸Good idea!¡¹


    Inglis followed behind. There wasn¡¯t any presence of Magic Stone Beasts today. And so, let¡¯s fly and have fun as much as we want!


    ¡¸YOSSSHAAAA!!!!¡¹ ¡¸Ooh. Amazing¡­!¡¹


    Inglis was amazed by the flight trajectory of the Flygear driven by Lahti. It kept thrusting forward while spinning as if he was a human spiral, and even with such a movement, the speed hadn¡¯t slowed down for a bit. Its rapid ascent and sharp turns were minute and complex, and yet he kept going faster. The quality of the movements was clearly different from Inglis¡¯ who could only draw a linear flight path.


    Apparently, Lahti was a genius when it came to piloting Flygears.


    ¡¸Hehehe! It¡¯s not fair unless I can win against you guys in at least one aspect!¡¹


    Lahti¡¯s Flygear went past Inglis¡¯ Inglis had floored the pedal?, but she still couldn¡¯t catch up to him. ¡ª¡ªFrustrating.


    ¡¸¡­.. I¡¯ll surpass you!¡¹


    Inglis directed her palm to her back¡ª¡ªand launched Ether Strike!


    SUGOOOOOOOOooooon!!!!


    A huge translucent light of sphere surged backward, rolling up lake water into grand waves. However, those were just the byproduct. Inglis sped up her Flygear with the recoil of firing the Ether Strike, overtaking Lahti¡¯s Flygear from her front.


    ¡¸WOOOOIIII!?!?!? The hell are you doing, Inglis!? What on Earth is that¡­.!?¡¹ ¡¸I hate losing.¡¹ ¡¸No, that¡¯s not the problem here, though!? You can¡¯t just shoot that kind of light just because you hate losing! You don¡¯t even have Rune, how¡­!?¡¹ ¡¸I¡¯ve trained, after all.¡¹ ¡¸I have a feeling that¡¯s not what it¡¯s all about¡­.!¡¹ ¡¸At any rate, I win against you in terms of speed.¡¹ ¡¸W-, well, yeah¡ª¡ªbut I won¡¯t lose in terms of piloting maneuvers!¡¹ ¡¸Yeah, you¡¯re amazing. I can tell that the movement is different. Teach me how you do it.¡¹ ¡¸Sure, why not?¡¹


    As the two flew all over the Vault lake, instructor Margus finally arrived and the Flygear training began in earnest. Even during the lesson, Lahti¡¯s outstanding talent over the Flygear brought about a pleasant surprise for the Instructor.


    And so ended the separated training from the Knight division¡ª The next day, the Knight division and the Squire division joined in the classroom lessons and combat practice. It was the same for the day after that¡ª¡ªbut, that night, principal Miliera called Inglis and her group.


    ¡¸Principal. What do you need of us?¡¹


    After they greeted the Principal in her office, Inglis asked her question.


    ¡¸Miss Inglis, Miss Rafinha, and Miss Leone. Do you remember how you defended a merchant ship from a Magic Stone Beast the other day? Actually, the owner of the ship invites you three to give you his gratitude¡ª¡ª¡¹ ¡¸Wah! So we will have a feast!?¡¹


    Rafinha reacted in an instant.


    ¡¸Yes, I¡¯m sure you will.¡¹ ¡¸May I ask who is the owner we are speaking of?¡¹ ¡¸They¡¯re a group of Armed Peddlers with the name Lambert Firm.¡¹ ¡¸¡­¡­!?¡¹


    Inglis didn¡¯t think she had heard that surname in a very long time.


    ¡¸Glis, isn¡¯t that? Rahal¡¯s¡­.!?¡¹ ¡¸Yeah. It¡¯s the firm Rahal¡¯s father has.¡¹


    But, since Rahal had become a Highlander, I thought his father is a Highlander too¡­?And if the firm he has is still operating, then what happened to it? To find that out, Inglis had no other option but to accept the invitation.

 Chapter 58: 15 year old Inglis and Chiral’s Royal Knight Academy (8)

    Rattle rattle rattle¡ª¡ª


    The dry sound of carriage wheels came to their ears from outside. Rafinha, sitting face-to-face with Inglis, was watching the dusk painting the sky outside the window when she opened her mouth.


    ¡¸Leone should¡¯ve come with us.¡¹


    Leone answered the invitation they received by saying, ¡°You two can go, I¡¯m fine.¡± And so today, after the classes were over, Inglis and Rafinha went to attend the invitation just by themselves.


    ¡¸It can¡¯t be helped. We already concluded that the Lambert Firm has every reason to hold a grudge on her.¡¹


    Rahal¡¯s father ran the Lambert Firm. Inglis did not understand its internal affairs, but¡ª¡ªit was Leone¡¯s big brother, Leon, who heaped Prism Powder on Rahal, the son of the firm¡¯s head, and turned him into a Magic Stone Beast. If they knew this fact, then ?there was a possibility that their resentment translated to Leone as well.


    ¡¸But if you say it like that, then we¡¯re ?the same¡ª¡ªBut Leone is ?conscious about it, isn¡¯t she? She¡¯s pretty depressed when we left.¡¹ ¡¸Yeah. We don¡¯t want to hurt her more than she already is.¡¹ ¡¸But, if we leave things just like this, then she¡¯ll always be like that, you know? If only there¡¯s a good trigger¡­.¡¹ ¡¸That¡¯s true. And I believe Leone knows that?. But, for now, she seems a bit tired. Let¡¯s wait until she¡¯s cheered up.¡¹ ¡¸¡­. You¡¯re right. Forcing someone is not good. Then, for the time being, let¡¯s bring her something delicious!¡¹ ¡¸That¡¯s for the best. Let¡¯s.¡¹ ¡¸Hmm¡ª¡ªHey, Glis? I¡¯ve been thinking, everyone fawns over me because I¡¯m big brother Rafa¡¯s little sister, right? But Leone is the opposite. Just because she¡¯s Mister Leon¡¯s little sister, everyone looks at her badly¡­ That¡¯s why I think we have to be the ones who support her. Leone is a good girl. You¡¯ll help, right? Glis?¡¹ ¡¸Of course I will. You¡¯re remarkable, Rani.¡¹


    Inglis patted Rafinha¡¯s black hair gently. It was remarkable for Rafinha to be aware of it as Inglis had always been bad at reading the mood.


    ¡¸Fufu. If Glis will help, then everything will be fine.¡¹ ¡¸Is that so?¡¹ ¡¸Yeah. I¡¯m speaking from experience, you see?¡¹


    While they were chatting, ?the carriage halted in its track.


    ¡¸Are we there yet?¡¹ ¡¸But it¡¯s in the middle of the road?¡¹


    Even though the coachman said the pick-up carriage will bring them from the Academy to the Firm¡¯s mansion¡ª¡ª?


    ¡¸Excuse me, I¡¯ll have you allow me to check!¡¹


    With that, a Knight in armor bearing the kingdom¡¯s coat of arms opened the carriage¡¯s door.


    ¡¸Mu¡ª¡ªyou girls are candidates from the Knight Academy?¡¹ ¡¸Yes, we are.¡¹ ¡¸Is there something wrong, sir?¡¹ ¡¸In the last few days, there has been a lot of murder case where people are killed in the streets at night. That¡¯s why we¡¯re keeping the entire city locked down at night.¡¹ ¡¸EEeeh!?¡¹ ¡¸Such an incident¡­?¡¹


    Inglis and Rafinha had just only arrived in the Royal Capital and the Academy was a boarding school, so they didn¡¯t know much about the matters in the city.


    ¡¸Their targets are all Knights with a Rune. Rune Eater, that¡¯s what they are.¡¹ ¡¸Do you have any idea who the suspects may be?¡¹


    Being asked by Inglis, the Knight shook his head.


    ¡¸No, not even a lick. Though, I¡¯ve been told that it¡¯s the work of those Ironblood Chain Brigade lots¡ª¡ªYou see, there will be another goods shipping from the Highland soon, right? It¡¯s suspected that they¡¯re aiming for that. Anyway, you girls best be careful.¡¹ ¡¸Understood. Thank you very much.¡¹ ¡¸We will. Thank you for the warning.¡¹


    After the two gave their salute, the Knight closed the door and left. The carriage once again moved, with Inglis smiling from the information.


    ¡¸Rune Eater, huh? Sounds interesting. I wonder if they¡¯re strong.¡¹ ¡¸¡­. A~ah, I can smell trouble.¡¹ ¡¸Is that so?¡¹ ¡¸Yeah. Whenever you smirk like that, Glis, nothing good happens. I¡¯m speaking from experience, you see?¡¹ ¡¸Rude.¡¹ ¡¸That being said, I¡¯m sure big brother Rafa could take care of it fast if he was in the capital.¡¹ ¡¸He¡¯s still on that Prisma transportation operation, right?¡¹ ¡¸Yeah. He¡¯ll inform me once he¡¯s back. Besides, I also heard that His Highness Wayne is heading over there too. And Miss Eris went along to protect her.¡¹ ¡¸We¡¯re ?short on hands, aren¡¯t we? But, I¡¯m surprised you know that.¡¹ ¡¸Yeah. I mean, look, there are many people coming to talk to me, right? Some of them are children from the capital¡¯s Knight families. They¡¯re the ones who told me about it.¡¹ ¡¸I see.¡¹


    The carriage stopped again, and this time, the coachman told them ?they had arrived. What revealed in front of them was a mansion in which its enormous garden made it stand out even amongst the other mansions in the residency.


    ¡¸Please continue inside.¡¹ ¡¸I understand.¡¹ ¡¸Thank you very much.¡¹


    Inglis and Rafinha made their way through the garden that more resembled a public park rather than a front yard. Dusk had gone by and night had completely seeped in.


    ¡¸Rani. Stop a bit here.¡¹ ¡¸? What is it?¡¹ ¡¸Stay there, okay?¡¹


    As Inglis said so, she walked forward all by herself. And then¡ª¡ª


    Whoosh whoosh whoosh whoosh!


    Along with the sound of air splitting, several arrows flew towards Inglis.


    ¡¸Glis!?¡¹ ¡¸Hm. It¡¯s alright.¡¹


    Inglis reacted as if it was nothing. With a speed that couldn¡¯t be caught with the eye, Inglis caught every single arrow with her fingers.


    ¡¸Y-, you caught all that!?¡¹ ¡¸Yeah. I sensed their presence?. So they ?have a grudge against us after all?¡¹


    That being said, I feel like they purposely missed their aim, and the arrowhead is shaved blunt?.Though, I don¡¯t know why they would do that.


    ¡¸So they set us up¡­!?¡¹ ¡¸Perhaps? But¡ª¡ª¡¹


    Papapapapaah!


    With a single movement, Inglis threw the arrows between her fingers back to their owner.


    ¡¸Uwaah!?¡¹ ¡¸OUuuch!?¡¹ ¡¸W-, what happen¡­!?¡¹ ¡¸It¡¯s thrown back to us!?¡¹


    Screams of men raising from behind the trees and bushes around them.


    ¡¸You see, I like this kind of welcoming greet.¡¹


    Smiled Inglis, full of affection.


    ¡¸¡­. A~ah, that¡¯s a face for something up to no good.¡¹


    Rafinha let out a sigh.


    ¡¸Oi, don¡¯t panic, b?a?s?t?a?r?d?s?! What she did is nothing extraordinary, she just reads our presence is all. Oi, young miss. Come, I¡¯ll be your opponent.¡¹


    A sturdy man with a scar on his cheek stepped forward and stood in Inglis¡¯ way. There was a Middle-Grade Rune shining on his hand.


    ¡¸I¡¯ll be your guest, then.¡¹ ¡¸Sure do. Come at me with your aaaAAAAAAALLLL!?!?¡¹


    The elbow strike Inglis lightly gave him sent him flying straight into the air, slamming him into the mansion¡¯s wall. The man seemed to have lost consciousness, as he didn¡¯t get back up.


    ¡¸Now, who is next?¡¹


    Asked Inglis with her wide smile directed to the other men.


    ¡¸¡¸¡¸Hiiiieeekk!?!?¡¹¡¹¡¹


    The remaining men shrieked as their spine had frozen over.


    ¡¸Wait! Stop! I know well that you¡¯re strong now! Forgive us! Please, mercy!¡¹


    Then, a young man came out of the mansion and bowed his head towards Inglis.

 Chapter 59: 15 year old Inglis and Chiral’s Royal Knight Academy (9)

    ¡¸If possible¡ª¡ª¡¹


    Inglis smiled at the man who bowed his head in front of her.


    ¡¸It would be more fun if you join us and come at me, would it not?¡¹


    Despite her dainty and flattering grin, Inglis provoked the man to fight her. The young man looked flustered and shook his head.


    ¡¸N-, no, I must pass, really! I¡¯m no better than the guy you blew away over there. I can¡¯t hold a handle to you.¡¹ ¡¸Again with your modesty.¡¹ ¡¸I-, I¡¯m not being modest! Sorry for disappointing you!¡¹ ¡¸Is that so? What a shame.¡¹ ¡¸W-, what a tremendous fighter for a marvelous beauty¡­ A-, at any rate, ?forgive me for thinking little of you. I am Faris Fuargo. Currently being handed the representative position of the Lambert Firm.¡¹ ¡¸So it¡¯s you? My name is Inglis Eux. Pleased to meet you.¡¹ ¡¸Actually, this isn¡¯t our first time meeting. Both for you and the young lady Rafinha Wilford over there.¡¹ ¡¸You know us?¡¹ ¡¸Sure do. About ten years ago, was it? Do you recall how our armed peddler firm had a joint training session with the Knights of Ymir? I was there back then, y¡¯see. You two were little, but now you¡¯ve grown so beautifully. Ten years sure fly by.¡¹ ¡¸So that¡¯s how it is, you were there back then¡ª¡ª¡¹ ¡¸At any rate, let¡¯s head inside. Although it¡¯s not so luxurious, I¡¯ve prepared some food for you. After all, I invited you two to say our gratitude.¡¹ ¡¸Yay ???? A feast! Let¡¯s eat like crazy!¡¹ ¡¸Rani, it¡¯s improper to be so merry.¡¹ ¡¸Hahaha. It¡¯s all right, eat your fill.¡¹


    Faris gave them a wide smile now, but a few moments later¡ª¡ª


    ¡¸No, you two really ?eat like crazy!¡¹


    Faris shrieked at the sight of empty plates that mercilessly piled up on the table.


    ¡¸Nn~ ???? The foods in the cafeteria are good too, but these are so high-class~. Yum~????¡¹ ¡¸It¡¯s not something we can afford with our allowance, so let¡¯s eat while we can and save some budget.¡¹ ¡¸Yup. Also, should we get some of it wrapped for Leone?¡¹ ¡¸Good idea.¡¹ ¡¸Excuse me~. Can we take this home?¡¹ ¡¸S-, sure. Oi, somebody wrap these up.¡¹ ¡¸¡¸Thank you very much!¡¹¡¹


    Inglis and Rafinha thanks Faris with an endearing smile, then ?reach for more food¡ª¡ª


    ¡¸No, you¡¯re still eating!? At any rate¡ª¡ªWell, whatever. You may continue eating, just listen to me.¡¹ ¡¸Whah ish idh?¡¹ 1 ¡¸Yehh?¡¹


    With their mouth full with steaks, they replied.


    ¡¸The current state of our firm is as I have explained to you. Mr. Lambert, the preceding director, and Mr. Rahal, his son, have both gained citizenship in the Highland and dumped the firm behind them, but we who remained somehow kept the business afloat. I heard the news how Mr. Rahal was killed in Ymir, but we don¡¯t hold any grudge for that. I mean, we¡¯re just dogs they threw away. They have grown so impudent, largely because they have become Highlanders, that all they do just keeps incurring our irk, way past the limit. Well, their characters aren¡¯t the most noble even before that, you see. Especially Mr. Rahal. That you girls saved our ship was purely coincidental. And so, towards the individuals who had saved us, there is something I wish to ask.¡¹ ¡¸¡¸Yehh. Ihh dhad sho?¡¹¡¹2


    The two were busy gobbling deep fried chicken meat that stuffed their mouth. They looked like two small animals carrying nuts in their cheek.


    ¡¸¡­¡­ You really kept eating. Even though I¡¯m being serious here. No, I don¡¯t mind.¡¹


    Faris cleared his throat, then continued.


    ¡¸Truth to be told, there will be a huge transaction between the Highland and the Kingdom, and our firm will take a part in it. But, you know how dangerous things are recently, right? There¡¯s rumor how the Ironblood Chain Brigade scheming something to sabotage the transaction. Obviously, the Kingdom has some kind of security measures, but those are for protecting the Kingdom¡¯s and the Highland¡¯s top brass. So, if something happened, we¡¯ll be the lizard¡¯s tail. That¡¯s why we want to hire our own skilled guards. It¡¯s shameful for an armed peddler firm to hire bodyguards, but we¡¯re grasping straws right now. How is it, would you guard us throughout the transaction? We¡¯ll pay you handsomely.¡¹


    Inglis and Rafinha looked at each other, moving their mouths.


    ¡¸¡­¡­Ihn anyoher whods, iph dhings gho weww, I koudh fite wihh Iyhonbhud Hain Buighad? 3 ¡¹ ¡¸A¡ªah. Ghih¡¯ sikness ih adh idh ahain¡­¡¹ 4 ¡¸Idh dangeyus foh yuu, Yanhi. Shold whe staph?¡¹ 5 ¡¸Idh fayn. I whan syom phokedh mhaneh dhoo, anh id kuud dishtrak Yheone ash weww, wight?¡¹ 6 ¡¸Nnh yuu hab a phoin. Eesher wey, wai dyon we assh dhe pyinshipaw fishd?¡¹ 7


    A single sigh escaped Faris.


    ¡¸Uh, yeah, if you guys can converse with that, then don¡¯t mind me¡­¡­¡¹


    With the conversation between them settled, Inglis gulped whatever she had in her mouth and worked out a reply.


    ¡¸We will discuss it with the principal once we return. If she gives us permission, we¡¯ll take the deal.¡¹ ¡¸Ooh, ¡®s that so¡ª¡ªThank you! You saved my hide here!¡¹ ¡¸That goes for both of us.¡¹


    Answered Inglis with a smile. If something happened, then the odds to fight a powerful enemy in the forefront of a battlefield was high. It was a hard-to-earn opportunity to train herself. There was no better training aside from real battle. They would be rewarded for being provided with such an opportunity, so what else should Inglis say except her thanks?


    After they concluded their talk, Inglis and Rafinha were given a ride home with a carriage.


    ¡¸They said there¡¯s a slasher around here. I wonder if they¡¯re going to show up?¡¹ ¡¸Don¡¯t get excited for it! Geez¡­..! I¡¯m not saying anything, okay!? You know what they say about jinxes¡ª¡ª!¡¹


    GYAAAAAaah!!UWAAAaah!!8


    Screams roused through the darkness of the night.


    ¡¸Oh? Sounds like a good after-dinner workout.¡¹


    With a moment¡¯s notice, Inglis leapt outside the carriage.


    ¡¸Aaah, geez¡­.!¡¹


    BAAM!!


    Rafinha also stepped outside¡ª¡ªthe moment she did, the Clock Tower that was above the carriage burst open and broke down!


    ¡¸Watch out! Rani!¡¹


    Inglis jumped up. She sent some huge falling debris and wreckages away, and stopped the rest with her body. By the time she landed, she was carrying the tip of the Clock Tower, which was larger than her.


    ¡¸Are you okay?¡¹ ¡¸Yeah. Thanks, Glis.¡¹


    Rafinha was used to Inglis¡¯ conduct, but the same couldn¡¯t be said for the dazed coachman.


    ¡¸W-, what an amazing young miss¡ª¡ªYou don¡¯t even possess Rune¡­..!¡¹ ¡¸Please wait here. I¡¯ll check the perimeter.¡¹


    Inglis ran towards the direction of the voices. It was the same direction of the projectile that broke the Clock Tower into two.


    And over there was¡ª¡ªa figure of lightning beasts that looked like a lump of condensed lightning? If it was, then Inglis would recognize it.


    Inglis ran into the alleyway, turned the corners for two to three times¡ª¡ª Then she saw them. A man donning a bluish-purple spiked iron gauntlet¡ª¡ª And facing him was a silhouette of a human with bizarre aura, as though the brilliance of a Rune was glowing from all over their body.


    ¡¸Leon¡­¡­!?¡¹


    With little thought, Inglis called the name.

 Chapter 60: 15 year old Inglis and Chiral’s Royal Knight Academy (10)

    ¡¸¡­¡­!?¡¹


    At the sound of Inglis¡¯ voice, Leon turned around and made a surprised look. It was Leon, after all. There was no mistaking it. He was also accompanied by the lightning beasts that surrounded him.


    ¡¸Is that you, Inglis girl¡­¡­!? You¡¯ve grown even prettier¡­¡­!¡¹ ¡¸Why are you here¡­¡­!?¡¹


    Leon should have been under the Ironblood Chain Brigade now.So, does that mean that the Ironblood Chain Brigade is scheming something in the capital?Is it an attempt to interfere with the transaction with the Highland that Faris mentioned, after all?I wonder if the Slasher is part of their plan.


    However, besides Leon, there was another man with a bizarre appearance that was positioned behind him. It was a mysterious person with Runes all over his body. His face was hiding behind a silver mask, making it impossible to find out his profile.


    The Knights that halted Inglis and Rafinha warned them of a slasher who assailed people with Runes. He told them it was a Rune Eater. This person seemed fit to that description. Looking at their positions, it appeared that Leon was confronting the slasher.


    ¡¸Explode!¡¹


    The lightning beasts roared and exploded, generating so much light that made anyone unable to open their eyes.


    ¡¸Kh¡­¡­!¡¹


    Even for Inglis, she couldn¡¯t help but close her eyes for a moment¡ª¡ª


    ¡¸Later! I¡¯ll leave this one to you!¡¹


    And they heard such a remark. By the time Inglis opened her eyes again, Leon¡¯s figure was nowhere to be seen. As usual, his swiftness in retreat could be said to be top-notch.


    ¡ª¡ªHowever, the curtain wasn¡¯t closed yet. The mysterious man with many Runes that stood opposite to Leon still lingered in the scene.


    ¡¸¡­¡­ Who are you? Are your the slasher who assaults Rune owners?¡¹


    Normally, there was only one instance of rune for each person. As how every individual had their own unique nature of mana, the Rune that was etched onto their person was unique?. This mechanism was designed for people of the current age who couldn¡¯t perceive nor manipulate mana all by themselves.


    However, for this man, along with several Rune instances on his body, Inglis also could feel several different mana wavelengths from him. From how she looked, this man appeared to have several people¡¯s portions of Runes and Mana overlapping in himself.


    And the ?total of all of those¡ª¡ªmade Inglis¡¯ mouth loosened up. Seems like I¡¯ve finally run into a tough opponent after a while.


    ¡¸If it¡¯s okay with you, I¡¯d like you to assault me too.¡¹ ¡¸ ¡ª¡ªNo¡­ need. Ugly tasting¡­ woman.¡¹


    His speech was broken, but he gave a reply.


    ¡¸I¡¯m often praised for my appearance, just so you know.¡¹ ¡¸Don¡¯t¡­ care. Want mana¡ª¡ª¡¹ ¡¸Well, how about this then?¡¹


    Inglis changed the Ether that enveloped her body into mana.


    ¡¸OOOOOHHHH!?!?!?¡¹


    The man howled like in wild ecstasy.


    ¡¸GIVE MEEEE!!!¡¹


    He readied himself to leap towards Inglis.


    ¡¸Here you go. If you can take it, that is.¡¹


    With a grin hanging from one ear to another, Inglis beckoned the man.


    ¡¸GAAAHH!!¡¹


    The man came charging at Inglis from a low posture, shrieking like a mindless beast.


    ¡ª¡ªHe¡¯s pretty fast!Perhaps, his movements wouldn¡¯t lose to those of the Hyrule Menaces.


    However, it wasn¡¯t so fast that Inglis couldn¡¯t react. The punches, kicks, and body blows that he fiercely carried out, all was seen through and evaded paper-thin by Inglis.


    ¡¸OOOOHHH!?!?!?!¡¹


    The man¡¯s attacks were getting bigger as he grew impatient that none of his assaults hit the mark.


    ¡¸What¡¯s wrong? Please show the power of those Runes.¡¹


    While avoiding the scooping uppercut, Inglis delivered a palm strike to her opponent. With the momentum, the mysterious man flew through the fences of an abandoned house and only stopped once he hit a wall.


    ¡¸GAAH!? Kuku¡­¡­.¡¹


    There should have been a considerably serious body trauma¡ª¡ªAnd yet, the man stood back to his feet as if nothing happened. He has quite the endurance. Interesting.


    Some of the Runes on his body increased their brilliance intensity. With a clink, dry sound of something freezing over, sharp blades of ice formed in his both hands. A Rune that has that kind of function, I see..


    He once again kicked the ground, rushing towards Inglis.


    ¡ª¡ªHe¡¯s even faster!


    ¡¸I see¡­¡­!¡¹


    Inglis evaded the incoming two ice blades with gorgeous dancing moves. During that time¡ª¡ªAnother Rune glowed from his body, and his figure then vanished.


    ¡¸¡­¡­!?¡¹


    Woosh woosh woosh!


    And, even when Inglis couldn¡¯t see him, the attacks he delivered kept coming. Relying on presence, the sensation of air on her skin, and the whistling sound, Inglis evaded the incoming slashes¡ª¡ª But, it was certain that the difficulty of handling those attacks skyrocketed compared to before. Inglis¡¯ silvery long hair was touched by her enemy¡¯s blade, leaving some strands fluttering apart.


    ¡¸¡­¡­You¡¯re not bad!¡¹


    If all she did was evading, she would eventually be cornered. If that¡¯s the case, Inglis scrutinized as she predicted the invisible enemy¡¯s attacks then grabbed both of his wrists to a stop.


    ¡¸Impos¡­¡­sible¡ª¡ª¡¹


    The man¡¯s agitation traveled to Inglis.


    ¡¸We¡¯re not done yet¡­. Please show all the Runes you haven¡¯t activated yet. We¡¯re having such a good bout after all, are we not? Please, humor me.¡¹ ¡¸Gr¡­ rrr¡­.!¡¹


    Inglis meant to ask him in a friendly manner. But, her opponent seemed to be frightened by her instead.

 Chapter 61: 15 year old Inglis and Chiral’s Royal Knight Academy (11)

    ¡¸GAAAAaaaahh¡­¡­!¡¹


    The invisible man shrieked. Flaming bullets, ice pebbles, and stone spears appeared all at once, surrounding Inglis.


    ¡¸!?¡¹


    Evade! However¡ª¡ª There was a sensation of a firm grip on her shoulders. Something was sticking onto her.


    ¡¸Nn¡­¡­?¡¹


    It was the opponent who had hidden himself. He had decided that there was no necessity to stay invisible, so he returned to become visible. Inglis had grabbed his wrists to stop his ice blades, but he instead stuck even closer into her to stop her movements altogether. And then, several projectiles of multiple attributes surrounded both of them.


    The amount was as if there were many people using sorcery all at once. If the man were to unleash that, then he would surely fall victim? to it as well. Will he still unleash it!?


    ¡¸In the end, just a woman¡­¡­ eat this!¡¹


    The flames, ice, and stones that were suspended launched in unison. Even if Inglis tried to avoid them, the man gripped her tight. Her movements were sealed. Even when she tried to shake him off, he wouldn¡¯t budge. That was¡ª¡ªonly if she let things be.


    ¡¸¡­¡­ Holding a woman without her consent, I can¡¯t say I¡¯m impressed.¡¹


    Inglis freed herself of the high gravitational pull she put on herself. With the weight that burdened her entire body gone, her body became lighter all at once.


    This ability was very convenient for self-training. Ever since Inglis learned it, she had always put a high gravity load on herself all around the clock except for particular times it would hinder her. Just being able to learn this ability made Inglis able to say that enrolling at the Knight Academy was worth every penny.


    ¡¸HAAAAaaatt!!!¡¹


    After Inglis shook off the man with brute-force, she leaped overhead. There were no projectiles deployed above them. While bouncing up the wall of the abandoned house and climbing to the roof, Inglis observed the scene below unfolding.


    The man who had been shaken off by Inglis was being charged by countless projectiles of his own creation. Flame bullets, ice pebbles, stone spears. All of them shot at him at once.


    ¡ª¡ªBut, just before they landed, they disappeared as though they were sucked into something. As a result, he appeared to suffer no damage at all.


    ¡¸The attacks he unleashed, he absorbs it himself¡­¡­?¡¹


    So, he was keeping Inglis in place and attacked himself precisely because he could do something like this. If he suffered no damage from it, then it ?was an effective tactic. It was ?close to Inglis and Rafinha¡¯s ¡ºBlast it all, decoy and all!¡» strategy, where Inglis would plunge into the swarm of Magic Stone Beasts and Rafinha would attack everything in its vicinity with the shower of light.


    ¡¸Kukukuku¡­¡­¡¹


    The man also jumped to the roof, chasing after Inglis. The two ice swords appeared again in his hand.


    Will he turn transparent and slash at me again? This time around, the fire, ice, and stone projectiles would surely be added into the mix.


    Evading everything with a bare hand would be ?tricky, would it not?If that¡¯s the case, then I¡¯ll do it too¡ª¡ª Inglis closed her eyes and attempted to recreate the pattern of Mana her opponent just did in front of her eyes.


    Inglis couldn¡¯t do it earlier because she was applying the high gravity pull on herself, but now that she had released it, she was no longer occupied by any kind of mana processing. For Inglis to use mana that was converted from Ether, with her current development, she could only use one mana technique at a time. Since mana techniques could be used simultaneously with ether battle techniques, Inglis could operate one mana battle technique and one Ether battle technique at the same time. This was the height of her current skills.


    Ker-chink!


    Along with a clear, solid sound reverberating in the air, an ice sword appeared in Inglis¡¯ hand.


    ¡¸Yup. I made it.¡¹


    Now, she could parry the incoming attacks on top of evading them. Fighting with a sword every once in a while was a good thing. If she kept engaging her enemy in hand-to-hand combat, her sword skills would get dull.


    ¡¸Now, let¡¯s start from square one. By all means, please come at me with your everything.¡¹


    The man¡¯s figure vanished in a hurry. That technique seemed to require a rather complex pattern of mana, and so it would be difficult for Inglis to replicate it with her current skills.


    Footsteps were heard approaching. Invisible ice swords slicing the air as they attacked. Inglis pictured where the invisible blades would be in her mind and showed off how she could parry them.


    Prang prang prang prang¡ª¡ª!


    The sound of ice swords locking ice swords was unlike steel clashing one another, but ?clear like a musical instrument.


    ¡¸Now¡­¡­. Eat this!¡¹


    Flaming bullets, ice pebbles, and stone spears, all those projectiles appeared all around the perimeter of Inglis, even up above her, all at once. It was the same attack as before, but now blocking her escape route through the sky.


    ¡¸That¡¯s still within my prediction.¡¹


    Whilst still locking swords with the invisible opponent, Inglis pranced around to either dodge or parry the incoming projectiles with her ice blade. Her movements were like a dance, so beautiful, so elegant¡ª¡ª Even her enemy who should¡¯ve been engaging her couldn¡¯t help but had his breath taken at her sight.


    ¡¸O-, Ooooohh¡­..!!¡¹ ¡¸Your hands have stopped, you know.¡¹


    Counterattack! As Inglis further increased the speed of her sword, the pitch of the tones played between the ice sword heightened. Gradually, the invisible man got cornered, and then¡ª¡ª


    Voom!


    At last, Inglis¡¯ ice sword had sliced off the man¡¯s right arm.


    ¡¸OAAAAAAAaaaaaa!?!?!?¡¹


    Along with a scream, the sliced off right arm fell with a plop, revealing its figure. And then, slowly, the owner faded into existence. Was it because the person in question had lost his concentration, or was it because the Rune that caused the invisibility was on that sliced-off arm? Inglis did not understand, but because of his violent riot, the man had also fallen off the roof.


    ¡¸Glis! Glis!? Are you here¡­¡­!?¡¹


    From down there, Rafinha¡¯s voice echoed. She had followed ?Inglis into the alleyways.


    ¡¸Rani! Get away, it¡¯s dangerous!¡¹


    Unluckily, when Rafinha stuck her face out, it was the fallen man who greeted her.


    ¡¸GAAaaaaaaahhh!!!!¡¹ ¡¸Kyaah!? W-, what is he¡ª¡ª!? This is the slasher¡­¡­!?¡¹ ¡¸M-, more¡­¡­! I need more mana!! GIVE MEEEE!!!!¡¹


    The man leaped up and lunged at Rafinha. His ferocity was that of a wounded beast itself.


    ¡¸YOU¡ª¡ª!¡¹


    Rafinha braced herself?, but she was a step too late. If this continued on¡ª¡ª


    ¡¸I won¡¯t let you! HAAAaaatt!!¡¹


    If it was to protect Rafinha, Inglis need not for any restraint or reserve. With all of her might, Inglis activated Ether Armor. She kicked the roof and slipped in the interval between Rafinha and the man with the speed no one could catch.


    And then¡ª¡ªher ice sword radiated pale light and turned into a flash.


    ¡¸¡­¡­ Burn this in your mind. Use whatever trick you have on me, but, should you lay your hand on Rani, consider your life gone.¡¹


    After uttering such, Inglis huffed to loosen her severely tightened lips.


    ¡¸Well, I guess saying it now is useless.¡¹ ¡¸S-, sure is¡­..¡¹


    Behind her, Rafinha gave a response as her eyes darted around.


    Lying there was a corpse of the man, cleanly sliced in half vertically.

 Chapter 62: 15 year old Inglis and Chiral’s Royal Knight Academy (12)

    ¡¸Eeeeh!? Inglis, you saw my brother!?¡¹


    Back in the girls¡¯ dormitory, Inglis told Leone how she encountered Leon. It was something she had discussed with Rafinha?, and they concluded that it would be better to tell her about it than otherwise hide it. At least, it would motivate Leone who was depressed. Whether it would motivate her to do a good thing or a bad thing was all left to them, the people close to her.


    ¡¸W-, where¡­.!? Tell me! We have to look for him ASAP!¡¹ ¡¸Wait, Leone. I¡¯ll tell you the place, but Mr. Leon has already left.¡¹ ¡¸But if we search for him, we can still find him! We can¡¯t stay still like this!¡¹ ¡¸Just calm down, Leone! There are more things that need to be said. Rene, please, make Leone behave.¡¹


    Said Rafinha as she unleashed Rene, who was perching on her shoulder. When Rene was with Rafinha, she was more often placing herself on Rafinha¡¯s head or shoulder, perhaps because of the lack of substance in her breast area.


    ¡¸Kyah!? Aah¡­! Hieek!? N-, no, you can¡¯t go there¡­! Hey, Rene¡ª¡ª!¡¹


    Rene who slipped into Leone¡¯s cleavage had succeeded in making Leone behave in her own way. Inglis couldn¡¯t say that she was happy with this method, as she had fallen victim to it as well, but it helped things now.


    ¡¸It¡¯s fine if you stay like that, just listen, okay?¡¹ ¡¸No, it¡¯s not fine! Make Rene stop first¡­¡­!¡¹


    They then explained the chronology to Leone, who had been ready to listen. How Inglis encountered not only Leon but also the slasher and defeated the latter. And about the request from Faris of the Lambert firm.


    It was regarding the next donation of supplies from the Highland that was ?likely to be targeted by the Ironblood Chain Brigade. As long as Leon, who was affiliated with the brigade, was in the capital, then that suspicion held more ground to the truth. Inglis believed that he was still in the capital to prepare for sabotage. If that was the case, then ?Leon would show up in the scene during the negotiation with the Highland.


    ¡¸So, if we accept the request from the Lambert firm¡ª¡ª¡¹ ¡¸That¡¯s right, Leone. I already told them we¡¯re going to be a three-people team. We just need to capture Mr. Leon when he makes an appearance.¡¹ ¡¸¡­¡­ It sounds plausible, from what you just told me.¡¹ ¡¸And so, we¡¯re going to ask the principal for permission. Wanna come with us, Leone?¡¹ ¡¸Okay. Thanks, you two. Now I feel like I¡¯m getting closer to my brother!¡¹


    The three of them immediately visited Principal Miliera and explained the whole situation.


    ¡¸¡ª¡ªI see. I understand now. Besides, it¡¯s amazing that you took down such a heinous criminal! It¡¯s fantastic! That being said, I need to reflect on myself, since I gave you two the permit to go outside despite the apparent threat¡­. I¡¯m sorry, both of you.¡¹


    Principal Miliera bowed her head.


    ¡¸No, I had fun fighting him. Rather than contempt, I want to say my thanks to you.¡¹ ¡¸Hahaha¡­ Glis is Glis, as always¡ª¡ªPrincipal, we¡¯d eventually become Knights and have to capture the slasher after graduation, anyway. It¡¯s just a matter of time. Don¡¯t mind it.¡¹ ¡¸I¡¯m happy that you say so, but¡­.¡¹ ¡¸Well then, Principal. May we accept the request from the Lambert firm?¡¹ ¡¸We can, right? Principal!¡¹ ¡¸Please, let me capture my big brother¡­!¡¹ ¡¸P-, please wait a minute¡ª¡ª! This and that are two separate matters¡­¡­ Your engagement with the slasher was a force of fate, so it couldn¡¯t be helped.¡¹ ¡¸Eeh!? So we can¡¯t?¡¹ ¡¸That can¡¯t be! There¡¯s a chance that the Ironblood Chain Brigade will show up!¡¹


    Rafinha raised her voice while Leone was practically snarled.


    ¡¸W-, well, hold on to that thought. The Academy also has received a cooperation request from the Chivalric Order regarding the on-site guard for the donation. The formal Flygear units are mostly out on a mission to transport Prisma from Arlman, and the senior students are helping in that mission. For that reason, I¡¯ll be asking you, students of the Academy, to help secure the outskirts. Is that not good enough?¡¹ ¡¸Does that mean we¡¯re going to observe from afar?¡¹ ¡¸Well, that¡¯d be so if nothing happens¡­¡­¡¹ ¡¸But that means we can¡¯t take action in the heat of the moment! We need to be in the center of things!¡¹ ¡¸We¡¯ll get to fight a stronger opponent that way, too.¡¹ ¡¸Hmm¡ª¡ªI could send students if it¡¯s under special extracurricular study permit, but¡­¡­ since obviously there¡¯s risk involved, I have to first test the students before I can give out the permit.¡¹ ¡¸Does that include fighting?¡¹ ¡¸It does.¡¹ ¡¸Thank you very much, I¡¯m glad it does.¡¹ ¡¸Ahahaha¡ª¡ªMiss Inglis, despite your looks and attitude suggesting grace, you sure are a fighter¡­¡­¡¹ ¡¸Yes, I enjoy fighting. It makes my blood boil.¡¹


    In any event, the three of them were going to take the test to receive permission for special extracurricular studies.


    ¡ª¡ªTwo days later, after school. Inglis and the other two were waiting for Principal Miliera at the stone ring in the schoolyard after their divided classes. Other students who had heard the words also gathered around the ring to watch. Amongst them was a student of the Squire division, Lahti.


    ¡¸Ah, Lahti.¡¹ ¡¸Y-¡­¡­ Yo, Inglis. How is it going? I heard you¡¯re going to take a test for a special extracurricular permit?¡¹ ¡¸Yeah. Are you done practicing suspending Flygear in the air?¡¹ ¡¸Yup. I came here coz I thought I¡¯d get to watch something fun.¡¹ ¡¸We still don¡¯t know what the test is going to be, so I¡¯m not sure if it¡¯ll be fun.¡¹ ¡¸Naw, actually¡­¡­ it¡¯s plenty fun, yanno?¡¹ ¡¸Is that so?¡¹


    From right above Inglis¡¯ head, a rain of light released by Rafinha¡¯s Artifact was pouring down with great intensity. Inglis, while avoiding that, was holding a conversation with Lahti. It was a warm-up exercise before the test.


    ¡¸Hahaha¡­¡­ so when people move so crazily fast, they¡¯ll look like they make clones.¡¹ ¡¸Is that how it looks like?¡¹ ¡¸Sure is. There¡¯s about five to six of you. Well, it¡¯s a blessing for this world if a beauty like you increases¡ª¡ªYikes, whoa!? What¡¯s your problem, Pullum!?¡¹


    Before they knew it, a girl named Pullum from the Knight division was standing right behind Lahti. ¡ª¡ªWith a very pouty look on her face.


    ¡¸¡­¡­ Even though you already have me, what are you saying? Lahti? You¡¯ve never even said that I¡¯m a beauty for once, isn¡¯t that weird?¡¹ ¡¸S-, shut up, it¡¯s not that important¡­¡­.!¡¹ ¡¸It¡¯s all right. During classes when the Knight division and the Squad division are separated, Lahti keeps saying that he¡¯s worried about you, Pullum.¡¹ ¡¸D-, damn it, Inglis! Don¡¯t say anything unnecessary¡­¡­!¡¹ ¡¸Wah! Is that so, Lahti! Hey, hey, is that the truth¡­¡­!?¡¹


    Quite the smile-inviting scene. Let¡¯s let them have their moment.


    ¡¸Rani, release more arrows.¡¹ ¡¸Mkay. There, and there, and there! I¡¯ll keep shooting, Glis!¡¹


    The rain of light was pouring down even harder. The other students who watched that cheered?.


    ¡¸Oooh! Amazing¡­¡­!¡¹ ¡¸That still won¡¯t hit her, huh¡ª¡ª!¡¹ ¡¸Her feet mostly don¡¯t even touch the ground, so how¡­¡­!?¡¹


    During that time, Principal Miliera showed herself.


    ¡¸I¡¯m sorry for the wait¡ª¡ª wait, wait!? What are you doing¡­¡­!? You¡¯ll tire yourself for the test if you run around with all of your strength like that, you know!?¡¹ ¡¸It¡¯s all right. It¡¯s just a warm-up exercise.¡¹ ¡¸Is-, is that so¡­¡­? Then, first?, let¡¯s begin the test. Miss Inglis, Miss Rafinha, Miss Leone. Are you ready?¡¹ ¡¸¡¸¡¸Yes!¡¹¡¹¡¹


    Inglis and the other two lined up in front of the principal and replied so.

 Chapter 63: 15 years old Inglis and Chiral’s Royal Knight Academy (13)

    ¡¸The test itself is simple. The three of you will enter a certain place and come back here within the time limit. You pass once you¡¯re out.¡¹ ¡¸A certain place?¡¹ ¡¸A subspace created by an Artifact.¡¹ ¡¸So there are Artifacts like that.¡¹ ¡¸Yes, it¡¯s very valuable. I call the subspace the ¡ºMaze of Trials¡» where your strength and willpower will be tested. Depending on the situation, you may even face traumatic experiences. Will you still take it?¡¹


    Principal Miliera strained her usually gentle expression. However, the three didn¡¯t waver. They all answered with a solid yes.


    ¡¸Very well. Then¡ª¡ª¡¹ ¡¸Hold on a minute!¡¹


    A voice raised from another direction. When they looked over, it was the daughter of Prime Minister Althea, Liselotte from the Knight division. Besides her were her envoy, the twin with red and blue hair from the Squire division. The red-haired one was Van, the blue-haired one was Ray.


    ¡¸What¡¯s the matter, Miss Liselotte?¡¹ ¡¸The special extracurricular study¡¯s permit was proof of the student¡¯s excellence. Procuring that permit in the first year is proof of honor! It¡¯s unfair that you only give that chance to those three! I wish to take the test as well!¡¹


    There was a point to what she said. The chance must be given equally. As the Principal also thought the same, she nodded at Liselotte¡¯s claim.


    ¡¸You are right, Miss Liselotte. Then I permit your participation. If there is anyone who wishes to take part?, you may come forward. However, not everyone can take it, danger to a certain degree is to be taken into account.¡¹


    After being called by the Principal, several students applied to take the test?. Amongst them was Pullum¡ª¡ª


    ¡¸Stop it, Pullum¡­¡­! You¡¯re a klutz, you¡¯ll get injured if you participate by yourself!¡¹ ¡¸No, I¡¯m taking it¡­¡­!¡¹ ¡¸Principal, stop her!¡¹ ¡¸In terms of criteria, I must permit Miss Pullum¡¯s participation.¡¹ ¡¸EEeeh¡­¡­! Then, me too¡­¡­! What about me¡ª¡ª!?¡¹ ¡¸Hmm¡­¡­ Forgive me.¡¹ ¡¸Guess as much¡­ Haah¡­¡­¡¹ ¡¸Are you okay?¡¹


    Out of worry, Inglis reached out to Pullum.


    ¡¸I¡¯m fine. I won¡¯t lose to you, after all¡ª¡ª¡¹ ¡¸?¡¹


    She¡¯s giving me a burning sense of rivalry?¡ª¡ª?Lahti must¡¯ve said something weird to her back then.If only he had said his feelings properly, Pullum wouldn¡¯t have considered pushing herself like this.


    Although, Inglis had no right to stop her, and she didn¡¯t really mind it either.


    ¡¸Well then, the test will start. Everyone, please gather around.¡¹


    As the Principal knocked her staff Artifact right in front of everyone, countless doors appeared before them. That sight invited exclamation from the students.


    ¡¸Amazing¡ª¡ª¡¹


    The movement of mana was too complex, it was a territory of expertise completely outside of Inglis¡¯ comprehension. She felt that the staff Artifact held too much variable power in its arsenal, but¡ª¡ªwas it actually a different item than the last, only looked similar? At any rate, Inglis would try if she could get to the bottom of it.


    ¡¸Now, everyone, please enter any door you want. Beyond that door is a trial fitting for each of you.¡¹


    Inglis stood at the nearest door to her.


    ¡¸Rani, Leone, be careful.¡¹ ¡¸Yup. Let¡¯s do our best!¡¹ ¡¸Surely. I¡¯ll absolutely overcome it¡¹


    The three went inside their respective doors. Once Inglis stepped in, the door behind her closed and vanished into blackness¡ª¡ª And then, within the pitch-black space, Inglis was left all alone.


    ¡¸Is this¡­..?¡¹


    So this is the ¡ºMaze of Trials¡» subspace¡ª¡ªWhat kind of opponent will I face? With her heart thumping from anticipation, Inglis strode forward. While it was a space she couldn¡¯t understand, she could see a speck of white light in the distance. Should I just walk over there?


    As Inglis walked, there was suddenly a silhouette of a man appearing in front of her. It was the mysterious man she fought the other day; the slasher known as Rune Eater.


    ¡¸Ooh. This one looks promising.¡¹


    I wonder if this space reads its target¡¯s mind and resurfaces an opponent based on memory?Being able to fight tough opponents, again and again, is surely an amazing thing, is it not?


    However, as Inglis put on a fighting stance, the man¡¯s figure distorted and vanished away.


    ¡¸Eeh¡­¡­?¡¹


    With no other option, Inglis continued her gait. This time, the black-masked man, the leader of the Ironblood Chain Brigade, showed himself. Inglis once again assumed a fighting stance, but¡ª¡ªhe soon vanished?.


    ¡¸?¡¹


    After that, various individuals showed themselves before Inglis. The Hyrule Menace affiliated with the Ironblood Chain Brigade, Cystia. Cylene who had transformed into a Magic Stone Beast. Rahal transformed into a Magic Stone Beast as well. Former Holy Knight Leon. The Hyrule Menace affiliated with this Kingdom, Eris.


    However, ?every one of them vanished before the fight even began¡ª¡ª


    ¡¸Ah, Rani.¡¹


    There was also Rafinha in her childhood. She was cute now?, but children¡¯s adorableness was something exceptional. Inglis squinted her eyes at that sight.


    There was also Raphael, a child much like his sister. Her father Ryuk and her mother Selena. Being shown the sight of her parents, Inglis couldn¡¯t help but feel nostalgic. She was happy that she could see them after a while.


    However, so far Inglis had only been shown her memory, with no opponent showing up, Even her memory during her infanthood surfaced. However, the subspace hadn¡¯t reached its end yet.


    As Inglis kept walking deeper¡ª¡ª She saw the sight of adults with anxiety painted on their faces as though they were children losing their father.


    ¡¸This is¡­¡­!¡¹


    The memory of her past life, the memory of King Inglis. The people assembling there were his retainers, watching over the death of their king.


    ¡¸The memory of my previous life¡­¡­¡¹


    Their faces were nostalgic, but there was a question that Inglis had to ask them.


    ¡¸You people¡ª¡ªWhat happened to Sylvair Kingdom after I was gone? I told none of you to make a world where people look down on other people from above the sky. ¡¹


    This dangerous world is convenient for me to pursue martial arts, however¡ª¡ªThat doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯ve ever ordered them to make it so.It¡¯s hard to say that this world has taken a step forward. Just why has this happened?


    However, this subspace only produced illusion. Those people wouldn¡¯t have the answer to Inglis¡¯ question.


    ¡¸Kukuku¡­¡­ Your era has changed.¡¹ ¡¸Indeed. There is no need for a King who is left by the current age.¡¹ ¡¸We shall make you sleep once again¡ª¡ª¡¹


    Dozens of them suddenly encircled Inglis, weapons held by their arms. As Inglis readied a stance, a smile found its way to allure them.


    ¡¸Interesting¡ª¡ªYou lot must have had your bodies dulled for indulging yourselves in paperwork. Let me be the one to drill practice in you. Come at me.¡¹


    As Inglis beckoned, all the retainers charged in from every direction.


    ¡¸HAAaat!!¡¹


    Inglis leaped high backward. As Inglis somersaulted in a beautiful gesture, she drove a kick towards the retainer that came from behind.


    ¡¸Guooooh!?¡¹ ¡¸Uoah!?¡¹


    The opponent that was blown by the kick collided with another of his peers to his left¡ª¡ªand, at the moment of collision, Inglis had already moved at high speed and slipped in front of them.


    ¡¸One more!¡¹


    There, Inglis followed up with a middle roundhouse kick. The kicked two hit yet another two of their group on their trajectory, making all four spin in the air and collapsed right after.


    ¡¸OOoh¡­..!?¡¹


    Inglis¡¯ figure appeared in front of another retainer.


    ¡¸It¡¯s no time¡ª¡ª!¡¹


    A palm strike driven into his gut.


    ¡¸S-, so fast¡ª¡ª!¡¹


    Inglis moved to yet another man.


    ¡¸to spew on¡ª¡ª!¡¹


    Elbow strike!


    ¡¸C-, can¡¯t see¡­..!¡¹ ¡¸such nonsense¡ª¡ª!¡¹


    Inglis struck the last one from behind, sending him flying. He crashed into the wall of the subspace, distorted, and vanished in a poof.


    ¡¸Good gracious, you lot surely have dulled.¡¹


    In less than a minute, Inglis had eradicated the shadows of the retainers of her previous life. That was good and all, but¡ª¡ª


    ¡¸¡­¡­ This isn¡¯t good. My speech tone reverted to the one from back then.¡¹


    While reflecting so in her heart, Inglis continued her gait.

 Chapter 64: 15 years old Inglis and Chiral’s Royal Knight Academy (14)

    The ¡ºMaze of Trials¡» still continued on. Inglis walked in deeper.


    In front of her, the sight of a red-haired young man appeared. It was probably her memory when the man was a bit over thirty. However, his fine figure assumed that he was younger than he actually was.


    ¡¸Your Majesty¡ª¡ªI am happy to see you.¡¹


    He bowed reverently and knelt before Inglis.


    ¡¸Randall¡ª¡ª¡¹


    He was the man who was supposed to inherit the Sylvair Kingdom after King Inglis. A man with natural-born talent that far surpassed that of any ordinary person in both literary and military arts, yet he didn¡¯t get conceited because of it, and put others before himself. He had the strength and will so strong that Inglis believed it wouldn¡¯t be strange for Randall to be chosen as the Divine Knight instead of her.


    King Inglis had found him in a poor, cold village when he was just a boy, and he kept him and raised him ever since. For King Inglis, who had been alone throughout his life, he was akin to a little brother or a son to him. King Inglis had no children, but he had the intent to raise a worthy successor. That successor was him, Randall.


    ¡¸¡­¡­ Why has the world become like this¡ª¡ªEven if I asked you, you don¡¯t have the answer, do you?¡¹


    Here was a subspace that resurfaced memory. It couldn¡¯t possibly provide her with information about something she didn¡¯t know.


    ¡¸Indeed, Your Majesty.¡¹


    As he said so, Randall drew his sword.


    ¡¸Come at me, then.¡¹ ¡¸Yessir! Here I come!¡¹


    Randall¡¯s speed as he stepped into the fray was exceptionally faster than Inglis¡¯ other retainers. It could be said that he was in a completely different league. However¡ª¡ª


    Diagonal slash, horizontal sweep, overside slash¡ª¡ª Inglis evaded all of them with dance-like footwork.


    ¡¸DAAAaaah!!!¡¹


    Randall put in more spirit and unleashed a series of slashes, all of them evaded paper-thin, and then¡ª¡ª


    Clack!


    The last thrust was stopped between Inglis¡¯ fingers.


    ¡¸NNNuuuuhh!?!?¡¹ ¡¸¡­¡­ This place isn¡¯t so good.¡¹


    Even if the shadow appeared to be Randoll, he should be at least stronger than this. There must be a limit to the strength this subspace could recreate. Which was why Inglis couldn¡¯t blame it if it couldn¡¯t completely replicate everything. That being said, it¡¯s troubling to think ?someone of this caliber inheriting her Kingdom.


    ¡¸I can¡¯t say I like it.¡¹


    While muttering so, Inglis gave Randall an uppercut kick, and the latter vanished.


    ¡¸If I continued on forward, it¡¯ll just repeat the process all over again¡ª¡ª ¡¹


    If the Goddess Alistair shows up¡ª¡ª Inglis held an emotion close to love towards the Goddess. She yearned for her so dearly that she took upon herself to stay a bachelor for the rest of her previous life.


    I don¡¯t want to hit her and my feelings for her¡ª¡ª Which meant she would surely show up. After all, this place was that kind of space. Misgivings, regrets, negative awareness that one kept subconsciously avoided¡ª¡ªall of those would show up and literally hit them in the face. Overcoming them would be the trial for the person¡¯s strength and will power, the very meaning of those words.


    ¡¸I don¡¯t need to obediently follow all the way through, do I¡ª¡ª¡¹


    Inglis looked up, then she held her palm open above her head. From there, Ether converged, forming a huge pale bullet of light.


    This place is a subspace created by an Artifact, but¡ª¡ªWhat if it gets hit by an overwhelmingly destructive power that surpasses the Artifact that made it?Time to test it!


    ¡¸Ether Strike!¡¹


    CRAAANNNNGGGGG!!!!


    With a sound of broken glass, the Ether Strike shot up, obliterating the boundaries of the subspace in its wake. There seemed to be many layers above, as the projectile penetrated the ceilings of several spaces.


    ¡¸If there¡¯s up, then up I go.¡¹


    As Inglis attempted to kick the ground¡ª¡ª


    ¡¸D-, dear me, what WAS that¡­¡­!?¡¹


    From the hole in the ceiling, Liselotte from the Knight division peeked out.


    ¡¸I see. So it connects to others¡¯ space.¡¹


    Inglis muttered to herself as she kicked the ground and jumped up to Liselotte¡¯s side.


    ¡¸I-, is this your doing¡­¡­!?¡¹ ¡¸Yeah. I didn¡¯t want to continue on walking straight ahead.¡¹ ¡¸Destroying an obscure concept such as this space¡ª¡ªto think you¡¯re capable of doing that¡­¡­ J-, just who are you?¡¹ ¡¸I¡¯m just an ordinary Squire, though? Rafinha Wilford¡¯s squire.¡¹ ¡¸I know at least that much, Miss Inglis. Everything you do, you stand out above the rest.¡¹ ¡¸I do?¡¹ ¡¸Very much so. However, if you are Miss Rafinha¡¯s squire, may you please tell her not to hate her classmates so much? I have no intention of being Miss Rafinha¡¯s enemy.¡¹ ¡¸Aah¡­. Rani is mad about Leone¡¯s matter, you see.¡¹ ¡¸Isn¡¯t that inevitable? If you consider that person¡¯s constitution rather than the person herself, it is just natural not to carelessly trust her and put her in a distance, is it not? I am still the daughter of the Prime Minister, I always exercise caution.¡¹ ¡¸Well, tell you what¡­¡­. Actually, how are you doing? Do you think you can go out safely?¡¹ ¡¸I¡¯m not doing very well. This place keeps reminding me of awful things. I¡¯m getting sick of this place, too.¡¹


    Said Liselotte, a sigh escaping her.


    ¡¸Same goes for me. That¡¯s why I¡¯m trying to forcefully make my own exit. Want to come with?¡¹


    Inglis¡¯ finger pointed to layers above.


    ¡¸Interesting. So you can destroy the very meaning of this nasty test.¡¹ ¡¸Yeah, I guess so.¡¹ ¡¸Well then, I shall accompany. We are going up, aren¡¯t we?¡¹ ¡¸Yes, we are. Let¡¯s go then.¡¹


    Said Inglis as she lowered her hip, trying to jump further up¡ª¡ª


    ¡¸Hold a minute. There is no need for that.¡¹


    Saying so, a pair of pure white wings appeared behind Liselotte¡¯s back. The Artifact she carried was in the shape of a halberd, but its Gift was probably this pair of wings.


    ¡¸Take my hand. I shall bring you up.¡¹ ¡¸Thank you.¡¹


    When Inglis grabbed a hold of her hand, their body floated softly. They went up, going through several layers.


    Then, as they were approaching another layer, two voices roused their interest.


    ¡¸Stop! What are you doing to my brother!?¡¹


    The voice of a little girl?


    ¡¸Get out of my way! You are mistaken! You need not cover someone like him!¡¹


    And the other voice¡ª¡ªbelonged to Leone. Just what was happening¡ª¡ª

 Chapter 65: 15 years old Inglis and Chiral’s Royal Knight Academy (15)

    ¡¸Leone¡­¡­!?¡¹


    Leone, wielding her black great sword Artifact, was breathing heavily, wounded in various places. In front of her was perhaps Leone herself when she was little? Inglis could see the resemblance between the two. With a desperate look on her face, she was standing confronting Leone with her arms outstretched, as if she was protecting something from her. The one behind the girl was probably Leon when he was young.


    ¡¸Stop it! Big Brother has become a Holy Knight! He is everyone¡¯s hope! Why must you do something cruel to him!?¡¹


    The little Leone was in tears, begging Leone to stop.


    ¡¸That¡¯s all just fake! None of that matters! You¡¯ll soon understand too!¡¹


    Leone brandished her sword at her younger counterpart. Even though she knew that it was a shadow of the past this subspace created, it was still hard for her to kill her own past self.


    ¡¸Curse you! Today is the anniversary of my son becoming a Holy Knight!¡¹ ¡¸Everyone! Please¡­¡­.! Please protect Leon¡­¡­!¡¹


    Were they Leon and Leone¡¯s parents?


    ¡¸Father, Mother¡­¡­!¡¹


    Leone bit her lips, ?trying to stifle her emotions. As she did, more and more knights surrounded her.


    ¡¸Protect Sir Leon!!¡¹ ¡¸Curse you, you rotten foe! You dare to take away our pride and joy!?¡¹ ¡¸I won¡¯t let you, even at the cost of my life!¡¹


    Surely, in this subspace, all the memories Leone had about her brother Leon that she should¡¯ve taken pride in would be turned against her. As proof that she had gone through quite a fierce battle, Leone was suffering innumerable injuries and her mana seemed to have depleted quite a bit.


    ¡¸Say what you want, it doesn¡¯t matter! I will defeat all of you and continue on my path! I will defeat my big brother by myself!¡¹


    Leone said so mostly to herself. Her heart screamed at her that she must deny everything; all the happy memories she had, all the prideful glory she held. She had to. The unfolding scene was nothing short of heartbreaking. The more broken someone¡¯s heart, the more this subspace gnawed at them. It was nasty?. Inglis couldn¡¯t bring herself to like it.


    ¡¸She even antagonizes such a happy memory¡ª¡ªSo she is seriously trying to bring back her traitor of a brother¡­¡­¡¹


    Perhaps Liselotte hinged onto something, but she was muttering ?with a hard look on her face.


    ¡¸I¡¯ll go save Leone. You can go on without me.¡¹


    Inglis let go of Liselotte¡¯s hand and leaped forward.


    ¡¸On her!¡¹ ¡¸Oou!¡¹ ¡¸UWWoooh!!¡¹


    The enemies were all swarming on Leone.


    ¡¸I¡¯ll cut all of you in a single strike!¡¹


    Leone poured more power into her black great sword Artifact. Perhaps she was trying to elongate the sword and cleave off a wide area all at once. That was supposed to be Leone¡¯s way of fighting when she faced a huge number of enemies.


    However, the Artifact only glowed for a moment with no apparent change to the blade itself.


    ¡¸Kh¡­¡­!? It¡¯s out of power!? It can¡¯t be! The fight is still on!¡¹


    It must have been over exhausted from the battles so far. Leone could no longer supply enough mana to change the Artifact¡¯s shape. And seeing her so, the Knights went to attack Leone in a group.


    Leone stopped the two Knights that came from her left and right respectively with her greatsword stabbing the ground. The body enhancement she received from the High-Grade Artifact made it possible, but¡ª¡ª


    ¡¸More! Push her with number!¡¹ ¡¸¡¸¡¸OOooohh!!!¡¹¡¹¡¹


    Four, five more Knights swarmed her, their swords pushing on hers.


    ¡¸KKHhhh¡­¡­..!!!!¡¹


    Leone who was already low on Mana couldn¡¯t push back as the two sides were competing for the higher ground.


    ¡¸Now, I got your back!¡¹


    One Knight came around behind her.


    ¡¸And so what!¡¹


    Leone¡¯s powerful kick thrust into the Knight¡¯s abdomen. The enemy behind her was driven back, but not so much for the ones from her front. At the current instance, Leone was pushed behind, losing two to three steps backward.


    ¡¸Khh¡­¡­!¡¹


    My posture is broken. I¡¯m being pushed back¡ª¡ª! And there, a silhouette rushed right from her side at high speed.


    ¡¸UOoohhhh!!! I shall protect Leon with my life!¡¹


    Leone¡¯s father thrust out the short spear he brandished at her with a war cry. He was faster and more powerful than any other Knights.


    ¡¸Father¡­¡­!!¡¹


    The moment that she felt that her end was inevitable, the tears she had been holding back seeped out.


    In her distorted, blurry vision, something intruded in¡ª¡ªbright silver hair that seemed to have been woven from the brightest moonlight.


    ¡¸Pardon my intrusion.¡¹


    Appearing right beside the father, Inglis delivered a solid palm strike to his flank.


    ¡¸GOAAAaaahhh!?¡¹


    His face contorted as his body bent at an impossible angle after it made a squishy sound. He was blown and crashed to the boundaries of the space, just like so. He left only a groan and vanished into the darkness.


    Following that, Inglis plunged into the side of the Knights who were pushing on Leone and gave them one, two kicks in a nifty flash.


    ¡¸¡¸¡¸GWAAaah!?¡¹¡¹¡¹


    They were all obliterated.


    ¡¸There¡¯s more¡­¡­!¡¹


    Inglis rushed into the other knights and went on delivering palm strikes and elbow blows to ?every last of them.


    ¡¸Wh-, who are you¡­¡­!? GWAHAK!?¡¹ ¡¸I-, can¡¯t see the¡ª¡ª!?¡¹ ¡¸Have the heavens abandoned us!?¡¹


    Without even being able to react, the enemies were mowed down one after another.


    ¡¸That¡¯s what happens if you force yourself on a single girl.¡¹


    Inglis gave those words to the disappearing shadows of the Knights.


    ¡¸I-, Inglis¡­¡­!?¡¹ ¡¸Yeah, Leone. I just happen to pass by, but I¡¯m glad I made it in time.¡¹ ¡¸How, how did you get here¡­¡­?¡¹ ¡¸When I tried to destroy the space¡¯s walls and go through, I arrived here.¡¹ ¡¸Hahaha¡­¡­ You¡¯re absurd that you can do that. That¡¯s definitely ignoring the core of the trial.¡¹ ¡¸It¡¯s fine, nobody says we can¡¯t do that. Are you okay?¡¹


    Inglis wiped Leone¡¯s well-up tears with her finger and patted her head.


    ¡¸Ah¡­. Y-, yeah. I¡¯m fine. Thank you¡ª¡ª¡¹ ¡¸Is that so, I¡¯m glad.¡¹


    In front of the two, a shadow arose.


    ¡¸I won¡¯t give Big Brother to you! Never¡­¡­!¡¹


    The last thing left was the shadows of the little Leone and the boy behind her, Leon.


    ¡¸It¡¯s still¡­¡­!¡¹ ¡¸It¡¯s alright, let me deal with it.¡¹


    Before Inglis could make a move after she calmed Leone down¡ª¡ª


    Pshoo! Pshooo!!


    Something flew through the young Leone and Leon. The two distorted ?and vanished.


    ¡¸?¡¹ ¡¸Wh-, what was¡ª¡ª¡¹


    The one replacing them was a halberd glowing in silver.


    ¡¸Y-, you are¡­¡­¡¹ ¡¸Liselotte? So you helped us.¡¹


    Liselotte briskly walked over to collect her now protruding halberd.


    ¡¸It must be hard for the person herself and her close friend to take the kill, isn¡¯t it? I judged that it was the best option for me to do it.¡¹ ¡¸Yeah, you saved us.¡¹ ¡¸Th, thank you¡­¡­¡¹


    Liselotte gave a glance to Leone, who voiced her gratitude meekly.


    ¡¸¡­¡­ I still can¡¯t completely trust you yet, but¡ª¡ªlet me apologize for hurting you back then. I¡¯m sorry.¡¹ ¡¸S-, sure¡­¡­¡¹


    Leone looked puzzled.


    ¡¸You¡¯re surprisingly a nice girl, Liselotte.¡¹ ¡¸Don¡¯t add the ¡°surprising¡± part.¡¹


    Commented Liselotte as she threw her face away. Perhaps it¡¯s just a fortunate accident, but I think it¡¯s a good thing that things turned this way¡ª¡ª Thought Inglis to herself.

 Chapter 66: 15 years old Inglis and Chiral’s Royal Knight Academy (16)

    Inglis, Leone, and Liselotte went further up. With the power of her Artifact, Liselotte flew while carrying the other two. And, as they reached the top-most layer, a glimmer of white light appeared beyond the pierced ceiling.


    The moment the three of them touched it¡ª¡ª


    The next second, they were all back to the stone ring in the Academy¡¯s courtyard.


    ¡¸Hm? Seems like we¡¯re out.¡¹ ¡¸Ah¡­¡­Y-, you¡¯re right.¡¹ ¡¸It appears to be so.¡¹


    They could see behind them a door that looked like the one they walked into.


    ¡¸Welcome back! But, eeehh?? You all walked out from a different door than when you entered? And three people from the same door¡­¡­?¡¹ ¡¸There wasn¡¯t anything weird when we¡¯re in there, if you wondered.¡¹ ¡¸Really? Hmm, I guess it¡¯s on me, then?¡¹


    Said Principal Miliera as she craned her neck.


    ¡¸That¡¯s a big fat lie¡ª¡ª Even though you forcefully created your own exit.¡¹ ¡¸She¡¯s right¡­¡­You even saved me on the way.¡¹ ¡¸It¡¯s better if we all pass, you see. You don¡¯t want to redo the test, right?¡¹ ¡¸Indeed, I don¡¯t. Let us get the stories straight.¡¹ ¡¸Yeah, let¡¯s. I¡¯d hate to go through the same thing twice.¡¹


    The three of them held a little meeting in a hushed voice.


    ¡¸Principal. Can we take this as we passed the test?¡¹ ¡¸Hmm¡­¡­You three came out from a door, so I have to lean to that. Well then, Miss Inglis, Miss Leone, and Miss Liselotte, you three have passed! You did great.¡¹


    Right after the Principal announced so, Liselotte¡¯s twin attendants came rushing over.


    ¡¸Milady! Well done!¡¹ ¡¸As expected of you!¡¹ ¡¸Well, it wasn¡¯t anything hard.¡¹ ¡¸However, are you alright getting out with that woman?¡¹ ¡¸She may plan something against you, Milady.¡¹


    Out blurted those words as their eyes glanced at Leone. They seemed to be wary of her for being Leon¡¯s little sister.


    ¡¸Stop it, you two. It¡¯s fine that you¡¯re concerned about my safety, but there is no point to harp on her.¡¹ ¡¸Huh¡­¡­ Got it.¡¹ ¡¸If that¡¯s what you wished, Milady.¡¹


    The two seemed shocked by Liselotte¡¯s change of heart, but they nodded anyway.


    ¡¸Now, shall we take a rest? I¡¯m quite worn out. We shall spectate for the rest of the day.¡¹


    Said Liselotte as she went down from the stone ring.


    ¡¸I will prepare something to sit on in a minute!¡¹ ¡¸Let me get you a drink.¡¹


    The two attendants gallantly took care of her needs. With a plop, Inglis put her hand on Leone, who watched Liselotte¡¯s group off.


    ¡¸It must have been hard, but perhaps she finally understands you, Leone.¡¹ ¡¸Yeah¡­¡­. I hope so; I guess. Rather than that, thank you for saving me. You were so cool back then, Inglis. You made my heart throb. Isn¡¯t it weird? Even though you¡¯re a girl.¡¹ ¡¸Hahaha. Well, ¡°cool¡± is a compliment.¡¹


    At the end of the day, Inglis was a man inside, so that part of her leaked out. She didn¡¯t know for sure, but she didn¡¯t feel bad about it.


    ¡¸I wonder how Rani is doing¡ª¡ª¡¹


    Inglis¡¯ eyes darted around, looking for Rafinha. But there was no sign of her. Instead, Inglis found Lahti and Pullum outside of the ring.


    ¡¸Did she pass?¡¹ ¡¸Nah, she outright got disqualified. They drop you from a hole that tore the space if you failed.¡¹ ¡¸Is that so?¡¹ ¡¸Uuu¡­¡­Even though I shouldn¡¯t lose¡­..¡¹


    Said the dejected Pullum.


    ¡¸You¡¯re such a klutz, you know. Even if you have a High Grade Rune, you can¡¯t fight by yourself, right? Well, that can¡¯t be helped. Cheer up.¡¹ ¡¸Call me I¡¯m cute, then I¡¯ll cheer up.¡¹ ¡¸Haah!? You idiot, I can¡¯t say something like that so wishy-washy¡­¡­!¡¹ ¡¸But you said that to Inglis!¡¹ ¡¸¡­¡­They¡¯re still at it.¡¹


    Inglis thought ?it would¡¯ve been better if Lahti just said it and be done with it, but she got where he came from. It was just how the heart of a boy worked. Boys couldn¡¯t be honest with the girls they liked. Lahti didn¡¯t hold any of such feelings for Inglis, so it was ?easy for him to compliment her. Things like this could only be solved with time.


    ¡¸At any rate, it seems like Rani isn¡¯t done yet.¡¹ ¡¸It seems so. Let¡¯s wait for her.¡¹


    However, just waiting would be boring. Free time like this was precisely there to be used for some kind of training¡ª¡ªand that gave Inglis an idea.


    ¡¸Principal, may I?¡¹ ¡¸What¡¯s the matter, Miss Inglis?¡¹ ¡¸While I wait for Rani, I wish to train under the heavy gravity pull like the one back then. May I please?¡¹ ¡¸Eh? That? Well, you can, but¡ª¡ªnow?¡¹ ¡¸Yes! Please, and make it as heavy as possible!¡¹ ¡¸Well, we ?have a promise, so I¡¯m fine with it. Alright, I will apply the gravity field on the other half of the ring. Anyone who doesn¡¯t want to get hit please move away. For this time¡¯s exercise, you may use Artifacts, so feel free to do so.¡¹


    Principal Miliera called out to the other students.


    ¡¸I¡¯m joining, okay? Trainings are important?.¡¹ ¡¸So am I. I won¡¯t lose to the both of you.¡¹ ¡¸Milady! Me too!¡¹ ¡¸We shall accompany.¡¹ ¡¸M-, me too!!¡¹ ¡¸Stop it, Pullum¡­..! Aah, sheesh, I¡¯m going too then¡ª¡ª¡¹


    Leone and the others seemed to be willing to join in.


    ¡¸Here we go, then¡ª¡ªthe current maximum power output!¡¹


    DDOONNNNN!!!


    The load on her body far surpassed Inglis¡¯ imagination.


    ¡¸Ghh¡­¡­!?!? T-, this is incredible¡­¡­!¡¹


    In Inglis¡¯ case, she already had her own gravity pull she put on her own. The effect of the two pulls synchronizing with each other made the saying ¡°heavy as a lead¡± obsolete, as the effect Inglis had felt far surpassed that. If she didn¡¯t handle herself well, her body might as well crush under its own weight. Although, she stopped it by kneeling¡ª¡ª


    That being said, the movement pattern of mana in this technique. Let¡¯s make sure to remember how to increase the pull. If I could recreate it, I could train myself even better.


    ¡¸GUEEEeeehhh¡­¡­!? Can¡¯t stand, can¡¯t move, I¡¯m dead¡­¡­!!!!¡¹


    Lahti fell flat on the floor, the whites of his eyes showed up.


    ¡¸Lahti! Ah¡­¡­Kyan!?¡¹


    Pullum stumbled and fell on his backside.


    ¡¸GyOoeeeeee¡­¡­¡¹


    That sounds like it hurts a lot¡ª¡ª


    ¡¸I-, I can¡¯t move¡­¡­.!¡¹ ¡¸Are you alright, Milady¡­¡­?¡¹


    Van and Ray were completely sinking into the floor.


    ¡¸S-, somehow¡­¡­. I suppose.¡¹ ¡¸Uuuuh¡­¡­What a heavy pull¡ª¡ª¡¹


    While their knees were glued to the ground, Liselotte and Leone were trying to stand up. However, not a single soul in the gravity field could move.


    At any rate, Lahti is in danger, so I probably should get him outside. Inglis cut off the load she put on herself. Now that she was only loaded with the one applied by the Principal¡¯s Artifact, it was easier for her to move.


    ¡¸Haat!¡¹


    To test the water, Inglis jumped. Her body properly leaped into the air. With a somersault, Inglis landed with a heavy thud.


    ¡¸¡¸¡¸EEEeeeEEEHHH!?!?!?¡¹¡¹¡¹


    Leone and anyone else who saw her did so exclaimed in astonishment. They experienced it firsthand that the weight on their body would never allow them to do so.


    ¡¸Easy does it¡­¡­! Are you holding fine?¡¹


    Inglis approached Lahti and picked him up, then carried him out of the high gravity field.


    ¡¸Hahaha¡­¡­ I¡¯m such a damn loser, getting princess-carried by the princess.¡¹ ¡¸It¡¯s fine. Just so you know, the ride from now on sports gender equality.¡¹


    She then carried Van, Ray, and then Pullum, who seemed to be unable to move out of the field as well.


    ¡¸Phew. Doing such a menial task is quite the labor when it¡¯s done in this gravity pull, isn¡¯t it?¡¹


    Inglis wiped the few sweats she had on her forehead. Leone and Liselotte were speechless when they watched her.


    ¡¸I-, I can¡¯t believe it¡­¡­. moving around so lightly in such a high gravity pull¡­¡­¡¹ ¡¸Not to mention that she is just a Squire without a Rune¡­¡­ it¡¯s as if common sense doesn¡¯t work on her.¡¹


    Principal Miliera was just as wide-eyed.


    ¡¸You really are amazing¡­¡­It¡¯s the first time I see someone moving around under this weight.¡¹ ¡¸Thank you very much. Should I bring you two outside too?¡¹ ¡¸It¡¯s okay. I¡¯ll work my best¡­¡­!¡¹ ¡¸I hold no intention to lose¡ª¡ª!¡¹


    The two gritted their teeth and began moving around.


    ¡¸Hm, hm ???? Receiving motivation from your friends and improving yourself! Oh, how exquisite! Do your very best ????¡¹


    Principal Miliera was delighted when she saw Leone and Liselotte¡¯s willpower fired up.


    And, at that moment, a door appeared right in the middle of them out of nowhere. The one who walked out of that door was Rafinha.


    ¡¸Eh? I¡¯m out¡­¡­uugyaaauuuh!? Wai¡­¡­what¡¯s happeningg!?!?!?!?¡¹ ¡¸Ah, Rani. Welcome back. I¡¯m glad that you look fine.¡¹


    You pass if you walked out from a door, so she must be qualified. Although, it was unfortunate that her exit was in the middle of a High Gravity Pull field.


    ¡¸I¡¯m not fine! It¡¯s heavyyyyyyy!!!! Glis, save meeee!!!¡¹ ¡¸Yes, yes. On my way.¡¹ ¡¸You can¡¯t, Rafinha! Stand up with your own strength!¡¹ ¡¸You shouldn¡¯t rely on others!¡¹ ¡¸They¡¯re right, Miss Rafinha. Fighto!¡¹ ¡¸EeeeEEEh!? Even you too, Principal!? What IS happening¡­¡­.!?!?!?¡¹


    Rafinha who just came out from the trial seemed very unhappy with how she was treated.


    At any rate, Inglis and her group had passed the test and could take the request from the Lambert Firm.

 Chapter 67: 15 years old Inglis and Chiral’s Royal Knight Academy (17)

    It was finally the day to receive the highland supplies. Today, the academy students were helping the shorthanded knights watch the perimeter.


    However, Inglis and her group had gotten the special extracurricular study permit. As per the request of Faris from the Lambert Firm, they would directly overwatch as the negotiation took place. Inglis, along with Rafinha and Leone, went to visit Faris first thing in the morning. Their meeting place was the harbor to Lake Vault.


    There was a Flygear Carrier prepared there, and the supplies prepared by the firm were also being loaded in. When the loading was finished, the Flygear Carrier took off into the sky. Faris as the leader of the firm and its several executives, and their bodyguards, including Inglis¡¯ group, were boarding that Carrier.


    ¡¸We¡¯ve risen so high~ It¡¯s very high!¡¹


    Rafinha, looking down from the rim of the Carrier, was lively with her tone. The clear blue surface of Lake Vault now looked like a puddle of water, and the adjoined capital now looked like a pea grain.


    ¡¸Yeah. I almost can touch the cloud. Amazing¡ª¡ª¡¹


    It was the first time Inglis flew so high, and this indescribable sensation was new to her. She never experienced something like this, even in her previous life.


    ¡¸It¡¯s ?scary though¡­¡­¡¹


    Added Leone with her knees trembling.


    ¡¸Then, it¡¯s better to get used to it soon! Come on! Lean your body out and look down!¡¹ ¡¸Kyaah!? Stop it, Rafinha! I¡¯m scared!!!¡¹ ¡¸Well, we do have to get used to the altitude. Who can say that we won¡¯t fight Magic Stone Beasts in this height?¡¹


    Faris narrowed his eyes as he watched Inglis and them.


    ¡¸Hahaha. It¡¯s good that our standby time today is entertaining.¡¹


    Inglis then voiced a question.


    ¡¸Mister Faris, why haven¡¯t we moved at all for some time?¡¹


    There were other Flygear Carriers piled with supplies deployed around theirs as well, and none of them showed any movement, just suspending in the current altitude. All the other Carriers seemed to be carrying the supplies prepared by the Kingdom. Inglis had heard that the person in charge from the Kingdom¡¯s side for this time¡¯s negotiation was Liselotte¡¯s father, Prime Minister Althea. He must be staying in one of those Flygear Carriers somewhere. Apparently, the Lambert Firm could partake in the exchange as a private company in the otherwise closed negotiation between the Highland and the Kingdom.


    ¡¸Well, it¡¯s just common for the higher-ups to make people below them wait. Just wait, Highland¡¯s Flying Ships will come down.¡¹


    Said Faris as he scrubbed his bandana. As it turned out¡ª¡ªHe was right. A huge flying ship emerged through the clouds. It was a battleship with gun ports opened all around its hull and bow.


    ¡¸Incredible¡­¡­!¡¹


    Inglis never saw a ship that enormous, even at sea. Just how many Flygears and Carriers it could carry?


    ¡¸Yeah, you¡¯re right¡ª¡ªI wonder how it looks like on the inside.¡¹ ¡¸It¡¯s a rare opportunity to watch and learn. Let¡¯s peel our eyes wide.¡¹


    Rafinha and Leone both braced themselves?.


    As the Highland¡¯s flying ship approached, then came to a halt in midair, the Carriers that had been suspended went to dock there one after another, carrying supplies from the Midland. Of course, the Carrier that Inglis and her associates were on wasn¡¯t an exception.


    ¡¸I¡¯ll do a checkup on the cargo. You guys can wait inside.¡¹


    A man who looked like a Highlander official approached Inglis¡¯ group and instructed them to do so. On either side of the man were lifeless, full-body armored humanoid figures. Could they be the escorts? More Highlanders came out onto the deck, and they all had escorts with them?.


    ¡¸Now, go along.¡¹


    Faris tried to lead everyone down into the cabin.


    ¡¸Mister Faris. Those armored soldiers, were they formerly¡ª¡ª?¡¹


    As they descended the stairs, Inglis asked in a whisper.


    ¡¸You got it right. They were former Midlanders. They were kidnapped, sold, and bought as slaves to be used as pawns. There aren¡¯t many Highlanders who would ?stand on the front lines, you know.¡¹ ¡¸¡­¡­So it¡¯s the same kind as the one Mr. Rahal brought.¡¹ ¡¸It¡¯s a cruel story¡ª¡ªthe Highlanders will force Midlanders to do things they themselves don¡¯t want to do.¡¹


    Rafinha and Leone knitted their brows. Indeed, it wasn¡¯t the most agreeable.


    ¡¸The reason ?Highlanders go out of their way to do business with merchants like us is so ?they can procure goods that can¡¯t be demanded to the King so willy-nilly. In other words, slaves and all that jazz. Our firm used to dwell in that kind of business too, during the previous president¡¯s reign. That¡¯s why the previous president and Mr. Rahal could become Highlanders through great achievements. We no longer do such a thing under my leadership, though.¡¹


    Faris spoke with a shrug and seemed to have gotten overexcited as he took a wrong turn. The moment he turned around the corner, he hit something metallic. It was a stocky, humanoid mass of black iron¡ª¡ªa Golem made by the Highland.


    ¡¸¡­¡­! Uh-oh¡ª¡ª!¡¹


    Perhaps it regarded Faris who hit it as an intruder; its large fist was swung at him. The fist drew near the hollering Faris¡ª¡ªbut it suddenly halted in its track. The fist was completely motionless in the face of Inglis¡¯ pearly-white hand.


    ¡¸Please step away, Mister Faris.¡¹ ¡¸S-, sure¡­¡­! Sorry for the trouble!¡¹


    Seeing how Faris had stepped away, Inglis also released the Black Iron Golem from her grasp¡ª¡ª But the golem continued to chase Faris and attacked. So it wouldn¡¯t stop once it started attacking?


    ¡¸It could pose a problem if we destroy it without permission. Can you please get the permission?¡¹ ¡¸Understood, give me a minute!¡¹ ¡¸You okay, Glis!?¡¹ ¡¸Yeah. It¡¯s quite a good distraction, you know? It¡¯s good to move your body around when you¡¯re feeling shaggy.¡¹


    Replied Inglis as she parried the golem¡¯s attacks. Once Faris received permission from a Highlander, he called¡ª¡ª


    ¡¸Well then¡ª¡ª!¡¹


    DAANNNN!!!


    Inglis¡¯ fist roared as it met the golem. The black iron cracked and eventually crumbled into scraps.


    ¡¸Incredible¡­¡­! What strength¡ª¡ª¡¹ ¡¸I-, if she isn¡¯t facing a Magic Stone Beast¡ª¡ª¡¹ ¡¸This is what happens, eh¡­¡­¡¹ ¡¸Yup, I¡¯m refreshed. Well, shall we go then?¡¹


    Inglis showed her widest smile.

 Chapter 68: 15 years old Inglis and Chiral’s Royal Knight Academy (18)

    After that little predicament, Inglis¡¯ group headed to the cabin where they were supposed to wait without taking the wrong turn again.


    ¡¸Is it here?¡¹


    There were both the armored soldiers from the Highland and the formal Knights of the Charalia Kingdom stationed on the entrance. When Inglis glanced inside, she saw the sight of an important-looking man being guarded by formal Knights left and right. It must be Prime Minister Althea, Liselotte¡¯s father.


    ¡¸That is the Prime Minister¡¯s room. Ours is ?deeper.¡¹ ¡¸So they separate the rooms. Even though I saw something delicious on the table there¡­¡­¡¹


    Rafinha bit into her finger.


    ¡¸Hahaha. I¡¯m sure we got one in our room too.¡¹ ¡¸Is that true, mister? Then let¡¯s go! Glis!¡¹ ¡¸Yeah.¡¹


    Rafinha took Inglis¡¯ hand and headed for their designated room. It was smaller than the one they saw earlier, and although there was a meal provided, it wasn¡¯t as luxurious.


    ¡¸¡­¡­They treat us differently!¡¹ ¡¸You¡¯re right¡ª¡ªbut this one is delicious too.¡¹


    Even while complaining, Inglis and Rafinha were quick to get their hands on the food.


    ¡¸Well, they separate lowly people like us since there¡¯s got to be something they want to talk about without our audience, so let¡¯s put up with it. And I heard rumors about today¡¯s deal is especially dangerous.¡¹ ¡¸Dangerous in what kind?¡¹


    Leone asked Faris.


    ¡¸¡­¡­Don¡¯t tell anyone you heard from me, capisce? And it¡¯s nothing more than a rumor, you got me?¡¹ ¡¸Yes. Inglis and Rafinha are okay with that?¡¹ ¡¸¡¸Myehm.¡¹¡¹ ¡¸¡­¡­Sheesh, you don¡¯t need to reply with your mouths full¡ª¡ª¡¹ ¡¸W-, well, they¡¯re still in their growing period after all. They must be hungry.¡¹ ¡¸But that doesn¡¯t do justice for them to eat as much as they want and not getting fat at all¡ª¡ªWell, putting that aside, please tell us.¡¹ ¡¸¡­¡­It¡¯s territories. We¡¯re talking about the Kingdom handing over the entire town of Shazer and its vicinity.¡¹ ¡¸¡­¡­! Glih, ihn dhad¡­¡­!!¡¹1 ¡¸Hyup. Dhe sam wan widh Rene¡¯s¡­¡­!¡¹2 ¡¸¡­¡­Does His Highness Wayne even approve of this¡­¡­?¡¹ ¡¸Why do you think the deal is taking place when the Royal Capital¡¯s security is at its thinnest? It¡¯s because the opposing party, Prince Wayne, is currently away. The higher-ups aimed for this moment. But that means they¡¯ll be short-handed, ?doesn¡¯t it? It¡¯ll be a disaster if people like the Ironblood Chain Brigade were to go after this deal.¡¹ ¡¸¡­¡­So, on the contrary, this negotiation is like a sitting duck for the Ironblood Chain Brigade¡ª¡ª¡¹


    For Leone, that must be the most desirable development. She strongly thought ?she would surely capture Leon with her own two hands!


    ¡¸Exactly. And the guy from the Highland that oversees the whole negotiation, Special Envoy Myynti, has some real bad reps going around. It¡¯s pretty easy to imagine people who have bad blood with him going their way to kill him and make it look like the work of the Ironblood Chain Brigade. In short, anything can happen in this red zone.¡¹ ¡¸Ah shee¡­¡­¡¹3 ¡¸Whi kand ledh our guadh down¡ª¡ª¡¹4 ¡¸Honestly, speak after you properly swallow. That¡¯s bad manners, you two.¡¹


    Leone warned the two.


    ¡¸Nmhm¡­¡­So, it¡¯s going to be fun, right?¡¹ ¡¸A~ah, is it so wrong to expect for nothing to happen?¡¹ ¡¸For that, why don¡¯t you see him first?¡¹


    Whispered Faris to the three as his eyes darted to the entrance of the room. There, a figure of a human appeared. It was an extremely obese man with a stigma on his forehead, proof that he was a Highlander. Behind him was a large man with white, long hair who looked like his escort.


    The escort had no stigma, but his build was stocky and his eyes were unnaturally sharp. His aura was quite peculiar, announcing to everyone in the room his considerable strength. In fact, Inglis felt that rather than the Highlander, the escort felt more special.


    ¡¸Ho-hyo-hyo-ho. Good work there, Faris.¡¹ ¡¸Sir! I¡¯m glad that Master Myynti is happy. Thank you once again for receiving our offers.¡¹ ¡¸Mm-hmm. It¡¯s only fitting to look for boor goods from boor merchants like you, after all. I¡¯m an open-minded man. Make sure to be useful to me.¡¹ ¡¸Yessir.¡¹ ¡¸And, who are your companions? I haven¡¯t seen their faces around.¡¹ ¡¸They are newly hired escorts. Students from the Academy.¡¹ ¡¸Hohyohohyohohyo¡­¡­¡­!¡¹


    Then, the Highlander with the name Myynti came bitingly close to Inglis.5


    ¡¸Ou ou ou¡­¡­! What a lovely girl! This is one fine jewel!¡¹


    As he said so, Myynti reached for Inglis¡¯ hair.


    ¡¸!?¡¹


    Slap!


    Naturally, Inglis brushed off that hand, but Myynti didn¡¯t get discouraged at all.


    ¡¸And what a lovely smell. Aah, I can¡¯t stand it!¡¹


    Sniff sniff sniff, the obese man whiffed at Inglis like a dog.6


    ¡¸Uuh¡­¡­!?¡¹


    That of course made Inglis grossed out and stepped back.


    ¡¸I haven¡¯t felt this aroused in a while!¡¹


    And, as if it was the most natural thing in the world, he reached out to Inglis¡¯ chest.


    ¡¸Hya¡­¡­!?¡¹


    Inglis yelped in surprise, but of course she wouldn¡¯t let that happen, so she grabbed his hand and twisted it up.


    ¡¸AAAGGHHHH!!! WHAT ARE YOU DOING!?!?¡¹ ¡¸That¡¯s my line¡­¡­!!¡¹


    The white-haired escort grabbed Inglis¡¯ hand to pull it away. Quite the formidable strength he had¡ª¡ªbut, Inglis wouldn¡¯t pull away. It was just a pure contest of strength. He wanted to make her hands go. She wouldn¡¯t let it.


    ¡¸O-, oi, come help me quick¡­¡­!¡¹ ¡¸I, I am¡­¡­ doing it, but¡ª¡ª!?¡¹


    Falteringly, the man replied.


    ¡¸S-, she¡¯s even stronger than you¡­¡­!?¡¹ ¡¸Oi, oi, what a minute! Lord Myynti, you can¡¯t do this to me! She is an escort, not a prostitute! I¡¯m sorry for this, can you please let him go, Miss Inglis!¡¹ ¡¸¡­¡­Understood.¡¹


    When Inglis let go of her hand, the escort man also released Inglis¡¯. Myynti blew on his aching arm after.


    ¡¸Y, your name is Inglis, right girl? Do you have anything you want? Money, treasure, food, authority, name it. I¡¯ll give you whatever you want, so be mine. Hm?¡¹ ¡¸Fufufu¡­¡­Then, can you give me your life?¡¹


    As Inglis answered so, Myynti raised a terrified hiss and fled the room.

 Chapter 69: 15 years old Inglis and Chiral’s Royal Knight Academy (19)

    ¡¸Well, that¡¯s the kind of guy he is. See what I mean?¡¹


    Shrugged Faris as Myynti left the room.


    ¡¸Yes, I do. Perfectly¡ª¡ª¡¹ ¡¸Unbelievable, he¡¯s the enemy of women!¡¹ ¡¸If that¡¯s how he usually is, then no wonder his neck is being targeted¡­¡­¡¹ ¡¸Well, I sometimes feel sorry for myself for lowering my head to a guy like that, but business is business. Rather than that, forgive me for making you experience that.¡¹


    Faris bowed at Inglis apologetically.


    ¡¸It¡¯s okay, I¡¯m here because I took the request?.¡¹ ¡¸But how could a b?a?s?t?a?r?d? like him become a supervisor? It¡¯s not like there isn¡¯t any reasonable person amongst the Highlanders. After all, we know one person like that.¡¹ ¡¸The Highlanders that I know are more or less like that, you know? The person you met must be one-of-a-kind.¡¹


    Faris shook his head at Rafinha¡¯s question.


    ¡¸Though, while I said that all Highlanders are mostly the same, Lord Myynti is a guy who¡¯ll lend his ear. After all, he¡¯s the same guy who lifted the ban on Flygears and Flygear Carriers.¡¹ ¡¸I see¡­ So you¡¯re saying that sleazebags have their own uses despite being a sleazebag?¡¹ ¡¸Sounds about right.¡¹ ¡¸But, His Highness Wayne, who claims to oppose territorial handover, seems to be very ardent regarding Flygears¡ª¡ª¡¹ ¡¸Well, there¡¯s also criticism going around saying that one side is just giving lip services while the other is too focused on the profits.¡¹ ¡¸¡­¡­ You seem well informed.¡¹ ¡¸You know Knights and high-ranking nobles can¡¯t openly talk about this, but having a little ¡®chit-chat¡¯ with a merchant unaffiliated with the entire ordeal, like me, can be brushed off as gossiping.¡¹


    Apparently, Faris was well-versed with the Kingdom¡¯s political weather.


    ¡¸So, the Kingdom is not consolidated at its heart¡ª¡ªis that what you want to say?¡¹ ¡¸Yeah. There is a discord between His Majesty the King and His Highness Prince Wayne. Being the current Prime Minister, His Excellency Althea naturally sides with the Royal faction. As I said before, most of the pro-Prince faction members are not in the capital now.¡¹ ¡¸Then, it wouldn¡¯t be surprising for someone from the pro-Prince faction sneak in and plant some chaos instead of the otherwise.¡¹ ¡¸But, Glis. His Highness Wayne is good friends with brother Rafa, and I¡¯d hate to think someone like him devising something like that.¡¹ ¡¸I¡¯m of the same opinion. Only the Ironblood Chain Brigade would do such a dirty thing.¡¹ ¡¸Yeah. That may be true.¡¹ ¡¸But that¡¯s not all, you see? The Highland isn¡¯t monolithic either. There are some Highlanders who oppose Lord Myynti and his associates for lifting the ban on Flygears and Flygear Carriers for Midlanders. That¡¯s what I hear.¡¹ ¡¸So there¡¯s an opposing faction in the Highland too, is it?¡¹ ¡¸Yeah.¡¹ ¡¸The Ironblood Chain Brigade, the pro-Prince faction from the Kingdom, and the opposing party from the Highland, not to mention people who hold personal grudges for him¡ª¡ªWith so many possibilities to happen in this trade, I can only say I¡¯m awed.¡¹ ¡¸Haah¡­ now I feel like it¡¯s impossible for something not to happen.¡¹ ¡¸And since big brother Leon has already been seen in the capital, it¡¯s very possible that the Ironblood Chain Brigade might show up.¡¹ ¡¸You¡¯re right. For us though, the more enemies we have, the better.¡¹ ¡¸No, that¡¯s just you, Glis¡­¡­¡¹


    The very moment they spoke those words¡ª¡ª


    BAAAMMM!!!


    Along with a thunderous roar, the wall to the adjacent room blew off!


    ¡¸Hm¡­¡­! It¡¯s here already?¡¹ ¡¸C¡¯mon, Glis! Don¡¯t get perked up! Don¡¯t grin either!¡¹ ¡¸What¡¯s going on there? Has big brother come!?¡¹


    Within the room seen through the newly made hole, there was Prime Minister Althea and his escorting Knights, facing them was the Highland¡¯s Special Envoy Myynti and his white-haired guardian. From the looks of it, it seemed like an attack that was aimed at Myynti missed him and broke the wall.


    ¡¸H-, ho-hyo-ho¡­! R-, ruffians! You, protect me!¡¹


    Squealed Myynti. Apparently, amongst the Knights that the Prime Minister brought along, there were some who targeted Myynti¡¯s life.


    ¡¸Stop it, all of you!¡¹ ¡¸Have you lost your mind!?¡¹ ¡¸Sheathe your swords at once!¡¹


    The Prime Minister and some other of his Knights tried to stop them.


    ¡¸Your Excellency! We can¡¯t bear to dwell under this pig¡¯s tyranny any longer!¡¹ ¡¸Agreed! You should know the most how many atrocities he repeated time and again!¡¹ ¡¸This is all for our Kingdom! This is proof of our loyalty!¡¹


    However, the Prime Minister barked at them in return. While he appeared to be a slender gentleman who possessed not the power to stand on a battlefront, his dignity was over the roof.


    ¡¸To show your loyalty is to do what is right with your life! This is NOT what we use our lives for!¡¹ ¡¸However¡­¡­!¡¹ ¡¸Regardless of how good your intentions are! Think of the harm your selfish acts will do to His Majesty the King and our beloved Kingdom! So long as you can¡¯t do that, you are but mere boorish daredevils!¡¹ ¡¸With all due respect! That shall not hinder our cause!¡¹ ¡¸What¡­¡­!?¡¹ ¡¸All we need is to blame it on the Ironblood Chain Brigade! That would cover all of our innocence! What happens in the sky stays in the sky, not a word leaked to the ground!¡¹ ¡¸If we get rid of this pig, we¡¯ll surely get a better envoy!¡¹ ¡¸It is in our favor that the Highland held the trade up in the air as they were cautious of the Ironblood Chain Brigade!¡¹ ¡¸¡­¡­! T-, they have a point¡ª¡ª¡¹ ¡¸T-, that might be true¡­¡­! This an opportunity¡ª¡ª!¡¹


    Even the Knights who were supposed to halt the revolt swayed into the opinion. In short, this was a ploy to assassinate Myynti and made the Ironblood Chain Brigade the scapegoat.


    ¡¸Your Excellency! Please order us to take his life!¡¹ ¡¸Prime Minister!¡¹ ¡¸Please!¡¹


    And yet, Prime Minister Althea only gave a horizontal head motion.


    ¡¸The life we have only existed to give and to serve!¡¹ ¡¸Kgh¡­¡­! Then you may just wait there and watch!¡¹ ¡¸Mu¡­¡­! Enemies!¡¹


    A handful of armored soldiers from the Highland¡¯s side came rushing into the room.


    ¡¸We will hold these guys off!¡¹ ¡¸Do it quickly!¡¹


    The Knights who were controlling the chaos now seemed to lean to the idea of assassinating Myynti?. They were standing in front of the armored soldiers to block them up.


    ¡¸Not you too¡­¡­!¡¹ ¡¸Thank you! I won¡¯t let your effort go to waste!¡¹ ¡¸Kgh¡­¡­! Hold it, you brainless lot!¡¹


    With how things proceeded, not even the Prime Minister¡¯s voice reached them.


    ¡¸HYO-HO¡ª!? O-, Oooh, Young Inglis! Save this li¡¯l ol¡¯ me¡­¡­!¡¹


    Myynti must have noticed Inglis¡¯ group through the hole of the wall, as he pleaded to them pathetically.


    ¡¸I am here but to guard Mister Faris.¡¹ ¡¸Fa-, Faris, my friend¡­¡­!¡¹ ¡¸AAH~ AAH~ AAAH!! I hear nothing, I hear nothing! I wonder why I hear nothing!¡¹


    Faris shouted with both of his ears covered It was a sign that he wouldn¡¯t take any sides and just stay on the sidelines.


    ¡¸¡¸¡¸Brace yourself!¡¹¡¹¡¹


    The Knights brandished their Artifacts and approached Myynti.


    ¡¸Eeeei, COVER ME!! HOLD NOTHING BACK!!¡¹ ¡¸KUKUKU¡­¡­¡¹


    The white-haired guard stood in front of Myynti, his body wobbled as he did. And then, he cracked the strangest remark to the incoming Knights


    ¡¸MANAA!! GIVE ME YOUR MANA!!!!¡¹


    Runes then appeared all over his body. This man was the Rune Eater.


    ¡¸¡­¡­ I knew it! It¡¯s the Slasher from before!¡¹


    Unlike that time, he showed his face while his Runes were, on the contrary, hidden¡ª¡ª He had a familiar aura, so Inglis was second-guessing. However, I should¡¯ve sliced him into two, so why is he still alive¡­..!?

 Chapter 70: 15 years old Inglis and Chiral’s Royal Knight Academy (20)

    ¡¸HO-HYO!! Eat them, EAT!! They¡¯re all your new food!¡¹


    Myynti screamed from behind the Rune Eater.


    ¡¸¡¸¡¸Don¡¯t underestimate us!!¡¹¡¹¡¹


    The Knights rushed in.


    ¡¸No, don¡¯t! He¡¯s dangerous!¡¹


    Inglis warned the Knights, but it was all too late¡ª¡ª As the two sides drew near, the Knights¡¯ heads rolled not a moment after the Rune Eater produced his ice swords.


    ¡¸Wha¡­¡­ In such an instant¡­¡­!?¡¹ ¡¸My Knights¡­¡­!¡¹


    The Knights who were holding back the armored soldiers were left in astonishment.


    ¡¸Them too! Eat them all you want!!¡¹ ¡¸GIVE MEEE!!!¡¹


    The Slasher then laid waste to those Knights as well in all but an instant.


    ¡¸TASTHYYY!!!!¡¹


    After which, he ate the Runes off their corpse. The part where he bit turned black like charcoal as the Rune was sucked into his being. Then, the number of Rune he had on his body increased proportionally to the number of Knight he ate. He was, as his name implied, a Rune Eater.


    ¡¸W-, what is that, it-, it eats¡­¡­!?¡¹ ¡¸It eats Runes¡­¡­!?¡¹


    Rafinha and Leone trembled in their boots.


    ¡¸HOHYOHYO!! Well done, well done! Good thing I created you in case things like this happened! Sometimes I fear my own ingenuity!¡¹


    Myynti clapped his hands with joy. The Knights who charged in believing they could take on Myynti learned the hard way of how wrong they could be. Now, all the Knights of the Kingdom had been felled, leaving only the Prime Minister, Althea, all by his lonesome.


    ¡¸May I ask you just one thing?¡¹


    Inglis raised her question to Myynti as she stepped in from the adjacent room.


    ¡¸Hohyo? Have you seen me in a new light now? I¡¯m an open-minded man, I¡¯ll gladly accept you into my arms.¡¹ ¡¸I must decline. That person over there is the Slasher that terrorized the capital¡¯s streets. If so, does that mean you¡¯re the one who has him assault people with Runes? I demand an explanation.¡¹


    What that implied was that Myynti, who was supposed to be an ambassador of the Highland, the one person who should maintain a good relationship with the Kingdom, had deliberately let such an atrocity happen under his watch.


    ¡¸W-, what did you say¡­¡­!? I¡¯ve heard the reports about the Slasher! But is it true that it¡¯s this person!?¡¹


    Prime Minister Althea responded to Inglis¡¯ question.


    ¡¸I have no doubt. After all, I¡¯m the one who took him down. It surprised me to see him still alive.¡¹ ¡¸¡­¡­ It¡¯s true, I have received no reports of it in the last few days, but¡ª¡ª¡¹ ¡¸Hohyo. So it was you, cutie. That explains your display of power. Indeed. I made them do it. To strengthen them.¡¹ ¡¸Them?¡¹ ¡¸I am a cautious man, girl. I make sure to always have spares.¡¹ ¡¸I understand now. So it¡¯s not like that one from before was revived, is it?¡¹


    There have been two of those since the beginning, I see.


    ¡¸¡­¡­ This is scandalous! Out of all people, an ambassador of the Highland doing this to the Kingdom is ?outrageous!¡¹ ¡¸Hohyo? Whatever do you mean? Nobody will know, so long as nobody tells. Just think of it as getting struck by a Magic Stone Beast. You lot keep losing your number to those beasts every day?.¡¹ ¡¸It is our duty to protect the Kingdom from ?all threats, Magic Stone Beasts or otherwise! What danger stands in our face matters not!¡¹ ¡¸Hohyo. You¡¯re quite an obstinate man, Prime Minister. Then, pray tell, your subordinates tried to kill me just a while ago. Was that not a problem?¡¹ ¡¸You need not ask; It was a problem.¡¹ ¡¸Then we¡¯re even. Why don¡¯t we let each other off the hook? From what I see, your Knights ?went against orders.¡¹ ¡¸If that¡¯s how it is, then I shall take my punishment, and you shall pay for your sins. That¡¯s how it should be.¡¹


    Apparently, Prime Minister Althea was a very inflexible and deeply earnest man. Precisely because he was that kind of person that he could be trusted. Inglis had the impression that he was just a man of integrity burdened by the position of Prime Minister.


    ¡¸Hohyo. No thanks. Whatever happens to those under, they have no right to complain to a Highlander like me. Without the Artifacts we bestow, all of you can only wait for your death. They should¡¯ve been grateful they could become the foundation for my research.¡¹ ¡¸¡­¡­ If so, then I shall pray that the next envoy after you¡¯re dismissed will have a different idea.¡¹ ¡¸HOHYOHYO!! You sure are irksome! Fine! Eat him too, I don¡¯t mind!¡¹ ¡¸HYAAHAHAA¡­¡­!!¡¹


    The Rune Eater began to act.


    ¡¸¡ª¡ªYou kids! You¡¯re all students of the Academy, right!? Academy students are an extension of the Chivalric Order! I¡¯m commanding you and your group to guard a public figure! You will be guar¡ª¡ª¡¹ ¡¸Yessir.¡¹


    Before the Prime Minister finished his line, Inglis had finished activating her Ether Armor and snuck behind the Rune Eater. And then, an upper kick was delivered to his back.


    ¡¸GOOOAAAHHHH!?!?!?¡¹


    BOOOMMM!!


    The body of the Slasher was blown away with tremendous momentum as it collided with the wall to the outside. The impact broke through the wall as his body was exposed to the sky, still going forward.


    ¡¸¡­¡­ding, me¡ª¡ª?¡¹ ¡¸H-, hohyohohyoyo¡ª¡ª¡¹


    Always be cautious when guarding a public figure ¡ª Inglis reminded herself so. Although, while Inglis was cautious and applied Ether Armor, it seemed like she made both Prime Minister Althea and Myynti stupefied while standing.

 Chapter 71: 15 years old Inglis and Chiral’s Royal Knight Academy (21)

    ¡¸Your Excellency.¡¹ ¡¸¡­¡­¡¹ ¡¸Your Excellency, Prime Minister, if I may?¡¹ ¡¸¡­¡­ A-, aah, forgive me. Umm, and you¡¯re¡ª¡¹ ¡¸Inglis Eux. I am a freshman in the Squire division.¡¹ ¡¸Squire division? With that strength¡­?¡¹ ¡¸What should we do about him? Should we apprehend him? Or should we give an immediate punishment?¡¹ ¡¸Apprehend him. His Majesty the King will try him.¡¹ ¡¸¡ª¡ªWill that bring justice to every sin this man has done?¡¹ ¡¸Of course. I swear it with my own name.¡¹ ¡¸Understood.¡¹


    Inglis stepped forward, approaching Myynti.


    ¡¸¡­¡­ Hyohohyohohyo!! Not so fast, cutie-pie!¡¹


    Voom!


    The space in front of Myynti seemed to distort as he spoke. From within the distortion, the Rune Eater from before appeared.


    ¡¸¡­¡­ He¡¯s back?¡¹


    Inglis could feel a strong mana movement rousing around.


    ¡¸HAHA! It¡¯s a teleportation technique! Quite the faithful doll for his look, isn¡¯t he!¡¹ ¡¸If so, then I just need to find a better way to dispose of him.¡¹


    Inglis converted a bit of her Ether to Mana. She then manipulated the mana to produce her own ice sword.


    Whenever Inglis clad an ordinary weapon in an activated wave of Ether, she would break it because the weapon couldn¡¯t withstand the Ether wave. The same also applied to this ice sword, as the last time Inglis tried it, the ice sword broke into pieces in a single swing.


    However, that meant that it would last a single swing even if Inglis were to use Ether Armor. And different from conventional weapons, it didn¡¯t cost a single coin even if she were to break it, so her wallet wouldn¡¯t suffer any damage from it.


    ¡¸Rani, I entrust His Excellency to you. Leone, you keep guarding Mister Faris.¡¹ ¡¸Got that, Inglis!¡¹ ¡¸Yeah! You¡¯ve defeated him before, so it¡¯ll be fine, right Glis?¡¹ ¡¸Yeah. It will be alright.¡¹


    Inglis faced the Rune Eater with her ice sword at the ready.


    ¡¸HOHYO! Do you know why he didn¡¯t hunt for Runes after you defeated the last one? It¡¯s because I made sure to improve and strengthen him even further! Have at her!¡¹


    With a snap, Myynti flicked his fingers.


    ¡¸GRRAAAAHHHH!!!!¡¹


    The Runes all over the Rune Eater¡¯s body glowed red in blood at that moment. The monster held his head in pain, but his mana kept getting roused and more active by the second.


    ¡¸Hohyohyohyo! Just so you know, he is a monster whose metabolism has been swapped, he no longer consumes food as sustenance, but by robbing mana from others! By enhancing his basal metabolic rate, he¡¯ll starve faster as he gets stronger! Be quick or you¡¯ll die! Eat the other girls¡¯ mana! We¡¯ll have the upper hand after that!¡¹ ¡¸OWAAAHHH!?!?!? GIMME YOUR MANAAAA!!!!¡¹


    The Rune Eater kicked the floor as he tried to bypass Inglis and lunge into Rafinha.


    ¡¸¡ª¡ªHe¡¯s heading here!?¡¹ ¡¸Leave it to me.¡¹


    However, Inglis cut off his path, caught his arm, and threw him directly to the same wall as before. Again he broke through the wall, and the Rune Eater was once again exposed to the sky.


    ¡¸Hohyo!? So it¡¯s not enough¡­¡­!¡¹


    Voom! And so the space in front of Myynti distorted again.


    ¡¸OAAHHH!?!?¡¹


    The Rune Eater came back again for the second time.


    ¡¸Hohyo! More! I can still raise his metabolic rate even more!!¡¹


    The red glow on his Runes intensified.


    ¡¸ABYAAAHHH!!!!¡¹


    The moment the Rune Eater kicked the ground, this time, he bustled about along the ceilings and the walls with great speed. His agility was enhanced more than ever. Quite the brilliant sight, Inglis applauded it. ¡ªBut, it didn¡¯t mean she couldn¡¯t catch him.


    ¡¸¡­¡­ Still not enough. With just this much, you can¡¯t even touch Rani and Leone.¡¹


    DOOONNN!!!


    This time, Inglis kicked the monster as he got close to Leone, sending him overboard yet again.


    ¡¸Is that the limit already? Then, I shall bring him down next.¡¹


    From the moment he targeted Rafinha, mercy was no longer on the menu. Myynti was just as guilty, but Inglis was ordered to apprehend him so they could try him, so she would go along with that scheme.


    ¡¸Kgh¡­¡­! Hohyohyohyo¡­¡­! EEEIII!! GO OVER YOUR LIMIT!!!!¡¹


    The Rune Eater, who got aboard yet again, now screeched at Myynti.


    ¡¸GGRRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHH!!!!!¡¹


    The Rune Eater raised a half-crazed roar¡ª¡ª And pierced Myynti from his back, the ice sword protruded from the Highlander¡¯s chest.


    ¡¸HOHYO¡­¡­!?!?!? N-, no¡ª¡ªDon¡¯t you eat me¡­¡­!!!¡¹


    Myynti¡¯s body blackened like charcoal as he was sucked into the Rune Eater.


    ¡¸TASTHHYY!!!!¡¹ ¡¸He¡¯s gone so far past his limits that he lost sight of who is a friend and who is a foe, huh? What a pitiable person you are. But I spare no sympathy for you¡ª¡ª¡¹


    It would have been better for Myynti too if he kept the monster¡¯s lucidity intact.


    ¡¸GIMME MOORRREEEE!!!¡¹


    With even greater strength, the Rune Eater lunged at Inglis.


    ¡¸At the end of the day, it¡¯s pointless even if I do¡ª¡ªisn¡¯t it?¡¹


    Inglis, however, had seen through his movement and brandished her ice sword at him. The Rune Eater, sliced horizontally this time, fell to the floor.

 Chapter 72: 15 years old Inglis and Chiral’s Royal Knight Academy (22)

    ¡¸Your Excellency. I¡¯m terribly sorry. As you can see, apprehending the Special Envoy would be impossible now.¡¹ ¡¸No¡­¡­ Don¡¯t be, it was inevitable. You did great.¡¹


    The moment the Prime Minister said so, some segments of the floor and the ceilings of the cabin were destroyed.


    ¡¸Mu¡­¡­!? What is it now!?¡¹


    From up and down, what seemed to be thick, black insect legs were growing out, crawling in. Lumps of what looked like hard gems were buried all along the appendages. Then, as the creatures¡¯ body parts appeared, they revealed to be giant spiders. They were Spider Magic Stone Beasts with exoskeleton harder than metal armor.


    ¡¸Those are¡ª¡ªMagic Stone Beasts!!¡¹ ¡¸Even though there wasn¡¯t any Prism Flow! We¡¯re in the sky, even!¡¹ ¡¸This must be the Ironblood Chain Brigade¡¯s handiwork¡­. right!?¡¹ ¡¸Yeah. The brigade has Prism Powder in their possession¡ª¡ªthey should be able to create Magic Stone Beasts.¡¹


    Their involvement was already guessed and rumored at a lot, and it seemed like they had the intention to do just that?.


    ¡¸The spiders, they just keep coming out!¡¹


    Rafinha shot an arrow of light from her bow Artifact. The arrow pierced through one of the Magic Stone Beasts with a disgusting fleshy sound, its body stopped moving afterwards.


    ¡¸Just take them down!¡¹


    Leone¡¯s black sword Artifact stretched out long enough to cover and smash a handful of those spiders in a single swing.


    Their strength is real, Magic Stone Beasts of this level won¡¯t outdo them. I¡¯ll leave this to them. Besides, I don¡¯t think it¡¯s a bad idea to show off Leone¡¯s participation to Prime Minister Althea. Thought Inglis, as she approached the Prime Minister, asked him a question.


    ¡¸Your Excellency. What should we do? Should we abandon the negotiation and escape?¡¹ ¡¸¡­¡­ It would be ideal if I got a deal out from a Highlander representative first, but¡ª¡ªit seems like we have to clean up the mess.¡¹ ¡¸So, shall we go around and subjugate the Magic Stone Beasts abroad?¡¹ ¡¸That would be great.¡¹ ¡¸Understood. However, if it is possible, I require your Excellency to step out of the ship for a little while.¡¹ ¡¸¡­¡­ Of course. I¡¯m sure you and your group can fight easier that way.¡¹ ¡¸If so, let us retreat to the Flygear Carrier beforehand.¡¹ ¡¸Good idea! Make haste, Glis!¡¹ ¡¸We¡¯ll defeat the ones in here!¡¹


    Just then, Rafinha and Leone combined strengths to finish cleaning the first wave of the beasts.


    ¡¸Yeah. Then, Mister Faris¡ª¡ª¡¹


    Inglis called out to Faris.


    ¡¸Hm? What is it?¡¹ ¡¸¡­¡­ Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s already well arranged? I believe now is the time for it.¡¹ ¡¸¡ª¡ª! Fufu. I see what you did there¡­¡­ As expected of you. You¡¯re right, it¡¯s about time.¡¹ ¡¸Eh? What do you mean, Glis?¡¹ ¡¸What are you two talking about?¡¹


    Rafinha and Leone looked very puzzled.


    ¡¸Well, in short¡ª¡ª¡¹


    Before Inglis could say anything, a Highlander official stormed into the cabin with his face twisted.


    ¡¸Lord Myynti! Emergency! Magic Stone Beasts are pouring out from Lambert Firm¡¯s cargo! UGaaahhh!?!?¡¹


    He screamed as the sharp legs of the Magic Stone Beasts pierced him from behind. Following him, another batch of Magic Stone Beasts showed up.


    ¡¸No way¡ª¡ªSo, Mister Faris did all this¡­¡­!?¡¹ ¡¸You¡¯re the Ironblood Chain Brigade¡¯s agent¡­¡­!¡¹ ¡¸One is right, one is wrong. Indeed, I brought the Magic Stone Beasts here, but I am not affiliated with that brigade at all. See¡ª¡ª¡¹


    With that statement, Faris ripped off the bandana on his head with one hand. On the exposed forehead¡ª¡ªwas a Highlander stigma, proof of his identity.


    ¡¸H-, Highlander!?!? Then that means there¡¯s no way you¡¯re from the Ironblood Chain Brigade. The brigade is an organization that actively hunts Highlanders after all¡­¡­!¡¹ ¡¸B-, but why did a Highlander do such a thing to another Highlander¡­¡­!?¡¹ ¡¸The Highland isn¡¯t united either, remember?¡¹


    Faris himself said it before.


    ¡¸Just out of curiosity¡­¡­ When did you notice?¡¹ ¡¸From the first time we met. I believe I invited you to join in the fight that night?¡¹


    At that very moment, another Magic Stone Beast leapt at Inglis, sticking out its blade-like legs. Inglis grabbed them without even batting an eye. She pulled the legs in a single swing and threw the beast at Faris.


    She did it offhandedly, but the speed was abnormally fast. And yet, Faris didn¡¯t twitch. He punched the beast off the air, making it bounce back to Inglis. ¡ª¡ªAnd his power was not ordinary.


    ¡¸But since you pretended to be powerless, I guessed that there must be something going on. I couldn¡¯t have imagined that your true identity was that of a Highlander.¡¹


    As she spoke so, Inglis also kicked back the body of the Magic Stone Beast that flew at her.


    ¡¸I¡¯ll be damned. You¡¯ve seen through me since the beginning. Aren¡¯t you quite the ill-natured girl, acting stupid and letting me swim along.¡¹


    Faris once again bounced back toward the Magic Stone Beast. Inglis hit it back to him again. And so did he. They continued conversing while exchanging the body of the beast, casually.1


    ¡¸¡­¡­ I ?will always accept anyone¡¯s challenge?. However, I have no intention to force anyone to fight me. I¡¯m just waiting until your preparation is ready.¡¹


    Winning when my opponent isn¡¯t at their best is just a colossal waste of potential, and it¡¯s not fun at all.Playing by my opponent¡¯s rules, doing what they want me to do, giving them what they want, then take the win afterwards.That is how you can expect to get the most growth out of it.You have to make the most of the opportunity you have.2


    ¡¸I see now. I¡¯m still a Highlander Knight, one of the few people specialized in battle. You¡¯ve saved me the trouble of killing Myynti, so for that favor, I won¡¯t disappoint you.¡¹


    The speed of the beast exchanging between them gradually increased. It was like a competition of stubbornness.


    ¡¸Thank you very much. I look forward to it.¡¹


    Using the momentum of Inglis¡¯ last return, Faris¡¯ shot was just slightly missing its target. The Magic Stone Beast broke through the wall and vanished into the sky.


    ¡¸Kgh¡­¡­! I missed.¡¹ ¡¸I can¡¯t measure your strength if that¡¯s all you¡¯ve got. Please, by all means, come at me.¡¹


    Rallied Inglis with a smile.

 Chapter 73: 15 years old Inglis and Chiral’s Royal Knight Academy (23)

    A Highlander Knight¡ª¡ªFaris claimed himself. If so, then Inglis could raise her hope up. If Highlander Knights were weaker than the Knights of Midland, then the Highland wouldn¡¯t be able to suppress them. They would be a laughingstock if the very Artifacts they gave to the Midlander defeated them. Therefore, a Highlander Knight must have the power to overwhelm the forces of Midland, or something else equivalent to it. Inglis was looking forward to witnessing that power with her own eyes.


    ¡¸You sure seem happy. I¡¯m enthralled to see that beautiful face of yours contort in fear.¡¹ ¡¸I very much agree. I too want to see my own expression in such an event. If you¡¯re that much of a powerhouse, that is.¡¹ ¡¸If so¡ª¡ªHow does this sound? O¡¯ Gate, open!¡¹


    A ripple in the space, something akin to a space distortion, vortexes around Faris¡¯ clenched fists. In the blink of an eye, the distortion warped all around, changing the scenery in front of Inglis. Before she noticed, Inglis was already standing in a space with no walls or edges, accompanied with yellow-green light motes floating around.


    ¡¸This is¡­ a subspace?¡¹ ¡¸It¡¯s like the ¡ºMaze of Trials¡»¡­¡­!¡¹ ¡¸R-, rather than that, look at the surroundings! There are Magic Stone Beasts everywhere!¡¹ ¡¸W-, what¡¯s with that number!?¡¹


    Just as Leone and Prime Minister Althea said, there were legions and legions of Magic Stone Beasts crowding around. They numbered not in tens, but in hundreds or even bordering thousands. The countless beasts were all encircling Inglis, Faris, and the others from a distance. They seemed to be unable to enter the pale-colored pillar of light Inglis and the others were in, as it seemed to be a safe-zone in this subspace.


    ¡¸The beasts were gushing out from here, huh¡­¡­!?¡¹


    That would explain why Inglis couldn¡¯t feel their presence until they made their appearance. When Inglis, Rafinha, and Leone were boarding on the Flygear Carrier, the beasts were dwelling in this subspace, and thus they technically didn¡¯t exist. Unlike the Ironblood Chain Brigade¡¯s method of using Prism Powder to produce Magic Stone Beasts, Faris gathered the naturally spawned instances of those beasts and locked them in this space.


    ¡¸That is what it is. Being in the same space with these monsters makes my skin crawl, though.¡¹ ¡¸In short, you gathered them to doctor the crime scene as if it was the work of the brigade, is it?¡¹ ¡¸Spot on. It¡¯s already well known that it¡¯s their modus operandi, isn¡¯t it? Those foolish Knights of the Kingdom were too shortsighted. If you want to frame, make sure that every piece of evidence points in the correct direction. You see, I¡¯m a cautious man.¡¹1 ¡¸I see. So for that reason you asked us to be your guards.¡¹ ¡¸What do you mean, Glis?¡¹ ¡¸In his script, the three of us will join the Ironblood Chain Brigade, kill Special Envoy Myynti along with Prime Minister Althea, and ultimately break the ongoing negotiation.¡¹ ¡¸¡­¡­ I see! It¡¯ll be all more convincing with me here, since people will think I¡¯m chasing after my brother!¡¹ ¡¸¡­¡­ And since I¡¯m here, big brother Rafa will be suspected of being affiliated with the brigade as well!¡¹ ¡¸Yeah. I think that is the case. I feel sick just imagining it.¡¹ ¡¸Me too¡­¡­!¡¹ ¡¸Unforgivable!!¡¹ ¡¸That¡¯s my line, you damn brats¡­¡­! That¡¯s not the only reason ?I brought the three of you here. I¡¯ll avenge the death of Rahal with your lives¡ª¡ª¡¹ ¡¸¡­¡­ Mr. Rahal¡¯s? I¡¯m surprised to learn that someone adores a person like him.¡¹ ¡¸You must be a freak to avenge a b?a?s?t?a?r?d? like him! He¡¯s no better than that special envoy from before!¡¹ ¡¸Hmph. Quite the nerve you have to ridicule a son in front of his father.¡¹ ¡¸¡¸F-, Father¡­¡­!?¡¹¡¹2


    Both Inglis and Rafinha raised a surprised shout. So, he is actually Mister Lambert? Him being a representative of the firm was a farce too?No, that doesn¡¯t matter now, but what¡¯s with his youth¡ª¡ª? His age doesn¡¯t look that far apart from Rahal¡¯s when he died.


    ¡¸Along with my being a Highlander, I was given a new body. Because of that, I was also given the duty of a Knight. I had no choice, my old body was already falling apart from an illness. Now, I am fully aware how profligate my son is, but he is still my son! I¡¯ll have you learn the pain of a father who lost his child!¡¹ ¡¸¡­¡­ That¡¯s unjustified! Your grudge is ill-directed!¡¹ ¡¸Parents like you are blind when you¡¯re raising your children!!¡¹


    Rafinha and Leone were correct.


    ¡¸Adding ideologies and grudges to your own strength are not fun, you know? Relax a little more and enjoy your own strength?.¡¹ ¡¸I¡¯ll do just that, after I take your lives! Tell you what, now that you¡¯ve entered this subspace, you¡¯re already checkmated. This isn¡¯t simply a space to lock up Magic Stone Beasts; it¡¯s originally an execution ground for Knights like you! Your Artifacts are useless within this subspace.¡¹


    Faris¡¯ smile was like a crooked sword.


    ¡¸¡­¡­ He¡¯s right, my light arrow doesn¡¯t come out!¡¹ ¡¸My sword doesn¡¯t listen to me either!¡¹


    Rafinha and Leone raised their pitch.


    ¡¸¡­¡­ I see now.¡¹


    So this is the ace in the hole.So this is the reason ?Highlander Knights can suppress Midlander Knights.


    ¡¸Hmm¡­¡­?¡¹


    Inglis converted Ether into mana, manipulating it to produce an ice sword¡ª¡ª But the sword didn¡¯t even form, as the mana dispersed right after it was converted, making her unable to control it properly.


    The reason ?Artifacts stopped working was because the user¡¯s mana was interrupted so the tool couldn¡¯t fulfill its function. Apparently, that was also the case, even if one was to directly manipulate mana without the aid of Runes.


    ¡¸It doesn¡¯t work for me either.¡¹ ¡¸That¡¯s right¡ª¡ªExcept for me, for I have stigmata! Now die!¡¹


    Under Faris¡¯ command, the pillar of light that engulfed the entire group now squeezed down to only protect him alone. Inglis and her group that was thrown out of the light¡¯s protection was exposed to the innumerable Magic Stone Beasts which drew closer by the seconds.


    ¡¸Rani! Leone! I leave the Prime Minister to you!¡¹ ¡¸Yeah!¡¹ ¡¸I¡¯ll see what I can do!¡¹


    Inglis stepped forward as she confirmed their reply. The overwhelming number of Magic Stone Beasts was swarming around her. Their number shouldn¡¯t be taken lightly. The most ideal way was to give Faris, the master of this subspace, some good beating until he brought them out of here.


    ¡¸Haaat!!¡¹


    Inglis rushed at the nearest Magic Stone Beast and kicked it as hard as she could. The blown away beast was flung towards the pillar of light that covered Faris, and then¡ª¡ª


    Kerchank!


    With a dry sound, the Magic Stone Beast¡¯s body bounced. The pillar didn¡¯t even twitch from it.


    ¡¸Hahahaha!! This is my front-row seat to watch you die! Whatever you do, it won¡¯t work¡ª¡ª¡¹


    KER-CHLANNKK!!!


    A roar thundered, and the pillar of light was shattered into pieces.


    ¡¸What won¡¯t?¡¹ ¡¸GUAAH¡­¡­!?¡¹


    Clad in the pale light of Ether Armor, Inglis grabbed Faris by the throat with one hand, his feet didn¡¯t touch the ground.


    ¡¸H-¡­¡­ how¡ª¡ªwhat did you¡­¡­¡¹ ¡¸I just punched it as hard as I could, that¡¯s all. What of it?¡¹


    There was a gentle, dainty smile decorating those words. For Faris, however, that smile was the most frightening thing. She said she smashed the pillar of light with a punch, but¡ª¡ªFaris didn¡¯t even see her move at all.

 Chapter 74: 15 years old Inglis and Chiral’s Royal Knight Academy (24)

    ¡¸What¡¯s with you¡­¡­ The subspace has no effect on you at all¡­¡­!!¡¹ ¡¸Oh, it does. However, you must know that mana isn¡¯t everything. Power comes in many forms.¡¹


    Ether battle techniques were usable. As Inglis had guessed, this space was incapable of disrupting Ether movement.


    ¡¸Kgh¡­¡­ that¡¯s b?u?l?l?s?h?i?t?, what else can¡ª¡ª¡¹ ¡¸Now, bring us back to our previous space. Otherwise, I¡¯ll take you down. Both Rani and Leone are in trouble, you see.¡¹


    Rafinha and Leone were fighting teeth and nails to protect the Prime Minister from the preying Magic Stone Beasts. They were struggling hard as their Artifacts had lost the most essential function. If this state continued on, the two of them wouldn¡¯t last. Inglis needed to break the tie, and she needed it quickly.


    That was when it happened¡ª¡ªA segment of the Magic Stone Swarm was suddenly blown to the air. From underneath, something crawled up.


    ¡¸Wh-, what¡ª¡ª!?¡¹ ¡¸Another surprise? Give me a break!¡¹


    Rafinha and Leone raised their protest.


    ¡¸Hohyo! Hohyohyohyohyo!!¡¹


    It was a humanoid Magic Stone Beast with runes all over its bloated body. It was short and stout, but the gems embedded on its hardened skin was the distinctive feature of a Magic Stone Beast. The newly emerged Magic Stone Beast had the body of the Rune Eater, but even more so, its head was that of Special Envoy Myynti, complete with the stigma on its forehead. That head raised an eruptive laugh.


    ¡¸Magic Stone Beast¡ª¡ª! In such a shape¡­¡­!¡¹


    The Rune Eater had eaten Myynti. However, the absorbed Myynti then mutated into a Magic Stone Beast and adapted such a form. Is that how it went?And that¡¯s not all¡ª¡ª


    ¡¸Hohyohyohyohyohyohyo¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª!¡¹


    Along with a chuckle he raised, Myynti produced ice swords for each of his giant fingers.


    ¡¸It¡¯s using mana¡­¡­!¡¹


    This subspace didn¡¯t affect Highlanders. This was possible, probably because Myynti had a stigma. He then swung both of his hands, darting the ice swords at the spider Magic Stone Beasts, skewering a dozen of them. After which, just like when the Rune Eater ate Myynti, the beasts turned charcoal black and were absorbed into him. Not only had he turned into a Magic Stone Beast, it appeared ?he could absorb other Magic Stone Beasts?.


    ¡¸¡­¡­ Cannibalism!?¡¹ ¡¸He¡¯s doing it so fast¡­¡­!!¡¹


    In the blink of an eye, Myynti had absorbed a sizable amount of spider Magic Stone Beast, and his body mutated further. Perhaps because of the large amount of the beast it had eaten, there were spider legs sprouting out of Myynti¡¯s lower body.


    When that change happened, the other spider Magic Stone Beasts gathered under him. Myynti had absorbed a huge amount of those beasts and gained control over them like a queen bee or queen ant.


    ¡¸They¡¯re merging¡ª¡ª¡¹


    Not long after, Myynti¡¯s lower half had become that of a complete spider.1


    The body of the Rune Eater with his Runes. The face of Myynti and his Stigma. The lower half of the body that had become a spider Magic Stone Beast¡ª¡ª


    This monster was no longer just the Rune Eater, a Magic Stone Beast, or a Highlander. It was a Chimera that mixed all of those into one chaotic blend of a beast.


    One thing Inglis could say of it¡ª¡ªIt looks strong.


    ¡¸That is one amazing Chimera¡ª¡ªI expected no less of you to hide something of this caliber. I see you in a new light now.¡¹


    Since the enemies were now unified, Inglis could take on it by herself now. To be perfectly fair, Inglis felt ?being stuck in this subspace alone was a bit too lackluster for a challenge.


    ¡¸T-, that¡¯s not me¡ª¡ªAll I did was gathering Magic Stone Beasts¡­¡­!¡¹


    However, Faris denied Inglis¡¯ words.


    ¡¸? Then, how did¡­¡­ I see, it truly must be Prism Powder this time¡­¡­¡¹


    The Ironblood Chain Brigade must have used a different route than the Prime Minister and Inglis to reach Myynti. Otherwise, there would be no explanation for Leon¡¯s appearance in the Royal Capital.2 The effect of the Prism Powder that was given to Myynti finally kicked in here and now. It must be.


    ¡¸So, you¡¯re saying that it¡¯s all just a coincidence? Fufufu. This must be because of my good karma.¡¹ ¡¸GEEZ, Glis! Don¡¯t be so happy about it!!¡¹ ¡¸She¡¯s right, that thing is just so creepy and gross¡ª¡ª!¡¹


    Commented Rafinha and Leone who had been guarding the Prime Minister as they drew closer to Inglis.


    ¡¸T-¡­¡­ this must be because of MY good karma¡ª¡ª! ¡¹


    Faris¡¯ body, which had been dangling off Inglis¡¯ hand, distorted as his figure disappeared, along with his weight.


    ¡¸Though it¡¯s a shame that I can¡¯t see you die in my front-row seat¡­¡­! You¡¯re all going to die here! No worries, I¡¯ll pick up your corpse after that, if that monster hasn¡¯t eaten you yet that is!¡¹


    Only his voice left, echoing in the empty space. It seemed like Faris had left Inglis and the other three to escape the subspace all by himself.


    ¡¸AH¡­¡­! He¡¯s gone!?¡¹ ¡¸He just left us here and fled!?¡¹ ¡¸Perhaps he wants to avoid the case of him dying and the subspace collapsed into itself.¡¹ ¡¸N-, no way¡ª¡ªCan we even go out!?¡¹ ¡¸How is it, Inglis? Can you do it like before?¡¹ ¡¸If I break the space, maybe we¡¯ll be okay. But before that¡ª¡ª¡¹


    I still need to enjoy every ?bit of fight against that Chimera first.


    ¡¸HOHYOO!! I CAN SMELL YOU, INGLISS GIRRRLLLL!!!!!! CUTIE-PIEEEE!!! LET¡¯S BE ONE WITH USSS!!! IT FEELSS GOODD BEING ONE WITH USSSSSSS!!!!¡¹


    Myynti¡¯s head slurped and licked his lips, saliva flying everywhere. Inglis wondered why he didn¡¯t look so different, despite the fact that he had become a Magic Stone Beast.

 Chapter 75: 15 years old Inglis and Chiral’s Royal Knight Academy (25)

    ¡¸¡­¡­ Hmm, I guess it is a bit gross?¡¹


    It sent a shiver to her back when she saw it.


    ¡¸That¡¯s obvious. Defeat him quick, Glis!¡¹ ¡¸I¡¯d hate to look at that for long.¡¹ ¡¸Yeah¡ª¡ª¡¹


    Inglis, alone, stood up to the Chimera Myynti.


    ¡¸Once you¡¯ve defeated me, I¡¯ll let you do what you want to me. Now, come at me.¡¹ ¡¸HOHYOHYOHYOHYOOOOOO¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª-!!!¡¹


    The tips of the countless spider legs turned into blades of ice and attacked Inglis. Despite its enormous body, its movement was not slow.


    ¡¸!?¡¹


    Rather, it was abnormally agile. Every thrust ?surpassed the Rune Eater¡¯s attack. In addition, they were backed with a vast amount of mana resources incomparable to the Rune Eater. A barrage of ice swords¡ª¡ªthat would be the best description of it. As expected, it would be difficult for Inglis to break through the frontal assault with this one. The density of the attack was too high. There wasn¡¯t even room for one body to slip by.


    ¡¸For being so big and so gross, it sure is fast!¡¹ ¡¸But it can¡¯t hit Inglis anyway! So it¡¯s okay!¡¹


    So long as Inglis still could move backwards, it wasn¡¯t impossible to avoid the attack.


    ¡¸What speed¡ª¡ªThere are so many of her¡­¡­!!¡¹


    Inglis¡¯ superhuman movements overwhelmed prime Minister Althea. Not only was she fast, but her gestures were so beautiful he couldn¡¯t help but be spellbound by her brilliance.


    ¡¸D-, do the two of you see just one of her?¡¹ ¡¸Yes, tentatively.¡¹ ¡¸Although that is only the extent of what we can do.¡¹ ¡¸¡­¡­ It seems like the current Academy is nurturing some real talents.¡¹


    As the conversation took place, Inglis continued to dodge Chimera Myynti¡¯s attacks by circling him clockwise. Just avoiding him like this felt dull. She must devise a scheme to counter.


    ¡¸HOHYOOOO!!!! COME HERE, COME TO PAPAAAAAA!!!!!¡¹


    Inglis leaped diagonally to behind the Chimera, avoiding the incoming orbiting ice sword. In response to her, the Chimera turned around, and at that moment¡ª¡ª


    ¡¸NOW!!¡¹


    Inglis leaped back to her previous spot with all her strength. With that, she was completely out of the Chimera¡¯s sight. Because of its gigantic body, the Chimera would roll at times to suddenly change direction. Inglis used this fact to attack.


    ¡¸Hohyo?¡¹


    The moment Myynti lost sight of Inglis and raised such a stupid exclamation¡­


    ¡¸HAAAAAATTTT!!!¡¹


    DOGOOOONNN!!!


    ¡¸GYAAEEEEKKHHH!!!?!??¡¹


    ¡­Inglis¡¯ kick pierced Myynti¡¯s face, distorting its ugly face. ¡ª¡ªBut that was all. The face was distorted and the upper half of the body bent backwards, but the countless spider legs stood firm and stayed put.


    ¡¸It¡¯s heavy, after all¡ª¡ª¡¹


    Any ordinary Magic Stone Beast would¡¯ve been sent flying with that kick. This Chimera wasn¡¯t any ordinary monster.


    ¡¸HOHYOOH!!!¡¹


    It was resilient and quick to respond. A tongue quickly stretched out from Myynti¡¯s face, contorted by the kick, and came wrapping itself around Inglis. It wrapped around the knees, thighs, waist, and chest in a long cylinder.


    ¡¸Hohyohyohyo!! So sweet, so soooofffttt!!!¡¹ ¡¸Please stop it. It¡¯s indecent.¡¹


    Inglis activated Ether Armor. Now clad in a pale veil of light, she tore through Myynti¡¯s tongue and escaped.


    ¡¸AGGGYYAAAAAHHH!?¡¹ ¡¸Still, you¡¯re good¡ª¡ª¡¹


    He forced Inglis to draw out Ether Armor in such a short amount of time. Within this space where mana was unusable, Inglis was forced to depend on it. All Ether battle techniques had a tremendous cost. Inglis had to avoid a prolonged battle to settle the matter quickly. She still needed to quickly escape from this subspace and deal with Faris.


    ¡¸HAATT!!¡¹


    Inglis paused for a moment once she landed, this time she rushed head-on.


    ¡¸HOHYOHOHYOHOHYOO!!!¡¹


    In response to her, the barrage of ice swords rained down.


    ¡¸I applaud you for being able to react¡ª¡ª¡¹


    It was worthy of praise. Few could even take another step after receiving Inglis¡¯ Ether Armor.


    ¡¸However!!¡¹


    Inglis counterattacked the raining ice blades with her fists slamming into them.


    ¡¸AHGGGYYAAAHHHHHH!!!!!!!¡¹


    The result¡ª¡ªwith the force of a storm, the Magic Stone Beast¡¯s legs that had turned into ice swords shattered into pieces!


    ¡¸I-, its legs are suddenly blown away¡­¡­! What happened¡ª¡ª!?¡¹ ¡¸W-, we don¡¯t know what¡¯s going on either!!¡¹ ¡¸Err, they touched the pale light then poof¡­¡­!!¡¹


    Rafinha and Leone couldn¡¯t see Inglis¡¯ punches being thrown around. All they could see was countless legs being blown off from their joints in the frame of a second. And when they realized it¡ª¡ªMyynti¡¯s giant body had lost all support and was lying on the ground.


    ¡¸This is our second farewell.¡¹


    Inglis unwrapped herself off the Ether Armor and thrust her right palm out to the squirming Myynti. At the end of her palm, swirling motes of light appeared and converged. The pale light motes gradually turned into a single cluster of energy-mass.


    ¡¸Ether Strike!!¡¹


    SUGGGOOOOOOOOONNNNNNNNNNNN¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª!!!!


    ¡¸HOHYOOOOOOO!!!!!!¡¹


    The enormous light orb swallowed up Myynti¡¯s giant figure as it traveled down its path.

 Chapter 76: 15 years old Inglis and Chiral’s Royal Knight Academy (26)

    ¡¸¡ª¡ªThat does it.¡¹


    After Ether Strike annihilated Myynti, Inglis nodded to herself. Now, even after she fired Ether Strike at full strength, she still had some strength left. She could proudly claim that her endurance was growing slowly but steadily.


    ¡¸As expected of you, Glis! You¡¯re awesome!¡¹ ¡¸I always know you¡¯re amazing, but never to this extent!¡¹


    Rafinha and Leone came running to her.


    ¡¸Yeah. I would have liked to fight him more slowly, though. He was a good training partner.¡¹


    Despite his look, the Chimera¡¯s strength was the real deal. Inglis had to settle things promptly because of the circumstance at play, but in any other scenario, she would drag the fight out.


    ¡¸Eeehh¡­¡­? Isn¡¯t that impossible, physiologically and aesthetically speaking?¡¹ ¡¸S-, she¡¯s right. He was as disgusting as before he became a Magic Stone Beast; you know?¡¹ ¡¸Yeah, but you know. Strength is neither bad nor good¡ª¡ª¡¹


    Inglis might as well fight the Chimera with her eyes closed, so ?it wouldn¡¯t enter her vision.


    ¡¸J-, just who are you¡­¡­? That kind of power, not even Holy Knights or Hyrule Menaces¡ª¡ª¡¹ ¡¸I am but a run-of-the-mill Squire, though? You may look at it yourself.¡¹


    Said Inglis as she held out both of her hands to Prime Minister Althea, neither of which was engraved with Rune.


    ¡¸Nuu, you certainly are¡ª¡ªBut, you have something more¡­¡­¡¹ ¡¸Rather than me, why don¡¯t we devise a way to escape this subspace together? We still don¡¯t know the situation outside too¡ª¡ª¡¹ ¡¸T-, true¡­¡­ But, how do we¡ª¡ª¡¹


    The Prime Minister was cut in the middle of his sentence, as the four of them saw the surrounding scenery changing rapidly. At one moment, Inglis thought the space distorted in front of her eyes. The next moment, they were already back to the cabin.


    ¡¸Eh!? We¡¯re back¡­¡­!? Did you do something, Glis?¡¹ ¡¸No, I did nothing.¡¹ ¡¸Aaah!! Look over there!¡¹


    At the direction of Leone¡¯s sight, there was Faris. On his abdomen, a sword was sticking out, covered in sticky blood. And the owner of the sword that pierced him was¡ª¡ª A male with his features covered with a black iron mask, his outfit all black, complete with a cloak. It was the Black Mask, the head of the Ironblood Chain Brigade.


    ¡¸!!! The brigade¡¯s Black Mask!¡¹


    Shouted Rafinha.


    ¡¸Eh¡­¡­!? Th-, that means¡ª¡ª¡¹ ¡¸Exactly, Leone. He is the leader of the Ironblood Chain Brigade.¡¹


    Now Inglis could guess why they were ejected from the subspace. At the hand of Black Mask, Faris was fatally wounded. This must have caused the subspace to collapse.


    ¡¸Kgh¡­¡­!! Uuuh¡­¡­!!!¡¹


    With a thud, Faris¡¯ body crashed into the floor.


    ¡¸Inglis Eux. How odd to meet you here.¡¹


    The Black Mask glanced at Inglis.


    ¡¸Just how did you get here¡­¡­¡¹


    Did he impersonate an insider and intruded, or¡ª¡ª


    ¡¸By that.¡¹


    The Black Mask pointed a direction behind him. His back was facing a wall, blown open by some kind of impact from outside. Upon closer look, rubbles of the wall were loitering the room everywhere, making the entire space even messier than when Inglis left it.


    And then, beyond the opened hole, hanging in the open sky¡ª¡ª Was the sight of a giant flying ship.


    ¡¸Wha¡­¡­!¡¹ ¡¸EEEHH!?!?¡¹ ¡¸You have something like that¡ª¡ª!?¡¹


    The flying vessel was just as big as the Highland¡¯s ships. The hull was equipped with several gun ports, which Inglis assumed to be the cause of the open hole in the wall.


    ¡¸Impossible, why would you people have something our Kingdom can¡¯t even acquire¡­¡­!?¡¹


    The Prime Minister¡¯s question was spot on. If they possessed such a thing, then they were no longer just an ordinary guerilla organization. Just what was the extent of the Ironblood Chain Brigade¡¯s military strength? How uncanny. Any missteps and the brigade could¡¯ve easily taken over a single country.


    ¡¸Rather than fussing the detail, just defeat him here and now!¡¹


    Leone swung down her black great sword Artifact. There was a distance between her and the Black Mask, but her blade stretched out in an instant and struck its target.


    Clink!!


    However, Leone¡¯s full-strength strike was easily blocked by the Black Mask with his one-handed sword.


    ¡¸Cease the thought. You can¡¯t defeat me with your strength.¡¹ ¡¸Shut up! It¡¯s because of you, big brother Leon is¡ª! It¡¯s all because of your cajolery, big brother Leon deserted the Kingdom!!¡¹


    Leone attacked fiercely in quick succession, but the Black Mask parried them all.


    ¡¸That is simply untrue. Comrade Leon would stand on his own against all odds, even if I wasn¡¯t there. A few persuasive lines from the likes of me would never sway him. He is a man with a resolute core. We only work together because our ideals aligned, is all.¡¹ ¡¸Shut your mouth! Don¡¯t you talk as if you know him!!¡¹ ¡¸Good lords¡ª¡ª¡¹


    Kraang!!!


    The Black Mask started an attack, he swung at Leone¡¯s blade.


    ¡¸Aah¡­¡­!?¡¹


    The great sword was swatted away from Leone¡¯s hand by the impact, falling to the floor as it was.


    ¡¸I warn you. If you attempt to attack me any further, I shall act in self-defense. I have my own agenda.¡¹ ¡¸Kgh¡­¡­! You won¡¯t threaten me with that¡­¡­!!¡¹


    Leone didn¡¯t hesitate to pick her Artifact back up from the floor. But Inglis gently took her hand and stopped Leone.


    ¡¸Wait, Leone. Can you leave the rest to me? I¡¯m worried about you, and besides¡ª¡ª¡¹ ¡¸You want to fight him?¡¹ ¡¸¡­¡­ Is it obvious?¡¹ ¡¸You didn¡¯t notice? Your face is basically grinning.¡¹ ¡¸¡ª¡ªI¡¯m sorry, but can I?¡¹ ¡¸All right. Since there is no other choice but to leave it to you either¡ª¡ªInglis, please.¡¹ ¡¸Yeah. You can leave it to me.¡¹


    Inglis walked up to the Black Mask.


    ¡¸This day sure comes faster than I thought.¡¹ ¡¸¡­¡­ Let me ask just one thing. Where is Highland¡¯s Special Envoy Myynti? If I don¡¯t take him out first, we can¡¯t enjoy our bout freely.¡¹ ¡¸He is no longer here. I took care of him.¡¹ ¡¸You saved me some trouble. This is my exit then¡ª¡ªThough, I suppose, I can¡¯t exactly say so.¡¹ ¡¸That is true. If you¡¯re inclined to escape, then I will chase after you to your ship. Don¡¯t blame me if it gets broken.¡¹ ¡¸That would be a problem¡ª¡ª¡¹


    It was then¡ª¡ª


    DOAARRR!!!


    The ship rocked wildly after a thunderous roar.

 Chapter 77: 15 years old Inglis and Chiral’s Royal Knight Academy (27)

    ¡¸Kyaah!?¡¹ ¡¸W-, what is happening¡­¡­!?¡¹ ¡¸That was a pretty huge sway.¡¹


    It felt as if the floor beneath them was leaning heavily. Explosions were heard roaring two to three times in succession. Each time it happened, their footing tilted left and right.


    ¡¸¡­¡­ It looks like an oddity just happened.¡¹


    Remarked the Black Mask as he looked outside. The Ironblood Chain Brigade¡¯s flying ship was seen floating higher and higher. But, in fact, the opposite was happening.


    ¡¸W-, we¡¯re falling!?¡¹ ¡¸This is bad! We¡¯re right above the Royal Capital!!¡¹


    Rafinha and Leone were correct. It was quite ironic that the negotiation that was held in the sky above the capital to countermeasure the Ironblood Chain Brigade, was intruded by that very brigade with their own private flying ship. None of the involved parties would have guessed it, not only was their countermeasure turned obsolete, but the ship they used for this plan would also bring about tremendous collateral damage if it crashed straight to the capital. Their plan backfired in every single meaning.


    ¡¸Did you do this¡­¡­!?¡¹ ¡¸I didn¡¯t give any such instruction.¡¹


    The moment the Black Mask shook his head¡ª¡ª Faris, bloodied and collapsed, jolted himself up with great vigor. He was stabbed through his chest, an undeniably fatal wound, but he squeezed out every last bit of resistance he could muster.


    ¡¸DIIIEEEEE!!!!¡¹ ¡¸!?¡¹


    Faris¡¯ own sword was thrusting towards Leone¡¯s unguarded back, but then¡ª¡ª A beast made of lightning jumped in from the side, pounced Faris to the wall. The lightning beast dragged Faris away from Leone, engulfing him, and exploded right after.


    DOAARRR!!


    Faris¡¯ body, which had suffered fatal wounds already, was now scorched black and torn to shreds.


    ¡¸Kgh¡­¡­ I see now¡ª¡ªalas, I¡¯ve destroyed¡­¡­ the engines¡­¡­ down you go with the ship¡­¡­!!¡¹


    He glared at Inglis¡¯ group until the end of his breath, and his death truly had come this time.


    ¡¸Leone!!¡¹ ¡¸Are you okay!?¡¹ ¡¸Y-, yeah.¡­¡­ Just now, that was big brother¡¯s Artifact¡ª¡ª!! W-, was it you¡­¡­!?¡¹ ¡¸I play no part in this.¡¹


    Replied the Black Mask coldly. Leone looked towards Inglis, but she shook her head as well.


    ¡¸No, it wasn¡¯t me¡ª¡ª¡¹ ¡¸Then it must be him after all¡­¡­!!¡¹


    As if to drown Leone¡¯s voice, a single Flygear flew in from outside the cabin. The one at the control was Cystia, the Ironblood Chain Brigade¡¯s Hyrule Menace.


    ¡¸I¡¯ve killed every Highlander on the ship, but someone destroyed the engine room, it¡¯s out of control now! This ship is going under! Please, hastily make your escape!¡¹ ¡¸Very well. I don¡¯t see any reason to linger if our comrades are to be captured. Our loss would be great otherwise.¡¹


    At the end of the Black Mask¡¯s gaze, the sight of the brigade¡¯s flying ship being surrounded by the Kingdom¡¯s Flygears and Flygear Carriers could be seen. The forces that had been on the perimeter had caught wind of what was happening and moved. The Knight Academy¡¯s students should be there, as they were filling in for the short-handed Knights. Perhaps Lahti and Liselotte were among them.


    ¡¸This might be a convenience for me. I suppose you won¡¯t chase after me with the circumstance at play? Had this ship been safe, our fight would be inevitable. I wish not to fight with you.¡¹


    Inglis didn¡¯t follow ?the Black Mask as he climbed into Cystia¡¯s Flygear. He was right; the situation was weighing on her.


    ¡¸To me, it¡¯s truly the most regrettable thing.¡¹


    It was much to her displeasure. Inglis replied with a slight twitch on her lips.


    ¡¸Hm¡­¡­ In any other event, I should lend my hand to reduce casualties, but I believe you can take care of it. I leave the rest to you. Now, let us go, Cystia.¡¹ ¡¸Yessir!¡¹


    The Flygear took off, and the two went further into the sky.


    ¡¸Big brother¡­¡­! Is that you, big brother¡ª¡ª?!¡¹ ¡¸I think, there¡¯s a chance that it¡¯s not your brother. If it¡¯s that guy, he must be able to replicate the same Gift.¡¹


    The Black Mask was more skilled in micromanaging Ether compared to Inglis. It was all too possible for him to drop Ether into mana and reproduce the abilities of Leon¡¯s Artifact.


    ¡¸Anyway, we have to get away fast!¡¹ ¡¸She¡¯s right. If the ship is out of control, we need to stop it from outside.¡¹


    At the very least, they couldn¡¯t let it crash into the Royal Capital like this. Lest it would bring about colossal damage, both in infrastructure and human lives.


    ¡¸Yes, we need to make haste!¡¹


    Leone also nodded, quickly changed the gear in her mind. Then, two more Flygears came charging in as though replacing the Black Mask¡¯s.


    ¡¸Oooi! Inglis!¡¹ ¡¸Father! Are you alright!?¡¹


    Those were the Flygears piloted by Lahti and the twins, carrying Pullum and Liselotte respectively.


    ¡¸Lahti. Just in time.¡¹ ¡¸Ooh, Liselotte!!¡¹ ¡¸Jump in! Let¡¯s bounce from here!¡¹ ¡¸Father, please quickly get in the Flygear!¡¹


    Inglis, Rafinha, and Leone climbed Lahti¡¯s Flygear while the Prime Minister would ride with Liselotte¡¯s group.


    ¡¸Get the Prime Minister to safety, quickly. We¡¯ll stop that ship ourselves.¡¹ ¡¸I understand!¡¹ ¡¸Please, children, don¡¯t let it crash into the capital!¡¹ ¡¸¡¸¡¸Yes!!¡¹¡¹¡¹


    Inglis and the others nodded at Prime Minister Althea¡¯s plea.


    ¡¸¡­¡­¡¯s what we said, but what we even can do to such a big ship!?¡¹


    With five people boarding it, the Flygear was suffering an overcapacity, with Lahti basically fusing his hand with the control stick.


    ¡¸Lahti, go around to the under of the ship.¡¹ ¡¸Gotcha!¡¹


    With smokes puffing from its engine room, the huge ship was definitely falling towards the capital below. However, it hadn¡¯t completely lost its buoyancy, as Lahti¡¯s Flygear could still get under it, but¡ª¡ª


    DOAAR!!


    Another explosion rocked the ship. The hull shook, resulting in something to slide off the deck.


    ¡¸Ahh!! That¡¯s a cargo Flygear Carrier!!¡¹ ¡¸S?h?i?t?, it¡¯s going down!!¡¹ ¡¸Leave it to me!¡¹


    If that Carrier crashed down, the damage wouldn¡¯t be small either. Without hesitation, Inglis leapt off from the Flygear.


    ¡¸Glis!?¡¹ ¡¸Inglis! Don¡¯t be absurd!!¡¹ ¡¸WOOIII!! The hell are ya doing!?!?¡¹


    Still hearing Rafinha and the other¡¯s shriek in her ear, Inglis vectored herself freely in the air to the vicinity of the falling Flygear Carrier.


    ¡¸And there!!¡¹


    Then, she unleashed an Ether Strike on the Carrier itself!!


    KABOOOMMM!!!


    The vessel was swallowed into the enormous pale light and vanished. And then¡ª¡ªriding the recoil of the attack, the vector of Inglis¡¯ body changed drastically, bringing her back close to Lahti¡¯s Flygear.


    ¡¸¡ª¡ªI¡¯m back!¡¹ ¡¸Ahaha¡­.¡­ Welcome back, Glis.¡¹ ¡¸You made my heart jump, leaping into the sky like that.¡¹ ¡¸As absurd as always.¡¹ ¡¸Y-, you¡¯re amazing, Inglis¡­¡­!¡¹


    However, she only dealt with the cargo. She still needed to do something about the ship itself¡ª

 Chapter 78: 15 years old Inglis and Chiral’s Royal Knight Academy (28)

    ¡¸What do we do, Inglis!? Are you gonna hit it with the same light ball thingy again!?¡¹ ¡¸Hmm, that would be hard¡ª¡ª¡¹


    Inglis shook her head at Lahti¡¯s question. It became clear after she fired Ether Strike; While she could evaporate a single Flygear Carrier, the technique was too lacking in power to completely engulf the huge ship.


    Even if she hypothetically launched Ether Strike at it, it would only pass through the hull, leaving huge chunks of wreckage free falling. The situation would only worsen then. Not to mention that she had fired Ether Strike two times today, Inglis was highly doubtful if she could squeeze out a third.


    And in case that she fired a third round of Ether Strike, it would unquestionably be less powerful than the last one she launched.


    ¡¸W-, what do we do then!?¡¹ ¡¸Let¡¯s get closer to the ground. We¡¯ll think about it after we estimate where it will crash into.¡¹


    If the ship were to crash into an empty lot or open space, it would pose no problem. If it were to crash into a shopping or a residential area, then they would need to either stop it or divert it from its trajectory.


    ¡¸So, if it¡¯s a safe place to crash, we¡¯ll let it be?¡¹ ¡¸Yeah, Rani. It¡¯s also possible that it¡¯ll fall outside the city and into the lake.¡¹ ¡¸But what do we do if it is right in the middle of the capital?¡¹ ¡¸Either we stop it or we change the falling trajectory. At any rate, we need to get down, there¡¯s no good footing up here.¡¹ ¡¸I see. I understand now.¡¹ ¡¸And if we¡¯re fast enough to call for an evacuation, it might be still affordable!¡¹


    Even Pullum, who was usually quiet, had a stern expression.


    ¡¸¡¯Kay then, maximum speed to the ground!¡¹


    The Flygear Lahti piloted dove towards the ground at breakneck speed. With his natural grasp of 3D space, he anticipated the point of the crash, and its ultimate destination was¡ª


    ¡¸¡­¡­ It¡¯ll fall around here!¡¹ ¡¸This is a terrible place to crash.¡¹ ¡¸Yeah, the worst one!¡¹ ¡¸We have to do something about it!¡¹


    What stood in front of them was the very heart of the Royal Capital¡ªthe Royal Castle itself. Predicting from its trajectory, the flying ship apparently would fall right in the middle of the city. And its smoky figure was, in fact, getting bigger by the second passed.


    ¡¸Oi, run quick! Something huge is falling from above!¡¹


    Lahti called to the castle¡¯s gatekeepers, his voice loud. The soldiers panicked and ran about, all without direction. In no time at all, chaos took place within the castle walls.


    ¡¸You two, please continue to warn the others, we¡¯ll get down here. Let¡¯s go, Rani, Leone.¡¹


    Inglis stated, jumping off to the Royal Castle¡¯s gate.


    ¡¸Yeah, Glis!¡¹ ¡¸Sure, let¡¯s go!¡¹


    Rafinha and Leone followed suit.


    ¡¸Me too¡ª¡ª!¡¹ ¡¸You¡¯re not going anywhere!¡¹


    Pullum showed the intention to enter the fray as well, but Lahti stopped her.


    ¡¸Why did you stop me, I can still support¡ª¡ª¡¹ ¡¸You can do that without getting off! Just don¡¯t go anywhere!¡¹ ¡¸But, everyone gets down, fully knowing the danger¡­¡­¡¹ ¡¸It¡¯s all right. Lahti stops you because he¡¯s worried about you, Pullum. Just stay on the Flygear.¡¹ ¡¸Wah! Is that true, Lahti!?¡¹ ¡¸Shut the damn up! It¡¯s no time for that!!¡¹


    Just in time after Inglis group¡¯s descent, several other Flygears gathered. Putting aside Lahti and Pullum, Inglis called out to the Flygear troops.


    ¡¸Everyone too, please help with the evacuation!¡¹ ¡¸Aah, roger that!¡¹


    The gathered vessels scattered in the air. The only thing left was to deal with the falling ship, somehow.


    ¡¸Those two are so dreamy¡ªAa~ah, I want a boyfriend too¡­¡­¡¹ ¡¸Not even one in a million chances. It¡¯s still too early for you, Rani. You can¡¯t.¡¹ ¡¸You sure it¡¯s time for chit-chat!? What are gonna do about that!?¡¹ ¡¸Well, it¡¯s Glis¡¯ suggestion, so it¡¯ll be sorted out somehow¡ª¡ªRight, Glis?¡¹ ¡¸Yeah. We have you after all, Leone.¡¹ ¡¸Me?¡¹ ¡¸Yup. Even if I were to stop that, if we wait for it to come close enough for me to reach, it¡¯ll be too late all the same. That is why, we¡¯ll strike it while it¡¯s still a bit higher in the air and drop it around there¡ª¡ª¡¹


    The spot Inglis¡¯ finger pointed to was a wharf at the edge of the castle grounds. There was a waterway drawn towards it from the lake so they could sail into the lake directly from the castle. Rather than letting the ship crash on the Royal Castle and the people in it, letting it drop on the water canals would cause less damage.


    ¡¸Strike? I see, if I extend my blade, then¡­¡­!!¡¹ ¡¸Yeah, that¡¯s what I mean. Can you enlarge it to its limit? The bigger it is, the easier to swing it at the ship.¡¹ ¡¸And to swing it, we combine our strengths, right?¡¹ ¡¸Doing it alone is just impossible, but¡ª¡ª¡¹ ¡¸If it¡¯s the three of us, then it could work. After all, Glis is such a superhuman!¡¹ ¡¸The two of you are quite the superhumans as well when putting on your Artifacts, you know that.¡¹ ¡¸¡ª¡ªAt any rate, we¡¯re doing it!¡¹


    As Leone tightened her grip onto the Artifact, the great sword¡¯s width and length increased by leaps and bounds.


    ¡¸¡ª¡ªThis is the biggest it can get! Though I wish it can get bigger¡­¡­!¡¹


    The blade was as wide as several adults with their hands outstretched, and high enough to reach the roof of the castle, but¡ª¡ª To thwart a ship that enormous, Inglis wouldn¡¯t lie that she¡¯d hoped to have a bigger tool in hand.


    ¡¸Leave it to me!¡¹


    The Artifact carried by Pullum who rode Lahti¡¯s Flygear was not a weapon. It was a glittery Lyre, sparkling in the color of silver. When Pullum plucked its strings, both Leone¡¯s and Rafinha¡¯s Artifacts were enveloped in a thin film of light, along with a beautiful melody that accompanied it.


    Apparently, the tone released by Pullum¡¯s Artifact had the effect of strengthening the performance of the surrounding Artifacts. An Artifact to support allies, so to be said. Although Inglis had learned of it through Rafinha, who was in the same division as Pullum, it was the first time Inglis saw it in action in person.


    ¡¸Thank you¡ª¡ª! I can make it bigger with this!!¡¹


    The length and the width of Leone¡¯s great sword expanded to nearly double the size. Her own strength to wield the sword seemed to have been enhanced as well. Same with Rafinha, her physical prowess should¡¯ve increased too. It didn¡¯t affect Inglis at all since she didn¡¯t own any Artifacts, but having Rafinha and Leone getting stronger was more than welcome.


    ¡¸It¡¯s here already¡ª¡ªRani, Leone, are you ready?¡¹


    The ship was already close-by.


    ¡¸Yeah, let¡¯s do this!¡¹ ¡¸Here we go!¡¹


    The three of them clutched tight onto the hilt of Leone¡¯s gigantified sword.

 Chapter 79: 15 years old Inglis and Chiral’s Royal Knight Academy (29)

    Perhaps this was also part of the Gift Leone¡¯s Artifact had, but they hardly felt the weight of the giant black great sword. Now the three of them could focus their strength only to strike the falling ship. The three synchronized their breaths and raised the sword. They waited for the golden time to strike with the sword¡¯s body facing the ship instead of its cutting edges.


    With winds billowing the smoking trail in the sky, along with a shriek-like creak the giant vessel was making, the ship soon entered the peripheral of Inglis and the two.


    ¡¸¡ª¡ªIt¡¯s here! Now!¡¹ ¡¸Here we go!¡¹ ¡¸Yeah! Ready, set!¡¹ ¡¸¡¸¡¸HAAAAAAATTT!!!!¡¹¡¹¡¹


    GARDDHUNKKKK!!!!


    The body of the black sword and the hull of the falling ship collided, creating sparks flying around. Strong feedback could be felt by the three of them. They clenched their teeth and tried to step forward, but their whole bodies were dragged behind, leaving trails from their feet that dug deep into the ground.


    ¡¸KGGHHHHhhh!!!!! Maybe it¡¯s too heavy for us¡ª¡ª!¡¹ ¡¸We¡¯re being pushed back! If this continues on¡­¡­!¡¹


    Rafinha and Leone grimaced over the ship¡¯s sheer mass. Even after Pullum¡¯s Artifact had strengthened the two of them, perhaps it was still too reckless to try to blow away that giant of a ship. ¡ª¡ªIf this continues on, that is.


    ¡¸I guess there¡¯s no other way.¡¹


    Inglis¡¯ body was then enveloped in the pale brilliance of Ether. She activated Ether Armor. Until now, she pushed through only with her pure muscles alone.


    She did that because the strong waves of Ether would destroy any weapon she wielded while clad in Ether Armor. And Artifacts were not an exception to this. At the very least, that was the case for lower to middle grade Artifacts.


    It was probable Leone¡¯s high-grade Artifact could ?withstand the Ether. Inglis would rather not take that chance, but the alternative was a huge catastrophe that could be otherwise prevented. It was no time to hold anything back.


    ¡¸I¡¯ll pour all that is left¡­¡­!!¡¹


    There was only a paltry amount of Ether left in her, and she used all of it to fuel the momentum to push the ship away. The inertia of the ship that had been dragging their feet back had come to a perfect stop. And now, the great black sword, clad with Ether, was in a perfect tie with the ship. The ship¡¯s bow deformed. The creaking screech ?intensified.


    ¡¸W-¡­¡­ We can do it!! That¡¯s Glis for you!¡¹ ¡¸Let¡¯s push it away with this!¡¹ ¡¸Yeah¡­¡­! Just one last push¡ª¡ª!¡¹


    And yet, that one last push was just one step too far to reach. Inglis had fought quite the intense series of battles and fired two Ether Strikes in a day. Her fatigue furiously weighed her down, as such she couldn¡¯t produce her usual full strength. This lack of stamina and endurance made her painfully aware of how lacking she was in training.


    ¡¸Let me be of help as well!!¡¹


    A figure with pure white wings descended in front of their eyes. The Artifact the figure brandished was in the form of a halberd. It was a beautiful girl with light-colored fluffy blonde hair. It was Liselotte with her Gift activated.


    ¡¸Liselotte!?¡¹


    Should the ship win against the blade, Inglis, Rafinha, Leone, and all that lived within the castle would be crushed to death. This was a fight with their own lives at the stake. For Liselotte to literally fly into the fray, she must have quite the courage.


    ¡¸You¡¯ve helped my father get to safety, after all!¡¹


    Liselotte put her hand on the hilt of Leone¡¯s black sword. The effect of Pullum¡¯s Artifact extended to her as well, which would then further enhance the sword¡¯s strength. That strength was the one last push they needed.


    ¡¸¡¸¡¸¡¸EEEEEEIIIIIIII!!!!!¡¹¡¹¡¹¡¹


    The black sword Artifact won over the falling ship as it made a perfect arc, swinging it aside. The giant ship was flung off and fell towards the waterway leading to the castle as aimed, raising an immense column of water as it did. The water that rolled up then poured back down from the sky, falling on the people like rain on a sunny day.


    ¡¸OOOOOoooooOOOOHH!!!!¡¹ ¡¸A-, am I dreaming¡ª¡ª! That¡¯s one crazy sight to behold¡­¡­!¡¹ ¡¸I-, incredible¡­¡­! YOU GIRLS ARE INCREDIBLEEE!!!!¡¹ ¡¸It¡¯s like a miracle! They did it wonderfully!¡¹


    Exclamations erupted from those who witnessed it.


    ¡¸Inglis! Girls! Man, you guys are awesome! You totally nailed it!¡¹ ¡¸Lahti is right! Everyone is awesome¡­¡­!¡¹


    Lahti and Pullum were just as awed.


    ¡¸Phew¡­¡­ We somehow did it. I¡¯m exhausted.¡¹


    A big heave escaped Inglis. She drained her Ether to its last drop and remembered what exhaustion felt like.


    ¡¸Really! My arms are at their limits! Look, they¡¯re trembling!¡¹ ¡¸Fufufu. Mine too. But still, that was great.¡¹


    Both Rafinha and Leone showed their twitching arms to one another.


    ¡¸I sure am glad I made it in time.¡¹


    Added Liselotte, satisfied. Rafinha then gripped her hands tight, showing her a thousand suns¡¯ smile.


    ¡¸Thank you for saving us! It seems like I misunderstood you!¡¹


    Rafinha must have held quite a bad impression of Liselotte. If her ill-feelings for her had been resolved, then all of this had a silver lining.


    ¡¸No, you didn¡¯t. It really was me who lacked insight¡ª¡ª¡¹


    Liselotte turned to Leone and bowed deeply.


    ¡¸My Father has told me about you. I don¡¯t know how to apologize for distrusting you. Please, forgive me for the rudeness I have brought about.¡¹ ¡¸Eh¡­¡­? Ah¡ª¡ªNo, it¡¯s all right. I-, I didn¡¯t really mind.¡¹


    Leone looked surprised and flustered?.


    ¡¸Liar. You cried hard, right Glis?¡¹ ¡¸So you saw it, Rani. I hugged her all night; you know? That made me feel nostalgic since Rani used to sleep in my arms too night after night.¡¹ ¡¸¡¸S-, stop it!¡¹¡¹


    Oh, they scolded me with their cheeks blushed red.


    ¡¸At any rate¡­.. I really am sorry. Well then, why don¡¯t we return the room arrangements to how it¡¯s supposed to be? If you don¡¯t mind bearing with me¡ª¡ª¡¹ ¡¸¡­¡­!! Of course, I¡¯d be glad to.¡¹


    Answered Leone with the most lovely smile.


    ¡¸Wah! Great for you, Leone!¡¹


    Clapped Rafinha in delight.


    ¡¸Yeah! And Rafinha¡¯s snoring makes it hard to sleep, so¡­¡­¡¹ ¡¸Kyaah!?¡¹ ¡¸Well, you see. You need to get used to it before you can sleep.¡¹


    Inglis nodded along.


    ¡¸Ufufufu¡ª¡ªHow immodest. Still, the three of you sure are interesting.¡¹


    KER-CHANK!!


    Suddenly, there was a sharp sound of something shattering.


    ¡¸!? The Artifact is¡­¡­!?¡¹


    A series of large cracks appeared throughout Leone¡¯s black great sword Artifact right before it shattered into several pieces.


    ¡¸Ah¡ª¡ªHow¡­¡­!?¡¹ ¡¸W-, was it stressed too much¡­¡­!? The ship was really heavy, after all¡­¡­¡¹ ¡¸I¡¯m sorry, Leone. That¡¯s me to blame¡ª¡ªI used all of my strength on it.¡¹ ¡¸EEH!?!? Is that so¡­¡­?¡¹ ¡¸I¡¯m so sorry. Even though it¡¯s so important to you¡ª¡ª¡¹ ¡¸It¡¯s all right. Don¡¯t mind it, okay? We couldn¡¯t have stopped the ship otherwise, so there¡¯s no other way.¡¹


    Leone¡¯s face was bright and refreshing as she said so.

 Chapter 80: 15-year-old Inglis and Hyrule Menaces’ Disease

    ¡¸Here are your three people¡¯s servings of Bolognese Pasta, Gratin, and Paella! Sorry for the wait!¡¹ ¡¸¡¸Thank you very much!¡¹¡¹


    With smiles almost reaching their ears, Inglis and Rafinha received their food. This was the Knight Academy¡¯s cafeteria. The both of them who had already devoured military rations waltzed to the cafeteria¡¯s aunty to get seconds.


    ¡¸Honestly, what good appetites you two have. I can make more, so eat more and get stronger!¡¹ ¡¸¡¸Yes!¡¹¡¹


    After they raised a cheerful reply, they walked back to their table.


    ¡¸A-, as always, the amount of food you eat is ridiculous¡­ and it¡¯s still morning.¡¹


    Commented Leone who sat at the same table half in daze.


    ¡¸I-, it¡¯s hard to believe all of those foods going into their stomachs.¡¹


    Liselotte was as wide-eyed. She must¡¯ve been quite surprised.


    ¡¸And they don¡¯t get fat at all even when they eat that much.¡¹ ¡¸It¡¯s very enviable, in a sense¡­¡­¡¹


    Lahti and Pullum were as amazed as the other two.


    ¡¸Tell me about it. And then there¡¯s me who¡¯ll easily gain extra meat if I eat even for just another spoonful¡ª¡ª¡¹


    Apparently, Leone easily got fat, and she was very envious of Inglis and Rafinha for it.


    ¡¸Is that so? Rather, I¡¯d like to have more meat myself, you know? Especially here¡ª¡ª¡¹


    Responded Rafinha as she patted her own chest.


    ¡¸Just how did you make them so big, Leone? Heey?¡¹ ¡¸I-, I wish to know that too¡­¡­!¡¹


    Pullum whose body line was not all that different from Rafinha¡¯s also bit into the topic. Liselotte¡¯s assets rested between the two factions, so they watched from the sideline.


    ¡¸H-, how would I know that. They were already like this before I realized it¡­¡­¡¹


    On the bosom of the embarrassed Leone, Rene was burying herself in solemnity.


    ¡¸How envious~ I wish we could swap places.¡¹ ¡¸You¡¯ll get fat in no time if you eat like that with my body, you know?¡¹ ¡¸So, the one who won¡¯t get fat but still has an incredible bust, Inglis, is the strongest?¡¹ ¡¸Hyau!? D-, don¡¯t grope my chest like it¡¯s natural¡­¡­!¡¹ ¡¸I¡¯m jealous, so isn¡¯t it fine!¡¹ ¡¸Geez. At least limit it to only when taking bath¡ª¡ª¡¹ ¡¸Oh! So that means it¡¯s okay to rub Glis¡¯ chest as much as I want during bath?¡¹ ¡¸No, it¡¯s not!¡¹ ¡¸Ahaha¡­¡­ Still, is it okay to be eating now? Aren¡¯t we going to meet Sir Raphael after this?¡¹


    Just as Leone said, as the Academy¡¯s classes were canceled today, they had a plan to go to the city and meet up with Raphael. A few days passed since the incident during the presentation of tributes to the Highland, and Raphael had already returned to the Royal Capital.


    His mission to transport the corpse of Prisma to a town bordering the neighboring country had succeeded without seeing many hitches. If they were going to meet up with him, he would surely treat them to food later.


    ¡¸¡¸Yeah. That¡¯s why it¡¯s only three servings, why do you ask?¡¹¡¹


    Their speech implied that it was just common sense.


    ¡¸Y-, you said it¡¯s only three servings, huh¡ª¡ª¡¹ ¡¸Your spending on food must be high if you eat that much.¡¹ ¡¸That is the truth. We once ran out of traveling expenses from overeating in the middle of our journey from our hometown to here.¡¹


    Rafinha nodded at Lahti¡¯s remark.


    ¡¸Aah. We did, didn¡¯t we?¡¹ ¡¸Thanks to Principal Miliera, we can eat in the cafeteria as much as we want now, but¡ª¡ªit¡¯s not permanent. Once the ticket is due, do we go to big brother Rafa and ask for food expenses from him?¡¹ ¡¸That isn¡¯t a bad idea either.¡¹ ¡¸A~ah. If only we could get some awesome reward from the incident from before.¡¹ ¡¸There¡¯s no helping it. To the public, nothing actually happened that day, right?¡¹ ¡¸Yeah. So it seemed.¡¹


    Inglis affirmed Leone¡¯s words. Apparently, the incident that happened during the absence of Raphael and most of the Knights was treated as though ¡°nothing happened¡± in the public¡¯s eye.


    Prime Minister Althea¡¯s subordinate Knights went against the order and attempted to assassinate the Special Envoy Myynti, and Myynti himself ordered a Rune Eater to hunt innocent Knights in the capital night after night for his research purposes. Either ?of those could worsen the already muddled political weather, with the fear of armed conflicts rising throughout the Kingdom lest they were made public.


    Neither the Highland nor the Kingdom wished that to happen. It would be hard to blame everything on the Ironblood Chain Brigade like what they did in Rahal¡¯s case this time around. With the death of the Special Envoy Myynti, Prime Minister Althea and the Knights that accompanied him would be condemned for not protecting him despite being the responsible party.


    Treating the incident as nothing of note would be best for all parties involved. As a result, Inglis and the others¡¯ involvement in the whole ordeal couldn¡¯t be made public either. However, that didn¡¯t mean their contributions could be swept under the rag; Inglis and her group were to be invited to a ball party in the royal castle.


    Today they were going out to choose the dress to attend that party. Inglis and her friends didn¡¯t have the money for that, so Raphael would pay for them.


    ¡¸Okay. It¡¯s time to go, Glis, Leone. Since it¡¯s the Royal Capital, I¡¯m sure they would have bigger selections in their shops. I can¡¯t wait.¡¹ ¡¸Yeah. I look forward to it too.¡¹


    Inglis liked to dress up, as she always did.


    ¡¸It sure is surprising. Inglis, you¡¯re not interested in romance, but you really like to dress up, huh?¡¹ ¡¸It¡¯s enjoyable to see myself and feel content. It¡¯s nothing but self-satisfaction.¡¹ ¡¸I-, I see now¡­¡­¡¹ ¡¸Glis looks good in anything, so dolling her up is fun! Now, let¡¯s go.¡¹


    Inglis and her group left the campus grounds and waited for Raphael to pick them up in front of the gate. However, the ones who appeared were¡ª¡ª


    ¡¸Oh! Hey girls~!¡¹ ¡¸Long time no see.¡¹


    They were Ripple and Eris, the two Hyrule Menaces.

 Chapter 81: 15-year-old Inglis and Hyrule Menaces’ Disease (2)

    ¡¸Ms. Eris and Ms. Ripple. It¡¯s been a while.¡¹


    Inglis politely greeted the two Hyrule Menaces. It had been several years since she met Eris in particular. Seeing her made Inglis felt nostalgic


    ¡¸Yeah, it¡¯s been three years. You¡¯ve become so beautiful. You were so childish back then, but now you¡¯re an adult.¡¹ ¡¸Thank you very much. I see that you haven¡¯t changed at all, Ms. Eris.¡¹ ¡¸I guess I haven¡¯t. I¡¯m a Hyrule Menace, after all.¡¹


    She had heard that Hyrule Menaces had a long life span, but Eris¡¯ look was exactly the same as when Inglis first saw her after all these years; a beauty just before her twenties. While she looked more mature compared to the fifteen-year-old Rafinha and Leone, she appeared about the same age as Inglis.


    ¡¸Long time no see!¡¹ ¡¸Good afternoon!¡¹


    Rafinha and Leone also bobbed their heads with a smile. Ripple then cracked an amiable grin at Inglis and the other two.


    ¡¸I heard the news~ Y¡¯know, about the negotiation stuff with the Highland the other day! You guys contributed greatly, right? It should¡¯ve been us who take care of stuff like that, so I¡¯m really grateful you scored hard back then for us.¡¹ ¡¸Let me say my thanks too.¡¹ ¡¸No, it¡¯s alright. The two of you were away because of a mission, so there was no other way. Your absence could also be the direct reason ?the incident took place in the first place¡¹


    If Raphael, a Holy Knight, and a Hyrule Menace were there to exercise their authority over the entire premise ¡ª Then the Knights under Prime Minister Althea wouldn¡¯t consider resorting to such a careless action.


    And perhaps Special Envoy Myynti would not have let the Rune Eater loose. And the Ironblood Chain Brigade would also be vigilant and chose not to enter the scene as well. It was very probable that the chain of incidents wouldn¡¯t have kicked off, or so Inglis thought.


    ¡¸It is all thanks to you that I have gained some good battle experience. I am but feeling grateful for it.¡¹ ¡¸Uwah. You haven¡¯t changed on the inside at all¡ªStill a battle freak as usual.¡¹


    Being said so, Inglis replied with the most charming smile.


    ¡¸Yes. If possible, I would be thrilled if you come and brandish your weapon at me to celebrate our reunion. Shall we clash our hands again?¡¹ ¡¸Nope! Not in the middle of the city! I¡¯d be thought of as a weirdo!¡¹ ¡¸Hahaha. Isn¡¯t it fine, she sounds so reliable!¡¹


    At the same time Ripple said those words¡ª¡ª Inglis quickly brought her hand up.


    CHINKK!!


    Immediately after that, a gleaming, fleshy blade was settled in her hand. It was an all too sudden attack enacted from right above her head. A blow from a perfect blind spot, yet Inglis sensed the presence of it and reacted accordingly.


    A big thumping noise thundered the second something hit the ground. Which meant that the attacker was jumping down from above when they attacked.


    ¡¸¡¸!?¡¹¡¹ ¡¸S-, so suddenly!?¡¹ ¡¸Wh-, what are you doing, Glis!?¡¹


    Everyone present except Inglis seemed to be late to catch up.


    ¡¸Just right when I¡¯m in the mood for a few punches. Thank you very much for the arrival.¡¹


    Said Inglis as she turned to the attacker. They were some weird-looking creatures, nothing like she had ever seen before. Skin dyed in blackish blue, tail and ears of a beast, enormous body one size bigger than Inglis, and there were hard gem-like objects embedded all along their body.


    Those gems were the easy-to-tell characteristic of a Magic Stone Beast. The blue-colored gem was oozing a frost-like mist that lowered the surrounding temperature. Inglis assessed that they possessed a fairly strong power aligned with ice.


    Clutched dead tight on both of their hands were huge machete-like swords with thick edges.


    ¡¸Eh? It¡¯s not big brother Rafa.¡¹


    She had genuinely thought it was Raphael who was supposed to meet them there ¡ª It turned out to be some random Magic Stone Beast that attacked her. Not to mention that it was a humanoid one, though with a set of beast ears and tail.


    ¡¸Big bro won¡¯t do such a thing!¡¹ ¡¸I thought he pulled a tactic on me.¡¹


    Inglis turned her head to Rafinha to answer. In that instant, the Magic Stone Beast came swinging their machetes down to Inglis¡¯ blind spot. However¡ªInglis just caught them like it was nothing, without even batting an eye.


    ¡¸There¡¯s no way he¡¯ll do that. Rather, it¡¯s a humanoid Magic Stone Beast!¡¹ ¡¸Which means, a Highlander¡­¡­!?¡¹


    Surprise took over both Rafinha and Leone.


    On the ground, Prism Flow transformed natural creatures into Magic Stone Beasts that would attack humans. Normal people wouldn¡¯t turn into a Magic Stone Beast under Prism Flow, but Highlanders would. Inglis had already confronted a few cases like that before. However, something was clearly off that the Magic Stone Beast appeared literally out of the blue in this exact place. There was no Prism Flow taking place to begin with.


    ¡¸You¡¯re wrong, it¡¯s a beastman Magic Stone Beast. Beastmen ?get influenced by Prism Flow, you see¡ªI¡¯m a Hyrule Menace though, so it¡¯s different for me.¡¹


    Ripple was a beastman who had ears and a tail that resembled that of a dog. Inglis had no idea how Hyrule Menaces were born, but it seemed like Ripple had a sense of kinship with the beast. There were pity and grief reflecting in her eyes.


    ¡¸They appeared again. At any rate, we can¡¯t just leave it be.¡¹


    Eris sternly tightened her expression.


    ¡¸¡±Again?¡± Do the two of you know anything?¡¹ ¡¸Ever since we returned to the Royal Capital, Magic Stone Beasts started showing up out of nowhere. Not only beastmen, other varieties as well.¡¹ ¡¸We don¡¯t know what¡¯s the cause, but ¡ª this isn¡¯t the first or second it happens.¡¹ ¡¸Well, if there¡¯s a Magic Stone Beast, then we¡¯ll send them flying. That¡¯s basically our mission, y¡¯know.¡¹


    Ripple¡¯s face was sullen as she said so. Her cheeks were flushed as though blood was rushing through her head. If Inglis were to comment only from the looks, she would say Ripple appeared to have caught a cold. Though it was still questionable if a Hyrule Menace could catch a cold or not.


    ¡¸Are you okay, Ms. Ripple? Your complexion looks bad.¡¹ ¡¸Y-, yeah, I¡¯m swell. I¡¯ll be as fit as fiddle soon.¡¹ ¡¸She is always like this whenever the Magic Stone Beasts appear suddenly. I don¡¯t know why, though.¡¹


    Eris added.


    ¡¸And if this guy is defeated?¡¹ ¡¸Well, it always makes me feel better so far.¡¹ ¡¸Is that so? Then¡ª¡ª¡¹


    Inglis used nothing but her arm strength to jostle back the machetes she grabbed. The beastman Magic Stone Beast took pride in its size, and yet it was incapable of preventing itself from falling backward by the push.


    ¡¸You sure have some power, girl¡­¡­!¡¹ ¡¸What a superb physical prowess, within such a slim body¡ª¡ª¡¹


    In the meantime, Inglis quickly converted Ether into mana. She then manipulated the generated mana to produce an ice sword.


    ¡¸I will be the one putting it down. Please wait a little.¡¹


    Without a single care in the world, Inglis uttered those words as she pointed her blue sword at the beast.

 Chapter 82: 15-year-old Inglis and Hyrule Menaces’ Disease (3)

    ¡¸Haat!!¡¹


    Inglis stepped forward and thrust her ice sword towards the monster¡¯s thick chest. She was so fast the Magic Stone Beast couldn¡¯t even move a step before it received the attack.


    CLANNK!!


    With a clear, solid sound, the beast bent backwards. It was overwhelmed by the force of the sword, yet the sword itself was repelled with its tip chipped, while the tough chest of the beast was left with only a small dent.


    With the speed and the force behind it, it shouldn¡¯t have been weird for Inglis¡¯ sword to pierce straight through the beast. And yet, the monster was ?uninjured for some reason ¡ª


    ¡¸Glis! Attribute, you forgot the attribute!¡¹


    The color of the Magic Stone Beast¡¯s gem was blue. In other words, it had a high tolerance towards ice-affiliated mana. If the gem was red, the Magic Stone Beast would be strong against fire-attributed Artifact, and if it was green, it would be wind. Beasts that had multiple colored gems embedded within their body were a high-ranked species that could resist multiple attributes.


    Therefore, it was only a basic strategy to bring a lot of Knights with varying Artifact attributes to combat the various resistances. Rafinha¡¯s light attribute and Leone¡¯s darkness attribute were the rarest and most superior attributes, and there were only a few cases of Magic Stone Beasts that had the same affinity as theirs. Hence, Knights with those two attributes were said to have the makings to stand second only to the Holy Knights.


    While the ice sword Inglis produced was not an Artifact, it was still of ice attribute. Because of the bad affinity with the Magic Stone Beast in front of her, most of her impact was canceled.


    ¡¸Yeah, Rani. I¡¯m fully aware.¡¹


    However little it might be, Inglis still damaged the beast. Since the opportunity allowed, what would happen if mana of the same attribute clashed? She wanted to test it out. If the attribute was the same, would the attack be completely nullified? If almost all of the impact would be dampened, would it still show some effect? The answer leaned to the latter; it seemed.


    ¡¸If you¡¯re aware, then you need to attack with a different attribute¡ª¡ª¡¹ ¡¸No, I won¡¯t. Look, I managed to hurt it a little.¡¹


    If so¡ª


    ¡¸¡ªI just need to win it with numbers! ¡¹


    Inglis then unleashed a succession of thrusts that aimed only at one point. The rapid attack was so fast that in the eye of the others, it looked like her arm and sword split ¡°¡°¡°¡°¡°¡°¡°¡°¡°¡°into hundreds.


    DOGAGAGAGAGA!!!


    It sounded like a chisel forcibly carving into a boulder. The ice sword precisely drilled into a single point on the tough chest of the Magic Stone Beast until, before they noticed, the wound grew deeper and larger.


    ¡¸Ooh¡­¡­! Good going, Inglis¡­¡­!¡¹ ¡¸She¡¯s not pulling all stops yet, you know. However, I can see for sure that her skills have grown¡ª¡ª!¡¹


    The two Hyrule Menaces evaluated Inglis¡¯ movements so.


    ¡¸HYAAAaaaahh!!¡¹


    She took a large step forward and released her final thrust that pierced through the Magic Stone Beast. The huge body that had lost its strength collapsed on the spot with a thud. It was a swift end for it.


    ¡¸Honestly, Glis¡­¡­ You just pushed through with nothing but speed and power.¡¹ ¡¸You just ignored the fundamental strategy to fight against a Magic Stone Beast. Even though it¡¯s just the basic to avoid attribute resistances¡­¡­¡¹ ¡¸I believe it¡¯s most important to purposely beat your opponent at their own game. And it¡¯s tougher that way, after all.¡¹


    Whatever battle it might be, I want to use it to elevate my growth even for a little.If so, then I need to win after my opponent displayed enough of their strength. That is the most efficient training there is.


    ¡¸That sounds just like you, Glis¡­¡­ Well, if it¡¯s me, I¡¯d just use a different attribute to defeat it. Like normal.¡¹ ¡¸I¡¯m with Rafinha, I guess¡ª¡ª¡¹ ¡¸But it¡¯s a fantastic way to train, you know?¡¹


    The two of them didn¡¯t seem to understand the charm of it.


    ¡¸¡ªThat¡¯s the last, it seems.¡¹ ¡¸Thanks, Inglis. You saved my hide.¡¹ ¡¸No, it¡¯s a fine exercise for me too. Rather than that, how are you feeling now, Ms. Ripple?¡¹ ¡¸Yup, it¡¯s getting better now~ I¡¯m good, goodest good.¡¹


    She still didn¡¯t look like her best, but she waved her hand vigorously.


    ¡¸I see then. However, just where did that Magic Stone Beast come from?¡¹


    Inglis directed her gaze upwards, but there was only the clear sky stretching above. It was completely ordinary, nothing particular of note.


    ¡¸It suddenly fell from above, right?¡¹ ¡¸Yeah. Really took me by surprise.¡¹


    Rafinha and Leone also looked at the sky.


    ¡¸A beastman Magic Stone Beast isn¡¯t a dime a dozen. After all, even the beastmen themselves are on the verge of extinction now¡ª¡ªSo, it must have something to do with me, after all¡­¡­?¡¹ ¡¸We still know nothing yet. We need to investigate deeper¡ª¡ªLet¡¯s just wait for a new envoy from the Highland to arrive.¡¹ ¡¸Yeah, let¡¯s.¡¹ ¡¸By the way, Ms. Eris and Ms. Ripple, why are the two of you here? We¡¯re waiting for big brother Rafa, you see.¡¹


    Rafinha asked the most natural question.


    ¡¸Yes, about that. Raphael is stuck on some urgent mission.¡¹ ¡¸And so, we¡¯re here to inform you girls and deliver the money for your dresses. You girls are buying a new dress for the new envoy inauguration party, right? Here goes.¡¹


    Having said so, Ripple handed Rafinha a leather bag with gold coins in it.


    ¡¸Wah! Thank you very much!¡¹ ¡¸We¡¯re sorry for the trouble.¡¹ ¡¸To think he sent Hyrule Menaces for an errand like this¡ª¡ª¡¹ ¡¸Iz fine, iz fine. We¡¯re the ones who insisted. In return, you girls will let us go shopping with you, mkay?¡¹ ¡¸Eeh? Hold on, Ripple. I thought you said we¡¯re going back as soon as we¡¯re done?¡¹ ¡¸What¡¯s wrong with that? We¡¯re just blowing off some steam. We¡¯ve been tense as a brick since we clung to Prisma for a long time, so why don¡¯t we do some girls¡¯ activity once in a while? It¡¯s fine to have fun if it¡¯s with Inglis and her group, right?¡¹ ¡¸You¡¯re not feeling well, aren¡¯t you? You need to rest, not play.¡¹ ¡¸Sickness comes from the mind! I¡¯ll be all healed when I¡¯m having fun.¡¹ ¡¸You¡¯re being unreasonable¡ª¡ª¡¹


    Eris sighed deeply.


    ¡¸¡­¡­ Ms. Ripple sounds like Rani somehow, huh? I¡¯ve always been pushed around by her too.¡¹ ¡¸Haah?? I¡¯m sorry, but isn¡¯t it me who keeps getting pushed around by you, Glis?¡¹ ¡¸Well, everything Inglis does is flashy after all, in a lot of meanings¡­¡­¡¹ ¡¸I¡¯m not a battle freak like you, okay?¡¹ ¡¸Ahahaha, I think Eris is just as tomboy as Inglis though.¡¹


    While no one agreed with Inglis, it was decided that they would go shopping with the two Hyrule Menaces in tow.

 Chapter 83: 15-year-old Inglis and Hyrule Menaces’ Disease (4)

    A few days later, at the Girl¡¯s dormitory of the Knight Academy.


    Knock! Knock! Knock!


    Someone knocked on the door of Inglis and Rafinha¡¯s room. When given permission, the door opened and Leone¡¯s face peeked in. She was done with her preparation, dressed in a bluish-purple gown.


    ¡¸Inglis, Rafinha! It¡¯s about time. Is it going to take longer?¡¹ ¡¸Shh, quiet! You¡¯re disrupting my focus¡­¡­!¡¹


    Replied the serious-looking Rafinha without even glancing at Leone. Rafinha herself was already dressed in a yellow gown and ready to go.


    ¡¸I¡¯m sorry, Leone. Rani is a bit menacing when she¡¯s concentrating on something. In that matter, you look great in that dress; You¡¯re pretty.¡¹ ¡¸Fufu¡­ Thanks. I¡¯m no match to Inglis, however.¡¹


    Inglis¡¯ prep was already done for the most part, as she was dressed in a bright red gown. To put the finishing touches on her, Rafinha was currently arranging her hair. It was Rafinha¡¯s hobby to dress Inglis up beautifully. The tailor lady in their hometown of Ymir, who was already a good friend of theirs, taught her a lot of things, and so she naturally learned to do this kind of styling.


    ¡¸Really? But it¡¯s also true that you¡¯re cute, Leone.¡¹ ¡¸It gives me confidence to hear that from you.¡¹ ¡¸¡ªAnd, done! Glis, stand and take a spin.¡¹ ¡¸Okay.¡¹


    As Inglis spun around, the hem of her dress fluttered gently. Her hair ornaments sparkled along happily.


    ¡¸You¡¯re so pretty. My heart is almost stolen even though I¡¯m not a guy.¡¹ ¡¸This is why I can¡¯t stop dressing up Glis~ She¡¯s just the best material.¡¹ ¡¸Hey, Rani. Can I look in the mirror now?¡¹ ¡¸Yeah, you can.¡¹


    Inglis then looked at her reflection on the full-length mirror embedded at the room¡¯s entrance wall. The dress bought at a tailor¡¯s shop in the Royal Capital was made of fine fabric with a smooth sheen and was elaborately embroidered in places. Once Inglis wore the dress and had her hair styled by Rafinha, her unworldly beauty shone even brighter. Her fair, white skin peeking through the dress was the most prized treasure there be.


    ¡¸Ooh¡­¡­!! Awesome¡ªit¡¯s so amazing¡­¡­!¡¹


    She assumed one pose after another, wanting to look at herself from different angles. They were all amazing. I sure have grown so beautiful, even if I say so myself.


    ¡¸Fufu¡­¡­ fufufufu ????¡¹ ¡¸Yup, yup. I love that Glis is cute when she gets excited.¡¹ ¡¸You¡¯re right. It would be hard to approach her if she was too perfect.¡¹


    Then, as Leone smiled at that sight¡ª¡ª


    Grumble~!Grumble~!


    Inglis and Rafinha¡¯s stomachs rumble at the same time.


    ¡¸¡­¡­ Hungry, aren¡¯t we?¡¹ ¡¸We are. After all, we didn¡¯t eat to save room for the party feast in the castle today.¡¹


    At Rafinha¡¯s suggestion, the two of them would come into the party after enduring themselves.


    ¡¸H-, honestly, you two! Now you made me hard to approach you two, since everyone will think I have a rumbly tummy too.¡¹ ¡¸¡­ Is it vulgar, then?¡¹ ¡¸Yes, verily. Especially with a beauty like Inglis, they would be in for a surprise to hear your belly growl.¡¹ ¡¸I knew we should have grabbed a few bites before¡ª¡ª¡¹ ¡¸There¡¯s no time for that, Glis. We¡¯ll just go to the venue and get a quick bite. Come on, let¡¯s go. There¡¯s good food waiting for us!¡¹ ¡¸¡­¡­ You¡¯re right. Let¡¯s make haste.¡¹ ¡¸The principal is already waiting. Let¡¯s.¡¹


    In the courtyard right outside their dormitory, Principal Miliera was waiting for them. She would attend today¡¯s party too, guiding Inglis and the other two. And the carriage she called for the four of them was ready to leave.


    ¡¸Waah~! Everyone is so pretty in your dresses, truly a gorgeous sight to behold!¡¹ ¡¸¡¸¡¸Thank you very much.¡¹¡¹¡¹ ¡¸Quick, get in the carriage. We¡¯re heading to the castle.¡¹


    The four of them hopped in and the carriage went on its way. In the carriage, Rafinha asked Principal Miliera.


    ¡¸You don¡¯t wear a gown, Principal?¡¹


    Principal Miliera was still donning her school teacher robe.


    ¡¸I guess I don¡¯t. So far as it goes, I wish to negotiate properly as the Academy¡¯s Principal, after all.¡¹ ¡¸What are you negotiating?¡¹


    Asked Leone, craning her neck.


    ¡¸Naturally, I will try to get some new equipment that hasn¡¯t been bestowed to us. It¡¯s a good opportunity to ask it straight to the new envoy, you see. Don¡¯t you just want to own those flying battleships? You want them, right? Right?¡¹


    The principal¡¯s eyes were gleaming excitedly.


    ¡¸That sounds good. I ?want a state-of-the-art anti-personnel destructive weapon. May I implore you to request for it? I would love to fight against one.¡¹ ¡¸N-, no, I don¡¯t think you can get anything that dangerous¡ª¡ªAnd you¡¯re just going to fight against it and break it, anyway! Please, don¡¯t break things that we finally get our hands on.¡¹


    Inglis¡¯ proposal was easily dismissed.


    ¡¸But, Principal. Is it even going to work, asking like that?¡¹ ¡¸Leone has a point. If the envoy is just another version of Myynti¡­¡¹ ¡¸Using seductive methods will surely work against such people¡ª¡ª¡¹ ¡¸¡­ Sounds incredibly dangerous. I¡¯d never resort to that, no matter what.¡¹


    Whispered Rafinha and Leone to each other.


    ¡¸Well, our new envoy is someone you can reasonably talk with. In fact, he is actually an acquaintance of mine.¡¹ ¡¸If so, that means that person had toured the ground before?¡¹ ¡¸He did actually go to the ground before, but mostly, things happened reversely. He took care of me when I was studying abroad on the Highland; you see. He¡¯s a good person, you know? Rare for a Highlander¡­ Though saying it out loud is saddening.¡¹ ¡¸Heeh¡­ I didn¡¯t know it¡¯s possible to study abroad on the Highland?¡¹


    Asked Rafinha with deep interest.


    ¡¸It¡¯s a pretty special case though, you know? In the past, when His Highness Wayne was studying abroad on the Highland, I went there with him to be his bodyguard. I ?possess a Special Grade Rune after all. You can say that my ability is greatly valued.¡¹


    ¡¸That means you¡¯re good friends with the Prince too, amazing!¡¹


    ¡¸Fufu. It¡¯s nothing special. Well, you can say that we are childhood friends of sort?¡¹


    ¡¸If so, that means that the Principal is close with both His Highness Wayne and the new envoy¡ª¡ª¡¹


    ¡¸I do. I¡¯m thinking of fully using these channels I have and ask for equipment!¡¹ ¡¸The Ironblood Chain Brigade appears to own their own flying battleship too, so we may need to have our own to combat it.¡¹


    ¡¸Sure we do. While them owning a battleship is a critical situation for us, it is a good reason to demand new equipment. I don¡¯t know who is this Black Mask person who leads their organization, but I¡¯m honestly amazed he could acquire such a thing.¡¹


    ¡¸Does that mean he has a collaborator on the Highland?¡¹


    ¡¸That¡¯s possible. Or maybe he himself is a Highlander¡­¡¹


    ¡¸You¡¯re right, that is also a possibility.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­ I think it¡¯s also possible that it¡¯s my brother Leon who is behind the mask. He saved me before¡ª¡ª¡¹


    ¡¸There are so many possibilities, but¡­ that only means we know nothing about him, right?¡¹


    ¡¸Yeah, Rani. Exactly. But there is one thing that we know for sure.¡¹


    ¡¸What is it?¡¹


    ¡¸He is pretty strong. The next time we meet, I will make sure we properly fight. I wonder if he would try to keep my mouth shut and chase after me if I unveiled his mask¡ª¡ª¡¹


    ¡¸Haha¡­ So, you¡¯re taking off his mask not because you want to know his identity, you just want to aggravate him? That sounds just like you, Glis.¡¹


    ¡¸I mean, that person keeps avoiding a battle with me. I want to fight him.¡¹


    ¡¸W-, well, no matter what your motive is, I¡¯m sure it¡¯s beneficial for the Kingdom if you can eventually reveal the identity of the brigade¡¯s leader and capture him. And so, in your next encounter with him, please bring out your everything. You have my permission.¡¹


    ¡¸Thank you very much. That means you will take the responsibility for anything that happens in the middle, right Principal?¡¹


    ¡¸Now that sounds scary if you put it that way¡­ Just, what are you planning to do, really¡ª¡ª¡¹


    As the four of them were conversing like so, the carriage was drawing near to the castle.

 Chapter 84: 15-year-old Inglis and Hyrule Menaces’ Disease (5)

    When their carriage arrived at the venue, Inglis and her group were greeted by the sight of the Royal Castle decorated with various colored lights. Inglis momentarily wondered just how did they make the colors show up, before her attention shifted towards the music, which was also audible from where they seated, creating a somewhat magical atmosphere.


    ¡¸Waah, so beautiful.¡¹


    Leone smiled with her entire face. Rafinha was just as excited, with her eyes sparkling.


    ¡¸Amazing! That¡¯s the Royal Capital for you, they¡¯re so elaborate! Right, Glis?¡¹ ¡¸Yeah, you¡¯re right.¡¹ ¡¸This means the food is also very promising, right? It must be delicious.¡¹ ¡¸Sounds like a delight.¡¹ ¡¸ We¡¯ve arrived. Let¡¯s get off then, girls.¡¹ ¡¸Al~right, let¡¯s get going already, Glis! My tummy is aching!¡¹


    Rafinha who hopped off the carriage first couldn¡¯t hold back anymore and tried to run.


    ¡¸Ah, Rani. You¡¯ll fall if you run around in that outfit.¡¹ ¡¸Kyahan!?¡¹


    To match with her gown, Rafinha was wearing high-heeled shoes she usually wouldn¡¯t wear. As Rafinha broke off to run with her usual body pose, she slipped right after.


    ¡¸Geez, just right after I told you. Your underwear is peeking out, hurry ?and hide it.¡¹


    Inglis fixed the rolled-up hem of Rafinha¡¯s dress, then went to help her stand.


    ¡¸Haha¡­ Sorry, sorry. Thanks, Glis.¡¹


    And then, a humanoid figure came rushing in.


    ¡¸Rani! Are you okay!?¡¹


    It was Raphael who came over. Perhaps he had been waiting for Inglis and the others to arrive. He lent a hand to get Rafinha back on her feet.


    ¡¸Here goes¡­! Are you hurt? It¡¯s bad to inconvenience Glis too much, okay?¡¹ ¡¸Ouchie¡­ Ye~s.¡¹ ¡¸I¡¯m sorry about her, Glis. Thank you for caring for Rani all the time.¡¹ ¡¸Don¡¯t be. We care for each other, after all.¡¹


    And, as he saw Inglis¡¯ smile directed at him, Raphael¡¯s face slackened in a daze. It was as though his mind had left his body behind.1


    ¡¸Brother, what¡¯s the matter?¡¹ ¡¸Ah, no, my bad. It¡¯s the first time I saw you dressed like that, my eyes just wouldn¡¯t let go of it¡­¡­ You¡¯re really beautiful.¡¹ ¡¸Thank you very much. It¡¯s all thanks to Rani, who dressed me up.¡¹


    Inglis liked to dress up mainly for self-satisfaction and enjoying her own appearance. Not that she had the desire to be praised, but it didn¡¯t make her feel bad to be complimented either.


    ¡¸She¡¯s beautiful, right!? Right!? I¡¯m very proud of myself this time around!¡¹ ¡¸Yeah. Perhaps you have the talent for it, Rani.¡¹


    It was Rafinha who seemed happier instead. So long as Rafinha was happy, Inglis was happy for her too.


    ¡¸And also, umm¡­ I see you brought Rene too.¡¹


    Raphael had told Inglis beforehand that he wanted her to bring Rene with them. Inglis didn¡¯t know the reason behind his request, but the Rene in question was currently peeking out of Inglis¡¯ cleavage to ?look at the outside.


    ¡¸Aah~ Big brother, you peeked at Glis¡¯ chest, didn¡¯t you? You know Rene is here because you glanced there, didn¡¯t you?¡¹ ¡¸S-¡­ Sorry! It wasn¡¯t by choice, and uh¡­ I was wondering where she would be, so¡­!¡¹


    It wasn¡¯t unreasonable for a man to see a woman in that kind of sense, as it was a natural-born instinct. As someone who spent her whole previous life as a man, Inglis fully understood it. Although it was a different matter altogether if she was asked if she felt comfortable.


    It was her first time seeing Raphael blushing to the cheeks, perhaps from guilt, so instead Inglis felt admiration for him. It had been years since he left his house for the capital and grew to be an adult within these lands, and yet his innocence from his juvenile phases still latched tight on him. In a way, it was charming.2


    ¡¸Even so, brother. What do you need Rene for?¡¹ ¡¸Aah, that¡¯s Mr. Theodore¡¯s¡ª¡ªthe new envoy¡¯s request.¡¹ ¡¸The Highlander envoy¡¯s request¡­?¡¹ ¡¸Eeeh!?!? Will Rene be alright? She¡¯s being targeted by such a person¡­¡¹ ¡¸There¡¯s nothing to be worried about. The information Glis and Rani gave me about the Nova town incident was reported straight to His Highness Wayne by me personally. His Highness kept Rene¡¯s existence a secret from Special Envoy Myynti, but he opened it up for Special Envoy Theodore. His Highness judged that he could be trust¡ª¡ª¡¹


    Growl~!Growl~!


    Inglis and Rafinha¡¯s stomachs rumbled loudly at the same time before Raphael could finish his sentence.


    ¡¸Uwah!? Wh, what¡¯s wrong with you two?¡¹ ¡¸I¡¯m hungry¡­ I haven¡¯t eaten anything since morning.¡¹ ¡¸I¡¯m the same. We thought that we can eat good food here, so¡ª¡ª¡¹ ¡¸Th-, that¡¯s not good¡­ Let¡¯s save the talking for later and let me guide you inside. How about it?¡¹ ¡¸¡¸Please do!!¡¹¡¹


    Their eyes gleaming as brilliant as could be.


    ¡¸Haha¡­ Sounds like you two are famished.¡¹ ¡¸Let me ask you on my behalf too, Sir Raphael. It¡¯s embarrassing to be with them when their bellies are growling like that.¡¹ ¡¸It surely is. Let us grab some bites first.¡¹


    Both Leone and the Principal looked troubled as well.


    ¡¸Let¡¯s make haste then. This way.¡¹


    Following Raphael, Inglis and the three stepped into the castle. Just by passing through the place, Inglis¡¯ appearance seemed to have stolen the gazes of all that present.


    ¡¸Uwah¡­¡­! Oi, you see that? How beautiful that girl is¡ª¡ª¡¹ ¡¸Yeah, I¡¯ve never seen a girl as beautiful as her in my life. You think she¡¯s Sir Raphael¡¯s acquaintance?¡¹ ¡¸She¡¯s like a walking doll; everything about her is so perfect¡­! Even women like me can¡¯t help but watch¡ª¡ª¡¹ ¡¸The other girls are cute too, huh? Seeing that Lady Miliera is with them, they might be students of the Knight Academy.¡¹


    Amidst such high praises¡ª


    Growl~!3


    ¡¸!? W-, what was that¡­!?¡¹ ¡¸Someone¡¯s belly¡­?¡¹ ¡¸D-, don¡¯t look at me. Perhaps one of those girls?¡¹ ¡¸Hahaha¡­ Forgive me for that. I¡¯ve been busy that I haven¡¯t had time to eat.¡¹


    Mediated Raphael to the gallery.


    ¡¸You¡¯re so kind, big brother~! I. Love. You ????¡¹ ¡¸Thank you for the cover-up, brother.¡¹ ¡¸Aah, don¡¯t mind it. Come, the food is served in the banquet hall.¡¹


    The room they were led to was filled with several tables clustered with platters of food and a delicious smell. A heaping pile of expensive-looking meat steaks. Brightly colored pasta, lavishly made with seafood. Chocolate cakes for dessert, neatly stacked like a tower. There were more, and they all looked luscious. It was an irresistible sight for the starved Inglis and Rafinha. It was the greatest treasure trove there could ever be.


    ¡¸Yaay!! Come on Glis, let¡¯s dive in!!¡¹ ¡¸Yeah¡­! They all look delish.¡¹


    Inglis and Rafinha cheerfully approached the table with meat dishes, but¡ª¡ª a silhouette suddenly flashed across from above.


    Then¡ª


    BADDOOMMMM!!


    The tables, the plates, and the dishes on them were blown away. Something huge jumped down and crashed into everything.4


    ¡¸WHA¡­¡­!? Magic Stone Beast¡ª¡ª!? It shows up even here!¡¹


    Leone raised her voice. It was a humanoid Magic Stone Beast with ears and a tail of a beast. It was the beastman Magic Stone Beast they encountered a few days ago. It jumped down from the top of the high ceiling. The sudden intruder elicited cries of surprise and fear from the attendees.


    ¡¸AAAAHHHHHH!?!?!?!? MY MEAAATT!!¡¹


    Rafinha¡¯s scream was for something else. Her long-awaited food was now all over the floor, messed up and spoiled.


    ¡¸Uu¡­¡­ It¡¯s still not three seconds yet, it¡¯s still not¡­¡­!!¡¹ ¡¸Sdoph idh Wani, yhou mushn¡¯d eadh dhings fwom dhe gwoun.¡¹5


    Inglis stopped Rani, telling her that picking up fallen food was bad manners ¡ª¡ªwhile her mouth was busy chewing.


    ¡¸Hey, Glis!? What are you eating!?¡¹ ¡¸Meadh. Ay shavedh idh bhifow idh yeach dhe gwoun.¡¹6


    In that split moment, Inglis secured as much meat as possible in the air before they were splattered onto the floor, then threw them into her mouth. She relieved herself of the constant high-gravity load she put to train and even activated Ether Armor to reach her utmost speed. If it was to save a good meal, she would stop at nothing.7

 Chapter 85: 15-year-old Inglis and Hyrule Menaces’ Disease (6)

    ¡¸AAAaahh!!! That¡¯s not fair, Glis!¡¹


    Rafinha screamed in protest when she saw Inglis¡¯ cheek stuffed with meat.


    ¡¸Ish okehh. Ay shabed youws dhoo, Wani.¡¹1


    Inglis brought a fork with several pieces of meat into Rafinha¡¯s mouth.


    ¡¸Dhadsh Kwish foh youh! Yhouh knaw whad ay mhean!¡¹2


    Exclaimed Rafinha in glee, while Inglis¡¯ own mouth was now emptied. She still wanted to eat more, but for Inglis, Rafinha was like an endearing granddaughter of hers. What kind of grandparent wouldn¡¯t share food with their grandchildren?


    ¡¸Some tables are still safe too, so let us keep the food safe.¡¹ ¡¸Yehh!¡¹ ¡¸Honestly. Prioritize the people, not the food. We aim to be Knights who protect the country and the people, aren¡¯t we?¡¹


    A scolding befitting of the diligent Leone.


    ¡¸Well, it¡¯s the same thing, ultimately.¡¹


    Replied Inglis, looking back to Leone.


    Grrrr!!


    At that moment, the crashing down beastman monster drew near to Inglis.


    ¡¸Inglis! Behind you!¡¹ ¡¸I know.¡¹


    She already marked its aura. She only turned back to Leone because she knew that it was fine to turn back. Inglis¡¯ index finger was pointing straight at the beast without letting up. At the tip of her white finger was the pale brilliance of Ether.


    Ether Pierce, a battle skill that fired a thin ray of Ether from your finger. She aimed that on the forehead of the beast. As she had already locked on to the target, it would never miss.


    ¡¸Ether Pi¡ª¡ª¡¹3


    However, right before Inglis could unleash the light, the silhouette of a man waltzed into the space between her and the Magic Stone beast.


    ¡¸Fall back, Glis!¡¹


    It was Raphael. He should have been in a much farther position from there. His tremendous speed at entering the fray surprised even Inglis.


    ¡¸Fast¡­¡­!¡¹


    Like a gust of wind, or perhaps a streak of lightning. He was completely outside of Inglis¡¯ calculation, so firing Ether Pierce now would be very dangerous. She managed to retract her finger in the nick of the time, however.4


    ¡¸I won¡¯t let you hurt Rani, Glis, or anyone else!¡¹


    Raphael¡¯s Artifact was the Dragon-schemed long sword hanging from his waist. When unsheathed, it revealed its semi-transparent crimson gem-like edges. Inglis wondered if it actually emitted some kind of pale luminescence. It was a truly beautiful sword.


    However, the most valuable aspect of this Artifact was that Raphael could unleash a flying slash with it. As the crimson flying slashes burst out in every direction, the giant Magic Stone Beast was mutilated into small dices of meat.


    ¡¸Ooh¡­¡­! Amazing¡ª¡ª¡¹


    While the excellent weapon was a factor, it was still a tremendous display of strength, speed, and skill. In terms of pure competency, he surpassed even Holy Knight Leon, whom Inglis once fought. Same thing with the Hyrule Menaces like Eris and Cystia¡ª¡ª


    This is marvelous. I¡¯m awed he¡¯s improved this much. This must be the result of that glimmer of talent I once saw in that little boy being honed and polished earnestly.


    While his innate sincereness and strong sense of responsibility are also a factor, it is also a result of the education from Marquis Wilford and Aunt Irina. Every single factor in his life converged, giving birth to this Holy Knight Raphael who boasts of his dreadful sword arts.


    Truly a sentimental thing¡ª¡ªInglis¡¯ body shivered without her intent. Of course, it was a shiver of excitement. By all means, she would love to fight him. She would love to clash her sword with his.


    ¡¸That¡¯s big brother for you! No one else can move so fast that it¡¯s invisible to the eyes but you and Inglis!¡¹ ¡¸Brother Rafa, your downward slash at the fifth and forward thrust at the seventeenth were especially brilliant. Your movements were beautiful.¡¹ ¡¸You could see all of them, Inglis!?¡¹ ¡¸Yeah. He brandished his sword 21 times, why?¡¹ ¡¸That much!? Hey, Rafinha. How much did you see¡­?¡¹ ¡¸Just the first couple ones¡ª¡ª¡¹ ¡¸Right? Thank goodness I¡¯m not the odds one out¡ª¡ª¡¹


    And so, Rafinha and Leone whispered to one another.


    ¡¸Hahaha. I see, Glis saw through everything. Maybe you didn¡¯t need my help after all. Still, my body reacted before my mind, you see¡­ I¡¯m sorry about that.¡¹ ¡¸Don¡¯t be, you¡¯ve shown me something delicious after all. By all means, I wish us to clash our swords. With our everything.¡¹ ¡¸N-, no, that¡¯s¡ª¡ªwe have to avoid getting injured too, so¡­ Well, if it¡¯s just some practices, then anytime.¡¹


    Said Raphael with a vague smile plastered on his lips.


    How do I make him fight me seriously¡ª¡ªI have to think about this.5


    ¡¸Raphael. Leave this place to them and go to His Highness Wayne and Special Envoy Theodore. We can¡¯t afford to lose them.¡¹


    Principal Miliera appealed to Raphael. While he had butchered the Magic Stone Beast that appeared in front of their group, there were still several of its kind left in the banquet hall. There might be more to come. He couldn¡¯t leave this place unattended, but ensuring the safety of the prince and the envoy was his top priority. It was best to follow Principal Miliera¡¯s advice and split the force here.


    ¡¸¡­ Understood. I leave this place to you! Rani, Glis, Leone. Take care of the rest!¡¹ ¡¸Yes, big brother!¡¹ ¡¸Understood.¡¹ ¡¸Leave it to us!¡¹


    After affirming the three¡¯s replies, Raphael turned on his heel and dashed out of the hall. As though encircling the lingering Inglis and her group, the Magic Stone Beasts drew closer.


    ¡¸We¡¯ve finally worn dresses, and yet we do the same old thing again!¡¹


    Complained Rafinha, holding her Flowing Radiance Artifact in her hand. 6

 Chapter 86: 15-year-old Inglis and Hyrule Menaces’ Disease (7)

    ¡¸I second that. Why can¡¯t they let us have some fun at least for today, really¡­!¡¹


    Leone agreed to Rafinha¡¯s comment. Their weapons were in the custody of Principal Miliera, who took them out of thin air and handed them to the girls. It probably was some kind of sorcery or Gift from an Artifact.


    With her black great sword broken in the incident the other day, Leone was now wielding a different great sword Artifact. Apparently, it was a Middle-Grade Artifact, property of the Knight Academy.


    ¡¸I¡¯m having fun, you know? I enjoy fighting Magic Stone Beasts, after all.¡¹ ¡¸You¡¯re a special case, Glis. You¡¯re a loose beast wearing a dress.¡¹ ¡¸Fufu. That¡¯s so true¡ª¡ª¡¹ ¡¸Rude. I intend to fight modestly today, just so you know.¡¹


    I¡¯d hate to spoil the newly bought dress.I like it already. I¡¯m thinking of wearing it again.


    ¡¸Modestly? Like how?¡¹ ¡¸Like this.¡¹


    PSHOoo!!


    A pale ray of Ether was shot from Inglis¡¯ fingertip. The Ether beam went straight to its target, piercing through between the brows of a Magic Stone Beast. The Beastman monster crumpled to the floor, twitching uncontrollably. The rest was to deliver the finishing blow. It seemed like this type of Magic Stone Beast was strong enough to not die in a single blow.


    ¡¸See? I won¡¯t dirty my gown if I go by this, will I?¡¹


    Pshoo pshoo pshoo pshoo!!


    A series of light rays pierced the glabella of the Magic Stone Beasts, one after another. Their figures mowed down as though they were sitting ducks.


    ¡¸Look, modest, isn¡¯t it?¡¹ ¡¸W-, well, I guess it is, but¡­ Since you defeat them so indifferently, it actually looks even scarier than usual, you know?¡¹ ¡¸Hmm¡­ I guess it feels dull¡ª¡ª¡¹


    While this tactic was ?efficient, it wasn¡¯t fun. It was too one-sided. It felt better to take on your opponent¡¯s strongest suit and beat them on their game, after all. In short, for Magic Stone Beasts, the most optimal style was to use the completely ineffective physical attacks against them or resorting to attacks with their highest resistant attributes.


    Inglis wished only to gain as much growth as possible from every battle she went through. A fight with Magic Stone Beast, beautiful dresses, and delicious food. Everything Inglis Eux loved was present in this one room, and yet a blend of them didn¡¯t appear to be a good experience. What a shame.


    ¡¸But it can¡¯t be helped, since I don¡¯t want to tear the gown. Ah, Rani, Leone, please finish ?the fallen ones, okay?¡¹ ¡¸Wait! From behind, too! They¡¯re coming!¡¹


    Thinking that they wouldn¡¯t be able to match their opponent, every Magic Stone Beast in the room crowded toward Inglis. They were trying to seal off the source of the light ray. This was a relatively strategic move, perhaps a vestige of the fact that they were once human and kept a hint of intelligence. True enough, the rate of Inglis¡¯ rapid-fire wouldn¡¯t be able to cope if they all came at the same time.


    ¡¸Then, how about this¡ª¡ª?¡¹


    Still maintaining the barrage of Ether Pierce from her right hand to her front, Inglis aimed her left hand behind.


    ¡¸Hnn¡­¡­!¡¹


    From the tips of the other index finger, too, the pale brilliance of Ether unleashed itself. And so, the Ether Pierce was fired, penetrating the beast behind her as well.


    ¡¸Yes, I did it¡­¡­!!¡¹


    She simultaneously fired in two directions. This was a feat she couldn¡¯t do before. It was proof that the training she was doing every day was paying its due. She could see it with her own eyes, the feeling of her getting even a step stronger. That feeling, at that moment, was the most delightful.


    ¡¸Look, Rani, look! I can shoot it with both hands now!¡¹


    Pshooshooshooshooshoo!!


    Inglis fired a barrage of Ether Pierce with a dainty, flowery smile on her face. She took back what she said. This was fun, really fun. There was nothing more enjoyable than trying out your grown ability. The Magic Stone Beasts couldn¡¯t get close to Inglis, and they all fell on the floor.


    ¡¸Phew. Wasn¡¯t that a good fight?¡¹


    Her smile was refreshing.


    ¡¸Hahaha¡­ I¡¯m happy you¡¯re happy, Glis.¡¹ ¡¸Now I feel bad for the Magic Stone Beasts. They couldn¡¯t even do anything at all.¡¹ ¡¸Hm¡­ I guess I was a bit too excited.¡¹ ¡¸I don¡¯t think it¡¯s just ¡®a bit,¡¯ though¡­ Well, all is fine, since some tables are still safe!¡¹ ¡¸You¡¯re right. Should we eat now?¡¹ ¡¸We should! I¡¯m at the end of my limit!¡¹ ¡¸Honestly, you two. We have to go to other places. There may be people who need help.¡¹ ¡¸It wouldn¡¯t hurt to indulge for a little. We still need to kill the Magic Stone Beast that survived, after all. Let me do that for you, meanwhile¡ª¡ª¡¹ ¡¸Yaay ???? That¡¯s the Principal for you!¡¹ ¡¸Thank you very much.¡¹


    With the permission of Principal Miliera, Inglis and Rafinha went to approach the still-standing tables. But then¡ª¡ªA new Magic Stone Beast emerged. As the space near the ceiling distorted, another Magic Stone Beast showed itself right above those tables.


    ¡¸! They¡¯re still coming¡­¡­!!¡¹ ¡¸No, our food!¡¹


    If this continued, the table would crash and the food would be spoiled again.


    I won¡¯t let it happen¡ª¡ª!


    However, Inglis was worried that her gown would rip apart if she made a flashy movement like leaping forward and sending the beast flying. Ether Pierce wouldn¡¯t be enough to prevent it from falling to the table either, but using Ether Strike here would render the castle half-destroyed.


    If so, she would have to convert Ether into mana and create a suitable sorcery¡ª¡ª


    Then, as Inglis was still hesitating, a human silhouette flew towards the humanoid beast. She was a beauty in her late teen with shining golden hair. It was Eris, the Hyrule Menace.


    ¡¸¡ª¡ªHYAahhh!¡¹


    Eris, charging in with great speed, crashed into the beastman as she slashed her right twin sword. The sword bisected the body in half as each part ?fell far away from the table.


    Fierce swordsmanship as always. Looking at it made Inglis head over heels. By all means, she would love to fight against her. And, just as importantly¡­ The food on the table was protected, all thanks to Eris.


    ¡¸Yaay!! Thank you so much, Miss Eris!¡¹ ¡¸Thank you very much. You¡¯re a lifesaver.¡¹


    The two then bowed deeply to Eris.


    ¡¸? What an exaggeration. For you, something like that isn¡¯t¡ª¡ª¡¹ ¡¸Not that. You saved the table from being crushed. You are a lifesaver of this food.¡¹ ¡¸Hah? Food?¡¹ ¡¸Bon appetite!¡¹ ¡¸Ah, that¡¯s not fair, Rani! Me too¡ª¡ª!¡¹


    Looking at Inglis and Rafinha stuffing their cheeks with food, Eris exhaled in exasperation.


    ¡¸Girls who live at their own pace. Miliera, they¡¯re your students, aren¡¯t they? Are you fine with them being like that?¡¹ ¡¸Ehehehe. Gluttonous girls are cute too, don¡¯t you think?¡¹


    The Principal let it pass with a smile.


    ¡¸Personally? Depends on the time and circumstance.¡¹ ¡¸Hmm, you have a point. But, well, they were really famished after all.¡¹ ¡¸We weawwy were!!¡¹ ¡¸Yehh!¡¹ ¡¸I don¡¯t understand what you¡¯re saying¡­! Well, fair enough. This area is clear for now, so come with me after you¡¯re done eating. There is something wrong with Ripple.¡¹


    Said Eris with a calm but concerned look on her face.

 Chapter 87: 15-year-old Inglis and Hyrule Menaces’ Disease (8)

    Something is wrong with Ripple¡ª¡ª?


    After hearing the news, neither Inglis nor Rafinha could relax and enjoy the food. They shoved as many serving as they could into their cheeks and left the banquet hall in haste. The group followed Eris to the audience room. Ripple was there, or so it seemed. As soon as they arrived, they were greeted with numerous Magic Stone Beast corpses littering the place.


    ¡¸¡­ This is where the main battle took place, huh.¡¹ ¡¸Yeah. There are quite a few¡ª¡ª¡¹ ¡¸Still, they did a great job suppressing it. As expected of the official Knight order.¡¹


    Here was the Royal Castle. The heart of the Kingdom. Naturally, Knights of the Imperial Guard were picked from the top of the crops. Since it was a surprise attack, many of them were injured, however¡ª¡ª The tense atmosphere still decorated the room. Everyone was encircling something in the distance, cautiously observing whatever it was beyond the human wall.


    There was Raphael in the middle of the circle. There were also Prince Wayne and several Highlanders, prominent with their stigma. Raphael must have rushed here to guard them.


    ¡¸Lady Eris¡ª¡ª! How were the other places?¡¹


    Raphael recognized Eris, then called out to her.


    ¡¸I don¡¯t think there¡¯s any problem. It looks like a good number of them showed up in the big room downstairs, but these girls took out most of them.¡¹ ¡¸I see. As expected of you three.¡¹ ¡¸How¡¯s the situation here?¡¹ ¡¸No change?. Still in stagnant activity.¡¹


    Raphael¡¯s gaze was directed to the center of the circle, where Ripple lay unconscious. She was not merely asleep, apparent with the ominous-looking hemisphere made of black light enveloping her body.


    ¡¸W-, what is that¡ª¡ª¡¹


    The area around Ripple appeared hazy, like a wavering mirage. It was easy even for Rafinha to grasp that this was not a simple matter in just a single glance.


    ¡¸The space is contorting¡­? It¡¯s obviously not a natural phenomenon, is it?¡¹ ¡¸Could it be that this ominous light ?brought the Magic Stone Beast¡ª¡ª?¡¹


    Eris nodded at Leone¡¯s words.


    ¡¸Yes. When she suddenly collapsed and wrapped up in that light, the contortions widened and Magic Stone Beasts poured out¡­ We suppressed them, but we¡¯re completely clueless of the situation¡ª¡¹


    The last time a Magic Stone Beast appeared, Ripple¡¯s condition crumpled as well. Was that a premonition of sorts? Just what is happening?


    ¡¸No way. You mean a Hyrule Menace summoned Magic Stone Beasts and attacked us¡­¡¹


    Voices of doubt rose amid everyone in the scene.


    ¡¸Could she have betrayed us for the Ironblood Chain Brigade¡­!?¡¹


    So long a precedent in the shape of Leon existed, the Knights couldn¡¯t be blamed for being skeptical. Perhaps the thought also crossed Eris¡¯ mind. She didn¡¯t refute the statement and just let it pass.


    If so, then I shall be the one to be the voice of reason, thought Inglis, but then¡ª¡ª


    There was already someone who raised their voice, reminding the rest that the world wasn¡¯t as simple as a jigsaw puzzle.


    ¡¸Wrong! Miss Eris and Miss Ripple will never do that! Not only did Miss Eris try to stop Mister Leon back in Ymir, but she also helped us! All of you should have known better that they are good people, shouldn¡¯t you? Miss Eris and Miss Ripple have protected this Kingdom and the people time and again as Hyrule Menaces. Please, just believe in your own partners!!¡¹


    Of course, there was nobody else who would stand up and say such things except Rafinha. If being a good person was a qualification to be trusted, then Leon was also a good person himself, and so her argument was as loud as it was unconvincing. One also might say it was truly childish.


    However, that was precisely why she shone so brightly. That pure innocence of hers was nothing short of genuine. Inglis couldn¡¯t help herself but be endeared by Rafinha. Just how would she grow from now on? She was looking forward to it as she continued protecting her from the side.


    ¡¸¡­ Of course we know that. What you say is true, but still¡ª¡ª¡¹


    One of the Knights responded like so. With a plop, Eris put her hand on Rafinha¡¯s shoulder.


    ¡¸Don¡¯t be mad at them, they have their reasons. It is their duty, after all. They must be aware of dangers all the time. We just need to show them by our action that we¡¯re not guilty.¡¹


    Said Eris nonchalantly.


    ¡¸Y-, yes¡­¡¹


    Rafinha was a bit peeved, perhaps thinking that she was scolded.


    ¡¸But, well, let me say my gratitude. Thanks.¡¹ ¡¸Yes!¡¹


    Looking at his little sister, Raphael then whispered to Inglis.


    ¡¸¡­ Phew. Rani¡¯s a stranger to reservation; she sure made me nervous. They would take it as me favoring her if I covered her, so I couldn¡¯t open my mouth carelessly.¡¹ ¡¸She is always like this, you know? No matter the place, no matter the opponent. That, I think, is what so great about her.¡¹ ¡¸If that¡¯s what you think, Glis, then I feel relieved.¡¹


    Then someone stepped into the middle of the circle. It was a young man, a Highlander with how a stigma was embedded on his forehead.


    ¡¸I agree with her opinion. Hyrule Menaces are Guardian Deities who descended from the sky to the ground. If you don¡¯t believe in them and join your hands together, it will be hard to continue living on this land in which the Prism Flow poured upon. These girls were originally people who lived in Midland too, and they sacrificed themselves to become a Hyrule Menace in order to protect Midland. I wish nothing but you to understand their very root.¡¹


    Was this young man the new Special Envoy that had been mentioned earlier? If that was the case, then his first impression to Inglis was that he was intelligent, temperate, but also strong-willed. She had to say that he was totally different from his predecessor.


    ¡¸Then, you were once a Midlander too, Miss Eris¡ª¡ª?¡¹


    That said, Ripple had also subtly hinted at it in her previous statement once.


    ¡¸Lord Theodore. I am not comfortable to talk about the past¡ª¡ª¡¹


    Eris ?seemed not too keen to touch her past, however.


    ¡¸Forgive me, I didn¡¯t think of your feelings. At any rate, until we have a solid clue, please continue putting your trust in them. Their existence is also proof of friendship between the Highland and Midland. Naturally, I will also help clarify the situation. This will be my first assignment as a Special Envoy.¡¹ ¡¸Theodore. Have you any guess?¡¹


    Asked Prince Wayne within the circle, watching over the scene.


    ¡¸I can¡¯t rashly conclude it, but I¡¯ve grasped the gist of it. Perhaps it¡¯s linked to the circumstances of us Highlanders.¡¹


    Replied the Special Envoy Theodore with a bitter smile.

 Chapter 88: 15-year-old Inglis and Hyrule Menaces’ Disease (9)

    ¡¸The circumstance of the Highlanders¡¯ politics, is it?¡¹


    Raphael glinted his eyes.


    ¡¸Exactly, Sir Holy Knight. Similar to how the Midland is split into different nations, there are also factions based on different ideological beliefs in the Highland. However, we are still a mono-geopolitical nation, so it is difficult to discern from the outside.¡¹ ¡¸In short, the Followers of Faith did this to hinder your work as a member of the Archduke Party?¡¹


    Prince Wayne inquired Special Envoy Theodore. As expected of someone who had studied in the Highland, he seemed to be familiar with the situation up there too.


    ¡¸That is correct, Wayne. Although you can¡¯t say that it¡¯s a personal attack. We of the Archduke Party are approving bestowal of modern Artifacts, Flygear and Flygear Carriers. However, the Followers of Faith strongly opposed that decision. They are afraid that in the future, those technologies will ?bite back on us.¡¹


    In the last incident, even Faris who had become a Highlander was plotting to assassinate the Special Envoy Myynti. This caused a series of conflicts behind the scene regarding the bestowal of power towards the Midlander.


    The conflict must have been quite fierce, owing to the fact that it involved assassination. It made quite a sense to Inglis. A Highlander assassin targeted Myynti, his neck was also the aim of the anti-Highlander guerilla organization, Ironblood Chain Brigade, and he even aggravated an assault from Knights of the Kingdom. What a busy person he was. Even if Inglis wasn¡¯t on the scene, his doom would¡¯ve been the same.


    ¡¸¡­ So they¡¯re using us as pawns in their internal conflicts? I became a Hyrule Menace to protect Midland from the Magic Stone Beasts¡ª¡ªnot for their stupid dispute!¡¹


    Eris was enraged. It was happening to her companion, another Hyrule Menace like her. No one could blame her.


    ¡¸You are most correct. However, Hyrule Menaces like you are Guardian Deities created by the Highland¡ª¡ªit is no wonder for the creator to make a means to destroy you from within. I presume that is what is happening right now. Miss Ripple has been a Hyrule Menace of the Followers of Fatih¡¯s makings, and so I have no idea the exact details of her creation, but¡­ On the contrary, Miss Eris, you are a Hyrule Menace affiliated to us, the Archduke Party. Just like so, the balance of power between two factions has always been held steady in this Kingdom since long ago. However, with how the Archduke Party is gaining more ground within the Kingdom, that balance is slowly breaking down.¡¹ ¡¸In other words, if things are played differently, it¡¯s more than possible that I would be in Ripple¡¯s shoes¡­? In a way, that is reassuring to hear. I¡¯ve been a Hyrule Menace for a long time, and yet I don¡¯t know the first thing about Hyrule Menaces at all. I hate this.¡¹


    Eris let out a deep, deep sigh.


    ¡¸But Miss Eris¡­¡¹


    Rafinha called her out.


    ¡¸What?¡¹ ¡¸I personally think that having Flygears and Flygear Carriers are for the best¡­ It¡¯s because we have them, we can protect people from the Magic Stone Beasts¡¯ attack far faster and further than ever before.¡¹


    Even if they didn¡¯t put it into their mouth, many nodded to her words. Everyone in here was people who made an oath to protect the Kingdom and its people from the Magic Stone Beasts. Rafinha¡¯s pure, unadulterated opinion resonated within them. Raphael, and even Prince Wayne, affirmed her words strongly.


    ¡¸¡­ Rafinha is right. Right, Inglis?¡¹


    Whispered Leone.


    ¡¸Yeah. We can fight more that way.¡¹ ¡¸No, I think your motive is a bit twisted, Inglis¡­¡¹ ¡¸The result is the same, so why not?¡¹ ¡¸Hahaha¡ª¡ªI¡¯m the wrong one for asking¡­¡¹


    Eris? was still silent.


    ¡¸¡­¡­¡¹ ¡¸I-, I¡¯m sorry for being so impudent¡ª¡ª!¡¹


    Rafinha bowed her head.


    ¡¸¡­ No, it¡¯s alright. Perhaps it¡¯s better to think as you do.¡¹ ¡¸I shall do my best too. I will return Miss Ripple to normal, so¡­ Please brace your heart for a while.¡¹ ¡¸¡ª¡ªYes. I leave her to you. ¡¹


    Eris nodded at the new envoy¡¯s words


    ¡¸Thank you. Miss Eris calmed down all because of you.¡¹


    He plopped his hand on Rafinha¡¯s shoulder and smiled at her.


    ¡¸Truly a pure and honest opinion. Your heart is as beautiful as your look.¡¹ ¡¸N-, no, that¡¯s¡­ Ahahaha, beautiful, you say¡ª¡ª¡¹


    Being gazed straight into her eyes, Rafinha responded bashfully. There was also a slight blush on her cheeks. Perhaps, even for Inglis, this was the first time she saw Rafinha like this. At the same time, Inglis also sensed an impending crisis. This¡­ Perhaps, she finally found it, the annoying bug. She had to get rid of it. Things like this were still too early for Rafinha. Inglis wouldn¡¯t allow it.


    ¡¸May I have the honor to know your name?¡¹ ¡¸Her name is Rafinha Wilford. She is the little sister of Holy Knight, Raphael. I am Inglis Eux, her Squire.¡¹


    Without a moment¡¯s delay, Inglis slipped into the space between Rafinha and Special Envoy Theodore and answered before Rafinha could. This was dangerous. She had to limit the interaction between the two to the utmost minimum.


    ¡¸H-, Hold on, Glis¡­! What¡¯s wrong with you?¡¹ ¡¸Nothing, don¡¯t mind it. After all, I am your Squire, Rani.¡¹


    However, the envoy didn¡¯t seem to catch on her attitude, and¡ª¡ª


    ¡¸Wilford¡­ I see, you¡¯re Sir Holy Knight¡¯s little sister, huh¡­! And Miss Inglis too, I ?have heard your name. I heard you two have saved my sister¡¯s life¡ª¡ª¡¹ ¡¸Sister?¡¹ ¡¸Yes. Cyrene is my little sister.¡¹ ¡¸¡¸EEEeeh!?!?!?¡¹¡¹


    Both Inglis and Rafinha couldn¡¯t help but exclaim.

 Chapter 89: 15-year-old Inglis and Hyrule Menaces’ Disease (10)

    ¡¸Lady Cyrene¡¯s older brother¡­? Well, I guess there are parts similar to hers, like his atmosphere or his kindness, right Glis?¡¹ ¡¸You¡¯re right¡­¡­¡¹


    Inglis would agree if that was all, but¡ª¡ª While it was fine for Cyrene and Rafinha to be close, Theodore was a direct no-go no matter how much his atmosphere resembled Cyrene¡¯s. The intent behind their closeness could very well change over time. A lover and the like was still not needed for Rafinha. Even if it was based on Inglis¡¯ own ego, it was still a detestable thought.


    Regardless of Inglis¡¯ own intention, Rafinha gifted Theodore with a smile. Knowing that he was Cyrene¡¯s older brother, her wariness went down a level. Things were progressing in a bad direction.


    ¡¸Thank you very much for saving the life of my sister, you two. I heard that she was transformed into a Magic Stone Beast, but where is she now¡­?¡¹ ¡¸She is here.¡¹


    Said Inglis as she pointed to her own chest. At that very timing, Rene popped her head out of the cleavage.


    ¡¸Cyrene¡­!? Aah, while it¡¯s faint, I really can feel her mana¡­ My goodness, look how much you changed¡ª¡ª¡¹ ¡¸Forgive us, saving her in that condition was all we could¡ª¡ª¡¹ ¡¸No, don¡¯t blame yourself. The two of you did great. As long as she is alive, nothing is over yet. I will surely change her back to how she was before¡­!¡¹ ¡¸Please let us help as much as we can!¡¹ ¡¸Yes, I will rely on you two. Can I take over keeping Cyrene from this point?¡¹ ¡¸Sure.¡¹


    If a blood relative asked for it, how could they refuse? Inglis scooped Rene up from her chest and handed her to Theodore.


    ¡¸Now, Cyrene. It¡¯s alright now. I will do something about you¡ª¡ª¡¹


    And, as Theodore reached out to Rene¡ª¡ª


    Chomp!


    Rene bit into Theodore¡¯s finger.


    ¡¸Ouch¡­!? What¡¯s wrong, Cyrene?¡¹


    Rene coldly ignored Theodore and dove back into Inglis¡¯ chest.


    ¡¸Rene? Your brother is here for you, you know?¡¹ ¡¸What¡¯s wrong?¡¹


    Rene shook her head left and right and dug even deeper until she was completely hidden inside the gown. As she kept moving around restlessly, it tickled Inglis.


    ¡¸Ho-, hold on, Rene! Don¡¯t move around too much, it¡¯s ticklish¡­!¡¹ ¡¸¡­ Does that mean she doesn¡¯t want to go home?¡¹


    Rafinha craned her neck. For a good while after that, Special Envoy Theodore kept calling out Rene¡¯s name while Inglis and Rafinha encouraged Rene to come out, but she was completely impartial.


    ¡¸She seems different from the Cyrene I know¡­ Perhaps it¡¯s a good idea to entrust her to the two of you for a little longer.¡¹


    The new envoy seemed quite disheartened. His affection for his little sister was apparent.


    ¡¸Got it. We have no problem with that.¡¹ ¡¸However, there are still mountains of things I need to research. Would you be willing to bring Cyrene to me when I need her?¡¹ ¡¸Naturally.¡¹ ¡¸Thank you. Now, while I am concerned about Cyrene, I need to treat Miss Ripple ?foremost. We have to find a method to stop the phenomenon. Miliera, I need your help in this.¡¹


    Theodore called Principal Miliera. They were close because they were old friends; it seemed. The principal mentioned it herself.


    ¡¸Yes, of course I¡¯ll help.¡¹ ¡¸Please. If it¡¯s you who studied our technology on the Highland, then I¡¯m sure you can be of help.¡¹ ¡¸I¡¯ll do my best to live up to that expectation of yours!¡¹ ¡¸But, what do you do, Theodore? If Magic Stone Beasts keep pouring out like before, you won¡¯t be able to examine her calmly.¡¹ ¡¸That¡¯s true. So first, we need to bring her somewhere far. We can¡¯t have the Royal Castle be under constant attacks.¡¹ ¡¸Then, let me carry Ripple. I can take down those Magic Stone Beasts in a heartbeat. Still, where do we take her?¡¹


    No one could answer Eris¡¯ question immediately.


    ¡¸Ah, don¡¯t mind it¡ª¡ªI¡¯ll walk by my own.¡¹


    Then Ripple¡¯s voice was heard. When they looked at her, her eyes were open. The semi-sphere of black light that enveloped her seemed to have vanished.


    ¡¸Ripple! Aah, thank goodness. Are you alright?¡¹


    Eris rushed over and helped Ripple up. There was nothing unusual with her. It was as if everything that happened before was nothing but an illusion.


    ¡¸¡­ For now. It felt like the energy is dissipating¡ªBut still, I can vaguely remember what just happened. I¡¯m sorry, everyone. I became a Hyrule Menace to protect everyone on Midland, and yet here I am hurting everyone¡­¡­¡¹


    This incident was quite a heavy blow for Ripple herself.


    ¡¸Don¡¯t blame yourself, it wasn¡¯t your fault.¡¹ ¡¸That¡¯s right! It¡¯s not like you did it because you wanted to, Miss Ripple!¡¹ ¡¸Rafinha is right, you did nothing wrong, Miss Ripple.¡¹ ¡¸It was ?forced upon you, after all.¡¹


    Following Eris, Rafinha, Leone, and Inglis also comforted Ripple.


    ¡¸Thank you, everyone. Even so, I just can¡¯t accept it. Now I¡¯ve lost the very reason ?I became a Hyrule Menace. Hey, Wayne, just where should I go? If there really isn¡¯t anything that can be done, I don¡¯t mind if you break me, or you can dump me in some remote place with no one in sight.¡¹ ¡¸Nonsense. We can¡¯t possibly treat the Guardian Deity who has protected our Kingdom like that. Just endure it for a while. Until then, ?rest in a place with tight and vigilant security.¡¹


    That being said, they still needed to discuss further regarding where exactly that place would be and the forces to be deployed for it.


    ¡¸I will select the place and divide my troops.¡¹ ¡¸Sure, Raphael. Please do.¡¹


    If that¡¯s how things are, thought Inglis as she stepped forward.


    ¡¸Excuse me, but I have a proposal in mind. May I?¡¹ ¡¸You may. Pray tell.¡¹ ¡¸What is it, Glis?¡¹


    Nodded Prince Wayne and Raphael.


    ¡¸Why don¡¯t we have Miss Ripple to be stationed in the Knight Academy until the solution to her condition is found?¡¹


    Inglis¡¯ eyes sparkled in excitement. After all, it would be an excellent way to train if she were to fight against the Magic Stone Beasts that could potentially appear?.

 Chapter 90: 15-year-old Inglis and Hyrule Menaces’ Disease (11)

    ¡¸On the Knight Academy, huh¡­?¡¹


    Prince Wayne was surprised to hear Inglis¡¯ proposal. He appeared to haven¡¯t even considered that place as a candidate.


    ¡¸Yes. Even as it stands, Miss Ripple¡¯s inability to act alone has greatly reduced the total strength of our current army. If we thin out our hands on top of that by placing official Knights to guard her, we would lose double the strength we initially had. If that played poorly, wouldn¡¯t that lead to a huge decline in our national defense? I know for a fact that the corpse of Prisma was transported from the town of Arlman to a frontier city bordering the Venefique Kingdom, as I witnessed it firsthand. Seeing that operation being carried out, I can assume that the Venefique Kingdom was perceived as a real-time threat. If so, shouldn¡¯t we avoid loosening our provision to fight off their invasion? They can exploit our stretched-out defense if we lose any more fighting hands. It is also all too possible that the current situation is a trap they laid solely to decrease our defense. I would presume that there is a Special Highland Envoy in the Venefique Kingdom too, is that person perhaps affiliated with this political party you call the Followers of Faith?¡¹ ¡¸¡ª¡ªHow is it, Theodore?¡¹ ¡¸¡­The girl is right. We can¡¯t rule out the possibility that all of this being a huge ploy on their part.¡¹


    Prince Wayne and Special Envoy Theodore affirmed Inglis¡¯ points.


    ¡¸You spoke well. I expected no less of someone affiliated with Wilford, their Squires sure are bright and intelligent. Right, Raphael?¡¹ ¡¸Yes, Glis has always been a smart kid and an excellent swordsman. She¡¯s always there to be Rafinha¡¯s backbone.¡¹ ¡¸With you in tow, I¡¯m sure Rafinha will have an easy time.¡¹ ¡¸Much obliged.¡¹


    Inglis bowed gracefully. As a matter of fact, however, that wasn¡¯t so much of a hard topic to cover. She only did simple guesswork. As was mentioned, there were factions even on the Highland. If a Special Envoy affiliated with the same faction as Theodore was stationed in the Venefique Kingdom, then they wouldn¡¯t show hostility to this Kingdom in the form of invasions.


    For Highlanders, the Midland was nothing but a huge feeding ground. They didn¡¯t have any reason to ransack their own ally, and they wouldn¡¯t either.


    Despite what her appearance might suggest, Inglis was once a King leading a single nation in her previous life. Reading things that far was nothing. Although reading the situation was all Inglis Eux would do, as she had no intention to get involved in the Kingdom¡¯s businesses or governmental works, in fact, she would shrug them off.


    Even if she left things be, Prince Wayne, Raphael, and the other big shots here would reach the possibility Inglis just uttered given enough time. All Inglis did was give their thoughts a little push. However, that little push was extremely important¡ª¡ª


    ¡¸So, will Miss Ripple be stationed in the Academy?¡¹


    Of course, it was all to push this agenda. It was more persuasive once you won their favor rather than simply saying what she wanted. Whether her reasoning was in the right places or not hardly mattered. She only needed to make herself someone worth listening to.


    ¡¸¡­I understand your logic of using non-formal Order of Knights so as not to poorly loosen up our defense, but still¡ª¡ª¡¹ ¡¸Please! We may be students, wet behind our ears, but our determination won¡¯t lose to any formal Knights¡­!¡¹


    Of course, that referred to her determination of wanting to fight the Magic Stone Beasts that Ripple summoned and to grow her skills through training. A situation where ferocious Magic Stone Beast might appear at any given moment was just ideal. Her studies would always be filled with the excitement from tension.


    By no means this was a determination that would lead to the betterment of the world. However, she had no qualms if others saw it that way. She didn¡¯t say a single lie, and her words were indeed spoken abstractly. From behind her, Inglis could hear Rafinha and Leone whispering to each other.


    ¡¸¡­Hey, Rafinha. Isn¡¯t Inglis being really earnest today? I see her in a new light now.¡¹ ¡¸If you do, you¡¯re just misreading her intent, you know¡­?¡¹ ¡¸Eh?¡¹ ¡¸Glis is Glis¡­! She just wants to fight the Magic Stone Beasts that appear around Miss Ripple¡­!¡¹ ¡¸Eehhh¡­¡­!?¡¹ ¡¸She usually sounds like a musclehead, but her brain really works. She can make a sound argument to anything she wahn¡­ mghh¡ª¡ª!¡¹ ¡¸Hnnngh¡­¡­!¡¹ ¡¸Honestly, you two. We¡¯re having a serious discussion here, don¡¯t chit-chat.¡¹


    With a smile decorating her lips, Inglis covered Rafinha and Leone¡¯s mouths with her hand. Fortunately for her, it seemed like Prince Wayne didn¡¯t catch on to their chatter.


    ¡¸¡ª¡ªMiliera, as the Principal of the Knight Academy, what¡¯s your take on this?¡¹ ¡¸Hmm¡­ Miss Inglis has some valid points, but it would certainly put a lot of students in crisis, so¡­¡¹


    Principal Miliera also couldn¡¯t make her opinion clear.


    ¡¸No only that, the Academy is in the middle of the city. If the Magic Stone Beasts overflowed from the campus ground, we would risk involving the citizens. I don¡¯t agree with this. The matter should be dealt with by the Knight Order after all¡ª¡ª¡¹


    Inputted Raphael, most probably because he didn¡¯t want to endanger Rafinha and Inglis.


    ¡¸However, it is a fact that we need equipment up to a certain standard in order to analyze Miss Ripple¡¯s situation in more technical senses. I figure that we can tweak some in Miliera¡¯s laboratory if Miss Ripple is stationed in the Academy. Preparing such equipment in any remote place would be a hard task to do.¡¹ ¡¸If possible, couldn¡¯t we bring Ripple to Highland and have her get analyzed there?¡¹ ¡¸¡­Miss Eris. I¡¯m sorry, but that is a terrible idea. The wording may sound harsh, but if it really is a ploy from the Followers of Faith¡¯s side, that means she will be disposed of by the Archduke Party¡­ While indeed they and I are from the same camp, that doesn¡¯t mean that everyone is like me. In fact, most of them are like Myynti, the previous envoy before me.¡¹ ¡¸I see.¡¹


    Prince Wayne then took over the conversation after Eris slumped.


    ¡¸In short, leaving her to the Knight Academy is the fastest way to get things settled?¡¹ ¡¸Or the fastest way to make things worse. We can¡¯t say for sure which one is the answer. After all, this situation is not part of the curriculum.¡¹ ¡¸Phew¡­ Everything was simpler when we were just students in the Highland, huh?¡¹


    Prince Wayne smiled. Theodore smiled back.


    ¡¸Basically, yes. However, this heavy pressure on us is the very sign that we are getting close to our ideals.¡¹ ¡¸Aah, damn right you are.¡¹


    Both Prince Wayne and Special Envoy Theodore seemed to share something in common just between themselves.


    I guess I was just like them when I was young in my past life. Being young, carrying the fate of my Kingdom and my people on my back, losing myself in my pursuit.


    For Inglis, the days of burning passion for the betterment of the world had long passed. And so, while she felt that these youngsters had a rough way ahead, she wanted them to do their best. The fate of this era should be left to the people of this era. While Inglis was just going to watch over Rafinha and do whatever she wanted in the while.

 Chapter 91: 15-year-old Inglis and Hyrule Menaces’ Disease (12)

    ¡¸Not only did these girls saved Cyrene¡¯s life, I heard that they also protected the former Prime Minister Althea on the incident the other day as well as stopping the Airship from crashing into the Royal Castle. Perhaps it¡¯s not a bad idea to place our hope on them.¡¹ ¡¸¡­Former? What happened to the Prime Minister?¡¹


    Something struck Inglis from Special Envoy Theodore¡¯s words.


    ¡¸He resigned. As we all know, the incident is officially off record. For that reason, Sir Althea shouldn¡¯t have been held accountable for it, but he was so insistent on saying that he didn¡¯t want to be a bad example for others. On paper, he resigned out of health concerns, but¡­ He was just too upright and honest; he didn¡¯t flaunt it to anyone. Letting him go was really a shame, he was the right man for his position. Temporarily, I will be the one to take up his duty.¡¹ ¡¸While some of Wayne¡¯s own duties will be passed down to Sir Holy Knight and the Hyrule Menaces. That is why we don¡¯t really have room for any unplanned agenda.¡¹ ¡¸If so, then leave it to us! I want to help Miss Ripple in her time of need!¡¹


    Inglis already predicted what kind of words would come out of Rafinha¡¯s mouth. Even if their main reasons clashed a little, she knew Rafinha would agree to the proposal.


    Rafinha¡¯s sense of justice would never allow her to remain silent in the face of Ripple¡¯s circumstance.


    ¡¸But, Rani. You, Glis, and Leone still need to learn a lot and get stronger. That is how you become a real Knight, and solely for that reason that Miss Miliera and other instructors are taking care of you. Now is no time to push yourselves¡­¡¹ ¡¸You¡¯re wrong, brother. I am just grateful to Miss Ripple that I want to repay her in one way or another! I mean, she has been protecting us and the Kingdom for a long time, after all. What does it matter if I am a formal Knight or not? I just want to do what I can do now!¡¹


    Listening to that exchange made Inglis chuckle unintentionally. She recalled Raphel being told off by Aunt Irina just like this a long time ago. Raphael now was in Irina¡¯s shoes then, and Rafinha in Raphael¡¯s. Perhaps growing up into an adult meant taking over the role of your parents.


    ¡¸Fufufu¡­¡¹ ¡¸Glis?¡¹ ¡¸What¡¯s the matter?¡¹ ¡¸It¡¯s nothing, I just remembered that big brother Rafa was once scolded exactly like this by Aunt and the Marquis before. It made me feel nostalgic.¡¹ ¡¸Eh¡­¡­? W-, well, I guess there was a time like that, but¡ª¡ªGlis, weren¡¯t you just a baby back then, how could you remember¡­¡­¡¹ ¡¸I¡¯m very confident in my memory.¡¹ ¡¸Anyway, big brother. You¡¯re growing stubborn like Father. Glis will hate you if you¡¯re so pigheaded!¡¹ ¡¸Eeeh¡­!?¡¹ ¡¸That is not true. I like the Marquis.¡¹ ¡¸Ah, big brother. Did you just get relieved?¡¹ ¡¸No, no, no, now¡¯s not the time and place for that¡­¡­¡¹


    Looking at his response, Pince Wayne let out an amused laugh.


    ¡¸Ha ha ha. Even the ever perfect and honorable Holy Knight Raphael is powerless against his younger relatives.¡¹ ¡¸H-, haah¡­ I am sorry for showing my unsightly side.¡¹ ¡¸No, I don¡¯t mind. It¡¯s really a pleasant sight. Well then, Leone. What about you? Let me know what you think.¡¹


    Prince Wayne then threw the ball to Leone.


    ¡¸Eh¡­ Me?¡¹ ¡¸Yeah. I wish to hear the opinion from all of you.¡¹ ¡¸¡­I¡¯m with them. Wanting to repay the favor to the Hyrule Menaces¡ª¡ªI sympathize with that feeling, but if I may be brutally honest, I wish to gain credits as soon as possible. I think this will be a good opportunity for it.¡¹ ¡¸You¡¯re right. It is only natural to think that way if you wish to cleanse the name of your family.¡¹


    Leone¡¯s house, Olpha House, was once a respected household and the pride of the town of Arlman for producing a Holy Knight in the form of Leon. However, with Leon disposing of his title as a Holy Knight then went to the Ironblood Chain Brigade, the public¡¯s eye on the Olphas took a 180-degree turn. They were now seen as the betrayer¡¯s household and treated harshly.


    In order to change that, Leone aimed to become a Knight and gain her own achievements. Even when she was struggling with relationships within the Academy, she still exerted her best.


    As far as Inglis was concerned, aside from Inglis herself, Leone was the most ambitious person in regards to self-practices in the Knight Academy. Whenever Inglis did extracurricular training by herself, Leone would come and join her. It was no wonder that a person like her wanted to gain credits as fast as possible.


    ¡¸Since the incident the other day was kept a secret from the public, you and your friends¡¯ involvement in it wouldn¡¯t be made public as well. On that account, we did something bad to you. I¡¯m terribly sorry.¡¹ ¡¸N-, no¡ª¡ªAt any event, I doubt the credit from that incident was enough to recover my family¡¯s name, and most of the part, it was Inglis who¡­mmngh¡¹


    Before she finished her line, Inglis interrupted Leone with a finger on her lips. Leone didn¡¯t need to truthfully tell everything that happened, and Inglis was fine if she took all the credit for it.


    It was something Leone needed and Inglis not, after all. What Inglis needed was the battle itself, not the military gains after that. As long as she could satisfy herself with honing her skills through those battles, then that was all that mattered.


    ¡¸It¡¯s okay, just make it that everyone did it together. I don¡¯t want to stand out. On the other hand, you need to stand out, Leone. Right?¡¹


    So whispered Inglis. The credits, the fame, the achievements, it was better if Leone took them all. Inglis was more than willing to help out the praiseworthy, positive, and hard-working Leone.


    ¡¸What happened?¡¹ ¡¸N-, nothing. By all means, please give me another chance to do a meritorious deed. I will do everything in my power to eliminate Magic Stone Beasts.¡¹ ¡¸Let me ask on my behalf too. We will surely protect Miss Ripple to the end.¡¹ ¡¸Hey, hey, I¡¯m not the one you should be protecting, okay? After all, I am endangering everyone in my vicinity.¡¹


    Commented Ripple with a little bit of jest undertone, although her usual cheerfulness was still nowhere to find.


    ¡¸¡­And because of that, you are attacked by pangs of guilt, Miss Ripple. If we don¡¯t let any of the students get harmed, any of the citizens get hurt, and then defeat every single Magic Stone Beasts you involuntarily summoned, then there will be nothing to be grieved about. I wish but to protect your heart, Miss Ripple.¡¹ ¡¸¡­Inglis¡ª¡ª¡¹ ¡¸¡­So you can think like that too¡ª¡ª¡¹


    Ripple¡¯s eyes moistened, Eris seemed to be moved. Inglis only smiled back at them, not saying anything further. She was willing to help out the suffering Ripple. It was more than enough repayment for the excellent, tense training Ripple would kindly provide her.


    Plak!


    Suddenly, her shoulder was struck from behind!


    ¡¸You said something good, Glis! Even when I know exactly what¡¯s in your mind, I just can¡¯t help but go along with the ride! Exactly, we¡¯re going to protect Miss Ripple¡¯s heart!¡¹


    It was Rafinha, her eyes gleaming and her breath heavy. She must have really liked the notation of protecting Ripple¡¯s heart.


    ¡¸Hahaha¡­ Thanks, Rani.¡¹ ¡¸¡­I understand your feelings now. I will leave Ripple in the care of the Knight Academy in respect of your determination. You will fully cooperate with them, Theodore. I personally will explain the situation to His Majesty¡ª¡ªto my Father.¡¹


    With a tone full of dignity, Prince Wayne told his decision.


    ¡¸¡¸¡¸Yes!¡¹¡¹¡¹


    The three students replied with their breath in sync. Everything worked as Inglis desired. Another challenging subject was added to the Academy¡¯s training regiment.

 Chapter 92: 15-year-old Inglis and Hyrule Menaces’ Disease (13)

    ¡¸¡ª¡ªI¡¯m not sure I should be doing this with everything that happens to me¡­¡¹


    Remarked Ripple who then submerged half of her face into the hot water, producing bubbles as she exhaled underwater.


    ¡¸It¡¯s alright. I¡¯m always ready. Better yet, I¡¯d be happy to do it right this instant. Please, summon them, now.¡¹


    Inglis who was soaking next to her replied like so. This was the public bathroom of the Knight Academy¡¯s girls¡¯ dormitory. With the decision of Ripple placed under the care of the Academy being imparted, the moment they left the castle, they went here to let loose first and foremost.


    ¡¸No, look, I can¡¯t control it¡­ Can you not look at me with such a hungry-looking gaze?¡¹ ¡¸Come on, Glis. You¡¯re troubling Miss Ripple. Don¡¯t poke fun at her.¡¹ ¡¸It¡¯s not like that. You see, since we take this as a form of good training, I want Miss Ripple not to be too conscious about it.¡¹ ¡¸No, it¡¯s just you who sees it that way, Glis. Can you stop mix us with you as you please?¡¹


    Leone also nodded in agreement.


    ¡¸But, well, depending on how you see it, Miss Inglis is right too. There is no doubt that this will become a valuable battle experience.¡¹


    Principal Miliera took Inglis¡¯ side. It was her who suggested dipping in the bath as soon as they reached the campus ground.


    ¡¸But¡­ I don¡¯t want anyone to get hurt because of me, I never¡ª¡ªThis isn¡¯t what a Hyrule Menace is¡­¡¹ ¡¸It¡¯s okay. If it¡¯s happening again, I will immediately deploy a barrier to isolate you from the surroundings.¡¹


    Said the Principal as she waved around her staff Artifact. She even especially brought it to the bath with her. Because she entered the bath along with the rest, she exuded the amorous air of a mature woman, which made Inglis even more troubled to find a place to rest her gaze.


    ¡¸That way, while minimizing the damage to the surrounding, Miss Inglis and many other skilled students will eliminate the Magic Stone Beasts. We won¡¯t let you harm anyone.¡¹ ¡¸Yeah. But, what do we do at times you¡¯re not available, Miliera? You can¡¯t possibly be attached to me all day long, can you?¡¹ ¡¸Well, Mister Theodore is currently preparing Artifacts that serve the same purpose, you see. I also asked him to prepare an Artifact for Miss Leone while at it!¡¹ ¡¸Wah, thank you very much!¡¹ ¡¸It was a good opportunity for it, after all. You know the saying, take as much as we could while we could. Fufufu.¡¹


    What a determined woman.That being said, it¡¯s true that the more Artifacts that can make a barrier, the better.


    ¡¸I will arrange a system where a group of several people will take turns escorting you. You just need to bear with it for a while. And while you¡¯re here anyway, just think of it as an untimely holiday and unwind yourself.¡¹ ¡¸I-, I can¡¯t possibly take advantage of everyone¡¯s goodwill like¡ª¡ª¡¹ ¡¸It¡¯s all right, we will do our absolute best after all! We know that you¡¯re the one who¡¯s hurt the most if we¡¯re injured, Miss Ripple!¡¹


    Splash! Vigorously, Rafinha leaped to her feet. It wasn¡¯t like that was a problem, but her birthday suit was out in the open. Looking at her made Inglis feel embarrassed.


    ¡¸Still, putting that aside, I still want Miss Ripple to have fun. I want to get along with Miss Ripple too¡­¡¹ ¡¸Rafinha¡ª¡ª¡¹ ¡¸That¡¯s why, even for a little¡­ Can you cheer up?¡¹ ¡¸Hm¡­You¡¯re right. If I¡¯m down in the slump, I¡¯ll just drag everyone down with me too. Thank you, Rafinha. I¡¯ll trouble you a lot, but please take care of me, kay?¡¹


    Ripple showed the smile that had been absent from her lips.


    ¡¸Yes!¡¹


    Rafinha also seemed delighted. With her ever-cheerful, honest, untimid, and lively attitude, there might be people who just couldn¡¯t stomach Rafinha¡¯s guts and find her annoying, but¡ª¡ª Both Ripple and Eris accepted her just as was.


    As her guardian, it was something Inglis was grateful for. And something that brought a smile to her face.


    ¡¸But, Rani, cover your body. It¡¯s improper, okay?¡¹ ¡¸Nope! To show each other¡¯s naked skin is to show each other¡¯s naked heart! You show yours too, Glis!¡¹ ¡¸Hyau!? W-, wai-, stop it Rani¡ª¡ª! Don¡¯t say such nonsense¡­!¡¹ ¡¸It¡¯s okay, it¡¯s okay! Come on, you too Leone!¡¹ ¡¸I-, I¡¯ll pass this one, you two have fun!¡¹ ¡¸I won¡¯t let you escape by yourself¡­!¡¹ ¡¸Kyaah¡ª¡ª!? H-, honestly, Rafinha! If you keep doing this, Special Envoy Theodore will get disillusioned of you! And he already praised you so much before¡­!¡¹ ¡¸Eh¡­? W-, will he¡ª¡ª?¡¹ ¡¸He will. He¡¯ll think that you¡¯re immodest.¡¹ ¡¸O-, okay, maybe I should stop¡ª¡ª¡¹ ¡¸You can¡¯t! Here, you can look and touch me all you want, Rani, just don¡¯t think about such a thing¡­¡­!!¡¹


    Looking over the three, Ripple¡¯s eyes narrowed.


    ¡¸Young girls are so cute and nice. Having fun, aren¡¯t they?¡¹ ¡¸They are. Their liveliness is infectious.¡¹ ¡¸Ahahaha, you must be getting old to make such a comment, Miliera. ¡¹ ¡¸Uu¡­! I have so many things wearing me down, after all¡ª¡ªNo! I¡¯m still 17 at heart!¡¹ ¡¸At heart, alright. While for your looks¡­ well, you¡¯ve grown into a pretty adult, haven¡¯t you? I¡¯m a little bit jealous to see everyone else growing up, since we¡¯re stuck like this forever¡ª¡ª¡¹ ¡¸¡­I¡¯ve told you this before, but you should leave everything to us and take some rest. The Academy right now is housing a number of excellent students rivaling, or even surpassing, these three girls. It¡¯s a force you rarely see in recent years!¡¹ ¡¸That¡¯s superb. Who might they be? Are they our seniors? Do we have any joint training sessions?¡¹ ¡¸Wah¡­!? Inglis, girl, you are fast to react to exchanges like this, as always.¡¹ ¡¸Yes. After all, to get even stronger, you need to fight an even tougher opponent.¡¹ ¡¸Y-, you can¡¯t, Miss Inglis. We have a circumstance at hand. I am prohibiting any sham battle between students. It will be overwhelming if any of you get injured.¡¹ ¡¸EEHH¡­!? No way¡ª¡ª¡¹ ¡¸Geez, Glis. What¡¯s so wrong with that? You can have your fight since Magic Stone Beasts will keep appearing.¡¹ ¡¸But Rani, don¡¯t you know that the more fights, the better? You can grow for sure that way, and our lifetime is limited. We don¡¯t have time to dawdle around, you know?¡¹ ¡¸Why are you saying something so stupid? You¡¯re saying it like today is our last day alive. Don¡¯t need to panic, our seniors are not going anywhere, are they? Be patient.¡¹ ¡¸Muu¡­¡­¡¹


    Rafinha seemed to be fed up, but for Inglis who had experienced standing at the end of her life, she knew that there would be a lot of things one would wish to have done and roads one would wish to have taken. That was why it was best to see through everything she wanted without a shred of doubt.


    ¡¸Hahaha. Nice personality you got there, girl. Really. Even though you¡¯d look so cute, feminine, and feeble that you¡¯d never even hurt a single fly if you didn¡¯t say anything¡ª¡ª¡¹ ¡¸Much obliged. Thank you very much.¡¹ ¡¸No¡­ That wasn¡¯t a praise at all, Glis.¡¹ ¡¸But she said I look cute.¡¹ ¡¸That¡¯s all you heard!?¡¹ ¡¸I mean, my personality is the same. I just think it¡¯s better to keep being positive.¡¹ ¡¸No, I wish you¡¯d change that somehow¡­¡¹ ¡¸¡¸That¡¯s impossible.¡¹¡¹


    Said the two in complete sync.


    ¡¸¡­Haah. That¡¯s right. I mean, it¡¯s Glis.¡¹ ¡¸That¡¯s true.¡¹ ¡¸You girls really are close, Inglis, Rafinha. Well, if mock battles between students are prohibited, then do you mind if you¡¯re up against me?¡¹ ¡¸Are you serious thank you very much! Then please do, right this instant! Where should we fight!? I don¡¯t mind even if we do it right here right now!¡¹


    With anticipation painting all over her face, Inglis leaped out of the water with a huge splash.


    ¡¸N-, no, we can¡¯t do it right now. We need to have Miliera and the others able to watch me and act freely, okay?¡¹ ¡¸Come on, Glis. Hide your body a little. You¡¯re making me embarrassed!¡¹ ¡¸¡­Phew. Being with these girls never bore me¡ª¡ª¡¹


    Murmured Leone with a sigh.

 Chapter 93: 15-year-old Inglis and Hyrule Menaces’ Escorting Directive (1)

    It had been decided that Ripple the Hyrule Menace was to live under the Academy¡¯s roof for a while. That being said, that didn¡¯t mean regular practices would be pushed out of the agenda.


    Today, Inglis and the other freshmen students went to the Flygear Dock on the shores of Lake Vault and conducted a joint training session between the Knight division and Squire division. And on their way back, they ran a marathon to the Academy as usual.


    ¡¸Fuhahaha! Run you lots, RUN!! Move your legs, Squire kids! Don¡¯t you see those Knight brats belittling you in their mind just because you got no Runes?! It¡¯s the best opportunity to spit back at their entitled faces! You Knight students, if you lose to the Squires then you might as well fail at being a Knight! Show me your obstinacy, you brats!¡¹


    Instructor Margus, the instructor in charge of the Squire division, was leading the marathon while riding a Flygear.


    ¡¸Haah, haah¡­¡­! He sure says nasty stuff¡­¡­ That instructor has a really bad personality¡­¡­! We¡¯re not belittling the Squire division or anything¡­¡­!¡¹


    With her breath rough, Rafinha complained.


    ¡¸H-, how do we even belittle them¡­¡­! I-, I mean, look¡­¡­!¡¹


    Leone¡¯s gaze was directed at the Flygear that Instructor Margus was riding. The Flygear he was on was, in fact, not flying. Inglis was carrying the vehicle over her head.


    Since it was a training session, she might as well elevate the intensity herself, which eventually led to this situation. That sight was common and familiar for the Squire division students. ¡¸T-, truly an extraordinary girl¡­ H-, however, I shan¡¯t lose at least in speed!¡¹


    Liselotte steadied her heart and picked up the pace. She finally caught up with Inglis and the Flygear, wheezing as she did.


    ¡¸Ah, Liselotte. You¡¯re fast.¡¹ ¡¸C-, composed aren¡¯t we¡­!?¡¹


    There were some slivers of sweat on Inglis, but her breath was practically fit as a fiddle.


    ¡¸Yeah. For the most part, I¡¯ve grown accustomed to it after all.¡¹ ¡¸Is¡­ Is that something you grow accustomed to¡­!?¡¹ ¡¸Yeah. Come to think of it, what happened to Van and Ray? I don¡¯t see them around.¡¹


    They were Liselotte¡¯s attendants who matriculated into the Squire division. They both possessed a Rune, but they deliberately entered the Squire division to serve Liselotte.


    ¡¸They withdrew from the Academy and went back to their parents¡¯ house.¡¹ ¡¸Eh, they did¡­? Ah, is it because Prime Minister Althea resigned?¡¹


    They both were sons of aristocrats but served as Liselotte¡¯s attendants because she was the Prime Minister¡¯s daughter. Now that she was no longer in that social position, however, things had changed.


    ¡¸Yes. You guessed well. It is indeed because Father resigned from his post and retired to our territory. But, that is only natural. This is what it means to have a household name.¡¹ ¡¸It feels lonely without them, doesn¡¯t it?¡¹ ¡¸Not necessarily so. As a matter of fact, the two of them are directed to matriculate into the Knight division by their household. No longer being my attendants, you see, they both resigned from the Academy, saying that they couldn¡¯t possibly treat me as their equal at the drop of a hat. Therefore, so long as we still have the spirit of a Knight dwelling in us, they and I are friends. There will be a time when we fight together again.¡¹ ¡¸I see¡­ Then, Liselotte, you should get on my Flygear too. I have room for you.¡¹ ¡¸Sure, thank you.¡¹


    Then, Rafinha who caught up with both of them struck Liselotte¡¯s back.


    ¡¸Alrighty! Let¡¯s get some sweets in the cafeteria once we¡¯re back! It¡¯s on me! At times like this, you fill yourself with sweets and change your mood! Right, Leone?¡¹


    Leone was also catching up.


    ¡¸Yeah! I¡¯m worried about getting fat, but today I¡¯ll go all out.¡¹ ¡¸Ah, yeah, Glis. Why don¡¯t we invite Miss Ripple while at it?¡¹ ¡¸Today she is being examined by Special Envoy Theodore and Principal MIliera, isn¡¯t she? Once she is done, maybe we can ask her out?¡¹ ¡¸I am not well updated with the situation, but it is an honor to be able to protect a Hyrule Menace!¡¹ ¡¸So, you¡¯re approving her stay too, Liselotte?¡¹ ¡¸Of course! Hyrule Menaces are every girls¡¯ dream! In fact, once in the past, they saved me from a Magic Stone Beast. If possible, by all means, I wish to get closer to her!¡¹


    Apparently, Liselotte had a huge admiration for Hyrule Menaces.


    ¡¸Alright, let¡¯s hurry up then! Speed up!¡¹ ¡¸Umm, Rafinha. I¡¯m already at my limits¡­!¡¹ ¡¸Any faster than this is a tall order¡­¡­£¡¡¹ ¡¸Yeah, let¡¯s.¡¹


    In a woosh, Inglis accelerated.


    ¡¸Wai-¡­¡­! Glis!¡¹ ¡¸! EEEHHH!? She still can get so much faster!?¡¹ ¡¸U-, unbelievable¡­!¡¹


    While Rafinha, Leone, and Liselotte were taken by surprise, it seemed like the speed was unexpected even for Instructor Margus who rode the Flygear Inglis held.


    ¡¸NUUOOOOHHHHH?!??!?!¡¹


    Apparently, it was too fast for him that he was thwarted off.


    ¡¸Ah. I¡¯m sorry, Instructor.¡¹ ¡¸D-, don¡¯t mind it. You run very we¡ª¡ª WEEAAHHHH!?!?!?!¡¹


    He was then trampled by the group of students who ran behind them.


    ¡¸Hehehe! That feels great! Think of it as a payment for always giving us hellish trainings!¡¹


    Lahti, who was leading Pullum by the hand, also took part in stepping on the instructor.


    And then, once they reached the Academy, Inglis and the others received a summon with no time to have sweets at all. It seemed like they would receive operational instructions to protect Ripple the Hyrule Menace.

 Chapter 94: 15-year-old Inglis and Hyrule Menaces’ Escorting Directive (2)

    Among the students that were summoned to the meeting, Inglis, Rafinha, Leone, and Liselotte were the only first years. What they had in common was that they all possessed the special extracurricular permit. There were also some second-year and third-year students; they must have owned the permit as well.


    ¡¸Thank you everyone for gathering up~. We have a super important favor to ask, so make sure to listen to the end, okay?¡¹


    As usual, Principal Miliera sported a manner of speech that didn¡¯t sound substantial at all. The gathering students looked disappointed for a while until they saw Special Envoy Theodore and Ripple the Hyrule Menace, making them straighten their shoulders. They could feel that it was not a trifling matter.


    After which, the Principal updated them with the situation. About the strange occurrence that happened to Ripple¡¯s body. About her existence which would bring forth Magic Stone Beasts. About borrowing the strength of Special Envoy Theodore to analyze and resolve the phenomenon. And about the policy of Ripple¡¯s stay under the Academy¡¯s roof until the solution was discovered.


    ¡¸I see now. We are to escort Lady Ripple and in the event of Magic Stone Beast¡¯s appearance, we will eliminate them immediately. That is all to prevent any damage to the surrounding, is it?¡¹


    The one who recapped it was a male student donning the uniform of a third-year Knight division student. His hair short and close to ashen in color, his eyes were behind a pair of glasses, and his profile assumed intelligence for a young man. The Rune glowing from his right hand was that of a High Grade¡ª¡ª No, it was Special Grade Rune, shining in rainbow.


    ¡¸That¡¯s a Special Grade¡ª¡ª¡¹


    Hyrule Menaces were the ultimate Artifact. Their true strength would only shine once they turn into a weapon. It was said that only weaponized Hyrule Menaces could rein in the strongest of all Magic Stone Beasts, a Prisma. And the only ones who could wield them were Holy Knights with Special Grade Runes.


    This young man would be a candidate as Holy Knights in the future, the so-called Kingdom¡¯s Hero and Savior. Inglis wondered if he would become Raphael¡¯s junior.


    ¡¸That¡¯s Sir Silva Eiren. The younger brother of the Imperial Guard Order¡¯s Commander, Sir Reddas Eiren. The only owner of Special Grade Rune within the student body.¡¹


    Liselotte introduced with a hushed voice.


    ¡¸In short, he is the strongest student in the academy?¡¹ ¡¸Yes, that would be so.¡¹ ¡¸That¡¯s nice¡­¡­ He sounds tough, I wish I can fight him¡ª¡ª¡¹ ¡¸That¡¯s all you ever have in your head, huh¡­¡­¡¹


    Liselotte looked at Inglis flabbergasted.


    ¡¸It is as Mister Silva said. Everyone will pick your own members from your respective years. and make a group. Each group will take turns escorting Miss Ripple. You¡¯re also allowed to ask for help from any students at your discretion. If the strange phenomenon starts and Magic Stone Beasts appear, please immediately put up barriers using these Artifacts we provided and isolate Miss Ripple from the surroundings.¡¹ ¡¸¡¸¡¸Yes!¡¹¡¹¡¹


    The selected students nodded in affirmation.


    ¡¸These are the mentioned Artifacts. Please take them, everyone. Make sure that there is at least one person who can set up the barrier by her side at all times.¡¹


    Following Principal Miliera, Special Envoy Theodore brought out the Artifacts. Spear model, shield model, staff model¡ª¡ªit varied in shapes and form.


    ¡¸¡­There isn¡¯t any bow, huh. I can¡¯t use them.¡¹ ¡¸Then, I shall take the spear one.¡¹ ¡¸I¡¯m taking the sword.¡¹


    The Artifacts spread among the first, second, and third years. ¡ª¡ªIt appeared that there were still some Artifacts left.


    ¡¸¡­Maybe I should get one too.¡¹


    Inglis had no Rune, but Rune was basically a controlled flow of Mana fixated in one direction. If Inglis converted Ether into Mana and controlled them in that specific flow, she should be able to use the Artifact as normal. Not to mention, if she could learn the phenomenon said Artifact created, it was all too possible for her to recreate the phenomenon directly. Although, if the flow of Mana was too complicated, it would be hard to do.


    For the time being, having one of these Artifacts in hand won¡¯t be a bad idea. And there are still some leftovers, too.


    Inglis stepped forward and reached for the Artifacts in front of her.


    ¡¸Hold it. Stop whatever you¡¯re doing. What even the use of you carrying one.¡¹


    She was stopped by Silva.


    ¡¸Hm? What¡¯s wrong, Senior?¡¹ ¡¸Don¡¯t give me ¡°what¡¯s wrong.¡± You have no use carrying an Artifact. It¡¯s not something a runeless Squire like you can handle. Don¡¯t lay your hands on them.¡¹ ¡¸Yes, I understand. I¡¯m terribly sorry.¡¹


    She bowed to him. Inglis then tried to obediently back out, but¡ª¡ª


    ¡¸Wait a minute! You don¡¯t have to say it like that¡­¡­!¡¹


    Of course, it was Rafinha who couldn¡¯t stay silent at times like this.


    ¡¸Come on, Rani. It¡¯s alright. Don¡¯t get mad, I don¡¯t really mind, you see¡­ Fufufu¡ª¡ª¡¹ ¡¸W-, why are you smirking so happily, Glis.¡¹ ¡¸It¡¯s alright, it¡¯s alright. Let¡¯s just behave for now. Kay?¡¹


    Inglis was, in fact, in good humor. Apparently, this Silva student didn¡¯t really favor the Squire students kindly in his heart. And, apparently, he was quite the naggy and short-tempered type. In short, he was mentally immature.


    But, people like him would be willing to exert his everything to go at her with just any small provocation. Holy Knights and Hyrule Menaces wouldn¡¯t so easily lose themselves in emotion and come slashing at her unless they were standing as hostiles. But for this Silva guy, it was possible. Inglis was delighted because he could be a good opponent to clash hands with.


    ¡¸It¡¯s fine, Mister Silva. We do have some extra, so it okay, right?¡¹ ¡¸Principal! In that case, shouldn¡¯t we instead keep them safely in case ours are compromised? There is no Artifact we could put to waste.¡¹ ¡¸Well, what you said is true, but Miss Inglis won¡¯t waste¡ª¡ªactually, I think I can¡¯t say that she won¡¯t waste it away¡­¡­ Ahahaha????¡¹ ¡¸Stop jesting already! In the first place, what are Squire students doing here? Are you sure there isn¡¯t a fault in your judgment? This mission is supposed to be an important one. If that¡¯s the case, we should resort only to people up to the task. Runeless like her will only drag our feet down. They need to leave now!¡¹ ¡¸¡­¡­¡¹


    That¡¯s troubling. Hm, how should I wheedle my way out of here¡­ Inglis thought as such, but it was then¡ª¡ª


    ¡¸Understood.¡¹


    Someone else raised their hand. It was a girl with slightly pale, cherry blossom-colored hair that reached the shoulders. The uniform she wore indicated she was a sophomore year. She was extremely beautiful, but also had an equally cold atmosphere around her.


    The right hand she held up had no Rune engraved on it. It seemed like this girl was a Runeless too.


    ¡¸Thank you very much. Then, goodbye.¡¹


    She then headed towards the exit with a brisk gait.


    ¡¸Aah, hold on! Wait, Miss Yua!¡¹


    The school principal, Miliera, flusteredly stopped Yua on her track.

 Chapter 95: 15-year-old Inglis and Hyrule Menaces’ Escorting Directive (3)

    ¡¸What is it? I¡¯m sleepy, I want to sleep.¡¹


    Yua replied to Miliera without changing even a single strand of her face muscle. Despite being briefed on the emergency situation, her attitude implied that she didn¡¯t take any interest in the mission at all. And that, in turn, actually made her feel like she was no ordinary person.


    ¡¸No no no, you heard what I said, right? I need everyone¡¯s help.¡¹ ¡¸Teehee.¡¹


    She stuck her tongue out without changing her expression at all.


    ¡¸No no no no no¡­¡­¡¹


    Principal Miliera would also brush off any inconvenience with a teehee, but Senior Yua made even less sense that even the Principal was baffled.


    ¡¸At any rate, it¡¯s such a super emergency that needs everyone¡¯s help to contain. You are the Ace of the second year. We can¡¯t afford not having you.¡¹ ¡¸But, that glasses there said I need to leave¡ª¡ªWas that a dream?¡¹ ¡¸It was, it really was. Just a dream, nothing more. He didn¡¯t say anything like that, you know?¡¹ ¡¸¡­Can¡¯t be helped then.¡¹


    Yua said as she went back to her seat, but¡ª¡ª


    ¡¸No, I said it! Squire students are not up to this task. You stay out of this.¡¹ ¡¸Understood. Thank you very much.¡¹ ¡¸AAAaaaahhh waaitt!! Mister Silva, can you please not make everything back to square one!¡¹


    Seeing such a sight unveiling, Liselotte began to whisper.


    ¡¸¡­¡­Somehow, the Principal is weirdly inclined to easily accept oddballs like you. With our seniors being like that, I can only accept that for a fact.¡¹ ¡¸Eh? Why do you speak like it¡¯s none of your business? You¡¯re part of this group of oddballs you know; We¡¯re friends, after all.¡¹


    Replied Rafinha without a moment¡¯s delay.


    ¡¸I-, I¡¯m not sure if I should be happy or sad.¡¹ ¡¸Ahahaha. I, for one, am happy, since we¡¯re all friends.¡¹ ¡¸Well, if Leone is fine with it, then so am I¡­¡­¡¹ ¡¸And not only the Squire students, but the relative of that betrayer too! That woman is Leon the Betrayer¡¯s little sister, isn¡¯t she!? I can never trust my back to her!¡¹ ¡¸Hold on! Mister Leon and Leone are two different people! Even if it¡¯s you, senior, that phrasing is unforgivable¡¹ ¡¸She is most correct! That train of thought shows nothing but imprudence! You¡¯d understand if you knew her better!¡¹


    The situation had grown even muddier¡ª¡ª And so, Inglis attempted to push through a certain demand with an atmosphere that seemed like she was trying to mediate.


    ¡¸Calm down, everyone, calm down. Senior Silva, if you think that we are not up for the mission, then why don¡¯t you test us out with a match? I¡¯m afraid there¡¯s no other way to shake off your dissatisfaction with us¡ª¡ª¡¹ ¡¸¡­¡­Hmm¡ª¡ª¡¹ ¡¸Here.¡¹


    Yua quickly raised her hand.


    ¡¸Ah, Senior Yua. What is it?¡¹ ¡¸That sounds bothersome, so I dun wanna.¡¹ ¡¸¡­¡­¡­¡­¡¹


    What was this feeling, she was one-of-a-kind. Be it Rafinha, Leone, or Liselotte, while their personalities varied, they were all serious deep inside. While for Senior Yua, Inglis felt like there was something fundamentally different.


    Naturally, she was different from Inglis as well, as Inglis just received a shock that her long-awaited chance to fight was shot down just because it was deemed to be a hassle.


    ¡¸But still, Yua. In practice, we¡¯re not really sure if our strength is enough to carry out the mission without you. I mean, we¡¯re divided by the years, right?¡¹


    Another sophomore year student commented to Yua. True enough, there were only three second-year students including Yua in the room, making them the least since even the freshmen year had four people.


    ¡¸Got that. I¡¯ll do it.¡¹ ¡¸Well then, Senior Yua. Let us test our ability against Senior Silva.¡¹ ¡¸That I don¡¯t wanna¡¹


    She didn¡¯t want to.


    ¡¸It¡¯s the Principal who gave out the order, so if he¡¯s got a bone to pick, then say it to the Principal.¡¹


    And she suddenly said something sound.


    ¡¸No, well, that might be true, but¡ª¡ªDidn¡¯t you try to leave because Senior Silva told you to¡­¡­¡¹ ¡¸Hmph¡ª¡ªYou¡¯re just spineless because you¡¯re afraid to fight me, aren¡¯t you?¡¹


    Silva then threw his face to Yua.


    ¡¸¡­¡­It¡¯s already clear who¡¯s stronger, anyway. I don¡¯t like bullying the weak.¡¹ ¡¸What¡¯d you say¡­¡­!?¡¹


    Grasping from the conversation between them, Inglis wondered if Yua and Silva had once fought each other. And it was Yua who won? If so, then it would be most interesting. It was easy to imagine that Silva¡¯s strength was at the level of a Holy Knight, with how he possessed a Special Grade Rune. If Yua was the stronger one, then Inglis could have a good expectation if she fought her.


    ¡¸Principal¡ª¡ª¡¹


    And thus, she asked in secret.


    ¡¸Yes¡­¡­ It is as you thought, Miss Inglis. They fought in a mock battle, but only once. Ever since then, the two of them have always been at odds¡­ It would be great if you could help me mend their relationship somehow, Miss Inglis. After all, you are the first year¡¯s Ace.¡¹ ¡¸¡­¡­Rani is better suited in human relationships¡ª¡ªAs for me, I would be happy if you asked me to wipe the floor with their faces.¡¹


    In the first place, it seemed like it was just Silva who one-sidedly antagonized Yua. Yua herself didn¡¯t really heed him.


    ¡¸Hmm¡­¡­I wonder if only quirky people are bestowed with power.¡¹


    And, right when Principal Miliera uttered such words¡ª¡ª


    Flop!


    Came the sound of someone dropping onto the floor.


    ¡¸Miss Ripple! Get ahold of yourself¡­¡­!¡¹


    Special Envoy Theodore was the first to respond, with Ripple seated right next to him. She already lost consciousness by then, while her body was enveloped in the same black sphere as before¡ª¡ª It was the same phenomenon as in the Royal Castle.


    ¡¸Get away quick, Sir Theodore! It¡¯s dangerous! I¡¯ll set up the barrier, everyone prepares yourselves!¡¹


    Principal Miliera waved the staff Artifact she had. After which, an extensive barrier was deployed, engulfing the area. A semi-transparent wall of light was seen outside the window.


    A frame of a second passed before the space near the ceilings distorted, from which Magic Stone Beasts started to pour in. They were the same as the ones that appeared in the castle; humanoid. Magic Stone Beasts of the same kind of Beastman as Ripple.


    ¡¸Th-, they¡¯re here¡ª¡ª!¡¹


    Tension spread amongst the students in a beat. But, not a single one of them raised a panicked shout or tried to flee.


    ¡¸Principal! Which grade is in charge today!?¡¹


    Asked Silva.


    ¡¸Eh?¡¹ ¡¸Each grade makes teams and takes turns, right? You¡¯re fine with us taking the first day?¡¹ ¡¸I-, I¡¯m fine with that, but¡­¡­¡¹ ¡¸Alright¡­¡­! All of you better keep your hands¡ª¡ª¡¹


    KABOOOOOM!!!


    At that time, Inglis had already kicked three Magic Stone Beasts that appeared altogether. The impact caused the walls to cave in, making the entire room creak lightly.


    ¡¸WH-¡­¡­!? Y-, you! I told you to keep your hands off them!!¡¹ ¡¸Yes. Isn¡¯t that why I used my feet?¡¹


    Said Inglis with a smile that hung from ear to ear.

 Chapter 96: 15-year-old Inglis and Hyrule Menaces’ Escorting Directive (4)

    ¡¸Ooohh!? Isn¡¯t that girl tremendous for a Squire student¡­!?¡¹ ¡¸That speaks why she¡¯s summoned here!¡¹ ¡¸Sh-, she¡¯s just like Yua¡­! It feels like I¡¯m seeing another Yua¡­!?¡¹


    All the upperclassmen raised their voices in astonishment.


    ¡¸¡¸¡¸And she¡¯s unbelievably cute¡­!!!¡¹¡¹¡¹


    While it was totally not important, they said it in perfect unison.


    ¡¸It¡¯s no time for something that stupid! All third-years, respond to attack immediately! It doesn¡¯t matter how hard that Runeless kicked them, physical attacks won¡¯t kill a Magic Stone Beast!¡¹


    Silva readied his Artifact whilst giving out orders. The Artifact he wielded was a peculiar weapon with a long barrel¡ªa rifle. Apparently, it was originally developed as an anti-personnel armament on the Highland. While it was rare to see such an article down on the Midland, Inglis had seen one of such in her hometown Ymir. Marquis Wilford was in possession of one.


    A rifle Artifact was rare as rifles were hardly used on Midland. Even if such Artifacts were bestowed, there was still the factor of unfamiliarity towards such a sophisticated weapon that would shun its user.


    Silva with his rainbow-colored Rune should be able to wield any kind of Artifact he wanted. The reason he purposely used a rifle must be because it possessed some excellent Gift. The rifle¡¯s barrels were riddled with some red patterns, indicating that it had a fire attribute.


    For now, let¡¯s see what he¡¯s got. But, before that¡ª


    Pshooo!


    A pure white arrow of light flew past Silva¡¯s face. Rafinha fired her light bow Artifact.


    It pierced through the Magic Stone Beast that Inglis had buried in the wall. And she shot not only once, but twice, thrice, then continued in rapid session. She thoroughly hushed the Magic Stone Beasts.


    ¡¸Rani? Don¡¯t come to me if you¡¯re scolded, okay?¡¹ ¡¸Eh? But I¡¯m keeping my hands off them, I¡¯m just shooting my bow, you know?¡¹ ¡¸There won¡¯t be any problem, then.¡¹ ¡¸Right?¡¹ ¡¸As if that logic works! I don¡¯t care if you¡¯re Sir Raphael the Holy Knight¡¯s sister, acting on your own convenience is¡ª!¡¹ ¡¸Who¡¯s the one acting by his own convenience here!¡¹


    Rafinha didn¡¯t lose.


    ¡¸If any one of us here gets hurt, Miss Ripple will suffer! That¡¯s why we are doing our everything not to get injured! Your so-called honor isn¡¯t important for that, we all need to collaborate! Senior Silva, you¡¯re going to become a Holy Knight, aren¡¯t you? Then you¡¯re the one who should understand Miss Ripple¡¯s feelings the most! You¡¯re going to fight together with Hyrule Menaces like her, after all!¡¹ ¡¸¡­¡­!? What did you say¡­¡­!? You dare to spew on when you don¡¯t even have a Special Grade¡ª¡ª!¡¹ ¡¸Even without a Special Grade Rune, I¡¯ve seen someone who has it up close and personal!¡¹


    Rafinha¡¯s declaration slapped Silva hard. That someone was, of course, Raphael. When comparing Silva to Raphael, it couldn¡¯t be helped that Silva would look immature. Not only was Raphael older, he already matured into a proper adult. It wasn¡¯t that Silva¡¯s future potential was being denied, however, as it only spoke of the current situation. His aptitude to wield a Special Grade Rune was authentic. He could still grow up and change however he wanted.


    But, there was one thing Inglis had to say¡ª¡ªShe liked Rafinha when she stood up to her own conviction and justice. She was really cute and nice when she stiffened her face as hard as she could, even though she usually wouldn¡¯t make such a face.


    ¡¸Aah!? My spear also hits something when I swing it around!¡¹ ¡¸My sword hit them too! I¡¯m very sorry!¡¹


    Both Liselotte and Leone also began attacking the Magic Stone Beasts. It seemed like they were in to get scoldings together.


    ¡¸Senior Yua! You heard me, didn¡¯t you!? Don¡¯t laze around and help too! It¡¯s all for Miss Ripple!¡¹ ¡¸Y-, yes¡­¡­! I¡¯m sorry¡ª¡ª!¡¹


    Being pressured by Rafinha¡¯s appeal, Senior Yua was startled. While charging at a newly emerging Magic Stone Beast, Inglis looked at her with a sidelong glance. She looked like a small animal, didn¡¯t look very strong at all, but¡ª¡ª


    After a single breath, Yua executed an action that made it seem as though she vanished and slipped into the space between Inglis and the Magic Stone Beast.


    ¡ª¡ªShe wedged herself in between me! I could see her motion, but what frightening speed.


    Plop!


    With a hand strike as light as a soft plop, Yua struck the beast. But, with just that¡ª¡ª


    Crackle-crackle!


    It raised such a disturbing sound as a huge indent was carved unto the beast¡¯s body.


    ¡¸Oooh¡­¡­! Amazing¡ª¡ª!¡¹


    That much power with such a light tap. Not to mention, her speed ¡ªwhen she approached the Magic Stone Beast¡ª was quicker than Inglis while she was under the strain of the high gravity load.


    Although, physical attacks were ineffective against Magic Stone Beasts, so her attack was meaningless. As meaningless as it was, it didn¡¯t matter to Inglis since she would still like to fight with her.


    She is a powerful person, and nobody can object to it. By all means, let¡¯s ask for a bout of fight.


    ¡¸Hup!¡¹


    Yua kicked a Magic Stone Beast behind her with her hind heel.


    GOAAA!!


    With the momentum of a bullet, the beast came flying towards Inglis.


    ¡¸Ah, sorry.¡¹ ¡¸It¡¯s okay! Haat!¡¹


    DOgaaan!!


    She kicked it directly up. The beast gained even more momentum and pierced the ceilings headfirst.


    ¡¸Oh. You¡¯re good.¡¹


    Yua made a face like she was impressed, albeit slightly.


    ¡¸Thank you very much. Then, by all means, please have a bout of fight with me!¡¹ ¡¸That¡¯s a no. Contest of strength or such isn¡¯t my thing.¡¹


    While saying so, Yua continued punching away Magic Stone Beasts.


    ¡¸Please don¡¯t be like that and give me a chance!¡¹


    Inglis steadily kicked away the Magic Stone Beasts with the same momentum.


    ¡¸Nope.¡¹ ¡¸Please!¡¹


    Whilst they continued negotiating, Inglis and Yua continued blowing away the beasts with tremendous force.


    ¡¸¡¸¡¸Those two are terrific¡ª¡ª! This¡¯ll be a piece of cake! ¡¹¡¹¡¹


    The other students only needed to go around the room dealing the finishing blow.


    ¡¸Kgh¡­¡­ You deaf, disobedient lots¡­¡­£¡¡¹ ¡¸Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa! Mister Silva! Then, I¡¯ll have everyone here participate under my authority! That¡¯s why, nobody is at fault! Everyone, keep up the good work!¡¹


    Commanded Principal Miliera in a fluster.

 Chapter 97: 15-year-old Inglis and Hyrule Menaces’ Escorting Directive (5)

    The tide of battle didn¡¯t change after that. Whenever a new Magic Stone Beast emerged, either Inglis or Yua would be the first to strike before the other students finished it off. Pure physical attacks were ineffective against Magic Stone Beast as their bodies would only twist before they healed up. However, as long as Inglis and Yua could create a small gap in their movements, it would give Rafinha and other Knight students enough time to deal the finishing blow.


    There was a reason how Inglis could always launch a pre-emptive strike. It was because she could sense the flow of mana that served as an indication whenever the beast emerged. That was why she could make a move one-two steps ahead of everyone else.


    And Yua, who could match with Inglis¡¯ movement could also feel the same flow of mana. Just what was this girl? Her aura differed from that of a Hyrule Menace.


    Was she a Highlander? But then, she didn¡¯t have a Stigma. Was she perhaps a Divine Knight, much like the Black Mask from the Ironblood Chain Brigade? But Inglis couldn¡¯t sense Ether from her. It could also be that she hid her Ether, however.


    At this point in time, Inglis couldn¡¯t say anything for sure. All she could say was that she didn¡¯t know anything.


    And that¡¯s precisely why it¡¯s intriguing. Coming here from the rural Ymir is a good decision, after all. The people I wish I can fight against are a dime a dozen.


    ¡¸Everyone. I think it¡¯s all right now. The phenomenon has stopped for the time being.¡¹


    Declared Theodore who was watching over Ripple¡¯s condition. As he said, Ripple who was enveloped in the black hemisphere light had returned to her previous state.


    ¡¸Miss Ripple!¡¹


    Rafina was the first to rush over.


    ¡¸If it was like before, then she must be waking up soon, right¡ª¡ª¡¹


    Leone also looked worried.


    ¡¸I see. I understand what we have to do now. If that¡¯s all, then I believe there won¡¯t be any problem. Principal. At the very least, us third years will carry out the mission without a single casualty.¡¹ ¡¸Yes. But, this is only a measure to prevent collateral damage, not the final solution. There is a possibility that something else may happen during the phenomenon, so please always exert caution.¡¹ ¡¸Do we have that solution in sight?¡¹ ¡¸I¡¯m very sorry. I need more time before I can promise anything, but I will make one fast as possible. I know I am asking a lot from all of you, but please brace your hearts.¡¹


    The Special Envoy answered Silva¡¯s question.


    ¡¸It would be great if you do¡­¡­¡¹


    Principal Miliera sighed deeply. Her eyes were overseeing the state of the ceilings and the walls. They were fiercely hammered by Magic Stone Beasts, leaving them riddled with cracks and holes.


    ¡¸If we don¡¯t have the solution soon, the whole campus will be nothing but pebbles¡ª¡ª¡¹


    She said it, implying that the idea made her head hurt.


    ¡¸¡ª¡ªAnd that¡¯s you two¡¯s fault.¡¹


    Said Silva, looking alternatively at Inglis and Yua.


    ¡¸¡¸¡­¡­??¡¹¡¹


    The two of them twisted their neck in confusion.


    ¡¸Don¡¯t act stupid! This is all because you blow away those beasts with no regard!¡¹ ¡¸But we are already holding back. Right? Umm¡­¡­¡¹ ¡¸It¡¯s Inglis. Senior Yua.¡¹ ¡¸Nn¡ª¡ªIn¡­¡­gle¡­¡­? In¡­¡­lee?¡¹ ¡¸It¡¯s Inglis, Senior.¡¹ ¡¸Nnh¡ª¡­¡­¡¹


    She made a difficult face.


    ¡¸Yua is bad at remembering other¡¯s names, you see.¡¹


    One of the upperclassmen informed.


    ¡¸That right, beansprout.¡¹


    While it was true that the senior had quite a lanky figure, he was, by his own right, a full-fledged High Grade Rune bearer.


    ¡¸Hic hic¡­¡­ See that? She still calls me that even after a year passed, you know? By the way, I¡¯m Maurice. Nice to meet you.¡¹ ¡¸It¡¯s my pleasure, senior. Then, Senior Yua, please call me as you like.¡¹ ¡¸Nn¡ª¡ªBoobie girl. We held back, didn¡¯t we?¡¹ ¡¸EEeeehh!? No, that¡¯s a little too¡­¡­¡¹


    However, Yua didn¡¯t seem to heed Inglis¡¯ plea and turned her eyes towards Silva.


    ¡¸In the first place. We didn¡¯t need to run around that much if you hadn¡¯t been lazing around, senior.¡¹ ¡¸I was restraining myself because I didn¡¯t want to burn the whole school to the ground with my Artifact! Use your heads when fighting!¡¹ ¡¸It¡¯s alright, it¡¯s alright. Rather than worrying about the room, isn¡¯t it great that none of you children are hurt¡ª¡ª¡¹ ¡¸Haha¡­¡­Perhaps it would have been better if I prepared an Artifact that brings you to a subspace rather than one that envelops the surrounding with a barrier.¡¹ ¡¸The kind that resembles Spatial Sorcery the Highlanders can use, is it.¡¹


    Inglis was reminded of the time she and her group were trapped in a subspace by a Highlander, Faris. Inglis didn¡¯t know if every single Highlander had it, but some Highlander had that kind of ability. It spoke that those Highlanders were quite the skilled sorcerer.


    ¡¸That¡¯s about right.¡¹ ¡¸The closest example is the ¡®Maze of Trials¡¯ Miss Inglis went into a few days ago. After all, that Artifact was imitating the Spatial Sorcery the Highlanders have.¡¹


    After Special Envoy Theodore, Principal Miliera also added in a few details.


    ¡¸Aah, I see now¡­¡­¡¹ ¡¸That being said, warping into a subspace will make the students imperceptible from the outside. It will be hard to bring in reinforcements and make the mission more dangerous than the alternative. Moreover, users of such kind of Artifacts are fewer and limited compared to the barrier-type Artifacts, right?¡¹ ¡¸Even so, it is also true that it¡¯s better to have both types in hand. Let me prepare some of the subspace warping types too.¡¹ ¡¸You¡¯re right. We can use either depending on the situation, too. Then, please do, Sir Theodore.¡¹ ¡¸I understand.¡¹


    And thus, the Hyrule Menace Escorting Mission had officially begun.

 Chapter 98: 15-year-old Inglis and Hyrule Menaces’ Escorting Directive (6)

    ¡¸Ahahaha. She gave you that kind of nickname, Inglis?¡¹


    When she heard Inglis and the others talking, Ripple laughed amusingly. Today she seemed to be in good spirits. Inglis knew that Ripple was aching deep down, as she could see how her expression would become cloudy after she woke up from or recalled the phenomenon¡¯s symptoms. However, she tried her best to appear cheerful so as not to make everyone around her become concerned.


    As per Principal Miliera¡¯s instruction, teams from each grade would take turns guarding Ripple for the day. Today was the first day for Inglis and the first years to take the duty. Ripple was free to go anywhere within the campus ground. While Inglis and the other students were advised to not miss their classes as much as possible. This meant that Ripple would inevitably come to visit the students taking their class.


    From what Inglis heard, it seemed that the upperclassmen were also visited by Ripple. That would very well mean that the Kingdom¡¯s Guardian Deity, a Hyrule Menace, came to observe the lessons, which resulted in the other students¡¯ morale raising through the roof.


    ¡¸Yes. Obviously, it is embarrassing for me¡­¡­¡¹


    Even with her appearance, Inglis was still a Monarch of a Kingdom with the title Hero King in her soul. She had grown accustomed to her female body lately, and she also enjoyed being one. However, never in her wildest dream that the day she would be called Boobie girl would come¡­ Fate was truly a most unexpected thing.


    ¡¸Yua¡¯s a bit of an odd girl. She can¡¯t remember my name too.¡¹


    To think she doesn¡¯t even remember the name of everyone¡¯s beloved Hyrule Menace, glorious isn¡¯t she?


    ¡¸What does she call you, Miss Ripple?¡¹ ¡¸Lady Beast-Ears¡¹ ¡¸¡­¡­¡¹


    It was true that Ripple had a set of animal ears, but still. At least she was aware that Ripple was a person in a high position.


    ¡¸Well, I don¡¯t mind either way. What about you, Rafinha? What does she name you?¡¹ ¡¸Devil girl¡ª¡ª¡¹


    Apparently, she was still scared of Rafinha a bit for being scolded.


    ¡¸¡­¡­You, Leone?¡¹ ¡¸Miss Number Two¡ª¡ªPerhaps, about these¡­¡­¡¹


    Leone pointed to her breasts where Rene buried herself.


    ¡¸Aah, I see what she meant¡­. Liselotte?¡¹ ¡¸Sh-, Sharpie¡­¡­she called me Sharpie.¡¹


    She had curly hair that ended in a pointy tip, perhaps that was where it came.


    ¡¸Hahaha. Everyone¡¯s got some absurd names.¡¹ ¡¸¡ª¡ªWell, Senior Yua is as much of a freak as Glis, but I¡¯m sure she understands us. Maybe¡­ The problem is Senior Silva. Miss Ripple, have you ever been treated or spoken rudely by Senior Silva before?¡¹ ¡¸Nn? He¡¯s alright, yanno? I do think he¡¯s too straightlaced, though. Still, I think he and I will make a good combi.¡¹


    Whilst still listening to Ripple, Inglis moved a chess piece on the board in front of her. On the other end, Leone sat with a thorny face. Today, as part of the classroom lecture, they were made to play chess, but the five of them remained after class to continue the game.


    ¡¸Uuu¡­¡­M-, my defeat¡ª¡ª¡¹


    Leone¡¯s shoulders slumped.


    ¡¸No good, I can¡¯t win no matter how much I try¡­¡­! Damn you Inglis, even though all you do is plunging into enemies headfirst whenever we¡¯re in a battle¡­¡­!¡¹ ¡¸You made me sound awful¡ª¡ª That is just what I usually do.¡¹


    A game of chess was different from reality. In reality, your pawn was capable of growth. It could grow stronger and even single-handedly crush the enemy¡¯s pawns, every last of it. Inglis¡¯ usual conduct was nothing but the product of her strategy to maximize that growth. In short, she was thoughtfully plunging into the enemies headfirst.


    ¡¸Well, you see, Glis is also a strong chess player. She has always been.¡¹ ¡¸She doesn¡¯t give off that impression, with how she usually carries herself.¡¹ ¡¸By the by, she defeated her own father the first time she played chess, and neither big bro Rafa nor my Father has ever beaten her even once.¡¹


    Rafinha and Liselotte who were playing on the board next to Inglis and Leone chimed in.


    ¡¸What about you, Miss Rafinha?¡¹ ¡¸Me? As if I can beat Inglis! ¡­¡­Can¡¯t you see?¡¹


    Said Rafinha with a bit of bitter expression. Liselotte¡¯s overwhelming victory was present on the chessboard.


    ¡¸I-, I guess so¡ª¡ªYou need to put more effort.¡¹


    Rafinha was not fit for a match that required underhanded tricks and bargaining pieces. Chess was a game that tested such qualities from a person. It was obvious that Rafinha was weak at it.


    ¡¸Well, I don¡¯t really need to be good at it. Whenever I¡¯m in trouble, I¡¯ll just leave it to Glis. Right?¡¹ ¡¸No, no, to become a full-fledged, independent Knight, you mustn¡¯t¡ª¡ª¡¹ ¡¸Yeah. Just leave everything to me.¡¹ ¡¸So soft!? Miss Inglis, aren¡¯t you pampering Miss Rafinha a bit too much?¡¹ ¡¸Am I? But, that¡¯s okay. I just need to be Rafinha¡¯s Squire forever, right?¡¹ ¡¸H-, haah¡ª¡ªAre you fine with that? With your strength, I¡¯m sure you can gain rank and honor through military service, you know?¡¹ ¡¸Yeah. I¡¯m not interested in those, after all.¡¹


    Rather, it would be troubling if she became successful in life in a way she didn¡¯t want. She would be put on the front line. Even if there were offers for such positions in the future, she would use her disposition as a Runeless Squire to talk herself out of it.


    ¡¸Hahaha¡­¡­You sure are strange.¡¹


    Liselotte laughed dryly. She then moved a pawn then brought her game to a conclusion.


    ¡¸Uuh~! I lost again¡­¡­!¡¹ ¡¸Would you play too, Lady Ripple? I¡¯d like to observe your skill.¡¹


    Liselotte invited Ripple to join her.


    ¡¸Nah, I¡¯m good. I¡¯m like Rafinha, I leave everything to Eris. I¡¯m better at moving my body.¡¹ ¡¸Then why don¡¯t we have a contest of strength? Conveniently, it is good to untangle your body after sitting for a long period of time, a proper amount of workout is excellent for your health, and rampaging around is good for relieving stress too¡ª¡¹


    Inglis quickly made her invitation. By all means, she would like to fight against Ripple at least once. She couldn¡¯t possibly miss a chance to fight a Hyrule Menace.


    ¡¸Gliss~~?¡¹


    Rafinha glared dagger at her.


    ¡¸Don¡¯t do it now, Inglis. What would you do if something happened to Miss Ripple?¡¹ ¡¸Indeed. Now is not the time for it.¡¹


    Both Leone and Liselotte were also marveled


    ¡¸No, no, no. By no means at all this is only because I want to fight, you see? I¡¯m also thinking that it would be good for Miss Ripple¡¯s condition. Okay, Rani?¡¹ ¡¸Nope. Don¡¯t be selfish. Don¡¯t you have your fill with the emerging Magic Stone Beasts?¡¹


    So spoke Rafinha, but¡ª¡ª


    ¡¸Nn~? I¡¯m fine with that. Let¡¯s do it, then?¡¹


    Ripple, surprisingly, nodded in consent.


    ¡¸R-, really!? Thank you very much, Miss Ripple!¡¹ ¡¸Miliera and Lord Theodore also said that they¡¯re curious what would happen if I fought, too. And, personally, I want to taste Lil Inglis¡¯ strength with my own body¡ª¡ªwait, aren¡¯t you being too happy? Hahaha¡­¡­¡¹ ¡¸Yes! I love you so very much, Miss Ripple!¡¹


    Inglis¡¯ eyes sparkled like a diamond. She was so happy that she actually made Ripple cower a bit.

 Chapter 99: 15-year-old Inglis and Hyrule Menaces’ Escorting Directive (7)

    Inglis and the other four went to the Principal¡¯s Office to ask Principal Miliera and Special Envoy Theodore. Having a match was fine and all, but they needed to tell those two first, claimed Ripple.


    ¡¸A match, is it? Well, it is you we are talking about, Miss Inglis, so I had thought you would come up with the topic. My prediction hit the mark, didn¡¯t it?¡¹ ¡¸You know your students well, Principal.¡¹


    Said Theodore with a smile.


    ¡¸Of course. I am still a proper Principal, after all.¡¹ ¡¸I think Glis is simpler than the other kids, though¡ª¡ª?¡¹ ¡¸That¡¯s right¡­ She only has one thing in her mind, after all.¡¹ ¡¸Sounds about right.¡¹ ¡¸Hahahaha. Inglis, they¡¯re dissing you.¡¹ ¡¸Rather than that, I want to fight fast! We can, right? Principal!? Come on come on come on¡­¡­!¡¹


    Inglis¡¯ eyes were still as sparkly, the excitement didn¡¯t die out one bit.


    ¡¸Ahahaha¡­¡­ Well, making her wait feels bad too, so let¡¯s get started. Sir Theodore, please take that one out.¡¹ ¡¸Sure. Then, Miss Leone. Here you go.¡¹


    What Special Envoy Theodore brought out was a black greatsword Artifact that used to be Leone¡¯s. It was furnished with a Gift that allowed it to change shapes and gigantify following its user¡¯s will. It was broken after Inglis put too much strength into it to impede a flying ship from falling onto the Royal Castle.


    ¡¸Ah, that¡¯s my¡­¡­!?¡¹ ¡¸Yes. The base used to construct it was the same one you originally used, Miss Leone.¡¹ ¡¸Base?¡¹ ¡¸Yes. While it appears the same, it¡¯s an improved version of it. There is an additional Gift aside from the original one¡ª¡ªAn exceptional item equipped with two Gifts at once! It¡¯s a new tech, you see, a new tech ????¡¹ ¡¸Heeh¡­¡­¡¹ ¡¸Waah! How lucky, Leone!¡¹ ¡¸What is the other Gift you spoke of?¡¹ ¡¸It can bring the people around it into a subspace and isolate them! It¡¯s the other type of measurement I spoke of that warps people into another space so as not to wreck the campus! Judging from the attribute of your Rune, you are the most suited to wield it amongst your friends, Miss Leone.¡¹ ¡¸It is a rushed product crafted at the last minute, so I want you to check the strength of the space it created and the duration of its effect. Please do the mock battle within the area of that Artifact. If there is no problem with the result, then I will distribute it to the other groups as well.¡¹


    Following Principal Miliera, Special Envoy Theodore added more details.


    ¡¸Before, when we were trapped in a subspace created by a Highlander, our Artifact stopped working inside the space. Is this one also¡­¡­?¡¹ ¡¸Of course not! You may use it without worry, Miss Leone.¡¹ ¡¸Understood, I will try using it!¡¹ ¡¸Then Leone, use it now! Now now!¡¹ ¡¸Eeh!? Here?¡¹ ¡¸It¡¯s fine. We want to enter and check if the Artifact works as intended too, after all.¡¹ ¡¸I understand. Then¡ª¡ª¡¹


    Leone then grasped the sword¡¯s handle tightly with both hands and focused her mind into it.


    ¡¸Uuh¡­¡­! Kgh¡­¡­Compared to usual, it feels¡­¡­!¡¹ ¡¸You don¡¯t have to rush it. It is a Gift you¡¯re not used to, after all. Take a deep breath and feel the flow of your Rune¡ª¡ª¡¹ ¡¸Yes¡ª¡ª¡¹


    Following the Principal¡¯s advice, Leone took a deep breath. Once her breath and flow of mana were well-ordered¡ª¡ªthe black sword began to distort. Accurately speaking, it was the distortion of space around the blade that made the sword appear to be twisted.


    ¡¸That¡¯s good, Miss Leone. Keep it up.¡¹ ¡¸Yes¡ª¡ª!¡¹


    By the time the distortion grew and reached its peak, there was no longer anything in their vision. After that, their visibility began to return, and once they could see their surroundings, they were in a large space with no walls or edges.


    ¡¸¡­¡­I did it!¡¹


    It was as she claimed. All seven of them had entered a different space than before.


    ¡¸Wah! So we¡¯re here now. It¡¯s really like the ¡®Maze of Trials¡¯ and that Highlander¡¯s sorcery!¡¹


    Commented Rafinha as she spied the surroundings. Although the subspace was similar, there was no strange illusion here, nor was the use of Artifacts blocked. It was purely a Gift used for isolation.


    ¡¸Are you okay, Leone? Is it too hard?¡¹


    Perhaps because she wasn¡¯t familiar with it, Leone seemed to have a hard time.


    ¡¸I-, I¡¯m fine. I¡¯m just not used to it. It¡¯s alright, you can start your match.¡¹ ¡¸I got it, thank you. Then, Miss Ripple. Please.¡¹ ¡¸Nn, gotcha. Let¡¯s take some distance, kay? Miliera, take care of the stray bullets, will ya?¡¹ ¡¸Suure. We want to test the strength of the space too, so please start off ve~ry lightly then gradually increase your strength.¡¹ ¡¸Yes, Principal.¡¹


    If so, then let¡¯s begin with hand-to-hand combat. No weapons, no projectiles. Inglis palmed her fist before assuming a fighting stance.


    ¡¸Gotcha, Miliera. Then, Lil¡¯ Inglis, come!¡¹


    To think I can fight with her so soon, Ripple is really a good person. I¡¯m glad I suggested having her come to the Academy. On top of that, I can still expect more Magic Stone Beasts appearing around her, too.


    ¡¸Yes! Here I come!¡¹


    Inglis kicked the ground and rushed straight ahead with her fist out. No petty tricks, no ace up her sleeve, a head-to-head contest.


    ¡¸That¡¯s some punch!¡¹


    Ker-chaank!!


    When Ripple¡¯s open palm caught Inglis¡¯ fist, a high-pitched sound reverberated. It was as though air vibrated and trembled with that alone.


    ¡¸It¡¯s fast and heavy!¡¹


    Ripple curled her other hand into a fist and sent it straight to Inglis.


    Ker-chaank!!


    ¡¸You too, your punch is heavy!¡¹


    This time, it was Inglis who caught Ripple¡¯s fist. They stayed in that position in lieu of a contest of strength.


    We¡¯re still testing the water, but that¡¯s a Hyrule Menace for you. The feedback is tremendous.


    Their strengths were even as they were locked at a standstill.


    ¡¸Fufu¡­¡­!¡¹


    Ripple chuckled.


    ¡¸?¡¹


    Her fluffy tail then moved like it was a living thing. It was quite long, and¡ª¡ª It crept under Inglis¡¯ open armpit and tickled it.


    ¡¸Hyau¡­¡­!?¡¹


    Due to the unexpected stimulus, Inglis¡¯ body reflexively twitched and drew back. The moment she slackened her strength, Ripple had already twisted her body and amassed potential force.


    ¡¸You¡¯re wide open!¡¹


    Before Inglis could regain her stance, a whip-like high kick was already right in front of her eyes.


    It¡¯ll hit me! That¡¯s a bit unfair, but that¡¯s Ripple for you!


    ¡¸Release!¡¹


    She continued her high gravitational pull training as usual. Of course, she was still doing it now. Once she relieved herself of it¡ª¡ªShe could respond to things she couldn¡¯t before! With instantaneous speed, Inglis moved to outside the range of that kick.


    ¡¸No way!?¡¹


    Ripple was astonished as she thought her kick would connect. Without a moment¡¯s delay, Inglis rushed forward again. This time, she unleashed a series of fist blows.


    ¡¸HAaaat!!¡¹ ¡¸HYaaah!!¡¹


    KAABOOOOMMM!!!!


    Inglis and Ripple¡¯s fists collided with each other, raising a thunderous roar that shook the air.


    ¡¸A-, amazing¡­¡­! To think a fight like this could exist¡ª¡ª¡¹


    Overwhelmed, such words leaked out from Liselotte¡¯s mouth.


    ¡¸But, this is still nothing. They¡¯re still fighting hand-to-hand.¡¹ ¡¸¡­¡­For future references, we need to watch them closely¡ª¡ª¡¹


    In the high-speed fistfight, Inglis who was free of her high gravity load was gradually overpowering her opponent.


    ¡¸EEeeeii!¡¹


    With Ripple¡¯s arm-guard growing flaccid, Inglis pushed it aside and delivered a blow to her clavicle.


    ¡¸Ah¡ª¡ªhggh!?¡¹


    Being shoved to her backside, Ripple¡¯s body was blown back. However, she soon regained her stance and stood up excitedly as though she would hop up and down.


    ¡¸You¡¯re great, Inglis¡ª¡ª!¡¹ ¡¸So are you!¡¹


    There was numbness lingering in her fist, which was a testament that Ripple¡¯s body was anything but ordinary.


    ¡¸¡­¡­Then¡ª¡ªAbout time I do what I¡¯m supposed to do! I¡¯m not much of a hand-to-hand combatant, you see?¡¹


    Ripple quickly reached her hand towards Glis. In her palm, a golden cylindrical object appeared glittering.


    ¡¸¡ª¡ªA gun!?¡¹ ¡¸That¡¯s how it is ????¡¹


    Ripple smiled smugly.

 Chapter 100: 15-year-old Inglis and Hyrule Menaces’ Escorting Directive (8)

    ¡¸I see¡­¡­!¡¹


    So, the reason why Ripple said that she and Silva will make a good combination is that they use the same type of weapon¡ª¡ª The statement felt off when she said it, but now I understand.


    ¡¸Well, let¡¯s get this started!¡¹


    Pshoo!


    From the gun Ripple had in her right hand, a shining bullet that seemed to consist of condensed light was fired. It left a sparkly trail behind, in direct contrast to the pitch-black subspace, as it drew near Inglis. It was faster than the light arrow produced from Rafinha¡¯s Artifact.


    ¡¸!?¡¹


    Inglis took a huge leap to the side to avoid it. Perhaps, that was a wrong move on her part as the second bullet deployed by Ripple was already well on its way as though she¡¯d been aiming for Inglis¡¯ landing spot from the start.


    ¡¸¡ª¡ª!!?¡¹


    Had she evaded it with minimal actions, such a blunder wouldn¡¯t have taken place. Firearms and such didn¡¯t exist in her previous life, and she had never fought against such weaponry in her current life as Inglis Eux either. That was why she was being overcautious. This was something that needed to be reflected upon.


    But¡ª¡ªthis isn¡¯t a mistake, just yet!


    Crrank!


    An ice sword appeared in Inglis¡¯ right hand. It was sorcery made by converting Ether into mana and given shape.


    She went through the troublesome process of converging Ether, the so-called Gods¡¯ Nature, into mana, an inferior product, before she could use it. However, the ice sword¡¯s ease of use was not bad at all. Taking account of how often she used it in battles on top of her daily training, Inglis could now deploy it almost instantaneously. That was why she could repel Ripple¡¯s bullet on the spur of the moment.


    Ka-pyung!


    After creating a clear, resonating sound, the bullet that aimed for Inglis¡¯ feet was repelled away.


    ¡¸Mu¡­¡­!? Didn¡¯t hit, huh! That¡¯s Inglis for you, I guess! How about this!?¡¹


    Ripple fired three more bullets as she spoke. Normally, a gun had a shortcoming in the form of needing a few moments to reload the bullet into the cartridge. However, Ripple had no such shortcomings. She fired her gun rapidly.


    ¡¸You won¡¯t hit!¡¹


    Ka-pyung ka-pyung ka-pyung!


    Inglis repelled all three bullets. Ripple¡¯s gaze, the muzzle¡¯s angle, the finger¡¯s movement. If she kept a close observation of those places, Inglis could estimate the bullets¡¯ trajectory.


    ¡¸Ah!? Shoot!¡¹


    As for why she raised her voice, that was because the bullet she repelled went flying towards the principal and the rest. However, that bullet was stopped by a thin transparent wall. Having its momentum stopped, the bullet fell towards the ground and rolled momentarily. It appeared that some kind of protective barrier was erected between them.


    ¡¸It can manage this much firepower. However, only with this much firepower, okay¡ª¡ª¡¹


    The reason why Principal Miliera sounded a bit strained perhaps due to the anxiety from witnessing the battle that gradually grew more intense as it went.


    ¡¸Thank you very much. Then, I¡¯ll hold nothing back!¡¹ ¡¸Please listen to what I¡¯m saying!¡¹


    With the Principal¡¯s warning going in one ear out the other, Inglis stepped forwards. Nothing would start unless she closed the distance between them and went for the offense.


    No, strictly speaking, she still could retaliate by shooting Ether Pierce or Ether Strike. And those would be a strong counterattack, to boot.


    However, there would be no meaning to do that. Ripple¡¯s strength lied in controlling the distance between her and her opponent by gunning them down and leaving little gaps to be taken advantage of, and then defeat them just like so. If that was the case, then the best way to gain experience and growth when fighting her was to dodge the rain of bullets and challenge her in melee attacks.


    Play by the opponent¡¯s game and take the victory. That was how Inglis Eux fought her battle.


    Whilst evading the gunfire by a paper-thin margin, Inglis stepped forward and only warded off bullets that would likely hit her with her sword. Evasion, stepping in, and warding off, she made instantaneous decisions for each action as she drew nearer.


    ¡¸Fufufu¡­¡­! I¡¯m not stopping either, you know!¡¹


    Right. What was most troubling with fighting Ripple was that she herself was keen and agile with extraordinary physical prowess. The way she carried herself didn¡¯t lose to the other Hyrule Menaces like Eris or Cystia.


    Those two were equipped with twin swords and a spear respectively, so they had to come close to Inglis. Compared to firing a gun, using either twin swords or spears required you to make huge movements. Not to mention that they had a limited range of effect, so Inglis could easily detect their aura and breathing. In short, they were comparatively easier to read.


    While for Ripple, the exact opposite was true. She needed minimal movement for offense, and with how far the range of effect was, it was hard to get a read on her.


    It seemed more taxing for Inglis to endure her attacks than those of Eris or Cystia.


    Which is why it¡¯s fun. It¡¯s worth the challenge!


    ¡¸I¡¯ll show you I can reach you!¡¹


    The gap between Inglis and Ripple was gradually closing up.


    ¡¸Look how much you¡¯re enjoying this! If you¡¯re that thrilled, then so am I!¡¹


    ¡ª¡ªBut, Ripple still had her composure. This meant she still had an ace up her sleeve. The question was; when would she use it?


    Still¡ª¡ªEven as it was now, Inglis was amazing enough. Her perceivability was dead accurate and her movement was exceptionally keen and agile. Moreover, her gestures were fluid and beautiful. It made Ripple question if she was actually even faster than Eris or Raphael.


    According to what she heard from Eris, apparently, Inglis could still get even faster with some kind of strange power. Truly an unfathomable girl. Even though she was so adorable.


    However, Ripple welcomed both Inglis¡¯ mysterious quality and her big words wanting to defeat Prisma. Perhaps, it was incomprehensible people like her that might be able to break down the obstacles they themselves were hopeless against. By all means, Ripple at least would like to see Inglis at her full power¡ª¡ª


    And then, slipping past through Ripple¡¯s right hand, Inglis finally arrived right in front of her eyes. She came around to Ripple¡¯s left side, making sure that the muzzle would have a hard time aiming at her. One more step in and Ripple would be within the reach of Inglis¡¯ sword.


    This was the perfect chance for Inglis to attack.


    She will certainly take that one step¡ª¡ªand I¡¯ll shoot right then!


    Towards Inglis who was already on the offense, Ripple struck out her empty left hand. Then, in her grasp, another gun sparkling in gold made its appearance.


    ¡¸!? Another one!?¡¹ ¡¸Yups! Dual gunning!¡¹


    Pshoo!


    ¡¸Kguhh!?¡¹


    In the nick of time, Inglis managed to twist her body to avoid a direct hit, but the bullet grazed her shoulder. A part of her clothes was blown away and the shockwave of the bullet pushed her back.


    ¡¸An opening! And there!¡¹ ¡¸Not yet!!¡¹


    Even if Inglis was shoved back, she attempted to reposition herself and regain her posture. She somehow managed to repel the bullets that mercilessly pursued her with her ice sword whilst she retreated, but by the time her stance was fixed, the distance between her and Ripple was wider than before she went for the offense.


    ¡¸Now our role switches! Can you still get closer!?¡¹ ¡¸Kgh¡ª¡ª!¡¹


    There wasn¡¯t enough room to slip amidst the barrage of bullets¡ª¡ª! Ripple¡¯s guns wouldn¡¯t run out of ammunition and, while she wouldn¡¯t hit her, Inglis didn¡¯t have the leeway to get close to her. Just evading and warding them off took her everything. If this continued on, would Ripple eventually run out of ammo? Or would Inglis to be the one to exhaust herself first¡­?


    ¡¸¡ª¡ªNo!¡¹


    I see what I need to strike!


    With their role switched, Inglis was the only one moving around while Ripple¡¯s feet were locked in place.


    If so¡ª¡ª! Inglis deliberately put one foot back and readied herself in a side stance. She grasped the hilt of her ice sword with both hands then set it horizontal to her waist. It was all to maximize the velocity and the maneuverability of her sword.


    Pshoo pshoo pshooo!!


    Ripple¡¯s rapid triple shots came flying at close intervals to hit Inglis¡¯ narrow stance. Inglis¡¯ eyes then glittered like a bird of prey.


    ¡¸I see it! HAaaat!!¡¹


    Inglis¡¯ ice sword flashed!


    Plank plank plankk!!!


    Three dry noises resounded, and the sight that came right after that shocked Ripple out of her mind. Her light bullets were rebounded and went straight towards herself.


    ¡¸EEEeeeehh!?!?¡¹


    Ripple was so astonished that she couldn¡¯t help but shout. Even after the long, long time since she became a Hyrule Menace, even if she had seen time and time again her bullets getting warded off by a sword, this was the first time she had her own bullets sent straight back to her. Ripple¡¯s feet were unmoving as she had become the one on the offense, so Inglis had aimed to hit her squarely by rebounding her projectiles.


    Truly a frightening skill to behold. This was no longer a matter of physical power, but transcendental finesse. How could such a young, pretty girl possess such a refined skill¡ª¡ª!?

 Chapter 101: 15-year-old Inglis and Hyrule Menaces’ Escorting Directive (9)

    ¡¸Kgh¡­¡­!? You little!¡¹


    Ripple countered the incoming bullets by shooting bullets into them. She managed to repel two of the three, but¡ª¡ªthe last one will hit me!


    ¡¸Hup¡ª¡ª!¡¹


    She was left with no choice but to leap away. In that slight moment, her rapid shooting had to stop. She didn¡¯t have any intention to take her eyes off Inglis, even so¡ª¡ª


    ¡¸!? She¡¯s gone¡­¡­!¡¹


    The moment that thought came up, Ripple¡¯s field of vision caught beautiful, silvery threads fluttering nearby. It was the sight of Inglis¡¯ swaying silver hair.


    That meant¡ª¡ªshe was already up close. She sneaked into my reach!


    ¡¸!¡¹ ¡¸HAAaaat!¡¹


    DOON!!


    Riding the momentum, Inglis slammed into Ripple with her shoulder.


    ¡¸UWAaahh!?!?¡¹


    Ripple¡¯s light body was blown quite far away by the force of the impact. She flew towards the barrier in the Principal¡¯s direction. However, defying Inglis¡¯ expectation from the pinging sound of the collision, Ripple was actually not repelled by the barrier and landed quite softly. Perhaps, it was Principal Miliera who set up the barrier this way.


    ¡¸Ouchie-chie-chie¡­¡­That¡¯s some rammin¡¯. Packs quite the punch. Also, I didn¡¯t think you¡¯d send my bullets right back at me. You¡¯re becoming more of a(n) hentai abnormality, girl. First time this has happened to me.¡¹ ¡¸Tentatively, rather than close-quarter combat, swords are my specialty, you see¡ª¡ª¡¹


    Although, Inglis actually wanted to push through from the front even if Ripple used two guns. Having to resort to projectiles was a bit unsatisfying. As expected of a Hyrule Menace, she was strong and wouldn¡¯t let things go Inglis¡¯ way.


    And, Ripple should also have an ace she didn¡¯t show yet. A special ability that made her able to ignore distance and leap over space, much like Eris and Cystia. That was why Inglis still couldn¡¯t say she had seen all of Ripple.


    To say further, a Hyrule Menace¡¯s strongest potential wasn¡¯t fighting in their human form, but rather when they transformed into a weapon and were wielded by a Holy Knight. It was said that only Holy Knights equipped with a Hyrule Menace could rival the strongest of all Magic Stone Beasts, Prisma.


    Rather than fighting Prisma, Inglis wished they would fight her with such a combination instead. Of course, Inglis would also defeat the Prisma while she was at it and that meant she would get to have double the fun.


    ¡ª¡ªFor the time being, let¡¯s continue the match. It¡¯s not over yet, and I don¡¯t want it over yet.


    ¡¸Now, Miss Ripple. Let¡¯s continue¡ª¡ª¡¹


    It was then, Ripple turned to Miliera who stood behind her.


    ¡¸Thanks for catching me with the barrier, Miliera. I didn¡¯t need to go through the second hurt after that ram for that.¡¹ ¡¸No¡­¡­ I didn¡¯t do anything, though? When you clash and the barrier makes the piing sound, the barrier then vanished as if it was sucked into you, Miss Ripple?¡¹


    Lost in confusion, Principal Miliera craned her neck then took a look at a ring on her finger. It was perhaps the Artifact that put up the Barrier. As expected of the Principal, she had a lot of Artifacts on her person. As she was a Special Grade Rune bearer, that meant that she wasn¡¯t restricted by any attribute and could wield any and all Artifacts.


    ¡¸But what does that¡ª¡ªYou mean your mana is being sucked away? Miliera, are you sure you¡¯re not doing it on purpose?¡¹ ¡¸Yes¡ª¡ªI didn¡¯t.¡¹


    It seemed like Special Envoy Theodore had caught onto something, he fell into deep thought. Inglis could feel that things didn¡¯t look so good for her.


    ¡¸Umm, the continuation¡­¡­¡¹


    However, nobody lent her an ear. The flow of things implied that their match had naturally come to an end.


    Even though nobody says that it can end yet¡­?


    ¡¸¡­¡­Can someone else please try activating an Artifact? Anything that isn¡¯t offensive, since it¡¯s dangerous¡ª¡ª¡¹ ¡¸Then, let me.¡¹


    It was Liselotte who raised her hand. Her Artifact gave her a pair of pure white wings with the ability of flight, so it wasn¡¯t a directly offensive ability.


    ¡¸Then, please.¡¹ ¡¸Yes¡ª¡ª Is this enough?¡¹ ¡¸Thank you. Then, Miss Ripple, please try touching the wings.¡¹ ¡¸Yeah, got it.¡¹


    As instructed, Ripple repeatedly touched the wings on Liselotte¡¯s back.


    ¡¸Excuse me¡­¡­! The match hasn¡¯t ended¡ª hey¡­¡­nggh!?¡¹ ¡¸Okay, okay, you shut up, Glis. We¡¯re having an important talk here.¡¹


    Rafinha covered Inglis¡¯ mouth. After which, the important talk continued.


    ¡¸Do the two of you feel anything out of ordinary?¡¹ ¡¸I don¡¯t feel anything weird.¡¹ ¡¸Yeah. It¡¯s just normal.¡¹ ¡¸Then, Miliera. You try borrowing and use her Artifact.¡¹ ¡¸A-, angel¡¯s wings, is it. Looking at my age, it¡¯s not exactly befitting¡ª¡ª¡¹ ¡¸Well, these wings are only allowed for the young and pretty. Up to the early twenties, right~?¡¹ ¡¸Uuu¡­¡­¡¹ ¡¸Fufufu. Here, please use it well, Principal.¡¹ ¡¸Miss Liselotte! You must know that you can only laugh for now. After all, you will soon reach that age too!¡¹ ¡¸Y-, yes¡­¡­?¡¹ ¡¸Miliera, it¡¯s no time to trouble your student.¡¹ ¡¸Yees. Then¡ª¡ªEei!¡¹


    The pair of wings also appeared on the principal¡¯s back.


    ¡¸I just need to touch them like before, right?¡¹


    As Ripple¡¯s finger reached to the wings¡ª¡ª


    Vwoom! As if they were sucked into something, the pair of wings vanished.


    ¡¸So it sucks the mana, after all¡ª¡ªand only Miliera¡¯s¡­¡­!¡¹ ¡¸¡­¡­Is it because Hyrule Menaces are designed only to accept a Holy Knight¡¯s mana?¡¹ ¡¸Yes. Miss Ripple¡¯s weaponization function that only invokes by taking in power from a Holy Knight has been corrupted. It absorbs Miliera¡¯s mana as a Special Grade Rune bearer without her intention. And, once the amount of mana has surpassed a certain threshold¡ª¡ª¡¹ ¡¸AH¡­¡­kgh!?¡¹


    WHOOOSH!!!!


    Ripple¡¯s body was enveloped in the black sphere. It was the advance warning of the Magic Stone Beasts¡¯ emergence.


    ¡¸I knew it¡­¡­ it summons Magic Stone Beasts!!¡¹


    Theodore hardened his expression.


    ¡¸S-, sorry, Inglis¡ª¡ªI leave the rest¡­¡­!¡¹


    Leaving those words behind, Ripple lost consciousness and limped down. Before she could hit the ground, Inglis lifted her body up.


    ¡¸Leave it to me. With our match getting interrupted, I am not having enough of my fill at all.¡¹


    Nodded Inglis wholeheartedly then readied herself for the appearance of the beast. But, it was then when¡ª¡ª


    ¡¸S-, sorry, I¡¯m at my limit!¡¹


    Leone who had been concentrating to hold onto the subspace declared as such. As it seemed to have placed quite a burden on her, she was sweating buckets.


    The scenery before their eyes changed, and they returned to the Principal¡¯s Office. Then, the Magic Stone Beast made its appearance from above.


    BAAAMM!!!


    It crashed into the principal¡¯s desk!


    ¡¸AAAaaahh!!! My desk!!¡¹


    Screamed Principal Miliera in grief.

 Chapter 102: 15-year-old Inglis and Hyrule Menaces’ Escorting Directive (10)

    With Principal Miliera shrieking in her ear, Inglis¡¯ attention was stolen by the emerging Magic Stone Beast. There was only one that appeared this time. Same as before, it was a beastman Magic Stone Beast, complete with a set of ears and tail. However¡ª¡ª


    ¡¸H-, huge¡­¡­! What the hell is that!?¡¹


    It was as Rafinha said, the thing was huge. At least twice as big as the previous instances. Rather than flesh, its body closer to a tough crystal that glittered with various colors. Its eyes were jet black like some kind of gemstone, and it wielded the power of darkness. In short, it was a stronger specimen than the previous ones. It was easy to infer that the more mana was sucked from Miliera, the stronger the Magic Stone Beast that would emerge.


    ¡¸Be careful, Rani. I¡¯m sure it¡¯s even stronger than Mister Rahal and Lady Cyrene were.¡¹


    According to Special Envoy Theodore, the phenomenon that was happening to Ripple right now was most likely a trap prepared by the Highland to sanction the unsuitable authority on this Kingdom.


    To be frank, Inglis felt that it was a bit too lackluster for something the Highland did. Admittedly, while it indeed occurred frequently, it wasn¡¯t that different from the natural phenomenon of Prism Flow if all it did was summon Magic Stone Beasts at their usual strength.


    However, as expected of the Highland. That wasn¡¯t all that the trap amounted to. This was precisely why advising to bring Ripple to the Academy was worth it.


    ¡¸Not like it matters, but your line and your face didn¡¯t match, Glis!¡¹ ¡¸Oops, I mustn¡¯t¡ª¡ªIt¡¯s a mission, so my expression must look serious, at least.¡¹ ¡¸That¡¯s good and all, but please defeat it as soon as possible!¡¹


    While saying so, the Principal waved around her barrier warding Artifact. Inglis could see the barrier flashing outside the window.


    ¡¸I earnestly ask you to please stop saying stuff like I want to see its full strength and defeat it quick!¡¹


    Inglis had been had.


    ¡¸¡­¡­For long term benefit, wouldn¡¯t it be better to test out what it¡¯s capable of?¡¹ ¡¸Please orientate yourself to minimize the damage to the surrounding! By no means at all I said that because my personal belongings are involved! I really don¡¯t, okay!? I really, really don¡¯t!¡¹ ¡¸¡­¡­¡­¡­¡¹


    It¡¯s not like it¡¯s my concern, but¡ª¡ª


    It was true that the barrier Artifact provided quite the wide room to fight, so it was all too possible for the building within the barrier to be turned into a battlefield.


    ¡¸Leone. Can you bring us to that subspace again?¡¹ ¡¸I can¡¯t right now! Sorry about that¡ª¡ª!¡¹ ¡¸!! Everyone, be careful! It¡¯s scheming something¡­¡­!¡¹


    GRROAAARRR!!!


    As the humanoid beast raised a loud roar, a few dots of black light started to converge around it. While their colors were different, Inglis could feel the same kind of mana flow from the heat ray Cyrene once used. Which meant¡ª¡ªit was going to use that.


    ¡¸It¡¯s going to shoot rays, huh¡ª¡ª!¡¹


    If it were to shoot those within the building, it would be a disaster.


    ¡¸Eeeh!? S-, stop it!¡¹


    Indeed, preventing it from happening was the better choice of action.


    ¡¸Glis¡­¡­! It¡¯s no time to play around!¡¹ ¡¸Yeah, Rani! I understand!¡¹


    Right below the Principal¡¯s Office, there was the cafeteria. If those rays were shot from here, the cafeteria would inevitably suffer some damage. That mustn¡¯t happen¡ª¡ªat all cost! The ones to suffer the most if the cafeteria was damaged were the ones who used it the most, which meant Inglis and Rafinha.


    ¡¸Principal! Please undo the barrier for a while! I can handle it if you do!¡¹


    Inglis asked of Principal Miliera.


    ¡¸Y-, yes¡ª¡ª! Then, please, Miss Inglis!¡¹


    The principal undid the barrier.


    ¡¸Yes¡­¡­!¡¹


    No self-applied weight! Without a moment¡¯s delay, Inglis activated Ether Armor. Covered in the pale light of Ether, Inglis stepped forward as fast as lightning and entered the beast¡¯s range with her waist twisted wide and her feet swung like a whip.


    ¡¸So what if I can¡¯t stop your attack¡ª¡ª!¡¹


    I will blast you to a place where your rays won¡¯t pose a threat!


    KABLAAMOOOO!!!!!


    With the kick Inglis unleashed, the huge body of the Magic Stone Beast flew with a tremendous force. It shot through the ceilings and the roof like they were paper then it turned into a speck of light in the sky in no time at all. And there, its black rays scattered to its vicinity. As the beast was now high up in the sky, those rays brought no damage whatsoever.


    ¡ª¡ªShe managed to protect the cafeteria. That was good.


    ¡¸Good going, Glis! You protected our cafeteria!¡¹ ¡¸Inglis is, as always, Inglis, huh¡­¡­!¡¹ ¡¸¡­¡­U-, Uwaaah! It¡¯s flying with such a strong momentum!¡¹ ¡¸W-, what a tremendous physical prowess¡­¡­!¡¹ ¡¸W-, what strength¡­¡­J-, just what is¡ª¡ª!?¡¹ ¡¸Forgive me, Principal. I made a hole through the ceilings and the roof.¡¹


    Inglis bowed her head.


    ¡¸I-, it¡¯s alright. That much is still a minor damage, overall¡ª¡ª¡¹ ¡¸B-, but it is going to fall, is it not!? Also, physical attacks are ineffective against Magic Stone Beasts, so kicking it away won¡¯t kill it!¡¹ ¡¸Yeah. For the time being, I¡¯ll make it not fall on the school buildings.¡¹


    As it was kick delivered with Ether Armor, the Magic Stone Beast should have suffered some amount of damage. However, they still needed to confirm its death and made sure it didn¡¯t fall on any infrastructure.


    ¡¸Haat!¡¹


    Inglis kicked the ground to climb higher and higher until she reached the roof through the hole she made. After her, Rafinha and the others also followed suit and they all watched where the Magic Stone Beast would fall.


    ¡¸¡ª¡ªIt isn¡¯t falling on the building, is it.¡¹ ¡¸Yeah, it¡¯s falling to the courtyard!¡¹ ¡¸Let us give the killing blow as soon as it falls!¡¹


    It deviated a bit from its launching point and would fall onto the yard. However¡ª¡ª


    ¡¸Ah! There¡¯s someone over there!?¡¹ ¡¸Senior Yua!?¡¹


    By some luck, Yua just happened to pass the area.


    ¡¸MISS YUUUAAAAAA!!!! UP, LOOK UP!! IT¡¯S DANGERROUUUSSS!!¡¹


    Warned the principal with a shout. Yua looked up and just noticed the Magic Stone Beast falling to her. And then¡ª¡ª


    ¡¸Chiaa~t¡¹


    Nonchalantly, she flashed a hand chop.


    Swish!


    She sliced off the Magic Stone Beast¡¯s body cleanly in two!


    ¡¸OOooh~~!! Senior Yua, amazing¡­¡­!¡¹


    Even though it was already on the verge of death from Inglis¡¯ Ether Armor-cladded kick, it was still fantastic to bisect a Magic Stone Beast with just a hand chop. Yua was an outstanding talent, after all. By all means, Inglis would like to fight her.

 Chapter 103: 15-year-old Inglis and Hyrule Menaces’ Escorting Directive (11)

    The Magic Stone Beast was annihilated with the bisection by Yua¡¯s hand. While the person herself trotted away to the dormitory as if nothing happened then went straight to sleep.


    After seeing the beast¡¯s end, Special Envoy Theodore then remarked with a relieved sigh.


    ¡¸¡­¡­The black light has disappeared. I can no longer feel the mana rampage. Miss Ripple should be awake in a minute or two. Today, a lot of things became clear to me. The subspace isolating Artifact works as intended, and the phenomenon won¡¯t happen for a while. Everyone, thank you for your cooperation.¡¹ ¡¸Lord Theodore, how can you be so sure?¡¹


    Asked Leone.


    ¡¸It is already clear that the phenomenon happens from either Miss Ripple¡¯s own mana or the mana she sucked from a Special Grade Rune bearer.¡¹ ¡¸And because her mana runs dry from today¡¯s emergence, it will be a while before her mana reach the level where the phenomenon will happen again¡ª¡ªis that how it is?¡¹ ¡¸Yes. You are correct, Miss Inglis. You understood it well.¡¹


    The smile he gave to Inglis resembled Cyrene¡¯s a lot. They were siblings alright.


    ¡¸Lord Theodore, there is something I don¡¯t understand as well¡ª¡ª¡¹ ¡¸Sure. What is it?¡¹ ¡¸Why are the emerging Magic Stone Beasts always a former Beastman?¡¹ ¡¸¡­¡­This is just my guesswork, but I believe it is because Miss Ripple herself is a Beastman. Beastmen have an excellent sixth sense, they can understand each other through telepathic communication. I assume that they are taking advantage of that connection between Beastmen to summon the Magic Stone Beasts.¡¹


    Inglis also thought that theory was likely. In addition to Principal Miliera¡¯s mana, the stronger than usual Magic Stone Beast was yet another Beastman. It was probably a summoning mechanism that was only limited to Beastmen-type Magic Stone Beasts.


    ¡¸Which means, this trap only works with Miss Ripple, huh¡­¡­¡¹ ¡¸Yes, Miliera. Perhaps, it is even possible that they chose to turn a Beastman like her into Hyrule Menace precisely for setting this trap.¡¹ ¡¸The nerve of them to take advantage of Beastmen who fell victim to Prism Flow!!!¡¹


    Even the Principal also had a grim, undainty expression on her face.


    ¡¸Many Highlanders don¡¯t see those who live on the Midland as an equal¡­ They hold no qualm to do whatever they want and test whatever they wish¡ª¡ªThat is why such a notion formed in their mind. As a fellow Highlander, I¡¯m ashamed of this fact¡­¡­¡¹ ¡¸Poor Miss Ripple¡­¡­Her friends are being used like that¡ª¡ª¡¹ ¡¸For the Highland, we and everything we know are nothing but tools¡­¡­¡¹ ¡¸How atrocious! Lady Ripple has always been protecting our Kingdom, and yet!¡¹ ¡¸Well, calm down, everyone. It¡¯s just a matter of perspective.¡¹


    Ripple chimed in as she got back to her feet. Her consciousness returned, it seemed.


    ¡¸Why don¡¯t we think reversely? Isn¡¯t this a good chance to finally bring rest to my friends who have become Magic Stone Beasts? I¡¯m sure they¡¯d hate to continue living as a monster too. As long as they¡¯re not bringing harm, I¡¯m sure they¡¯ll happily accept the fate.¡¹ ¡¸Miss Ripple¡­ Yes, we will absolutely keep them from bringing harm!¡¹ ¡¸Thanks. I can¡¯t lend a hand coz I¡¯ll be fainting, but don¡¯t be reserved and do your best.¡¹ ¡¸¡­¡­If so, then I might have a suggestion in mind. May I?¡¹


    Inglis raised her hand to her shoulder.


    ¡¸Sure, Miss Inglis. Let us hear it.¡¹ ¡¸With the help of the Principal, Senior Silva, and big brother Rafa, let us have Miss Ripple absorb a huge amount of mana. In doing so, strong Magic Stone Beasts will emerge in big batches. If we keep defeating, and defeating, and defeating them¡ª¡ª¡¹


    From what Inglis heard from Ripple and other sources, Beastmen had practically gone extinct, so it was virtually impossible new Beastman Magic Stone Beast to appear. If the phenomenon Ripple suffered was a summoning mechanism limited only to Beastman Magic Stone Beasts, that meant their number should have a limit.


    ¡¸Eventually, there will be no more Magic Stone Beast to be summoned, and the summoning mechanism effectively lose its purpose.¡¹ ¡¸T-, that sounds just like you, Glis¡­¡­ ¡®Let¡¯s call them all and defeat all of them ????¡¯ is what you¡¯re saying, right?¡¹ ¡¸Yeah. Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s great?¡¹


    And Inglis, personally, would be able to fight as much as her heart content. She would be able to see Raphael and Principal Miliera using their full strength; Silva, Yua, and Eris too. It would be quite an impressive battlefield to behold. Just imagining it made her heart jump in place.


    ¡¸I-, I don¡¯t think it¡¯s great or anything, but it also sounds like we can deal with it once and for all if it¡¯s done handsomely¡­¡­ That¡¯s really sounds like Inglis alright¡­¡­¡¹ ¡¸Truly the culmination of a brute force approach. However, personally, I find it not too shabby either, surprisingly enough.¡¹ ¡¸Hahaha¡­¡­ If that goes well, then I¡¯m in on that ride too.¡¹ ¡¸No no no, that is basically an all-out war, isn¡¯t it¡­¡­ We need to be quite prepared for casualties too. Which means that it¡¯s our last resort. Right, Sir Theodore?¡¹ ¡¸Yes, I agree. We can still consider other alternatives too¡­¡­¡¹


    Theodore¡¯s last words were drowned by hurried knocks on the door.


    ¡¸Come in~ Is there an emergency?¡¹


    As the door opened, the figures behind it revealed¡­ Raphael, with Eris walking in tow.


    ¡¸Big brother Rafa!¡¹ ¡¸Eris!¡¹


    Rafinha and Ripple exclaimed.


    ¡¸Hey, Rani, Glis. Sorry to interrupt, but we have an urgency.¡¹ ¡¸Ripple¡ª¡ªI was worried about you. Let¡¯s talk later, since we¡¯re in a hurry now.¡¹ ¡¸What¡¯s the matter, the two of you?¡¹ ¡¸We are here to pick up Lord Theodore! His Highness Wayne summons you to the castle as soon as possible.¡¹ ¡¸What happened?¡¹ ¡¸Our neighboring Kingdom, Venefique, trespassed the national border and is on an invasion! We need you to consult with the countermeasure¡­¡­!¡¹ ¡¸¡­¡­!? I¡¯ll be on my way!¡¹


    With a stern look, Theodore nodded.

 Chapter 104: 15-year-old Inglis and Hyrule Menaces’ Escorting Directive (12)

    A Highland¡¯s Aerial Battleship stayed afloat in the airspace above the capital¡¯s suburb. The hangar in its hull was thrown wide open with Flygears and Flygear Carriers flying right into it. Those were the Knights preparing to sortie against the invasion of Venefique Kingdom.


    Inglis and her group were also recruited in order to help with the preparation, and right now, they were boarding a Carrier piloted by Rafinha. Their aim was to bring the Carrier they were on, the Flygears it carried, as well as provisions and other extras to the Aerial Battleship.


    They were actively practicing Flygears as per the Academy¡¯s curriculum, but so far, they could only touch a Flygear Carrier at most. This would be good training for Rafinha.


    ¡¸Phew. It¡¯s quite tiring, huh¡¹


    Remarked Rafinha, sweeping the sweat off her forehead. By connecting to the Carrier, a Flygear could be supplied with mana to be operated separately. However, the mana for the Carrier itself had to be supplied directly much like an Artifact. It could be filled up beforehand, but right now, Rafinha was supplying the power directly. That was why she was the one piloting the Carrier, and the one most exhausted.


    In the event that the power supply to the Flygear Carrier was cut off, once the power ran out, the Flygears that are on board would also be unable to recharge and malfunction with it. Which was why it was necessary to have a Knight in charge of each Carrier. And it was advised to have a Knight with Middle-Grade Rune or higher for it.


    Knights who had a Low-Grade Rune wouldn¡¯t have enough mana output to directly power a Carrier and pilot it. Knights with a High-Grade Rune, like Rafinha, were even more preferable. The strength of the Rune affected the speed of the Carrier and the amount of power filled into it.


    In the current system of Chivalric Order, a squad consisted of a single Carrier, several mounted Flygears, and the pilots. Students with High Grade Runes like Rafinha, Leone, and Liselotte would be given a squad and the rank of a Commanding Officer right after they graduated. The sessions of training they had in the Academy were also in anticipation of that.


    ¡¸If so, shall I take your place? I would like to practice it.¡¹ ¡¸Yeah, please, Liselotte.¡¹


    Rafinha left the steering device to Liselotte then went to stand beside Inglis.


    ¡¸Good work, Rani. Want a drink?¡¹ ¡¸Mhm, thanks, Glis.¡¹


    After swallowing the water Inglis offered in big gulps, Rafinha let out a big sigh.


    ¡¸There are still lots of things we need to carry. Seems like it won¡¯t end yet.¡¹ ¡¸I¡¯ll take it over after you, Liselotte.¡¹


    Said Leone.


    ¡¸I¡¯m only in charge of water bottles today.¡¹


    Inglis waved everyone¡¯s water bottle that hung around her neck.


    ¡¸Just because it¡¯s not a battle, you sure are in the slacking-off mood today, Glis¡­¡­¡¹ ¡¸No, isn¡¯t it better if the Flygear Carrier is piloted by you three?¡¹ ¡¸Well, Inglis is always the one who does the most during battles, so¡ª¡ª¡¹ ¡¸You don¡¯t have to worry about that. Glis does that because she likes it, and it¡¯s practically her raison d¡¯etre.¡¹ ¡¸Yeah. There¡¯s nothing to worry about.¡¹ ¡¸Hahaha¡­¡­ Well, it¡¯s actually worrying if that wasn¡¯t Inglis¡¯ answer.¡¹


    Leone laughed wryly.


    ¡¸However, that ship is really big, loading things into it is really hard work. They even recruited us for help.¡¹ ¡¸There really isn¡¯t much time until sortie, after all.¡¹


    Compared to the ship that almost crashed into the Royal Castle, this Aerial Battleship was almost twice as big. The armoring of the whole ship and its total armaments were multilayered, boasting an impressive strength to the punch. It was a ship for the Special Envoy¡¯s exclusive use.


    ¡¸But still, Lord Theodore really did a lot of things for us. He even prepared such a ship for us¡­¡­¡¹ ¡¸I think he took a huge risk with the higher-ups at Highland just to set this up.¡¹


    The Highland still wouldn¡¯t approve the bestowal of flying vessels to the Midland. The reason the Battleship was deployed this time was that Special Envoy Theodore just happened to want to observe the area where the Kingdom¡¯s Chivalric Order would be stationed.


    It was quite the stretch of an excuse, but it only proved how far Theodore would take the risk. However, if this Battleship were to show up, it would surely become a threat for the Venefique army.


    Save for its battle prowess, they must also know the vessel belonged to the Special Envoy. Attacking it could only be seen as attacking the Highland itself. There were two major factions in the Highland, and Special Envoy Theodore was in the opposing faction of Venefique Kingdom¡¯s Special Envoy.


    If things went south, an attack towards the ship could trigger the war between the two major forces of Highland, and that trigger fell upon Venefique Kingdom¡¯s decision, or more like, it was pushed to them. If they didn¡¯t have the resolution to start such a war, both sides could withdraw their soldiers without a drop of blood spilled.


    Inglis guessed that Special Envoy Theodore had calculated thus far and so he chose to pick this countermeasure. Furthermore, Prince Wayne also embarked on the ship. The side intention of this mission was to help the Kingdom¡¯s personnel familiarize themselves with the Highland¡¯s Aerial Battleship, it seemed. In short, it was assumed that another such flying ship would be authorized for bestowal.


    ¡¸To think he¡¯s going so far to help us, Lord Theodore really is Lady Cyrene¡¯s older brother. They¡¯re good people even though they¡¯re Highlanders!¡¹ ¡¸¡­¡­As long as he doesn¡¯t do anything weird to Rani.¡¹


    After all, Theodore seemed to adore Rafinha¡¯s purity and sense of justice, much like Cyrene did.


    ¡¸Anything weird, you say¡­¡­ It¡¯s not like he does something personal to me, right?¡¹ ¡¸Yeah, you¡¯re right. This matter is more pressing. After all, I can¡¯t possibly let any pest get near you, Rani.¡¹


    People¡¯s political beliefs held no importance to Inglis. Neither justice nor evil could win against time. As time passed, everything would be forgotten and lost. And so, Inglis had no reason to dabble with politics. If someone was being a pest to Rani, then they would be a bad person in Inglis¡¯ book. That was all there was to it.


    ¡¸¡ª¡ªWe¡¯re entering the hangar!¡¹


    With a little bit of tension, Liselotte brought the Flygear Carrier into the Aerial Battleship¡¯s hangar.

 Chapter 105: 15-year-old Inglis and Hyrule Menaces’ Escorting Directive (13)

    Many Flygear Carriers were already docked in the Aerial Battleship¡¯s hangar, and there were just as many official Knights roaming around. It was a first for them to manage a battleship like this as well, so Inglis could hear them making a bit of commotion.


    ¡¸I¡¯ll park it in an empty spot.¡¹


    Carefully, Liselotte brought the Carrier she piloted deeper into the hangar.


    ¡¸Sorry! Can you park it around here!¡¹


    The one shouting from below was Raphael. He seemed to be in command here. There was also Eris a little further away who seemed to be watching over other¡¯s work.


    ¡¸Yup yup. Big brother Rafa sure is diligent, he does even odd jobs like this by himself~¡¹


    Rafinha looked happy and satisfied.


    ¡¸Yes! Understood!¡¹


    Liselotte responded a little bit tensed, then she brought the Carrier to the instructed place. She mustn¡¯t collide with the wall or other Carriers. It was quite a simple task, but one that required a lot of attentiveness


    Inglis was also observing the parking spot, but¡­ another Flygear Carrier went flurry by. Rather than floating, it swayed greatly and was too close to the floor. Taking a closer look, Inglis learned that there was someone who lifted the vessel by hand.


    ¡¸Ooh¡­¡­!? What¡¯s with that strength¡ª¡ª¡¹ ¡¸I-, incredible¡ª¡ªThat girl must be an Academy student¡­¡­¡¹ ¡¸Not to mention, she¡¯s a Squire student¡ª¡ª-¡¹


    Those weren¡¯t meant for Inglis. Inglis was standing by, holding a water bottle for Rafinha and the two.


    ¡¸Senior Yua¡­¡­?¡¹


    Today, Silva and the other third-year students were in charge of escorting Ripple, while first and second year students were made to help the army with war preparations. Yua was lifting one whole Flygear Carrier by herself to bring it even deeper in. It was to make room for the entrance, it seemed. The reason why there was a commotion deep inside the hangar was because everyone was surprised by her display of power.


    ¡¸Fufu¡­¡­Rani, I¡¯m off doing work too!¡¹ ¡¸Ah! Glis¡ª¡ª!¡¹


    After Inglis jumped off the Flygear Carrier Liselotte was piloting, she approached Yua.


    ¡¸Senior Yua, let me help!¡¹ ¡¸Hm¡­¡­? Then, take this inside.¡¹


    Yua tossed the whole Carrier to Inglis lightly.


    ¡¸¡­¡­ngh!?¡¹


    Drrrk!


    In addition to the mass of the Flygear Carrier itself, there were a number of Flygears connected to it. The weight was nothing to scoff at.


    ¡¸Whoops¡­¡­!¡¹


    After staggering for a little, Inglis released her self-applied high gravity pull and fixed her posture.


    ¡¸Phew!¡¹


    Without the gravitational shackles, Inglis could lift it normally. Which meant that Yua had at least this much strength in her usual, day-to-day condition.


    ¡¸You good?¡¹ ¡¸Yes. I¡¯m good!¡¹


    Inglis and Yua kept transporting Carriers one after another, rearranging them deeper in the back of the hangar.


    ¡¸That girl is just as amazing¡ª¡ª!¡¹ ¡¸And she¡¯s a Squire student too¡­¡­!? What the hell¡¯s happening in the Squire division¡ª¡ª!?¡¹ ¡¸¡¸¡¸And she¡¯s so damn cute¡ª¡ª¡¹¡¹¡¹


    The last one was the loudest amongst all comments. Well, it¡¯s not like it matters¡ª¡ª


    ¡¸Mm. That¡¯s the last. Thank you, Boobie girl.¡¹


    Yua still wouldn¡¯t call her by her name, after all. Being addressed Boobie girl day in day out was embarrassing, but this much shame wouldn¡¯t make Inglis fold. She had no intention to pull back until Yua promised to fight her.


    ¡¸It¡¯s nothing, Senior. By the way, don¡¯t you think doing just that feels a bit lacking for some exercise?¡¹ ¡¸¡­¡­Not really. I hate doing work, after all.¡¹ ¡¸Umm, the other day, you split a Magic Stone Beast into two with your hand knife, and it was amazing. Would you please teach me how you did it?¡¹ ¡¸¡­¡­Not really, I just put some oomph and whoosh¡ª¡ª¡¹


    It wasn¡¯t that Yua refused to teach her, but she only replied with an answer that had no substance.


    ¡¸I would be happy if you could teach me the trick with some training.¡¹ ¡¸It¡¯s not really happy for me though¡ª¡ª?¡¹ ¡¸W-well, that might be true, but¡­¡­ Then, why don¡¯t we make a bargain? Let me do something that will make you happy too, Senior.¡¹ ¡¸Then, there¡¯s something I want you to teach me too.¡¹


    Something attracted her interest, it seemed.


    ¡¸Ooh¡­¡­ What might be it? Please, ask me anything!¡¹ ¡¸How do you grow your breast to become so big?¡¹ ¡¸Eh? Ermm¡­¡­ They grow naturally¡ª¡ªis all I can say.¡¹


    When Inglis replied as such, Yua shook her head.


    ¡¸That doesn¡¯t help. I want to have big breasts and become popular.¡¹


    She said while swaying her chest, but there was hardly a bulge there. Perhaps, hers was even smaller than Rafinha¡¯s. She was quite slim and slender. Still, it was the first time Inglis heard someone ever say something like that within the Knight Academy. Yua was, indeed, a bit different than any ordinary person.


    ¡¸H-, haa¡­¡­ H-however, they¡¯re heavy and taking a toll on your shoulders, and they attract attention too, it¡¯s not all fun at all time.¡­¡­¡¹


    The further she spoke, the more embarrassed she got. It was because she just realized that the words that came out from her words were completely that of a girl, and not a trace of the previously known King Inglis was left. Familiarity was a frightening thing. Just how familiar had she gotten with her body?


    ¡¸That¡¯s just fine. Just like you, Boobie girl, I want to show off my cleavage.¡¹ ¡¸I-, I haven¡¯t the intention to do that¡­¡­!¡¹


    What a frightening thing to say. Inglis did fancy looking at herself through the mirror, but it was all for herself, not for others.


    ¡¸At any rate, if you can teach me how to make my breasts big, I¡¯ll fight you as much as you want.¡¹ ¡¸U-uuhn¡­¡­I-, I understand¡ª¡ª¡¹


    For Inglis herself, those aspects of hers had grown bigger before she even realized it, so she hadn¡¯t the slightest idea of how to do it. How about Leone, did she put some effort to make hers as big as those? Would the things Rafinha tried on herself work on Yua and make hers bigger?


    No, perhaps the one person with the size closest to decency, Liselotte, actually had a secret method she kept for herself? Or maybe, if Inglis asked Eris or Ripple, they might know some secret knowledge privy only to Hyrule Menaces?


    Wait, come to think of it¡­ Wouldn¡¯t it be possible using Ether? The Ironblood Chain Brigade¡¯s leader, Black Mask, could change Cyrene who had become a Magic Stone Beast into the little Rene. He changed the shape and form of a living being. If a feat similar to that was achievable, wouldn¡¯t that mean Inglis could enlarge Yua¡¯s bust?


    Returning Rene into Cyrene was one of the goals Inglis had for improving her Ether manipulating skill. Another goal was to make Yua¡¯s breasts bigger. Before that, however, Inglis thought she needed to listen to Rafinha and the others¡¯ methods.


    ¡¸Well, that¡¯s that, then.¡¹


    Saying so with a blank expression, Yua left the place trotting away.

 Chapter 106: 15-year-old Inglis and Hyrule Menaces’ Escorting Directive (14)

    After seeing Yua off, Inglis returned to Rafinha and the others. It seemed that the Flygear Carrier Liselotte piloted had landed safely. Rafinha and the others were gathering in a circle and glanced at Inglis as she passed them by.


    ¡¸Thank you, Glis. With the front space open, we can dock in easier.¡¹


    Raphael who was within the circle called out to her.


    ¡¸No, it was an easy task to be done. I also could talk with Senior Yua because of that, too.¡¹ ¡¸What were you two talking about? Did she reject your proposal to fight again?¡¹ ¡¸That¡¯s not it, Rani. She said she doesn¡¯t mind fighting me. In exchange, she wants me to teach her something.¡¹ ¡¸Teach her what?¡¹ ¡¸How to make your chests bigger.¡¹ ¡¸¡­¡­Fufu. I feel like I can get along well with Senior Yua.¡¹ ¡¸I-, is being big really that great?! I mean, they¡¯re heavy and taking a toll on your shoulders, they gather attention, and it¡¯s not all fun.¡¹ ¡¸¡­¡­¡­¡­¡¹


    Leone said the exact same thing Inglis did. If Leone, as a girl, said the exact same thing as Glis, what that meant was that Glis¡¯ senses had indisputably changed to that of a girl. It wasn¡¯t that it inconvenience her, but it was still awkward.


    However, she still couldn¡¯t understand Yua¡¯s ¡°I want big ***** and get popular¡± notion at all. What was so pleasant about getting popular amongst men? She could say that part of her was still sound as before.


    Although, she understood how some dresses looked better with the proper size of bust or how fulfilling to see herself in the mirror.


    ¡¸That¡¯s the luxury of the big-breasted. Girls who have it big without putting in the effort won¡¯t understand the feeling of the have-nots.¡¹


    Rafinha¡¯s breath roughened.


    ¡¸Rani, you tried many things, didn¡¯t you?¡¹ ¡¸Yeah, I put quite the effort to raise them despite their looks!¡¹ ¡¸Can you tell me what you tried? Since I know they don¡¯t work, I can tell Senior Yua to avoid trying them.¡¹ ¡¸Hic-hic¡­¡­ Shut up!¡¹ ¡¸Now, now, it¡¯s disgraceful to bring up this topic in the presence of Sir Raphael and Lady Eris.¡¹ ¡¸You have it decent, Liselotte, that¡¯s why you can put on air!¡¹ ¡¸And yours aren¡¯t so big to hurt your shoulders too, so you can say you¡¯re having it best amongst us!¡¹ ¡¸H-, haa¡­¡­¡¹


    Liselotte chimed in to draw a tie, but both Rafinha and Leone pressed their eyes full of jealousy on her, which in turn made her bewildered.


    ¡¸Also, you can pass without Rene squirming in your chest too.¡¹ ¡¸That¡¯s right, Inglis. Liselotte must experience that too at least once.¡¹ ¡¸Okay, Rene. You can go inside Liselotte¡¯s clothes!¡¹


    Rafinha unleashed Rene towards Liselotte.


    Squirm squirm squirm!!


    ¡¸Gyaah!? Ah, y-you mustn¡¯t, you¡¯re tickling m¡­¡­! hyaaun!?¡¹


    Once she was satisfied, Rene went back to Inglis and settled on her cleavage.


    ¡¸In the end, she comes back to me.¡¹


    When Inglis poked Rene¡¯s cheek, she in turn went on a rampage in her valleys.


    ¡¸G-, geez, Rene¡­¡­!¡¹ ¡¸I knew it, big ones are impressive to watch when they sway~. I understand how Senior Yua feels.¡¹


    Rafinha nodded. Looking at their antiques, Eris heaved a sigh.


    ¡¸¡­¡­Raphael. At times like this, shouldn¡¯t you be the one to straighten them up?¡¹ ¡¸Ah, y-you¡¯re right. F-, forgive me, Lady Eris¡­¡­¡¹ ¡¸That can¡¯t be helped, Miss Eris. Big brother Rafa can only see Glis when she¡¯s around him.¡¹ ¡¸R-, Rani, you little¡­¡­!¡¹ ¡¸Waa~ Big brother is mad at me ????¡¹


    Eris heaved another sigh.


    ¡¸He¡¯s just as merry¡ª¡ª¡¹


    Inglis fanned the topic towards Eris.


    ¡¸By the way, Miss Eris. Do you know any?¡¹ ¡¸Know what?¡¹ ¡¸How to make your chest bigger.¡¹ ¡¸¡­¡­You are the very first person to ever ask such a foolish thing to a Hyrule Menace.¡¹ ¡¸This is a matter of life and death for me!¡¹


    It was all so she could exchange fists with Yua. Inglis couldn¡¯t possibly stay silent without a match if she was in the presence of a fighter as strong as Yua. As Eris would be out on a sortie towards the border zone with the Venefique Kingdom, now was as good a time to ask as any.


    ¡¸¡­¡­I don¡¯t know and I don¡¯t care. Once a Hyrule Menace become a Hyrule Menace, you won¡¯t grow older and your body won¡¯t develop any further.¡¹ ¡¸How about the time before you became a Hyrule Menace¡­¡­?¡¹ ¡¸That was so long in the past that I can¡¯t remember it anymore. Also, my life wasn¡¯t that peaceful that I had the time to be happy-go-lucky and think about such things.¡¹ ¡¸¡­¡­Which meant that there was some terrifying enemy that terrorized you, right!? Was it a Magic Stone Beast? Have you defeated it? If it¡¯s still alive, may I go and fight it?¡¹ ¡¸¡­¡­You REALLY only have that in mind, do you?¡¹


    Eris heaved a much, much deeper sigh, shaking her head left and right.


    ¡¸Rather than that, how is Ripple doing?¡¹ ¡¸There isn¡¯t anything off with her. While the phenomenon that summons the Magic Stone Beasts keep happening as usual, we can stop it from damaging the surroundings just fine. Since Lord Theodore will be accompanying the sortie, we can only maintain the status quo until he is back.¡¹ ¡¸¡­¡­I see. I leave Ripple in your care.¡¹ ¡¸Yep. Leave it to us.¡¹


    From her side, Rafinha stuck out her face.


    ¡¸We will do our best, so you mustn¡¯t lose to the Venefiques, Miss Eris! They invaded someone else¡¯s country even though we are all up against Magic Stone Beasts together, what good-for-nothing people. Just knock them back to their land!¡¹ ¡¸¡­¡­Well, I believe Lord Theodore is on this ship precisely to avoid any conflict.¡¹ ¡¸? What do you mean, Glis?¡¹ ¡¸Because they can¡¯t just attack if a Highland¡¯s Special Envoy is on the scene. The Special Envoy to the Venefique Kingdom is affiliated with an opposing political party, so if things go south, the conflict won¡¯t stay being a skirmish between Midland nations, it will grow to become a dispute between two major forces of the Highland. With Lord Theodore going into the scene, he is threatening the enemy with a question; Do you have the gall to wage such a war?¡¹ ¡¸¡­¡­That is precisely it, Miss Inglis. You really read my intention well.¡¹


    Special Envoy Theodore who showed out of nowhere said so with a smile.

 Chapter 107: 15-year-old Inglis and Hyrule Menaces’ Escorting Directive (15)

    ¡¸Ah, Lord Theodore!¡¹


    Rani¡¯s face shone brightly.


    ¡¸I feel bad leaving Miss Ripple behind with her condition, but Miss Inglis is correct, this mission won¡¯t start without my participation. Please protect Miss Ripple until I¡¯m back. I leave her in your care.¡¹ ¡¸Yes, Lord Theodore!¡¹ ¡¸We will do our best!¡¹ ¡¸Please leave it to us!¡¹


    Nodded Rafinha, Leone, and Liselotte strongly.


    ¡¸May the situation concludes in a peaceful manner without needing to resort to military forces.¡¹


    When Inglis spoke like so, Rafinha, Leone, and basically everyone in their group made a befuddled expression.


    ¡¸? What¡¯s the matter, Rani?¡¹ ¡¸G-Glis is saying something like that¡­¡­!? D-Did you eat something strange?¡¹ ¡¸I¡¯m just normal, though? I mean, isn¡¯t it wasteful to stay here if there¡¯s a battle happening in a place far away?¡¹


    If anything, she would prefer the use of military force only when she was on the scene. It would be nothing but a huge loss if the military strengths of the two nations whittled outside of her watch, as that meant she would lose strong people that she could fight.


    ¡¸Hahaha¡­¡­ So that¡¯s what.¡¹ ¡¸I see now, it¡¯s Inglis after all.¡¹


    After a strained laugh, Special Envoy Theodore cleared his throat.


    ¡¸A-, at any rate¡­¡­ I leave the rest to you. Also, Miss Rafinha.¡¹ ¡¸Yes?¡¹ ¡¸There is something I wish to talk about. Can you please follow after me?¡¹


    Special Envoy invited her to go deeper into the ship.


    ¡¸Yes, I understand.¡¹


    Without zero caution, Rafinha accepted the invitation with an innocent smile. Showing some opposition to it, Inglis¡¯ sense of danger blared.


    ¡¸¡­¡­Then, me too. As I am Rani¡¯s Squire, I will have you allow me to accompany her.¡¹


    Any bad bugs for Rafinha must be eliminated thoroughly. Any potential bugs, too, must be guarded against thoroughly.


    ¡¸Sure, it¡¯s alright. Miss Leone and Miss Liselotte, you may come with us too.¡¹


    However, Theodore didn¡¯t seem to take note of it. Either he was cautious enough to not show his true color, or he didn¡¯t hold that much affection for Rafinha. Which one was it? Like his sister Cyrene, Rafinha¡¯s earnest personality and strong sense of justice must have left a huge impression on him. Either way, Inglis couldn¡¯t be too careful around him. Having a lover was definitely too fast for Rafinha. Inglis hated the notion of it.


    ¡¸Then, we¡¯ll continue with the work. Rani, Glis, everyone, do your best while we¡¯re away.¡¹ ¡¸Please take care of Ripple for me.¡¹


    After all four of them replied with a yes, Raphael and Eris left. After then, the girls followed Special Envoy Theodore into the ship¡¯s deeper parts. As they arrived at his private quarters, they were greeted with research utensils filling the room. As tidy and organized as it was, the room was clustered, reflecting the personality of the owner of the room.


    From within the heaps of items, Theodore produced an Artifact. Then, he handed it to Rafinha.


    ¡¸I prepared this, hoping I can at least be of some help. Please receive it.¡¹


    It was an Artifact in the shape of a bow. The white-based, wing-like appearance closely resembled Rafinha¡¯s habitually used Artifact that she named Flowing Radiance.


    ¡¸Isn¡¯t this, the same model as the Flowing Radiance that I have¡­¡­?¡¹ ¡¸Yes, they have the same base. And, this is also an improved version that possesses two Gifts.¡¹ ¡¸Wah! Thank you very much! Is the other Gift the same one as Leone¡¯s?¡¹ ¡¸No, it isn¡¯t. This Artifact¡¯s other power is healing and recovery.¡¹ ¡¸Waah¡­¡­! Amazing! It¡¯s the first time I see an Artifact with this kind of effect!¡¹


    Exactly as Rafinha said, it was the first Inglis heard of anything that had such an effect too. And even during his time ruling as King Inglis, the existence of healing sorcery was a rarity.


    ¡¸Yes. It is pretty rare so to speak, so there aren¡¯t many Artifacts produced with such a Gift. Which is why I want you to have it. I believe that this Gift is fitting for your pure heart.¡¹ ¡¸Hahaha¡­¡­ You¡¯re thinking too highly of me, I¡¯m not¡­¡­¡¹ ¡¸There is no reason to be humble. A person of your quality is rare for us Highlanders, you shine brightly in our eyes. I¡¯m sure that Cyrene also thinks that way.¡¹ ¡¸¡­¡­Am I? Rene?¡¹


    Rafinha asked, but Rene who stationed herself atop said girl¡¯s head kept an indifferent face.


    ¡¸If there is someone who gets hurt while you are protecting Miss Ripple, please use the power of that Artifact to heal them.¡¹ ¡¸Understood! Thank you very much for doing so much for us.¡¹


    Rafinha bowed politely.


    ¡¸Yes. Ideally, the Gift won¡¯t see any uses at all, but I believe preparation is necessary. I don¡¯t have time to report to Miliera about this, so please tell her in my stead.¡¹ ¡¸Yes! I will practice a lot so I can handle it!¡¹


    Rafinha was enthusiastic with her plan, but as luck would have it, she had to use the power of her newly acquired Gift as soon as they reached the Academy.


    Silva, the third-year student who bore a Special Grade Rune, had been injured badly due to an attack by a Magic Stone Beast on his duty to escort Ripple.

 Chapter 108: 15-year-old Inglis and Hyrule Menaces’ Escorting Directive (16)

    After they were finished helping the Chivalric Order preparing for their departure, Inglis and the other three returned to the Knight Academy. It was already evening and they were getting peckish.


    ¡¸Aah, I¡¯m so hungry~! Let¡¯s hurry up and get some dinner at the cafeteria.¡¹


    Said Rafinha while she rubbed her stomach.


    ¡¸Yeah, Rani. There should be new items on the menu today.¡¹ ¡¸Ah! That¡¯s right! I¡¯m looking forward to them~ ????¡¹ ¡¸Heeh? What kind of menus are they? I wish they¡¯re a new salad or vegetable soup.¡¹


    Leone responded. It was a wish that sounded right coming from Leone, as she was easy to get fat and careful with her food.


    ¡¸As for me, I wish they had new varieties of confections. There isn¡¯t much on the menu that I¡¯m getting tired of them.¡¹


    Inglis also understood Liselotte¡¯s request. However¡ª¡ª


    ¡¸¡¸Neither of them.¡¹¡¹


    Inglis and Rafinha shook their heads in unison.


    ¡¸You know? What are they?¡¹ ¡¸¡¸Double-extra large seared cheese on grilled bone slice, double-extra large bechamel sauce pasta with all toppings, double-extra large extremely hot pasta with all toppings, double¡­¡­¡¹¡¹ ¡¸Wait! They¡¯re all double-extra larges! What the hell with that¡­¡­!?¡¹ ¡¸¡¸We requested them.¡¹¡¹


    The cafeteria was taking proposals for new menu items, but either the students weren¡¯t interested in them or they were already content with the current menu line-up, there weren¡¯t many proposals that came in. However, Inglis and Rafinha were aggressively submitting their proposals. People with bigger voices would be heard at times like this. Not doing was theirs to blame.


    ¡¸Wh-, what do ¡°all toppings¡± consist of?¡¹ ¡¸¡¸They have beef, pork, chicken, and fishes, everything!¡¹ ¡¸Uuuh¡­¡­ Just listening to that gives me heartburn¡­¡­¡¹ ¡¸A- are they delicious?¡¹ ¡¸Yeah. They might appear unappetizing, but they are all the same once they¡¯re in our stomachs.¡¹ ¡¸Yup. We¡¯re going to eat them all anyway, so we put ¡®em all together.¡¹


    And that saved time for the cafeteria aunties too.


    ¡¸Both bechamel sauce and extremely hot sauce are new flavors, too.¡¹ ¡¸And since they¡¯re new flavors and we¡¯re not picky with the toppings, so we just mix ¡®em together, meat and all!¡¹ ¡¸I¡¯m looking forward to it, Rani.¡¹ ¡¸Seconded, Glis.¡¹


    Inglis and Rafinha nodded at each other, their eyes sparkling with excitement.


    ¡¸¡¸Ha ha ha¡­¡­¡¹¡¹


    Leone and Liselotte could only laugh dryly as they watched over them. It was then¡­


    Kaboom!


    A thunderous roar sounded from the Academy¡¯s courtyard, with smoke billowing up.


    ¡¸!?¡¹ ¡¸Wh-, what is happening¡­¡­!?¡¹ ¡¸There¡¯s smoke!¡¹ ¡¸It¡¯s coming from the courtyard!¡¹


    Immediately after that, commotion rose. They couldn¡¯t see with their position adjacent to the main gate, but they could feel chaos taking place.


    ¡¸Let¡¯s go over there!¡¹


    Commanded Rafinha and they all headed for the scene. A huge portion of the school building¡¯s wall collapsed with flame eating it out.


    In the front of the said wall were what seemed to be the remains of Magic Stone Beasts, laying unmoving. It was the large kind with a higher power level that had begun to emerge a while ago. At any rate, the battle itself seemed to be over already.


    ¡¸Put the fire out!¡¹ ¡¸It¡¯s all right, we¡¯ll put it out!¡¹


    Third-year students who had been there since the beginning were already putting out the fire so there was no concern of collateral damage. Rather, there was another more pressing issue.


    ¡¸Is Sir Silva alright!?¡¹ ¡¸Sir Silva! Are you okay!?¡¹ ¡¸Please pull yourself together!¡¹


    Silva was lying down surrounded by other senior year students. It seemed like he received quite a serious blow, apparent from the wounds that covered his body. He was barely conscious and couldn¡¯t stand up by himself so he had to be assisted by other students.


    ¡¸Senior Silva¡­¡­!?¡¹ ¡¸Wh-, what bad injuries¡­¡­!¡¹


    Looking at how badly wounded Special Grade Rune bearer Silva was, either that Magic Stone Beast was that much stronger, or the amount of Magic Stone Beasts that emerged was so huge that he was outnumbered? Either way, something unusual must have happened.


    ¡¸I-, I¡¯m fine¡­¡­just a flesh wound. Rather than that, bring Lady Ripple away before she is awakened. We can¡¯t have her see me like this, or else it will haunt her mind.¡¹ ¡¸U-, understood!¡¹


    The student who received Silva¡¯s order went to take Ripple away from the scene. It was then Principal Miliera came over after she heard the commotion.


    ¡¸Wh-, what is happening¡ª¡ª!? M-, Mister Silva, are you alright!? How could someone of your caliber get injured so badly¡­¡­!?¡¹ ¡¸P-, Principal¡­¡­I¡¯m ashamed to say that this is my fault. I¡¯m sorry.¡¹


    However, the third-year students raised objections to such statements by Silva.


    ¡¸That¡¯s not true! You¡¯re not at fault, Sir Silva!¡¹ ¡¸That¡¯s right! It¡¯s all because of this punk passing by!¡¹


    The one clutched by the third-year student was¡ª¡ª


    ¡¸Lahti?¡¹


    Squire division first-year student Lahti. As usual, along with him was Knight division student Pullum.


    ¡¸S-, sorry¡­¡­ They¡¯re right¡­ It¡¯s all because of me that this all happened.¡¹


    Lahti¡¯s pale face was looking down.


    ¡¸I¡¯m sorry I¡¯m sorry I¡¯m sorry! Lahti was trying to save me¡­¡­! That¡¯s why it was my fault! I¡¯m really sorry!¡¹


    With tears swelling, Pullum was bowing her head again and again.


    ¡¸Lahti, Pullum. What happened?¡¹ ¡¸Ah, Inglis huh¡­¡­that senior, he covered me when I was targetted by the Magic Stone Beast¡­¡­ because of me, he was injured!¡¹ ¡¸That¡¯s right! It¡¯s because of you! It¡¯s your fault that Sir Silva¡ª¡ª!¡¹ ¡¸S-, stop it, all of you¡­¡­!¡¹


    Silva controlled his peers that were getting fervent.


    ¡¸But Sir Silva¡ª¡ª!¡¹ ¡¸It¡¯s our mistake since we brought them into the subspace with us to begin with. Not to mention, it¡¯s only natural for people with strength like me to protect those who are weak and runeless. Are you injured?¡¹


    Silva asked Lahti.


    ¡¸Y-, yah¡­¡­ I¡¯m not.¡¹ ¡¸I see¡ª¡ª That¡¯s, good¡­¡­¡¹


    At the end of his words, he lost consciousness.


    ¡¸Mister Silva¡­¡­! Th-, this is bad, the wound is severe! He might lose his life! Bring him to the infirmary, quick!¡¹


    The principal gave her instructions in panic. Given the situation, it seemed like Rani already had to test the new ability of the Artifact given by Special Envoy Theodore.


    ¡¸Rani¡­¡­¡¹


    But, before Inglis could say anything¡ª¡ª


    ¡¸Please wait! Let me do something for him! There¡¯s something I need to try!¡¹


    Rafinha already stepped forward and announced so.

 Chapter 109: 15-year-old Inglis and Hyrule Menaces’ Escorting Directive (17)

    ¡¸What¡¯s the matter, Miss Rafinha?¡¹


    Asked Principal Miliera.


    ¡¸Lord Theodore entrusted me a new-type Artifact earlier today! It looks the same as my usual one, but this one also has two Gifts in it, and the other Gift has a healing property¡­¡­!¡¹ ¡¸Eeh!? Lord Theodore, when did he have the time for this¡­¡­ But, this is a godsend! It must be the famous case of ¡®I expected this situation, so I prepared this beforehand¡¯! The number one most want-to-say line for every researcher ever!¡¹


    The principal¡¯s face shone brightly.


    ¡¸However, I still haven¡¯t tried using it¡ª¡ªBut I will try! Please let me try!¡¹


    Without Inglis having to say anything, Rafinha would take the initiative and move at times like this. She followed the goodwill in her heart without any fear or feeling timid. Inglis, who watched over Rafinha as though she was her own granddaughter, was pleased to see that. Seeing Rafinha¡¯s serious face from the side, Inglis¡¯ eyes unintentionally glinted in joy.


    ¡¸Of course! Please do it¡­¡­! Let me help you as well!¡¹ ¡¸It¡¯s all right, Rafinha. If I can use the new type Artifact, I¡¯m sure you can do it too!¡¹ ¡¸We need to hurry, Miss Rafinha!¡¹ ¡¸Yes, I¡¯ll do it! Watch me, Glis!¡¹ ¡¸Yeah. It¡¯s okay, you can do it, Rani.¡¹


    Receiving a nod from Inglis, Rafinha took a deep breath then gathered her concentration.


    ¡¸Uuh¡­¡­I knew it, it¡¯s different than usual¡­¡­!¡¹ ¡¸The fact that it feels different means that your power is flowing towards a different Gift. You¡¯re on the right track.¡¹ ¡¸Y-, yes¡­¡­!¡¹


    It would take some time for both Rafinha and Leone to master their Artifacts with two different Gifts. There was no helping it that they would be overwhelmed at first.


    However, once they managed to overcome that odd feeling. It would mean that they consciously controlled two different wavelengths of Mana while borrowing the power of their Runes. And once they became capable of controlling Mana, it would only be a matter of time before they managed to enact sorcery through their own effort.


    This should have a very positive influence on Rafinha and Leone¡¯s growth. Aside from their improved usability, new type Artifacts with their two Gifts had such an effect too.


    On the other hand, however, this outcome should be undesirable for the Highland. If, by chance, with Rafinha and Leone as the kickstarters, people of the Midland began to be able to use sorcery on their own, that would lead to the destruction of the power balance between Highland and Midland.


    In order to survive and fight against Magic Stone Beasts, Midlanders had to rely on Artifacts bestowed by the Highland. The hypothetical foundation of sorcery had the possibility of demolishing that dependence.


    It was very likely that Special Envoy Theodore and Principal Miliera did notice this but they kept it to themselves. Inglis felt that Theodore intended to close the gap between Highland and Midland, it was apparent with the deployment of his Aerial Battleship.


    Just where would all of this lead to, Inglis didn¡¯t know, but at least it saved Silva¡¯s life at this moment. Being guided by the Principal¡¯s advice, a soft veil of light covered Rafinha¡¯s body.


    ¡¸This light has a healing power¡­¡­?¡¹ ¡¸Not yet. Please concentrate on the tip of your hand¡ª¡ª¡¹ ¡¸Yes¡­¡­!¡¹


    The light covering Rafinha¡¯s body was now converging towards her left hand. The more the light converged, the smaller it became, the more it shone, and the more it dazzled the eyes. Was this the power of the Gift with healing properties? The movement of Mana that made up the light was complex and not easy to reproduce at all.


    ¡¸Good work, Miss Rafinha! Now please hold that light over Mister Silva.¡¹ ¡¸Yes!¡¹


    Rafinha obeyed the principal¡¯s words, knelt down beside Silva, and held out the light on her left hand towards him. As it did, the wounds covering Silva¡¯s battered body visibly began to recover.


    ¡¸OOooh!! Sir Silva¡¯s injuries are¡­¡­!¡¹ ¡¸They¡¯re being healed¡­¡­!¡¹ ¡¸Good¡­¡­! I can do this¡ª¡ª!¡¹


    Rafinha declared as sweat formed on her forehead. There was the fact that she wasn¡¯t used to this skill, but the healing Gift seemed to burden Rafinha greatly as well.


    ¡¸Uuh¡­¡­! Kgh¡ª¡ª¡¹ ¡¸Are you okay, Rani?¡¹ ¡¸I-, I¡¯m okay¡­¡­!¡¹


    Sweats trickled down Rafinha¡¯s cheeks then fell onto the ground. Silva¡¯s wounds were healing little by little, but it appeared that Rafinha would hit her limit first if things continued on. If so, then there was only one thing Inglis should do¡ª¡ª


    ¡¸I¡¯ll help, Rani.¡¹


    Inglis gently placed her hand on Rafinha¡¯s hand that was holding onto her new Flowing Radiance. It was difficult to reproduce the Gift itself with Mana, but Inglis could still reproduce Mana that was close to Rafinha¡¯s Mana wavelength and pour it into the Artifact together. That Mana would then be converted into a phenomenon called Gift by the Artifact. This was an attempt to reproduce the source of the Gift rather than the outcome.


    ¡¸Glis¡­¡­!? Yeah, I can do more with this!¡¹


    The intensity of the light on Rafinha¡¯s left hand doubled. It was proof that the Gift¡¯s healing power had been strengthened. The speed at which Silva¡¯s wounds were healing increased dramatically. The wounds closed perfectly before their own eyes.


    ¡¸Yeah, he will be fine now! Thank you very much, the two of you! Now, please take Mister Silva to the infirmary. His injuries are all healed, he will wake up soon.¡¹ ¡¸Yes!¡¹ ¡¸Thank you, you two!¡¹ ¡¸Thank you for saving Sir Silva!¡¹


    The third-year thanked Rafinha and Inglis as they picked up Silva. Looking at this sight, it appeared that Silva was quite well-favored by them.


    ¡¸No, I just did what is natural.¡¹


    Replied Rafinha with a refreshing smile.


    ¡¸And me too.¡¹


    Inglis also showed her smile. After seeing the third year students off into the distance, Rafinha directed her smile towards Inglis.


    ¡¸Thank you, Glis! You saved me!¡¹


    It was a much prettier smile than the one she gave to their seniors, so Inglis was satisfied with her work.

 Chapter 110: 15-year-old Inglis and Hyrule Menaces’ Escorting Directive (18)

    Fuu, fuu¡­¡­ Hah, hah¡­¡­ Haa. haa.


    Beads-like sweat formed on Inglis¡¯ forehead. Her upturned cheeks were cherry-colored. Sweats trickled from her cheeks down to her throat. It then fell and splashed onto her chest, which soon stained her clothes and dissipated.


    For onlookers, she looked even more glamorous than usual. Inglis had always been prone to gather attention, but today even more so than any other day. The boys¡¯ eyes were glued at Inglis who was sweating profusely.


    Although, the person herself was completely unconcerned, concentrating on what was in front of her. Sitting right next to her was Rafinha, as drenched in sweat as Inglis.


    ¡¸A-, are you two okay? Inglis, Rafinha¡­¡­¡¹ ¡¸¡¸We¡¯re good!¡¹¡¹ ¡¸Th-, that¡¯s fine then, but¡ª¡ª¡¹ ¡¸That being said, what a dreadful color those are¡­¡­ they¡¯re completely red.¡¹ ¡¸It is the Extremely Spicy Sauce, after all.¡¹


    Double Extra Large All Toppings Extremely Spicy Pasta. That was a new menu entry Inglis and Rafinha had requested to the cafeteria. Today, they were battling with this extremely spicy new menu since early morning.


    ¡¸I can¡¯t say that¡¯s a color of something edible¡­¡­¡¹


    Commented Leone, petrified.


    ¡¸That¡¯s not true. It¡¯s delicious, you know?¡¹ ¡¸It has a stimulating taste!¡¹ ¡¸It looks tasty in my eyes too¡­¡­¡¹


    Added Pullum, supporting Inglis and Rafinha¡¯s claim.


    ¡¸Eeh!? That looks delicious to you, Miss Pullum¡­¡­!?¡¹ ¡¸Yes.¡¹ ¡¸We¡¯re from Alucard, after all. North from here. It¡¯s cold over there, and eating spicy stuff makes our bodies warm. We¡¯re used to it.¡¹ ¡¸It¡¯s as Lahti said. Spicy stuff tastes like home to us, you see.¡¹ ¡¸Then, why don¡¯t you order one too, Pullum?¡¹ ¡¸W-, well, the amount is a bit too much¡­¡­ Double extra large is just¡ª¡ª¡¹ ¡¸Then, then, I¡¯ll give you some of mine!¡¹


    Saying so, Rafinha put some of her red pasta on Pullum¡¯s plate.


    ¡¸Wah, thank you so much.¡¹ ¡¸Oh. Give me some too, Inglis.¡¹ ¡¸Sure.¡¹ ¡¸No! You can¡¯t, Lahti!¡¹ ¡¸Eeh!? Why?¡¹ ¡¸Indirect kiss is a no go!¡¹ ¡¸¡­¡­Fine, fine, I got it.¡¹ ¡¸Ooh. You¡¯re obediently listening to Pullum today?¡¹


    Rare things did occur too, after all.


    ¡¸Well, I messed up real bad yesterday, after all¡­¡­ I gotta be more docile.¡¹


    Said Lahti, scratching his face.


    ¡¸That¡¯s not true, it wasn¡¯t your fault! You were only trying to save me, I¡¯m not blaming you at all. I won¡¯t let the indirect kiss pass, though!¡¹ ¡¸¡­¡­Sure, sure. We can¡¯t even talk properly with you around.¡¹


    Seeing how casual Lahti was, Rafinha opened her mouth.


    ¡¸Aah~ If you keep saying mean stuff like that, Pullum will grow tired of you, you know? Even like this, Pullum is quite popular. She just got a love letter the other day. Don¡¯t think that a girl¡¯s feelings will never change, okay?¡¹ ¡¸Wha¡­¡­!? O-, oi, Pullum, is that true¡­¡­!? Who¡¯s the b?a?s?t?a?r?d?!?¡¹


    Bam!


    Lahti leapt to his feet.


    ¡¸Oh, look at you, getting all anxious. How easy to understand~. That was a lie, a lie. If you¡¯re getting anxious about it anyway, you should take the appropriate attitude with her.¡¹ ¡¸Uggh¡­¡­!?¡¹


    Lahti flinched.


    ¡¸That¡¯s right~ that¡¯s right~¡¹


    Added Pullum, swinging her fist in the air whilst hiding behind Rafinha¡¯s shoulder. However, being glared at by Lahti, she hid her eyes on Rafinha¡¯s back.


    ¡¸Stop it, Rafinha. It¡¯s not good to lie.¡¹


    Leone chimed despite seemingly amused by the situation.


    ¡¸That¡¯s right, Rani. It¡¯s hard for childish boys to be honest with the girl he likes. Once Lahti grows a bit more mature, he¡¯ll stick to Pullum like a stamp.¡¹ ¡¸Is that true? Inglis!?¡¹ ¡¸Yeah. Boys are that kind of creature.¡¹ ¡¸DON¡¯T DECIDE THAT YOUR DAMN SELVESSS!!!!¡¹


    Screamed Lahti in protest, but Rafinha instead looked puzzled by something else.


    ¡¸Even if you say that, Glis. Seeing how you¡¯re so disinterested in boys, it doesn¡¯t sound so persuasive, you know¡­¡­?¡¹ ¡¸Your¡¯e right. After all, the last time we asked you who was cool, you answered with Prisma, didn¡¯t you?¡¹ ¡¸This and that are different matters.¡¹


    Rafinha and Leone tilted their head in confusion with Inglis¡¯ casual reply.


    How is it different? They had questioning faces, but Inglis purposely didn¡¯t answer.


    ¡¸So, you went to save Pullum and was about to get attacked by a Magic Stone Beast?¡¹ ¡¸Yea. And that¡¯s when Senior Silva came and received the attack for me. I mean, you guys saved him after that, but I still messed it up real bad. I gotta apologize to him later.¡¹ ¡¸Even so, that personage didn¡¯t look that angry back then, did he? Seeing his attitude towards Miss Inglis and Senior Yua, I was under the assumption that he hated the Squires¡­¡­¡¹ ¡¸Ah! I know¡­¡­!¡¹ ¡¸Know what, Rani?¡¹ ¡¸He must be a guy who likes boys¡­¡­! That¡¯s why he was so kind towards Lahti, right?¡¹ ¡¸Haah¡­¡­L-, like hell that¡¯s true¡ª¡ª!¡¹ ¡¸Agreed. Can you not decide someone¡¯s taste behind their back?¡¹


    The person who suddenly intruded into the discussion was the person in question, Silva himself.


    ¡¸Umm¡­¡­! I¡¯m so, sorry about yesterday! You were injured badly because we were in the area!¡¹


    With great vigor, Lahti bowed deeply to Silva.


    ¡¸Don¡¯t mind it. It was our mistake since we brought you two into the enclosed subspace. Rather, it was me who was saved by your group. I apologize for my rudeness, please let me say my gratitude. Thank you.¡¹


    This time, it was Silva who bowed towards Inglis and Rafinha. Seeing this, Rafinha grabbed Inglis¡¯ hand then stood up. After which, she also bowed her head. Making Inglis do the same.


    ¡¸No, I¡¯m at fault too for saying impudent things to you. I¡¯m sorry! And so, since we¡¯re all apologizing anyway, that means we¡¯re even, right?¡¹


    Her smile was wide and radiating. Following which, she held her hand out to Silva. This kind of freshness and friendliness were part of Rafinha¡¯s charm as well. She didn¡¯t fuss herself with the small things and had the capacity to let bygones be bygones.


    ¡¸Yeah, let¡¯s go with that.¡¹


    Silva answered Rafinha¡¯s handshake. This conduct invited a smile to Inglis¡¯ face.


    But¡ª¡ª!


    ¡¸Okay, you¡¯re done, Rani¡ª¡ª Let me ask you on my behalf too.¡¹


    Inglis quickly intervened and put an early end to Rafinha¡¯s handshake. It was undesirable for men outside of the family to touch Rafinha. There was no such thing as being too cautious.

 Chapter 111: 15-year-old Inglis and Hyrule Menaces’ Escorting Directive (19)

    After that, a week passed. Ripple¡¯s condition was still the same, and the others were still taking turns guarding her.


    Today, the other first-year students were in charge. When Ripple lost consciousness and Magic Stone Beasts appeared, Leone immediately created an isolated subspace with the power of her new Artifact.


    Inglis and the others went to exterminate the Magic Stone Beasts. The one that appeared today was the enhanced Magic Stone Beastman that began to appear a while ago.


    ¡¸Leave it, to me!¡¹


    Inglis was first to move forward, her index fingers were raised and pointed at the Magic Stone Beast. After which, the pale light of Ether Pierce began to shoot out from both of her hands.


    Pshoo pshoo pshoo pshoo pshoo pshoo pshoo!


    Starting from the face, to the neck, shoulder, chest, abdomen, leg, then foot. As countless holes were drilled into the beast, it collapsed and then vanished, unable to move even a single step.


    ¡¸E-, eh¡­¡­?¡¹


    Seeing Inglis¡¯ action made Rafinha lost in confusion.


    ¡¸There¡¯s more coming¡ª¡ª! Watch out!¡¹


    Warned Leone.


    ¡¸Yeah, I¡¯ll take care of it!¡¹


    Without heeding Rafinha, Inglis headed towards the newly emerged Magic Stone Beast, then¡ª¡ª


    Pshoo pshoo pshoo pshoo pshoo pshoo pshoo pshoo!


    Again she peremptorily fired off Ether Pierce blindly. Having no choice at all, the beast had turned into a bee nest.


    ¡¸Glis¡­¡­?¡¹


    Rafinha¡¯s confusion grew even deeper.


    ¡¸They¡¯re coming again¡­¡­ Another one!¡¹


    Declared Inglis while her eyes were gazing at an empty space up above.


    ¡¸Eh¡­¡­? There¡¯s nothing there, though?¡¹


    Said Leone, but Inglis could predict the emergence of the Magic Stone Beasts by feeling the movement of mana that warped in the surrounding space.


    ¡¸No¡­¡­ I know, since I can feel it¡ª¡ª!¡¹


    Inglis raised a hand towards that high spot above her head. ¡ª¡ªEther Strike!!


    KABBOOOOOMMMMMM!!!!


    The enormous bundle of Ether ran up ahead.


    ¡¸Wai¡­¡­ wait wait wait!? Glis, what are you doing this whole time¡­¡­!¡¹ ¡¸HAaat!!¡¹


    Immediately after that, Inglis kicked off the ground as though she was chasing after the projectile she just launched. And then, a figure of Magic Stone Beast suddenly appeared on the path of the Ether Strike. Exactly as Inglis predicted, the beast was gulped down by the ball of light not even a second after its appearance, leaving not even a trace of blood.


    ¡¸Aah¡­¡­¡¹


    Inglis who had already jumped towards the beast¡¯s position ceased any motion and then sighed as though she was disappointed by something. While the Ether Strike kept going up and up¡ª¡ª


    Kerchaaankk!!


    And as it raised a sound like shattered glass, it penetrated through and destroyed the subspace Leone created through her Artifact.


    ¡¸W-, what force¡ª¡ª! It destroyed the subspace so easily¡­¡­!¡¹


    Some time back, the same technique also destroyed the ¡ºMaze of Trial¡» Principal Miliera created. This outcome was only natural. As the subspace was destroyed, the surrounding scenery returned to the Academy¡¯s front yard. Meanwhile, the Ether Strike kept going higher and higher, towards the setting sun, until it was too high to be seen.


    ¡¸Hahaha¡­¡­ it sure looks like a beautiful firework display, does it not?¡¹


    Liselotte, who was taking care of Ripple, gave a half-amazed impression.


    ¡¸Hmm¡­¡­¡¹


    But, Inglis still had a bitter expression across her face.


    ¡¸What¡¯s wrong with you, Glis? Usually, you¡¯d scream and cry and beg and do whatever it takes to make your opponent get up again to continue the fight¡­¡­ And now you just ended it so quickly.¡¹ ¡¸¡­¡­I don¡¯t think I showed that much blood and tears when I persuaded them, though?¡¹ ¡¸No, you did pretty much that, you know¡­¡­?¡¹ ¡¸Even so, Miss Rafinha sure knows Miss Inglis very well.¡¹


    Leone and Liselotte nodded to Rafinha¡¯s words.


    ¡¸¡­¡­¡­¡­¡¹


    Then, plop Rafinha hit her hand.


    ¡¸Ah! You¡¯re thinking of eating something good behind me, aren¡¯t you!? That¡¯s why you want to go back to the dorm early!?¡¹ ¡¸I¡¯m not, I¡¯m not. I¡¯m just researching into something, you know?¡¹ ¡¸Into what?¡¹ ¡¸Hm. New technique.¡¹ ¡¸¡¸¡¸NEW TECHNIQUE!?¡¹¡¹¡¹ ¡¸Yes! Both Rani and Leone have them too, right? New techniques?¡¹ ¡¸Well, rather than techniques¡­¡­¡¹ ¡¸They¡¯re just Gifts from our Artifacts, right?¡¹ ¡¸Yeah, yeah. But still, I¡¯m envious to see that, so I¡¯m thinking to develop one too myself.¡¹


    Said Inglis with her face decorated with a joyful, sparkling smile.


    ¡¸And so, I¡¯m trying to aim for the largest firepower ever, you see!¡¹


    Which meant, it would have to be an Ether technique. Ever since the time she could use Ether Pierce with both hands, Inglis¡¯ ability to govern Ether had increased. In fact, she already had a new technique in mind, but so far, it had been nothing but trial and error.


    ¡¸H-Heeh¡­¡­I-, I have a feeling that something terrifying might take place¡­¡¹ ¡¸M-, me too¡ª¡ª¡¹ ¡¸I-I think you¡¯re more than plenty enough strong right now, though.¡¹


    Inglis silently shook her head.


    ¡¸It¡¯s not about others, it¡¯s about whether I am content with it. And so, since I want to deliver a strong technique, I need to improve my training, no matter what. However, to get even better, I need to defeat a really strong opponent. Aah, if only strong enemies grow on trees¡­¡­¡¹ ¡¸¡­¡­In the end, we come back to the usual conclusion. As expected, Inglis just can¡¯t break, huh.¡¹ ¡¸Hahaha¡­¡­But still, we can¡¯t possibly be left behind by Inglis too.¡¹ ¡¸For the time being, why don¡¯t we return to the principal¡¯s office once Lady Ripple is awake? It is time to hand over our duty, after all.¡¹


    After this was Silva and the other third-year students¡¯ turn to take charge. The reports and passing of the duty took place in the principal¡¯s office. After Ripple regained her consciousness, Inglis and her group went to the principal¡¯s office.

 Chapter 112: 15-year-old Inglis and Hyrule Menaces’ Escorting Directive (20)

    As Inglis and her group drew closer to the principal¡¯s office, they heard Principal Miliera shouted at someone.


    ¡¸W-, wait a minute! This is power abuse¡­¡­! There hasn¡¯t been any major damage so far! There is no problem with the current operation!¡¹


    Bam bam! Then the sound of the desk getting slammed was heard. It sounded like she was getting quite agitated?


    ¡¸Eeh¡­¡­? That¡¯s rare, Miliera is angry?¡¹


    Said Ripple, who had regained her consciousness after she heard the commotion.


    ¡¸Is it? She gets angry at me quite often though.¡¹ ¡¸W-well, that¡¯s because¡­¡­ let¡¯s just say you quite stand out in a lot of meanings. Anyway, let¡¯s get in.¡¹


    As they had business in the principal¡¯s office too, they had no choice but to enter. After they knocked on the door, a reply that sounded like stifled anger came, pardoning their entry.


    ¡¸Pardon our intrusion.¡¹


    Once they were inside, they saw a figure of a man they were not familiar with. He was a Knight, his height was tall and he had long ashen hair.


    The Rune that glowed on his hand was of the High-Grade Rune, meaning he was most likely a Knight of high rank.


    He was probably in his late twenties or early thirties. The Knight attire he donned was a little bit different from Raphael¡¯s, indicating that he belonged to a different order.


    If Inglis¡¯ memory served her correctly, it must be of the Imperial Guard Order that was under the direct supervision of the King. She was taught about it in one of the classes.


    Raphael¡¯s order was, formally speaking, the Holy Knight Order. Both chivalric orders had the scale and strength that made up the Kingdom¡¯s main forces and were called the Two Major Chivalric Orders.


    Silva and the other third-year students were already on the scene, they were listening to the talk between the Knight and the principal. None of them looked spirited, all Inglis could see were astonishment, vexation, and awkwardness. Amidst them, Silva was substantially the most perplexed.


    ¡¸B-, brother¡­¡­! Can¡¯t you reconsider it!? The principal is right, we are doing fine! There is no need for that¡¹ ¡¸But Silva. You¡¯ve been seriously injured, haven¡¯t you? Your brother¡¯s been worried sick¡­¡­! I thought my heart would pop out of my chest when I heard the news¡­¡­!¡¹ ¡¸T-, that was because I screwed up, that¡¯s all¡­¡­! There are many other excellent students here, we¡¯re covering up for each other! That¡¯s why it¡¯ll fine!¡¹


    Silva¡¯s eyes locked onto the Knight¡¯s.


    ¡¸Brother¡­¡­?¡¹ ¡¸That personage is the commander of the Imperial Guard Order, Sir Redas Eiren. He is Sir Silva¡¯s older brother.¡¹


    Liselotte explained. Indeed, while they had different hairstyles, they shared the same hair color, and their eyes felt a bit similar to one another.


    Redas then glanced towards the new entry of people. Specifically speaking, towards Ripple, whom he gave a refreshing smile.


    ¡¸Hello, Lady Ripple. Good day to you.¡¹ ¡¸Ah, umm¡­¡­And to you?¡¹ ¡¸I was just talking with Lady Miliera here about you. And, in fact, today I came here because I have something to tell you about.¡¹ ¡¸Yeah, what is it?¡¹ ¡¸By the order of the King, you are to leave the Knight Academy.¡¹ ¡¸Eh¡­¡­!? But, what then¡ª¡ª?¡¹ ¡¸You will be temporarily placed under the protection of the Imperial Guard Order.¡¹ ¡¸Temporarily¡­¡­?¡¹ ¡¸Yes. I¡¯m sure you are already aware, but I would like to make it clear that you will be returning to the Highland. After which, my King intends to welcome a new Hyrule Menace.¡¹ ¡¸¡­¡­!¡¹


    Ripple¡¯s breath was cut short as her eyes opened wide.


    ¡¸I see¡­¡­¡¹


    There was that too huh? There was no denying that it was one of the possible solutions. In fact, Ripple herself also suggested something similar. However, didn¡¯t Prince Wayne and the Special Envoy choose not to adopt this means?


    Especially Special Envoy Theodore, as he was the point of contact with the Highland. In other words, the Special Envoy¡¯s decision had to be taken as the Highland¡¯s decision.


    The fact that the King made a move that went exactly against that notion meant that this problem didn¡¯t affect just Ripple alone, but rather something that concerned politics.


    However, whatever the case, Rafinha¡¯s face turned red as she grew furious.


    ¡¸Wha¡­¡­!? How could you do something so cruel! We are all alive here, all thanks to Miss Ripple who saved us time and again, you know!? And yet you want to casually throw her away and get a new one just because she¡¯s a little bit out of her element, I can¡¯t believe it¡­¡­! Miss Ripple isn¡¯t an object! Precisely because Miss Ripple is having a hard time, isn¡¯t this the time for us to pay her for saving us!?¡¹


    That opinion was truly immature. It was pure and naive¡­ and that¡¯s exactly why it was so adorable. Inglis knew Rafinha would naturally say something. Or rather, if she didn¡¯t, Inglis would suspect that Rafinha was struck with some kind of terminal illness.


    ¡¸Yeah¡­¡­ That¡¯s right¡­¡­!¡¹ ¡¸Precisely¡­¡­!¡¹


    Leone and Liselotte nodded to Rafinha¡¯s words, small nods, but strong and solid.


    ¡¸¡ª¡ªSir Raphael¡¯s little sister, huh. Even if you preach me justice, this is still a Royal Decree.¡¹ ¡¸If so, then take me to where His Majesty is! I¡¯ll tell it to him myself!¡¹


    Apparently, she was seriously thinking of storming into King¡¯s chamber with a yell.


    Should I stop her before she gets scolded? Inglis was prepared to do at least that much.


    However, a back-up came from an unexpected place. Silva placed a hand on Rafinha¡¯s shoulder and stepped forward to cover for her.


    ¡¸She is correct, brother! If that¡¯s an order by the King, then I must say that it¡¯s not commendable at all! As the commander of the Imperial Guard Order, you should admonish His Majesty¡­¡­!¡¹


    Rafinha and Silva who shared the same opinion looked at each other and nodded. If that was all, then it was tolerable, but¡ª¡ª


    Can you not put your hands on Rafiha¡¯s shoulder? It¡¯s not like he looks excited about it, but¡­ it bothers me. It bothers me to no end.


    ¡¸No, I have no intention to do that.¡¹ ¡¸WHY!? Are you saying you don¡¯t care about Miss Ripple!?¡¹ ¡¸It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t, but¡ª it¡¯s a matter of priority. Personally, I also support His Majesty¡¯s opinion.¡¹


    Was he perhaps thinking about the danger of environmental damage? Certainly, if you take account of the civilians in the area, the proposed measurement would be much safer.


    ¡¸Brother! Why!?¡¹ ¡¸Because I¡¯m afraid you¡¯ll get hurt!! If Lady Ripple is here, there is a high chance that the same accident will happen again, isn¡¯t there!? I¡¯m worried about you¡­¡­!¡¹


    Redas declared, his eyes opened wide, showing his endless honesty for all to see.


    ¡¸¡¸¡­¡­¡­¡­¡¹¡¹


    Being given such an unexpected answer, both Rafinha and Silva were at loss.


    However, Inglis could understand a little bit how Redas felt. Rafinha to Inglis was Silva to Redas. She was so precious, Inglis couldn¡¯t help herself. That was why she could feel a slight sense of kinship between her and Redas.


    ¡¸Even so, notwithstanding our plans, will the Highland even accept the proposal?¡¹


    Inglis broke the silence as she stepped forward, nonchalantly brushing Silva¡¯s hand off Rafinha¡¯s shoulder as she did.

 Chapter 113: 15-year-old Inglis and Hyrule Menaces’ Escorting Directive (21)

    ¡¸What do you mean? What are you trying to say?¡¹


    It appeared that Redas had the capacity to listen to a mere Squire student like Inglis. Taking up the offer, Inglis continued.


    ¡¸It is also the will of Special Envoy Theodore to have Miss Ripple stay at the Knight Academy. In other words, it is the will of the Highland. The fact that the Royal Decree is contradicting that, means that the Decree is under the influence of an opposing faction¡­¡­ in short, the Church¡¯s Union.¡¹


    The Church¡¯s Union, officially known as the Church Founder¡¯s Union. Opposing them was the Duke¡¯s Party, officially known as the Three Archdukes Party. Those were the two major political factions of the Highland. Special Envoy Theodore belonged to the latter.


    Traditionally, this kingdom had been receiving Special Envoys from the Church¡¯s Union and the Duke¡¯s Party alternatively as the two factions¡¯ influence was balanced. That was why the bestowed Hyrule Menaces, Eris and Ripple, were affiliated with the Duke¡¯s Party and the Church¡¯s Union respectively.


    ¡¸Yes¡ªPrecisely as you say.¡¹ ¡¸The disaster that happens to Miss Ripple¡¯s body right now is a sanction from the Church¡¯s Union, isn¡¯t it? This means it¡¯s safe to assume that they are enraged. They cannot tolerate the attempt of the power balance shifting towards the favor of the Duke¡¯s Party.¡¹1 ¡¸¡­¡­We do not recognize any such agenda. It must be nothing more than an anomaly that happens in the body of Lady Ripple.¡¹ ¡¸Yes, I see. That¡¯s a different take from what Special Envoy Theodore has in mind.¡¹ ¡¸Lord Theodore belongs to the Duke¡¯s Party. Being in the opposing faction, he¡¯s bound to possess a biased view.¡¹ ¡¸Have we received any assurances from the Highland regarding the replacement of the Hyrule Menace?¡¹ ¡¸No¡­ I have heard that it¡¯s still in negotiation.¡¹ ¡¸If so, keeping in mind that the negotiation may or may not be lengthened for some period of time, I believe it is best to make a thorough preparation before Miss Ripple is removed from the Academy¡¯s grounds. So far, there hasn¡¯t been any major problem that involved the students, the environment, or the city and its residents. If by any chance a major incident happened after she was transferred to the Imperial Guard Order¡¯s care, critics would say that the Imperial Guard was inferior to mere students.¡¹ ¡¸You can¡¯t say there aren¡¯t any problems. A problem did happen. A student as excellent as Silva was injured.¡¹


    As expected of the doting-parent, or rather, doting-brother Redas, he wouldn¡¯t agree to let Ripple stay. This was within her expectation. Inglis would in turn take advantage of it.


    ¡¸Exactly. Even someone as strong as Senior Silva was injured. That is why I said we mustn¡¯t be negligent with the preparation.¡¹ ¡¸Mu¡­¡­ What preparation did you speak of?¡¹ ¡¸Special Envoy Theodore has arranged for us a new type of Artifacts. The reason our damages is kept at minimum is because of those Artifacts.¡¹


    While that wasn¡¯t strictly the truth, that was still the case to some level. For now, Inglis only needed to make Redas think that those Artifacts had such a high value in order to postpone the transfer of the baton to an even later date.


    Right now, the last thing Inglis wished to happen was to have Ripple taken away from them without them being able to do anything about it. And then, during the postpone period Inglis created, they could devise their next move.


    No, to be precise, Inglis already had a plan in mind. She would consult it with the others after her agenda was through.


    ¡¸Hm, I see. Lord Theodore did¡ª¡ª¡¹ ¡¸I think it would be safer to first make preparations to transfer the rights of those Artifacts, selection of suitable personnel, training in their use, and many others.¡¹ ¡¸Hmm¡­¡­¡¹


    Redus seemed to be much more inclined to Inglis¡¯ idea. Even for him, it would be ideal to carry out his duty with the least chance of fatality. In addition, just several days would still be under the tolerance level for the handover


    ¡¸I think it is best to ask Senior Silva to be in charge of the handover. With that, he can leave his escorting duty.¡¹


    Finally, Inglis unleashed a decisive blow.


    ¡¸Hm, that sounds good. Let¡¯s go with that.¡¹


    If he was transferred from escorting duty to handover duty, Silva would immediately be in a safe position. Taking account of Redas¡¯ character, he couldn¡¯t ask more from this idea.


    ¡¸As I have no authority to make the decision¡ª¡ªPrincipal, are we good with these terms?¡¹


    Said Inglis as she turned to face Principal Miliera, but then Rafinha¡¯s face suddenly intruded her vision.


    Squeeze!


    And thus, both of Inglis¡¯ cheeks were stretched apart.


    ¡¸WE ARE NOOT!! What are you thinking, do you want to just cast aside Miss Ripple!? We can¡¯t, absolutely can¡¯t!! I won¡¯t yield even if it¡¯s you, Glis!!¡¹ ¡¸N-, nyaw nyaw. We awe nyot ngoin nyu do awiining fat do er, ohay.¡¹2


    It was hard to speak with her cheeks pulled.


    ¡¸Eh¡­¡­? What do you mean?¡¹ ¡¸Yow nyow whay aw alway hay ihn mayn.¡¹3 ¡¸¡­¡­Want to fight strong opponents, want to eat delicious foods, want to put on cute dresses?¡¹ ¡¸Ayn alway weing wanwi¡¯s ayly.¡¹4 ¡¸¡­¡­I can believe in you, right? I¡¯m going to believe you, okay? I can, right?¡¹ ¡¸Yesh!¡¹


    After Inglis nodded, Rafinha finally let her hands off Inglis¡¯ cheeks.


    ¡¸T-, they managed to converse perfectly¡­¡­ I can¡¯t even fathom what she was even speaking about.¡¹ ¡¸For some odd reason, they still can understand each other even when being like that, you see¡­ It¡¯s already a special ability in its own right.¡¹


    Liselotte and Leone whispered to each other.


    ¡¸U-, understood¡­ We will go with the course of action Miss Inglis and Mr. Redas have devised.¡­¡­¡¹


    The principal was furious beyond words just moments ago, but now she just nodded in assent. She must have read Inglis¡¯ intention with this plan.


    ¡¸That¡¯s how it is, Lady Ripple. Are you fine with it?¡¹ ¡¸Yeah¡­¡­I¡¯m good with that. I¡¯ll just follow what you guys say¡­¡¹


    Ripple gave Redas a small nod.


    Basically, it should be church¡¯s turn to play with the toy, but duke didn¡¯t want to let it go, so church sulks.

 Chapter 114: 15-year-old Inglis and Hyrule Menaces’ Escorting Directive (22)

    ¡¸Then it¡¯s concluded. The handover to the Imperial Guard Order will take place as soon as tomorrow. Is that clear, Lady Miliera?¡¹ ¡¸Y-, yes¡­¡­ That is fair.¡¹ ¡¸And you too, Silva? We¡¯ll depend on you.¡¹ ¡¸I understand, brother¡­¡¹


    Silva also nodded, trying to put up with the conclusion. Lastly, Redas turned his gaze towards Inglis.


    ¡¸Your name is Inglis, isn¡¯t it? You¡¯re a Squire student, huh¡­¡­?¡¹ ¡¸Yes. I¡¯m a first-year Squire department student, Inglis Eux.¡¹ ¡¸Hm, I see¡­¡­However, your speech, your nerves of steel, and your bright intelligence are quite impressive for someone your age. You saved me, since Lady Miliera was so lost in her fury she couldn¡¯t be reasoned with. I was just about to be made a villain here.¡¹ ¡¸I mean¡­¡­ I couldn¡¯t help it, could I?¡¹


    Said Principal Miliera, a little bit sulky. She was also bearing a huge responsibility to be put in charge of Ripple¡¯s escorting mission. It was understandable why she would want to complain in regards to the Royal Decree.


    ¡¸Much obliged.¡¹


    Inglis politely bowed to Redas once.


    ¡¸I¡¯ll keep you in mind. Once you graduate from the Academy, come to the Imperial Guard Order. Runes and brains are different strengths altogether, treating Squires like you badly is already an old-school way of thinking. We will prepare a way for you to make full use of your ability as a strategist.¡¹ ¡¸No, I would prefer to be assigned to the front line, so I¡¯m afraid I have to decline.¡¹


    Inglis refused it in a heartbeat. She was not going to do any brain work as a staff officer, a tactician, or anything in that line. She had gone through tons and tons of deskwork in a position higher than that, as a single King. She was sick of it.


    The reason why Inglis cut into the current conversation was because she wanted to lead things to go her way. Betterment of the world, political tug of war, career advancement, fame, or anything else; Inglis couldn¡¯t care less. Although, she did think that Rafinha would be angry with her if she spoke too much of her ideology.


    In any case, please just don¡¯t try to get me involved in any of your funny business.


    ¡¸Nu¡­¡­!? W-, well, that¡¯s fair enough¡ª¡ª¡¹


    Redas¡¯ face cramped as he was taken aback. He must have thought Inglis would be happy with the offer. Perhaps she found it funny, Rafinha giggled seeing him like so.


    ¡¸Then, I¡¯ll take my leave. I¡¯ll send a contact person later.¡¹


    After saying that, Redas left the principal¡¯s office.


    ¡¸Fufufu. he must have fatally misunderstood Inglis!¡¹ ¡¸You¡¯re right. After we graduate, don¡¯t go to the Imperial Guard Order, okay, Rani?¡¹


    As Inglis would stick to Rafinha, she sincerely hoped Rafinha wouldn¡¯t apply for the Imperial Guard Order.


    ¡¸If you want me to promise that, you¡¯ll have to give me an explanation that will satisfy me, okay? What are you planning?¡¹ ¡¸For the time being, I avoided having Miss Ripple taken away right this moment. Since it is a direct order of the King, no matter how much we hate it, if we seriously try to go against the order, we will become rebels. Well, if Rani is okay with it, then I¡¯m fine too¡­¡¹ ¡¸I-it¡¯s not fine, okay!? Can you please not think of something so stupid!?¡¹ ¡¸Y-, you sure say something amazing with a straight face, Inglis¡­¡­¡¹


    The principal and Ripple were startled by that comment.


    ¡¸A-As if I¡¯ll go that extreme¡­¡­! If we did that, that means we¡¯ll be enemies with big brother Rafa, right? And I don¡¯t know what would happen to Ymir too!¡¹ ¡¸Yeah, you¡¯re right. That¡¯s why, rather than going down that path, we should pretend to go along with their scheme and open some extra time¡­ During which we will devise a good plan.¡¹ ¡¸I see¡­¡­! Okay, good idea, good idea!¡¹


    With a really serious face, Rafinha nodded. It was obvious that she was desperate to think up a good plan. Inglis thought that was good for her.


    ¡¸Principal, I¡¯m sorry I went out of line.¡¹ ¡¸No, that was fine. After all, I could see what you did there, Miss Inglis¡­Not to mention, I was taken by emotion and lost all of my composure. Had I corner Mister Redas too much back then, he might not even have given us this precious open time¡­¡­¡¹ ¡¸But Principal, what do we do from here? We don¡¯t have much time, we need to act quickly¡­¡­!¡¹


    Both in Silva¡¯s tone and expression, impatience was pronounced. He looked quite desperate himself. Silva had the image of calmness attached to him, but seeing how agitated he was right now was quite unexpected. Was there another factor that added to his circumstance? Was he rebelling against his brother?


    ¡¸There¡­ there is one¡­just one plan that comes to my mind right now, but¡­¡­¡¹ ¡¸What is it? Principal!?¡¹ ¡¸We will have Miss Ripple suck Mana from Mister Silva and me who possess Special Grade Runes¡­¡­That Mana then will summon Magic Stone Beasts and¡­until they stop being summoned, we will keep defeating them. Miss Ripple only summons Beastman Magic Stone Beasts, and the number of that kind of Magic Stone Beasts is finite. If we defeat all of them, we can substantially make the anomaly lose all of its meaning¡­¡¹


    Principal Miliera spoke of an idea Inglis was all too familiar with.


    ¡¸Wh¡­¡­!? Th-, that¡¯s truly a brute way to approach¡­¡­!¡¹ ¡¸Y-, yes, it is. The plan is to have every single Magic Stone Beasts defeated within the limited postponement time.¡­¡­¡¹


    She spoke of it in a very roundabout way. It was apparent that she herself actually didn¡¯t want to resort to it.


    ¡¸Miliera¡­¡­!? Isn¡¯t that what Inglis proposed!?¡¹ ¡¸Y-, yes¡ª¡ª¡¹


    Exactly. If they wanted to solve everything in a short period of time, they had no option but to resort to a coercive method. Not to mention, this method didn¡¯t violate the Royal Decree in any stretch. They could simply say that another anomaly took place within Ripple¡¯s body during the handover.


    ¡¸I-Inglis¡­¡­ Don¡¯t tell me¡ª¡ª¡¹ ¡¸Could it be¡­¡­¡¹ ¡¸Glis, you said what you said to Mr. Redas because you aimed for that!?¡¹


    Rafinha, Leone, and Liselotte swarmed Inglis with their gazes.


    ¡¸¡­¡­Everyone, let¡¯s do our best!¡¹


    Inglis dodged the question with a wide, beautiful smile.

 Chapter 115: 15-year-old Inglis and Hyrule Menaces’ Escorting Directive (23)

    ¡¸N-, no you can¡¯t! That¡¯s too dangerous! Right now, Eris, Raphael, Wayne, Lord Theodore, and many more Knights aren¡¯t even here, you know! With just Academy people available, I won¡¯t allow taking that risk!¡¹


    It was Ripple who raised her voice. Perhaps, thinking that way was only natural from her point of view.


    Ripple¡¯s normal personality was cheerful and she didn¡¯t seem to be thinking too much about things. But, on the other hand, as a Hyrule Menace, she had a strong sense of duty to protect people, and it was apparent that she made it her raison d¡¯etre with the words she spoke and the actions she took.


    ¡¸Rather than letting that happen, I would rather obediently be returned to the Highland¡­¡­!¡¹


    She didn¡¯t want the Academy students to fight in a desperate, all-out war. If so, she must have thought that everything would be solved if she sacrificed herself.


    ¡¸However, Miss Ripple. I don¡¯t think that giving you up will be the most peaceful way to go with this.¡¹ ¡¸Eh¡­¡­ What do you mean?¡¹ ¡¸While Mr. Redas didn¡¯t give it much thought, Special Envoy Theodore believes that what happened to you is a form of sanction from the Church¡¯s Union, so do I. If so, that means things won¡¯t end with simply having a substitute Hyrule Menace. Let¡¯s put it this way. Will you give a saving hand to an enemy if they¡¯re in danger? If we prepared a valuable compensation asked nicely while kissing their boots, that would be a different story.¡¹ ¡¸Compensation¡­¡­What would be given to them, Glis?¡¹ ¡¸Most likely, a midland territory¡­Specifically, a town and all the people in it¡­¡­I think. Think again about the Nova city Lady Cyrene governed, Rani. I assume they will use Levitation Magic Formation to take the whole town away to the sky.¡¹ ¡¸¡­¡­! N-, no way¡­¡­¡¹


    Ripple¡¯s expression tightened.


    ¡¸T-, that¡¯s even worse! Lady Cyrene said she won¡¯t let it happen, but a person like her is rare¡­¡­!¡¹ ¡¸You¡¯re right, Rani.¡¹ ¡¸¡­¡­I am of the same opinion as Miss Inglis. While Mr. Redas did say he agreed to it out of worry, the top brass must have considered a lot of other factors.¡¹ ¡¸If they didn¡¯t, the negotiation will be difficult and huge damage will be bound to happen to the Imperial Guard Order. If things played poorly, it might even endanger the Royal Capital.¡¹ ¡¸And that¡¯s dreadful in its own right¡­¡­ Fundamentally speaking, the right to command Hyrule Menaces falls under the jurisdiction of the Holy Knight Order. It¡¯s entrusted onto Prince Wayne¡¯s hand. If things went south, His Highness must bear responsibility for everything¡­¡­ And if that happened, just what would happen to Academy after that¡­¡¹ ¡¸The worst of the worst really is that this could lead to a civil war, isn¡¯t it? It¡¯s still unclear if His Highness would stay silent when he heard that a territory was used as a negotiation chip after it was settled. Then, predicting a rebellion in advance, the Imperial Knight Order could mobilize the new Hyrule Menace to stab His Highness in the back. Being pinched by the Venefian Army in the front and the Imperial Knight Order in the back, the Holy Knight Order wouldn¡¯t stand a chance, would they?¡¹


    The Special Envoy at the Venefique Kingdom was from the Church¡¯s Union, the faction opposing Special Envoy Theodore¡¯s. If this kingdom¡¯s Royal Faction sided with the Church¡¯s Union, it was all too possible for them to conspire with the Venefian Army in order to attack Prince Wayne and Special Envoy Theodore.


    ¡¸T-, that¡¯s ridiculous¡­¡­! Even if he¡¯s like that, my brother will never ever attack an ally from behind¡­¡­! He is not a bad person at all¡­¡­!¡¹


    Silva raised his voice.


    ¡¸Then it¡¯s even more dangerous. They only need to put him out of the picture and fill the position with their puppet. People are pawns for a country, they can be replaced at will.¡¹


    Responded Inglis calmly.


    ¡¸¡­¡­For someone who¡¯s so savage during battles, you¡¯re terrifyingly calm and coldhearted at times like this¡­What made you able to figure everything out so clearly?¡¹ ¡¸Urmm¡­? Life experiences, perhaps?¡¹


    Answered Inglis with a smile, but Silva¡¯s face only showed bafflement. It was no wonder. He had no way of knowing what Inglis had experienced in her past life.


    ¡¸I really want to say that it was impossible to happen¡­¡­ I really want to, but¡­¡­it¡¯s the truth that His Majesty the King and His Highness Wayne don¡¯t have a good relationship with each other¡­We should keep that in mind for the possibly worst-case scenario.¡¹ ¡¸Yes, Principal. If the circumstance stayed as is, at worst there would be a civil war, at best¡­¡­ Let me see. The negotiation will be lengthened, plus His Highness Wayne and the Special Envoy will return after settling the matter with the Venefian army before any major incident occurred. As a result, nothing visibly changed from the usual, I guess. However, if things are heading towards the worst possible case, I believe we should see that the coercive method you spoke of before will be most effective.¡¹ ¡¸However the die roll, we still have to carefully assess the situation, don¡¯t we.¡¹ ¡¸That¡¯s right. Fufufu¡­¡­¡¹


    Of course, personally speaking, Inglis wished that they would be left with no choice but resort to brute force, and she believed that it was very likely to happen too. Just how strong the summoned enemy would be, she was looking forward to it so much, she couldn¡¯t help herself.


    From what she felt, the new technique she was currently developing needed a stronger opponent to some degree before it could be valid. She hoped that an opponent strong enough to withhold her new technique would come to her door.


    ¡¸Come on, Glis. I know what you¡¯re thinking, but at least wipe the smirk off your face.¡¹ ¡¸Oops, you¡¯re right. That was improper of me.¡¹


    Her expression returned to be serious in a snap.


    ¡¸¡­¡­Well, seeing how Inglis acts like business as usual, it makes me feel that everything will be sorted out somehow.¡¹


    Leone said with a sigh mingled in her words.


    ¡¸Agreed¡­She ruined the nervousness at the end.¡¹


    So did Liselotte.


    ¡¸A-, at any rate, Mister Silva, please try to postpone the handover period as long as possible with whatever reason you can think up.¡¹ ¡¸I see¡­I understand.¡¹ ¡¸In addition, we need to inform His Highness and Lord Theodore about this, so let¡¯s dispatch a messenger as soon as possible. The rest is, as I said before, we have to carefully assess the situation. I¡¯ll also use all the connections I have in hand to find out how the negotiation is going. And then, Miss Ripple. You¡¯ve heard us, so please don¡¯t think that you must sacrifice yourself. Please trust us.¡¹ ¡¸Y-, yeah¡­¡­ I¡¯m really sorry, everyone¡­¡­¡¹


    Ripple hung her head down, her voice was almost a whisper.


    ¡¸Please, don¡¯t worry about it. In fact, I am grateful for this wonderful chance you gave us.¡¹ ¡¸GLIS!! We¡¯re all serious here, so don¡¯t make fun of Miss Ripple!¡¹ ¡¸Nyaw, aym sewious nyoo.¡¹ ¡¸Yeah, for the fighting!¡¹ ¡¸Yesh.¡¹ ¡¸Fufufu¡­¡­Geez. Your group sure has it great, Inglis. Just look at how bold you are, in a good way.¡¹


    Seeing the state of Inglis and Rafinha, Ripple broke into a smile.

 Chapter 116: 15-year-old Inglis and Hyrule Menaces’ Escorting Directive (24)

    Five days had passed since the commander of the Imperial Guard Order, Redas, visited.


    As of now, Ripple was still in the care of the Knight Academy. Silva conducted himself well, delaying the handover for as long as he could.


    It was known to all members of the order that Silva was the younger brother of their commander, so even if Silva was being a bit obvious that he was purposely making the transfer take more time, there was no one who publicly made a problem out of it. In fact, with the end of the negotiation with Highland being nowhere near in sight, it only further supported the postponement of the handover.


    On the other hand, the Academy sent Lahti and Pullum as the messengers for the Holy Knights in the front line. Lahti¡¯s skill in piloting the Flygear to maximize its performance and speed was said to be the best amongst all students, it seemed. Pullum joined Lahti as his escort at her own request. In addition, if something went wrong with the Flygear, she could be of some use as a power source to supply Mana directly with her Rune.


    Currently, everyone was maintaining the status quo while waiting for the two¡¯s return. On the surface, everything was as usual. But for those who were in the know, the tension was growing by the day.


    Even under such circumstances, nature was still a fickle thing.


    That night, Prism Flow was pouring down on the Royal Capital. Glittering rainbow-colored rain and dew danced across the night sky.


    In the middle of such a fantastic and terrific scene, Leone and Liselotte were flying in the sky. With the help of the wings from Liselotte¡¯s Artifact, they were soaring together.


    ¡¸Hurry up, Liselotte! That Magic Stone Beast is trying to attack a house!¡¹


    A large bird-shaped Magic Stone Beast was about to pierce through a certain house in the distance.


    ¡¸I¡¯ll make haste!¡¹


    Liselotte remarkably increased her speed.


    Today, Inglis and Rafinha took Silva¡¯s place to escort Ripple during the third-year students¡¯ turn, and so Leone and Liselotte were by themselves. Official Knights were deployed in the surrounding, each one of them was exterminating Magic Stone Beasts.


    The Knight Academy was a boarding school, so curfew was basically in effect. However, in situations like this, students were allowed to go out and help to exterminate the Magic Stone Beasts. Although, that only applied to students who had been recognized by the principal and owned the special extracurricular study permit.


    Leone usually snuck out of the dormitory in the middle of the night to make her night rounds in the city. She always had been ever since the day Inglis told her she saw Leon was in the city at night.


    She was well aware that it was against the school¡¯s rule, but she couldn¡¯t sit still when she thought that Leon might still be hiding in the capital. Leone¡¯s roommate, Liselotte, tacitly approved of her behavior and sometimes accompanied her on her night patrol. However, as Liselotte was more disciplined than Leone, she was always scared that she might be caught the day after they snuck out.


    Tonight, however, Prism Flow rained, and so they could brazenly come out without the worry of such a thing.


    ¡¸We¡¯re getting close!¡¹


    As they approached the targeted Magic Stone Beast, Liselotte called out to Leone.


    ¡¸I¡¯ll drop off here!¡¹


    Taking off her hand, Leone exposed herself to the sky. While falling, she elongated her black greatsword Artifact.


    ¡¸HYAAAAaaatt!!!¡¹


    With a big arc, she would cut down the Magic Stone Beast using the momentum of her fall. Or, that was what should¡¯ve happened, but just moments before it did, something shiny and four-legged jumped out from the side and rammed the Magic Stone Beast.


    Kabooomm!!


    Then its body burst open, spreading a violent flash of light!


    ¡¸!?¡¹


    So tremendous the explosion, Leone¡¯s greatsword was pushed back, her hands numb. Of course, the Magic Stone Beast didn¡¯t survive, it was scattered so badly it didn¡¯t hold any of its original shapes.


    ¡¸Wha¡­¡­!?¡¹


    However, to Leone, what was surprising wasn¡¯t the force behind that explosion.


    ¡¸Th-, that was¡­¡­ That was a lightning beast from big brother Leon¡¯s Artifact¡­¡­!¡¹


    She had been shown many times. She would never forget it. She didn¡¯t mistake it, absolutely.


    Which means¡­ He is here, he¡¯s nearby! I¡¯ve finally grasped his tail¡­..!


    The glint in Leone¡¯s eyes changed as she busily searched her surroundings.


    ¡¸Big brother Leon!? Where are you!? I know you¡¯re here! Come out!¡¹ ¡¸Leone! What¡¯s wrong with you all of a sudden!?¡¹


    Liselotte descended next to her.


    ¡¸You saw that, right!? A lightning beast! That¡¯s the power of my brother¡¯s favorite Artifact! That¡¯s why he must be nearby!¡¹ ¡¸¡­¡­!¡¹ ¡¸Ah! I see it, there!¡¹


    It was a street corner towards a small alley behind Liselotte¡¯s back. A glimpse of a lightning beast was seen there.


    ¡¸I won¡¯t let you go!¡¹


    With all the speed she could muster, Leone rushed over.


    ¡¸Ah! Leone! It¡¯s dangerous to go alone!¡¹


    Liselotte followed after Leone.


    The lightning beast suddenly disappeared once they turned the alley, then appeared again as though it invited them at the next corner, and when they reached there, it disappeared again. Leone and Liselotte gradually grew uncertain where they were running to.


    ¡¸Leone! Have you noticed!? We are clearly being led around, you know¡­¡­!?¡¹ ¡¸Yes, I¡¯m aware! But I have to go! You can go back if you want.¡¹ ¡¸No, I¡¯m going! We can use my wing to retreat when needs be¡­¡­!¡¹ ¡¸Thank you!¡¹


    As they chased the lightning beast, they came across a place where a turn led to an underground passage at the end of a straight road. The lightning beast descended into it and disappeared from their sight.


    ¡¸It¡¯s just up ahead¡­¡­!¡¹ ¡¸It could be a trap. Be careful.¡¹ ¡¸Sure. Let¡¯s go!¡¹


    Leone and Liselotte nodded at each other and went down the path to the underground. They arrived at a large space that seemed to be a warehouse of some kind.


    They kept going for a while in a silence filled with the echo of their footsteps. When suddenly, a lightning beast appeared in front of them, its shining body illuminated the surroundings.


    The silhouette that emerged from that was¡ª¡ª


    ¡¸Yoo. Long time no see, Leone.¡¹


    The tone he used was cheerful, but a hint of awkwardness was apparent in Leon¡¯s speech.


    ¡¸Big brother¡­¡­! And¡ª¡ª¡¹


    Leon wasn¡¯t alone. There was the leader of the Ironblood Chain Brigade, Black Mask. Along with the Hyrule Menace affiliated to them, Cystia.

 Chapter 117: 15-year-old Inglis and Hyrule Menaces’ Escorting Directive (25)

    ¡¸Do you know them, Leone?¡¹


    Leone sharply warned Liselotte who was positioned behind her.


    ¡¸Careful, Liselotte! They¡¯re the leader of the Ironblood Chain Brigade and an enemy Hyrule Menace¡­¡­!¡¹


    Aside from the former Holy Knight Leon, Liselotte had never seen these people. During the incident with Myynti¡¯s assassination, too, she just happened to miss them out when she entered the scene.


    ¡¸¡­¡­! Dear me, the big villain himself makes his appearance, I see¡­¡­!¡¹


    Black Mask reacted to Liselotte¡¯s line.


    ¡¸We haven¡¯t the slightest intention to pose as villains. Justice and evil are subjective, they change from each person¡¯s perspective.¡¹ ¡¸For us who will become this country¡¯s Knights, you are the very definition of a villain!¡¹


    Concluded Liselotte as she wielded her halberd Artifact.


    ¡¸Fu. How truly laudable.¡¹ ¡¸There is no need to listen. The ignorant fools have no idea what are they saying.¡¹


    Saying so, Cystia stepped forward and covered Black Mask behind her.


    Seeing this happening, Liselotte thought to herself.


    Just who was this Black Mask person? Leone had once said that Leon might be the leader of the Ironblood Chain Brigade, but it apparently wasn¡¯t the case. It was obvious when you see they were in the same place at the same time.


    If the leader was a Special Grade Rune bearer much like Leon, it was not questionable to have a Hyrule Menace within the ranks of his organization, but both a Holy Knight and a Hyrule Menace served him, who was this person¡­¡­?


    Why was he covering his face? If he wanted to gather supporters and guide people, it was better to be bold and brazen, showing off his face and announcing his name.


    If so, was there a reason why he couldn¡¯t show his face? In other words, this was his hidden face, and he had a different public face altogether, was that the case? But then, who was he in the public?


    ¡¸Oi, Miss Cystia there. Don¡¯t you go on the offense on your own, okay?¡¹ ¡¸I know that!¡¹ ¡¸Do you now. From all the Hyrule Menaces I know, you¡¯re the most hot-blooded. We didn¡¯t come here to fight tonight, you hear?¡¹


    Leone cut into their conversation with a flash of her sword.


    ¡¸Your circumstances are not my concern!¡¹


    The black greatsword with its extended blade went towards Leon from overhead.


    Pinnggg!!


    Sparks scattered along with a high-pitch sound. Leon received Leone¡¯s sword with his iron gauntlet Artifact.


    ¡¸Leone¡­¡­! Stop it, now¡¯s not the time for something like this¡­¡­!¡¹


    Even if Leon tried to stop her, Leone was unstoppable once she was agitated.


    ¡¸Something like this!? For me¡­¡­! For me, there is nothing more important than this!¡¹


    Leone pulled her sword back to its original length and then thrusted it while closing the distance between them. She thrusted the greatsword with all of her might while extending the Artifact. The combo increased the speed of her sword thrust beyond Leon¡¯s expectation.


    Leone¡¯s full-strength thrust lightly grazed Leon in the shoulder as he tried to dodge it.


    ¡¸¡­¡­! I see you¡¯ve grown¡­¡­!¡¹ ¡¸You won¡¯t escape!¡¹


    Even the follow-up cleave was narrowly avoided by Leon as he jumped back. In addition, his lightning beast remained in place as though replacing Leon¡¯s place. And after Leone¡¯s sword hit it, it immediately exploded, making her sword flung wide by the impact.


    ¡¸Kgh¡­¡­!¡¹ ¡¸Leone! Please listen to¡­¡­!¡¹ ¡¸I have nothing to listen to! Not to someone who throws away his country, his hometown, even his own family¡­¡­!!¡¹


    Leone fixed her stance and went to slash at Leon again.


    ¡¸Hm. So there¡¯s someone more hot-headed than I am.¡¹ ¡¸There is no helping it. They are siblings, bound by blood. We have no right to intercept. Let us just watch over them.¡¹


    Cystia looked fed up while Black Mask simply watched from the side.


    ¡¸You too, Althea¡¯s young lady. I ask you not to lend your hands. If you go to aid your friend, then we are forced to move as well in order to protect comrade Leon.¡¹ ¡¸¡­¡­Of course.¡¹


    She answered curtly. Besides, it would be hard for Liselotte to meddle in the fight with how menacing Leone had been.


    However, Black Mask appeared to be familiar with Liselotte. Indeed, Liselotte was the daughter of former Prime Minister Althea, but she was still just another Knight Academy student.


    For them to possess such detailed information, Liselotte wondered just how many collaborators and insiders the Ironblood Chain Brigade had planted within the Althea household, or perhaps within the Knight Academy.


    Kachiiink!


    Again, the metal rang and sparks scattered.


    They were much closer this time, with Leon holding Leone¡¯s sword in place with his iron gauntlet.


    ¡¸Both Father and Mother have gone¡­¡­! But, for the sake of the people of Arlman that you cast aside, I will never let you go!¡¹ ¡¸We won¡¯t have anything left if those people and our town are gone! That¡¯s the situation right now¡­¡­!!¡¹ ¡¸Eh¡­¡­!?¡¹


    The moment strength left Leone¡¯s shoulder, Black Mask opened his mouth.


    ¡¸In order to improve their relationship with the Church Founder¡¯s Union, the Royal Palace had decided to tribute the territories. Their aims are¡­ Arlman and Shealot.¡¹ ¡¸¡¸WHA¡­¡­!?¡¹¡¹


    Both Leone and Liselotte were struck by Black Mask¡¯s words. Arlman was Leone¡¯s hometown while Shealot was Liselotte¡¯s.

 Chapter 118: 15-year-old Inglis and Hyrule Menaces’ Escorting Directive (26)

    ¡¸Arlman and Shealot¡­¡­!?¡¹ ¡¸W-, why¡ª¡ª!? How did it come to that!?¡¹


    Black Mask calmly told the disturbed Leone and Liselotte.


    ¡¸There is nothing surprising about it. The town of Arlman has been relieved of its purpose of guarding the frozen Prisma, while the lord of Shealot, Prime Minister Althea, has retired from his position and distanced himself from both the Royal faction and Prince faction. In short, he is of no use for either party. Giving away those two territories will have the least impact.¡¹ ¡¸That¡¯s not what it¡¯s all about!¡¹ ¡¸Why must it resort to that!? Where is the justice in doing that!?¡¹


    Black Mask brushed aside Leone and Liselotte¡¯s threatening attitude.


    ¡¸It¡¯s no use asking me that. It¡¯s precisely because we don¡¯t approve of that, that we are standing in this position.¡¹ ¡¸That¡¯s right! Don¡¯t get mistaken! If you want to lash out, lash it out to your own stupid king for selling out his own people just to butter up to the Highland!¡¹ ¡¸¡¸¡­¡­!?¡¹¡¹


    As Cystia¡¯s critic was justified, neither Leone nor Liselotte could rebuke her.


    ¡¸Hmph. Look how happy-go-lucky this kingdom is, making up useless turfs like the King faction or Prince faction or whatnot. So blind to what¡¯s really important. See, how that ignorance kills your own people. Tell you what, I hate this b?a?s?t?a?r?d?, but he¡¯s got more brain matter than those fools you call royal family.¡¹


    Spoke Cystia with her eyes locked at Leon.


    ¡¸¡­¡­Stop it already. My own decision has made the town of Arlman, my own parents, even my little sister unhappy. I¡¯m not a smart guy, not at all. Just an absolute moron who fails to live up to their expectation. In the end, I¡¯m just looking out for myself.¡¹ ¡¸Cystia. Despite his looks, Leon is a kind man. When his moral law and the happiness of the people he cherished contradicted, his heart aches for the one he didn¡¯t pursue. That¡¯s why, don¡¯t touch that topic too much.¡¹ ¡¸Understood, sir.¡¹ ¡¸These girls are also seeds of the future Knights. There are things they cannot say or do. The internal problems of Midland Kingdoms are theirs to solve. It is none of our business.¡¹ ¡¸Yessir. Understood.¡¹


    The arrogant, high-handed Cystia seemed to be absolutely obedient to Black Mask.


    ¡¸I don¡¯t understand¡­¡­! Why did you tell us this!?¡¹ ¡¸Yes. Leone is correct, what is your aim¡­¡­!?¡¹ ¡¸I bear no ill will. I am just providing information. In fact, you do need it, don¡¯t you? The handover of the Hyrule Menace will take place in four days. It seems that it will take place the day after the ship from the Highland arrives, where they will receive hospitality and finalize the signing. Before that happens, we will attack the Highland¡¯s ship and take out the signing envoy. Our only enemy is the Highlanders who are preying upon the Midland.¡¹ ¡¸¡¸¡­¡­!¡¹¡¹


    That was the Ironblood Chain Brigade¡¯s ambush scheme.


    And they told us about it in advance¡ª¡ª!


    ¡¸You have your own agendas and plans, don¡¯t you? If you are going to make any moves, you will need to make use of ours. Use us to your advantages.¡¹ ¡¸Do you think we can trust you!? You¡¯re an enemy!¡¹ ¡¸What she says!¡¹ ¡¸It is up to you to trust it or not. It is also your freedom whether you will tell the head of the Academy about this or not. Hopefully, you will pass this information and not interfere with our plan.¡¹ ¡¸¡¸¡­¡­¡­¡­¡¹¡¹


    Both Leone and Liselotte were at a loss for words.


    ¡¸I¡¯ve told you everything I need. I will take my leave.¡¹


    With that, Black Mask turned on his heel, Cystia quickly followed close behind. Only Leon stayed behind a little longer to talk with Leone and Liselotte.


    ¡¸I¡¯m sure you already know, but¡­¡­ Even if you stop us here and somehow won, that only meant there would be no one to stop the transfer of ownership of both Arlman and Shealot. That¡¯s why¡­¡­Let¡¯s stop for now and meet again later.¡¹ ¡¸¡­¡­ Big brother! Even so, I¡ª¡ªWhatever the reason, I¡­¡­!¡¹ ¡¸Yeah. Leone, you have your thoughts and things you need to do¡­¡­Nothing to hesitate for, just do it. No one can stop you. The only thing I can say is that you¡¯ve grown excellently, I know I did absolutely nothing to help you, but¡­¡­ I¡¯m glad you have grown. Keep doing your best.¡¹


    Leon showed only a glimpse of a smile, then followed after Black Mask.


    ¡¸Big brother¡ª¡ª¡¹


    His affable smile was the same as the one he used to give to Leone when they were little. Seeing it made Leone feel nostalgic.


    But that feeling was something she mustn¡¯t let herself lose into. Otherwise, her resolve would get dulled when the time came.


    ¡¸¡­¡­!¡¹


    She shook her head frantically, shaking off the sentimental side of her.


    ¡¸What do we do, Leone? With this information¡­?¡¹ ¡¸¡­¡­I think it¡¯s best to tell the Principal about it. Let¡¯s get back and report to her.¡¹ ¡¸Yes! We have to make sure Arlman and Shealot are safe¡­¡­!¡¹


    Leone and Liselotte headed back to the Academy and reported to Principal Miliera about tonight¡¯s incident.


    They also met Inglis in the office, and when she heard about the brigade¡¯s ambush scheme¡­


    ¡¸Heeh¡­¡­So, we just have to defeat all the Magic Stone Beasts while also capturing the Ironblood Chain Brigade, right? Fufufu¡­¡­ I¡¯m sure that would be more exciting than just taking on the Magic Stone Beasts.¡¹


    Inglis was so elated that her eyes were basically sparkling.

 Chapter 119: 15-year-old Inglis and Hyrule Menaces’ Escorting Directive (27)

    Knight Academy, cafeteria at night¡ª¡ª


    ¡¸¡¸Thank you for the wait, Young Misses.¡¹¡¹


    Inglis and Rafinha, dressed in the attire of maids working for the Royal, laid out the plates they had brought in front of Leone and Liselotte.


    ¡¸This is your Double Extra-Large Super Spicy Pasta with All Toppings.¡¹ ¡¸This is your Double Extra-Large Grilled Cheese Meat on the Bone¡¹ ¡¸This is your Double Extra-Large Bechamel Sauce Pasta with All Toppings.¡¹ ¡¸This is your second servings of Double Extra-Large Super Spicy Pasta with All Toppings.¡¹


    Bam! Bam! Bam! Bam!


    Huge plates landed on the table with an enormous sense of intimidation and pressure.


    ¡¸I-, I didn¡¯t order them!¡¹ ¡¸A-, as if we could finish them¡­!¡¹


    Screamed Leone and Liselotte.


    ¡¸¡¸Yeah, we know.¡¹¡¹


    Of course, that was all but a joke, as Inglis and Rafinha would eat those dishes themselves.


    ¡¸¡¸Bon App¨¦tit!¡¹¡¹


    And thus they began wolfing them down ravenously.


    ¡¸Hmm~ The cafeteria has the best flavor-to-amount balance of all, after all! They even have a menu only for us!¡¹ ¡¸You¡¯re right. And they¡¯re free too.¡¹ ¡¸ But, our all-you-can-eat in cafeteria deal we made with the Principal is almost over.¡¹ ¡¸Yeah. But the Principal promised that if tomorrow¡¯s mission goes well, she will extend the period.¡¹ ¡¸Is that true?! Nice going, Glis! Now we absolutely can¡¯t fail!¡¹ ¡¸Yeah. And for that, too, we need to psych ourselves up and fortify ourselves with meal.¡¹ ¡¸You¡¯re right! Okaay, let¡¯s relish them as much as possible to our heart¡¯s content!¡¹ ¡¸Yeah, let¡¯s.¡¹


    Nom nom nom nom nom nom!


    Even amid their conversation, the pile of food on their plates continued to disappear at an alarming rate.


    ¡¸¡¸¡­¡­¡­¡­¡¹¡¹


    While Leone and Liselotte had grown familiar with the amount and the speed at which they eat to not give a comment, the maid attire they wore was still a point of curiosity.


    ¡¸So, what is with the garb?¡¹ ¡¸Is it a rehearsal for tomorrow?¡¹


    It was the night before the official signing of the treaty between the Royal faction and the Church¡¯s Union. This attire was necessary for Inglis and Rafinha¡¯s plan of action tomorrow.


    ¡¸Yeah.¡¹ ¡¸We think we should at least practice how to act like a maid. Besides, the attire is kind of cute. I wanted to try it on Glis, since we won¡¯t have the time for that tomorrow.¡¹ ¡¸It¡¯s good that it¡¯s cute, but hem is a bit too short.¡¹ ¡¸You¡¯re right. Is it perhaps the taste of some higher ups?¡¹ ¡¸Well, it¡¯s easier to move in compared to our evening gown, so I¡¯m fine with it.¡¹


    It was easy to assume that combat was inevitable, so the short skirt was actually convenient.


    ¡¸But still, it sure looks on you, Inglis. It¡¯s really pretty.¡¹ ¡¸Miss Inglis, you look superb no matter what you wear!¡¹ ¡¸Fufu. Thank you.¡¹


    She also thought so when she looked at herself in the mirror, so she would happily accept the praise.


    ¡¸Come on, Glis. Try spinning once for me. And say some maid-like line with a smile too, okay?¡¹ ¡¸Okay, will do.¡¹


    Solemnly, Inglis stood to her feet. She spun once, causing the hem of her garb and the silvery long hair to flutter gently, and with a slight bow and a smile, she said, ¡¸Welcome home, milady.¡¹


    ¡¸Pfft¡ª¡ª¡¹ ¡¸¡­Fufu¡¹ ¡¸Ahaha¡­¡¹


    However, Rafinha and the others instead looked like they were trying to stifle a laugh.


    ¡¸?¡¹


    Inglis cocked her head before Rafinha reached to her cheeks.


    ¡¸You¡¯ve got rice on your cheek, you know? A cute and clumsy maid girl, huh?¡¹ ¡¸Fufufu, geez¡­ And here I was getting cold feet for tomorrow.¡¹ ¡¸Ahaha. It¡¯s kind of relieving to see that you two are always the usual.¡¹


    They laugh as if it¡¯s so funny, but, well, as long it eases their nerves, so be it.


    ¡¸What are you two playing around for¡­¡­¡¹


    Silva who just happened to walk by looked at them as though he couldn¡¯t believe his eyes.


    ¡¸Ah, Senior Silva.¡¹ ¡¸Good Evening. What do you think of Glis¡¯ maid outfit? Isn¡¯t it cute?¡¹ ¡¸¡­¡­I didn¡¯t prepare them so you can play with them. Honestly, you don¡¯t have any sense of tension in the slightest!¡¹


    It was through Silva¡¯s personal connections that they were able to arrange a temporary job for maids so Inglis and Rafinha could sneak into the Royal Palace tomorrow.


    The Imperial Guard Order and the Royal Palace had an inseparable relationship with one another. As such, Silva, who was the younger brother of the Order¡¯s Commander as well as a bearer of a Special Grade Rune, was more or less well-known in the Royal Palace.


    ¡¸Are you nervous yourself, senior?¡¹


    His hands that carried his dinner seemed a bit tense.


    ¡¸I am, of course. A lot of things will be decided tomorrow. And by us at that, like the future of this country for one, and Lady Ripple¡¯s fate for another. However, if everything goes south, Lady Ripple will start blaming herself, saying that it¡¯s all her fault. That¡¯s the last thing I want to happen. And for that, too, your role is especially important. After all, I can¡¯t do anything in there.¡¹


    Inglis and Rafinha would take action separate from the Academy¡¯s main force tomorrow.


    ¡¸I¡¯m really placing my hope on you two, and it¡¯s for Lady Ripple too.¡¹


    Apparently, Silva seemed to be really concerned with Ripple. Which reminded Inglis that Ripple didn¡¯t seem to have any problems with Silva¡¯s general attitude, and she even said that they would make a great combination.


    Did Silva honor her enough that he acted really gentlemanly before her? Even when he was gravely injured, the first thing he cared for was Ripple.


    Not to mention that Ripple¡¯s weapon guise as a Hyrule Menace was a firearm, and the weapon Silva usually used was also a firearm. Was there a relation between the two?


    ¡¸Senior, are you actually in love with Miss Ripple?¡¹


    It was convenient to have Rafinha at times like this. Even if that meant she¡¯d meddle into others¡¯ business, if she was curious about something, she¡¯d throw a straight ball without hesitation.


    ¡¸D-¡­¡­! Don¡¯t be stupid¡­¡­! My sentiment for her is nothing as vulgar as that!¡¹


    He spoke flustered with his ears turned bright red, so he probably was. Rafinha was grinning at this. Leone and Liselotte also kept watching, their eyes smiling.


    ¡¸Hmm¡ª¡ª It¡¯s fine even if it is, right Glis?¡¹ ¡¸Yeah, I agree.¡¹ ¡¸It¡¯s not! I would never think of being as uncouth as taking a Hyrule Menace for myself¡­¡­! It is true, however, that I hold an admiration for Lady Ripple.¡¹ ¡¸Did something happen between you and her?¡¹ ¡¸A long time ago¡­when I was still a child, Lady Ripple saved me when I was attacked by a Magic Stone Beast. However, my best friend who was with me died before she could arrive. ¡­My friend was a Runeless, but she followed what I said and¡­ my own weakness killed her.¡¹


    Silva became downcast, uttering those words almost a whisper.


    In retrospect, Silva opposed the idea of Inglis and Yua to become an escort to Ripple as they were Squires with no Rune.


    At first Inglis thought he disliked Runeless in general, but he risked his life to protect Lahti, who was a Runeless Squire himself. He didn¡¯t even complain, he was kind to him until the end of the matter.


    In short, it was his belief to keep powerless, Runeless people away from danger, and protect them at all cost when push came to shove.


    As Inglis and Yua were outliers to this general rule who didn¡¯t need any of such consideration, they made an unnecessary discord in his belief. However, for many ordinary people who had no Rune, he was a most dependable person.


    ¡¸Ah, I¡¯m sorry for making you tell us about it¡­¡­¡¹


    Rafinha looked apologetic.


    ¡¸Not, it¡¯s fine. As long as it motivates you two. Lady Ripple hugged me when I was crying and comforted me. She told me that I should become stronger, for the sake of my friend too, so I could protect tens, even hundreds, times more people. Those words made me who I am now. I have been training so I can fight alongside Lady Ripple one day.¡¹ ¡¸Could it be, senior, did you choose to use a rifle Artifact because to match with Miss Ripple?¡¹ ¡¸Yes, that¡¯s right. It will be easier to fight alongside Lady Ripple that way.¡¹


    When Inglis asked, Silva nodded, looking a bit pleased.


    ¡¸Hyrule Menaces are the Guardian Deities for the country and the people, after all.¡¹ ¡¸Indeed. How very noble of her.¡¹


    Both Leone and Liselotte also nodded along, admiring Ripple.


    ¡¸However, do me a favor and don¡¯t tell Lady Ripple about my ambition. I went and thanked her again for saving me in the past, she seemed to remember me, but for some reason, she had a pained expression whenever the topic came up. I don¡¯t want to cause her any worry or distress.¡¹ ¡¸Yes, I understand. But why did she look pained?¡¹ ¡¸Hmm¡­ I¡¯m not sure.¡¹


    Both Rafinha and Inglis tilted their heads.


    ¡¸I haven¡¯t the intention to find it out either. As long as she doesn¡¯t return to the Highland and continues to stay here in our Kingdom, she will tell us about it one day.¡¹ ¡¸Yes. And for that, we need to do our best tomorrow! Right, Glis?¡¹ ¡¸Yeah, Rani. Leave this mission to us, senior. As for your mission¡­ if possible, please take your time and drag it out, okay? I want to join the fray and fight once we¡¯re done with ours. ¡¹ ¡¸¡­Just how much do you want to fight, really.¡¹ ¡¸Well. As long as my stomach isn¡¯t empty, always? ¡¹ ¡¸¡­¡­¡­¡­¡¹


    Inglis replied with a smile from one ear to another, while Silva was lost for words. The next day, the day of the official signing arrived.

 Chapter 120: 15-year-old Inglis and Hyrule Menaces’ Escorting Directive (28)

    ¡¸Ooi, newbies! Bring this in next!¡¹ ¡¸¡¸Yees!!¡¹¡¹


    Inglis and Rafinha, dressed in a maid¡¯s attire, cheerfully replied, and left the palace¡¯s pantry with a wagon full of platters to carry the food. It was a simple task of bringing the food from the pantry to the venue where the party would be held.


    Inglis and Rafinha were just day laborers for this one busy day, so this was all they were allowed to do.


    However, it was exceedingly fun.


    ¡¸Uwaaaah~~~ Looks so tasty! So appetizing!!¡¹ ¡¸Foods in the Palace are different after all¡­¡­!¡¹


    Vivid colors, sophisticated aromas, profound flavors¡ª¡ª


    This was the craft of a first-rate chef using first-rate ingredients with care. It wasn¡¯t that the food at the Knight Academy¡¯s cafeteria was bad, but still, the food here was on a different level.


    ¡¸Ah, you eat that too much, Rani. The pile of lobsters are already gone now.¡¹ ¡¸Says you, Glis. You can¡¯t be eating all the meat like that, you know.¡¹


    They had made quite a progress on snitching the food while they carried the wagon through the long corridor that cuts through the garden, behind everyone¡¯s back.


    This was something they shouldn¡¯t do, and they were well aware of it.


    However, the Ironblood Chain Brigade would come and crash this welcoming party tonight. And, if that was the case, then the food would be better eaten now, even if a little.


    *VWOOM VWOOM¡ª¡ª VWOOM VWOOOM¡ª¡ª *


    A low, echoing, vibrating sound came from a place far from them. It was from above, over their heads, or even higher. It came from beyond the skies.


    As if breaking through the dusk-tinted clouds, a Highland Aerial Battleship revealed itself.


    ¡¸Uwaah¡­That¡¯s a huge ship. As big as Lord Theodore¡¯s, if not more¡­¡­!¡¹ ¡¸You¡¯re right. Who¡¯s the one in charge, I wonder¡­¡¹ ¡¸¡­¡­If possible, I¡¯d prefer a decent person, like Lord Theodore or Lady Cyrene. It¡¯s also part of our duty to protect them, after all¡­¡­¡¹


    Inglis and Rafinha had gone undercover to guard the King and the Highland envoy from the assault of the Ironblood Chain Brigade. They deliberately didn¡¯t inform the Royal Palace or the Imperial Guard Order about the attack. It was Principal Miliera¡¯s decision, as well as what Inglis wished.


    ¡¸But I have a feeling they¡¯d be someone like Rahal or Myynti¡­¡­If they are, I don¡¯t feel like guarding them at all~¡¹


    Grunted Rafinha.


    ¡¸We¡¯ve never seen His Majesty the King too, haven¡¯t we.¡¹ ¡¸You¡¯re right, we haven¡¯t. Maybe he¡¯s a jerk person too? He doesn¡¯t get along with His Highness Wayne, right? And His Highness is a good person, so¡­¡­¡¹ ¡¸Fufu. I guess so.¡¹


    What cute naive notion. To Rafinha, only good and bad people couldn¡¯t get along with each other.


    While in reality, morals hardly mattered, as ideals and position would make all the difference at getting along with one another. In short, compatibility. The chemistry they shared. Good and bad had nothing to do with it.


    ¡¸Well, I¡¯m fine either way. There are plenty of opponents to fight already, too.¡¹


    Since Leone and Liselotte have supposedly seen the Black Mask, Cystia, and Leon, that means those three will surely make an appearance. An Ether wielder, a Hyrule Menace, and a former Holy Knight. The battlefield where I can take on all of them at once is here, at this very place. Isn¡¯t that simply wonderful?


    Then, after capturing them, I plan to head towards the Academy¡¯s main force. I¡¯ll join the mission led by the principal and senior Silva to annihilate all the Magic Stone Beasts that Miss Ripple summons. There will be a lot of Magic Stone Beasts to fight there, and there might be some powerful ones that I haven¡¯t seen before.


    ¡¸Ufufu¡­¡­I can¡¯t wait, it¡¯s been a while since I could fight without restraint.¡¹ ¡¸Really, Glis, you¡¯re just like usual. Even I¡¯m getting a bit nervous myself, you know?¡¹ ¡¸You only need to be able to genuinely enjoy the very fight itself. There are strong enemies. Fight. Fun. That¡¯s all you ever have to feel.¡¹ ¡¸No no¡­¡­There are a lot of other things to think about, okay?! Well, that does sound like you, Glis.¡¹


    And thus the prep work continued on¡ª¡ª


    The venue was full of people. The party attendees, the musicians who decorated the venue with music, and the knights who lined up all along the venue¡¯s wall to guard the event. Inglis, Rafinha, and the other maids were also waiting at the far end of the venue to serve the guests.


    Then, an elderly man in an extravagant gown made an appearance, his gait leisurely. He was tall and burly, a big man for his age, with a bit of gray patch on his hair.


    His position was evident from the magnificent specter he carried in his hand. Beside him, the Commander of the Imperial Guard Order, Redas, took position.


    ¡¸Ooh, the King made His appearance¡ª¡ª¡¹ ¡¸His Majesty King Charleas¡­¡­!¡¹ ¡¸Long live the King!¡¹


    Cheers surrounded King Charleas. From what Inglis could see, he seemed to be an imposing and dignified figure, well-liked by his people. And, more than that¡­


    ¡¸Heeh¡­¡­So His Majesty has a Special Grade Rune.¡¹


    Gleaming on the back of the King¡¯s right hand was, unmistakably, a Special Grade Rune.


    ¡¸Seems like it. That means he must be strong, so protecting him should be easy as pie.¡¹ ¡¸That¡¯s not for sure. Being a King means you don¡¯t have time to train.¡¹


    Spoken from her previous life experience; If he was an honest, serious King, then that was absolutely the case. There was no other way.


    ¡¸? That¡¯s rare of you Glis, not saying you want to fight him.¡¹ ¡¸No, I didn¡¯t say I don¡¯t want to either, right?¡¹ ¡¸¡­¡­You can¡¯t, okay? Even if we¡¯re given a chance to talk with him, don¡¯t ever say anything weird, okay?¡¹


    Then, King Charleas called out to the gathering attendee.


    ¡¸It is my great pleasure to invite an envoy of the Highland tonight. The envoy has promised to send us a new Hyrule Menace in response to our Kingdom¡¯s Hyrule Menace¡¯s abnormal condition. With this opportunity, the future of our Kingdom shall become even more prosperous.¡¹


    He held up the specter and uttered those words, which were greeted with a crack of applause.


    ¡¸What about the matter with Arlman and Shealot!? He didn¡¯t mention anything about them! Ah, do we no longer have to give up territories anymore?¡¹ ¡¸I don¡¯t think that¡¯s the case. It¡¯s normal in these situations to only speak of the results and omit the bad stuff in-between, you know?¡¹ ¡¸¡­¡­That sounds sly.¡¹


    It was endearing how pure Rafinha¡¯s disapproval of him was. Inglis squinted her eyes joyfully.


    ¡¸Then, let us welcome our envoy. Everyone, I beseech you not to be rude with him.¡¹


    Announced the King before he bowed his head towards the entrance of the venue. Everyone followed after him, then¡­ a Highlander, prominent with the stigma on his forehead, entered the venue.


    His eyes were heterochromia, red in one and blue in the other. His hair was pure white, but there were two tufts of hair that was in the same red and blue respectively on his forelock. He was dressed in lavishly decorated armor but¡­ his stature was small.


    ¡¸A kid¡­¡­?¡¹


    Indeed, the one that came was a young Highlander, only about ten-years old at most.

 Chapter 121: 15-year-old Inglis and Hyrule Menaces’ Escorting Directive (29)

    ¡¸Wah¡­¡­What a cute kid. The colors of his eyes and hair are beautiful too.¡¹ ¡¸You¡¯re right.¡¹


    Responded Inglis with a nod. As Rafinha said, indeed, the boy was quite beautiful.


    ¡¸Let me introduce him. His Lord Abel, Envoy of the Highland. Young he may be, he is a Major General of the Highland Army. This is the first time even for me to meet such a high-ranking Highlander.¡¹


    King Charleas introduced the Highlander boy.


    ¡¸Ooh¡­¡­So he¡¯s such an esteemed personage.¡¹ ¡¸Doesn¡¯t that mean, compared to the Special Envoys who usually visit us in the Midland¡­¡¹ ¡¸He¡¯s a higher-ranked officer¡­¡­¡¹


    Abel snorted at the fuss.


    ¡¸Those Special Envoys sent to the Midland are nothing but mere servants used as diplomats. I¡¯d have you not compare them to me, the Archlord who commands His Holiness The Founder Church¡¯s Union entire army.¡¹


    Rafinha¡¯s lips pouted.


    ¡¸¡­¡­I take it back. He¡¯s not cute at all.¡¹ ¡¸You¡¯re right.¡¹


    Inglis nodded again.


    ¡¸How magnificent!¡¹ ¡¸It¡¯s an honor to meet someone as revered as you!¡¹ ¡¸This shall be my lifetime memory!¡¹


    However, the attendees seemed to welcome him greatly.


    ¡¸¡­¡­It feels a bit disgusting, doesn¡¯t it? How are they fawning all over a kid who says things like that?¡¹ ¡¸You¡¯re right.¡¹


    Inglis nodded yet again.


    ¡¸Listen to me seriously, Glis¡­¡­!¡¹ ¡¸Eeh¡­¡­!? I¡¯m listening, you know? Why are you so mad¡­¡­?¡¹ ¡¸You¡¯re not listening, you¡¯re just letting my words in one ear and out another, aren¡¯t you!?¡¹ ¡¸Even if you said it like that¡­¡­¡¹


    Actually, is there another way to say it?


    Inglis didn¡¯t think he saw their banter, but Archlord Abel began to laugh.


    ¡¸Kukukuku¡­¡­Ahahahaha¡ª¡ª!! This is laughable¡­¡­! You are insufferable, all of you. You are not aware that, in exchange for a defective Hyrule Menace, two of your cities will be taken away from you, are you? You¡¯re selling off your own people and land, don¡¯t you know that? How can you smile so joyfully like that? How can you wag your tails and flatter up your plunderer, that is me? I find that mentality deeply interesting.¡¹


    With a delighted face from the bottom of his heart, he shrugged his shoulders exaggeratedly.


    ¡¸¡­¡­It¡¯s frustrating, but he¡¯s correct.¡¹ ¡¸You¡¯re right.¡¹


    Rafinha wasn¡¯t angry this time.


    ¡¸Well, it saves your hides, so it doesn¡¯t matter, right? Fufufu¡­¡­You¡¯re cruel with your own kind, even though you¡¯re well aware that your turn will come someday! How foolish. Ignorant, that¡¯s what you are.¡¹ ¡¸¡¸¡¸¡­¡­¡­¡­¡¹¡¹¡¹


    Naturally, the audience froze and not a soul made any sound. In the midst of it, Abel continued.


    ¡¸But that¡¯s all right. After all, the people on the Highland are nothing but fools either, you see? They don¡¯t know, and they don¡¯t want to know, that they have deprived people like you under their feet, they are fools who can¡¯t even imagine the things that exist outside their comfort boxes, you see? You and them, you¡¯re not so different. As for me, it¡¯s easier to work with fools. As long as I can accomplish my mission for His Holiness the Founder, I am content. Thank you, oh you ignorant fools, for being such an insufferable moron.¡¹


    He then showed a bow so polite, and so sarcastically.


    ¡¸HAHHAHAHAHA! No need to thank us, Lord Abel! It is the truth that we are fools¡­¡­! I mean, look how foolish I, their King, am. Your continued guidance and encouragement would be very well appreciated.¡¹


    King Charleas smiled broadly and made a grand show of bowing to Abel. Then, with his eyes, he urged the others to do the same.


    ¡¸¡¸¡¸V-very well appreciated¡­¡­!¡¹¡¹¡¹


    Following the King, the others bowed deeply.


    ¡¸¡­¡­I don¡¯t want to see this. This is shameful¡ª¡ª¡¹ ¡¸Is it? But it¡¯s kind of interesting, you know?¡¹


    Rafinha is correct; it¡¯s a shameful sight. However, any normal human would be burning with fiery rage by now. They would either be so angry they couldn¡¯t speak, or they would raise their voice and refute everything that was just being said.


    The reaction of King Charleas is anything but normal. Either he doesn¡¯t have a human heart, or he holds an abnormal amount of conviction in his heart. Either way, this is quite an interesting show.


    ¡¸Kukuku¡ª¡ªOh, King. You¡¯re quite the amusing fool¡­¡­¡¹


    The moment Abel lifted his lips and showed a smile.


    KER-CHAAANKKK!!!


    The windows of the venue shattered rigorously and a huge silhouette flew into the room.


    It was a giant winged lizard, with brightly colored ore-like gemstones decorating its body.


    ¡¸¡¸¡¸MAGIC STONE BEASTS!?!?¡¹¡¹¡¹


    While the venue was filled with shock, Magic Stone Beasts originated from black crows and winged insects also poured in. Dogs and rats Magic Stone Beasts also showed up from other entrances.


    Screams and shouts were beginning to rise simultaneously from all directions, not only from the venue but also from other places far away.


    ¡¸¡­¡­They¡¯re finally here! The Ironblood Chain Brigade! Let¡¯s go, Glis¡ª¡ªeh? Glis¡­¡­??¡¹


    The sight of Inglis who was supposed to be right beside Rafinha had disappeared. At the same time, a grave yell was raised by the guarding Knights.


    ¡¸O-, oi, it¡¯s dangerous! What are you trying to do with your bare hands!?¡¹ ¡¸What are you doing, come back here!!¡¹ ¡¸Oh no! Stop her¡­¡­!!¡¹ ¡¸¡¸¡¸Hey, maid girl!!!¡¹¡¹¡¹


    Inglis was already rushing into the middle of the intruding Magic Stone Beasts.

 Chapter 122: 15-year-old Inglis and Hyrule Menaces’ Escorting Directive (30)

    GAAAWWW!!


    In response to Inglis¡¯ approach, the winged lizard Magic Stone Beast opened its mouth wide to take a bite of her.


    ¡¸Hyaat!!¡¹


    Inglis jumped lightly to avoid its maw. She deliberately kept the height of her leap just narrowly above the Magic Stone Beast¡¯s head. And then, while doing so, she somersaulted in one fluid motion and slammed her heel down on the head of the Magic Stone Beast.


    KABOOMM!!


    The kick was so powerful that it made the Magic Stone Beast¡¯s head cave in, falling the whole body flat to the ground with a huge splat sound.


    ¡¸¡¸¡¸Wha¡­¡­!?¡¹¡¹¡¹


    The strange sound from the blow and the sight of the Magic Stone Beast crushed on the floor was unimaginable from her lovely figure. The Knights were wide-eyed but Inglis had already disappeared from their vision in the next instance.


    With the momentum of her heel dropping, she continued on her assault, leaping forward this time. She easily positioned herself above the winged insect Magic Stone Beast near the ceilings.


    Then, as she knocked down the insectoid Magic Stone Beast with a roundhouse kick, she used the recoil to change direction. As if everything was in a flowing motion, she was closing in on the crow Magic Stone Beast.


    ¡¸Oooh¡­¡­!? How fast¡­¡­!?¡¹ ¡¸And what a truly beautiful movement¡ª!!¡¹ ¡¸Is that girl really just a maid¡­¡­!?¡¹


    With the voices of the Knights at her back, she held the crow Magic Stone Beast by its large beak, then¡­


    ¡¸Please help me out here!!¡¹


    She swung the beast¡¯s entire body in a circle. The Magic Stone Beast was completely unable to resist Inglis¡¯ strength, perfectly at her mercy.


    She then landed in front of the doorway where the dog and the rat Magic Stone Beast had appeared, still swinging the crow in her hand.


    ¡¸There!!¡¹


    With the crow Magic Stone Beasts, she knocked the other beasts away. The dog and the rat Magic Stone Beasts flew furiously over the Knights¡¯ heads.


    ¡¸¡­¡­!? H-, her strength is just as abnormal too¡­¡­!?¡¹ ¡¸Even though she¡¯s bare-handed, not using any Artifact at all¡­¡­!?¡¹ ¡¸No, look, she doesn¡¯t even have a Rune¡­¡­!?¡¹


    The flown Magic Stone Beasts neatly stacked up on the winged lizard and insectoid beasts she had hit earlier. To top it, Inglis threw the crow Magic Stone Beast over, and thus born the pile of convulsing beasts.


    ¡¸I¡¯m a maid, so it is my job to clean up the venue.¡¹


    Inglis tidily bowed to the Knights with a smile.


    ¡¸¡­¡­Her strength, her speed, her skill, they¡¯re all great, but¡­ ¡¹ ¡¸Even more than that, more importantly¡­¡­¡¹ ¡¸¡¸¡¸H-, how gorgeous¡­¡­!!¡¹¡¹¡¹


    The Knights were thoroughly captivated. By then, Inglis was already calling out for Rafinha.


    ¡¸Rani! Please do the finishing blow!¡¹


    Pure physical attacks were ineffective against Magic Stone Beasts. That was why people in Midland needed the Artifacts given to them by the Highlanders.


    What Inglis did was practically only stopping their movements temporarily. If left alone, they would soon recover and start moving around.


    ¡¸I know! Glis!¡¹


    Rafinha drew on her light bow Artifact.


    Pshooo!!


    Thin arrows of light scattered and rained down on the pile of Magic Stone Beasts. The attack Rafinha unleashed killed all the Magic Stone Beasts.


    ¡¸Thank you. Rani.¡¹ ¡¸You¡¯re welcome.¡¹


    As Inglis and Rafinha gave each other a smile, Redas, who had been stationed by the King¡¯s side, seemed to have noticed their presence.


    ¡¸You are¡­¡­Inglis from the Knight Academy!? And you¡¯re Sir Raphael¡¯s little sister! Why are you both here?¡¹ ¡¸Today is our day off, so we came to work a day job.¡¹ ¡¸We have a hobby of trying food at various restaurants, so we wanted some pocket money for that!¡¹


    Obviously, neither Inglis nor Rafinha would tell the truth. They just grinned charmingly, trying to cover up their true motive. Fortunately, he didn¡¯t suspect them of anything.


    ¡¸Hmm, I see¡­ Either way, we¡¯re very grateful for your help. I have absolutely no idea under what principle you could move around like that, but you¡¯re damn good at it! Ha ha ha ha!!¡¹ ¡¸Much obliged. However, please be wary. I don¡¯t think it¡¯s ended just yet.¡¹


    These Magic Stone Beasts are probably the result of the prism powder the Ironblood Chain Brigade had. Considering that no Prism Flow has fallen, there is no doubt about it. The prism powder must have been scattered by someone who had already entered the palace.


    The Black Mask has even obtained information about the negotiation between King Charleas and Archlord Abel. I don¡¯t know who it is, but I¡¯m certain that there are people within the Royal Palace, and at a very high status at that, who are collaborating with the brigade.


    The Magic Stone Beasts are nothing but an opening act. Just where will they come from, and how¡­


    ¡¸Of course I know that! Imperial Guards! On your position! Secure the perimeter around His Majesty the King and the Envoy! Seal off all entrances and exits! Get ready for any intrusion from the windows!¡¹ ¡¸¡¸¡¸Sir yes sir!!¡¹¡¹¡¹


    As Redas¡¯ instructions flew, the Knights began to move in one same breath.


    ¡¸Hmph. How irritating!¡¹


    One of the Knight drew a dagger Artifact that shone in icy blue towards the sneering Abel.


    ¡¸Your just punishment¡­¡­!¡¹


    Then, from Abel¡¯s blind spot, he went to stab it into his body! Ironblood Chain Brigade¡¯s collaborator was already on the scene.


    ¡¸!? No! Stop¡­¡­!¡¹


    King Charleas raised his voice¡­


    ¡¸Understood.¡¹


    Inglis waltzed into the gap between the Knight and Abel then held tight the dagger Artifact with one hand.


    ¡¸Kgh¡­¡­! Let it go! Highlanders who prey on Midland must be eliminated!!¡¹ ¡¸I¡¯m truly sorry, but I have things that I need to protect too.¡¹


    I have that promise with principal Miliera. If I managed to protect King Charleas and the Highland envoy, she would extend our all-you-can-eat period in the cafeteria. I can¡¯t afford to lose that.


    ¡¸Oi, you. Your meddling is unnecessary. Did you really think I wouldn¡¯t be able to handle a small fry like that?¡¹ ¡¸Pardon my rudeness.¡¹ ¡¸Whatever. Just hold him like that.¡¹


    After saying so, Abel straightened up his index and middle fingers together. The tip of his jointed fingers was enveloped in a dark, mysterious colored light.


    He then moved those fingers from bottom to top, passing through the assassin-wannabe¡¯s body, then¡­


    ¡¸Oh¡­¡­!? OOAAAHHHHHH¡­¡­!?¡¹


    His body split in half, and the corpse fell to the floor, spewing blood.

 Chapter 123: 15-year-old Inglis and Hyrule Menaces’ Escorting Directive (31)

    ¡¸¡¸¡¸Ooo¡­¡­!?¡¹¡¹¡¹


    The Knights in the vicinity shouted in awe of the power of the Highlander who just bisected a man with his bare hands and shuddered at the horrific death of the assassin. Their voices could be in response to either.


    Since Inglis was at zero distance from the tragedy, she had blood splattered on her cheeks and hair.


    ¡¸Glis! Are you okay!?¡¹


    Rafinha came running over and wiped her cheek with a handkerchief.


    ¡¸Ah, yeah. I¡¯m fine.¡¹


    Seeing Inglis¡¯ condition, Abel gave her a cold smirk.


    ¡¸Hmph. You remain unfazed even after being drenched in blood, you have some nerve, don¡¯t you? And yet those burly men over there are shrieking like babies.¡¹ ¡¸Much obliged.¡¹


    Inglis only bowed, brushing the ordeal off. Rather than something like this, she was more interested in the power Abel displayed earlier.


    She could feel the movement of mana, so it had to be sorcery, but she couldn¡¯t grasp details of it at first glance.


    It felt like an even faster, stronger, and more sophisticated flow of power compared to the mana that flowed through ordinary sorcery structures or Artifacts. The fact that it was mysterious was good. It only meant that he was a strong opponent with more bites than the usual opponents.


    Without her noticing, Inglis already made a delightful smile on her lips.


    ¡¸What are you smiling for? Are you the type to smile when angered?¡¹ ¡¸No, sir. I am a maid, so is it not natural for me to smile at a guest?¡¹


    I think I did a good job deceiving him.


    However, Inglis aside, Rafinha was furious.


    ¡¸Did you do that on purpose!? That was nasty!¡¹ ¡¸Is it? Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s nastier to invite people over only to kill them? Hey, King, did you lure me into your land and try to kill me?¡¹


    Abel fended Rafinha off and turned his gaze to King Charleas.


    ¡¸N-, nonsense! Our Kingdom held no will as such!¡¹ ¡¸I-, indeed! One woeful group, the Ironblood Chain Brigade, has been crawling all over the Midland as of late, I suspect they are responsible for what had happened!¡¹ ¡¸Exactly! As a King, it is disgraceful of me to let such a band operate within my walls¡­¡­¡¹


    King Charleas and Redas continued on their vindication.


    ¡¸Hmm¡­¡­Well, I don¡¯t mind buying such a story. However, that means there¡¯s a new problem, isn¡¯t there? You have put an envoy of the Highland in danger through your incompetence. How are you going to atone for that crime?¡¹ ¡¸My lord. This humble Charleas is prepared to receive any kind of blame that comes my way. I pledge for your forgiveness!¡¹


    King Charleas knelt before Abel, his head low and flat. He prostrated so low his forehead might as well touch the floor on Abel¡¯s feet.


    ¡¸¡¸¡¸Y-, Your Majesty¡­¡­!¡¹¡¹¡¹


    The Knights had an indescribably complicated look on their faces to see that their own revered King would stoop so low.


    ¡¸¡­¡­¡­¡­¡¹


    Rafinha was also silent, but her eyes reflected misery.


    Even so, Abel kept his callous smirk on his face.


    ¡¸Too lenient. That¡¯s not good enough, King. An apology can only work if and when both parties are of equal standings! The Highland and the Midland are heaven and earth apart. You are nothing but the head of a herd of livestock. And livestock are nothing but livestock, you know? Which only means¡­¡¹


    All of a sudden, Abel¡¯s fingertips moved to strike King Charleas¡¯ right upper arm. His fingertips were surrounded by the same mysterious light as before, and¡­


    ¡¸¡­¡­!? GUAAaaaakgh¡­¡­!?¡¹


    With a thud, the right arm fell to the ground, spurting out blood.


    ¡¸I¡¯ll take one arm as an apology, okay?¡¹


    It was a very joyful, disgusting smile.


    ¡¸Y-, YOUR MAJESTTYYY!!!!¡¹ ¡¸B-, B?A?A?S?T?A?A?R?D?D?!!¡¹ ¡¸EVEN IF YOU¡¯RE A HIGHLAND¡¯S ENVOY!¡¹ ¡¸THERE ARE LINES YOU SHOULDN¡¯T CROSS!!¡¹


    Naturally, after they saw him injuring their King, the Knights surrounded him in a frenzy as though they had hit the limit of their patience.


    ¡¸Oya? So you are planning to attack me, after all?¡¹


    As Redas seemed to have been enraged as well, he drew his sword and pointed it at Abel.


    ¡¸Shut up!! I shan¡¯t allow anyone wronged my King to live!!¡¹ ¡¸CEASE IT!!!!! Calm down, all of you! Anyone who doesn¡¯t obey shall be put to death in the name of the King!¡¹


    King Charleas roared to the Knights with a voice so loud it echoed throughout the entire venue.


    ¡¸¡¸¡¸!? S-, sir yes sir¡­¡­!¡¹¡¹¡¹


    Having been told off so far, Redas and the other Knights had no choice but become crestfallen, as though icy cold water doused their heart.


    ¡¸L-, Lord Abel¡­¡­ Thank you for your magnanimous treatment¡­¡¹


    Despite losing an arm, King Charleas hung his head down to Abel.


    ¡¸¡¸¡¸Y-, Your Majesty¡­¡­¡¹¡¹¡¹


    Some of the Knights wept at such a sight of him, whether out of misery or vexation.


    ¡¸Kukuku¡­¡­Very well, I pardon your blunder. Now, make sure to protect me properly, okay?¡¹


    Abel nodded in satisfaction.


    In a hushed voice so that only she and Inglis could hear, Rafinha whispered.


    ¡¸H-, hey Glis¡­¡­¡¹ ¡¸?¡¹ ¡¸Is this really the correct thing to do¡­¡­? Is this right? Something like this is¡­¡¹ ¡¸To each and their own, remember? What you believe to be right, Rani, is the right thing.¡¹


    As for Inglis personally, she could sense a certain kind of conviction in the King who had thrown away his position and pride as a monarch to the point of making his subordinate cried out in vexation.


    No matter how many times he was trampled on, he would maintain absolute reverence for the Highland to keep his kingdom and people alive.


    Inglis could see that in his eyes.


    It was only natural that he would have a hard time coming to an understanding with Prince Wayne, whom Inglis felt was trying to gain power for the Midland and reduce the power relationship with the Highland.


    Just what would come out from this conflict? Well, Inglis would leave that to each of them to work it out. It was none of her business. The people of this age should determine how they would lead this age.


    ¡¸Rather than that, Rani. Don¡¯t you have something to do in haste?¡¹ ¡¸Eh¡­¡­? What do I do?¡¹ ¡¸This¡­¡¹


    Inglis touched King Charleas¡¯ right arm that had fallen on the ground.


    ¡¸If you hurry, it may still get attached back.¡¹


    With the healing power of Rafinha¡¯s new-type Artifact.


    ¡¸Y-, you¡¯re right¡­¡­! I got it, I¡¯ll do it!¡¹


    Rafinha¡¯s expression tightened, then she nodded.

 Chapter 124: 15-year-old Inglis and Hyrule Menaces’ Escorting Directive (32)

    Inglis nonchalantly picked up King Charleas¡¯ arm from the floor.


    ¡¸Pardon my intrusion. Your Majesty, please stay still for a moment.¡¹


    As Inglis attached the bisected section to the wound, King Charleas frowned.


    ¡¸Uggh¡­¡­!? W-, what are you trying to do¡­¡­!?¡¹ ¡¸We are attempting to heal your injury. It may hurt, but please be patient.¡¹ ¡¸What¡­¡­?¡¹ ¡¸C-, can you do it!? Inglis!¡¹


    Following King Charleas, Redas asked Inglis.


    ¡¸Yes. Rani will¡­¡¹


    By then, Rafinha had already activated the Gift, and her hand was enveloped by the healing light.


    ¡¸Yes! I will do it¡­¡­!¡¹


    Rafinha held her hand out to where the wounds met. Her face was a bit stiff, and very nervous. It was probably because of how gruesome the injury was.


    Inglis, due to various experiences in her previous life, was not shy to press her hand against a cut-off arm, but Rafinha didn¡¯t have that much of an experience yet. The wounds she healed on Silva the other day were indeed fatal, but nothing was as severe as an amputation of an entire limb.


    However, what was so amazing from her, was that there was no impurity in the healing Gift she exerted. The new Artifact Rafinha had had two Gifts, and each of them needed to be fed with the correct wavelength of mana.


    Normally when she used the Artifact without thinking about it, the usual rain of arrow of light would be activated. While the newly acquired healing Gift was difficult to be activated unless she put a lot of concentration on it.


    And yet, the Gift shone gently and powerfully, unwavering even. As this also showcased the core strength of Rafinha, Inglis was pleased to see this sight.


    King Charleas¡¯ injury began to recover little by little, starting from his skin.


    ¡¸Ooh¡­¡­!¡¹ ¡¸H-, His Majesty¡¯s wounds are¡­¡­!¡¹ ¡¸It¡¯s getting healed!¡¹ ¡¸H-, however¡­¡¹


    Redas and the other Knights raised a relieved cheer while King Charleas¡¯ eyes shifted towards Abel. It was obvious what he wanted to say, but it was hard for an injured to speak too much. In his stead, Inglis spoke up.


    ¡¸Lord Abel. Would you mind if we continue healing His Majesty?¡¹ ¡¸Well, I wonder¡­¡­? What do I do? I don¡¯t really mind, though?¡¹ ¡¸Thank you very much.¡¹


    As Inglis went to bow politely, Abel halted her.


    ¡¸Wait. I¡¯m still taking a substitute, okay? An arm from another person¡­ who will this King choose to sacrifice in order to wag his tail for me¡­¡­it¡¯ll be interesting to see that. Now, King. Who is going to lose an arm in order to please me? Come on, tell me now.¡¹ ¡¸Kgh¡­¡­! I-If so, then I don¡¯t need any healing! Just let it¡­¡­!¡¹ ¡¸That¡¯ll be a waste. Look, the maids have done their best to heal you. You can¡¯t waste their effort away like that, can you?¡¹ ¡¸Don¡¯t underestimate us¡­..! For the country and our King, just losing an arm wouldn¡¯t¡­!¡¹


    Redas was about to step up, but Inglis quickly put herself in.


    ¡¸Please wait a minute. It was me who was speaking with Lord Abel.¡¹


    Leaving Redas to support the King¡¯s arm, Inglis walked towards Abel.


    ¡¸Then, as the substitute, I offer you my arm. Please show me how you cut it off.¡¹ ¡¸Yours? Your movement was quite excellent, but you¡¯re nothing more than a Runeless aren¡¯t you? It¡¯s worthless.¡¹ ¡¸Well, I wonder about that?¡¹


    Inglis cocked her head slightly as she continued to smile. She did it as she transformed her Ether into mana.


    Hyrule Menaces like Eris and Cystia, in addition to Cyrene who was a Highlander, were able to sense Inglis¡¯ strength to some extent by doing this. It was annoying that she had to go through the trouble of converting her original power, Ether, into the less-powerful mana to make people understand how strong she was.


    However, Inglis was interested in Abel¡¯s power. By all means, she would like to taste it. And so, she had to make sure that he was interested in Inglis here. As a Highlander, Abel should understand how strong she was.


    However, his reaction was not what Inglis had expected.


    ¡¸Hmph. What¡¯s that smug for? How laughable. So it¡¯s true that you can control some powerful mana without the use of Rune, but that¡¯s nothing more than boor power, you know?¡¹


    Eris and many others were all surprised, but Abel wasn¡¯t even agitated. He even sneered at her. It was proof of his confidence. This suddenly made Inglis¡¯ expectation flew off the chart, she couldn¡¯t help it.


    ¡¸Oo¡ª¡ª Is that so¡­¡­! Then that¡¯s more the reason for you to do it to me, by all means!!¡¹


    Inglis¡¯ glistening expression seemed to have irritated Abel.


    ¡¸What are you so happy for¡­¡­! Fine, I will cut off your arm. Don¡¯t you think I¡¯ll hold myself back just because you¡¯re a woman, okay? I hate women like you who stand out wherever they go the most¡­¡­!¡¹ ¡¸Yes, that¡¯s even better!¡¹


    Because that meant he would attack her without restraint.


    ¡¸G-, Glis¡­¡­!¡¹


    Rafinha raised a worried call.


    ¡¸It¡¯s all right, Rani. You only need to continue healing His Majesty.¡¹ ¡¸Y-, yeah¡­¡­!¡¹


    While Inglis turned to Rafinha and gave her a smile, light showed up at Abel¡¯s fingertips.


    ¡¸¡­¡­Fufu!! I can¡¯t wait to see what kind of scream you¡¯ll make when your arm falls off!¡¹


    Inglis then took a closer look at the flow of power that swirled around Abel¡¯s fingertips.


    ¡¸I knew it, it¡¯s not just the movement of mana, is it¡­¡­? Not to mention, it appears that a number of wavelengths are intermingling, producing a new flow of power altogether?¡¹


    It seemed to her that it was the result of a rather complex control of power. And, was that also the reason for Abel¡¯s confidence when he said that mana was just boor power?

 Chapter 125: 15-year-old Inglis and Hyrule Menaces’ Escorting Directive (33)

    ¡¸Don¡¯t speak like you know about it! Now, go ahead and cry your eyes out when I cut your arms off!!¡¹


    Abel¡¯s fingertips lightly brushed over Inglis¡¯ upper arm.


    This was a dreadful attack that had bisected the body of the assassin and cut off King Charleas¡¯ arm. And it¡­ just for a little, teeny bit, tore the sleeve of Inglis¡¯ maid attire.


    ¡¸W-, WHAT¡­¡­!?!?¡¹


    Abel¡¯s eyes widened in astonishment.


    ¡¸O-, Oi¡­¡­!? That one hit, right!?¡¹ ¡¸Yeah, it must¡­¡­! But that maid girl¡­¡­!¡¹ ¡¸S-, she¡¯s fine¡ª¡ª?¡¹


    The Knights were in a buzz.


    ¡¸Ooh¡ª¡ªA-amazing. As expected of you¡­¡­!¡¹


    However, Inglis had her eyes opened wide in surprise. It was because the power of Abel¡¯s attack was far beyond what she had expected.


    He already announced that he was going to cut her arm off, and he really took his time in executing it, so defending against the attack was easy. Right at the moment of contact, Inglis consciously activated the Ether in her body in response to Abel¡¯s movement and defended herself.


    It was close to Ether Armor, though less powerful. By doing this with half the power than usual, Inglis could increase her defense without needing to glow up so gaudily.


    It was just a simple technique, but the fact that she could now distribute power in stages like so was another result of her training. Previously, she could only exert 10 percent of her strength, no matter what.


    That being said, with her in that defensive state, save for her body, she actually never did have an intention to get her clothes damaged. She took a liking to this attire, so she hoped she could bring it home in good shape


    However, that attack went beyond Inglis¡¯ expectations and damaged her clothes. As expected of a high-ranked Highlander. It was a real and solid ability, one that deserved praise.


    However, Abel was apparently displeased by her praise.


    ¡¸D-¡­¡­DON¡¯T KID WITH MEEEE!!!¡¹


    This time, Abel enveloped his entire hand in the mysterious light. He used his whole arm to whip it, slamming it hard. It must be more powerful than before. If that¡¯s the case¡­


    ¡¸Haat!¡¹


    Exhaling a short breath, Inglis fully activated her Ether Armor. With that, Inglis¡¯ body was covered in the pale brilliance of Ether. As Inglis intended, Abel¡¯s hand knife didn¡¯t damage her clothes even slightly this time.


    ¡¸UWOOOOHHH!!!¡¹


    The light on his hands grew even brighter.


    I see, so that ability can be activated in two places at the same time. His control over his ability is just as excellent.


    Abel¡¯s two glowing hand knives struck Inglis¡¯ body from all directions again and again. However, Inglis who was enveloped in her Ether Armor didn¡¯t even flinch and was completely unharmed.


    The Knights, who could only see what was happening on the surface, seemed to take this situation as anti-climax.


    ¡¸W-what¡¯s happening! Is that power actually not that big of a deal?¡¹ ¡¸No, but¡­¡­It split a single human into two and sliced His Majesty¡¯s arm off, you know?¡¹ ¡¸Is it possible that it weakened because it¡¯s tolling as it is extreme¡­¡­!?¡¹


    GRRAAAAA!!!


    Another batch of Magic Stone Beasts entered the venue. They were all quadrupedal and around ten of them showed up. It was a splendid horde.


    ¡¸Noisy! Shut up!!¡¹


    Looking frustrated, Abel flashed his hand sword towards the beasts. The light from his hand ran through the space as though splitting it, and the horde of the Magic Stone Beast was felled in one blow.


    And with that, the Knights finally comprehended the phenomenon before them.


    ¡¸¡­¡­!¡¹ ¡¸No, it¡¯s that!¡¹ ¡¸The maid girl is too strong¡­¡­!¡¹


    After observing, as well as receiving, Abel¡¯s attacks again and again from up close, Inglis began to understand how it worked.


    ¡¸¡­¡­I understand now. You are not using simple mana, but instead a superior power that resembles mana¡­I see now, this is an interesting concept.¡¹


    From the perspective of a Divine Knight who manipulated Ether, the will of the Gods, mana was a form of power with a lot of wastefulness. In Abel¡¯s case, what he manipulated was something resembling mana, but it was far more efficient and had less consumption. Perhaps it was better to call it a superior version of mana that had been refined. In terms of quality as a form of power, it sat in a place between mana and Ether.


    The basic concept of enhancing one¡¯s sorcery was; the more mana you pour, the stronger the sorcery. In Abel¡¯s case, however, the concept that he exercised was to improve the quality of mana itself, the very source of the sorcery.


    It was a technology that Inglis hadn¡¯t seen in her previous life. If this technology continued to progress in its track, perhaps there would be a day where it could reach the level of Ether.


    I don¡¯t know how much time has passed since then, but people¡¯s power does evolve, too. Isn¡¯t that wonderful? How interesting.


    ¡¸It¡¯s Refined Mana! By clashing the mana you¡¯re clad with against each other to chip off the excess, you can increase the purity and efficiency of the power!¡¹ ¡¸I see, so you possess such a technique! Wonderful¡¹ ¡¸¡­¡­I can¡¯t comprehend you at all¡ª¡ª! I know you have power, but I don¡¯t know what power it is¡­¡­! JUST WHAT THE HELL ARE YOUU!!!¡¹


    With his breath roughened, Abel attacked her furiously, but all to no avail.


    ¡¸I am but a simple maid, though?¡¹ ¡¸B?u?l?l?s?h?i?t?¡­¡­! ARE YOU TAKING ME FOR A FOOOLLL!!¡¹


    Abel put all his strength into that attack. It hit Inglis in the chest, but was still blocked by her Ether Armor.


    ¡¸GRRrrr¡­¡­It¡¯s as if it doesn¡¯t connect at all!?¡¹ ¡¸Excuse me. I know you are still young, but I don¡¯t think it¡¯s appropriate to touch a woman¡¯s breast for so long.¡¹


    Without much reason, Abel¡¯s hand had stopped on the swelling parts of Inglis¡¯ chest. With a smile, Inglis grabbed Abel¡¯s wrist and twisted it high in the air.


    ¡¸Ghuakg¡­¡­!?¡¹


    Abel¡¯s face contorted in anguish. Even for him, Inglis¡¯ strength was nothing to scoff at, as he was unable to resist her.


    ¡¸Aah, forgive my rudeness.¡¹


    Inglis quickly let go of his hand. After all, this was not a fight. She was currently receiving punishment by having her arm cut off.


    ¡¸Let¡¯s continue. Please slice off my arm.¡¹ ¡¸¡­¡­!!¡¹


    That graceful, ladylike smile only frightened Abel instead. Just what kind of creature was she? Her appearance itself was sweet like a lovely flower, but she was a monstrosity unhinged from any common sense.

 Chapter 126: 15-year-old Inglis and Hyrule Menaces’ Escorting Directive (34)

    ¡¸Inglis, isn¡¯t it¡­¡­As if there¡¯s a maid like you!!¡¹


    There is no way a monstrosity like her that could withstand the power of an Archlord would be a servant for a castle on Midland. It was obvious that she had some kind of background and agenda.


    The only thing that came to Abel¡¯s mind was that she could be a new type of warfare weapon prepared by the Three Archdukes¡¯ Party. Technology was an ever-progressing thing. There was a possibility that they might have created a being far superior than Hyrule Menaces that Abel wasn¡¯t aware of.


    The lots from the Dukes¡¯ Party, especially, were very particular in technological innovations, unlike the Church Founder¡¯s Union which valued doctrines and traditions. In other words, they were a bunch of troublemakers who prioritized intellectual curiosity over safety and stability. The reason why they easily lifted the ban on bestowing armaments such as Flygears was that they were so confident they could produce armaments that outperform it and their advantage over Midland wouldn¡¯t waver.


    As for Abel himself, he doesn¡¯t believe that the people of Midland could threaten the Highland, not even if the heavens and the earth turned over. However, his lord the Founder was concerned. The lord¡¯s decree was absolute for Abel.


    And while they were not intimidated by those garbages on the Midland, they still could be threatened by the Dukes¡¯ Party, who were Highlanders like them too. Special Envoy Theodore who had shortly arrived in this country, in particular, was a young engineer who was especially famous even among the Dukes¡¯ Party members. There was no denying that Inglis¡¯ presence was a trap prepared by Theodore.


    Is he trying to take advantage of our plan and test out the performance of the new weapon they have been keeping a secret of? If that¡¯s the case, then it¡¯s a good thing that I¡¯m the one who came here. I should expose as many capabilities of this Inglis woman as possible while I can. If not, she might be a huge problem for the Church¡¯s Union later on. This abnormally pretty female poses that much danger in her, after all.


    ¡¸Tell me! What are you planning here!?¡¹ ¡¸Actually, I wanted money for my hobby of eatery tour, so I came here as a part-time worker¡­¡­I am usually a student of the Squire division at the Knight Academy.¡¹


    Inglis repeated the explanation that Rafinha had also given earlier. Behind that, she was planning to extend the all-you-can-eat deal at the Knight Academy¡¯s cafeteria by guarding King Charleas and Envoy Abel. Even deeper behind that, she was also looking forward to fighting the leader of the Ironblood Chain Brigade, whom she expected to attack this place. However, she promised Rafinha not to say anything weird.


    ¡¸Hmph, so you have no intention to say the truth!¡¹ ¡¸That is not true. Everything is exactly as I said.¡¹ ¡¸Well, I don¡¯t mind. You can say whatever you want with your mouth! Rather than that, your power! Come, show me more of it!¡¹


    Abel then beckoned her to attack.


    ¡¸Even if you told me¡­ I am currently in the process of receiving punishment and nothing more, though?¡¹


    It would completely become a match if she were allowed to attack back, which was what she really wanted, but she couldn¡¯t just do that. King Charleas would never allow her to attack Abel. He even said earlier that he would execute anyone who tried to harm Abel.


    If Inglis violated that, of course, she would be in huge trouble. The all-you-can-eat cafeteria deal would be a thing in the past.


    ¡¸That doesn¡¯t matter! In fact, I¡¯ll overlook the punishment if you can defeat me! So come!¡¹ ¡¸So said Lord Envoy, but what do I do?¡¹


    Inglis turned to King Charleas and asked. She would if she could fight, but¡­


    ¡¸Stop! We can¡¯t possibly create a ground for future problems by injuring an esteemed envoy of the Highland! We have to settle things amicably!!¡¹


    King Charlea¡¯s reply was as expected. Inglis could feel an undying conviction in his stance of absolute reverence towards the Highland. His stance wouldn¡¯t be shaken even if Abel urged him verbally.


    ¡¸¡ª¡ªSo I was ordered. I¡¯m sorry.¡¹


    Inglis bowed lightly. Her face seemed calm, but in her heart, she really regretted it. Things didn¡¯t always go your way in life. She was so saddened that tears might as well fall.


    ¡¸Hahn! You¡¯re really a fool dog, King! That attitude of yours means nothing! Listen, I didn¡¯t come down here for the negotiation you called! If that was all, we only had to send some lowly servant as a diplomat! There won¡¯t be any Hyrule Menace exchange happening! Or any rapprochement with the Church¡¯s Union! Lord Founder is angry, and this country will soon be wiped off the face of the map!¡¹ ¡¸Wha¡­¡­!? Then why did you come here!?¡¹


    King Charlea¡¯s eyes opened wide. He seemed to be quite shocked. No wonder. He had gone to great lengths to negotiate with the Church¡¯s Union, but now it was revealed that they never had the intention of accepting it.


    ¡¸There is a talk about an anti-Highland organization called Ironblood Chain Brigade that has been overstepping the line! We knew that if they heard any rumors of negotiation to sell off territories, they would sabotage it, so we laid a trap! When they waltzed in so shamelessly, I will eradicate them with my power! That is why I, the Archlord, am here! Your country¡¯s wellbeing is never in consideration! Hahahaha!¡¹


    That scornful laughter was enough to shoot the Knights¡¯ temper high up.


    ¡¸W-, what did you say¡­¡­!?¡¹ ¡¸You deceived us and used us as your stepping stool!?¡¹ ¡¸Then why did His Majesty have to suffer that humiliation¡­¡­!¡¹


    Abel further provoked the enraged Knights.


    ¡¸There¡¯s no meaning! No value whatsoever! Not to you incompetent b?a?s?t?a?r?d?s? crawling on the mud down below!!¡¹ ¡¸¡¸¡¸B?A?S?T?A?A?R?R?D?D?D?!!!¡¹¡¹¡¹


    In the midst of all these angry roars, Inglis was smiling so joyfully. It was a flowery smile, completely out of place, and utterly lovely.


    ¡¸That¡¯s great! This means that you are a villain who backstabbed His Majesty the King and sliced his arm off for no reason, doesn¡¯t it? Isn¡¯t that correct? That¡¯s how it is, right?¡¹


    Which means she¡¯ll be allowed. She can fight. She can enjoy herself!


    I don¡¯t know why he revealed his true aim, but it doesn¡¯t matter at this point. All I can say is that this is very favorable for me.


    ¡¸Yes, that¡¯s how it is! That is absolutely right!¡¹


    Declared Abel.


    ¡¸Then, Your Majesty. If you command me to strike down the sinner, I shall do so. However, what is your order?¡¹


    With the smile that wouldn¡¯t fade off, Inglis asked the King. Rafinha, Redas, and all the other Knights near him nodded their heads strongly, agreeing to Inglis.


    ¡¸¡­¡­don¡¯t kill. Arrest him!¡¹ ¡¸Yes. By your order.¡¹


    She bowed deeply and received the order. Now, she finally had permission to¡­


    VWOOOM¡ª¡ª VWOOM VWOOM VWOOOM¡ª¡ª


    The very next moment, the sound of an Aerial Battleship reverberating through the air high in the sky was heard. It was a different one than the one anchored above the royal palace, the sound of a new vessel.


    BAM-BABAM-BABAMBAMBAM!!!


    A series of explosions, or rather, gunfire, echoed from the sky. Immediately afterward, many sections of the Royal Castle drummed and shook, like a rumble in the ground.


    The newly arrived Aerial Battleship appeared from beyond the clouds and bombarded the area. Its figure could be seen in the sky outside through the large broken window.


    ¡¸That¡¯s Ironblood Chain Brigade¡¯s battleship¡­¡­!¡¹


    Inglis¡¯ most anticipated guest, the Black Mask, had finally arrived. Things would get busy.

 Chapter 127: 15-year-old Inglis and Hyrule Menaces’ Escorting Directive (35)

    ¡¸Hmph, the rat fell for its trap¡ª¡ª¡¹


    Abel also took a glance outside and seemed to grasp the picture.


    Multiple Flygears had already begun to emerge from within the Ironblood Chain Brigade¡¯s Aerial Battleship that appeared while scattering artillery fire.


    As much as Inglis could see, their equipment was on par with that of the Holy Knights¡¯ in conjunction with Special Envoy Theodore¡¯s Private Battleship. It was a level equivalent to a country¡¯s Chivalric Order. They were far beyond the scope of a mere guerrilla organization. Moreover, their deployment was swift, indicating that their personnel was familiar with the operation of the Aerial Battleship.


    The Aerial Battleship that Abel rode in and the Imperial Guard Order that guarded the area also deployed their Flygear troops to counter-attack. Thus the scene in the sky suddenly became chaotic.


    ¡¸Excuse me! Don¡¯t tell me, is our match going to be canceled because they showed up¡­¡­?¡¹ ¡¸It won¡¯t! That¡¯s nothing but a rat, whereas you¡¯re an unknown factor! Still, I have a lot of things to do, so make this quick! Come at me with your everything!¡¹ ¡¸Thank you very much! As you asked, I¡¯ll give you my everything!¡¹


    Inglis reactivated her Ether Armor. Then she lowered himself a little more, preparing to spring into action at any time. Her gaze was fixed on Abel.


    She would go at him straight ahead, charging directly at him, plain and simple. That should do. Nothing elaborate or contrived, but still, using full power.


    Just how would Abel receive that attack¡­ Inglis was looking forward to it.


    ¡¸Here I come!¡¹


    Kabooom!


    The moment Inglis kicked the ground, the floor beneath her feet exploded, and the stone pavings scattered. Abel¡¯s eyes could see it, he saw it clearly yet he couldn¡¯t believe it. The sight of Inglis vanishing from his vision, that was all he could see.


    ¡¸¡­¡­! She¡¯s go¡ª¡ª!? No¡­¡­.!¡¹


    The wind pressure on his skin, the shadow that flickered in his peripheral, and the instinctive sense of danger his warrior¡¯s intuition alarmed him of.


    The very moment Abel bent his body backward, Inglis¡¯ kicking foot was passing paper-thin away from the tip of his nose.


    ¡¸Ooh!!! You avoided it, amazing¡­¡­!¡¹


    Sensing that he could show some fight, Inglis¡¯ eyes lit up. Once she activated Ether Shell and attacked with all her might, even Cystia the Hyrule Menace couldn¡¯t move a single step away. And yet, Abel was able to evade that one attack.


    Inglis was no longer the Inglis from back then, too, as she had grown from all the training she put atop of some more training after she enrolled at the Knight Academy. Even so, she was evaded. As expected of a high-ranked Highlander combatant.


    ¡¸Kghh¡ª¡ª!? Impossible¡­¡­!¡¹


    Abel, somehow, managed to avoid that first blow, but it was mostly all due to hunch. That hunch just happened to be correct, was all.


    He even had prepared to counterattack, but he couldn¡¯t even do it. Inglis was just too fast for him to react to.


    It didn¡¯t matter how beautiful her face was or how daringly glamorous the leg she swung by. She was a threat, after all. Abel couldn¡¯t measure her at all.


    ¡¸If so¡­¡­!¡¹


    Abel kicked the ground strongly and took a huge leap backwards.


    As he did so, he sharply focused his concentration and activated his sorcery. The same light that was on his fingertips and sword-hand now became a spherical wall that encased him.


    It would be easy for Inglis to catch Abel¡¯s movement and deliver an attack. But that was okay. That was what he aimed. That was why he covered his whole body in the wall of light.


    The sorcery Abel specialized in was the ¡®Annihilation¡¯ sorcery, which erased the existence of all sorts of things.


    It was a magical phenomenon that could not be caused by ordinary strain of mana, but was made possible by refined mana. He could easily slice through a human body just by gently striking it with this power. Or, more precisely, the sections it touched vanished, so it appeared to have been dissected.


    This wall of light had the effect of annihilating attacks of any attribute. If you tried to slash it with a sword, its sword blade would vanish, and if you tried to hit it with your fist, your fist itself would be gone. Only if his opponent was within Abel¡¯s expectations, that was.


    Inglis was an existence well outside of Abel¡¯s common sense. He didn¡¯t even know what the hell was that pale light that enveloped her body. To Abel¡¯s senses, he couldn¡¯t feel any stretch of power at all from it.


    In the presence of such an opponent, the rule-of-thumb was to exert the maximum power to fight. At first, Abel concentrated his power on the end of his palm, aiming to receive Inglis¡¯ attack and make one of her arms or legs disappear.


    However, she was too fast for him to react in time in order to receive the attack in the first place. Expanding the area of the wall would only reduce the strength of each individual point, but sacrifices had to be made. Covering his entire body within the wall was the second best method.


    Now come!! Voiced Abel in his heart.


    ¡¸¡­¡­¡­¡­¡¹


    However, Inglis didn¡¯t move. She only stared at Abel who was full of openings and missed the perfect opportunity to attack.


    ¡¸¡­¡­What the hell are you doing!? Are you making light of me? Can¡¯t you see how vulnerable I am!?¡¹ ¡¸The power of that sorcery of yours¡­¡­I dare say it has an ¡®Annihilation¡¯ effect that erases everything that touches it. If I were to hit on it directly, my fist itself would be gone.¡¹ ¡¸¡­¡­¡­¡­!?¡¹


    Abel shuddered. How did she know that!?


    He, obviously, hadn¡¯t explained it to Inglis. Did she actually see all the inner workings of Abel¡¯s sorcery with just a little glance?! Could it be that she possessed a power that let her read people¡¯s thoughts or something alike¡­¡­!?


    ¡¸Hmph! So what, you hesitated to attack because you¡¯re afraid!? You¡¯re surprisingly cowardly, huh!¡¹ ¡¸Certainly not. That wasn¡¯t why I didn¡¯t make a move.¡¹


    Inglis silently shook her head.


    ¡¸From what I am seeing, you¡¯ve covered your whole body in it, so the power is distributed throughout. If you focused it on one point, it should prove to be more effective.¡¹ ¡¸¡­¡­So what if it does!¡¹


    Inglis¡¯ point was absolutely correct. To think she would really see through everything with just a single glance. Whilst shivering inside, Abel replied.


    ¡¸I have no intention striking down an opponent with half of their strength. Please, take a stance and focus it on one point! That¡¯s where I will attack.¡¹


    You could only call a battle if you win it by taking on the full strength of your opponent. That was the way you could grow the most.


    ¡¸Hahahahah! What are you, stupid!? If I followed what you said so willy-nilly, you¡¯d just attack me in other places!¡¹ ¡¸If I had that intention, I would have chased after you already.¡¹ ¡¸¡­¡­¡­¡­¡¹ ¡¸Can you please believe me? I will return your words back to you. You¡¯re Highlander¡¯s Archlord, yet you¡¯re surprisingly cowardly, aren¡¯t you?¡¹ ¡¸¡­¡­Hmph! Very well, I¡¯ll do what you want!¡¹


    It was also an opportunity to assess Inglis¡¯ character. Whether or not she was a person who would deceive others with her words. That would be another important piece of information to gather.


    ¡¸UWOOoooohh!!!¡¹


    Abel braced his legs and positioned his hands straight outward in front of his chest, one in front of the other. In front of his overlapping palms, a wall the size of a hand mirror appeared. It was small, but it glowed fiercely and had a thick concentration of power.


    ¡¸That¡¯s great¡­¡­! The sublimated mana is being concentrated in one point, it¡¯s very powerful!¡¹ ¡¸Now come! I¡¯ll hope you aren¡¯t so much of a dastard!¡¹ ¡¸But of course! Here I come!¡¹


    The next moment, the sound of an explosion from Inglis kicking the ground erupted again. Her figure vanished from Abel¡¯s sight.


    ¡¸HAAaaatt!!¡¹


    Inglis rushed at Abel again at full speed. She twisted her body to its limit and kicked the wall of light.


    It was true that the wall created by Abel¡¯s sorcery was a terrifying phenomenon that could annihilate anything that touched it. However, what if Inglis destroyed the very composition of that sorcery itself with a blow fused with Ether!?


    KER-CHAAANKKK!!!


    Abel¡¯s wall of light violently deformed, bent, and finally burst out.


    ¡¸WHAT¡­¡­!?¡¹


    His face twisted in surprise. The power of Inglis¡¯ kick repelled Abel¡¯s arms, and then¡­


    KAABOOOOMM¡ª¡ª-!


    It slammed into Abel¡¯s body and blew him away with the momentum of a bullet.


    ¡¸GGOOOOAAAAAaaaaaaaahhhhh¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª!?¡¹


    His body slammed into the stone wall, created a huge hole through it, and flew far, far away. Just where did he land? He was so far away that Inglis could no longer follow him with her eyes.


    ¡¸¡­¡­Shoot. I¡¯m supposed to arrest him, but now I don¡¯t know where he¡¯s gone to!¡¹


    Had she overdone it because Abel fanned her up?


    ¡¸¡¸¡¸¡­¡­¡­¡­¡¹¡¹¡¹


    King Charleas, Redas, and the Knights under his command were all stunned and simply mortified.

 Chapter 128: 15-year-old Inglis and Hyrule Menaces’ Escorting Directive (36)

    Whilst the venue fell into silence due to the sheer shock from what just had happened, from the huge hole that was made by blowing Abel away, the Ironblood Chain Brigade¡¯s artillery barrage came flying in.


    Kaboom!


    The shell landed near King Charleas, making a crater. The king, being the one to return to his sense, shouted.


    ¡¸Mu¡­¡­! This is no time for dwelling in thoughts, everyone! We must destroy the Ironblood Chain Brigade here! This is also a way to gain credit and improve our relationship with the Highlanders! Redas. That¡¯s enough for now, take command of the counterattack at once!¡¹ ¡¸Sir yes sir! Then, you must evacuate, Your Majesty! Anyone beside His Majesty¡¯s personal guard will come with me to attack!¡¹ ¡¸¡¸¡¸OOOoooo!!¡¹¡¹¡¹


    The Knights¡¯ morale rose up. They would rather be fighting the Ironblood Chain Brigade than endure Abel¡¯s attitude. That was what the look on their faces said.


    ¡¸Rafinha, you continue healing His Majesty, I leave it to you!¡¹ ¡¸Yes¡­¡­!¡¹


    Rafinha, who was concentrating on treating King Charleas¡¯ wounds was sweating profusely, as it seemed that the process was taking a huge toll on her. However, thanks to her effort, King Charleas¡¯ arm was getting back to normal.


    ¡¸No, please wait. Rani is coming with me, so I can¡¯t have her stay.¡¹ ¡¸¡­¡­Hah?¡¹


    Redas let out a bit of an idiotic exclaim. He probably didn¡¯t expect he would be objected to.


    However, this was a battlefield. It was worrying to have Rafinha in a place Inglis couldn¡¯t reach. The safest thing for her was to stay well within Inglis¡¯ sight.


    Healing King Charleas¡¯ wounds. Or Rafinha¡¯s safety. If Inglis was to be asked which was more important, she would pick the latter without hesitation. She lived her life as Inglis Eux so that she could protect her.


    ¡¸No, you see, His Majesty¡¯s wound is¡­¡¹ ¡¸Yes. That is why I will make it heal faster.¡¹


    It wasn¡¯t that Inglis was going to leave him alone. Inglis gently touched Rafinha¡¯s shoulder, as though hugging her.


    She sent mana that matched Rafinha¡¯s wavelength into her. This was the same method she used when Rafinha treated Silva¡¯s injuries.


    ¡¸Good job, Rani. Let me help.¡¹ ¡¸Yeah, Glis¡­¡­!¡¹


    The healing light emitted by Rafinha¡¯s Artifact began to shine even more intense and dazzlingly. In proportion to this, King Charleas¡¯ arm, which had been joined to his body but still pale in color, regained its healthy blood color.


    Twitch. His fingers spasmed.


    ¡¸Ooh¡­¡­! It moves!¡¹


    He clasped his hand. Opened it. Bent his arm. Extended it. Repeated a few times, and became reassured that everything seemed okay.


    ¡¸H-, His Majesty¡¯s arm is¡­¡­!¡¹ ¡¸Thank goodness! It¡¯s healed!¡¹ ¡¸Thank you, you two! We really thank you!¡¹


    Redas and the Knights cheered.


    ¡¸Forgive me, the two of you¡­It must be tiring. You have my deepest gratitude.¡¹


    King Charleas also bowed his head to them.


    ¡¸N-, no¡­¡­! It¡¯s¡­¡¹ ¡¸We only did what we should.¡¹


    It was necessary in order to take Rafinha away without leaving any discord.


    ¡¸Then, we will go around to intercept the Ironblood Chain Brigade, so if you¡¯ll excuse us.¡¹


    Inglis bowed politely.


    ¡¸We¡­¡­? Glis, I¡¯m tired so I want to rest, though¡­¡­?¡¹ ¡¸No can do. It¡¯s not safe to leave my side. Come on, let¡¯s go. If you want to rest, you can rest in my vicinity.¡¹ ¡¸Your vicinity, Glis, is definitely where the fight is the most intense, right¡­¡­!?¡¹ ¡¸It¡¯s fine, it¡¯ll be okay! Come on come on come on come on¡­¡­!¡¹


    On that Battleship that hung high in the air, the Black Mask of the Ironblood Chain Brigade was waiting for Inglis. Inglis languidly pulled on Rafinha¡¯s arm. It had been a while since she could fight the Black Mask. This was the perfect opportunity to measure her growth.


    ¡¸I got it, I got it, geez¡­¡­! Well then, we¡¯ll take our leave!¡¹ ¡¸Okay, let¡¯s go!¡¹ ¡¸KYAAaaah!? Glis, don¡¯t pull on me so much!¡¹


    Inglis pulled Rafinha¡¯s hand and leaped out of the large hole at full speed. The sky was crowded with Flygears, like an army of winged insects before an afternoon rain, except it was a free-for-all battlefield.


    ¡¸There! Let¡¯s go!¡¹


    At the destination where Inglis pointed, the Ironblood Chain Brigade¡¯s battleship was approaching the Highland¡¯s battleship,


    ¡¸There are Flygears! Let¡¯s see if there¡¯s an empty¡­¡­!¡¹ ¡¸No¡ª¡ªThere¡¯s no time! Let¡¯s go, Rani!¡¹


    Inglis held Rafinha¡¯s arm tightly and leaped up high. Her target was the closest, low-altitude Flygear piloted by an Imperial Guard Knight.


    Bonk!


    They landed on the edge of the outer frame of the hull, just as she aimed.


    ¡¸Uwoah!? W-, what¡¯s¡­¡­!?¡¹ ¡¸Pardon for the intrusion. We¡¯ll go right away.¡¹ ¡¸wE aRe SoOrRryYYy!¡¹


    She instantly leaped towards the next Flygear that was located further up.


    Bonk!


    ¡¸OOooohhh!?? Where did you¡ª¡ª!?¡¹ ¡¸We came from below. Pardon us.¡¹ ¡¸Goodeveninggoodbye!¡¹


    Bonk! Bonk! Bonk! Bonk! Bonk! Bonk!


    She leaped from one Flygear to another, treating them as footholds.


    ¡¸W-, what the hell is that¡­¡­!?¡¹ ¡¸M-, maids! Maids are flying in the sky!¡¹ ¡¸S-, so fast¡­¡­!? What¡¯s with those movements!?¡¹


    Even the Knights in the battle turned to shout in surprise at her sight. With their voices behind them, Inglis and Rafinha had reached the top of the hull of the Highland battleship.


    ¡¸Yeah. This is good exercise too, huh.¡¹ ¡¸Wheeze wheeze¡­¡­! I knew it, I can¡¯t rest after all!¡¹ ¡¸Look, Rani. Ironblood Chain Brigade¡¯s Aerial Battleship is just a jump away.¡¹ ¡¸I knew we¡¯re going to the front line¡­¡­!¡¹ ¡¸Yeah. It¡¯s fun, right?¡¹ ¡¸For you, Glis. For. YOU!¡¹


    Rafinha shouted in protest as loud as she could.

 Chapter 129: 15-year-old Inglis and Hyrule Menaces’ Escorting Directive (37)

    ¡¸We¡¯re here already, so why don¡¯t we have fun?¡¹


    The battlefield grew increasingly noisy as the Highland¡¯s battleship began to retaliate. This clamor, this ambiance¡­This was a battlefield. A place where blood boiled.


    ¡¸I won¡¯t have fun. But¡­¡­!¡¹


    Rafinha pointed to the city that spread out around the Royal Palace. Stray shells from the battleships of both the Ironblood Chain Brigade and the Highland went astray there. Any normal house would be pulverized if they were to receive even one of those shells.


    ¡¸I need to do something! If we don¡¯t stop them soon, more and more innocent people will be involved! Let¡¯s do it, Glis!¡¹


    The look on Rafinha¡¯s eyes strained. It was very much like Rafinha with her strong sense of justice. It seemed like she couldn¡¯t overlook the fact that the weak, ordinary citizens were swallowed into the battle.


    That was a praiseworthy mindset. Inglis Eux had no aspiration to uphold the betterment of the world, but she didn¡¯t deny Rafinha who did. In fact, it was something she found charming.


    ¡¸Oh. You¡¯re getting motivated, Rani.¡¹ ¡¸I have to, after seeing that! I¡¯ll try to obstruct the bombardings!¡¹ ¡¸How will you do it?¡¹ ¡¸Like this!¡¹


    Rafinha pulled her white bow Artifact hard. An arrow of light appeared in her hand, growing thicker and larger as time went by.


    ¡¸GOOO!!!¡¹


    As the light arrow reached its utmost size, Rafinha shot it to the sky.


    ¡¸Burst! And coil around!¡¹


    The huge light arrow split into countless smaller light arrows. Each arrow left a trail of light behind them, and instead of landing on the two Battleships, they began to orbit close to their turrets.


    ¡¸I see. A blind, is it.¡¹


    The idea was to substitute smokescreens with a large number of light arrows. If Rafinha kept these arrows from landing, the light arrows would be able to maintain their light trails for a long time and continue to obscure the view for the gunmen.


    ¡¸Yeah. That will stop them from bombarding properly, won¡¯t it?¡¹ ¡¸But still, you managed to make your arrows coil around without landing. You¡¯re amazing.¡¹


    As they were actually confused by trails of light flying around them, the momentum of both battleships¡¯ bombardment was slowing down. Watching Rafinha¡¯s growth was akin to watching Inglis¡¯ own granddaughter¡¯s growth. She couldn¡¯t help but genuinely felt happy for her.


    ¡¸Huhum. Even I grow stronger too! Now, I¡¯ll keep firing these to stop the bombardments, so you go and stop Ironblood Chain Brigade¡¯s ship, Glis!¡¹ ¡¸Yeah. Got it!¡¹


    Inglis walked further forward from where they landed, reaching the very tip of the bow of the ship¡¯s hull. She then thrust her palm out towards the Ironblood Chain Brigade¡¯s ship.


    From there, the pale light of Ether swirled and condensed. The light swelled bigger and bigger as seconds passed and quickly turned into a huge bullet of light.


    ¡¸Ether Strike!¡¹


    KABOOOOOOMMMM¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª!!!


    It landed squarely on the bow of the battleship, piercing the hull and penetrating the stern¡­ or how it should be.


    In truth, as soon as the strike hit the hull, destroying the bow, it collided with another huge, pale light of something.


    Bashuuuuu~u~u~u~u~tsu£¡


    ¡¸¡ª¡ª!?¡¹


    The result of the two light¡¯s crash deviated the strike upward from its trajectory to penetrate the Battleship and instead went higher up and disappeared deep into the sky, only scraping off the ship¡¯s exterior.


    ¡¸¡­¡­To think he could parry that!¡¹


    There was only one person Inglis knew might be able to do it. Inglis focused on the destroyed and exposed interior of the battleship. There, on what must have been the bridge, was a man in a black iron mask and an all-black garb and cloak.


    ¡¸I knew it¡­¡­!¡¹


    The Black Mask leader! Although, I don¡¯t see Cystia or Leon nearby! There were a number of men who seemed to be his subordinate, their fingers pointing at Inglis.


    ¡¸That girl did all this!?¡¹ ¡¸I-, is she a maid from the castle!?¡¹ ¡¸Why does a maid have so much power!? Wh-, what the hell actually happened!?¡¹


    Seeing the occasion, let¡¯s respond to them with a heartfelt mood.


    ¡¸Welcome. Will you mind if I¡¯m the one to receive you with hospitality? That was but a greeting.¡¹


    Inglis smiled and gave them a polite bow.


    ¡¸H-, hospitality!?¡¹ ¡¸That was just a greeting¡­¡­!? What kind of maid does that!?¡¹ ¡¸Outrageous! If things went poorly, our ship would¡¯ve gone down with that alone!¡¹


    Black Mask then suppressed his dismayed men.


    ¡¸Be careful, everyone. The more beautiful a rose is, the sharper and more poisonous its thorns will be. Look, isn¡¯t she beautiful?¡¹ ¡¸Y-, yeah¡¹ ¡¸She is!¡¹ ¡¸Frankly speaking, she¡¯s cute¡­¡­¡¹ ¡¸That¡¯s how it is. She might kill us all if we are not careful.¡¹ ¡¸¡¸¡¸¡­¡­¡­¡­¡¹¡¹¡¹ ¡¸I shall be the one to stop her. You people will continue with the mission, I will hold her off.¡¹ ¡¸¡¸¡¸Sir yes sir!!¡¹¡¹¡¹


    After hearing his men¡¯s reply, Black Mask kicked the floor and leapt far forward. He then landed near Inglis on top of Highland¡¯s Battleship.


    ¡¸Good gracious. I thought I let you know our plans so that you wouldn¡¯t interfere? Are you sure to abandon your plan to save the Hyrule Menace?¡¹ ¡¸¡­¡­The Principal and everyone are doing their best over there, so it should be fine.¡¹ ¡¸Too bad for you! We won¡¯t let things go as you, a guerrilla organization, want it!¡¹


    Rafinha, who was positioned behind the Black Mask and effectively pinched him between her and Inglis, raised her voice.


    ¡¸And if we overlooked your assault without taking any action, we would be treated like we were your collaborators. Rani and I are here to protect His Majesty the King and the Highland¡¯s Envoy.¡¹ ¡¸Hmm. I thought you would overlook it, as the Knight Academy is siding with the Prince¡¯s Faction.¡¹


    In fact, it was unlikely for that line of thought not to cross Principal Miliera¡¯s mind, but¡­ it was no time for worrying about factions, as it was more about the fact that both factions could very well be under rubbles if the mission failed.


    ¡¸Aren¡¯t you afraid of the risk for both operations failing due to the splitting of your group¡¯s military strength?¡¹ ¡¸I don¡¯t see it that way.¡¹


    Inglis quietly shook her head.


    ¡¸If I can finish my mission here before their operation is over, I can participate in both fights, and that will make me twice as happy.¡¹ ¡¸¡­¡­Good gracious, how very valiant. Talking about valiant, however, would you please tell me where the Highland¡¯s Envoy is? If you¡¯re so sure to win, you won¡¯t mind telling me his position, I¡¯m sure?¡¹ ¡¸¡­¡­I¡¯m terribly sorry, I don¡¯t know about it.¡¹


    It was no lie. After all, she had kicked him so far away that she could no longer see him.


    ¡¸I see, that¡¯s a shame.¡¹ ¡¸There¡¯s no use for you to know that! That brat has no intention to!¡¹ ¡¸!? You can¡¯t, Rani!!¡¹


    Inglis activated Ether Armor and went to Rafinha¡¯s back at full speed, covering the latter¡¯s mouth with her hands.


    ¡¸Mgggh¡­¡­!?¡¹


    Inglis knew what Rafinha wanted to say. There was no point for the brigade to try to stop the negotiation that involved handing over territories to Highland, since Abel never had any intention to negotiate with the Kingdom in the first place


    The Black Mask had gotten it wrong. Inglis could point out that it was a tactical blunder on his part. She could, but¡­


    ¡¸You can¡¯t! You mustn¡¯t say it!¡¹


    If she did, there was a risk that the brigade would lose the will to continue their mission and left altogether. That was not a good thing. Inglis hadn¡¯t fought just yet.


    ¡¸How fast. It appears that you have grown more proficient than the last time we met.¡¹ ¡¸While that may be true, I had no means to measure it for sure. Having you here is just excellent.¡¹ ¡¸¡­So you¡¯re using a person as your test subject.¡¹


    Black Mask looked a bit disapproving.


    ¡¸I¡¯m sorry for that, but I¡¯m counting on you.¡¹


    Inglis gave Black Mask a wide smile.


    ¡¸There is no other way, it seems.¡¹


    Saying so, Black Mask¡¯s body was also enveloped in the pale brilliance of Ether.


    ¡¸Well then, as we haven¡¯t much time, let us start this already.¡¹


    Inglis let go of her hand that covered Rafinha¡¯s mouth and then stepped over to Black Mask.

 Chapter 130: 15-year-old Inglis and Hyrule Menaces Escorting Directive (38)

    Going back to before Inglis began to engage the Black Mask. At the time the Royal Palace was swarmed with Magic Stone Beasts due to the Ironblood Chain Brigade¡¯s handiwork¡­


    ¡¸O-, oi! There¡¯s a commotion over at the castle! It¡¯s on fire!¡¹ ¡¸W-what!? Y-, you¡¯re right!¡¹


    The Knights of the Imperial Guard Order, who were in the Academy for Ripple¡¯s transfer, noticed the disaster that befell the Royal Palace and began to kick up a fuss.


    Silva, who was working with them, urged them on.


    He was helping the preparation of Ripple¡¯s transfer to the Imperial Guard Order¡¯s base in the castle later tonight.


    ¡¸I don¡¯t know what happened, but it can¡¯t be good! Isn¡¯t it better to go back and check on it right now!? I¡¯ll continue with the handover process!¡¹


    Silva was the younger brother of their Commander Redas. His words couldn¡¯t be taken lightly, and he did make a point too.


    ¡¸You¡¯re right. Roger that, Mister Silva!¡¹ ¡¸Sure! We can¡¯t possibly bring Lady Ripple with us if we can¡¯t make sure she¡¯ll be safe!¡¹ ¡¸We¡¯ll take our leave! Please take care of the rest!¡¹


    The Knights hopped onto their Flygears and took off for the Royal Palace. Looking at their shrinking backs, Silva was attacked by pangs of guilt.


    He knew what was happening, and yet he deliberately kept himself silent and effectively deceived them. The same with how he didn¡¯t let them take Ripple to the Royal Castle until today, delaying the handover process to a great length.


    He was sorry. He really was, but there was nothing else he could do, as this was to save Ripple.


    ¡¸Okay! I need to hurry!¡¹


    Silva soon met up with Principal Miliera, Ripple, and the other students who served the Hyrule Menace escorting duty.


    They were already gathering in a large classroom in the school¡¯s building.


    This was the room where Principal Miliera had first gathered the selected students from each year and explained the escorting duty to them. All of the forces had gathered there, with the exception of Inglis and Rafinha who had gone to guard the Royal Palace.


    Leone and Liselotte were there too, they were sitting down with anxiety painted on their face. Near to them was Yua who was resting her chin on her hand, her head bobbing as if she would fall asleep anytime now.


    ¡¸Sorry for the wait! Principal, Lady Ripple! Let¡¯s start as soon as possible, we don¡¯t have time!¡¹


    When Silva called out to her, Principal Miliera nodded with a serious look.


    ¡¸Yes, Mister Silva. Everyone, I don¡¯t know what will happen in this battle. However, let me say this beforehand; Your participation is voluntary. Please don¡¯t push yourself too hard.¡¹


    Principal Miliera appealed to the students, but no one left their seats¡­ or so it seemed at first, aside from one person.


    ¡¸Ah. Then I¡¯m going back to sleep.¡¹


    Spoke Yua with her eyes half-asleep, trying to leave.


    ¡¸WHA!? Wait! Please wait, Miss Yua! We will be troubled without you!¡¹


    This operation was taken from Inglis¡¯ proposal, where they would annihilate all the Magic Stone Beasts that Ripple would summon, effectively nullifying the mechanism that was activated as a sanction from the Highland.


    Miliera and Silva who bore Special Grade Runes would need to supply a large amount of mana to Ripple in order to intentionally trigger the summoning. And so, it would be best to assume that they couldn¡¯t help much in defeating the summoned Magic Stone Beasts.


    In addition, to keep a low profile, they would conduct their operation in the subspace created by Gifts, which meant that Leone and other similar Gift users were mainly in charge of maintaining the subspace rather than directly joining the fight.


    Thus, while it appeared that this group had the same amount of Special Grade Rune bearers as the Holy Knight Order, as well as a huge number of High Grade Rune owners, their military strength was by no means sufficient.


    In such a situation, the participation of Yua, who was even stronger than Silva, who himself was a future Holy Knight candidate with a Special Grade Rune, was critically essential. They had no other choice but to have Yua be the center of the operation.


    ¡¸Eh? Principal, didn¡¯t you say our participation is voluntary?¡¹ ¡¸I did say that, but that wasn¡¯t what I said in my heart, or like it¡¯s more like a promise, yes, a promise!¡¹ ¡¸Promise?¡¹ ¡¸While I did say that participation is voluntary, nobody goes back down, and in the end, I¡¯ll say ¡°Thank you everyone¡± and we all move into tears! Like, that kind of thing! Doesn¡¯t that make your spirit burn!? Okay? Okay?¡¹ ¡¸I don¡¯t understand¡­¡­?¡¹


    She craned her neck, completely poker-faced. Not a single soul knew what in the world was going on in that head of hers.


    ¡¸Regardless of what the Principal said, as far as you¡¯re concerned, your participation is mandatory. We need your strength. Please, help us.¡¹


    Saying such, Silva bowed to Yua upfront. In his perspective, Silva would argue that the full extent of his strength could only manifest when he joined hands with a weaponized Hyrule Menace, a weapon only Special Grade Rune bearers like him could handle. However, it didn¡¯t change the fact that Yua was a necessity in this situation.


    It was nothing to bow his head down and ask for help. It was for none other than Ripple


    Ever since the day she saved his life when he was a child, he had been training hard to fight alongside her as a Holy Knight, and here he was. He didn¡¯t want her to disappear before he could realize his goal in life.


    Yua, on the other hand, seemed to be surprised by Silva¡¯s behavior.


    ¡¸Four-eyes¡­ You¡¯ve got a fever?¡¹ ¡¸I don¡¯t! I¡¯m sober!¡¹ ¡¸Ah, you are. Look how fast you snap.¡¹ ¡¸Yeah, seeing the person I¡¯m dealing with, the person!¡¹ ¡¸W-, well well, let¡¯s dial it down.¡¹


    It wasn¡¯t Miliera, but Ripple, who interceded.


    ¡¸Yua, let me ask you on my behalf too. Please, we need your strength for this operation.¡¹


    Saying that, she also bowed her head alongside Silva.

 Chapter 131: 15-year-old Inglis and Hyrule Menaces Escorting Directive (39)

    ¡¸Lady Ripple?¡¹


    Ripple¡¯s attitude was not like the usual, thought Silva. She usually showed a cheerful face when nothing was going on, and she often kept her head down and listened quietly when the topic of Ripple¡¯s own protection and measures against Magic Stone Beasts came up.


    She must have felt chagrined at the fact that she was putting the country and the people was supposed to protect as a Hyrule Menace in danger, while instead she had to be protected by everyone. Silva understood her feelings. If he were in her shoes, he might feel the same too.


    That was why Ripple couldn¡¯t say anything herself. The only thing she could do was to accept everything that happened to her in silence. Even if she was to be returned to the Highland and they discarded her like an old toy.


    However, from Silva¡¯s standpoint, that was but a foolish subject to go after. Just how much work Ripple had done for this country up until now? How many people she had saved and in turn adored her for it?


    All those meritorious deeds, all that she accumulated, they didn¡¯t take them into account at all. She wasn¡¯t something that could be simply replaced like that. Silva definitely couldn¡¯t agree to it at all.


    ¡¸Miss Ripple¡­¡­What¡¯s the matter?¡¹


    Asked Principal Miliera. She, too, had seemed to have noticed that Ripple¡¯s demeanor was a little off than usual.


    ¡¸Y¡¯see¡­¡­until recently, I thought I could only accept everything that happened to me. I mean, a Hyrule Menace who can¡¯t protect everyone isn¡¯t a Hyrule Menace, right? But¡­ everyone is trying so hard to help me, right? Well, there¡¯s that one exception who¡¯s doing it for fun¡­¡­¡¹ ¡¸Hahaha, there is that one. I won¡¯t say who, though.¡¹


    The principal laughed dryly.


    ¡¸I¡¯m sure she¡¯s sneezing right now.¡¹ ¡¸Oh, she must be.¡¹


    Leone and Liselotte also nodded accordingly. There wasn¡¯t the need to say the name, as it was already obvious who this exception was.


    ¡¸But, even with her being like that, when I look at everyone doing all that for me¡­ Even though my birthplace has long gone, I begin to feel like this country is my own hometown. I realized my own feelings, you see.¡¹


    Ripple showed a refreshing smile.


    ¡¸That¡¯s why¡­ I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s okay for a Hyrule Menace to think like this, and I¡¯m sure I will cause everyone so much trouble, but¡­¡­I still want to be with everyone in this country. That¡¯s why, it¡¯s normal to ask for help in times like this, right?¡¹ ¡¸Lady Ripple¡­¡¹


    For some reason, Silva felt a sensation of contentment after hearing her words. Perhaps because it was the first time Ripple had fully relied on him. She of course wasn¡¯t talking only to him. She spoke that to everyone, but it was still a joy for Silva nevertheless.


    ¡¸That¡¯s why, Yua¡­¡¹ ¡¸Miss Yua, it¡¯s for Miss Ripple¡¯s sake too!¡¹ ¡¸Yua. Lady Ripple has asked you so sincerely like this!¡¹


    When everyone¡¯s attention returned to Yua¡­


    ¡¸Zzz¡¹


    Yua was blissfully asleep in her chair.


    ¡¸HEEEEYYYY!!!!¡¹


    Unable to keep watching her, Silva went and used his red rifle Artifact to bash Yua¡¯s head, but¡­


    Plop!


    She brilliantly reacted and caught it.


    ¡¸¡­Violence bad.¡¹ ¡¸It¡¯s all about the attitude! Your attitude deserves it, is what I¡¯m saying!¡¹ ¡¸¡­¡­Scary. Save me, Lady Beast Ear.¡¹


    Yua trotted and hid behind Ripple¡¯s back.


    ¡¸N-, now now¡­¡­Yua, will you help to defeat the Magic Stone Beasts?¡¹ ¡¸That¡¯s what I¡¯ve been doing.¡¹ ¡¸There will be more of them this time, and they¡¯ll be stronger too. Can I depend on you? If you did well, I¡¯ll treat you to something, okay?¡¹ ¡¸I¡¯d rather you introduce me to someone than food.¡¹ ¡¸EH? Hmm¡­¡­What kind of person do you want?¡¹ ¡¸Someone cool like four-eyes.¡¹ ¡¸¡­¡­Wh-, what are you saying!? Buttering up to me after all this time won¡¯t get you anywhere¡­¡­¡¹


    Silva couldn¡¯t help but feel a little flustered.


    ¡¸But not someone with a short temper like four-eyes.¡¹ ¡¸¡­¡­¡­¡­¡¹


    Nah, it was just him. The very concept of buttering up didn¡¯t exist within Yua¡¯s books.


    ¡¸And not someone who¡¯s weak like four eyes too.¡¹ ¡¸B?A?S?S?T?A?A?R?R?D?D?D?!! You¡¯re just making a fool out of me!¡¹


    He knew it, he couldn¡¯t get along with Yua. The chemistry between them was just the worst.


    ¡¸Aah¡ªaah¡ªaaah¡ª! Let¡¯s just get this operation started before it gets any messier! Miss Leone, please pull out the isolation space! Let¡¯s just do it!¡¹


    Principal Miliera raised her voice then gave Leone her instruction.


    ¡¸Y-, yes! Understood. Then, I¡¯ll do it!¡¹


    Although she was confused by the sudden turn of events, Leone immediately snapped to focus her mind. With the new Gift of her new black greatsword Artifact, she isolated everyone in an empty, pitch-black subspace.


    ¡¸Yep. You¡¯re doing it more smoothly than before! You¡¯ve improved so much in no time at all, Miss Leone. Wonderful!¡¹ ¡¸Thank you very much.¡¹


    Leone was a bit flattered by the Principal¡¯s praise. It was the truth that she had gotten used to the Gift, and the speed of its deployment also increased along with the durability and the size of the subspace that had grown more stable.


    ¡¸Let¡¯s begin, everyone! Please lend us your strength to save Miss Ripple! Your action will surely be for the good of the country and its people!¡¹ ¡¸¡¸¡¸YES!!¡¹¡¹¡¹


    The students shouted in unison.


    ¡¸The Principal and I are going to pour our mana to Lady Ripple in order to summon the Magic Stone Beasts! I¡¯ll leave the subjugation to all of you! Now, Lady Ripple, if you please!¡¹


    Silva held out the barrel of his gun Artifact that had his power within it towards Ripple. At the same time, Principal Miliera also held out her staff artifact to her.


    ¡¸Just count on them, Miss Ripple! My students are all excellent, it¡¯ll be fine!¡¹ ¡¸Yeah¡­¡­Everyone, thank you. Best of luck!¡¹


    Ripple nodded strongly before touching the artifacts they held out to her. Then, the glow that emanated from both artifacts disappeared with a discernible sound. This was a sign that ripple had absorbed the mana from both of them.


    VWOOooom!


    Ripple¡¯s body was then enveloped in a black sphere, it was the advance warning of the appearance of the Magic Stone Beast.

 Chapter 132: 15-year-old Inglis and Hyrule Menaces Escorting Directive (40)

    While firmly supporting the unconscious Ripple before laying her down, Silva gave instructions to the other students.


    ¡¸Everyone! Form a circle with Lady Ripple at the center! We don¡¯t know how many enemies will show up! Let us fight them by covering each others¡¯ back!¡¹ ¡¸Miss Leone and everyone who are in charge of subspace Artifacts are to stay within the inner circle! Fall back and support your friends from behind!¡¹ ¡¸¡¸¡¸Yes!¡¹¡¹¡¹


    The selected students reacted quickly to the instruction, as they had already started to move into their position. In the midst of it, a number of vortex-like spatial distortions occurred all around the circle. From there, Beastman Magic Stone Beasts appeared.


    Those were the type of strengthened Magic Stone Beasts that was as strong as Rahal and Cyrene after they were transformed by Prism Powder, and there were five of them. Even Silva would be gravely injured if he received a clean attack by one of them, making them an opponent to be extremely cautious against.


    And there were five of them at once. They were spread out and summoned in an arrangement that surrounded the circle.


    ¡¸Five of those!? So many of them right off the bat!¡¹ ¡¸But we have to do it! If we succeeded here, it means we helped protect Arlman and Shealot!¡¹ ¡¸Sure, let¡¯s!¡¹


    Leone and Liselotte nodded to each other.


    ¡¸Uhh¡­¡­Ah, enemy. But, umm, do I go to assembly with others or¡­?¡¹


    While everyone was wrapped up in a sense of urgency, only Yua was the one loitering around, left behind by their motion.


    ¡¸Yua! You don¡¯t need to worry about the rest of us, just keep taking down the enemies before you!¡¹


    It was Maurice, the leader of the second-year students, who called out to her. Yua had an outstanding ability, but she isn¡¯t suited to be a leader at all. A role like that was for someone else, and Maurice was that someone else. Being an open-minded person, his and Yua¡¯s relationship wasn¡¯t bad.


    ¡¸Matchstick!¡¹ ¡¸It¡¯s Maurice! Just go berserk!¡¹ ¡¸Then, it¡¯s your fault if I got scolded, Matchstick.¡¹


    Mumbled Yua to herself before she lightly ran towards the nearest Magic Stone Beast. In Yua¡¯s case, however, anything that she did ¡°lightly¡± was by no means light at all. In fact, from Leone¡¯s and everyone else¡¯s perspective, it was an astoundingly fast and sharp step.


    ¡¸Ei!¡¹


    A palm strike so soft it might as well count as a pat.


    KABOOOM!!


    And yet, the Magic Stone Beast was blown away due to it, its body bent in an unnatural manner.


    ¡¸¡¸¡¸OOOoooohh!!?¡¹¡¹¡¹


    The students couldn¡¯t help but exclaim. Even the Magic Stone Beasts seemed to freeze for a moment. Perhaps surprised by the much too shocking phenomenon that happened?


    ¡¸That¡¯s all she needs to do, right, Principal, Senior Silva!?¡¹ ¡¸Yeah. That¡¯s good enough!¡¹


    Silva nodded in response to Maurice¡¯s question. Yua was not the type to cooperate with others. Rather than poorly trying to fit her in teamwork, it would be better to let her roam freely.


    After she mightily flicked one of them away, Yua headed for the next nearest opponent. However, there were five of them. They were spread out wide and far in-between.


    RRRAWWRR!!


    One of them, positioned at the opposite end of the circle from Yua, let out a loud warcry. A number of black-light spots began to converge around it. That was a wide heat-ray attack!


    It was hard to deal with ranged attacks from a distance once you had assembled into a formation.


    ¡¸I shan¡¯t let you!¡¹


    However, Liselotte flew through the air at full speed with her Gift of a pair of white wings and slipped into the Magic Stone Beast¡¯s arm length just in time.


    The thrust of her halberd carried her momentum as it pierced deeply into the monster¡¯s neck, the heat rays that had been converged immediately dissipated at the same time it happened.


    ¡¸I shall be up forward and distract them! Will that be fine!?¡¹


    Siad Liselotte as she pulled out her halberd, which had stuck deep into the beast¡¯s neck.


    ¡¸Please don¡¯t overexert yourself! You only need to disperse enemies attack!¡¹


    Principal Miliera gave her permission. Rather than being stuck in a formation, Liselotte¡¯s ability to maneuver in all directions with her Gift would serve better by letting her move around the place and distract the enemies. Yua alone was not enough to act as a decoy, and it would certainly be better to have Liselotte come out as well.


    Liselotte used the Magic Stone Beast¡¯s body as her foothold before she took off to charge at another Magic Stone Beast that was gathering strength to release the heat rays.


    ¡¸You too! I shan¡¯t let any of you do it!¡¹


    She slammed her halberd into the Magic Stone Beast¡¯s chest with her momentum. Her attack once again made the heat rays dissipate.


    Right after she attacked, she immediately put her strength into her white wings and retreated. She would keep flying around and interject the enemies¡¯ fatal attacks with hit and run.


    After Liselotte attacked yet another one, the Magic Stone Beast tightened its muscles, preventing her to pull out the tip of her halberd.


    ¡¸Kgh¡­¡­! How pretentious!¡¹


    While it stalled Liselotte, another one approached her from behind. Magic Stone Beasts showed no signs of intellect, but these ones were surprisingly coordinated in battle.


    Her choices were either to abandon her halberd to evade or spin around to kick the one approaching from her back. As she hesitated, a black iron blade extended vigorously from the peripheral of her vision.


    ¡¸I won¡¯t let you!¡¹


    That was Leone¡¯s Artifact. It was an attack that was exercised by strongly thrusting her sword while also extending the blade using a Gift, making the thrust even faster and stronger by combining the two forces.


    An attack that could even keep Holy Knight Leon at bay. That attack pierced the Magic Stone Beast that approached Liselotte¡¯s back from its behind.


    Skewered by it, the beast naturally stopped in its tracks. In the meantime, Liselotte managed to pull her Artifact away and break free.


    ¡¸Thank you so much, Leone! I see that you¡¯re using both of your Gifts at the same time!¡¹ ¡¸Yeah! I practiced, after all!¡¹


    Leone answered Liselotte¡¯s smile with hers.


    ¡¸Amazing¡­¡­You¡¯re doing great, Miss Leone!¡¹


    Seeing this, Principal Miliera couldn¡¯t hide her surprise. Just now, Leone was manipulating a different Gift while she was using a Gift to produce and keep up the isolating subspace. Miliera had expected this to happen sooner or later, but she didn¡¯t think Leone would have learned it so quickly. This was wonderful. It was great that Leone could move around like that even though she had to concentrate on maintaining the subspace.


    ¡¸Now, let¡¯s keep up with this momentum and continue defeating these Magic Stone Beasts!¡¹


    Wrapped in a black sphere, Ripple was still sucking up Miliera and Silva¡¯s mana endlessly. This meant their enemies would keep increasing in numbers¡­

 Chapter 133: 15-year-old Inglis and Hyrule Menaces’ Escorting Directive (41)

    On the roof of one of the two Aerial Battleships that was floating above the Royal Castle¡­


    KABOOOOMMM!! KERCHAAANNKKK!! BAMBAMBAAMMM!!


    Ear-splitting sounds of impact echoed from all around Rafinha as Inglis and the Black Mask engaged in a battle.


    They were moving so fast that Rafinha could only occasionally make out their blurred figures wrapped in pale light. And the fact that she couldn¡¯t make them out meant that she had no means to protect herself from things like a stray bullet.


    Most people would be terrified and inclined to flee out of fear. And yet, Rafinha wasn¡¯t intimidated at all as she remained in her spot to block the two ships¡¯ bombardment with a rain of light arrows from her Artifact.


    It was a necessary thing to do, lest the city would be further damaged if she stopped. She couldn¡¯t afford to back down. Besides, she believed in Inglis. That girl would surely protect her.


    Inglis¡¯ expression, in the few times that she did appear flickering in and out of Rafinha¡¯s vision, was looking very inappropriately delighted. She was enjoying the battle to the bottom of her heart. A grin was ever-present on her face; not at all tensed, and a very much dangerous one.


    However, for Inglis¡¯ case, that was just her usual self. And if Inglis was in her usual self, that meant she would surely protect Rafinha. Rafinha believed that based on all of her life experiences.


    Suddenly, Rafinha¡¯s field of vision was filled with Inglis. She had just delivered a backhand blow, and the sheer power of it made the Black Mask¡¯s guarding arms flung backward.


    KERCHINK!


    The sound was heard one beat slower than the visual. The next moment, Inglis¡¯ figure disappeared from Rafinha¡¯s sight yet again.


    ¡¸There¡ª¡ª!!¡¹


    KABOOM!!


    ¡¸HNNnnggghh!?¡¹


    Only the sounds were heard. Then, not a moment after that, Inglis appeared with lowered hips, the posture right after hitting the Black Mask on his shoulder and back. The latter was blown off to the space between two airships like a bullet.


    ¡¸There¡¯s more to come!¡¹


    Inglis planted her feet, just about to leap to chase after him.


    However, the pale light that surrounded her suddenly disappeared as she turned her head towards Rafinha. She raised an index finger at her, on which pale light was converged.


    ¡¸! Glis¡­¡­.!?¡¹ ¡¸Don¡¯t move!¡¹


    Pshoo pshoo!!


    Two streaks of light shot in succession, passing by both sides of Rafinha.


    ¡¸There it is¡­¡­! That¡¯s the one jamming our¡­ guaahk!?¡¹ ¡¸Kill her! We can¡¯t fire back if she keep¡ªaaagh!?¡¹


    Those were soldiers from Highland¡¯s battleship. They came to get rid of Rafinha who kept scattering light as a curtain.


    ¡¸Please be careful. I won¡¯t tolerate you if you¡¯re trying to hurt Rani.¡¹ ¡¸No, they can¡¯t even hear you now!¡¹


    After all, they were shot precisely between their eyes. They became empty husks, slipped away from the Flygear that carried them here and fell off to the ground.


    What was left behind was a masterless, stagnant, and airborne Flygear.


    ¡¸Rani. Since it¡¯s here, why don¡¯t you get into that Flygear? It¡¯s safer that way.¡¹ ¡¸Y-, you¡¯re right, I¡¯ll do that.¡¹


    Inglis was right. Using something whose owners had just died in front of her gave Rafinha a bit of bad aftertaste, though.


    ¡¸Then, you too, Glis¡­¡­!¡¹ ¡¸No. We¡¯re not quite done yet!¡¹


    Inglis turned her back to Rafinha again. Being blown off by Inglis, the Black Mask corrected his posture midair, kicked the wall of his own ship, and used the recoil to launch back to Inglis.


    ¡¸I¡¯m sorry. I won¡¯t let it end just yet!¡¹


    The Black Mask stuck out his shoulder and prepared to tackle her down with it.


    ¡¸I more than welcome it!¡¹


    Not every day Inglis could get an opponent as tough as this. If possible, she would ask him to accompany her in this fight forever.


    Inglis once again enveloped her body in Ether Armor. Then, she prepared to swing her leg up to kick the incoming Black Mask.


    However, she sensed something midway.


    Since he put his shoulder on the front, his hands were hidden in the shade of his body. There was a flow of Ether that seemed to converge there, a different one from the Ether that surrounded his entire body. Was he preparing for another Ether battle skill in the shadow of his movements!?


    ¡¸Haat!!¡¹


    Right away, Inglis somersaulted backward with everything her axle leg could muster.


    Vwooom!


    After a moment that was far too brief for Rafinha¡¯s eyes to catch, a sword of highly luminous pale light cleaved the foothold where Inglis had been.


    ¡¸An Ether Sword¡ª¡ª!?¡¹


    The Black Mask feigned it with a shoulder hurl while in truth he was going to slash her down with the Ether Sword he hid from her vision.


    While it was true that Inglis sensed it right away and evaded it¡­ What an interesting technique! To think he can condense Ether so compressed it attains similar properties to physical objects.


    Inglis was also capable of sorcery that produced ice swords, but the level of difficulty between the two was a world apart.


    The difficulty of controlling Ether was not comparable to that of mana. Moreover, Black Mask created his Ether Sword while also using a skill similar to Inglis¡¯ Ether Armor.


    Two major Ether techniques at the same time, the Black Mask once said that Inglis excelled in sheer Ether power while he was blessed in skills, and he was correct. Inglis couldn¡¯t even imagine how to use two techniques simultaneously.


    ¡¸That¡¯s how it is! I¡¯m sorry, but I¡¯ll get you!¡¹


    The Black Mask launched a follow-up flying slash before Inglis could land. Inglis was at a considerable disadvantage in terms of stances. To add to that, a slash from that sword couldn¡¯t be scoffed off even if her Ether Armor was still activated. She couldn¡¯t catch it with her hands or feet either.


    But¡­


    ¡¸You won¡¯t!¡¹


    Ssshhrink!


    An ice sword appeared within Inglis¡¯ hand. With her Ether Armor still on, this sword would shatter in just a single strike. That was because the blade could not withstand the load of Ether energy transmitted to it. Even so, a single strike is enough for this situation!


    Kerchaaannk!!


    The ice sword with enough energy to twist the very fabric of reality itself collided with Black Mask¡¯s Ether Sword.


    ¡¸Kgh¡­¡­!¡¹


    However, it was Inglis¡¯ ice sword that was overpowered. She managed to parry off Black Mask¡¯s sword, but the blade of her sword had been pulverized into shards.


    But thanks to that, Inglis managed to land on her feet and fix her posture. As long as she accomplished that, it was enough.


    ¡¸That feeble sword can never handle my own!¡¹


    As though he was trying to corner Inglis, Black Mask released a fury of flying slashes.


    ¡¸Yes. That is fine by me!¡¹


    After successfully dodging that nigh unavoidable slash in the air, she could easily connect a good hit if she managed to maintain a good enough stance and avoid the consecutive slashes!


    ¡¸Hng¡­ What is¡­¡­!?¡¹


    His strike was evaded every time he drew it, and Inglis would approach him a step closer every time she did. He couldn¡¯t hit her. She dodged the rain of swords with the most minimum and optimal motions as if she read his every movement.


    Ultimately, while it was the Black Mask who was on the offense, she forced him to inch backwards to keep his distance. It was very evident that Inglis excelled over him in terms of reaction speed.


    Inglis had superior Ether strength. And to make up for that gap, Black Mask used two Ether battle techniques simultaneously.


    And yet, what is the meaning of this¡­¡­!? This is no simple matter of Ether. There is an overwhelmingly sharp insight, profound proficiency, and a vast amount of battle experience in her. In such a young girl. How can this be!?


    ¡¸HYAAaatt!!¡¹


    Inglis, who finally had completely slipped into Black Mask¡¯s reach, struck a palm strike into his abdomen.


    ¡¸KGGHHUUAAAKK!?¡¹


    The impact sent Black Mask¡¯s body flying backwards. He somehow managed to hold on without collapsing, albeit he was on his knees.


    ¡¸Fu¡ª¡ªfufufu¡­¡­It appears that even I can no longer hold you back, is it? You weren¡¯t as strong as this before!¡¹ ¡¸You seem to be very busy all this time, while I, on the other hand, have been devoting myself to train!¡¹ ¡¸I am running about to serve for the greater cause, just so you know. Although, I don¡¯t mean to sound childish and say that justice will prevail¡­¡­¡¹ ¡¸Justice or evil has nothing to do with strength. After all, strength is something you attain from talent, training, and experience. Is it not even more discourteous to attach your ideology onto your strength?¡¹


    To say For the Greater Cause meant nothing more than to use one¡¯s power for the sake of justice or evil. And as long as their ideology had been realized, they would need their power no more.


    That wasn¡¯t an approach purely for a power-centric alone. If one wanted to reach their ultimate goal, they had to be more sincere. They should abandon their ideals and ideas and just seek to be as strong as possible.


    ¡¸HAHAHAHA!! For someone with a dainty look, you sure are a combatant to the very core¡­¡­!¡¹ ¡¸I am. After all, that is the only way I can live. Now, you still have something up your sleeve, don¡¯t you? Please show it to me.¡¹


    Inglis was sure that she saw Black Mask repel the Ether Strike that she fired at his battleship, but none of the abilities that he had shown thus far seemed capable of such a feat. They didn¡¯t appear to have enough Ether power to do that.


    There was more! And since the opportunity was present, she would have him show everything.

 Chapter 134: 15-year-old Inglis and Hyrule Menaces’ Escorting Directive (42)

    ¡¸Something up my sleeve? What do you mean?¡¹


    The Black Mask feigned ignorance.


    ¡¸ The attack that I unleashed towards your group¡¯s ship, it should have been you who repelled it. I want you to show me how, is what I¡¯m saying.¡¹ ¡¸Phew. You¡¯ve got good eyes¡­Still, it¡¯s not something so interesting to see, you know?¡¹ ¡¸I¡¯ll be the one to judge after I see it.¡¹ ¡¸How high-handed. But it can¡¯t be helped. Well then, I shall show you.¡¹


    Immediately after Black Mask said that, the color of the Ether that covered his body changed. It shifted from the same pale, bluish-white color as Inglis, to a yellowish color.


    ¡¸¡­¡­!¡¹


    Inglis knew that it was Ether. It certainly was Ether. That was how it felt. However, Inglis had never seen Ether in the color of yellow. Not even in her previous life.


    The Goddess Alistair, who made Inglis a Demigod in the title of Divine Knight, also had the same color of Ether as Inglis.


    Other Gods, sworn friends of Goddess Alistair, also shared the same color.


    ¡¸That¡¯s the spirit of Demon Gods¡­¡­!?¡¹


    The enemy of Gods that had existed in her previous life. Inglis became a King after she defeated them and was recognized by the Gods and the people as a Hero. If she recalled it correctly, the Demon Gods¡¯ spirit was colored yellow.


    ¡¸No, but¡ª¡ª¡¹


    The power that cladded Black Mask in front of me is certainly Ether in nature, and I don¡¯t feel the Demon Gods¡¯ distinctive ominous feeling either. While it is Ether, it gives the impression that its wavelength has deviated greatly. Black Mask appears to be capable of controlling the very nature of Ether itself. A very astonishing mastery of it. I never thought that something like this is possible.


    But, is the color a mere coincidence? Actually, what are Demon Gods in the first place? I know it¡¯s far too late to think about it, but that question now haunts my mind. But, even more than that¡­ Interesting! An unknown power will without doubt bring about numerous unknown techniques!


    ¡¸I knew you still have an ace up your sleeve! Fufufufu. It makes me happy to have you like this.¡¹


    Inglis awarded the Black Mask with her smile. Complemented with her outfit, she looked so sweet and innocent. Nevertheless¡­


    ¡¸I wonder why. Even though such a lovely lady gave me such pretty words, I can¡¯t bring myself feel elated.¡¹ ¡¸I won¡¯t mind if you do feel elated, you know?¡¹ ¡¸I mustn¡¯t. Unlike you, I am but an imprudent fellow infatuated with a great cause¡­ I can¡¯t stay here to fight forever. Now, come!¡¹ ¡¸Well then!¡¹


    Inglis charged headlong at full speed, her fist in the ready. First, test the waters. She would go straight in and hit. It was an attack that had no trick whatsoever, but she didn¡¯t hold back either. A fist strike with full force.


    Her arm roared as it approached the black mask. However, once it drew near to the yellowish Ether that cladded him¡­


    Pyon!


    Along with a strange feel to the touch, her fist hit empty air, missing its mark.


    ¡¸Eh¡­¡­!?¡¹


    She delivered one, two more punches. But those were also deflected by the mysterious power that made the Black Mask untouchable.


    ¡¸How about this!¡¹


    Upper kick!


    Pyo-pyon!


    I knew it, my kicking foot couldn¡¯t touch him. It bounced off the surface as though it just slid off. I wonder why. The closer I get to him, the stronger the repulsion I get that makes me unable to touch him. It¡¯s like two same magnetic poles being brought close together, and the repulsion pulls them apart.


    ¡¸What is this!? Did you repel my Ether Strike with this too!?¡¹ ¡¸Correct. I changed the nature of my Ether, and now both of our power are repelling each other. And now, we can no longer touch. Hence, none of us will be hurt. With this, it¡¯s no longer about strong or weak, but the nature of our power.¡¹ ¡¸In short, it¡¯s the ultimate defense and the ultimate anti-offense at the same time¡­¡­?¡¹ ¡¸Indeed. There can be no more conflict between us. Isn¡¯t that peaceful?¡¹ ¡¸¡­¡­It¡¯s boring.¡¹


    We can¡¯t fight now.


    Inglis puckered her lips in frustration.


    ¡¸Didn¡¯t I tell you? It¡¯s not something interesting.¡¹ ¡¸¡­¡­I guess there¡¯s no other way.¡¹


    Phew, she heaved a sigh.


    ¡¸I am glad that you understood.¡¹ ¡¸Oh, I understand of course. The fact that this is the only way, that is!¡¹


    Shrrinnkkk!


    The pale brilliance of Ether Armor that covered Inglis disappeared, and an ice sword appeared in her hand in turn. She could not touch Black Mask with Ether battle techniques.


    If so, then she¡¯d only need to drop Ether into mana and fight with that. As long as she didn¡¯t use Ether, her attacks shouldn¡¯t be repelled by Black Mask¡¯s Ether.


    ¡¸¡­¡­You¡¯re still thinking to fight with something as measly as that? Don¡¯t you know you will be at a tremendous disadvantage if you purposely lower your strength?¡¹ ¡¸Even then, being inventive still counts as a proper battle.¡¹ ¡¸I don¡¯t understand you. What drives you so far like this?¡¹ ¡¸Life is short, after all. We don¡¯t have the time to waste even a moment of it.¡¹ ¡¸Good gods¡­¡­You¡¯re hurrying with your life when you¡¯re so young. I guess that means I have to continue accompanying you¡­¡¹


    The moment Black Mask ended his sentence with a sigh¡­


    ¡¸Glis! Something is coming! Be careful!¡¹


    Rafinha, who was flying nearby on her Flygear, shouted.


    She was right, something wrapped in light was flying towards Inglis and black mask from afar.


    *Kaboom! *


    His landing erupted a loud noise, and he was¡­


    ¡¸¡­¡­! You are!!¡¹ ¡¸HA HA HA HA!! What, do you think an Archlord such as I will die due to something as weak as that! Too bad!¡¹


    The envoy of the Highland that Inglis kicked off into the distance, Abel.

 Chapter 135: 15-year-old Inglis and Hyrule Menaces’ Escorting Directive (43)

    ¡¸Lord Abel! I am glad you are okay!¡¹


    Inglis¡¯ face lit up as she congratulated the fact that Abel was safe.


    ¡¸What a brazen lie to tell on my face! Who do you think kicked me!?¡¹ ¡¸It wasn¡¯t a lie. I am really happy to see that you are safe.¡¹


    It really wasn¡¯t a lie. She wanted to fight strong opponents time and time again. If Abel was safe, that meant she could fight him again.


    Moreover, he had a strong vanity in his martial abilities and was belligerent himself. There was a very likely chance that he would polish his skills and challenge Inglis for a rematch.


    There was also a lot more to see in his Mana Refinement skill, and Inglis could feel its expandability too. He still could get stronger.


    By all means, he should get stronger and use his power against Inglis. Therefore, his wellbeing was something Inglis truly congratulated.


    ¡¸Archlord! A Highland¡¯s High General, is it? And if you are here¡­¡­that means you are in charge of the negotiation, correct?¡¹ ¡¸Hmph. So what if I am. You must be the head of the Ironblood Chain Brigade. I¡¯ve heard that it¡¯s a man wearing all black, but really, what a bad-taste costume. I¡¯m sure your face is so unsightly that you have no confidence showing it?¡¹ ¡¸Fuh¡­ Indeed, I would be anxious if I weren¡¯t dressed like this. Now then, our goal is to kill the Highland¡¯s envoy¡­ It¡¯s distasteful to fight against a child, but I¡¯ll have you let me accomplish our goal.¡¹


    Inglis quickly stepped in between the growing tension between Black Mask and Abel.


    ¡¸Lord Abel, please fall back. He is aiming for your life.¡¹


    After that, she spoke to the black mask


    ¡¸You must know that Lord Abel never had the intention of taking up the negotiation in the first place. So, even without your meddling, both Arlman and Shealot won¡¯t be taken away, you know?¡¹


    The situation where Black Mask and Abel crushing each other was most undesirable for Inglis. It would leave her with fewer opponents to fight. It would be a huge waste of opponents.


    If that were to happen, then Inglis would have no choice but to lean onto protecting Abel. Currently, Black Mask had the overwhelming upper hand between the two.


    She would protect Abel so that she didn¡¯t have to have fewer people to fight. Besides, there was that deal from Principal Miliera about extending the all-you-can-eat buffet.


    ¡¸Hmph! Everything went exactly as I wanted! I¡¯ll be sanctioning these insects who call themselves Ironblood Chain Brigade myself! I¡¯ll just have to trample their leader under my foot here!¡¹ ¡¸If so, then I shall take up the fight you wish to bring. The head of an Archlord is valuable, after all.¡¹ ¡¸Please, wait! You mustn¡¯t fight for something like that! Now, put your weapons down! Peace is the way to go!¡¹ ¡¸¡¸Look who¡¯s speaking!!¡¹¡¹


    They both said the same thing to her.


    ¡¸I just don¡¯t want anyone else other than me to hurt and get hurt.¡¹


    After all, that would mean fewer people to fight.


    ¡¸But, if the two of you would like to fight me together, then you¡¯re welcome to.¡¹ ¡¸Don¡¯t be stupid! There¡¯s no point in doing that now!¡¹ ¡¸We don¡¯t fight for pleasure as you do.¡¹ ¡¸¡­¡­It can¡¯t be helped then.¡¹


    Inglis turned to face Black Mask and activated her Ether Armor again. She should act to protect Abel here.


    Abel was by no means someone praiseworthy, and there would surely be a debate as to whether protecting him in this scenario would bring prospect or ruin to the country and its people in the future.


    But¡­ that was for someone else to think about sometime later. Inglis would only move the way she wanted to move, is all.


    Shortly after, a Flygear flew out and drew nearby from within the Highland¡¯s ship. There, a familiar face was seen. A Hyrule Menace with her long, lustrous red hair¡ª¡ªCystia.


    ¡¸I¡¯m sorry for the wait! We have the bridge under our control!¡¹ ¡¸Good work. Withdraw the captured ship immediately!¡¹ ¡¸Yessir! I have already issued the order!¡¹


    Just as Cystia said, the Highland¡¯s battleship was on the move and moving further away.


    ¡¸You b?a?s?t?a?r?d?s?! You¡¯re trying to steal my ship? What a bunch of war looters!¡¹ ¡¸Nothing comes from nothing in a battlefield. We should increase our military strength if and when the opportunity arises.¡¹


    Don¡¯t tell me¡­ that¡¯s their actual purpose? If not, why would Cystia seize the bridge of an enemy ship? She must have snuck into the airship before it reaches the Royal Castle to take down Abel. That should have been their main objective, after all.


    But still, the fact they changed their aim to the airship must mean that they have somehow known about the situation that unfolds in the Royal Castle. Do they still have moles in there that report to them in real-time?


    Because of that, they switched their main objective to seizing the battleship instead, huh? Quite a shrewd and resourceful move on their part.


    ¡¸Well, it matters not. I¡¯ll just kill you here and take it back!¡¹ ¡¸Insolent! Who do you think you are!?¡¹ ¡¸He is the Highland¡¯s Envoy, Cystia.¡¹ ¡¸Eh!? Then let us take him out before we withdraw! This is a good opportunity!¡¹ ¡¸Yes, that is what I meant to do!¡¹ ¡¸I won¡¯t let you. Hurting each other here will result in nothing but vain.¡¹


    Mainly for Inglis, that is¡­


    ¡¸Fufufu¡­Cystia, don¡¯t you think the situation has grown complicated?¡¹ ¡¸Yes. You are most correct. And there¡¯s the matter with Leon too!¡¹ ¡¸You¡¯re right. In the end, strength speaks the loudest in situations like this. And, even if I could protect myself, I can¡¯t possibly outmaneuver her on my own. Hence, I have no other option but to borrow your strength.¡¹ ¡¸¡­¡­! Yes, if that¡¯s what you wish!¡¹


    Lightly, Cystia jumped down from her Flygear and lined up next to the Black Mask. Her body began to glow brightly from within.


    ¡¸My very being, my very power¡­¡­they are yours to wield. I entrust you with my everything.¡¹


    *This is, don¡¯t tell me¡ª¡ª *


    ¡¸Hyrule Menace¡¯s weaponization!?¡¹


    By all means, I want to see it¡­¡­!

 Chapter 136: 15-year-old Inglis and Hyrule Menaces’ Escorting Directive (44)

    Wrapped in a dazzling light, Cystia gently offered her hand to Black Mask. When he took her hand, her figure shone even more intensely.


    ¡¸So bright¡­¡­!¡¹


    Illuminated from a short distance, it was hard for Inglis to keep her eyes open, and she could only barely make out the silhouettes. Then, the shape of the silhouette changed from a humanoid into a long weapon, a spear.


    While it was hard for Inglis to see with her eyes, it was possible for her to sense it from the flow of energy. Inglis sharpened her mind with her whole being. And then, she understood. This was¡­


    ¡¸¡­¡­¡­¡­Amazing!¡¹


    She could tell that the weaponized Cystia was taking in and amplifying the Ether that Black Mask provided. Yes. Not mana, Ether.


    This was astonishing.


    Even High Grade Artifacts couldn¡¯t withstand the load of Ether and would be destroyed when Ether was poured into them. Just like what had previously happened to Leone¡¯s High Grade Artifact that was pulverized into shards.


    However, not only were Hyrule Menaces safe from Ether, but they also overwhelmingly amplified the Ether that was pumped into them.


    It was as if seeing one turn into a five, then into a ten!


    If she were to receive an attack from something like that, it didn¡¯t matter whether Inglis protected her body with the full strength of Ether Armor or not, she definitely wouldn¡¯t get away with light scratches. Hyrule Menaces were a weapon that was said to be the ultimate Artifact, and they certainly lived up to their name.


    Inglis could understand if it was mana, but she never thought they would amplify Ether too! They were equivalent to the weapon of the Gods that existed in Inglis¡¯ previous life, the Holy Sword.


    Highlanders they might be, it was amazing that humans were capable of producing them. To be honest, she was astonished. The world had been evolving in the time before Inglis reincarnated.


    Wonderful. How truly wonderful. Inglis couldn¡¯t ask less for an opponent.


    ¡¸Kgh¡­¡­! That¡¯s the same unknown power that this maid girl has!? But the Hyrule Menace is responding to it!¡¹ ¡¸Please run, Lord Abel. That is dangerous.¡¹


    She wanted Abel to step back so she could experience it to the fullest.


    ¡¸Shut up! I don¡¯t take orders from you! I¡¯ll just have to kill them while the transformation is still ongoing!¡¹


    Abel, however, went to approach Black Mask on his own.


    ¡¸You mustn¡¯t! It¡¯s tactless!¡¹


    It was a grave breach of etiquette to not wait for your opponent to finish their exhibition of power. Inglis kicked the ground to pursue Abel, instantly catching up to him and grabbed his hand.


    ¡¸Kgh! You keep catching up to me so easily! Damn monster! Let me go!¡¹


    But, at that very moment¡­


    Cystia¡¯s weaponization was completely finished, and a golden spear appeared in Black Mask¡¯s hand. It looked like a longer, more lustrous version of the golden spear that Cystia used.


    With one hand, Black Mask thrust out the spear. Even to Inglis, who had activated her Ether Armor, the speartip turned into a flash within a fraction of a moment.


    The flash pierced the tip of Abel¡¯s shoulder, and everything from his shoulder to his upper arm disappeared without even a sound.


    ¡¸¡­¡­!¡¹


    A series of thrusts followed, like flashes of lightning. The thrusts obliterated Abel¡¯s body, waist, legs, heads, his very being one after another.


    All that was left was Abel¡¯s left wrist and below, of which Inglis was still clutching.


    ¡¸Wha¡­¡­!?¡¹


    Hyuun! Hyuun hyuun!!


    The piercing sound of the spear resonated with Black Mask¡¯s Ether and it was soon followed by the sound of Abel¡¯s body being shredded.


    The sound came late compared to the sight. Furthermore¡­


    The aftermath of the thrusts translated into a fierce shockwave that landed on Inglis¡¯ body.


    ¡¸Kgh¡ª¡ª!? What power¡­¡­!¡¹


    Unable to oppose the shockwave, her body was hurled off the ground. And the place she was blown to¡­ there was no foothold. She was blown off the ship, thrown into the open sky.


    ¡¸¡­¡­Ah, I fell.¡¹


    Now, how do I get back up¡­ well, I didn¡¯t need to fuss about it, huh.


    ¡¸Glis! Hold on me!¡¹


    Rafinha maneuvered her Flygear to get underneath Inglis.


    ¡¸Rani! Thank you!¡¹


    Inglis twisted her body, adjusting the angle of her fall before landing on the Flygear.


    ¡¸Okay, put me back on the ship! I¡¯ll fight!¡¹


    She spoke, tapping Rafinha¡¯s shoulder, but¡­


    ¡¸WAah!? D-, don¡¯t bring something like that to my face!¡¹ ¡¸¡­? Aah¡ª¡¹


    The wrist and the parts of Abel that were spared from being shredded away were still being held in Inglis¡¯ hand.


    Yeet!


    She threw it aside. It fell to the water channels that led from the Royal Castle to Lake Vault.


    ¡¸¡­We¡¯ve regrettably lost someone precious. May you rest in peace.¡¹ ¡¸I-, is that the attitude to pray for the dead?¡¹ ¡¸No, we don¡¯t have any time, so I thought I¡¯d just bury him in the lake. Should have I left him with you, Rani?¡¹ ¡¸No! He was such a bad guy! That much is enough for a prick like him!¡¹ ¡¸Then, will you get me back? I¡¯ll be continuing the fight, you see.¡¹ ¡¸W-, will you be okay?¡¹


    Having witnessed the power of a weaponized Hyrule Menace, Rafinha looked uneasy to comply.


    ¡¸I don¡¯t know. But, that¡¯s precisely why I¡¯m fired up. I think?¡¹ ¡¸Th-, then, you don¡¯t have to fight him right now, right? I¡¯m worried about Miss Ripple and Leone and the rest¡­¡­¡¹


    As though he had also heard her, Black Mask opened his mouth.


    ¡¸We have defeated the Highland¡¯s Envoy and seized his battleship. We have accomplished enough in this battle. If possible, we¡¯d like you to let us leave right now.¡¹ ¡¸I can¡¯t possibly let¡ª¡ª¡¹


    ¡ª¡ªKABOOOOOOOMMMMMMM!!!


    A thunderous sound came from a location completely different from where they were, somewhere in the urban area. At the same time, a pillar of light rising high to the sky was seen.


    That place was¡­


    ¡¸!!! Glis, that¡¯s¡­¡­!¡¹ ¡¸Yeah. That¡¯s coming from the Academy!¡¹


    As they were exchanging words, the pillar of light faded and an enormous figure appeared from within.


    It was a Beastman Magic Stone Beast, much larger than anything Inglis had ever seen before. It was so huge that it might already reach the roof of the Royal Castle. And all over its body surface, there were lusters shining in the color of rainbow.


    A Magic Stone Beast glimmering in prismatic light. Which meant¡­


    ¡¸¡¸Prisma¡­¡­!¡¹¡¹


    Inglis and Rafinha¡¯s voices came out together.

 Chapter 137: 15-year-old Inglis and Hyrule Menaces’ Escorting Directive (45)

    ¡¸UWaaaah¡­¡­Amazing! Hey, hey Rani, are you seeing this? That¡¯s a Prisma, right?¡¹ ¡¸Y-, you¡¯re right¡­¡¹


    While it wasn¡¯t the giant bird trapped in ice that Inglis saw in Arlman before, a Prisma was an opponent Inglis had always admired.


    The ultimate Magic Stone Beast, said to be capable of ruining an entire country. It was said that only a Holy Knight who wielded weaponized Hyrule Menace could oppose them.


    Ever since she learned their existence when she was little, Inglis had always wanted to be able to defeat them with her own power. At last, she met one that moved.


    I can finally fulfill an objective I¡¯ve had since I was little! There is no way I am not trembling in excitement from this.


    ¡¸To be precise, this one that hasn¡¯t achieved its perfected form just yet. Only half of its figure glimmers in prismatic light. But, it will be a perfect Prisma if you leave alone for a while.¡¹


    Black Mask was right. Half of the beastman Prisma body wasn¡¯t rainbow-colored, but rather a mottled pattern. Perhaps it was appropriate to say that it was a juvenile Prisma. However, Inglis could keenly feel the enormous amount of energy its body contained.


    ¡¸AAaaahhh!! I¡¯m torn. Which one should I fight¡­¡­¡¹


    With her eyes brightly sparkling, Inglis looked alternatively between Black Mask and Prisma. Black Mask was wielded a weaponized Hyrule Menace, while the Prisma would be a delight to fight against. Inglis couldn¡¯t choose between the two. This was truly a great battlefield, with wide selections of powerful enemies to face!


    ¡¸Come on! Glis!¡¹


    Yoink!


    Her cheeks were pulled apart.


    ¡¸What are you thinking!? Don¡¯t you see we have to go back to the Academy!? Leone, Liselotte, Miss Ripple, everyone is there!¡¹ ¡¸Ihyak! Wh-, whani. Y-, yyah shee¡­¡¹ ¡¸See what?¡¹


    Rafinha seemed willing to listen, so she let the cheeks go.


    ¡¸Precisely because everyone is there, the situation will be fine for a while, you know? Look¡­¡¹


    An equally enormous barrier appeared to isolate the juvenile Prisma from the surrounding area. That was probably Principal Miliera¡¯s power. The barrier was so powerful, its strength was evident even from this far away.


    There was Principal Miliera who, while not a Holy Knight, possessed Special Grade Rune, Silva who also possessed Special Grade Rune, and Leone and Liselotte as well.


    And, most importantly, Yua must be there as well, though Inglis wasn¡¯t so sure if she would be taking it so seriously. That girl¡¯s power was unfathomable and mysterious. She shouldn¡¯t get done in so easily.


    ¡¸Barrier¡­¡­!? Ah! That¡¯s dangerous¡­¡­!!¡¹


    Spheres of light appeared all over the body of the juvenile Prisma, and they scattered rays of light in every direction!


    ¡¸It¡¯s okay¡­¡­!¡¹


    However, the barrier sealed the rays within, not allowing even a streak outside. The barrier remained intact, sparing the urban region around the Knight Academy of any damage.


    ¡¸Phew¡­¡­Thank goodness the city is okay!¡¹ ¡¸See? I told you it¡¯s okay, didn¡¯t I? It¡¯s important to believe in your friends, you know?¡¹ ¡¸¡­¡­Is what you said while you actually want more time to fight with Black Mask, don¡¯t you? Seeing your character, Glis, I bet you¡¯re trying to fight both of them!¡¹ ¡¸As if. Even I¡¯m aware of time and occasion. If we leave him alone, who knows what will he do after we¡¯re gone? He might even go and kill His Majesty.¡¹


    Inglis groaned at her own excuse in her heart, but she didn¡¯t show any of it on her face as though that was what she really thought.


    ¡¸But, didn¡¯t he just say that he¡¯d like you to let him go before?¡¹ ¡¸What are you saying, he¡¯s a villain, you know? They¡¯re a guerilla organization. You can¡¯t expect to trust the words of people like them, you know? We¡¯re allies of justice, after all.¡¹ ¡¸Hmmm¡­Glis, both your words and his words can¡¯t be trusted¡­¡­¡¹ ¡¸Eeh!? Why!!¡¹ ¡¸Because Glis doesn¡¯t say things with justice! You sound fishy, there has to be something no-good behind your words!¡¹ ¡¸B-, but, don¡¯t you love justice, Rani?¡¹ ¡¸Well, that¡¯s me! It¡¯s because I¡¯ve been living properly and courteously!¡¹


    While Inglis and Rafinha were arguing with each other, they were called by someone with a disdainful tone.


    ¡¸Good god, you girls are noisy. Don¡¯t frolic around, go back already! We don¡¯t have the time to play with you.¡¹


    It was Cystia¡¯s voice. When they looked at her, she had already returned to her previous Hyrule Menace form.


    ¡¸¡­¡­! W-, wait, you can¡¯t turn back like that, please! I still want to fight¡­¡­!¡¹ ¡¸Shut up! I¡¯m not a show or a plaything for you!¡¹ ¡¸I¡¯m sorry, but she¡¯s correct. I¡¯m also worried about the burden on Cystia, too. I guess action speaks louder. We shall leave first. Let¡¯s go, Cystia.¡¹ ¡¸Yessir!¡¹ ¡¸You can¡¯t¡­¡­!¡¹ ¡¸Hold on, Glis! It¡¯s alright, just let them go!¡¹


    The moment Rafinha said that, there was a movement from within the barrier in the Knight Academy. A dazzling light as bright as the sun filled the space.


    ¡¸¡­¡­!? That¡¯s¡­the same light that happens when a Hyrule Menace turns into a weapon, right Glis!?¡¹


    It was as Rafinha said.


    ¡¸You¡¯re right!¡¹ ¡¸Which means Miss Ripple has returned to normal and turned into a weapon¡­¡­!? Yaay! This means we can possibly defeat the Prisma! Yeah. Since it¡¯s like that, we can go and apprehend Black¡ª¡ª¡¹ ¡¸No¡­¡­! We can¡¯t! We have to go back to the Academy fast! That thing is dangerous!¡¹


    While it looked the same as Cystia¡¯s transformation, it was different. Something completely different.


    ¡¸Sure sure. I¡¯m sure what you mean is that it¡¯s dangerous if the Prisma is defeated, right? You want to fight it before it¡¯s defeated, right?¡¹ ¡¸Yeah, let¡¯s just go with that, so let¡¯s go to the Academy quickly!¡¹ ¡¸That should do. Make haste before it¡¯s too late.¡¹


    As if he could hear Inglis¡¯ thoughts, Black Mask gave her a few words.


    ¡¸¡­¡­How truly regrettable. It seems like I can¡¯t fight you to much of my heart¡¯s content¡­Until we meet again. Now, excuse me.¡¹ ¡¸No, thank you. There is no real benefit for me in crossing swords with you, as you¡¯re nothing but a huge menace for us.¡¹


    There seemed to be no time to say anything further.


    ¡¸Now, Rani, let¡¯s go! Hurry up!¡¹ ¡¸I-, I got it!¡¹


    The Flygear carried them, flew at full speed to the Knight Academy.

 Chapter 138: 15-year-old Inglis and Hyrule Menaces’ Escorting Directive (46)

    Shortly before Inglis and Rafinha¡¯s encounter with Black Mask¡­The subjugation of Magic Stone Beasts that Ripple had summoned in the subspace was still continuing.


    ¡¸Chiyaat~¡¹


    Zashiin!


    Yua¡¯s hand knives slashed the stronger Magic Stone Beasts that were approaching her from both sides, cutting them into two.


    ¡¸Y-, you¡¯re really incredible, senior Yua¡­¡­!¡¹


    Liselotte who watched it unfolding in front of her couldn¡¯t help but be amazed.


    Even that Inglis couldn¡¯t defeat Magic Stone Beasts bare-handed. Just how on Earth did Yua do it?


    She didn¡¯t know, but, even more than that, Yua was extremely reliable. They had killed quite a lot of Magic Stone Beasts, probably a few dozens, but they would never be able to do that without Yua¡¯s strength.


    ¡¸¡­¡­Thank you, sharpie.¡¹ ¡¸Y-, you¡¯re welcome¡­¡­¡¹


    But still, Liselotte would appreciate it if she didn¡¯t address her with strange nicknames.


    ¡¸But I¡¯m getting a little bit tired.¡¹ ¡¸Y-, yes¡­so am I¡­¡­¡¹


    They had been battling continuously without a break, with the power of their Gifts at full throttle. The sentiment was shared not only between Yua and Liselotte alone, but also the rest of the team.


    The same was true for Principal Miliera and Silva who had been supplying Ripple with their mana to summon Magic Stone Beasts.


    ¡¸¡­¡­How¡¯s on your end, Mister Silva?¡¹ ¡¸I¡¯m having it tough. But, Lady Ripple is still taking in our power, isn¡¯t she¡­¡­!?¡¹ ¡¸Yes. You¡¯re right¡­¡¹


    The summoning of the Magic Stone Beasts had yet to hit an end. Principal Miliera and Silva could feel it with their senses.


    ¡¸That means we can¡¯t rest¡­¡­! Let us continue!¡¹ ¡¸Yes! Everyone! The next batch is coming! Please be careful!¡¹


    The Principal and Silva strained all their strength to supply Ripple with mana. The vortex-like distortion of space occurred yet again. This time, three of the strengthened Magic Stone Beasts appeared.


    ¡¸I¡¯ll count on you, everyone!¡¹


    Silva offered a shout of encouragement while he provided Ripple with more mana, but then Silva noticed something amiss.


    Hiinnnggggh!


    The color of the black sphere around Ripple¡¯s body changed, then a variety of colors blending together, turning into a shimmering rainbow color¡­


    Following that, the intensity of mana that Ripple sucked in became even stronger than before.


    ¡¸Uu¡­¡­kgh!? Th, this is!?¡¹ ¡¸I feel like my power is getting sucked even stronger than before¡­¡­!?¡¹


    It¡¯s hard to keep up supplying the mana any longer!


    Even though they barely endured the mana absorption, the subjugation of the three Magic Stone Beasts was still ongoing.


    Yua went to destroy one of them head-on, while Liselotte drew the attention of another. The last Magic Stone Beast was gathering its strength to launch heat rays over a wide area.


    ¡¸I shan¡¯t let you!¡¹


    Thinking of neutralizing its attack, Liselotte attempted to use her Gift, but¡­


    Shinng!


    The pair of white wings from her Gift disappeared, it hit the limit of its endurance.


    ¡¸!? Someone, please stop it!¡¹ ¡¸I will!¡¹


    Leone¡¯s great blacksword Artifact extended, knocking the Magic Stone Beast off.


    ¡¸Thank you so much, Leone!¡¹ ¡¸Nice going, girl number 2.¡¹


    Whilst dealing with a Magic Stone Beast still, Yua also praised Leone.


    ¡¸¡­But sorry, I¡¯m at my limits!¡¹


    The isolating subspace disappeared, and their view returned to the large classroom they were in before.


    ¡¸I¡¯m sorry, me too!¡¹ ¡¸And me¡­¡­!¡¹


    Those were the students who had space-isolating Artifacts just like Leone. They were all out of power, and it became difficult for them to continue maintaining the subspace any longer.


    ¡¸Everyone¡¯s hit their limits¡­¡­Is it too difficult to continue anymore¡­¡­!?¡¹ ¡¸At any rate, we should kill the Magic Stone Beasts that are here now!¡¹


    At Principal Miliera¡¯s command, Yua immediately waved her hand sword.


    ¡¸There!¡¹


    The head of the Magic Stone Beast that Yua faced fell off. However, the Magic Stone Beast that Liselotte fought was still at full health.


    While the Magic Stone Beast that Leone had knocked away had gotten onto its feet and began to gather energies again.


    ¡¸It¡¯s coming again!¡¹ ¡¸Okay, let me!¡¹


    Silva stood up to lend a hand, but the moment he leaped to his feet, a strong spell of dizziness attacked him.


    Supplying mana to Ripple, which had got progressively more intense, had put a larger strain on him than expected.


    ¡¸U¡­¡­gh!?¡¹


    With no one stopping it in time, the Magic Stone Beast fired the balls of heat, that formed a complete circle, towards them. So far, they managed to survive without being shot at, but their prevention finally fell short.


    ¡¸¡¸Aaah!!¡¹¡¹ ¡¸¡¸O-, oh no!¡¹¡¹


    As screams rose, a four-legged silhouette sparkling in blue and purple entered the path of the heat ray heading for the students. It was hit by the heat rays and violently burst into glitter!


    Kabooom!


    The explosion and the heat ray¡¯s momentum canceled each other.


    ¡¸¡­¡­! That lightning beast was!?¡¹


    As though they responded to Leone¡¯s voice, four more of those lightning beasts appeared. They surrounded the Magic Stone Beast all at once.


    The Magic Stone Beast went to attack the lightning beasts by striking them, but the very moment its hand touched one of them¡­


    BOOoomm!!


    The lightning beast exploded. The Magic Stone Beast¡¯s arm flew off due to it.


    Grraaaawr!?


    The other three lightning beasts then hurled their bodies against the frustrated Magic Stone Beasts before concurrently exploding. In the end, the Magic Stone Beast exploded and vanished.


    ¡¸Get away! Young Lady Althea!¡¹


    Accompanying those words, the lightning beasts reappeared yet again and headed towards the last remaining Magic Stone Beast that was engaged with Liselotte.


    ¡¸!?¡¹


    As though taking over Liselotte¡¯s place after she retreated, the lightning beasts rushed towards the Magic Stone Beast. It then suffered the same fate as the previous one, exploded, then vanished.


    After the flash of light that enveloped the large classroom had died down, the figure of a young man appeared at the entrance door.


    ¡¸¡­¡­Big brother!¡¹ ¡¸Yo. Well, you see¡­I¡¯m sure there are lots you wanna say, but let me give you a hand here.¡¹


    Scratching the back of his head, Leon gave his sister a slightly ashamed smile.

 Chapter 139: 15-year-old Inglis and Hyrule Menaces’ Escorting Directive (47)

    ¡¸O-, oi¡ª¡ª¡¹ ¡¸Y-, yeah. I¡¯ve seen that attack before¡­¡­!¡¹


    The students buzzed. Leon was a former Holy Knight. A hero to this kingdom. Many students were familiar with him.


    ¡¸¡­¡­Big brother! What are you doing here!?¡¹


    When Leone said that, everyone in the room grasped the situation. It was a known fact that Leone was the sister of Leon, the traitor who abandoned his position as a Holy Knight and ran to the Ironblood Chain Brigade.


    ¡¸The Ironblood Chain Brigade came to interfere!?¡¹ ¡¸N-, now¡­¡­!?¡¹ ¡¸Do we have to fight a former Holy Knight¡­¡­!?¡¹


    The students fell into agitation.


    ¡¸Hey hey, hold your horses. You saw what I did, didn¡¯t you? I¡¯m here to help, though I get it that it¡¯s a tall order to ask you to believe me. Hey, Miliera, say something to your students.¡¹ ¡¸¡­¡­Their reaction only speaks of how atrocious your betrayal is. I am not to advocate you.¡¹


    Principal Miliera¡¯s expression remained sour.


    ¡¸Well, ain¡¯t that the truth. Ha ha ha.¡¹ ¡¸It¡¯s nothing to laugh about. Do you even know how much Miss Leone suffered after she¡¯s left behind all alone? While I know that you have your own thoughts, I can¡¯t endorse your decision. Miss Leone is my student, and anyone who harms my students, even if they are blood relatives, I won¡¯t forgive them.¡¹ ¡¸¡­¡­And I¡¯m thankful for that. Please continue to take care of Leone from now on.¡¹


    Leon¡¯s tone became a touch serious as he bowed his head to Miliera, who only heaved a sigh in response.


    ¡¸¡­You think helping us out here will give you some kind of atonement?¡¹ ¡¸As if. I know damn well what I had done wasn¡¯t something that could be taken so lightly. Well, I¡¯m here due to my current boss¡¯ order, I got no say in it.¡¹


    However, when he gave the order, Black Mask said this to Leon: No matter what others think of you. Don¡¯t push your ideals on to them, If you have something to protect then protect it. If sometime in the future we walk the same path again, then what good luck that will be.


    ¡¸Principal, we ought to use whatever help is available for now! A former Holy Knight would be very reassuring!¡¹


    Said Silva to the principal.


    ¡¸Oh? We have a guy with a good head on his shoulders here. Nice. You got potentials, you know that?¡¹ ¡¸Please, don¡¯t get any idea! As two Special Grade Rune bearers, I can¡¯t forgive you for abandoning your responsibilities and running away! As soon as this is over, I will take you into custody and bring you to justice! You are fine with that too, aren¡¯t you, Leone!?¡¹ ¡¸Y-, yes¡­¡­! Senior Silva!¡¹ ¡¸Yikes¡­¡­Well, I guess I gotta flee before that happens then.¡¹


    With a shrug of his shoulder, Leon made his way to the circle formation. When he got closer to the center, to where Silva and Leone were, he produced a sphere object from his pocket. It had a mottled pattern of black and white.


    ¡¸Here goes!¡¹


    And he threw it at his feet.


    Cliiiink!


    As the object shattered, a mist-like mixture of black and white fog filled the area.


    ¡¸W-, what is¡­¡­!?¡¹ ¡¸Smoke screen¡­¡­!?¡¹ ¡¸B-, be careful, everyone!¡¹


    Leon responded to the clamor with a sigh.


    ¡¸Damn, I sure am not trusted. You students are elites responsible for the future of this country, aren¡¯t you? Don¡¯t lose your heads over every little thing, observe and judge what¡¯s happening in front of you.¡¹


    Some of them didn¡¯t need to be told, however, as they noticed the effect already.


    ¡¸Th-, this is! My power is coming back!?¡¹ ¡¸You¡¯re right! What is¡­¡¹ ¡¸My body feels light!¡¹ ¡¸Yeah, with this!¡¹


    We can use our Gift to its full power once again.


    ¡¸It¡¯s called Mana Mist. Its effect is just as you¡¯ve experienced. Pretty good stuff, huh? I don¡¯t know why, but my boss brings a lot of items with him.¡¹


    Leon¡¯s instruction then found its way to Leone.


    ¡¸Leone, open up the subspace once again.¡¹ ¡¸¡­¡­¡­¡­¡¹ ¡¸Oi oi, not now, okay? I¡¯m not gonna trap you or anything.¡¹ ¡¸I know that!!¡¹


    Leone made her response as curt as possible.


    To tell the truth, she was vexed. There was a part of her that felt relieved of how reliable her brother was for saving her. The way he bowed to Principal Miliera, asking her to take care of Leone, almost brought back the feeling of kinship she had lost.


    Even though she mustn¡¯t be like this. This was an emergency, cooperation was unavoidable. She had to see him as an enemy whose interest temporarily aligned with hers, and yet¡­


    Her heart clearly didn¡¯t want to work along with her. This frustrated her to no end. That was why, at least, she thought she shouldn¡¯t show it.


    Regardless, with her strength returning, Leone activated her Gift once again. The surrounding scene then changed to the dark, empty space.


    ¡¸Then I¡¯m gonna give help here. We¡¯re feeding mana to Ripple for her to call Magic Stone Beasts, right?¡¹


    Leon then keeled down beside Ripple, who was still unconscious, and let his iron gauntlet Artifact touch her.


    ¡¸Ugh¡­¡­!? But man, she really eats it up¡­¡¹ ¡¸Us too, Mister Silva!¡¹ ¡¸Yes, Principal!¡¹


    All three of them poured mana into Ripple from each of their Artifacts.


    After which, the light covering Ripple¡¯s body expanded and increased in intensity. Surges of fatigue washed over them as their mana was consumed far too quickly.


    ¡¸Oi oi¡­¡­! We give her this much and nothing comes out yet!?¡¹ ¡¸They kept appearing one after another just before, though!¡¹ ¡¸It seems that this is nothing like the previous ones!¡¹


    Then¡­


    A huge spatial distortion vortex appeared outside the circle of students.


    Rumbleeeee!


    In the next instant, a gigantic pillar of light rose up towards the sky. In the wake of its force, the subspace that Leone created was broken through and disappeared, returning the surroundings once again to that of the Knight Academy.


    ¡¸!? The space!?¡¹ ¡¸It tore through!?¡¹


    In other words, that pillar of light had that much power to make that possible. It pierced through the ceilings and the roofs of the school building, while the shockwave that ensued also blew away its walls.


    ¡¸¡¸¡¸UWAAaaahhh!?¡¹¡¹¡¹ ¡¸¡¸¡¸KYAAaaahhh!?¡¹¡¹¡¹


    The students were blown, scattered by the shockwave. The only thing left was the rubble of the school building¡­ and an enormous silhouette, like a small mountain, standing in the center of it.


    ¡¸Uuugh¡­¡­!?¡¹


    Leone was also blown back violently, but something caught her, hence she wasn¡¯t seriously injured.


    ¡¸¡­¡­Yo. You good?¡¹ ¡¸Brother!¡¹


    Apparently, Leon managed to catch Leone in the air. He gave her a smile, but Leone threw her face from his.


    ¡¸Wh-, what was that before¡­¡­!?¡¹ ¡¸Well. Look at it yourself. Ripple, that girl, she sure went and summoned a nasty one¡­¡¹


    At the place Leon¡¯s finger pointed, a Magic Stone Beast with its body illuminated in seven prismatic colors¡­ a Prisma, was there.

 Chapter 140: 15-year-old Inglis and Hyrule Menaces’ Escorting Directive (48)

    Screeeeeeeeeee!


    Just as the Prisma let out a thunderous bellow, the air shook violently, translating into a strong gust of wind that smashed everyone¡¯s faces.


    ¡¸Th-, that¡¯s a living Prisma!?¡¹


    Such a tremendous impact of a presence. Leone herself had seen a Prisma encased in ice in the city of Arlman many a time before.


    However, a living, moving specimen of it was something different altogether. It was in a different league. An instinctive sense of fear kicked in hard. Leone¡¯s body shuddered without her control.


    ¡¸The anomaly that happened to Ripple is a sanction placed onto this country by the Highland. If the real sanction is this Prisma here, then it makes sense!¡¹


    It was said that a Prisma could level a single country. Leon was correct, sending one over was the most appropriate sanction for a country.


    ¡¸W-, we have to¡­¡­we have to do something! B-but¡­¡­¡¹


    Was it even possible to do something to that thing?


    ¡¸Leone, seal off the space along with that guy once again!¡¹ ¡¸Y-, yes, brother!¡¹


    With Leon¡¯s instruction snapping her back to reality, Leone focused on her Gift. The Artifact reacted to her wish, and for a moment, the scenery around them began to change, but¡­


    Bakiin!


    Its energy collapsed, and the scenery returned to normal.


    ¡¸No good! The Prisma is too strong, I can¡¯t seal it!¡¹ ¡¸I see¡­we gotta deal with him here and now then!¡¹


    Nearly a dozen lightning beasts appeared and spread out around Leon.


    ¡¸Leone, gather up the unconscious and evacuate them, or else they¡¯ll get caught in the battle!¡¹ ¡¸B-, but, I want to fight!¡¹ ¡¸Leone! Are you all right!?¡¹


    Liselotte¡¯s voice came from overhead. She was carrying three students that had lost consciousness.


    ¡¸Liselotte! Yes, I¡¯m fine!¡¹ ¡¸Miss Leone, Miss Liselotte, you two evacuate the fainted students! We¡¯ll hold off Prisma ourselves!¡¹


    Principal Miliera¡¯s instruction came.


    ¡¸U-, understood!¡¹ ¡¸Miss Yua! You and Mister Leon are to draw the attention of Prisma!¡¹ ¡¸Eeh¡ª¡ª? But, that burly thing is scary, you know¡­¡­?¡¹ ¡¸I am not arguing with you now! Do it!¡¹ ¡¸Ugh¡­¡­!? Y-, yes!!¡¹


    Yua winced at the principal¡¯s threatening attitude and nodded in fright.


    ¡¸C-, can¡¯t be helped¡­¡­it¡¯s scary, but¡­¡¹


    Slowly, she approached the Prisma. Inch by inch, she circled around its rear¡­


    Guooooooo!


    Perhaps her action offended it, the Prisma turned to Yua and roared at her loudly.


    ¡¸Hiiieeek¡¹


    Shrieked Yua, though her face was just as expressionless as usual.


    ¡¸Oi oi, don¡¯t get cold feet. Still though, nice decoy!¡¹


    Having received Leon¡¯s will, the lightning beasts ran up Prisma¡¯s huge body and exploded gaudily when they struck its face.


    Kaboooom!


    The explosion that came with a grand flash left some scratches on the not-yet perfect parts of the Prisma¡ª¡ªthe non-rainbow colored skin of it.


    ¡¸Ooh¡­¡­This guy¡¯s reliable!¡¹


    Yua was impressed.


    ¡¸Oh? You think? That cheers me up.¡¹ ¡¸Yup. Nice work, old pops.¡¹


    She gave him her thumbs-up.


    ¡¸No, I¡¯m still in my twenties! But, well, I guess I¡¯m old for a brat your age, huh. Hmm¡­¡­Well, whatever! Let¡¯s go for it!¡¹


    Lightning beasts continued to leap at the Prisma one after another.


    They tenaciously targeted its head, continuously exploding on it. However, the wounds they inflicted were regenerated just as fast. As a result, it suffered no serious damage. It had a truly terrifying life force.


    Nevertheless, the flash of the explosion was enough to stop it in its tracks, blind.


    ¡¸All right, keep it going! We need to evacuate while we still can!¡¹


    As she watched it, Principal Miliera waved her staff artifact. Then, a large hemisphere barrier encapsulating the Prisma and its surrounding appeared. Since isolating it in a subspace proved impossible, there was no other choice but to use a barrier to prevent further damage to the surroundings.


    ¡¸We will find a way to break through its defense while prioritizing evacuation of the injured! Mister Silva, how is Miss Ripple doing!?¡¹ ¡¸The light has subsided and she no longer sucks mana! That one is probably the last Beastman Magic Stone Beast!¡¹ ¡¸I see¡­ We need to brace ourselves, then!¡¹ ¡¸Isn¡¯t Lady Ripple going to awaken soon!? If we can manage to hold it off until then, we can borrow Lady Ripple¡¯s strength to defeat it!¡¹ ¡¸Nah, you shouldn¡¯t count on her.¡¹


    Leon disapproved Silva¡¯s words.


    ¡¸He¡¯s right, we can¡¯t¡­¡­!¡¹ ¡¸B-, but why, Principal!? Exactly at a time like this, we need the power of a Hyrule Menace!¡¹ ¡¸That Prisma, it most likely hasn¡¯t reached its full form just yet. if so, we should look for another way to break through its defenses!¡¹ ¡¸Yeah, Miliera¡¯s right on that one. Besides, Ripple won¡¯t be in her best shape right after all this. Don¡¯t push her too hard.¡¹


    While Leon and the others were exchanging words, Yua was approaching the feet of the Prisma. She swung her arm in circles as though she was gathering strength. Her fist was glowing faintly from within.


    ¡¸The sooner the bad thing is over, the better!¡¹


    BONK!


    She jumped up, kicked up on the beast¡¯s kneecap, and as she reached the height of its belly button¡­


    Boooom!


    With a loud, dull sound, Yua¡¯s fist pierced the body of Prisma.

 Chapter 141: 15-year-old Inglis and Hyrule Menaces’ Escorting Directive (49)

    With a tremendous roar, Yua¡¯s fist strike seemed to have gotten through to Prisma. The beast was twitching and stopped moving.


    Seeing that sight, Leon whistled.


    ¡¸Nice punch! You got it through! You¡¯re just like Inglis!¡¹


    A mysterious power that lets its user fight against Magic Stone Beast even without a Rune.


    Although, their attitude while facing an opponent was very contrasting to each other, as Yua didn¡¯t seem to be that belligerent at all in comparison. While the Inglis that Leon knew would have been the first to charge at Prisma before anyone even said anything.


    Regardless, it was still the fact that both of them were highly reliable. Yua¡¯s fist completely pierced Prisma¡¯s outer layer and into its stomach.


    ¡¸No, I think it doesn¡¯t work!¡¹


    Yua, though, denied Leon¡¯s estimation with a completely expressionless face.


    ¡¸Hm!? What are you saying, you punched it straight to the gut.¡¹ ¡¸Nope. Hand¡¯s stuck. Look, I¡¯m sinking¡­¡¹


    Just as she said, Yua¡¯s arm and the rest of her body began to be pulled deeper into Prisma¡¯s body.


    ¡¸¡­¡­! S?h?i?t?! It¡¯s trying to absorb her to increase its strength!? Wait there, I¡¯ll get you out right away!¡¹ ¡¸Protective walls upon Miss Yua!¡¹


    Principal Miliera pointed the ring she wore at Yua. Yua¡¯s dainty body was then enveloped in a thin film of green light.


    ¡¸With this, she¡¯ll be alright even with flashy attacks!¡¹ ¡¸Okay, Yua, this gonna hurt a little, but bear with me!¡¹


    Leon rushed his lightning beasts into Prism¡¯s abdomen all at once.


    The explosion would tear the flesh and set Yua free!


    Yua was enveloped in a protective barrier created by Miliera, so involving her in an explosion would be¡ª¡ªWell, it might be not the safest, but right now, every second counted. He had to do it.


    The lightning beasts closed in on Prisma¡¯s feet, but¡­


    Whoosh!


    Prisma twisted its body, swinging its long tail to mow down the incoming lightning beasts. Every last lightning beasts were offset by that strong tail whip, exploding and disappearing before they could reach the Magic Stone Beast¡¯s abdomen.


    The tail itself was also somewhat scorched, but it immediately regenerated all its wounds. It seemed like it needed to be attacked with a stronger blow before they could make any differences.


    ¡¸God damned f?u?c?k?! Even though it kept receiving attacks before, now it blocks any attacks since it got its prey already! So it acted dull at first to fool us!¡¹


    It was originally a Beastman, a creature with intelligence. It appeared to have lost all sense of reason now that it had become a giant Prisma, but apparently, it was all but an appearance. It was very tactical in its every movement.


    ¡¸I shall help!¡¹


    Silva, who was by Ripple¡¯s side, held up his red rifle Artifact.


    Pew~pew~pew!


    Along with its roars, a series of fireballs were shot out of the rifle¡¯s muzzle.


    The fireballs changed form midair as they approached the Prisma. They turned into birds made of red flame that drew complicated trajectories in the air as they flew towards the monstrosity at high speed.


    However, the Prisma accurately offset Silva¡¯s flame birds by piercing them with its hands. They still couldn¡¯t get near to the abdomen where Yua was being absorbed in.


    ¡¸Kgh! So this is a Prisma!¡¹ ¡¸Can you build up your shot!? If small ones can¡¯t slip past, then we push through with force!¡¹


    Within Leon¡¯s presence, a single lightning beast many times the size of the previous ones was coming into existence. Instead of dispersing his power to create many beasts at once, he concentrated it in one. A feat like this was possible if a user was proficient in the use of their Artifact.


    ¡¸Obviously! I¡¯ll do just that!¡¹


    A fireball several times bigger than the previous ones was also being born at the muzzle of Silva¡¯s gun. Yua was alarmed as she watched the two of them.


    ¡¸You¡¯re going to kill me!¡¹ ¡¸You will be fine! Perhaps! Just suck it up!¡¹ ¡¸Sorry, but we got no other plans!¡¹


    The large lightning beast and flaming bird charged towards Prisma one after the other. There was no poor attempt at distracting the Beastman monster, it was a direct and frontal approach.


    Seeing that, the Prisma opened its mouth wide in a snap. A thick, seven-colored beam of light gushed out from its mouth.


    And the lightning beast and the flaming bird were snuffed out easily.


    ¡¸¡¸WHAT¡­¡­!?¡¹¡¹


    While they offset some of the beam¡¯s power, the rest of it still loomed over Leon.


    ¡¸!?¡¹


    He couldn¡¯t evade. Behind him, Leone and other injured students were there.


    ¡¸Ouuuuuuuuhh!¡¹


    Leon crossed his iron gauntlet Artifact and withstood the beam. The aftermath of its impact alone pushed him back quite far, but he somehow managed to endure it through.


    However, its consequence was not small. The pair of iron gauntlet Artifact was severely damaged as they crumbled from his arms.


    ¡¸You b?a?s?t?a?r?d?, I¡¯ve been using my beloved partner for years, and you!¡¹ ¡¸Aaah!? MISS YUAA!?¡¹ ¡¸W-, we¡¯re too late¡­¡­!?¡¹


    Exclaims were heard from Miliera and Silva. Yua¡¯s figure had been completely absorbed into the Prisma.


    Guoooooooo!


    The Prisma raised a roar. Perhaps it was happy that it finally took Yua in. The glow on its body brightened, and the area of its rainbow-colored skin seemed to have increased as well.


    ¡¸Don¡¯t give up, we¡¯ll bring her out one way or the other!¡¹


    The light of the protective walls around Yua¡¯s body, it hadn¡¯t disappeared yet, still leaking out from inside Prisma¡¯s body.


    However, the Prisma was quicker to make the next move. Countless dots of light appeared from its body surface.


    It was as though it was trying to unleash the beam it just shot with its mouth from all over its body. Every single one of them looked to possess as much power as the last.


    Was his power increased after he absorbed Yua!?


    ¡¸Oh no! It¡¯s going to shoot down the entire place! Miss Leone, you bring the other students to your subspace! Mister Leon, Mister Silva, bring Miss RIpple with you and go with them!¡¹ ¡¸Principal! But what about you!?¡¹


    Miliera replied to Leone¡¯s question with a smile.


    ¡¸I will take care of it myself, somehow! The barrier will disappear if I go to the subspace too, after all. Come on, hurry up! I¡¯ll be fine!¡¹


    It pained Leone a lot, but it was the truth that the majority of the students would be caught up in that beam of light and lost their lives to it if they stayed. She had no choice but to follow the principal¡¯s instruction.


    ¡¸Here we go!¡¹


    Leaving Principal Miliera behind, Leone isolated only those who had gathered near her to a subspace. The scenery around them changed completely, to that of a pitch-black, empty space.


    And then¡­


    ¡¸Uuunnhh¡­where am¡­¡­¡¹


    Ripple, whom Silva still supported, woke up.

 Chapter 142: 15-year-old Inglis and Hyrule Menaces’ Escorting Directive (50)

    ¡¸¡¸¡¸Lady Ripple¡­¡­!¡¹¡¹¡¹ ¡¸Ah, everyone¡­¡­Thank goodness. You are all safe!¡¹


    Ripple was relieved to see the faces of Silva, Leone, and many other students around her.


    ¡¸Safe or not depends on how things go from now. It¡¯s a little bit dicey out there, you know?¡¹


    When Leon called out to her, Ripple¡¯s eyes widened.


    ¡¸L-, Leon!? Wh-, why are you here!?¡¹ ¡¸Well, let¡¯s not ask that now, okay?¡¹ ¡¸As it is an emergency, we take whatever help is needed. I¡¯m sorry for letting you see something as dirty as him, Lady Ripple. We¡¯ll have him in custody as soon as we¡¯re done.¡¹ ¡¸Oi oi, what kind of thing do you take me for? I¡¯m trying to help you out, man.¡¹ ¡¸N-, now now. That¡¯s all well and good, but¡­¡­then, that means we¡¯re in a pretty tight situation? What happened?¡¹ ¡¸Lady Ripple, please put your hand here.¡¹


    Silva held out the barrel of his rifle Artifact filled with mana to Ripple.


    ¡¸Kay!¡¹


    Ripple touched the barrel and she immediately noticed the change in herself.


    ¡¸Ah! I don¡¯t automatically absorb the mana!? That means, I¡¯m¡­!¡¹ ¡¸Yes. We believe we¡¯ve summoned the last Magic Stone Beast.¡¹


    The anomaly that happened to Ripple took advantage of the Beastmen¡¯s special extrasensory to summon Beastman Magic Stone Beasts. The Beastmen had already died out as a single species, and thus there would be no new instances of Beastman Magic Stone Beasts. In other words, its number was finite. Ripple not absorbing the mana was a sign that there were no more of them.


    ¡¸Th-, that¡¯s so¡­ thank goodness. I don¡¯t have to bother everyone anymore, do I¡­¡­I can become everyone¡¯s Hyrule Menace again!¡¹


    Seeing her tearful face made not only Silva, but also Leone, Liselotte, and everyone felt proud of what they did. It was worth every risk and effort.


    At the same time, it made her feel reliable as well. Hyrule Menaces were the guardian deity of this kingdom. She was the heart and the soul of the Knights who fought against Magic Stone Beasts.


    She was the most dependable person in this situation. That Ripple had returned.


    ¡¸Still, Lady Ripple, we can¡¯t be all happy about it.¡¹ ¡¸Ah, yeah, you¡¯re right. You said we¡¯re in an emergency, what happened?¡¹ ¡¸Yes. The last Magic Stone Beast you summoned was¡­¡­a Prisma.¡¹ ¡¸EEEeeehh!? One of my fellow Beastmen became a Prisma!? N-, no way¡ª¡ª¡¹ ¡¸Well, it¡¯s not a full Prisma just yet, but it¡¯s still way stronger than any Magic Stone Beast I¡¯ve encountered so far, you see¡­ I guess those Prismas are monsters alright.¡¹ ¡¸Where is it now!? We have to stop it!¡¹ ¡¸It¡¯s currently running amok within the Academy¡¯s ground, outside this subspace. The Principal made a barrier so it wouldn¡¯t go out into town, but because it was about to launch a wide-area attack, we¡­¡¹ ¡¸We were, all thanks to Leone¡¯s Artifact, able to evacuate to this subspace. However, the Principal remained outside by herself to keep the barrier standing.¡¹ ¡¸Miliera did!? That¡¯s reckless!! At any rate, we have to go back there fast!¡¹


    Silva nodded strongly at Ripple¡¯s words.


    ¡¸Yes, Lady Ripple! Only a Holy Knight armed with a weaponized Hyrule Menace can take down a Prisma! I may still be in training, but should you lend me your power, I shall show you I can do it! Please!¡¹ ¡¸Silva¡­ we¡­¡­can¡¯t do that yet.¡¹ ¡¸B-, but why!? Am I still not enough?¡¹ ¡¸That¡¯s not what I meant. Leon said that it¡¯s not a complete Prisma just yet, right? If that¡¯s the case, then maybe we have other ways to defeat it. I¡¯m just saying, we have to do everything we can.¡¹ ¡¸Lady Ripple, you said the same thing as the Principal!¡¹ ¡¸Holy Knights and Hyrule Menaces are the aces for Midlanders. It¡¯s called an ace because you don¡¯t show your ace that easily. Well, you¡¯ll understand it soon enough if you keep up your training.¡¹ ¡¸You who threw your status have no right to say anything.!¡¹ ¡¸Ha-ha! Ain¡¯t that the truth!¡¹ ¡¸¡­¡­Either way, we¡¯re going! Leone, can you bring us back?¡¹ ¡¸Yes!¡¹


    As Leone released her Gift, the scenery changed completely. It returned to the scenery of the collapsed Knight Academy enveloped by a Barrier.


    Compared to before the Prisma released its countless beams of light, the buildings were even more devastated, almost completely rubbles, while the ground was riddled with craters.


    ¡¸Miliera! Are you okay!?¡¹ ¡¸Aah, Miss Ripple! What impeccable timing! I pushed through somehow, but I really could use some help!¡¹


    Principal Miliera sounded okay, but she seemed to be suffering from various shallow wounds. She was breathing quite haggardly, too. She must have really been exhausted.


    However, putting it the other way around, she was able to survive Prisma¡¯s vehement attack and got away with just shallow wounds and nothing more.


    ¡¸Yeah, leave it to me! I¡¯ve been causing everyone trouble all this time, so let me protect all of you this time! That¡¯s what it means to be a Hyrule Menace, after all!¡¹


    Ripple revealed her twin golden guns in her hands and held them up. With a light jump, she stood in front of Miliera to protect the latter.


    Then, as she turned to face the Prisma and gazed at it, she recognized.


    ¡¸Eh¡­¡­!? A-Aaahh¡ª¡ª N-no way¡­¡­! It can¡¯t be¡ª¡ª¡¹


    Tears began to swell up in her big eyes as she looked at the monster.


    ¡¸Miss Ripple? What¡¯s wrong!?¡¹ ¡¸M- ,my dad¡ª¡ªthat¡¯s my dad! He became a Magic Stone Beast when a Prism Flow destroyed our Beastmen village! And now he¡¯s here!¡¹


    It was a story from a long, long time ago. A distant memory of a time before Ripple became a Hyrule Menace.


    Her father, the chief of the Beastmen race, was struck by Prism Flow and became a Magic Stone Beast. The village was destroyed, and Ripple was the only survivor.


    Had he been living as a Magic Stone Beast since then and even turned into a Prisma?

 Chapter 143: 15-year-old Inglis and Hyrule Menaces’ Escorting Directive (51)

    ¡¸E-, eeehhh!??¡¹ ¡¸Th-, that¡¯s your father, Lady Ripple!?¡¹ ¡¸Yeah! No mistaking it! Ever since then¡­¡­He¡¯s been surviving all this time, somewhere in this world, until he became like this¡­¡­¡¹


    Over the long years, he must have hurt so many people and taken so many lives. Just how many sins had he committed all this time¡­


    ¡¸Miss Ripple¡­¡­My goodness, what a cruel and heartless trap!¡¹ ¡¸Y-, you must back off, Lady Ripple! We can¡¯t have you fight your own blood relative!¡¹


    Principal Miliera and Silva called out to Ripple.


    Guoooooooooooo!


    However, the Prisma didn¡¯t possess any mercy whatsoever. He kicked the ground and, with an agility that belied his enormous body, he thrust his spear hand down at Ripple.


    ¡¸No! I¡¯m not going to make it a reason for me to pamper myself and drop out of the fight!¡¹


    Ripple dodged the assault by somersaulting high into the air. At the same time, she pointed both of her guns downward and fired at Prisma¡¯s arm.


    The parts of the arm that had rainbow-colored skin repelled Ripple¡¯s bullets, but the incomplete parts that were yet to be rainbow-colored were pierced and wounded.


    That hand, being showered by Ripple¡¯s barrage, was driven even deeper into the ground.


    ¡¸And now!¡¹


    With cat-like agility, Ripple ran up the Prisma¡¯s arm to his shoulder.


    ¡¸Precisely because he¡¯s my father, it has to be me! Now before he¡¯s perfected!¡¹


    She pointed her guns at the monster¡¯s neck and fired a series of light bullets. The still-incomplete epidermis at the base of his neck was wounded and gouged deep.


    But the wound began to regenerate at the same time. If she slackened her attack, it would close up in no time.


    ¡¸The wound is regenerating!? But, if I attack even faster than he heals!¡¹


    Ripple sped up her rapid-fire barrage, continuing to shoot with all her might.


    Guoooo!


    His other hand, one that wasn¡¯t stuck in the ground, reached to Ripple in an attempt to knock off his nuisance.


    ¡¸Oh you won¡¯t!¡¹


    Ripple evaded the outstretched arm with a splendid twist of her body. Even better, she was still sticking onto the Prisma¡¯s neck and didn¡¯t leave her spot.


    She dodged left and right while kept firing at her targeted point. As a result, her attack didn¡¯t lose to the rate of regeneration. The wound was getting deeper, bigger, and wider.


    ¡¸H-, how gorgeous! As expected of a Hyrule Menace!¡¹


    Silva was transfixed by her sight. The continuous gunfire was gouging out more and more of the wound on Prisma¡¯s neck. If this continued, perhaps Ripple could cut the head off!


    ¡¸¡­¡­he¡¯s not a complete Prisma just yet! My attacks are working! Everyone, give your shot too!¡¹


    Attack this wound all at the same time and lop his head off! Instructed Ripple to the others.


    ¡¸Yes! Lady Ripple!¡¹ ¡¸Yeah, leave it to us!¡¹


    Silva and Leon both had their Artifacts ready to assist Ripple. Leon had taken out a dagger Artifact to replace his previously broken iron gauntlet Artifact.


    But, before they could enact their simultaneous attack¡­ countless dots of light appeared all over the Magic Stone Beast¡¯s body. It was the same widespread attack that had leveled the surroundings.


    ¡¸Lady Ripple! That¡¯s the attack that made us retreat before!¡¹ ¡¸!!! Everyone aside from me and Miliera, retreat to the subspace! I¡¯m counting on you, Leone!¡¹ ¡¸Yes!¡¹


    Leone nodded in response to Ripple¡¯s instruction and put energy into her Artifact.


    ¡¸Understood! We¡¯re going!¡¹


    All the others disappeared into the subspace, leaving only Ripple and Principal Miliera behind.


    ¡¸Miliera! I can¡¯t support you, but get it through one way or the other, okay!?¡¹ ¡¸Sure! I¡¯ll give one more stretch!¡¹


    Countless beams of light were emitted from the Magic Stone Beast. They rampaged violently all-around within the barrier that Miliera had set up. Ripple, who was in close proximity to the Prisma, was rained by a particularly large number of the beams, but¡­


    ¡¸¡­¡­I must avoid them!¡¹


    Simply avoiding Prisma¡¯s attack would allow the wound on his neck to regenerate. It was necessary to keep the barrage up while also evading the beams.


    The rays of light came from all directions, front, back, left, and right. While the angle of fire would change along with the movement of Prisma.


    Ripple jumped and twisted her body to keep herself in a position safe from the beams. Naturally, that would mean the trajectory of her dual guns would be off, but that was of no problem.


    Even in human form, just like any Artifact, Hyrule Menaces had a special power, one that allowed them to surpass dimensions.


    Eris could do it by slashing at something from a distance. As for Ripple, she could do it with gunshots. It wasn¡¯t something she could do for an extensive period of time though¡­


    Whilst she continued to evade, Ripple maintained her barrage shots across the distance into the wound on the Prisma¡¯s neck.


    Eventually, the storm of rays died down¡­


    ¡¸Good! With this¡ª¡ª!¡¹


    I¡¯ll switch to direct fire and continue the assault!


    Was what she thought, but¡­


    Suddenly, the Magic Stone Beast¡¯s wound began to glow in seven different colors, and the laceration was closing up in no time at all.


    ¡¸¡­¡­!? No way! The wound is already healed!?¡¹


    There was an increase in the area of rainbow-colored epidermis on the Prisma, the sign of his perfection. His mended wound was glowing with seven different colors.


    ¡¸I-, it¡¯s still getting stronger even while on the offensive! It¡¯s getting closer and closer to its perfection!¡¹ ¡¸But¡­¡­! But there are still incomplete parts too!¡¹


    All they could do was not to give up and aim for those parts and kept attacking.


    Guoooooooooo!


    Once again, the Prisma lunged towards Ripple and attacked.


    ¡¸¡ª¡ª!?¡¹


    His movement is even faster than ever before!


    ¡¸Kgh¡­¡­!¡¹


    Still, she dodged and jumped into the monster¡¯s arm, but¡­


    Grab!


    His other hand extended, catching Ripple as though he already guessed her movements.

 Chapter 144: 15-year-old Inglis and Hyrule Menaces’ Escorting Directive (52)

    The Prisma clasped his hand tight, trying to crush Ripple¡¯s body with all his might.


    ¡¸¡ª¡ªUWAAAAAHHhhhh!?¡¹


    Ripple¡¯s bones were creaking from the herculean strength that came with that enormous body, letting a shriek escape from her mouth.


    ¡¸Miss Ripple!?¡¹


    Miliera once again worked her way through the light shower.


    ¡¸M-, Miliera, you need to focus on the barrier! I¡¯m fine!¡¹


    The last thing they wanted to happen was to let Prisma go out of the barrier.


    ¡¸B-, but you¡¯re!¡¹ ¡¸I¡¯m fine! Hyrule Menaces aren¡¯t that fragile!¡¹


    The endurance of a Hyrule Menace¡¯s body was different from that of an ordinary person. Even if she was injured in a way that would normally mean a fatal wound, her body would heal and regenerate as time passed.


    Rather than a human being turned into an Artifact, Hyrule Menaces were more like an Artifact given human form.


    Therefore, the commonsense of how a human body worked didn¡¯t apply to Ripple. Not even she knew how much more attacks she could receive before she lost her life.


    Even if every bone in her body were broken, she would probably heal over time. She had experienced and grown accustomed to bodily pain in her long history of fighting as a Hyrule Menace.


    Not to mention, she knew there were things more hurtful than physical pain. That¡¯s why, I won¡¯t lose heart just from this!


    ¡¸DAMN YOOUUU!!¡¹


    BAMMM!!!


    Light leaked out from within the hand which the Prisma was grabbing Ripple with. While indeed Ripple was being crushed by the giant hand, she didn¡¯t let go of her guns and was gathering power.


    It took time to prepare, but she could unleash one strong blow with it. She was building up strength whilst withstanding the pressure.


    And that, exploded within the beast¡¯s hand. That would mean that Ripple would also suffer from her own attack, but she relied on the tenacity of a Hyrule Menace on that front.


    GUOOOOOO!


    Perhaps surprised by the attack, Prisma¡¯s hand was loosened.


    ¡¸A father seriously trying to squash his daughter, you sure did something terrible!¡¹


    She slipped by during that window of time and leaped backward to get away. However, the moment she landed, a severe pang of pain attacked her legs.


    ¡¸¡­¡­!?¡¹


    Unable to land well, she tumbled and fell over.


    ¡¸Miss Ripple!¡¹ ¡¸Uuh¡­¡­The legs on my bones gone weird, huh¡­this isn¡¯t good¡­¡­¡¹


    This made it impossible for her to move around quickly. It was exactly then, Leone and the others who had retreated to the subspace came back.


    When Silva saw the injured Ripple, all color was drained from him as he rushed over.


    ¡¸Lady Ripple, your legs! Are you alright!?¡¹


    He stuck out a hand, thinking to get Ripple to stand up, but¡ª¡ª


    ¡¸¡­¡­! Oi, watch out! Incoming!¡¹


    Leon¡¯s warning was sharp. Prisma once again dashed forward to capture Ripple.


    ¡¸Kgh! It¡¯s targeting the injured Lady Ripple, how unforgivable!¡¹


    Silva intended to block the monster¡¯s way, but¡­


    ¡¸NO!! Silva, get away!¡¹


    Ripple pushed him away and jumped towards the attack by herself.


    If Silva were to receive the same attack as Ripple, he wouldn¡¯t survive. As a candidate of a Holy Knight, a bearer of the Special Grade Rune, Silva was of course strong, but he was still a flesh and blood human.


    In terms of durability, he couldn¡¯t be compared to a Hyrule Menace like her.


    ¡¸Hgk! UUuuuuuggh¡­¡­!¡¹


    The Prisma once again grabbed her and squeezed her tight. This time, Ripple didn¡¯t scream and just kept enduring. As long as this afforded her to buy time for others to find a way out of this, so much the better.


    ¡¸B?A?S?T?A?R?D?D?!! Let go of Lady Ripple!¡¹


    Silva shot a flaming bullet from his Artifact at the fist that was trying to squeeze Ripple. However, as if to mock Silva¡¯s impatience, the Prisma knocked the bullet away with his other hand.


    ¡¸Kgh¡­¡­!¡¹


    Voices began to rise behind him.


    ¡¸Oi, Miliera! What now!? Even if it¡¯s imperfect, that thing¡¯s still a god damn Prisma!¡¹ ¡¸R-, right! Let¡¯s put off subjugating it for once and somehow lead it away to the outskirts! If we pull it away from the human settlements, there¡¯s a chance it¡¯ll go somewhere else!¡¹ ¡¸Got that! By the by, where¡¯s Inglis!? If that girl¡¯s here, maybe she can do something!¡¹ ¡¸We put her in the castle to protect His Majesty! I think she¡¯ll come here once things cooled down there!¡¹ ¡¸I see! All the more reason to adopt a strategy to buy time!¡¹


    Hearing that, Silva objected to Principal Miliera and Leon.


    ¡¸Wait a minute! There will be tremendous damage to the city path if we do that! We should have Lady Ripple weaponize and settle it here once and for all! Or rather, why are you dawdling here!? We have to save Lady Ripple ASAP!¡¹ ¡¸Hyrule Menaces ain¡¯t that fragile! She¡¯s still holding fine!¡¹ ¡¸But that doesn¡¯t mean we can let such a delicate and beautiful person to!¡¹


    BAMMMM!!


    Once again, Ripple¡¯s power-packed shot exploded in the clutch of the Prisma¡¯s hand. Ripple¡¯s body flew out of his loosened grip.


    Unable to take a stance to land this time, Ripple fell flat to the ground.


    ¡¸Lady Ripple!¡¹


    Silva immediately ran over to help her up.


    ¡¸I-, I¡¯m good, I¡¯m good¡­¡¹


    Ripple said bitterly, coughing up blood from her mouth soon after.


    ¡¸!? Lady Ripple, blood is¡­¡­!?¡¹ ¡¸Aah. I guess some of my ribs broke inwards¡­¡­But, I¡¯m fine. Us Hyrule Menaces are though, you see¡­¡­¡¹ ¡¸But that¡¯s¡ª¡ªP-, please don¡¯t be any more reckless than this!¡¹ ¡¸No! We¡¯re going to lead it out of the city, right? I have to be the decoy!¡¹


    Seeing Ripple staggered on her own feet, Leon stepped forward, passing by her.


    ¡¸Get some rest! I¡¯ll be the decoy!¡¹ ¡¸P-, please do! After I rested a little, let me¡­¡¹


    Ripple fell to the ground again, on her knees this time. Silva grabbed her by the shoulder.


    ¡¸Lady Ripple! I beg of you! Become a weapon and lend me your power! Leading it outside of the capital is just absurd! The only way to reverse this situation is with the help of your true power, Lady Ripple!¡¹ ¡¸We can¡¯t! We can¡¯t do that! There are still other things we can do!¡¹


    Ripple shook her head in immediate response.


    ¡¸But still! I don¡¯t want to see you get hurt so badly, Lady Ripple! Ever since you saved my life when I was a child, I¡¯ve been training to fight alongside you one day! I have become stronger like how you said I should! Isn¡¯t now the time for that!?¡¹ ¡¸¡­¡­Silva, to think that little boy has grown up so well, it¡¯s unbelievable how fast time flies¡­¡­I guess I¡¯m getting old, aren¡¯t I?¡¹ ¡¸Then please lend me your power to fight against your father! I want to thank you for saving my life, by protecting you from being used by the Highlanders!¡¹ ¡¸Silva¡­¡­But, you see, I¡­Uwah!?¡¹


    From inside Ripple¡¯s body, a light that shone as brightly as the sun emanated. This was a sign of the start of the weaponization of a Hyrule Menace.


    ¡¸N-, no way!? I didn¡¯t even try to do it, but why!?¡¹


    The weaponization of a Hyrule Menace was only possible to happen if the will of the Hyrule Menace and the will of their Holy Knight were aligned. In other words, no matter how much Silva wanted to do it, if Ripple didn¡¯t give her consent, the weaponization wouldn¡¯t happen. And yet, the process had begun, as though she was dragged along by Silva¡¯s will.

 Chapter 145: 15-year-old Inglis and Hyrule Menaces’ Escorting Directive (53)

    ¡¸¡ª¡ª! Oi stop it, Ripple! It¡¯s too soon to give up, you know!? Besides, he¡¯s still young!¡¹


    Leon noticed the light emanating from Ripple¡¯s body and impatiently stopped her.


    ¡¸I-, I can¡¯t! It¡¯s not by my will! I¡¯m being dragged by him!¡¹


    This was the first experience even for Ripple. For Hyrule Menaces to turn into a weapon, the unification of will between them and their user, the Holy Knights, was essential. There was the need to first unite their hearts into one. Therefore, if Ripple didn¡¯t want it, the weaponization shouldn¡¯t happen¡ª¡ªor so everyone thought.


    So, how could this happen?


    Was it because Silva was still ignorant, and thus he could genuinely wish for Ripple¡¯s strength?


    Was it because Silva respected Ripple so deeply, and Ripple found his admiration delightful, and thus the distance between their hearts was shortened?


    Was it because, deep down, Ripple wished to liberate her father who had become a Prisma as soon as possible?


    Perhaps, it was due to a combination of many things at once that pulled Ripple by Silva¡¯s will.


    ¡¸AAaaaaahhh¡ª¡ª!¡¹


    I can no longer stop it!


    Ripple¡¯s body grew more and more radiant, and as the illumination reached its peak, her body was no longer that of a girl¡ª¡ªshe had transformed into a double-barrelled rifle, wrapped in golden glimmer.


    ¡¸I can feel it¡­¡­what tremendous power this is! Anything can be defeated with this! Even a Prisma!¡¹


    With a look of excitement on his face, Silva tightly gripped the Golden Rifle that Ripple had transformed into.


    ¡¸Oh s?h?i?t?! Oi, stop it! Release her now!¡¹ ¡¸Mister Silva! Please think carefully! You mustn¡¯t give in to the power!¡¹


    Leon and Principal Miliera seemed to be very tense by the turn of the event.


    But Leone, who was watching it unfold from the side, couldn¡¯t understand why. If Prisma could be defeated by Ripple turning into a weapon, then wouldn¡¯t that be fine?


    As Silva had argued, it would be difficult to lead Prisma out of the capital. There would be a huge deal of damage if that were to be done.


    They might be able to control human casualties if they took time to evacuate the people. However, the houses, the stores, and many other buildings in the path leading there wouldn¡¯t exactly be safe. Protecting them also fell to the duty of the Knights.


    In that sense, Leone mostly agreed with Silva¡¯s point of view for the bigger part.


    ¡¸¡­¡­What a beautiful light. So this is the true power of our guardian deities, the Hyrule Menace!¡¹


    While Liselotte was genuinely transfixed by the sight before her¡­


    ¡¸Y-, yeah! But, somehow¡­¡­¡¹


    As for Leone, she could feel a strange sense of unease. That light was supposed to be divine and beautiful, and yet it felt terrifying for her. She couldn¡¯t explain why, but she knew what she felt.


    ¡¸Don¡¯t get carried away! You¡¯re not ready for that!¡¹


    Leon tried to take away the Golden Rifle from Silva¡¯s hand.


    ¡¸Lady Ripple had complied with my will! I¡¯ll take care of it! Out of the way!¡¹


    Silva shook Leon off. The strength he displayed was much greater than usual, easily bouncing Leon off of him.


    ¡¸A-, amazing! As expected of a Hyrule Menace, the goddess who protects us all! This power stands leagues apart!¡¹


    He nodded with conviction and pointed the muzzle of the gun at Prisma.


    ¡¸Lady Ripple¡¯s Father! While I sympathize with you¡­¡­I, along with Lady Ripple, shall take you down!¡¹ ¡¸God damn it¡­¡­! I told you to stop!¡¹


    Standing up, Leon stood in the line of fire towards the Prisma.


    ¡¸Impossible!? Don¡¯t get in my way! Lest I shoot you along with the Prisma!¡¹ ¡¸Nope! You put your gun down!¡¹ ¡¸What a tall order! Fine, I¡¯ll take you out altogether!¡¹


    A colossal, intense, sun-like light converged on the muzzle of the Golden Rifle.


    ¡¸! You mustn¡¯t, Mister Silva!¡¹ ¡¸Why not !? If this takes care of the traitor Leon and as well, isn¡¯t this basically killing two birds with one stone!?¡¹ ¡¸P-, please wait, senior!¡¹


    Leone couldn¡¯t help but exclaim, too.


    ¡¸Leone, you too!? What¡¯s wrong with any of you!?¡¹ ¡¸I-, I don¡¯t know! I know my brother being executed someday is something he can¡¯t avoid¡­¡­Even so, something tells me, that day is not today!¡¹


    There must be a reason why Leon, the one person who was essentially hostile to them, was so forceful in trying to stop Silva. There was also an intuitive feeling of uneasiness that drove Leone to act.


    Guooooo!


    Countless dots of light appeared for the third time across the Prisma¡¯s body as the situation unfolds. The large-scale destructive beams would be incoming again!


    ¡¸Oh no! Miss Leone, retreat!¡¹ ¡¸Y-, yes!¡¹


    The moment Leone answered, a high-pitched sound as if something shattered, was heard. The barrier that Miliera deployed was destroyed. At the same time, a warped silhouette slipped into Silva¡¯s bosom.


    BAM!!


    ¡¸Guohk¡­¡­!?¡¹


    Silva fell to the ground, his eyes white. The Golden Rifle that Ripple had transformed into also slipped away from his hand, then¡­


    Ripple returned to her original, Beastman girl form. Her eyes widened in surprise. Her gaze turned to the culprit who had knocked Silva unconscious. In other words, Inglis, who was still in the posture of a beautiful elbow strike.


    ¡¸I-, Inglis!?¡¹ ¡¸¡­¡­It seems that I made it in time.¡¹


    Inglis showed a wide smile.


    ¡¸N-, no, which part of it did you make in time!? How!? All I can see is you attacking an ally and forcefully rob the limelight for yourself though!?¡¹


    Rafinha, who remained on the Flygear floating above, stuttered, her eyes wide open. It seemed that Inglis¡¯ action was unexpected even for her.

 Chapter 146: 15-year-old Inglis and Hyrule Menaces’ Escorting Directive (54)

    ¡¸Ahahahaha¡­¡­Poor senior Silva¡­¡¹ ¡¸Y-, you¡¯re right, poor him¡­¡­¡¹


    Leone and Liselotte were stunned as well.


    ¡¸No, that¡¯s good! You did we¡ª¡ª¡¹(Leon) ¡¸¡­¡­Well!? CAN YOU NOT BREAK THE BARRIER I MADE!?!?¡¹ ¡¸Oh no, he¡¯s going to shoot! Miliera, put the barrier up again!¡¹(Ripple) ¡¸I can¡¯t! I-, it¡¯s too late!¡¹


    If Prisma were to unleash its light rays all around just like that, the surrounding urban area would be severely damaged. He was already right on the verge of shooting them out.


    ¡¸Then, I will take the responsibility!¡¹


    While saying that, Inglis, enveloped in the brilliance of Ether Armor, had already entered Prisma¡¯s reach.


    ¡¸HAAAaaaat!!¡¹


    BAAAMMM!!!


    She kicked with all her might without holding back, and the sound of an otherworldly loud blow roared through. The enormous, small mountain-sized body of Prisma was briskly shot up high, exceeding the height of Rafinha¡¯s Flygear.


    However, the Prisma¡¯s distance from where he was first kicked was practically none compared to Abel who was blown away to who-knows-where sometime ago. Moreover, even though he was blown quite high away, he maintained his posture in the air and locked his gaze at Inglis and co. A clear sign that he didn¡¯t suffer much damage from the kick.


    Incomplete as he was, Inglis expected no less of the strongest Magic Stone Beasts, Prisma. This was why he was worth all the anticipation she had for him.


    ¡¸OOoooooh!? She kicked a freaking Prisma up to the air!?¡¹ ¡¸Wh-, what power! Th-, that alone won¡¯t redeem anything, you know!?¡¹ ¡¸But he¡¯s not stopping either! He¡¯s shooting!¡¹


    Exactly as Ripple pointed. The countless dots of light on the surface of Prisma¡¯s body didn¡¯t disappear, the attack didn¡¯t seem to have been halted.


    ¡¸Interesting! Then shoot!¡¹


    Inglis beckoned at the Prisma. It was unclear whether her words reached him or not, but the Prisma unleashed his seven-colored beams of light from all around his body.


    ¡¸I-, it¡¯s shot!¡¹ ¡¸Th-, the city!¡¹ ¡¸Wh-, what a disaster!¡¹


    Everyone shrieked, their eyes looking upwards, and hadn¡¯t noticed that Inglis¡¯ figure had already disappeared.


    They first noticed the oddity when one of the light ray Prisma shot suddenly changed its angle. The beam that should have landed on the ground and brought about great casualties was shot straight up instead.


    ¡¸Ooh!? The light¡¯s trajectory is changed!?¡¹


    And not just one, but two, and three, and then more and more.


    ¡¸S-, something is moving around!?¡¹ ¡¸Inglis! That¡¯s Inglis, she¡¯s punching the light rays!¡¹


    Ripple was right. Inglis had anticipated the trajectory of Prisma¡¯s light rays and, at full speed, she punched them away to forcefully change their course. Knocking them up, rather than down.


    This was also the reason why she kicked Prisma up to the air in the first place.


    So long it was floating in the air, if it unleashed a full-body attack in all directions, half of that would go straight up to the sky and be rendered meaningless.


    If she ignored that half and the ones that she judged would fly to areas outside the city, it wasn¡¯t that tall of an order to disable the rest of the beams.


    From Inglis¡¯ perspective, that is.


    ¡¸Disappear into the sky!¡¹


    BAAMM! BAMM!!!


    The rays that Prisma launched had changed trajectory and disappeared over the Royal Capital, like a show of magnificent seven-colored fireworks.


    ¡¸That¡¯s it, Glis! Keep it up!¡¹ ¡¸S-, so fast! I can¡¯t see her movement at all!¡¹ ¡¸Ahahaha¡­ she is so over the top that it¡¯s laughable¡­¡­Aah, the sky is so beautiful tonight.¡¹


    However, this was not as easy as it looked.


    Each streak of light was quite heavy and conveyed a definite resistance to Inglis. It would be difficult to repel them away if she didn¡¯t apply all of her strength to each of her blows. And now that she had repelled a number of those beams, she was left with numbness in her hands and feet.


    But, this numbness, this resistance. That¡¯s what makes it great. A definite sign of her opponent¡¯s strength. That was why he was worth fighting against.


    ¡¸¡­¡­You are wonderful! If that¡¯s the case!¡¹


    A fitting opponent to test the new technique I¡¯m working on!


    Having finished emitting his light rays, the Prisma descended, pulled by gravity. His trajectory was easy to discern.


    Even if he was the Prisma, gravity was an unavoidable thing. An attack aimed at him while he was on the air wouldn¡¯t be easily evaded.


    ¡ª¡ªMost perfect opportunity!


    Inglis released her Ether Armor, gathered the Ether all around her, and condensed them into a singular point. This was the prelude to Ether Strike. The bluish-white Ether light expanded rapidly and turned into an enormous bullet of light.


    ¡¸GO!!¡¹


    BBWOOOOMMMMM!!!


    The Ether bullet raced through the sky and seized Prisma in its path. The Prisma crossed his arms in defense and tried to stop the Ether Strike.


    He didn¡¯t vanish instantly like the lower leveled Magic Stone Beasts, nor he did deflect it with some interdimensional technique that Black Mask used. He was taking Inglis¡¯ attack head-on.


    ¡ª¡ªExactly what I waited for!


    ¡¸Fufufufu¡­¡­!!¡¹


    Inglis¡¯ eyes gleamed in delight. She lowered her hips, readied herself so she could leap at any given moment, and yet the all-important Ether had yet to come back to her. Aside from little tricks like Ether Pierce, powerful techniques that she enacted with full strength like Ether Strike were difficult to be done in rapid succession.


    It would take some time before she could draw out the next Ether battle technique after the last one. She was concentrating all of her strength to her limits to shorten that interval.


    While that happened, exclaims rose from the surrounding people who were watching it all unfold.


    ¡¸O, ooh¡­¡­That¡¯s hurting him!¡¹(Leon) ¡¸Y-, yeah it is! It¡¯s even wounding the rainbow-colored epidermis of his!¡¹(Miliera) ¡¸B-. but it¡¯s strange! Even though it should be something amazing, I can¡¯t understand just how strong that attack is at all!¡¹(Ripple) ¡¸Go!! Blow it off all the way!¡¹(Rafinha) ¡¸That will do it! Surely!¡¹(Leone) ¡¸Yes, I¡¯m sure it will!¡¹(Liselotte)


    Inglis herself, though, said the exact opposite of what they did.


    ¡¸NOO! Hang in there! Keep it up! Don¡¯t lose to it!¡¹ ¡¸¡¸¡¸HAAH!?¡¹¡¹¡¹


    Everyone reflexively looked at Inglis, unable to comprehend the thing she said. Her body was enveloped in the pale light of Ether Armor. Right at that moment, she could use another Ether battle technique.


    ¡¸Okay! With this!¡¹


    She kicked the ground without a moment¡¯s delay.


    Chasing after her Ether Strike, which was still struggling against the Prisma, Inglis herself plunged towards the beast on the same trajectory.


    Then, overlapping herself with the enormous light bullet, she threw a fist with all of her might!


    ¡¸GOOOooooooo!!!!¡¹


    Her fist pulverized the Prisma¡¯s guarding arms, piercing his body, and carved a huge hole into it. And right after that¡­


    KABBLAAAAAMMMOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!


    An immense Ether explosion dazzled the Royal Capital much like a supernova. This was the new technique she had been researching. Perhaps it was apt to call it Ether Breaker.


    It was an Ether battle technique in which Ether Armor was used to catch up with Ether Strike, and by striking the point of impact simultaneously, the two techniques synced and created feedback with each other in the form of explosion, thus increasing the destructive power.


    It was probably several times more powerful than the usual Ether Strike. It was also the most powerful technique Inglis ever enacted throughout her two lives.


    However, there was a flaw to this technique due to its make-up; unless her opponent managed to withstand and hold on to the initial step, which was Ether Strike, Inglis wouldn¡¯t have time to activate and later strike her opponent with Ether Armor.


    That was because Ether Armor couldn¡¯t be activated during the short interval after Ether Strike was launched. Although, Inglis believed she could improve the technique¡¯s efficiency as she became more proficient in handling Ether.


    At any rate, with the development of this technique, it was more than enough proof that Inglis Eux had surpassed the strength of King Inglis.


    When the intense, eyelid-burning light subsided, everyone was in mute amazement as they were staring at the empty sky.


    ¡¸E-, erm¡­¡­Th-, there¡¯s nothing to see, huh¡­¡¹(Miliera) ¡¸Y-, yeah¡­¡­the Prisma is gone without a trace¡­ I-, it was an incomplete one, but still¡­¡­¡¹(Ripple) ¡¸Th-, that was great, Glis! It must be the new technique she said before¡­¡­it really was the most powerful thing ever!¡¹(Rafinha) ¡¸Too great, in fact. Even Lady Ripple was having a hard fight against it before, and yet¡­¡­¡¹ ¡¸B-, but¡­ umm¡­¡­¡¹


    Leone was the only one to show deep grief.


    ¡¸? What¡¯s wrong, Leone?¡¹ ¡¸I-, I was just wondering¡­what happened to senior Yua¡­¡­¡¹ ¡¸¡¸¡¸¡¸AAAAAAAAaaaahhhhhh!!!!¡¹¡¹¡¹¡¹ ¡¸Eh? EH!? What about senior Yua!? Now you said it, she¡¯s not here¡­¡¹


    In the midst of such commotion¡­


    ¡¸Phew¡­I sure worked out a lot of sweat today¡­¡­¡¹


    Inglis walked back with a refreshing smile on her face, carrying an unconscious Yua with both of her hands.


    ¡¸Miss Yua!! Aah, thank goodness she¡¯s fine!¡¹(Miliera) ¡¸Nice going, Inglis! You¡¯re the best!¡¹(Ripple) ¡¸I¡¯m really glad! I thought senior Yua was annihilated along with the Prisma!¡¹(Leone) ¡¸I¡¯m surprised you could save her!¡¹(Liselotte) ¡¸Yeah. When I pierced Prisma¡¯s body, I saw senior Yua in there, so I pulled her away.¡¹ ¡¸You did it, Glis! Now we can extend the all-you-can-eat deal in the cafeteria!¡¹ ¡¸¡ª¡ªcan we, Principal?¡¹(Inglis) ¡¸O-, of course, you can¡­¡­!¡¹


    Principal Miliera nodded.


    ¡¸Yaay! Mission accomplished, Glis!¡¹


    Inglis and Rafinha high-fived.


    ¡¸Yeah. My stomach is empty from fighting a lot, too, so let¡¯s have some food.¡¹ ¡¸You¡¯re right! Let¡¯s!¡¹


    It was then when both Inglis and Rafinha noticed it for the first time.


    ¡¸¡¸Eh¡­¡­? Where¡¯s the cafeteria?¡¹¡¹ ¡¸Blown to bits. Please eat your fill when the reconstruction is over~¡¹ ¡¸¡¸UWAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!?!?!?!?!?¡¹¡¹


    It was a scream filled with more fear and despair than anyone who faced what strong enemy tonight.


    And, while Inglis and co. were having a ruckus, Leon had already disappeared.

 Chapter 147: 15-year-old Inglis and Hyrule Menaces’ Escorting Directive (55)

    A few days later, the Knight Academy was being restored in a big hurry, but in between their work, Inglis and the others went to the gate to see off some people.


    It was Ripple and Special Envoy Theodore that they were seeing off. Those two were going back to the frontline, near the border to the country of Venefique.


    Special Envoy Theodore had been informed of the situation by Lahti and Pullum, both of whom were sent by Principal Miliera, and therefore rushed back.


    However, he didn¡¯t arrive until late at night on the day the battle ended.


    His arrival wasn¡¯t a waste, however, as he had proclaimed above his position as a Special Envoy that the oddity should no longer happen to Ripple and she was fit for duty. He negotiated with the King of Charalia to allow Ripple to remain in this country as a Hyrule Menace.


    It was assumed that King Charleas had no other option, however, since the Church¡¯s Union didn¡¯t accept the Kingdom¡¯s offer and request to improve their relationship.


    Thanks to Special Envoy Theodore¡¯s authority, the Knight Academy¡¯s actions were not persecuted, and the aftermath was handled very smoothly. Thanks to this, Inglis and the other students were able to concentrate on rebuilding the Academy while they trained.


    The dormitory was safe from harm, so they had a place to sleep, but the cafeteria was destroyed, and that was a First Degree Emergency. If the cafeteria didn¡¯t open soon, Inglis and Rafinha wouldn¡¯t be able to eat to their fill. For that reason, both of them were really active in helping the reconstruction.


    ¡¸Thank you, everyone. I¡¯m really indebted to all of you. Thanks to you, I can go back to Holy Knight Order. Thank you so much.¡¹


    Ripple bowed deeply to the people who had come to see her off.


    ¡¸However, isn¡¯t it too soon for you to return to duty? You could have waited until your wounds have healed a bit more!¡¹


    Silva rebutted with mixed feelings showing on his face.


    The body of Hyrule Menaces like Ripple was special, as even Rafinha¡¯s healing Gift didn¡¯t work on her. In other words, Ripple had to be left to recover naturally. Although, she was indeed extraordinarily resilient and had great recovery power.


    ¡¸I¡¯m fine, I¡¯m fine! Just look!¡¹


    She spoke as she pounded on her chest, but¡­


    ¡¸Uugh!? Ouchie-chie¡­¡­Guess it still hurts, huh.¡¹ ¡¸P-, please take it easy! You should stay here recuperate a little longer!¡¹ ¡¸Nuh-uh. It¡¯ll take a few days until we reach, so I¡¯ll be fine by the time we get there. Besides, Lord Theodore will need an escort on his way back to the front, right?¡¹ ¡¸¡­¡­I am truly sorry that I could not help you in the end. I am very aware of my own inexperience.¡¹


    Rafinha offered some comforting words towards the downcasted Silva.


    ¡¸No¡­¡­That was because Glis took you out by surprise and forcefully took the spotlight for herself! I don¡¯t think you¡¯re at fault at all, senior Silva¡­¡­¡¹ ¡¸No no. Normally, a Holy Knight who wields a weaponized Hyrule Menace should be invincible and peerless under the Heaven¡­¡­It was my own inexperience that allowed me to be taken out. Since it is impossible for Lady Ripple to make any mistake!¡¹ ¡¸Nonono. Clearly, Glis is the one at fault for elbowing her own ally. I¡¯m really sorry for it, let me apologize in her stead. She just can¡¯t stop when she sees a strong enemy.¡¹ ¡¸No no no no¡ª¡ª¡¹


    Whilst she was watching over the somewhat unproductive conversation, Ripple tugged at Inglis¡¯ sleeve.


    ¡¸Inglis, Inglis¡ª¡ª¡¹ ¡¸Yes, what is it?¡¹ ¡¸¡­¡­Did you notice it? When I weaponized¡­¡¹


    She whispered so silently that only Inglis could hear it.


    ¡¸Yes¡­¡­I can¡¯t say that it¡¯s the most peaceful method. But it makes sense if you question why the Highland would willingly send such immense power to the Midland at all!¡¹ ¡¸¡­¡­Yeah. Exactly that. So you noticed it and stopped him. Thank you.¡¹ ¡¸No, what I did was basically killing two birds with one stone for me.¡¹


    It was also an undeniable truth that she wanted to take Prisma from Silva so she could fight it all by herself.


    ¡¸Hahaha¡­¡­That sounds just like you, girl.¡¹ ¡¸But then, there is something I don¡¯t understand. I have seen the Hyrule Menace affiliated with the Ironblood Chain Brigade¡ª¡ªCystia, weaponized beforehand, but, unlike when you did it, Miss Ripple, it was as if she produced no side effect whatsoever¡­¡­¡¹ ¡¸EEEeeehhh!?!?¡¹


    It surprised Ripple so hard that she practically screamed at the top of her lung.


    ¡¸What¡¯s wrong, Glis?¡¹ ¡¸What happened, Lady Ripple?¡¹


    Rafinha and Silva looked over.


    ¡¸Ah, no, it¡¯s nothing, nothing! Rather, Silva. How is your body?¡¹ ¡¸Yes. There isn¡¯t any major problem.¡¹ ¡¸I see. That¡¯s good, that¡¯s good. Prioritize your health, okay? Only a healthy body can bring you to a greater stage of strength and become the you that you want to be.¡¹ ¡¸Yes! I will train harder and I will definitely become an official Holy Knight!¡¹ ¡¸Yeah. Don¡¯t ever push yourself, okay?¡¹


    After she patted Silva¡¯s shoulder with a plop, Ripple gave Inglis a whisper again.


    ¡¸Back to what we spoke about before¡­ don¡¯t tell anyone about it, okay? When a Holy Knight officially becomes that, he will be informed about it beforehand, after all.¡¹ ¡¸¡­¡­Yes, understood.¡¹


    Then, as Special Envoy Theodore and Principal Miliera finished their discussion, Ripple was prompted to go.


    ¡¸Then, let¡¯s get going, Miss Ripple. I¡¯m concerned with Wayne and everyone on the frontline.¡¹ ¡¸Yees~! Laters, everyone! I¡¯ll come back to see you again when we¡¯re back to the capital!¡¹


    Both Ripple and the Special Envoy boarded the Envoy-exclusive Large Flygear.


    ¡¸Everyone, thank you very much for all you have done this time around. With Knight candidates like you in our Academy, I am sure the future of this country will be bright.¡¹


    Theodore bowed deeply to the members of the Knight Academy.


    ¡¸We will take care of the rest, so you may continue with your training. Let us fight together by the time you are bearing the future of this country on your shoulders¡­¡­Well then!¡¹


    He showed a compassionate smile that seemed like it was addressed for Rafinha personally, so Inglis quickly stood in front of Rafinha, hiding it with her own body.


    ¡¸Wait, Glis. I can¡¯t see, you know?¡¹ ¡¸It¡¯s not something a child should see.¡¹ ¡¸What are you even saying, you make it sound like it¡¯s something indecent¡­¡­¡¹ ¡¸Can¡¯t say it¡¯s not!¡¹


    Ripple laughed hilariously at Inglis and Rafinha¡¯s little skirmish.


    ¡¸Fufufu. Bye then, everyone! Laters~!¡¹


    Riding the Flygear further away into the sky, Ripple¡¯s smile was bright and her hand waved cheerfully.

 Chapter 148: 15-year-old Inglis and the Two Leading Actresses (1)

    The incident that happened to Ripple the Hyrule Menace was successfully resolved by Inglis and the others. Ripple thanked everyone profusely and returned to the frontline near the border to the neighboring country of Venefique.


    However, the price was the collapse of the Knight Academy buildings. The cafeteria in the school building was caved in as well, creating a most critical issue for Inglis and Rafinha who were sealed off from their all-you-can-eat deal.


    Putting up with the unbearable hunger they had, they helped with the civil engineering work every day to restore the school building, hoping that the cafeteria would open even a day faster. They wanted to move quickly to speed up the reconstruction progress, but the more they moved, the hungrier they got.


    Growl~


    ¡¸Wah¡­¡­!? Whose stomach rumbled like that? How very improper.¡¹


    Liselotte was astonished as she turned around, she was walking in front of their group with her tools.


    ¡¸¡¸¡­¡­¡¹¡¹


    Inglis pointed at Rafinha, while Rafinha pointed at Inglis.


    ¡¸Lies! It was Glis!¡¹ ¡¸No, it was Rani!¡¹ ¡¸Don¡¯t point fingers! I heard two rumbles, one from my left, one from my right, okay?¡¹


    Leone, who was walking right between the two, revealed the truth.


    ¡¸¡¸Tsk¡­¡­¡¹¡¹ ¡¸¡­¡­It seems that the two of you have gotten too hungry that you¡¯ve become peevish.¡¹


    Leone smiled bitterly.


    ¡¸How can you be so hungry? You are eating just as much as we are¡­¡­¡¹


    As a matter of fact, those who helped with the reconstruction of the school building were provided with a lunch box.


    ¡¸¡¸Not enough at all!¡¹¡¹ ¡¸W-, well, why don¡¯t we just think of it as a good way to cut your carb? See, if you lose a little weight over here, your shoulder might not be so stiff¡­¡¹


    Leone said as she pointed at her own chest, where Rene was relaxing right in the cleavage. It seemed that Leone¡¯s was her favorite today.


    ¡¸Hmm¡­¡­Well, I can¡¯t say I don¡¯t agree¡­¡¹


    Inglis saw the point of what Leone said, but¡­


    ¡¸Well, I don¡¯t! Unlike you, I¡¯ve got nothing to ¡°lose¡±!¡¹ ¡¸W-, well, Rafinha, you¡¯re the slender type, so¡­¡­you¡¯re enviable, you know? In your own right.¡¹ ¡¸Oh, let¡¯s change places then. Bigger ones like Glis and Leone are definitely better! I¡¯ve got nothing to ¡°lose¡± at times like this! They¡¯ll only dry up and die!¡¹ ¡¸Ahaha¡­¡­You never get fat no matter how much you eat after all, Rafinha.¡¹ ¡¸¡­¡­And so, since mine is closer to a life-and-death situation, I¡¯ll have Glis share her lunch with me, okay!¡¹ ¡¸Eeeh!? That¡¯s one thing I can¡¯t give, even if it¡¯s you Rani!¡¹ ¡¸Why not, you¡¯ve got so much nutrition stored in here!¡¹ ¡¸Hyau!? S-, stop it, Rani! I¡¯m carrying a huge log with me!¡¹ ¡¸Oh my? Seems like they¡¯ve gotten a little bigger again. How can they grow even though you don¡¯t eat much!? You damn, you, you!¡¹ ¡¸Hya!! I-, I told you, stop! I get it, I get it, let¡¯s get some fishes from Lake Vault again later, okay? I¡¯ll give the bigger part to you, okay!¡¹ ¡¸Eeh, but you got complaints from the local fishermen, didn¡¯t you? They said the students are threatening their livelihood and all that.¡¹(Lahti) ¡¸They won¡¯t know if we sneak there at night. Maybe¡­¡­¡¹ ¡¸I-, isn¡¯t that literally poaching!!¡¹ ¡¸Do you two really need to go that far to keep on living¡­¡¹


    Both Leone and Liselotte smiled bitterly. It was then¡ª¡ª


    ¡¸Miss Inglis~! Miss Rafinha~!¡¹


    Principal Miliera came running in while calling out their names.


    ¡¸Principal?¡¹ ¡¸What¡¯s the matter?¡¹ ¡¸A messenger came from the castle just a moment ago! He said that His Majesty the King had summoned both of you, Miss Inglis, Miss Rafinha!¡¹ ¡¸Direct summon from His Majesty!?¡¹ ¡¸To the castle!?¡¹ ¡¸Yes. I¡¯m sorry for this, but please immediately head to the Royal Castle.¡¹ ¡¸Ooooh! We did it, Glis!¡¹ ¡¸Yeah, Rani! A godsend!¡¹


    Both Inglis and Rafinha¡¯s eyes sparkled when they heard the news from Principal Miliera. In short¡­


    Castle ¡ú Summon ¡ú Gratitude for saving him back then ¡ú Feast!


    Right, a feast! Both of them found hope in that possibility and jumped at it.


    ¡¸Waah! I can¡¯t wait~???? The food at the castle was so delicious back then, right!¡¹ ¡¸Yeah, they were! Let¡¯s get going then.¡¹ ¡¸I¡¯ll call a carriage for you, then. In that time, the two of you please get ready.¡¹ ¡¸Yes, Principal.¡¹


    Inglis nodded, but¡­


    ¡¸No, that¡¯ll be slow! Our delicious food will get cold by then! Hey, Glis, let¡¯s go with that!¡¹ ¡¸That?¡¹ ¡¸Yeah, that! If we go swoosh through the sky, we¡¯ll be faster than a carriage!¡¹ ¡¸Aah, that¡ª¡ª Hmm¡­¡­are we allowed to¡­¡­¡¹ ¡¸We can right, Principal!? Going with our Star Princess!?¡¹


    That referred to Inglis and Rafinha¡¯s personal Flygear. The other day, in the battle over the Royal Castle, Inglis and Rafinha managed to snatch a single Flygear unit from the Highlanders. They used it to rush over from the Royal Castle to the Knight Academy, but after the incident was over, the undamaged Flygear was allowed to remain in the personal possession of Inglis and Rafinha.


    Flygears belonging to the Highland were of higher performance than what the Kingdom had, which was fine and all, but¡­


    ¡¸Aah, you mean that. I don¡¯t see why not? It¡¯s so girly and cute.¡¹ ¡¸Thank you so much! I¡¯ll go fetch it then! Wait there, Glis!¡¹ ¡¸Y-, yeah¡­¡­¡¹


    Not long later¡­ a Flygear steered by Rafinha showed itself above Inglis and the others. The whole thing was painted in overly bright pink. Then, as though it was made to be as conspicuous as possible, there was a pair of sparkling, starry, maiden-like eyes drawn on the front hull. While the rest of the body was painted with lots of sparkling decoration through and through.


    It¡¯s ours, so I¡¯ll make it pretty! ¡ªexplained Rafinha, so the whole unit was painted according to her preferences. Pullum, her classmate in the Knight division, also helped with the paint job.


    ¡¸Come on, let¡¯s go, Glis! Get on, get on!¡¹ ¡¸Y-, yeah¡­¡­¡¹


    The innards of this Flygear unit was of high performance, and Inglis herself had made some modifications to it, so it had been improved, but still¡­ Inglis was a bit hesitant to ride it, with just how feminine its outward appearance was.


    She was a man at heart, so she¡¯d rather have something more low-key and cool for her ride. In fact, she¡¯d even go with an all-black.


    But, if Rafinha insisted, Inglis couldn¡¯t say no. Rafinha, who was like a granddaughter to her, had decided that the color of their toy should be pink. What grandfather could disobey that?


    ¡¸Okaay, here we go! Food on sight, fly we go!¡¹ ¡¸¡­¡­Well then, we¡¯re off.¡¹


    The Star Princess, piloted by Rafinha, took off into the crimson-tinted sky.

 Chapter 149: 15-year-old Inglis and the Two Leading Actresses (2)

    Heading straight from the Knight Academy grounds to the Royal Castle meant that Inglis and Rafinha would have to fly over the crowded main street. Inevitably, the sight of the Star Princess unit would be seen by people all over the street.


    ¡¸Ah! There¡¯s a Knight! Ooi!¡¹ ¡¸Waai!¡¹


    The adults didn¡¯t make a fuss about them, but the children were happy at their sight and even waved their hands. To be precise, Inglis and Rafinha were not Knights but rather students of the Academy, but the children couldn¡¯t tell the difference. They were on a Flygear, so they were Knights to them.


    ¡¸Hello hello. Good day to you~????¡¹


    Rafinha, affable as she was, slowed down her flygear to a stop in midair and waved back to the children. She was in a good mood, perhaps because she was about to have a feast. The children were more than happy to see their admired Knights waving at them.


    ¡¸Ahaha. Kids are cute aren¡¯t they~ Glis?¡¹ ¡¸You¡¯re right. Reminds me of when you were small, Rani. You were so cute back then too, you know?¡¹ ¡¸No, you were just as much of a kid too, Glis. Well, whatever¡­¡­I wish I have a kid of my own soon~¡¹ ¡¸You mustn¡¯t. Too early for you, Rani.¡¹ ¡¸But, you like kids too right, Glis? The younger the mom, the happier the kid, you know?¡¹ ¡¸N-, no! I don¡¯t need a child of my own!¡¹


    Just the thought of it terrified her. Rather, it was something she never wanted to think about in the first place. It sent a chill down her spine.


    ¡¸Because you can¡¯t fight if you had one?¡¹ ¡¸Y-, yeah. That¡¯s why!¡¹


    While the truth was something more fundamental and more gender-related, she¡¯d just leave it at that.


    ¡¸The thing Miss Knights are riding, it¡¯s suuper lame, isn¡¯t it?¡¹ ¡¸Uwaah¡­¡­tacky. What¡¯s with all those color and glitters!!¡¹


    The children¡¯s thoughts regarding the Star Princess unit¡¯s appearance then began to fly around.


    ¡¸Eeehh?!¡¹


    Rafinha seemed surprised, but as for Inglis, she¡¯d like to applaud the boys for distracting the topic and even pointing out the truth. Thank you.


    ¡¸N-, no way¡­this is my and Plum¡¯s work of art!¡¹ ¡¸Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s a bit too gaudy? Why don¡¯t we restore the original paint!¡¹


    But then¡­


    ¡¸That¡¯s not true! I think it looks really cute!¡¹


    A girl amongst the children defended the Star Princess unit with zeal.


    ¡¸Y-, you¡¯re right! Eat that, boys! This is for girls only! There is Girls¡¯ Romance packed in it! You boys don¡¯t understand!¡¹


    Rafinha then regained her vigor.


    ¡¸Right, Glis? Isn¡¯t that right?!¡¹ ¡¸U-, uhmm¡­Well, the boys do have some point¡­¡­so perhaps it¡¯s better if we settle down on something that everyone can accept?¡¹ ¡¸Rejected! Hey, hey, girl. What¡¯s your name?¡¹


    She called out to the girl who had defended her point.


    ¡¸I-, I¡¯m Alina!¡¹ ¡¸I see, Alina. Thanks for the praise! I¡¯ll give you a ride on this cute Flygear next time, okay?¡¹ ¡¸R-, really?!¡¹ ¡¸Yeah! We¡¯ve got something to do today, but if you see us again, just call out to us!¡¹ ¡¸Yeah, I will! That¡¯s a promise, okay?!¡¹ ¡¸Okay, I promise! See ya later~!¡¹


    With a smile and a wave of her hand, Rafinha departed with the Star Princess unit.


    ¡¸Hmm, what a nice kid~¡¹ ¡¸¡­¡­¡­¡­¡¹


    With that, at least until they fulfilled the promise to take the girl aboard the Star Princess unit, Rafinha wouldn¡¯t repaint the hull of the ship. Inglis had to remember the girl¡¯s face to make sure their promise could be fulfilled soon.


    ¡¸What¡¯s wrong, Glis? Do you want to say I just made a cheap promise?¡¹ ¡¸No, I don¡¯t. I¡¯m just making sure I remember her face so I could find her later.¡¹


    In fact, it was a good thing that Rafinha was so friendly with the people. Both as a Knight and a soon-to-be Marquise, being able to participate into the people¡¯s lives in such a natural way was estimable.


    A relationship based on trust would be born from there, and that would surely help Rafinha one day. This was also one of Rafinha¡¯s talents¡ª¡ªto say that was perhaps just a bit too biased for Inglis, though.


    ¡¸Oh. That saves a lot~ You¡¯re so good at remembering faces, Glis.¡¹ ¡¸I guess I am. I have it from my life experience.¡¹


    From her experience as a King in her previous life, she knew how important it was to remember faces, and she naturally trained herself for it. Even if it was nothing but a trivial exchange, people would be happy if the king, the most revered member of their society, remembered them and mentioned such exchange later.


    The accumulation of such small happiness was what built their loyalty. A King shall memorize the faces of everyone he meets. At least that was what King Inglis thought in her previous life, and what she tried to carry out to the best of her ability.


    ¡¸To remember the faces of strong people so you can pick a fight with them later?¡¹ ¡¸You mean, requesting for a duel.¡¹


    Well, she¡¯d just put it at that.


    ¡¸That¡¯s the same thing!¡¹ ¡¸It¡¯s not. I¡¯m not forcing them, I¡¯m asking.¡¹


    Whilst they were exchanging back and forth like such, the Star Princess unit reached the vicinity of the Royal Palace.


    ¡¸Halt! This is a restricted area over the Royal Palace. You are students fo the Knight Academy, aren¡¯t you? What¡¯s your business in the castle?¡¹


    They were stopped by a Knight riding a Flygear, perhaps on his patrol duty.


    ¡¸We are Rafinha Wilford and Inglis Eux from the Knight Academy! We¡¯ve heard that His Majesty Charleas has summoned us, and so we¡¯ve come to heed!¡¹


    Rafinha answered the Knight.


    ¡¸Ooh, that¡¯s you girls, huh! I¡¯ve heard about the summon. All right, get your Flygear parked in the courtyard. I¡¯ll lead you.¡¹ ¡¸Yes, roger that.¡¹


    As per the Knight¡¯s guidance, they brought the Star Princess unit and parked it in the courtyard, but then¡­


    ¡¸Hey there, you two! Thank you for coming!¡¹


    Redas, the Commander of the Imperial Guard Order, came running at them briskly, then he bowed deeply. There was something off about him. It wasn¡¯t that he was an arrogant person that would avoid greeting, but he was still the Commander of the most reputable order, which was a pretty important position.


    He was shamelessly overprotective of his younger brother Silva, sure, but he should still treat Inglis and Rafinha with some amount of dignity. And yet, he oddly kept himself low-profile.


    ¡¸Mister Redas?¡¹ ¡¸H-, hello¡­¡¹


    Inglis and Rafinha looked at each other, looking a little confused.

 Chapter 150: 15-year-old Inglis and the Two Leading Actresses (3)

    And, it wasn¡¯t just Redas who went and greeted Inglis and Rafinha.


    ¡¸¡¸¡¸Welcome! We¡¯ve been waiting!¡¹¡¹¡¹


    Knights of the Imperial Guard Order under Redas¡¯ command. They bustled in a large crowd, bowing their heads to Inglis and Rafinha fervently.


    ¡¸W-, what?! Something is off?¡¹ ¡¸Y-, you¡¯re right¡­¡¹


    The number was too many for a mere welcome. There were enough of them to surround Inglis and Rafinha in a circle.


    ¡¸Come, you two, this way. His Majesty is waiting.¡¹


    Said Redas, apparently he would be their guide. Indeed they saved their King¡¯s life, but did that give them enough warrant for such an extravagant treatment?


    Confusion still in their mind, Inglis and Rafinha continued to follow Redas from behind. The other Knights followed them in a circle. Was this some kind of protective formation?


    ¡¸¡­¡­Th-, they¡¯re kind of pretentious huh, Glis.¡¹ ¡¸You¡¯re right, Rani¡­¡­Perhaps we should be careful¡­¡­¡¹


    Inglis and Rafinha started to whisper to each other.


    ¡¸Eh? What do you mean?¡¹ ¡¸Maybe they¡¯ll lead us to a trap and attack us all at once there?¡¹


    Such a rigorous escort atypical for mere students of the Knight Academy. It was as if they were treated like some princesses of a Kingdom or the most important bigshots.


    ¡¸Eeh?! We didn¡¯t do anything wrong!! Or maybe we actually did? After all, you were going so wild back then, Glis¡­¡­¡¹ ¡¸My fault?¡¹ ¡¸Well, you picked a fight with a Highland envoy then kicked him away to oblivion¡­¡­ Also, picked up His Majesty¡¯s fallen off harm and fixed it. You did a lot of things, you know?¡¹ ¡¸Aah¡­¡­¡¹ ¡¸Not to mention, that Abel kid, he died at the end, right? It wasn¡¯t you who killed him, but¡­¡­¡¹ ¡¸I also bear the fault¡­¡­ I guess.¡¹ ¡¸Maybe? They might say he died because he was injured so badly beforehand.¡¹


    Ultimately, it wasn¡¯t Inglis but the leader of the Ironblood Chain Brigade, Black Mask, that delivered the final blows to Archlord Envoy, Abel. However, it was also an indisputable truth that Inglis had dealt a major blow to Abel before that. Saying that she was responsible for Abel¡¯s death on the battlefield was not an overstatement.


    ¡¸W-, well, don¡¯t you think they can stretch it like that?¡¹


    As it turned out, Abel was a huge player of one of the two major factions of the Highland, which was the Church Founder¡¯s Union. The Union had no intention to reconcile with this country, but¡­


    For example, if they changed their policy after Abel¡¯s death and would accept reconciliation in exchange for offering the person responsible for Abel¡¯s death, then it would be way faster to put all the blame on Inglis compared to chasing after Black Mask whose whereabouts were unknown.


    King Charleas seemed to accommodate any kind of high-handed oppression from the Highlanders, so it was not entirely impossible.


    ¡¸Even if it came to that, I¡¯ll still look forward to it, you know? Fufufu¡­¡¹


    From what Inglis could see, King Charleas was by no means incompetent. That was why he should know that he couldn¡¯t capture Inglis with just this much, regardless of how much of an elite squad the Imperial Guard Order was.


    In other words, Inglis could conclude that he prepared some kind of trump card to oppose her. She would like to see it. It was just, if it came down to that, they wouldn¡¯t be able to feast on the food, so¡­


    ¡¸S-, stop it! We¡¯ll be rebels if that happened!¡¹ ¡¸Perhaps. But it¡¯s okay, I will tell them that you¡¯re not involved in it, Rani.¡¹ ¡¸I don¡¯t want that! We¡¯re a family! We¡¯re basically sisters, and we will be actual sisters in the future, too.¡¹ ¡¸No, I have no intention to¡­¡¹


    For Inglis and Rafinha to be actual sisters, that would mean Inglis and Raphael would have to¡­ Naturally, Inglis wouldn¡¯t want that to happen, at all.


    ¡¸Still, aren¡¯t we supposed to be together forever? I won¡¯t let you be all by yourself, okay!¡¹


    Perhaps anxiety started to get on her, Rafinha grabbed the sleeves of Inglis¡¯ dress tightly. She looked so cute to her, Inglis couldn¡¯t help but squint.


    ¡¸Okay, I understand. It¡¯ll be fine.¡¹


    Then, as their hushed discussion was finished. Their noses were suddenly attacked by a most pleasing scent.


    They had infiltrated the Royal Palace as maids the other day, so they had a general idea of the internal structure. This was near the kitchen. Which meant¡­ A feast is being prepared?!


    ¡¸Ah! Uwaah, smells sooo good!¡¹


    Rafinha couldn¡¯t help but exclaim.


    ¡¸Of course, we have the feast ready! Please listen to what the King has to say to you first, and then we¡¯ll have our big celebration!¡¹ ¡¸But what are we celebrating?¡¹


    Asked Inglis. As a result of the recent incident, not only was King Charleas unable to achieve the reconciliation he aimed with Church¡¯s Union, the damage suffered from the engagement with the Ironblood Chain Brigade was not small. That incident provided Inglis a good fight and training, and she was deeply satisfied by it, but it gave the country not a single upside.


    It¡¯s one thing to invite someone over dinner to thank them for the work they had done but to throw a huge celebration party was odd. Just what in the world was happening?


    ¡¸I still can¡¯t say it to you, but you¡¯ll know it soon enough. Please look forward to it.¡¹ ¡¸Hey, hey, Glis. It seems that there¡¯s nothing to be worried about, huh?¡¹ ¡¸Maybe?¡¹


    Redas¡¯ expression was full of elation and joy, he didn¡¯t seem to bear any lies. Besides, if they were to ambush Inglis, they didn¡¯t need to bother to prepare a feast beforehand.


    However, she still couldn¡¯t get behind the reason for throwing a party at all. But that was beside the point, the point was that the feast had become reality. To be honest, she couldn¡¯t hold back her joy.


    ¡¸Th-, that¡¯s great! I¡¯m really happy!¡¹ ¡¸Yeah, me too Rani.¡¹ ¡¸Come, the audience hall is this way. Let us go.¡¹ ¡¸¡¸Yes!!¡¹¡¹


    With excitement filling their chests, Inglis and Rafinha stepped into the hall where King Charleas had been waiting.

 Chapter 151: 15-year-old Inglis and the Two Leading Actresses (4)

    There were already quite a few people in the audience hall, their eyes drawn toward Inglis and Rafinha once the girls walked in.


    ¡¸Ooh¡ªHere she comes!¡¹ ¡¸Beautiful as usual!¡¹ ¡¸Hohou¡­¡­So she is the rumored¡­ Indeed, she is quite the¡­¡­but still¡­¡¹


    Various exclaims were heard throughout the hall. Looking at their garments, most of them were members of the Imperial Guard Order, but there were others as well. Judging from their fine attire, were they nobles from the King¡¯s close circle?


    ¡¸Congratulations!¡¹


    And when someone spoke up¡ª¡ª


    ¡¸¡¸Congratulations!¡¹¡¹ ¡¸¡¸We¡¯ll follow you for the rest of our lives!¡¹¡¹


    Other cheers and applause broke out in succession.


    ¡¸¡¸¡­¡­?¡¹¡¹


    Neither Inglis nor Rafinha could understand what was going on, as they only could crane their neck in confusion Just what was all this congratulations for?


    ¡¸Hold it, people. These two don¡¯t know anything yet, don¡¯t be too hasty.¡¹


    Redas called out to his men, he himself let out a chuckle.


    ¡¸Come on, stand before His Majesty.¡¹


    With a polite gesture, Redas opened the way for Inglis and Rafinha then stationed himself where he stood. His attitude was like a subordinate or a vassal paying his superior all the courtesies. He was so humbled that it was just too unnatural.


    ¡¸Y-, yes¡­¡¹


    Slightly bewildered, Inglis and Rafinha walked up to King Charleas who was seated on his throne. Inglis got down to one knee and gave the King a fervent greeting.


    ¡¸Inglis Eux and Rafinha Wilford have arrived at your service.¡¹ ¡¸Very well. Thank you for coming! I see now. You were a maid back then, but now a student of the Knight Academy¡­¡­Nevertheless, the flower retains her beauty.¡¹ ¡¸¡ª¡ªThank you very much.¡¹


    Still, Inglis would rather pick the fruit than the flower.


    But still, I wrote it because I hope everyone can enjoy it the same way I do.''>1 Rather than the flatteries, Inglis would like to engage in the feast instead. There was a limit to how much she could suppress the rumblings of her stomach. It would be embarrassing if it was to be heard in this very situation. She had to eat, ASAP.


    ¡¸Many of you were there, while some of you may not have seen their faces before. These two are the ones who saved my life in the last incident! And I have been indebted to them! To you, my deepest gratitude.¡¹


    King Charleas bowed to them. Inglis had had this impression of him for a while now, but he really was a man who wouldn¡¯t adhere to pretension and reputation. Which was why he could easily bow his head to mere Academy students like them.


    In retrospect, perhaps Prince Wayne had the same tendency. They might be at odds on political fronts, but their human natures were similar in various aspects.


    Clap clap clap clap!


    The applause restarted.


    ¡¸You¡¯ve done a wonderful job!¡¹ ¡¸Thank you for saving His Majesty on our behalf!¡¹ ¡¸I will never forget that moment in my life!¡¹


    They were praised highly, and even higher.


    ¡¸Fufu. It does feel a bit good to be praised like this, huh~¡¹


    Rafinha sneakily started a talk. It was good that she was happy with it, but¡­


    ¡¸But I¡¯d rather have the feast sooner¡­¡­My stomach will rumble if not hurry!¡¹ ¡¸Uu¡­¡­M-, me too¡ª¡ªbut we need to endure since it¡¯ll be vulgar to be heard right in front of the King!¡¹


    Right now, a slice of meat was more important than a hundred phrases of praise. Quick, she wanted it quickly!


    ¡¸Especially Inglis!¡¹ ¡¸Yes.¡¹ ¡¸You controlled the Highland¡¯s Archlord all by yourself, and even drove back the Ironblood Chain Brigade that had come attacking. The way you fight is nothing like what anyone expects from a pretty maiden like you, and yet your presence was akin to the Fierce Deity2 himself!¡¹ ¡¸I¡¯m honored¡­¡­¡¹


    Inglis gave a short gratitude. To be honest, she didn¡¯t really listen to what King Charleas said. She was fully concentrating on not letting her stomach growl. And, she was waiting for those words, those beautiful ¡®Bring the food in¡¯ words.


    ¡¸Indeed. And not to mention, the level-headedness without a slight of agitation that you show both here and then in the presence of Abel and I.¡¹


    That¡­ wasn¡¯t entirely true. She was actually a bit nervous right now, as it would be so embarrassing to have her stomach rumble. And there was also excitement in her heart. It needn¡¯t be said, she knew of the sumptuous feast the Castle would provide. All in all, she was by no means calm. At least, not now!


    ¡¸Along with your keen eye for strategy, an eloquent tongue, and an extraordinary mind despite your age that Redas has reported to me.¡¹ ¡¸¡­¡­Yes.¡¹ ¡¸And thus, I have decided to respond to your achievements with the utmost sincerity.¡¹


    Here it is! Let the banquet start. The feast. How joyful. I can feel my cheeks relax.


    ¡¸Inglis Eux. I hereby declare that I am appointing you to the Commander of the Imperial Guard Order!¡¹ ¡¸¡­¡­?!¡¹ ¡¸EEEEeeeeeeeeeeehhhh?!!!!¡¹


    Inglis only had her eyes opened wide, but Rafinha was so startled she shrieked.


    ¡¸¡¸¡¸Congratulations!!¡¹¡¹¡¹


    Everyone else must have known that King Charleas was going to make this declaration. That was why the congratulations were given out a little bit ahead of time.


    Clap clap clap clap clap clap!!


    Various sounds echoed within the audience hall; the applause, the congratulatory¡­


    ¡¸¡ª¡ªNo, rather than that, my food¡­¡­¡¹


    Groowlll~!


    And, the rumble of the stomach that Inglis finally could not hold anymore resounded. Although all the other sounds drowned it out, so she was saved from shame.


    The phrase is also commonly used to express ¡°worldly desires/short-term goals over spiritual desires/long-term goals.¡±


    There is also a Manga series, later adapted into a TV series (Japanese and then Korean), called Hana yori Dango (Boys Over Flowers), but with different kanji for the dango. ¡­¡­.There isn¡¯t the necessity for me to spend 5 minutes writing a trivia like this that no one will bother to read.


    But still, I wrote it because I hope everyone can enjoy it the same way I do.

 Chapter 152: 15-year-old Inglis and the Two Leading Actresses (5)

    ¡¸M-, making Glis the Commander of¡­¡­th-, that¡¯s just stupid!¡¹


    It was so shocking to her, Rafinha¡¯s eyes darted wildly. As though he overheard her comment, King Charleas grinned.


    ¡¸Perhaps, saying it foolish is not an overstatement. Her delegation is indeed unprecedented. However, we believe in what we saw. Inglis possesses a capacity on par with the Holy Knights and the Hyrule Menaces. What more reason do I need to patronize her for it? As a King, I am required to evaluate people evidently and treat them accordingly.¡¹


    To be frank, Inglis was sure she could do it well if she were to be a commander of a chivalric order. She was a monarch of a country much bigger than this one in her previous life. Leading a single chivalric order was a child¡¯s play. On that front, King Charleas¡¯ assessment was correct. He correctly evaluated Inglis¡¯ capabilities.


    At the same time, however, he was also wrong. His assessment of her capability was indeed correct, but not for her nature. On that note, Rafinha¡¯s evaluation was the correct one. Truly, it was just stupid.


    ¡¸B-, but the biggest problem here is that Glis is Glis, you know¡­¡­W-wait¡­ Rather than that, Mister Redas, you will no longer be the Commander, are you fine with that?!¡¹


    Rafinha turned to Redas, seeking a helping hand. If Inglis were to become the Commander of the Imperial Guard Order, the current Knight Commander, Redas, would lose his position. He surely wouldn¡¯t make amends with such¡­


    ¡¸I absolutely am!! In fact, I would personally ask her myself! I shall be her Vice Commander and will serve our new Commander with all my heart and soul!¡¹


    Redas, however, didn¡¯t have a single shred of doubt on his face.


    ¡¸EEeeeeh?!! Wh-, why would you go so far?!¡¹ ¡¸At that time, when Inglis¡ª¡ªnay, Commander Inglis confronted the Highlander Abel by herself and kicked him far out the castle¡­¡­I felt a wave of delight so horrifyingly intense. Didn¡¯t you all feel the same?!¡¹


    He called his subordinates.


    ¡¸¡¸Yes! Exactly!¡¹¡¹ ¡¸¡¸It felt so unbelievably refreshing!!¡¹¡¹


    Abel¡¯s attitude was like trampling on King Charleas¡¯ dignity under his feet, not leaving even an iota of it unharmed. And so, after having been forced to watch it happening up close, Inglis¡¯ blow had literally kicked the Knights¡¯ despondency away.


    ¡¸Up until now, we could only bow our heads to the Highland. Regardless of how outrageous they worked us around, we could only endure. After all, without the Artifacts given to us by them, we wouldn¡¯t be able to protect ourselves from Magic Stone Beasts¡­¡­ Even Holy Knights and Hyrule Menaces; they ultimately originated from the Highland. At the end of the day, we are heavily dependent on the Highland¡ª¡ªHowever, even without a Rune or an Artifact, Commander Inglis had defeated a top-class Highlander. She showed us how she destroyed the common sense and entrapment that had been existing up until now! That beauty, that strength, even now they¡¯re so vividly etched in my brain I can never forget it! Commander Inglis! Please lead us by your path!!¡¹ ¡¸¡¸We hereby ask of you!¡¹¡¹ ¡¸¡¸Commander Inglis!!¡¹¡¹


    Somehow, Redas and the rest of his Order seemed to be completely excited about it. Their glittering, hopeful gazes were all focused on Inglis at once.


    ¡¸You heard them, Inglis. There¡¯s nothing to be worried about. The Knights of the Order are already completely charmed by you. You truly are the Goddess who protects this Kingdom, surpassing even the Hyrule Menaces¡­¡­I leave these men in your hand.¡¹


    King Charleas put his hand on Inglis¡¯ shoulder with a plop, but before Inglis could make out any reply¡ª¡ª


    ¡¸B-but, Your Majesty! I-, I cannot agree with this!¡¹


    As though trying to rain on the parade, a short and plump man dressed not in the Knightly armor but rather in civil official attire raised his voice.


    ¡¸Th-, that girl is a Runeless! Placing someone like that in a position as vital as the Commander of the Imperial Guard Order will be a shame to high heavens! This has never happened before! It will destroy our long tradition of Knights!¡¹ ¡¸You fool! We can¡¯t get caught in such trivialities when we have Inglis before us! She is far too excellent that a Rune is redundant for someone like her! She is a new entity unbound by the common sense of this world¡­¡­You can¡¯t continue to survive in this world If you can¡¯t accept the unknown and endorse the changes!¡¹ ¡¸His Majesty the King is correct! We of the Imperial Guard Order have accepted it, what is there to object?!¡¹ ¡¸¡­¡­Exactly!¡¹


    Inglis, who had been silently watching the stage unfold, finally spoke up for the first time.


    ¡¸I agree with his views!¡¹


    So she said, standing at the side of the plump official.


    ¡¸¡¸¡¸Eeh¡­¡­?!!¡¹¡¹¡¹


    Every single soul in the room, save for Rafinha, raised their voices hysterically. Inglis then showed her right hand that was clear of Rune to everyone in the room to see.


    ¡¸As you can see, I am a Runeless¡ª¡ªAnd as per the rule of this Kingdom, a Runeless can only go as far as becoming a Squire, an Apprentice Knight! How can His Majesty the King, the one person who should set the standard for everyone, and Mister Redas, the Commander of the Imperial Guard Order himself, be the ones to violate their own rules?!¡¹ ¡¸Ugh?!¡¹ ¡¸H-, however, Inglis!¡¹


    Both Redas and King Charleas seemed like they were going to pursue the matter further, but Inglis definitely wouldn¡¯t back down. It seemed like the time for her to fight had come. One thing she would say about this delegation; absolutely no. Too bothersome.


    If she were to take up the position of a Knight Commander, she would be walking the same path as her previous life. In short, she would have to devote her life to this country and its people. Inglis had had enough. It was a path he had seen to the very end of it.


    Such a role was better left for people who had the passion for it. All she would do was stand on frontlines and continue to hone her skills in battles.


    She would definitely turn it down¡ª¡ªbut, refusing it in a way that would offend the King wouldn¡¯t be a good idea at all. She liked her current position and environment as a student at the Knight Academy, and if she were to screw up and be estranged from the country all alone, she would be separated from Rafinha too.


    I will show you how I refuse it amicably and conclusively!

 Chapter 153: 15-year-old Inglis and the Two Leading Actresses (6)

    Inglis decisively announced to the crowd all around her.


    ¡¸Rules exist to be kept and followed! Therefore I will not accept the position of a Knight Commander! I don¡¯t want the long line of Knight tradition to be broken just for me alone¡ª¡ª!¡¹ ¡¸B-, but, Inglis! Isn¡¯t only by revisioning old customs and discover a new and better one, we can weave a path for the future?!¡¹ ¡¸His Majesty the King is correct! Rather than rigid traditions, we must make a choice that is truly for the good of the Kingdom and the people! You have that worth!¡¹


    As expected, King Charleas and Redas were insistent. From the way they spoke, it seemed that they really wished to install Inglis as a Commander, thinking that would be for the sake of the country. They were both flexible with their attitude, evaluating good things as good and nothing else, and didn¡¯t bind themselves to commonly accepted practice.


    Those were all good points, which was why it was troubling. Don¡¯t roll me up in your world-keeping business.


    ¡¸However, is that necessarily for the better? Will it really be for the good of this country and the people? In fact, didn¡¯t this gentleman just object to it?¡¹ ¡¸That is just a trifle matter, Inglis. A pebble in the face of a grand cause.¡¹ ¡¸Indeed. He only did it to cover his own hide, fearing his position will be threatened!¡¹ ¡¸It is only normal for any man to worry about his position. I don¡¯t think there is anything wrong it¡ª¡ªAnd I¡¯m sure that there will be many others who would feel the same way if I were to be appointed as a Knight Commander.¡¹ ¡¸That, may be true, but¡­¡­!¡¹ ¡¸But still!¡¹ ¡¸At the same time, if I, a Runeless, become a Knight Commander, then all the Squires before me will believe that they, too, can become an official Knight. However, in actuality, they cannot, can they?¡¹ ¡¸Unless they possess the strength to be one, much like you do, then obviously they can¡¯t.¡¹ ¡¸After all, they are in their position because they don¡¯t have the power to wield an Artifact, to begin with.¡¹


    ¡¸Indeed. They would be discontent if their status remained unchanged even though I, a Runeless much like they are, had become a Commander of an entire Chivalric Order. This short-lived elation for the Squires would then lead to suspicion and eventually distrust against those in the seats of power. That might result in a disparity between those who have a Rune and those who don¡¯t. What I am afraid of, is that making a single exception may create an otherwise avoidable conflict. Please, see it from this perspective. I alone can¡¯t protect the whole Kingdom. It can only be done if everyone sees the same view and works shoulder to shoulder. While indeed we have the help of the Highlanders, this Kingdom has the tradition and record that proved that we can accomplish it together. Is it worth making me a Knight Commander, even if that means it would pull us apart? Perhaps there is something that can be gained by this exception, but I believe we will lose just as much. I do not wish to see this Kingdom fall into turmoil just because of me!¡¹ ¡¸M-mu¡­a slight change in heart may cause a division amongst us, so you say¡­¡­¡¹ ¡¸Are you saying that, at the end of the day, it is not beneficial for the country?¡¹ ¡¸Yes. That is why¡ª¡ªwith a heavy heart, I must decline the position of a Commander Knight. I truly am sorry¡­¡­¡¹


    Having said so, a single tear trickled down Inglis¡¯ cheek. Half of what she performed was an act, but the other half of it was genuine. She really found it regrettable. Of course, it wasn¡¯t about her declining her position as a Knight Commander or her lamenting her career path.


    ¡ª¡ªin short, she grieved for the feast that was supposed to be waiting for them after her inauguration.


    After having turned down King Charleas¡¯ personal assistance, they would happily indulge in the celebratory feast and put everything behind¡ª¡ªobviously that wasn¡¯t how things would turn. She was really sad, as the banquet was right under her nose. She couldn¡¯t hold her tears to flow, but she had no other option but to leave now.


    ¡¸Glis¡­¡­¡¹


    Nearby, Rafinha was also drowning in tears. She too had guessed it from the flow of events. The fact that they had to give up on the feast.


    ¡¸Inglis¡ª¡ª¡¹ ¡¸Forgive us. We pushed you into the corner¡­¡­¡¹


    However, King Charleas and Redas seemed to have taken a different meaning from it. The tears shed by Inglis, an immensely beautiful lady at the young age of 15, seemed to have formed a ripple in their hearts. There were signs that they would back down.


    Still, what was the point of the summon then? Not only would they miss out on the banquet, but Inglis also had to go to the effort of refusing the career she had no interest in.


    Had she known this would be the case, she would have just stayed and helped with the civil engineering work at the Knight Academy and taken the provided lunch boxes. Now she had missed the lunch boxes too.


    No, this isn¡¯t the end yet! I refuse to fall only to gain nothing. At least let me get something out of this!


    With that in mind, Inglis knelt down again in front of the King.


    ¡¸Your Majesty. I may be unable to accept the position, but I shall offer you my strength.¡¹ ¡¸Hm¡­¡­What do you mean?¡¹ ¡¸I will certainly come to your bidding in times of crisis like the other day, so please summon me as you see fit! Use my power to its limit however you need it. If so, there won¡¯t be any unnecessary conflict like what I mentioned before. I believe you will be able to utilize me most effectively like such.¡¹ ¡¸However, that will make you¡­¡¹ ¡¸I don¡¯t mind. I need neither position nor honor. So long my heart is gratified, I wish for nothing more.¡¹


    Of course, what she meant by that was to be able to fight against strong opponents to heart¡¯s content, to gain experience in actual combat, and to experience growth from it. However, how they take Inglis¡¯ words was up to them.


    ¡¸What a venerable young girl! I admire your spirit.¡¹


    King Charleas seemed to have interpreted it as Inglis wishing for the good of the Kingdom and the people. Again, it was up to them to decide how they would take Inglis¡¯ words. Inglis herself spewed not a single lie.


    ¡¸I see¡­¡­How regrettable, I would have loved to serve under you¡­¡­Being with you, with your beautiful figure like the moon in the high sky, and your fragrance like the most sublime flower, every day would have been paradise¡­¡­¡¹ ¡¸¡­¡­¡­¡­¡¹ ¡¸N-, never mind! A-anyway! While you will not become our commander, we can still fight together again, right?!¡¹ ¡¸Of course. I look forward for that time to come. Please do summon me whenever you need my help.¡¹


    Personally, for Inglis, it would be great if they would call upon her just to defeat some strong opponent without her having to bear the responsibility that came with it. That¡¯s what she tried to get across.


    There was some slight difference regarding the motives; they sought for a bigger cause while Inglis sought for battle experience, but this would benefit both parties, so it would be fine.


    With that, her coming here wouldn¡¯t be all for naught.


    ¡¸Now, if you will excuse us!¡¹


    Inglis bowed deeply and left the audience hall.

 Chapter 154: 15-year-old Inglis and the Two Leading Actresses (7)

    As soon as they left the audience hall, Rafinha let out a big sigh.


    ¡¸A~ah, I came here for nothing¡­¡­You still have it good, Glis! Back then, you basically just refused all the bothersome stuff and asked to just fight, right? You coaxed it so that everything falls on your lap, Glis~¡¹ ¡¸It is convenient for them too, you know? They can utilize my strength, and my strength only, without needing to face needless problems! I am your Squire, Rani, I don¡¯t have the time to be a Knight Commander.¡¹ ¡¸Don¡¯t use me as an excuse! You¡¯re just finding it bothersome, aren¡¯t you?!¡¹


    Inglis¡¯ cheeks were pulled.


    ¡¸Oush oush oush¡­¡­! Hyon hyull¡ª¡ª!¡¹ ¡¸¡­¡­Hey, are you sure about this? Being a Knight Commander is a huge promotion, you know? It¡¯s comparable to being a Holy Knight like Big brother Rafa. I¡¯m sure Aunt Selena and Commander Ryuk would have been really happy about this news. My Father, Mother, and everyone in the Ymir too. Are you sure you¡¯re turning it down that easily? If you¡¯re worried about me, I¡­¡¹


    Yoink!


    Unusually enough, Inglis pinched Rafinha¡¯s cheeks this time.


    ¡¸I¡¯m okay with this. I like the way things are now. But, Mother and Father might be disappointed if they heard about it. That¡¯s why, don¡¯t tell them, okay?¡¹


    She let go of Rafinha¡¯s cheeks then hugged her gently.


    ¡¸¡­¡­Okay. I got it. A~ah, I really came here for nothing at all.¡¹


    Rumble~!Grumble~!


    And then, their stomachs rumbled together.


    ¡¸¡­¡­Let¡¯s go back.¡¹ ¡¸Let¡¯s¡ª¡ª¡¹


    The two then walked towards the courtyard where the Star Princess unit was parked, but then¡­


    ¡¸Hoo Ho Ho Ho! M-, My oh my, is that Inglis and Rafinha I am spying over theeeree~! Sure has been very a while!¡¹


    A thin, middle-aged man wearing an eccentric grab called out to them almost in a shout.


    ¡¸¡­¡­!¡¹ ¡¸Y-, you¡¯re!¡¹


    It was someone who had been a great help for both of them back then in Ymir.


    ¡¸Hellow there! Your very own Count Weissmall at your serviiicee~!¡¹


    With a good-humored gait, he approached Inglis and Rafinha. To be honest, his demeanor was a bit unnerving, but they had grown accustomed to it and didn¡¯t find it surprising.


    ¡¸Goodness gracious, hasn¡¯t it been 2 years. You two¡¯s performance back in Ymir, it¡¯s still shining bright in my heart as if it happened yesterday~!¡¹


    He smiled happily as he said so. Count Weissmall was a man who led a theatrical troupe that traveled around all sorts of places, performing plays, songs, and dances. He claimed that he was originally from a noble family, but the family lost their territory during his grandfather¡¯s generation. Count Weissmall was the third generation of their lineage to lead the traveling troupe. Which was why the title Count was something akin to an alias to him, a nickname.


    As for the Weissmall Troupe, they had been doing this kind of work for decades. The name of the troupe was well known throughout the country, and the count was famous for his arts. Seeing that Inglis and Rafinha met him in the Royal Castle, would they be performing in the Royal Capital this time?


    When the Weissmall Troupe came to Ymir, the hometown of the girls, Inglis and Rafinha once stood on their stage to sing and dance at a performance.


    It was when both Inglis and Rafinha were only thirteen years old. They had saved the troupe that was assaulted by a pack of Magic Stone Beasts while it was on the way to Ymir, and with that as the impetus, the count scouted them in person.


    Thanks to her performance, Inglis had grown somewhat accustomed to the crowd when she was dressed up. When Rafinha saw this, she commented that Inglis had started a new page as a woman. She was not pleased to hear it at all.


    ¡¸You two have grown even more beautiful in the past two years, yes! Oh my, what¡¯s the matter? You¡¯re all in tears!¡¹ ¡¸Uu¡­¡­UWAaaaaahhhh!! Count Weissmall!!¡¹ ¡¸Save uss¡ª¡ª!¡¹


    There was a reason for the reaction of Inglis and Rafinha towards Count Weissmall. When they met in Ymir, Ymir was having a bad harvest and was short of food. Both Inglis and Rafinha had restricted the amount of food they would eat to set an example for the people, and they were on a hunger strike back then just like they were now.


    The Weissmall Troupe showed up with plenty of their own foodstuff, and they had offered Inglis and Rafinha all the food they wanted if the girls would attend the performance. To be honest, it wouldn¡¯t be an overstatement to say that they went to the performance that day because of the food.


    And so, the girls made the connection in their minds. Count Weissmall = A full stomach.


    Grrrowwll~!Grooowll~!


    ¡¸My oh minnie my. I say, you two always seem to be hungry whenever you appear in front of me. Would it do for you to grab a bite on our troupe¡¯s cater?¡¹ ¡¸¡¸Yes! Please!¡¹¡¹ ¡¸Hou hou! Then come, be my guest. But¡ª¡ªyou will be assisting the Weissmall Troupe in our performance in the Chiral Royal Capital, how does that sound?¡¹ ¡¸¡¸We¡¯ll do anything! We want to eat!¡¹¡¹ ¡¸Hohou Hou! What a blessing, then! You two will be perfect for the performance! It must be fate that brings us together today! A godsend, must be!¡¹ ¡¸Yes! It has to be!!¡¹ ¡¸We also think it¡¯s a godsend to meet you!¡¹


    At any rate, it seemed that they finally could have a meal to their hearts¡¯ content. They had missed out on the banquet at the Royal Capital, but ultimately, it was good that they came here.


    They wanted to thank the Gods for their reunion with the Count. Inglis couldn¡¯t sense the signs of the Gods in this world right now, though¡­

 Chapter 155: 15-year-old Inglis and the Two Leading Actresses (8)

    Apparently, the Weissmall Troupe had obtained permission from King Charleas to use the large theater in the Royal Capital, and they were currently renting a room there to prepare for their performance.


    They arrived at the capital just right after the recent incursion from the Ironblood Chain Brigade, and so they did not suffer any damage from it. Inglis and Rafinha were made to sit in on the dinner along with the troupe members¡ª¡ª


    ¡¸Munya¡­¡­dashtyy¡ª¡ª! Awun weayyi gwadh¡­¡­dhap whee medh widh kaunt Wayssmaw¡ª¡ª(Aah, tasty¡ª¡ª! I¡¯m really glad¡­¡­that we met with Count Weissmall¡ª¡ª)¡¹ ¡¸Yuuwew wayt dhan¡­¡­Ah fweeh wayt Awun baph dho waifu(You¡¯re right Rani¡­¡­I feel like I¡¯m back to life)¡¹


    Shaking with emotions, the two reached for a huge platter of fried chicken next.


    Munch! munch munch! munchmunchmunchmunchmunch!


    The huge platter was emptied in a matter of seconds.


    ¡¸¡¸Seconds, please!!¡¹¡¹


    They held up the completely empty dish and requested for more, their faces full of smiles.


    ¡¸S-, still the same¡­¡­¡¹ ¡¸What voracity!¡¹ ¡¸No, they¡¯re actually faster than two years ago?¡¹


    Many of the troupe members remembered Inglis and Rafinha from their performance in Ymir two years ago. However, they still couldn¡¯t hide their surprise and were stunned and stopped eating their own meals to watch the two young ladies.


    ¡¸Come, come, bring more food in!¡¹ ¡¸Yaay! Thank you so much, Count ????¡¹ ¡¸You¡¯re our lifesaver!¡¹ ¡¸Please, don¡¯t ever mind it~! Sleep well, eat well, smile well! That¡¯s the secret of your beauty, isn¡¯t it~! Both of you have grown even more beautiful in the past two years! If my stage can be painted with your beauty, then this much is nothing!¡¹


    What a truly good person.


    Count Weissmall was generous, both now and back then, and he kept his smile no matter how much Inglis and Rafinha wolfed down his pantry. He was an eccentric man, with his peculiar clothing, fishy behavior, and shrill voice, but to Inglis and Rafinha, he could very well be their own angel.


    ¡¸Oh right, what are we going to do this time? Are we going to sing and dance again?¡¹


    Whilst waiting for their additional food to come, Rafinha asked Count Weissmall a question.


    ¡¸No, the centerpiece will be a stage play this time around! And a new play at that! We¡¯ve been given this huge theater after all, so I want to make use of the whole space and give it a lot of action!¡¹ ¡¸Heeh¡­¡­that sounds interesting!¡¹ ¡¸So we are going to move all around the stage¡ª¡ªis that it?¡¹ ¡¸Indeed! And not only that, with this much space we have to work with, I want to make a spectacular production by flying around a Flygear or two in it! I¡¯m sure this stage will be loved by men and women of all ages!¡¹ ¡¸Sounds awesome! I love it when things are gaudy!¡¹ ¡¸You can leave the combat sections to us.¡¹ ¡¸Of course, of course! I am well aware of the skills of you two, and so I¡¯d like to start by having you instruct our members how to enact battle scenes and how to operate Flygears!¡¹ ¡¸I see¡ª¡ªThe things right up our alley, huh.¡¹ ¡¸Yeah, I think we can do that.¡¹ ¡¸I have heard that you two are currently under the Knight Academy¡¯s care. If possible, I¡¯d like you to ask the Academy if we can borrow some Flygear! We have some units ourselves, but we don¡¯t have enough!¡¹ ¡¸Understood. We will try to discuss it with the Principal.¡¹ ¡¸Even if she gave a no, I will lend you our Star Princess! It¡¯s our private property, after all!¡¹ ¡¸Eeh?! Using that one? I recall, the kids in town don¡¯t like it very much¡­¡­¡¹ ¡¸But there is one that likes it! Why should we listen only to the bad views? We should just listen to the good ones.¡¹ ¡¸Hou ho! That really fancy Flygear, yes? How splendid! I fell in love with it at first sight myself! We¡¯d love to borrow it!¡¹


    It seemed like it was well-liked by the Count.


    ¡¸O-, okay¡­¡­¡¹


    This person seemed to be always accepting everything so light-heatedly, but was that really okay for him? No, perhaps this kind of open-mindedness was necessary for art. After all, this was a field Inglis wasn¡¯t particularly familiar with.


    ¡¸That means we¡¯ll be working behind the scenes this time, then! I wanted to stand on the stage too, though!¡¹ ¡¸I am fine with just being a stagehand.¡¹ ¡¸What are you two talking about! Of course I will have you appear on the stage! There is no way we will miss out showcasing both of you, Inglis and Rafinha, not when you two have grown so beautiful!¡¹ ¡¸Ehehe, beautiful he said. Now I¡¯m getting motivated~!¡¹ ¡¸¡­¡­However, doesn¡¯t that mean we will be overtaking the positions of the troupe members?¡¹ ¡¸Hohou ho! Not a thing to worry about! We always have locals we meet at our destination to fill in the suitable role! The local audience will feel more familiar with the performance that way, after all! That is the policy of us, the Weissmall Troupe! Our guest¡¯s satisfaction is our top priority! Well, not many can measure up to my criteria, though! Just don¡¯t worry about it!¡¹ ¡¸I see!¡¹ ¡¸Now now, this is the script of the performance! I want you to play the heroine, Mariabelle!¡¹ ¡¸Playing the heroine?! Wow, that¡¯s a huge role!¡¹ ¡¸You¡¯re right¡­¡­¡¹


    With that, Inglis and Rafinha went through the script that Count Weissmall had handed over to them. At a glance, it appeared to be a story about two men fighting over a girl named Mariabelle. It seemed like their rivalry was painted with a lot of fervent battle scenes.


    A battle over Flygears was also neatly incorporated into the play. The whole stage was going to be pretty gaudy. In the end, one of the men would come out as the winner and be wedded with Mariabelle, but¡­


    ¡¸Oooh?!! Th-, there¡¯s a kissing scene at the last segment!¡¹ ¡¸EEeeehh?!! N-, no way¡ª¡ª! There really is! Umm, Count¡ª¡ªwe can¡¯t do something about this?¡¹ ¡¸Oh never! It is necessary as an artistic expression! No compromises!¡¹ ¡¸Uu¡­¡­?!¡¹ ¡¸I think it¡¯s better for Glis to play Mariabelle since the roles look better on her, but¡­¡­If you don¡¯t want to, I can do it, you know? That¡¯s okay right, Count?¡¹ ¡¸But of course, it is of no problem! After all, Rafinha has her own charm too!¡¹ ¡¸Eeeh?! Sh-, she can¡¯t¡ª¡ª! It¡¯s still too early for Rani, and the Marquis also asked me to take care of her too!¡¹ ¡¸Then, you¡¯ll take the role, Glis?¡¹ ¡¸Uugh¡­¡­?!¡¹


    I don¡¯t want that either. This is turning into quite a pickle. I absolutely don¡¯t want Rafinha to do it, but imagining myself doing it gives me a chill too. Even so, the Count says the kissing scene will never be omitted, which means we probably should just not take up a performing role¡ª¡ª


    ¡¸Well, if neither of you really can fill the role in, then I¡¯m afraid I can¡¯t take care of your foods now, can I?¡¹ ¡¸Uuuuu¡­¡­?!¡¹


    I don¡¯t want that either! I don¡¯t want to go through starvation again!


    ¡¸P-, please give us a time to think¡­¡­!¡¹ ¡¸But of course, take your time! Just make sure you have decided it in two to three days!¡¹ ¡¸Th-, thank you very much!¡¹


    Inglis was given time to think, but¡ª¡ªshe really was in a tight spot this time.

 Chapter 156: 15-year-old Inglis and the Two Leading Actresses (9)

    The next morning, Inglis and Rafinha guided Count Weissmall to where Principal Miliera was. With the school building being in rubbles, there was obviously no Principal Office either, so they took him directly to the reconstruction site where the principal was taking command over the project.


    ¡¸Eh?! You want to borrow the Academy¡¯s Flygears for the performance of the Weissmall Troupe?¡¹ ¡¸Yes! I heard there was a large-scale incursion in the Royal Capital just the other day. I wish to lift the spirits of the townspeople by using them!¡¹


    Count Weissmall requested in his usual high-pitched voice and strange gestures, but how would Principal Miliera respond? Inglis believed that she was a reasonable person, but she was by no means whimsical. Was she perhaps going to refuse to cooperate in such matters?


    ¡¸WAAaaahh~! That sounds wonderful! I love theatre plays! I¡¯ve seen a lot of Weissmall Troupe¡¯s performances! I¡¯m a fan!¡¹


    ¡ª¡ªShe was very welcoming instead.


    ¡¸Hohou! Thank you very much for that! Being told that makes our activities feel rewarded!¡¹ ¡¸So, so, do we get tickets or other perks if we cooperate with you?¡¹ ¡¸Oh, but of course! I will arrange for special seats for members of the Knight Academy! You may come to watch as many times as you want until you have it enough!¡¹ ¡¸Kyaah~! Hooray, we got special seats~???? Then I¡¯ll cooperate with you fully!¡¹ ¡¸Principal! Please hold onto your decision!¡¹


    It was Silva who raised his voice, a third-year student and the only student who possessed a Special Grade Rune. The conversation seemed to have been caught by his ears as he was giving out operation orders nearby.


    ¡¸Eh? What¡¯s the matter, Mister Silva?¡¹ ¡¸Don¡¯t give me that question! Please, don¡¯t get easily enticed into things! The Academy is in the middle of reconstructing the destroyed buildings, this is not the time for something like this!¡¹


    As one would expect from the straight-laced Silva, he had objected to Principal Miliera.


    ¡¸No, this is precisely the time for this! The classes are impeded since we are missing the facilities anyway, so we might as well have whatever fun we can while we can! There might be those who are bummed out by this situation too, so I¡¯m sure the performance will lift their spirits up! Right?¡¹ ¡¸Yes! We had our spirits lifted all thanks to Count Weissmall!¡¹


    Rafinha raised her hand energetically.


    ¡¸Right, Glis?¡¹ ¡¸You¡¯re right!¡¹ ¡¸For your case, isn¡¯t that because he¡¯s feeding you two¡­¡­¡¹ ¡¸With how spirited you are, the two of you look like different people compared to yesterday!¡¹


    Commented Leone and Liselotte, both smiling wryly.


    ¡¸H-, however, the Knight Academy is a public institute. Which means, unless we have the permission of the King, or if the activity would provide obvious benefit for the country and the people, we can¡¯t exactly¡­¡¹ ¡¸Hou Ho Ho!¡¹


    With a strange gesticulation, Count Weissmall cottoned up to Silva


    ¡¸Worry not! We, the Weissmall Troupe, are working only for the good of the people, for the betterment of the world! With the Prism Flow flowing throughout Midland, the threat of Magic Stone Beasts is endless. That fate, that dread, we divert their minds from it with our performance¡­¡­that is our role!¡¹ ¡¸Th-, that is indeed a noble purpose, but¡­¡¹ ¡¸You will surely understand us if you¡¯re familiar with our activities! How is it? Will you show up on our stage? From what I can see, you possess the Special Grade Rune, and your look is eloquent. The highlight of the play this time are fierce battles on the stage, so you are more than qualified!¡¹ ¡¸N-, no, I¡­¡­!¡¹ ¡¸Wah, amazing! You can make Mister Silva a performer?! That sounds good!¡¹ ¡¸P-, Principal! I¡¯m ill-suited for such frivolous things!¡¹ ¡¸But it¡¯s not a frivolous thing at all. Being exposed to art enriches your humanity! I¡¯m sure it will have positive effects on you, Mister Silva!¡¹ ¡¸¡­¡­You¡¯ll become less snappy¡ª¡ªa good thing.¡¹


    It was Yua, who was carrying several logs at the same time, who muttered those words under her breath. It seemed like she just overheard it while passing by.


    She was transporting materials for the reconstruction, but she had an exceptionally large amount of materials on her shoulder; a sight that didn¡¯t fit her slender figure at all.


    She was still a powerhouse as ever, and she showed no side effects whatsoever even after being absorbed by the Prisma in the last incident.


    She was the most perfect opponent for a duel, after all. Inglis really needed to figure out a way to make breasts bigger, so that Yua would be willing to fight her. Yua promised that if the method Inglis taught worked, she would spar with her.


    ¡¸That¡¯s not coming from me, it¡¯s your attitude that¡¯s problematic!¡¹ ¡¸¡­¡­What do you mean?¡¹


    The moment Yua tilted her head, showing no expression at all, the long log under her arms swung out and struck Silva on the shin.


    ¡¸Ah. M¡¯bad.¡¹ ¡¸Ouch¡­¡­! This is what I meant, this!¡¹ ¡¸Now now now, Mister Silva. We have a guest, let¡¯s maintain our manner! That being said, it¡¯s not common to be invited like this, so I think you should at least attempt it!¡¹ ¡¸Agreed! What, it¡¯s fine! Inglis here will stand on the same stage too, you see!¡¹ ¡¸Eeeh?!¡¹ ¡¸Wah! Miss Inglis too, huh? Indeed, Miss Inglis will look wonderful on stage¡­¡­You have a good eye, Mr. Weissmall!¡¹ ¡¸Hohou! Truth is, she had stood on our stage before, you see! I am hoping to have her stand on the stage again!¡¹ ¡¸Heeeh~! You do your best too, Miss Inglis!¡¹ ¡¸N-, no, I still haven¡¯t¡­¡­¡¹


    She still hadn¡¯t decided she would take up the role. There was a huge problem that needed to be addressed. Too huge, in fact.


    ¡¸There¡¯s a kissing scene at the end too! Right, Glis?¡¹ ¡¸Wai¡­¡­! Hold on, Rani, you can¡¯t¡ª¡ª¡¹ ¡¸¡¸¡¸¡¸EEEEHH?!¡¹¡¹¡¹¡¹


    Rafinha¡¯s revelation was met with surprise from everyone present.


    ¡¸Inglis doing a kissing scene? I¡¯m surprised she agreed to it!¡¹ ¡¸Indeed¡­¡­In front of the audience, to boot¡­¡¹ ¡¸That¡¯s bold, even for a theatre play¡­¡­I couldn¡¯t help but imagine it now.¡¹ ¡¸Yes, now we¡¯re the ones who are getting nervous¡­¡­Had it been me, I¡¯m not sure I could do it!¡¹ ¡¸D-, do your best¡­¡­Inglis!¡¹ ¡¸We will make sure to take a good, long look, for our future references.¡¹


    Leone and Liselotte¡¯s cheeks blushed pinkishly when they said so. A strange excitement and a feeling of expectation were evident in their expression. They were both healthy young maidens, after all, they couldn¡¯t exactly act indifferent towards such topics it seems.


    ¡¸No, it¡¯s not decided just¡­¡­¡¹ ¡¸And the candidate for that kiss, is you!¡¹


    Said Count Weissmall, placing his hand on Silva¡¯s shoulder.


    ¡¸¡¸¡¸Oooohhh~!¡¹¡¹¡¹


    Everyone cheered.


    ¡¸Wha¡­¡­?! Th-, that¡¯s all more the reason I can¡¯t do it! How stupid! I will have to decline!¡¹ ¡¸Eeh~¡­¡­I thought it would be easier if it¡¯s with your senior, Silva, since you and Glis have known each other.¡¹ ¡¸¡¸That¡¯s not the issue here!!¡¹¡¹


    Inglis and Silva¡¯s voices overlapped.


    ¡¸So you want your first kiss with brother Rafa, after all? But, you know he¡¯s on a sortie, and this is just a performance, not the real one. Though, if brother Rafa heard about it later, he might not be able to keep himself inattentive any longer and be on the offensive with Glis? And then, the day Glis and I become real sisters will come sooner~???? ¡­¡­What¡¯s wrong, Glis? Why are you crouching?¡¹ ¡¸Uuuu¡­¡­¡¹


    Each word that Rafinha, Leone, and Liselotte had been saying since a while ago made Inglis¡¯ spine chilled even with just the thought of it. After all, when Inglis thought about it again, kissing a man in front of a crowd of people was horrifying. Just, horrifying. It wasn¡¯t about who she was kissing, but the very act itself was physiologically impossible for her.


    ¡¸Can¡¯t you please reconsider it?!¡¹


    Count Weissmall still tried to convince Silva for the role.


    ¡¸I am sorry, but I can¡¯t help you! I firmly refuse!¡¹ ¡¸Hmm, if Mister Silva really can¡¯t¡ª¡ªthen, who else here wants to do a kissing scene with Miss Inglis?!¡¹


    Principal Miliera then got carried away with the flow and instigated the students all around.


    ¡¸¡¸¡¸Me me me me me!!¡¹¡¹¡¹


    A large number of hands raised high. At the same time, the boys¡¯ eyes were all focused on Inglis alone.


    ¡¸Waah! Glis, you¡¯re so popular ????¡¹ ¡¸Hiieeeeekkkk?!!¡¹


    By Alistair, Inglis wished they would stop looking at her with those bloodshot gazes, really. She couldn¡¯t fight against the chill that froze over her spine.


    ¡¸Waah¡ª¡ªthat¡¯s Inglis for you¡­¡­Ah! You can¡¯t raise your hand, Lahti! You aren¡¯t, right?¡¹


    Pullum, a student of the Knight division from the same generation, and Lahti, a classmate in the Squire division, were also there. The two were overseas students from the North, they were childhood friends with each other and usually had good chemistry with one another. Pullum was looking at Lahti as if to chide him.


    ¡¸Hell if I will. I ain¡¯t interested in such a thing.¡¹ ¡¸Okay. Anything else to add?¡¹


    Pullum turned her ears to Lahti.


    ¡¸Haah?¡¹ ¡¸I mean lines like ¡°I will only raise my hand if it¡¯s with you!¡±¡¹ ¡¸As if!¡¹


    Then¡ª¡ª


    ¡¸If Silva declines the offer¡ª¡ªthen I will raise my hand too!¡¹


    The one who announced his arrival with such a loud voice was the older brother of Silva¡ª¡ªthe Commander of the Imperial Guard Order, Redas.

 Chapter 157: 15-year-old Inglis and the Two Leading Actresses (10)

    ¡¸Mister Redas?!¡¹ ¡¸Haha! Miss Inglis, good day to you.¡¹


    Redas gave Inglis a courteous bow.


    ¡¸B-, brother! What are you doing here? Are you worried about me again?! You don¡¯t need to, go back to your duty already.¡¹


    Silva looked slightly annoyed.


    ¡¸That¡¯s not it. Your brother is here on duty. Silva, I am checking upon Miss Inglis, not you.¡¹ ¡¸Inglis? But why?¡¹ ¡¸Mhm. Miss Inglis here has promised His Majesty that she will come to aid in the event of a national crisis. Therefore, to prepare for such emergencies, we are to create a communication system where she can respond immediately. For that reason, Miss Inglis, we of the Imperial Guard Order will be visiting you from time to time. Best of regards.¡¹ ¡¸S-, sure¡­¡¹


    It was a bit of a hassle, but Inglis welcomed the fact that they might summon her if something really went wrong. There would always be a good fight at the heart of an incident as huge as a national crisis.


    ¡¸Still, it will be troubling if you keep watch on me all the time, so please be moderate with it.¡¹ ¡¸Of course! We will cause you not a single trouble!¡¹ ¡¸That¡¯s good and all, but you can¡¯t peek on her either, okay!¡¹


    Added Rafinha.


    ¡¸No, no, that¡¯s outrageous! Not to mention, I am sure a person of Miss Inglis¡¯ caliber would be able to sense the presence of others, so such an act would prove impossible.¡¹ ¡¸That¡¯s not true though? Glis keeps forgetting herself when she¡¯s in front of mirrors, so she¡¯s always defenseless!¡¹ ¡¸Rani¡­¡­! You don¡¯t need to say that!¡¹ ¡¸Hou! I see now, so Miss Inglis is defenseless in the presence of mirrors¡­¡­ Well, well¡ª¡ª¡¹ ¡¸Brother, I don¡¯t understand what¡¯s going on. Why would you be attending Inglis!¡¹ ¡¸Hm. Miss Inglis has been a huge benefactor for His Majesty the King and the Imperial Guard Order during the last incident. His Majesty was greatly pleased by her performance, and wished to install Miss Inglis as the Commander of the Imperial Guard Order.¡¹ ¡¸¡¸¡¸¡¸EEEHHHHH?!!! COMMANDER??!!!¡¹¡¹¡¹¡¹


    Yelps of surprise, almost like a scream, rose up.


    ¡¸Inglis, the Commander of the Imperial Guard Order?! Wh-, what a promotion¡ª¡¹ ¡¸I-, it is unprecedented¡­¡­However¡­¡¹ ¡¸In terms of competence, she¡¯s befitting¡­¡­? She perhaps is, but¡­¡¹ ¡¸But¡ª¡ªtaking account of various ramifications it might invite, she had declined the offer.¡¹ ¡¸¡¸¡¸¡¸DECLINED?!!¡¹¡¹¡¹¡¹


    Again with the exclamations.


    ¡¸Nonetheless, she has promised to help us in dire times. Hence why we¡¯re establishing the communication line.¡¹ ¡¸B-, by the lords¡­¡­Are you fine with that, Inglis?! No, personally speaking, I am glad you declined, as my brother wouldn¡¯t be demoted from his position, but still!¡¹ ¡¸Hah. You think small, Silva! Miss Inglis possesses superior fighting skill, level-headedness, and even eloquent beauty! I cannot measure up to her in any single aspect! Thinking about it, I wish to serve under Miss Inglis! Ma¡¯am, if you ever change your mind, the seat of the Commander will always be ready for you!¡¹ ¡¸N-, no, thank you.¡¹ ¡¸If so, then I shall come to visit from time to time! Even with the current circumstance, I can still watch your figure and listen to your voice; it seems as if my daily fatigue goes blown away!¡¹ ¡¸I-, I see¡­¡­¡¹ ¡¸It has been a while since I have been devoted to something other than looking after my brother Silva! It¡¯s as if I¡¯ve regained my youth!¡¹ ¡¸¡ª¡ªIn a way, you really saved my skin, Inglis.¡¹ ¡¸What do you mean, Senior?¡¹ ¡¸My brother is overprotective of me, you see. You stealing his attention means I can have some degree of freedom.¡¹ ¡¸¡­¡­¡­¡­¡¹


    Well, indeed, it was an objective truth that Inglis¡¯ appearance was extraordinary, calling her an out-of-the-world beauty was not an overstatement, and she herself agreed with it.


    Her fighting skill also substantially eclipsed that of the members of the Imperial Guard Order. At the very least, those that Inglis had met.


    Therefore, it wasn¡¯t hard for her to understand why anyone would be infatuated with her. It wasn¡¯t hard at all, but¡­ That was in theory, and when she experienced that infatuation in practice, it wasn¡¯t the most pleasant.


    ¡¸S-, still, turning down the position of a Knight Commander is just too big of a waste! It would have been the greatest honor anyone could have asked¡­¡­¡¹ ¡¸B-, but, it¡¯s Inglis! It¡¯s her we¡¯re talking about, so I kind of expected her to decline, too¡­¡­¡¹ ¡¸H-, hold on! Wait a minute, Miss Inglis! Can we talk¡­¡­?!¡¹


    Beckoned Principal Miliera.


    ¡¸Yes.¡¹


    When she walked over, the Principal leaned to her so that only Inglis could listen.


    ¡¸G-, give me an explanation, please¡­¡­! Why did you turn down such a marvelous offer?!¡¹ ¡¸It will be a long story¡­¡¹ ¡¸Ah. Then, please make it short, just give me your real reason, straight! It¡¯s alright, I won¡¯t get mad no matter what you¡¯ll say¡­¡­¡¹ ¡¸Let me see. To put it briefly¡­¡¹ ¡¸Mhmm, mhmm¡ª¡ª¡¹ ¡¸It¡¯s bothersome, so I don¡¯t want to.¡¹ ¡¸Ahahaha¡­¡­I-, I see now! That can¡¯t be helped then¡­¡­¡¹


    Principal Miliera let out strained laughter.


    ¡¸S-, still, a student of the Knight Academy, the one place that nurtures people into Knights, said that becoming a Knight of the highest order was a hassle¡­¡­S-, so, may I ask what are you doing here, Miss Inglis? We¡¯re just talking about your philosophy, yes, philosophy¡­¡­¡¹ ¡¸I¡¯m here to watch Rani¡¯s growth and to improve myself by experiencing numerous battles. I think this is a good environment for both.¡¹ ¡¸N-, no, Miss Rafinha has a firm and concrete standing on things, in fact, I think she is heftier than you are in that front, you know¡­¡­?¡¹ ¡¸Thank you very much for your compliment for Rani.¡¹ ¡¸Haah¡­¡­There was one more thing that I said after that, but you ignored it, huh¡­¡¹ ¡¸Yes. I don¡¯t have the intention to change my standing, after all.¡¹ ¡¸I-, I see¡­¡­¡¹


    While Inglis and Principal Miliera were having such a conversation, Redas was trying to negotiate with Count Weissmall.


    ¡¸And so, Mr. Weissmall! If Silva won¡¯t do it, then I will! Fufufu, with Miss Inglis¡­¡­Gufufufufu¡ª¡ª¡¹ ¡¸I refuse!¡¹


    Gross. Heck no. She didn¡¯t want to do it with anyone in the first place, but now she was even more appalled.


    ¡¸Nuu¡­¡­?! However, if that¡¯s what Miss Inglis said, then I comply! In which case, I cannot allow such an insolent plot to happen! Mr. Weissmall, I¡¯ll have you revise it!¡¹ ¡¸Ooh¡­¡­¡¹


    That was quite the change of attitude, but it worked in Inglis¡¯ favor. If Redas could get rid of the kissing scene, that means Inglis could eat as much of the bribe as she wanted without any worries.


    ¡¸I shall not! It¡¯s a necessary part for the artistic expression¡¹


    Count Weissmall seemed to be very particular with it. He was adamant.


    ¡¸We will take the Heroine¡¯s opinion into account when we are selecting the personnel¡ª¡ªbut, the plot remains the same!¡¹ ¡¸Hmm¡­¡­¡¹


    What do I do? Is there some way I can leverage the situation at all?!


    As Inglis was pondering, she caught Yua¡¯s murmur nearby.


    ¡¸How envious¡ª¡ª¡¹ ¡¸Eh? What¡¯s the matter, Senior Yua?¡¹ ¡¸I mean, you can kiss any good-looking guy that you want, right? How nice¡¹


    It seemed like that was what the situation looked like to Yua. She was the kind of person who wanted to make her breasts bigger to become popular in the first place.


    ¡¸Then, why don¡¯t you take the¡ª¡ªAaah¡­¡­! No, wait¡­¡­! That¡¯s not it¡­¡­!¡¹


    Suddenly, Inglis felt like a strike of electricity struck her brain. An ingenious idea. This was really ingenious. A wonderful approach just popped up in her mind!


    ¡¸That¡¯s right, you don¡¯t take the role¡ª¡ªWe¡¯ll play together¡­¡­!¡¹ ¡¸?¡¹ ¡¸Count Weissmall! I have a suggestion for the personnel selection¡¹


    Chirped Inglis.

 Chapter 158: 15-year-old Inglis and the Two Leading Actresses (11)

    ¡¸Houho! Of course, I will take account of you Inglis, the Heroine! It¡¯s for the sake of creating a better work of art, after all!!¡¹ ¡¸Yes! I am declining the heroine role!¡¹ ¡¸EEeehh?!! H-, hold on, what are you saying, Glis?! What about our meal¡­¡­!¡¹


    Rafinha stuttered in her question. Of course, it was only natural that she would be so concerned.


    ¡¸I know that, Rani. Count Weissmall, please give the role you were going to give to Senior Silva to me instead!¡¹ ¡¸Hoho?!! Th-, then, who will fill the heroine role?¡¹ ¡¸Please give it to one of the men!¡¹ ¡¸Men¡­¡­?!¡¹ ¡¸Yes. In other words, Mariabelle the heroine will be a man. Conversely speaking, the two main characters who were supposed to fight over her will be women!¡¹ ¡¸So you¡¯re saying¡­¡­you want to reverse the gender of the cast?¡¹ ¡¸Yes. That way, you don¡¯t need to revise the plot! You said it yourself, Count Weissmall, the highlight of this play is the gaudy battle scene between two suitors! If so, we just need to focus on that highlight. I¡¯m sorry if I sound rude, but in terms of combat sequences and piloting Flygears, I am more proficient than the actors of the troupe! Let us show the audience something that will satisfy them!¡¹ ¡¸Hmm, I see the logic. The sight of you fighting, Miss Inglis, is truly beautiful and dignifying¡­ it would be a spectacle for the audience.¡¹


    Redas nodded at Inglis¡¯ statement.


    ¡¸Indeed, you really look majestic when you¡¯re fighting! Come to think of it, I discovered you because I saw you fought, did I not.¡¹ ¡¸This is an age where women have to be strong too! It¡¯s old-fashioned to think that women are mere flowers who can only be wanted and loved by men! We must show that we possess the strength and will to grasp what we want in our hands! That¡¯s what I want to convey to the audience!¡¹1 ¡¸Hou ho ho¡­¡­! Ho Ho!¡¹ ¡¸Don¡¯t decide just yet who will win the duel, the rival or I! As the winner will be rewarded with the kissing scene! By purposely letting the plot open, we should be able to create the intensity of an actual battle!¡¹ ¡¸Ooh!! What an unprecedented idea! This is fresh, really fresh!! I am excited!¡¹ ¡¸No, rather than a stage play, wouldn¡¯t that be more like an exhibition match then?¡¹ ¡¸If Inglis were to have a serious fight on the stage, though, the entire theatre would be leveled¡­¡­¡¹ ¡¸Forget that, a single stray bullet from her will kill anyone!¡¹ ¡¸Ssh!! Everyone, be quiet! This is a new stage production in the process! It¡¯s art!¡¹ ¡¸Indeed it is! What is it if not the most fascinating experiment! There is no progress without challenge! And so, the one to play the role of your rival will be Rafinha, is that how it is?¡¹ ¡¸M-, me? If anything, I would rather play the role of the cute heroine¡­¡­¡¹ ¡¸No! Not Rani!¡¹


    If it was her, that meant either Inglis or Rafinha would have to perform the kissing scene at the end of the show. Both of them mustn¡¯t do that, absolutely. Inglis¡¯ goal was to avoid the kissing scene while still being able to be on stage and eat as much of the bribed cater as she wanted, but that would be putting the cart before the horse. Although she was also thinking of fulfilling another goal in mind with this agenda she tried to push through¡­


    ¡¸Who is it, then?¡¹ ¡¸Yes. I¡¯m thinking of asking senior Yua to play the role of my rival!¡¹


    In a snap, Inglis pointed her finger to Yua.


    ¡¸¡­¡­Howeeh?¡¹


    Inglis quickly waltzed towards the still puzzled Yua then whispered to her ear.


    ¡¸Senior Yua, this is a huge chance to kiss the man of your choice! After all, they will listen to our opinions about the casting!¡¹ ¡¸Ooh!! I can choose freely? All to my heart¡¯s content? I¡¯m the one who picks the handsome guy?¡¹ ¡¸Yes! However, for the sake of the production, you will have to fight with me in earnest, but¡­ please defeat me if you want the kiss.¡¹ ¡¸¡­¡­Deal. I¡¯m in. It¡¯ll be fun, after a while. Fufufufu¡ª¡ª¡¹


    Yua showed a light curve to her lips, smiling. Seeing how the poker-faced Yua showed an expression like this, she must have been quite enthusiastic with this idea.


    ¡¸Yaay! Thank you so very much!¡¹


    As for Inglis personally, she would be having the perfect opportunity to duel with Yua as much as she wanted. She would be fighting on the stage until she was satisfied, and when the time was right, she would concede the victory as well as the kissing scene.


    This was the surefire method of killing three birds with one stone; she evaded the kissing scene, she could go on the stage and had her fill, while also realizing her long-awaited wish to duel with Yua. A wonderful idea, even if she said so herself.


    ¡¸And so, Count Weissmall¡­ we¡¯ll be asking for a change of cast and personnel!¡¹ ¡¸Yes, yess! We will do just that! This is getting more exciting by the minute!¡¹


    Seeing the excitement between them, Rafinha blurted out her thoughts.


    ¡¸Glis really is unfair~¡­¡­In the end, everything just falls right to her lap.¡¹ ¡¸Ahahaha! Well, rather than playing a cute and docile heroine, playing a heroine that trashes around the stage befits Inglis more¡­¡­¡¹ ¡¸And she is very quick-witted too, to boot! Although, her wit is not where the right is.¡¹ ¡¸That has nothing to do with her being smart. Glis is Glis, that¡¯s all.¡¹ ¡¸When you said it, Rafinha, it somehow carries more weight¡­¡¹ ¡¸Be that as it may, we better give our best aid too!¡¹ ¡¸Yeah. Like teaching the actors how to handle a Flygear, right?¡¹ ¡¸No. As Leone had said, the theatre itself could be destroyed by Miss Inglis, and so it is our role to ensure the safety of the audience by creating an enclosure with our Artifacts.¡¹ ¡¸Th-, that might be really essential, yeah¡­¡¹


    While Rafinha, Leone, and Liselotte were whispering to each other, Count Weissmall gave out his final word.


    ¡¸Well then, I would like to take a look at your skills, Yua! We can¡¯t be wrong with Inglis¡¯ recommendation, but just for caution¡¯s sake!¡¹ ¡¸That sounds great! It¡¯s natural that you want to see her in action by yourself, too!¡¹ ¡¸Nn¡­¡­Got that.¡¹


    Yua didn¡¯t hate the notion either. My long-held wish finally comes true! This is how it should be! Now I¡¯m getting festive too.

 Chapter 159: 15-year-old Inglis and the Two Leading Actresses (12)

    Inglis and Yua faced each other with a bit of distance between them.


    ¡¸Don¡¯t go overboard, you two! The school building is being reconstructed, so please don¡¯t destroy it again!¡¹ ¡¸Yes, Principal. Ufufufu¡­¡¹


    Inglis responded to Principal Miliera with a graceful snicker.


    It was time for the long-awaited contest with Yua. Inglis couldn¡¯t restrain her smile and the surge of excitement in her chest.


    Now that she had evaded the kissing scene problem, all that was left was to have a lot of meals and a lot of fights. A lot of fun waiting ahead!


    ¡¸Come on, Senior Yua! Let us show Count Weissmall our capabilities! So that he can entrust such big roles to us!¡¹ ¡¸Yups. Let¡¯s, Boobie girl.¡¹ ¡¸¡­¡­¡­¡­¡¹


    If possible, she wanted Yua to drop that nickname. Inglis was finally getting excited, but now it was doused with a bucket of cold water.


    Come to think of it, Yua had always been like this towards anyone, but would she be able to memorize the lines and the arrangements for the stage play? Now Inglis grew anxious about this whole plan.


    Well, even if she had trouble remembering things, Yua would surely show a battle sequence so amazing it would drown even those hitches. Her prowess was authentic. Even from Inglis¡¯ point of view, there were still parts of Yua that she couldn¡¯t hold the bottom of.


    Yua was indeed captured by the juvenile Prisma just the other day, but it wasn¡¯t because Yua lost in terms of strength. Her opponent had the special characteristics that enabled it to catch her, and she fell straight to it. It was a bad match-up for her, is all.


    For Inglis, Yua was by no means at all an easier opponent than the juvenile Prisma.


    ¡¸Er, no, umm¡­¡­Ing¡ª¡ªInggu¡­¡­?¡¹ ¡¸Yes. It¡¯s Inglis, senior. Have you memorized it?¡¹ ¡¸Yeah. I need at least remember the name of the person who saved my life¡­¡­is what I thought.¡¹ ¡¸Ooh¡ª¡ªThank you very much.¡¹


    Surprisingly, Yua was quite considerate of such things. It made Inglis a bit happy.


    ¡¸Then, Ing¡­¡­Ing¡ª¡ªbie girl.¡¹ ¡¸¡­¡­! No, hold on, please! You¡¯re mixing them up, senior!¡¹ ¡¸Nn¡­¡­? Nnm~ Then, Bo-, Bo¡­¡­Boobglis? Yeah, this one.¡¹ ¡¸S-, stop it, it¡¯s embarrassing! Just call me like before!¡¹


    It was embarrassing to be called Boobie girl, but even more so if she mixed it up with her actual name. Inglis¡¯ cheeks flushed red.


    ¡¸Ahahaha!! That¡¯s a good one~ Break a leg, Boobglis!¡¹ ¡¸Rani! Stop it!¡¹ ¡¸Oh noo, Glis is angry ????¡¹ ¡¸Y-, you should stop, Rafinha! Inglis doesn¡¯t seem to like it so much.¡¹ ¡¸You¡¯re part of her faction aren¡¯t you, Leone¡­ Ah, it¡¯s Boobne isn¡¯t it?¡¹ ¡¸I-, I said stop! I¡¯m not a part of it, aren¡¯t I!¡¹


    Leone was just as red-faced as she objected.


    ¡¸A-, anyway, Senior Yua¡­ put the names aside, let us start.¡¹ ¡¸Mkay. Got it.¡¹


    Yua only gave that as a response, standing still without any changes to her form. It was typical of her, not bothering to take a stance just because she was in a battle.


    She moved around blindingly fast despite her just trotting around with light steps. She showed astounding, herculean strength and crushed her opponent with just a pat-like punch.


    There was a dissonance between what she showed and what actually happened. Even confronting her like this didn¡¯t give Inglis any kind of impression.


    When facing Hyrule Menaces like Eris, Ripple, and Cystia, Inglis could feel a specific kind of intimidation that they gave off, but¡­ Yua was clearly an oddity. To Inglis¡¯ senses, it felt as though the one she was facing was just an everyday girl.


    How interesting¡ª¡ª Unknown things. Unanswered things. Being able to trade fists with such beings may bring me new ideas and techniques.


    ¡¸¡­¡­Can I go first?¡¹


    Yua asked, tilting her head slightly.


    ¡¸Yes! Please do!¡¹


    Inglis braced herself, waiting for Yua to make a move. She kept up the hypergravity she applied on herself, like she always did. The more she kept this up, the better her training would be. There was no reason to remove it.


    Life passes by and ends in a blink of an eye. Inglis who had lived her full lifespan knew it all too well. Not even a single second could be wasted. You have to keep improving yourself. By doing so, you would be able to go even farther, even higher than before.


    ¡¸Then¡ª¡ª¡¹


    Like a whisper carried by the wind, that voice disappeared¡­


    ¡¸Pow!¡¹


    And was then heard again loud and clear, right next to Inglis¡¯ ear. In an instant, Yua had slipped into Inglis¡¯ side.


    ¡¸¡­¡­?!¡¹


    Inglis¡¯ eyes couldn¡¯t catch her, her ears couldn¡¯t hear her footsteps, her skin couldn¡¯t even feel the movement of air when she approached. Nothing. She couldn¡¯t perceive her at all. There was nothing, and Yua had already stuck so close to Inglis.


    A gentle, caressing-like palm strike, was aimed at Inglis¡¯ flank¡­


    ¡¸Hyaah!!¡¹


    Before that palm could reach, Inglis slipped in her arm to take a defensive posture against it. And, as Yua¡¯s palm touched Inglis¡¯ skin¡­


    VWOOOMM!!


    A tremendous impact was transmitted to Inglis with just that!


    ¡¸Kgh¡­¡­!¡¹


    Inglis¡¯ body, overwhelmed by the impact, was blown far and wide. Even while soaring through the air, Inglis¡¯ eyes were sparkling bright.


    ¡¸Ooh!! Amazing!¡¹


    An entrance that won¡¯t let her opponent react against, added with this strength. That entrance, in particular, is wonderful. It completely kills her presence whatsoever. Yua may seem like she doesn¡¯t have much going on in her head, but she may actually have developed a frighteningly advanced fighting technique. As expected. She gives delightful resistance.


    Whilst such thoughts were crossing her mind, Inglis¡¯ body was flung and plunged into the frames of the school building that was being rebuilt.


    BOOOM!!! CRACKLE CRACKLE!!


    ¡¸KYAAAAAAHHHH¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ªTHE SCHOOL BUILLDIIINNNGGGGG!!!!¡¹


    Principal Miliera¡¯s shriek echoed.

 Chapter 160: 15-year-old Inglis and the Two Leading Actresses (13)

    ¡¸OOoooohhhh! What astounding power! Marvelous!!!¡¹


    Count Weissmall had his eyes opened wide at the display of Yua¡¯s strength.


    ¡¸G-, Glis actually got blown away so far!¡¹ ¡¸A-, amazing! Perhaps even more than before!¡¹ ¡¸Considering Senior Yua¡¯s personality, perhaps she has always exerted the least amount of effort all this time¡­ But now, she must be pretty serious!¡¹ ¡¸A-hem¡¹


    Seeing everyone¡¯s reaction, Yua puffed up her chest.


    ¡¸AAAAHHHHH¡ª¡ªTHE SCHOOL BUILDING! EVEN THOUGH WE FINALLY FIXED THEEEMMM!!¡¹


    On the other hand, Principal Miliera was clutching hard on her head.


    ¡¸Principal, please worry about Glis before that!¡¹ ¡¸I¡¯m alright, Rani!¡¹


    Boom!


    The crashed framework shook once again. This was because Inglis violently jumped away from it.


    ¡¸You¡¯re amazing, senior Yua! I almost couldn¡¯t react to you at all, and my arm is still numb from it!¡¹


    Yua tilted her head at the sight of Inglis, whose eyes were sparkling with excitement.


    ¡¸Unharmed¡­¡­? Four-eyes there foamed bubbles from his mouth in just one hit though¡­¡¹ ¡¸D-, don¡¯t say anything unnecessary!!¡¹


    Shouted Silva in anger.


    ¡¸I¡¯m quite confident with my sturdiness, despite my looks.¡¹ ¡¸I see¡­then, another pow, coming through.¡¹


    Looking at Yua who was about to make another move, Silva murmured under his breath.


    ¡¸¡­¡­Inglis needs to be on the offensive. Or else she¡¯ll be in danger!¡¹ ¡¸Eh? What do you mean, senior Silva?¡¹


    Rafinha, who was nearby, asked for an explanation.


    ¡¸You only know it when you¡¯re actually facing her, it is hard to see through Yua¡¯s attacks. She approaches you so fast you¡¯d think there¡¯s no hint or presence of her at all, and before you know it, a frighteningly powerful blow is already aimed at you! You might have more options if you could defend against it, but that would prove impossible. That one blow from before, Inglis did well reacting to it. It was surprising¡­¡­no, I guess it¡¯s as expected of her, but whether or not she can receive the same blow again and again¡­¡­¡¹ ¡¸That¡¯s why, it¡¯s better to attack before she¡¯s on the receiving end?¡¹ ¡¸Yeah, exactly.¡¹


    Silva affirmed Rafinha¡¯s conclusion.


    ¡¸Inglis, don¡¯t receive the blow! Yua¡¯s attacks are hard to read! Offense is the best defense here!¡¹ ¡¸Yes, senior Silva! Thank you very much for the feedback!¡¹


    However, despite her answer, Inglis didn¡¯t take any initiative. A second passed, two seconds, three seconds¡ª¡ªnothing happened.


    ¡¸¡­¡­?¡¹


    Yua, who had taken what little defensive posture, tilted her head quizzically.


    ¡¸What¡¯s wrong?! Why aren¡¯t you attacking?¡¹ ¡¸I mean, she¡¯s Glis¡­ If you told her that, she will absolutely stay on the receiving end.¡¹ ¡¸Sounds right¡­¡­That¡¯s what Inglis would do¡­¡¹ ¡¸What a troubling person that girl is.¡¹


    Rafinha, Leone, and Liselotte smiled bitterly.


    ¡¸Yes. That¡¯s what it is. Thanks to you, I now know how I will fight this out.¡¹


    Inglis looked at Silva and gave him a smile.


    A battle had to be won by taking your opponent¡¯s biggest strength. Only by doing so, you could grow the most.


    If offense was the best defense, then Inglis would never go on the initiative. Never. She would be on the receiving end to that blow, and she would deal with it!


    ¡¸Oooh! As expected of Miss Inglis! You can see her dauntless, glorious demeanor from her lovely figure! I am enthralled just by seeing her!!¡¹ ¡¸¡­¡­¡­¡­¡¹


    He was free to think what he wanted, but, if possible, it would be great if he didn¡¯t say it out loud. It was making Inglis lose her mind.


    ¡¸Senior Silva, why don¡¯t you do something about Mister Redas!¡¹ ¡¸I got that. Sorry for the nuisance¡­¡­Come on, brother. You need to be quiet.¡¹ ¡¸Mgh¡­¡­! Gghghg¡­¡­!¡¹


    Silva sighed and covered Redas¡¯ mouth with his hand. Now she could concentrate.


    ¡¸¡­¡­Good? I¡¯m coming, K?¡¹ ¡¸Yes!! Please do!¡¹


    Yua once again assumed her attack pose. Inglis quickly took a stance to intercept.


    This time, she relieved herself of the hypergravity magic, and instead manifested an ice sword. She normally conjured one the size of a one-handed sword, but this time, the sword was the size of a two-handed sword, almost as tall as her own body.


    This was another vindication of her improving mastery over managing energy. She now could change the size of her conjured sword. A result of her daily training. It would be favorable if she could do it while also keeping up the hypergravity, but she wasn¡¯t quite there yet.


    ¡¸Big ones are meaningless if you can¡¯t hit!¡¹


    Yua mumbled a little before moving into action.


    ¡¸You¡¯re right. That¡¯s not what it is for!¡¹


    Inglis threw the ice sword she had just created upward. She then swung an elegant, roundhouse kick to it.


    Kerchaaank!


    Despite its graceful motion, the power behind the kick was unbelievable, as it shattered the ice swords into shards. The fine shards of ice glittered, lavishly dancing down like powdery snow. The reason she enlarged her ice sword was to increase the number of ice shards that would be scattered.


    And these icicles were the screen to see through Yua¡¯s attack.


    If that hard-to-react movement of Yua was something that was physical in nature, Inglis could observe the icicles wavering around. And, if that movement was some form of sorcery, then these icicles that were created magically and had traces of mana in them would be affected by the flow of energy.


    In short, this was a trick to detect Yua¡¯s movement, whether it was physical or magical.


    Perhaps Inglis could repel Yua¡¯s attack without any setback whatsoever if she used Ether Armor or something similar. However, she couldn¡¯t see the point of doing so. It was important to put yourself in a situation that required ingenuity in order to make the battle you had yield as much personal growth as possible.


    ¡¸¡ª¡ª! There!¡¹


    Left rear! There were no changes in the icicles¡¯ physical positions, but Inglis could feel a faint fickle of mana from there. Inglis swung a middle kick in that direction, despite the fact that she couldn¡¯t see anything there.


    An instant after that, Yua¡¯s figure appeared there as though her destination was already set in stone.


    ¡ª¡ªI got her!


    ¡¸Gefu.¡¹


    KABBOOOOMMMM!!!


    This time, it was Yua who was blown far and wide, her head plunged into the frames of the school building.


    ¡¸KYAAAAHHH¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ªAGAIN?!!¡¹


    Once again, Principal Miliera¡¯s shriek echoed.

 Chapter 161: 15-year-old Inglis and the Two Leading Actresses (14)

    ¡¸Sh-she¡¯s already able to react and counter it?! I couldn¡¯t even do it!¡¹


    Silva¡¯s eyes were wide open at the sight of Inglis, who had magnificently kicked Yua away.


    That said, his surprise was understandable.


    The step-in movement Yua performed was apparently something close to teleportation using sorcery. The icicles that Inglis made were not swayed by the wind, instead, the mana in it trembled. If Yua had charged in physically, the icicles should have been blown away by the wind.


    The current people of Midland had lost the sensitivity to sense mana. Although they could indirectly make use of that lost power by the use of Artifact, they couldn¡¯t tap into that power directly without those Artifacts. It was no wonder that Silva was unaware of the movement of mana and thus incapable of reacting properly.


    Still, even without those setbacks, Yua¡¯s technique was still brilliant. Even Inglis was only able to sense the slightest flow of energy from Yua. Exactly because she couldn¡¯t see it through with her bare eyes, she shattered the ice sword to help her probe around.


    Teleportation using sorcery normally would bring about an enormous amount of mana movement in the surroundings. And yet, in Yua¡¯s case, the movement was infinitesimally small. It was almost as if it was mixed in amongst the ambient mana in nature. The result of that, was an entrance that was nigh-impossible to evade.


    ¡¸After the last incident, it was clear that I am no match to Inglis, but even so, to think there is this much gap between us¡­¡­Now I¡¯m starting to feel sorry for myself.¡¹


    Silva grew a bit downcast. Had she done something wrong? Personally, Inglis never meant to make him feel that way.


    Slap!


    Rafinha slapped Silva on the back.


    ¡¸Ouch?! Wh-, what¡¯s wrong with you?!¡¹ ¡¸Glis is Glis! And We are us! Get it? As long as we have strength to protect those we want to protect, others don¡¯t matter, isn¡¯t that right?¡¹ ¡¸¡­¡­¡­¡­!¡¹ ¡¸Of course, that doesn¡¯t mean we should give up on ourselves, you know? That¡¯s why, don¡¯t look down, look up and learn as much as you can, right? Well, sometimes you just can¡¯t see their movements, though¡­¡¹ ¡¸¡­¡­Yeah, I-, I guess. You¡¯re right¡­ Thank you.¡¹


    Silva¡¯s gaze looked straight ahead once again.


    ¡¸You sure have gotten yourself together, huh! You have a strong core belief.¡¹ ¡¸I¡¯m just used to the thing called Glis, that¡¯s all. We¡¯re childhood friends, after all.¡¹


    Rafinha chuckled. Seeing the conversation from the side, Inglis narrowed her eyes.


    She was not biased, a good girl indeed. Silva was right, Rafinha had a solid core belief. She was kind-hearted, brave, and cared for others. Although, she was a bit too naive and ill-mannered for her own good.


    All in all, Inglis would say that her education policy of staying by Rafinha¡¯s side was right. She was secretly proud of herself.


    Putting that aside, what about Yua who had slammed into the frames of the school building? Inglis turned her attention in that direction.


    ¡¸Senior Yua! Are you o¡ª¡ª¡¹ ¡¸Yeah, I¡¯m good.¡¹


    That voice came from behind Inglis.


    ¡¸¡­¡­?!¡¹


    KABOOOMM!!


    Yua¡¯s shoulder strike hit Inglis in the back. All of the icicles that were formed from the ice sword had settled down, making Inglis late to detect Yua¡¯s movement. She was once again blown away, flung towards the school building, but¡­


    ¡¸¡ª¡ªNot for the second time!¡¹


    Inglis twisted her body hard to fix her posture midair, kicked the building frames as her foothold, then leaped up.


    ¡¸You¡¯re right. Principal¡¯s scary.¡¹


    Right up above Inglis was Yua, her foot ready to kick.


    ¡¸¡­¡­?!!¡¹


    Inglis instantly crossed her arms, which soon received a strong impact.


    KABOOOMM!!


    Inglis¡¯ body fell straight to the ground. She somehow managed to hold on and landed on her feet, but both of her legs were numb from the dreadful impact they just received. It proved just how strong Yua¡¯s kick was.


    ¡¸Rapid attack. You can¡¯t counter that way!¡¹


    Yua was correct, if she was not given time to conjure the ice sword, Inglis wouldn¡¯t be able to detect the presence of mana using the icicles. And even if she managed to pull the trick, the effect only lasted a short while until all the icicles fell. Yua could just keep her distance during that time. In other words, it was just a one-time trick.


    ¡¸¡­¡­Inglis is at disadvantage!¡¹


    It was no wonder for Silva to utter that. But, he was wrong.


    ¡¸¡­¡­I¡¯ll do this!¡¹


    Inglis closed her eyes as tight as possible. And, right at that instant, Yua¡¯s fist came swooping down¡ª¡ªand was met head on with Inglis¡¯ palm.


    KERCHAAANNKK!!


    The powerful impact tells a strong blow.


    ¡¸Stopped it with, closed eyes?!¡¹


    A surprising hint of worry came from Yua.


    ¡¸WH-, WHAT¡ª?!¡¹


    Silva was just as lost.


    ¡¸I can tell things better like this, you see!¡¹


    Inglis had learned that Yua¡¯s movement wasn¡¯t based on something physical, but something that involved mana. If so, she had to focus on detecting the movement of mana. That¡¯s what she did with her eyes closed.


    Mana was not something to be seen with eyes, but something to be sensed. And so, an intake of visual information would be a hindrance instead. By cutting it off, Inglis was able to increase her sensitivity to mana and respond to Yua¡¯s movements.


    Inglis had to shatter the ice sword once to determine which one she should rely on. Therefore, it was still a necessary step.


    ¡¸HYAAAT!!¡¹ ¡¸CHIYAAAT~~¡¹


    BOom! BOOOMM!! KABBOOOOOMMMM!!!


    Fists and kicks of both Inglis and Yua roared each time they clashed. As the distance between their evenly matched strikes grew larger, Yua let out a sigh.


    ¡¸This won¡¯t end, huh. Then, I¡¯ll get stronger!¡¹


    Along with that murmur, Inglis could feel Yua¡¯s atmosphere had changed. When she opened her eyes to see what was happening, Inglis saw that Yua¡¯s retinas were dimly glowing in prismatic light.


    ¡¸Oooh¡­¡­!¡¹


    Yua was still able to grow even more powerful! Marvelous! Show me more, more of your serious side!


    BAMBAMBAMBAMBAMMM!!!! CRACKLE CRACLE!!


    The sound of something crumbling down was heard from behind Inglis.


    ¡¸¡¸Ah!¡¹¡¹


    Finally unable to withstand the damage, the frames of the school building completely collapsed. Perhaps the kick Inglis did as a foothold earlier was the last nail to its coffin.


    ¡¸AAAAAaaaahhhh?!!!! GEEEZZZZ!!! THIS IS WHAT I¡¯VE BEEN TELLING YOUUUU!!!! Okay, that¡¯s the end of it!! You¡¯ve had enough right, Count Weissmall?!!¡¹


    At last, Principal Miliera stepped in and stopped them.


    ¡¸O-, Of course¡­¡­! Both of you sure showed me stunning skills! Honestly, I was overwhelmed! Good lord, I¡¯m sure the audience will be more than satisfied with this! Then, Inglis, Yua, I give you two the leading roles!¡¹ ¡¸Yus. Now I can, with a hunk¡­Gufufu¡¹


    Yua smirked.


    ¡¸I would have prefered if we fought a little bit longer, but¡­I guess that¡¯s about it for today.¡¹


    Inglis also nodded. It was a bit unfortunate, but she could make up some measures, so it wasn¡¯t bad.


    She could avoid the kissing scene and get her bribes and fight with Yua as much as she wanted. The real showdown would take place on the stage¡­not bad, not bad at all.


    ¡¸Before that! The two of you will have to put the broken framework back in place! I won¡¯t give any help to the troupe before it¡¯s done! Am I understood?!¡¹


    Principal Miliera raised her eyebrows high, puffed her cheeks out, pouting out in rage. It was a bit scary.


    ¡¸¡¸Yes!!¡¹¡¹


    They had to nod their heads in earnest.

 Chapter 162: 15-year-old Inglis and the Two Leading Actresses (15)

    A few days later. At the Royal Grand Theatre¡­


    The Knight Academy had decided to give full cooperation to the Weissmall Troupe, and the arrangements and delivery of Flygears and other equipment for the stage had begun. Every nook and cranny of the theatre was bustling, both men and things moving around in hurry.


    Count Weissmall has finished revising the script to accommodate Inglis¡¯ proposed changes of cast players, and he did it unbelievably fast. Today, the performers were going to do their costume coordination.


    ¡¸OOOooohh! That¡¯s Inglis for you! She really looks good in anything she wears~????¡¹


    Rafinha¡¯s eyes lit up when she saw Inglis in her stage costume. Inglis¡¯ role this time was to play a popular dancer in town, Mariabelle. The name of the character was the same as when she was the main heroine of the play, but her social standing had changed from a noble lady to a dancer.


    Using the occasion, Count Weissmall wanted to integrate a scene where Inglis danced in front of the audience. It was almost like a reenactment of the time two years ago when Weissmall Troupe came to Ymir, the hometown of Inglis and Rafinha, and apparently he wanted to see the dance once again.


    ¡¸Thank you. It¡¯s breezy on the stomach though¡­¡­¡¹


    The dancer outfit that Inglis wore this time showed her navel a little. She was not used to this kind of outfit, so it was a bit uncomfortable and embarrassing to wear. The fluttering fabric and the shimmering decorations were cute and to her liking, though.


    ¡¸It¡¯s better that way. It¡¯s not like it¡¯ll kill you, and your navel is pretty too, you know? Here, look at the mirror¡­¡¹ ¡¸Ooh¡­¡­This is really nice, in its own way.¡¹


    She looked a bit more mature and glamorous than usual. Inglis was already an earth-shattering beauty to begin with, and when she was dressed in such an outfit, her charm was phenomenal, even if she said so herself. Inglis had looked at herself in the mirror after bath a few times before, but there was a certain allure that was accentuated because she was wearing this costume.


    ¡¸Come on, spin around. Round and round~ Aand smile~!¡¹ ¡¸Ufufuf ????¡¹


    Smiles.


    ¡¸Yup, yups. Glis really is the best dress-up doll since she looks good in everything~¡¹ ¡¸A living one, okay?¡¹ ¡¸Yeah, yeah. I¡¯m going to punish you for being cocky and not denying anything else ????¡¹


    Poke poke


    Rafinha thrust her finger to Inglis¡¯ exposed belly button.


    ¡¸Hyau?! Geez, Rani¡­¡­!¡¹


    I¡¯ll poke you back, thought Inglis, but¡­


    ¡¸Fufu. Get one back if you want. My dress doesn¡¯t show my belly button, after all.¡¹


    Rafinha was also dressed in a dancer¡¯s costume, not the academy¡¯s uniform, but hers had less outstanding decor with a lot of fabrics.


    ¡¸Not fair!¡¹ ¡¸So what? I¡¯m completely just a complement to you this time, after all.¡¹


    The reason Rafinha was dressed in a dancer¡¯s costume was because she would be following along Mariabelle when she danced. Count Weissmall explained that it would make the scene more gorgeous, and Mariabelle would be more pronounced.


    ¡¸That¡¯s not true. Rani is really cute too, you know? I¡¯d rather sit in the audience seat and watch you.¡¹


    Her adorable granddaughter was dressed up and dancing on a stage. Normally, Inglis would have wanted to cheer on Rafinha and watch her performance, but she couldn¡¯t since she had to be on the stage herself.


    ¡¸What are you even saying, you¡¯re the main actress, Glis. You¡¯re going to dance in front of us.¡¹ ¡¸Don¡¯t go too far back. You can just dance next to me.¡¹


    That way, Inglis would be able to glance to the side to watch Rafinha dance.


    ¡¸Sure, sure. Rather than that, we need to decide your hairstyle! Sit down, down I say.¡¹ ¡¸Yeah. I¡¯m in your care.¡¹ ¡¸Hmm. There¡¯s a lot of colors to choose from! I can¡¯t decide which one to go.¡¹


    Rafinha¡¯s eyes sparkled. Leave it to a genuine theatre troupe, they had plenty of ornaments in their arsenal to choose from. They also had given the permission to use whichever one the girls pleased. For Rafinha, whose hobby was to doll up Inglis, it was a literal treasure trove.


    ¡¸What do we do? Do you want something like a huge ribbon so that the audience can see you better? Or how about something that¡¯s tied to the side, so your movements will be highlighted?¡¹ ¡¸I¡¯ll leave it to you.¡¹ ¡¸You got it ????¡¹


    Thus, Rafinha began to diligently fiddle with Inglis¡¯ hair. After a while¡­


    ¡¸Okay, good, now it¡¯s done~! Doesn¡¯t it look good?¡¹ ¡¸Yeah. It¡¯s nice. How pretty.¡¹ ¡¸Inglis, Rafinha, how¡¯s your preparation?¡¹ ¡¸It took a while, but we¡¯re done with ours.¡¹


    Leone and Liselotte showed up. They were both dressed as dancers, playing the same role as Rafinha to dance behind Inglis.


    ¡¸The two of you look good in your dress. You¡¯re cute.¡¹ ¡¸Thank you. Although, not as much as you, Inglis¡­¡­right?¡¹ ¡¸You really are picturesque, Miss Inglis. Even as a woman, I can¡¯t help but adore you.¡¹ ¡¸Fufu. Thank you.¡¹ ¡¸Hey hey, you said it took a while, what happened?¡¹ ¡¸It¡¯s about Leone. These parts of her are a bit tight to fit¡­¡¹


    Spoke Liselotte, her finger hinted at her own chest. Leone¡¯s breasts were even bigger than Inglis¡¯, so things like this apparently happened quite often.


    ¡¸¡­¡­So, we had been fasting and loosening her dress, adjusting it to her.¡¹


    Even so, the fabric still looked tight and a bit cramped.


    ¡¸Huu¡­ It would have been easier if I could lose some.¡¹ ¡¸¡­¡­Ah, the woes of the havers.¡¹


    Rafinha stared at Leone¡¯s chest with a grudge in her eyes.


    ¡¸Rene, I¡¯m jealous, so you go and squirm on her!¡¹


    Spoke Rafinha, setting Rene who was chilling on her own head to have at Leone.


    ¡¸¡­¡­! H-, Hey, Rene!¡¹


    Leone braced herself. But, before Rene could get under Leone¡¯s clothes, there was a hand that reached out quickly and seized the nimble Rene.


    ¡¸I¡¯ll do it in her stead. Hmm, big.¡¹


    Saying so, Yua in a Knight attire wearing a breastplate squeezed Leone¡¯s breasts, she showed no expression whatsoever.


    Before the script was changed, there were supposed to be two characters fighting over Mariabelle, who was played by Inglis. But, after the revision, Mariabelle and Euthyllis, a female Knight played by Yua, would be fighting over Malik, a Prince of a small kingdom.


    Then, at the final version of the revision, the two leading actresses would perform a serious duel match on stage with the outcome undetermined, and the winner would deal with the kissing scene.


    ¡¸Kyaah?! Senior Yua?!¡¹


    Leone was startled and jumped aside.


    ¡¸You have some good goods there. Wish you could give me some¡­¡¹ ¡¸H-, haah¡­¡­¡¹ ¡¸Right? I so understand you!¡¹


    Rafinha seemed to sympathize with Yua.


    ¡¸We¡¯re both of the have-nots, after all!¡¹ ¡¸So it seems¡­¡¹


    The two with humble breasts shook each other¡¯s hands tightly.


    ¡¸I couldn¡¯t help but feel inferior when I¡¯m standing next to Booblis girl¡­¡­¡¹ ¡¸P-, please stop calling me that!¡¹ ¡¸¡­¡­Ingbie girl?¡¹ ¡¸Not that either! Anyway, there¡¯s nothing to feel inferior about.¡¹ ¡¸Lies.¡¹ ¡¸That¡¯s right, that¡¯s right!! Glis, you and Leone don¡¯t understand the feelings of the have-nots!¡¹ ¡¸¡¸¡­¡­¡¹¡¹


    Well, it was true that those parts of her had grown splendidly before she realized it, so she wouldn¡¯t know the feelings of those whose parts didn¡¯t grow. For that reason, both Inglis and Rafinha just stayed silent.


    ¡¸Ah, senior. If so, why don¡¯t you pad them up so you won¡¯t feel being compared?¡¹ ¡¸?¡¹


    Yua returned the question with a puzzled look. Seemed like she didn¡¯t understand.


    ¡¸I mean, you stuff your chest to make them look bigger. That way, when we¡¯re on stage, we¡¯ll look about the same. Maybe.¡¹ ¡¸Hohou¡­¡­?¡¹


    She looked like she was a bit interested in the idea.


    ¡¸Will you try it?¡¹ ¡¸Yeah. Like this?¡¹


    Saying that, Yua tried to put Rene, who was still trapped in her hand, into the chest compartment of her clothes, but then¡­


    Pii¡ª!! Pipii¡ª!!


    ¡¸Rene is¡­¡­?!¡¹ ¡¸Talking¡­¡­?!¡¹


    Perhaps this was the first time they ever heard Rene making a sound. It proved just how desperate she was flailing and fled from Yua¡¯s hand.


    ¡¸Mu. She got away.¡¹


    Yua didn¡¯t seem to mind, but Rene was hugging Rafinha tight and was shaking uncontrollably. Was she that afraid of Yua? She was usually unfriendly with men and would approach girls by herself, so it was rare.


    ¡¸What¡¯s wrong, Rene? Glis, can you take a look at her?¡¹ ¡¸Yeah, Rani. I will.¡¹ ¡¸Now, senior Yua, please sit over there.¡¹ ¡¸Okay.¡¹ ¡¸By the way, senior. Why did you come here?¡¹


    The costume fitting was to be done with Inglis and the other three, while Yua was to rehearse with Count Weissmall.


    ¡¸Nn¡­ Came for Booblis girl. We¡¯re going to choose.¡¹ ¡¸Choose what?¡¹ ¡¸The handsome ¡®Goods¡¯¡¹


    Was that meant they were going to choose the cast of Prince Malik, whom Mariabelle and Euthyllis were going to fight over?

 Chapter 163: 15-year-old Inglis and the Two Leading Actresses (16)

    The selection process for the role of Prince Malik, or ¡®Goods¡¯ in Yua¡¯s words, had begun. Inglis, personally, didn¡¯t really care who was being chosen. Yua could just pick the person she fancied, but Count Weissmall requested Inglis to participate in the process, and, above all, Rafinha, Leone, and Liselotte were curious to see the chosen cast, so Inglis decided to follow along without much fuss.


    So far, about ten candidates were introduced, each of them has displayed their songs, dances, and special skills. They were mostly actors affiliated with the troupe. There were also a few people that the Count personally scouted as he did Silva, but Inglis wasn¡¯t sure who they were.


    ¡¸¡­¡­That one was the last person?¡¹


    Yua asked Count Weissmall as she scribbled down something on a piece of paper.


    Inglis peeked over, and it seemed that the person they saw last didn¡¯t strike Yua¡¯s interest. There were also a few that were tagged with a circle; 2nd, 6th, and 8th.


    Inglis jogged her memory and thought about those people¡¯s characteristics. Apparently, Yua preferred relatively tender and androgynous, or more fittingly, cute young boys. If that were the case, then indeed, Silva wouldn¡¯t fit as a candidate. Silva indeed had a striking look, but his ambiance was sharp and was more mature than his own age.


    ¡¸There is one more person. The last candidate, come forward!¡¹


    Called Count Weissmall.


    ¡¸Good afternoon!! By all means, I would love to perform with both of you!!¡¹


    It was Redas. Just what was the Commander of the Imperial Guard Order doing? Did he request Count Weissmall to get him to participate?


    ¡¸My specialty is swordsmanship and battle command! I take pride in the military songs I sing at the top of my lungs! Please listen to it!¡¹


    Redas then took a deep breath and¡­


    ¡¸No need. Failed.¡¹ ¡¸¡­¡­You¡¯re right. I¡¯m of the same opinion.¡¹ ¡¸WHA¡­¡­?! But why?!¡¹ ¡¸You¡¯re not cute.¡¹ ¡¸So it seems.¡¹


    Thank goodness Yua dismissed him immediately. Redas was even farther from Yua¡¯s strike zone than his own brother Silva. He was quite the big man with a brutish ambiance. Although, seeing his behavior in this place, Inglis could only see him as brutish.


    ¡¸U-, uuggh! Can¡¯t be helped, I shall give you my support from the shadows then!¡¹


    Dejected, Redas took his exit, his head hanging low.


    ¡¸That¡¯s the last of it. How about it, you two? Are there any actors you would like to play with?¡¹ ¡¸Hmm. I¡¯m a little torn¡­ you?¡¹ ¡¸I will leave it to you, senior Yua. Would number two, number six, and number eight be better?¡¹ ¡¸But they just don¡¯t give a click.¡¹


    Did that mean they lacked the decisive factor? Rafinha and the other two in the backseat also began to discuss with each other.


    ¡¸Hey, hey. Leone, which would you choose?¡¹ ¡¸Eh? M-, me? Let me see, maybe the first person, or maybe the fifth¡­¡¹ ¡¸Aah~ I see, I see. So that¡¯s your type, Leone~¡¹


    Those who looked serious, calm, and stern. People like Silva or Prince Wayne¡­ Or, perhaps saying it like this would fit better; The exact opposite of Leon. Perhaps it was inevitable for her to be so, given the circumstance Leone was trapped in.


    ¡¸How about you, Rafinha?¡¹ ¡¸I¡¯d say I¡¯ll go with number three, number seven, and number ten¡­¡¹ ¡¸Aah, so easy to understand. Basically, people that resemble Sir Raphael, isn¡¯t it?¡¹ ¡¸Or mayhaps those who resemble Special Envoy Theodore¡­ I suppose?¡¹ ¡¸Fufu.¡¹


    What¡¯s with that smile¡­ I can¡¯t let it slide!


    ¡¸You can¡¯t, Rani! You said it before. You¡¯re going to marry big brother Rafa when you¡¯re an adult, didn¡¯t you say that? Just keep being like that¡¹


    Inglis preferred that childish Rafinha who still would say such innocent things. There shan¡¯t be any pests to go near her. Love was still too early for Rafinha.


    ¡¸No, of course I can¡¯t, how long ago was that?! That¡¯ll just make me a weird girl, geez!¡¹ ¡¸Ahaha¡­ By the way, which one you would choose, Liselotte?¡¹ ¡¸For me, I would choose gentlemen number 4 or number 9¡­¡¹ ¡¸¡¸¡¸EH?!¡¹¡¹¡¹


    Everyone was surprised as Liselotte¡¯s preferences were too far outside of their expectation.


    ¡¸You like those huge, rugged people?¡¹ ¡¸How to say it, don¡¯t they look too passionate and stuffy?¡¹ ¡¸They are. I like men¡¯s big muscles, you see¡­¡¹ ¡¸Then, don¡¯t tell me, Mister Redas too?¡¹ ¡¸He isn¡¯t quite bad. Don¡¯t you think he¡¯s lovely?¡¹ ¡¸¡¸¡¸¡­¡­¡­¡­¡¹¡¹¡¹


    To each and their own.


    ¡¸Hm¡­¡­¡¹


    Listening to it, Yua jotted something with her pen.


    Thorny girl, got a bad taste.


    ¡¸¡­¡­¡¹


    What¡¯s the point of writing that down?


    ¡¸B-, by the way, senior. Have you decided which one?¡¹ ¡¸Hmm. They all look the same¡­¡¹ ¡¸If so, shall we have another audition tomorrow with those three?¡¹ ¡¸¡­Yeah. Let¡¯s.¡¹


    Yua nodded at Count Weissmall¡¯s suggestion.


    ¡¸Of course, of course. Now, let us continue today¡¯s rehear¡­¡¹


    It was then¡­


    ¡¸Ooi. The Flygear you guys asked for is here! Where should I put it?!¡¹


    It was Lahti, Inglis¡¯ classmate in the Squire division, who brought in the Flygear.

 Chapter 164: 15-year-old Inglis and the Two Leading Actresses (17)

    ¡¸Hou ho! Thank you thank you, you must have worked hard! And so! Now that the audition is over, I want you two to try out the movements when you¡¯re fighting on the Flygears. How about it?¡¹ ¡¸I don¡¯t mind. I¡¯m always up for a battle.¡¹ ¡¸Me, I want to save the serious fight for last¡­ it¡¯s tiring.¡¹ ¡¸Yes, this is a scripted scene, so it¡¯s all right. The one that isn¡¯t scripted is the last battle that you two will do in the last act.¡¹


    It was a bit disappointing for Inglis, but it wasn¡¯t that bad once she thought of it as a warm-up exercise.


    ¡¸Understood then.¡¹


    Yua promptly stood up and nimbly jumped onto Lahti¡¯s Flygear that was hovering quite close to the ceilings. To be more precise, her appearance suddenly distorted midway as she abruptly appeared right next to Lahti.


    ¡¸OOH?! Wh-, when did you?! Your body suddenly disappeared?!¡¹ ¡¸Nn. Thanks for bringing it here. Now jump off.¡¹ ¡¸It¡¯s freaking high! How the hell do I jump off from here?!¡¹ ¡¸? You got weak body?¡¹


    Yua looked puzzled.


    ¡¸No, no, I¡¯m a Squire student! I don¡¯t got an Artifact!¡¹ ¡¸? Me too, though?¡¹ ¡¸¡­¡­¡­¡­¡¹


    Lahti couldn¡¯t even make a comeback.


    ¡¸No, it¡¯s fine like that. We¡¯ll have the pilots steer during the play too; I¡¯m thinking that we¡¯ll put in some actions where you girls will be hopping on each others¡¯ Flygears! Like, vwoom, vwoom!¡¹


    Count Weissmall showed them the movements in his head with exaggerated gestures.


    ¡¸And so, you! Can you become Yua¡¯s pilot?¡¹ ¡¸Roger that! Just leave it to me!¡¹


    Lahti¡¯s skill in piloting Flygear was second to none in the Academy. He was the right man for the job.


    ¡¸Ermm¡­that means Inglis will be riding with me? I don¡¯t think I can keep up with Lahti¡¯s steering, you know.¡¹


    It was Pullum, a student of the Knight division from the same grade as Inglis. She had come with Lahti to bring in a Flygear. Mainly, only first and second-year students would be assisting the Weissmall Troupe on the stage, while Silva and the other third-year students would be concentrating on rebuilding the Academy.


    ¡¸It¡¯s okay, Pullum! Glis will be riding this one!¡¹


    Rafinha¡¯s voice was heard from overhead. She was already in the Star Princess unit. She¡¯s fast.


    ¡¸¡­¡­We¡¯re using it, after all?¡¹


    I¡¯d rather use a regular Flygear. Definitely.


    ¡¸We are! We must!¡¹ ¡¸Hou hou. By all means, please do use it! I do think it¡¯s very effeminate and lovely.¡¹ ¡¸However, Count Weissmall, I think it will be compared a lot with senior Yua¡¯s Flygear.¡¹ ¡¸It¡¯s okay. No problem there.¡¹ ¡¸Why is that, senior?¡¹ ¡¸We can just paint this one too! We¡¯ll make it cute.¡¹ ¡¸Agreed! We¡¯ll help, senior Yua! Right, Pullum?¡¹ ¡¸Yes! We¡¯ll paint another one, right!¡¹


    The two perpetrators behind the Star Princess unit gleamed their eyes.


    ¡¸I don¡¯t care if the Principal gets mad, okay?!¡¹


    Saying so, Inglis also kicked off the ground and leaped high, spun around in the air and landed onto the Star Princess unit. The dancer¡¯s costume and the hair ribbon that Rafinha had finished swayed along graciously as though they danced in the air.


    ¡¸Hoho! Inglis really looks picturesque whatever she does! I am awestruck with just that motion alone.¡¹


    Count Weissmall nodded in satisfaction.


    ¡¸Thank you very much.¡¹


    He might look eccentric, but Inglis didn¡¯t sense anything evil in his words or action, so she could take his words at face value.


    ¡¸Indeed! Inglis, you are so adorable, and the Star Princess unit fits perfectly with you!¡¹ ¡¸Yeah yeah! I, the person who knows Glis best, am the one who designed it after all, so it¡¯s only natural!¡¹ ¡¸No, I think there are some values we still don¡¯t see eye to eye, you know¡­¡¹


    Mainly about the appearance of the Star Princess unit, though,


    ¡¸And so, I¡¯ll have you all fly over the audience seat as if you¡¯re trying to keep in check on each other¡¯s neck!¡¹


    Ordered the Count.


    ¡¸Okay! You guys good there? Senior Yua too, you good?¡¹ ¡¸Yup. I¡¯m in your care.¡¹ ¡¸We¡¯re good! Let¡¯s-a go!¡¹


    The two Flygears began to move at the same time. Keeping an even distance between them, the two vehicles drew an arc trajectory over the theatre with their bows facing each other, as the people on them were glaring at one another.


    ¡¸Doing this is just too plain, it ain¡¯t making a good show! Let¡¯s make it flashy! Follow me!¡¹


    Lahti started to show off even more complex Flygear maneuvers. In such a limited space, it managed to make a vertical loop and even drew complicated flight trajectories that looked like tidal waves. The fact that he did it indoors made the scene even more impactful.


    ¡¸Kuuh!! You¡¯re good! Even though the Star Princess has a better overall performance!¡¹


    Lahti¡¯s skills were so impressive that Rafinha could only voice her impression. However, so far, it was nothing more than just two Flygears flying around. The scene had to be even more intense by mixing in hand-to-hand combat.


    ¡¸Senior Yua! Let¡¯s jump out of Flygears and try out aerial combat moves!¡¹ ¡¸Let¡¯s¡ª¡ªhup¡¹


    Yua leaped to the air as if it was nothing to her. She did it as casually as getting off a chair.


    ¡¸Hyaat!!¡¹


    Inglis also jumped out in pursuit of Yua. Up in the air, the distance between them grew closer.


    ¡¸Senior, use your fist! You can just make it look like you hit me!¡¹ ¡¸Hoi!¡¹


    Boom! Kaboom! Boooomm!!


    Their fists clashed with each other, and the sound of their blows reverberated off the walls and ceilings.


    ¡¸After kicking, we use the shockwave to jump back and switch Flygears!¡¹ ¡¸Nn.¡¹


    Ker-chaannkkk!


    Inglis and Yua¡¯s kicks crossed. The sound of the impact echoed again. The two of them used the recoil of their own clash to fly into their opposites¡¯ Flygear and landed beautifully.


    ¡¸Hoouhohou! What a tremendous impact! Marvelous!¡¹ ¡¸This is going to be one hell of a show! It¡¯ll be great!¡¹ ¡¸Those movements are impossible for us! It¡¯s really a godsend that the Knight Academy is lending their help!¡¹


    Count Weissmall and the actors of the troupe seemed to be satisfied. There was a spontaneous burst of applause from them.


    ¡¸Hahaha¡­¡­Being shown moves like that makes me feel inferior now.¡¹ ¡¸That¡¯s not true, your steering are superb, Lahti.¡¹


    As Inglis was saying so, she turned her attention to the Star Princess unit which Yua had boarded onto¡­ only to find that there was a sorcerous light converging from the protruding muzzle of its bow.


    ¡¸?!¡¹


    Yua was the one holding the control stick, and it seemed that the light was generated from her.


    ¡¸EEHH¡­¡­?! Wh-, what the hell?! Senior Yua, what¡¯s that?!¡¹ ¡¸Nope. No idea.¡¹ ¡¸Get away, Lahti!¡¹


    PSHOOOOooooo!!


    A high-speed sorcerous light was fired at the Flygear driven by Lahti.

 Chapter 165: 15-year-old Inglis and the Two Leading Actresses (18)

    ¡¸Dowaaahhh?!¡¹


    Lahti steered the Flygear aside and evaded the ray that the Star Princess unit launched by a paper thin margin. It should be fine now¡­ that was good and all, but Inglis felt that it was a bit of a waste to let the ray go away like that.


    ¡¸Hyaah!¡¹


    Inglis leaped out of Lahti¡¯s Flygear and kicked a nearby wall to gain momentum and got ahead of it. And then, she held out her palm to catch the sorcerous light.


    Kerchiinnnkk¡ª¡ª!!


    ¡¸¡¸¡¸WHA¡­¡­?! She took it?!¡¹¡¹¡¹


    Everyone present was shaken by how unexpected Inglis¡¯ behavior was.


    ¡¸Hold on?! G-, Glis, you okay?! You¡¯re puffing smoke?!¡¹


    ¡¸Yeah. It¡¯s just a bit hot.¡¹


    ¡¸What will you do if you get a burn? Even though it was already evaded, you know!¡¹


    ¡¸No, attacks are better to be taken than evaded, right?¡¹


    Even if she did it unintentionally, it was definitely Yua¡¯s power. Inglis was intrigued by it.


    ¡¸No no, I don¡¯t understand your logic at all.¡¹


    ¡¸Then, we don¡¯t want to be scolded for destroying the wall, right?¡¹


    ¡¸Well, that I can understand¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Sorry. It wasn¡¯t my intention, but¡­¡¹


    Yua tilted her neck, just as confused.


    ¡¸It¡¯s alright. It must have been a function of the Star Princess unit that went haywire.¡¹


    The Star Princess unit was a hovercraft that was meant for and plundered from a Highlander. It was an article purely for Highlanders¡¯ use. When Inglis and Lahti worked together and examined it, they found that it had functions that didn¡¯t exist in the Flygears belonging to the Knight Academy. One of them was the one that happened just now; an armament that amplified sorcery and fired it from the bow muzzle.


    Unlike Artifacts, the Star Princess unit didn¡¯t have a mechanism that automatically controlled the flow of mana. Which meant that the operator had to, at least, intentionally use sorcery or similar powers by themselves to use it. Which was why it was an article meant for Highlanders only. Yua, however, was an exception.


    Yua once cleaved off a single Magic Stone Beast with her bare hand blade, and perhaps it was only possible because she cladded herself in body-strengthening sorcery or something the like. For example, what Inglis did with her Ether Armor technique, Yua did it with mana. In Yua¡¯s case, however, it wasn¡¯t simply the matter of mana, but she was strong and fast enough to not be seen by eyes.


    Which was why the ray packed more punch than what Inglis had expected at first, leaving her palm with a bit of tingle. Seeing that Yua didn¡¯t seem to mean to activate the weaponry, Inglis would assume that she might be constantly keeping up her body-strengthening sorcery for the function to activate by itself. Her energy seemed to have unintentionally flowed into the muzzle and was fired.


    ¡¸This looks dangerous. I better not get on this.¡¹


    Yua casually jumped off. It was quite the height, with the Star Princess unit being close to the ceilings, and yet she landed with light feet.


    ¡¸You¡¯re right! I knew it, we should use regular Flygears, after all.¡¹


    Then Inglis wouldn¡¯t have to appear in front of the audience riding the overly cute Star Princess.


    ¡¸We can¡¯t! We¡¯ll ride a decorated Flygear, one way or another!¡¹


    Seeing Rafinha throwing tantrums, Inglis thought that perhaps there was no other way, but¡­ The hull of the Star Princess unit tilted greatly.


    ¡¸EH?! No way, the engine¡¯s down?!¡¹


    The sudden activation of its muzzle might have caused a malfunction in the engine. Losing its buoyancy, the Star Princess unit began to fall down


    Right below it was Yua¡­


    ¡¸Nn. Uh oh, it¡¯s slipping.¡¹


    What she referred to, was the stuffing Rafinha had put on Yua¡¯s breasts to make them appear bigger. Distracted by it, Yua didn¡¯t seem to be alerted whatsoever.


    ¡¸Ah, watch out!¡¹


    A figure jumped out to Yua, trying to push her away. It was a young man, not much older than Inglis. He seemed to be someone belonging to the Weissmall Troupe. It was an act of bravery that he did, but¡­


    Bruk!


    He only collided into her, as Yua didn¡¯t even flinch from his tackle. Now, the young man looked like he was just embracing Yua.


    ¡¸E-, Eehh?! Not even a bulge?!¡¹


    ¡¸Nn?¡¹


    The young man¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief, while Yua only craned her neck.


    ¡¸Senior Yua, watch out and get aawaaayy!!¡¹


    Rafinha¡¯s shriek was heard.


    ¡¸Oh?¡¹


    Plop!


    Yua casually caught the falling Star Princess unit with just one hand. That monstrous strength that didn¡¯t match her small, slender body. How very Yua. Inglis also had come over to catch the Flygear, but it seemed unnecessary now.


    ¡¸Th-, thank you very much, senior. You saved me! This girl would be broken too if it crashed down!¡¹


    ¡¸Yup. Just returning the breast padding favor.¡¹


    ¡¸Rani, are you injured?¡¹


    ¡¸I¡¯m fine.¡¹


    ¡¸So¡­What are you doing?¡¹


    Yua turned to the young man who was still hugging her waist.


    ¡¸A-, ahahaha¡­¡­when I passed by, I saw the Flygear falling so¡­ I thought I¡¯d save you, but¡­¡­ahahaha¡­¡¹


    The young man probably never thought that the slender Yua wouldn¡¯t even bulge. It was then when Lahti¡¯s voice was heard.


    ¡¸Hmm¡­¡­?! O-, oi! Don¡¯t tell me, Ian?! You¡¯re Ian, ain¡¯t ya?!¡¹


    ¡¸Ah, it¡¯s really Ian! Long time no see!¡¹


    Were they acquaintances? Lahti and Pullum were practically shouting.


    ¡¸Eh?! P¡ªPrince¡­?!¡¹


    ¡¸¡­¡­?! OI¡­¡­!!¡¹


    ¡¸¡¸¡¸Prince?¡¹¡¹¡¹


    When everyone enquired, the man named Ian shook his head in panic.


    ¡¸Ah, no, nothing! S-, sure has been a while, Lahti, Pullum!¡¹


    ¡¸But you said Prince just now, didn¡¯t you? Right Glis?¡¹


    ¡¸Yeah. He did, Rani.¡¹


    ¡¸Waaah?! It was nothing, I¡¯m sorry! It really was nothing!¡¹


    ¡¸¡­¡­Could it be, the Prince role, you want it?¡¹


    Yua asked Ian.


    ¡¸Ah, y-, yes, that! I joined the troupe as a stagehand, but I always wanted to stand on the stage too, you see!¡¹


    ¡¸You can. You¡¯re in.¡¹


    Yua answered immediately, placing her hand on Ian¡¯s shoulder with a plop. Her emotionless eyes shone just a little bit brightly. When Inglis looked closely, Ian had androgynous, if not lady-like, beautiful features.


    Most probably, he was right in the middle of Yua¡¯s strike zone.

 Chapter 166: 15-year-old Inglis and the Two Leading Actresses (19)

    ¡¸Uncle. I want this guy to play the prince charming.¡¹


    ¡¸Hoou hou!! Then, l leave it to you, Ian, to play Prince Malik!¡¹


    Count Weissmall easily approved Yua¡¯s proposal.


    ¡¸EEeehh?! Can you even do that so lightly?! I¡¯m still a novice at acting, and we have the seniors around too!¡¹


    Ian stuttered.


    ¡¸That¡¯s what the lead actress wants, after all. What, it¡¯ll be fine. The play we¡¯re having this time around won¡¯t be possible without Inglis and Yua, and they¡¯re both students of the Knight Academy. They don¡¯t have much experience performing either, you see. And so, there won¡¯t be any problem with you joining in. Are you okay with it, Inglis?¡¹


    ¡¸Yes, I don¡¯t mind.¡¹


    To begin with, Inglis wanted Yua to choose the cast by herself, after all. No problem.


    ¡¸B-, but still!¡¹


    ¡¸Ian. I am also interested in your qualities as a performer. With experience, I¡¯m sure you will be a star. Yua thinks the same too, that¡¯s why she chose you! Isn¡¯t that right, Yua?¡¹


    ¡¸? I don¡¯t get it, I just like his face.¡¹


    Well, you wouldn¡¯t get any good answer if you asked Yua about the qualities of an actor and the like.


    ¡¸¡­¡­Which means you have the beauty to strive for it! Take this challenge with confidence, Ian!¡¹


    ¡¸H-, haa¡­¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Just give it a try, what could go wrong anyway? I don¡¯t know why you¡¯re here joining a traveling troupe, but¡­the more things you can do, the better. In fact, being needed is even better.¡¹


    Lahti, who had been watching from the side, clapped Ian¡¯s back.


    ¡¸Pri¡­¡­Ah, I mean, Lahti! I- I understand. I¡¯ll give it a try!¡¹


    ¡¸It¡¯s settled then! Let¡¯s get started with the rehearsal! First, we¡¯re going to read the script together!¡¹


    After Count Weissmall declared so, the rehearsal fully began.


    And then, after the practice for the day was over¡­


    ¡¸So, anyway. What the hell are you doing here to begin with, Ian?¡¹


    Lahti asked Ian.


    ¡¸Ah, Ian is me and Pullum¡¯s friend from our hometown, y¡¯see.¡¹


    He explained to Inglis and the others.


    ¡¸Then, from Alucard in the north?¡¹


    Lahti and Pullum were foreign students that came from Alucard, a neighboring kingdom to the north. When he said that Ian was a friend from their hometown, that meant he was also from there.


    ¡¸Yeah. Unlike us, this guy¡¯s a noble with good manners, so, why a troupe?¡¹


    ¡¸Don¡¯t lump me in with you, Lahti. I¡¯m a good-mannered lady too, okay?¡¹


    Pullum interjected from the side.


    ¡¸Shut up, we¡¯re not discussing that now. Don¡¯t cut in.¡¹


    ¡¸Hey, I¡¯ve gone through a lot of etiquette classes. Who do you think I did all those for?¡¹


    ¡¸H-, hell if I care! I¡¯m talking with Ian right now!¡¹


    ¡¸Fufufu. Lahti and Pullum are close as always, huh?¡¹


    ¡¸J-, just drop it already! So, what happened?¡¹


    ¡¸Actually.. I no longer have a place to go back to¡­¡­¡¹


    Ian looked down, his voice was trembling.


    ¡¸EH?! Wh-, what do you mean?!¡¹


    ¡¸What happened, Ian¡­¡­?!¡¹


    Colors drained from Lahti and Pullum¡¯s face.


    ¡¸Magic Stone Beasts! A huge Magic Stone Beast ravaged my family¡¯s mansion, my territory, my family, even the townspeople, everything was destroyed! Not only that, but it also caused a lot of damage to the Royal Capital. Although, fortunately, the Royal Family are all safe¡­¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Wha?! I-, I mean, it¡¯s true that there¡¯s an increase in the number of Magic Stone Beasts, but still!¡¹


    ¡¸To-, to think such a powerful Magic Stone Beast to appear!¡¹


    ¡¸¡­¡­Glis, could it be!¡¹


    ¡¸Yeah. I guess it¡¯s a Prisma?¡¹


    The country Lahti and Pullum came from, the neighboring kingdom to the north, Alucard, was a snowy country. While it was a harsh place to live, it had the advantage of having relatively little frequency of Prism Flow.


    Of course, the threat of Magic Stone Beasts wasn¡¯t completely absent, but as the damage was comparatively small, there was no Hyrule Menace there. As a result, their dependence on the Highland was low, and the Highland themselves didn¡¯t seem to be actively interfering with the country either, perhaps because they didn¡¯t find the barren, cold land to be very attractive.


    The amplest country in the area was evidently the Charalia Kingdom, this country where Inglis and Rafinha were. It was understandable why the two major factions of the Highland had been focusing on this country, racing to gain influence over it.


    ¡¸Was that the legendary Prisma or not, I couldn¡¯t tell. However, I remember seeing it shining in seven different colors!¡¹


    ¡¸Tsk¡­¡­Alucard doesn¡¯t get a Hyrule Menace. If something like that showed up, there¡¯s no one that could put up a fight!¡¹


    ¡¸But¡­¡­But, I¡¯m glad that Ian is okay! Really, at the very least¡­¡­¡¹


    Pullum was drowning in tears, grasping Ian¡¯s hand tightly.


    ¡¸Yeah. We¡¯re glad you¡¯re okay, Ian.¡¹


    ¡¸Thank you, Lahti, Pullum! After that, when I was at a loss, it was Count Weissmall who picked me up. I always liked work of arts in the first place, and being exposed to the activities of the troupe is a good distraction.¡¹


    ¡¸S-, sorry, I¡­¡­Even though such a thing happened, I didn¡¯t know anything about it, and even said a lot of irresponsible things¡­¡¹


    ¡¸No, please don¡¯t worry about it. Having met you and given support by you, Lahti, has made me feel more positive.¡¹


    Seeing them, Rafinha bit her lips hard. She whispered to Inglis with a volume that couldn¡¯t be heard by Lahti and his friends.


    ¡¸¡­¡­I¡¯m frustrated. I couldn¡¯t be any help at all!¡¹


    ¡¸¡­¡­You¡¯re so kind, Rani. But, we couldn¡¯t do anything, okay?¡¹


    It had already happened. Not only that, it happened in a faraway country, a place they couldn¡¯t even see. Even at this moment, there should be someone, somewhere, who lost their lives to a Magic Stone Beast. This was what it meant to live on the Midland, the land which Prism Flow fell.


    Rafinha¡¯s heart was admirable, as she was able to express her frustration over the affairs of a distant, foreign country. She was noble, compassionate, and strong. She was willing to take other¡¯s pain as her own, even when it wasn¡¯t necessary.


    It was easy to dismiss those qualities of hers as childish innocence, but, in the end, those who retained such innocence alive were the ones who would move the hearts of many and change the world. Inglis knew this from her own experience.


    So, from a parent¡¯s perspective, Inglis wanted to continue watching over her like this, but she feared that, one day, Rafinha would say something like, ¡°We¡¯ll stop the Prism Flow so that everyone in this world can live in peace!¡±


    Inglis, personally, found that Prism Flow was extremely convenient, as it produced strong enemies for her on its own, so it would be troubling if it was completely gone. Of course, she would help if that was what Rafinha wished, but would it be possible to leave just enough for Inglis¡¯ own use? Although, Inglis had no idea if such flexibility was even possible or not.


    ¡¸There there.¡¹


    Yua scooted over then patted Ian on the head.


    ¡¸E-, erm? Miss Yua? What are you¡­!¡¹


    ¡¸Consoling. Not working?¡¹


    ¡¸Senior Yua, Ian¡¯s not a child!!¡¹


    Said Lahti, dumbfounded.


    ¡¸Then, I know it¡¯s early, but will you cheer up if we kissed?¡¹


    ¡¸EEeehh?! Wh-, what are you saying, Miss Yua?! That¡¯s shameful!¡¹


    Ian¡¯s face turned red. He seemed to be quite the innocent person. It might not much of a consolation, but at least Yua managed to divert his mind.


    ¡¸But, we¡¯re going to kiss anyway? There¡¯s a kissing scene at the end of the play.¡¹


    ¡¸Eeehh?! Ah! Th-, there really is! M-, me, doing this?!¡¹


    As he turned up to the last segment, Ian¡¯s voice rose. The group hadn¡¯t gotten to that part in the rehearsal, so Ian probably didn¡¯t see it coming.


    ¡¸Right? That¡¯s why, now, with me.¡¹


    ¡¸You mustn¡¯t!¡¹


    Inglis hastily stopped Yua.


    ¡¸Mu¡­¡­?¡¹


    ¡¸That¡¯s just for the play, not now!¡¹


    The reason for that was if the kiss satisfied Yua now, there was a real risk that she wouldn¡¯t put her serious effort later during the fight, or even abstain from the very fight itself. If so, everything that Inglis set up until now would turn moot. She had to stop this, by all means.


    ¡¸For the time being, let¡¯s not play with Ian so much. This guy¡¯s hurt pretty bad, you know.¡¹


    ¡¸That¡¯s right.¡¹


    Hearing that from Lahti, Yua pat Inglis¡¯ shoulder with a plop.


    ¡¸Eeh?! You¡¯re blaming me?¡¹


    ¡¸Yup. I mean, I¡¯m being serious here.¡¹


    ¡¸No, I am being serious too, senior!¡¹


    ¡¸Both of you! Anyway, please. I¡¯m begging you here. This guy¡¯s a precious friend of mine.¡¹


    ¡¸You don¡¯t need to be so mad, Lahti.¡¹


    Ian showed an unusual smile.


    ¡¸Ian?¡¹


    ¡¸I have to find a new way of life and move on, too¡­¡­Otherwise, my family and close friends wouldn¡¯t be able to have rest. Everyone here all looks cheerful and happy. If I could spend some more time with all of you, I¡¯m sure I will find what I seek. Please, don¡¯t mind me too much, and I look forward to working with you.¡¹


    ¡¸Nice to meet you too! Being cheerful is my strength, you see!¡¹


    Rafinha stepped forward and smiled at Ian. Her expression was saying that she wanted to help Ian to move forward. So long she didn¡¯t bother Ian, Inglis didn¡¯t see a reason to stop her.


    ¡¸I¡¯m just a supporting character who dances behind Glis, but if Glis ever does anything reckless and causes trouble, just tell her on me, okay? I¡¯ll scold her straight.¡¹


    ¡¸O-, okay¡­¡­U-, understood. Thank you very much.¡¹


    Yua who oversaw the exchange turned to Inglis then pointed at Rafinha.


    ¡¸¡ª¡ªGuardian?¡¹


    ¡¸N-, no! I am the one who watches over Rani.¡¹


    ¡¸Is that so? Doesn¡¯t look like it though?¡¹


    ¡¸That¡¯s just your imagination. As Rani¡¯s future Squire, I will be watching over her everything, from the way she lives her everyday life to the way she behaves on the battlefield.¡¹


    Whilst Inglis was saying so, Ian replied to Rafinha for her remark.


    ¡¸However, for such a beautiful and well-mannered Miss Inglis to act recklessly¡­she doesn¡¯t seem like the person to do that, you know.¡¹


    ¡¸¡¸¡¸¡¸Nope, she does.¡¹¡¹¡¹¡¹


    Everyone present all spoke in the same breath.


    ¡¸E-, eeh?! Does she really?¡¹


    ¡¸¡­¡­¡­¡­¡¹


    It¡¯s true that I like to do the things I enjoy in the ways I want to do it. Still, I can¡¯t recall ever being reckless, though?


    ¡¸You weren¡¯t here before so you missed it¡­¡­Well, you¡¯ll know soon enough. Anyway, if you¡¯re fine with the role, then you have my support.¡¹


    ¡¸Yes. Thank you, Lahti.¡¹


    Ian gave Lahti a sweet smile.

 Chapter 167: 15-year-old Inglis and the Two Leading Actresses (20)

    A few days later¡­ Ian quickly reassessed his perception of Inglis


    BAMBAMBAMBAM!!! VWOOOMMM!! KERCHAANNKK!! KABOOOOMM!!


    Inglis and Yua were engaged in hand-to-hand combat whilst jumping around from countless Flygears, one onto another, up above the audience seat.


    This was the battle scene in the last segment. As for the plot, Mariabelle, played by Inglis, was now a popular street dancer, but she used to be the daughter of a distinguished Knight family.


    She and Prince Malik were originally childhood friends, and they even engaged with marriage in mind, but their engagement was dissolved when she was 14 due to the fall of her family. After seven years of wandering around the world, she met again with Prince Malik in a foreign country where he had been appointed as the lord of the land.


    The current scene was of Mariabelle, who was trained as a knight and possessed quite a marvelous talent, going to save Prince Malik whose life was in danger after falling into a disadvantageous battlefield. Her romantic rival and the other female lead, Euthyllis, played by Yua, was a female Knight who served under Malik after his engagement with Mariabelle was broken off.


    Mariabelle, who wanted to rescue Malik, and Euthyllis, who wanted to stop her from getting to Malik, confronted each other. To get Euthyllis to recognize her abilities, Mariabelle was to test her skills against her. After that, once they both recognized each other¡¯s strength, they would work together to rescue Malik.


    They had promised that the loser would step down, hence why this was the most exciting part of the story, as this was a serious bout with no determined outcome.


    Their high-speed movements were dizzying, brilliant, and bizarrely powerful. This was evident with just how heavy the sounds of blows reverberating throughout the space.


    ¡¸A-, amazing¡­ So this is what you meant, Lahti!¡¹


    Ian mumbled in dismay. He was busy moving his head up, down, left, and right trying to follow them.


    ¡¸Ain¡¯t it? What part of her is gentle?¡¹


    Lahti, who stood next to him, asked rhetorically. Lahti and Pullum were going to be the pilots of Flygears that would show up in the play. At the moment, it was Pullum¡¯s turn to steer the Flygear during the practice.


    ¡¸Haha¡­¡­Y-, you¡¯re right. If anything, it¡¯s more like the saying about the most beautiful rose have the sharpest thorn¡­¡­Isn¡¯t it.¡¹


    ¡¸That, I agree.¡¹


    ¡¸That being said, those two don¡¯t look like they possess a Rune or owning an Artifact¡­¡­How amazing!¡¹


    ¡¸Ain¡¯t they? They can even defeat a Magic Stone Beast like that, y¡¯know.¡¹


    ¡¸Eeh?! Without an Artifact?!¡¹


    ¡¸Yep. There are people who witnessed it.¡¹


    ¡¸Wh-, what kind of power is that?¡¹


    ¡¸Heck if I know! But, man, the world¡¯s a big place. To think people like them actually exist!¡¹


    ¡¸Back in Alucard, even Artifacts were scarce¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Aah, you¡¯re right!¡¹


    It could be said that the King of Alucard was negligent in leaving their lack of Artifacts situation unattended. However, in reality, it was extremely hard for Alucard to offer enough goods and crops to obtain Artifacts and the so-called Guardian Deity, the Hyrule Menace, due to the bad harvest in such cold regions.


    The Highland wouldn¡¯t take the situation of Midland into consideration. They wouldn¡¯t give away Artifacts and Hyrule Menaces for cheap just because Alucard was a hard place to live.


    They¡¯d be putting the cart before the horse if they forced themselves to gather enough wealth to get Artifacts and a Hyrule Menace, if that meant famine would strike their people and the entire country was brought to downfall from the very base.


    ¡¸If only we had people like them back in Alucard¡­ No, it¡¯s already a past now. I don¡¯t need to think about anything else, I¡¯ll just have to do my best on the stage¡­¡­Right?¡¹


    ¡¸Yeah, that¡¯s right¡­¡­¡¹


    Count Weissmall, then, praised Inglis and Yua in his usual high-pitched voice.


    ¡¸Hou hou! Hohohou! It¡¯s even more marvelous than before~! I moved my head around so much following you two¡¯s movement that I pulled a muscle on my back neck! Ouch ouch ouch¡­¡­what a pleasant pain! Now, we¡¯ll move on to Prince Malik¡¯s scene. Ian, please get on the stage.¡¹


    ¡¸Yes!¡¹


    Inglis and Yua went offstage while Ian climbed up.


    ¡¸You must be tired, Senior Yua. Have some water.¡¹


    Inglis drew a glass of water from the jug that was prepared for recess and handed it to Yua.


    ¡¸Thanks. Not that I¡¯m tired, though.¡¹


    ¡¸Ooh! You seem motivated.¡¹


    Those words were rare to come out of Yua. Usually, she would say things like I¡¯m tired, what a hassle, I¡¯m sleepy, and many more.


    ¡¸Somehow, I¡¯ve been feeling really good lately.¡¹


    ¡¸That¡¯s great. After what happened in the last incident, I was worried if you would suffer some kind of after-effects.¡¹


    In the last incident, Yua was absorbed into the body of Prisma. Inglis was hoping it wouldn¡¯t have any side effect on her, but if there was none, then all was fine.


    ¡¸Yup, all good.¡¹


    ¡¸By the way, senior. There¡¯s something I always wanted to ask you. Can I?¡¹


    ¡¸What?¡¹


    ¡¸When you¡¯re fighting seriously, Senior Yua, you hide your presence so frighteningly skillfully so that you won¡¯t be perceived, don¡¯t you? What kind of technique is that? If possible, I would be happy if you teach me a little bit about it!¡¹


    To be able to hide traces of her own mana to such an extent and move around without being detected was an amazing feat of skill. Currently, Inglis couldn¡¯t even imitate it. She wanted to learn everything she could learn, as that would surely be a new strength for her.


    ¡¸It¡¯s not like¡­I¡¯m hiding.¡¹


    ¡¸Eh? But, you clearly¡­¡­¡¹


    Perhaps Yua didn¡¯t want to answer, but Inglis chose to press on.


    ¡¸I¡¯m just blending in.¡¹


    Apparently, it wasn¡¯t that she didn¡¯t want to answer, it was just that what Inglis felt and what Yua felt were different.


    ¡¸In? Into what?¡¹


    ¡¸The world.¡¹


    ¡¸The world¡­¡­?¡¹


    ¡¸Yup. Return to the world, was what my dad told me.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­¡­I see. In other words, you go with the flow of the world, the flow of the natural forces, is it?¡¹


    The world¡ª¡ªnature, was actually filled with various streams of power. The light that illuminated our path. The wind that caressed our cheeks. The rain that nurtured the earth. The fire that gave birth to civilization. Even in such natural phenomenons, there were always streams of mana. And if you delve into those streams even deeper, you would find streams of Ether.


    Even for Inglis and those who had the sensitivity to recognize mana and Ether, it was difficult to clearly recognize and grasp the flow of those elements in nature. That was because, for those who lived in this world, those streams of energy were nothing more than natural. They felt it as something granted, a matter of course.


    It was easy to grasp the power an individual wore upon themselves that wasn¡¯t part of nature, or streams of power that were forcibly distorted the space much like the Levitation Magic Formation Inglis saw in the city of Nova, but¡­ In Yua¡¯s case, she had mastered the art of using her own energy while blending into the natural streams of mana in the surroundings.


    Inglis¡¯ response to Yua¡¯s movements was dampened since she was taking the natural flow of forces as something granted. Even for Inglis, it was hard to keep up with Yua if she didn¡¯t cut off her vision to concentrate her senses on the flow of mana.


    ¡¸Yup. Maybe¡­¡¹


    ¡¸What a wonderful technique! What kind of person is your father? If possible, I want to undergo the same training you did, senior!¡¹


    If she could reach the same level of skill as Yua, it would surely have a positive impact on her skill to manipulate Ether. The leader of the Ironblood Chain Brigade, Black Mask, manipulated the wavelength of his own Ether to change it to possess properties that repelled Inglis¡¯ Ether and used it to defend against all of her attacks.


    If she stayed in her current path, it would be impossible for Inglis to break through Black Mask¡¯s defense. Yua¡¯s extremely flexible technique might be the key to bring down that wall. By all means, she would love to learn it!


    ¡¸What kind of person?¡¹


    ¡¸Yes. By all means, I want to meet him!¡¹


    ¡¸Hmm¡­¡­Forgot his face.¡¹


    Yua said something mind-boggling.


    ¡¸EEeeeehhh?!¡¹


    What, she forgot her own parent¡¯s face? That sure swept me off my feet. Maybe they don¡¯t have a good relationship? Or maybe he¡¯s already passed away? Or maybe there are other reasons! But, why would she say that she forgot his face if it¡¯s just to hide those reasons? That is just too far unexpected. No, but, if it¡¯s Yua, she may do it.


    ¡¸Eh? Is it weird?¡¹


    ¡¸Y-, yes. V-, very¡­¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Really? Then maybe it wasn¡¯t my dad?¡¹


    ¡¸No no no, why would you even ask me¡­¡­A-, anyway, are you saying that it¡¯s hard to meet him?¡¹


    ¡¸Am I?¡¹


    Even if you ask me¡ª¡ª

 Chapter 168: 15-year-old Inglis and the Two Leading Actresses (21)

    ¡¸Next, we¡¯ll move to the scene with Prince Malik and Euthyllis~ Yua, come forward!¡¹


    ¡¸Ah, yes.¡¹


    With that, Yua trotted to the center of the stage.


    ¡¸Hmm¡­¡­¡¹


    It would be difficult to get training under the tutelage of Yua¡¯s father-c?u?m?-master. This meant there was no other choice than to steal the technique from Yua and learn it herself. Inglis couldn¡¯t wait to have a serious fight with Yua once again. The play felt so far ahead.


    ¡¸Yo, Inglis. Senior Yua sure said some crazy stuff, didn¡¯t she¡­¡­¡¹


    ¡¸You heard? She said she forgot the face of her father!¡¹


    ¡¸Yeah, terrific!¡¹


    ¡¸Yup¡­¡­¡¹


    ¡¸I worried if she even could memorize her script, but¡­¡¹ (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});


    ¡¸¡­¡­unexpectedly, she memorized them perfectly!¡¹


    Yua didn¡¯t have the script in her hand as she practiced her scene with Prince Malik, however, she correctly recited the lines seemingly from her own memory. Her acting, too, was surprisingly well-performed, and Inglis didn¡¯t feel particularly uneasy watching her. Ian playing Prince Malik was just as excellent, so much so that it was Inglis who had to be careful not to trip their feet.


    ¡¸Say, Inglis¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Hm, what is it?¡¹


    ¡¸It¡¯s about Ian, but don¡¯t tell Pullum or anyone else I¡¯m saying this, got it? Don¡¯t you feel like something¡¯s off about him?¡¹


    ¡¸¡­¡­I do think he¡¯s quite get-together, though? Is there something bothering you?¡¹


    ¡¸Yeah¡­¡­I thought I knew him inside out since we grew up together and all. Knowing his personality, if he said that his territory got destroyed and even the Royal Capital was badly damaged, then I thought he would¡¯ve stayed and helped with the reconstruction. And yet, what, he joined a traveling troupe and came all the way here all by himself¡­¡­No, I¡¯m not saying it¡¯s a bad thing, kay? I¡¯m just saying it doesn¡¯t sit right with me¡­¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Perhaps there is something he can¡¯t tell you. It¡¯s better to leave it be and not pry into it, you know? Otherwise, it¡¯ll only hurt him further. I think that just do nothing and wait until he¡¯s ready to talk is also a form of consideration.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­¡­You¡¯re right. Got that.¡¹


    Lahti nodded at Inglis¡¯ words.


    That¡¯s surely a better way to do it! He readily accepted Inglis¡¯ suggestion.


    ¡¸Next, let us practice Mariabelle¡¯s dancing scene! Inglis, come here! Rafinha and the other two too~¡¹


    ¡¸Yes.¡¹


    Inglis took her place in the center of the stage as Leone and Liselotte, who had been observing from the side, walked up.


    ¡¸Eh? Where¡¯s Rani?¡¹


    ¡¸She hasn¡¯t returned for a while now¡­ She said she had an important business.¡¹


    ¡¸She said she would be right back, then she scuffled away. Have you not heard anything from her?¡¹


    ¡¸Ah, don¡¯t tell me¡­¡­!¡¹


    At the same time Inglis raised her voice¡­


    ¡¸Aym whaack~~¡¹


    Rafinha returned with both of her cheeks puffed like a squirrel. It was obvious what she had been up to.


    ¡¸Aa, dhank ghutnesh Ay wadhe if im daim (Aah, thank goodness, I made it in time)¡¹


    ¡¸Rani¡­¡­You went to grab a bite for yourself, I see!¡¹


    It was close to noon, the time for the troupe staff members to prepare lunch. It seemed that Rafinha couldn¡¯t wait any longer and snuck out to eat. How unfair. Inglis had been enduring herself since she knew it was time for her tummy to grumble.


    ¡¸Heye. Nyauw we ayye akwompwish (Here. Now we¡¯re accomplices).¡¹


    Nom


    Rafinha stuffed the ham sandwich in her hand to Inglis¡¯ mouth.


    ¡¸Shyeesh. Kwan vwi hyelved (Geez. Can¡¯t be helped.)¡¹


    ¡¸Hohohou. Young ones need to eat a lot~ Please eat well and give a good performance, you two.¡¹


    However, even towards Inglis and Rafinha, Count Weissmall was forbearing.


    ¡¸¡­¡­Count Weissmall sure is magnanimous, isn¡¯t he?¡¹


    ¡¸Agreed. It is as though he never gets angry. Perhaps, he is even more steadfast than the Principal¡­¡¹


    Leone and Liselotte whispered to each other. Principal Miliera was also soft-spoken, gentle, and kind. However, there are limits to things, and sometimes, Inglis and her group stepped beyond those limits. Seeing how collected the Count was even when Inglis and Rafinha ate during the practice, perhaps he wouldn¡¯t even be angry when he was supposed to be!


    ¡¸Houhou. You see, I believe that each person has their own way to develop that is best suited for him or her.¡¹


    As he apparently overheard them, Count Weissmall joined Leone and Liselotte¡¯s whispering conversation.


    ¡¸They who grow by being scolded, they who grow by being praised¡­ there are various types of people. While those two, they grow by feeding them. As long as you fill their stomach, they will show you a good performance, so it¡¯s worth feeding them.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­¡­Just like animals.¡¹


    ¡¸I-, I suppose¡­¡­They¡¯re like wild beasts being tamed by a beastmaster.¡¹


    ¡¸Sounds about right.¡¹


    ¡¸I know I¡¯m not supposed to laugh, but¡­¡­¡¹


    Finding that statement funny, Leone and Liselotte giggled with each other.


    ¡¸Mn¡­¡­okay!¡¹


    ¡¸We¡¯re sorry for the delay, let¡¯s start.¡¹


    Both Inglis and Rafinha had stopped their chewing.


    ¡¸I see, I see. Well then, girls, please show me a beautiful dance~¡¹


    Urged by the Count, Inglis and the other three lined up. Inglis stood in the front while the three lined up behind her, making a formation. Then, matching to the rhythm of Count Weissmall¡¯s claps, they performed the choreography they had been taught. It had only been a few days since they started practicing, but their choreography was perfect.


    ¡¸By golly, you girls are marvelous! It¡¯s like goddesses have descended from the high heaven! Keep it up~!¡¹


    The Count cheered excitedly.


    ¡¸Fufu. It doesn¡¯t feel too bad being praised like that, huh.¡¹


    ¡¸You¡¯re right.¡¹


    ¡¸It¡¯s a bit embarrassing, but it might be a good breather.¡¹


    ¡¸Agreed. Since we¡¯re all here anyway, let us have some fun.¡¹


    Even while they danced, they had enough leeway to whisper to each other like so.


    None of them were particularly knowledgeable about dances, but they were all students of the Knight Academy, where they received daily exceptional training without fail.


    When it came to physical abilities, not only Inglis, but everyone in her group was far above the average people. They had reached a level where they could overtake the regular Weissmall Troupe performers in no time at all.


    From their fingertips to their toes, the four of them moved flexibly and uniformly. Their hair swayed and their dresses fluttered from the intensity of their movements, so impactful they could hear the rustles of their clothes.


    At the last bit, Inglis stepped forward by herself, and after a series of furious foot taps ended with a flamboyant pose, a trickle of sweat dripped down from her cheek and fell to the floor. It was quite the ardent motion.


    ¡¸And done! Boy oh boy, you are all superb~! There¡¯s nothing else that needs to be said for this scene!¡¹


    ¡¸Really, everyone¡¯s so pretty! I kind of yearn for all of you!¡¹


    Count Weissmall nodded in satisfaction, while Pullum, who was observing, was gleaming.


    ¡¸You better not think of joining them, okay? You¡¯ll just end up dragging them down.¡¹


    ¡¸Muu. Okay, I know I¡¯m not as cute as Inglis and everyone else!¡¹


    ¡¸I¡¯m not even saying that, though? I¡¯m just saying people have different strengths and weaknesses.¡¹


    Whilst Inglis listened to the familiar give-and-take, a sound of applause was heard in another direction.


    ¡¸How wonderful! I expect no less from Miss Inglissss!!¡¹


    ¡¸Ah, Mister Redas!¡¹


    Before she noticed it, Redas had already seated in the audience seat and was applauding wildly with his face drowned in tears. Not only that, there were several other Knights of the Imperial Guard Order with him today.


    ¡¸That was hella beautiful¡­¡­!¡¹


    ¡¸Yeah, a different kind of beauty from the last time we saw her! I couldn¡¯t help but stare.¡¹


    ¡¸And the other girls are cute as well, we sure saw something great!¡¹


    The Knights seemed to fancy Inglis and the other¡¯s dancing very much. However, that was not what was important. Amidst the Knights who were still clapping hands¡­


    ¡¸Umu. What a wonderful show of art, I cannot wait for the play to take place. I¡¯m sure the people of the Royal Capital will be moved and return to their previous daily lives with this.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­¡­! Your Majesty!¡¹


    Even King Charleas was all smiles and applauding.


    ¡¸Ah, it¡¯s really him, here of all places!¡¹


    ¡¸Eeh?! His Majesty saw us?!¡¹


    ¡¸M-, my goodness!¡¹


    Rafinha, Leone, and Liselotte were also surprised.


    ¡¸Hou Hou! If it isn¡¯t His Majesty the King! Thank you for the visit! Please, do come and watch the show! I¡¯m sure I will be able to show you our masterpiece!¡¹


    ¡¸Umu. I shall. It seems I was right to give you the permission to use the Royal Grand Theatre.¡¹


    Saying so, King Charleas nodded his head.


    ¡¸Th-, the King of this country will be coming to see¡­¡­O-, oh no!¡¹


    Ian¡¯s face turned pale, as his nervousness seemed to go through the roof all at once.


    And Yua was¡­


    ¡¸Who¡¯s that old pops?¡¹


    ¡¸¡­¡­¡­¡­¡¹


    ¡­puzzled, and asked Inglis like such.

 Chapter 169: 15-year-old Inglis and the Two Leading Actresses (22)

    It had been some time since Inglis and her friends started rehearsing for the Weissmall Troupe. The big day was approaching. In the meanwhile, the troupe prepared the meals for Inglis and Rafinha, which they couldn¡¯t be thankful enough for. And, finally¡­


    ¡¸F-, finally, this day has come, Glis!¡¹


    ¡¸Yeah. It has been long, Rani!¡¹


    Both Inglis and Rafinha were teary-eyed.


    ¡¸We¡¯ve persevered so hard, didn¡¯t we!¡¹


    ¡¸Yeah. I even want to praise myself for all the hardships!¡¹


    They hugged each other tightly, praising their brave struggle, thinking of their now-past days of endurance. The reconstructed, new building of the Knight Academy stood before them. While there were still many segments under construction, it will be the reopening of the cafeteria today. They couldn¡¯t bear sitting still, and so they had been waiting there even before it was effectively open.


    Soon¡­¡­soon the time we¡¯ve been waiting for will come!


    ¡¸No, is that something to cry about?!¡¹


    ¡¸To begin with, haven¡¯t you two been eating a lot of bribes from the troupe while the cafeteria wasn¡¯t open?¡¹


    Leone and Liselotte were a bit exasperated by the two¡¯s reaction.


    ¡¸They don¡¯t have much variation, so we had to put up with it!¡¹


    ¡¸We also had to each so much less so we wouldn¡¯t wolf down the whole troupe¡¯s portion!¡¹


    ¡¸¡¸L-, less¡­¡­?¡¹¡¹


    The people in charge of cooking for the troupe were scratching their heads, wondering if having Inglis and Rafinha in the play would be profitable at all. However, Count Weissmall seemed not to mind it much, as long as they could give him an excellent performance.


    The door of the cafeteria was thrown open with a light bang.


    ¡¸My? You¡¯ve been waiting together here? Sorry for the wait! The cafeteria is back open!¡¹


    The diner lady, whom both Inglis and Rafinha had known very well, welcomed them with a smile.


    ¡¸Kyaah! Yaay! The Double Extra-Large All Topping Super Spicy Pasta awaits me!¡¹


    ¡¸Me too! I wonder how much I can eat¡­¡­?!¡¹


    ¡¸No¡­¡­We have another rehearsal just after this, don¡¯t we?¡¹


    ¡¸If you eat too much, you won¡¯t be able to move as much.¡¹


    ¡¸¡¸You can¡¯t fight a war on an empty stomach¡­¡­!!¡¹¡¹


    Inglis and Rafinha spoke in the same breath. It seemed all they could think about was food. But then¡­


    ¡¸Aah, I knew you two will be here, Miss Inglis, Miss Rafinha!¡¹


    ¡¸Ah, Principal!¡¹


    ¡¸This isn¡¯t time for you two to idle around here!¡¹


    ¡¸Eh? What¡¯s wrong?¡¹


    ¡¸There should be some time until the rehearsal with the troupe¡­¡¹


    ¡¸It¡¯s not that! You have some important guests!¡¹


    ¡¸Huh?¡¹


    Were they really that important, even more important than the Double Extra-Large All Topping Super Spicy Pasta? Wouldn¡¯t it just be a tragedy if they once again missed the huge feast because they were summoned to the castle and offered another troublesome position they had no interest in? To be honest, Inglis wasn¡¯t in the mood to deal with it.


    ¡¸Can¡¯t they wait until after we¡¯re done eating?¡¹


    Rafinha seemed to be of the same opinion.


    ¡¸That¡¯s not good! It¡¯s rude to make your guests wait!¡¹


    ¡¸Hmm, there¡¯s no other way then¡­¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Let¡¯s just give a brief greeting then run back here, Rani.¡¹


    ¡¸Yeah. Let¡¯s.¡¹


    ¡¸They are waiting in my office, so let¡¯s go right away.¡¹


    Inglis and Rafinha decided to leave the cafeteria behind them and headed towards the Principal¡¯s Office.


    ¡¸Phew~ Thank goodness I reached them before they could eat in the cafeteria, our budget is tight no thanks to the reconstruction, so we gotta save where we can¡­¡­¡¹


    Muttered Principal Miliera under her breath. And, as they reached the Principal¡¯s Office¡­


    ¡¸Inglis!¡¹


    ¡¸Rafinha!¡¹


    What awaited them there were two mature, beautiful adult women¡­


    ¡¸Mother!¡¹


    ¡¸Mother!¡¹


    It was Selena, Inglis¡¯ mother, and Irina, her aunt.


    ¡¸Mother! You¡¯ve come! I¡¯m so happy to see you!¡¹


    ¡¸Fufufu¡­ You¡¯re still such a spoiled kid, Rafinha.¡¹


    Rafinha rushed to Aunt Irina and threw a tight hug to her.


    ¡¸Little Inglis! Have you been well? Your mom is worried!¡¹


    ¡¸I am, mother. There¡¯s no problem. I¡¯m glad to see you.¡¹


    Inglis didn¡¯t behave as childishly, but she didn¡¯t resist the hug Selena gave her either. This nostalgic warmth was certainly comforting. For a child, their mother would always be their mother, no matter how old they had become. For Inglis, who had been an orphan in her previous life, the value and gratitude of having someone to call as a mother was something she could feel more deeply than anyone else.


    ¡¸No problem, huh? No, but, well¡­¡¹


    The Principal groaned.


    ¡¸Pardon me, has my daughter causing you any trouble at all?¡¹


    ¡¸Ah, no, no¡­¡­they never! They are both excellent students and have helped me a lot.¡¹


    ¡¸Is that so? That¡¯s reassuring.¡¹


    Mother Selena smiled.


    ¡¸However, why have you come, mother?¡¹


    ¡¸You know how the Marquis pays the tax to His Majesty the King, don¡¯t you? Starting this year, umm, those flying boats¡­¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Flygears and Flygear Carriers.¡¹


    ¡¸Yes, that. An official from the Capital will come riding it and help us transport the fares.¡¹


    ¡¸That¡¯s great. It¡¯s safer than transporting them overland that way.¡¹


    So far, goods and taxes would have to be transported by land all the way to the Royal Capital. Not only would it be a long journey from the remote town of Ymir, but there was also always the threat of Magic Stone Beasts along the way.


    It would be safer and faster if the Royal Capital could send Flygears to collect the tax. Not only would they be safe from the assaults of land-bound Magic Stone Beasts, but there was also a huge chance they could shake off flying Magic Stone Beasts.


    Normally, it was the feudal lord¡¯s role to arrange the means of transportation and the people, but Flygears were state-of-the-art weapons. It wasn¡¯t widely used in a rural area like Ymir. Therefore, it was the Capital that made the dispatch. It was a flexible response to an advance in technology. How very thoughtful.


    ¡¸Yes. And so, since the Marquis was riding the Flygear that went back to the Capital to greet His Majesty, he brought us along with him. We wanted to see your faces, after all. Although, it was regrettable that your dad has to stay.¡¹


    ¡¸Is that so. That was unfortunate, I wanted to see Father too.¡¹


    ¡¸Wah! So Father is here too! Yay!¡¹


    ¡¸Rafinha. Don¡¯t get too merry, you hear me? Be thoughtful like Glis.¡¹


    Aunt Irina rebuked Rafinha.


    ¡¸I don¡¯t mind. I¡¯m happy to see the Marquis too.¡¹


    ¡¸Really? You sure are reliable and mature, little Glis. I don¡¯t have anything to worry about as long as Rafinha has you by her side..¡¹


    ¡¸That¡¯s not true, I still have a long way to go. Please, tell Rani to not chase after illicit relationships and focus solely on her training as a Knight candidate.¡¹


    Perhaps because Inglis was mentally a man, she couldn¡¯t stop Rafinha from saying things like which men had the handsome face or which one she had a crush on, or how wonderful Special Envoy Theodore was, etc.


    She would like Irina, Rafinha¡¯s own mother, to be the one to drive those points into her, but¡­


    ¡¸Eeh?! What, Rafinha, you got a boyfriend? Isn¡¯t that great! What is he like, what is he like? Will you introduce him to me since I¡¯m here?¡¹


    Irina¡¯s eyes shone brightly. At times like this, her eyes were just like Rafinha¡¯s.


    ¡¸AAAUUNNNT!! That¡¯s not it, that¡¯s not what I meant! Rani needs to focus on the things necessary for her!¡¹


    ¡¸Oh my? Falling in love while young is also an important lesson, you know? So, how is it, Rafinha?¡¹


    ¡¸Eeh. I don¡¯t have a boyfriend. I mean, of course, I want to have one, but¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Then, is there someone you have in your heart?¡¹


    ¡¸Eeh? Ehehe¡­¡¹


    What do you mean ¡°Ehehe¡±?!

 Chapter 170: 15-year-old Inglis and the Two Leading Actresses (23)

    ¡¸This won¡¯t do! As a student of the Knight Academy, you should focus on your training!!¡¹


    ¡¸Geez, you¡¯re so naggy, Glis. Even Mother said it¡¯s fine.¡¹


    ¡¸I have been tasked! The Marquis asked me to make sure there won¡¯t be any pest get near you, Rani!¡¹


    ¡¸My, you didn¡¯t need to worry about it. He¡¯s just jealous that someone else is going to take his daughter from him.¡¹


    ¡¸You should be worried about it, Aunt!¡¹


    This was backfiring. Rafinha would only grow rebellious against Inglis.


    ¡¸The Marquis asked me so because he treasures Rani! And I am of the same opinion! It is still too early for Rani for such things!¡¹


    ¡¸Ahahaha¡­ I¡¯m sorry, big sister, Rafinha. Inglis just doesn¡¯t want Rafinha to be taken away from her as well. She¡¯s just like the Marquis.¡¹


    ¡¸Th-, that¡¯s not it, Mother! I am just doing my duty as her Squire!¡¹


    ¡¸Fufufu. I¡¯m sure my husband will just say the same thing.¡¹ (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});


    ¡¸Uu¡­¡­?!¡¹


    Perhaps that was true. The way the Marquis saw Rafinha and the way Inglis saw Rafinha was probably the same.


    ¡¸Thank you, little Glis. You really do cherish Rafinha, don¡¯t you? You too, Rafinha, listen to what little Glis said, okay?¡¹


    ¡¸Eeh? But you said the opposite before!¡¹


    ¡¸It¡¯s fine! It¡¯s little Glis who¡¯s been treasuring the most you all this time, isn¡¯t it?¡¹


    ¡¸Well, that¡¯s true, but¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Aunt!!¡¹


    Apparently, Glis¡¯ Aunt was siding with her. And then, her mother Selena turned to Leone and Liselotte who came with them.


    ¡¸Are you two, their friends? Forgive me for the late introduction. I¡¯m Inglis¡¯ mother, Selena. This is my sister, Irina.¡¹


    ¡¸Thank you for always looking after our daughters.¡¹


    They greeted them properly, ladylike, and with the manner of adult women.


    ¡¸Many thanks for your kind attention. I am Liselotte Alt¡­¡­¡¹


    Rafinha then interrupted Liselotte who was just about to say her family name.


    ¡¸Mother, Aunt, let me introduce you! This is Liselotte, and this is Leone.¡¹


    Rafinha deliberately omitted their family names as she introduced them. Leone¡¯s family, the Olpha Household, was greatly scrutinized by the public due to Leon¡¯s resignation from his position as a Holy Knight.


    The mothers were well aware of Leon¡¯s actions and what actually happened in Ymir, even if it was from hearsays. So they shouldn¡¯t have a bad impression of Leon and the Olphas¡­


    Even so, it was also true that it would be hard for Leone to say her own family name to them. That was why Rafinha interrupted Liselotte and introduced them without saying their family names. They might find it out sooner than later, but there was no necessity for it to be now.


    As if trying to give her a hint, Rafinha secretly winked at Liselotte. Liselotte seemed to grasp it just from that.


    ¡¸Ah¡­¡­.Right! It is us who have been helped a lot by them.¡¹


    Rafinha¡¯s kindness and consideration for people like this made Inglis feeling a bit proud of her.


    ¡¸I, too, have been treated well by them.¡¹


    Leone smiled and nodded.


    ¡¸Ah, that¡¯s right Mother. You see, the Weissmall Troupe is in the Capital now! Both of us are going to perform, so you two have to come and see! And then, you see!¡¹


    ¡¸Hold on, Rani. Why don¡¯t we change places first? We¡¯re running out of time¡­¡¹


    ¡¸That¡¯s a good idea. Your rehearsal is approaching, so¡­¡­why don¡¯t you four take a tour around the Capital, have a good cup of tea at a fashionable cafe, and then go to the rehearsal once you¡¯re done.¡¹


    ¡¸No, we¡¯re going to the cafeteria! Hurry!¡¹


    ¡¸You¡¯re right! Principal, can we put our mothers¡¯ share of tea in the all-you-can-eat deal?¡¹


    ¡¸O-, of course¡­¡­it won¡¯t hurt.¡¹


    Principal Miliera judged that just some cups of tea would be fine. It was hard to say no here, with two of her students¡¯ parents present. It wasn¡¯t long until the rehearsal start, and the speed at which Inglis and Rafinha ate should considerably slow down as they were catching up on a lot of things with their mothers. As a result, the damage to the budget would be considerably less, or so she hypothesized.


    But then¡­


    BAM! BAM!


    Two large plates of piled high-up pasta arrived on their table in the cafeteria.


    ¡¸Long time no see! Double Extra-Large All-Topping Super Spicy Pasta!¡¹


    ¡¸Looks so good¡­¡­!¡¹


    Nom! Nom! Nom! Nom!


    Inglis and Rafinha furiously thrust their forks into the plates in front of them.


    ¡¸Waidh? Idh whooks sho ghaud waidh? Whee awwaws eeid deys, yeh shee! (Right? It looks so good, right? We always eat these, you see!)¡¹


    ¡¸Dhe Pwinshepaw khynly awfered us an aww yew caun eeid diya, wheeh wah a yafsafa! (The Principal kindly offered us an all-you-can-eat deal, which was a lifesaver!)¡¹


    Leone and Liselotte who watched it from the side sighed to themselves.


    ¡¸Th-, they¡¯re just like always¡­ they can¡¯t even talk properly with all these stuff in their mouths, and yet¡­¡­¡¹


    ¡¸I-, I thought they would be behaving well with their mothers present¡­¡­their appetite won over them, didn¡¯t it?¡¹


    Unaware of their comments, Inglis and Rafinha were just smiling wide.


    ¡¸Rafinha¡­¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Inglis¡­¡­¡¹


    The mothers called them with a low, groan-like voice. They would surely be scolded for being so improper, thought Leone and Liselotte, but¡­


    ¡¸¡¸Ask for two more portions!¡¹¡¹


    ¡¸¡¸Yesh!¡¹¡¹


    BAM! BAM!


    ¡¸Dyah me, iwhs weayyi gud! Aun iys fweeh dho, hau dewayfuw (Dear me, it really is good! And it¡¯s free too, how delightful.)¡¹


    ¡¸Whuih wewwe wowwiyed abhot yehr meaws, bhud dish shouwd be fain! (We were worried about your meals, but this should be fine!)¡¹


    ¡¸Waight?! (Right?!)¡¹


    ¡¸Hafwing yhouh dwoo yoyning aus heyah maggs idh evwen dashdiah. (Having you two joining us here makes it even tastier).¡¹


    Nomnomnomnomnomnom!!


    The speed of the two mothers was just as fast, if not faster than Inglis and Rafinha.


    ¡¸Ah, I-, I see, that habit of Inglis and Rafinha¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Th-, they inherited it from their mothers!¡¹


    ¡¸Th-, the monsters¡­¡­the monsters have doubled!!¡¹


    The four¡¯s platters were emptied in no time at all.


    ¡¸Mhmm, so delish!¡¹


    ¡¸It has been a while since we¡¯ve had it, so it tastes even more delicious. I can never get enough of them.¡¹


    ¡¸W-, well¡­¡­Everyone, isn¡¯t it time for the rehearsal to start?¡¹


    ¡¸We still have time to eat two more servings. Let¡¯s get eating! We¡¯ll go with the Double Extra-Large All-Toppings Bechamel Sauce Pasta for each of us!¡¹


    ¡¸Me too. I still want to eat the bribes from the troupe, so I¡¯ll have something light like that.¡¹


    ¡¸¡¸Then, two more portions each for the mother team.¡¹¡¹


    ¡¸That¡¯s Mother and Aunt for you, they¡¯re adults. We still can¡¯t beat them.¡¹


    ¡¸Gotcha! Then, auntie! Six more servings for the Double Extra-Large All-Topping Super Spicy Pasta and the Double Extra-Large All-Topping Bechamel Sauce Pasta~!¡¹


    Rafinha cheerfully made her way to the kitchen and placed the order.


    ¡¸I¡¯m sorry, Miss Principal, you even treated us.¡¹


    ¡¸However, I am now reassured to leave these kids here in this environment. Thank you very much.¡¹


    ¡¸Ahaha¡­¡­Ahahahahaha! This much is nothing!¡¹


    Replied Principal Miliera with a very, very strained smile on her face.


    ¡¸Hey, Mother, come watch our rehearsal after we¡¯re done eating! The show is coming up soon and I want you to watch us before you return to Ymir!¡¹


    ¡¸Yes, I will. It¡¯s been a while since I¡¯ve seen Weissmall Troupe¡¯s performances. Even for a coincidence, we sure came here at a good time. It¡¯s a pity Raphael isn¡¯t here.¡¹


    ¡¸I¡¯m looking forward to it too, little Glis. Although, it¡¯s a shame your dad has to stay in the territory¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Yes, Mother. I will show you a battle that will surely satisfy you.¡¹


    ¡¸No, you just need to normally show me you being all dressed up, normally¡­¡­¡¹


    After all things, with the cafeteria reopened, their food problem was solved. All that was left was to perform for the Weissmall Troupe. That was the stage where she could have a fight with Yua to the fullest.


    The play would be open to the public, and Inglis was really looking forward to it. She had to get in shape and get ready for the performance.


    ¡¸Okay! I think I¡¯ll need more nutrition, after all. Pardon, I¡¯ll have one more serving of the Double Extra-Large All-Topping Super Spicy Pasta and the Double Extra-Large All-Topping Bechamel Sauce Pasta!¡¹


    ¡¸Ah, then me too! Sorry, but make it two for each~!¡¹


    ¡¸AAAaaaahhh¡­¡­My head hurts! I¡¯ll go back and rest in my room¡­¡­¡¹


    The Principal tottered out of the cafeteria, staggering.

 Chapter 171: 15-year-old Inglis and the Two Leading Actresses (24)

    And then, a few more days passed¡­


    ¡¸Aah~. It¡¯s gotten so late.¡¹


    ¡¸It is.¡¹


    By the time Inglis and Rafinha left the Royal Grand Theatre together, the sky was already painted in dusk. Today was the last day of rehearsals, the play was tomorrow.


    The reason why Inglis and Rafinha were the only ones leaving the last was because they had been relishing their bribes, which were even more generous today than ever, until the last bite.


    ¡¸Aah, so full~. Happy, happy! Let¡¯s get back, take a bath, then hit the sack! Tomorrow¡¯s the big day.¡¹


    ¡¸Yeah, it is.¡¹


    ¡¸I can¡¯t wait to see it, Glis¡¯ kissing scene!¡¹


    ¡¸Ufufufu¡­¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Wh-, what with that fishy laugh¡­¡­?!¡¹ (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});


    ¡¸It¡¯s nothing. Let¡¯s go home, shall we?¡¹


    They boarded the Star Princess unit that had been withdrawn from the play ever since the day its attack mechanism went out of control.


    Although, in the end, the Flygear that Inglis would ride on stage had also been painted by Rafinha and Pullum, so it was still embarrassing all the same.


    They started up their Flygear and were flying back to the Knight Academy when¡­


    ¡¸Ah! It¡¯s that girl! Umm¡­¡¹


    Rafinha yelped, pointing at a street corner. When Inglis glanced there, she saw an adorable little girl no older than ten years old with shoulder-length blonde hair.


    ¡¸Alina.¡¹


    It was the girl from the city who had complimented the Star Princess unit for being cute. Rafinha had promised to give her a ride on the Star Princess unit the next time they met. In case she forgot her face, Inglis had made sure to memorize Alina¡¯s features and name.


    ¡¸Ah, right! Alina!¡¹


    ¡¸¡­¡­You forgot, didn¡¯t you?¡¹


    ¡¸If you remember it, Glis, then I remember it too!¡¹


    ¡¸Well¡­ covering you is my duty as your Squire, so I¡¯m not complaining.¡¹


    ¡¸Glis, bring us to where she is!¡¹


    ¡¸Yeah, will do.¡¹


    As they descended near where the little girl was, Rafinha put on her smile.


    ¡¸Yahoo, Alina!¡¹


    ¡¸Ah. The Knight missus from before!¡¹


    ¡¸Fufu. You remember us from back then, don¡¯t you? I am Rafinha, and this one is Inglis.¡¹


    ¡¸Good afternoon. Ah, it¡¯s already time to say good evening, isn¡¯t it?¡¹


    It was the time of twilight.


    ¡¸Hey, hey. Alina. We¡¯re thinking of fulfilling our promise with you now¡­¡­Wanna hop in into our Flygear? It¡¯s okay right, Glis?¡¹


    ¡¸Yeah, it¡¯s all right.¡¹


    It was admirable that Rafinha was actively trying to fulfill her promises. Inglis also thought that it would be good to fulfill it now. As she didn¡¯t know when they would be able to see her next time.


    ¡¸Ah¡­¡­eermm¡­¡¹


    A moment of hesitation flashed across Alina¡¯s face, but¡­


    ¡¸Hm? What¡¯s the wrong?¡¹


    ¡¸N-, nothing¡­¡­Please have me!¡¹


    ¡¸OK! Then hop along!¡¹


    ¡¸Yeah!¡¹


    The Star Princess unit, with Alina on board, rose to the sky once again.


    ¡¸Uwaah¡­¡­! It really flies! Amazing!¡¹


    Alina¡¯s eyes were wide open, glimmering. It was just like seeing Rafinha when she was a child, making Inglis smile from nostalgia.


    ¡¸Fufufu. Do you like it?¡¹


    Like Inglis, Rafinha also watched Alina with a smile on her face. Rafinha was now old enough to make such a face when seeing a child. She was a big sister now. Time sure flew. Inglis, who had been watching Rafinha since she was a child, was deeply moved by this.


    ¡¸Yeah! It feels really, really good!¡¹


    ¡¸We can fly even more powerfully and makes it feel even better than good! Glis, give her a round-a-round!¡¹


    ¡¸Yeah!¡¹


    Inglis elevated the bow of the Flygear abruptly, making the hull raise at a very steep angle.


    ¡¸Hwawawa?!¡¹


    ¡¸Here, hold on tight! Glis, do it!¡¹


    ¡¸Here we go!¡¹


    Whooosh!


    Their visions spun in a circle. Inglis could feel her hair being pulled down for a moment before it returned normal.


    ¡¸Ahahahaha! Awesome¡ª!¡¹


    ¡¸You okay? Was it scary?¡¹


    ¡¸I¡¯m okay! I have my eyes open!¡¹


    ¡¸Oh? Someone¡¯s good.¡¹


    ¡¸Perhaps she has the talent for it.¡¹


    ¡¸Really? I also want to become Knights like you two!¡¹


    ¡¸Well, we¡¯re not really Knights either, we¡¯re just students of the Knight Academy, you see? Just candidates, not a full-fledge Knight.¡¹


    ¡¸Hm¡ª? But both of you are so cool!¡¹


    ¡¸Thank you! You¡¯re such a good girl~????¡¹


    Rafinha seemed to completely take a liking to Alina, as she hugged her tightly.


    ¡¸There are still some more nice ways to fly, you know~? Glis, bring us to Vault lake.¡¹


    ¡¸Okay, got that.¡¹


    ¡¸Full throttle!¡¹


    ¡¸Then, we¡¯re trying the new feature?¡¹


    ¡¸Aah, something you and Lahti tampered with together, right?¡¹


    ¡¸Yeah. It¡¯s completed. The accelerator.¡¹


    This Flygear had an attack mechanism that amplified offensive magic taken from Highlanders and shot it. It was different from Artifacts that automatically transformed streams of mana into magical phenomenons, but rather it was a mechanism that amplified and shot out already completed sorceries.


    Inglis, in cooperation with Lahti, had modified the transmission channel of this mechanism so it could be directly connected to the engine room instead of the bow muzzle.


    The Flygear¡¯s engine had a mechanism that converted mana into kinetic energy, so by connecting the transmission channel there, in addition to the already existing kinetic energy the engine was supplemented from the fuel tank, the mana of the operator would also be added into there, resulting in a significant increase in speed. In short, it was an accelerator.


    The technological advances of the Highland were overwhelmingly superior to that of the countries of the Midland; it was quite amusing indeed. If Inglis had ever been given the chance, she would like to learn more about their technology.


    And then, she would also like to create a weapon of mass destruction rivaling her own strength, so that she could continue honing her skill by fighting against it. By doing so, she wouldn¡¯t have to live the tragedy of having so few strong opponents worth battling. That¡¯d be a win-win situation for her.


    That being said, Rafinha¡¯s eyes were already gleaming just by the word ¡®Accelerator.¡¯


    ¡¸Oooh~ Well, give her a go then!¡¹


    ¡¸Okay! Starting up!¡¹


    Inglis reached for a newly installed lever.


    It had three options; the conventional firing mode, the acceleration mode that directly connected the transmission channel to the engine room, and the safe lock mode that disabled both.


    She and Lahti had made it possible to switch between the three types of modes.


    Kerchak!


    From Safe Mode to Accel Mode!


    VWRRRRMMMMMMM!!!


    The engine revved even higher and more powerful than before.


    ¡¸And we go!¡¹


    VWOOOOOOMMMM!!!


    The gust they felt was even stronger than usual.


    ¡¸Uwah?! This is so amaazziiinnngg!¡¹


    ¡¸Wow wow wow woooww! So faaaassstt!!¡¹


    ¡¸Yeah. I¡¯m glad that you fancy it¡ª¡ªI guess?¡¹


    Thus they arrived at the shores of Lake Vault where a Flygear Dock owned by the Knight Academy was located. It was a place often used for their training.

 Chapter 172: 15-year-old Inglis and the Two Leading Actresses (25)

    ¡¸Onward to our next fun, Skipping boats!¡¹


    That¡¯s what Rafinha called for soaring just right above the surface of the lake.


    ¡¸Okay.¡¹


    Fwsssssssssssh!


    The water splashed noisily. When Inglis looked behind, what she saw was the scene of columns of water rolling as though they were chasing after the Star Princess unit.


    ¡¸Ahahaha! I got splashed! Cold! Breeezyy!!¡¹


    After flying around a bit, Rafinha gave Alina a suggestion.


    ¡¸Alina, while you¡¯re here anyway, wanna try holding the steer?¡¹


    ¡¸C-, can I¡­?! Won¡¯t you two be scolded for letting me hold it without permission?¡¹


    ¡¸Ha-hah. It¡¯s fine, it¡¯s fine. We¡¯re not borrowing it. It¡¯s ours!¡¹ (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});


    ¡¸Eeehh?! Where do they sell something so cute?!¡¹


    ¡¸We didn¡¯t buy them, we picked it up.¡¹


    ¡¸Big sis, where and how could I get one?¡¹


    ¡¸Well, then, why don¡¯t we start by training you to the point you can easily defeat Highland soldiers then?¡¹


    ¡¸Come on, Glis, don¡¯t bring Alina to the path of carnage! You¡¯re the only one who lives like that, good kids shouldn¡¯t take after you!¡¹


    ¡¸¡­¡­You were there too, Rani.¡¹


    ¡¸You forcibly took me with you! Well, putting that aside, here Alina, why don¡¯t you take a hold of this?¡¹


    ¡¸Y-, yeah¡­¡¹


    ¡¸This is how you change the direction of the flight.¡¹


    ¡¸And this one is to accelerate.¡¹


    The two took it upon themselves to teach Alina how to operate a Flygear. Seeing Alina enjoying herself so much made both of them joyous, and time flew past. The sun had completely set, and the night sky was decorated with stars without a single cloud. The half-moon was reflecting its beautiful shape on the surface of Lake Vault.


    ¡¸Uwaah, so high!! I almost could touch the stars¡­¡­so pretty¡­¡¹


    The three of them were edging on the altitude limit of their Flygear, taking in the starry sky and the scenery down below. It was a wonderful view, but Inglis wondered if Leone, who seemed to be a little bit uncomfortable with height, would be scared by it.


    ¡¸Can I ask you one thing, Alina?¡¹


    Inglis suddenly spoke up.


    ¡¸What is it, big sis?¡¹


    ¡¸Have you ever been baptized with the Baptismal Box?¡¹


    Inglis and Rafinha underwent baptism when they were six years old. The ritual involved the use of a Baptismal Box to engrave ?Runes? onto their bodies.


    ¡¸Eh? I haven¡¯t, why¡­¡­?¡¹


    ¡¸Is that so¡­ Thank you for answering.¡¹


    There was no ?Rune? etched on Alina¡¯s hand, which meant she was a Runeless, but¡­ When Inglis touched her hand to teach her to steer, she could tell. It seemed that there was quite a lot of mana dwelling inside Alina.


    She felt a glow of mana that was probably in the same High Grade Rune class as Rafinha, or at least enough to be unthinkable for her to be a Runeless. After having fought with and listened to Yua, Inglis had been very interested in carefully examining strains of mana around her, be it the mana of the people or the mana in nature, but¡­ For Alina to be a Runeless, it felt strange to her.


    ¡¸Eeh. Hold on, isn¡¯t baptism something that everyone goes through when they¡¯re six?¡¹


    ¡¸There is always an exception, Rani.¡¹


    The ¡°everyone¡± that Rafinha mentioned referred to the people in her environment; those who lived in the world of aristocracy and titled knights, and those who were in close circle to them. There was a much harsher world outside that circle.


    This was where Rafinha¡¯s naive front, or rather her belief that humans were fundamentally good, became really apparent.


    ¡¸Even if you give me that¡­¡­Hey, hey, Alina. Did your father and mother not allow you to take the baptism?¡¹


    The Baptism itself, as in the ritual to receive ?Runes?, could be performed at any church all over the kingdom.


    It was not rare for powerful noble families to own their own Baptismal Box, and it wasn¡¯t uncommon for them to have those instruments available for their subjects. Although those services weren¡¯t always free, they cost you next to nothing.


    It was essential for everyone living on the Midland to discover who had the qualities of a Knight and have them as a force to protect the places where people lived. There really wasn¡¯t any reason not to use the Baptismal Box extensively.


    Even if one was born poor, so long as they could receive a ?Rune?, they could open a path to Knightdom and even escape poverty.


    Rafinha must have thought so far herself, but¡­ It seemed that she couldn¡¯t see much further than that.


    ¡¸Both dad and mom are no longer here.¡¹


    Answered Alina with a lightly lonesome smile.


    ¡¸Ah¡­ I-, I see¡­¡­S-sorry, I asked something sensitive¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Nope, it¡¯s alright. Both of you are so kind after all,¡¹


    She knew that Rafinha bore no ill will with her question, or so it seemed. It wouldn¡¯t be a surprise if Alina were angry, but, in a way, she was the bigger person between the two. Or perhaps, it was more appropriate to address her attitude as unnaturally accustomed to being hurt.


    ¡¸I was sold by mom and dad, so¡­¡­baptism and the like is, for me¡­¡¹


    If that was the case, it was no wonder she wasn¡¯t given any chance to undergo baptism. She was bought as a labor force. If her talent as a Knight was discovered, she would have to be taken away by the state or the nobles, and thus cannot be used as labor anymore. Her employee didn¡¯t see any reason to risk it.


    Inglis wondered, was the small pattern she saw on her right arm was some kind of ¡°Product¡± identification they branded on their goods? It hinged on her mind, but she couldn¡¯t possibly pry any further.


    Perhaps, telling Alina that she had a talent for becoming a Knight made her suffer even greater.

 Chapter 173: 15-year-old Inglis and the Two Leading Actresses (26)

    ¡¸Human trafficking?! No way, isn¡¯t that banned?! Such a cruel thing!¡¹


    ¡¸It is, in Ymir. The Marquis worked really hard to make it happen.¡¹


    In front of his family, especially his daughter, the Marquis appeared to be someone easygoing and plain, but in fact, he was a principled lord, a cut above the rest. If he had been alive in Inglis¡¯ previous life, during his time as King Inglis, she would have trusted him with a huge amount of territories. Marquis Willford was a man with that much value.


    ¡¸But, according to the Law of the State!¡¹


    ¡¸The Law of the State is applicable under the King¡¯s direct jurisdiction, it doesn¡¯t mean it¡¯s practiced within the nobles¡¯ private domains, you know?¡¹


    ¡¸We¡¯re in the Royal Capital, right within the King¡¯s direct jurisdiction!¡¹


    ¡¸However, if the transaction is happening elsewhere and only then they are brought here, no one can tell the difference, right?¡¹


    ¡¸They can¡¯t do that! We need to investigate properly and apprehend everyone involved!¡¹


    ¡¸Even so I don¡¯t think they can be apprehended, you know?¡¹


    ¡¸WHY?!¡¹ (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});


    ¡¸Highlanders snatch away people of Midland all the time whenever they feel like it, right? If we thoroughly crackdown these transactions, that means we will have to regulate the Highlanders as well. That¡¯s basically picking a fight with the Highland as a whole, right? If we don¡¯t want that to happen, we don¡¯t have much choice but to loosen the regulations for the Midland people as well. If not, they would see it as a differential treatment and might even start a rebellion.¡¹


    Even if the violation happened clearly within the area of jurisdiction, they could still bury the truth under the pretense of the violation taking place in the territory of an aristocrat somewhere, not here.


    In the first place, the fact that there was a clause in the Law of the State that prohibited human trafficking could only be seen as contradicting what the state was actually doing.


    If one were to exclude all kinds of conscience and good senses from their mind, not having such a clause within the Law would have been a much better option, as it would prevent people driven with righteous hearts, like Rafinha, to be given a good cause to act.


    This country is not abiding by its own laws! If such a point was brought up, the government couldn¡¯t say anything back.


    Humans, when they were convinced they were in the path of justice, tended to go through extreme measures. Both Inglis and Rafinha had witnessed someone who had gone and done just that; Leon. There were, indeed, circumstances within this kingdom that made even a Holy Knight of Leon¡¯s caliber to defect.


    That being said, there was no way the state could remove the clause on the prohibition of human trafficking to conform to the current situation. If such a humanitarian clause was to be removed, the current monarch would be labeled as a cruel, heartless tyrant. He would lose all support all at once.


    King Charleas was by no means a fool. He knew of the contradiction that was born from the current situation, and he had no other choice but to use every trick in the book to cover it up.


    ¡¸Sir Theodore will never do that!¡¹


    ¡¸Sir Theodore himself said that people like him are the minority.¡¹


    Despite that, Inglis learned this clause was established many decades ago, which meant that the kingdom was in a state safe enough to pass this clause at the time.


    In other words, the injustice the Highlanders did upon the people of Midland wasn¡¯t as bad as now, it was safe to assume that both sides were in a state of nigh-conciliation with each other back then.


    Then, what was the cause for the Highlanders¡¯ sudden change of attitude? Was there something deeper into it? As for circumstances in the Highland, perhaps Inglis could ask Special Envoy Theodore to know more, but¡­


    ¡¸Then, we just need to rat out and beat up everyone that doesn¡¯t listen to Sir Theodore!¡¹


    ¡¸¡­¡­So we¡¯re entering the Ironblood Chain Brigade?¡¹


    Inglis¡¯ back was pounded hard.


    ¡¸Ouch?!¡¹


    ¡¸¡­¡­Then what are you telling me to do?!!¡¹


    She might have made Rafinha sulk a little bit too much.


    ¡¸That¡¯s for you to choose, Rani. I want to see what choices you take. Our possibilities ahead are much more variable that way, but, one thing for sure is that I will always be with you, okay?¡¹


    ¡¸¡­¡­What if I said I¡¯ll be joining the Ironblood Chain Brigade?¡¹


    ¡¸¡­¡­That means I have to apologize to the people under Black Mask and to Miss Cystia. Will they forgive, I wonder?¡¹


    ¡¸Geez, you always push everything to me, Glis.¡¹


    ¡¸In return, I will become the strongest being in the world for you. Use me as you please, okay?¡¹


    ¡¸Sure, sure¡­I¡¯m sorry, Alina. We were being insensitive and ignorant about what you¡¯ve gone through! I¡¯m really, really sorry!¡¹


    Rafinha bowed deeply, whilst Alina looked taken aback. It must have been unusual to meet random older girls to go so far for some little kids.


    ¡¸I-, it¡¯s alright¡­¡­Both of you are worried about me so much, but really, I¡¯m fine. The village I was from was attacked by Magic Stone Beasts after I left, and now it¡¯s gone. My dad and mom, both of them were¡­¡­that¡¯s why, I¡¯m thinking of it as them letting me escape and saved me.¡¹


    ¡¸Alina¡­¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Good girl, you¡¯re so strong.¡¹


    Rafinha hugged Alina tight whilst Inglis gave her a pat on the head.


    ¡¸Y-, you¡¯re exaggerating¡­¡­The place I work now isn¡¯t that bad, too!¡¹


    As if it was a bit awkward for her, Alina gave a smile.


    ¡¸Thank you, you two! It was really fun! But, I need to get back soon, or else¡­¡¹


    By the time they realized, night had completely fallen. It was too late a time for children to be out and about.


    ¡¸You¡¯re right. Then, we¡¯ll take you home! Glis, please do.¡¹


    ¡¸Okay. We¡¯re going then.¡¹


    The Star Princess unit left the shores of Vault Lake a little bit more slowly than when she came.

 Chapter 174: 15-year-old Inglis and the Two Leading Actresses (27)

    The place they dropped Alina off was an antique shop in the back alley a few passages away from Nock Avenue. Nock Avenue was the neighborhood with the most shops in the Capital. The Royal Grand Theatre, the place Inglis and her friends would perform, was also facing this avenue. The avenue was brilliant, but, as there was light, there was also shadow lurking behind it.


    Apparently, Alina was made to do menial work in her owner¡¯s store whilst she lived there. When she came back, the first thing the man who seemed to be the store owner said to her was an angry shout.


    ¡¸Where the heck you wander off to, leaving your work unattended, damn brat!¡¹


    Without even a pause, a slap was aimed at her.


    Plop!


    Before it reached Alina, Inglis already held the hand at the wrist.


    ¡¸Would you please stop?¡¹


    ¡¸Kgh¡­¡­?!¡¹


    ¡¸We are the ones who brought Alina with us, and we¡¯re sorry about it. If there¡¯s punishment involved, please give it to us.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­¡­Tsk. Looking at your uniform, you two missus are Knight Academy students, huh? I don¡¯t get any intention to be resented by future Knights.¡¹


    The man clicked his tongue, but conceded. This must be the reason why Alina seemed to hesitate for a moment when she was invited by Rafinha. However, her interest in the Flygear won over her, and she feared that the next opportunity wouldn¡¯t come, so she decided to get on the Flygear. Inglis and Rafinha might have pushed her to a corner.


    ¡¸¡­¡­I already am resenting you.¡¹


    Rafinha stared dagger at the man. The fact that she didn¡¯t say something to the line of ¡°Human Trafficking is disgusting!¡± and started cursing might prove that she still had some bits of composure. She must¡¯ve taken Alina¡¯s position into account, as making a scene here wouldn¡¯t do her any good.


    ¡¸Pardon, mister owner. May I talk with you for a minute?¡¹


    ¡¸What? Make it fast, please.¡¹


    ¡¸Before that, can Alina get inside?¡¹


    ¡¸Sure. Hurry up, get in and hit the sack! Tomorrow starts early!¡¹


    ¡¸Y-, yes! Thank you for today. Good night!!¡¹


    Saying that, Alina walked into the building. Deeper in the building, Inglis saw a group of children around her age curiously watching from a distance. Were they in the same circumstance as Alina?


    Inglis could also see the young boys who called the Star Princess unit as tacky and lame amongst them. It seemed like Inglis and Rafinha ran into these kids when they were out running errands or something.


    ¡¸Ah! Wait, Alina!¡¹


    As though she just recalled something, Rafinha stopped Alina in her track.


    ¡¸What¡¯s wrong, big sis?¡¹


    ¡¸Well, you see¡­¡¹


    She produced a ticket for the play that would be held tomorrow at the Royal Grand Theatre. Count Weissmall had given some to Inglis and Rafinha. Even after giving it to Marquis Willford and both of her parents, they still had some leftovers.


    ¡¸There is a play starting tomorrow at the Royal Grand Theatre. The Knight Academy is helping out with it, and we two are going to be on stage. Wanna come and watch us?¡¹


    ¡¸Eeh¡­¡­?! You two will show up? Woow!!¡¹


    Alina¡¯s eyes lit up, but before Rafinha could give her the ticket, the man took it and returned it to her.


    ¡¸She won¡¯t be needing that.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­¡­What¡¯s with you?! What¡¯s wrong with giving rest for a day or two!¡¹


    The man sighed.


    ¡¸I know that damn well already.¡¹


    He reached into his pocket and pulled out a ticket for the play, the same kind of ticket Rafinha was about to give Alina. There were a few more tickets in his hands. Must be for the other children as well.


    ¡¸Ah! Those are¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Told you, she won¡¯t be needing that. Please give it to other people who wants it.¡¹


    ¡¸I¡¯m sorry¡­¡¹


    Rafinha shrunk back.


    ¡¸Come on you brats! Time to get to your rooms and sleep! You hear me?!¡¹


    The man shouted, and the children scattered at once.


    ¡¸Good luck, big sisters! I¡¯m looking forward to it!¡¹


    Lastly, Alina left with a few words.


    ¡¸¡­¡­So? What was it that you want to talk about?¡¹


    ¡¸No, it was nothing. I¡¯m sorry.¡¹


    Inglis initially wanted to ask him how much money she would need to take Alina away. Or, in other words, the price she would have to pay to buy Alina¡¯s freedom, but¡­ She felt that it was too early for that.


    ¡¸¡­¡­Then I¡¯ll be the one talking.¡¹


    ¡¸What is it?¡¹


    ¡¸I get it, I bought these brats from their villages and made them work. But look, they either lost the place they belonged to, or had been sold off by their parents. If I didn¡¯t buy them, it¡¯d be no wonder if they were killed to reduce the amount of mouth to feed. Killed by a Magic Stone Beast or killed by poverty, they¡¯d end up dead all the same, right? Well, I won¡¯t expect students of the Knight Academy, daughters of some high-nosed nobles to ever imagine it happening to you two, but I want you missus to understand at least that, please.¡¹


    In short, an act of necessary evil. How one would see it differ from person to person. They could just accept it and nod their head, and they could say it was an evil act nonetheless.


    ¡¸Thank you very much for your valuable input.¡¹


    As for Inglis, naturally, she ignored it. Anything that wasn¡¯t a fight, she would just stick with what Rafinha¡¯s take was.


    Doctrine, advocacy, virtue, evil, Inglis need not any of these. All she needed was a strong enemy, a good meal, a pretty dress, and always being by Rafinha¡¯s side.


    ¡¸¡­¡­Thank you.¡¹


    Rafinha looked discontent, but she seemed to have swallowed her words and didn¡¯t say anything more.


    ¡¸Then, let¡¯s get back, Rani.¡¹


    ¡¸Yeah. Let¡¯s¡­¡¹


    They once again hopped onto the Star Princess unit.


    ¡¸¡­¡­HAaaah~ I don¡¯t know what is what anymore!¡¹


    Once they were alone, Rafinha heaved out a deep sigh.


    ¡¸You¡¯re right. Oh, the worries of youth.¡¹


    It might be depressing for Rafinha, but Inglis really welcomed what had happened today. She was sure it would lead to Rafinha¡¯s personal growth.


    ¡¸It feels different from the youth I have in mind, you know¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Reality is a harsh and ruthless place. For the time being, why don¡¯t we refresh our mood and give our all tomorrow? We need to make Alina happy, don¡¯t we? My mother, the Marquis, and Aunt Irina will be watching too.¡¹


    ¡¸Yeah, you¡¯re right!¡¹


    As Inglis slowly elevated the Star Princess up until they reached the height of the buildings¡¯ roofs, she heard voices coming from below.


    ¡¸No way¡­¡­Are you saying we should abandon him, Diego, Sir¡­¡­!?¡¹


    ¡¸That¡¯s not it! We only need to accomplish our goal, that¡¯s all. Nothing more, nothing less. ¡¹


    ¡¸Still!¡¹


    ¡¸Then, I ask you, are you going to let this chance slip by? Why do you think we came here? The time we have is limited.¡¹


    Inglis recognized one of the two voices. It was a soft and elegant voice of a young man she had been hearing lately.


    ¡¸I-, is that¡­¡­Ian?¡¹


    Rafinha seemed to notice him.


    ¡¸¡­It is.¡¹


    ¡¸I wonder if he¡¯s renting a room around here? Oh, is that why he asked to be the one to give away the tickets?¡¹


    ¡¸Maybe.¡¹


    Seeing that the Royal Grand Theatre was just a stone¡¯s throw away, Inglis wouldn¡¯t be surprised if that was the case, but¡­ the person he was talking to was a rather large man with short, chestnut-colored hair with a rough atmosphere. It wasn¡¯t the cold season yet, and there he was, dressed so stuffy Inglis could hardly make out anything from his neck under.


    ¡¸But, if we talked to him, I¡¯m sure he will understand!¡¹


    ¡¸That¡¯s dangerous. I can¡¯t agree.¡¹


    ¡¸Kg¡­¡­!¡¹


    ¡¸Don¡¯t get upset now of all time. Harden your heart.¡¹


    ¡¸I already have since a long time ago! Ever since that day, I have always been!¡¹


    ¡¸Then there¡¯s nothing else to talk further.¡¹


    After saying that, the man left the place.


    ¡¸¡­¡­Wh-, what are they talking about¡­¡­I couldn¡¯t hear them well, but it sounded like a fight. Is it about the play?¡¹


    ¡¸Eavesdropping is bad, you know?¡¹


    ¡¸But it doesn¡¯t seem to be something trivial, you know? Will it be okay?¡¹


    ¡¸¡­¡­Well, let¡¯s get back home for now.¡¹


    Inglis turned the bow of the Star Princess unit towards the Knight Academy¡¯s dormitory.


    The next day, the day of the play arrived.

 Chapter 175: 15-year-old Inglis and the Two Leading Actresses (28)

    ¡¸Ladies and Gentlemen. I bid you welcome!¡¹


    Count Weissmall stood on the stage and bowed deeply to the audience. It was a speech before the raising of the curtain. All eyes from the near-full capacity of the Theatre were focused on him at once.


    Inglis and the others were watching it unfold from the gap of the curtains in the wing of the stage.


    ¡¸U-, uwaah¡­¡­so many people! It¡¯s really unnerving, isn¡¯t it¡­¡­¡¹


    Pullum swallowed her saliva. She was dressed in the same dancer¡¯s outfit as Rafinha, Leone, and Liselotte. In the end, it was decided that Pullum would also take part in the dancing behind Inglis. Ian suggested it, saying that it would surely make Lahti happy.


    Lahti opposed the idea, but Count Weissmall readily agreed to it. Thus, even though he was complaining all the while, Lahti memorized the whole choreography and patiently went along with Pullum¡¯s practices, who herself was just a little bit of a klutz and having a hard time remembering the choreography. While indeed he couldn¡¯t be true with himself, he seemed to fully support Pullum to get her on stage.


    ¡¸You idiot, I¡¯m the one getting nervous here! I can¡¯t help but worry that you¡¯ll just trip Inglis and the others¡­¡­¡¹


    ¡¸I-, I¡¯ll do my best!¡¹


    ¡¸It¡¯s alright! It¡¯s not as unnerving as stopping a falling airship or having to fight a Magic Stone Beast, right?¡¹


    Rafinha patted Pullum¡¯s back to kindle her courage.


    ¡¸Y-, yes. But, my heart keeps thumping!¡¹


    ¡¸Then just think of it this way. Everyone¡¯s gonna look at Glis anyway, nobody is going to look at us!¡¹


    ¡¸¡­That may be true. Inglis really is pretty.¡¹


    Inglis¡¯ costume for the play was even more ornate and glittering than the one she wore in rehearsals. Inglis had to admit she was an impressive sight to behold, after getting a good look at herself in front of the mirror.


    ¡¸On that front, I must agree.¡¹


    ¡¸I am sure the audience will be positively delighted.¡¹


    Both Leone and Liselotte gave their approval.


    ¡¸¡­But man, Pullum¡¯s the cutest for me.¡¹


    Inglis put herself behind Lahti and spoke while imitating his voice. There was a limit to how much she could imitate his tone, but her manner of speech should be very similar. She was good at speaking with a male tone. It was only natural since she lived the life of a man in her whole previous life.


    ¡¸Eeh?! Really, Lahti?!¡¹


    ¡¸As if! The hell are you doing, Inglis?! Drop it!¡¹


    ¡¸Well, I think it will unwind Pullum, you see¡­¡¹


    Perhaps it was due to her nervousness, but Pullum completely fell for it.


    ¡¸Hahaha, you sure are composed, Miss Inglis. Even though you are the star of the play. How admirable.¡¹


    Ian who watched it unfold gave a bitter laugh.


    ¡¸Well, I am nothing compared to Senior Yua¡­¡¹


    Inglis turned her face to Yua, who was leaning against a nearby chest.


    ¡¸Zzz¡ª¡¹


    ¡¸Hold on?! Yua, this is beyond bad! Wake up! The curtains gonna be up anytime now!¡¹


    Maurice, the leader of the second-year students and the one who was always taking care of Yua, was in a panic trying to wake Yua up. He himself was only here as a pilot of a Flygear for the scene where many Flygears would be used for an aerial battle scene, but he still supervised Yua thoroughly.


    In the meantime, Count Weissmall who was on the stage once again bowed towards the audience seat, more reverently this time.


    ¡¸And today, we have a wonderful guest with us! His Majesty the King, please bestow us your words.¡¹


    ¡¸Of course!¡¹


    Once King Charleas stood up, a round of applause was heard from throughout the theatre.


    ¡¸Various incidents have arisen in our Capital, causing hardship to everyone. This is all due to my incompetence as the man in charge of our Kingdom, and I would wish to apologize to everyone for it.¡¹


    Saying so, King Charleas bowed his head once.


    ¡¸The performance by the Weissmall Troupe will be a wonderful relief for your downturns. Students of the Knight Academy, the future of our country, are also cooperating with them. Let us all enjoy this moment together.¡¹


    When he said so, the applause rang out even harder this time.


    ¡¸Ah, Father, Mother, and Aunt are all here!¡¹


    Meanwhile, Rafinha seemed to be more concerned about the audience.


    ¡¸They are.¡¹


    ¡¸Alina is here too! Okay, that means I need to do my best to entertain them!¡¹


    She clenched her fist and made a gusto pose.


    ¡¸You¡¯re right. Mother has come all the way to watch¡­¡­ I must do my best too and have so much fun and fight Senior Yua with my all!¡¹


    This was the day Inglis had been waiting for, the day she could fight Yua when she was serious. There were a lot of things that she needed to do too, but she just couldn¡¯t contain her excitement.


    ¡¸No, it¡¯ll be like the usual if you¡¯re just going to have fun and fight with your all! You should be more feminine and show them your cute side. I¡¯m sure both Aunt and Alina will be really happy if you do, you know?¡¹


    ¡¸Then I¡¯ll do both!¡¹


    ¡¸I will just say this as a warning, but don¡¯t get too engrossed in your fight and get the audience involved, okay?¡¹


    Reminded Liselotte.


    ¡¸It¡¯s all right. The Principal has put up her barrier, after all.¡¹


    Principal Miliera was already seated in the gallery. Supposedly, she was there to put a barrier all around the audience seat to prevent accidents during the scenes where Inglis and Yua would be fighting midair with Flygears.


    At first, this was supposed to be done by Knight Academy students, but for various reasons, they decided to ask Principal Miliera to do it.


    ¡¸Uuuh¡­¡­Aah! It¡¯s going to start soon, isn¡¯t it! I- I need some more time!¡¹


    Pullum¡¯s tension seemed to elevate as time went by.


    ¡¸Now that it has come to this, you just need to do it! Just stay calm and do what you can!¡¹


    Motivated Lahti.


    ¡¸Y-, yes! Then please hold my hand so I¡¯ll get calm!¡¹


    ¡¸Haah?! Why¡¯d it come to that?!¡¹


    ¡¸Hurry up! Do you want me to mess up?!¡¹


    ¡¸What kind of threat is that?! Damn it, you¡¯re hopeless!¡¹


    ¡¸Oh? I¡¯m jealous of how close you two are~¡¹


    Said Rafinha, grinning at them.


    ¡¸Really!¡¹


    Leone nodded her head.


    ¡¸Sh-, shut up, she¡¯s the one who¡¯s just too helpless!¡¹


    ¡¸Phew¡­ Okay! I¡¯ve calmed down a little!¡¹


    ¡¸Ah, can you also pilot the Flygear in the scene in the second half where Glis and Senior Yua fight midair? I¡¯m sorry I asked you so suddenly!¡¹


    Originally, it was supposed to be Rafinha and Lahti who would pilot Inglis and Yua¡¯s Flygears respectively in the mentioned scene, but¡­ Due to various circumstances, Rafinha had to switch with Pullum.


    ¡¸Th-, that¡¯s right, there¡¯s that too! I- I¡¯ll be alright!¡¹


    ¡¸You sure? I¡¯m worried¡­¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Then, why don¡¯t you calm me down again before that scene starts?¡¹


    ¡¸Hah? I don¡¯t wanna, you¡¯re the one who¡ª¡ª¡¹


    ¡¸¡­¡­Hold on, the curtain is about to be lifted!¡¹


    Leone called out to the group. True enough, Count Weissmall was about to conclude his speech.


    ¡¸Well then, please enjoy the show! Let the curtain rise!¡¹


    With that, the curtains of the stage slowly opened. Meanwhile¡­


    ¡¸Zzz¡ª¡ª¡¹


    Yua was still fast asleep.


    ¡¸DAAaarrghh! Sorry, but help me out here!¡¹


    ¡¸¡­¡­?! Y-, yes!¡¹


    ¡¸Sh-, she¡¯s still sleeping?!¡¹


    ¡¸We need to carry her away first!¡¹


    ¡¸Hurry up or the audience will see it!¡¹


    They helped Maurice, who began to whine and carried Yua away deeper into the side of the stage.

 Chapter 176: 15-year-old Inglis and the Two Leading Actresses (29)

    The curtain rises for the first scene, revealing Prince Malik, portrayed by Ian, visiting a theater that he does not normally frequent. The female half of the audience, gleefully whispering between each other


    ¡¸He¡¯s pretty cute, isn¡¯t he.¡¹


    ¡¸Yeah. His voice too. Fits for a prince.¡¹


    ¡¸He sounds nice¡­¡¹


    It seemed that he was well-liked. He was chosen because he struck Yua¡¯s preferences, but it was great that he was accepted by the audience .


    ¡¸To know people¡¯s hearts, one must know their pleasures. Will I learn anything by coming here?¡¹


    As Prince Malik said so in a loud, clear voice, the stage went dark. It was time for Inglis and the others to play the scene of Mariabelle dancing in the theater .


    Inglis and the other four nodded, and then gathered at the center of the dark stage. Rafinha and the other three lined up in a row facing the audience, while Inglis stood alone a few steps ahead of them.


    Soon, the spotlight fell on Inglis, illuminating her alone.


    ¡¸¡¸¡¸Ooh¡­¡­!¡¹¡¹¡¹


    Instantly, commotion stirred amongst the audience seat. One even bigger than when Prince Malik showed up before.


    ¡¸¡¸A-, amazing!¡¹¡¹


    ¡¸¡¸She¡¯s outrageously beautiful!¡¹¡¹


    ¡¸¡¸So gorgeous she¡¯s breathtaking!¡¹¡¹


    ¡¸¡¸It¡¯s like she¡¯s coming out of paintings!¡¹¡¹


    Sighs of admiration could be heard leaking from every direction. Inglis¡¯ appearance was further emphasized by the staging, with her being the only person bathed in the light amongst the dark. That was what led to the audiences¡¯ reaction. The result of Count Weissmall¡¯s skills.


    ¡¸MISS INGLISS! HOW BEAUTIFUL YOU ARREE!!¡¹


    ¡¸¡¸¡¸INGGLIIIISS!¡¹¡¹¡¹


    Wild cheers could be heard echoing in the air. They came from near where King Charleas was sitting. In short, Redas and his subordinate Knights.


    ¡¸¡­¡­¡¹


    It was embarrassing, so she¡¯d like them to stop. In the first place, in terms of manners, were they even allowed to make such a loud noise in a place like here?


    As expected, King Charleas immediately chided in, making Redas and his Knights remorseful. It was so far from Inglis, though, so she couldn¡¯t hear what the King said.


    ¡¸¡¸¡¸MARIABELLEEE!!¡¹¡¹¡¹


    ¡¸¡­¡­?!¡¹


    They only changed it to her role¡¯s name. What in the world did King Charleas even say anyway? Call her by her role name? That wasn¡¯t the problem here, though!


    ¡¸¡­¡­Phew.¡¹


    Putting that aside, after drawing a short breath, Inglis, who had been standing still, slowly raised her arm in an arc and began to dance. As though to follow her cue, the melody of the instruments played by the members of the troupe began to flow in the background. The light spread, from illuminating Inglis alone, to the entire stage, as Rafinha and the others began to start moving at the same time.


    As they danced, Inglis glanced to the side to see how everyone was doing; Rafinha was dancing cheerfully and vigorously, evident with the big smile on her face. There was some kind of blossom to her that just seeing her made it fun to watch. If possible, Inglis would rather be seated amongst the audience and watch Rafinha dance instead.


    The overserious Leone had her cheeks slightly flushed with nervousness as she was faithfully reproducing the choreography to her fullest extent. The choreography was quite intense and complicated even for students of the Knight Academy with their outstanding physical abilities.


    Perhaps that was why Leone¡¯s ample bosom had been swaying so much, and she might have been very embarrassed by all the stares she received due to it. She was still a pure, young maiden after all, it was no wonder. As for Inglis, this was her second time on the stage with Weissmall Troupe, so she was somewhat familiar with the gazes.


    Liselotte was imposing and majestic, and with her confidence and self-assured expression that had its own allure, she had quite a charm that attracted the eyes of the beholder. She was the daughter of the former Prime Minister, and thus she held the highest social standing amongst everyone. The dignity of someone who had grown up bathing in the attention of others and taking it for granted shone through on the stage.


    Pullum was basically desperate to keep up, exerting effort in both her movements and expression. She was a little bit sluggish, but you could feel commendable effort from her. It was a bit fun to see Lahti being busy offstage, worrying about Pullum¡¯s movements.


    Everyone had their own unique, individual charms, but of course, it was Inglis who received the most attention. A few playful glances here and smiles there were enough to draw cheers from the audience.


    Inglis glanced at Alina in the audience seat and saw her staring at the stage with her eyes gleaming bright. Was she enjoying the show? Rafinha would be happy if she did.


    When she looked at her mother, Selena, their eyes met. Inglis smiled at her and she answered with an approving nod.


    Had she made her happy? Regardless of her memory of her previous life as King Inglis, there was no doubt that she was her mother that she deeply adored in this life. Inglis had no intention to get married or have children, so she wouldn¡¯t be able to show her dressing in a bride¡¯s gown or her grandchildren¡¯s faces. That was why she believed that she should do her filial duties to her mother while she could.


    ¡¸Okay!¡¹


    To turn the heat up, or, well, not exactly for that, but still!


    ¡¸Hyaaah!!¡¹


    Inglis leaped up high, spun around midair, and landed on the aisle that divided the gallery in half. This wasn¡¯t in the script, but Count Weissmall had given her the permission to perform it.


    ¡¸¡¸Ooh?!!¡¹¡¹


    ¡¸¡¸Sh-, she jumps so high!¡¹¡¹


    It was so that everyone could see her even better, so that she could feel their breaths even closer, so that she could sense the flow of their mana in even more details!


    And then, as the music was coming to an end, Inglis kicked the aisle and once again leapt into the stage. At the same time as the music stopped, the dancers gathered in one spot and struck a pose together. The audience broke out in vehement applause that showered Inglis and the other four in acclamation.


    They remained on the stage for a beat to enjoy the aftertaste of their performance and then went offstage right after.


    ¡¸Hmm. That felt so good~¡¹


    ¡¸W-, we sure did it swimmingly, didn¡¯t we~¡¹


    Rafinha gave a satisfied smile while Pullum patted her chest in relief.


    ¡¸It-, it was far more embarrassing that I thought¡­¡­Did I do okay?¡¹


    ¡¸It¡¯s okay, Leone. Whilst I do not mind being watched, I¡¯m afraid of failing their expectations.¡¹


    Leone and Liselotte gave each other their opinion.


    ¡¸Oi, Pullum! That went better than I thought, I¡¯ll give you that!¡¹


    ¡¸Wah! I can¡¯t believe Lahti praised me! Then, please pat me in the head for the reward!¡¹


    ¡¸Heck no, who would do that!¡¹


    Then, as she watched over the two¡¯s intimate give-and-take from the side, Rafinha sotfy whispered.


    ¡¸So? How is it, Glis?¡¹


    Her voice and expression were serious, a total 180 degree turn from before.


    ¡¸Yeah. It¡¯s as we thought! Please tell the Principal what I¡¯m about to say.¡¹


    ¡¸Got it!¡¹


    Inglis and Rafniha then began to whisper to each other.

 Chapter 177: 15-year-old Inglis and the Two Leading Actresses (30)

    Even after the exciting scene of Mariabelle¡¯s dance, the stage continued to run smoothly. Although the quality of their performances wasn¡¯t as good as the actual members of the troupe, Inglis and Yua were far ahead of the others in terms of dancing, fighting, and other physically demanding performances.


    In addition to that, there was the fact that Inglis simply captivated the eyes of the audience with her appearance. All in all, in this play where physical performances were highly demanded, Inglis was probably able to show more than the professional performers.


    And now, it was the battlefield scene at the climax of the story, where Inglis and Rafinha were engaged in a fierce aerial battle. Originally, it was supposed to be Rafinha who piloted Inglis¡¯ Flygear, but Pullum had to take over the role in a hurry.


    Even if her flight was a bit wobbly, there would be no problem as long as she was on time with the script.


    The audience was baffled by the high-speed aerial battle between the two girls as they flew and jumped from Flygear to Flygear. The moment they returned to their respective rides after a series of clashes, voices could be heard from below them.


    ¡¸A-, amazing! That Mariabelle girl, she¡¯s so strong for such a beauty!¡¹


    ¡¸That Euthylis girl is pretty cute too, and she¡¯s the one with the bigger ***** of the two!¡¹


    As always, Yua was wearing pads on her chest whilst she was on the stage.


    ¡¸Nfu!¡¹


    Perhaps it entered her ear, Yua put on a slight complacent smile. It was good and all she was satisfied with it, but¡­


    ¡¸Senior Yua, Senior! It¡¯s your line next¡­¡­!¡¹


    Lahti, who was piloting the Flygear Yua was on, warned her in a hush. Perhaps out of worry for Pullum, Lahti had in fact memorized the whole script perfectly. And that helped in situations like this, very grateful indeed.


    ¡¸Erm¡­¡­You¡¯re not half bad! Fair enough, I will let you help. However, we will settle this later.¡¹


    That was the line of Euthylis from the script. After recognizing Mariabelle¡¯s strength, Euthylis allowed Mariabelle to fight alongside her, albeit temporarily. And then, after working together to save Prince Malik¡¯s life from the shadow¡­


    Mariabelle and Euthylis confronted each other on the stage, their Flygears lowered.


    ¡¸¡­¡­Hold. Where are you going?¡¹


    ¡¸I have served my purpose. Now, I will be taking my leave.¡¹


    ¡¸No, you won¡¯t.¡¹


    ¡¸Hm? What is the meaning of this?¡¹


    As they were exchanging prescribed dialogue, Inglis couldn¡¯t help but feel the boiling emotions in her chest. From here on, the segment where they would be dueling in earnest would begin, the scene with no predetermined ending.


    Finally, it was time! Time to see Yua¡¯s seriousness. As long as they passed this slight tidbit safely, the rest of the play would be dedicated for Inglis¡¯ amusement!


    ¡¸There shall be only one to chase after the Prince. For if it was two, the Prince will waver!¡¹


    ¡¸Fool. Fighting over such a matter is nothing but foolish. You think he will be happy had he known of this?¡¹


    Speaking personally, the person addressed in the dialogue might not be happy by it, but Inglis, the person who played Mariabelle, would sure as hell be. She would be overjoyed.


    The opportunity to fight someone as strong as Yua was a blissful moment that couldn¡¯t be replaced by anything. Just to achieve it, Inglis had to use various cunning and cryptic methods and even rounded up enough people, only then she finally managed to get to this point.


    She would definitely enjoy it from the bottom of her heart, and it would definitely lead to her growth! It was hard for Inglis as she had to look like she hated the very idea of it. While, in fact, she had been waiting so long for this that her expression might break down any moment now.


    ¡¸It is not to make him happy, it¡¯s so that he won¡¯t be hurt as he is such a kind, sensitive person¡­¡­¡¹


    ¡¸You¡¯re wrong! It¡¯s because you are so assertive that he is¡­¡­!¡¹


    Oh no, it¡¯s not wrong! They both had the power for it, so they should try and improve themselves by grinding it onto each other.


    The idea of resolving problems using force was not very likable by nature. That was because it reduced strength into nothing but a means to an end. Rather than that, one should have made strength itself to be their goal, removing justice and ideals from their head. Inglis believed that it was the one true way to confront strength.


    That being said, this was just a script for a fictional work. It didn¡¯t really matter. Rather than this, Inglis couldn¡¯t wait for her fight to come. These days, between the catering from Weissmall Troupe and the revival of the cafeteria, filling her stomach wasn¡¯t so hard anymore. Therefore, it was her desire to battle instead that grew very, very high.


    ¡¸¡ª¡ªNo use to argue. In the end, this is what we should have done from the beginning.¡¹


    Yua, playing Euthylis, held up her sword as per the stage direction. It was a striking pose, effective as a display.


    ¡¸¡­¡­I shall finish all challenges that come my way!¡¹


    Personally speaking, Inglis would warmly welcome all challenges that came her way. But she, too, drew out her prop-sword.


    Following the sound of Yua kicking her foothold, she rushed forward with the speed of a bullet.


    ¡¸Have at you¡­¡­!¡¹


    The way she swung down her sword was, frankly speaking, too much of a mess with nothing but the brute force behind it. It was no wonder, as Yua wasn¡¯t one to use swords.


    ¡¸Not on my watch!¡¹


    Clang!


    Sword collided with sword, and, due to their momentum, their weapons bounced off each other¡¯s hands. The crowd cheered, but this was nothing more than a stunt. And thus ended the script. For the rest of the scene, they were given one direction: make the audience lose their mind.


    Yua normally wouldn¡¯t have made such a noisy entrance, nor would she have taken such an exaggerated stance.


    ¡¸¡­¡­¡¹


    With their scripted performance over, they both took some distance from one another, and Yua no longer assumed a defensive stance. She just stood there, a bit upright, and facing just a little bit diagonally from Inglis.


    Yua¡¯s mana had been assimilated with the surrounding natural mana, to the point that Inglis couldn¡¯t feel Yua¡¯s individual mana. As a result, Yua didn¡¯t look so strong but was in fact incredibly powerful.


    ¡¸Let¡¯s get this over with and go to the kissing scene!¡¹


    Inglis could feel the motivation that she usually couldn¡¯t feel from Yua. Marvelous. This should be a great battle!

 Chapter 178: 15-year-old Inglis and the Two Leading Actresses (31)

    ¡¸¡¸¡­¡­¡­¡­¡¹¡¹


    There was a slight pause as they looked at each other. The audience was also staring at Inglis and Yua on the stage. Inglis could feel their gazes full of anticipation, expecting to see something extraordinary.


    Whatever happened next could be swept under the rug called stage effects, and the gallery was being protected by the barrier Principal Miliera erected using an Artifact too. And so, they didn¡¯t need to worry too much and they could fight with their all. They just had to give the audience a show they anticipated.


    ¡¸¡­¡­Not coming?¡¹


    ¡¸Yes. I¡¯m thinking to be on the receiving end once again.¡¹


    Yua¡¯s entrance was extremely difficult to read and react to. Not only did she disappear from sight, but the ripple of mana in the wake of her magical phenomenon was also so abysmally little, making it difficult to detect her both visually and magically.


    Inglis managed to react to her by crushing and scattering an ice sword that carried her mana, as well as cutting off her vision and focusing her senses to detect any movements in the ambient mana, but¡­


    This time, she was trying to keep her eyes open. If Inglis¡¯ own sensitivity to mana had improved compared to before, then she should be able to react to Yua. Recently, she had been practicing to grasp and understand the subtle flow of mana in nature along with the movement of Ether that hid deep within it, instead of just taking them as a matter of course.


    She couldn¡¯t do it without undoing her favorite training diet that she never failed to do, which was to apply a constant gravity pull to herself.


    The reason was that she would be clothed in a massive amount of mana, which would make it difficult for her to perceive the natural mana in her surroundings.


    Rafinha suspected that Inglis was in bad health, because to an outside observer, she appeared to be just sitting motionless and meditating. However, this was actually a good opportunity to review her training, most of which tended to be biased towards physically burdening.


    This was time to test the result.


    ¡¸Please, do come and hit me anytime you want.¡¹


    ¡¸Then¡­¡¹


    Saying so, Yua held up her index finger and her thumb at a 90-degree angle, making the shape of a finger gun.


    ¡¸Pow!¡¹


    Pshooo!


    ¡¸?!¡¹


    It was a bullet made of light, very similar to the one that Yua accidentally caused when the Star Princess unit went out of control.


    Kerchaaannkk¡ª¡ª!


    When Inglis received it, she felt a heavy punch accompanied by puffing smoke.


    ¡¸This is the same attack as before?!¡¹


    ¡¸Yeah. I memorized how to do it back then.¡¹


    It was an accident that just happened one time, and yet she had incorporated it as her own technique. Wonderful. In just a blink of an eye, Yua had gained a new skill and her strength had increased.


    No, wait, her voice came from right next to my ear!


    BAM!


    With an impact on her flank, her body was blown to the side. The wall of the theatre loomed to her in just an instant. She quickly twisted her body around and kicked the wall, avoiding the collision.


    ¡¸Uwoah?! Did Euthylis just vanish?!¡¹


    ¡¸Not to mention¡­ such power for someone so slender!¡¹


    ¡¸But the girl who received it and returned to the stage is just as amazing! What was that movement?!¡¹


    Yua¡¯s strength that enabled her to make a person crash into the wall easily, her vanishing movement, in addition to Inglis who regained her stance with inhumane speed even after receiving the hit, with all those things presented to them, the audience let out wild cheers.


    ¡¸Amazing, you really took me by surprise!¡¹


    Inglis couldn¡¯t restrain her smile as she zoomed back to the stage and stood before Yua. Due to the intense movement of mana from that light beam, the small traces of Yua¡¯s movement were wiped off and couldn¡¯t be detected.


    It was akin to a huge wave that drowned small waves. Like hiding a tree in a forest.


    Inglis couldn¡¯t tell if it was Yua¡¯s intended strategy, but the difficulty of anticipating Yua¡¯s movements based on the movement of ambient mana just reached a higher dimension.


    What a truly wonderful senior Inglis had. With this much resistance and the speed of her growth, she¡¯s the best and most talented training partner Inglis could ever ask for.


    Unlike Eris and Ripple who were busy with their duties as a Hyrule Menace, Yua was always available at the Knight Academy. The fact that she was fundamentally a listless person was a problem, but with the kissing scene during this play at stake, she should get serious for once.


    If possible, Inglis would like to fight Yua as often as possible in the future. She must prepare a variety of ways to get Yua to play with her tune.


    ¡¸Didn¡¯t work again? I thought I got stronger than before?¡¹


    Yua looked at her hand, craning her neck.


    ¡¸That¡¯s not true. My receiving arm is numb.¡¹


    Indeed, the force behind the blow was greater than the one Inglis received before. A tingling pain spread halfway through her body, taking mostly half of her side.


    It wasn¡¯t the kind of pain that she should withhold repeatedly, but it was the kind of pain she wanted to receive time and time again. This pain was the pleasantries of a battle. It was rare for her to get this much bite out of someone.


    ¡¸I see, so you still held back a lot before¡­¡¹


    ¡¸No¡­¡­Not really. I have just been feeling better lately.¡¹


    Yua turned her shoulder in a circular motion.


    ¡¸You¡¯re in your growing period, I see. I think it¡¯s wonderful.¡¹


    ¡¸That so? Rather than getting stronger in fights, I¡¯d rather have these to be growing instead¡­¡¹


    Saying so, Yua patted her chest that puffed out with the paddings.


    ¡¸It¡¯s definitely better to get stronger.¡¹


    ¡¸You said that because yours are already big to begin with.¡¹


    ¡¸No, that¡¯s not what¡­¡¹


    Well, it was true that Inglis had a nice pair of breasts, and they did look good, even if she said so herself. However, she didn¡¯t take any pleasure in being noticed by men or being popular.


    Perhaps because she was a man at heart, but she did feel happy to look at herself in the mirror and appreciate her own looks, not to mention that some clothes looked better with bigger ones.


    ¡¸The more I lose in the *****, the more I got to win the fight¡­ wanna do the kiss too.¡¹


    ¡¸Of course, let¡¯s continue then!¡¹


    ¡¸Yeah. Then, another one¡­pow!¡¹


    Pshooo!!


    ¡¸Then, me too!¡¹


    Inglis raised her finger, matching the trajectory of Yua¡¯s light beam¡­


    ¡®Ether Strike!¡¯


    Pshooo!!


    The pale blue light of ether emitted by Inglis collided with the light ray emitted by Yua. It hit right in the middle between the two, as the two lights twisted, exploded, and vanished.

 Chapter 179: 15-year-old Inglis and the Two Leading Actresses (32)

    ¡¸Oh¡­¡­?!¡¹


    Perhaps it took her by surprise, Yua¡¯s eyes slightly widened.


    ¡¸Mu¡ª¡ª?!¡¹


    Inglis was just as surprised. While it was indeed a minor technique, it was still Ether that Inglis shot. She had thought it would pierce through Yua¡¯s light ray, but the two projectiles erased each other.


    The light ray packed much more power than Inglis thought it would. Although, the fact that her Ether Pierce set it off meant Inglis¡¯ calculations weren¡¯t off the mark.


    ¡¸Pow pow pow!¡¹


    Pshoo! Pshoo! Pshoooo!!


    Three shots in a row!


    ¡¸Not this time!¡¹


    Inglis countered with three shots of her own, causing the light bullets to flash in between the two. It acted as a screen, Yua¡¯s figure vanished at the same time the flash happened.


    ¡¸Hyaaahh!¡¹


    Inglis had also initiated her next move simultaneously. She stepped diagonally aside to her left and unleashed a blow to her back. At that very moment, Yua¡¯s figure appeared where Inglis¡¯ fist went flying.


    Kabooom!


    ¡¸Guhok!¡¹


    Yua¡¯s body was blown furiously into the distance. She then sprung up the very moment her body touched the floor.


    ¡¸Yosh!¡¹


    Inglis nodded to herself. As she had aimed, she was able to detect the movement of mana even with her eyes open now. The only reason the first hit landed on her was that Yua¡¯s ray of light disrupted the flow of the ambient mana, causing the mana traces of Yua¡¯s movements to be overshadowed


    This time, the light rays were canceled out at a distance away from Inglis by her Ether Pierce, so the movement of ambient mana in her immediate vicinity was left unperturbed.


    The key was to intercept the light rays with Ether Pierce. While Inglis did shoot a mass of Ether to the environment, Ether was not mana, so it did not cause any fluctuation in the ambient mana. Therefore, the slight traces of mana caused by Yua¡¯s movement wouldn¡¯t be drowned out.


    Hence, she was able to react accordingly. The fact that she could do all of it with her eyes open was an undeniable sign of progress. On that front, the whole process was satisfying.


    However, it didn¡¯t mean it would assure her of victory. After Yua¡¯s body sprung up after she hit the floor, her figure vanished midair.


    ¡¸¡ª¡ª!¡¹


    Inglis didn¡¯t feel any movement of mana. However, a distorted silhouette suddenly showed up at the edges of her vision. It was Yua, her finger gun pointed at her. In terms of simple distance, she was much closer to Inglis than when they traded shots before. Around the same length as where their projectiles clashed before. In other words, the distance between them was halved.


    Pshooo!


    Yua launched her ray of light from where she stood.


    ¡¸There!¡¹


    Pshooo!


    Inglis reacted instantly, intercepting it with her Ether Pierce. However¡ª¡ª


    ¡¸Oh no?!¡¹


    The distance was simply too short. She could feel the undulating movements of mana in the air from the collision.


    It meant that the traces of Yua¡¯s movement would be overshadowed. The light ray was shot from such a close distance, so mana fluctuation near Inglis was still perturbed even if she intercepted it.


    If it was like this, Inglis wouldn¡¯t be able to read Yua¡¯s next step!


    ¡¸Hyah!¡¹


    The very moment that thought crossed her, Inglis kicked the floor and leaped straight up. She didn¡¯t know where Yua would come out, but this was an emergency maneuver. She would have a wide field of vision from up above, thus allowing her to see Yua¡¯s next step. She would, but¡­


    ¡¸Hello.¡¹


    The voice was from above her.


    ¡¸¡­¡­?!¡¹


    Inglis turned her face up as fast as she could, and there, for a moment, the image of Yua swinging her kick showed on the edges of her eyes.


    Kabooom!


    Inglis was knocked down by a tremendous impact, and the floor was already upon her.


    ¡¸Kgh!¡¹


    She managed to break her fall using all of her limbs, then immediately jumped aside.


    ¡¸You¡¯re good! As expected of you, Senior!!¡¹


    Yua always looked absentminded, but her techniques were truly ingenious. Even if her light ray was offset, the aftermath of the shot that was fired from such a perfect distance disrupted Inglis¡¯ prescription of mana. Yua knew exactly well what was happening during the fight and how Inglis managed to read her movements. Above all, she made her next move corresponding to what she had learned. What outstanding battle senses.


    ¡¸Another pow!¡¹


    Yua once again appeared close to Inglis to shoot her ray of light from her fingertip.


    Intercepting the light rays using Ether Pierce from that position would be pointless. The aftermath of the collision would make the ambient mana unreadable. On the other hand, if Inglis didn¡¯t intercept it, the incoming light rays would disrupt the ambient mana all around Inglis. Either way, Inglis wouldn¡¯t be able to see through Yua¡¯s vanishing entrance that would come subsequently. It was Yua¡¯s perfect distance.


    If Inglis really wished to prevent that shot from happening using any means necessary, she would have activated Ether Armor. However, she would never resort to something so tactless.


    She only needed to flip over the tide of battle to her favor. After all, if she were to use absolute means to win the battle, then it wouldn¡¯t lead to her personal growth.


    Not to mention, she still had more cards up her sleeve!


    ¡¸I¡¯ll be on the offense from now!¡¹


    Inglis lowered her body and plunged headfirst into the ray of light. The ray brushed past her face by a paper-thin margin, but speed was of the essence now. Inglis had to step in and attack before Yua could do her vanishing movement after she fired her shot.


    At such a short distance, Inglis wouldn¡¯t be able to stop the ray of light from disrupting the movement of mana. but it made it easier for her to jump straight into Yua¡¯s arm length. The aspects of a battle could change depending on the distances between the two parties. Yua was an opponent that required Inglis to go through so many trials and errors, how amusing!


    ¡¸Hyaaahh!¡¹


    ¡¸I need to knock you out then!¡¹


    KABLOOOM!!


    Inglis¡¯ and Yua¡¯s fists collided head-on, releasing a terrifying sound of impact. The head-on clash was slightly dominated by Inglis, perhaps due to the momentum she built on her step in. Yua took a step and two backward.


    ¡¸There¡¯s more coming!¡¹


    It was time for offense! Yua wouldn¡¯t have any opportunity to shoot the ray from zero distance!


    Inglis took another step forward, unleashing a roundhouse kick. Yua used her arm to parry it as her figure started to go blurry.


    ¡¸I won¡¯t let you go!¡¹


    Even if she were to vanish, Inglis still could feel the movement of the ambient mana. Four steps to the right, she lunged an elbow strike! Yua appeared in the place where Inglis¡¯ elbow went, her flank pierced.


    ¡¸Guhk. That hurt!¡¹


    While she didn¡¯t sound that hurt, Yua cowered a little. Was this the first time Inglis¡¯ blow hit her squarely?


    ¡¸Outmatched? No, I can still¡­¡¹


    Yua¡¯s pupils seemed to glow in a pale prismatic light¡­

 Chapter 180: 15-year-old Inglis and the Two Leading Actresses (33)

    ¡¸Hyaah!¡¹


    ¡¸I will never give up the kissing scene. Never!¡¹


    Yua held one hand up to catch Inglis¡¯ follow-up kick. With her awkward posture, it wouldn¡¯t be surprising if Inglis¡¯ kick would make her whole body bounce away, but¡­


    ¡¸Mu¡­¡­?!¡¹


    She withstood it without even a flinch.


    ¡¸Kissing scene kissing scene kissing scene¡ª¡ª¡¹


    She countered with her fist instead.


    With a force that was clearly on a whole different level than before, Inglis¡¯ defense was chipped away.


    Unable to even break her fall, Inglis¡¯ body crashed into the wall behind her.


    ¡¸Kgghh?! Y-, you¡¯re amazing, senior Yua!¡¹


    That strength could have even surpassed the Hyrule Menaces¡¯. Wonderful! To think she still hid more strength in her!


    ¡¸Big pow!¡¹


    This time, her ray of light left a rainbow-colored light trail.


    ¡¸Ether Pierce!¡¹


    The light projectiles collided! Ether Pierce was overpowered and swallowed into the prismatic ray.


    ¡¸Kgh!¡¹


    Inglis stepped aside to evade the incoming trajectory. The prismatic ray that Yua shot bore a huge hole in the wall.


    Not my problem. I¡¯ll let Count Weissmall deal with it.


    By the time she looked back to Yua, she had already vanished. In this situation, Inglis shouldn¡¯t be able to track Yua¡¯s movements. She shouldn¡¯t, but she did.


    ¡¸¡­¡­! I can tell!¡¹


    Yua¡¯s power had explosively increased since a while ago. And, just as much as it increased, it had become easier to detect such a huge amount of mana moving around. It was probably a power that Yua was unfamiliar with, thus she was unable to control it to the extent of hiding it into the flow of ambient mana. As of now, it was just her figure that disappeared. The flow of mana made her even more obvious than when she was visible.


    ¡¸I see you!¡¹


    Inglis dove in and delivered a kick with all her might.


    The kick was right on the mark, it arrived just as Yua came into view. However, again, Yua didn¡¯t even twitch.


    This clearly meant that Yua¡¯s power had gone up a notch, reaching a whole different dimension. Which meant Inglis could enjoy a higher level of battle!


    ¡¸Hyaaah!¡¹


    After activating the Ether Armor, Inglis¡¯ body was enveloped in pale blue light.


    ¡¸Counter.¡¹


    The two fists collided heavily, sending a shockwave into the air, punching a hole into the ceilings.


    Not my problem. I have no intention to stop this battle now! I am having my supreme bliss of a time with Yua in front of me!


    Thinking so, Inglis took a look at Yua and noticed it.


    ¡¸S-, senior, what is with those ears?!¡¹


    ¡¸Howeh? Ears?¡¹


    ¡¸Have you not realized? There are ears that are similar to Miss Ripple on your head!¡¹


    Before she knew it, those ears had already sprouted out of Yua¡¯s head.


    ¡¸Oh? You¡¯re right, what are these?¡¹


    ¡¸And you have a tail too!¡¹


    ¡¸Ooh, fluffy. Sparkly.¡¹


    She had a set of ears and a tail much like a beastman, and those were glimmering in prismatic light. Beastman. Prismatic. Tremendous Strength.


    That means, that means¡­¡­ Right, the aura of Yua¡¯s current strength, it¡¯s similar to that one entity that appeared not so long ago. Ripple¡¯s Father, the Prisma.


    ¡¸D-, don¡¯t tell me, is that the power of a Prisma?!¡¹


    ¡¸¡­¡­wazzat?¡¹


    Yua craned her neck, puzzled.


    ¡¸No, no¡­¡­It¡¯s the strongest Magic Stone Beast variety. Don¡¯t you remember, you were swallowed by one back then!¡¹


    What did Yua think it was?


    ¡¸Ooh. The sparkly monster.¡¹


    ¡¸Y-, yes, that one, and the same set of ears and a tail are now on you, senior¡­¡­¡¹


    Just what does this mean? Wasn¡¯t it Yua who was being absorbed into the body of the juvenile Prisma?


    The only thing she could assume was that, at the time, everyone was worried that Yua might be absorbed and disappear, but perhaps the opposite was what happened. In short, Inglis guessed that Yua was the one who absorbed Prisma¡¯s power instead during the incident.


    Considering that Yua had the ability to assimilate her own mana into her surroundings to the extent of blending into the forces of nature, could she have been able to assimilate into Prisma, her environment at the time? And then, after having assimilated into it, she snatched away its power?


    Perhaps that was the reason why Rene was oddly terrified of Yua? As Rene herself was a variation of Magic Stone Beast, she felt the power of Prisma, the strongest variety of Magic Stone Beast, within Yua, and was scared of it? If she deduced it that way, Rene¡¯s reaction made sense.


    Yua¡¯s father, whom she horribly said she had forgotten his face, had taught her something so amazing when he told her to return to the world. He, along with Yua, were quite the mysterious characters. They piqued Inglis¡¯ curiosity to no end.


    Inglis might have deduced it wrong, but the fact was that Yua now possessed powers that seemed to belong to a Prisma. If it didn¡¯t bring about weird problems to Yua¡¯s body, then Inglis would appreciate having such a powerful senior.


    ¡¸Whatever it is, it¡¯s a wonderful power! Now, let us continue our duel!¡¹


    Not to mention, if during her last encounter with Prisma, the Prisma wasn¡¯t at his full potential because he had been sucked dry by Yua, then fighting Yua now was a good thing. If the Prisma was supposed to be much, much stronger, then this fight should be much, much worthwhile.


    This is getting interesting! I can have a fully serious fight with my all now!


    ¡¸Sorry. Sleepy.¡¹


    ¡¸Eh?¡¹


    Yua suddenly collapsed on the spot. She began to snore in her sleep. The ears and tail of Prisma also disappeared.


    ¡¸Ah, hold on, Senior Yua, please, wake¡­¡¹


    Count Weissmall¡¯s high-pitched voice echoed throughout the theatre.


    ¡¸Thus, Mariabelle, after her victory over Euthyllis, went to chase after Prince Malik!¡¹


    WAAAHHHH!!! CLAPCLAPCLAPCLAPCLAP!!


    The audience cheered, applauds rose high.


    The curtain came down, it was time to change the stage setting.


    ¡¸Oh man, thank goodness it¡¯s over before you two leveled the whole theater!¡¹


    ¡¸S-, still, I don¡¯t think the building can hold for long.¡¹


    Then, swiftly, Lahti and Pullum appeared, carried up Yua, and took her offstage.


    This meant Inglis had come out victorious!


    ¡¸SH-, SHOOOOOOTTTTTT!!!!¡¹


    I was so engrossed I missed the opportunity to hand the victory to Yua!


    ¡¸Hush! Don¡¯t shout, the audience can hear it!¡¹


    ¡¸Do your best with the kissing scene!¡¹


    Lahti and Pullum said to her.


    This is bad, bad bad bad bad!


    Those were the thoughts that plagued Inglis¡¯ mind.

 Chapter 181: 15-year-old Inglis and the Two Leading Actresses (34)

    Oh no oh no oh no oh no¡­¡­


    This is bad, bad bad bad bad bad bad¡ª¡ª *


    *I messed up, I messed up, I messed up, I messed up, I messed up¡ª¡ª!


    The stage¡¯s backdrop was replaced, the snoring Yua was taken away, and the preparations for the kissing scene were steadily being made. Ian, who played Prince Malik, also climbed up from the backstage, looking nervous.


    ¡¸Th-, this is the last scene, huh. Le-, let¡¯s do our best¡­¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Y-, yes¡­¡­¡¹


    It would have been rude to ignore him and say nothing, so Inglis just gave an empty answer.


    But then, she felt a chill running down her spine. She could feel cold sweat pouring out.


    For anyone else, she might look like she was just gasping for air after the heated stand-off with Yua. Or perhaps, she might look like an innocent young maiden trying to calm her nerves and embarrassment for having her first kiss in front of an audience.


    No, I can¡¯t let this happen!


    She was simply hating it. It was biologically impossible for Inglis to do it. Putting Rafinha aside, if her partner was either Leone, Liselotte, or perhaps Yua, she might or might not be able to do it, but¡ª¡ªno matter how much of a pretty boy Ian was, it was impossible. Her body was shivering, it was physiologically rejecting the thought.


    It was scary. And horribly terrifying¡ª¡ª! It was much, much more terrifying than any powerful Magic Stone Beasts, the cruelties the Highlanders showcased, the wrath of her mother Selena, or even the ravenous days with hungry stomachs and nothing to eat¡­¡­!


    No no no no no no¡­¡­!


    Whilst Inglis was deep in anguish in her heart, the curtain opened. The audience was visible to her. Reflexively, she looked for Rafinha, seeking for any form of help. There she was, sitting side by side with Leone and Liselotte in the VIP seats prepared for the members of the Knight Academy. All three of them had their eyes glittering, full of expectation and excitement.


    This was bad. The three were so exhilarated their breathing was rugged. They were already so worked up to see Inglis kissing. The three had their own unique characters, but they were still inexperienced young maidens in that front. Inglis understood why they were so interested, but now she couldn¡¯t rely on them.


    Their eyes were speaking to her.


    Do it! Show us! Then tell us how it feels¡ª¡ª!


    ¡¸Aah, Mariabelle. So you have come to save me¡­¡­!¡¹


    Ian¡¯s clear, serene voice echoed throughout the theatre. The performance leading up to the kissing scene had finally begun.


    Now that this had happened, Inglis could only put her hope on Ian. As long as Ian did what he should, then¡­¡­!


    ¡¸Yes, my Prince. For you, there is no feat I won¡¯t do, there is no place I won¡¯t go to.¡¹


    Inglis gazed at Ian¡¯s eyes as she uttered her line. It was an act to express Mariabelle¡¯s overflowing feelings towards her beloved¡ª¡ªnot.


    Inglis was urging him. Hurry up. I¡¯m begging you, please destroy this play already¡ª¡ªso her eyes spoke. Ian should have the potential to do it¡­¡­!


    Inglis had thought that there was nothing to fear. She just didn¡¯t want to miss out on the opportunity to have a serious stand-off with Yua.


    However, now that the duel was over, she was thrown into this situation. She didn¡¯t want this fear! Come on, quickly, make an uproar, an incident that will shatter this play away! She would more than welcome it if someone suddenly appeared with a blade pointed at her neck and yelled:¡¸FUHAHAHAHA!! We have taken over this whole theatre!¡¹


    If not¡ª¡ªInglis would have to beat Ian into a pulp. But then, how would she wiggle her way out of trouble after that? If Ian turned out to be innocent of any crime, she would feel bad for Ian, obviously.


    Whilst Inglis was faltering, Ian continued on with his line.


    ¡¸Thank you. I want you to stay by my side from now and on.¡¹


    Ian¡¯s hand touched Inglis¡¯ hair and cheek. Reflexively, her body rejected him and jolted.


    ¡¸¡ª¡ªeek¡­¡­¡¹


    ¡¸?¡¹


    ¡¸Ah-, no¡ª¡ª-B-, by all means¡­¡­¡¹


    In heart, she was screaming. Instinctively, she was straining her strength and made a fist.


    ¡¸Aah, Mariabelle¡­¡­¡¹


    Ian¡¯s face gradually came closer.


    Don¡¯t tell me, is the play going to continue until the end without anything happening¡­¡­?!


    That would¡¯ve been the bigger disaster for me!


    This is bad, bad bad bad bad¡ª¡ª!


    As the feeling of impending doom washed over her, she felt shivers run down her spine.


    Nevertheless, Ian¡¯s face was already so close, their lips were almost touching¡ª¡ª


    No! I can¡¯t hold it anymore¡­¡­!


    ¡¸¡­¡­?!¡¹


    Inglis somehow managed to restrain herself from punching him down by clenching her fist. However, she still avoided it by throwing her face away towards the audience. At the same time, Ian whispered something to her.


    ¡¸I¡¯m sorry. This is as far as the play goes.¡¹


    ¡¸¡ª¡ª!¡¹


    Rafinha, Leone, and Liselotte who were staring at her with their eyes sparkling were nowhere to be seen. No, not only them, the rest of the audience too. In fact, the audience seats themselves were gone.


    ¡¸Ooh¡­¡­! This is¡ª¡ª¡¹


    In an instant, the space around her had changed into an empty subspace. There were no walls nor edges. The only thing that were present here were the glittering yellow-green light particles that floated around. This was very similar to the subspace where the Highlander Faris had trapped Inglis and her friends before. As she recalled, these particles should have the effect of preventing the activation of Artifacts. The same was true for the mana under Inglis¡¯ control.


    ¡¸No matter how strong you and Miss Yua are, you won¡¯t be able to manifest your power here¡ª¡ªPlease stay here and stay put for a while. You too, Lahti, Pullum¡­¡­¡¹


    When Inglis turned around, there were Lahti and Pullum there. There was also Yua, snoring away nearby. It seemed that they were dragged into the subspace when Inglis and Yua were transferred.


    ¡¸Ian¡­¡­! I-, is this your doing¡ª¡ª?!¡¹


    ¡¸Wh-, why would you do this, Ian¡­¡­? This is just like a function of an Artifact¡ª¡ª¡¹


    ¡¸Yes. Let us talk while we wait my friends to finish their mission¡ª¡ªafter that, why don¡¯t we return to Alucard together? After all, we can no longer stay in this country¡­¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Wh-, what do you mean¡ª¡ªwhat are you trying to do¡­¡­!¡¹


    ¡¸Tell us, Ian!¡¹


    ¡¸¡­¡­We will enact our revenge and assassinate His Majesty King Charleas¡ª¡ªSo please, stay put.¡¹ (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});


    ¡¸Wha¡­¡­?!¡¹


    ¡¸Th-, that¡¯s ridiculous¡ª¡ª!¡¹


    ¡¸Haaaah~~ thank goodness¡­¡­¡¹


    ¡¸¡¸Haah?!¡¹¡¹


    Lahti¡¯s and Pullum¡¯s exclaims synchronized perfectly.

 Chapter 182: 15-year-old Inglis and the Two Leading Actresses (35)

    ¡¸Wh-, what the f?u?c?k?, Inglis?! We¡¯re having an emergency here!¡¹


    ¡¸Th-, that¡¯s right! What are thinking when you said that?!¡¹


    ¡¸What am I thinking? I said thank goodness I didn¡¯t have to go through the kissing scene.¡¹


    ¡¸Oi oi oi! What the hell does it matter?!¡¹


    ¡¸Th-, that is indeed a crisis, but we have something bigger at hand! W-, we need to stop him fast!¡¹


    ¡¸I know, it¡¯s alright. Rani and the two are already on the move.¡¹


    ¡¸Eeh?! Inglis, you knew this would happen?!¡¹


    ¡¸A-, amazing! Even though I was so clueless!¡¹


    ¡¸Well, we only knew that there was a possibility of something happening.¡¹


    Last night when they dropped Alina off, they saw Ian talking with a man named Diego. What they talked about didn¡¯t sound that peaceful, coupled with how Lahti seemed to feel Ian¡¯s conduct as odd, especially with how he left their country to join the Weissmall Troupe.


    He said that, with Ian¡¯s characteristics, it would be hard to imagine him leaving his destroyed territory and the damaged Royal Capital of Alucard behind him. Which meant that he was hiding some circumstances that would force him to do so.


    Not to mention, whilst Inglis wasn¡¯t aware of Ian¡¯s personality and his odd behavior since they only just met with each other, there was one thing that Inglis could feel from him that was clearly out of the norm.


    That was Ian¡¯s mana. Under the influence of Yua, Inglis had been obsessed with probing into the mana in her surroundings recently, and she found that the flow of Ian¡¯s mana was clearly not that of a normal person.


    Normally, when someone was not doing particularly anything, the flow of their mana should be slow as it enveloped their whole body. There were individual differences in the strength and the wavelength of their mana, but it was basically the same for everyone. To put it in other words, that was how a human body works.


    However, Ian¡¯s was bizarre, as all of his mana was concentrated in a single point in his chest where his heart was. It was obvious that he was not an ordinary person and he was hiding something. Not to mention, the man that Ian was meeting with, Diego, was just as unusual in terms of the flow of his mana.


    When Lahti mentioned that he found Ian¡¯s choice of action was odd, Inglis had told him to leave him alone and not to pry too hard. This was mostly to avoid involving Lahti in any weird danger.


    That being said, they couldn¡¯t apprehend Ian with just suspicions alone, and they couldn¡¯t possibly cancel the performance of the Weissmall Troupe either. And, most importantly, Inglis wanted to have a serious duel with Yua.


    And so, they went and attended the play prepared for anything that might happen. This was the reason for the sudden change of personnel; why Rafinha asked Pullum to be the one to pilot the Flygear, and why Principal Miliera was asked to put up her protective barrier all around the audience seat.


    With how the stand-off concluded, the interference that Ian and his group had brought really saved Inglis¡¯ skin, and while she was indeed grateful for it, she still would stop their assassination plot.


    By now, Rafinha and the other two should have noticed something was off and started their move.


    ¡¸So you¡­¡­noticed? How?!¡¹


    ¡¸The flow of your mana¡­or rather, you yourself are unusual. However, you were trying to act normally this whole time, so it always bugged me. I also felt the same oddity from the man named Diego you met before.¡¹


    ¡¸!!! I see¡­you knew so far already¡­¡­¡¹


    ¡¸We only saw you meeting by chance, however.¡¹


    Inglis¡¯ suspicion grew when she saw Diego, but even if she didn¡¯t, she knew she still would make the same preparations regardless. King Charleas came to watch her, and more importantly, her mother Serena, Aunt Irina, and even Marquis Wilford were here as well. She wanted to ensure the safety of her family.


    ¡¸Diego?! You don¡¯t mean General Diego?!¡¹


    ¡¸You know him, Lahti?¡¹


    ¡¸Alucard¡¯s Military General. He is known as the strongest man in the whole Kingdom!¡¹


    ¡¸Heeh¡­¡­¡¹


    That was something to look forward to. Perhaps she could get some bouts with him later.


    ¡¸Ian! When you said your family, your territory, and the Royal Capital were destroyed by a Prisma, it was all a lie?! Then!¡¹


    ¡¸As if it ever was! If it was a lie, this wouldn¡¯t happen to us.¡¹


    Ian stripped off his own clothes, exposing his body underneath.


    ¡¸¡­¡­!¡¹


    ¡¸W-, what the hell is that?!¡¹


    ¡¸I-, Ian?!¡¹


    Most of Ian¡¯s body, except his neck up, was not that of a human¡¯s¡­ it was a machine, like the interior of a Flygear1 . The heart in his chest shone like the main engine of a machine. That was the area where Inglis felt his mana concentrated.


    ¡¸Our Lord, Archlold Abel, gave it to us, a technology of the Highland!2 I was attacked by Prisma and lost half of my body. This is the only thing that someone like me can do, with this, even I can fight! For the family that I lost, for my people and everyone, for my country!¡¹ (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});


    ¡¸Lord Abel?¡¹


    That was a name she hadn¡¯t heard for a while. Abel had been killed in the battle above the Royal Castle in the hand of Black Mask, the leader of the Ironblood Chain Brigade, who was wielding a weaponized Hyrule Menace. Perhaps it meant that Abel had already laid his hands on Alucard to the north before he came to this country.


    ¡¸Don¡¯t be stupid! What good does it do to our country if you come here and try to kill the King of another?!¡¹


    ¡¸That is what the Highland wishes! Now that our Kingdom has been devastated by Magic Stone Beasts, we need to fundamentally overhaul our National Defense System! That means we have to be given Artifacts by the Highland, more than ever, and even try to get a Hyrule Menace!¡¹


    That would be so. Ian was correct. The more a country of Midland needed to fight against Magic Stone Beasts, the more they had to rely on the Highland. And in order to fight Magic Stone Beasts, an Artifact was a must. This was not something anyone could do with any individual effort or training.

 Chapter 183: 15-year-old Inglis and the Two Leading Actresses (36)

    ¡¸However, Alucard doesn¡¯t have the resources to make that happen! We were scraping by even before this! That is why we follow the orders of Archlord Abel! If things go well, we will be bestowed a Hyrule Menace! For that purpose, His Majesty the King has made his decision. For that purpose, I will devote myself for him!¡¹


    ¡¸What, so now we doom the rest of the world to save our own a?s?s??! Like hell that mild-a?s?s? father of mine would resort to¡­!¡¹


    ¡¸Lahti¡­¡­!¡¹


    ¡¸Lahti, don¡¯t say that!¡¹


    Not only Pullum, but even Ian jumped at Lahti for his slip of the tongue. On that front, it seemed that Ian really was here under the will and the order of the King of Alucard.


    If, taking account of what he said, Lahti was the Prince of Alucard, it meant that he was an individual the people of Alucard must protect at all costs.


    That was probably why Ian seemed to take issue with something when he was conversing with General Diego. It was because there was a chance for Lahti to be caught in the crossfire.


    Considering the fact that Lahti was now here in the isolation space, Ian must have taken his action in the best possible moment.


    ¡¸You don¡¯t seem too surprised, Inglis.¡¹


    ¡¸Mister Ian already said it when we first met.¡¹


    Ever since she had become suspicious of Ian, Inglis took interest in the words he said. She had a hunch that it was the case.


    Besides, for Inglis, something like a ¡®Prince¡¯ was not something she was interested in. Had she been Rafinha or other normal girls, perhaps that title would excite her, but Inglis couldn¡¯t care less. The only thing Inglis looked for in a man was whether or not he was strong, and whether or not he was willing to have a serious fight with her.


    In that sense, perhaps she was more interested in Ian than Lahti.


    ¡¸¡­¡­Don¡¯t tell to anyone, got it? We came studying here hiding our identities, you see.¡¹


    ¡¸Okay, I understand. Then, can I start the fight already?¡¹


    Just what kind of power did a body mechanized like a Flygear possess? Compared to Rahal and Faris, both of which had transitioned from Midlanders into Highlanders, just how strong was he?


    Was this what would happen when someone was tuned to be specialized in combat?


    Or was this simply a way to force absolute obedience in exchange for power for those who didn¡¯t have enough achievements to be given the body of a Highlander?


    Now that Ian and his friends had become like that, it would prove difficult for them to sustain their life without the technology of the Highland.


    To put it shortly, they had to give absolute obedience if they wanted to stay alive.


    The Highlander with the name Abel was a young boy in his appearance, but he had a rather sadistic personality. Turning people into such things just for fun seemed all too plausible for him. Either way, Inglis would know after she fought him.


    Considering that Ian created the same kind of subspace as Faris did, Inglis expected him to be at least just as strong, but personally, she wished he was much, much stronger than Faris.


    The toughest, worst crisis, which was the kissing scene, Inglis had overcome it.


    Next, she would like to thank Ian for relinquishing the play so exquisitely whilst she enjoyed her fight against something she dubbed as mechanical soldiers, something she had never seen before, but the circumstances at hand wouldn¡¯t allow her.


    ¡¸Ho-, hold on! Give me some time to knock some senses¡ª¡ª!¡¹


    ¡¸Forgive me, but I¡¯m worried about Rani. I need to get somewhere where I can see her as soon as possible!¡¹


    If she remained here, Inglis couldn¡¯t see Rafinha, who was probably fighting against the aggressors outside. If only she could see her, she would take her time enjoying her own fight here. However, everything has priorities.


    First of all, Inglis had to secure a place where she was sure Rafinha was safe. Unless that was fulfilled, she couldn¡¯t have her fun with peace of mind.


    ¡¸¡­¡­I-, I got it then. As lame as it sounds, there¡¯s nothing we could do anyway.¡¹


    ¡¸That¡¯s not true. I¡¯ll leave the rest to you.¡¹


    Inglis patted Lahti on the shoulder then stepped forward.


    ¡¸This is a warning. Mr. Ian, if you want to keep me out of your business, then please return me to the previous space. Once I am sure of Rani¡¯s safety, I will be more than willing to enjoy our fight slowly. However, if you don¡¯t do what I demand! I will spare nothing.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­¡­I can¡¯t do that. Besides, regardless of how strong you are, within this place, you won¡¯t be able to exert your true power like before. It is impossible for you to defeat me.¡¹


    Ian replied calmly, somewhat nonchalantly.


    ¡¸Well, I will go ahead and beat you up you then.¡¹


    ¡¸Do your wor¡ª¡ª¡¹


    Zooooooom!


    At the same time as the sound roared, Ian¡¯s eyes opened wide in astonishment.


    ¡¸Seeeegghhkk¡­¡­?!!¡¹


    Inglis¡¯ spear hand pierced Ian¡¯s chest, protruding through his back. She was at her full speed, her Ether Armor activated, holding nothing back.


    For the sake of Rafinha, she had to abandon her way of facing her opponent¡¯s biggest strength head-on and coming out victorious. She had no hesitation to do anything.


    ¡¸I-, impossible¡­I couldn¡¯t even see! Wh-, what the hell is that power?!¡¹


    ¡¸I¡¯m sorry, but I can¡¯t explain due to the limited time.¡¹


    Inglis¡¯ hand blade, infused with Ether, sliced off Ian¡¯s body into numerous pieces. The mechanized body made a rattling sound as it fell pieces by pieces, not a word coming out.


    ¡¸A-, amazing! B-, but¡­¡­it ended so quickly¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Ian!!¡¹


    Both Lahti and Pullum looked pained, their faces downcast.


    ¡¸No, it¡¯s not over yet.¡¹


    Inglis was the only one who didn¡¯t lower her guard.

 Chapter 184: 15-year-old Inglis and the Two Leading Actresses (37)

    Normally, when the spellcaster was defeated, the spell they activated would crumble and, in this case, Inglis and the others would be returned back to the theatre. However, there wasn¡¯t a hint that the subspace was collapsing. Which meant¡­


    ¡¸¡­¡­How surprising. Artifacts and similar powers are supposed to be sealed within this ¡®Magic Sealing Cage¡¯¡­¡­My current body, built with the technology of the Highland, is unaffected by the cage, so it is supposed to be the best means of defense as it is the most deadly trap! And yet, you broke through it so easily! ¡­¡­I see, Lord Abel lied to me?!¡¹


    Ian¡¯s voice echoed from some place far away.


    I knew it! I don¡¯t know what his trick is, but he¡¯s still up and well.


    ¡¸In his honor, let me tell you something; It does work.¡¹


    Well, keeping the honor of a deadman wouldn¡¯t mean anything, though. He never had much of it, to begin with.


    ¡¸Then why?! Are you that much of a monster that you punched through and shatter steel with your own hand, is that it? I can¡¯t imagine such strength coming from such a dainty, beautiful figure like yours¡­¡¹


    ¡¸I¡¯m not saying that I can¡¯t, but¡­ the point here is that there are things that even Highlanders are unaware of. They are not all-knowing and all-mighty.¡¹


    Although, they might as well look like they do from the perspective of Midlanders.


    ¡¸And one more thing, Lord Abel has regretfully passed away. This deal that he promised you of may have been in vain, you know?¡¹ (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});


    ¡¸Yes, I have heard the rumors when I arrived here, but the plan is still ongoing! Don¡¯t tell me, are you the one who killed¡­¡­?!¡¹


    ¡¸As if! There is no way I will ever do something like that!¡¹


    Inglis declared a bit forcefully.


    It wasn¡¯t that she couldn¡¯t, she just didn¡¯t see the reason to. Whilst his nature was left with too much to desire, Inglis liked him a lot. He was short-tempered and quick to resort to violence, perhaps due to his bloated self-esteem, and was willing to fight her hand-to-hand regardless of their societal standings.


    His strength was a real deal, and, for Inglis, it was something she was very grateful of being introduced to. That was why, after kicking him so far out of sight, she wanted to at least save his life.


    It would be all too wasteful to kill him. She wanted to fight him again, as much as she could, after she refined her skills and honed her strengths. And, yet, by the hands of Black Mask, he was¡­ it was nothing short of a regrettable and unfortunate accident.


    ¡¸¡­¡­Either way, you are a danger. Who is to say you won¡¯t become a threat for Alucard if I leave you be!¡¹


    ¡¸I think you are overestimating me¡­¡¹


    Inglis had no intention to do something so troublesome unless it¡¯s for power. She wouldn¡¯t put an effort to make the world a better place. And, conversely speaking, even if a country or two were demolished, she had no intention to fight their war.


    ¡¸However, I welcome you to come and fight me with all your might. I wish to settle this ASAP and get to Rani.¡¹


    ¡¸¡¸¡¸¡¸¡¸Your composure ends now!¡¹¡¹¡¹¡¹¡¹


    That voice came from all around her. It sounded like a chorus, layered in and onto itself.


    And then, Ian showed up! Just like the voices, he showed up from all four directions.


    Ian, so many of the exact looking Ian, showed up again, and again, and again, and again¡ª¡ª


    He numbered twenty to thirty Ian.


    ¡¸Wha¡­¡­?! What is this!¡¹


    Even Inglis was taken by surprise. Was this also part of the Highland tech? If so, this should mean that the Highland was capable of indefinitely producing soldiers as long as they had the materials.


    ¡¸I-, Ian?!¡¹


    ¡¸Th-, there¡¯s so many?! A-Am I seeing a nightmare?!¡¹


    ¡¸Highland¡¯s Secret Ritual of Human Soul Imitation! Each one of me may be weaker than you, but together, we are strong! This is the power Lord Abel has given me!¡¹


    ¡¸I see¡­¡­what a nice hobby he has.¡¹


    ¡¸B-But, Ian¡­¡­if you did this, if you¡¯ve gone and did this, you¡¯ll no longer know who is the real you anymore!¡¹


    ¡¸Pullum¡¯s right, Ian! No one will know which one is the real you! That is basically you killing your own self! Is this what you wanted?!¡¹


    Lahti and Pullum laid bare their revolt at the sight of the huge number of Ian. Their expressions were distorted in pity.


    Whilst seeing this unfold, Inglis thought to herself out loud.


    ¡¸But, maybe I want it too, one or two more of me¡­¡­¡¹


    I¡¯m sure we will understand each other so well and spend our fulfilling, repeating days fighting as good rivals to each other. Since we will be evenly matched, I¡¯ll be the best training partner I¡¯ll ever have. And that, undoubtedly, will become the shortest way to reach the highest level in the limited human lifespan that I have.


    Although, I don¡¯t want to be in the same situation as Ian, where I would be duplicated and used at the behest of my own superior¡¯s biddings. But still, I think it¡¯s not a bad idea to create another one of me by my own will. In fact, I want to do it.


    If I go to Alucard, will I see the facility that made Ian the way he is? I want to take a look at it at least once.


    ¡¸What the f?u?c?k? are you saying, Inglis?!¡¹


    It seemed that Lahti overheard her.


    ¡¸Eh? But, you see, if I had another one of me, I would be my own best training partner, right? Not to mention, in the end, strength is basically the multiplication of the quality, the time spent, as well as the talent of someone you trained with, so don¡¯t you think having someone just as strong as I am would make me stronger with the highest efficiency?¡¹


    ¡¸Hell if I know! We are seriously talking about Human Dignity here! No, enough, just don¡¯t break the conversation, okay!¡¹


    He sure said things Rafinha would. This must mean Lahti himself was also a good, virtuous young man with a strong sense of justice.


    ¡¸Lahti, Pullum. I am of the same standing as Miss Inglis. It doesn¡¯t bother me, and I am happy with it! Although, indeed, nobody else wanted to have their very own existence imitated, and I was the only one who volunteered¡­¡­¡¹


    ¡¸That¡¯s obvious! That is plain creepy! Why would you?!¡¹


    ¡¸I wanted power! Much like Lahti, I was a Runeless. When my hometown was attacked by Magic Stone Beasts, I was so powerless I couldn¡¯t do anything¡­¡­But, not now, now I¡¯m different! I have to make sure there will be no more tragedies like what happened to my family and the people of my territory! As long as I¡¯ve received the power to protect our most beloved Alucard, so what! I don¡¯t need my body! I don¡¯t even need Human Dignity! I don¡¯t care if I am no longer me!¡¹


    Ian made his impassioned speech. Lahti could no longer look at him straight and threw his face away.


    ¡¸Ian! But, but if you do that, then!¡¹


    ¡¸I-, I¡¯m so sorry Ian¡­¡­We couldn¡¯t be there for you when you needed us the most!¡¹


    Pullum was shaking to her core, her eyes welled with tears.


    ¡¸¡­¡­He is exactly like how you said, Lahti.¡¹


    ¡¸Y-, yeah¡­¡­You¡¯re right, though he¡¯s overdoing it¡­¡­¡¹


    Lahti had said that, with Ian¡¯s character, he would have stayed behind to help rebuild the city if his territory had been leveled and his country¡¯s capital badly damaged. What he did now was a part of it, working himself for his country and his people. Perhaps, this was the maximum form of his servitude.


    Although, from others¡¯ standpoint, this was the worst that he could have done, as he was plotting to assassinate a King of a country. When two ideals and versions of justice collided, war took place.


    ¡¸That is why I volunteered to be part of Lord Abel¡¯s experiment. I was also given the special power to manipulate ¡®Magic Sealing Cage,¡¯ so that I can hide many of my duplicates in it!¡¹


    Which meant that Ian was the only one in his group who could use it. However, in any case¡­


    ¡¸Now, Miss Inglis¡­¡­! The fight is just starting! Right now, for sure, I will¡­¡­!¡¹


    ¡¸No, thank you. I have to hurry to where Rani is.¡¹


    Even if she defeated all the Ians she could see here, there might be some more. In the meantime, time was ticking away. She couldn¡¯t waste even a second.


    Which meant she had to destroy the subspace to get out of it. Most probably, the destruction would flood outside, bringing about devastation to the theatre.


    That was why she didn¡¯t want to resort to that, but the time called for it. Inglis raised her hand to the sky, palm facing up, as Ether began to converge on it.

 Chapter 185: 15-year-old Inglis and the Two Leading Actresses (38)

    It was now the climax of the performance, the kissing scene between Mariabelle and Prince Malik. Rafinha, Leone, and Liselotte who were seated in the audience seats were watching it with rapt attention.


    ¡¸Ooh¡­¡­Here it is, here it is!¡¹


    Prince Malik, played by Ian, raised his hand gently to touch the hair and cheek of Mariabelle, played by Inglis. It was heating up! Her heart was leaping out of her throat.


    Inglis had said that perhaps Ian or someone else would come sabotaging or subverting their attention, and thus they were prepared for that, but so far, nothing out of the line happened.


    In the last duel scene, Inglis and Yua were a bit overworked and destroyed some parts of the walls and the ceilings, but it was not something out of the line but rather an expected outcome and, in fact, Rafinha was glad that the destruction ended there.


    However, Yua suddenly collapsing and bringing an end to the duel was probably unexpected even for Inglis. For Inglis, who was more beautiful, adorable, and more uninterested in boys than anyone else, wouldn¡¯t want to put herself through the kissing scene. She must have planned to enjoy the duel as much as she could and handed the victory to Yua once she had had enough.


    However, Rafinha had another thought. There was no way things would go so smoothly for her. Ever since they were little, Rafinha had seen time and time again Inglis got carried away and went overboard when it came to battles.


    Thus, she knew all too well that this would happen, and she wished for it as well.


    After all, she really wanted to see Inglis being honestly embarrassed.


    And that was exactly what was happening, with her cheeks flushed red, her head turned down, and her voice a little shaky as she delivered her lines.


    ¡¸That¡¯s it, you¡¯re cute! You¡¯re so cute up there, Glis!¡¹


    ¡¸She really is¡­¡­Now we are the one who is anxious!¡¹


    ¡¸Yes, it sure makes our hearts throb!¡¹


    Leone and Liselotte, sitting shoulder to shoulder with her, were also as expectant as she was.


    ¡¸Seeing her like this, Miss Inglis sure looks adorable and picturesque.¡¹


    Principal Miliera, who was sitting one row behind them, also gave her comment.


    There was a possibility that something might happen at this moment, but overanxiety would turn the mood sour. Now that it came to it, she wanted to see Inglis kissing!


    Not to mention, she wanted to use this as an opportunity for Inglis to turn a new page as a girl and kindle her interest in boys. This was the first step to getting her to marry Raphael and become Ymir¡¯s Marchioness in the future. Besides, if Rafinha should tell Raphael about this, he surely would become more incentive.


    This was a win-win for all sides. And so, sally-forth! Do it until the end!


    While in truth, however, Inglis looked embarrassed because she was trying to resist the urge to punch Ian in the face, but¡­


    That feeling didn¡¯t get across to Rafinha and the others. They were speechlessly staring at the pretty figure of Inglis on the stage, but then¡­


    Right before the kiss, Inglis shifted her face.


    ¡¸Aah¡­¡­!¡¹


    ¡ª¡ªwas what they thought, when suddenly Inglis vanished from their sight.


    ¡¸Eh¡­¡­?!¡¹


    Clink!


    As the dry sound of something being smashed reverberated, their vision turned dark. It wasn¡¯t so dark that they couldn¡¯t see anything, though, as the hole in the ceilings that Inglis made shed some light into the building. All of this happened because the lights in the theatre had gone out. However, this wasn¡¯t part of the script. In other words¡­


    ¡¸Miss Rafinha! Miss Leone! Miss Liselotte! As planned, do your parts!¡¹


    As expected of the Principal, her reaction was one step faster than Rafinha and the others. As soon as she waved her cane Artifact, her figure distorted in space and disappeared. The same thing happened to the other audiences who were buzzing with the sudden event.


    ¡¸Yes!¡¹


    ¡¸Understood!¡¹


    ¡¸Leave it to us!¡¹


    The voices of the three echoed through the mostly empty and silent theatre. However, this didn¡¯t mean that there was nobody else in the audience seat that heard them.


    ¡¸Th-, this is¡­¡­?!¡¹


    That voice came from near the center of the gallery, exactly where King Charleas was seated a few moments ago.


    It was from a rather large man with short, chestnut-colored hair with a brutish atmosphere. Despite not being in the cold season yet, he was dressed so thickly it was hard to see anything from his neck below.


    No doubt about it. It was the man she saw last night when she dropped off Alina; a man named Diego. There were two other men next to him, dressed similarly. Their eyes were swimming around, looking at their surroundings after everyone had disappeared.


    ¡¸S-, something happened?!¡¹


    ¡¸Kgh¡­¡­! Where did the King go?!¡¹


    It seemed that they were plotting to take advantage of the chaos to strike in the dark.


    However, their target, King Charleas, was no longer here.


    It was because they had been quarantined into a subspace that Principal Miliera created with the power of her Artifact. In the last incident, she used it to quarantine the Magic Stone Beast that Ripple summoned to minimize the damage to the surrounding area, but this time she used it for evacuation to ensure safety.


    Leone¡¯s black greatsword had the same power, and it should have been her role to evacuate everyone, but¡­


    With Leone¡¯s current strength, she would bring everyone within her area of effect into her subspace. Should at least one of the assassins be within her area of effect, they would be transferred in as well, making the evacuation moot. Furthermore, her area of effect wasn¡¯t large enough to encompass the entire gallery.


    In that regard, Principal Miliera, who possessed a Special Grade Rune and boasted a higher level of competency, could cover the whole theatre under her influence, leaving only Rafinha, Leone, and Liselotte for them to disarm the assassins.


    That was why, considering their response to the unforeseen circumstances, they decided to ask Principal Miliera to take the role of ensuring safety in case something did happen.


    They determined who the assassins were during their five-man dance in the first act, when Inglis leaped to the center of the gallery. The performance that wasn¡¯t in the script in the first place was actually not a service for the audience but rather a means to find out anyone suspicious within the gallery. According to Inglis, the criteria was people with an abnormal flow of mana.


    And Inglis was right, as the man named Diego and his goons, all of whom were excluded from the spatial transfer, were clearly targeting King Charleas.


    ¡¸Too bad for you, His Majesty is already in safety! Just give up and hand yourselves!¡¹


    Rafinha held up her beloved bow Artifact, the new Flowing Radiance that Special Envoy Theodore had given to her, and declared imposingly.


    ¡¸Big Sis Rafinha?!¡¹


    But then, another voice rang from another place.


    ¡¸¡­¡­?! A-, Alina¡­¡­?!¡¹


    Apparently, Alina was also left behind in the audience seat.

 Chapter 186: 15-year-old Inglis and the Two Leading Actresses (39)

    ¡¸Why is Alina here?!¡¹


    Did Principal Miliera mess up? Or did Inglis actually tag her as an object of exclusion?


    ¡¸Wh-, what the hell?! Aren¡¯t you the guy who stays in our inn, Diego?! What is happening?!¡¹


    The merchantman who bought Alina was also left behind. There were also the other children from the same place as them. There were about ten people in total.


    Diego didn¡¯t give an answer. It seemed that he didn¡¯t even listen to the question. Perhaps he was bewildered that his assassination target, King Charleas, had vanished.


    ¡¸Splendid, very splendid, Ian must have double-crossed us¡­¡­¡¹


    That was a misunderstanding on his part. It just happened that ¡®Yua-countermeasures¡¯ that Inglis had devised before she even knew the danger matched up perfectly for it.


    However, Rafinha had no obligation to correct that misunderstanding. She was more interested in the fact that Ian¡¯s name came up. It seemed that he was one of them after all.


    ¡¸General! What do we do now?!¡¹


    One of the other two suspicious-looking men asked for instruction; they must have been Diego¡¯s subordinate.


    ¡¸We¡¯ll try again later. We lost our target, but they haven¡¯t seen our faces too, dispose of everyone here. Seal these girls¡¯ mouths, then we strike in the next opportunity after we lay low. Go.¡¹


    ¡¸¡¸Sir yes sir!¡¹¡¹


    The two subordinates nodded and braced for the kill. They were in favor to shut them up for good.


    ¡¸Don¡¯t look down on us! We¡¯re not that easy a target!¡¹


    Rafinha wasn¡¯t intimidated and talked back.


    The girls, too, had their own share of carnages behind them. Just the other day Rafinha had fought in the middle of a clash between the Highlanders and the Ironblood Chain Brigade, whilst Leone and Liselotte themselves were facing a Prisma, albeit a juvenile one. They were not so weak-minded as to be intimidated by a few human assassins at this late hour.


    ¡¸Exactly!¡¹


    ¡¸You will taste your own medicine!¡¹


    Both Leone and Liselotte held up their black greatsword and white halberd respectively.


    ¡¸Then we¡¯ll use these!¡¹


    One of Diego¡¯s goons ran towards Alina and the other kids who were some distance away from the three. Rafinha didn¡¯t know what trick he used, but at the same time she heard a metal click from the guy¡¯s arm, several sharp blades appeared out of it.


    Had he planted them within his arms to avoid suspicion?


    Either way, Alina and the kids were in danger. He was going to take them hostage!


    ¡¸I won¡¯t let you!¡¹


    Rafinha promptly drew her pure white bow Artifact. The moment an arrow of light appeared in her hand, she shot it without delay.


    Peeew!


    The light arrow darted towards the assassin who was heading for Alina. However, it deviated as its trajectory was far above the man¡¯s head. There was no sign it would ever hit him.


    She fired her second and third shot in succession, but they too would miss him both to his left and right respectively.


    ¡¸A good Artifact needs an equally skilled wielder!¡¹


    ¡¸Oh, I wonder!¡¹


    The moment Rafinha said so, her first arrow took a sudden turn. It descended rapidly at an acute angle, grazing the assassin¡¯s nose and pierced the floor at his feet.


    ¡¸¡­¡­! Hurry!¡¹


    ¡ª¡ªhe stopped!


    ¡¸There!¡¹


    Her second and third arrows also made a sharp turn and shot the assassin in both knees the very moment he stopped in his tracks.1


    ¡¸Ugh¡­¡­?!¡¹


    The man fell down on the spot according to Rafinha¡¯s aim. Those were highly precise sniping shots that she aimed at predestined body parts.


    The theme of Rafinha¡¯s training these days was to control the trajectory of the arrows that she shot with her own will. If she shot a large number of arrows, she could only control the general direction of their movement, but if she limited her shots, just like now, she could control them to fine precision. As was displayed, her accuracy was very high.


    That being said, when she was up against Inglis, she couldn¡¯t even hit her once.


    Inglis moved way too fast, and no matter how much Rafinha changed her arrows¡¯ trajectory, she always managed to evade them until her light arrows eventually vanished. Compared to her, the goon was too easy a target.


    ¡¸You won¡¯t move anywhere!¡¹


    As she spoke, Rafinha made a run towards Alina and the kids.


    ¡¸Big sis!¡¹


    ¡¸Alina! It¡¯s alright, I¡¯ll protect you, it will be fine!¡¹


    Looking at the fact that they were about to be taken as hostages, it seemed that Alina, the kids, and their master had nothing to do with Diego and his lot. She had to protect them.


    ¡¸You mean we, Rafinha!¡¹


    ¡¸Indeed! Let us put our strengths together!¡¹


    Leone and Liselotte also made their move.


    ¡¸Rafinha, you cover that girl!¡¹


    ¡¸We will take the vanguard!¡¹


    ¡¸Yeah, please do!¡¹


    Then I will snipe the others from my position! The greater control she had over her arrows, the more she could unleash her attacks without the fear of friendly fire.


    Controlling the trajectory of the arrows was a technique that excelled in a free-for-all battlefield, much like this one. It was the correct decision to dedicate her training to this. In addition, improving her skills like this would also bring about a positive effect on her other power, the Healing Gift, or so Inglis said.


    Rafinha once again plucked her Flowing Radiance, targeting Diego¡¯s other goon, but¡­


    ¡¸UOoooohh!¡¹


    The silhouette on the edge of her vision moved around violently. The assassin that had collapsed after being shot in the knees stood up and rushed forward furiously.


    ¡¸Wha¡­¡­?!¡¹


    That wasn¡¯t the movement of someone with arrows wedging into their knees. He was fast! With it being a surprise attack, even when Rafinha managed to twist her body around to evade it, the assassin¡¯s blade still grazed a wound on Rafinha¡¯s shoulder. A hot pain ran through her, and the stage costume that she was still wearing ripped open, soaking with blood.2


    ¡¸Kgh¡­¡­! How could you move around?!¡¹


    Normally, he shouldn¡¯t even be able to stand, and yet he was so agile that it gave the impression that he was completely unscratched.


    Not to mention, the weapons he was handling didn¡¯t even seem to be an Artifact. Despite that, it still had the power to inflict a wound on a Knight who wielded a High Grade Artifact?!


    ¡¸I can hardly feel this wound!!¡¹


    Having said so, he grew even more vigorous than ever, furiously swinging around his slashes. Rafinha also recovered her form, she parried the blades with the limb of her bow. Still, she wouldn¡¯t be able to counterattack now. She had to create a distance before she could unleash her arrows.


    Whilst she was looking for an opening to counter and taking a distance away, Rafinha noticed it. The man¡¯s legs weren¡¯t bleeding even with the arrows going through it.


    ¡¸How?! It¡¯s not taking effect?!¡¹


    ¡¸Rafinha!¡¹


    Leone¡¯s voice rang. The blade of her black greatsword extended with the power of its Gift, becoming a huge mass of black Iron that swooped down the assassin from over his head.


    ¡¸Uoohh?!¡¹


    Reacting to it, the assassin jumped far back to avoid the blade. The distance opened! It was just for this alone that Leone lent her hand. She never intended to deal a blow with her attack.


    ¡¸Thanks!¡¹


    With the distance, Rafinha had the fight on her palm! Once again she fired three consecutive light arrows and manipulated their tracks. This time, she aligned the three arrows to land at the assassin¡¯s shoulder.


    ¡¸UOoohh?!¡¹


    ¡¸How about now?!¡¹


    The light arrows converged and tore through the assassin¡¯s clothes at his shoulder, then what was revealed under the garb was a humanoid mechanism made of tubes and gears, not so different from the internal structure of a Flygear.

 Chapter 187: 15-year-old Inglis and the Two Leading Actresses (40)

    ¡¸Wh-, what the hell is that?! His body is like the insides of a Flygear!¡¹


    That explained why he didn¡¯t feel pain. He had no flesh nor blood. Inglis also detected them because she said something about their odd flow of mana. That was obviously no longer the natural human body.


    Was that also a product of the Highland¡¯s technology? It was the first time Rafinha saw something like it. It was also apparent that the man had enough physical prowess to strike her down with his blade even without an Artifact. His very body itself had been replaced by a machine, so his physical prowess was beyond that of a normal human.


    That said, whilst she believed that having the power of Artifacts was appreciative, Rafinha found herself hard to favor the thought of having to twist herself into a cold machine just to gain strength.


    Did he perhaps have something that obliged him to gain power, even if that meant he had to become what he was now? Special Envoy Theodore would never use this kind of technology and would never let anyone do it either. Just who did something so cruel!


    ¡¸Indeed. This is the power that Archlord Abel had bestowed to us!¡¹


    It was Diego who spoke up, he was looking over the battle from a little distance away. His tone was calm, cold, and matter-of-factly.


    ¡¸ABEL?! That trash-natured brat!¡¹


    Of all Highlanders that Rafinha had met, this boy had the worst personality, if not the second-worst. It was all too possible for this one Highlander to do something like that. He couldn¡¯t care less about what happened to the people of Midland.


    ¡¸Even so, even the weak Runeless can gain power with this. They feel no pain, and any damages to their body can always be replaced. An ideal, perfect soldier.¡¹ (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});


    ¡¸As if! They are no different than a Golem! ¡¹


    Leone rebutted.


    ¡¸Wrong. Even if our body is different, our will is always the same. The will is the source of a man¡¯s strength, as long as we don¡¯t lose our will, nothing else matters.¡¹


    ¡¸If so, then I shall destroy your prized body!¡¹


    Using the power of her Gift, Liselotte made a pair of pure, white wings appear on her back before she flew through the air at high speed to slash at Diego. Due to her wings, Liselotte was the most maneuverable of the three.


    On the other hand, compared to Rafinha who could scatter countless amounts of light arrows and Leone who could enlarge the blade of her black greatsword, Liselotte could only land a direct hit using her halberd, and thus she had low destructive power.


    Thanks to those characteristics, she was best suited in the front line as a decoy.


    As of now, she was trying to put pressure on the strongest enemy on this battlefield, Diego.


    Even if she couldn¡¯t defeat the enemy by herself, as long as she could hold the line without being defeated, she could stall until her ally took advantage of the situation. In this case, whilst Liselotte was holding Diego back, Rafinha and Leone would defeat the remaining two individually.


    After which, they would strike Diego together, that was the flow of the battlefield that she was trying to create.


    And Rafinha knew well of her aim. If so, she would get in on that plan! First, to deal with the assassin in front of her.


    ¡¸UOoohhh!!¡¹


    Even though he was shot in both knees and in the shoulder, he came at Rafinha with no signs of slowing down. It was bad to have him so close, she wouldn¡¯t have the time and distance to draw her bow. Rafinha jumped back just as fast as her opponent moved forward to maintain the gap between them.


    ¡¸Accelerate!¡¹


    However, suddenly, her opponent¡¯s speed increased significantly. The tubes protruding from his back and shins spewed bright red flames as though they were Artifacts, accelerating his movements.


    ¡¸¡ª¡ª!¡¹


    He¡¯ll catch up to me! No, wait, then I should do this instead! Rafinha stopped stepping backward and began to jump forward.


    Whilst her opponent was still dashing at her fiercely, his blades at the ready.


    ¡¸Hyaaah!!¡¹


    Rafinha leaped from the ground right before they collided. She used the assassin¡¯s shoulder as her footstool and jumped high up. The momentum of his acceleration was astounding, but it made it hard for him to control his posture, and since he was only rushing forward, his movements were monotonous and predictable.


    So, Rafinha decided to use him as her springboard.


    Added with her opponent¡¯s momentum, Rafinha¡¯s body had soared to a considerable height. She had plenty of time in the air for her to fire her light arrow.


    ¡¸Have some of these!¡¹


    This time, instead of firing in rapid succession, she built up the power to form a strong and thick arrow of light before unleashing it.


    ¡¸GOOOOOOO!!!!¡¹


    The thick light arrow pierced the assassin¡¯s knee once again. This time, it shredded the machine¡¯s leg away from its body at the knee.


    ¡¸HGGGHHHHKKK?!!!¡¹


    ¡¸Sorry about that! You¡¯re fast indeed, but monotonous!¡¹


    Right when she landed, another shot was fired. As his other leg was torn off, the assassin could no longer stand and dropped to the ground.


    Right after that¡­


    Screeeech!


    A high-pitched screech like iron scratching was heard. When Rafinha turned towards its source, she saw Leone had just slashed Diego¡¯s other goon. With a heavy thud, the assassin¡¯s body split into two and collapsed.


    ¡¸Nice going, Leone!¡¹


    ¡¸Of course! I knew it, this one is a machine too!¡¹


    Said Leone as she looked at the assassin that was lying on her feet. Even with his body mutilated, there wasn¡¯t a single drop of blood coming out of it.


    ¡¸Uugh¡­¡­they¡¯re strong!¡¹


    ¡¸F?u?c?k?! If this continues, then¡­¡­!¡¹


    Never mind dying, both assassins were still alive and speaking with their upper bodies still functioning, even when their lower halves were no longer intact.


    ¡¸As expected of the Knights of the Great Kingdom Charalia, very splendid done for one your size.¡¹


    Stated Diego calmly.


    ¡¸You¡¯re up next!¡¹


    ¡¸Yes!¡¹


    ¡¸We won¡¯t let you escape!¡¹


    Now it was three on one. Even if Diego was a little bit stronger than the rest, this should be enough to either defeat or capture him.

 Chapter 188: 15-year-old Inglis and the Two Leading Actresses (41)

    ¡¸Three on one, is it?¡¹


    Despite what he said, there were no signs of panic on Diego¡¯s facial expression.


    ¡¸General! We can¡¯t let this situation continue!¡¹


    ¡¸Now that it¡¯s come to this, please use our power to help you!¡¹


    ¡¸You¡¯re right, forgive me!¡¹


    Diego took off the thick gloves he had been wearing and pointed his palm at his collapsed subordinates. The palm was engraved with some intricate, glowing pale blue pattern. The aura the pattern gave off was similar to the ¡®Levitation Magic Formation¡¯ Rafinha had seen in the town ruled by Cyrene, Nova.


    ¡¸Convergence Magic Formation! I will gladly use your strengths.¡¹


    Pale blue light rose from the bodies of the goons and it was absorbed into the ¡®Convergence Magic Formation¡¯ in Diego¡¯s palm. Despite the fact they had never seen or shouldn¡¯t be able to see it, the scenery in front of them was the very image of a person¡¯s soul being plucked away from them.


    And then, the assassins whose pale-blue light was drawn out by Diego had lost their consciousness and stopped moving altogether.


    ¡¸¡­¡­! WH-, WHAT?!!¡¹ (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});


    ¡¸Their power, I have certainly received!¡¹


    ¡¸So you killed them and rob it from them?!¡¹


    Leone was right. He just twisted his words.


    ¡¸What cruelty!¡¹


    ¡¸You left me no choice under these circumstances!¡¹


    Diego¡¯s body was filled to the brim with the pale-blue light he had absorbed.


    ¡¸I shall not let their souls and resolve to go to waste!! Accelerate!¡¹


    Diego rushed towards Liselotte, the one who had been engaged in a one-on-one battle with him. The flames that spewed out of the tubes on his back were bluish-white, hotter, and more intense.


    Cling!


    The blade protruding from Diego¡¯s Arm collided with Liselotte¡¯s halberd.


    ¡¸Kgh! He¡¯s even faster and stronger than before?!¡¹


    Liselotte was being overwhelmed for sure.


    ¡¸Not a problem!¡¹


    Leone¡¯s sword extended and struck Diego¡¯s blade. The two joined hands against Diego.


    ¡¸GUuaaaahhhh?!¡¹


    Overpowered, Diego was blown away and slammed into the wall.


    ¡¸Leone! Thank you for the assist!¡¹


    ¡¸Sure! It¡¯s alright, we can win if we work together!¡¹


    They looked at each other and nodded.


    ¡¸Big sisters, you¡¯re all cool!¡¹


    Alina¡¯s eyes lit up at the flashy battle that was unveiled in front of her.


    ¡¸Yeah, that¡¯s Knights for you!¡¹


    ¡¸Sorry for saying your Flygear was lame!¡¹


    The other kids started to cheer as well.


    ¡¸Sh-, shut up you brats! It ain¡¯t over yet!¡¹


    The store owner chided in. As far as Rafinha could see, it appeared that they really were just caught in the middle of all of this. She didn¡¯t know just why these kids were the only ones left behind, but it wouldn¡¯t be a problem if they get this incident over with.


    ¡¸It¡¯s okay, it¡¯ll be over before you know it! Be good girls and boys and wait for a bit more, okay!¡¹


    Added Rafinha before she joined the two and surrounded Diego.


    ¡¸Accept your loss!¡¹


    ¡¸You can¡¯t escape!¡¹


    ¡¸With the three of us working together, you are powerless!¡¹


    Nevertheless, Diego still maintained his composure.


    ¡¸Still not enough, huh! Then!¡¹


    He pointed the ¡®Convergence Magic Formation¡¯ towards Alina and the kids.


    ¡¸Uwah! Wh-, what the hell is this?!¡¹


    The area around the store owner¡¯s upper arm was beginning to glow intensely. There was some kind of small pattern on it, now that Rafinha took a good look at it, it was somewhat similar to Diego¡¯s ¡®Convergence Magic Formation¡¯.


    ¡¸That is the ¡®Submittance Sign¡¯, the sign that sends power to ¡®Convergence Magic Formation¡¯. The proof of sacrifice for my power!¡¹


    ¡¸It- it wasn¡¯t just a good luck charm?! So you gave us all the tickets for this?!¡¹


    ¡¸Forgive me. You are our reserve for when things don¡¯t go well!¡¹


    ¡¸GUUUOOOOOHHH?!!!!!¡¹


    The store owner began to shriek in pain and agony. Being drained of power by the ¡®Convergence Magic Formation¡¯ was actually quite a painful process. Diego¡¯s goons didn¡¯t even make a sound because their bodies were incapable of feeling pain.


    Zoom!


    Just as before, a pale-blue light was extracted from the store owner and sucked into Diego.


    ¡¸AAAAaaaaaahhhhh?!¡¹


    The store owner fell on the spot, his eyes all white.


    ¡¸¡¸¡¸Mi¡­¡­MISSTEEERRR!!¡¹¡¹¡¹


    The children shrieked.


    ¡¸Wha?! Stop it! You dragged a bystander!!¡¹


    But now, Rafinha understood why Alina and the others were left behind. It was due to their ¡®Submittance Sign¡¯. Inglis had judged them to be ¡®people with an odd flow of mana¡¯.


    In terms of judgment, she did the right thing, but it backfired greatly. Had Alina and the others been included in the evacuation, Diego wouldn¡¯t have been able to do what he did.


    ¡¸Rafinha! Liselotte! We need to defeat him ASAP!¡¹


    ¡¸Yeah, no more mercy!!¡¹


    ¡¸Accelerate!¡¹


    Diego went and broke through the enclosure. And then, he once again held out his palm towards Alina and the others.


    ¡¸Still not enough!!¡¹


    This time, it was Alina whose ¡®Submittance Sign¡¯ glowed.


    ¡¸AAAaaaahhhhh?!¡¹


    ¡¸A-, ALINAA?!!¡¹


    ¡¸Fu, fufufufu!! This is marvelous, she has quite the amount of mana. With this, I can even defeat all of you and accomplish my mission!¡¹


    I don¡¯t know what noble agenda you have, but anyone who does this is a fiend. Involving innocent children is absolutely unforgivable!!


    ¡¸I won¡¯t forgive you!! Eat this!¡¹


    Rafinha shot an arrow with maximum power right at Diego¡¯s face. Their body, as in, anything from the neck and below couldn¡¯t feel pain and was still able to move even after it was destroyed, but if their head was blown off, it should seal it. This was no longer a time to choose her means!


    The thickest arrow of light Rafinha could muster approached Diego like a violent stream.


    ¡¸What fierce power! However, I who possess the ¡®Convergence Magic Formation¡¯ will get stronger the more I absorb!!¡¹


    His right arm and the blade that was protruding from it were covered with a strong vein of light. He then slammed it into Rafinha¡¯s arrow with all his might.


    *Boom!


    ¡¸¡ª¡ª?! It¡¯s being pushed back?! Then, I¡¯ll do this!!¡¹


    In accordance with Rafinha¡¯s will, the large light arrow was scattered into a rain of thin light arrows. And all of it fell on Diego simultaneously.


    ¡¸Nuu?! What petty tricks!!¡¹


    If they were spread out in overwhelming numbers at such close range, it would prove to be difficult to intercept or avoid them all. Diego was forced to fold his thick arms in front of his body and take a defensive posture.

 Chapter 189: 15-year-old Inglis and the Two Leading Actresses (42)

    ¡¸HNNGGGHH!!¡¹


    The rain of light pierced through Diego¡¯s body, wounding him. As the light arrows grazed at his cheeks and ears, the parts with the little bit of flesh that he had, they produced bleeding wounds. However, because the attack was dispersed, it wasn¡¯t the decisive blow that Rafinha had intended it to be.


    Had she faced someone with a regular physical body, the countless shallow wounds would have been effective enough to shave off their will to fight and stop them from making any movements. However, Diego¡¯s mechanized body did not feel pain. A few minor damages were nothing to him.


    That was why, dispersing an attack like this wasn¡¯t very effective against him, but it was still better than being nullified altogether. Besides¡­


    ¡¸I leave him to you two!¡¹


    ¡¸Sure!¡¹


    ¡¸Consider it done!!¡¹


    This was a perfect distraction that would lead to an attack by her friends! Following Rafinha¡¯s light arrows, Leone and Liselotte were already closing in on Diego.


    The sound of metal kissing metal rang explosively. However¡­


    ¡¸Kgh! It didn¡¯t cut him!¡¹ (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});


    ¡¸But why, the last one was sliced through?!¡¹


    ¡¸Don¡¯t belittle me! My body has been etched with ¡®Convergence Magic Formation¡¯, the more power I absorb the stronger my body will become! None of you can land a blow on me anymore!¡¹


    Diego whipped out both of his arms at the same time, sending Leone and Liselotte flying with just a swing. They were both blown away until they crashed hard against a wall. His strength was exponentially higher than before, he passed another threshold of power after he sucked the mana from Alina.


    ¡¸Kgghh!¡¹


    ¡¸Agghhkk!¡¹


    ¡¸I will not have you disturb me! You will stay there for a while!¡¹


    Diego quickly shot something out of his arm. It was a chain with what looked like a pointed cone at its head. And, as though it had a will of its own, it wrapped around the bodies of Leone and Liselotte and embedded its head deep into the wall, binding them like a crucifix.


    ¡¸I-, I can¡¯t move!!¡¹


    ¡¸P-, petty tricks!!¡¹


    They both struggled desperately, but it didn¡¯t look like they would be freed anytime soon.


    ¡¸Leone! Liselotte!¡¹


    ¡¸R-, Rafinha! Just buy some more time!¡¹


    ¡¸Do that and I¡¯m sure Miss Inglis will soon return!¡¹


    Sure, if Inglis were to come back, everything would end in a flash, but even while they were saying that, Diego once again pointed his palm at Alina.


    ¡¸AAAAAAAHHHHHHH!!!!¡¹


    Alina shrieked once again.


    ¡¸ALINA!!¡¹


    ¡¸I-, IT HURTS!! BIG SIS SAVE ME!!¡¹


    ¡¸I will! Just wait for me!¡¹


    Rafinha tried to make a run to her, but something caught her foot and she stumbled down.


    ¡¸Kgh?! What the hell?!¡¹


    She looked at her foot. A series of chains, similar to the one that bound Leone and Liselotte, had protruded out from under the floorings near her feet and wrapped around her ankles.


    I can¡¯t move anywhere with this!


    ¡¸Since when?! Let me go! I have to save Alina!¡¹


    ¡¸Give up. This kid¡¯s hidden, brilliant power is the cornerstone of our aspirations, and we will make use of it effectively.¡¹


    ¡¸Don¡¯t screw with me! Alina didn¡¯t come here for you!¡¹


    ¡¸Really? Rather than spending the rest of her miserable life being thrown around by that merchant, it is more effective to sacrifice her life for the greater good¡¹


    ¡¸You shut your trap!!¡¹


    Unforgivable!! To treat such a small, sweet, innocent child like her as if she was an object! Seeing Alina trembling in pain and shedding tears, Rafinha could feel the anger that made her blood boil.


    Unlike herself who was born and raised in a happy environment with nothing more she could ever ask, this child had been struggling with life ever since she was young. Rafinha couldn¡¯t even imagine what she had gone through.


    At the very least, she wanted her to have a memory of watching the Weissmall Troupe which she could look back and smile at.


    And anyone, no matter what noble purpose they have, who tramples that is unforgivable!! She had seen her share of atrocious deeds of the Highlanders and many other humans, but¡­ this one was the worst.


    ¡¸¡­¡­!!¡¹


    Rafinha drew her bow once again. The arrow of light in her hand steadily grew bigger and shone brighter.


    ¡¸It¡¯s futile now, you better stop trying.¡¹


    ¡¸What?!¡¹


    ¡¸You are waiting for something, aren¡¯t you? Then don¡¯t get in my way and just watch. You do that and I won¡¯t do anything to you. I might even let you live under my conditions. As you see, I am busy collecting strength.¡¹


    ¡¸Don¡¯t belittle me!!¡¹


    As if I can abandon little Alina here!! Rafinha replied by shooting her light arrow.


    The thickness of the arrow was the same as before, except this one was shining aqua blue, unlike the pure white arrow from before.


    ¡¸Hmph. Then I¡¯ll start from you!¡¹


    ¡¸BURST!!¡¹


    Countless streaks of blue light poured onto Diego¡¯s body.


    ¡¸Another one of this, huh!¡¹


    He didn¡¯t even bother to stop sucking power from Alina now; he just held out his left hand to defend against the incoming arrows of light. His body, exposed to the rain of light, didn¡¯t even bear a single scratch this time. On the contrary, the flesh wounds on his neck and ear just healed, leaving no trace.


    ¡¸Ku ku ku¡­ Not only can¡¯t you injure me, but I¡¯m also starting to heal now! What brilliant power!¡¹


    Diego laughed. However, that wasn¡¯t what actually happened. He was wrong, but Rafinha had no intention to correct him.


    I-, I succeeded! Then!


    Rafinha nodded to herself in her heart. Her new Artifact had two Gifts in it. The first was the power to create and manipulate arrows of light that she had just demonstrated. And the other was the power to heal the wounded.


    Up until now, she could only use her healing Gift if she directly touched the wounded person directly. The arrows shining in aqua blue that she unleashed just now were the combination of both Gifts. In other words, it was not an attack whatsoever, but rather a healing arrow.


    She tried it out on Diego, just in case that she had failed using it. She had been practicing it for a long time, but she had never done it so well before.


    ¡¸¡­¡­I¡¯ll show you! Alina, wait for me!¡¹


    Rafinha held her bow up towards Alina, aiming at the ¡®Submittance Sign¡¯ that was shining on her arm. With her foot abound, this was all she could do!


    ¡¸AAAAHHHHHH!!! IT HURTS BIG SIS, IT HUUUURTSSS!!¡¹


    ¡¸I¡¯m saving you now! It will hurt, but don¡¯t move, just hold onto it!¡¹


    Rafinha shot two arrows in rapid succession.


    The two arrows were of different colors. The first arrow was a white light for her normal attack. The second arrow was aqua blue for healing.


    The leading arrow shot through Alina¡¯s upper arm, gouging it out.


    ¡¸AAAAHHHHH?!!¡¹


    It injured Alina considerably. No wonder it hurts. However, the moment the aqua blue arrow hit her¡­


    ¡¸AAH¡ª¡ªHuh?? I-It doesn¡¯t hurt anymore?!¡¹


    The wound instantly closed. With the ¡®Submittance Sign¡¯ gone, the veil of light that enveloped Alina also disappeared.


    ¡¸Mu?! I shouldn¡¯t have sucked every last drop of her power yet!¡¹


    ¡¸Too bad for you! I will never let you do that, never!¡¹


    The first arrow gouged out the ¡®Submittance Sign¡¯, the second arrow healed the wound that it opened. The ¡®Submittance Sign¡¯ was a foreign object to Alina¡¯s body. And so, healing her wound after removing it wouldn¡¯t make it return to her.


    It was a spur-of-the-moment attempt, but it went well. She was able to make use of her daily training. She made good use of it. In that aspect, she could say to herself that she had grown.


    ¡¸I see. Then, I¡¯ll have you die first.¡¹


    With unbelievable speed, Diego rushed towards Rafinha.


    ¡¸Kgh!¡¹


    With her feet bound, Rafinha couldn¡¯t move to gain distance away from him.


    ¡¸Too bad for you, I can etch ¡®Submittance Sign¡¯ to anyone anytime I want! First I¡¯ll etch it onto you and suck your mana dry!¡¹


    ¡¸Hell no!¡¹


    Rafinha parried Diego¡¯s blade with the limb of her bow, but the force was too great for her and the bow fell to the floor.


    ¡¸Ah!!¡¹


    She extended her hand to grab it, but¡­


    ¡¸Oh no, you won¡¯t!¡¹


    A fist made of iron was flying towards Rafinha¡¯s face when¡­ suddenly, there was an ear-splitting roar accompanied with an earthquake-like tremor. At the same time, an enormous pale blue light, Ether Strike, rose and completely pulverized the roof of the theatre.

 Chapter 190: 15-year-old Inglis and the Two Leading Actresses (43)

    ¡¸Wh-, what¡¯s happening?!¡¹


    ¡¸I should be the one asking that.¡¹ A calm, clear voice rang. A beautiful figure with bright silver hair danced as Inglis grabbed Diego¡¯s fist that was about to assault Rafinha and directed a smile at him, ¡¸Just whatever are you trying to do?¡¹


    ¡¸WHA?! Who are you?!¡¹


    ¡¸Please answer my question. Don¡¯t tell me, are you trying to hit Rani with this?¡¹


    Diego¡¯s fist, being gripped by Inglis, was beginning to creak.


    ¡¸Wh-, what is?!! Who the hell are?!¡¹


    Diego¡¯s eyes widened in astonishment. After absorbing the power of his subordinates and the power of the girl with abundant mana, Diego¡¯s power should have increased to the point where he could outshine even the strongest Knights of the Great Kingdom such as Charalia. It was evident with the squabble from before.


    And yet, why is this happening? This silver-haired girl didn¡¯t even possess an Artifact. In fact, there wasn¡¯t even a Rune on her hand.


    It was a dainty, feminine hand, akin to a noodlefish compared to his own. And yet, how come it was about to crush Diego¡¯s iron fist?!


    Creak creak creak¡ª¡ªcrannkkk!!


    No, it wasn¡¯t about to, it did crush it! With a shriek, Diego¡¯s right fist crumpled so easily! She then yanked it off his arm after it was shattered into thousands of pieces.


    ¡¸¡­¡­?!¡¹


    ¡¸I knew it, you¡¯re the same. A body much like the innards of a Flygear¡­¡¹


    Muttered the silver-haired girl. Diego¡¯s body could no longer feel pain. And so, he was fine with having his fist crushed, but this paranormal sight gave him an unfathomable sense of dread.


    ¡¸Glis¡­¡­Nicely done! Now his ¡®Convergence Magic Formation¡¯ is destroyed! He can¡¯t absorb power from other people anymore!¡¹


    ¡¸¡­¡­!¡¹


    Apparently, Inglis had unintentionally destroyed something that was the key to some kind of important power.


    I didn¡¯t know that!


    ¡¸Th-, that means I¡¯ve done something so wasteful! Forgive me, let me return it to you!¡¹


    Diego¡¯s fist had turned into a crumple of iron. Using sheer strength, Inglis managed to restore the shape of the iron and kindly present it back to Diego.


    ¡¸D-, DON¡¯T MESS WITH MEE!!!¡¹


    Diego came slashing at Inglis with the blade protruding from his arm.


    ¡¸That is my line.¡¹


    Inglis lightly pinched the blade between her fingers and stopped it.


    ¡¸¡­¡­?!¡¹


    ¡¸You must know that I do not forgive you for trying to harm Rani.¡¹


    However, apart from that, Inglis wanted to fight her opponents at their best. And the fact that she had interfered before Diego could achieve that made her feel remorseful.


    If anything, since he committed the sin of hurting Rafinha, the least he could do to make up for it was to exert himself to the strongest version of himself and die to contribute to Inglis¡¯ training.


    Inglis smoothly lobbed her own fist into Diego¡¯s stomach. Although it didn¡¯t seem to pack that much force¡­


    ¡¸Nwuaaaaaaaaaaah?!¡¹


    Diego¡¯s body was flung far away as it bent over. He flew in the direction of the stage, and only stopped after he crashed hard into the wall.


    ¡¸Are you all right, Rani?¡¹


    After flicking off Diego, Inglis crouched down by Rafinha¡¯s side. The chains that had caught Rafinha¡¯s feet were torn away off-handedly.


    ¡¸¡­¡­¡­¡­¡¹


    However, Rafinha looked disgruntled and threw her face away from Inglis.


    ¡¸¡­¡­?! I-, I¡¯m sorry. You¡¯re mad because I¡¯m late, right?¡¹


    ¡¸¡­¡­I¡¯m not. It would have been dangerous if you didn¡¯t come, Glis. Thanks.¡¹


    ¡¸O-, okay?¡¹


    Then why are you mad? There are also tears in your eyes¡­


    ¡¸But I¡¯m frustrated! I couldn¡¯t protect Alina from a scumbag like him! If it¡¯s like this, I¡¯m¡­¡­!¡¹


    ¡¸I see¡­¡¹


    Inglis smiled and gently stroked Rafinha¡¯s hair.


    ¡¸Feeling frustrated is a good thing, you know? It will be the drive that will make you stronger, Rani. I am expecting great things¡­ Anyway, for now, let me do the beating, okay?¡¹


    ¡¸Yeah! Make him regret!¡¹


    ¡¸Fufu, just leave it to me.¡¹


    Inglis then turned her attention back to the stage. There was Diego who was stuck in the wall there, but there were also Lahti, Pullum, as well as dozens of Ian who had just been in the subspace.


    ¡¸Th-, there are so many Ian?! Wh-, what happened?!¡¹


    Being aware of their presence, Rafinha exclaimed.


    ¡¸He is just like Diego, he has his body mechanized. The reason for his number¡­¡­is because he was duplicated. Both his mind and his body, out of his own will.¡¹


    ¡¸N-, no way¡­¡­But that means he won¡¯t know which one is the real him! Is he that apathetic to himself? That is just pitiful!¡¹


    Rafinha looked a little sad. Naturally, she had the same reaction as Lahti and Pullum, she found the sight to be unacceptable.


    ¡¸¡¸¡¸¡¸I don¡¯t need your sympathy!¡¹¡¹¡¹¡¹


    The many-Ian spewed the same words at the same time.


    ¡¸I-, it feels as if I¡¯m having a nightmare!¡¹


    ¡¸Indeed¡­¡­How horrifying.¡¹


    Leone and Liselotte seemed to be safe, albeit they were bound to the wall of the auditorium. They, too, seemed to be creeped out by the sight of so many Ian.


    In the midst of such¡­


    ¡¸Fumyaa~ I slept well.¡¹


    Yua, who had been fast asleep and was nonchalant even when she was abducted into the subspace, woke up in a huff. The rainbow-colored set of ears and tail that had grown out of her were gone.


    ¡¸Senior Yua!¡¹


    ¡¸Nn¡­¡­?¡¹


    Rubbing her sleepy eyes, she looked around, then¡­


    ¡¸Ooh. So many handsome guys! Is this heaven? Or a dream?¡¹


    She showed an ever-so-slightly expression of joy on her face. For someone who didn¡¯t show much expression and whose thought was a complete enigma, that was too much of a change of expression. She must have been very happy about this situation. That was Yua alright. Whilst everyone else was horrified or creeped out, she was overjoyed.

 Chapter 191: 15-year-old Inglis and the Two Leading Actresses (44-1)

    ¡¸That¡¯s not it, Senior! This is reality!¡¹


    ¡¸We¡¯re in a pickle right now!¡¹


    Inglis and Rafinha said alternatively to Yua, and yet¡­


    ¡¸I can have one then? There¡¯s so many of you, I can have one, right?¡¹


    She responded by grabbing the nearest Ian by the neck and holding him under her armpit. Was she planning to take him home with her? Ian¡¯s mechanized body should have been many times heavier than a normal person¡¯s, and yet she treated him like he was a kitten or something alike.


    ¡¸M-, Miss Yua?! I¡¯m in the middle of a really, really important mission right now¡­¡¹


    ¡¸It¡¯s fine. There are so many of you, no one can tell if it¡¯s short of one.¡¹


    ¡¸No no, all of us need to put our strength and heart together to¡­¡¹


    When the carried Ian was trying to reason with Yua and looking very distressed¡­


    ¡¸UWOOooohhh!!¡¹


    From the caved-in wall, Diego came back to action.


    ¡¸¡¸¡¸ Sir Diego!! Thank goodness you¡¯re alright! How did it go on your¡ª¡ª?!¡¹¡¹¡¹¡¹


    As the many-Ian called out to Diego, the big man shouted back at them.


    ¡¸IAN!!! You sold us, you b?a?s?t?a?r?d??! Our target disappeared right after we made our move, and now look how I ended up! They couldn¡¯t have pulled that out if they didn¡¯t know our plan!¡¹


    ¡¸¡¸¡¸¡¸Th-, that¡¯s not it! Miss Inglis figured everything out on her own! She is horrifying, we have to combine our strength to defeat her!¡¹¡¹¡¹¡¹


    ¡¸Very well then, we will! I will take all of you for myseelff!!!¡¹


    From the left palm that he held out, there showed a pattern that seemed to belong to the Highland.


    ¡¸¡¯Convergence Magic Formula¡¯!! He¡¯s hiding another one of it!¡¹


    ¡¸Ooh!!¡¹


    That was a relief. Inglis had been regretting the fact that she had unknowingly destroyed Diego¡¯s ability to gather power and become stronger. If he still could pull the same trick, then he should by all means get stronger to the very limits and fight Inglis with his newfound strength.


    ¡¸Submit to me, Ian! Send me all the mana all of you have!¡¹


    ¡¸¡¸¡¸¡¸UOOOOOAAAAaaaaahhhhh?!!¡¹¡¹¡¹¡¹


    Light rose from the bodies of the many-Ian and flowed into Diego.


    ¡¸Stop it, General Diego!! Ian is your comrade isn¡¯t he?! Look at how much pain he¡¯s in!!¡¹


    Lahti, who couldn¡¯t bear to watch the ongoing scene, cut in to stop Diego.


    ¡¸I see that you¡¯re well, Prince Lahti!! However, I cannot abide by your words! The life of a Prince who was absent during a national crisis has no value!¡¹


    ¡¸EEeeehhh?! Prince?! Lahti is?!¡¹


    Rafinha exclaimed.


    ¡¸Yeah¡­apparently.¡¹


    ¡¸Ah! No, before that, you have to stop him, Glis! At this rate, Ian will¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Eeh?¡¹


    That¡¯s troubling. As far as Inglis was concerned, she wanted Diego to absorb as much power as possible to get him strong enough to be on par with her. After all, a battle had to be won by taking the greatest strength of your opponent head-on. Otherwise, you wouldn¡¯t be able to grow.


    The only time Inglis broke this code was if Rafinha was in danger, but she was now safe right beside her. That being said, if Rafinha, her cute granddaughter-figure, asked her to do something for her, then as a parent, or rather, grandparent¡­


    ¡¸¡¸¡¸¡¸Don¡¯t stop me, Lahti!!¡¹¡¹¡¹¡¹


    However, apparently, Ian(s) didn¡¯t want it to be stopped.


    ¡¸Wh-, why, Ian?!¡¹


    The Ian army didn¡¯t answer. Instead, they begin to speak to Diego.


    ¡¸Sir Diego, I do not mind if you take all of my strength from me¡­¡­¡¹


    ¡¸So please, accomplish our mission!¡¹


    ¡¸For that purpose, I will gladly!¡¹


    ¡¸For our Kingdom! For our Alucard!¡¹


    Having their strength sucked dry, Ians collapsed one Ian after another.


    ¡¸Ian! You little?! Forgive me for ever doubting you! I have certainly received your strength and your will!¡¹


    Diego¡¯s body, which had absorbed all the mana from Ian, was now enveloped in a glow with sparks of electricity. His power was leaps and bounds different from a moment ago.


    I see. This ¡®Convergence Magic Formation¡¯ thing is quite an interesting piece of technology in its own right.


    ¡¸Ye¡­¡­s!!¡¹


    Smiling, the last of Ians collapsed on the stage. After overseeing his comrade¡¯s fall, Diego turned to Inglis and glared at her.


    ¡¸This is our¡­ Alucard¡¯s strength and will! And we will bring you down with it!!!¡¹


    ¡¸Strength and will are essentially irrelevant to one another¡­ Please, if anything, just use your strength.¡¹


    ¡¸SHUT YOUR TRAAAPPP!!! UWOOOOOOHHHH!!!¡¹


    With a yell that was close to a roar, Diego rushed towards Inglis. Different from before, his momentum was akin to an arrow made of light!!


    ¡¸HYaaah!!¡¹


    Inglis¡¯ elbow strike slammed down exactly at the nape of the onrushing Diego.


    The massive, iron body was promptly slammed into the floorings with otherworldly force, creaking and caving in.


    ¡¸HAGGGKKKHHH?!!!! WH-, WHAT?! I¡¯ve absorbed so much power already, and yet you! Damn m-, monster!!¡¹


    ¡¸How rude. Can¡¯t you see I am but an ordinary village girl?¡¹


    As she answered the accusation calmly, she grabbed Diego¡¯s neck with one hand and hoisted him up.


    ¡¸By the way, was that the best you could do? Can¡¯t you do something more?¡¹


    Frankly speaking, it was just too pathetic and dissatisfying¡­ He wouldn¡¯t even hold a candle to Abel. It would be nice if Diego could put up at least the same degree of a fight.


    ¡¸Hggk?!! If-, if only I could absorb more power, more!¡¹


    Inglis released Diego off her hand and let him fall to the floor.


    ¡¸Go on, then. Please, go and collect more strength.¡¹


    ¡¸H-, how much do you want to make a fool of me?! I will make you regret it!¡¹


    As he said so, Diego¡¯s gaze turned to Alina and the other kids who had taken refuge in the corner.


    ¡¸NOOO!! ABSOLUTELY NOT!! Grab him, Glis! Or else it¡¯s done between us!!¡¹


    Rafinha came at her with the most gruesome anger in her eyes.

 Chapter 191: 15-year-old Inglis and the Two Leading Actresses (44-2)

    That was unusual. Rafinha had never ever threatened the relationship between them like this before.


    ¡¸?! Ah¡­ O-okay!¡¹


    Inglis absolutely didn¡¯t want to be cut off by Rafinha. She couldn¡¯t even imagine it. She couldn¡¯t live like that. In a panic, she grabbed Diego by the nape and hoisted him up again.


    ¡¸He wants to suck the power from Alina and the other kids! They will end up like Ian! I will NEVER allow that!¡¹


    ¡¸I-, I see¡­ That can¡¯t be helped, then¡­¡¹


    Do I have to resign and just beat him again? Just when the opportunity came¡­well, it¡¯s better than being estranged from Rani.


    ¡¸No, that is no longer necessary!¡¹


    Diego, suspended in the air on his neck, spoke out.


    ¡¸Hm? What do you mean?¡¹


    ¡¸Look at the hand that you use to grab my neck!¡¹ (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});


    ¡¸Hmm? What is this?¡¹


    It looked familiar. It was the same pattern that she saw on the upper arm of Alina.


    ¡¸That¡¯s the ¡®Submittance Sign¡¯! He¡¯s thinking of sucking your power, Glis! Watch out!¡¹


    ¡¸Too late! I will use the power I steal from you to end your life!¡¹


    ¡¸Ooh, nice idea!¡¹


    ¡¸¡¸¡¸¡¸HAAH?!!¡¹¡¹¡¹¡¹


    Questioning exclamations rose from all directions.


    ¡¸No, you see¡­ If he is absorbing it from me, that means Alina and the other children are safe¡­¡­which means it should be okay, right Rani? Right? Right?¡¹


    ¡¸W-, well¡­ that¡¯s true, but¡­¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Then it¡¯s decided! Please, absorb my power dry already!¡¹


    ¡¸Just how much do you want to belittle me?!¡¹


    ¡¸¡­¡­Personally, I just want to see you in your most powerful state. Can you please reach the very limit of your power and fight me with your everything already? That is the least you can do to atone for the sin of hurting Rani!¡¹


    ¡¸Fine by me! Don¡¯t you regret it!¡¹


    The mana that Inglis wore around her body flowed into Diego. The radiance of the glow on Diego¡¯s body increased and expanded as time went by.


    ¡¸Fu¡­¡­FUHAHAHAHAHAAA!!! What a tremendous surge of power!! What I felt before was nothing compared to this! The power I absorbed from the kids and Ian cannot even measure up to the tiniest bit! Marvelous, MARVELOUUSSS!!!¡¹


    Perhaps excited by the sheer volume of mana flowing from Inglis, Diego let out a half-crazed scream. The initial impression of composure that he had was nowhere to be seen.


    ¡¸I am glad to hear that. Now, grow even stronger, okay?¡¹


    Inglis smiled and gave a nod to Diego. And then, suddenly, the stream of light that was flowing from her to him ceased.


    ¡¸Fu¡­¡­! FUHAHAHA!!! It¡¯s all dry now, is it! Now there¡¯s nothing to fear! Get ready for¡­¡¹


    ¡¸No, there is more, you know?¡¹


    The mana that Diego sucked was just the portion of mana that Inglis had converted from Ether that she wore. If she ran out of it, she just needed to convert more from Ether. She still had plenty of Ether.


    ¡¸Nuu?! Power is surging into me once again¡­¡­what¡¯s the meaning of this?! I¡¯m sure I¡¯ve sucked everything?!¡¹


    ¡¸Now now, don¡¯t sweat the details. Having more strength is great, right?¡¹


    ¡¸Fu¡­¡­FUHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAA! I AM UNSTOPPABLE! Now, I¡¯ve absorbed EVERYTHING!! Drop dead!¡¹


    ¡¸No, no, it¡¯s still too soon. Come on, here¡¯s more mana for you.¡¹


    ¡¸HAA HA HA HA HA HA HA!!!! I CAN DEFEAT ANYTHING!!! I CAN KILL EVERYTHING!!! NOTHING IN THIS WORLD IS EQUAL TO ME!! I HAVE GAINED THE ULTIMATE POWER!!!!¡¹


    ¡¸Good for you. You¡¯re shining really bright, you know?¡¹


    ¡¸G-, Glis, you¡¯re overdoing it!! I can¡¯t even open my eyes!!¡¹


    Literally, the luminosity of the glow that Diego had was so extreme it was difficult for anyone there to properly open their eyes.


    ¡¸Oh please, there¡¯s still more. You can still go on, right? You can still get stronger, right? It feels wonderful, right?¡¹


    ¡¸KYAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAA!!!¡¹


    Diego laughed hysterically, as though he had lost all reason, and leaped up high into the air. Was he about to reach his limit? He severed the flow on his own and he was acting strange too. It seemed that he was planning to jump up high and launch a dive attack.


    ¡¸Now, it¡¯s about time to demonstrate your new power.¡¹


    Inglis followed Diego with her eyes and prepared herself for the impact.


    Diego¡¯s body shone even brighter. And then¡­ his figure swelled up much like a balloon.


    ¡¸?!¡¹


    KABOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!!*


    With a deafening explosion, just like a balloon that was pumped with too much air, Diego¡¯s body exploded!


    ¡¸N-, no way! I haven¡¯t even had my fight!¡¹


    Whilst Inglis muttered that to herself in her astonishment, the shockwave of the explosion had blown away all the damaged walls and the seats from the theatre. All that was left was an empty husk, a shadow of what was once the Royal Grand Theatre.

 Chapter 192: 15-year-old Inglis and the Two Leading Actresses (45)

    All of a sudden, the Royal Grand Theatre crumbled as though something exploded within it. People on Nock Avenue were stunned as they watched the scene unfold.


    Even Inglis, who was inside the building when the explosion took place, was just as stunned. She looked front, back, right, and left,¡ª¡ªyeah, she couldn¡¯t deny it. It was totally in ruins now.


    ¡¸Th-, this might be kind of bad, ahaha¡­¡¹


    She never thought that Diego would absorb too much power and literally explode. She couldn¡¯t even fight him in the end, so not only was it an utter disappointment, the damage she caused was more than enormous. There wasn¡¯t even a silver lining to it.


    Yoink!


    Inglis¡¯ ears were tugged from behind her.


    ¡¸Don¡¯t give me ¡®ahaha,¡¯ you Glis, youuuu!!! This is because you¡¯re getting too carried away!! You could¡¯ve stopped feeding him after he¡¯s reasonably strong enough!¡¹


    ¡¸B-, but I wouldn¡¯t be able to get stronger if I didn¡¯t push him to the limits¡­¡­Not to mention, he looked so happy all the while! He didn¡¯t tell me he could explode or anything¡­¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Excuses, excuses! What are you gonna do about this?!¡¹


    Rafinha was fuming. The once magnificent Royal Grand Theatre was not but an empty husk of its former self.


    Just how much devastation is there, financially speaking¡­


    The building was large and ornate, and would obviously cost many times more than the entire Knight Academy building.


    ¡¸Wh-, what are we going to do if they send the reparation bill to us?! Who can say the Principal won¡¯t revoke our all-you-can-eat privilege in the cafeteria as punishment?! We¡¯re going to starve again! And I¡¯m sure Count Weissmall won¡¯t come to save us this time!¡¹


    ¡¸Ugh¡­¡­Th-, that is bad!! Th-, then, we can just be upfront and say that it¡¯s the assassin who targeted His Majesty who did it¡­¡­can¡¯t we? I¡¯m sure we can weasel our way out if we just say the assassin blew himself up when he was cornered.¡¹


    Had the damage been minimal, they could have just covered it up and acted like nothing ever happened. They could have just said that Principal Miliera brought them all to the subspace as a security concern or maybe just a stage direction and then ad-libbed from there. The final scene was already over anyway, they just needed to bring the curtains down.


    However, should the King know he was targeted by assassins affiliated with the neighboring country Alucard, the whole thing would surely elevate to an International Affair. If they had the choice, they would choose to hide the incident from ever getting to the public¡¯s ear, but it seemed that it was impossible now.


    ¡¸Yes, be upfront and say that you were having fun playing with the assassin, letting him absorb your power for your own games, and then the assassin exploded instead because he absorbed too much power.¡¹


    ¡¸That¡¯s not true! It wasn¡¯t for fun or games. It was because I wanted to fight a strong enemy in all seriousness.¡¹


    ¡¸That¡¯s the only thing you could refute! My goodness, Glis, you¡¯re just too much of a Glis! Aaaah, my head hurts!!¡¹


    Rafinha took a deep, deep sigh.


    ¡¸I believe it¡¯s important to have a code to live up by.¡¹


    ¡¸If you didn¡¯t blow apart the entire theatre, that is! But, haah, I guess we have no other choice but to blame it on the assassin now¡­¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Yeah. I¡¯ll do the explanation in detail.¡¹


    ¡¸You should. Then, Leone, Liselotte, we¡¯ll go with that story, okay?¡¹


    ¡¸S-, sure¡­¡­If Inglis didn¡¯t come, we would be in danger either way¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Be that as it may, at the end of the day, what I feared to happen really did happen¡­¡­¡¹


    Ever since the start of the whole ordeal, Liselotte had feared that the whole theatre would break down due to Inglis¡¯ shenanigans.


    ¡¸Wow, you¡¯re right! Ah, Alina. Are you okay? Are you hurt?¡¹


    At the moment of the explosion, Rafinha made sure that everyone was protected from flying debris and the blast. From the looks of it, Alina and the other children didn¡¯t suffer any serious injury.


    ¡¸I-, I¡¯m okay¡­¡­Big sis, thank you for protecting us¡­¡­¡¹


    ¡¸I¡¯m sorry, it was scary, wasn¡¯t it? It¡¯s all right now¡­¡¹


    Rafinha tightly hugged Alina who still looked frightened.


    ¡¸Lahti, you might want to hide somewhere until the heat dies down.¡¹


    ¡¸Th-, that¡¯s right! Inglis is correct, Lahti!¡¹


    Inglis¡¯ words were met with affirmation, not from Lahti, but from Pullum who stood beside him. Lahti was a Prince of Alucard. Considering the assassins belonged to Alucard, as their prince, Lahti wouldn¡¯t be in a safe position if his identity was revealed.


    Imprisonment was only natural, being treated as a prisoner of war was still favorable, but he might even be entitled to execution. If not, he could be taken hostage and used as a negotiation pawn.


    ¡¸Lahti, are you really an Alucard Prince?¡¹


    Lahti affirmed Rafinha¡¯s question.


    ¡¸Yea, here¡¯s proof.¡¹


    He then displayed a pendant with Alucard¡¯s coat of arms from under his clothes.


    ¡¸So it¡¯s true¡­¡­It doesn¡¯t really feel that way, though¡­¡¹


    ¡¸I agree. I don¡¯t feel the dignity of a prince from mister Lahti¡­¡­Aah, of course, I mean it as someone who is so friendly and easy to talk to!¡¹


    Leone and Liselotte said respectively.


    ¡¸Excuse me then, for being a prince and all. I¡¯ve got no Rune, and I¡¯m scraping at the lowest standing as a Royalty¡­¡­I was brought up poorly because of that.¡¹


    Lahti¡¯s voice didn¡¯t sound particularly sad.


    ¡¸Well, I¡¯m a Runeless and a failure, and that¡¯s why I hid my identity and enrolled here to find the thing I can do by myself. But, if I knew such a thing would happen, I shouldn¡¯t have left the country¡­¡­Who can say, maybe I could¡¯ve stopped this incident if I stayed¡­¡¹


    ¡¸I-, it was inevitable, Lahti. Don¡¯t blame yourself! At any rate, we should go. Inglis and the others will take care of the aftermath¡­¡­¡¹


    ¡¸No. Even if Inglis explained, they might not believe her without proof. I¡¯ll reveal myself and testify for her. Only then will they believe¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Not you, Lahti! I¡¯ll do it!¡¹


    A melodic voice of a young man rang.


    ¡¸!!! Ian?! Y-, you¡¯re alive?! I thought all of you have¡­ wait, where are you?! Are you hiding from us?¡¹


    Ian¡¯s voice was heard, but he was nowhere to be seen.


    ¡¸I-, I¡¯m here! At the pillar on the far right!¡¹


    There he was, Ian being carried under the arm of Yua, who herself was sneaking away.


    ¡¸Senior Yua?! What are you doing?¡¹


    ¡¸Well, he said I can take one of him home so¡­everything¡¯s over, right?¡¹


    ¡¸Y-, yes¡­¡­But still, how come that one Mister Ian is fine?¡¹


    ¡¸G-, good question¡­ I don¡¯t know how she did it, but¡­¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Simple. I punched the dangerous-looking pattern thing.¡¹


    She must mean the ¡®Submittance Sign¡¯. In other words, in that split second, Yua sensed something dangerous and completely destroyed the insignia alone. As expected, Yua was a superhuman when it came to manipulating the disposition and the flow of mana. She saved one Ian at pinpoint accuracy to ¡®take him home¡¯.


    ¡¸See ya later then¡­¡¹


    ¡¸W-, wait a minute, Miss Yua! I still have a business to attend to!¡¹


    ¡¸Don¡¯t listen to him, senior. Please bring him away. Sorry, Ian, but after what you¡¯ve done, I can¡¯t let you be in the presence of the King so easily!¡¹


    Lahti¡¯s point made sense. Ian had plotted to assassinate King Charleas. If he was put right in front of his own target, who knows what he would do?


    ¡¸B-, but still, Lahti¡­¡­Don¡¯t tell me, you¡¯re planning to bear all of our sins by yourself?!¡¹


    ¡¸¡­¡­Well, that¡¯s the least a failure of a prince can do.¡¹


    ¡¸You-, you mustn¡¯t Lahti! Don¡¯t do that! You¡¯re innocent, you did nothing wrong! Right, Inglis?!¡¹


    Said Pullum, looking at Inglis as though asking for help.


    ¡¸Yeah. Besides, I think it¡¯s already too late to take the blame now.¡¹


    ¡¸Eh? What do you mean, Inglis?¡¹


    ¡¸I¡¯m just saying that this incident won¡¯t be concluded so neatly. There¡¯s more that will follow.¡¹


    ¡¸Wh-, what will happen?¡¹


    ¡¸Well¡­¡¹


    Right when she said so¡­


    ¡¸KYAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH?!!!!¡¹


    A high-pitched feminine shriek could be heard. It belonged to Principal Miliera who had just returned from the subspace that she used as an evacuation means.


    ¡¸Th¡­¡­this is awful, indeed¡­!¡¹ (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});


    ¡¸Y-, you¡¯re right¡­¡­So the evacuation was the correct course of action, after all?! However, by the gods¡­¡­¡¹


    There were Redas, the Commander of the Imperial Guard Order, as well as King Charleas. There were also Selena, Irina, as well as Marquis Wilford.


    ¡¸D-, do your thing, Glis!¡¹


    ¡¸Yeah!!¡¹


    Now, let¡¯s put my mind into making some excuses! Not just to cover up my misdeed, but also to secure a bright future ahead!

 Chapter 193: 15-year-old Inglis and the Two Leading Actresses (46)

    ¡¸Hmm?! So this is the work of an assassin from Alucard who was targeting me?!¡¹


    When he heard Inglis¡¯ explanation, King Charleas showed an astonished look.


    ¡¸M-, madness! Unforgivable! I understand if it was Venefique, but Alucard has been a long-time ally of ours! And yet they stabbed us from the back like this!¡¹


    Wraith colored Redas¡¯ face.


    ¡¸However, if they could pull out such a destructive result, why didn¡¯t they use it from the beginning? They only gave us the time to evacuate¡­¡¹


    Gulp!


    As expected, King Charleas would pick on that fault. The correct answer was because this explosion wasn¡¯t part of their plan either, but Inglis would never say it out loud. She had to hide it and cover it up. And the best way to do that¡­ was to divert the topic.


    ¡¸More importantly, Your Majesty, I believe it is best if we make haste and prepare.¡¹


    ¡¸I-, indeed, you have a point! We have to reassemble and renew His Majesty¡¯s personal security!!¡¹


    Inglis shook her head at Redas¡¯ conclusion.


    ¡¸That¡¯s not what I am saying.¡¹


    ¡¸What do you mean, Miss Inglis?¡¹


    ¡¸We should consider reinforcing the defenses of our northern border with Alucard, as we are expecting an invasion in the near future.¡¹


    ¡¸By gods! Were they not satisfied with sending a group of assassins?!¡¹


    ¡¸Rather, I believe they sent assassins here as the forefront of their invasion. If they managed to eliminate His Majesty the King, they could take advantage of the chaos that erupted within our kingdom to gain an upper hand in the incoming invasion.¡¹


    ¡¸Wh-, what?!¡¹


    ¡¸Conversely speaking, if they didn¡¯t have that much resolve, they wouldn¡¯t possibly send assassins to their allied country that possessed a significantly superior military prowess compared to them. After all, any wrong steps would lead to their own downfall.¡¹


    ¡¸If that is true, then this is a matter of emergency. Not to mention, the Holy Knight Order has been dispatched to the eastern border to deal with the Venefique!¡¹


    King Charleas¡¯ expression strained. His attention was already focused on the relationship between countries, a much bigger matter than the incident at hand.


    ¡¸It¡¯s true! Alucard¡¯s inner politic is¡­¡­!¡¹


    It was Ian who tried to speak up. Inglis quickly signaled Yua, who stood next to him, with her eyes.


    ¡¸Hup.¡¹


    Yua held Ian¡¯s head down into her flank, sealing his mouth. She seemed to be doing it casually, but Yua¡¯s strength was nothing but ordinary. Ian was at her mercy and was easily silenced


    ¡¸The group of assassins that we encountered was enhanced with Highland technology, one that was much different from Artifacts. It seems that it was bestowed to them by Lord Abel, the Archlord that came here in the last incident.¡¹


    ¡¸What did you say?! Miss Inglis, that person is still alive?!¡¹


    ¡¸No, I won¡¯t say that he is¡­ It is true that he died at the hand of Ironblood Chain Brigade, as Inglis would never lie to me.¡¹


    King Charleas corrected Redas.


    ¡¸¡­¡­uuhn, that sure stings.¡¹


    Rafinha whispered in a volume that only Inglis could hear. After all, they were trying to cover up the actual reason behind the destruction of the Royal Grand Theatre right now.


    ¡¸¡­¡­It¡¯s okay, I didn¡¯t say a single lie.¡¹


    Technically, the theatre was destroyed because Diego blew himself up. Inglis only omitted the details about the cause of his self-destruction. She was not lying. She was saying half-truths.


    ¡¸In other words, he already laid his hands on Alucard before he came here. That explains his unapproachable attitude¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Yes, Your Majesty. I believe that he had won over Alucard beforehand and made arrangements for them to attack us. Apparently, there was a Prisma that appeared in Alucard and brought about devastation there. Therefore, they turned to Lord Abel and sought help to increase their national defenses.¡¹


    ¡¸In return, Lord Abel tasked them to attack our Kingdom, is it¡­¡­Alucard is by no means a land-rich country. It is unlikely that they are able to provide enough offerings to trade for Hyrule Menaces or sufficient amount of Artifacts.¡¹


    ¡¸Exactly as you say.¡¹


    ¡¸But then, why didn¡¯t Abel try to kill His Majesty the last time he was here?¡¹


    ¡¸Because that is how the people of Midland would think, Mister Redas.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­¡­Which means?¡¹


    ¡¸I am afraid I cannot speak it so brazenly in front of His Majesty.¡¹


    ¡¸It matters not. Let it out, Inglis.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­¡­By your order, sir. To Highlanders, Kings of Midland countries are not something they would bat their eyes on. They won¡¯t even spare a moment for them, much less bother to take their lives. At the very least, they may trample all over them for their own amusement.¡¹


    ¡¸Muu! What insolence!¡¹


    ¡¸Not to mention, I believe that Lord Abel had seen what His Majesty was made of the last time they met and deemed him to have absolute reverence for him. Therefore, if the invasion from Alucard he set up had failed, he knew for a fact that His Majesty would come to him wagging his tails if he offered improved ties. Thus, he saw no reason to take His Majesty¡¯s life. The Highland didn¡¯t care who rules and governs this country, as long as they receive the offerings they demand.¡¹


    In the Highland, there were two major political factions; The Church Founder¡¯s Union and the Three Archdukes Party. Special Envoy Theodore, as well as his predecessor Myynti, belonged to the Three Archdukes Party.


    In recent years, with their permission, the Charalia Kingdom was able to obtain Flygears and Flygear Carriers, weapons of Highland that were previously banned from ever touching the Midland. The Church Founder¡¯s Union seemed to find this technological permit unacceptable, and their conflict with the Three Archdukes Party seemed to intensify.


    As a result of that clash, the Charalia Kingdom continued to deepen its ties with the Dukes Party, whilst the neighboring country, the Venefique Kingdom, which was backed by the Church¡¯s Union, was showing signs of an invasion. And now, the Alucard Kingdom, Charalia¡¯s neighbor country to its north, was about to join the fray.


    The conflict between two major factions in the Highland had developed into a conflict between countries down in the Midland. A so-called proxy war.


    In such a situation, the fact that Abel didn¡¯t kill King Charleas meant that the King was being belittled by the young Highlander. His attitude spoke for itself, he believed that even if his plot to destroy this country had flunked, this King would still grab his hand if he ever reached it out. After all, this country wouldn¡¯t have the guts to resent and bite back at him by then.


    ¡¸¡­¡­Fumu. A most correct viewpoint.¡¹


    The fact that he nodded to Inglis¡¯ speculation instead of getting angry showed the extent of King Charleas¡¯ magnanimity. He was aware of it. He knew for a fact that he was being taken as a fool. And he accepted it. He believed that it was the best he could do for his country, his kingdom.


    If he had such a strong conviction, then Inglis had nothing to say to him. He just needed to summon her to fight strong opponents, that¡¯s all she ever asked.


    ¡¸Then why did they send the assassins now? I can¡¯t seem to see a good reason?¡¹


    ¡¸Try looking at it from another angle. In the eyes of the higher-ups of the Alucard Kingdom, His Majesty the King is our Supreme Commander. If His Majesty was killed, this country would be thrown into chaos, and consequently invading us would be easy. Therefore, they could bring their casualty to a minimum while also fulfilling the order they received from the Highland. In other words, sending assassins is proof that the people of Alucard have made up their minds to invade us and are now moving in earnest. Thus, I believe we are expecting a huge movement of the army in the future. And, in conjunction with them, the Venefian army may also move forward with their own invasion¡­¡¹


    ¡¸What?! That means our Kingdom will be caught in a pincer!¡¹


    Just as Redas roared¡­ a single Flygear flew over to Inglis and the rest at high speed. A Knight who seemed to be a castle keeper was riding on it.


    ¡¸Your Majesty! YOUR MAJESTY!! Where are you?! Urgent report!!¡¹


    ¡¸I am here. What happened, tell me.¡¹ (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});


    ¡¸Ooh¡­¡­Your Majesty!¡¹


    The Knight hurriedly lowered his Flygear to the ground and knelt before King Charleas.


    ¡¸I have an urgent report! We are seeing troops of Alucard gathering at the northern border!!¡¹


    ¡¸¡¸¡¸¡­¡­!¡¹¡¹¡¹


    Inglis¡¯ prediction was spot on. Everyone gasped in exasperation.

 Chapter 194: 15-year-old Inglis and the Two Leading Actresses (47)

    ¡¸¡­So they¡¯ve come.¡¹


    ¡¸Inglis¡¯ prediction is spot on, huh¡­¡¹


    ¡¸As-, as expected of Miss Inglis¡­¡­What keen insight.¡¹


    King Charleas nodded whilst Redas was astonished. Talk about perfect timing. Inglis¡¯ words would become even more convincing as what she had said turned out to be true. Now the suggestion she would present would have a better chance of being accepted.


    ¡¸N-no way! Alucard is waging a war with Charalia¡­¡­but, why, why would they¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Kgh! That is just madness!¡¹


    Pullum and Lahti seemed to be the most particularly jarred by this news.


    ¡¸Now that it comes to this!¡¹


    As though he had made some kind of resolve, Lahti made his way to King Charleas.


    ¡¸Your Majesty! You can¡­¡­I mean, please take me hostage! And then¡­¡­using me, you can¡­¡­!¡¹ (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});


    ¡¸Hup!¡¹


    Ingis promptly went behind Lahti and dropped a chop to his nape.


    ¡¸Gahk?!¡¹


    Lahti collapsed with a flop. She couldn¡¯t have him say a word more. It hurts her conscience, but he had to be stopped, even if it was by force.


    ¡¸Lahti!¡¹


    I¡¯ll let Pullum take care of him.


    ¡¸Wh-, what¡¯s the matter with this young one?¡¹


    ¡¸He comes from Alucard. I believe that he wants to offer his own body to be used as a shield if that means he could stop the invasion from Alucard.¡¹


    ¡¸I see¡­ But still, a human shield, you say¡­¡­we can¡¯t have that. It could provoke our opponent and we¡¯ll lose confidence from our own men for doing such an inhumane deed.¡¹


    If Lahti was seen as an ordinary citizen or a child of some Alucard noble, then taking him hostage would normally mean using him as a shield against the incoming Alucard troops.


    In other words, his presence wouldn¡¯t do much in the bigger picture. But, if the King knew that Lahti was a prince, then everything would be totally different. He could be used as a strong bargaining chip.


    However, Inglis wouldn¡¯t let that happen. She expected him to play a different role altogether.


    ¡¸Yes, I think so too¡­ At any rate, we should come up with a countermeasure against Alucard as soon as possible.¡¹


    ¡¸Right. I shall return to the Royal Palace immediately and hold a military conference. Redas, come with me!¡¹


    ¡¸Please hold, Your Majesty!¡¹


    It was Marquis Walford who raised his voice. He had been watching the whole thing from the sideline.


    ¡¸What¡¯s the matter, Sir Walford?¡¹


    ¡¸This is a national crisis!! The Knights of Ymir shall lend you our aid! Do make use of our strength!¡¹


    ¡¸Umu! That would be great. I thank you for your loyalty, Marquis! Now, you shall join me at the conference.¡¹


    ¡¸Yes sir!¡¹


    The National Military of this country was made up of two major Chivalric Order; The Holy Knight Order and the Imperial Guard Order. Aside from that, the lords of each territory had their own private military, so did Ymir.


    In the situation where the Holy Knight Order was unable to make any major moves as they were facing the Venefique Army in the eastern border, Knights of the Imperial Guard Order had to become the main force in dealing with the Alucard Army in the north.


    That being the case, the defenses of the Royal Capital and the surrounding feuds that were under the direct responsibility of the Imperial Guard Order would have no other choice but to be stretched thin.


    Hence, the feudal lords would be required to move their own private military too, either they send it to the Royal Capital for national defenses or deploy it directly to the Northern Front. Either way, everyone had to deal with the current state together.


    That being said, each feudal lord must first be able to protect their own territory as a prerequisite. It was only natural to think that they didn¡¯t want to lose their military force fighting a war that didn¡¯t happen within their land. For them, it would be ideal if the whole matter was brought to a conclusion without them having to do anything.


    Not to mention, it was commonly known that there was discord within the Kingdom between the Royal Faction that sided with the King and the Prince¡¯s faction that sided with Prince Wayne.


    The nobles associated with the Prince Faction wouldn¡¯t want to make a move to aid the Imperial Guard Order unless they were under direct fire. After all, the more King Charleas lost face, the more Prince Wayne gained strength.


    And so, looking from that perspective, it was only natural to see Marquis Wilford as someone who was affiliated with the Prince¡¯s faction. After all, his son, Raphael, was a Holy Knight who belonged to the Holy Knight Order, the Order that was under the direct command of Prince Wayne, and everyone knew that Raphael was the Prince¡¯s trusted right hand.


    Marquis himself might be indifferent to the situation at the central politics, as he was a noble from a backwater territory, but objectively, people would see him as taking the Prince¡¯s side.


    And that Marquis Wilford, someone who was considered a huge player in the Prince¡¯s faction, was the first noble to offer his cooperation in this situation. King Charleas must have appreciated it very much.


    This should create a flow of cooperation between the two factions. This was good. With this flow of conversation, what Inglis was about to propose should have a better chance to pass.


    ¡¸Your Majesty. I, too, have a proposal I¡¯d like you to hear.¡¹


    Inglis called out to King Charleas.


    ¡¸¡­¡­Say it. Your words carry value, Inglis.¡¹


    ¡¸Thank you very much. I need you to approve Rafinha and me to go to Alucard.¡¹


    ¡¸What are you going to do there? Are you going to negotiate a ceasefire? With Alucard¡¯s standing, wouldn¡¯t it be difficult?¡¹


    The Kingdom of Alucard had its reason for not pulling back so easily. And that reason was to obtain a Hyrule Menace as well as powerful Artifacts to protect the people.


    ¡¸It¡¯s not that, we will sneak in and create a situation that forces Alucard to withdraw their troops.¡¹


    ¡¸Hou? It would be ideal if that were possible. However, what situation do you speak of? As you have said earlier, they have circumstances that prevent them from withdrawing their troops.¡¹


    ¡¸We will erase those circumstances. For example, if we defeat the allegedly Prisma that terrorizes their land, they won¡¯t have to ask for a Hyrule Menace. Or we can raise a coup and change their political policy, making a decision to restore their relationship with the Highland as it was before and essentially stopping the invasion. Worst come worst, we can attack the Alucardian army from behind and disrupt their ranks.¡¹


    ¡¸I see your points. But then¡­¡¹


    It seemed that there was something that caught King Charleas¡¯ mind. Inglis, personally, knew what that something could be.


    ¡¸There are some military forces within Alucard that oppose their new policy. Hence, we could proceed by lending our support to them. I believe, that way, we won¡¯t bring the fire to the ordinary citizens of Alucard.¡¹


    ¡¸Yes, that is important. We must avoid arousing the hostility of the Alucard people. If that¡¯s possible¡­but then, how do you expect to make a deal with their opposition¡¯s force?¡¹


    ¡¸Fortunately for us, I personally know an intermediary!¡¹


    ¡¸I see. Then it¡¯s more than plausible!¡¹


    King Charleas would have never thought that this intermediary person would be the guy who collapsed right nearby, but that was also why Inglis couldn¡¯t let Lahti say anything unnecessary.


    If his identity was revealed, Inglis would never be allowed to bring Lahti back to his country even if she proposed this operation. If anything, she would question the King¡¯s sanity if he allowed her to. And since Lahti was the only person who could take the role as an intermediary for Inglis, she wouldn¡¯t be able to carry the mission out if he was detained.


    Telling a lie about having an intermediary was a problem of its own. Inglis should only do her things within the boundaries of truth. Otherwise, she might even get Rafinha in trouble.


    And then, just as much she needed Lahti, she needed Ian as well. He was the one who knew the most about the current political weather within Alucard. He was to be her guide. If Lahti asked him for his help, he wouldn¡¯t double-cross them.


    Most of all, Inglis was interested in the technology that Abel used to replicate Ian. If there was any research facility left, by all means, she wanted to go there. She would like to duplicate herself and serve as her own training partner.


    A powerful Magic Stone Beast that laid Alucard into devastation, most likely a Prisma. Soldiers that have been empowered by body modifications, much like Ian and Diego. Alucard¡¯s army that seemed to be gathering at the national border. And the research facility that Abel might have left behind¡­


    Oh, the North, what a land of dreams. To be honest, I feel that the incident this time is anti-climatic. That¡¯s why, I want to walk down the path of dreams, to the North! I believe that there are many good battles waiting for me there.

 Chapter 195: 15-year-old Inglis and the Two Leading Actresses (48)

    From Inglis¡¯ back, she could hear Rafinha and the other girls start whispering to each other.


    ¡¸Glis is unbelievable! She¡¯s bringing us to the north to fight a Prisma just because her enemy exploded before she could fight him!¡¹


    ¡¸¡­¡­And even if we didn¡¯t find the Prisma, causing a political upheaval means we will most likely have to fight Alucardian Knights!¡¹


    ¡¸And worst comes to worst, we will be directed to jump at Alucardian army from behind!¡¹


    ¡¸Bottom line is we¡¯re going to see a battle anyway!¡¹


    ¡¸B-, but¡­ Having all of you with us when we return is reassuring. I don¡¯t think just Lahti and I can do anything even if we get back home¡­¡¹


    ¡¸¡­¡­That¡¯s correct too. Not to mention, if Ymir¡¯s Chivalric Order is going north, that means I will indirectly help my Father too¡­¡­Glis really is good at falsifying good ideas!¡¹


    ¡¸No, rather than false, she really does make up a sound idea, you know?¡¹


    ¡¸Indeed. If this mission goes well, both us and the Alucard Kingdom will suffer minimal damage from this whole ordeal.¡¹


    ¡¸Her underlying motive is the biggest problem here, though! She herself just wants to have some fights, you know¡­¡­¡¹


    Ahem! Inglis cleared her throat loudly, silencing Rafinha and her whispering accomplices behind her. She then knelt before King Charleas and directed a straight and sincere gaze at his eyes.


    ¡¸I beg you, Your Majesty! As someone who comes from Ymir, seeing that my lord, Marquis Wilford, has raised his flag for the country, let me do what I can to help too!¡¹


    ¡¸However, regardless of whether this mission succeeds or fails, all credits will fall to the hand of Alucard¡¯s rebellion force. Your achievements will never come to light. Will you still do it?¡¹


    ¡¸Yes, that is all I ever ask for.¡¹


    As far as Inglis was concerned, being able to fight strong enemies whilst the credit for that was forever hidden from the public¡¯s eye was something she could have ever asked. Therefore, she expressed her honest feelings. How anyone took it was not her problem.


    ¡¸I see¡­ You¡¯re always so refined, Inglis. I cannot commend you enough.¡¹


    ¡¸You¡¯re not just beautiful outside, but you¡¯re beautiful inside too!¡¹


    King Charleas and Redas seemed to be deeply impressed. They misunderstood her, but if that made them look at her in a good light, she didn¡¯t mind. There was one more thing she would like to ask of the King, so being favored like this would make it easier to pass.


    ¡¸I accept your request. We will be on the defensive and wait for the news of your success, so make it through without fail. I entrust this mission to you, Inglis!¡¹


    ¡¸By your order. In which case, I would like to implore a Special Assignment Permit to go through with the Knight Academy. We will not be able to attend classes during our mission, and I would hate it to interfere with our grades.¡¹


    ¡¸Hm. I see, you have a point. Then, you have my permit.¡¹


    ¡¸Also, I was hoping you could provide us with the funds to carry out the mission, securing provision for the troops is important, after all.¡¹


    This was the important part. If she left the Academy, she naturally would lose the all-you-can-eat deal in the cafeteria too. She wanted to go to Alucard, but she didn¡¯t want to be on a hunger strike all the while.


    That was why it was so important to secure war funds for her food expenses. To be honest, if all she wanted to do was lend a hand to Lahti and fly to Alucard, she could have just gone there without saying a single word. But she went to the trouble to ask for a permit from King Charleas, and that was for a reason stated above.


    ¡¸Right! That¡¯s very important, Your Highness!¡¹


    Rafinha spoke up soon after. It seems that she caught what Inglis meant. Inglis could almost hear her sparkling eyes saying, ¡¸What kind of delicious treats are waiting for me in Alucard?¡¹


    ¡¸But of course. I will send a messenger to the Knight Academy later. Principal Miliera, please give them your full support.¡¹


    King Charleas then turned the focus to Principal Miliera.


    ¡¸Y-, yes! Following this unfortunate situation, the Knight Academy will do everything we can to help!¡¹


    ¡¸I entrust it to you. Now, I¡¯ve made you wait long enough. Let us go, Redas, Sir Wilford.¡¹


    ¡¸¡¸Yes sir!¡¹¡¹


    Redas and Marquis Wilford followed after King Charleas, but the Marquis stopped once and looked back at Inglis and Rafinha.


    ¡¸Rafinha, Inglis!¡¹


    ¡¸Yes, Father.¡¹


    ¡¸Yes, Marquis.¡¹


    ¡¸I was surprised you could hold your ground speaking directly to His Majesty, but¡­¡­Even more than that, things have escalated into a national crisis, and I can¡¯t possibly oppose such a dangerous mission just because of my love for my daughter¡­¡­Still, I won¡¯t ask for the impossible, just make sure you come back alive!!¡¹


    ¡¸¡¸Yes!¡¹¡¹


    Inglis and Rafinha nodded their heads at the same time.


    ¡¸Good. Then, Irina, Selena. The rest is yours.¡¹


    ¡¸S-, sure¡­¡­darling!¡¹


    ¡¸Yes!¡¹


    Her mother Selena and her aunt Irina looked pretty worried. They couldn¡¯t conceal their concern about their daughters going on such a dangerous mission, after all. Some pangs of guilt attacked Inglis¡¯ heart.


    She had proposed the plan right here, riding on the conversation¡¯s momentum, but perhaps it would have been better if she had done it in a place where her mother didn¡¯t see. Thinking so, Inglis gently held Selena¡¯s hand.


    ¡¸There¡¯s nothing to worry about, Mother. We will definitely come back.¡¹


    ¡¸O-, of course you will¡­¡­my little Inglis.¡¹


    Perhaps he saw such an exchange happening, King Charleas stopped in his tracks and turned.


    ¡¸I see, so you are Inglis¡¯ Mother¡­ How young.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­¡­! Y-, yesh!¡¹


    She seemed to be very surprised to be spoken to, her voice slurred. That was understandable. For someone in Selena¡¯s position, she would¡¯ve thought she wouldn¡¯t have the chance to speak directly to the King himself.


    ¡¸Mother, don¡¯t be nervous. His Majesty is a kind personage.¡¹


    ¡¸Y-, you are right¡­¡­Forgive me, your mom is embarrassing you!¡¹


    ¡¸That¡¯s not true at all.¡¹


    The King gently put his hand on her back.


    ¡¸You have raised a good daughter, and now I¡¯m asking her, whom you¡¯ve brought up endearingly, to the service of our Kingdom.¡¹


    ¡¸Th-, thank you very much! I believe my daughter will return safely.¡¹


    ¡¸Umu. Farewell, then.¡¹


    This time, King Charleas finally returned to the Royal Castle. After seeing him off, Inglis asked her mother Selena with a smile.


    ¡¸Mother, I will get you a souvenir from Alucard. What would you like?¡¹


    ¡¸Glis, come on, we¡¯re not going there for a trip, you know?¡¹


    Interjected Rafinha.


    ¡¸But we are going to return here safely anyway. This is just a promise that we¡¯ll be back in one piece.¡¹


    That was the best way to express that they would return safe and in good health.


    ¡¸Well, you have a point¡­ then, then, Mother. What do you want for a souvenir?¡¹


    Rafinha also asked her own Mother.


    ¡¸Fufu, let me see¡­¡­just having you return safely is enough of a gift.¡¹


    ¡¸That¡¯s right, both of us, you see, we want¡ª¡ª¡¹


    ¡¸¡¸Anything edible, as long as there¡¯s a lot of it.¡¹¡¹


    ¡¸¡¸Yes!¡¹¡¹


    The two mothers spoke up together and the two daughters nodded in affirmation.


    ¡¸Ahaha¡­ What a good bond they share¡­¡­Like mothers like daughters, they say¡­¡¹


    Principal Miliera¡¯s lips cracked into a strained smile. Not so far from there, Leone muttered.


    ¡¸But having such caring mothers really is enviable¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Indeed. And look how beautiful they are¡­ Makes me think of my own mother.¡­¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Yeah¡­¡­You¡¯re right. Anyway, we will definitely return in one piece. We don¡¯t want to sadden these mothers too!¡¹


    ¡¸Dear me. You are already in the mood, Leone.¡¹


    ¡¸I am. Are you not going too, Liselotte?¡¹


    ¡¸Of course I am. It is for the sake of my Kingdom as well as my dear friends. Right, Miss Pullum?¡¹


    ¡¸Thank you so much! I¡¯m sure Lahti will be glad too! He¡¯s still asleep, though¡­¡­¡¹


    ¡¸K-, kind of pitiable to see now, isn¡¯t he¡­¡¹ (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});


    ¡¸Y-, you¡¯re right¡­ Perhaps it¡¯s about time to wake him up.¡¹


    The three decided to wake Lahti up.


    ¡¸Come to think of it, where is Senior Yua?¡¹


    ¡¸Ah! She¡¯s gone!¡¹


    Before anyone noticed it, Ian had already been taken away somewhere by Yua.

 Chapter 196: 15-year-old Inglis and the Evil Hyrule Menace (1)

    SWOOOSH¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª SWOOOOSHH¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    A cold wind mixed with snow blew through the air with a howl. The dusk dyed the snow that perched on the surrounding trees with a hue of red.


    This place was the edge of Charalia, the Kingdom Inglis and her friends were born. It was close to the borders of Alucard, their neighboring country. Whilst it was already cold enough to pierce their skin, the temperature would continue to drop further as night falls.


    ¡¸Phew¡­ How very cold. I¡¯ve never been this cold before.¡¹


    Leone shuddered as she was peering at a mountain fortress from behind the trees. The fortress seemed to be a border guard base owned by the Alucardian army.


    They were on their way to cross the border and infiltrate into Alucard lands. They would be using a Flygear Carrier as their base of operation, and the Carrier would be carrying several Flygear units that would be housed in it. Amongst these units was Inglis and Rafinha¡¯s personal unit, the Star Princess unit. In addition, it was also loaded with a large amount of food as its cargo, and that was the entirety of this small platoon.


    To put it in a nutshell, they were pretty conspicuous. Should they just fly in with their Flygears brazenly out in the light, they would definitely be spotted. Therefore, they were taking position there and waiting to cross under the veil of night.


    ¡¸You are right, the wind is so cold it hurts my poor cheeks.¡¹


    Liselotte said. She had taken all precautions she could to protect herself from the cold, from lumpy fur garments to earmuffs as well. Even so, this unfamiliar cold still got to her.


    ¡¸It¡¯s because we are going to the mountainside border and avoiding plains¡­¡­It¡¯s actually comparatively warmer this year in the open plains, you know?¡¹


    Pullum¡¯s words were to be expected from an Alucard native.


    ¡¸What choice do we have¡­¡­The Alucardian army is rallying on the plains, after all¡­¡¹


    They had avoided the plains border where the Alucardian army was concentrated and made their way to the mountainside border. But even here, there were forts scattered about, forcing them to take extreme caution in making any movements.


    The Alucardian army, which was gathering in the open plains, didn¡¯t seem to have started moving just yet. If Inglis¡¯ little platoon were discovered so close to the border and provoked the hornet¡¯s nest, they might contact the main army down in the plains, and the invasion might start ahead of schedule.


    If things went in that direction, their clash with the Charalian army, who should have begun their movement towards the border, would be inevitable. The Charalian army was a combined force of the Imperial Guard Order under King Charleas¡¯ direct order as well as several private Chivalric Orders owned by the lords of various territories. Amongst them, there was also Marquis Wilford who led the Knights of Ymir, the hometown of Inglis and Rafinha.


    This separate platoon was to infiltrate into Alucard before the two armies clash and wear each other down in order to encourage political changes or a change in opinion amongst the Alucard¡¯s higher-ups to force the Alucardian army to retreat.


    That was the essence of this mission. They had their means to connect with the higher-ups in the form of Lahti. He had been hiding his identity this whole time as a Prince of Alucard. There was no one more qualified for this role than him.


    This was all Inglis¡¯ idea, and if they succeeded, they could prevent an all-out war from ever breaking. This mission would save the lives of many Knights and foot soldiers who would otherwise be lost, as well as the lives of innocent people who would be trampled under the fire of war.


    Inglis herself just wanted to fight the allegedly strong individuals in the Alucardian army, the Highlander that resided there, Prisma, and about everything that moved¡­ or so Rafinha assumed. It was only natural that she saw it like that, but for Leone, this mission was very important.


    For that reason, she couldn¡¯t allow herself to throw a tantrum just because of the cold.


    ¡¸¡­Maybe I should get some exercise. I don¡¯t want my body to be stiff when I need it.¡¹


    Leone held up her black great sword and was about to swing it around. It was then that Rafinha called out to her.


    ¡¸Leone, Liselotte, if you¡¯re cold, just eat some more. It warms you up from the inside!¡¹


    Aside from the smiling face, there sat a huge pot that looked like it had enough serving to feed several grown men. It was basically a cauldron, and it was specially-made, as Inglis and Rafinha said that it would be too much trouble if they had to make the same food again and again if their pot was too small. In it, a hearty seafood soup was simmering away.


    ¡¸It¡¯s best to eat something warm when you¡¯re cold, you know?¡¹


    Inglis also called out to them, her smile showed grace.


    ¡¸¡­¡­We¡¯ve eaten enough!¡¹


    ¡¸Our stomach is full!¡¹


    Ordinary people like them couldn¡¯t eat endlessly as Inglis and Rafinha did. They had to warm up their bodies using means other than food.


    ¡¸Is that so? We¡¯ll eat the rest then, okay?¡¹


    ¡¸Eating hot pot in such a cold place makes it taste better than usual, don¡¯t you think?¡¹


    ¡¸Oh, it¡¯s the thing about what places bring out flavors. I so agree~????¡¹


    At the sight of the two cousins, Lahti could only laugh dryly.


    ¡¸Ahaha¡­ If you eat so much food right off the bat, will we have enough to last?¡¹


    ¡¸Well, we can always buy some more on the way!¡¹


    ¡¸We still have the army funds that His Majesty provided us with. It¡¯s not every day we can go to Alucard, so we want to taste the local treats too.¡¹


    ¡¸That¡¯s right, that¡¯s why I looked up all the information about good food, after all!¡¹


    ¡¸Don¡¯t you have something better to look up for¡­¡­¡¹


    Right about then, a boy walked in from their side and raised a question. It wasn¡¯t Lahti, of course, but Ian. He was the only one of the countless replicas of Ian that had been created by the technology of Highland, and was the only one that Yua had saved, in her words, take home with her.


    In fact, she was already on her way home with Ian under her arms when Inglis rescued him and brought him along for this mission. He was the one who knew the most about the current situation within Alucard, after all. What he did might have been a sin, but he bore no ill will for Lahti and seemed to be remorseful of his act.


    And so, not just Inglis, but everyone also decided that he currently possessed no danger to the group. Even if he did, Inglis was more than welcome to face that danger. She couldn¡¯t have enough strong enemies to fight. As long as they don¡¯t lay their hands on Rafinha, that is.


    ¡¸Miss Inglis, Miss Rafinha, would you like to have more vegetables?¡¹


    ¡¸Yeah, put em in, Ian!¡¹


    ¡¸Some more fish too, if you please.¡¹


    ¡¸Okay. Let me prepare for it.¡¹


    As though atoning for his sin, Ian had been attending to a whole load of works himself. And, to be honest, he was a great help to have in this situation.


    ¡¸All right, let¡¯s see where we can make the food taste the best around here! Ah, maybe that cliff over there!¡¹ (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});


    ¡¸Don¡¯t fall, you hear me? As for me, maybe I will eat it on top of a tree.¡¹


    ¡¸Aah! You¡¯re going with the theory of higher places make food more delicious, aren¡¯t you? Then maybe I should bring out a Flygear and eat it way up there.¡¹


    ¡¸Stop, that¡¯ll be too conspicuous!¡¹


    Leone, obviously, stopped her. She was beginning to question why they bothered to hide at all.


    In that manner, Inglis and Rafinha continued to eat until the sun went down completely.

 Chapter 197: 15-year-old Inglis and the Evil Hyrule Menace (2)

    The following day, Inglis and her platoon had safely entered Alucard¡¯s domains. By dawn, they had arrived at the town next to the national border, Zihra.


    If they wanted to continue staying hidden until they arrived at the very heart of Alucard, they should march under the cover of night and hide during the light of the day. However, Alucard was not in the best of states as a kingdom, and they had to take into account the two armies that would soon meet at the border too. Depending on how the die rolls, they might or might not have to prioritize speed over caution.


    In short, they couldn¡¯t decide for themselves. Which meant they needed to have something to base their decision on. They needed to gather information.


    For that reason, Inglis and her platoon decided to hide their Flygear Carrier in the forest at the outskirts of the city and headed into Zihra.


    ¡¸All right, it¡¯s a town, a town~! If I recall, the spicy foods here are delicious, right~????¡¹


    ¡¸Spicy foods warm us up too, so they¡¯re just the thing we need.¡¹


    ¡¸Aah, my belly¡¯s so empty~ Hurry up, Glis! Isn¡¯t it exciting being in a new town~¡¹


    ¡¸Yeah, it is, Rani. It makes us wonder what kind of delicious treats we will get to relish too.¡¹


    At the sight of the two of them flaring out their appetite, Leone could only sigh.


    ¡¸We are not here for an eating tour, you two. Don¡¯t forget to gather information and¡­¡¹ (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});


    ¡¸Fufu. You¡¯re still too green, Leone.¡¹


    ¡¸?¡¹


    ¡¸If we¡¯re snooping around sniffing for info left and right, we¡¯d look totally suspicious, you know?¡¹


    ¡¸It¡¯s more natural to pretend that we are tourists on our culinary tour, isn¡¯t that right, Rani?¡¹


    ¡¸That¡¯s right. And so, this is by no means at all me wanting to round up the city for treats or me finding the cooking duty to be troublesome, or even me getting tired of sleeping in a tent because it¡¯s just too cold and wanting to take a nap in an inn or anything!¡¹


    ¡¸¡­¡­Geez. Make sure you do your duty. We are cooking in turns, you hear me?¡¹


    ¡¸But, your cooking is way tastier than ours, Leone!¡¹


    Apparently, Leone used to cook for herself back in Arlman. When her brother, Leon, had forsaken his status as a Holy Knight and joined the Ironblood Chain Brigade, people began to leave the Olpha family behind them, as now it was seen as the household of a traitor. Inevitably, Leone was forced to take care of herself, hence the excellent cooking skill. For example, the hot pot that they had eaten as they waited for night to fall yesterday was made by Leone.


    ¡¸Flattery won¡¯t give you anything. Eating properly and staying in shape during a march is part of a Knight¡¯s duty. That is why, we must be well-practiced in cooking too, you hear?¡¹


    ¡¸But there¡¯s no such thing as culinary training at the Academy.¡¹


    ¡¸I am not much of a cook myself, so I¡¯d rather eat in town too¡­¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Now you¡¯re saying it too, Liselotte.¡¹


    Leone let out another sigh.


    ¡¸Ah, Liselotte surely understands~¡¹


    ¡¸Of course. If I presented my cookings to all of you and you wrecked your stomach and fell ill, wouldn¡¯t it be quite the pickle then?¡¹


    ¡¸Eeh?! Wh-, what do mean¡­¡­?¡¹


    ¡¸No, you see, there was a time I presented my home-cooked meal to my Father back at our hometown, and then he fell sick right afterward¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Y-, you sure it wasn¡¯t just a coincidence? Maybe it wasn¡¯t your cooking, maybe the former Prime Minister just happened to be sick beforehand!¡¹


    ¡¸But still, it happened not just once or twice¡­¡¹


    ¡¸I-, I see¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Sir Althea must have had it rough¡­¡¹


    Seeing how he put his body on the line for his daughter so many times, the man who always looked strict and straight-laced might have been much more of a doting father than he appeared. If that was the case, then perhaps he and Inglis could understand each other better. They did share the same kind of parental love, after all.


    Whilst she was more of a granddaughter than a daughter, Rafinha always looked adorable in Inglis¡¯ eyes. She was willing to put her body on the line for Rafinha. She wished for her happiness from the bottom of her heart. That being said, illicit relationship with the other sex was a whole matter altogether. It was still too early for Rafinha for that kind of thing yet.


    ¡¸I-, it¡¯s okay. I will help. I¡¯ll tell you if you¡¯re doing it wrong.¡¹


    Ian overheard the conversation and interrupted. He was wearing a fur cloak with its hood pulled until it covered his eyes, effectively making his face hidden. Zihra town was close to the territory which Ian¡¯s family governed, and so he was concerned that some of the residents here might be familiar with him.


    Lahti was doing the same, hiding his face under his hood. He was, after all, the Prince of this Kingdom, he should be warier than Ian. Pullum next to them, though, was not hiding her face at all.


    ¡¸I appreciate it. I¡¯m under your care.¡¹


    ¡¸Yes. Let me do anything I can to help. That¡¯s the least I can do to atone¡­¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Well, enough with the talking, let¡¯s grab some food! After eating, we¡¯ll sleep in the warmth of a bed! We can¡¯t lose sleep, after all!¡¹


    ¡¸An inn with a diner should take care of both, then.¡¹


    ¡¸That¡¯s right, Glis. Ooh, how about we go there?¡¹


    ¡¸Yeah, I think it looks good.¡¹


    ¡¸Godspeed then!¡¹


    ¡¸Ah, Rani. It¡¯s slippery with all the snow, so don¡¯t get too hasty.¡¹


    ¡¸Kyaah?!¡¹


    ¡¸Aah, right after I told you!¡¹


    ¡¸Ahaha. They look like happy tourists alright. They¡¯re playing it out flawlessly.¡¹


    Seeing Inglis and Rafinha, Lahti let out a dry laugh.


    Up until then, there was particularly no trouble with their mission, but¡­


    ¡¸I¡¯m sorry, but we¡¯re not serving food right now. We¡¯re having a food shortage. And not just our inn, but all the other diners in the town too.¡¹


    The innkeeper¡¯s face clouded over as she let out a deep sigh.


    ¡¸¡¸EEEeeehhh?!¡¹¡¹


    Growl growl groowll~!


    Inglis and Rafinha¡¯s screams roared at the same time as their stomachs rumbled.

 Chapter 198: 15-year-old Inglis and the Evil Hyrule Menace (3)

    ¡¸Y-, you¡¯re not¡­¡­serving food?!¡¹


    ¡¸All other diners too?!¡¹


    Even though they had been looking forward to the famous hot and spicy treat, this was devastating.


    ¡¸That¡¯s how it is. Our lodgings are still open, so you can get a room if you want¡­¡­so, how is it?¡¹


    ¡¸If it¡¯s the same everywhere, I guess we still have to get a rest anyway, it¡¯s not like we have any other choices, right?¡¹


    ¡¸Yeah, you¡¯re right¡­¡¹


    When Inglis nodded, all the others followed her suit. They all hadn¡¯t slept last night because they had to travel when it was dark, so everyone wanted their rest.


    ¡¸That being said, why the food shortage? Is there some kind of disaster happening?¡¹


    ¡¸That¡¯s not it. Most of our foods are to be offered to the Highland, you see¡­¡­because of that, we¡¯ve had trouble finding enough ingredients for ourselves, let alone opening a shop. I, for one, haven¡¯t eaten anything since yesterday.¡¹


    Growl~!


    That grumble didn¡¯t come from Inglis or Rafinha. It came from the hostess.


    ¡¸Dear me, that was embarrassing. Forgive me for such a shameful sight.¡¹


    ¡¸It¡¯s alright! We too!¡¹


    ¡¸¡­are just as hungry¡¹


    Grow~ groowl~~!


    ¡¸Ahahaha, young ones sure make energetic stomach growls.¡¹


    The lady¡¯s expression seemed to have brightened from it, even if slightly.


    ¡¸Still, that was cruel of them, to think they would plunder food like that¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Now that there¡¯s an increase of Magic Stone Beasts, not to mention something like a Prisma showed up, the kingdom needs more supply of Artifacts, and hopefully a Hyrule Menace too¡­¡­And so, it¡¯s the people who take the brunt.¡¹


    Obviously, you can¡¯t just be given Artifacts or Hyrule Menaces for free. That said, it didn¡¯t mean they had no means to get Artifacts or Hyrule Menaces at all. Just that, if it were that easy to get them, the Kingdom would¡¯ve done so already. Someone, somewhere, had to take the brunt. That somewhere is here.


    ¡¸But that¡¯s not right. Artifacts and Hyrule Menaces are meant to protect the people from the threat of Magic Stone Beasts, right? But then, if you take their food away, starving them like this, wouldn¡¯t that mean they¡¯re making the people they¡¯re meant to protect suffer?¡¹


    ¡¸You can¡¯t gain something out of nothing, after all.¡¹


    The more the people starved, the more foodstuff could be requisitioned. The same could be said for their mobilizing the army and launching an attack on Charalia. In exchange for such an action, the Kingdom of Alucard had turned towards acquiring Artifacts and Hyrule Menaces from the Highland.


    ¡¸¡­¡­I don¡¯t like it. They shouldn¡¯t do this!¡¹


    ¡¸Well, I knew you would say that, Rani.¡¹


    It was unacceptable in the eyes of Rafinha, the young Knight candidate with a strong and straightforward sense of justice. Although, if she was asked whether she had a methodical solution to this crisis or not, she probably couldn¡¯t answer either.


    There was nothing wrong with that. If push comes to shove, Inglis would just have to deal with it herself. Not to mention, Rafinha¡¯s foolhardiness that stemmed from her immaturity and sense of justice was adorable to watch.


    But, putting aside Inglis¡¯ personal thoughts, the purpose of their expedition was to force Alucard to change their central policy and withdraw their troops.


    If their mission goes well, the Highland wouldn¡¯t have any influence over Alucard. Effectively speaking, that would mean they would rid the need to collect excessive amounts of goods from the people in order to exchange for Artifacts. Therefore, the famine itself was not much of a problem.


    Nevertheless, they still need to find a way to deal with the increasing threat of Magic Stone Beasts.


    Everything was caused because Magic Stone Beasts came to attack Alucard in the first place, something that never happened before. The current situation was nothing more than a result of the Kingdom trying to take measures to cope with the changing environment.


    ¡¸¡­¡­This is wrong¡­¡­! It¡¯s unforgivable¡­¡­!¡¹


    It was Lahti who interrupted. There he was, the other youth with a gushing and straightforward sense of justice. Of course, he was a dear friend of Inglis too, but he wasn¡¯t as adorable as Rafinha, so she would just leave him to his watcher.


    ¡¸C-, calm down. Even if we get worked up here, there¡¯s nothing we can do about it¡­¡­¡¹


    ¡¸But still, Pullum! Just what the hell is my old ma¡ª¡ª I mean, His Majesty doing?! He¡¯s driving his people to a crisis like this!¡¹


    Looking at Lahti and Pullum, the hostess¡¯ face turned sour.


    ¡¸Calm down. His Majesty the King is sick, remember? If he was healthy, he wouldn¡¯t resort to this, I¡¯m sure of it.¡¹


    ¡¸His Majesty has fallen ill?! But, he was so healthy before I left Alucard¡­¡­Still, it¡¯s also true that he has been under a great deal of stress lately. It¡¯s no wonder that he has fallen ill.¡¹


    Ian said as he cast his eyes down.


    ¡¸Auntie! If he¡¯s ill, then how did something like this happen? Who gave the authority for it?!¡¹


    ¡¸A Hyrule Menace! She came from the Highland and said that this Kingdom owe them in advance and that we should pay for it!¡¹


    ¡¸Eeeehh?! A Hyrule Menace did?!¡¹


    ¡¸S-, such an evil act!¡¹


    ¡¸U-, unbelievable!¡¹


    Rafinha, Leone, and Liselotte seemed to be the most shocked out of the seven. To the people of Charalia, Hyrule Menaces refer to Eris and Ripple. Noble, compassionate, and always carry their mission to protect the people of Midland from Magic Stone Beasts to the very end. With their strength and their spirit, they truly were Goddesses who protect the Kingdom.


    There was also Cystia, a Hyrule Menace affiliated to the Ironblood Chain Brigade who, although standing in a different position, carried the same sense of mission and strength of will as Eris and Ripple.


    In general, it was believed that all Hyrule Menace had noble spirit and sense of mission, but, as it appeared, that was only the case for the three aforementioned girls, as there seemed to be one Hyrule Menace who didn¡¯t share the same principles.


    ¡¸Hyrule Menaces are nothing to be praised for! Sure, she was stunningly beautiful, but the last time she came to this town, she mercilessly killed anyone who dared to stand in her way¡­¡­At best, she would just capture and take you away, but no one¡¯s ever come back!¡¹


    ¡¸I see¡­ so you¡¯re saying that Hyrule Menaces are not always a convenient guardian deity, aren¡¯t you?¡¹


    ¡¸Exactly, young missy. I mean no offense, but don¡¯t oppose her so willy nilly, you hear? Knights and soldiers of this Kingdom still know mercy, but the Hyrule Menace and her cronies of Highlanders are merciless!¡¹


    Being given the hostess¡¯ advice, Rafinha¡¯s cheeks flushed with red as she shook her head left and right.


    ¡¸That¡¯s wrong, Auntie!! That¡¯s more reason we can¡¯t let them be! We have to do something!¡¹


    ¡¸Yeah, we can¡¯t let it slide!¡¹


    Lahti seemed to get in the mood as well.


    ¡¸C-, calm down. Who knows what will happen if you, of all people, let anger get the better of you.¡­¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Ian is right. You have to cool your head down.¡¹


    Ian and Pullum tried to appease Lahti¡¯s anger.


    ¡¸You too Inglis, you should stop Rafinha!¡¹


    Pullum asked for help.


    ¡¸I¡¯m sorry, but I can¡¯t pretend I didn¡¯t hear it either!¡¹


    Inglis, however, responded with a shake of her head.


    ¡¸Eh?¡¹


    ¡¸I can¡¯t let such an evil Hyrule Menace be on her own device! We have to stop her for the sake of justice and the peace of this Kingdom! ¡­¡­So, Mrs. Hostess, please do tell us. Does this Hyrule Menace come to this area often? What kind of person is she? What are her abilities that you can tell me about??¡¹


    ¡¸Eh? Ermm¡­¡­L-, let me see¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Hey, Glis!¡¹


    Rafinha pulled Inglis¡¯ ear tight.


    ¡¸Ouch?! Wh-, what¡¯s wrong, Rani?¡¹


    ¡¸You don¡¯t do that, Glis! You! Don¡¯t! We¡¯re talking about townspeople suffering in this crisis and yet you¡¯re just gleaming your eyes with joy?!¡¹


    ¡¸No, you see, since we¡¯re doing this anyway, we should enjoy it, I mean¡­¡­I didn¡¯t get a chance to fight last time, while you and Leonne and Liselotte had all the fun!!¡¹ (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});


    ¡¸You had your fill fighting senior Yua, didn¡¯t you!¡¹


    ¡¸But that wasn¡¯t a real fight at all¡­¡­while you got in an actual battle, right? The experiences you get from an actual battle is important you know!¡¹


    ¡¸Gosh! I said one thing you said another! You know that¡¯s not what I mean!¡¹


    ¡¸T-, technically, she fought me too, but¡­ I guess she didn¡¯t count it, huh¡­¡­¡¹


    Ian gave a sigh and a self-deprecating chuckle.

 Chapter 199: 15-year-old Inglis and the Evil Hyrule Menace (4-1)

    ¡¸It was a Hyrule Menace by the name of Tiffany. She had long hair the color of clear water, her eyes were large and bright, and she looked very pretty. She was as pretty as you are, not saying that you aren¡¯t amazingly pretty yourself, though.¡¹


    Said the hostess as she looked at Inglis.


    ¡¸¡­Thank you very much. Are there any other features of her you can tell me of?¡¹


    ¡¸She¡¯s bringing a lot of Highlanders with her. They all worshipped her like crazy, every time they opened their mouth, it was always Lady Tiffany this, Lady Tiffany that. To be honest, the sight looked dumb. But those people are really evil, I tell you¡­¡­They forcefully take our food from us, and anyone who disobeyed them was either killed or taken away! And this Hyrule Menace called Tiffany seemed to really enjoy it unfold. A neighborhood soldier saw an opening and went to attack her directly, but he was instantly shredded into strips¡­¡­I couldn¡¯t even tell what happened.¡¹


    Color faded from the hostess¡¯ face, but she still delivered the much-wanted information.


    ¡¸They said Hyrule Menaces are supposed to protect us from Magic Stone Beasts, but in a sense, that means they¡¯re much scarier than any Magic Stone Beasts¡­¡­Some of my neighbors and acquaintances were¡­¡¹


    ¡¸I see¡­ They sounded like quite the atrocious bunch¡­¡­¡¹


    That didn¡¯t sound bad. If she could encounter them, then Inglis could expect a very high-quality fight. The Hyrule Menaces that Inglis knew so far were not the kind of people who would resort to violence unprovoked, and they wouldn¡¯t fight without a good reason.


    A Hyrule Menace who would attack unprovoked was something Inglis couldn¡¯t wish for more. After all, she didn¡¯t have to go to the length of making up reasons to fight.


    The food situation in this land didn¡¯t seem to be good, and they had no hope of enjoying the famed local cuisine either. If that was the case, then at least Inglis had to make sure she didn¡¯t miss her original goal; to have a good fight.


    ¡¸How often do they come to this town?¡¹


    ¡¸The Hyrule Menace only came here once, while her lackeys, the Highlanders, come every now and then. They¡¯ve come several times already. And every time, someone amongst us is¡­¡¹


    ¡¸I see¡­ Mrs. Hostess, one last question¡­¡­Do you know where do they come from?¡¹


    ¡¸I would say Lekrea. It seems like the captured people are all being held in a prison in Lekrea!¡¹


    ¡¸A prison in Lekrea!? I never knew there¡¯s a prison there!¡¹


    Ian raised his voice, looking astonished. It must have been built after Ian left Alucard and infiltrated the Weissmall Troupe on his secret mission. Which meant, it was a fairly recent development.


    ¡¸Come to think of it, isn¡¯t Lekrea¡­¡¹


    According to the information that Inglis had gotten from Ian and Lahti in advance regarding the situation in the Alucard¡­


    ¡¸Yes¡­¡­It¡¯s my hometown, the town that was brought to ruin by Magic Stone Beasts!¡¹


    It was the town that was leveled by what seemed to be a Prisma. The damage it suffered was so horrific that the Kingdom of Alucard refashioned its policy. They began to deepen their dependence on the Highland and aimed to increase their national defense in the wake of its destruction. The town of Lekrea was the starting point of it all.


    ¡¸I can¡¯t believe that, after such a disaster, they would gather and torment so many innocent people again there¡­¡­¡¹


    Lahti put a comforting pat on Ian¡¯s sagging shoulders.


    ¡¸Damn it! Unforgivable! Why do they keep targeting that town?!¡¹


    ¡¸Is there¡­¡­someone from Lekrea among you? I¡¯m surprised you¡¯re still fine after what happened there. You should take care of your life now that you¡¯ve survived such a disaster, okay? After all, that¡¯s the only thing a survivor can do. I don¡¯t mean anything bad, but don¡¯t do anything that would make the Hyrule Menace or her lackeys put their eyes on you, you hear me?¡¹


    The hostess called out with sincere concern.


    ¡¸Of course, Mrs. Hostess. Forgive us for making you recall bad memories. Would it be okay if we go to our room to rest? Come on, everyone. Let¡¯s go.¡¹


    Inglis called her group and entered their allotted room. Questioning the hostess further would remind her of more painful things she had gone through, and there should be things she couldn¡¯t talk about as well. Details should stay to each and their own.


    When they entered their room, the first thing Inglis heard was Ian muttering with a grim look on his face.


    ¡¸From what she told us¡­ Things have gone even worse from when I left Alucard¡­¡­I wouldn¡¯t have thought a Hyrule Menace has already arrived and is plundering food from the people¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Maybe they¡¯re trying to fan the fire?¡¹


    ¡¸¡­¡­What do you mean by that, Miss Inglis?¡¹


    ¡¸Tell us quick, Glis¡¹


    Rafinha, who was already positioned in the bed, also asked for an explanation. She even let out a wide yawn. That was quite the bad manner. Inglis couldn¡¯t blame her, though, as she had been up all night.


    ¡¸¡­¡­I will, Rani. Don¡¯t fall asleep and listen to me properly, okay?¡¹


    ¡¸That¡¯s obvious. Hwawaa~m¡¹


    ¡¸¡­¡­¡­¡­¡¹


    Her eyelids already looked so heavy, but since everyone else seemed to be curious, Inglis would continue either way.

 Chapter 199: 15-year-old Inglis and the Evil Hyrule Menace (4-2)

    ¡¸When I said fan, I meant that they are trying to urge the Alucardian army¡¯s invasion on Charalia at the border.¡¹


    ¡¸But, conversely speaking, doesn¡¯t that mean the Alucardian army actually doesn¡¯t want to invade Charalia?¡¹


    ¡¸I thought the army would go on the attack once they¡¯re all ready, but¡­ are you saying it¡¯s actually not the case, Inglis?¡¹


    Liselotte and Leone were both wide awake and directed questions to Inglis. They were both quite the diligent and excellent girls. Rafinha should have taken a page or two from their book.


    ¡¸Yes. Well, technically speaking, perhaps they aren¡¯t exactly going against the orders of the Highland, but I suspect that the Alucardian army isn¡¯t following them word to word either.¡¹


    ¡¸Why wouldn¡¯t they?¡¹


    Leone once again raised a question.


    ¡¸They are trying to avoid wearing out their troops as much as possible. As we know, the Venefian army is approaching from the east of Charalia. I am assuming that the Alucardian army is waiting for a situation where the tide of war is tilting in their favor so they can easily invade Charalia from the flank. Once that happens, they can take the credit they need with little effort and casualties to rightfully obtain the Hyrule Menace.¡¹


    If Inglis were to be in the shoes of the King of Alucard, she would at least read that far.


    Venefique was a neighboring country to the east that had a long history of hostility with Charalia. Currently, the Venefian army was closing in on Charalia¡¯s eastern border, where the Holy Knight Order that consisted of Raphael, Eris, Ripple, and their Knights were dispatched to in order to deal with them.


    The more the war was focused on Venefique¡¯s invasion, the more Charalia had to drive their military strengths to their eastern front, and the more advantageous it would be for Alucard who was planning to invade from the north.


    Their goal was to achieve the greatest national benefit with the least amount of casualties. This was what it meant to govern people. Based on the premises, resorting to that would be nothing more than obvious.


    As a Squire named Inglis Eux, personally speaking, she would rather be dispatched and plunge headfirst to the most dangerous battlefield possible and gain the maximum amount of combat experience she could harvest, but that option would be plain impossible if she had the position of a King or a Knight Commander. In conclusion, advancing her career was out of the question.


    ¡¸I think the assassination plot on His Majesty Charleas was also meant to buy time. And since they¡¯re playing that hand, they¡¯re now on wait-and-see. After all, they can make an excuse just like this; launching the invasion after the death of King Charleas will be more advantageous.¡¹


    When Inglis said her hypothesis, Ian looked flabbergasted.


    ¡¸Maybe you¡¯re right¡­I mean, the assassination plot wasn¡¯t initiated by Archlord Abel, but the King¡¯s retainers¡­¡­¡¹


    ¡¸However, the Highland has begun to grow impatient with how inactive Alucard is. It is possible that they simply changed their policy after Lord Abel¡¯s death, but they still dispatched a Hyrule Menace ahead of time and made her loot foodstuff from the people in exchange. And since the government can¡¯t have such atrocity continue, they have no choice but to force the army to invade Charalia in haste¡­¡­and once the invasion is underway, they will ask the Highland to stop their Hyrule Menace from taking away their lands and plundering their foods! After all, they cannot oppose the Highland, no matter what.¡¹


    ¡¸By any chance, perhaps the Venefian army is actually having a hard time on the eastern border. And, because of that, the Highland is getting impatient, and then¡­¡¹


    Leone nodded her head in agreement with Inglis¡¯ assessment then spoke her own mind.


    ¡¸That is very possible too.¡¹


    ¡¸Indeed. Highland¡¯s transmission of information is probably much faster than ours, too.¡¹


    ¡¸At any rate, we can¡¯t allow the people of Alucard to be deprived of food nor the people of Charalia to be caught in the war! We have to stop this!¡¹


    Rafinha said with her eyebrows taut.


    ¡¸Rani!! That is admirable and all¡­¡­but it¡¯s not something you say while your head is buried in a pillow, okay?¡¹


    Rafinha¡¯s posture was exactly as Inglis had described. Leone, Liselotte, and Pullum were all well-behaved and orderly, and yet¡­ Her being like this was troublesome, but what was more troubling was that she looked adorable doing it.


    ¡¸Don¡¯t blame me. I¡¯m sleepy.¡¹


    ¡¸Sure, sure. Then, I guess we should finish the talk soon. For the time being, we need to decide what we will do from now on! Should we head for the capital of Alucard, or should we go straight to the prison in Lekrea?¡¹


    From what Inglis saw, Lahti¡¯s Father, the King of Alucard, seemed to take actions in a way that minimized the loss of his country. He seemed to have his resolve in order.


    He should be someone that could be reasoned with. Talking with him might be worth a try, but¡­ if it ended poorly, that meant they would just waste their effort.


    Far from that, the King of Alucard might even give an order to either kill or apprehend Inglis and her team, aside from Lahti and Pullum, for infiltrating from Charalia.


    If they aimed for the liberation of the town of Lekrea, they would likely encounter the rumored Hyrule Menace and the Highlanders under her. And if they did, she could almost certainly expect a battle to happen. The sooner they release the people imprisoned in Lekrea, the more lives they could save.


    But, doing so without the approval of the King of Alucard would rouse up another political disaster. After all, they would be hindering Alucard¡¯s plan to invite the Hyrule Menace in order to strengthen the national defenses against Magic Stone Beasts.


    ¡¸¡­¡­Hmm, I¡¯m torn. What do you think?¡¹


    When Inglis asked them that, all the others looked at her as though she just pulled the rug under their feet.


    ¡¸That¡¯s surprising. Since it¡¯s you, Inglis, I thought you would say you want to fight the Hyrule Menace that¡¯s in Lekrea.¡¹


    ¡¸Indeed. Have you perhaps upset your stomach?¡¹


    ¡¸Ain¡¯t it the opposite? She¡¯s too hungry her head¡¯s gone cuckoo?¡¹


    ¡¸Hey, Lahti, that¡¯s rude against Inglis.¡¹


    ¡¸Th-, that¡¯s right. Miss Inglis is thinking about the wellbeing of Alucard seriously.¡¹


    ¡¸Fufufu¡­¡¹


    Inglis only gave an enigmatic snicker at their responses.


    ¡¸Naive, all of you!!¡¹


    Rafinha who watched it all playing looked at Inglis peevishly.


    ¡¸If we stop by the capital first, we could get into some trouble and end up seeing a lot of battles anyway???? is what Glis is thinking!¡¹


    ¡¸¡­¡­Th-, that¡¯s not true. No, not at all!!¡¹


    ¡¸Lies. See there, your cheek is twitching! That¡¯s your gesture when you¡¯re lying, I know it!¡¹


    Her puffy cheek was then pulled.


    ¡¸Dhadh¡¯s nodh idh! Dhadh¡¯s nodh idh!!¡¹1


    Well, it was true that there were pros and cons in prioritizing either option, so Inglis should be able to bring in her own interest in the mix.


    First off, they would head to the Royal Capital and try to discuss with the King of Alucard, but he wouldn¡¯t accept their offer and promptly attempted to execute them. That would count as one battle.


    After that, they would head down to Lekrea and fight the Hyrule Menace that was tormenting the innocent people. That would be two battles.


    At the same time, the Alucardian army near the border would start their invasion as Inglis¡¯ little platoon took too much time going from place to place to stop them. They hastily made their way to the border and called out to the army to call off the invasion, but due to lack of information regarding the defeat of the Hyrule Menace that plagued their people, the army would refuse to listen, and thus they had no choice but fight them to stop them. Which meant three battles.


    And that would be the ideal course of development in terms of expanding Inglis¡¯ real battle experiences.


    If they headed towards Lekrea first, the political strife later on would be messy, but that fight mainly would be in the domain of Lahti as a Prince of this Kingdom, whilst the battle itself would likely be ended in just a single battle.


    Whilst Rafinha wasn¡¯t off the mark with her accusation, Inglis would like to assert that her first and foremost priority was to resolve this situation. She wasn¡¯t that heartless of a person.


    ¡¸W-, well, either way, Lekrea and the capital are in the same direction anyway, so let¡¯s think about it on our way there, okay? ¡¹ Lahti suggested.


    ¡¸He¡¯s right. Not to mention, we may get more information on the way too.¡¹ Ian agreed.


    ¡¸At any rate, we¡¯d better hurry.¡¹ Pullum also nodded.


    ¡¸Then, once we have our naps, we¡¯ll be on our way.¡¹


    ¡¸You¡¯re right, Leone. We will.¡¹


    It seemed that the discussion was about to end, but¡­


    ¡¸Hold on, guys. I know that we need to hurry, but we still have to do what we can do¡­¡­to help the people of this town!¡¹


    Rafinha was the only one to bring up that notion, her face showed determination.

 Chapter 200: 15-year-old Inglis and the Evil Hyrule Menace (5)

    Hahaha¡ª¡ªAhahaha¡ªFufufufu¡ª¡ª


    A chorus of laughter and joy was heard in the town square of Zihra.


    ¡¸Man, all of you are lifesavers!¡¹


    ¡¸ We really appreciate this! We don¡¯t even know if we can repay enough!¡¹


    ¡¸So tasty~~! It¡¯s been a while since I¡¯ve tasted anything like this~!¡¹


    In the heart of the square, a cauldron that Inglis and Rafinha bought for their field marching was sitting on an open fire as the stewed ingredients within the huge pot were giving off steam and a delicious smell. And the people who surrounded the cauldron were all enjoying their time.


    In short, it was an emergency food distribution.


    ¡¸This is what you mean by something we can do¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Yeah! See how happy everyone is? I know full well that we need to hurry, but that doesn¡¯t mean we can turn a blind eye to the people suffering right under our noses.¡¹


    Rafinha answered Inglis¡¯ comment with a bright smile.


    ¡¸I do think that this is excellent. It¡¯s evident how happy everyone is.¡¹


    ¡¸Indeed. I must admit that I thought we brought too much foodstuff for naught, I never expected it would be useful in times like this.¡¹


    Naturally, the source of the ingredients used in the stew was the foodstuff that Inglis and her platoon had brought with them. After taking their nap, they brought out the Flygear Carrier that they hid and brought the food outside of it.


    The residents of the town seemed surprised that Inglis and her platoon had so much food with them, but more than that, they were pleased with the food distribution. Apparently, they were all having a hard time putting bread on their plate.


    ¡¸You did great for this town, thanks. You have my gratitude.¡¹ Lahti bowed his head towards Rafinha.


    ¡¸It¡¯s alright. I just did the obvious.¡¹ Rafinha¡¯s smile was akin to a hundred suns.


    Grooowl~


    And the rumble of her stomach was just as magnificent. She had given the people her food portions after all, it was only obvious that she had to put up with the hunger.


    After all, Rafinha herself wouldn¡¯t touch any of the distributed food.


    This applies to Inglis herself, too, but it must have been hard for Rafinha with her enormous appetite to continue enduring the hunger. She ate many times more than a normal human, so her hunger was equally just as much.


    That was why this deed of hers was so noble. Inglis, who had been watching over her since she was born, was proud of her. The stomach rumblings weren¡¯t very good-mannered, though.


    ¡¸¡­¡­¡­¡­¡¹


    That being said, while indeed Rafinha¡¯s choice of action was admirable, now Inglis had to go along with her as well. It was hard. It was just too hard! She was even more hungry than ever, and yet she could only bite her nails as she watched the food in front of her. Perhaps, this was a most difficult test to pass, even harder than any monster or strong enemy¡¯s attacks.


    ¡¸What¡¯s the matter, Inglis? You¡¯ve been clamping your mouth.¡¹


    ¡¸Don¡¯t tell me, you don¡¯t agree with the food distribution?¡¹


    ¡¸No, that¡¯s not it! It¡¯s just that, if I talk too much, my stomach will only feel emptier¡­¡¹


    Groooowl~


    Inglis¡¯ stomach rumbled just as much as Rafinha¡¯s did.


    Perhaps noticing this, a small girl amongst the residents waddled over to Inglis and her team. She was probably six or seven years old, not any older than Alina, the girl they met a few days ago and was brought to Ymir by their family.


    ¡¸Big sisters, are you hungry too? Here, have this!¡¹


    She smiled as she offered a bowl of hot pot. How cute she was. In Inglis¡¯ eyes, she was an angel.


    ¡¸Th-, thank you¡­¡¹


    It would be ungrateful to refuse what such an innocent baby girl offered to her. Rafinha shouldn¡¯t complain if Inglis ate this, too. It was nothing but a small amount for Inglis¡¯ appetite, but she was still happy with it. She should eat it gratefully. However, Rafinha was even stricter than Inglis thought.


    ¡¸You can¡¯t, Glis! Stop!!¡¹


    ¡¸Eeh?! Just the tip of the spoon!¡¹


    ¡¸That¡¯s still a no. If we eat even just a little bit here, we won¡¯t be able to hold ourselves anymore. We will end up eating everyone¡¯s portions! That¡¯s why, you should hold it!¡¹


    ¡¸U-, uuh¡­¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Thank you. We¡¯ll just take the sentiments. Don¡¯t worry about us, you can have it for yourself.¡¹


    So much for their luck, their stomachs rumbled loudly right then.


    ¡¸But, you¡¯re hungry, right?¡¹


    The girl tilted her head.


    ¡¸Uh¡­¡­Ermm, well uh¡­¡­¡¹


    Rafinha couldn¡¯t seem to come up with a good excuse, but Inglis wouldn¡¯t help her. After all, she wanted to eat the blessed bowl that was offered to her.


    ¡¸Ah, right!¡¹


    Rafinha looked around and seemed to find an idea.


    ¡¸You see, big sisters here can¡¯t eat hot food because our tongues are sensitive. That¡¯s why we prefer cold food! Ah, what do I find here!¡¹


    She reached out her hand to the snow that was piled up on the roadsides all around.


    The town square was surrounded by walls of snow on the parts without a road. She stuck her hand in there and scooped a handful of pure white snow.


    Nom!


    And then she ate it straight from her hand.


    ¡¸¡ª¡ª?!¡¹


    What was she doing? The girl could only think of such.


    ¡¸Hm~ so cold and tasty! Right, Glis? You should eat some too.¡¹


    ¡¸Eeh?!¡¹


    ¡¸Come on!¡¹


    ¡¸O-, okay¡­¡¹


    Nom.


    After making sure that it was, at least, not dirty, Inglis showed the girl how she ate it.


    It didn¡¯t have any taste in particular, but¡­it was cold, and the small ice grains felt crunchy to bite on. Surprisingly, it wasn¡¯t that bad in terms of mouthfeel.


    ¡¸See? Big sisters here are good without the stew, okay?¡¹


    ¡¸O-, okay¡­¡¹


    It seemed that the girl was convinced, tentatively.


    ¡¸¡­¡­Hey, Glis. You just thought that it actually wasn¡¯t that bad, didn¡¯t you?¡¹


    ¡¸But still, it has no taste, you know?¡¹


    ¡¸So it may be tasty if it has a taste? Ia~n, bring some sugar here~!¡¹


    It seemed like Rafinha wanted to sprinkle sugar on it and eat it. Which meant, it was okay for Inglis to eat this, too. Snow is ice, and ice is basically water, so it wouldn¡¯t sate them even if they ate it, but it was better than nothing.


    ¡¸¡­¡­Mr. Ian, bring some for me too!¡¹


    Inglis raised her hand as well.


    ¡¸Umm¡­ Are you thinking of eating snow with sugar sprinkled on it? You better not. You¡¯ll upset your stomach.¡¹


    Even though he warned them, he still brought the sugar with him, which was very Ian of him.


    ¡¸It¡¯s alright! Our stomachs aren¡¯t normal¡­¡­which also bring trouble, though!¡¹


    ¡¸Well, no guts, no glory, they say¡­¡¹


    ¡¸I-, I see¡­¡­¡¹


    Rafinha took the sugar and sprinkled it on the snow substantially, grabbed a large handful of it, and brought it into her mouth in one gulp.


    ¡¸Ooh?! This is good, just like a dessert!¡¹


    ¡¸Mn¡­ Not bad?¡¹


    ¡¸And there¡¯s plenty of it all around!!¡¹


    ¡¸Emergency ration, right?¡¹


    Nom nom, nom nom.


    They had more than enough empty room in their stomach and, as expected, they couldn¡¯t stop once they started.


    ¡¸Ahaha. They¡¯re clearing up snow by eating it~¡¹


    ¡¸Won¡¯t they be scolded by their mothers if they do that?¡¹


    The children looked at Inglis and Rafinha curiously.


    ¡¸Just, whatever are they doing!¡¹


    ¡¸What, indeed¡­¡¹


    Leone and Liselotte sighed in exasperation.


    Nevertheless, apart from Inglis and Rafinha¡¯s odd behavior, everyone¡¯s expressions were cheerful. The help they offered might have been trivial, but it was still a much-needed help. It didn¡¯t take long until such a peaceful time was, literally, being loomed over by a shadow.

 Chapter 201: 15-year-old Inglis and the Evil Hyrule Menace (6)

    ¡¸This is actually pretty good. Snows are aplenty all around, so we can eat as much as we want!¡¹


    ¡¸Yeah. But it¡¯ll be nothing more than water once it melts, so it doesn¡¯t really have any substance¡­¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Uugh?!¡¹


    Rafinha stopped her hands.


    ¡¸? What¡¯s wrong?¡¹


    ¡¸I-, I think I¡¯m getting a little sick in the stomach¡­¡¹


    ¡¸You ate too much of it too fast. You made your tummy too cold¡­¡­hngh?!¡¹


    ¡¸Sheesh, now you too, Inglis?¡¹


    Leone came asking.


    ¡¸No, that¡¯s not it for me. Something is coming!¡¹


    Inglis was the first to detect the presence.


    ¡¸There!¡¹


    On the sky where she pointed, there were silhouettes of what appeared to be a number of Flygears. They were, without doubt, heading to this town.


    ¡¸What is that?!¡¹


    ¡¸Is it maybe the Highlanders that the Inn Owner told us about?¡¹


    ¡¸Maybe we¡¯re standing out too much with the soup kitchen! Sorry, everyone!¡¹


    As though her stomach pain had gone, Rafinha bit on her lips.


    ¡¸You don¡¯t bear all the blame, Rafinha. We all agreed to it.¡¹


    ¡¸Indeed. Mayhaps they just happened to pass by! Before that, however, what shall we do now?¡¹


    ¡¸I don¡¯t fully agree with it, but¡­ I¡¯d love a fight if they bring it to us.¡¹


    If the grief of having to eat sugar-sprinkled snow would be exchanged with the experience of fighting Highlanders, then, well, it wouldn¡¯t be so bad. If they came with food, Inglis could ransack it to make up for the loss of food from the distribution. Or rather, it would be a much more favorable outcome.


    According to Inglis¡¯ assessment, the Alucardian army¡¯s true intention, as they were stationed at the border, was to wait and see, whilst the Hyrule Menace and the Highlanders, who were ravaging town after town, were carrying out lawless treatment in order to hasten the former¡¯s invasion.


    Even if they fought and defeated the Highlanders here, it wouldn¡¯t provoke the army to act faster. If anything, it would reduce the pressure on their back regarding their own people being held hostage, and thus they would be more inclined to maintain the status quo.


    In other words, it shouldn¡¯t be a problem to have fun here.


    ¡¸Fufufu, it¡¯s been a while, having an actual fight! Fufufufu¡­¡­¡¹


    Inglis smiled beautifully as her fist repeatedly slammed into her palm.


    ¡¸Y-, you can¡¯t attack them without saying anything first, okay Glis? If we can discuss this with them, we should. They¡¯re not Magic Stone Beasts, they can be reasoned with!¡¹


    ¡¸That¡¯s obvious. I won¡¯t defeat them instantly, you know? If I don¡¯t let them give their all, I won¡¯t get the experience of the real battle, after all!¡¹


    ¡¸No, no, now all it¡¯s just the fight that you have in your mind!¡¹


    ¡¸Anything outside the fighting is up to you, okay Rani? I believe in you, okay?¡¹


    ¡¸You only say that because it¡¯s convenient for you!¡¹


    As they were bantering like such, the residents also began to notice the incoming Flygears and started to panic.


    ¡¸Highlanders! Highlanders are coming!¡¹


    ¡¸U-, UWAaaaaaahhh?!!¡¹


    ¡¸M-, Mommy I¡¯m scared! Mommy!!!¡¹


    Then, Rafinha¡¯s loud and clear voice rang out.


    ¡¸It¡¯s okay, everyone! Calm down! We¡¯ll take care of this, so don¡¯t panic and get into your houses!¡¹


    ¡¸B-, but still! If we leave it to you, you kids will be in danger! You should run away, fast!¡¹


    The owner of the inn was worried about Rafinha.


    ¡¸It¡¯s all right! Look!¡¹


    Saying so, Rafinha took off the gloves she had been wearing and revealed the shining white bow Rune on the back of her palm. She then took out her favorite bow, Flowing Radiance, from her luggage to show it around.


    ¡¸Auntie. Everyone! Listen to me! We are Knights of Charalia! We come all the way here to stop the upcoming war between Charalia and Alucard and to save everyone! So please calm down and leave it to us!¡¹


    She revealed their identity so easily. Quite the bold thing to do. Rather, perhaps it was more apt to say that she was willing to go that far to reassure everyone. It was unclear which one was her intention, but¡­


    ¡¸Come on, Leone, Liselotte, Pullum!¡¹


    ¡¸Of-, of course!¡¹


    ¡¸Understood!¡¹


    ¡¸Yes!¡¹


    The people of the town cheered as the girls revealed their High-Grade Runes and their respective Artifacts.


    ¡¸O-, ooh!¡¹


    ¡¸Wow!¡¹


    ¡¸Knights of Charalia are¡­¡¹


    ¡¸They are going to save us!¡¹


    In fact, their show had quite an effect as the residents began to regain their composure. Rafinha¡¯s actions might have detrimental effects later on, but¡­ that would be for later. Inglis could just make everyone go along with her story later, one way or another.


    In the life of Inglis Eux, she had no intention to take the initiative to work for the betterment of the people, but neither would she hinder Rafinha who did. Seeing her giving her best effort, thinking and working hard to help the people in front of her was simply adorable and amusing to watch.


    ¡¸If you understand, go hide!!¡¹


    Following Rafinha¡¯s words, the townspeople went into hiding. Inglis and her platoon remained in the town square to wait for the Flygears to arrive. Eventually, they saw a young Highlander, evident with the stigma on his head, riding on the leading Flygear


    ¡¸I knew it, a Highlander!¡¹


    ¡¸Yeah. That¡¯s good¡­¡¹


    ¡¸That¡¯s NOT good!¡¹


    But then, Pullum who stood next to them let out a loud shriek.


    ¡¸AAAaaaaaaaaahhhh?!!!¡¹


    ¡¸?! Wh-, what¡¯s wrong, Pullum?¡¹


    ¡¸What¡¯s the matter? You suddenly¡­¡¹


    ¡¸It-, it¡¯s my big brother¡­¡­¡¹


    Her voice trembled as her face paled.