I had lunch at the cafeteria inside Headquarters. It was delicious, had a wide variety of menu items, and all at reasonable prices.
I was a little bothered by the strange dishes listed here and there on the menu, like “Explosively Energetic! Nougazou Meat Curry-Flavored Stewed Anka” and “Absolute Invincible! Guchon Frog Agidora Infernal Stew”…
I’ll have lunch here again tomorrow.
Once my stomach was full, I returned to the tower where the training grounds were located. The tower had seven floors. The first through third floors were for martial arts training, such as swordsmanship, and the fourth through sixth floors were for magic training. For some reason, the seventh floor was off-limits, and I had no idea what was there.
Claire was practicing swordsmanship on the second floor. I ascended the spiral staircase and entered one of the training rooms. It was a room about ten meters square, with countless weapons—swords, spears, axes, clubs, and more—leaned against the walls. In the center, fiery crimson hair billowed.
Claire was swinging her sword with all her might. Her fluid movements and graceful footwork made it feel like I was watching an elegant dance. I was so captivated that I forgot all about calling out to her.
Perhaps it was training attire, but Claire was wearing just a bikini-like swimsuit with simple hand and foot guards. With every swing of her sword, her ample bosom bounced dynamically. Beads of sweat scattered from her boldly exposed pale skin. It was a healthy, alluring aura. I was even more enthralled.
“Hoooh…”
With a small exhale, Claire leaned her sword against the wall. She pushed back her crimson hair, now tied into a ponytail, and the sweet and sour scent of sweat wafted faintly. The healthy fragrance of a beautiful girl after physical exertion—yes, it was good. Very good.
“Abel?”
Claire turned, noticed me, and ran over. Her full breasts jiggled and swayed. It was truly a feast for my eyes.
“What are you doing all the way here? Are you here to practice swordsmanship?”
“No, I came to see you, Claire.”
I replied, my gaze flitting to her chest.
“Me…?”
Claire’s face instantly turned red. Her lips curved into a happy smile.
“N-no way, Abel came… for me…? Ehehe, I’m so happy.”
“Claire…?”
“So, you were worried about things like kiss marks, but in the end, Abel likes me after all… fufufufu.”
While finding Claire’s strange smile peculiar, I got to the point.
“Ashe told me to patrol the Royal Capital this afternoon. Claire and Racine are coming with me.”
“Eh? Eeh? Y-you mean… that kind of meaning…? Oh no, I misunderstood… Hawaaa.”
I stared at Claire, who was flustered for some reason, with ever-increasing bewilderment. Her sharp eyes held a powerful will. Her crimson ponytail reminded me of rubies. And the vitality and spiritedness radiating from her whole body. She was still so cute.
Moreover, Claire’s attire today was even more stimulating than usual. Her sweat-soaked swimsuit-like outfit accentuated her ideal proportions—slender yet perfectly curved where it mattered…
“…Abel, your eyes are kind of lewd.”
Claire gave me a sideways glance. Where did that smirking face from earlier go?! I flinched and took a step back.
“W-well, I can’t help it. You’re training in such a revealing outfit.”
“Eh…!? ”
Claire’s face turned red again.
“…Oh, come on. You’re actually thinking of me like that.”
“Huh?”
“If any other guy stared at me like that, I’d knock them out… but with Abel, it’s okay, I guess… ufufufu.”
She’s grinning again! Hmm, I can’t quite figure out Claire’s feelings. Is this what they call a woman’s heart?
I accompanied Claire to fetch Racine. Entering the second-floor archives, I found her reading a seemingly difficult book.
“Patrolling with Abel-sama and Claire-sama?”
Racine looked up, glancing between me and Claire.
“Wow, it sounds like fun, like a stroll~”
“It’s still work, you know.”
I said with a wry smile to the beaming Racine.
“Well, I agree that patrolling with this group sounds like fun.”
Of course, I intend to fulfill my duties. And so, we left the archives together.
“Speaking of which, where’s Veronica? I haven’t seen her.”
As we walked down the corridor side-by-side, I suddenly remembered. Claire and Racine were supposed to be in the same educational curriculum as me, and Veronica was their instructor.
…Although, if Veronica were here, she’d probably shower me with hostile words, so maybe it’s fortunate she’s not.
“She’s on a business trip for about a week starting today. She’s going to Rungaria to search for raw materials for Artifacts.”
“Arti-what now?”
Rungaria, by the way, is a kingdom known for its flourishing magic, also called the Kingdom of Illusions.
“Artifacts are weapons and armor imbued with magical power,” Racine kindly added.
“She said she’s going to craft weapons for Claire-sama and me.”
“Veronica said she wants to make one for every new recruit since you joined the Third Squad,” Claire explained.
“Oh, I see.”
That’s quite a thoughtful sub-captain.
“…Wait, what about me?”
I’m a new recruit too.
“………………”
Why are you both silent?!
“…Did Veronica say anything about Abel? When I asked.”
“…She didn’t say anything.”
“…Or rather, it felt like she’d forgotten my existence.”
“…Well, that’s Veronica-sama for you.”
Claire and Racine began whispering. Yes, I can hear everything. I can pretty much picture the scene. Damn it, it’s fine. It’s really fine. Even without weapons or armor, I have magic—
I’m not crying! I really aren’t!
“And so, until Veronica-sama returns, I’ll be studying grimoires, and Claire-sama will be training her sword skills,” Racine said.
“Veronica-sama told me to do as I please until she gets back, whether it’s sleeping or playing.”
That’s really lax instruction.
“Claire-sama said we should hone our respective skills.”
“Wow, that’s admirable.”
If I received such instructions, I’d definitely just sleep or play.
“My master told me not to skip daily training either.”
“Master?”
“She’s the master who taught me the Rekka Hakken Style at the Knight academy. In her active days, she was a renowned female warrior who won mock matches against numerous male knights.”
Claire proudly puffed out her chest. It seemed she greatly respected her master. Come to think of it, when I saw Claire this morning, she smelled like shampoo. Could that be—?
“Hey, Claire, do you train with your sword even before coming to work?”
“Yes. I do my morning practice, shower, and then come to work. I’ve been doing morning training since my Knight academy days.”
Ah, so that’s why she smelled that way this morning. And she’s been training like that all along. Claire is truly a hard worker.
“If you skip a day, it takes three days to regain what you’ve lost. The more you slack off, the wider the gap becomes with those who train every day. You have incredible power, Abel, so you must be training every day, right?”
Claire smiled innocently.
“…O-of course. Hahaha.”
I returned her smile, but the muscles in my cheek twitched. Those words sting a little for someone like me, who tends to slack off quite a bit. When I was in the village, my secret self-training was often skipped…
Yes, I should properly practice my magic from now on. After all, I have an excellent instructor like Ashe.
“I… want to become strong too. Like Abel.”
“You’re plenty strong. You could have taken down that mage who attacked the village by yourself—”
“But I didn’t take him down.”
Claire shook her head at my words.
“If it weren’t for you, I think I would have been killed. At least, I couldn’t protect the villagers… that’s what frustrates me.”
“That’s because that mage used dirty tricks.”
“No matter how despicable the opponent’s tactics, I will cut them all down with this sword and protect everything—that’s the realm I aspire to,” Claire declared gallantly. Her eyes sparkled; they were incredibly dazzling.
“I also wish to become strong, though my methods are different from Claire-sama’s~” Racine chimed in.
“I want to become a power that can protect as many people as possible… That’s why I joined this Knight Order.”
That’s right, she said the same thing when we first met. The Goddess Almel of Abundance that she originally worshipped prohibits conflict in her teachings. Therefore, many within the church oppose priests’ involvement in warfare. But Racine stood up with the sole desire to protect people. She must have faced opposition from the church…
Racine’s eyes sparkled just as brightly as Claire’s. Both of them are working hard, focused on their goals—
Then, what about me? The question naturally arose.
Why do I fight?
Why do I become strong?
What should I aim for—?
