“Ashton and the others…”
Bernhardt III held his head in his hands upon receiving the report.
Those who could be described as self-righteous in human form were a source of headaches, yet difficult to eliminate. Their love for the country was genuine, treason charges couldn’t be applied, and their skill level was by no means low. He couldn’t simply emulate Hordia’s military reforms.
However, leaving them as they were would also be problematic. It would be the worst if Marius became estranged from him because of them. When a country not only views someone it wants to befriend with hostility but also begins to actively ostracize them, that should be considered aiding the enemy.
Yet, how to remove them peacefully was the cause of his worry. Bernhardt III’s gentle nature was a hindrance. King Asteria of Hordia or King Derek of Seraeno would likely resort to force after gathering evidence. The longer he delayed, the higher the risk of the situation escalating.
Marius had declared that while he would repel any direct approach, it might be a declaration or a warning, or perhaps both. As King, he granted permission. Even for a prestigious noble family, they couldn’t afford to lose an outstanding individual capable of countering the Demon Lord or demons due to their whims. He found the thought of dealing with the aftermath of their immediate disposal to be troublesome, leaving him feeling dejected.
However, it seemed the need to resolve this quickly had arisen. He regretted his lenient thinking, deeming them “people of the country.” If Marius became disgusted, there would be no turning back. Spies from other countries were operating covertly, and there were formidable figures like Barra and Catherine. How many would truly believe they came solely for goodwill or in gratitude?
(Could it be that Marius believed them and became friends with them?)
A flicker of unease crossed his mind. He realized he might need to prod Lovisa. Emma would have to be assigned to somehow counter Barra. For now, Catherine was to be disregarded. She was still young, and her retainers were all muscle-brained individuals not adept at schemes. What could Moruto achieve alone?
It was unfortunate to blame Bernhardt III, as he had completely misjudged the girl Barra. When information about an individual is scarce, it’s common to infer from the traits of their countrymen. The people of Ranleo revere their founding father, Adlar, and have a strong attachment to magic. Magic education is flourishing, and among ordinary people over fifteen, the majority hold qualifications as “Mages” or “Healers,” or possess equivalent abilities. Consequently, they tend to look down on and belittle those who are poor at magic. Therefore, he never even considered that Barra might join forces with Catherine.
This information, however, came from Marius. Bernhardt III’s mistake was concluding that “Barra is simply using Boltner.” Despite repeatedly thinking Barra was an anomaly as a Ranleo person, he had arbitrarily made up his mind. His focus on Ashton and his group was also a factor. And the整備 of the intelligence network. Zofi and her subordinates seemed to have handled it, but they were merely Marius’s familiars. He even considered entrusting the matters within the royal palace to them and rushing to handle external affairs.
…Perhaps it was a limitation of human cognitive ability.
Catherine, Marius, Barra, and Lovisa were to study self-defense together. They all gathered wearing trousers to facilitate movement. Marius, as usual, wore his robe, but no one commented.
“I’ve studied self-defense!”
Catherine was beaming, finding the content to be within her capabilities. Of course, she knew it was in consideration of her, but in such situations, it was polite to express gratitude at an opportune moment. Lovisa, due to her Father King’s wishes that a princess did not need excessive strength, had never studied magic or martial arts before. That’s precisely why she was secretly looking forward to it. Filat and several knights from Ranleo were enlisted to simulate a scenario of being attacked by thugs.
“What is the Boltner style like?”
At Barra’s question, Catherine was the first to demonstrate. When she signaled her retainers with her eyes, they inexplicably tensed, exchanging glances. After much hesitation, one finally stepped forward, his face pale. The other countrymen watched these Boltner people with bewilderment. Twelve-year-old self-defense techniques were likely to be trivial; why would they show such reluctance?
Their question was answered in no time. The knight who stepped forward declared, “I will proceed,” and then lunged at Catherine. Catherine smoothly dodged and struck his groin with her knee.
“!”
The knight cried out in agony and fell to his knees. Just as she was about to stomp on his groin again to follow up, Marius stopped her in a hurry.
“That’s enough!”
Catherine, held by the shoulder and restrained by Marius, couldn’t comprehend what had happened for a moment, but then blushed and lowered her leg. The knight grunted. It seemed he had taken the full force of the blow. Even for a twelve-year-old girl, a knee strike to the groin… and a counterattack when he lunged, no less. And then, another strike to the groin.
(How brutal.)
Marius broke out in a cold sweat. As a fellow man, he couldn’t help but sympathize with the knight who had played the role of the assailant. What terrifying things had the Boltner people taught the girl? Catherine, on the other hand, was bewildered as to why everyone was looking uncomfortable and silent, her expression one of pure confusion. Someone needed to cover for her.
“That was amazing. Truly the Boltner style.”
Barra was the first to speak, though her voice lacked its usual vigor.
“Magnificent.”
“It’s practical.”
Others chimed in with agreement. Catherine was too young to notice the many components other than praise.
“It, it was nothing much. My father is much more amazing.”
Her blushing and downcast demeanor was endearing, but she was indeed muscle-brained.
“Next, perhaps the Ranleo style?”
Barra smiled, dispelling the awkward atmosphere. The others eagerly nodded in agreement.
“Marius-sama, would you do us the honor? Forgive my presumption, but I doubt anyone else can fully defend against my magic.”
This was a reasonable request. Though overshadowed by Marius, Barra was also a high-ranking mage, earning the title of one of humanity’s strongest. Marius would be optimal to prevent accidents. However, Barra’s true intention was, “I can lure Marius!”
“Understood.”
Marius readily accepted. He believed he understood Barra’s strength from the Demonplay competition, and he was beginning to realize that with mages, significant differences in power could indeed lead to accidents.
“Basically, magic can be used with a spinal reflex if you train for it.”
Barra explained as she walked away from Marius, then suddenly turned back and cast “Fire” without incantation. Marius nullified it with “Dispel.” He was wearing the “Purgatory Robe,” which could automatically neutralize Barra’s fire, but he wanted to avoid drawing attention to his equipment.
“Um, I thought incantation-less casting was an advanced technique?”
Lovisa asked, confused. It was understandable that others couldn’t keep up with the exchange of advanced techniques with Barra and Marius both performing incantation-less casting. The only others present capable of incantation-less casting were Emma.
“It’s a technique that can be mastered by anyone with sufficient effort. Since it’s for self-defense, you can probably manage by focusing on one or two magic spells you’re good at. After all, a split-second reaction can make all the difference. It’s true that those without an aptitude for magic can’t learn it.”
She said this while looking at Catherine. The majority of Boltner people lacked a natural aptitude for magic.
“However, in Ranleo, it’s said that people who can’t use magic at all are rare. This isn’t limited to Ranleo people, so Catherine-sama, I think it’s worth trying.”
Catherine, spoken to kindly, became motivated. If she could use even one spell, it would be great progress for Boltner.
“I’ll do my best!”
She adorably clenched her fist.
“Then, let’s start. First, let’s try to imagine it.”
First, they were to visualize each element in their minds and convert their magic power into it. The way magic power changed could indicate a certain degree of aptitude. For beginners, it’s easier to visualize familiar elements like fire, water, wind, earth, ice, or light. Lightning and darkness are difficult, and special systems like teleportation are too complex and thus omitted.
“There are people who can only use lightning, darkness, or special systems…”
Barra explained that the probability of such individuals among the entire population of Taliant Continent was about one in a million.
“Let’s try it first.”
Lovisa took the lead, and the practical session began. However, since Barra and Emma could already use magic, only Lovisa and Catherine would actually be trying. For Lovisa, water was the most familiar element, and for Catherine, it was wind. While this might not necessarily indicate their aptitude, it greatly aids in the manifestation of magic. In short, it’s best to use what’s easy to imagine until one gets used to it.
(Wind, wind…)
The refreshing wind blowing across the grasslands, the cool breeze that gathered as she rode her horse. For Catherine, wind was such things, but despite her desperate efforts to imagine, no signs appeared. Meanwhile, as Lovisa imagined water for washing her hands and face, and as drinking water, her magic power began to ripple like a gentle wave, albeit slowly. As expected, Lovisa seemed to have a superior aptitude for magic than Catherine. This discouraged Catherine. Seeing her distress, Marius interjected.
“If you don’t mind a slightly rough method, I can teach you.”
Catherine’s head shot up.
“R, really? Is that alright?”
“Yes. It’s a bit rough, and there’s no guarantee of success.”
“P, please, I beg you.”
This was a dream come true for Catherine. Meanwhile, Barra’s eyes lit up, and she quickly spoke.
“Then, I’ll take care of Lovisa-sama.”
And with that, she cast a meaningful glance at Catherine. Before Emma or Lovisa could react, the situation had solidified into a Catherine-Marius team and a Lovisa-Emma-Barra team. Catherine vaguely sensed this and resolved to make the most of the opportunity Barra had given her. She would become friends with Barra and apologize to Lovisa. Barra was satisfied, having achieved both her goals of getting Catherine to befriend her and separating Marius from Lovisa and Emma. She intended to collect her due in return from Catherine later. With two advanced practitioners each attending to two beginners, there were no grounds for complaint.
Lovisa and Emma were clearly at a disadvantage. Emma sighed inwardly and apologized to the King.
(Princess Barra seems cunning and shrewd…)
She couldn’t help but wonder if a princess of a nation should have such a personality, but then she recalled the Queen of Hordia being even more terrible. Perhaps, even together, they couldn’t match her. Emma felt a growing sense of urgency. If they lagged behind Ranleo and Boltner, despite having the most interaction, they would become the laughingstock of the ladies.
(I can’t let Lovisa-sama be subjected to that sort of gaze…)
To Emma, who had known her for over ten years and officially served her for nearly six, her master was precious. Even now, despite her true feelings, she showed no outward fluctuation of emotion. There were limits to being unlikable, but Emma was no less unlikable, and she was self-aware of it. In any case, if things continued like this, they were likely to remain behind. Most reluctantly, she decided to resort to her trump card.
… That is, the final option in romantic matters: seeking Helka’s wisdom.
