Chapter II: Inglis, Age 15—Dual Starlets (2)
As the pair left the audience chamber, Rafinha let out a deep sigh. “Well, that was a waste of time... I think you could have handled that better, but I guess you got what you wanted—all the fights and none of the hard work.”
“I think it works for both sides. This way they can use my power without any unnecessary shake-ups. Besides, I’m your squire, Rani. I don’t have time to be a knight captain.”
“Don’t use me as an excuse! You just didn’t want to deal with it!” Rafinha grabbed Inglis by the cheeks.
“Nop ih awwf! Stahh finching me!”
Rafinha locked eyes with her. “Really? Are you sure that was the right choice? Captain of the Royal Guard is a heck of a jump up the ladder! You’d have been equals with Rafael in the Paladins. Aunt Serena and Captain Luke would have been really proud of you—my parents and the people of Ymir too. Should you really have turned it down so quickly? If you’re that worried about me—”
This time Inglis pinched Rafinha’s cheeks. “It’s fine. I’m happy where I am. But you’re right, mother and father might be disappointed if they hear of it, so let’s not tell them, okay?” Then Inglis let go of her cousin’s cheeks and gently wrapped her arms around her.
“Yeah, sure,” Rafinha said with some hesitation. She let out a weary sigh. “Coming here really was meaningless...”
Grrrgggl!
Grrrrrrgggl!
Their stomachs rumbled in unison. Silence fell over them until one finally said, “Let’s head back.”
“Yeah, I guess.”
They continued walking toward the courtyard where the Star Princess was parked.
“Oho ho! Why, if it isn’t Inglis and Rafinha! It’s been so long!” a voice exclaimed in astonishment.
Inglis and Rafinha turned to see a slender middle-aged man in an eccentric outfit. They gasped.
“Y-You’re...!” Rafinha stammered.
It was the man who had helped them out in their hometown, Ymir. “Yes, indeeeed! It is yours truuuly, Count Weismar!” With a pleased strut, he approached the two girls.
The pair honestly found his demeanor to be a bit off-putting, but not particularly surprising. They were used to his oddities.
“Has it reeeally been two whooole years? Your performance in your hometown of Ymir still burns vividly in my heart!” he said, a huge smile taking over his face.
Count Weismar led a traveling theatrical troupe performing plays, songs, and dances. He came from a noble family, but they had lost their holdings during his grandfather’s time; he was the third generation to lead a traveling troupe. His title was more like a nickname or a stage name.
The Weismar Troupe had been performing for decades and was known all across the country as a result. The “Artistic Count,” as he was called, was quite famous. If he was visiting the palace, that meant he was planning a performance in the capital. When the Weismar Troupe had come to Ymir, Inglis and Rafinha had sung and danced on stage. They had been only thirteen at the time; the count had scouted them personally after they saved the troupe from a magicite beast attack while the group was on the road to Ymir.
Thanks to her time on stage, Inglis had gotten somewhat used to a crowd’s attention as she performed in a pretty costume. Back then, Rafinha had told her that meant she had matured as a girl. Inglis didn’t find the act of naturally being a treat for onlookers particularly pleasing.
“You two have only gotten even more beauuutiful over the past two years! But ohhh! What’s this? Tears on your cheeks?” Count Weismar asked.
“Wahhhh! Count Weismar!” Rafinha cried.
“Save us!” Inglis said.
The pair had a reason to feel this emotional seeing him. Back when they’d first met, Ymir was in the middle of a famine caused by a crop failure. The duke’s family, including Inglis and Rafinha, had limited their meals to set a good example for the citizens. They were as hungry today as they had been then. The Weismar Troupe had arrived with ample stores of food, offering the two girls a feast if they agreed to perform. That was really the only reason why they had participated at all.
So for them, they had a simple statement: anywhere Count Weismar went, full bellies followed.
Grrrrrrgggl!
Grrrgggl!
“My, my, my! The two of you are always so hungry when you appear before me. The troupe will be dining soon. Care to join us?”
“Yes! Please!” Inglis and Rafinha replied in unison.
“Oho...! Well then, you’re quite welcome—though of course, that also means you’ll be lending us a hand with our show in Chiral, hmm?”
“We’ll do anything! We just want to eat!”
“Wonderful! I’m quite thankful for your assistance! You two will be perfect for what we have planned. Fate must have brought us together! The heavens themselves conspired!”
Both Inglis and Rafinha couldn’t agree more.
“Yes! Absolutely!”
“It’s a blessing for us as well!”
Events turned out differently than they had imagined, but it looked like they could finally eat a full meal in the end. Even though they weren’t going to stuff themselves with food from a palace feast, they were still relieved that they had come. Inglis thanked the gods for her reunion with Count Weismar. They had felt their lives slipping away in hunger, but now they were saved.
◆◇◆
King Carlias had approved the Weismar Troupe’s request to perform in the capital’s grand theater, and so the group had laid claim to a room there to prepare. Because they had arrived in Chiral immediately after the Steelblood Front’s raid, they were unaffected by the attack.
Now they were having dinner with Inglis and Rafinha once again.
“Mmmm! Viffih ooh! Ahm fo hla vi meh Houn Eymah aneh! (Mmmm! This is good! I’m so glad we met Count Weismar again!)” Rafinha mumbled, her mouth full of food.
Inglis agreed, chomping into her own meal. “Yullai, Rahi... Iff lyf laivih fuh huh hlave. (You’re right, Rani... It’s like rising from the grave.)”
The two shuddered in bliss as they reached for a platter piled high with fried chicken.
Nom! Nom! Nom, nom, nom, nom, nom, nom, nom!
The food on top was gone in no time at all. They held up the empty platter and called, “Seconds please!” with smiles.
“They’re the same as ever...”
“They eat so much!”
“I think they’ve gotten even faster over the last two years...”
Many members of the troupe remembered Inglis and Rafinha from their performance in Ymir two years before, and they were shocked to see the pair now. They stopped their own meals to watch the two in amazement.
“All right, there’s plenty more where that came from!” Count Weismar insisted.
“Yaaay! Thank you, Count Weismar! ♪” Rafinha exclaimed.
“This really helps!” Inglis said.
“No, no, the pleasure is aaall miiine! Sleep well, eat well, laugh well! That’s the secret to your beauty, isn’t it? You two really have only gotten even mooore beautiful over the past two years! This is a small price to pay to have that beauty decorate my stage!”
He’s such a nice person, isn’t he? Inglis thought. Just like before, Count Weismar’s generously feeding us with a grin on his face. He may be an eccentric with a strange outfit, strange mannerisms, and a strange voice, but to us, he’s an angel.
“So, what will we be doing this time?” Rafinha asked the count while waiting for more food to arrive. “Singing and dancing again?”
“No, this time we’re putting on a play! A new one! With such an expansive theater available to us, I’d like to use it all for something with a lot of visceral motion!”
“Huh, sounds interesting!”
“So will there be lots of action on the stage?” Inglis asked.
“Indeed! Not only that, but with this much space, I’d like to incorporate a Flygear to make it even flashier! A performance that can be enjoyed by young and old, men and women alike!”
“That sounds nice!” Rafinha agreed. “I love flashy shows!”
“Just leave the fights to me,” Inglis said.
“Yeees, yeees, of course! I’m quite familiar with your abilities, so I’d like you to start by helping the troupe with fight choreography and Flygear piloting!” the count explained.
“I get it. Those are our areas of expertise,” Rafinha said.
“I think we can do that,” Inglis said.
“Furthermore, since you two are students at the knights’ academy, I was wondering if you could put a word in and ask if we could make use of some Flygears. We have a few, but not enough.”
“Understood. I’ll ask the principal,” Inglis said.
“Even if she says no, we can lend you the Star Princess! It’s ours!” Rafinha burst out in pride.
“Wait, you want them to use it for the show? The kids in town didn’t seem to like it...” Inglis mumbled.
“Some of them did! Why do you focus so much on negativity? Why not the positive opinions too?” Rafinha pouted.
“Oho! A truly fabulous Flygear like that would be perfect!” Count Weismar said, obviously in favor. “I fell for it at first sight! That would be wonderful!”
“Okay...” Inglis acquiesced. He seems like he’s enthusiastic about anything and everything. Is this a good idea? Well, maybe that kind of willingness to try new things is important for art. I confess I’m out of my depth in this field...
“Does that mean we’re more behind the scenes this time around?” Rafinha asked. “I would’ve liked a role on stage, but...”
“I’m fine with being behind the scenes,” Inglis chimed in.
“What are you saying?!” Count Weismar replied. “Of course you’ll be onstage as well! There’s no way I could let such beauty as yours go to waste!”
“Calling me ‘beautiful’ makes me all the more eager to perform!” Rafinha giggled.
“But wouldn’t we be taking someone else’s role, then?” Inglis asked.
“Why, of course not! There’s no problem at all! Wherever we go, if there are people suitable for the role, we ask them to join us on stage—it draws the locals into the performance! That’s how we do things. The audience’s satisfaction comes first! Though of course there aren’t many who fit my vision... Anyway, don’t worry about it!”
“I see...” Inglis said.
“Now, here’s the script for this show! I’d like one of you to be the heroine, Maribelle!”
“The heroine?! That’s a major role!” Rafinha remarked.
“It is, yeah...” Inglis looked over the script Count Weismar handed her. At a glance, it’s a tale of two men competing for the hand of a girl named Maribelle. Their conflict culminates in a fierce clash. There’s even a Flygear battle. It’s quite a tour de force. And in the end, one of the men emerges victorious and gains Maribelle’s hand...
“Oh, wow! There’s even a kiss at the end!” Rafinha exclaimed.
“Whaaat?!” Inglis screamed. “That’s— Wow, there really is! Er, Count Weismar... Can we revise this?”
“Absolutely not! That kiss is necessary for artistic expression! I simply cannot compromise my vision!”
“Ugh...” Inglis groaned.
“I think you’d look better as Maribelle, Chris... But if you really don’t want to do it, I can play her,” Rafinha offered. Then she turned to the count. “Would that be okay with you, sir?”
“Why, of course, I don’t mind at all! You have your own charm, Rafinha!” Count Weismar replied.
“Huh?!” Inglis gasped. “Wait, that’s no good either! Rani’s too young for that! I promised the duke I’d take good care of her!”
“Then why don’t you play her, Chris?” Rafinha asked.
“Ugh...” I don’t want to do that either. This is bad. I don’t want Rafinha to do it, but imagining myself in that scene gives me the chills. But the kiss is here to stay, and if we pull out of the performance—
“Of course, if neither of you can play the role, unfortunately I won’t be able to keep feeding you either,” Count Weismar said.
“Aghhhh!” That’s bad too! I don’t want to feel hungry like that again! “L-Let us think about it, please!” Inglis said.
“Why of course! Just give me an answer in two or three days!”
“Th-Thank you...”
There was time to consider the matter—but it was developing into a real problem.
◆◇◆
The next morning, Inglis and Rafinha brought Count Weismar to see Principal Miriela. Her office was, of course, also a victim of the destruction that had ripped apart the school building, so the pair of girls brought the count to the building site, where she was directly overseeing the reconstruction.
“Whaaat?! You want to use the academy’s Flygears for the troupe’s performance?”
“Yes indeeed! I’d heard that there was a major battle in the capital recently. I’m sure that must have put a frown on the faces of the people—we must do something to lift their spirits!” As usual, Count Weismar spoke in a high-pitched voice while gesticulating strangely—but how would Principal Miriela reply? She was an understanding person, but also a very serious one. Inglis and Rafinha wondered if they were about to hear an immediate refusal.
“Wow! That’s a wonderful idea! I love plays! And I’ve seen the Weismar Troupe so many times! I’m a big fan of yours!”
It turned out she was all for it.
“Well, then! Thank you very much! Hearing that makes my heart sing!”
“So if we cooperate, I presume we’ll get tickets or something?” Miriela asked.
“But of course! Box seats for everyone at the knights’ academy! You’ll be able to see it as much as you like!”
“Wow, box seats! ♪ We’ll cooperate fully!”
Silva, the only current student with a special-class Rune, raised his voice. “Principal Miriela! Wait a moment!” He was present because he was also being asked to work closely with the troupe. Several other students were gathered as well.
“Oh? Is something the matter, Silva?” Miriela asked.
“Of course there is! Don’t be lured in by petty trinkets! We’re in the middle of rebuilding! This isn’t the time for that!”
Silva was serious to a fault. His objection to Principal Miriela’s decision did not come as a surprise.
“No, this is precisely what’s needed now!” she insisted. “We can’t exactly have classes without classrooms, so we may as well enjoy ourselves while we can! With things how they are, some of us may be feeling down too—this will cheer us up! Right?”
“Yes! Count Weismar is really good at that!” Rafinha interjected as she raised her hand. “Right, Chris?”
“Exactly right.”
“For you two, it’s probably just because he’s filling your bellies,” Leone commented.
Liselotte smiled in amusement. “You seem like completely different people from yesterday.”
Silva still wasn’t convinced. “B-But the knights’ academy is a public institution. Without His Majesty’s direct approval or evidence of this clearly being for the public good—”
“Mm-hm-hmm!” Count Weismar took a step closer to Silva with an animated gesture. “No worries, my boooy! We, the Weismar Troupe, perform for the world and its people! On the surface where the Prism Flow terrorizes the people, the threat of magicite beasts is omnipresent. Our troupe exists to bring respite from those fears. That is our duty!”
“That’s a noble cause, but...”
“As you come to understand our work better, I’m sure you’ll understand! So, how about it? Will you stand on stage? Not only is your special-class Rune impressive, but you’ve quite the striking appearance as well. The highlight of this play is its visceral combat scenes, so you’d be perfect!”
“No, I—”
“Wow! Silva as an actor?” Principal Miriela interjected. “That sounds great!”
“But, Principal Miriela, I have no interest in such frivolity!” Silva protested.
“It’s not frivolous. Exposure to the arts enriches one’s personality! I’m sure it will be a good influence for you!”
Passing nearby, Yua happened to have overheard them as she carried an absurd number of logs in her arms on top of her shoulders. Because of her slender build, the sight would have surprised anyone unfamiliar with her. “Maybe it’d do something about your temper. That’d be nice,” she muttered under her breath. She was as strong as ever. She seemed to be fine after her encounter with the Prismer that destroyed the school.
She really is the perfect sparring opponent, Inglis thought. I need to figure out a way to make her chest bigger so she’ll fight me. She promised to take me on if whatever I come up with works for her.
“I’m not angry for the sake of being angry! You’re the one with the foul attitude!” Silva shot back.
“Huh?” As Yua lazily tilted her head in confusion, a long log she was carrying smashed into Silva’s shins. “Ah, sorry.”
“Ow...! That’s exactly what I mean!”
“Now, now, Silva. We have a guest. Let’s be civil,” Miriela chided. “That said, since he’s giving you the opportunity, I think you should go for it.”
“Indeed!” Count Weismar said. “It will be fine! Inglis will be on stage as well!”
“She will?!” Silva gasped.
“Wow! Even Inglis is taking part? I suppose I can’t deny she would look great on stage... You have an excellent eye for talent, Weismar,” Miriela said.
“Mm-hm! Actually, this isn’t Inglis’s first time being in one of our performances! I’ve been looking forward to having her on stage again!”
“Ohhh? Inglis, do your best!” Miriela cheered.
“I-I never said...” Inglis still wasn’t sure whether she’d agree to perform. There was one big problem. One very big problem.
“There’s even a kiss at the end! Right, Chris?”
“W-Wait, Rani, I still haven’t—”
“Whaaat?!” The group gasped at Rafinha’s sudden revelation.
“Inglis—kissing? I’m surprised she took the role,” Leone remarked.
“Indeed. In front of so many people?” Liselotte said.
The two of them went back and forth. “Even if it’s for a play, that’s quite bold... Wow, I’m picturing it now.”
“Yes, it makes me a little nervous just thinking about it... I don’t think I could do that...”
“D-Do your best, Inglis...”
“I’ll have to pay close attention for future reference.”
Leone and Liselotte’s cheeks flushed. They were strangely excited. As healthy growing girls, it seemed they couldn’t help but be interested.
“No, I haven’t committed yet...” Inglis said weakly.
“And you will be her counterpart!” Count Weismar clapped a hand on Silva’s shoulder.
“Ohhh!” The other students gasped again.
“Wha—?! There’s no way I could do that! That’s absurd! I refuse!”
“Well... I think it would be easier for Chris to work with you, since she knows you...” Rafinha said.
“That’s not the problem!” Inglis and Silva replied in unison.
“Then I guess your first time should be with Rafael? But he’s deployed right now, and this doesn’t count anyway. It’s just a play. But maybe when he hears about it, he’ll start seriously making moves on you ’cause he’ll think you’re getting away? Ooh, the day when we’ll really be sisters is drawing closer! ♪ Wait, Chris, why are you shrinking back like that?”
“Ugh...” Every word that her friends had said had given Inglis the chills. The more she thought about it, the more fearsome kissing a guy in front of a crowd became. It was just too scary. No matter who the guy in question was, it was just something she fundamentally couldn’t do.
“Is there anything I can offer to make this possible?” Count Weismar asked Silva.
“I’m sorry, but I can’t! I refuse!”
“Well, if Silva’s that insistent... Would anyone else here like to kiss Inglis?” Principal Miriela asked the other students present.
“Me, me!” A forest of hands shot up as the gazes of the male students washed over Inglis.
“Wow! You’re so popular, Chris! ♪”
“Eeeeek!” Inglis shuddered as a chill ran up her spine. I could really do without these hungry stares, she thought.
“Wow, Inglis. People really like you!” Pullum said. Then her gaze pulled elsewhere. “Ah! No raising your hand, Lahti! You weren’t, right?”
Pullum was in the same class year as Inglis but in the knights’ program, while Lahti was in the squires’ program with Inglis. The two, exchange students from a northern country, were childhood friends and usually very close. And now Pullum looked at Lahti chidingly.
“Of course I wasn’t. I’m not interested in that,” Lahti insisted.
“Good. Anything else to say for yourself?” Pullum tilted her ear toward Lahti.
“Huh?”
“Maybe something like, ‘I’ve only got eyes for one woman!’”
“No way!”
In the midst of this chaos, a voice rose above.
“If Silva won’t participate, then I volunteer!” Reddas, captain of the Royal Guard, made his presence known.
“Reddas?!” Inglis gasped.
“Yes! I see you’re in high spirits today, Lady Inglis.” Reddas bowed politely to her.
Silva looked a bit annoyed. “Brother... Why are you here?! Are you still worrying about me?! There’s no need. Go back to your duties!”
“No, my duty is here. I’m not here to check on you, Silva. I’m here for Inglis.”
“Inglis? But why?” Silva asked.
“Well, Lady Inglis promised His Majesty that she will come to our aid in times of crisis. Thus, we must prepare for emergencies by remaining in contact, such that she can respond immediately. Therefore, Lady Inglis, I and other members of the Royal Guard will visit you from time to time.”
“Ah, yes...” Inglis found that a bit troublesome, but it was welcome to know that she’d be called on if anything happened. Anything that was a national crisis would probably involve a good fight. “But I can’t have you staring at me all the time, so please limit your trips.”
“Why, of course! I won’t cause you any trouble!”
“Okay, but no peeking!” Rafinha chimed in.
“Why, of course not! I’m sure someone like Lady Inglis would sense me there, so that would be impossible anyway.”
“Are you sure? Chris gets so distracted when she’s in front of a mirror. She’s actually completely vulnerable—”
“Rani! You don’t have to tell him that!”
“Oh! I see, Lady Inglis is defenseless in front of a mirror,” Reddas said. “That’s quite the—”
“Brother, I don’t understand. Why must you take such an interest in Inglis?” Silva interrupted.
“Well. During the recent incident with the Steelbloods, Lady Inglis was quite helpful to His Majesty and the Royal Guard. His Majesty was quite impressed, so he offered Lady Inglis command of the Royal Guard.”
“Huuuh?! Command of the Royal Guard?!” The gasps of surprise were nearly shrieks.
“Inglis as captain of the Royal Guard?! What a meteoric rise!” Leone remarked.
“I’ve never heard of such a thing...but...” Liselotte trailed off.
“She... She probably is qualified,” Silva admitted.
“However...she turned it down due to the potential ramifications,” Reddas said.
“She turned it down?!” everyone yelled.
“That said, she promised to lend her aid in emergencies. That’s why we need to stay in touch.”
“Why, that’s... Inglis, are you sure? I’m a bit grateful that my brother doesn’t have to step down, but...” Silva began.
“Hmph. Don’t be so petty, Silva!” Reddas scolded. “Lady Inglis has incredible combat capabilities, a cool head, and she’s stunningly beautiful! I simply can’t compare! Thinking calmly, I’d love to serve under Lady Inglis! If you ever change your mind, the position of captain is yours!”
“No thanks,” Inglis demurred.
“Then I’ll visit you like this from time to time! Just seeing you and hearing your voice will blow away the fatigue of daily life!”
“Err...”
“It’s been a long time since I’ve been this enthused about anyone but my younger brother Silva! It makes me feel young again!”
Silva paused. “I guess I owe you one, Inglis.”
“What do you mean, Silva?” she asked, confused.
“My brother’s always been overprotective. If he’s focused on you, I’ll have a little more freedom.”
She was stunned into silence.
Well, speaking objectively, I do have the looks, she thought. “Stunning beauty” isn’t overstating it. I can fight far better than the Royal Guard too—at least the ones I’ve seen in action. So I can understand why Reddas is such a fan, but...that doesn’t make this attention feel good.
“But turning down such a post is such a shame... There’s no higher honor...” Miriela said.
“This is Inglis we’re talking about... I’m not that surprised...” Leone said.
“Wait! Wait, Inglis! Are you really sure?” Miriela shot an intense gaze at her.
“Yes.”
Miriela stepped closer to whisper quietly enough for only Inglis to hear. “Please, tell me! Why would you turn down such a wonderful offer?”
“It’s a long story...”
“Ah, it’s okay to keep it short. Just tell me how you really felt, I won’t get mad.”
“I suppose. To keep it to one sentence...”
“Yes, yes?”
“It sounded like a lot of work.”
“Aha ha ha... I see... I suppose you’ve made up your mind...” The principal laughed dryly. “For a student at an academy meant to train knights to then turn down the highest knightly position because it sounded like a lot of work... I wonder why you’re even here... It must be a philosophical thing...”
“To watch over Rani as she grows and to improve myself by experiencing many battles. I think this is a good environment for that.”
“But Rafinha has a strong focus. If anything, I think she’s more mature than you.”
“Thank you for praising Rani.”
Principal Miriela sighed. “That’s not what I meant, but you’re choosing to ignore my point...”
“Yes. I feel no desire to change.”
“I-I see...”
As Inglis and Principal Miriela spoke, Reddas conversed with Count Weismar. “Anyway, Lord Weismar! If Silva says he won’t do it, use me instead! Ah, Lady Inglis... Ahhhhh...”
“I refuse!” Inglis cut in. The idea makes me feel sick. Just—no. I don’t want to do a stage kiss with anyone, but especially not him.
“Huh...?! Well, if Lady Inglis says so, understood! I won’t accept such a rude plotline! Count Weismar, rewrite your script!”
“Oh...” That was an abrupt about-face, but it worked in Inglis’s favor. As long as the kiss was gone, she could eat as much as she wanted and perform without any worries.
“I cannot! It’s artistically necessary!” Count Weismar insisted. He would not budge on that. “I’ll certainly accept the leading lady’s input on casting, but I will not change the plot!”
“Well...” What do I do? Inglis wondered. Is there a way to make this work?
Yua, who had been watching the whole time, murmured in her ear. “I’m jealous.”
“Huh? What do you mean, Yua?”
“You get to pick a cute guy to kiss, right? Must be nice.”
Of course that was what Yua focused on. After all, her motivation for increasing her chest size was to attract that kind of attention.
“Then Yua can do it instead of me— Ah! No! Wait!” Inglis felt a spark of inspiration rush through her mind. A good plan. No, a great one. A wonderful realization. “What if instead of me...both Yua and I have a role?!”
“Huh?” This was news to Yua.
“Count Weismar! I have a casting suggestion!” Inglis announced enthusiastically.
“Mm! Of course I’ll listen to your suggestion as our leading lady, Inglis! It will help produce better art!”
“Yes! I’ll step down from the heroine role!”
“Nooo! Wait, Chris, what are you doing?! Our food’s on the line!” Rafinha yelled, the point of her concern obvious.
“I know, Rani. Count Weismar, instead let me play the role that Silva turned down!”
“Ohhh?! But then who will be the heroine?”
“Have one of the men take the role!”
“A man?!”
“Yes. What I mean is, we should make the ‘heroine,’ Maribelle, male. And instead, women shall play the leads who compete for her!”
“So, reverse the genders of the cast, you mean?”
“Yes. That way, the script won’t need to be changed! Count Weismar, you’ve already said that the highlight of the show will be the flashy fights, so that’s what we should focus on. With all due respect, when it comes to fighting or piloting a Flygear, I can do it better than any of the troupe. I’ll put on a display that will satisfy the audience!”
“Well, that makes sense. Your fighting style is both beautiful and gallant—it’s sure to please the crowd,” Reddas said, nodding.
“Your prowess certainly is wonderful... Thinking back, I initially scouted you after having seen you fight,” Count Weismar recalled.
“The time has come for women to be strong as well,” Inglis said. “Being flowers doted over by men is too old-fashioned! We must show the strength and will to reach out for what we ourselves want! I’d like to show that to the audience!”
“Oh, my... Yes!” Count Weismar agreed, enthusiastic.
“We will not decide in advance who, between me and my rival, wins! But the victor will be the one who wins the kiss! By leaving it out of the script, we’ll be able to show the impact of a real fight!”
“Ah... What a novel suggestion! So avant-garde! It excites me!”
“Wait, doesn’t that just make it a carnival show instead of a play?” Silva asked.
“If you have a real fight on stage, Inglis, you’ll probably destroy the theater...” Leone remarked.
Liselotte agreed. “Let us not forget the crowd in the crossfire either...”
“Ssshhh! Quiet! This is a new kind of play! It’s art!” Inglis asserted.
“Indeed! Such an interesting experiment! No progress can be made without facing new challenges! So, Inglis, will Rafinha play your rival?” Count Weismar asked.
“M-Me...?” Rafinha asked. “I think I’d rather be a cute heroine...”
“No! Not Rani!” Inglis barked. If Rafinha were cast as her rival, one of the two would participate in the kiss during the resolution. And Inglis absolutely wanted to avoid that for either of them. The goal was to avoid the kiss while appearing and earning as much as they could eat, so that would be completely counterproductive. And there was one other goal for her proposal.
“But who, then?” Count Weismar asked.
“Yes. I’d like to suggest Yua to play my rival.” Inglis pointed straight at Yua.
“Wha...?” Yua said, staring off in surprise.
Inglis swiftly moved closer to whisper in her ear. “Yua, this is your chance to kiss a guy you like! He’ll probably listen to our suggestions for who to cast.”
“Ohhh... I get to pick? From a wide selection? So I get to pick a cute guy?”
“Yes! But you will have to fight me for real on stage—if you want the kiss, take me down.”
“I’m in. I’ll do it. This is something interesting for once.” Yua laughed. She even smiled faintly, a rarity for the girl who usually looked bored. She really was interested.
“All right! Thank you!” Inglis got a great deal out of this too. This was a great way to fight Yua as much as she wanted. She could fight on stage until satisfied, and when the time was right, let Yua have the kiss. This way she’d be able to avoid the kiss herself, earn all the food she wanted for performing, and get the real match against Yua she’d been longing for—three birds with one stone. A wonderful plan, if she did say so herself. “Count Weismar, please change the cast and their roles.”
“Yes, yes, of cooourse! Indeed I shall! I’m getting more and more excited about this!” the count cheered.
“That’s no fair, Chris. You’re just getting to do what you want,” Rafinha whined.
“Aha ha... Well, playing a heroine who gets to rampage across the stage does suit Inglis better than playing a meek, adorable one,” Leone said.
“You’re quite clever. I don’t think many people would have brought things in that particular direction, though,” Liselotte said.
“I don’t think it has anything to do with being clever. It’s just Chris being Chris.” Rafinha pouted.
“Well, you would know her best, Rafinha,” Leone admitted.
“Anyway, we should help out too...”
“Yeah. Maybe as Flygear flight instructors?” Rafinha suggested to the two of them.
“No. Leone’s right, the theater could well be destroyed. So our job should be to use our Artifacts to make a barrier and keep everyone safe,” Liselotte said.
“Yes, that may be necessary,” Leone added.
As Rafinha and the others discussed their own plans, Count Weismar turned to the rest and raised his voice. “Then, Yua, I’d like you to show us what you can do! I’m sure Inglis’s recommendation is correct, but I’d love to see for myself!”
“Of course! That’s only natural!” Inglis agreed.
“Mm... Okay.” Yua didn’t seem to mind either.
My long-held wish is finally being fulfilled! This is how it has to be! This will be fun!
Inglis and Yua faced each other at a short distance.
“Now, make sure to hold back, you two! We’re rebuilding the school building here. Don’t destroy it even further!” Principal Miriela warned.
“Yes, ma’am.” Inglis laughed and smiled gracefully.
Her match with Yua was finally here. She couldn’t keep the grin off her face; her excitement was at its peak. Now that she’d worked her way around the impending kiss, there was nothing left but to eat well, fight well, and enjoy herself!
“Okay, Yua! Let’s show Count Weismar what we can do, so he can feel comfortable giving us the leading roles!”
“Yep, Boobies.”
Inglis stared, unmoving. I do wish she’d call me something else.
She had been so excited, but that had soured the mood. Now that she thought about it, Yua acted that way to everyone. Would she be able to remember her lines and the stage directions? Inglis was a little worried.
Well, even if she has some trouble remembering, I’m sure the fight she can put up will make up for it.
Yua was the real thing—she could do things that Inglis couldn’t comprehend. Even when the larval Prismer had swallowed Yua, it hadn’t overpowered her; she had merely been caught off guard by a special power her foe had. It had been a bad matchup. For Inglis, Yua could be a more enjoyable opponent than said Prismer.
“Er, umm... In...Ing...”
“Yes. ‘Inglis.’ Do you remember now?”
“Yeah. I think I should at least remember the name of someone who saved me.”
“Ohh! Thank you.” Inglis hadn’t expected Yua to care about such things. That was a pleasant surprise.
“Okay, then, In...Inbies.”
“Ah...! No, wait! You’re mixing them up, Yua!”
“Hm? Hmm. How about Booglis? Maybe that.”
“Stop it! You’re embarrassing me! Just go back to what you had before!” It was embarrassing being called “Boobies,” but weird combinations of it were even worse. Inglis’s cheeks had flushed before she realized it.
“Aha ha ha! That’s perfect! Do your best, Booglis!” Rafinha snickered.
“Rani! Stop that!”
“Ha ha ha, Chris is mad!”
“Stop that, Rafinha—Inglis isn’t enjoying it,” Leone chided.
“So you have one more on your side—Leone. Ah, I mean Boobone,” Rafinha continued.
“Stop that! Leave me out of it!” Leone protested, her face red.
“Anyway, Yua.” Inglis focused her attention on her opponent. “Enough about names. Let’s get this started.”
“Yeah. Got it.” Yua stood there just as casually as before. Yua was the kind of person who didn’t take a combat stance while fighting. Her motions took on an almost trudging affect, yet they were too fast to see. Her blows seemed to lightly brush opponents, but they were earth-shattering. Her observed behavior and the results didn’t match at all. So even when staring her down, Inglis couldn’t get a good sense of what Yua could do.
Hieral menaces like Eris, Ripple, and Sistia had their own characteristics that were intimidating in different ways, but Yua wasn’t like that. As far as Inglis could tell, Yua was a normal human being. That was fascinating.
The unknown, the unfathomed—crossing fists with such a being could awaken new ideas or new techniques within Inglis.
“Should I start?” After a pause, Yua crooked her neck.
“Yes! Go ahead!” Inglis braced herself and awaited Yua’s approach. She was naturally still maintaining an increased pull of gravity on herself. The more she kept it up, the better the training it provided. There was no reason to release it now.
When viewed from its end, life was over in the blink of an eye. Inglis knew this, having already lived a full life. Not a single moment could be wasted. She had to keep improving herself. By doing so, she could go further and reach greater heights.
“’Kay...” Yua’s voice faded to a whisper.
“Ready.” Then it suddenly came back, loud and clear, directly in Inglis’s ear. In an instant, Yua had slid up directly to her side.
“Ah!”
Yua had seemed to disappear. Inglis should have at least heard her footsteps or felt the change in the air on her skin. Yet she hadn’t at all realized Yua had moved. Yua had approached with no signs of doing so.
And now, one of Yua’s light yet powerful strikes was aimed at Inglis’s side.
Before Yua could touch her, Inglis moved her arm to block. “Haaaah!” Yua’s palm brushed against it.
Thump!
Inglis felt an incredible impact. “Ugh...!” she grunted as the shock blew her away. Even when sent flying, in the middle of this fight she’d longed for, her eyes were sparkling.
“Ahh, this is amazing!” Yua had used an opening move that the opponent couldn’t react to. It had been so fast, yet so strong!
It had been incredible to experience. Yua had completely hidden any sense of her approach. Inglis thought Yua must truly possess some fearsome techniques even though she didn’t appear to be focusing on much at all. It was everything Inglis had hoped for. This would be a wonderful way to push her limits.
Joyfully reflecting on that instant, Inglis flew into the scaffolding—the very same scaffolding that was being rebuilt.
Blammmmm! Crrrack! Crummmble!
“Eeeeeek! Not the school building!” Principal Miriela’s shriek of dismay echoed throughout the area.
“Ahhh! Such incredible power! Amazing!” Count Weismar gaped wide-eyed at Yua.
“I can’t believe she blew Chris away like that!”
“A-Amazing! Yua’s even more amazing than I thought!” Leone exclaimed.
“Perhaps Yua’s normally so relaxed because she has so much power...?” Liselotte guessed. “I’m impressed. She’s quite serious when the situation calls for it.”
“Tee hee.” Yua puffed out her chest in pride.
Meanwhile, Principal Miriela cradled her head in her hands. “Ahhhhh, the school building! Now we have to start over from scratch there...”
“Worry about Chris rather than that, Principal Miriela!”
“I’m okay, Rani!”
Thud!
The broken scaffolding shook even harder as Inglis forcefully leaped up from it. “You’re amazing, Yua! You didn’t give me a chance to react, and the arm I blocked with is still tingling!” Inglis’s eyes gleamed with excitement, but Yua looked at her quizzically.
“You aren’t hurt? I knocked out Four-Eyes in one hit...”
“Th-They don’t need to hear that!” Silva exclaimed angrily. “I may be slender, but I’m confident in my sturdiness.”
“Well... Wanna try again?” Yua asked Inglis.
Seeing Yua ready to move, Silva muttered, “I think Inglis needs to go on the attack. To do otherwise is dangerous!”
“Huh? What do you mean, Silva?” Rafinha turned to him, waiting for his explanation.
“You’d understand if you faced her. As hard as it is to follow her from here, her attacks are even harder to read when you’re the one fighting her. She closes in imperceptibly, without a trace, and then unleashes a powerful attack before you even notice. If you’re able to react in time, you still may be able to do something, but that’s difficult. Inglis responded well—shockingly well, in fact. Well, perhaps it’s not too shocking when we remember what Inglis can do, but I don’t know if she can persist for long.”
“So you’re saying she should attack before she’s put on the defensive?”
“Yes, precisely.” Silva nodded to Rafinha. “Inglis, don’t go on the defensive! It’s hard to read her attacks! Offense is the best defense!”
“Okay, Silva! Thanks for the warning!” But even responding in that way, Inglis didn’t make a move herself. One, two, then three seconds of empty time passed.
“Huh?” Yua, who had slightly prepared to counterattack, crooked her neck in confusion.
“Why?! Why won’t you attack?” Silva asked.
“That’s Chris for you... If you tell her that, she’s absolutely going to do the opposite,” Rafinha noted.
“I see... Yes, that sounds like Inglis,” Leone agreed.
“She’s such a pain sometimes,” Liselotte followed, as she and the others laughed wryly.
“You’re correct. This is how I do things. Thanks to you, I’ve decided how to fight.” Inglis flashed a grin.
Fighting and growing meant taking on an opponent and overcoming them when they had the advantage. That was how one improved oneself. If offense was the best defense, then she absolutely would not be the first to attack. She was going to stay on the defensive and prove it could be done!
“Ahhh! I knew it! Her dainty figure, her bold and dynamic movement! Just watching her makes me tremble!” Reddas said, his eyes glued to Inglis.
Inglis groaned internally. You can think what you want, but try not to say it out loud. Reddas was acting up again. “Silva, could you do something about Reddas?”
“Understood. Sorry to bother you like that. Come on, brother, keep it down.” Silva sighed as he placed a hand over Reddas’s mouth.
“Mmph! Mrrrmph!”
Now I can at least focus, Inglis thought.
“May I go ahead?” Yua asked.
“Yes, please!” Inglis replied.
Yua went on the attack again. Inglis quickly took a stance to intercept her. This time, she released the enhanced gravity magic she’d applied to herself and conjured a sword made from ice. She usually formed it as a one-handed blade, but this time it was a two-handed sword and nearly as tall as she was. She was able to adjust the size of the sword now—her control over her powers was still improving, proof of her daily training. She’d have preferred to do so while weighing herself down with gravity magic, but she wasn’t to that point yet.
“It doesn’t matter how big it is if you can’t hit me,” Yua murmured quietly. She went to move.
“Correct, but that’s not what this is for!” Inglis deftly tossed the greatsword she’d just created and followed with a smooth high kick.
Craaassshhh!
Despite the kick’s graceful appearance, its power was overwhelming. The ice sword shattered into countless pieces. The grains of ice glittered, swirling through the air like powdered snow. The reason Inglis had made the blade bigger was to increase the area she could cover through this technique. This was to help her see Yua’s movements through the movement of ice crystals.
If that nearly-impossible-to-follow movement was physical, she’d see it in the movement of the ice. And if it was magical, then the ice itself had a bit of mana as well, so it would react to the flow of Yua’s magic. Either way, Inglis would detect the attack ahead of time.
If I used Aether Shell, it would probably let me take Yua’s attack without even flinching, but that would be a waste. It’s important to put myself in situations that require ingenuity, in order to wring as much personal growth as possible from the fight.
“There!” To the left and behind!
There was no physical change, but Inglis could sense the flow of mana shudder faintly. Even without physically seeing anything, Inglis spun in that direction with a roundhouse kick.
An instant later, Yua appeared in its trajectory, and the kick struck home!
“Gah!”
Smaaashhh!
This time it was Yua sent flying headfirst into the scaffolding surrounding the school building.
“Eeeeek! Again?!” Principal Miriela shrieked in dismay once more.
“Inglis not only reacted, but she intercepted Yua’s attack?! Even I couldn’t manage to do that!” Silva’s eyes widened.
I guess that makes sense, Inglis thought. Yua’s start to her attack seems to be almost magical. My mana-charged ice wasn’t shifted by wind, but by mana. If she had charged in physically, it would have produced a breeze and scattered the ice.
The surface-dwellers of the current era had lost their ability to sense mana. Although Artifacts allowed them to indirectly channel that lost power, they relied solely on Artifacts. It made sense that Silva, unable to sense the flow of mana, couldn’t react in time. Additionally, Yua had excellent technique. Inglis had only sensed a small flow of power. She’d had to shatter the greatsword she’d made in order to make it easier to sense how Yua was moving. Even Inglis needed some kind of aid.
Usually, magical teleportation or the like required a great deal of power, but Yua had used very little—she’d nearly hidden it in the natural flow of mana. The result was a move that was terribly difficult to evade.
“Having seen what I did the other day, I realized it was obvious I can never catch up to Inglis...but the difference being this great makes me ashamed.” Silva struggled to hold back a tortured expression.
Have I done something wrong here? Inglis wondered. Hmm, no, I don’t think so.
Smack!
Rafinha clapped a hand on Silva’s back.
“Ow! Wh-What was that for?!”
“You and Inglis are different people! Right? If you have the power to protect what you want to protect, isn’t that enough?”
Silva’s eyes widened.
“But that doesn’t mean you should give up on yourself! So quit staring at your feet, take a close look, and learn, right? Well, sometimes it’s hard to follow what’s happening, but still...”
After a pause, Silva said, “Yeah. You’re right. Thanks.” He turned his gaze forward again. “You don’t get discouraged easily. That’s a reliable trait.”
“I’m just used to Chris. We grew up together.” Rafinha grinned.
As Inglis watched them out of the corner of her eye, those eyes arched up into a smile. Rafinha was a good girl, she wasn’t selfish, and she believed in herself, as Silva had noticed. She was kind, fearless, and caring. On the other hand, she was a bit naive, and her manners were sometimes lacking...
All in all, my choice to teach myself by staying with her was the right thing to do. Secretly, Inglis was proud of herself.
But now Inglis needed to direct her attention to Yua, who should have been somewhere in the scaffolding around the school building.
“Yua! Are you oka—”
“Yeah, I’m fine.” Her voice came from directly behind Inglis.
“...?!”
Thud!
Yua slammed her shoulder directly into Inglis’s back. The shards of the ice sword had all fallen to the ground, so Inglis had been slow to detect the change in mana. She found herself flying away again, straight toward the scaffolding.
“Not this time!” Inglis twisted herself forcefully, planted a foot on the scaffolding, and sprung back to the fight.
“Good. The principal would have been mad.” Yua was already above Inglis, winding up a kick.
Inglis gasped. She had little time to react to the forceful impact, only crossing her arms just in time.
Whaaam!
Inglis’s body slammed straight down into the ground. She managed to land on her feet, but her legs shook fiercely. Yua’s kick had hit her hard.
“Now I’ll do combos. If I do that, you won’t be able to counterattack,” Yua said.
She was right. If Inglis didn’t have time to scatter mana-infused ice, she wouldn’t be able to sense Yua. Even if she did it again, the effect would last only until the ice grains fell. Yua merely had to keep her distance until then. It was unlikely that Inglis would be able to rely on that trick again.
“Inglis is at a disadvantage!” Silva yelled.
However, that observation was wrong.
“How about this?” Inglis closed her eyes tightly.
She caught Yua’s incoming fist in her palm.
Clang!
The echoes told how forceful the blow had been.
“You closed your eyes?!” Yua gasped. Inglis could sense her shock.
“Wh-What?!” Silva seemed shocked too.
“This way, I can tell easier!” Inglis knew that Yua’s movements weren’t just physical; they relied on mana. It was the flow of mana that she needed to pay attention to. Mana wasn’t seen with the eyes; it was sensed.
Information gleaned from only one’s vision clouded the picture. By cutting it out, she was able to increase her sensitivity to mana and respond to Yua’s movement. If she hadn’t shattered an ice sword to track Yua, she never would have realized that. So doing that had been necessary in its own way.
“Haaah!”
“Choaaaaaah!”
Bam! Blam! Boom!
Inglis’s and Yua’s strikes roared throughout the area.
As Yua drew back from their even exchange of blows, she let out a sigh. “I can’t finish you like this, huh. Guess I gotta be stronger...”
For some reason, Yua’s presence felt different.
Inglis opened her eyes and saw that Yua’s eyes were faintly shining. They looked like a rainbow...
“Oooh!” She didn’t hide her excitement.
Yua definitely still has more in her! Wonderful—! I want to see more and more of how she fights for real!
Crrrack! Crummmble!
Something huge was collapsing behind Inglis.
Everybody else seemed to realize as well, letting out a collective, “Oh.”
The scaffolding around the school building had finally had enough. It fell in a giant crash, completely gone. Inglis’s prior leap off of it could have been the fatal blow.
“Ahhh! Oh nooooo! Didn’t I tell you this would happen?! No more!” Miriela shrieked, needing to put an end to the matter. “You’ve seen enough, right, Count Weismar?!”
“Y-Yes! Both of you were wonderful! To be honest, I was overwhelmed! I’m sure the audience will love it! So, Inglis and Yua, I’d like you two to take the lead roles!”
“All right! This way I can...” Yua trailed off into giggles as a smile crossed her face.
Inglis nodded. “I’d love to keep going...but let’s call it for today.” She was a bit disappointed, but she had managed to set things up how she wanted. She could be happy with that. That she was going to avoid a kiss, earn meals, and fight Yua again—the next time on stage—wasn’t bad either.
“But first! I want you two to fix that destroyed scaffolding! If you don’t, the academy won’t assist in this production! Okay?!” Principal Miriela’s eyebrows were raised and her cheeks puffed out.
The sight struck fear into the pair. They had no choice but to nod in agreement.
“Okayyy...”
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