My Response

As I was secretly thinking about my plan, a warrior who would be the referee of the match finally appeared.

“Well, are you ready, young lions?! I, Ling, the Imperial Knight, shall be the judge today.”

He is a big man with strong features, very famous as an Advanced Warrior who survived the past war.

Ling gathers us with powerful words saying “Today, you represent all the Academy students to show off to His Majesty and the people the birth of a new warrior. Don’t fight just for yourselves. Put your heart out and look at the faces of every person gathered here today. Those are the people you are to protect in the future.”

With those words, others who were nervous had a change in their eyes. At last, the host of the event started the ceremony.

“Eh, ladies and gentlemen! Thank you very much for attending the Imperial Warrior Academy Graduation Commemorative Match!”

As expected, I, the princess, Reval, and Poh braced ourselves. The host shouted out, “With this, I would like to commence the match with 16 selected Academy students! Please watch to the end!”

Thousands? No, ten thousand? The cheers so loud you feel such vigor like the roar of subterranean tremor.

“”””Uooooooooooooooooooh!!!!””””

Host announced, “First, we will have a lottery by the selected students! Selected students, enter!”

“”””Woooooooooooooooooo!!!!””””

“Princess Urikooooo!!”

“Mr. Reval! Kyaah! Aah, He’s so cool~.”

“Popo~, Poh, do your best!”

Following Ling, we all march and step into the Arena. The spread was a spacious square surrounded by walls on all sides. Every seat on the wall was filled. Furthermore, at the guest seats.

“Well, here they are. The Next Generation”

The Emperor watches over us with a gentle smile on his face. Next to him is the Empress, the princess’s mother.

And beside them, Standing close to the emperor and empress as escorts, father and mother.

My father Heero beams with pride, “Oh, Terran, looking good.”

Mother cutely chimes, “Ku~, I really wanted to loudly cheer for Terran. Sadie look!!~.”

Sadie cheering “♫ Go Go little man, Go! Lil’ Terran! Go! ♫“

I was surprised. There, Sadie, wearing a short skirt with blue sleeveless top, waved Pompons in both hands, and cheered for me with legs and hands dancing and cheering.

I am thinking not good. She is too adorable that it be distraction. The figure of Sadie, who is also familiar to Poh and Reval, made both of them blush slightly. Only the princess is showing a disgusted expression.

Poh said, “Ah, Miss Sadie~, same as ever.”

Reval said, “As usual, overprotective of Terran.”

Uriko with unsatisfied expression said, “H-hey, Terran. Stop staring so hard at Sadie’s legs and skirt!”

Ling presents a square box to us. With the host making new announcement, “Now, 16 selected students gathered here will demonstrate their strength in front of you today. The duels allow use of weapons and magic according to the rules. And from now on, each and every one of them will draw cards and decide on the matchups.”

Ling said, “Now, pull the lottery one at a time and read the number aloud.”

A blank tournament table was prepared further above the audience seat on a giant billboard. We could have drawn cards beforehand, but it’s more exciting to do it in front of everyone. 

Hosted announced, “Then, I’ll have you draw lots in order. First, Uriko Anadine!”

Starting with the princess. She put her hand in the box that Ling holds and takes out a card from inside. There was a number No. 10 written on it. She confirms with “Yes!”

“Uriko Anadine, number 10! The first round of the fifth match.”

“Next! Gilles Yuli!”

“Ah!  Yes! Number 15!”

Places on the tournament table get filled one after another.

“Next, Poh Medary!”

“Yes! Oh, yes! It’s number 12.”

“Next!” Conan Papier!”

“Well, It’s number 6.”

And thus, things progressed as till Reval name.

“Next! Reval Payne!”

Having been away from the empire for a year, everyone is excited to quickly see his growth.

”Kyhaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa Mr. Reval!”

“Reval, the most likely champion and the leading hero candidate of the next generation!”

“He’s not a rookie anymore!”

“There’s already talk of the advanced warrior class. No doubt, the strongest man of the generation!”

As expected, Reval is very popular.

“Yes. Maybe he’s not entirely at the academy level anymore.”

Of course, the emperor, father, and mother have an eye-opening impression.

And then Rebal draws... “Yes! Number two.”

“Rebal Payne, Number 2! It will be the first match of the first round!”

”So sudden! Reval Kyhaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!”

Reval drew the No.02 ball and got the first match.

Well, Rebal is the first match of the first round.

“Next, Terran Kamina!!”

“Oh, the second generation of the Great Hero, Heero has come!”

“He might be inferior to his father and mother, but he’s also talented.”

“Ah. Will he be the dark horse this time?”

“Little man!”

My name is called, but far from cheers Reval received.

No wonder. My talent and so on, has been known in the Imperial city for a long time! Right now they don’t expect much from me.

Rather, it elevates the genius of the Princess, Reval, and Poh. From now on, I’ll change all of that evaluation. With that determination, I will carry out what I had planned with Enuma in advance.

I take the card out of the lottery box from the Ling, turn it over, and scatter the raffle balls on the ground.

In the crowd someone shouted, “He tossed the lottery!?”

Sadie astonished, “Heh!? Li-ttle man!?”

Heero asks, “What are you doing, Terran!?”

As expected, my sudden actions startled everyone, including the audience. But I don’t care, I pick a number up from the raffles that fell to the ground. 

Host announces, “Uh… that was, wait Terran Kamina! Number one! First round match, against Reval!”

The crowd is fully astonished, ”Eh!!!???”

I sent my declaration of war to Reval and to all of them. Everyone is out of their minds over what I’ve done. Sadie has her mouth wide open, so do my father and mother. It’s the first time I’ve seen these three people react like that, and I feel somewhat fresh.

After the few seconds of silence, Everyone shouted the same words all at once. ”What is he doiiiiiiing!!!??? “

“Hey, he turned over the lottery and picked up the number!”

“Th-That’s what it is!? That’s not fair! As the son of a great hero, what is he thinking?”

“No, b-but… So, does that mean he chose Reval as his opponent?”

“No way! That Reval…”

“But is that a sudden confrontation between children of the heroes in the first round?”

“No, no, they can’t allow this!”

Disapproval. Bewilderment. The reactions to the confrontation between the children of the heroes suddenly being set in the first match of the first round arise all at once.

Although I have no idea what’s about to happen, but for now, I showed Reval that this was my response.

Reval was speechless, “Terran… you…”

I stand firm and declare, “Hehe… This is my answer, Reval.”

Reval astonished, “What?”

I said, “I’m here to prove myself, too.”

Reval seems quite surprised, but on the other hand, as the situation became clear he seemed fired up with blazing passion.

Reval shouted, “Okay! I accept your challenge!”

Uriko was bewildered and blushing, “Terran! Wh-What.. you shouldn’t have ♡”

Poh cheered, “Wow, Terran. Huh? Princess, you got heart eyes?”

For some reason, the princess and Poh are making noise, but it doesn’t matter now. The crowd also cheers in response to Rebal’s acceptance.

“Oooooooh, Reval accepted!”

“Then, suddenly from the first round!?”

“Well, I’m seeing things in a new light, Terran!”

However, a violation of the rules is a violation of the rules. Of course, Ling also tries to get us to start over. “Hey, y-you boys, you don’t have permission! This is a lottery.”

At that moment, the Emperor who was in the guest seat stood up.

Emperor Solja called out, “Reval Payne!”

As the emperor began to speak, the audience who were still noisy calmed down all at once. As the air swells in an instant, the emperor asks Reval with a stern expression.

Emperor Solja asks, “This is a clear violation of the rules. But you accepted. You don’t mind that, do you?”

To the emperor’s question, Reval got on one knee and bows. “Your Majesty. I will win this tournament. Meaning I won’t lose no matter who is in it. Therefore, having matchups by lottery is meaningless! I will fight with anyone!”

A powerful declaration. The emperor raises his hand and yells out, “Then, the first match of the first round sees Terran Kamina and Reval Payne. These two will face each other!”

It was the direct decision of the emperor. If that happens, the rules are irrelevant. No one can overturn it. At that moment, the most excited cheers of today were raised.

“”””Uooooooooooh!!!!””

Meanwhile, father, mother, and Sadie, being totally speechless, simply laughed half-heartedly.