Training Begins

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And explain we did, until we were blue in the face. It was just before dinner was set to be prepared, and Cedrick was giving Amber and me a good scolding out of ear’s reach of anyone else in the dining room.

Luckily for the youngest of the two princesses, Mavis had escaped this grilling by virtue of being excluded from our little delve into the catacombs. And she had also avoided becoming rat food like I nearly was.

“So you honestly mean to tell me the two of you went galavanting in the catacombs just to borrow my crystalite?” Cedrick groaned like a disappointed dad. “Your lives—well, Sakuta’s life—could have been in real peril. How irresponsible, how reckless…”

“If you’re going to blame anyone, it should be me,” I admitted, taking full responsibility. “It was for the sake of my training for the triathlon that we were trying to find a dragon riding instructor, and Senator Henrí was our best option.”

“Sakuta, you don’t have to…” Amber looked like she had wanted to take the lion’s share of the blame, but I had beaten her to the punch.

“I do, and besides…” I chuckled self-deprecatingly. “You’re not the one that almost got eaten by a bunch of oversized rats, because he wasn’t paying attention.”

“Regardless of who’s at fault, you could have simply waited for me to return.” Cedrick sighed deeply. “Do you not realize that your selfish whims affect the whole kingdom and those who live here?”

It was a good point to make. If anything happened to the Crown Princess and her betrothed, it would spell dire consequences for every person within the Kingdom of Aurelia.

While I was pondering the consequences of my actions, Cedrick’s cheeks suddenly became flushed. He pointed his trembling index finger at Amber’s neck area.

“And just what is that ridiculous thing you’re wearing, Princess!?” He was incredulous.

“Oh, this?” Amber held up the necklace I had just presented her with, a smirk plastered on her face. “Sakuta got it for me as a gift. Is there a problem with wearing it?”

“No, I suppose not, it’s just… SAKUTA did!?” Cedrick’s eyes darted between Amber and me frantically.

Eh? Why is he being so fidgety all of a sudden? Is there something wrong with the necklace, after all?

“Who else would I wear this for?” Amber latched onto my forearm, pressing it against her bountiful chest area. The maneuver sent my face into a blush. “It should be expected, we’re a couple after all.”

Okay, now I’m REALLY confused!

“Does that mean that you’re… that you two are trying for a…” Cedrick shook his head. “Never mind that now, you two can do as you wish. Just don’t forget what I said about the consequences of your decisions.”

Puzzled though I was, at least now that we had his attention, we could finally use his crystalite to—

“I do regret to inform you after you went through all that, however, but you cannot use my crystalite to contact the Senator.”

“Huh!?—But...” I sputtered. “Why can’t we—!?”

“Let me finish, boy,” Cedrick spat. “I misplaced the device when I left the castle to visit the village of my birth. I traveled long distances, covering many towns and inns. It could be anywhere at this current time.”

“Uh… huh…”

So he misplaced it, did he? From what I understand, a crystalite is a pretty rare item. You would think he would have kept a closer eye on it, but I’ve lost a cellphone or two before.

In fact, I left my cellphone at home by mistake on the day I saved Queen Veranda from the Toyohira River. Not—that it would have done me much good in this world without cell service. Otherwise, I’d be able to check in with Yuki every now and again.

That aside… As believable as it was to lose something valuable by mistake, I still had a weird feeling about it.

“Is that so?” Amber released my arm, not appearing entirely convinced either. “I suppose you wouldn’t mind if we double-checked your person, just to be sure?”

I wasn’t one to question others without reason, but Cedrick’s dismissive attitude cast a few doubts. Then again, it could have been the part of myself that was still in disbelief that we had expended so much effort—nearly getting ourselves injured—for a wasted venture.

“What a staggeringly preposterous suggestion, Princess!” Cedrick scoffed. “I have searched every pocket of clothing and the carriage interior already. It seems you’ll have to send a message to Senator Henrí by courier, and hope there’s enough time for him to train Sakuta.”

Indeed, the best thing we could hope for now is that Henrí receives our invitation. Should he choose to make the long journey to Morningstar—which wasn’t a sure thing just yet—I would be counting on his help. Certainly so in the case of another teacher not revealing themselves in time.

“Now if you’ll excuse me, I’ve got dinner to prepare for.” Cedrick dusted the soot off his robes. “We’re expecting a new guest, and some of the hired help seem to prefer idling around to helping tidy up.”

I swear, a guy takes a bit of time off…

“What will happen with the remaining rats in the catacombs?” I asked Cedrick, ignoring his dig at my work ethic.

“I destroyed their principal nest.” He shrugged, having already taken a few steps away from us. “The mage adepts should be able to handle the rest. Be certain to stay out of trouble from here on out.”

Amber and I watched Cedrick leave, my shoulders slumping from the experience of being grilled by the man. Though, certainly not as ‘grilled’ as our rodent friends turned out to be. Recounting those sights and smells would haunt me for a while.

What a powerful technique though... I never took Cedrick to be a magic user of that caliber.

I spent most of my time around the Princess who doesn’t often use magic, so I had yet to see many talented magicians in practice. Which wasn’t a slight against Amber, of course. She had many other strengths to offset her low mana pool.

“I just know Cedrick is hiding something…” Amber grumbled to herself. “Once I figure it out, I’ll be able to protect everyone. I have to—“

“Hey, Amber?” I studied the tense expression on her face. “Is everything alright?”

“Oh! Yeah, yeah! I’m fine.” Amber waved her hand to emphasize her point. “To be completely honest with you, I don’t… fully trust Cedrick at times. I never really have since I was a child.”

“Why so?” I asked. “I’m not saying there’s no reason for doubts, since I’ve had my own fair share. I’m just curious about how you feel.”

“Well… Cedrick’s been loyal to the crown for decades now, so it’s clear he respects the kingdom’s interests. It’s just…” Amber looked perplexed. “He’s never been particularly kind to me and my sister when our mother isn't around, and I can’t get a read on him like with other people.”

“By ‘can’t get a read on’, do you actually mean…?”

“I can’t use my intention ability on Cedrick.” Amber admitted a piece of shocking information.

“Seriously…?”

“I don’t know how he does it, but I only see a blank slate when I appraise him,” Amber said. “Maybe it’s unfair of me to make assumptions. He does seem to care about mother, at the very least.”

Interesting… Is it possible that Cedrick has found some loophole in the bloodline magic of the royal family?

If anyone was going to concoct such a workaround, it would have to be someone who has spent decades around women who could practically read his emotions at any time. The kind of poker face to feign ignorance whenever necessary.

“I think it’s normal to worry about those sorts of things. You just want to protect your family don’t you?” I said. Amber nodded in response. “In that case, if you’re worried, I’ll help keep my eyes out for anything strange. I want the people living here to be safe too.”

“Thanks, Sakuta.” Amber punched me on the shoulder, a bashful habit of hers. “But you should be more careful too, rat-bait.”

“Oye, don’t call me that!” I shook my fist as Amber laughed.

We seemed to be on the same page, so I was a little relieved.

“In any case, we should go get freshened up before dinner.” Amber glanced down at our dusty clothes. “We look awful, and your fencing instructor is an old friend of mine… I don’t want her to see me like this.”

“That we do.” I started chuckling to myself.

“What’s so funny?” Amber raised an eyebrow.

“It’s… Well, you’ve changed a bit,” I said. “From that first dinner meeting in your tattered dress to now. There’s a certain… glow about you lately. It’s… pretty.”

Wait, why did I just admit that? Isn’t that a little weird to come out and say?

“You—!” Amber looked embarrassed. “D-don’t get so carried away now. Sheesh. I’m going to get changed, I’ll see you at dinner.”

“See you.” I waved Amber off. “I guess I could use a quick soak too before I meet the person who’s going to be training me starting tomorrow…”

14.2

“And Sakuta got himself carried into this huge nest of rats—oh, you should have heard him yelling—and then…” Amber regaled the exasperated Queen Veranda and Princess Mavis with the details of our miniature adventure, sparing my pride little thought with each embarrassing detail.

The other maids and butlers who handled dining preparations listened in, trying not to laugh at my expense. Some were better than others at hiding their expressions, but not Poppy, who was almost doubled over in silent laughter.

I expected Queen Veranda to be more upset with us, but I was told this was a regular occurrence for Princess Amber. The Queen expressed relief for my safety more than anything else.

“I’m sure Cedrick gave you quite the lecture in my stead, so let’s simply enjoy the meal.” The Queen said, folding a napkin in her lap. “Our guest is running a little late due to some trouble with bandits on the road here.”

“Oh, I thought she was coming from Morningstar Magic Academy?” I wiped my mouth of some cream from a bite of dessert I had already taken.

“Miss Nadia makes a living escorting caravans when classes at the academy are not in session.” Queen Veranda explained. “She and her party have protected many of our valuable trade partners over the last several years.”

“Interesting… So what’s her personality like, my fencing instructor?” I asked.

“Oh, Nadia?” Amber tapped her chin. “She’s a little, how do I put this…”

Amber waved her hand in front of her face. When she finished, her expression was completely blank as she gave me a deadpan stare.

“A little like this, you could say.” Amber said in a monotone voice.

“Oh?” I took note of the strangely lacking description. “Do you mean to say she’s some kind of kuu—?”

I paused mid-sentence.

“Ku?” Amber gave me a puzzled look.

I guess the term ‘kuudere’ wouldn’t register with anybody here.

“What I meant to say was that she’s not very expressive, right?” I clarified.

“Oh, yeah. Nadia lived a bit of a sheltered life growing up so she doesn’t always know how to interact around other people.” Amber explained. “But her skill with a sword is the real deal, don’t you worry.”

“That’s why so many people at the academy took to calling her the ‘Sword Angel’. I’m such a big fan!” Mavis added, her hands pressed together and a twinkle in her eye. “She was about the only person that would spar with my sister, so they became quick friends.”

“It shames me to admit it, but I never did beat her. Not even once…” Amber shrugged, sighing as she did. “She’s the best in the kingdom for a reason.”

“So why wouldn’t anyone else spar with you?” I asked. “Not to be rude or anything, but is it because you’re wicked strong?”

“Not so much. There were plenty of strong fighters—magicians and swordsmen alike—at the academy that surpassed my level.” Amber said. “Part of their aversion was special treatment for me being the Crown Princess. No one wanted to harm me, and risk getting themselves sent to the dungeon.”

She said the last bit while scoffing. I doubted she was the type to hold something like her status over someone’s head, but I still understood where they were coming from as a person with no regal blood. My connection to the royal family was strictly coincidental.

“The rest was ostracization for… a different reason…” I noticed Amber’s eyes drift to the door.

A different reason?

“Hmm?” I cast my gaze in the same direction.

“She’s here.” Amber uttered with a smile.

At that moment, the door crept open with the same groaning sound as usual. On the other side of the door in the foyer stood Cedrick with a young woman posted next to him. The elf stepped forward, unrolling a scroll.

“Presenting our honored guest, Nadeschda Iliana Angelica IV, Morningstar Magic Academy’s very finest—“

“Nadia!!” Amber sprang up out of her seat, interrupting Cedrick’s prolonged introduction. She pulled the young woman into a tight embrace, swinging her around.

“We’re so fortunate that you could respond to our invitation on such short notice, Nadia Dear.” Queen Veranda gave a welcoming nod. “I heard you ran into trouble with some bandits on the way. I do hope none of your envoys were harmed…”

“I think it’s more accurate to say that the bandits ran into trouble with Nadia, isn’t that right?” Amber grinned widely.

Nadia—who had yet to speak—scanned the room blankly until her gaze came to rest on me. Her gray eyes felt strangely imposing, lacking any sort of emotion. Outside of maybe 'surprise' at the sudden hug by Amber, which she returned after a moment.

“Come on over, and I’ll introduce you to your new protégé…” Amber led Nadia over to the table gleefully.

To say that my teacher fit the angel persona would have been an understatement, even despite her cold eyes. Nadia was—without a doubt—a beauty amongst beauties.

Her vibrant cyan-colored hair was tied back in a Dutch braided-style bun. Her pale skin and soft facial features made her seem doll-like, and her robotic expression did little to detract from that.

“Sakuta, this is my friend Nadeschda from the academy, but everyone calls her Nadia.” Amber began the introductions. “Nadia, this is Yamada Sakuta, my fiancé.”

I stood up and held out my hand to shake. Her silver plate armor made her look very much like a knight from some sort of fairytale.

“I look forward to learning from you, mentor.” I opted for a somewhat casual greeting. We were around the same age from what it appeared, and I didn’t want to come across as sounding too self-important.

“A pleasure.” Nadia shook my hand.

Maybe ‘shook’ wasn’t the right word. Nadia was not a particularly large woman. Quite the opposite, as she stood somewhere between mine and Jewel’s diminutive height. She wasn’t ridiculously muscular either, but I could tell that this girl was…

Super strong! Like—TOO damn strong!!

I maintained my best poker face even though my hand felt as though it were being crushed into fine powder by the Sword Angel, who seemed completely unaware of her own grip strength.

“Huh. You and Amber work fast.” Nadia said, glancing over at the Princess. Her expression and tone of voice remained unchanged, just as advertised.

“…..Pardon?” I was puzzled.

“The necklace. Expecting children soon, are you not?”

………………….

“HUH!?”

What is this peculiar girl on about!?

Poppy could no longer contain her amusement as she fell to pieces, holding her sides in a fit of laughter. Everyone else was approaching the same territory as I stood there blinking slowly, almost forgetting about the vice grip on my right hand.

“I’m sorry, Sakuta—pfft—Dear…” Queen Veranda was no exception to the hilarity. “I was going to mention something sooner, but Amber told me to leave it be. Quite a mean prank to pull.”

“Mother!” Amber protested. “It wasn’t a prank, honest…”

“Unaware of… what?” I asked.

“The flower pendant the Princess is wearing, a symbol of the goddess of fertility, is often given to someone who is expecting children,” Cedrick said with his hand over the bridge of his nose. “A charm for a safe delivery.”

“Oh, so that’s why you…” I muttered. “I see.”

“Or—when it’s given by her partner—it’s a sign that he wants to, you know… ‘Get it on’. As the kids might say.” Queen Veranda forced a smile.

You mean, I gave the Princess a necklace that means I want to have… that… with her!!?

I felt my very soul leave my body as my face flushed. Amber trotted over, patting me on the back in an attempt to cheer me up.

“You had such an innocent look on your face, and I didn’t want to turn you down.” Amber smiled. “Maybe it was counterproductive of me… Sorry for embarrassing you.”

“Me as well, for misunderstanding.” Nadia finally released her grip and moved on to greeting Queen Veranda, as well as Mavis who had been waiting with bated breath.

“I should at least take it back, and get you something more appropriate…” I sighed, giving Amber an apologetic look. “And I was so confident with my reading progress…”

I recognized the word ‘goddess’ from the storybook readings with Jewel, but mistook the symbol for ‘fertility’ with ‘growth’. The cherry blossom had suddenly taken on a brand new meaning for me as my blunder was now apparent.

“Absolutely not! It’s the one you picked out, so it’s important that I wear it.” Amber said, a rosiness in her cheeks. “Just don’t expect any action before our wedding night, you hear?”

“WHA—!”

“Hehehehe.” Amber giggled away at me.

I know she was just teasing to reinforce the whole fake couple thing, but why did my ears perk up at that suggestion? Me and Amber…

“No, no, no.” I shook that far-fetched idea away immediately.

“Anyway, what do you think of your new instructor?” Amber asked.

“She’s certainly…”

My brow furrowed as I witnessed the gentle manner in which Nadia took the Queen and Princess’ hands compared to my own, getting on one knee to pay them reverence.

“…stronger than she looks.”

Maybe she is aware of her own strength, after all…

But at the very least, she seemed far less prickly than my academic instructor.

“Now that the guest of honor has arrived, let us all feast for today!” Queen Veranda called for the meal to officially begin, as we once again took our seats after the madness of a few moments prior.

I, meanwhile, looked ahead to the next day. Starting at first light, I would be training with Nadia in the ways of the sword in preparation for the Northwind Triathlon.

I would have to learn things on the fly if I wanted to be anywhere near prepared for the arduous task of facing off against Aurelia’s best in the three events. All I had to do was outscore the Duke’s chosen champion to survive banishment, but that in itself was no walk in the park.

And I had a pretty good inkling already as to who my opponent might end up being…

14.3

“Rather than bore you with lectures to start, Nadia thought it would be best for you to witness her technique in action before we do anything else.” Amber explained to me in the castle courtyard.

“Are you sure about this?” I asked. “You don’t have to go through so much on my account. It’s not like you’re the one that needs training.”

Amber had agreed to spar with Nadia as part of her demonstration. Amber flashed her most confident smile, despite her hand trembling a bit. I couldn’t imagine it was out of fear, but respect for her opponent’s strength.

“It’s been too long since I’ve had a good fight,” she said. “For now you can sit back and enjoy the show.”

A few feet away stood Nadia, who had her feet squared and her hand on the ivory hilt of the sword at her hip. In the meantime, I stood near the gazebo with Princess Mavis and Jewel, who had a book in her hand as usual.

“I’m surprised to see you out here,” I noted to the small maid. “Unless you just wanted to see me embarrass myself in front of two Princesses, and my new fencing instructor.”

“If I wanted to see you embarrass yourself, I could do it at any other time,” Jewel smirked. “Poppy told me all about the pendant, by the way, dummy.”

“How rude…” I complained.

When Jewel heard Amber was going to be sparring against the Sword Angel, she got weirdly pumped up and finished her morning tasks in record time. Study sessions with my feline acquaintance had remained a regular occurrence, but I saw her less and less with my work being put on pause.

Mavis—on the other hand—was also in the cheering section but for Nadia whom she idolized, and not as much for her sister. The contrast was quite funny between the pair of Jewel and the Princess, like cheerleaders for their respective sides.

As for me, I was just hoping to sponge as much technique as I possibly could while watching the two of them duke out. Even though the real work began when I started to practice the steps myself.

“Don’t hold back for my sake, Nadia. My sister knows a few healing spells just in case.” Amber pulled out her scimitar. “We’ll begin on your mark, Mavis.”

Wow, Amber is super serious about this. She must have taken those losses more personally than she lets on.

“Ready.” Nadia pulled out her glittering sword, pointing it forward at eye level with her dominant elbow pointed outward. “On guard.”

She shifted her eyes briefly to me, uttering those two words, and then back to Amber. I quickly realized that she was beginning her play-by-play, and that I should be taking mental notes. ‘On guard’ was her opening stance.

“Sissy, Miss Nadia, if you’re both ready we’ll begin on my count.” Mavis held up one dainty hand. “On your marks…. Fight!”

I felt a strong gust of wind pass by, but it appeared that neither of the two of them had moved an inch. In actuality, however…

“GACK—!” Amber coughed up blood onto the cobblestone below, having barely taken a step forward. Cool as a cucumber, Nadia calmly resheathed her sword.

What the—!

“Sissy!” Mavis had already run over to Amber’s side.

“Did anybody else see what the heck just happened!?” I was flabbergasted.

“I think… I saw it.” Jewel said with a strained look. “It took a moment to process, but yes, I definitely did.”

“Seriously!?” I asked.

“The cat folk have fast enough reflexes to see certain things that are too quick for the human eye.” Jewel explained.

“Is that right…”

“Miss Nadia shot forward at such a speed that even Princess Amber couldn’t react in time, jamming the hilt of her sword into the Princess’ sternum.” Jewel shook her head in amazement. “It even seems like she held back at the last second.”

Amazing… Is such a thing even possible for a human?

“Medi heal…” A green light escaped from the hands of the younger princess as she tended to Amber’s chest area.

After a moment Amber looked to be mostly fine. It was the first time I had seen healing magic at work that wasn’t the bottled elixir the apothecary sold.

“I thought I told you… not to hold back, Nadia…” Amber struggled for breath, her hands on her knees. “Are you trying to piss me off, or something?”

“And kill a dear friend? No.” Nadia shook her head softly. “Good to continue?”

“Yeah… It's clear that you’ve improved a ton.” Amber finally caught her breath. “Phew. I’ll admit it, you've left me completely in the dust. But… I want to give it another go.”

Nadia gave a half-smile and nodded.

“You think you could scale it back to roughly the level I fought you at before?” Amber asked. “For Sakuta’s sake, of course…”

A wise suggestion. If she continued to fight like she was, not only would I not be able to track her movements, but Amber might be beaten beyond what an amateur healing spell could hope to repair.

“Of course.” Nadia drew her sword once again, getting back in her stance. “Pay close attention, Yamada-deshi.”

Deshi?

“We’ll begin on my count once again…” Mavis looked considerably more nervous than before. “On your marks… fight…”

Rather than launching herself forward—like the previous round—Nadia assumed the role of the defender, keeping her guard up. Amber shuffled her feet in a semi-circle around her former classmate, waiting for the right opportunity to strike.

“HAAAAAH!” Amber charged in with a downward swing of her scimitar.

Sparks flew as Nadia easily parried her strike, not moving her feet once in the process.

“The first key to swordsmanship is a solid base,” Nadia said. “If your opponent can’t shake you from your stance, they are much less likely to land a hit on you.”

Amber's next swing—as strong as it was—was completely errant, missing Nadia as she finally side-stepped her aggressor.

“In fencing, a hit is a point.” Nadia contorted her body into a kick, knocking Amber back several feet. “Score more hits than your opponent, and you’ll place well in the triathlon’s fencing portion.”

“I know you’re teaching him and everything, but talking over our fight like I’m not the main focus is a little grating.” Amber chuckled, seeming a tiny bit agitated. She pulled a second scimitar from her waist, moving onto a dual-wielding technique. “What do you think of this!?”

Amber increased the speed of her swings and the frequency with which she changed up her attack pattern.

“Huh.” Nadia raised an eyebrow. “Your stamina has improved, Your Highness.”

“That’s a real compliment coming from you, but you haven’t seen my best yet!”

The competitive grin and lust for battle on Amber’s face reminded me of back on Aurelia’s Tear when she did a number on the pirates and their captain. The two maidens before me fought ferociously. In perfect sync, hardly seeming to break a sweat to my untrained eye.

“You’ve got this, Princess!” Jewel cheered.

“Take this!” Amber twirled into a swing, which Nadia immediately reacted to in a defensive manner. “Got ya.”

“Eh?” Nadia was taken off-guard as the Princess planted her foot into the ground.

Amber’s attack was a feint. She used the forward momentum to roll over Nadia’s left epaulet, swinging her scimitar upwards into the back of the Sword Angel’s shoulder column. It was a hard-fought maneuver, but it was her very first point of the match.

“I did it!” Amber beamed. “I scored a—!”

Nadia immediately swept Amber’s legs, sending the Princess falling flat on her back with a thud. The Sword Angel aimed her weapon downward towards Amber’s throat, ending the match in her victory.

“Always watch for a counter after you land a point,” Nadia said plainly. “Your opponent’s desperation will only increase as you grow closer to victory.”

“And there’s nothing more desperate than a wounded animal, right?” Amber completed her thought, accepting Nadia’s offer to help her up. “That’s what our teacher always said, anyway.”

“Well fought.” Nadia bowed.

The cheering gallery clapped and cheered for the two competitors. Meanwhile, I was still mystified by the brutality and skill I had just witnessed.

“There you have it, Sakuta.” Amber said. “After seeing that, you think you can jump in there and learn from Nadia? Like I said, there’s no better teacher out there.”

“Yeah, I think so.” I nodded, still in amazement. “Still though, that was some display you two put on. How does a human even become strong enough to do all that?”

“Human?” Nadia tilted her head in confusion.

“Uhhh… Yeah?” I scratched my head. “You know, like what the three of us are?”

Nadia shook her head slowly.

“I am not human.”

I paused for a moment.

Would ‘Then what are you?’ be rude to ask in this situation?

Unprompted, Nadia began taking off the top half of her armor. Each silver plate landed with an unceremonious clank on the ground as the Sword Angel stripped down to her chest wraps, the only thing covering her slender upper frame.

Two mitts suddenly clasped themselves over my eyes in haste.

“Nadia, what are you doing!?” Amber’s voice above me sounded off frantically.

“Showing Yamada-deshi what I am.” Nadia said.

“Yeah, but do you really have to get naked to do that…?” Amber mumbled. “You’ll corrupt Sakuta’s virgin aura.”

Virgin aura? Thanks a lot!

“I will not be naked,” Nadia replied matter-of-factly. “I have my training wraps on. Also, I have no curves to ogle. This worried you, did it not?”

“It did not! Ugh, fine then I guess...” Amber sighed, her hands slowly dropping from my eyes.

I looked on with curiosity, and a bit of anxiety. If Nadia wasn’t human then I wondered what she might be. She certainly passed well enough outside of her unusual hair color. Nadia made one final adjustment to her wraps, and from her back burst a truly amazing sight.

“You’re…. You’re a—!”

She’s… a REAL angel!?

White feathery wings spread out five times the width of Nadia’s body as she revealed her true self to us. Everyone outside of Amber seemed as surprised as I was but for different reasons.

“This world has angels, for real!?” I exclaimed. “Well, I guess it’s not that far-fetched, seeing that they have demons too…”

“I’ve heard of this term, angel.” Nadia said. “But—it does not apply to me personally.”

“Eh?? Isn’t that your nickname around the academy?” I asked. “The Sword Angel. That’s what I heard, anyway.”

“That may be true,” she thought for a moment. “However, my race is that of the Seraphs. I guess we are somewhat similar to the fairytale concept of angels.”

“I see, I see…” I noted, inspecting her majestic wings. “I’m surprised I haven’t heard of such a race in any of the books I struggled to get through with Jewel there.”

“Of course not. We haven’t got to the portion that talked about the Great War between the Dwarves and the Gods in any of the storybooks yet.” Jewel said. “If you paid more attention, we might get through our lessons faster.”

“A great war, huh?” I muttered. “What do the… Seraphs, was it? What do they have to do with any of that?”

“It’s a long story to tell, but they fought on the side of the Gods,” Amber said. “They’re the second rarest people to see in this era. After the dwarves who… Well, let’s just say I’ve never seen one myself.”

Angels and Gods on the same side make too much sense, but what do the dwarves have to do with it all? Ah, classic lore dump creating way more questions than answers.

However, I finally understood why Nadia appeared to be much stronger than you could reasonably get as a human being. Even with a lifetime of training, I struggled to imagine any regular guy or gal could scratch her level.

“I was curious… Why do you hide your wings under all that armor?” I asked. “Wouldn’t it be more comfortable to leave them out? I’m sure it would make it easier to fly too…”

“Why do you have such a fascination with our extremities, you pervert?” Jewel put her hands on her hips. “First asking about mine and Miss Poppy’s tails, and now this foolishness…”

“Their tails?” The pair of princesses, Amber and Mavis, both raised an eyebrow.

“It’s not what she makes it seem.” I shot Jewel a glare. “I’m just curious by nature, I guess.”

“Riiight…” Amber didn’t seem convinced.

“To answer your question, Yamada-deshi, there is stigma around some races in the world of Casca due to certain circumstances,” Nadia explained. “The Seraphs, once respected by all, are now despised.”

“I see… that’s terrible.” I nodded.

I see why she would try to conceal that fact if it caused her some measure of grief.

“That is why I found kinship with Princess Amber at the academy, who understood my shortcomings,” Nadia said. “She too faces scrutiny, since she’s a—“

“A—mazed that no one has offered you a cold refreshment yet after that hard-fought battle!” Amber chuckled, rushing to cover Nadia’s mouth before she could finish her sentence. “Isn’t that right, Nadia?”

“Oh?” Nadia looked confused before Amber whispered something inaudible to the rest of us. “Ah… Why, yes. I’m so very thirsty.”

Not the best actor, I see…

“Allow me to get you a drink then, my lady!” Jewel sprang up like a maid on a mission. “My dearest apologies for not suggesting it sooner.”

“I’ll come with you!” Princess Mavis seemed to take it as a personal challenge to see who could impress Nadia more than anything. “I’ll go fetch some sweets from my personal stockpile. Just wait here for a spell.”

The small maid and young Princess sprinted off in the direction of the castle, determined to perform excellent guest service. Although it was technically only Jewel’s job to do so.

And mine, I suppose. On a regular day, I would be the one rushing to pour the tea. This whole triathlon business has really thrown off my routine…

“Also, Yamada-deshi…” Nadia suddenly looked a bit embarrassed, as evidenced by her reddening cheeks. An unusual response from what I’d seen thus far. “My wings…”

“Your wings?” I asked. “What about them?”

“My wings are a special part of myself that I have not shown to another male since my birth.” Nadia appeared to be quite serious. “You will… take responsibility, yes?”

“Take… what now?”

“Huuuuh!!?” Amber exclaimed. “What are you talking about, Nadia?”

“My marital purity is gone like a flower in the spring breeze. Yamada-deshi must adopt me into his family as I will never find a husband.” Nadia reasoned, pointing at me.

“As if. We all saw your wings, doofus! That means we all share in the responsibility.” Amber sighed. “You’re plenty beautiful, anyway. Mister Right is out there somewhere, looking for you.”

“No, it must be Yamada-deshi.” Nadia insisted. “This Master White will not accept me as I am, impure. I understand I cannot be number one in his heart, but I have accepted the important role of concubine.”

“It’s MIS-TER RIGH-TUH. And ‘must be Sakuta’, my ass. Now you’ve done it…” Amber put her blank-faced friend in a headlock. “Take it back now, or I’ll turn you into a feather duster!”

“Ow. I cannot. Ouch.”

I zoned out for a moment while the two of them wrestled it out. I was greatly perplexed by something Nadia said, and it wasn’t about taking responsibility for something or other. It was about Amber…

“The rest was ostracization for… a different reason…”

Amber’s words from the night before at dinner were consistent with what Nadia had just described, but I failed to see this ‘ostracization’ in action. The Princess Amber that I knew seemed to be a headache for some people—like Cedrick—but generally beloved and respected by the people of Aurelia.

Was I not paying enough attention to Amber’s feelings, or was it simply a problem in her past that she overcame on her own? Either way, I felt as if I was missing an important detail or details about my partner in crime. I likely wouldn’t find out more unless I pressed the issue myself.

I could always ask Queen Veranda or Mavis, even Nadia seems to know, but…

It would be far more considerate of me to find out directly from the source, Amber herself when she was ready to tell me all the finer details. I committed myself to being a better listener going forward to prepare for when that might happen.

As Amber and Nadia’s wrestling match continued without a clear victor, I saw Poppy approaching the courtyard with a scroll in her hand.

“Hey, break it up, you two!” Poppy called out as she approached, her ears wiggling at the three of us. “I’ve got some important news that concerns Sakuta, and the triathlon.”

“Really?” I perked up. “What do we know?”

Amber and Nadia finally stopped to listen in

“We already knew that the triathlon would be taking place in a month and a half in the city of Northwind on the night of the summer solstice.” Poppy explained. “The event will be sponsored by the Adventurer’s Guild of Aurelia once again, and all the point systems have been detailed here on this notice.”

“Great! We can review after you get some practice swings in.” Amber said. “Anything else?”

“The big one is that your main opponent has been decided by the Duke, and it should come as no surprise who that is.” Poppy crossed her arms.

“Count Charles Cleishay.” I muttered.

“You got it.”

“Don’t lose face now, Yamada Sakuta. From this point forward we will be opponents in the truest sense.”

I had a feeling those words, courtesy of the Count, weren’t just to make me feel better about the whole situation. He had a funny way of sneaking me warnings in conversation, which led me to believe that he might not be as irredeemable as I had previously thought.

“I know you would rather be home with your family instead of fighting banishment, but I swear on my honor as Crown Princess that we’ll do everything in our power to help you.” Amber said. “You’re not alone in this.”

I’m not… alone.

I glanced around at the faces gathered around me.

Poppy with whom I had worked closely with in the castle for the last several months, someone not afraid to be brutally honest with me when I most needed it. A true role model to Jewel and the others.

My new fencing instructor Nadia—a peculiar but strong presence—someone who would help me in the days to come.

The pair of Jewel and Mavis who came sprinting back from the castle, refreshments in hand. Two trusted allies that I knew I could count on to have my back, even if one was a bit more prickly than the other.

Queen Veranda who was up in the castle running the country as its ruler, the person who started my journey here and took care of me as a total stranger. I could never forget her kindness. And finally…

“The real work begins now.” Amber smiled. “Are you ready to train like your life here depends on it?”

“It sort of does, you know?” I sighed, exasperated. “But… I’m not ready to say goodbye to anybody here just yet. I’ll fight until the bitter end. Whether it’s Charles, the Phantom, or anyone else standing in my way.”

I’ll fight to protect my family here, and preserve my dearest wish to return home to Earth. By any means necessary.

“Then…” Amber smiled, turning to face me. The morning sun shone behind her. “Shall we get started?”