Chapter 93 (1/2)
Once the bell rung six, Rudel stopped swinging his sword, and wiped off his sweat
He gazed at the backs of all the students in the dor hall after hearing the sound
The earlyhe had done froraduation Fro praiseworthy
But to Rudel, and the students who trained in a similar manner, it was only normal If they slacked off, then that's just how far they'd fall behind the others
One could say Eunius and Aleist were extraordinary The two of the, but they did devote their ti other hours Their life styles si
”So it ends today”
Wiping his sweat, Rudel sat on the spot and looked up at the sky
He recalled all the tias during as had been the first friend he ever made
If he saw any troubled students, he did try to call out, but his status would always get in the way, and it would never go as sas
Personality probleave off had beco him While he hadn't noticed it, the fact that he had becoest in the academy was also to blame
Rather than being fond of Rudel, his underclassmen were in awe The class years one and two below his remembered the matters with Chlust and Fritz, and kept their distances
When it came to underclassmen below that, Rudel's exorbitant ability would create distance There weren't any commoner students ould even think to approach the future archduke and white knight that was Rudel
Young nobles would only greet hi a bit of his oardness, Rudel made a bitter smile While to each his own, he would have no choice but to deal with people from now on
That he thought that meant that Rudel had ely didn't understand the importance of human interaction
”Now then, I guess I'll prepare for graduation”
Standing, he headed for the dining hall
He had prepared for the sake of this day, and alongside his loneliness, he felt just a little happy
The graduation ceremony ended without incident and from afternoon, the academy was busy with the final preparations for the party
Within all that, the culprit who had devised this new event was delighted
”King's game!!”
While Fina wasn't allowed to go out while the party was being prepared, in exchange, Mii was busy at work In her Mii-less roo a ruckus It wasn't quite possible for the princes Fina to help set up the party
The year before, Rudel and the others had taken part, causing quite an aard air But taking her safety and status in consideration, the academy was able to ask her to refrain In Fina's place, Mii was spending every day, busily preparing for the event
”Hah, what is it, princess? Are you scheain?”
Correcting the positioning of her glasses with the ht hand, Sophina readied herself in her heart for Fina's next spurt of irrationality She needed to make sure she wasn't surprised no matter what she hear
Sophina, who could practically be called Fina's retainer at this point, was used to dealing with her
”… Sophina, look at this schedule Right here, it has the words King's Game written in”
”That is quite a discourteous nae it?”
”You fool! It is only those small in caliber who complain about all the petty details The proble's orders are absolute!' What do you think about that?”
”… I think it's a tad strange for an event at a party If someone orders another to die on the spot, then the atmosphere will take quite a peculiar turn”
As Sophina spoke of brutal detail, Fina criticized her expressionlessly
”How foolish This is why your e interviews continue to fail This time makes thirty two, does it? You're on your way there! Courtois' high score of fifty six is right before your eyes”
The high score fornobles- particularly woes for royalty were close to obligations, for those low in status and relatively free, both sides were able to turn down the matchups
And in Courtois, the irly ones were the most popular
”Why do you know about that!? A-and, I' to update the score…”
Having failed once more, Sophina recalled her delicate partner While they attended the acadee portion of nobles would often skip classes Her partner was unable to see a splendid knight like Sophina as girly in any shape or form
Rudel's generation was rare a nobles, where the future archduke was earnest, so they followed his lead Looking at it froood example
In order to sell themselves to these future heads of the factions, it would be best to be earnest The nobles had ements
”… That's what they all say as their nuh score, their hearts break every ti held in a festive hall… and that ht? I mean, they'll all have a bit of drink in their systems, and it's the final time they can fool around as students! Don't you think this is the perfect place to seal the deal?”
Beco a little fearful of Fina's expressionless zeal, Sophina cautioned her she was going too far
”Sealing the deal at a party is a little…”
”Oh? How far are you i about a kiss Hey, Sophina, just what sort of indecent things did you iine? Hey!?”
”I-in that case, you just have to get your feelings across in the public confession”
As Sophina forcefully changed the subject, Fina grinned within, choosing to play along
”Even if I confess in that gaht? If we kiss, and I take on a heartrending attitude, everyone around will go and iine it on their own”
This girl's dark, or so Sophina ht of her master when Fina suddenly turned serious
”But in order to do that, I'll have to beco and I'll have to know master's numbers… hey, Sophina?”
Understanding what Fina was thinking and what she desired, Sophina could only silently nod
(Hah, what a)
In the party hall, the preparations had finished, and the graduates in disguise started appearing one after the next
Fro costume looked considerably real The man in question was tall in stature and muscular in build His fore shi+eld and axe, was truly that of a bandit
In contrast, Luecke had with hiarment and weapon
He had asked a blacksmith Rudel was acquainted with to prepare an eastern ki hair was collected at the back, and his costun culture His katana wasto it
”What's this? When a beansprout wears clothes like that, he only looks needlessly wimpier”
To the end of the end, the two of them spat cynicism, but it had lost the bite it had at the start More than that, it had beco between them
”When I thought I spotted a bandit here, it was just thein my boots”
As the two of thelared at one another within the hall, Rudel stepped into the space between them
”Stop it, both of you! Izu today Can't you let it slide, on my face today?”
As Rudel entered the hall a little late, the two of them lost their words
”… Eh?”
”Y-yeah”
There was no helping their befuddle helave off quite a lax impression
A fluffy tail, and stiff, standing ears… The mouth was slie are face… there was no way for the two of them to knoho it was Only by the mention of Izumi's name could they knoas Rudel inside
”Dude, what's with that getup?”
As Eunius pointed at Rudel, Rudel took off the headpiece to show his face
”This? It's a dog I worked hard to prepare it I didn't want to spend too much money, after all It's all hand-made”
”Well that's quite so?”
Luecke was surprised by the hand-made part, butThe students around were also directing their eyes at Rudel
”The truth is, we keep a dog back home”
Rudel infor, and Eunius waited for the reason to come after that But Rudel stayed silent
”… And?”
”And what?”
Seeing the two unsatisfied with his answer, Rudel tilted his head
Luecke and Eunius looked at Rudel,over what to say, when Izumi appeared
Rather than a disguise, Izu she wore in the orient, participating in a kimono Her hair was fastened with an ornate hairpin
”Rudel, you chose so quite conspicuous”
Rudel put his headpiece back down, showing Izumi the rest of his costume After he did a full turn, the three of them clapped their hands at the considerable workmanshi+p
”Right? It's handmade”
Rudel showed a peculiar talent, but the three of the ith hiirls si male uniforms
Many icians
If there was another conspicuous figure, then surely it was Aleist He had co he had worn on the requests of those around him
It was a result of his fiancés deallant form
Spotting the usual members, Aleist raced up in his armor