第１１１４堀：模擬戦 (Part1)
Chapter 1114: Mock Battle
Mock Battle
Side: Mikos
“...Why, when I’m supposed to be at the Magic Academy, have I ended up wrapped in armor like this?”
For some reason, Mikos-chan had shed her adorable student uniform and donned combat gear that lacked even a hint of charm, let alone athletic grace, and was now tracing circles into the dirt with her toe.
“...Stop trying to escape reality.”
Kagura, who delivered those cold words with a look of utter annoyance, was dressed in the same heavy gear. A quick glance at Kagura’s expression revealed she was suffering just as much. The reason was simple:
“Ugh, Kagura, you hate this too, right!? A mock battle against Deryu-san!?”
Yes, for some inexplicable reason, Mikos-chan and the others were currently facing a life-threatening crisis. They called it a “mock battle,” but the opponent was Deryu-san, who possessed some of the highest close-quarters combat prowess among Yuki-sensei’s wives. Under the guise of gauging Wazfi’s combat ability, Mikos-chan and the others had been dragged into this life-or-death struggle.
If it were a proper mock battle, that would be one thing, but the opponent was Deryu-san—a woman who didn't even realize she had left the concept of “holding back” somewhere far behind. Well, she probably thought she *was* holding back, but...
“Ahaha, if possible, I’d really like to avoid the unsightly spectacle of having my face smashed in and being covered in nosebleed in front of Yuki this time.”
“You’ve grown much stronger since that day. Let’s do our best, General Agil.”
“Oh? Stasia, you’re fired up, aren’t you? Well, I’ve never gone head-to-head with Deryu before, so I suppose this is a good opportunity to gauge her strength.”
“That’s true. This time, I’ll be sure to land a hit.”
Mikos-chan understood Agil-san’s feelings perfectly—having one’s face smashed in and being left bloodied was a nightmare—but the other three, Stasia, Comet-san, and Enora, were beyond carefree; they looked like nothing more than suicide volunteers. They had never won a single mock battle before, so why were they so eager?
“Well, whatever injuries you get, I’ll heal them. Good luck!”
Yuki-sensei offered such encouragement from the spectator seats of the training grounds. Yes, this was the Lancer Magic Academy’s training field. It seemed that a place like this did, in fact, exist for a school that taught magic. Students needed to train their arts and have them evaluated by others, which explained the presence of the spectator stands.
“...Ugh, Mikos-chan absolutely does not want Yuki-sensei to see her getting beaten to a pulp.”
Who in their right mind would want their husband to see them looking so pathetic? Especially when it involved the fatal blow to a maiden’s pride: having one’s face rearranged by a punch.
“I feel the same way. But do you really think we can escape? She would undoubtedly chase us to the ends of hell. Besides, if we try to run away now, Seraria-sama will definitely join in the fun once we get back to Weed.”
“...Ngh. I can’t deny that.”
As Kagura said, even if they made excuses now, it was clear that Seraria-sama would happily jump into the fray later. The troublesome part was that she loved fighting just as much. *Sigh.* Between Seraria-sama and Stasia, the image of what a “princess” should be was crumbling to pieces.
As she pondered this, her gaze drifted toward Stasia...
“Hm? Mikos, is something the matter?”
“Oh, no. It’s just... Stasia, you’re really motivated. Is that really okay for a princess?”
“Hey, Mikos!”
The thought had slipped out before she could stop it. Kagura warned her in a panic, but it was too late. Her words had reached Stasia, who blinked in surprise.
“Ah, sorry. It’s just that you’re so different from the princesses in stories that I couldn’t help but ask, even now.”
“Hmm. I see. Indeed, if I were merely a ‘princess’ by status, this current behavior would be incorrect. However, like Seraria-sama and Carrie, we have chosen to fight on the battlefield as a duty to the people. We put our womanhood and our status as royalty second. In other words, we have chosen a position that puts us in front of everyone else to fight. In my case and Seraria-sama’s, as generals.”
I see. It was true that they weren’t traditional princesses, but they were correct as protectors who stood on the front lines. Still...
“Then, what about Hime-sama? She’s not a general, is she?”
“Hime-sama is Hime-sama.”
“That’s true. In Carrie’s case, she utilizes her position as a ‘princess’ while demonstrating her brilliance as a diplomat. Well, her current standing is merely that of the former king’s daughter, so she isn’t a princess in the formal sense. King Haiden treats her as one, so calling her a princess is correct. Even so, it’s a bit of a stretch to call the current Carrie just a simple princess.”
Stasia said this with a wry smile. It was true; she was a princess, but calling her a “simple princess” made one tilt their head in confusion. She wasn’t the type to be pampered like a delicate flower; she possessed the iron will to defeat her enemies at all costs.
As they were talking...
“Alright, prep is done. Comet and Stasia look like they’re used to fighting, but are the rest of you going to be okay?”
The one speaking was Wazfi, the catalyst for this mock battle. Naturally, looking at Mikos-chan and the others—who appeared to be nothing more than frail maidens—it was only natural for him to worry if they could actually fight.
“Ah, well, we’re usually with Yuki-sensei, so we can manage.”
“That’s right. We can fight well enough. We’ve even served in the military and have real combat experience.”
“I’ve had plenty of experience dealing with bandits, too.”
“Hmm. You all have surprisingly impressive backgrounds. I haven’t served in the military yet. My experience is limited to bandits and monsters, just like Enora. But I’m most curious about that little Agil over there...”
Ah, indeed, looking at her, Agil was quite small. She might look like the weakest of the bunch, but she was, in fact...
“Ahahaha! Wazfi, you’re funny. Even though I look like this, I’m a former Magic Sword General, you know? I have mountains of combat experience.”
“Eh? A Magic Sword General!? W-what!?”
*Ahaha,* he looked incredibly shocked.
“Hey, Agil, didn’t you introduce yourself?”
“I did. I said I was Agil, sent here to research the Great Sea of Trees.”
“Ah, so you gave *that* introduction.”
“Well, yes. I figured if I blurted out my original affiliation, people would be on guard. That said, it’s not fun being treated like a child during a mock battle, so I decided to make my status clear.”
That made sense. If she had suddenly declared herself a general of the magic sword users from Nilea’s homeland, Wazfi might have worried about being punished for helping her. Still, she had revealed her former profession just because she didn't want to be treated like a child.
“Wait a second, Agil is a Magic Sword General? From which country? And a child like this?”
“Alright, I’ll take you on personally. I may look like this, but I am a fully grown woman. You’ve got some nerve treating me like a child.”