Three days later, the carriage with us in it left Rodnea.
　Seven days later, I returned to Lamprog territory for the first time in two years.
　I returned to Lamprog territory for the first time in two years.

　When I got off the carriage in front of the mansion, I saw a familiar face.

"Welcome back, Seika.
I'm home, brother Luft. You look different.

　Luft, who was turning nineteen this year, smiled shyly.

'Really?　A little bit of the dignity that is typical of the next lord, I guess.
Some.
'Seika ... hasn't changed much. I've grown taller, though.

　That's because if you've lived this long, you're not going to change on the inside now.

''I guess I won't be able to meet my brother's fiancée?

　I ask him casually, and he replies with a wry smile, "Unfortunately, I don't think he'll be here for a while.

Unfortunately, I don't think he'll be coming around for a while. You know, we have that sojourn to stay for now...
'That's a shame. I just wanted to say hello to your future sister-in-law.
I'll take a rain check on that.

　Then I turn to a tall, middle-aged man who is standing by Luft.

Hi, Edith. I'm so glad you took the time to come and get me, even though you're busy. It's nice to see you.
Oh, no, sir. Welcome back, Lady Seika. You've grown into a fine young man before I've seen you.

　The tall man gives a condescending bow.

　Edith is a freed slave in the service of the Lamprog family.
　She is an expressionless man with chestnut hair and a moustache, but she seems to be quite capable in fact, and is in charge of nearly all the management of the Lamploog estate. It was good to say that Blaise was able to devote himself to his own research, mostly thanks to Edith.
　That's why he should be quite busy........

'Is your work okay?'
My men will take care of him. It was a little bit of a job for me, but I'd really like to come up for you in person.

　He replied in a stiff tone.
　Edith has always been like this, but she has the same attitude towards everyone, so she is the preferred person in the house.
　Well, I'm sure she didn't come here today for me.

By the way, is Seika alone?
Hmm, what?　You can all come down.

　I turn around with only my face and call out to the carriage.
　I don't know if they're being shy, but as if on cue, they come out of the carriage in a lurch.

You will be able to find out more about this. Long time no see........
Oh, Yifa. It's been a while. I'm surprised at how clean you are.
'Oh, thank you...'
Yifa. Here.
Uh-huh.

　Then Yifa looks up at Edith and smiles slyly.

'Well I'm home, Dad.'
Yeah.

　Edith nodded, less than a few words.

'No change?'
Yeah, I'm fine.
Are you bothering Master Seika?
Um... maybe?

　Yifa looks at me and I answer her, "Yifa is doing a great job.

Yifa is doing very well," he says. She's doing very well in school, and she's doing very well. I'm proud to be your husband.
'It's too good to be true for my daughter but then it's worth sending her away.

　And then Edith stopped talking after that.
　He's a competent but clumsy father at work. He's a bit like Blaise in some ways.
　Well, let's leave the father and son alone," he said.

　I turn to Luft and wave at the red-haired girl who is frozen close to me.

"Brother Luft, this is Amu. I'm not going to be able to get to know you. Um.
Yeah, she is.

　Luft turned his head to Amu and held out his hand with a gentle smile.

''Nice to meet you. I am Luft Lamprog, the next head of the Lamprog family. I am pleased to welcome you all the way from Rodnea to my estate.''
Hi. At your service...

　Amu awkwardly agrees to shake hands. It's something very different from the usual.
　Luft continues with a somewhat amiable smile.

I don't know. Compared to Rodnea, is this still the countryside?
Well, maybe a little bit, but not too much.
'Hmm, no wonder Seika doesn't want to leave. I've been to Teito a few times, but not Rodnea. I'd like to hear about the school and the city, even if it's at the dinner table. Seika is all about her grades and achievements, and she doesn't write much about her normal life in her letters.
No, there's just nothing to write about.

　Then I indicate Mabel, who was standing by Amu's side, as well.

Yes, this is Mabel, Baroness Crain's daughter. Did you get my letter?
'Of course I've been watching. Nice to meet you. It's a pleasure to meet you, Miss Mabel.

　And Luft now gives Mabel a nobleman's courtesy.

'In fact, I've had the pleasure of greeting your uncle once at the Society. If you ever get a chance to meet him, it would be very helpful if you could give him my regards at that time.''
....!

　Mabel silently nodded her head in silence and looked around impatiently and scurriedly, then returned the same nobleman's courtesy in a rush.

　Mabel.........
　You said your manners were fine or something, but you're not used to it at all.......well, I knew it would be something like that.

　And at that time, Amu poked my arm area with her finger a little bit.
　He whispers to me in a whisper.

'Hey. Is this handsome guy your older brother?
Yes,
He doesn't look much like you.
Is that a farce, or are you just making fun of me in a roundabout way?
It's very aristocratic. I'm not trying to be a jerk, you know.

　Amu muttered, seemingly without any other intention.

　Two years ago, it wasn't so much. The young man is changing so quickly.

　I let out a breath and call out to Luft.

I need to put my stuff down for now, and I need you to show us all to our rooms. Brother.
Yeah. Well, come on over.

　I leave the baggage on the carriage to the maidservants and servants, and Luft leads me through the grounds of the house.
　I talk to him.

"Is your room at the end of the hall?
'No, it will be an empty room in the mansion. We've already got guests in the detached room. You see, it's the example of....
'Oh...'

　And then...

'Seikaaaaaaah!

　A voice I didn't want to hear jumped into my ears.

''Geez........''

　I stop in my tracks.
　Frowning, I look towards the voice and sure enough, there's my second brother.

'You're back at last!　Haha, how long I've been waiting for this day!

　Glai, standing in the garden, said with a sneer.
　I replied with a wry smile.

You've grown so... well... big in the short time I've been away!

　Two years ago, he was still as tall as Luft, but now he was completely over the top.
　On top of that, he was also quite stocky, perhaps because he had been trained in the military.
　He must have been training even now. He held a mock sword in his hand and seemed to be sweating a bit.

　This one has changed too........

''........I'm glad to see you're in good health. Do you enjoy life in the military that much?
Yeah, it's fun.

　He should have hated it so much, but surprisingly, Glei affirmed it.

It's a good thing that you're a good fit. It's a lot more fun than sitting at a desk, swinging a sword so hard you can puke and unleash your magic without thinking about theory. It was so much better than going to school. Seika, I can thank you for all you've done for me. But you know what, I haven't forgotten what you did to me for mocking me!

　And then Glai points the mock sword in his hand at me.

'Fight, Seika!
Huh?
'I've been waiting for this day for a long time!　It's time to make up for the humiliation today!

　When I was stunned, an elderly man standing beside Glai admonished me impatiently, "Young man!

'Little boy!　No, you mustn't do that to a child who has no knowledge of warfare, even though he is a nobleman who should be fighting for his country!
"Shut up and don't call me a f*cking baby!　I've endured hell training for this day, get out of my way!

　Grye retorts in defeat.
　I don't know him, but who is he? A military official, maybe a subordinate.
　In Glai's case, he didn't just come home, he's led some of his troops as part of his service.

　I had heard from Luft that he was now in charge of one of the platoons.
　I'm sure he was treated well because he was originally assigned to a relative's unit, but he must have been talented to rise so quickly. In addition to swords and magic, leading a troop requires the ability to unravel military tactics, attract and inspire the hearts of rough soldiers.
　Come to think of it, when I was in the mansion, I used to hang out with the bad guys in town. When you think about it that way, maybe I was suited for it after all.......

　And at that time, Amu poked my arm again with his finger.

''You know. Is that guy your second brother?
Yes,
That he bullied you and Yifa and beat her to a pulp before she got to the school?
Yeah. So I'm a platoon leader in the Imperial Guard provincial unit.
...A soldier challenges a student to a sword fight?　What are you thinking?
'Well, it's insane when you think about it calmly but that's just the way it is.
Hmm.

　Letting out a rough snort, Amu stepped forward.
　Then he looked at Glai and declared.

'Hey you!　You're going to have a fight with me instead of Seika!
What, amu?

　I'm upset by the suddenness of the situation.
　What?　I looked at Amu with a look like
　Then he returns his gaze to me and says, "Hey Seika.

"Hey Seika. What the hell is this?
I went to school with him and...
Aren't you ashamed to be challenging an amateur swordsman to a fight?

　Amu doesn't mind and continues.

'I'll be the one to deal with!　Isn't it normal to have an agent in a duel?

　It's a good thing that you're not the only one who can do this," he said, waving his hand in the air as if to scare away a dog.

I'm not a student. You're not wanted, so step aside.
'Seika is a student, too!　And we're not trained to be licked by a nobleman over here!
You know, I don't care about that...
Uh... go out with him, Glei.

　I said, a little lost.
　Maybe Glai would be calmer if he lost by the sword.

"Proxies," he said. At least Amu is definitely stronger than me with his sword.
Compared to you, who hardly ever holds a sword.
If you ever win against Amu, I'd be happy to take care of you then.
Hmmm... so you better get to it.

　Glei looks at Amu and says, "I'll take it, kid.

I'll take it, kid. Get your sword ready.
Take a stance. Give me your simulation sword.
You're a pain in the ass. Why don't you pull that big-ass hips off?

　Grye points out the mithril staff sword Amu holds up with the tip of his mock sword.

'You'll be more comfortable with that one too.
Do you want us to take ourselves seriously?
If it's a dead end, so be it. But you can come at me with a mind to kill me. In military training, even with a simulated sword, sometimes people die.
Yeah.

　Amu loosely draws his staff sword.

'But that's common among adventurers too.
'Adventurer...?　Oh, well. Loren!　Witness, captain, that's an order!
I have no choice in the matter. You are going to have to be very careful not to hurt the young lady. It's a very good idea to have a good idea of what you're looking for. Both sides, you have my permission.

　The older man stands between us, and the two confront each other.
　I couldn't help but feel reluctant. Even though it's only Amu's side, I'm seriously witnessing this.

　But well it will be all right.

　Amu would surely be able to win with ease even if he added a handful of tricks. A degree of glee is no match for a brave man.
　It's not that I don't have no choice but to help you heal if you are injured or injured as you are about to die.

Then let's begin!

　The man called Lauren signals for them to begin with a surprisingly taut voice.

''Ha!''

　Amu kicked the ground and closed the distance in one breath.
　And just like that, he swung down Mithril's love sword from the upper level.

''........!

　A heavy metallic sound resounded.
　In accordance with the established rules of swordsmanship, Glai, who received Amu's blow near the hilt, opened his eyes slightly and slid his left hand to the back of the mock sword. If he hadn't done so, he wouldn't have been able to catch it.

　However, he did receive it.

　It's Amu's foolishness to outdo the Lesser Demon in terms of physical strength. I thought the match would be decided by being knocked down as it was, but.......
　Mabel had also withstood Amu's swinging down before, but that was because of the gravity magic. I don't feel a flow of power from Glei's side. He's resisting that monstrous power with his body strengthening and pure technology due to magic power.

　Amu pushes in from a state of brinkmanship.
　However, Glei withstands the slowness of the attack while successfully taming the power and does not create an opening.
　Rather, his expression is calm, to the point where you can even see some leeway.

''Oh God!''

　As if Amu was in a hurry, he forcefully opened up the interval from the brinksmanship and turned into a fierce attack.
　However, it's somewhat unreasonable. He hasn't been able to catch the flow. The sword is carrying both weight and speed, but Glai is calmly taking it all in stride.

　And then Glai suddenly lost his balance.

　Did he step on a pebble? Although it doesn't go to the fall, a big gap is created.
　Naturally, Amu did not miss it, and entered the stance of the chase.

　From there, Glei can strike each other and at most two rounds. That settles it.
　It's a somewhat anticlimactic ending, but well, that's it....

"Burning is Red!　Spirit of Fire and Sulfur...

　At that moment, Glai suddenly shouted.
　Spell chanting.

''Huh?''

　Amu stopped stepping in, drew his sword, and stiffened his body for a moment as he braced himself.
　The sudden disappearance of his offensive spirit from his chase stance created an inevitable gap.
　And that was the end of it.

　Glei instantly regained his stance and wielded his sword as if it were a lie.
　Mithril's staff sword popped out of Amu's hand.
　And then, to the girl swordsman who was on his buttocks - the cut end of the mock sword is thrust at him.

'Yes, I win.'

　Gurai looks down at Amu and declares languidly.
　Amu, who has come to his senses, shouts out as the place goes quiet.

''Huh!　No, you're not!　You said no magic!
When did I ever use magic?

　Amu, who was told, opens her eyes.
　Heh.........

''Deception!　Oh, you're still a swordsman!
There's no such thing as a decent game on the battlefield. You are an adventurer or something, aren't you? Are you saying the same thing about monsters?

　Saying that, Amu says to Gurai, who lowers his mock sword, with a face that looks like he's going to grit his teeth.

''Mo, again!''
No.
What?
Next time I'm going to lose.
Na, na, na!
Miss.

　The elderly man, called Lauren, says as he extends his hand to Amu.

'The little man stumbled over it on purpose.
What...?
Lauren here is also surprised. You're very strong, young lady. That's why the little boy must have had some trouble winning. I wouldn't dare to make a rough decision against a guest on a stage like this.
....
The little boy is the best user under General Petrus's command. It's the best in magic and swords. It is a good thing that you have been able to do this for the past two years. However, he still needs to learn more about military strategy.
Shut up, Lauren!　Don't say a word about it!
Oops, that's a military secret.

　I watch the exchange between Glai and Lauren, and I think to myself, "Well, it looks like Glai has changed.
　I know that Glei has changed. It's not just the way he looks, but what's inside him as well.

You're not late, Seika!　Let's let you play your part as we promised.

　Glei tells me, her hands on her hips.
　He doesn't seem out of breath. I guess it's true that he had room to breathe.

　I reply with a sigh.

"Come on, brother G'ri," he says. I'm not going to be able to beat my brother Glai with a sword, now, am I?
Who told you to fight with a sword? It's all you can do. You'll use that magic spell, whatever you want to call it. I'm going to pull this one out too.

　And then Glai threw down his mock sword and drew the sword at his waist.
　It looks like a staff sword. Although ruggedly shaped, its careful preparation shows that it is a high quality sword.

''Boy!　You can't do that!
Shut up!　I won't let you get in the way of this game either, Loren!
Little boy...
You'll love it, Seika!　I heard you won the imperial martial arts tournament. I know, they were all worthless to you. But that's not who I am now!　The humiliation of that day made me this strong!　Fight me, Seika!　It's a rematch from two years ago!
It's noisy... All right, brother Grye.

　Oh dear, I stepped forward.
　If I beat him, he'll calm down for the time being.

"You promised me. What about the rules?
'Just like a martial arts tournament. You'll be better off that way.
'I don't really care what it is. However, there is no limit. You can use medium or higher level magic as well. Otherwise, you can't show your ability, right?
Ha....you're a good sport...!

　Grye sneered and carried his staff sword on his shoulder.

'Loren!　You're the judge of victory!　Captain's orders!
''Little boy........I understand. It doesn't look like it, but this Seika-dono must be strong enough to challenge the boy with such determination. If that is the case, there is nothing more that an outsider can say. I, Loren, swear to you that I will see this duel through to the end!
CeCe, CeCe, are you sure you want to do this?
Hmm?

　When I looked back, I saw Amu looking at me with uneasy eyes.

I don't know what it was like in the past, but... that guy is probably seriously strong now. Maybe even stronger than anyone else in the imperial capital's martial arts competition...
'Ha, that's unusual. I can't believe Amu cares about these things.
'It's not funny!　It could happen just in case...
No.
What...?
There's no such thing as a contingency.

　And so I turned to face Glai.

　Tens of thousands of attempts would not be enough for Glai to defeat me.

　Let me remind you of something. Brother, I'm alive.

　Lauren's voice is loud and clear.

This duel is not about honor or revenge for either of us, but purely a matter of strength. Both sides must stop their swords and avoid using deadly magic. Victory or defeat will be decided by this Loren's decision. Are we all in agreement?　Then...

Well, duel.

　A voice sounded out of place, like a clear tonal flute.
　Everyone looked in that direction at once.

　Before they knew it, a girl was standing in the garden of the mansion.

''How dare my holy knight duel. It must be my destiny to see this through.

　A girl muttered to herself.

　It was a girl with an inhuman beauty, like a statue of the gods.
　I've never seen her with steel-like dull eyes or lightly light blue hair in a previous life. It's as if they were a chemical species, but the dress they wear in everyday life is of the highest quality, and the way they speak shows that they are a person of noble status.

　Lauren, Luft, Edith and the servants postured grudgingly.
　Glai, who was facing me....................with an extremely bitter face.

I'm sure you'll be able to find out what's going on. I told you not to act too much alone.
'Uh-huh, what can you do?　They've all gone away...or maybe I'm the one who went away. Mm-hmm.
"Stop pestering my men.
What does it matter, sir? Now, get on with your duel, G'rai.

　The girl's eyes, unsure of what she is thinking, smile on her mouth.

'Even if it's a battle that won't gain you anything, it means something to you, doesn't it?　I don't quite understand it, though.

　Glai's expression distorts as he is told.

'Are you saying I'm going to lose?
Well, I can't imagine how cruel it would be to tell you how your game is going to turn out. But isn't defeat also meaningful?　That's just a generalization. Don't you feel better even if the defeat is so severe that you can't even bring out the best in your opponent?　It's just a generalization, though. Uh-huh.
...Oh, yeah?

　Grye slumped his shoulders and sheathed his staff sword.

'Don't do it, Seika,'

　I blink and blink.
　What the...?　I don't know why that Grye listened to what he said so honestly, though I suppose it's the position he's in.

'And you know what? If you're mad at me, you should speak more normally.
Well. Well, I'm angry, then.
....
....
...why?
I will not allow my holy knight to engage in a duel without permission.
You ain't got it yet.
The same is true for the previous appointment. Be that as it may, don't wait until I introduce myself to our guest. I've had enough of waiting. I want to get this done as soon as possible.
I haven't even said goodbye yet, but you'll see.

　Glai walks over to the girl, faces us, and shows us her form.

"This is Fiona Ould El Greif...

　In fact, I had an idea of who the girl was.
　There is no other girl of noble birth here than the girl in the letter from Luft.

"It's Her Royal Highness.