30 kilometers south from Imperial Capital Banhataal, the Imperial Army Center Base.

Under the violent sunlight. Even today, the stationed soldiers were dripping with sweat from their training.

“Hurry with the hospitalization! When they fall back to the logistical support line, begin the stop-gap measures!”

The one giving commands to her subordinates at the top of her lungs, marked by her tall build and flowing light-blue hair, was Warrant Officer Haroma Bekkel.

She seemed slightly unreliable due to both her youth and lack of experience, but contrary to that impression, she was a prominent person of promise who held the t.i.tle of “Imperial Knight.”

“You there, make your st.i.tches smoother! You’re using too much ice! Half of one piece is enough for a bruise of that level! …Ah, over there, the position of your hands is too high for a cardiac ma.s.sage! Press the heart at the protrusion of the sternum! Do you understand?! Try to push up from a lower point, like this!”

During relief practice which treated mannequins as injured soldiers, Haro was briskly going around and pointing out her subordinates’ mistakes.

As a water spirit holder and a graduate of a Nursing Academy, she commanded a Medics Platoon. They were mixed-gender like the other Divisions, but the ratio of female soldiers was slightly larger. The Medics themselves were deployed like any other unit, but her platoon, whose chief responsibility was running around the front lines providing relief, was one kind of search-and-rescue unit.

Their work could be compared to that of angels in two meanings. One meaning in that they are the saviors of injured persons who are unable to move. The other in that they are the ones who come to retrieve those who die in battle in their last moments.

“That’s enough! Groups which haven’t finished their treatments yet, please report your points of reflection to me! Other than that, form a line and return to the barracks!”

About half of the soldiers gathered in the open s.p.a.ce left, and Haro received reports from the other half. The whole time, she had noticed a figure she recognized lingering in her peripheral vision… when the last group gave their thoughts and the need for restraint was gone, she walked over to him.

“Good afternoon, Ikta-san. Are you okay sleeping here?”

Haro called out in a warm voice to the youth lying down on the gra.s.s and reading a letter. Hearing that, Ikta raised his upper body and stretched like a cat.

“Yo, good afternoon, Haro. Worry not. Wherever I sleep, the right half of my bed is always reserved for you.”

It was his standard banter. Thinking it shameful to be teased all the time, Haro struck back today.

“…R-really? Haven’t your appointments been completely booked until a short while ago?”

“It depends on you whether I progress one step forward in making that kind of dream-like schedule into a reality. …Which day do you wish to reserve?”

Ikta’s eyes glinted suspiciously. Sensing that it was dangerous to go too far, Haro panicked and changed the topic.

“N-nevermind that, Ikta-san, where is your unit?”

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Ikta stuck out his tongue playfully.

“Unit? Ahh, them- if Suuya’s there, I can go around without a problem. And besides, I understand that it’s required, but I’m worse with this practice by repet.i.tion thing than I am with eating live centipedes.”

Ikta stuck out his tongue playfully. Haro smiled wryly at his excuse, but she was also relieved at the same time. –The laziness of this person, who didn’t resemble a soldier in the least, in middle of an overly strict military structure which prized discipline felt like an oasis to Haro.

“What’s that you are reading?”

When Haro asked innocently, Ikta returned the page to his face, and scoffed as if he were bored.

“—‘Anarai’s Box’ is open.”

“…? What kind of box is it?”

When Haro tilted her head, Ikta began explaining it lazily.

“In short, it’s a safe. Except what’s inside isn’t money or jewels but a fortune of knowledge. …Umm, have I told you that I studied under Professor Anarai Khan?”

“He’s the person who was taken as a refugee by Kioka, isn’t he? Science, was it? You said you learned it from that person…”

“Right, I am one of the ‘Apprentices of Anarai.’ There are many other apprentices in the world, and there are several rules which we share among us. One of those is that we put the research results cultivated by Anarai Khan and his apprentices into, well, ‘Anarai’s Box’—basically we make it into restricted knowledge."

“So you’re secretive?”

“Not quite secretive- it’s more like we’re cautious. Making it restricted knowledge is a temporary measure, and afterwards, based on a discussion in light of various circ.u.mstances, we’ll even publish it. Well, it’s our style to not thoughtless discharge the research results. A single invention could turn the world upside down, you see.”

Ikta spoke without hesitation, and honestly, in Haro’s mind, an “invention which could turn the world upside down” couldn’t exist. This kind of contradiction sometimes made her aware of the difference in upbringing between her and the youth.

“Except, speaking strictly about this time, it wasn’t that we took the plunge and opened it to the public after carefully looking at the circ.u.mstances- it was more like we were cornered and prodded from behind and compelled to have a discussion. …That old man, since he sought refuge in Kioka, it seems he was asked for several technological provisions which would be useful to military affairs. There are several technologies which he’d reluctantly disclosed. And, he reported that line-up to apprentices like me who have remained in the Empire.”

When he explained that far, Ikta shrugged with weary face.

“…Then as a result of our discussion, we are going to disclose several new technologies in the Empire as well in a way that restores the balance with Kioka. And it seems that I, who has for some reason enlisted in the army of all things, must become the messenger concerning these new technologies relevant to military affairs because of my position.”

Ikta’s att.i.tude said that this wasn’t a big deal, but Haro didn’t quite understand the scale of what he was talking about.

As if he sensed her confusion, but Ikta scoffed and stood up-

“I rambled on about nothing. Well, just that the battle ground is evolving. It’s not worth rejoicing over or anything. Rather- I’ll just say it- I’d rather this kind of thing just crash and burn!”

Holding aloft the disheveled, crumpled letter, he threw it into the sky as hard as he could.

“Cease fire!”

With that command as a signal, the gunshots which had been sounding nonstop suddenly quieted away. The soldiers who had been arranged in one horizontal line quickly reformed their files, and turned presenting arms in the direction of their commander.

“Hm, well done. You guys are looking good.” The officer marked by his unruly brown hair and plump physical const.i.tution, Warrant Officer Matthew Tetdrich, gave an honest evaluation. It wasn’t flattery. In truth, the speed and accuracy of the soldiers’ response to Torway’s command was beyond recognition compared to when he was first entrusted with a platoon.

“Next, a bayonet charge after two volleys. Change into your ranks for the line of battle, all hands ready your bayonets!”

The clanking sound of blades being fixed onto gun barrels overlapped and echoed. Without a moment’s delay the commander’s order came. Following two discharges of a gun, the straw posts which they were treating as enemy soldiers were dispersed and scattered.

“It’s coming along quite nicely, isn’t it? Your subordinates’ condition.”

Matthew expected agreement when he said that, but his colleague who would always say, “I guess so,” in a kind voice, for some reason, was making a stern face next to him and glaring at the backs of the soldiers.

“…It’s no good, not like this. …With training of this kind, no matter how much time pa.s.ses…”

On the other side of his bangs, Warrant Officer Torway Remeon’s green eyes shook with impatience. There was no joy or sense of accomplishment. Even though concerning the soldiers’ proficiency, it was he and not Matthew who was one lap ahead.

When he saw Torway act like that, Matthew began to feel embarra.s.sed about himself. –What did he mean by well done? At this rate, he was face to face with the rival several steps ahead on himself, and he was lacking.

“…Ah, sorry, Maa-kun. Did you say something just now…?”

“…No, nothing.”

Cursing his own carelessness, Matthew tried to return his consciousness to his own soldiers. But then, the sound of horse hooves forcefully kicking the ground reached his ears, and the two soldiers unconsciously gazed in the same direction.

“…Yatori-san.”

Torway took a breath at the figure riding a horse as the vanguard of the cavalry group, the beautiful, awe-inspiring female figure which he knew by sight. The beauty of her fiery hair trailing in the headwind agitated their yearning and, along with impatience, amplified the youths’ desire to reach her level.

“Has she already entered cavalry training, that girl…. She’s skilled in horsemanship, but still that’s too fast. It’s supposed to be Imperial Army convention that the cavalry comes after you first perfect your command of infantry.”

While saying that, Matthew knew that he was making excuses. …Fortunately or not, among his friends, there were three people who were at a caliber high enough not restrained by convention. The troubled young man next to him was also one of them, but— even he was not at the same level as the fiery haired girl.

Twilight, when the hungry soldiers, finished with their training and cla.s.sroom learning, were heading for the dining hall to eat dinner. While being protected on all sides by four bodyguards, a blonde girl with a high-cla.s.s air about her walked down a dead silent hallway of the mathematics building.

“I shall eat dinner with the members of the ‘Order of Knights.’ Is that alright?”

“You don’t need take the trouble to go to a crowded dining hall- we’ll prepare your meal to your room…”

“A private room itself is too much special treatment. You mean to make them carry food to my room as well?”

“I’m afraid that before you became a soldier, you were one member of the Imperial Family, Your Highness.”

“That is trivial in this place. Even if the Imperial Family has the divine power to repel bullets.”

“When you eventually receive the Emperor’s crown, the entire nation will prostrate themselves before you, Your Highness. Isn’t that more like a divine power?”

At this reserved conversation, the youngest warrant officer in army history at 12 years, the Third Princess of the Katjvarna Imperial Family, Chamille Kitra Katjvanmanninik, heaved a sigh.

Those protecting her were newly selected bodyguard soldiers in light of the kidnapping incident earlier. How these faithful and trustworthy people tried to establish Her Highness, Chamille “as royalty” everywhere was vexing for the person herself. If they made her act as royalty to the extreme, then her public reason for entering the army would— it would adversely affect the Imperial Family’s plans to improve its image, but they didn’t seem to have the flexibility to think that far.

“You’re misunderstanding- what makes people prostrate themselves is political power. Many people are mistaken about the nature of it. That power being called the power to communicate with G.o.d, G.o.d himself certainly has reservations about that…, no?”

Noticing a figure in her periphery vision, Her Highness, Chamille, unthinkingly slowed her walking pace. She cleared her throat for the benefit of her bodyguards, who had decelerated with the same timing as to not break their four-sided formation, and spoke.

“…I will follow shortly. Go to the dining hall before me. You may dine as well.”

“Huh? No, we cannot-”

“Did you not hear me? That just now was an order from me as the Princess.”

Addressed with that one phrase, even those bodyguards had no choice but to comply. Watching them as they reluctantly departed until they were completely gone, Her Highness, Chamille, turned on her heel and entered the cla.s.sroom which she had just pa.s.sed by.

“What are you doing in a place like this, Solork?”

In an obscure corner of the cla.s.sroom, the youth she knew on sight was expressionlessly running a pen on paper. He didn’t send a single glance toward the princess, but even that was typical. After a slight pause, a displeased voice spilled out.

“I’m drawing a blueprint. You can tell that much by looking, can’t you?”

“In this dim room? You ruin your eyes. You should have asked Kusu for a Lantern.”

“Well I am straining myself. But if I turned on a light at this hour, I’d stand out, wouldn’t I?”

Does he not want the contents seen by other people? Drawn by curiosity, the princess peeked at the blueprint, but she couldn’t make sense of what was being sketched by just looking at it once. It seemed like some sort of long and narrow internal part?

“Hey, please don’t lean your body over. You’ll block my light- it’s pitiful enough as it is.”

Ikta was blunt. The princess huffily rested her body on the opposite desk and glared at him.

“You’re misunderstanding. I came to rebuke you.”

“Then I’ll speak. –How long do you plan on contenting yourself with the rank of warrant officer?”

The youth didn’t move a single eyebrow. She took his silence as a good opportunity to interrogate him.

“Over half a year has pa.s.sed already since your conferring of decorations. My remaining time is steadily decreasing. Do you think you’ll make it in time like this?”

“…Now see here, princess. High Grade Military Officer Cadets usually advance and become second lieutenants simultaneously with their respective cla.s.ses four years after their enlistment. Climbing the ranks comes after that. It’s something even a child would understand.”

“Can you take those kinds of ordinary steps and still become a captain or field marshal within five or so years? Your destiny dictates that you must make strides impossible for ordinary humans, over and over again.”

“Captain or field marshal, huh…. You’re asking rather directly, but can you imagine me five years from now standing side by side with Yatori and Torway’s fathers? You can’t, right? If you can, then that’s proof that a too-powerful imagination, princess. Please leave the army at once and become a writer of fairy tales.”

“Bada Sankrei stood side by side with those two. I think that it’s completely natural for his son to succeed him.”

Ikta sighed deeply at her response,. The princess would forever believe that the late great commander’s talents were now completely in Ikta’s hands. Foolish and immature blind faith.

However, the one who had created that blind faith was none other than Ikta himself. Disgusted by fate’s sense of humor, the youth decided to search outside common sense for material for his argument.

“That’s the gist of it. Though even if I try to climb the ranks, if there are no opportunities to carry out great services, then it can’t be helped, can it?”

“Hm.”

“Soldiers accomplish meritorious deeds in battle before they advance. If you want war, the one in the Eastern Province just ended. We don’t know when the next conflict will occur, first of all, and it’s obviously better if it didn’t occur at all. War is sometimes the price for failed diplomacy, after all.”

The princess had fallen into silence, and Ikta knew that his argument had worked. …No, she wasn’t planning on asking me seriously in the first place, he realized. However, she was also impatient. Even if he delayed climbing the ranks, it’s impossible if the person himself doesn’t have the minimum accomplishments.

“Hah… Advancement or meritorious deeds or whatever. These things you’re thinking are quite cynical, each and every single one of them.”

The girl, who was 12 years old at best, was not worried. Children ought to have worries suitable for children— believing so, Ikta forcibly shifted the conversation in a vulgar direction.

“—By the way, princess, since we have established that I have a mother complex, I don’t really want to be thought of as a loli-con by others on top of that.”

“…Huh?”

“I’m talking about appearances, see? It’s fine to develop a connection with the members of the ‘Order of Knights,’ princess, but you’ll be coming to see me privately just like you are right now, no? Sometimes you’ll even shake off your bodyguard soldiers. How do you think that will be interpreted from an outsider’s perspective?”

Her Highness, the Princess, was flabbergasted at first, but as her understanding deepened, her face slowly turned red. Now this way of not realizing these kinds of things is what you call child-like- Ikta s.a.d.i.s.tically shrugged his shoulders.

“…W-we’re going to be thought of like that!?”

“I’m saying that there are suspecting people everywhere. No, well, rather there’s a way of using this as an excuse. If you think shamelessly, if we’re lovers, then it’s not a suspicious relationship if we meet often. On the other hand, that relationship itself could be viewed as a problem, couldn’t it?”

Ikta’s remark did nothing to smooth the situation over, and Her Highness, the Princess’s face became increasingly red. Perhaps she became embarra.s.sed to look him in the face during that time, but she turned away in a panicked manner appropriate for her age.

“I-I will be careful from now on…! I’m leaving now!”

“Yep yep. The best of dreams tonight, princess.”

He watched her leave half running out of the corner of his eye then returned his consciousness to the blueprint, but the sun had sunk too far while they were talking. Already, he could only faintly see the letters and diagrams he had drawn. He strained his eyes for a while, then released his pen.

“…I guess I’ll stop here for today. I’m hungry, let’s go to the dining hall, Kusu.”

“Yes, Ikta. If you are going to dine, then please take a larger portion of leafy vegetables today.”

Stuffing the rolled-up blueprints in his breast pocket, he stood from his seat and left the cla.s.sroom. While relying his partner’s Lantern, he walked down the dark hallway at his leisure.

That day’s ballistics lecture was not pleasant for Yatorishino Igsem.

“…I hear she killed 30 people in under 30 seconds…”

“And that half of the corpses had no heads, and there was not one which was left whole…”

“As expected of Igsem- I can’t believe she’s human.” “Idiot, if she hears you she’ll make your head go flying too!”

It was because these rumors had been being exchanged in her vicinity since the start of the lesson.

It can’t be helped that they’re gossiping with half-truths, but can’t they at least talk so I can’t hear them?- Yatori thought this fiercely. The story that she had slayed the members of the bodyguards led by Captain Ison Bou one after the other at the time of the aforementioned attempted kidnapping incident involving Her Highness, the Princess, had spread within the army as an exaggerated anecdote.

Already two months had pa.s.sed since the incident, and it was losing its novelty as gossip, but… when she sat down with a crowd with which she shared no familiarity in a cla.s.sroom lecture like this, the excitement of those days was suddenly resurrected. In any country in any time or place, soldiers are partial to a vivid epic.

“..But wait. If she’s that strong, wouldn’t she have been better off not turning it into a ma.s.sacre?”

“Well, if she’d let one guy live, she coulda probably figured out who the leader is.”

“That’s ridiculous. You can’t work somethin’ like that out by increasing the kill count.”

She also heard some words close to slander mixed in with their simple-minded praise. Even if she couldn’t be happy like this, Yatori didn’t have the will to object to her “ma.s.sacre” being overkill.

--Increasing the kill count, huh.

Yatori had no taste for masochism, but she meekly accepted that criticism. During that time, she did nothing but completely cut down any enemies who entered her vision. My sword, in essence myself. There was no trying to deny this reality.

“When too many generations are piled on a soldier’s lineage, that might be what comes of it, no? In short, the Igsems- ahh, ow!?”

A small stone that came flying out of nowhere struck the back of the person’s head who was amusing himself with the most boisterous chattering. When he held his head and cowered, the same things came flying at his cohorts around him.

“Oww!” “Agh! What’s this, a rock!?” “Who the h.e.l.l did it!?”

Screams and angry roars came one after another, and the instructor, hearing the ruckus, turned away from the chalkboard.

“SILEENCE! You there, what are you doing?! I’m talking to you, Ikta Solork!”

The time it took for the instructor to identify the source of the ruckus was close to zero, as if he had fixed his sights on the problem child who was always causing trouble. The youth who was called by his full name stood up holding a palm-sized catapult he had made by combining wood and string.

“Please excuse me. I thought that I would explain the current state of the army’s battery like this so it’d be easier to understand.”

Ikta declared it shamelessly. The instructor walked to him and wordlessly struck his cheek.

“Ahh…What, was that unnecessary?”

“I am lecturing right now! Be quiet and learn ballistics!”

“Huhh, I was trying to make a demonstration with deep relevance to the current state of the battery. So that was unnecessary of me? Really? Are you sure?”

As Ikta faced him tenaciously with a stranger and stranger tone, the instructor showed a scowl implicit of anger. But, perhaps because it reminded him of something from his experiences up to this point, Ikta drew one step closer with an equally severe expression.

“…Speak. If it’s not worthwhile, I’ll have everyone run 20 laps around the base.”

Regarding the enforced totalitarian military, collective punishment was the most basic of basics. The other soldiers sent him looks that said, “this is not a joke,” but Ikta nevertheless nodded with composure. As though if he had to run because of something like that, he wouldn’t be afraid.

“—Since I have received your permission, I will not hesitate.

Well then, the air mortar cannon is one of the main weapons of the Imperial Army of the present. It’s constructed to use the pressurized air of four~six wind spirits to fire iron b.a.l.l.s- a weapon like a giant air shooter, so to speak- but its handling often seems to be a problem for soldiers fighting on-site.

Now the causes. First, it’s heavy. Even the smallest size requires one horse or three soldiers to carry. Second, its power is weak relative to its weight. It seems that its bullets are often bounced off stone fortresses. And third, it has a short range. Its greatest range is about 500 meters, but its effective range is 200 meters at best. In addition, if the terrain is unfavorable, then hiding the body is also difficult, and the enemy will come attacking before you can fire a second bullet. Soldiers can’t run away when their shouldering a heavy cannon, and there are frequently cases reported of difficult situations where soldiers abandon it after firing only one shot.”

He spoke fluently as if he’d read a script repeatedly. Taking no notice of the pressure of the collective punishment, Ikta held up his miniature handmade catapult and casually continued his explanation.

“So, as to what the soldiers who"d lost the air mortar cannon did afterwards, they turned the materials on-site into supplies and made this. As you can see, it is a catapult. Even though it is a primitive weapon that has been in use since over 1,000 years ago, it is surprising still on active duty. We cannot make light of it. Its power and range falls short of those of the air mortar cannon, but its strength lies in its ability to fire various things besides iron b.a.l.l.s. Throwing flaming straw and starting a fire, throwing the remains of a horse killed by disease and spreading a plague, and so on. With this strength, the practicality to create on site, it has even given rise to the revivalist opinion among soldiers that we should retire the air mortar cannon and make the catapult their official arms.”

He made an exaggerated gesture of shrugging his shoulders. His audience had unconsciously leaned in to hear him speak. Even unconsciously, Ikta Solork was able to put on this show that made people listen attentively.

“Well, even if that is an extreme argument, it is the reality that the air mortar cannon is lacking in efficiency. Then, how should we improve it? We could consider a plan to make it more light weight, but if we ignore the practical problem, then that is misguided, right? If we make it easier to carry as mentioned, then rather than a cannon it’s a large caliber air shooter. The concepts of their designs would be fundamentally confused. What’s desired in a cannon is first, all the great power it has to compensate for the demerit of its weight. That is, the overwhelming destructive power to smash the enemy’s fortress and to destroy their trenches. The second is its range, but that comes naturally once you have power.

And so, the soldiers with the strongest offensive power on-site are the cavalry. Let’s say that even two times as many air gunner soldiers were present, they can’t stop a coordinated attack by the cavalry troops. Even now, when the personal combat strategy as fellow knights has become a relic of the past, a branch of the army that we can say is strong against the cavalry as a matter of fact doesn’t exist.

However, it is possible to imagine one. The cavalry’s offensive power is something brought forth by their orderly ranks and files. In that case, we just need to cause an impact that demolishes that. …Have you caught on yet? --Right, we want the power of a cannon to be sufficient for this. A battery with greater power can be an advantageous existence against the cavalry. As a result of the, the hierarchy of army branches which places the cavalry on top will likely collapse and be reorganized power relations resembling rock-paper-scissors that read cavalry → infantry, infantry → battery, battery →cavalry. The infantry is strong against the battery because it is light of foot and moreover because its ranks and files during a charge have flexibility.”

When Ikta hinted at something and stopped his explanation, the instructor agitatedly asked a question about an aspect he suddenly recalled.

“…Ikta Solork. Basically, it’s that. The ‘bomb cannon’ which has begun to be used in the Republic Army, you’re say we should employ it in the Imperial Army as well?”

“It could have that interpretation. I’ll leave everything to the audience.”

The instructor bent his mouth into a “へ” shape. –Though the admiration of enemy technology was an implicit taboo, this blatantly guided the audience’s awareness, and “I’ll leave everything to the audience” was cleverly said.

But, the instructor couldn’t reject his point as “not worthwhile.” Doing that would be deceiving himself. Because as a soldier on active-duty, as a teacher of ballistics, if he said that he had never felt the efficiency of the air mortar cannon to be definitely lacking, that would be a lie.

“…That was very interesting. Alright, I’ll pardon everyone 20 laps around the base.”

Remembering what was gambled on Ikta’s speech, the soldiers openly showed relieved faces. But, the smug expression as though that was the natural outcome of the person himself crumbled away with the next line.

“And now the punishment for interrupting my lecture. Go and run 40 laps around the base by yourself, Ikta Solork.”

“…Haah!?”

A strange sound escaped from his stiffened throat. Ikta timidly peeked at the instructor’s face, but when he confirmed that there was not one bit of humor in it, he quickly resigned himself and ran out of the cla.s.sroom.

“…Ahhh. He really likes to stir up trouble for himself, that guy.”

A mutter mixed with inappropriate laughter. But, in the next moment, Yatori stood from her seat without hesitation.

“—Instructor. May I also run outside and come back?”

“What reason do you have, Warrant Officer Yatorishino Igsem?”

“Let’s see. Just now, I interrupted your lecture for something insignificant. As punishment for that.”

When Yatori declared it clearly, the instructor’s lips unnaturally tightened. Was it Yatori’s imagination, or did it appear more like a suppression of a wry smile than an expression of anger?

“Go. But, don’t let Ikta Solork skip even a single lap.”

“Yes sir!”

Giving an awe-inspiring salute, the fiery-haired girl raced from the cla.s.sroom like a streak of wind.

“Ahh, the time for the official tour of the Northern Province is finally here…. Things are going to get boring from now on, seriously.”

Noon of the next day. Seeing the message posted on the bulletin board of the barracks, Matthew sighed.

“The post is at the Soumin River Garrison…in the sticks[1] at the base of the great mountain range. It’s a place with nothing else besides the base, farms, mountains, and one small town. It’s the northernmost edge of Katjvarna. And yet since the b.u.mpkins of Shinaak Tribe are so aimless there’s no public order.”

“It also sounds like there several opposition parties after the military stores. However, conversely we’re also using that the environment as a training ground for acquire actual battle experience, so I can’t say if the Imperial Army is being stubborn, or something else.”

Torway smiled wryly. At the same time, hands were placed on their shoulders which they had aligned as they stood.

“—I can hear you. Who is the h.e.l.l is the one making fun of the Northern Province?"

“Eh, Ik-kun?”

“What’s your problem? -you picked a weird thing to take issue with. Where we’re headed is the countryside, isn’t it?”

Ikta tsked his tongue at Matthew, who shook off the hand placed on his shoulder and objected.

“I don’t get it. I mean, I like the city too, but saying something like the countryside = unglamorous is rather prejudiced. In particular, Matthew, you just made fun the Shinaak Tribe by calling them b.u.mpkins. I doubt that. That’s proof that you don’t understand their magnificence.”

“Huh. Ik-kun, are you knowledgeable about the Shinaak Tribe?”

“Somewhat. When I was personally studying under that old man Anarai, I had the experience of going on a field study of the Shinaak Tribe’s cultural sphere. My aim was to investigate the geologic structure and climate of the alpines, but for me it was more enjoyable to interact with the native people. It’s a good memory.”

“Hmph, aren’t they barbarian mountain dwellers? What was so enjoyable about that?”

“They had several charms, but—if I had to pick one, the women were energetic and beautiful.”

Ikta spoke with a serious face. Matthew wearily shook his head.

“Aren’t you partial to older women? Our standards are too different so it’s not a good reference.”

“I won’t deny that, but the beauty of Shinaak women isn’t limited just to their exteriors. They have an extremely matrilineal society there, and the women are the ones who take leadership on everything. That gives rise to a peculiar custom. As an example of their extremeness… I think it was a year ago…”

After Ikta intelligibly whispered into their ears, Torway slightly blushed, and Matthew, his face twitching, leapt back.

“Th-that’s shameless! A woman did that to a man…!?”

“The world’s a big place, Matthew. The criteria for a shameless act changes with the location, see?”

Matthew was fl.u.s.tered, Torway was red-faced and silent, Ikta was teasing them. In the direction of these three people, each in his own way causing a racket, by chance came walking Her Highness, the Princess, and the remaining members of the “Order of Knights.”

“You all seem in a good mood. What are you making a fuss about in a place like this?”

“It’d have been better if Your Highness hadn’t asked. With these circ.u.mstances, in eight or nine cases out of 10, it’s about something dirty.”

Shooting them cold glares, she hit on a fine point. At that, the innocent Torway became abashed and hung his head in embarra.s.sment, but Matthew denied it as though it were unthinkable.

“I-I wasn’t talking about anything to be guilty about! Ikta just started…”

“Dirty things? Oh you mean one like that. Haro’s sweat-soaked shirt clinging tightly to the skin, and those round ma.s.ses of Haro’s which I recognize with one glance, or some romance filled story like that?”

“Eh….Ahhh!?”

Haro noticed her own state and panicked, running for cover to fix her attire. Yatori, seeing her off, kicked the offender’s shin as hard as she could as minimal vengeance.

“…Hss!”

He didn’t scream. Only a dull sound echoed, Ikta crouched there with a cold sweat breaking from his forehead. Everything below his shin was gone— for a moment he truly thought that.

“Please reflect on your actions. Someone who takes that att.i.tude in the presence of women is the worst kind of sc.u.mbag.”

Saying that then sending a backward glance to Ikta, who was unable to object due to the intense pain, she directed her gaze to the bulletin board.

“…Ahh, a.s.signment to an official tour of the Northern Province. It’s that time of year again, isn’t it?”

“Besides dealing with the opposition parties and observing the mountain people, I hear it’s a generally leisurely post. Half a year there. Yatori, you don’t think that this a tedious custom?”

“No, I wouldn’t have it any other way. Though it’s on a small scale, I want acquire even a small amount of actual battle experience now.”

At the promising reply, the princess didn’t hide the affection showing in her expression. …But on the other hand, the moment her gaze returned to Ikta, who had yet to recover from the pain in his leg, she huffed a sigh of disappointment

“…Though I would like to see this kind of ambition from a certain someone else, too.”