Elze had hauled me to Kingdom Army Third Training Ground. This was the lot Elze and General Leon often used; even though she was technically an outsider, she’d long since become a face known on sight. Got in without issue.
It was still early morning, so no one else was training. The only sound was birdsong; the place was hushed.
Following Elze in, I stepped onto the field, and saw someone sitting cross-legged at the center.
“Yae? What are you doing here?”
”…I was waiting for Lord Touya, indeed.”
She’d been seated formally on the ground, sword laid in front of her, as if in meditation. She opened her eyes calmly, picked up the sword, and rose.
Different atmosphere from usual.
”…So Linze’s your bride, is that right?”
“Ah… yes, that’s what happened…”
Elze, having turned to face me, pinned me with her gaze. Again with this… Same eye-attack I got yesterday… I get it — her sister, of course she’s serious.
“Meaning — you’re going to be my brother-in-law?”
“Ah… pleased to be in your favor going forward…”
Right — that follows. Elze as sister-in-law… not quite landing for me yet.
“How do you feel about Linze? Do you really love her?”
”…To be honest, I’m not sure yet. I can’t say I love her — same with Yumina. But I do like her, and I want to cherish her. That’s true.”
“And she accepted that?”
“Yeah.”
Hmph, Elze sighed. Exasperated, maybe. She scratched at her head and kicked at the ground irritably with the toe of her boot. That’s scary, by the way!
“That kid’s always been like this… usually scared and meek, but at the moments that count, she’s bold. Opposite of me…”
“I am similar, indeed. The type that cannot commit without a push…”
Um — what are we talking about, exactly?
Elze equipped the gauntlets she carried at her hips, clank-clank tapping her fists together. Yae slid her sword into her sash, settling the position.
“Touya. You’re going to fight us, now.”
“Huh!?”
“If you win, we won’t say anything about you and Linze. If we win, we get one wish from you.”
Wait — what? How did we get here!? Don’t tell me this is some kind of punishment!?
While I gaped, Yae slowly drew her katana.
“This is borrowed from Viscount Swordreck; the blade has been dulled. You won’t die getting cut, but the bones may break — please take care, indeed.”
Thanks for the not-at-all-reassuring info!
“Touya — dull Brünhild’s blade with [Modeling] too.”
“Wait — hold on! Why am I fighting both of you!?”
“It needs to take this form, indeed. For our part.”
Have no idea what they’re talking about, but they don’t look like they’re stopping. Fine — I’ll throw the fight quietly…
“Anything less than full effort, I’ll never forgive you for this. And won’t approve of the Linze matter. I’m not handing over my precious sister to a half-assed man.”
Ugh — nailed in place… They saw through me.
Grudgingly, I dulled Brünhild’s blade with [Modeling] as instructed.
Fine — then the moment it starts, I [Slip]——
“Ah, and no magic either. I won’t use [Boost], for the record.”
How are you reading my mind!? Girls are terrifying!
The gun was restricted to normal rubber rounds too. They generously left reload’s effect in.
“All right — ready?”
I was too scared to ask ready for what and just gave a small nod.
The next moment, Yae and Elze split apart and curled around to flank me. Pincer, from the jump!?
“Blade Mode!”
I extended Brünhild’s blade into longsword and dashed toward Yae. Yae’s katana I can parry; Elze’s fists are a different story.
I crossed blades with Yae and slid past her without losing speed. Turning, I drew the New Model Army with my left hand and fired the full cylinder in succession.
The instant I thought every shot was about to land on Yae, Elze leapt in front of her, the emerald-green-glowing gauntlet on her left hand held forward.
Every bullet veered off and shot off somewhere else.
“Non-magic projectiles don’t work on me.”
Right! The emerald-green gauntlet is enchanted with wind-element magic that deflects physical ranged attacks!
“Gun Mode! Reload!”
For at least keeping them at bay, I fired with both guns, putting up suppression (twelve rounds, but still) and retreated.
But Elze didn’t care; she charged headlong into the rain of bullets, deflecting them with her left gauntlet as she closed the gap.
“Blade Mode!”
I sidestepped Elze’s whistling right cross and swept Brünhild — re-extended — horizontally. Elze ducked, and in the opening I tried to retreat to reset.
“Too easy, indeed!”
Yae’s piercing thrust came from behind Elze. Hey, wait! Dulled or not, a thrust still skewers!
I twisted aside the point coming for my shoulder and swept Yae’s leg out as we passed.
“Tch——!?”
“Reload!”
I leveled the New Model Army in my left at Yae as she fell.
But before I could pull the trigger, Elze’s kick was already incoming; I had to leap clear.
Tch — I’m definitely at the disadvantage here!? Two-on-one is patently unfair to begin with! And magic’s banned!
Yae, on her feet again, drew the short sword at her hip and squared up with two blades. Hm?
Yae came at me in a low stance and swept the right katana upward in a reverse cut. I back-stepped clear, and then — the short sword in her left hand flew at me!
WHOA!? People throw those!? Wasn’t the blade a samurai’s soul!? Or does “short sword” not count for that!?
I twisted at the waist and barely dodged — close. Grazed me, actually!
Before Yae could reset, I unloaded both guns at her. At this range she can’t dodge!
“Guh——!!”
Yae crumpled from the rubber rounds. She still swung the katana horizontally, but I jumped back lightly and dodged.
But — Elze was waiting on the other side. Bad — too close! Drawing, aiming, shooting — slower than her fist.
A full-power right came from Elze. Tch — gotta gamble on this one!
I leaned away, dodging the fist by a hair’s width, dropped the gun in my left hand, and grabbed Elze’s right wrist as it shot past. Riding the momentum, I spun, presenting my back, and dropped my weight, putting my right elbow under her armpit and snapping up.
“Wh——!?”
A small yelp came over my shoulder as I slammed Elze into the ground. Shoulder throw — haven’t done one since gym class — but the body remembered.
“Gufu…!”
Probably wasn’t a clean enough throw to do real damage. Elze rose quickly, trying to stand.
But faster than her — Brünhild, set back to gun mode, was already trained on her. At this range you can’t deflect. Hold up.
“Reload. I win.”
”…You’re not shooting?”
“If you concede, this ends here.”
Honestly, shooting an ally was rough. I’ll be apologizing to Yae properly later, too.
“Soft. Can you really protect Linze and the others like that?”
”…That’s how I am — can’t help it.”
“Right. That’s exactly why Yae and I fell for you too.”
“…eh?”
WHAT DID YOU JUST SAY? My head froze for a moment.
Elze’s right hand — the red gauntlet — began to glow. That gauntlet’s effect was — destruction-power boost…!
Tch — if she won’t yield, can’t be helped. I pulled the trigger on Brünhild, leveled at Elze, to end the fight. …Tried to.
“Eh!?”
I pulled again. Nothing fires. Or rather — no rounds loaded. Strange. I just reloaded… Ah.
That’s when I finally understood Yae’s earlier attack. The thrown short sword. Not aimed at me — aimed at the waist pouch on my belt.
The pouch had been split open; the bullets had spilled out, leaving it empty. [Reload] only works if there are bullets within a one-meter radius. …Got me.
Elze closed the distance with a thunderbolt step and slammed her fist into my chest. After that, I blacked out, so I don’t remember.