Chapter 12
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Chapter 12
"It means upholding chivalry. Being honorable and frugal, respecting the weak and revering martial prowess—just like Teresa von Frang Almari."
Alice's eyes sparkled with admiration as she spoke Teresa's name. Echinacea, however, found herself startled by the unexpected mention. It was the name of the Giosha owner she had killed. To hide her shock, she responded with even greater audacity.
"There's nothing in chivalry that forbids adornment, is there?"
"It's so obvious that no one bothers to mention it."
"Then why exactly is it so obvious?"
"Because it's extravagant vanity!"
"I didn't take out loans to buy these clothes. They're all things I already owned. Wouldn't it be more extravagant to deliberately purchase clothes befitting a knight?"
"Do you need to buy anything new? You can simply wear the cadet uniform."
"So you're saying I should only wear the cadet uniform because my appearance offends you, even though I have perfectly good clothes of my own?"
Echinacea's argument bordered on sophistry, but Alice found herself at a loss for words. Confronted with continuous refutations of what she considered self-evident truths, she struggled to explain herself. Alice's tightly clenched lips trembled with indignation. After stammering for a moment, she finally grasped at a more practical reason.
"...B-besides, there's no way you could properly wield a sword in such cumbersome attire!"
"I find it quite comfortable."
In truth, it was uncomfortable. Born and raised as a noble, I was simply accustomed to it. There was no way the flowing skirts and voluminous petticoats weren't inconvenient. Had my skill not been independent of such constraints, I might have sought another approach.
Naturally, Alice didn't believe her.
"That's absurd...!"
"You know my entrance examination scores, Winterbell. If you don't believe me, shall we have a practice match in this very outfit?"
Alice gritted her teeth and glared at Echinacea.
"Are you saying that someone like you can handle a dress without any problems?"
"My, I hadn't thought of it so rudely. I simply have confidence that I can defeat you, Winterbell."
[Aren't your words and hers saying the same thing in the end?]
The Demonic Sword chattered inside my head. I thought with a smile: Shut up, you cursed blade. I'm aware of it too.
Even I had to admit I'd been insufferable, so Alice's explosion was inevitable. Her face flushed crimson with indignation, she pulled off her gloves and threw them down.
"I formally challenge you to a duel, Echinacea Loaz. If I win, you will apologize for that insult and never wear such extravagant clothes again."
"I accept, Alice Winterbell. If I win, stop meddling in my affairs."
"Very well. You shall decide the time and place. Who will serve as our witness?"
By custom, the challenged party determined the time and place, and both sides agreed upon a neutral witness. Despite her expression suggesting she might draw her sword at any moment, Alice adhered to the rules of dueling—a rigidity that defined her character.
Even before my regression, I had never so much as pretended to be a knight. This formal duel itself was entirely new to me. During my years building Giosha, I had lived on the borderline between illegality and crime.
'Mercenaries typically threw punches the moment a challenge was issued. The back-alley types would simply stab you in the back when you turned around. Knights-in-training truly are different.'
I felt a fresh sense of excitement as I responded.
"At sunset today, in the Training Grounds behind the Dormitory. As for the witness... I don't know anyone particularly well in Agenka, so I'll defer to your recommendation, Winterbell."
"I'm in the same situation, so I'll ask the cadet representative. Do you agree?"
"That works."
"Understood then."
Alice cast a contemptuous glance and turned sharply to leave. I watched her recede into the distance, then returned my hand to the open bag.
"I provoked her partly because I thought getting it out of the way early would make things easier... but I'm not sure how she'll react after the duel."
[What? You're not going to kill her? It's a duel—a legal opportunity to kill! Come on, it's been so long since I've tasted blood. Let's kill her, yeah? Yeah? If she stays alive, she'll keep bothering you!]
"Please, just be quiet."
I ignored the Demonic Sword's words and continued organizing my belongings. I only stopped when lunch period was nearly over—not because I'd finished, but because I was hungry. During my years building Giosha, skipping meals had been routine, but I had no intention of doing so now.
Cadets were provided with room and board as standard. Meals were served in the common Dining Hall located in the main building of the Military Academy. Since most cadets were nobles, the menu was diverse and the quality was excellent.
As I left the Dormitory and made my way to the main building's Dining Hall, I drew sharp stares from every direction. I paid them little mind—it was precisely what I'd anticipated.
Among cadets dressed in sweat-dampened training uniforms, standard deep-blue cadet robes, or occasionally other practical, neat attire, I stood out unmistakably.
Today I wore a light dress of pale sky-blue with a semi-transparent overlay, paired with a fresh flower-adorned hat that served primarily to shield me from the sun. My makeup was subtle, and the delicate mesh veil attached to the hat offered some concealment for my face.
Though the residences of Giosha's owners lay some distance from the Military Academy, I'd worn the hat deliberately—this being my first day venturing near their vicinity made me cautious.
Among noble ladies, such an outfit would be considered ordinary day wear. But this was Agenka's Military Academy, where despite a considerable number of female cadets, not a single one wore a skirt. Drawing attention was unavoidable.
Yet continuing to be the focus of attention throughout my meal proved rather irritating. Cadets whispered and stole glances from a distance, occasionally muttering whether I'd lost my mind. They'd lowered their voices deliberately, but I heard every word.
'I sowed these seeds myself, after all.'
I sighed inwardly and spooned up my stew. No one sat near me. If becoming a Master by age twenty-three was the standard, I'd need to endure three years like this. It wasn't a pleasant prospect. I'd gone through the trouble of erasing my past and starting anew—I had no desire to live an austere life again.
'Perhaps I could shorten it to a year. Surely becoming a Master at twenty-two would be acceptable?'
That's when the brown-haired man appeared abruptly.
"You're Echinacea Loaz? I found you easily enough—you're exactly as described."
The man smiled with an easy charm. Appearing to be in his mid-to-late twenties, his arm bore an armband embroidered with blue thread on a black background—the symbol of the cadet representative who spoke for some one hundred fifty cadets.
Alice must have mentioned something about a duel witness. Had he come because of the duel? And his face seemed familiar somehow. Who was he? I concealed my reluctance and answered.
"Yes, I'm Echinacea Loaz."
"I'm Ian Peletro. I'm a third-year and serve as the cadet representative."
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Senior."
As I set down my spoon and lowered my head, Ian waved his hand dismissively.
"Don't be so formal. I apologize for interrupting your meal."
"It's fine. What brings you here?"
Contrary to my expectation that he'd mention the duel, Ian didn't answer immediately. Instead, he examined me with an appraising gaze, scanning me from head to toe. When I unconsciously furrowed my brow, he raised his hand as if to apologize for the rudeness.
"Ah, sorry. Just curious. Have you decided on a Club yet?"
"A Club?"
"Right, you don't know about it. I had a feeling you wouldn't."
Compared to most cadets who spent years preparing specifically for the Military Academy, I knew far less about it. Seeing my genuine confusion, Ian readily explained.
"Most cadets arrive already knowing about Clubs, though occasionally some like you come without that knowledge. You do know the Military Academy has no formal classes or exams, correct?"
"Yes."
"There are no exams, but there are rankings. You can challenge individually to change your ranking anytime by simply filing a formal duel request, and every three months all cadets participate in a ranking tournament to establish new standings."
"Yes, I'm aware of that."
Rankings were central to the Military Academy, so I knew of them.
Cadets take turns serving as squires to formal knights and knight-candidates who lack permanent squires. These temporary squires are assigned based on the Military Academy's internal rankings, unless knights specifically designate otherwise.
Service as a squire differs fundamentally from that of a maid or servant. One manages weapons, armor, and horses; assists in sparring and training; and supports in combat. With luck, one gains sword technique advice or even the opportunity to spar with a knight. Most aspiring knights build their experience and skill through such service before becoming knights themselves. Some knights treat squires as mere errand runners, but more treat them as junior students worthy of instruction.
Thus competition among cadets over who serves whom becomes fierce. Since hopefuls can't simply fight it out, cadet rankings were created to determine this. Naturally, cadets stake their lives on ranking competitions.
"Everyone works hard preparing for the ranking tournaments. But it's difficult to improve alone, isn't it? You need a sparring partner to practice with."
"Yes, that's true."
"So cadets gather together to train collectively, and sometimes groups seek out instructors to learn swordsmanship. These informal gatherings of cadets eventually solidified into what we call Clubs. Usually, students decide which Club to join before even enrolling."
"...Is it mandatory?"
I asked, troubled by the prospect. Joining a group wasn't a favorable choice given my current situation.
'There's nothing to gain, and group activities would only create more inconveniences.'
Moreover, I intended to avoid maintaining an excessively high ranking in the tournaments. Higher rankings increased the likelihood of encountering Giosha's owners, and I preferred to avoid those who might retain memories from before my return.
Ian shook his head.
"Joining a Club isn't mandatory. Though you'll find yourself at a disadvantage in various ways. Without a Club, it's difficult to grow close with other cadets. In a Military Academy without regular classes or instructors, lacking even senior advisors to consult makes it easy to fall behind. Why not at least observe what Clubs are available?"
"Thank you, but I'm fine."
When Echinacea declined so decisively, Ian Peletro's expression shifted subtly. He rubbed the corner of his mouth with the hand supporting his chin, then lowered his voice slightly.
"Typically, new cadets—especially top-ranked ones like you—face fierce recruitment competition from the Clubs. But this year, I expect that competition to intensify even further. I'm genuinely concerned as representative that conflicts might escalate."
Wouldn't the competition actually diminish because the top-ranked new cadet was an odd girl fluttering about in a dress? Before Echinacea could voice her confusion, Ian Peletro continued.
"There's a reason for that. In fact, that's precisely why I sought you out."
"What reason could that possibly be?"
"In any case, are you truly set on not joining any Club at all? If you join at least one, the other Clubs will leave you alone. But if you join none, every Club might try to approach you."
I deliberated briefly, but my conclusion remained unchanged. I had no intention of engaging in group activities. I spoke with conviction.
"I won't be joining anywhere."
"...Very well. If that's your decision, there's nothing I can do. Should the Clubs' recruitment competition become excessive, come find me anytime. I'll mediate as representative."
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