Otome Game Villainess? Who Cares? I Want Giant Mecha. 5

Otome Game Villainess? Who Cares? I Want Giant Mecha. 5

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Commissioned by Shaderic

Wordcount: 2500

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The days I spent in the Academy passed by more quickly than I anticipated.

Between the lectures, my efforts to improve myself, and my duties, half a year passed in a blink of an eye and I found myself improving more than I believed possible in the Academy. The lectures proved more strenuous and thorough than I believed with more than a few of my fellow nobility struggling and having to hire tutors. Though I excelled in any field pertinent to being a Chevalier, I was expected to be able to hold my own in many other fields of study, because I could not solely rely upon my advisors.

For an advisor to be able to advise, the one whom they speak to must understand the fundamentals of the subject that they speak in. If I was lacking, miscommunication and lack of understanding might spell disaster for my people, and perhaps even result in me being manipulated by those who would make use of my lack of knowledge. My past life’s experiences and knowledge gave those beliefs and thoughts more credence, as he provided me with both fictional and historical evidence of leaders being waylaid and betrayed, despite their good intentions.

My newfound interest in academics, coupled with my training and responsibilities to my Chivalric Order easily made the days pass like water, and I found myself before the cusp of one of the great events of the Academy.

The Festival of Talents.

My father and mother both visited me to tell me of it.

The Trial of Talents arrived was attended by all those with great influence amongst the noble houses. From new nobility flush with coin and prestige eager to prove their worth, to founding houses secure in their position, and even representatives of the Emperor himself, all came to attend two weeks where their heirs will showcase their talent to all who have power within the realm. It was a chance for even the least of nobles to find a wordless audience with the greatest of houses, a chance to showcase immense skill in competition, and gain influence with future allies as well as possible stand above rivals.

There were many possible routes that one could take to earn the attention of others, but my focus was on the tournament of Chevaliers. Students were to take Chevaliers granted by the school and showcase their talent by facing and defeating their foe on equal footing. Through skill and talent they would face off in the school’s arena. It was the main showcase of every Festival, around which all other competitions were scheduled, and my mother and father both came to advise me on the matter.

My father supported my wish to participate in the very first year. He had many favors that he could call in and influence to lean upon, so he could have me participate in the competition of Chevaliers. My own reputation preceded me and greatly lowered the cost of him doing away with the regulation the first years were no permitted to compete in the Chevalier competition, because it was dangerous and many first years were not considered capable of piloting a Chevalier, both of which was not true for me. He told me that I could reign as the strongest Chevalier of the Academy for all four of my years and earn myself the title of champion four times over, the first ever in history, and take my first step into legend.

My mother’s counsel focused on the long-term and did not ignore my reputation. She bid me to expand and showcase myself in other avenues for the first year, so that I could expand my influence as more than a Chevalier. With my beauty and talents, I could place very well in the pageants, take command of golems and showcase my strategic mind, and even create an artistic piece to present in a gallery. She told me that I could easily save my true talents for the last two years of my schooling, which would have me not shame the upperclassmen wishing to win as Chevaliers this year and gain me many foes.

Both my parents had sound reasoning, but they bid me to choose on my own.

Once again… I surprised my loving mother and father.

I chose neither the easy or normal path according to my station, but the hardest.

I would reign as champion in as many fields as I possibly could without an ounce of hesitation.

And… and it had nothing to do with the fact that Ashdown was competing in the melee no matter my mother heard from her people amongst the staff!

…

Godfrey of House Ashdown met my gaze from across the dueling field. Much to my frustration, while I panted and sweated from my efforts to break his guard, he remained unflinching after our latest bout before our class. We’ve clashed against one another before our peers fifteen time and fifteen times he defeated me. If not for the fact that there was no one else in the Academy that could overcome him, even those in the final year in the academy, my reputation would be tarnished.

The only thing that I could take heart in was the fact that I could now last longer in battle against him than any other.

And, unlike many others, he did not merely counterattack against me, but took to taking to offensive against me as well.

My instincts cried out suddenly, bringing me forth from my thoughts mid-breath, as he took a singular step forward with his blade flashing.

After all our battles against one another, I learned that Godfrey of House Ashdown was an anomaly. Though he spent the first few weeks fighting with an Academy saber, he requisitioned a blade more familiar to him for battle. The blade he wielded was a long one with a wavy, flame-like blade and a simple handguard. He wielded the blade with frightening familiarity one-handed, two-handed, and sometimes even like spear and staff.  He used the weapon every conceivable way that he could, swiftly moving from one style to another, to find every possible advantage.

This time, in a move that would leave most others open for attack, he lunged forward with the blade as tall as himself like it was rapier. With one hand, twisting his torso, and extending forward on his leading leg, his strike towards me was faster than a viper’s strike, and only my experience born from battling against so many monsters was I able to bring my blade up to bat the thrust away and surge forward to counterattack.

However, I couldn’t.

The weight behind the blade was incredible and the speed with which he lunged with it gave it momentum that sent shivers down my arms through the arming sword that had I grown accustomed. The waves on the blade sent shake after shake through my sword, while I tried to divert the strike, only to fail as his superior strength slowly, but surely overpowered my own. I tried, with all my might, to use my sword to sway the direction of his thrust, but in the end I could not do enough.

I felt pointed, blunted steel against the center of my neck and the match was called in Ashdown’s favor.

With great accuracy, control, and technique that he did not use to have, he defeated me, because he grew from all the battles he fought in the Academy as well.

I grit my teeth at the thought, as I bowed to him out of courtesy.

The more we fought, the stronger he become, and the gulf between him and myself grew. The fourth years avoided him now, no longer wishing to test him, but I knew that he gained all that he needed from them. Whenever he trained now, I saw him practicing and refining the moves they used against him, and he went as far as to request tutorship from the school’s sword masters of every discipline.

While I strove to improve all my talents, he strove to improve his skill with the blade and devoted himself only to academia that he knew that he needed. While I shared courtesies with other houses, he practiced with the rapier. While I learned all I could of etiquette and devoted myself to hobbies to showcase my skills, he eliminated the weaknesses of his style and those he faced. As I strove to become a better Chevalier, he rested his body and allowed all that he gained to seep into his very bones, until he could call upon all he knew in an absolute instant.

I knew, in my heart of hearts, that he was becoming untouchable in melee combat and that I would only be able to defeat him if I devoted myself to the field as he did.

But… still… I couldn’t bear the thought of allowing him to continue to only see me as a mere foe.

After all these weeks, he has yet to offer me any courtesies whatsoever—

“Will fight in the melee?” Ashdown spoke to me with his hands on the pommel of his planted blade. The question lacked any courtesy. He was a lesser house and was speaking to the daughter of a Duke. That single sentence, lacking in honorifics, would have him ousted from any even in high society.

But his eyes were upon me.

My throat felt dry, and the ramblings of my past life rampaged in my mind and threatened to have a blush form on my face, but I held fast against my own traitorous thoughts. I refused to look meek and weak before anyone, so I stood strong and tall before him, even as my body labored from my exertions.

“I will and I will be its champion.” My defeats raged in my mind, but I would not allow my past to defeat me. I will fight to my utmost and strive to defeat Ashdown. What was the point in competition, if I did not aim for the highest and greatest prize? “Be prepared for that, Heir of House Ashdown.”

I was prepared to be belittled, but he merely nodded at my words before addressing me once again.

“You are a worthy and true rival. I will face you with all my strength as always.” With the same ease as a child would raise a butter knife, the Ashdown Heir raised the sword as tall as he in the air towards me in salute, before placing it on his shoulder and giving me small bow. In all his matches, against all the foes he faced, he never afforded any other the same honor. “I will see you at the championship match. No other in the Academy can compare to either of us, Lady Baude.”

With his intentions made known, he turned and left without another word, as I did the same.

His acknowledgement of both my power and existence… caused an unfamiliar sensation to rise within my chest, along with the burning desire to overcome the challenge set before me. I have achieved what I wished, but now I yearned to continue to grow and overcome, but I would be a fool to deny the unfamiliar sensation that coupled with my new desire.

But… but no matter what my past sensibilities implied; I did not have a single mote of affection from that… that battle-minded noble from the very fringes of the kingdom!

Not a single mote!

…

Godfrey raised his head from his studies in the library as a shadow befell him.

He nodded and greeted the one who came before him once he realized who it was.

“Clarisse.” He hadn’t known what to make of the peasant girl when they first met. He had little interaction with women of his own age and standing, but he’d been taught the necessities in order to not make a fool of himself before them. A young woman without noble blood, he knew, would have different customs as they lived different lives. So, at first, he did not speak to her and merely observed her. At first. “You look tired as always.”

In the face of Clarisse’s indomitable drive, her constant studying, training, and growing presence in the school, he now acknowledged her and respected her. Despite being placed in a new, almost hostile environment, she was faring better than he was with less than what he had. All that she did, and continued to do, earned her place in the Academy twice over, as far as he was concerned.

“Lord Ashdown, you need to be more considerate of a lady!” Clarisse admonished him with a humph, puffed cheeks, and a glare. However, Godfrey took note of the fact that her anger didn’t reach her eyes. Instead, as always, he saw the eyes of a determined strategist that so many others in the Academy seemed to miss. She reminded him of his grandfather who spent many nights poring over maps and tactics, preparing for battle, and unleashing stratagems and forces that would cause wholesale slaughter to enemies of house Ashdown. Many praised her for being cute and gentle, as well as slowly becoming elegant, but he knew the truth because of her familiar gaze. “If you aren’t, you’ll get hurt someday!”

Others would’ve taken the words as a just, especially with the giggle and smile that followed it, but Godfrey didn’t break his gaze from Clarisse’s. The depth of knowledge, strategies, and plans awhirl within the girl’s eyes made her look almost inhuman. He knew without a doubt that he just received a promise and a threat about his choice of words.

Not for Clarisse, but for someone else.

Just like when his grandfather threatened him after he made a mistake, Godfrey gave the answer he believed correct.

“A lady who would be harmed by such words won’t have the strength to harm me. They would only have beauty in their name and all their strength will lie with their partner. I have no interest in such women.” Godfrey shook his head and returned his attention to his studies. There were many forms of strength, he was more aware of that more than ever after brushing against the weight and influence of the long-established houses, but he knew that his words were true. “Now, what is your question for me today, Clarisse?”

Godfrey observed the ever-smiling, calculating young woman standing before him. He took note of how her smile widened and how she agreed with his words, thus making him wonder which lady she though so highly off… before discarding the thought.

Romance was not in his reach.

He needed to marry a woman near his own territory with a household with strength or the potential to be strong.

If he did his duty well, then perhaps his son would be able to marry for love.

But it was not his place.

“Hm, I think today I’d like to know about sieges a bit more, Godfrey! Can you share what you know?”

“Of my household’s defenses? No. Of general tactics to withstand one? Yes.” Godfrey put his thoughts on the future aside in favor of the present. “In return, I would have you teach me of the history of the coastal provinces in the last two decades. Is that fair for you, Clarisse?”

Godfrey met smile and gaze of a calculating strategist with a solid gaze as she took a seat across from him.

“Of course. It sounds very fair to me!”

The exchange was not fair, but she accepted it anyways, because she knew he kept her at bay and the only way forward was through concessions.

He would make use of that as much as he could always and keep his guard up.

She was not a foe to be trifled with.