Chapter 111 : The Girls’ War

TL:SummerPeanut

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2 September 2030.

Starting today, Clarice and Minerva will be joining me on my morning run. Ellie said she got up once but went back to sleep again.

Minerva was the first to drop out today and she didn't even last five minutes.

Well, the pace I'm running is no different from that of a first-class runner on Earth.

And next Karen dropped out off in about 10 minutes, similar to yesterday, and then Clarice talked to me while being out of breath.

“Mars. Do you always train like this? How long do you run?”

“Ever since the end of the Freshman Combat Tournament, I guess. I've got used to it so I'm not sure if I should pick up the pace or run longer next time. Well, time is limited, so I think I'll pick up the pace..."

"..."

Clarice did not reply as her breathing was getting tighter.

After half an hour's run, Misha started using Wind magic again and she managed to hang on. But she was running out of energy and wanted to go home the same way she did yesterday.

“Clarice. I'm going to go back via the path we came from but do you want to give Misha a piggyback ride?"

“No...I can't...it's pretty hard for me too right now… I should be able to manage with this pace until we got back...but I can't carry someone on my back."

Clarice is sweating a little and does not look too tired but she is probably quite tired in actuality. She usually doesn’t sweat as much due to her constitution after all.

I carried Misha on my back like I did yesterday, princess carried Karen and returned to the girls' dormitory. Minerva was already sitting in front of the girls' dormitory.

Well, she had only been running for five minutes so it won't take her too long to get back. When Minerva saw me being sandwiched by Misha and Karen, she said.

“Mars, you're really the enemy of men... or is the enemy of women more accurate?”

Yes, I'm a little aware of that... Karen and Misha got off me and kiss me on the cheek like they did yesterday and went back to their room, Minerva returned, following them.

“See you later."

Clarice's lips lightly touch mine and she disappeared into the girls' dormitory too. The best morning ever! May it continue every day.

As soon as I got to school I was called into the headmaster's office.

“Good morning. Mars.”

Since when I wonder? When did Duke Regan start speaking informally with me?*1 Does this mean she trusts me as much?

“Good morning. Duke Regan.”

“I'll get right into the main topic, may I start by talking about your clan? This is not a rule but it is customary. Only B-rank parties and above could create a clan at the moment. It was quite a long time ago that paper adventurers created a large clan consisting of just paper but there’s a tendency where people seem to overrate themselves when they have the numbers, and they went into the ‘Forest of Death’ in the north of the Lister Confederacy and were wiped out. Since then, I've been rejecting clan applications from low-rank parties but this time I'm giving you special permission to create a clan. I will inform the Adventurer's Guild in Regan so please tell me your clan name."

She is indeed not a duke just in name. She doesn't care about the customs of the Adventurer's Guild.

“I'm thinking of naming the clan ‘Daybreak’.”

“I understand. Then please go to the Adventurer's Guild after school today. Next regarding the nomination quest, we have a request from Margrave Isaac, who governs the northernmost part of the Lister Confederacy. I'm going to ask you to take over the quest that ten fifth-year A class students from the Lister Imperial School have been undertaking.”

“Take over?”

“Yes. They will return because it is the last Warrior Gods Festival for them. Daybreak will be swapping places with them. It’s the last Warrior Gods Festival for fifth-year students so please let them return.”

So she’s having us replace the fifth-year students...

“By the way, what kind of quest is it?”

“The fortress city of Isaac is the bulwark of the Lister Confederacy against the magic beasts from the Forest of Death. The Death Forest is guarded by the Knights of Isaac and Duke Fresvald’s 2nd Knight Order but it seems that the number of magic beasts in Forest of Death’s outskirts is increasing. We are asking you to thwart them and investigate the cause."

“The 2nd Knight Order?”

“Yes. Duke Fresvald has six Knight Orders. Four other of them guard the north, south, east and west sides of the Fresvald Duchy. And the strongest of the six orders and also the strongest Knight Order in this Lister Confederacy guards the Fresvald territory while the second strongest order guards the Forest of Death. The second order... the Order of Arcane Fire, are all C-rank adventurers above in terms of strength. I believe the Knight Commander is already at a level where he could reach an A-rank adventurer."

The fact that the Knight Commander of the second order, the Order of Arcane Fire, can reach A-level means that... The Knight Commander of the strongest order is A-rank... I'd like to have spar with the Knight Commander of the Arcane Fire to see how far I stand.

“Okay, I understand. Then I will be ready to leave in a few days.”

When I bowed and was about to leave the room.

“Wait a minute. I have one more thing to tell you."

Duke Regan stopped me.

“Mars, just to inform you but there is a first-year student who learned Holy magic. Personally, I would like that student to join either Red Lotus or Reimei but I would like to know your opinion first.”

My answer had already been decided.

“Then please ask that student to join Red Lotus. But are you sure you can so easily divulge the existence of someone who can use Holy magic like this?"

“The only people who know now are me, Mars, Sasha, and that student. Sasha will be located in the same room to protect her thoroughly. However, she also has the freedom to choose so she might not join Red Lotus and I hope you can understand. But still, you do not seem surprised by the appearance of a Holy magic user, do you? Is there already a Holy magic user in Reimei?"

Oh, shit... normally I should be surprised right...

“I just saw a Holy magic user called Russe the other day so I just felt they are not as unusual. I'm pretty surprised and I'm proud to be the same student as that Holy magic user in Lister Imperial School."

I tried to smooth it one way or another...but it doesn’t seem like it worked. Duke Regan seems to be doubting me.

“Well then, I shall excuse myself this time. Oh...by the way, is it alright if we proceed with self-study this afternoon?"

“Yes...self-study is fine. Is there anything you would like to do by asking that?”

“Yes. I would like to go around to some of the other classes. I'd like to see each class’s strengths and what kind of education is being implemented.”

“Okay... I will inform the homeroom teachers of each class.”

The morning's classroom lectures were over and lunch was served, with everyone in S class talking over their food.

• That the clan can be created
• That the nominated quest is located at the fortress city of Isaac
• That it’ll be self-study for a while in the afternoon classes and we could attend other classes

I told these three things but did not mention the Holy magic user.

“Have you decided on a name for the clan?”

Baron said to me.

“Yeah. I've chosen Daybreak.”

“Daybreak huh… Cool name!”

When Dominic said that, it was well received by everyone.

In the afternoon and during my self-study, Clarice and I headed to the A class classroom but the other S class members were going to practice on their own.

When the two of us went to observe the A class, we were welcomed by everyone.

Well, there are a lot of contacts with A class students one way or another so I know everyone's face.

We often eat lunch in close proximity to other first-year students and talk to each other.

I was watching the class while appraising everyone. I wonder why. But several of them have higher stats than Minerva. And yet Minerva was the one promoted to the S class... Looking closely, everyone with a higher status than Minerva is a commoner. Perhaps because they were commoners of the Lister Confederacy…

If they were commoners in the Zarkham Kingdom, they could have been in S class like Joseph and Johan but if they were a commoner in the Lister Confederacy, Minerva's family might not be convinced...

There is no Holy magic user in A class. Well, if there was one, Sasha would surely be there so I thought that student wasn't here the moment I walked into the classroom. Instead, there were a few guys with interesting skills. Alchemy and dancing swordsmanship... and even blacksmithing...

Alchemy is a very interesting thing. Let's ask the teachers next time.

We were going to just observe but the A class students wanted to have hand-to-hand combat so we decided to have a mock fight.

Because all of the boys came forward together, I ended the fight by challenging their forte like how I did with Gysahl, which made the girls who were watching cheer at us, and that felt good.

Then I fought the girls next, and from the results, I lost? This kind of vague result.

One of the girls, a magician, came running towards me with her training sword for some reason.

I flicked the sword away just like the boys but the female student ran at me with a hooray pose.

Eh? What should I do with this? As expected, I can't exactly punch a female student and I'm likely to be called a pervert if I touch her randomly...

In the end, I decided to just do nothing to catch her and was pushed down.

“I-I give up. So please move away...”

When I said that, the girls were overjoyed and went back into their circle. I looked up and there was heaven. Clarice was right where I was pushed down. Clarice sighed and said.

“Mars really has a weakness for girls... and how long are you going to keep looking?”

I stayed where I was.

“Suppose I am to participate in Warrior Gods Festival, I don't know how I'd fight a girl... what should I do?”

“It's true that hitting a girl without any hesitation is a little… Hmm…why don't you stand up for now?”

It's time to end the fever time. It's about time my unruly stick started listening to me...

Clarice held out her hand and I took it to stand up.

“I wonder what brother-in-law would do when he’s fighting a girl...”

I recalled a scene, and it seems Clarice recalled the same scene.

“I can just copy what he did to Karen!”

“Yes! That way... but doing it in public... would not be a good idea because if the girl could no longer be a bride, Mars would have to take her in...”

Yes... If I’m the one that leaked in front of everyone... Now that I think of it, Karen's mentality is as strong as steel huh. Then I went to the A class girls' group.

“May I spar with another person? I'd like to try a few things..."

When I said so, all the girls raised their hands.

I could hear them talking about me hugging them, or taking the chance in chaos to kiss... more amazingly, I could hear them talking about making it a done deal.

Clarice naturally heard the talk too. In fact, they might be saying purposely in a way that Clarice can hear it. Just as before, the girl rushed forward with her sword at the ready. ‘Alright!’ I thought, and when I tried to send a killing intent...

I was pushed down again in the same way.

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Author’s note:

Mars is a kind-hearted boy.

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TL’s note:

1. The literal translation would be “When did Duke Regan start calling my name without honorific?“. But I only use English honorifics e.g. Sir or Lord for some Japanese honorifics hence I tweaked it a little. Calling someone’s name without an honorific or given name can be seen as either rude if they are newly acquainted or close if otherwise.