Chapter 36: An Oath

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Author: 猫夜叉 (Nekoyasha)

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“–In other words, just how the amount of magical power needed to activate a certain spell is mostly determined by its rank, the way to activate said spells also differs. For example, the Tenth Rank Magic you have probably all heard of before not only requires an enormous amount of magical power, but might even use some of the caster’s life force before it activates.”

St. Ferris Girls’ Academy – Moon class.

I stared at the back of Blonde Twintails, (also known as Cecilia Orford) as she sat in the very front row next to the windows while I listened to Luna’s class’ homeroom teacher, Ms. Hannah, enlightening us about the nature of magic.

“––And she’s my benefactor.” was what Luna had told me about her, but that didn’t change the fact that she was the one who had set the goblins on Luna. She should have been expelled for it.

However, the girl was still going to school as if nothing had happened, most likely due to Luna not having made a big deal out of it.

“……”

I took a glance at Luna.

I had felt like I had gotten to understand her a little since we first met, but it seemed like I had been a bit hasty in thinking so.

“…What’s up?” came her clear voice, her purple eyes staring at me.

“Nothing.”

“…I see.”

…I didn’t think she’d notice me looking at her.

Feeling slightly embarrassed, I turned my attention back to Cecilia Orford… or rather, to the knight sitting next to her, who was none other than Maro Burn.

…What a surprise.

Now that I think of it, I was a little curious about whose knight he had become, but I’d never have thought it would be Cecilia.

Suddenly, Cecilia turned and looked at us over her shoulder, her curly twintails swaying as she did so.

Of course, I instantly turned towards the teacher and listened to what she had to say with an earnest look on my face.

◆

Once classes were over, we all began preparing to head back.

I had gradually gotten used to the female students’ curious gazes.

“So? You were staring at her rather hard, is she your type or something?” Luna asked me all of a sudden, turning towards me.

“As if. No way.”

“I see.”

…What’s up with her?

‘She’s not really acting like herself,’ I thought to myself.

“Ara ara, don’t you have a rather unreliable-looking knight with you, Luna Flame?”

Our topic of conversation had walked up to us, visibly overflowing with that self-confidence unique to nobility, her twintails swaying elegantly.

Next to her was none other than the second son of the Burn family, Maro Burn.

He looked at me with slightly frightened eyes, unlike usual.

…Oh come one, it’s not like that, okay?

Wondering whether we should defend ourselves, I glanced towards Luna.

“………”

Alright. Ignoring them it is. As expected of my lady.

But then, Luna glanced towards Cecilia, and the corners of her mouth arched upwards.

“…!”

Cecilia’s eyebrows shot up at Luna’s mockery of her.

“As I thought, you have just the right knight for a loner, hmm? I, on the other hand, have none other than Maro, from the magically talented Burn family.”

“…Right you are. We’re going, Yuno,” Luna said, looking at me as she stood up to leave the classroom.

Cecilia, however, began shaking slightly from anger, her expression becoming more and more unpleasant.

…This seems like it’s going to get troublesome.

And, that thought of mine wasn’t wrong, sadly.

“–Don’t you mess with me!” Cecilia’s scream could be heard throughout the whole classroom.

All the girls still in the classroom glanced towards us, surprised, then left the classroom with extra haste as if running away from trouble.

It didn’t take long until only the four of us were left inside the somewhat forlorn-feeling classroom full of empty seats as the rays of the setting sun made their way through the windows.

“I was not ‘messing with you’. Could you leave me alone now? I’d like to go home,” Luna said in a cold tone of voice, and Cecilia sprang forwards.

I moved to intercept her, grabbing her right hand she had raised in order to, I assumed, slap Luna’s face.

“Cecilia-san. Please don’t. You’ll just make things worse like that.”

…Is she in her right mind!? That was going waay too far.

“Fufu… I’m fine with that…” she muttered, yanking her hand out of my grip and glaring at Luna again.

I couldn’t help but wonder what had happened between the two of them.

“Of course you find it amusing, don’t you… Luna Flame. You can mock me as much as you want when you can have me expelled whenever you want.”

“Are you talking about that time with the goblins? Don’t worry about that. I intend on telling neither my father nor the school.”

“That’s what pisses me off. Am I supposed to be grateful?”

“No, not at all. In fact, I’m the one who’s grateful. Thanks to you, I found the best knight. I suppose I could you’re my benefactor, in that regard,” Luna said, her beautiful smile belying its scariness.

I think she’s… frustrated? Annoyed?

And her feeling so was completely justified. Honestly, no matter how one looked at the situation, Cecilia was the one in the wrong here.

…She has way too much pride.

While that statement fit Luna rather well due to her personality, it was different when it came to Cecilia.

The impression she gave off was one that made her look like she was imitating Luna.

“…The best knight…? And that’s…?”

Cecilia’s green eyes turned towards me.

“The first ever incompetent Astario, the best knight? Fufu… what a joke.”

…Of course that’s what she’d think. I can imagine how this is going to continue.

But then, the very next words spoken were unexpected ones.

“Ufufu… you have a terrible eye for people… I feel sorry for you,” Luna said all of a sudden, pouring oil on the flame. Unlike before, her voice was full of contempt.

“So you say. You think my knight would lose against your incompetent one?”

“Oh, my. Didn’t you know? Your knight has already lost against my Yuno.”

“No, that’s wrong! He only won against me because he had a Skill and I didn’t! I’ll tell you now, there’s no way I’d lose against him if he’s not carrying a spear!” Maro cut in loudly, snorting derisively.

Now that we’ve gotten this far, the rest will be rather simple.

“Yuno, I give you my permission. Show them your power. Try to go at least a little easy on them, though.”

“Maro? You know what to do, right? Shut their mouths!”

Of course this would happen.

“But My Lady, private duels within the school are against school rules.”

“Hey now, Yuno, you scared?” Maro said, smirking.

Annoyed, I continued speaking. “The fighting competition is right around the corner, My Lady. Why not settle it there?”

Luna gave me a nod.

“…Well, you have a point. Then let us settle this there. But I hope you won’t use ‘oh, he has a skill and I don’t’ as an excuse even then? If you don’t have a Skill, just get one forcibly,” Luna said victoriously.

“Of course. My knight already has the word of a famous god that they will make a contract,” Cecilia said, answering Luna’s victorious smile with one of her own.

…A famous god, huh. It might turn into a fight where it’ll be difficult for me to hold back, if that’s the case.

“Still, I simply cannot understand it,” said Cecilia, smirking at me, giving me a bad premonition. “I’m surprised there was someone in the Magic Knight Academy who would make a contract with a stray god. Athena, was it? Is she that ‘Incompetent god’? Incompetence really does fit inc–”

My body moved on its own.

Putting some power into my toes, I sprang forward.

“––Eh?” I heard Maro’s surprised voice from behind me.

My hand had stopped right in front of Cecilia’s throat.

Her eyes widened in astonishment as she slowly realised what had happened.

––Then her hair fluttered in the strong wind that had been created by my movement.

I whispered in her ear.

“Say one more word, and I–”

–will never forgive you.

I didn’t finish my sentence.

“………”

Cecilia fell down onto her butt.

Giving her one last glance, I then turned towards Luna.

“Shall we go, My Lady?” I said, and she gave me a slightly unhappy look for some reason.

“…Yes. Let’s.”

We walked away, and I opened the door to leave the classroom.

When I opened it – Athena was one the other side.

The light of the setting sun filtering in through the windows and through the door coloured the white hallway red.

“––––!”

I was rattled.

Did she hear that?

However, a happy smile appeared on her face, erasing my worries.

“I went on a really, really long walk! Yuno-san, did you know? There’s a lot of flowers blooming in the garden!”

“Eh? Really!? Then let’s go together next time!”

“Okay!”

……Does that mean she didn’t hear?

The three of us set off in the direction of the Flame family home as I tried to bury away my anxiousness.

I didn’t take my eyes off Athena for a moment.

“There’s also a strange place where water comes out of!”

“A fountain? The school has one, My Lady?”

“Yes. It probably does.”

Athena smiled the whole time until the Sun sank and our surroundings turned dark.

Gazing at her smile, I renewed my oath to myself.

––I will win. So overpoweringly that nobody will ever be able to insult Athena.

“……”

My hands balled into fists as I thought that while gazing at the smiling Athena and Luna’s backs.

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