Puppet Princess, Three Idiots, And Royal Family

Once the third term began, Rudel’s class became utterly serious. They threw themselves into preparing for the tournament so intensely that even their homeroom teacher thought he had never seen a class like this before. The interclass tournament, divided by year and intended to showcase the fruits of two years of training, was always fiercely competitive, but this year the presence of the royal family had raised the excitement to an entirely different level.

Rudel’s class was even more fired up than the others, determined to save Rudel from being forced to graduate early. Yet amid a tournament charged with more passion than usual, the class considered the favorite to win was filled with tension.

After the incident during the second term, Aleist had become a hero of the academy, but the atmosphere in his class remained poor. The argument in the forest still cast a shadow over them. Even so, none of the students could openly complain to someone as strong as Aleist, so their resentment only continued to build. By now, Aleist rarely even attended class, and badmouthing him behind his back had become the class’s favorite way to vent their frustration.

It was under those circumstances that the tournament was about to begin.

Then, while Rudel’s class spent every day immersed in training, Luecke and Unias appeared with representatives from their respective classes. As students from all three classes gathered on the field in the evening, a strange atmosphere settled over them.

“Rudel, I’ve heard what happened. I know what your class is trying to accomplish in this tournament.”

At Luecke’s opening words, Rudel’s classmates allowed themselves the faint hope that the two might cooperate with them. Even Izumi thought that, considering how close the three seemed to be… perhaps they would help. But then Unias spoke.

“We heard the story, but we’ve decided we’re going to crush you with everything we’ve got. In this tournament, you’re supposed to face Luecke’s class in the first round, and if you beat them, you’ll probably face ours next. And even if you somehow manage to win that match too, Aleist’s class should be waiting for you at the end. You don’t stand a chance.”

With that, the two left with their class representatives. Izumi’s shoulders fell at their words. Luecke and Unias were both extraordinarily gifted in their respective specialties of magic and swordsmanship. If they wanted to defeat classes containing opponents like those two, they would have to exploit the fact that the tournament was fought as a team… Just as Izumi began thinking along those lines, Rudel called out to the departing pair.

“I’ll be fighting as the captain! What about you two?”

He had boldly declared that he would serve as his team’s captain! As an awkward silence settled over everyone present, the two merely raised their hands in response before walking away.

“W-W-W-What are you saying, Rudel?!”

Izumi’s shout echoed across the field.

As the two walked away with their class representatives, the students cautiously addressed the pair who served as their respective class leaders.

“A-Are you sure about this, Luecke-sama? Arses-sama has to win this tournament, or…”

Luecke sharply cut off the representative who had spoken.

“If any of you even think about holding back during the tournament, I will never forgive you…”

After Luecke’s cold declaration, Unias also stopped and looked over everyone. Then, wearing his usual ferocious expression, he made his own announcement.

“In this tournament, I’ll forgive you for losing before I’ll forgive you for holding back! I don’t give a damn what you do against the other classes, but don’t you dare hold back against Rudel’s class!”

“Honestly, Unias… If you put it that way, you won’t have any right to complain if we lose before we ever face Rudel’s class, you know?”

Unias laughed in response to the exasperated Luecke.

“Are you stupid? The only classes that could beat us are Aleist’s class or Rudel’s class… I’ve already decided that I will never hold back against that guy.”

Neither Luecke nor Unias intended to fight Rudel with everything they had because they disliked him. They intended to do so because they acknowledged him. They would face him seriously, and whether they won or lost afterward, they would have no complaints… That was the conclusion the two had reached.

“Rudel would never forgive us if we held back, anyway.”

“That bastard… He even challenged us directly. What are you going to do, Luecke?”

Luecke glanced back toward Rudel’s class in the distance.

“Naturally, I’ll face him… I’ll fight in the captain’s match.”

A stir ran through Luecke’s class at those words. If victory was their only priority, it would be better for Luecke not to face Rudel directly. Yet as though following his answer, Unias declared as well,

“Of course I’m the captain too! I’ve wanted to fight that guy at least once.”

Unias also looked back toward Rudel’s class. Even from where they stood, they could see Rudel being chased around by Izumi. Then, after Izumi finally caught him, Rudel shouted toward the two of them.

“I’ll win—no! We’ll win, no matter what!!!”

The two laughed at his shout and resumed walking, with their classmates following after them. …From behind, they could hear the laughter of Rudel and the rest of his class.

Then came the day of the tournament. In the arena’s VIP box, the King of Courtois, Albaha Courtois, sat alongside his queen, Ciel Courtois, and their eldest daughter, First Princess Aileen Courtois, looking down over the venue where the tournament would take place.

The three leisurely surveyed the arena while guarded by Senior Knights. The academy principal stood nearby in attendance. Then the Second Princess, Fina, entered the room. Indeed, Fina had been the one who invited her family.

“You seem well, Fina. Though I suppose it has only been a month.”

Her father, the king, laughed as he spoke.

“You still can’t show any expression? I thought attending the academy might improve that…”

Her mother, the queen, couldn’t resist making a cutting remark. As the king tried to calm his wife,

“Fina, how is the academy? I’ve never attended one myself, so I’m terribly curious… You never tell us anything even during the long holidays, so won’t you tell me about your life here?”

“It has been some time, Father, Mother… and Sister.”

Fina’s expression remained unchanged as she offered a flawless bow. Her thoughts about her family, however, were—

(Our royal family really is a hopeless family… My sister is especially dangerous! If she ever finds out about my precious kitten Mii… she’ll definitely come to kill her! I guarantee it! Mother is the same as always, and Father… I suppose he’s still the least bad?)

Her opinion of her family was decidedly cold.

Fina then took her seat in the VIP box and looked over the arena… The stands were packed with students, with banners and flags raised in support of their respective classes. The excitement in the venue was particularly intense this year because the royal family was in attendance.

(It’s so unbearably hot in here. If I were getting hot because of Mii’s fluffiness, I’d gladly endure it… No, for fluffiness, I would endure anything!!!)

While Fina contemplated such things without the slightest change in expression, her father addressed her.

“So, what do you think? You claimed the heir of House Arses was exceptionally talented, and the Senior Knights and Dragoons agreed with you… but the reports they sent me were so far beyond anything I expected that I hardly knew how to react. Cattleya seemed to dislike him considerably as well. And judging from the paperwork alone, I can hardly call him outstanding. Though I will admit he seems interesting.”

“House Arses have certainly fallen far. Their place among the Three Dukes is little more than a title now… When I heard you were interested in the heir of such a family, Fina, I genuinely wondered whether you had lost your senses.”

Fina inwardly ignored her mother, who seemingly couldn’t speak without adding some sarcasm. Then her elder sister Aileen spoke.

“I hear he’s terribly aggressive, isn’t he? I dislike such savage people, just as I dislike demi-humans! If a man is going to possess strength, someone like Aleist-dono of House Hardy, whom Cattleya mentioned, would be ideal. Don’t you agree, Fina?”

“…I suppose so.”

Fina gave a vague answer. Internally, however—

(Huh? She likes that womanizer? So that’s Sister’s type… Yeah, we’ll never understand each other. Nothing in this world could possibly be better than fluffiness! Ah! But Master is an exception! That person is a national treasure of Courtois! A national treasure!!! Still, she really hates fluff—no, demi-humans—as much as ever.)

As they continued talking, the competitors bowed toward the royal family. The royals responded by waving back, but…

“Honestly… To think we’re wasting our time on something like this…”

“There are demi-humans down there. Why are they allowing demi-humans to compete? They should reduce their numbers and put more humans in instead…”

“Good grief. Would the two of you calm yourselves a little? You should learn from Fina.”

When the conversation suddenly turned toward her, Fina thought—

(Whoa, whoa!!! Demi-humans—no! So much fluffiness, all in one place… Haaah, haaah… Mii, forgive me! I might end up cheating on you!!!)

…She was the worst of them all.