Puppet Princess’ Rival

Rudel and the others had safely(?) advanced, completed the basic course, and become third-years. Once students completed the basic course, classes ceased to exist. Each student selected a field of study and chose the lessons necessary for their future. The exact subjects varied according to individual ability, but students pursuing the same goal generally ended up taking similar courses.

Anyone aiming to become a knight had to study etiquette and practical combat skills. There were other necessary subjects as well, but the general selection depended on what one intended to become. …At an academy where even attending classes cost money, commoner students who wanted to keep expenses as low as possible chose the shortest path toward their goals.

They spent either three years or a single year studying at the academy. They studied there, certainly, but…

“I’m glad all three of you came… Do you know why you were summoned?”

Bargas was now a fifth-year, the highest grade at the academy, and had been chosen as a prefect for the boys’ dormitory. Together with the other students who had likewise become dormitory prefects, he had summoned three people… Rudel, Luecke, and Unias.

“No, I have no idea.”

Rudel genuinely had no clue.

“Being summoned by upperclassmen leaves a bad taste in my mouth… Why did you call us here?”

Luecke immediately spoke down to the very upperclassmen who had summoned him.

“Did I do something…? Nothing comes to mind.”

Unias thought about it briefly but couldn’t remember anything.

Faced with the three of them, Bargas and the other fifth-year prefects wore troubled expressions. The fifth-years gathered here all had one thing in common. Every one of them had already secured a position as a knight. Moreover, they were exceptional students who had risen from commoner backgrounds to become knights.

In a normal year, noble-born students destined to become knights would have been chosen as prefects. That should have happened this year as well… but there was one problem: among the third-years were the three future heads of the Three Dukes—Rudel and the others.

Each faction belonging to one of the Three Dukes had tried to appoint its own prefect. But this year, Rudel, the foremost troublemaker of them all, had become a third-year. Third-years had far more free time than students in the basic course. Naturally, that meant they spent more time in the dormitories.

Who was going to look after them?

Once they considered that… the noble students all declined the position of prefect. And so Bargas, who was close to Rudel, had been chosen instead. As far as Bargas was concerned, it was nothing but a nuisance. He had worked hard enough to become a knight, only to end up serving as Rudel and the others’ minder. Watching them from the outside might have been entertaining, but getting personally involved was exhausting.

“I see… Then I’ll tell you. First, Luecke-sama. Destruction of property at the magic training grounds.”

“? The instructor told me to cast my spell as though I intended to destroy the wall. I merely did exactly that.”

At the magic training grounds, students cast spells toward a wall. That wall was specially reinforced with magic to withstand magical attacks. Luecke had destroyed it. Even the instructor had never imagined anyone could actually break it… Incidentally, Rudel had also destroyed one while developing a finishing move.

Eventually, Rudel and Luecke had developed a spell powerful enough to destroy the entire facility. It was an offensive spell designed purely for destruction, consuming an absurd amount of mana and requiring control techniques on an entirely different level, and it had reduced the facility to rubble. …The theory behind the spell had existed for years, but everyone had abandoned it because it was impractical in real combat… until Rudel and Luecke completed it.

“Next! Unias-sama is a habitual curfew violator!”

“What are you talking about? I was on academy grounds before curfew, so I didn’t violate anything.”

“Huh? They take roll call at curfew, but as long as you’re somewhere on academy grounds, it’s fine, Unias? Then maybe I’m safe too.”

“If you’re not there when they take roll call, you’ve broken curfew!”

Bargas shouted at Unias and Rudel. Incidentally, Rudel was involved in this problem too…

“…And finally, Rudel. You walking disaster! On top of those first two things, you’re responsible for the commotion in the girls’ dormitory, and we’ve been receiving complaints from all kinds of races because of you!!!”

“O-Oh. I admit there was a disturbance in the girls’ dormitory, but I think that was the princess’s fault. She kept making me pet all sorts of girls, then started making a scene all by herself… Actually, isn’t that girl unusually emotional?”

Bargas began explaining the offenses committed by Rudel, the greatest problem child of the three. Apparently, Rudel had sexually harassed demi-human girls in the girls’ dormitory. Strictly speaking, all he had done was touch them—but there had been a great many of them…

Rudel certainly bore some responsibility for doing such a thing, but Fina had been the cause. Saying that she wanted to thank him, she had invited Rudel into the girls’ dormitory. A normal person would have realized something was strange at that point. But this was Rudel… so he had simply shown up without giving it any thought. Rudel had never harbored any indecent intentions in the first place.

Fina, however, was different! Her indecent intentions were exploding!!!

“According to the report from M-chan of the White Cat Tribe, she said, ‘Because of you, I can never get married now!’”

“You mean Mii? But that was…”

“Wait a minute, Rudel! Don’t tell me… you did that thing you used on the Senior Knight? Why didn’t you call me!!! I’ve been trying to master it too, but no matter what I do, I can’t pull it off… Teach me! Teach me the secret behind that technique!”

Luecke restrained Unias as he crowded Rudel.

“Enough already! We’re never going to get through this at this rate!”

“Then there are the black cats, the elves… and finally the Tiger Tribe. We’ve even had male members of the Tiger Tribe asking how you managed to tame women from a race that terrifying. Frankly, it’s a nuisance! Every single day, we’re practically being threatened by hulking demi-human men!”

The other prefects, who had suffered as well, all nodded in unison. The Tiger Tribe… were demi-humans whose men and women both exceeded two meters in height, possessing powerful physiques and ferocious temperaments. They were also relatively few in number, for the rather awkward reason that Tiger Tribe women only liked strong men.

Weak men need not apply. Among the uncompromising Tiger Tribe, Rudel was practically a savior. Their men became interested upon hearing that all they had to do was pet the women, thinking, I could do that too… but the Arses Family was still one of the Three Dukes, corrupt or not. Unable to bring themselves to ask Rudel directly, they instead descended upon the prefects.

“Tiger Tribe girls are surprisingly cute, you know? I’m more afraid of the Black Cat Tribe… One of them came wearing a collar and said, ‘Please make me your slave for the rest of my life.’ That honestly terrified me. I don’t know what would have happened if I hadn’t asked Izumi to save me…”

“…I seriously can’t stand this guy anymore! Why are you the only one hogging all the happiness?! Because of you, we’re being chased around and threatened by these huge, sweaty demi-humans… At least introduce us to some girls next time!”

As Bargas’s complaints began revealing his true feelings, Rudel, still not understanding the problem, tried to comfort him.

“Don’t worry! I’m sure you can do it too, Bargas.”

“Stop giving me irresponsible encouragement! This is all your fault… Wait a second. You mentioned the princess earlier… You haven’t laid a hand on the princess, have you!!! If you have, we’re going to be in serious trouble too!!!”

As the prefects grew desperate, Rudel scratched his cheek and denied it.

“I haven’t done anything. Sophina-san, a Senior Knight, is always stationed nearby, so it would be impossible to touch her even if I wanted to. …She only confessed to me, that’s all.”

“What!”

“The Puppet Princess did!?”

“That’s even worse!!!”

“Don’t worry… I turned her down!”

Rudel answered with complete confidence. While everyone else in the room panicked, Rudel merely wondered when he would be allowed to leave. Unfortunately, that wasn’t happening. He was detained and forced to explain everything that had happened in the girls’ dormitory. And afterward, Bargas decided to prepare the ultimate weapon for dealing with Rudel.

While Rudel was being detained, Fina—the source of the entire problem—was growing irritated that her master, Rudel, had not arrived at the girls’ dormitory even though the appointed time had passed. She had intended to have him teach her that secret technique today of all days… Meanwhile, Fina was in her room under the watchful eye of Sophina, who had been assigned as her guard by royal order.

As Fina paced around the room, Sophina admonished her.

“Princess, that is unbecoming. A member of the royal family must always carry herself with dignity. And could you please stop associating with that idiot son of House Arses?”

As Sophina droned on with the same old lecture, Fina replied,

“Yes. I’ll think about it.”

(What’s this woman even talking about? He’s the man who saved my life, so there’s nothing wrong with meeting him. And does she really think I don’t know…? My attendants have been gossiping that she, who always pretends to shield me while getting petted herself, has recently started wearing sexy underwear… At this point, her mouth might say no, but the rest of her is completely prepared.)

“P-Princess… Is Rudel-sama coming again today? If he is, I’ll be leaving.”

Fina caught Mii’s tail as the girl tried to flee the room. She gently pulled her back by the tail and held her in place.

“You’re not getting away… It’ll be fine.”

(I’m not letting you escape, little kitty!!! Today, with my technique, I’ll take you straight to heaven… to Fluff Heaven!!!)

It was while Fina was getting herself worked up like that that Rudel finally appeared in her room. It was already rather late, but he had come to the princess’s chamber with Izumi accompanying him.

“N-Nyaaaa!!!”

“So you’ve come, Rudel! I won’t let you near the princess.”

“Welcome, Rudel-sama… Then let us begin at once.”

As the three of them reacted in entirely different ways, Rudel smiled and spoke.

“Ah, sorry, but I’ve decided to seal away my petting technique. Izumi told me it wasn’t appropriate, so I’ve decided not to do it anymore. I’ll still pet dragons, though.”

All three froze at those words. Rudel continued smiling, saying things like there was nothing he could do if Izumi told him not to, and that it was Izumi’s request. Meanwhile, the expressionless Fina thought,

(W-What have you done, you black-haired menace!!! Do you even understand what you’ve done!!! My fluffiness… My dream of Fluff Heaven!!!!!!)