Bonus Short Stories
The Eccentricities of an Orphan Sponsor
“Is everyone in position?”
A dignified voice reached everyone through the comms in their ears. That was enough to get them to straighten their postures. The mission they were on was unofficial, but came from the Governor-General himself.
At the Seven Nations Friendship Magical Tournament, the Governor-General’s direct subordinates, in other words the elites of the elites, were carrying recording equipment into various places at the venue.
The preparations for the tournament management to create their own recordings had already been made. With the Governor-General’s direct orders they couldn’t afford to cut any corners, even if it was just a match between students...
“Target confirmed, Alice Tilake’s first match is commencing. All angles cleared... all objectives cleared. Recording is ready at your command, Governor-General Berwick.”
“Good. Don’t mess up. I won’t forgive it if there’s any missed footage.”
“Roger!!”
Berwick was anxiously awaiting the start of the match from his VIP room. He could feel his heart pounding, like a father witnessing his daughter’s grand debut.
Even at his advanced age, Berwick was still a bachelor. But the way he watched over Alice like she was his own daughter gave rise to a kind of expression that was seldom seen on a Governor-General’s face.
At the same time he was very emotional, as if there was a fire lit in his eyes. She’d overcome her past and grown so much, it was hard to believe that she’d once lived in a facility with her spirit broken.
Her friends and the bonds with the people around her must have filled her once empty heart. Thinking about it that way, Berwick felt somewhat redeemed despite only being able to secretly give her financial aid. “Her smile has grown even more beautiful.”
“Wow, that’s gross,” Lettie immediately retorted.
Cicelnia smiled wryly. “I know the details, but your way of support is just abnormal... it almost makes me regret ever appointing you to be Governor-General.”
Berwick’s temple and cheek twitched at that. The way he clung onto the windowsill in the room might have been less than mature, but even so... “Now now, Lady Cicelnia and Lettie, you are still too young. The day will come when you too understand this sensation. I feel like this is it... having worked so hard to this day so that she could regain her smile. And I’m sure I’ll be able to continue doing what I can in the future.”
As he said this, a slight shift of the lights made the shadows on Berwick’s face all the more pronounced.
“For a moment, you looked like nothing but an old man.”
“I saw it too, Lady Cicelnia. Someone so old he might just go on to retire.”
“What are you talking about?! I still have plenty more in me, especially after being revitalized from looking at her!”
“W-Well, that’s fine...”
Cicelnia and Lettie gave Berwick a sidelong glance, as he clenched his fist and held back tears.
“Don’t you think you’re being delusional? Before long, people will be calling you a crazy old grandpa!”
“Urgh... I believe I know how to behave properly. Besides, Alus wouldn’t say that!”
“I understand that you are single and without children... but going this far is not normal.”
“Right. By the way, Allie is training this... Alice, is that right? And it looks like you’ve been preparing for this shoot since she enrolled at the Institute. That just borders on madness!”
Berwick simply shook his head, as if to say that they still had a long way to go.
Incidentally, even after Berwick retired, he would still have money left over to give Alice financial aid. Not having much to spend it on, he’d amassed a decent fortune. And his way of doting wasn’t much different from a grandparent doting on their grandchild.
When she got a boyfriend, it wasn’t hard to imagine Berwick launching a thorough investigation into him, and fiercely protesting any dating, even going so far as to scheme to sabotage the relationship.
Even if he didn’t, there was the concern that he would eventually stick his nose where it didn’t belong. Not to mention he was the military leader of an entire nation.
Cicelnia suppressed a shudder, and decided to press her point. “Do try to avoid any scandals, will you? It would have repercussions for me as well.”
“Now that’s rude... Lady Cicelnia, it seems you’re misunderstanding me...”
“Still, isn’t it pretty complicated? What are you going to do about that?”
“About what?”
“This Alice girl is going to become a Magicmaster, right? Which means that she’ll eventually join the military.”
“It is indeed a complicated feeling. But it’s the path that she decided on her own. I will simply watch over her, and give her a slight push if need be.” Despite Berwick’s age, his back was straight, and he looked like the model soldier, with almost a philosophical look to him.
However—
“Your legs are shaking, Governor-General.”
“I knew you were getting old. There’s a certain melancholy hanging in the air...”
Berwick was left astonished as the two young women took turns having a go at him.
Drinks Under the Night Sky
It might be the perfect time for some reminiscing...
Her reddish brown hair had soaked in water, and she waited for it to dry naturally. Water droplets splashed as she casually ran her fingers through her hair.
Having retired to her assigned room in Balmes’ military headquarters, Lettie was taking a well-earned break after returning from her mission. The large room was not much different from a top class hotel room.
After wiping down her body, Lettie rested a towel on her shoulders, walking around the room in bare feet. Unusually for her, she hadn’t fully dried her hair and was wearing a thin night shirt.
The shirt was wet and sticking to her, and her white skin could be seen through it. However, there was only one other person in the room, so there was no fear of anyone from the other nations seeing her.
Her usual braid was undone with her hair hanging against her back. She wasn’t in a particularly bad mood, but to outsiders her stiff expression would look like she had failed to get enough sleep.
She restlessly moved towards the balcony. Walking out onto it, she leaned against the exquisitely made white railing. The gentle wind rustled her hair.
There were some things that she wasn’t satisfied with, and some anger she couldn’t take out on anyone, causing deep wrinkles in her forehead.
That was when a voice that seemed to have picked up on that called out from behind her, “You look like you have a lot you want to say, Lady Lettie.”
“I guess I made you worry, Ms. Rinne.”
“Not at all,” Rinne said, shaking her head. Her hair was bundled up and she’d changed into some rather plain clothes. She seemed to have been extra sensitive to Lettie’s state, as she even brought out refreshments.
There were two glasses with fruity drinks. The perfect drink to enjoy under a night sky. After picking up one of the glasses, Lettie put it against her lips and poured it down her throat as if to extinguish her burning red cheeks. “Hm? Is this...”
“Oh, are you not good with alcohol? There’s only a little mixed in, so it’s not as strong as fruit wine.”
“I don’t mind. I was just thinking of how I was causing trouble for you,” Lettie said with a small smile on her face.
Rinne had indeed shown some consideration for her, but it wasn’t something she was too bothered by. She was more worried over being so open with a Single. But they were both women here. It was only natural she would be tempted to have a chat under the night sky with a drink in hand. “... Is it about Sir Alus?”
“More or less. I guess you’re right on the mark, really. Anyways, I’m not going to start talking even if you get me drunk.”
“T-That’s not what I intended. It’s just... it doesn’t feel real. Like I still can’t believe it.”
“Same here. Everyone else on the squad probably feels the same way. But this kind of thing happens all the time. Magicmasters or not, we’re just pawns on the board. But Allie is different. There’s replacements for the ruler, and the Governor-General... and me. But not for Allie.”
Rinne timidly asked her, “Because he’s the ranked No. 1...?”
“Because he’s in a league of his own. I more or less knew that before, but I felt that all the more strongly this time around. Say that a Fiend, far stronger than anything we’ve ever fought in the past, appears.”
“That would be a disaster,” Rinne nodded.
“Nations would be destroyed, Magicmasters would die, as well as the citizens they fought to protect. So would the rulers and Governor-Generals.”
Lettie spoke in a serious tone, and Rinne imagined the situation. The realization gradually sank in and a creeping chill ran down her spine as she gulped, forgetting that she had a drink in her hand.
“No matter how strong they might be, everyone would die. Doubles and Singles alike. I’m sure I would too. But Allie alone would survive. Even if humanity died out, he would be able to survive all on his own.” Lettie casually said this as if simply stating obvious facts.
“...” Sensing that the atmosphere was getting a little too heavy, Rinne tried to change the topic. Lettie wanted to speak of Alus’ value, and it was also the source of her frustration. But right now, all Rinne was after was some casual chatting between two adults. She had no intentions of digging too deep.
So she tried to enjoy the setting, and took a sip of her drink. “By the way, Lady Lettie, would you like to share an old story about Sir Alus?”
“So a little snack to go with the drinks... or maybe something more than that?”
“No, I meant nothing by it... Why does everyone try to set me up!” Rinne’s cheeks were twitching. She’d asked a casual question, but somehow ended up having it turned against her. She wasn’t too happy about it, but she still listened to what Lettie had to say.
“That’s fine. As Cicelnia’s aide it might be better for you to know more about Allie,” Lettie said. “Allie was so cute when he was little. Oh, and when I say little, I mean that he’s always been the same, just smaller. And his eyes were more dead than they are now. But that’s what got the unmarried women going.”
That wasn’t the kind of talk Rinne expected to come from Lettie’s mouth, but it was more in line with what she had hoped for, so all the better. Their discussion got more heated as they got into it.
Quite a while later, their unexpectedly passionate discussion was finally starting to die down. “Still... you sure do get excited when you talk about Sir Alus... is that because of love?”
With a childish smile on her face, Lettie held her empty glass upside down to get the last of the drink out of it. “I do think about that from time to time. There’s even a picture of the two of us inside my license case that was taken in celebration when I became a Single.”
Rinne restrained her urge to ask to see it, and asked a simple question instead. It might turn into another long discussion, but she didn’t want to throw a damper on the current topic. Status or rank had no place here. This was just simple girl talk. “Lady Lettie... what was the trigger that made you realize how you felt for Sir Alus?”
Lettie’s smile became bigger as she seemed to recall something, but she put a finger against her lips. “That’s a secret. If we ever get another chance like this, maybe I’ll share it over some drinks under the night sky...”
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