All of You, Come at Me
“What?”
The words had come out of nowhere, and a short, incredulous laugh escaped her. Jin looked up at her with eyes gone soft and sentimental.
“When you first showed up, you were only about this big.”
He spread his thumb and forefinger, and Nina’s face soured.
“I don’t think I was ever that small. Not even the day I was born.”
“You were. Just like this. And now look at you. All grown up.”
Nina folded her arms, looked down at him, and laughed.
“You’re right. I am. I’m the captain now, I’ll have you know.”
Seven years lay between them. The first time she saw him, he was already a grown man. Now she was grown, too.
“I thought I’d never get to watch you become an adult.”
Jin broke off, squinting.
“Wait. Now that I think about it, you’re not even of age yet, are you?”
“I am. I’m twenty.”
“Shouldn’t you be knocking two years off that?”
“Those two years already happened. How am I supposed to knock them off?”
I’m twenty.
At her insistence Jin’s expression went faintly complicated. Then he let out a long sigh.
“All right. All right.”
Out of habit he moved to rake a hand back through his hair, and stopped short. He couldn’t go wrecking a head he’d taken the trouble to make presentable.
“Anyway. Nina La Del, my captain. From here on, I won’t be letting you go anywhere alone.”
I won’t leave you behind. Not the way I did that day.
Nina frowned at the private vow.
“What is this, a stalker declaration?”
“Do you always have to put it like that?”
Jin raised his voice, then heaved a sigh and lifted her up once more before setting her back on the ground. He spoke quietly.
“Nina.”
“Yeah?”
“One last time. Can I pat your head? Just once more?”
At that, Nina looked up at him. His green eyes smiled down at her, a little shy.
She realized that since she had become captain, he had not once stroked her hair.
She smiled, bowed her head, and said,
“Just once?”
“Just once.”
Very carefully, very slowly, Jin barely brushed a hand over her hair.
When Nina lifted her head, he grinned.
“Shall we be going, Captain?”
“Let’s.”
Nina strode out with her head high, and Jin followed.
The training yard was packed. So many people had gathered in so little time that she almost wanted to marvel at it.
The moment the two of them appeared in their long coats, every eye swung their way.
See? The all-black uniform is gorgeous. I know.
House Rubuaene might fall short in other things, but they made one hell of a uniform. Coats were issued only to the elites, so at present the only people wearing them were Nina and Jin.
The Black Knights already assembled snapped to a salute.
“Welcome, everyone gathered here. I am Nina La Del, captain of the Black Knights.”
The instant she finished, startled breaths caught all around the yard. Nina ignored the sound and went on.
“The test is simple. In front of me, you swing once, from high to low. That’s how I’ll decide who passes.”
The moment she finished, a murmur rose. It was not a friendly one. Jin’s face crumpled.
He was about to speak when a huge man shouted first.
“That’s ridiculous!!”
“Who was that just now?”
Nina turned her head, and the man came striding out. He stood nearly two meters tall, and his body was as broad as a wine barrel. He looked like a bandit who had been robbing roads somewhere, heard a rumor, and wandered in.
“Take a test from a scrawny little runt like you? Don’t make me laugh. Bring out whoever’s actually in charge!”
Nina grinned.
“Idiot.”
“…What?”
“Idiot. You don’t even know what kind of person is standing in front of you, so you’re an idiot. Even a beast can tell when the other one is stronger. Idiot.”
“Y-you little bitch!”
The man drew a greatsword. Jin moved to step in, and Nina raised a hand to stop him.
“Why are you squaring up? Come on, then. Land even one hit on me and I’ll let you into the order.”
“I don’t go easy, not even on brats!”
“I know. Your face already looks that low.”
“Why, you—!”
Without a signal, he swung the enormous sword, bringing it down fast from high to low. Even Jin flinched, caught off guard, but Nina simply took one long step back and the blade missed her. With a crashing noise, the sword struck the ground.
“Hrgh!”
He tried to lift it again, and Nina stepped on the blade.
Clang.
A sharp ring of metal. Everyone could tell there was an iron plate in the sole of Nina’s boot.
The man strained to heave the sword up. It did not budge.
“You—!”
His face flushed scarlet. Instead of lifting, he tried to yank the sword backward. The next instant the weight vanished, and the blade came free.
He seized the hilt, ready to fight again—and Nina’s fist, her waist already turned, entered his vision.
“Yah!”
With that cute little shout, Nina smashed him across the face.
Bone cracked under the blow. The huge body shot upward as if launched, then slammed into the training yard.
Every mouth hung open. They stared at the man, who lay there twitching.
A person just flew?
He hit the ground and bounced?
He would probably be living on broth for the rest of his life.
The eyes that had been on the man snapped back to Nina at once.
She let out a short laugh, picked up the greatsword he had dropped with one hand, and started spinning it.
“I can use a greatsword. It’s just a pain to carry around.”
Round and round, the greatsword turned in her hand as lightly as a wooden practice sword. A vicious whistle cut the air, and her long coat fluttered.
Thunk!
She drove the greatsword into the ground and smiled.
“So. Anyone else with a complaint?”
The yard was silent. Nina tilted her head.
“Actually, I’ve just decided the method needs changing. One downward cut really doesn’t seem like enough. A spar would be better.”
“A spar… you mean?”
Jin had been about to snap something short, along the lines of what are you talking about, and then hastily tacked the polite ending on.
“Yeah. So all of you, come at me.”
Nina clenched her fists and grinned. Jin opened his mouth, but she was already explaining.
“There are definitely people thinking, ‘That guy just let his guard down,’ or ‘There must be some trick,’ or ‘Didn’t they stage it?’ Right?”
Her voice rang clear across the training yard.
“So I’ll sort you out myself. On my feet. With my own body.”
She cracked her neck like a street thug.
“Come at me with your weapons. I’ll draw mine if I decide I need it.”
No one gathered there had expected anything like this. They only looked at one another, faces blank with confusion.
“Not coming? Then I’ll come to you!!”
Nina kicked off the ground.
Raza Gota was one of those who had left House Gota to join the Black Knights.
Eighteen this year, he was fairly confident in his own talent.
Right up until today. Right up until this very hour.
“Gyaah!!”
“Agh!!”
“Focus! Don’t drop your weapon—aaagh!”
Her movement was nothing short of a black flash. The long coat billowed like a cloak, and not one weapon so much as brushed its hem. A punch, and the person was out. No one endured more than a single blow. Those who caught a kick flew even farther.
The ones who had come in groups tried two or three at a time, sometimes four or five, coordinating their attacks. They lost.
Overwhelming force, plain and simple.
So this is the Black Knights.
Silver hair and black clothes set each other off. Gooseflesh rose over his whole body.
So cool!!
Raza gripped his sword in both hands. Somehow, he had to make an impression here and earn a pass.
The distance closed in an instant. He slipped it with his footwork, and saw golden eyes smiling as if this were fun.
Watching them, Raza swung. His opponent dodged with ease, but he did not falter. He drove in and swung again!
He was certain he had cut into a blind spot, and yet, somehow, the captain’s face popped out right in front of his nose. A startled sound escaped him as he stumbled back a step, and his hand was already caught.
No way!
“Not bad. You pass.”
“Ah—”
The joy lasted a moment. A fist drove into his gut, his body lifted off the ground, and that was the last thing he remembered.
That day, about a hundred people came to be tested. Barely ten passed.
Raza Gota’s name was written, fair and square, among those who did.