Chapter 21
Chapter 21
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 21
Chapter Title: Before Departure (2)
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The next day.
Ariel stood in the family’s private training ground for the first time.
Ah, no. She had stood there before, when creating the eleventh form of the Azure Dragon Soaring Sword.
But the difference this time was that Ariel had stepped forward for a spar.
And her sparring partner was none other than me.
“Young Master. Are you sure about this...?”
Alfred, who had been training nearby, looked utterly shocked.
He approached and whispered in my ear, but it was hard to tell who he was more worried about.
Was it eight-year-old Ariel, or me, facing off against the world’s strongest?
Probably the latter. Even if our family had grown fonder of Ariel lately, they still fundamentally saw her as dangerous.
“It’ll be fine.”
I shrugged.
No way my little sister would grab her big brother like a mouse.
I’d treated her so well up until now. I believed my sister knew how to repay kindness.
“Well... If you say so, Young Master, I suppose there’s nothing for it... Sparring with Lady Ariel? What’s gotten into you?”
“Right? That’s what she said when I told her I had to go to the Cluster of Stars.”
“Could it be some scheme to keep you from going...?”
“Nah, no way.”
Listening to Alfred, it sounded like Ariel was ready to break my legs to stop me.
Haha. As if.
...Right?
“Then I’ll be off. I’ll go supervise the other knights’ training, so please... survive.”
“Unnecessary worry. Ariel’s not the type to do that.”
Even as he left, Alfred kept glancing back and forth between me and Ariel with clear concern.
No. I won’t waver. Ariel wouldn’t do that.
My precious little sister, whom I wouldn’t mind putting my eye out for—she’d never harm her big brother.
“Ariel. How’s the spar going to work? You said you’d teach me how to get stronger.”
Truth be told, this was what I was most curious about.
What exactly would Ariel teach me?
Some swordsmanship I hadn’t learned? A new form unique to her? Or a sword art she’d developed on her own?
As I asked with sparkling eyes, Ariel answered without a change in expression.
“How to survive.”
“Huh?”
“How to survive against the strong. That’s what I’ll teach you.”
What?
Where’d ‘how to get stronger’ go?
“Isn’t this supposed to make me stronger?”
“This is how you get stronger. Because I can’t teach you swordsmanship.”
“Why not?”
“Well... I can’t explain it well, but you can’t imitate me, big brother. I think it’s something only I can do.”
“Hmm.”
Ariel seemed to have some understanding of her own uniqueness.
Fair enough. To use a metaphor, Ariel was the sun, and I was the moon.
There might not be a star as big as me in the night sky, but even the moon pales before the sun.
No matter how talented I was, learning from Ariel would be difficult.
“Then why ‘how to survive,’ specifically?”
“You said it before, big brother. That you’d fight to protect me. And that something big is going to happen in the world. So I’ll help you survive it.”
“Oh. My little sister’s noble heart brings tears to this big brother’s eyes.”
I never imagined she’d suggest a spar for such an adorable reason.
How admirable. My little sister’s even worrying about her big brother now.
“So how are you going to teach me? How exactly will you help me survive, Lady Ariel?”
“I’ll attack you, big brother. You just react and block it.”
“Nice and simple. I like it.”
“Yeah. I skipped the complicated stuff. Not my style.”
Hopefully the world’s strongest doesn’t just hate using her brain.
Maybe I should become her personal tutor later.
“Alright, get into stance, big brother.”
“Got it.”
Learning from my little sister—talk about novel.
I’d trained under Father and Alfred before, but Ariel? Never saw that coming.
Learning knows no age. I gripped my sword with rising excitement.
“Okay. Done. What now?”
“Here I go.”
“Huh?”
Ariel’s reply was curt.
Before I could even tilt my head, she raised her sword.
In that instant.
“...!”
Gasp—my breath caught.
How to describe that sensation?
Like a train barreling toward me?
A mountain collapsing on me?
The sea crashing down on me?
...The sun plummeting toward me?
‘I’m dead.’
This can’t be blocked.
My body froze, understanding death.
Reason kicked in late, forcing my body to move.
I raised my sword. Ariel’s strike was incoming. Block it. If I don’t, I die. I’ll vanish without even a corpse—
Boing.
“...Huh?”
When I snapped to, something impossibly soft and squishy was poking my cheek.
It was Ariel’s aura.
“Idiot.”
Far off, my little sister was pouting faintly.
A rare emotional display for Ariel.
“You tensed up too much. As if I’d really kill you.”
“Huh?”
“That was an illusion. Meant to make you feel death. I had no intention of killing you, and I’d never hurt you.”
“Aha.”
I got it.
So that sensation was an illusion Ariel had deliberately shown me.
And in reality, she’d finely controlled and reduced her aura to a level that absolutely couldn’t harm me.
“Whoa.”
Only then did it hit me.
‘She’s incredible.’
My little sister truly lived up to the title of the world’s strongest.
“Amazing, Ariel. With you by my side, there’d be nothing to fear in the world.”
“Right? So take me with you?”
“No, that’s not it.”
“...Hmph. You froze up because you didn’t trust your little sister. Idiot. All talk.”
“Sorry, sorry.”
I scratched the back of my head. Felt kinda awkward.
What a thing to do. Just like Ariel said, I hadn’t trusted my sister.
As if she’d ever think of hurting me.
“Let’s go again. I’ll do better this time.”
“Okay.”
And Ariel took her stance once more.
And.
“...Gasp.”
Once again, the sun plummeted toward me.
By the time the spar ended, the sun had already set.
“Haa. Haa.”
I wiped the sweat pouring off me like rain with a towel.
“Big brother. You okay?”
Ariel was glued to my side, checking my face.
She’d been barking orders like a tiger instructor earlier, but now worry beaded in her eyes.
“Yeah. Kinda drained, but I’m fine.”
“Good. I calibrated it so your body wouldn’t tire out, but your mind’s another story. I was worried.”
“You can tell just by looking? Body only?”
“Yeah. Can’t you, big brother?”
“Surprisingly, no. You’re the best, little sis. The absolute best.”
“If I’m the best, take me with you?”
“A treasure like you belongs safe at home.”
“Idiot.”
We bantered idly as I chugged water.
The long hours of sparring had achieved its goal, more or less.
At first, her pressure froze me solid, barely able to move.
But as it went on, my body loosened faster, and I managed some defense.
Of course, it was pure reaction. If Ariel had been serious, I couldn’t have blocked a thing.
“Thanks, Ariel. That helped a lot.”
“Yeah. You’ll be fine out there now. Even if someone tries to kill you, your body will react.”
“You make it sound like someone’s definitely out to get me. Got any basis for that?”
“Just... preparing for the tiniest possibility. I want you back without a scratch.”
“Of course, of course.”
I ruffled Ariel’s hair.
She nuzzled into my hand, looking pleased.
‘Time to go soon, huh.’
Tomorrow was the day to head to the capital.
I was going to meet the prophet, but now the social gathering had me curious too.
Forced meetings weren’t my thing.
I didn’t hate them, but natural encounters were better.
So I had some hopes for this Cluster of Stars.
‘Surely there’ll be one fun girl there.’
Yeah. That’s right.
**
The imperial palace in the capital.
A girl walked through the soon-to-be-bustling palace halls, where the Cluster of Stars social gathering would soon take place.
Gorgeous dress, exquisite jewelry.
Yet her strides were bold, as if she couldn’t care less about such things.
It even prompted her attendant maid to speak up bluntly.
“Your Highness. Even so, this is too much. You must maintain decorum inside the palace...”
“Sara. Even you’re saying that boring nonsense? I deserve praise just for agreeing to attend that stupid social gathering.”
“Your Highness must attend the Cluster of Stars as an imperial!”
“Hmph. Whatever. I’ll be in the magic workshop doing research today, so don’t bother me.”
“Your Highness...!”
Ignoring her maid’s tearful plea, the girl—Third Imperial Princess Adelheit—headed to her laboratory.
‘Such a hassle.’
What social gathering? What fiancé?
As the third princess, she wasn’t even in the line of succession.
She could live freely, enjoying her privileges.
But whenever they demanded she fulfill her duties as a princess, it was infuriating.
“The nobles coming to that gathering only care about my status anyway. Pathetic lot who just want to marry into imperial blood.”
“Y-Your Highness. That’s too harsh. Please, some decorum...”
“Hmph. As if I’d mingle with men hiding behind masks. Watch me. I’ll pick a man who’s 100% genuine, someone I can clash souls with.”
“Does such a person even exist...?”
“Probably. Whatever.”
Adelheit snorted dismissively, but she held little real expectation.
‘As if.’
A noble who ignores her status as princess?
No way.
But if, just if, one existed?
The answer was obvious.
‘Then... maybe I’d hang out with him a bit.’