No, this is strange.

Everyone outside of Class One in the advanced division should think I’m a girl. Of course, there are exceptions, but the odds are high that this letter came from a male. However, the handwriting looks more like something a girl in puberty would write.

I scowled, put the letter back in the envelope, and clicked my tongue.

“How annoying...”

If the “I’ll be waiting forever” part isn’t just an exaggeration, does that mean if I don’t show up, the sender plans to just drop dead? Since an elementary division girl delivered it, the sender must also be from the elementary division.

With a sigh, I shoved the letter into my uniform pocket and returned to Lili’s room. After getting ready for club activities, I left the room again.

That day, I sparred with Oujin again.

The result: one win, three losses. My single win was only achieved by pretending to be cornered against a wall, luring him in, then running up the wall and striking his shoulder from behind.

Honestly, it was a desperate trick move.

If someone like Oujin sees it once, it definitely won’t work a second time.

But Oujin was quite impressed by it.

He said that tactics like the ones Void and I occasionally use are his biggest weakness. And in truth, that’s valid. If this were a real battlefield and you couldn’t counter underhanded moves even once, the only result would be death. You wouldn’t even have time to make excuses.

We still have a lot to learn. Both of us.

After club activities, Oujin wiped off his sweat with the towel he routinely receives from Monica. He seems to be getting a bit more used to her.

But I know. I saw it.

I saw Monica sniffing the towel that Oujin had handed back to her. I gave Oujin a warm smile. Poor guy, you’ve caught the attention of someone dangerous too.

“What’s with that look? Eremia, what are you doing for dinner?”

“Go ahead and eat without me. I have something to take care of.”

“Something to take care of?”

“I just got a stupid letter a moment ago.”

“A challenge letter?”

Of course that’s what a Hinomotoan would think first when they hear “letter”...

“Something like that. I’ll head to the dining hall when I’m done, but don’t wait for me. I don’t know when it’ll be over.”

I’d like to get it over with quickly if possible.

I returned once more to Lili’s room, changed out of my gym uniform back into my standard uniform, and left the girls' dorm. The Flower Garden is in the opposite direction from the dining hall. Because of that, especially after sunset during dinner time, it’s mostly deserted. Sometimes during lunch, I see students eating there with packed meals, but that’s rare.

Of course, even if I’m confessed to, I intend to refuse. The path of swordsmanship is one of carnage, killing or being killed. I’ve never thought about building a family in such a place. If I want a woman, I can just go to a brothel. Simple as that.

That said, if I were to end up accidentally raising a child I picked up, like in my past life, that would complicate things.

There was no one in the Flower Garden when I arrived. The crystal lights dimly illuminated the flowers, giving the place an atmospheric charm. The only thing lingering in the air was the scent of the blossoms.

“Was it a prank?”

If so, that’s fine. I could still make it in time to join Team Three in the dining hall and eat dinner.

As I turned to head back, I sensed a presence at the edge of the shrubbery surrounding the trees and pivoted around.

“...?”

As I looked in that direction, the person realized I had noticed them and clicked their tongue, stepping out from the shadow of the tree.

Not an elementary division girl. About as tall as Void, and with a handsome face—an adult male. Though clearly twisted in character.

“...Lawrence?”

“You noticed quickly.”

He looked irritated. Not that I was pleased to see him either.

Spreading his arms wide, he spoke dramatically.

“You were expecting a cute girl, weren’t you? Sorry to ruin your excited hopes, but I was the one who sent that letter. —Too bad, you perverted brat!”

“I see. That’s a relief. Well then, later.”

So no elementary division girl was put in danger. Good, good.

As I turned to leave, he hurried to block my path.

“Wait, wait, wait! I called you here because I have something to talk about!”

“I see. I don’t. Later.”

As I tried to leave through the opposite exit, he once again rushed to block my way.

Lawrence looked down at me and pointed accusingly.

“Neu, it was you! You said something to Instructor Ituka!”

“Huh?”

“Today, our engagement was officially annulled! It came through His Majesty to my Papa!”

I couldn’t help but burst out laughing.

“P-Pa-Pa-Pa-Papa!? Bwahaha! Don’t make me laugh! You call Count Givley ‘Papa’? At your age? You sound like a baby—bwahahaha!”

“Grrr…”

His face turned bright red.

“I said ‘Father’! I said ‘Father’!”

“Bwahahaha! Haaah… ngh… kukuku. Sure, sure. Well then, see you, baby boy.”

“Wait!”

He really is fast at cutting me off.

I sighed and told him plainly.

“She just hates you… pfft, hah, she just hates you, that’s all. Pffft!”

“Don’t laugh! That can’t be true! If she married me, she’d become a countess! Instructor Ituka, who left the military and gave up her knightly title, could return to nobility!”

“She’s not interested. Not in nobility, and not in you.”

Lawrence’s face flushed even deeper red. He looked like a boiled shrimp now.

“That’s not true! She changed after she started inviting you into her room! You even pretended to be a girl when enrolling, you coward!”

I don’t know what to say to that. It’s all because of Queen Alina, Mother.

“You must’ve said something to Instructor Ituka! Admit it!”

“I told her, ‘If you hate it, then just quit.’”

“Guh...! T-That alone wouldn’t lead to a withdrawal! Our engagement was arranged through His Majesty! A commoner like Instructor Ituka has no right to speak to His Majesty!”

“I spoke to His Majesty.”

“Don’t be absurd! A mere baron’s brat like you couldn’t possibly get an audience with His Majesty so easily!”

Noisy bastard. He just keeps yapping like a little dog.

I turned my back on him and waved.

“I don’t care if you don’t believe me. Later.”

“～～”

Just then, I felt the wind shift and tilted my upper body sideways.

A glove passed right through where my head had been.

“...?”

“Neu. I challenge you to a duel.”

“An adult against a ten-year-old?”

“A-A-Age doesn’t matter between men!”

With that, Lawrence drew his sword.

“Well, fine. I’ll at least agree with you on that point.”

“Then let’s wager it. Your love for Instructor Ituka!”

......

“You're misunderstanding something. Lili and I aren’t like th—”

“Don’t call her Lili! She’s mine! Only I’m allowed to call her that!”

“Call her whatever you want.”

“I tried! But then she said, ‘Could you please refer to me as Instructor Ituka?’”

Ugh... come on now...

What a hopeless guy. I guess I’ll have to beat him up again to make him give up.

I picked up the thrown glove and shoved it into my pocket. Now my pocket was stuffed and messy with both the letter and the glove. But keeping them would serve as proof that this duel was instigated by Lawrence.

And so I could break his bones again without holding back.

“Then you wager something too, Lawrence. If you lose, never approach Lili again.”

“Fine. If—You—Can—Beat—Me as you are now, that is.”

I stood facing him.

The warm early summer night breeze quietly flowed between us. The air grew taut with tension.

As usual, I reached for my waist with my right hand—and my fingers grasped only air. No hilt.

“Ah...”

Shit! My dull blade is currently being returned, isn’t it!

“...”
“...”

A chill ran straight through my groin.

Now I finally understood what Riona had said earlier.

—“It’s all breezy and unsteady as if I’m not wearing underwear.”

Lawrence grinned nastily.

So that’s it... He knew that the advanced division first-years were returning their weapons today, and chose this exact moment...!?