Vol 9 Chapter 1 (1/2)

Chapter 1 – Recollection/Last Night

Froht, although vague, of walking the same path as her parents

In fact, Claudia was a resourceful child worthy to be called prodigy; she possessed high intelligence and physical ability ── and above all, while very young, she excelled at delicately reading surrounding people’s subtleties, intuitively guess what they desired and what they hated, and was also good at the technique to control it through the estures

Be it in ter from her family status principle which rerated Enterprise Foundation, she was a talented enough person And in terms of prospects, Claudia was supposed to becorated Enterprise Foundation and be added a the world

Only if she was not a <genestella>, that is

Such tienestella>, in other words, the ratio of <genestella> in the total population would surely increase, though slowly In dozens of years later or hundreds of years later…… there was no enestella> would free themselves from the minority would come

But, it was still different now

In this day and age, the <genestella> were regarded to the bitter end as no more than heretics No matter how much talented they were, no matter how many achieveenestella> could get into the system’s upper echelon

Naturally, Claudia’s parents, Isabella and Nicholas, knew it, and Claudia herself also understood it while she had not yet reached 10 years old Even so, Claudia did not feel frustrated or disappointed

She neither had any strong desires, nor earnestly sought so

She only stood alone in a re and passion

In other words, Claudia Enfield was such a child

“Teyaah!”

Together with a voice filled with fighting spirit, a sharp sword slash drew an arc

shi+ning golden hair lightly danced in the air, and on the ground, another blond hair waved, disheveled trying to chase it

『A fierce attack of player Blanchard! But, player Enfield splendidly evades it by a hair’s breadth! This fierce fighting is really worthy to be this <rondo versailles=””>’s final!』

There were ory of the <festa>, but the <rondo>, which was held up in the western European countries, was a tourna them The entry qualifications were limited to children under 13 years old, and the safety measures too were stricter co a protector, the limitation of the use weapon (only luxes with power/output adjusted to the minimum level) and the coh mana…… if one had to describe it, it would be the closest to call it a <festa> made intended for children It was for that reason that the score systeot a point when his attack hit his opponent’s protector, so for the amount of points

Regarding the physical growth peculiar to the <genestella>── a strong physique, strong muscles, the amount of prana and the like ── individual differences were reenerally they arrived at a constant level by the end of the secondary sex characteristic period, there was especially a striking disparity regarding the amount of prana, which enestella> in their childhood period So the safety measures were a necessity

However, it was not for an ethical viewpoint; the aspect of not wanting the players to injure theer

Not only this <rondo>, but also the other Martial Arts Tournaory of the <festa> did not hold that big a value in the co

Moreover, it is more accurate to say that a tourna for each academy of Asterisk to discover new talents

(……To be forwarded to a freak show, a certain level is required; so it’s quite tough)

While Claudia muttered so in her heart, she evaded the sword slash of her opponent ── Laetitia Blanchard, on and advanced until this final at the age of 9 just like her, with steps as if dancing

“Tch,around restlessly!”

Laetitia, beco her thin sword type lux; but Claudia splendidly handled her fierce attacks with a small sword type lux she held with both hands

“Fufufu…… looks like you have iain, Laetitia”

“Kiiiiiih! That composure of yours, I do not like it! Then, how about this……!”

The point of her sword suddenly drew a perpendicular trajectory

“!”

Laetitia’s thin sword approached Claudia’s chest frole Claudia has crossed swords with Laetitia on countless occasions, but this was a sword line that she has never seen so far

On Laetitia’s expression, a smile convinced of her victory appeared

──But

“Wha!?”

Claudia greatly turned her upper body away and evaded Laetitia’s bloith all her ht

And as she got up while twisting her body using the sht hand as support, she drove in sword blows consecutively on the protector of Laetitia’s leg, arm and chest

Al the end of the e, and Claudia stored her lux while turning a soft smile to the stunned Laetitia

“That last one was really dangerous Too bad for you”

“G-Gununuh……!”

Though there was no exaggeration in her words, Laetitia’s face turned red and she bit her lips in vexation Tears looked like they spilled over her eyes at any moment

“T-Today, luck wasn’t just on et too cocky!”

“I see, luck, huh…… Itthe practice match, I have seven ith this; looks like Laetitia is a bit too unlucky”

“Nguh……! T-That’s……”

“Besides, victory depends on luck in the first place In other words, shouldn’t you think of including that luck’s factor fro?”

“A……”

Unable to retort, Laetitia was at a loss for words with an expression of being about to cry

Claudia, who saw that, held out her right hand with a wry smile

“……But, the balance of the luck too ht incline to your direction next tio easy on me”

“──”

As Laetitia turned her back for a moment and briskly wiped her eyes, she iain and took her hand

“T-That’s right……! Properly praising one’s opponent is also a lady’s ratulations, Claudia But, the next time for sure, I will absolutely, absooolutely win!”

Although slightly crooked, a sht of her pride, the strong will of trying to endure the hus such as jealousy and envy towards Claudia exuded from that smile as she was unable to conceal them But, an honest praise could certainly be felt in the root

In fact, Claudia did not dislike such a part of Laetitia

When Claudia and Laetitia shook each other’s hands, great cheers rose from the audience all at once Even if the coree of attention of the event itself was high The audience seating was filled to the extent that there were also people standing watching the matches

『This final where both girls confronted each other like last year! And the winner is, again like last year, player Claudia Enfield!』

While the voice of the excited live reporter resounded, Claudia sed her shoulders

“In the first place, you cannot freely display your ability here, so I also do not think that I have really won”

Laetitia was a <strega> and she could originally create shi+ning wings and h one form of offense and defense of that ability was still in development, even so there was no room of doubt that it was powerful This <rondo>, in which the use of ability was prohibited, was so like a handicap battle for Laetitia

“I-I’m not so shameful as to complain about the rules at this late hour!”

But, Laetitia said so plainly

Though it was not like she did not think that it was good to put the fault on luck, it seenity in her oay

“Besides, even without being in a hurry, I would one day be able to fight against you at a more suitable place”

“By that, do you mean in Asterisk?”

“Ara, of course you’ll go there as well, right?”

In a way as if to say ‘what are you saying now?’, Laetitia tilted her head to the side

“That’s, right…… probably”

Although she affirmed as such, Claudia’s ansas somewhat unclear

This was because Claudia herself did not have a clear thought regarding such future

There was no doubt that thein this <rondo> were ai for Asterisk For better or worse, that Academy City of the Far East was the only place in the world where they could keep the enestella> after all

However, Claudia herself did not particularly have any fixation on Asterisk Be it taking part in the <rondo> like this, or also polishi+ng her skills for fight, if she was compelled to say it, she just somehow did it like that without any particular reason ── nothingless

Objectively judging her ability, there was no h even in Asterisk At the same time, Claudia also kneell that in the world, there werehers

And then, the wall stretching out there was probably not so so easy as to be able to cross it with just efforts and training

Or if one had the oing to Asterisk; but unfortunately, Claudia did not have even a frage such reality that could not be overturned

“By the way, Laetitia It has been bothering me for a little while now, but…… what is it with your tone?”

“Eh? Y-Yes, this is, um……”

When changed the topic saying so, Laetitia averted her gaze with a bashful face

The Laetitia of before should have a slightly inforh the current Laetitia’s tone was polite, it so herself

“T-The truth is that the other day, I have gotten acquainted with a certain pair of brother and sister…… I was deeply i wisdom and noble character So, well, I adet closer to them even if a little; and if possible I would also like to be like them……”

Laetitia said while squir her body

It looked like she was influenced by those brother and sister Though it was not strange judging from Laetitia’s simple character──

“Are you perhaps talking about the Fairclough House’s siblings?”

“O-Oh, do you know them, too?”

Laetitia unexpectedly made her eyes twinkle

“No I am not acquainted with them, but I have often heard rumors about them”

The fact that in the prestigious Fairclough House, there were siblings <genestella> of the sa sword skill at that was a fah, they have not yet appeared in the front stage such as the <rondo> even once And despite that, the part of rumors about their skills spread out was probably not fake, but the real thing

“Ah, then that sword line…… you learnt it froht?”

“W-Well, you could say that……”

Laetitia scratched her cheek with an expression mixed with bashfulness and boastfulness

“A-Anyway, those two said that they will eventually go to Asterisk; and like that, there’s no doubt that they will enroll at Garrardsworth like me”

Both the Fairclough House and the Blanchard House accounted for one of the factions in the Integrated Enterprise Foundation EP which was the parent organization of St Garrardsworth Academy

“You will go to Seidoukan, right? I a you in Asterisk”

Laetitia said so and fearlessly laughed, seeo to Asterisk

“Fufufu…… That’s right”

However, as expected Claudia stopped at just returning a vague smile

It ht become like that, or maybe not

For Claudia, either way did not make much of a difference＊“If possible, I want to be next to Ayato forever”

Inside the setting sun, Saya bashfully said so

On the other hand, Ayato standing before her only stood stock still in blank amazement as is

“It’s fine You can give me your reply anytime Just…… I only wanted to tell you that”

As Saya left only these words, she left at a quick pace towards the girl’s dorm

Her pace gradually quickened, and when she reached a place where Ayato’s eyes could no longer see her before long, she suddenly strayed to the side and hid behind a tree

Saya, who leaned on that tree’s trunk, joined both her hands, held thereatly exhaled

That figure of her tightly closing her eyes with a flushed face was quite fresh

It looked like the confession just noas a big resolution even for Saya

“──Ooh, Sasamiya is unexpectedly a maiden, too”

While steeling a glance at her figure from a far treetop, Eishi+ro shook his shoulders and loosened his cheeks Of course, voice could not be heard at this distance He read the lips

“However, hasn’t this becoiri made an absentminded face like an idiot”

When he returned his gaze to Ayato, the latter did not seem to have moved yet from where he was probably because he was quite surprised

The place where Eishi+ro lurked was a corner of the grove of trees that colored the Seidoukan Acadeh it was the autu color, so the leaves which hid Eishi+ro’s body were still bright green

“Haa…… Still, Sasaive a reply anyti!”

Eishi+ro grumbled as he said so

Saya and Ayato, neither of thes, honestly there was nothan this

However, there was nothat with this, a stone was thrown in the relationshi+p of the wo Ayato

“Well, in any case, I’ll have to report it to the Prez, I guess And if I get to see even one of her surprised faces with this, it’ll mean there is still cute part in her, but……”

Saying up to there, Eishi+ro shook his head while saying “no, no way”

The figure of that Claudia being shaken by this ine it

“I guess it’d be good as a material for the newspaper club, the club president doesn’t like this sort of story that much And besides, it looks like it’ll bad if I don’t ask for the Prez’s opinion”

When he said so, at the ti take out the portable terminal to contact Claudia

“──Good grief, using the technique to look into distance for voyeurisrown up a little, I see that you haven’t changed at all, Kageshi+ro”

Suddenly, a hoarse, low voice resounded from behind

“!”

As Eishi+ro proround, he reflexively set up a dagger type lux with a backhand grip ── but,from the shadows of trees, soundlessly surrounded Eishi+ro Full black attires covered their bodies entirely other than their eyes and, let alone their ages, even their sexes could not be distinguished

However, Eishi+ro was familiar with these people ── and above all the hoarse voice of earlier only too well

“……If it isn’t Father I didn’t think you’ll possibly co healthy”

Even while having sweet on his forehead, Eishi+ro returned a sarcastic smile to the shadow up in a tree