by Funa
“Lend me your heart, First Brother.”
The siblings faced one another in the middle of the arena.
“To have a match like this after eight whole months… However, I won’t hold back today. I’ll take care not to injure you, but it still might hurt a bit. This is a punishment for your childish behavior. Learn some self-restraint!”
Mavis smiled wryly at her eldest brother’s words.
“First Brother, I’m not a child anymore. I’m Mavis, the leader of the Crimson Vow, a C-rank hunting party. Bear witness to this power of mine!”
Declaring this, Mavis drew her practice sword. Waylon drew his in turn.
“Now, we fight!” they shouted in unison.
Suddenly, Waylon stepped forward.
It might seem a bit childish, but the situation was what it was. His precious sister’s future—no, her life itself—was on the line. This was not the time to hold back or play around. In order to avoid making a mistake or running the risk of scarring her adorable face, he swung to strike her in the side.
Shing!
“Is something troubling you, First Brother?”
Mavis should not have been able to block a full-powered attack of his.
At the very least, the Mavis of eight months ago would not have been able to defend herself against an attack that was even seventy or eighty percent as fast as this.
Cling cling cling!
“I-Impossible…”
There were few even among his subordinate knights who would have been able to defend themselves against those three incredibly serious, deadly swings.
Yet she had flicked them away as though they were nothing.
“This can’t be…” Waylon muttered in disbelief.
“First Brother, did you forget that I’ve spent weeks away training and growing stronger with someone other than you?” Mavis replied, mysteriously. “And that there are people who are far more tempered, faster, and stronger than you, my dear brother?”
“Wh…?”
And then Mavis proceeded to land the coup de grâce.
“First Brother, I’m sure it’s been said that Father’s age means he’s past his prime. Physically, you are now the strongest in our lands. But in truth, Brother, even excluding Father, you’re only the second strongest.”
“What? Then who would you say is the strongest?”
Mavis pulled her left hand from her sword, extended her index finger, and pointed to her own face.
“Huh..?”
Waylon was stunned speechless.
No matter how intense their special practice had been, there was no way that Mavis could have gotten that much stronger in just one night.
Indeed Mile, thinking that it would be difficult for Mavis to win against her brother using honest means, had used their preparations the day before to access her forbidden, top-secret grimoire. She had long ago decided to restrict herself from making use of this resource unless there was no other option.
The nanomachines.
Reluctantly, Mile had called upon them to answer a variety of questions, such as why Mavis couldn’t use magic.
The nanomachines, as though they were thrilled to be called upon again after so long, cheerfully replied.
OH? BUT SHE CAN USE IT.
Wh-what did you saaaaay?!
THERE ARE A NUMBER OF REASONS WHY SOMEONE MAY APPEAR UNABLE TO USE MAGIC. IN THE CASE OF LADY MAVIS, THIS IS DUE TO HER HAVING ONLY A FRACTURED POWER TO EXTERNALLY RADIATE THOUGHT PULSES. I.E. THERE IS A MALFUNCTION IN THE EXTERNAL ACTUALIZATION OF HER IMPULSES. THERE ARE SEEMINGLY MANY IN HER FAMILY WHO FALL UNDER THIS CATEGORY, SO IT MAY BE GENETIC…
In that case, doesn’t it mean that she can’t use magic?!
NO, WE MERELY SAID THAT SHE HAS “FRACTURED POWER TO EXTERNALLY RADIATE THOUGHT PULSES,” SO—
You’re saying that she can radiate them internally?
THAT IS CORRECT. DID YOU NOT YET GRASP THIS, DESPITE YOUR CLEAR INTELLIGENCE?
Sh-shut up!
The result of Mile’s questioning of the nanomachines was something along the following lines:
The reason that Mavis’s pulse emission was weak was that the part of her that radiated the pulses—a part equivalent to an antenna on a radio—was malfunctioning. Therefore, she could not transmit her intentions externally, and ergo, could not use magic.
However, even without an antenna, the signals were still flowing throughout her mental circuitry. Even if they were weak, the thought pulses were still inside her.
Which meant, Mile concluded, that if there were nanomachines inside of her, they would react…
NORMALLY, WE NANOMACHINES DO NOT RESIDE WITHIN THE BODIES OF ANY LIVING CREATURE… IT IS UNPLEASANT.
Somehow, this made sense. Moreover, the directive given by the nanomachines’ creators to maintain a fixed density throughout the world did not appear to apply to the insides of living creatures.
HOWEVER, THERE ARE MANY CASES WHERE NANOMACHINES DO EXIST IN SUCH ENVIRONMENTS. ONE SUCH CASE IS WHEN MAGIC IS INVOLVED.
Indeed, at times it was necessary for nanomachines to enter the bodies of living creatures in order to enact the effects of spells, such as when using healing magic. Still, they exited the body as soon as their duty was complete. Moreover, since Mavis was unable to perform any spells that would compel them to enter her body in the first place, this point was moot.
Incidentally, the nanomachines had a weak response rate when it came to spells aimed at the destruction, rather than healing, of the flesh. Plus, because it took a bit of time for them to enter the body, these effects materialized a tick slower than those of healing spells. Furthermore, because it took so long to actualize these effects, it was likely the owner of that body might notice something abnormal and be distressed by their symptoms. Then, that thought would take priority, and the original effects would be canceled. The thought that flowed to the nanomachines most directly, from a point-blank range, would naturally be prioritized. Humans thought of this phenomenon as “magical resistance.”
However, attacks like these could still be utilized in some cases. When, for example, Pauline faced the B-rank hunter, it didn’t matter if it took some time for the effects to come about, especially when the target was not cognizant of any abnormality. Then, there was the case of someone with magical power great enough to interfere with someone else’s body unimpeded by their resistance.
ONE OTHER CONSIDERATION IS “NATURAL ENTRY,” WHEN A NANOMACHINE ENTERS A CREATURE’S BODY THROUGH NATURAL MEANS, SUCH AS BREATHING, EATING, OR DRINKING.
IN THESE CASES, THE NANOMACHINES IMMEDIATELY EXIT THE BODY, BUT IF THERE IS A SUFFICIENT DENSITY OF NANOMACHINES IN THE VICINITY, THEN A STANDARD CONCENTRATION OF NANOMACHINES WILL REMAIN WITHIN THE LUNGS, VIA THE ORAL CAVITY.
IF THOSE NANOMACHINES WERE TO RECEIVE A DIRECT PULSE TRANSMISSION, THE RESULTS WOULD BE LIMITED BECAUSE THEIR NUMBERS WOULD BE FEW, HOWEVER…
They would still react, wouldn’t they?
And so, Mile thought—about Mavis, who could not utilize the nanomachines externally, but could still somehow draw upon the scant number that might exist inside. And, she thought about a simple means of strengthening Mavis, who wished to be a knight.
Indeed, there was no other option.
She would have to use body-fortification magic.
The moment Pauline got wind of the idea to turn the mock battle into an event, with a portion of the vendors’ profits going to the merchants’ guild, she rushed out immediately, presumably to speak with the heads of each local guild branch. Worried, Reina followed along with her.
Only Mile and Mavis remained in the arena.
All things considered, compared to Reina and Pauline’s power leveling, Mavis had received relatively few of Mile’s blessings.
There was the “Godspeed Blade,” of course. However, that was the fruit of Mavis doggedly forging herself in battle after battle against Mile, and it would be a disservice to Mavis to consider that in the same vein as power leveling. Rather
, that had been the natural result of Mavis’s excruciating, persistent efforts over the course of half a year of being excluded from her friends’ magical training.
Even with these gains, it was not as though her abilities had improved as much as Reina’s and Pauline’s, who had seen rapid growth after Mile had “thought of a few tricks for them.” In and of itself, the power of Reina’s fire magic and Pauline’s healing magic was at a B-rank, perhaps even nearly an A-rank. Factoring in their knowledge, experience, and technique, as well as speed, physical ability, and their overall potential as hunters, they were in the upper echelons of a C-rank, at the very least.
By contrast, Mavis’s swordsmanship was only at the level of an upper C-rank or a lesser B-rank.
Even if she called her technique the “Godspeed Blade,” the speed produced was nowhere near what the name implied. While it was accurate to estimate that her speed was 1.4 times what it had been previously, that did not mean it was all that great to begin with. Even if she had grown faster, it would still not far surpass that of a soldier or knight who practiced every day.
Thus, she could face several opponents at once if they were at the level of your average bandit; however, soldiers, knights, and other more sophisticated enemies might prove a bit more intense. Except, of course, when those enemies’ shoes were filled with pebbles, or the soles had been cut into a disadvantageous slant.
Even if she were facing only a single enemy, if that enemy were a skilled combatant, then victory could prove difficult.
And so, Mile decided to lend a helping hand to Mavis, who had been worrying herself sick over her insufficient strength.
After Reina and Pauline had left, and only the two of them remained on the arena grounds, Mile finally spoke up. “Um, so, Mavis… You absolutely need to win tomorrow, yes?”
“Huh? Um, yes. That’s why we’re doing special training right now, isn’t it?” Mavis looked suspicious, wondering why Mile was asking such a thing at a time like this.
“Well, you see, the truth is… There is a way that you might be able to win.”
“What?! Seriously?! What is it? You have to tell me!”
Mavis was already deeply invested, but Mile’s reply was timid. “Well, it’s a means of body fortification, but I don’t know if it would suit the pride of someone like yourself, aiming to be a knight, Mavis…”
“I don’t care! That doesn’t matter to me at all! If it helps me push through as hopeless a situation as this, I can swallow my pride a bit! Now, hurry up and teach me! What do I have to do?”
This was a bit of an anti-climax for Mile, who had been certain that Mavis would refuse, declaring something like “A real battle is one thing, but in a practice match that’s just cowardly!”Even in this world, there were plenty of suitable aphorisms for such a situation—sayings along the lines of “To make an omelet, you have to break some eggs,” or “The ends justify the means,” or “That was then, and this is now.”
And so, Mile explained to Mavis how the body fortification would work.
She got the feeling that if she told Mavis, “You can use magic, too,” it would become a whole different issue. So instead, she decided to describe it as “a secret technique of physical strengthening,” in which one could control one’s flesh through sheer willpower. That way, it would be easier for Mavis to accept her strength as an ability obtained through her own training and discipline.
Mavis watched Mile intently, her eyes sparkling, and drank it all in.
After the lecture was through, it was time for some practical applications: modulating one’s strength, balancing one’s power, and calculating one’s speed.
Again and again, Mavis failed to connect with her own senses and tumbled, her body covered in scratches and bruises. Each time, Mile healed her with magic.
It was not until it was beginning to grow dark that Reina and Pauline returned from speaking with both the guilds.
There, they found Mavis, beaming with a confident, satisfied grin.
“Wh-what a ridiculous thing to say…”
Waylon, who had been momentarily stunned speechless, burst out laughing.
Certainly, he had been shocked at the way that Mavis handled his attacks earlier.
However, up until eight months ago, he had been a part of Mavis’s training for many years. Waylon was completely aware of her power and abilities, and while, for a young woman, she was nothing to scoff at, she definitely was not at the level where she could have surpassed him a matter of mere months.
Though he truly did not hold back against her, the power he used was not the same that he would employ on the battlefield, when his life depended on it. This was his beloved little sister Mavis. There was no mistaking that his power and speed had been blunted, if only unintentionally. Mavis had simply happened to avoid one of his attacks, and now, she was overestimating her own abilities, bluffing just to get him riled up. This was Waylon’s assessment.
“If you’re going to overestimate your own abilities, then you really aren’t suited to be out on your own. At this rate, you’ll lose your life in short order! It’s time to make you understand that!”
With those words, Waylon launched another attack. This time, it was an all-out, three-point offensive, with his true full speed and weight behind it.
Clingcling-cliiiiiing!
“Wh…?”
Not only Waylon, but also the spectators, and the count, who stood in the waiting area along with Ewan and the other knights, all gasped, their eyes wide.
It was a perfect block. She had completely blocked his three-point attack. No, she had goaded him into it. You might even say he had asked for it.
A great shout rose up from the stands.
Waylon was a strong and fairly handsome young man, but for some reason, the great majority of the cheers coming from the young ladies in the audience were directed toward Mavis.
“Impossible…”
Even though he was experiencing it himself, Waylon could not believe this was real.
If he were to believe it, his own common sense, as well as his confidence, would desert him.
He could not, at any cost, allow himself to believe that this was happening. That his own younger sister might be surpassing him…
Meanwhile, Mavis’s heart was soaring higher than it ever had.
Her three older brothers were not so formidable that they could be thought of as equivalent to the royal guard or, say, an S-rank hunter. However, they were still top-notch among the count’s regional forces, well deserving of the designation of first-class knights.
The foremost of all of them was her eldest brother, Waylon.
And she was fighting seriously against that same brother. There was no way that her heart wouldn’t be dancing!
However, Mavis still knew that she had to assess herself rationally.
She knew that this wasn’t really her true ability.
As time went on, she would be less and less able to stand up to her better trained and more experienced brother and his sword.
She had to settle this match before her brother could become accustomed to her speed and skills, and begin to challenge them. If she was to win this match, there was no other way.
“This time, allow me to begin,” said Mavis, taking her sword in her left hand. “Secret technique! Earthen tidal wave, Urban Splash!”
The first step of this technique, Urban Splash, was to scoop up earth with one’s sword, sending a splash of dirt flying into the opponent’s face to startle them. In that moment came the second blow.
It was a special technique that could only be used in urban areas, not in forests or fields that might be covered in grass, or contain obstacles like fallen trees. The sword was held underhand so that it could scoop up earth with a natural movement, and so that one could follow through in the same motion with a swing toward one’s opponent.
Naturally, the one to name it had been Mile, an avid reader of shounen manga in her past life.
“Tch!”
As might be expected of the foremost fighter in the region, Waylon evaded the tip of the sword, which only grazed him lightly. Even so, he only narrowly missed the splash of dirt and the blow that followed after it.
“D-did you really think that a c-clever little trick like that would work on me?!”
In fact, it was in fact a fairly dangerous move, and Waylon was shaking quite a bit.
“Ah!” said Mavis. “Of course you, First Brother, would be able to avoid the hero’s special technique, Urban Splash. However, how will you fare against a move that was formulated to fell any manner of superior beast that may appear on the hunting grounds?”
With that taunt, Mavis launched another special attack.
“Sworn sword of the hunting grounds, Excalibur!”
“Whooooooaaaaa!”
Waylon somehow blocked her attack with his sword, but he winced at the force behind it, which was far greater than he could have imagined.
Even if the power that Mavis could produce was nothing to scoff at, she was a girl of noble birth, and her strength still had its limits. Or at least, that was how it should have been. However, the strength of that attack just now was…
He could not let his surprise show on his face. It would show weakness and get his opponent even more riled up. He had to maintain a calm expression.
“Hmph! Is that all? Nothing else in your bag of tricks?”
Waylon spoke with feigned coolness, but Mavis, who had something else up her sleeve, looked even cooler.
“First Brother, I beseech you not to belittle me. Do you really think that one such as I would need to undergo special training for a finishing move as feeble as that?”
“Wh-what?”
“True Godspeed Blade! 1.4 speeeeed!!”
“W-whoooooooooooaaaa!!!”
The match was no longer an exchange of one-shots, but a continuous, tumultuous volley.
Striking, blocking, stepping hard, flying back and forth.
This was her First Brother, who she so admired. A person whose skill as a knight was at such a lofty level she could never hope to even approach it.
Now, in an all-out fight against that big brother—well, he was losing steam, and his movements growing sloppy. Against that big brother, she was excelling.
