Chapter 6:
The Mobile Knight Tournament
WE WERE APPROACHING the end of our third year of primary school. It
was the season of the mobile knight tournament.
The tournament was a popular event in the Empire, and the mass media
was here to cover it. Flocks of rich people had come to cheer on the youths who
would be shouldering the future. Hah, just kidding; it was only entertainment to
them. It was a cross between a kids' talent show and blood sport.
As a participant, I was standing by in the hangar with the Avid (modified
for on-land use) looming beside me. If I were to give a name to its current state,
it would be something like: Avid Mk II: Heavy Ground Type, perhaps? A new
feature it had was that cables tipped with claws could be extended from the
bottom of the shields attached to both its forearms. These weapons were capable
of grabbing enemies and dragging them to me, or just crushing them from a
distance. Both claw hands even had a pile bunker built into them: a penetrating
spike that could be launched and then retracted. How enticing.
Another set of modifications of the Ground Type Avid were to its legs.
They'd had hover units installed, which gave them a much thicker look. Then,
there was the third arm installed on its back.
The hangar was packed with equipment for the tournament, and
maintenance workers rushed about, exchanging parts and performing last-minute
inspections.
Next to the Avid was a huge sword fashioned from rare metals. Its blade
was a long, thin rectangle, with a squared-off tip. The grip could telescope to
extend the sword's reach, and the total length of the weapon was longer than the
Avid was tall. It was basically a brutal-looking slab of metal, but it was exactly
the sort of weapon that really appealed to the male spirit.
"The Avid is spectacular in a whole other way when outfitted for ground
use."
Marie stood next to me, holding my helmet in both hands. It was like
having a skilled knight carry my luggage for me, but she didn't seem at all put
off by the menial task. Instead, she seemed to enjoy it.
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"I'm trembling with excitement at the opportunity to see you fight in the
Avid up close, Lord Liam."
"That's nice."
"Yes! I'm truly blessed!"
It was cute how she blushed and flattered me like she really was happy
about it, but this wasn't the treatment I was after right now.
Right then, a woman walked past the two of us. I was surprised to realize
it was Rosetta, having changed into a pilot suit. She had chosen one that really
showed off her figure. She must have been confident in her curves. As a result,
the eyes of all the men around us were glued to her. I'd thought she was a little
more reserved than that, but I guess she had a bit of a vain streak. A pilot suit
shouldn't really expose that much of one's body, so I couldn't help but find the
outfit rather inappropriate.
Despite her revealing attire and the hungry admiration of onlookers,
Rosetta wore a cold look on her face. Her expression said that she had no interest
in the opinions of the masses. She was about to walk right past me without
acknowledging me, so I called out to halt her.
"Hey, Rosetta. What's this—you're participating too?"
"I am," she responded curtly when she stopped, giving me a chilly look.
She probably held me in contempt because she knew about Brian's persistent
marriage negotiations with House Claudia.
"Don't be so cold to your fiancé. Can't you be a little more friendly,
Rosie?" Our engagement wasn't official yet, but I sidled up to Rosetta in an
overly familiar manner, anyway. I bet I look like one of those super scummy guys
you see in stories right now.
"Not interested." She just brushed off my advances and continued on her
way.
She really was strong-willed—which just meant it would be all the more
rewarding to subdue her.
Man, Marie's really being docile today. While Rosetta had treated me
disrespectfully, Marie just stood there and watched. I was worried she'd draw
her swords like she had with Nias, but I guess even she knew there was a time
and place for such displays.
"She's so cute. Don't you think so, Marie?"
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As I relished Rosetta's chilly attitude, Marie agreed with me, despite our
difference in gender. "It's exactly as you say, Lord Liam."
She's just a yes-man who agrees with everything I say—or a yes-woman, I
guess. That's just the kind of person she is. I do want obedient people like her to
pledge themselves to me, but right now I'm more in the mood to pursue someone
unwilling like Rosetta.
I'd taken on an attitude that women tended not to like, so I wanted her to
say something like, "I can't approve of your attitude just now, sir!" I wouldn't
want to hear that from Amagi though. It took me time to recover when she
derided me. I imagined Amagi looking at me with scorn and decided to get just a
bit more serious.
I should check on who I'm up against in the tournament...
"Who's my opponent in the first match?" I asked Marie. I really should
have checked this on my own earlier, but I was an important guy, and all menial
tasks could be left to the people under me.
Marie checked on her tablet right away, but when she saw the name of my
opponent, she lowered her tone. "It's Lady Rosetta."
She'd muttered the name with a meek look on her face, but when I heard
it, I grinned.
"How lucky can I get? Don't you think so, Marie? I'm up against Rosetta
right off the bat. Maybe this is fate."
In my very first battle, I'd be able to beat down a haughty, arrogant
woman. Don't break too easily now, Rosetta.
"Yes, sir. You are truly loved by Lady Luck."
At Marie's serious answer to my joke, I looked at her and thought, Yeah,
I'm just not satisfied with this.
***
The tournament's spectators watched the matches in a coliseum-like
venue, but the mobile knight battles actually took place elsewhere. It was much
too dangerous to observe battles between mobile knights up close, so the true
arena was far removed from the spectators. What they would be watching were
holographic transmissions of the battles.
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This mobile knight tournament had a dual purpose. To the nobles in
attendance, it was both entertainment and an important litmus test. Through the
matches, they could judge which families' heirs would grow up strong, and who
had been raising their children poorly. This competition was an opportunity for
them to determine these things with their own eyes.
In that sense, Derrick had already shamed himself in front of a great
number of nobles. Twice now, he had bribed and threatened his way to victory,
despite having no real skill himself. Derrick was quite pleased with his victories,
but behind the scenes, he was scorned as a good-for-nothing. The spectating
nobles were sure that as long as Derrick was participating, there wouldn't be any
decent matches.
Derrick was fighting in a mobile knight right now, in fact, and it was hard
to watch. His opponent was clearly going easy on him.
"What an awful match," Kurt said, as he watched from the spectator seats,
a disgusted look on his face.
Kurt and Wallace sat with Eila between them up in the stands. The
students around them cheered at the enormous, impressive 3D images of the
competing mobile knights.
"Yesss! I'm gonna win big today, just you wait!"
Wallace was part of the cheering crowd, and he'd bet on Derrick in this
match, since he figured that as long as nothing went wrong, Derrick was sure to
win.
Eila watched Wallace with revulsion plain on her face. "I can't believe
you'd bet on Derrick with Liam's money. You're scum."
"Sorry, Eila, but I want to win, too. Nobody's showing any motivation
except for Derrick, anyway."
It was just as Wallace had said. In matches that didn't involve Derrick, it
was a true clash of skill, but when it was Derrick's turn to fight, his opponents
always became cowed and held back against him.
Despite this, Kurt had realized that Derrick's mobile knight wasn't just for
show. "He's got an expensive personal craft there. Looks like cutting-edge tech.
I don't know about his skills, but his machine's specs are far above anyone
else's. His opponents might not be able to beat him even if they tried properly."
The mobile knight that Derrick piloted looked so new that Kurt suspected
even the regular army might not even have that model yet, but then again, it had
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been decorated so gaudily that one couldn't imagine what it had originally
looked like.
Eila shrugged disparagingly. "Is he so weak that he got a cutting-edge
machine to compensate for his lack of ability, but he still has to buy off his
opponents anyway?"
Wallace shuddered at Eila's blunt words. "You sure are fearless. You're
gonna be in trouble if the wrong person hears you talking like that. I wonder
where he got that thing, though. There are plenty of weapons factories... I hear
the Third is pretty popular."
Seated just behind the chatting trio was a group of weapons factory
personnel who'd come to observe the tournament. One of them leaned toward
Wallace to answer his question.
"That machine's from the First Weapons Factory." It was Nias. "It's a
crude work pieced together from tech stolen from other factories, which they
think they can get away with just because their factory's on the Capital Planet."
When the three friends turned around in surprise, Nias waved at them and
smiled. "Long time no see, you two."
Her criticism of Derrick's machine was harsh. "Well, it is a new model,
but it's more focused on appearance than performance. I took a look at the data
and its balance is crap. I would have thrown it out at the design stage. Their
work ends up looking so ugly because they're just cobbling together the
technology of other designers."
Her explanation made it clear just how displeased Nias was with the
machine.
While Kurt and Eila struggled to come up with a response, Wallace stood
up and brought his face close to Nias'. "Wait a second. Does Liam have a
chance to win? I hear his machine is an older style."
Even if Derrick's piloting skills were subpar, a cutting-edge mobile knight
was still a threat. Wallace had heard that Liam's Avid was an updated older
model, but now Nias' criticism of Derrick's machine was making him nervous
about the match.
Nias gave Wallace a smile, as though he had asked a stupid question. "The
match is practically over already. The Avid can't possibly lose if Liam is
serious."
Her expression quickly grew grave, however. Just past Wallace and
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friends she had spotted some engineers from the First Weapons Factory in the
audience, who had developed Derrick's machine. Furthermore, she noticed that
all the other weapons factory workers seated nearby glared at the representatives
of the First. It appeared that the First Weapons Factory had earned the ire of
every other factory.
Nias added, "That's if his opponent fights fair, of course."
For the weapons factories, the tournament was a great advertisement for
the crafts they engineered that would appear in the fights. Nias and the other
workers from the Seventh Weapons Factory were hoping for a good show from
Liam's Avid, but the same went for the people from the First, who had provided
Derrick's new model.
Derrick won his match, of course, and the arena began broadcasting the
next one. Seeing who was involved, Wallace looked toward the proceedings in
pity.
"Poor thing. I feel sorry just looking at her."
Liam was fighting in the next match, but he was up against Rosetta, who
piloted a training craft rented from the primary school. Signs of numerous
repairs stood out plainly on the rental, which made it look like it was just one
step away from falling apart.
Nias noticed its sorry state immediately. "That machine's gone far beyond
its limits. It's dangerous to even ride in something like that."
Kurt said, "This is awful... Oh! There's Liam!" He reacted to Liam's
appearance with a broad smile, and Eila smiled in turn at seeing this.
"You're so excitable, Kurt."
"S-sorry."
Beside them, Wallace asked, "Are you sure you don't like Liam a little too
much, Kurt?"
***
I descended into the arena in the Avid. I say "arena," but it was really just
a huge wasteland on one of the planets owned by the primary school. The whole
area was in a state of ruin due to all the matches that had been held there.
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In any case, the actual battle arena was very much removed from the
spectator area. If I were to use my previous life as an example, it was as if the
spectator seats were in Japan and the arena was in Australia or some other
foreign country. It was way too far!
"The scale is far greater in an intergalactic empire," I mused to myself.
The cockpit of the Avid was nice and roomy since it used spatial magic to
expand the interior. And the luxurious seat was extremely comfortable too. I'd
spent a pretty penny making this cockpit nice and cushy. In terms of the Avid's
controls in general, not much had been changed since the update, but the
materials had been replaced with better ones. Some new features had been
installed as well.
Satisfied with the performance of the reborn Avid, I directed my gaze at
my opponent, watching Rosetta through the holographic monitor floating before
me.
"It really must be fate that you're my first opponent, don't you think?"
Rosetta was right in front of me in an older style mobile knight that looked
like it was moments away from breaking down. I heard the referee announcing
the start of the match, but the words went in one ear and out the other. The only
one I had eyes for was Rosetta.
My monitor displayed an image of my opponent, seated in the dirty, worn
chair of her cramped cockpit. At first, she had her head down, but she looked up
and glared at me. I could feel the hatred in her eyes directed toward me and it
made me shudder.
I was piloting the incredibly powerful Avid, into which I'd poured an
excessive amount of money and rare resources. There was an obvious,
overwhelming difference in our craft's appearances and capabilities that you
could see just by looking at them. On top of that, my grades were so much
higher than hers in school as well. Our personal abilities and the performance of
our machines...well, there was a gap between them like they were heaven and
earth. This match was over before it even started, but Rosetta hadn't given up
yet. I had to commend her for that.
Well, no matter how hard she might try to oppose me, today I was
prepared to crush Rosetta's noble, steely spirit. I was already fully prepared to
break the unbreakable, after all.
Over my mic, I said to her, "Rosetta, I commend you for actually showing
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up to the fight and not just withdrawing. If you cry and beg me to go easy on
you, I promise to defeat you gently."
Rosetta responded to my cheap provocation exactly how I had hoped she
would.
"...up!"
"What was that? I didn't hear it. Could you say it one more time?"
That was a lie. I'd heard her just fine, but I wanted to hear it again.
"Shut up! I won't lose to you! In an honest fight, even I have a chance of
beating you!"
You truly are incorrigible, and so, so cute. I'm impressed by the strength
of your spirit, to admit that you'd never normally be able to beat me, but in a
real fight, you just might. It's true that there's a possibility you could win, as
ridiculously unlikely as that is. There are no absolutes in this world, after all.
"Let me teach you a valuable lesson. Reality always smiles on the strong.
If you admit your loss now and wag your tail for me, I'll be sure to treat you
nice."
"Don't mock me!"
The signal was given for the match to begin, and Rosetta's mobile knight
immediately charged toward me. Her piloting was terrible, and it almost made
me laugh the way her ugly, wobbling craft looked rushing at my newly
strengthened Avid. To Rosetta, our pairing against each other must have seemed
entirely unfair.
"You can't beat me, but I acknowledge that unbreakable spirit of yours.
Oh, and just so you know... I am going to make you mine!"
***
Rosetta was well aware that she could not defeat the craft before her. The
mobile knight Liam piloted was on a whole different level than her rental craft.
Even so, what else was there to do but fight? She charged forward and swung
her sword at him, and Liam's Avid dodged with an agility she hadn't expected
from something of its size.
Liam wasn't taking the match seriously. He didn't even have the Avid
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equipped with a weapon yet. He wasn't even attempting to draw the huge sword
affixed to the craft's back with an extra arm.
"Damn you! Damn you!" Rosetta slashed at the Avid in her decrepit craft,
which had barely any pilot assist features functioning.
Her mobile knight trod clumsily across the ground. With each movement,
the craft made ominous creaking and groaning sounds, and the cockpit
shuddered. In contrast, each movement of the Avid was fluid and soundless.
Though the craft was enormous, the ground didn't even tremble under its hover-
cushioned strides. The difference in performance between their two machines
made it hard to believe they could both be called mobile knights.
"How much money does it even take to craft a machine like that?!"
Rosetta wanted to cry, but she resisted the urge with everything she had.
She swung at Liam, trying to hit him at least one time, but the Avid easily caught
her blade with one of its manipulators, as if to mock her. He had practically
caught a live blade between his fingers. A mobile knight's jointed hands were
used to replicate delicate movements and could easily break if the pilot
attempted something like that. The Avid's hand didn't break, however, and
worse than that, Rosetta's sword was shattered between its crushing digits.
"Wow, was your sword made of glass? Way too fragile."
It was true that it had been a low-quality sword, but it shouldn't have
broken so easily. The Avid's abilities were fearsome, but Liam's piloting skills
were even more incredible.
It was more apparent than ever that Rosetta had no chance of winning.
The Avid had purposely allowed her to attack and then easily disarmed her,
simply to toy with her.
Her opponent was making a complete fool of her, and Rosetta couldn't
stand it. "Go ahead and keep looking down on me! I'm not losing to you!"
Rosetta was jealous of Liam. He was practically the embodiment of
everything a noble should be, and more than anything else, he was strong more
than anything. She admired how he seemed to ooze confidence. She was gripped
by a fierce longing to be the way he was. That she couldn't be that way was so
miserable to her...and she didn't want to admit it.
"Aaaaah!" She pressed forward, and since she'd lost her weapon, she went
for a tackle. Unfortunately for her, she hadn't noticed that the Avid had drawn its
sword at some point.
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"Wh-what?" A second later, all the areas of the craft shown on her
systems monitor flashed red. Before she even knew it, her mobile knight's arms
and legs went flying.
Her craft collapsed to the ground and rolled over once so that it lay face-
up. The cockpit quaked violently.
"Ugh!" Just as everything stopped moving, the Avid strode over and
planted one foot on her mobile knight's torso. Most of her monitors were gone
now, but on the ones that remained in her cockpit, all she could see was the Avid
looming massively above her. The black craft radiated intimidation, and Rosetta
was left frightened by the sight of it.
Reality had beaten her down with one enormous blow. There's nothing I
can do now. It's over.
And just like that, Rosetta's spirit was crushed completely. She laughed
and laughed, tears streaming down her face.
"Ah, ha ha ha!"
***
In the spectator seats, Kurt was watching the hologram of the Avid in
shock.
"What a performance! That thing is ridiculous."
Even if the surrounding students understood that the craft Liam was
piloting was impressive, they couldn't truly understand just how impressive it
was. The weapons factory workers in the crowd, however, had all sorts of
different expressions on their faces. Some had watched the battle with eyes wide
in fascination, while others had gone pale with incomprehension.
As for Nias, she cheered wildly behind Liam's friends. "Way to go, Avvy!
You showed 'em all what you can do!"
To those like Kurt with some degree of skill as a mobile knight pilot, or
people involved in the manufacture of these machines, Nias' painstaking
modifications to the Avid made it a wonder to watch in action. The ground
didn't sink or shake when the great machine took its steps, and its every motion
was unnaturally quiet. It moved so smoothly that it was hard to imagine it was
such a heavy mountain of metal.
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Next to Kurt, Eila expressed her sympathy for Rosetta. "This is just too
cruel. She never even had a chance." The difference in their skill levels was
crystal clear.
For his part, Wallace looked relieved that Liam was stronger than he'd
imagined him to be. "Well, it appears my patron really is powerful. Maybe I
don't have to worry about him getting killed by Derrick, after all."
Kurt continued to stare at the Avid, transfixed, a hand to his mouth. "Its
performance is on a whole different level than before. It's not just because its
materials were updated—its responses are all heightened too. How can he pilot a
monster like that without any sort of assist functions?"
Just having an incredibly impressive machine didn't necessarily make its
operator capable. It was Liam's flawless piloting skills that allowed the Avid to
utilize its full potential. This craft would be nothing but a failed experiment,
barely capable of taking a step, if the average pilot attempted to operate it.
"I can't believe how he can make such a difficult craft move as if it's his
own body."
While the other students around Kurt marveled at the mobile knight itself,
Kurt was instead in awe of Liam's personal prowess.
***
The Avid bent down over the limbless the torso of the mobile knight that
contained Rosetta and carefully pried open the cockpit with its fingertips.
With the hatch open, Rosetta could see the outside scenery. Her long hair
swayed in the wind. She climbed outside and found that Liam had also left his
cockpit, and he stood smiling at her.
Should I prostrate myself before him and apologize? Maybe he'll give me
some money if I flatter him a little. My family's debts are going to be all the
worse now that I've wrecked this rental machine.
Her spirit broken, Rosetta considered throwing away her pride and
clinging to Liam and begging for his help, but before she went through with it,
she wiped her tears away.
No... I should just let House Claudia die out with my generation. I won't
make any daughter of mine endure the same fate. This is the only act of defiance
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I'm capable of.
She hardened her expression and glared at Liam as he smiled down at her.
Because of their relative positioning, she had to look up at him.
It was Liam who spoke first. "Pretty pathetic, Rosetta."
As she stared back at him, she put on her bravest face. "You're just a
savage, aren't you? An honor student like you, tormenting girls for fun? Soon,
everyone will find out who you really are."
Liam wasn't angered by Rosetta's harsh words. In fact, he smiled. "What
do you know about me? Have you resigned yourself to your fate yet? Just give
up and become mine. If you do, I'll save you."
I'd like to see you try, Rosetta thought when she heard that. If he really
could deliver her family from their long years of suffering under massive debt
and social stigma of disobeying the emperor, then she would be all for it. In fact,
if he truly meant it and wasn't just playing, she thought she might very well fall
for him. Rosetta found herself entertaining a spark of hope, that Liam would say
all of that for her.
Who does he think he is, really? I never thought someone would say such
words to me, and yet...
"I don't think so," Rosetta responded swiftly, and Liam's smile vanished.
With everything he'd done to get to this point, if she rejected him here, it would
likely tarnish his reputation. Even while she was sure that she was enraging him,
Rosetta continued to put on a brave face.
"I may have lost the match, but my will is not yet lost! If you want to kill
me, then kill me, but I will never bow my head to you! I am a Claudia—I am
Rosetta Sereh Claudia!"
When she had signed up for the tournament, the danger had been
explained to her. She had signed a waiver accepting that if she were to be killed,
her death would be treated as an accident. On rare occasions, feuding houses
took advantage of this policy to eliminate a rival. Thus, Liam held Rosetta's life
in his hands right now. She recognized that this little act of defiance might be her
last.
Mother, Grandmother, please forgive me. This is the only way. There is no
other salvation for us. But...I wish I could at least have achieved some small
measure of happiness in my lifetime.
She never aspired to have a lavish life... She just wanted to live modestly
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with a loving husband. The truth was that Rosetta would have actually preferred
a life like that to achieving any high-ranking title. She understood, though, that
this dream was forever out of reach.
Rosetta closed her eyes. If there's another life waiting for me after this
one, I hope I can at least marry someone I love there. Oh, I wish I could have
worn a wedding dress. I wanted to give Mother and Grandmother some peace of
mind...to see them smile...
Rosetta recalled the treatment her family had suffered, and the harassment
of the Observers. She accepted that everything she hoped to achieve had been
impossible, and she waited for the final stroke of her fate. She now only wanted
to be killed by Liam in a fit of rage, because if he didn't do so, then she might
just have to close the curtains on her life herself.
As she stood there waiting, though, the end never came. Rosetta opened
her eyes and looked up to find Liam smiling at her warmly.
"You're so strong."
"Huh?"
The smile on his face wasn't the nasty smirk he'd worn before, but a
genuine, captivating grin. Rosetta had thought he would see through her through
her brave face and sneer at her mockingly, but his expression was one of
kindness.
"I admire your efforts thus far," he said, "but now it's over."
What was over? Rosetta found herself harboring some unidentifiable
expectations for what Liam would do next.
No, I can't expect anything good from him. How many times have my
expectations been betrayed? Liam couldn't possibly save my family, even if he
really wanted to. I know that if I dare to dream again, I'll only be setting myself
up to fall harder when betrayal comes again.
Though logically she knew she shouldn't place her trust in Liam, deep in
her heart, she couldn't help from hoping.
***
Rosetta, you truly are incredible. I never thought I'd see a scene like this
play out in real life. I'm so thankful.
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In discussing the period dramas he was so enthusiastic about, my old
coworker Nitta had described scenes of strong-willed heroines refusing to give
in to their villainous tormentors. I was finally able to understand what he was
talking about. I get the appeal now, Nitta!
I was greatly impressed by Rosetta's unbreakable will. Regardless of that,
it was too late for her now.
Over my pilot's helmet, a call came through for me, relayed by the Avid.
It was Brian.
"We've done it, Master Liam! I've managed to convince them! Your
engagement with House Claudia is now official!"
"Well done, Brian. Perfect timing too."
This was all a result of my good karma, I supposed. Or was I reaping the
evil rewards of my bad karma? Actually, maybe the Guide had gone behind the
scenes and set things up for me. I really can't thank that guy enough. I'd like to
pay him back for all he's done sometime, but I'm not entirely sure how to do
that. Guess I'll just keep sending him my thankful feelings like I do every day.
First, though, I had to show Rosetta hell.
"Looks like I have some good news for you, Rosetta."
"Y-you do?"
I couldn't help smiling when I saw how tough she was trying to act.
"Our engagement was just made official. Your mother, the duchess
herself, approved it. Congratulations...from this moment on, you're my
fiancée."
"Wh-what?"
When I saw the look of disbelief on Rosetta's face I felt a true sense of
satisfaction. On the inside, I did a fist pump. It hurts when even the family you
trust betrays you, doesn't it?!
"On our fourth-year break, we'll go back to my domain together. I'm
gonna have you take over for your mother and become duchess, and then I'll just
marry you and take your title from you, as Duke! You and your peerage and
everything there is to you is mine!"
Rosetta trembled with frustration. "Everything? Do you really mean that?
Th-that's impossible. There's no way!"
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"Oh, but there is! I'm taking all that is yours. You're happy to hear that,
aren't you?"
"B-but... How could you do that? Why...?" Rosetta crouched down and
held her head in dismay, unable to accept reality.
It's time for her wakeup call.
"Don't look away. This is your reality, and you can't escape from it."
"...?!"
She's probably seething. I've already so much as stolen that noble title
that's so important to her, and made her my possession, too, removing her from
the solace of her family. Hey, it was hard for me in my past life, too, you know,
and I don't just mean losing my family. The moment I found out I'd been
betrayed was truly painful, so I understand your suffering well. That doesn't
change the fact that I'm going to trample all over you, though! I'm no longer the
one who's being taken from and taken from, until I have nothing left. Now, I do
the taking.
To hammer home the point, I gave Rosetta a thorough explanation of just
how trapped she was. "Even the Empire has officially approved of our marriage.
Isn't that great? No matter how you resist, both your family and the Empire itself
have my back. There's no home for you to go back to anymore. With House
Claudia's title transferred to me, your whole territory will be snatched up by the
Empire."
"Huh? But, why?" Rosetta could barely speak through her surprise, poor
thing. Her family was essentially being ousted and she was losing her beloved
homeland.
"Be happy, Rosetta," I told her. "No one will get in the way of our union.
Nothing and no one!"
The brave face had crumbled away, and tears began to pour down her
face. As she wept, she muttered something, but I couldn't hear what it was.
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I felt great satisfaction for having broken Rosetta's spirit, but at the same
time, I felt a touch of pain for some reason. Had the people who'd tormented me
in my previous life looked upon me in this same way?
My heart hurt a little, but I told myself that was just because I was
remembering my past.
Over my helmet's communication link, I got in touch with Marie. "Keep
an eye on Rosetta for me. If anything concerning happens, you handle it."
Marie sounded as happy as a loyal hound to be trusted with this
responsibility. "Yes, sir! Leave everything to me!"
I turned my back on the sobbing Rosetta and returned to the Avid's
cockpit.
"Now then, who am I up against next?"
***
The one-sided match had come to an end.
As Rosetta cried, Wallace watched with mixed feelings. There was video
but no audio, so the audience didn't know what was said between the two
contestants.
"Liam's such a bastard to make Rosetta cry like this," he said to Kurt and
Eila, but the two of them weren't even listening, being too excited.
"I can't believe how he keeps improving," Kurt said. "I'd like to think I've
gotten stronger too, but he just keeps widening the gap between us. I've got to
work harder."
Eila replied, "Well, Liam is your ideal, isn't he, Kurt? I know you two are
friends, maybe rivals, too, but... Would you say your relationship is
something...special?"
"Yeah, I guess so. I hope it can become special, anyway."
"It can! I know it can!"
"Y-you think so?"
Eila grinned when Kurt blushed at the notion of having a special
relationship with Liam.
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Watching them, Wallace thought to himself. These three sure are close.
But am I the only one who feels like something weird is going on here?
He decided to ignore the commotion the two were making and focused on
the next competition. "Well, I guess I can ask Liam what happened later. Who's
gonna be in the next match again?"
As Wallace casually checked the schedule, Nias adjusted her glasses and
stared hard at the holographic screen in the center of the spectators' coliseum,
having noticed something odd. Just minutes ago, she had been raving in joy
about the Avid's performance, but now her intense face looked like it belonged
to someone else.
"What's that interference on the screen? Something's strange..."
The three-dimensional images projected there were getting fuzzier and
fuzzier, but through the static, she could make out multiple craft approaching the
Avid.
Expert that she was, Nias was able to identify these enemy mobile knights
arriving on the scene. "Pirates? No, those are new crafts from the First Weapons
Factory. They've just had their appearance changed a little."
The crafts looked like pirate weapons, but Nias was able to recognize
them as new machines.
When he heard Nias say this, Wallace deduced who was behind this turn
of events. With his face having gone pale, he cried out, "Th-this isn't good!
Derrick plans on killing Liam, right there and now!"
Just then, the feed projected into the center of the coliseum cut out, and
the screen displayed nothing more.
The spectators no longer had any way of knowing what was happening at
the arena.
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