Story of an "Unemployed" Champion and a Princess Who Together Find Their Happiness

Well, that was an excellent speech.

"Well, well, well, well.

Garland applauded the king as he came down from the stage.

They shook hands with each other, receiving all the attention of the audience.

Lilac, who was watching them, scolded them cutely.

Lilac, who had been watching them, scolded them cutely, "Both of you. You two are getting tired of all the applause. Around there.

"Ha-ha, you're right. You're right.

Yeah. We're only playing a minor role.

The two men laughed at each other.

Garland, the king, and Lilac are all seated in a row, with prime seats to watch the sword fight.

"Well... I'm sure you'll be able to understand.

It's the first of the big events of the day.

Garland and the King nodded to each other as they sat down in their luxurious chairs.

The first?

"The first?

The corner of Garland's mouth twitched upward.

The king turned to Lilac, a little surprised.

"Oh, you didn't hear? I've been told that this project was decided upon by Mr. Garland and Lilac.

Yes, nothing. ...... I only wanted His Excellency Garland to see the game in front of him.

The king and his son looked at each other.

"I haven't told His Highness the Lilac yet, actually.

"Well, I'm not sure I see what you're talking about.

No, no, no. I appreciate His Highness' desire to know about our culture. I thought I should return the favor.

Lilac looked at her father as if troubled.

Lilac looked at her father in annoyance and he averted his gaze, looking a little embarrassed.

--No wonder. He thought Lilac knew.

His own maid was being executed. But I thought I was still bound to the law.

But Garland kept it a secret.

But I can't say anything to Garland.

Because the king's biggest goal is to forge an alliance with the legal state, and beyond that, an expedition to a neighboring country.

He can't afford to let his ties with the Lawful State go unchallenged now.

But why? The king felt as if a dark cloud was suddenly looming over him.

From Garland's point of view, it was only natural.

As long as the princess is a "wicked man," he must find out which one she really is.

Is a wily man a good vassal in his own reign?

Or is he just another scheming scoundrel?

That's why I'm playing it safe.

If Lilac is a good vassal, she can't say no.

Wouldn't Lilac the wily one try to save the maid at this moment? Then bring her into a situation where she can't be saved from the start.

At this time, the possibility that she didn't want to ally with the Falcons had slipped Garland's mind.

And so it should be.

If Garland hadn't acted, this would have been a mere spectacle.

He didn't think that what he had set up was what he was supposed to do.

"Have you had any trouble with ......?

"No, you can look forward to it.

I couldn't even imagine the anxious look on this girl's face.

"Oh, two warriors have come out. I see, both are spearsmen.

"Oh. Two cross spear users is quite unusual.

The king stroked his bearded chin and his eyes saw a beautiful girl dressed in a light Eastern costume and a tall, thin young man dressed in the country's knightly attire.

Both looked like they could hold their own, but it was the girl who caught his eye.

Her black hair is tied in two, and her resolute expression is filled with the pride of a warrior. However--

"Hmm. Lilac, why is that girl over there not wearing formal wear?

"It's the attire of her native land. I allowed it because it looks good.

I see. ....... It's not exactly traditional. ......

Well, if it's her native dress, I'll forgive her. Yes, the king nodded.

--The girl's outfit was extremely revealing and s*xy.

This is her uniform from her sword fighting days, when she was most popular as the Princess of the Everlasting Mountain Cross.

As she was a princess, the fabric was very playful, and the bare legs sticking out from the deep slit were a sight to behold.

It was her own version of what is officially called a "chai dress".

In fact, Lilac had asked her to wear it, rather than giving her permission, but the result was good.

Despite the fact that most of the spectators were aristocrats, ecstatic admiration filled the field as it leaked out.

But the strange thing is...

At the same time Garland was muttering that, the audience was buzzing a little.

There was a slight buzz in the hall. Of course. It was because the man who appeared as the Orba Trading Company's fighting swordsman looked all too familiar.

Lilac nodded to join the buzz.

"Lord Garland. Have you noticed him? He's the most powerful swordsman in the Orba Trading Company. ......

"Unemployed. That's the best. Well, I can understand the buzz.

You're a good priest, aren't you? Yes, you're right.

A good priest sees through all professions.

Naturally, that power worked on Futa.

But then Garland let slip an unexpected comment.

"Is that also an acquired taste because you gave your profession to someone else?"

"What?

Lilac's eyes widened.

I'm not sure if this is a good idea or not, but it's a good idea.

I'm not surprised, but you can't fool my eyes. Well, I don't know what your previous "occupation" was, but ...... if I don't know, then no one else will either. And it's a pretty rare case.

Oh, I see. ......

Hmm. Is there something on your mind?

No.

Lilac closed her eyes and tried to calm her agitation.

"Mr. Garland, you know so much, don't you?

"Ha-ha-ha. It's embarrassing to be praised for something so obvious.

He quickly changes his mind.

I'm sure this conversation has completely relaxed your guard against Futa.

That's fine. That's fine for now.

But...

--I don't know anything about your past, do I?

It's just a little before the festival. I don't know why.

I felt a breeze blowing through my heart.

The card for the preliminaries was the same as last time.

That is to say, Prim Lancaster versus Futa.

And the majority of the people gathered here had strong memories of the previous game.

It's not hard to imagine what would happen as a result.

"......, but she's going to lose again in the end, isn't she?

"That was really cool, but .........

Well, yeah, I guess so.

I'm not afraid to say bad things about Futa because of her position as the princess's guest.

However, the concern in the audience's mind was that this would be exactly the same as the previous episode.

Lest we forget, Futa's fights are not designed to please the crowd.

It would be extremely difficult for the "unemployed" Futa to catch up with the "fighting swordsman" Prim in popularity.

Even the customers who were excited by Prim's appearance when she first came out, began to see the reality as they cooled down.

And they were afraid to openly support Prim.

The match was not a spectacle. It's a traditional cultural duel that should be conducted quietly. Lilac had turned it into a spectacle, but the essence of the game had not changed.

The only time I was able to cheer enthusiastically was that one time.

So the mood of the crowd was slowly cooling down.

Just like the Colosseum back then.

By the way.

Here's one.

There's one poor guy who can't stand the thought of losing to Prim.

He's a man of very high rank, the head of a noble faction that's been outspoken against the princess.

He doesn't know about Lilac's plan, nor does he have any information about the current situation between Prim and Futa.

As such, the only thing that awaits him is the realization that if he loses here, he will be in debt to Beatrix again.

The man couldn't help himself.

"Prim, Prim, Prim, Prim!　You're going to lose this time!　I won't let you get away with this!

He didn't know anything about it.

He doesn't know anything about it, but his fervor, whatever the background, is like that of a spectator at the Colosseum who bets on one side or the other.

And this "fighter" was a girl who was extremely skilled at performing to such cheers.

She turned back to the man as if she had noticed him, and after brushing her hair quickly, she spun the spear at high speed.

Her beautiful sword dance, which was the same as the day before, but more refined due to the absence of unpleasant tension, quickly captivated everyone in the hall.

And then the "Lord of Finance" cheered loudly.

It was only a matter of time before they all started to get excited.

"Prim Lancaster!　Good luck!

I want you to win this time!

I want to see you smile!　--You're pretty now, but when you win!

Oh, Prim!　I loved you from the first moment I saw you!

What are you doing in the middle of all this?

Prim!　Prim! Prim!　Prim!

The crowd erupted in cheers.

Most, if not all, of the cheers were for Prim.

She responded with a smile, and then looked next to her.

--She smiled and looked at the man next to her, who had once told her of his suffering in the Colosseum.

But her fears were unfounded.

He was no longer so weak-hearted that he would be depressed if he was not supported.

It doesn't matter how many people are watching you.

Just for the sake of the people he cares about.

But...

"--Kenna ......

I'm not going to let that happen," he muttered quietly.

"Zakkena......Zakkena！！！！！！

I'm not sure what to make of that.

I'm not kidding," she shouted, holding her head and pointing at Futa.

"Futa！！！！！！　You now！！！！　I'm not sure if you're aware that you're carrying the sign of the Orba Trading Company right now!　Do you really think you can let this happen?　Do you really think that winning like this is winning?　That's impossible!　You're crazy!　Why don't you try to wow the crowd with a performance like a swordsman!

--She was really upset about this.

I'm going to watch the fight and take it for granted that I'm going to win. Her vision of the future was shattered, and she could only envision a situation where winning would be the worst thing that could happen to the Orba Chamber of Commerce.

That's because of the Lord Treasurer sitting next to me.

There's a difference between winning in an atmosphere of "Huta's going to win anyway" and winning on the road like this.

For Beatrix, the situation was unbearable.

That's what I'm saying.

"I am now!　I'm your boss!　I told you to respect me!　Obey my orders. ！！！！

...... You're a hard man to please.

It's my fault!

It's a good thing that you're not the only one who has a problem with this.

--I've always tried to excite the audience.

I've always tried to wow the crowd, but I've been unsuccessful, and that's why I'm here.

He swung the spear and raised it, even though Prim was looking at him with a worried look.

It was a very brusque, if not spectacular move.

The atmosphere in the audience was one of subtlety.

"Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh ！！！！

Scratching her fiery red hair, Beatrix went crazy.

What's with that stupid pose? Do you really think that will attract an audience? Where have you forgotten how to move and look good?

There are so many things I could say. But she took it all in.

By the way, Beatrix M. Orba is a "manager.

She's also a self-confessed genius.

She overpowered all the experienced administrators of the Chamber of Commerce, and by the time she was only eleven, she was practically the head, analyst, and manager.

And now, at the age of fourteen, she has made the Chamber of Commerce one of the best in King's Landing and is the complete leader.

I'm not sure what you're talking about.

If you're a swordsman, it's not about being strong, it's about fighting heroically.

If you're a fighter, it's not about being strong, it's about fighting.

For a chamberlain, it is "service to others.

It is triggered by the existence of an object to be served.

For a manager, a "broad understanding" of the business.

The triggering condition is the business to be managed.

--Beatrix M. Orba is a "manager".

Beatrix M. Orba is a "manager." To put it bluntly, she is a genius beyond the "manager" of the Colosseum where Huta was.

He knows more than enough about how to cook the ingredients.

He calculates on a moment's notice and immediately thinks of a way to sell the "ingredient" that is Futa.

The man in front of him is the product. He is the business to be run.

--If Beatrix had been in the Colosseum at that time. The manager who encouraged the scam would be stuffed in mud and thrown into the sea right now.

"You're out of character, you impersonal, dark-skinned bastard!　What you need to do now is play the villain!　Now that you have such an incendiary woman in front of you, go ahead and be as vile as you can!　Men will be cheering you on with their eyes wide open. ！！！！！

What?

President's orders. ！！！！　Now!　Now!　Do it. ！！！！！！

--If Beatrix had been in the Colosseum at the time. Maybe Huta would have had a more decent reputation as a champion.

Huta looks at Prim apologetically.

She smiles funny and then tells him.

It's a pre-fight performance, right?　Okay. You want me to cut you a slit?

Are you sure about ......?

I'll bill Beatrix for the repairs.

He winked lightly at Prim, but Futa closed his eyes and said, "You're all cheering for this guy.

I'm not sure what to make of that.　Like this!

--"Like this!

The crowd's cheering exploded as Prim's clothes were accurately poked through the hem, revealing her skin tone.

"Ohhhh!　That's good!　That's it!

What are you doing to me, Prim?　--It's only for a second!

Oh, my God. ...... Primu!　Don't let that guy get you down!

The way he did it was vile, but .

And yet, for the first time in his life.

For the first time in his life, he was cheered on by a complete stranger.

That's what you get for improvising. If you want to turn this into a business, you'll have to do a little more ....... Polishing him up isn't going to do me any good. Bollocks.

Beatrix sniffed and sat down, cupcake in hand, and turned her head annoyingly.

It'll make for a little more watchable entertainment.

An outpouring of cheers filled the theater.

Lilac, who had been watching, nodded to one of the people behind her and motioned for them to follow.

In the center of the field, the two spearman faced each other.

"Hmm...

Prim gave a small laugh in front of the man who seemed to have been chosen as the judge.

It was feminine and soft, a rare expression for her.

I'm not sure what to do, but I'd like to know what you think.

"What's wrong?

"You may not be in the mood for this, Futa.

Playing with the javelin lightly, she looked around at the crowd.

I'm happy. I'm glad. After all, a championship match should be exciting, right?

"...... Oh.

I'm sure you'll be happy to know that I'm not the only one.

I guess I'm happy about this.

It's a much smaller crowd than the Colosseum, and Prim would have gotten more cheers than this.

And yet... What we met that day in this country, blade to blade, was the fact that the lone champion was alone.

That's why.

"Sorry, Futa. I'll do my best. I'm not going to pass up the opportunity to go head-to-head with you, even under these circumstances.

"Okay. I'll take it.

That's what I'm talking about. That's what we agreed on in the first place!

And besides," Prim muttered.

I knew that Futa was coming here on behalf of the Orba Trading Company.

He hadn't told her what was going on behind the scenes, but there it was.

Your forgiveness has nothing to do with my disgust!

I'm sure you'll be glad to know that I'm not the only one who has a problem with that.

I'm not sure what to make of this.

I'm not sure what to make of that.

In a moment, whether or not there was a signal to begin, a God-speed blow aimed straight at Futa's neck struck.

Futa's eyes widen and he instantly takes the blow with his spear.

--Fast.

It hadn't even been a month since the incident, or the fight, and yet her spear had become even more refined.

Futa was frankly surprised that her spear still had so much room to grow after so much training and refinement.

I see it in my dreams every day.

The corner of Prim's mouth twisted up.

Prim's mouth twisted into a fierce smile, a change from the soft smile she had earlier.

"It felt good to lose that day. But it was frustrating.

Tsuneyama Jujitsu: Meteor Ichiya

The fastest stab ever unleashed was even sharper than that day.

But to dream about it every day...

I'm not sure if you've seen this before, but I'm sure you've seen it before.

"It means you have a better spearman than me in front of you every day, sensei.

Her grin deepened as she swung her foot at Futa.

Her combination of bodywork and spear techniques is not the Joyama Cross spear technique, but it does not make Futa unaware of it.

"Your imitation mimics my trajectory. Then you can deal with a sudden tangled substitute!

That's why it works so well with that long-handled weapon.

If you get close enough, you can make a sudden move, and if you get far enough away, you can buy time with an almost even spear.

That's how Prim came up with the strategy to defeat Futa.

I see what you mean.

There is no evidence of this technique in the training that is transmitted every time the spear is exchanged. He knew Futa, and that's why he took this chance.

The audience cheered as Prim continued her brave and bold attack.

The cheers came from all over the place as the beautiful swordsman unleashed his spear.

"Go!　Sis!

Right there!　Hit him!

Most of the foul-mouthed cheering came from the commoners and their cronies, but even the noblemen were caught up in their enthusiasm.

It's not an exception to the rule for the Shenlong Knights and Garland, who were naturally transfixed by the spectacular battle.

It was a natural rude.

Lilac watched with satisfaction as the battle heated up endlessly.

--Instead of asking Prim to take care of the rest, he offered her a duel with Futa as a reward.

Lilac couldn't deny that Prim was in a good mood as she wielded the spear.

"How is this for a public match?

He ignored the King's muttered words.

As long as Garland was enjoying the game, he had no use for the king.

He doesn't have the courage to stop what the Commander of the Order of the Law is enjoying.

Gently squinting, Lilac paid attention to the venue.

The preparation is good. Now, after this game...

"Hey, hey... This Prim girl is really strong!

Watching the game leisurely with a snack in hand. Hooter wins, wins, wins.

Beatrix, who had put her trust in the man who had shattered Wind, was taken aback by Prim's unexpectedly good fight.

The last time she had fought well and lost, so she was sure this time would be no different.

She was in a hurry because of Prim's onslaught.

In the seat directly behind her, Wind chuckles.

That's the fun of sword fighting. Yesterday's winner doesn't always win today.

"This is no time to be amused!　Come on, Futa!　Hurry up and kill him!　Don't roll over, you're carrying our sign!

"Hmm... I'm sure you're enjoying the sword fighting too.

I told you this is no time for fun!　--It's just...

It's not a time to be having fun!

"Sure, it could be worth the money.

"That's the Chairman's best assessment.

Narrowing his eyes, Wind watches the two fighters and thinks.

Yeah, that sounds like a lot of fun. I'm sure I'll start to show my age by now, but I'd like to get a taste of that stage before then.

"Save us.

You were our biggest obstacle, the only thing we could live with, the only thing that kept us going. Please, don't run away from us.

"We may have been worthless to you, a stone in the road...

"We've wielded our blades only to surpass you.

That's what she said that day, and a month has passed since then.

She must have spent all this time trying to win you over.

I'm glad to hear her say that. I'm sure you'll be glad to hear that. ...... I'll try again when I have a better chance of beating you.

There is no lie in those words.

She is searching for a way to defeat Futa every day in her own way of fighting.

"Haha, I'm still going!

One flash, two flashes, three flashes, four flashes.

Tsuneyama Jujitsu: Meteor Shower

The occasional kick and fist strike that accompanied the spear was certainly not in Futa's lexicon.

But.

"I'm looking forward to the ...... rematch.

Fouta. I'm sure you'll have a great time.

"Okay."

"I'll take it."

That's what I said that day.

Now, my heart is not in the game. I'm still thinking about her through the bars. But that doesn't mean...

But that doesn't mean that I'm going to let the girl in front of me get away with it.

Because he knows she's longing for him.

Yes, I will mimic the trajectory.

Prim's hungry, tiger-like gaze meets Futa's mimicking eyes.

"So I've already seen it.

In that moment of spearing, Futa senses Prim's refinement.

It was true that she didn't mix any kind of physical techniques in her training. She hadn't mixed in any physical techniques in her training, and while her physical techniques in this fight had been rough, they had definitely been effective against Futa.

But... Still, there was something strange about her recent training.

It was as if there were gaps, gaps here and there.

Now that we know that the true identity of the technique is the one she is using on Futa, it's just a matter of overlapping her current movements with her training movements.

It doesn't matter to Futa what kind of advanced technology it is.

He can't help it, because he can.

That is why Futa is the strongest.

Imitation: Prim Lancaster = Tsuneyama Jujitsu: Meteor Kazuya

I'm not sure what to do, but I'm going to do it.

"Yes.

Prim nodded at the spear, which rolled away again, with a smile that was completely different from that time.

Let's do it again!

--The winner, Futa.

Cheers erupted. Shouts of joy.

The fight was over.

The game is over.

"Are you kidding me?

Beatrix M. Orba was the first to react.

A huge mobile "something" was brought in by the Knights, and it was pushed up to the stage where the King himself had just given his speech.

--Originally, this place was a place of execution before it became a performance hall.

It was as if it had returned to its original state, with the cold air and the dull glint of the blade.

Beatrix knew what was about to happen.

"The benefit of her genius mind.

Not what the Order was going to do, not what the princess was going to do. I'm not sure if it's a good idea, but it's a good idea.

I'm not sure what you're going to do with the sign of the Orba Trading Company on your back.

I'm not sure what to do, but I'm going to do it.