Episode 7: The Silver Ice Princess
“Fight me, Mitsurugi Kenya.”
“What’s the merit in that?”
Kenyya grinned, a playful smirk on his face. He was just trying to tease her a little, a lighthearted attempt at communication.
“You scoundrel. Do you want me to do a dogeza or something? Your perversions seem quite twisted.”
(Ah, crap. I got carried away.)
Her eyes, which already looked at him like he was trash, now regarded him as filthy trash. It was thrilling, but he needed to raise his favorability right now.
“I didn’t mean it like that! Ah, that’s right! How about you call me Kenyya-kun?”
In the story, she used to call him that with the -kun suffix. He wanted her to do the same in this world. Reina looked a little surprised at his request.
“?…Very well. Is that your wish? I don’t understand.”
The Ice Princess tilted her head, looking at him with a puzzled expression. Ah, she’s so beautiful, I want to hug her. But since they have no established relationship in this world, he restrained himself. He’d probably get sliced in half by that sword on her waist.
Then, Instructor Alfred stepped forward.
“Alright, Reina-kun. I’m counting on you. You too, understood?”
“Yes.” “Yes.”
“It’s unacceptable for a Second-Class to become the top of the class. It’s against the Empire’s history. Give it your all.”
“Instructor, the Handicap System is unnecessary. I will stop the match the moment it’s used.”
“!?…Understood.”
(Come to think of it, Reina is the daughter of the top military officer stationed in this country, known as the War God. She’s annoying, but she seems to have it tough too. Not only the president’s son, but now the boss’s daughter is in the same class.)
Kenyya felt a little sympathy for Alfred, but quickly changed his mind, remembering his earlier attitude. He was not someone he could forgive.
Then, the two faced each other.
“Well then, let’s do this. Reina.”
“I have no intention of getting friendly with you.”
Reina was as cold as ever. And then, the two entered the Simulator.
The countdown began.
3, 2, 1… Fight!
“Alright, let’s see what you’ve got!?”
Immediately, Reina’s KOG vanished from Kenyya’s sight, catching him off guard. It was the same move he had used. A basic technique for top players.
“Is that all…?”
A flash from his blind spot.
Clang!
But the sword was stopped by a fierce shower of sparks and a metallic sound.
“What!?”
For the first time, Reina’s expression faltered.
(That was close! I almost let my guard down!)
Kenyya was sweating bullets, but Reina couldn’t see that. Reina backed away and spoke to Kenyya through the open channel.
“How… It was completely out of my sight.”
“It was out of sight, completely in my blind spot. That’s why I knew.”
The KOG has poor visibility. It’s a robot, so blind spots naturally exist, just like there are areas humans can’t see.
“I know all the KOG’s blind spots. If I can’t see it, it must be in a blind spot. I can calculate which blind spot it is from the position it was in before it disappeared.”
A basic technique for top players. Moving into blind spots, that alone can make low-ranked players invincible.
But a top player’s advanced technique is understanding blind spots. Even if you can’t see it, you know where and at what angle the KOG can’t see you, and you can calculate its position.
Reina’s voice had emotion in it when she heard that.
“I see… Such a method exists… Thank you.”
Reina expressed her gratitude honestly. Her attitude of learning from her enemies was something he genuinely admired.
“Haha, that’s just like you, Reina. Well then, I won’t hold back.”
“?…What do you know about me?”
(I know you. I’ve been fighting you all this time. I know what kind of person you are.)
And then, the battle between Kenyya and Reina began. A high-level exchange, the students watching were dumbfounded. They couldn’t understand it, all they knew was that these two were far above them.
“Guah!”
But the battle was still one-sided.
(Reina is strong, 100 times stronger than that “Good” guy from before…)
However, it wasn’t so overwhelming that he could defeat her in one hit. But his HP was already below half.
“Strong… To think there’s such a difference… It’s been since my Papa…!?…An opening!”
Reina had left the open channel on. It turns out Reina calls her father “Papa.” Kenyya was caught off guard by the unexpected “Papa” from the cool character.
(Papa out of nowhere, that’s so cute!! No, wait, this is bad!!)
His otaku side for his favorite character created an opening, but Kenyya quickly recovered.
“Still, she’s strong… Is she touching Diamond, or maybe Master?”
In the previous world, KOG had a ranking system. Iron, Bronze, Silver, Gold, Platinum, Diamond. And above that, the top 100 players on the server were called Masters.
Of course, Kenyya was the number one Master, the strongest amateur who had surpassed the pros. But he remembered how much time it took him to reach Diamond.
But Kenyya could easily beat someone at the Diamond level. The reason he was struggling was because he was hesitant.
(Now, what should I do…)
Kenyya was troubled. Should he win? He had come in with a lot of bravado, but now that he thought about it, winning would be inconvenient.
If he won here, he would become the top of the class. In this world, where Second-Class students are already targets of persecution, what kind of harassment would await him if he became number one?
Even assassination was possible.
(I’m sorry that I won’t be called Kenyya-kun… I’m sorry.)
So, Kenyya decided to lose. It was true that he didn’t want to be harassed or assassinated, but there was another reason.
(Sorry, Reina. I’m going to let you win on purpose today.)
He had something he had to do. For that, he wanted to move freely for now. He had acted on impulse with Kaguya, but he didn’t regret it.
But this was different. There was something more important than winning this match.
That was.
“Because it’s for our future.”
And then, in the midst of the sword fight, Kenyya showed an opening that only someone at her level could understand. Unable to tell if she was being baited, Reina followed through with a strike.
Kenyya’s HP was completely depleted, and the winner was decided.
Reina Sylphid WIN!
“Yes!”
“Serves him right! That Second-Class!”
Alfred pumped his fist, and the other Earthgards citizens cheered.
“Ah, he lost, but he put up a good fight against the Silver Ice Princess!”
“Yeah, he’s amazing after all!”
But Kaguya had noticed it intuitively.
(His movements felt strange for just a moment at the end…)
It was just a feeling, but the ace pilot who would eventually reach great heights had understood it intuitively. That he had held back, that he had lost on purpose.
And Reina, who had been focused on the battle, hadn’t noticed it. But the moment the match ended and she calmed down, she realized it.
That’s why.
“Don’t you dare make a fool of me!”
The two got out of the Simulator and faced each other. Reina had lost her composure and glared at Kenyya with obvious anger. Her eyes, which had been devoid of emotion, now glared at Kenyya with visible anger.
“It’s my loss! Thank you for your guidance, Second-Class me!”
But Kenyya bowed his head calmly. Reina clenched her fist even tighter at his behavior. The Earthgards citizens around them jeered.
“Ugh! Why! Why did you do that!”
“Reina… You understand, right? If you’re so smart, you should know the reason. What my position is.”
“What are you… No… I see.”
That’s when Reina understood. She was angry at the fact that he had held back, but she quickly calmed down and understood.
His environment, the fact that he was Second-Class. And who she was, their relationship. Suddenly, she felt ashamed of herself for raising her voice like a child.
“…I apologize. I was not thoughtful enough.”
She loosened her tightly clenched fist and turned to leave.
“But, if it’s just the two of us, I’ll go all out anytime.”
Kenyya answered in a voice that only Reina could hear, while bowing his head.
Reina repeated those words softly, and the corners of her mouth turned up slightly.
“Just the two of us…”
Her silver hair, which reached her waist, fluttered as she turned around sharply. Her icy eyes reflected Kenyya, and her snow-white skin was slightly flushed as she pointed at him, looking embarrassed.
“It’s a promise! You absolutely will!”
And then, with a slightly smiling expression.
“Kenyya-kun!”