"Luca Traverse! Please have a duel with me!"

"Luca! Would you duel with me?"

"Luca Traverse! Accept my duel!"

An endless parade of duels.

Some of them had really learned swordsmanship, but none were skilled enough to dare challenge Luca.

Even after free time ended, the duels continued, and Luca eventually had to put down his sword.

"Enough... Enough...!"

"H-how could you!"

"You accepted her duel, but not mine!"

"Can't you just accept mine too?"

"It's mealtime. Don't bother me any further."

Saying this, Luca almost fled from the training grounds.

'What is this? Some kind of new bullying?'

Even the inner 'Luca Traverse', who believed every duel must be accepted, was silenced in the face of the girls' overwhelming requests.

These weren't even duels that helped him in any way.

'Why are people who don't even know how to hold a wooden sword asking me for a duel?'

Some people who had clearly held a real sword for the first time today challenged him to a duel.

Considering the gender ratio in the Swordsmanship Department, it was rare for women to even wield swords.

Yet so many girls were applying to duel him.

To top it off, as time went by, people started challenging him not with swords but with magic or spirit arts.

'What the... What's their aim? Some mysterious scheme by the 3rd Prince?'

It was a style of attack Luca couldn't even conceive with his own mind.

'So this is what it means to compete for imperial power.'

Luca marveled and made his way to the dining hall where he usually had dinner with Ottbo.

He ran into Ottbo right at the entrance.

"..."

"..."

Ottbo looked quite exhausted as though he'd also had a rough day.Luca met his eyes for a moment, then nodded.

"Let's go have dinner."

"... Yeah."

Silent, the two collected their food and ate until their hunger was somewhat sated, before finally speaking up.

"I never knew Milia was that strict. She made me repeat things dozens of times until I understood them."

"Suddenly, girls I've never even seen before were challenging me to duels. I spent all free time dueling."

"Is... is that meant to be a brag?"

"And you, aren't you just bragging about getting a study date with Milia?"

"... Okay. Got it. You had a hard time."

Hearing it reversed, Ottbo immediately understood, probably because studying with Milia had really been tough for him.

The two sighed after a brief silence.

"I don't know what's going on, but it's a headache."

"Exactly. We have field training next week, too—how will I master the basics by then?"

"Training? Ah, that."

Field training is time to experience real activities: going out to battlefields, dungeons, or meeting active knights and battle mages.

First-years usually go to safe, government-managed monster hunting grounds.

'Well, in the original story, I nearly died at that so-called safe hunting ground, but things should be fine now.'

As Luca thought this and took a sip of water, Ottbo scratched his cheek.

"The results will impact our grades, so we have to do well. How should we form the group?"

"Can't we team up with the four of us?"

"Only one per department, right? You and Isella are Swordsmanship, Milia and I are Magic, so we have to split."

There'd been that storyline in the original too.It was probably to encourage mingling with students from other departments and to introduce new characters naturally.

"We need at least three in a group, so we'll have to recruit one person from Alchemy or Spirit Arts."

"What are all the departments again?"

"Martial Arts, Alchemy, Spirit Arts, magic Machinery, Holy Arts."

You might wonder why there's a Martial Arts and a Magic Machinery Department on top of Swordsmanship and Magic.Swordsmanship is popular enough for its own department.Martial Arts includes all martial disciplines except swordsmanship, chosen mainly by lower nobles and foreign students.Magic Machinery is focused on magic devices rather than formal magic—again, a choice for lower nobles or foreigners.

"Why aren't Martial Arts and Magic Machinery in our choices?"

"Because it would overlap with characters."

"...?"

Ottbo avoided Luca's incredulous gaze.

"A-and, field training goes out by class, but there's almost no one from Martial Arts or Magic Machinery in S-Class to begin with. So it's hard to even meet anyone from there."

"I see."

"... And honestly, I couldn't bear hearing I lost to a Magic Machinery kid who's not even a real mage."

At last, the truth: he just couldn't bear being outperformed by a student not even in formal magic studies.Luca gave him a bored look.

"Just drop out and come back after you learn more magic, then."

"N-no, that's a bit..."

"Then just get Milia to teach you magic properly."

"It's... it's not that easy."

"Then just give up on magic."

So saying, Luca rose from his seat.

"Uh, where are you going?"

"Since I finished eating, I'm going to rest."

"Ah... okay!"

Luca headed straight to his dorm room. He sat down in front of Bella, who was eating alone, and picked up a piece of bread from her tray.

"Didn't you already have dinner, young master?"

"I used my body a lot today, so I'm hungry."

"Hehe, I'll bring you something to drink."

Bella smiled faintly and went to get some water.

Munching on bread, Luca glanced at his phone, then spoke as if he'd just remembered something.

"By the way, Bella, an enormous number of female students challenged me to duels today. Did someone intervene?"

"I was going to ask you about that, actually."

She seemed to already know and answered immediately.

"Young master, have you ever said your type is a strong woman?"

"... Ah."

He had dug this grave himself.

* * *

Luca: I feel like I've given you pretty good info, so I'd feel a bit guilty not asking you for something. So tell me exactly what you want most right now.Bogus: Really?Bogus: Hmm...Bogus: Your ideal type of girl?Luca: Ideal type?Luca: ...Luca: A woman strong enough to duel me.

He'd given Bogus one wish, feeling guilty over having gotten too much information about the Theodore faction.

Of course, it wasn't Luca's true preference, but "Luca Traverse's."

'Should've just said a big-chested girl.'

Luca facepalmed.

He'd gotten himself into trouble. He'd heard he had plenty of admirers, but not to this extent.

"What should I do? Should I spread a rumor right now that your type isn't like that after all?"

"... What do you mean, 'that' type?"

"A strong woman... distorted sexual desires..."

Bella couldn't even finish and turned her head.

"It doesn't mean that! I just meant a woman skilled enough that we could push and improve each other!"

"I'm just joking, young master. The initially-spread info said exactly that. But rumors are rarely factual. By now, your female preference is just 'strong women.'"

"So... The girls who asked for duels today at least heard the original version, but starting tomorrow, it could be just anyone who believes I like strong women?"

Luca felt dizzy.No wonder—the first to show up tried dueling with swords, even if they were clueless, but the later ones started using other powers.Bella gave a melancholy expression.

"Personality aside, you really are handsome, young master, so you're popular. So far, nasty rumors and the lack of info kept things quiet. But with your type revealed, the bad rumors have been disproved, and now there's an explosive reaction."

"... Those rumors about beating up classmates or killing upperclassmen?"

"Oh my, so you knew. I don't know how, but those rumors got debunked along with your preferences."

Luca twisted his lips. It was good that the bad rumors had dissipated, but he hadn't wanted these new stories to spread in their place.

'But... well... I guess there's nothing to be done.'

It wasn't too uncomfortable—if anything, drawing interest could even work in his favor later.

'At least, with all eyes on me, it's unlikely anyone will try anything.'

Someone could hide an assassin among the duelists, but that would be difficult for now.

There was little chance any student skilled enough to kill him was connected to the 3rd prince.

'If anything, this might buy me some time. I need to keep increasing my defenses.'

If used well, even this situation could be useful.

'Just think of it like bodyguard interviews. After a fight, if they seem decent, maybe exchange contact codes. Meet up again.'

A bit self-indulgent, but knowing the truth, it wasn't so bad.

'I was going to quietly build my inner circle before the protagonist joins next year ... but things got tangled from the start, so maybe this is good. This is only the beginning.'

He planned to steadily gain strength through Heavenbird and Kryphi, and to start building a faction led by 4th Princess Milia.If he could add more loyal allies willing to protect him, it would be an ideal early build.

'That's right. Becoming an outcast at first, almost getting killed by Martin Curves, saving Milia... In retrospect, it was all perfect build-up.'

As Luca was inwardly smiling in satisfaction, Bella spoke up.

"Still, don't worry too much, young master. The all-day duel requests should only last through this week."

"Does something change next week?"

"There's field training, and things that heat up like this always cool down just as suddenly. Think of it as a 'duel with Luca Traverse' craze; no need to worry too much."

Calling it a craze made it feel like it would die down instantly.Luca forced an air of nonchalance.

"I was never worried. As long as it's within free time, I can accept as many duels as necessary."

"Oh my, how diligent."

"But I must admit I'm a little excited. Today was a little dull, but what if someone truly strong who believes they can beat me shows up?"

Bella chuckled at his words.

"You might really get in trouble, young master."

* * *

The next day, just as Bella had warned, some genuinely strong female students sought out Luca.

And among them was someone truly unexpected.

"Ah, hello. I'm Moula Prington, first-year of the Magic Machinery Department. I heard the rumors—you'd accept any duel...?"

"..."

Bzzz, bzzz, bzzz.

A particle beam cannon straight out of an SF movie.

A tiny, bespectacled girl with braids wielded it at Luca, then bowed her head slightly.

"Thank you in advance!"

"... Hmm."

Luca twisted his lips.

'Is she an assassin sent by the Third Prince?'

Fortunately, Luca won the match.

After it was over, Moula Prington looked rather refreshed.

"Thank you so much! Thanks to you, I collected great data! Could I ask you for more in the future?"

At her words, Luca's lips curled up as if recalling something.

"Sure. But can you do a favor for me as well?"

"Of course!"

He'd gained a reliable teammate.

-------------= Clacky's Corner -------------=I didn't think he would get another teammate from the girls he was dueling...I should have thought of it...Even this seemingly meaningless duel also has a purpose...【ദ്ദി(⩌ᴗ⩌)】

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