The long rainy season is over.

　It's been raining for a while now, so the morning sunshine is pleasant.

　I washed my face, stretched out, and sat down on a chair by the window. It was a bit muggy outside, but there was a nice breeze.


　The ...... title fight is almost ready to begin. I'm getting ready for it.


"Good morning, Mr. Second. I have one report to make.

　Just as I was about to leave the room, Cubero came in.

'Good morning. Report?'
Yeah, that's what I'm talking about: ......

　Cubero opens his mouth with a bitter smile.

　For all I know, there seems to be a suspicious person who has been wandering back and forth to the right and left in front of the main gate since early morning.

　I heard the guy's name and said, "Oh," and told him to bring me to the living room.

　Oh, yeah.
　It's about time.



'-- It's been a while, Second. You said you'd come back, so I had no choice but to come.

　A short time later, the one who appeared in the living room was Nil Weissroy, a rather pompous and beautiful male elf with light blue hair.

''Don't get me wrong?　I came to the capital, Vinston, to participate in the Battle of the Eishou. I even got a hotel room. I just happened to pass by your house on my way there, so I just woke you up on a whim and thought I'd drop in. I'm not going to be able to get away with it. Don't get me wrong.
Okay.
Or, you know, just don't get it wrong!
No, I didn't.

　He said he happened to be passing through such an upscale suburban neighborhood this early in the morning.

　I was grinning and Nir was about to say "Don't get the wrong idea" for the fourth time when Yukari brought breakfast for me. For some reason, there's even a portion for Nir inadvertently.

　Today's breakfast meal was a little more opulent than usual. It's for the guests. Perhaps the servants foresaw this when they saw Nil wandering around in front of the main gate. It's a quintessential attention to detail.

　And Nir, it was ...... ritually waiting for me to start eating.

　I'm not going to be able to say that I'm not the only one, but I'm also going to be able to say that I'm not the only one.

You ......
It's .......
No, it's nothing. Let's eat.


　It seems that Nir has been through a lot in the past six months.

　I got a little happy and borrowed the pitcher Yukari was holding and poured water into Nir's glass.

　Nir sniffs in embarrassment, "Humph," and with his cheeks slightly red, he opens his mouth to distract me from the conversation.

'By the way, what happened to the other two?'
Training in the morning.
Are you okay with this?
For me, it's more important to have a good breakfast.
Yeah. I suggest you do your best to avoid getting your foot caught in the doorway.
Thanks for the advice.

　The corner of my mouth goes up at Nil's "I'll scoop that leg" or something like that.

　As he grew humanly, did his magic grow as well? Maybe so. From the current Nil, he no longer felt the same impatience and anxiety as before.



''Second. Have you seen the list of contestants yet?''

　I was finishing my breakfast meal and drinking my tea when Nir suddenly mentioned something like that to me.

　I somehow thought that this was the main issue, so I put down my teacup, faced the front and replied.

'Not yet.'
Well: ......

　Nil hesitated for a moment, then continued to speak.

''I didn't see any Alpha names among the contestants for the Eishin War.
...... what?
'That's not all. I haven't heard from him for the last six months. Well, maybe it's just me.
Of course you do.
You ......, well, that's okay. Alpha is going to be your apprentice, right?　Don't you know something?
'All I've heard is that I'm going to visit here when the mess at home is cleared up. In other words: .......
'You mean that something might have happened at the Promenade house,'

　I thought for sure that we would meet again at the Summer Eishou Tournament and come to the first test in that vein.

　But after losing touch with him for six months, not participating in the ...... quicksilver, it's strange.

''I understand. I'll look into it on my end.
Hmph. Have it your way.
Thanks.
...... tch.

　Nil left with a single cluck of his tongue and a bad tempered look on his face.


　...... Where's the Alpha, huh?

　Hopefully we'll get one of the clues before the title fight is over .......



　　* * * *.



Oh, I'm so sorry. It's rare to see an opponent with no more potential to win than this one.

　This summer, there was another man visiting the royal capital, Vinston.

　Rossman, the former Issenza - a man in his mid-forties, with short black hair and receding bangs, a medium build, wrinkled eyes and a fearsome look in his eyes - sighs as he gets off the carriage. He muttered to himself.

　For the past six months, he has been living in his normal life and in the moving carriage, thinking only of defeating the Second endlessly.

　However, he had finally found no way to defeat that man and had arrived at the royal capital.

"Father," he said, "it's not so easy to beat the Triple Crown. "Father, it's not going to be easy to beat the Triple Crown.
Is Rave still on his side?
Sorry.
No, thank you. Honesty with the sword is what I'm teaching you.

　Next to Rothman was a young man with dark hair and dark eyes.

　His own son, whose name was Rave.

　Although Rave's face is still a bit young, his eyes are as sharp as his father's, and combined with his taciturnity, he already has the appearance of a swordsman even though he is sixteen years old.


''Rossman-sensei. It's been a while.
Oh, Mr. Garam. It's good to see you looking good.

　Then a big man arrived.

　The Second Knight's Deputy Commander, Garam. He was a contestant in the Ikusenza battle, with a muscular build that could be two meters tall.

　It had been his duty for many years to welcome Rothman into King's Landing.

'But it's been years since you've been called a teacher and not a flashing star,'
Hahahahaha ...... Oh, and you are.
'Oh, this is my son. Say hello.

　Garam turned his attention to Rave, who was standing next to Rothman, looking bored.

　He was pushed forward a step by Rothman and only uttered two words of annoyance.

'Rave. Nice to meet you.

　...... Sixteen years old in this world is not an age where rudeness is tolerated just because you are young.

　It's also like picking a fight with that against a swordsman who is claimed to be the strongest of the Kingdom Knights.

　But Rothman didn't pay attention to anything, and Garam couldn't say anything either.

　Because he knew that this rave had something in him that would allow for that rudeness.


'Is he the rumoured secret weapon ......
It's a long way from being perfect, but hey, it's a horrible thing, even for my child. As for me, I was going to keep it warm for one more year, but my rave insisted.


　Rave ignores their conversation and stares blankly somewhere in the distance.

　The rare swordsman who has reigned in the Ichibenza Theater for twenty years has been called "terrifying" by the young man.





Dee, Jay. Watch your step.

Shut up, I know.
'Sis, I think Master is saying this out of kindness.
'Every bit of that kindness is annoying. Don't you think Jay would agree?
'Yeah, no, well, that's certainly true,'

'Come on, you two, stop wasting your time and get out of the carriage. It's a pain in the ass for you.

Okay.
Yes, right now.

　A carriage arrives at the royal capital, Vinston.

　From inside, a mature man, Alfred, with his long, blunt, habitual hair blowing in the wind, emerges. Behind him was Dee Mix, a woman elf with long, emerald green hair and long, hanging eyes, and her sister, Jay Mix, a short-cut woman elf with a face and hair color similar to her sister's.

　The three of them dismounted from the carriage in a lively manner, arguing about what they were doing.


　The three of them walked without hesitation, with their eyes firmly fixed on the road ahead - from the point of view of those who knew them, it was an unthinkable figure in the past.


''Greet the Second Triple Crown properly. Consider this an order from your master.

How many times have you said that? You've heard it a dozen times, my dear. I told you I understood.
'Master. I know you don't trust us, but that's a bit of a stretch.

'It's not that I don't trust him, but ...... notwithstanding, I want him to have the utmost respect for me. He's my, I owe him.





'Kuh-uh-uh!　Kuh-hahahaha!
How can I help you, sir? ......?

　In a certain room in a certain castle in a certain kingdom.

　A man of 5'10" tall with reddish-black hair and a glint in his eye that could have killed many people with his bare hands was laughing with his mouth wide open while reading a letter brought by a servant.

'I knew it was coming, Second Firth Test!　I wasn't crazy in my eyes!

　This fearsome general is called "Toushin".

　In his hand is a list of contestants for the Toushi Title Match.

　He is looking at the name of the one man.


"Nova Valtelemon, I will not run or hide!　Smoke 'em out!　I'm leaving now!


　Nova Valtelemon, the general of the Oranj Kingdom's army.

　The God of War, who is touted as the kingdom's strongest trump card, is about to stand in front of that man with his burning fighting spirit bared.





The 467th Summer Title Matches


Kenjutsu] .

☆ Second Farsightedness
A Jerez Lumberjack.
B Garam.
C. Kasakari Kerala
D Rave.
E. Rothman.
F Raspberry Bell


Archery]

General Elnte's Demon Punisher
A Sylvia Virginia.
B. Alfred.
C D-Mix
D. Jay Mix.


[Majesty's magic] "The Battle for Eishou

Second Farsightedness Test Eigyo
A. Neil Weissroy.
B Zephyr.
C. Cheri
D. Kevin.
E. Muratti Tricolori.


Shield Art] "Kongo Battle.

Rock 'n' Chair Kongo
A Eco Leaflet
B Gorois.
C Zidane.
D Domingo.


[Summoning technique]

The Second First Test Spirit King
A Vogue.
B. Capito.
C. Bighorn.
D. Sherry Lumberjack.


Bodywork] [Fighting Shinui]

Nova Valtelemon Fighting Goddess
A Second First Test.
B. Davidoff.
C. Renko
D. Cubero.


[Spearmanship] "The Battle of the Four Jari Seisei.

The Four Jedi of Laden
A Second First Test.
B. Karen.
C Champagne



General Gloria Thousand Hands
A Second First Test.
B Steam Bitter Valley


Tenmoza (the thread puppet theater)

Prince Ten Amiza
A Second First Test.
B Yves.


Battoujutsu] [Bishamon Battle]

Absent.
A. Cats
B. Cambae
C. pit viper
D Thistle
E. Masamune.
F Second First Test.