The men who were being turned into the laughingstock stood up all at once.
“Miss, this joke has gone a little too far.”
“Really? But I’m always serious. And, wasn’t it you who invited me?”
“We invited you to drink, not to fight.”
“Then could I duel you gentlemen for insulting me just because I didn’t accept your offer to drink?”
The atmosphere in the bar froze.
One of the officers spoke determinedly,
“Foreign young lady, are you aware of the No Duel Policy? Under the order of Her Majesty, we are restricted from dueling. But you are a foreigner. As long as we reach an agreement among ourselves, we could do practically anything to you. Are you speaking under this knowledge?”
“Nobles in Tristain really give long speeches. If this was Germania, the duel would have ended by now.”
They couldn't back down after they had been made fun of like this. The officers looked at each other and one of them gripped his hat’s brim and said, “Choose your opponent, you have the right.”
But Kirche didn’t change her expression. But there was fiery anger swirling inside her. The more Kirche got mad, the more composed and mannered she became.
“As you have said, Germanian women are lewd, so I’ll take care of all of you together.” Applause was heard inside the bar for Kirche’s brave words. The officers’ faces were flushed bright red due to anger from the insult.
“We are nobles but at the same time also soldiers. When insulted, when challenged, we will not hold back even if the enemy is a woman. Come.”
The noble pointed outside of the bar with his chin. Guiche was shaking under the situation. Montmorency was just drinking wine as though it was none of her business. Louise was talking about how the stupid woman was getting herself into useless trouble again and hiding in the kitchen. Saito unfortunately fell victim of Louise’s anger against Kirche and was passed out because of the pain that Louise had inflicted upon him; so he couldn’t intervene.
So, the one who stood up was Tabitha.
“You don’t have to worry about it. Sit down, it will be over in an instant.”
But Tabitha shook her head.
“Do you mean I won’t be able to beat them?”
“No. But I’ll go.”
“This doesn’t involve you,” said Kirche, but again Tabitha shook her head.
“I owe you.”
“You mean the incident in the Ragdorian Lake? Don’t mind it. I did it out of my own will anyways.”
“Not that.”
“Eh?”
Then Tabitha clearly muttered,
“Owe you one.”
Kirche recalled with those words.
“That’s quite a long time ago.” Kirche smiled.
She thought for a moment but finally decided to leave it to her friend.
“What happened? Got scared? We will forgive you if you apologize now.”
“You’ll still have to pour drinks for us though.”
“You’ll be lucky if it ends with you just pouring drinks.”
The officers laughed. Kirche pointed at Tabitha.
“Beg your pardon, but she has even more skill than me. She even has the title Chevalier.”
The officers put on a doubtful expression.
Tabitha just walked toward the entrance of the bar reticently.
“Do any of you gentlemen have the Chevalier title?”
The officers twisted their necks in disbelief.
“Then she should prove to be more than a match.”
As Kirche finished speaking, she sat down on a chair as though her job was over. The officers, who couldn’t back down, followed Tabitha to the outside of the bar.
“Is she gonna be ok?”
Asked Guiche. Kirche was just drinking her wine elegantly.
“That girl never forgets this kind of old fashioned promises.”
Kirche muttered happily.
Outside, Tabitha was facing the officers at 10 paces. Around them neighboring residents surrounded the duelers excitedly but also by keeping a good distance back. In reality, though the No Duel Policy was in effect, it didn’t all together stop the fights between the nobles. This kind of fight was an everyday occurrence.
However… the opponent of the team of three apparent officers of the royal army was a very young little girl. That combination drew the attention of the spectators.
“Gentlemen, our opponent is a kid. After this people will call us bullies. Our honor is going to be ruined no matter if we win or lose. What shall we do?”
As the man that was inviting Kirche said, the youngest of three answered, “Why not let her act first?”
The man who was silent until now said in a happy tone,
“Hah, teaching children is an adult's responsibility!”
Chevalier? She must be joking. There is no way such a little girl can be given such a title.
Although she is a kid, she still is a noble. We cannot forgive such a lie. On top of that insulting an officer from the royal army is just absurd.
Tabitha was just standing ominously there with her staff in her right hand. Nothing could be inferred from her expression. It seemed neither the crowd nor the three officers could ruffle her emotions.
“Little lady, please draw your staff first.”
Said the oldest of the nobles.
The onlookers held their breath and watched over them attentively.
Tabitha simply waved her staff easily, like the time she made wind to cool off Kirche. The battle ended in an instant.
As the customers saw Tabitha coming back to the bar, they gave her a huge welcome mixed with astonishment and wonder. There was a huge commotion outside. Because with just one hit from a huge “Air Hammer,” a hammer made of compressed air, Tabitha blew the officers to the other side of the street and knocked them out cold. One customer peeked outside the window timidly and saw that one of the officers had regained consciousness and was dragging the other two away.
“You are amazing despite your size!”
Although the bar was filled with applause, Tabitha was flipping a page in her book, not paying attention.
Kirche poured wine in to Tabitha’s cup with a smug expression.
“Let's have a toast.”
Guiche asked Kirche as if he was confused.
“Um, Kirche?”
“What?”
“Why are you two so close? You two are like sisters.”
“We just get along.”
But they were the opposite of each other. What’s more … Guiche pondered on what he recalled earlier. The two actually had a duel like the one outside as soon as they enrolled to the school.
“Were you two always this close? What happened between you two? Tell me.”
This also triggered Montmorency’s interest and she leaned forward.
“What happened? Tell us.”
Kirche looked at Tabitha, but Tabitha was silent. However Kirche nodded.
“She said I can talk about it so I will. It’s not that great of a story though.” Kirche took a full wine glass.
She gulped down the wine, and started telling the story with drowsy eyes.
Chapter 2
Kirche entered Tristain Magic Academy as Spring was in the air, during the fourth month, Feoh's moon's 2nd week, the middle of Heimdallr's week.
The entrance ceremony was held in Alvíss Hall. There, every year, the ninety or so new students would be divided into three classes. Children of aristocratic families, gathered from all over, had waited for Principal Osman with nervous looks on their faces.
Osman, leading the teachers, appeared on the 2nd floor and looked over the students a floor below.