Both units stepped swiftly forward, their swords clashing. Gufufu’s attacks were heavy as a result of its two-handed grip on its sword, and Michelle’s Kian staggered slightly. Taking advantage of that moment of weakness, the big man launched an attack.
However, Michelle’s title as the original champion wasn’t just for show. She lithely pulled Kian’s body back then did a huge leap backward in order to open up some distance between them, escaping the attack by the skin of her teeth. She even used the recoil from landing to spring toward him with a lunge. Compared to the other models, Kian was extremely adept at stabbing.
Gufufu used its big sword to change the trajectory of Kian’s thrust, but he couldn’t fully evade it. The unit suffered a blow to its shoulder, snapping the magic link. It had been a gripping battle that kept you on the edge of your seat, but Michelle was the victor in the end.
“Damn... I give up.”
Michelle bowed without a word.
“As expected of a champion,” said the man. “There are not many as skillful as you. Are you an adventurer?”
“Yeah.”
“Man, this was truly an experience. Let’s have a rematch one of these days.”
Once the battle was over, Michelle returned to her original place and sat down as though she had lost interest. It seemed she wasn’t going to indulge him by commending his fighting spirit. It actually looked like she was trying to say as little to him as possible. Maybe they know each other?
“You almost had it,” I said to the man who had just finished his match. “As is the nature of my business, I’ve witnessed many people using those Mobile Forces, and your skills were particularly remarkable.”
“Thank you. I’ve heard there was a big tournament for these held in the capital?”
“Yes, I held it on B2 of the dungeon. Many of my store’s customers are adventurers.”
“I see. Then won’t you have a tournament somewhere aboveground next time?” he suggested with an amicable expression on his face. “It’d make for an even bigger and more spectacular event.”
“I’d like to if I could,” I admitted, “but it’d be difficult to acquire a venue. I imagine it’d be expensive as well.”
“I suppose so. But you might see it realized eventually.” The man then exhaled. “Whew, I had a lot of fun. I’ll see you again.”
The big man waved his hand, taking his leave with his two beautiful women in tow.
I went to sit next to Michelle.
“Good work today. He was a peculiar man, wasn’t he?”
“That was the king’s little brother, General Bartos,” Michelle revealed, lowering her voice.
“Was it?! I heard he might come see the festival, but I hadn’t thought I’d get to meet him myself.”
“He’s a pleasure-seeker, the same as his brother, which is something I don’t like.” Michelle didn’t seem to hold a favorable opinion of General Bartos.
“Hm,” I hummed. “You did say he was a competent but perverted general, and he really does seem that way, now that I’ve met the man himself.”
His drive was intense, and I had the impression that he was the type who wanted to grasp all that this world had to offer. I didn’t think he was a bad person, but I wasn’t good with his type either. I wanted to live my life peacefully while having fun.
“Well, if he’s in such a high position,” I said, “we probably won’t see him that often.”
In reality, the general and I didn’t have many chances to see each other after that day, but that man would go on to influence my life in a major way.
✦ ✦ ✦
General Bartos was relaxing in the living room of Baron Ethel’s residence, downing some alcohol from a large cup. Cres was nestled right beside him, while Rana was sitting up straight. The baron was seated opposite, smiling as he kept him company in his drinking.
“I had a peek at that dagashi-ya you told me about,” said the general.
“Did it meet your expectations?” the baron asked.
“I bought this.” The general put the Gufufu model he had just purchased on the table. It was a brand-new Mobile Force unit, but there was already a small crack in its shoulder.
“Was it to your liking?”
“It was. It’s a well-made toy, although I prefer to fight using my own body.”
“Naturally. Your Excellency is a seasoned veteran, after all.”
The baron replenished Bartos’s glass from a bottle of alcohol.
“It appears my brother is obsessed with them,” the general said, glancing meaningfully at him.
“Indeed,” he agreed. “He is thoroughly pleased with them. Every day, he engages in Mobile Forces battles against his servants to his heart’s content. It has reached the point that even Her Majesty the queen is fed up with his obsession.”
“I’m certain he hasn’t realized that they’re holding back and falsely believes that he’s winning thanks to his own strength.”
“Alas, that is about right.”
With a keen gaze, the general asked the baron, “So, what do you think? If a Mobile Forces tournament was held at the capital, then do you think His Majesty would leave the palace?”
“Most likely... That’s how enthralled His Majesty is with the Mobile Forces as of late.”
Even if he was an incompetent debauchee, the present king was very cautious. He fooled around while indulging in every luxury he could, but he would never leave the safety of his palace.
The general licked his lips, wet with alcohol, and sighed.
“There are many magical barriers all around the palace created by a number of people across the generations. It’s impossible for my troops to do anything. To catch him, we must get His Majesty out of that palace.”
“Even if His Majesty leaves the palace, he will still have his convoy of imperial guard knights, no?”
“If we get him out of the palace, then we can easily crush his guard,” the general said. “The most important point is to have him leave that palace. If we lure him out of the palace using the Mobile Forces...”
These two were plotting to use the Mobile Forces to stage a military coup d’état.
“That man is named Yahagi, right?” he asked the baron. “Won’t he join our camp? I have some interest in his partner, the Shinigami Minerva.”
“I wonder about that. He is the kind of man who has no interest in riches and honors.” The baron accompanied his words with an amused but restrained laugh.
“What are you saying?” the general exclaimed in disbelief. “Such a man exists? When you’re born into this world as a man, you eat delicious food, down delicious alcohol, and sleep with beautiful women. Are these not normal desires?”
“How shall I put this? It is not as if Sir Yahagi is uninterested in such things. He simply is not the type to desire much.”
“Hmm,” said Bartos, making a vague expression that made it hard to gauge whether he truly understood. “Well, that’s fine. At any rate, treat this Yahagi well. According to what intel I have, it seems that the more his store sells, the bigger it’ll get.”
“That is true,” the baron confirmed. “I invited him to the festival here in Grantham for that very purpose. At the present moment, he can only sell forty Mobile Force units per day, but if the scale of his store grows bigger, then he may be able to sell more.”
“Let’s give him authorization to conduct his trade at the finest location in the capital. I’ll pull some strings on my end. For now, we spread the Mobile Forces far and wide, and hold a tournament that will garner the king’s interest.”
“Leave it to me, Your Excellency,” said Baron Ethel, bowing deeply.