“Let me summarize my opinion first.”
The basement that became quiet at my words, I got up from my seat.
“Katyusa and Mi-ryung are strong even without weapons. It wouldn’t be bad to make the most of those strengths in the first half and play aggressively, then solidify defensively in the second half. It will take some fighting to gain a vantage point to solidify the defenses.”
Then, walking from Mi-ryung’s back to Dimitri’s side, I briefly expressed my thoughts.
“I think that is right.”
“… … This is your word.”
The two of them affirmed my words, but I felt hesitation as if they didn’t understand something.
“It’s a very simple thing. And yet, the quarrel is still not over.”
It’s not that I don’t like my strategy or that’s why.
“Isn’t that because you guys weren’t fighting with a strategy in the first place?”
As the voices of the two grew louder, the strategy had nothing to do with it.
“You’re just having an emotional fight.”
Because it is a battle of old emotions, armed only with the rightness and wrongness of strategy.
“Let’s be honest with each other. What do you want and how do you want to do it? It’s very frustrating and boring to watch the situation where they don’t compromise while wrapping it up for plausible reasons.”
I spoke with irritation to the two who were frozen as if caught off guard.
“I want you to remember that the reason I brought you guys into the team was because I didn’t want to fight with you guys that much.”
If you need to pay more attention to it, it’s better to do it alone or with Katyu and the two of you.
“… … sorry.”
“It was, it seems.”
Mi-ryung and Dimitri quietly admitted their mistake. And after looking at each other for a moment, Mi-ryung opened her mouth first.
“I want to be helpful.”
It wasn’t that different from what we’ve been talking about so far.
“I don’t want to remain as a protected image. I want to show myself to everyone.”
In those words, there was definitely a desire of one’s own.
“What does that mean specifically?”
“… … Dimitri said yesterday. I want to ban calling a beastman a beast.”
“what… … ?”
Dimitri, who had been silent at the unexpected flow, was perplexed.
“But I don’t mind being called a beast. Because it is true.”
“Mi-ryung, why are you bringing up such a story now? Now the story… … .”
“But as far as being treated as a pet, I hate it.”
Mi-ryung looked at Dimitri and cut it off.
“No one treats you as a pet!”
Dimitri shouted as if what the hell he was talking about.
“It is not so. I heard it with my own ears.”
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Mi-ryung shook her head quietly.
“From the fact that he is being raised, that he will do everything if you order him to sit down, to insults that are hard to bear. I’m sure Dimitri will be very angry when he hears it, so I’m not saying it in front of him, but I’ve been sick of it.”
Mi-ryung said quietly in a low voice. Dimitri was speechless with a shocked look on his face as if he had no idea.
“In the past, I thought it was okay, and that was enough. Because I didn’t think it was that wrong.”
After she finished speaking, Mi-ryung quietly shook her head.
“But not anymore. It can’t be.”
Then he looked straight at Dimitri and said.
“I want to be active and imprint my existence on everyone. As a prisoner of one person, as a warrior.”
There was not a single hint of timidity on his face.
“That way I can stand on an equal footing with Dimitri.”
“… … .”
Dimitri covered his mouth with a complicated expression and agonized.
“Mi-ryung, you don’t have to be swayed by other people’s eyes like that… … .”
“It’s not just about being swayed by other people’s gazes. This is my will.”
Mi-ryung approached Dimitri.
“Otherwise, I cannot forgive myself for my indolence.”
Then he put his hand on his chest and declared it distinctly. Then, after slightly bowing his head, he returned to his seat.
“… … I see. I had no idea.”
Dimitri, who had been silent, laughed as if he had collapsed.
“I thought I knew you better than anyone else, but in fact I didn’t know at all. How pathetic are you really going to be? A guy like me… … .”
I didn’t mean to ridicule or arouse sympathy, but it sounded like I was really disappointed in myself.
“… … What kind of bluff are you going to do now? I’ll be honest.”
Dimitri raised his head.
“I am not confident.”
And with a laughing voice, but without a smile on his face at all.
“Because I realized it. That I’m not that strong.”
“yes?”
What was disconcerting was Mi-ryeong.
“Even during the previous mission, when I went to Caspal’s mine, and even in my recent sparring with you, I am very ambiguous.”
“It is not so. Dimitri is strong enough, and his rank is actually high, right?”
Mi-ryung shook her head and denied it.
“Mi-ryung, I’m not trying to put you down, but there’s a difference between me and your rank by more than one level. But even so, I couldn’t overwhelm you at all.”
“That, that… … .”
There was a clear difference in rank between Mi-ryung and Dimitri, both in power and magic. However, in reality, the fight between the two did not end well.
That was unmistakably true.
“Compared not only to you, but to everyone else, I am no different. Comparing itself is rude to the crown prince, and my attack will melt before it even reaches Proud’s flames. In Caspal’s Mist, I couldn’t see an inch ahead. Even Eugene’s sword, I can’t read the trajectory at all.”
Dimitri said calmly. He didn’t put much emotion on it, he was just laying out the facts.
“I may not be particularly behind, but I am not particularly outstanding or ahead in any one area. Even having a good long-range response doesn’t mean much now that even commoners can use firearms.”
Mi-ryung tried to deny it, but she just looked at Dimitri, as if the words didn’t come to mind.
“I am just ambiguous. So, I can only think of a safe way.”
“… … Doesn’t being ambiguous mean being able to respond appropriately to any situation?”
Not wanting to hear any more, I opened my mouth.
“It seems like you’ve been developing a lot of technology that can respond to short ranges lately, right? His movements in the sparring with Mi-ryung were excellent.”
It wasn’t something I said to comfort you. Actually, I think it’s gotten a lot better.
“If you think that you are not good enough or that you are pathetic, what will you like?”
I don’t like talking about things like this right now.
“I hate it the most when I push myself to say that I’m doing well enough, but I’m still not good enough. When you get into that mindset, you become anxious about what you might be able to do and end up choosing only passive options.”
I don’t want to see myself shrinking compared to others despite my ability, so that I can’t show my full potential.
Since the original Mikhail was like that, especially.
“But, if that fails… … .”
“What if I fail?”
I got up from my seat.
“Is the place we are going out now a battlefield where we actually die and kill each other?”
“Well, that’s not it. But this Colosseum in particular… … .”
“What is the end of failure? At best, it didn’t turn out as well as expected. Are our forces capable of collapsing if the strategy is slightly off, are we?”
Dimitri could not refute my questioning.
“Or do I look so picky that I won’t tolerate a single failure?”
“It’s never like that. but… … .”
Dimitri was embarrassed by my continued questioning. I let out a deep sigh. Dimitri was deeply mistaken from the very beginning.
“I’ve been thinking about it since the beginning, but why are you trying to take responsibility for everything on your own? Do you think I delegated strategy to you to shift responsibility?”
At my words, Dimitri closed his mouth and looked at me.
“I just left it to someone who seemed to do well.”
There really was no reason other than that.
“We fight together. Do not increase your own burden and use everyone. I’m responsible for giving the order, no… … .”
I shook my head.
“It belongs to all of us. Do not hug yourself on your own.”
Then he said something and sat down again.
“… … yes.”
Dimitri, who had been keeping his mouth shut, gave a small reply.
“It feels like my eyes have been opened a little.”
And he added in a soft voice. Mi-ryung, who was nervous, also sighed, sweeping her chest as if relieved.
“Then, let’s try a new strategy based on the strategy the Crown Prince said. I think it will be a rather radical strategy, will you be okay?”
As if in contrast to earlier, Dimitri said with a provocative expression.
“The desired sea. Please let me run amok.”
I grinned and replied, “I’ll try.” After Dimitri said yes, he immediately set to work on a new strategy.
‘This is another annoying thing to solve.’
When I caught my breath and turned my gaze to the far side, I saw Katyusha, who was teaching me the words, and Fatma, who was nodding her head and writing something in a notebook with a serious face.
That shouldn’t be made pointless.
Time passed quickly. And the eve of the Colosseum began.
“… … .”
Proud, who was lying on the desk in the student council room, was not even able to speak anymore. Almost on the verge of overwork.
“I know it’s not okay, but don’t bother asking. Are you okay, Proud?”
“… … It was the first time I thought that I might die while working.”
Proud raised his head and answered. The shade under the eyes is terrible.
“But now, as long as tomorrow’s game goes smoothly, everything is over.”
“… … .”
I was about to say something but stopped. Because these words are too harsh for the current Proud.
“Will it go smoothly? You meant to say the same thing, right?”
“You have a good eye, Proud. Sometimes it’s better not to notice.”
“Ha ha ha ha ha… … .”
Proud laughed bitterly. And after finishing with a sigh, he drooped again.
“Isn’t the crown prince enjoying the eve?”
“bothered. It is enough to look around here.”
I answered while looking out the window. The knight academy, which was in full swing on the eve, had a festive atmosphere like Christmas night.
“Doesn’t the Academy of Knights regulate dating of the opposite s*x?”
“… … This school is also a kind of social center. It is difficult to regulate.”
It was like Christmas that there were many couples. I saw Dimitri and Mi-ryung awkwardly dancing in the corner. There might be other couples if you look closely, but I didn’t bother to look for them.
“It still looks beautiful.”
Standing up and looking out the window with me, Proud said.
“Right. But how long will this look last?”
“… … well.”
Proud answered my question with a complicated face. I liked that it didn’t say that it would continue.
“Let’s talk a little bit about what happened after that, Proud.”
Now is the time to sort things out.