As the sun goes a bit higher, the whole group finally left the café after done with their breakfast.

“It was nice dining with all of you.” Victoria chuckled. “We should do this more often.”

The students flinched.

“Err…”

“My, how cold. Did I really bother you that much?”

“Actually, no.” Celina quickly answered. “However, we would appreciate it if you refrain from talking about ‘that’ again.”

“Oh, I wonder what you meant by ‘that’. Ufufufufu…”

On one side, Celina masked her tranquil fury with a smile. On the other, Victoria didn’t budge and kept her composure.

‘Scary…’

“Putting that aside, don’t forget about your duties tomorrow. Make sure you get enough rest.”

“…yes, Ma’am.”

“Well then, have a nice day.”

The students gave Victoria a slight bow as she left. And when she finally vanished from their sight, Chelsea let out an exasperated sigh.

“What’s with her? She’s not even trying to keep it subtle anymore…”

“Nevermind that, how did she manage to keep her job!?” Alba added.

“As far as I know, she did exceptionally well as the Principal. Not to mention the amount she invested to this school, taken straight from her business’ profit.” Celina explained.

“Huh, so she ran one?”

“So I heard. …still, she should be able to discern what’s private and what’s not.”

“Eh, yeah, that… Wasn’t really good for my heart…” Sigulf said.

“What, even if you looked somewhat happy about it?” Chelsea teased.

“I, I’m not…!”

“…say, Sigulf, you’re not actually considering her… Offer to train together, are you?”

“…actually, I am—“

The girls promptly gave him a look of disdain.

“…what happened with ‘fight against various opponents to study their style’?”

“…well, that’s not exactly wrong, but…”

Celina went quiet and seems to be thinking.

“Cel?”

“Alright, it’s decided.” She suddenly said. “We will double the amount of our practice tomorrow!”

“I don’t think that will cover the problem of the Principal’s flirting, though.” Chelsea pointed out, making Celina froze for a split second.

“The best way to fight distraction is to keep yourself busy.”

“I wonder if it works that way…”

“No, it’s alright. Actually, I don’t mind.” Sigulf assured. “I just have to work out twice as hard, yeah?”

“Oh, that’s quite the positive way of seeing it. Then I’ll see you hold on those words tomorrow.”

“But of course, Ma’am.” Sigulf saluted playfully.

“And how about you?” Celina switched her attention to Alba.

“I’m in. I’m not leaving until I got my revenge!” Alba exclaimed.

“She’s all fired up, alright.”

“I’m glad you’re taking this seriously.” Chelsea said gleefully. “Maybe we should pair more often, after all!”

“…no, no, no. I’m here to learn the holes on your defense, not to get chummy.”

“Shock! Ceeeel, I’m being rejected again… Sob, sob.”

“There, there.” Celina comforts a fake-crying Chelsea.

“…what’s with you and your tendency to declare hostility right on people’s face?” Sigulf asked.

“It’s not hostility! It’s sportsmanship!” Alba retorted. “And, well, it’s more heroic like that…”

“I… Kind of get it and don’t at the same time…”

“It’s okay, just don’t think too hard about it.” She laughed it off.

“So,” Chelsea spoke up, pulling everyone’s attention back. “What do we do now?”

“Hmm… Considering we have to prepare for both practice and Council duty tomorrow, I suggest we should call it a day.”

“Yeah, I thought so too. We don’t want to be too tired when the guests came.”

“But that doesn’t apply for me, right?” Alba points at herself.

“Well, yeah.” Sigulf quips. “But no overworking, remember?”

“Did that just cross your mind? Bad girl!” Chelsea jumped and grabbed Alba’s shoulders.

“I won’t! Sheesh… Why are you that concerned anyway?”

“Hm? Do I need any reason to?”

“Err…”

“Union Crown, confirmed.” Sigulf commented.

“No, no, it’s not.” Alba quickly retorted while Chelsea simply chuckles.

“So, I guess that’s it for today, then.” Celina announced. “Great work, everyone. Let’s keep up the pace for tomorrow as well.”

“”Yeah!”” the first years responded in an enthusiastic unison.

“Don’t forget to relax and get enough rest, okay?” Chelsea added.

“Well then, if you excuse us.”

Celina gave a slight bow, followed by Chelsea, before turning away. But just as the Council duo is about to left…

“…hm? Ah, wait a minute!” Sigulf suddenly stopped them.

“What is it?”

“…we’re all going home to the same dorm, right?”

There was an awkward silence before Alba finally facepalmed, uttering, “Duh!”

“O, oh, right, now that you mentioned it…”

“Cel, get a grip of yourself.” Chelsea gave a wry laugh.

“Well, let’s go back together, then.”

———

On the way home, they met Yuu, who apparently just left the dorm.

“Yo.” Sigulf greeted him.

But there was no answer as Yuu seemingly froze upon seeing them.

“Err, hello…?”

“Oh, my bad. Good morning!” he finally responded. “You trained until this time?”

“We did a bit longer than usual. You know, for Pacific’s visit. Maybe there will be a duel or something.”

“Hee…”

“How about you? Enjoying day off?”

“Well, something like that.” He grinned. “By the way, could you come over here?”

“Huh?”

Obviously, Sigulf and the girls were kind of confused, but he goes along with it… Only for Yuu to suddenly whipped out his arm and caught him in a headlock.

“Gah…! What are you—”

“Sigulf!”

“Eeh? I wonder why?” he feigned innocence without letting Sigulf go. “I don’t know. For some reason I got pissed looking at you.”

“…I think I have an idea why.”

“Ah, as expected from you. Not that I’m letting go.”

“…enough. Your headlock sucks, it barely hurts.”

“…you don’t have to be that blunt, you know.” Yuu protested while finally releasing him.

“Umm, I’m not sure what’s going on here, but at least you two are not fighting, right?” Celina asked the boys, sounding slightly worried.

“We’re not. I think.” Sigulf replied.

“True, true. It’s more like boys bonding over boys talk.” Yuu added.

“B, boys talk?”

“It’s probably something stupid…” Alba sighed.

“Ouch, that’s mean, Alba-san.”

“B, boys bonding…” Chelsea uttered while going a bit red for some reason.

“C, Chelsea…?” now Celina turned to her best friend out of concern.

“But seriously, why did you do that? Suddenly, even.” Sigulf questioned Yuu while trying to keep his voice low.

“Why wouldn’t I? I mean it looks like you’re having a harem.”

“Har—“

Sigulf promptly went red.

“That wasn’t even my intention…!”

“And that’s what they always say.” Yuu sighed. “Sig-kun, you began to sound like Amakawa.”

“…shit.”

———

Leaving Yuu on his own way and then making it back safely to the dorm, Sigulf finally parted with the girls.

“Phew… I guess I’ll need an early nap today.”

Sigulf stepped out from the bathroom, drying his hair with a towel before sitting on the bed.

“…”

He grabbed his smartphone and looks at the screen silently.

‘No messages from Master yet. Well, she’s probably busy…’

Sigulf set his phone aside.

‘…damn, I’m sleepy. I should get dressed first before I hit the sack.’

Seeing no other alternatives, Sigulf decided to spend the rest of the day leisurely.

———

The next morning, on the same usual hill…

“Haah!”

“Kh…!”

As Fenrir and Celina’s great spear clashed, a metallic ring echoed across the field.

“Stay sharp!” Celina shouted. “Hasten your reaction speed, and strike back without hesitation!”

“R, right…!”

With a blinding speed, Celina took a short step back and lunges forward with her spear, forcing Sigulf to block again.

‘No joke, this is intense…!!’

“What’s the matter!? You can’t land a hit if you keep running away!”

“I know…!”

Gritting his teeth, Sigulf jumped away before rushing towards Celina. Sensing movement from her, he took off by kicking the ground with all of his strength and performs a somersault attack, only for Celina to cleanly block his strike.

“Tch…!”

“That’s more like it!” she commented.

Not far from them, Chelsea watched their duel and sighed.

“That’s not even doubling the intensity anymore.”

“Hey, where are you looking!?”

A sudden downward swing coming her way, though she managed to guard against it.

“Whoops, I’m sorry.”

“Tch, looking down at me like that…!”

Alba expected a shield-push and quickly backs off. Holding her claymore horizontally, she took few steps forward before delivering a large slash.

“Oooohh!!”

Chelsea read her, however, and simply jumped over the claymore’s path with sword raised high.

“Wha—!? Then…!”

Still off-balance from her prior swing, Alba decided to launch herself aside, managing a haphazard but otherwise successful evasion.

“Oh, that’s a good one! But you won’t be so lucky next time!”

“Dammit…! What do I do now…!?’

Under the cold morning air, the first years’ struggle on their intense training against their seniors continues.

————

Signal beeping from the system marks the end of their sparring session. Exhausted, Sigulf lets himself fell to the ground.

“Gah…”

Nothing else came to his mind. Doubling the intensity wasn’t just for show after all. While he thinks he got a better look on their movements, it’s still not enough to keep up, let alone to score a hit.

“Thanks for the hard work.” Celina said upon approaching him. There was a hint of concern under her smile as she hands him a water bottle.

“Ah, thank you…” Sigulf responded while trying to sit up. However, he lost a bit of balance and nearly fell sideways.

“Whoa—“

“Sigulf!” Celina managed to stop him in time. “Are you alright?”

“Y, yeah, I think so…”

Celina slowly lets go, while Sigulf quickly downs the bottle out of embarrassment.

“Will you be fine for later?”

“Don’t worry. I just need some meat and power nap.”

“Hmm…”

Clearly, she wasn’t convinced, so Celina walks behind him, sat down, and leans her back a bit against Sigulf. The gesture only flusters the boy even more.

“Wait, what are you doing!?”

“Hm? I thought you needed to rest a bit, so…”

“Y, yeah, but…”

“But what?”

“I’m drenched in sweat…”

“So am I.”

“E, eeh…”

“At times like this, you should just be honest and accept others’ helping hand. This is a mere small favor, after all.”

‘It’s quite a big deal for me though!’ Sigulf mentally retorted.

All this made him can’t even think of something coherent, thus he gave up and lets his back relax.

‘…she smells nice. And her hair… I wonder what kind of sham— Wait, stop, what am I thinking?’

Of course they kind of forgot that the other pair is still there. Chelsea looks at them wide-eyed and nearly said something, if not for Alba suddenly downed her drink and approached Sigulf.

“A, Alba?”

“Yo, Siggy. Still alive after all that?”

“As if I would kick the bucket that easily.” He retorted, even though unable to face her. “And you’re out of gas yourself.”

“I know. That’s why, lend me a shoulder will ya?”

“Huh?”

Without giving him or Celina chance to react, Alba sat down and leaned between Sigulf and Celina’s shoulders.

“Oh…”

“Oi, oi…!”

“Come on, don’t be so stingy! It’s fine, isn’t it?” Alba grinned in triumph.

Chelsea watched from nearby and can only let out a wry laugh.

“Oh, that girl…”

The brunette followed suit and plopped herself on the opposite of Alba’s side.

“Hey, this looks fun! You don’t mind if I join, right?”

“Ufufu, sure.” Celina chuckled.

As much as he’d like to, there’s no way Sigulf could relax in this situation.

‘Aah, I can smell everyone. And they all smelled nice…’ Sigulf mentally lamented. ‘…dammit, and I can’t even stop the thoughts now.’

“This feels nice.” Celina suddenly mumbled.

Sigulf was caught off guard, but he agreed with her sentiments nonetheless.

“…yeah, it is.”

Even though the sun just barely rises, this morning doesn’t feel cold at all.

————

Past midday. Dressed in his uniform, Sigulf stepped out from his room. He had already shifted gears, thanks to the much needed late breakfast, short nap and some warm bath.

‘Fully recharged. Let’s do this.’

On his way outside, he met Minato and his girls, exchanging slight nods.

“Let’s do our best, Hrimgard-kun.”

“Yeah.”

Leaving the dorm, the rookies head to the park first, to regroup with the waiting second years.

“Ah, there they are.” Laine pointed out before waving at them. “Yooo…”

“Good day.” Celina greeted. “Is everyone here?”

“Yes, Ma’am!” Eurypha quickly replied with a salute.

“Very good. Well then, let’s head to the landing pad and proceed as briefed.”

Lead by Celina, the Council members, both official and shadow, make their way to the designated area.

Reaching the pad minutes later, the group noticed that the Principal is there, accompanied by the other staffs. They promptly gave her a slight bow, which she returned.

‘So she’s here… Ah, I can see Sir Fortier and Miss Melanie too.’

Far in the horizon, all of them noticed a dark gray object, gradually closing in. American made flying carrier, model LM-CL-0122, though Sigulf wouldn’t know that.

The whole group watches silently as the carrier hovered above and slowly descends towards the pad.

As the carrier finally lands, the hatch door opened, revealing five figures. To Sigulf’s surprise, all of them seemed to be their students with no teaching staff in sight.

‘What’s the meaning of this…?’

Still, this doesn’t seem to perturb the Principal.

“Thank you for coming all the way here.” Victoria greeted. “We welcome you to Atlantic Academy.”

———

Chapter 3 “One Flight from Heimriki”, end.

Continued on Chapter 4.