Hikai: A match?

Beatrix: Yes, even though my mother’s dojo isn’t exactly fit for the official matches so we won’t follow those rules.

Hikai: Eh? What do you mean?

Beatrix: You don’t know? Our dojo is actually a dojo for war. It was inherited through my family ages ago and my family has been teaching ever since.

Hikai: So you mean to say that I learned an art for war?

Beatrix: Yes.

I was shocked by what I have just heard. That means all of my training in their dojo was all to prepare for war?

Hikai: But Japan has been in peace for years, why would you still choose to continue with it?

Beatrix: I have also questioned my mother about this but she never truly answered my question. She said to me “We are passing down the art because my ancestor said that one day this art would be used for the good of humanity”.

Beatrix had a nostalgic expression on her face.

Beatrix: I guess she was right about that. Because I learned about it, I could survive in this place.

Hikai: But why do you want to have match?

Beatrix: It’s because I finally understand.

Hikai: What?

Beatrix: I finally understand why my mother accepted you as her student.

Hikai: What?

Beatrix: I’m sure you don’t know but we only teach the Art of War to only one person. The descendant of our family bloodline but she thought you, a person who had no ties to us whatsoever.

Hikai: I see.

Beatrix: Even before we came to Japan, we didn’t get along anymore. I fought against her because I didn’t want to learn this art. It’s because I didn’t want to learn such a thing. It was weird, it was crazy and why would you want to learn how to kill someone in this day and age!?

Beatrix shouted as loud as she can.

Hikai: But why fight me?

Beatrix: Because the only time she would try to talk to me was when she trained you. Every time you went home she would look for me and tell me what happened in your session.

Hikai: Now that is embarrassing.

Beatrix: She would always have a happy expression. Every time she would talk with you she was just so happy. I actually became a little jealous of you.

Hikai: What?

Beatrix: That was one of the reasons why I stopped talking to you.

Hikai: I see.

Beatrix: I was late to realize. I even watched both of you as you trained with each other. Hey, when I was stopping you from doing things ever since we came here why did you think I was doing it?

Hikai: Eh?

I thought it over a bit and answered her.

Hikai: Weren’t you worried because my stats were very low?

Beatrix: That may be part of it but the real reason is that I didn’t want you to use what you learn from my mother.

Hikai: Why?

Beatrix: Whenever I looked at you, I could see myself. That may have been what I would become. What would happen if I didn’t fight with her? What I would have been when I came here. That’s why I didn’t want you to fight.

Tears poured from Beatrix’s eyes.

Beatrix: I hated it. Why wasn’t it me? Why couldn’t it be me? But I hated myself the most because I also thought that it was beautiful.

Hikai: Beautiful?

Beatrix: Your resolve, your determination, your will to never give up. Ever since we were summoned all you have done is surprise me again and again. I was proud to have a person like you in our dojo.

Hikai: That’s not true. I was only able to move forward because of everyone. Every single time, someone was there to help me.

Beatrix: Even so, even if that’s the truth that was not what I saw. That was not how you showed yourself to us. So why wouldn’t I admire that? Jealousy and Pride swirled around me as I admired you. That is why I want to fight you, in order for me to find my answer, in order for me to face myself.

Hikai: Since you’ve said that much, I accept your challenge.

Beatrix: Thank you.

Hikai: But do you have a Naginata with you?

Beatrix: This bow will do.

I grabbed one of the pole’s behind me and right before I threw it.

Diana: Not that one! That one’s Grandfather’s!

Diana stopped me. Then I took the other pole and threw it to Beatrix.

Hikai: Sorry.

Diana: Hmph.

Diana went back inside the pole.

Beatrix: This is a pole?

Beatrix caught the pole.

Hikai: There’s really no Naginata in this world so I’ve been using a Pole this whole time. Would it do?

Beatrix tested the Pole a few times.

Beatrix: It’s just the right length. I’m good with this.

Hikai: Then let us begin.

Beatrix: Yes.

Princess Jeanne has been silent this whole time. She stood facing the stairs to the outside as we spoke. It seems that she was distracted with something the whole time.

Hikai: What’s going on with the Princess?

Beatrix: I will tell you when this is over.

We both faced each other. As we sized each other up, Diana spoke to me.

Diana: What should I do?

Hikai: Nothing.

Diana: Ehhhhh.

Hikai: She said this was a Naginata match so no magic will be used.

Diana: If you say so.

Diana didn’t speak after that.

Beatrix: Hah!

Beatrix was the first one to move.

Beatrix: Here!

She delivered a overhead strike. I evaded by moving to her right side.

Hikai: Hah!

I delivered a horizontal sweep as I evaded. She ducked down low.

Beatrix: You’re open!

She then did a upward strike. I stepped back and used the Pole to pushed her pole upwards.

Beatrix: What!?

She held the pole overhead and I jabbed her with the tip of the pole.

Beatrix: Kah.

She held her stomach that I hit and I quickly approached her for a overhead strike.

Hikai: Here!

She rolled towards my left and then she quickly did a low sweep.

Hikai: Tch.

I jumped upwards but she reacted fast. She used the momentum from her low sweep and spun around for a middle sweep on me on mid-air.

Beatrix: Here I go!

I blocked the pole with my own but I didn’t stop there. I tilted the pole downwards and so the pole slid down to the ground.

Beatrix: Eh?

The pole’s tip hit the ground and I stepped on the tip and placed the pole on her neck.

Hikai: I win.

Beatrix was silent for some time and then she suddenly cried.

Hikai: Eh? Did I do something wrong?

Beatrix: No.

She spoke as she cried.

Beatrix: I…. just….. remembered…. something.

I stayed silent as Beatrix continued to cry. She stopped crying after a while.

Hikai: Are you okay now?

Beatrix: Yeah, thanks a lot.

Hikai: What happened?

Beatrix: On the last session that you had with my mother before we came here she spoke somewhat differently. She actually told me that you were finally on the starting line, that you are now a part of our art of war.

Hikai: Really?

Beatrix: She was proud. She was happy that you were finally learning and that you were a proper student of the dojo.

Beatrix sat on the ground as she looked up the ceiling.

Beatrix: The last thing she told me was that I should fight you one day.

Hikai: Fight me?

Beatrix: But I got mad at her. Why would I fight him!? There’s no point to fighting is there!? It doesn’t matter! So I just put it out of my mind.

She then looked at the Pole on her hand.

Beatrix: I only remembered when we fought against that Demon. She made me so mad. I didn’t want her to talk about it but she did it anyway. In the end, I relied on my Naginata skills but I still lost. When I was unconscious along with your memories, I could also see mine.

She used the Pole to stand up, I tried to help her but she stopped me.

Beatrix: But the memory that really made an impact on me was the first and last time that my mother and I had a match. I was so happy that she accepted it and I fought my hardest.

Hikai: I see.

Beatrix: That was the reason why I went to your cell after I woke up. It wasn’t about Kei nor even your memories. It was because you were the closest to my mother that was why I approached you at that time.

She stood face to face with me.

Beatrix: Now I understand why my mother wanted me to fight you.

Hikai: Why?

Beatrix: Because she wanted to remind me. To remind me about the passion that I had with the Naginata when I was a kid.

Hikai: Eh? How does that work?

Beatrix: It’s because the way you beat me was the exact same way that she beat me when we fought.

Hikai: What?

Beatrix: My mother taught you very well. She taught you in a way that as long as I saw you fight I could learn something. She trained you just to be my teacher someday.

Hikai: I’m not good enough to teach you.

Beatrix: I know. You don’t really have to teach me. Just watching you fight made me remember about my mother’s lessons when I was a child. So thank you for everything.

She held out her hand towards me and I grasped it. We shook hands.

Jeanne: Kyaaa!

Suddenly Princess Jeanne yelled, we looked over there and saw guards pouring in. We were still shocked and couldn’t react in time. Then something passed both of us.

Zack: What the heck are you two doing?

Ester: Let’s go!

Kei: …..

Takeshi: Come on Ryuji, we can’t be left behind the Mistress.

Ryuji: Ou!

The five of them defeated the guards that entered the prison. The five of them and Princess Jeanne approached us.

Kei: How long are you going to hold hands like that?

Kei pointed it out and we both let go of each other. Kei then stared at me and at a low voice she said.

Kei: Tch,

I suppressed a laugh as she turned he head away. I suddenly remembered what Diana spoke to me about.

Hikai: By the way, why did you have to fight me now? Couldn’t you wait until I escaped?

Beatrix: There’s no time.

Hikai: No time?

Kei: The King has gone crazy.

Hikai: Eh?

Beatrix: I’ve already told Princess Jeanne.

Princess Jeanne then stood in front of all of us and declared.

Jeanne: My name is Princess Jeanne Adamantine Regnogreich and as this country’s princess I request of you.

She breathed in and said.

Jeanne: To kill this country’s king. King Augustus Constantine Regnogreich.

~Chapter 32 End~