I Favor the Villainess - CH 245

“Alea, match my movements! Ice!”

“I won’t allow it!”

The spear of ice that Mei shot at Alea to enable her magic sword was evaporated by Claire-sama’s own spear of fire.

“An opening!”

Unphased, Alea continued her rush, swinging her wooden sword at Claire-sama.

“That’s too naive.”

In one smooth flowing motion, Claire-sama used her magic wand to parry Alea’s wooden sword. She then spun, carrying the momentum into a sweep aimed at Alea’s legs.

Unable to respond to the counter, Alea fell down.

“Alright, that’s enough. Claire-sama, Mei, Alea, let’s take a break.”

Having clapped my hands, I offered towels and water bottles to the three of them.

They took the towels and wiped their sweat before gulping down some water.

We were at a park in Zurück.

Perhaps because it was currently wartime, there were almost no people.

“Phew… Thanks, Rei.”

“Thanks, Rei-okaasama.”

“Thank you.”

“You’re welcome. You three are putting up quite the effort.”

Just now, the three were doing combat training to prepare for the coming confrontation.

Though Claire-sama was holding back, Alea was only using a wooden sword, and Mei was only using intermediate magic at most, this training was otherwise meant to be as close to real combat as possible.

In the past, the Apostle had stated that Mei and Alea together already rivaled Dorothea in power, but the two very clearly lacked combat experience.

Though there weren’t many days left, we wanted to do whatever we could, so we started this training.

“Claire-okaasama is strong.”

“Really is. We were pretty confident about our chances too…”

The twins spoke, split between feelings of praise and disappointment.

Though they were both unmistakably geniuses, their record sparring with Claire-sama was approximately tied.

“If we fought at full strength, Mei and Alea would be stronger. However, please don’t forget that this training isn’t about winning or losing.”

“Combination, right?”

“It’s clear there are still many ways for Mei and I to improve our teamwork.”

Mei and Alea would function the best when they are able to operate as one.

Of course, they were both plenty strong as individuals, but as the Apostle said, their true strength could only be utilized if they cooperated.

Specifically the magic sword technique, only possible by combining both of their strengths has been said to work even against Dorothea’s magic nullification.

There’s no way we could pass up on making use of something like that.

The problem is whether or not the two can master it.

The situation in a battle constantly changes, moment to moment.

Enemies go without saying, but allies must also be accounted for when navigating the battlefield.

Though the two learn very quickly, they’re not even 10.

There will inevitably be a limit.

The reason we’re continuing their training anyway is to raise Mei and Alea’s chances at survival.

Rather than how to defeat enemies, we’ve focused on teaching them how to protect themselves from enemies that come for them.

For that reason, Claire-sama and I have steeled our hearts for this training.

I’d never want to give my own daughters combat training normally, but it’s necessary considering the circumstances.

As I watched the other three reflect on their training session, I couldn’t help but feel ashamed over the situation.

It was then that a voice called out to us.

“Hello Claire. Rei, Mei-chan, and Alea-chan too.”

“Oh Philine, good afternoon.”

It was Philine.

It seemed that she came carrying two packages that were both long and thin.

“Philine-sama, hello.”

“Good afternoon.”

Philine bent over to pat both of their heads.

“Hello Philine, what is it today?”

“Well, I just had a present for these two.”

“A present? From Philine personally?”

Even if just as a pretense, Philine is the current Empress.

She too should be very busy preparing for the confrontation.

Rather than come see us, I think it would be more natural to summon us to see her.

“I also wanted a change of pace.”

Though Philine said that with a smile, her face showed visible signs of fatigue.

It’s true that one can only focus for so long before they’ll want to take a break.

“And so, while this isn’t something I’d normally give to children, the circumstances are what they are…”

Prefacing her actions with that, Philine lay the two packages on the ground.

The first was about thirty centimeters long, the other was about double that.

“The short one is for Mei, the long one is for Alea. Please open them.”

Mei and Alea opened the packages as told.

What was inside was―

“A magic wand!”

“This one is a sword!”

A wand and a sword at lengths that children would be able to use.

“These are…?”

“My mother used them when she was still a child. It’s difficult to find quality children’s wands and swords, right?”

It was exactly as Philine said.

Even in a militaristic nation such as Naa, it wasn’t common for children to fight.

Actually, it could be said that because so much emphasis was placed on military conscription, children didn’t need to worry about fighting.

As a result, though schools have equipment to facilitate learning, it was difficult to find actual weapons that children could use.

“Because mother wasn’t able to use magic herself, the magic wand is as good as new. When we were in the audience of the Pope the other day I asked her to apply her blessing to the weapons as well, so they should work against the demons.”

“Thanks, Philine-sama!”

Joy filled Mei’s face.

“Mine seems to have seen a lot of use…”

“Sorry, it wasn’t possible to get a new sword. Mother’s sword was specially made using adamantite. However, because of that its performance is guaranteed. It’s light enough for a child to properly use, and except for extreme cases will never break or bend.”

“Yes, it does seem very easy to use. Thank you so much, Philine-sama.”

After giving it a light swing, Alea thanked Philine as well.

“But, why…? If these are mementos that Dorothea left behind, shouldn’t you be the one to hold onto them?”

“It was… in her will.”

“Her will?”

“If something were to happen to her, it stated that wanted these to be given to her apprentice Alea, and her sister Mei.”

Philine gave a fleeting smile.

“It seems that even at the very end, she was concerned about Alea. How very like her.”

If she’s saying that, did the will have nothing for Philine?

“Ah, I’ll say it just to be clear, but I’m not jealous of these two or anything. My mother was never great at expressing herself, I know in her own way, she was concerned for me as well.”

Philine wore a small smile, as if to say that she had only recently realized this.

“Above all, I already received the greatest present of all from my mother.”

“What’s that?”

“The imperial crown, and the country of Naa.”

Philine’s face as she said that no longer held any traces of the crybaby she once was.

“I must protect this country that I have inherited from my other. To do that, we must defeat the Demon Queen and demons that have inhabited the capital. It is also for that sake that I give these gifts to Mei-chan and Alea-chan.”

For a moment Philine’s face was clouded with a complex expression, as if to say that she understood Claire and my own feelings regarding the matter.

“Mei-chan, Alea-chan. Please lend us your strength. We’ll avenge my mother, and bring peace to Naa, no, the entire world.”

Philine finished and lowered her head in a small bow.

However―.

“Sorry, Philine-sama.”

“That’s not something we can do.”

“Eeh!?”

Though things had been proceeding smoothly, Mei and Alea suddenly rejected Philine’s request.

Philine suddenly reverted from Empress mode back to her clumsy mode.

“The only reason Mei and Alea will fight, is for our mothers.”

“Very sorry, Philine-sama.”

The two laughed, seemingly without a care.

At times like this, a child’s honesty can be rather cruel.

“I-is that so… Of course it is… hahaha…”

“But.”

“Yes, but.”

“?”

Philine urged them to continue with her eyes.

“Mei doesn’t really understand big stuff like world peace very well, but…”

“We were under Dorothea’s care for a while, so we do wish to return that favor.”

The two finished with a broad smile.

“… Thank you, Mei-chan, Alea-chan.”

With a tiny sparkle in the corner of her eyes, Philine pulled the two in for a hug.