Days had passed since the weekend and the rather eventful training session at the warehouse. With the return of the school week, Mizuki, Eva, and I resumed practicing at the school field each day after classes ended. The focus remained on learning the basics of hand-to-hand combat, rather than any spells. However, like my mentor suggested, I had also made sure to practice the Morning Dew spell at home after every training session. Needless to say, not much progress was made on the magic side of things. Regardless, I continued to follow the instructions of “Sensei Dioli”.

After another midday training session, I found myself walking home alongside Mizuki.

“You did great today,” my best friend assured me. “You’re definitely getting better.”

“Thanks, but it doesn’t feel like it. I’m still not sure how any of this is going to help me with the gauntlet.”

“Have faith in yourself, Shinsuke.”

“I—”

The sudden buzzing of my phone in my pocket interrupted my thought. Peeking at the device revealed an incoming call from Cynthia.

Uh oh.

“Hold on Mizuki, Cynthia is calling me.”

Mizuki rolled her eyes and replied, “tch, why?”

“Let’s find out…” I said, swiping the answer button on the screen. “What is it?”

“We need to talk,” the princess responded curtly. “I’m already in Valport. See you in a minute.”

“Wait, what? You meant in person? Why can’t we just talk about whatever this is on the phone?”

“Because what we need to discuss can’t be handled over the phone, obviously.”

Before I could ask what that statement meant, she hung up on me. A familiar royal car pulled up beside me and Mizuki a second later and the back seat window rolled down, revealing the girl I had just been speaking with.

“Get in,” Cynthia commanded. I opened the door and stepped aside to allow Mizuki to enter the vehicle first, but Cynthia quickly followed with, “not her. Just you.”

Mizuki scoffed and glared daggers at the princess who looked unmoved.

“I’m sorry, Mizuki,” I sighed. The two of us traded a knowing, irritated glance and I reluctantly got into the car.

“See you at home, Shinsuke,” Mizuki said. As she started to walk, the window beside me rolled back up and the car began to move.

“So much for ‘we’re all a team’,” I remarked.

Cynthia groaned. “Oh, relax. I didn’t let the scrounge come along because I need your full attention today. I wasn’t intentionally trying to exclude her.”

“Stop calling her a scrounge. Anyway, what is this about?”

“The dates, times, and venues have all been chosen for the face off and first fight. Additionally, there will be a celebratory dinner held for all the candidates. That will come first, the face off will take place soon after.”

I buried my face in my hands and mumbled, “perfect.”

“I know. With all these events coming up, you’re going to need the proper formal attire. I brought the suit you wore at the press conference with me today. You can have it, it was made for you, after all. Use it at the face off.”

“Okay.”

“But let’s focus on the celebration for now,” she continued. “That’s the reason I needed you alone. Attendance will be mandatory for the banquet, and you’re going to need a tuxedo. Given the number of events we’ll likely attend moving forward, it doesn’t make sense to rent one, so I’m going to buy one for you instead today.”

“Buy one?” I asked. “Why can’t they just make one for me like last time?”

“Because you weren’t contesting the marriage before. Remember, now that we’re enacting the opt-out clause, you and I are on our own.”

“Oh, right. I almost forgot that quaint little detail.”

“It’s a detail that matters little,” she declared. “Even though you were rather rude to me before, I’ll overlook it. We are a team, and I know you probably can’t afford a tuxedo. Instead of placing that burden upon your parents, I will take care of this and any other financial complications that arise for you throughout this process.”

I could feel the surprise flash upon my face. “Oh, um… thanks.”

Silence followed briefly, but I quickly spoke up in the hopes of avoiding an awkward moment.

“So, you said the dates had been chosen for all these events, right? Care to share?”

“I would if I knew,” she sighed. “Like I said, father and mother are keeping me in the dark. I only know the dates are decided because father informed me of the upcoming feast. That banquet wouldn’t be scheduled if the other events weren’t set in stone.”

“I get it, unfortunately. What I don’t get is why there needs to be a stupid feast for me to meet the other candidates. I’m sure I’ll get to know them pretty well when they’re trying to pummel me.”

“The banquet isn’t for the gauntlet,” she clarified. "The gauntlet is simply a catalyst. Having all the future world leaders within the borders of Steylia is the reason for the celebration. So, you don’t really have to meet them, but you will, of course.”

“Then why do I have to attend?”

“Because you’re my ‘fiancé’ and the ‘future prince’ of Steylia. Thus, you’re also technically a future world leader.”

Perish the thought.

“Right… I tend to forget that,” I admitted.

“I keep trying to forget it too, but alas. That aside, update me on the status of your training.”

I informed the prying blonde about Eva’s approach to teaching me. I listed the techniques I had learned and told her about Eva’s philosophy concerning the fundamentals of magicless, unarmed combat.

“So, she’s not teaching you magic?” Cynthia asked, bewildered.

“Not yet, no. Though she does have me practicing Morning Dew every night.”

“Let me see if I’m understanding this correctly. She’s teaching you martial arts and military combat techniques, but the only spell she has you working on is essentially a children’s toy. Is that right?”

“Pretty much.”

“…I’m calling her tonight,” she declared, irritably. Her gaze fell upon my hand and a look of curiosity overwrote her frustration. “What’s with the bandage? Did you hurt your hand in training?”

Having forgotten my hand was wrapped at all, I glanced at it and said, “in a sense. Some thugs started harassing Mizuki while I was training with Eva. I got into a fight with one of them.”

“I see.” She paused and examined me with her jewel-like eyes. “Judging by the lack of other wounds on you, I assume you won that little scrap?”

“You assume correct.”

“Hm.” Her voice carried a tone of approval. “Give me your hand.”

Confused, I complied, placing my hand in hers. She removed my bandages and set them aside before hovering her free hand above mine. She closed her eyes and a translucent orb formed over my wounds. The cuts and bruises swiftly faded, along with the nagging pain that had bugged me since the morning after the fight.

“Wow,” I uttered. “I didn’t realize you knew healing spells.”

“I’m far from a certified healer, but I know a few,” she stated.

“Thanks.”

…

I looked down to find my hand still sandwiched in her soft grasp. “Um, are you going to let go of my—"

She yanked her hand away before I could even finish my sentence. Just as quickly, she stacked her hands atop one another in her lap and cleared her throat. “Of course. I was just making sure your wounds were fully healed before pulling away. I told you, I’m not a confident healer.”

“No problem…”

Silence again fell upon the inside of the vehicle, and this time the awkwardness I tried to prevent accompanied its presence.

***
This chapter was too long for Tapas, please click through to part 2!