Before we knew it, the days passed quickly and we are now only a week away from the magic sword tournament.
The students are excited about it.
Even now, our friends Oliver and Isaac are training hard.
Alfred will also participate.
Sig will be the announcer, he wanted to participate, but the school would not allow the crown prince to fight in a show where he can die.
That's right, you can die here.
Safety is individual, if you die it's your fault.
They should close this school, but that's the way it was in the game.
But that's none of our business.
Right now, Rei was having a date with Eli and Rose in town.
Since classes are closed for self-study, so the students can practice for the tournament.
Rei wanted to stretch his legs. He found Rose and Eli having tea.
They seem to have become closer.
Also, at first glance it seems that her pregnancy is not noticeable, but little by little her belly is already starting to grow.
Each of them was holding Rei's arms. Behind us were some women following us.
A maid and a knight girl.
As did Zoey, who was looking like she couldn't believe her eyes.
Eli commented while clinging to an expressionless Rei.
"I heard that when the tournament festival starts, the capital gets festive. It's a rare date where they can observe future members or captains of the royal knights as court magicians who have yet to arrive."
"I even heard that Commander Sieghart participated in the three years in a row and won."
"It's an interesting story, as every time he picked up a sword it was to impress everyone. My grandfather appointed him at first as a royal guard and then saw that his talent was wasted watching his back and not the Kingdom."
"He is impressive indeed. After all, he's a man of old age and he can still perfectly swing his sword and move his body as if he were young."
The talk of girls was interesting but I was not interested in men.
Certainly, Sieghart is a strong man.
He is an ally of the game with the stats maxed out from the beginning.
The protagonist manages to make him his ally after passing several tests from the first to the third year.
But we haven't had any contact with him except for that one time.
Rei suddenly said out of nowhere.
"I'm hungry."
Slowly he seemed to show a little interest in his surroundings.
Rose nodded and took in her surroundings.
"I'm getting hungry too. Umm... let's see, a restaurant around here must be."
"Ah. There's one over there."
She pointed to one in the distance.
It was a dark brown restaurant, very beautiful and elegant to the naked eye.
We all walked in.
A waiter stared at us at first for some reason and then said trembling.
"A-A table for six isn't it?"
"F-Follow me please."
What's wrong with him?
There's seven of us if you count me, but I'm a freaking magic stone so...
We were led by the waiter to a round table covered in a beautiful pure white tablecloth.
As usual, he pushed back each girl's chair, even Rei's out of politeness.
Then he handed us the menu.
Everyone was checking what they would order to eat.
But there was something strange.
From my position in Rei's tie I could hear and see some people mumbling something, I couldn't understand them, but they kept staring at us.
Anyway, not that it mattered.
"Rose, what are you going to order?"
"I wouldn't know. I'm not used to this kind of place."
"Besides I thought it was a more relaxing place and it turned out to be a high class one."
"I see."
Replied Eli with a smile.
"In that case let me order something according to your palate."
"Same with you guys. My treat since it makes me happy to have you all here with me. Even you Zoey."
Zoey was scared since Eli was talking to her as if he was someone of the same status as her.
I understand that she is scared, the princess of the country is talking to you as if you are her close friend.
Maid Emma said.
"Princess, is it necessary for me to eat, besides sitting down and not behind you?"
"I am of the same opinion as her. We are her escorts and our duty is to keep an eye on her so as to prevent undesirable people from approaching her."
Eli pouted as she listened to her friends how they would rather be behind her than around her.
"No. I want all of you─"
"Well, well, but what do we have here?"
A mysterious voice came from down a hallway.
A young man was coming toward us.
The young man was surrounded by a group of students and this guy brazenly placed his hand on Eli's seat.
"Good morning dear customers. I am the son of the owner of this restaurant, Bertram Bartolt."
(So he's a Bartolt.)
The weird guy─ Bertram looked at all of us, his gaze focused on Eli.
"It is a pleasure to meet you Princess Elicia. I'm so sorry it's under these circumstances."
He prostrated himself in front of her like the others.
"That's fine. It's nice to meet you too."
Eli displayed the dignified comportment of a princess.
Suddenly, Bertram said something odd.
"I'm sorry to say this, but I must ask a member of your group to leave."
Eli was taken aback.
"Huh? Why?"
"You see princess, a morality rule is being violated. Therefore, by breaking the rules I must ask them to leave."
"R-Really?"
"In that case I apologize, what was it that we did to correct ourselves?"
Leaving aside that the princess apologized, which makes Eli look good to the people, to show that she is not a classist.
Bertram pissed us off by what he said.
With a cheek-to-cheek grin he revealed...
"Sure. The rule violation was broken by the woman over there."
He pointed at Rose.
"Me? What did I do wrong?"
"It's not because of what you did. It's because of who you are."
"An elf."
It was then that I finally understood.
The look on the waiter's face and the look on the diners' faces.
They look down on elves in this place.
There are elves living in this country as well as beastmen.
By forbidding entry to them, they only show the backing they have.
"In this restaurant we only welcome humans."
"This place is for humans, where we serve food for humans, which only a human can ingest."
"Do you understand princess?"
"The non-human woman next to you is disrespectful in our establishment."
"That is why we politely ask you to leave."
Eli stood up, but was unable to voice what she said as it was Nadine who pounded on the table.
"That is nonsense and you know it well Bartolt."
"The laws His Majesty the king passed dictate that semi-humans living in this country are legitimate citizens, no matter if they are immigrants or refugees. This is a clear violation of the law the king imposed."
Nadine's argument was a good one, but Bertram looked like he already had experience debating.
"Not really."
"You see. The laws His Majesty gave about demi-humans have not been passed."
"Excuse me?"
Nadine was angry. But Bertram didn't care.
"Don't you understand how politics works?"
"The king can dictate such a law, but the ministers must pass it, look for pros and cons. That law you say is not passed, it is only verbal."
"Verbally semi-humans have rights, but they don't have any but it's on paper."
"Therefore I can tell the elf over there that it's horrifying and I can't break any laws."
Nadine bristled at the young man's denigrating words.
"Even if it is as you say. To say that to a woman, as a man don't you feel ashamed?"
Bertram looked at Nadine darkly.
"Shame? Me?"
"I can't believe you'd say that coming from someone like you."
"What do you mean someone like me?"
Bertram put his hand to his chin to denigrate her.
"A woman knight. Such a thing is ridiculous."
"...!"
Bertram threw up his hands.
"Female knights are aberrations. After all, the duty of a knight's daughter is to marry either a nobleman or a recognized knight."
"Therefore. That a woman wants to be a knight is a shameful thing."
"Aren't you ashamed?"
Nadine turned red. It's sad but as it is he says.
In the game it was like that, but because of her personality, Nadine was one of the most popular characters in the game since she wouldn't give up.
Sure, she had as moral support for the protagonist, but at this time she didn't.
Even if Eli wanted to say something, the moment he said his last name, she knew there was nothing she could do.
I heard this from Zoey after I asked Rei to look into the Bartolts.
They seem to be guys possibly linked to the Calvinists as well as making secret deals with many people.
There may even be people you trust, but the Bartolts have already entered into a socio-culpable relationship with them.
If the royal family were to pick a fight with that family, chaos would ensue.
What should be done now?
Huh, Rei?
Suddenly, Rei stood up, took the glass of water and splashed it on Bertram's head.
Everyone was silent at such an event.
Even if I don't have a face, my face would undoubtedly be opening my mouth right now because of how unexpected that was.
Rei said to Bertram without showing his anger.
"Are you done talking?"
"It's time for me to talk."
"First of all. The elf you refer to as if she's a dirty dog, her name is Rose and she's my woman."
"If you have a problem with her, you have a problem with Redblade."
"Secondly, the woman there is Eli's escort. Which is my fiancée, if she's his escort it's because she's earned it. Whether she is a woman or a man doesn't matter since knights at death have the same grave."
"Or is a knight buried in the same place as a nobleman?"
"Besides, how do you know she is not stronger than all of you put together?"
"And lastly."
Rei grabbed the menu and used magic to set it on fire.
"I won't let you live for disrespecting my wife. Anyone who tries to make Rose or any other of my women cry I will bury in the ground."
At that moment, Bertram smiled.
"Is that so?"
"In that case. How about this."
"Have a duel against me on the day of the tournament. Of course, let it be after. Since if it were before there's a chance you'd be beaten sooner."
Rei looked at Bertram without changing his eyes.
"That's fine."
Bertram smiled.
"It's decided─"
"I will kill you that day. You and your lackeys."
Rei interrupted him and froze the place.
He took Rose's hand and said to all of them.
"Let's get out of here."
"I lost my appetite."
They all assisted and walked out.
◇◇◇
After seeing what happened. Bertram smiled.
"Indeed. It went almost as expected."
A vassal who was frightened asked him.
"Bertram-sama. Didn't your skin freeze when you threatened him?"
"Never mind. It was a good coincidence that I happened to be doing business today and this fellow came."
"You all heard him. This is personal under the name Redblade. Therefore, he means he's betting his land."
A dark smile showed that handsome face.
◇◇◇
After leaving the place.
Rose was downcast.
Rei looked at her and asked.
"What's wrong with you?"
She wanted to cry.
"It was my fault. If I had noticed that announcement earlier, I─"
*Hugging*
"Don't talk nonsense."
Rei suddenly hugged Rose.
Rose could tell how Rei's body trembled.
The Rei of the past never trembled, if he's trembling, it wants to indicate that his body is still not recovered from that day.
And yet. he came out to defend her.
"You are my first woman. You're also expecting my child."
"How do you want me to stand by and listen to you being insulted?"
Rose cried and hugged him back tightly.
"I'm sorry. I'm really sorry, I don't like being looked down on."
"Don't worry. I'll make sure no one sees you like that after I show that guy the true horror of insufflating you."
Under that loving atmosphere, Eli showed her jealousy.
"It's not fair that only you guys are all lovey-dovey! I want too!"
Eli went to hug them both.
The other escorts had thoughts about what happened.
Starting with Zoey.
(Are you crazy?)
(Did you really pick a fight with a Bartolt?)
(Yeah it's bad enough that Finne likes to pick on me and now with this it will certainly be worse for me.)
(This guy is going to get us killed.)
Nadine stared at Rei, with a red expression on her face.
(It's the first time someone defends me, not even my father or mother did.)
(In fact, it's the first time I feel that my decision to protect Her Highness Elicia is supported.)
(How to say it. I feel... really happy to be supported.)
Emma, who was not changing her facial expression gave her opinion about him.
(Interesting. Leaving aside that Bertram's eyes were watching me, indicating that he didn't like to see me either.)
(Thankfully there were people of the same skin color as me. He refrained from saying anything about me.)
(But leaving that aside. This Reidel guy.)
(He threw himself into declaring a duel against him.)
(He is fascinating. His behavior shows that he is certainly an idiot in not noticing the provocations of an enemy.)
(Although a part of me, oddly enough, was happy to see him defend her to that elf. What does that mean?)
Everyone went back to the academy to eat in the cafeteria.
◇◇◇
After returning to the dormitory, Bertram met Finne at his door.
Noticing her presence, she went to ask him.
"Did you have any luck?"
"You know, that thing you do is called stalking and is punishable by law."
"But you're right. I did, in fact, it was easy."
Finne was glad for what his cousin said.
"Now we just have to wait and show him that the Bartolt family is not to be trifled with."
◇◇◇
Night fell.
In the building that is the headquarters of the first squad of the royal knights.
Sieghart was going through some documents.
"This year there are several students who will be entering the tournament."
"It's good to see that there are more young men aiming high."
"But I won't make it easy for them. No matter how big your dreams are, reality will take care of destroying them and with what I have planned, surely none of you will pass. I'm sorry."
He turned page after page of students looking for one that had potential even if he lost.
Then... his eyes stopped on a certain page.
"This is..."
There was Rei's face there.
Sieghart stared at it.
"I guess this year... I'll have to make things a little harder it seems."
When Sieghart approached the ministers to make a slight change to his end of tournament plan, the ministers refused.
But after giving them a murderous look they relented.
The king only asked.
"Are you sure about that?"
Sieghart answered as he closed the door.
"I always am."
________________
I was going to see fan service, but as with Finne I left the face of his idiot cousin: https://swordartonline.fandom.com/wiki/Raios_Antinous