The Protagonist's Party is Too Diligent

I finally returned to my room after handling tasks all morning.

Moving around in the cold had made me sweat and then cool down repeatedly, leaving my body in a rough state. I’d managed to keep my expression neutral, but... I couldn’t shake the worry that Alice might catch on.

It was great being part of the protagonist’s party, but the problem was my stamina—it could barely keep up with them. At least Mia Crowfield wasn’t one to rely on physical endurance.

I... Well, I could shoot from a distance, but what they expected from Mia was entirely different from what they expected from me. I was supposed to be the one dodging attacks from close combatants with ease.

“...”

Claire would surely come to wake me up tomorrow morning, as she’d been doing every day. This short break wouldn’t last; after it, Claire would return. If I kept following Leo and Claire, I’d eventually meet the Swordmaster. But by then, it’d be too late—his interest would be in Leo, Claire, Alice, Charlotte, or maybe even Jake.

Mia and I weren’t the type to wield swords, so we’d likely be overlooked by the Swordmaster as unsuitable talents.

But that couldn’t happen.

Until this morning, I’d been dreading the climb to meet the Swordmaster, but after today’s events, I realized I needed something beyond shooting skills.

...Alright.

I rolled off the bed and stood up.

After all, I could turn back time. I didn’t want to go weeks back, but I’d spent months rewinding time by a few hours to practice before. When I assassinated Count Crowfield, I’d tested countless strategies, refining my methods through trial and error.

I was far from perfect, but time was on my side. I could correct mistakes. Even if I couldn’t build stamina through training alone, I could repeat actions until they became habits.

Fortunately, the sun was still high in the sky.

I got up, walked to the door, and headed toward Jennifer’s room.

*

Jennifer’s room was surprisingly modest for a duchess’s quarters. It wasn’t that it lacked luxury, but everything was neat and uncluttered, with minimal decorations. No porcelain or marble statues, just a single mirror on the wall. There wasn’t even lace on her bed.

Honestly, it looked more like an “officer’s quarters” than a duchess’s room. Not that I’d ever seen a real officer’s quarters, but it had that feel.

“You want to meet my mentor?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

Hearing my request, Jennifer looked at me with interest. She sat in a chair, poised and proper. Back at the Academy, she’d seemed more laid-back for a former officer, but here, she carried herself with formal restraint.

“Hmm.”

Jennifer closed the notebook in her hands.

“You sound as though you know who my mentor is.”

Perhaps intrigued by my request to meet someone she’d never mentioned herself, Jennifer looked me straight in the eye.

“He’s the Empire’s Swordmaster, isn’t he?”

He wasn’t her only mentor. Jennifer had many teachers, but the only two explicitly named in the game were the Swordmaster and her grandfather, Abraham.

Jennifer could wield almost any weapon, so it was natural for her to have multiple mentors, but if I had to pick the two most influential, it’d be those two.

“And you seem to know that I know where he is,” she added, narrowing her eyes at me.

“Yes. I understand he resides in the Winterfield Territory.”

“Then why don’t you find him yourself?”

Jennifer looked at me with a sly smile as she continued her line of questioning.

“I don’t know the exact location,” I replied.

In the game, the mountain area was depicted rather simply.

But in reality, it wouldn’t be that straightforward.

“Hmmm.”

Jennifer propped her chin on her hand, studying me intently before standing up from her seat.

She strode over to me, and though we were of similar height, the way she carried herself made her seem much taller.

And as she approached, she suddenly—

Whack!

“Ouch!”

She flicked me on the head with lightning speed.

“Hm?”

She looked puzzled, even though she was the one who’d done the hitting.

...Again!

*

It took three rewinds to finally dodge her lightning-quick flick.

I was proud I’d managed to evade it on my third try. Lucas’s sword-swinging practice must have trained me well. Dodging Jennifer’s flick had been harder, likely because it was almost genuine compared to Lucas’s playful sparring.

“...Interesting.”

I didn’t know what Jennifer saw in my expression, but she seemed to have gleaned something from my gaze.

“And what about your endurance?” she asked. “To reach him, you’ll have to walk quite a distance. While you can drive up to the mountain base, there’s still a long hike. It’ll be midnight when you arrive.”

...Was it that far?

Come to think of it, in the game, you stayed a night at the Swordmaster’s hut.

“Even a few days wouldn’t be enough to learn anything meaningful... Oh, but perhaps that’s not an issue for you?”

I felt a shiver down my spine, wondering if she had figured out that I could rewind time.

“Since you seem to have a basic level of talent, it might only take a day if you’re just looking for advice,” Jennifer said, grinning as though to provoke me.

“Or is your skill level not so... ‘basic’?”

Not basic at all.

In fact, I lacked any fundamentals.

Of course, I couldn’t just say that outright.

“One night will be enough.”

Jennifer looked at me quietly, then shrugged.

“There are a lot of things I’d like to ask, but I can wait until you return. It’s not like you’re planning to leave right now.”

But she wouldn’t have the chance to ask me anything.

She’d soon forget I even made this request.

Jennifer was someone who never hesitated once she made a decision. Without delay, she brushed past me, heading for the door.

I turned to follow her, but just before opening the door, Jennifer paused as if something had occurred to her.

“Oh, by the way,” she said, glancing back at me, “It’s not exactly a point of pride for Winterfield to be seen unconditionally assisting a royal.”

...

She usually didn’t care about such things.

“As the price for introducing you to my mentor, there’s something I’d like you to do for me.”

“...”

“I know you’re no ordinary teenager. And it should be easier and more honorable than assassinating a count.”

Her expression left no doubt that she fully believed I had killed Count Crowfield.

Not that she intended to use that fact against me. It wasn’t enough for blackmail anyway.

This was simply a “deal.”

“Could I hear the terms of the deal in advance?”

“There’s a warlord wreaking havoc near the border. I’d like you to take him out. Imperial soldiers have been dying for months now.”

“...Is that the battlefield I was supposed to be deployed to?”

“Yes.”

Jennifer nodded seriously.

“The reinforcements His Majesty intended to send were surely meant to be you.”

“...”

I couldn’t say for certain, but it was highly likely. My original assignment had been the northern front.

In the original story, Claire probably went instead. Though it wasn’t detailed, she’d likely played a major role in dismantling the warlord’s forces along the border.

“Understood. I’ll do it.”

“Thank you.”

Jennifer nodded and opened the door.

*

Leo and Claire were in the dining hall, while Alice and Charlotte were in their rooms.

Mia was also in her room, and while I didn’t know where Jake was, it didn’t seem like he was planning any trouble.

On our way outside, we didn’t encounter anyone else. A few other noble students were around, but they didn’t dare approach a princess and her instructor.

Not just any princess and instructor, but one rumored to be an imperial assassin and a former soldier from the northern front. No wonder no one dared interrupt our serious conversation.

“There’s a road leading to the mountain base. There aren’t any speed restrictions like in the capital, so no need to worry,” Jennifer said as she climbed into the driver’s seat.

Due to coachmen protesting the introduction of steam vehicles, the capital had imposed a speed limit of 20 km/h. That was why I never bothered getting a driver’s license. Hardly anyone drove their own cars anyway.

Learning to ride a horse would’ve been more practical.

“I’ll drive. You don’t mind, do you?”

Jennifer spoke casually as she took the wheel.

“Not at all.”

I nodded, settling into the passenger seat.

Only after getting in did I realize there were no seat belts in this car.

Ah.

But by the time I noticed, Jennifer had already floored the accelerator.