Rutis appeared with a serious expression and then made a proposal that was so outrageous that I almost lost my mind.

He’s insane.

A thoroughly insane person was standing before me.

No. I knew he was crazy all along, but I didn’t realize it was to this extent.

Is this a dream?

I felt cold sweat running down my spine as I stared at Rutis. So that’s why I had a bad feeling from the moment he came over while looking so serious. He had a knack for breaking common sense, and it was always somehow in the worst way.

“Are you serious?”

I cautiously opened my mouth after a moment of silence, hoping that I had misheard him and that this was all some kind of joke.

“I’m serious. The magic department is going all out. The swordsmanship department can’t be left behind!”

He’s mad.

Sadly, I hadn’t misheard, and he wasn’t joking.

And what was that about not being left behind? Since when was the Swordsmanship and Magic Department in some kind of competition? Sure, I did hope we could invite a big shot to our department after the magic department brought in second sister-in-law, but I didn’t wish for this situation.

Recruit hyung?

Proposing to invite hyung to the four-person match again this year, following last year…

I wonder what drugs someone needs to take to come up with such an idea.

Granted, I had no right to talk after what happened last year… but still.

…He’s the only real option though.

To be fair, the pinnacle of swordsmanship on this continent was hyung. The only one who could match second Sister-in-law, the pinnacle of magic, was the swordsman who could cut the sky.

But this isn’t right.

Ever since the incident last year when he lost an arm while demonstrating at the Academy and after getting injured again during the war, hyung had sworn off picking up a sword. Even if he hadn’t, my sisters-in-law’s disapproving looks were enough to make anyone think twice.

No way.

I got goosebumps. I probably wouldn’t live to see another sunrise if I so much as hinted at dragging hyung into the four-person match.

Arguments like ‘Why can’t hyung participate when second sister-in-law is?’ won’t work. Second Sister-in-law had never been injured, but hyung was. There’s no stronger justification than that.

“I want to live a long life with my sisters-in-law.”

So, I firmly shook my head and refused. The words might’ve sounded vague, but I got the point across judging by the way he paused.

Right, he wouldn’t push further if he had any conscience. He’d be done after graduating and returning to his country, but I have to live with my sisters-in-law for decades.

So it’d be troublesome to say unnecessary things and get on their bad side, especially since it wasn’t like I was planning to seek asylum in another country.

“The advisor won’t get hurt in the four-person match, right? As long as he doesn’t swing at the sky, wouldn’t he be fine?”

“Well, we thought the same about him going to war too, and look how that turned out.”

Even Rutis, who couldn’t let it go, fell silent at those words.

Hyung was the kind of person who would come back injured even when it should have been safe. Who knew? Maybe he’d swing his sword at a student’s ‘overwhelming spirit’ and end up handing over a limb in exchange.

“I guess it can’t be helped.”

Seeing Rutis mutter bitterly, I almost let out a sigh of relief. It was fortunate that even this madman seemed to understand—

“I’ll sacrifice myself.”

…

?

“Sacrifice?”

“Yes. As you said, it would be difficult for you to persuade the advisor. But there will be fewer consequences if I step up.”

I felt confused. I mean, sure, he was a prince and about to graduate and disappear back to his own country so he wasn’t wrong, but…

“It’d be better if a family member asked compared to a mere club member, but I should if you can’t!”

Hearing those words, I could only gape at him blankly.

On the surface, it sounded noble—a prince personally stepping forward to do the dirty work—but it looked more like he was about to trigger a catastrophe if we looked at the real situation.

Seriously, why? Why is he so desperate to invite hyung even at the risk of facing my sisters-in-law’s glares?

“As you know, the relationship between knights and mages throughout history hasn’t exactly been friendly.”

Perhaps sensing my questioning gaze full of doubt, Rutis continued with a smirk.

“And Armein is a nation of knights, while Yuben is a nation of mages.”

Ah.

Only then did I finally understand that I wasn’t just talking with the crazy Rutis, but Rutis as the prince of Armein.

Among this year’s new students, quite a few foreigners enrolled to support their country’s princes. Naturally, factions formed around them: the Armein faction, who were loyal to knights, and the Yuben faction, who were loyal to mages.

Among these, the Yuben faction (the mages) succeeded in recruiting the Mage Duchess, a once-in-a-lifetime figure, for the four-person match. Although Lather, the prince of Yuben, didn’t do anything in this process, it was reason enough for Rutis, the prince of Armein, to make a move.

You’ve got it tough.

In the end, it was all about living up to the expectations of his faction as a prince of a nation. This tiring and pitiful reason made me sympathize with him.

Of course, sympathy and helping him were different matters. I want to live.

And so, time passed, and it was club time.

“No.”

As expected.

Hyung flatly refused when Rutis suggested inviting him to the four-person match.

“Last year was an anomaly. I’m here to inspect the Academy. Even if we can recruit outside guests, it’s better to leave me out.”

“Is that so?”

Rutis finally shows a resigned expression after receiving a firm rejection from the person in question.

“Besides, it wouldn’t look good for a married couple to start fighting in front of everyone.”

That was the decisive blow. At the suggestion that it might become not just a battle between sword and magic but a marital dispute, Rutis completely gave up.

Well, he was only making a token effort for his faction. It wasn’t like he genuinely wanted hyung to participate. There was no reason to insist after hearing about a potential marital spat.

“I’m sorry for the unreasonable request. You’re about to become a Minister, after all. It’d be nothing but a problem if you got dragged into a mess like this.”

Seeing him apologize with a laugh, even sisters-in-law who had been glaring at Rutis softened their gaze. The person who made the unreasonable proposal apologized and hyung refused, so there was nothing more to—

“However.”

Hyung’s voice cut off Rutis’s laughter.

Then, as if contemplating something while looking at the ceiling, hyung roughly ran his hand through his hair and continued.

“While participating in the four-person match is too much, I could participate in another way.”

“Pardon?”

The atmosphere in the clubroom suddenly changed dramatically. Rutis caught an unexpected opportunity, while my sisters-in-law felt anxious about hyung potentially doing something outrageous.

My feelings were closer to the latter.

What now?

What is he trying to do this time?

When Rutis requested my participation in the four-person match, I felt more dejected than angry.

So this is how it’s going to play out.

The helplessness of seeing something I hoped wouldn’t happen unfold exactly as feared. Suppressing that helplessness, I let out a small sigh.

— Minister of Inspection. I heard the Mage Duchess is participating in an Academy event. Is this true?

“Yes, Your Highness. It is.”

Yesterday, the Crown Prince contacted me directly upon hearing the news of Beatrix participating in the four-person match.

It was frustrating to be called Minister of Inspection rather than Executive Manager of the Prosecutors’ Office, but I let it slide given the Crown Prince’s serious expression. At least he didn’t seem to be joking.

— If the Mage Duchess steps forward, the mages will be ecstatic. However, the swordsmen will be equally stimulated.

Even just hearing it was exhausting. The mages were already a headache, and now the knights would be a problem, too?

But no matter how much I hated hearing it, I couldn’t deny it. Negative predictions had a nasty habit of always coming true. While optimistic circuits may misfire in life, pessimistic ones tend to hit the mark.

— Yet, we can’t stop the Mage Duchess’s participation since there’s a precedent of a minister participating in an Academy event.

“…I sincerely apologize.”

I bowed my head at the undeniable rebuke that ‘If you hadn’t caused trouble last year, this wouldn’t be happening.’ As the Crown Prince said, I provided the pretext.

Well, Erich technically provided it, but I was the root cause anyway. I should have refrained from participating back then, even if it meant knocking Erich unconscious.

— So, to counter the Mage Duchess, the swordsmen will want the minister to participate again.

“I could try to persuade the Mage Duchess even now—“

— No. Reversing course now would only increase the mages’ discontent.

The Crown Prince then quietly pronounced his verdict.

— This year has shown the firmness of the Empire’s Mandate of Heaven. It’s a joyous year when the nomads, who have long opposed us, have finally embraced the Empire.

“Yes, Your Highness. We’ve shown the entire continent that the Mandate of Heaven lies with the Empire.”

— Therefore, we will commemorate this achievement and further elevate the Empire’s dignity.

I felt something odd about those words. We were clearly talking about the four-person match, so I couldn’t understand why he was suddenly speaking of mandates, achievements, and dignity.

— The Empire has a great mage whom all mages respect and worship, and the entire continent knows that the Mage Duchess is a pillar of the Empire.

“Yes, it’s truly the Empire’s great fortune.”

— Now, someone whom all swordsmen respect and worship has appeared, and the entire continent will come to know that this swordsman is also a pillar of the Empire.

My puzzlement gradually turned to unease. Given the context, he was clearly referring to me, but what did he mean by ‘will come to know’? He made it sound like they didn’t already when they’d seen me working like a dog.

— Minister, do not participate in the event. Instead, you’ll commemorate it and showcase your prowess to the world, demonstrating to the knights the pinnacle they should aspire to.

Only then did I understand.

The Crown Prince wanted me to put on a performance. Since he couldn’t stop Beatrix from participating without causing backlash, he decided to outshine her instead.

It would be troublesome if Beatrix and I both participated in the four-person match and someone got hurt, so he wanted me to just cut the sky during the opening or closing ceremony.

It was absolutely insane. But when the continent’s attention was focused on the inter-class competition due to Beatrix’s participation, the Empire’s dignity and authority would rise further if the Empire’s swordsman cut the sky.

It would also prove that the Empire had the continent’s greatest knight alongside its greatest mage.

Bastard.

I cursed inwardly. I had no intention of getting involved with the four-person match ever again—yet here I was, dragged back in.

At least I wasn’t participating in it directly, but I still hated it.

Please…

I silently prayed while watching Rutis burst into joyful laughter.

Please, I hope the Crown Prince lives a long and sickly life.