Though temporarily, I have obtained the cooperation of Doppel-chan so she is now aiding me. Our current objective is to win this fight, and that’s why we will now proceed with our offense.

First idea is to make a proper attack connect cleanly, and if possible send him outside of the stage.

The second is to smash or knock off his sword, which would drop Vanil Mirth-san’s offense to almost zero.

If either of the two succeeds, then my chance of winning will increase dramatically.

I was thinking that asking for Doppel-chan’s help may be a violation of the rules and regulations of the competition, but that’s not really the case, because no one else other than me could see her. Yes, that’s right, let’s think of her as a skill, a skill set to be exact.

『Mistress, what kind of evil scheme were you thinking?』

「You, you’re just imagining it」

『Well never mind that, for now avoid the first bullet, then deflect the next incoming two, and avoid the fourth. I will inform you if there are any changes.』

「Nn」

It looks like every projectile will fly with a certain trajectory, so it has become easier to avoid.

Because the Doppelganger suddenly became able to speak, I don’t know what to do at the moment, and I don’t know why she is helping me now. She was also talking about a《Channel》 which I didn’t really understand. Anyway, it does not change the fact that this has given me a big chance.

If I knew which attack will explode, I can prepare myself in advance, even if I won’t be able to avoid it.

「That’s right, how were you able to tell them apart?」

『Oh, that’s because the magical wavelength and the amount of magical power inside is different, the same with those that were set to explode even if you are not hit. Also, just like before, they won’t be strong enough to do anything to you』

As I have expected, though every one of them looks the same, the contents were different, like the ones that can be deflected and the ones that explode on the spot.

「Then, let’s go」

As soon as Vanil Mirth-san started his assault of bullets, I also jumped and started running straight towards him.

But since there isn’t much change in the direction of attack, I dodged all exploding bullets, causing small explosions to from behind me, while I deflected all the others that could be deflected.

「……Ku! 」

Vanil Mirth-san who didn’t expect me to rush in despite his bullet rain and didn’t expect his attacks to be turned back at him, so for a moment there was an opening on his stance when he deflected an attack in an unnatural angle, and that was just the right time for me to close in.

（If I aim for the sword now, the position will be too high and the risk will be greater）

Probably noticing that I was trying to break his weapon in a quick counter, he immediately moved to dodge instead.

At that time I also didn’t want to miss the chance, so I stepped in trying to chase, but.

『Idiot mistress, a photon sphere is incoming!』

「Uwah――!」

My fist that was supposed to strike him or his sword was diverted to deflecting the bullet instead.

「Guh, my leg……!」

Well, even if I didn’t manage to make my main attack connect, I somehow managed to send the bullet to his thigh, and due to that Vanil Mirth-san leaned his body trying to fix his stance.

「Chance, Oryaー!」

「Kuu!」

There’s no way that I would let this chance miss, because I couldn’t afford to set this up again.

Jumping straight into him aiming for a straight punch, Vanil Mirth’s stare changed for a moment.

（Ohh, was he aiming for this!）

Vanil Mirth-san, though still in a lowered stance, and with a one hand attack aimed at the moment I closed in. It was a really quick move, probably using all his strength, and with that speed I definitely won’t be able to avoid it. If that hits me them I might receive a great amount of damage.

But on the other hand, if I could somewhat endure that attack, I will be able to make a clean hit. It won’t even be an exaggeration if my attack would send him flying into space, so there’s no way for me to back out now.

（I believe in myself, endure it, endure it and hit!）

In that moment, I saw everything moving in a really slow motion, and I forcefully moved my arms and feet while making sure to watch over the trajectory of his sword.

「Uooooooh, Soryaaー!」

At the moment the blade reached my torso, I clamped it with my elbow and my knee, and while making a loud noise the blade broke in half.

「Wah, my sword!?」

「Now to finish this!」

While looking stunned at his broken sword, I immediately gripped my fist and delivered a blow to his torso, with as much power as I could accumulate.

「Guh!!」

The force of the punch made him spit blood at first contact, but in that short moment he was able to direct all his photon projectiles towards me, right before he flew away from the force of my attack.

Vanil Mirth-san was sent straight into the wall outside the stage so I should have technically won, but I still need to dodge the projectiles that assaulted me.

『You don’t need to do that, just dodging the first one should be enough』

「If all goes well, then it’s good」

All the bullets finally disappeared, and my wounds were healed, and that is the signal that the match is over.

Vanil Mirth-san also came back straight towards me, but the entire arena is currently completely silent, as if time has stopped.

（Hmm, why is everyone silent……）

Only sounds like gasha* gasha* were heard as he approached, then when he was in front of me, he sat down to look straight into me and said.

「Haah, it was my utter loss」

When those words came out, a tremendous cheer turned up in the blink of an eye, and the whole arena was filled with noise.

「Winner of the match, Toto!」

The referee finally declared my victory. Eh, what? I can’t hear it if there’s too much noise like this, you know?

Well, for the time being let us wave at everyone from the audience.

But still, to fight someone considered an S Rank, thus a very strong opponent, I was barely able to win.

……sorry about that, if Doppelganger didn’t come to help, then I wouldn’t have been able to determine which of the bullets explode and which don’t.

I do know that the magic recovery can only heal wounds, but it can’t recover fatigue huh, because of that Vanil Mirth-san was sitting down while adjusting his breathing.

Oh, speaking of which, I didn’t know what to do after this.

Is there still some kind of ceremony after this?

Because the cheers were not ending, I kept on waving my hands with a smile at the audience as I thought about what to do next.

Inside, I am half troubled since I don’t know about what will happen next, and half about to cry from panicking.

「Toto-san, if we don’t return soon the audience also won’t calm down, so let us go back to our waiting rooms soon」

That was a nice back up from Vanil Mirth-san and I secretly thanked him. Then, right before heading towards the waiting room, he informed me that the soldier in the waiting room will explain me what would happen later.

When I returned to the waiting room, a female knight was standing there. That person was one of the knights with trumpets that I saw before the game started.

「No way, I didn’t expect the commander to actually lose…… Not to mention, to such a small child」

「Nn?」

「Ah don’t mind it, I have no ill intentions」

「Nn, don’t mind, what to do after this?」

「There were no other plans in particular, other than the talk about the distribution of awards that is. Also the talk to confirm if you will be appearing or not in the tournament next year」

「Me, how process, reward?」

「Ah, before that, let me introduce myself. I am Ansel Wavec, vice commander of the Royal Knights of Aries」

「Please to meet you」

I was thinking that she was a proper knight of the kingdom, but I didn’t expect her to be the vice-commander of the Royal Knights as well.

I don’t know how to check and she only declared verbally, but there’s no one who would normally introduce themselves as the vice commander. That position is an important post after all.

「The payments would usually be transferred via guild cards but……do you have one?」

「Gild kard?」

「I see, so you still don’t possess one. If you are an adventurer then you would normally possess one, but it seems like you are still too young to possess one」

「Can make it now? 」

「No, the adventurer’s guild would make it, and there is also a procedure to do so, so it won’t be processed immediately」

「What to do」

「Um……Did your parents come with you?」

「Un, came with mom?」

「Ah, then it should be fine」

After asking where she is, we went out of the waiting room heading to where mom was in the audience area. By the way, Doppelganger-chan is also silently following.

Looking sideways and speaking silently, I noticed she reacted with a snap.

「why are you coming along」

『Well, because it’s interesting? Our channels have finally connected after all』

「Hm, I don’t get it」

『Hmmm. Well, there will be a lot to explain so we’ll do it later. It will be much better to talk about it slowly later』

「Is that so? 」

『Don’t worry about it. For the time being, I will be following you around and you don’t have to mind me』

「Eh, no way」

『There’s nothing wrong with that you know? I mean I have been following you for a while now. It’s only because our channels were disrupted that I wasn’t able to manifest in front of you, ending up with finally showing myself again this late』

「Privacy, None!?」

『Well, that is indeed so. I while ago, I also advised you on what to do with that girl called Rikka』

Then the moments about the kiss scene rush in my brain.

Thinking about it, my face went red, and then became even redder when I realized that we were being watched at that time!?

Even though it was an embarrassing moment, I sure do remember that memory quite clearly!

「Tha, that was!」

『It was me who told you what to do……』

As we walk on the hallway, my face started burning up, but after a while it finally cooled down, and then I remembered that it was certainly Doppel-chan’s voice that helped me at that time.

「Um, about that time, thank you for telling me」

『Um, you don’t really have to, I was also not sure what would happen at that time you see』

「Ehhh……」

『Well, everything ended up fine, so don’t think too much about it』

Kakaka, Doppel-chan laughed about it, but still it was thanks to her that I was actually able to save Rikka-chan at that moment, though it wasn’t really what I expected to happen.

Then I tried asking why, at that moment, I was able to hear her voice, but before she could answer I was already out time because we have finally reached the audience area where mom was seated.

I was talking with Ansel-san a while ago, but it seems that not a lot of time has passed, and that was because there were still many people in the audience area, so it was crowded while we were looking for the place that I am supposed to be seated.

「That was amazing, at the same time it scared me!」

「Thank so much for the great match, thank you!」

「Are you fighting with Vanil Mirth-san again in the next tournament, or maybe become toe to toe for the next incoming years!?」

As we moved forward, the amount of people talking to me or talking about me were also increasing. Fortunately, nobody is blocking our way, though there are some who were waving and trying to shake hands with me.

After we reached where mom was, she immediately stood up and rushed to hug me.

「Thank god, you’re alright Toto. You even won! I did believe in you, but that match was really unbelievable!」

Ah, Ahh, mom, too tight.

「Um, well, mom, can come along for a bit」

After saying that, I escaped from the hug and while holding her hand, we returned to the waiting room.