Chapter 7 – Beginning of the Duel – Blizzard vs. Former Duchess

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“Therese, how do you feel?” (Amalie)

“This last month I improved my magic greatly thanks to Wendelin’s attentive teaching. I won’t lose one-sidedly.” (Therese)

“Therese-sama, didn’t I teach you occasionally as well?” (Burkhart)

“Of course I haven’t forgotten thine assistance, Burkhart.” (Therese)

“By the way, why did you focus on learning fire magic?”

“The other side is called Blizzard. I just took its antipode, fire. After all, I couldn’t see myself winning with the same attribute.” (Therese)

“Well, the other side trained in magic for more years than you are old, Therese-sama.” (Burkhart)

“Thee see?” (Therese)

For the sake of raising Therese’s mana as much as possible, I kept her company in her training in the morning and at night (I know, old man’s joke) in this last month.
So far her mana qualities had been hidden, or rather, couldn’t be pulled out by anyone but me at present, but Therese’s talent is considerable. It might be comparable to that of Katharina or even above hers.
However, there were limits with just one month available.
Besides, although it was for the sake of increasing her mana, I spent everyday with Therese as my partner which caused dissatisfaction to accumulate among Elise and the others.
No matter how short on time we might have been, since it would be troublesome if Therese were to harm her health by overdoing it, we kept it moderate, I guess.
Even so, she should have become unbelievably strong in a short time compared to other magicians.

“Well, I intend to go at it moderately so that I won’t die.” (Therese)

“I will come to cheer you on.” (Elise)

“Me too.” (Luise)

“Me too.” (Ina)

“I will come as well.” (Katharina)

“That’s very appreciated, but is it going to be alright with thine physical condition?” (Therese)

Therese worried about my pregnant wives.
It was difficult to judge whether it was not good for the body or the prenatal care to observe a duel at the early stages of a pregnancy.

“I will watch them properly.” (Katia)

“It will be fine since Katia and I will be present. Amalie-san will be with us as well.”

“I can’t defend in the unlikely event of a spell being hurled at them, but as long as it’s taking care of pregnant women, I got it covered. It’s Wend-kun’s children, so watching a magic duel might actually not be bad as prenatal care.” (Amalie)

Katia, Wilma, and even Amalie were brimming with the intention to come watch Therese’s duel.

“I see. Thank thou for thine great support. It’s not that I don’t have any sympathy for that spinster since she likely won’t have anyone cheering for her, but…” (Therese)

“Lass! I’m already here, you know!?” (Lisa)

As a matter of fact, Lisa had shown up at the mansion early on as it’s the appointed day of the duel, but Therese knew that she was present and thus had been provoking her.

“Damn it! You’re saying they are pregnant after marrying in their teens!? That really pisses me off!” (Lisa) Read this at infinitenoveltranslation and support the translator.

“Big Sis, calm down a bit…eh, you’re more worried about that part than Therese?” (Katia)

“Katia! I don’t want to be told that by you!” (Lisa)

“What are you telling me to do about it, Big Sis!?” (Katia)

Hearing about Elise’s and the others’ pregnancy, Lisa seemed to feel angry with no chance to vent it.
Katia tried to intervene somehow to settle it peacefully, but even if she, as newly wed, tried to intervene here, it just added unnecessarily fuel to the fire, let alone being meaningless.
Though it’s not like I particularly impregnated Elise and the other three just to spite Lisa.

“I will beat the shit out of you just as I announced in advance!” (Lisa)

Lisa begins her duel against Therese with a smoldering anger in her chest over being unable to marry.
I think they should be able to avoid going at it for real since they are fellow magicians, but it was decided that Katharina, Burkhart-san, Doushi and I would go in-between at such a point.
Some injuries would be inevitable, but it was for the sake of avoiding the worst case.

“Therese-sama, kept going at it after all…” (Burkhart)

“Normally one wouldn’t become so strong in such a short time.” (Armstrong)

Without missing her daily magic training, she increased her mana by also doing her best at night with me. Nowadays her mana has risen to around the lower levels of the advanced rank.
Even in regards to magic, I believe that she progressed at a terrifying rate if one considers only the spells she can use.

“But, well…”

Even so it’s unlikely for her to be able to win against Lisa who has a little less mana than the current Katharina.
And even before that, the difference in experience has been overwhelming.
It’s impossible for a person at Burkhart-san’s level to not notice that.

“You have once again raised your mana in a short time, haven’t you…? I will beat you up, lass, and investigate the secret behind that!” (Lisa)

“Damn, so she didn’t forget.” (Wendelin)

“Wendelin, things don’t proceed so conveniently. Me winning and making her submissive is…” (Therese)

Therese falters.
Well, it’s probably impossible anyway.

“I will destroy you long before that.” (Lisa)

Lisa also appears to think that she won’t lose against Therese.
She provokes Therese to fire her spell first as if telling her, “Show me what you’ve got.”
At first glance it looks as if she’s careless, but since an expert at Lisa’s level can gather a lot of information in the instant her opponent fired her spell first, there are also cases where starting first becomes a drawback.

“That’s convenient. I will show thee the sole, big technique I learned.” (Therese)

Therese readies her wand, and creates a huge fireball in the air, making it gradually grow.
Once it reached a diameter of around two meters, the flames became bluish white, and the temperature went up next.
In other words a 『Fireball』 that emphasized temperature and fire power before size.

 

 

“Lass, you seem to be better than I thought, but why are you putting so much mana into it?” (Lisa)

As if betting everything on this one blow, Therese charges most of her mana into the blue fireball in the air.
Even the fireball’s size has finally grown to a diameter of around ten meters.

“It’s because I won’t be able to put up a fight if I were to fire small and neatly arranged spells. Just eat this!” (Therese)

Therese unleashes the completed, huge fireball at Lisa.

“Gosh! This is why you’re an amateur!” (Lisa)

A considerable amount of mana should be necessary to invalidate this fireball, but Lisa deploys her blizzard spell in an instant, and throws it at the fireball.
At the moment both clash, a great amount of steam spreads into the vicinity.
Since the duel’s location is a place intended to have a residential area constructed, nothing but grass grew here, but all of it started to wilt after being hit by the steam.
We deploy our 『Magic Barriers』, blocking the water vapor.

“Hubby, sorry.” (Katia)

“Well, that was amazing.”

It’s a clash of Therese, who earnestly learned a fire spell with a high output, and Lisa, the ice magic master.
The firepower of both’s spells were outrageous, but the conclusion of the match was already clear.

“I give up as I’m out of mana.” (Therese)

Therese, who had invested almost all her mana into the fireball, raised both her hands and gave up.
Seeing as she has no other trump card to play while also being out of mana, you can call Therese’s decision to be correct.

“Give up?” (Lisa)

“I have no intention to continue with a match that I can’t win. Well then, please excuse me with this. I believed they would offset each other, but it’s slightly cold. I think I will have Amalie pour me some tea. No, I suppose this is the time to have Wendelin warm me up?” (Therese)

Therese, who had given up all too quickly and easily, tried to return to the mansion just like that.

“Hey! Wait!” (Lisa)

“What do thee want, Lisa or whatever thee were called?” (Therese)

“Since I won, be obedient and tell me how you increased your mana!” (Lisa)

“Thee are saying some strange things there.” (Therese)

Therese dons an expression, clearly stating, 『Why do I have to tell thee something like that?』.

“I won, didn’t I?” (Lisa)

“Thee challenged me to a match, but thee haven’t mentioned any terms after winning, right? Both of us strove in our studies of magic. It was a very worthwhile time.” (Therese)

“Pupupu! Certainly, that’s true.” (Armstrong)

“Certainly…kukuku! Lisa didn’t mention any conditions.” (Burkhart)

Having it pointed out by Therese, Doushi and Burkhart-san seemed to have trouble not bursting into laughter.

“What was that one month for!” (Lisa)

Come to think of it, in this one month she tried to investigate as much information about me as possible, going even as far as becoming the crown prince’s guard.
Being treated like an old hag by a certain person at that time, she turned him into ice so that he couldn’t move any longer after giving her rage free reign. As a result she was pulled off His Majesty’s guard duty, but even after that she looked for opportunities to hang around me without doing any proper work for this month.

“I don’t know anything about that. Isn’t it thine own matter what thee have done in this one month?” (Therese)

It was obvious that she had her difficulties, but Therese bluntly declared that those were Lisa’s own circumstances.

“If thee had so much spare time, it would have been better if thee had gone hunting in the Demon Forest.” (Therese)

For the current Lisa it’s almost impossible to get through our firm vigilance and investigate the secret by being close to me.
Hence Therese mercilessly criticized Lisa that she could have earned money by hunting.

“Certainly, I could have earned money if I had done that, but…since you lost, tell me the secret of your mana!” (Lisa)

Lisa tried to lunge at Therese, but Doushi and Burkhart-san intervened.

“Lisa, Therese-sama is an important guest who was entrusted to us by the Empire. If something happened to her, it would become a diplomatic issue.” (Burkhart)

“In that case you wouldn’t be able to avoid taking responsibility for it!” (Armstrong)

“Uuh…” (Lisa)

As Lisa is no idiot, she backs off after being warned by Doushi and Burkhart-san.

“In that case, Katia!” (Lisa)

“Eh? Me?” (Katia)

“To begin with, it was all about me being bothered by your mana having increased! And your damn mana has grown in this month again!” (Lisa)

“It’s been exposed!” (Katia)

“Don’t look down on me! I was the one who taught you magic! Why has your mana increased? Tell me!” (Lisa)

“…”

It’s the result of me treating everyone equally, including my pregnant wives, and not just favoring Therese.
Katia had her mana raised to the upper levels of intermediate rank, but I think she really won’t be able to talk about that secret if you also combine it with the embarrassment of voicing it out.

“Speak!” (Lisa)

“Even if it’s you, Big Sis, I can’t tell you.” (Katia)

“Whaaat? You say you can’t tell me!? In other words, there’s some really amazing secret!” (Lisa)

“Argh, damn!” (Katia)

Because Lisa tried to press on Katia, who let a little bit slip, I forced my way between the two at once.

“Katia is my wife, the wife of Earl Baumeister. I think going any further is rude.” (Wendelin)

“Hubby…” (Katia)

“Are you alright, Katia?” (Wendelin)

“Yeah.” (Katia)

As I apparently managed to skillfully cover for her by getting between the two, there was no harm done to Katia.
Good, good.

“Kuuh! I didn’t see that coming! However, I won’t consent!” (Lisa)

Lisa declared that she would continue observing me until she found the reason for the increase in mana.
Even though I impregnated Elise and the others at long last, it might be a bit bad for their prenatal care if she stalked us all the time. Hence I decided to use my final means.

“In the case, have a duel against me. If I win, you will obediently congratulate your pupil’s marriage and leave. If I lose, I will tell you about the secret.” (Wendelin)

“I accept! I am a fairly experienced magician, too. You better don’t think you will be able to win that easily just because you’re Earl Baumeister.” (Lisa)

I don’t know about the ups and downs, but in the end I would have a duel against Lisa.

 

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“Earl-sama, I don’t think that you can’t win, but how are you going to fight against her?” (Burkhart)

“I will play it by ear.” (Wendelin)

For the sake of fair-play, the duel between Lisa and me was held on the next day after she recovered her mana and energy.
The location is the same as the one where Lisa and Therese had their duel yesterday.
The grass has started to wither away due to the large amount of steam created after the collision of the big fire and ice spells, but since it’s going to be completely mowed down at the time of the residential area construction anyway, there’s no need to worry about it.
Before the start of the battle, the witness Burkhart-san came to ask me how I’m going to deal with Lisa.

“Seeing as the opponent is called Blizzard, I will also throw a big fire spell at her, I guess.” (Wendelin)

“You better hold back on that.” (Burkhart)

“Why?” (Wendelin)

“Those watching will have their view blocked by the steam.” (Burkhart)

“For such a reason?” (Wendelin)

Burkhart-san didn’t say that it wouldn’t have any effect or such, but that it would become a hindrance to his spectating.

“Since there’s also the aspect that one will get burned by the steam if it’s not blocked with a 『Magic Barrier』, it’s a quite important point.” (Burkhart)

“It’s just as Burkhart-dono says. I would hate to not see the match because of bad visibility!” (Armstrong)

Being warned so by Doushi as well, I decide to fight Lisa in another way.
Now that it has turned out like this, I guess it will be for the sake of my magic training.
It’s a quite nasty handicap, but the two probably think that I won’t lose despite this.

“I’ve been a magician for a long time as well. I don’t believe that I will lose to someone younger than me.” (Lisa)

“You’re not saying that you won’t lose to a brat that’s half as old as you, or to be precise, twelve years younger?” (Wendelin)

“Earl Baumeister, I will freeze you!” (Lisa)

It looks like the matter with her age is something to be avoided after all, but I haven’t lied.
Since I’m currently 17 years old and Lisa is 29 years old, it’s correct that I am twelve years younger.
I suppose, the only thing that went amiss was that I couldn’t find an opening even after pissing Lisa off by provoking her.
Even while angry she remains cool-headed.
I guess, nothing less to be expected of her who’s called Lisa the Blizzard.

“Well then, start the match.”

After Burkhart-san announced so and Doushi fired a fireball into the sky as a signal, the match began.
Following the signal, both fell back to Elise and the others who have come to watch.
They probably thought that they would get dragged into our battle.

“It will become an issue if I kill you. So I will stop you from moving around by freezing you!” (Lisa)

It was Lisa who started a preemptive attack.
At once the temperature around me dropped.
Once I look at my feet, a thin layer of ice has started to stick to my robe with the ground and grasses being covered by frost.
At this rate I should become unable to move within a few seconds.

“As one would expect with that nickname.” (Wendelin)

I immediately use fire-based magic, and raise the temperature around me, melting the ice sticking to my robe.
The vicinity gradually became warm, and the chilliness vanished at once.

“(Time for a counterattack.)”

Next I counterattack Lisa with a similar ice spell.
It’s a strategy of agitating the opponent by attacking with the same magic which Master had mentioned before.
The temperature around Lisa fell gradually, and a thin layer of ice and frost began to cover her clothes and accessories.

“To attack me, who has the nickname of Blizzard, with ice, you’re taking me too lightly!” (Lisa)

“Though it won’t be an issue as long as I win the match. In such situations, looking down on others or such bull doesn’t exist.” (Wendelin)

“Shit! It has more power than I thought…” (Lisa)

Contrary to the duel against Therese, the duel against me looked plain.
Going by appearance, both of us are standing still while facing off. After all, we’re just trying to freeze the other by lowering the temperature.
While trying to stop the opponent’s movements with ice, we remove the ice clinging to ourselves by melting it.
In the eyes of a person who can’t use magic, it should look very plain.

“In the eyes of those who can use magic, it’s a quite sophisticated match, but…”

“As someone who just learned magic, it looks very plain…” (Therese)

“Therese-san, on a glance there’s not much change between the two, but at this moment both sides are using quite a bit of mana.”

“I see.” (Therese)

Both sides use a lot of mana to freeze the other and at the same time use mana to not be frozen themselves.

“Because they use two spells of contrary attributes, it’s an extremely high-level magic battle,” Katharina explains to the peanut gallery.

“That means it’s a potentially endless repetition of the same moves.”

“It won’t take that much time. Mana has its limits.”

“At this rate it will be Wend-sama’s victory.” (Wilma)

“I think so as well.” (Luise)

Wilma’s and Luise’s forecast was correct.
If both of us continue the exchange of plain magic like this, Lisa will run out of mana first since she has less than me.
The conclusion will be plain too, but if both sides were to unleash heavy spells at each other, it might lead to an accident. It would also cause troubles to the vicinity.
Because I had such concerns, it was necessary to have such a plain duel.

“Damn!” (Lisa)

And Lisa got flustered due to this development.
Even if she were to forcibly fire a big spell here, she would only speed up her mana consumption, not to mention that it would be pointless. She probably understood that she’s going to lose due to running out of mana at this rate.

“Just when I thought you might be a brat who can fire a slightly big spell…” (Lisa)

Certainly, as a magician I have less experience than Lisa, but I’ve had my fair share of hardships by being dragged into a civil war and being close to death in the battle against master.
I wanted her to accept the match after taking those parts into account as well.

“You’re welcome to go ahead with your prided blizzard spell.” (Wendelin)

“…” (Lisa)

All that’s left is to maintain this state as is.
Even without getting impatient and firing offensive magic, it will be my victory by just waiting.
No matter how she struggles, the one running out of mana first will be Lisa.

“You bastard…in spite of being a brat, you’re not getting hotblooded…” (Lisa)

“I have the experience of having survived a civil war, after all.” (Wendelin)

There’s that as well, but as a matter of fact, my inner self is already in the latter half of its thirties.
I’m more experienced than Lisa…am I not?

“However, I suppose it will be boring with just this much…”

The opponent is a magician with ability and fame.
She might not agree with such a method of winning.
No, it might be necessary to break the other side’s hostility…through an overwhelming difference in power so that she won’t probe into the secrets of others.
In that case, it got to be her signature move, ice magic.
In reality it’s a composite magic of the water and wind attribute, but she has apparently turned it into her own weapon by researching it properly while using natural phenomenons as reference.
I won’t have any chance by imitating her, but there exists one factor allowing me to win against her.

“(That’s the concept of absolute zero…)”

It defines the temperature when the oscillation of the atoms, which is decided by the temperature, reaches its lowest level, stopping their movements.
Saying so myself, it’s incomprehensible, but I feel like my science teacher explained it during my time as a senior high school student…Huh, wait? Or was it the physics teacher?
Either way. I will limit it to just Lisa’s surroundings, and enclose her with an absolute zero temperature.
I will be careful to not make a mistake and freeze her over.
After all, I don’t know what I will be told by the Kingdom later, if I kill a magician of Lisa’s class.
It would be unbearable if I were told to work for free in order to compensate for her loss.

“I still have leeway with my mana.” (Wendelin)

“Brat, you’re a monster, aren’t you?” (Lisa)

“I have increased my mana in proportion to various hardships and certain fetters.” (Wendelin)

My mana has been growing through my daily training and various troublesome matters.

“I’m not really all that jealous…however, just the aspect of having a lot of mana is enviable.” (Lisa)

I ended up being pitied even by Lisa, my duel opponent.
In the meanwhile, I gradually push away Lisa’s 『Heating』 spell with my 『Absolute Zero』 spell. An area of ten meters around her transforms into an absolute zero environment.

“Kuh!” (Lisa)

“If you move the slightest bit, you will die.” (Wendelin)

“What!?” (Lisa)

Once I tossed a fallen tree branch into the absolute zero area as a test, it hardened like a banana cooled with liquid nitrogen. When I hit the frozen branch with a magic pebble, it shattered in an instant.

“It looks like my affinity with ice magic is good.” (Wendelin)

In the end my science knowledge from my previous life, which was a 3 (of 5 levels) according to the school results, had been useful.
While at it, I came up with one more spell.

“(I will name it 『Liquid Nitrogen』 spell.)”

I will compress air and turn it into liquid nitrogen…no, since I can’t separate the atoms, it should be 『Liquid Air』, huh?
I drop the 『Liquid Air』, which I created in the air, to the ground, freezing over a rock that had been bathed in it.
Once I hit that with a magic pebble as well, it was shattered to pieces just like the branch.

“I would appreciate it if I could have you give up, but how about it?” (Wendelin)

“Fuck! Even though I’m Lisa the Blizzard…” (Lisa)

Since she threw up her hands in the air, I canceled the absolute zero zone stretching out around her, winning the duel.
Given that Lisa was competent, it was a big help that she didn’t try the impossible against an opponent that was out of her league like a beginner.
However, I ended up making an outrageous mistake here.
Because both of us did our best, I acted out of character, and went to Lisa with the idea of shaking her hand, but in reality she had received serious damage.
No matter how much I had excluded her body from the direct effect, Lisa, who had been surrounded by an absolute zero temperature, had to continue heating her own body with magic in order to protect herself.
Back then she probably decided to put off protecting her clothes and equipment. Because the items abruptly got warm after I removed the absolute zero area…
Her clothes and items, which got exposed to a sudden, extreme difference in temperature, became brittle and crumbled away.
Lisa, who tried to shake hands with me even after showing a childish behavior, had all things she wore suddenly fall apart, resulting in her showing me her naked body.

“Kyaaa───!” (Lisa)

A Lisa, who crouched down in panic on the spot, and a Lisa who screamed like a woman which I couldn’t have imagined at all.
Moreover, I learned about her unexpected secret.

“Nothing’s growing….below…” (Wendelin)

“Waa───n!” (Lisa)

Having her secret revealed to me, Lisa starts to bawl like a child.
The duel ended up reaching a somewhat slovenly conclusion thanks to me.

 

 

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“Today I was shown various, amazing things.” (Armstrong)

“Doushi, various?”

“Indeed. First off, Earl Baumeister’s ice magic overpowering Blizzard.” (Armstrong)

That’s owed to my questionable science knowledge about the production of liquid air and absolute zero.
Given that minus 50° Celsius was the limit, no matter how harsh the winter, Lisa, who was referring to those temperatures, had naturally no chance in winning against me.

“Next, I guess Lisa the Blizzard’s very womanly scream.” (Armstrong)

Luckily, Lisa was quite a bit away from the gallery when becoming naked…

『Burkhart-san, looking is not allowed.』 (Wilma)

『Uncle-sama, please excuse me.』 (Elise)

『Erw, you probably wanna have a look, but it’s not allowed.』 (Ina)

They apparently couldn’t have a look at it because the men had their eyes covered by Wilma, Elise, and Ina right away.

“(That means, I better don’t mention that matter…)” (Wendelin)

That matter refers to the fact of Lisa having no hair below.

“Even so, she’s strangely modest after that…”

The situation being what it was, Lisa was immediately led into the mansion by the female camp, and after she was able to take a bath, she put on a set of clothes prepared by our side, and drank some hot mate tea.
The gorgeous robe and the rest of her outfit, which she had worn until now, had crumbled away, and even her make-up, which represented her characteristic, highly spirited expression, was gone after taking a bath.
I thought that it might be alright age-wise after seeing her face au naturel, but in reality she has quite a childish face without make-up.
She looks as if she’s slightly older than Therese.
And, for some reason she has become oddly obedient.
I couldn’t feel any of the eccentric air she had shown so far.
While taking little sips of the tea prepared by Amalie, she occasionally peeked this way in an apologetic manner.

“Did I frighten her so much?” (Wendelin)

“No, I don’t think that she’s someone who would get frightened by something of this level…” (Burkhart)

Even Burkhart-san, who should know Lisa better than me, was puzzled by her current behavior.
I wonder, just what the hell happened to her?

“Katia, what do you think?” (Wendelin)

“Well, I see Big Sis acting like this for the first time, too. I have absolutely no clue.” (Katia)

“Look here, I made some cookies.” (Amalie)

Amalie brought the cookies she made to the docile Lisa.

“Today they contain chocolate chips and dried fruits.” (Amalie)

Both were cookies made while using ingredients from the Demon Forest. Recently the confectioneries in the capital had been selling something similar and they were quite popular.

“It’s delicious.” (Lisa)

Lisa said that short comment with a quiet voice, and ate the cookies like a small squirrel.

“She has become mysteriously cute.” (Luise)

“Indeed. It’s said that a woman transforms through make-up, but…” (Ina)

Luise and Ina looked with curious eyes at Lisa who had such an unusual change.
Even though she was a gaudy beauty when the make-up was perfectly applied, she felt like a cute beauty now.
For some reason she’s still scared, but although she’s older than us, she strangely stirs everyone’s wish to protect her.

“What is this about?” (Amalie)

It was completely incomprehensible, but Amalie skillfully got the information out of her.
Did Lisa open her heart to just her who has been gallantly taking care of her in various ways?
She explained the situation while whispering into Amalie’s ear.

“I see…is that so? …Understood.” (Amalie)

Having heard about the circumstances from Lisa, Amalie begins to explain it to us.

“Lisa-san seems to be frightened of strangers if she doesn’t wear such an outfit.” (Amalie)

Amalie’s explanation continues.
She was born as a girl in a certain village a long time ago, but she had an extreme shyness of strangers.
Especially towards men. She couldn’t normally talk to any men besides her father and her younger brother.
All things considered, Amalie, you did well to make her tell you.

“Even after learning that she has a gift in magic, she couldn’t cure her fear of strangers…” (Amalie)

Lisa worried that she wouldn’t be able to work normally at this rate even after becoming an adventurer and departing into the world.
Moreover, she was anxious that it might be impossible for her to get married.

“Accordingly, she has apparently been acting as a confident woman by wearing flashy make-up and attire.” (Amalie)

“She really mastered that acting, didn’t she?” (Burkhart)

Burkhart-san hadn’t realized it until now.
Certainly, I think her acting ability is amazing, or rather her auto-suggestion ability.

“So you’re saying she returned to normal since she lost her outfit and had her make-up removed?”

“That seems to be the case. Right, Lisa-san?” (Amalie)

When asked by Amalie, she nodded her head repeatedly.
That gesture was quite adorable.

“How cute.” (Luise)

“Certainly.” (Therese)

Even Therese approved of Luise’s impression.
Especially Therese might believe that it’s a cuteness she doesn’t have.

“She looks so young that one wouldn’t consider her being close to 30. I think it would be better for her to not use such make-up.” (Therese)

“…Indeed. But Therese, Lisa-san seems to be unable to talk with men without that make-up.” (Amalie)

“So she has that character as soon as he puts on make-up? What difficult circumstances…” (Wendelin)

Both are too biased, and neither produces a good result.
Certainly, you could call that difficult.

“…You got it, Wend-kun.” (Amalie)

“Yes, did I maybe overdo it?” (Wendelin)

Next Lisa whispered something into Amalie’s ear.
I thought that I might get complaints from Lisa about the duel.

“That’s not it. The duel was a duel, so it can’t be helped. Right?” (Amalie)

Upon Amalie’s question, Lisa once more shook her head adorably.
However, I wonder, why can’t this person talk normally to men if she doesn’t wear flashy clothes and make-up?
I cannot help being very mystified by that part.

“Rather than that, she says that you should take responsibility because you saw her naked after the duel.” (Amalie)

Amalie, who listened to Lisa’s whispers, dropped an outrageous bomb.

“Ah, there was someone who said something like that before, wasn’t there…?” (Wendelin)

“Something like that sure happened, didn’t it…?” (Katharina)

Katharina, who had experienced being seen nude by me in the bathroom, muttered, obviously recalling that scene.
It was great that I won the duel against Lisa the Blizzard, but it resulted in me being burdened with a new hardship.

 

◇◆◇

 

The strong-willed, female magician Lisa who tried to find out the reason why the mana of Therese, who didn’t seem to be a magician so far, and Katia, who was her pupil, had grown.
Although she possessed abilities that didn’t put any shame to her name, she lost in the duel against me. Once her gorgeous outfit and make-up was gone, she suddenly became submissive.
After her make-up was removed, she didn’t ask about the matter of the mana increase anymore.
Lisa explained that she couldn’t normally talk to men without a flashy outfit and make-up due to her extreme fear of strangers.
In the end Lisa has been freeloading at the mansion while still diligently doing her special magic training in the mornings.
Her accuracy in magic was so good that she got praised by Katharina.
Different from her first impression, she appears to seriously train her magic.
However, there was one problem.

“Aren’t we acquaintances from 15 years ago!?” (Burkhart)

Lisa, who had suddenly become the timid type of beauty, seems to be bad with Burkhart-san, who’s an older and fashionable man.
It has reached the point of her hiding behind someone as soon as she sees him.

“Weren’t you a lot more arrogant back when I had been teaching you magic!?” (Burkhart)

Once Burkhart-san got angry at her, Lisa got frightened and hid behind Katharina.
Days passed in such a tune, but conversely, the criticism from the female camp vanished completely because of that.
It might be because that state of her is a lot better than her previous, haughty character.

“You can put your previous clothes and make-up back on.” (Burkhart)

“…I see…Lisa-san apparently wants to become able to speak with men even when looking like this.” (Katharina)

Lisa got Katharina to reply to the demand of Burkhart-san as her representative after whispering to her.
It looks like she can’t tell him personally.

“Is that actually possible?” (Burkhart)

“Burkhart-san, such things need time, don’t you think?” (Katharina)

“Well, seeing how Earl-sama has approved of you staying here, it’s not really my place to say anything anyway…” (Burkhart)

“…She appears to be grateful to Wendelin-san.” (Katharina)

“Why yes, thank you…” (Wendelin)

As sarcastic as it is, I was the one Lisa was the most fond of among the men in the mansion.
She still can’t speak directly to me and needs one of the women as an interpreter, but even when we meet, she doesn’t become scared or averts her eyes.
Erw and Doushi were no good as she got scared of them from the very start.

“Ye───ah, what a difficult person…” (Erwin)

Given that he was being avoided as well, Erw adopted the stance of not being able to do anything about it.

“At this rate, it looks like there will be many issues…”

“Doesn’t she have any choice but to get gradually used to it?” (Erwin)

Erw’s opinion was rather normal, but it was the most reasonable as well.

“How about going out for a bit in order to get her accustomed to it?” (Erwin)

 

◇◆◇

 

Following Erw’s recommendation, we decided to go for a stroll in the capital.
If you consider it normally, it would be a date, but there was no way that the current Lisa could endure being alone with me.
As there were various other circumstances as well, it was Lisa, Katia, Therese, Amalie, and me who went to the capital.

“This isn’t a date anymore, is it?”

“I’m the interpreter? I’m happy to be able to go to the capital, though.” (Amalie)

Lisa didn’t leave Amalie’s side.
I wonder whether Lisa and me going on a date with just the two of us will actually take place until my death?
That’s a very interesting study case.

“Well it’s rare for the sons and daughters of nobles to go on dates alone. I don’t know about lower-ranking nobles, though.” (Therese)

Listening to Therese, I remembered.
Even at the time when I had my first date with Elise, not only Sebastian, but several guards were with us as well.
The guards made sure to not be seen by us, but I’m pretty sure Cardinal Hohenheim had instigated it.

“Elise and the other three are pregnant, so it’s dangerous for them to use 『Teleportation』, and since Wilma stayed behind to take care of them, I guess it’s only the relatively new wife of Wendelin or women who have that kind of relationship with him.” (Therese)

Only Lisa is the exception here, but the residents of the capital, who don’t really know about me, looked at us with the implicit meaning of 『A magician-sama is going on a date with several women』.
Therese, Katia, and Amalie didn’t mind it. For Lisa it was out of the question, hence she stayed obedient.

“No matter what kind of circumstances it might be, today is a holiday. Wendelin, escort me. Katia and Amalie, too.” (Therese)

“Therese, you sure decide quickly.”

“It’s a habit from my time as Duchess Philip. No matter how many good ideas one might have, it’s meaningless if thou don’t decide and put them into practice.” (Therese)

“That certainly sounds correct. But, I make mistakes when deciding on the spur.” (Katia)

“Today it will be fine since we’re just going to sightsee the capital.” (Amalie)

The three seem to chat happily, and even while I think that it’s probably not good for me to take a day off, I escorted the three and Lisa, who hid behind Amalie, or rather, guided them through the capital.
Having said that, since there were four women here, the main attraction was shopping and going around stores.

“The stores in Baulburg have increased the number of articles for sale greatly, but in the end they lose out to the country’s capital.” (Therese)

At a store handling Western-styled clothes and accessories located in the shopping street, Therese continues to talk while measuring up various clothes.

“Therese, I’m fine.” (Katia)

“Isn’t that an excuse? I wonder what to think of using the easiness to move in as the only criterion for plain clothes.” (Therese)

“I think so, too. Since it’s a rare opportunity, just buy it.” (Amalie)

“Okay, okay…” (Katia)

Katia accepts it reluctantly.
Just as Therese has pointed out, Katia doesn’t possess overly many clothes.
Only her equipment as adventurer, and clothes for going out suitable to the wife of a noble which had been prepared by her home when she got married to me.
If you exclude those, she has only plain clothes that are easy to move in.
I think she has been strongly influenced by her life in the Eulenberg House.

“No one will be bothered by it, right?” (Katia)

“Thou idiot. Thou are Wendelin’s wife, so it’s only natural for thou to wear suitable clothes even in thine private time.” (Therese)

Therese begins to preach to Katia to get clothes appropriate of her social position, saying that I will be criticized and looked down upon because of her clothes, even if she’s fine with it.

“Seeing as thou became the wife of a noble, resign thineself and accept dressing up to a certain extent.” (Therese)

“I got it…” (Katia)

Katia acknowledged somewhat unwillingly, but contrary to her tone, many attires suited her nicely because of her pretty face.

“Also, if we don’t consume to some degree, money won’t reach the lower classes, right? It’s out of the question to ruin the house by wasting money, but a certain level of consumption benefits the commoners.” (Therese)

As expected, Therese’s knowledge about such aristocratic common sense is overwhelmingly deep.
It’s probably because she was born as noble.

“I understand, but I’m still better than Big Sis. After all Big Sis doesn’t own any clothes besides those flashy attires.” (Katia)

Because she couldn’t maintain her speech and conduct without that getup, Lisa always wore it, even in her private time.
As a matter of fact, what she was wearing right now were clothes she had borrowed from Katharina who had a similar physique.

“Isn’t that the reason why I have been choosing clothes for her together with Amalie?” (Therese)

Certainly the two had chosen plenty of clothes while making her try them on.

“Wend-kun, what do you think of this for Lisa-san?” (Amalie)

“It suits her well.” (Wendelin)

Amalie’s fashion sense seems to be great. Lisa is wearing clothes that make her look like a calm, beautiful onee-san, and not those extremely gaudy clothes from before.
Amalie appears to be skilled at coordinating outfits.

“Lisa-san, he says it suits you.” (Amalie)

Being told so by Amalie, Lisa cast her face down, looking slightly embarrassed.
It seems like she still can’t speak with me without using Amalie as an interpreter.
Nowadays she’s mostly getting Amalie to interpret for her during normal life, and Katharina during magic training.

“Let’s choose various others in addition.”

The three women follow Amalie’s opinion, and begin to check and buy clothes as if it’s their last chance to do so.
In these situations, the one with the most free time is the man, namely me.
I’m indifferent in regards to clothes, but even so, when I became an Earl, I made sure to prepare clothes to wear on my own accord.
As this is a store catered towards women, I only watch over the four, and comment whether the clothes they are trying on suit them or not.

“I think it suits you.” (Wendelin)

“Wendelin, polish thine vocabulary on how to praise a woman a bit more.” (Therese)

When I started saying nothing but it suits or it doesn’t suit, I was cautioned by Therese that my vocabulary was lacking.
However, even if I’m requested to use such advanced technique, it’s troublesome.

“Ah, you’re as lovely as a rose.” (Wendelin)

“That gives me the chills…” (Therese)

Even though I went out of my way and mustered my courage, Therese’s evaluation was cruel.

“It’s because you said I’m lacking vocabulary, Therese!” (Wendelin)

“It’s nothing thou do once told.” (Therese)

“Uuh…I will ask Erich next time, I think.” (Wendelin)

“He seems to be a considerably refined older brother.” (Therese)

My efforts ended in vain, but the buying of clothes apparently ended without problems.
Everyone said that they would pay by themselves, but as a celebrity, I have to pay attention to the eyes around me.
I paid the full amount with gold coins.
The shopkeeper of the store, who received it, looks so happy that it’s obvious to anyone watching.
It appears that we had been quite the lavish customers.

“Thank you very much.”

Once we left the store, it was already close to noon.
As expected, I had become hungry.

“Well then, it’s soon time for lunch…” (Wendelin)

“Wendelin, we aren’t done yet.” (Therese)

“”What did you saaay───!””

“Even Katia…”

Even though we spent more than two hours in just the first store, Therese says that the shopping still hasn’t come to an end.
Katia and I raised our voices at the same time, but leaving me aside, it’s probably hopeless for Katia.

“Wend-kun, underwear, accessories, and shoes are necessary as well, aren’t they?” (Amalie)

Amalie shared Therese’s opinion, basically saying that the shopping isn’t over yet.

“Hubby, I want to eat lunch as well…” (Katia)

“Katia, thou aren’t allowed to be absent since there’s thine share of clothes as well.” (Therese)

“No way───!” (Katia)

Katia’s and my wish were in vain. Afterwards we went to several shops, and spent more than four hours on shopping.

 

◇◆◇

 

“It’s already this late, huh…? I demand lunch and an afternoon refreshment!” (Wendelin)

“Me too!” (Katia)

Because we were forced to keep Therese’s and Amalie’s shopping company for a long time, noon had passed a good while ago.
As it was already time for an afternoon snack, Katia and I complained to let us eat something.

“It’s great that thou two get along so nicely.” (Therese)

We also have the common point of having been born into noble houses that aren’t very aristocratic. Katia and I had many behavioral patterns and preferences that overlapped.
We had common traits like not cutting corners with the equipment as adventurers, but not caring about plain clothes, or liking to eat delicious food.

“It looks like Lisa-san wants to eat something as well.” (Amalie)

Lisa quietly agreed with Katia’s and my opinion.
With this we have the majority on our side, and the opinion of going to eat something became predominant.

“I haven’t said that we won’t go eat anything, have I?” (Therese)

Therese seemed to be hungry as well.
She didn’t oppose my opinion of getting some food.

“Now then, what are we going to eat?”

“Meat!” (Katia)

“Katia, I can’t believe that thou are a woman at a marriageable age…” (Therese)

Therese was astounded by Katia who said she wants to eat meat without being afraid of what others or society might think of her.
I don’t really consider it to be weird, but…yeah, I guess that’s the feeling I always get from Doushi.
However, it’s not like Katia eats as much as Doushi. I think it’s better to eat what you like without caring about the thoughts of others.

“Amalie, Lisa-san, what would you like to eat?” (Wendelin)

Since I’m the man here, I will yield to the women’s wishes here and try asking whether there’s anything they want to eat.

“Let me see…since there isn’t that much time left until dinner, something light. It looks like Lisa-san would like to eat something sweet.” (Amalie)

Something sweet, eh…?
I suppose that’s a normal, womanly response.

“Well then…” (Wendelin)

I decided to make a safe choice by going to a slightly, high-class restaurant.
After all they have quite a bit on the menu, and also many kinds of desserts.
I am more or less a famous person, and since there are few guests as lunchtime is over, the restaurant has us enter the open deluxe suit deeper inside.
Once we gave the waiter our orders, dishes were served in succession after around 30 minutes.

“That’s a really delicious-looking steak.”

“Katia, are thou going to be alright eating this much?” (Therese)

“Therese, aren’t you hungry yourself? Most recently the amount of food you’re eating has gone up, hasn’t it? Considering all that, you’re somewhat thin.” (Katia)

“That’s because her mana went up.” (Wendelin)

Magicians are gluttons because they consume more calories the more mana they use.
That means, Katia’s calorie consumption by using mana went up in proportion to her increase of mana.

“No, that’s something I know as well. Certainly, the amount I’m eating has grown in comparison to before.” (Therese)

Therese had ordered a fish dish, salad, and bread.
It was a normal sized meal, but since Therese was a light eater before becoming a magician, her food consumption has definitely gone up.

“Recently the clothes I’m wearing feel a bit loose, but doesn’t that mean that I got slimmer?” (Therese)

“How nice…so being a magician has such an advantage, too.” (Amalie)

“Did thou gain weight, Amalie?” (Therese)

“I’m keeping the status quo by paying attention to my food. After entering the Earl Baumeister household, the meals improved, but the amount of me moving my body has decreased.” (Amalie)

Amalie looked enviously at Katia and Therese who lost weight.
Diets seem to be an eternal topic for many women, but the old her might have had no need to think about this issue.
After all the old Knight Baumeister House had been in the leading group within the Kingdom if we were to speak about a simple diet and moving one’s body.

“That means, Lisa-san, you will also be alright even if you eat all that, won’t you…?” (Amalie)

Lisa had ordered a parfait, a cake set, and crepes, and was now happily eating those while drinking black tea.
As expected, even for me that looked like an amount that would give me a slightly sour stomach.

“Big Sis, you’re sure downing those sweets.” (Katia)

“Eh? I told you that I like them.” (Lisa)

Amalie was serving in the role of Lisa’s interpreter, but when no men were around, she chatted about this and that.
Because of that, I got to hear various things about her.

“Huh? But each time you took me out for a meal…” (Katia)

According to Katia, they went to bars non-stop, only drinking high-proof alcohol and side dishes with a strong flavor whenever she went out to eat together with Lisa.

“She says that was a necessary acting to maintain her speech and conduct in that outfit.” (Amalie)

Lisa seems to confide in Amalie quite a bit. It went so far that she could immediately answer Katia’s question in Lisa’s stead.

“Emptying more than twenty large beer mugs as an act…?”

 

 

“It looks like I don’t get drunk easily, despite not liking to drink alcohol much.” (Lisa)

A heavy drinker who doesn’t like alcohol is amazing in its own way, I think.
Certainly, she’s been eating the sweets while looking very happy.

“Somehow you’re completely different from my image of you. It’s like you’re someone I met for the first time.” (Katia)

Same as Burkhart-san, even Katia, who was close to Lisa, felt bewildered by her transformation.

“Well, I guess it doesn’t change the fact that you’re my Big Sis either way. Another steak, please!” (Katia)

Katia didn’t mind the minor details overly much.
She immediately switched her thinking and ordered another steak.

“Thou eat well, don’t thou?” (Therese)

“Meat is delicious, no?” (Katia)

“I agree with it being delicious, but I can’t eat this much.” (Therese)

After the meal we chose some souvenirs for Elise and the others, who didn’t come with us, and returned home.
I still couldn’t speak with Lisa directly, but I was able to go out with Amalie, Katia, Therese, and her. I think it was a worthwhile holiday.

 

◇◆◇

 

 

“What? Being a heavy drinker was an act?” (Burkhart)

Several days after the group date, Burkhart-san, who visited the mansion on business, widened his eyes in wonder after hearing Lisa’s story.
He probably didn’t expect her to actually not like drinking alcohol while at the same time simply having a strong constitution towards drinking.

“It seems she thought a heavy drinker wouldn’t be made fun of as an adventurer.” (Amalie)

Amalie once again worked as faithful interpreter.

“Well, that’s not wrong per se. Regardless of gender, there are ill-mannered adventurers who will strangely blame adventurers for eating sweets with 『That’s food for women and children』 and such.” (Burkhart)

“Only looking at such things means they have low ability. Adventurers are free to do whatever they like.” (Wilma)

“You’re absolutely right there, Wilma-jou-chan. Truly powerful people won’t care about such things, but an impressively wild image is still necessary.”

Because appearance matters.
Heartily gulping down high-proof alcohol is an attempt to show that one’s a strong adventurer.
I suppose, there’s also the coercion towards newbies and juniors?
I think it’s a behavior similar to that of a countryside delinquent.

“But you know, if female adventurers do something like that, male adventurers draw back from them.”

“That’s unfair, isn’t it?”

“You might say so, but isn’t a heavily drinking female adventurer rather questionable as a marriage partner?”

“But it works for men?”

“There are also some that get old as simple drunkards, harming their health and wasting away their lives in the slums after being kicked out by their wives.”

“Burkhart-san, you have to be careful as well, okay?”

“Yeah, yeah, it’s just as you say Luise-jou-chan…which reminds me, I went only once eating with Lisa, but she drank quite a lot.”

It looks like a long time ago…I’m sure more than ten years…Lisa and the magicians, who were taught by Burkhart like her, only once had a dinner party which also served as get-together.
Back then Lisa drank more than twenty large beer mugs all by herself, shocking Burkhart-san.

“And now she’s not drinking a single drop, huh…?”

Right now Lisa looked forward to the sweets being served as desserts after the meals and as snacks without drinking any alcohol.
The beverage she’s drinking normally changed to black tea as well.

“It seems she has no need to put on airs in this place.”

“I see. Keeping a scary image as a female magician is hard work.” (Burkhart)

“In your case, it’s fine to do what you like and drink, Burkhart-san.” (Luise)

“It’s not like I’m not going to drink alcohol because of the looks of others.” (Burkhart)

“I simply like alcohol,” Burkhart-san said to Luise.

“Well, isn’t that great then? Drinking alcohol while not even liking it is a sacrilege towards alcohol.” (Burkhart)

In the eyes of an alcohol-lover like Burkhart-san, people not liking alcohol shouldn’t drink it.

“After all, it will decrease my share.” (Burkhart)

“I thought that you’d say that.” (Ina)

Ina was astounded by his reason being totally self-centered.

“Seeing that it’s you, I thought you might have said 『I can drink more! It’s a match!』, Burkhart-san.” (Wendelin)

“Wait a minute, Earl-sama, I’m not Doushi!” (Burkhart)

Immediately after saying that, Burkhart-san apparently recalled something important.
It’s the fact that Doushi has come to the Baumeister Earldom as well.
And, speaking of the devil, Doushi stormed into the room.

“Interesting! I have heard that Lisa the Blizzard is a bigger drinker than me!?” (Armstrong)

“Burkhart-san…” (Wendelin)

“It slipped my tongue…” (Burkhart)

Doushi often gets worked up over totally pointless things. He always starts food matches with Wilma, and then he feels vexed after losing something he started himself.
This time the fact of Lisa being able to drink a lot of alcohol had likely stirred his competitive spirit.

“Lisa the Blizzard! Let’s have a contest!” (Armstrong)

Lisa was suddenly told by Doushi to have a drinking bout, but just as usual, Lisa was not very good with Doushi, or rather she was especially bad with men like Doushi.
She immediately hid behind Amalie.

“Uncle-sama, a drinking bout is dangerous. Please stop it.” (Elise)

Hearing Doushi, the one with straightforward common sense, Elise, tried to stop him in a hurry.
Even in this world there are people who lose their lives through acute alcohol addiction and excessive alcohol consumption.
In the eyes of Elise, who’s well versed in medical knowledge as a healing magician, a heavy drinker bout was out of the question.

“No, this is a matter of pride!” (Armstrong)

I don’t know how the amount of alcohol drinking relates to pride, but for Doushi it seems to be important.
He didn’t pay any heed to Elise’s remonstration.

“Does this mean he won’t withdraw unless he gets his drinking bout?”

“All because Burkhart-san said something strange…”

“No, I mean, sorry, but is it really my fault?” (Burkhart)

In the end a drinking contest between Doushi and Lisa started as there was no other way out.

 

◇◆◇

 

“Lisa, I’m truly sorry.”

For some reason I ended up apologizing to Lisa for it having developed into this situation.
Since we were forcing a person, who doesn’t like alcohol, into a drinking bout, I had no choice but obediently apologize to her.
When Burkhart-san tried to apologize, Lisa went into hiding. In Doushi’s case…I guess it’s impossible until the bout comes to an end…Erw was no good as well. That meant it all came down on me.

“It looks like she doesn’t mind.” (Amalie)

“Eh? Why?” (Wendelin)

Without getting angry in particular, Lisa accepted Doushi’s challenge.
Once I asked for the reason, she gave me an explanation through Amalie.

“She says it’s for the sake of her future husband.” (Amalie)

“(Ugahh!)”

It looks like she accepted because I, who will become her husband, asked her to do it.
I feel like my paths of escape are gradually being cut off thanks to Doushi.
Maybe Doushi challenged her to a bout on purpose…no, that’s unlikely.

“Just don’t push yourself, okay?” (Wendelin)

“She says it’s fine and that she will win.” (Amalie)

Lisa seems to brim with quite a bit of confidence, declaring through Amalie that she won’t lose against Doushi.

“Hah! That confidence of yours will come to an end today!” (Armstrong)

Because he proposed the bout from his side, it was clear that Doushi was a very good drinker.
Even Burkhart-san can’t win against him. It was also his pride, seeing as he was losing against Wilma in gluttony.

“Wend-sama, the alcohol smell…” (Wilma)

A large number of high-proof alcohol had been prepared for the drinking bout, but the smell of alcohol drifted into the vicinity from the jars that had their corks removed.
Wilma, who has a sensitive nose, quickly covered her nose with both hands.

“Wilma, you’re not very good with alcohol?” (Wendelin)

“I hate it because it doesn’t taste good.” (Wilma)

Her aversion towards alcohol went so far that she wouldn’t even taste a sip of a drink during a toasting.

“That’s quite the number of bottles there…Therese, you provided them right?” (Ina)

It’s aquavit, the specialty of my home, the Philip Dukedom. Ina, thou are going to drink as well?” (Therese)

“I’m going to pass since I’m pregnant.” (Ina)

“Ah true, sorry, sorry.” (Therese)

Aquavit was a distilled liquor using potatoes as base. It was the specialty product of Philip Dukedom which was harvesting large amounts of potatoes.
As it’s also because of a cold climate, its alcohol percentage exceeds 40%.

“The victory is decided by who can drink more of these, right? I’m not really good with the smell either…” (Luise)

Luise doesn’t drink alcohol just like Wilma.
Ina should be able to drink it normally, but usually she doesn’t do it.
Since I don’t drink much either, my other wives adjusted to me.

“Please, make sure to not overdo it. If you start feeling bad, I will cast 『Detoxification』 as soon as you tell me.” (Elise)

Elise, who had her resistance overcome by Doushi, took over the relief duty.
Given that it had turned into a huge uproar when Elise went into a drunken frenzy before, she usually stayed away from alcohol.
To her alcohol registered as an ingredient for cooking and sweets.

“The smell is quite something…” (Katharina)

“Katharina, are you fine with alcohol?” (Katia)

“I can drink it normally. Though I don’t drink much. What about you, Katia?” (Katharina)

“It’s the same for me as well. I guess I don’t drink it other than during dinner parties or celebrations.” (Katia)

Since the gallery consisted of the usual members, there wasn’t a shred of tension, but the preparations for the drinking bout were done.

“You’re free to water it down, but only the amount of undiluted aquavit counts.”

“Burkhart-dono, what are you saying! If you’re a man, you drink it just like that!” (Armstrong)

“No…I feel like diluting alcohol has nothing to do with gender…” (Burkhart)

There are only a few people who drink such strong alcohol undiluted, but it seems to be normal in Doushi’s world.
Without even preparing a glass, he’s apparently going to have a match by drinking it directly from the bottle.
On the other hand, Lisa would pour it into a glass made out of ice she cast herself. She’s apparently going to contest by drinking it on the rocks.

“Therese-sama, please give me some of this aquavit if you have any left.”

“Thou have been helping me with my magic training, Burkhart. Even if nothing was left, I will order some later and give it to thee.” (Therese)

“Hahaha! It’s 50 bottles of undiluted aquavit. That’s not an amount you can drink with two people.” (Burkhart)

Burkhart-san, who had quickly become the referee, gives the signal for the match to begin while laughing.

“Mmh, it’s refreshing and easy to drink. It’s a good drink!” (Armstrong)

Doushi began to heartily drink a large bottle of aquavit as soon as the start was signaled.
I feel like taste doesn’t matter at all with such a high-proof drink, but Doushi downed his first bottle with a huge verve while looking very happy.
Lisa poured the aquavit into the glass after putting some ice into it, and drank it quietly.
Her drinking speed wasn’t all that high. However, she constantly kept up a fixed drinking rate.

“I can go on!” (Armstrong)

“Going on and all is nice, but what a waste of precious booze…” (Burkhart)

Burkhart-san quibbled with Doushi’s way of drinking.
He was one of the people who drank their booze slowly while enjoying it, after all.
Around ten minutes after the beginning of the bout, Doushi had already emptied five bottles.
It was a high pace of one bottle every two minutes. If this were to be aired on TV, the TV station would likely display a teleop of 『Dear viewers, please don’t imitate this by all means』.
Doushi’s face was slightly red, but he didn’t look as though he was that drunk. His drinking pace hasn’t fallen either.

“Lisa’s side…”

Lisa had continued drinking at a fixed pace.
She pours the aquavit from the bottle into the glass, and drinks it slowly.
Once the ice runs out, she adds more into the glass by creating it herself.
Suitable to her nickname as Blizzard, she always seems to take care of ice herself.
What’s amazing above all is the fact that Lisa’s complexion hasn’t changed at all.
So far she is losing in the amount of drunken aquavit, but she has an astounding pace of having completely emptied two bottles.

“Both are bottomless.” (Therese)

“An ordinary person won’t be able to imitate this.” (Amalie)

Therese and Amalie were amazed by the quantity the two were drinking.
And then, one hour after the bout started…

“I can still go on.” (Armstrong)

His willpower is great, but in any case, or rather, as one would expect Doushi’s vigorous drinking had stopped.
Emptying one bottle per two minutes only lasted throughout the first ten minutes. At this point in time he’s at twenty bottles.
The red hue of his face had increased as well.

“That’s only natural, no…?”

Since he had drunk twenty bottles of undiluted aquavit all by himself, he might be quite a monster at this point.
However, Doushi wasn’t about to stop drinking.
That’s because…

“Lisa-san, are you okay?” (Amalie)

Lisa replied Amalie’s question with a light nod.
Without disturbing her pace of one bottle every five minutes, she was at eleven bottles as of now.
Different from Doushi, her face color hasn’t changed at all. To be honest, she doesn’t look as if she has been drinking alcohol to me.
Doushi was still winning, but he seemed to sense an impending danger since Lisa continued to drink at a constant pace.
But, even if he might be Doushi, there’s no way that he can drink any more.
His hands had stopped without him even being stopped by Elise.
And then, two hours later…

“Ah… all the booze will be gone!” (Burkhart)

“Burkhart, I will give thee some later, so don’t cry. Are thou a child?” (Therese)

“I mean, isn’t it beyond expectations for everything to be gone!?” (Burkhart)

“Even I hadn’t foreseen this. I had prepared as many as 50 bottles.” (Therese)

Lisa seemed to have faintly raised her drinking pace.
At present she was at 24 and a half. Doushi was struggling, but he could drink only two more in the following hour.
As all 50 bottles were in the process of being emptied, Burkhart-san whined that he couldn’t get any, and Therese was astonished.

“Nuooh───! At this rate!” (Armstrong)

At the moment when Lisa finished her 26th bottle, Doushi’s defeat was set in stone.
Doushi started to drink his 23rd bottle in a hurry with a fighting spirit, but even after having drunk more than him, Lisa appeared to drink at the same rate as until now.
Everyone believed that she wouldn’t have a chance to win against Doushi in the first place.

“Her case is completely different, no? That’s far beyond the level of being able to drink a bit of alcohol.”

Did he hear Luise’s statement? Doushi somehow managed to motivate himself and drained down his 23rd bottle, but this seems to have been his limit.
He didn’t extend his hand for the 24th bottle and his face was as red as a lobster, too.
If such a lobster were to be sold on the morning market, I might reflexively grab it as it would look delicious.
Since it would deliver a hard blow to Doushi if I were to voice that out, I kept it tightly to myself.
And meanwhile Lisa finished her 26th bottle.

“That’s it. You won, Lisa.” (Wendelin)

Once I called out to her, she didn’t take up the 27th bottle, and quietly offered it to Burkhart-san after wavering a bit.

“Thanks, Lisaaaa───!” (Burkhart)

By just receiving merely one bottle, Burkhart-san thanked Lisa while crying in joy.

“Burkhart-san…”

“It’s great that some were left.”

“Thou look really happy.” (Therese)

“Yeah, after all it would take time if you were to order some, wouldn’t it Therese-sama?” (Burkhart)

“Thou can wait at least that long. Thou aren’t a little child…” (Therese)

“Being able to drink right now is the best!” (Burkhart)

What we learned from this bout was that Lisa was a lot stronger with alcohol than we had expected, and that Burkhart-san was a lot more greedy in regards to booze than we had imagined.

 

◇◆◇

 

For around 30 minutes after the drinking bout, Doushi sobered up from his drunkenness while drinking water.

“Having lost cannot be helped!” (Armstrong)

His complexion had already lost some of its redness.
I have no doubt that Doushi’s liver has a sturdiness comparable to that of a large dragon.
As for Lisa, her alcohol endurance was at a level which was impossible to understand.

“Now that the bout came to an end, I got hungry.” (Wendelin)

Quite a bit of time has passed since we ate lunch.
As I apparently used energy when watching the bout, I felt like wanting to eat a light afternoon snack.

“I have expected that you’d say so, and thus prepared a meal in advance, dear.” (Elise)

Elise brought a banana pie she had baked for eating between meals.
It uses plenty of the Demon Forest’s special banana, and was extremely popular in the Baumeister Earldom across all age groups, ranging from children to elderly.

“That looks really delicious. How much are you going to eat, Doushi?”

“No, I have no need for the moment…” (Armstrong)

Well, even for Doushi sweets were beyond his grasp after drinking this much alcohol.

“I guess that’s only natural if you drank this much. Lisa, are you going to eat some banana pie? We can also set some aside so that you can eat it later, though…”

Once I tried asking Lisa just for caution’s sake, she startled us with an unexpected answer.

“She’s saying that she’d like a big piece since she loves sweets.” (Amalie)

Amalie passed on, but it looks like Lisa has a different stomach for sweets.

“I lost…” (Armstrong)

Hearing that, Doushi dropped his shoulders while being crestfallen for a change.

 

 

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