Chapter 366 - The First Step to Becoming a King, The Reborn Magic Doll Club
Most commoners haven’t noticed, but the great nation of Berliza is under threat. The infiltration by the Medek-Legisamo Empire, masquerading as the Anastasia Union, has spread to the point where even forces outside the continent are becoming involved. The situation has become so dire that the Anastasia Union, which is responsible for the security of the nation’s key figures, has split into two factions. Regardless of the truth, there are suspicions that one of the leaders is colluding with the enemy.
Weapons have been secretly smuggled multiple times, and it’s uncertain where and when the next disturbance might occur. Given the interconnected nature of these issues, a single spark could ignite a widespread conflict.
Even we, who are currently active and plan to establish an office in the near future, cannot afford to treat this as someone else’s problem. The recent significant relaxation of regulations on magic items, in anticipation of a potential intercontinental war, underscores the gravity of the situation. The enemy is steadily infiltrating Berliza, and it’s reasonable to assume that the previously safe great nation is now on the back foot.
Many nobles, seeing the crisis as an opportunity, are embroiled in power struggles, and some are even driven by personal jealousy. While this is somewhat inevitable given Berliza’s status as a great nation, it’s objectively a ridiculous situation. From my perspective, it’s nothing but a nuisance.
To make matters worse, there’s an ominous organization like Badoo Lot, which uses ‘curses’ to eliminate their targets, and I’m apparently one of them.
Faced with the threat of unknown magic, the only defense I have is a talisman that can counter the curse. While I shouldn’t let myself be overly concerned, the fact that my talisman once broke is a significant source of stress. Despite not fearing for my own safety, the real concern is my sister, who is under the protection of the Berliza Intelligence Department. They’ve suggested that she is at risk of assassination.
If my sister, the younger sister of the Anastasia Union’s Grand Master, is killed, it could incite the young master, who harbors a one-sided affection for her. The enemy could use this to manipulate the young master into creating an unfavorable situation for Berliza. Regardless of the circumstances, I won’t let them harm my sister.
If I can’t protect a single friend, my future is bleak. Personally and as the leader of the organization, I will find a way to overcome this, no matter the challenges.
While watching the club’s practice in a daze, I couldn’t help but frown at the unsettling situation.
“Evilbanshee-sensei, the mock battle is over… Do you have any comments?”
Ah, I might have given the wrong impression. Well, this is a good opportunity.
“The overall mana manipulation is becoming a bit sloppy. Just because you’ve switched to the new dolls doesn’t mean you should waste mana unnecessarily. Even a small waste can make a big difference in a prolonged or consecutive battle. Start over with the basics and regain your senses.”
Even a slight inefficiency is noticeable to someone with my level of mana perception. The members are likely unaware of this minor waste, but by pointing it out, they can improve significantly.
“Everyone, as you heard, we should all, including myself, avoid getting complacent with the new dolls’ advanced capabilities. Let’s use the remaining time to focus on the basics.”
“But we have a practice match tomorrow. Shouldn’t we focus on tactics and coordination?”
“Victory in the practice match is less important than the daily accumulation of skills for the real competition. Let’s focus on the main event rather than the immediate match.”
The club president certainly understands the situation well. Tomorrow’s opponent is of a lower rank, and it’s better to revisit the basics than waste time on tactics against an inferior opponent. Once a habit is formed, it’s hard to break.
“Alright, I’ll oversee the basics today. Sigurdnaught and Harriet, focus on your mana manipulation. Curly, don’t slack off.”
“…I’m not slacking off.”
“You’re conserving mana too much. You can maintain a higher density. Everyone, be mindful of both waste and unnecessary conservation.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
The heightened tension will make the practice more effective.
The next day, the day of the practice match.
This is only the second practice match for the current Saint Emeralda Girls' Academy Magic Doll Club. The first match was against a school that used the previous generation’s dolls and was a strong contender.
We’ve had enough losses. Today, we’re here to taste victory.
All members, including my sister and Harriet, boarded the bus without any absences and headed to the other school. I couldn’t let fear confine them, as it would ruin the purpose of their study abroad and limit the club’s activities. Besides, the enemy will act as they please, regardless of our actions.
“Heidi here, no abnormalities detected so far.”
“This is Layla. No suspicious points at the other school.”
Our support system is solid. Heidi and Layla are keeping watch during the journey and at the destination. If anything unusual happens, we can deal with it immediately.
The members are enjoying the practice match without realizing the covert protection. If anything goes wrong, they won’t even notice, and we’ll make sure it’s as if nothing happened.
The welcoming ceremony at the opposing school was grand, as they are students from a prestigious girls’ school. While it’s unfortunate for schools from common backgrounds, we can’t consider social status when selecting practice opponents.
The faces of our students are bright and excited. This is their first external match with the new dolls, and they can’t wait.
Using the old dolls was embarrassing, and eliminating that unnecessary feeling of inferiority will reduce their stress. They should be able to perform freely today.
“—We look forward to a good match today.”
The greetings between students and advisors follow a familiar pattern. The only difference today is my more modest attire. Last time, my intimidating appearance made follow-up difficult, so I’ve opted for a more demure look. I’ll continue this for future external events to avoid unnecessary trouble or misunderstandings.
“Go ahead and do as you wish in the first match. If it doesn’t work out, adjust your strategy during the match… President?”
“Yes?”
“Why such a lackluster response?”
“Well, you look different from usual, and it’s been distracting.”
Last time, they wanted me to change out of my tracksuit.
“I just thought this would be less troublesome. Focus on the match instead.”
Today, I’m wearing the navy blue sleeveless flared shirt dress and oval glasses that I wore only on my first day at the school. My hair is half-up, and I’ve softened my usual domineering attitude. This change makes me look like a completely different person.
This is also to dispel the rumors from last time, when I accidentally destroyed the other school’s facilities. The school compensated, and there were no further issues, but the rumors spread, and the school gained some unwelcome attention. This is why we had to avoid external matches for a while.
Now, with the rumors dying down, I’ve adopted a more appropriate appearance as an advisor.
As expected, the intimidating and awkward atmosphere from before is gone, and things are going smoothly.
“Ma’am, we’re off.”
“Today, we have no numerical disadvantage. Let’s win!”
“Alright, let’s give it our all!”
The members, ready and eager, head to the stage. I let them do as they please, without any specific strategy. Given the setup, we should win today, so I’ll just watch.
On the stage, the magic dolls from both schools, wearing bibs, line up. Their formations reveal their strategies, which can be changed until the match starts. Sometimes, they even move around to outmaneuver each other, using mana inefficiently to avoid disadvantage.
Formations can take time to change and create openings. Adjusting during the match can determine the outcome, making this an interesting aspect.
Last time, we were at a significant disadvantage with the older dolls, and the other school didn’t bother with strategy. This time, we can experience the strategic elements from the start.
The opposing school’s perception of our academy is a different matter. Our situation has changed completely from when we used the older dolls. Our recent lack of achievements means they have no data on us, making it hard to predict our strategies. Their formation shows some hesitation.
On our side, there’s no hesitation. I told them to do as they please, so they’ve arranged the dolls as they’re used to in practice.
The president and the curly-haired student are in the center in a tight formation, with my sister leading the right flank and Harriet the left.
To deepen the opponent’s confusion, they feigned a formation change but didn’t actually move. For a first-time attempt, it’s impressive.
The match begins with the signal.
“Advance!”
At the president Hermira’s command, the magic dolls move in perfect unison. Their shields and spears are ready, and they charge forward with a surge of mana.
The central, right, and left flanks move with a commanding presence.
The opposing school, lacking data on us, has adopted a standard horizontal formation, ready to adapt to any situation. However, they seem unprepared and flustered when we charge.
The outcome is clear from the start.
My teaching emphasizes striking first. The strong don’t need to adapt to the opponent; they impose their will and overwhelm them. It’s the way of the king.
I aim to restore the Saint Emeralda Girls' Academy Magic Doll Club to its former glory, and it starts today.
The members are excited but composed. The three units move in unison, pushing the opponents back. They strike with their spears, push with their shields, and crush any attempts to counter. The flanks gradually encircle the enemy, leaving them no escape.
The enemy can’t retreat without turning their backs, which is impossible in a magic doll battle. They’re pushed back, surrounded, and forced to retreat.
We relentlessly push them to the edge of the stage, causing them to fall off, which is treated as a battle loss.
This overwhelming victory is rare in magic doll battles, where both sides usually have similar weight, armament, and numbers.
The opponents were so shaken that they couldn’t recover, and they kept dropping out. The victory was one-sided.
I hadn’t expected such a dominant performance. I thought we’d win, but against a mid-level opponent, this level of dominance was surprising. The members were excited, and their movements and mana control showed some disarray.
“Well, it’s understandable given that the first victory is in sight.”
The victory was straightforward, relying on sheer force.
“Evilbanshee-sensei, we won!”
“It’s our first victory, ma’am!”
“We did it! We’re really strong, aren’t we? Wasn’t that amazing?”
Hmm, they’re more excited than I thought.
Today, I’ll be lenient, but there’s more to come. A single match isn’t everything.
“Don’t get overconfident. Next time, they’ll know our strategies. They won’t be so easy to handle. Reflect on today’s match and prepare for the next one. I didn’t miss the sloppy finish at the end.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
We completed the day’s schedule.
Looking back, the opponents seemed demoralized by our overwhelming and flashy victory. The subsequent matches, where we tried different strategies, didn’t bring out their best. The skill gap was so wide that it was almost pitiful. For us, it was an unexpected and complete victory, and for them, it was a nightmare.
Regardless, we achieved our goal of winning. Now, we need to look ahead.
Facing the elated members, I gave my final words as their advisor.
“Listen up, everyone. This is just a practice match, and the real victory in the main event will be much harder. The higher you go, the sweeter the victory. We’ll savor every moment of it!”
A more glorious victory awaits in the future, the result of hard work. Such joy is rare in student life.
The members, including the curly-haired student, were excited and laughing with Hermira.
Yes, you’ll rise by working hard and achieving your goals.
The results of today’s practice match will spread to other schools. Given our previous incident, the Saint Emeralda Girls' Academy is under scrutiny. This time, we’ve won a proper match with the new dolls, and strong schools will be scrambling to gather information.
Let them investigate and strategize. The true path of a king is to crush their preparations. They should see how much the Saint Emeralda Girls' Academy has changed.
For now, I hope we become a formidable obstacle to the strong schools. We’ll use them as stepping stones.
We’ll dominate the competition and surpass our former glory. With me and the team, we can certainly achieve it.