「Good morning, Abel」

Next morning, I met Claire in front of the gate of Knight Order’s headquarters.

Big blue eyes and red hair in a ponytail.

The white knight clothes suit her strong-minded looks well.

「Morning, Claire」

My morning half-asleepness was quickly cured at the sight of such beautiful knight.

「Let’s go to the office together」

Claire comes to my side.

Are, what is it?

I can smell something fragrant from her fiery, crimson ponytail.

Did she take a shower in the morning?

By the way, water magic devices are used in Royal Capital’s public baths.

As expected, only the rich can afford a personal bath.

「Let’s train hard today too」

Claire smiles.

Which reminds me, Claire and Racine has the same curriculum as me, right?

Though Veronica-san is in charge──

We pa.s.sed through the gate and entered the building.

I face the reception desk and fill the attendance record.

──Claire’s figure suddenly disappeared from my sight.

「…………」

Feeling dubious, I turn around and see Claire frozen in spot.

「What’s wrong, Claire?」

Claire doesn’t reply.

「What is it?」

「…… Stare~」

Claire keeps staring at me in silence.

Her gaze is slightly scary.

「Nee, Abel. That, what’s that……?」

Claire’s voice faintly trembles.

「What──」

「I can see….. a hickey, but」

Claire points at my neck.

Eh, why is such thing there?

I recall last night while being speechless.

Certainly, I have a feeling that Ashe-san kissed my neck many times while clinging to me.

「Has it been left there after that……」

「Do you have a clue……?」

「N, no, I don’t. I don’t have a clue」

A love affair with Ashe-san would be called adultery in society.

Even if the person is Claire, there’s no way I can reveal that.

Not just me, but Ashe-san would also suffer from that……

「I wonder who left it there~? Nnn?」

「C, Claire, are you angry……?」

I ask while flinching.

「Ara, we are just childhood friends? Nothing less and nothing more? It, it’s not like I’m angry or anything, fun」

Claire looks the other way with her face red-hot.

「No, you are clearly angry……?」

Then,

「Abel-sama, Claire-sama, good morning」

A small-sized girl dressed in white knight clothes walks towards us with a smile.

Her gentle features are same as her nature.

Her long, fluffy blond hair is waving in the air.

「Morning, Racine」

While feeling relieved that I can escape from that topic,

「…… Morning, Racine」

Claire remained sullen.

She greets Racine with a dubious look.

「Are you experiencing troubles~?」

She winks with her drooping eyes.

「A quarrel is not good」

「But, Abel has a hickey」

Claire puffs out her cheeks lightly.

「Ara? Who left it there I wonder~?」

Racine stares at my neck with great interest.

Gentle. A gentle smell of flowers different from Claire’s fragrance.

Un, I wonder why cute girls smell so good?

「Quickly confess, Abel. Onee-san won’t get mad」

You act as Onee-san only at times like this.

Yet there’s nothing different about you.

「Did you went on a love affair adventure by any chance? Abel-sama cares for various ladies, doesn’t he?」

Racine lets out a somewhat listless sigh.

「Natasha told me before. Such men are called carnivores」

Carnivore? Me?

She uses some weird words to describe me since a while ago.

「…… My chest slightly hurts」

Racine unusually frowns and her expression becomes grim.

「What is this, this feeling……」

「Eh, chest?」

I look at Racine’s chest reflexively.

The knight clothes are dynamically pushed up from inside, certainly a rocket size b.r.e.a.s.t.s.

「…… Where are you looking, Abel?」

Claire glares at me.

「Ara, are you interested? I…… umm, if Abel-sama is the partner, then……」

Racine says bashfully.

「…… You are surprisingly a.s.sertive」

This time, Claire glares at Racine.

The three of us head towards the reception with a strange atmosphere.

「Hou, with two women right in the morning」

「As expected of genius Magician-sama」

I heard a voice from behind.

I turn around and see three men walking towards us.

They are three rough looking men in knight clothes.

One is bearded, another has a long face, and the last one has a scar around his eye.

「We meet again, rookies of the Third Corps」

「N, were we acquaintanced……?」

I tilt my head.

「Oi, it’s us, us!」

「The『Three White Stars』of Fourth Corps Jia, Artega and Bosch!」

「Remember that cool killer, slightly famous technique, the Trinity Magic Attack – Magic Stream Attack?!」

The three people shout while pointing at themselves.

「No, it’s my first time hearing such names」

I remember suddenly after saying that.

「Ah, the people from the battle with Giira──」

Certainly, when I and Ashe-san rushed to the scene to help, they heartlessly said『Third Corps stay away』.

I hope they didn’t come to quarrel with us.

I take a defensive posture reflexively.

「You saved us that time」

「Sorry we spoke ill of Third Corps」

「Saying such things as a squad dominated by a female captain…… We ask for forgiveness at such rude remarks」

Hey, what’s with this strangely admirable manner!?

I feel somewhat disappointed.

「No, I don’t mind it──」

「Nevertheless, you are so amazing」

「Even Captain Ashe wasn’t that Giira’s match, right?」

「And you have defeated him alone」

The Three White Stars praise me severally.

Their att.i.tude is too different from the other day!

I tsukkomi in my heart unintentionally.

「Maa, we realized our immaturity」

「We will work hard in order to catch up with you」

「See ya. I’m sure you won’t have any problems, but do your best in the curriculum」

On the contrary to their disagreeable comments from before, the Three White Starts left while leaving some pleasing comments behind.

「F~un…… Aren’t you amazing?」

Claire lets out a laugh.

Ah, her mood finally recovered.

「They overpraised me, and their att.i.tudes changed way too much」

I scratch my cheek.

「It sure is confusing, such people……」

Although I didn’t feel bad.

「Isn’t it okay? It’s the proof that they approve of you. It just means how highly everyone thinks of you」

Claire smiles sweetly.

Racine joyfully nods in agreement.

On the way through to long corridor leading to the Third Corps office.

A group of knights is approaching us in this long corridor.

What is it this time?

I reflexively go on defense, but they don’t look foul as the men from before.

「Morning, Abel-kun」

「He is the one from the rumor?」

「Hee, his face is not bad」

Around 15 people in total?

They are all young female knights in their teens and twenties.

The girls surround me with s.h.i.+ning eyes.

「U, umm……?」

It may be my first time in my life being surrounded by girls like this.

I feel a strange sensation while feeling embarra.s.sed.

「Neenee, is it true that you defeated that mysterious man from the Empire alone?」

They look at me with gazes full of interest.

It seems that they heard about the fight with Giira from other units.

「The mysterious man? I arrested a Magic Gem Solder two days ago, but──」

「Amaz~ing!」

Uo, everyone’s voices harmonized lovely!?

「The opponent was so strong that even the captain-cla.s.s wasn’t match for him, right?」

「W, well, he was quite strong……」

Amazing, amaz~ing, the female knights raise their voices in amazement again.

「I heard that the Arley mountain disappeared in the aftermath of the battle」

「I heard that the Sharal lake evaporated after one attack~」

Isn’t the rumor somewhat exaggerated?

「As expected of the rumored super rookie. Getting a medal for service so quickly」

「Ara, I heard that he will be getting a medal from the achievement in Rashuka City if I’m not mistaken」

「Then, does that mean he got another one so quickly?」

「Amazing. Won’t you become leader of Knights in a little bit?」

Waiwai the female knights talk noisily.

The girls become lively on their own, leaving my behind.

「…… Aren’t you quite popular with girls, Abel……」

Claire says quietly while grinding her teeth.

Somehow, you are angry since the early morning, Claire.

Although you are usually strong-minded, today is a little bit too much……

「I’m happy that many people recognize Abel-sama’s abilities, but…… Uu~ what is it, this restless feeling……」

Racine is strange in Racine’s own way.

What happened to both of them……?