Challenging A-Class

So then, the first step of my promise to Ursula was to make A-Class Master by the A-Class Tournament at the end of March.

It was the start of November now, so about five months out.

The man I had marked as my target was Stein. What sort of Master was he? I needed to gather intel, work out countermeasures… best to set a schedule and go at it methodically.

Just as I was about to start that sort of planning…

"Naoto-sama, Naoto-sama～!"

Bang bang bang!

The one knocking on my door with such force was my cute secretary, Colette.

"What is it, Colette?"

"I-It's terrible. There's a summons from A-Class rank 118, Stein-sama!"

She was clearly in a panic.

"Stein, huh…"

To think the very man I'd been about to set my sights on had summoned me first.

Had he caught wind that I was targeting him and made a preemptive strike? No, the talk of targeting Stein had been a closed-room conversation between me, Ursula, and our companions. It was unlikely to have leaked. Patty hadn't written it up as an article yet either, of course.

Hmm, but if I were aiming for A-Class, it wasn't a stretch to infer I'd target him personally.

The proper chain of command should have run Ursula → Stein → Naoto Akai.

In practice, I'd skipped over Stein and gotten close with Ursula directly, but…

"He is technically my direct superior, after all. So I have to go when he summons me."

"Th-That's right. The tone of the summons was quite severe… S-So please hurry!"

Colette was in a complete fluster.

What in the world could an A-Class Master want with me?

We headed toward the A-Class town, Ainsworth.

It housed the residential district and assembly hall of the A-Class Masters.

Ainsworth sat like a sub-capital relative to the world's capital, Lasburg, and was reasonably prosperous.

A sub-capital, huh… Shinjuku? Odaiba? Something along those lines.

Well, of course it wasn't anywhere near as bustling as Shinjuku. Compared to Japan, the impression was closer to a tranquil countryside.

That said, Stein's castle, where we were guided… while not on the scale of Ursula's, it was still of a size that warranted the word "castle."

That alone made me think A-Class Master really wasn't a rank to underestimate.

"Welcome, B-Class Master, Naoto Akai-sama."

When I went to the entrance with only Kanan and Colette in tow, the one who came to greet us was an adorable girl with devil wings sprouting from her back. A little-devil maid girl.

"I serve as Stein-sama's attendant. My name is Crisilla."

She bowed.

A beautiful girl. As expected of the Garumon an A-Class Master kept by his side.

She'd probably be quite strong in a fight, too. Rarity around SSR-Class, perhaps.

"Stein-sama is waiting. Please, this way."

The place she guided us to could only be called a throne room.

A luxurious chair sat at the center of a red carpet, and on it sat a middle-aged man.

Bald head, rugged beard… His midsection was rather pudgy, but it only lent him more of a commanding presence.

This black-bearded man… was he A-Class rank 118, Stein?

A king-like appearance… The 128, ranked next after the 24 of S-Class. They were kings too, in a sense.

Knight-like men in armor stood lined up to his left and right, like guards. Twelve in number. Probably C-Class Masters in Stein's service.

The fact that his retinue was Masters rather than Garumon actually drove home the strength of the man's authority.

"… So you're Naoto Akai."

He called out to me in a low voice.

"… Yes."

I hesitated over how to respond, but decided to use polite speech for now.

In Japan, talking down to an adult was unthinkable, but in this otherworld I tended to get full of myself, and I sometimes caught myself taking on a haughty attitude. Back in Japan I was just a kid, a high schooler, but here, my abilities had earned a degree of recognition and I was treated as an adult, so I figured I should carry myself with confidence. That said, this time I was the lower-ranked party.

"… Hmph. Hearing you'd defeated that Lagas, and then went on to defeat the 69th-ranked Yamagata, I wondered just how much there was to you… but…

"What an idiotic-faced brat you are."

Heh heh heh.

So Stein laughed. Picking a fight right out of the gate, was he?

It irritated me, but I held my tongue.

"To begin with, anyone with a shred of shrewdness would have come to greet me, his superior, at the earliest opportunity.

"To do nothing and idle about until summoned… that's the depth of foolishness."

He sneered at me.

… What's this? Provocation? I couldn't quite read his intent.

Or was he just belittling me? Some kind of dominance display?

But would a fully grown A-Class Master really pull something so cheap on a kid B-Class Master?

What was clear, though… was that this Stein was an unpleasant fellow.

In just this brief exchange, I'd already come to dislike him quite a bit.

"That Ursula-sama would take an interest in such a fool… a dubious story indeed."

He muttered it under his breath, and it reached my ears.

Hmm, had he caught wind somewhere that I was on somewhat intimate terms with Ursula?

For now, I stayed silent and waited to see what Stein would say.

I couldn't believe he'd gone to the trouble of summoning me just to grumble. He'd get to the main point soon enough.

"Very well. Crisilla. You made the list, didn't you. Hand it over to him."

Finally, the main topic, it seemed.

"Yes… Here it is."

With that, Crisilla held out a single sheet of paper to me.

B-Class rank 94 Sairon, B-Class rank 102 Ruban, B-Class rank 103 Azro, B-Class rank 105 Kuman…

Nearly three hundred B-Class Master names were listed.

"What is this?"

I turned to Colette to confirm.

"E-Erm, well, Naoto-sama.

"You and the rest of the B-Class rank 501 to 512 Masters, Naoto-sama, are in a position to challenge the B-Class rank 1 to 500 Masters.

"Particularly, Naoto-sama, you've defeated Lagas-dono, who is said to maintain ability above the middle of B-Class, and on top of that defeated B-Class rank 69 Kensei Yamagata-dono.

"The upper-tier B-Class Masters, who would find being targeted by such a person unbearable, paid a fee to your direct superior Stein-sama and made a request that he persuade you to not target them."

"I see… right."

So that was the main topic.

"Hmph. To not even understand that much, what a fool.

"But the cowards of B-Class apparently fear even a fool like you. The banner of having defeated Lagas and Yamagata is tremendous indeed.

"Those on the list have paid the appropriate tribute to me. Register a one-year nonaggression pact with them at once.

"… Anyone else, you may target as you please."

… I had no intention of targeting B-Class anyway, so it didn't really matter to me, but…

Something seemed off. From what I'd heard before…

"Shouldn't I be the one receiving the money for the reward of not targeting upper B-Class? I'd heard rumors that's how Lagas was earning."

… Was the question I posed.

I'd heard that Lagas, despite having the ability to challenge mid-B-Class, or even upper B-Class, had been lining his pockets by extorting money in exchange for not challenging.

"… You…"

Stein glared at me unpleasantly.

"You worthless worm of a B-Class rank 501, you mean to defy the orders of an A-Class Master like myself? Don't go getting cocky just because you beat someone at B-Class rank 69."

He threatened me along those lines.

He'd judged me to be in a weak position, was trying to skim a worthless worm's income off the side, and yet he could still carry himself so high and mighty.

… If I appealed to Ursula, she'd handle it appropriately and right away.

But I didn't want Ursula to think I couldn't manage a squabble of this caliber.

Should I push back here, or quietly comply for now…?

I wavered for a while, then decided to quietly comply for now.

I'd had no intention of challenging other B-Class Masters in the first place, so it didn't matter.

Besides, if I broke off relations with Stein here and now, I couldn't rule out the knights surrounding him attacking me en masse.

Being attacked by twelve or so C-Class Masters was something I'd already experienced during the Ishiguro incident. But back then, they were a disorganized rabble.

Proper knights might be much stronger. I had no intention of losing, but there was no need to take unnecessary risks.

… Courage and recklessness are not to be confused.

"Understood. Right away."

I worked the System, filing for nonaggression pacts with the B-Class Masters on the list.

Nearly three hundred operations was extremely tedious, but I worked through them efficiently, beep beep beep.

"Hmph, good that you understand. Continue to serve me well from here on."

Stein's mood seemed to improve a bit at my obedient compliance.

… Hm, so he wasn't aware I was targeting him, was he?

"As you wish."

I answered obediently while… surveying the surroundings.

That Crisilla… was she the Garumon he had in tow? Demon-element… probably?

I wanted to gather as much information as I could, but… not much useful was on display.

… Done filing all the applications on the list. Rechecked for any I'd missed…

"… Heh heh… still, for a paltry, worthless creature like yourself to be in possession of such a fine Garumon…"

Besides Colette, Kanan was attending me at my side as usual.

He was directing a sticky gaze at Kanan beside me.

"…"

I cut off my work mid-action and glared sharply at Stein.

"… What say you? If you offer that Garumon up to me, I might condescend to keep an eye on you.

"For B-Class Masters such as yourself, the favor of an A-Class like me is not so common a thing. You're not so foolish as to be unaware of that, surely?"

… And yet, undeterred by my glare, he went and said it. This bastard…

I'll kill him. I'll kill him soon.

With that thought, I finished my final check, tossed the list aside, and stood up, ignoring Stein.

"Wh-, you brat, do you mean to refuse my offer!?"

Stein had genuinely been caught off guard, it seemed. Riled, he glared at me.

I had no idea whether B-Class Masters who'd let go of their own Garumon to win an A-Class Master's favor existed.

Maybe they did.

But his offer was utterly out of the question for me.

A moment ago, I'd been trying to avoid a pointless quarrel… but if he was going to target Kanan, that was a different story.

If it came to a decisive battle right here, I'd fight to the death.

"I refuse. I don't even feel the need to humor you."

I tossed back without turning. Kanan was held to my shoulder as always, and I clung to her with the resolve to never hand her over, even in death.

"You… worthless brat!"

Stein leaned forward.

In response, the knights at his back moved to step forward.

An A-Class Master could not challenge a B-Class Master.

But those surrounding knights were probably C-Class Masters. They might also be B-Class Sub-Masters. If so, they could challenge me.

A Garumon Battle was 1-vs-1 with no jumping in, but twelve consecutive battles would be quite the ordeal.

Still, even so…

"You're an A-Class Master and that probably makes you very important, but if you think that position is eternal, you're mistaken."

I glared straight at Stein.

"P-Pl-pl-please wait, please wait～!"

At that moment, the one who leapt out into the center was Colette.

"… What is it, you?"

"I-I-I am Naoto-sama's secretary, m-my name is Colette, y-yes it is!

"Th-Thank you so very much for this excessive favor of consideration toward me!

"However, by Secretary Convention, once a secretary has assumed her post, she cannot change masters.

"Furthermore, in order to dismiss a secretary, an application through the Secretary Association is required, and…"

Colette rattled it off in a torrent.

… Hm? Ah, right, the Garumon I had with me at the moment were two: Kanan and Colette.

So she'd misread "fine Garumon" and "that Garumon" as referring to herself… Deliberately.

A secretary was protected by the System known as the Secretary Convention, and couldn't be taken away even if she lost a Garumon Battle.

"… It wasn't you…"

Stein cut Colette off in exasperation.

"Therefore, after submitting an application based on Article 9, Section 4 of the Secretary Convention, I would request that you submit an application based on Article 12, Section 2 of the Secretary Convention…!"

But when someone tried to improperly lay hands on a System-protected secretary, the secretary had a duty to warn that the act was not one the System condoned.

Colette kept presenting System messages in a steady stream.

"… Argh, enough! What is this secretary?! This is what comes of low-level secretaries!

"If you're a B-Class Master, prepare a halfway decent secretary at least!"

Stein, riled up, sank back deep into his chair.

"If that's all, we'll take our leave."

Seizing the moment, I took Colette's hand and moved to depart.

And so, my first meeting with my direct A-Class Master superior had been a thoroughly hostile one…

But for now, at least, it had stopped short of a final break.

"A-A-Awa…"

On the way back, Colette was trembling so badly she looked about to foam at the mouth. But… she'd done well.

"… You saved me, Colette. Thanks to your quick thinking, I was spared from being forced to fight in an unfavorable situation. Thank you."

I said it plainly, praising her.

"N-No, no, no…! I just was desperate…!"

Colette went abashed.

Hmm, that quick thinking just now had genuinely impressed me. I wished she'd have a bit more confidence in herself, though…

I patted her head.

"Fwah… ha-nya… hauu…"

Colette went bright red and quietly let me pet her.

… Cute.

"… So in practical terms, what happens when a B-Class Master gets glared at by an A-Class Master?"

"It-It's a huge problem…! Your direct superior A-Class Master can order you, the B-Class Master, to subjugate Magical Beasts!

"Even Magical Beasts whose strength wildly exceeds yours, you have to go after!"

"Then there's no problem. When it comes to subjugating Magical Beasts, I'm already going on the subjugations Ursula introduces me to as it is."

"Hawawawa… To have actually defied an A-Class Master… wh-wh-what should I do…"

Colette trembled in fear.

… Hmm, up till now this girl had been a bit of a klutz whose only redeeming charm was being cute, but…

Well, that was part of what I liked about her. But to think she'd show such quick thinking and protect me like that.

My judgment in picking her hadn't been off the mark; I could pat myself on the back for that.

Maybe I should… I voiced the thought that popped into my head, without really thinking it through.

"Hey, Colette. Won't you formally become part of my team?"

"Eh, fweh!?"

Colette froze, mouth flapping open and shut.

"… Huh, was it that bad an idea?"

"N-No, that's, that's not it! I, I'm always failing to be useful, I want to be useful, I want to be of use… fweh, fwehhh…!"

Colette burst into tears.

"… To make a girl cry, you're the worst."

While I fumbled, Kanan delivered her standard line, and…

"Wait!? What did I do wrong just now!?"

I was thoroughly thrown into a panic.

I mean, calmly thinking it over, the timing was bad any way you looked at it. The worst, really.

"Things just got hostile with an A-Class Master, this is bad!" wasn't normal timing to recruit someone.

Because a secretary, even if her Master loses, is protected by the Secretary Convention, with no fear of being violated.

But if she formally joined my team, the possibility of her being taken away and violated like a normal Garumon would arise.

"… Sorry for putting you on the spot. It's hard to refuse for kind Colette, isn't it.

"It really is okay if you want to refuse.

"… The timing is bad right now. Once the whole Stein business is settled, I'll ask you again."

I tried to back off with that, but…

Colette grabbed the hem of my clothes.

"… Th-That's not it. I-I, I… I'm happy… I always… wanted to be more useful to you, Naoto-sama, so…

"I, I don't know if I really can be of use, but, but…

"P-Please, please add me to your team! I-I'll try, I'll do my best, please!"

Colette mustered her courage and confessed it to me.

"… Thank you, Colette. Alright, from today, you're formally part of my team."

And so, after I paid out 250,000 G…

Colette formally became part of my team.

For now, well, she was just cute.

But it'd be nice if she could grow stronger from here on.

So then, thanks to Colette I'd avoided having to fight Stein for now, but things were still hostile between us.

For my part, to challenge Stein as quickly as possible, I headed to the bookstore to investigate the man.

There, I bought up back issues of every official match Stein had appeared in, trying to figure out what kind of Garumon he owned, what his tactics were, and so on.

However…

"Nothing… huh."

Yeah, there was no information. None at all. The Weekly Report, which carried the results of official matches, Communications, which carried Garumon Battle strategies and the like…

In none of them were there practically any articles about Stein.

The only thing I managed to find was a Weekly Report from eighteen years ago.

That single, simple line. There was no article whatsoever about what kind of battle it was, what his main Garumon were, none of that.

All I learned was that Stein had been at A-Class for eighteen years.

The other source was the Garumon Yearbook.

Well, this magazine introduced the faces and names of the 24 of S-Class, the faces and names of the 128 of A-Class, and even featured representative Garumon for each, so of course.

In fact, I'd worked backward from this to find the Weekly Report from eighteen years ago.

But the Yearbook only carried public information that was safe to show.

I learned that Stein's representative Garumon was a beautiful Garumon named Nebilia.

But what element this Nebilia was, what race she was, none of that was clear.

I'd wanted to know more vivid information that would let me infer what kinds of battles he fought… that's why I'd combed through Weekly Report and Communications, but there was none of that to be found.

"… Sorry. I should have told you in advance."

Yuria filled me in.

"Once you become an A-Class or higher Master, the System imposes information shielding.

"This information shielding is powerful. Unless you fight a Garumon Battle directly, you can't even tell what kind of Garumon he has.

"Of course, if you add information shielding to the conditions of a Garumon Battle, even a direct Garumon Battle won't reveal it.

"Your memory gets manipulated.

"A-Class and above Masters get that kind of preferential treatment from the System.

"It's said this processing is in place to preserve the entertainment value of battles among the apex of this world, A-Class and above."

"I see…"

Information shielding…

Eighteen years ago and earlier, Stein too must have climbed through D, C, B. At those times, articles about him would normally have appeared in Weekly Report.

But those articles had vanished.

So they could manipulate even the back issues of magazines that had already gone to print. The System truly was connected to every corner of this world… I was made aware of that anew in this moment.

In any case, it seemed that information warfare only worked at B-Class and below.

To find that the methods I'd painstakingly mastered didn't apply…

Well, no time to sulk. I had to think up new countermeasures. If anything, I burned with renewed motivation.

"But then, promoting from B-Class to A-Class is really tough, isn't it…"

"That's right. It's extremely difficult.

"In fact, it's said that the gap in actual ability between upper B-Class and lower A-Class isn't all that great.

"But B-Class is fully exposed, all info on the table.

"If there's no gap in ability, there's almost no chance of winning, in practice.

"You have to be overwhelmingly strong to win even in that state."

But that grueling fight, Ursula had won, and so had any number of others.

… Then I'd absolutely accomplish it too. As Ursula's future Goshujin-sama!