Ruria's Letter

 

*

 

Hello! How are things, Naoto?

I'm fighting F-Class battles smoothly here in the town of Efika.

24 wins until E-Class promotion.

I went back and forth — 8 a day and clear it in three, or 6 a day and clear it in four? — but decided not to overdo it and set a pace of 6 wins per day.

It's just me and Meifa, so we have to go carefully. Too passive, maybe?

Once you reach F-Class, challenges from fellow newcomer Masters definitely start to increase.

I'd like to fight veteran Masters as much as possible, though…

I'm not very keen on fighting newcomers.

Because, you know, when newcomers lose, they need at least 1,000G in hand — up to 4,000G in bad cases — or else they lose a Garumon.

Newcomers rarely carry that kind of money, and even when I deliberately let them off the hook, I've already seen several end up handing over a Garumon.

Why do they all challenge me without sizing up the opponent's caliber? In a situation like this, what would you do, Naoto?

I found a good inn. The food's tasty and the proprietor is kind. Come visit sometime.

Until next time!

 

*

 

Thank you for your reply!

I won 12 today, smoothly. Two more days.

It's a shame you can't visit. But if you have plans, it can't be helped.

No newcomer Master challenges today. It seems my skill has gotten around and they've started avoiding me.

Just like you said, Naoto.

Everyone pays their tuition fees and learns, hm.

I'll try not to let it bother me. They challenged me of their own choice, so it's on them.

Meifa and I have leveled up to LV6, too. Are we growing well, I wonder?

I hope Meifa and I can become a good combo like Mother and Nisa were.

I don't plan on going all the way through with just the two of us.

I'll look around for companions to fight alongside us.

But for a while, it's not bad fighting just the two of us.

Not as some kind of self-imposed restriction, mind you. Just because traveling with Meifa alone is fun.

Of course, if I could make a like-minded friend like you, Naoto, and travel together, that would surely be enjoyable.

Until tomorrow! Waiting for your reply.

 

*

 

Thank you for your reply.

Don't worry about Father. If anything, that you actually looked into a story from that long ago — impressive.

It really is fine. If anything, I'm glad you've come to know about Father.

To me, Father is someone I respect from the bottom of my heart.

But it's also true that nowadays you couldn't really call him Leonhardt-sama's rival.

Do you know why Father retired? I think the trigger was losing to that Sairas and dropping to A-Class.

… I know full well I'm just bearing a grudge.

In reality, for my sake, he gave it one more push, promoted back to S-Class the next year, and then retired…

It's not as if Sairas did anything underhanded, either.

But for an S-Class number 3 — that strong a Master — at least setting him as my goal should be fine.

Putting my sword to that Sairas's throat and saying, "I'm the daughter of Wallace, whom you used as your stepping stone!" — I want to say that to him someday.

For that too, I need to become an S-Class Master.

Naoto, let's compete! Whichever of us reaches S-Class first!

Tomorrow I'll reach E-Class. Which town is good for E-Class?

Tell me if you have a recommendation.

 

*

 

So confident you'll reach S-Class first, are you. That's a big claim. Want to bet?

If that's how it goes, I'll give you anything you want.

I reached E-Class safely.

F-Class was supposed to be harsh, but it wasn't all that bad.

Still just me and Meifa… but it's fine. We seem to be a pretty good combo.

E-Class, hm…

It's about time the sieving leaves only the strong newcomer Masters. It'll get harsher, but I'm itching for it.

I also looked into the Eora you mentioned.

• You can keep fighting from E-Class through D-Class, so it works as a long-term base.

• At D-Class, you can become champion and defend twice to reach C-Class.

Sure enough, those are good features other towns don't have. I think it's great.

I was originally thinking of going to Drefus once I hit D-Class.

You know it? Swap matches are held every month, so for Masters confident in their skill, it's the fastest town for promotion.

But could LV12 me and these two beat C-Class?

For now I'll go to Eora and think about what comes after.

Until next time!

 

*

 

Hello! Eora's not a bad town.

The inn's a bit so-so… mm, I'll think about that once my income is more stable.

There are only three fellow new Masters here so far, so I get to fight veterans most of the time.

The two other newcomers don't really feel strong, but they seem like pretty decent people.

Whether we can become friends, I don't yet know.

The other side seems to be holding back around me.

Being oddly famous has its drawbacks, hm. Not being known is just about right.

We're still passable at E-Class, so I'm fine.

But honestly, it's tough. Each battle is squeezing out everything I've got, just barely scraping through.

Today I called it after only two battles.

Until my level rises another 2-3, I don't think I'll be winning comfortably in E-Class.

When you promoted to E-Class, Naoto, the two of them were LV8-9? Really? Isn't E-Class quite tough at that level? I worry.

That really is a low level. Were you cherry-picking weaker opponents?

Even after you promote, what comes after is going to be hard, I think.

Thanks for the advice about C-Class.

You're up against three SR-Class LV50, so unless you have three UR-Class LV30, it's tough… right. Yeah, that's what I figured.

Pretty pointed advice. You're still E-Class yourself but you sure know a lot.

Yeah, I should seriously start thinking about adding to my party.

Maybe I'll even try some Treasure Quests.

… Whatever the case, it looks like aiming for C-Class through Eora is the way to go.

First, D-Class. I'll aim firmly for promotion and push through E-Class battles.

I have to win 50, so I can't rush.

 

*

 

I see… so you stacked up a lot of 1 vs 1s to pile up battle counts, hm.

Then your level rises slowly too. The number of opponents you take down is smaller, after all.

But if you can properly fight at E-Class, that's the best.

Over here, once we hit LV13 things got easier, so I won 4 today.

I'll take another ten days or so and promote slowly.

Even at that pace, I can still promote to D-Class by the end of March.

The slow schools haven't even finished their graduation ceremonies, so I'm on the early side. No use rushing.

By the way, in April there's an S-Class swap match, right?

Do you know the name of this year's A-Class Tournament winner?

Akai Naoto, apparently. Same name as yours.

A Master with the same name as you putting on such an amazing performance — isn't that reassuring for you too?

If you don't mind, would you take a bit of a break that day and go watch it together with me?

Through my parents' connections, I managed to get tickets. They're hard to come by.

I'd like to see you again after so long, and once in a while we should meet and catch up.

Akai Naoto is apparently going to challenge that S-Class number 24, Ursula Belzebute.

As a fellow futanari Master, I'm rooting for Ursula.

Would you root for Akai Naoto, by name affinity?

A bit of a proxy match. Maybe a wager would make it fun?

Think about what you'd like to win. I'll think about what I want too.

Until next time!

 

*

 

April 1st, you're busy… I see, that's a shame.

But "absolutely will win" — you say it like it's your own affair. Are you that invested?

Then I'll get invested in Ursula too and have fun with it.

Fufu, no canceling the bet now. If Ursula wins, what shall I have you do, I wonder?

If Naoto wins, think about what kind of reward you'd like, please.

That reminds me, the talk about whether it would be all right to become an S-Class Master's knight.

Well, if I could, the wish to become one is there.

It depends on what kind of S-Class Master, but… no doubt it's a shortcut to becoming stronger.

• They might rotate high-rarity Garumon to me.

• They might teach excellent tactics.

• I might hone my skills in mock battles.

The merits are immeasurable.

But my ultimate goal is still to become an S-Class Master myself.

After I've grown as strong as I'm going to under them, sending me off cheerfully — there's no such convenient S-Class Master, is there?

If you've grown that good, they're bound to want to keep you as a knight at their side.

… And also, to become a knight trusted enough to be entrusted with Garumon means absolute obedience to your master, doesn't it.

If it's a person I truly, from the heart, want to serve, that's fine, but…

Even for an S-Class Master, if I can't honestly feel that, I'd still find it hard.

It would be a perfect opportunity for getting stronger, but…

That's right. If you really do become an S-Class Master before me, I'd be willing to become your knight.

There's also the condition that I'm still a C-Class Master at the time, so… well, that'll be impossible.

Fufufu.

 

*

 

Hello.

… You want forgiveness as the wager's reward? That's not peaceful.

You've always been kind enough to listen to my consultations — if anything, I owe you, and there's nothing for me to resent you over.

Well, whatever it is, if you apologize properly, regardless of any wager, I think I'd forgive you.

So, I want to ask you about something.

The new Masters at Eora have been increasing, and there's a proposal to form something like a same-cohort group to cooperate with each other.

That part itself isn't bad, and 'do as you please' is what I'd say, but I was asked to join too.

For me there's no particular merit in it, so I declined, but they told me 'as a noble, acting based only on your own merit is wrong,' and that made me hesitate a bit.

The principle that 'those of noble birth should fight to protect the people' certainly does exist. So there's a kind of reason in what they're saying, too…

What should I do?

 

*

 

Hello.

Thank you. As you advised, I firmly declined.

That 'protecting the people' means protecting those without the strength to fight, from monsters and the like — not protecting E-Class Masters from fellow E-Class Masters — you're exactly right.

If you think about it a little, it's obvious. Embarrassing.

Even when I consult Meifa, she only says, "Onee-sama, do as your heart wills," which isn't a help.

She's reliable enough in battle, though.

Glad I consulted you.

Just as you were worried about, Naoto, they did get worked up and started a battle, but when I took down the leader Kirk, it settled down right away.

That was per your advice too.

Honestly, what a reliable friend I have.

Only ever being helped — that's a noble's disgrace. When you're in trouble, I'll come running.

Tell me anything.

E-Class battles are going well. Are you close to promotion too?

Whichever of us promotes first, want to make it a race?

Then, until later!

 

*

 

Hello.

Getting impatient over a competition isn't good, right — exactly. You're always calm.

Let's drop the competition talk. I'll promote at my own pace.

You plan to promote on 4/1, so specific. Don't tell me you've got a duel scheduled?

Is that why you can't watch the match with me?

If you don't mind, I'd like to hear the circumstances. Of course it's purely curiosity, so if you'd rather not, that's fine.

A newcomer Master with a UR-Class Garumon came to town.

I was thinking I might take the fight if they challenged me, but they seemed to know my name and reputation, and bowed their head, begging, "Please don't take her."

Once you've been told that, you can't really challenge them anymore.

What would you do?

 

*

 

Hello.

"Put the Garumon's happiness first. No matter how much you like a Garumon, if she and her Master truly trust and love each other, don't take her.

"If that's not the case, if you genuinely want her, take her without mercy."

Fufufu, your way of thinking — I like it. I've come to like it myself.

In that sense, that UR-Class Garumon — maybe I couldn't have genuinely said I wanted her from the bottom of my heart.

She seemed to trust her Master, too. I'll let it go this time.

I'd probably win and take her if I fought.

But taking just because you can is for brigands, not something a noble should do, right?

It's certainly right to battle one another fiercely in Garumon Battles, but…

If you have confidence in your strength, then chastise the bad and avoid hurting those in the right — that's what I'd want.

Thank you for telling me the circumstances of your duel.

Competing over who'd be made Sub-Master — amazing. Already decided in your heart you'll reach B-Class or higher, hm.

Well, you'd need that kind of resolve.

Ahh, but… amazing again.

For easygoing you to meet such an opponent that you'd fight to take her — you really did encounter someone like that.

A destined rival? Or… a lover, perhaps. Somehow… I'm a little jealous.

By all means, win!

I've been having so much fun exchanging messages with you. Having to get your Goshujin-sama's permission to do this — I'd hate that.

Until next time!

 

*

 

Just as you said, things happened.

Are you really just exchanging messages with me?

You're not actually watching what's going on over here?

The UR-Class Master I let go yesterday lost in a battle and apparently had her taken.

Her grief and lamentation was so intense it pained my chest, but…

In the depths of that grief, she came at me.

She blamed me, said incomprehensible things.

The reasoning, it seems, is that thanks to me — the noble — drawing attention, the people nearby get targeted. Something like that.

Words spoken in the agitation of grief, so I'm trying not to mind too much, but being blamed face-to-face isn't pleasant.

I could have Meifa taken from me too if I lose, anytime. It's a harsh fight, isn't it.

Thanks to you warning me that even if I let her go, other Masters might not, I was mentally prepared, so it wasn't all that much of a shock.

Thank you.

… Being a noble in this clumsy way, I'm getting misunderstood and avoided, so I don't think I'll be making friends easily.

But even if everyone misunderstands me, knowing I have you as a friend, Naoto, really is reassuring.

 

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—

Hello!

Today I was safely promoted to D-Class.

From here it's still steadily raising my rank, winning the D-Class Tournament, and getting two consecutive wins.

It's still a long road, but I'll do my best.

As Wallace's daughter, I can't fall off the elite course.

By the October B-Class promotion match, I have to firmly reach upper C-Class!

Fufufu, with that, from Ruria who finished promoting just a step ahead!

Naoto, tomorrow is the day of your duel too!

Why won't you tell me where you're dueling? If you'd told me, I'd have come to cheer you on no matter what…

It can't be helped. Tomorrow I'll go to Lasburg as planned.

In your place, I'll cheer for Akai Naoto.

Naoto, do your best — I'll be thinking of you.

I was supposed to root for Ursula? It's fine.

Putting your friend before yourself — of course that's right.

I pray for your victory from the bottom of my heart.

Your best friend, Ruria