257: Before the Storm

After we wrapped up our discussion at Noblesse, we were invited to stay at the House Antwerp estate.

It was a pair of matching mansions nestled together in the suburban mountains.

The most interesting feature, however, was the set of oversized Battle Universe pieces lined up by the fountain in the courtyard. Both of Cecil’s parents were famous players who had won the Kingdom of Ostrava’s national tournament multiple times.

Not that they can hold a candle to her, of course.

The parents were currently out, and even the butler and maids had been given the day off. It was all a calculated move to lure our enemies out into the open.

We could have just taken the Artifact and run, but we’d chosen this place as our base of operations for one specific reason: Shari was here. She was a wild card, a variable who had never existed in the Original Story.

"I’ve layered the barrier on pretty thick," Shari said. "Still, the spirit energy in this area is incredible, isn’t it?"

"People have always said that, but I’ve never really felt it myself," Cecil replied.

It was a stroke of luck, but apparently, the concentration of magic particles near Cecil’s home was extremely high. We’d judged that rather than making a clumsy move, it would be better to stay put, set traps, and reinforce our defense barriers.

Victory was always the goal, but this time, it was an absolute necessity.

"I LOOOOOOOOOST!"

"Hehe. But don’t you think you’ve gotten stronger, Duke?"

"Guh... One more time, Cecil!"

"Duke, that’s not fair! I’m next!"

I glanced to the side only to see a group of people who didn't seem to possess a single shred of tension, fully immersed in a game of Battle Universe.

Cecil looked genuinely happy, behaving as if her friends had simply dropped by for a playdate. Shari watched them with a faint, exasperated smile, while Allen looked on.

By the way, Cynthia, Lilith, Tura, and Carta were currently off taking a bath.

Watching this lot, the thing that impressed me most was their sheer mental fortitude. It was amazing that they could remain this calm despite the very real possibility that they might die soon.

Maybe that’s the secret to their strength. Well... they’re still weaker than me, though.

"I lost..."

"Thank you for the match, Olynn. Now then, how about you, Fansent?"

"I’ll pass."

"You’re just scared of losing, Weiss!" Sasami barked.

I stood up and glared down at the little brat.

"You have any idea how strong I am? I even achieved Victory over that Undefeated Battle Universe Old Man from the Edonia Region!"

"W-who are you even talking about...?"

"Aah? You want me to start snapping your muscle fibers, Sasami?"

"N-no! Anything but that!"

I left the trembling Sasami behind and took the seat across from Cecil.

"I look forward to the match," I said.

"Yes. Let’s have a good game."

In moments like these, I felt more fired up than usual. When Cecil played this game, just how many moves ahead was she actually thinking? She was an opponent of that caliber.

As we traded move for move, Cecil murmured quietly.

"...You’ve gotten stronger, Fansent."

"You think so?"

Even in the middle of a real battle, I had started to catch myself thinking. I didn't ask what I would do anymore; instead, I asked myself what Cecil would do.