Yuri: The Demon King's daughter.
Fraurem: Frau. Beezel’s daughter.
My name is Doresten.
Doresten = Doresten.
I am the daughter who bears the glorious name of the House of Doresten as my own.
……
Yes, I know.
No matter how you look at it, Doresten is not a name for a girl.
My father was so excited when his first daughter was born that he accidentally announced it that way. He could have rescinded it immediately, but some strange sense of pride got in the way, and he left it as it was. Consequently, I only speak with him once or twice a year.
It isn’t that we are on bad terms. I have received a proper apology from him, after all. However, as an academy student, I spend most of the year at school. During the winter when I return home, my father is usually away at his duty station, so our paths rarely cross.
Well, even if we did meet, I would punch him if he actually called me Doresten.
Currently, my parents, my younger sister, and my friends all call me Iris. But in the presence of high-ranking officials, I am Doresten = Doresten.
Burdened by this tragic fate, I am a senior student who has spent a long time at the Noble Academy.
The academy was currently buzzing with excitement as everyone prepared for the upcoming Royal Capital Festival. Perhaps because of that, our vigilance had grown a bit lax.
A group of about twenty people stood at the main gate to the south. The sentries were letting them through, so they weren't exactly suspicious intruders, but every one of them was dressed in rough, casual clothing that was entirely unsuitable for the Noble Academy.
Did the sentries have no concept of stopping people based on their attire?
……
Probably not. Among the nobility, some houses prefer eccentric outfits, and there are even races for whom being completely naked is the norm. If the guards tried to stop people based on their clothes, it would lead to war.
But seeing a group of men dressed like that together… wait.
They weren't men. They were women dressed as men.
Their chests weren't fully hidden. Or perhaps they had no intention of hiding them at all?
If that was the case…
I shuddered. This was bad.
I immediately sought help, but the younger students nearby would be useless. It had to be someone who had been at the academy for at least a decade.
The teachers? No, they wouldn't do. They were also young and likely didn't know the proper conduct for this situation. At this rate, we were going to be overrun.
This was an emergency. I used magic to contact my friends, but the replies I received were despairing.
"Sorry, I'm in the capital right now. I'm out shopping and can't get back yet."
"I'm cooking. I can't take my hands off this."
"I'm in the North Forest. I’m heading back now, but… wait, sorry, the monsters are counterattacking. I'll call you later."
Unbelievable.
The cross-dressed group had already formed a single line and was taking their positions. Was I really the only one who could oppose them? It was impossible.
Tsk. It couldn’t be helped.
I grabbed a young student nearby and gave her a command.
"Which faction do you belong to? If your leader or someone close to them is nearby, tell them to gather as many people as possible and get to the main gate immediately!"
Fortunately, the leader of a faction was close by. They brought about fifty people—not a bad number.
I requested their cooperation. Even if we belonged to different factions, this was a problem for the entire academy. We could join hands, if only for today.
"I'll explain the details later. For now, just move exactly as I tell you."
"What do we need to do?"
Good, I was glad the person in charge was reasonable.
"It’s not that complicated. First, you need to memorize the formations. There are three. A single mistake means one person falls. Please be prepared for that."
This was bad; the cross-dressed group had begun their march.
They were performing a Snap Walk, snapping their fingers in rhythm. One look was all I needed to know. One listen was all I needed to hear. Their level of training was immense.
The rhythm, the timing… damn. They were definitely associated with the upper class.
Wait, was that the Royal Princess, Yuri-sama, in the center? And was that Fraurem-sama beside her? Even the daughters of Count Gritch and Count Pugyal were there.
They were the members of the "Trouble Faction" that had dominated the school a few years ago!
Could we actually oppose them with the people we had here? No, I couldn't let myself be weak. We had to respond.
"First, spread out horizontally—"
Ngh, my instructions were too slow. They weren't deploying fast enough.
"Three-row formation! Leave enough space for two people between each person! Same distance for the front and back rows!"
As soon as the faction leader shouted the order, the students snapped into a perfect three-row formation. Impressive.
I really should have asked for her name first.
"I am Doresten = Doresten, daughter of Count Doresten. Those close to me call me Iris. And you?"
"Urza. Urza Machio. I'm the daughter of the Village Head of Village Five."
Gah. She was a total heavyweight.
But surprises would have to wait.
"That group over there are graduates of this academy. They've likely come to check if the current students have grown complacent."
One person from Yuri-sama's group stepped forward. She performed a lady's greeting with flawless form. I couldn't help but think how beautiful it would have looked if she were in a dress.
Wait, this was no time to be distracted.
"Everyone, respond to the greeting together! If you aren't confident, just copy me."
"I can handle that much, but what exactly is going on?"
"It’s a Manners Check. From here on, they will present us with various scenarios, and we will be tested on whether we can navigate them with proper etiquette. Anyone who fails must leave the line."
Also, if you fail, you can choose a successful person to leave the line in your place as a "substitute."
"If it's just this, no one is going to fail."
"The beginning is just the basics. The later stages will be a continuous stream of highly specific, professional scenarios. Don't let your guard down."
"Roger. By the way, can I ask something?"
"What is it?"
"Why are they dressed like that?"
"Because if they did this while dressed as noble ladies, it would bring shame upon their houses. Since they're in those clothes, it’s expected that they succeed, but failure would be a disgrace."
"I see. Also, what if I know them? Like, if we're basically family?"
"Ah, Yuri-sama was based in Village Five, wasn't she? ...Pretend you don't know them and continue. But if we're wiped out, could I ask you to petition for leniency regarding the penalties?"
"Wait, there are penalties?"
"You know them, don't you? Do you really think there won't be?"
"...Yeah, there definitely will be."
"Then let's do our best."
"Right."
We gave it our all.
Urza-san, don't try to run just because you made a mistake. Use a substitute and stay until the end. It doesn't matter if it's the second or even the third time.
Look, you’ve been called out. It’s a solo part. Good luck.
Eh? Fraurem-sama nominated me?
Since she called me Iris instead of Doresten, I had no choice but to step forward.
I burned through one substitute but managed to remain standing until the very end. As for Urza and her group... let's just say they managed to avoid being completely wiped out.
Thank you for the points.
Graduates: "Challenge!" → Students: "Refuse" → Penalty for students (Nobles shouldn't run away!)
Graduates: "Challenge!" → Students: "Accept" → Students wiped out → Penalty for students (Learn your manners!)
Graduates: "Challenge!" → Students: "Accept" → Students survive → Penalty for those who retired (Don't make mistakes!)
Since success is expected and failure is a disgrace, it is an incredibly harsh competition for the current students.
However, if a graduate is forced to retire during the "Counterattack Part," they end up extremely embarrassed. Since teachers sometimes mingle with the current students, there is a risk for the graduates as well.