Senpensekai no Madoushoshi

Chapter 16

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Section 11: Dressage

Dressage.

It’s a kind of equestrian competition held all throughout the Van Delucia continent. 

The jockey communicates with their stead to have them dance together.
In a grassland nation like Oshunel, the relationship between its people and horses is especially close, so we hold regular competitions every year. 

[Rose]: “Skutua”¹

Rose-san was firmly seated in Goldmund’s saddle.
Her short command sounded above the echo of hooves kicking off the soil. 

And then, Goldmund sped up. 

[Rose]: “Maeria, Maeria”

Words I didn’t recognize kept leaving Rose-san’s mouth, and each time, Goldmund’s stride lengthened. 

The majestic white castle is already no more, and the only thing spreading before my eyes now are green meadows and reddish-brown ground. 

[Sanz Wanz]: “Whether you are a chosen performer or not is irrelevant!! This stage is dedicated to Lord Oshunel alone.
Therefore, you will disappear!”

And just beyond that was Sanz Wanz, its four wings raised up high. 

The pair of wings each reached up as high as the castle wall, and when they were brought crashing down, a massive gust of wind came hurdling towards us. 

[Mippo]: “Fly away?”

[Moppo]: “I wonder?”

[Linzflare]: “Even if we can, we shouldn’t”

Immensely curious over the oncoming wind, Mippo and Moppo popped their heads out of the hair on Goldmund’s head.
Linzflare-san gently set her hand on top of their heads, reminding them to not run off on their own. 

[Iris]: “Rose-san!!”

A thick wind-like wall gouged out the soil as it came crashing down towards us.
My anxiety got the better of me, and I cried out Rose-san’s name and looked up at her face. 

[Rose]: “Sadgege”

But Rose-san was still calm. 

She pulled on the reins and Goldmund made a sharp turn to the right. 

[Mippo]: “Hyaa!”

[Moppo]: “Uwaa!”

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We weaved through the gaps between the gusts of wind, saving us from the worst of the blasts. 

Even then Mippo and Moppo were almost blown away, but they managed to grab hold of Goldmund’s hair and hung on as their legs dangled in the air behind them. 

And yet, neither of them looked scared.
Rather, I’ve never seen them having this much fun. 

[Rose]: “Quidgege”

Goldmund’s large hooves dug into the soil and kicked to the side. 

The giant leapt to the left, and we once again were darting straight for Sanz Wanz like an arrow. 

[Iris]: “Wow, so fast!!”

I always knew Goldmund was strong, but I never knew he was so quick on his feet.
He might just be as fast as Unicorn if not faster. 

The wall of wind flew behind us.
The stray vegetation and crumbled bits of the rock wall littering the ground were catapulted into the air. 

Saluena was close behind us riding Unicorn. 

Behind her were Toslin and the others riding a group of unfamiliar white horses.
When I took a look, they were the stone horses the knight golems we blew up with the cannon had been riding. 

Dozens of meters around where we stepped, or around where the gnomes were moving more specifically, golden stalks of wheat sprouted up from the ground.
This must be the range of Linzflare-san’s power. 

[Rose]: “Perhaps it is because of the gnomes’ blessing.
Just like us, he is receiving a surge of power.
Is that not so, Goldmund?”

[Goldmund]: “Guoooo!!”

Goldmund barked loudly as if to confirm Rose-san’s conjecture. 

A bright light shone around Goldmund’s body as his hair fell away, shedding off his winter coat to make way for a summer one.
His hair was now thin and smooth like a horse’s. 

The bright sunlight showed his bulging muscles in great detail, and a long, dark shadow trailed far behind us. 

Strong features, dynamic muscles, and a pair of thick horns.
If a statue were to be made of him as he currently stood, it would be lauded the world over as a high-standing piece of art. 

[Rose]: “Skutua”

[Iris]: “Uwoah!?”

And there, Goldmund accelerated even further. 

He was dashing towards Sanz Wanz at a speed that made it difficult for me to keep my eyes open. 

[Rose]: “Maeria, Maeria……..Maeria, Maeria…….Maeria!”

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[Sanz Wanz]: “Disappear!! Along with Illya, the one who curses this world!!”

Sanz Wanz took our charge as a provocation and swung at us with his claws.
His thick arms were bigger than an adult man’s body, and his sharpened claws were like scythes ready to reap our lives. 

[Rose]: “Quidgege”

But rather than trying to avoid it, Rose-san turned and charged straight forward.

With a manipulation of the reins, Goldmund diverted his direction just a bit and ran perpendicular to Sanz Wanz’s arm. 

And then…..

[Rose]: “Yaa!!”

[Goldmund]: “Guooooooo!!”

Rose-san and Goldmund’s voices overlapped. 

And a second later, we were sailing through the air. 

To be more precise, Goldmund leapt up and over Sanz Wanz’s sweeping arm. 

While landing, Goldmund kicked his hind legs off the ground and sprinted forward without losing any of his speed. 

[Rose]: “Fufu……to be honest with you, I was quite the tomboy when I was young.
Sadgege”

[Iris]: “Huh!?”

My jaw dropped at Rose-san’s sudden confession. 

With as close to her face as mine was, the slight pink tinge in her cheeks were plain for me to see. 

[Rose]: “I disregarded my lessons, snuck out of the mansion, and spent all my time learning how to ride a horse.
Yaa!!”

Another wave of wind from Sanz Wanz’s wings rushed along and cut through the earth and sand. 

Once again Goldmund brilliantly weaved through the gusts and avoided the worst of the attack. 

[Iris]: “I never would have guessed…..”

I remember Yuhanna-sama saying something about that when we first met.
How the air around Rose-san had changed since they were young. 

Actually thinking about it, it makes sense though.
Rose-san did pick up Goldmund when he was covered in mud and hid him in Yuhanna-sama’s room. 

[Rose]: “Heheh, I know right? But, it is the truth.
I was a rowdy tomboy and an incorrigible child.”

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It’s possible her past as a tomboy may be the reason why she so confidently charged towards the dragon when Relton was under attack. 

[Rose]: “And even now”

Rose-san had an unexpectedly cheerful smile on her face as she readied her mace in her right hand.

[Rose]: “Honestly, I am excited.”

With her left hand, she held fast on Goldmund’s reins while hugging me tight so I didn’t fall off. 

[Rose]: “I know that is imprudent.
It is something I should try to rectify.
However……”

Rose-san had Goldmund keep charging straight ahead. 

At this point, Sanz Wanz’s massive body took up our entire field of vision. 

The legendary giant dragon’s throat glowed a hot blow, and as we spoke, hot magma that had accumulated in its body was now slowly spewing outwards. 

[Rose]: “I can fight with you……no, simply being at your side brings me nothing but joy.”

[Iris]: “Wha-, R……Rose-san?”

Hey, is it just me or is Rose-san extremely talkative and in very high spirits!?

Ah……maybe this is a side effect of Mippo and the others’ buff?

Perhaps our emotions are being amped up along with our bodies. 

[Rose]: “How happy would I be if I could spend all my time together with you? How brilliant would it be if I could simply look to my side and see your smile whenever I want?”

*BOOM!!* *KABOOM!!*

Dozens of cannonballs flew over our heads. 

Far back, behind Toslin and the others were rows of cannons lined up one by one, side by side.
Smoke rose into the air from the end of their muzzles. 

*CRASH!! KRA-CRASH!!”

[Sanz Wanz]: “Guah!? Ah!? A bombardment!? You insignificant pests……dare to stand in my way!?”

[Linzflare]: “I improvised and threw some cannons together.
It’s as glorious as I thought it would be.
Constructing thick walls and raining fire on huge beasts is the flower of the battlefield.”

[Mippo]: “I made one too”

[Moppo]: “And I made the cannonballs!”

The fired off cannon shells exploded as soon as they landed. 

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Each shot had a tremendous amount of power to it, and in seconds, Sanz Wanz’s scales that shone like diamonds before were scraped off and soiled. 

[Rose]: “Be that as it is, I cannot forgive…….the brute who made you cry!!”

The heavy bombardment forced Sanz Wanz to lean harshly to one side. 

[Saluena]: “This is a good opportunity Rosa.
We will strike as one and crush its arms.
Supposedly Toslin has a trump card she wishes to use as well.
We will finish our work first as she prepares from afar.”

[Rose]: “Yes Oneesama!!”

[Iris]: “{Powerful shield that cannot be broken}”

I arranged all my defensive barriers ahead of us to ward off any unforeseen attacks. 

The three gnome sisters began singing a small song, and the pale golden glow surrounding Rose-san’s body brightened. 

[Rose]: “Iris-san is the flower of my heart.
I will not forgive anyone who tries to pluck her away!!”

Goldmund was in a full gallop heading straight for Sanz Wanz. 

This is how Rose-san always sees things.
The scenery I could never be part of because I was always left to watch her back. 

[Iris]: “Rose-san……”

Please always stay with me.

Please always protect me. 

Please always be kind with me.

Please……always bleed only for my sake. 

[Iris]: “Thank you”

I tried transmitting as much of my gratitude as I could fit into those small words.

And I wrapped my arms around Rose-san’s neck. 

It’s possible that Mippo, Moppo, and Linzflare-san’s aura is, just slightly, affecting me as well. 

[Iris]: “…….”

Because before I noticed what I was doing, I had pressed my lips against her nape. 

1.
I tried doing my research, but if any of these words are real dressage terms, I could not find them.