I Became the Academy’s Weakest Strategist

Clang.
The old, worn wooden sword Edinburar Rose had been holding fell to the training ground floor.
As it was made of sturdy wood, the moment the practice sword fell, dust and sand accumulated on the training ground floor scattered around.
“Sister?”
Leonardo Kurz looked questioningly at Rose’s actions.
The Edinburar Rose that Kurz knew was someone who never let go of her sword during training.
Even when her hands became bloodied from wielding the wooden sword too much, Rose was the type of person who would continue training with her hands and sword fixed together with cloth.
To others, it might seem like madness, but Rose was utterly fixated on the sword.
Yet now, she had let the sword slip from her grasp.
“Did you say Rommel…?”
“?”
‘So it was him.’
At the mention of Rommel’s name, Rose’s crimson eyes wavered for a moment.
Kurz, who had known Rose since childhood, noticed her agitation.
Usually, Rose would have nonchalantly responded with a simple “Is that so?”, but now she was visibly perturbed to a suspicious degree.
And the gears in his mind began to turn.
Leonardo Kurz was the type of person who planned ahead and acted accordingly.
From a young age, he felt that physical labor didn’t suit him at all, and instead preferred attending social parties with his father.
Thinking it was just youthful caprice, the head of the Leonardo family left Kurz to do as he pleased.
While lingering at these social gatherings, Kurz happened to meet Edinburar Rose.
As the Leonardo and Edinburar families had no prior interactions, Rose and Kurz were meeting for the first time at that social event.
However, with his characteristic friendliness, Kurz persistently approached Rose, and Rose, who had closed off her heart after losing her older brother, slowly began to open up to Kurz.
Of course, there were no romantic feelings between them.
Kurz was merely interested in Edinburar Rose as a person, while Rose simply accepted Kurz’s forceful approach because it was too bothersome to push him away.
Thus, Kurz already knew what kind of person Edinburar Rose was.
For the sword.
By the sword.
Wielding only the sword.
The paragon of a steadfast and upright knight.
That was Edinburar Rose.
But how was Rose now?
She who was called the exemplar of knighthood had her face flushed red like a girl going through puberty.
“Perhaps you are acquainted?”
Noticing Rose’s reaction, which differed from her usual demeanor, Kurz casually posed a question to probe her.
“..We are somewhat familiar with each other.”
Kurz vaguely sensed the nature of Rose and Rommel’s relationship.
“I’m glad to hear you’re acquainted. It really is a small world after all.”
Kurz flashed a warm smile.
Somehow, he felt things were falling into place.
If Rose and Rommel were familiar, and Rose thought of Rommel as special, then matters would progress even more swiftly.
“..How did you come to know Junior Rommel?”
‘Junior…?’
In all the years Kurz had known Rose, it was rare for her to use such honorifics for anyone.
At most, it was reserved for members of the imperial family and a select few she respected.
Kurz became increasingly certain of his assumption that Rose regarded Rommel as someone special.
So he began to divulge more information about Rommel.
“We’re classmates. I’m thinking of stirring up some trouble with Griff Rommel and Esparah Louis.”
“By trouble, you mean aiming for the individual championship.”
“Yes, that’s correct.”
After briefly contemplating something, Rose picked up the wooden sword that had fallen to the training ground floor and let out a shallow sigh.
“..Winning the individual championship will be difficult.”
“I’m aware of that.”
“The significance of being first is special to everyone.”
Be it first love, first impressions, or first meetings.
The meaning of ‘first’ resonates deeply with everyone.
An opportunity to inscribe one’s name in the empire’s history books spanning hundreds of years.
The first-ever individual championship to be held since the founding of Montegro Academy.
Understanding its significance, Rose viewed Kurz’s assertion pessimistically.
She slowly raised the wooden sword, fixing her gaze straight ahead.
Then swiftly brought it down from above.
Whoosh!
In an instant, the sound of air being cleaved passed by Kurz’s face, and his blue hair fluttered in the wind.
Rose then turned her head to face Kurz’s confident expression.
“Moreover, this individual championship is being personally overseen by Her Highness the Princess, so its significance is immense. Right now, my juniors in the knight faculty, my peers, and even my seniors are all pursuing it with burning determination.”
“I’m aware of that as well.”
Rose looked at Kurz, who was smiling nonchalantly, with a somewhat pitying gaze.
She began to worry that his naive personality might cause things to go awry.
“..You were like this when we first met too, but you’re too self-assured. You need to work on that personality of yours.”
That was the kind of person Kurz was.
Someone who believed in himself without doubt and walked steadfastly on the path he had laid out.
But Rose knew that when such a person is betrayed and falls, they live a more miserable life than anyone else.
“I view myself and my endeavors more objectively than anyone else. Yet even from an objective, pessimistic perspective, I feel that winning this individual championship is possible.”
“Because of Junior Rommel…?”
“That’s half correct, I’d say.”
Rose nodded in agreement with Kurz’s words.
She subconsciously believed in Rommel.
Even if they didn’t win the individual championship, she felt that Rommel would somehow make a name for himself in the Inter-Class Tournament.
Just as she was about to resume swinging her sword.
Kurz’s bombshell announcement engulfed Rose.
“So I’ve arranged a meeting with Rommel.”
“──What?”
“Let’s go together, Sister. Everyone is eagerly awaiting you.”
“I..I need an explanation.”
Rose began to tremble like someone with a cold.
She who hadn’t trembled even when her bones were cracked now shook at Kurz’s words.
“I’ll introduce you. Since you mentioned being acquainted with Rommel, this should make things easier.”
“..I don’t understand what you’re saying at all.”
“Actually…”
Faced with such a sudden turn of events, Rose experienced cognitive dissonance, and Kurz briefly recounted his interactions with Rommel to her.
That certain preparations were needed for the Inter-Class Tournament, that they needed Sister to gather the students, and so on.
“..And that’s how it turned out.”
“..You..you..madman..!”
As Kurz’s explanation, which lasted several minutes, came to an end, Rose’s expression began to fill with bewilderment.
In the end, Kurz received a mouthful of harsh words from Rose.
“Wait just a moment!”
“Huh?”
Rose left the dumbfounded Kurz behind and hurriedly began walking towards the exit of the training grounds.
She was far too embarrassed to show herself to Rommel in her current state.
Clothes drenched in sweat, dirt marks on her face, hair simply tied back in a ponytail.
She would rather die than let others, especially Rommel, see her in such a state.
If she were to meet Rommel looking like this…
Rommel would surely be utterly disgusted with her.
‘No…!’
Having imagined Rommel’s expression of extreme disgust, Rose began sprinting at full speed towards her dormitory.
She might not be able to dress up like other young ladies, but at the very least she should look presentable before going out.

In front of the entrance to the training grounds where the knight faculty students practiced.
We were waiting under the scorching sun for Kurz, who had said he would bring Senior Rose.
Kurz, who had entered with a confident expression, had been missing for an hour, and we were waiting endlessly for him like dogs who had lost the chickens they were chasing.
“To finally meet the esteemed Senior Rose…! This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!”
“Are you really that excited?”
“Of course! Sir Rommel, you don’t seem to understand how amazing Senior Rose is. She’s the aspiration of countless knight faculty students! The epitome of knighthood who never lets go of her sword!”
Louis’s mouth kept running non-stop.
Is meeting one’s idol really that exciting?
Louis was in a state of extreme excitement, puffing out steam from his nose like a fan about to see their idol perform live.
Louis aside, I was starting to get irritated.
What kind of nonsense is this, making people stand under the hot sun?
Kurz could have at least bought us some cold drinks, but no, he just went in after saying a few words.
My legs were starting to ache, and sweat was beginning to form on my forehead.
I was endlessly listening to Louis’s praises of Senior Rose.
“..This training ground is damn huge.”
Out of sheer boredom from waiting, I glanced at the training grounds where the knight faculty students would be practicing.
As expected, the training grounds were clean and well-organized.
And above all, it was incredibly spacious.
Large enough for all the remedial class students to enter and train.
“Ah, shit.”
At that moment, a familiar sound began to reach my ears.
As if hearing the theme song of a beloved TV show, I turned my head to look to the side when I heard that homely voice.
“Just my luck.”
There stood a monster with two impressive chins.
Hans, who had been pestering me until just a few days ago, was frowning as he looked at me.
“What? What’s the matter, Hans?”
“It’s nothing, let’s go in.”
“Is it because of those bastards?”
Moreover, Hans’s friends were also with him.
Birds of a feather flock together, and Hans’s friends all had similarly unpleasant faces.
They looked at Louis and me, remedial class students, and started whispering among themselves, and then one of them began walking towards us.
“Hey, don’t.”
Perhaps recalling Senior Rose’s warning, Hans grabbed his friend’s shoulder to stop him, but.
“What do you mean, don’t? You go in first. I was bored anyway, this is perfect.”
The guy brushed off Hans’s hand as if he hadn’t heard him and walked towards me with a mischievous smile.
Then, looking at me as if I were a monkey in a zoo, he spoke.
“Hey, remedial class buddies. Did you come all the way here because there’s something to eat?”
From the very first words, his manners were as poor as if he’d eaten them with his rice.
Alright, you’ve really done it now.
I’m already in a bad mood, so come on, let’s play together today.