“Stupid Briar! First you snub me, then you run away! When I find you, I’m gonna…gonna…” The girl with the blond hair and Rococco ringlets didn’t know what she was going to do, but she would know once she saw Briar again. Having checked every single last bathroom stall in the past half an hour, she not in a very cheerful or calm state of mind.

“But, seriously! That girl! Who does she think she is, disappearing like that! Stupid Briar!” She muttered to herself as she made her way towards the stands, hoping to find her in the ocean of seats.

“Eh? You’re looking for Briar?” a passerby asked. “Everyone knows where Briar is right now, little girl. Wha-”

Instantly, the girl grasped his arm and stared intensely at him. “WHERE.”

“After each match, Briar always disappears into Madam Rothema’s observation room at the centerpoint between the two arenas. Everyone knows that-huh? Wait, little miss!” He exclaimed as the girl ran off towards the center rooms. “He’s not accepting girlfriend applications at the moment!” He called out, but she couldn’t hear what the man had said.

“Doesn’t she know who Madam Rothema is? She’ll get turned into a frog if she makes Rothema angry.” The passerby muttered.

“Hahah~don’t let her hear that, or you’ll be the one who’s turned into a frog~.” His companion joked.

I’ve found you now! There’s nowhere for you to hide anymore. She panted as she ran down the passageway towards the rooms.

“I’ve found you now, BRIAR!” She cried out triumphantly as she opened the curtains to the room. Inside, Helen and Briar in her male disguise looked up from their game of chess. Madam Rothema had gone to speak with an old friend of hers in a different box, so she wasn’t present at the moment.

“Hmm? You’re looking for me?” Briar pointed to herself, who was now in her male disguise.

As Roccoco girl now bore little resemblance to her previous appearance now that her face was all red and panting, Briar wondered who this person was. Her gaze landed on the golden curls. She looked somewhat familiar…

The girl looked around, confusedly, before assuming that the female Briar was not there.

“AH!” Helen cried. Briar turned to Helen. “You know her?”

“She-she’s the one that the magician Briar beat in mere moments with her familiar.” Helen said, trying to help Briar remember her.

“Ah, the Rococco miss! What brings you here?” Briar asked.

“…Y-your name is also Briar?” The girl asked.

“Uhn! It is.” Briar nodded as she replied. “What’s the matter?”

The girl crumpled to the floor, her face completely red. I MESSED UP! It’s the wrong Briar! What do I do now!?

“Is she all right?” Briar bent over the fallen girl. Aside from being slightly annoyed at her for speaking ill of her familiar, Briar didn’t really hate her. Any grudges that she may have had were swept away in the battle. “Wow, your face is pretty red. Let’s get you something to cool down. It’s pretty hot out there, after all.”

In practically no time at all, the girl was guided over to a couch, where a glass of iced tea was placed in her hands. Drinking about half of the tea, she managed to cool down.

“Oh, looks like the red’s going down. It was the heat after all! Sometimes when people have red faces it’s due to allergies. And it’s hard to tell the difference between the two. But looks like you’re all right now. Isn’t that great?” Briar smiled.

Finally, the girl had calmed down enough to speak. “What did you call me before? Loco-coloc rocloc….”

“Rococco?” Briar replied. “Ah, that’s a term my people have for the style of hair that you’re using, miss. It’s really unique, after all!”

“…I see. Well, I…” She put the cup down, and stood up. “I am Claire Marchand of the Marchand kingdom.”

“Nice to meet you, Claire! I’m Briar, and this little one is Helen.” Briar replied. “But, what takes you all the way over here?” While Briar already sort of knew, she was smart enough to be able to stay in character.

Claire sat down again, and picked up her glass of tea. “Well…you already saw my embarrassing defeat earlier. And, I know that this is no excuse…but I wanted to meet with Briar-the one who defeated me.” She replied, eyes lowered as she stared into her glass with a lost look.

“You wanted to meet her? What for? Are you trying to get revenge?” Briar asked.

Claire looked up. “That’s not it!” She burst out, and paused, then she looked down at her glass again. “…That’s not it. I…I want to become friends with her!” She declared.

“Ho? I see…why? Didn’t she just defeat you? Weren’t you really mad at her?” Briar asked.

“Not mad. I just get r-reeaally nervous in front of people and end up saying things I don’t really mean. So I wanted to apologize by inviting her to come to my father’s kingdom.” Claire said, sheepishly.

“I see… Now why don’t you discuss the real reason why you’re looking for her?” Briar said, arching an eyebrow.

“T-there’s no-” She began, but Briar interrupted.

“There’s no way there isn’t another reason why you’d invite a highly talented magician to your kingdom without secondary intentions!” Briar sighed and placed down her glass of iced tea.

“If you’re thinking of tricking her over to another country, then you’re sadly mistaken. Briar will always consult me first before making a decision!”

Claire looked surprised. “But-who are you?”

Briar grinned wickedly. “Didn’t I tell you? ‘Briar’ is a two-person team. Nice to meet you. I am Briar’s older brother. You may call me….Briar.”

“Eeeeeehhhhh!????” Helen exclaimed. Briar’s alter identity was seriously getting more and more complicated by the day. Moreover, Briar the magician and Briar the martial practitioner were two separate people! How could it be okay to put them together!

“It’s all right, Helen. She doesn’t seem to bear my sister any ill will. Moreover, it’s not like I was hiding our relationship or anything.” Briar patted Helen on the head, winking as she motioned for Helen to play along.

“But, Briar…Madam Rothema …won’t be pleased…” Helen murmured.

“Then I’ll accept her punishment later on. But I’m quite sure that Clare isn’t a blabbermouth, so it should be fine.”

Briar then held out a hand to Clare. “Let me introduce myself again. I am Briar, the martial practitioner of the Briar twins team.” Claire looked at Briar’s face, and felt it did bear some resemblance to the other Briar.

“Claire, Princess and court magician of Marchand kingdom.” She said as she shook Briar’s hand.

“So, what’s the real reason why you’re inviting my younger sister to your kingdom?” Briar pushed, staring pointedly at Claire, who shifted uncomfortably in her seat underneath Briar’s scrutiny.

“D-don’t get me wrong. I truly do wish to become friends with your sister.” Clair began.

“Continue.” Briar said.

“It’s just that our kingdom has been challenged to a magician’s duel with the opposing kingdom. Three against three. The rules state that they have to be at least a first rate-master class…”

“Wait. Doesn’t the Marchand kingdom have a lot of magicians?” Briar asked, confused.

“…And they have to be under the age of 18…” Claire added, in a somewhat smaller voice.

“Ah.” Briar understood.

“I-if our kingdom can’t come out with the required number, then it’s considered our forfeit, and the lands that are under dispute will be added to the other side. Usually it wouldn’t be a big deal, but the lands that are being demanded are our grain producing regions! If those are taken from us, the kingdom itself will starve!... We were hoping to borrow Briar’s qualifications to meet the minimum number necessary for the bet. She doesn’t even have to fight the opposite side, as long as she can just show up.” Claire tried to reassure Briar of her good intentions.

“So, you’re bringing my younger sister into a potentially risky magician’s fight for a country that has nothing to do with us?” Briar asked, her eyes narrowing. “Princess, if you’re here to ask a favor of us, then by all means ask. There is no need to hide things under the pretext of friendship.”

“Like I said, that’s not it!” Claire replied. “I honestly wish to become friends with Briar!”

“Why?”

“Because she’s cool, and has a cute familiar, and we’re both magicians who have a lot in common together!” Claire said. “And because she is a good person!”

“What makes you say that?” Briar asked.

“She could have blasted me away with a tornado, or a fire elemental spell if she wished me harm. But she didn’t. She even had her familiar make sure I didn’t get hurt.” Claire replied. “A good person is decided not by how they treat themselves, but by how they treat others who are strangers to them.”

“Ho? That’s a good saying.” A voice rang out from behind them. “And who might this little one be?” Claire turned around slowly. Behind her stood Madam Rothema, radiating an aura of power and scrutiny.

“Ah-” Was all Claire could squeak out before she slumped over in a dead faint.

“You’ve done it now. And just when I’d managed to get her to calm down, too.” Briar sighed. “This is Princess Claire of Marchand kingdom. She came here looking for the magician, Briar.”

“Revenge?” Madam Rothema asked.

“No. Actually it appears that she genuinely wanted to be friends.” Briar replied. “But she also wanted to ask a favor which seems quite troubling.” After Briar explained the situation in so many words, Madam Rothema blinked.

“Isn’t that fine then?” She said, pouring herself a cup of tea.

“Huh? But it’s another country! Wouldn’t it be a problem to go and get in between a political fight like that?” Briar asked, surprised that Rothema would suggest to go.

“Why not? It’s not like you can stay at home after the TYSC (Ten year Student Conference)” Madam Rothema said, sitting down in another chair, she crossed her leg and took a sip of tea.

“Besides, don’t you have that very troublesome order to deal with from the King? It’s more like killing two birds with one stone. As long as they don’t try to forcefully make you stay, there should really be no reason not to go. Unless you don’t have any intentions of being friends?” Madam Rothema glanced at Briar with an inquisitive tilt. ‘Should I get rid of Princess Claire, then?’ It seemed to ask.

“No, that’s all right. If you’re fine with it, then I’ll go. I simply wished to hear your opinion on it, first.” Briar said.

“But, why do you have to go?” Helen asked. “Isn’t their magician’s duel their own problem? Why does Briar have to get involved?” Helen was feeling rather upset by all this talk of leaving. She had finally met Briar after so long, and now it seemed that she was leaving again, so soon!

Briar glanced at Helen and smiled. “You’re right, Helen. I’m not duty bound in the slightest to help the Marchand kingdom.”

“Then stay here, with us-” Helen began, but was interrupted.

“BUT, for someone to pull such a blatant case of bullying in front of me, they must be tired of living!” Briar declared. “If I didn’t go and knock their heads around, I don’t think I’d be able to feel satisfied! Who cares if it’s not my duty! Since when did it need to be my duty to administer justice, huh?”

Briar ruffled Helen’s head. “As the first of Madam Rothema’s little monsters, it won’t do for me to twiddle my thumbs in the face of wrong, even if it’s an entire country that I’d have to go against. So just wait for me to return with news of my victory and we can have a huge party, okay?”

Helen sniffled as she tried to hold back her tears. “O-okay.”

“That’s a good girl.” Briar took out a kerchief from her pocket, and held it up to Helen’s nose.

“Here, blow.” Helen blew her nose. After that, Briar placed the handkerchief off to the side. She intended to wash it with magic later, as it would be inconvenient for her to perform magic in her male form.

Around this time, Claire began to come out of her fainting spell.