Lady Stella?
No more titles.
Two whole weeks.
I finally, finally landed a blow in that circle.
Let's win this, Stella.
Yes, let's!
Episode 12
The Girls' Battle
Watch me, Mother.
I will take the liberty of observing your duel.
May fortune favor you, Lady Stella.
Thank you, Shelley.
I'm always making trouble for you, aren't I?
Not at all.
Lady Stella.
Mr. Allen!
Y-You look...
Please, don't bring it up.
I didn't get a say in the matter.
You look like a magician in a storybook.
It... It...
It suits you perfectly!
You look splendid, Dear Brother!
L-Lynne...
Let me have a better look!
Well, you don't look too bad.
Right, Anna?
Stop that!
Not bad at all, Lady Lydia!
I'm recording every moment.
I... I wish you wouldn't.
Let's give our all today.
Yes!
I made Mr. Allen's outfit.
Lydia insisted.
Is that so?
Sorry, Stella.
I wish I could have done something for you.
Thank you, Felicia.
Keep watching to the very end, okay?
Of course.
Good luck!
Hey!
The moment my back is turned!
Lynne! Get away from him!
Allen, sir, you dook lashing!
Oh...
Remember where we are, you two.
Come on, Lynne.
Yes, Dear Brother!
Thank you for agreeing to this, Caren.
You, too, Tina and Ellie.
We've trained hard these past two weeks, Stella!
We'll win no matter what!
And we won't hold back.
Neither will I.
Allen!
Wh-What's with that outfit?!
Okay. It's time.
No, I mean it looks great on you!
Allen, let me see that for a second.
You're soft on little girls, so I'm lending you that just in case.
If you damage it, you burn.
I'm up against Caren, too, remember?
You haven't gotten so sloppy you'd let anything happen to my ribbon, have you?
Thank you.
Hello there.
Dear Brother Richard!
And Mother, too!
Wh-What brings you here?!
Isn't it obvious? I've come to watch my future son-in-law.
Oh.
I happened to have the day off.
I figured I'd recruit you while I'm here.
Huh?
Once you finish university, the royal guard would love to have you.
You don't plan on succeeding Duke Algren anyway, right?
I... I go wherever Allen goes!
Oh man, I wasn't counting on that level of devotion.
Pipe down over there.
It's about to start.
There's a barrier around the training ground, so we won't damage the building.
Please, show me the best you can do.
Yes, sir!
We'll hit you with everything we've got!
That's the spirit.
Now, I take it you're all ready?
Ladies and gentleman,
begin!
Not so fast!
Take this, sir!
Ellie!
Yes'm!
Stella, stick to the plan.
Right!
Tina, Ellie, Caren!
Did you forget I've had Mr. Allen teaching me this whole time?
Don't underestimate me!
My lady!
I... I'll stop her!
Too slow. That won't do at all.
You mustn't let Tina cast a supreme spell.
I know!
Stella!
Lady Stella!
C-Caren?!
A few rare members of the Wolf Clan manifest special abilities.
In Caren's case, Lightning Apotheosis.
It gives her a burst of speed, which makes her a handful.
I'll be honest: I underestimated you.
Now I'll get serious.
You still won't beat me!
Tina! Ellie!
Right!
I'll keep Allen busy.
You take Stella.
Otherwise, stick to the plan!
Does that plan have something to do with the predictable attacks you keep making?
And did a certain tiny daughter of a duke come up with it?
Wh-Who are you calling "tiny"?!
I'm still growing!
Before you know it, I'll be grown up and—
Focus up!
When Allen fights, even his words are weapons.
The moment you get distracted, it's all over!
That's my sister. I can't fool you.
Allen!
Don't forget about me!
He's smiling.
How could he make that face for anyone but me?!
It looks as though my dear brother knows Caren's every move before she makes it.
He's reading her mana.
But there's a risk to fighting that way.
There is?
Stella is getting cornered while Allen's mind is occupied.
She'd kept the upper hand so far because he was helping her from the sidelines.
Then, this duel...
"Is as good as lost"?
If you think that, you're playing into his hands.
This isn't over until it's over.
It's working! We can do this!
Ellie!
Yes'm!
Stella, it's time!
Right!
Twin Icicle Pillars. Swift Ice Lances. Imperial Ice Blizzard.
A-Advanced spells?
And th-three at once?!
This is my best! Block it if you can!
Come on, you two!
Right!
We did it!
Mr. Allen!
Were you sticking to elementary spells before now so you could set this up?
That's right!
I won't let you stop Lady Tina!
I will earn a place at your side!
I swear it on my late mother, Rosa Howard, and the rod and ribbon she left me!
Sir! Stella! Victory is ours!
The situation looks desperate.
Will you keep fighting?
Yes! I can still fight!
Do you want to win?
I want to win!
Well said.
Then we'll use our secret weapon, too.
B-But I still haven't...
Don't worry. Give me your hand.
Please, do it.
Allow us to show you what Stella is capable of!
It can't be!
Not half bad.
Oh, my lady!
My Blizzard Wolf... lost?!
I crafted this new supreme spell.
I call it Frost-Gleam Hawks.
It combines ice and light.
H-Huh?
What?!
A new supreme spell?
You mean you can just invent a supreme spell?!
I took hints from the formulae for Firebird and Blizzard Wolf.
Don't tell anyone else.
During our two weeks of training, I realized Stella's spells are laced with light mana.
Light?
Yes.
She never succeeded in casting a supreme spell before because she stuck to ice alone.
I suspected that she could work potent magic by harnessing light.
Perhaps the elementals lent us a hand.
Mr. Allen...
This is as much as I can help you.
As for the rest...
I know. I'll finish this!
Brace yourselves.
Please.
I don't need much.
Give me strength.
Enough strength to match Stella's courage and stand at Mr. Allen's side!
Lady Tina!
Use my strength, too!
My mana won't last.
Please,
let me fight to the bitter end!
B-But then...
Stella is my best friend.
We've been striving side by side since we came to the academy.
Stella shielded me from baseless prejudice.
I want to meet her challenge. I need to!
Please!
Allen!
I'll link our mana, just for a moment.
Accept Tina's and Ellie's mana.
Caren!
Stella!
Forward! Forward!
Leave no regrets!
Just keep going!
Stella!
Well done.
Mr. Allen, did I... prove myself?
Yes. You showed us.
Thank you... for saying so.
Stella! Are you hurt?!
I'm fine.
Y-You should take better care of yourself!
I'm sorry.
Thank you.
Stella.
I'm sorry, Caren.
I know I asked unreasonable things of you.
You really are incredible.
I'm no match for you now.
But I'll close the gap.
I won't leave you alone.
Will you forgive me?
You dummy.
You dumb dummy.
Warn me next time you're going to do something like... like...
S-S-Stella!
S-Stella! C-Caren!
Felicia...
Hey, Felicia!
Th-Thank goodness!
I was worried sick!
I want to ask a favor of you both.
Will you listen?
Of course!
Instead of only studying and training,
I want to go to all sorts of places I've never been before.
I want to go clothes shopping and visit cafés and cake shops.
With you.
Do you mind?
Y-You have to ask?
Of course we don't mind.
Let's go! All three of us!
Thank you, Caren, Felicia.
I love you.
S-Stella...
We love you, too!
No crying, now.
Thanks, you two.
Come now. Dry those eyes.
Thank you very much.
First Tina and now Stella as well.
You really have done well.
I may have given them the opportunity,
but it was Tina and Stella themselves
who took the step forward and found their own paths.
I just lent them a hand and gave them a push.
No one else could have done it.
Those girls feel indebted to you.
They'll never be able to thank you enough as long as they live.
Nor I them.
They've taught me so much as well.
I can only say that I'm glad this isn't my home.
Good luck.
L-Lydia?!
I'll hear you out before I cut you down.
You're not making sense!
Wh-What brought this on?
Dear Brother, don't tell me you mean to turn tail and run?
Leaving me the odd girl out?
You linked mana with all three of them, didn't you?
Why do you push yourself like that?!
What if you collapse again?
S-Sorry. But you know,
I did keep my promise.
You really are unbelievable!
Allen, sir!
Um... Are you doing an impression of a squirrel?
No, sir.
You linked mana with everyone except me!
Why, sir?!
Wh-What kind of question...
Dear Brother, this favoritism must stop.
"Favoritism"? I really don't think...
Wh-What do you think you're doing, Lydia?!
Burning you. I'm still not satisfied.
This is a job for a knight of the guard, Richard.
W-We're on Algren land, so I'd need Gil's permission!
Right?
Th-That's a low blow!
W-Wait, Lydia! S-Stop!
Good morning, Mr. Allen.
Good morning.
Did you sleep well?
Yes.
But I stayed up late talking with Caren and the girls.
Is that so?
U-Um...
I didn't manage to win, but may I still ask you for a favor?
Yes. I planned to offer you one.
Translator: Timer: Editor: Quality Control: Final Quality Control:
William Varteresian Henry Lin Meagan Smith Gabriella Ramirez Elizabeth Ellis
Caren told me that you do her hair sometimes.
I've always envied her that.
I can't do anything fancy, you know?
I don't mind.
I spoke with Duke Walter on the telephone the other day.
With my father?
Yes. He gave me a message for you.
Wait! Please give me a moment.
It's all right.
Go ahead.
First, "Stella Howard will inherit my dukedom. That will not change."
"Especially if she can wield supreme magic."
B-But that was only...
I know you'll master it in time.
I promise I will.
Second,
"Stella is to return home this summer vacation at any cost."
I swear I will.
And he also told me...
Allen, I'd like you to give Stella one last message for me.
Certainly. As you wish.
Tell her I'm sorry. And that I'm waiting for her.
All done.
Thank you very much.
You're as mean and as strict as Tina said you were,
and you tried to get me hooked on desserts,
but you're like the magician in that picture book.
You gave me gentle guidance when I lost my way.
Sir!
Tina.
Is something the matter?
I forgot to tell you properly before.
Thank you so much for all you've done for Stella.
We're both so lucky we met you!
Thank you.
You both improve so quickly, there's almost nothing left I can do for—
Oh, there's plenty more work left for you to do!
P-Professor?!
Anko!
Walter gave me these for you.
An extended employment contract and a new job.
What new job?
He'd like you to tutor Stella, too, this time.
Sign here if you don't object.
What a thing to spring on me out of nowhere!
Sir!
I'm not nearly strong enough to stand at your side yet!
So...
I can't wait to continue our lessons!
A-Allen, sir!
P-Please keep teaching te, moo!
Oh.
And I have so much more to learn from you, Dear Brother!
Refusal is not an option, Allen.
Very well.
In that case, let's get straight to lessons.
I assume you've done the two weeks' worth of homework I assigned you?
Huh? H-Homework?!
I... I forgot all about it!
Allen, sir! I did all of mine!
Well done, Ellie.
D-Dear Brother, what about my reward?!
You promised to give me anything I asked for!
Why only you two?! It... It's not fair!
Get out of my way!
Now, now, you two...
Why should I be forced to suffer this indignity?
Because of him.
It's all his fault.
I'll make you pay, Allen!