Chapter 1

“We will be arriving at Brunhild, Brunhild~ shortly. The exit is on the right. Passengers transferring for the Kingdom of Belfast…”

Hearing the magic train’s announcement, I started pulling down my luggage from the overhead rack. It looks like we’ve arrived. I’d finally reached my destination, traveling from my homeland, The Kingdom of Elfrau, and passing through The Regulus Empire. Even using the magic train, it took a day and a half. My body is already stiff all over. Unlike the spacious reserved seats for nobles and wealthy merchants, I was in the common seats, packed in like sardines. The narrow seat was honestly rough. The old guy next to me reeked of tobacco, too. Just the worst.

My name is Nero Silhoueska. I’m a totally normal twelve-year-old girl from Alente, a small town east of the northern snow country, The Kingdom of Elfrau. Well, I am ‘a little bit’ smaller than most people, though.

I’ve come all this way from my distant homeland to enroll in the ‘Babylon Machinist Girls’ Academy,’ located here in the Duchy of Brunhild. The Babylon Machinist Girls’ Academy is a five-year public vocational school that recruits students from all over the world. However, it’s an extremely narrow gate, with a fixed quota of only five students per country, so only a very select few can get in. I was lucky enough to be one of those five. I still can’t believe it, but the acceptance letter and student ID in my hand prove this isn’t a dream.I hefted the large bag I’d pulled down from the rack onto my back, stepped off the stopped magic train, and set foot on the station platform.

“So this is Brunhild…”

I was momentarily dazzled by the station, which was bigger and more brilliant than the magic station back in Elfrau. Just as you’d expect from the world’s number one magical city. Magic appliances are being used everywhere.

“Um, the ticket gate is… that way.”

I trudged along with my big bag on my back, held my smartphone over the sensor, and passed through the ticket gate. When I stepped out of the station building, I could see a central park at the end of a wide street. And even further beyond that, at the end of a road lined with cherry blossom trees, I could see a white chalk castle. That must be Brunhild Castle. Suddenly, a clear singing voice drifted from somewhere, and I glanced around, trying to find the source. Looking closely, I saw a large Ether-Vision mounted high on the wall of the station building I had just left.

An Ether-Vision, which displays distant or recorded images, isn’t that unusual anymore. I heard that back in the day, the government used to manage and install them, but now pretty much any wealthy person has one. It’s still rare to see one installed in the middle of town like this, though. The Ether-Vision was showing a girl with cherry-pink hair, singing and dancing in a frilly costume.

I think she’s an idol they’re promoting recently. My older sister was obsessed and talked about her all the time, but I don’t really remember.

…Hmm, it’s a pretty good song.

I found myself listening intently for a moment, but then I snapped back to reality.

“Whoops, can’t get distracted. More importantly, the academy… right.”

I tore my eyes away from the Ether-Vision, pulled my smartphone from my pocket, and brought up a map to the academy. This smartphone, which people all over the world use now, was also made here in Brunhild. It’s a multi-purpose magical appliance, born from ancient technology revived by His Majesty the first Sovereign Duke over three hundred years ago. It’s said that the development of this appliance advanced human progress by several thousand years. The Ether-Vision I just saw was also made using this smartphone technology. That’s one of the two great technologies His Majesty the first Sovereign Duke brought to the world. And the other one is…

“That’s…!”

Even from here, I could see two giants facing off west of the castle. They’re huge. Easily taller than the houses. They looked just like knights clad in full-body armor. That is the other technology the first Sovereign Duke introduced: the giant humanoid general-purpose weapon, the ‘Frame Gear.’

Over five thousand years ago, the world fell into an unprecedented crisis due to invaders from another world. The ‘Frame Gear’ was created by a single genius magical engineer to counter those invaders.

However, the Frame Gears never once stood on the front lines. That’s because the invaders suddenly vanished from the world, and peace returned for reasons no one really understood.

And so, the Frame Gears, having never fulfilled their purpose, disappeared from history for a time.

But three hundred years ago, invaders from another world appeared once more. In response, it is said that His Majesty the first Sovereign Duke of Brunhild revived the Frame Gears, an ancient legacy, and protected this world from the invaders by coordinating with the nations of the world.

Afterward, Frame Gear technology was shared widely with the world, which had become peaceful once more. Their uses range from disaster relief, such as for landslides, to the subjugation of giant magical beasts, and even the ‘Mecha Great War: Ragnarok,’ where nations stake their prestige.

The Mecha Great War: Ragnarok is a large-scale mock war where several Frame Gears from various countries team up to fight.

It’s held once a year, and the victorious nation earns leadership of the world alliance for one year.

To participate as a pilot in the Mecha Great War: Ragnarok, you have to graduate from one of the machinist academies here in Brunhild and earn the ‘Trooper’ qualification.

Of course, that’s what I’m aiming for, too. It’s why I came all this way.

“All right! Let’s go!”

I suppressed my excitement and started walking toward the machinist academy.

“Wow… they’re real…”

I stood before the machinist academy’s main gate, trembling with emotion as I looked at the Frame Gears standing on either side.

To think I could see the old-type Frame Gears used back when this country was first founded with my own eyes.

They were the white and black units, called the White Knight Shine Count and the Black Knight Night Baron. They are the earliest Frame Gears, said to have been piloted by the captain and vice-captain of the Brunhild Knight Order back then.

They’re such old units they could almost be called antiques, but the beauty of their design hasn’t faded even after three hundred years. They’re the very symbols of the machinist academy.

By the way, while graduating from a machinist academy is essential to becoming a ‘Trooper’ who pilots a Frame Gear, there are two such academies here in Brunhild:

The ‘Brunhild Machinist Academy’ and the ‘Babylon Machinist Girls’ Academy.’

Originally, the ‘Brunhild Machinist Academy’ was this country’s… no, this world’s only machinist academy. But fifteen years ago, the ‘Babylon Machinist Girls’ Academy’ was founded because of the selfish whim of a certain royal, who ‘wanted to verify the affinity of women for Frame Gears.’

As the name implies, the Babylon Machinist Girls’ Academy is an all-girls school.

The co-ed Brunhild Machinist Academy primarily emphasizes knight training as well, so female applicants, who were generally lacking in physical strength and stamina, had a much lower acceptance rate than males.

This is a holdover from the era when the knight orders of various countries used to borrow the Frame Gears, and it made the barrier to entry even higher for women. According to the royal who founded the girls’ academy, ‘It’s nonsense to throw away someone’s potential as a Trooper just because they don’t have the aptitude of a knight.’

In fact, I also took the exam for the ‘Academy’ (Gakuen) back in Elfrau.

I failed. I didn’t quite make the cut in the first test—the endurance marathon and the weightlifting strength test—and washed out right at the start.

However, when I took the entrance exam for the ‘Girls’ Academy’ (Gakuin), I had to do a Frame Gear aptitude test, a magical synchronization test, and a bunch of other confusing tests that the ‘Academy’ (Gakuen) didn’t have. Unbelievably, I passed with flying colors.

I don’t think it’s just because they’re a new school and desperate for people…

Come to think of it, while the ‘Academy’ (Gakuen) and the ‘Girls’ Academy’ (Gakuin) are said to have a friendly rivalry, I’ve also heard rumors that they actually hate each other.

I don’t know if that’s true, but I hear they really go all out during the annual competition, so there’s no doubt they’re rivals.

As a student of the ‘Girls’ Academy,’ I’ll have to work hard, too. And someday, I’ll get my revenge on the ‘Academy.’ I’ll show them the big one that got away!

Their first exam is a marathon and weightlifting. Aren’t the ‘Academy’ students just a bunch of muscle-heads? Most normal girls could never get in. Besides, if I had just used my body enhancement magic…

“Excuse me, you. You’re in the way just standing there. Would you kindly move aside?”

“Huh?”

The harsh words came from behind me, right as I was muttering insults about the ‘Academy.’

I turned around to see a blond-haired young lady pulling a large suitcase. She was at least a full head taller than me. Granted, I’m short, so it’s hard to tell, but she looked to be about my age. Judging by the suitcase, she’s probably a new student, just like me.

She had straight blond hair, and her sharp blue eyes held a strong-willed light. And the most noticeable thing about her was her long ears.

She was an elf.

Elves themselves aren’t that rare to me. Her Majesty the Queen of my homeland, The Kingdom of Elfrau, is an elf, so there were many elves living in the royal capital. I even saw a few on my way here.

What did catch my attention was a rumor I’d heard back when I left my hometown of Alente for the capital to board the magic train.

The rumor was: ‘A noble lady from Elfrau is supposedly enrolling in the academy this year.’ And the girl in front of me was wearing fine clothes that made her look exactly like a noble.

Could this girl be…

“Hello. Are you listening?”

“Oh, yes! I’m listening. Um, are you a new student, by any chance?”

“I am… Ah, so you are a new student as well, I see.”

“Yes! I’m Nero Silhoueska, from Elfrau!”

The instant I introduced myself, the young lady’s brow furrowed. Huh? What’s with that reaction…?

“Hmph… To think that my classmate from Elfrau is such a country bumpkin… This does not bode well for the future.”

“…Huh?”

“My name is Lirisha Millian. Like you, I am from The Kingdom of Elfrau, a member of the Ducal House of Millian. I trust you will at least endeavor not to bring shame upon the Elfrau name. Now, good day.”

The young lady named Lirisha strutted right past me while I stood there, dumbstruck.

By the time I snapped out of it, she was already gone.

Ugh! What is with her attitude!

Dammit, I should have said something back. I’ll have you know, social status doesn’t matter at this academy! Nobles and commoners are all just students here! It even says so in the school rules!

Tch, to think that stuck-up snob is one of my classmates. I’m so unlucky!

I mean, there are only five students from my country in our entire grade.

We’re going to have to see each other all the time during our academy life, whether I like it or not. On top of that, we’ll be living in the same dorm.

I feel like I won’t make it if I don’t find some way to deal with her. Should I force myself to be friendly, keep things strictly professional, or just treat her as an enemy?

Making an enemy of a noble from my own country could be really bad later on. Social standing might not matter inside the academy, but that won’t be the case after we graduate.

It’ll be fine if I’m chosen as a pilot for the Mecha Great War: Ragnarok, but if I’m not, I won’t be able to defy the power of the aristocracy.

Well, once I graduate, there’s always the option of going to serve another country as a Trooper… But in that case, my whole family would have to emigrate with me so nothing bad happens to them.

Ugh, I’m already depressed, and it’s only the first day. Please, God, let the other three students from my country be normal…