Girls und panzer: Carolus rex the emperor of steel

Due to the rules of Sensha-do, we had to leave the Strv-103 aside, so I took one of the Centurions lent to us by St. Gloriana. As for the PT-76s, which aren't from World War II, they will be used but with limitations. After discussing with the organizers, they agreed to let us use them under certain conditions.

For my part, I took another Centurion from St. Gloriana and gathered some girls who needed a commander to operate it.

Ingrid: "A pleasure to be in your crew."

Yrsa: "Yeah." —blowing a bubblegum bubble and putting her arms behind her head.

Ingrid has black hair and eyes, tied in a ponytail. She also comes from another wealthy Swedish family, and apparently, she gave the wrong shirt size because her chest looks like it wants to break free—the button on her shirt looks like Spider-Man in the train scene from the movie.

For a moment, I thought in Momo Yaoyorozu, even in terms of manners.

Meanwhile, Yrsa has way too many accessories on her uniform and looks like the typical gyaru from anime. She even left part of her shirt unbuttoned, though she opted for a pink ballistic vest instead of the standard color.

I shared this with the commanders of the previous squads.

Astrid: "Hah?! Then why the hell do we have them if we can't use them?!"

Erik: "Ah, that's because they're for a different type of tournament. There are professional teams that even use Cold War or modern tanks."

Gudrun: "Oh, you mean those that have M1 Abrams, Leopard 2A7s, T-90Us, or some Challenger tanks?"

Erik: "Yeah, those."

I learned about those teams from my mother. The fact that she still wears military uniforms seemed odd to me since she had already graduated from Sensha-do. However, it turns out she was part of the German modern tank combat division and commanded a Leopard. Though, due to her age, she retired recently and became a trainer and director of our academy.

In the future, we might be able to get more Strv 103s, acquire some Strv 122B+s, and several other modern armored vehicles. As I understood, there are also tournaments where both World War II and modern aircraft are used. In that regard, we are at a slight disadvantage since Sweden doesn't have as many aircraft as other countries.

Erik: "From what I understand, my mother wants us to participate in those tournaments one day, considering Sweden doesn't have many World War II tanks since it was neutral."

Astrid: "Ah, well, if that's the case, no problem." —she made a slight pout, easing her frustration.

After the conversation about the tournaments, Astrid still seemed upset, so I decided to do something to lighten her mood. I picked her up in a princess carry so she could relax a bit. She clung to my neck and nestled against my chest.

Freya looked at her with resentment, but Astrid ignored her and even flashed her middle finger in her face, while Gudrun stifled a chuckle at the scene.

Anyway, putting those topics aside, we prepared for the tournament by practicing formations and taking proper breaks. Every evening, we gathered to chat and play together at my mansion.

While everyone drank juice, I ended up opening my energy drink. Of course, at the end, I separated the trash for recycling.

We arrived at the meeting point, where I met all the commanders from different schools. The first team I encountered was Pravda, where Katyusha greeted me enthusiastically, climbing onto my shoulders.

Katyusha: "It's good to see you again, comrade!"

Erik: "Glad to see you again, Commander Katyusha."

At that moment, Darjeeling and Mika from St. Gloriana and Jatkosota also approached to greet us.

Darjeeling: "I see that the commander of Pravda has already claimed you." —she commented with an elegant smile, watching Katyusha comfortably settled on my shoulders.

Katyusha: "Of course! Erik is strong and worthy of carrying me. Haven't you tried it, Darjeeling?" —she said proudly, crossing her arms.

Darjeeling: —laughs softly— "I prefer to keep my feet firmly on the ground, but to each their own."

Erik: —sighs resignedly but maintains composure— "Glad to see you three. How have you been since the last time we met?"

Mika approached with her usual relaxed tone, holding her kantele.

Mika: "The wind has blown in interesting directions lately... but it seems to have guided us back here." —she played a few soft notes before smiling calmly— "Good to see you, Erik."

Erik: "Mika, always a pleasure. I see you still carry your instrument everywhere you go."

Mika: "There's never a moment when it isn't useful." —she commented, giving a small strum to her kantele's strings.

I have no complaints—I like the sound of her kantele. Though, it would be great to hear her play her signature Säkkijärven Polkka someday.

Katyusha: "Hey, you two! Don't try to claim Erik! He's already my honorary subordinate!" —she pointed at Darjeeling and Mika.

Darjeeling: "Oh, there's no need to rush. Fate and tea know how to wait." —she smiled serenely.

Mika: "And the wind is never a prisoner of anyone." —she added with an enigmatic air.

Erik: "Though sometimes, it blows in a favorable direction." —I said in a cheerful tone, imitating Mika's style.

Katyusha: "Because I've already decided you're part of Pravda! Right, Nonna?"

Nonna: —appearing behind Katyusha with her calm expression— "If you say so, Katyusha."

Darjeeling: "This will be an interesting tournament." —she elegantly took a cup of tea offered by one of her teammates— "And I'd like to see how Carolus Rex performs on the battlefield."

Mika: "Maybe the wind will lead us to fight side by side… or in opposite directions."

Erik: "Whatever fate decides, Carolus Rex will be ready." —with a confident smile.

The meeting continued with more exchanges between commanders, while other academies started noticing Erik and his team, wondering how strong this new competitor might be in the tournament.

Meanwhile, in the background, Maho and Miho spotted Erik, realizing he was surrounded by the academies of St. Gloriana, Jatkosota, and Pravda. Regardless, they decided to approach as well.

Miho walked up and hugged me, burying her face in my chest. That nearly made Katyusha fall, but I held onto her legs while Nonna helped keep her balanced, so thankfully, she didn't fall.

Katyusha gently kicked my shoulder.

Katyusha: "Hey, that's not fair! I was here first!"

Miho, still with her face buried in my chest, muttered without lifting her head.

Miho: "I don't care."

Nonna, in her usual unshaken tone, adjusted her grip on Katyusha to keep her from falling.

Nonna: "Commander, you should reconsider your occupation tactics."

But Miho ignored her and continued hugging me, so I returned the hug while watching Maho approach.

Maho: "So you transferred from Kuromorimine to another academy as well."

Erik: "Yes, since Kuromorimine's tactics go against my own." —I said honestly.

Maho crossed her arms, observing Erik with her serious expression.

Maho: "Not surprising. You always strayed from Kuromorimine's doctrine."

Erik: —sighs— "Yeah… and I know Aunt Shiho will be angry." —lowers his head with a bit of regret while continuing to gently pat Miho and holding Katyusha—Miho murmurs against my chest, clinging tightly.

Miho: "It doesn't matter… I'm just glad you're here."

Erik: "I missed you too, Miho." —gently stroking her back to comfort her—

In the background, I see the girls from Ōarai watching my interaction with Miho with curiosity. They are the same girls from the canon: Saori, Hana, Mako, and Yukari, as well as the student council members… Yukari and Momo look so cute, though I also find it funny how Yukari excitedly points at our tanks, seemingly explaining to her teammates the types of tanks we have.

Katyusha, still on my shoulders, clicks her tongue and crosses her arms in annoyance.

Katyusha: "Hmph! Miho, get off him! You can't just claim him like that!"

Nonna, without saying a word, keeps a firm hold on Katyusha to prevent her from losing balance.

Nonna: "Katyusha, it would be problematic if you fell now." —with her usual calm expression—

Katyusha: —glancing sideways at Nonna— "Tch, I know…."

Maho observes the scene with a slightly raised eyebrow and sighs.

Maho: "I see you've surrounded yourself with interesting commanders."

Darjeeling: —taking a sip of her tea with her characteristic elegant smile— "Oh, without a doubt. It seems his charisma is a natural magnet for attracting the attention of many academies."

Mika: "The wind blows strongly around him… perhaps it is marking a special destiny for him." —plucks a few notes on her kantele—

Katyusha and Miho cling to me even tighter in response, while Darjeeling, Mika, and Maho observe with varied expressions: amusement, serenity, and indifference, respectively.

Maho: "By the way, how did you manage to enter this tournament? Since it's national."

Erik: "Ah—" still hugging and pampering Miho "That's because we received an invitation letter since we had previously fought against St. Gloriana, Jatkosota, and Pravda."

Maho: "How did you manage that?"

Darjeeling: "We recommended him for the tournament, and the committee accepted since three of us commanders requested it." —taking another sip of tea—

And yes, my mother was the one who received the letter and praised me for being able to establish friendly relations with three academies at once.

As all this unfolds, some other commanders from different academies begin to notice the commotion around Erik and his team. For many, Carolus Rex remains a mystery, but seeing his interaction with Pravda, St. Gloriana, Jatkosota, and now Kuromorimine and Ōarai, curiosity about the new team starts to grow.

I also think it has something to do with the fact that I am the only male participating in a Sensha-dō tournament.

The murmurs among the different academies began to grow. For most commanders, Carolus Rex was still an enigma, but now they were not only seeing its leader in person but also noticing something even more striking—Erik was the only male in a Sensha-dō tournament, something that completely broke the established norm.

Kay: "Hey, am I seeing this right? A guy in Sensha-dō? That's a real rarity."

Naomi: "More than a rarity, this has never happened before. Is it some kind of special exception?" —crossing her arms in disbelief—

Alisa: "How is this even allowed? Sensha-dō is a sport for girls… right?" —eyeing him suspiciously—

While Saunders debated the situation, over at the Chi-Ha-Tan delegation, their leader, Kinuyo Nishi, watched with a mix of astonishment and nervousness.

Kinuyo Nishi: —whispering to her subordinates— "It's a man! In Sensha-dō! This is just like those samurai stories where someone defies tradition!"

Rest of Chi-Ha-Tan: —murmuring among themselves—

"Is he a foreign warrior?"

"He looks strong…"

"But he's surrounded by important commanders!"

From the Anzio delegation, Anchovy observed with interest while munching on a cookie.

Anchovy: "Hmm… I've never seen anything like this before. How the hell did he get into Sensha-dō?" —narrowing her eyes—

Pepperoni: "Maybe he's a noble who bought his way in!" —laughing—

Carpaccio: "I don't think so… he seems to have connections with St. Gloriana, Pravda, and Jatkosota. That's not something money can buy." —smiling softly—

On the other side, the representatives of B.C. Freedom also took notice.

Marie, with her relaxed attitude, watched with a smile of interest while savoring a macaron.

Marie: "Oh~ and who is that mysterious gentleman among so many ladies?" —her voice melodious—

Andou: "And why is he getting so much attention? We don't even know how Carolus Rex fights." —crossing her arms with annoyance—

Oshida: "But if he's here, it means his team had enough merit to be invited. Let's not underestimate him."

From the Kuromorimine delegation, Schwarz and Erika Itsumi observed the scene with different reactions.

Schwarz: "…That's the son of Commander Lindsworm."

Erika Itsumi: "Hmph… look at how he surrounds himself with women. And the worst part is that even Commander Maho is with him too." —wearing a look of irritation—

The murmurs kept growing, and I couldn't help but feel all the eyes on me. Not only was I the center of attention due to my closeness with some of the most well-known commanders, but also because I was a man in Sensha-dō, something that completely broke the norm.

I feel a bit uncomfortable with so many eyes on me, but at the same time, I'm happy—it feels nice to have the interest of such iconic characters from the anime.

I let out a silent sigh.

Suddenly, Katyusha noticed the curious stares and smiled arrogantly.

Katyusha: "Listen up, everyone! Erik is already part of Pravda, so don't even think about stealing him! He's my honorary subordinate!" —puffing out her chest with pride—

Some commanders raised an eyebrow.

Kay: "Ha! Honorary subordinate? That doesn't sound very official."

Anchovy: "And why only Pravda? Maybe he should be part of Anzio."

Kinuyo Nishi: "Being a foreign warrior, he should join Chi-Ha-Tan and learn the spirit of Bushidō!" —raising her hand—

Marie: "Oh~ how interesting. Maybe B.C. Freedom should try recruiting him too." —grinning mischievously—

The atmosphere was becoming more competitive, and Erik could feel the situation was about to get out of control.

But from the other schools, I can still feel their curious gazes, though their commanders prefer to keep their distance.

Here, I see academies that don't appear much in the anime or movies, such as Blue Division, Waffle, Koala, Maginot, and others.

I must say, the Blue Division uniform is… interesting.

Then I turn to see Miho, who had already wiped her tears away with a handkerchief.

Erik: "Miho, your teammates are waiting for you." —gesturing toward her academy—

Miho blinked a few times before turning toward her teammates from Ōarai, who were watching with a mix of curiosity and confusion. Some murmured among themselves, while others, like Saori, Hana, and Yukari, looked on with interest.

Saori: —crossing her arms with a playful smile— "Eh? So Miho-chan has such a handsome acquaintance?"

Hana: "Not just that, she seems to have a close relationship with him."

Yukari: "Ah! I've seen him before! It's Erik Lindsworm, the leader of Carolus Rex. A man participating in Sensha-dō! This is historic!" —her eyes sparkling with excitement.

Hearing this, several of the Ōarai girls widened their eyes in surprise. Mako, who had been watching with indifference until now, raised an eyebrow with interest.

Mako: "Well… so he's not just some nobody." —in her usual drowsy tone.

Miho clutched her handkerchief between her fingers and nodded slightly before turning to Erik with a shy smile.

Miho: "Yes… you're right. I can't keep them waiting any longer." —with a sweet voice.

Before leaving, however, she hesitated for a moment and then gently took Erik's hand, giving it a soft squeeze as if she didn't want to let go so soon. Maho, who had been silently observing the scene, noticed this and sighed with a slight smile before crossing her arms.

Maho: "Go back to your teammates, Miho. There will be time to catch up with Erik later."

Miho finally nodded and reluctantly let go, running back to Ōarai, where her friends welcomed her with questions and knowing smiles.

Meanwhile, the atmosphere in the area grew more intense. Most of the commanders were already aware of Erik, and the fact that he was surrounded by some of the tournament's most influential figures made things even more intriguing.

At that moment, Kay decided to step forward with her usual energy, approaching with a confident smile.

Kay: "Hey, hey! Don't be selfish! We also want to meet the famous commander of Carolus Rex." —grinning widely.

Kay's comment caught the attention of the other academies, and before Erik could respond, more commanders began to approach as well.

Anchovy: "That's right. What makes Carolus Rex so special?" —placing her hands on her hips.

Erik: "You'll see soon enough!"

Kinuyo Nishi: "A warrior who challenges tradition must prove his worth! Is it true that your academy specializes in ambush tactics?" —with enthusiasm.

Erik: "I'd say we're versatile and adaptable, but yes, that would be our main approach."

Marie: "Hmm… how interesting. Perhaps we should see firsthand how good you really are, Erik." —with a playful smile.

Suddenly, Erik found himself at the center of attention from almost all the commanders. Katyusha, still on his shoulders, frowned and looked around in irritation.

Katyusha: "Hey, hey! Stop trying to steal my subordinate!" —puffing her cheeks.

Darjeeling: "Fufu~ It seems Erik has caught all of our attention." —elegantly sipping her tea.

Mika: "The wind has shifted… this is going to get interesting." —strumming a few notes on her kantele.

With a resigned expression and an ironic smile, Erik sighed as he looked at the other commanders.

Erik: "I didn't think a simple greeting would cause such a commotion." —with a calm tone.

After that interaction, we headed to the team registration to report our presence and receive the match draw.

Announcer: "Carolus Rex vs Viking Fisheries."

Oh, Nordic versus Nordic, an interesting matchup.

Then, the announcer proceeded to reveal the rest of the matchups according to the canon I know, though I'm not sure how much the timeline has changed. In the end, I don't really care.

Erik: "Alright, team. Our first opponents are our Nordic neighbors to the west, who use tactics similar to ours. Don't hold back just because they're a sister academy—give it your all and show our elder sisters our strength!"

Carolus Rex: "Yes!"

And with that motivation, we set out to face Viking Fisheries.