Project GB is an official initiative by Re:Library.

「That reminds me, Miss Ailneige, you previously said that you would be the party vanguard, but was that alright?」
「In terms of swordsmanship, I can’t say for sure if I’m sufficiently combat ready, but as for sorcery, I’m capable enough to be a qualified hunter. As a solo E-rank hunter, my barrier can defend against goblin attacks without as much as a scratch.」

『If there’s something that can break through Ain’s barrier, we’d be in big trouble.』
『But before that, the land around us would apparently be in bigger trouble. However, there may be ways of overcoming my barrier without needing to break it, so I’m not letting my guard down.』
『Yes, I’m always counting on you.』

Putting aside my barrier’s durability for now, my barrier should be able to make it look like we’re capable of close-quarters combat against monsters. Rather, Ciel could probably do it on her own. The problem is that her attacks are light, so it’ll completely devolve into a battle of attrition, but Ciel should be able to avoid all attacks, I think?
While my barriers are crazy, I feel like Ciel when she focuses on dodging is basically on the same level of crazy. If you want to hit Ciel when she has my support, the best option would likely be to deny her any space to evade with a wide-area attack. But with the force spread out, the impact will never breach my barrier, so it would be hell for the enemy.

Hard and difficult to hit. That sounds familiar.

「For reference, may I ask up until monsters of what rank are you able to handle?」
「I’d run if I bumped into a C-rank monster. While my barrier won’t break in one hit, it wouldn’t last for long either. With D-rank monsters, I’m fine even with a few of them. After all, even when I was surrounded by a pack of wolves in the past, I was able to return safely.」

If Princess Leshimiiya wasn’t the one asking this question, I probably wouldn’t have answered. Since the princess knows that Ailneige is Cielmer, she should know that my answer doesn’t actually mean anything, hence why I’m telling her. If I kept too many secrets in front of a royal, the people surrounding her might find it odd. I also think the princess posed this question with the understanding that it’s something that I might be willing to answer. For that reason, I’m intentionally playing along.

「It would be appreciated if you kept this a secret between us, Princess Leshimiiya.」
「Yes, of course. I am not so ignorant as to thoughtlessly mention the abilities of another nation’s hunter.」
「My bad.」

It’s a truly hollow conversation, but it’s probably necessary, so I’ll follow suit.
I’ve been using this as an opportunity to practice, after all, so this much isn’t any trouble.

「So how did your party members fare?」
「They still have much to work on. It was apparently their first time fighting a monster as well.」
「It must have been dreadful for them. I can still remember the fear I felt during my first confrontation with a monster despite having bodyguards by my side.」
「Me as well; during my first monster encounter, I was so scared that I couldn’t move.」
「You as well, Miss Ailneige?」
「It was several years back. It’s not as if I’ve been able to use barriers since I was born, you know?」

『Oh, is that so? Ain was already using a barrier as early as I can remember, I think.』
『Regarding that, it took nearly a year from your birth—or rather from the time I was sent to your side—until I was able to use barriers. Though back then, there was no way to keep track of time, so I don’t actually know the exact days it took.』
『Besides that, Ain didn’t need any sleep, right?』

While Ciel and I were chatting, Princess Leshimiiya had a slightly surprised expression. While she does know Ailneige’s true identity, what does she actually think we are?
We’re just about the same age—well, technically, I’m a year older than her. But honestly, her reaction is understandable. That reminds me… I wonder how many of our classmates actually know that I am—or rather, Ciel is—a year older than most of them. Come to think of it, there probably aren’t many who know Ciel’s real age in general. The Hunter Guild might know, but I don’t know how many currently have access to that information, and Mother Fii isn’t really the type to be concerned about age. Actually, Ciel herself doesn’t seem to care about her own age either.

「I genuinely thought that you were already proficient with sorcery in the far past, Miss Ailneige.」
「I’m still far from proficient even now, you know? I’m just a humble E-rank hunter. While bumping into a D-rank monster wouldn’t be a problem, whether I can defeat them is another story.」
「…Y-Yes, that’s true. But from our eyes, that’s already more than what the average is capable of.」
「In my case, I concentrated all my effort in a single specialization, you see. If the princess were to do the same, you may even surpass me with ease.」
「Is that so?」
「From what I saw during the entrance exam, you should have more magic power than I do… However, with your status, honing only a single skill may prove to be difficult.」

She surely has royal duties to attend to, and, honestly, there’s no need for her to go that far to master sorcery. After all, she’s the princess of a nation. While it would be better for her to be able to defend herself, it’s ultimately fine even if she’s completely incapable of self-defense. After all, she has guards to compensate for that.

「Forgive me for somewhat forcefully returning to the previous topic, but from your perspective, how was your party members’ performance? As citizens of Ausente, I want to keep informed about their competency.」