The Former Swordmaster Who Pretends to Be the Worst, and the School’s Top-Ranked Chairman’s Daughter Who’s Way Too Sweet in Public, It’s a Real Problem
“I’ve been practicing swordsmanship since I was a kid, you know. I’m not going to lose that easily.”
Even in modern Japan, dueling is still strictly punished.
However, as social conditions have shifted, public perception seems to have gradually changed. After all, magic has emerged, and it’s a world where everyone carries weapons. The reality is that it’s simply impossible to enforce the law completely.
Or perhaps the changing times were influencing the government’s perspective as well.
Still, to avoid trouble, I tell Edward.
“Just to be clear, this isn’t a duel—it’s training, okay?”
“You won’t be popular if you sweat the small stuff, Aragaki. Besides, ‘if no one finds out, it’s not a crime’—that’s surely a universal truth!”
“I have to disagree with that, though…”
Ignoring my concern—or rather, my worry—
the red-haired boy stood with his chest puffed out in his usual manner and spoke those words. His mindset was so utterly brainless that I couldn’t help but sigh in exasperation.
However, strangely enough, there was no trace of malice in him, so perhaps he was fundamentally an honest person.
Though, admittedly, he was straightforward in a rather peculiar way—
“Alright then, are you ready?”
“—Yeah, from anywhere.”
Just as I was thinking that, Edward seemed to have finished his preparations.
I gave a brief reply to his question and held my wooden sword at a diagonal.
Then, staring straight ahead at my opponent, who was also ready with his weapon—
“Here I come, Aragaki Saito…!!”
At that signal.
Edward simply swung his sword straight toward me. In response, I quietly lowered my center of gravity, as if gauging the timing—
“————!!”
The red-haired boy’s downward swing from high above.
I thrust my wooden sword in to block its path, dodging by shifting my body to the side. Edward’s sword, its aim thrown off, struck the ground with a heavy thud.
Thinking I had to act now, I leaped backward to create some distance.
And then,
“Huh…?”
I couldn’t help but let out a gasp—a sound too soft for him to hear.
Though surprised that I’d dodged his attack, Edward readjusted his sword and charged at me once more. Waiting for his reckless charge, I—
“You’re still too naive.”
Anticipating his next strike, I muttered those words.
◆
“Damn it…! Why do I have to face a loser like this?!”
“Are you satisfied now?”
—It didn’t take long to settle the match.
Edward’s swordplay was too predictable and straightforward; there was nothing intimidating about it. I parried his attacks and struck with my wooden sword at the right moments.
And finally, with a light tap to his wrist, I knocked the weapon out of his hand.
“I-it’s not over… not yet!?”
“That’s not something you should be saying while gasping for air like that.”
“Guh…!”
While I shrugged my shoulders, Edward was sweating profusely.
When I pointed this out to him—as he tried to bare his fangs despite his clothes being soaked through—he finally seemed to realize the limits of his stamina. Biting his lip in deep frustration, Edward glared at me.
The fighting spirit hadn’t faded from that gaze.
No, or perhaps—
“But it’s not over yet! I’ll let you win today, but I’ll definitely beat you someday!!”
“——Huh?”
When I remained silent, he picked up the wooden sword at his feet and shouted.
And then,
“Get this: next time, I’m definitely not going to lose, okay!?”
Leaving those words behind, Edward turned his back on me.
I called out to him as he walked away.
“Yeah, I’m looking forward to it.”
“…………Hmph!”
The red-haired boy snorted in annoyance and hurried off.
After watching him until he was out of sight, I said,
“Sorry, Rika. It looks like he just won’t give up yet.”
“It’s okay, Saito-kun. More importantly—”
I offered that apology to Rika, who was walking toward me.
But my childhood friend shook her head from side to side and asked,
“Did you… actually enjoy that, Saito-kun…?”
She peered at my face, looking somewhat pleased.
I scratched my cheek at her observation and replied with an involuntary laugh.
“Oh man… You noticed, did you?”
“Yeah! It’s the first time I’ve ever seen you swing a sword with such joy, Saito-kun!”
“…I guess I really can’t lie to Rika.”
“Hehehe…!”
When I raised my hands in surrender, Rika smiled brightly.
Then, glancing toward where Edward had been standing, she said,
“…So, how was it?”
“Hmm… well…”
That was surely a question about the red-haired boy’s skill.
I remained silent for a moment, thinking before speaking.
Then, with conviction, I spoke.
“Honestly, it’s still rough around the edges. But he was way faster than I ever imagined.”
—Edward’s swordplay still had a lot of wasted motion.
Even so, his unhesitating strikes carried weight, and I could sense a sharpness to them. A fighting spirit, or perhaps a competitive streak—that’s probably the right way to put it.
That was undoubtedly a quality unique to him, one I didn’t possess.
So right now, there’s one thing I can say for certain.
“Edward definitely has a talent for swordsmanship.”
Unlike me, who was ordinary, that boy had a shining potential.
Because I sensed that, I couldn’t help but feel overjoyed. I couldn’t help but imagine what would happen if Edward were to seriously hone his swordsmanship…
“Even so, you’re still the strongest, Saito-kun! ”
“Hahaha, thanks.”
I wonder what kind of expression I had on my face as I said that.
Rika laughed like an innocent child and took my hand, which was holding the wooden sword. Feeling the warmth enveloped by the small palms of my childhood friend, my heart grew warm too.
And naturally, I expressed my gratitude while stroking her head.
“Ehehe…”
Rika squinted her eyes, looking as though she was enjoying the sensation.
Seeing her like that, I found myself thinking once again.
That I wanted to “protect the peace I have with her”—
At the same time, though, I also thought that a showdown with Edward wouldn’t be so bad.
Holding onto that slight contradiction, I felt my heart racing in a way it rarely did.
Maiban