The Tale of Gerald Vader, the Heretic Knight’s Rampage Through Another World
“Hey, hey, what’s your problem?!”
“Hey, shorty. Don’t you know this is Lucas?!”
The moment Lucas stood up, I was surrounded by his henchmen.
That was some quick work.
They stood on either side of me, glaring at me with all their might, their faces twisted into terrifying expressions.
I almost burst out laughing, but managed to hold it in.
The one on the left was short but stocky.
His name was… what was it again?
The one on the right was tall and lanky.
His name was… what was it again?
I think one of these guys was related to Senpai Dan, but which one?
Either way, their expressions and mannerisms just scream “small-time thugs.”
Technically, since they’re knights too, they must have been granted some kind of “blessing”…
I wonder what it’s like. I’m curious.
“Hey, you two, hold on a sec.”
Then, as if pushing aside the two henchmen on either side, a man as solid as a wall loomed right in front of me.
It was none other than Lucas Matador.
Wow… seeing him up close, he’s quite imposing.
He’s about two heads taller than me.
His shoulders are at least twice as wide as mine.
His chest is twice as thick, too.
As for the thickness of his arms… they’re about as thick as Twina’s waist.
She’s not here today, but I’m pretty sure that’s about right.
He could probably lift someone my size with just one arm.
“…………”
Lucas shoved his hands into his pants pockets and slowly hunched over.
Our eyes met.
Needless to say, his gaze was sharp.
He looked just like a bull facing a matador.
Suddenly, I recalled a martial arts video from my past life.
The ritual where two burly fighters stare each other down before a match to heighten their fighting spirit (though some might call it a performance for the cameras).
It’s what they call a “face-to-face” or a “face-off.”
On top of that, the two henchmen on either side were glaring at me with bloodshot eyes.
It felt as if I were facing a three-headed Cerberus—one head a Chihuahua, one a Pit Bull, and the other a Chihuahua.
“You’re Gerald from the Vader family, right?”
After a brief standoff.
Lucas finally spoke in a low voice.
“Yeah, that’s right. Nice to meet you.”
“…………”
He ignored my outstretched right hand, offered with a cheerful smile.
But that didn’t last long.
“……Perfect timing. I wanted to talk to you, too.”
Lucas briefly looked away, then sat up straight again.
Then he jerked his chin, gesturing toward the exit of the cafeteria.
“There are too many people around here. …Let’s move somewhere else.”
“Wait, Lucas!?”
“Lucas-san, dealing with a little runt like this is something we should—”
“—Huh?”
Lucas turned around.
Radiating anger, he glared at his entourage.
“…You guys stay right here. …Or are you planning to interfere with what I’m about to do?”
“‘Huh!?’”
Overwhelmed by Lucas’s intimidating presence, the two men stumbled backward and froze in place.
Oh, what an overwhelming sense of intimidation.
They were so terrified it was almost pitiful, standing rooted to the spot.
“…Tsk.”
Lucas looked down at them coldly and let out a soft click of his tongue.
Was it just my imagination, or did he look a little disappointed?
“At this time of day, the swordsmanship dojo should be open. That’ll do, right?”
“Yeah, of course.”
I nodded vigorously at what was a surprisingly “savvy” choice.
To tell the truth, I’d been planning to take Lucas there myself.
With opponents like these, you first need to demonstrate your own strength in order to discuss things on equal footing.
Fist against fist.
Or sword against sword.
After all, there’s no place more fitting than the fencing dojo at this knight academy for a conversation between men.
◇
The interior of the fencing dojo, bathed in the setting sun, was completely empty.
There wasn’t a soul to be seen, either inside the dojo or in the shed next to the building.
The reason was simple.
Instructor Lionel, who manages the dojo, is a slacker; once class ends, he’s usually out somewhere.
He’s probably out in town having a drink.
…Well, that’s just my own speculation.
That said, it doesn’t mean I can just use the dojo without permission and leave it a mess.
There’s a notebook at the entrance to the building, and the rule is to write your name in it when using the dojo, so I follow that.
Or rather, when I stepped into the dojo, Lucas was signing the log.
Surprisingly, this guy seems to be the dutiful—or rather, meticulous—type.
“…With this, there’s nothing to get in the way. We can talk to our hearts’ content.”
After signing the log, he walked to the center of the dojo and looked around.
Why does he seem a little nervous, or is it just my imagination?
Or rather, is he planning to fight with his bare hands?
Of course, since we can’t exactly kill each other as classmates, I’m not planning to use “Protection”…
That said, no matter how confident he is in his physical strength, he’s definitely underestimating me.
Physical enhancement through magic reduces the difference in our physiques to virtually zero.
“Hey, shouldn’t you at least carry a wooden sword?”
I’m already holding a wooden sword—the familiar short-sword type.
At the range between a sword and a fist, the former obviously has an overwhelming advantage.
Lucas can’t be that stupid—he must know that much.
But when he turned back to face me, he said this with a serious expression.
“I know you came here to pick a fight with us. But… could you at least hear me out first?”
“…O-okay.”
Given the sudden shift from his earlier cocky attitude to this strangely tense, serious expression, I had no choice but to nod.
Lucas straightened his posture and, standing perfectly still, bowed his head deeply.
“Gerald. I have… a favor to ask of you.”
“…What kind of favor?”
Seriously, what is this?
Holding the wooden sword—which had become nothing more than dead weight—in my hand, I asked him to repeat himself.
Lucas looked up and, still wearing that serious expression, spoke solemnly.
“You… are popular with the ladies, aren’t you?”
“…Huh?”
For a split second, I braced myself, wondering if he was planning to harm Twina or Nora, but his demeanor remained utterly serious.
“No, I know that without you having to say it. It’s only natural, since you’re always getting along so well with such beautiful women.”
“Uh, uh-huh.”
His body, which had seemed so imposing just a moment ago, now looked completely deflated.
Lucas continued.
“But… you know this too, right? Just because they’re fiancés or betrothed doesn’t mean they’re all getting along so well.”
“…………Well, I guess so.”
I understood what he was getting at.
Even within the academy, I’d seen couples who seemed to be in that kind of relationship, but sadly, I often witnessed situations where I thought they were probably just interacting out of a sense of duty toward each other…
After all, those relationships were arranged by their respective “houses.”
It’s not a matter of free love.
But in this kingdom, that’s just the norm when it comes to romantic relationships between nobles and knights.
So I could understand his situation, at least to some extent.
That said, what does any of this have to do with me?
“If you want to beat me up, go ahead. Do whatever you want. But in return, will you do me a favor?”
Lucas’s expression turned resolute.
Then, slowly but clearly, he said:
“Could you… um, in your own way… teach me the secret to being popular with women?”
“……………………Huh?”
—Clang.
The wooden sword fell from my hand, making a dry thud on the floor.