Chapter 428

[Well then, Yuna-san. Can you grant me my request?] Marcus

[Fine, but are we going to have a match as is?] Yuna

Marcus is wearing ordinary civilian clothes. It’s not safe to have a match like this.

I don’t intend to attack him seriously, but depending on how unexpected Marcus’ moves are, I might hit him hard. So, even if it’s just for practice, it’s better to have protective gear.

[I’ve got my armor. I’m just going to go change.] Marcus

Marcus went to change clothes.

[What about Shia?] Yuna

[I don’t have it today, so I guess I’ll just go as I am. I didn’t have protective gear when I had my first match with Yuna-san after all.] Shia

Indeed, she didn’t have protective gear at that time because I suddenly had to fight with Shia. However, there is a difference in the level of danger between having no protective gear and having it.

When Shia declares to do so without armor, Tilia comes over.

[Don’t worry, Shia. I knew you didn’t have your armor with you, so I brought you mine.] Tilia

Tilia pulled out some kind of girl’s armor from her item bag.

[Tilia-sama, are you sure?] Shia

[In return, I’m going to enjoy your match with Yuna.] Tilia

[……I’m borrowing this then.] Shia

Shia thought for a moment, then picked up the armor and went to the changing room.

=====

[Bear-san, what are you doing?] Flora

As we were talking, Flora-sama, who was holding onto my bear suit, asked me about it. I placed the bear puppet on top of her head and explain.

[Just a little game, I think? It won’t take long, so Flora-sama can wait with Swaying Bear and Hugging Bear.] Yuna

I summoned the normal-sized Swaying Bear and Hugging Bear.

[Swaying Bear-chan! Hugging Bear-chan!] Flora

Flora tried to run to the bears happily, but Tilia hugged Swaying Bear before she could.

[It’s not fair, Onēshama.] Flora (TN: Oneesama – Elder sister)

And then, Flora-sama hugged Hugging Bear.

[Just stay here and be quiet.] Yuna

I lifted Flora-sama’s body and placed her on Kumakyu’s back.

Tilia is riding on the back of Swaying Bear by climbing by herself.

[Yuna, can I ride around?] Tilia

[Okay, but don’t overdo it.] Yuna

[Alright, we’re going to run, Swaying Bear. Your master has given her permission.] Tilia

Swaying Bear looks at me as if to confirm.

[Run around for a little while. But don’t go too fast.] Yuna

Swaying Bear runs out of the training area.

[U~u, Onēshama, that’s not fair. Hugging Bear, me too.] Flora

Flora-sama sways her body back and forth on Hugging Bear.

[Hugging Bear, run slowly.] Yuna

Hugging Bear started running slowly with Flora-sama on board.

[So fast, so fast.] Flora

Flora-sama is enjoying herself on Hugging Bear.

Tilia comes from behind Flora-sama, riding Swaying Bear. Then, Swaying Bear and Hugging Bear run side by side, they’re going around with each other along the wall of the training ground.

[Swaying Bear. Faster.] Tilia

[Hugging Bear-chan, you too. Faster.] Flora

[Swaying Bear, Hugging Bear, don’t speed up!] Yuna

They tried to speed up, but I instructed Swaying Bear and Hugging Bear not to speed up.

Swaying Bear and Hugging Bear followed my instructions and didn’t increase their speed.

[Yuna ~] Tilia

[Why ~] Flora

The two complained amicably.

As expected, they are sisters. They look and act the same. I wonder if Flora-sama will be like Tilia when she grows up?

[Tilia and Flora-sama, if you’re too selfish, I’ll have to ask you to get down from the bears.] Yuna

I don’t think they’ll get hurt, but I don’t want Flora-sama to become a speed freak.

[U~u, that’s…] Tilia

[I’m so sorry.] Flora

They obeyed my words. Then they run around the training grounds at a moderate speed.

=====

As I watched Tilia and Flora-sama riding Swaying Bear and Hugging Bear, Marcus and Shia arrived, looking like they’re ready for the match.

[Yuna-san, what weapon should we use? Is a sword okay?] Marcus

[Marcus, Shia. What do you usually use?] Yuna

[We use regular practice swords.] Shia

She’s holding a sword that seems to be blunt.

[I brought Yuna-san’s sword, as well.] Shia

I received the sword that Shia was holding.

I don’t mind whether it’s a real sword or not. Since it’s a long-awaited match, I’ll go along with what the two of them want.

[Then, Marcus and Shia, I’ll give you a match with the weapon of your choice.] Yuna

[……?] Marcus

[What do you mean by that?] Shia

[If you want a sword match, then I’ll use a sword. If you want a knife match, I’ll take out my knives. If you want a spear match, I’ll go get a spear. And if you don’t want to use a weapon, I’ll play with you with my hands.] Yuna

[Yuna-san, are you that good with weapons?] Marcus

[Not everything. Just the weapons anyone can generally use.] Yuna

In fact, I’ve never used a mace or any kind of hammer-type weapon, though I’m sure

I’d smash those if I did.

[But isn’t it ridiculous to be weaponless?] Marcus

[As long as you don’t get hit, you’ll be fine, and if you want to see how it’s done, the gloves will suffice.] Yuna

I made the bear puppet crunch.

Well, it’s thanks to the bear equipment that I can do such tricks.

[I’d rather not go against someone without a weapon, so please use a sword.] Marcus

Marcus wants a sword match, so I’ll use a sword as a weapon and deal with him.

I grabbed my practice sword and distanced myself from Marcus.

Shia has moved away. Tilia and Flora-sama have stopped moving and are now watching us.

=====

Just as the match was about to begin, I heard a voice in the training hall that was not supposed to be there.

[What? Are you going to start the match now?] King

[Ara, Marcus, and Shia are having a match against Yuna-chan.] Eleanora

When I looked in the direction of the voice, I saw the King and Eleanora-san walking towards us.

When Marcus and Shia saw them, they looked at each other in surprise.

[Father.] Tilia

[Otōshama.] Flora

Tilia on Swaying Bear and Flora-sama on Hugging Bear are on their way to His Majesty the King.

If people who don’t know anything about Swaying Bear and Hugging Bear see this, it may look like a scene where a couple of bears are about to attack the King.

Well, that didn’t actually happen, rather, Swaying Bear and Hugging Bear stopped in front of the king.

[Father, Eleanora, why are you here?] Tilia

Tilia asks them what everyone in the room is thinking.

Well, I have some idea. I remember seeing the gate guards running. But I can’t see the queen.

[I was informed that Yuna had arrived and went to Flora’s room. So I went to the room. But when I got there, neither Flora nor Yuna was there. I asked Anju, who was still in the room, and she said that Flora and Tilia had gone to the training grounds.] King

[Same here.] Eleanora

I kept thinking about this, but are they really doing their job properly?

Well, the crown prince and his men will do their best, won’t they?

[Why would His Majesty the King come to see Yuna-san?] Marcus

[I don’t know.] Shia

Marcus and Shia are talking in low voices, but they’re speaking so close to me that I can hear them.

[So, are you going to have a match?] King

[Yeah, with these two.] Yuna

I looked at Marcus and Shia.

[I’m Marcus.]

[I’m Shia.]

The two of them nervously said their names.

[Shia was Eleanora’s daughter, wasn’t she?] King

[Just like me, she’s cute, isn’t she?] Eleanora

[……] King

The King goes through Eleanora-san’s words. If he admits that Shia is cute, he is indirectly saying that Eleanora-san is cute as well. But he can’t lie and say that Shia is not cute. He has such a conflicting expression on his face.

But the King seems to know about Shia because of what happened last time. He doesn’t seem to know about Marcus.

Marcus’ father is a knight and a captain at that, isn’t he?

[We’ll be watching the match, so good luck to both of you.] Eleanora

Eleanora-san said and moved to the wall with the king. Swaying Bear and Hugging Bear, with Tilia and Flora-san on board, also move to the side of the wall.

[Does this means we’re going to have a match in front of His Majesty the King?] Marcus

[Looks like it.] Shia

Marcus and Shia looked troubled.

I know how you feel.

In a company, it would be like the president coming to see a new employee at work.

I can’t ask the King not to watch, so I’ll just start the match with Marcus.

=====

[Well then, you can start anytime.] Yuna

As I said that, Marcus tightened his grip on his sword and stepped in. I parried Marcus’ sword. Marcus lost his balance, but he quickly adjusted his stance, and with a swipe, he swung the sword once more. I blocked it with my sword.

Marcus launches strike after strike, but I try not to attack too much.

[It’s not working.] Marcus

After playing with Marcus for a while, he gradually started to get out of breath.

He looks very tired after swinging his sword so many times. You can’t keep swinging your sword over and over again.

The more the swords clash with each other, the more you’ll lose your grip.

It’s like holding a hard stick and hitting a hard object with all one’s might.

Thanks to my bear puppet, My hands don’t get numb and I don’t lose my grip.

If it weren’t for the bear puppet, I’m sure my sword would have flown and bounced off the ground after just one strike.

[Damn it, Yuna-san. You’re too strong.] Marcus

Marcus drops to his knees.

[Boy, is that all you got?] King

The King speaks to Marcus.

[No, not yet. I can still do it.] Marcus

Marcus was out of breath, but he couldn’t say he’s giving up in front of the king. He stood up.

Then, until Marcus collapsed, I fought with only a knife and gave him a handicap, so I did not move within a 1m radius.

As expected, he refused when I tried to fight him unarmed.

Marcus had reached his limit and fell to the ground, and the first body(corpse) had rolled to the ground.

Now that the first opponent, Marcus, was finished, it was Shia’s turn next.

[Aren’t you tired, Yuna-san?] Shia

Shia asked when she saw Marcus lying on his back. Marcus was like a fish gasping for air, .

Oh, Marcus seems to be alive.

[I’m fine. We can start right away.] Yuna

[You look like you’re having trouble moving right at the end.] Shia

Well, thanks to this hard-to-move-looking outfit, I can play with Marcus and Shia.

[So, what kind of match do you want to have, Shia?] Yuna

[Same as Marcus, please.] Shia

Shia readies her sword.

As it was an indoor training ground, we couldn’t use magic. Even if we could use it to some extent, it would be a disaster if we hit a wall and broke it, so magic is prohibited.

[Good luck, Shia.] Eleanora

Eleanora waved her hand and cheered for Shia.

[U~u, this is embarrassing.] Shia

I don’t know if it exists in this world, but for Shia, it’s like a parent visiting school day.

[Come on, Shia, show us something cool.] Tilia

Tilia also cheered for Shia.

Everyone thought of cheering for Shia, but Flora-sama cheered me on, saying,

I’m feeling a little more motivated.

Shia and I began our practice match.

She’s not as strong as Marcus, but she attacks with precision.

If she couldn’t defeat me by force, then maybe by pinpoint accuracy and speed.

I handled Shia’s attacks and blocked her sword. I let her attack as much as she wanted, and when there was an opening, I would lightly thrust my sword to show her that there was an opening.

Every time I do this, Shia looks either surprised or frustrated.

Then, a few clashes later, a second body rolled around the training grounds.

[I’m not dead yet!] Shia

The fallen Shia read my mind and responded.

She can read my mind, apparently.

[No, I can hear what you’re saying.] Shia

Shia replied in amazement.

Apparently, I was talking in a small voice.