Chapter 72: Yuri vs. The Strongest of the Year
“Next match… Department of Knights’ Lübesse. Magic Department’s Yuri Cattleya! Step forward!”
Oddman announced the next matchup, his voice tinged with a hint of tension. Stepping forward with a wooden sword in hand was Yuri, one of the few female students present and a classmate of his.
On the other side stood her opponent, a man with dull gray hair tied back. Unlike most students in the Department of Knights who sported short hair, his long bangs fell over his eyes.
“Lübesse… Could it be Wilhelm Lübesse?!”
“Do you know him, Ruid?”
Ruid exclaimed suddenly, prompting Rest to ask. Ruid stared wide-eyed at Yuri’s opponent, explaining with a hint of awe.
“Yeah… He’s this year’s top candidate in the Department of Knights. He even gave a speech at the entrance ceremony, remember?”
“Now that you mention it… I do recall seeing him there.”
Thanks to the mud-throwing incident, that memory had slipped from his mind, but now he could picture him standing on the stage.
“Rumor has it that Lübesse defeated a current knight who was supervising the practical test during the entrance exam. He may look scruffy with his long hair, but there’s no doubt he’s the strongest in the Department of Knights this year.”
“To think someone like him is Yuri’s opponent… He must be determined to take her down at all costs…”
From their earlier conversation, it was clear that Oddman, a faculty member of the Department of Knights, had received some sort of instruction and was intent on not letting Yuri wield her sword. It seemed he planned to defeat her and keep her from participating in the Swordsmanship class this semester.
(Be careful… Yuri!)
As Rest silently prayed for his friend’s victory, Yuri faced her opponent with a cheerful demeanor.
“Well, this is exciting! I never thought I’d get to spar with the top candidate from the Department of Knights!”
“………”
“I haven’t had the chance to properly learn swordsmanship due to my father’s strict education policies. I hope you’ll lend me your chest for this match!”
“Lend you my… chest?”
“Yes. I have no complaints about that. I look forward to it.”
“………”
Yuri spoke in her usual carefree tone, but her opponent, Lübesse, remained almost completely silent. With an unreadable expression, he stood there, not uttering a word.
“Then… let the match begin!”
“Yahh!”
The moment the match was announced, Yuri kicked off the ground and leaped forward. She raised her sword high, preparing to bring it down on her opponent with a powerful swing.
“No way…!”
Rest gasped in disbelief. Launching a wide attack against a superior opponent was a clear sign of a novice. In close combat, the usual strategy was to attack with smaller strikes while observing the opponent for openings before unleashing a powerful move.
“………”
Just as expected, Lübesse easily sidestepped Yuri’s attack. In the aftermath of her swing, he could have delivered a counterattack…
“………”
But he didn’t. Lübesse silently leaped backward, avoiding her strike.
“I won’t let you escape!”
Yuri pursued Lübesse as he retreated, her slender form moving with the grace of a young sweetfish leaping over a river, swinging her sword as she chased him down.
“Yah! Hah! Toh!”
“………”
“Come on, hit already!”
“………”
“Hey! Hey! I’ve got an opening!”
Despite her shouts, there was no opening to be found. Lübesse dodged her attacks with a lightness that suggested he could see the future, effortlessly evading her strikes.
“………?”
“H-Hey! Which one of them is winning!? Is Yuri at an advantage!?”
Ruid squinted in confusion, prompting Rest to clarify.
“Well… it’s clear that Yuri is the one attacking. But she’s not at an advantage at all. In fact, she could be hit at any moment.”
“What do you mean?”
“…I don’t understand. Why isn’t that Lübesse guy counterattacking?”
That had been a lingering question. Lübesse had ample opportunities to strike back at Yuri, yet he had let them all slip by. He would gaze at her through his bangs, then suddenly look away, only to glance back again… While he dodged Yuri’s attacks with ease, he had yet to swing his sword even once.
“Hey, what are you doing! Lübesse!”
Oddman, acting as the referee, was growing impatient.
“Finish her off already! What are you playing at…!”
It seemed there was a pressing reason for him to defeat Yuri, as Oddman raised his voice, forgetting his role as a neutral referee.
“Tch…”
Responding to Oddman’s command, Lübesse finally prepared to swing his sword.
“Is he coming!?”
Yuri hastily gripped her sword with both hands, raising it above her head to defend herself. That was a poor choice. She would likely fall for a feint aimed at her upper body and get hit from another direction.
“………”
However, Lübesse did not attack. He halted his sword just in time and leaped backward.
“Huh? Not coming?”
Yuri tilted her head, clearly noticing something was off about Lübesse’s behavior. Stopping his attack, she stared intently at her opponent’s face…
“………I concede. I surrender.”
For some reason, it was Lübesse who declared his defeat. He tossed aside his wooden sword and began to walk off the field.
“Wait… I won?”
“Did Cattleya-san really win? Against Wilhelm Lübesse?!”
“N-No way!? How could Lübesse lose?!”
The unexpected outcome sparked bewildered voices among the students of the Magic Department. The students from the Department of Knights were equally confused, shouting in disbelief.
“Hey, Lübesse! What’s going on?!”
And among them, Oddman was the most shaken.
“I told you to definitely win against Cattleya! I won’t accept a surrender!?”
“…The match is decided. I lost.”
“You haven’t even taken a hit yet! I won’t allow a surrender! Do you want to spend the rest of the semester just running laps!?”
Oddman threatened, but Lübesse seemed uninterested, casually replying, “I don’t care, that’s fine,” as he attempted to leave.
“Wait! I’m not satisfied with this either!”
Even Yuri, who was supposed to have won, pressed Lübesse.
“If it were a loss after a fair fight, I would gladly accept it, but there’s no reason for me to be handed a victory without a fight! Let’s spar again!”
“I don’t care… I’m not fighting you again.”
“Wait!”
As Lübesse tried to brush her off, Yuri grabbed his arm. In an instant, he shook her off and jumped back in surprise.
“Huh…?”
“D-Don’t touch me!”
“Huh? What are you talking about?”
“I said don’t touch me! Ugh, come on!”
Lübesse vigorously wiped his hand on his pants as if he had touched something filthy. His reaction was overly dramatic.
“Um… Sorry. Was I sweaty?”
“That’s not the point! You… you pervert!”
“P-Pervert?”
“Because you kept shaking your… your excess flesh during the match, I couldn’t concentrate at all! Ugh, I hate women for this reason!”
“………”
The boy who was supposed to be the strongest in the first year of the Department of Knights was now shouting with a voice full of tears. Everyone present was left dumbfounded, confused by the scene unfolding before them.
(Could it be… that he’s really weak against women?)
Whether he hated women or was just shy and inexperienced, it was unclear, but he might be incredibly uncomfortable around them. Perhaps witnessing Yuri’s chest bounce in her gym clothes during the match had left him unable to counterattack and forced him into a defensive position.
“I lost! That’s final! I’m never fighting you again!”
With a childlike shout, Lübesse fled the scene. Yuri, unable to chase after him, watched in wide-eyed surprise as her opponent ran away.