Chapter 36: This Love I Devote to You
Idiot Hautness readied his wooden sword once more and charged at me again. In our previous exchange, I had focused on deflecting his attacks, but this time, I decided to step forward and engage him in a direct clash.
In a test of strength, the advantage would likely lie with Idiot, who was enhanced by the Chevalier Skill.
However, I would cover that gap with my max-level Swordsmanship Skill. Thanks to the Skill, my body swung the wooden sword almost reflexively, allowing me to match Idiot’s strikes blow for blow.
“To think you could match me in combat…! Who taught you such swordsmanship?” he exclaimed.
“I had the chance to meet the vice-captain of the Royal Knights Order…” I replied.
“What? A Sword Master!? That explains your skill with the blade!”
…I never said I learned swordsmanship from Roan, but I wasn’t lying either. If he misinterpreted and accepted it, then that was a stroke of luck.
After several exchanges and blade locks, we both jumped back to create some distance. My hand gripping the wooden sword throbbed with a dull pain and numbness. Engaging head-on was proving to be a disadvantage due to the difference in physical enhancement.
That said, I could still feel a solid response from my strikes. While I was at a disadvantage in power, my technique compensated sufficiently. Should I push forward before my grip gives out…?
Determined to take the offensive, I boldly closed the distance between us.
Idiot widened his stance and lowered his center of gravity, bracing himself for my attack.
As I prepared to swing my sword down at him—
—my hand suddenly froze in an unnatural manner.
“What!?”
I hastily leaped back to distance myself from Idiot.
What was that just now…?
My body, which had been moving almost automatically thanks to the Swordsmanship Skill, had come to an abrupt halt. Had the effect of the Skill worn off…? No, it didn’t feel like that. The Swordsmanship Skill had always guided my sword along the optimal path. If it stopped, then…
Was there no appropriate attack against the waiting Idiot…?
Oh no… If that’s the case, then if Idiot took the defensive, I wouldn’t stand a chance.
“Hmm… What’s the matter, Hugh Pnosis? Aren’t you going to attack? Then allow me to take the initiative!”
Idiot abandoned his defensive stance and lunged at me with a slash. It was fast, sharp, and heavy. However, the Swordsmanship Skill allowed me to deflect it appropriately. As long as he was on the offensive, he wasn’t much of a threat.
Then, I would let Idiot attack.
What I aimed for was a counter…!
“Hah!”
I deflected the descending wooden sword and seized the fleeting opportunity to strike Idiot’s side with my own.
“Ugh…!”
Idiot quickly stepped back to mitigate the impact, but I could feel the wooden sword connect with his side.
However, Alissa showed no reaction. It seemed my strike was deemed ineffective. Perhaps it was because he was wearing armor in a real battlefield scenario.
“Hugh Pnosis! I cannot afford to lose to you! It is this Idiot Hautness who will protect Lady Lecty!”
Idiot pressed forward with renewed vigor. His rapid slashes became faster and heavier, but the sharpness from earlier had diminished.
Was I sensing his anxiety and impatience through the Swordsmanship Skill…? At the very least, he seemed to be losing his composure.
“Sorry, Idiot.”
Idiot’s swordsmanship was indeed genuine.
If I hadn’t cheated by rewriting my Skill to Swordsmanship, I would have had no chance against him. And if Idiot had more experience and composure, I wouldn’t have been able to win with just the Swordsmanship Skill.
“Hugh Pnosis…! I am still not defeated!”
“No, this ends here…!”
As Idiot raised his sword, it created a decisive opening. With minimal movement, I swung my wooden sword and struck his wrist. The wooden sword that was about to descend slipped from Idiot’s grasp.
“Ugh, ah…!”
“That’s enough! The winner is Hugh Pnosis!”
As Idiot cradled his wrist, Alissa immediately declared the match over, sensing the victory.
From the crowd of astonished classmates, Rouge and Lecty rushed over.
“You did it, Hugh! That was so cool!” Rouge exclaimed, jumping into my chest with sparkling eyes. I instinctively tried to embrace her but managed to restrain myself with sheer willpower.
“Hugh, you’re amazing with a sword! I really want to see you become a knight!” she continued.
“Y-Yeah. We’ll talk about that later…?”
This clumsy princess might just start talking about personal knights at any moment, which was a bit scary. For now, I decided to shift my gaze to Lecty.
Lecty was anxiously alternating her gaze between me and Idiot. When I nodded at her, she returned a small nod and rushed over to Idiot.
“Pl-Please show me your injury, Idiot-sama.”
“Le-Lecty…?” Idiot looked bewildered as Lecty crouched before him. But recalling the pain in his wrist, he grimaced and extended his reddening, swollen left wrist toward her.
“Heal!”
A soft, pale green light emanated from Lecty’s right hand. She enveloped Idiot’s left wrist in that light, and the redness and swelling began to recede before our eyes.
So this is the power of the Holy Maiden Skill… It’s my first time witnessing it in action.
“Idiot-sama, I find you difficult to deal with.”
“……Is that so?”
“Yes. When you express your feelings in front of so many people or say you want to protect me, it makes me uncomfortable. I wish to live quietly.”
“But I have fallen in love with you. How can I convey this feeling to you?”
“…I don’t know.”
Lecty slowly shook her head. Was it her timidness or kindness that prevented her from telling him to give up? Idiot fell silent, deep in thought, as he watched his injury heal.
Eventually, the light faded, and Idiot’s wrist returned to normal. Lecty let out a sigh of relief and stood up, prompting Idiot to speak to her.
“Lady Lecty. I swear I will never do anything that makes you uncomfortable again. If my actions ever upset you, please point it out immediately. …And, um… Please allow me to continue holding these feelings for you. I never knew such feelings existed until I met you. So, could you grant me just a little more time to understand this feeling?”
“…I believe having romantic feelings is a freedom. I have no right to deny your feelings.”
“Thank you, Lady Lecty.”
Idiot bowed deeply to Lecty.
Though she wore a reluctant expression, she soon smiled wryly and accepted him with a simple “Yes.” Perhaps her view of Idiot had shifted just a little.
“Thank you, Hugh-san!”
After finishing Idiot’s treatment, Lecty turned to me and bowed her head.
“Were you hurt at all…?”
“No, I’m fine.”
Though my hand throbbed and tingled a bit, if I let Lecty use her Skill for something like this, it would never end. Besides, I felt a bit guilty about making her heal me when Idiot had just been injured.
“What kind of face are you making, Hugh Pnosis?”
Idiot stood up and called out to me.
“You defeated me, you know? You should take pride in it and tell tales of it for generations to come!”
“Why do you have such a high opinion of yourself…? And why do you look so pleased even though you lost?”
“There are things you can only realize after losing. It may be a realm you cannot comprehend.”
“I-I see…”
Idiot tossed his hair back and flashed a refreshing smile.
“But next time, I will win! Hugh Pnosis, it will be I who defeats you!”
“…Yeah, let’s do this again.”
We shook hands, and he turned on his heel and walked away.
…His grip was still firm. I couldn’t even imagine how many times he had swung a sword to develop such strength.
Maybe I should seriously start training with the sword myself…