Chapter 124: You Seemed to Have Enjoyed Yourself Last Night
The next morning, Cornelia-san invited me to a mock battle, and we were currently engaged in one.
“Hiyah!”
Cornelia-san’s Holy Sword swung down from directly above. For some reason, her strike felt sharper than usual. Her eyes were steely, and she might have been angry.
Well, yesterday, I had gone against Cornelia-san’s wishes and slept with the members of the Crimson Vow. From her perspective, it must have been quite unwelcome. It wouldn’t be surprising if she was angry.
As these thoughts crossed my mind, I easily dodged Cornelia-san’s Zangeki to my right.
“Tch!”
Cornelia-san’s Holy Sword flicked upwards, as if drawn to me as I dodged.
Clang!
I parried Cornelia-san’s upward Zangeki with my sword, and a clear metallic sound rang out.
Her attack blocked, Cornelia-san took a backstep to distance herself from me, then held her Holy Sword in a middle guard.
Was she perhaps waiting for me to attack?
Maybe I should try initiating the attack for a change.
I readjusted my stance with my sword and lunged towards Cornelia-san.
Instantly closing the distance between us, I swung the sword in my right hand in a horizontal sweep.
Cornelia-san… didn’t dodge. As my sword approached from her right, she swung her Holy Sword as if to scoop it upwards.
Shiiing!
A crisp metallic sound, different from before, echoed.
Cornelia-san spun around as if dancing, and my sword slid along the flat of her Holy Sword, its trajectory redirected upwards.
Her technical skill was so high it was captivating. This was Cornelia-san’s true strength. Even with the guidance of her Gift, it was proof of her earnest dedication to swordsmanship—a beautiful display of swordplay I could never hope to achieve.
“Eiyaa!”
Cornelia-san leaped into my now wide-open guard.
At this rate, I wouldn’t be able to block Cornelia-san’s attack with my sword, nor would I have time to dodge. I would have lost. If I were the me from before that day, that is.
“!?”
I took another step towards Cornelia-san.
Stepping further in against an opponent wielding a sword—a suicidal act?
No. There was no longer room to swing a sword. This distance, so close we might collide at any moment—this was my effective range. The range for fists, and for a Stiletto.
I pressed the Stiletto I held in my left hand against Cornelia-san’s throat.
“………I’ve lost…”
Cornelia-san choked out her admission of defeat, looking vexed.
I sheathed my Stiletto and sword, then patted Cornelia-san’s head.
“Your sword deflection was magnificent. I could never change an opponent’s sword trajectory so beautifully.”
“But I still lost… I really thought I would beat Onii-sama today…”
“If you’d paid more attention to the fact I was carrying a Stiletto, the outcome might have been different.”
“I never imagined Onii-sama would step in like that… Onii-sama, you’ve gotten really strong lately, haven’t you? It’s unfair.”
“Even if you call it unfair…”
To tell the truth, ever since that day I was bathed in dragon’s blood, I hadn’t lost a single mock battle against Cornelia-san.
It was an overwhelming improvement in my abilities, as if every single one of my cells had evolved. My eyesight had improved, and it even felt like my thought processing speed had increased. My ability to more than adequately handle dual-wielding, which is said to be difficult, was probably also thanks to this enhancement.
Now, I could even defeat Cornelia-san without using Un-Limited.
It was probably understandable why Cornelia-san would call it unfair.
“I really thought I might be able to win today…”
“Hmm?”
“Um, Onii-sama, you were… with those women until dawn, right? So why are you so energetic…?”
Apparently, Cornelia-san had been aiming to take advantage of my supposed lack of sleep.
Normally, it wouldn’t be strange for me to be sleep-deprived. However, right now, I was full of energy. It was as if I’d replenished my vitality by being with the members of the Crimson Vow.
The abnormal improvement in my physical abilities after being bathed in dragon’s blood. And then there was this abnormal increase in my… vigor. Perhaps the two were related.
“I was planning to beat Onii-sama, rough you up a bit, and snap you to your senses…”
“Ria-san…?”
S-scary…
As I suspected, Cornelia-san was clearly unhappy about me having relationships with other women. Of course, she was. If it were me, the thought of Cornelia-san being with another man… just imagining it made my head feel like it was going to explode.
“Ria, I’m sorry…”
“This time… I really don’t like it, but since it can’t be helped, I’ll forgive you. But sleeping with people you’re not married to is wrong, you know. It’s indecent.”
“Guh…”
Being rebuked by Cornelia-san to my face really stung… Though I suppose I brought it on myself.
“But my promise with the Crimson Vow was just for one night.”
“You won’t do it again?”
“Well…”
The unguarded figures of the Crimson Vow members I’d embraced yesterday flashed through my mind. Their well-trained, yet supple and soft bodies… They had been truly beautiful last night. If they were to invite me again, would I be able to refuse them outright?
It might be difficult.
She must have read my thoughts. Cornelia-san’s eyebrows arched higher and higher.
“Honestly! Onii-sama, you’re so indecent! Lewd! Idiot! Pervert! Nincompoop!”
“Ah, Ria-san? Hey, stop hitting me! I’m sorry! I’m really sorry!”