For the time being, I assumed the seigan* stance. My feelings also calmed down. Judging by the Western swordsmen’s standard (this world isn’t my original world’s [Western countries], but at least the style’s not oriental and it’s more similar to the Western countries that I know, so it shouldn’t be wrong), kendo’s stances would seem very unusual, and it might feel strange and bad. Therefore, I just aimed at it quietly and set up my stance.
(T/N: Here’s a video of seigan stance or seigan-no-kamae in kendo (a traditional Japanese martial art, which descended from swordsmanship and uses bamboo swords and protective armour): https://youtu.be/jwvoumu5T4A)
“…What an unusual stance.”
Not sure who said that, but then, I could hear people’s whispers.
And as expected of the black-haired man. Although there was a little bit of suspicion flashing in his red pupils, his attitude didn’t change.
As I was becoming comfortable in my posture, waiting for any attack to come, the black-haired man said.
“If I don’t start, will you stay still just like that?”
As if he was trying to provoke me.
I slowly shook my head.
“I only wanted to observe the situation a little bit.”
It’s not like I intend on waiting forever.
I implicitly said that, and just as I was closing in our distance little by little, the next moment,
Whoosh!! His sword was silently thrusted towards me. What an amazing speed.
“Oooh!” I could hear a roaring cheer.
I slightly bent my body, dodging his sword.
The second attack, the third attack, and even more. The sword attacks he unleashed were very astute, and there was no leniency in them. They didn’t provide me with time to take a breath.
(As expected, he might be very amazing.)
I thought as I barely managed to avoid every attack by a hair’s breadth.
He was far stronger than what I imagined. He wasn’t going easy on me, too.
From the bottom of my heart, I thought that I was happy.
“…You.”
He stopped his attacks for a moment and said that as he took a distance from me.
“So calm, huh? Despite the fact that you’ve only been running.”
“I wasn’t running, I was dodging your attacks.”
Before long, it seemed that a faint smile floated on my face.
Obviously, it wasn’t a belittling smile, but it was a smile that expressed how happy I was from being able to [fight in real earnest], although we were only using swords for practice. However, it seemed to be enough in making the man before my eyes angry.
“…You’re ridiculing me, aren’t you? …Take this!”
In the blink of an eye, he closed the gap with me in one go, and as his sword was pointing towards my throat, I used my sword for the first time to ward his sword off.
Wham! A remarkably loud voice could be heard.
Perhaps it was unexpected to the man, as he slightly widened his brilliant red eyes.
This time, it was my turn to attack.
I was serious about being serious. In no ways did I try to make fun of him. However, I wanted to let him make the move for a little bit more. I wanted him to move and show me his pattern.
I also attacked this time. Nimbly, sharply, in a close distance. About the right movements so he could just barely dodge me.
“?! …Did you just become serious?”
As he was dodging and brushing me off, he said.
I didn’t answer and just silently watched his steps. I tried to drive him in every direction. Until he wasn’t able to avoid my attack any longer. At that time, victory would be mine. However, in the case he could avoid my attacks, I would be able to see his power even more. After seeing his movements several times, I tried to have our swords clash. Surprisingly, or perhaps I should say, he had good sword muscles that were without any pretense.
—It was about time, so I thought.
I pretended to be tired and stumbled just a little bit. To credit his honor, normally, he wouldn’t be fooled by this kind of [pretense] from me, but since I was a woman, and since he just lost his temper at my ridiculing smile (that he concluded based on his own assumption), he was successfully carried away and turned his final attack to me.
“…This is the end! …?!”
“Haa!!”
I raised my voice at the same time as the loud sound of swords clashing could be heard. His sword which was supposed to hit my sword until mine dropped was brushed off sideways along with my iai* voice, before his sword flew in the air and ended up piercing the training ground.
(T/N: Not sure what iai voice is, but iai itself is the art of drawing one’s sword, cutting down one’s opponent, and sheathing the sword afterwards. I’m guessing it’s the technique she just used, hence—iai voice.)
The men who were watching with their breaths taken away then raised their voices, “Whoa!”
The men were stupefied as comments such as, “Unbelievable!” could be heard.
It was good. This person was good. He would surely become more amazing in the future.
Such was my thought when I looked at the man. And then…
“?! …!”
Suddenly, my legs were knocked.
…Come to think of it, we were still within each other’s motion range. Besides, I haven’t heard the words, “I give up”.
He kicked my fallen sword the moment I was falling over, and so, I ended up unarmed in no time.
The next moment, I was being held down face-up.
“…I still haven’t said that I have given up, right? You’re too naive, Princess.”
His ruby-like pupils were shining fiercely, as he looked down at me triumphantly. It was as if he was a beautiful carnivore.
It was careless of me to have my legs knocked, dropping my sword, and as for the next development, I ended up being held down just like this, so for a moment, I escaped from the reality and became fascinated with this dark brown-skinned man at a point-blank range.
Facial features that could be said as delicate. Sharp red eyes with long slits.
As I was thinking of such nonsense with a spellbound face, the next time I came back to my senses, the man’s face approached.
—Damn it. I might end up getting kissed.
I would definitely hate being kissed by him just like this, but I obviously didn’t intend on saying that I gave up.
I grasped the training ground’s soil, and then threw it to this insolent ikemen.
(T/N: Ikemen = good-looking guy.)
“!! Upuu…!!”
The soil also fell on my face as I was facing up, but the man who received my surprise attack reflexively closed his eyes and turned his face away. It was enough time for me.
I shook and untangled his loosening restraints, jumped up, kicked the man who hadn’t gotten up yet, and this time it was me who was sitting on top of him.
I could hear the surrounding’s rising voices such as, “Oooh!” or “Whoaa!”
I pressed his body down with both knees, pinning his carotid artery with one hand, while my other hand was aiming at his eyes.
“Just say that you give up!”
His pair of ruby-like eyes looked up at me who shouted.
Yet, there was no longer any trace of fierceness there.
Instead, his eyes that could be said as calm, only stared at me silently.
Somehow, I became uncomfortable and pushed out my fingers which were aimed at his eyes even further, and the tips of my fingers slightly touched his eyelids.
“Hurry and say it! If you’re being unreasonably stubborn, I will really gouge out one of your eyes! You have two eyes, so losing just one of them should be fine, right?!”
“…I give up. I surrender, Princess.”
He said that in a clear voice that everybody could hear.
Then, he showed a teasing smile.
“Hurry and move aside, Princess. I prefer the cowgirl position rather than the missionary position, after all.”
How vulgar!
…Well, certainly, I don’t intend on sitting on top of a young man with others’ eyes filed upon us for an indefinite time.
I loosened my restraints and stood up. Then, after he also stood up, I extended a hand to him. Upon doing so,
My hand was grasped. On the contrary, he pulled my hand that my body’s balance ended up becoming unstable. The moment when I was about to really fall over,
“?! Tch… It hurts…”
He let go of his hand that was grasping mine, as he grimaced. As he stroked his hand, he scowled at this way.
“What was that for, Colonel Karnak?”
“Don’t get too carried away.”
Before I noticed, Orgueil approached and held my waist while spitting out a very cold voice.
He seemed to throw one badge to the man’s hand. A sparkling object rolled on the ground.
“—Princess. It’s about time we go.”
Orgueil said with a gentle voice as if nothing had happened.
He took my hand, while still embracing my waist.
It was a delicate voice that I couldn’t defy somehow, but I dared not to notice it and pushed back Orgueil’s hand, turning around at the black-haired man.
“It was fun. Thank you for going seriously on me.”
I politely bowed my head and bent my waist.
“May I know your name?”
“…Alph. Alph do Lilly.”
He—Alph answered with a sour look.
“Alph, you see…”
I still wanted to talk, but Orgueil seemed to judge that there was no need for us to be here any longer. He forcibly urged me to walk as he was still holding my waist, leaving this place.
I fervently twisted my body, turning around to Alph.
“Alph. You have a pattern of covering your right side. It’s only, only a little bit, though. It’s fine if it’s only a pattern, but what about eyesight? Perhaps the way your eyes see things isn’t even. You can’t change your eyesight that easily. However, you can fix your pattern once you notice it. Also, I think that it will be sufficient even if you cut your stepping distance to half from just now. I think it’s good to pay attention to that as we can prevent exhaustion that way. Also…”
“I will go to get Princess’ bet later on. –Pardon our intrusion.”
Orgueil blatantly chopped my statement this time, then he turned back. Just as I was about to protest, he hugged me even closer, or if I were to say it bluntly, he silenced me.
Alph and the other men didn’t say even a single word. Amidst the queer silence, I left that place as if I was being dragged away.
Translator’s Note:
I wonder why is NU not getting this series’ update automatically? Once I forgot to add the release manually, it wasn’t updated >< Can someone help me with this issue?
PS: I usually announce an update in my Discord server. And I just made a Twitter that I’m planning to use for quick update purposes.
Also, do you prefer the translation note be put immediately after the sentence that needs explanation? I feel like it’s better this way, but let me know your thoughts.
