Chapter 29: Onii-chan (1/2)

“…..How did this happen.”

I muttered in a soft voice so that no one could hear.

I placed both hands on my face in denial.

I mustered my courage and removed my hands to face reality….. Master is doing shadow boxing with nimble footwork despite his gigantic figure.

With all clothing removed from his upper body, sunlight could be seen reflected from his muscles, as though they were made of metal.

Between master and me stood Gigi-san who would be acting as referee.

On one end of the courtyard, a white table and 2 chairs were placed under a parasol. The madam sat in one of the chairs, while savoring scented tea that was brewed by Mercè-san.

On the table is a fruit pudding, a masterpiece made by Malcolm-san, to complement the tea.

She’s completely in spectator mode.

Furthermore, shifting my gaze upwards, ojou-sama could be seen looking down unto the courtyard from the window.

(Just because of what I said last night……)

I was once again hit with pangs of regret.

Last night, I invited Gigi-san to my room after the evening party had ended.

I wanted to let him know that ojou-sama held interest in observing our training session.

Upon hearing the news, Gigi-san……

“Ojou-sama, observing……~tsu”

He covered his eyes with one hand and turned his back on me.

In the instant he turned his back, was it just my imagination or was there something shining in his eyes.

Gigi-san continued the conversation with his back facing me.

“Alright. In that case, the training tomorrow will be done in the courtyard which is visible from ojou-sama’s room. Be there without fail.”

“Understood.”

“It will be performed in ojou-sama’s presence tomorrow. I intend to carry out training that’s more fired up than it has been until now. Prepare yourself.”

After telling me that, Gigi-san returned to his room.

This is the first time I heard his voice so full of spirit.

To a large extent, he must have been happy that ojou-sama would be looking outside, even if it’s just from her window.

I shall work hard to make myself even a little more useful; I once again strengthened my resolve.

However, Gigi-san……was more fired up than I had imagined.

“Now then, we will now conduct a mock battle between master and Lute.”

As a result of Gigi-san being too fired up, he once again decided to conduct a mock battle against the master as my special training.

With the [Me vs. Master] mock battle as a trigger, ojou-sama started taking an interest in my special training. That’s why, in order to secure her interest, Gigi-san arranged this encore revenge match.

Of course, it……was not done out of any consideration to me.

As I remembered the fear from yesterday, my legs trembled like a newborn goat, as if they had been injected with muscle relaxant.

There on one side is the master and company……

“Darling, do your best. Do not forget to go easy though. If darling fights Lute seriously, it would be weird if there are any remains left.”

“Hahahahaha! Don’t worry, despite how I may seem, I am quite good at controlling my strength. As proof, Lute is still full of energy after yesterday’s mock battle!”

“Hmm, that’s true. His contained spirit could be seen from his trembling action. What a reliable child he is.”

That’s not it, madam.

What you see is not a warrior’s trembling in excitement, but uncontrollable trembling out of fear.

Should I just hide myself until the evening?

Ever since the master had officially purchased me, the magic prevention choker was removed for the sake of my training.

After the purchase, it is on the owner’s discretion whether the choker would be kept on, and so it was removed.

The possibility to escape still exists.

However, there is a magic formation in my arm that is set to allow my owner to pinpoint my location (In my case, that would be Chrisse ojou-sama).

I might get sold to another place from the bad impression, if I were to try to escape.

But, I should be forgiven if I were to hide until the evening, to avoid the mock battle with master……

Turning my gaze to my current owner, ojou-sama……

[Father, Lute-san, both of you please do your best. I shall cheer for you!]

The mini black board sent words of encouragement from the window.

I closed my eyes in embarrassment, while a small hand could be seen waving shyly.

Damn! Such cuteness AaAargghhhh!

I returned her wave with a smile.

As a man, Lute must not run away!

Gigi-san raised his voice when explaining the rules so that ojou-sama could also hear him.

“Then, the mock battle between master and Lute shall begin soon. It will be Lute’s victory if he can withstand the master’s attack for 10 seconds. Of course, other than evasion, attacks are also allowed. Master wins if Lute is defeated within 10 seconds. Is that alright with both of you?”

“Humu.”

“……Yes.”

After hearing our reply, Gigi-san headed to the side where the madam was at.

He raised his right hand up high, and glanced back at us again.

“And so, mock battle……Begin!”

With Gigi-san’s signal, I flew backwards.

I used body strengthening magic on my eyes and legs at the same time, this is done to especially put emphasis on evasion.

With this, I should be able to hang on for 10 seconds……however, I was too naive.

“!?”

Before I noticed, master was there right in front of me, his right hand was swinging towards me.

Even though I had strengthened my reflexes, I couldn’t react in time. Like the image of a film being suddenly cut off, he was already in front of me.

“OooooooooO!”

I gave out a war cry that sounds like a scream as I dodged the right straight with a side step!

Master’s side is open after his punch missed. Chance. Should I attack?

Master’s eyes are shut.

Impossible!

If I don’t increase the distance!

Where should I flee? To the back, right, left, or should I add an element of surprise and go upwards?

With the single desire to increase the distance with master, I poured all my magic into my legs and flew backwards.

However, I lost sight of master’s figure again.

“!?”

When I noticed, a large shadow was blocking out the sunlight from behind me.

I burst into cold sweat.

My instincts envisioned my death.

That was all I could remember.

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“It’s impossible, impossible, impossible. To continue evading for 10 seconds with the master as an opponent. The master’s strength is on the level where it could be called a cheat.”

That day, I complained incessantly while doing my duty of waiting on ojou-sama with Mercè-san, at the evening party.

In the end, I was knocked out by the master in a single hit from behind.

I was defeated in the span of 3 seconds.

Although I was healed with healing magic, the second half of my training, which was supposed to be in swordsmanship, was cancelled just to be sure.

I was told to rest until evening.

When it is time for the evening party, I went to serve ojou-sama with Mercè-san.

The topic of conversation is of the mock battle this afternoon.

[But to last 3 seconds with father as an opponent is amazing.]

“Thank you very much. However, being barely able to avoid……Honestly, it is so embarrassing. Moreover, to have special training everyday until I can evade for more than 10 seconds. Gigi-san is being too unreasonable.”

Drooping her shoulder, ojou-sama looks flustered.

She looks so cute.

She wrote on the mini blackboard.

[How about closing the distance rather than increasing it next time? If you could deal with father’s feints calmly, I think you would surely be able to persevere for 10 seconds.]

“Was there a feint used?”

[Yes. After the first strike, he used a feint causing Lute-san to escape backwards, so that he could give pursuit.]

In other words, I thought that I was acting on my thoughts, but in reality it was all within master’s grasp.

(That is like herding fish.)

Master seemed to be able to pull off those extreme reactions because he knew of the actions I will take.

“However, ojou-sama has good judgement. Without even using magic,” I blurted out and frantically shut my mouth.

I am not sensitive enough and threaded onto her trauma.

“?”

Ojou-sama tilted her head.

To smooth over the words I blurted out, I hurriedly requested more advice to improve my condition.

“Is, is there any other advice? With ojou-sama’s input, I might be able to break through the 10 second barrier. If there is anything that you noticed, I’d appreciate it if you let me know.”

I do not distrust ojou-sama, I am willing to accept any guidance in order to fix the flaws that are observed in me.

In close range combat that is almost to the point of touching each other – arm’s length – bulging muscles from training will make it hard to throw fast punches.

There is certainly great worth in attempting close range combat.

I was also taught of the master’s minor habits.

Thus, the evening party turned into a location for the strategy meeting for the fight against the count tomorrow.

After that, I invited Gigi-san to my room just like last night, to inform him that ojou-sama will be observing tomorrow’s fight again. Incidentally, I also wanted to try asking a doubt that has been bugging me.

How could ojou-sama, who couldn’t even cast magic to strengthen her body, be able to keep track of the master’s smallest movements which even I couldn’t do.

Gigi-san was amazed as he explained.

“The vampire race not only has night vision, but also good eyesight and kinetic vision. Ojou-sama’s eyes seems to be exceptional even amongst them, the madam did explain that on the first day Lute arrived, didn’t she.”

I had forgotten about it.

But, that should not be a level that could be described just with ‘good eyes’……

To be capable of capturing the master’s every action without the aid of magic, from her bedroom window on the 2nd storey.

“Ojou-sama’s eyes are more outstanding than Lute can ever imagine.”

Gigi-san folded his arms while reminiscing the past.

He recounted……

Before ojou-sama became a hikikomori, she came came across the nest of Giant Bats in the forest behind the castle.

Giant bats are 2 meters large, enormous bats that could suck dry the blood of livestock, children, and adults.

The forest is situated around 1 kilometer away from the castle.

Master decided for their extermination after judging them to be dangerous.

At night, they waited for the giant bats to gather at their nest so that they could be eliminated in one fell swoop.

The master and madam stopped their smiles as they observed their surroundings, and proceeded on to the extermination.

They had taken 2 of their subordinates into the forest.

Head of security, Gigi-san was left at the castle as a precaution.

The giant bats would undoubtedly lose to master and madam, and a deafening roar that would shake anyone to the core resounded.

It was the sound that marks their victory.

But unfortunately, a single giant bat managed to escape.

It flee in the direction of the castle.

Although Gigi-san tried to defeat it with magic……

The giant bat swooped down at the plains between the forest and castle.

The giant bat was blazing towards ojou-sama.

Out of nowhere, she took out bow and arrows, and in that windy night, her single arrow pierced through the giant bat that had blended into the darkness of the night sky.

She even managed to accurately shoot through it’s eye socket which was only about 5 cm in size.

The forehead of the giant bat is very tough and arrows were unable to pierce through it.

Therefore, even though it is common sense for bow users to shoot the eyes, for a child to accurately shoot her arrow without mistake, is reason enough to cause anyone to shudder at such an impossible feat.

“As I stood in front of the giant bat’s carcass that was shot, I was convinced. If Chrisse ojou-sama had potential as a magician, she would have dwarfed even her parents’ already outstanding talent.”

Gigi-san hung his head solemnly.

But, he soon raised his head.

“Sorry, please forget that last part…… Anyway, ojou-sama has grown to look forward to observing the training session. This is a once in a lifetime chance. Lute has to break through the 10 second hurdle with ojou-sama’s advice during training tomorrow. In that way, we can create an opportunity for ojou-sama to renew her confidence by letting her taste a sense of achievement from completing this pseudo-goal. It is a very heavy responsibility.”

“Then please advise the master to go easy on me during the mock battle.”

I spoke in such a tone to Gigi-san who had placed additional needless pressure on me.

However, Gigi-san dismissed it with a “In that case, it wouldn’t be training anymore.”

Whew. Really, that is such an exhausting exchange.

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The next day, afternoon.

Another martial training……The count arrived when it is time for the mock battle.

Just like yesterday, master is half-naked while doing shadow boxing.

Under a parasol, madam is sitting on a chair by a white table, while savoring scented tea brewed by Mercè-san. The desert that came with the tea today is [Seasonal Fruits Filled Mille Crêpe].

Madam is carefreely drinking her tea as her unspirited cheer goes “Darling, Lute, each of you do your best”.

Ojou-sama’s eyes are shining brightly as she looked here from the window of her 2nd storey bedroom.

The cheers for me can be seen, written in large font, on the mini blackboard.