So this is what you’ve been plotting, dragging me out to the practice grounds!
I knew that I was making a sour face as I silently cursed my beautiful childhood friend. “Fine then,” I called. “It’ll be your responsibility if someone gets hurt!”
“Oh? How very confident indeed, Mister Freeloader. Do you really think that you can win against me, when I’ve been training every day for the past six months?”
She looked the same as she usually did, but she couldn’t pull the wool over my eyes. I had no idea why, but there was some reason for her good mood! I placed my hands on my hips and stuck my chest out.
“Hmph! Foolish little princess. The ‘someone’ who’ll get hurt is obviously me!”
“Did your precious books not tell you that fools are the only ones who call other people names? All right, hurry up and unsheathe your sword, please. Everyone’s waiting.”
She shut me down without even a second thought. Chou Hakurei was smarter than me. Frankly, as far as talents went she had me beat, especially when it came to our potential as civil officials. My expression grew surly, and I puffed out my cheeks.
“Fine, fine...” I said under my breath. “You were so cute when you were just a brat, like a little sister should be...”
Hakurei’s shoulders twitched. She obviously heard my quiet muttering, but her expression was quick to revert to its usual calm.
“Let me say this.” The words spilled out while she fiddled with the crimson ribbon at the back of her head. “Cuter when I was small? Hmph. I believe that even now, my appearance would be considered quite attractive. Also, I’m your older sister, and I definitely do not need a younger brother such as yourself.”
I made an unfortunate sound at the back of my throat. “C-Could you at least pretend that you didn’t hear what I—”
“I could not,” Hakurei interrupted me sternly.
Y-You didn’t have to be that mean... And here I thought we’d been getting along pretty well.
“Um...can we start?” In the midst of my ruminations, the young captain serving as the arbitrator called out to me. In this, he was pretty similar to Raigen.
Turning to face each other once more, Hakurei and I answered at the same time.
“Hmm? Oh, yeah, sure.”
“Yes, we can.”
My sister offered a brief smile. “For the past six months,” she said, “I’ve dreamed of this. Please hurry up and let yourself be defeated. One of the books in your collection included a story about a lazy freeloader who was beaten up; it helped me imagine this moment.”
“You force me to fight, and that’s all you have to say to me?! Also, who gave you permission to read my books while I was in the city?!”
She pressed a slender finger against her cheek and blinked her sapphire eyes. Then, in a baffled tone, she asked, “What do you mean? Everything you own is mine. What’s the issue?”
“Th-Then...then, what about your stuff?” I asked.
Dropping the innocent act, Hakurei spun her sword and snapped back, “It’s mine, of course. Please refrain from asking such silly questions.”
“H-How tyrannical! Everyone, Chou Hakurei is a tyrant!”
“Don’t worry, that’s not an issue. I’m only a tyrant when I’m dealing with you. Now, the order to start, please.”
“Wha—?! Hey, listen, you—”
“B-Begin!”
Before I could even finish my complaints, the mock battle had started and Hakurei disappeared from my line of sight. Darting towards me, her body pressed so low to the ground that her chin was practically grazing dirt, she slashed at me. The move was sharp and direct.
“Whoa!”
I barely managed to dodge her sudden attack by twisting my body. I backed away, dodging her consecutive strikes, each one barely missing me.
“Practice as if it’s a real match, and fight a real match as if it’s practice,” Hakurei taunted, her smile growing even wider.
Hooray for father’s combat education!
The practice sword swung past my bangs and I sacrificed a few strands of my hair in order to avoid the attack. The problem was that even a weapon lacking an edge remained dangerous in the hands of a master. Hakurei was a perfect example of that. I jumped backward, putting a lot of distance between us, and tried once again to state my piece.
“Y-You’re way too serious about this! I’ll die if you hit me!”
Hakurei wasn’t swayed by my words. She wasn’t even out of breath. “This wouldn’t be good practice unless we’re serious about it,” she answered. “Besides—”
Closing the gap between us in a single leap, she swung her sword in a merciless horizontal slash. I leaned backward and saw the blade pass above my face. I regained my footing and tried to get behind her, but she managed to stop me with her sword.
She offered me a beautiful smile. “It’s not as if I can hit you, right?” she said. “But for sure, today is the day I’ll make you unsheathe your weapon!”
All members of the Chou family had to go through combat training starting when they were young, but in all that time I’d never drawn my weapon in any of my mock battles against Hakurei.
“If I use it...” I muttered after a short silence, “will you let me off the hook—”
“I will not.”
“That’s so unfair!”
Hakurei resumed her furious yet elegant attacks, still looking as if she were dancing rather than fighting. I managed to avoid them all with only footwork, but unlike the mock battles we had six months ago, now I was forced to back up more and more.
This is why I hate prodigies! The speed at which they improve is simply ridiculous!
I had always had an advantage over her in terms of martial talent due to the experiences of my past life, but, much to my chagrin, she was close to surpassing that with sheer aptitude.
Well, seeing how happy Hakurei is when she gets to practice with me isn’t the worst thing in—
“Huh?”
My back met resistance and I realized I was cornered against the ramparts. Hakurei’s eyes sparkled. She flourished her steel, taking a single step forward before charging at me without mercy, both hands on the hilt and the tip of the sword aimed right for me. As she came on, she yelled.
“I win!”
Footwork alone isn’t enough to dodge this.
My body moved on its own and with my right hand, I grabbed Hakurei’s arm.
“Huh?!”