Chapter 59

Ryouta’s phone beeped. TITLE: To Ryouta MESSAGE: Dearest Ryouta, I believe the matchmaking meeting is underway right about now. Even if the worst happens, do not worry. Do not forget about me during the meeting. That is why I am sending you my N U D E S with th— Just Kiyomizu. Ryouta deleted it immediately. “Better put my phone on silent. I don’t want it ringing during the meeting.” “Aaaaaagh! What is that?!?!?!?!” Toraha pulled back. “Hmm? What are you so scared of?” “Is that a m-m-m-mobile, portable telephone?!” “I’ve never heard it called that before. You can just call it a cell phone.” “A-are you not scared of using something so high-tech…?” “No? What’s to be afraid of?” So not only was Toraha’s lifestyle a few centuries out of date, but so was his understanding of technology. “Kids these days have so much right at their fingertips like personal computers and televisions. How fun it must be to have all that…” “I just said, you’re a kid, too! We’re the same generation!” “But we finally have a lay-ser desk at home!” Was he trying to say LaserDisc? “I’m pretty sure they don’t produce LDs anymore. And don’t you have a TV?” “All we had to play with in my day was milk caps. Everyone got together outside the corner candy store to play.” Ryouta decided he wasn’t going to complain anymore. This was all tiring him out… “Well, forget about my memories. I need to live in the future.” Toraha’s face tensed. He was a good-looking guy, despite the quirks, and there was an air about him that Ryouta would expect from a powerful swordsman. Some prominent athletes projected a level of maturity that made them seem much older than they actually were, and Toraha reminded Ryouta of them. The amount of experience he had was on a different level from the other people his age. “I will be having a matchmaking meeting with my cousin Lady Sasara soon. My future wife may be chosen today. That is all I want to focus on.” Hmm, maybe I shouldn’t say this for Sasara’s sake, but they do make a good match… They were both good-looking, and even if he was a little weird, Toraha appeared to be a decent person. But Sasara was not happy with this, and so they had to do something about it. Nobody should be forced into a wedding just because the guy was good-looking. “By the way, why are you even here in—?” “I am sorry to have kept you waiting.” Sasara slowly entered the room, followed by her mother and father. It was less of a marriage meeting and more of a husband screening for the Tatsunami family. “It has been quite a long while, Masatsuna. I cannot believe we would meet again in a situation such as—” “Aaaaaah!” Toraha suddenly dove under the table. Ryouta thought for a second there was an earthquake, but Toraha was just shaking. And not from the excitement of battle, either. “Hey, what are you so scared of?!” “I’m terrified…to see Lady Sasara’s beautiful face with my own eyes…” That was quite a reason. “You’re not looking into the sun or anything. You’re fine.” “Imbecile! Do you understand what a foolish thing it is you’ve said?! Do no thoughts pass through your mind when you gaze upon Lady Sasara?! The goddess of beauty stands right there!” “Okay, but it’s still weird that you’re under the table.” “Even her dress is magnificent. What fashion sense! A vivaciousness befitting a young lady!” “Literally nobody your age talks like this.” “Um… Masatsuna, I am not going to do anything, so please get out from under the table.” Ryouta wasn’t surprised to hear the disgust in Sasara’s voice. “O-oh, all right…” Toraha finally emerged from under the table, but he still couldn’t look right at Sasara. “Ohhh… Lady Sasara is so beautiful, I am terrified to look at her… We may be no more than cousins, but it is the highest honor to have a matchmaking meeting…to possibly marry her in the future… I am so happy I may pass from this earthly realm at any moment…” His reaction kind of reminds me of how Sasara acts toward Ouka… One thing he knew: Toraha was totally smitten with her. “Ha-ha-ha, you haven’t changed at all, Masatsuna.” “Indeed. How happy Sasara must be.” Sasara’s parents seemed to treat this like a normal heartwarming scene, but Ryouta was cringing at the melodrama. “Now, you two, we will begin the meeting. You may already know each other well, but…” Sasara’s dad was getting ready to move the meeting along. “You are the only representative of the Toraha family here, Masatsuna, and this does not feel very formal at all. I have a general idea of who you are,” said Sasara. “I know you are not very enthusiastic about this, Sasara, which is why you brought this boy, didn’t you?” her father replied knowingly. “I have heard that Fuyukura is a member of the emperor’s personal guard. If you wanted to call off this meeting, it was not a bad card to play.” “I see you have me figured out. You are correct…” “But what we need in the heir of the Tatsunami family is this,” Sasara’s dad flexed. “So if you can prove to us that you are stronger than Masatsuna, then so much the better. And, Masatsuna, you will gracefully stand down if you lose. Do you understand?” “I see, so that’s why you’ve come.” Toraha seemed to be satisfied with this answer. “But if I stand down, my wedding with Lady Sasara would never happen… No, I am painfully aware that Lady Sasara and I are nothing alike. We are the sun and dust—I would be able to process my loss. It wouldn’t bother me at all. Yes, I know all of this already. Oh no, my eyes are sweating.” Yeah, he and Sasara are way alike…, Ryouta thought. It ran in the family. “But I have no objections to settling this with a match,” Toraha said, his voice powerful. “Weak men have no right to be Lady Sasara’s groom. I would not lose anyway.” Well, well… I guess that makes sense, thinking about experience. Toraha turned to glare right at Ryouta. “I have fought the perils of the Dark Martial Arts Tournament and the Door to the Samurai World and the Samurai World Unification tournaments. You are nothing.” “You really did fight in those!” The names were outlandish, but apparently those were real tournaments he’d fought in. “I’m ready. All miscreants who dare approach Lady Sasara will fall by my sword.” Toraha placed a hand at his sheath, ready to draw at any moment. “Oh, Masatsuna, I’m not going to ask you to go easy on him, but make sure not to hurt Sasara’s classmate too badly. We’re glad he even came out here for her sake. We had believed Sasara was moaning about Ouka at school, too, and that she didn’t have any friends.” “Oh, she does moa— I mean, nothing.” It was a nice thing to hear from Sasara’s dad, but he didn’t seem to think a novice like Ryouta could win. “I know. Bullying the weak is not a warrior’s way. But he will be using a real sword, too. I cannot tell the future, but I may end up hurting him badly.” Nothing for it, but to do it. Ryouta made up his mind. “If my friend doesn’t want to get married, I’m obligated to put a stop to it.” Ryouta placed a hand on his sword. “F-friend…?!” Sasara screeched. “Well, yeah… That’s what I thought we were…” Ryouta was flustered; why did she react so strongly to that? Maybe she hated even being called his friend. Given how much danger he was putting himself in, that was a little disheartening. “Pardon me… I have never heard anyone say that out loud about me before…” “I mean, probably not… I’d be super weirded out if someone came up to me every day to say that we’re friends.” Toraha exited to the garden, still barefoot. It seemed he was that kind of person. “Come. We will settle this in ten seconds.” No way but forward. If Ryouta backed out now, he’d never be able to show his face to anyone ever again. “All right. We’ll just have to do this fair and square.” Just as Ryouta was about to step down from the veranda— “I’ll have to use the final option.” He could just barely hear Sasara’s words. That’s right, she had something else prepared for this. He wasn’t sure what it was, but he appreciated any help he could get. “Mother! Father! Please listen!” Sasara proclaimed, her voice strained. “There was never any need for this meeting or for this match. It is all too late anyway.” “Hmm? Too late? What do you mean by that, Sasara?” her father asked. Ryouta couldn’t exactly ignore that, either. Don’t tell me she’s terminally ill with months to live or something… “I have sucked Ryouta’s blood! Our relationship has already been consummated!” Something exploded; Ryouta could feel it. He wondered if this is what it felt like when Pandora’s box was opened. This was most certainly the final option. He had no idea the air would change so drastically. Thunk-pdunk went Toraha’s sword as it slipped from his hand. “K-kids these days…” He had nothing else to say, apparently. He’d basically been reduced to ash. “What?! What is the meaning of this, Sasara?! How could you do such a thing without telling us!” Sasara’s dad was furious. Even if Toraha didn’t kill Ryouta, Sasara’s dad might finish the job instead… “There is a reason for this! Mother, Father, do you remember when I was seriously injured?” “Yes, of course.” “That was such a shock…” “Back then, I took Ryouta’s blood and escaped death. Had he not been there, I most certainly would not be standing before you now.” What Sasara said was basically the truth, so there was nothing he could say. “R-Ryouta…thank you for what you did then.” She clung to his arm like a child declaring something was hers. “H-hey… That’s too much…” Even though this was part of the strategy, he had never expected her to take it this far. “I know I’ll be in your care…forever…” “Honey, I don’t think there’s much we can do about this.” Sasara’s mom was giving in. “You’re right… It’s already happened, so this really isn’t the time to be having this meeting… But, hmm… Hrrrm…” Sasara’s dad still seemed unconvinced. His beard was wiggling. “If you don’t agree, then we will have to settle this in battle,” Sasara’s mom coolly declared. “When husband and wife disagree, it is the weaker that obeys the stronger—that is the rule of our family. I shall fetch the katana.” “Fine, fine! I accept, I accept!” So Sasara’s mom held more power in their relationship, and she wasn’t afraid to wield it. “Ahem… Which means that I ask you, Masatsuna, to let Sasara go. I’m certain you’ll find another nice girl out there.” Toraha immediately burst into tears. The news must’ve really hit hard. “She’s only a high school student… I can’t stand these kids!!” That was the last thing he said before turning to run away. “Hey! Where’re your shoes?!” “I was barefoot when we were playing tag and where’s-the-shoe! I don’t need them!” “Where’s-the-shoe?! What kind of game is that?!” Without any further explanation, Toraha left the scene. I didn’t have to fight after all… But I don’t think this is the end. The meeting ended without any injuries to Ryouta, but he had a feeling that he was now expected to do something much more dramatic. “All right. I give you my blessing as Sasara’s fiancé.” “Thank you… What?!” “Sasara has never told us of any casual relationships. I doubt you’ve even gone on a date, have you?” “No, we haven’t…” “You ought to know each other better. Go out together sometime next week. You’ll be married in the future, after all…” “Uhhh, well…” Sasara’s dad placed a hand on Ryouta’s shoulder—and his fingers tightened into a grip. “You wouldn’t go through all the trouble of making her suck your blood and then back out now, would you? I want you to show her your good faith. That’s all I ask. Can you do that? Of course you can. You will. Capisce?” “A-all right.” He couldn’t refuse that kind of offer. “Then next Sunday, shall we go on a d-d-date?” Sasara suggested as she tripped over her words. “Y-y-y-y-yeah, let’s do that…” So this was the trade-off for the final option… Ryouta had fallen into a quagmire, and he was sinking.