Instead the fist with which I hit was pained and I made an anguished expression.
The master lifts his left arm to the height of his face.
“Fuun!”
“Tsu!?”
He swings his left arm down as if to sweep a fly away.
A single rough blow.
And yet I feel a cold shiver of fear in my back.
I cross my arms right away.
I turned to defense and put all the remaining magic power into a resistance formation.
“!!!!!!???”
When the masters arm hit my guard, my body flew like a rubber ball flipped in a pachinko.
Without rebounding, I crash into the tree about 10m to the back.
The tree breaks with a “merimeri” sound.
To avoid a fatal wound I deploy a magical resistance formation at my back the moment I crash into it
The result was that bones in both of my arms were shattered, while my right shoulder suffered multiple fractures.
“tsu–!!!”
I vomited blood as my internal organs were pierced by broken bones.
I couldn’t muster any strength while intense pain ravaged throughout my body.
I could see Gigi-san rushing towards me with an unusual expression, from the edge of my sight, as my vision fades.
“――――! ――!”
Gigi-san’s voice that reached my ears sounds so far away.
My eyelids felt as heavy as lead, and I feel as though I am falling into a bottomless pit.
As I was losing my consciousness, I finally reached an understanding of the meaning behind Gigi-san’s words.
▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼
[I see, that is what has happened.]
The night of the day I had my mock battle with the master.
Head maid Mercè-san and me are serving as stewards at the evening party.
At the evening party, ojou-sama asked to me “Lute, do you have any idea regarding the loud commotion at the backyard?”.
As there is no reason to cover up the mock battle with master, I told her of my defeat in a single strike, with the master not using any skills.
Despite being heavily injured when I crashed into the tree trunk, ojou-sama stroked her chest when I mentioned that I was completely healed by Gigi-san’s magic.
“Even though I had heard that the master is strong, I had not expected it to that extent.”
[But for Lute-san it is incredible to face father, who is an A rank magician, head on.]
“That is because it is just practice.”
Though I do not want to fight the master a second time, not even in practice!
As expected I do not wish for ojou-sama to hear about my uncool account, I could only give an awkward smile.
Mercè-san poured into the empty cup.
The fragrance of scented tea spreads across the room.
Ojou-sama’s smile from a while ago turned into an unhappy expression.
For some unknown reason, she was hesitating and wrote with restraint, on the mini blackboard.
[……Why does Lute-san work so hard to become stronger? You knew about yourself not having the talent to be a magician right?]
She seems to be hesitating about letting another person hear about my potential as a magician.
Ojou-sama was bullied as she was also without talent, resulting in her becoming a hikikomori.
It must have been hard for her to ask about the topic as it resulted in her trauma, and the topic itself is a landmine for her.
As absence of my potential as a magician did not cause any particular frustration which could lead to trauma, I told her my honest opinion without showing an unpleasant face.
Even though I certainly do not have any talent in becoming a magician, within me, I still have the desire to protect those who are important to me. Therefore I’m doing what I could, and that would be conserving my magic power by honing my swordsmanship and unarmed combat techniques.
In the past, there is a river where children played near the village I stayed, and there, a person important to me was about to get hit during a raid by a group of goblins.
Thanks to my training, I was able to save the children and my important person without a single casualty– I omitted mentioning the handgun as it would be troublesome to explain.
Due to that past experience, I continue training even now. I worked hard so that I could protect my loved ones, should a similar situation occur.
[…………]
Ojou-sama listened to my story with a serious look.
I couldn’t find any negativity from her expression that could be related to ‘you are a fool for aiming to be a magician despite having no potential’. Rather, her eyes seem to be shining in admiration and respect.
Ojou-sama wrote on her mini blackboard.
[That is such a splendid way of thinking. Lute is such an amazing person.]
“……That is not it, I only did what I could do.”
Ojou-sama started writing again.
“If it is not a bother……Tomorrow, may I observe your training from the window?”
Not only me, Mercè-san was also surprised at her proposal.
Taking my attitude as a denial, ojou-sama’s eyebrows drooped, showing a sad expression and wrote on the mini blackboard.
[Am I not allowed?]
“N, No that is absolutely not the case. As such, I will notify Gigi-san that tomorrow’s training will be at the courtyard which could be viewed from this window.”
[If you would, please. I will be looking forward to it very much♪]
Her mood changed for the better as she delightedly placed pudding into her mouth.
Mercè-san quietly wiped her eyes so as not to be noticed by ojou-sama.
For ojou-sama who is afraid to even venture out of the room, to look at the training from the window…… To say that she wants to look outside.
What a great improvement that is.
For Mercè-san, an old-timer who has been by ojou-sama’s side since she was born, she would be very happy at the tiniest improvement.
After the evening party had ended, I implored Gigi-san for the training to absolutely be held at the courtyard. He is also one to adore ojou-sama……the Vlad house.
I think he would gladly raise both hands in agreement.
A smile floated on my face as my mouth loosened from imagining Gigi-san’s happy expression.
Ojou-sama tilted her head when she noticed, but I deceived her appropriately.