Chapter 6
—At that very moment.
The scenery before me changed in an instant.
“What the—?!”
Enrique let out a startled shout.
Before I knew it, I’d closed the distance in an instant and was locked in a close-quarters sword clash with Enrique.
Enrique’s eyes widened in shock.
I’d aimed to catch him completely off guard, but it seemed he’d blocked me.
Of course, I hadn’t expected my body to move this well either, but I swung my sword with an expression that said this was only natural.
For once, I felt like thanking young Kuzutos.
...No, maybe not.
This was all happening because of Kuzutos in the first place...
Well, whatever.
I shifted my stance.
I deflected Enrique’s sword and used the momentum to circle around to his side.
I stepped in once more.
—The key was the footwork.
Carefully, carefully.
That said, it was my first time using mana today, so I had to pay close attention to how I distributed it.
I focused the mana in my legs and sharply enhanced my physical abilities.
For once, all I could do was thank my previous life’s experience as a member of the kendo club.
...Though I quit halfway through because it got too hard.
“Damn it!”
Enrique cursed, but it was already too late.
It was fine.
Enrique’s sword couldn’t keep up with my speed.
I swung my sword up, driving it in.
This should do it—
But the next instant, I felt a tremendous impact in my stomach.
“Gah!”
All the air was forced from my lungs, and I was sent flying several meters.
Fighting through the pain, I looked in the direction I’d been launched and saw Enrique in front of me, his leg dangling as he casually swung it.
“A-a kick...?”
Despite the speed I’d built up, it seemed he’d countered me with a kick.
This made no sense.
He wasn’t even a named character, yet this scumbag was way too strong.
But still.
Enrique seemed just as stunned as I was.
“Oh, man, I screwed up...” Enrique said, clutching his head.
“Are you all right?”
Enrique approached me with a grimace, while the soldiers looked at me with concern.
No, I am not!!!! I wanted to yell.
At least go easy on a kid! I wanted to say.
I’m your employer’s son, you know??
Even if I’m a scumbag who likes bikini armor, I’m still the young master of the distinguished House Randall.
Couldn’t you have held back a little more?? I wanted to complain.
“Are you all right, young master? I’m sorry. You were just moving so well...”
“Where did you learn to move like that, young master?” Enrique murmured in shock, but hearing that from the man who’d landed a perfect counter-kick on me did nothing to make me happy.
Besides, if we were using wooden swords, shouldn’t you normally not use your feet?????
Honestly, after getting hurt pretty badly, I felt like flying into a rage.
I wanted to tell him, “Don’t mess with me!”
But—
“N-no, I’m fine,” I said, getting to my feet.
Yeah.
It hurt like hell, but let’s think calmly for a moment.
1. A spoiled young master who likes bikini armor and has skipped training until now challenges an adventurer to a sparring match
2. He gets furious when he loses
That was undeniably scumbag behavior.
The kind of scumbag people really hated.
If so, there was only one thing I could do.
“………………”
I silently put on a smile, at least on the surface.
That’s right.
What I was aiming for was the ultimate background-character routine.
It was easy.
All I had to do was smile.
Smile warmly and say, “Thanks for today.”
How’s that for background-character energy?
Utterly ordinary. The epitome of a nobody.
“No, I’m all right.”
I gave Enrique a graceful reply with a fake smile.
Then, swallowing my desire to say, “Don’t screw with me! You’re fired,” I said something that sounded like a young nobleman.
“Thank you, too. I was pretty confident, but real-life practice is tough. I’d be glad if you kept training with me from now on.”
My face was twitching with anger, but that was fine.
And so, wearing a smile like a perfectly ordinary nobleman,
“See you around.”
With that, I left.
...Still, that hurt like hell!!!!
As I rubbed my aching stomach, I earnestly swore I would never become an adult who went all out against a child.
Still, I felt like that went pretty well...
Yeah, the soldiers had gone quiet, though.
W-well, this was probably normal. I hadn’t expected their attitudes to change all at once.
I hurried back to the manor, thinking I’d ask Liera for some medicine.
—But at that moment, overflowing with a sense of accomplishment, I’d let my guard down.
Looking back, I should have realized.
Enrique, who had watched me walk away, said,
“N-no way... Did I really make a former S-rank go all out? And he can wear a cool smile after taking that hit...!?”
Unaware of that, I fled back to the manor in a sorry state.
By the way, when I returned to the manor and asked Liera for medicine,
“Young Master Ultos... How awful... Would you like me to apply some medicine for you?”
she asked, gazing up at me.
Ugh...
A gentle, busty maid, like an over-the-top embodiment of every man’s dream, comforted me.
But of course, I said,
“No, it’s fine. It’s not a serious injury,” I said coolly, shaking my head.
I held myself back.
I had to. If I let myself be swayed by her bust right now, I’d be no different from the scumbag Kuzutos in the story.
“Young Master, you haven’t let me pamper you at all lately, but if things get tough, I’ll comfort you anytime...”
I deftly ignored the maid as she said that with her eyes glistening.
“Liera... What a terrifying girl...!!”
Given that she’d fed that perverted boy, Kuzutos, by hand every day, saying “Ahh,” her loyalty seemed pretty high.
Actually, I couldn’t help wondering if this maid was the reason young Kuzutos had gotten so carried away in the first place.
“Y-yeah. Liera. I’m glad to have your loyalty.”
For some reason, I desperately held Liera back as she came closer.
“...Yeah, so, could you maybe stop bending over for now? Okay?”
After I repeatedly assured Liera, who kept asking, “Are you really sure?”, she finally withdrew.
........
Women really are scary. Especially the chest area.
Even I, who’d sworn to seriously become a background character, was drawn in by those breasts.
Yeah, that’s the thing.
Right, not good.
In this eroge world, I renewed my resolve to be even more careful around women’s chests—or, more generally, “boobs.”