The collector who tried to steal Priscilla away was a Lycanthrope, an old acquaintance. He’s a bastard who shoved his hand between my legs!
Godspeed, Mode Six!
My flurry of Godspeed thrusts was easily dodged by the relationship thief. On the third or so draw of his sword, he closed the distance and the tables turned.
I blocked with my Zantou, but this was no longer a range I could fight in. I felt sorry for the Zantou I was using to block. This is ridiculous. Even with the super vibration flowing, his claws aren’t even scratched. Did it break? Is it still under warranty?
I dodged a slash from his claws and sprang back, creating distance. I wanted to take a coffee break, but he seemed to want to play and bounced back towards me.
However, I’m a step faster. Once I land, I’ll sweep him in half. I gripped my Zantou behind me, waiting to land. I have enough leeway in this interval to play rock-paper-scissors.
The moment I landed, I unleashed a horizontal slash. The relationship thief in mid-air twisted to avoid it and came down with a heel drop.
You can dodge that too!? Weren’t *you* the one I had cornered!? I tried to extend my Tentacle Prost for defense, but it was easily kicked away, and my head reeled. Whoa, the world feels like a magnitude three earthquake…
My extended Tentacle Prost is fragile. But its tip is claws. With my vision still blurry, I thrust it towards the relationship thief’s face.
He dodged! At this range, with an attack from below at a blind spot! He followed with a series of backflips, spinning like a gymnast to increase the distance, and landed perfectly… I’m not giving him any points.
My head was still swimming. It felt like a hangover, throbbing with pain. Thanks to him creating distance, I could take a coffee break. He’s truly strong. More than just strong, he’s superior to me in every aspect. He likely has magnitudes more combat experience. I use Mind’s Eye to compensate for that, but when I increase my Mode, speed takes precedence.
The pain in my head doesn’t seem to be from just being kicked. I realized that if this turned into a long fight, I would lose. But would he agree to a short, decisive battle…
“Your swordsmanship is quite wild.”
“It’s self-taught. There was no one to teach me.”
“Is it just fast?”
“Priscilla seems to like it.”
I deliberately swayed my hips. In reality, I’m fast, thick, and strong, but I won’t tell him that much. Our silly banter seemed to settle my “tremors.” Alright, let’s begin.
With Priscilla on the line, I have no choice but to fight. I’d rather lose. Priscilla is my woman; I won’t give her to anyone.
I disengaged the super vibration from my Zantou and raised it to my right shoulder, ready to swing. Two-handed, I’ll bring it down with full power. If that doesn’t work, I’ll think of something else. If I have time.
“That’s a peculiar stance. You won’t be able to kill me with that.”
Is it because he easily dodged Godspeed, Mode Six, or did he gauge my attack? His smugness is infuriating. I’ve always wanted to try something with this Zantou.
“It’s called Jigen-ryu. I bet everything on the first strike.”
“What if I dodge it?”
“I’ll be in trouble!”
“Then I’ll put you in trouble!”
With his immediate response, he closed in like a gale. Fool! He took the bait for a quick finish. I don’t know Jigen-ryu. All I know is the spirit of Jigen-ryu: no second strike, a decisive sword, and…
“Chest!”
With that shout! Waiting until the last moment, the relationship thief narrowly dodged my Zantou as I swung it in a downward diagonal cut and thrust sharp claws at me.
Not yet… not yet! It pierced my leather armor, went through my clothes, and sank into my flesh. To a distance he absolutely couldn’t dodge! Flesh was gouged, bone was crushed, and I was one centimeter from my heart.
My heart pounded as if it would explode. I swung my Zantou, which had surpassed Mode Six in speed, in a rising leftward slash.
“Gah!”
I should have cut him, but the relationship thief is unharmed? His claws reached my heart. Blood from my windpipe spurted from my mouth. Did I lose…
“You… you’re insane…”
The relationship thief crumbled, leaving half his body behind. What I wanted to do wasn’t Jigen-ryu. What I wanted to do was the “Swallow Return” supposedly used by Sasaki Kojiro. A secret sword that appears to cut from above and below due to its incredible speed, using a long sword called a “Monohoshizao” for its downward diagonal and rising leftward slashes. I’ve always wanted to try it, given the length of my Zantou.
My club teacher used to say, “You can’t do things in a match that you can’t do in practice.” Well, I managed to do it, even with a hole in my heart…
But I’m not dead. The pounding I felt as I swung upwards, and my heart not stopping despite the hole… Could it be Christine? Did she help me?
I approached Priscilla and knelt on one knee. Priscilla looked up, tears streaming down her cheeks.
Huh? Was cutting him the wrong thing to do? Didn’t she tell me to kill him?
“Priscilla…”
What should I do? Should I apologize for cutting him? What if he turns out to be her brother?
When she said “kill me,” she didn’t mean kill me, did she? What should I do? I expected her to greet me with a smile…
“Priscilla… I won. Priscilla is mine!”
This seems to be the right answer. Priscilla smiled through her tears. This is the greatest joy for a man who fought for a single woman.
Huh? My heartbeat is weakening. Did Christine hear me? Is she jealous? I wish my heart could beat all the way to Sophia’s place…
I collapsed onto Priscilla and lost consciousness.
“You’re awake, you piece of…”
My head feels a little fuzzy. Is it because I lost too much blood, or because the bed feels lonely? Priscilla had brought a chair to the bedside and was sitting there.
If she crossed her legs like this in a miniskirt, I would have woken up instantly… This lack of showmanship is frustrating.
“Priscilla… Mini skirt…”
I should stop myself. I’m injured, and I don’t want to get any more injured. Besides, I’ve won Priscilla. This is something to be proud of.
“Thanks… for killing Jacob…”
So that relationship thief’s name was Jacob. It’s a shame to fight with a sword for so long and not know his name. Jacob was a formidable opponent. Rest in eternal peace. Because I will be sleeping with Priscilla.
“That person… Is he your acquaintance?”
“Ah… I’ll bring Sophia too. This concerns her as well.”
Priscilla said that, stood up, and left the room. She didn’t look particularly happy. It seems to be a serious matter that concerns Sophia too, so perhaps I should brace myself.
Until then, I’ll rest. At least she could have given me a kiss as a token of her gratitude…
“Sorry to keep you waiting.”
I wasn’t waiting, and she’s fast… She was just in the next room. What a show-off, I’m not ready yet.
“That man named Jacob… Does Sophia have anything to do with him? Even though he’s a Lycanthrope?”
“…Yes.”
No way!? Did he have a relationship with Sophia too? A two-timing affair!? Cheating is bad! If it were me, if it were me… I can’t say anything.
“Were the three of you acquainted?”
“Ah… It’s an old, old story. Or rather, a story that I still remember vividly…”
Once upon a time, in a certain place, there lived an old man and an old woman… No, that’s not it. Long ago, in a corner of the Ashtal Imperial Capital, there was a group that was like what people generally call gangs or delinquent groups.
It was a pack of Lycanthropes. Led by Jacob, a young Priscilla was also a part of that group.
By nature of being Lycanthropes, the strong stood at the top, and by nature of being Lycanthropes, they rampaged wildly.
A girl seeking her place, Lianne, Sophia’s older sister, who was older than her, joined them. This became the catalyst for humans, demi-humans, elves, and dwarves, the so-called “outcasts” of society, to gather, becoming a group that transcended mere gangs.
Priscilla blindly followed Jacob, and it seems Lianne did too, but Sophia tried to stop Lianne.
Sophia and Lianne had parents, but due to circumstances, they were raised in a church. Sophia, blessed with talent, studied magic, while Lianne did not possess that talent.
The two were supposed to walk separate paths in life, but Sophia wished for Lianne to leave Jacob’s group, and she frequented the gang’s hangouts.
The three naturally became acquainted, and Priscilla, who revered Jacob, also developed a relationship with Sophia and her group that was like that of real sisters.
The nail that sticks out gets hammered down. The Asht Empire began to move to eradicate Jacob’s group using the Knight Order. Jacob, having sensed this beforehand, killed everyone except the Lycanthropes and left the Asht Empire.
Priscilla said she wasn’t asked to join. If she had been, would she have massacred everyone but the Lycanthropes and left the Imperial Capital with them? Killing Sophia’s sister as well…
Sophia returned to the church, honed her magical skills there, and became a healing magic user. Priscilla pursued Jacob to find out the truth of the matter.
Several years later, Priscilla returned to Ashtal with Christine and founded the White Lily Corps, including Sophia…
“So, you became a mercenary group to hunt down Jacob…”
“There was no way we could find him. He was kept by Rothfar.”
“What do you plan to do now? It seems your objective has been accomplished…”
Priscilla said, “Kill me.” I believe her objective was to avenge Lianne by killing him. Was her wish directed at me at that time?
The Lycanthrope nature of following the strong. Perhaps she weighed me against Jacob. I don’t know how deep her connection was with Lianne. I don’t know how deep her connection was with Jacob. Her heart’s depths are immeasurable.
I believe that this was the future Priscilla desired. Because I am a “better man.” It’s a woman’s nature to follow a good man… I wish I could say that with certainty.
“I couldn’t ask why Jacob killed Lianne and the others, but he’s a Lycanthrope… He probably just lived as he pleased…”
Freedom. If it doesn’t trouble others, live and die as you please. Those with power can’t live as they please, you know.
“The reason for creating the White Lily Corps is gone…”
“That’s right… I created it to find Jacob… Should we disband…”
“What!?”
“Kidding, you idiot! You’re the Captain now. You’re the one to decide.”
You surprised me, Shin-chan. If we disbanded here, I wouldn’t be able to fulfill my promise with God. To show God’s desired interesting ending along with the White Lily Corps. I thought the promise I would soon fulfill was broken.
“Let’s postpone the disbandment for now. We’ll think about it after this battle is over.”
“Do as you please. Mikael is the Captain…”
Please bear with me a little longer. After this battle is over… I will be with Priscilla…
“Speaking of ‘do as you please’… I can do as I please with Priscilla, right? I won the bet with Jacob…”
Five blinding radiant lights pierced my vital organs. My pounding heart, which had been ready to freely possess Priscilla, seemed about to stop from this unexpected attack, the first in a long time.
“Priscilla! What kind of bet did you make!?”
Ignoring the bloody, injured man before her, Sophia questioned Priscilla. You haven’t changed. The White Lily Corps is still going strong. And it will continue to be.
“I… I didn’t make any bet! He’s mistaken! Hurry and heal him. I’ll give Sophia my whole day today.”
With that, Priscilla fled the room. Sophia glared at me. Heal me quickly, or I’ll die.
As she left the room, she turned back and, without words, conveyed “Thank you” with her eyes. It was the first time something other than “claws” and “laser” had pierced my heart.
