How About Some Practice Matches?

… Come to think of it, I need to make the dungeon even deeper. Haniwa. I should make some haniwa.

I was thinking about that to escape from reality.

Maybe my subconscious was instinctively trying to strengthen my shut-in defenses.

"So Kehma, you don't actually want to, um, have goblins assault me or anything, right?"

"Obviously not. She said all that on her own."

"Sir! That is incorrect! Master told me to say it!"

"Oh, shut up. I understand why you got fired from the knight order now."

"Sir! I shall refrain from saying anything unnecessary and remain silent!"

"… Haah, well, fine. I trust you, Kehma."

And so I was able to clear up Rokuko's misunderstanding. Thank you for trusting me.

"So, what? We're taking care of this? Wataru, what's the meaning of this?"

"Ah, good, I wasn't being ignored after all. Well, actually, this is the daughter of an acquaintance, and I'd like Kehma-san to train her. After all, it's Kehma-san we're talking about. Rokuko-san, you think Kehma-san is amazing too, right?"

"Huh? Yeah. That's Kehma for you."

"Kehma-san is so amazing that you can't help but want to rely on him, right?"

"Well, that's Kehma for you."

Rokuko puffed up proudly as if he were praising her.

I get the feeling she's being smoothly manipulated, but since getting her to accept me taking on an apprentice is convenient, I'll just watch quietly. Good grief, Wataru's gotten pretty skilled at this.

"Well, I suppose housing her in the inn is fine… But don't let that super-pervert into the Village Chief's house, okay? Kehma's chastity is at risk."

"Good for you, Shikina-chan. You've got permission from Rokuko-san too."

"Sir! Thank you, Rokuko-dono!"

Looks like they've reached an agreement. Good.

 

＊ ＊ ＊

 

Since she was a new resident, I decided to introduce her to everyone else.

Rokuko went back to her room saying she'd make a new shift schedule including Shikina, and Wataru said he wanted to enjoy the hot spring so he didn't come along.

I'd introduce her to Rei, Kinue-san, and Nerune later since they were working. The rest of them seemed to have gathered in the backyard.

When I went there, Niku and Setsuna had apparently just finished a practice match and were receiving towels and water bottles from Ichika and Nayuta.

"Oh, Goshujin-sama. Come to watch the training? Or did you come to do something indecent?"

"Why would you think that?"

"Because we heard some passionate declaration coming from over there a bit ago, y'know? Right?"

Following Ichika's words, Niku and the others nodded repeatedly.

… Ah, so they heard it clearly all the way out here too. Well, I already knew that when Rokuko came barging in.

"That was a misunderstanding and an accident. Anyway, we've got a new resident. She's apparently the daughter of Wataru's acquaintance."

"Sir! I am the eldest daughter of my esteemed father Dyne Kukkoro, Shikina Kukkoro! I have become Master Kehma's apprentice! Pleased to meet you!"

"… She said she'd do anything, so I'm having her work at the inn too. Please teach her the job later."

"Heeh, anything?"

"When I asked her to be specific about that, she said what you heard earlier… Ichika, stop grinning like that. I have no intention of doing any of that."

"What, I thought you'd finally gotten interested in someone other than Rokuko-sama and Niku-senpai."

I have no idea what you're talking about.

"By the way, were you having practice matches? I would like to join in!"

"Oh! You're into that? Then let's go at it! Do you use a weapon? We have wooden swords."

Setsuna, our resident battle maniac, immediately latched onto Shikina's request.

She just finished a practice match with Niku, and she's already raring for another one. Energetic as always.

"I shall use a wooden sword. I will show you the Raverio Imperial Knight-style swordsmanship! I may look like this, but I was a knight, so I have confidence in my skill!"

"Then I won't hold back either!"

Setsuna took her stance. Facing her, Shikina also raised her wooden sword.

"Here I come!"

"Yeah, let's go! Oh right, I'm Setsuna. Nice to meet you."

And so the practice match began, but Shikina was quickly defeated.

"I-I admit defeat… I couldn't do anything…"

"How should I put it… you were too textbook, so it was really easy to fight you."

"I have been told that since long ago! It is one of my few points of pride!"

No, if you're easy for your opponent to fight, that's bad.

"Setsuna-dono must be exceptionally strong. I may look like this, but I've been told I have about B-Rank potential."

"Oh? Then how about fighting me next? I can only use C-Rank level martial arts though."

"Yes, please! Um, your name is?"

"Nayuta. The voluptuously boing boing one's younger sister."

"A pleasure, voluptuously boing boing Setsuna-dono's younger sister Nayuta-dono!"

"… Am I really that voluptuously boing boing?"

Next, she challenged Nayuta. I didn't think Nayuta was much of a fighter, but can she actually hold her own?

By the way, nobody denied that Setsuna was voluptuously boing boing.

… And the result was Nayuta's complete victory.

She kept her distance and threw stones, threw sand, mercilessly aimed for the eyes, used magic, and even used hidden weapons. All sorts of dirty tactics, resulting in her complete victory.

"Ugwaaah, my eyes, my eyeeees!"

"Dirty. As expected of Nayuta, dirty. Heal this one's wounds, [Healing]."

"Ahhh, phew. Thank you, Master… Th-this shouldn't be happening…"

"Indeed. You could have won if you'd properly displayed your abilities."

"Exactly! I have the underlying ability!"

No, that means you got crushed because she didn't let you display your abilities. Don't you get it?

"Then maybe I'd be a good match? Oh, I'm Ichika. Nice to meet ya."

"Sir! Please do!"

And so this time it was a fight against Ichika.

This match was fairly evenly contested and worth watching.

However, in the end, Ichika came out slightly ahead.

"I-I lost…"

"Phew. You fell for the feints in such an amusing way. If you could handle those, you'd get a lot stronger, y'know?"

"Father told me that many times! Feints are my eternal homework!"

No, don't just accept it. Overcome it already.

I cast [Healing] on her again to patch her up.

"At this rate, I'll bring shame to the imperial knights… I-in that case, I just need at least one win! Tiny one! Fight me!"

"Okay. Sure."

"Don't hold back!"

And needless to say, the result of her match with Niku was Niku's overwhelming victory.

"Whyyyy!?"

"Well, I mean, Kuro-chan's gotten so strong lately that I lose to her about three out of five times."

"Haha, you underestimated Senpai because of her looks, huh?"

Eh, Niku's gotten strong enough to win the majority against Setsuna? Kids grow up so fast.

I gently patted Niku's head. Her dog ears and tail wagged.

"W-wasn't Setsuna-dono the strongest one here!?"

"Eh? If you're talking about the strongest, that'd be Village Chief Kehma. I lost to him and have never won."

"What!? As expected of Master!"

I keep saying that was a draw…