Chapter 53

"Your Highness! The martial arts tournament! ...Are you entering it?"

A downward slash from above by Schwartz! I hold the jutte by the handle and the middle, and block it horizontally!

"I'm not entering! That kind of strength is not for show!"

A horizontal slash! I angle the jutte diagonally, let Schwartz's wooden sword slide down, and catch it with a hook!

"It's meaningless unless you keep it hidden!"

He's coming for my legs! I press the middle of the jutte firmly against my leg to block it!

The blade of the sword hits the middle of the jutte and slides. If the angle is wrong, the blade will slide and hit my body. The key is in the angle and the use of the hook.

I received the license to teach from Shurigan and Schwartz for both one-handed and two-handed swords, and now I practice with the jutte every day for self-defense.

This jutte was invented by Shurigan, named by Serea, and perfected by Schwartz. It has become the standard equipment for the plainclothes patrol soldiers in the city.

Once you master it, you can do anything with it. You might think it's at a disadvantage in reach, but it's not. A sword is supported by two hands at the hilt. So, if you catch the tip of the sword with the hook of the jutte, you can counter with one hand. It's like a lever. Just like using a long crowbar to pull out a stubborn nail, you can twist and take the sword from your opponent. If you can catch the tip of the enemy's blade with the hook, it's yours.

It's difficult, but not impossible. Normally, you can't counter unless you have three times the skill of your opponent. It's a tool for capturing criminals, after all. If you want to kill your opponent, you can use any means, which is easy. But if you don't want to kill, you need an overwhelming skill difference...

Swordsmen dodge or block with their swords, but they don't expect their swords to be grabbed. That's where the enemy's weakness lies. I've been taught about ten ways to take a sword from an opponent with a jutte, and I practice them.

I want to be able to take a sword from Schwartz without holding back by the time I graduate from the academy!

Jack, a member of the swordsmanship club, practices late every day after club activities.

"Aren't you entering...?"

Jack asks me, clearly dissatisfied. The academy's annual martial arts tournament, which is held at the end of the second semester, has fewer participants from the noble families these days. Most of the participants are from the knight classes and the swordsmanship club, with one or two from each other class. Jack, of course, is eager to enter.

"...There's no way I'm entering. The royal family's sword technique is a secret art for emergencies. It can't be known publicly."

"But we always practiced together at the boot camp with our masters..."

"But we never had a match between you and me, did we? The things Shurigan taught us at the camp were all things that wouldn't matter if Jack saw them."

"Wha—! That's how it was!"

This is different from the swords of the royal guard, who are the shield of the royal family. The royal family's role is to survive. If you knew the essence of their fighting style, which is a no-holds-barred street fighting technique, you'd be disappointed, Jack...

"Well, that's why I'm just going to cheer this year."

"Damn... Try to enter at least once before you graduate. I want to settle things with you once and for all."

"Hmm, I think that's difficult. If I entered, I'd easily win like in football, because there aren't many who can seriously challenge a prince. That would be unfair."

"You say that... If it really happened, I'd fight you seriously."

"Sure, sure."

I laugh a little imagining myself winning by stepping on all the opponents' testicles. That wouldn't be good, though...

So, it's the day of the martial arts tournament. It's a silly academy to have a day off for this kind of thing. Traditionally, the sports committee organizes it.

It seems to have originated from a strong noble student council president who held it to ensure his own victory. I think it should be abolished, such a pointless event.

I look at the rule sheet made by the organizing committee.

The venue is the academy arena. You lose if you fall out of bounds, the referee stops the match, or you surrender. Any kind of armor is allowed. Only blunt weapons are allowed; edged weapons are prohibited. If you use a sword, it must be a wooden one. Spears are just sticks.

Thrusts and attacks to vital points are prohibited, and you lose immediately if you do. There are many places you can't hit, like the face and the groin. Well, if I entered, I wouldn't be able to win with these rules...

The tournament begins with the announcement by the organizing committee president. The winner receives an award and a kiss from Miss Academy. This year's Miss Academy is Elena Stradis, the student council president, so it's quite exciting. She's been Miss Academy for three consecutive years, so she's quite popular.

Serea and I watch from the audience.

"Boys like this kind of thing, don't they..."

"Winning would mean being fearless in the academy for a year. It feels like a show of noble pride and materialism..."

It's not an event that would make Serea happy, but I might have to participate someday. I should watch carefully.

Silfa, Jack's fiancée, watches anxiously from beside Serea. In a martial arts tournament, injuries can happen, so it's natural to be worried.

The two main characters who are participating are Powell Hargan, the brainy one, and Jack Shreet Wyls, my friend and the first-year representative of the swordsmanship club.

The way to win... Well, the theory is to knock the opponent's sword out of their hand. The opponent who drops their sword admits defeat. It's a very gentlemanly way of dueling...

It's not a battlefield fight. Apparently, it's also acceptable to hit the armored torso with all your might. In short, as long as everyone can see that you've won, it's okay. It's quite up to the referee. I don't think a win like mine, where I secretly hit a vital point, would be allowed.

Both of them advanced smoothly, but Jack lost in the quarterfinals when a third-year student knocked his sword out of his hand. It's a shame, but Jack is still strong!

The winner is... Powell Hargan. As expected of the main character's target.

For a first-year student who is not in the swordsmanship club to defeat a third-year student and win is quite impressive.

However, Powell is the son of the captain of the royal guard, so I suspect there was a lot of leniency from his opponents. Especially if the opponent is from a knight family, it's not right to win... Powell's style is flashy and leaves many openings, and from my perspective, it felt like, "He won?" The female audience is cheering and he's feeling good about himself.

Maybe this should be abolished.

It might be hard to abolish the event, but we need to stop people from using their titles and status to intimidate their opponents and win.

Is there any good way to do this?

Elena Stradis ascends to the arena and hands over the winner's cup. Then, Powell kneels on one knee, takes Elena's hand, and kisses it.

...Is that it?

The reward kiss from Elena?

It seems that making Elena do that is too much. Boring...

"Aaaah! It's not interesting!"

Jack is upset. I found it interesting enough, but I can see why it's not fun for the loser...

"It's good that no one got hurt."

"...Today is a consolation party. Let's go eat something in town!"

Sure, sure.

Jack, Silfa, me, Serea, and Hartis go out into town after school.

"Where should we go?"

"Of course, a proper restaurant. I'm not in the mood for fried chicken."

That's true.

"Oh, that..."

Hartis points, and at the street corner, the pink-haired heroine is being harassed by some shady men.

"Trying to pick her up, huh..."

As Jack says, it's clear she's not interested. Well, she looks incredibly cute, so this kind of thing happens. It's getting out of hand.

"Perfect timing, let's go help her."

I'm not sure what's perfect about it, but Jack heads straight into the trouble. Ah, he should have just let it be.

Sure enough, a fight breaks out as soon as someone grabs her by the collar. Jack is strong, but there are five of them, so I guess I have to join in.

"Sorry, but I'll help you out."

I put my arm around the neck of one of the thugs who has Jack in a headlock and throw him to the ground with a suplex.

"You bastard!!"

I dodge another thug who lunges at me, sweep his feet, and slam his face into the ground with an elbow to the back of the neck as he falls forward.

Jack, freed from the headlock, lands a jaw hook on the thug in front of him, knocking him out with one punch. Five against two becomes two against two.

"What the hell!"

One of them pulls out a knife. How barbaric... I taunt him with a hand wave, and he lunges at me. I draw my jutte and strike his wrist holding the knife.

I kick the man's stomach as he clutches his broken hand and he vomits, crouching on the ground.

The last one is finished off by Jack with a counter straight punch to the jaw.

...Clap, clap, clap, clap.

Schwartz, who was standing nearby, is smiling and clapping.

"Wow, you two are so strong!"

"Is this how a bodyguard should act? Let's get to work."

"You two wouldn't lose to this level of thugs."

The guards gather at the commotion, but Schwartz quickly has the five thugs restrained, tied up, and taken away.

"Ah, that's a relief!"

Jack and I high-five and laugh.

"...You don't look like it, but you fight viciously."

"Same to you, no holding back in a fight. You have to keep going until the opponent can't move, or they'll counterattack."

"I see, that's why you keep it a secret. If people knew the prince fought like that, it would be a big problem. You wouldn't be able to enter the martial arts tournament."

"...But I can use a regular sword properly too."

"A, ah..."

I forgot. The heroine comes over and bows.

"Thank you! I was being persistently picked up and was in trouble..."

"It's nothing, we're going on a date with our cute fiancée now."

"Hey! You guys!"

Powell Hargan is walking over.

"What are you doing to her!"

"...Just talking."

"Same here."

"Pa-kun! You're so late!"

...I don't think that nickname is a good idea, Miss Heroine...

"You were trying to pick her up, weren't you?"

"That's a bit of an exaggeration."

"We're on a date with our fiancées. We wouldn't pick up someone during a date..."

Jack waves to Silfa. Serea and Silfa curtsy elegantly to Powell from across the street.

"Ah... you're here."

What's with that reaction? The heroine is clearly disappointed.

"Pa-kun, Shin-kun helped me when I was being harassed by thugs. That's the truth. The prince helped me."

Where did Jack go, Miss Heroine? You should thank him.

...Powell looks stunned.

"Excuse me, Your Highness."

"No calling me 'Your Highness' in the city. I'm incognito now."

You just realized who I am, didn't you? Think about who you're dealing with before you confront someone. You're so simple-minded...

"Well, that's that. Congratulations on winning the martial arts tournament, Pa-kun. Enjoy your date with Rin-go."

"Rinsu!"

"Hey...!"

I quickly return to Serea and the others while Powell is flustered.

A congratulatory date, huh? Miss Heroine, you're indiscriminate...

"...Sir Jack, please don't do dangerous things."

"That was nothing. It wasn't dangerous at all."

"Jack, five against one is a bit too much, even for you."

"Shin, that was overkill. You really scared us. The guy you fought is seriously injured..."

"...Sorry."

Serea scolds me. The guy I fought is definitely going to the hospital. I definitely overdid it. My body just moved on its own without thinking. It's due to Shurigan's training, but I still can't control my strength. I guess I deserve some credit for not stepping on anyone's testicles this time.

"We wasted time, let's go!"

Jack leads the way, and we head to the restaurant we were aiming for.

"...Isn't this Powell's event?"

Serea whispers to me.

"Really?"

"The heroine is being harassed during a date, and the target character saves her."

"Guess we messed up again. We keep stealing events."

Hehehehe.

"...You don't look sorry at all, Shin..."

"But you two are so strong! I hate violence, but being able to protect women in a crisis is admirable."

Hartis is really a healing presence.

"Do you have a fiancée, a girlfriend, or a crush, Hartis?"

Jack asks, and Hartis gets flustered.

"...No, I'm too busy with my research."

"Hartis."

Jack turns around and grabs Hartis by the shoulders.

"Having a girlfriend is great. Life is short, love while you can. Don't waste your youth. Got it?"

It's weird coming from you, Jack.

Silfa thinks for a moment and claps her hands.

"How about Rinsu?"

"Absolutely not!!"

Jack and I say in unison!!

Next time: "53. Christmas Party"