Chapter-03 · EP-049
Episode 49: After the Mock Battle
I helped Iori remove her broken face guard while checking her for injuries.
"Are you really okay? Did you hurt your neck?"
"Sorry for worrying you, Shirou. No particular pain, but I'll have Yuno use her Healing Magic on me just in case."
"Yeah, let's do that."
No matter how strong she was, Iori was still a girl. I couldn't believe they would attack her so fiercely.
"Takigawa-san, it should have been my fight… I'm sorry."
"I apologize as well. I'm truly sorry."
Murasakimura and Sendo apologized to Iori.
She smiled and answered.
"Don't apologize. I enjoyed it."
Hearing that, the two exchanged surprised glances. I was also surprised and asked.
"You enjoyed it?"
"Yeah. It was a different kind of strength from my father or brother. The world really is wide."
Iori really was a battle maniac.
Hearing that, I laughed.
"Heh."
As we were relaxing a bit, there was still one man who seemed to have unfinished business.
—Haijima was still there.
He was holding his prized enchanted wooden sword, glaring at us.
"You still want something?"
"Don't get cocky just because you're from D-Class."
Was he holding a grudge for being brushed aside by Iori earlier? Or was he upset that Iwakura had praised Iori? Either way, the killing intent directed at us was unpleasant.
I stepped between Iori and Haijima.
"W-what do you want…"
"The mock battle is over. We're leaving. Get out of the way."
Haijima trembled as he glared back at me.
I didn't want any more conflict. It would be fine if he just left.
But Haijima, having lost an outlet for his hostility, suddenly raised his wooden sword.
"Shut up!"
And swung it down at me.
Whack!
The sound of the impact-enhancing enchantment on the wooden sword echoed through the training hall.
Because I had caught the sword with my bare hand.
"What… with his bare hand…"
Haijima stammered in shock.
I gripped my right hand tightly, feeling the pain, and Haijima froze.
"I'll say it again. Get out of the way."
Haijima collapsed limply from his waist.
He probably wouldn't attack again. We left the dojo, leaving the wooden sword behind.
—At this time, none of us could have imagined the incident that this Haijima would later cause…
After finishing removing their protective gear and waiting for Takigawa to return from the changing room, the four of us left the martial arts gymnasium.
"Well, you see. I think not joining that club was the right choice."
Originally, Murasakimura and Sendo had wanted to join the First Swordsmanship Club. We had expected some hostility, but being greeted with such intense animosity meant that even if they had been allowed to join, they probably wouldn't have been allowed to practice properly.
Murasakimura thought for a moment after I said that, then answered.
"Yeah. Since the instructor didn't seem to be there today, I'm still curious about their usual practice, but it seems doing club activities with nobles is indeed impossible for us."
I thought to myself, I knew that from the start!, but I held back from saying it out loud.
Nobles were impossible, but I didn't get along with Murasakimura and the others either.
"Well, that's that!"
I said and tried to leave, but Murasakimura called out again.
"Wait, Ichinose-kun."
"W-what?"
I had a bad feeling about this.
"The First Swordsmanship Club didn't work out, but let's go check out the Second Swordsmanship Club."
"Now?"
"Of course."
"Didn't you say you weren't interested in the Second Swordsmanship Club because it's just a hobby group?"
"I changed my mind. We just enrolled. We have infinite possibilities. So I thought it might be good to join the Second Swordsmanship Club, get stronger, and defeat the First Club."
"No way that's happening!"
No matter how hard Murasakimura tried, if those around him weren't motivated, it wouldn't work. And against that Iwakura, unless you had a skill suited for anti-personnel combat from the start, you couldn't win. He had just been shown that there were walls that couldn't be overcome by effort alone.
As I was exasperated with Murasakimura, Sendo's eyes lit up as he said.
"As expected of Kyoya. That's a brilliant idea. Takigawa-san, will you join us?"
"Yeah. I don't mind, but…"
Sendo was dragging Iori into this too…
Just as I was about to refuse, two figures appeared in the hallway we were walking down.
"That sounds interesting."
It was Hikaru Kujo.
"Young lady, I thought you went home."
"I was waiting for you. More importantly, you were saying something interesting. Joining the Second Swordsmanship Club and becoming stronger than the First Club. Murasakimura-san, is that really possible?"
It's obviously impossible! I thought, but again, I kept it to myself. Because I was restraining myself.
"Of course."
Murasakimura answered with inexplicable confidence. This guy was the type who only dreamed and didn't see reality. My least favorite type. I was reminded that this was why I didn't get along with him.
But Hikaru didn't seem to dislike Murasakimura.
"That sounds fun. Can we come along?"
"Eh? You're going to check out the Second Swordsmanship Club too, young lady?"
"Yes. Let's go, Mei."
"Yes."
Watching the backs of the four as they walked off—Murasakimura, Sendo, Hikaru, Mei—I felt a tap on my back from Iori.
"Let's go, Shirou."
Uh, I didn't say I was going, though?