Rakudai Kishi no Eiyuutan vol.08

  Rakudai Kishi no Eiyuutan

  vol.8

  by Misora Riku

  Novel Updates

  Translation Group: Frozensama

  Epub: Trollo WN/LN EPUB

  Illustrations

  Intermission - In Order Not To Regret For A Second Time

  If she closed her eyes, she could still remember it clearly.

  In her childhood. The memory of the days she spent with her most beloved older brother.

  She was always following around behind him.

  She wasn’t good at getting spoiled, just following behind him, unable to call out to him, but......every time her older brother saw her figure, he would smile at her, call her name, and wave at her.

  She was happy about that.

  And when she came closer in response to his wave, he would gently stroke her hair.

  That sensation was a bliss.

  Her uneventful every day was truly filled with happiness.

  ──Truly......how foolish she was.

  That’s right, to her past self, Shizuku Kurogane......cursed the her that innocently took her older brother’s love for granted.

  If she recalled back in her current self, 「shadow」 existed in every corner of their daily lives.

  Amongst the gatherings of many relatives.

  Within the pupils that were looking from afar at the sword and magic training they were receiving as if it was natural.

  Or the side face of her older brother that she finally found in a wide room──

  Whenever her older brother noticed her gaze, he would immediately hide it in his smile......getting spoiled by that smile, she didn’t think deeply about it......certainly, 「shadow」 existed.

  Her older probably had probably been fighting it by himself since that time.

  Against all the unreasonabilities surrounding him.

  She couldn’t notice it at all at that time.

  Just getting spoiled by her beloved older brother, she couldn’t become his strength.

  However......it would be different for the current her.

  What was important to him? What was he hoping for?

  The current her knew it clearly.

  And then......what was it that she should do, as well.

  (For that sake, I ──── am fine with losing everything.)

  * * *

  Chapter 11 - Bloody Truth

  Part 1

  “Right before today’s match begins, I will assault Amane Shinomiya in the waiting room.”

  “Eh............”

  It was after they went to the department stores with the usual members in addition to Sara Bloodlily.

  Taking their leave first, on the way back to the venue......Shizuku Kurogane declared that to Nagi Arisuin who was walking next to her.

  “What...are you saying, Shizuku......”

  The declaration was so shocking that Arisuin had stopped in his tracks and asked back.

  In response to that, Shizuku answered with a determined expression.

  “Just like I said, Alice. This is based on my deductions about Bad Luck, Amane Shinomiya’s ability......Nameless Glory’s countermeasure.

  Nameless Glory is a causality interference ability that has a strong enforcement as can be seen.

  In the case when that ability holder wishes for my defeat, or his victory......it will be difficult for me, who only possesses nature interference ability, to overcome.

  First, without a doubt, the causality will revolve around his wish.

  Like the time with the White-Robed Knight, and the second round today, some sort of coincidence will definitely happen, leading to my defeat.

  It can be considered as inevitable. At this rate, I won’t even be able to stand on the ring in the third round.

  My blade...will not reach him.

  In that case......I will purposely make use of that inevitability.”

  “Make use?”

  “That’s right. My defeat......with the pretext of violation of rules, I will defeat that guy. With me taking action that may violate the rules myself, it will not trigger the causal interference ability, allowing me to close in on Amane. If it’s this method, I can bypass Nameless Glory. My blade can reach that guy.”

  That answer was guided by Shizuku’s deductions.

  Hearing that, Arisuin was also convinced.

  Indeed, using that method, it could probably aim at the loophole in Amane’s extraordinary ability.

  It would be possible to create a surprise attack using Amane’s weakness, who held absolute confidence in his ability.

  It was an excellent move from both the offensive and defensive perspectives.

  However──

  “But in that case, Shizuku will lose due to violation of rules in the end, right!?”

  Right, that was the issue.

  That countermeasure could only work if she gave up her victory of the match.

  If not, it would not work.

  Then it would be meaningless.

  However, in regards to that, Shizuku’s words──

  “It doesn’t matter.”

  Like that, she spoke resolutely.

  “What did you say......!”

  “A nature interference type Blazer like me cannot do anything about causality interference. If it were to happen during the match, then it’s one thing, but I don’t stand a chance if the causality has already been involved even before the match......However, giving up because it can’t be helped, I don’t intend to behave in such a mature manner. At this rate, if I have to forfeit without doing anything, I want to drag him down with me as well. Alice has also heard it, right? What that guy had said to Onii-sama after Stella-san’s match.”

  “............Yeah.”

  「And so...that’s why? Get hurt more. Bleed more. Wear out more. I will cheer for that Ikki-kun until my voice grow hoarse. Because I want to see Ikki-kun keep, keep, keeeep on defying fate and break down from now on!」

  Those words, along with that warped scary smile, had been burned into her memory.

  “I cannot let such a dangerous guy get any closer to Onii-sama......It’s fine if I lose. However, in exchange, I won’t let that guy go to the semi-finals. With this surprise attack, I will deal enough damage that it cannot be recovered in a day, knocking him out of the event.”

  That was the level of determination of Shizuku, who loved her brother more than anyone else.

  However ── It was not something that Arisuin could agree with.

  “Shizuku......certainly, I also think that he is a dangerous guy. I can also understand Shizuku’s concern. However, you see. What you are about to do is a really malignant violation of rules.”

  “The same could be said about the other party. In the first place, if he didn’t do such a rule-breaking thing like eliminating his opponent before the match, I would not have chosen such a method.”

  “Yeah. I agree with that. However......it’s frustrating, but we don’t have any evidence of Amane breaking the rules. The result of coincidence piling upon coincidence......he can make such an excuse. But Shizuku, you can’t do that. Even if you handled it well, there will definitely be a severe punishment. Getting disqualified would still be fine......but expulsion is also quite possible.”

  That’s right. The method Shizuku suggested could certainly avoid Nameless Glory, and possibly pierce Amane with her blade.

  However, that was greatly different from an assassination.

  Shizuku would not come out unscathed.

  The risk she carried was too great.

  “Even if you cleared the obstacle after carrying such a big risk by yourself, Ikki would not be happy. No. It’s not just Ikki. Stella-chan as well. Both of them will definitely grieve over it.”

  Of course, himself included.

  It was not something tolerable.

  However, Shizuku, towards Arisuin’s words......showed a vague smile...

  “......I know that. I know that very well. Onii-sama, and Stella-san......are kind.

  That’s why, Alice. I had fun today. My beloved Onii-sama was there, and Stella-san, who loves my Onii-sama, was there, Alice was there, some extra person was there, but I really had fun. No. It was not just today. It has been like that ever since I enrolled into this school. This is......different from the past. Different from the time at that house, without a doubt, I really think that everyday is wonderful. That’s why I can say this......I’m really glad to have come to Hagun Academy.”

  She murmured so as if reminiscing.

  “Shizuku......you............”

  “......Sorry, Alice. I can’t just accept my defeat without doing anything, despite knowing that calamity is about to befall onto Onii-sama.”

  Even if she were to be expulsed.

  Even if she could not spend the days like they did currently ever again──

  “This time, I will protect Onii-sama.”

  She had vowed as such ever since the day her brother was gone.

  Shizuku’s expression after concluding her speech no longer showed that vague smile.

  What replaced it was a strong will like steel.

  What supported her great love for her brother that could not fit in her little body was that unshakable determination.

  Then, Shizuku looked up at Arisuin with those pupils filled with that determination...

  “But......to make this surprise attack a complete success, my power alone is not enough.”

  She appealed to
him.

  “Alice......Can you lend me your power?”

  She hoped that he would lend her his power after knowing the risk involved with the violation of the rules.

  She hoped that he would accompany her on her path.

  ──It was not something that could be said without complete trust.

  In response to that trust...

  “......I understand. I will lend you a hand.”

  Arisuin was not a person that would refuse it.

  (Sorry, Ikki. It seems that I’m not such a good friend.)

  As he listened to Shizuku’s “Thank you”, Arisuin smiled bitterly.

  If he had been a good friend, he would have probably stop her at all cost.

  That surprise attack would make Shizuku suffer a huge penalty, whether it succeeded or not.

  For example, it if was Stella......she probably would not forgive such an act.

  However......Arisuin understood her well.

  Just how deeply and strongly that girl loved her brother.

  It was already to the extent that even his words would not stop her.

  No, it was not just his. Most probably, even Ikki himself could not stop her.

  It was obvious.

  There was an existence closing in on the person she loved, intending to harm him.

  She could not pretend not to have seen it. She could also not just let it pass.

  If he refused there, Shizuku would probably carry out the surprise attack by herself.

  He painfully understood that feeling.

  In that case......

  (──I won’t let her be alone.)

  If he couldn’t dissuade her or stop her, then he would at least stay next to her.

  It was on the day he separated from the Rebellion.

  He had decided to continue staying next to her as long as she wished for it......!

  ──And with that, the two of them moved to carry out their surprise attack.

  Time returned to the moment before the start of the third match in the third round.

  The method was simple. They would use Arisuin’s Noble Art, Shadow Walk, to bypass the security network by walking through the shadow, reaching the waiting room Amane was at from an alternate space. As soon as she flew out, she would shoot countless ice spears ── and pierce through the defenseless Amane who believed that he would win without doing anything.

  She carried the plan out perfectly, swiftly, and without any obstacle.

  “────”

  With a heavy *boom* sound, countless ice spears pierced into Amane’s body, their intensity knocked his body onto the wall, then his body collapsed soundlessly onto the floor.

  At the same time, a pool of blood spread out on the cold floor.

  It was spilled out from his penetrated four limbs and his skull.

  “I won’t apologize.”

  Shizuku threw those words at Amane, who was like a ragged cloth with his head lowered.

  In the first place, Shizuku was reluctant to do something of such an extent towards a defenseless person.

  Regardless of who her opponent was, if they faced off on the battlefield, she would choose to defeat her opponent in a contest of actual strength.

  However, it was none other than Amane himself who rejected that, and considering that he used despicable means to shift the location of the ring that was supposed to determine the victor, there was no reason for her to show any mercy anymore.

  “Curse your own foolishness for playing a prank on the wrong opponent.”

  It was not life-threatening, but Amane suffered a serious injury no matter how one looked at it.

  Especially the damage to the brain, it would take time to recover even with the help of a capsule.

  Even though he won without fighting just as he wished, the recovery would not make it in time for the semi-final.

  “With this......”

  It’s finished. ──It was supposed to be.

  Shizuku had removed the calamity approaching her most beloved person, or so it should have been.

  ──If her enemy did not possess the Bad Luck that could move the stars.

  “A-hahaha......Ahahaha! I see, you did it this way!”

  ““──!?””

  Amane lifted up his body from the pool of blood.

  Despite his four limbs, or rather, his skull being pierced by ice spears, his mouth showed a smile.

  It was the same one he showed when meeting Ikki, a distorted smile that could only be described as a murderous smile.

  “What a surprise! Oh wow, I’m really surprised! If you take action and break the rules yourself, it’s true that my Nameless Glory will not activate. You will be able to approach me. That said......as expected, I didn’t think that you will take such extreme action without any hesitation! What an incredible determination! I can’t believe that you are Ikki-kun’s blood-related sister from taking such measures!”

  “No way......”