GLOSSARY

HUMAN

A native humanoid race. Human has the moderate rate of capability in everything. However, if ones are willing to improve, they will be an expert at that particular field and be the best.

Physical Strength

: Moderate

Magical Strength

: Moderate

Intelligence

: Moderate

Lifespan

: ~60 years

ANIMALIA

A hybrid humanoid of humans and animals. Animalia has extraordinary physical strength but very weak magical strength. Their senses are enhanced as if they are animals themselves.

Physical Strength

: Very High

Magical Strength

: Very Weak

Intelligence

: Moderate

Lifespan

: ~60 years

ELF

A long-eared humanoid who prefers to live in the woods. Elf is very intelligent and excels at crafting and casting magic. However, the major drawback is they are very weak in physical strength resulting the situation which they will always avoid close-combat.

Physical Strength

: Very Weak

Magical Strength

: Very High

Intelligence

: Very High

Lifespan

: ~60 years

DARK ELF

A rare breed from Elf. Dark elf has outstanding magical strength and extremely intelligent. However, they live only half their Race’s lifespan.

Physical Strength

: Moderate

Magical Strength

: Outstanding

Intelligence

: Outstanding

Lifespan

: ~30 years

UNDEAD

A rare lifeform that has unsettled and severe regrets which they could not attend before they died. All Human, Animalia and Elf are bound to reincarnate as Undead if they fulfill the conditions. The limit of Undead is their body’s own limit as they may use unbounded power of physical and magical strength until their body scatters.

They lose their senses except seeing, hearing, talking and thinking and they are dead body themselves. If they are exposed to sunlight, it will exhibit their body’s rotting rate and eventually die. Lastly, they may consume anything to stay alive as long as it contains nutrients.

Physical Strength

: Unlimited, until the body scatters

Magical Strength

: Unlimited, until the body scatters

Intelligence

: Same as the Race before they reincarnated

Lifespan

: Unlimited or will die if regrets are settled

VAMPIRE

A rare form in Undead. Vampire has unique capabilities and can only feed on blood to stay alive. Unlike Undead, they have living organs as if they are really revived from death but they will rot if exposed to sunlight. They also have unknown lifespan and may die if killed like a normal human.

Physical Strength

: Unique

Magical Strength

: Unique

Intelligence

: Unique

Lifespan

: Unknown

INNATE ABILITY

A rare special ability that any race may obtain the moment they were born.

POINT OF VIEW : HIROAKI KUZNETSOV

The thought of ‘I will never wield this tremendous blade ever again’ always lingers in my mind. Both Kano and I understand this. However, it is also understandable that something big is happening. Sooner or later, our aids will be needed.

Once I had done preparing my gear, Kano and I went to the field.

We saw Hime was messaging using her smartphone, while her katana was leaning on her waist.

She was so focused that she did not realize our approach.

“Boyfriend?” I whispered.

She mildly snapped from her engrossed activity.

“… No… way.”

“—It’s my father, he seems worried that I haven’t gone home yet at this hour.”

11:44 p.m.

“—A piece of information… if I were you, I’d avoid from making such joke because no one dares to ask me out for some reasons.”

“Hoo? The reasons are?”

“Perhaps I am too beautiful for them? Unsuitable couple always break up very soon.”

“You’re just saying other guys are ugly, aren’t you?”

Avoiding the statement, she looked away.

This girl….

“—You are just rotten to the very root…. No wonders no one likes you.”

“No sweat.” She held her chin up.

“—I think I will get a boyfriend tonight.”

I…. think, she means by me.

“Ah really? Just an advance notice, that guy probably will reject before you be able to finish your confession.”

“I—“

She unsheathed her katana, standing by for the duel.

“—Will make him fall for me!”

A declaration which created a blow of pseudo-night breeze, gently swiped our arena.

“Try me.”

As the situation flown along, the clothes covering a huge sword I was holding unwrapped by itself.

Alerted by our preparation, Kano took foots away from us to avoid any concomitant of the duel.

“…Wow, isn’t that Great Sword of Excalibur? Huh…? It looks a bit different though…. but with that emblem, it is definitely Excalibur!” asked Hime in surprise as she was inspecting the sword.

“It is.”

A Great Sword, hardly worn by anyone as it is big and heavy. Even though, a handful of people have adapted to such weapon and it’s pretty popular amongst ‘big’ men with its great destruction power especially when enchanted by magic.

“How’d you get it? It’s the legendary weapon can only be worn by King Arthur! .... Are you… possibly, King Arthur himself?! Then…! That…would make me want to date you even more!”

“King Arthur is English and I am half-Russian, there’s no reason for you to desire me even more.”

“Tsk, tsk, no worries, I would pretend that you are King Arthur.”

“No, no, there’s no need to waste your energy to keep up with your pretending.”

“No, no, no, it costs me nothing to pretend it for 24 hours a day.”

“No, no, no, I’m sure you will get tired eventually.”

“No, no, no, no, nothing tires me from my true love.”

Hell with your true love!

“You are very persistent…”

“I am a persistent girl indeed.” She claimed proudly.

“Ermmmm….”

“Heheh…mm”

I kept staring at her with annoyed expression her while she responded it with a triumphant and extremely annoying face.

“…Ah……Hello….” Suddenly Kano wryly intervened our cold stare competition.

“Huh?”

“If you two are not going to start it, let’s call it off. We will anger the neighbourhood if we cross swords so late at night.”

Understanding the situation, we reverted to our standby stance.

“Don’t you think fighting with sword is irrelevant in this time and era? I mean we already have firearms technology which can be conveniently used at distances.” I asked.

“I agree but all those ranged weapons can be easily overwhelmed by good agility-combat warrior. Additional to that, Japan doesn’t allow free possession of firearms but…. not sharp objects.”

“It’s kind of messed up rules, isn’t it?”

“Probably, so what is our rules? The authority to create it is yours since I was the one who challenged you. I hope you won’t use guns because we don’t want to make noise in the ‘neighbourhood’. Also, bullet hurts.”

“I’m not convinced to agree to that, blade also hurts.”

“When it actually stabs you, that is.”

That just means she is confident with her swordfight technique.

Oh well, once a while getting to test a girl her skill is not bad at all.

“The rules are, we don’t leave this field and you win when the opponent gives up.”

“Fine by me.”

Zap!

She charged her katana right away with her two hands targeting my vital point but I dodged it slightly to the right. Noticing my dodge in the midflight, she flipped the katana’s edge towards me and sliced it directly onto my neck. I docked before it happened, anchoring Excalibur to the ground as stabilizer, looping around in a center and gave a back kick in the stomach, blowing her away from me.

Poff...! Poff!...!

Hime wholly kissed the dirts.

“—U—ugh… ugh…ugh….” She coughed due to sudden pressure on her breathing system.

“Really? Did you try to kill me?” I asked as I had my Excalibur’s hilt back in my hand.

She aimed at my heart and neck!

If that would hit, I would have a very slim chance of surviving!

“…A..ah…. I think if I wouldn’t do that…. you won’t get…-serious. My little sister is at stake here….That kick was splendid though.”

While still lightly injured, she got up.

“My god, you are really an extraordinary girl.”

“But, you didn’t counterattack with your sword. That opens a winning opportunity as you only lose when you give up…. And…. So far as I concern, I won’t die now.”

Tch.

She is not wrong. I refuse to kill what is not profitable to me.

Damn it, I regret stating such simple yet abusable rules….

But….!

“If that’s how are you going to play, then I will get serious.”

I threw Excalibur directly at her and was modestly deflected, shifting its direction to the backyard wall.

KA-Boom.

KKKKKKK....

The backyard wall had got partially shattered.

I know she isn’t ready to die yet.

“—How was that? The feeling of the very last second you could die.”

“..A…”

She briefly lost all the words.

“--….Quite excited..? *Gulp* Anyway, what’s with that Excalibur? It’s damn heavy! I could feel the weight the moment I deflected it! I know a great sword is heavy, but that….! That thing is at totally different level!”

“It is …Excalibur. Of course. That is why rumors say only King Arthur could wield it because he was chosen by the sword itself. It was set up that way and only few know the conditions.”

“..Ah...ha… ha. Your explanation leaves me no choice but to believe that you are King Arthur…”

“Too bad, I really am not.”

Without ado, I advanced forward and punched Hime in the face but it was guarded with her arms and she nimbly sliced diagonally, forcing me to leap skyward to avoid it. According to what I have initially planned, I reached the area where Excalibur fell, thus I picked it up.

Leaving no resting time, I charged ahead and swung Excalibur vertically and was statically guarded.

Pofffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffff!

The ground crumbled as Hime was trembling to endure the impact from Excalibur. Knowing the dire condition she was in, she quickly retreated after her meager counteroffensive move managed to release her from the deadlock.

“--If Excalibur was able to land that hits, I guess your body will scatter into pieces.”

Sweating heavily, she gulped and merely listened to me.

“……”

Worrying about her katana, she took a quick peek on it without leaving her stance.

“Don’t worry about it, legendary weapon cannot be easily broken.”

“Oh..? You know about this katana?” Hime seemed curiuos about the topic I opened.

All legendary weapons are the finest among the best in terms of materials and creating process. It was made by a single Human swordsmith exclusively to a batch of handful persons.

“That’s right, the katana is called Maihime. The thrust it makes is not ordinary, it slices so smooth that enemies will never see it coming. It really is a deadly weapon if adapted and used properly.”

However, Hime has not be able to use the ability at its fullest. That simply shows our difference in speed and effectiveness.

“…Yaaaa…..you know…. I’m really cornered here, I never expect you to move that fast while carrying that huge sword. It’s either you have very well trained muscles or simply because it is light to you.”

“You think so? It actually weights a ton, I might have Kano massage me later before bed.” I said as I knocked few times on the shoulder.

“—So….Just give up so that my little sister can touch me since I finally have reason she could agree!”

“…Hey… the way you say that is gross.”

“I have no choice since no other girls want to massage me at night.”

“Then….!” She placed in Ko Gasumi stance, holding Maihime firmly.

“—I will end it now so that your girlfriend can massage you instead!”

Oh…! Here comes…!

I steadily turned Excalibur into a shield right before her advancement, the moment after she charged, a cut of katana which I couldn’t see was once hit the Excalibur, soon after that, she proceeded to strike me in the rear.

“I GAVE UP.” I quickly declared before the assault happened.

She halted, and of course in confusion.

“Eh?” she voiced a simple question.

“Didn’t you hear me? I said I gave up.”

“Ah… yes, I didn’t predict to win this easy.”

Oh, you actually predicted to win?!

“I just want to see whether you could correctly use Maihime and you did.”

Though, it was so weak.

“I know…. but you managed to deflect it even I used Maihime’s special ability.... Like you did just now. It’s not strange if you could deflect my next strike.”

“That’s the motive I accept this duel. Besides, you will still pay even though I lost.”

“.....… I have nothing to say…” she replied as she lowered her weapon.

Noticing our duel had ended, Kano approached us.

“This is news to me, Aki, you are really kind to purposely lose the duel. Your ‘kingly’ pride must be trampled really hard.”

“Beats me. Unfortunately, there’s a person with ‘godly’ pride.”

“Heh.” She laughed sarcastically.

“As per promised, you will accept my request.” Hime claimed.

“Yes, yes, as you wish little princess.”

“—Li-little what?”

“You decided to call me big brother, then I decided to call you little princess… Little comes from little sister since you are younger than me, and princess is direct translate to Hime, right?”

“…You are… really gross….”

“You said whatever you want and I responded it with whatever I want, a fair trade isn’t it?”

“…Well… leaving your disgusting, awful and nasty taste aside…--“

Oi!

“—Be my boyfriend, big brother.”

“Can you ask me a little… you know? Like a real ‘normal’ girl would ask a guy out….?”

“..Oh, my bad, then…. I love you, let’s go out big brother.”

Gek!

“Do something about your ‘big brother’ kind of calling, it sounds weird.”

“As soon as you drop the calling ‘little princess’.”

“THAT’S RIGHT, HIME—“ Kano suddenly raised in raspy voice.

“Ugh?!”

She looks ferocious as hell!

“—YOU SHOULDN’T CALL OTHER’S BIG BROTHER, A ‘BIG BROTHER’. Unless you want to have a duel with ‘LITTLE SISTER’, and that particular ‘LITTLE SISTER’ won’t let you have ‘FREE WIN’ and beat you until you can never talk.—Also ,--No rules.”

You mean having a bloodbath not duel!

“—AND AKI, stop calling Hime little princess.”

Gulp!

Hime and I looked at each other, hastily made a nod of agreement together.

“We got it.”

“Hummm, very well.”

Kano finally calmed down.

“Before I accept your confession, Hime. Let me confirm a thing with you.” I asked.

I am a man who live by logic and accept reality, I would want a partner who could bear it together….

Never mind, it is a lie.

Pairing with emotionally unstable girlfriend who doesn’t understand reality is simply a pain.

“Yes?”

“How… how far, are you willing to do to find your little sister?”

Listening to my question, Hime paused a while.

“….”

“I will… DO anything, she’s my only siblings and part of my family. A… very…. precious family….”

“Even murdering?”

“Yes.” she answered without hesitation.

A very bright and determined expression, this is fair enough.

“Alright, you pass. Let’s date.”

Though it seemed not like it, Hime showed a tiny piece of happines in her face.

“I see, I see, so we are couple now…. What should we do now? Hug?”

“I wouldn’t want that, you stink from over sweating. Go take a bath first.”

“Wow, that’s the worst reply a girl could receive after offering a hug.”

“Shut up, I don’t want to hear that from you. Just don’t come near me before you’re done cleaning your sweat.”

“…Uwuuu… Cruel…”

“Glad we got a new couple here… By the way Hime.” Kano called.

“Yes?”

“Are you going home?”

“Supposedly…. I am finished with my business here.”

“Let’s stay at our place for the night…. It’s getting very late.”

“…But…”

“We also need more information about your request. This could speed up our business, the faster the better, isn’t it?”

“…Seems that I can’t agree more, things might happen to my little sister for each time we tarry. But…--But… What should I say to my parents?”

“Just tell them you are staying at our house.” I gave an opinion.

“Huh?”

“They will know… for sure.”

Bzzzz Bzzzz Bzzzz

Hime took out her smartphone.

“It’s father.” She uttered.

Speak of the devil.

“—May I answer the call inside?”

“Go ahead.”

Hime then left Kano and I for the purpose she had intended.

“….”

“……….”

“Must be glad, you got to see her again.” Kano whispered gently.

“It’s not just me… right? WE… are glad.”

“Agreed, three years wasn’t long before you realized it…”

“Yes…”

We both, unconsciously smiled gladly under the starry night sky, looking at the path Hime took.

…..

Curtain clo---

----“AAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!”

Abruptly, a loud scream echoed from inside the café.

What? We are trying to end the chapter here!

“What was that?” Kano asked worriedly.

“I don’t know, let’s check it out.”

We rushed to the café…

Din—gg—aa-lingg-ling-ling

“W-w---w-wwha—wwhaaaatttt’s hu-hu-----hugging me?!”

Hime was stuttering in panic while she was being hugged by a fox-eared woman from the back.

“—A—aa….—Aaki….I-is…that y-you? C-c-come help meeee….!” Screamed Hime without even bothering to take a look behind her.

Well…. That is…---

“Yuki?!” shouted Kano in surprise.

----