Just what hell is happening!?
I wanted to scream inside my room but I don't want to destroy my reputation of calm and collected young noble to the servant. I buried my face into the feather pillows while swaying my feet back and fort.
"Is he another target? He's not from the game...."
I, Sekine Ritsuko, is actually originate from a planet called earth. The last thing I remember before being transported here is me re-playing my all time favorite otome-game, Magic and Nobles.
I remember unlocking all endings when it first came out. But for some reason, I was transported here and trapped inside the body of the main villain of the game, Nerida Collaveile. In the game, she is greedy, evil, basically the standard villain for a otome-game.
And to avoid the bad ending for this character, which is being a mistress for a fat and ugly noble, I am doing all I can to improve the towns state, having all kind of connection and destroying bad flags.
"Is he a secret target that didn't know....?" In an instant, the face of Sho appeared inside my mind. He looks above average, his body? Yeah they are pretty toned. But on the moment he said those words.
"Nothing, it's just, I thought that I could look at you forever"
I could feel my face burning up again.
"Just... What did he mean by that? And why am I so affected by it?" Truth to be told, being a noble, specially a woman, I received many one-liner on daily basis.
But what he said is not a one-liner, or even a pick-up line, it's his true thought.
"Nerida! You have to control yourself, don't let a mob character antagonize you this much!"
That's right, I have no time for something like that, I have to save myself first.
The story will begin on this school year, the main character will transfer to our school, I have to prepare for that!
But even so, I couldn't erase Sho's face inside my head.
After finishing all my night routine, I head towards my bed.
"Nothing, it's just, I thought that I could look at you forever" He looks really cute when he said that isn't he? He raised from a far away village he looks so pure and—Evil spirit get out my head!!
I repeatedly rammed my head with a pillow. Gosh what is happening to me, I don't know anymore.... Is this what they mean when they said love at first sight?
NOOOO!!!! I REFUSE TO BELIEVE IT!
I already encountered the prince, who is supposed to be my fiancé, and I didn't feel a thing! Sho is mere pebble compared to that guy!
Right right, I'm just tired... This body of mine is just tired, I need to rest.
I turned off the light and closed my eyes.... I couldn't sleep...
Then, I heard some noise, sounds like a foot step. I slowly peeked through my blanket, and saw a humanoid figure.
Wh-what is that...? The figure is holding something... A knife! What should I do!
It's impossible for me to fight that physically, using magic needs chanting and I'll be dead before I can use magic, shouting will only get me killed faster.
Tears were forming up inside my eyes as I rack my brain for a solution.
"Nerida!" Suddenly, the door opened.
It was Sho. His hakama was not tied properly, I could see his chest filled with tattoo, his hair wet and is freely hanging, on his hand is a katana.
A yakuza! If I didn't know him earlier, I would believe that this man is up to no good.
The figure was disturbed by this and tried to escape. Sho was quick to notice and dash forward to the figure.
The figure tried to attack Sho with the knife, I instinctively shouted his name in distress. "Sho!"
Sho calmly catched the hand of the figure and twisted it calmly, quickly, he punched the figures face while still holding its hand.
After stunning the figure, he thew him into the ground with some judo technique.
Thud!
The figure wasn't even given a chance to fight properly. Amazing...!
I have seen a few fights between the knights but this is the first time I saw this kind of fighting style, smooth and flawless.
He glared at the figure and exhales softly.
"I knew something was off from the start" He then looked at my direction. "Are you alright Nerida"
"Um!"
The room was dim, even so, I could clearly see his black eyes, as if sucking the remaining light in this place.
Little by little, my heart begun to swell, my eyes teared up, face blushing.
Facing him, I couldn't hide anymore. Am I really this easy? I thought.
After arriving at this world, I thought that love is something I will experience after I survive in this damn story...
To think that I would fall for someone before the story even start.
"Yes, I am alright" That is the only thing I could mutter.
*************************************
The sun was beginning to move, the purple sky along with the dark clouds we're just like painting by a master painter.
The cold temperature felt tingling to the skin. Inside a certain mansion, to a certain garden, a single man can be seen wielding his sword.
It was Sho. He wore nothing on the top, proudly displaying his well toned body.
Every stroke of sword, the sweat from his body would splatter.
Precise and calculated, from his feet to head movement, everything blend perfectly well as he move.
This is the only thing he have confident after all, for Sho, the way of sword is the only thing he can do.
"Oi, Sho! How about you join in our training!" Rindor was walking and behind him, were the dozen of knights of the house.
Rindor didn't wear any armor so his buff figure could intimidate everyone if not for the face that he have such friendly face.
"Looking at you now, defeating the trained assassin with one punch seems more believable now, not that I doubted it"
He chortled, tapping the back of Sho with his thick arms.
They first warm up by doing exercises. Though Sho already finished his warm up, he joined them.
After that, they took their sword and starts exchanging blows.
Their equipment was wooden, but their blow was enough fo it to be mistaken as a real sword.
"Sho, do you want to spar with me?"Rindor approached Sho who was still busy with his sword.
Sho glance at him then nodded. Rindor smiled like a child. His body, while no longer on its prime, was trembling with excitement.
"Tell me when you are ready!" Rindor shouted. Sho only replied with a short "I am" before gripping his wooden sword in one hand.
One hand? I better be careful for his quick movement. Rindor thought.
Both of them were silent for a few seconds... Until Sho took the first move. It was rather surprising for him to move first, he had this aura of calmness after all.
Rindor deflected each strike that Sho did, they are measuring each other's strength. The other knights stopped their practice and looked at the two, little by little, they formed a circle.
The captain that no matter how much they trained, seem impossible to reach is having a tough fight to a boy whose younger than them.
Sure, they are frustrated by the gap in talent but they are also pleased, to be able to see what a fight between to master swordsman like this.
Sho lowered his back and tries to hit Rindor in the knees but it was deflected yet again. Rindor doesn't use a shield, attack or defense, he uses his sword for that, that's why he used to deflecting sword with his.
Then Sho adjusted the grip of his sword, he held it like a katana that he grew up with. Seeing this Rindor grinned. "You've finally gotten serious!"
Downward, horizontal, upward slash, it was the basic of the basic, everyone could do that, but not all of them in a matter of second.
Taktaktak!
The knights and Rindor was surprised by the sudden triple attack, Rindor somehow blocked all of it but he put a distance between them after doing so.
He need some space, a place where he can calmly observe Sho... But his opponent was not kind to give him that.
Sho rushed yet again.
Taktaktaktak!
Four strike within seconds! How unbelievable! Such speed and preciseness, that even Rindor who was trained for years have a hard time seeing this.
The spectators were thrilled by the event, letting out different noises each time the two exchanges attack.
At this point I'll be overwhelmed! I need to attack first! Rindor thought. Certainly, that is the best option he had. With a strike that could cut even through air, Rindor aimed at Sho's body.
"Ya!"
Sho didn't defend on it and evade instead by stepping back. The motion of Rindor's body didn't stopped and to continue with another slash.
But in doing that, he left his body unprotected for millisecond, but it was long enough for Sho to step in and deliver a firm strike on Rindor's body.
""OOHH!!!""
"I lost" Rindor said calmly. Sho bowed in respect.
Rindor sighed and said "If only the knights of the capital have your talent, or even half the decency you have, it would make things easier..." as he shrugged his shoulder.
Sho could only look at him in confusion. He didn't understand what he said, nor he have the capability to comprehend all of that.
"For now, let's just wash ourselves" Rindor then command his men to clean up the equipment. Of course, Sho helped too.