A butler served me some tea and I sip a bit. Yuki's tea still tastes better.
Other than the tea, he also hands me a document.
It's about the three knights that I killed at the start.
"May I ask you, where were you a few days ago and what your routines are?" Says Lupis, her smile turning into a frown.
"Sure! I was outside working and I saved up some money to rent a room in an inn. I used to live in that shitty shed but I am lucky to finally pass the test!"
I need to act carefree and calm. Any anxiety and nervousness from me will trigger her senses.
Lupis looks at her butler and he nods.
"I see, so which job are you working as?"
"An adventurer."
I take out my adventurer ID card and show her.
She smiles again and stands up. "I see. I apologize for taking your time, please accept this gift for suspecting you. Besides... a Z rank adventurer like you wouldn't have the strength to kill three knights."
"That's right!" I say.
My original rank saved me...
The butler hands me a box and inside is...pills.
"This is..."
"If you eat those, you can raise your strength at least by a little. You won't be a Z rank anymore!" Says Lupis.
"T-Thank you so much!"
I stand up and now before leaving.
"Princess...why do you even ask to meet that trash? You even gave him some pills. Since when were you so generous?" Says the Butler.
Lupis laughs and shows her true colour. "That boy...is oddly calm. Despite being a 16-year-old, not to mention his first time meeting me, he is...oddly too calm."
Heh.
I stand behind the door of the dining room and eavesdropped on the conversation. Yes, that is her true nature: a twisted, sharp and scheming woman.
I also know that these pills...are fake.
Lupis is never once a generous person.
I walk out of the mansion, knowing that Lupis is still spying on me from above.
I smirk and the thoughts of taking over her overwhelm me.
Such a narcissist princess who looks down on others, I wonder how she will look when I dominate her.
The next day, I visit Yuki's family tavern again, this time, on the non-peak hour.
Yuki is nowhere to be seen, only an old man at the counter.
"Oh...ahem...uh welcome."
Surprised by my entry, he quickly tries to dress himself up more appropriately and put on a smile.
"Sorry about that, I know people rarely come here at this time," I say. "I will order the tea."
"Haha, yeah I was surprised by you and that will be 5 silver coins."
I smile. "Aren't 5 a little too less for such a fine tea?"
"HAHA! You are one interesting lad!"
I sit at the counter and look at that old man making the tea. He is most likely Yuki's father.
"Say...where is Yuki?" I ask.
"Oh, you know her?"
I nod. "I practise swordsmanship too."
"If that's the case, how about i bring you to her as thanks for your compliment just now."
Perfect, everything is going smoothly.
"Okay! But is it okay to close the restaurant like this?"
"Yeah it's okay, people rarely visit us at this time." Says the old man.
Using his car, the old man drives me to the countryside. I ask him several questions on the way and found out the old man is Yuki's father. Yuki's family also lives in the countryside and their family name is Amani.
"Mr Amani...is Kazuki related to Yuki?" I ask.
"Oh! You know that boy too? They are childhood friends!"
No wonder. This makes things even better.
I try to hide my excitement from the old man by looking out of the window.
"Yuki!"
We arrive at a small looking two-story tavern enough for a small family.
Yuki comes running to the old man with a sweaty body and a towel over her neck. She is wearing nothing but a singlet and short jeans...is she not ashamed of her womanhood?
"Eh?! Why is Akuma here?!"
"I wanted to see your swordsmanship so I asked your father to bring me here."
"Hmm...no wonder, people rarely even come to our restaurant at this time so it should be fine." Says Yuki. "Anyway, I'm more excited to see yours instead! Come! I have someone to introduce to you as well!"
She grabs my hand like a spoiled child and pulls me. I look back at her father and he is smiling at me...
What...
"Kazuki!! Kazuki!!!"
WHA-
...
"Hmm, what's wrong Yuki?"
...this voice...
"Look Kazuki! I found someone interested in swordsmanship too!"
The figure in the distance becomes clearer now. White hair blue eyes, white hoodie...that is...
I smirk.
There he is! The protagonist.
Should I just kill him first? Yeah, I should. I shouldn't give him any room for improvement, any opportunity to gain insights and power.
I need to cut him down right here and now.
But just killing him would be too boring, wouldn't it? I want to have a spectacular show. A show that will scar him for life, make him an outcast, destroy his life. Death is nothing but a swift escape. I want to make the protagonist suffer! I want to see his despair! Feel the hopeless glare of the protagonist running down my spine!
"Oh!! Really!! That's great!! We rarely have anyone else to spar with these days but..." Kazuki looks at me. "Are you good at handling a sword?"
I smile. "Yeah. I have been training with it for a while now."
"Hmm okay then! Let's spar! I want to see how strong you are!" Say Kazuki.
"But-"
"Me too! Me too! I want to see it too!" Says Yuki.
I sigh.
"Okay okay."
I grip the wooden sword with both hands and face the tip of the sword down. That's the ancrolym stance.
"Ancrolym?!" Says Kazuki. "Amazing you know that style. Now let's see if you can defeat me."
He smiles and places his left foot forward. He grips his sword and pulls it back while facing the tip of the blade against me. It makes it seems like he is pulling an arrow
The style of elves. Since elves are so used to using a bow, when they started to train using a sword, they created this style that makes the user as swift as an arrow.
After a long intense stare, I pretend to lose focus and Kazuki strikes first because of that. He thrusts his sword, aiming for my chest like a rapier. But after a small side step, he misses and I attempt to trip him but his fast reflex made him hold his ground before he uses that momentum to swing the sword, making me jump back to dodge it.
"*huff* *huff* you...have great Reflexes." Says Kazuki.
"That's my line."
I look at Yuki. She's is completely engrossed in the fight, not blinking at all.
"Alright, I surrender you win." Says Kazuki.
"Huh? Why?"
"Why? You never even attack using the Ancrolym style and you can already easily dodge all of my attacks. At this rate, I will lose for sure."
This guy...can throw his pride and make choices like that in such a short time. As expected of the protagonist.
...
I need to prepare. I need to gain Kazuki's trust somewhat in 2 days, even if it is only a little.
2 days later, The stage will be set, and the hero will fall. HAHAHA!! I cannot wait.