The place Elsie brought me to was the Kingdom Army's third training field. In this place, which Elsie and General Leon use often for training, she, who should be an outsider, has a free pass for being well known. Thanks to that we were able to go in.
Because it is still early in the morning, there are no people practicing. Nothing could be heard nearby but the chirping of the bird, it is dead silent here.
Being led by Elsie, when we set foot on the training grounds, someone was seen sitting in the middle of it.
「Yae? What were you doing in this place? 」
「... I was waiting for Touya-dono -degozatta. 」
Having placed the katana in front of herself, sitting in seiza stance as if meditating on the ground, Yae slowly opened her eyes, took katana in her hand and stood up.
The atmosphere differs from the usual one somehow.
「... You have made Lindsey your bride, haven't you? 」
「Ah... Hai, It has become like that... 」
Turning around, Elsie's gaze pierces through me. This again... I had a similar experience yesterday too... Well, because it is her younger sister, it can't be helped that she has become serious.
「And, in other words you will become my brother-in-law, right? 」
「Ah... from now on please treat me well. 」
Speaking of which, it will be like that isn't it. Elsie becoming my sister-in-law... Somehow that's not her point.
「What do you think of Lindsey? Do you really like her? 」
「... To be frank, I don't have much confidence in that area yet. I don't think that I can go as far as saying 'I Love You'. Same with Yumina. However, I certainly like her, and wanting to cherish her is definitely true. 」
「Has she accepted that? 」
「Aah 」
Fuu, Elsie sighs. I wonder if it's a shock. While briskly scratching her head, she keeps kicking the ground with her tiptoe out of irritation. How frightening!
「From olden times that girl, when such scenes happened, you know... Usually, she is nervously scared and yet, at critical times she is bold. We are completely opposite in that, you know」
「I too am similar in that manner -degozaru. A character, which if there is no chance, does not have determination-degozaru」
Excuse me, what kind of talk is this?
Elsie equipped the gauntlets hanging on her waist on both hands and started to bang noisily her fists. Yae too wears a katana held in her hand to her side's obi and begins to check her position.
「Touya. After this, we will have you fight with us. 」
「Haa!? 」
「If you win, we won't say anything about the matter with Lindsey. But if we win, you will have to listen to one thing we say」
Hey, what does that mean? How did we come to this!? Indeed isn't this some kind of punishment!? Before me who doesn't understand, Yae smoothly unsheathes her katana.
「This katana was borrowed from viscount Soderick, its edge is removed-degozaru. You won't die if you are cut-degozaru, but because it can break bones, will you please be careful? 」
Thank you so much for the information that does not relieve me at all!
「The edge on Touya's Brunhild will have to be removed with [Modeling] too, won't it」
「No, before that! Why do I have to fight against two people!? 」
「Well, because this way is necessary-degozaru. For us. 」
I have no idea what you are talking about, but it appears that you also don't seem like you will stop. Can't be helped, to lose appropriately...
「If you don't do it seriously, I won't allow it my entire life. Lindsey too won't recognize it. I cannot afford to hand over an important younger sister to such a halfhearted man」
U. The nail was struck... It appears that my shallow thinking and the like was predicted somehow or another.
Reluctantly, in accordance with what was said, I remove the edge on Brunhild with [Modelling].
Since it has come down to this it can't be helped, the moment it begins, with [Slip]...
「Ah, and you can't use magic. Since I also won't use [Boost]」
That why I said, why can you read my thoughts!? Girls are scary!!
The gun is also loaded with nothing but the normal rubber bullets. And only the reload effect has been permitted.
「Well then, are you ready? 」
Because it is scary to ask what sort of readiness it is, I kept it only to a small nod.
In the next moment, Yae and Elsie split to left and right, looking to surround me and came towards me. All of sudden it became a pincer attack!
「Blade Mode! 」
I extended Brunhild's blade and when it became a long sword, I started running in Yae's direction. If it is Yae's katana, I can ward it off but I can't do that with Elsie's fists.
Crossing swords with Yae, and without changing my momentum I slip through to her side. Turning around and pulling up the New Model Army with my left hand, I fired all the bullets consecutively.
The moment I thought that all bullets have captured Yae, Elsie leaps out in front of her and holds out her left hand on which the emerald green gauntlet is shining before her eyes.
Then, all the bullets strayed away from the girls and have completely flung in wrong directions.
「Any missiles, with the exception of magic ones, are ineffective against me, you know」
That's how it was! That emerald green gauntlet averts physical long range attacks due to the wind attribute magic bestowed on it!
「Gun Mode! Reload! 」
But still, when I think it will become a constraint, I fire away the guns with both hands, spread the barrage (although it is only 12 shots) and retreat backwards.
However, in face of that Elsie charged towards the rain of bullets, while averting them with the gauntlet on her left hand, and continued shortening the distance.
「Blade Mode! 」
While dodging sideways Elsie's roaring right straight (punch), I sweep sideways with Brunhild, which I once again made into long sword. This time Elsie dodges it, in this gap I took some distance and tried to regain my posture.
「You are naive-degozaru! 」
From behind Elsie, Yae's sharp thrust is released. Wait a minute! Even if you said that the edge is removed, it will still pierce, won't it!
I somehow dodge a point of the sword coming close to my shoulder and sweep at Yae's feet, who passed by me.
「Kuu!? 」
「Reload! 」
I point the muzzle of the New Model Army in my left hand, aiming at Yae who fell down.
However, because Elsie threw a kick before I could pull the trigger, I had no choice but to jump back to avoid it.
Good grief, isn't this absolutely disadvantageous for me!? From the normal point of view, isn't it strange to fight two-to-one! Furthermore, magic is also prohibited!
Yae, after standing up, takes out the wakizashi from the waist and prepares the two katanas. What?
Yae starts running towards me in low posture and does a reverse raising slash with the katana in her right hand. I dodge it in somehow with a backstep, or so I thought, this time the wakizashi in her left hand came flying, aimed at me.
(tl: 逆袈裟 aka 'reverse raising slash (from lower right side to upper left side)', https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ks1S8dMBOpg )
Wooooah!? Is it normal to throw it!? Wasn't katana the soul of the samurai!? Or is it because it is a wakizashi, which doesn't count?
Twisting the back, I was just barely able to dodge it but that was dangerous! I was grazed, actually!
Before Yae, who threw her wakizashi, rearranged her stance, I drive into her all the bullets from both hands. At this distance, you won't be able to avoid them!
「Guu!! 」
Yae crumbles down after receiving the rubber bullets. Still she makes a horizontal sweeping strike with her katana, but I avoided it, lightly jumping back.
However, Elsie was lying in wait earlier over there. It is bad, she is too close! Readying the gun, aiming, and shooting, but her fist was faster!
A single blow with all her might came from Elsie's right hand. Kuu, if it comes to that, it is sink or swim...!
While averting my body, dodging this fist with paper-thin difference, and releasing the gun in my left hand, I catch Elsie's right hand which blew past me. With this momentum, in order to floor her I turn my back to her body, and placing my right elbow into the her armpit, I threw her in one go.
「Naa!? 」
With the small scream I heard over my shoulder, I threw Elsie to the ground. Seoi Nage or something, since I learned this in school, my body seemed to remember it.
(Ed: Seoi Nage)
「Gufuu....!」
It seems that I wasn't able to inflict enough damage with my incomplete shoulder throw. Elsie quickly raises her body and tries to stand up.
However, I was able to point Brunhild's muzzle, having switched it to Gun Mode, towards her faster than she managed to do it. If it is at this distance, you also won't be able to dodge it, I think. Hold up.
「Reload. It is my win. 」
「... Why are you not shooting? 」
「If you recognize your defeat, I'd want to stop with this. 」
Honestly, I feel hesitant at shooting a friend. I must apologize to Yae as well later.
「You are naive. How can you protect Lindsey and the others like that? 」
「... Because I'm like that, can't be helped. 」
「Oh well. Because you are like that, me and Yae have come to like you too. 」
「...... E? 」
What did you say just now? For a moment, my mind freezes.
With that, Elsie's right hand, the one with red gauntlet started casting light. This gauntlet's ability is, if I'm not mistaken, the destructive power increase...!
Kuu, if the other party doesn't feel like giving up, it can't be helped. For the sake of ending the battle, I pulled the trigger on Brunhild having turned it towards Elsie...and yet.
「Re!? 」
I pull it once more. Nothing is being fired. Or should I say, there is no bullet inside. That's strange. I am certain, I activated Reload... Ah.
At last I understood Yae's attack from a while ago. Throwing the wakizashi. That was not an attack aimed at me, it was for the sake of cutting off the waist pouch, hanging on my lower back.
From the cut up pouch the bullets spilled out and, before I knew it, became empty. Unless the bullets are within a one meter radius Reload has no meaning..... I'm done.
Elsie steps in close to my chest like lightning, and drives her fist into my gut. Because I lost consciousness from that point on, I don't remember anything.