Rakudai Kishi no Eiyuutan - Volume 2 Read online

  She really was a kind stalker. But why was it that she wasn't meeting anyone's eyes, and kept averting them?

  "Well, I was very surprised about that injury. It's a good thing that it wasn't serious. But… why do you keep averting your eyes?"

  "P-Please don't mind it. T-There's a really personal reason for this."

  She sounded pretty nervous while answering. And now even the state of her body was obviously tensed, and she just couldn't calm down. Maybe, she really was tailing Ikki because of some resentful reason and now she wouldn't look him in the eyes. Well, it was probably about time he asked that. First―

  "If you're okay now, then I'd like to ask about a few things…. First of all could you tell us your name?"

  "I-I'm Ayatsuji Ayase. A senior."

  An upperclassman? That's a bit unexpected.

  Maybe because she made that blunder when they first met. Or maybe because she simply couldn't calm herself down. He couldn't imagine her as someone older. But since she was older, he couldn't afford to back down or speak so unreservedly now. He changed to using honorifics, and asked the thing that bugged him the most.

  "Then Ayatsuji-sempai, I'll repeat what I asked before: why was Sempai following me aro-… err… Sempai?"

  "W-What?"

  "You're not just looking the other way, but your head is completely turned in the opposite direction… honestly, what's the matter?"

  Before he even noticed, Ayase had turned towards the wall on the opposite side. Her neck was turned to its limit, he could tell by seeing the nape of her neck.

  "D-Don't mind it. I-It's nothing."

  "No, of course I'll mind it!? This is the first time in my life that someone I'm talking to is trying so hard not to meet my gaze!? What is it? Is there something on that wall over there?"

  "I-I mean…. I-It's… embarrassing."

  She said, with a voice so low that it could be mistaken for the buzzing of a mosquito.

  "…Huh?"

  "T-Talking with a boy I don't know, w-while looking eye to eye… that's too embarrassing."

  Looking carefully, Ayase's face was completely dyed red to her ears, as if she was on fire.

  "W-Why is Kurogane-kun able to talk face-to-face so easily with a girl he just met?"

  "Eh… why? Even if you ask that, I think it's normal to look at the face of the person I'm talking to in a conversation."

  "N-Normal…. I-Is that so…. Amazing…. That's impossible for me. Even though I know it's rude, I can't face straight when I am being looked at so fixedly…."

  Ikki never thought that he would ever be complimented because of something like that.

  Certainly, Ayase looked his way as if peeping several times, but as soon as she met Ikki's gaze, her eyes immediately escaped. Seemed like she herself was trying to look this way, but since she was so embarrassed, it didn't seem like she would be successful.

  And that didn't seem like acting. It seemed like Ayase was a very shy sempai.

  …This is troubling. If possible, I'd liked to talk face to face but….

  If not, it'd be difficult to see through it if she lied. Ikki pondered on what to do.

  "Well, if it's us girls then would that be all right?"

  Suddenly, Stella and Shizuku stood imposingly before Ayase and spoke to her with a criticizing tone.

  "I'll have you confess. Why was Sempai tailing Ikki? What's your objective?"

  "T-That… That is…."

  "Isn't it obvious why a girl would stalk a boy, or a boy would stalk a girl. She was obviously peeping at him with eyes filled with carnal desires."

  "IS THAT TRUE!?"

  "T-That's wrong! Honest!"

  As expected, it seems like the reason Ayase was tailing Ikki was neither malice nor affection. Then, why in the world would she tail a repeating student like….

  ….Hmm?

  At that moment, Ikki noticed something on the palms of Ayase's hand, who was waving them rapidly while denying Stella and Shizuku. Calluses, a result of swinging a shinai several thousand, hundreds of thousands of time. Seeing that, Ikki immediately thought of a possibility.

  …Those calluses, and the surname Ayatsuji… no way!

  "Sempai. Could it be that Sempai is a relative of Ayatsuji Kaito-san?"

  Being asked that, Ayase immediately widened her eyes open and turned towards Ikki.

  "C-Certainly, Ayatsuji Kaito is my father… b-but, how could you tell?"

  "The calluses on Sempai's palms. That's the hand of a swordsman. And besides, for you to be able to keep up with me and Stella's jogging, that wouldn't be possible unless you have a substantially trained body. And Sempai's surname was Ayatsuji… so just maybe, I thought. But who would've thought you really were his daughter, and that you study in the same school. That was quite the surprise."

  Stella tilted her head, seeing the excited Ikki and wondered about what could be so exciting about that. And she asked Arisuin―

  "Hey, who's Ayatsuji Kaito?"

  "Who knows? I'm not familiar with that name."

  "A non-Blazer who is also called 'the Last Samurai'."

  Instead of Arisuin, Shizuku was the one who answered.

  "Since most Blazers aren't interested in martial arts that much, it isn't a surprise that Alice doesn't know. But for people who've studied the sword even a little, there isn't even a single person who doesn't know of the name 'Ayatsuji Kaito'. He is that much of a master."

  Heavenly Dragon's Contest― Tournament of the East and West― Musashi Cup― Tenth Dan Match―

  He was a genius swordsman who participated and won in all the world-famous sword competitions. There was also a record of him suppressing several Blazer criminals in his prime, despite not being a Blazer himself.

  "Normally, even a pistol wouldn't do much against a Blazer who is protected by magic. But before his sword, that handicap was nothing. He was probably the person who grieved over not being born a Blazer the most… but since he was so strong while not even being a Blazer, he seemed to have bought the resentment of the mage-knights, so his fame didn't reach so far into the world of knights."

  "But Shizuku knows him."

  "Because unlike most mage-knights, the Kurogane house knows the merits of martial arts."

  Because she grew sick of the Kurogane house which chased away her beloved brother, she didn't follow through the path of the martial arts the Kurogane house took. But she still remembered about the Last Samurai. And there was no way that Ikki, who followed the path of the sword much more earnestly, didn't know the name of the great pioneer.

  "When I was a kid, I watched the videos of Kaito-san's matches and decided to study swordsmanship. During middle school, I even went to the dojo to challenge him directly."

  "Eh? Is that so…."

  "However, I was refused you know. They said they didn't do unsanctioned matches like that. But I'm really happy, to be able to meet Kaito-san's daughter like this. Kaito-san, how is he doing? Is he well? I haven't been hearing about him lately, so I was wondering what had happened."

  Ikki asked with an excited voice. But at that question, Ayase's expression clouded.

  "…Actually, because of an injury during a match… he's currently hospitalized."

  "Eh…. …I-I'm sorry. I asked something rude."

  "N-No, you don't have to apologize. You didn't do anything wrong. For someone amazing like Kurogane-kun to hold my father in such high regard, it makes me very happy. A-And this talk isn't unrelated to why I was following you around."

  "What do you mean by that?"

  "…After my father, who was also my mentor, became hospitalized, I've been training in the Ayatsuji single-blade style, but recently I seem to have fallen into a slump…."

  She anguished over how to follow in the steps of her father, her mentor.

  "But then, I heard rumors about Kurogane-kun, a first-year who used a strange sword technique. So I thought, if I consulted Kurogane-kun… I might figure something out but―"

  At that p
oint, Ayase's voice thinned out, and she averted her eyes from Ikki.

  "But, other than my father and the students in the dojo, I haven't talked to any boys since I was a kid…. That… I was wondering how to approach you and…."

  "Were you… were you following me around the whole week while thinking of how to talk to me?"

  "As embarrassing as it may be…."

  …Uwah, what a reserved person.

  Almost like a rolled bun left on the table that grew moldy without anyone noticing. Other than Ikki, the three people behind them were speechless at her reason for stalking.

  At that time, Ayase once again bowed to Ikki.

  "…I-I'm really really sorry! I've been stalking you for so long. It can't be helped if you think of me as an unpleasant woman. B-But I swear not to approach you again…. S-So please don't call the police."

  "No, it's not like I'm thinking about handing you to the police."

  Rather, he felt quite attracted towards the strange swordswoman he met today. And moreover, she was the daughter of the Last Samurai. Just what kind of techniques did she use? He was extremely curious.

  "Erm, Ayatsuji-sempai. If it's okay with you, would you please train with me after this?"

  "―Eh?"

  "We're both sword practitioners. Maybe we could counsel each other. And besides, I want to experience the sword of the Last Samurai first hand. Just seeing it has its limits."

  "Is that really alright!?"

  Ayase immediately jumped off the bed and grasped Ikki's hand with both of hers, and smiled like a blooming flower.

  "Thank you very much!! I'm really happy!"

  The confused pure eyes she had a moment ago now looked straight at Ikki. But she soon realized what she was doing, and immediately she separated and backed away about three meters.

  "Ah, S-Sorry! F-For me to grab your hand like that, such rudeness…!"

  "Ahaha, you don't have to be startled just because you grabbed my hand―"

  After all, there were younger sisters out there who'd kiss their brother at their reunion, and princesses who would trespass into the bath wearing a bikini―

  "Then shall we train together from now? The matches today are already over, so we have time until dinner."

  "Yeah, I'll be in your care… and could you talk to me casually? Since I'll be the one learning, it will feel weird for the teacher to be the one using honorifics."

  "That's, I'm not so amazing to be called a teacher you know."

  "That's not true. A while ago Kurogane-kun said we could counsel each other, but honestly, I don't think there is a single thing I can teach Kurogane-kun. Thus the disciple here is actually me."

  Ikki showed a bitter smile at that. It was as she said, even though Ikki could teach her stuff, there was nothing she could teach him in return. He could steal most of her techniques just by seeing them. More humility would just be sarcastic.

  Confirming that, Ikki accepted Ayase's suggestion.

  "…Okay, then I'll drop the honorifics. But in return, talk to me normally too. Calling me your teacher, that would put me in a tough situation."

  "Yeah, please, I'll be in your care."

  And thus, the stalker Ayatsuji Ayase became Ikki's disciple.

  Part 5

  After school, Ikki went to the opening in the woods behind the campus in order to train. The place was shaded with tall trees grouped together, and there was less concrete so it was quite refreshing. It was the perfect place to train during the humid summer of Japan.

  After performing the initial warm-up, he branded Intetsu and started swinging it. After tracing the form, he began image training, creating a shadow map in his head where enemies are around. Besides him, there was also Stella who was practicing with her Lævateinn. A little further away was Arisuin and Shizuku who were using a kind of unique clay to create shapes, a special form of magic training. During that time, there was almost no conversation between the four. Stella and Shizuku, who usually fawned over Ikki, were also very serious during this period. This was the scene where these four trained.

  But since 3 days ago, another person had joined in. Of course, that person was none other than Ayatsuji Ayase.

  "Fuh! Hah!"

  Ayase vigorously swang her sword Hizume4, a Japanese katana with a vivid blade, drawing an arc with it. Her face when she used the sword was completely different from the cowering expression she had in the infirmary the other day. With her mouth closed and eyes wide open, she looked only at Ikki with an extremely stern expression. As expected of a swordswoman, the moment she held her sword, all her fear towards men completely disappeared.

  Right now, they were doing equal mock training with Ikki as her opponent, per his suggestion. Ikki would fight Ayase while limiting his power to her level, since he was the stronger one. He would only use techniques of her strength level.

  And during this training, he would measure Ayase's strength as a swords practitioner.

  As expected of the Last Samurai Ayatsuji Kaito's daughter, Ayase was very adept at the basics. She could even keep up with Ikki and Stella's jogging. She must have run for a long time. Ayase's body was perfected as a swordsman, so with any kind of form, shape, posture and body, there was no uneasiness in her muscles.

  The training from the day before was also paying off. Her footwork, the vivid red that drew the arc, everything flowed perfectly together with no interruptions at all. It must have been a form engraved into her body after practicing it thousands of times.

  But if one said that she couldn't handle anything but that form, then that was also wrong. During this practice, Ikki tried some seriously underhanded methods over and over again to try and break Ayase's form, but not only did Ayase deal with those attacks appropriately, she also did rapid counter-attacks.

  Never forgetting the form, while not being too fixed on it. Ayase's level of skill in practical sword fights was unnaturally high. Ikki completely saw through the surface of Ayase, who boasted of hard work.

  Through this, Ikki figured out why Ayase was in a slump.

  "Ayase-san, let's stop for a minute."

  "Nn?"

  Ayase parried Ikki's downward slashing sword and with that opening, she went to strike for his body. But the red blade of Hizume was tightly halted.

  "What's the matter, Kurogane-kun? I'm still… I'm not… tired yet."

  Ayase showed confusion at the sudden interruption. Her eyes didn't calm down, but she didn't avert her eyes and disappear like the first time. Well, it was natural that she would get a bit used to Ikki after three days.

  "As I can see, the Ayatsuji single-blade style seems to be a sword style that emphasizes on counter-attacks."

  "Eh, err, yeah. That's right. You could tell with only that much?"

  "I didn't have a master you see, so I've only learned stuff by observing and stealing techniques from others. So as I was saying, now that I've seen your style, I kinda figured out what your problem is."

  "I-Is that true!?"

  "Yeah. Ayatsuji-san's been in a slump after you've started trying to follow your father's ways, right?"

  Ayase nodded.

  "Yes. I just can't seem to produce the same sharp movements like my father. Even though I've memorized all of his moves already."

  "You shouldn't do that."

  "Eh!?"

  "Trying to mimic Kaito-san, that's the reason for your slump."

  "…Are you saying that… my father who taught me how to use the sword was… incorrect?"

  Instantly, Ikki saw an emotion in Ayase's burning eyes. It was anger. She was angry after being told that her teacher was the one who was the cause of the mistake.

  She really seems to trust Kaito-san.

  He was a bit jealous after seeing that she had a father she was so proud of. While keeping that small envy hidden inside, Ikki shook his head in reply to Ayase's bitter words.

  "That's not it. Kaito-san was an excellent swordsman. I don't doubt that."

  "…Then, why can't I mimic
father's techniques?"

  The reason was simple.

  "It's because Ayatsuji-san's gender is different."

  "Gender…? Does that matter?"

  "Of course. Being a different gender means your body structure is also different. And having a different structure naturally means the muscle coordination is also dissimilar. Movements that bring out the best of a man's potential form are definitely not the same as the movements for a woman's potential form. The more you try to follow the opposite, the sooner the restrictions caused by it would surface."

  "Ah…."

  At Ikki's careful explanation, the anger faded away from Ayase's eyes, and understanding replaced it. Ikki wasn't mocking her teacher. Rather, it was because her teacher excelled too much. Well, there were some unavoidable factors too. In the first place, swordsmanship was something created for men to use in ancient times.

  "For the time being, I've thought of a method on how to reform Ayatsuji-san's movements. If Ayatsuji-san wants to continue her previous ways of following Kaito-san, then I won't forcefully reform them. Since I don't think that we should do it if you think like that either. Because one's mentality is a big factor too. However, if the movements are reformed through this technique, you won't be able to reclaim your previous movements afterwards."

  Currently, Ayase was practicing a sword art that was tuned for men. So of course, her body recognized that it was impossible and it was constraining her power and speed in various ways. Following Ikki's method, she could smoothen her movements while discarding all the strain. But if a swordswoman with the skill level of Ayase experienced those smooth movements even once, she wouldn't be able to revert back to her previous state. It would follow that she would have some regrets when that happened.

  That was why Ikki gave Ayase the choice whether or not to follow his guidance.

  "…."

  Ayase spent a considerable amount of time thinking it through. For a while, she was in a conflict. But it wasn't long until she made a resolute expression.

  "Please teach me! I, I have to become stronger no matter what!"

  She looked at Ikki's eyes without flinching, and requested for his cooperation. Of course, she was still conflicted, but she wished for strength nonetheless.