Ex-Hero, Now Freeloader - Chapter 23 – You Life is Mine, Twintails 2

Come to think of it, is there some sort of signal to start the match?

I don’t see Louto or the other students signaling anything.

Ah well. We both have our weapons at the ready, we’re both filled with fighting spirit.

We should be good to go.

「I think your way of thinking is wonderful, but I wish you didn’t bad mouth my partner. That’s why I will cut you.」

She appears to have become unable to form words after I released my mana, but I don’t pay any attention to that.

I take one step forward that gouges out the earth and close in on Jural.

「Eek…!」

I ignore Jural’s shriek-like squeal and swing my holy sword to cut her.

「Since this is a duel, I’ll be taking your life.」

And then I…slashed her.

With a single stroke, I lopped off one side of her twintails.

I hesitated, but this is a duel, so I had no choice.

「……Huh?」

『You weren’t aiming for her neck?!』

Hell no.

I mean, I’m sure you weren’t really willing to go that far, right?

Her bundle of hair fell to the ground with a puff.

「…The Saint once said… That a woman’s hair is her life. I don’t know how determined you were to challenge me to a duel, but I don’t like killing. Even more so if there’s no need to. I took your life so this match is over… right?」

Jural sat on the ground, most likely because she was weak in the knees.

She has no intention to fight anymore.

I suppress my mana again.

「Th-the cloud… No way.」「That huge cloud was…split…?!」「I-it was slashed…」「The shockwave from that slash went all the way to the sky…」「Jural… I-is she still alive?」「That mana cracked Ms. Louto’s barrier while she was deploying it…」「And yet all the school’s glass windows broke…」

I look at the sky and sure enough, that big cloud I saw is split in two.

Dammit, Mika… she extended the slash.

『Oh well. Now then twintails… heh, guess I should call you sidetail. I’m waiting for that apology.』

「I’m sure we’ve learned a lot from that, class~ Now then, for the rest of the class, Rain and Mika will be sitting out~」

Louto came up to us and shoved us to the edge of the ring.

『Now hold on, I still have business with that sidetail girl… Ah… I see.』

What’s happening?

I feel like I saw something muddy at the base of Jural’s feet that wasn’t there before, but I couldn’t really get a good look because Louto is pushing me from behind. [1. TL Note: Ew.]

「You’re a girl as well, Mika, so I’m sure you understand that there are things that girls don’t want boys to see~」

Mika shook in realization.

『A…a girl? Me?』

「Oh my? Was I mistaken~?」

『B-but I’m a sword… The Hero’s holy sword, but still a sword… The Hero’s holy sword, that is.』

Yes, we get it, you’re a holy sword.

「You say some strange things~ Being a girl is not about what your physical body is, it’s all about how you act, no~? If you’re a girl in your heart, then you are a girl~」

『…! Y-you… You’re a good person!』

…Mika?

Weren’t you the one who said “Out of the seven, this one takes the cake.” not too long ago?

「Also, Rain…」

I knew it, I’m gonna get yelled at.

I broke the windows after all…

I look like this and I’m penniless, so whatever the freeloader broke has to be paid for by the Demon King Army.

I’ll have to apologize to the old man and Eleanor.

「From now on, let us reach out to a lot of people’s hearts. Even if it’s the truth, people can’t help but be hurt~」

「I knew it. So I did do something to anger Jural…」

「That child has a bad way with words, but she truly treasures this country and the sorcerers who protect it~」

That’s right, she did tell me to take back some insult…

The only thing that comes to mind is when I said that Mika and I were strong and so on, but that was the truth…oh.

It’s that truth that hurt her pride, huh?

「Interacting with people is hard…」

「…Indeed it is. …I believe that is why the other five Saviors forbade you from interacting with others so that you could focus only on the mission. Especially when one is young, relationship troubles will affect the mind and body.」

I see. If one of the things troubling me affected my performance, there might be people that I couldn’t save.

「Hmm… Is that so? Guess I have a long way to go.」

「Everyone does. School is a place where you can learn how to interact with others.」

『Yes, indeed. You’re a good teacher. I like you.』

「My, I’m honored~」

After that, the class continued on with this and that.

Jural was carried away by a bunch of other girls and she hasn’t returned yet…

And now, I am relishing the cafeteria food recommended by Fripp.

「R-Rain…sir.」

The school cafeteria was almost completely full but for some reason, people were avoiding the table where Fripp and I sat. Oh well.

「Oh, Jural.」

Jural was there, back in her school uniform.

She looked embarrassed and her face is bright red.

「I…uhm… I’m here to apologize to…Ms. Holy Sword. It was my… utter defeat.」

『Hmph, out of respect of how you are keeping your end of the bargain, I will forgive you with just one apology.』

「I-I’m sorry. Even though you have a mind and a heart, I talked to you like an object…」

『…Well, aren’t you obedient all of a sudden? I forgive you. Even if it’s true that Rain is super strong, it’s my fault for showing off like that.』

You still are.

「Uhm… Ms. Louto explained everything to me… About your circumstances and your current situation. We…didn’t know anything about all that.」

Ah, everyone else only knew that I am one of the Six Saviors.

They wouldn’t think that I’m a freeloader.

「I never would have imagined… that those five Saviors would resort to cruel and almost brainwashing-like methods to force you to work…!」

…Eleanor did as well, but it looks like Louto also hates those five for the most part.

「Without knowing how your mental development was stunted by the other Saviors, I let myself become all riled up…!」

「No, Louto filled me in. Looks like I have a lot to learn. It’s my bad.」

「No, not at all! Also, uhm… If it’s alright with you… could we be friends? Like you and Fripp? I think I can teach you about what is normal.」

「Oh, that makes me really happy.」

Saying that, Jural’s face beamed a smile.

「Th-thank goodness…」

「Ah, that’s right. Uhm…」

I stand up and reach out my hand towards Jural’s head.

「Rain…?」

「Just hold still.」

「S-sure…」

I cast Heal on her head.

The hair that I cut off earlier grew back.

「Huh? In an instant…」

「Does… this count as making peace?」

After I said that, Jural looked down and smiled.

「Yeah.」

「Good. Well, wanna eat with us?」

「Can I?」

「Of course. Oh, can she, Fripp?」

「Yes, of course, she can.」

「Alright, then I’ll bring the food over.」

Jural pitter-pattered away towards the ordering counter.

「My, can I join you~?」

Before I knew it, Louto was sitting in the seat next to me.

『Ah, if it isn’t Louto. Welcome.』

Mika has taken a real shine to Louto.

It’s probably mostly because of how she treats her as a girl.

「What is your favorite form of maintenance, Mika~?」

『I’m a perfect holy sword, so just wiping the dirt away is enough, but I definitely do have methods that I like.』

「Oh my, do go on~ If it pleases you, I can make preparations~」

Somehow, their conversation got livelier and livelier.

After that, Jural came back with her food, and a merry lunch was had.

A lot happened, but it seems that school is a place where hardships can happen, but also a lot of fun things too.

By the way, when it was after school and it was time for me to teach people magic, I surprised everyone again, but that’s a tale for another time.

Also, when I discussed with Eleanor about the reimbursement of the school’s windows, she said “Who cares?! Is it alright if I take a picture of you in your school uniform?”