kscans

Chapter 445 - A Strange Sense of Solidarity

As Parfait and Wilnel cried out at the same time, Ronios nodded happily.

"My, you two seem to get along quite well!"

They had simply voiced their surprise at the same time. Parfait figured anyone would have reacted that way to such a statement, and she watched the delighted Ronios with a somewhat cool expression.

Then she turned her gaze to Wilnel.

She thought Wilnel would immediately deny that they were getting along, but she seemed to be deep in thought and was not looking her way. But soon, she looked at Ronios.

"Ronios-sama, I do not mind becoming friends with this person."

"Is that so? That makes me happy. It was worth going to all this trouble."

"However, I have no intention of getting along with someone beneath me."

"I see… so you wish to state a condition?"

"Yes. If this person can prove that she is stronger than me, I will become her friend."

After saying this, Wilnel looked at Parfait.

Her gaze was one of extreme annoyance, and it seemed to say to Parfait that she should just accept it.

Parfait thought that the way they seemed completely unwilling to listen to her opinion was very much like someone from a Foundation, and she guessed that this was a suggestion to go easy on her and lose.

No matter how she looked at it, Wilnel did not want to get along with her. Her gaze said, "You feel the same way, right? So just lose."

Parfait thought, "Indeed." Becoming friends with someone from a Foundation would normally be considered good fortune, but this was clearly nothing but trouble. Besides, she did not feel like she could get along with Wilnel.

Being looked down on was a little irritating, but Parfait was the type who did not really care what people she would have no relationship with thought of her. In the first place, they grew up in different environments, so their values were different.

Whether she read the mood between the two of them or not, Ronios nodded happily again.

"I knew you would say that, Wilnel. I’m glad I confirmed Parfait-kun’s skill beforehand."

"Ronios-sama, you knew I would say this?"

"Of course. I know everything about my cute niece!"

"...Is that not strange?"

"Oh? Is something strange about it?"

"I believe that person was at her limit just receiving your attacks, Ronios-sama, and lost without being able to counterattack."

"That’s right. But isn’t that what’s amazing? Parfait-kun’s skill is the real deal."

"I could have counterattacked."

Parfait was surprised by Wilnel’s words.

A girl her own age being able to counterattack that meant she was quite skilled. The high-speed thrusts and thrown pebbles. Parfait had been at her limit just intercepting them and could not counterattack at all.

She wondered if she did not need to hold back after all, but contrary to her thoughts, Ronios laughed.

"I see, I see. Then you’ll understand if you fight her."

Wilnel, frowning, narrowed her eyes and looked at Parfait.

Parfait felt that she was being manipulated, just like Wilnel, and wondered what to do.

It seemed that losing on purpose would make her future life easier. This was a chance to put an end to what would undoubtedly become a hassle.

Parfait considered the future and came to the conclusion that she should ultimately lose here to avoid the trouble.

"Oh, and Parfait-kun, don’t even think about holding back."

"Huh? No, I wouldn’t…"

"It’s written all over your face that this is a pain. Of course, I feel bad for dragging you into our affairs. I’ll thank you in another way, so please, I’m asking you to be serious here. Besides…"

Ronios paused there and smiled at Parfait.

"Hayato-kun has beaten me before. I wonder what it says about his daughter losing to my niece?"

"My father beat you, Ronios-san…?"

"It’s not a lie or a joke. Hayato-kun and I fought one on one, and I lost. With that result on record, will you tarnish it, Parfait-kun? Hayato-kun would be disappointed, I’m sure."

She did not know if that was true. In the first place, Ronios’s name never came up in family conversations. But there was something she did know. Her father, Hayato, would never be disappointed by something like that. As his daughter, she knew that well.

In other words, this was a provocation. As if she would fall for something like that, Parfait became calmer.

However, someone else lost their composure.

Wilnel drew a thin sword, like the one Ronios had, from its sheath and pointed its tip at Parfait.

"I’ve changed my mind. I’m going to beat you to a pulp."

"Wha…?"

Wilnel, her tone suddenly a little rough, glared at Parfait with an angry expression.

"For Ronios-sama to lose, that person named Hayato must have used some dirty trick…!"

Wilnel, who had been angry, flinched for a moment, her words catching in her throat. A presence akin to killing intent had emanated from Parfait.

And Natsu and the others, who had been on the sidelines, wore expressions that said, "She’s done it now." Her friends knew. This is what happened when you spoke ill of Parfait’s parents or friends.

"If you say you can beat me, then I can go all out, right? When I win, you’ll take that back and apologize."

Parfait, her expression gone, said this, holding her sheathed sword Beelzebub in her left hand. Her right hand was just resting on the hilt, but the atmosphere around her was completely different from before, and Wilnel’s eyes widened.

"Wilnel, I was by no means defeated by Hayato-kun through a dirty trick. However, you are responsible for saying such a thing, even if it was speculation. The words of someone belonging to a Foundation carry weight. That cannot be excused just because you are young. As Parfait-kun said, if you lose, you will retract your previous statement and apologize."

"Y, yes… I, I understand…"

Ronios, who had been smiling until just now, also spoke to Wilnel with a blank expression. Then her expression returned, and she looked at Parfait.

"My apologies, Parfait-kun. As you can see, Wilnel is a child who has trouble considering the feelings of others. First, let me apologize on her behalf."

Ronios bowed her head as she said this, but Parfait was not looking at her.

"I don’t need an apology from you, Ronios-san. The only one I want an apology from is Wilnel-chan. Besides, you made sure she heard that story so this would happen, didn’t you?"

Ronios raised her head. Her face wore a mischievous smile.

"It seems you figured it out. I thought this was the only way to get you to be serious, Parfait-kun. But I don’t want you to misunderstand. I guarantee that Hayato-kun beat me in a fair fight and didn’t use any dirty tricks. I’d like you to ask him tonight."

"I don’t particularly need to ask. Ronios-san’s name has never even come up in our family gatherings, so I don’t care."

"Don’t say such sad things!"

Even as she said that, Ronios was laughing.

Most likely, Ronios was plotting to make Wilnel and her friends, even if it meant being disliked herself. Parfait thought so, and in that case, losing would be the most effective course of action. But there are some battles you cannot lose.

Her parents, this time her father Hayato, had been insulted, and Parfait was not good-natured enough to stay silent.

‘Huh? Swordsmanship is for self-defense? No, it’s a technique for living as you please! But you can’t use it for crime, you know, because you’ll get yelled at from all sorts of places.’

That is what Parfait’s master, Benitsuru, had said. Honestly, she had been expecting an answer like the sword that gives life, or swordsmanship to protect important people, but there was nothing of the sort. It all depended on the user, and swordsmanship itself was nothing more than a technique conceived of how to cut people down.

In that case, she would use Azuma-ryu sword style as a power to make her opponent apologize. It did not matter if her opponent was strong. She would use all the power she had and win, no matter what.

Parfait took a deep breath, and completely unlike before, she calmed her anger and stood with a quiet heart.

Wilnel, for her part, raised her guard at Parfait’s changed atmosphere, turning her body to the side and once again pointing the rapier in her right hand at her.

"First, an apology. I retract my statement that your father won using a dirty trick. I am sorry."

"Huh…?"

"However, I will also be serious, so please come at me with all you have. I want to see your, Parfait-san’s, strength. Those killer-like eyes of yours are somehow thrilling."

Parfait wanted to retort, asking if she had ever seen a killer, and why she had eyes full of anticipation for it, but having been told something so deflating, she lost her energy.

Now that she had even been apologized to, there was no reason to go all out. However, Parfait also became a little interested in Wilnel’s full strength. Her stance was flawless.

From a fencing-like stance, Wilnel unleashed a swift thrust.

Parfait immediately reacted to the thrust and deflected the attack.

Wilnel did not flinch at the loud sound of metal clashing and stepped in further. Then she unleashed a thrust faster than the first.

This time, Parfait did not deflect the attack, but dodged to the left and unleashed a counter iai-giri.

From Wilnel’s perspective, it would be an attack from behind, but she immediately received the attack with the rapier in her withdrawn right hand. Furthermore, using the momentum of the withdrawal, she crouched down and, with her left leg as an axis, spun to the right while sweeping at Parfait’s legs with her right foot.

Parfait dodged the attack with a jump, and while spinning in the air, she leaped over Wilnel and unleashed an iai-giri. But that attack was also deflected by Wilnel’s rapier.

However, whether Wilnel had just happened to deflect it, or because she had received it while crouching, she lost her balance and fell onto her backside.

Parfait saw this and, upon landing, went in for a slash.

Whether it was on purpose or by chance, against Parfait’s iai-giri, Wilnel did a back roll from a seated position and launched a kick like an overhead kick. It hit Parfait’s Beelzebub and deflected the attack upwards.

Standing up from the back roll and regaining her posture, Wilnel was about to launch a counterattack with her sword.

But before that attack, Parfait’s attack, a strike with the scabbard of Beelzebub, hit Wilnel’s right hand, and the impact made her drop her sword.

"Wh…!"

Wilnel was astonished. And Parfait, while sheathing Beelzebub, pressed down on the sword Wilnel had let go of with the tip of her scabbard.

She had only landed one blow, but it was clear to anyone who was stronger. Wilnel seemed to understand that as well, and she took a deep breath as if to calm herself.

"It’s my loss…"

Parfait also let out a breath, and cheers rose from Natsu and the others.

Ronios, who had been watching the whole thing, smiled and clapped.

"Wonderful! As expected of Hayato-kun and Esha-kun’s child! And you’re certainly worthy of being Benitsuru-kun and Simon-kun’s disciple! You’re even stronger than I expected!"

"I have a question for you, Parfait-san. Were you holding back in your fight with Ronios-sama?"

As if Ronios’s praise did not matter, Wilnel looked at Parfait.

"Huh? I wasn’t holding back or anything…"

"Wilnel couldn’t see this, you see."

"This, you say?"

To Wilnel’s question, Ronios showed her left hand. A small stone was resting on it.

"While I was attacking Parfait-kun with my sword, I was flicking this stone with my fingers. Parfait-kun blocked all of them with her sword and scabbard. From your perspective, Wilnel, it probably looked like she couldn’t even counterattack and was just making useless movements."

Wilnel, who had been expressionless, looked at Parfait with a surprised expression. Then she immediately pursed her lips in frustration.

"Now you see, don’t you, Wilnel. How little you know of the world."

"...Yes."

"Being honest is a good thing. And you are still young. You should learn more and more. You can study as much as you want while I’m around."

"Yes…"

"I am making you the next head of the Gemini Foundation. Once you become the head, such indulgence will not be permitted, so do your best."

"Yes… Yes? Um, Ronios-sama, what did you just say?"

"I said I’m making you the next head of the Gemini Foundation. I’ve already spoken to Cremola and Harrington, so you can rest assured."

"No! That’s not what I mean! M, me, the next head!?"

"That’s right."

Wilnel’s cool demeanor from before had completely vanished. Parfait and the others were on the sidelines, but she felt a little sympathy for Wilnel, figuring she must have heard it for the first time too. Generally, this was not something you say for the first time in a place like this.

Everyone present, including Wilnel, was being led around by Ronios and was wondering what to do, but then someone who could solve the situation appeared.

Diite emerged from a black space that suddenly appeared.

"Ronios-kun, you really…"

"Oh my, the god of this world has arrived. I suppose the fun is over?"

"Ney-kun and Jolth-kun would like to have a word with you. They’re quite furious. They say you’ve gone too far."

"I wanted to play a little longer, but it can’t be helped. I have something to talk to them about as well, so the timing is perfect. Well then, Wilnel. You get along with Parfait-kun and the others. I have to go get scolded by my friends."

"Wait, Ronios-sama!?"

Ronios, looking happy for some reason, looked over Parfait and the others.

"Parfait-kun, and everyone else, I apologize for getting you involved in this strange business. I’ll have Ney and the others thank you, so don’t worry. Oh, and you can invite me to Crown Cafe sometime, you know? I’ll come running no matter what, so I’m counting on you."

"Um…"

Parfait did not know how to respond and gave a half-hearted reply.

"Parfait-kun and the others, please continue to enjoy this event. I must take Ronios-kun with me."

As Parfait was thinking that Diite-oneechan had it rough too, Diite took Ronios with her into the black space. When the black space disappeared, only Parfait and the others remained.

The culprit was gone, but as she was wondering what to do about this situation, Wilnel spoke to them with a complicated expression, "Um…"

"I’m sure you all have many complaints, but if you would, please get along with me. As, well, fellow victims, you could say…"

Parfait wondered about that, but she and the others felt a strange sense of solidarity, thinking that they were indeed victims of that person named Ronios.