novelMoonlit Shadows
| ← Ch.324 | Ch.326 → |
Translator: Ranzan
Editor: ryunakama
Taiyou slowly arose from the bed.
He listened to the sounds of sleep from the wives around him, then got out of bed, and grabbed the clothes he had scattered around the bed.
Creeping from the room so that he wouldn't awaken them, he left the apartment.
No one was outside in the ink-black night.
In the silence, he walked along a path he was familiar with.
After a while, he came to the former Taiyou Castle.
Now it was a vacant lot, but he could see one girl standing there.
White hair, white skin, jet black dress.
She was illuminated by the moon...it was Shirokiyami.
「...」
As he stepped into the grounds, he saw her open her eyes as if she had heard his footsteps.
「Hey. 」
「Good...morning. 」
「It's the middle of the night. 」
「It's always...sun...in the day. 」
「So just on Sundays?」
「What...ever. 」
They exchanged some emotionless banter, as he walked over, sat next to her, and looked up.
「Everytime I come here, you're here. 」
「No...where to go. 」
「Won't you come to my apartment?」
「...」
Shirokiyami shook her head.
「I see. 」
「Why...are you here?」
「I wanted to see you. 」
「See...me?」
「Because I love you. 」
「...okay?」
「The most. 」
「...really?」
「Even when I'm with the others, I love you the most. 」
「That's...not good. 」
「HAH!」
He had struck at her with a backfist while sitting.
It was a surprise attack, a sudden strike.
And the fist still struck nothing but the air.
「Another afterimage!」
He blurted out, while refocusing his nerves. Not trusting his sight, he tried to sense her presence.
「LEFT!」
He stepped up on the ground, and threw a hook at where he thought he sensed her.
His arm whooshed through the empty air.
Then, clang, a metallic reverberation.
She had stopped his strike with her sword, the Gyakuten.
It was their usual type of fight, but it was strange. Even though he had struck her sword, there was no reaction.
「...ha!」
He saw a grey light flash beside him. He crouched and dodged her slash.
He punched back in counter attack. He missed, and she disappeared.
「Above!」
He jumped in the air.
They met face to face as he rose two meters above the ground.
「...you...know...」
「I'm getting better at sensing. 」
He balled up his fists and punched away at her.
They weren't finishing punches, but a flurry to beat her offense.
Clink clunk clang clink. She beat the punches away with her sword.
「Whoaaaa!」
Before he hit the ground, the last punch blew Shirokiyami's sword out of her hands.
So as soon as he hit the ground, he pursued her.
More than pursuing, pressing hard...harder than hard.
Since he had the advantage, his vigor showed that he was ready to go all out.
He balled his fist again, and punched.
And again, at an afterimage.
「I can feel you! There!」
He spun with a backfist at the presence behind him.
This time there was a reaction, but...
「Your scabbard?!」
「Here...」
He heard behind him...even though she was just in front of him...her voice now came from behind.
Just then, he felt a strike on the top of his head. It was a strike like something made of metal.
「You're okay...it's the...back of my sword. 」
「Aghh...」
He squatted down and felt the top of his head.
He saw stars and could hardly move.
He thought that because of his leveling up, that he had gained defense, but the strike still made it through.
In one strike, she had won.
「Lost again...」
「But...you're...stronger. 」
「I wonder. 」
「You are. 」
「Even getting stronger, it still sucks to lose like that. 」
「That's...because of...this. 」
「Huh?」
He looked up at her.
She moved her eyes.
It was as the wives said, 「Watch the area between the eyes and the mouth. 」
「I can see...with this...」
「I see, so you can see what my status is. 」
「Yes...that makes it...easier to fight. 」
「So you saw my strengths by numbers and knew just how to approach me, then. 」
「...yes. 」
「I see. Even so, there's still a difference in our strengths. 」
「So...fight. 」
「Not now. 」
「No, fight...to get better. 」
Shirokiyami sheathed her sword. She put her small fist to her chest and said so.
「Ok, I will. 」
「Yes...you must do better. 」
「Thanks for the encouragement, but instead of always fighting me, you could just join me. 」
「...」
「Hm?」
There was no response from her.
Taiyou looked at her, expecting the response that he had to beat her first.
Her vague look and the complex countenance she showed were as complicated as the sword technique she pierced the air with.
But somehow, this time it was different...he could feel it.
「What is it?」
「Are you...free?」
She said with an inquiring look.
「Free? Yeah, I guess so. 」
「Want to...go somewhere?」
「Sure. 」
Taiyou's eyes shimmered.
He never thought she would invite him out somewhere.
And there was no reason to refuse.
「Go somewhere...like now?」
「Now...is fine...Tomorrow, I have to...go...so...」
「Hey, then let's go somewhere now!」
Taiyou stood straight up.
But he made a deal that he would soon regret.
| ← Ch. 324 | Ch. 326 → |