Duel [Zamaa]

――――Royal Academy.

Five years had passed while evading Freesia’s advances.

“Brad! Stop using Freesia to satisfy your desires!”

Siegfried threw his discarded glove at me, and it landed at my feet. He had challenged me to a duel in the mock battle of the entrance exam.

“Heh heh heh… To put it mildly, Freesia is the best in bed! She’s too good for a v*rgin like you.”

Uh, well, I’m still a virgin since I was reincarnated… So, Freesia and I have remained pure. I don’t know where she learned it, but Freesia has become a woman of s*x who has mastered sexual techniques such as bj, p@izuri, and sum@ta that would put a prostitute to shame.

Brad likely intended to provoke Siegfried, but his words also ended up praising Freesia…

“For Brad-sama to praise me so clearly!”

Her cheeks flushed red, and she squirmed with embarrassment.

Now….if I win against Siefried in a duel, Freesia won’t reverse r@pe me, right?

I’d rather have a proper gentleman, one I’ve handpicked, to welcome Freesia with pure intentions. At the very least, it’s hard to hand her over to the likes of Siegfried standing before me.

Here, I’ll play it up and lose miserably, causing my reputation to plummet. This will push Freesia’s heart away from me and towards a true gentleman.

“For a mere younger brother to make me, his elder, pick up a glove… I’ll make sure you can’t stand up by the end of this lecture. Come at me with any weapon you like.”

“I’ve never once thought of you as my older brother! You’re a disgrace to the glorious Liebenrachia! I’ll crush you completely here, claim the right to the throne, and make Freesia mine!”

————

In the arena.

At the Royal Academy, nobles are required to learn combat skills ahead of commoners, as they have a duty to fight. We ascended to the stage, a circular platform not even fifty centimeters high. The students, serving as spectators, watched our match.

“Go, Siegfried-sama!”

“Don’t lose to Brad-sama!”

The support seemed to favor Siegfried, but among them, one voice stood out.

“I am confident in Brad-sama’s victory!”

Freesia, seated in a special seat as the next queen candidate, waved her hand, drawing all the boys’ attention. They couldn’t help but gawk, but Freesia’s passionate gaze was solely fixed on me.

Seeing this, Siegfried looked distraught, clutching his head and mumbling to himself as if it were the end of the world.

“Why… Why is it that only these insignificant girls look at me, while Freesia won’t even spare me a glance?”

Of course, she’d never love someone who secretly indulges in perverted thoughts about her. That would be utterly perverted.

“It’s all Brad’s fault……”

Siegfried glared at me with murderous intent, and at the same time, the referee signaled, “Begin!”

“Aaaaaaaah!”

Siegfried drew his broadsword from its sheath and charged at me, quickly closing the distance. Just as he reached me, he disappeared from sight.

“Take this! Flight Blade!”

Ah yes, Siegfried’s specialty move.

He leaps into the air with the sun at his back, creating the illusion of disappearing right before the opponent’s eyes.

I almost slipped into explaining the skill like a commentator, but with my knowledge of the game, I had already locked onto Siegfried’s position.

“Hahaha! Your Flight Blade is defeated! I’ve had you in my sights since a hundred years ago!”

Translation: “I’ve anticipated all your moves.” That’s probably what he wanted to convey. His overly roundabout way of saying it is confusing, not just for me but for everyone else as well.

“How… how did you find out? I never told anyone!!!”

It’s because I’m a reincarnator.

Not that I could say that…

“Damn it! Just get hit!!!”

Siegfried, flustered and desperate, swung his sword wildly at my head.

This is an easy job for anyone.

Just get cut by your little brother’s sword… I don’t think I’ll die since Freesia is here. But all my plans will be ruined by my pathetic brother.

Clang!

A high-pitched sound echoed around as Siegfried’s full-strength, downward slash seemingly connected with my forehead.

Guh.

I groaned, intending to fall pathetically. However, even though Siegfried’s sword had struck my forehead, I didn’t feel any pain and just stood there dumbfounded.

Wait, did I… perhaps overtrain a bit?

As I thought that, Brad began taunting Siegfried.

“Was that your best shot? If you want Freesia, you’ll have to come at me with the intent to kill; otherwise, you can’t take her from me.”

“Impossible! That attack should have been powerful enough to slay even an Armored Dragon!”

Seriously?

Apparently, my skin is tougher than that of an Armored Dragon, one of the Four Heavenly Kings under the final boss. Then again, Siegfried might just be bluffing…

Ideally, I should have fallen after taking that hit, but Siegfried’s attack lacked enough power, so I couldn’t even fake a fall. Now, trying to act hurt would only raise suspicions, so feigning a stomachache and forfeiting seems like the best option.

I raised my hand, attempting to declare my withdrawal to Siegfried.

“No… I can’t… My stomach… I forfeit…”

“Gotcha!”

But as I turned around to leave the stage, Siegfried swung his broadsword with all his might, striking me like a monk’s staff during zazen.

“Die! Die! Die! Die! Die! Die! Die! Die, you damn Brad!!!”

With his silky golden hair flying wildly like a demonic witch, he kept striking me with all his genuine hatred.

Thwack! Thwack! Thwack! Thwack! Thwack! Thwack! Thwack! Thwack! Thwack! Thwack! Thwack! Thwack! Thwack! Thwack! Thwack! Thwack! Thwack! Thwack! Thwack! Thwack! Thwack! Thwack!

Ah, this is just what I needed for my stiff shoulders after all the paperwork.

After about a thousand satisfying strikes, I heard a clattering sound and saw Siegfried collapse to his knees on the arena floor.

The broadsword Siegfried had been using had not only worn down but was also bent out of shape, rendering it completely useless.

“What a considerate way to fight for one’s brother!”

“A true man speaks with his actions… Impressive.”

“Prince Brad forfeited out of concern for Prince Siegfried, and yet attacking him from behind is the lowest of the low!”

What!?

“Referee! Are you watching this? This is clearly Prince Brad’s victory! Disqualify Prince Siegfried for a foul!”

“Yeah, that’s right! Prince Brad held back out of consideration for Prince Siegfried! I’ve never seen such brotherly love before.”

“Oh, I used to fear Prince Brad for being arrogant and heartless, but now… I couldn’t be happier to study alongside him.”

Wait, what?

How did it come to this?

The academy students in the audience were praising me, while Siegfried was being showered with insults and disdain.