It's Not Like I Want to Play the Role of a Misunderstood, Good-for-Nothing Prince in a Villainess Story! - Chapter 25 – Encounter with the Mighty Sword

Beyond the opened door was a child around the same age as me.

“Sigh…” Gaizel sitting across from me sighed.

“Larba, I’m currently speaking with guests.”

“But the knight order captain is here, isn’t he?”

I see, so this guy came here.

I was internally convinced.

Larba Ribauto.

The eldest son of the Ribauto house, and he was also one of Misty’s romance targets.

Short in height but with short black hair, sharp eyes and a foul mouth.

However, contrary to his unfortunate height, he had superhuman strength and considerable sword ability.

A swordsman called by the nickname Mighty Sword.

That said, in the actual game he appeared as head of the house after Gaizel dies, and I thought he was a bit older… looking at him now, he seemed not much different in age from me.

In the first place, I’d only known Gaizel through text and had never seen him though.

Incidentally, Larba’s father should have died early.

Considering how Gaizel was handling me and Beldiha, that part followed the game.

Also, there was one more person. He should have a younger sister, but would she appear?

“I take you to be Sir Beldiha, knight of the kingdom.”

“…Ah?”

At Beldiha’s low, growling voice and glare, Larba withdrew slightly.

He probably thought he was angry.

But no, this guy was just napping until a moment ago so his eyelids are heavy, and furthermore his voice is just low.

However, Larba spoke up with determination.

“Please take me along for the monster subjugation. I’ll certainly be useful.”

“Larba, return to your room.”

“…Understood.”

When Gaizel spoke firmly, Larba gave only a bow to Beldiha before leaving the room.

Hey, you’re ignoring me?

Looking at Gaizel, he shrugged his shoulders.

“My apologies. Larba is my grandson and turns 13 this year.”

One year older than me, huh.

For that, his height was about slightly lower than mine.

“Though I say it as family, he has tremendous sword talent.”

“Then isn’t it fine to let him go on the monster subjugation?”

“Yes. However, my son and his wife died young, and I have Larba and one other grandchild, but I’m thinking Larba with his sword talent who can easily unite the house would be the successor.”

I see, in other words if he accompanied monster subjugation where he might die and actually died, it’d be troublesome.

Wait, if that’s the case, why was I allowed to accompany?

Could it be that Father thinks it’s fine if I die?

Gaizel looked further at Beldiha.

“My grandson admires Beldiha-dono, the Sword of the Kingdom, so ever since hearing the capital knight order would come for relief, he’s been looking forward to it.”

Glancing at Beldiha, he had an annoyed expression.

“You’d hate to lose your grandson, wouldn’t you.”

“That’s true. However, honestly I also have feelings of wanting my grandson to experience monster extermination. If Beldiha-sama is there, he won’t die, will he?”

“Well, it’s better to have a first battle, and if I’m there he’ll first of all not die, but…”

While speaking, Beldiha looked at me.

Then he smiled as if thinking of something.

I wonder what. I have a bad feeling about this.

“Marquis Ribauto. Not as a test of skill, but may I confirm your grandson’s ability?”

And so we came to the mansion’s garden bringing Larba along.

Among the stone pavement, facing me was Larba.

The physique difference wasn’t much.

“Sir Beldiha, if I win against the prince, you’ll take me along, right?”

“Onii-sama! Please do it!”

Looking over, not only Gaizel and servants but one more cute cheering section was raising her voice.

Sierra Ribauto.

Age 11.

Her long black hair was tied with a barrette, and she didn’t resemble the masculine-faced Larba much, but her face itself was well-proportioned.

Clad in a yellow dress, her appearance seriously cheering for her brother was heartwarming.

I’m pretty sure in the game she was Misty’s junior and her friend.

“Please defeat that rumored prince!”

Rumors… just what kind of rumors, I wonder.

I won’t say it since this was the umpteenth retort already, but I was looked down on by every single person I met, so my body will be buried in the ground soon at this rate.

While thinking such things, Larba approached.

“Please treat me well.”

“Yes, likewise.”

After greeting, he approached further and spoke in a low voice.

“Prince Zeke, I’ve heard the rumors. We have potions prepared, but there’s always the chance. If you don’t move poorly, you can avoid injury.”

Oh, already planning to win?

I don’t think I can win against the future Mighty Sword either. But I’ve worked hard too, so I can’t lose disgracefully.

“Zeke-sama, please do your best.”

“Hmph. Show the results of training with us.”

As Debut and Garim cheered, Larba and I took our starting positions.

Beldiha would be the referee.

“Rules are swordsmanship only. Whoever lands one hit wins. Now, begin!”

Immediately after the call, Larba held his wooden sword with both hands and struck down from an overhead stance.

At worst I might lose from this one blow, but as always I held the wooden sword in only my right hand and received it in a half-stance.

Ngh!

I somehow caught it, but this guy… his physical strength is incredible!

I hastily shifted my whole body aside.

My right hand hurt. What monstrous strength.

Looking over, Larba’s eyes were wide.

He seemed surprised it was blocked, but I who actually blocked it was also shocked.

However, he only stopped for an instant.

Larba kept striking relentlessly.

His sword was fierce, with attacks flying beyond even that first strike.

I somehow managed by sometimes deflecting with my right hand, sometimes hitting with the wooden sword from angles other than straight on.

Definitely if I received an overhead strike like the first one straight on, I’d get my head smashed along with the wooden sword.

Like Satsuma’s Jigen-ryu. The received wooden sword might sink into my forehead.

I mean, this guy’s 13, right? What’s going on?

Is there that much difference in one year of age?

Even trying to counterattack, I was attacked continuously so I couldn’t find such an opening.

I deflected a horizontal sweep and somehow gained distance.

Then Larba smiled.

“Amazing… but why don’t you use your left hand?”

“My left hand is for magic. It’s not that I won’t use it, but that I can’t.”

“Huh.”

If I carelessly held it with my left hand, my stance would change from half-stance, and conversely my rhythm would get thrown off.

Now then, what will he do next, I wondered while watching.

“Then I’ll decide the match.”

The atmosphere changed.

Larba smoothly raised his wooden sword to an overhead stance.

An intensely dangerous atmosphere drifted over.

I felt that if I carelessly received this, it would be dangerous.

And as expected, he jumped in front of me in one leap.

I could see the wooden sword’s afterimage.

If I failed to block this, at worst my head might split.

“……!”

Rather than receive the all-out strike from the front, I put my full weight from the side and smashed that wooden sword with all my might.

My hand went numb as if hitting metal, but immediately after, from the base of my wooden sword onward flew sideways.

It broke. This will end with the next strike.

I thought that, but Larba’s wooden sword didn’t come toward me.

“Ah…”

Larba who should have been striking down also stared wide-eyed in his swung-down state.

From where Larba’s wooden sword had been smacked from the side onward had also broken, dancing through the air before falling to the ground.