Chapter 129 – Early Morning, Again

My end goal was not to win the tournament, but to go further beyond.

But still, as long as winning the tournament was my current goal, I set my sights on it.

A week before the tournament, I focused on relaxing to get myself in the best physical and mental condition possible.

And the morning greeted me, I slept well, not having any trouble sleeping due to nervousness.

“Hmm… it’s finally here.”

There was no sense of discomfort in my body.

I felt a warrior’s tremor.

This feeling was the same one I had before the Commemorative Match.

“Come to think of it, my match… in the end, what happened after I left? Was it canceled? Well, no matter, this time… I will go all the way.”

In the Commemorative Match, due to the intrusion of my mother and father and my running from home occurring back to back, and I wasn’t able to compete until the end.

But this time I will give it my all.

『Full of confidence, are you not?』

“But I can’t let my guard down, and I won’t underestimate my opponents. It’s about time I had at least one title to my name.”

『Is that so?』

Yes, this was a checkpoint. But still, I want victory now.

I’ve done a lot of things since I was a kid.

But I’ve never been the ‘best’ at anything.

Not in swordsmanship, magic, grades, piano recitals, painting contests, and so on.

Somehow, I have never been crowned the winner or gotten first place, losing to the Princess, Rebal and Fu.

That’s why I want it.

“That’s why… hey, little lady, shouldn’t you wake up soon?”

“Un~… un? …… hafu!?”

“Yo, good morning.”

Before getting up… I wake up the girl sleeping in my bed clinging to my chest.

The young lady had the audacity to sneak into my bed in the middle of the night and went to sleep.

Now that my senses have been sharpened, I knew what was going on, but I allowed it with an open mind.

Then she yawned once, rubbing her sleepy eyes, and looked at me with her eyes fluttering…

“Ah… u… ah.”

Suddenly embarrassed, her face blushed red as she opened both eyes.

“Oh, what’s wrong~? Hmm~? Hmm~? Hmm~?”

“Uh, ah, ugh…”

“Why did you sneak into my bed~? Hey, Amae. Oh?”

She turned her head to the side with her lips pouting as she poked and prodded with her left and right index fingers.

Anyway, I guess she was lonely or something like that, but it’s interesting, so let’s tease her some more.

“This isn’t your room, is it? Hey~, Amae.”

“U~…… b, by mistake…”

“You can’t make a mistake, can you~? Your room is in a completely different area from here, isn’t it~?”

“Uh… u~…… because…”

Amae gives off an aura that said “don’t bully me anymore” while looking away.

Well, I can’t help it. I’ll give her a break now.

However, she’s been very clingy in these last three months.

At first, she wouldn’t even make eye contact.

“There. Let’s wash our faces and go to the dining hall, okay? I’m going straight to the venue, so no roadwork today.”

“Mu~”

“So, don’t be shy, and cheer me on as much as you can today, okay? Then, as a reward, we’ll play a lot tomorrow.”

“Eh!?”

As I said that, I got up with Amae under my arm and patted her on the head.

Then, Amae also suddenly looked surprised, and smiled at the next moment.

“Un! I’ll cheer! Do your best, fight on!”

“Yeah, I’m going to do my best.”

It felt nice and calm.

I was also relaxed and smiling.

“Oh, good morning! Earth!”

“Hiiya, big brother! …… Is that Amae? Where were you?”

“…… d, don’t know…”

When I went to the dining hall, the sisters were preparing breakfast.

I didn’t go for road work today, so I could have a proper breakfast.

“At last, Earth. So? How are you doing?

“No problem.”

“Yes… hmm…… I see…”

Elder Sis Tsukshi confirmed my condition and gave a smile… or so I thought, her expression seemed to be somewhat complicated.

Well, that’s right.

Elder Sis Tsukshi likes Machio.

However, Elder Sis Tsukshi doesn’t want Mr. Machio to win this tournament.

That’s why she’s rooting for me.

However, it would be quite painful to not be able to cheer the person you purely liked from the bottom of your heart in such a tournament.

However, if Mr. Machio wins the championship, he and Kron will… this situation was quite a dilemma.

I have to win this, no matter what.

However, the winner having a child with Kron could just be Tre’ainar’s imagination.

“Earth, we’ll be there to support you today. We’ll cheer you on together with Mortriage and the others!”

“Today, Oratski will be there… yes, we’ll support you together.””

“If Mobner is too shy to shout, leave it to me! I’ll slap him on the back and make him scream.”

“I’m making a lot of boxed lunches. Budeo eats a lot, so it should at least be that much!”

Today, it seemed the other Sisters will come out to support me, and I… huh? What? I wonder…… those guys and these sisters… huh? Hmm? Hmm~?

“Ah…”

“…… Ah…”

And, questions momentarily crossed my mind, but they were already gone now.

Sadiz, who brought soup from the kitchen, and I suddenly came across each other.

“…… Good morning.”

“Hi.”

“…… Well, today’s the day… how are you?”

“Nothing to worry about.”

“…… Is that right…”

“Oh…”

It’s not awful, but I still felt there was some distance between us that kept us from joking with each other, laughing, or doing things like we used to.

It’s been three months now.

I was a little sad about that, but at the same time I remembered something from before.

“That day… in the morning…”

“Eh?”

“…… No…… it’s nothing. You’re also coming today, right?”

“Yes, I’m… planning on it.”

“I see.”

On the morning of the match, I talked to Sadiz like this, and that was when I teased her for the first time, for my reward.

And confidently and proudly.

“I’ll show you. So, keep your eyes peeled.”

“…… eh….”

Just like that time, I’ll show Sadiz today.

Whether she had her memory or not, I needed to.

As if telling myself, I told Sadiz that.

“I wish you the best~!”

In such a unique atmosphere, a nonchalant voice resounded in the dining hall.

The sisters quickly stood up in a hurry and bowed their heads in greeting.

“Kron…”

“Ufufufu, this day has finally come, Earth.”

“It has.”

“Hmm, that is right.”

It was Kron. With a smile on her face, she looked straight into my eyes and nodded as she tried to assess who I am now.

“Yes! Apparently full of energy, I think today’s Earth is very good.”

“I see.”

“Because of our positions, me and Jamdi’el will be watching from the special guest seat today, so in the interest of fairness, I can’t cheer for Earth alone, but I’ll be watching you closely! So, please show me, won’t you?”

Somehow, Kron’s words smoothly permeated into me.

Kron didn’t tell me “good luck” but said, “I’ll be watching”.

“Yeah. You’ll have to keep your eyes open, too.”

“Yes!”

That was enough for me, so I nodded back to Kron.

“…… Un~…”

“Hmm? What’s the matter? Earth.”

“Eh, ah, nothing…”

“?”

That was close. I stared at Kron too much.

If Tre’ainar’s prediction is right and I accepted, I’d be with Kron… this fellow… I was thinking about that.

『Oi… what shall you do on that matter?』

What am I gonna do?

At any rate, I refuse to just sit back and let others decide my path for me according to their own convenience.

That’s what made me who I am today.

Of course, Jamdi’el won’t stay silent if that happens, but I won’t go quietly either.

“Un, Amae will watch too! Fight on fight on!”

“Oh, yes yes, that’s reassuring and encouraging.”

“Ufufufufu, please, Amae. Cheer me on. And Sadiz too.”

“…… eh? Oh, yes, I, I’ll, do… that…”

But for now, the first priority is to win.

I ate my breakfast with gusto.

I’m not going to have the same kind of morning as I did then.

This time, I’ll give it my all without any regrets!

Once again, I got fired up.

Author’s Note

It was the first time I’ve received a 7th spirit for a single work, and I was worried that I would have to write about it, and last night in Minami I asked, “Hey, naked guy, do you have plans? A second one? Third? Just going to have a drink at a bar for now!”. I was wondering if I should decline the invitation of the beautiful woman who might have been destined to be my partner, and what I should do… when I received an 8^th injection of spirit, so I dashed home to write.

No, thank you very much. Drinking water and calming down may have helped me in many ways.

Alas, I might have been in a situation where even if the hair of my ass was pulled out and a nosebleed would not come out…. And, while I was typing, I got hit by a 9^th spirit. Funuoooooo!!!!!!!