Otome Game Mob Villain Chapter 149

"Start...!!"

Though my signal should have reached them, Rubens and Capella simply stared at each other, unmoving.

They're probably both gauging the situation.

But sohow, both of them seem to be radiating a cheerful, almost joyful atmosphere.

Rubens holds his wooden sword in a central stance, while Capella maintains a low stance.

The first to move is Capella.

He speaks toward Rubens.

"Fufu... To think I'd be having a practice match with a promising knight of the Baldia Knights... I never dread of this even a few months ago. But let's enjoy this opportunity."

"I never imagined I'd get to cross blades with a skilled fighter from Renarute either. ...I'd very much like to see if you truly possess the skill befitting Lord Ridd's attendant."

The mont Rubens finishes his reply, Capella's entire deanor changes, transforming into a battle-ready state filled with killing intent.

"...Understood. Then... here I co!!"

Capella shifts the wooden sword from its low stance onto his shoulder, crouches slightly, and kicks off the ground.

The force of it kicks up a cloud of dust where he stood.

Rubens seems to track Capella's movents precisely, imdiately turning his gaze left and eting his strike.

In that instant, I can see Rubens's expression grow tense.

"...?! Capella, as expected. I didn't think your strike would carry such weight...!!"

"...Forgive , but I didn't think you'd be able to block it either, Lord Rubens...!!"

They exchange words, but I recognize the movent Capella used against Rubens, and I'm stunned.

"That move... it's the sa as Asuna's opening technique... Is it Renarute's basic swordsmanship?"

The movent Capella used closely resembles the surprise technique Asuna employs.

After all, it involves montarily leaping out of the opponent's field of vision using body strengthening before striking.

Capella's movent is sharper and more intense than Asuna's, kicking the ground hard enough to raise dust.

The fact that Rubens tracked it without losing sight of him speaks to his skill as well.

They seem to lock blades for a mont, then quickly create distance, and Capella strikes again.

"Wh-what is that..."

I'm stunned once more by his movent.

Capella is using body strengthening to dash around Rubens at blinding speed, seemingly trying to confuse him.

But Rubens doesn't seem to lose track of his movents, calmly waiting for Capella to strike.

However, this proves to be a poor decision for Rubens.

Capella wasn't running around aninglessly; he was intentionally dragging his wooden sword along the ground as he ran, deliberately kicking up dust.

The rising dust obscures Rubens's vision, and he finally loses sight of Capella.

There's no way Capella would miss this opening.

Seizing the mont, Capella attacks Rubens.

But Rubens had anticipated his intent, focusing on the approaching sounds and instantly recognizing each incoming strike, parrying them one after another.

"...This is so incredible that I don't think it works as an 'example' anymore."

Watching from a distance, I mutter in astonishnt.

This practice match was supposed to demonstrate "irregular movents" to , but Capella's movents are too irregular.

Though the fact that Rubens is keeping up with them is equally impressive.

Then, I notice sothing.

The wooden sword I gave Capella has beco shorter...? No, that's not it; he must have worn it down by dragging it along the ground to kick up dust earlier.

"...Did he deliberately shorten the sword I gave him to about the size of a wakizashi or kodachi?"

It seems my guess was correct. As the dust settles, they create so distance.

At the sa ti, Capella switches his shortened wooden sword to a reverse grip with one hand.

"...Lord Rubens, I'll be going all out now. Please forgive ."

"Fufu... I'm surprised you possess such skill, Capella. I'll face you seriously as well...!!"

I can't tell what they're saying to each other from here.

But I think they're both getting serious now.

Because I can feel the magical energy leaking from their body strengthening techniques.

I mutter, a little exasperated.

"Isn't this a bit much? Those two..."

The mont I mutter this, Capella charges at Rubens again.

But his movents are different now.

Until now, it felt like "swordsmanship," but his current movents feel closer to "short sword techniques" or even "martial arts."

He dodges Rubens's strikes by a hair's breadth while counterattacking using his whole body—slashes, footwork, everything.

It's a bit too irregular, I think.

Rubens seems to be struggling, but I can see him gradually getting used to it.

Their intense movents kick up dust in the training ground, and the dull sounds of wooden swords clashing never cease.

I wonder if my exhibition match with Asuna looked sothing like this?

As I'm thinking this, I hear a voice from behind.

"Lord Ridd, what are those two doing...?"

Turning around, I see Diana with a very stern expression.

Maybe she thinks they're fighting?

"Well, they're having a practice match to teach 'irregular' movents in martial arts training, I think?"

Finishing my explanation while watching the two, I shrug slightly and make a playful expression toward Diana.

Because those two have gotten so heated that they've forgotten this is supposed to be a "demonstration match for " and are completely absorbed in their fight.

Of course, it's instructive and interesting to watch, but it's not sothing you can imitate imdiately after being told to.

After hearing my words, Diana puts a hand to her forehead, shakes her head, and sighs.

"Haa... Why are n always... such idiots...? Lord Ridd, please don't get that heated like them."

"U-uhn. I'll be careful."

As I reply to her, I suddenly notice our surroundings.

Unnoticed by , many maids, mansion staff, and even knights have stopped to watch their exchange.

It seems the practice match has inadvertently beco a spectator bout.

Thinking this is getting too out of hand, I call out loudly to them.

"Rubens!! Capella!! That's enough, I've learned a lot!!"

I said it quite loudly, but they show no signs of stopping. Did they not hear ?

I brace myself and call out loudly again.

"You two, that's enough!! ...Huh?"

Still, their movents don't stop.

Then Diana beside mutters in exasperation.

"They're too absorbed in their match to hear you..."

"Ehh..."

Even I'm exasperated by her words.

Well, I suppose it shows how focused they are on each other.

But how should I stop them?

As I make a slightly troubled face, Diana beside clears her throat.

"Ahem... Lord Ridd, I'll go stop those two."

"Eh? Are you sure? You're going in there?"

"Yes. This happens often in the Knights, so I'm used to it."

Smiling sweetly at my words, Diana smoothly walks forward and steps between them.

In that mont, she drives her fist into Rubens's stomach... or so it seems, but I can't clearly see what she did from my position.

In any case, Rubens stops moving.

Capella seems to stop as well in response.

Capella appears to have been told sothing by Diana, looking sowhat dejected with his head lowered.

Watching from a distance, I hurry over to the three and speak.

"Rubens, Capella, that was too much. This was supposed to be a 'practice match' for my benefit, right? I learned a lot and it was interesting, but... please keep it within reason next ti?"

"...!! Kuku..."

The three make faces like birds hit by pellets at my words, but for so reason Diana seems to have found sothing hilarious, struggling to contain her laughter.

Capella and Rubens look at each other and then speak.

"Lord Ridd, I apologize for getting too absorbed."

"I apologize as well. This was my first practice match since coming to Baldia territory, and I got too heated."

Finishing their apologies, they bow to , and I smile warmly.

"Uhn. It's fine as long as you understand. More importantly, Capella, your movents were amazing. If you don't mind, could you teach as well?"

"? Is that acceptable...?"

My words seem unexpected to Capella. Though expressionless, I can detect a hint of surprise.

Rubens smiles as if to encourage him.

"Excellent idea. Capella is quite skilled; he'll surely be able to help Lord Ridd."

"That's right. Just from watching, it's clear how skilled you are. I'll speak to Father about it myself."

Hearing Rubens and , Capella offers a stiff smile and speaks, seeming sowhat happy.

"If I'm acceptable, I'd be honored to help."

And so, Capella joins my martial arts training.

Diana looked exasperated by our exchange, but since she said nothing, I think she judged it acceptable.

Later, when I inford Father, he reluctantly agreed on the condition that Diana participate as Capella's supervisor.

When I told Diana, she gave a small "Haa..." sigh but nodded in agreent.

I was happy that everyone would be participating in my martial arts training, but then I suddenly realized sothing.

"...Co to think of it, having all three—Diana, Capella, and Rubens—teaching at once ans my martial arts training is going to beco quite intense, isn't it?"

After muttering to myself, I felt the blood drain from my face.

Shocked, I shook my head as if to dispel the doubt and muttered inwardly.

"It'll be fine. It'll definitely be fine... Right?"