Chapter 72: Yuri vs. The Strongest in the Year

“The next match is… Lubase from the Knight Division against Yuri Katreya from the Magic Division! Step forward!”

Oddman announced the next match with a somewhat tense demeanor.

Stepping forward with a wooden sword in hand was Yuri, one of the few female students present in the class and Rest’s friend.

On the other hand, her opponent was a male student with dull, ash-gray hair tied behind his back. Unlike most of the knight division students who had short hair, he had long bangs that covered his eyes.

“Lubase… Could it be Wilhelm Lubase!?” 

“Do you know him, Ruido?”

Rest asked Ruido, who suddenly raised his voice.

Ruido stared wide-eyed at the male student who was Yuri’s opponent and explained with a somewhat fearful expression.

“Yeah… He’s the top student of the Knight Division this year. Remember him giving a speech at the entrance ceremony?”

“Now that you mention it… I think I do.”

Although his memory had been clouded by the mud-slinging incident, he vaguely remembered seeing him on stage during the entrance ceremony.

“Lubase is rumored to have passed the practical test of the entrance exam by knocking down the active knight who was supervising the test with a sword. Despite his long and unkempt hair, he’s undoubtedly the strongest man in the Knight Division this year.”

“To have such a guy as Yuri’s opponent… They definitely intend to take her down here, no matter what…”

From their previous conversation, it seemed that Oddman, an instructor in the Knight Division, had received instructions from someone, and they seemed to want to prevent Yuri from wielding a sword. It appeared that they intended to defeat her in this match and exclude her from the “Swordsmanship” class for this semester.

(Be careful… Yuri!)

As Rest silently prayed for his friend’s victory, Yuri, facing her opponent, who was silent and unreadable, spoke cheerfully.

“Oh, how delightful. To think I’d have a match with the top student of the Knight Division.”

“…”

“I haven’t had the chance to properly learn swordsmanship due to my father’s educational policies. Please allow me to borrow your chest and fight!”

“Borrow my… chest…?”

“Yes. It seems you have no shortage of it for your opponent. I’m counting on you.”

“…”

While Yuri spoke in her usual carefree tone, her opponent Lubase remained mostly silent.

He either had a taciturn nature or simply fell silent with an unreadable expression on his face.

“Let’s begin!”

“Hyaa!”

As the match began, Yuri leaped forward by kicking the ground.

She raised her sword overhead, intending to strike her opponent with a powerful blow.

“No good…!”

Rest couldn’t help but growl.

A novice’s move, making big swings against a stronger opponent.

The standard in close combat was to observe the opponent’s movements, launch small attacks, and seize the opportunity to unleash a powerful strike.

“…….”

As expected.

With a slight shift of his body, Lubase easily avoided Yuri’s attack.

Then, without delivering a counterattack to the now defenseless Yuri, Lubase silently leaped backward.

“I won’t let you escape!”

Yuri pursued Lubase as he retreated.

With the agility of a young trout leaping through a river, Yuri moved her slender limbs and swung her sword while chasing her opponent.

“Ha! Hu! Too!”

“……………….”

“This… this… Hit him!”

“…………….”

“Hey! There’s an opening!”

Yuri shouted such phrases as she swung her sword, but there was no opening.

Lubase effortlessly evaded and parried the attacks with seemingly preternatural agility.

“Huh?”

“Hey! Who’s winning here? Is Yuri at an advantage!?”

As Rest puzzled with narrowed eyes, Ruido made a joking remark and sought an explanation.

“Well… as you can see, Yuri is on the offensive. But Yuri isn’t at an advantage at all. If anything, it wouldn’t be strange for her to be defeated at any moment.”

“What do you mean?”

“I don’t know… Why isn’t that guy Lubase fighting back?”

That had been the lingering question.

Despite having numerous opportunities, Lubase had not once countered Yuri’s attacks.

Whether he was staring intently at Yuri with eyes hidden by his bangs, blatantly avoiding her gaze, or staring again… 

Even though he dodged Yuri’s attacks with ample ease, he had not once swung his sword.

“What are you doing, Lubase!”

The one showing impatience is Oddman, the referee.

“Finish her off already! What are you playing at…!”

Oddman, perhaps having some urgent reason to defeat Yuri, forgets his role as a neutral referee and raises his voice.

“Tch…”

Upon Oddman’s instruction… Lubase prepares to swing his right-handed sword.

“Are you attacking!?”

Yuri panics and holds her sword with both hands overhead, attempting to defend herself.

It’s a mistake. Falling for the feint that appeared to come from above, she ends up taking a blow from a different direction.

“………………..”

However, Lubase doesn’t attack.

Just at the last moment, he stops his sword and leaps backward.

“Hmm? Not attacking?”

Yuri also tilts her head.

She must have noticed that Lubase’s behavior is strange.

Stopping his attack, he stares intently at his opponent’s face…

“…It’s my defeat. I surrender.”

For some reason, Lubase declared his defeat.

He threw away the wooden sword and started to walk briskly out of the field.

“Eh… I won?”

“Catreya-san won? Against Wilhelm Lubase?”

“What…? No way! Why did Lubase lose!?”

The students from the magic division voiced their confusion at the unexpected outcome. The knight division students were also shouting in confusion.

“Hey, Lubase! What’s going on!?”

And the most agitated person at the scene was Oddman.

“I told you, Katreya-san  must not win at any cost! Surrender is not acceptable! Do you want to spend the rest of the semester just running!?”

Despite Oddman’s intimidation, Lubase, seeming uninterested, tried to leave with a casual “It’s fine like that.”

“Wait! I’m not satisfied either!”

Furthermore, even Yuri, who should have won, approached Rubes.

“I’d gladly accept defeat after a hard-fought battle, but there’s no reason for you to hand me the victory for nothing! Let’s fight again!”

“I don’t care… I won’t fight you again.”

“Wait!”

As Lubase tried to brush her off, Yuri grabbed his hand. Suddenly, Lubase shook her off and leaped back.

“Huh…?”

“D-D-Don’t touch me!”

“What? What are you talking about?”

“I told you not to touch me… Ugh, darn it!”

Lubase wiped his hand, as if he had touched something filthy. It was an excessive reaction, as if he had touched something dirty.

“Uh… Sorry. Was there sweat on it?”

“That’s not it! You, you…!”

“What?”

“During the match, you were… you were jiggling your… boobs, and I couldn’t concentrate at all! Ugh, I hate women for this!”

“…………………?”

The boy who was supposed to be the strongest in the knight division of the first year was now crying out in a tearful voice.

Everyone present was stunned and puzzled by his reaction.

(Is he… incredibly weak against women?)

Whether he hated women or was just shy without immunity, it wasn’t clear, but he might be incredibly bad with women. Perhaps seeing Yuri’s chest bouncing while she was wearing a gym uniform during the match made him unable to focus and ended up being on the defensive the whole time.

“It’s my loss! That’s final! I won’t fight you ever again!”

Shouting like a child, Lubase fled.

Yuri couldn’t chase after him and could only watch in surprise as her fleeing opponent.

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