Chapter 8: Prince Kurobuta Settles With His Younger Brother

“Why … why can’t I hit you!?”

　At first, Alberto was relaxed as he taunted Brad, but he couldn’t hide his frustration and impatience now cause he hadn’t hit even once.

　It’s not surprising.

　Until now, Alberto has been able to best any enemy in front of him in an instant with his overwhelming natural talent, and he had almost never been prevented from doing so. And yet, he was completely blocked by his brother, whom he had looked down on for years.

　But Brad didn’t pay any attention to Alberto’s words, he just concentrated on dealing with his attacks.

(After all, the attack pattern is the same as that of “Fai Que”.)

　Despite the overwhelming difference in status, there was actually a trick to why Brad was able to keep up with Alberto’s attacks.

The number and patterns of physical attack in “Final Quest” battles are determined for each character, and of course, Alberto has his own set of combos. After playing through the game several times, Brad knew all of Alberto’s combos by heart.

　And the Alberto in front of him was also attacking according to those combos, so Brad knew exactly what kind of attack would come next.

　No matter how different the stats are, if you knew where and in what trajectory the attack would come, it’s easy to avoid the attack with Brad’s technique cultivated during his play of “Final Quest” in the previous life.

(Pattern B: …… horizontal cleave blow from the left, slash up from the lower right, vertical swing down, a turn and swing down again with a large swing)

　Immediately after. Alberto attacks again, exactly as Brad expected. Brad calmly parried the attacks by a paper-thin margin.

　Glace and the servants, who see the sheer precision of the move, give a small cheer.

　No-excluding one person, only Rosie is jumping up and down cheering with all her might saying “Brad is amazing desu ♡♡♡”.

“Haa, haa …”

　However, brad’s physical strength was nearing its limit.

　It takes a lot of physical strength to survive such a fierce attack. He’s been using the minimum amount of movement necessary, but it was difficult to continue the battle any longer.

((It’s no use, I’ll just have to bet on one attack. )

　　From the beginning of the fight, Brad had been looking for a chance to strike a blow while taking Alberto’s attacks.

　And in the course of the battle, he had already found a gap.

　On the other hand, even though he found one, Alberto’s status is far above Brad’s. Even if he aims for the chance and attacks, if he does not seize the chance properly, he would receive a strong counter at that moment, and Brad’s defeat will be decided.

　That’s why he had been parrying the attacks, but now that he was running out of energy, he had no choice but to bet on that one chance.

　When Brad made up his mind–

“Go down already!”

　Alberto attacks again with a strength-filled voice.

(Pattern D… Slashing from the upper left, twists his body and slashes from the upper right again, a slash from the lower left, and rotating greatly turns and swings down from the top)

　All the slashes were according to the pattern.

　Brad continues to calmly judge them.

　And he avoids the last slash from the top by stepping backward-

(…… Now!)

　Immediately after. Kicking the ground heavily, he launches a horizontal slash at Alberto.

　It was Brad’s best shot at the moment.

　Alberto noticed it instantly, but couldn’t move immediately.

　　After a large combo, there’s always a small pause. This is what Brad was aiming for.

“…!?”

　However, just before brad’s attack arrived, Alberto showed his extraordinary agility status and began to move his sword by breaking out of the rigidity.

　Whether Brad’s attack arrives or Alberto prevents it, would be a truly close call.

　and–

(Ah…… it’s over)

　It was Alberto who won.

　Brad’s sword is flicked away from him at the end and does not reach Alberto.

　Brad’s aim was perfect, too perfect. However, due to the extraordinary status difference between the two, he was just overturned.

　Perhaps the result would have been different if Brad’s level was just one or two stages higher, but at the moment it seems that Alberto is better off.

(Crap, I’m dead …!)

　Brad slumped backward, revealing a huge gap that he’d never shown before. Alberto didn’t miss that gap.

“Fuhahahaha! it’s over brother !”

　Alberto, convinced that he will win, swings his sword down with a laugh.

　There was no way for Brad who was off balance to avoid the slash, and Alberto’s sword finally caught up to him-but just before it hit.

　- Gong, gong…

　The sound of the morning bell echoes through the royal palace.

　And just when he thought that, his master, Glace, was right in front of him, stopping the tip of Alberto’s sword with just one fingertip.

“Yeah, it’s over ☆ The match is over ☆”

　With the usual frivolous voice of Glace, the air of the place that was tense as if life-threatening loosens up like a lie.

(……I was saved)

　Brad relievedly stroked his chest and slumped down on the spot.

　I knew he could stop it, but I really thought I was going to die. I can’t read this guy named Glace at all, so it really could have happened.

“Glace-san, what’s the result of the match …!?”

　Alberto asked with a cocky smile.

　Certainly, it was stopped at the sound of the bell morning bell, and victory or defeat of the match was vague.

　Brad thought he would lose, but–

“It’s a tie, the bell was faster ☆”

　Glace replied so quickly.

　It seems that the bell signaling the end of the match was earlier than the decisive strike. I’m sorry for Alberto, but it was honestly lucky for Brad, who was defeated.

“Wait, wait … If the last attack had hit, I would have definitely won! I’m not convinced that I only fought my brother to a draw!”

“If it had gone through, …… Alberto would have won. But it did not. So it’s a tie. The rules are rules☆”

“Guh …”

　Alberto regretfully clenched his teeth and opened his mouth to argue, but eventually gave up.

“Well, Brad-kun, you’re a really scary child ☆”

　Then Glace walked to Brad, who was on his butt and offered his hand. Brad obediently accepts the assist and stands up.

“Huh, oh … yes, thank you.”

　I’m not sure, but I guessed I was being praised for the time being and thanked him.

“You only tried to win at the last minute. …… Why is that?

“Oh, that’s because–“

I was desperate because I didn’t have the strength, Brad wanted to say that, but before he could continue, Glace stopped him with his hand.

“No–you don’t have to say it, I know ☆ You had already spotted Alberto’s fatal gap in the match. On the other hand, due to the difference in ability with Alberto, you could only take a chance once. If not, you realized it would create a chance for defeat, so I guess you decided to attack only at the last minute? Even if you failed to use the gap and were counterattacked, the game would be over and the sound of the bell would help you draw the game. “

“Oh, yeah … what !? Yes!?”

It was right halfway through, but there was an additional story that I didn’t understand.

　Glace slapped the embarrassed Brad’s shoulders and laughed happily.

Despite the overwhelming difference in ability you, in fact, did not lose this match. it was a choice between winning or drawing! Unfortunately, it ended in a draw, but even so, I can only say that it was brilliant with this much difference in competence☆”

　Glace begins to applaud, and Rosie begins to jump out of joy like a rabbit, saying, “That’s right, Brad-sama!”

　Even Alberto clenched his teeth, saying, “So you thought that far… Damn it!” And looked like he was dying of frustration.

(I’m really misunderstood …)

　Brad was simply desperate to win, but everyone seems to have read too deeply and completely misunderstood.

(Well it isn’t a problem to be misunderstood in a good way right?)

　As Brad was convincing himself he saw Alberto turning his back and about to leave.

“Hey, Alberto wait!”

　Though Brad knew that he wanted nothing more than to leave since he didn’t get the results he wanted, he still dared to call out to him.

“… What? I admit that this time I was defeated by your cunning moves, but … I didn’t lose! Don’t get carried away!”

　Alberto said it all at once as if he thought Brad was going to taunt him. Brad smiled at his younger brother,

“No … I was completely defeated in terms of power and speed, and I can’t get carried away just by drawing. However, I just wanted to say since I thought again that Alberto’s amazing. Even though you’re my younger brother, I couldn’t attack at all since  I couldn’t find a chance. If you’d like, please teach me sometime. “

　It’s undeniable that the lack of communicative competence from his previous life made him awkward, but Brad smiled as much as he could.

　”… Damn, damn, damn it all!”. However, Alberto quickly left the courtyard, swearing as he left. 

(… Good grief, what a stubborn younger brother)

　But it’s just the first day.

　Eventually, I’d like to make up and reduce the probability of the death end as much as possible.

“Oh, by the way, Glace-san, what about your skill!”

　Recalling that he promised to teach him extra skills if he beat Alberto, he turned his eyes towards Glace.

　I didn’t win, but I brought it to a draw. I wonder if he could somehow miraculously teach me.

“Well, what to do☆ I promised if you win, but you showed me something good……Hmm, I guess I can teach you☆”

“Really !?”

　I thought he would never teach me because he’s the inflexible Glace, so I couldn’t hide my surprise at the unexpected answer.

　However, Glacé nodded and reaffirmed that he would teach his skill to Brad. It looks like he’s really going to teach me.

“Yes yes!!!”

　Brad jumps and gives a guts pose.

　His tiredness from the training and match were blown away in an instant.

　Although he was as happy as if he’d scored the final goal in soccer, the state of Prince Kurobuta is still fat and sweaty, so it looked cute like a fat otaku who was excited by the live performance of an idol voice actress.

　And like this, Brad made another step towards avoiding the death end.

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