The Failed Swordsman Who Became the Strongest After Spamming the 100 Million Years Button

128. Transfer Student and Christmas [5]

When I won the duel against Claude san and sheathed my sword into its scabbard,

「Good job, Allen. Nevertheless, that『darkness』just now was amazing!」

「It was a really good duel, but… did you get slightly faster again?」

Ria and Rose said, running up to me.

It seems that they were both a little concerned about my power.

「Perhaps so. Since I manifested my soul dress, I think?」

Since the manifestation of〈Zeon〉, I feel that guy’s presence is closer than ever before.

The darkness that I could not control without concentration before, I can now move it like an extension of my limbs.

(But that makes it difficult to determine… What kind of『type』this power fall under?)

Thus far, its foundation is simple strengthening-type, but it also has the ability of a manipulation-type which manipulates darkness freely, and also the ability of a recovery-type, which is rare.

Because of the high versatility, it is difficult to attach it to one type solely.

When I was thinking about that,

「Worm… How did you acquire that much power!?」

「Even if you ask me that… It can only be the same way as everyone else, right?」

I have done nothing special.

The training I do every day is exactly the same as everyone else at Thousand Blade Academy.

「D-Don’t lie! That overwhelming physical ability and honed swordsmanship… must surely have some『secret』behind them!」

「…Let’s see.」

If there was a secret…

「I have done practice-swings longer than anyone else, I guess?」

「Practice-swings, you say? I see. So you don’t intend to disclose your training method at any cost…」Claude-san said, glaring at me.

(But I just told you everything without concealing it….)

She doesn’t seem to be convinced by that answer.

「More importantly, Claude. What were you planning to do with『that promise』agreed before the duel?」Ria asked.

The promise we agreed on before the duel; that the loser has to abide by any one thing.

「I am sorry, Ria-sama.」

For some reason, Claude-san bowed her head towards Ria.

「W-Why are you apologizing to me?」

「I just didn’t have enough power… to destroy the『evil contract』that binds you.」Claude-san said, bowing her head deeply.

(Evil contract…? Oh, she’s talking about that…)

Apparently, she was trying to get rid of my and Ria’s『master-servant contract』.

(Come to think of it, there was that thing too…)

I completely forgot, but… that contract, which was established by our duel, is absolute.

Even now, I am Ria’s master, and she is my slave.

「M-Mou… You don’t have to worry about that…」

Ria, blushing slightly, turned away.

「Wha…!? Have you… completely accepted that relationship!?」

Claude-san, who misunderstood it greatly, dropped to her knees, and started turning pale.

「No, not at all! It’s not like that… A-Anyway, forget about that matter! More importantly, worry about yourself!」Ria said, and shoved me in front of Claude-san.

「E-Err… What should I do?」

As I scratched my cheeks, and cast my gaze on Claude-san,

「Kuh, you animal…」

For some reason, she crossed her hands in front of her chest and took a step back.

「I can ask any one thing… right?」

「A-Aa, that’s right! If it is within the bounds of common sense, I will listen to any order. If it’s within the bounds of common sense!」

Claude-san blushed, stressing the phrase『within common sense』.

(Do I really look like a man who would give a perverted order in her eyes?)

Feeling slightly hurt inside, I confessed my honest feelings for the time being.

「There is nothing in particular that I want of you…」

「What…!? Y-You can order me to do anything! And yet, a man like you who is a mass of lust… What the hell are you planning!?」

「I am not a mass of lust and I am not planning anything.」

The purpose of the duel has already been accomplished.

I have become stronger than I was six months ago.

Desperately doing practice-swings every single day was not a waste

Simply knowing that was an achievement enough.

I really have nothing to ask of her.

(Haa… how troubling.)

If I ask of a worthless request, like telling her to forget about this promise…「Kisama, I don’t need your pity!」is how she would react, I’m sure.

In that case, it is better to be frank.

「Anyway, I don’t have anything to ask of Claude-san at the moment.」

「Guh… I-I see… Then, take great care of that precious right which is more than someone like you deserves!」she said, and ordered the『preservation of right』.

「T-Thank you…?」

Though, I don’t think I’ll ever need to use it for the rest of my life.

It could come in handy later… So why not, I guess.

(You never know how the world would turn out tomorrow…)

Eat what you can eat.

Get what you can get.

That’s how we grew up in Goza village; a weed-like way of life.

When my and Claude-san’s duel came to a conclusion,

「The president and senpais should be waiting for us. Shall we get going?」

「Yes, you’re right.」

「Oh, let’s do that.」

「…President?」

We went back to our classroom to get our lunch boxes.

■

After that, we headed to the student council room. Of course, we took Claude-san with us.

We can’t possibly leave her alone in the classroom on the first day of her transfer.

(Well, even if it’s a regular meeting, it’s just a『lunch party』.)

There will be no big problem even if there was a member other than the student council.

After that, I knocked on the door of the student council room as usual, and entered after receiving permission from the president.

And then,

「You’re LATE! What the hell were you doing!?」

The president stood up from her chair vigorously, and came up to me.

「P-President… Close, too close…!」

The scent of shampoo filled my nostrils, causing my heart to start beating faster.

「Hey, be honest with onee-chan! What were you doing?」she said, while pouting her cheeks a little.

There was not one shred of『onee-chan likeness』on that face. No matter how much I looked, I only saw that of a pouting child.

「There was something a little unexpected.」

「Be more specific.」the president said, looking me straight in the eye.

「Well, umm… I had to cross swords with Claude-san over there.」I answered honestly.

「…Ara? If I am not mistaken… you are Claude Stroganoff-san, correct?」

The president mentioned Claude-san’s full name, blinking in surprise.

「Yes, that’s right. And you are… Sie Arcstria-dono, aren’t you? And they are Lilim Tsuorine-dono and Ferris Magdalot-dono, I suppose. I’ve heard from Leia that all three of you are excellent swordsmen.」

Surprisingly, she was soft mannered. She used honorifics for each of them, and bowed courteously.

「Welcome to the student council, Claude-san! We always welcome excellent swordsmen to join the student council! If I remember correctly… your position is『general affairs』, right?」

「Yes, that’s what I heard from Leia.」

Claude-san joined the student council surprisingly smoothly.

It seems that-Leia sensei had already passed on the message that Claude-san is joining the student council.

「Well then, let’s introduce ourselves!」

We all started to eat lunch after a simple self introduction.

Claude-san was very soft mannered and talked warmly with Rose, the president, Lilim-senpai and Ferris-senpai, whom she was meeting for the first time.

At this rate, she’s sure to adapt to the class in no time.

When I was thinking about that,

「I heard you crossed swords earlier. Who won?」

The president asked, and threw an octopus-shaped sausage in her mouth.

「…It’s frustrating to admit, but I didn’t stand a chance at all」Claude san-said, with a frustrated expression, and gritting her teeth.

The president heaved a forced sigh.

「Haa… Allen-kun is teasing girls and playing with them again.」

「P-Please don’t say such scandalous things!」

「Fufu, sorry.」

She smiled like a mischievous child and immediately followed up on Claude-san’s reply.

「It’s alright. Don’t feel depressed. To begin with, Allen-kun is no longer human, and normal swordsmanship doesn’t work.」

「Ku, certainly… It is as you say.」

Claude-san clutched her chopsticks with frustration. Perhaps she recalled the previous duel.

「A-Ahaha…」

I was at a loss as to how to talk to her, so I simply forced a laugh.

While chatting and eating happily with everyone,

「I see. Another year is almost over now.」Ria whispered, with a distant look in her eyes.

「Ri, Ria-sama…」

When Claude-san heard those words, for some reason, she bit her lower lip and dropped her gaze.

(….What is going on?)

I was worried about what was going on. So, when I tried to talk to them,

「Nee, how was this year for you, Allen?」Ria asked, with her usual cheerful expression.

For just a moment, she seemed to have a gloomy expression on her face.

Apparently, it was just my imagination.

「Let’s see… There was a lot of trouble, but it has been a good year.」

Looking back, there have been so many things in the last year.

(The beginning was of course… the『100 Million Years Button』.)

That strange experience changed my life greatly.

I have been really occupied every day since I enrolled into Thousand Blade Academy. Every day was very fulfilling.

Participating in the Big Five Holy Festival and volunteering as Magic Swordsman. And there was also a joint summer camp with Ice King Academy, and the First Year War.

After that, there was the Sword King Festival, the Thousand Blade Festival, and going on an overseas expedition as a special trainee of Senior Holy Knights.

And above all I met Ria, Rose, Claude-san, and Sid san, Idol, and so many other people.

(It feels like a really long year, but also short at the same time…)

There is no doubt that it was a very very tense year.

As I recalled the various events that happened this year,

「Speaking of which… Have you all prepared a『present』?」the president happily asked.

「Present?」

「Eh… You haven’t heard yet?」

As we were all looking confused,

「Sie, the general announcement is still a week away.」

「The first years wouldn’t know about it yet, though…」

Lilim-senpai and Ferris-senpai added their explanation from the side.

「Ah yes, that’s right!」

The president clapped her hands together and had a very bright smile on her face.

「Fufu, Thousand Blade Academy holds a『Christmas Party』on December 25th every year!」

…Oh man, there is surely something more to this.

There’s no way that the president is looking forward to a『normal Christmas party』so much.

(I’m almost certain that it is an event which hides something troublesome…)

Looking at her bright, wonderful smile, I am one hundred percent certain that it is going to be troublesome.