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Chapter 27: Duel

 

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——–Outside of town.

The wind blows over the plains, the grass sways.

Both Claude and I were taking a fighting stance as we faced each other.

Milly was standing in between us.

“Guys don’t fight because of me!” Milly was taking that kind of position, she seemed to be anxious about us and at the same time a little bit excited.

「How about this? I will place Safe Protection on both of us, and the first person to land a blow will be the winner」

「Seifuto purotekushon?」(Safe protection)

「What is that?」

Both Milly and Claude looked confused.

Oi ,oi, Apart from Claude, Milly should at least know about this spell.

Or more like, didn’t I use safe protection in the fight against the King of Death?

What a frightening girl.

「Safe protection is a magic spell that will reduce the incoming damage by 90 % for the first blow only. I of course have no intention of using powerful magical spell in this duel, but this is more of a precaution for an emergency」

「I also do not wish to cause any grievous wounds to Zeph-kun, so having a spell like that will be very welcome」

Claude was smiling broadly at me.

He really said it, this fellow. (TL: Claude was talking as if without the magic, he may accidently cause a serious injury to Zeph, Claude is being a little playfully arrogant here ~)

Even so I will go easy on him.

I will only use elementary magical spells.

If I am able to defeat him by merely using elementary magic, Claude will also learn the difference in our abilities that should teach him a lesson, right?

Claude was planning on using a wooden sword and a shield.

「Where do you want to start this?」

「It’s fine if Zeph-kun chooses the starting location」

What a conceited brat.

Where is all that confidence coming from?

I was about to use scout scope on him, but I decided against it in the end as I was planning on using only elementary magic to defeat him.

If it will be decided in a single blow, than things like level doesn’t really give a reliable indication of strength anyways.

Well, I suppose I will make him silent by showing my superiority.

「How about we put our backs against each other, and start after we take 10 steps forward?」

「I understand」

We took an approximate distance from each other and turned around.

The appearance of Claude who took his fighting stance with his wooden sword and shield was fairly decent.

He seems pretty acquainted with using the sword.

「I’m coming….!」

「Come at any time」

As soon as the words left my mouth, Claude raised his shield and charged towards me.

First of all let me test him out.

I aimed my sights on Claude’s legs and I invoked Blue Ball.

He swiftly avoided the Blue Ball by jumping over it, and just like that he swung his wooden sword down towards me.

I fall back a little to avoid his strikes, and he tried to swing his sword in pursuit…..however.

「Uwaaaaaaa!?」

The ground where Claude steps on collapses and he was swallowed up by the pitfall.

A little while back, I already set this up with Green Ball so that the ground would cave in.

Although it was difficult to detect if you were far apart, but the hole I made with Green Ball was really full of distinct bumps/holes. It’s because he was covering his own field of vision with his own shield that he didn’t notice.

What a shame.

In order to land the finishing blow, I peered into the hole Claude dropped into.

—-In that Moment.

A flaming ball shot out from within the hole I was peering into.

Is that a Red Ball?

I can’t avoid it…..?!

(White Wall…….tsu!)

Just immediately before a direct hit, I was able to invoke White Wall, it was a really close call.

I completely absorbed Claude’s red ball spell and this time I thrust only my hands out towards the hole.

「It can’t be…..」

「Black Ball」

Claude lets out a voice of regret, and I don’t give him any mercy as I chant my magic in retaliation.

「Uwa—–!」

Zuzunn……An impact could be heard from within the hole.

There was a cloud of dust rising from within the hole, it would seem that I landed a direct hit on him.

Ah, that was dangerous…..

I didn’t expect Claude to be able to invoke magic.

And after falling from such a height, yet he was still able to counter attack me from such a position, he’s actually pretty good.

I let my guard down.

This time around I peeked in the hole to confirm that I had landed my direct hit.

……….Sneakily.

In the hole Claude was sprawled out in a 大 fashion.

It seems that I may have went too overboard.

……Don’t tell me that when he fell into the hole, Safe Protection invoked, and the attack I just launched may have really been a direct hit……

Well I guess it will be fine with a spell like Black Ball, right?

I confirmed my victory and raised my arm towards Milly.

「Zeph has won!」

Milly raised a red flag and my victory was declared.

Where was she keeping such a thing I wonder?

When both Milly and I used teleport to descend to the bottom of the hole, Claude was already sitting down cross legged.

His armor seems to be undamaged but his clothes were a little torn.

I suppose I did a bad thing.

「Itata (ouch)……As expected of Zeph-kun. Being Milly-sans sub-leader is not just in name. For you to be this strong, honestly I am surprised. I invoked that Red Ball with the confidence that it would definitely land, but……」

「Claude is the one that deserves a mention. I was resolved to only use elementary magic to defeat you, however」

「As I thought, you were going easy on me? So that it wouldn’t happen I tried to provoke you…….Please let me apologize for such impoliteness earlier. And next time, I will make sure to force you to become serious!!」

Claude was being both bashful and bitter about his loss as he said the words.

He let out a pretty boy smile.

He’s still not as handsome as me though.

「Claude, aren’t you full of scratches?! Look take off your armor! I will perform healing for you okay? 」

「No, I think that even If I keep my armor on……」

「I’m not that proficient at healing so, unless I see where the wound is I can’t do it properly! Hora Move it! 」

「I understand…….」

Claude removes the armor reluctantly.

Part of the clothes were ripped here and there, and fair white skin sticks out.

The line of the body was slender and round, almost as if he was a girl……

「Eh?….Ummm, that is…….Claude could it be that……..you are actually a girl? 」

「Ummm, that is……Yes」

「Ehhhhhhh!?」

She’s a girl……….Surely that’s not……..

Zowari (crack), a chill ran up through my spine.

The armor and jacket of Claude was taken off, and whilst casting healing on to Claude who was only wearing her shirt, Milly had a complex look on her face.

「I didn’t expect for Claude to be a woman…..」

Milly was grumbling as she saw Claude’s chest by chance.

The swelling of her chest is obviously larger than Milly.

Whilst looking at this, Milly’s face became even more complex.

「I’m sorry, it was not really my intention to keep silent about it…….But for some reason it was really hard to find a good time to mention it, that is………」

「It, it’s fine. It’s also part of my mistake that I didn’t ask」

Milly also seems to be surprised, but it was not as shocked as I was over the revelation.

Woman.

Magician.

Claude

Those three keywords, “I have definitely seen it before” I was able to make a connection with her face and name.

Just to make sure, I casted Scout Scope unto Claude.

Claude Leonhardt

Level 16

[Red] Magical Value 9 Threshold Value 45

「Blue」Magical Value 5 Threshold Value 39

[Green] Magical Value 0 Threshold Value 40

「Sky」Magical Value 0 Threshold Value 47

「Soul」Magical Value 0 Threshold Value 51

Magic Value 324/324

As expected.

When she was older, her atmosphere was different than it was now, so I didn’t realize it but, after confirming her full name I was convinced that I knew her in my past life.

If I looked closely she really resembled that person, I don’t think I am mistaken.

When Milly first showed me that scroll about Scout Scope, why didn’t I start to doubt it back then?

The genius magician who brought the Scout Scope into the Magical Association Society.

That name was not Milly Reyad.

If my memories are correct, the genius magician who brought out the spell Scout Scope into my previous world was precisely Claude Leonhardt.

It was the girl right in front of my eyes, it was her.

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