Common Sense of a Warrior Chapter 38

With this, we've finally surpa.s.sed the number of chapters that the previous version of CSWH had…….should I still keep adding the “(ver. 2)” in the post t.i.tles? Maybe I'll start leaving them out as of next chapter. In any case, this chapter is a mix of the previous Chapter 33 and 34, with some modifications in the progression of the latter half. There's still a bit more content before we fully get past stuff that was from the previous version.

Hope you enjoy the chapter~

CSWH Chapter 38: Eating with Everyone

Ahh, it's coming……

Clack clack, the sound of wooden swords clas.h.i.+ng grew farther and farther away.

At the same time, I felt my own senses sharpening.

The existence known as me receded, my head cleared, and simply focussed on the enemy, myself and……the battle.

The opponent's movements slowed to the point where they could be seen easily.

The hearing of my ears sharpened to the point where I could hear the opponent's breathing, as well as the movements of each and every one of my muscles.

My brain moved optimally to process all of that information, unifying it and bringing it together.

Right in the middle of battle……or perhaps the moment when I was told to fight, I became immersed in that feeling. It has been that way ever since the day father remonstrated me and I renewed my determination.

When I fall into this feeling, my own existence feels distant, and there are times when I felt that it was strangely scary, but……at the same time it gave me a sense of satisfaction.

It wasn't like previously, when my vision was filled with only black and red.

By no means was I fascinated with being in battle, but……brilliant and vivid colours flooded my vision, colouring the world within it.

That sight was so beautiful, yet sweet.

"The winner is Mel!"

At the referee's voice, I finally returned to my senses.

"I lost, huh……your current state is pretty good. Aren't your movements on a completely different level?"

"Thank you very much, Kuroitsu-san."

I exchanged a handshake with Kuroitsu-san, who was my opponent.

"Did something good happen?"

"Something good……if I had to say, it's because I'm having fun."

"……fun?"

"Because up until now, I've felt a sense of obligation that I had to become stronger."

For the sake of revenge.

To win against the irrationality of reality.

In order not to lose anything else.

I kept telling myself that I had to become stronger.

No matter how strong I became, it didn't satisfy me.

……I feel like I kept on blaming myself, saying that it just wasn't enough.

"My reason for becoming strong completely disappeared……but that was all I had. The moment I realized that, I fell into despair for a period of time."

I simply secluded myself in my room and rejected the world.

I was sad at my empty self and wanted to avert my eyes, wis.h.i.+ng that time would hurry up and pa.s.s. But at the same time, allowing time to pa.s.s hour by hour in idleness was frightening.

"But Kuroitsu-san and everyone partic.i.p.ating in this training and……the many people around me taught me the importance of facing forward, towards the future. If this is all I have, then I should thoroughly refine it……while facing towards a new goal. This time, it is not that I have to become stronger, but that I wish to become even stronger. Once I thought that, I felt as if some burden disappeared from my shoulders……right now, it is simply fun. Although it might be imprudent of me to think that training is fun."

"No, isn't that fine? But, I see……if Mel is taking a new step forward, then I fully welcome that."

At that kind smile that came together with those warm words, I also smiled once more.

"Well then, shall we go out to eat in celebration of your fresh start?"

"Sure!"

After training ended, I was invited by Kuroitsu-san and everyone and went out to eat.

"……we were the ones who invited you, but……you really do eat well, Mel."

"Eh?"

My stomach was empty after training, so I was eating heartily.

I wonder if this disqualifies me as a woman……though it's far too late for that.

Incidentally, the only one eating with such gusto was me, while everyone else was just eating bit by bit while drinking.

"It's because my stomach is empty after training. I usually eat around this much normally……of course, if I eat too much and get fat, my body's movements will grow dull, so I still have to hold back somewhat."

"No no, it's not like that. I meant that it's amazing that you're able to eat so energetically after completing that h.e.l.lish menu from the General."

"That's right~. If it was me, I'd puke!"

"No, you'd be puking while training to begin with."

As the surroundings agreed, I made a bitter smile.

"I was also like that in the past."

Everyone appeared shocked at those words.

For a while, n.o.body moved, as if time had stopped at this table.

"……um, did I say something strange?"

When I asked that, everyone's time finally restarted.

"……N-No. It was just a bit unexpected……"

"Y-Yeah, same here. I can't even imagine such a Mel-chan."

"That's right. To think that Mel-chan who always trains with such a nonchalant air had such a time……."

"……I was taken in as the General's disciple from a relatively young age after all. At first it was so intense that my body couldn't even accept food, so it was quite dreadful. But, well……humans are pretty adaptable."

"H-Heeh……in other words, you've been doing that much training since you were young?"

"As one might expect, doing that much from the very start is impossible. It's just the result of slowly increasing the amount bit by bit. It took quite a bit of time for the amount of training I did today to become the norm."

"S-So that was the norm……"

All of their faces, without exception, were twitching.

"Even so, everyone, is it okay to be drinking in broad daylight?"

Not only were they brining a child with them to a bar, I was surprised that they'd start drinking in broad daylight.

Well……that they invited me along did make me happy at the fact that my distance from everyone was shortening.

Of course, I was drinking juice on my own like the child I was.

"Ahh, well. Today we're off-duty after all."

"Heeh……even on your rest days, you're training. As expected."

"The General's training……amongst those of us in the military, the private lessons at the Anderson Marquis House in particular are incredibly popular. To begin with, we're the ones kind of wedging ourselves into the training of the personal troops of the Anderson House, so the number of partic.i.p.ants is limited. Regardless of whether or not we're part of the same unit, it's quite hard to be allowed to partic.i.p.ate, so there's a fierce compet.i.tion~"

"That's right. Outliers like us can only try to partic.i.p.ate when the General is free, during our holidays."

"I look up to the General, and if it's to partic.i.p.ate in his training, then I'll give up any number of holidays. But thanks to that, I'm surrounded by men even on my breaks……so I just can't meet anyone."

"Don't say that……but, it really is true. I wonder when my spring will arrive……"

Suddenly, their eyes seemed to be turned towards the day after tomorrow.

At their figures that appeared to emit sorrow, I felt a bit of sadness.

"Don't be so pessimistic."

Kuroitsu-san also looked at them with pitying eyes.

"Like a married person could understand our feelings!"

"That's right! Like here, all the time, no matter if I look right or left, everywhere I look, it's just filthy men……ahh, how depressing."

I see, the reason why Kuroitsu-san alone could maintain his composure, was because he was a married man…….rather.

"At the very least, I don't think I'm one of those filthy men or whatever……"

It bothered me that, for some reason, I was counted as one of the men here.

"No, it's true that Mel-chan isn't a man, but……"

"Yeah……I get what you want to say."

At my words, the eyes of the man who I directed them towards began to swim.

Incidentally, it seemed that the surrounding people understood what he wanted to say.

" "Mel-chan is more manly than a man (right)." "

……huh?

I tilted my head at their words.

"Doing an amount of training that not even a man could endure without breathing a single complaint, and conversely having the capacity and perseverance to do it joyfully."

"Your figure as you independently train, further pursuing an even greater strength-"

"Gallantly appearing, and coolly saving a young girl in distress-"

" "Iyaa, we've completely lost." "

They groaned feebly, but after letting out a single sigh, began laughing boisterously.

"Let's drink!"

"Yeah! As fellow bachelors, let's drink until the date changes!"

"Our bonds of the bachelor alliance are eternal and undying!"

"Even if you say that, haven't you stolen a march on us?"

"No way! There's no way I could withdraw from this alliance!"

"Well well……don't quarrel. We're all comrades!"

As they got excited, they drank drink after drink.

"……the bonds of bachelorhood are eternal and undying……doesn't that mean that their spring will never come? Wouldn't it be better to get out of it quicker……"

"……don't say that. In this world, there are some things that you must never touch. Just watch over them warmly, Mel."

Hearing my quietly muttered retort to their words, Kuroitsu-san said that to me while watching them with warm eyes.

Unable to make any more retorts, I also decided in my heart to just watch over them warmly.