Volume 4 Chapter 2 Kazuramichi Naoshi’s Overworked Days 2️⃣： Be A Good Loser
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
”Excuse me”
A beautiful woman in her thirties, leading the newly appeared Eji squad, opens her mouth.
With her long black hair tied up, her nervous and sneaky-looking eyes and expression greatly diminish her charm.
”I am Osakabe Reika, the captain of the Kanbe family’s Eji team, number 4. It’s nice to meet you, Kazuramichi family’s acting head.”
The Kanbe family’s Eji teams are formed based on the number of active direct male descendants.
The numbers are assigned in order of age from the main family, with teams one to 4 being the 4 sons of the head, and team 5 assigned to the nephew, Kanbe Yuzura.
In other words, they are supposed to be a unit to protect the head’s 4th son.
”Thanks for the courtesy. As ya can see, I’m busy right now, but what do ya need?”
”Well, we came to ask if our master, Kanbe Toshiro-sama, could have a chance to spar with the famous acting head of Kansai.”
However, interrupting a conversation with a friend, and that friend is not Kanbe Toshiro himself but just a family member, the captain…
”I kindly ask you.”
Even though it was presented as a plea, there was an air of entitlement as if it was expected.
”Seems like every family’s got its misunderstandings, huh?”
”Huh?”
Did Reika not hear Naoshi’s quiet complaint? She asks back.
Ignoring that, Naoshi turns his body to face his friend, who is pressing his temples as if he has a headache.
”Hey Yuzura, explain it.”
”Acting head, I apologize for the rudeness of our family──”
”Reika, the acting head came this time purely out of personal friendship with Yuzura.”
”Shut up, Isurugi. Who said you could interrupt?”
”──Huh?”
”Nao, wait.”
Seeing Naoshi about to express more anger at Reika’s words, Yuzura hurriedly puts a hand on his friend’s shoulder.
”What’s up?”
”Reika is the head’s niece by marriage. Even though she is the captain of the same Eji team as grandpa, her rank in the Kanbe family is just below mine.”
”I see—so what?”
Naoshi snorted, as if whether he was satisfied or not was a separate issue.
”Can you hold back?”
──”Is this directed at me?”
Naoshi asked with his gaze, and Yuzura nodded solemnly.
He understood the discomfort.
Despite her obvious attitude, Reika seemed not to grasp what the problem was, which was exactly the bad habit of exorcists that he disliked.
Just as Yuzura was about to continue persuading, the young man suddenly wore a mischievous smile.
”Alright, fine. Since it’s for a friend’s cousin, I’ll make a big exception and join for one match.”
”Thank you very much.”
Despite her words, Reika bowed her head, showing no doubt that things were going exactly as she wanted.
”I’ll get ready right away, so just hang tight for a sec.”
”Sure, take your time.”
While putting on a smile, Naoshi’s eyes were cold towards her, who seemed somewhat happy.
The long-time servants of the Kanbe family did not misunderstand what this meant.
They understood that Naoshi showed no mercy or tolerance in such situations.
”Nao, listen…”
”──Naoshi-sama, I appreciate your anger, but please forgive her…”
With voices mixed with more than half resignation, they (Yuzura and Iwao) urged the young man to change his mind.
Of course, it did not go as expected.
”No one’s gonna die, so don’t worry about it.”
”That’s truly reassuring to hear.”
”Listen, I’m not saying anything bad, so please let her go smoothly. It probably won’t be good for you either.”
”I get it, I get it, you’re just worried, huh?”
”You definitely don’t understand that response…!?”
Only Anya, who had a shallow relationship with Naoshi, looked completely confused.
* * *
”Die.”
”────!?”
As the training began, ignoring everything, a fist as swift as the wind and fierce as lightning struck Reika’s forehead.
As she was blown backward and spun twice in the air, she fell to the ground and continued to roll, finally stopping in a very awkward position with her head down and her bottom up.
”……!?”
Only Naoshi, who did this, and Yuzura, who held his head, were left speechless at the start.
Of course, there was no way that Reika had any awareness left.
The Kanbe family’s Eji Fourth Squad lost their captain as soon as the battle began.
”Fall back──!”
Immediately after, they chose to distance themselves from Naoshi.
To get away from the threat, they retreated without hesitation while maintaining their order.
”Oh?”
Naoshi showed no sign of contempt on his face as he watched.
Heavy footsteps echoed.
”Here I come──!”
”Oh────!”
At the same time, 2 people from the group stopped and jumped out to confront Naoshi.
”Get outta the way!”
Naturally, Naoshi brushed them aside and moved to block the fleeing group’s path.
”On Akishubiya Un!”
One person stood in front of him, chanting a mantra and throwing themselves against Naoshi’s clenched fist.
Their strong determination to buy time by using their body as a shield was clear.
”Brave to the bone, huh?”
”Guh…!”
”Oooooo!”
Naoshi shattered them with a single blow, and now a wall of 4 people rushed in.
”Hmph.”
Naoshi slipped through them, but during that time, the main group began to retreat again to create distance, and those who had not lost their spirit among the fallen tried to stand up once more.
”────Impressive. I’m really impressed.”
While expressing his admiration, Naoshi stepped forward.
He knocked down 4 people, kicked the two who stood up, and struck down another who came after him──but it was the Fourth Squad’s Eji who lead the match.
”Elohim Essaim, Elohim Essaim──I seek and plead!”
By the time Naoshi’s path was cleared, the technique of the squad’s key member, Kanbe Toshiro, was complete.
The team had bought enough time.
”Red Thirteen!”
With a shout, a magic circle glowing bright appeared in the air, and from it emerged a gigantic flame dragon.
”────!”
The roaring red dragon burned fiercely and silently charged at Naoshi, opening its massive mouth to swallow its prey in one gulp──
”But you’re just second-rate──a real second-rate at that.”
With a motion as easy as parting curtains, his arms tore the dragon apart effortlessly.
”Wha──!?”
The remains of the dragon dissolved uselessly into the sky.
In the swirling, hot winds, the young man with straw-colored hair smiled coolly.
”Just a flashy trick. If it was Yuzura, he wouldn’t waste time with that kinda pointless drama.”
Then, in an instant, he leaned in closer to the speechless Toshiro and lightly poked his forehead with his raised index and middle fingers.
Tilting his head back slightly, he spoke to Toshiro, who peered at the pointed fingers.
”See, you’re dead.”
”I-I surrender!”
”Nah, the match is over. Clear victory for me.”
With a sarcastic tone, Naoshi turned on his heel.
His narrow eyes locked onto Anya.
”──Ya saw it, niece. The people of Eji don’t change much, even if ya crush their captain. They all know their duties, so they act with discipline.”
”I…”
”But you’re bein’ too stubborn ── nah, I’ll leave the explainin’ to Yuzura and Isurugi-san. I’m just an outsider, ain’t my place to say anything.”
”You’ve pretty much said it all already”
As Yuzura pointed out, it was clear what Naoshi wanted to convey.
Although there was probably some mercy, the 4th squad lost their captain in the first move, but they were able to get to the point where the main practitioner played his cards.
In contrast, the 5th squad had a commanding captain who was able to lead them to the end of the time, but was unable to do so until the end──the reason for this difference cannot be the quality of the members.
Faced with the fact that she was a hindrance, Anya clenched her fists, bit her lip, and endured the fact.
”──Hey”
”Yes.”
”Train her again, hard this time.”
”I understand. I’m grateful for the opportunity.”
”Anya”
”Yes, Yuzura-sama”
The beauty, who had shrunk almost to the point of disappearing, looked up at her master’s words.
”What a gloomy face. In a year──no, in half a year, make sure to show this guy what’s what. You won’t say you can’t, right?”
Laughing off her servant’s sad expression, the handsome man in disguise gave an attitude that allowed for nothing but a nod, simply issuing a command.
”I will definitely meet your expectations!”
Even if it was a bluff, Anya responded to that.
She took the essential first step to overcome the difficulties ahead.
Nodding in satisfaction, Yuzura met Naoshi’s gaze.
”So, that’s why, thanks for today, Nao. Just wait and be ready.”
”That’s what ya say after a thank you? Feels like I’m the bad guy here; I was just doin’ my job.”
”No, no, you’re not a bad guy at all.”
”Well, for the fifth squad, it’s one thing, but having taken down even Toshiro is definitely too much, right, Naoshi-sama?”
After saying that, Yuzura’s face widened in surprise, slowly giving way to resignation.
When Naoshi turned to follow his gaze, there stood Kanbe Toshiro himself.
He looked down, his shoulders shaking.
Indeed, it might be him who feels more defeated than Anya or Reika.
”T-T──”
”What?”
”That’s amazing, Kazuramichi-san! It’s better than I had expected! “
Naoshi was prepared for what he might say, but he was surprised to see Toshiro’s eyes sparkling, which was a rare sight.
”Oh?”
A boy of the age who is about to become a young man, his cheeks flushed with excitement, begins to speak in a rapid succession.
”How did you do that just now!? I could tell that you were gathering spirit energy (reiki) at your fingertips, but there was no element of destruction magic in it, right!?”
”…Oh, sorry. Can ya wait a sec?”
”Yes!”
Once the conversation is ended, he turns away and calls out to his friend who pretends not to know him.
”Hey Yuzura, what’s up with him?”
”I told you to stop, that’s the kind of boy he is”
Looking back like this, he could see the tails swaying behind her as Toshiro opened his mouth again with great momentum.
”Did you really push through just because of the simple difference in spirit power? Even so, I feel there might be a more efficient way. Why did you choose that option? Could you please tell me!”
”Ah, you’re right. What can I say──can I take a moment again?”
”Sure!”
”What a good and polite answer!”
Turning back to his friend again, Kanbe Yuzura had a look on his face that seemed to find the situation amusing, as if he had accepted it.
”It’s really hard to deal with, but can’t we do somethin’ about him?”
”I don’t know!”
”What kinda friend are ya…!”
”Who was the one that ignored that friend’s advice first?”
”Ya understand how this happened with that kinda talk?”
”Hmm, if you can’t clean up after yourself, you should be smarter in the first place.”
”Grr…!”
”Or why not stab him with your words like you always do? As you can see, being the pampered youngest child probably makes it effective. Even more than my uncle, my reputation at home would be terrible.”
”Nah, sayin’ harsh stuff to this kid feels like kickin’ away a pet that’s gotten close, so I’m holdin’ back…”
”I’m surprised you still have that kind of humanity left in you. You were so cruel to the eldest daughter of the Shiun family.”
”Suzuri-chan had an ulterior motive”
”Are you treating a maiden’s pure feelings as ulterior motives? ──Well, never mind, I’ll lend you another one.”
”Yes, that’s fine. Thank you.”
”Got it. ──Toshiro-san, can I just say a word?”
”Yes! What is it, Cousin Yuzura? By the way, how are you feeling? “
”Yes, thanks to you, it’s not too bad. But you see, the acting head-dono is a very rough-hewn guy who doesn’t really think things through, so even if I ask him, it probably won’t be of much use.”
”Really? That’s a pity!”
”……”
Oh wait, Naoshi knew from experience that his friend would never come to his rescue again, so he bit his molars and somehow managed to swallow his words.
Yuzura narrows his eyes in amusement.
”By the way, Toshiro-san, I wonder if uncle knows about this incident”
”No! I secretly came here because Osakabe-san said that Kazuramichi-san is not on good terms with my father, so I thought it wouldn’t be discovered if I stayed quiet!”
”Well then, shall we keep everything quiet like this? The acting head-dono isn’t a talkative person, so you don’t need to worry.”
”Yes! Thank you for being considerate!”
”No, no, it’s my friend’s fault, I’m sorry. He’s a bit like that.”
”Not at all, I learned a lot!”
”……”
”──Naoshi-sama is making a pained expression for the first time today…”
”Anya, you should be more careful with your actions usually.”
”Yes. I will keep that in mind, Uncle.”
With Iwao as a bad example, Naoshi finally slumped his shoulders.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
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