Chapter 5: The Samurai Who Just Woke Up, Faces Off Against the Siscon Knight
[space_man][space_man]The next morning, the soft sunlight streamed in from the entrance of the tent. As I comfortably dozed off and turned over, I felt a hard “thud” against the side of my head and woke up.
[space_man][space_man]
[space_man][space_man]”Ugh, that hurts…”
[space_man][space_man]
[space_man][space_man]Apparently, there was a can of preserved food inside the luggage bag I was using as a pillow. It wasn’t a very refreshing way to wake up in the morning.
[space_man][space_man]
[space_man][space_man]（Well, thanks to that, I can eat something tasty even during the march.）
[space_man][space_man]
[space_man][space_man]In Earth’s history, if I remember correctly, Napoleon developed sealed bottled preserves in response to the requests of soldiers and such. That was the prototype of canned food. The mechanism itself isn’t that difficult, so it’s not strange that it exists in the world I’ve stumbled into.
[space_man][space_man]
[space_man][space_man]To put it simply, it’s just a matter of packing cooked food into a tin container and heat-sterilizing it. So, I should be able to make it by utilizing the knowledge I brought from my original world.
[space_man][space_man]
[space_man][space_man]However, the canned food I saw at dinner yesterday wasn’t the early type sealed with lead. It was a fine product, carefully double-seamed by a machine with a sealing compound （rubber material）.
[space_man][space_man]
[space_man][space_man]”That Female Fox is amazing…”
[space_man][space_man]
[space_man][space_man]Moreover, it’s an imported product from Zephyrus Domain… Perhaps the scope of her influence is limited to her specialized field, but Nina Valer is not to be underestimated.
[space_man][space_man]
[space_man][space_man]（I feel bad for the Captain and Revia, but should I consider switching countries if I get the chance?）
[space_man][space_man]
[space_man][space_man]While secretly thinking to myself, I glanced at the adorable red-haired girl sleeping soundly in her sleeping bag. Then, I took the long sword that was issued to me and went outside for my daily training.
[space_man][space_man]
[space_man][space_man]Near Clawsolas Unit 4, which boasts an eye-catching size no matter how you look at it, the maintenance crew who had finished the emergency repairs were sprawled out with exhausted expressions, snoring loudly. I gave them a slight bow.
[space_man][space_man]
[space_man][space_man]As I walked to the edge of the encampment, I found someone else already swinging their drawn weapon.
[space_man][space_man]
[space_man][space_man]”Claude-dono, good morning… Are you training too?”
[space_man][space_man]”Yeah, that’s the plan.”
[space_man][space_man]
[space_man][space_man]The tall young man with a refreshing smile is Lloyd Lunavadis, the exclusive knight of Clawsolas Unit 2. He’s the one who lent me his iron sword during yesterday’s duel. But I’ve seen that starting stance and the footwork that anticipates the opponent’s movements somewhere before.
[space_man][space_man]
[space_man][space_man]”Lloyd-dono, could it be that the origin of your bloodline is in Tsukigase Village in Japan, from another world?”
[space_man][space_man]”Hmm, I felt a sense of familiarity when I saw your swordsmanship… If we go back far enough, we might be distant relatives.”
[space_man][space_man]
[space_man][space_man]”I wonder, my family branched off from the Shinkage-ryu quite early on…”
[space_man][space_man]”Is that so? That’s a little disappointing.”
[space_man][space_man]
[space_man][space_man]As he said that with a wry smile, a drop of sweat ran down his forehead, and the pale-skinned girl who was standing beside him gently offered him a handkerchief.
[space_man][space_man]
[space_man][space_man]”Please use this, Onii-sama.”
[space_man][space_man]”Thank you, Eleia.”
[space_man][space_man]
[space_man][space_man]She, characterized by her silver-blonde hair and blue eyes, is also a mage who pilots a Clawsolas. To put it bluntly, she’s what you call a “brocon”.
[space_man][space_man]
[space_man][space_man]Remembering how devotedly she took care of her brother yesterday, I almost gagged from the sweetness.
[space_man][space_man]
[space_man][space_man]”By the way, Claude-dono, since we’re both here, would you mind being my training partner?”
[space_man][space_man]”Exchanging blows with real swords isn’t training…”
[space_man][space_man]
[space_man][space_man]I tried to decline casually, but it seems he had planned this from the beginning. He had two wooden swords prepared and offered me one.
[space_man][space_man]
[space_man][space_man]Actually, I don’t dislike swinging weapons at each other and testing the results of our training if there’s no risk to our lives. More than anything, I used to be desperate to do that.
[space_man][space_man]
[space_man][space_man]Although my grandpa back home and his friend, the old man from the Yagyu clan, would have been my opponents, I would have only been relentlessly defeated and become depressed.
[space_man][space_man]
[space_man][space_man]（I wish I could have won at least once…）
[space_man][space_man]
[space_man][space_man]While being captured by premature nostalgia, I slowly took a left-handed Jodan stance. Lloyd, who was in a Chudan stance facing me directly, uttered a baffling line.
[space_man][space_man]
[space_man][space_man]”I’ll let you see if you’re worthy of entrusting your sister to me!”
[space_man][space_man]”I have no idea what you’re talking about…”
[space_man][space_man]
[space_man][space_man]I involuntarily extended my left hand and temporarily called a “hold” as I glanced at Eleia.
[space_man][space_man]
[space_man][space_man]”Onii-sama promised me when I was little that he would find me the best partner…”
[space_man][space_man]
[space_man][space_man]”She’s a cute little sister to me too, you know. It would be troublesome if unwanted bugs came around, so I want to find someone who can make her happy.”
[space_man][space_man]
[space_man][space_man]Seeing Eleia, who said that while blushing and putting a hand on her cheek, and Lloyd, I lost my motivation and gently lowered the tip of my sword.
[space_man][space_man]
[space_man][space_man]（No way, these guys… I can’t deal with them.）
[space_man][space_man]
[space_man][space_man]”Oh my, Claude-sama, are you surrendering before the fight? That might be wise. Onii-sama is the strongest knight in Lizel.”
[space_man][space_man]
[space_man][space_man]Now that she mentioned it, Lloyd’s stance is certainly impressive. If I were to attack carelessly, he might take advantage of “Go no Sen” （after the initiative）. Perhaps Eleia’s statement isn’t entirely delusional.
[space_man][space_man]
[space_man][space_man]”Is he worth crossing blades with…”
[space_man][space_man]”I’m glad you think so.”
[space_man][space_man]
[space_man][space_man]I pulled myself together and faced him, about to take my stance again when I was interrupted… physically.
[space_man][space_man]
[space_man][space_man]”Training while you’re young is admirable, but the military council before breakfast takes precedence. Besides, I don’t want you to get injured. If you two want to compete, compete for military achievements.”
[space_man][space_man]
[space_man][space_man]Raizes, the neurotic-looking middle-aged Vice-Captain, said that without changing his expression. He pulled out the iron spear he had stuck in the ground and turned on his heel towards the Captain’s large tent without waiting for our reply.
[space_man][space_man]
[space_man][space_man]”Onii-sama…”
[space_man][space_man]”Yeah, that’s it for now. Claude-dono, let’s continue this after the expedition.”
[space_man][space_man]
[space_man][space_man]Lloyd readily lowered his wooden sword and followed his sister as she urged him to follow the Vice-Captain.
[space_man][space_man]
[space_man][space_man]I was about to be left behind, but… if the silver-haired, blue-eyed siblings are participating in the military council, I, who also pilots a Clawsolas, should go too. I decided and started walking towards the large tent, lamenting the fact that I couldn’t train after all.