“Looking at those guys still breathing, it seems that Yuji hasn’t handled things properly.”
[What do you mean Yuji didn’t handle it properly? What’s going on, Partner?]
“There’s something to it.”
It’s not a good sign.
Looks like I’ll have to clean up the mess they left behind.
“O-oh, brothers······. It’s been a while······.”
Rin greets them with trembling hands.
“Enough. I don’t need a greeting from an orphan whose parents I don’t even know, not from the bloodline of Shinozaki. Just answer the question. Rin. Who let that outsider into the house?”
The punk Shinozaki Taro, with a piercing in his left ear, insults Rin.
Rin lowers her head.
Her face turns pale.
Cold sweat drips down Rin’s forehead and hands like rain.
Look at that audacity.
I haven’t even been insulted, and yet it doesn’t sit well with me.
[Partner. Are you going to stand by while a lady is being insulted? You should protect your own woman.]
The Black Prince throws out a cliché line.
I sigh.
My role is to save the heroine from the torment of a punk.
Why does my gut feeling always turn out to be spot on?
I never dreamed I’d play the protagonist in such a cringeworthy, cliché light novel scene.
But those punks have to be dealt with.
‘Not for Rin, but for the future.’
The inferiority complex-filled Shinozaki brothers are a potential threat.
If this inferiority complex evolves, they could turn into villains.
The bombs need to be defused before that happens.
[Making excuses, huh.]
The Black Prince chuckles.
It’s not an excuse, though.
It’s all because the original protagonist didn’t clean up his mess properly.
‘Yuji, that punk. Let’s settle this later.’
Cursing Yuji internally, I let go of Rin’s hand and step forward.
“Ki, Kim Deok-Sung.”
Rin’s voice calls from behind.
“What? What do you want? Are you daring to interfere with our Shinozaki brothers’ event?”
“Excuse me? Who does that little brat from some unknown country think he is, daring to challenge the young master of the Great Shinozaki family? Hahahahaha, this is ridiculous.”
Two punks throw out cliché lines.
It’s not even a beautiful girl but two dark-skinned twins spewing out such disgusting light novel punk lines, and I can barely keep my stomach from churning, feeling embarrassed.
Ugh, I really can’t take this anymore.
I can’t hold back any longer.
“Damn it. Are these bastards out of their minds?”
The moment the Shinozaki brothers heard that curse, their expressions turned stone-like.
Shoosh, clang.
As if they had made a promise, the sound echoed.
I’m really losing it.
How can they be so offended by such harsh words?
“Uh, how can you be so harsh…!”
“Aren’t you afraid of the Shinozaki family’s wrath?!”
The Shinozaki brothers were flustered.
It’s ridiculous.
I didn’t even say anything that bad, so why are they reacting so violently?
[They disrespect us, and now they act all high and mighty… Partner, show them what we’re made of.]
The Black Prince’s voice echoed in my head.
I was planning to do just that.
I don’t want to continue this disgusting farce any longer.
“What’re you looking at? Got a problem? If you’re brave enough, come at me.”
“How dare you, a pathetic C-rank, challenge…”
“To the young master of the great Shinozaki family!”
Those who fell for my provocation were drawing their katanas, bantering back and forth like fools.
They were boiling over like a pot about to explode.
Shimmer.
With a flash of green light, their battle gloves were revealed.
Switching to combat mode, huh?
‘Going all out, are we?’
[Partner, are you going to back down here?]
Of course not.
Swish.
I draw Durandal.
The black blade of the cursed sword sparkles in the sunlight.
I inject magical energy into Durandal.
[Durandal Online]
The black aura envelops me, revealing my battle gloves.
“Guys like you are nothing but easy pickings for us Shinozaki brothers! Shinozaki Sword Style! Second Form! Floral Harmony!”
“For a mere candidate from a weak nation, acting wild like a thunderbird! I’ll make you know your place! Shinozaki Sword Style! First Form! Radiant Slash!”
Flash.
The twins shouted their skill names triumphantly as they attacked.
The katana blades flashed like beams of light.
The choreography was already a mess and clumsy, even without using synchronization.
Now I understand why Ichiro abandoned his own children.
‘No need for synchronization with these idiots.’
[Good thinking, partner. They’re trash unworthy of my talents.]
The Black Prince’s sharp criticism flew toward me.
The gaps in their sloppy swordplay became clear in front of my eyes.
There were so many openings I was at a loss where to strike.
“Die!!”
“Dare to defy us?!”
I hear typical, clichéd lines.
I raise my sword.
[Black Light Sword Style]
[Second Form]
[Dark Counter]
Clang!
I deflect all their katanas with a counter skill.
Black and green intertwined, and an explosion rang out.
“You deflected it?!”
“Th-that’s impossible…”
The Shinozaki brothers wore expressions of shock from my retaliation.
[Partner, finish this! You don’t even need to use your ultimate against these guys!]
I immediately go on the offensive.
[Black Light Sword Style]
[First Form]
[Black Light Slash]
Whoosh.
The blade of Durandal, engulfed in black magic, swings powerfully.
Kaboom.
An explosion erupts.
“Ugh!”
“Ahhhhhhh!”
The Black Light Slash cleanly cuts down their retreat path.
The two punks tumble down, their forced combat mode deactivated, while screaming out as they hit the ground.
Looks like both of them fainted, judging by the foam at their mouths.
Well, these were just extras who were never anything special in the original story.
Not worth the ground they stood on.
Shoosh, thud.
The sound echoed again.
[Durandal Offline]
[Durandal Offline]
Deactivating combat mode.
Sheathing Durandal.
[Good job, partner.]
The not-so-welcome praise from the Black Prince echoes in my head.
I look around.
The once beautiful garden is now a mess, thanks to a fierce battle, albeit brief.
Am I going to get hit with a damage claim for this?
“You should’ve considered your position before you kicked up a fuss.”
Who would dare start a fight with me in a light novel delinquent tone?
Muttering in Korean, I shake my hands off.
All this because that slacker Yuji didn’t clean up properly, and now I’m the one taking the hit.
“Kim Deok-Sung…”
Rin tugs at my sleeve.
As I turn my attention, I see her face.
Her cheeks are red, and tears are glistening in her eyes.
“Why… why did you have to step in…? You didn’t need to get involved…”
“It’s infuriating. Those punks.”
Just then, Rin’s eyes widen at my honest reply.
Clap, clap, clap.
Applause is heard from a distance.
What’s with the applause?
I turn my head.
There stands Shinozaki Ichiro, a middle-aged man with dark green hair in a yukata.
“Well done, Kim Deok-Sung. I knew I didn’t misjudge you.”
“Huh?”
Why the sudden praise?
This is a bit confusing.
Whatever the case, Ichiro glances at the two defeated punks and speaks with a serious expression.
“First, I must apologize. Taro and Jiro… they are both my sons, but as you saw, they’re a bit dim-witted. Their reckless behavior is entirely my fault. My wife passed away after giving birth to them, and I spoiled them too much.”
Right.
I totally forgot about that backstory.
They’re such extras and not significant characters that I overlooked it.
[A tragic tale indeed.]
The Black Prince says with an unexpectedly sympathetic tone.
He’s really in touch with his feelings.
“I always thought they might cause a big mess one day, but I never expected them to hurl insults like ‘orphan’ at my beloved daughter, Rin. It shocked me.”
I flinch.
Rin, holding onto my sleeve, trembles.
Yeah, honestly, that was a bit much.
‘Even I think that went too far.’
You shouldn’t insult someone’s mom.
[Partner. You sly dog. Even if you pretend not to care, you were worried about that girl named Rin, weren’t you? Definitely a tsundere.]
Tsundere? No way.
I’m too exhausted to retort.
‘Think whatever you want.’
[Hehehehe. Look who’s shy.]
Ah.
That gave me chills.
‘Stop laughing like that.’
[What’s wrong, partner? My partner is such a nice guy after all.]
That creeps me out.
Not a beautiful girl but a dark male spirit saying such horrifying things.
I urgently need to develop a soundproof sheath.
I need to nudge Saori about it.
“Originally, I intended to discipline them myself as a father, but… Kim Deok-Sung, seeing you draw your sword made me decide to observe how you handle this.”
What?
‘You were watching me?’
[Didn’t you know? I knew it all along. Partner, you’re a bit slow on the uptake. You need some training.]
The Black Prince rambles on as he pleases.
[By the way, Ichiro, it’s been ages since I last saw you. Really, it’s been a long time…]
The Black Prince speaks with a nostalgic tone.
According to the setting, those two are from the same era.
They must know each other to some extent.
It must have been.
Not my concern.
“And you have splendidly protected my daughter.”
Meanwhile, Ichiro’s words continue.
“I think I can entrust my precious daughter to someone like you. You’re my benefactor too. So consider the son-in-law exam a perfect score. You’ve passed.”
Thumbs up.
Why is he passing me just like that?
I don’t want to be a son-in-law!
“Shinozaki Deok-Sung. I really like that name. Just saying, don’t mind me. Hahahahahahaha!”
Ichiro laughs in a goofy manner, a side he’d never shown during his cold-ass Association President days.
It’s a familiar sight from the original work, but seeing it in person gives me chills.
What kind of salvation makes a person switch their character 180 degrees like that?
Honestly, isn’t salvation just a form of brainwashing hypnosis?
The cold Association President I used to know is gone, and all that’s left is this nauseating, doting dad figure.
And what? Changing my last name is just a casual comment?
This is ridiculous.
Change my last name? Not even if I’m six feet under.
[Partner. You’re not actually falling for Ichiro’s sweet talk and leaving my sister behind, are you?]
‘Shut up with the nonsense.’
[I trust you. Partner. If our lovely Olivia sheds blood tears, we all die.]
I hear the Black Prince’s threat in one ear and let it slip through the other.
“Ah, Father too… Just. If you say that, he’ll feel pressured…”
Hiding behind me with flushed cheeks, Rin speaks in an embarrassed voice.
What a sight to see both father and daughter acting like this.
I really don’t know what kind of honor I thought I’d get by promising to grant a wish back then.
If I went back to that time, I’d never make such a promise.
A moment’s poor choice is indeed dangerous.
[Partner. But didn’t you also agree to grant the wish of that girl Eri?]
‘That’ll be dealt with when the time comes.’
It can’t be worse than today, right?
“I’ll handle their aftermath. After they get back from the Association’s re-education training, they should come to their senses.”
Ichiro gestures towards the collapsed Shinozaki twins.
Clap.
He puts a hand on my shoulder and winks.
“Ah, I wonder if I’m interrupting this young couple’s date too much. Well then, have a good time. Just don’t get too far. The limit I permit is up to a kiss.”
“Ah, Father! Such embarrassing words…”
“Hahahahaha! Well then, I’ll just skedaddle! Enjoy!”
Shuffle, shuffle.
Ichiro drags the two twins away by their pant legs, laughing heartily.
The middle-aged man’s thumbs-up, shoulder pats, and winks are really unsettling.
Ugh.
Swoosh, clap.
I hear that annoying ‘shishiodoshi’ sound again in my ears.
“Damn it. Why does that ‘swoosh-clap’ keep showing up and ruining the mood?”
It’s nothing special, but it strangely gets on my nerves.
Hearing me, Rin answers.
“Shishiodoshi, you ask? I heard from my father that our garden’s shishiodoshi was made by our late stepmother herself.”
“Oh… Is that so?”
So Rin’s stepmother made it herself.
