I managed to prevent the first blow and look at the referees with a sideways glance.
　I knew that was not going to raise my hand.

This mock fight is a class, so if one good one goes in, it's over.
　However, it seems that a single blow with a knife in the air was not recognized as one.
　It would have been easier if that had been the end of it.
　It can't be helped, I'll do my best to end this fight without getting injured.
　With these eyes, I can do that.

"Come on, let's move on.

Epona looks heartily happy, her face is up in the air, she raises her arms and attacks me.
　She seems to be enjoying this fight so much. It's surprising because I didn't think she'd be this kind of character.

Epona's weapon of choice is her unreasonable physical ability.
　With that alone, everything I've accumulated is overwhelmed.
　However, there's room to take advantage of.
　The preliminary movements are so large that it's easy to see your aim, and the way you move your body is poor, and there's a pause between attacks.
　Above all, Epona's attacks are too straightforward.

She knows that the closer she gets to the first class, the less likely the fight will go her way.
　So, she watches her opponent's movements and tries to make sure she can feint and change her moves along the way.
　But because they don't take these things into account, they don't change their movements.

He has a large reserve movement and his attacks are straightforward, which makes him easy to read.
　After dodging two or three times, I gradually got used to it.
　It's great to experience the brave man's speed and his movement habits, and I'm starting to see his weaknesses.
　Even though the brave man's physical abilities are non-standard, his kinetic vision is inferior to Touahade's eyes, even though he is superhuman. I'm the only one who has an advantage here.
　It's quite a feat. I'm glad we fought.
　...well, if we make it back alive.

'Great, great, how come I didn't hit it?　You're slower than me!

My head is ticking. My overworked brain is screaming.
　My body is tattered, even though I haven't received a single blow from my overly visible eyes and my over-enhanced concentration and my reckless evasion.
　Every time I duck a lethal attack, I sweat, and I feel like my life is about to be cut short.
　I'm feeling more and more drained.
　I don't have much time left.

But the mind is not disturbed. Impatience does not improve the situation, but instead creates an opening.

''What's wrong!　You should attack the rogue too. Otherwise you won't get any training!

We know that.
　But if you throw away even the smallest amount of resources on an attack, your evasion will not be able to keep up.

With that kind of attack power, you can't take it, and even if you defend against it, it will destroy you.
　Because of that, there is no other option but to evade.
　But we're getting close.
　My eyes are starting to get used to it, I'm learning Epona's breathing, her habits, and reading her patterns.
　Plus, more and more Epona's attacks are getting bigger and bigger.

'Hit, hit, hit!

It didn't hit, and in its impatience, he tried to move faster and began to exert himself in vain.
　Even just a monotonous movement becomes even more monotonous and easier to read.
　And in a situation like that, he would hang on to the move he was best at.
　The blow that sank the knight commander came, an uppercut from a mere step in.

Instead of reading the movement from the preliminary motion as before, before that, I was moving at the same time as Epona entered the attack motion.
　That's now the realm of prediction. If I know her habits and breathing, I can guide her to do so. It's not just a gamble.

Nevertheless, no matter how many footholds I make, there is still a risk. But the only chance I have of winning is this.
　If I don't do this, I won't have time to not only duck, but also attack.
　This kind of move is the weakness of Epona.

However, Epona doesn't have the competence or composure to do so.

Epona stupidly steps in and raises her fist, even though I'm moving before the preliminary action, but just in time to retreat out of the fist, and then aims for a split second to stretch out and stiffen, and releases a counter thrust.

A crisp, light hand, and the next moment, he is blown away by the wind pressure, blown far out of the ring and out of the ring.
　He can't even get a good passive strike, and finally stops after being slammed to the ground repeatedly.
　.... well, that's what happens when you try to counter from the front, right?
　I really can't do it.

'Winner!　Lug.

The refs seemed to be watching closely and were able to pick up the win with a valid strike allowed before the ring out.
　It's partly because it was a counter aimed at a hardened moment, so I could see it, but it's just as well that he didn't miss that one, as I'm sure he's watching S-Class.

'Master Lugue, it's amazing!'
I can't believe I beat that monstrously brave man.
'I bought him a lot, but he's gone above and beyond. Finn, are you confident you can do what he did?
Just kidding! I'm not even sure I'd duck, let alone decide to counter. ...Lug Touahade, you have an incredibly good eye and reading. It's a shame, but I don't feel like I can beat a rougher, let alone a brave man. What about that kind of Noish?
I'm with you. That's why I want him. When I'm with you and him, we can do anything.

I watched us fight, my classmates excitedly talking about our fight.
　...........................We managed to win with our hand hidden.

I only used Touahade's eyes to enhance my kinetic vision, and it's not something I can see from a distance.

You tried to stand up and failed.
　I'm breathing badly, my legs are laughing and sweat is gushing out of my entire body.
　I think I was more worn out than I thought I was.
　It's not just physical, it's largely mental.

Even if I'm super-recovered, my mind is the only thing that can't be helped.
　........I shudder to think if this was a real battle.
　Even though I'm exhausted, Epona's is unscathed. I didn't get a shot, I just snatched it and that was the end of it, and even if I hit the counter, the damage to her was only about a piece of skin.
　Seriously, I'm disgusted.
　Do I have to kill this?
　That Epona came over here and held out her hand. I grabbed that hand and was caused to grab it.

'Lug, it was good to see you. I want to fight you again.

Those words only reinforced my concern that I was a battle maniac.
　No wonder I would say something so fussy about not being broken.

'I'm surprised, I didn't know you liked to fight.
It's not like that. I'm a brave man and I need to be strong. In order to do so, you have to train a lot, but when you fight me, everyone breaks. They want to be strong, but they can't. I've always feared that if I didn't do it, I'd lose a fight against a stronger demon than me. But a rogue is indestructible, so I can train properly. I can finally be strong. Hey, can we have another simulation fight like today?　I only have a rogue in my life!

So that's what you mean.
　Even if it was a mock battle, no one could fight Epona and get away with it safely.
　The reason Epona's movements were so poor is probably because she couldn't train properly.
　There are many skills that can only be learned in battle, and there is no opponent for them.
　It wasn't that he liked fighting, but it seemed that his sense of duty as a brave man made him say that line.
　If I accept this proposal, I will become irreplaceable and irreplaceable to Epona, and we can form a deep bond.
　Nevertheless, it was rather life-threatening.

If I keep doing this, I will break.
　Still..........

'Yeah, gladly. I'll have something to gain, too.

There's no doubt that this kind of life-threatening fight will make me stronger too.
　I can become strong myself while stripping a brave man naked, and also gain his trust.
　The gains outweighed the losses.
　The problem is that it will make the brave man even stronger, but I've decided that the benefits are greater.

''Hmph, I'm looking forward to it. I'll ask my teacher to make the entire mock battle a rogue.''
Ha-ha, that's an honor. But I don't think it's fair to monopolize the opportunity to fight a brave man. You'd all love to fight him.

I looked at my classmates for help, but they all turned away. ........even Tart and Dia.
　They understand, too.
　That if they engage in a mock battle with Epona, they will certainly be second to the Knight Commander. They put their lives ahead of taking on the brave men.

''Everyone seems to have no complaints about it. I'll do my best.

At this moment, it was decided that all the mock battles would make us fight for our lives.
　........Let's be prepared for serious injuries.
　But I have to be careful not to injure myself in such a way that I'll be left with an after-effect.

◇

After class that day, Epona begged me to tell her what I didn't understand in the classroom, and when I was done, I trained Dia and Tart, and I was finally able to get back to my room.
　During the sit-down, I felt much more forgiving than I had ever been before.
　It seems that it was the right decision to accept that proposal, after all.

''Roug-sama, your body is quite tired, isn't it? Does it feel good?
'Yeah, it's great. Tart has the best massage in the world.
I'm glad. I'll do my best. Really hard.

Tart was giving me a massage.
　He was wearing thin clothes so that he could sweat, and all sorts of things were poisonous to his eyes, and the soft skin of the tart was so close to him that it was quite hard for a man to see.
　But it feels good.
　My hardened muscles are relaxing.
　It's not so much the overuse of muscles that caused this to happen, but the extreme tension.

It's because I was risking my life. What were the instructors thinking during that mock battle and what did they have in mind when they made me take on the brave man?
I think it's simply because anyone other than Master Roughr would have destroyed it.
One wrong move and I'll be one of them. ...Well, I'm sure my dad can handle the injuries that ordinary doctors can't fix.
That's one of the strengths of Touahade, isn't it?

As I did so, I heard a knock at the door.
　I blinked at Tart and let him adjust his clothes, and then I changed into my own loungewear.
　Tart opened the door.

'Hey, Roug. You were amazing today. I brought you some food to thank you for showing me some great stuff.
'Noish. If you know you're tired, just leave me alone.
Ha-ha-ha, that's okay. This wasn't the only souvenir I brought back. I'm here to give you the information you need.
You mean Epona.
Yes. Epona Rhiannon. She has a secret.
...her. I knew it was a woman.

I'm a male, and I'm enrolled in this school as a male.

I knew it, which means you knew about it in the dark.
'Well, it's more natural to think of her skeleton as a woman, even though her clothes hide it. And I can see it in the way Noish treats Epona. I was trying to get close to you as a friend who sees things the same way, and you were trying to get close to me as a lover.
'Haha, you caught me. Thought it would be easier to be a s*x man. If you're a little gentle with a girl like that, she'll fall apart.

Tart looks at Neusch as he says that with a zit-eyed look.
　Tart has a pure hearted nature, so he is probably resistant to such things.

I'm not going to be able to get the same thing done. I'm not trying to play around with you. I'm sure you'll be able to get closer to your dream if you can get a brave man into your life. I'm not going to be able to get a good look at it, but I am going to take care of it until the end. The motive is what it is, but I mean it.
'So you revealed that hand because it made it harder, didn't it?
'Goodness gracious, I think my heart is inclined to you after that one today. I wish I could prove that I'm not as broken as you are by fighting her. Unfortunately, I can't go along with that one. I can't believe you can handle that speed.
It was a bit of a close call, though.
'Well, that's why I've decided to approach you as your friend, since it's going to be difficult to be your lover. Then it would be more convenient for you to get into a deeper relationship with me. Why, it's just that I've grown up as a man...

I listen to Noish's explanation.
　Its content is largely as you can imagine.
　Is that the only reason for a noblewoman to be raised as a man?
　Born into a nobleman with no magical powers and raised as a man.
　It's a double-whammy. I'm sure it's understandable for them to grow up like that.
　But still, how many complexes does that brave master have to have to be satisfied with?

Thank you, Noosh. It's going to make our relationship even closer.
Good to be of service. Well, I'm going to go. I don't mean to be an intervention, but you might not want to get too deep into it.
I know it by heart. I'm not going to be treated as a lover, unlike Noosh.

It will need to be moderate.

Enough to be relied on, but not to be dependent on. It was funny and cute how relieved the tart was beside himself when he said he wasn't going to treat her as a lover.

'And also, I have a favor to ask of you, Neusch. Tomorrow is your day off. I have some business to attend to and I'll be out of the school. Take care of Epona for me.
I'll take care of it. I'll owe you a favor.

Neusch leaves.

'Speaking of which, what happened to Dia? I haven't seen her since her training.
'They have some research to do at the library. After training, I changed and went straight in.
Oh, yeah. Oh, well. We can talk about it later and you'll understand. ...do me a favor, Tart. Tomorrow is my day off. Could you make us some lunches?　I thought we could go on a picnic or something.
Oh, that's wonderful. I'll put my skills to work on it.

The picnic is to give the two of us a break from being tense... and to test out my new special move.
　In the training room, I can teach Touahade's skills while hiding them, but there is only so much I can do because I can't destroy the room.

He developed a special move in the training room, but due to the limitations of the technique, it was skidded to a halt, and he never actually used it, which would make it impossible to use it in a real battle.
　So I've found a place where I can ramp up to my heart's content.
　We're going to enjoy a picnic and wield our new special moves to our heart's content.
　Tomorrow, it's going to be a fun holiday.
　I'm worried about the assassins who are targeting the brave, but there is no assassin who can kill Epona, and if Noish is looking after me, I can feel safe.