Chapter 91

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"Are you practicing even inside the house?"

"Of course not. It's just a game. We're playing rock-paper-scissors where the winner hits the loser with a stick and the loser covers their head with a bowl."

When Silvio-niisan came to my room, he laughed brightly and said, "That makes sense."

"If you can swing so sharply just for a game, you should practice seriously."

Elinora-neesan, who was standing next to me, said this but I ignored her.

"It's a long name, but I can imagine it. The winner of rock-paper-scissors hits the other with this stick, and the loser covers their head with the bowl, right?"

Silvio-niisan touched the handmade stick and bowl with interest.

He understood just by hearing the name.

"Exactly. You can only aim for the head. Want to try it?"

So, if Silvio-niisan and I fight, the next match should be between Elinora-neesan and Silvio-niisan.

I'm already satisfied because I've already hit Elinora-neesan's head.

All I need to do now is somehow get them to fight first and escape while they're arguing.

That way, I can disappear without arousing suspicion, and it will seem natural.

A confrontation with Elinora-neesan won't end well.

I'll definitely get hit on the head with a stick, and probably with full force.

It was very convenient that Silvio-niisan came at that moment.

"Sure, let's try it."

---

So, Silvio-niisan and I decided to face off.

We sat facing each other, just like before.

Elinora-neesan was standing diagonally behind me for some reason.

"By the way, how does this game end?"

Just as we were about to start, Silvio-niisan asked a reasonable question.

Thinking back, I hadn't set any winning conditions for this match.

That means the game would continue until we were both satisfied.

There's no way my match with Elinora-neesan would end in just a few rounds.

If Silvio-niisan hadn't come, it would have gone on for dozens of rounds until Elinora-neesan was satisfied.

What a close call. I'm really grateful to Silvio-niisan.

"Let's say the winner is the one who hits the other's head three times. No dodging allowed."

"Got it."

"Hey, you're the one who dodged just now. If you dodge, I'll hit you instead of Silvio."

Elinora-neesan, standing diagonally behind me, snapped her towel like a whip. It felt like she was about to hit me from behind.

I see, she's watching to make sure I don't dodge.

The sound of the towel snapping behind me is very scary.

If that hits, it will definitely make a loud *smack* and hurt.

"Let's go?"

I said the starting signal, trembling with fear of the attack from behind.

"Rock, paper, scissors, shoot!"

I: Rock.

Silvio-niisan: Scissors.

Great, I got the first move!

Just like with Elinora-neesan, I used psychokinesis to pull the stick as soon as I moved.

I tried to swing the stick at Silvio-niisan's head in one fluid motion, but... Silvio-niisan was already covering his head with the bowl.

"What!?"

I was surprised and stopped my movement.

He's so fast. He put the bowl on his head like a turtle.

"... Is the Silvio Barrier still intact?"

"Maybe. I might just make it?"

Elinora-neesan can make it in time. She can tell just by a slight movement.

"No, I just put the bowl on my head."

Silvio-niisan took the bowl off his head with a wry smile.

When I tried to swing the stick as a test, he put the bowl back on his head in the blink of an eye.

"Hey, that's not allowed, is it?"

Silvio-niisan looked at me with his blue eyes and said, "You scared me, so don't do that."

You're like a clam.

"Sorry, sorry. You were so fast, I wanted to see how it felt. I won't do it again."

"Don't do it because it's scary."

I put the stick down, and Silvio-niisan put the bowl down, and we started again.

"Rock, paper, scissors, shoot!"

I: Rock.

Silvio-niisan: Paper.

This is bad. Considering Silvio-niisan's speed in defending, his attack might be just as fast.

I immediately reached for the bowl and put it on my head.

If he swings as fast as before, the stick should be close to my head by now.

I closed my eyes and desperately covered my head with the bowl.

Did I make it in time? Just as I thought that, I heard a *thud* and felt a light impact on the bowl.

"What are you doing, Silvio? I had plenty of time to swing and hit you."

As I opened my eyes, I heard Elinora-neesan's dissatisfied voice.

Does she really want to see me get hit?

"No, I swung pretty compactly."

"Like this, like this!"

Elinora-neesan demonstrated by rolling up her towel and swinging it.

"Like this?"

"No!"

Silvio-niisan tried to mimic her by swinging the stick, but it seemed different.

It looks like Silvio-niisan is specialized in defense. He's definitely the Silvio Barrier.

This match... will probably take a long time.

My stamina will run out before I can break through the Silvio Barrier.

That puts me at a disadvantage.

It's not a big deal if Silvio-niisan hits me, but if I lose, I might have to stay behind.

That means the next opponent will be Elinora-neesan...

If I win, I can challenge this arrangement. If I lose, I won't have that right.

In other words, I can't afford to lose this match.

"Got it. I'll try to be more aware."

While I was thinking, it seemed that their practice session had ended.

Silvio-niisan put the stick down, looking a bit tired.

"Okay, let's go again?"

"Rock, paper, scissors, shoot!"

I: Paper.

Silvio-niisan: Rock.

Great, this time I'll get a hit.

Elinora-neesan might find it suspicious, but there's no choice.

I used psychokinesis to grab the stick from a distance, which is a bit of a cheat.

But by the time I did that, Silvio-niisan was already covering his head with the bowl.

"What! What's going on?"

This is a cheat! There's no way I can beat him!

"Did the stick move on its own just now?"

Behind me, Elinora-neesan bent down and asked suspiciously.

I tried to hide it by covering it with my hand, but it was too fast and looked suspicious.

Elinora-neesan might have seen the stick being pulled just before my hand reached it.

I'll ignore it for now.

If it were Nord-father or Elna-mother, they would have noticed.

I took the risk to increase my speed, but the opponent defended even faster.

"Damn it! Damn it!"

"Hehe, you only get one hit."

I tried to hit him in frustration, but he laughed it off.

I hate his calm voice.

I'll stop using psychokinesis to pull the stick.

This time, I'll attack from a different direction.

In the resumed rock-paper-scissors, I lost twice in a row, but both times I managed to defend successfully.

"Rock, paper, scissors, shoot!"

I: Scissors.

Silvio-niisan: Paper.

Finally, my turn to attack. I reached for the stick and used psychokinesis.

This time, the target was not the stick but the bowl.

I subtly moved the bowl as Silvio-niisan was about to grab it.

The bowl slipped out of his fingers.

And I hit Silvio-niisan's head with the stick...!

A satisfying *smack* echoed in the room.

"Lucky!"

If I say this, it will give the impression that Silvio-niisan made a mistake.

"I missed the bowl. Actually, it kind of hurts..."

Silvio-niisan rubbed his head and laughed. I felt a bit guilty, but my life is on the line, so there's no choice.

Elinora-neesan didn't seem to find anything suspicious this time.

It's probably because of the atmosphere we created and the relatively plausible scenario of missing the bowl.

After all, a wooden bowl is harder to grab.

I don't want to be suspected for using psychokinesis repeatedly, so I'll take my time with the match.

Without using psychokinesis, my attacks couldn't break through the Silvio Barrier, and Silvio-niisan couldn't break through my defense either. This went on for dozens of rounds.

Elinora-neesan, who was getting impatient, made a good suggestion.

"Both of you are taking too long. Let's make the next attack the winner."

"Got it."

We nodded at each other, understanding that neither of us could make progress.

The problem is that the Silvio Barrier is too strong.

But after dozens of rounds since Silvio-niisan missed the bowl...

It's probably time.

Concentration will wane, and the tension of "first to hit wins" will increase.

There's a good chance he'll miss the bowl again.

Especially since Silvio-niisan isn't particularly good at quick movements.

Now or never!

"Rock, paper, scissors, shoot!"

I: Paper.

Silvio-niisan: Rock.

I used psychokinesis on the bowl again.

The bowl moved slightly, and Silvio-niisan's fingers pushed it away.

"Damn it!"

"Take this, Silvio-niisan!"

Just as I was sure of my victory, a voice came from above.

"What's all the noise? Are you using magic?"

It was Nord-father, who had come to check on us after hearing the commotion.

"..."

"..."

I froze with the stick raised, and two piercing gazes fixed on me.

Then, Silvio-niisan and Elinora-neesan looked at Nord-father, asking what was going on.

Don't say anything, Nord-father...!

"Well, I felt magic from Al."

Ah, that's right. Even when I was a baby, if I used magic, he would notice. Is it something that top adventurers and strong people can sense?

"You've been acting strange. You were using magic, weren't you? The stick moved on its own just now, didn't it?"

Hearing Nord-father's words, Elinora-neesan turned around and stomped the floor in anger.

Her anger even made her brown ponytail shake.

After all, I used magic from the start to hit her.

"Then, the bowl has been moving away from my fingers?"

Silvio-niisan, who had his doubts, gave me a suspicious look.

Alfreet is in a tight spot.

I silently hit Silvio-niisan's head with the stick and declared myself the winner.

"I won. You two should play next. I'm going to the bathroom..."

"Wait, Al."

Just as I was about to leave the room, my shoulder was grabbed.

You know who it was.

I want to teleport far away...

I'll probably be forced to fight Elinora-neesan next and get beaten up.

As I was thinking this with a distant look, Elinora-neesan said something terrible with a grin.

"I have a good idea. You should fight Father next."

"..."

"Huh?"

---

...The Dragon Slayer was incredibly strong.

---

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