Title: Someday, a Friend to call as My Lord
One day, while the sun was still rising, [Player] woke up.
| 2 options
|
| Un, it's a good morning.
|
Nn~, I should be getting up now.
|
Looking at the clock, he saw that he still had time to sleep.
He would usually go to bed again, but somehow got up on a whim.
He got himself up and left the room.
So that no one would notice, he hid the sounds he made.
The corridor was usually crowded with people, but at this time, it was unbelievably silent.
Someone's sleeping soundly.
Someone's snoring. No one's moving an inch.
It's a special time.
[Player] secretly went outside.
Birds were chirping. Trees were rustling.
The bells of bikes rang from a distance.
Along with the fresh clean air, these were peculiar things in the morning.
| 2 options
|
| Today's gonna be a good day.
|
Hmm? Someone's-
|
| 1 option
|
| Who could it be, so early...
|
| 1 option
|
| Quietly go see what it is?
|
He raised his voice a bit.
With everything so silent, it will be heard clearly.
But even so,[Player] was feeling like he shouldn't.
More importantly, he felt like everything wanted to be tranquil.
The destination was the woods at the side of the dormitory. The sound of wind being cut entered his ear.
Also, someone was there.
Wearing a kendo uniform, in the middle of the woods' stillness was Inuzuka Shino Moritaka.
Along with the sound of his shouting voice, his favorite bamboo sword swung with vigor.
With the momentum, droplets of his sweat danced in the air, glimmering under the sunlight passing between the leaves.
Then slowly, gently, he began swinging the bamboo sword again.
Then he swung it again. And one more. And one more.
He repeats the swinging for about ten times. Moritaka then lets out a big puff of breath.
After all of his kendo work was done, he put his favorite bamboo sword in his bag.
|
Oh my, it's [Player]-dono. I didn't know you were up this early in the morning.
|
With his usual smiling face, he talked.
| 3 options
|
| Good morning, Moritaka.
|
Did I interrupt?
|
Shake!
|
|
Good morning, [Player]-dono.
The weather feels great today.
|
|
|
No, you never did such a thing.
Likewise, forgive me for getting surprised.
|
|
|
Ah! I did it again!
Even though I'm not a dog...
|
|
| 1 option
|
| What were you doing alone this morning?
|
|
Oh, of course.
It was my early morning routine.
|
|
Wake up at sunrise, run along the riverbed, and then a hundred sword swings in the woods.
|
|
It was a routine I did back when I was a child, and I cannot calm down if I do not do it everyday.
|
One cannot afford to be lazy then, if one wishes to become a fine samurai as soon as possible.
| 2 options
|
| S-So enthusiastic...
|
Isn't that a bit too serious?
|
|
Absolutely not! I'm still far from the goal that I'm striving for.
|
|
However, because of my own selfishness,
I have been disturbing the sleep of everyone in the dormitory.
|
|
Before, I practiced in front of the dormitory entrance,
but I got warned by Chairman-dono.
|
|
Since then, I've been doing my training in the middle of the woods.
|
|
The trees block the sounds, and the clean air is comfortable.
|
|
If you wish to be loud without any hesitation,
I definitely recommend the woods, [Player]-dono.
|
| 3 options
|
| Next time then.
|
But you were warned...
|
The forest, huh...
|
|
Oh, please do!
One's voice sounds different when it's full of fighting spirit!
|
|
|
Even if I was warned...
Well, I did get scolded to an extent...
|
|
But I haven't been scolded since then!
Please don't misunderstand!
|
|
|
Yes.
Even if you shouted out loud or ran around, you won't be a hindrance to anyone.
|
|
|
I should return to the dormitory. I'll be taking a shower then prepare to head for school.
|
|
Let's have breakfast together so I can tell you what I do next.
|
|
G'Morningh... so sleepy... Huh? There's something you don't see everyday.
|
|
Good morning, Ryouta-dono.
|
| 3 options
|
| Morning, Ryouta.
|
You got bed hair.
|
Today's breakfast is grilled salmon.
|
|
Mm, Morning.
Have you guys already eaten?
|
|
Yes, we have.
It was very delicious.
|
|
|
Eh, it's good.
It'll return to normal eventually.
|
|
I'm so jealous.
I have to brush my fur every morning after sleep.
|
|
|
Grilled salmon sounds good.
Cooking rice in the morning's too much work.
|
|
Ryouta-dono, you have too much white rice again...
|
|
|
Now then, since I still have morning practice, I shall go on ahead.
|
|
Kendo practice, huh?
You always do that every morning.
|
|
The way of the sword cannot be completed in a single day.
I must practice it every day.
|
|
Mmhmm. I don't know the way of the sword that much,
but it's good to keep doing something every day."
|
|
I wonder if I have things to keep doing too.
Hmm, is there anything?
|
|
The way of food cannot be completed in a single day!
How about that? That's something to continue doing.
|
|
Hahaha! Although it seems like that, it might ruin your body.
|
|
Today's physical education lesson is a marathon.
If you eat a lot, you won't be able to exercise.
|
|
Eehhhh?!
We're having a marathon today?!
|
|
Inuzuka, you're a dog beastman so you'll be fine.
I 'm not really that good at running.
|
|
Hahahaha!
That's why, you can have whatever you want at lunch.
|
| 3 options
|
| Yo!
|
Well, what an unusual pair.
|
You're really working him hard, huh?
|
|
Ah, [Player]-dono. We've been seeing each other many times today.
|
|
|
Really? I don't think being together with your classmates is something unnatural."
|
|
|
D-Don't say stuff like that! I just needed a little bit of help, that's all.
|
|
|
Chairman-dono and I were borrowing equipment from the Audio-Visual room to be used for the next lesson.
|
|
I could do it myself, but by chance Moritaka was here and helped me.
|
|
Even if just a bit, I wish Kengo would be as considerate.
|
|
Kengo:(angry face)
And who's not considerate, huh?!"
|
|
... I mean what I said.
And that's putting it lightly.
|
|
Putting it light-
Calling me inconsiderate when you're just as much.
|
|
Shirou:(angry face)
So what? Are you gonna help or not?
|
|
Kengo:(angry face)
Of course not! I'm here for Moritaka!
|
|
M-Me? But please, don't fight here.
|
|
Don't we have joint practice this week? There's an advanced meeting so they had me call you.
|
|
Is that right? I understand. As soon as I'm done with helpin-
|
|
Kengo:(angry face)
Shirou can do that all by himself. Break time's over already."
|
|
Then, Kengo-dono. May I have a request?
|
|
Kengo:(angry face)
No! Leave that to Shirou!
|
|
Shirou:(angry face)
This guy is really...!
|
|
This equipment, even though it looks light it is quite heavy. Chairman-dono might gravely hurt himself carrying it alone.
|
|
So that this Inuzuka could show up properly, would you please accept?
|
|
Alright, alright. Gimme that.
|
| 3 options
|
| That was brilliant.
|
That went smoothly.
|
You're quite the schemer, Moritaka!
|
|
|
|
Don't tease me, please.
It's just that they get into fights so often, they should get along for now.
|
|
|
S-Schemer?! That's too much!
|
|
|
Fighting like that is also a part of their relationship. Let's be like that too.
|
|
To tell the truth, I am quite jealous of them.
|
|
Ryouta:(surprised face)
Huh! What's going on?!
Shouting all of a sudden...
|
|
The lunch I prepared, it seems I have forgotten it in the dormitory...
|
| 3 options
|
| Want to have half of mine?
|
Wanna buy something from the store?
|
Wait.
|
|
I can't do that!
That would be bothersome for [Player]-dono!
|
|
|
The school store is a battleground at this hour!
|
|
I appreciate your concern, but it's futile to go there now.
|
|
|
Kuu... Does this Moritaka have no choice left but to bear this shame?
|
|
|
Ah, there you are.
Inuzuka-kun, your lunch, you left it in the dorms, right?
|
|
I owe you, Chouji-dono!
With this, I won't have to starve this afternoon.
|
|
It's obvious the lunch was Inuzuka's, Chouji.
|
|
Well, no one else but Inuzuka-kun wraps rice balls in bamboo leaves.
|
While his tail swung, Moritaka cheerfully held on to his bamboo leaf-wrapped rice balls.
With that said, Moritaka took a big bite of his rice ball, stuffing his cheeks.
|
Fate has been making us meet by chance a lot today, it seems...
|
|
This Moritaka who has formed a summoning contract with you... there is one thing I ask.
|
|
Right now, all of the members of the kendo hall are gone. Only I remain.
|
|
Do you remember? What happened at the Ikebukuro guild?"
|
| 3 options
|
| Back then...?
|
When we became friends?
|
You said you wanted to have a match?
|
|
You don't remember?
I asked to have a match with you.
|
|
|
Well, I did say that.
And we are already friends...
|
|
No no, that's not it.
Back then, I asked to have a match with you.
|
|
|
You remembered! That's amazing, [Player]-dono.
|
|
|
I came from a world called 'Wa no kuni'
and came to this world as a 'Tenkousei'.
|
|
The difference between that world and this...
In that world, matters of life and death happened everyday.
|
|
I studied the history of this world at the library.
It seems that my hometown was similar to this world's past.
|
|
As for the other differences, those that are not human existed in my world.
|
|
When asked if I was happy, I answered that while my parents and Yoshiro were still there.
|
|
I said, 'To my last breath.'
|
|
Forgive me, my summoner.
Let's not stray from the matter at hand.
|
|
To get to know someone of this world,
that wasn't something that I had put importance in.
|
|
But to me who didn't know a thing, everyone treated me so kindly..."
|
|
I wanted... to protect them. I wanted to straighten up my weak former self!
|
|
Not only for my immature self, but for Yoshiro who passed on before me.
|
"And more importantly,
for Father and his last words when he gave this sword to me."
As he said that, Moritaka took out the his favorite sheath bag.
The one he always carried on his back.
|
Let me show you again. This is Inuzuka Shino Moritaka's Sacred Treasure.
|
Along with the "App"'s launch, a sword embodies itself onto Moritaka's hand.
|
Whoever can avoid all the beads of this ice sword,
even from just one swing of it, is an admirable being.
|
|
This is what Father last said to me.
'This is a sword you shall devote to the lord you will serve.'
|
|
As soon as I can,
I must become a samurai who will dedicate this sword to my lord.
|
|
[Player]-dono, my summoner.
During that fight in Ikebukuro, I was sure of it.
|
|
There was honor in that fight.
There was pride in that sword.
|
|
You are a person who can be my lord.
|
|
However, whether or not to serve [Player]-dono,
that is still something I am unsure of.
|
|
Because of my own inexperience,
I have only been able to meet and understand people through the sword.
|
|
Truly, I pray, please have a match with me, [Player]-dono.
|
|
Whether or not you are suitable to be my lord,
please let this Inuzuka Shino Moritaka judge.
|
| 1 option
|
| Draw your sword.
|
|
Now, let the match begin! [Player]-dono!
|
(Battle)
|
This swordmanship.
I have not mistaken at that battle in Ikebukuro!
|
Moritaka readies his sword as his opponent stared motionlessly.
|
And that resilience too...
This is the last!
|
|
The true power of this Inuzuka Shino Moritaka's sword,
receive it with all your might!
|
His sword gleams, and a cold air begins to form around him.
Because of the sudden change in temperature, it started to get misty.
|
Mother, lend me your strength!
|
|
Devourer of demons, Frozen Ice Sword!
|
|
And the kendo hall is locked.
Sorry to have kept you waiting.
|
|
Let's go home.
Around this time, it's dinnertime in the dormitory, isn't it?
|
It was dusk and the sun was setting.
On the way back to the dormitory, the two walked side by side.
Slowly, easily, they walked.
As if they don't even want to return yet.
|
After all that, I never reached a conclusion.
|
|
And I have been too idle today.
What excuse would I have to my parents in the other world?
|
|
I must fulfill their wishes as soon as I can.
Tomorrow, tomorrow for sure-
|
| 3 options
|
| Come now, Moritaka.
|
Honestly, you're so impatient.
|
You don't need to settle things so soon.
|
|
Impatient?
I'm being impatient?
|
|
... Still, I swore to Yoshiro...
|
| 3 options
|
| You don't need to rush for the answer.
|
Let's go at it step by step.
|
I'll be with you.
|
|
Yes, that's right!
It shouldn't be forced.
|
|
Thank you, [Player]-dono.
Once again, I have noticed my immaturity.
|
Staring at his right hand, Moritaka thinks.
"I only realized my own feelings when it had been told to me."
"Why was I rushing for an answer?
Why did I let my feelings get the better of me?"
|
I was rushing because of my own feelings.
Even though Yoshiro and I had already parted.
|
|
I still need more training.
It was arrogant of me to think that I can already seek a lord.
|
|
With this much shamelessness,
Father, Mother, and even everyone would laugh at me.
|
|
A samurai who can devote his sword to his lord...
I am still far from it.
|
|
But, please wait until I have the confidence to say it myself.
|
|
As 'friends who want to protect everyone',
I want us to grow together, learn together, and walk together.
|
|
T-That... is very selfish of me to think of...
|
|
Should we both walk together?
Even if you will not be my future lord?
|
|
If it's [Player]-dono...
No, no, that's wrong!
|
|
I think, it would be good for us to walk together,
[Player]-dono.
|
|
P-Please forget what I said.
I am no longer making sense here.
|
| 3 options
|
| Thanks.
|
If Moritaka wants to.
|
Good dog, Moritaka!
|
|
Likewise.
Even if I am still inexperienced, thank you for the consideration.
|
|
|
Is that so?
With my selfishness... I thank you.
|
|
|
I did it again?!
Well, calling me a 'good dog' isn't exactly right...
|
|
No, that isn't so...
But if it is true, I would like to be next to you!
|
|
|
Well then, let's go back home.
We're having Hamburg Steak for dinner.
|
|
I'm really looking forward to Chouji-dono's Hamburg Steak!
|
Moritaka reaches out his hand.
[Player] holds on.
On the school road, the two start running,
all the while reminding themselves of the dream they want to fulfill someday.
(END)
