Shujinkou Janai!

[……I’m tired.]

Leaning back against the railing of the luxurious balcony, I muttered to myself.

After the duel with Prince of Light, Ain……

After spending the whole day at the training grounds dealing with the knights, I was invited to the royal palace as it’s apparently “already late today”, a reason I didn’t quite understand.

The guest room of the royal palace was a luxurious and impressive room, but I have always been a commoner by nature.

I couldn’t sleep peacefully in this room too luxurious for me, so I wandered out of the room and ended up on this balcony overlooking the royal garden.

[……Haahhh……]

I had somehow ended up accepting the role of teaching the Knight Order, but I wonder, isn’t this an unexpectedly difficult task?

The reason I came here in the first place was to search for the “Hero”.

I came here to find that Adventurer who conquered one of the “Twelve Dark Ruins”.

How did I end up in a duel with the prince and am now teaching the Knight Order?

(All of this is because of that cheat b*stard, isn’t it?)

He’s not only the prince of a country, he’s also the strongest fighter, the most broken character in <Brave & Blade>.

As I look up to the heavens, gazing at the starry sky, remembering that b*stard’s refreshing, hateful smile……

[————Ya, Rex. I knew you would be here.]

Speak of the devil and he shall appear huh.

Prince Ain, the culprit of all these events, nonchalantly came in.

[After doing all that, how the heck do you have to face to show here?]

The duel was a set-up of his, but to be honest, what was more difficult was the events after I won that duel.

Even though it was just a match, having rules and all that in place, the knights saw the prince they respected be beaten.

Of course, there was no way they could sit still.

The knights were in a frenzy, and in the midst of that explosive atmosphere, the prince did everything in his power to spur them on.

[With this, none of you should doubt his ability. Well then, you all should take his lessons. ……Ahh, that’s right. Since it’s still just the first day, how about a duel like mine to show your capabilities to him instead?]

I will never forget how the color of the eyes of those knights changed when Ain said that.

As expected, being knights, they only followed the one-on-one rule, but it was traumatic how they all rushed to defeat me.

And like that, a 100-man battle against the knights began.

Having to simultaneously fight against knights who were all at a high level was quite rough.

That especially goes with General Sergen, who had casually mixed in with the ordinary knights.

I’m not sure if he had been secretly training since his defeat by Sword Saint Nirva in the Tournament for the World’s Strongest or not, but I felt my blood child when he suddenly launched his Manual Arts.

Well, I still won against all of them!

Suck on that, you b*stards!

However, Ain just laughed happily at my sarcastic words.

[Ahahaha! I’m just letting off steam, okay? I’m just venting! Moreover, I have a grudge against you for punching me in the face.]

[It’s not like you take any damage from the <Duel Room> though.]

In the first place, there’s a huge gap in ability between me and Ain.

Due to the system of the <Duel Room>, if you get hit with an attack regardless of whether or not you take damage, you will be defeated, but even if that were true, it would be doubtful whether damage was actually inflicted.

Ignoring my scowling, Ain walked up next to me as he pleased and leaned his back against the balcony railing.

Thereupon, with a manner uncharacteristic of a perfect prince, he stretched his body out with his arms held wide.

[Well, today was really fun. I don’t know when I’ve had so much fun.]

[That’s a total load of annoyance for me though.]

[Ahaha! I’m sorry about that already! I’ll make it up to you, okay?]

At my quick reply, Ain laughed again, as if he couldn’t hold it in.

I thought Ain was a rather serious person back in B&B, but today, he seems to have a big smile on his face.

After laughing for a while, Ain leaned against the railing and began to talk quietly.

[Just between you and me, there are very few people I can call “friend” from the bottom of my heart.]

[With that character of yours, it’s no wonder.]

When I jeered at him, Ain laughed happily again.

[Ahaha. Character and status, of course I have those things.]

Thereupon, as if he was thinking about something, Ain looked up at the sky.

And with his face looking up above, he spoke.

[Saying this may sound like I’m boasting……]

[Unnn.]

[But me, you see…… It seems like I’m too amazing.]

Those words would have sounded sarcastic if anyone else had said them.

However, when Ain, the perfect prince, said it, his words strangely felt persuasive.

[Even back in the past, I could do anything. Whether it was my studies, swordsmanship or magic. Everyone praised me when I did something, but everytime I did something, I felt like the distance between me and them was widening little by little.]

I don’t know what kind of face Ain has on his face as he looks up at the sky.

However, I hadn’t really thought of checking it.

[But you see, one of the few people among them who were my equal was the you back then.]

[……I see.]

I’ve always wondered about this back when I was playing the game.

Rex and Ain.

How did these two who had no common point get to know each other and became close?

I still don’t know the details about this matter.

What I know is that the bond between the two of them was probably deeper than I had imagined.

[……Rex.]

All of a sudden……

Ain’s face, which was facing the sky, looked back down.

His eyes were fixed on me, looking me in the eye.

[As expected, you and the you in the past were different. Even though you look the same, I feel as if I’m talking to someone else.]

[……Of course, that happens when you lose all your memories.]

It’s no wonder Ain feels this way.

The current me is really a different person than the old “Rex”.

However, that’s just something I couldn’t reveal to him.

I felt a prickle of guilt in my chest, but Ain reached his hand forward.

[————-But knowing that, I want to be friends with the “current you”.]

I looked at the prince’s face.

Held within it were eyes that were completely unclouded.

[Fighting with you in earnest, light-heartedly bantering like this. That’s nothing like the old you. ……However, unnn. I had fun.]

“That’s why……”, Ain continued———

[————-Will you be my friend?]

——-and gently held out his hand toward me.

(I am……)

Looking at his hand held out to me, I slightly hesitated.

Even though he’s an annoyance, I don’t dislike him.

No, I can’t deny that, at the very least, after talking with him here, I started to feel some kind of familiarity with “the person named Ain”, not the strongest prince in the game.

If this had been the game instead of reality, I would have taken his hand right away.

However, I shook my head in response.

[Sorry, but you overestimate me. I’m not some guy who can just stand next to someone much better than me and laugh with them without being jealous.]

I know I’m not that great of a person.

I don’t want to be friends with someone who would have misunderstandings like that.

[I see. I guess you’re right, I may have been asking too much. But still……]

[That’s why……!]

As if to interrupt Ain whose shoulders dropped down…..

[————I’m gonna be stronger than you!]

I said it out loud and clear.

[Rex……?]

This time, it was Ain who got speechless.

Astoundedly looking at me, he froze with his eyes wide open.

Even though I’m the one saying this, I know I’m talking nonsense.

Certainly, Ain is the strongest cheat b*stard with perfect specs in the world of B&B.

He’s got an Affinity Total of 36.

Not just Rex, who only has 9 affinity points, even the “Hero”, who has 25 affinity points can’t keep up with him in terms of overall strength.

————But if it’s not “total power”, but “combat power”……

There’s one thing that allows me to exceed him.

Even if it’s only for one aspect, there’s a way for me to beat even this strongest cheat, and to acquire even greater strength.

The best solution, no, the only solution is the <Trial of the Soul>.

————Making use of the <Trial of the Soul>, I can reassign my abilities to become an “STR-Specialized Swordsman”.

That is my only option to surpass Ain, who has the ability that far surpasses others throughout the game.

Of course, I don’t think I can easily surpass Ain.

I need to prepare carefully to reassign my abilities in the <Trial of the Soul>, and I currently am not the “Hero”, but Rex, in this world with specifications that are very different from those back in the game.

(————However, the possibility exists! I can surpass him!)

That’s why, I will not give up.

As Rex, who lives in this world, and as a gamer, who once devoted his youth to B&B.

With the intention of definitely surpassing this guy, I held out my hand to him this time.

[……You got me. You really never cease to amaze me. However, haha.]

After chuckling, Ain held out his hand once again.

And then, with an expression like that of a mischievous brat, not suiting his refreshing image at all……

[————-Seems like it’s gonna be a lot of fun from here on out.]

Under the light of the dancing stars, we shake each other’s hands.

This time, I’m sure……

In this world I’m thrown in without knowing why, it was this moment that I made my first “friend”.