Chapter 6
The next morning.
In the dining hall of the Lord’s Mansion, I was frozen before a breakfast that was far too extravagant.
On the table were piles of meat, fish, bread, fruit… delicacies that we never saw in the village, not even on festival days.
But I had no appetite for such things.
“—Today, a Martial Arts Tournament will be held.”
With those words from Lord Gardo, my peaceful stomach completely died.
“M-Martial Arts Tournament…?”
“Indeed. Everyone wishes to witness the skill that saved the village.”
No no no no!
I don’t want to fight! I just want to be an observer!
Beside me, Lisa’s eyes sparkled, Serena looked at me with concern, and Miria sighed, “…It’s going to be a commotion again, as usual.”
I could already feel a bad premonition.
The mansion’s backyard—no, the space, which had surpassed the size of a garden and become practically an arena—was packed with spectators.
Knights and adventurers who answered the Lord’s call, and even the townspeople, had flocked here, creating a festive atmosphere.
“Look, that’s the hero!”
“He’s the wielder of the holy sword!”
“He’s one of the candidates for the young lady’s engagement!”
Stop it! Don’t add titles to me so casually!
I gripped the wooden sword with trembling hands.
I had honestly wanted to forfeit, but the Lord himself had assured me, “It’s just a casual sparring match, so don’t worry,” making it impossible to escape.
First Round—A Miraculous Victory?
My opponent was a burly knight.
Clad in armor, glaring at me, he looked like a seasoned warrior.
“Please be gentle…”
The moment I weakly bowed my head.
—*Sliiiip*.
The knight lost his footing and fell forward with all his might.
Coincidentally, my wooden sword brushed against him—
“Winner, Yuma!”
The venue erupted in cheers.
“Ooh! Just one blow!”
“He truly is no ordinary person!”
That’s not it! It was a coincidence!
Second Round—Another Misunderstanding
My next opponent was a young mage.
He began to chant, but for some reason, he suddenly sneezed, and the spell backfired.
—*BOOOOM*!
From the cloud of smoke, the young man rolled out, covered in soot.
I had simply stood there, holding my wooden sword.
“Winner, Yuma!”
The cheers grew even louder.
“It’s as if fate itself wills him to win!”
“He’s a chosen one of the gods!”
I’m telling you, it’s not like that!
Semi-finals—An Intrusion by the Young Lady
Just before my next opponent appeared, Christia rushed over from the spectator stands.
“Wait! Please don’t hurt him!”
With her hands spread wide in front of me, she looked exactly like “a maiden risking her life to protect her love.”
The venue fell silent for a moment—and then exploded.
“Ooooh! Was the engagement true!”
“The young lady cares for him that much!”
Stop it! Don’t throw fuel on the fire!
Final Round—A Legend Reenacted
And then came the final match.
My opponent was the strongest knight directly under the Lord.
The crowd was at peak excitement, and I had nowhere left to run.
“At least fall over…”
I prayed silently.
But a miracle happened again.
—*CLANG*!
The moment the strongest knight’s sword touched my wooden sword, the vibrations from the cheers and applause from the audience caused a pillar in the arena to sway slightly.
Then, a cloth banner that fell from above covered the knight’s face—
“Waaagh!”
The startled knight tripped and fell to the ground.
Coincidentally, I fell on top of him, and the knight was completely immobilized.
“Winner—Yuma!”
The venue was engulfed in deafening cheers.
“It’s a reenactment of the legend!”
“It’s divine will! The hero has returned!”
I felt like crying.
The Martial Arts Tournament concluded with my victory.
The Lord, overjoyed, patted me on the shoulder, Christia said with teary eyes, “That was wonderful,” and Lisa, Serena, and Miria looked at me with complex expressions.
“…Honestly, why does it always have to be me…”
Under the moonlight, I looked up at the sky.
—I want to be a supporting character.
For some reason, the protagonist buff just wouldn’t stop.
