Story of a Cannon Fodder who Firmly Believed He was the Protagonist, Misunderstood the Actual Protagonist as the Cannon Fodder, and Ended up Victorious
Translator: Tsukii
Editor: Frozen Ink
Read at Watashi wa Sugoi Desu!
Chapter 11 – Depression VS Flower Field Last Part [B]
Both of them unleashed beautiful swordsmanship. It wasn’t an exaggeration to say their swords were exactly the same.
Yururu’s sword, which flowed like a clear stream, was accepted without expression. Fay couldn’t use any art. His lack of experience made him unable to operate his art. That was why his sword lacked speed unlike the clash between Arthur and Yururu earlier.
However, Yururu also had her art shaved off during her fight against Arthur and Tlue earlier. She barely had any left.
And she unconsciously abandoned the choice of using what she had left. Perhaps it was due to what little goodwill remained in her, or because she wished to stand on equal ground to the proud knight in front of her.
Nobody knew the answer.
Metallic sounds echoed many times.
The beautiful slash, reminiscent of a crescent moon, made a slight cut on Fay’s right shoulder. However, Fay paid no mind to the wound and tried to trace that crescent sword slash.
Unlike what happened to Fay, Yururu easily parried it.
The pair struggled evenly… at least initially. However, the difference between them gradually began to widen.
“I think it’s better for you to stop, you know?”
“Not yet.”
These were the words coming from a knight who was overwhelmingly better than him, but Fay denied them which sounded like fate. However, as if the truth agreed with the prophecy, Fay’s left shoulder got stabbed.
It wasn’t like the stab made a loud noise in particular. However, it felt like such a sound rang loudly to others. Blood spilled from his shoulder, which made Fay click his tongue while taking a distance.
“Fay, stop it already. You’ll die. We can just fight together—“
“Shut up. Don’t interrupt the battle.”
“Fay… I–”
“Did you not hear what I said? I told you not to interrupt.”
“But if it stays this way, that’s… doesn’t that shoulder hurt?”
“It’s obvious to get wounded. I wouldn’t stay in my path if I can’t endure this much.”
It’s obvious to get wounded? It pierced quite deeply. His blood is spilling.
As expected, Tlue couldn’t tolerate having a person die in front of him. Since they could win if they just fought together,
Fay… you are already,
Arthur was also worried about Fay. As both of them were trying to stop Fay,
“What’s with those eyes? Piss off.”
They felt a chilling sensation that froze their spine as if they were actually thrown into a glacier. Fay’s gaze was sharpened beyond what was normally possible and he exuded great intimidation.
His gaze silenced the two.
“Fufu, Fay-kun sure is foolish.”
“…”
“After all, your defeat is already confirmed. What are you going to do about it?”
“…Fuh, this is just a farce.”
“…Yes?”
“Why didn’t you crush my head with that slash? You could just aim for my head instead of my shoulder.”
“…”
“I don’t like it. Just put your all and try to kill me. I will accept everything. And then I will surpass you.”
“gh… What’s with you? What do you think you know about me?!”
She was enraged and attacked him. However, Fay still resisted even at his disadvantage. Blood overflowed from his shoulder as he exerted his strength.
“See, isn’t it painful? How about stopping already?”
“I won’t stop. Also, it doesn’t hurt that much.”
“…Aah, I see. Then I’ll go for it! I can kill a fool like you without mercy!”
“That’s fine.”
Yururu swung her sword and slashed. The state of their battle didn’t change and Fay was still forced to defend.
“I’ve been thinking about this for a long time, but you have no talent, you know? You have no magic aptitude. And even if you do have your sword, there are tons of people who could do the same. Many people out there are better than you.”
“I guess so.”
“There are more paladins who focus on magic out there, of course there are. After all, they could achieve more in a single shot of magic than a single swing of a sword. Even if you continue to swing your sword, nobody will approve of you, and you’ll stay in the bottom as you get older.”
“Fuh, maybe I will.”
Who was she talking about? Was it Fay? Or was it herself? She could no longer tell.
“Are you alright with that? Your shining future as a paladin would be—“
“Kukukuku.”
“What’s so funny about it…?”
“No, well… I just thought that you’ve only mentioned the obvious things all this time.”
“…”
Both of them opened their distance for once. Yururu sharpened her eyes and glared at Fay.
“There is nobody who shines everywhere. However, there is also nobody who does not shine somewhere. That’s all there’s to it. I won’t change regardless of what you say. I will still beat you down right here.”
“Do you really hate me that much?”
“Yes, I can’t stand seeing it. I felt your sword was necessary for my own strength. However, your current self does not even have such worth.”
“…”
Then Fay’s tone turned rougher. It wasn’t a voice of anger. It was more the tone of talking in delirium. That voice possessed a certain weight.
“Don’t screw with me. I’m definitely not going to forgive seeing the sword that I approve of turn this way. That’s why I will teach you. About the sword I acknowledge, that is.”
“—gh.”
He held the sword with his right hand and pointed the tip of the sword at her as he said that. Then he held it with both hands again.
“It seems I talked too much. Let’s put an end to this.”
“…”
…I, I am… no, that’s not it. He also looks down on me and laugh… laugh…
Yururu was trying to find the excuse to deny him. However, she only saw how serious he was within her mind. Even though they were practically together all day every day, not even once did she ever see him laughing. He was always giving it his all.
That was why she couldn’t continue the words in her mind.
Perhaps she was already defeated at this point.
“Kuh, I’m still…”
They ran toward each other. She looked at his shoulder, which bled even now. She could feel that any further bleeding would be dangerous to his life.
He shouldn’t be able to feel his shoulder anymore… even his movement has become looser.
His movement was slowing down. She could feel that. However, the same also applied to her.
Both of my hands… and legs… are already…
Their conditions were the same. However, Fay’s spirit and gaze pressured her.
“This will end it!”
But she was slightly faster. She executed a sword slash from Fay’s lower left to flash upward. She was convinced of her victory.
Goodbye, Fay (me).
That was what she thought. That was just her assumption. Just before her sword touched him, he lowered his posture. Because of that, the sword struck empty air as if attracted to the sky.
It was a movement both Fay and she were familiar with since he had always practiced it all this time. The continuous pressure made her vision narrow, and it was the checkmate move, grasped by him who never gave up on his victory until the end.
Damn it…!
However, she immediately corrected her sword trajectory and swung her sword down from diagonally above. Fay received the attack with his blade horizontally which he turned vertical at the next moment.
Her sword was swept down like a waterfall. And Fay used the momentum to counter.
Namikaze Seishinryuu, First movement, Namikaze.
Aah… that is my…
Her memory revived. Fay used the counter sword technique and pointed his blade at her. That figure overlapped to her own, back to the days when she still knew nothing and still had everything.
I see… so I only wished to return… Not to the present where I am bound by talent and responsibility.
But back to the days when I still swung my sword happily, with my father, mother, and elder brothers accompanying me…
Fay swung his sword. However, his blade stopped just before it reached her neck.
“It’s my victory. Any complaints?”
“I have none… it’s my total defeat…
She was just laughing. Even though she was well aware she couldn’t stay here in the future. But despite that, the smile she showed was a beautiful one.
■◆
Huh? Sensei didn’t come to the morning practice today?
Did something happen? Maybe she got a stomachache?
The magic instructor for today’s training was a very ill-tempered old man, but I wouldn’t be discouraged. The old man lent me the book. It’s all the preparation for the time of my awakening!
Spending my day like that,
“Ah! Fay!”
“What?”
“It’s terrible. Actually, it’s blah-blah yadda-yadda!”
Wha, what did you say?! Sensei went berserk?! This was totally an event for me! On top of that, I learned Namikaze just yesterday!!
“Okay, got it.”
I turned into a winner. This was definitely an event where the disciple saves his master from falling to the darkness! Time to go! To the event!
Wow, this would totally be a hot turn of events! To land a finishing blow with the very move that my master taught me to my fallen master. Then I managed to save her that way, it made my heart hot and the thick tofu was cooked (mystery). 1
When I dashed there, Arthur was about to land the finishing blow. That was dangerous, you know? This was my event, okay?
No, really, I couldn’t let my guard down. Arthur and Tlue were trying to steal my spotlight.
Wasn’t it often for such people to exist in fiction? The people who got the first rank in the popularity poll due to that. They acted more protagonist-like than the actual protagonist so it ended up that way. I didn’t really like that kind of development. 2
My principle was to have the protagonist take the best part.
As expected, it was time for me to play an active part!!
Sensei was strong as expected. She was still this strong even though she fell to the darkness, also Arthur and Tlue already shaved her strength to some extent, right?
Wow, she really was strong. It was my first time using an iron sword, though… Well, it would be normal for the protagonist to have such resolve (Diamond mentality).
“Fay, stop it already. You’ll die. We can just fight together—“
“Shut up. Don’t interrupt the battle.”
“Fay… I.”
“Did you not hear what I said? I told you not to interrupt.”
“But if it stays this way, that’s… doesn’t that shoulder hurt?”
“It’s obvious to get wounded. I wouldn’t stay in my path if I couldn’t endure this much.”
Being wounded was basic for a hard working protagonist.
That was why, well, I didn’t mind it since it wasn’t a big deal. It wasn’t like I was gravely wounded anyway, right?
Enduring wounds was also a basic for the protagonist, you know?
“What’s with those eyes? Piss off.”
My spotlight was not to be stolen. This was the event for the disciple.
Ah-, Sensei. Your sword was somehow weird. I said this as your disciple, but it lacked the usual sharpness (mysterious arrogance).
Well, after one thing and another… I was wondering how to pull off Namikaze to end the battle with style and proceeded to do it.
Even though it was the battle against sensei, I somehow felt the sense of mission to end the battle using it.
Not only would it be cool to decide the battle using Namikaze, but it would also likely save sensei from falling into the darkness. Wouldn’t it look cool to decide the match using the very skill she taught her disciple?
To suggest combining our power and barraging her with magic for this situation was a real turn off for me. Since I couldn’t use magic, I couldn’t be active in that.
Haa, haa, it was time for Namikaze, haahaa, I was really itching to use it!
By the end, I did train like performing a crescent slash. I just traced it in my mind and somehow managed to pull it off. So this was the protagonist’s correction…
“It’s my victory. Any complaints?”
“I have none… it’s my total defeat…
Sensei was smiling. Thank you, sensei. I truly felt like a protagonist today.
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It’s hilarious that Fay thinks that what he’s doing is normal without understanding how much of an impact he’s actually had on people and events.
he is just being protagonist he think of, all while not having clear picture of what protagonist is
The contrast between Fay’s perspective and the others, is hilarious!!
that’s the charm of misunderstanding story
Thanks for the chapter! Now I hope see can still stay at the knight’s and teach Fay. *Finger crossed~*
hopefully
I be honest,during the fight between Fay and yururu,my head just automatically play the SRW V Let’s Might Gaine theme
Befitting the hot blooded hero fay envision himself to be and others shall see the fire of hope and justice itself, even with the spoilers by tsukii, it doesn’t detract the sheer awesomeness and badassery of this scene
fay is just being himself, and he indirectly save other that way