Malice-less Shaking
This chapter starts from Alma's POV
"Puhaa! The drink after a hard day's work is just the best!"
"...Reina, you sound like an old man."
『Pii.』
"How could you!?"
We're having a breather with juices at the end of the day.
I let that slip out after watching dad drinking a glass of cold ale with the same exact expression as Reina's...
"...I can feel a gaze colder than this ale from my daughter. Must be my mind playing tricks..."
"Ufufu, how can she not when you and Reina-chan look like two peas in a pod. You two are like father and daughter."
"I only have one daughter though?"
"Personally I would love it if Duke-san was my father. Why not tell them that I'm actually your love child?"
"...Dear, what does she mean by that?"
"Don't ask me! Reina-kun, don't joke around about that! What if Lunati took it seriously!"
"Fufu, oh you jest. I would raise your love child like my own if you had one."
"Give me a break Lunati... You'd give me a heart attack..."
Dad sighed with an exasperated look.
Mom knew they were just joking around and played along.
Dad definitely won't do anything as suicidal as cheating on mom. Actually, I can't imagine him loving women other than mom.
"You really trust your husband, don't you."
"Of course I do. He could try cheating on me, I'd just kill him with his affair partner before taking my own life."
"T-that's real heavy love...!!"
"Don't even joke about that, Alma is gonna be left on her own if you did that. Well, I don't see other women besides Lunati as a member of opposite sex though."
"My, look at you flattering me dear... But, you're right, we can't leave Alma by herself. I suppose beating you to half dead will do."
"Or maybe something less violent..."
Mom was blushing a bit as she happily joked back.
The world's strongest couple look like ordinary lovebirds you could find anywhere.
They suit each other so much I feel embarrassed just watching.
"The one holding the rein in our family was the dad, but it's the complete opposite in Alma-san's case, I see."
"Your mom must have been desperate trying to get you out, Reina."
"Ufufufu. You two will understand how a mom feels once you have your own children yourselves. It was a surprise even to me at how far I'm willing to go for my cute as button daughter."
"Moms are real powerhouse ain't they. Gotta say I wish dads coulda have a little more room though."
Mother... Mother huh.
I always believed I would marry someone, have children and build a happily family like my mom without any basis.
I don't even know how to make children.
"Alma-chan especially. It might not be long until you learned to be a mom."
"...What are you talking about."
"I'm sure you're aware of your feelings already? I would like to see my cute grandchildren's faces."
"What are you talking about!"
"Kyaa, how scaary~."
I yelled before I realized.
My face feels hot. I don't understand myself why it's so embarrassing to me.
Seeing mom smiling looking at my state makes it even worse.
"Lunati, don't tease her too much."
"Yeppers. Besides, those two haven't even kissed. Me think grandchild is still ways off."
"Really now? That's a shame. I'm about 70% serious too."
"That makes it worse... Heck, that's hella skewed ratio."
"...Well, he did pai-touch her during one of practice sessions tho'."
"G I M M E D E T A I L."
"Hiii! D-Duke-san! Your eyes, they're bloodshot!!"
"My my, I suppose it really won't be long now."
Dad went berserk again thanks to Reina's irresponsible remark.
Mom is looking at them with a smile. Please stop those two.
<TLN: Catch the latest updates and edits at Sousetsuka .com >
~~~~~~~~~~Kajikawa Hikaru's POV~~~~~~~~~~
"...."
"...."
Fake Alma has her sword out with her usual expressionless face.
Yep, I know it's a fake yet I'm still greatly shaken.
Do we really have no other choice but to fight...?
"Hikaru, why don't you heal yourself?"
"...I drank a potion already. I'm fine."
"Okay."
...The fake was worried about my well being with Alma's face and voice.
This is just nasty. In poor taste. Really, what a distasteful magic beast.
This thing likely has Alma's memory and personality fully replicated too, and not just my perceptions of her.
Hence, her worry must be genuine, not at all an acting.
Which makes it all the nastier. I would rather her acting mean and condescending yet the thing showed no sign of that.
Excluding the fact that she's standing on my way, everything about her makes me see her as if she's Alma herself. And it's not a matter of logic.
"Just to be sure, is there a way to proceed ahead without fighting you..."
"Nope. I'm this Floor's boss. You can't get to Floor 21 if you don't beat the boss. The door here is especially sturdy not even Demon King could break it."
"...I see."
This Alma seems to be aware that she's not the real thing as she divulged the mechanism here.
This is the worst. Really the very worst.
"I'm sorry, Hikaru. I should have taken my own life here but my body won't follow my orders when I try to."
"D, don't do it. You don't have to go that far!"
"I also can't let you win without resistance. My hand took my sword on its own. So, Hikaru... Fight, me. Defeat, me."
"...Ah, dammit! Okay fine, I just gotta do it dammit!"
"...Sorry."
Don't apologize! It makes me feel even worse!
Don't cliches like this usually have the fake act all bad to shake me up!
No, in a way, this is way more damaging to my heart.
I'd not hesitate to beat this thing up if it provoked me while laughing evilly using her face, but having the usual Alma just be there is far more effective as a mental attack.
I don't want to fight if I could help it. But I can't keep going if I don't.
Hitting a dead end here risks Demon King finding and killing me for good. Then the harm would definitely extend to Alma and the others in a not so distant future.
I cannot let that happen, no matter what.
"...Here I come!"
"Un...!"
I steeled my resolved and faced Alma.
...I'll at least make it as painless as possible--
"Fsh!"
"!!?"
Alma's sword showed up right before my face in the blink of an eye.
This is her 『Finisher』! It's gotten way faster than that time at the tourney!
<<Almatina's current Level is 60. She has greatly leveled up since her separation from Kajikawa Hikaru. Her new strength has been replicated as well.>>
F, for real. Can anyone get this strong that fast without even going in a dungeon!?
Heck, she might actually be faster than Oni-sensei!
"Raa!!"
"Haa!"
Metallic clashing sound resounded every time my blade hand met her black sword.
It's heavy...! The weights behind these swings rival that of Alma Papa's!
She might get me if I'm not careful. Shouldn't have expected less.
"Fh! Ha! Taa!!"
"Hngah!!"
She mixed in martial arts and Offensive Magic in between her slashes, giving me no time to catch my breath.
She used Energy Control only when she moved her limbs to minimize consumption and explosively raised the buff whenever she found the right moment. I was astonished at how meticulous she was.
She's aware that she can't win if she just buffs randomly.
I can feel her earnest wish to win against me in her attacks.
"Haaa!!"
"Woo!?"
S-she even drove in a Pile Bunker when I was kicking!?
Can't believe she'd aim for my focal leg while my other leg was up in the air and swept me off the ground.
It seems Alma has perfected her fighting style as well.
But, still too naive!
I may have lost my balance, but I simply use Mana Flight to forcefully get it back!
Followed by a charge attack!
"Daaaa!!"
"Auuu!?"
I carried Alma with me as I kept flying ahead.
I'm gonna slam her into the wall and end this!
"Not, happening!"
"Uwao!?"
But my flight was cut short and I fell off the air.
Alma seemed to have wrapped hardened mana on herself and put a brake on it.
...Oy, oy, are you saying Alma has even learned Mana Flight!? What an incredible growth rate...!
As a result.
"Ah..."
"E,err..."
...We ended up in a position where I pushed Alma down.
Alma's face reddened up with a dumbfounded look.
N-no. This is situation critical even if the other party is a fake!
"S, sorry...! I'll get off you now...!"
"U, un..."
Both of us bashfully and hurriedly got away from each other.
...What's with this awkward atmosphere! I can't believe it'd even go for my mental!
Alma, I'm sorry. She may be fake, but I just cannot, not see her as you...
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