All right, let's go back to the house.

That's all well and good, but what do you do with this guy you just took down?

　I listen to Eric's words as he looks down at the prone Bram and says, and I think for a moment.

'How about we just take him back to the mansion and he falls asleep in the meadow or something?

No, he's obviously limping.

　Eric is right, Bram is limp with his eyes white from being hit hard on the back of his head by surprise. His expression cannot be said to have fallen asleep because of the comfort of the plain.

　You can't claim that you've fallen asleep or anything like that.

''I think it would be okay if I secretly gave it to Bram's butler.　He seemed to be very personable, and I think he'd handle it well.

　Bram's steward was like a good-natured, gentle old steward, and he was apologetic every time Bram spoke or acted arrogantly or behaved in a way that made him feel bad.

　'I bet he'll do you good if you leave it to him,' said Bram.

'Don't call it handling. When you talk like that, it's like we're trying to hide a body.

　When Eric told me that, I really started to feel like that.

　Well, they are trying to hide something that is not good for them, so maybe it's not a mistake at all.

''Sure, that butler was like that, but it would be unnatural for him to go around the harvest festival without Bram as well.

　Do people really care?　I thought something rude like that, but Bram is a Countess, in case you're wondering. Even if Rah-chan and Alecia didn't care about it, I'm sure Nord Dad and Erna Mother would care about it.

''........It can't be helped. Let's get him up properly.

　It's more of a hassle if you leave it alone and break in in the middle of a harvest festival. I don't want to bring trouble into every fun festival.

　Since Eric will be there to witness the duel, I'll explain it to him here.

'Eric, make sure you explain to him what happened, okay?

You want me to do it?

　Eric looks blatantly uncomfortable when I ask him to do so.

'It would seem humiliating or something to be explained to a defeated opponent, and I thought it would be easier to convince you if it was said by a third party who was a referee.

You're a smooth talker, but you don't seem to have a problem.

These things aren't logical, they're emotional.

　There are no rules in the world that say the right thing and you can win or convince them.

　That is something I understand firsthand from the events of my previous life and from dealing with Elinora sister.

'It seems like a tremendous amount of emotion.

'Maybe I'll ask you to add a mayonnaise dish to my breakfast tomorrow.

All right. We're supposed to be on the same page originally.

　When I added to the food instead of paying for it, Eric's face changed from a sour look to a happy one as he accepted.

　It's really cholos when mayonnaise is involved. He'll just develop a mayonnaise dish and he'll listen to a simple request if it's a simple request.

　I was a hard-headed guy at first, but I've gotten a lot softer.

　I guess that's why mayonnaise is so appealing.

　Thinking to myself, I shake Bram, who is lying on the ground, but he shows no signs of waking up.

　But he didn't seem to wake up at all, so I poured some water made by water magic on his face.

''Whoa!''

　Then Bram, who had been white-eyed, raised his upper body as if he were bouncing.

　Scurrying around, he looked around and widened his eyes when he saw me standing safely.

''........Could it be that I've lost?''

Master Bram lost.

　Eric announced in answer to Bram's words as he muttered in a daze.

''What the hell happened ... as I recall, I slashed at Alfried and then ...''

　He doesn't seem to remember any details due to the impact caused by the back of his head. That's good to hear.

　I suppressed a smirk and made eye contact with Eric to encourage him to continue.

'Master Bram was defeated by a blow from Alfried.

You lost?

I was watching from a distance as a referee, and it was a level cut that I could barely follow with my eyes.

　Stupid, you can muddle through there with a blow or something.

　Sure enough. Bram seemed to feel uncomfortable when he heard the specific means of attack.

'A horizontal cut?　Strangely, my body doesn't hurt anywhere, and for some reason I have pain in the back of my head?

'No, that's not...'

　As soon as Eric was going to rag and mean it, I had no choice but to interrupt him.

It's a technique to neutralize the opponent without hurting them as much as possible. But I'm sorry. As for the back of your head, when Bram-sama was knocked backwards.......

That's enough. That's all you have to say. It's called a sword. There are many different techniques in foreign countries, aren't there? I didn't know I could be easily neutralized and beaten...

　By all accounts, I don't think there is such a convenient technique, but when it comes to exotic techniques, it seemed to be easily accepted. From now on, if I'm in trouble, I'll use an exotic technique. It seems to be useful in some way.

I thought I had been practicing since I lost to Elinora, but I didn't expect to be defeated so spectacularly. I've been thinking of a soft man with no pride as a nobleman who shirks the promise of a duel, but as expected of Elinora's brother. I'm sure he has a lot to say about that.

No, no.

　I was surprised because I had thought that he would be enraged at losing.

　Was it that important for Bram to lose with a sword?

　I don't understand the equation that Elinora sister's brother = strong, but I think that's a big mistake. It's just that Elinora sister is crazy.

''Well then, as far as the duel is concerned, I'll say that I've won.

'Yeah, you can't afford to fight head-on and lose.

　Yeah, me and Eric set it up carefully, and Bram seems to take the result as a frontal break with his swordplay.

　I don't know why. My chest hurts.

　It was as if the gaze from Eric in particular stung my chest with a giggle.

　But this is also something I can live with if I think of it as a way to live a peaceful life.

　If you take a duel as a dangerous thing seriously, no matter how many lives you have, it won't be enough.

　However, there is one thing that worries me as well.

　Will this cause Bram to give up on his sister Elinora?

　He was emotional and blind to his surroundings, and although he had a lot of pride, he wasn't a bad guy at heart.

　It was troublesome because of the Elinora sister's case and the troublesome entanglement with me, but if that is no longer the case, then he's just a boy who seems to be a nobleman.

　He's the odd man out who could take in that Elinora sister. I might be able to support him down the road to a comfortable slow life for me.

'Master Bram, as for Sister Elinora--'

I haven't given up.

　Oh!　So now you're going to approach sister Elinora in a different way!

　And I'm revealed to be delighted, but Bram's next words fizzle out.

'So I'll challenge you again another time.

"...What?　How can that be?

　I don't understand how Bram came up with the idea to get there.

'It's obvious. It was to engage Elinora. But don't worry, I'm not going to challenge you immediately after losing. I'd like to practice for a while, too.

No, you don't need to challenge me to a duel, you can challenge Elinora's sister directly and she will--

'What did I tell you?　That won't convince me. And since I can't beat you, I can't beat Elinora.

　No, that doesn't convince me that I'm being blown up into a duel, either. I mean, there's nothing wrong with that logic, but I think it's too extreme. I don't want you to use me as a stepping stone.

'That would get me in trouble.

'I don't know. I'm having trouble getting engaged to Elinora unless I can defeat you.

　d*mn, this guy is still a pain in the ass.

　I should have made a promise not to challenge him or something before he challenged me to a duel.

"Bram-sama, I've won the duel. Don't you think you have the right to at least ask for a small wish as the victor?

　In accordance with the rules of the nobility, a duel is a fight with something at stake for each other. What the victor says will be obeyed if at all possible.

The Countess challenged you to a duel and lost, and you have nothing to lose?　You don't think you're going to be that proud, do you?

　Eric next to me is looking at me like I'm in the habit of running away from a duel, but I'm ignoring him. I don't have an ounce of aristocratic pride in me.

''Tch ... as long as it's something small. You can't do something I can't do or ask me to give up Elinora, okay?

　It's okay. I'd rather ask for it from here if you're going to take it back.

"My only wish is that...