I was sold to a dangerous place in order to repay my parents’ debt, and I ended up being bought by a vampire young lady. I became the feed for the beautiful maid.

Tsujizono Isaya’s anger and determination

“Haah!”

With the speed of someone receiving a declaration, Yuto came slashing in, leaving his sound behind.

Against the attack coming down from above, I swung my wooden sword to deflect it.

“Tsk!”

Surprised by having his full-strength blow parried, Yuto furrowed his brow and attacked again. 

This time, it was a diagonal strike… which I deflected with my wooden sword.

He didn’t seem to have expected it to be parried and had his eyes wide open at the unexpected move.

Riding the momentum, I turned my body and stopped the wooden sword just before it hit my neck.

“Don’t underestimate me!”

Realizing that he had been stopped just in time, Yuto expressed his anger and took a step back before attacking again.

He probably thought he could evade with a backstep… 

Too naïve. 

I swung down the stopped wooden sword to counter.

“Ugh…!”

Yuto, whose attack was blocked, let out a sound of agony. 

In close combat, it’s more efficient to deflect, dodge, or parry than to evade.

Not to mention, it reduces vulnerability leaving fewer openings and makes it easier to transition to the next move.

“This can’t be…! I’m the hero!”

Clearly frustrated by the shift in momentum, Yuto denied it recklessly and continued his attacks.

On the other hand, I continued to parry his attacks.

If it were just Yuto attacking and me defending, it would seem like nothing had changed since the beginning.

However, there was a clear difference—Yuto’s expression had lost its composure.

The reason wasn’t that his attacks were being blocked but the difference in power transmitted when his attacks were deflected was causing him to become impatient.

He could tell that he was being pushed back with a power stronger than when he had gone all out, and that was making him increasingly anxious.

Like tightening a loose string, the sense of urgency left him with no room to breathe, narrowing his field of vision.

If I wanted to, I could have defeated Yuto in a single blow, just like he did. However, he could easily make excuses, saying “I wasn’t going all out.”

So, to leave him with no escape, I needed him to go all out first.

The result was a resounding success. 

Even to the spectators, it was clear that the tide had turned.

“The hero is using his true power! And yet!!…”

“What’s wrong, Hero-sama? Not so confident now?”

“Noisy!”

Despite his own chatter before, he now dismissed others’ words as noise. 

Surprisingly, the facade had been removed quite quickly.

To fulfill the young lady’s order, there were still parts that needed to be revealed.

Let’s peel those away now.

“You said you were going to protect Lilith and Hizuki from many enemies…You don’t have to be so overprotective, do you?”

“Don’t joke around! They are beings that need protection—”

“Even though those words to ‘protect’ them are hurting those two more than anything else?”

“What?”

Perhaps because my words were unexpected, Yuto instinctively stopped his attack.

“What are you talking about?”

“First of all, what do you mean by ‘enemy’?”

“It’s obvious! They’re evil people who threaten and harm them!”

“If that’s your reasoning, then you’re one of them.”

“I don’t understand! Why would I, the hero, become a villain!?”

Yuto scoffed at the absurdity of the statement. But from my perspective, he was exactly the one who fit that description.

After all…

“You don’t need to use excuses like ‘because she’s succubus’ or ‘because she’s a half-vampire’ to protect them.”

“That’s ridiculous! They must be troubled by it, don’t you think!?”

“You really don’t get it. By saying things like ‘because she’s succubus’ or ‘because she’s half-vampire,’ it sounds like you’re looking down on them, implying that they’re weak and pitiable creatures in need of protection.”

“Looking down…?”

He seemed bewildered, as if he had no idea what I was talking about.

Well, that makes sense.

After all, he had been saying it unconsciously.

Otherwise, Lilith wouldn’t have been so tormented.

“Giving reasons like ‘that’s just how their species is’ and expecting them to obediently stay quiet because they’re supposedly so weak that they need protection. Being treated as allies in that way hurts far more than any insults.”

That’s tantamount to denying their dignity.

Sakura strives to be human despite persecution as a half-blood vampire.

Lilith continues to yearn for pure love despite the prejudice against succubi.

The words Yuto had been throwing around casually, like ‘must protect’ or ‘must save,’ were the same as disregarding and looking down upon their hearts and efforts.

“N-No! I’m not thinking like that!!”

“Whether you’re thinking it or not, it doesn’t matter from the perspective of those who have been hurt.”

Ignoring something just because you don’t know it is not a valid reason.

“Sakura and Lilith aren’t so weak that they have to be protected at all costs. Just standing by their side, supporting them, and occasionally brushing away any sparks that fly their way is more than enough. Who cares about the world or countless enemies? You should focus on preserving the happiness you have right now.”

It’s definitely not an easy thing to do, but that’s what protection means in my view.

People like him who act self-righteous are just indulging in their own satisfaction.

Oh, speaking of self-satisfaction…

“Hey, do you really love Lilith?”

“What? Why are you stating the obvious? Of course I love her!”

“No, even when I look back at your words and actions, it doesn’t seem that way at all.”

“Don’t talk nonsense! It’s because I love Lilith that I’ve become this strong!!”

Touching the core of his aspiration to become a hero, Yuto vehemently asserted his affection for Lilith.

It was only natural for him to defend that premise, as if it crumbled, his efforts would be in vain. Although, due to my reversal, he was becoming increasingly fragile.

However, even if I reiterated it, he couldn’t believe it anew. After all…

“—Then why didn’t you visit Lilith when she collapsed earlier? It’s not just about visiting her. You didn’t even ask about her condition, you didn’t invite her to study, and most importantly… did you really need to become a hero?”

“Huh?”

Completely caught off guard by the question, Yuto wore a bewildered and foolish expression.

However, I had no intention of laughing at him. Instead, my frustration at his lack of self-awareness continued to grow.

No… it was precisely because of his lack of self-awareness that this distortion was so profoundly unpleasant.

“I could tell you the answer if you want. Yuto, what you truly love isn’t Lilith; it’s yourself. The idea of becoming a cool hero.”

“What!?”

My unequivocal answer seemed deeply unacceptable to him, and Yuto displayed an even greater state of confusion.

The hero syndrome I had learned about from the young lady, the stories I had heard from the viscount, and the numerous words and actions he had taken… When you add them all together, this was the conclusion I reached.

To be precise, it wasn’t that he had absolutely no affection for Lilith.

 It was probably true that he had been attracted to her when they first met as children.

 However, the problem lay in what happened afterward.

In his quest to win Lilith’s favor, Yuto had contracted a severe case of hero syndrome and, over time, defined her as the heroine of his own story, where he was the protagonist..

In his eyes, as the protagonist of his story, he and Lilith were destined to be together, and any other man approaching her was seen as an enemy.

From this twisted sense of entitlement, Yuto ceased to see Lilith as a person. He was so self-absorbed that he never truly paid attention to her. 

If he had looked beyond his own world, he might have noticed her struggles and even rushed to her side before she collapsed or wondered what was bothering her.

Even when he spoke of justice earlier, what Yuto was fixated on wasn’t Lilith’s safety, but his own hero-like existence. 

All I could sense from him was a desire to show off, and he went to great lengths to avoid any losses just because he was a hero.

It was truly a case of putting the cart before the horse.

“If you genuinely wanted to win Lilith’s heart, instead of becoming a hero, you should have focused on persuading the viscount to let you come to Japan as quickly as possible, even if it meant giving up your status as the heir of the viscount’s family. Lilith isn’t a girl who would fall for someone so half-hearted. Don’t underestimate her.”

Yuto Braveheart’s self-love, concealed beneath the guise of a hero, had now been forcefully laid bare, leaving him utterly bewildered and helpless.

There was no need for further words. To resolve this situation quickly, I took a step closer to Yuto.

“W-Wait! Are you seriously going to attack me!?”

“If I don’t, I can’t win.”

“Stop! Stop it! You can’t do that! I’m the heir of the viscount’s family, for heaven’s sake?! Even if you’re the duke’s daughter’s servant, it would be a bad idea to lay a hand on me, wouldn’t it!?”

“Don’t worry. I have permission from your father for a near-death experience.”

“W-What? My kind-hearted father would never say something like that!”

What’s he saying after pushing him to this point?

Truly, he’s a prime example of a child who doesn’t understand their parents’ hearts. 

He had no idea how fortunate he was to have parents much better than those who are ignorant to their children, like mine.

Yuto, in his fearful state, looked so miserable and pitiable that it was hard to believe he was a hero.

“Well, don’t worry. Whether you’re a thief or a murderer, I’m a professional at catching people without killing them. I’ll just give you a good thrashing.”

“D-Don’t come any closer! I’m a hero! Heroes can’t afford to lose!”

In an attempt to dispel his encroaching fear, Yuto’s wooden sword’s blade ignited with magical energy as he raised it above him. 

The magically formed sword of light extended to more than three times its original length.

Undoubtedly, this was Yuto’s ultimate move. 

Against ordinary monsters, it would probably cut through them like tofu.

Well, I’ve said a lot, but…

“Disappear! Shining Bla—”

“I won’t let you involve my precious friends in your hero charade!!”

“—ueffet!?”

Before his supposed finishing move could be unleashed, I instantly slipped into Yuto’s guard and delivered a swift blow to his torso.

 This isn’t an anime or manga; you can’t just leave yourself open to an attack you know is coming. Especially when you’re so full of openings, it’s as if you’re practically inviting the attack.

I drove the wooden sword into his torso and swung him down to the ground.

“Gwaaahh!?”

With Yuto’s back slammed into the ground, an explosive cloud of dust filled the air. 

Shortly after, when the dust settled, the defeated hero lay unconscious with his eyes rolled back. 

He was twitching slightly, indicating that he wasn’t in any life-threatening condition.

「「「「……」」」」

Despite the clear outcome, everyone was speechless. 

It wasn’t surprising considering that I, who had the lowest expectations, had achieved a decisive victory against the hero.

However, if they stayed silent like this, the duel wouldn’t come to an end.

“Hey. He’s clearly unconscious. Someone get a stretcher and take him away.”

『 Wha—!? He, unconscious!! By Yuto Braveheart’s unconsciousness, the winner is Tsujizono Isaya!! Who could have predicted this result?! In the history of Duel Games, the first-ever Earthling champion has emerged!』

The commentator’s passionate call was followed by despairing screams from the men and exuberant  cheers from the women throughout the field.

With my victory, Class 2-C secured the overall victory. I had also fulfilled the young lady’s order to beat up the hero, so I could finally let out a sigh of relief.

Stretching out my arms and loosening my body, I let out a deep sigh.

“Phew… I’m tired.”

I wanted to have a good dream tonight. 

With that thought in mind, I stifled a yawn.

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