The lunch, which had been colored by a somewhat awkward air, finally came to an end. Mika and I were about to head back to Fumika-ane-san’s room to pick up where we left off. After all, bringing up the job market had put a damper on the atmosphere, making it a bit uncomfortable to stay at the table.
However, as we stood up, Fumika-ane-san spoke up to stop us.
"Ah, wait a second, Daiki-kun, Mika-chan."
"What is it, Fumika-ane-san?"
"I know we have more to talk about, but would you mind showing me how you move?"
"How we move?...Ah."
For a moment, I didn't quite catch her meaning, but the realization hit me immediately. I gave her a knowing nod and glanced at Mika. Mika seemed to have caught on as well, turning back to me with an inquisitive look as if asking how we should handle the request.
Essentially, Fumika-ane-san wanted a demonstration of our movements as explorers. Well, they say a picture is worth a thousand words.
"After hearing everything, I’m just curious to see how you two actually move. I mean, you see explorers on TV or in online videos all the time now, but I’ve never seen one in person..."
"Seeing it live is definitely different from watching a screen. The intensity and presence don't even compare. I can see why Fumika-onee-chan is interested..."
"Well, I don't mind, but it might not be that exciting to watch. We can't really cut loose here, so it’ll probably look pretty plain for an explorer's movements..."
Since I didn't want us to stand out too much, the backyard was our only real option. However, if we moved at full speed, this garden wouldn't be nearly big enough. At best, we could manage some light stage combat or practice swings. It might be hard to give her the explorer experience she was hoping for.
"I'm not looking for anything flashy. I just wanted to see a bit of the real thing."
"Hmm, well, if that’s all..."
Plain, yet explorer-like... Maybe some high-speed stage combat? That might be flashy in its own right. With that thought, I looked over at Mika, who was already brimming with enthusiasm.
We’re doing this, then? I asked with my eyes.
"Yeah, let's do it."
"Looks like we’re on, Fumika-ane-san."
"Thank you, Daiki-kun, Mika-chan!"
And so, as a bit of light post-meal exercise, Mika and I headed to the garden for some stage combat.
I should have some practice wooden swords in the car...
I went out to fetch the swords I kept in the car as part of my gear. When I returned to the garden, I found more than just Fumika-ane-san on the veranda. The entire family was waiting, drinks in hand, looking intensely curious for the show to begin.
Wait, since when did this become a spectator sport? Well, I guess it literally is.
"Why is everyone out here?"
"Don't mind us. We just got curious about what kind of stage combat you'd show us after everything you said," Dad answered with a pleasant smile, acting as if it were perfectly natural. I wondered for a second if he’d been drinking, but he seemed completely sober.
Sigh. Well, whatever.
"Here, Mika. Take this."
"Thanks, Onii-chan."
"Ready?"
"Yep, all changed and ready to go."
Mika took the wooden sword. She had swapped her earlier clothes for a T-shirt and shorts—much better for moving around.
"Let's start with a light warm-up. We're probably stiff from the drive."
"Okay!"
After finishing our warm-up, Mika and I took our positions at a set distance and raised our swords. While Mika usually specialized in spears, Juzo-san had hammered it into her that she needed to be proficient with various weapons. He always said, "Don't be picky with your tools. Learn to use whatever's at hand to some degree. It's fine to have a specialty you're confident in, but being unable to fight without a specific weapon is out of the question."
He was right. No matter how much you cherish them, weapons are consumables. Eventually, they reach their limit and break. If that happens mid-combat, you're in trouble. If you can't fight with your bare hands or a makeshift weapon, you won't even be able to protect yourself.
"Mika, I'll take the defensive. Attack however you like. Oh, and keep it down a notch, okay?"
"I know, I know," Mika replied breezily.
By "keeping it down," I meant not snapping the wooden swords or wrecking the yard. If Mika and I clashed with standard wooden swords at full power, they’d likely explode on the first hit. Not to mention, if the splinters flew toward Fumika-ane-san and the others, it would be a disaster.
"Daiki, aren't you going to wear any protection?" Dad asked, looking worried.
"Eh? Ah, it’s just light stage combat today, so we don't really need gear."
"But what if there's a fluke hit? Isn't it dangerous?"
"If I'm facing Mika, I'll be fine."
I offered an easy smile to reassure the spectators. Mika, however, didn't look pleased.
"Eeeh? Are you saying I’m not even a threat to you!?"
"No, no. It’s because we’re from the same school. I can read your movements."
"...Are you sure?"
"Yeah. It’s not like I’m looking down on you."
Mika sighed as if remembering something, then shook her head to clear her thoughts. Her expression sharpened, her focus returning. My slip of the tongue had been the cause, but at least she’d managed to switch gears.
"Mika, we'll start slow and gradually pick up the pace."
"Got it. Here I come!"
"Right. Come on!"
"Yah!"
And with that, we began. Mika’s opening move was a swift step-in followed by a Karatake-giri—a vertical overhead strike—aimed right at my head. I raised my sword with my right hand and, the moment she struck, tilted the blade slightly to parry the blow. The force slid away, guiding her sword clear of my body. A sharp, loud clack of wood on wood echoed through the garden. I winced slightly, dissatisfied with the deflection, while Mika slipped past my side to circle behind me and reset her stance.
But just as she was about to strike again...
"W-Wait! Stop!"
"?" "?"
Dad's panicked voice cut through the air, stopping us in our tracks. Mika and I looked at him with puzzled expressions, surprised by his sudden outburst.
"What’s wrong, Dad? We just started."
"No, no, no, wait just a second, Mika! What was that strike?! To suddenly go for Daiki’s head with that much speed and power!?"
"Speed and power?...I was going pretty slow, actually. Right, Onii-chan?"
"Yeah. She wasn't putting much weight into it either."
"......"
As we gave our nonchalant replies, the spectators were frozen, looks of utter disbelief twitching on their faces. Seeing them like that, Mika and I shared a look before averting our eyes awkwardly. Even though we were moving much slower than during a typical training session, it seemed the sight was still too much for them. Come to think of it, we rarely did this kind of stage combat in the garden at home.
Now, we had two choices: keep going or stop.
"..." "..."
Mika and I exchanged a silent glance, then gripped our swords and resumed the demonstration.
At this point, we might as well go all the way. We’d show them something even more impressive and finish it as if it were nothing, tricking them into thinking this was just standard explorer level. I was a bit worried about what would happen when the truth came out, but we just had to survive the moment.
For a good while after we finished our routine, Dad and the others remained in a daze, looking as if their souls had left their bodies.
Well, I couldn't blame them. The performance ended up being much flashier than originally planned... though we managed to gloss over the specifics.
"Um... Fumika-ane-san?"
"Y-Yes!"
"So, if you become an explorer, you can eventually do things like this... Was it helpful at all?"
"Y-Yeah. It was very helpful..."
"I see. Glad to hear it."
Fumika-ane-san looked a bit traumatized, nodding her head rapidly like a broken toy while offering a strained thank-you.
Showing them that so suddenly might have been a bit too much stimulation...
"Anyway, everyone, we’re done. How long are you going to stay like that?"
"......Huh!?"
When I spoke up with enough force to snap them out of it, they blinked and finally returned to reality. Though, "waking up from a nightmare" might be a more accurate description, especially for my grandparents.
"D-Daiki, Mika..."
"Daiki-kun and Mika-chan are..."
Their jaws were practically on the floor. It made sense; the grandchildren they hadn't seen in a while had just put on a display of superhuman skill. These days, TV specials often feature explorers showing off their techniques, so our performance shouldn't have been that unique to them. But when it's your own family... the shock is on a whole different level.
Mika and I decided to keep the tone light.
"Pretty cool, right, Grandpa, Grandma? We've been training hard since we became explorers!"
"We know someone with a martial arts dojo, and they taught us some flashy stage combat techniques a while back!"
"A-Ah, I see. It was incredible, both of you..."
"Truly a surprise. To think Daiki-kun and Mika-chan could do such amazing things..."
By presenting it like a successful talent show act, we managed to get them to accept it, even if they were still a bit stunned. In reality, it was more like we forced the explanation on them before they could process the situation.
Next, I turned to Uncle Masaru and Aunt Miku, who were looking quite pensive.
"Uncle Masaru, Aunt Miku. What did you think?"
"Eh? Oh... incredible. That’s the only word for it."
"Y-Yeah. Honestly, it was so fast that I couldn't even tell what was happening toward the end."
"Haha, I see... Guess we need to work on making it more visible if we want it to look good."
"If we were in a wider space, we could have used some bigger moves that are easier to follow..."
I steered the conversation toward visual appeal to divert their thoughts from our actual combat power. Once someone's train of thought is interrupted when they're confused or tense, it’s hard for them to get back on track. If we could just keep things vague until the subject changed, we’d be in the clear.
Finally, I turned to my parents... only to see Dad still reeling and Mom letting out a long sigh.
"Um..."
"Daiki, Mika... you two were actually that incredible."
"Sigh... you two really overdid it."
"Haha..."
Dad looked like he was staring into another dimension, but Mom seemed to have some resistance since she occasionally caught us practicing in our garden at home. It felt a bit like Dad had been the only one out of the loop, which made things a little awkward.
It’s not like we were keeping it from him on purpose... the timing just never worked out.
The awkwardness eventually dissipated. Or rather, the need to fill their stomachs took priority over the strange mood.
In front of us, the marbled minotaur meat was sizzling beautifully on the barbecue grill.
"This is amazing!"
"Oh, it’s so delicious!"
"So good!"
"I've never tasted meat like this!"
"It’s so thick, yet it just melts in your mouth!"
My grandparents and my uncle’s family were devouring the souvenir meat with blissful smiles. I suppose humans really do forget their worries once their bellies are full.
"This is truly wonderful. Thank you, Daiki."
"Thanks, Daiki. Man, this is good."
"I just got lucky this time. I won't be able to get it very often."
"It’s a rare drop, after all. Still, it’s been a while, and it’s just as good as I remember! Thanks, Onii-chan!"
My parents beamed as they enjoyed the feast. It seemed the stage combat display had been completely smoothed over by the minotaur meat BBQ. Relieved, I joined in, savoring the barbecue in a surprisingly harmonious atmosphere.
Seriously, I'm so glad I brought that minotaur meat.