Awareness
To practice swordsmanship with Violet-san, the two of us left the guest room we had been in and stepped into the garden of the Rodwell mansion, each holding a wooden sword.
When she was in the guest room, Violet-san wore a black maid outfit, but since we would be moving around, she said a black hooded coat was better. So now she was wearing that hooded black outfit with the hood firmly pulled up.
…When Violet-san wore her maid outfit, she gave off a very gentle air, but facing her now with the hood over her head, I could somehow sense from her very presence just how harsh the life she had lived until now must have been.
While I was feeling a slight tension about that, Violet-san, with her hood drawn over her head, spoke.
“Then, Rodwell-sama… I believe I can teach you much more if you first experience my taking your strikes directly, so would you please attack me with the wooden sword?”
“U-Understood!”
Nodding at her words, I raised my wooden sword toward Violet-san as instructed.
Violet-san did not raise her wooden sword or even take a defensive stance, but instead used her movements to tell me I could start whenever I wished.
“Alright, here I come!”
Shouting that, I kicked off the ground, closed the distance with Violet-san, and immediately swung my wooden sword with technique.
“…!”
But Violet-san deflected it with her wooden sword without moving her feet.
Because of that, I, the one who had attacked, was the one thrown off balance in the direction of her deflection.
Even after that I continued to attack, and though at first Violet-san showed no openings at all, partway through she finally revealed one.
This is it…!
Fired up inside, I went to strike at Violet-san’s opening and knock the wooden sword from her hand… but.
“Wha…!?”
Violet-san spun her whole body, moved back, and evaded it.
Then, landing gracefully, she spoke in a calm voice.
“By receiving your sword directly like this, I was able to clearly understand the habits and weaknesses in your swordplay… so I would like to immediately teach you one thing.”
“Ah! P-Please!”
Just as I started to wonder what exactly she was going to teach me, Violet-san’s figure suddenly vanished from in front of me, and before I knew it, a wooden sword was resting at my neck.
“Eh!?”
Startled by the suddenness of it, I tried to retreat, but just as I thought I bumped into something behind me, I heard Violet-san’s voice by my ear.
“In situations like earlier, when the opponent shows an opening, rather than attacking head-on, you should move to take their back like this.”
Along with hearing that voice, when I turned to look behind me…
“V-Violet-san!?”
There stood Violet-san.
“S-Since when…?”
“This kind of movement is my specialty, so it is fine if you cannot do it right away. But keeping in mind the importance of seizing your opponent’s back will never be to your disadvantage.”
“U-Understood!”
When I said that and nodded, Violet-san lowered the wooden sword from my neck.
Then, Violet-san touched my shoulder and said,
“…Also, Rodwell-sama, you are putting excess strength into your shoulders, which prevents each of your movements from showing their proper speed. You would do well to correct that as well.”
“I-I see! That’s very helpful!”
Feeling her hand on my shoulder made my attention want to drift there, but since she was telling me something so important, I managed to keep my focus and listen intently.
Violet’s Side
“Next, regarding sword technique…”
While seriously giving Lux advice about the sword, Violet was at the same time also thinking of other things.
Though I am not Ojou-sama, being allowed to touch Rodwell-sama’s body does indeed fill my chest with warmth… Still, how exactly are Ojou-sama and Florence-sama approaching Rodwell-sama in order to make him conscious of them as women, I wonder…
Thinking of such things, Violet touched Lux’s hand as she spoke.
“In sword clashes, it is important to grip in a way that applies proper strength here while also allowing the flexibility of the wrist to be used.”
When Violet said that, Lux nodded with a serious look.
The things I am saying are, of course, very serious matters, so I am glad Rodwell-sama listens to me earnestly…
But for Violet, who loved Lux, the fact that he showed no reaction whatsoever even when she touched his shoulder or hand left her with somewhat complicated feelings.
As I thought, in this situation it really is difficult to create that kind of mood… Or is it simply that I am not seen as attractive by Rodwell-sama…? Yet, Ojou-sama…
Even while her mind spun with many thoughts, Violet continued to teach Lux the sword, receive his strikes, and repeat the instruction.
“Haa, haa…”
“You seem tired, Rodwell-sama.”
“S-Sorry… I’m a little exhausted…”
“After swinging a sword for that long, it is only natural.”
At that moment, one idea surfaced within Violet.
If she were to carry it out, perhaps, just like with her own Siana, it might make Lux see her as a woman.
However… compared to Siana, Violet had virtually no tolerance for such things, so even if she went through with what she was now hesitating over, she could not be sure whether she or Lux would be able to stay composed.
But, if there is even a chance Rodwell-sama might come to see me as a woman…
Resolving herself, Violet made a certain proposal to Lux.
“Rodwell-sama, since I believe your whole body must be tired, if you would like… would you care to take a bath together with me?”