Please Take Good Care Of Shitoen

Now then.

I stepped into the circle formed by the banquet’s participants.

My father-in-law, who had been waiting, stood there with his arms hanging loose and his feet set shoulder-width apart, looking relaxed.

“With bare hands?”

I asked just to be sure, and he replied, “Naturally.”

Bare hands, huh…

Since I had been sitting until just a moment ago, I let my arms and legs swing loosely to work my joints while observing my father-in-law’s stance.

I hoped he was a striker. The troublesome kind was someone who used joint locks. Just in case, I rolled up my sleeves. If he grabbed them, it would be a nuisance.

The moment I stopped moving, the King of Tania on the dais declared:

“Begin.”

The crowd around us erupted again in cheers. It was all in Tania, but among it, Raul’s shouted encouragement in Tidrosian made me oddly happy.

Just as I started to slowly close the distance… my father-in-law suddenly stepped in and tried to grab my collar.

What the hell, so it really was throws or joint techniques. I slapped his hand down with the edge of my hand and backed away.

But he was persistent. And fast, too. He kept shooting his hands out at incredible speed, trying to seize my collar. Seriously? Was this guy really in his fifties?

Before I knew it, I realized I had done nothing but retreat, and I clicked my tongue. A few more steps back and I would run right into the spectators, so I grabbed the hand reaching for my collar and spun my body around in one motion.

I meant to throw him with a shoulder throw, but instead he clung to me from behind, swept one leg out from under me, and forced me down.

Crap…!

If he got a choke on me like this, I’d go out!

I hastily crawled free and got back to my feet.

But before I could even turn to face him again, he leaped onto my back.

“Wha, what?! So fast?!”

I hurriedly tried to shake him off by swinging my body side to side, but…

“…ghk.”

My breath leaked out at once as he started choking me.

Clinging to my back, my father-in-law locked his legs around my waist and pressed his right arm’s elbow into my neck. What the hell, I didn’t know any close-contact fighting style like this.

Still, his arm was not fully cutting off either my airway or my carotid artery. The unstable footing of hanging off my back from behind seemed to have worked in my favor.

Clicking my tongue, I threw myself backward hard onto the floor and then rolled my body over.

As expected, getting crushed between me and the floor must have driven the air from his lungs.

A muffled groan came from behind me, and the pressure of his arm loosened.

I used that opening to get to my feet, and this time I faced him quickly.

“…Are you a monster or something?”

The rude words slipped out before I could stop them, but… by the time I raised my guard again, my father-in-law had already come flying into range in a fighting stance.

He closed the distance instantly.

What the hell kind of stamina does this old man have?!

Apologizing in my head with a quick Sorry!, I drove a kick straight into the center of his chest. Thud—my father-in-law flew backward.

That finally gave us some space.

There was no time to reset myself, and no time to think up a strategy either. This old man came at you the instant he had the chance.

But then I noticed something.

Apparently, in Tania, they did not use many kicking techniques.

So I drew back my right arm and stepped forward.

My father-in-law guarded his face in defense.

Making it look like I was going to punch.

I twisted my body around and threw a roundhouse kick.

It crashed right into his guard.

An arm and a leg did not hit with the same force.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw his upper body sway.

I followed through with the kicking leg and dropped my hips.

But I did not stop the rotation. From a crouched position, I extended one leg and kicked at my father-in-law’s right ankle.

He had already been off balance, so even that light impact was enough.

My father-in-law dropped to one knee on the floor.

I still did not stop turning. I carried my body another half turn, and this time drove my fist toward the right side of his face—

“Stop.”

Just as I halted it short, the King of Tania’s voice rang out.

“Prince Saryu wins.”

The hall erupted once more. Good grief.

Letting out a relieved breath, I straightened my back. Then I held out a hand to my father-in-law, who was still kneeling on one knee on the floor.

“Thank you for the match.”

My father-in-law broke into a broad smile and took my hand.

Huh. I had thought father and daughter did not resemble each other all that much, but… that smile was exactly the same.

“As expected of you. I concede. Please take good care of Shitoen.”

When my father-in-law stood, he straightened his back properly.

I bowed to him in return, facing him directly.

And once again, the hall burst into cheers.