LSPL Chapter 3 – Out of the Fire and Right Back to the Frying Pan

Author’s Note: And it’s here. If you read a certain post I made, you would know that it almost didn’t happen. Also, sorry for the first paragraph pretty much being one word repeated. Anywho, please enjoy?

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Chapter 3 – Out of the Fire and Right Back to the Frying Pan

No! No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, NO!!! There is no way in hell that she’s the Miyuki I know. I mean, I died seventeen years ago. She had to have been at least twelve when I died. There’s no way that she can only be seventeen!

“Excuse me, what did you say your name was?”

“Miyuki Fujiwara.” (Miyuki)

“And how old are you?”

“I am seventeen years old, Niko-san.” (Miyuki)

“Miyuki, what have I told you about using honorifics from your homeland?” (Ana)

“Oh, sorry.” (Miyuki)

Dammit! I can’t ask too many personal questions without revealing the fact that I’m a reincarnated person with all my memories intact. Wait… I can ask something casually and not reveal the truth about myself.

“Any siblings?”

“Fool, why are you so heartless? This girl lost everything when she became the hero.” (Ana)

“It’s alright, Ana-ch– I mean Ana.” (Miyuki)

So she’s trying to stop it with the Japanese honorifics that she was bread with from birth after all.

“How can it be all right? He’s just being rude.” (Ana)

As much as I hate to agree with the Princess when she insults me, she’s right. I am being rude.

“It’s just a normal question. Anyway Niko-sa– I mean Niko, I have no siblings.” (Miyuki)

YES! She must be a different Miyuki after all.

“My older brother Katsu died when I was twelve.” (Miyuki)

What the actual fuck!? There is no way that there were two guys named Katsu Fujiwara that had a little sister named Miyuki and died when said little sisters were twelve. This isn’t happening.

“I see… sorry for your loss.”

“It’s all right, I’ve had at least five years to get over it. Even if I still look at an old picture of the two of us and cry sometimes.” (Miyuki)

Okay… now I feel bad. But wait a moment…

“A picture?”

“Oh, it’s something like a painting. Here, take a look.” (Miyuki)

That’s right, she sees me as someone who was born in this world. So she doesn’t know that I know what a photograph is. But when she showed me the picture, I felt as if I really did step on my own grave. I remembered it too well. It was taken on an old Polaroid camera, my past self with a younger Miyuki when she requested that I take her to what was my final Obon Festival. What was even more scary was that I remembered the wish she said she made at the shrine in the background, something that I thought she was joking about. She wanted to marry her Onii-chan!

“He’s an… interesting character.”

“Scary is more like it.” (Ana)

“I’d say…” (Chloe)

Those two don’t know that their words are literally stabbing me right now. Is that how girls really thought of me in my past life? I mean… I wasn’t exactly the best looking guy out there. But still… it hurts hearing their words!

“Onii-chan’s not scary!” (Miyuki)

Oh, thank goodness that someone is defending my past self. Even if it is my former sister with a brother complex.

“He’s the most kind person in the world! He would always spoil Miyuki, comfort her when she was down, allowing her to sit on his lap when we watched television, and letting her sleep in his bed!” (Miyuki)

And now she’s making me sound like I had both a lolita and a sister complex. Even if she were defending me, those words stabbed me almost as much as both the Princess and Chloe’s comments on how scary I looked. I couldn’t hold it in.

“Just… stop it… all of you…”

“Niko, are you all right?” (Chloe)

“I’m fine…”

Hopefully they will leave it at that. But still… how can Miyuki be only seventeen? She should be at least twenty-nine by now? I was hoping that she would’ve found a guy who wasn’t me, married him, and had one or two kids by now. Don’t tell me… there’s a difference in the flow of time between this and my original world? That would explain how Sir Fredrick’s sister could have been Amelia Earheart, she disappeared a few years before Japan bombed Pearl Harbor. But no matter how I think about it… I can’t figure out the time differentials between both worlds!!!

“He might just be hungry? It is lunch time after all.” (Miyuki)

Come to think of it… I hadn’t eaten all day. It was still morning when I ran into Chloe, and I was originally passing by the orphanage on my way to get something to snack on.

“That would explain how the fool ended up with motion sickness.” (Ana)

“Yeah… that’s it. I just need some grub.”

“In that case, could you please wait as I prepare some lunch?” (Chloe)

Oh Chloe, you are like an angel right now. At least compared to her royal highness. If it weren’t for the fact I plan on refusing this job and leaving tomorrow, I know I wouldn’t pick the Princess to be my bride. Speaking of the job…

“Where’s Sir Fredrick?”

“Oh, he left already.” (Ana)

“What!?”

“That was his carriage we rode inside of. He left after we entered the mansion because Miyuki cannot stand to be around him.” (Ana)

I immediately ran outside to see that the carriage was indeed gone. I couldn’t hold it in.

“That bastard!!! This is entrapment!!!”

“No need to yell like a fool, you fool.” (Ana)

She just had to follow me out here…

“And why not? That bastard just left me here.”

“So?” (Ana)

Really?

“Look, I’ve already said that I’m not taking the job. I’d only meet with the hero, that was all.”

“And spend the night.” (Ana)

Crap… I forgot that was the main reason I came here. I had no where to stay tonight.

“I can’t spend the night here after all.”

“And why not?”

Dammit, how am I going to explain this? I cannot tell her that I was the reincarnation of Miyuki’s older brother. If I said that, she would call me a fool. The worst part was imagining if Miyuki believed it. On second thought, I don’t even wanna imagine it! That girl would revert to how she was and become a totally useless hero. Not to mention, I would become some dirty old man in Chloe’s eyes. Oh fuck my life.

“Because… I think this place is haunted?”

As in haunted by my little sister from my past life!

“You really are a fool if you believe in ghosts. Look, could you please at least watch her take my magic lesson after lunch before coming up with some other foolish excuse?” (Ana)

Dammit, that didn’t work. Calm down… there has to be a way? Crap, the only way to get through with this is to tough it out!

“Fine… I’ll watch…”

“Why are you shivering, fool?” (Ana)

“Because… I’m a fool?”

Dammit, all that’s going to do is appease her!

“It doesn’t seem that way. Are you hiding something, fool?” (Ana)

And all that did was make her curious.

“Not really. Just messing around.”

All I could do was an awkward laugh. Man… I’m pathetic.

“Hey, what’s going on?” (Miyuki)

“Oh, nothing. Just a fool being a fool.” (Ana)

“What she said.”

“Whatever, Chloe says lunch is ready.” (Miyuki)

For once, I was glad to have Miyuki around. I mean, I was actually happy to see her after all this time, even with the surprises. But I could not show it. I mean, it would be creepy for some guy you just met claim to be your reincarnated big brother. Any normal person would just think you’re crazy. Then again… Miyuki is anything but a normal person.

Lunch was actually ham sandwiches. Apparently there was some smoked meats in the supplies brought to the mansion. And Chloe remembered to leave the tomatoes out of mine. Oh how she would make a good wife…

“Thanks a ton, Chloe.”

“It’s really no problem. You always had difficulties with tomatoes, Niko.” (Chloe)

“So the fool cannot stand tomatoes? What a fool.” (Ana)

“Says the girl with no lettuce on her sandwich?”

“That’s… different, you fool!” (Ana)

“How is it different? It’s still a veggie?”

“Actually, tomatoes are a fruit.” (Miyuki)

That’s it, I had to put my foot down. I stood up and spoke my mind.

“No they are not fruits. Tomatoes are veggies.”

“They grow on vines, right? So they are fruits.” (Miyuki)

“Take it back.”

“Huh?” (Miyuki)

“How can anything so disgusting be a fruit!? Apologize to all the actual fruits, right now!”

I didn’t mean to raise my voice, but even in my old life I refused to believe that tomatoes were fruits. I grew up most of my life with them being called vegetables. When the thing about them being a fruit started, I could not stand it. Just like I couldn’t stand Pluto being demoted from being an actual planet.

“Niko, why did you have to argue that?” (Chloe)

“Eh?”

I then looked at Miyuki. And then I started to panic because she looked like she would start to cry.

“I’m sorry.”

“It’s… all right. My brother was the same way.” (Miyuki)

“Eh?”

“He would passionately argue that tomatoes were not fruits. I’m actually happy to hear what you just said.” (Miyuki)

Crap… I forgot about trying to temporarily changing my habits! Even if I’m a different person on the outside, I’m still Katsu Fujiwara on the inside!

“Thank you, Niko.” (Miyuki)

And right there, the image of a younger Miyuki formed in my head. I face palmed in order to get it out of there.

“Whatever.”

“You even carry yourself like he did.” (Miyuki)

Oh come on! Was she really paying enough attention to me before I died to remember how I carry myself!? Wait… do I even have to ask? Mom and dad feared her brother complex more than I did. It wasn’t until the Obon that the picture she still carries was taken that I started to truly fear it. I feel like my death was in vain…

“It’s probably just a coincidence?”

“Probably. I mean, onii-chan was way more handsome.” (Miyuki)

What the fuck!?

“For once I pity you, fool. Being compared to something like that as being the lower, that is just sad.” (Ana)

That stabbing feeling… it’s returning.

“Hey, no man can ever compare to onii-chan! Take it back, Ana!” (Miyuki)

“How about the two of you stop!”

I couldn’t take it, I had to raise my voice again.

“Niko?” (Miyuki)

“Fool?” (Ana)

“Look… if you’re gonna be teacher and student, then try not to fight. It should be a bond of trust between master and pupil, something that cannot be forged if you start fighting before lessons. Princess, you should be more careful of your words. Miyuki, you need to not get offended so easily. Got it?”

And how did I end up lecturing those two? Just what the hell is wrong with me?

“Fool, you might not just be a fool after all? Miyuki, I am sorry.” (Ana)

“Same here, Ana. I’m sure that my big brother wouldn’t want to see me fighting because of him.” (Miyuki)

They then hugged it out. Seriously? Well… Miyuki was more right than she knows. I don’t want her to fight because of me. Especially… since it’s her brother complex that’s to blame.

“Niko, I am glad that you became my teacher.” (Miyuki)

“What?”

“I’m serious. Most of the people at the palace were too strict and stiff. But you, you’re more like my big brother. Willing to scold me when I need it the most, correct me when I’m in the wrong, stuff that a big brother normally does. I look forward to learning from you, Niko-sensei.” (Miyuki)

Oh hell no!

“I’m not your sensei, I haven’t even accepted the job yet.”

“Niko… what’s a ‘sin-say’?” (Chloe)

Crap… I used a little Japanese there.

“A sensei is basically a teacher. Students normally address their teachers by adding ‘sensei’ after their names in Japan.” (Miyuki)

“Wait… just how did the fool know what that word means?” (Ana)

Dammit, now they are all looking at me with curiosity. Time to see if this will throw them off my trail.

“I… had a hunch?”

“That explains it, even fools can have good hunches.” (Ana)

“Princess, Niko is not really a fool.” (Chloe)

“Yeah, Niko-sensei is clever.” (Miyuki)

At least it worked? I mean, I was close to sweating bullets for a moment there. But I had to get one thing straightened out first.

“Miyuki, do not add ‘sensei’ to my name. I’m just Niko, all there is too it. Got it?”

“Yes, sir.” (Miyuki)

Good… very good. Hopefully getting her out of her Japanese honorifics will be a huge step.

“All right then. Anyway, you have a lesson with the Princess soon. I will be watching. Depending on how you do, I’ll take the job at teaching you how to control ki and mana simultaneously, got it?”

“Yes, sir.”

All I could see were both Chloe and the Princess look at me a little differently. Well… Chloe used to look at me with some admiration when we were kids. But the Princess… this was a different story. I don’t think I will ever get used to it? Oh well, only time will tell.

Not long after, I saw the Princess give Miyuki her lesson. So far… it doesn’t seem like she has too much trouble with controlling her mana. But what had me off guard was that the Princess was teaching her verbal spells. There are two types of spells in this world, verbal and non-verbal. Using non-verbal spells is actually an advanced form of magic. I knew that the Princess was skilled from that fireball she almost threw at me earlier. Since Miyuki had only been here a month, I could only guess that she hadn’t advanced that far yet.

“All right Miyuki, use the a lightning spell on that tree.” (Ana)

“Yes, your highness.” (Miyuki)

Miyuki then looked towards the tree that the Princess pointed out to and prepared her training wand.

“Hammer of the gods… I beseech thee, strike my target with all your might. Lightning Blast!” (Miyuki)

Lightning then flew from the tip of her wand and struck the tree. It caught fire as it fell down. The Princess then used a water spell to extinguish the flames.

“Not too bad. However, you still need to work on your timing. Not to mention that you used too much mana for a spell that took so long to cast. We need to work on that as well.” (Ana)

“Yes, your highness.” (Miyuki)

“So far you seem to have a good student, Princess. She doesn’t even call you by your name when she answers.”

“Well of course, you fool. That’s because I’m an excellent teacher.” (Ana)

“Whatever. I do agree that was too much mana for such a long casting of a simple spell. But… do you know what creatures roam these woods?”

“Not really. But why are you asking, fool?” (Ana)

Right there, there was a mighty roar.

“What… was that?” (Ana)

“Something a so-called excellent teacher should had put into prospective. When you’re training in the woods, you should be sure you know what’s lurking there. And so far… it seems that knocking down a tree woke something up.”

The next thing we knew, trees were getting knocked over. And the path of destruction… was heading our way.

“Princess… if I get killed because of your ill-prepared teachings, I’ll be sure to haunt you.”

“Oh please, I’m sure that whatever is out there can be vanquished by myself. Not to mention, our hero might get some actual combat experience?” (Ana)

“Wait… you mean to tell me that she hasn’t actually fought anything yet?”

“Sorry, but I have not.” (Miyuki)

What the actual fuck!?

“Are you serious!?”

“As I said, I can vanquish our foe–” (Ana)

She immediately got interrupted by what seemed to be a slice of wind that barely missed her and chopped down another tree. The creature that came from the direction of the wind blade, was something I didn’t want to ever encounter. A bear, but not your ordinary bear. This thing’s fur was red as blood. Not to mention… it had armor made from bones. A creature of so much power that it shouldn’t even be this close to Wintergreen Village; a Gore Grizzly.

“Are you fucking kidding me…”

I was seriously scared. I have never seen a Gore Grizzly this close before. Just… why me?

“So… you said that you would vanquish it?”

“Fool… remind me to kill you if we survive this.” (Ana)

While it looked like neither one of us were going to attack, Miyuki seemed to have something else in mind.

“Hammer of the gods… I beseech thee–”

The Gore Grizzly sensed what was going to happen and shot another blade of wind in Miyuki’s direction. The Princess seemed to caught what was about to happen to Miyuki and rushed in front of her to deploy a barrier. The blade of wind and the barrier collided with an explosion that shook the very ground we all stood on.

“Miyuki, what were you thinking!?” (Ana)

“Well… neither you or Niko were about to do anything. So I thought–” (Miyuki)

“That’s foolish! Gore Grizzlies are very vicious creatures, and that one was about to slice you in half for preparing that spell!” (Ana)

“I’m very sorry, Ana. I just wanted to prove myself.” (Miyuki)

“Well, think before you cast spells. And pray that we survive this.” (Ana)

The Gore Grizzly then charged at the still deployed barrier and started hacking away at it with it’s claws. This was not looking good at all. Chloe had already rushed out the door with a rapier in hand, but then saw what was happening.

“Chloe, don’t tell me that you’re willing to fight a Gore Grizzly with such a thin blade?”

“I didn’t know it was a Gore Grizzly. I thought that roar came from a normal bear and didn’t pay any mind until I heard that explosion. Niko, I do not think even with my skills with the blade that I can face such a creature. If only I had a great ax…” (Chloe)

“Wait… I didn’t even know that you could use a sword.”

“I had to learn the ways of the blade as part of my job of being her highness’ personal maid. Other than cleaning up after her, serving her food and drink, and dressing her, I also had to learn how to protect her in case of emergency.” (Chloe)

Damn… how harsh was her training? That old bastard… I will never forgive him for picking Chloe of all girls to be that royal pain’s personal maid!

“I don’t think that you can protect her with that sword. Are there any other weapons?”

“I’m afraid not. No one expected such a powerful beast to be here. Niko, is there anything we can do to protect her highness and the hero?” (Chloe)

Dammit!!! What the hell can I do right now!? That’s a damn Gore Grizzly out there! And it doesn’t look like the Princess can hold out much longer. I’m only used to fighting humans, and I haven’t even killed one.

“What do you expect me to do? I’m a bounty hunter, not a monster hunter.”

“In that case… I am prepared to give my life to save her highness.” (Chloe)

“What!?”

“Niko, please get her highness and the hero as far away from here as possible when I get my first strike in?” (Chloe)

Oh crap, what can I do? I can’t let Chloe sacrifice herself for that royal pain of all people!

Right there, the barrier broke. But out of everything, I could only hear one voice, Miyuki’s.

“Onni-chan!!!” (Miyuki)

“Oh fuck my life.”

I charged in with a fist full of ki. My speed increased due to the ki I channeled into the heels of my feet. When I was learning how to be a Punching Wizard, I learned everything possible when it comes to ki control. Including a certain speed boosting technique mainly used by Mystic Lancers. But the name… it’s so embarrassing that I learned the silent version. Anyway, the principle behind it is for a straight charge into your enemy. Normally, it is not recommended to use it while using a different ki attack at the same time. However… I learned enough to not have to worry as much. The price isn’t too bad to pay either, you just end up very hungry afterward. But anyway, the ki induced fist hit the left side of the Gore Grizzly’s face, causing it to fly into another tree.

“Are you two alright?”

“We’re… fine.” (Ana)

“What.. was that?” (Miyuki)

I guess it’s time to finally spill what I just did.

“I filled my fist with ki before striking the bear. The reason I moved so fast… was Bullet Number Three.”

“Wait… you can use Bullet Number Three, fool?” (Ana)

“Wait… what’s this Bullet Number Three thing? And why not call it something like ‘Third Bullet’?” (Miyuki)

And that’s why I think it’s embarrassing , because it could be mistaken for a certain anime protagonist’s “Bullet” attacks,

“Bullet Number Three is a ki move meant for acceleration. However, it is hard to control the direction you move in. That’s why it’s normally used by Mystic Lancers for their charge attacks on foot. But I have never seen it done by someone who is not a Mystic Lancer. Or even in tandem with another ki attack.” (Ana)

“You there, brat.”

“Wait… are you talking about Miyuki? Miyuki is not a brat! Miyuki’s the same age as you!” (Miyuki)

Did she have to slip into speaking about herself in third person?

“By that display, you are a brat if you can only call for your older brother. Now, let’s get to your first lesson.”

I could see her pout, but I didn’t care. I looked right at the recovering Gore Grizzly.

“The first thing you should know is that to control both ki and mana simultaneously, you must know how to control both individually. How far are you into controlling your ki?”

“I’m… still not that good.” (Miyuki)

“In that case, let me show you what happens if you can control it as well as I can.”

I didn’t look away from the Gore Grizzly the whole time. I focused ki into my fist again. As if I were shadow boxing, I threw a fist. The ki flew from my fist and hit the Gore Grizzly’s face, knocking it back down.

“That was Bullet Number Two, also called ‘Flying Fist’. Or ‘Flying Kick’ if you use it with a kick. The result is that your ki attacks the opponent from a distance with the same force that it would’ve had if you hit them with a punch or kick filled with ki. However, that one is normally exclusive to Punching Wizards like myself. But even if you end up being a Magic Swordsman, the kick version might come in handy.”

The Gore Grizzly got back up. This time, I focused mana into my fist along with the ki. Again, I punched as if I were shadow boxing. But instead of a pure attack of ki, it’s head ended up entrapped in ice.

“That was Ice Bullet, an ice spell. Unlike the numbered bullet attacks, this one is used with mana. It’s basically the same as using a standard spell, but focusing it to a certain point in your body instead of using an object like say a wand, a staff, or a bladed weapon. Normally, this attack isn’t meant to be thrown using Bullet Number Two. But I figured out a way to do it.”

Now the Gore Grizzly was about to go berserk. Time to finish it. I went back into a boxing stance before shadow boxing continuous punches. Each one was one of my custom Bullet Number Twos with a different element mixed in to them. I didn’t stop until the Gore Grizzly fell from the exhaustion from too many different bullets.

“Now, time for a different approach. Chloe, it’s your turn.”

Chloe had just stood there in amazement until I called for her. She got the hint and threw some ki into the rapier she wielded before finishing off the Gore Grizzly by decapitation. I could see Miyuki being dumbstruck, as if this were the first time she seen anything killed.

“I take it that this is the first time you have seen a monster lose it’s life?”

“It is.” (Miyuki)

“Get used to it.”

“But…” (Miyuki)

“No buts. No one can hold your hand forever. You have to learn that the world is an unfair place. Now, stand up. I refuse to become the teacher of a little girl who refuses to fight.”

She then got up. After walking in front of me, she spoke.

“I know that the world can be an unfair place. However… you are right. I need to get stronger, I need to fight. So please… take me as your pupil!?” (Miyuki)

Wait… did she just do a dogeza? I know that she’s no longer my little sister by a technicality, but I didn’t want her to beg like this. Especially to me.

“Fine, I’ll be your teacher. Now get up.”

She got up as asked. I ended up patting her on the head, which was a big mistake on my part.

“Niko, you’re just like my big brother. I look forward to your lessons.” (Miyuki)

Oh fuck my life!!!

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After Note: Believe it or not, this chapter was actually 13 pages on Libre Office Writer. And that was thanks to Niko’s final “Oh fuck my life!!!”. Seriously, that’s all that’s on thirteenth page. And yes, I reused assets from LGDK. I couldn’t think of a new creature, so I figured a Gore Grizzly would be good enough to frighten the inexperienced cast. But what will happen now that Miyuki thinks that she might have a surrogate big brother? Find out next time. Oh, don’t forget to read the third part of The History of Lost Justice.

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