Chapter 13: Father

Three months have passed since the incident with the hooligans.

Not much has happened during this time, but still.

I still chatted with Shizuka sometimes, although to be honest, she was always the initiator…

If she needed help, she asked the teachers to borrow only me… Quite often by the way.

Everything turned out quite well with Hirano. After that incident, his school life became much calmer. The Cat did not become friends with me, and it is unlikely that he would want to. It’s just clear that after the events in the toilet, although he is grateful, he is still afraid of me… Well, I don’t blame him for that.

Everything is great with Saeko and during this time we have almost become like husband and wife. And today, on my initiative, I’m going to meet her father. Skills are skills, but I’m still a little nervous.

Master Takeo’s dojo.

In one of the secluded rooms of the dojo, three people were sitting at a table for tea ceremonies.

On one side sat Shiro in traditional Japanese clothes that he had made in advance, since buying them for him was a huge problem.

On the other side of the table sat a man about fifty years old. Black hair in which gray hair is visible, there were quite a few wrinkles on the face. Calm but stern eyes looked at Shiro and scanned every part of his body.

On the right hand of the man sat a girl in traditional clothes. Serenity was visible on her calm face, but her eyes anxiously ran over the men most dear to her in life.

There was an atmosphere of tension and awkwardness in the air.

– So you came to meet me… and also so that I would bless you as a couple? Takeo said calmly.

– Yes, it is. Shiro nodded calmly.

“I’ve heard a lot about you, Yuki Shiro… Both the bad and the good… Let’s have a fight before I decide. –

– OK. –

In the shortest time, the two men stood in front of each other holding the sinai in their hands.

At one point, the fight began. It was different from the fight with Saeko because Takeo, though in great shape, but the years take their toll.

Therefore, the fight was slow, like a game of chess and thoughtful, like a strategy on the battlefield. Basically, there was a competition in the skill of the sword.

If Saeko was like a whirlwind, then her father was more like a snake. He made quick lunges at weak, in his opinion, places, and then retreated.

After a while, Takeo began to get tired and the fight ended in a draw, but everyone understood that Shiro won, who simply did not want to defeat his father-in-law with his daughter.

And it’s better not to start dating like that.

Sitting around the table again, they saw Saeko return with a tea set.

– Let me. – said Shiro, deciding to hold a tea ceremony in order to finish off his father-in-law with his skills.

– Oh~ oh, can you? –

– Yes, and I think well enough. –

– Well, let’s see what you can do then. Takeo said, watching with interest as Shiro began the ceremony.

And there was something to look at, with quick but smooth movements, Shiro began to brew green powdered tea. From the outside, it all looked like a beautiful dance. It was all trance-inducing and hypnotic.

After some time, everyone in the room had a cup of tea.

–Oh… what a lovely tea. He makes it much better than you, Saeko,” the girl’s father said with a smile after trying it.

–I know Father…” she said calmly… But her eyes looked at her Father as if he had betrayed her.

After finishing his tea, Takeo literally became younger… Some wrinkles were smoothed out, and even the hair shone. There was a small pleasant smile on his face, and his eyes were just calm and friendly.

Even the atmosphere has changed from tense and awkward to domestic or even family.

Here it is the real power of tea in the hands of Shiro!

– Okay, you got my approval for a relationship with my daughter. I also hope that you understand that this is tantamount to an engagement? Only death will be a good enough reason for your marriage not to take place… Do you understand? Takeo spoke calmly, squinting at the hero.

– Yes, I understand. Shiro said with all seriousness, looking into his father–in-law’s eyes.

– Okay, you’re a good guy, I hope you become a good husband for my daughter. Takeo said, smiling.

Saeko blushed treacherously and gave her father a reproachful look.

– Just like that? We didn’t even talk much… – Shiro was surprised at Takeo’s quick decision.

Takeo shook his head – What’s there to talk about? You came to ask for my daughter’s hand in marriage, and as she said, you’ve been together for quite a long time… And she certainly has a better understanding of you than I can do. Besides, having had a training fight with you, I can say that you are a good guy. Not even the best guy my daughter can get. –

– That’s it? Just because of the fight? –

– Well … we all know that martial arts basically harden and hone the mind, and then the body. And your skill is just incredible… –

– That is, any man who achieved heights in kendo could get your approval? Shiro asked incredulously.

– Of course not. It’s just that at your age it’s extremely difficult to achieve such heights, rather impossible, and this means that you are extremely strict with yourself and disciplined. Besides, you make very delicious tea…” Takeo said with a smile, sipping the cup again.

In turn, Saeko looked at her father as if he had sold her for a cup of tea…

– OK. Then you don’t mind if Saeko moves in with me. I recently bought a house, it is located near the academy. –

Takeo closed his eyes for a while and thought. After all, leaving two young people in the same house… For about three minutes he thought, weighing the pros and cons.

– OK. I agree that she should move in with you. Anyway, I’m almost always not at home because of traveling. Besides, my daughter is old enough to make her own decisions… Only I have one condition. –

– What is it? –

“I want you to become the master of this dojo when I can’t lead it. He waved his hand around the room.

– What about Saeko? Why wouldn’t she be a dojo master? –

– Saeko is a woman. Takeo shook his head categorically. It was clear that the man was not even considering this option.

– But we are in the modern world and … –

– Traditions are traditions, besides, a woman will never be able to achieve the same as a man in martial arts. Takeo said calmly. Saeko bit her lip sadly, yet she always tried to get better on the path of the sword. To become better than any male friend in order to prove to her father that she is worthy, but having met Shiro… When she met him, she realized that her father was always right.

It’s a pity the girl didn’t know the whole truth about her boyfriend.

– Oh good. I agree. – said the hero. Because he knew that he would definitely never have to become a dojo master… After all, the apocalypse is on the nose.

The evening continued.

Saeko’s father asked Shiro about the past, and also told him about the shameful actions of his daughter, under the indignant remarks of the daughter herself.

Addition.

Sitting in the workshop, I reasoned what kind of ranged weapons I should make. Sword by sword, but it will be faster and more effective.

Onion? No. Maybe a crossbow? Well, unless that Cho-Ko-Well…

And then an idea came to my mind. And why not make an air rifle… For example, “Tihar” from one game.

First we do everything in the drawing, and only then we proceed to the very manufacture of the rifle.

All the important parts are made of special transformed metal. The rest was made from converted plastic.

As a result, the rifle weighs ten kilograms, but thanks to the bonus, it feels just like one… The store holds forty balls. Unfortunately, the bonus did not work for the capacity. Although it would be nice to have four hundred balls in the store…

The ball’s flight speed is nine hundred meters per second…. You can even increase it even more, but then the number of shots before pumping again is reduced. And you don’t need to. That’s enough for the head.

The air tank contained compressed oxygen for five such powerful shots, but thanks to the bonus it increased to fifty.

Air pumping has also improved…Now, in order for the balloon to be full, you only need to pull the lever twice… The power needed for this has also decreased so that even a child can do it now.

And in theory, this is a truly magnificent weapon… Especially with the zombie apocalypse… That’s just the sound of a shot from this thing is such that it already lays the ears and the name “Quiet” for him is more like sarcasm.

Therefore, we had to design and make a special muffler for this bandurina.

The silencer came out great, and thanks to the bonus from the skill, there was no sound from the shot at all.

Now this charm can be called “Tihar”

Then I decided to make a sword for myself and Saeko.

For her, he forged an ordinary katana, and for himself, nodati with a blade 1200 millimeters long, with a proportionally wide blade. Just right for me.

The swords were incredible before, and with the bonus, they are simply divine.

To understand…My nodati cuts through steel of any thickness with almost no resistance.

As you understand, I didn’t stop there and made three Sous-Yari and a Glaive. The latter was for me.

A spear is a weapon of peasants, since any serf could stab even an experienced warrior with such a weapon. I think even Shizuka can kill zombies like that. Especially if the weapon is made by my hands.

And so, it would seem, so little has been done, but I spent all my winter holidays on this…