13 Zastin

After an exhausting and uneventful class, I informed Rito, that I would be meeting up with Lala. I warned him that I might be late as we planned to stroll and sightsee around the town. She was already waiting for me outside the school gate. "Errol!" she called out, her smile radiant. Her shout attracted the attention of a crowd of students, most of whom looked at her with fascination. "Who is she?" one student asked. "I'm not sure, but despite her unusual attire, she looks quite charming," another replied. "She seems to know Yuuki Errol," someone else observed. Amid the murmuring, Lala quickly grabbed my arm and we hurried away. "Come on, Errol! I still need to see where I'll be staying and get my things sorted," she said, her voice loud enough for others to hear. A brave student mustered up the courage to ask her a question. "Excuse me, miss, may I ask what your relationship is with Yuuki Errol?" The question sparked curiosity among the students, as I was not known for being particularly sociable with girls. Although I had been popular since elementary school, I had gradually lost interest in the attention. It felt strange being admired by young girls who knew little about relationships, and as we grew older, the novelty of popularity began to fade. Upon hearing the question, Lala responded with a mischievous smile. "I am his fiancée!" Initially, there was a stunned silence, but it quickly gave way to shock. "What?!" Some of the guys contemplated confronting me, but upon realizing who they would be challenging, they quickly abandoned the idea. After all, who would want to pick a fight with someone who could easily best most of the student body without breaking a sweat? Ignoring the commotion, Lala and I walked away. "Hey, Lala, take it easy," I advised, attempting to calm her down as she was quite energetic. "Oh, sorry," she replied. "No problem. Do you want to go directly to my house, or would you like to spend some time with me? I'm curious to learn more about my so-called fiancée and your home planet," I told her. She looked at me, surprised, but agreed. She seemed genuinely pleased that I showed interest in her home planet. While it's true that I was looking forward to spending time with her, it wasn't just because she was attractive. I was genuinely interested in learning about her home. The manga and anime never provided much detail about her home planet, Deviluke, or any other planets, except for brief glimpses during character flashbacks. We visited a few places, such as the arcade, where we easily shattered most of the high scores thanks to our superior abilities. We chatted about ourselves and lost track of time. Just as we were about to head to my house, we heard someone calling out to Lala. "LALA-SAMA!" "Zastin!" Lala responded. Zastin, a man with greyish hair and blue eyes, was wearing what looked like demonic armor and a cape. He seemed exhausted, as if he had just completed a series of challenging quests. "What a trial this has been. I was arrested by the police, chased by a dog, and even got lost," he sighed. Despite his power, he hadn't used it against anyone, even the dog. He seemed to be a decent person. "But this ends here, Lala-sama. Please return with me to planet Deviluke," he said, his tone serious. "I don't want to go back," Lala retorted, sticking out her tongue in a childlike manner. "But Lala-" "I have a reason," she interrupted, pointing at me with a serious expression. "Errol proposed to me, and I accepted. So now we're engaged." Zastin looked shocked. "So, I will marry Errol and live here on Earth," she declared. Zastin was silent for a moment before responding, "I see. So that's how it is." He seemed to be deep in thought. "I've heard of an Earthling who saved you, who was also incredibly strong for his race. Even some Devilukians might not be able to match his speed," Zastin said, his tone serious. Suddenly, he unsheathed a large sword and pointed it at me. "However, if you wish to marry Lala-sama, you must defeat me," he declared. Observing his posture, I could tell he was formidable. His stance was near flawless. "Well, I don't mind a fight, but what's my reward for winning? As for marrying Lala, that's already settled since she agreed. It's not up to you, your king, or Lala's father. Lala is the one who decided to marry me, and since she chose me and I have her approval, why do I need yours?" I retorted. Upon hearing my words, both Lala and Zastin appeared emotional. Lala looked as if someone finally understood her, while Zastin seemed shocked by my words. "Errol... just like what Errol said, I want to live my life my way. There are still many things I want to do, and one of those is choosing who I am going to marry," Lala confessed, her voice filled with raw emotion. "At first, I thought marrying him was just an excuse for me to stay here, but now... marrying Errol sounds wonderful," she added, her voice softening. Hearing Lala's sincere words and my own, Zastin seemed on the verge of tears, perhaps from regret for not understanding Lala's feelings sooner. "I see... Your words have opened my eyes to my own foolishness for ignoring Lala-sama's wishes. Forgive me, Lala-sama," he apologized, his tone dramatic. He had a flair for the theatrical, as if he were performing in a play. Perhaps he should have joined a drama club while he was on Earth instead of getting involved in manga. I had simply wanted to sound cool, like those anime villains and protagonists who always debated their beliefs while clashing fists and swords. Despite how ridiculous it sounded, I wanted to try it at least once. Zastin's gaze shifted, no longer viewing me as a nuisance but as a potential protector for Lala. "Yuuki Errol, as a man, you are worthy to marry Lala-sama. But as a warrior, I want to see if you have the strength to protect her," he declared. He dashed towards me, slashing his sword at a rapid speed. I sidestepped and countered with a kick, which he blocked using the blunt side of his sword. I then leapt back, having sealed away most of my strength. Zastin was surprisingly fast. If not for my hyper intuition, I might not have been able to dodge and counterattack. I made a mental note to never underestimate a species capable of conquering a galaxy. I wondered how Rito had survived when he was here. Perhaps it was due to his plot armor. Now, Zastin's face bore the hardened expression of a seasoned warrior, not a comedian. He was truly the strongest swordsman in Deviluke. This fight was shaping up to be more interesting than I had anticipated.

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