Episode 171
I can recognize ‘him’.
Even if you hide your identity with a fake face that is close to perfection.
“Sword Grand Prix! Do you start now?
all!”
“Waaaa!”
Even if Altain is buried among the crowd of spectators who are screaming as if they are going to leave.
‘that person.
The gaze of the Crown Prince, Schomertan Reinak, is clearly discernible.
Even if you don’t use the spiritual power to break lies and covenants.
You can tell without Strang telling you.
Somewhere between crazy obsession and playfulness.
A tightrope walk on the border of two emotions
His unique gaze was explicitly asking me questions.
‘Why did you come here?’
I smiled brightly in response.
Why did you come?
* * *
The Sword Grand Prix has begun.
A place where talented knights in training gather together and compete against each other to show off their talents.
The only person participating in this competition as the kingdom’s representative is my younger sister, Ruina.
“Why are you more nervous?”
As Ruina said, why was I more nervous?
Maybe it’s because of those gazes that are persistently following me.
I shrugged my shoulders as if to tell Ruina not to worry.
“There is only one thing I wish for.”
“What?”
“It’s okay if I lose the competition. Ruina yes
It’s okay even if you don’t win. However, I hope you can get through this competition safely.”
“safely? “Isn’t this a friendly match being played safely with all the protective equipment?”
“Yes, I know.”
“… … what. What’s going on?”
I shook my head.
However, my gaze was on the other side of the stadium.
I turned to the man who was watching me with strange eyes.
He is the crown prince.
Normally, the Sword Grand Prix schedule of about two weeks would be over.
With only one final final left to go, the Crown Prince was scheduled to formally attend to praise the winner.
He hid his true face behind a mask and appeared in Altain from the first day of the competition.
Of course, people wouldn’t even dream that it was the crown prince.
The purpose can be clearly guessed.
came to see me
So, what should I do?
For now, I plan to respond to his rhythm.
I stood up, making eye contact with the crown prince.
Then the crown prince also stood up from his seat.
“Luin?”
“Oppa, where are you going?”
“Yeah, I’ll be right back.”
“Where are you going?”
“… … restroom.”
Ruina pouted her lips as if she was annoyed by my answer.
“What, you were really nervous earlier. “Go quickly.”
“O” “O’.
Everyone except Ruina knows this.
That I’m not going to the bathroom.
Lord Bolvar stood up and spoke.
“young master. “I will follow you too.”
I shook my head and said to Lord Bolvar.
“It will only take a moment. Ruina I will definitely be back before the game starts. Sir, please protect Ruina and her side.”
“… … All right.”
Where I was headed was outside the stadium.
Corridor of Altane Stadium.
“Let’s start the first match! The chief knight of the temple training center that the empire is proud of! Hellsk Baton vs Paltheon
From the highlands of… …
“Let’s begin!”
“Heh, Hellsk Baton! You’re the favorite!
“Waaaa!”
Just then, the first game started, and the people in the hallway began to enter the stadium at once.
This is because it was a ‘big match’ in which the ‘winner candidate’ appeared from the first game.
The stadium started to heat up.
Because of this, the hallway becomes empty in an instant.
I threw it away.
So much so that I could even feel the footsteps of how many people were following me.
‘Three people.’
After walking like that for a while, I suddenly stopped after confirming that there was no one around.
When I looked back, the two knights (the Crown Prince who was being escorted by Japan) smiled brightly, revealing their ‘true faces’.
I bowed my head slightly to him.
“… … long time no see. “Prince.”
“Hmm, I guess you knew. “I like you because you’re quick-witted.”
I didn’t laugh.
“I will not show any formal courtesy.”
“Yeah, I don’t want that either.”
Instead, I got to the point.
“Gary Hill. “Did the Crown Prince hide it from you?”
The crown prince had no intention of denying it and nodded very lightly.
It was thanks.
“You came knowing this. “Why do you ask?”
“Why? “He must be someone who has nothing to gain.”
“Because it has nothing to do with it.”
There is nothing wrong with it.
no.
There is something to lose.
Gary Hill was clearly being chased by the royal family (E family) of the Rhedian Kingdom.
Helping Gary Hill get into exile means that it is no longer a personal matter for the Crown Prince.
A story that could become a political dispute between countries.
Considering the relationship between the empire and our kingdom, we are in a position where we can hear harsh criticism from the emperor.
However, he spoke as if such things were not important.
“Even if they knew that, what could the idiotic twin princes of a small country do to me? Are you going to argue? Or are you going to go to war?”
“No, what can you do?”
An arrogant attitude that only those with omnipotent power can have.
The crown prince let out a light laugh, which was clearly a mockery.
He laughed for a while, then covered his mouth and stopped laughing.
“That’s not what’s important. What’s really important is that you ignored my warning and showed up before me. Sister’s Sword Grand Prix. Was it that important?”
“yes. More than anything.”
“Enough to risk your life? The other day, the day of your graduation ceremony. I am clear about my meaning
“I thought I got it across.”
“What you cannot embrace, you destroy. The next time we meet, we will meet as enemies. “We all remember what you said, it won’t happen twice.”
“The fact that I came despite knowing that means I’m not afraid.”
“I am afraid. “How can you not be afraid when you are carrying two ‘8-star knights’ who are monsters that are too big for you?”
The crown prince was curious as to how you knew such things.
Similar feelings were felt by the knights next to the crown prince.
《8-Star Knight》
《Article of Ink》
《8-Star Knight》
《Article of Poetry》
《Knight of the Apocalypse》
“When two become one, there is nothing to be afraid of.”
《Striking so fast you can’t even notice》
The knights who were watching me, dispersing a dull aura, looked at each other.
The 8-star knights are not beings whose identity can be inferred without permission.
It is no wonder that they are surprised.
The crown prince smiled as if it was fun.
“I heard you became an 8th class wizard,
“There was a reason your father was making such a fuss.”
“I guess that’s not the point.”
“••••••then?”
“I didn’t come here to argue about Gary Hill’s work. As the Crown Prince said, there is nothing I can do. There is only one thing I wish for. I will quietly finish this competition, leave Altain, and return to my hometown. “Would you please listen to my request?”
At my question, the crown prince stopped laughing.
It was.
Another meaning of madness appeared in his eyes.
“They say you can’t forget your first love just because you forget it. That’s exactly right. Now that we’re facing each other like this, I’m starting to get excited again. “Like a fool.”
“My answer is no. “I’m starting to get sick of being rejected by you.”
A strange sight appeared in the crown prince’s eyes.
“If you never appear before my eyes again, I can forget you.”
I think there is. “What do you think?”
“I don’t think it’s a very good idea.”
“Yes, but this is my only way out of this world. “There are no lanes.”
“Someone gave me advice. “If you can’t avoid it anyway, hit it.”
The crown prince gestured.
“okay. Now let’s erase it. My black station. “It was fun so far.”
At the same time, the eyes of the knights of the apocalypse who were guarding his side also flashed.
It was then.
“… … “You are a more dangerous person than I thought.”
“Mr. Narmer!”
A man unknowingly came down from the ceiling, stepped on the shoulder of the ink-clad knight who was about to draw his sword, and grabbed his arm.
8-star martial arts expert, Narmer.
He quickly overpowered the knight of the apocalypse, who was said to be an excellent swordsman, and spoke to the crown prince.
“I don’t know what’s going on, but if you’re going to attack Mr. Master, you have to cross me first.
“You will have to do it.”
“Mr. Narmer! “What about here?”
“Lord Bolvar told me to go. The lady said she was enough on her own. “Am I in the right place?”
The knight in ink struck Mr. Narmer’s chin with his head and drew his sword.
However, Mr. Narmer easily avoided this and stood in front of the crown prince.
“I don’t know if you can feel it, but if we fight here, this stadium will be devastated. fight
In the aftermath, countless innocent people will be killed or injured, and the stadium will collapse. “Do you by any chance want that?”
Paang-!
The 8-star chakra of Mr. Narmer, a pacifist, began to envelop the entire hallway.
At the same time, the crown prince’s eyebrows twitched.
The expression on his face was that he was so amused by this situation that he was about to die.
“Wow, it was a rook, not a pawn?”
Look.
A term used in chess.
It moves straight forward, left and right, and is usually called the second most powerful horse after the queen.
But, are you suddenly talking about chess?
What do you want to talk about?
“I thought you were crazy because you only brought 4 people with you… … . As expected, there was a part of you that believed in it? Okay, I admit it. “I was quite surprised.”
I don’t know, but with my companions
It seems they were mistaken for the four weakest pawns.
However, the crown prince does not know.
“You know what? Even a king can be caught by a pawn. “If you let your guard down, you’ll get caught.”
“I didn’t know you even liked chess.”
“I like. In chess, there is something called ‘promotion’. “Pawns like us also have an opportunity.”
A phone can be anything.
You can become a knight through promotion
And, it could be a rook or a bishop.
okay.
We are filled with the best.
Let’s match it to the crown prince’s rhythm.
The look is Mr. Narmer.
The knight is Lord Bolvar.
Bishop is Irene.
I am… … .
“… … You never know. “I might be the queen who catches the king.”
queen.
Maybe it will be more than that.
The crown prince’s eyes narrowed at my ‘provocation’.
He wiped his smile and said.
“Queen… … “Then, let me offer you a game.”
“… … “A game?”
A proposal that came out of nowhere.
“It’s chess.”
