The contenders, including Michael, have steadily climbed up the tournament pyramid.
Ten days later, Michael was about to enter the fifth round, the quarterfinals. There were a total of eight contestants remaining, all of whom were direct knights.
'If you're in the top 8, you're guaranteed the position of Knight Commander. As expected, many knights from Brigitte's side have risen to the top.'
As expected, Bridgette was looking at me from behind and smiling arrogantly.
'You're laughing so hard on my behalf.'
At that time, there was someone next to me who spoke to me in a mean tone.
“Did you know? Betty sends me a dessert gift every day these days.”
The owner of the voice was, as always, Rosenite, who had swapped places with Rondel.
It was a truly transparent boast. It was clear that she wanted me to feel pressure and do the same to her.
I smiled brightly.
“It seems like you’re still trying to figure out what to do since you’re saying that.”
“Take it easy. Sister Betty isn’t some innocent young lady who’s courting you.”
Rosenite, who had been hit hard, became quiet. Thanks to that, I was able to concentrate on the game.
[1st Group! The game of Sir Elijah Halsten and of Sir Ritver Berman! Let's begin!]
Elijah and Ritver were on the same political side, but there was no place for match-fixing in the sacred martial arts tournament.
Chaeng! Chaeng!
The longsword and the greatsword clashed fiercely. The sword energy dug into the stadium floor and shook the crystals in front of the audience.
The noise was deafening, but the cheers of the excited audience were even louder.
Michael and Sylvestian sit side by side in the contestant waiting area. They exchanged words without taking their eyes off the duel.
“Lord Halsten came out with something that wasn’t even his main weapon.”
“He's trying to hide his skills. I think it’s a bit strange.”
The results of the match that came out shortly thereafter were as expected.
[Group 1! Elijah Halsten, victory! Starting from the quarterfinals, the use of magic stones is permitted, but he didn't use any. Yeah. It's a bit disappointing, but it was still a pretty spectacular battle!]
Elijah turned to the royal stone and saluted. It was an ambiguous direction, whether it was towards me or Brigitte.
In the second round that followed, Snorret Wint defeated First Prince Rubio's direct knight.
“Sir Wint’s fighting style is unique. Does she respond by immediately switching magic stones during battle?”
“That’s right. Sir Wint is more knowledgeable in magic. She has a magic stone. She's trying to use this to turn a swordsmanship battle into a magic battle.”
“It’s a shame that the Martial Arts Association forbids the use of magic.”
“I think it’s all because of the prejudice that knights’ duels must be fought with swords.”
After finishing speaking, Sylvestian tied up his long silver hair so that it would not get in the way of the battle.
Before he knew it, his turn was just around the corner.
Michael and Sylvestian bumped fists.
“Good luck.”
"You too."
Sylvestian's opponent was the 5th Prince Icalis's direct knight. The ash-colored, short-haired Homunculus held a rapier.
At that moment, Icalis approached Rosie at the royal palace and whispered to him.
“Rosie, I’ve prepared it.”
“Thank you, brother Ica.”
My eyes narrowed on my own. Rosenite, conscious of the gaze, immediately nailed it.
“Are you worried that we might try to fix the match? Don’t worry, that’s not the case.”
The match soon began. As if to prove that Rosenite's words were true, they carried out a fierce battle. Both knights used the effects of their magic stones to best advantage in the duel.
[Ooh, Sir Millard is using wind pressure to generate momentum to charge! It's like an eagle-like movement...... Oh, no, Sir Keith's reaction time is just as impressive, such raw strength and agility, it must be the Berserker Magic Stone, which temporarily boosts physical abilities to the limit!]
“Woaaaah!”
The fight continued to be tight. It was a close match, and the time limit tended to make the opponent more nervous. In this case, it was Sir Keith, the ashen-haired knight with the Berserker Charmstone.
Sir Keith fixed his rapier as if to see if he could win the next move. In the distance, Sylvestian poised himself in readiness.
Kwakwakwakwang!
The two men with everything on the line clashed. The shockwave created by the collision knocked everything back except the two knights' bodies.
In the process, Silvestian's headband came undone, his long silver hair falling free. It resembled a pair of wings spread wide.
“Woooooooo!”
It was a moment that made the audience's eyes light up. At that very moment, Sir Keith knelt down.
[“Congratulations, Sylvestian Millard, you look like the descent of an apostle of God, and I hope the art world will capture it today!”]
The audience erupted in cheers. The noise from the audience showed no sign of dying down as they shared the excitement of the scene they had just witnessed.
Rosenite said with a satisfied smile.
“Ser Millard's silver hair is worth a lot, and Ica's brother's knight did a better job than I expected..”
Ser Keith's delicate rapier skills had been wasted on cutting the braids. The final blow was most likely not a wholehearted attack.
[This is the last game of the day.]
Michael stood in the center of the arena. It was the appearance of the strongest favorite, but the reaction from the audience was muted. Even the moderator seemed to have lost his enthusiasm.
No wonder, too, because the match was over not long after it began
[Ah, yes. It's already been decided, Michaelis Agnito, you win. Can you change your sword slashing, quick-finish pattern?]
“This is a battle for knightly honor. You cannot deliberately stall and humiliate your opponent.”
[I hear what you're saying.］
In this way, Michael defeated the direct knight of Princess Roxandra and secured a spot in the semi-finals.
“Good job, Michael. You've kept up the good work.”
“Thank you, Sylvie.”
Michael accepted the water and towel that Sylvestian offered him. He wasn't even sweating.
Michael said.
“Sylvie, you’re going to face me in the semifinals. Don’t worry, I’m not interested in cutting your hair. I will do my best in the duel.”
“That's great news. I'm sure your opponents have all been boring so far today, so you can look forward to tomorrow.”
It was at this point that one promised an honorable fight, and the other promised a fair fight. An uninvited guest interrupted.
“Well, that's a heartwarming scene,” he said, ”but you'd better get upstairs because I'll be waiting for you in the final.”
“Elijah Halsten.”
Michael glanced back at the taunting Eliezer. Eliezer glared back as if he'd been waiting.
“Why? Are you trying to fight now?”
“My Princess has something to tell you.”
“Huh? What is it?”
The lemon-colored eyes sparkled with interest, and the thought of those eyes locked on Eve's made Michael feel a bottomless pit of discomfort.
Michael opened his mouth, clenching his fists for patience.
“The Third Princess is trying to abandon you.”
For the time being, Brigitte will need a direct knight with the title of Templar, so she can preserve her position.
But there will come a time when enough imperials have been recruited that headship will no longer matter.
There was no way Brigitte, who had the power of a direct knight, would leave Elijah alone.
“You'll be stripped of your knighthood, stripped of your position as Templar, and stripped of your position as Templar-in-Chief, and perhaps your successor will take both.”
The words of the homunculus abandoned by the royal family are extremely miserable. He would go down in the footsteps of Sylvestian in his last life, and all of Brigitte's immediate predecessors.
Elijah twisted his lips.
“You don’t think I know that? So I'm trying to switch before I get abandoned, right?”
“...You’re changing trains?”
“Yep. Look, Lord Agnito. You must be misunderstanding something, do you think I would have made such a wish without thinking, just because it was the Third Princess's instruction?”
Elijah's mouth curved in its usual sultry curve, but his eyes were more serious than ever.
“Michaelis Agnito. I will definitely win this time. I will win and push you out. I will receive the favor of the 7th Princess.”
“...You’re dreaming. A guy like you with impure intentions... Do you think I would let you approach Her Highness?”
“Well, I guess I am confident that I will win, but calling it impure is a bit harsh. Why do you assume that my wish doesn't contain my sincerity?"
"Sincerity?"
Michael furrowed his brow as if he had heard a terrible dissonance.
This unpleasant reaction seemed to cheer Elijah up. His eyes lit up as he regained his composure.
His eyes lit up.
“I see. The Seventh Princess is now the opposite of the Third Princess. She is very attractive. How could I not want to serve her wholeheartedly as a vassal? Besides, I like her personally.”
Elijah touched his lips and his eyes were hazy.
“This is a battle for knightly honor. You cannot deliberately stall and humiliate your opponent.”
[I hear what you're saying.］
In this way, Michael defeated the direct knight of Princess Roxandra and secured a spot in the semi-finals.
[Finally, there are four left. Sir Elijah Halsten, Snorlet Wint, Sir Sylvestian Millard, Sir Michaelis Agnito! Which of these four will be the final winner? Please look forward to the remaining two days of matches!]
The sound of stiff footsteps echoed in the hallway directly connected to the arena. It was none other than Michael, walking in backlit.
The sound of stiff footsteps echoed in the hallway directly connected to the arena. It was none other than Michael, walking in backlit.
“Good job, Michael. You've kept up the good work.”
“Thank you, Sylvie.”
Michael accepted the water and towel that Sylvestian offered him. He wasn't even sweating.
Michael said.
“Sylvie, you’re going to face me in the semifinals. Don’t worry, I’m not interested in cutting your hair. I will do my best in the duel.”
“That's great news. I'm sure your opponents have all been boring so far today, so you can look forward to tomorrow.”
It was at this point that one promised an honorable fight, and the other promised a fair fight. An uninvited guest interrupted.
“Well, that's a heartwarming scene,” he said, ”but you'd better get upstairs because I'll be waiting for you in the final.”
“Elijah Halsten.”
Michael glanced back at the taunting Eliezer. Eliezer glared back as if he'd been waiting.
“Why? Are you trying to fight now?”
“My Princess has something to tell you.”
“Huh? What is it?”
The lemon-colored eyes sparkled with interest, and the thought of those eyes locked on Eve's made Michael feel a bottomless pit of discomfort.
Michael opened his mouth, clenching his fists for patience.
“The Third Princess is trying to abandon you.”
"...What?"
“You did what you were told, but in the end, you painted a picture of yourself wanting to leave the Third Princess and serve another imperial family, which is always a good excuse for the Third Princess to abandon you.”
The words were not harsh in the slightest, but they were a sobering reminder of the reality of Elijah's situation.
“You did what you were told, but in the end, you painted a picture of yourself wanting to leave the Third Princess and serve another imperial family, which is always a good excuse for the Third Princess to abandon you.”
The words were not harsh in the slightest, but they were a sobering reminder of the reality of Elijah's situation.
For the time being, Brigitte will need a direct knight with the title of Templar, so she can preserve her position.
But there will come a time when enough imperials have been recruited that headship will no longer matter.
There was no way Brigitte, who had the power of a direct knight, would leave Elijah alone.
“You'll be stripped of your knighthood, stripped of your position as Templar, and stripped of your position as Templar-in-Chief, and perhaps your successor will take both.”
The words of the homunculus abandoned by the royal family are extremely miserable. He would go down in the footsteps of Sylvestian in his last life, and all of Brigitte's immediate predecessors.
Elijah twisted his lips.
“You don’t think I know that? So I'm trying to switch before I get abandoned, right?”
“...You’re changing trains?”
“Yep. Look, Lord Agnito. You must be misunderstanding something, do you think I would have made such a wish without thinking, just because it was the Third Princess's instruction?”
Elijah's mouth curved in its usual sultry curve, but his eyes were more serious than ever.
“Michaelis Agnito. I will definitely win this time. I will win and push you out. I will receive the favor of the 7th Princess.”
“...You’re dreaming. A guy like you with impure intentions... Do you think I would let you approach Her Highness?”
“Well, I guess I am confident that I will win, but calling it impure is a bit harsh. Why do you assume that my wish doesn't contain my sincerity?"
"Sincerity?"
Michael furrowed his brow as if he had heard a terrible dissonance.
This unpleasant reaction seemed to cheer Elijah up. His eyes lit up as he regained his composure.
His eyes lit up.
“I see. The Seventh Princess is now the opposite of the Third Princess. She is very attractive. How could I not want to serve her wholeheartedly as a vassal? Besides, I like her personally.”
Elijah touched his lips and his eyes were hazy.
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