Chapter 62
Chapter 62
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 62
Chapter Title: 17-4. Rivals Resemble Each Other Because They're Rivals
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Kainel and Ariel advanced to the main tournament without a hitch, as expected. With the preliminaries finally drawing to a close, it was Licht's turn to take the stage according to the bracket.
"Hey there, underclassmen!"
"Nex...?"
"Nex oppa! Hi!"
The purple-haired man approached the hero party and ended up watching his junior—the one in the Black Knight helmet—from the stands.
"How'd you end up here?"
"I heard my junior Licht was fighting, so I came to cheer him on after winning mine! Mardol!"
"Anyone else...?"
Nex flashed a foxy smile and waved at Mardol familiarly.
"Truth is, Shar's in the middle of her exam right now, and she begged me not to let her see me looking rough, so here I am! I think she looks pretty no matter what, though... Sigh."
"Huh...? You know Mardol?"
"Yeah, we've been pretty close since we were kids."
Watching this, the red-haired elf noticed something off and shot a puzzled glance at the silver knight beside her.
"Oh, it's starting! Underclassmen!"
But she had no choice except to shelve her suspicions. The announcer heralded the start of the exam, igniting the crowd's fervor.
I'd run into the Imperial Knight Commander a few times in the game, but I never knew he had a son. The blond man strode toward me.
He wore armor like Mardol's, but lighter with a lion emblem etched on it.
"Hmph. So you're Licht, the top practical scorer?"
"Nice to meet you, Leon."
Blond hair, golden eyes—the son of Reinhardt, the Lionheart. I offered a handshake, curious just how strong he'd be.
But that curiosity soon crumbled. The Holy Knight merely stared at my hand.
"Sorry, but skip the pleasantries. Can we wrap this up quick?"
"Pardon? Why?"
He sneered down at me dismissively, then waved to the stands.
"...I've got madonnas waiting for me up there. Haha!"
Madonnas? Plural? I looked up where he was waving. At the end of his gaze sat something bizarre.
"Lord Reinhardt!!"
A group of women with hair in every color sat lined up in the stands, cheering for one man.
"Eeee!! You're so cool!!"
A sky-blue-haired female mage shrieked, a girl in thief garb waved frantically, and a drill-haired noble lady fanned herself.
"This guy's popularity... Ugh."
Shaking my head at the sight, the smug Holy Knight stood before me. No way it's what I think, right?
"...Don't tell me you're dating someone up there?"
"Yeah, several someones, actually. Gotta finish quick and go on dates."
I tried giving him an out, just in case. Traffic control was all it'd take. I'd hoped against hope it wasn't that.
"They all love me so much!"
"..."
"My harem girls hate seeing me spend time with other guys!"
A lunatic. Well, [Black Heart] did add a harem route. Should've expected a character like this.
"So, no holding back. Don't hate me too much."
"Hahaha..."
Shing. I drew Pure Love Injector No. 2 from my belt. You don't need convictions either. Even faced with the sharp glint of steel, he didn't blink.
"Jealous?"
"Hahahaha!!"
All I could muster was empty laughter. Son of the Knight Commander—he looked battle-hardened—but even as provocation, this crossed the line.
"Love's awfully light for you, huh? Leon."
"...What're you on about? If you're jealous, just say so."
At that instant, the horn blared across the arena, and the match began.
I assumed the preparatory stance for Void Slash toward my opponent, then released the wind pressure gathered in my right hand. Laden with emotion, a massive gust roared toward him.
Thud thud thud!! The sound engulfed Leon as scars gouged the arena floor, kicking up dust.
"...Isn't that a bit rough?"
"Shut up."
Leon emerged from the dust cloud. Even assuming he could use magic or holy power, swordsmanship alone wouldn't cut it against me, huh.
"...Didn't expect it to pierce my mana shield, so I had to burn a Holy Knight skill. You're strong, alright."
In his hand was a large shield engraved with a cross—not there before. That's what blocked my Void Slash.
His eyes shifted from playboy haze to beastly sharpness. That's where the Lionheart moniker came from.
"I've got dates, and now my hair's a mess."
He smoothed his hair with an irritated scowl, then raised his sword into stance. A holy power attack? I readied Wing Flow.
In an instant, white holy particles gathered on his blade, forming a beast that charged me—a lion lunging to devour foes head-on.
Bad matchup for him. I'd used Holy Knight skills before, and now I knew their weaknesses.
"Told you. Love's too light."
I parried the holy lion with Wing Flow. Form 3 reversed the force. He wouldn't see that coming.
"...Huh?"
He raised his shield to block the reflected attack. That opened a gap—I lunged with Wolf Fang. Inches away, he faltered.
Clang! Clang! Metal clashed. Aiming for his armor's gap, his balance crumbled.
"Nngh..."
He fell on the defensive. His mana barrier chipped away. At this rate, I'd win.
Suddenly, mana erupted from him, repelling me. Another lion-themed move. Definitely the Knight Commander's son.
Distance opened again.
"Guess I'll have to get serious too, Licht."
Dirt in his mouth irritated him—he spat and reignited his battle spirit.
Yeah, a harem protag's gotta show this side at least.
"Where'd that cocky attitude go? Leon?"
"...You can't let your guard down in a fight."
He gripped his sword, channeling mana through his body, assuming a familiar stance to attack.
Granasia-style swordsmanship this time? If I hadn't learned Wolf Fang from Mardol, joining the Knight Commander lineage or the swordsmanship club would've been best.
"I'll end it with these attacks."
Like Mardol's, a lion's roar echoed instead of a wolf's, trying to stun me.
Magic reflects imagery, right? Not surprising anymore. One uses glass magic, another booze.
"Sorry, but I've seen that one already."
I closed my eyes briefly, recalling why I wielded this sword, grinding my teeth. Legs tensed to stay upright.
Crack. The arena floor fissured as my will crushed the magic.
"Wh-what? No stun?"
"...Unlike some, my love weighs heavy."
"Doesn't matter! Licht!"
His incantation complete, massive golden lions—bigger than before—charged. One of Knight Commander Reinhardt's techniques. Never thought I'd face it for real.
Seeing in-game moves in reality always stirs something.
"...But slower than the original. Too much flash."
Unlike the real deal, illusions bloated the lion ranks, making them ragtag. I slipped through with Wolf Fang, closing in again.
The real Reinhardt wouldn't have such flaws.
"Wh-what?! Dodged them all?!"
"Looks like you learned that to brag to girls."
I prepped Shadow Slash amid Void Slash while charging, accelerating my blood flow.
"Shield'll block it...!"
Overhead downward strike. He raised his shield to parry my path.
"Too late."
I'd targeted his shadow, not him. Ground raked, shadow cleaved—hitting the real through illusion.
Crack! His mana barrier shattered.
The horn blared again as Laplace declared the victor.
"...I lost?"
Wrong from the start—picking Holy Knight against me. Harem king as a Holy Knight? Laughable.
Holy power's weakness is reason's manifestation. Thus, prolonged fights or
"Why didn't it work?! That shield should've blocked even that!"
"You panicked. Thought you'd lose to me."
"...Urk."
Opponent rattled = power drop.
Beatrice mentioned it in [Understanding Holy Power]. Why the Saintess couldn't even pray healing after my character died.
"Listen up, Leon."
I approached the puzzled man and spoke.
If he'd loved one person like me and wielded the sword, King of Hearts wouldn't be read, and the holy shield would've held.
'...Probably needed Magnolia Swordsmanship or Heart Sword to win.'
Finals meant throwing subtly—no questions that way. Hide trump cards.
"'Harem pure love' doesn't exist. Pick one partner and live faithfully."
"What...?"
I scolded the denialist.
If you love someone, wanting them all to yourself is natural. Sharing that feeling or watching them with another lover?
"...That just means 'love was light from the start.'"
Not equals—master-servant dynamic. Don't slap 'pure love' on that contradiction lightly.
'Someone I love told me. Pure love is invincible.'
The Nameless Saintess preached her take on pure love. No real love experience, but she saved me.
So I wanted to tell this guy, leaving gaps chasing harem.
What harem pure love? If you're doing it, do one.