Chapter 67
Chapter 67
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 67
Chapter Title: 19-1. The Difference Between a Mongrel Dog and a Wolf.
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A few days after that commotion, I was huddled in a chair in the waiting room, waiting for my match against Kainel.
Even if I lost regrettably, my instincts were screaming that I had to confirm Mardol's gender. If she turned out to be a new heroine, she might keep me from seeing our Saintess.
'Now that I think about it, there were so many suspicious signs.'
Things like her oddly feminine fondness for cute and sweet stuff, unlike Ariel... or how her hands were small despite wearing heavy plate armor.
I'd assumed she was really Lupus just because Nex called her the crown prince. But looking back, her speech had always been a bit awkward.
Mardol hadn't called Sharutineth "sister" or Nex "brother" either.
Nex probably said that to hide her identity as much as possible. Or maybe he was a creep who knew she was royalty and was testing me.
And Mardol was obsessed with strength, so she might have seen it as her weakness.
'How could I miss something so obvious...'
With all the distractions and my mind fixated only on our Saintess, the idea that Mardol could be a girl never even crossed my mind.
To pursue the Saintess route, I couldn't build a harem. There was just too much info pulling my thoughts that way.
'I have to make it to the finals.'
Once there, I'd shatter that glass armor and confirm if she really was Lupus's sister. If she was a female character, I could start keeping my distance from now on.
I let out a long sigh. Thinking so deeply about another woman like this... Our Saintess would give me an earful if she knew. Ariel was fine since she was coupled with Kainel.
'What route am I even on right now?'
I needed to review how I'd been acting to achieve the Grand Route. In the end, it was all for our Saintess's happiness.
I desperately wanted to see that wedding dress illustration. Dying without it would be the developer's fault.
To beat the Demon King in the end, I'd need Mardol's help no matter what. Her raw power was insane, and her magic and swordsmanship outshone even the hero couple.
'...Maybe the companion routes for Kainel and Nex.'
If worst came to worst, I could just stick to companion routes. In [Knight Heart], the protagonist Dennis never ended up with the player either. His one true love was only the Heavenly Demon White Magnolia.
No way a glass knight would pair with a player like me. Since my name hadn't shown up in her status window, there was still a chance to get close to our Saintess.
I ignored the ominous chill creeping up my spine and stood, heading to the arena.
Our Saintess was the only one for me. I wouldn't look at anyone else.
Laplace's voice boomed out, firing up the stands.
They were hiding his hero status, as expected. I stood still in the arena, glancing at the stands. Her glass armor sparkled in the sunlight, visible even from afar.
She came to watch my match. Must be the companion route, right?
"Licht. You okay?"
"...I'm fine."
The blond hero stepped forward, looking concerned. Guess my heartbreak over cheating on our Saintess was showing.
"Alright, if you say so, I'll believe you. Some things are hard to talk about."
"...Thank you."
"This time, I'll definitely beat you, Licht! Can't keep relying on you forever."
The Light Hero flashed a warm smile and his upbeat lines.
I smirked faintly under my helmet. Modern heroes were either loose screws or
"If you can, then do it."
filled with despair toward the world. The Hero Cult Demon Kings were the same. Fine, go ahead and fall. But why point the gun at innocents?
It was definitely wrong. Your sins and misfortunes end with you. That's why I was chasing both the Grand Route and the Saintess route.
That scumbag developer denied her a happy ending.
"Licht."
"What is it, Kainel?"
Then, drawing his Light Holy Sword, he fixed me with a serious gaze unlike before. Looked like he had something else to say.
"...We're friends, right?"
"Why bring that up out of nowhere?"
I tilted my head, puzzled. This wasn't like him. Maybe the final battle with Magic Hat changed him?
"Just... feels like we know too little about each other to call us friends."
"..."
Our oblivious golden boy had grown. If only he'd notice Ariel's feelings and get cozy sooner.
"We're friends."
"Really?"
I gave a firm nod to ease his anxiety. From [Knight Heart] to [Black Heart], we'd shared a decade together, Kainel.
"Why say something so obvious?"
"...Yeah, you're right, Licht."
His Magic Hat trauma was healed now too. No running from the Demon King final, so our Saintess wouldn't die.
"Guess I was worrying over nothing."
"Nah, that quirky side is what makes you you, Kainel. I like it."
"That's a compliment, right? You get all quirky too whenever the white-haired Saintess is involved."
"...Let's just start, Kainel."
Damn, he got me before the match even began. The blond hero even grinned playfully like Ariel. They say lovers start to resemble each other—didn't expect to see it here instead of with Nex.
The horn blared, and the two swordsmen raised their blades.
Already in Void Slash stance, I unleashed the wind pressure from my right hand like against Leon. A blast shot straight at Kainel.
"Shine Strike."
He reacted, countering with a crescent of light qi. Our attacks collided and canceled, whipping up a gale around us.
"...Feels a bit weaker, Licht?"
"No way."
Kainel's taunt followed. Bringing up the Saintess, and sensing how my swordplay was emotion-driven.
He'd spotted flaws in Drake-style swordsmanship easily before. Aiming for the physical strain. I charged with Wolf Fang Rush.
"Your form's too stiff."
"Guh...!"
His techniques focused on speed, but he was slower than my Void Slash again. Closing in, I chipped his mana shield with Reverse Scale Thrust.
"Shine Strike!"
Kainel fired light qi at me again. Needing prep time put me at a disadvantage. I backpedaled into a guard stance.
"That's it, Kainel."
My feet skidded across the ground with a harsh scrape. Stronger than before—impressive. A swell of pride rose in my chest.
"Guess my old moves can't beat you anymore, Licht."
"...What?"
I was puzzled seeing the grinning blond hero unfazed after taking a hit. What? Did current Kainel have any aces left?
Shine Advance
Concentrates Light Holy Sword power into the body for lightspeed movement (short duration)
Suddenly, his body glowed. A technique channeling the Light Holy Sword's power for brief lightspeed bursts. How could current Kainel...
'Did watching Ariel make him think he had to get stronger?'
Probably that mindset from the Magic Hat fight. Conditions met. Caught off guard by the twist, I left an opening.
Blinding lines of light rushed me.
"Where'd that cocky attitude go, Licht?!"
"Not... bad... Kainel!"
Clang, clang! I struggled to block his flashing wing-flow dodges.
Kainel still brimmed with technique. Not ending it in one blow like I had, but on the defensive, I'd lose at this rate.
'...Guess I have no choice but to use it.'
Saved it for Mardol, but time for my other card.
Holy sword with holy sword. Fakes can't beat the real thing, but basics and effort matter.
"I believe in love."
Whoosh. Rain poured down. A cobalt blade plummeted atop the light flashes.
"...Barely dodged! Licht, that surprised me! Summoning a sword?!"
"Meet my boy."
He evaded, but that wasn't its power.
Forged thinking of the Nameless Saintess—practically my son.
Crackle, crackle from Kainel's body. Staring at the sudden rain and falling blade, he paused to assess.
"Faith. Rain Prayer."
"Cool sword. Makes blades rain down?"
Sharp instincts maybe. Continuing would've meant instant loss. Wary as he grabbed it, he charged again with Shine Advance.
"No. The real power is..."
"...Huh?"
I vanished in a blink. Kainel whipped his head around in panic, and I reappeared behind, swinging.
Clang! Metal clashed. He noticed—huge growth, Kainel.
"Turning into raindrops."
With those words, I dissolved into droplets, blending with the rain. Free repositioning, effortless deflection.
"So what?! Just slice it before it turns to water!"
"If you can."
Flustered, he spammed Shine Strikes at me. Normally deadly with lightspeed, but
"...You'd need to swat every raindrop, Kainel."
He was still a rookie hero. Not endgame [Knight Heart], and with our Saintess's stand-in sword, no way I'd lose.
Plus, Shine Advance was short-duration. It ended—his speed dropped.
"Still not quite there."
Can't hit me without blocking all drops. I closed in slowly, slashing down from above.