Chapter 73
Chapter 73
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 73
Chapter Title: 20-3. Knowing Love.
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Pitch-black darkness. Within it, Pine Granasia trembled in unease.
'Where... is this?'
A space of pure black where she couldn't see an inch ahead. Inside, she fidgeted restlessly, wearing only her helmet.
At some point, the glass armor she had always prided herself on had been removed. She was wearing clothes underneath, so it was fine, but still.
She had even tucked away her distinctive snow-white tail inside her clothes to avoid it getting in the way during battle.
But ever since taking Licht's Shadow Fangs, she'd been stuck in this state.
'What do I do... My armor got dispelled.'
She tried pulling out the Masterpiece to equip it again, but it failed. Afraid her feminine curves might be visible to the audience, she preemptively covered herself with one arm.
"Mardol, you really are a girl."
"...Licht?"
A man in a Black Knight helmet appeared before her as her legs gave out and she sank to the ground. It was Licht. He let out a small sigh upon seeing Pine.
"Too bad. I wanted to see your face too."
"..."
"Come on, can you stand?"
With a calm demeanor, Licht extended his hand to her. He moved through the pitch darkness composedly, as if there was nothing to fear.
"...You saw everything."
Her glass helmet was intact, so not everything was visible to the man before her, but for Pine, it was a shocking situation.
"Everything... to all those other people too..."
She flinched inside her glass helmet. The audience watching the match would surely have figured out she was a woman. Now she might not be able to protect her loved ones from Magic Hat anymore.
"It's fine, just me seeing. Mardol."
"What...?"
Dismissing her worries as nothing, the man called Licht simply held out his hand gently.
'It's fine...?'
With her keen wolf eyes, she scanned the surrounding darkness. But it was completely blocked off, impossible to distinguish front from back.
"They can't see from outside. This is my mental world itself."
"...For real."
"I've lived such a dark life."
So the audience couldn't see. No matter how hard she tried to pierce the darkness, it was impossible. Pine felt a sense of relief. At the same time, a bit of anger started to bubble up.
'This guy... why did he remove my armor...'
Couldn't he have just targeted the outer protective gear? What was so important that he went this far? Breaking through even Dennis's magic was no small feat.
"I wanted to know for sure you were a woman. Sorry for being rough."
"..."
"Magic Hat and all... unknown info makes me uneasy. Really sorry."
Her questions somewhat resolved, she eyed him suspiciously from within her glass helmet as he apologized. It made sense now.
'Yeah, he said it was important to him. My gender.'
The source of mana is the heart. He'd targeted that to briefly sever the link with her Masterpiece. Placing a hand at the center of her chest, she pieced it together.
"...Here, at least put this on. Mardol."
At that moment, Licht, seeing she couldn't stand, awkwardly turned his head away. He took off his overcoat and handed it to her.
An academy uniform emblazoned with the Granasia Empire's wolf emblem. Being men's size, it was large enough to fully cover Pine's body. As she draped it over herself, she noticed something odd.
'...Huh?'
A hesitant gaze that avoided meeting hers. The man who had seemed so composed just moments ago—why was he acting like this?
'He's embarrassed. Licht.'
Pine's sharp eyesight caught his brown eyes trembling, reading his inner turmoil. He was flustered after seeing her body.
He'd stripped her armor because he wanted to confirm, but now he was desperately trying not to look.
What a ridiculous guy. Every time she shifted slightly, he startled and stepped back.
"Licht, you're a pervert."
"...Absolutely not."
With his other hand covering the visor of his helmet, the embarrassed man. No wonder the dwarves called his physique ferocious.
"Stripping my armor like this is a crime. Licht."
"Give it a rest. I get it, I misunderstood."
Not wanting to let go of his pure reaction, she immediately interlaced their fingers. His agitation grew even more pronounced.
Where had that fierce wolf of a man from earlier gone?
"...Pervert."
"..."
The Licht before her looked like the tamest puppy. His immediate reactions were so entertaining; she wanted to tease him more.
'...I've never seen a reaction like this.'
The icy expression on her face unwittingly curved into a foxlike smile. The rough texture of his hand brought even more comfort.
After holding hands quietly for a moment, he spoke.
"I messed up, so please stand now..."
"Got it. I forgive you, Licht."
Licht's neck flushed with embarrassment. Even with his face hidden by the helmet, she could tell. With his help, she rose to her feet.
'A reassuring scent.'
As she moved, the lingering trace of his smell from the overcoat wafted over, tickling her nose.
A beastman race with wolf traits. Thanks to that, she'd been able to find him first during the group assignment last time.
"Ah, the Masterpiece should be equippable again soon, so no worries."
Licht encouraged her reassuringly as she was lost in thought. Watching him, she felt a strange sensation.
"...Licht. You okay?"
"With what?"
"Without the armor... I'm weak..."
Now that he knew she was a woman, she figured anyone else would exploit that weakness. But not Licht.
"Mardol."
He was the one who'd already saved Bellin Granasia without conditions. If he'd wanted imperial power or wealth, he could've had it long ago.
How naive could he be? Did he not realize how incredible his actions were? Just breaking the princess's armor and exposing her body was a capital offense.
"Like I said before, everyone has weak spots."
"...Really?"
"Don't believe me? You've seen me all this time."
"..."
It was true. Though Licht ranked among the strong in martial prowess, when it came to the 'Nameless Saintess' or whatever, he turned endlessly soft.
"...Anyway, I'm fine with you without the armor."
A contradictory person, far from perfect strength—weak in ways, yet that fit too.
"Honestly, you were the toughest opponent."
"Because I'm strong."
"Yeah. You really were. Without Shadow Fangs, I might've lost."
Mutual recognition of each other's strength. Pride swelled within her that the strongest person she'd seen—aside from her father—acknowledged her.
'...Licht covered it with shadows so my true form wouldn't be exposed.'
A sudden thought crossed Pine's mind. From the match's start, he'd seemed displeased, even correcting her title.
'Even if weak... to protect me.'
If he'd fired Shadow Fangs without the glass dome, people in the audience might've glimpsed her through the gaps.
'He waited on purpose.'
Her keen eyes saw through the plan Licht had devised.
He already knew from the Armored Queen Bee fight that the glass walls could isolate space.
"I'm fine with you being weak."
"..."
Pine Granasia was obsessed with strength. Anything less than first place was meaningless. She always thought she had to protect those weaker than her from the Demon King.
"So, rely on people a bit more now. Mardol."
She saw it as atonement for those who died because of her. That was why she hadn't fled even in the chaos with Magic Hat.
Finally, someone she could rely on. Someone who didn't judge her weak self, who saved her mother and healed her—a lifesaver.
"Don't carry it all alone. I'm here, right?"
"...Got it. Pervert."
A strong figure worthy of standing beside her as an equal—no, stronger than Pine herself.
Through this clear, refreshing defeat, she shed one burden from her heart and could lean on Licht.
Once their talk ended, the two stood back-to-back in the darkness. How much time passed?
"You can look now. Licht."
"Really? No, not yet!"
"...Pervert."
Teasing Licht a few more times, Pine re-equipped her glass armor. The link with the restored Masterpiece.
"You really put it on this time. Phew..."
Her form returned to the majestic heavy-armored white knight. Mardol once more.
"Ah, right. And your 'strength' won't crumble, so it'll be fine. Mardol."
At that moment, Licht said something puzzling.
"Huh...? What do you mean, Licht?"
"Just what I said. It looked like I beat you this time, but..."
Confirming she'd properly equipped the Masterpiece, he dispelled the darkness. The audience seats and outside sunlight reappeared.
"...The actual result will be my loss."
His back, facing the sun, gleamed with reflected light, hard to make out. Not understanding, she hesitated briefly.
[When time expired, Licht's mana protective gear was more damaged!]
Turning his back to Mardol, he walked out of the arena.
'This was my goal from the start.'
A result understandable to Mardol, obsessed with strength, without exposing to the audience.
'Special rule to avoid draws.'
When time fully elapsed, the side with more mana protective gear remaining wins.
This way, he could securely obtain the Mana Rose.
From the start, he'd planned to slash the Masterpiece using only his will, and aside from mixing in his sword early on, she'd taken almost no damage.
"Licht!!"
Oh dear, it seemed incomprehensible to Mardol. His steps slowed at the intense voice from behind.
"...Why?! Why throw it on purpose?!"
"Well, you're stronger?"
"Liar! Licht!! I lost to Shadow Fangs..."
How did she even know that? The audience was roaring anyway; they couldn't hear their conversation. Doesn't it look like I lost from the outside?
"I lost because there are things only the weak can protect. Mardol."
"What...?"
He needed the Mana Rose. Second place going to Mardol would surely lead to a favorability route.
The armored knight stood unscathed, while he staggered away. If they fought again now, he'd lose.
'Honestly, can't use mental world anymore today.'
He had to escape before the referee raised objections. Even his dantian internal energy had limits.
'Too bad. If I'd seen her face, I could've firmly pushed her out of my heart.'
Mardol wore a separate helmet like him. He'd thought it was one with the Masterpiece, but apparently not.
Couldn't even glimpse her presumed black hair. Those grumpy dwarves.
"Wait! Licht!! This isn't right! If you'd just broken the mana gear then...!"
He'd already gotten everything he wanted. Mana Rose, solid info on the unknown Mardol. Partial resolution of her trauma.
One step at a time toward the exit.
This should be enough.
He hadn't missed anything. If he had, their saintess would've cursed him out. After all, he'd stripped another woman's armor.
'Filthy trash! Lecher! You beast... Yeah, maybe pervert like she said.'
He regretted not hearing more of Mardol's thoughts, but her confessing she's a woman after getting closer was definite romance flag.
"I'll demand a rematch, or ranking adjustment at least..!"
"...Ah, right. You talk more smoothly like this."
"What...?"
Leaving like this—wouldn't her personality make her hate it? He mimicked Nex from Knight Heart a bit. Rival route dialogue.
"Licht!! Don't go..!"
Mardol, mana depleted, couldn't block him. She flailed her hand in the air trying to grab him, but kept stumbling—legs powerless too.
"See you later. Mardol."
In the end, teaming up to take down Demon Kings as comrades was best. This secured the comrade route.
No matter how little dating experience, he knew a ridiculous incident like this wouldn't hold him back.