Chapter 16
Translator: True Detective
Chapter 16 - Nataliya vs Edric
The floor of the training grounds consisted of hard-frozen dirt and gravel unique to the North.
I swallowed dry saliva as I readjusted my grip on the wooden training sword.
'Right, I've also eaten some experience points while rolling around with the prince all this time. Even if she's the Grand Duke's daughter, would I be pushed back that easily by a woman?'
It was a self-confidence with its own basis.
The Edric in the original work also fought decently, and after possessing him, I trained together every day as the awakened prince's sparring partner.
From the prince's perspective, it was light training, but for an ordinary person like me, facing the prince was hellish training.
If it looks like you're going to get hit, can't you just dodge?
It was the most shocking statement since 'If they have no bread, let them eat cake'.
However, that complacent thought of mine shattered into pieces like ice shards the moment Nataliya swung her sword down.
Clang—!
"...?!?"
The moment sword clashed with sword, it was incredibly electrifying, like electricity shooting from my elbow to my shoulder.
What did I just clash with?
It felt like I was hit by some dump truck, not a sword.
'This is crazy... Was I facing a gorilla, not a beautiful girl?'
When my mind felt like it was going to go blank from Nataliya's heavy blow felt through my hands, Nataliya smiled spiritedly and rushed at me.
"Then, here I keep going!"
Clang—! Clang-! Clang, clang!
"Ugh!"
There was no way of knowing where such physical strength and magic power were erupting from Nataliya's slender frame.
Are those the genetics of that bear-like Grand Duke of the North?
Every time her wooden sword was swung, it was accompanied by a storm-like wind pressure.
"As expected of Lady Nataliya! Amazing!"
"That guy can't use any strength at all!"
Watching that sight, the Northern knights were very excited.
It was understandable since their idol was overwhelming the prince's close aide.
I was helplessly pushed back five or six steps.
In my heart, I wanted to just lie down like this saying, "Aigo, I lost!" but seeing her axe eyes glaring at me, I couldn't do that.
If I lose half-heartedly here, she will get even more pissed off saying, 'Are you ignoring me'.
But if I defeat her humiliatingly by any means necessary, it unlocks the original route.
The absolute best route was to fight moderately, very fiercely, and then let Nataliya win by a narrow margin.
"Sir Edric, is that all? Disappointing."
"Haha... It is just the beginning, Lady Nataliya."
I wiped the blood pooled at the corner of my mouth and pulled out the hidden card inside me.
Focusing while looking at the sword, magic power began to gather into my sword.
"That is!?"
"Could he be using a !?"
In this other world, cheat-like superpowers called 'Skills' exist.
It's a setting widely rumored to have been included because the original author couldn't shake off the habit of writing hunter genre stories in his previous work, but the important thing was that I also had a skill.
My skill is .
Literally generating and manipulating all kinds of poisons; it is truly a sinister ability perfectly suited for a sycophant.
As I made a purple mist rise on the blade of my sword, murmurs and boos erupted from the Northern Knight Order surrounding us.
"To use poison cowardly!"
"Do the bastards from the center have no chivalry!"
Nataliya also twitched her eyebrow.
However, she rather smiled as if amused and spoke confidently.
"To survive, the means do not matter. If that too is your power, go all out."
Kya! She's a true alpha female.
If I hadn't known that she entered a state of despair after being completely destroyed by the prince in the original work, I might have actually used poison as she said.
But would I be crazy enough to use poison on her in a spar?
When the Grand Duke is looking at me with eyes that seem to want to crush my head right this instant?
The reason I used the skill was... to use it exactly like this.
Slash-!
"What is he doing?"
"Did he cut his own hand?"
Without hesitation, I sliced my left palm with the blade of the sword applied with the skill.
Everyone gasped in shock. Self-harm? Is that man crazy?
But this was my own technique created by applying the skill.
Medicine is poison, and poison is medicine.
The poison I created was a stimulant-type poison.
If it exceeded the lethal dose, I would die from excessive stimulant effects, but if I adjusted the appropriate lethal dose...
Vwoom —
"That man's body is turning red!"
I could obtain a buff effect like having used a Stimpack.
My body turned red and began to emit smoke, as if I had used Gear Second.
My heart pounded crazily, and the world slowed down.
Ah... I can see time.
Swoosh—!
"Fast!"
At my noticeably faster body movements, Nataliya's pupils expanded.
Slicing through the dust of the training grounds, I instantly dug into her and swung my sword.
This time, a heavy sound of impact rang out from my sword.
Clang—— !
"Ugh!!?"
Nataliya, who blocked my sword, was pushed back five or six steps.
Panic could be felt in her eyes.
"Lady Nataliya was pushed back!"
"Are you saying he was hiding such a sharp blade inside that fox-like face!?"
The spectating Northern knights also seemed surprised by my sword.
Hahaha! How is it, the taste of my Stimpack!
Nataliya smiled as if amused and gripped her sword again.
"Interesting. Then I will respond as well!"
This time, magic power began to erupt from Nataliya.
The erupted magic power infused Nataliya's sword with the cold magic power of ice, and summoned three swords made of ice behind her back.
This was Nataliya's skill, .
It was a fraudulent skill that imbued her own sword with the ice attribute and manipulated three swords from behind her back using sword telekinesis.
No, fuck! You even use this kind of skill against a scrub like me!?
Of course, I used a skill first, but I'm a scrub!
It's a kind of balance patch!
"Then... here I come!"
Regardless of my thoughts, she charged at me.
The sword she wielded and the three ice swords attacking continuously from behind were swung so fiercely that my body, accelerated by doping, could not keep up.
Clang-! Clang—! Clang-! Clang-!
"Kuaaack!!"
"Uwaaaaah!!!"
I desperately deflected the swords with the power of the stimulant.
But perhaps because the effect of the drug was gradually wearing off, it became increasingly difficult to defend against Nataliya's swords.
What do I do! If this continues, I'll lose. How do I counterattack!?
'...Wait, why am I trying to win?'
Thinking about it, I didn't need to win.
My goal was to lose narrowly to save Nataliya's self-esteem and prevent the original route from unlocking.
Right now, Nataliya and I were fighting fiercely, even using skills against each other.
In other words, there was absolutely no problem even if I lost to Nataliya right now.
Thinking like that, the strength in my hands naturally relaxed, and not missing that opening, Nataliya rushed in and thrust her wooden sword toward the opening in my stomach.
'Please hit me so it doesn't hurt!'
Imagining the pain to come, I squeezed my eyes shut and tensed my body.
The wooden sword gradually came closer toward my side, and the moment it was about to collide with my body...
[ The Protection of the White God activates. ]
.........What?
At that moment, a blindingly white light erupted from my body.
Vwooom ——— !
"Wh! What!?"
"This light is!!"
That blessing Saintess Azelia had bestowed upon me while kissing my forehead.
That absolute defensive barrier where the god personally protects when the owner's life is in danger.
That protection, which had saved the protagonist's life countless times even in the original work, suddenly activated.
No! You mean that thing activates fully automatically!?
Crash—!
"Kuaak!"
At the divine light enveloping my body, Nataliya's skill was canceled, and her wooden sword bounced right off.
Due to the unexpected impact, Nataliya fell backward as she was, her posture crumbling.
In that 0.1-second moment created as she fell, my eyes, bloodshot from the stimulant, captured the opportunity.
I instinctively rushed in and aimed the tip of my wooden sword at her white nape.
"......."
Silence flowed.
In a way, I looked directly into Nataliya's eyes for the first time.
Wow... they were truly eyes as beautiful as crystals.
"I... lost."
A declaration of defeat came out of Nataliya's mouth.
The knight acting as the referee shouted with a trembling voice.
"S... Sir Edric Noel's victory!"
[ "Uwaaaaaaah!" ]
As the referee's judgment fell, all the spectating knights let out cheers.
It was a shame that Nataliya lost, but it was because it was such a desperate fight that it wouldn't be strange no matter who won.
However, Edric, the victor, knelt before Nataliya and spoke.
"I was cowardly. My Lady merely fell victim to the interference of an unexpected blessing. In terms of skill, I suffered a complete defeat. This spar is... Lady Nataliya's victory."
My body trembled from the side effects of the stimulant, but I spoke containing as much sincerity as possible.
I somehow ended up winning, but if I act arrogant here intoxicated by victory, the original route unlocks.
I had to prevent that at all costs.
At my words, Nataliya stared down at me blankly, then soon a small smile appeared on her lips.
She took my extended hand, stood up, and spoke.
"No. Carelessness is immediately death. It is my defeat for being careless."
Nataliya looked at the prince.
And bowing her head politely, she spoke.
"Your Highness the Prince, please forgive me for failing to recognize the warrior of the center and committing rudeness. If Your Highness's Chancellor is at this level, I dare not even guess Your Highness's skill."
Thunderous applause erupted in the training grounds.
Prince Leopold laughed heartily, approached us, and patted my shoulder.
"Lady Nataliya, there is nothing to apologize for. We have become one through a spar like this, so what is there to forgive? Edric, you truly worked hard as well."
"Thank you, Your Highness the Prince."
At the heartwarming conclusion, I breathed a sigh of relief inwardly.
Although my body became a wreck and I was bound to be bedridden tomorrow morning due to the side effects of the stimulant, I had at least certainly snapped off one 'ruin route'.
As I was having such thoughts, Nataliya approached me.
She looked at me with a strange gaze.
That was... exactly like a gaze discovering a mouth-watering prey.
Nataliya grabbed my head and...
"The one who defeated me, Edric Noel. I shall acknowledge you as my husband."
Mwah—
She planted a kiss right on me in front of everyone watching.
This crazy fucking...
An ultra hardcore route has been unlocked.