Chapter 115: Mock Battle
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 115: Mock Battle
Eleanor’s ability was to absorb the luck of those around her and make it her own. An opponent who was continuously drained of their luck could even face death.
The ability grew stronger the closer she was to someone, and stronger still if they were an enemy.
Thanks to this, despite not being exceptionally skilled herself, she was the most difficult of the seven witches to deal with.
Many players who faced her had to endure sudden natural disasters or suffer crushing defeats due to the arrival of enemy reinforcements.
These crises seemed to fall from the sky, tossing all sense of probability out the window, leading many players to curse it as lazy writing on the developers' part.
‘I got screwed over again—!’
Posts with this kind of nuance on the game’s community forums were usually about someone who had just been thoroughly trounced by Eleanor’s ability.
Of course, the famously determined Koreans weren't about to give up. They were a people who could tolerate almost anything except being told they were bad at games—a nation that took gaming seriously.
Harnessing their collective intelligence, players meticulously investigated Eleanor’s ability. As a result, several effective strategies were proposed.
‘It’s fucking easy. Just capture one of the other witches and use her as a shield.’
The first established strategy exploited the fact that the witches' abilities didn't work on each other.
By keeping a captured witch in your party or army, you could suppress the most troublesome natural disasters she could trigger.
The problem was, it wasn't a perfect solution.
Eleanor’s ability would cleverly alter its function to avoid harming the captive witch.
For example, a river might suddenly flood, blocking the path of advance—a simple delay tactic.
That wasted time would allow more reinforcements to arrive and block the player’s path.
It was better than not having a captive witch at all, but it was still a pain in the ass.
‘As long as you don’t act hostile, her range is surprisingly small.’
The next method exploited a loophole in the game’s lore.
The ability’s effect is stronger on enemies? Then why not maintain a neutral or friendly relationship with her while taking out the other witches first?
Of course, this wasn't easy.
Because of the Witches' Coven that appeared mid-game, attacking another witch had the same effect as attacking Eleanor directly.
However, a few skilled players managed to eliminate the other witches before the Coven was established. Eleanor was powerless to stop players who had grown so strong.
‘Though I know an even easier way now.’
You just had to win over one witch, have her build a friendship with Eleanor, and then invade under the pretext of attacking the witch you’d recruited.
That way, because the witches' abilities don't affect each other, Eleanor's power wouldn't be able to help the targeted witch, and she would ultimately suffer a loss.
Of course, attacking Eleanor directly would trigger her ability, so you’d have to repeat the same method several times to accumulate damage.
‘Now, I’m the one who has to stop that from happening.’
Like the witches, I was immune to her ability.
That meant if someone were to target me, Eleanor’s ability wouldn't activate. In other words, it was better for both of us if we stayed apart.
In any case, Eleanor’s ability was so powerful that even after the collective intelligence of game-obsessed Koreans was brought to bear, it could only be partially offset.
Bronx II must have known this, which is why he exiled her to Quaran, the southernmost tip of the continent.
But it seemed he didn't know the limits of her ability's range.
‘Even if she considers someone an enemy, the ability’s effective range is limited to the neighboring territory.’
It wasn't surprising.
What kind of daredevil would volunteer to test the range of her power? What if it was wider than expected and the person testing it ended up dead?
That was something you could only do in a game where you could just restart.
“It—it was all planned from the beginning! She came for revenge for being exiled…!”
And so, Bronx II misunderstood. He believed her ability had been active ever since he’d sent her into exile. Trollsverd was the proof.
Hadn't even Eleanor herself mistakenly thought her ability had been triggered when I asked for Trollsverd?
‘Wait, was it really a mistake?’
Before she had even met me, Eleanor had secured Trollsverd, an item she shouldn't have even known was in the royal records.
That would have been impossible unless her ability had foreseen that I would need Trollsverd and that I would be of help to her.
The strange thing was that I was an exception to her ability.
Just as I only discovered the loophole in her power after putting Aenya forward, could there be another aspect of its mechanics that I didn't know about?
It was impossible to know. I decided not to dwell on it.
Whether it was a simple coincidence or her ability at work, it wouldn't harm me.
Eleanor had already opened her heart to me completely. What mattered now was the fallout from the king's misunderstanding.
‘Do I need to change the plan?’
The original plan was to ensure my domain and my people were kept safe under the king's protection while I was away on the northern expedition.
However, the king not only tried to force me onto his side but also intended to use Broua County as a leash to control me as he pleased.
If I had gone along with it, I wouldn't have been able to save the witches of the north; instead, I would have become the king's pawn, forced to fight against Dresden.
So, I had planned to ignite a war by making the conflict between the Royalist and Noble factions explode.
It was to raise my own value so the king couldn't treat me carelessly, and to make him protect my domain and people in exchange for my help.
A return to the original plan.
But now the king was misunderstanding all of this as Eleanor's revenge.
“You misunderstand, Your Majesty. The princess was hurt by your decision to exile her, but that is no reason to seek revenge on her only brother.”
The wall stopped Bronx II’s retreat. He spun around, startled, then let out a sigh of relief upon realizing it was just a wall.
Of course, the moment he faced me again, he started pointing a finger, spittle flying from his lips.
“S-So it’s true! She holds a grudge against me!! That’s why she sent you for revenge!”
Even when I insisted again that it was a misunderstanding, he wouldn't believe me. He only heard what he wanted to hear.
“Your Majesty…!”
The court knights didn't know what to do with the king, who was suddenly acting like a madman. They remained in formation, surrounding me, trying to gauge the king's intentions.
“K-Kill him! N-No! If I kill him, I’ll die too! No, no…!”
As Bronx II rambled incoherently, the court knights exchanged glances. Not that it would give them any answers.
‘This isn't a misunderstanding I can clear up with effort.’
Then again, if I were the king, I wouldn't have been able to dismiss it as a mere coincidence either.
I clicked my tongue inwardly and scrapped the original plan. If I couldn't clear up the misunderstanding, the option of siding with the king was gone.
The one silver lining was that by receiving the necessary troops for the northern expedition from Aron, I could leave my own soldiers and knights behind in my domain.
The schemes of the king, Aron, and Count Dresden had, in the end, worked out in my favor.
All that remained was to figure out what I could gain by exploiting the king's misunderstanding.
Something came to mind.
“Still, you are brother and sister. If you apologize, I am certain she will let go of her resentment.”
“I already apologized last time!”
“It was an apology in words only. Furthermore, did you not offer up the princess’s belongings as a prize for the mock battle without her consent? If anything, you have only worsened the relationship.”
“Broua County was originally mine!”
Even in his state of confusion, Bronx II’s voice was firm. He seemed to genuinely believe it.
“Then it seems there is nothing more to discuss.”
I turned my back, acting as if I would leave the room at any moment. Bronx II needed a reality check.
With the Noble Faction watching him like a hawk, wouldn't it be quite troublesome if I, too, became his enemy?
Of course, he would perceive Eleanor's ability as the greatest threat. Even if it was all just his delusion.
“Your Majesty. Your orders…!”
Having witnessed their comrade die a gruesome death without landing a single blow, the court knights flinched and turned their eyes to the king.
“W-Wait! Hold on! I am not finished speaking!”
Bronx II hastily stopped me. I looked at him silently, as if to say I would at least hear him out.
“Do I just need to hand over Broua County…? Will my sister forgive me then?”
“She will at least not be hostile. You are still siblings, after all.”
“…Bring me parchment.”
In the end, he drafted a document transferring ownership of Broua County to Eleanor. Then, he heated the ring on his finger over a candle flame and pressed it onto the signature line.
With a faint smell of burning, the crest on the ring was seared into the document. A document bearing the king's seal would be undeniable proof, preventing him from going back on his word later.
Taking it, I clicked my tongue.
“If Your Majesty had trusted your sister and not been so greedy, you would have gained a great power instead.”
I was being sincere, but Bronx II didn't believe me.
“Nonsense! Did you think I wouldn't know this was your plan all along?! You have what you wanted, so leave! I have no desire to deal with you any longer…!”
“I will end things here for today.”
“For today…?”
Since things had turned out this way, shouldn't I take everything I could? A dowry, for instance.
I turned my back on the wide-eyed Bronx II.
“Betrayal. It’s betrayal. My sister has betrayed me. I knew it. I knew this would happen…!”
Even after Allen left, Bronx II couldn't leave his spot. Instead, he began to circle the throne, muttering like a madman.
Droplets of blood were forming on his fingernails, which he had been chewing relentlessly.
One of the court knights, watching the king's bizarre behavior with unease, spoke up cautiously.
“Your Majesty. Shall we summon Archbishop Raceni?”
Bronx II’s movements froze. His head turned toward the court knight with the creak of an unoiled robot. His eyes were bloodshot, as if the capillaries had burst.
“Are you, are you planning to betray me too! Is that it!?”
Archbishop Raceni was a man who had openly criticized the king on several occasions. The king, in turn, was always itching for a chance to torment the archbishop. To say their relationship was terrible was an understatement.
The court knight spoke urgently.
“I am Your Majesty’s faithful servant. I only mentioned it because I thought the devout Archbishop Raceni might be able to stand against such wicked magic.”
The court knight, having witnessed Allen's superhuman strength and the king's descent into madness after facing him, had concluded that Allen must have used some form of evil magic.
Thus, he thought to resist it through Archbishop Raceni, who was renowned for his piety.
The other court knights, understanding their colleague's intent, raised their voices in support.
“The Archbishop is also on close terms with the Pope! The Pope might have a solution!”
“You must set aside your personal feelings for now!”
“That’s it! The Pope might have a way. Yes. He must…!”
A glint appeared in Bronx II’s eyes, and he gradually began to regain his composure. The court knight who had made the first suggestion bowed and exclaimed.
“I will summon Archbishop Raceni.”
“Yes! Bring him as quickly as possible. Hurry!”
“As you command!”
The knights all left the room to find Archbishop Raceni.
Left alone, Bronx II began chewing his nails again, muttering to himself.
“If I just leave her be, she will take everything from me… Everything I have…!”
*
“The king won’t just stand by.”
After being betrayed by her older brother, Eleanor had taken to calling him ‘the king.’ It was a clear sign of how deep her sense of betrayal ran.
“He knows better than anyone how dangerous your ability is, Princess.”
“Which is why he might act even more drastically. This is the king who exiled me to Quaran the moment he learned of my ability’s side effects.”
I didn't take Eleanor's words lightly. What I knew of Bronx II was only the superficial image that appeared intermittently in the game.
Eleanor, who had spent half her life with him, would have a much more accurate assessment.
“I will order Jin to monitor the king’s every move.”
I was planning to leave my knights behind as well, so they should be able to hold out against whatever the king tried until I returned.
Despite my explanation, Eleanor’s expression remained dark.
“In the end, I wasn’t any help at all.”
Eleanor let out a deep sigh, blaming herself. She had insisted on accompanying me when I was about to seek an audience with the king alone, saying she would be of help.
But the result was the complete opposite.
Even with her vouching for me, the king hadn't trusted me. He had tried to use Broua County as a leash to control me.
It was because Bronx II was no longer the kind older brother she once knew.
I took Eleanor’s hand.
“We have gained full ownership of Broua County, and if I win the mock battle that resumes tomorrow, I’ll have the chance to become a titled noble. It’s very different from the original plan, but the outcome is actually better.”
“That’s because you handled it so well. I wasn’t any help at all. And that… will be the same in the future, won’t it?”
“Eleanor.”
I pulled her hand, drawing her into my arms. She didn't resist, burying her face in my chest.
“It’s the truth, isn’t it? My ability doesn’t work on you. And without my ability, I’m just a useless woman abandoned even by her own family. Maybe… yes. Maybe it would be better for us to maintain a certain distance. So that my ability can activate.”
For Eleanor’s ability to activate, not only I but also Aenya would have to be away from her side. In other words, she would become a loner again.
How could she possibly want that?
When I gently lifted her head, I could see her eyes welling with tears.
“I’ll be lonely.”
“I endured it well before. For you, I can do it.”
Looking into her eyes, which seemed ready to spill tears at any moment, I shook my head.
“It will be different from before. You’ve already tasted the joy of being with someone.”
“Then… you can visit me sometimes, can’t you? Maybe… once a month…?”
“I wouldn’t last a single day.”
“Hmph… You have plenty of women around you, don’t you? Aenya and Piole, and that mother and daughter from the Rasino family have been giving you heated looks. Aren’t they enough for you?”
Eleanor pouted and grumbled.
I saw right through her. She wanted to be helpful to me, but she also wanted me to hold onto her. Her jealousy was proof of that.
I lightly stole a kiss from her lips and whispered.
“They are all charming women in their own right. But that doesn't mean they can replace you. I will never give up on you. And I’m not so lacking that I need to rely on your ability.”
“I want to be of help to you.”
“Then, could you help me with this first?”
I gestured with my eyes toward my lower half, which had long since pitched a tent. Following my gaze, Eleanor saw it and laughed as if in disbelief.
“Ah, really… Aren’t you being a little clueless?”
“So, you don’t want to?”
“…Who said I didn’t?”
Eleanor grabbed it without hesitation.
She was a woman who would only accept me when Aenya was with us. Even then, she was passive, as if claiming she was only having relations with me because of Aenya.
But now, she had initiated contact. As I failed to hide my surprised expression, Eleanor shyly averted her gaze.
A corner of my mouth twitched into a smile.