Chapter 14
Translator: True Detective
Chapter 14. Wolf Hunting
Losers always hide behind excuses.
'My condition wasn't good today.''I couldn't sleep well yesterday.''My stomach hurt because the milk I had for breakfast was spoiled.'
Condition. The number one word best for making excuses in the world of competition.
But I am different.
'Refreshing.'
This morning, I was greeting the best condition of my life.
That alcohol I drank yesterday. Did they say it was traditional liquor of the North?
Although the system marked it as [Deadly Poison: Winter Sleep] and popped up [Poison Resistance Roll], what does it matter.
It’s fine if it tastes good.
It’s fine if my body feels refreshed.
Originally, if the body is strong, the head becomes comfortable.
I don't care about the system's narrow-minded sense of taste that treats MinCho as poison.
Rather, perhaps thanks to that poison… no, MinCho extract.
The magic power flowing through my blood vessels rushed more vigorously than usual.
Northern alcohol is truly amazing.
As expected, the colder the region, the more developed the liquor culture.
Creak-
The heavy iron gate opened.
Waaaaaaah!
The spectator seats were already full.
Northern warriors, nobles, commoners, everyone gathered to watch the final match.
This is the power of sports.
Transcending class, making one forget wealth and poverty, making everyone equal under the single value of victory.
Of course, the two people inside the arena won't be equal.
Dum dum.
Drum sounds ring.
"Axe Festival, the long-awaited final! First, the champion of Her Highness the Imperial Princess! The Black Knight!"
Step. Step.
As I stepped into the arena, murmurs surged from the spectator seats.
"Th-That’s the one who took down Lord Brynjolf in one blow…" "The monster who broke Lady Freya's sword with bare hands…" "But the opponent is Ulfric. The Blood Wolf."
Complex gazes mixed with fear, expectation, and curiosity.
Not bad.
At this level, isn't it on the popular side?
I looked up at one side of the spectator seats.
Lucia stood gripping the railing tightly.
Pretty today too. Her blonde hair shining in the morning sunlight is dazzling. Even her tense expression looks like a painting.
Above all, that gaze. It is definitely a gaze worrying about me.
'It is okay, Your Highness. Because your knight is strong.'
Saying so in my heart, I nodded slightly.
……Lucia flinched and avoided my gaze.
She must be shy. How cute.
Bwuuuoooo-!
The sound of a horn tore the atmosphere.
Following that, the iron gate on the opposite side opened, and today's opponent walked out.
"His opponent is the pride of the North, Blood Wolf Ulfric Grombalt!"
Waaaaaaah-!
The volume of the cheers was different.
Home advantage refers to something like this.
Ulfric Grombalt.
Draping a rough wolf skin over his shoulder, wearing a longsword frosted with chill at his waist.
The scar on his cheek shone ferociously. The hearty smile he showed at the banquet yesterday was gone.
Confident gait. Chin lifted arrogantly high. And a fishy smile hanging on his lips.
As if he was certain of victory.
'He looks in a good mood.'
Well, it’s the final.
If he is a man of the North, his blood must be boiling.
Ulfric strode right up to me.
With the referee in between, we faced each other.
"Hey, Blackie. How is your condition?"
Ulfric giggled.
"The alcohol last night must have been a bit strong? Kukuku."
How kind. Such thoughtfulness to worry about the opponent's condition.
'My condition is the best. Thanks to the good alcohol. I am looking forward to today's match.'
"Just the right condition to tear you apart."
……Huh?
No. Don't panic.
This is a Northern style greeting.
"Hmph, a guy dying soon is all talk!"
Ulfric's expression twisted.
Huh? Dying soon? Who?
"Bluffing until the end! Good, let’s try it then! Did you think I wouldn't know that it’s a miracle you're even standing?"
The referee looked at both sides alternately and raised the flag high.
"Warriors on both sides, are you ready?"
I nodded.
Instead of answering, Ulfric drew his longsword.
Blue aura flowed along the blade, then soon turned blood-red and blazed.
"Axe Festival Final!"
The referee's flag came down.
"Start!"
Pat-!
Ulfric kicked off the ground.
Fast enough to seem like he disappeared for a moment.
Red aura stretches long like an afterimage, disrupting vision.
Indeed, it seems the nickname 'Blood Wolf' is not a false reputation.
Shuuuuk!
Sharp bursting sound. The longsword filled with aura aims for my neck and comes in.
"Fast!" "Ulfric's fierce attack!" "Look at that sword! Can't even see it!"
The spectator seats cheered.
Certainly fast.
Agile, sharp, and full of murderous intent.
A style completely different from Brynjolf's heavy power.
Different texture from Freya's technique too.
Seasoned.
Calculated violence coming from actual combat experience.
However.
'But I can see it well?'
Not slow enough to say it’s slow, but not fast enough to be unavoidable either.
Is this the difference in stats? Or the awakening effect of Mint Choco?
Clang!
I struck his blade away with my gauntlet.
Sparks flew.
Red and black collided, creating orange sparks.
Ulfric didn't stop.
Clang! Kang! Chang!
High, low, thrust, slash. Flashy swordsmanship like dancing.
I fell into contemplation for a moment.
Should I end it like this?
Technically, it is possible.
Just like I defeated Brynjolf, I just need to swing my fist.
No, fists aren't even needed. Flicking with a finger seems enough to send him flying.
'Wait.'
But the opponent is Lucia's maternal uncle.
If I win too overwhelmingly, the North's face, and Ulfric's face, will be ruined.
Surely it will become awkward to see each other during holidays later.
I want to avoid situations like 'Ah, back then you got knocked out by me in one hit, right?'.
Is there anything more painful than awkward silence at a family event?
'I need to direct this a bit.'
Matching movements appropriately, then winning narrowly at the climax.
That is the best.
I deliberately took large movements and retreated.
Whish!
Ulfric's sword brushed past my chest.
To the outside eye, it must have looked like I dodged by a hair's breadth.
"Ohhh!" "Almost hit! The Blood Wolf's sword is working!" "The Black Knight is being pushed back! He can't even draw his sword!"
The spectator seats murmured.
Good. The reaction is good.
As expected, the audience wants a fierce battle. One-sided slaughter is not fun.
Whish. Swish. Kang!
Striking away his sword with my gauntlet, I acted like I was being pushed back appropriately.
I understand the feelings of a pro wrestler.
Scripted fighting is actually harder.
"Hahaha! Hey, outsider! Serve you right!"
Kang!
Ulfric seems excited too.
"Slow! Slow! Where did yesterday's spirit go! Body feels heavy, right? Arms won't go up? Magic won't circulate? Kuhahaha!"
His sword strikes become rougher. And his mouth becomes rougher too.
Kkang!
I tapped his sword away with the back of my hand. The sensation of metal touching is light.
"How is it! Soon it will be hard to even lift a finger!"
No, rather it’s a problem because it’s too light.
I'm sweating from controlling my strength.
"Dare to covet the North as a mere outsider? Princess's champion? Don't make me laugh! As long as this Ulfric is alive, the North will never pass to you bastards! Brother was too soft! Empire? Imperial Family? They are all just weaklings anyway!"
'……Trash talk is a bit extreme?'
Well, it’s the North so it can be like that.
People here tend to have rough expressions.
I have nothing to say in that aspect either.
Ulfric kept chattering incessantly.
He poured out creative curses like cutting off my limbs to make me a roly-poly toy, or melting my armor to use as a chamber pot.
He must be out of breath from swinging the sword, yet throwing comments too.
As expected of a veteran.
Should I pretend to pant a little too?
Should I say lines like 'Kuh, strong…'?
I pondered what technique to use at what timing for the audience to like.
However.
"Kukuku… Don't worry about Lucia. After I throw you as dog food, I will 'take care' of her very well!"
His sword grazed my shoulder armor.
Screech.
Unpleasant noise.
"The Princess's blood is very useful. Perfect justification for Northern independence. If I make her an obedient doll and keep her by my side, even the Imperial bastards won't be able to act rashly!"
Doll?
"Ah, right. Need a child for legitimacy too. If Imperial and Northern blood combine, surely an outstanding warrior…"
What did this bastard just babble?
Snap.
Something snapped.
Is it the string of reason? Or the limit of patience?
Doesn't matter which.
What is important is that the thing in front of my eyes is no longer 'Lucia's uncle'.
Just a barking beast.
A mutt that doesn't know its place.
"Why? Body won't move now? Did you finally grasp the situation?"
As my movements stopped suddenly, Ulfric smiled fishily and raised his sword high.
"Die, outsider!"
His longsword, spewing blood-red aura, slammed down towards the crown of my head.
Red aura exploded.
Probably Ulfric's full power, a fang befitting the nickname 'Blood Wolf'.
The blade rushed in leaving dozens of afterimages.
I didn't dodge.
Because there is no reason to dodge.
Just walked.
One step.
Kooooong-!!!
The moment my foot trampled the ice, the world overturned.
Aura of the Abyss exploded from the epicenter.
Black waves spread out drawing concentric circles.
Crack-!
Cracks spread across the entire ice floor of the arena.
And.
Crunch. Clatter!
Ulfric's famous sword cracked, then shattered like glass.
Not just the sword.
Crunch. Creak. Zap.
His armor crumpled like paper, tore, broke into pieces, and scattered.
I didn't lift a finger.
Just one step.
Just took one step forward.
"……Huh?"
Ulfric stared blankly at his own hand.
Hand holding only the sword hilt.
And armor fragments tatters hanging like rags.
Even the wolf skin he proudly wore became rags and fell to the floor.
"L… Lie… How… How can you use magic power! Poison…… Surely the poison……"
His gaze moved to my hand, then up to my face.
"Why, why are you fine! If you drank a whole bottle of Winter Sleep, magic circuits should have all frozen solid, that’s normal! It’s a lethal dose that kills even a Frost Bear instantly!"
Was that alcohol really poison?
Such delicious poison exists in the world?
Then I can forgive him even less.
The sin of playing pranks with food.
And above all.
"You tried to touch what is mine."
For the first time in a while, heart and mouth matched.
I grabbed Ulfric by the collar and lifted him up.
"Let go! Let go of this, I say!"
Two legs struggling cut through the air pitifully.
He hit and scratched my arm, but not a scratch appeared on the black armor.
Met his eyes beyond the helmet slit.
Since coming to this world, I was the angriest I have ever been.
Not because he fed me poison and tried to kill me.
Such things don't matter.
Try killing me if you can. Since I won't die anyway.
But.
The protagonist of the happy ending. The sin of daring to put the heroine I must protect into that dirty mouth.
"Not knowing your place."
I threw him onto the floor.
Kwaaang-!
The arena exploded.
Ice fragments flew everywhere.
As Ulfric's body crashed into the floor, the ice floor caved in.
"Kuh, huk… Kugh…"
Ulfric vomited blood and convulsed.
But he is still conscious.
As expected of a Northerner. I can acknowledge his toughness at least.
"Kuh, kuck… S… Surrender…!"
The mouth is still alive, I see.
Mouth.
Right, the mouth is the problem.
He contained Lucia's name with that dirty mouth.
I clenched my fist.
Aura? Not needed. Greatsword? Not needed.
Just fist.
Puck!
"Uack!"
One hit. Nasal bone collapsed.
Puck!
"Your teeth are too long."
Crunch!
My fist struck his face.
Sensation of front teeth breaking off.
"Only know how to bark. Don't know how to bite."
Puck!
"Ugh… T… Teeth…"
Two hits. Ulfric's teeth poured out like corn kernels being threshed.
Roll roll.
Sound of white teeth rolling on the ice.
Unexpectedly clear and cheerful.
"S, Save…!"
Puck! Puck! Puck!
The beating continued.
Four hits. Five hits. Six hits.
Pain to the maximum. But preventing fainting.
Exquisite strength control granting only pain while maintaining consciousness.
The practice of strength control all this time must have been for this moment.
"Ugh… Ugueu…"
Ulfric's face was now mashed beyond recognition.
Don't know where the nose went. Lips burst and became bloody. Eyelids swollen so much he can't even open his eyes.
Blood-cake Ulfric.
I'll grant you a new nickname.
I shook off my bloody fist and stood up.
'If you mention Lucia's name one more time, I will really kill you then.'
"Next time you put that name in your mouth, I'll pull out your head, not your teeth."
Ulfric didn't budge.
Perfect defeat. Retirement beyond recovery.
As expected, overwhelming violence is the only way to inject manners into rude people.
I turned my head to look at the referee.
He started and picked up the flag.
"W, Winner…! The winner of the Axe Festival is… Her Highness the Princess's Great Warrior! The Black Knight!"
The spectator seats were quiet as if cold water was poured.
I slowly looked around the spectator seats.
Tens of thousands of eyes were directed at me.
Eyes of herbivores facing a predator. Instinctive fear. Primal awe.
But Northerners are simple.
They worship strength.
Whatever the process, resultantly I turned the North's Number 2 into pulp with bare hands.
And very cruelly, mercilessly at that.
Where would there be a more Northern victory than this?
I raised my bloody gauntlet high into the sky.
Victory pose. Champion's gesture.
After a while.
Thump.
Someone started hitting the floor with an axe handle.
Dum. Dum.
Someone drummed their shield with an axe.
Dum dum dum dum dum─
The resonance spread like a wave.
"……Strong."
Someone murmured from somewhere in the spectator seats.
"Strong. That outsider." "The North acknowledges."
That sound spread like an infectious disease.
Thump. Thump. Thump. Thump.
Sound of thousands of warriors stomping their feet.
"Black Knight!" "Black Knight!" "The strong lead! This is the law of the North!"
It was the applause of the North.
"Birth of a new Alpha Wolf!"
Waaaaaaah-!
Cheers shook the arena.
Standing in the center of the arena, I received the pouring gazes with my whole body.
'I won.'
Won the fight. Received acknowledgment. Got the North in my hands.
The old elder climbed onto the podium.
"According to tradition, we acknowledge Princess Lucia Von Astellia as the temporary leader of the North!"
The cheers reached their peak.
I looked up at the spectator seats.
Lucia was there.
Covering her mouth with two hands, eyes wide open.
Pale face, looking somewhat teary too.
Hm… It must be because the Northern wind is cold, right?
'Saw that? I won for you. Now no one can ignore you.'
The teeth of the wolf threatening her have been pulled out.
Lucia obtained the power for revenge.
'Anyway, the formal meeting with the in-laws is successful.'
With this, I must have gotten one step closer to a happy ending.