Chapter 37
Chapter 37
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 37
Chapter Title: Doppelganger Captain
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Once word spread that the bandit who murdered the knight was a doppelganger, tension began to frost over the Black Rose Knights. Sure, Enri had taken it down without batting an eye just now, but this was a monster that could potentially annihilate an entire knight order all by itself.
"—Never fall behind! Stay in each other's sight!"
"Maintain formation! Keep track of everyone's numbers!"
"Doppelgangers steal memories! Passwords or secrets won't distinguish them!"
The Black Rose Knights pressed forward, holding their formation tightly, never letting anyone stray more than a set distance. Countless monsters blocked their path ahead.
Monsters that wielded magic. The doppelganger had temporarily exploded their numbers. Just as a brilliant leader could revive a nation, the presence of a powerful monster had satisfied their breeding urges.
"Hold the formation! That's the top priority!"
"Even while fighting monsters, don't lose sight of your comrades! A doppelganger might be hiding, waiting to slip in!"
These were monsters that the knights could normally trample effortlessly in a frenzy. But they couldn't cut loose like that this time. If they scattered into a melee and a doppelganger sneaked in, it'd be a headache.
The Black Rose Knights never broke formation, steadily whittling down the monsters, if slowly. Whether the doppelganger lurking somewhere couldn't pierce their ironclad vigilance or not, no new knight slipped in unnoticed.
"Luca."
"Yes, Captain."
"How much farther?"
"According to the map, the center's just ahead. Past that, we'll have looped around."
"It's waiting here."
Enri murmured as much, loosening up in preparation for the battle to come. The map showed this as the heart of the mountain range—the core of the forest where all mana and resources converged—just up ahead.
The consensus was that if a doppelganger had killed the knights, it would have claimed the position of forest boss.
Indeed, the closer they got to the forest's heart, the heavier the air felt.
"...Captain, that's..."
"The real deal?"
"Holy shit—."
A moment later—
The Black Rose Knights, having reached deep into the forest, came face-to-face with a single knight.
Armor pitch-black from head to toe.
A single crest engraved on the armor and sword hilt.
"Well, damn."
The crest of the Claudia Duchy—and the Black Rose Symbol granted only to the one knight the duke trusted most.
A sight all too familiar to every knight present.
"Even I don't go around wearing that."
The captain of the Black Rose Knights.
The Black Rose's Mad Dog.
Terror of the barbarians, calamity of monsters, butcher of rebels.
—….
'Knight Captain Enri' raised his head.
Enri met his own gaze and cracked a wry smile.
As if sensing the worst experience of his life was about to unfold.
Black Rose Full Plate Armor.
The Claudia family's heirloom passed down through generations.
A treasure from the duke's vault said to deflect all attacks.
Enri had worn it a few times during territorial wars, but otherwise avoided it. Of course, the real reason he skipped it was the hassle of putting it on and taking it off, plus the sweat—but it was still a treasure.
No mere monster deserved to wear it.
It was tied to the honor of the duke's house.
"...Captain. What do we do?"
"What do you mean? We retreat."
"Retreat?"
One of the knights pointed at 'Knight Captain Enri' as he asked.
"Against that?"
It wasn't emitting a shred of killing intent.
Yet its mere presence dominated the area.
They knew that showing even the slightest opening would mean their heads rolling first. Their captain—the one they'd witnessed—was exactly that kind of existence.
But here stood two captains.
"Yeah."
Shring—.
Enri drew his sword and stepped forward to block the way.
"While I'm holding it off, run like hell."
Even as Enri positioned himself to block the doppelganger, it showed no reaction. Even as the knights, hearing his words, began slipping out of the forest one by one.
It seemed to prioritize not taking its eyes off the one right in front of it over chasing the fleeing knights. And rightly so.
The suffocating standoff dragged on until Knight Captain Enri stepped forward first. It trusted the power of the full plate armor encasing its body. Overwhelming defense that nullified every attack it touched—Enri, facing it now, knew that power all too well.
True to fantasy fashion, it boasted fantastical defense. If something like that existed in the real world, firearms never would have replaced knights.
The downside? Shields that blocked everything, but no spear that pierced everything. If there were swordmasters and aura blades like in fantasy tales, it'd be a breeze.
'No teeth? Use the gums—.'
Enri swung his sword at the doppelganger swinging at him. The most effective swordsmanship against an armored knight unfolded, countered by the rational techniques best suited to armored combat.
Both were moves Enri himself would use, so they knew each other's strikes inside out. Like actors in a perfectly rehearsed play, they tangled and spun wildly. Swords clashed relentlessly.
As the ceaseless sword strikes harmonized like a performance, the duet ended. The two separated, facing each other with entirely different smiles.
"Ha— that armor's total bullshit."
Enri let out a wry laugh, eyeing the gashes across his body.
Knight Captain Enri sneered mockingly at the wounded Enri.
When two knights of equal skill and ability clashed, victory hinged on conditions. The fully armored Knight Captain Enri held a massive advantage over Enri, who wielded just a single sword.
It was only a matter of time. Defeat was all but certain at this rate.
But.
'This is fun.'
Enri clenched his fist, trembling with tension he'd never felt before. The electric thrill crawling up his spine told him just how excited he was.
The world had always been fragile as tofu to him, simple as flipping a baby's palm.
Not this moment. For the first time in his life, he'd met a worthy rival, sparking massive inspiration. His talent bubbled up like a spring, devising ways to overcome an equal foe.
"Can't you take that off? Huh?"
—….
"No? Figures... Cheating bastard. Strip the knight title. 'Cowardly wizard' fits better."
Knight Captain Enri didn't respond.
Obviously, a doppelganger that stole his identity wouldn't fall for cheap taunts.
But ignoring him entirely? That was odd.
'Didn't mimic my personality?'
Proof the doppelganger's power had flaws.
After all.
Wasn't this imitation based not on observing him, but stolen from the memories of the two dead knights? It had to be imperfect somewhere.
Realizing that was the breakthrough, Enri clashed swords with Knight Captain Enri once more. His hunch proved right.
"Aha."
—….
Blood flowed from both, but noticeably less from the doppelganger than before.
Enri, who had grown fighting himself, sneered at the doppelganger that hadn't caught up yet.
"Horus—!"
-Neigh?
"Let's go!"
Luca burst out of the forest, abandoning the knights only to charge back in, grabbing the horse she'd left behind to avoid tripping hazards.
Enri had told them to flee and leave him, but to Luca, that wasn't literal. It had to mean find a way somehow.
And to Luca, the answer was the horse. The doppelganger might mimic the duke's treasure armor, but not the captain's prized steed.
If they rode back now, the armored doppelganger couldn't pursue. Sure, it might shapeshift into a horse or bird, but Luca dismissed that for now.
Doppelganger transformations were magical, and magic always had a cost. The stronger the spell, the harsher the restrictions—that was common sense. If it could shift freely, it'd turn into a dragon and conquer the world outright.
'Captain, please hold on...!'
Luca spurred the horse onward, fretting over Enri's life. Roots that could trip anyone else were nothing to the kingdom's finest steed—Horus breezed through the forest effortlessly.
Just after clearing the woods, Luca spotted Enri crossing swords with the doppelganger.
"Captain! Run... Huh?"
Luca faltered mid-call to flee.
In their overwhelmingly lopsided fight.
Enri was gradually gaining the upper hand.
"Wha, what's going on?"
For a moment, it was confusing whether the unarmored one was the doppelganger. Watching their duel, Luca soon uncovered the secret.
Enri was still growing, even now.
The battle with an equal rival was forcibly elevating his skill.
Luca gasped in disbelief at the sight.
"No way... You still had room to grow...?"
Enri, whom she'd thought had no more potential left.
Had leaped over his limits with utter ease.