The Princess and the Lanky Knight Geezer - 2
My biceps were screaming that none of that mattered.
I agree, partner.
I dumped all my SP into Mana. As I invested every last SP point into Mana, I felt something surging up from my lower abdomen. It spread through my entire body.
Mana rose to 35. Thanks to the Orlando-style Muscle Training Method effect, Body shot up to 87.
At just level 5, one of my stats is already pushing toward 100. What a miraculous number.
I'm still level 5 right now. But judging by my current stats, I'm equivalent to about level 24.
If I grind a bit more from here, I'll be respectable even in the Northern Territory.
The academy toppers and male leads were around early 30s at enrollment, roughly speaking.
Purely in terms of stats, that means I can match them.
Now I get it. The caliber of Dawn Star Academia enrollees.
Boring enough to die.
If things go well, I might even snag top spot on enrollment.
Of course, that's assuming I can enroll—and I have zero plans to go to the academy.
Donnesia Kihano's bad end flags will vanish the moment she joins the ducal family.
Plus, the male leads each have their unique traits and such.
Not all level 30s are created equal.
Just like I'm no ordinary level 5.
The gap between some no-name level 30 and one with imperial DNA is night and day.
All I've got going for me are these biceps, my iron emotional control, and those voyeuristic Knightly Stars.
Damn, that's actually a fair bit.
Anyway, boss room time.
I remember the bosses here being a hobgoblin and a goblin shaman.
The goblin shaman's smarter than your average goblin and casts shamanistic spells.
The hobgoblin's got a tougher body than regular goblins... well, anyway, it's sturdy.
Named-tier among goblins. They usually boss goblin dungeons.
Having both in one place is unusual, but whatever.
Fancy footwork or not, a goblin's a goblin.
No matter how clever the shaman is, it's just one spell.
No matter how tanky the hob, it couldn't take an orc.
If this were a dark fantasy or ero-game, even a Sword Master might have to go all out.
But this is a gentle romance fantasy world—minus Donnesia.
Still, spells hurt.
I picked up a ragged goblin corpse.
This is exactly why I brought the goblin body.
"Old man, what're you doing?"
Donnesia eyed me with a questioning look. Without a word, I pulled the Cursed Magic Stone Necklace from my inventory.
She winced at the curse's aura.
"There's a goblin shaman up ahead."
"How do you know that, old man?"
'Cause I've cleared it once before.
Can't say that, so I scanned for an excuse and spotted a totem.
Screams shaman, right? I pointed at the totem by the boss room door.
"Where there's shaman bling like that, there's usually a goblin shaman. They love playing witch doctor."
She seemed convinced and didn't press further.
I looped the necklace around the goblin corpse's neck.
Anyone watching might think I'm giving it a funeral, but this has huge meaning here.
"What're you gonna do with that?"
"You think I'm nuts enough to charge in head-on?"
The cave was narrow, so they came at me one by one—easy pickings.
Problem is, the boss area is wider.
Risk of getting swarmed.
Boss rooms usually have minions backing the bosses.
Goblin IQ means no real coordination, but stray blades happen.
And incoming spells? Headache.
I don't have AoE like Donnesia, either.
With my stats, I could brute-force it, no problem.
But why, when there's an easy way?
Donnesia could nuke it clean, but then I'd miss the XP.
I could curse myself and fight, but if she steps in range? Instant bad end.
Nope.
Goblin shamans usually hang back, bossing minions around.
As long as Donnesia stays by the door, we're good.
Anyway, toss this corpse at the shaman, it loses spells.
No-spell shaman's just a goblin. Rush it first, then mop up hob and adds.
Perfect plan.
"When I chuck this thing, don't budge from near the door."
I grabbed the goblin's head—necklace and all—for the throw.
"Can't I just bail outta the dungeon?"
Whoa, you just hit the core issue.
But there's reasons.
"No. You need this dungeon's clear reward. It's not an item I can hand over.
The boss door slams shut on entry. Only reopens on boss clear and reward claim."
The hidden piece for Donnesia isn't loot I can transfer from outside.
She gave me a surprised look.
"Wasn't that what you wanted?"
"I'd have ditched it back there if so."
"I figured you meant 'don't run away.'"
Well, yeah—but you gotta take this.
So you can grow strong, and make my life easier later.
I reached for the boss door to open it.
"Old man."
"What."
Her tone suddenly dropped cold.
"Why're you helping me like this?"
"Why the sudden quiz?"
Her voice dripped suspicion.
"You saved me. But you haven't asked for anything."
"Got nothing to squeeze outta you, why bother?"
"You just handed over jerky, too."
"Just happened to have it."
Jerky doesn't make me a saint.
"Still!"
She yelled suddenly.
"Why yell?"
"You're weird, old man. Helping me gains you zilch. What I have isn't even mine..."
Like hell it doesn't benefit me. You get strong quick, I relax.
Why's this girl—who scarfed six jerky strips no questions asked—suddenly like this?
I just stared at her face, eyes screaming "let's move already."
Helmet hiding it? My love letter fell flat.
She clutched her chest.
"Don't tell me... you want my body..."
"You're delusional."
Way to tank my rep.
"Keep yapping nonsense, I'm opening it."
"Hey, back home, guys lined up to marry me!"
Whoa, middle-schoolers queued for a peek?
This world's got trash to purge.
"Grow bigger, maybe I'll consider."
"What the hell, old man."
# Strange Person.
The old man was a strange person.
Popping out of nowhere, saving me no strings attached.
Handing over jerky like it was nothing.
Even with that power-sealing necklace, he never threatened me once.
This tin-can knight-wannabe, ripping thief clothes and rifling pockets.
Yet calling himself noble—made me laugh despite myself.
Then dragging me to a goblin dungeon outta nowhere, soloing them all, just to give me something.
"Stay back," he says, strutting like a knight but fighting like a barbarian.
First kindness since the back alleys.
Not that sleazy alley gaze, but a blank stare saying nothing at all.
That's why his favors felt so weird, burdensome.
He could grovel as my lifesaver.
Shove that cursed necklace in my face and I'd be helpless.
But he acts like it's natural, asks nothing in return.
Pure good deeds, no gain sought.
Tin can and chivalry merged into a fairy-tale knight from my childhood books.
In this era? Felt off, scary even.
His kindness too heavy, maybe bait for a trap.
Can't see his face in that helmet—who knows what expression's inside.
I asked his motives.
Got lame brush-offs, like he was annoyed.
His focus wasn't on me—just itching to wrap this up.
First time treated like this.
As nobility, everyone kissed up.
After, everyone just wanted to scam me.
He sees me as a kid, nothing more, nothing less...
And "grow bigger, then maybe"? Tin can punk.
Doesn't even want my body. Weirdo...
The old man shrugged like "that answer you?" and opened the door.
Inside: dozen goblins, one huge one, and one with a staff.
That staff guy's the goblin shaman from books?
They hadn't spotted us yet.
Stay by the door, he said. I hugged the wall, still.
Watched him.
Probably toss the necklace-goblin at the shaman to seal its magic.
Then rush and kill it while it's helpless. Handle the rest after.
But his next move?
He yanks the necklace off the goblin's neck, holds it to thin air.
It vanishes with a whoosh.
Curse gone—he must've stored it in that "inventory."
Why remove it? Wasn't he gonna use it?
Before I could process, next action.
Clank.
Suddenly removes his gauntlet, hurls it at the big goblin.
His bizarre move short-circuited my brain.
Excuse me? Old man, what the—
Thud.
Gauntlet smacks the goblin, hits the floor.
All goblins stared at him.
Low IQ or not, their eyes screamed, "What a moron?"
I feel you. Same here.
In that gaze, he drew his sword from its hip scabbard.
"My name is Quixote! Don Quixote! O valiant goblins, I challenge you to formal single combat!"
Sudden intro, then duels a goblin.
Did I call him strange?
Correction: the old man's not strange.
He's just plain nuts.