Chapter 219: Lainella's Fate is Decided by Lainella (12)
Chapter 219: Lainella's Fate is Decided by Lainella (12)
With a thunderous boom, the knight’s body lunged forward, flying toward me like a silver cannonball. Before the sound of the air tearing could even register, he was already upon me.
The fist he swung ripped through the atmosphere.
But it wasn't enough.
I leaned my upper body back slightly. As the fist grazed past me by a hair’s breadth, my hand began to wind around his arm.
It all happened in the time it took to let out a startled gasp.
But that single gasp became his final act of defiance.
Thud!
I threw him over my shoulder with everything I had. The knight’s body bounced off the ground, unable to withstand the impact.
His wide-eyed stare bore witness to the pain. Without even being able to let out a proper scream, he coughed up a mouthful of blood.
Immediately, two more knights rushed me.
It seemed they had finally realized they couldn't face me unarmed. They attempted to subdue me using their sheathed swords.
However, close-quarters combat involving weaponry was my specialty.
My scabbard shot out like a bolt of lightning, wedging itself between their two intersecting sword paths. It was a move designed to jam their coordinated attack, like a stone caught between gears.
While they were momentarily stunned, I drew my blade from the fixed scabbard.
A swordsman is bound to grow more tense when faced with a live blade.
In an instant, realizing they couldn't respond in time, the knights' eyes clouded with terror. If I swung my sword now, I could take their heads.
Of course, I had no intention of doing that.
Taking advantage of their panic, I kicked my scabbard, which was still wedged between their two sheaths.
Both knights' swords were knocked aside. Before they could recover, I slammed the blunt pommel of my sword into the nape of one knight’s neck.
Thwack!
The pommel dug in deep, converting my raw strength into pure impact.
The knight’s focus shattered instantly, and his posture began to collapse.
"Y-you bastard!"
Bellowing in desperation, the last remaining knight swung his sword down.
The fact he overlooked was that I also had a sword in my hand.
I wasn't such a pushover that I’d just stand there and take the hit.
Clang!
Steel clashed against the scabbard, sending sparks flying into the air. By then, my scabbard, which had been spinning in the sky, began its descent.
I snatched it out of the air.
As the sword flew at me again, I parried the sheath with my live blade once more. Then, spinning into his guard, I swung the scabbard.
With a dull thud, the scabbard slammed into the man’s temple.
It didn't take long for him to go down.
The sound of the two knights collapsing one after another tickled my ears. Perhaps my skills were beyond their imagination, as the knights who had already been downed were staring at me with bulging eyes.
Of course they didn't know.
Only Mitram knew that I had reached the rank of Expert.
And that dark priest was currently missing in action.
There was no way my true strength could have been known.
I was able to subdue the knights easily by exploiting that element of surprise.
"H-how can a third-year Academy student...?"
Leaving behind the question I’d been hearing a lot lately, I walked forward with steady steps.
Now, there was no one left to stand between Senior Elsie and me.
At most, the knight who had lost his grip on my shoulder had finally come to his senses.
"This is against the code of honor, Young Master Percus!"
Ignoring his words, I reached out and stroked the hair of Senior Elsie, who was looking up at me with watery eyes.
It was a reward she hadn't received in a long time.
"Are you okay, Senior Elsie?"
"...Ugh!"
Elsie couldn't hold back her tears any longer.
A single tear rolled down her cheek. She pulled her hat down low, her hands gripping the brim as if trying to wring it dry.
Did she really hate the idea of this engagement that much?
The opponent was supposedly a young master from a prestigious family with a bright future, but Senior Elsie’s tastes were certainly unique.
I couldn't help but let out a hollow laugh.
"Y-you definitely... hic... said you... sniff... didn't want to go on a d-date..."
"I was obviously joking."
It hadn't been a joke at the time, but caught up in the atmosphere, my mouth refused to tell the truth.
In fact, I went beyond just glossing over it and shared the sincerity I had been hiding.
"Why would I ever not want to go on a date with you, Senior? Especially when you dressed up so beautifully."
When I said that with a bitter smile, Elsie finally burst into a fit of sobbing.
It seemed her heart had been deeply wounded.
Well, it made sense. A woman had gathered the courage to ask, only to be met with such a cold rejection.
Elsie was a woman, after all.
Seeing her drip tears like that made her look exceptionally lovely. I comforted her with a faint smile on my face.
I wonder who the trash is that made this cute girl cry.
Clicking my tongue inwardly, I turned my head. There was still one knight left, shouting at the top of his lungs.
"I will formally protest to the Percus family! How can an unrelated outsider interfere in an event of the Lainella family...!"
"I am related."
However, that shout was immediately silenced by my nonchalant reply.
The knight stared at me with a blank expression.
'You? Related?'
His gaze was so blatantly questioning that I gave a wry smile and gently pulled Senior Elsie into my arms.
While Elsie let out a startled "Uh...", her head ended up buried in my chest.
"...Senior Elsie and I are in a 'special relationship'."
It was a desperate measure, nothing more.
Regardless of whether it was the Empire or the Kingdom, there was an unwritten rule among noble families.
'Never interfere in the affairs of another family.'
This was a tradition so long-standing that it was difficult to ignore.
Yet, despite that tacit rule, I was currently blocking Elsie’s path to marriage.
There was no way to secure a justification for this through conventional means.
In the end, there were limits to the schemes I could concoct. I had no choice but to endure a sacrifice of my own.
What I sacrificed was the 'truth.'
"A-a special relationship...?"
The knight’s voice trembled in disbelief.
His complexion had turned pale. He cast a desperate look toward Elsie.
It was a gaze filled with the hope that she would deny it.
The conditions for an engagement set by a noble family almost always included an obligation of chastity.
If a lover existed, additional negotiations would be mandatory. That meant they wouldn't be able to take Elsie away right this second.
Of course, what I said was a lie. There was no way the Lainella family could have identified Elsie’s 'lover' beforehand.
Soon, the divide between joy and sorrow began to manifest.
Unlike the despair-ridden knight, the students who had been watching the whole process broke into cheers and whistles.
The cascading sound of applause spoke for their feelings.
A few girls even let out high-pitched squeals, causing quite a stir.
A romance story was a subject that traditionally enjoyed broad popularity across all ages and genders.
What happened today would spread throughout the Academy in no time. It was a shame many students had gone home for the break, but this was successful enough.
The speed at which rumors spread among nobles was beyond imagination.
And the more romantic the story of Senior Elsie and me became, the more Count Lainella would have to mind public opinion.
He could probably handle being seen as a cold-blooded man who tore apart two passionate lovers.
But the real problem was the fact itself—that Senior Elsie and I were in a heated romance.
She was a noble lady who already had a man she truly loved. Logically, no noble family would want to bring her in, especially at a high price.
It was a clear miscalculation.
Count Lainella would have to rack his brains for a while to secure a new marriage proposal. Even then, it was uncertain if he could find a satisfactory match.
However, the one thing weighing on my mind was Senior Elsie herself.
The difficulties Count Lainella would face were also problems Elsie would have to confront.
Even if she found someone she truly loved later, today’s events might haunt her for a long time.
It would be best if I could explain the situation and clear up the misunderstanding later.
Ultimately, the ball was in Elsie’s court.
Everyone’s eyes were fixed on her mouth. Though the emotions in each pair of eyes were different, they were all identical in their desperate wait for her answer.
Even me.
Please, Senior Elsie. Take the hint.
However, Elsie, who had been suddenly pulled into my arms, remained frozen as if time had stopped.
Only after a long wait did a reaction finally come from her.
Her face gradually flushed until it was so red I half-expected steam to come puffing out.
Elsie began to stammer, muttering nonsense.
"I-I-I?! I, I mean... that is? T-there's no way? O-oh?"
Just listening to her was enough to feel that she was completely out of her mind.
The corners of my mouth, which had been holding a confident smile, began to twitch.
I’d already embarrassed myself as much as possible; the plan wasn't going to fall apart at the very end, was it?
As if answering my desperate prayer, Elsie suddenly let out an exclamation.
"...A-ah! R-right!"
You finally realized, Senior Elsie.
I was so moved I almost shed a tear. Elsie then put on a triumphant expression in my arms and spoke to the knight of the Lainella family.
"That's right, a 'special relationship'."
Thud.
Unable to bear the miserable reality, the knight fell to his knees.
The gaze he cast blankly at the ground was filled with deep despair.
On the other hand, the onlookers gathered in front of the dormitory responded with even louder cheers. A bittersweet smile played on my lips.
Yes, it was a necessary evil to protect Senior Elsie.
Just as I was about to breathe a sigh of relief with that thought—
"I-I... I serve Lord Ian as my Master!"
At that bold declaration, a sudden silence fell over the area.
The knight, who had been staring at the ground in despair, slowly lifted his head. In his eyes flickered an emotion that went beyond shock and horror.
It was disbelief.
The onlookers were the same.
Dozens of pairs of eyes widened. It was a statement that defied all imagination.
Elsie had called me 'Master' before, but back then, I had immediately run away with her, so the rumor hadn't spread.
Everyone had assumed they’d heard a ridiculous hallucination, thinking there was no way Elsie would do such a thing.
But the situation was different now.
Everyone’s attention was focused on her, and right in front of them, Elsie had made a bold proclamation.
The fact that Ian Percus was Elsie Lainella’s Master.
Even I could only stand there with my eyes wide, my lips parting and closing repeatedly.
My mind went completely blank.
When no one spoke, Elsie began to fidget, wondering if she had done something wrong.
In her flustered state, as if to prove her words, she awkwardly rubbed her head against my chest.
And then, one more thing.
"......Woof?"
It was over.
I wiped my face with my hand. Elsie’s declaration would surely spread like wildfire before long.
And that prediction was proven true very soon.
Because the news of today’s incident reached the ears of the Saintess, whom I visited next.