Chapter 217
Chapter 217
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 217
Chapter Title: The Blind Knight and the Mysterious Mage, and the Mimers -3
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I need to weave together Elaine and Irid's request with my own goals in a harmonious way.
Elaine believes that if left as is, the Holy Knight will just throw her life away pointlessly on the battlefield again, so she hopes the knight drops out of the Hero Selection Tournament.
It would be great if she gets selected as a hero and somehow heals that damaged soul of hers, but Elaine would rather see her retire than fix her up just to send her back to the front lines.
Irid saw that and asked me to handle the Holy Knight's mental care. I think he even said there's no need to worry about methods or means.
And I want to collaborate with the imperial side to pressure them so none of the Cardinal faction's hero candidates get picked. This ties all our interests together.
A clean, beautiful straight line came into view.
I'll make the Holy Knight win. Use the tournament itself as a springboard to rehabilitate her. Change the myth if possible. And when she touches the holy sword, experiment with how to fix her soul.
But there's one prerequisite for this.
I have to essentially dominate this tournament.
Inside the simulation, I'm omnipotent as the game master. But there's no time, equipment, or even Yuna to prepare a session here. When exactly am I supposed to haul academy gear all the way here?
Besides, this Holy Knight is a powerhouse on par with Elaine. If I cobble together some cheap simulation gear, an accident could happen.
And she's not likely to accept an order to "lie down in this magic circle, open your mental barrier, look at the sky, and relax" anyway—that's basically demanding she disarm completely.
So I've decided to use the real tournament unfolding right here as the stage for the session. Circumstances demand it.
"...Do you think that'll work? Controlling a tournament with this many people flooding in, all for one person?"
"Of course it will!"
The one who answered Pingvalrez's concern wasn't me—it was Evil God-chan.
Evil God-chan had this wicked grin, like a naughty friend egging you on. The kind of vibe that says, "Finally starting to smoke cigarettes, huh?" Pure devilish temptation.
"Finally playing around with reality? Awesome, Mima. Let's put on this puppet show for as long as it takes. It's gonna be so much fun!"
"Shut your trap!"
"Eekya-kya-kya!"
I grabbed Evil God-chan's cheeks and stretched them out to both sides.
One mage dominating a tournament? Not impossible. If I take it step by step, I can turn it into a perfect stage. And the first step is...
"Excluding outside forces."
"Excluding them?"
"Yeah. You can't control the strong ones. Like that female warrior from the Northern Grand Duke we ran into earlier, or those on my watchlist—they'll just mess up the story."
Variables need to be eliminated.
The imperial Holy Knight Yurensuto is S-grade goods across the entire Hero Selection Tournament. Unless some random transcendent being pulls a newbie cosplay and joins, she's a solid favorite to win.
So from other factions' perspectives, she's someone you "really don't want to face if possible," since the odds of losing are sky-high.
That's why I'm planning to throw down a threat: "Don't even think about bidding higher, you bastards."
I spread rumors far and wide that the imperial secret weapon is entering the first tournament, "Courage." Along with her illustrious achievements.
I even had the Holy Knight herself declare her ambitions publicly. Wrote the script for her too.
"I, Cisel Yurensuto, will enter this 'Courage' tournament to prove to the goddess that I am the bravest knight."
That provocative declaration heated up the festive atmosphere.
I sent letters to the Northern Grand Duke's side advising them to sit this round out if possible, and told the Bennetts to skip participating.
I've done everything I can. Now I just watch reactions and adjust plans accordingly. I turned off the lights, sat in the dim center of the room with my chin propped up, and grinned like a mastermind villain.
"It's the first tournament. Three more to go after this. With three chances left, why would any top contender enter the 'Courage' one where the favorite's already signed up...?"
"Your legs are shaking like crazy."
"........."
I'm just anxious in case some Kim Luru type shows up.
First step for the session complete: excluding outside forces through intimidation. Results will come... in a few days when the brackets drop.
So, how do I handle the lack of supporting characters?
In the simulation, I could spawn NPCs by the cityful. Resource limits might not allow it, but...
Anyway, it's clear I need people to advance the story.
I have help: me, Pingvalrez, and Evil God-chan make three. Expanding to the Reformists would be ideal, but I can't pull them for a single session.
If I dump all my reserves into one session, what happens to the remaining three tournaments?
This whole thing started to crush the Cardinal faction. If I pour everything into a side goal and let their hero candidate steamroll straight through, that's flipping priorities on their head.
Even gathering that many people wouldn't be enough.
Because this is a tournament with random brackets. I need matchups with Holy Knight Yurensuto to build the story, but if luck screws me and nothing aligns?
...What a clusterfuck that would be? If no one in the tournament even faces her?
That's why we need a lot of people.
Ones who can force at least three matchups with her even if rigging happens, equipped with perfect acting skills and loyalty to follow my directions.
"Gathering that many elite actors would be tough even with big money. What's your plan?"
"Pingvalrez, surprisingly, I have them right here. Countless people who obey my every command without question."
"...?"
"Hey, Pingvalrez. I'm Kai, training in iaijutsu. Also Old Man Needlepin, the seasoned assassin honing his killer arts. And pure village girl Karen or whatever."
That's right—me.
What good is Illusion Magic if not for this?
I plan to disguise myself and spam duplicate entries.
Isn't it a beautiful picture?
"...You're saying you'll solo-run an entire tournament?"
"Of course, I'll have to regulate so I don't flood it too much."
"That's the issue, sure. But you can show off all sorts of bizarre martial arts, overlay holograms, or summon them. Yeah, it sounds plausible."
Let's get started. Time to create a bunch of fake identities and sign up for the tournament.
The Hero Selection Tournament prelim staffer was exhausted from the barrage of applications. He was half-dead, working mechanically.
From clueless bumpkins from remote villages to clueless noble brats pulling out artifacts...
After processing countless participants, he could now gauge pass/fail with a single glance. He eyed the next applicant with dead-fish eyes.
"Next. Name?"
"Kai of Iaijutsu."
A weird guy in a straw hat woven from reeds, chewing a blade of doggrass... But he exuded an unusual aura. This one would pass prelims.
"...Reason for applying?"
"To gain the power to defeat my rival, Jay."
"Pass. Head through to the prelim test site. Peel off even one layer of the holy shield, and you're in."
"Heh."
Iaijutsu Kai sauntered past coolly.
After sending off a few more average folks, another eye-catching oddball arrived—a gaunt old man.
"...Next. Name?"
"Heh heh heh... What's a name matter for? Just write 'Awl'."
"Reason for applying?"
"You wouldn't understand, lad. Might give you nightmares tonight. Still wanna hear...?"
Eerie, creepy guy. The staffer didn't want to deal with him anymore and called "pass." He hoped types like this stayed out of the nice festival vibe... but he'd pass prelims for sure.
After a few more people, a bright, bubbly beauty bounced into the tent. Her entrance alone seemed to crank up the world's color saturation, wafting a fresh citrus scent.
"Next. What's your name, miss?"
"Ah, call me... Karen! I came all the way from the south 'cause I wanna try being a hero!"
"Lively one. Answering before I even ask the reason. Good, you're in—head inside for prelims. Best of luck!"
"Ehehe... Thanks!"
The beauty skipped toward the prelim field, twin tails swaying. Her hologram short skirt fluttered at precisely calculated angles.
The staffer had no idea these three were the same person.
The brackets were out.
"...Yes! Perfect!"
Neither the Northern Grand Duke nor the Cardinal faction sent a single ace. My disguised Mima clones, mixed in via countless duplicates, were perfectly placed.
Famous independents steered clear of the "Courage" tournament too. The reputation of the Eastern Front ace worked wonders. Everyone's skipping this one.
Great.
For Mima vs. Mima matches, stage them as flashy hologram puppet shows.
For Mima vs. others, lose when I need to lose, win when I need to win. If my specs fall short for a must-win, slap a skin on Pingvalrez and send her out.
Pre-session prep is flawless.
Now, spectate the first round fully, gauge participant specs... and gently steer the story. No variables left. I grinned at the brackets, satisfied.
"Glad you're pleased, but take it easy. Your arm still isn't fully healed."
"Aw, thanks for worrying, babe."
"...Stop turning others' concern into seduction."
"........."
Seduction? Really?
Pingvalrez and I simultaneously turned our heads away from each other. An awkward, humid silence flowed.
I pretended to review the brackets again.
Yep, no issues no matter how many times I check. No real threats in Holy Knight Yurensuto's bracket line. This seals her selection.
Two hero candidates per tournament.
One's the Holy Knight— for the other... anyone but me. Preferably a Reformist or neutral.
No matter what, I absolutely cannot advance.
For safety. If the holy sword is key for selecting the "hero" admin, it'll have advanced virus detection built in.
If I touch it directly, the odds of "that thing" in my head getting scanned are high.
I can already picture the horrific "Divine Punishment" raining down like a storm. I don't want to end my second life as a charred lump.
Mid-thought, I spotted an odd registration name.
In the Holy Knight's bracket line: "Mysterious Mage X." I figured it was nothing, but a chill ran down my spine anyway... and I swallowed dryly.
Time passed, and the first day of the "Courage" tournament arrived.
"...Idiot moron."
This was his fault, no doubt.
Yuna had warned him so many times. Said he'd get seriously hurt, begged him not to. But he did it anyway and wrecked his arm, so she got mad.
She was upset. Really upset.
The sulk lasted only half a day before mostly fading. But letting it slide day by day felt like he'd pull the same reckless stunt next time.
He was the one wrong, but apologizing first felt unfair... so she'd been avoiding him, pretending to still be mad.
But she was reaching her limit. She wanted to bury herself in his arms, get head pats, sneak sniffs of his scent. But she didn't want to seem like an easy girl. His slippery charm pissed her off.
"...He has plenty of replacements besides me. Figures, huh."
Thoughts like that brought a twinge of depression.
This world had way prettier, nicer girls. Like that busty beauty Yuri Lanster right by his side.
He might be her most precious person, but she might not be his "most." She'd known that bone-deep for ages. But...
Knowing didn't make it hurt less.
Still, she couldn't stay like this... After agonizing with her tangled thoughts, Yuna found herself drawn to Niole like a spell.
Her instincts and subconscious concluded Niole was perfect for love advice. And she was right.
Niole was startled by the great mage's sudden visit but quickly grasped the situation and switched to counseling mode.
"...What should I do?"
The core issue: how to express her feelings. Sulking like this didn't feel right.
Niole curled her hands slightly, mimicking a cat. Nya.
[Hmm, act a bit like a playful rascal... Like a cat, you know?]
"Like a cat?"
[Yeah. Tease a little, nuzzle up, beg for attention with cuteness. Like rubbing your head on his shoulder while he's doing paperwork to mess with him—that mixes complaint and affection in one go.]
In short, adorable grievance expression.
Yuna's eyes sparkled at Niole's cat-tribe lover-conquering pro tips. She'd found the answer!
"This is it...!"
Cats can cause chaos and still be cute. They draw eyes effortlessly. So mimic a cat... Is this the essence of ideogrammatic martial arts?
This way, she could show she was mad without widening the rift!
Yuna recalled his ongoing plans, pondered pranks... then smacked her fist into her palm decisively.
Glancing back was past experience.
Back when he first entered the tower, she'd critiqued his initial Illusion Magic creation, tearing it apart. He'd... ultimately been pleased. Good prank material.
Aha. Then I'll wreck the tournament.
I was breaking a cold sweat in the stands.
The guy from the left entrance was a no-account mercenary. Nothing special beyond using a bow.
The announcer pressed his mouth to the voice-amp magic tool, hyping loudly.
"Left side, the trusty scout of the Greengrass Mercenaries! Kevin Roth──!! And his opponent is──!!"
The problem was the one from the right entrance.
Petite build. Fragile even. Butterfly mask covering her face—impossible to identify her.
.........
But I know those fresh, swaying twin tails.
I know the flutter of that skirt half-covering her thighs!
I know that overwhelming cuteness aura pouring from her whole body, mask or no—!
"No one knows her true identity! School unknown, origins unknown! The enigmatic cute mage hiding behind a mask── X!!"
"Hmph!"
Why the hell are you here, Yuna-aaah!!