The Rival Who Forgot
My eyes burned as if on fire, and my hair felt like it was standing on end. This bastard. This absolute bastard!
“You don’t remember me?”
“……?”
“Me! You forgot Jin Crowell?”
“Jin Crowell?”
The guy seemed to react slightly to my name.
That’s right! There’s no way he could forget. Do you know who I am?
“Now you remember?”
But my hope shattered into pieces.
The man pressed his lips together and slowly shook his head.
I wanted to snap that neck of his, the one that so casually sliced through the air, if only I could.
I couldn’t contain the rage boiling up inside me. This encounter had caught me completely off guard.
“How could you not remember me! If you’re human, that’s just wrong!”
Aaagh! No matter how much of a battle maniac he is, the one whose name is known across the continent for loving fights above all else!
“Did we do something?”
“Yeah! You remember, right? Back then in Elan……”
“You asked me to do it, so I did.”
“……What?”
“Sex.”
Ah, right. This guy was insane.
And he was also considered the most eligible bachelor in all of Elan. An insane one.
I was so dumbfounded I nearly threw up.
And I desperately wanted to cry.
“Not that! I meant the duel!”
“……Did you win?”
You bastard! How dare you ask that.
I didn’t want to answer, but if I wanted him to remember me, I probably had to tell the truth.
Spitting out that single word was incredibly difficult.
“I… lost.”
“Then there’s no reason to remember.”
Robenin pulled his mask back up over his nose—the one he wore to hide his face—and looked away from me.
As the crushing humiliation struck me once more, I learned firsthand what it felt like to have my blood boil.
Furious, I kicked at him, but he dodged without even glancing my way.
I grew even angrier.
If there was anyone who could make me so mad I wanted to die, it was this guy.
“Come at me! If fighting will make you remember, then let’s fight!”
I shouted, then quickly added after remembering I had no mana today.
“Th-that is, today’s a bit inconvenient for me…… How about tomorrow?”
“I refuse.”
“Why! You’re a battle maniac!”
“It’s meaningless.”
Look at how curt he is!
This guy really has no regard for other people!
I tried to grab his collar, but he dodged even that with the smallest movement. How dare he humiliate me like this.
“I’ll even let you win!”
“……You’re not my opponent.”
“Then who is! Who else but me!”
Who the hell could it be!
“Count Galotin.”
In that utterly indifferent voice, the name he muttered belonged to Dmitry’s legendary Sword Master, renowned as a veteran of countless battles.
“Then fight Count Galotin and fight me too!”
Begging someone to fight me was incredibly humiliating.
How had Robenin treated me in the past? Did this guy even have any pride?
Even now, his expression was so blank that I couldn’t tell what he was thinking.
“Perhaps…… Have you come to meet Count Galotin?”
Nod nod.
Was this something to be grateful for?
This guy wasn’t just curt with me. He answered Bright’s questions with nothing more than a slight nod.
“If I may ask, for what reason do you wish to meet Count Galotin?”
“……I’m traveling through the allied nations seeking instruction.”
“Ah, of course.”
Robenin Pedri’s habit of seeking out Sword Masters was a famous anecdote.
So this time it was Dmitry’s turn.
“I’m afraid you won’t be able to meet Count Galotin. He’s currently in secluded training.”
How satisfying.
While I was secretly pleased, a subtle change crossed Robenin Pedri’s face.
I could tell. That was the face of someone who’d been shocked.
So his face could move after all.
“I believe it will be difficult to see him for several years.”
“…….”
“I heard he said not to disturb him unless war breaks out.”
I shot him the most mocking look I could manage, and Robenin pulled his hood back over his head. A sign he was about to leave.
I couldn’t let him go like this!
“Wait, you have to fight me!”
“Young master! You can’t leave like this! Please allow me to repay you!”
Together with the merchants who’d been attacked, I grabbed hold of him.
Suddenly realizing how pathetic this looked, I still couldn’t bring myself to let go. My desperation was overflowing.
“……I have no further business here.”
“Dmitry has me too, you know!”
“Ah……”
“Don’t ignore me! Wipe that rotten expression off your face!”
Of all times to have no mana, this was truly unfortunate.
“Please, at least let me repay you somehow!”
“You should at least take some water with you!”
Whether people tried to stop him or not, Robenin simply took a bit of water and disappeared into the mountains in a flash.
There was no way I had the strength right now to hold him back.
My body was extremely frail, while he possessed an extraordinary physique.
Feeling abandoned, I remained among the orc corpses and slammed my head against a tree.
‘Damn bastard, I hope you run into a pack of monsters on the way! Meet a wyvern and an ogre and die!’
No, he can’t die before losing to me……
Just what kind of existence was Robenin to me, anyway?
***
Two months had passed since then.
Bright came running over, saying he had news that would please me.
“Jeanie! Robenin Pedri. After that, he went to Heidricke and challenged Count Trenpe, apparently.”
“Count Trenpe…… Isn’t that the famously eccentric one?”
“That’s right! He challenged Count Trenpe, got defeated of course, and apparently nearly died. Rumor has it he’s still recovering in Heidricke.”
Just what did this senior think of me, assuming I’d be happy about something like that?
“Hahahaha.”
“I knew you’d like it, Jeanie!”
“Well, it is pretty entertaining, I’ll admit.”
Bright often helped out at the royal palace’s communication room, so he knew plenty of reliable rumors.
Though my only real interests were Robenin and Ash.
“Any rumors about Prince Ephiros?”
“Hmm? After that assassination threat last time, it seems like there’s been almost no movement. Same with the First Prince.”
“Elan really is complicated. It’s a huge problem that they’re always trying to kill each other. They should just pick a crown prince like our country does.”
“Exactly! There’s another piece of news you might find interesting.”
“What is it?”
“The Elan Empire is holding a grand ‘Millennium Founding Anniversary Party’ to commemorate a thousand years since the nation’s founding!”
Typical of an empire to be ridiculously old.
“What does that have to do with me?”
“Word is His Majesty the King is attending. It’s a party he absolutely can’t miss!”
“Hmm?”
“They’re currently selecting attendants. You’d qualify, wouldn’t you?”
I immediately understood what Bright was saying.
It meant an opportunity to meet Ash. At a party like that, the princes would definitely appear.
“Oho.”
“It’s such a historically significant day that all the imperial family members will probably attend, right? You might even get to meet him!”
It was certainly tempting.
Bright knew full well that I wanted to see Ash.
But this plan had a serious problem.
Getting selected as an attendant wouldn’t be difficult if I used my connections, and accompanying someone to the party was usually the duty of female attendants, so that part wouldn’t be hard either.
However.
“Everything else is fine, but the problem is……”
“Right, the problem is.”
[Master has warp sickness, puhehe!]
That’s right. I had severe warp sickness……
I looked at Rai sprawled by the doorway and gave a dry laugh.
Then I spoke as kindly as I could.
“Rai? Come here.”
[……I-I’m sorry, Master! I was just joking!]
Not funny, so get over here?
[Save me!]