Chapter 110
Chapter 110
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Vine
Chapter: 110
Chapter Title: The Event (3)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
The duel ended in the princess’s victory.
Her opponent wore a dazed expression, but he quickly came to his senses.
“I was presumptuous and arrogant. To think I was facing a Hero…”
He had failed to properly gauge his opponent’s skill.
Had this been a battlefield, he would have had no excuse even if he had died. He cleanly admitted defeat.
With this, the Hero’s strength had been demonstrated.
The crowd, as if they had no choice but to acknowledge it, sent a round of applause toward the princess.
Just as I expected, things went well.
As her presence grew, the burden on me was set to decrease.
The imperial knight collected himself and showed his respects to the one who had defeated him.
“Thanks to you, I’ve had a valuable experience. You weren’t going all out, were you?”
“Ah, well…”
“More importantly, there’s something I’m curious about… Is the Hero Jace as strong as you?”
Everyone quietly leaned in to listen to the question.
It was a sign that they were still more interested in me.
A sense of unease began to creep in.
The princess shook her head slightly and smiled brightly.
That gesture alone confirmed what she was about to say.
Wa-wait a minute!
Please, just don't say it!
Unfortunately, my desperate plea did not reach her.
“No. Jace is stronger than me. Much stronger.”
“—!”
She did it…
She had hyped me up to the heavens without my permission.
The people’s reactions were varied.
Shock, astonishment, and even a hint of fear…
Everyone’s gaze focused on me.
The girl’s sudden declaration made my hands and feet tremble.
Agh, the princess just screwed me over!
As much as she’s my favorite character, she might have crossed a line this time.
She probably said it with her comrade in mind, but the problem was that it was the complete opposite of my plan.
With this, people’s expectations of me skyrocketed.
It was even worse because Esterize had just defeated an imperial knight with ease.
“…”
What do I do about this?
As always, cleaning up the mess was my job.
I tried to spin my happy-go-lucky mental circuits, but they just went *pop* and exploded.
An unprecedented crisis.
That’s how difficult it was to predict what would happen next.
There’s nothing I can do now.
Since it has come to this, I had to show them something too.
***
The atmosphere was fever-pitched.
Countless eyes were fixed on me.
They weren’t just looking; their gazes held a certain intention.
The princess had easily defeated an imperial knight.
Immediately after, she declared that I was stronger than her.
Naturally, this would lead to a question.
If that girl possesses such immense power, then just how strong is Jace?
I could practically read their minds.
They undoubtedly wanted to confirm my true abilities for themselves.
It was an unavoidable situation.
At the very least, I had to put on a show as impressive as the princess’s.
Well, I could do it if I had to.
The previous duel had ended rather tamely, so all I needed to do was surpass that.
They would be satisfied if I displayed some flashy techniques.
The problem was that I couldn’t just shout, ‘Come at me, all of you!’
If I were to single someone out first, it would look like I was just trying to show off my power, wouldn’t it?
In the end, the best course of action was to wait patiently.
Among the knights present, at least one was bound to take the bait.
It was obvious they were itching for a fight.
The challenging glint in their eyes said it all.
A new, rising powerhouse.
The existence of a Hero seemed appealing in many ways.
Since the princess had already had her turn, it was likely my turn now.
Come on, step right up!
Why are you all just sizing me up? Man up!
Though, a whole crowd rushing me would be a problem.
Just one, first come, first served. This is your only chance.
But no one stepped forward as if they had been waiting.
Judging by their restless demeanor, though, it seemed to be only a matter of time.
As I calmly assessed the unfolding situation.
The princess approached with light, graceful steps.
“How was it?”
I did well, right? Hurry up and praise me!
She beamed, thrusting her face forward with that kind of attitude.
“…”
The culprit who ruined my plan was acting like this, and it was irksome.
She didn't have any bad intentions, but that made it all the more frustrating.
I couldn’t hit her… but I wanted to pinch her cheek, hard.
Patience. I must be patient.
She must have had her reasons for doing it.
Perhaps I missed something…
Esterize wasn’t just strong; she was also intelligent.
A princess blessed with both beauty and brains.
Her dignity might fall a little short of the Imperial Princess’s, but overall, all her abilities were respectable, as befitting a main character.
It was just that she hadn't had a chance to show her intellectual side until now.
If she put her mind to it, she could easily run circles around me.
“It was brilliant. Exactly as I expected.”
The duel itself had been flawless.
She had applied just the right amount of pressure on her opponent and ended it smoothly.
Of course, anything more would have been problematic.
Humiliating an imperial knight in front of the Emperor wouldn't have been a good look, would it?
As such, Esterize was a girl with common sense installed in her brain.
There were times when I doubted that fact, but for now, it was true.
“Oh, that’s a relief then.”
She sighed in relief, as if she had been worried.
As if my opinion mattered more to her than anyone else’s.
“However…”
I lowered my voice significantly.
While we were on the topic, I needed to question her a bit.
“I was disappointed… no, surprised that you lied at the end.”
“—!”
Her expression was a silent scream.
Wait, was it that shocking?
I was chiding her gently, wasn't I?
In any case, a lie was a lie.
Even if there was a possibility I might surpass her later, right now, she was stronger.
She probably did it to save my face.
Even so, she should have stopped at saying we were equals.
But.
—No. Jace is stronger than me. Much stronger.
The princess had clearly said that.
She didn't just say I was stronger; she emphasized ‘much’ stronger.
How would people interpret those words?
They’d think of me as a Hero who could take on a hundred, or even a thousand, men.
At this point, it wasn't so much hyping me up as it was pushing me into a pit of crisis.
The moment my true abilities were revealed, my reputation would plummet.
Not only the Imperial Family's favor, but my fame would also take a nosedive.
Well, I might be exaggerating a little, but I was in a difficult position in many ways.
My dear princess.
How are you going to take responsibility for my life?
“Ugh…”
She let out a pained groan, not knowing what to do.
Her reaction was so cute it reminded me of a whimpering fox beastkin.
S-sorry… I was wrong!
I’ll reflect on it, so can you please stop?
Getting scolded at this age is embarrassing…!
A grown woman, a former princess at that, was fidgeting anxiously.
This situation… is kind of exciting? My chest swelled with a sense of grandeur.
Was there anything more thrilling than being able to control the emotions of my favorite character?
Hmm, my thoughts are deepening.
I couldn't scold her, but just letting it go felt ambiguous.
If I pressed her, the princess’s self-esteem would drop.
If I was lenient, I’d feel wronged for having to bear the title of Hero alone.
Suddenly, a system window popped up.
It was a quest, appearing after what felt like an awkward eternity.
[Sub Quest]
[Proof: Defeat the next opponent overwhelmingly.]
[Reward: Imperial Favor +200, Fame +3000, Achievement Points +500,000, and an increased chance of a private audience with the Emperor.]
It had been quiet for a while, and now it was showering me with rewards again.
Alright, let’s think positively. I was planning to do it anyway.
This way, I had no reason to feel wronged.
Everyone might be overestimating me, but I could use that to my advantage.
As I unconsciously nodded.
Esterize watched me, as if she had something to say.
“Actually, that was the best option… This is the Empire, you know. So…”
The heart of the Empire.
Naturally, the people gathered here would believe in the Empire’s greatness.
Some might dislike ‘Jace of the Crodain Family.’
But they had no choice but to fervently support ‘Jace, the Hero from the Empire.’
For that very reason, they might have found the fact that the princess was superior to me unpleasant.
Public opinion, perception… these were factors that couldn't be ignored.
They were directly linked to things like favor and fame.
“The truth doesn’t matter. People just want things to go the way they wish.”
“…”
I see, she had calculated even that.
It was a line of thought befitting a former princess of a kingdom.
Considering that, my thinking was flawed, and she had corrected it.
I didn't press the issue any further.
I wasn’t happy about the weight of people’s excessive attention on my shoulders, but I couldn't pass that burden onto someone else.
Should I call it a sense of responsibility?
As the leader of the Hero’s party, I would bear it all.
Of course, I would be working the princess hard in the combat department.
Hmm? That much is fine, right?
I'm so burdened I can't even move!
Doing our best in our respective positions.
Trusting each other and pushing one another forward was the ideal relationship for comrades.
“I see. I think you’re right.”
As I nodded, the princess’s expression immediately brightened.
She looked incredibly relieved, as if freed from chains that had bound her entire body.
Is it too early to celebrate?
I still intended to keep pushing her to the forefront.
She might misunderstand, but it wasn't bullying; I was simply giving her trials.
A protagonist needs trials.
After overcoming them, she will finally awaken.
She seemed completely oblivious to my inner thoughts, but ignorance is bliss, so I decided to leave it at that.
Anyway.
For now, I needed to proceed with the quest.
Favor, fame, and achievement points were all good.
But the most important thing was the chance to speak with the Emperor face-to-face.
Originally, a few conditions needed to be met for that to happen.
This was a golden opportunity to skip that troublesome process.
The faster I progressed, the more leeway I’d have, widening my range of choices.
The situation of facing the Emperor in the same space wasn’t burdensome in itself.
Because…
Old habits die hard; I still thought of the Emperor as an NPC.
A score vending machine, a favor vending machine…
It was more comfortable for my mind to see him in those terms.
It’s much better than being extremely nervous, isn’t it?
In any case, we were expected to have a very important conversation.
By showing a Hero-like demeanor and gaining the Emperor’s trust, I would try to get him to join my plan.
Soon, a group of knights approached.
Suppressing their boiling fighting spirit, they showed their respects with a polite attitude.
“Hero, we have a request to make, though it may be rude.”
An event has triggered.
The conditions to proceed with the quest were met.
“As you know, we knights are a breed that…”
Cannot simply pass by a strong individual.
They said they wanted to witness my strength, even for a moment, to broaden their horizons.
I could feel their pure desire, but it was also possible someone had put them up to it from behind.
Well, their motives didn't matter.
From my perspective, it was a welcome situation.
“If, by any chance, this is an imposition…”
“I don’t mind.”
“Does that mean…”
“Yes. I can’t take on all of you… but I will gladly accept. It’s what I was hoping for as well. It seems like it will be a good experience, so I’m in your care.”
“—!”
My ready acceptance seemed to take them by surprise; they couldn’t hide their astonishment.
It seemed the perception of me as bold and manly had been imprinted in their minds.
If it’s something I have to do, I might as well get it over with smoothly.
And so, I ended up sparring with three knights from the Imperial Knight Order.
Contempt for the Weak, Mind’s Eye, Unity of Sword and Spirit, Absolute Perfection…
As if that wasn't enough, I even activated the special effects of the Holy Sword.
The outcome was already decided.
There was no need to drag it out.
A moment later, I unleashed almost all of my power and defeated my opponents one by one.
“Mm, so that is the true power of a Hero…”
“To think the knights of the Imperial Knight Order would be defeated so helplessly…”
“He really was the stronger one. What else would you expect from the heir to the Crodain Family?”
The crowd praised me with even greater cheers than before.
As the pressure on me grew, my favor and fame soared.
Furthermore, with the quest completed, I reaped some handsome rewards.
That wasn't all.
As the excited atmosphere began to calm down, the Emperor opened his mouth with solemn dignity.
“The spirit of the young Heroes… truly magnificent.”
It could have been an offensive request.
But he spared no praise, seeming pleased with my willing acceptance.
“It would only be fair for me to grant your request as well.”
Huh? It’s happening this fast?
I felt like things were going too well, but I had absolutely no intention of refusing.
On the first day of the Imperial Palace event.
The flow of events couldn't have been better.