A Story of a Cannon Fodder Volume 1 Chapter 3 part 1

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Chapter 3: The protagonist is Arthur

It has been two years since I regained my memory. During this time, I turned fifteen, bringing me one step closer to becoming a holy knight. These two years have been eventful, with me relentlessly swinging my sword, always aiming higher in preparation for the final boss. As the protagonist, I am driven by boundless ambition. Each day, I vigorously train with my wooden sword, even intimidating the orphans at the orphanage. They gaze at me with a mix of admiration and fear, as if saying, “Wow, you swing your sword that much? Isn’t it too strenuous for your body?” It seems they are scared of me, which is not surprising considering my cool and intimidating demeanor.

By the way, True hasn’t bothered me since our duel. Perhaps he is intimidated by me as the protagonist. In any case, I should focus on myself.

In this world, there exists a profession known as the holy knight, a righteous hero who fights against the Daemons. Becoming a holy knight is likely my future as the protagonist, so I have dedicated myself to training for this role.

To fulfill my aspirations as a holy knight, I must join a knight order called the Knights of the Round Table, primarily located in the Britannia Kingdom. If I pass the entrance exam for this order, I will embark on my journey as a holy knight. Therefore, I hurriedly made my way to the exam venue.

Although the orphanage is nearby, it wouldn’t be very heroic for the protagonist to return home immediately. It is better to act as if I won’t return until I achieve something great, like becoming a hero. Thus, I bid farewell to Maria, saying, “I won’t come back until I’ve accomplished what I need to do… Goodbye, Maria.” She started crying and told me not to push myself too hard, not to lie, and not to be alone. It made me realize that Maria is a caring person. For now, I decided to return to the orphanage every day.

I arrived at the capital of the Britannia Kingdom, where the headquarters of the knight order, the Knights of the Round Table, is located. The headquarters is an enormous building resembling a castle known as the “Castle of the Round Table.” The Britannia Castle, where the king of the Britannia Kingdom resides, is situated near the “Castle of the Round Table.” The king’s castle is even larger, surpassing the “Castle of the Round Table” in size.

Anyway, the “Castle of the Round Table” is truly immense. It boasts about four floors and exudes a majestic presence. After completing the reception process, the exam candidates are instructed to wait outside the castle. While waiting, I observed my surroundings.

I noticed a few young men and women of similar age. Ah, I see. They are all stepping stones for me. I appreciate it. I neither overestimate nor underestimate myself, but if I were to evaluate, I would always consider myself superior. After all, I am the protagonist. There is no way I can lose to these individuals, right? The protagonist is destined to shine, even in an exam like this, and demonstrate a difference in class. My intuition tells me so.

To my surprise, even True is taking the exam. Oh, really? I had no idea. Although he is not the protagonist but a supporting character, he is earnestly striving to join the knight order. Well, for now, I will leave him be.

Sure, let’s see… Well, I’ve grown accustomed to living as a cool protagonist over the past two years, so instead of picking on the other examinees, I decide to do nothing and wait patiently for the exam to begin.

Leaning against a nearby tree, I cross my arms and close my eyes, adopting the stylish waiting posture of a protagonist.

Assuming my waiting pose, I wonder how long it will take for the exam to start. It shouldn’t be too long, I think to myself. Suddenly, someone approaches my position, prompting me to open my eyes. Without changing my pose against the tree, I casually glance sideways to observe the approaching person. To my surprise, it’s a beautiful girl with long, golden hair cascading down to her waist. Her eyes are an intriguing combination of purple and blue, and her well-defined body exudes beauty. She’s so perfectly proportioned that she resembles a doll, emanating an aura that sets her apart from others. Her flawless skin adds to her captivating presence.

Wow, she’s absolutely stunning…

Why would this girl come up to me? Could it be love at first sight!? Ah, that theory seems plausible. Since I’m the protagonist, she might be a potential heroine. Perhaps a sudden element of romance has been introduced. Even if this girl is considered the heroine, her appearance alone is convincing. Does that mean Maria wasn’t the heroine?

Lost in my thoughts, someone emerges from the Knights Headquarters building.

“Hello, future heroes! My name is Marumaru, and I’m a fifth-class holy knight!”

A nonchalant voice echoes in my ears. Looking up, I spot a handsome man with green hair and blue eyes. He possesses a well-proportioned face and gives off an air of popularity among women, but lacks motivation, resembling a herbivorous type. In my past life, I would have been jealous of someone like him who was popular with women. I despised guys who seemed to have a romantic partner. However, now that I’m the protagonist and the center of the world, I feel no jealousy even if an adorable heroine approaches me.

Yet, a fifth-class holy knight. It appears that knights in the Britannia Kingdom are ranked from twelfth to first class, with lower numbers indicating higher proficiency. Five… well, it’s not bad. I’m likely to become a future first-class knight or even rank zero.

“Well, we’re here to take the entrance exam, but… well, the knights are always short-handed, so you guys are already qualified to pass. However, training from provisional membership is crucial…”

Can the examiner really say such a thing? Certainly, the holy knights in this world often face crisis situations. That’s why most people are reluctant to become one. It’s not normal for individuals to willingly dive into danger and take risks, except for me.

However, due to the dangerous nature of the job, the salary is decent. That’s why even with the small number of applicants, there are people gathered here. Well, I won’t dwell on such trivial matters. I’m here as a stepping stone to achieve something great as the protagonist.

“Well, that’s why it’s a relaxed atmosphere… So, it’s more like a suitability test? Can you form pairs?”

“What should I do?”

“Join me!”

“I have no choice!”

“Anyone who will join me?”

Perhaps because they heard the earlier mention of being “already qualified,” all the young people around my age suddenly respond with a relaxed voice. Their awareness is quite low. Well, as the protagonist, I’m always giving my best. I’ll tighten up and approach this exam with all my might! Wait a minute? Did he say form pairs? Ah, what should I do about finding a partner… I ponder for a moment, contemplating my options, and then a voice interrupts my thoughts.

“Hey.”

“……”

“I’m talking to you…”

“Me?”

“Yes… who else is here?”

“I see… and?”

The blonde beauty from earlier addresses me, and my cool protagonist mode kicks in, smoothly shifting the conversation back to her.

“Why are you making that face?”

Is this girl calling me ugly? I was feeling happy because the blonde beauty talked to me earlier…

“What do you mean by ‘that face’?”

“What I mean is…”

“Just as I said. The others are all slacking off, but you’re not. Why is that?”

“Oh, I see. I thought you were making fun of me”

It’s hard to read your emotions. Your features are doll-like, yet at the same time, you exude a cold aura like a doll… Well, your face is your best feature, but it’s a minor detail. Anyway, the answer to your question is simple. As the protagonist, I take things seriously and never slack off. I’m always striving for self-improvement.

“Why are you stating the obvious? Growth comes from surpassing yourself. But that’s all there is to it.”

I’m surprised at how many wise sayings I’m coming up with. Well, I’m just saying them to myself.

“I noticed.”

“Hmm?”

“That person mentioned passing you, but not grading you. It’s impossible to become a holy knight without any exams. They’re observing how you handle even the simplest tasks. You realized that from the beginning, right?”

“Of course.”

I had no idea. There was such an intention in what the examiner said. I didn’t know. But I’m still the protagonist, and most things work out in my favor. The world is on my side.

“Well, it seems like everyone has found a partner. Let me inform you beforehand that the exam is easy, and you will definitely pass. Now, for the exam, I have prepared wooden swords for training. Take them and spar with your partner until I say stop. Got it?”

Hmph, I’ve trained for two years. I’ll show you what I’m capable of. I’ll make that blonde girl see my strength and make her say, “Why are you so strong? I’ll be your slave until I beat you!” or something along those lines.

“Oh, by the way… What’s your name?”

“Fei.”

“Right, I’m… Arthur.”

──Arthur?

That’s quite a protagonist’s name. As a Japanese person, I’m familiar with the name Arthur. Arthur is a historical figure, right? Come to think of it, the name of this novel game is [Round Table Heroes], isn’t it? Ah, so this girl in front of me is the protagonist…? For a moment, that thought crosses my mind. However, I quickly recall what the goddess told me.

“[I’ll reincarnate you as the protagonist of the novel game world called [Round Table Heroes].]”

With that in mind, I begin to ponder whether the girl named Arthur in front of me is the protagonist or not.

The result? No, that’s not it. I’m the protagonist. After all, that’s what the goddess said. Besides, historical figures are copyright-free, so they’re everywhere, like in social games or anime. As the protagonist, I’m already outdated. Moreover, just because the name of the novel game is [Round Table Heroes], it doesn’t mean that a person named Arthur has to be the protagonist. Such fixed ideas are not good. We need to think in more diverse ways, both as a protagonist and as an individual.

But well, with a name like Arthur …she’s probably the heroine or something, holding a decent position. It’s an inferior position compared to mine as the protagonist, but anyway, as we both take hold of wooden swords, the examiner signals us to start.

“Well, let’s begin… Arthur. Our… battle.”

It’s decided… This moment will definitely be used in some kind of MAD or compilation. It’ll be like a collection of famous quotes, Fei’s quotes, or something along those lines. I mull over that thought in my mind.

“Okay.”

And in the next moment, Arthur’s movements become as swift as light.

“Huh!?”

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