“Tch, your win.”
“…..Yeah.”
“Though I hate to admit it, you are far superior. We’re as different as heaven and earth.”
“…..”
“You still think you’re weak?”
“….But I’m still…”
“Don’t mess with me! The victor doubts her strength? Stop the false modesty. It’s not humility, it’s just degrading yourself and making others uncomfortable.”
“…..”
“That’s being a real prick. You’re not humble. You’re just being mean and offending others.”
“…..Sorry.”
When Fei said that, Arthur lowered his eyes again. Seeing her more dejected than expected, Fei sighed.
“…..Don’t deny the path you’ve taken. It’s an insult to those who have dealt with you.”
“…..”
“Victors have a duty to carry the burden of losers and move forward. If you have time to look back and sympathize, then move forward and act arrogantly.”
Perhaps for the first time, Arthur and Fei were at odds. Still, Arthur couldn’t change. She couldn’t adjust to the strong mentality of someone like Fei.
Even after being told by Fei, Arthur’s thinking didn’t change.
Fei seemed to realize this and said nothing more.
This was only natural, since no one can fully understand another.
Arthur had thought Fei was the same as she was.
But their disagreement showed her that they were different, which also made her sad.
To fill this loneliness, she wanted to find more and more things they had in common.
“I have to…become a hero…or else…”
“…..”
“That’s why I fight.”
“…..”
“Why does Fei…fight?”
“….Why? Well, because I’m myself. I just think I should be that way.”
“I don’t really understand.”
“Well, it’s similar to you. You could say it’s to become a hero.”
“I see. So Fei wants to be a hero?”
“Something like that.”
“I don’t want to, but I have to.”
“I don’t really understand you.”
Without much care, he bluntly expressed his thoughts.
(Fei and I are different. I don’t want to be a hero, but he wants to be one. He wants to be a hero and strives to be one. He’s probably sincere.)
(But… I probably have to… my magic skills, swordsmanship, it’s all… patched together fakes, but…)
(A hero… the original hero Arthur…)
The name of a hero appeared in her mind.
It was the same name as hers, and they had a connection.
She shared the name of the hero known to all in this world. That carried meaning and responsibility.
That’s why she must to be a hero.
She must strive for it. The burden placed on the girl named Arthur is unlike any other holy knight.
This weight constantly threatens to crush her.
- You must become a hero, like the original hero Arthur.
Words someone had told her a long time ago stayed with her.
Every time she remembered those words, the pressure threatened to crush her.
READ THE ORIGINAL TRANSLATION AT GADGETIZEDPANDA.COM
It was painful, she wanted someone to save her, but of course she couldn’t ask for help.
She wished she could have lived a normal, ordinary village girl’s life. But… fate wouldn’t allow it. To escape this burden, it was probably…
-A hero, I must become a hero…
“But don’t worry. You won’t become a hero.”
“–Huh?”
As if to cut off all that, Fei spoke.
It wasn’t her concern. She knew that Fei wasn’t the worrying type. So it wasn’t a lie either, Arthur realized.
Fei never deceived himself. It wasn’t concern, it wasn’t a lie, it was simply a sincere statement that she wasn’t going to be a hero.
It shocked her, but it sounded like a saving voice. How she had tortured herself, wishing someone would tell her that. But being told had no meaning.
She had to carry this burden, she had to do it. A cursed obsession tormented her.
But pressing on, Fei continued with a faint, fierce grin, nonchalant as ever.
“Because the one who will take the hero place and stand on top will be me. I’ll defeat True and you and move on.”
“But… Fei is strong, but…”
She knew of his extraordinary mental strength.
But in terms of overall strength, taking into account magic, swordsmanship, manipulation of the stars, Fei couldn’t surpass her… Arthur honestly believed that.
No matter how much she respected him, he couldn’t surpass her and become a hero.
There was no way he could overshadow her with willpower alone. She concluded. Sadness dominated her, superior in strength.
- But he crushed that thought and stomped it away, not caring.
“As I thought, I don’t like you. But I will defeat you and become the victor. Then I will take the burdens of the loser from all of you and move on.”
“—!”
“What is it? Your face.”
“You… really want to take it all?”
“I don’t know why you’re reacting like that, but… yes, that’s the victor’s duty. To take the anger and regret of the loser, to bear it all, and to fight on until the end without giving up. That is the concept of the victor that is engraved in my soul.”
“….”
Huh? She’s listening seriously. Well, I’m going to hit her with some really cool words here!
“For now, revel in your arrogance. One day, I will defeat you and take everything from you. And then I will…”
Fei clenched his fist.
“And I…”
He stared off into the distance. Just staring blankly. More than Arthur or anything else, it felt like he was gazing at something much bigger. Like an innocent boy pining after his aspirations, he simply stared off into the distance.
Seeing him like that, she couldn’t help but glimpse the aura of a hero.
“Enough chit chat. I’m getting back to training.”
“You’re not sleeping yet?”
“To beat you, this much effort is necessary.”
“….Can I really look forward to you defeating me?”
“Yeah, I keep my promises. So go ahead and get your hopes up.”
Fei said that without even looking this way. To him it was probably no big deal.
It was just the natural creed he had lived by up until now.
So I won’t overreact to it one way or the other. But to Arthur, it was… Once again gripping his sword, Fei started swinging it around. He had stopped looking in Arthur’s direction, with his back turned.
“Hey…”
“What do you want? Don’t get in my way–“
Fei said in an annoyed tone as he turned around. And at that moment, the words just naturally came out of Arthur’s mouth. Words he probably didn’t want to hear.
But still–
“Thank you.”
For the first time, Arthur smiled. It was a captivating smile. Loving, beautiful, fragile as glasswork, the kind of smile that would entrance anyone of the opposite sex at first sight. That kind of smile.
But seeing it, he just casually waved his hand and swung his sword again.
“Hey…”
“What is it? Go home already–“
“I want to hang out a little more.”
“Huh?”
“I mean, you’re going to defeat me right? If so, then I want you to see more of my sword.”
“….You’re a strange one. Wanting to cross swords in order to be defeated. But very well.”
And with that, Fei turned to face Arthur again. They readied their swords at each other. Arthur’s face had already become expressionless like a machine.
And then, they crossed swords.
The result goes without saying. Arthur’s complete victory. Fei was totally overwhelmed. The one thing that saved him was Arthur.
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