True exclaimed in surprise. The two of them were also eaten and covered in blood. There were Daemons of man-eating flowers underground.
There was not only one rooted underground, but also multiple ones, but they couldn’t calmly consider that.
Since Daemons were not good with sunlight, they did not act around noon. However, they could act in the deep forest where there was no sunlight, but they could not think of that.
In the end, all three died, but True was able to eliminate all the Daemons with his abilities.
However, a great distortion occurred in his heart.
This was also a development in the novel game [The Round Table Heroes] and a great trial for the boy named True.
The sight of blood, seeing it, his heart headed towards escape. He agonized over the lives he couldn’t save, and he didn’t want to fight anymore.
I don’t want to be a Holy Knight anymore if this is what I’m going to see forever.
(The village has been destroyed, my mother and sister have died, and despite wanting to prevent others from experiencing such things… But with this…)
He faces two choices.
(Should I quit now? Being a Holy Knight won’t make any difference.)
(Or should I quit but go see the usual training spot one last time?)
Choosing the former would mean giving up the path of the Holy Knight and ending his story without anything further happening. But maybe choosing the former would lead to happiness for him.
◆
True arrives at the usual spot. From the vacant lot where he trained with the special forces, he gazes at the landscape, with three trees where he trained with Fei, Arthur, and Bowlan.
He doesn’t want to see such a sight again, but he wanted to see the path he had followed one last time.
The wind blows.
Dusk. The red sunset, the cold wind signaling winter approaching, blows through his heart.
All he feels is the desire to quit being a Holy Knight. He doesn’t want to see such a sight again.
—He just wants to see a happy world.
He stands there, staring at the scenery as if clinging to escape. But then, he notices something and his vacant eyes widen slightly.
He notices someone. Someone swinging his sword like a demon, lit by the desperate red sunset.
Black hair, black eyes. The man with the top-ranked inscrutable expression. The warrior True dislikes the most. Fei is there.
In the original “Round Table Heroes” event, it was supposed to be Arthur here.
(Should I quit now? Being a Holy Knight won’t make any difference.)
(Or should I quit but go see the usual training spot one last time?)
This is the choice after the Holy Knight is devoured by Daemon’s man-eating flower. Choosing the latter leads to meeting Arthur at the place with the three trees.
—But that’s just a game scenario; in reality, it’s him -Fei.
For Fei, this place is where he usually trains. He comes here naturally, without consciously thinking about events or choices, with nothing on his mind but becoming stronger.
Fei was facing away, but when he noticed True, he stopped swinging his sword. Then, he turned slightly. True saw his profile. One sharp eye turned toward him, as if already seeing into his heart.
“… What’s up?”
“It’s nothing major. I just wanted to see this place one last time… Because I’m quitting being a Holy Knight. So, I thought I’d look one last time.”
“I see.”
No need to chase after those who leave. Above all, he has no interest in him in the first place. That’s how True felt he was being spoken to.
“… Are you going to keep fighting like this?”
“What a foolish question.”
“… Why can you keep going like that? What’s different between you and me?”
True had been listening. Fei experienced battles with Daemons just like he did on his first mission.
But he didn’t have casualties like he did. Not only that, he’s on Maria’s mind. Maria, who treats everyone equally without favoritism even in the orphanage. And Lele also has feelings for Fei that are completely different from those for True.
What’s different? What’s different between the man in front of him and himself? True didn’t understand.
“Resolve.”
An immediate response. Fei gave True an answer.
“I have the resolve to keep going no matter what, even if I’m the last one left. That’s the difference between you and me.”
“…”
“Whatever happened, it’s the path you chose. Whether you stray from it, bend it, or run away, that’s up to you. I have no right or reason to interfere.”
“…”
“But I answered your question. Now answer me one thing.”
“…?”
“Do you have something you seek at the end of that path?”
—That chill returns, the same fear.
Again, it feels like he’s being seen through to the depths of his heart. What is he being seen through for? True panics. And then, he turns back on himself.
(…What was it I was seeking?)
Once, when he was in a certain village, he couldn’t protect his mother and step-sister. So, he tried to be strong. He didn’t want to make anyone else suffer like that again.
So, he took up the sword. But, if he chose to give up, he would have to put the sword down. There was no other way. He understood that.
“……”
“There’s no need to answer, do as you like.”
Fei would no longer meet his gaze. She only looked ahead and swung her sword. Yet, even with just that, True felt a complete sense of defeat.
READ THE ORIGINAL TRANSLATION AT GADGETIZEDPANDA.COM
–They were on a different level.
The voice, creed, and beliefs of the man who had transcended himself, who had continued to transcend. It was abnormal how much you could feel the difference in their status. It wasn’t just words. He had also shown it in his actions. Since joining as a temporary member, he had shown abnormal determination in facing training, and no matter how many times he lost, he kept crawling up. He had put in an abnormal amount of effort.
True was afraid of Fei, but at the same time suspicious, and Maria had asked him to look out for fei… He had been watching fei like a hawk, so he understood.
The weight of words accompanied by actions. The strength of determination.
After seeing that, True felt helpless as he realized he was ashamed of himself for wanting to give up and run away because he didn’t want to see that scene anymore.
At that moment, as if remembering something, Fei turned towards True. And then, she threw a wooden sword.
“I said it was the last. Stick around a bit.”
“……Yeah.”
In an instant, the two crossed paths. The sword fight began. A pure match without using Star Magics. Fei would always lose. That hadn’t changed for many years. When he was thirteen, when Fei became strange, True won and Fei lost.
But today was different. Fei’s sword struck True’s dove tail, against someone who was losing faith and had doubts.
There was no need for an exchange of blows, the conclusion was sudden and abrupt. True realized that Fei had become stronger than he had thought.
Clutching his stomach where the sword had struck, True knelt down. His stomach was hot, burning intensely as if he had been infused with spirit.
“Kuh?”
This guy… he’s completely different from before… “Getting stronger day by day… of course, compared to him, who crawled up with determination no matter how many times he lost, I…”
“Is that so? Is this how you are now?”
///
***
***
///
Fei said only that, and said no more. Then turned his gaze slightly towards True again, then back to the void, without looking at True, and continued to swing his sword. Seeing that, True gritted his teeth and left the scene.
“I…I, too… I can’t give up my ideals, I’ll endure it…”
Seeing him staring straight ahead, seeing him stand up again and again, True felt the will to face forward once more.
His resolve, which had been wavering, to carry on rather than run away, began to bud within him.
–He once again grasped the wish and the sword he had almost let go of.
◆
Clinical Record 1
Patient: True
Symptoms: Mental weakening due to depressive event
Due to a depressive development, he became mentally distressed. Originally, he was supposed to talk to Arthur, find common ground with her, and form a friendship with her, which would allow them both to stand up while crying.
However, Arthur was not there, and in her place was Dr. Fei.
Thanks to Dr. Fei’s accurate advice and soulful blow to the dovetail, his mind recovered, and he made a slight resolution.
[Result] Successful treatment of the protagonist True, whose mind was weakened by depression, by Dr. Fei’s sword battle rough therapy.
Journalist Yururu
[Dr. Fei, why did you suddenly resort to such rough treatment this time?]
Dr. Fei
[I saw him feeling down in the sunset, and judged that this was an event where the protagonist would cheer up the mob character.]
Journalist Yururu
[That was quite a drastic measure, wasn’t it? It could have easily turned into a fight.]
Dr. Fei
[Fighting each other in the sunset and understanding each other is a common thing. Besides, I’m the protagonist, so failure is not an option. But in reality, this should not be allowed. It can be said that I was forgiven for being the protagonist of a novel game from another world.]
Journalist Yururu
[I see. Thanks to that, True-kun seems to have recovered. …Uh, I wonder if I should ask the doctor for treatment too? I want it to be gentle though…]
Dr. Fei
[When the time comes, I’ll do it…]
Journalist Yururu
[Oh, please ……?]
Inner thoughts of Dr. Fei
(Hmm? Foreshadowing for a combat event?)
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