Recess
“The winner of the royal match, Asna Lanmark!”
As Elias announced loudly, the nobles erupted in cheers for both contestants. As I lay sprawled on the ground, Asna helped me up. Another wave of applause thundered through the arena. Feeling a bit embarrassed by the enthusiastic atmosphere, I couldn’t help but blush slightly.
“Wow, this is amazing. It’s kind of embarrassing,”
“It’s been a while since I’ve had such a refreshing match. Thank you very much, Lord Reed,”
Asna replied with a bow. Her polite demeanor was a stark contrast to her fierce attitude during the match. I smiled warmly at her.
“Oh, about the way we speak… I think we’ll have more opportunities to spar and train together. You don’t need to be so formal then, okay?”
“…Another opportunity? I’d be honored,”
she said, her eyes widening in surprise, but her expression was clearly delighted. As I listened to the crowd, I was surprised to hear that many were praising not just Asna, but me as well.
“Lord Reed, Lady Asna, what a splendid display of martial arts!”
“This royal match will go down in Renalute’s history!”
Various other voices could be heard. Come to think of it, while we were desperately fighting, did it look like a performance to the spectators? Just then, a soldier ran up to us.
“Lord Reed, Lady Asna. His Majesty Elias is calling for you.”
“Understood. We’ll be there right away.”
We nodded at the soldier’s words and immediately headed towards Elias. By the way, we accidentally left the wooden swords we had been using at the venue.
As we approached the viewing area where Elias was seated, Farah came running up to us.
“Asna, Lord Reed, that was so intense and exciting! Lord Reed, you lost, but the way you held your ground against Asna was really cool!”
Farah, looking a bit excited, spoke while moving her ears up and down. I really want to touch those ears… Suppressing that urge, I bowed and replied.
“Thank you very much. Lady Farah, I’m honored that you enjoyed it. But Lady Asna is just too strong. However, I can’t keep losing forever. Next time, I’ll show you that I can win…!”
I started by looking at Farah while speaking, then shifted my gaze to Asna at the end. Asna, noticing my gaze, smiled happily.
“Yes. I look forward to your challenge, Lord Reed. But I won’t lose easily either.”
After staring at each other for a moment, we found it amusing for some reason and started laughing together. I’m not sure what kind of emotion it was. But it was fun, and laughter just naturally bubbled up. Farah tilted her head in confusion at our behavior.
Afterwards, we approached Elias and knelt before him, bowing our heads. He looked at us and then spoke loudly so everyone could hear.
“Lord Reed, Asna, that was truly a splendid performance from both of you. I’m sure everyone here has never seen such a moving royal match before. If anyone has any complaints about the match content or Lord Reed’s abilities, speak up now!”
No one stepped forward at his words. Elias seemed satisfied, but he turned to Norris, who was standing nearby with a stern face, and deliberately provoked him with a mischievous expression.
“Norris, you have no complaints either, right? You acknowledge Lord Reed’s abilities?”
“…Yes,”
Norris answered in a low, heavy voice. His face showed an indescribable frustration. Seeing this, Elias seemed somewhat pleased. It was a scene that gave a glimpse into what Elias usually thought of Norris. However, Norris wasn’t going to let it end there.
“…Your Majesty Elias, Lord Reed seems to possess remarkable talent. If that’s the case, we should also see his magical abilities.”
Elias’s expression turned grim at Norris’s words. Sensing the tense atmosphere, I timidly raised my hand.
“Your Majesty Elias, if I may?”
“…Hm? What is it, Lord Reed?”
I raised my face after hearing Elias’s words.
“…I don’t mind demonstrating magic as Lord Norris suggested, but could I have a short break first? I’m quite tired from the match with Lady Asna.”
I was afraid that if I left the conversation to these two, they might demand to see magic right away. While it’s true that I’m not completely out of magical energy, I am really tired. I wanted to take a preemptive measure to get some rest.
“Hmm. I see. If that’s what you want, Lord Reed, very well. We’ll take a short break, and then you can demonstrate your magic. Is that acceptable?”
“…Yes. I understand,”
Norris nodded with a slightly bitter expression after listening to our exchange.
“Alright, let’s take a break then.”
With those words, Elias stood up from his chair and went inside the mansion. I moved to report the match results to my father and the others.
As the royals left the area, Norris began to quickly walk towards a secluded place. No one noticed that someone was watching him intently.
READ THE ORIGINAL TRANSLATION AT GADGETIZEDPANDA.COM
In a deserted area, Norris frantically summoned a [Shadow].
Why did everything he did backfire?
Was it wrong to use Raycis as a sacrificial pawn?
Or was it a mistake to scheme for this royal match in the first place?
However, the second royal match was the fatal blow for Norris. Despite spreading negative rumors about that guy before the match, that image was completely wiped away by the recent fight. Moreover, the consequences of spreading those rumors seemed to have rebounded on Norris like a curse.
Someone who takes pleasure in hurting others couldn’t possibly face a stronger opponent so bravely and fairly. If he truly had such a disposition, Asna Lanmark would have delivered divine punishment under the guise of a match.
Between his and Raycis’s claims, which one was correct, and who was the one with malicious intent? It was crystal clear, and the nobles who had heard the rumors were now disgusted by Norris’s malicious perspective. As a result, Norris’s influence was now almost non-existent outside of his own faction.
“…They say ‘curse others and you dig two graves.’ How true that is.”
“Don’t say such nonsense! I acted on your advice in the first place. My downfall would be your downfall too!”
Norris was enraged by the Shadow’s response. Though trying to keep his voice down, anger seeped into his tone. Seeing his state, the eyes floating in the shadow fixed on him, and words were spat out as if in utter exasperation.
“You seem to be under some misunderstanding.”
“What!?”
“We said we’d lend you our power because of your influence and ability to unite the opposition. You’ve now lost one of those. Moreover, while we did give advice, isn’t the current situation entirely due to your own actions? Are you taking us lightly?”
As the face in the shadow finished speaking, a hand emerged from the darkness and grabbed Norris’s throat, choking him. Caught off guard, Norris’s eyes widened in a pained expression.
“Guh!? …Wh-what are you…”
“Let me say it again. You are mistaken. It’s not you using us. It’s us using you. You’d better do your best not to become our sacrificial pawn.”
The face in the shadow spoke in an emotionless voice, its eyes still fixed, observing Norris’s struggling form intently. Just as Norris was about to lose consciousness, the shadow released its grip. Norris collapsed to the ground, desperately gasping for air.
“Gah!! Cough! Cough! Cough!”
Looking down at Norris gulping for air, the shadow muttered in a voice too quiet for him to hear.
“Perhaps it’s time for you to bow out…”
As it finished speaking, a hand began to extend from the shadow, slowly moving towards the coughing Norris. However, he was too busy trying to breathe to notice. Suddenly, the hand’s movement stopped. The shadow had sensed someone’s presence.
“Hmph… You’re a lucky bastard. Remember this. We are the ones using you…”
“Ugh!”
The face in the shadow slowly faded away. Norris, realizing he had been used when he thought he was the one doing the using, felt an indescribable humiliation.
“Damn it! Mere shadows…”
All Norris could do now was curse, having been confronted with the truth by the shadow. Just then, a voice called out to him from nowhere.
“You seem to be in quite a predicament, Norris. Shall I lend you a hand?”
He stood up quickly in surprise. Upon finding the source of the voice, he smirked.
(I’m not finished yet. Heaven is telling me there’s still something I must do…!)
With the unexpected appearance of an ally, Norris was convinced that his fate had not yet run its course.
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