abcnovels
Chapter 134
Chapter 134
Chapter 134
When I awoke from my trance, it was about two hours after the duel in Dalian.
{TN: Training center iirc}
Thanks to the Academy’s emergency medical staff, I was safely transported to the medical center, and the tests showed that there was nothing wrong with me.
It’s just the trait [Nuisance] that pops up once in a while.
It’s just something that’s bothering me again.
But…….
‘It’s crazy…… why did it happen at that time…….’
The timing of the collapse was as bad as always.
Or should I say, it was especially bad this time.
‘There was something ominous about that…….’
For some reason, my collapse in the sword duel with Penelope is bothering me.
To be honest, I was a little nervous when the Princess suddenly called out to me, but I thought I could get over it somehow.
At this rate, I’m afraid I’m going to be in for another nasty surprise.
Because I’m miserable in almost every situation except buffing and crafting.
It’s a shame, but I can’t deny it.
Damn it.
‘Repeat after me, I’m fxcked.’
(x-bal)
The second arc of the main story is at hand.
I remember to memorize the mantra before I go into the episode.
Why?
Because if something really urgent happens, I won’t have time to memorize the spell.
I’m going to have to face the situation, deal with it, and survive it somehow. That’s my most important goal right now.
“Huh…….”
I exhaled lightly.
Suddenly, I heard a disgruntled woman’s voice in my head.
[Dude! You’ve been sleeping so long, I thought you were going to die!]
A familiar angry voice.
But it was much smaller than before, and its overwhelming authority and power had been dwarfed.
As for his identity, there’s no question.
Gremory, the demon recently abducted from the Great Ruins with Kushan.
One of the 72 demons, and now my demon radar.
[Shut up, don’t make my head ring].
I replied simply, and Gremory gritted her teeth.
[How dare you…! It’s bad enough you kidnapped this Gremory, but now you have this weak body…! I offered to help you catch demons!]
[A weak body is not what I asked for, and if you have a complaint, isn’t it common sense that you should complain about being ’embarrassingly’ defeated by an angel?]
[Ouch! Don’t jab me where it hurts… Damn it! Why do I have to be like this…….]
Gremory quickly became upset.
But it was none of my business anyway.
I gave myself a quick check and finally breathed out a sigh of relief.
“……You seem to have recovered quite a bit, though.”
[…This?]
She was making a lot of noise, so I took a moment to pull out a mirror.
When I checked, Gremory was staring at me in the mirror with a questioning look.
[This is you recovered? Seriously?]
“I’m sorry, but this is pretty good for me. I’m usually worse.”
[……I mean, you were a monster when we fought earlier, why did you suddenly become this way? What the hell happened in between…….]
Like I said.
Gremory had come to terms with the fact that she was now a demon radar. There are no deep bonds between demons anyway.
There is only loyalty and obedience through force. With nothing but instinctual destruction, it’s no wonder they lack respect for one another.
I had brought her here to take advantage of that.
“It’s no big deal, just the occasional [nuisance].”
I said confidently.
No one’s going to hear me talk to her anyway.
[What!? What the…!]
Ignoring her next words, I put the mirror back. I propped up the pillows on my bed and leaned back, thinking for a moment.
‘Something about the cadets’ misunderstanding earlier is bothering me. No matter how much I think about it, it’s…….’
-I see… He still loves the Princess, even if it means he’ll fall to the sword as part of it!
-Well, she’s so beautiful, it can’t be helped.
-But… if you look at it that way, Nox, that kid is insanely handsome too…….
“……I’m sorry.”
That was my conclusion from this brief flashback.
There was more to it than just the way I looked to others.
Like.
Tsurrr!
(chwaleuleu!)
“Nox von Reinhaber. I’ve been informed that you have awakened.”
…that a self-respecting Princess would pay me an unexpected visit.
Something like that.
Fxck.
(x-bal)
I don’t know how I did it, but my ominous predictions never fail me.
This one was no different.
* * *
Penelope glanced at me and sat down in the chair in front of the hospital room.
First of all, seeing her calm demeanor, at least I won’t die accused of murdering the Princess.
I breathed a small sigh of relief.
The worst of the worst had been averted, after all.
“Echidna.”
“Yes. Princess.”
Echidna, who had come to the room with Penelope, bowed immediately.
As soon as her name was called, she began to bite people in unison {telling the staff/witnesses to leave}. I don’t know, but I think Penelope decided that we needed to have a serious talk.
I’m not so sure about that.
I gulped and pretended to be sick, but she showed no sign of going back. So much for the dignity of being an imperial lady. It’s what she is.
For about a dozen minutes.
After everyone in the hospital wing and nearby had left.
Penelope spoke up.
“First of all, let me ask you in order, a little while ago. In the swordsmanship tournament…… there, why did you do what you did?”
Why did you intentionally lose?
The Princess was asking that.
‘Haa… How else should I answer…?’
Of course, it was an expected question.
However, I was not pleased. That’s not how I wanted the duel to go.
It was an accidental outburst, and I was knocked down by it.
I was not guilty of anything.
But I cannot reveal this to her. In any case, I am not in a position to comment on the nature of Nox’s affliction.
Nox von Reinhafer.
It would be troublesome for others to know that the chief cadet is so weak.
‘In that case, I might as well tell Penelope now that I was defeated on purpose.’
He makes a quick judgment call, then clears his throat.
“I thought it best, and I’m sorry if it offended you.”
Penelope’s fine brow creased for a moment.
She was beautiful, but I couldn’t bring myself to make eye contact with her right now. Or, more accurately, I lacked the confidence, but it didn’t matter, it was the same thing.
“Wouldn’t it be polite to share at least a few blows?”
“With all due respect, my lady, you are not skilled enough to share a sword with me. I thought it would feel more like a deception. I am of the Dark Family. I come from a family of swordsmen, but you are gifted in magic.”
Penelope bit her lip lightly.
What could she say?
It was a bit of a blunt statement, but it was the truth.
Penelope had no talent with a sword, to say the least. I’m not even sure why she chose me. She could have picked Paracelsus or Talia, and the outcome would have been the same.
Even if I hadn’t knocked her out, she would have lost the match in a heartbeat.
“……I can see where you’re coming from, and I’m sure you’re thinking of the pain it would cause the Imperial Family. It would be a complete withdrawal of support for the First Prince and a declaration of support for me. I’m sure it’s a well thought out decision, but…….”
……?
What the hell is this?
But for now, I kept my mouth shut.
Penelope continued, making a wild guess.
“I hope you don’t look the other way in the future, because I came to Eldain as a student, not a Princess.”
“I will be careful.”
At my brief bow, the Princess looked half-satisfied.
Echidna looked at me for a moment, then gave the Princess an invisible thumbs-up. This… does this mean I did a good job?
Unable to comprehend the situation at hand, I gave up.
In the meantime.
Princess Penelope brought up the next item on the agenda. This time, it was the one that made my heart sink… it was dangerous to say the least.
“One more thing. I need to talk to you about something. ……Talia von Steiner.”
Gulp.
(keuheub.)
Maybe if Yoo-chan didn’t have [Acting Talent], he wouldn’t have sounded so vulnerable.
It was a risky question, to say the least.
Penelope continued, completely unperturbed by my [Psychic Weakness Lv5].
“I heard that she’s engaged to be married.”
“…….”
I couldn’t bring myself to reply.
‘She’s just talking…?’
I hoped, but no such miracle occurred.
‘I’m a Princess of Arkheim, and even if you’re behind Prince Louis, it’s not hard to look into your background.’
“…Does the imperial family normally investigate the background of someone who has become their intended consort?”
“No. But… well, times are times.”
She said dryly.
It was a very Penelope-like answer, but I didn’t smile at all.
My betrothal to Talia. It was always going to happen, but it would be an act of rebellion against the imperial family.
It could be dangerous in more ways than one.
“I understand.”
But what came out of the princess’s mouth was not at all what I expected.
Penelope clasped her hands together as she spoke.
A small wrinkle formed in her skirt.
She averted her gaze from me and looked at my hands, a long silence dripping from between her drooping head and her knees.
“I know, I only approached you to use you anyway, so I have no intention of blabbering about your true love, because I’m past the age to believe in such things anyway… and you can’t be the Empress with such innocence.”
“……Good to know.”
I don’t know what true love is, and I don’t know how she understood my situation. But she did.
You don’t expect the Empress of a nation to be ambivalent, or to believe in naïve stories about love blossoming in the face of worldly opposition……, do you?
‘……I don’t know what’s going on.’
I decided to take her at her word for now.
She’s trying to take care of herself, and if she doesn’t take care of herself now, she might die.
“All I ask is that… in the presence of others, you consider me, the Princess, as a possible wife, but not as blatantly as this.”
“……As a result, I’ve inconvenienced the Princess.”
“No, no. It’s not like that, it’s just… well.”
Penelope paused, then seemed to decide.
“Anyway, it was…… nice of you to do it today, even if you’ll never look out for me again, because you were looking out for me, the Princess.”
I ignored the nagging feeling in my stomach and watched her rise from her seat. Walking out of the hospital room with Echidna.
Her every move is dignified.
She didn’t forget to add one last word.
“Well, since you’ve come all this way… I hope you’re feeling well, though I don’t think you’re in any particular pain.”
She shrugs and disappears.
But.
I was actually thinking something else.
‘No, it really hurts, but there is no pain…… What the hell is this?’
Honestly, I was pretending I wasn’t sick, but really.
I was really, really hurting.
Thanks to Penelope’s own [Psychic Attack].
* * *
After the Princess had finished reprimanding me. I was quickly discharged from the clinic.
It wasn’t a major illness, so I quickly returned to fulfill the rest of my schedule.
The story that I had lost the swordsmanship duel on purpose for the Princess circulated, but I didn’t feel the need to correct it.
I figured it was better this way.
But the real trouble was to come.
“Next class is… [Basic Imperial Magic].”
For some reason, I felt like I remembered a subject.
“Ohhhhhh! I’ve been waiting for you, my chief apprentice, Nox-kun! I heard you had a love fever, are you okay? This is it, what a lover you are, hahaha!”
I’ll be your next subject, you already know that, don’t you?
Lars added as he came running from the end of the hallway.
Fxck
(x-bal)
“Professor. Please shut your trap.”
{Nox uses the least formal version}
I couldn’t take it anymore.
There was no way I was going to release my stress without swearing, but Lars just chuckled and gave me a shoulder to lean on.
“Haha, you’re a good swearer. You must be popular with a lot of different kinds of girls!”
“……?”
Crazy bastard.
(michin saekki.)
I thought he was just crazy about his research, but now it looks like his brain is getting weird.
Haha, I sighed but it didn’t go away. I felt a vibration from the robes in my inventory, and a chill ran down my spine.
‘Is it finally starting?’
Doubt, which quickly turned to certainty.
The second arc.
The time for it to begin was slowly approaching.
Head of the Lunatics.
The proof was in the fact that Luna had contacted me again.
‘You must learn the Bojutsu [Step of Light] and a few more black arts as soon as possible.’
In the second main story, I also have to face one of the 72 demons.
I reminded myself of this and calmed myself. I need to increase the number of hands I can handle as much as possible before the episode.
Before that.
‘Though I shouldn’t forget to go to the gambling house for some money.’
I decided to go to the gambling house despite Zitri’s best wishes. Of course, this is only for the sake of the episode’s smooth progression.
It’s never just for fun, but for the sake of the grand plan…….
“Hmmm.”
Is that…… Anyway, not quite.
{sic}