I Became a Dark Knight in the Game - Chapter 46



45 – A Collusion…? Duel (4)

Kriel acted contrary to Morgina’s intention of engaging in hand-to-hand combat.

[Hey, break! It’s breakingggggggggg!]

Kriel refused to let go of the horn blade. Morgina happily joined in the struggle. Bolstered by abundant divine power, Morgina matched Kriel’s strength, but suddenly, she lifted her feet from the ground.

The force focused in one direction accelerated Morgina. Her body flew, as if pulled along by the horn blade.

The contracting chain. Morgina’s eyes, visible through her veil, met Kriel’s eyes gleaming from beneath his helmet’s shadow. A distance where they could see each other reflected in each other’s pupils.

If Morgina preferred close-quarters combat, especially grappling, this was exactly how she’d act.

Kriel laughed. It was time to use his final trick.

He dropped the horn knife. The orisin that bounced off the ground screamed, but no one thought of it as more than a tantrum.

Kriel grabbed Morgina’s right forearm. Morgina, covered by Kriel’s giant hand, let out a vague “uh” sound, whether in confusion or something else.

And then Kriel threw Morgina.

Despite the strength enhanced by divine power, Morgina’s weight remained the same. The door to the passage Morgina had entered was still open. Kriel’s throw accurately aimed Morgina at the open door.

Naturally, Morgina was not someone who would be incapacitated by such a half-hearted attack. She changed her posture in mid-air, kicked off the courtroom wall, and retraced her trajectory. The red mace gleamed ominously in her hands.

But Kriel did not respond to the attack.

He was merely picking up the horn knife that had fallen to the ground.

“…What are you doing?”

Morgina, her energy drained by his nonchalant demeanor, asked.

“I won, didn’t I?”

“What?”

“Judge! Confirm the duel precedent!”

“Are you referring to the out-of-bounds rule? Indeed, in duel trials, it is customary to acknowledge defeat when an opponent is thrown out of the arena…”

The judge’s expression became puzzled, as the out-of-bounds rule had not been mentioned at the start.

“Isn’t the duel trial itself customary law? If there was no prior agreement, it is reasonable to follow precedent.”

Kriel had no intention of properly fighting Morgina. What was the point of fighting that boar saint?

“Hey, you can’t do this──!”

Morgina grumbled, extending her arms downward. If she hadn’t been holding maces, it might have looked somewhat cute.

The judge tilted his head. At that moment, Armed approached the judge and handed him a note.

The piece of paper listed the replacement costs for the shattered flagstones of the duel arena and the repair costs for the wall that Morgina had just cracked.

It was the result of quick calculations from the moment Kriel had thrown Morgina out of bounds.

The judge adjusted his glasses. Although he wouldn’t have to compensate for the inevitable damages incurred during the trial, it was clear he would receive a look from the chief judge that said, “Why did you let it get to this point?”

“…Duel over!”

“Hey, no. Judge! I object!”

“The duel is won by Sir Kriel of Armed Ket!”

Daucreus admired Sir Kriel’s skill in wisely resolving the situation, where either the warrior’s or the saint’s honor would have been tarnished, through an out-of-bounds defeat. However, he was disappointed that the fight ended without a single drop of blood being shed—except for the blood Morgina used to make her weapons.

“Ha. I thought I’d see the saint throw a punch for the first time in a while.”

Mazar Gabi did not understand what the kind old priest was babbling about.

“Truly a pity. As soon as Sir Kriel figured out her identity, he donned his armor, making the match quite dull. In a lovers’ quarrel, there should be some bloodshed to strengthen the bond…”

“Old man, what are you talking about now?”

Mazhar, who was dumbfounded, threw out a word. Daukrius shrugged his shoulders nonchalantly.

“Don’t think that the Saintess didn’t do her best on purpose. If I had known this would happen, I would have made them fight outside.”

Wait, Saintess?

Mazhar, who didn’t know exactly what Morigina’s status was, was shocked with belated understanding.

‘Did that priest just say ‘it’s a pity there’s no blood’ while watching his church’s great warrior and the Saintess fight?’

It was truly a crazy church. Mazhar, whose prejudice against Eve Kaha was strengthened, soon lowered his head.

The duel trial ended in defeat.

“Father…”

Thud. He heard someone slump down next to him. Mazhar turned his head to confirm the silhouette.

A solemn impression that felt not just cold, but cold-blooded. Hair the color of white bones and ominous blood-red eyes.

“…Did you come to mock the loser?”

“I ran away.”

“Huh?”

Kriel pointed to the duel arena with his finger. There, Morigina, who was holding something like a black cloak and looking around with an angry expression, was there.

“‘The duel is over, so this is my personal grudge,’ he said, and tried to rush at me, so I covered his eyes with the cloak and escaped. He wouldn’t think I’d come to the opponent’s side, so it should buy us some time.”

A ridiculous situation spoken in a calm tone, Mazhar burst into a hollow laugh.

“Well. You’ve found love. Congratulations. Isn’t that the romance of a knight?”

“Offering love to a lady is one aspect of chivalry.”

“Then go back to the lady who will receive your love.”

Mazhar waved his hand. The courtroom was not his home, but the intention to expel was clear. Unexpectedly, Kriel did not retreat.

“Mocking the loser is not something a follower of chivalry would do.”

“Not ignoring someone in distress is also part of chivalry, isn’t it?”

Kriel shrugged his shoulders.

“The first word you uttered after accepting defeat was ‘Father.’ That’s quite significant. Does it have anything to do with your ambition to become the head of the family?”

“…..”

Mazhar, who was about to answer not to worry about personal matters, couldn’t speak because Kriel suddenly stood up.

“Oh dear. He’s looking this way. I should go down now.”

He lightly jumped down from the audience seat to the duel arena. A light landing from a height of about two people stacked together. It might not be a big deal for a trained knight, but it was quite an impressive move when seen up close.

“If you need a knight, not the fiancé of Armed, hire Kriel!”

Feigning confidence, Kriel descended and immediately became the target of Morgina’s dropkick.

He didn’t take it quietly. Blocking the kick with the flat of his greatsword, he gently caught the rebounding Morgina in his arms.

“Even in the courtroom, can’t you be more dignified?”

“Hey, come at me again!”

“No. The loser must accept the result.”

“You dirty scoundrel!”

Mazar Gabi glanced at Armed, who was watching the two bicker from the opposite stands.

A chill ran down his spine.

*

As soon as the duel commotion was cunningly settled, Orisin whispered to me.

[As a unicorn, I have a discerning eye. From that perspective, that Mazar guy isn’t entirely without manners, you know? It seems like he has a reason to forcibly take the head position. Why don’t you subtly ask him about it?]

Taking his advice, I found an appropriate opportunity to probe Mazar’s intentions, and oh my.

“Does it feel good to win like that? Does it?!”

Wasn’t he being grabbed by the collar by Morgina? I shouldn’t have listened to that horse-head.

[That’s not my fault, it’s because you provoked him with strange words, isn’t it?]

“I won’t answer.”

“What did you say?”

“Oh. I wasn’t talking to you, but to Orisin─”

“Stop.”

Armed intervened in the middle of the commotion. She cast a wary glance at Morgina.

“He is my fiancé, recognized through the duel trial.”

Morgina hesitated. Should she reveal her true nature to this woman, or should she still maintain her public persona?

The hesitation didn’t last long.

As Kriel, who was held by her hand, subtly tried to slip away to Armed, words automatically spilled out.

From noble mtl dot com

“Is that so? Nice to meet you, Lady Armed Ket. I am Morgina, the saint of Eve Kaha, who knighted Sir Kriel as a great warrior.”

Wasn’t he never knighted separately? A sense of betrayal mixed in Armed’s gaze directed at Kriel.

Kriel was bewildered.

“Me? To you?”

“Yes. You, to me.”

Morgina added with a sly smile.

“Didn’t you hear the High Priestess explain that, in principle, the Saintess decides the Great Warrior?”