Volume 1 Chapter 10 part1

Love

Marie trembled while looking at the grey armor standing in the arena.

(What? What is that? I never heard about there being a strong person like this. I…I don’t know who this is!)

Once the grey armor took its foot off of Jilk, people in charge soon rushed to get him. It seemed that his life wasn’t in danger, and that he just fainted.

Kyle was surprised.

“Will things really be fine? The four of them lost while not being able to do anything at all.”

Julian clenched his fist.

He looked at his white armor.

“──I didn’t think he’d turn out to be such an opponent. However, my armor was made using the best technology in the kingdom. Marie, don’t worry.”

Marie made a stiff smile.

(Didn’t everyone else say that and still lost?! That really isn’t helpful. That reminds me, these guys were useless during the war part and suffered defeat, so I made my older brother clear the game.)

Marie thought about her previous life.

It was a form of escapism, not wanting to accept the current situation.

(My older brother was terrible! I told my mom that I went on a vacation, then he died──and afterwards, my position in the family was non-existent! They didn’t even help me when my partner ran away after we married! It’s all my brother’s fault! I see, that Leon guy is similar to my brother, and it’s making me irritated!)

Julian took off his coat.

Then, he put on a whole-body suit that were like tights. Regular clothing became a hinderance when getting into armor, and when thinking about it, the outfit used were garments similar to tights, which emphasized the outline of the body.

Marie had some thought after seeing it in real life.

(This is kind of stupid. Though in the game, I was a little excited by his muscles appearing. I’d prefer if he at least wore a vest or pants like that copycat of my older brother.)

Once Julian entered the armor, the eyes of its helmet glowed. It had two eyes, and pretty much looked like a robot.

Kyle looked at the white armor with a gaze of yearning.

“How nice~. I’d like to have that as well.”

Marie shook her head.

“You’re not a knight, you can’t. Besides, you wouldn’t be able to move it since you’re an elf.”

“You never know unless you try. There’s a chance it could work since I’m only a half elf.”

“No. Besides, having armor──”

Thereupon, Marie thought for a bit.

(H, huh? Humans and sub-races shouldn’t be able to make children…well, since this is as game, I guess that these details are left unclear.)

Julian got into the armor, and looked at Marie.

“Marie, I’m off.”

Marie searched in her head for the words to respond to Julian with.

(At times like these, it’s definitely──)

“Alright. I’ll be praying for your victory, Julius.”

“Ah, leave it to me!”

Her speech and manner mimicked that of the protagonist’s. In front of the five people, Marie acted like their ideal woman.

(*sigh*, I’m tired. In the first place, it’s seriously tough to imitate the innocent and helpless protagonist who has her head full of flowers.)

She had been doing her hardest to take the position of the protagonist in her second life.

She lied in wait at the proper locations, drove away the protagonist, and then mimicked her speech and manners to charm the boys.

It was very easy for Marie since she understood the tastes and personalities of the five, and things went according to her calculations.

As evidence of that, she was able to quickly knock Anjelica off of her pedestal. However, an irregular being appeared.

Leon.

(Anyways, I need to do something about that mob. Or rather, what will I do if we lose? I think if this were the game, I’d get a game over.)

The matter concerned her livelihood, so she wanted Julian to win by any means.

(Right. I can’t let it end here. I need to enjoy myself more in this world. Others were able to have many boys fall in love with them and then live a life of luxury. My previous world was just cruel. I was finally able to reach happiness…I need that mob-like boy to lose!)

◇

The white armor descended into the arena.

It looked quite like it was shining, and was the kingdom’s strongest armor. A stronger version would appear later, but for the time being, this was the most powerful one.

…I cannot stress enough that no other armor matched up to it.

“I didn’t expect that you’d make it up to me. I commend your struggle.”

In front of the prince’s arrogant attitude were pleasant cheers from the audience.

Perhaps it was those idiots that bet all of their wealth. However, I’ll be the one to win.

The prayers of the audience won’t make it to the heavens.

First of all…I knew that I was only an insignificant person.

The reason why I stepped into the duel was because I had Arroganz, but also because the prince and the others were still first year students.

If it were the end of the year, they would have begun developing and we would have been about equal. They were talented people that would become strong by the end of year, and at their current level, their lack of strength came from their lack of experience.

If I were to strike, it would had to have been now. This made things convenient for me.

“So you would be proud of beating down a small fry…is that right?”

I tried agitating him, but the prince barely reacted.

He held a shield in his left hand, and a sword on his right.

Coming from his backpack were two cannons mounted at the shoulders with revolving magazines.

It was a very extravagant armor, one that suited royalty.

It felt odd having an battle where my opponent…was someone originally connected to the protagonist.

I wanted to ask if he was really okay with Marie being the one he would protect…

“Your Highness, is it alright to ask a question?”

“If I can answer it.”

“What do you think about the honor student, Olivia?”

The prince’s response was weak. It seemed that he didn’t know why I asked such a question.

“Olivia? I heard that she was doing her best here, but what about it?”

“…Is that so?”

I readied my shovel. This was a surreal scene now that I though about it. Though, perhaps it would be good to switch to a blade now?

If I came here with a shovel, perhaps it would be better to fight with a shovel until the end.

The referee made a slightly pained expression.

He was looking at me…with an expression that said “You know what this entails, right?”. I wondered if he wanted to tell me not to cause any injuries.

The referee raised his arm and then swung it down.

“Begin!”

However, when the cue began, neither Julian nor I moved.

It looked like the prince was waiting while holding his shield out in front.

Luxon seemed dissatisfied with that.

[Is he trying to stall the fight? What a hopeless person. The difference in ability is obvious. It may be superior compared to other armor, but it still amounts to just armor.]

“In that case, all we can do is take the initiative.”

Arroganz made giant steps and thrusted the shovel at the shield. Upon which, the prince fended off the attack and then used the sword in his right hand to slash at me.

I stopped the blow using the handle of the shovel, causing sparks to form.

“I’m not done yeeeet!”

He made continuous attacks using his shield and sword.

I caught them using my shovel, and repelled them while stooping down. Perhaps thinking that the prince had overwhelmed me, there where passionate cheers coming from the audience.

“These guys just don’t want to lose a bet.”

[They would be relieved if you lose, master. After all, you’ve been trampling on their emotions, even though you’ve done that for a while now. From the standpoint of the audience, they probably think you’re a nuisance.]

“Don’t say that! Whoa!”

A quick thrust from the prince approached me, and I slipped down as if I was sliding away on the floor. He did the same too. He glided across the floor as if he was on skates, and assaulted me using his sword.

When I stopped his slash, I heard the prince’s voice.

“I will not lose. For the sake of the girl who prays for my victory──I will not loooose!”

The glow on his blade grew brighter, perhaps due to his crazed emotions.

The blue flames coming out of the back of the prince’s armor were quite beautiful.

“I’ll acknowledge your techniques.”

“Coming from you, that’s not praise. But anyways, I’m not going to give up either.”

I intercepted and repelled each blow he made in his crazed vigor using my shovel. I knew quite well that the abilities of the person piloting that armor were of the top.

“As expected of his Highness Julian. Your vigor is different from the other four. Perhaps the other four have been on your mind? Maybe you don’t want to lose since being the only victor might mean having more time with Marie!”

“Don’t jest! What do you know about us?!”

The blue flames on the back of the white armor grew stronger, and their force increased. I realized that he was upsetting the difference in ability by putting a strain on his armor.

It seemed he had gotten serious…

“I don’t know anything. I just don’t think what you guys are doing is good.”

When I looked over at the audience to see Olivia and Anjelica, they turned their gazes towards me.

Olivia cheered me on by linking both of her hands together as if she were praying.

Anjelica had a complicated expression. I suppose she didn’t like seeing me fighting with the prince. No wait, perhaps she was worried about me injuring him?

I continued fighting while talking with the prince.

“Your Highness, how does it feel to be totally in love with another person? I can’t comprehend such a feeling, you see.”

“No wonder. So that’s why you’re able to so calmly intrude on the affairs of others. If you really did have someone you love, you wouldn’t have caused an uproar by doing this duel! It would have been better if you knew what love was so that you would have backed down!”

I can’t speak for others, but couldn’t those words also apply to him?

“Is this about Anjelica? Well~, I do believe that she loves you, your Highness.”

“──She doesn’t”

“Huh?”

The flames on his back increased in force, heightening the armor’s speed.

He was faster than the other four, and made quick slashes.

Things were getting quite serious with just that.

“There’s no way that what she’s feeling is love! She doesn’t consider my own feelings! She’s the same as all the other girls in the royal palace! My life as a royal was forced onto me! I didn’t want to be born into royalty. I lived in the royal palace, where nobody saw me for myself, so──”

It couldn’t be helped. After all, he was the crown prince──the heir to the throne.

I wanted to tell him that, but being born into royalty doesn’t mean one would always like their situation.

“Marie is the only woman that recognizes my feelings.”

There weren’t any types of women that he was looking for in the royal palace, so was able to easily be deceived in the midst of his turmoil.

Olivia was originally supposed to step in here. That was in the game though.

Things have gone awry thanks to someone else who reincarnated here.

She led those five guys by the nose in an act of unthinkable disgrace.

“The same goes for you, who keeps saying those self-important things! Your words are cheap! You can’t call yourself a knight when you’re just a boy who got arrogant after coming across a great power! Are you having fun? How do feel abut using that power to overwhelm others and then scold them with a condescending attitude?!”

“──It feels great!!”

“Wha?!”

When I tried kicking the prince’s armor, he blocked it with his shield. He flew towards his behind in an instant and fired from the cannons on his shoulders, but I didn’t guard against them.

Arroganz shook. I did not get a single scratch.

“It’s the best feeling! It’s refreshing being able to use my overwhelming power to pin down you domineering, vigorous people and rebuke you all. I do have a problem with your companions who don’t talk back, though. Well, I suppose the ones that talk back in spite of losing will only invite misery! So, let me tell you something. I certainly may be arrogant, but you guys won’t be able to win against me. How does it feel knowing that? How does it feel losing to a guy of a lower rank than you, your Royal Highness?!”

“Yoouuuu!”

I held down my opponent with an overwhelming power while condemning him.

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This was getting addictive.

Furthermore, my opponents were people looking down on me…so my feelings of guilt were thin.

Luxon held the same opinion as me.

This thing’s voice didn’t leak out. My conversation with it didn’t leak out either. It was very capable.

[He’s done refuting you at this point, master. Though, I suppose he can’t talk back from the shock of losing the argument. All things considered, humanity is quite trash-like. I’m impressed.]

When I bashed the shield that the prince was holding in his left hand, smoke started rising from it, perhaps from the burden it caused.

The shield warped, and the prince threw it away. The fingers of his armor were bent, and it seemed that his hand was no longer usable.

“I’ll say one more thing. Do you even understand your own feelings, idiot?! Do you even have a vague grasp of my own feelings?! Furthermore, do you even know Anjelica’s──”

“Shut uuuup!”

When he slashed at me with a sword, I used my shovel to lock weapons with him, causing us to come face to face. I held the advantage in terms of weight and size.

The prince’s armor seemed like it had been overcome with burden.

“You didn’t want to be born into royalty, you say. Have you ever been at risk of being sold off to perverted old women? Have you ever experienced having to be servile and lower your head to ask a girl to be your wife? Have you ever been told by someone that they hate the countryside and that they also have additional lovers too? It’s wretched. Do you know the feeling of seeing peoples entire lives turning miserable after marriage and yet being told that you’re being raised to be someone’s lover, do you?!”

I spoke my honest thoughts, and there were definitely many boys who would agree with me.

I could see the figures of boys in the audience either nodding their heads or shedding tears in understanding.

Everyone…I’m going to enact a just punishment upon this spoiled boy who knows nothing about this world, so watch me from there!

“W, what are saying such things for?! Aren’t you guys free?! All you have to do is find a good partner!”

I bashed him many times over in anger. Each time, Julian would shake inside his white armor, and cried out in an attempt to withstand the impact.

“Free?! Finding a good partner? You say that I──we are free?! Don’t treat us lightly, you spoiled brat! Have you felt that your chastity was in danger?! Did you put your life at risk?! Did you get on a tiny boat?! Have you ever set sail into the sky?! You’re allowed to have a beautiful fiancee and you get to play around with another girl…what is there that you don’t want to be born into royalty for? Aren’t you the one enjoying yourself?! Get a hold of yourself!”

“I am not playing around! I’m serious!”

“That’s even worse!”

He normally should have been the lover of a girl from a viscount household. Perhaps he was at one point?

In any case, I don’t know the details, but getting the daughter of a duke household as a fiancee is not something to be ignored.

Now that I was talking about this──will the elite, or rather the kingdom as a whole, be safe in the future?

The same goes for the influential nobles.

Everyone having the same kinds of women around them was only going to create problems.

I blew away the sword using a full swing of my shovel, seized his arm, and crushed it.

Now that he couldn’t use either of his arms, he took a distance and started using his cannons to fire.

I avoided them and waited for his shots to stop.

Since there was a limit to his ammunition, he would soon run out of shots.

“*sigh*…isn’t this enough? I’m done playing around. Your opponent is over there. Got it?”

When I used my thumb to point at Anjelica and Olivia in the audience, Anjelica had a sorrowful face. I bent forward and waited for the prince’s reply.

Anjelica took a liking to the prince. No, I can say that she loved him. This duel happened because she wanted Marie to separate from the prince.

The prince, who had stopped fighting, spoke.

“…Not done.”

“Huh?”

“It’s not over yet. I would rather die than let Marie be taken away! I will not accept defeat. If you’re going to kill me then do it! This is a duel! I forbid this duel to stop until either you or I die!:”

He intended for nobody should get in our way.

He had become defiant.

Since it was someone from the royal family saying this, it could be taken as order for nobody to step in and stop us. Talk about double standards…he’s fine if he’s the one doing it, but gets irritated if others try it.

However, now that it has come to this, dealing with him would be troublesome.

“Alright, how about I torment you until your heart breaks?”

Luxon muttered its surprise in a low voice.

[This turned to be the worst kind of conversation to take place. However, the words you said just a while ago were filled with more genuine emotion than I had felt before. That’s my evaluation.]

That was obvious. They came from real experiences I had.

Denouncing people felt great! I wasn’t here for negotiations.