The Escort Knight Who Is Obsessed by the Villainess Wants to Escape - Chapter 8

As soon as Gawain dropped his gauntlet, Richard charged forward.

He approached in an instant and swung his sword.

Argon raised his shield to block.

Clang! It sounded like a bludgeon striking.

It was a sound that couldn’t be made by striking with the blade.

Richard was holding his sword upside down.

He gripped the blade and struck the shield with the cross guard on the hilt.

‘Murder Stroke?’

It’s one of the supplementary techniques in swordsmanship.

To deal with heavily armored opponents, you hold the sword upside down and use the hilt as a blunt weapon.

When I read about it in the game description, it just seemed like, ‘Oh, that’s interesting.’ After all, I’d never have to wield a sword in real life.

Seeing it in person is different.

‘I understand why you have to use it like that.’

Hitting a shield with a sword won’t have any effect.

But by focusing the force on the cross guard, you can strike through a solid shield or armor.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

Richard swung his sword repeatedly.

Like he was hacking with a pickaxe.

Argon couldn’t even think about counterattacking.

Even blocking seemed difficult, as he grimaced each time he defended.

Richard said nothing.

He just persistently swung his sword.

A faint smile hinted at a subtle madness.

‘The Lion’s Knight… he was like this even back then.’

“Hup-!”

Argon barely dodged a full-strength blow.

He immediately swung his sword.

But Richard deflected it with his palm on the flat side of the blade.

‘…Is he insane?’

Even though it’s a training sword with dulled edges, deflecting a weapon with bare hands is reckless.

Richard was like this even when he was later called the Lion Knight.

I used to think it was just impressive, but now that I’m holding a weapon myself, I understand.

Blocking a swinging weapon with bare hands? That’s crazy.

Richard thrust his two-handed sword with one hand.

When did he even manage to switch his grip?

Argon staggered back after being struck in the shoulder.

As he corrected his stance and raised his shield, Richard grabbed the shield with his hand and pulled it down.

“What the…!”

A panicked Argon swung his sword desperately.

‘It’s over.’

A collapsed center of gravity.

A reckless counterattack without considering the opponent’s response.

There was no need to see more.

As expected, the conclusion came swiftly.

Richard had already corrected his stance.

Gripping both the hilt and the blade.

‘Half-swording.’

He effortlessly deflected Argon’s clumsy attack.

Then, he struck Argon’s face with the pommel at the end of the hilt, knocking him down, and thrust the sword at his neck.

“Stop.”

Gawain declared the match over.

The sword halted just before Argon’s throat.

“The match is over. The winner is Richard.”

The audience’s reaction was lukewarm.

There were cheers, but the outcome had been obvious from the start.

Just as expected.

It was that kind of reaction.

“Argon. As the lost the match, fulfill the winner’s request.”

Argon stood up weakly.

He looked between me and Richard.

Hesitating, he slowly bowed.

His head lowered enough to show the top of his head.

“…I’m sorry.”

Argon spoke in a small voice.

“Uuu- that’s boring!”

He didn’t care about the boos from the audience.

He stayed bent over for a while.

“…Tsk.”

Richard clicked his tongue and stood with the tip of his sword touching the ground.

“That’s begging for an apology. Hey, Judas.”

“Yes.”

Richard scratched the back of his head as he spoke.

“Sorry about that. I feel like I did something unnecessary.”

He has quite a bit of meddling in him, too.

‘He set this up thinking about me, but now he feels bad for forcing an apology.’

There’s a lot to apologize for.

“It’s okay.”

“Alright…”

Even after Richard stepped back, Argon didn’t straighten up.

What is he thinking?

In the meantime, Gawain sorted out the situation.

“You may have seen several trial battles before, but it’s the first time you’ll see two beginners like Judas and Lindel fight with such sincerity. You need to remember their duel.”

The excited atmosphere gradually calmed down.

Before long, it was time for training again.

It was a very enjoyable duel, so everyone focused quite a bit.

“Lindel was overly excited. He got swept up by the reactions around him. On the other hand, Judas remained calm from start to finish. He drew his opponent into his flow and ultimately won. Some of you might have laughed at their duel.”

A few people flinched, feeling guilty.

“But remember. There’s no guarantee that your next real battle won’t be like this. A Escort Knight isn’t a soldier who fights in formation on a battlefield. They must be a tool ready to lay down their life for their lord anytime, anywhere. You must not be swayed by the environment or situation. Understood?”

“Yes!”

Gawain continued to mention me and Lindel a few more times.

I was mostly praised, while Lindel’s shortcomings were pointed out.

Next, it was Richard and Argon’s turn, but there wasn’t much to say.

The match was too overwhelming.

Argon listened with a stern expression the entire time.

It wasn’t a look of displeasure.

He looked like he had made up his mind about something.

Lindel did, too.

“Then we’ll continue with the afternoon training immediately. And you four.”

Gawain pointed at me, Richard, Lindel, and Argon.

“After receiving treatment and taking a short break, you’ll have a separate advisory session.”

“Understood.”

Richard approached me with a grin.

“Are you okay?”

“I can manage.”

“Tough guy, huh?”

“Are you okay, senior?”

“Me? I didn’t get hit.”

“…Oh.”

Impressive.

He didn’t pass the fifth test at this age for nothing.

Although I don’t know what the fifth test is.

Step, step.

The sound of footsteps subtly overlapped.

Richard glared behind us.

I glanced in that direction as well.

Lindel and Argon, who were following us, hesitated.

“Do you have something to say?”

“…No.”

“Not really…”

We continued walking, feeling somewhat awkward.

We arrived at the infirmary, received some simple treatment, and returned.

Training proceeded smoothly.

There were no significant incidents after that.

During the breaks, a few people came up to greet me.

Their greetings were friendly.

Perhaps they were impressed by my duel.

Judging by their unfamiliar faces, they were all from different rooms.

I accepted their greetings appropriately and scanned my surroundings.

‘If you make allies, you also make enemies.’

Sure enough.

The number of people glaring at me with disapproval increased.

It was the price of standing out too much.

I accepted it, knowing it was inevitable.

I had made my choice, after all.

But there was something else that bothered me more.

The cadets using Room 13.

The factions centered around Richard and Argon had become more distinct than before.

‘This is a bit problematic.’

But they are the ones I’ll be living with from now on.

Since they haven’t crossed any lines with me, it would be best to get along if possible.

[‘Yesterday’s enemy is today’s ally’ updated. In progress….]

Time passed with these thoughts in mind.

The afternoon training ended without incident.

***

Dinner time.

I sat between Richard and Dylan in the dining hall.

As usual, we were served thin soup and hard bread.

Dinner was a bit more substantial, with salted meat included.

It was tough and incredibly salty.

‘If this diet continues, I’m not sure if muscle growth will be proper.’

Is the budget for cadets’ meals too low?

Or is there corruption here as well?

In any case, this is troublesome.

We’re at an age where we need to eat even dirt to grow properly…

“I don’t get it! Why do they say the best defense is a good offense? How are you supposed to counterattack if you just swing wildly?” Richard argued.

“That only works when there’s a significant difference in skill levels. What if your opponent is skilled at reading your moves? What if they predict you’re going to block with your arm and strike with all their might?” Dylan countered.

They were discussing the match Richard had with Argon earlier.

“That’s how you lost last time…”

“Hey, watch your mouth. Who told you to bring that up?”

“But it’s true…”

“Shut up and eat your bread.”

“How am I supposed to eat bread with my mouth shut?”

“I’ll show you. Give me that bread and open your mouth.”

Richard tried to hit Dylan with the hard bread, while Dylan struggled to keep it.

I quietly chewed on my tough meat, preoccupied with my diet, when someone sat in front of me.

The quarreling duo looked up.

It was Lindel, Argon, and a few others who often looked down on me.

“What do you want?” Richard asked bluntly.

Lindel’s eyes darted around nervously.

“I asked what you want. Can’t you hear me?”

Argon stepped forward with a determined expression.

As he bowed, Lindel followed suit.

The others who came along did the same.

“…I’m sorry, Judas,”

Lindel’s voice trembled.

“I’ll be honest. It was intentional when I hit you hard during morning training. So, I… I…”

His voice shook slightly.

Richard and Dylan looked up at him, surprised.

I waited patiently without pressing him.

“…I joined earlier than you. Only three months, but still. Even so, I don’t have any special skills or recognition. So, I just took out my anger on you.”

In the end, Lindel cried.

It was a heartfelt confession.

I almost laughed.

‘Kids will be kids.’

All I asked for in the match was for them to acknowledge reality.

It wasn’t something to be forced, so I didn’t push them after winning.

But Lindel finally faced reality.

Facing oneself is very difficult.

Many people know but can’t do it.

How many adults drown in self-justification?

Seeing a young one confess so honestly was quite endearing.

“Jeez, what’s with them?”

Richard shivered as if he had goosebumps.

On the other hand, Dylan nodded approvingly, seemingly moved.

He’s got an old soul.

Argon followed, admitting his mistakes and expressing regret.

The others did the same, confessing that they had envied and disliked me because I had just joined.

‘It seems Lindel and Argon persuaded the others.’

“…This is the reality I’ve accepted. I’m sorry, Judas.”

At that moment, a notification arrived.

[“Yesterday’s enemy is today’s ally” completed.]

[Unexpectedly high results. Calculating rewards.]

I momentarily forgot to speak, then chuckled.

Boys bond by fighting.

“Have you eaten?” I asked.

Startled by the sudden question, Lindel stammered,

“Uh, no, not yet…”

“Then bring your food and eat with us.”

It was practically an acceptance of their apology.

Lindel and Argon, among others, realized a bit late.

Upon realizing, they hurriedly left to get their bread and soup.

Watching them, Richard shook his head.

“Who’s the senior and who’s the junior?”

“Let’s just say I’m the mature junior.”

“A kid should act like a kid.”

…Though he’s also a kid. He sometimes seems like an old man.

Shortly after, Lindel, Argon, and their group returned with bread and soup and sat hesitantly across from us.

Richard clicked his tongue and said,

“If you keep being so distant, what was the point of Judas forgiving you?”

They just awkwardly laughed at his words.

It must be hard to suddenly act friendly after calling each other all sorts of names until this morning.

“From now on, let’s get along comfortably. It’s a good day, so let’s all share the remaining cookies.”

Dylan objected.

“That’s not something we can just decide. More importantly, Judas’s opinion is…”

“Shouldn’t we give Judas three times more than everyone else?”

“I’m satisfied.”

Teasing Dylan, who seemed troubled, Richard continued, leading to quite a harmonious mealtime.

Though it was awkward at first, conversations soon flowed easily.

“By the way, Judas. You didn’t seem like it was your first fight.”

Richard asked while chewing his bread.

Lindel looked at me with bright eyes.

Not only him, but many others seemed curious too.

I answered vaguely.

“Just. I’ve fought a few times before coming here.”

“…I’m sorry. I asked something unnecessary.”

The atmosphere suddenly became solemn.

‘What is this?’

Ah. They realized I was a slave who was sold here.

They seem to imagine I have a very tragic and eventful past.

It’s not that serious, but denying it now would be awkward, so I just smiled awkwardly.

“Judas.”

As I was scraping the remaining soup, Dylan gently called.

“Thanks to you, we all got to properly mingle. Thank you. It’s something I should’ve done…”

He was right.

At the large rectangular table in the dining hall.

All 20 members of Room 13 sat and talked while eating.

The atmosphere wasn’t bad at all.

“Don’t mention it.”

***

We were together most of the time.

Dylan, Richard, Lindel, Argon, and others.

Including me, who was caught in between.

Lindel, who was next to me, asked cautiously.

“Is the wound okay?”

“I can bear it. But you, senior…”

I was only stabbed a few times in the leg.

But he… got his face bashed with a shield.

“Oh, well. If I think of it as the cost of today’s lesson, it’s cheap. Haha.”

Turns out, he has quite the spirit.

While various conversations were exchanged, I had a different thought for a moment.

‘Hidden quest, huh.’

This game has two types of quests.

Main quests called ‘Fate’ for each playable character.

Everything else is considered hidden quests.

They’re revealed only after you discover or complete them.

Then, one question arises.

‘Does the character Judas have a main quest?’

He might not have one since he’s not a playable character.

I’m not sure.

While laughing and chatting, Lindel suddenly stopped.

He stared intently over my shoulder with a firm expression.

Others also halted one by one, stiffening.

‘..No way.’

There’s only one reason they’d react like this.

I slowly turned my head in the same direction, creaking with anxiety.

In the distance, there stood Eliza.

She was in the same sky-blue dress as seen in the morning.

She blinked as if looking at something peculiar, staring this way.

“I greet Lady Eliza.”

I quickly bent and greeted.

The members of Room 13 also bowed following me.

Tap, tap.

Eliza approached.

I saw her dainty black shoes.

They were shiny leather shoes.

Something grasped my chin.

Soft, warm, and small hands.

It was Eliza’s hand.

My chin was lifted.

I calmly met her gaze.

Eliza tilted her head and looked at me before giving a small laugh.

“How can you show such interesting expressions every time? Are you doing it on purpose?”

This time again… Why….

What did I do?

Eliza held my chin and looked around.

Everywhere her gaze landed, the cadets shrank and bowed their heads deeper.

Her gaze lingered particularly long on one person.

Judging by the direction, it seemed to be Lindel.

“…Interesting.”

She looked back at me with a smile.

“Follow me.”

She released my chin and started walking somewhere.

I had no choice but to follow her, glancing back slightly.

The cadets in the same room were still bowing deeply.

Richard raised his fist.

Is that meant to encourage me?

I turned back and followed Eliza’s swaying black hair.

***

It’s the reception room I always visit.

“Sit.”

Eliza commanded and sat down first.

Should I sit on the floor?

Seeing me hesitate, Eliza shook her head with a helpless smile.

“You can sit on the chair.”

“Thank you.”

I quickly sat on the chair.

Today, like the last time, tea and snacks were prepared.

“Why aren’t you eating?”

I’m not oblivious.

I don’t just gobble down food every time I come.

“Don’t mind it and eat.”

But if she permits, that’s a different story.

I gladly reached for the tea and snacks.

Eliza still watched me intently, as if I were a curiosity.

“Listen while you eat. I have something I’m curious about.”

She probably knows more than I do.

What could she be curious enough to ask me?

“Can the concept of enemies and allies coexist?”

“…Pardon?”

Is this a riddle?

What kind of answer does she want?

“I’m sorry, but my inadequate mind can’t grasp your intention, Miss.”

“Really? That’s interesting. Usually, if someone’s mind is inadequate, they wouldn’t even think to understand the other’s intention.”

“……”

“Then let me rephrase the question.”

Eliza propped her chin with her hand and smiled.

A warm smile, like it was drawn.

But I felt a cold thorn rising within it.

“What if I become your enemy?”

“yes…?”

“Or, what if you become my enemy, what would I do then?”

A familiar way of speaking.

A method of drawing out a topic by questioning the other person instead of stating what she wants.

I’ve experienced it countless times.

So, I immediately realized what Eliza was going to ask.

‘Is it about what happened today? Once again, I’ve unintentionally piqued her interest….’

This question is both an extension of her curiosity and a test.

What should I say in response?

After calmly organizing my thoughts, I began to speak.

Eliza listened to my story with a faint smile.