I Became the Dark Knight in the Game World - Chapter 46

WeTried Translations

Translator/Editor: Order

◈ I Became the Dark Knight in the Game World ◈

Chapter 46: A Staged…? Duel (4)

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Kriel acted contrary to Morgina's intention of going at each other barehanded.

[Hey, it's going to break! I said it's going to breaaaaaaaaak!]

Kriel held on to the Horn Dagger and resisted. Morgina happily indulged him in the contest of strength. Supported by her abundant Divine Power, she matched Kriel's strength until, all at once, she lifted her feet from the ground.

The force pulling in one direction accelerated Morgina. Her body flew toward him as though the Horn Dagger were dragging her along.

The chain tightened. Morgina's eyes beyond her veil met Kriel's glowing eyes beneath the shadow of his helmet. They were close enough to see themselves reflected in each other's eyes.

I knew she'd do this. Morgina preferred close combat, especially brawling.

Kriel smiled. It was time for his final trick.

He let go of the Horn Dagger. Orisin bounced off the floor with a scream, but no one took it as anything more than a complaint.

Kriel grabbed Morgina's right forearm.

His huge hand wrapped around her arm, and Morgina let out an uncertain little “Huh?”

Then Kriel threw her.

Her muscle strength had been enhanced by Divine Power, but her weight had not changed. The doorway Morgina had entered through remained open. Kriel's throw sent her straight through it.

Naturally, Morgina was not someone who could be taken out by such a half-hearted attack. She twisted her body midair, kicked off the courtroom wall, and retraced her path at full speed. Red flails gleamed viciously in both her hands.

Kriel did not respond to her attack.

He was merely gathering up the Horn Dagger from the floor.

“…What are you doing?”

The ridiculous sight seemed to drain all the strength from Morgina, and she asked in response.

“I won.”

“What?”

“Religious Judge! Please confirm the precedent for Trial by Combat!”

“You mean the ring-out provision? It is customary in Trial by Combat to recognize defeat when one party leaves the dueling ground, but…”

They had not mentioned a ring-out loss when the duel began. The Religious Judge looked confused.

“Trial by Combat is customary law by nature, is it not? If no separate agreement was made beforehand, I believe it is reasonable to follow precedent.”

Kriel had no intention of fighting Morgina properly and settling things. What would he gain from fighting that boar of a Saintess?

“Hey, that's not fair!”

Morgina huffed as she thrust both arms downward. If she had not been holding flails, the gesture might have looked rather cute.

The Religious Judge tilted their head. Then Armede approached and handed the judge a note.

It listed the cost of replacing the shattered flagstones in the dueling ground, along with the repairs needed for the wall Morgina had stomped hard enough to leave deeply cracked.

Armede had calculated it all swiftly from the moment Kriel threw Morgina out of bounds.

The Religious Judge adjusted their glasses. Since the damage had naturally arisen over the course of the trial, there would be no need for them to pay compensation personally. Still, it was obvious the chief judge would ask why they had stood by until things got this bad.

“…The duel is over!”

“Hey, no. Your Honor! I object!”

“The winner of the duel is Sir Kriel, Champion of Armede Kett!”

Daucrius admired how wisely Sir Kriel had resolved a situation in which either the Champion or the Saintess would inevitably lose face, using a ring-out defeat. Yet he was disappointed that no blood had been spilled in the end, aside from the blood Morgina had used to create her weapons.

“Ha. I thought I'd get to see the Saintess use her fists for the first time in a while.”

Mazhar Gabi could not understand what that kindly old priest was babbling about.

“Isn't it truly a shame? The match became rather dull because Sir Kriel put on his armor the moment he figured out her identity. A lovers' quarrel needs some bloodshed to bring the two closer together…”

“Old man, what are you talking about?”

Mazhar asked incredulously. Daucrius casually shrugged.

“I am only saying that you should not think the Saintess deliberately held back. Had I known this would happen, I would have made them fight outdoors.”

Wait, Saintess?

Mazhar had not known exactly who Morgina was. Understanding finally dawned on him, followed by shock.

‘That priest watched his order's Champion and Saintess fight, then said it was a shame no blood had been spilled?’

It was an utterly mad order. His prejudice against Eve Kaha deepening, Mazhar lowered his head.

The Trial by Combat had ended in defeat.

“Father…”

Thud.

Someone sat down beside him. Mazhar turned to look at the silhouette.

A stern impression that felt cold, no, cold-blooded. Hair the color of bone and ominous blood-red eyes.

“…Have you come to mock the defeated?”

“I ran away.”

“Huh?”

Kriel subtly pointed toward the dueling ground. Morgina stood there with an angry expression, holding something like a black cloak and looking around.

“She said that since the duel was over, this was her own personal venting, and tried to charge at me. I covered her eyes with a cloak and escaped. She won't expect me to come to the other side, so it should buy me some time.”

Mazhar let out a hollow laugh at the absurd situation Kriel described so calmly.

“Well. It seems you have found love. Congratulations. Isn't that a knight's romance?”

“Devoting one's love to a noble lady is one aspect of chivalry.”

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

Mazhar waved a hand. The courtroom was not his home, but his intention to send Kriel away was clear. Unexpectedly, Kriel did not leave.

“I do not believe mocking the defeated is something a follower of chivalry should do.”

“Isn't refusing to turn away from someone in trouble also part of chivalry?”

Kriel shrugged.

“The first word you uttered after accepting defeat was ‘Father.’ That is quite telling. Does it have something to do with your ambition to become the head of your family no matter what?”

“…”

Mazhar was about to tell him not to concern himself with private matters, but Kriel suddenly stood, leaving him no chance to speak.

“Oh dear. She's looking this way. I should get down there.”

He leaped from the spectator seats into the dueling ground. He landed lightly from a height equal to two or three people stacked together. It was nothing special for a trained knight, but it looked impressive from nearby.

“If you ever need Knight Kriel rather than Armede's fiancé, hire me!”

Kriel descended with an exaggeratedly dignified air, only to immediately become the target of Morgina's dropkick.

He did not quietly take the blow. He blocked the kick with the flat of his greatsword, then gently caught Morgina as she bounced away and held her in his arms.

“This is still a courtroom. Can you not behave with decorum?”

“Hey, let's go again!”

“No. The defeated should accept the result.”

“You cowardly bastard!”

Mazhar Gabi glanced at Armede watching the two bicker from the opposite spectator seats.

For some reason, he felt a chill.

* * *

The moment I wrapped up the duel's commotion with a trick, Orisin whispered to me.

[I have an eye for these things as a unicorn, you know. From what I can see, that Mazhar guy isn't completely rotten. It feels like he has a reason he needs to force his way into becoming head of the family. Why don't you subtly ask him about it?]

I listened to the horse-head's advice and found an opportunity to probe Mazhar's intentions, but damn it.

“Are you happy winning like that? Are you?”

Morgina had me by the collar. I should never have listened to that horse-head.

[That isn't my fault. Didn't you provoke her for no reason by saying something weird?]

“I won't answer that.”

“What was that, punk?”

“Ah. I wasn't talking to you, I was talking to Orisin…”

“Stop this.”

Armede stepped into the middle of the commotion. She gave Morgina a wary look.

“He is my fiancé, recognized through Trial by Combat.”

Morgina considered whether she should show this woman her true nature or continue treating her with the persona she used for public appearances.

Her deliberation did not last long.