WeTried Translations
Translator/Editor: Oblivious
Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried
◈ The Weakest Knight Became a Swordmaster, But Only in Dungeons ◈
Chapter 51: Founding Anniversary Festival (2)
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At Griffin Knight Academy, maintaining the cadets’ dignity was a serious matter.
Since merely attending the academy meant they were treated as knights with quasi-noble status, they were expected to uphold the dignity befitting Empire knights at all times.
They were even given allowances for maintaining their appearance, and the dormitory maids handled the cadets’ makeup and grooming.
Usually, they kept the makeup and grooming simple, but on some days, they would put special care into it at a cadet’s request.
Like today.
“Wow...”
“No way...”
“Huh...?”
It was a day off.
The cadets were dressed stylishly as they walked around campus, intending to attend the festival in the city of Oldern.
They stared blankly at two female cadets who seemed to shine with a particularly brilliant aura.
Despite the autumn weather, flowers appeared to bloom everywhere, as if a bright spring day had arrived. Their beauty was impossible not to admire.
Among them, the woman who especially drew everyone’s attention was the magenta-haired cadet, Elise Lorendia.
She wore a lovely reddish-brown dress. She had asked a dormitory maid to put more effort into her appearance than usual.
Walking beside Elise was a pale-blue-haired cadet. It was Lara Twisloff.
For today, Lara too was dressed in a blue dress.
Her small build made her less noticeable than Elise, but Lara’s appearance still captivated the hearts of countless cadets.
Lara fidgeted with the hem of her skirt and twisted her hair around her fingers.
‘Something feels strange...’
There was a man she would be spending the festival with today.
For some reason, Lara felt terribly nervous and uncomfortable about showing that man how dressed up she was.
Yet she also felt a subtle sense of anticipation.
Even Lara herself did not know why she felt such contradictory emotions.
‘Get a hold of yourself.’
That man might be someone Elise liked.
Why did she need to look beautiful for him? Lara shook her head, trying to clear away the thought.
The glow of sunset was fading from the evening sky, and twilight was closing in.
Elise and Lara left the knight academy and arrived at their meeting place in the Commercial District of Oldern.
There, they saw a light-brown-haired man in neat attire.
His fringe was swept back. He had a composed air. There was nothing to suggest his usual mischievousness.
It was Ron Hazely.
Elise smiled apologetically.
“Sorry we’re late... Should I apologize first?”
“Y-Yeah...”
Lara unknowingly parted her lips.
Was this really that Ron Hazely, who was always grinning widely and being a pest?
‘For Hazely, he actually looks pretty... Ack!’
What was she thinking? About a man her best friend might like...!
Lara blamed herself and had to shake her head again to rid herself of those thoughts.
* * *
“They’re late...”
At this rate, I was going to turn into an old man.
The evening streets of Oldern were packed with people.
Every street stall was lined with food. Delicious smells drifted past my nose one after another. Ah, I was getting hungry.
There were plenty of things to do, and music drifted over from what seemed to be a performance somewhere.
‘Reality really is more splendid than a game.’
Oldern’s festival felt far busier and more lively than it had in the game.
When I looked up at the clock tower, it was already ten minutes past our meeting time. It seemed Elise and Lara were taking their time getting ready.
In the story, the two of them had put some effort into dressing up for the festival, right? So I paid attention to my appearance today as well.
Before long...
“Hi, Ron~”
“Hm?”
Elise and Lara, both fully dressed up, approached me.
The admiring gazes of passersby gathered in our direction.
I swallowed my own admiration.
‘Damn, they really are the leads.’
They practically glowed. It felt like seeing an actual famous celebrity in my previous life. They were unbelievably pretty.
Still, I had developed some resistance by now, so I greeted them naturally.
“Oh! You’re here, Elise, Lara?”
“Sorry we’re late.”
“Normally, I would’ve made you buy me something as an apology... But I decided to accommodate you today, so I’ll let it go.”
“Hehe, I can do at least that much.”
Elise smiled sweetly.
“But Elise, you really went all out?”
“It’s a festival. You have to enjoy the mood on days like this~”
“Lara, did you put a lot of effort into getting ready too?”
“What? W-What do you think...?”
“It feels like beauty and cuteness coexist within you... Urgh, I’m going blind...!”
I squeezed my eyes shut and joked theatrically.
Lara’s cheeks flushed, and she glared at me with narrowed eyes.
“Always making a fuss... You arrogant Ron Hazely.”
Then Lara looked away.
‘She isn’t getting mad today?’
Was it because of the festival?
Today was the day. I should tease her as much as I could.
“I figured you two would be like this, so I asked a dormitory maid to dress me up too. What do you think of me?”
“Yeah, you look handsome.”
“Hm?”
I had been certain Elise would tease me somehow and was ready with a comeback...
I never expected an honest compliment, so my head jerked slightly.
Elise giggled.
“I think I’ll enjoy being escorted by you~”
“Escorted... That’s all I need to do, right?”
“Wow, you’ll really do it?”
“Didn’t I already say I was doing this because I owe you my life? So today, well...”
It was embarrassing, but I had to go along with it.
I lightly bent one knee, leaned forward slightly, and held out my hand politely.
I had asked a White Wing knight beforehand and practiced the gesture a little. There shouldn’t be anything to criticize.
“I’ll serve you as my lady, Elise.”
“...”
It was the stance of a knight serving a lady.
Elise smiled softly and gently placed her hand atop mine.
“Yeah, that makes me happy. Then I’ll rely on Ron today~”
We walked around Oldern together.
We bought food, played festival games, and watched performances as we passed the time.
Since I had decided to escort Elise today, I tried to be considerate even about things I normally wouldn’t have paid attention to.
For example, if Elise bent down, I covered nearby corners with my hand so she wouldn’t hit her head. I walked on the side closer to the carriage road. When she sat down, I offered her my coat to place over her legs. Things like that.
‘Wait. Isn’t this the kind of thing only a boyfriend would do...?’
I had never escorted anyone before, so I didn’t really know.
The only data I had in my head about it was this kind of consideration...
‘Ugh, this is so cringey...’
Doubts kept hitting me, and my whole body felt twisted with embarrassment. It felt like I was being overly mushy.
Still, wasn’t it important to show sincerity?
Elise smiled sweetly every time I showed consideration, so she seemed satisfied.
Before I knew it, the sky had grown dark. But perhaps because of the festival, the city was bright and full of energy.
We were descending some stairs to head toward the famous lake.
After going down two steps first, I held my hand out to Elise.
“Elise.”
“...Yeah.”
Elise looked at my hand, smiled softly, and gently placed her hand atop it.
With her other hand, she lightly lifted her skirt so she wouldn’t catch her foot on the stairs.
I helped Elise keep her balance as we slowly descended.
“Ron, you’re more attentive than I expected?”
“I’m glad if you’re satisfied.”
“The person who becomes Ron’s lover someday will be very happy.”
“...?”
I stopped walking and looked at Elise.
When our eyes met, she smiled.
“Whyy? It was just a compliment.”
“It’s just...”
Until now, I had been too busy trying to survive to think about things like romance.
Maybe it was because today had a peaceful festival atmosphere, both in the original story and in reality. Without realizing it, my thoughts seemed to drift in that direction too.
Anyway.
“...”
Lara was staring at me meaningfully from beside us.
My otaku sensibilities made me feel as though I could hear a phantom “staaare.”
What was with her now?
“What are you unhappy about that you’re glaring at me like that? What, do you want me to do it for you too?”
“It’s just that it doesn’t suit you at all. Since you’re always being so annoying, seeing you like this is a little...”
“A little?”
“...Never mind.”
I narrowed my eyes and smiled smugly.
“You must be jealous?”
“J-Jealous of what!? I’m not! There are lots of men who say they’ll escort me too!?”
At last, Lara’s face turned bright red as she snapped furiously.
I snickered because her reaction was amusing. Lara swallowed a breath and looked away from me.
“Arrogant...”
Lara muttered quietly.
We reached the lake. Perhaps special magical devices had been installed for the festival, because multicolored mana swirled across the small lake.
We chatted about trivial things as we walked along the lakeside path, then leaned against the railing.
“I’ll go to the bathroom.”
“See you in a bit~”
Lara left for the bathroom, leaving only Elise and me behind.
Elise rested her crossed arms on the railing as she looked over the lake. Then, as if something had just occurred to her, she spoke.
“Oh, right, Ron.”
“Yeah, what?”
“I still haven’t heard it.”
I turned toward Elise. At some point, she had begun looking at me with a smile.
“Heard what?”
“You haven’t told me I’m pretty. I don’t think I heard it from you today.”
I narrowed one eye and gave a hollow laugh.
“It’s not like you’re desperate for compliments. You must hear that you’re pretty all the time.”
“So? You won’t say it? Even though you’ve thought I was pretty before?”
“No, that’s...”
Elise smiled playfully.
As expected, she seemed to be enjoying how flustered I was.
“Why are you asking for something like that...? You’re making me embarrassed for no reason.”
“I’m Ron’s lady today~”
What did that have to do with anything...?
“I want to hear it from Ron too. That’s why.”
“...”
I couldn’t be sure whether it was because she saw me as a man...
Some actor from my previous life had said something like this. Being told you were handsome never became tiresome. It was thrilling and always felt new.
Maybe Elise was the same.
I turned toward the lake and thought for a moment.
‘There’s no need to think too deeply about it.’
I had decided to accommodate whatever Elise wanted today, so I decided to give her the answer she wanted.
I met Elise’s eyes again. She rested her chin on the railing, watching me with a soft smile.
The mana lights flowing through the lake reflected in Elise’s teal eyes.
“Yeah, well. Elise, today you...”
That was when it happened.
[W-What do we do, Mr. Hazely! It’s a Gate Break...!]
Through the bracelet’s effect, Violet’s urgent voice rang sharply through my mind.
At the same time, Elise seemed to sense something. Her eyes widened as she abruptly turned her head somewhere.
I was startled too.
There was no time to sink into confusion. I quickly focused on Violet’s voice.
[It’s underground! By the underground sewer! I sensed demonic energy at the same time! In the sky and underground...! The demonic energy underground is especially strong...! I think there’s a dangerous Demonkin there!]
‘Demonic energy appeared all of a sudden...?’
The situation did not seem ordinary.
[I-I’ll try to prevent any harm with my undead servants first!]
We had already agreed that Violet would respond first with undead servants if something dangerous happened.
Though startled, Violet seemed to have calmly assessed the situation and begun acting.
‘A Gate Break... Was there a Gate in the underground sewer?’
And two Demonkin had appeared?
What exactly was going on right now?
Booom!!
A snowstorm swept in with an explosion of cold from the riverside.
At the unnatural roar, every passerby turned their gaze in that direction.
Then, Booom! Booom! Booom!
Explosions rang out all around.
The iron covers connected to the underground sewer, along with the ground around them, were exploding.
“What? What’s happening!?”
“L-Let’s run first... Hurry!”
“Honey, something must have happened...!”
Amid the overwhelming chaos...
“Kyahhh!”
“Monsters!! There are monsters!!”
The citizens screamed, along with someone’s shout.
Only then did the surrounding citizens grasp the situation and begin fleeing in terror.
[M-Mr. Hazely, there are too many monsters...! There are lots of guards and cadets, so they’re somehow holding them back, but...!]
It seemed they could hold on because so many cadets had come to the Oldern festival.
There would be not only the genius leads, but capable upperclassmen too.
Once the knights joined the battle, the situation would improve further.
Shing!
I drew my sword.
‘This is complete bullshit...’
Until now, the broad course of events had at least unfolded similarly to the original story, but this time it had been completely twisted.
I had no idea what had happened.
But.
‘Think later.’
For now, I only needed to stop this disaster.
Shing.
Riiip.
Elise drew her sword as well, then cut off the hem of her dress without hesitation.
It was so she could move more easily.
Her bare legs were revealed.
“Ron.”
“I know without you saying it.”
We poured aura into physical enhancement and ran toward the screams.
Beyond the crowd, I spotted a yeti monster. It had a threatening build like a gorilla.
Whoooosh!!
A blue mana blade suddenly shot upward from somewhere.
A small woman stood atop it with her legs together, maintaining a stable stance.
Her pale-blue hair and the hem of her blue dress fluttered in the wind.
‘Lara!’
Fzzzt, fzzzt!
Aura rose around Lara in bursts, instantly transforming into the shapes of countless mana blades.
Fish Sword. It was Lara’s aura magic.
The blade tips of every Fish Sword tilted toward the ground at once.
Then Lara spoke a brief Word Command.
Swoooosh!!
Blue Fish Swords rained down upon the city, tearing through streets everywhere.
Just as a yeti monster was about to pounce on a fallen citizen...
Thwack!
Thud!
“Graaah!”
Two Fish Swords shot forward like arrows, piercing the snowman magical beast’s neck and chest.
The Fish Swords then cut through the air, targeting other monsters and powerfully piercing or slashing them apart.
[Ms. Twisloff is so dependable...!]
Yeah, she really was incredibly dependable. This was Lara!
Elise looked at me and shouted.
“Ron, stay by my side...! Huh?”
That was when it happened.
Rumbleee!!
The clouds scattered away, revealing a gigantic blue body through the gap.
It was a grotesque creature swollen taut like a balloon. Its body completely covered the moon, casting a shadow over the city.
Eyes, noses, and mouths were stuck haphazardly across its blue flesh. Gas formed from demonic energy constantly leaked from folds of fat throughout its body.
“W-What is that...?”
“Oh Lord... Save us...!”
At the overwhelming sight, the fleeing citizens stared up into the air with their mouths hanging open.
Elise and Lara, who was flying over the city, also looked up at the unknown monster with alarmed expressions.
‘That thing...’
I recognized it.
This was not the Exchange Realm Society’s doing.
After rapidly organizing my thoughts, I stopped and spoke to Elise.
“Elise.”
“Yeah...?”
“Let’s each do what we can right now.”
Elise stopped as well and turned toward me.
Her expression was full of complicated feelings. She probably wanted to join Lara immediately.
I spoke quickly.
“You don’t need to worry, punk. If things get dangerous for me, I’ll run straight to you and ask for help. You should deal with that monster up there somehow.”
“...Come running if it gets even a little dangerous.”
I nodded.
Flash!
We immediately split up and began running.
‘I’ll leave that giant thing to Elise and Lara.’
With their current strength, they could somehow defeat it.
And I intended to strike at the source.
‘The Gate Break originated near the underground sewer.’
It was probably the large underground retention basin. That place would be suitable.
Besides, Violet said she had sensed especially dangerous demonic energy underground, where the Gate Break occurred. That thing had to be the mastermind behind this disaster.
If so, it would be better for me to fight it in my Swordmaster state.
“Violet, I’m heading straight for the Gate. Where are you now?”
[I’m currently...]
Booom!!
[Kyah!]
“What’s wrong? Violet? Violet!”
A roar sounded from somewhere, and at the same time, Violet’s scream struck my mind.
My heart dropped.
Soon, Violet’s voice came again.
[Mr. Hazely...]
“Are you okay!?”
[Yes, I’m fine. More importantly, I...]
Violet spoke in a tense voice.
[I’ve encountered a Demonkin.]
“What...?”
[I’ll somehow hold out until you get here.]
“No... Damn it...!”
This was driving me insane...!
I poured even more aura into physical enhancement and ran at full speed.
* * *
Several minutes earlier.
Violet Blackgarden, wearing a robe, was assessing the situation near an iron cover leading to the underground sewer.
The undead servant she had sent into the underground sewer had been defeated, so she intended to send a fully spiritized undead servant to inspect the situation more closely.
Booom!
Soon, the ground beneath Violet’s feet collapsed.
“Kyah!!”
Violet fell into the underground sewer. She landed safely on the ground, but lost her balance for a moment and fell hard onto her backside.
She quickly got back up.
From somewhere beyond the underground sewer, she sensed immense demonic energy.
Clatterrr!!
Ice magic carrying heavy demonic energy rushed toward Violet and surrounded her.
As if blocking off her escape route.
Violet’s pink eyes trembled. She resolutely strengthened her resolve and spoke a Word Command.
“Manifest.”
Whoooosh!
A tiger magical beast undead servant wreathed in pink mana was summoned.
It was a powerful undead servant Violet had become able to control freely after improving her strength.
The tiger magical beast undead servant viciously drove its forepaw, wrapped in dark mana, into the ice wall.
Booom!
However, the ice wall was only scratched.
Clatter.
Demonic energy reinforced it, making the ice wall even sturdier.
“Urgh...!”
She could not escape.
The Demonkin could use magic of this level, yet did not attack her. It seemed to mean that Violet was supposed to come to him.
There was no other escape route.
Violet gripped her staff with both hands and moved toward the source of the demonic energy...
She arrived at a vast underground retention basin.
A cold wind flowed through it as though it were midwinter.
Cold air flowed out around the shattered Gate. The retention basin had frozen entirely, becoming like an ice palace.
The floor, which should have been covered in water, was frozen solid.
[Welcome.]
A Demonkin who held an ominous sword that gave off white frost sat proudly upon an ice chair and welcomed Violet.
His skin was unnaturally white. His eyes were impossible to read. His face was expressionless, and his eyes were black. He wore a neat dark-blue outfit.
Violet felt demonic energy so heavy that every hair on her body stood on end.
She spoke quietly.
“Mr. Hazely...”
[Are you okay!?]
“Yes, I’m fine. More importantly, I...”
Violet broke out in a cold sweat.
“I’ve encountered a Demonkin.”
[What...?]
“I’ll somehow hold out until you get here.”
The Demonkin rose from his seat, approached Violet, and stopped at a certain distance from her.
Then he bent one knee and paid his respects.
[I greet the noble Vessel of the Demon King.]
Violet trembled and placed one hand on the hilt of the cursed sword Dansel.
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