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Chapter 22

Translator: FusionX

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You and I had a bad relationship from our first meeting.

Elves hated dwarves, and dwarves hated elves.

A symbiotic relationship where they despised each other.

Whenever they had a chance, they would hit and fight each other.

Sometimes, they would trouble the commander with childish retaliation.

That was us, but still, we didn’t deny that we were comrades walking the same path. And we firmly believed that there would definitely be glory at the end of the path we walked.

[Ah… everything is going dark…]

[I don’t want to die. I don’t want to die!!]

[Why do we have to die?!]

Even though they were all excellent heroes, their last words were too ordinary.

The desperate cries of those who didn’t want to die. And the overwhelming despair that easily shattered that desperation.

A reckless expedition who’s decision was forced.

However, not wanting to suffer disadvantages, no one opposed the expedition. And we had to pay a heavy price for that arrogance.

[I thought the human king was blinded by jealousy. But it turns out I was the one who was blinded.]

[Commander…?!]

[Take this, a scroll I prepared just in case. Use this and get out of here right now.]

Her voice was still unwavering. However, her condition was by no means good.

Her right arm was tattered as if it had been torn apart.

Her split abdomen had her intestines slightly protruding.

[But Commander, if we run away, what about you…?!]

[If it’s not me, you won’t even have a chance to use that scroll. You know that, don’t you?]

[…]

[Go. At least you survive and plan for the future. That is… my last request as the commander.]

Their commander was left alone there.

There was no choice.

Just as the commander said, if it wasn’t her, they wouldn’t have the leisure to even use the scroll.

It was a rational choice.

I desperately thought so.

If I didn’t,

I felt like I wouldn’t be able to endure it.

It’s collapsing.

The ground is collapsing.

Endlessly falling somewhere.

The hell I saw that day still hasn’t left my mind.

And it must be the same for you, right?

[The new commander of the Royal Knights…?]

[That’s how it turned out. I heard he was the only one who predicted the annihilation of the Royal Knights.]

[…]

[With that level of insight and strategy, he must be more than qualified to become the commander.]

It’s a lie.

They just need a scapegoat.

Not wanting to bear the responsibility for the annihilation of the Royal Knights, they turned a blind eye to the problem right in front of them and instead chose a sacrifice to be offered.

But there was nothing more I could say there.

As a result, we were nothing more than a defeated army. And the defeated army headed to the kingdom to welcome their new commander.

We didn’t say anything. Our dead eyes gave up looking at each other.

The miserable appearance of the other wouldn’t be any different from our own.

We mocked each other.

[Stupid dwarf. What are you so proud of?]

[I can imagine you crying and whining. Kanf.]

Insincere words spilled out.

That terrible experience made us sensitive. And that sensitivity became a sharp blade that stabbed each other.

An emotion that we didn’t even know if it was anger or self-loathing.

It was clearly that we…

No,

We couldn’t accept ourselves.

People are unexpectedly cunning.

We couldn’t bring ourselves to point that blade at ourselves. So we pointed it at someone in a similar situation.

It was the same for her.

Our clash intensified.

So, at the very least,

Let’s crash into each other with all our might.

Then, for just a brief moment…

We might be able to forget this fear.

It was unsightly.

The ones who were called heroes were eaten up by fear and pointed weapons at each other.

Self-destruction, the fitting end for us who have lost everything and lost our way.

So,

Pick up your sword.

Pick up your hammer.

Kill.

Or be killed.

See, you can do it well, right?

I’m strong enough.

Is that so?

Then…

Why didn’t you fight back then?

Why did you just run away back then?

Because of you.

Because of me.

The commander died.

No one can intervene.

There was only one person who could stop us.

Maybe, just maybe, I hoped that one person would appear and stop us.

[Alright, that’s enough. This much sparring is enough.]

[This isn’t sparring! I’ll finish it with that damn dwarf!]

[That’s what I wanted too!]

Because we didn’t want to accept our commander’s death. So, if we kept fighting, I thought the commander might show up and stop us.

An expectation that could never be rewarded.

That’s what I thought.

At that moment, as if it were a lie, our attacks stopped.

Not in a way of beating each other directly, but gently blocking my hand and the dwarf’s hammer.

It was similar to the commander.

‘Commander…?!’

I couldn’t even see him move.

When I came to my senses, my hands were grabbed, and the dwarf’s proud hammer was trampled on the ground by his foot. And at the center of it was him.

“Pathetic. And you call yourselves knights?”

He reprimanded us.

As if he saw right through us now.

* * *

All the audiovisual means used in a play.

That was called directing.

Then my current actions were close to directing too.

What’s important is showing. Anyway, to them, it would look like I blocked their attacks.

No matter how much they were Royal Knights, they couldn’t help but be surprised when someone suddenly intervened and blocked their attacks. But that was only for about 1 to 2 seconds at most.

I glanced and rolled my eyes.

I confirmed that the gazes of the elf and dwarf were on me.

I immediately released the elf’s hands and withdrew my foot that had been placed on the hammer.

Anyway, if I kept going, I would eventually be overpowered.

In the worst case, I might break something if I got hit in the wrong place. So, I released them as if to say this was enough.

Of course, the important point here was the expression.

I must never let the emotion of fear show on my face.

I gritted my teeth and bit my tongue to maintain a relaxed face.

“Who are you, suddenly barging in?”

“You blocked our attacks so lightly. Could it be…?”

“You’re the one the human king talked about.”

“…”

Good.

At least I succeeded in getting their attention.

But it couldn’t end with just this trivial act. Rather, the real part began now.

I looked at them.

Silver hair flowing like gentle moonlight reached her waist, and there was hostility in the blue eyes on her white jade-like skin.

A typical elf’s appearance.

But the problem was the dwarf. As I said before, this game was clearly an adult game.

But would users like it if there were bearded old men in an adult game?

She was very short, about 140cm tall. Almost like an elementary school student.

She also had short brown hair that touched her shoulders, and her amber-like eyes were shining.

In this game, dwarves were one of two things. Loli or shota.

Since they couldn’t really do such things to a real elementary school-aged child, dwarves appeared as a substitute race.

Dwarves had a setting similar to elves where they were half-spirits.

Once they reached a certain point of growth, their appearance no longer changed. In other words, it was legal.

At least in terms of age.

“Looks like he’s more pompous than I thought.”

“Don’t say such arrogant things. That’s why elves get cursed.”

“I can’t hear you well because you’re too far down.”

“Kanf.”

“I think we’ll have to settle this once and for all today.”

“…”

The elf spoke as if she found it interesting, and the dwarf refuted her.

Then they glared at each other again and picked up their weapons.

It was quite a spectacle, but I couldn’t let them fight here.

Because the cooldown was still active.

If they started fighting here again, I, who was caught in the middle, would definitely be torn to shreds. But I couldn’t stop them with just any words.

“Both of your actions are truly a sight to behold.”

“Are you openly interfering now?”

“This is a problem between me and Kanf.”

“…I’m starting to understand a little now.”

Appropriate aggro is helpful. But you shouldn’t pull too much aggro.

Then weapons would fly at you right away.

I, with time stop on cooldown, couldn’t dodge the attacks.

“The fact that you are not qualified to be Royal Knights.”

Therefore, if that happened, I would definitely die.

So, I had to scratch their pride to an appropriate level.

Fortunately, at my words, they stopped fighting and looked at me again.

“What does that mean?”

“Look around you. What do you see?”

“…”

The knights who had tried to stop them were already stuck in the wall outside the courtyard or thrown into a nearby flower pot.

In a word, it was a mess.

“Those innocent knights were caught up in your pointless venting. Am I wrong?”

Good, there was a reaction.

I guess even they felt guilty, judging by their appearance.

Indeed, even though they were called heroes, if they caused harm to others who had nothing to do with it, they should feel guilty.

Their guilty conscience was the key to my strategy.

The Royal Knights were the heroes of the continent.

Was it really the right thing to do to cause harm to others like this?

I brought up that logic.

Of course, they would have nothing to say even if they had a hundred mouths.

It was 100% entirely their fault.

They shouldn’t have anything to say in the first place. At least if they had a conscience.

Soon, the elf opened her mouth.

“Certainly, it doesn’t seem like they brought some random rabble. You seem to have quite some skill…”

“But we still can’t acknowledge you.”

“For once, I agree with you. I have the same thought.”

“You can’t acknowledge me?”

What?

Do I need skill just to mediate?

I even need to be acknowledged by them?

Ah, I see. They’re the oh-so-great Royal Knights, right?

Amazing, amazing, your shit is thick.

“If you want to be acknowledged by us, show us your skills.”

“…”

“Until then, we cannot acknowledge you.”

I blinked my eyes.

Before I knew it, the tip of her drawn sword was close to my neck.

I’m not kidding, I didn’t even see her drawing the sword. And you want me to show my skills?

Uh… I didn’t expect this?

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