Chapter 102

“The sun of the world shines upon the Frozen Kingdom.”

As Argen and Grace appeared, everyone in the stands rose from their seats and bowed their heads.

Argen looked down at the crowd with a satisfied smile, while Grace...

...Queen Grace doesn’t look very well.

I could not see her clearly because Dad’s huge frame was blocking my view.

I poked my face out between his legs and looked up at Queen Grace.

She sat on a chair atop the highest platform, her lips pressed tightly together and her hands clasped far too tightly over her lap.

For some reason, she looked anxious.

Hmm. Well, it makes sense that Queen Grace wouldn’t like this. If they’re making a public sparring match this extravagant, King Argen must be plotting something.

But the more I thought about it, the stranger it seemed.

If that were the case, Grace wouldn’t have just stood by and done nothing in the first place.

Still clutching the fabric of Calypse’s trousers between his legs as I stared at Grace, I tilted my head.

With her personality, she would have taken some kind of action before the sparring match was prepared, or at least warned Dad in advance.

But right now, she’s so quiet that it almost looks like she agrees with what Argen is doing.

Grace was not very far from me. I wanted to ask her something, but speaking to royalty first at an official event would be a serious breach of etiquette.

While I was still worrying over it—

“This public sparring match has been arranged to settle the unrest that remains after the recent monster attack and the incident involving Duke Pose!”

Argen’s voice cut through my thoughts.

He proudly addressed the crowd, which had gone silent before I knew it.

“In other words, this is your chance to witness firsthand the mighty power of House Kreutz, who protect humanity from monsters at the very edge of the world! I hope today’s sparring match will show all of you just how great and powerful the Frozen Kingdom truly is!”

The crowd was just about to applaud when—

“And!”

Argen suddenly spread both arms wide and proclaimed proudly,

“You will also witness just how great and powerful the magic of the Frozen royal family is. I hope all of you will watch today’s matches with great anticipation.”

With those meaningful words, Argen’s gaze landed on Calypse.

Dad continued staring at Argen without a trace of expression, but I noticed that his sharp jaw had subtly tightened.

Once the silent battle of nerves between House Kreutz and the Frozen royal family ended, we were finally allowed to sit down.

But—

“The first match will be between Princess Aisha of House Kreutz and—!”

“Eek.”

The moment my name was called, I shot right back to my feet.

The introduction continued with something about my opponent being from the Frozen royal knights, but I was too nervous to hear it. My curled-up hands suddenly spread wide like frog feet.

“Aisha. You remember what Dad told you, right? Don’t go out of your way to fight. Just show them your power.”

“Dandelion, our very own House Kreutz dandelion seed!”

“Princess! It doesn’t matter if you lose, so show them how magnificent you are!”

“Lady Aisha, just don’t get hurt!”

Everyone around me offered a word of encouragement, while an excited Lucas grabbed my shoulders and shook me.

The violent shaking made my stiff knight uniform and the oversized helmet on my head creak together.

With everyone cheering me on, I left my seat and entered the arena—

WAAAAAAAH—!

The roar of thousands of people rained down on me like a volley of arrows.

This isn’t a sparring match! It’s a sporting event!

No, at this scale, it was beyond a sporting event.

This was a tournament.

Anyway!

Come forth, my archenemy!

Zap—

I adjusted my grip on the longsword I had received at least a little training with and glared at the doorway where my opponent would enter.

Father. You said not to fight and just show them my power?

Aren’t you underestimating the golden seed of House Kreutz just a little too much?

I did not know who my opponent was, but there was no way I was going to show off my power and then immediately keel over and lose.

I would fight as hard as I could in my own way.

At last—

The enormous doors opposite me opened, revealing a small silhouette beneath the shadows.

Just as Calypse had told me beforehand, it seemed to be a knight around my age.

My archenemy!

Every battle begins with a battle of wills.

Once again, I glared at my opponent with my terrifying triangular eyes—

“Hello, Aisha.”

Before I could properly see his face, a soft, melodious voice reached me first.

The boy standing in the darkness walked into the arena, and the brilliant sunlight at its center stripped away the shadows surrounding him.

Blue-black hair was revealed.

Skin as pale as marble, and mysterious black eyes like an abyss set within it.

That boy is...!

“I came all the way here because I wanted to see you.”

When the boy held out his hand for a handshake, my triangular eyes rounded in shock.

Because he was none other than Avin, the protagonist of this novel’s world.

“Huh?”

...What are you doing here?

My mouth even fell open before I realized it.

“You’re not going to shake my hand?”

The boy tilted his head and grinned, showing his white teeth.

“Germ-face! Don’t smile at Dandelion like that!”

I thought I heard Lucas screaming at the top of his lungs behind me, but right now I could not even hear my big brother’s adorable jealousy.

Avin.

The protagonist of The Sword of Judgment and Duke Pose’s illegitimate son.

Originally, around this point in the story, he should have been living under Duke Pose while being treated as less than an insect.

But because I had derailed the original story...

What had happened to him?

Come to think of it, I had been so busy worrying about my own survival that I had barely thought about him.

House Pose had fallen, so he must have naturally escaped from there. Maybe he had been making a decent living as a mercenary with his poison power?

But then why was he with the Frozen royal knights?

“Uh, um... yeah. Do you know me?”

And apparently, he knew who I was.

When I hesitantly took Avin’s hand, his expression finally turned satisfied.

“Of course. The head of the house talked about you constantly.”

By the head of the house, he must have meant Duke Pose.

In the original story, I had died quickly, but this time I had somehow survived and done all sorts of things, so Duke Pose had probably talked about me constantly.

“That’s why I was curious. If that man was so interested in you, I figured you must be a very useful child.”

There were too many people watching for him to speak in detail, but those few words were enough for me to understand what he meant.

“Whenever he talked about you, I wanted to become like you too.”

As a child, Avin had grown up in the warped environment of House Pose, where people were treated like objects.

Because of that, his first wish had been to become a good object himself.

Calling someone a very useful child was probably the highest praise he knew how to give.

But—

“That means you’re a child who’s easy to use.”

I answered as though giving Avin advice.

I had escaped Duke Pose’s manipulation a long time ago.

That bastard never treated a child like a child and only tried to use me.

I had gotten used to it too, trying to do anything I could to prove that I had value, but the people of House Kreutz had changed the way I thought.

I still wanted to do something.

I still wanted to show what I could do.

But now that came from a genuine desire to help the people who had saved me because I was grateful to them.

“...A child who’s easy to use?”

Avin’s eyes widened as though my words had surprised him.

Then, just as he opened his mouth to say something—

“Do Frozen royal knights normally spend this long shaking hands before a match?”

An irritated question came from behind me.

This time it was not Lucas.

It was Calypse, openly frowning.

With Father standing there like an enormous mountain, the Kreutz knights gathered around him glared at the referee.

“So when exactly is this match going to begin?”

“Not that I want the Princess getting hurt, but I’d rather see her cross swords with that mold-faced brat than keep holding his hand like that.”

“Lady Aisha! He’s yucky! Swing your sword at him immediately!”

Startled by their words, Avin muttered,

“...Wow. Your people are scary.”

Not that he let go of my hand.

“Y-you two, stop shaking hands already... and return to your positions!”

Shrinking under the ominous glares, the referee hurried over and separated us.

“If everyone is ready, the match will begin!”

Then, after nervously checking Calypse’s expression, he quickly blew his whistle—

WAAAAAAAH!

Thousands of spectators roared loudly enough to shake the entire arena.

The quake-like rumbling made me tense up all over again, while Avin smiled as though he could hardly wait.

“I don’t mind if you beat me to death, so show me something impressive.”

...What is wrong with him?

Something seemed a little off with the protagonist.

Was he always like this?