Chapter 54: The Black Knight

“She did it! She won! Congratulations, Bianca! Congratulations!” “Con, congwatulashuns, Bianca-san~!”

At Bianca’s victory, forgetting myself, I stood up from my seat and applauded with all my might. Next to me, Estelle’s tear ducts burst, and Julia wiped her face with a handkerchief with a wry smile. Gloria, having taken Bianca’s strike to the torso, remained motionless. She seems to be unconscious. Just when I thought Bianca’s movements suddenly improved, it was a comeback victory by suppressing Gloria’s whip, which she had been barely dodging. I have absolutely no idea what happened.

“She drew out ‘Ensemble’s’ power. That young lady is going to be strong.”

Saying that, Balay-san next to me tilted his glass. I don’t really understand, but does that mean she won with the Magic Sword’s power? Whatever the case, a win is a win. Bianca won the bet. She can stay with me as my personal attendant as before. That is what makes me happiest. Even though we were both villainesses in the game, I’m surprised myself that we have such a relationship. I want to believe the route where she gets arrested by Bianca is gone. She is my personal attendant and also an apprentice knight of our Ducal House. The munch-munch route of being eaten by [Beast Demon Summoning] is also gone, so isn’t the Jean route cleared with this? A route is a route, but a flag-breaking route.

“Ah! I have to retrieve ‘Discord’.”

That’s right, that’s right. I have to confiscate Gloria’s Magic Sword ‘Discord’. It’s fine now, but if it passes to that slasher knight ten years later and slasher incidents occur in the Imperial Capital, it would be meaningless. It’s the last flag remaining in the Jean route that I have to break. However, even if I say confiscate, that Gloria is unconscious with her eyes rolled back on the arena floor stones. ‘Discord’ was also rolling on the floor stones. Is it okay to just take it? We promised, after all. I feel like I should retrieve it while Gloria is unconscious. The possibility that she’ll complain after regaining consciousness cannot be denied. The next final is Bianca vs Cecil, but since Bianca’s injuries are severe, I don’t know if it will take place. I think there are healing magic or healing ‘Gift’ holders in the Knight Order too, but will she be okay? While thinking about such things, knights carrying a stretcher appeared and put the still unconscious Gloria on it. The referee knight is picking up the fallen ‘Discord’. Muu. I have to retrieve it later. The next moment after I thought that, a terrifying amount of black mist—buwa—erupted from the body of the young knight holding ‘Discord’. Wait a minute!? What is this, what does this mean!?

“Crap! Damn it! An ‘Adapter’!”

Balay-san next to me knocked over his glass and stood up. ‘Adapter’!? What’s that!?

“It refers to a guy whose compatibility matches tremendously even though it’s not his Magic Sword. They are extremely rare. Even for me, this is only the second time seeing one.”

Magic Swords are originally made to fit the user. So basically, it is difficult for anyone other than that person to draw out 100 percent of its power. That’s why when the owner of a Magic Sword passes away, it is inherited by their children or siblings. It seems relatives of the user have slightly better compatibility than strangers. Because blood relatives have similar magic power. ‘Discord’ is not a Magic Sword made for Gloria. Terrifyingly, even like that, it was effectively less than 50 percent power. However, very rarely, there are those whose compatibility is 100 percent even though they aren’t the original owner. That is an ‘Adapter’. Also called ‘One Chosen by the Magic Sword’. To think ‘Discord’s’ ‘Adapter’ is right here, what are the odds!? The referee knight is groaning in pain with ‘Discord’ in hand. Huh? That knight, somewhere… Aah!? That person is the slasher knight from the game! He’s younger than seen in the game, but there’s no mistaking that distinctive aquiline nose and rare black hair! Why is he here… well, he’s a knight order member so of course he’s here! There was a possibility he was enrolled even ten years ago! Why didn’t I realize that, meeeee! If that person is the future slasher knight, it’s natural that his compatibility with ‘Discord’ is perfect. Because that’s the scenario! Originally, ‘Discord’, held by Gloria, was supposed to go to the slasher knight over ten years, but because I changed various scenarios, it was shortened…? Or is it due to the scenario’s coercive force that ‘Discord’ is destined to pass to that slasher knight no matter how I struggle? Just like I couldn’t steal the Magic Sword ‘Fortissimo’ from Jean.

“Ooooaahhh…!”

Around the slasher knight who continues to groan, the black mist overflowing from ‘Discord’ clings to him. That which could be called miasma eventually became a jet-black shape and enveloped the knight’s body.

“Black Knight…!”

Someone leaked such a voice. The sky darkened, and thick dark clouds gathered with the wind. On the arena stood a Black Knight clad entirely in armor darker than darkness. Because he is covered by a helmet, his expression cannot be seen at all. In his hand, he holds ‘Discord’ in its Magic Sword state, emitting a blackish, ominous aura. Eeeeeeeeeh!? Isn’t that the ‘Black Knight’, the final boss of the Jean route! The form where the user knight is taken over by ‘Discord’, which accumulated power through slashing, and goes berserk. He can become that state already!? No, but I feel he’s smaller than seen in the game. The Black Knight in the game should have transformed into a heavy knight physique one size larger. Is this the difference between ‘Discord’ that has done slashings in the game and ‘Discord’ that hasn’t?

“Ooaaah…!”

To the ominous armored knight who suddenly appeared, the two knights who carried the stretcher sensed danger and drew their swords. Toward those knights, the Black Knight pointed ‘Discord’—sui.

“Gah!?” “Guh!?”

Suddenly, a black lightning-like spark was released from the sword tip, striking the two knights. The two knights collapsed on the spot. The commotion in the arena increased instantly, and the security knights began to move hurriedly to deal with this emergency.

◇ ◇ ◇

I gripped ‘Ensemble’ tightly in my hand. The appearance of the Dark Dragon that occurred at the friendship party a few months ago. The aura I feel from the Black Knight in front of me felt the same as what I felt then. A dense aura of death. The footsteps of despair reaching towards me. Once, I yielded to this aura. Without even the heart to fight, I gave up everything. But now is different. There are things I cannot give up. There is a resolve that cannot be easily broken. I have the heart to confront! Dark Dragon or Black Knight, I will not be afraid! The Black Knight points the sword tip at me. Like the knights earlier, black lightning surged toward me.

“[Duo]!”

The lightning runs through the space between the two of us who split. Split to left and right, I slash at the Black Knight just like that. Despite attacking from completely different directions, both of my swords were deflected by ‘Discord’ swung at incredible speed.

“Kuh, what speed…!”

Not just speed. His swordsmanship skill is on a different level. Unlike Gloria, it is the movement of a perfected knight. He is probably amplifying the power of the referee knight swallowed by ‘Discord’. I had seen the referee knight several times at the Knight Order Headquarters, but never spoke to him. Since I had never seen his swordsmanship either, I have absolutely no idea what he specializes in or how he moves. There was no way to take countermeasures against this. [Duo] is released. Just as I was thinking ‘First take distance from the Black Knight in front of me and assess the opponent’s movements’, the Black Knight closed in right before my eyes in an instant.

“Wha… !?”

‘Discord’ is swung down on ‘Ensemble’ which I reflexively readied. Unable to kill the momentum against power greater than Gloria’s, I was pushed back and slashed diagonally. Excruciating pain that makes me almost faint runs through my whole body, but blood is not spurting out. Probably the power of the barrier applied to the arena. Seemingly realizing that, the Black Knight held ‘Discord’ to the sky and released a black lightning strike. The black lightning scattered and destroyed the dragon figurines holding crystals in their mouths at the four corners of the arena. With this, there is no more barrier. My body, slashed diagonally, creaks. I feel like I’m about to lose consciousness any moment. Still, I try to stand up gritting my teeth, but my legs spasm—gaku gaku—and I can’t put strength into them. The barrier is destroyed, so I won’t be paralyzed anymore, but my body was tattered from the fight with Gloria. My body has already exceeded its limit. In front of me, unable to stand, the Black Knight stands swaying. Leaking miasma like a grim reaper from his whole body. I could only stare at the black blade the Black Knight slowly raised. Closing my eyes against the slash that would soon assault my body, I stiffened myself. However, despite the sound of something being torn—Zan!—there was no impact on my body. Opening my eyes fearfully, there was the figure of my liege, clad in dazzling light with pure white hair fluttering.

“Lady Sakuraile…!” “Are you okay? Bianca.”

Lady Sakuraile, holding the [Holy Sword] in her hand and smiling at me, looked exactly like the Princess of the Holy Sword, no, like a Goddess of Light. Beyond her, in the Black Knight’s hand, was the broken ‘Discord’. Even if it’s a cursed Magic Sword, there’s no way it can match a Holy Sword made by God. However, before I could raise a voice of joy, the broken ‘Discord’ sucked up the miasma leaking from the Black Knight and regenerated before our eyes.

“No way…!”

Does that Magic Sword revive even if broken by a Holy Sword!? How on earth can we stop it!?