Vote for Your Knight! - Chapter 17
The entrance evaluation was winding down. In the meantime, Edith filled her notebook with a few more names.
Distinctive Traits: Runs an orphanage.
…..
Then she heard a voice from the 5th-rank seats.
“It’s not fair. That orphanage director has no basic skills, but they say there’s potential for improvement so they give him 1st rank?”
“I wonder if the judges fell for his sob story. He did have a pitiful looking face.”
That wasn’t the case, but Edith was annoyed for no reason.
She quickly turned the pages of her notebook.
Alias: Academy’s Top Student
…..
“Why did the Academy’s top student participate in the Cartamen?”
Edith paused.
“Isn’t it cheating for him to calculate trap patterns and avoid them?”
“He grew up dirt poor, but he was famous even at the Academy for being extremely ambitious.”
Edith quickly turned the page.
‘As usual, the standouts are the ones who get the other contestants talking.’
At least now they were getting higher ranks.
‘Among the standout individuals, half of them stand out in a different sense.’
Milla cheerfully consoled Edith, “Your Highness, the quality of the participants seems a bit lacking. It’s a shame you have to witness such a ridiculous performance.”
“No, it’s not that I don’t like them.”
It may look embarrassing, but it’s not entirely useless. Either way, it’s easier to organize a contest if you have a lot of unusual types.
Where there’s darkness, there’s light.
“Well then, the last participant, number 100, please come forward.”
Edith, who had spoken so casually, froze.
The smiles on the judges’ faces vanished. At the same time, a banner descended from the air and the face of the betrayer unfolded before them.
Some of the contestants booed. However, Dmitry, standing in front of the maze, spoke with his red eyes shining indifferently.
“I am the 100th participant, Dmitry Cassel. I hail from Bonum, a region famous for its snow-covered mountains.”
In that moment, Edith could feel it.
‘It’s not obvious, but he’s nervous, that ‘Dmitry.’’
Without any questions from the judges, Dmitry’s evaluation began.
Dmitry’s main weapon was a bow. Just as he was about to shoot the mole that jumped out, a thick obstacle made of logs popped out of the wall.
The end of the log was blunt, so even if it hit him, it wouldn’t injure him badly. But the momentary shock would be severe enough to hinder his performance.
Edith clenched her fists involuntarily.
‘Dmitry, please…!’
At that moment, Dmitry leaped upward.
Dmitri jumped onto the log and pulled the bowstring toward the ball that followed. Then he leapt up onto the next bouncing log and hit the mole that popped out. His timing was perfect, jumping down just before the log withdrew into the wall again.
“What the hell!”
“I could do that too if I wanted!”
Shouts erupted from the audience.
“Who couldn’t pull off a trick like that?”
You. You couldn’t pull it off.
Edith retorted sarcastically in her mind. They just didn’t want to give Dmitry the credit that he deserved.
Dmitry’s arrows hit the moles and obstacles, clearing a path through the maze. When he effortlessly jumped over floor traps, even those who had jeered before were now in awe. After using all the arrows, he picked up the fallen ones and pierced obstacles like he was wielding a spear, demonstrating not only conventional techniques but also the ability to adapt to unique situations.
In other words, it was a near-perfect performance.
When Dmitry finally ascended the stairs and stood before the judges, everyone acknowledged that he was a ‘knight’ rivaling David, solely based on his skills. Of course, it was just his skill that was being recognized.
“In it to seek approval, aren’t you?” Ynnes sharply questioned.
‘Dmitry, you should say no. Answer confidently!’
Edith silently urged.
However, the audacious Dmitry replied, “Yes.”
Edith let her head hang low.
Dmitry glanced at her, then said, “I came wanting to approve of myself.”
Surprised, Edith quickly raised her head. The participants and Valkyries also reacted unexpectedly to Dmitry’s answer.
Amonte asked, “So, do you mean that you don’t approve of yourself now? You just demonstrated countless archery techniques passed on from a family of master archers. Even then, you don’t?”
“Yes. That’s correct.”
Amonte and Ynnes weren’t sure what else to ask.
Milla spoke up. “Is it because you regret being the tyrant’s knight?”
The arena instantly went cold. The contestants whispered, not daring to speak out loud.
“Wow, how about that for speaking the truth.”
“Revealing a truth that everyone knows but couldn’t bring themselves to say.”
Dmitry looked thoughtful.
Edith prayed once again.
‘Please, say you regret it! Don’t be stubborn and just give them a straight answer!’
