Chapter 222:

Chapter 222:

Chapter 222: Forfeit?

Clotte looked at Brian, who had been pushed far away.

The Capital Knight muttered briefly.

“He lost?”

Even though Brian was a bodyguard knight, a lower rank than a Capital Knight, he had been personally selected by Clotte. And now, he had lost so clearly.

‘Strange?’

Clotte found it exceedingly strange and tilted his head. He had anticipated that one side would either be defeated or face death.

But.

The fact that Louis hadn’t allowed Brian a single strike was beyond strange—it was bizarre. Especially since Brian had fought wielding Clotte’s long Chronos sword.

“Hmmm....”

Clotte, displeased, continued to rotate the minute hand etched onto his cornea counterclockwise, as if refusing to accept the present and wanting to go back to the past.

His gaze swept over Louis once more.

Louis was still a very young boy. Moreover, he was a magician, so the fact that Brian, a bodyguard knight, had been so thoroughly overpowered was a major incident.

While Clotte calculated these things.

“What are you going to do?”

A calm voice from the boy was heard. The voice, of course, belonged to Louis. He had a leisurely smile that didn’t match his young age.

He continued.

“I think it would be a shame to forfeit like this.”

Clotte’s face gradually turned expressionless.

If this had been a street quarrel, he could have ignored it and walked away without looking back.

But now, the situation was different. The stakes were about being eliminated or remaining in the race for the hero’s position, so he couldn’t ignore this provocation.

The boy must have planned everything down to this detail.

Clotte opened his mouth.

“You look young... but your mind is sharp.”

“There was no need to think hard. I was just being generous.”

“Hah.”

Clotte slowly ran his hand down his face. At some point, a rigid smile had formed on his face.

‘In terms of calculations, I lost.’

Clotte quietly reflected.

If he had known it would turn out like this, he would have stepped forward from the beginning.

Even if it was an overwhelming and unexciting victory, and even if he were criticized for facing a mere boy magician, it would have been far better than the current situation where his bodyguard knight had been completely defeated.

The representatives of the Magic Department were already under suspicion and scrutiny from the people. And yet, these individuals had achieved a complete victory over a bodyguard knight.

...Clotte slowly examined the faces of the spectators.

The atmosphere had grown deathly silent.

Though everyone still wore bewildered expressions, their eyes darting about, Clotte could easily guess what emotions were beginning to sprout beneath their faces.

Expectation.

Anticipation.

Everyone was starting to expect more from the Magic Department representatives, excluding Flan. Having seen them triumph over a bodyguard knight, they began to wonder just how skilled they were.

‘This complicates things a bit.’

But one thing was different.

The unique aspect that only Flan possessed.

“...Making others believe in themselves through his own faith.”

That was Flan’s strength.

Conette applied her methods solely to herself, but Flan was able to extend that to others. The result was monumental. The entire Magic Department had transformed.

‘The Magic Department will only get better from here on.’

Already, he had won against the bodyguard knight, and now he would face the Capital Knight.

So perhaps.

Just maybe....

◈

Thunk!

Louis drove the spear forged from light vertically into the ground. As he dusted off his hands, he spoke.

“Have you decided? Forfeiture or a match?”

As soon as Louis murmured those words, a foot slowly stepped onto the arena.

Thud.

It wasn’t a particularly powerful step, but it drew everyone’s attention. It was a movement imbued with the weight of a knight.

The knights called out his name in unison.

“Sir Clotte...!”

“Sir Clotte?”

The one whose name was called, Clotte, merely nodded. As if he was doing what was naturally expected.

“I’ll handle this myself. We can’t have a forfeiture.”

At those words, Brian hung his head low.

“Sir Clotte.... I’m sorry.”

Being the one who had brought defeat, he felt more desolate than anyone. He humbly returned the sword.

“The audience has already begun to harbor expectations. It may seem like an overreaction, but if we don’t nip this in the bud now, it will be uncontrollable later.”

“There’s no need for you to step in personally. If we were to have a rematch, we could summon another bodyguard knight...!”

Clotte understood their concerns.

He was a renowned Capital Knight. Was it appropriate for him to face Louis?

Regardless, the answer was already determined.

“It’s no use.”

They were already intricately ensnared in the situation.

Moreover, since the precedent of a bodyguard knight losing to a magician had been set, even if another bodyguard knight won, it wouldn’t have a significant impact.

Clotte had also seen enough.

An overwhelming victory needed to be met with another overwhelming victory to hold meaning, and Louis’s skills were already beyond what the bodyguard knights could handle.

“I have to do it myself. To nip this in the bud.”

Clotte took up his sword and stepped into the arena.

Louis also took a deep breath, preparing himself.

To settle things with the Capital Knight.