Chapter 17: Background Character vs. Main Capture Target
In the imperial palace, Prince Blake was seated.
"Is that all?"
He was being briefed on the secret and criminal acts of the Iscariot family.
To make his day even more bitter, many members of his faction were corrupt.
That bothered him greatly.
"I'm afraid it does. Those involved have erased evidence of what they have done. It's very difficult to trace them."
"I understand..."
It was well past noon and Blake was in a bad mood, then he remembered one thing.
"Right. Do you know what became of the duel between Lux and Cid?"
"..."
"What's with that face?"
"Your Highness.... don't tell me you didn't hear about it? It was a big scandal what happened."
"What are you talking about?"
Blake was very confused and intrigued about what he says.
"Tell me what happened while I was resting for that headache."
The man's mouth was moving, and Blake's face was contorted in horror at what he heard.
The bleachers were excited because of who the winner would be.
"It's unbelievable that the Attley's son and the fourth prince were drawn."
"The fourth prince did it due to the fact that he didn't stand a chance against him. Personally, I don't blame him. I would do the same thing."
"Now there's only that boy left who defeated the three friends of Prince Regulux. Who do you think will win?"
"In this match... anyone can win."
While in another section.
"What the fourth prince did was something even I myself couldn't foresee."
"I was thinking about what kind of strategy I would use. But something like that is certainly an act to applaud."
"Really?"Updated from novelb(i)n.c(o)m
"Of course. If you were someone normal against a child prodigy how would you win?"
"I'd go all out to destroy his defenses and then his sword."
"That's something only you would do Dolph."
"Now there's only one duel left."
"..."
"Instructor?"
"I just wonder if the winner will be the one who's been smiling at the goddess Alexia. Three wins in a row. Now only his most annoying opponent remains."
Christina and Goredolph looked at the prince who was reassuring Lambert who was bowing in an apologetic position known as dogeza.
"I'm so sorry indeed! I have no words to express how sorry I am Your Highness!"
"Lam. Calm down, it's okay."
"No! Of course it's not! I failed you... I said I'd win and I lost. I lost to someone who fought like a coward!"
Regulux reached down to grab Lambert's shoulders.
"Lam."
He called out to him, and the face of the decayed childhood friend lifted in fear. But the smile he found made his tears stop.
"It's all right. You didn't lose. What Cidfert did just an act of cowardice."
"It was a duel. And you're someone who respects the rules. Something like that is impossible to imagine for someone with your intellect. Take it as a joke. A very bad one."
"Lambert. You didn't lose, they just played a bad joke on you."
The tears of the dejected Lambert stopped. Instead, an embarrassed expression with red cheeks appeared.
"Y-You're right. Sorry. I got really carried away with that."
Regulux stood up and so did Lambert.
He wiped his face with his sleeve.
His friend spoke to him as his usual expressionless face returned.
"Lam. I'll win, don't worry. Just leave everything to me. In the end, I should have been the one to end this originally."
"...?"
Lambert didn't understand what his friend was talking about, but he didn't give it any more thought.
"I understand. I'll go get your Pegasus. I'll check it for anything, in the meantime I'll rest."
"I just need to do one thing while I wait."
Regulux smiled as he looked at the audience. To be exact, at Elize.
She didn't notice, since she was staring at Razel who was saying to Cid.
"I must go evacuate many brown babies. Breakfast is just kicking in."
Razel ranted.
"Lily-san, excuse me. I must go to the powder room."
"Sure."
Elize stood up and left her seat.
Lily watched her walk away in a direction that wasn't the ladies' room.
I walked out of the bathroom after releasing a large bombshell. Well, there were several.
I feel so sorry for the janitor who has to clean that up.
I wrote on the wall that I was sorry.
As I went back to get ready, I met someone unexpected.
"Hi."
The third prince was waiting for me leaning against the wall.
He greeted me as if he were a casual friend.
After doing so, he approached me to say.
"We don't know each other and believe me I don't want to either, but how about this? Let's make a deal."
"A deal?" I said intrigued.
"Yes. You see, I'm confident I'm not going to lose. But it never hurts to have insurance."
His thinking is the same as mine. It terrifies me a little.
"May I know what makes you think you will win?"
"It's simple."
He smiled as if he were an insurance salesman, a very devilish one.
"By the simple fact that I am third in the line of succession. From birth I had a certain rank in the palace court. My childhood was surrounded by annoying adults who wanted to greet me and belong to my faction. My mother took care of them for me."
"Leaving that aside, there's the other fact. Your family."
I made a bad expression as I heard him say that.
"Don't misunderstand me. It's not a threat. Your family will only live annoyed by those who are offended by insulting the imperial crown."
I warned my family what I was going to do. Their responses were surprising.
My mother said. "Making a girl cry is terrible. As her mother she would be very ashamed and as a woman, for her to do that to her fianc deserves a good smack. Hit him hard across the mouth!"
My little sister and little brother supported her. While my father said to me.
"You got into that trouble because you wanted to, but, if you're a real man. Never go back on your word. Always be firm in your decisions even if they are wrong for others."
In my previous life, hearing words like that were only believable in video games, considering this world is one; not uncommon. But, still, it's nice to be told that from the heart.
The prince went on to say.
"So, my plan is this. Let's give everyone a show, then you'll lose to me. I guarantee you not only that nothing will happen to you. Cidfert will also not be bothered by the ministers and your family will live well. I'll even give you a reward."
That all sounds very good. But there is something that bothers me more than anything else.
"What about Eli?"
"What about what, I don't understand you?"
"I'm talking about what would happen to Eli and her household after her defeat."
My tongue was coming out of his mouth leaving a small trail of saliva.
I looked into his beautiful eyes with my ugly black eyes.
"Eli, I can't tell you that I love you from my heart as I don't know that feeling. But, if love is the desire to be together with someone and protect it. Then I love you."
"That's the worst declaration of love in the history of mankind, I'm sure of it."
I would have broken into pieces if I were still a virgin.
But she touched my left hand with both hands.
"I don't know what love is either, but in time I think I can develop it to its fullest. So, I accept. Razel, become my future husband once you defeat the prince."
I am a future upstart baron. My future is sad. But, if I become a duke, my future will be safe.
"So, my future wife. Wait in your seat. I'll show you the battered head of your former fianc."
Eli was still with her eyes closed smiling.
"Yes. Win please."
With those words, we again gave each other a loving kiss.
At the same time, my harem has increased and I have a future legal wife.
I would have liked that your mother to be joined in my harem.
She is beautiful and her breasts are huge, so it would be a waste for a woman like her who deserves love to end up alone forever.
I promise your mom will never cry at night again, at least not in the sad way.
Anyway, I must go to prepare for my fight.
I returned to Cid who had my Pegasus ready.
A new bat too, I brought a spare as I don't want to show my trump card.
"What's with that face?"
Cid was asking me about my weird face.
It was happiness. I had made peace with Eli and at the same time we declared our love to each other which should develop.
Once I beat the prince, my future will be glorious.
The annoying part will be how to explain to Lily and vice versa.
At the other end was Regulux riding his white Pegasus.
It was a beautiful bench like an angel.
His name in the game was Weiss.
He was ready.
Before I climbed up, I looked at the bleachers.
I could observe my two women staring at me.
Lily smiling at me with her angelic smile and Eli smiling at me like a wife wishing her husband well.
It makes me happy.
Now, my chance of winning increases by 110%.
I got on Schwarz, and got in line to go out.
Regulux said something to me while showing a beautiful decorative sword to intimidate me.
"I will show no mercy."
"Same."
And so, the referee gave the words most awaited by all.
"The final duel begins! Razel Bartlet vs His Highness, the third prince, Regulux von Bryes!"
And with that, we both went flying off.
Apparently we were headed for the same place, the great white mountain.
For me, that place is a way to defend myself and attack, but for the prince it would be a very simple method of preventing me from escaping.
Once we were close, he began the attack.
"Light magic: Orion whip."
A golden whip manifested in his hand.
I couldn't see the range, but when he swung it, it grew very long and hit the air near me and a small explosion sounded.
No doubt, if it touches me it will be bad.
But it doesn't matter.
Once I was near the mountain. I took out my bat.
"Come!" I shouted to him.
His hand moved to make several moves.
My bat was ready, it repelled all his attacks since the light magic he uses, is only energy.
A fireball is more lethal than that.
That's why, in the game and this world, light magic was useless.
No one really cared, that's why the prince felt nothing about having the rarest magic to use.
Mine was the second.
"That's it, come on, it's no big deal!"
My blows with the bat repelled every lash due to the electricity it's imbued with.
The blows generated sparks and the lashes were deflected into the mountain and the surrounding area.
I laughed.
"Hahaha, that's all the third prince's magic can do! Really? You talk a lot of shit about Eli, but you're no big deal! I'll definitely enjoy it a lot when you humiliate yourself by apologizing to her!"
My aptitude was not befitting that of a background character like me.
For some reason, I remembered that rpg game again.
On the forums they were talking about an annoying guy who just went around making fun of people like they were trash. He was hated by everyone for that.
Was that how that guy felt? It doesn't really matter.
I'll win, I'll beat that idiot easily.
"Hey, is that-?"
"I'm bored already."
Before I continued to tease him, the whip of light disappeared and his right hand was raised.
"Light magic: star rain."
A large magic circle manifested in the air.
The magic circle shimmered and then.
"Huh?"
A shower of swords flew straight at me.
And before I knew it, a large explosion of light occurred.
On the bleachers, the girls watched the explosion.
"Razel!"
"Razel-kun!"
They shouted in panic as they stood up.
Cid was looking at the situation very astonished.
Lambert, on the other hand, was very calm.
"Your Highness, I'm sorry that you had to show your power in the face of that plague. But with this, they will understand that you are no weakling."
A sinister smile appeared on his face.
"Lux's victory is inevitable, after all."
His head lifted towards the sky to say a dialogue from the game.
"He is the person who will one day become emperor. No one will prevent that. Not even his own brother."
The explosion of light finally ended and only dust was visible.
Everyone thought, Razel must have died in that attack, as there was no trace of him. The victory seems to be the third prince's, as the game indicated.
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Weiss: Means white in German.