CH 69

I knew that I could become a knight without exerting much effort. Lady Iris promised to admit me into the Order, and she is not someone who breaks her promises.

However, I didn’t want to occupy one of the scarce positions of a knight without having the necessary skills. Moreover, even if I became a knight, I doubted whether I could sustain that position.

That’s why I spent the past five years training in swordsmanship and improving my physical strength through training with Floa and practicing swordsmanship.

Because of that, I believed that I had acquired sufficient skills to become a knight. However, Diego’s claim that I lacked talent shocked me, and I vowed to achieve good results at the Arcus Tournament.

I wanted to make it known that I was someone who could become a knight, not someone who relied on others for a living.

So, I collected beads diligently, but someone with ill intentions stole them away.

My tears were a reflection of my sorrow over that.

As I shed tears, Diego stiffened. He didn’t know what to do or how to respond.

I wiped away the tears flowing down my face while releasing my grip on his collar.

“Where did you throw away my bead pouch? Please tell me. Please…”

Diego narrowed his eyes and avoided my gaze.

“It wasn’t me.”

Diego turned his body and sat up straight. As he moved away, I also sat up.

“There is clear evidence that you entered the tent. Are you going to deny it?”

“Yeah, I entered your tent. I was going to throw away your pouch. But I didn’t. Ask Jed. It was our plan together, so I ultimately didn’t take it, and Zed knows that too.”

Unexpectedly, Jed’s name was mentioned, and I was engulfed in shock.

“Jed… Jed also tried to throw away my pouch?”

“Jed called you earlier, right? He wanted to buy time while you were away.”

“So, that means…”

‘Why did he call?’

‘…’

‘Did he have something to tell me?’

‘…’

Now that I think about it, he didn’t say anything in response to my question about why he called. I thought he couldn’t answer, but was it because his intentions were impure from the beginning and he couldn’t speak? Then…

‘It’s fortunate that you’re a woman.’

When Jed said that to me earlier, it wasn’t genuine. It was probably just a ploy to buy time.

Jed must have thought that since I had feelings for him, he could use that to buy himself some time.

Now I realized that it was strange for Jed to suddenly develop rational affection for me.

Jed is not the type to place significance on physical contact with women, so it’s not accurate to say that he got involved in it when making a promise. It was the same in the original work as well.

Think back to when we first went to Nine. Didn’t he lean on my shoulder when I was drunk and vulnerable?

His desire to become close to me wasn’t genuine, and even when I was falsely accused of being a thief, he clearly knew I wasn’t but still cut ties with me.

It was all actions for Diego’s sake.

‘Even this time, he probably said those words without meaning them, for Diego’s sake.’

Maybe Jed is also pretending to dislike me, like the other Nine members.

Remembering how I felt embarrassed and openly expressed my feelings to him, unaware of that possibility, I couldn’t help but feel so empty.

I stood up from my seat and declared to Diego.

“I will advance to the second round.”

“The bead pouch is gone.”

“I’ll have to collect them from the beginning again.”

Diego stared at me as if questioning if it’s possible.

“There are less than 9 hours left until the end of the tournament.”

“Even so.”

“…”

“I will definitely be within the top 30.”

Leaving those words behind, I went outside.

* * *

Diego noticed himself anxiously watching the place where May had left and snapped out of his thoughts.

He was surprised at himself.

“Am I going crazy…?”

Anxious about what, exactly? Is it about not being able to sleep properly and pushing oneself too hard? Even if I push myself, I might not make it within the top 30.

“Is that what I should be concerned about? It’s actually what I wanted.”

But still, it bothers me. Damn it, maybe it’s because the kid I didn’t think would cry is crying.

When he saw May lying down and crying, he felt a sense of guilt.

Even when he deliberately made her out to be a thief with the intention of tormenting her, he didn’t feel the slightest bit of guilt.

But seeing her cry, a feeling of guilt washed over him. It was difficult to meet May’s gaze.

Diego muttered under his breath.

“Who the hell stole it…”

* * *

I beat the bones without rest for about 9 hours.

Smash it down, pick up the beads.

Smash it down again, pick them up.

Without rest, I tirelessly ran and repeated the same action dozens, hundreds of times. I wasn’t in my right mind since dawn.

As time passed, there were only 10 seconds left until the end.

All the participants hurriedly ran back to the Arcus Center since the gate would close at 10 o’clock.

“Haah- Haah-“

I arrived at the Arcus Center with only 2 seconds left. I gasped for breath.

As soon as I arrived, I heard the announcer’s voice.

“The tournament has ended. Thank you, participants, for your hard work. Please submit your pouches to the staff members.”

I wrote my name on my three pouches and submitted them to the staff members. Perhaps because I had been pushing myself all night, my hands trembled as I wrote.

After submitting the pouches, I felt the tension release, and my legs trembled before I eventually sat down. My breathing was heavy, my body lacked strength, and my mind was hazy.

Similarly, Diego, who had submitted the beads, came up to me with a furrowed brow.

“Did they teach you to sit on the floor during training?”

“…”

“Get up. If you’re going to sit, sit in the audience seats, not on the floor.”

However, his words didn’t register in my ears.

“So stubborn.”

Diego forcefully grabbed my arm and pulled me up to the audience seats. He had incredible strength.

“So, did you collect a lot of beads?”

I gave him a piercing glare as if to say, “Can’t you tell?” and then turned my head away.

“You’re being reckless.”

Then, Jed, who had submitted the bead pouch, sat next to me.

“Whose pouch went missing?”

Diego nudged me with his chin.

“It was stolen while we were asleep.”

“It must be Clovin’s doing.”

“Why do you think that?”

“Galley and Velta may not know, but Clovin has a reason to defeat May.”

“Young Lady Nazret?”

“Yes.”

I simply listened to their conversation. I was exhausted, tired, and my eyes kept closing, leaving me with no energy to join the conversation.

Eventually, I fell asleep. Without realizing it, I leaned my head on Jed’s shoulder. Thankfully or unfortunately, Jed didn’t push me away.

I think I slept like that for a while. While the rankings were being calculated, the Nine members chattered, but I couldn’t hear a single word.

However, I woke up during the announcement of the rankings.

The host announced the rankings starting from the 1st place. Jed took the 1st place.

“1st place, Jed Broche.”

As expected, Jed was the 1st place. He was the main character, so I anticipated that. Also, he had the most beads during the dinner last night.

During the dinner, I visually checked the amount of beads in the pouches of the Nine members. Jed had three full pouches at that time, so it was likely that he would be in 1st place.

Diego, who had two full pouches at that time, ended up in 4th place.

“4th place, Prince Diego Starcia.”

Clovin, who I thought wouldn’t be in the top ranks due to having fewer beads, was in 18th place.

“18th place, Clovin Penso.”

Clapping sounds filled the air, and Clovin, intoxicated by the applause, seemed delighted but also spoke with a hint of wariness towards me.

“It would have been better if Young Lady Nazret were here.”

The next rankings were 19th, 20th… 25th… and 28th, but my name wasn’t called.

It seemed like I had fallen behind, and it was the moment of resignation.

“Next is 29th place. 29th place is…”

“It might be you, May.”

As Jed’s voice echoed, my name was called from the 29th place.

“May Flotina.”

Along with that, applause filled the room.

Clovin seemed annoyed, and Diego wore an expression of surprise.

“You’re making it to the second round after all.”

I was relieved. I made it to the second round. I fell into a deep sleep.

* * *

After announcing up to the 30th place and briefly introducing the second round, the participants left the Arcus Center in a hurry.

Velta, Galley, and Clovin left first, feeling down. Diego and Zed stayed by my side.

Diego commanded Jed.

“Wake her up, let’s go.”

“You go ahead.”

“Why?”

If she’s going to sleep anyway, wouldn’t it be more comfortable for her to sleep in the tent or go back and sleep? Why bother waking her up?

“I think it would touch him if I stayed by his side until he wakes up.”

“What are you planning to do, trying to impress May? Ah, did you say you wanted to play with him?”

“The Prince said he’s not interested.”

A strange tension arose. Diego didn’t exactly know what kind of tension it was.

Jed spoke again.

“I met Hestia a month ago.”

“… What?”

“Jed refused Hestia’s invitation to join the Third Order of Knights but later told Diego about the incident where he was forcibly given powers by the Mirocagon brought by her.

“Why didn’t you tell me directly?”

“Because it was a power I wanted to keep hidden. I didn’t want to obtain magic in this way either.”

He meant it sincerely. Jed harbored resentment towards Hestia, who appointed anyone as a guardian knight solely based on appearance.

“I see…”

“If you receive powers from an S-class demon, you can use the same special abilities as that demon.”

“I see. Mirocagon’s special ability is the ability to see the truth.”

“That’s right. So, can I tell you the emotions I see in the Prince right now?”

“What kind of emotion is it?”

Jed’s lips slowly parted.

“Jealousy.”

“Jealousy…?” 

Jed stared straight at Diego standing in front of May.

“Diego, why are you jealous of me?”