Chapter 36

**Chapter 36 of Season 1: The Genius Archer's Streaming**

**14. Game Transition (1)**

Emilia's eyes.

Eyes that sparkle like a midsummer lake, with white snowflakes swirling above.

It's now officially winter.

Amidst the biting cold wind, Almond stood before her, clad in armor that was chillingly cold.

*Click.*

He knelt, assuming the posture for a pledge, raising his sword high with both hands, their gazes meeting.

As their eyes met, Emilia, with a radiant smile she had never shown before, extended her hand to him.

"I appoint you as my knight."

* * *

Warm sunlight.

Gentle breeze.

Flowers of various colors adorning the greenery.

It seemed to be a full spring. Since the knight's pledge was made in winter, some time must have passed.

"Did we suddenly jump to spring?"

Almond, now able to move freely, began interacting with the viewers.

- It must be a time skip.

- Oh wow.

- Is this the ending?

- Emilia is so beautiful when she smiles...

- Emilia-nee-san 😭😭😭

- But what should we do now?

What should they do?

First, they needed to understand the situation. Almond focused on his attire.

"My clothes have changed. They seem more luxurious..."

The ceremonial attire was of a different quality compared to the casual clothes he wore as a mercenary. Had he become a noble?

*Knock knock?*

A familiar drumbeat sounded, and a mission was given to him.

[Pass the final test to become a knight!]

He wasn't a knight yet? Almond looked up at the floating text with a puzzled expression.

It was hard to follow the situation.

It seemed a significant amount of time had passed.

"Sir Almond!"

A voice called out to him from a distance.

"We'll be late for the competition!"

It was a young boy, likely an apprentice to the knights.

But Almond wasn't a formal knight yet, so why was this boy with him?

"What competition?"

"Wait, did you smoke poppies yesterday!?"

"No."

"Then you must have been stuck in a wine barrel. Today is the day your knighthood will be officially recognized, isn't it?"

"I see."

"It's not just 'I see.' If Lady Emilia finds out, she'll be furious! Hurry..."

"What's the big deal if I know?"

A female voice came from behind.

It was Emilia.

"Ah... Miss..."

"Sir Almond."

Emilia walked past the servant and approached Almond directly.

Her gaze was unmistakably intense, even more so than before.

Sure enough.

*Click.*

- Haha, wow.

- What an incredible reward from the start!

- I have no more wishes...

- I could quit Kingdom now...

Emilia kissed him.

Sanghyun was surprised, but Almond wasn't.

It seemed they had been on these terms for a while.

'After all, it's been seven days since we were in the castle.'

From Almond's perspective, it was somewhat natural.

"If we don't perform well in this competition, our future will be bleak, you know that, right?"

"Of course."

"I believe you'll do well."

"Thank you."

Regardless of what the competition to become a knight entailed.

Even Sanghyun, who didn't know much about games, could sense that this was almost the ending.

It was a conclusion where Emilia and Almond would be together.

This was likely the final test leading to that ending.

"Let's go."

Emilia took Almond's hand and led him somewhere.

* * *

They arrived at a circular arena, the kind where gladiators would fight.

'Could they be making a knight fight in a gladiatorial match?'

The mention of a competition that resembled a duel, and the sight of this arena, made him think they might be.

"Have you arrived?"

Hmph.

A fussy-looking nobleman, scowling, spat out the words.

"I don't understand why the Janeret family would raise such a person to be a knight. The name of a knight is not to be taken lightly."

He stroked his curled mustache, lecturing Almond as if he had done something wrong.

"If you haven't inherited a name of honor, you must prove yourself."

"Almond has proven himself countless times. He single-handedly overthrew the castle of Talorant and captured a giant monster alone."

Emilia countered from behind.

"Hmph. How can mere rumors prove anything?"

"Then, what tangible achievements does your honorable name have, my lord?"

"What?! Hey, Emilia!"

The fussy old man, enraged, was restrained by other nobles from behind.

They all seemed to be high-ranking nobles.

Familiar faces from other routes, the viewers commented.

- Alberto Shick...

- Alberto, the top NPC on the Forbes list of most annoying NPCs!

- Haha, his mustache is so annoying.

- His sideburns need to be trimmed too.

Almond chuckled and turned to the arena.

"Emilia, don't worry. I suggested this competition, after all."

Emilia approached from behind and placed her hand on his back.

"I'm not worried. I just don't like being ignored."

"You won't be ignored, starting today."

With her half-pouting encouragement, Almond stepped into the arena.

"Wow!"

"Almond! Almond! Almond!"

Cheers erupted from the stands.

The citizens had gathered to support him. This alone showed Almond's standing in the region.

Almond briefly acknowledged the cheers and then turned to the nobles in the judges' box.

"So, what have you prepared?"

The mustachioed noble, Alberto, smirked and answered.

"There's an old saying. A true knight can face a troll alone."

A troll?

As Almond recalled the existence of trolls in his mind.

*Clank!*

The sound of the iron gate opening was followed by a heavy vibration.

*Thud.*

"Is a real troll coming?"

"That's impossible."

"Isn't it too dangerous?"

"I heard Sir Almond only uses a bow."

"You can't defeat a troll with a bow!"

The audience's murmurs filled the arena, but a monstrous roar pierced through them.

"Rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr