Chapter 11

Mari stood at the entrance of the arena, trembling as she looked at the gray armor standing there.

(What is this? What is this? I didn't hear that there would be someone so strong. I didn't! I don't know about this!)

When she moved her foot that had been pressing down on Zilc, the officials immediately rescued him. He seemed to have fainted, but he was still alive.

Kail was surprised.

"Hey, is this really okay? All four of them lost without doing anything."

Julius clenched his fists.

He looked at his white armor.

"---I didn't expect an opponent of that caliber. But my armor is made with the kingdom's best technology. Don't worry, Mari."

Mari forced a smile.

(Everyone said that and ended up getting beaten up! It's really useless. Come to think of it, I pushed this to my brother because these guys were useless and kept losing in the war part.)

Mari's thoughts drifted back to her previous life.

Perhaps this was a form of escapism, refusing to accept the current situation.

(It's all my brother's fault! He told my mother he was going on a trip and then died---after that, I lost my place in the family! Even after getting married, I couldn't have a ceremony, and when my partner ran away, no one helped me! It's all my brother's fault! That's right, and that Leon guy, he reminds me of my brother and it's so annoying!)

Julius took off his jacket.

Underneath, he was wearing a suit that looked like full-body tights. It was designed to be worn under the armor to avoid hindering movement.

But when he actually saw it---

(It looks kind of silly. In the game, the muscles were bulging and it was a bit exciting.)

When Julius entered the armor, the visor of the helmet glowed. It had twin eyes, making it look unnecessarily robotic.

Kail looked up at the white armor enviously.

"That's cool. I want one too."

Mari shook her head.

"You can't have one because you're not a knight. Besides, you're an elf, so you can't operate it."

"But I haven't tried yet. I'm half-elf, so there's a possibility."

"No, you can't. Besides, I have armor---"

As she said that, Mari thought to herself.

(Ah, wait? Humans and demi-humans can't have children together... Well, it's a game, so maybe it's ambiguous.)

Julius looked down at Mari.

"Mari, I'm going."

In response to Julius, Mari recalled the words in her head.

(I think, in this situation---)

"Yes. I wish for Julius's victory."

"Aah, thank you!"

The lines and attitude mimicking the protagonist. Mari was playing the ideal woman in front of the five of them.

(Sigh, it's tiring. To begin with, mimicking the ditzy and air-headed protagonist is really tough.)

She had been working hard in her second life to take the protagonist's position.

She staked out the places where they would meet, drove the protagonist away, and charmed the boys by mimicking her gestures and lines.

Knowing everyone's personalities helped, and it was successful.

She managed to push Angelica out of the picture quite early on. However, that led to the appearance of an irregular element.

Leon.

(Anyway, I have to deal with that mob. By the way, what happens if I lose? In the game, it was a game over, I think.)

Since her life was on the line, Mari really wanted Julius to win.

(That's right. I have to enjoy this world more. I want to fall in love with other men and live a luxurious life. The original world was full of bad things. Finally, I can be happy. I won't lose to a mob like him!)

◇

The white armor descended into the arena.

The armor, which seemed to be glowing, was one of the strongest in the kingdom. Although a stronger version would appear later, it was currently one of the best.

...Don't nitpick about there being other strong ones, saying it's not the strongest.

"I didn't expect my turn to come. Be proud."

In front of his arrogant attitude, I found the audience's cheering, which sounded like prayers, comforting.

Perhaps some people had bet their entire fortune on me. But I would win.

I understand that I am a minor character.

One of the reasons I entered the duel was because of the Arrogance, but it was also because the princes were still first-year students.

Moreover, it was only the end of the first semester, so they were just beginning to grow. Even the talented ones who would become stronger in the future were currently inexperienced and lacked the necessary skills.

Now was the time to strike. It was convenient for me.

"Even if you beat a minor and boast...?"

I tried to provoke him, but the prince's reaction was weak.

He held a shield in his left hand and a sword in his right.

Two cannons were attached to his shoulders, and they had rotating magazines.

The armor was quite luxurious, befitting a prince.

The one the protagonist was supposed to end up with... or so it was supposed to be.

"Prince, may I ask you a question?"

"If I can answer."

"What do you think of the special student, Olivia?"

However, the prince's reaction was weak. He seemed to not understand why I was asking such a question.

"Olivia, you say? I've heard she's working hard, but what about it?"

"...Is that so?"

I also got ready with my shovel. It was a surreal scene when I thought about it. But would it be okay to switch to a blade now?

Since I had come this far with the shovel, it might be better to use it until the end.

The referee looked a bit uncomfortable.

But he raised his arm and brought it down.

"Begin!"

However, even after the start signal, neither of us moved.

The prince showed a defensive stance by holding his shield in front of him.

Luxion was calm.

"Have you been put on the back foot by watching the previous battles? You're a poor man. The performance difference is obvious, isn't it? Your armor may be better than the others, but it's just that."

"Then I'll just attack."

Arrogance took a large step forward and thrust the shovel at the shield. The prince deflected the attack and swung his sword with his right hand.

I blocked it with the handle of the shovel, and sparks flew.

"Still more, aahh!"

He attacked continuously with his shield and sword.

I blocked and deflected the attacks with my shovel while retreating. As the prince pressed me, the audience cheered with enthusiasm.

"They just don't want to lose their bets, I bet."

"Master's loss will be a relief. As I said earlier, you were giving a very satisfying lecture. To the audience, Master is 'annoying,' right?"

"Don't use such words! Oh!"

The prince's sharp thrust approached my face, and I moved back, sliding on the ground. It was the same for him, and he slid on the ground like skating and swung his sword at me.

I blocked it, and I could hear the prince's voice.

"I can't lose. For the sake of her who wishes for my victory---I can't lose, aahh!"

His emotions seemed to intensify, and the blade began to glow.

Blue flames emerged from the back of the armor, making the prince's armor look incredibly beautiful.

"I acknowledge its artistic value."

"You're actually praising me. But, I can't back down either."

I blocked and deflected his powerful strikes with the shovel. The skill of the operator inside the armor was clearly superior on his side.

"Prince, you're impressive. Your determination is much stronger than the previous four. I bet they were thinking in their hearts, 'If one of them is gone, I'll have more time with Mari, so I wish the prince would disappear!'"

"Stop your nonsense! What do you know about us!"

The blue flames on the back of the white armor grew stronger, and the momentum increased. I could tell he was pushing the armor to its limits to overcome the overwhelming performance difference.

He must be very serious...

"I don't know anything. But I don't think this is a good situation."

In the audience---Olivia and Angelica were looking at me.

Olivia was praying with her hands clasped, cheering for me.

Angelica had a complicated expression. She probably didn't like seeing me fight the prince.

I talked to the prince.

"Prince, what does it feel like to seriously love someone? I don't understand that feeling."

"Of course not. That's why you can interfere with others without hesitation. If you truly loved someone, you wouldn't cause such a duel! If you really loved, you should step back gracefully!"

"About Angelica? No, it's not that."

"Eh?"

As the flames on his back intensified, the prince's armor moved faster.

He moved more quickly than any of the previous opponents and swung his sword at me.

He must be very serious.

"There's no way her feelings are love! She never understood my feelings! She's the same as the court ladies. They force me to live as a royal! I never wanted to be born as a royal. Living in a court where no one sees me---"

It can't be helped. After all, you are a royal.

That's what I should say, but from his perspective, he didn't choose to be born into royalty.

"Mari was the only woman who understood my feelings."

A type of woman not found in the court, and she was easily deceived while he was interested in her.

She was supposed to be connected to Olivia. In the game, at least.

This is the result of the reincarnated person ruining it.

The five men were manipulated, and they were now suffering a terrible humiliation.

"You're the same! Your words are shallow! Now, you've become a man who's arrogant with great power! Is it fun? How does it feel to overwhelm others with such power and lecture them from a position of superiority!"

"---It's the best!!"

"What!?"

I kicked the prince's armor, and it was blocked by the shield. As it flew backward, the cannons on both shoulders fired, but I didn't guard.

Arrogance remained unshaken. Not a single scratch.

"It feels great! It feels great to crush those who were so arrogant and lecture them with overwhelming power. I don't know about your friends who can't respond, but their pitiful attempts to respond after losing just make them look even more miserable! And I'll tell you, I might be arrogant, but you can't even beat someone like me. How does that feel? How does it feel to lose to someone you looked down on, Prince?"

"You bastard!"

Overwhelming power to crush and lecture.

It's addictive.

Moreover, the opponents were people who looked down on me... the lack of guilt is a key point.

Luxion agreed with me.

His voice doesn't leak outside. He doesn't reveal our conversations to the outside. He's very capable, but...

"Master is already finished when he can't refute you. Most likely, he was too shocked by the loss to respond. Still, what a trashy personality. I'm impressed."

I swung my left hand and hit the shield. The prince's armor's left hand seemed to be under strain and was smoking.

The shield was warped, and the prince discarded it. The fingers of the armor were bent and broken, no longer usable.

"Let me say one more thing. I don't care about your feelings, you fool! Besides, do you understand my feelings? And Angelica's feelings---"

"Shut up!"

He swung his sword at me, and we engaged in a clash of shovels, our heads almost touching. The weight difference and size advantage were on my side.

It must look like the prince's armor is being overwhelmed.

"What do you mean, you didn't want to be born as a royal? Have you ever been sold to a perverted old woman? Have you ever bowed down to a girl and begged her to marry you? Have you ever been told you can't live in the countryside or that you have to support your mistress? It's miserable. Do you understand the feeling of being told that you have to nurture love with your mistress while supporting your marriage and life?"

I really was told that, and I'm sure many men would agree with me.

In the audience, I could see men nodding or even crying in agreement.

Everyone... I'm going to give this ignorant rich kid the punishment he deserves, so watch from there!

"So, what does that have to do with anything! You're free! Just find a good partner!"

I hit him several times in anger. Each time, the white armor shook, and I could hear the prince's voice of endurance.

"Free!? Find a good partner? I, who have struggled so hard, am free! Don't mock me, you rich kid! Have you ever felt the danger to your chastity! Risked your life! Set sail in a small boat! Can you set sail into the sky! Even with such a beautiful fiancée, you're allowed to play around with other women... What do you mean, you didn't want to be born as a royal? You're enjoying it to the fullest! Get lost!"

"It's not play! I'm serious!"

"Even worse!"

If it were a viscount's daughter, she might have been a concubine or a mistress. Did it work out?

I don't know the details, but it's not a reason to treat a duchess's daughter with contempt.

To begin with, is the kingdom safe with someone like this as the future leader?

The same goes for the future influential nobles.

Everyone surrounding the same woman, it's a problem.

With a full swing of the shovel, I knocked the sword away and grabbed the arm, crushing it.

After making both arms unusable, he kept his distance and attacked with the cannons.

I dodged and waited for the ammunition to run out.

Since there was a limit to the number of shots, the ammunition ran out quickly.

"Ha... Is that enough? The game is over. Your opponent is over there. Got it?"

I pointed to the audience---Angelica, who had a sad expression. She leaned forward, waiting for the prince's words.

Angelica likes the prince. No, she loves him. This duel was also her way of trying to separate the prince from Mari.

The prince, who could no longer fight---

"...Not yet."

"Huh?"

"It's not over. I'd rather die than let Mari be taken away! I will never admit defeat. Kill me if you want! This is a duel! We are forbidden to stop until one of us dies!"

He meant no one should interfere.

While talking about the nobility, he was ordering no one to intervene. Double standards... I can do it myself, but it's annoying when others do it.

However, it's troublesome to deal with him now.

"Alright, I'll torment you until you break."

I muttered softly, and Luxion was exasperated.

"Your conversation was the worst. However, it was more genuine than any of your previous words. I'll give you credit for that."

Of course, it's my real experience.

It's not just a matter of feeling good after a lecture.

◇

Julius's white armor, despite having both arms broken, continued to attack Leon's armor.

His desperation was evident.

Facing the overwhelmingly strong Leon, Angelica clung to the railing and shed tears.

"You're serious... Your Highness. You really like that girl, don't you?"

Angelica, who had given up on her feelings, wiped away her tears.

(That's right. I'll step back. If His Highness doesn't want me, I'll step back.)

Her gaze turned to the opposite side of the circular audience.

She glared at Mari, who had a pale face.

(But, I won't accept you. The one standing next to His Highness won't be you. You'll only be in His Highness's way. I won't allow it.)

Even after giving up, Angelica still tried to separate Mari from Julius. She believed it was for Julius's own good.

A woman who kept a lover and had relationships with four other men---she couldn't be allowed to become the queen.

A woman who had charmed five men in a short time.

She would only continue to attract more men.

If such a woman became the queen, conflicts would inevitably increase.

The royal palace wouldn't stand for it.

Seeing Julius in a battered state, Mari turned pale and panicked.

(Even if I have to suffer, I'll drag you down with me. I won't let you like His Highness.)

Tearing apart the relationship between the woman Julius declared he loved and him was painful, but Angelica was determined to do it by any means necessary.

Then---

"I'm wrong!"

---Olivia shouted.

"His Highness might truly love Mari. But, but! Angelica also loves His Highness! She's been watching this battle with such pain! Even though it's painful to watch, she doesn't look away and watches with a sad expression! Don't say it's not love!"

Angelica, panicking, called out to Olivia.

"Hey, stop it."

Trying to pull her back