Chapter 24

In the sky.

I, riding on the Arroganz, curse in the cockpit.

"These guys are so annoying!"

The enemy knights attack me in a group, surrounding me from all sides and launching long-range attacks. If I turn my back, they will slash at me.

If I face them, they scatter and run away.

"They are quite well-trained, aren't they?"

The bullets are deflected by the armor, and in close combat, I don't get hurt either.

There is no damage, but the problem is that it takes time to defeat them.

"Why don't they retreat!"

"Already, the attrition rate has exceeded twenty percent. The enemy doesn't seem to be retreating. I intercepted their communication, and it seems there is a reason they can't retreat."

According to the information intercepted by Luxion, many of the military personnel are advising a retreat.

However, the commander has refused.

"Hurry up and run away!"

If they don't run, it will be a problem for me.

I accelerate the Arroganz and stab the enemy's armor with a blade in mid-air. I stab a place where the knight inside won't be hurt.

I pull out the blade and kick the enemy airship's deck.

"What a waste of resistance!"

While thinking about why they don't run and looking around, Luxion reports the situation.

"Partner, approaching the target to be protected. Starting the rescue operation."

Partner, positioned to protect the倾斜的豪华客船, has already launched rescue boats to save lives.

"Is the luxury liner beyond saving?"

Black smoke rises from everywhere, and the ship's hull is already deformed.

"If this continues, we will have to retreat. Once Partner has everyone on board, order them to leave. We can't keep this up forever."

"---! Master, a new force has launched. The unit color is black. It is believed to be the enemy's elite force."

Hearing "black," a bad memory resurfaces.

In my previous life—when playing the game—the strongest enemy was the [Black Knight]. He was incredibly strong, and I had been game over many times fighting the Black Knight. In close combat, he was stronger than Chris, and in long-range battles, he was unbeatable even by Zirk, the official cheat.

How much trouble he caused me... He was one of the reasons the difficulty of the strategic mode was increased.

"Black Knight?!"

Luxion heightened the alert.

"Partner is avoiding their artillery fire. They are also destroying drones and advancing. If this continues, the rescue will be hindered."

"Fine by me. I'll take them on!"

However, I am currently on the Arroganz.

With the cheat battleship Luxion, there is nothing to fear!

I will show them that I can defeat a Black Knight!

I saw the image of them coming towards me.

Then, the black unit... Wait, there are five of them?

◇

Revia, who had moved to Partner, was now in a room with Anje and—Hertlude.

In the chaotic ship, it was uncertain whether there were noble heirs targeting Hertlude, so Anje was keeping watch.

The battlefield scene visible through the window had calmed down somewhat but was not over.

Anje was getting frustrated.

"Why don't they retreat? The battle should be over by now."

Hertlude, who had been captured, was still composed.

"...I said it before. The Principality will not stop. They will not retreat with just this."

Revia prayed for Leon's safety.

"Is Leon okay?"

Anje nodded.

"I don't think he will lose easily. However, in a battlefield, anything can happen."

Through the window, they saw Leon's Arroganz and the black-armored knights chasing him.

Seeing this, Hertlude became anxious.

"Vandele! Why..."

Hearing Vandele's name, Anje also became anxious.

"Black Knight? I didn't expect him to appear here."

Revia was confused.

"Um, who is the Black Knight?"

Anje explained.

"He is a knight of the Principality who has been active since before we were born. The Kingdom has lost dozens, perhaps even a hundred, of airships to him. He has also defeated many more knights."

Anje glanced at Hertlude, who was silent and looked sad.

Anje continued while worrying about Hertlude's state.

"...Recently, his name has been less heard. He is old, and there were rumors that he was ill."

Revia, hearing that such a strong knight was targeting Leon, became anxious.

"There is such a strong knight? Can Leon win?"

"Frankly, it's hard to predict—"

Before Anje could finish, Hertlude's voice overlapped.

"Vandele will not lose! The Principality's strongest knight will never lose to the Kingdom's despicable knights!"

Called despicable, Revia retorted.

"Leon is not despicable!"

"Hah! You make me laugh. Have you forgotten what the Kingdom did to the Principality twenty years ago? Or are you teaching that you were not wrong? The academy seems to be a wonderful place, Angelica."

Angelica slightly lowered her head.

"Anje?"

Revia, in response, told the story of the past.

"Before we were born—The Kingdom invaded the Principality. Not once or twice, but many times. Each time, the Principality was pushed into a corner, but they always managed to repel the Kingdom."

Revia was surprised.

"Such a thing... But I have never heard such a story. I have never heard that the Kingdom invaded—"

Hertlude glared at Revia.

"This is what it means to be peace-fool. They don't teach you what you have done. Teach her, Angelica. What you did in the Principality."

Angelica fell silent.

Revia, realizing the gravity of the situation, felt sad.

◇

Facing the approaching Black Knights, I aimed my rifle and pulled the trigger.

However, they are all strong, and the moment they saw the rifle's muzzle, they dodged the shots.

"Are they all cheats?!"

I flew backward in the air, overwhelmed by the Black Knights' aggressive aura.

"--- The performance is superior to the previous armor. The Principality is believed to have a higher technological level than the Kingdom. Their airships, armor, and organizational structure are all superior."

"Tech nation? I feel a sense of familiarity."

"--- I think they are hostile towards you."

Luxion was right.

Their determination to defeat me is intense.

Right now, one of them is closing in to slash at me, which I block with my blade—.

"Traitor of the Kingdom! Hand over your head!"

I repel them with the unit's performance and aim my rifle again, but they scatter immediately.

Luxion said,

"--- You are hated."

"Past events and all that, it feels like that. But it's not my problem."

They hate me because the Kingdom invaded in the past.

I want to say that bringing such a heavy setting into a dating sim is not a good idea, but knowing the situation, I think the one-sided portrayal of victims is questionable.

... Bringing such a heavy setting into a dating sim! Make it fluffier and lighter!

"Luxion, put away the rifle and blade."

"--- Should I switch weapons?"

"I'll fight with my bare hands."

I could tell the Black Knights were furious at my empty hands.

However, what concerns me is the armor that is holding back among the five chasing me. It has a distinct leader's feel, but it has been quiet the whole time.

The Arroganz grabs the approaching enemy by the hand.

The attack on Prince Julius—creating a massive shockwave that shatters the enemy. Such a function exists.

If I reduce the output—

"Back off already!"

The black armor, though not taking much damage, the pilot inside is a different story.

When the Arroganz releases the black armor, it falls towards the sea.

"With this, I'll save my comrades—"

Another unit leaves to save the falling comrade.

Just as I thought,

"Master, behind you."

I turned around and saw the armor swinging its sword at me. Ignoring the attacks from the deployed drones, it was coming towards me, damaged but determined to land a blow.

"--- Damn!"

I guarded with my left arm, and the opponent's sword broke.

I could hear a voice when we made contact.

"Disappear, monster of the Kingdom."

Immediately after, Luxion sounded an alert.

"---! Master!"

The Arroganz turned around, and the remaining three units were charging at me. In the center, the leader's black knight was charging with a large sword—then the monitor turned black, and the tip of the large sword approached me.

◇

Chris had defeated one of the Principality's knights and was looking around.

"The numbers have decreased significantly. Where is Baltorf?"

Chris saw the black knight impaling the Arroganz.

His eyes widened.

"The Black Knight has appeared..."

Chris's family is a sword instructor, and his father holds the title of Sword Saint. Even his father could not defeat the Black Knight.

Seeing the Arroganz impaled by the Principality's strongest knight, Chris gritted his teeth and looked down, but quickly raised his head.

The evacuation from Partner was already complete.

In the worst case, if he could buy time, everyone could survive.

"Marie, I'm sorry. It seems this is as far as it goes."

As he prepared to head towards Leon with his sword, the black knights suddenly acted strangely.

The Arroganz grabbed two black armors by the joints, where he had stabbed their swords.

Then, both hands glowed, and a shockwave was released, causing the black armors to fall as if the pilots inside had lost consciousness.

When the black knight pulled out his large sword and started to chase, a damaged black armor intervened and was grabbed, then thrown away by another shockwave.

"He's still alive!"

Seeing Leon chasing the black knight, Chris was delighted.

"Go, Baltorf! You can—You can defeat the Black Knight!"

◇

I removed the impaled monitor with my hand.

The chest of the Arroganz opened, and the wind from outside entered the cockpit, giving a sense of openness. At the same time, being exposed to the outside was unsettling.

I avoided the large sword aimed at the cockpit's head by a hair's breadth, and blood was flowing from my cheek.

The large sword aimed at the cockpit's head.

If it had hit the abdomen, I would have died.

"Ha... ha..."

The Black Knight, seen with the naked eye, was holding a large sword.

Luxion spoke to me.

"Performance is reduced by thirty percent. Increased burden on the pilot. I recommend a retreat."

"I didn't hear that the Arroganz's armor could be penetrated."

"The enemy's large sword appears to be made of a unique metal [Adamatias] in this world. A fantasy metal."

"You, a fantasy block, saying that?"

A specially made large sword.

Swinging it is the Black Knight, who is almost a cheat.

"Retreat quickly."

As I grumbled, Luxion's rebuttal was painful to hear.

"--- It's the result of Master not taking the enemy's life. Therefore, I speculate that they are in a situation where they cannot retreat."

Really painful to hear.

The enemy spoke to me.

"Young. Too young. Is this the Kingdom's knight?"

I don't know the Black Knight's detailed settings, but his voice was gruff. He sounded like an old man or a middle-aged man with a deep voice.

"You only fight because you invade."

"--- That's right. It was the same for me. Boy, hate being born in the Kingdom."

I looked at the enemy holding the large sword.

Gripping the control stick, I