122. Don’t Cry, You’ll Lose Muscle
I was led by Perwin’s hand to the spectator stands.
Even though the match hadn’t started yet, the stands were already buzzing with excitement and anticipation.
Perwin naturally took the seat next to me, while the Emperor and Lady Shailo occupied the highest seats.
I offered a formal greeting to the Emperor and exchanged a few casual words with Perwin, but inwardly, I was restless.
I wonder if Seraphine is alright.
When I turned my head, I saw Seraphine sitting not far from me. She was still miserably wiping away her tears.
No wonder—she must have been shocked. Getting slapped out of the blue after sitting still…
No matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t seem to fix Roselia’s ruined personality.
While I pondered this, a group of burly men gathered around Seraphine.
They were the dukes’ knights who had been helping her with her training.
With their rough hands, they patted her shoulders gently.
Good, the knights are trying to comfort her.
“Stop that, apprentice. A knight sheds sweat, not tears,” one of them said.
“If you cry, you’ll lose muscle. Why not run around the arena while crying instead?”
“…?”
Were they trying to tease her rather than console her?
Seraphine’s tears continued, and then a thunderous cheer erupted from the arena.
“Waaah!”
“Looks like the match is about to start,” Perwin said, glancing down at the arena.
The contestants had already entered the arena and were warming up.
It was the Hunting Festival—a competition that tested the bravery of knights and determined the empire’s finest warriors.
The participants had to fight through monsters in dangerous forests and retrieve the sacred sword, the symbol of victory.
Not only the royal guards and renowned knights from across the kingdom but also untested street fighters could enter.
Within the festival, participants were allowed free combat against each other, often resulting in deadly duels over the chance to win.
The winner was the one who defeated monsters and rivals and safely carried the treasure to the finish line.
If a royal guard won, they earned a promotion; if a non-guard won, a huge reward awaited them.
Well, it looks more like a treasure hunt than a hunting festival now.
Originally, the Hunting Festival involved forming hunting parties to slay real monsters. But as casualties rose each year, the organizers made changes.
The target monsters were replaced with lesser beasts summoned by the palace mages, and the event was moved from the harsh northern wilderness to the forests near the capital.
Over several iterations, the festival became much gentler, but it also developed a unique tradition: the winner would present the symbol of victory to the woman they loved.
Everyone always wondered who would be that lucky woman.
From my perspective, it just looks like a public proposal.
Regardless, the romanticized tradition made the festival famous, regardless of gender or social rank.
Of course, the glory of victory always went to the original protagonists.
The world was heavily protagonist-friendly, so no surprises were expected this time either.
At that moment, Perwin stood up.
“I should get moving too,” he said with a confident smile.
“Watch me. I’ll bring the symbol of victory to the noble lady.”
…No surprises, right?
Bam-bam-bam!
As Perwin left, fanfare exploded in front of me, accompanied by a congratulatory message.
[SYSTEM: You have met the affection conditions and can now select a partner.]
[Who will you choose as your partner for Episode 2?]
[▶Perwin]
[Kaien]
[Icart]
[Brecht]
Partner selection, huh.
Having seen this in the original story, I wasn’t particularly surprised. The male lead chosen here would likely be the winner of this tournament. The winning male lead would then present the symbol of victory to the heroine.
…Should a villainess even receive that?
I glanced at Seraphine. Her eyes were swollen, and she sat sulking.
Thankfully, she didn’t run into the arena. She looks drained to the point of losing muscle, poor thing.
I looked away from her and examined each male lead.
[Icart]
[Target is currently out of the zone!]
Icart was unavailable.[Brecht]
[Target’s affection is too low!]
Brecht was also impossible.
So really, I can only choose between Perwin and Kaien.
Though Perwin confidently claimed he would bring the victory prize, my attention was drawn to Kaien instead.
Come to think of it… where’s Kaien?
The penalty preventing him from approaching should have been lifted with Episode 2 starting. Yet, no matter where I looked, Kaien wasn’t visible.
Normally, he would have followed me willingly, without anyone telling him to. Was the system’s force separating us again?
Hmph.
Telling someone not to do something only makes them want to do it more.
[Do you want to select Kaien as your partner?]
Of course.
A bright flash of light appeared as I selected “Confirm.”
“Where… am I?”
When Kaien regained consciousness, he found himself in an unfamiliar forest.
Trees swayed in the cold wind, moss-covered rocks, and damp soil underfoot.
Contrasting with the peaceful scenery, the clang of metal weapons rang out from all directions.
Armed men around him were preparing for the match.
In the distance, spectators seemed to be observing as if watching caged animals.
Looking at himself, he realized he was wearing a black cloak and a mask covering his face.
Why am I here?
The harder he tried to remember, the more a splitting headache hit him.
Why…?
One thing was clear:
[ª□YS???: ?? ‘The proof of chivalry, the master of glory □‛]
[Who will claim true victory in the Hunting Festival? Defeat monsters and rivals, retrieve the treasure, and win the festival. ♥]
[□□ Failure conditions: ??? Death □ □□]
A translucent, phantom-like window flickered before his eyes.
Having barely learned to read in his life, the jumbled text was almost impossible to decipher.
“…Death if you fail?”
Still, some of the words instinctively registered in his brain.
Had he finally lost his mind?
His head throbbed as if drugged. The crowd’s cheers buzzed in his ears like ringing.
“Waaah!”
At that moment, the starting signal for the festival went off.
I can’t even tell who’s who.
From the stands, the participants looked tiny. Once the match began and they entered the forest, they’d disappear entirely.
Spectators whispered excitedly to each other.
“The Crown Prince is participating this time, right?”
“Do you think he could beat the royal guards and win?”
Laughter echoed through the stands.
“Don’t be ridiculous. The winner will come from the royal guards.”
“By the way, where’s the captain of the royal guards? Everyone’s wearing masks, so it’s impossible to tell.”
Participants covered their faces with masks, helmets, or robes. The festival allowed anyone to compete, and skill alone determined success, so masks were required to ensure fairness.
They really value fairness, huh.
Even with masks, some figures stood out.
Ah, there they are.
One by one, the original protagonists appeared. Perwin wore a flamboyant golden mask adorned with feathers—more suited for a masquerade than a hunting festival.
His taste really stands out.
A group of royal guards in silver armor caught my eye next. Everyone wore the same armor and helmets, making individual identities impossible to distinguish, except for banners indicating their guard status.
Brecht must be among them.
That’s all the familiar participants I can spot.
“Looks like it’s starting!”
The starting signal rang again. The contestants ran like deer into the forest.
Among the participants, one figure stood out.
“Who could that be?”
“He’s the only one who hasn’t started running yet.”
A man cloaked entirely in black, wearing a black bird-mask over his face, staggered as if drunk.
Wrapped head-to-toe in black, he was impossible to identify in appearance or status.
I don’t think I’ve ever seen anyone like that in my past life…
Did I just forget?
Or maybe… could it be him—
[SYSTEM: You have selected Kaien as your partner.]
[SYSTEM: A male lead–tailored event is triggered!]
“…No way.”
