I Became the Master of the Empress

28 – Episode 28

I stare blankly at the petite knight in front of me.

“Your Grace, today is the final match between the knight brigade that the royal family takes pride in and the giant corps that Your Grace’s country takes pride in. Who do you think will win?”

Theo’s words break my thoughts.

I turn my head and look at Theo, who is sitting next to me.

With a mischievous smile, like a child who is planning something naughty, I answer.

“Well… I think the giant corps will probably win?”

Upon hearing my words, she confidently shakes her head as if there’s no way that would happen.

“The Golden Knight Brigade is the best in the empire. They will never be defeated under any circumstances.”

-Tsk.

That’s unlikely.

In the world of competition, there is no such thing as ‘absolute’.

That’s why I smile with a sense of ease.

“Well, I guess we’ll find out if we wait and see, right?”

As I say that while looking at her, Theo smiles gently.

A breathtaking smile that could melt anyone’s heart.

Rumors come to mind that numerous men have tried their best to attend the royal party just to catch a glimpse of her.

A smile that makes the hearts of countless men in the empire flutter, as if it were crafted by a sublime goddess. But why does this stunningly beautiful smile… seem so artificial?

“Then, Your Grace, how about making a bet with me?”

“What kind of bet?”

Curiosity arose in response to Theodora’s words, prompting me to inquire.

“How about fulfilling the wish of the one who wins?”

I pondered upon her words.

In terms of organization and skill, the Golden Knights slightly surpassed the two divisions.

The rules of the match also favored the Golden Knights.

Originally, the Giant Army was a force raised for slaughter.

Just considering these two aspects, it seems we are at a disadvantage.

However, in group battles, the influence of leadership is paramount.

And in terms of leadership, there is no doubt that no one can match Agripa.

Moreover, that petite knight… I instinctively think of her as Mary.

With just Agripa, the win rate rises dramatically. But if Mary also participates?

My side would have a high chance of winning.

You could say the victory rate converges towards 99.9%.

The situation is very favorable for me.

So, even if I were to make a wish, it doesn’t seem like it would be a problem.

Rather, I contemplate what wish I should make.

What should I wish for? The engagement of Joy and Johannes’ son and a wish not to interfere with it?

But… What does Theodora wish from me?

Invalidation of the marriage? Or a return to power?

I don’t know what it is, but it will be difficult for her to win.

“Alright.”

As I readily agreed, Theodora furrowed her brows for the first time.

“Aren’t you too easily giving your permission? Don’t you know what I might demand?”

I shrugged as if it didn’t matter to me.

“I’ll win, so it doesn’t matter. Should I tell you my conditions?”

She seemed arrogant as she spoke, and her gaze turned cold.

“No, the Duke will tell you. I won’t listen to what the Duke’s wish is.”

With those words, we both abruptly turned our heads and looked at the arena.

Today, I realized that her expressions are more diverse than I thought.

Is it because she appears aloof and cold?

Although it may be artificial, her bright smile is the most beautiful.

-Phew!

As the signal that the group battle is ready sounds.

A man wearing black and blue tights stands between the Golden Knights and the Giant Corps and opens his mouth.

“Alright, everyone! The long-awaited finale of the group battle is about to begin!”

-Wow!

“On one side, the loyal army of His Majesty the Emperor! The Empire’s top knights! The Golden Knights who have turned countless enemies of the Empire into fertilizer for this land!”

-I secretly bet my emergency funds on you guys, so make sure you win!

-Crush the arrogance of those despised nobles of the Grand Duchy!

-Defeat the traitors!

The man watching the Golden Knights, who received fervent cheers, shouts.

“Charge forth, mighty beasts! The miraculous army that brought countless glories to the empire, the pride of the Grand Duchy of Francesco, the Giant Corps!”

The Giant Corps, meticulously raised from generation to generation in our Grand Duchy.

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To the extent that the word “giant” is included in their name, one must be at least 1.9m tall to join.

Swinging their long and massive muscular arms, they hurl spears with fireball-infused warheads at the approaching enemies, causing havoc with their bare hands. Their appearance is more than enough to be called the messengers of the battlefield.

Well… even though we can’t use spears or halberds here at the tournament, this is still the unit that the Grand Duchy boasts of, and it’s my other face.

I can’t tolerate an embarrassing defeat here.

I even went so far as to beg Agrippa to grant me a week off just to participate, but to think I might lose?

I might disband the Giant Corps after that day.

“Whoa!”

“Back off! Plunderers!”

“The Grand Duke’s hounds!”

“You country bumpkins, hurry and get lost back to the Grand Duchy!”

Is it because of my image as a plunderer?

Seems like the audience’s evaluation isn’t as favorable as the Golden Knights’.

That’s not important right now.

The knight standing in front, who looks barely 160cm despite the 1.9m height requirement for enlistment, holds a heavy-looking spear with ease.

It must be Mary, as expected.

While I’m having such anxious thoughts,

“Alright! We will now begin the duel!”

-Clang!

At the host’s words, a loud bell rang out, signaling the start of the match, and at the same time, the knight contemplated the possibility of it being Mary.

Why did a knight, who was never seen before, suddenly appear and be presumed to be Mary now?

Although he hadn’t paid much attention to the previous matches, the knight presumed to be Mary made their first appearance in the finals.

-Thud… Thud!

The Golden Knights formed a dense formation, shielding themselves with large shields, and slowly began to advance.

Upon seeing their formation, Agripa raised his sword high. He left a small knight alone in the center and quickly divided the troops into two.

Is he abandoning the center?

By setting up this formation, they would inevitably fall victim to being surrounded and annihilated, wouldn’t they?

Upon seeing this, the Golden Knights hesitated in their advance for a moment, but…

Whether they considered it disgraceful or emitted a menacing aura, the Golden Knights continued their advance.

Upon seeing this, a glimmer of light flashed through Agripa’s mind.

Of course! It must be Mary.

Agripa is no fool, and he wouldn’t abandon the center and divide the troops into two.

He must have divided them, thinking that Mary, who possesses superhuman strength as a member of the Lion family, could withstand it.

At that moment, the knight presumed to be Mary rushed toward the Golden Knights, leaping high with a spear in hand.

-Thud!

As the knights hastily raised their shields, the small knight calmly shattered the shields and landed in the enemy’s formation.

Then, with a short sword, they indiscriminately attacked the knights who were unable to move due to their surrounding comrades.

No matter how well-armored you are with a sturdy cuirass and a helmet, when struck with an iron weapon…

– Agh!

It’s not just a matter of breaking the cuirass ruthlessly, but of hitting the exposed areas like the neck and face that the helmet can’t fully protect.

The knights struck in the unprotected areas bleed, despite the lack of openings in their armor.

Even if there are no openings, the overwhelming force of the sword is enough to pierce the fragile human flesh.

So, did you intentionally bring a short sword with a limited reach?

It’s easier to swing wildly and stab vital spots in a densely packed space.

What a malicious fellow.

It’s obvious where this idea came from.

As they start wreaking havoc with the short sword…

The giant battalion attacks the disordered enemy formation.

– Agh!

– Urgh!

The knights in the front row hastily raise their shields and attack the enemy with their spears.

Too shallow.

The greatest advantage of a dense formation is that the infantry from the first to the fourth row can completely block the enemy’s approach with long spears.

However, the knights in the 2nd to 4th rows seem to be in a rush to defend against the attacks of the smaller knights, and as a result, they fail to properly pressure the enemy in the front.

And as a result…

The giant battalion crushes the spear formation with the axe part of their halberds, closing the distance.

– Front line!, the front line is collapsing! Block the front!

Finally, the giant battalion arrived within one row of the front, and I raised a large shield forcefully to try to stop them. But they swung their long arms and smashed the wooden shield with an axe.

-Thud! Thud!

And…

-Snap!

The shield broke.

Seizing the opportunity, the giant battalion charged through the first row.

The enemy’s first row collapsed weakly.

The second row is still not prepared! Great! Mary, go wild like that.

As the formation crumbled, the enemies began to scatter.

-You cannot defeat me!

Some of the knights who appeared strong started pressuring the small knight, as if they couldn’t stand losing to someone so short…

But the formation had already crumbled.

The giant battalion plunged into the broken formation and launched their attack.

Victory was already assured, so I calmly observed the small knight.

Avoiding the spear thrusts that were attacking, the small knight skillfully wielded their halberd and forcefully stabbed the enemy’s abdomen, resembling a beast. I couldn’t help but admire their skill.

That’s our Mary.

There is no one else in the Empire who fights with such a beastly appearance like that anymore.

But damn it… don’t overdo it.

However, just as Mary started to be overwhelmed by the advancing enemy, the giant battalion, who was fiercely demolishing the front lines to rescue Mary, began to attack the knights who had surrounded her.

There… the battle is over.

It ended quite dull.

“Hmph…”

It seems that Theo didn’t like that sight, as he doesn’t look pleased.

Well, I couldn’t have imagined that the Grand Empire would plan their strategy so boldly…

Honestly, I couldn’t do it either.

I never thought they would hide Mary until the very end.

I clearly told her not to participate, but she doesn’t seem to think much of my words, considering them less important than some random dog barking in the neighborhood.

But wouldn’t it have been better to let her appear right from the beginning if she were as skilled as Mary?

She would have been a great help in the main match from the start.

But no, they saved her for the end.

Is it because she has the confidence to reach the finals even without Mary?

And not being able to prepare for her by making her appear last… it was a clever move.

After the team battle ended, the swordsmanship and spear fighting continued…

In both parts, Mary emerged victorious.

With her dynamic movements that didn’t suit her small build, and the unbelievable strength and control over her center of gravity, she won.

-Maryang! Maryang!

As I watch the audience cheering the name “Maryang,” I absentmindedly rest my chin on my hand, lost in thought.

I knew she was a monster.

But I never expected her to be such a monster…

I am in awe of the skill that made Mary, a woman, the next duchess. It’s heart-wrenching to know why she was pushed aside.

But… What should be done when she has to take off her helmet during the awards ceremony?!

Participating in the tournament under an alias could be a serious offense, possibly even a crime against the imperial family.

The Empire’s citizens hold the tournament in reverence.

It is a grand competition of noble knights.

To participate under an alias there?

And on top of that, the winners in two categories are the dreaded duke’s sister, whom the Empire’s citizens despise?

Hopefully, there won’t be any riots.

Looking at Theodora, who is next to me… I can’t help but notice the look of disappointment on her face.

It must be bothersome… to have the winner of the highly anticipated the Golden Knights tournament only excel in the unpopular archery discipline.

Such a wasted wish.

It pains me to write like this, but there’s no other way.

I must avoid causing unnecessary confusion.

“Phew…”

Why am I going through so much trouble for my younger sister?

To be honest, I’m happy that Mary won.

It’s just the aftermath that’s the problem.

I call out to Theodora.

“Theodora.”

Is it because of Mary’s victory? I feel like I’m calling her out quite brightly.

I turn my head and whisper softly into her ear as she looks at me.

“Wish… I’m going to make a wish now.”

“Eek!”

Did I startle her by approaching suddenly?

She flinches, pulls back, and with a slightly flushed face, she says, “Y-you! If you come so close all of a sudden, it’s surprising, you know?!”

As if she doesn’t like it, she mutters, and I continue speaking to her.

“Could you lend me your ear for a moment?”

There are many people around us, so I ask her.

“Ha… What is it?”

With an expression of disapproval, she reluctantly lends me her ear.

“I’m… going to make a wish…, about that knight, Marian… I think it might be my sister, Mary?”

Saying so, I make a wish to her.