Vote for Your Knight! - Chapter 18

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Vote for your knight!
Chapter 18
A massive Screen had been installed in the Circular Arena.
It was drawn with a Broadcast Magic Circle on special cloth.
Broadcast Towers were installed throughout the Empire so that people could watch Kartamen as they would a film.
The broadcast time was set for evening, when people could rest after finishing their day’s work.
They aimed for the hour when the most people could view it.
Thanks to David’s sacrifice, publicity had been running high.
Broadcast Towers and Screens were usually installed in the largest plaza of each region.
After watching Kartamen here, people used their Status Tablets to vote for their preferred contestant.
The Status Tablet registration point was a kiosk-like Mana Stone Tablet beneath the Broadcast Tower Screen.
Edith had added one more function to the Mana Stone Tablet.
It was the ability to leave a viewing review.
One could see others’ assessments regardless of region and add their own opinion to them.
In other words, if one person wrote something, the entire nation could see it.
It was a space for sharing opinions, somewhat like a community.
Of course, anonymity — neither name, nor class, nor residence would be revealed.
Since the Class System existed in this world, she had made a special point of emphasizing this so people could evaluate without fear.
‘I feel like I’ve lost ten years of my life making this thing.’
Edith was grateful that she was a “genius alchemist.”
Otherwise, she could never have created these magical artifacts.
* * *
And finally, Episode 1 of Kartamen was broadcast.
“They’re really doing this.”
“Have they lost their minds? What’s the difference between this and the Tyrant’s bloody duel? Why are they doing it again?”
“I only feel sorry for Duke David. Poor man dragged into this, forced to fight.”
“I heard they even have slaves as contestants here?”
“Since they can’t gather enough contestants, things have gotten completely desperate.”
“But why are you here watching this?”
“Ah, well. I came to curse it with my own eyes. What about you?”
“I came with an academic interest in verifying that the new video broadcast magical artifact is functioning properly.”
“Right. Who cares about Kartamen anyway.”
“Exactly. Ah, move over a bit, would you? It’s so cramped I can’t sit down!”
Plazas across the Empire were in an uproar.
In other words, most plazas were packed with crowds.
It couldn’t have been any other way.
The conspicuous large Screen.
And the extraordinary broadcast footage.
“My name is Pavel Surb. Ah, how do I feel about participating? I’m really nervous and scared. This is my first competition like this.”
(In the next scene, swinging a Great Sword like a madman)
“What’s with that frenzy.”
“Cute-looking as he is, and he’s handling a sword as big as his own body. He’s genuinely insane.”
“I’m going to vote for him.”
Even passersby gradually settled into their seats and began watching.
“You want to become a knight?”
“Yes, yes! I’ve never seen such a magnificent profession before!”
“If it’s not magnificent, you won’t become a knight?”
Moncho’s unseemly behavior and Ines’s charisma drew cheers from all around.
“There she is, Ines! Suffering through this mess.”
“Count Moncho was pathetic.”
“Let us vote for Ines, not those clowns!”
By the end, people one by one began taking out their Status Tablets and lining up to register their votes.
* * *
Meanwhile, the atmosphere in the Circular Arena had grown so heated it seemed ready to explode.
“Ah, those lot and our faction are in a different league. We’ll win, naturally.”
A scene from the contestant’s Entry Evaluation appeared, where he had spoken with such confidence.
“Khegh! Ugh!”
“Contestant number 47 has also failed!”
Laughter erupted from all around.
That contestant could not raise his head.
But many couldn’t bring themselves to laugh.
Their own behavior wasn’t so different, after all.
The trembling participants who trained in chaos.
The participants who talked big without lifting a finger.
Meanwhile, those who’d kept their composure watched Kartamen Episode 1 without flinching.
David was among them.
“Duke David, Your Grace! Won’t you acknowledge my feelings for you?”
“I hope that’s not… love.”
David remained unmoved even by the adulation directed at him.
“It’s actually impressive how Duke David takes Custo’s side.”
“Those smug bastards got what was coming to them.”
“Damn, I should’ve acted like I was close with the slave too.”
Shameless whispers drifted from behind Custo’s back.
‘I hear every word, you worthless dogs.’
“Maybe I should cozy up to Dmitri instead.”
“No good. Not him.”
Many assumed the princess would only air favorable footage of Dmitri.
But the scenes actually broadcast painted a different picture.
She illuminated him with a rather cold eye.
That he was a traitor to The Empire, that he faced universal condemnation yet showed neither remorse nor regret.
The only special care she took was making sure his haunting, luminous beauty showed to best effect.
‘Perhaps that’s his greatest advantage after all.’
As the broadcast drew toward its end, many participants began to grow anxious.
“Why didn’t I appear?”
“I barely made it on screen either.”
“All I got was a quick flash of me crying pathetically.”
With a hundred participants, it was impossible to spotlight them all.
Those who flitted past in group shots got off easy enough.
But some didn’t appear even for a moment.
Though it was somewhat understandable—those participants were simply too unremarkable or incompetent, with no personality to make them worth showing.
‘She’s definitely focusing on the ones who stand out.’
The sailor who’d woven his net like a whip during the Entry Evaluation, dodging traps with precision; the pink-haired girl with the cute face wielding a Great Sword.
The academy’s top student who’d calculated the order of trap appearances to escape the maze.
Among the lower-ranking participants, Morris received the most airtime.
“I’m sorry! I’ll work harder!”
The way he answered so cheerfully despite harsh criticism was certainly endearing.
Custo, too, had gotten a fair amount of screen time.
His Unarmed Combat scenes had been edited brilliantly and moved quickly.
But the real problem lay elsewhere.
“Why did that slave bastard even show up here?”
(Custo’s stern expression)
‘I never looked like that. Why are they making me fit the narrative?’
Custo, who ordinarily ignored whatever anyone said, appeared on screen as if wounded by the crowd’s insults.
It was absurd.
The other problem emerged during the judges’ evaluation.
“It costs quite a bit to reach the Capital, you see. So I spent all my money.”
“I beg your pardon?”
“I even sold my old weapons so I’d have money to buy new ones.”
(Sorrowful music)
Suddenly, mournful music swelled beneath Custo’s words.
Thanks to that, the scene of Ines lowering her head and laughing quietly looked like she was wiping away tears.
It was shameless emotional manipulation.
‘What is this?’
It was editing seasoned with every spice to make viewers accept the slave-born contestant.
But Custo was bewildered.
Unaware that passionate reactions were erupting across the entire nation.
* * *
Please feel free to share your thoughts on Kartamen.
[Discussion] The slave’s situation was so tragic
Sounds like he struggled hard to participate in Kartamen despite having no money
I’m going to treat the slaves well from now on.
– My neighbor too, the one who came from slavery, doesn’t even pay them proper wages. Poor things.
ㄴ You can report that to the authorities and they’ll come arrest him.
ㄴ Sure, he talks all good and kind, but he still calls them by their slave name instead of their real one.
– ★Sensual Fisherman★ Vote for Deni Binou ★
[Chat] In my opinion, only David Berti deserves the Grade 1 rating.
– Agreed.
– Yeah, he should just start with first place.
[Chat] Supposedly nobody was watching this, but look who showed up.
– Right?
– ★Sensual Fisherman★ Vote for Deni Binou ★
[Chat] That slave who beat everyone down bare-handed was so hot.
– Hot and boyish at the same time, that’s unbeatable.
– Still just a slave though.
ㄴ Not a slave, his name is Custo ㅠㅠㅠ Remember the name of the guy who overcame adversity to compete. Please.
ㄴ I want to make him my slave.
[Chat] Picking people like that for Di Eques? We’d be better off just killing them all.
– Come on, that’s not supporting a tyrant even.
ㄴ I think they’re doing this on purpose. Let’s not engage.
– ★Sensual Fisherman★ Vote for Deni Binou ★ㅗㅗ
[Chat] That kid with the Great Sword was so cute. I’m making him my number one from now on.
– He’s got a bad reputation back home though…
ㄴ What kind of reputation?
[Chat] The orphanage director? What did he do with all those kids and just leave by himself?
– ★Sensual Fisherman★ Vote for Deni Binou ★
[Chat] The Two Madmen Ranking: 1. Whip Guy Pierre Simon 2. Crimson-Haired Pavel Surb
– Not crimson, more like pretty pink hair ㅜㅜㅜㅜㅜ
– Who votes for these crazy guys? ㅋㅋ Me, I do.
– The Whip Guy seems out of his mind… but the more I watch, the more drawn in I get… gave him my vote.
[Chat] Why’d that Dmitri XXX even show up? It’s an eyesore.
– Played it cool the whole time and still got Grade 2 ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ
– I still don’t get why they didn’t execute him.
[Chat] Using only his head and not his body, dodging all the traps perfectly and escaping the maze—isn’t that cheating?
– I question why he got a knight ranking at all.
ㄴ If you’re unhappy, go ask them about it.
– Probably because he’s the princess’s knight.
– ★Sensual Fisherman★ Vote for Deni Binou ★
* * *
Three people gathered around a round table.
Emperor Carolus the First, his advisor Duke Frederick, and Princess Edith.
Frederick, the Emperor’s closest aide, reported to him on the broadcast results of Kartamen Episode One.
“The number of Status Tablet registrations fell short of our expectations. Not even a fifth of the entire continent registered.”
The Emperor’s face darkened at those words.
But Princess Edith’s expression remained composed. She had confidence in her planning.
Duke Frederick observed Edith for a moment before continuing his report.
“However, among those who did register their Status Tablets, over ninety percent participated in the voting. That is to say, they watched Kartamen all the way through with complete engagement. This also shows that Your Highness’s editing was highly effective.”
“Ah, Edith. My congratulations.”
At last the Emperor’s face brightened.
Edith smiled modestly.
“It is cause for congratulation for the Empire. Kartamen and Di Eques exist for the Empire’s people, after all.”
“In any case, Your Highness speaks beautifully.”
Duke Frederick spoke as though truly impressed. Yet his expression showed genuine warmth.
“And there is still one more thing I have yet to report.”

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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