Vote for Your Knight! - Chapter 20

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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!
Episode 20
“I’ll choose to join Dmitri’s team.”
“Dmitri’s team, I’m pushing for the Driver position!”
With the odds of becoming a Hunting Dog cut in half, capable participants began volunteering for Dmitri’s team.
Abandoning the teams they’d already chosen.
Once a handful started switching, the competition for spots on Dmitri’s now-strengthened team only intensified.
A reversal, plain and simple.
When the dust settled, Dmitri was Leader.
Seed: Deni.
Driver: Pavel.
Hunting Dog: Kusto.
And the final Hunting Dog was—
“I’m probably the first participant to push my way into the Hunting Dog position, aren’t I?”
Maurice took the role.
“Has anyone here actually hunted before?”
“Yes!”
Only Maurice answered Dmitri’s question with confidence.
The atmosphere went cold.
“So it’s just me and Maurice who have any hunting experience?”
Pavel raised his hand hesitantly.
“I don’t enjoy hunting, so…”
“Fishing isn’t hunting.”
Deni spoke in a low voice.
Dmitri’s eyes turned to Kusto with something like despair.
Kusto shrugged.
“I’ve hunted plenty of pirates, though.”
Dmitri and Maurice pressed their heads into their hands.
But they didn’t realize it.
How fortunate they were to have Hunting Dogs like Kusto and Maurice.
The other teams were in chaos over the Hunting Dog position.
“I’m a decent archer, but dead animals horrify me—I can’t even look at them. I’d rather be Seed, Seed!”
“For religious reasons, the Hunting Dog role is… difficult for me.”
“Let’s settle this with a contest!”
“What contest? We already did the elimination rounds before we came in. Let’s just get started, yeah?”
Everyone erupted into fierce debate trying to avoid the Hunting Dog position.
With the Image Orb recording, harsh language was kept at bay.
But cutting remarks dressed up with smiles cut all the deeper.
The conflict was especially bitter in Rafael’s team.
Because Kilman, whose rank had dropped, was assigned the Hunting Dog role.
“I know my rank is low now, but you all know my actual skill level isn’t Hunting Dog material. For the team’s sake, I should be the Leader.”
“But I chose Leader first—why should I step aside? You can’t push me out on rank alone, can you?”
The participant who’d chosen the Leader role objected strenuously.
As the argument threatened to drag on, Rafael stepped in.
“Then let’s decide it by vote.”
“A vote?”
“Why bother with voting? Let’s just do what’s best for the team.”
Kilman said it with derision.
But Rafael, contrary to his usual image, was resolute.
“The Eques is chosen by the people’s vote, after all. Why don’t we choose our Leader the same way?”
When he stepped forward with such firm conviction, even Kilman flinched.
There was something in his presence—a charisma that made defying him feel like courting a beating.
The leadership that had once held the Orphanage’s adolescents in his grasp shone through.
In the end, everyone except Kilman nodded in agreement.
Even Kilman had no choice but to comply.
“Those who think the original Leader should stay, raise your hands! Next—those who think Kilman should become Leader!”
Four to one.
Everyone but Kilman wanted the original Leader to remain.
“I’m sorry, Kilman. That’s just how it is.”
“I made that suggestion for the team’s sake. If you regret it later, I’m not responsible.”
Kilman was about to shout when he caught sight of a bird drifting lazily through the air and spoke quietly instead.
The bird was a Magic Tool with Image Orbs embedded in both eyes.
David’s team, by contrast, was in high spirits.
“Hunting has been my Lord’s long-standing hobby. I have always served faithfully as a Seed.”
“I’ve hunted for my own food during my mercenary days as well.”
Pierre, who came from a butler background, and Killian, who came from a mercenary background, spoke in turn.
They were taking on the roles of Seed and Driver respectively.
“We have also hunted before. But if Your Grace David so commands, we will do anything.”
“I’ll do anything too!”
The lower-ranked participants who handled the Hunting Dogs were all David’s followers, so there was no real friction.
“Everyone’s confirmed their teammates’ faces?”
Edit asked.
“Yes!”
“Then let’s begin the game where each team selects their hunting zone and bait!”
There were four hunting zones in total.
Five teams entered each zone and competed.
A Deer Monster was worth ten points per kill.
A Wild Boar Monster was worth seven points.
A Fox Monster was worth five points.
A Rabbit Monster was worth two points.
“After this evaluation, there will be a ranking ceremony where the Citizens vote to determine the final standings.”
“Gasp!”
The participants caught their breath.
“But that’s not all. Additional benefits will be awarded based on the results of this competition.”
At the mention of benefits, the participants began to murmur among themselves.
“The first-place team in each zone receives 10,000 votes, second place receives 5,000 votes, third place receives 2,500 votes, fourth place receives 1,000 votes, and fifth place receives 0 votes.”
With no way of knowing how many votes the Citizens would cast,
taking first place in this competition significantly improved the chances of survival.
And the starting point for victory was precisely this game of ‘selecting a zone and bait.’
Servants unfolded a large piece of paper showing a map divided by zones.
Then they set up placards in front.
There were twenty placards in total, color-coded by zone from Zone 1 to Zone 4.
The size and location of each zone were roughly equivalent.
Dmitri whispered.
“We need to choose the zone with the river running through it. Monsters will gather there to drink.”
“Good. Zone 2 then.”
Kusto nodded in agreement.
The other teams also huddled and made their own plans.
“Everyone, we’ll start the game now. The event is…… Running!”
It was the simplest and most primal competition imaginable.
“Who on our team is the fastest runner?”
“I’ll go.”
At Dmitri’s words, Kusto’s hand shot up.
“Will you be all right?”
Maurice asked. Kusto nodded.
“Given where I come from, I’m confident in running away.”
Without hesitation, he stepped forward, leaving his bewildered teammates behind.
He glanced to the side.
The runners from the other teams were faces he recognized—David, Kilman, and a few others.
“Ready, and go!”
At Edit’s command, the runners tore forward like madmen.
The ground was thick with dust from their speed.
Kusto was the first to seize the Zone 2 placard.
David came next, and Kilman managed to snatch one of the remaining Zone 2 placards at the last moment.
Most teams wanted Zone 2, and there were attempts to snatch the placards, but most failed and they pivoted to other zones.
“Wow, Kusto! Incredible!”
“Ha ha, you pulled it off!”
Kusto, returning triumphantly to his seat, flinched.
Pavel was looking up at him with a bright, guileless smile.
Kusto spoke as gently as he could manage, but with unmistakable firmness.
“You don’t need to call me that.”
“But…….”
Edit chose that moment to speak.
“Everyone, peel off the paper attached to the placard you selected. Your bait is written on the back!”
There was paper on the placard?
The participants scrambled to tear it away.
“Whoa! Deer Monster Bait Scent!”
“Wild Boar Bait Scent—not bad at all!”
“Ah, Fox Bait…….”
Cheers and sighs erupted from all corners at once.
And Dmitri’s team had—
[ Rabbit Monster Bait Scent ]

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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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