Vote for Your Knight! - Chapter 24

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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 24
Kartamen participants gathered in the Training Ground, chattering and milling about.
And then—
“Amusing. You still have the mind to make noise right now.”
With Amont’s cold remark, the faces of the stiffened participants flashed past.
What followed was a hellish Swordsmanship practice scene.
“Does this even make sense? You claim to be some genius who learns a Sword Form after seeing it once…….”
“This seems too harsh, honestly. I really trained hard for this, and this is just…….”
Within the video transmission device, the image of participants stumbling through their forms.
The sound of nobility struggling to suppress their laughter echoed.
Even as they fumbled, their expressions remained deadly serious.
Among those struggling forms, admiration leaked out at the sight of several notably graceful participants.
“My, Morris looks handsome even while stumbling…….”
The young noblewoman, who had been pretending innocence as though it were the opinion of a domain resident, quickly clamped her mouth shut.
And then—
“I can’t fathom why he’s ranked Grade 2. Looking at him now, he’s clearly a solid Grade 5.”
Kusto, bearing the brunt of the insult, wrestled with his thoughts.
After hesitating, he approached someone.
“If it wouldn’t be too much trouble, I’d be grateful if you could help me improve my Swordsmanship.”
“You’re…… asking me?”
“?”
“You’re asking to learn…… from me?”
The image ended with Dmitri’s expression—bewildered yet pleased—as his last moment on screen.
“Ah……!”
“If you cut it off here……!”
The nobles sighed in disappointment.
Soon they composed themselves and quickly grew serious.
“……Our servants will be left wanting.”
“Our domain residents will be curious, I imagine.”
Edit smiled brightly.
“The gift I gave you is a Portable Video Transmission Device. Since it’s made with low-grade Magic Stone, it has the advantage of costing nothing, but for now it can only hold short preview footage.”
“A preview…… you say?”
“Yes. The scene you just saw is the preview for the next episode of Kartamen.”
The nobles were taken aback.
They were already amazed at broadcasting Kartamen from the Plaza, but she’d prepared a preview too!
And in such a short span of time, she’d created this new magical device.
“I’ll be distributing these to the common folk as well. Everyone, look forward to the next episode!”
* * *
“Have you seen this?”
Morris burst into Dmitri’s home without warning, waving a round stone as he spoke.
Beside him, Pavel gazed curiously around the house, while Deni bore the unmistakable expression of someone who’d been dragged along.
“What is that?”
Instead of the flustered Dmitri, Kusto asked.
“Thought you wouldn’t know. That’s why I brought it!”
The moment Kusto received the stone, the preview for Kartamen Episode 2 began playing.
Dmitri’s face flushed after watching the preview. Meanwhile, Kusto’s face crumpled.
“Making me look pathetic again…….”
“What are you talking about? I came out as a complete mess.”
Morris laughed freely and gave Kusto’s back a hearty pat.
Kusto flinched at the casual contact.
“But what brings you here?”
Dmitri asked.
Then Pavel spoke with a bright smile.
“We thought we’d go watch the Founding Festival together. We went to find Kusto first, but the lodging manager said he’d gone with you, so we came here.”
“But why would you…….”
“Why? Our team match was fun!”
As Dmitri posed his bewildered question, Pavel tilted his head and replied instead.
It seemed clear that Pavel and Morris were leading this endeavor.
True to their word, today was the first day of the Founding Festival.
“We have to do a Sword Exhibition tomorrow, so we’re busy too. If not today, we won’t get to enjoy it.”
“But I…….”
That was when it happened.
Deni tossed his Robe to the hesitating Dmitri.
“Wear this. Then people won’t know it’s you. Well, I don’t really mind being seen around with you anyway.”
At Deni’s words, Dmitri hesitated for a moment, then quickly pulled the Robe over his shoulders.
* * *
The Plaza was packed with crowds.
The restaurants were so full it was nearly impossible to find a seat.
They barely managed to claim a single outdoor table.
Everyone wore a Flower Garland around their neck.
It was one they’d been handing out on the street.
Pavel, in particular, had already set a Flower Crown on his head quite neatly.
With another Flower Crown in his hand, he seized every opportunity to try placing it on Deni’s head with all his effort.
“Please get that away from me.”
“Just once.”
“I’d sooner wear a sword around my neck.”
When Deni spoke with grim finality, Pavel looked dejected.
Then Morris quickly offered his head instead.
Pavel grinned and placed the Flower Crown on his head.
“I didn’t realize there would be this many people.”
When Kusto returned with drinks, Dmitri spoke.
Morris asked playfully.
“Is this your first Founding Festival?”
“Yes.”
Dmitri answered curtly.
Morris, who had thrown out the joke, fell silent.
That was when voices from nearby became clearly audible.
“Kartamen is truly legendary. Did you see they put Dmitri’s face right in the preview?”
The table where Dmitri sat fell quiet.
The man talking, unaware that the subject himself was behind him, continued chattering with the woman who’d come with him.
“Still, I saw Dmitri again. He seems unexpectedly tender-hearted.”
“Tender-hearted? Who would vote for someone like that?”
“Me.”
“Huh?”
“I voted for him.”
……
When the table behind them fell silent, a sigh of relief escaped from Kusto’s table.
Then they began poking Dmitri gently, one after another.
* * *
The second floor of the Cafe at the entrance to the Plaza.
David sat on the terrace, gazing down at the festival procession.
“Your Grace, I knew you were beautiful, but I didn’t realize your martial prowess was so extraordinary. The way you wielded your sword with Kartamen was graceful as a dance.”
“That Kartamen has come to be spoken of so widely is thanks to Your Grace.”
The young nobles seated beside him spoke thus.
It seemed like flattery at first glance, but their eyes blazed with sincerity as they spoke.
David wore an uncomfortable, embarrassed smile.
“Your words are kind, but you praise me too highly. There are many other fine participants, after all.”
“That is not so. Did you see the preview? You stood out distinctly among wooden-puppet-like contestants.”
“I haven’t seen the preview, so I wouldn’t know.”
“I shall see to it that my entire household, and even my servants, cast a vote for Your Grace.”
“That’s not necessary. Everyone should vote for whomever they wish.”
David, speaking with such discretion, was the very model of knighthood that young nobles would follow.
“Then I suppose we should take our leave.”
“Ah, already…….”
“Won’t you stay a little longer?”
“Forgive me.”
Having concluded the brief fan meeting, David turned and slowly climbed into his carriage.
‘Am I really all that?’
David tilted his head quizzically and drew a Magic Stone from his pocket.
It was a Portable Video Transmission Device containing a Kartamen preview.
“…….”
Unlike the pretense he’d shown, he’d already watched the preview so many times he had it memorized.
David played the worn preview again.
He caught every fleeting glimpse of himself on screen, absorbing each detail.
“Surprisingly, my left profile looks better. I’ll have to make sure they film that side from now on.”
Muttering contentedly, David picked up the newspapers laid beside him.
They all carried articles about Kartamen.
David read through the papers carefully before heading home.
* * *
The Founding Festival was a celebration centered on the First Emperor and De Eques.
They had defeated the neighboring kingdoms and monsters to establish the Empire.
Therefore, the Sword Exhibition held on the second day of the Founding Festival was among the most anticipated events.
Knights who were objects of admiration.
It was a rare opportunity to witness their magnificent prowess.
Rare enough already, it hadn’t been held for years because of the tyrant.
And now this exhibition was being revived this year!
The common people were brimming with anticipation.
Thinking they’d finally see the Valkyria.
‘Are we really allowed to do this?’
Only then did Kusto feel the weight of worry.
But they’d already arrived at the central Plaza where the Sword Exhibition would take place.
It was too late for second thoughts.
The area around the Plaza was under lockdown until the exhibition began.
It was for rehearsal purposes.
A diamond-shaped stage had been erected in the Plaza.
The stage’s center was the highest point, descending gradually toward the edges.
David occupied the highest position.
Kusto, being Grade 1, took the second-highest position.
In other words, higher grades claimed higher positions on the stage.
“Rest is over! We’re resuming practice!”
At Amont’s shout, Kusto snapped to attention.
“This is killing me. How much longer do we have to keep going?”
“At this rate, someone’s going to collapse before we even start.”
“Look, someone’s already down over there.”
The participants were breathing hard, exhaustion weighing on them.
Even Kusto had to admit it was grueling.
Among the Grade 5 participants, many couldn’t even straighten their knees despite the practice having begun.
‘But we need to drill like this. Otherwise we won’t be able to synchronize our movements.’
If all these participants executed their Swordsmanship in perfect unison, it would be quite a spectacle.
With Armor sorted by grade, it would only add to the visual impact.
“One more round of practice, then we rest! After that, it’s straight to the actual performance, so everyone to your positions!”

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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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