Vote for Your Knight! - Chapter 30

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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 30
“Dmitri Kassel!”
Dmitri’s eyes widened.
He turned to Edith, disbelieving.
She smiled and nodded at him.
‘I really… I’m ranked fifty-fourth?’
I didn’t get eliminated?
Kilman, unable to accept reality, collapsed beside him.
“Participant ranked fifty-fourth, please take your seat.”
At Edith’s words, Dmitri finally came to his senses.
But his mind remained foggy even as he sat down.
He couldn’t believe what was happening.
The situation felt surreal.
‘Why… how could anyone…’
A flood of gazes descended upon him as he took his seat.
Envy and displeasure, or pity and encouragement.
But none of it mattered to Dmitri.
Fifty-fourth place.
Barely scraping by.
Perhaps he’d fall next time. Probably, in fact.
But he didn’t care.
‘The people chose me.’
He began to smile, slowly and clumsily.
“All of you—the survivors and those who’ve been eliminated—thank you for your efforts.”
Edith bowed deeply to everyone.
All the participants were startled by the princess’s respectful greeting.
Some shot to their feet, others bowed in return, and a few even pressed their foreheads to the ground.
It was clear how much Edith respected those who had competed.
“As Kartamen initially announced, the survivors of the first Ranking Selection Ceremony will be given the opportunity to receive Knight Knighthood. The ceremony itself will be presided over personally by His Imperial Majesty.”
The bewildered survivors erupted in cheers.
The reason the Empire had no true Knights anymore was that the Tyrant had slaughtered them all.
But that wasn’t the whole story.
Many feared being dragged away by the Tyrant if they became Knights.
And they didn’t want to receive knighthood from a tyrant.
For various such reasons, fewer and fewer people sought Knight Knighthood.
But a proper Knight ceremony under the new Emperor was actually happening!
And they would be the first to benefit from it!
Beyond the celebrating survivors, the eliminated participants couldn’t hide their envy.
“Thus concludes the first Kartamen Ranking Selection Ceremony!”
* * *
Kartamen 1st Ranking Selection Ceremony Spoilers
DmD 1st place
That red-haired one 10th place
(Heard the fisherman cried after getting eliminated)
Academy top student 3rd place
And there’s a shocking elimination
It’s gonna be chaos when it airs
– No proof = what are you?
– I could post stuff like this too
– Pavel def wasn’t 10th though…
– What about Kusto?? He survived???
ㄴ Already packed his bags from the dorm supposedly?
– I hate that Academy guy. Can’t fight worth a damn but 3rd place from being top student lol
ㄴ 22222 so annoying
Norman Possi.
He was a columnist for one of the Empire’s finest newspapers, Justice and Truth Daily.
Recently, he found himself visiting the Plaza more often.
It was to monitor public reaction to Kartamen via his Tablet.
‘These commoners, not knowing their station, yet daring to chatter on about Kartamen. I can’t bear how they’ve made it so vulgar.’
After gauging everyone’s reactions, he returned home and quickly drafted a column.
It was filled with scathing criticism of Kartamen.

* * *
Edith emerged from the basement with a haggard expression.
The Tablet system had crashed at dawn, and she’d had to repair it.
‘People left so many comments. It’s good, but…….’
The spark had been a spoiler about the rankings posted by someone spreading false information.
From there, rumors sprouted up like weeds.
Some of them were true, and her heart sank.
‘Is there an insider leaking spoilers?’
If so, she’d have to find them.
The culprit could be a staff member involved in running Kartamen, or one of the participants.
She decided to approach it carefully.
In any case, the people were so excited about the rankings and eliminations that they’d flooded the Tablet with comments.
As a result, the system crashed.
She’d barely managed to fix it, but if things continued like this, the system would fail far more severely on the actual day of the Ranking Selection Ceremony broadcast.
‘I’ll need to expand the system.’
She was already in the middle of creating other magical devices using Communication Magic Devices, and now her workload had increased.
It seemed she’d have to hire more assistants to work with her on Alchemy research.
“Your Highness, the morning papers.”
Just as she was about to rest, her attendant arrived with an armful of newspapers.
“Thank you. You worked hard.”
Edith accepted them without complaint. After all, she’d been the one who’d asked for them to be brought to her.
Every front page carried news of Kartamen.
‘There are still more bad articles than good ones.’
She’d anticipated pushback from the established media.
She paid it little mind and read through the papers carefully.
Still, the tabloids had interesting pieces—organizing participants by tier and other such content.
But the opinion journals were mostly filled with scathing columns.
What caught her eye especially was Norman Possi’s column.

‘That talent for provocative headlines is really something.’
Truly enviable.
The problem was that this man’s influence over the media world was enormous.
‘I don’t care what anyone else thinks, but I’d like to change Norman’s mind.’
But how?
As Edith sat there wrestling with the problem, a brilliant idea suddenly came to her.
‘Yes, that’s exactly how I’ll do it!’
* * *
After the nerve-wracking Ranking Selection Ceremony concluded, the survivors were given a rest period.
This time, it was quite a lengthy one.
But there was one Team Mission.
Five or more people had to pair up, watch episode 3 together, and record it on a Video Recording Device!
The mission condition was simple: don’t let your identity be revealed!
If they were exposed, the Plaza could fall into chaos.
The reason for this mission was that episodes 3 and 4 would air during the rest period.
Episode 3 would contain the first evaluation and the Hunting Team Mission.
Episode 4 would feature Swordsmanship demonstrations, mini-games, and the Ranking Selection Ceremony.
‘Episode 4’s content might be a bit short.’
So Edith planned to air footage of the participants watching Kartamen together on episode 4 as well.
Each participant had been given a small Video Recording Device.
“Are we staying at Dmitri’s place again this time?”
Before heading back after the Ranking Selection Ceremony.
David asked Kusto.
Light of joy still lingered in Kusto’s expression.
It was quite a pleasant sight.
‘I wonder if my face looks like that right now?’
Entertaining that thought, David waited for Kusto’s answer.
Unfortunately, Kusto nodded in affirmation.
“Dmitri—that man can’t be left alone.”
“Can’t be left alone?”
“It’s like that sometimes.”
David’s brow furrowed.
That was when it happened.
Maurice suddenly appeared behind Kusto and threw a rough arm around his shoulders.
“Ugh! What are you doing?”
“You’re saying we can’t be this close with each other?”
“We’re being formal with each other?”
“Then let’s drop it from now on. Or rather, let’s do it!”
“I must decline.”
What are they doing in front of me?
‘But he dropped the formality with me. So he’s keeping it formal with that one, I see.’
David felt oddly pleased.
Maurice then flashed a bright smile and bowed respectfully.
“Duke David, if you wouldn’t mind, would you watch Episode 3 with us as well? I happen to know a quiet plaza where fewer people gather. If you’d like, I’d be honored to show you the way.”
David could guess where that was.
It was because he’d been sneaking looks there himself.
“Really? So Duke David is joining us to watch too?”
Just then, Pavel bounced out from behind Maurice, clutching Deni’s hand—which was as large as a pot lid. Maurice quickly nodded in agreement.
“That’s right! That’s what he said.”
“Wow!”
I never said that.
Regardless, David found himself swept along to watch Episode 3 with them.
* * *
Right on schedule, the preview for Episode 3 played.
A corrupted forest, unfolding in Liquea!
A hunt staking pride itself!
A Team Mission requiring teamwork!
But…!
“You want me to be a hunting dog? I’d rather just not do this at all.”
(A participant suddenly bolts from their seat.)
“Oh god… I don’t know how to face my parents. A hunting dog position? Bringing shame on the family, sob, like this.”
(A sobbing participant)
Teamwork crumbles in places…!
(Kusto draws the rabbit Magical Beast bait scent.)
(Teammates fail to hide their disappointment.)
(Meanwhile, another team draws the deer Magical Beast bait scent and cheers, spirits high.)
And…!
“Help me! Get me out! Someone help!”
(Video Recording Device illuminates a dark pit.)
(Raphael and Joan’s tense faces flash past.)
Someone has fallen into a trap!
What will be the outcome of this team’s evaluation?

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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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