Vote for Your Knight! - Chapter 62

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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 62
* * *
“Oh, what do I do? I’m so nervous.”
Brin muttered, his hands trembling visibly.
The final performance was from Group One, which included Kusto.
He was more nervous than when he’d checked the rankings during his academy days.
Ooooo—
The sorrowful yet magnificent music of the Red Heart flowed across the stage.
Dim lighting.
Beneath it, nine horses standing forlornly.
And knights collapsed beside the horses.
It was as though they were recreating the annihilation of Di Eques.
The audience fell silent.
Their concentration was complete.
I will not forget
The red heart you
Offered up
I will remember
Your crumbled
Red heart
In that moment, the dim lighting brightened, and the collapsed knights slowly rose to their feet.
It was as though the fallen Di Eques had been resurrected.
“Waaaaah!”
As they mounted the horses, the music swelled with orchestral richness.
And beneath the brightened lights, obstacles shaped like enemies stood in menacing formation.
The knights and horses faced off against them, then soared effortlessly over the adversaries.
“Amazing! Kusto!”
“What about Dmitri—Dmitri!”
“Did you see Killian? Incredible!”
The seamless Equestrian Skill drew roars from the audience.
But this was only the beginning.
As they gradually varied the simple choreography into something more complex, their intent became clear—
“Brin, this isn’t just a performance, is it?”
“Right, Agnes. It feels like we’re standing in the middle of a battlefield.”
It wasn’t merely honoring the fallen Di Eques.
They were resurrecting them, recreating the noble battle they had fought.
A bitter, tragic arrangement.
And—
Boom!
With every strike of the great drum, the knights brandished their swords, while the horses’ front and hind hooves toppled the enemies.
When Kusto struck down an enemy bare-handed, Dmitri severed its neck with fluid Swordsmanship.
When Killian split an enemy apart with his Axe, Olivier pierced its body with an arrow.
What had begun like the graceful dance of performers.
But as if these resurrected warriors had fully regained their strength, the performance grew more forceful and explosive with each passing moment.
The final, largest enemy figure.
The knights leaped from their horses and surrounded the enemy in a circle.
And in unison, they thrust their weapons—or bare hands—forcefully into it.
I will offer
Upon your grave
My red heart!
Boom!
The final enemy crumbled to the ground.
At the same moment, the final lyrics rang out as the grand music drew to a close.
The lights went dark.
The Circular Arena fell silent for a long moment.
An echo lingered.
And then, after a pause.
“Waaaaaaaaa!”
A thunderous roar erupted, as though it would tear through the sky.
The resurrection of Di Eques.
As if that miracle were unfolding before their very eyes, the entire audience erupted in frenzy.
The knights themselves were taken aback by the sheer intensity of the response.
The lingering power of the stage.
A roar like thunder.
It felt as though their hearts might burst from the sheer exhilaration.
Soon the lights returned to the judges, illuminating their faces as well.
All three of them had flushed cheeks.
“So the resurrected Di Eques takes revenge against the enemies who annihilated them—is that correct?”
Ines asked.
“Yes, that’s right.”
Dmitri answered.
Still riding the aftereffects, his hands trembled slightly.
“Whose audacious imagination conceived such a premise?”
At the cynical question, the knights stiffened.
Dmitri maintained his composure as best he could and replied.
“We all worked on it together.”
“It was magnificent.”
And an unexpected praise came back to them.
While the others stood bewildered, Amont continued with his evaluation.
“I nearly got caught up in the excitement myself. The arrangement in particular was excellent—who composed it?”
“Olivier did.”
At Kusto’s words, all eyes turned toward Olivier.
He lifted his head confidently.
Killian, standing beside him, spoke as though he couldn’t help himself.
“Olivier, as valedictorian of the Royal Academy, was apparently first in music as well, or so I’ve heard.”
“No wonder—the arrangement truly had the touch of a consummate professional.”
Amont nodded in agreement, then flinched. A soft sniffle had escaped from somewhere nearby.
It was Mila.
Her face flushed, she wiped her eyes with the back of her hand, then spoke with overwhelming emotion.
“My heart was truly pounding like mad. It felt as though you all took my vengeance for me, and like you laid to rest the lingering sorrows of those fallen knights of Di Eques. It was genuinely moving.”
It was extraordinary praise.
And here.
There were those who thought they could never offer such praise to a certain person, yet found themselves unable to withhold it.
“Olivier, you’re insane…….”
“Damn it, a top student is a top student…….”
“Seriously, seriously…….”
“So aggravating…….”
They were Brin and Agnes.
Rivals for life.
A insufferable wretch you’d happily chew up.
Olivier Morti.
Yet in this moment, they could not deny his skill, nor his brilliance.
Especially Brin.
“Thanks to Olivier, Kusto’s team will probably get a good evaluation too. So I’ll give credit where it’s due, just this once.”
* * *
“Wow!”
“That was incredible!”
“Great work!”
Cheers poured down on Group One as they returned to the Internal Waiting Room.
They were fellow knights.
They too had watched the Equestrian Performance as audience members.
Only Group Four, their opponents in this round, wore expressions too rigid to relax.
Then the screen changed.
All evaluations have concluded.
Imperial Knights Commanders who have completed your votes are asked to exit in orderly fashion.
The screen remained for roughly an hour before going dark.
The exit appeared to be complete.
Now the voting results would soon be announced.
The knights clenched their sweaty palms.
The screen lit up again momentarily.
It was a display visible only from the Internal Waiting Room.
We will now announce the voting results.
Tense breathing sounded from all corners.

Group 2
Group 5
?
?
First, the Shadow Game team!
Anxiety was etched all over David’s face.
‘I don’t think I’ve ever been this nervous in my life.’
Kartamen had entered this competition to fulfill his brother’s dream.
But the moment it became his own dream as well, this emotion became inevitable.
Morris, sitting beside him, had gone pale.
Even he, who was usually cheerful, couldn’t help but feel the tension in this moment.
“Come now, relax. Take a deep breath.”
“Inhale… exhale… inhale… exhale…”
Behind them, Rafael was helping Pierre with his breathing. It was a sight that showed the director’s seasoned wisdom.
“What if we lose, Shushu?”
“Then we do better next time.”
Deni answered Pavel’s whining without concern.
At those words, all the other team members found courage.
Unaware that Deni’s own hands were drenched with sweat.
Meanwhile, Group 5, the opponent of Group 2, wore a much gloomier atmosphere.
They all clasped their hands together, heads bowed, offering only prayers.
A moment later.
Boom!
With that sound, the question marks transformed into numbers.

Group 2
Group 5
6,432
2,198
“!!!”
Group 2 had won.
Even excluding those who hadn’t voted, the margin was overwhelming.
“Woo-hah!”
Morris, who’d shouted without thinking, quickly clamped his mouth shut.
The atmosphere around Group 5 had grown dark.
The members of Group 2 quietly celebrated their victory by clasping hands with one another.
Next came Groups 3 and 6, who had chosen the Song of Annihilation.
The two groups, which had nothing particularly distinctive, each received votes in the 3,000 range. It was a narrow victory for Group 6.
Finally, it was time to announce the results for the Red Heart team.

Group 1
Group 4
?
?
Kusto, tense, unconsciously reached for his neighbor’s hand.
That hand clasped back firmly, as if to say there was nothing to worry about.
It was Dmitri.
Killian and Olivier also joined in (?) to ease the tension.
“T-there’s n-no need to be nervous. The d-decision’s already been m-made, and s-scientifically speaking, being n-nervous won’t actually ch-change the r-result anyway…”
“Can you just stop talking, Olivier? I’m about to lose my mind with worry.”
That was when it happened.
Boom!
The question marks transformed into numbers.

Group 1
Group 4
8,512
1,009
It was a crushing victory for Group 1.
Moreover, the number of votes cast had exceeded nine thousand for the first time.
“Wow…!”
Though they couldn’t celebrate Group 4’s loss without reserve, Group 1 embraced one another tightly—all of them.
Kusto, Dmitri, Killian, Olivier.
And David, Grimal, Clover, Pavel, even Joan.
Thus Group 1 was confirmed as the team to receive the mysterious Secret Benefit.
The Secret Benefit would be revealed on the day of the rankings announcement.
Though much had happened while preparing for the Equestrian Performance, Group 1 was now, in this moment, wholly unified and boundlessly joyful.
Unaware of what upheaval that Secret Benefit might bring.

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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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