I Became a Dark Knight in the Game

43 – A Rigged…? Duel (2)

Kriel was inwardly confident. The financial power of Mazar Gabi was more than enough to hire a decent fighter.

However, Kriel was a knight of a level that could not be dealt with by a ‘decent’ fighter. And to hire a knight, not only money but also prestige was needed.

After all, it meant serving as a master to whom one would dedicate their sword. A true knight does not serve an unworthy master. Unless it was the head of the Gabi merchant guild himself, Mazar Gabi’s reputation did not reach the level of commanding knights.

[No, hey. Not all knights in this world are as obsessed with chivalry as you are. If you pay enough, they will come out.]

“Gal! A knight who does not follow chivalry cannot be called a true knight.”

Orisin immediately tried to retort. It was a counterattack asking what he would do if he brought a warrior or a wizard instead of a knight. But Orisin’s turn did not come.

[Indeed, it is a righteous statement. You shameless horse-head. Have you not yet realized the world’s truth that a knight who does not know honor is not a knight?]

Orisin, who had opened his mouth and received a pincer attack from both sides, decided to just shut up.

Indeed, from what he had observed so far, Kriel was an overwhelmingly strong (dark) knight. Unless a knight commander came out as an opponent, victory was assured.

*

The Argatlam ducal family was an ancient lineage, and that deep history was imbued in most of the buildings in the duchy.

Surprisingly, inside the duchy’s courthouse, there was a separate ‘dueling room’ for trial by combat. It had existed since the time when trial by combat was practically conducted. The dueling room looked like a shrunken version of a circular arena with a court podium added.

Kriel and Armed had arrived first and were waiting for Mazar Gabi’s arrival. The inquisitor, who seemed more lively than before, perhaps looking forward to the fight, was standing at the judge’s seat, which would be the judge’s seat in a regular court.

Since it was a secret trial, there were no particular spectators, but the priest Daucrius, who had come as a witness, was sitting in the audience. He was smiling broadly, holding jerky, as if he had no intention of hiding his anticipation.

The inquisitor checked the time.

“Ten minutes until the duel begins. If Mazar Gabi or Mazar Gabi’s champion does not arrive within ten minutes after the start time, this trial will be won by the defendant.”

Guuung─

Mazar Gabi appeared, pushing open the old door.

“There’s no need for that.”

Kriel noted Gabi’s attire. No armor, no weapons. It seemed he did not intend to participate directly, perhaps planning to minimize the hiring cost by forfeiting the duel.

“Plaintiff Mazar Gabi. Do you intend to participate in the duel?”

“I have hired a champion. Come in!”

Click. The sound of footsteps walking down the courthouse corridor. Kriel was surprised by how small the echo was. The footsteps did not feel heavy.

If they were wearing armor, they must have cast a lightening spell. If it was a warrior who could use such equipment, he had to be wary, and even if it was someone who came lightly dressed, he could not let his guard down.

‘A wizard?’

The figure of Gabi’s champion appeared beyond the door. A simple black priest’s robe. But it gave an impression of cleanliness rather than shabbiness. Despite the rather loose attire, the way they walked briskly and the clean lines of their body suggested that the body hidden under the clothes had undergone considerable training.

What stood out the most was the black veil on their head. The black priest’s robe with the added dark veil looked like mourning clothes.

As soon as Kriel saw the champion’s appearance, he felt an indescribable sense of foreboding.

“Hey, Gabi! Isn’t this cowardly?”

“What do you mean, Miss Armed?”

“Since I couldn’t find a proper opponent to fight, it’s a strategy to attack my honor as a knight! That delicate priest can hardly fight!”

Kriel cautiously reached out to restrain Armed. The aura emanating from that priest was too intense to be described as delicate.

“I do not use such lowly means.”

The judge asked Gabi’s champion one last time if he intended to resign from his position. The priest silently shook his head.

Priest Daucrius murmured in admiration, “Oh, I thought the saintess was too easily swayed, but indeed, such a brilliant plan!”

It meant she had come to deal with the heretic herself. Daucrius sensed that the fight would be more enjoyable than expected.

‘Wait a minute. I ordered Sir Kriel to fight and win for our order, didn’t I?’

Priest Daucrius fell into deep contemplation. Whether the champion defeated the saintess or the saintess defeated the champion, it would be a loss for Eve Kaha.

However, he soon realized that a loss for Eve Kaha in either case would also mean a victory for Eve Kaha, so Daucrius stopped thinking further.

“Truly, this is faithful to the essence of a trial by combat! The one whom Eve Kaha cherishes more shall win!”

Daucrius regretted not bringing a beer.

*

“Both parties, to the first line.”

At both ends of the dueling arena, composed of solid flagstones, there were lines engraved in the stone. These lines were to regulate the distance between the duelists.

If the weapons of the duelists had different ranges, like bows or swords, the starting distance would be adjusted to ensure a fair duel. However, in this duel, neither side expressed a desire to adjust the distance, so the duel began at the standard line.

“Artifacts are allowed. The outcome will be decided when one of the two admits defeat or is rendered unable to fight. Keep in mind that the rule is not to wound the opponent first, as in a typical duel.”

The judge observed the two from the judge’s seat. A sharp atmosphere surrounded both sides.

“Ready.”

Three, two, one.

“Duel, commence!”

Somehow, the pressure from the opponent was immense. Kriel calmly raised his greatsword to his forehead, aiming at the opponent. It was a stance to intercept the incoming attack.

Kriel saw the priest raise his right hand to his mouth. Then he swung his hand downward to the lower right.

A vivid drop of blood was visible. It was obscured by the veil, so it wasn’t clear what had happened.

But Kriel could bet his entire fortune that the priest had cut his palm with his fangs to draw blood. Among the scattered drops of blood, red divine power coalesced into a single form.

A red mace.

“Damn it!”

Kriel quickly channeled his energy into the champion’s insignia. Fighting that person barehanded was reckless.

But it was too late. Leaving a red afterimage, the priest swiftly closed in on Kriel’s eyes. The descending mace. The greatsword, tilted obliquely, deflected the mace.

At the same time as the noise of the two weapons clashing for the first time, Kriel began to don his armor. He couldn’t understand why that person was rampaging here and now.

“What the hell is this─”

Before he could finish his sentence, the veiled priest’s attack continued. This time, it was the left hand. At some point, blood had also been drawn from the left hand, and a flail was gripped in it.

However, it was different in appearance from the flail in the right hand. While the flail in the right hand was a straight line, the flail in the left hand was a chain flail, with the end weight connected to the handle by a chain.

The fierce attack continued. Two red lines were drawn from the ends of the priest’s hands.

The line drawn by the right hand was straight. It had the power to rival the greatsword wielded by Kriel, matching strength with strength.

The left hand, on the other hand, drew a curve. It did not mean it was soft. The end of the chain flail was viciously spiked, and it dug into the gap left by the greatsword meeting the straight line on the right.

The straight and curved lines intertwined endlessly, eventually appearing as a red storm. By the time Kriel blocked five attacks aimed at his vital points, the armor was fully equipped.

“Hmm…”

The inquisitor hesitated whether to report this ominous sight, but Priest Dawkris reassured him with a raised hand, so he kept his mouth shut for now.

The veiled priest saw this and tilted her head from side to side. The cracking sound echoed menacingly.

Behind her, the divine power began to take shape like a halo. A raven.

It was the raven that had persistently tormented Orisin in the holy city of Temris. By now, Orisin could not fail to recognize it.

[Oh, damn?]

The divine ravens charged at Kriel. The flapping birds flew at Kriel from behind, above, and below.

The gusts of wind raised by the greatsword scattered the forms of the ravens, but it could not destroy them all. The raven that pecked at Kriel’s armor exploded in the next moment.

Thanks to the armor’s outstanding performance, the impact was not great, but the mist-like remnants were enough to obscure physical vision. Ordinary smoke would not be able to block Kriel’s sight.

But the divine power that made up the ravens was enough to obscure the dark knight’s vision.

Kriel heard Morgina’s footsteps approaching. The sound of the flail cutting through the air. He adjusted his stance to match the sound. The blade of the greatsword accurately deflected the flail, and the chain flail bounced off the gauntlet of his raised right hand.

“Wait, Morgina!”

Kriel shouted the name of the veiled priest.

Morgina responded with her veil still on.

“Hey. I was planning to lose after fighting moderately.”

Mazar Gabi’s expression twisted strangely. It was a mix of bewilderment and incredulity.

“Isn’t it inhumane to say you’re protecting him while wearing that armor?”

It was the armor I made for you. Morgina swallowed the words she couldn’t bring herself to say.

“Because you were so determined to charge at me──”

The talk of ‘love’ did not come up first. Morgina was greatly relieved.

Considering Kriel’s stubborn personality, if he had really stepped forward to protect his beloved fiancée, he would have said something like ‘I must win for the happiness of my beloved’ rather than ‘I wore the armor because you were determined to fight seriously.’

‘Then it is highly likely that this is a fake engagement commotion as I expected─’

At that moment, Morgina saw the face of Armed behind Kriel. The look in Armed’s eyes as he gazed at Kriel was all too familiar.

It was the same look he saw in the mirror every day.

“Ha, yeah. Even in chivalric novels, knights often lacked loyalty. They spread scandals while claiming to be in romance. No, the frivolous ones are on the other side.”

Even if Criel didn’t know, the other side was serious. So, he couldn’t let them feel at ease here.

“What?”

A clear, but chilling laugh echoed.

“Your lady has come to discipline you, you brat!”