172 CHAPTER XX The New Brave and Princess Takashi ⑤ (2/2)

Instead of a brave man, you have Horst. Didn't you defeat the Witch King without the famous sage?　Then, even if you don't have any brave men, with the next Sword Saint Horst, you can at least defeat the Empire.

Yes, sir. If you had my power, the Empire would be a cakewalk.

So he's the next great swordsman. Does that mean that he is Aaron's grandson?

But still, don't tell me what to do.

If you can win on your own, you wouldn't have invited me to this world in the first place.

Well, now that I've met Elaine, I'm not that angry about being brought into this world.

”Well said, Horst. Well said, Horst.” ”I have high hopes for you. Ookura, the easternmost point of the Nissi ...... empire. All that good food over there will be mine.

Wow ...... This guy is the very villain who is going to get beaten up early on by the words he's saying.

You definitely don't want to be on this guy's side .

The only thing I can think of is that I'm not going to resign my position as a brave man or play your cook, so why don't you just leave?

I'm tired from the training. I'm tired.

Haha ...... I'm asking so nicely.

This is polite?　You need to learn the word ”polite” before you come back to me!　No, I don't want you to come back.

Are you concerned about your sister Elaine?　Then why bother?

Hmm?　What does that mean?

She doesn't like you at all. All she cares about is jewelry. Some would say she's a jewel-crazed princess. I have to marry you to become the next queen, so I'm forced to flirt with you. And I don't want Leeds to take you away from me.

Say Rees, do you guys only have a gem of an image for Elaine?

The Hélène I know isn't that much of a jewelry idiot, you know?

Well, that's a good thing: ......

What do you mean I can't be queen if I don't marry you?

That's the first I've heard of it?

It's easy. You're a brave man, I don't know if you're really strong, but you're a symbol of strength to the kingdom. The kingdom needs you to stay. But the Empire took it from us last time. So now he wants to tie you to the kingdom by marrying you to Hélène. You can't escape to another country once you're king, can you?

Heh. ......

Okay. So Hélène is trying to get me to fall in love with her.

So. If the king hates her, she fails to live up to his expectations. And if Leeds got married to you, she'd be useless to you for sure.

Ah, so that's why Leeds was so hot on my trail, so she could use me to get to be queen.

I knew it was right to distrust that guy.

That's right. So, how do you plan on being king?

I told you that in the beginning. All you have to do is tell the king that you're a useless hero. If you tell the king that you're a useless hero, then your father will know that your sister's summoning spell was a mistake. Then you'll lose all your sister's trust and thwart Leeds' plan to use you to become king.

Yeah. Yeah.

I'm so grateful to hear you spill your guts to me.

It's good to know a lot of things about your soon-to-be opponent.

Oh, now you understand.

No. I'm not going to quit being a hero.

Really, thank you for the information. I'll put it to good use.

What?　You don't know how terrible your sister's character is, so you can say that!　If I'm going to marry someone like that, I'll find a better woman for you.

No. And if you say anything bad about Hélène, I'll hit you, okay?

I got mad at Elaine for making fun of me, and I glared at the fat guy in front of me .

”d*mn it ...... no. She's already brainwashed by your sister.

You can't brainwash me. I was in love with Hélène long before I ever had a conversation with her!

”Your Highness. Isn't that what we expected? We'll switch to a backup plan.

'Oh!　That's right. That's right.　Good job, Horst!

A backup plan?

What now?

From the grin on Horst's face, he looks like he's thinking about a lot of trouble: .......

'You, duel with Horst in front of your father.

What?　It doesn't matter.

Whoa. You don't have a veto. This is a test to see if you really have the power to be a hero.

d*mn it ...... that's what it is.

If I lose, then Hélène's reputation will suffer. But if I say no, it will cast doubt on my strength.

Well thought out: .......

What do you think?　It's not too late, okay?　Will you turn down the brave?

I would never do that.

I just don't want to walk away from Hélène and join you, even if it kills me.

So you're okay with a duel?

One year. ...... One year later.

A year later?

Yeah, I need a year to get used to this. You guys don't want me to make excuses for you if you win, do you?

It was the only condition I could squeeze out of it.

Originally, Elaine had been waiting for me for a year, and that's the limit.

''That's true, too: ...... Horst, are you okay?''

”Yes, sir. I'm always good. Besides, if the brave ones weren't so great, they wouldn't be able to surpass me in a year or so.

Horst replied to Debbie, smirking at me .

'These guys are really disgusting.

Oh, well. Well, see you in a year. I'll see you one year later. Next year, you better be prepared not to cry if you lose big!

Enjoy it while it lasts. Next year, you'll cry.

As I watched the two of them leave, I fired up my will to fight.

I won't let them win, not for Hélène.

It's going to be better than ever.