NOVEL NEXT Chapter 97
“Johann, look! It’s pretty!”
Even when told not to run, Millia dashed ahead with her sparkling eyes towards a stall. The grip on my sleeve tightened.
Elisa, who usually appeared to lack confidence, seemed overwhelmed by the crowd at the market, so I pulled her hand along to ensure she wouldn’t get swept away.
“Stay close.”
“Uh, um, ah, eek…”
I guess expecting a coherent response from Elisa is still a long shot. I headed towards the stall where Millia had sprinted off. Upon closer inspection, it turned out to be a place selling various accessories. They didn’t look high quality, but there was something charming about them.
“Millia. Didn’t I tell you not to wander off alone?”
“Hehe. Sorry… but I wanted to see!”
“At least say something before you leave.”
“C-customer…”
A strange voice called to me. Curious, I turned to find a middle-aged woman, clearly the stall owner, waving at me.
And suddenly, my surroundings felt lighter.
…I could already guess what was happening.
“I sense a misunderstanding here…”
Just as I reached for my pendant to prove I was a knight.
“You! How dare you cause a ruckus here in Kalon!”
What the heck is going on? I couldn’t help but click my tongue at the guards in familiar armor. This isn’t the kind of scenario I imagined—more like something straight out of a cartoon.
“If you surrender willingly, we might go easy on you…? Sir Knight?”
Awkward stares exchanged as we all felt a little out of place. It had been a while since I became a knight, and the guards had likely memorized my face by now.
“Wait, there’s been a misunderstanding.”
“Oh, I see…”
The guards greeted me with awkward expressions before vanishing. The tension that was once boiling over cooled down instantly, and the passersby who had been watching me slowly dispersed, seemingly losing interest.
“Johann, cheer up! If you keep looking so gloomy, people will get scared!”
Why do I have to be the one receiving reprimands? Feeling a bit pitiful, I presented my pendant to the stall owner.
“…As you can see, I’m a knight.”
“I-I’m so sorry, Sir Knight! I didn’t mean to be rude!”
No need to bow your head that much. It makes me feel like I’m just some punk knight who runs wild on my status. I’m just a good-for-nothing castaway stranded on a deserted island, not a delinquent!
“No need to apologize. It’s something I’m used to.”
“Yeah, yeah! Johann gets misunderstood all the time because of his face!”
Thanks to Millia’s backup, the stall owner finally let out a sigh of relief and sat down. I just wanted to enjoy a look around the market, but what a hassle this turned out to be. Still, the stall owner, perhaps feeling guilty, made a cautious offer to me.
“I’ll give you one for free as an apology.”
“No need to-”
“Johann! I want this one!”
…Look at that sparkle in her eyes. If I don’t buy it, she’s gonna sulk, so I might as well go for it. I picked up a yellow flower-shaped hairpin Millia had chosen. The stall owner awkwardly smiled, almost as if she was still reeling from earlier.
“It would suit your younger sister well.”
Younger sister?
Oh. Is that how it looks? I didn’t feel the need to clear up the misunderstanding. Explaining my relationship with Millia sounded exhausting.
“Hope your business goes well.”
“Ah, yes, yes! Thank you, sir!”
“Jo~hann! Put it on me!”
I attached the hairpin where Millia pointed. As soon as I did, she beamed at me and asked.
“How does it look?”
“Pretty.”
Her face brightened at my compliment. She really is weak to praise.
“Really?”
“Yeah.”
“Oh…”
Elisa, why are you acting like that again? Sighing at Elisa, who looked enviously at Millia, I guessed she desired a present too but couldn’t voice it due to her timid nature. I wondered if that timid personality of hers would ever change…
Scrolling through the accessories spread on the mat, I picked up a rose-shaped hairpin, thinking it would suit Elisa.
“How much is this hairpin?”
———————
“Hehe…”
“Hehe…”
Feeling a bit strange with two women giggling beside me, I realized this was the so-called ‘two flowers in one hand’ situation, but my heart wasn’t racing or anything.
It felt like I was out on an outing with little kids.
I didn’t know why I felt that way. In terms of looks, Karina didn’t seem that different from the others. But since Millia acts so much like a puppy, that could be why. At least Elisa—
“Johann! Look over there!”
What has captured your curiosity this time? I directed my gaze to where Millia was pointing. A crowd had gathered, and they seemed loud, waving their hands excitedly, as if there were a spectacle of some sort.
Shall I go take a look? I held onto their hands to make sure they wouldn’t get lost and approached a person in the back.
“What’s going on that everyone’s gathered here?”
“Hiiik?! U-uh, um, well… there’s a duel happening…”
A duel? What kind of duel?
…Seems like there’s a random encounter duel event going on, but it’s happening right now? In the market?
I wanted to know who was fighting—
“P-people…”
“Calm down.”
It’ll be tough to navigate through the crowd with Elisa. Even if her cowardice improved by about 2%, throwing this bashful witch who can’t even talk properly into the mix would definitely cause chaos. It’s a shame, but I guess I’ll have to save the duel spectating for another time.
When I conveyed my thoughts to Millia, she looked up at me with disappointment.
“Then can’t you let me ride a pony? If I do, I can see!”
Are you kidding? She’s acting like a kid. Well, since it seems like she’d sulk if I didn’t oblige, I had no choice. I turned my back to Millia and knelt down to answer.
“Just be careful when you get on.”
“Yay! Thank you! Johann’s the best!”
As soon as I finished speaking, I felt a heavy weight on my shoulder. At the same time, I felt a soft touch on my cheek, causing a bit of bewilderment.
Just because she acts like a child doesn’t mean her body is childlike. I forced myself to maintain my composure as I stood up.
“How is it, can you see well?”
“Yep! I can see clearly! Looks like Academy students are fighting!”
Huh?
Did they start a quarrel?
Ah man, I want to see too. But right now, my face is wedged between Millia’s soft thighs, and my left hand is being held by Elisa.
That means I can’t just push my way through the crowd.
Ugh, whatever.
“Crafting.”
“Eh?”
No need to go too high. I crafted a small step about a fist’s width and stepped onto it. I was already taller than most people here, so with the step, I could see—
“…Perinne?”
Why on earth is that strict umbrella girl here?
“Hmm? Do you know someone here?”
“…No, just heard the name once.”
I lied without even wetting my lips at Millia’s question, but I had no choice.
I couldn’t say she’s one of the heroines from the Survival Academy or anything. But why is Perinne in a duel? The opposing fighter is also an academy student, right? What could it possibly be about? Who is the one fighting?
They’re in uniform, so the academy students are a given.
But I don’t remember an outstanding appearance. Their hair color is plain black and from a distance, they don’t seem to stand out much.
Still, I got a rough idea of the situation.
“Looks like they’re dueling over something.”
“Really? How do you know?”
“Usually, duels are the most straightforward method of resolving conflicts.”
There are plenty of people who love dueling here, just like in a fantasy game.
Anyway, I don’t remember if such an event existed in the original, but is there a way to identify who Perinne is fighting? Should I just go and ask after the duel is over?
While I mulled over various thoughts and plans, I suddenly heard Perinne’s umbrella tear as the duel reached its conclusion.
“I won! So let’s forget this! Shuri is already regretting it!”
As soon as the duel ended, a shout rang out.
What on earth happened that prompted such a shout?
Ah, how tantalizing.
Unable to contain my curiosity, the crowd began to scatter. I set Millia down from the pony and pushed my way forward with a tense expression.
Since the crowd was scattering, moving towards the two students who finished the fight with Millia and Elisa was not a difficult task.
And…
“I-I lost to a mere commoner…?”
The heroine spouted cliché lines.
“Shuri. It’s okay now.”
“Lewis!”
What’s this? A love rival situation?
Wait, are there two heroines?
No, that’s not the important part.
That handsome guy hugging the original heroine and showing off is not…
…the original protagonist?