“Looks like you really cherish that knight, Gahelis.”
“Yep?”
“To show such strong resentment towards this sister you haven’t seen in a while.”
“…Yep?”
What the heck is this about?
I tilted my head, wondering if I heard wrong. And not long after, I reached the truth.
“Lydia was royalty too?!”
“…..”
Lydia looked down at me with a complex gaze that was beyond description.
She then sighed deeply and shook her head.
“No. I’m just from a plain rural knight family. Just Lydia, the one who lost her lord due to involvement in a rebellion and lost her land and title… The only true descendant of the knight king is Jonah, or rather, only you, Prince Gahelis.”
“Huh?”
I blinked, trying to understand what was going on, and I noticed that I wasn’t the only one surprised; Ellie and Benny, who came to check on Lydia, had also stiffened.
“Jonah… is a prince?”
“That explains it. They say he’s useless at magic. If he’s royalty from Historia…”
Ellie couldn’t believe the reality, while Benny nodded as if convinced of something.
My reaction was more like Ellie’s.
“Wait, I’m royal?!”
I jumped about 3 centimeters in my spot, but it was clear that the people of Historia—specifically, King Modred and the knights sitting at the broken round table—were already calm as though they knew this.
“Hmph. Still pretending not to know after coming all this way. Same goofy self as always, huh, Woohyung.”
“No, I’m not pretending! I really don’t know! I’m Jonah, not Gahelis! Maybe you mistook me for someone else…”
“Jonah, huh? So that’s your new name, Woohyung. But I know very well that such lies won’t work on this sister. …The king’s sword is reacting even now.”
Modred rested her chin on one hand and tapped her sword, which was hanging at her waist, with the other.
The blade was adorned with threads of gold and silver, decorated with jewels the size of eyeballs.
The jewels had lost their sparkle and had darkened, yet, an unusual aura emanated from them.
Though the direction was different, it felt similar to my fully-powered goddess statue. Definitely divine.
And if it’s a divine artifact held by the Kingdom of Historia since the times when the God of Knights was the God of Savagery, there could only be one.
The symbol of royal power and the broken divine sword from the Godslayer War.
“Excalibur…”
“Oh? Seems like you remember this sword even while pretending to be a fool.”
Modred chuckled, tossing her cascading blue hair.
With her gentle hand movements, her shiny hair flowed down, revealing a subtly alluring jawline.
But no one could bring themselves to call the woman before them beautiful.
That was because the atmosphere surrounding Modred was undeniably ominous.
If a sword were shaped into a human form, it might look like her—radiating an energy that would cut if touched.
Even from a considerable distance, she felt so close it was as if the sword were hovering at my throat.
Having been an adventurer myself, I understood this well. If Modred set her mind to it, that sword could reach me right here.
…I mustn’t shrink back. I cannot forget the reason I came here.
Lydia, who initially seemed detached and indifferent, was now blocking my path with sharp thorns raised high.
Even though I came to save her, it felt like I was being protected instead.
“Huff.”
I exhaled deeply, straightened my waist, and lifted my chin slightly to appear proud. But I adjusted myself carefully with various abilities so that it wouldn’t come off as arrogance.
The image I was crafting was the noblest form I could think of.
From a previous playful encounter with Lydia, I realized that the Pan Continent was a world I had created, and it would roughly follow my thought patterns without needing to be set in detail.
In other words, the noble image I held in my mind would be perceived as noble etiquette.
Utilizing powers of alluring smiles, I weighted my gaze down heavily, and with divine power enhancing my shining pupils, I invested extra energy to emit a faint pink glow.
Slowly, or rather exaggeratedly, I adjusted my movements and attire.
The knights sitting at the broken round table gasped at the sudden change in atmosphere, including Noar, the Master Knight who had referred to me as a noble.
“…Looks like bloodlines matter after all.”
“From what I saw when you subdued the royal guard earlier, your movements were more knightly than I expected, but you sure can fight.”
“With age, the body doesn’t yield to direct confrontations, does it?”
As the knights buzzed among themselves, Ellie and Benny were slow to recover and stammered out.
“Yo, me? Really?”
“Lydia really fought like that…?”
“…..”
I couldn’t find a word to say in response to their questions.
Because honestly, I had no idea what was happening either!!
Of course, I had a few theories.
The most plausible explanation was that the original owner of this body was the Gahelis they spoke of.
The name Jonah was taken from my name back on Earth, Kim Jonah.
And at the moment of my possession, all memories of this body vanished without a trace.
Although it was difficult to adjust to this gender-swap world at first, I managed to cope because having played alone in alleyways didn’t feel too out of place.
I was certain I was an orphan, seeing as how a young child like me wandered those risky streets without anyone even attempting to help or protect.
But what if this body truly did carry the royal blood of Historia? What if it had been cast away to Pangrave for some reason?
Setting up these assumptions explains so much.
Though I was utterly talentless in magic, as Benny had said, I was nothing short of a genius when it came to physical movements.
After all, wasn’t the royalty of Historia also the longstanding priests serving the God of Knights?
Plus, with the random bestowal of the Goddess of Love, which had even gifted me pink hair, it was only natural that I had a massive affinity for divine power.
And then there was Lydia, who seemed to have become enchanted with this knight and the Master Knight Noar, who had referred to me as a noble while opening the door to the meeting room.
…As well as Modred, who appeared to know me, and even Excalibur, which seemed to respond to me.
All the doubts I had been harboring were now being resolved.
But, it’s all just a hypothesis. I have no certainty.
There’s no evidence to confirm, nor have my memories from the time before the possession resurfaced.
Why would I be shoved into Pangrave without proper cause if I am indeed a prince? Killing me would be one thing, but being turned into a mere experiment was another.
I still have no real understanding of the situation. Whether Modred and the knights are mistaking me or if there’s some truth to my birth secret, and if so, why the Goddess of Love remains silent.
I can’t be sure of anything.
However, one thing is crystal clear.
The reason I stand before everyone here.
I barely moved and pulled the staggering Lydia toward me.
“Uh…?”
Lydia was pulled so effortlessly. I supported her from behind and handed her over to Benny.
“Benny, I’m counting on you for Lydia.”
“Of course, I’ll handle it.”
I passed him a high-grade potion and the remaining holy water from my arms, and Benny began administering it to Lydia with deft movements.
As the weakened Lydia seemed curious, she tilted her head, and I called out Ellie, who was naturally wanting her turn next.
“Ellie.”
“…Jonah. I really have a lot to say to you, but shouldn’t we focus on this situation right now?”
“Exactly… so just leave it to me.”
“What?”
I brushed past the bewildered Ellie and continued forward. One step, two steps…
Once I reached directly in front of the broken round table, Modred’s eyes narrowed sharply.
“Oh? So now you decide to reveal your identity.”
“Identity, huh…”
“Indeed, Woohyung. I have no idea how you ensnared that talented knight, or how Ellie was drawn in, but you’re clearly plotting revenge against your dead mother and this sister, aren’t you?”
A profound sadness and resolute determination flowed from Modred as she spoke.
It felt as if she was making an unforgivable choice not as a single person, but as a queen.
“Woohyung. Trying to drag Lydia outside of the Labyrinth City for execution serves as a warning. What you do inside doesn’t concern me, but do know your place. If you obey, I’ll spare your life.”
“Then it looks like you picked the wrong person.”
“Heh. Seems so. I never expected you to be foolish enough to bring about an incomplete rebellion because you cherish that knight… Now it seems the time has come for you to pay for your folly.”
Modred spoke with a heavy voice, and in response, three knights seated closest at the round table stood up.
Three Master Knights, including Noar.
By far the best force in Historia that Ellie had warned me about.
In that ominous atmosphere, Ellie, growling in defiance, stepped forward despite my attempts to stop her. Her ears and tail were already perked up, indicating she wouldn’t hold back from the start.
Only after witnessing all of this did I activate the two powers I had been saving.
Divine Bloodline. And the Avatar of Love, strengthened through this.
Fwoosh!
Amplified presence. Covered by suffocating charms.
The tightening tension that felt ready to snap loosened, and a completely different kind of air flowed in.
Admiration. Reverence. Affection. Confusion. All kinds of chaotic emotions.
With all eyes on me, I adopted an etiquette I had been considering.
Different from Historia, I carefully sculpted the God of Knights with attention.
How he became the God of Knights after realizing honor back when he was once a savagery god.
The oldest, most sacred, and most honorable etiquette in Historia.
A duel etiquette, to be precise.
Thud.
Gloves made from Minotaur leather fell onto the round table.
“Modred. I challenge you to a duel.”
…Honestly, it might not be Master Knights, but I think I can give Modred a run for her money.
