20-3. To know love.

***

Pitch-black darkness. There, Fine Grancia trembled with anxiety.

‘This is…?’

A black space where you can’t even see an inch ahead. In it, she was restless with only her helmet on.

It was because her glass armor, which she was proud of, had come off at some point. Although she was fine because she was dressed separately.

Her signature pure white tail was also hidden under her clothes, fearing that it would get in the way during battle.

But after getting hit by Licht’s shadow fang, it’s been like this for a long time.

‘What can I do… Her armor is off.’

She took out the master piece and tried to put it on again, but failed. She covered herself with one arm, afraid that her feminine curves might be seen in her audience.

“You Mardol, you are a real woman.”

“..Licht?”

A man wearing a black knight’s helmet appeared in front of her as her legs gave out. It was Richt. He looked at Fine and gave her a small sigh.

“Sorry. I wanted to check even your face.”

“…”

“Now, can you wake up?”

With her aloof attitude, Licht gave her her hand. As if there was nothing to fear, he acted calmly in the dark.

“..It was shown.”

Her glass helmet was intact, and she didn’t show everything to the man in front of her, but it was a shocking situation for her.

“All…. To others too….”

She flinched as she put on her glass helmet. She must have noticed that she was a woman even by those watching the fight. Now she may not be able to protect those close to her from Magic Hat.

“It’s okay because I’m the only one watching. Mardol.”

“What..?”

As if Fine’s worries were nothing, the man named Rich was just gently extending his hand.

‘It’s okay..?’

She looked around the darkness around her with her good eyes. She looked here and there through the golden wolf eyes, but it was completely blocked by darkness, so she couldn’t even tell what was in front of her.

“You won’t see it from the outside. Because this is my image itself.”

“..Really.”

“I lived a very dark life.”

Are you saying it wasn’t visible from the crowd? She couldn’t see through the darkness no matter how hard she tried. Fine felt relieved. At the same time, I started to get a little angry.

‘This man…Why is my armor….’

Wouldn’t it have been enough to just attack the outer protective gear? What made it so important? It’s amazing enough to break through Dennis’ magic.

“I wanted to know for sure that I was a woman. I’m sorry for being rough.”

“…”

“Magic Hat is the same, and I feel anxious when there is information I don’t know…. Really sorry.”

He apologized to Fine, who was looking at her strangely from inside her glass helmet with doubts. Some of my concerns have been cleared.

‘Well, he said it was important to him. My gender.’

The source of mana is the heart. She aimed for it, and for a moment, she cut off the connection with the master piece. She guessed her situation as she placed her hand on the very center of her chest.

“…Well, at least put this on. Mardol.”

It was then. Seeing her unable to get up, Licht unnaturally turned her head. Then he took off his coat and handed it to him.

Academy outfit with the imperial wolf pattern. Since it was for men, it was large enough to cover all of Fine’s body. While putting it on, she saw something strange.

‘..Huh?’

Her eyes that no longer meet. He was a man who seemed calm until just now, but why the hell is he like that?

‘I’m ashamed. Richt.’

Fine’s good eyesight saw Richt’s brown eyes continue to shake, and he knew what was going on. She looks at her body and wonders what to do.

She took off her armor to check for herself, but she was struggling not to look anymore.

A really funny guy. Every time she moved her body slightly, she even hit her back in surprise.

“Licht is a pervert.”

“..Absolutely not.”

A shy man covering his helmet with his other hand. He had a body type that even dwarves said was ferocious.

“It’s a crime to take off your armor like this. Licht.”

“Stop it. I misunderstood.”

I didn’t want to let go of the innocent reaction, so I grabbed his hand right away. Then the agitation felt even louder.

I don’t know where the ferocious wolf-like man from earlier has gone.

“..Perverted.”

“…”

The Licht in front of me was like a mild puppy. He was interested in the immediate reaction every moment, and he wanted to tease him even more.

‘..It’s the first time I’ve seen such a reaction.’

Her own expression, which was as cold as ice, drew an arc like her fox without her knowledge. I felt even more relieved at the touch of her rough hand.

After holding his hand for a while, he opened his mouth.

“I was wrong, stand up now…” .”

“Okay, I’ll forgive you. Licht.”

Licht’s neck is red from embarrassment. Even though his face was obscured by his helmet, it was visible. He lifted himself up with his help.

‘A reassuring smell.’

As she moved, the reverberation of his cloak spread and tickled her nose.

The Inrang tribe has the characteristics of a wolf. Thanks to that, I was the first to find him during the last group assignment.

“Oh, don’t worry, the Masterpiece will be available again in a while.”

Licht encourages Fine, who is so sentimental, saying it’s okay. Looking at it, she felt something strange.

“..Licht. It’s okay?”

“What?”

“Without armor… It’s weak…”

Since she had come to the point of being a woman, I thought that anyone else would have a weakness for it. But the Licht in front of her couldn’t do that.

“Mardol.”

He had already saved Belin Grancia without any conditions. If she wanted the power or wealth of the imperial family, she would have obtained it long ago.

How foolish people are, how much they don’t know how amazing the things they’ve done are. Having already broken the princess’s armor and exposed her body is the death penalty.

“As I said before, everyone has weaknesses.”

“..Really?”

“Can’t you believe it? You’ve been seeing me.”

“…”

It was true. In terms of force, he was Richt, who belonged to the axis of the strong, but if he was related to ‘nameless saint’ or something, he was a man who was infinitely soft.

“..Well, anyway, I don’t mind if you don’t have armor.”

A contradictory person who is far from perfect strength, and could be a weak person again.

“To be honest, your opponent was the most difficult.”

“Because I am strong.”

“Yes. He was really strong. I would have lost if I hadn’t used Shadow Fang.”

Acknowledge each other’s strength. Aside from her father, she felt proud that she was recognized by the strongest person she had ever seen.

‘..Licht covered me with a shadow like this so that I wouldn’t be seen.’

Suddenly, Fine had a passing thought. He seemed to hate it from the start of the game, so he was a man who even changed his name.

‘Even weak…. So that I can protect it.’

If she hadn’t hit the glass dome and she had thrown her shadow fangs, someone would have been able to see her through the stands.

‘I waited on purpose.’

Her good eyes were able to see through the plans of a man named Rich.

Because you already know that you can isolate the space with a glass wall when dealing with the Armored Queen Bee.

“I don’t mind if you are weak.”

“…”

Fine Grancia was obsessed with strength. She had no meaning unless she was first place. She always thought she had to protect those weaker than herself from the demon lord.

“So, rely on people more now. Mardol.”

She thought it was atonement for those who died because of her. It was also the reason she didn’t run away during the melee with Magic Hat.

I barely had someone to rely on. A person who doesn’t say anything even when he sees himself weak, a lifesaver who saved his mother and healed himself.

“Don’t try to shoulder it alone. I’m with you?”

“..Okay. Transformation.”

A strong person who could stand by her side as an equal, no, to be precise, a stronger person than Fine himself, Richt.

Her cool and neat defeat made her lean on Licht, taking one load off her heart.

After the story, the two men and women stood with their backs to each other. How long have you been in the dark?

“You can look this way now. Licht.”

“Really? No, not yet!”

“..Perverted.”

After teasing Licht a few times, Fine put her glass armor back on. Interlocking with the restored master piece again.

“I really wore it this time. Phew..”

She is once again a majestic heavily armored white knight. Mardol became.

“Oh, that’s right. And your ‘strength’ won’t break down, so you’ll be fine. Mardol.”

At that moment, Licht continued questioning.

“Uh..? What are you talking about? Richt?”

“It’s literally. This time it looked like I’d beat you, but….”

After confirming that he was properly wearing the master piece, he removed the darkness. Again, the spectator stands and the sunlight outside.

“..The actual result will be my defeat.”

The back of the figure with its back to the sun was so bright that the sun was diffusely reflected, making it difficult to see. While she hesitated for a moment, not understanding what she meant.

[Timeout!!! The winner is the Mardol student!]

The loud voice of Laplace resonated throughout the arena, talking about the astonishing results.

***

[Because when time ran out, Licht’s mana reserve was more damaged!]

I walked with my back to Mardol to get out of the arena.

‘This is what I was aiming for from the start.’

A result that goes unnoticed by the crowd and is understandable to Mardol, who is obsessed with strength.

‘Special rules that prevent a draw.’

[The final winner is!! I will become a Mardol student!!]

[Grand Hearts Academia’s Grade Exam!! The strongest of the first year is the Mardol student!! Congratulations!!]

When the time runs out, the one with the most remaining mana protection will win.

In this way, you can get mana rose stably.

She only intended to use her own will to slash her master piece from the start, and her damage to her was very little except for the melding of her swords in her early days.

“Licht!!”

Oh, it must have been a story that made no sense to Mardol. I slowed down at the sound of a loud voice behind me.

“..Why?! Why did you lose on purpose?!”

“Well, because you are stronger?”

“That’s a lie! Licht!! I was beaten by the fangs of the shadows and defeated….”

How do you even know this? Anyway, the audience will be filled with cheers and you will not hear what we are saying. From the outside, it seems like I’m defeated.

“I lost because I had to be weak to protect something. Mardol.”

“What..?”

Because I had to get Mana Rose. If the 2nd prize goes to Mardol, it will definitely go down the route of making a favorable impression.

The knight in heavy armor is standing still, only I am staggering and running away. If we fight again now, I will lose.

‘To be honest, I can’t even write images anymore today.’

I had to run away before I could object to the referee watching the game. There is also a limit to the inner energy that comes out of the Danjeon.

‘That’s unfortunate. If I had seen her face, I could have pushed it out of my mind for sure.’

It was Mardol who was wearing a separate helmet like me. I thought she was one body with the master piece, but it must have been a separate piece of equipment.

I couldn’t even see the supposedly black hair. Crazy dwarves.

“Wait! Licht!! This is not it! If only I had broken the mana reserve then… !”

In fact, I already got everything I wanted. Manarose, certain information about Mardol you didn’t know about. Some relief from her trauma.

I continued to take one step at a time toward the exit.

This should be enough.

I won’t be missing anything. If so, I think our saintess would have even cursed at us. It was because it was done while removing another woman’s armor.

‘Incombustible garbage! Goat! This beast… Yes, it might be perverted, as someone said.’

I wished I had listened to Mardol’s opinion a bit more, though. Confessing to me that she is a woman after her more distancedness is a definite dating flag.

“I’ll ask for a rematch, or even a ranking adjustment..!”

“..Ah right. It’s a little better because you talk longer.”

“What..?”

If I leave like this, maybe she won’t like her personality? I imitated a little bit of the Nex I saw in . The words and actions he made on the rival route.

“Licht!! Do not go..!”

Mardol can’t stop me because he consumes all his mana. I tried to hold on to his hand while waving in the air, but I kept falling over, probably because my legs were already weak.

“Then see you later. Mardol.”

After all, it’s better to catch demon lords together as colleagues. If you do this, you will definitely be incorporated into the fellow route.

No matter how much dating experience I have, I know that this absurd incident won’t hold me back.