I’m Looking for the Male Lead for the Ending - Chapter 31

Chapter 16.2

“Ugh!”

Then, in an instant, the tide reversed.

The crowd’s cheers reverberated through the arena as the situation took an unexpected turn. Heron barely managed to parry a sword thrust toward him in an instant while the corners of Estieren’s mouth twitched upward as if he hadn’t expected him to block it.

‘D*mn it.’

Heron was silently astonished as he faced Estieren’s successive sword strikes. Despite the fact that at such speed, the force was bound to be relatively light, yet the mere act of blocking Estieren’s sword made his arms tremble.

A moment later, Heron parried Estieren’s sword with all his might and took a few steps back. As they clashed swords, he realized once again just how much of a frog in the well he had been*. Even though he was aware of Estieren’s skill, he hadn’t expected the difference to be this significant.
[ T/N: It’s an idiom which means ‘A person who is full of self-conceit as he/she has a limited or narrow view of the world.’ ]

‘Why on earth…’

At this rate, instead of repaying the humiliation to the man who insulted Aidelis, he would end up being toyed with by his skill.

The stream of curses rose to the tip of Heron’s throat. At that moment, as Estieren kicked the ground once again and lunged towards Heron, the swords enveloped in aura clashed, and the floor caved in under the impact.

At that moment, a voice escaped from Estieren’s mouth.

“If the knight you chose had been Elle instead of Aidelis, I’m sure the outcome would have been different.”

The thought crossed his mind that it might be mockery, but his expression was sincere. Once he realized that Estieren meant what he said, it became an even greater humiliation.

“Are you trying to tell me that my choice was wrong?”

“At least that’s how it appears in my eyes at this moment.”

Heron forcefully pushed his sword away and replied in response to Estieren’s calm return.

“Even if my choice was wrong and I had the chance to turn my life around, I would always choose Aidelis.”

“May I ask why?”

His face hardened at the sight of the man in front of him asking as if he was genuinely curious. Then, he thought for a moment and then adjusted his grip.

His voice became lower.

“…It’s the stubbornness to keep the promises I made.”

“Too much stubbornness can become excessive.”

As Heron’s gaze grew fierce, the two of them once again lunged towards each other. With a loud bang, the sound of their clash echoed through the stadium, accompanied by swirling dust.

All eyes turned to the stadium, wondering what had happened.

There was only one human figure standing amidst the settling dust.

̊ · : * ✧* : · ̊

[ 〈SYSTEM〉 EVENT CLEAR!

You guessed the winner of the competition correctly!
Would you like to receive the reward?

[ YES / NO ] ]

Before I even had the chance to recognize the figure standing alone after the match, the system window appeared.

“What, what kind of nonsense is this predominance?!”

My father, whose face flushed red with anger, vented his anger. I glanced over to see what was happening and quickly clicked the ‘YES’ button.

[ 〈SYSTEM〉 EVENT CLEAR REWARD!

System update complete! ]

My throat tightened with tension as the system window announced completion. As I checked the system windows that appeared one after another, I subconsciously tightened my grip around the brooch.

[ 〈SYSTEM〉

A male brooch with a world tree pattern encrusted with lapis lazuli.

Function: Hidden route open.
Owner: Estieren Kaisian. ]

…T, the owner was Estieren Kaisian? This brooch belonged to the Grand Duke?

Of course, I thought the information about that child would be displayed under the owner, considering she had it.

I bit my lip in disappointment and confusion. As I checked the window again carefully, just like the owner, the brooch’s functionality, which had been a question mark, was properly displayed.

‘The function is to open a hidden route…?’

Without time to be surprised by the sudden thought of a hidden route, a new system window flashed before my eyes.

[ 〈SYSTEM〉

Since you possess the Lapis Lazuli Brooch, the key to opening the hidden route, you can now target Estieren Kaisian, the owner of the brooch and the Grand Duke of Arbonis.
Would you like to open the hidden route of Flower of Arbonis, Estieren Kaisian’s route?

[ YES / NO ]

* Estieren Kaisian’s route will be unlocked upon acceptance, while declining will incur a penalty. (Vitality will decrease by five per hour, currently at 91%) ]

…What?

It didn’t take long for my mind to go blank.

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