Chapter 12: The Fool Who Collapsed and the Fool Who Stayed Straightforward

"Haah… haah… cough—gagh—bleurgh!?"

"You really are an idiot. Seriously, a hopeless idiot. You sprint all-out to the finish and then immediately collapse?"

I-I’m gonna die… I’ve completely burned through my stamina—I’m so exhausted I feel like I could drop dead any second… Sure, part of it is because I ran the entire marathon at full speed, but the biggest reason is probably the side effects of the Holy Sword’s power.

While I was running, that power let me push myself to the absolute limit—but it was more like borrowing stamina from the future. The moment I finished, all my energy vanished without leaving even a single drop behind.

I’ve never been this exhausted before—not even when I helped out at my family’s tavern. My vision is hazy, and I can’t even properly make out Hikari’s face, even though she’s right beside me.

Still, I can feel the soft warmth beneath my head… and the fact that I ran myself into this state without a shred of regret probably says a lot about what kind of person I am.

"So you wanted a lap pillow from me that badly, huh?"

"Haah… haah… o-of course…! There’s no way… I’d let anyone else have… a perk like this…!!"

My first lap pillow feels strangely uncomfortable—and yet, incredibly comfortable at the same time.

Knowing that Hikari’s beautiful face is so close makes my cheeks heat up, leaving me restless. But the softness beneath my head and the gentle way her hand strokes my hair are so pleasant that I can’t help but want to stay like this.

Yeah… I’d never say it out loud because it’s embarrassing, but honestly, I’d love to stay like this for a while. It really is that wonderful.

"Seriously… getting baited by something like a lap pillow. You really are an idiot."

"You’ve been saying… that this whole time. Besides… if it’s your lap pillow, Hikari, any guy would fall for it."

"And that’s exactly why you’re an idiot—saying stuff like that so casually."

Even so, it’s the truth. And a fact, too. There’s almost nothing I can hide from her anyway, and anything I try to conceal gets exposed immediately, so it hardly matters.

"...So? Anything else you want to say?"

"The way your lap feels under my head—it’s really soft and comfortable. And… it reminded me again how long your eyelashes are… how cute you are… and how beautiful your face is."

"Drop dead, idiot."

If she’s going to turn bright red, she shouldn’t have asked in the first place… but that flustered expression is cute too, so I stay quiet. My vision has finally cleared, and I can see her face properly now, so I take my time enjoying it.

Seen like this, she really is both cute and beautiful. I can’t help but think that if Hikaru—the protagonist of the game—had undergone a gender swap, this is probably what he would look like. Even so, I can’t imagine him ever making expressions like this.

Maybe it’s because he lived alone for so long—always guarded, always cautious. But Hikari is different.

She’s cautious by nature too, but once someone gets close to her, she becomes incredibly friendly. She’d never admit that out loud—she’d be too embarrassed—but it shows.

Even so, her emotions are easy to read—clear and honest. Like right now, she’s bright red from both embarrassment and the lap pillow situation.

Her sharp glare, like a kettle boiling over in an instant, and the way her expressions shift so quickly—I like that about her.

And because of that, I’m forced to realize once again… that the original protagonist is no longer here.

It’s a sad thought. I’ll never get to witness his future unfold in reality.

The bonds he was supposed to form—they’ve gone somewhere else now.

And there’s nothing I can do about it. The weight of the Holy Sword at my waist reminds me of that.

The feeling that I’ve taken the place where he was meant to be… the thoughts I’ve been trying to avoid come flooding back.

It makes me want to cry. Tears spill out, blurring my vision.

At that moment, she—her hands roughened from work, yet still far softer than mine—gently strokes my head.

"You’re exhausted, so just get some sleep. You’ll only end up thinking about bad things otherwise. Even though you’re an idiot, you overthink way too much."

"...Even if you say that… I’ve ended up in a position where I have to think about it."

"Even so. You won’t come up with anything good when you’re this tired. Come on—get some sleep."

As she says that, she covers my eyes with her free hand while the other continues stroking my head. My vision fades to black, and with exhaustion catching up all at once, drowsiness takes over.

And just like that, I lose consciousness.

When I wake up, it’s already evening.

Just how long was I asleep?

When I sit up, I realize the “pillow” under my head is just a thick book wrapped in cloth—a simple substitute. Honestly, I slept just fine, and it’s not like Hikari could keep giving me a lap pillow forever, so I’ve got no complaints.

I stretch hard, and my whole body cracks loudly. After a few more stretches, it quickly loosens up. Youth really is a wonderful thing.

After a while, the Knight Commander—who seems to have noticed I’m awake—walks over. As expected, his adjutant is right beside him. What is this vibe? It feels like a rugged commander paired with a hyper-competent secretary.

A rough-and-tough commander and a sharp, secretary-like vice commander… I love this kind of dynamic so much I could devour twenty loaves of bread just watching it. It’s incredibly satisfying.

"Awake now, Your Majesty? I apologize for pushing you too hard."

"No, no—it’s just that I got carried away by my own emotions. I had a lot on my mind and felt anxious, but maybe because I moved my body, I feel more refreshed than I expected."

I shouted like I was drunk on impulse, thought about a lot of things… I’m not completely over it yet.

But even so, I can face forward now.

That’s largely thanks to what Hikari did—but before that, the one who proposed this stamina test in the first place was the Knight Commander standing before me.

"So… thank you. I think I can do my best from here on out."

I think I managed to say it with a smile. My facial muscles are apparently very honest—whatever I’m thinking shows up clearly on my face. I do have a mirror, but I don’t live the kind of life where I check it every morning, so I’ve never really been conscious of it.

So all I can do is hope that none of my frustration about being forced to run showed through. My gratitude is genuine—but at the same time, even if I was lured in by the “reward,” the one who proposed the marathon in the first place was the Knight Commander standing in front of me. It’s only natural that I’d have mixed feelings.

“No, there’s no need for thanks. I… my duty is to be resented by Your Majesty. To take away the time you should have had, to burden you with the responsibilities of a king, and to ensure you gain the strength needed to fulfill those imposed duties.”

I don’t remember much from the game, but even so, there are things I can tell. He’s probably an extremely serious man—the type who overthinks everything and ends up saying more than necessary. The adjutant behind him already has a look on his face that practically screams, “Oh no…”

“If we, the knight order, had been strong enough, Your Majesty would not have needed to take on this role. If we had only been able to win the ‘King’s War,’ your life would have remained your own. That is why, Your Majesty, I ask that you direct all your resentment toward me.”

Even so, he must have believed this was something he had to say. As one of the adults who took away my choices—my chance at another life—he carries the responsibility of bearing my anger himself.

It’s such a clumsy way to live that it’s almost worrying… and yet so straightforward that it’s hard not to admire it.

Being resented isn’t easy. Just because it’s “part of the job” doesn’t mean you can simply accept people’s anger without it affecting you. And yet, he’s trying to carry that burden to the end. I think that’s genuinely admirable.

“I understand my role. As the Sword King, I’ll enter the ‘King’s War,’ fight the other kings, and bring victory to the nation. If I lose, everything will be taken, so losing isn’t an option. I’ll do whatever it takes to grow stronger as quickly as possible.”

“Exactly. And that is precisely why I have chosen the ‘Forest of Demonic Mist’ as your training ground. I judged it to be the most effective way to make Your Majesty stronger as the Sword King. There, we can stretch time to its limits while giving you a wide range of experiences.”

From swordsmanship to etiquette… and even combat experience that feels like real battle—where death is ever-present, yet never final. Something only possible within a dream.

If we stretch a single month as far as it will go, I should be able to surpass an average knight.

“I will accompany you and train you personally. There will come a time when you want to run away. You may even want to kill me. Even so, please do not direct your hatred toward this country, the ministers… or especially the young girl who became a Saint at such an early age.”

That must have been his real intention all along. The fact that he said so many unnecessary things just to reach this point really shows how clumsy he is. Or maybe that was deliberate—but if so, he’s completely outplayed me, and strangely enough, I don’t even feel bad about it.

“I can’t promise I won’t feel resentment. Everything I’m about to do is something I’ve never experienced before. I don’t know what will happen. So all I can say… is what I want to do.”

The future is uncertain, so I can’t say something as cool as “I won’t resent anyone.” But there’s something I need to say, so I put it into words anyway.

“I don’t want to resent the person who gave me a way forward like this. I don’t want to endure things by blaming someone else. Because there are people who are watching me… I want to be someone I can be proud of in front of them.”

Just like how I found purpose in life by admiring certain relationships and dynamics, I want to become someone others can look at and think, “That person was amazing.”

I want to live in a way that gives someone—even just a little—the courage to take a step forward.

More than anything… for her, who has stayed by my side even as a maid… for her, who was supposed to be this world’s original protagonist… for the girl I love—I don’t want to show her anything pathetic. I can’t.

“So please train me. With the training you believe suits me best—with discipline that will give me the strength to uphold my ideals. I want to earn that strength.”

At my words—at my smile—the Knight Commander in front of me looks genuinely surprised. For a brief moment, he just stands there, mouth slightly open in shock.

But that expression quickly fades, returning to his usual stern face, and then he drops to one knee before me.

“Understood, Your Majesty. I will devote everything I have to making you stronger. I believe that is the only way I can repay you—and I swear to bring you closer to your ideal.”

“Yeah… I’m counting on you, Commander Richard.”

I extend my hand. He takes it and rises.

We both understand in that moment—this is a contract.

A contract to struggle toward the same goal, because his duty and my desire are now aligned.

A contract between two men, separated by more than twenty years of age.

“…By the way, I was wondering—what happened to the other knights? Did they already go to dinner?”

“No, Your Majesty. They are all collapsed in the training grounds behind you.”

“Huh?”

At his words, I turn around—and there they are.

A scene of complete devastation. Knights scattered across the ground like fallen corpses. Every single one unconscious, faces frozen in expressions of utter despair.

A shiver runs down my spine. The thought that people could change this much in just half a day is terrifying.

“However, I’m relieved to see that Your Majesty is prepared. Those behind you showed signs of mental immaturity, but I believe you will be able to endure even harsher training.”

“Even… harsher?”

“Yes, of course. I promise you the finest—and most extreme—training I can devise.”

In other words, something even worse than what reduced those knights to lifeless heaps is waiting for me.

And I’ll have to face it alone.

…What should I do? If I ran away now, would they even let me off the hook?