I Became the Dark Knight in the Game

Chapter 50: Vyman (2)

Eirek headed straight to the captain of the guards Kadal. The latter recognized Eirek and his face contorted in displeasure.

To think a criminal would approach so brazenly. What is this, a protest demanding arrest?

A criminal? I am someone who engages solely in entirely legal business.

Kadal scoffed in response.

Ha. Its quite clear where the slum dwellers got their weapons from, yet here you are, blatantly lying.

Thats not whats important right now!

Eirek raised his voice in frustration before pointing towards the surrounded princess.

You cannot arrest a princess of a country on unproven charges!

And what do you expect me to do about it?

Kadal replied with a brusque tone.

He too was visibly annoyed because the situation had taken an unexpected turn.

Eirek stated boldly,

I demand a trial.

What?

According to the citys laws, every citizen has the right to a trial. We are merely exercising our natural rights.

The mages who had been silently listening by the side suddenly scowled.

This is a trick that wouldnt work. According to city law, the residents of the slums are not recognized as citizens. They have no right to a trial.

Eirek wore a triumphant smile.

Not so. The princess has rights since she has a residence in the city.

What?

The princess has a house in district five. She normally resides there and had only left the city temporarily to have some fun.

As if he had been waiting for this moment, Eirek rummaged through his belongings and produced a document proving ownership of the residence. The name of Elena was written as the owner.

Did he prepare this in anticipation of such a situation? It was unusual for someone to carry around a house deed.

What a sly guy.

The mages were seething internally.

Eirek continued,

Therefore, the princess is entitled to a fair trial, and she has the right to refuse detention until her charges are proven.

A mage from the magic tower growled,

Dont escalate the situation.

Well, wasnt it you guys that started all of this?

One of the mages turned his head sharply and addressed Kadal.

We will acknowledge the trial If the law dictates, we must follow. However, this is not a mere crime but a charge of conspiracy for treason. I trust you do not plan to release her just yet.

Kadal observed the unfolding situation and furrowed his brow in deep thought. He was clearly troubled with the situation.

After a while, he made his decision.

Very well. Until the trial concludes, one of the council members will ensure the princesss safety and monitor her. Lets see Would Garland suffice?

Both the mage and Eirek nodded in agreement.

Garland was known for his neutrality and he was unlikely to show bias towards any side.

He was the perfect candidate for such a responsibility.

Kadal exhaled a heavy sigh.

Phew. A trial, then. It seems only annoying stuff is happening.

With that, Kadal ordered the mercenaries.

All of you, be courteous and escort the princess to the mercenary guild! As for that elf swordsman he has put up a legitimate resistance, so let him go.

Yes!

The order was not for arrest but for a courteous escort. Which only went to show the great shift in her treatment.

The mercenaries stepped back and the guards advanced toward her while clearly showing no intention of fighting.

Finally, the elf swordsman sheathed his weapon. And whether it was from a release of tension or exhaustion, he collapsed to the ground.

But Eirek ignored him and approached Elena and scolded her.

Princess. Did I not say you should not intervene?

Im sorry. I thought we could talk it out.

Youve heard everything, so please follow the guards for now.

Alright.

Dale observed Elena who had a dejected look on her face from a distance.

She seemed much different from when he had seen her in the game. Perhaps she had become a bit more mature.

She has grown up a lot.

Dale often felt a strange sentiment on such occasions.

Seeing characters like Garland and Elena, whom he had only seen in the game, alive and moving in reality and interacting with them directly made him feel strange.

Reality and the game. Could it be said that the line between reality and fiction was blurring for him?

But what more could surprise him once he had entered the game?

Perhaps sensing his curious gaze, Elena lifted her head to look at Dale.

Her eyes widened slightly. And she asked with a trembling voice.

Father?

?

Both Eirek and Dale frowned. Who was she referring to as father?

Dale didnt even respond while Eirek tried to soothe Elena.

Here. You seem very tired. Please go ahead. I will follow shortly.

Mhmm. All right.

Elena cast one more glance at Dale before departing with the guards.

Eirek hurried over to Dale and said,

It seems like things are about to get more troublesome. But at least the immediate crisis has been averted.

Well done.

I must go now. Theres much to prepare. But before I leave, I have a small favor to ask.

What is it?

Could you look after this fellow for a while?

Eirek pointed to the elf lying in a battered state.

His body was covered in wounds and several bones were broken. It was remarkable that he was even alive.

You want me to take care of this elf?

Dale made it quite clear that he was not pleased with the idea. However, because of the helmet he wore his displeasure might not have been fully conveyed to Eirek.

Or perhaps Eirek was too preoccupied to notice Dales reluctance.

This one is quite headstrong. Arent all elves like that? Honestly, Id rather not deal with him either But once he comes to, make sure he doesnt do anything foolish. Ill make sure you are well compensated!

No, but

Eirek disappeared without waiting for Dales response.

Left alone, Dale cast a sidelong glance at the elf lying on the ground. He secretly wished the elf would just stop breathing but the elfs life proved to be as resilient as weeds.

With groans of pain, the elf made it clear with his entire being that he was still alive.

Haaah.

Dale let out a deep sigh, grabbed one of the elfs legs, and dragged him along.

The elfs head repeatedly hit against stones along the way but that hardly mattered.

After all, the life of an elf was as tenacious as a weed.

When he reached the inn, Dale carelessly dropped the elf onto the floor.

Kayla grew startled by the sudden nose and asked,

Whos this? Oh my, is he badly injured?

Just get a priest to perform some basic healing. The expenses can be billed to Tomos store.

Mhmm.

Kayla called for a priest who recited a simple healing prayer and then wrapped the elfs injuries with bandages.

According to the priest, his arm was broken and the wounds were so deep that he needed to recuperate for a while.

But that wasnt Dales concern.

After tossing the elf into an empty room, Dale laid down on his bed.

It had been a day filled with various events.

The search. Eirek. The Vyman Kingdom. And Elena. The characters he encountered in the game.

Dale lay alone in his bed, lost in thought.

What especially haunted his mind today were memories from the game. Among them, there was a particularly impressive episode.

The Defense of the Vyman Kingdom.

He had participated in the defense of the Vyman Kingdom when he was raising a knight character.

Dale concentrated and tried to recall that time.

Then, suddenly, the memories became vivid and the boundaries of reality blurred.

Soon, a completely different landscape became vivid.

Dale called it a dream.

This place is.

He looked around.

He was atop a partially crumbled wall. Puddles of blood were everywhere and unattended bodies lay scattered.

It was a place in his memory.

The capital of the Vyman Kingdom.

Dale looked down from the wall.

The entire plain was shrouded in darkness.

The demon forces were advancing toward them. The eyes of all monsters that accepted the demons power sparkled like jewels.

The sight of countless glowing eyes shining on the pitch-black plain was reminiscent of the Milky Way.

This is why some poetic people called the demon army the army of stars.

However, this beauty did not reach the soldiers atop the wall. They just silently prayed to their gods with somber expressions on their faces.

The reinforcement from the empire had not arrived in time.

And they could not hold back the advancing army with the forces present.

Today, the Vyman Kingdom with its long history was destined to fall.

Everyone knew this truth.

Dale stood dazedly on the wall and surveyed his surroundings when a tall man approached him.

Blue hair and eyes, extraordinary armor, and a piercing gaze.

The last king of Vyman spoke to him.

Youve done well so far, Aren. Thanks to you, weve been able to hold out this long. Without you, the kingdom would have crumbled much sooner.

Aren. Yes, Dale had indeed given his character that name.

Dale involuntarily nodded his head. Then the king asked him one last favor.

Im sorry to ask this of you, but theres one last thing. There are still many people in the castle who couldnt escape in time. My daughter is among them.

Dale closed his eyes. He already knew what the king would ask of him.

I and my soldiers will meet our end alongside the kingdom. But as an outsider, you have no obligation to do the same. Please, lead the people to safety.

And if he remembered well, the options should now appear before him.

[You can choose to stay and fight alongside Karl Vyman to the very end. He is an indomitable warrior and an honorable knight. Saving him could greatly aid the war against the demons.]

Then the next option emerged.

[Lead the survivors and escape. Without your help, the survivors cannot shake off the demons pursuit.]

[Additional mission: Save the life of the princess to ensure the will of Vyman continues. Elena Vyman possesses prodigious magical talents. Her survival will become a wave that brings about great change in the future.]

Dale chose the latter.

Of course, there could be no better outcome than saving Karl Vyman. He was honorable and upright and a great knight capable of facing lower-ranked demons alone.

Even though he was a fictional character created within a game, Dale had grown fond of him.

However, there were two mid-ranking demons on this battlefield. The odds of victory were slim and survival seemed like a mere fantasy.

Choosing the former would be madness.

Once the decision was made, his mouth moved on its own and he spoke.

I will lead the people and escape.

Good. I trust you. You are the only knight I have truly acknowledged.

Karl spoke with a relieved expression on his face.

Please, protect my daughter.

I will do my best.

[You have passed a key point. You will face the consequences of this choice in the future. Surely.]

Dale moved forward while ignoring the message that appeared before his eyes.

People carrying bundles of luggage were gathered together with faces filled with fear. Among them was the young princess.

Dale locked eyes with the princess who was trembling while holding the hand of her royal guard and said,

Do not worry.

***

Dale awoke from the dream. It was a strange feeling.

He had vividly relived memories from his human days on numerous occasions.

Yet he had not anticipated that scenes from a game viewed through a monitor could be experienced so vividly as if he had been there himself.

Was it a product of Dales imagination?

Nevertheless

You will face the consequences of this choice in the future.

In the end, at the end of the episode, Karl Vyma stood against the forces of the demons until the very end.

He knew he needed to buy time for the survivors to escape.

For that, he needed power.

Karl prayed fervently to the gods. He was willing to offer anything if it meant securing time for his daughter. He begged for strength.

And so, the Goddess of the Night answered his prayers which gave rise to the most powerful dark knight in history.

The dark knight who was once known as Karl achieved the remarkable feat of standing against two demons on his own.

Yet he could not hold back their entire force.

The servants of the demons relentlessly pursued the fleeing survivors.

Many fell along the way, and by the time they reached a nearby city, only about half remained.

From then on, the games protagonist had to leave immediately to assist with the urgent situation at the front lines.

In doing so, he only managed to fulfill half of his promise to protect the princess.

What if Dale had made a different choice back then?

Could Karl have been saved?

Its uncertain.

That remains unknown, but one thing is for certain.

If he had made a different choice back then, Elena might not have survived.

Did the game say Elena Vymans survival would bring about great changes to the story? Such an ambiguous statement.

Whether the wave called Elena would engulf the enemy or their own ranks was something no one could predict.

Yet now, that wave seemed to be hitting a wall.

The outcome of the trial would determine Elenas fate.

Dale spent the night lost in a chain of thoughts and he only snapped out of it at the break of dawn when the sun had just risen.

There was an unusual commotion downstairs.

Could a drunkard be causing some trouble?

Dale grabbed his weapon and descended the stairs.

There, he saw an elf, bandaged and brandishing a weapon, shouting at the top of his lungs.

Where is this place? Why have I been kidnapped? Where is the princess? Ah, I see. Unable to defeat me by fair means, you resort to cowardly tactics! Indeed, the throbbing in the back of my head is surely a sign of some foul play!

Kayla looked at the elf with an expression that seemed to say, Whats wrong with this bastard? before turning her gaze to Dale.

The elf warrior followed her gaze and turned his head as well.

Upon seeing Dale, the elfs face lit up as if he had just encountered an old friend.

Ah! Could it be You are Sir Dale, arent you?

The fact that this elf recognized him took Dale by surprise.

He narrowed his eyes slightly.

Thats right.

Ah, a formidable warrior! I have been eagerly awaiting the day to cross swords with you! To think that day would be today!

The elf was brimming with excitement and seemed ready to draw his sword on Dale at any moment.

Feeling too annoyed to respond, Dale called out toward the outside.

Harty.

At his call, the clever wolf opened the door and stepped inside.

Dale pointed at the elf and issued an order.

Bite.