Let’s Face Off

Using the method of “mutual competition,” deciding who will go to the Goddess’s Ruins through an unshakable “victory,”

Although a little old-fashioned in my opinion, it wouldn’t cause any controversy.

However, the situation was not as simple as I thought!

Not only did Louise IV’s script suddenly change, but the moment her words fell, Louise XXIII—who had just been full of the confidence of a victor, as if already waiting for the results to be announced—her expression instantly darkened.

A moment later, Louise XXIII forced herself to pull it together, trying hard to look like she “didn’t care,” and grabbed Louise IV’s arm as she asked.

“Your Majesty the Queen, didn’t you say before that you would let me…”

Louise IV shook off Louise XXIII’s hand, stepped back slightly, her smile unchanged, and her voice still full of innocence.

“XXIII, did I ever say something like ‘I will definitely choose you’?”

“Uh!”

“I am, after all, the Queen of the Empire. Please don’t use strange lies that would make my image look bad in front of everyone~ Right, Two-Ten-Three?”

Louise IV blinked her eyes, clapped her hands lightly, and looked at her.

The Louise XXIII who had previously hit me with heavy punches and even dared to be sarcastic to the protagonist Kefir, this time became timid and submissive.

Her body trembled slightly—that was absolutely fear in my eyes—her lips moved in unwillingness, but in the end, she behaved honestly.

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

When I looked at Louise XXIII’s script again, sure enough, it had also changed.

【Louise XXIII, who originally planned to humiliate Kefir, can only accept the fact of competing again.】

“Great~ Actually, I also think it’s better for everyone to compete fairly in such matters~”

After getting a positive response, Louise IV’s smile became even brighter.

She clapped her hands to signal that the decision was “finalized,” and then turned toward Kefir’s father.

“Zerola, what do you think of my decision?”

“No problem, Your Majesty. I will not favor my own daughter.”

“Then it’s settled. As for the timing—hmm~ I’ll give both of you a week to prepare. One week later, Kefir and XXIII will compete in a comprehensive strength match right here in the martial arena. I’ll bring the judges as well~ The winner will receive my formal recognition and go to explore the ruins, bringing glory to the Empire.”

Louise IV waved her hand, and an official immediately began writing quickly on paper, recording Louise IV’s decision.

Now that the decision had become black and white on paper, even Louise XXIII couldn’t cause trouble anymore.

After watching Louise XXIII leave looking uneasy, Louise IV also dismissed the rows of guards.

Her voice became much softer than before.

“By the way, Uncle, may I temporarily stay here with you? Kefir has been studying abroad for years—we rarely get the chance to meet~ I’d like to use this time to talk with her properly.”

The Queen’s request was, of course, something Uncle couldn’t refuse.

As for Kefir, she wasn’t lying to me—their relationship really was good.

“In that case, I’ll prepare a room for you right away, Royal Sister. Father, is there any vacant room in the house? Preferably not too simple for the Queen.”

Then Kefir and Uncle Zerola walked away together, chatting as they left.

Probably because they were too focused on Louise IV, they just left me standing there and stepped outside to talk.

I was left alone, staring nervously at Louise IV.

Flawless looks, an innocent and bright smile—and yet… I felt strangely tense.

At first, I thought Louise IV was on Louise XXIII’s side—the so-called villain’s shield!

I had even prepared to use the script to dig up her secrets so Kefir could secure the spot!

But now, it seemed the script was starting to become… a little cliché.

Next, it would probably go like this:

Louise XXIII thinks Kefir’s strength has declined recently and feels smug,

But Kefir is just pretending to be weak—then in the final duel, she’ll send Louise XXIII flying dozens of meters with one punch.

A classic trope.

Considering Louise IV’s identity, it’s not surprising that she suddenly changed roles to become the “judge.”

But just as I was thinking that, a sweet voice suddenly came from beside me.

I turned my head and found Louise IV was already standing next to me at some point, wearing her usual smile as she asked.

“Mr. Priest, what do you think?”

“Wha… what!?”

“Aren’t you a priest? Does your prophetic ability let you see anything?”

The script for something so vague and far away is already hard to read clearly, not to mention revealing my ability in this kind of situation would be suicide.

I’m supposed to be the big villain here.

Even protagonists have to act weak like pigs to eat tigers.

If I start flaunting my ‘I know everything’ skills, isn’t that just like a bamboo rat jumping into an iron pot—asking for death?

“Well… I don’t have the ability to predict something that far ahead.”

“Is that so? I was wondering—since you’re Kefir’s priest, wouldn’t your ability in this area be unusually strong…”

“Ha… haha, you overestimate me.”

As our eyes met, my hand trembled slightly, but I managed to stay calm.

I quietly stepped back a few paces and made up an excuse to leave, planning to immediately go cling to Kefir’s thigh.

Because in Euclid’s script, it’s all just “death death death.”

It wouldn’t even be strange if Louise IV killed me.

But just now, out of professional habit, I took another glance at the script related to Louise IV’s actions toward me—and her death endings for me had changed again.

【Louise IV will kill Euclid.】

【Louise IV will brutally kill Euclid.】

【Louise IV will torture Euclid to death.】

【Louise IV will use cruel methods on Euclid, dismembering him alive.】

…

I’ve seen many fancy death scripts before, but…

Louise IV has countless endings, all different ways of killing me—vicious and cruel.

What the hell does that even mean!?