Please Vote for Your Knight! Chapter 39

At those words, everyone bit their lips as if they were struggling to hold back their emotions.

Killian lowered his head as well.

“But if it isn’t me, then who’s going to leave?”

Killian spoke quietly.

No one could answer him.

One person had to leave the team, no matter what.

“I don’t want to be voted out. I’d rather leave on my own.”

“But they said the person who withdraws won’t even get a chance to form a new team and be evaluated.”

Denny, who had been unusually quiet, finally spoke.

“On the other hand, they also said what happens to the people who withdraw is a secret.”

Killian spoke calmly, as if he wasn’t worried.

“Maybe we’ll be evaluated in some other way. They never said we’d be completely eliminated.”

“But that’s too risky.”

“Then shall we vote here?”

“That…!”

“It’s better for me to leave on my own than to be hurt by getting voted out.”

Killian was adamant.

 

***

 

Meanwhile, tension was also building within Dmitri’s team over the issue of who would be eliminated.

“I think we should keep whoever is necessary for the team.”

Joan was the first to speak.

“By what criteria are we supposed to decide that?”

Olivier asked sharply.

“We can consider it based on the position each person is responsible for.”

“So, in the end, you’re saying that you, as both the leader and a member of the strategy team, should stay.”

“N-No! That’s not what I meant!”

Joan was flustered by Olivier’s sharp analysis.

Watching him, Pavel raised his hand.

“How about we take turns explaining why we shouldn’t be the one to leave! I’ll go first. I’m cute, so I brighten everyone’s mood just by being around. …Just kidding!”

“Ahaha, what was that?”

“I almost hit you.”

Several tense team members burst out laughing, easing the tension.

“I’m fast and agile, so I have an advantage when it comes to obtaining the ‘Emperor’s Sword.’ We have to enter a cave, right? Since I’m short, I’m probably the best suited to squeeze into a narrow cave.”

“That actually makes sense. I’m next.”

Maurice raised his hand.

“You all saw me beat Lord David during the flag-pulling competition, right? I can retrieve the ‘Emperor’s Sword’ faster than anyone else. Honestly, if I don’t do it, who will?”

Raphael and Olivier followed.

“I’m good at providing cover, if nothing else. When I was running the orphanage, I protected all those children by myself.”

“I’m sure my intellect will be useful when we need to provide cover.”

Now, only Joan and Dmitri remained.

Joan spoke first.

“If the leader suddenly disappears, the team will fall apart. And it makes no sense to change the leader yet again at this point, does it?”

Joan spoke meaningfully.

A subtle tension filled the air.

At the same time, everyone’s gaze turned toward the final person—

Dmitri.

Dmitri closed his eyes, then slowly opened them and looked at the other team members.

“I promised you all that I wouldn’t interfere on the boat.”

It sounded as though he had already given up.

The team members were growing solemn one by one when—

“But if I remain on the team, I will take command again.”

“!”

“So I’ll lead all of you down the right path. I’ll make sure we reach the island as quickly as possible, and return just as quickly. I promise.”

This was a different Dmitri from the one they had seen throughout Cartamen.

He was different from the Dmitri who had seemed forlorn, as though he had no attachment to anything.

He was desperate.

And he was burning with ambition.

The ambition to survive this team competition.

“Then let’s begin the vote.”

While everyone was still stunned, Dmitri took charge of the situation.

“Point to the knight you think should withdraw. One, two, three!”

Some team members squeezed their eyes shut, while others turned their heads because they couldn’t bear to look.

Olivier, however, kept his eyes wide open and watched.

After checking the results, he spoke.

“How unexpected.”

Everyone cautiously opened their eyes or turned their heads.

Then they stared in shock, mouths falling open.

“I’m the one being eliminated.”

Olivier spoke calmly.

Maurice, Pavel, and Raphael had voted for Olivier.

Dmitri and Olivier had voted for Joan.

And Joan had voted for Dmitri.

Three to two to one.

Olivier had received the most votes, with three.

“To think you’d give up this brilliant mind. You’d better be prepared for the consequences.”

Despite saying that, Olivier stood up without another complaint.

“I’m sorry, Olivier.”

“There was no choice.”

“To be honest, I admit my pitch was the weakest. Let’s not turn this into some melodramatic farewell.”

Olivier casually raised one hand in farewell before walking toward the area where the eliminated contestants had gathered.

The atmosphere immediately sank.

It was certainly better than the shouting and even fistfights breaking out in some of the other teams.

But then, in the silence, Joan spoke, sounding somewhat agitated.

“Let’s make one thing clear.”

Everyone looked at Joan in confusion.

“I’m the leader. We’ve already lost one team member, and if my position as leader is shaken as well, the team will fall apart. Didn’t you hear the Valkyries’ advice?”

“Whoa, calm down.”

“I’m not agitated.”

“You mean the comment that it seemed like we had two leaders?”

Maurice asked, trying to calm Joan down.

Joan nodded.

“But I see that advice a little differently.”

Pavel opened his small mouth.

“Wasn’t that advice not telling us to follow the existing leader, but rather telling us to change the leader?”

“What are you talking about?”

“If Dmitri didn’t look like a leader, they wouldn’t have said it seemed like we had two leaders. Dmitri has the qualities of a leader too.”

“But I’m the leader.”

“We can change that.”

“What is this…? Does everyone think the same way?”

Joan frowned and looked around at his teammates.

Everyone remained silent for a moment before Raphael cautiously spoke.

“The most important part of leadership is the ability to guide your teammates in the right direction. So I recommend Dmitri as our leader.”

“I agree with Dmitri. Honestly, things are more stable when Dmitri is in command on the boat.”

“Me too.”

It was unanimous—

except for Dmitri and Joan themselves.

Joan bit his lip.

He had deliberately chosen Dmitri as a team member and taken the position of leader because he wanted to create a contrast.

He had planned to portray himself, ranked second, taking care of Dmitri, the Empire’s most disliked person ranked fifty-fourth, while naturally comparing their respective abilities in the process.

But instead, the scene had turned into one where Dmitri was taking the leadership position away from him.

He wanted to overturn everything.

But there were video orbs watching them from every direction.

There was nothing he could do.

I still have one more chance.

Joan forced a smile and nodded.

“If that’s what the team wants, then I agree as well. Dmitri, please take my place as leader.”

“You don’t have to do that…”

“Come on. If you refuse to accept the position, you’ll make me look bad.”

“Understood. Thank you. I’ll do my best to live up to everyone’s expectations.”

Dmitri accepted the position of leader with a bewildered expression.

Joan briefly glared at him.

 

***

 

The day of the main evaluation arrived.

This evaluation was the Naval War.

The competition would take place in the center of the circular arena, which had been filled with water.

The citizens’ anticipation for the Naval War reached the heavens.

It was a game that had been passed down as an Imperial tradition.

But because of the tyrant, the tradition had been discontinued for decades.

Edit had anticipated that the circular arena would be packed with people, so she opened what was essentially a spectator application.

Register your identification card on your tablet and

to complete your application!

Those who are selected

will receive an invitation two days before the

!

Notifications like this appeared on screens throughout the plazas.

The citizens lined up to apply.

The circular arena could actually accommodate as many as 80,000 people.

Of course, that was assuming they were packed in tightly.

For safety reasons, Edit limited the number of selected spectators to 10,000.

Half of the circular arena also had to be reserved as a waiting area for the participants.

Even so, nearly 100,000 citizens applied to attend.

The winning invitations were even illegally traded at exorbitant prices.

Eventually, an imperial decree was issued stating that anyone caught buying or selling invitations on the black market would be punished.

 

***

 

Anyone here get selected for Cartamen? ㅠㅠ

I had my parents, grandparents, and every relative I could think of apply, and not a single one of us got selected ㅠㅠ

– I did.

ㄴ Damn, I’m jealous ㅠㅠㅠㅠ

– I didn’t either ㅠㅠ If anyone has a spare ticket, please give me one.

– Seriously, who the hell is getting selected?

ㄴ Exactlyㅠㅠㅠㅠ

ㄴ Those damn ticket scalpers get selected just fine. It’s pissing me off so much.

– My cousin said she’d give me her ticket if she got selected, but now that she did, she says she’s going herselfㅠㅠ

– My friend got selected, so I’m going with himㅋㅋㅋ I promised to buy him lunchㅋㅋㅋ

ㄴ You think lunch is enough? You’d better bow toward your friend’s house every morning from now on.

 

***

 

Cartamen invitation for transfer.

Price negotiable.

– Don’t you know ticket scalping is illegal?

– Check your DMs.

– Transferred ^^

ㄴ It hasn’t been transferred yet.

– This bastard’s a scammer. He’s asking for 100,000 gold for a single invitation?

ㄴ Holy shit

– Reported.

– Transfer completed ^^

ㄴ I said it hasn’t been transferred yet.