Listen to My Lady’s Story Chapter 42

 My lady is digging her own grave

"Go! My knights!"

Under My lady Isabella's command, her troops charged forward across the battlefield, which had become a plain of conflict. The warriors accompanying Milady were all incredibly skilled, capable of taking on a thousand foes each. They swung their weapons to secure their mistress's victory, overpowering any obstacles in their path.

"Urgh...!"

However, their side couldn't afford to remain passive. They had the numerical advantage. Despite the heavy cost in lives, they continued to encircle the enemy knights one by one, eliminating them.

Sadly, in this world, even if you gathered a hundred foot soldiers, it was an unwritten rule that they couldn't match a single hero.

"Eradicate them! 'Alondite'!"

"Ugh!?"

During the battle, one of the enemies seemed to have finished charging their magical power. They swung a massive sword they held in their hand. Just that one swing caused the unit on the right flank to crumble, allowing the enemy forces to pour into our side like a flood.

They desperately tried to regroup, but Milady's commands were quicker. In the blink of an eye, the forces were torn apart, and the remaining troops were individually defeated.

"It's over!"

"W-Wait a moment!"

"There's no waiting on the battlefield! Sweep them away, 'Excalibur'!"

"Isn't this a bit overkill at this point!?"

Even though the outcome was already decided, the enemy's devastating attack, unleashed as a finishing blow, annihilated not only our reserve forces but also the commanders, sealing the defeat.

"Hehe, I've won again!" Milady declared with a triumphant smile as we sat on opposite ends of the sofa.

"Congratulations, Milady" I responded politely.

We had just finished a game, and the board before us clearly showed her overwhelming victory. This board game, initially designed for tactical training, had gradually turned into a popular pastime among the nobility.

In this game, the rules were straightforward: assemble knights and magicians to form your army, engage in battles, and aim to defeat your opponent's commander to secure victory. The soldier pieces were diverse, with knights wielding various weapons like axes, bows, and swords, while magicians possessed different abilities based on elemental attributes.

However, the true highlight of this game was the "heroes."

Throughout the kingdom's history, legendary figures had emerged as heroes. They were celebrated for their remarkable deeds, such as vanquishing fearsome monsters or achieving pivotal victories in wars. A recent example was Gunter Russell, the commander of the Royal Knights, who had gained fame for his role in the recent conflict with the Empire.

Let's talk about the heroes and their exceptional weapons known as "Artifacts."

In the world, magic is a power that responds to people's thoughts and intentions, capable of changing almost anything. Think of it like magic spells, where spellcasters reshape the world as they wish.

Similarly, there are special tools called Artifacts that can transform due to the hopes and prayers of many people. These Artifacts evolve into sacred or magical swords after heroes achieve great deeds, becoming symbols of their accomplishments. Even after the heroes pass away, these weapons can recreate their extraordinary feats when used without diminishing their power.

In our board game, these historical heroes are like powerful pieces, just as they were in reality, possessing remarkable abilities.

However, you can't freely use these potent pieces. Each piece has a cost, and stronger pieces have higher costs. Heroes, being the strongest, come with enormous costs, so you need to plan your squad within the assigned cost limit.

Additionally, these pieces are crafted by skilled artisans and are quite rare, making it challenging to acquire the most powerful ones. Some of them are so valuable that owning just one piece could be worth as much as a house.

Our Milady, with her financial means, can collect these formidable pieces and dominate the game with a select few elite units.

"Crow, you're still quite weak."

"That's because you're incredibly strong, Milady."

Milady seems to relish the satisfaction of besting me. With a cheerful grin, she takes a sip of her tea and gazes at me somewhat sympathetically.

In truth, I've never had any formal training in tactics or combat. Trying to win a straightforward brawl in my current state is simply impossible. It's a natural outcome.

"Naturally, there's no one who can defeat someone like me."

Milady, who doesn't have many friends, insists on playing games with me and some of my fellow students. We usually let her win to keep her happy, as it would be more trouble than it's worth to challenge her.

However, she remains blissfully unaware of this and continues to revel in her victories. While she is undeniably strong, thanks to her formidable pieces and a grasp of basic tactics, her actual skills are only moderate. There are plenty of people out there who are much stronger than she is.

"Since you're so weak, should I consider giving you a handicap?"

"No, that won't be necessary" I replied.

Milady, still in high spirits, continued to suggest ways to give me an advantage. She clearly underestimated me, but the fact remained that I was weak. However, even if I were to win under such circumstances, it wouldn't bring me any joy. In truth, I didn't care about winning or losing when playing with Milady. As long as she was enjoying herself, that was all that mattered.

"Oh, really? Then maybe I should think of something to boost Crow's motivation a bit" she said.

"Thank you" I responded.

Despite it being unnecessary, Milady seemed intent on coming up with various ways to make things more interesting for me. I was touched by her kindness. While I waited, I tidied up the pieces on the board.

"Well, how about something like this? If you manage to beat me, I'll grant one of your wishes" she suddenly suggested.

".....Mhh!?"

I froze, momentarily forgetting my work, and stared at Milady in disbelief. It seemed like the arrogance of the strong had gotten the best of her.

"What? Why all of a sudden?" 

Milady appeared puzzled by my sudden reaction, but my thoughts were elsewhere. In truth, when it came to leveraging Milady's influence, she could acquire almost anything; there were very few things she couldn't achieve. That's likely why she made such a proposal in the first place, but I had only one wish from the start.

"Is there really no limit to the wishes you'll grant?"

"Huh? Well, I mean, something like wanting a whole country is out of the question, but anything within my power, I'll grant it."

"Really, really?"

"Absolutely. Why, do you doubt my word that much? I could even make a solemn oath right here if you'd like. I swear on the Valiaz family name that I will never go back on my word regarding what I just said."

Perhaps my insistence on confirmation had bothered her, as Milady went so far as to make an unnecessary oath. She probably didn't realize what she had just said.

Truly, she was both foolish and endearing.

The finest prey had come willingly into the trap.

"I understand. If you're that insistent, then winning is my only option. Milady, could I borrow your pieces?"

"Sure, you can use anything there as you like."

With a delighted smile on my face, I rose from my seat and approached the massive shelf in the room. The game room's shelf displayed numerous pieces that Milady had been collecting over the years. You could say it included almost every type of piece, from different versions to secret editions, and even reissues that existed within the kingdom.

Holding a thick rulebook that could pass as a deadly weapon in one hand, I gazed at each piece, carefully selecting the ones I needed.

"Hmm? What's this..."

As I examined the pieces on the shelf, my attention was drawn to one in particular—a mage piece adorned with a staff and robe. These pieces, meticulously crafted by artisans, were so detailed that even their expressions were clearly discernible. Judging by the craftsmanship alone, this piece was likely modeled after one of the kingdom's heroes.

"Oh, is there something about this piece that caught your attention?"

"No, it's not exactly like that..."

"Hmm, this piece, you mean?"

Milady, perhaps intrigued by my sudden pause, leaned over from behind and picked up the chess piece. However, I couldn't quite pinpoint why this specific piece had caught my attention. If I had to describe it, it felt oddly familiar.

"Oh, I know this man..."

"Do you recognize him, Milady?"

As soon as Milady recognized the piece, her expression soured noticeably. Heroes were typically figures from the past, so had she met him before?

"Balga Lubrim, a hero who served in the war against the Empire twenty years ago, just like the current Commander of the Kingdom's Knights, Sir Gunter. I met him once at a party my father took me to when I was a child" she explained.

I had no recollection of such a person, so it must have been a story from before Milady found me. It seemed that Balga, unlike the other hero Sir Gunter, had left a rather unpleasant impression on her.

"He had this incredibly unpleasant way of staring at people as if he were inspecting them from head to toe the moment he met them. Ugh, just thinking about it gives me the shivers!"

Since this was before Milady found me, she would have still been a child at the time. It appeared that Balga was not a particularly pleasant individual, especially when dealing with someone of her age.

However, what piqued my interest was that, unlike Sir Gunter, I had never seen this Balga in any of the Kingdom's ceremonies or events.

"I've never seen this Balga before. Do you know where he is now?"

"Hmm, I'm not sure. I don't have all the details, but he seems to have gone missing about ten years ago."

"Missing?" 

Heroes were vital figures, often regarded as the kingdom's secret weapons. So, a hero going missing was undoubtedly a significant event. What could have happened?

"I've heard that back then, there were quite a few cases of nobles disappearing. Balga was one of them. Well, I'm relieved I don't have to deal with that man anymore" Milady said, puffing her cheeks slightly.

"That's..."

I had just heard a similar story not too long ago. Ten years ago, just like now, there were incidents of nobles disappearing. Was this a mere coincidence or something more?

"More importantly, make your selection quickly" Milady urged.

"Y-Yes, Milady."

Her impatience, expressed by a slight tug at my clothes, interrupted my thoughts. We lacked too much information. In this situation, we couldn't reach any meaningful conclusions, and there was no point in dwelling on it for now.

"How about this one? It has both good attack power and decent mobility, making it a pretty strong piece"

Milady held my arm and started recommending various pieces from the shelf.

She eagerly explained the abilities of each piece and the remarkable accomplishments of the people they represented. It was clear that she took great pride in displaying her collection, and her excitement was contagious, bringing a smile to my face as well.

"You've chosen pieces with a lot of firepower. That makes the balance a bit uneven, don't you think?"

Milady guided me back to the sofa, where I promptly began selecting my troops from the pieces she had brought. 

Seated beside me, Milady peered at my choices, snuggling up as if seeking comfort. 

As I stroked her head, I put together my strategy and the units needed for victory, with a determined mindset. This time, I wouldn't hold back.

"Milady, if you don't mind, I'd like to try a new strategy. Is that acceptable?"

"Hmm, that sounds interesting. Very well, use any strategy you like. My victory is assured, after all. Do your best to entertain me."

"Yes, Milady. I will do my best to ensure your satisfaction."

Is Milady really so sure of her victory, maintaining her composure with such confidence?

As I entertained thoughts that could easily disrupt her demeanor, a smile played on my lips.

"Apologies for the wait, Milady."

"Now, let's see what kind of troops you've assembled... Wait, what's this?! Are you serious!?"

After finishing assembling our troops and arranging them swiftly on the board for our upcoming battle, Milady couldn't help but burst into laughter upon seeing our forces.

Her reaction was entirely understandable. You see, apart from the main heroes, all of our pieces were nothing more than common soldiers. These common soldiers, to put it bluntly, had the lowest stats in terms of attack, defense, and mobility. Their only advantage was their low cost, which allowed us to field a larger number of them. They were essentially the weakest and most expendable pieces in the game.

To be frank, anyone would think it a hundred times wiser to replace them with random knights or more capable units.

"Yes, I will win, Milady."

"Hmph, even if you're trying to make me underestimate you by deploying such a bunch of underwhelming troops, I won't hold back."

"Very well, I don't mind."

"...Crow, you're quite cheeky for someone like you!"

She must have understood that I was serious about winning despite deploying such a playful troop.

With a slight twitch in her cheek, Milady arranged her pieces with determination.

"What, is this....."

A few minutes later, Milady, once confident, now looked bewildered as she gazed at the unfolding battlefield. The situation had completely reversed from the previous match, with her troops on the verge of defeat and nearly annihilated. She fought fiercely with her remaining units, but it seemed that the end was inevitable.

"Then, I'll use the Crimson Sorcerer Balga to attack your nation's founding king, Arthur."

"W-Wait!"

As I moved to strike down the enemy commander, Milady called for a halt. Normally, I would heed her words, but this time, I had decided to press the attack relentlessly.

"Didn't Milady say there's no stopping on the battlefield?"

"W-Well, yes, but..."

"Then, shall I continue? With this attack, Arthur's strength has reached zero, and I declare victory."

"What...!?"

Ignoring Milady's words, I launched another attack. Several of our civilian soldiers, who had been holding the enemy commander at bay, were obliterated by our large-scale magic. With the commander defeated, Milady's defeat was sealed in that moment.

"W-What... What kind of tactic is that!?"

"Even if you say that...."

After her first defeat, Milady was momentarily frozen but quickly sprang back to life, screaming as she charged at me. However, it wasn't particularly challenging.

We had used civilian troops to delay and guide Milady's knights while keeping our main force of heroes, including the magician units, in reserve. Our strategy was simple: eliminate them. The magicians' attacks had a wide reach, so some of the civilian troops we used as bait were caught in the crossfire. However, they were low-cost pieces, so we had plenty of them. Sacrificing them had no real impact on our overall strength.

"Using allies as sacrifices is despicable!"

"......? But Milady, you said any tactics were acceptable, didn't you?"

"Grr...!"

I knew that without a strategy, I couldn't defeat Milady in a fair fight. That's why I devised this plan, but being called despicable stung. In reality, weaker units were often used as pawns, and employing non-magic-wielding civilians as decoys was the most effective approach.

However, this was just a game. In reality, there were no limitations like one turn per round, so such tactics wouldn't work on the battlefield. But for the purpose of this game, defeating Milady was enough.

"Let's have one more match, one more match!"

"Sure, I'm ready to play as many rounds as you'd like."

With determination, Milady challenged me to another round. I agreed with a smile as I rearranged the pieces on the board.

Milady glared at me as if she could shoot daggers, her eyes filled with intensity. I couldn't help but chuckle. I was determined to defeat her once again.

"No, no way....."

"This means I've won ten times in a row."

"Ugh..."

Just as in the previous nine rounds, I defeated the enemy commander, securing my victory. Milady was left momentarily stunned by the one-sided match. Given her tendency to become emotional, once her composure was disrupted, it became quite easy to defeat her.

"Crow, you rascal! You're so cheeky for someone like you!"

Apparently overcome with frustration, Milady glared at me with tears in her eyes. I couldn't help but get excited by her intense reaction.

However, no matter how loudly she protested, a defeat was still a defeat. And, of course, there were consequences for the loser...

"Do you remember the promise we made if you lost, Milady?"

"...Ah."

It seemed she finally remembered their pre-match conversation. Her expression, which had been sternly fixed on him, quickly turned pale. Although I felt a bit sorry for her, the world of competition was ruthless.

"Ten rounds of it, please?"

I grinned as I met her gaze, and Milady, perhaps sensing something, shivered slightly.

TL NOTE: day off as usual

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