---

Before Gilbert and Seraphina faced off in the event match…

The moment Gilbert secured victory in the 1st Year Competition Tournament by defeating Ian, he suddenly felt a sense of emptiness.

Had it become reality? Or was it because the protagonist of the game he had played for so long didn’t live up to his expectations?

Gilbert shook his head. That wasn’t it. He had deeply enjoyed Tactical Combat, but he hadn’t been overly immersed in it. He accepted the game as just that—a game—so he hadn’t deeply identified with the protagonist, Ian. It was more like a sense of pity.

Then why this feeling of emptiness? If he had to find a reason, it might have been due to the upcoming Academy attack incident. If Ian had been the hero depicted in the story, perhaps he wouldn’t have felt this way.

If anything, it was a sense of regret. Nodding to himself, Gilbert thought that if Ian had been the hero he imagined, the damage from the attack might have been minimized.

But the vain and arrogant Ian he saw in the finals was more likely to mess things up. Ambition could sometimes cloud a person’s judgment, and the desire for honor could drag someone to the bottom.

Taking a deep breath, Gilbert thought about the upcoming event match and the award ceremony. As expected, Seraphina had won as the representative of the second year. The third-year winner was also a well-known NPC from the game, but Gilbert’s attention was focused on Seraphina.

Just how strong was Seraphina in this now-real world? His disappointment in Ian was replaced by anticipation for Seraphina, who had been roaming battlefields even before adulthood.

“Congratulations on your victory, Priest.”

After tidying up his Colossal Mech, Gilbert arrived at the waiting area where Seraphina greeted him warmly. Her flawless demeanor and her ever-present aide, Yanik, were as usual.

Gilbert bowed his head. “Congratulations on your victory, Sera—”

“Ahem.”

“Priest.”

“My, my. It feels like I’ve gained a cute younger brother.”

Gilbert couldn’t help but laugh inwardly at her grumbling. Seeing her so relaxed helped clear his tangled thoughts. This ease was Seraphina’s trademark.

It was admirable how she embodied the stability a ruler should have.

“I’ve always thought this… but you have a knack for surprising me, Priest.”

“Surprising you? How so?”

“Yes. From the Entrance Mock Battle, I’ve noticed your Colossal Mech Piloting Technique is incredibly refined. The more I see it, the more I’m amazed.”

Gilbert felt a bit awkward at her praise. In truth, he was living his second life. His piloting skills were honed through countless deaths in the game, and his real-life battlefield experience made him seem like a prodigy.

Given the environment and talent, Gilbert had become who he was now.

But what about Seraphina? Even in the game, choosing a route that opposed her made the difficulty skyrocket.

And now, in reality, she was a prodigy who had led Colossal Mechs and achieved military feats at a young age.

Could she be the real genius? Gilbert couldn’t help but think so. Even though he had awakened in this world and piloted a Colossal Mech with his life on the line, he couldn’t compare to Seraphina, who had actually been on the battlefield.

As someone who had been an ace in his previous life, he knew the gap was vast.

“Anyway, I’m looking forward to our event match, Priest.”

“The event match?”

“Yes. How could I not? It’s been said for a long time that I have no peers among those my age. And yet, you’ve come close to matching me. That’s very satisfying.”

Seraphina’s red eyes sparkled. Perhaps it was the loneliness of a genius.

Gilbert suddenly wondered where someone of noble blood and genius like her was looking.

“I hope I haven’t raised your expectations too high.”

“Hoho. Your eyes say otherwise, Priest.”

Seraphina smiled as if she had found a kindred spirit.

Gilbert also wanted to test his skills against the real-world Seraphina. The thought of facing one of Tactical Combat’s strongest players made his heart race.

“In that case, Priest, I won’t hold back. Give it your all.”

“Is that an order, Priestess?”

“Hmm. It’s more fun if I don’t say.”

Their eyes met, and a competitive spark ignited between them.

***

With that competitive exchange, Gilbert prepared for the event match. The audience expected something akin to a master duel, but they were eager to see the clash between Gilbert, who had caused a stir in the 1st Year Competition Tournament, and Seraphina, who was considered the strongest cadet.

The heated discussions about what kind of match they would deliver didn’t stop until the match began. And as if to meet their expectations, the match was intense. The agility with which they fought in their massive Colossal Mechs was unbelievable.

They deployed Magic Armor with the precision of chess players, repeatedly attacking from angles the other couldn’t avoid.

When Seraphina’s Magic Armor spewed fire, Gilbert’s Colossal Mech parried with a massive Iron Sword. Conversely, when Gilbert deployed his Magic Armor, Seraphina’s Colossal Mech danced with her Iron Sword, parrying effortlessly.

They clashed like beasts within each other’s range, not tolerating a single error.

Gilbert gripped the controls tightly as he watched Seraphina’s relentless assault. Since awakening in this game-like world, this was the first time he had felt so tense.

Even when he first met Count Luania, he hadn’t felt this pressured. The Count’s intimidation hadn’t been life-threatening.

Even in life-or-death Colossal Mech battles, Gilbert had never struggled this much. This was fundamentally different.

He had faced Seraphina countless times in the game, but the real thing felt entirely different. Even in the game’s most brutal Tactical Combat modes, he had never felt this way. No matter how difficult the game became, the enemies had predictable patterns.

But the real Seraphina was different.

Her fundamentals were rock-solid. Her movements were efficient, and her ability to gauge the Colossal Mech’s spacing was exceptional. Even with the aid of an Artificial Spirit, such skill required a solid foundation.

Moreover, she had learned and used his veteran techniques flawlessly. It was no wonder Briana, who rarely took disciples, had taken her on.

Her ability to use techniques she had only glimpsed, and to deploy them at the right moment, even surprised Gilbert. He knew the event match wouldn’t be easy, but the pressure he felt facing her was beyond his expectations.

But…

“Phew…”

Exhaling deeply, Gilbert relaxed his tense body. He hadn’t expected to win this match. No matter how skilled he was in Tactical Combat, this wasn’t a game with set systems.

There were variables, and there could always be a better Colossal Mech Knight. Winning wasn’t always possible, even in the game.

He steadied his mind and pulled the controls. A Multi-shot Fireball aimed at Seraphina’s Colossal Mech flew out.

**Winter Sword – Why Wind**

With a single swing, the Fireballs were all parried. The Fireballs weren’t meant to deal significant damage but to create an opening where Seraphina had to parry.

The momentary gap and the stiffness from parrying.

Gilbert closed in with High-Speed Maneuvering, slamming into Seraphina’s Colossal Mech with a shoulder charge.

“…!”

But Seraphina, as if mocking his decisive strike, gracefully backflipped out of the attack. It was the same three-dimensional maneuver Gilbert had used during the Entrance Mock Battle.

Gilbert quickly raised his Iron Sword to the side. The risk of a failed shoulder charge was obvious.

*Clang!*

As expected, Seraphina’s Iron Sword struck Gilbert’s. The power of her glowing red sword was beyond imagination. Already surpassing Gilbert in Mana, the impact was hard to shake off even with his sword raised.

Losing the initiative to an unexpected counterattack was painful. Seraphina, not wanting to let go of her advantage, relentlessly targeted his openings with her Iron Sword, forcing Gilbert into a defensive stance.

No choice…!

Breaking through tight situations was a veteran’s skill.

As Seraphina’s fierce attack came in, Gilbert swung his Iron Sword. The timing was impeccable. Even in this real world, he still had some assistance from the game system.

Meanwhile, Seraphina, surprised by Gilbert’s piloting skills, felt puzzled as he took a wide horizontal slash stance. It didn’t suit the cold, calculated Gilbert she had seen.

Had the pressure clouded his judgment?

Seraphina shook her head. The Gilbert she knew wouldn’t make such a mistake. There must be a trick.

She prepared herself and stepped into his attack range, not missing a single movement of his Colossal Mech, ready to counter his horizontal slash.

“What the…!”

Seraphina exclaimed as Gilbert’s horizontal slash suddenly stopped. Such a phenomenon was beyond her understanding.

Even with Magic Engineering, abruptly stopping a massive Colossal Mech’s movement was nearly impossible, especially with a standard model.

But Gilbert had done it effortlessly. Despite already swinging his sword, he stopped it as if using magic.

Does the Priest have a Characteristic Skill?

It was a reasonable assumption. No matter how skilled, a standard Mech had its limits.

Seraphina smiled fiercely at Gilbert, who continued to surprise her. He was truly an unrelenting man.

But there was no time to admire him. The opening created by her attempt to block the horizontal slash was now hers. Gilbert’s attacks, twisting in from unexpected angles, were growing fiercer.

The Winter Sword techniques he had learned from Briana were highly skilled, leaving no room for carelessness.

Seeing the attack cancel, or “attack cancel,” unfold as planned, Gilbert realized he still had significant system backup. Using the delay from controlling the Colossal Mech through the Artificial Spirit, he could initiate a second attack during the first.

It was a veteran technique, useful but difficult to master without precise execution.

And Gilbert was one of the few who could use it.

But she parried it too easily.

Pressing his advantage, Gilbert mixed Lightning Bolts and Magic Missiles into his sword strikes, but all were parried.

To make matters worse, Gilbert’s Mana, already his lowest stat, was finally running out. While average among his peers, it was pitifully low compared to Seraphina.

The Mana cost of blocking her attacks was staggering. A few more hits, and his Mana Battery would be empty.

He had no choice but to stake everything on one final move.

Gilbert suddenly stopped his Colossal Mech. For the first time since the match began, there was a lull.

*Beep*

A private communication request came from Seraphina. Gilbert accepted without hesitation.

[Impressive, Priest.]

“You flatter me.”

[No need for modesty. You’re the only one who has surprised me this much. You should be proud.]

Seraphina’s expression on the screen was filled with admiration. Her face was slightly flushed, perhaps from the excitement of being pushed so hard by a peer.

[You’ve created distance to make a final move, haven’t you?]

“Yes.”

Seeing no point in hiding it, Gilbert nodded.

[You’re more romantic than you look, Priest.]

“It’s not romance. It’s just the best move I can make.”

[Some would call that romance. A final strike in a hopeless battle.]

“You’re the one speaking romantically, Priestess.”

[Hoho. Despite appearances, I too enjoyed tales of knights in my youth.]

Seraphina, lost in sentiment, observed Gilbert’s unwavering expression. She liked his unshaken demeanor.

[Priest.]

“Yes?”

[Give it your all.]

“I will.”

With that, the communication ended.

Gilbert steadied his breathing and gathered all his remaining Mana. Honestly, with his current Mana, he could only perform a few of the Winter Sword’s techniques.

The advanced techniques of the Winter Sword were Mana-hungry monsters.

But it was enough for one strike.

Gilbert’s Mana concentrated into his Iron Sword, and Seraphina did the same.

As their Mana compressed to its limit, they charged at each other without hesitation.

***

Event Match.

Winner: Seraphina Lector Infractus.

***

After the long Competition Tournament, Seraphina, in her sleepwear, gazed out the window at the moon.

But she wasn’t looking at the moon. Instead, she was thinking about Gilbert, the only Priest she had faced in the event match.

In her short life, Gilbert was an intriguing individual. His terrible reputation, his lack of intimidation before her as the Princess, and his mysterious piloting skills—everything about him was fascinating.

Even she, who prided herself on her ability to read people, couldn’t fully grasp the man she called Priest. His actions were so contrary to the information she had gathered that it piqued her interest.

Was the man before her a facade to hide his worst reputation? Or was this his true self?

In truth, it didn’t matter to Seraphina.

The only thing that mattered was whether Gilbert’s true nature posed a threat to the Empire.

And if he did, she would not hesitate to eliminate him herself.

Her gaze, fixed on the moon, sharpened.

To her, nothing was more important than the peace of the Empire.

 

---