* * *
If I had been aiming for victory from the start, I would’ve just killed the gargoyle on my own.
I wouldn’t have rolled around on the ground waiting for Klen.
My head spun, but Count Valuncio raised his hand high for all to see.
“The winner of this hunting tournament is Adrian Valuncio.”
And thus, I was officially declared the winner of the hunting tournament.
The sword—Levatain—was extended toward me as I stood there, stunned.
I accepted it before I could think.
Despite the chaos in my heart, it felt firm and natural in my grip.
As if it had always been mine.
It would be dishonorable for a knight to receive a sword and not raise it.
And I am, after all, Caldrich—the one who values knightly honor.
Shiiing—
With a clear, ringing sound, I drew the deep-blue blade from its sheath and held it high for all to see.
Under the brilliant sunlight, the sword gleamed brightly.
“Oh…”
“Ooooh!”
Even though it was their second time seeing it, they couldn’t stop marveling.
Their enchanted gazes slowly drifted down to meet mine.
My grip on the hilt tightened.
Admiration could turn to disappointment in an instant.
I’d rather not have to endure that “pearls before swine” look.
Especially not before they’ve seen how sharp this blade really is.
“Then, with this, the hunting tournament is concluded.”
“Waaaah~!”
At the announcement, a huge pile of firewood was stacked in the center.
Tables were set up all around, and a line of massive ale barrels followed.
On the Countess’s side, their own tables were being prepared with fresh tea, whole cakes, and fruit.
‘It feels like a festival.’
A typical hunting tournament would usually end with grilling and eating the best catch of the day.
But what we caught weren’t animals—they were monsters.
We couldn’t grill and eat things like that.
Maybe they’re edible, but I certainly didn’t want to try.
They might even be poisonous.
Perhaps everyone felt the same, because soon the smell of sizzling meat—large cuts brought from the city—spread around us as they cooked over the fire.
It was truly festival time now.
If yesterday had only been for setting up camp, today was the real celebration.
And as the winner of the tournament—the one who should be standing proudly at the center, soaking in all the excitement—I quietly slipped away and sat in a corner.
For some reason, I couldn’t bring myself to join those who were eating and drinking so cheerfully.
And perhaps Klen felt the same, because he quietly sat beside me.
I glanced around.
Once I was sure no one was paying us any attention, I carefully held out the sword and opened my mouth.
“I’ll give this to you.”
“…Why? Didn’t you say you wanted it?”
“For me…”
I didn’t want to say it myself. That look people gave—like putting pearls on a pig—had always been hard to swallow.
But I had to say it. I couldn’t be sure I’d still be here when everything ended.
Still, this sword had to go to the protagonist if things were to progress smoothly.
I bit my lip and forced the words out.
“Because it doesn’t suit me.”
Honestly, it was a shame.
This sword was so good, I might never see one like it again in my life.
Just holding it made my mouth water.
With a sword like this, I felt like I could take down a dragon.
But the sword I held out was quietly pushed back toward me.
“I don’t know… From where I stand, it looks like it’s found the right owner.”
“…?”
“It suits you.”
“But…”
The words hung on my lips— ‘This sword was originally yours. You should have it.’
And yet, I couldn’t say them out loud.
Maybe because deep down, I didn’t want to give it up.
“I wasn’t all that interested in it anyway. I don’t need it. Besides, didn’t my father also say he wouldn’t give it up?”
“He did say that, but…”
This time, it wasn’t a prize—it was mine now.
So shouldn’t I be free to do what I want with it?
He rested an elbow on one raised knee and looked at me.
His red hair shimmered deeply in the sunlight as it swayed with the breeze.
His amber eyes narrowed into a gentle smile.
Maybe it was the way the light hit him, but the air around Klen felt soft and warm.
“You said you wanted it, so I went through the trouble.”
“…!”
Come to think of it, Klen—usually the embodiment of laziness—had actually been active during this hunting tournament.
He’d gone out looking for game with me.
He hadn’t brought anything back in the end, but he’d even helped me scout for monsters without complaint.
‘Did he really… do all that just to help me win?’
One of the hardest things in the world is getting a lazy person to move.
And yet, I’d somehow made it happen.
A wave of warmth surged through my chest, then melted away.
Was I really… touched right now?
Had I gotten so used to Klen’s behavior that even this moved me?
But the emotion quickly turned into confusion.
If he had moved for my sake, to help someone weak like me… then why was it Klen who won in the novel?
“…”
Wait.
A possibility suddenly struck me.
If we consider the point in the story as it stands now, this is the past.
This part isn’t even described in detail.
There was no mention of a hunting tournament in the Valuncio estate, no note that the prize was the sword Levatein, no confirmation that Klen had won.
I had just assumed Klen had won the tournament because he ended up with Levatein.
‘And… Adrian in the novel would eventually be me anyway.’
I never truly believed the Adrian in the book was a completely separate person.
That book was like a prophecy to me.
And with that assumption, it all made sense.
What if I didn’t know this world was a novel—what if I didn’t know the future?
Then I wouldn’t have pretended to be weak.
I would’ve wanted this magnificent sword, and for the honor of Caldrich, I would’ve tried my best to win.
I can vividly imagine myself cutting down strong monsters—gargoyles or whatever else—without hesitation.
And Klen… probably would’ve just stood around lazily, watching.
There’d be no need for him to help someone who wasn’t weak. In the end—
‘The winner… was me? It was me?’
Me winning was only natural.
‘Then why… in the novel, why wasn’t the sword…’
My thoughts stopped there.
I stared down at the sword.
It felt like a cold bucket of water had been poured over me.
A chill swept over my body.
The conclusion I reached was brutally simple.
Maybe even obvious.
The reason Klen had the sword.
A keepsake.
A wife’s keepsake, passed on to her husband—it’s only natural.
‘…So this was my keepsake?’
* * *
