I Made a Game Featuring Constellations

Chapter 60

Thwack!

“Ah!”

With the captain’s blow, the boy was sent flying far away.

“I told you. The first principle...”

“Always move unpredictably. I know. I haven’t forgotten.”

Wiping the blood from his mouth, the boy pushed himself up.

“Ughhhh!”

He took his stance and charged towards the captain again.

“Once again, I told you to be unpredictable... what!”

The captain aimed a kick at the boy, similar to the earlier movement, but the boy bent his body and dodged it by a hair’s breadth.

“Hehe! The third principle! Deceive the opponent cleverly!”

The boy, attacking in the exact same way several times, made the captain expect the same tactic again.

Just when the captain’s vigilance relaxed, he switched his pattern and managed to dodge her strike.

“Take this!”

The boy’s soft punch was just about to hit the captain’s chest.

Thud!

“Oof!”

The captain’s palm caught the boy’s face.

“If you’re going to do something, do it without leaving any openings. That finish was sloppy.”

The boy, struggling in the captain’s grip, slumped down onto the floor.

“No, there’s nothing to finish off sloppily! Why are you using magic!?”

The boy was indignant.

After repeatedly failing with meaningless challenges, he had finally deceived the captain and seized a chance.

It was practically a success, and yet, for him to show such movement...

It was certain.@@@@

This wasn’t a normal move.

She had used magic.

Using magic against me, who can’t even use magic!

“This is cheating!”

If he could just touch her chest with his pure physical abilities, he would immediately end the training and take the test.

If he could quickly take the test, he could become part of their group sooner, which meant he could free Safira more quickly. That’s why the boy accepted the wager.

However, now that it looked like he might succeed in the wager, using magic meant his success was essentially invalid.

“I never said I wouldn’t use magic, though?”

“What?”

“I told you. Don’t bet if you’re not sure of the outcome.”

“...From the start, you never intended to let me win this bet, did you?”

“Of course not.”

“Eeeee! You bad!”

The captain watched with a smile as the boy rushed at her, swinging his hands wildly.

“Pretending to be strong?”

“That girl, every night she cries quietly outside. She probably doesn’t want to show weakness.”

As the heir of the Primera family, the strength she had to display and the act of not appearing weak to the people of this world.

The girl, at such a young age, was secretly suppressing the hardship and fear of being kidnapped.

“Then what about you? Aren’t you in the same situation as her? Taken away to a place you have no ties to, getting beaten every day, isn’t it worse for you?”

“No, my situation’s different. I’m an elf. She’s... white.”

It’s a place full of Dark Elves.

They were Dark Elves who had always looked down on them, and they were hostile toward High Elves.

How could a girl, raised in a greenhouse, adapt properly among them?

“That’s why I have to protect her.”

!!!

The girl’s eyes widened as she hid behind the wall.

“...You fool, Russ.”

Who is it that’s going to protect whom?

“You’re pushing yourself to finish training just for that?”

“I want to get her out of here quickly.”

“...Tch, it’s a good time, huh?”

Of course, the boy’s thoughts were a little different from those of the old elf or the girl.

‘The golden jewel of the Primera family has been kidnapped. The one and only successor.’

Because of the unique nature of the Crystal Elves, it’s difficult to have more than one child.

Therefore, Safira was the only child of the Primera family, making her even more important to the family.

Weeks had passed without any clear movement, but there’s no way nothing was being done.

‘The elders, who think their authority was disregarded by the Dark Elves, wouldn’t quietly stay put. In the worst-case scenario, they might mobilize an army to wipe out Darkhood.’

If that happens, not only Safira’s position, maintained by the Primera family, but also the girl’s life—and mine—could be at risk.

He had tried telling the captain about these concerns, but the response was, "This is none of your business, and do you think you’ve become part of our group already?”

The Dark Elves he had become close with during his time here weren’t much different.

In the end, the best option was to quickly finish his training and take the test, get recognized as one of them, and find a way to get Safira out of here.

“Fool, Russ!”

Swoosh

The sweet scent of an elf girl filled the boy’s nose.

The girl suddenly wrapped her arms around him from behind.

“Did you get beat up again?”

“...I wasn’t just beaten today.”

“You probably got hit a hundred times while you managed to land one blow. You can’t even beat me!”

“Are you worrying about me now?”

“No, I don’t worry about you! I don’t want my toy to break by some weird guys! Seriously, it’s ridiculous!”

The girl flapped her arms, blushing at the boy’s sudden question.

“...It’s a good time, huh.”

The old woman smiled as she watched their exchange.