Volume 3 Chapter 7 The Unfair Duel
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
After reporting the situation to the weary-faced Guild leader, the remaining tasks were entrusted to Lyritisse and the Guild’s investigation team, which was scheduled to be formed soon, before leaving the Adventurers’ Guild.
Once everything was finished, Kian, along with Natra, strolled leisurely through the town streets at night, purchasing coffee beans and heading towards the east gate.
…along the way, Kian suddenly sensed a familiar magic power pursuing from behind.
”Kian!”
”Serena”
Natra bowed and stepped back gracefully.
Kian turned to face the Wolfmen girl who seemed to have rushed out of her lodging.
”────”
Serena’s shoulders were slightly rising and falling.
She was clad in the expensive light armor that had been given as a reward earlier.
In her hand was a long sword.
Two more were sheathed in the bag on her back.
”What’s wrong──I don’t need to ask.”
”Yeah. Let’s have a match. If I win, you tell me about the ‘Azrael’s Death Sword User’.”
”……”
Kian glanced back at Natra.
”I’ll be roasting beans nearby. Please don’t hesitate to accept the challenge.”
”Kian, you’re going to accept the challenge this time. No more excuses and running away.”
”I’m not running away. I’m just avoiding fighting because there’s no benefit for me.”
”Isn’t that the same as running away?”
”Serena”
Kian sighed.
Although she was a comrade who had helped him several times, he felt she was becoming somewhat self-centered in the face of her main goal.
For this past month, she had not participated in any proper quests, focusing solely on training for the match with Kian.
That in itself wasn’t bad, but her attitude of pushing her own agenda and trying to seize information by taking even Kian’s free time was somewhat irritating.
”If you insist, we can fight in the training ground now. But what about the brief coffee time I was about to enjoy, and Natra’s kindness in making the coffee?”
”Coffee can be drunk at any time. More importantly, I had been waiting for a whole month. If I didn’t grasp the lead on that guy soon, he might escape somewhere!”
”He won’t escape anywhere. Didn’t I say that the person I believe to be the prime suspect holds a solid social status and great wealth?”
”Even if a lord or noble from somewhere was the culprit, I would prepare thoroughly and definitely win! I would prove that right now by defeating you!”
”I understood her enthusiasm, but… what would you do if you fell short and lost? I had no intention of providing any information even if you begged.”
”At that time…”
”Are you planning to leave the party and gather other allies?”
”That has nothing to do with Kian.”
”Serena, I didn’t want you to die. I couldn’t believe that the allies you could gather in this town would be enough to defeat that.”
”You won’t know until you try! First, I would take on Kian! You moved incredibly fast the last time I saw you, but I had a solid plan to counter that! I could do it if I tried! Don’t underestimate me!”
She was unusually furious.
It wasn’t just Kian who had been building up frustration over the past month.
She had also been training daily, grappling with her anxious feelings.
Although he couldn’t empathize at all, he felt he could understand.
”So you will continue to pursue ‘Azrael’s Death Sword User’?”
”That’s why I came to this town.”
”You can’t wait until I identify and defeat ‘Azrael’s Death Sword User’, can you?”
”How’s the investigation going!?”
”I can’t disclose that to you.”
”That’s unacceptable!”
”Understood. Then if you can impressively defeat me, I will recognize your courage and preparation, and reveal the face and name of the suspect. After that, I won’t intend to stop you.”
”…That works.”
The murderous expression on Serena’s face softened slightly.
From a stance that looked ready to strike at any moment, she straightened up.
”We couldn’t fight here, so we should move to the training ground. There, it would be one-on-one. Nearby, Natra was preparing some souvenir coffee beans, but she wouldn’t interfere at all. Was that acceptable?”
”Yeah.”
”What about you, Natra?”
”I don’t mind. If Sir Kian wants to take me out later, I’ll allow it.”
”I’m sorry.”
”No, you should take Lady Serena seriously. If you’re going to do it, do it thoroughly and without mercy.”
”That’s the intention. ──Serena.”
”Is there something else?”
In an irritated voice, her light blue eyes glinted with a sharp light.
”Yes. It’s about the prize for the winner. I want information and full support. What will you wager? Are you really planning to waste my time without any price to pay and back down with an apology if you lose?”
”Do you want money?”
”No. I want your chastity. Didn’t I mention before? If I win, you become mine.”
”Huh? Are you still saying such ridiculous things? I’ve never seen Kian as a male! …Maybe.”
”Then if I win, you’ll promise to serve me as my mate, right?”
”Fine. But only if you can win. Kian seems to have become quite strong, but tonight you’ll discover who’s truly worthy of leading the pack.”
’She was spirited… While it’s true she has a good talent, she was terribly mistaken if she thought that could really win against you.’
(Well, currently, I often concealed my power, making it difficult for others to gauge my strength. Although my muscle volume was obvious due to the lack of proper gear.)
A strong fighter would see that Kian──especially during the night──was quite a formidable warrior.
With enough technique and experience, they can see through his concealment, break his stealth, and, by observing things like his core balance, even estimate the quality of his muscles based on their own training memories.
In fact, both Rean and Lyritisse, and even that Wolfman, Yelmar, had seen right through him.
Conversely, it also meant that Serena’s current ability wasn’t sharp enough to accurately gauge Kian’s strength.
”We’ll jump over the fence next to the gate and get into the training grounds. The guards are pretty lax, so we should be fine.”
”Got it.”
He turned his back and started walking.
Behind him, Natra followed silently, and Serena, in an excited state, trailed right after.
The three of them then passed by the guard, who was yawning in front of the gate, and quietly entered the Adventurers’ Guild training grounds.
* * *
”The rules are anything goes. The one who makes the opponent say ‘I give up’ is the winner.”
In the dark, deserted training ground, Serena faced Kian.
Although there were no torches lit, both Kian and Serena could accurately see their surroundings thanks to the moonlight.
There were no problems regarding their fight.
”What if I lose consciousness before I get the chance to surrender?”
”Then Kian’s out. I want you to let me off the hook.”
”That doesn’t seem very fair.”
”If you win, I’m yours—you can make me your woman. With stakes like that, I think I deserve at least some conditions. I already know how fast you are… I learned that when you infiltrated the fortress. If you take me out with a surprise attack, I won’t even have the chance to give up. And that’s something I wouldn’t be able to accept.”
”…Fine. My goal here is to break your spirit, after all. I’ll stick around until you say ‘I give up.’ But what about a time limit? Do we keep going until one of us meets the win condition? If we say something like ‘If it’s not decided by morning, you win,’ then sure—you could just grit your teeth and stay silent all night and technically win. But that wouldn’t prove to me you’re strong enough to take down the Death Sword User.”
”Of course, we’ll continue until it’s settled.”
”Both sides have reached an agreement. ──Natra, did you properly hear the terms as the witness?”
”Yes.”
”Also, Kian, I would like you to allow me the first strike.”
”What? Why?”
”In the actual match, I plan to catch the ‘Death Sword User’ off-guard and take them down in one hit. I want to fight Kian under the same conditions as the real match.”
”I see… Understood. That’s fine.”
”…….Is that really okay? Will you not complain afterward, saying the conditions were too harsh?”
”I won’t complain. If the condition is that the surprise attack must succeed perfectly, then there shouldn’t be a way for me to hold a weapon besides allowing the first strike, right? I’ll leave the long sword aside. See?”
”Huh…? Wait, are you serious?”
”I’m serious. But after I dodge your first strike, I might grab whatever’s nearby and fight back. Not that there’s much here—just pebbles or branches, really. And as for the knives in my belt holster… look, I’ll set them down right here. That makes me completely unarmed.”
”Are you mocking me?”
”I’m just following what you said. As for… should I pretend to relieve myself in the restroom and ambush you?”
”────! Don’t be ridiculous!”
Serena gritted her teeth tightly.
A surge of magic power erupted from her, sending chills through the air.
Though her anger brought forth an overwhelming release of magic power, she knew she wasn’t fully utilizing most of it, so it didn’t seem that threatening.
Kian stood still, facing away from Serena.
(Still, I won’t let my guard down. The word ‘carelessness’ doesn’t exist in my vocabulary, especially when I’m wearing ‘glasses’.)
’Let’s get started with anything. I’m starting to yawn.’
(The first strike belonged to her.)
Frankly, Kian couldn’t believe Serena would land a surprise attack on Owl, but if it satisfied her, he didn’t mind.
”Bring it on anytime.”
At Kian’s words, he noticed Serena taking a deep breath, as if to suppress her magic power.
She was trying to calm herself down.
Unfortunately, her concealment was too shabby, and even though he was facing away, her position was obvious; however, he chose not to point that out.
He wanted to move on to combat quickly since the preamble had dragged on too long.
”────”
He could hear Serena’s breathing behind him.
It was a poorly executed ambush even before she suppressed her magic power.
He felt her closing the distance while making a wide right circle.
It seemed that Serena wished for close combat, relying on physical enhancement rather than magic.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
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