Chapter 99

[You killed the Five Dragon Warriors?]

[I don’t have any intention of talking about this with every person I see . Well, those Ashinto fellows should be a good cover for me in the meantime . ]

[That’s absurd…]

Eve immediate cuts of my words and casts it aside .

[That’s impossible . ]

I stuck out my hand .

[I don’t know if this would be enough proof but—]

Suspicious about my actions, Eve prepares her stance .

At that moment, Seras steps forward .

—————Thunk—————-

[—!]

Seeing that Seras stepped forward, Eve reacts .

Looking at her, distracted with the distance between herself and Seras…

[—–—–]

I used my Abnormal State Skill .

[—-Nghhh!? What the . . ? My body is… . ]

[It’s better if you don’t force yourself in moving . If you try doing the impossible, you’d start bleeding all over your body . ]

[Don’t… tell me… This… is… Abnormal State… System… Technique…?]

[I guess you could call this something like a really powerful Abnormal State endowment to others— By the way, this skill has more probability to kill those celebrities than those final duels . ]

[That’s absurd…]

[It’s exactly as you say . Thanks to this absurd power, even a weak person like me could kill Civil Gartland . ]

[Gnnnggghhh…]

[I should have already told you . You shouldn’t unreasonably try to move . This isn’t just a threat . ]

I started approaching Eve .

[I’m going to make it easier for you to speak now . ]

I partially released the paralysis on her head .

Eve should now be able to speak normally .

[—-Mu? I could now speak easily?]

[I could also bestow other powerful Abnormal State abilities to others . With this power, I have killed the Five Dragon Warriors . Should I even tell you how the members of Five Dragon Warriors died?]

It appears like Eve’s will to fight has disappeared .

Did she presume that I don’t have any thoughts of harming her?

[Is it that truth… You killed the Five Dragon Warriors?]

[How about I show you another piece of evidence?]

Hmm?

Seras?

Seras places her hand over her chest .

[Seras Ashrain, the one being chased by the Five Dragon Warriors . That’s me . ]

Twitch

Eve’s ears twitched .

[It’s you?]

[Milord saved me from the Five Dragon Warriors with his power . ]

[…Stop it with all this acting . From the stories I’ve heard, that ex-Holy Knight is an elf…]

Eve’s eyes opens wide .

[—!]

I immediately understood based on her reaction .

At that moment, Seras removes the changes in her appearances .

[Do you understand now? Just now, I’ve borrowed the powers of the spirits and changed my appearance . ]

[…Nngghh . ]

Eve groaned .

Deep inside my heart, I am also groaning .

I haven’t expected Seras’ action just now .

I never thought that she would reveal her identity here .

Is she really sympathizing that much with Eve?

It’s possible that she wants to save her, one way or another .

[Milord indeed killed the Five Dragon Warriors . Though I said that, I’ve only seen the death of four of them . ]

After saying that, Seras pulls one step back .

I spoke .

[If there are monsters more powerful than Civit Gartland in the Demon Zone, I may possibly give up going . ]

[…Certainly, you have quite the power you’re holding . ]

[It’s up to you if you want to believe that story about killing the Five Dragon Warriors or not . In fact, there are many people in the world who only believes what they saw . However, I wanted to show you my power . The evidence of my power . ]

Eve snorts in response .

[However, they’re just useless evidence . At any rate, I will still fight in my duel tomorrow . I will also not be going into the Demon Zone . That will not change . ]

[If you ever win this duel, do you think that Duke Zuan would really keep his promise?]

[What?]

[It’s the same Duke-sama who would kill a prostitute just because she’s different from the image he had been looking for, you know? According to the many things I’ve heard about him, he doesn’t seem to be a good man at all . ]

The reputation of Duke Zuan .

When I gathered information about Eve, I lightly checked some information about him .

At least, he doesn’t smell like a good person .

Rather than that, he seems to be the same as “those guys” .

The same shitheads like those people I’ve met before .

[I thoroughly understand how trash thinks . ]

Because I’m also one of them .

[Even if you win your duel tomorrow… I don’t think the duke would just obediently give you back your freedom . ]

[………… . ]

I slightly changed the subject .

[Speaking of which, I heard of a certain Blood Champion . He was just like you, a Blood Champion who was acclaimed as the strongest . ]

Eve is silently listening to my words .

[The man had won his final duel . However, he has been found dead the day after his victory . He was found floating in a river running through the capital city early in the morning . ]

[That story about the Blood Champion who died shortly after he gained his freedom huh… I don’t really know the details, but I’ve certainly heard about it . I heard that man caused some trouble with some mercenaries in a tavern while he was celebrating his victory . That man was really drunk from alcohol and he also wasn’t holding any weapon with him . And then, that man was beaten to death by these mercenaries who doesn’t know what moderation is . ]

[Well, that’s the information that was circulated towards the public . ]

[Circulated towards the public? What do you mean?]

[Have you heard of what happened with the daughter of that dead man?]

[…I haven’t heard of it . ]

[That daughter was a slave working in a dirty tavern . Just like a certain someone, he was trying to buy the freedom of his daughter . However, do you know what’s strange?]

[What happened?]

[The freedom of that daughter haven’t been bought back at all . Moreover, that man wasn’t even celebrating his victory in the same tavern that her daughter was working in . If you’re trying to fight for the freedom of someone else, wouldn’t you think that he should have normally went towards where she is?]

[I don’t really know about that guy… Couldn’t it just be that he plans to buy back her freedom after celebrating with others?]

[It’s possible . However, what I’m talking about what happened to his daughter after his death . ]

[After his death? What happened to his daughter?]

[There are some documents that after the man died, his daughter was taken custody by Duke Zuan and had been working in the Duke’s residence for about two years . ]

[—-!]

[After that, she was sold off as a prostitute . You should understand what I mean, right?]

[………… . . fuuu]

[Furthermore, one of the mercenaries who beat that man to death has become a Blood Champion for his “feat” of killing the strongest Blood Champion . He was quite a strong recommendation from the Mercenary Guild . If I remember it correctly— It’s someone called Gilmud or something like that . ]

[Gilmud? I know a man with that name . Though, it seems that he’s already dead long before I came in this place… However, where did you hear about that story?]

[I’ll just say I got it from the “dark place” . It’s up to you how you interpret that . ]

[Muu…]

It seems that Eve knows the existence of the “dark place” .

[Well, I haven’t really heard about the truth directly from Duke Zuan himself . I don’t know if this is true or not . Of course, I don’t think I would even know something like this from Duke Zuan himself…]

[Are you saying that the death of this man was the work of either Duke Zuan or the Mercenary Guild?]

[That’s what I think so . ]

[And you’re saying that I might get the same fate as him?]

[It’s possible… So, what are you going to do? Are you going to stay and take on your final duel, or take the young girl and go to the Demon Zone with us?]

I met eyes with Eve .

[The decision is right into your hands . ]

[I—]

Eve answered without averting her eyes .

[I will get my freedom with my own hands . ]

She would be facing tomorrow’s duel .

Eve has selected that .

[Is that so?]

Somehow, I already felt that she would choose that .

[I would surely win . I have acquired various things after each of my victories . The victories I get in every duels I’ve fought were always the one who paves through my path . ]

Eve looks towards us .

[Moreover, I can’t trust you people at all . Therefore, I won’t give the information about the Witch of Taboos to you . ]

Seras opens her mouth .

[Milord will be helping you—]

[Do you really think I’ll trust the words of someone who I’ve only met yesterday? On the contrary, I’ve had been in the world of duels for a really long time . ]

Well, that’s what I thought .

I proceeded on asking her a question .

[Can Duke Zuan really be trusted?]

[Certainly, that guy is someone you can never praise as a human . However, it’s a fact that he has always been responding with the results I’ve given to him . ]

That’s because Eve Speed still has a use for him .

[It’s possible that something would really happen that it would be disadvantageous for me, however it would just be something that would enliven my final duel . Having said that, the Duke is also a child of a human . I’ve been with him for a really long time . He isn’t someone as ruthless as you’re saying . ]

How naive .

[Comparing you people with the years of connection I had with the world of duels that I’ve always been all this time, it’s really obvious who I should trust . ]

Unexpectedly, that years of connection can easily crumble down to pieces .

[I will believe in the world of duels that had made the current me rather than you just suddenly appeared in front of me . ]

Eve insisted .

The smile on my face distorted .

[Why do you say that, Eve Speed?]

[What are you saying?]

[Why are you insisting towards me that you believe in this world of duels so much?]

[What are you—]

[Isn’t it that you’re throwing those words to yourself?]

[………… . ]

[I have already finished proving my strength . ]

I cancelled the effect of Paralyze .

[Excuse me for the rude things I’ve said… I pray that you could win tomorrow’s duel . ]

Turning around, I started walking .

[Let’s go . ]

[Y- Yes . ]

Seras follows behind me .

[Wait . ]

Eve called out towards me .

[Why did you release me? You already have an absolute advantage towards me . If I had spoke out the information about the Witch of Taboos, there could have only one option for you to do . I knew about your secrets . And yet, why have you unconditionally released me?]

I stop walking .

[I already told you . We will leave Monroy early in the morning tomorrow . ]

I didn’t respond to any of her question .

I don’t see any reason I should do it .

[We would around the bridge in front of the large front gate until the sun rises . If you ever change your mind, you should come . ]

Turning away from Eve, we went away from that place .

▽

On the way back to the inn, Seras opened her mouth .

[I am terribly sorry . ]

Hmm?

[What are you talking about?]

[I just revealed my identity on my own…]

[Ah, that thing you did just now . ]

[I just suddenly followed my own judgement without any approval from Milord… Of course, I will be receiving my punishment . ]

Seras looked pretty depressed .

Rather than that, punishment…?

[I certainly don’t have any plans on revealing that, but it turned out to be a convincing material with my persuasion towards her . That’s why, don’t worry about it . ]

I remembered Eve’s reaction .

That’s the reaction of someone who should roughly believes in our words .

Perhaps, she knows Seras’ face based on the portrait she had on her bounty .

That’s why, she immediately believed that she’s Seras Ashrain .

[However, that was the result after I had spoken . If I had spoiled Milord’s plan—]

[I won’t judge whether that’s a bad move or not . ]

I interrupted Seras’ words .

[I won’t say anything if the results were good . If I think that’s a bad move, then the blame should be mine . And, the result this time is something that happened after the decisions I made . Do you have any complaints with this policy?]

[…I understand . If Milord says so…]

Fumu…

This might have been the influence of being a Holy Knight back then…

It’s like they’re the type who would respect discipline .

Certainly, moderate discipline may be necessary .

Though I say that, this “Mercenary Corps” is under my rule .

It’s up to me whether to blame someone or not .

The nervousness disappeared from Seras’ face .

Peko .

She stops in place and bows .

[Thank you for leniency, Milord . ]

Recently, I feel like I’m completely her master…

We started walking again .

I called out towards Seras .

[Anything else in your mind?]

[Ah, no…]

[Just say it . You’ve said that I’m lenient yourself, right?]

[That is—]

Looking at my face, Seras began enquiring .

[That story about that Blood Champion you said just now… It isn’t the truth, right?]

Seras would know if something is a lie .

As I thought, she would notice…

[Yeah . That just now was something I fabricated and thought it would be a good idea . ]

There were only a few parts there that’s the truth .

A story about a man who had obtained his freedom was found dead the next day .

The name of a real Blood Champion named Gilmud .

Actually, I just added some drama into this story .

There is neither a front story nor a hidden truth behind it

Honestly, they were all just “stories circulated to the public” as I had said in the beginning .

[I know that’s something anyone can’t praise… However, I needed to fabricate a story so that I could plant a “seed of distrust” inside Eve Speed’s thoughts towards Duke Zuan and the Mercenary Guild . ]

Eve believes in the world of duels .

I take out the pocket watch from my pocket .

[The rest is for us to wait for when that seed will sprout…]

Planting seeds of distrust .

I often saw it in manga and anime .

Agitating the distrust within then after they hear stories interwoven between truths and lies, they would then betray their own comrades .

Conversely, this might also show those who had sincere attitudes .

I shake away this thoughts gathering in my mind .

[Seed, is it?]

[Yeah . ]

I had a strong image of someone who would use this method as he tries to tear apart the bonds of the protagonist .

In short…

[Now that I think about it, this should be one of the tricks a villain uses . ]

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