Chapter 70
Teron's words echoed, "If you step out of the arena, it's defeat."
Luna shouted in response,
"Hey! What nonsense is that? Anyone can see that our Zero won!"
"No, Daike has not lost yet."
Teron shifted his gaze to where Daike lay fallen.
"Daike, stand up."
"..."
"Stand up and fight."
It was a command from Teron.
Daike started to rise, trembling, supporting himself with his sword thrust into the ground.
‘Isn't his leg broken?’
His legs wobbled like those of a newborn deer.
His face was pale.
And blood oozing through his uniform pants proved it.
Yet, Daike tried to stand.
And soon, he managed to stand on his broken leg.
"These crazy bastards..."
Luna muttered under her breath.
Indeed, both were insane.
Teron giving orders, and Daike trying to fight.
‘Teron and Daike. They won't be easy to deal with, will they?’
They were the enemies I had to fight in Chapter 2.
I had felt it in the game, but seeing their grandeur in person was something else.
‘Daike.’ He had lived his life following orders since he was five.
A loyal servant of the Vyuern family.
A faithful and diligent hunting dog.
"It's an order. Fight."
Screech- Drag-.
Daike dragged his leg, approaching me.
Daike fell over after a short distance.
He started to struggle to get up again.
"Don't you remember my order? I ordered you to fight in my place. And."
Glance-.
"I do not accept defeat."
Teron kept glancing over at me.
I instantly grasped his intention.
‘Hmm~ Going to play it that way, are we?’
I had felt it during our previous conversation, but I really click with Teron.
Logical, reasonable, yet emotionally compatible.
‘He doesn't want his loss through a proxy battle to be known to others, and he can't afford to lose Daike.’
So, Teron was effectively.
‘Proposing a draw.’
Well, it wasn't a bad offer for me either.
If word got out that I won, various kids would come running to me with requests.
"Argh! Pain in the frontal lobe of the brain!"
"Zero! What's wrong?"
"Ugh! Looking at Luna's face makes me feel even closer to death."
"...Do you really want to die?"
Though I thought my acting was perfect, the kids' reactions were bland.
Should I have rolled on the ground too?
Well, they all seem to know it's an act, so I'll just go along with it.
"It seems neither of us can fight anymore."
"That seems likely. You look in pain. Especially your head."
Stop being so sarcastic, Luna.
I'm doing this for you.
"How about this? Let's call it a draw."
"A draw?"
Teron responded quickly.
As always, conversations with him are refreshingly fast.
"Yes, that's right. I'm completely drained. A true noble should have the magnanimity and tolerance to listen to the words of the common people..."
"I see. So you're out of strength. Then there's no helping it. Attacking an opponent who's out of stamina is dishonorable."
Exactly, exactly.
"And besides, wasn't it ‘a good fight’?"
"Yes, indeed. It was a fight worth talking about. Then I'll declare it. This duel ends in a draw..."
But I need to gain something too.
"Wait! I have a proposal."
"...What is it?"
"How about we exchange one item each? As a token of friendship."
"...Friendship?"
Teron suddenly looked as if he was hearing nonsense.
No need to worry.
I'll make him understand soon.
"It's a pity to part ways after such a good fight. So let's exchange items we own."
"...I see. Well, that should be fine."
"Keke, since the fight was with Daike, is it alright to exchange with Daike's item?"
"Sure, go ahead."
The kids outside the dueling arena were getting noisy.
They might forcibly open the door.
Teron had no choice but to be hasty.
I headed towards Daike, who was leaning on his sword, seated.
"I want the Barrier of Order."
"Wait a minute! That's too extravagant for a gift!"
Teron exclaimed urgently.
Too extravagant? Does he really think so?
"Hmm? Suddenly, my frontal lobe feels fine."
"What, what did you say?"
"Keke, a rematch seems possible now. Right this instant..."
"Take it! If it's a gift, that much is acceptable!"
"Argh! Suddenly, a demon-like pain in my frontal lobe!"
"..."
The expressions of Teron, Yuridia, and Luna turned strange.
They seemed to think, 'What's with this guy?'
It must be a misconception. I'm just exchanging gifts, after all.
Daike fumbled in his pocket and handed me a small disc.
[Barrier of Order: A]
Once per battle, reduces damage by 80% in case of a fatal injury.
‘It's not an endgame item, but it'll be useful until the final chapter.’
I bowed my head to Daike and Teron, who had given the gift.
It was when I was about to leave the arena.
"Wait!"
"?"
"You said it was an exchange, didn't you? What will you do if you just leave like that?"
Ah, right. It was an exchange.
I bent down and picked up a pebble from the ground.
A small and cute pebble that fit in one hand.
I handed it to Daike.
"It's a gift."
"...?"
"It's a precious pebble I carry around. It always brings me luck, but I'll specially give it to you, Daike."
"..."
After firmly placing the pebble in Daike's hand, I left the arena.
To give away a pebble filled with fortune I just picked up.
That's a loss for me, isn't it?
"You really are a demon."
"Keke, have you ever seen such a handsome demon?"
"Haa... This shameless guy. My face is burning up."
Teron sighed deeply.
"Then I will declare now. The duel ends in a draw..."
"Ah, just one more thing."
Teron gritted his teeth.
That's bad for dental health. I should tell him next time.
"...What is it?"
"Swear on your family name that you won't discuss today's events outside of here."
Teron, Daike, Yuridia.
They knew [One Flash] was a technique of the Lester family.
It would be troublesome if they spread the word that I used [One Flash].
"...And if I refuse?"
It was Yuridia's question.
The Lester family was a family of traitors.
Yuridia had a duty to report it.
"Hmm, Yuridia."
"Yes, tell me."
"Should I demonstrate my technique similar to [One Flash] again? Then you might know whether it's a secret technique of that family or not."
Of course, Yuridia was the intended target.
She suddenly raised her left hand.
"I, Yuridia de Rownter, swear on my family's name to forever remain silent about today's duel."
She didn't want to die by [One Flash], it seems.
And Teron was the same.
"I, Teron de Vyuern, swear on my family's name to forever remain silent about today's duel."
Now, only Daike was left.
He didn't have a family to swear a vow of honor, but there was another way.
"Daike, keep silent forever about what happened today."
"Keke, you could at least attach the word 'order' to it."
"...It's an order."
"Understood, Lord Teron."
Phew, now everything is really over.
The duel and execution ceremony that happened unexpectedly at night.
Completely resolved, finished, concluded.
‘Well, I did hide a little trap in that vow, but there's no need to mention it.’
Teron glanced at me sneakily.
"...Now I can really declare the end, right?"
"Keke, I never interfered. Please, feel free."
"The duel ends in a draw! Daike! Use a potion!"
He ends it like lightning, so ruthlessly.
Yuridia approached us.
"You did well today. It's embarrassing to have caused such a ruckus and achieved nothing."
"Keke, so what you're saying is, with all those kids, you did nothing better than me? Really..."
Stretch-.
Luna stretched and pulled my ear.
Luna, you're going to tear it off.
"No, I'm thankful. I'll definitely repay this debt."
"You go ahead and rest. I'll take care of the kids."
I dusted off the blood and dirt on my clothes and body.
I had to pretend like I'd been in a fierce battle.
"Luna."
"Got it. I'll carry you."
Luna easily hoisted me onto her back.
How does such strength come from her small frame?
"It reminds me of the entrance exam."
Luna let out a quiet laugh.
The first test. The labyrinth we had to get through, with Luna carrying me.
"Keke, can you run as well as you did then?"
"Underestimating me? I can run much better than that now."
"Let's see it then."
"Hold on tight! Or you'll fly off!"
And so, I left the arena on Luna's back.
* * *
Clunk-.
"Make way! An injured person needs to pass!"
"Clear the path!"
As soon as the door opened, the imperious calls of Yuridia and Teron rang out.
The kids quickly made way.
While they were still bewildered, Luna, carrying me, dashed out.
"Uh, what?"
"What's going on? Did he lose?"
The duel between Daike, the strongest of the first years, and Zero, third place in the entrance exam.
Unable to contain their curiosity, the kids ran to their respective masters, chattering away.
"Lady Yuridia! What happened?"
"...The duel ended in a draw."
"A draw? But..."
"It wasn't an inside job. It was a real draw. Both were very strong and the fight was intense."
"Lady Yuridia, then..."
"Yes, we must recruit him. Only Zero can check Teron's faction."
Wow!
The kids erupted in cheers.
A being like Daike, an absolute figure, and someone with equal skills.
Their morale couldn't help but soar.
Yuridia felt the same, except for one thing.
‘That was definitely a secret technique of the Lester family.’
Ever since the Lester family was annihilated, the Lester family's techniques were excluded from the curriculum.
But the unique and destructive swordsmanship of the Lester family was too memorable to forget.
"Can it be... someone to match Daike?"
"Yes."
"Another monster..."
Teron's faction had wrapped up their discussion similarly.
A fighter on par with Daike.
Not exactly good news, but not bad either.
If they could recruit him, Teron, whom they followed, would dominate the first years.
"Godner and Zepa, start over from scratch. No changes in ranking until... no, until the final exams."
The two bowed their heads in shame.
Godner was expected, but why Zepa? Because he insisted Zero was just bluffing when planning this.
Claiming he was just lucky, with no real skill.
‘Because of them, I was suffering from cognitive dissonance.’
But as expected, he was right.
Zero was strong.
"I can't even stand to look at you. Go clean up."
"Yes!"
The kids began cleaning the arena.
They hadn't received permission to use it.
Yuridia also instructed the kids to clean.
There had been some destruction due to the brawl with Teron's faction.
Watching this, Teron sorted his thoughts.
He knew Zero was strong.
But.
‘Never thought he'd even match Daike.’
Teron approached Daike, who was sitting down.
--TL Notes--
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