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 .
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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?]
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[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 . ]
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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 . ]