Chapter 92: Leslie (3)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 92: Leslie (3)
“Forfeit? Why would I forfeit?”
“Why? Didn’t you see that? That swift elf was… was chopped to pieces in an instant!”
“What’s so great about that? Shedia, right next to you, can do that much.”
“Why bring Shedia into this all of a… Huh? Really?”
“I’m serious. Right?”
Katarina’s and my gazes landed on Shedia at the same time. Munching on a piece of bread, Shedia nodded. Katarina was stunned.
“Really? You can beat that thing?”
Shedia tilted her head.
“Weren’t you asking if I could chop that elf to pieces?”
“Huh? Ah, yes… I was, but…”
Katarina’s expression soured, perhaps feeling the dissonance of such grim words coming from that innocent face. Regardless, Shedia glanced at her six arms for a moment before nodding again.
“Yes. I can win.”
“See? It’d be weird if a member of the Hero’s party couldn’t beat something like that.”
“…I can’t beat it.”
“That’s true.”
Katarina’s sword dance is exceptional.
That’s to be expected, as it was passed down from her mother, the greatest dancer of the previous generation. On top of that, she recently formed a contract with the Four Great Spirits.
A proper fusion of her sword dance and the power of the spirits would surely create incredible synergy.
But no matter how outstanding her skills are, they’re all for nothing if her body can’t keep up.
Katarina has lived the life of a dancer, far removed from killing, so her level is naturally low.
And a low level means a weak body.
If Katarina were to fight that monster right now, she’d be sliced in half before she could even do anything.
But this is a very simple problem to solve.
“It’s fine. I’ll make sure you can beat it soon enough.”
Her body is weak because her level is low?
Then all I have to do is raise her level, right?
I’ll have to find a good dungeon for Katarina to grind in soon.
“Wh-What? Why are you making that face?”
Did she sense something ominous from my expression? Katarina flinched.
It’s fine.
It’s not dangerous. It’ll just be… a little physically taxing.
Aside from the rather shocking first match, the quarter-finals proceeded smoothly. Smoothly, meaning everything went as expected.
Iledrick, the knight, the martial artist, and I advanced to the semi-finals.
Oh, Iledrick is the name of the six-armed guy.
The referee shouted it when the match ended.
The semi-finals began two days later.
The first match was between Iledrick and the knight.
I was actually looking forward to this match. Based on their previous fights, Iledrick seemed to have the upper hand, but a seasoned knight always has a few tricks up his sleeve.
Let your guard down, and you’ll be dead in an instant.
That’s why I waited for the match to start in the waiting room, which had a direct view of the arena.
A moment later, the match began. The knight dropped his weapon to the ground and raised both hands above his head.
It was a sign of forfeiture.
What the hell?
He’s forfeiting without even fighting?
How anticlimactic…
I turned my gaze to the audience.
If even I, who was only mildly interested, was this disappointed, how must they feel?
There must be a huge uproar…
Huh?
There were no boos.
I thought these barbarian bastards would have surely mocked a knight who tucked his tail and ran. As I was puzzling over the unexpected reaction, the knight returned to the waiting room.
I spoke to him.
“I thought you’d be stoned to death. How’d you manage that?”
“Hm? Ah, you mean that?”
The knight placed a hand on my shoulder and grinned.
“You’ll find out tonight. Whether you win or lose this tournament.”
With only those words, he left.
What was that all about?
Is this related to Leslie’s father becoming one of the Four Heavenly Kings?
I pondered for a moment before shaking my head.
He said I’d find out tonight, so there was no need to dwell on it. I cleared my mind, entered the arena, and easily defeated the martial artist.
And that night, I found out why the knight wasn’t stoned to death.
“Hmm… so this is a rebellion?”
At my words, Alfred, the First Prince of the Polichia Duchy, frowned.
“Rebellion? I am merely trying to reclaim my rightful authority.”
“Is that so.”
I crossed my arms and scanned our surroundings.
Four men and women were seated at the same table as me. They were all children of the Grand Duke—in other words, Leslie’s siblings.
Standing by the nobles like bodyguards were the knight, the martial artist, and Iledrick.
Looking further out, I could see barbarians drinking and chatting. At a glance, they looked like ordinary inn patrons, but every single one of them was paying close attention to our table.
They were probably the nobles’ private soldiers.
I let out a deep sigh and spoke to the knight.
“So when you said I’d find out tonight, this is what you meant? Dragging a hero from another country into your political squabbles?”
About three years ago, the already poor health of Grand Duke Osner took a sharp turn for the worse.
He was in such a state that he couldn’t manage the affairs of the duchy, so normally, the First Prince, Alfred, should have taken over as temporary ruler.
However, Leslie seized the opportunity amidst the chaos, leading her faction to quickly seize the palace and drive out the First Prince and all her other siblings.
Consumed by her lust for power, she confined her father, the Grand Duke, and began ruling the duchy as if she were the Grand Duke herself.
The First Prince and his faction had tried to right this wrong, but their results were less than stellar. All assassination attempts failed, and their vassal lords refused to cooperate.
Just as they were wringing their hands in frustration, Leslie announced the tournament.
The First Prince and his group saw this as an opportunity. Leslie, who rarely left the palace, would surely make an appearance at a tournament she herself organized.
She even said she would personally congratulate the winner.
If they used this chance well, they might be able to bring Leslie down.
So they hired skilled outsiders to participate in the tournament and disguised their private soldiers as spectators and contestants.
Their plan was to strike Leslie when she came down from the balcony to congratulate the winner, but my making it to the finals had become an unforeseen variable.
They wanted to eliminate even that small variable.
That was why they had sought me out in the middle of the night—to draw me into their plan. Or, at the very least, to ensure I wouldn’t interfere.
That was the gist of their side of the story.
It wasn't exactly objective, so I had to take it with a grain of salt, but I understood the situation.
Hearing my words, the knight scratched his head with an awkward expression.
“You had some idea this was coming, didn’t you?”
“Yeah, I had a feeling. But I never imagined you’d expect me to get involved in another country’s political games, even knowing I’m the Hero.”
“This is not some political game. As I said before, this is a noble cause to restore my brother’s rightful authority.”
A blonde woman sitting at the far right spoke in a cold voice.
What was her name again…
I couldn’t remember, but I think she was the Third Princess.
“Leslie… that girl is incompetent. And yet, she is greedy. If a child like that were to rule the duchy, not only the duchy but the entire continent would be thrown into chaos.”
Another princess spoke up.
“To throw the continent into chaos would take something extraordinary… Surely you don’t mean she plans to rebel against the Empire?”
“…It is a gravely treasonous thing to say, but yes. That child is more than capable of it.”
The other princes and princesses nodded in agreement.
Looking at their earnest eyes, I leaned back in my chair.
I don’t know much about how countries are run, but I knew one thing for sure: they were full of shit.
Leslie is not incompetent.
As someone who has played through the ‘Hero’s Party’ scenario, I know this. In the game, she was established as a competent character.
Besides, even just listening to their story, it’s obvious that calling Leslie incompetent is nonsense.
If Leslie was as incompetent as they claimed, then what did that make them, the ones who were driven out by her? And not just one of them, but all of them together. Even assuming they were all fools, an incompetent Leslie could never have pulled that off.
And if she wasn’t incompetent?
Then she wouldn’t dare think of challenging the Empire as a mere duchy.
The moment the Empire cut off their food supply, countless of her people would starve.
They would be forced to return to their past of plundering to survive, but this time on a much larger scale—lord against lord, not tribe against tribe. In the end, the only one thrown into chaos would be the duchy, not the continent.
If you’re going to lie, at least make it a little believable.
As I was thinking this, the First Prince spoke in a serious voice.
“So, Hero, will you accept our proposal?”
I let out a deep sigh.
“Fine. I can’t condone your actions, but I won’t interfere.”
Their faces brightened.
“On one condition: an advance.”
“Hm?”
“I’ll take it as an advance. One million gold, no discounts.”
The refined faces of the noble lords twisted in anger.
They shouted and protested, but I stood firm on my demand for one million gold, and in the end, they had no choice but to pay.
Yes! Sweet, free cash.
Leslie blinked.
In the final match, Iledrick had forfeited without even fighting.
They’re being this blatant about it?
Even if she had no choice but to take the bait, wasn’t this going too far?
Leslie clicked her tongue.
Listening to the crowd’s cheers for Cloud, Leslie extended a hand. A cold energy flowed from her fingertips, creating a staircase of ice that stretched from the balcony down to the arena.
The moment she stepped onto the stairs, the crowd’s cheers vanished as if they had never been. In their place, Iledrick’s massive axe came flying, violently cutting through the air.
What a pain.
Leslie sighed and reached a hand toward the axe.
The cold energy formed into the shape of a disc.
Thwack! The flying axe embedded itself in the ice disc. It was a throw powerful enough to shatter ordinary ice, but the ice that blocked it was no ordinary ice.
[Ice Shield]
The shield, made of tightly woven crystals, was far harder than normal ice—hard enough to block a throw backed by Iledrick’s monstrous strength. After the axe was stopped, nothing else came to bother her.
Having descended the stairs completely, she stood facing the winner, Cloud.
Recognizing him as the strange man who had winked at her during the preliminaries, she spoke to him.
“What did they offer you?”
“Huh?”
“Don’t play dumb. I know my relatives hired you.”
“Ah, that? A million gold.”
Leslie was slightly surprised by his words.
They paid a million gold for just one person?
Those misers?
“You must be quite skilled, then?”
“That’s why I won.”
“You won by forfeit.”
“I would’ve won even if we fought.”
“How shameless.”
She let out a small laugh.
Was it because he wasn’t pretentious? She found herself liking him more than she expected.
“How about turning back now? You won’t get hurt. I swear it on my family’s name.”
“You sound confident. Even after seeing all this?”
Cloud gestured with his head toward the spectator seats.
The private soldiers disguised as audience members were nocking arrows to their bows. Rumble. The arena gates opened, and armed warriors poured in.
In an instant, dozens of elite soldiers had surrounded her.
Yet, Leslie’s expression didn’t change in the slightest.
The corners of her lips were turned up slightly in an arrogant smirk.
“That’s right. I am confident. So, what will you do?”
Before Cloud could answer, a voice rang out.
“You there! Witch Leslie!”
Parting the warriors surrounding Leslie, the princes and princesses revealed themselves. Drunk on the elation of victory, the First Prince shouted triumphantly.
“With your abominable power, you have imprisoned the Grand Duke, harmed me, the rightful heir, and ravaged the duchy. Iries is watching over us! Witch, you will pay dearly for your sins!”
Leslie let out a hollow laugh.
“I ravaged the duchy? Wasn’t it you people who tried to carve it up while our father lay gravely ill?”
“Silence, witch! I will not tolerate any more of your insults. If you surrender peacefully, I will show some leniency for old times’ sake.”
“Don’t be ridiculous. Alfred, you have no such right. In this duchy, the only one with the authority to punish criminals is the Grand Duke.”
“You bitch! How dare a mere girl like you claim to be the Grand Duke in the presence of the rightful heir?!”
“When did I ever claim to be the Grand Duke? I simply said you have no right to punish me.”
“What? What do you mean—”
“Father is in good health.”
A single sentence, uttered with a gentle smile from Leslie.
That one sentence shook the arena.
A stir spread not only through the princes and princesses but also through the warriors.
Alfred said urgently.
“Th-That’s impossible. The Grand Duke was clearly on his deathbed. Isn’t that why you launched your rebellion?!”
“Rebellion? Please… If you don’t believe me, fine. You can see for yourself with those stupid eyes of yours. Father!”
Leslie shouted, looking up at the balcony.
Every eye in the arena turned toward it. From within the balcony, now the focus of dozens of pairs of eyes, someone strode forward.
It was a tall, burly man wearing a cuirass carved with the face of a wolf and a fur-lined cloak. A long, diagonal scar was etched across the face of a man who, even at a glance, looked like a superb warrior.
There was not a single warrior in the Polichia Duchy who did not know the owner of that scar.
He was the Grand Duke of the Polichia Duchy, Osner.
He looked down from the balcony with a cold expression.
“H-How can this be…”
The First Prince’s eyes trembled.
Osner, the Grand Duke of the Polichia Duchy, was alive and well. This meant that a crisis was upon him, who had been pressuring Leslie under the pretext that she had imprisoned the Grand Duke.
His justification was gone.
Leslie sneered at him.
“Alfred. Why don’t you stop this nonsense and greet Father, whom you haven’t seen in so long?”
Alfred’s eyebrow twitched. He bit his lip so hard it drew blood.
If I back down now, it’s over.
He had already drawn his sword, and his father had seen it. If he retreated now, even if he kept his life, he would lose everything he had.
He shouted loudly to the wavering warriors.
“All of you, pull yourselves together! Are you going to be bewitched by that vile witch’s sorcery?!”
Leslie frowned.
“…Sorcery?”
“Yes! How does that look like the Grand Duke? The last I remember, His Grace couldn’t even eat a bowl of porridge on his own. And now he’s suddenly healthy, and not only that, he’s changed so much? Ridiculous! That must be your sorcery, you witch!”
Hearing his words, the warriors’ eyes widened.
Those with bows aimed again, and those with blades gripped their hilts tightly. To them, too, the Grand Duke’s sudden transformation was unbelievable.
And it wasn’t just Alfred who had no way out; they were in the same boat. No, perhaps their situation was even worse. Unlike Alfred, who might at least be spared, they would all be executed.
Seeing the unchanging resolve of Alfred and his soldiers, Leslie’s eyes grew cold.
“I gave you a chance to repent, yet you insist on wagging your tails for a traitor. Fine. You are no longer citizens of this duchy.”
An eerie chill began to radiate from her. Alfred raised his hand. When his hand fell, arrows would rain down, and the battle would begin.
In that touch-and-go situation.
“Excuse me, old man. I’d like to receive my winner’s prize now, if that’s alright?”
Cloud raised his hand and spoke to the Grand Duke.
The frigid atmosphere thawed for a moment.
He’s bringing that up in a situation like this? While everyone was half-stunned and half-incredulous, Grand Duke Osner, who had been silent all this time, opened his mouth.
“You won, so it is only natural you receive a prize. Is there something you desire?”
“I’m not asking for anything too grand…”
Cloud scratched his cheek, then grinned and said.
“Let’s have a round, gramps.”
A loud burst of laughter shattered the ensuing silence.
Osner, who had laughed heartily, leaped straight down from the balcony.
“F-Father?!”
Leslie, her face turning pale as she prepared to catch him with magic, was rendered speechless as he landed lightly on his feet.
“…Huh?”
Leslie blinked.
What did I just see?
Osner paid no mind to his daughter, who was frozen in shock. He walked past Leslie and stood before Cloud.
No, he looked down at him.
He was a full head taller than Cloud.
“You want to fight an old man who was on his deathbed until just recently? Is that truly the prize you desire?”
Cloud shrugged.
“Look at your body, gramps. How is that the body of an old man who was on his deathb—”
CRACK! BOOM!
By the time the sounds registered, Cloud was already gone. The warriors in a straight line behind him were doubled over as if they’d been hit by something, and dust rose from the cracked arena wall far in the distance.
“What, is that it? Kids these days are so damn weak.”
Dusting off his fist, Osner clicked his tongue in disdain.
-…
Silence fell.