Volume 6 Chapter 38 Duel Day──Is It Really This Exciting(Ask)
The day of the duel.
The location is a special facility set up near the royal capital.
Although it's called a facility, it was originally a fortress built to fight monsters. However, it was abandoned due to damage and age, and the guild bought it and renovated it into this facility. It is used for disputes between mercenaries and skill tests, and there are seats prepared for spectators.
That said, this duel is a one-on-one match against Rouza, who is not even a mercenary. The people gathered here are limited to family and friends.
Originally, this was supposed to be a quiet event with just this many people, but──.
"Why are there so many extra people here?!"
I grabbed Karan by the collar and shook him.
Surrounding the center where the mock battle is taking place are tons of people, clearly more than expected. Seats are set up everywhere, and there are even vendors outside.
Since the day before, Karan had instructed me to take the carriage provided by the guild to get to the destination. A carriage with guest rooms had conveniently stopped in front of the inn. While riding to the location, I casually looked outside and noticed a few people walking in the same direction as the carriage. Most were fellow mercenaries, but some were not.
And then, when we arrived at the mock battlefield, it was this crowded.
"Are you kidding me?! Do you even understand?! I came here unusually serious! This isn't a show, you know?!"
"Hey, Yukina-kun. Calm down! I get how you feel, but still!"
I confronted Karan like a delinquent, and Kyunei placed a hand on my shoulder to calm me down. Once I regained a bit of composure and let go of Karan's collar, he let out a sigh of relief and straightened his clothes.
"...I'm sorry for not informing you in advance. But please understand, this is not what we want as a guild."
"Do you have a good enough reason to convince us?"
Even though she seemed calm, Aina gave off a quiet pressure, just like me. This was a serious matter that could decide the fate of our group. Was there really a reason to make it a spectacle?
Karan nodded and opened his mouth to speak.
"The information about this duel leaked out. And somehow, the location was also identified. There are mercenaries constantly questioning our guild staff to find out more."
"Who's the idiot that talked?"
"We simply didn't have enough time to trace the source of the rumors."
The duel was agreed upon a week ago. Just a few days later, the rumors started spreading. It was unreasonable to investigate in such a short time. None of us had been out much, so we hadn't even noticed the rumors circulating.
"You wouldn't want outsiders who don't know the situation to make a fuss, right? As a compromise, we announced it as a mock battle led by the guild."
"...Since it's already caused a stir, you might as well keep it manageable. I think that's a reasonable decision."
"I'm glad you understand."
Once Aina's quiet pressure eased, I noticed Karan let out a small sigh of relief. Even though he was an experienced guild officer, the pressure from royalty seemed a bit too much for him.
So, instead of just leaving things to chance, they want to make it public and organize it. The chairs and tables are already set up for this big event. Coincidentally, it fits perfectly with the purpose of using this mock battlefield.
"...Well, I guess that's fine, but..."
I looked over at a group of excited spectators.
"Come on, come on! Place your bets! This is the biggest match in a while! The most popular mercenary in the royal capital, 'Black Blade,' is facing off against the foreign warrior 'Ice Prison' who traveled from far away. And rumor has it that a woman's honor is on the line! If you don't bet on this, you're not a real man!"
"How rude! There are female mercenaries too!"
"I'm betting on Black Blade!!"
"I'm going with Ice Prison!"
The loud cheers could be heard from far away, all because of the betting on my match against Rouza.
"Since we're at it, I'll let the noise slide, but is it really okay for the guild to allow gambling like this?"
"As long as it's within common sense, we'll turn a blind eye. I can't say I haven't participated in such things back in my day. I can't be too strict about it. If it gets out of hand, we'll deal with it accordingly."
Mercenaries are often rough around the edges, which means they love to have a good time. It's said that it's safer to let them have their fun as long as they don't go too far.
'Partner, look closely at that dealer.'
Noticing something, Gram told me to focus on the person at the center of the betting. They were still hyping up the crowd and making the bets even more exciting.
'That guy is Rouza's bodyguard.'
"Huh!? Seriously...?"
I squinted hard, but unfortunately, I couldn't tell who it was. After all, most of Rouza's guards were hiding their faces, so I couldn't figure out their identities. But if Gram says so, it must be true.
So that means Rouza is running a gambling game using my fight as the main event.
"...How much does that young master love gambling?"
'But now I can see the pattern.'
What do you mean?
'It's just a guess, but this whole mess started with Rouza. He was the one who spread the word about the duel.'
"Wait──."
I almost shouted, "Are you stupid?!" but managed to cover my mouth and swallowed hard. The others looked at my one-man show with confusion, so I waved my hand and said, "It's nothing," before mentally communicating with Gram.
'It's just a process of elimination. I don't think Karan's subordinates would mess up, and there's no need to think about it, partner. So, it makes sense to think Rouza leaked the information. Of course, it was probably his guards who spread it.'
At this point, it was hard to believe that Rouza just wanted to cause a ruckus for fun. This duel meant something important to him. He wouldn't take it lightly.
'And for that, it would be best to ask "that guy" over there for the real story. Look.'
When I looked over as Gram suggested, I saw a man approaching us.
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