The duel arena in Aster was also built in a circular shape.
The walls were high, and the spectator seats were also placed in a high position.
If there was any difference from the arena at the kingdom's academy, it would be the gazes of the attendees.
The place was filling up with people in a very unexpected manner.
Many of the attendees were students forced to come by Derrick's lackeys.
Others were foreigners who came to see what a duel sworn by the sacred tree was like.
Nobles from Aster were also present. They didn't come to support Derrick, but because they heard the sacred tree sapling was present.
But they weren't the only ones who came out of curiosity or interest in the duel's prize. There was a section of people exclusively related to traitors of the Kingdom of Altfode who came to see Rudel get pulverized.
All of them were traitors in one way or another. Either by fleeing, by not answering the call to war, or they were framed by Rudel based on secret dark acts.
Near one of the entrances was Erselica's group.
"They are despicable."
She said upon seeing not only the traitors celebrating the upcoming event but also Derrick, who was eating with his group.
"It bothers me a lot to see those people so happy after having stolen treasures and fled like rats."
Liam exclaimed, very annoyed because he couldn't do anything.
Among the ranks of those people was the knight who sent Rudel to jail and destroyed something precious to him.
Liam knew him since he was his childhood bodyguard. And knowing that deep down he was a horrible person filled him with anger.
"By the way, Warren. Is it okay for you to be here and not resting?"
Liam asked, very concerned about Warren, who wore normal clothes with bandages on his body.
"Yes. Thank you for your concern, Your Highness, but you see. I'm very well, I just want to watch the Count's duel. Which, by the way, he sure is taking his time to arrive, isn't he?"
Everyone agreed that Rudel was late.
To the side near them, Professor Malcolm was listening to their conversation.
Suddenly, a person arrived.
"A pleasure to see you, Malcolm-dono."
Upon turning around, he was astonished by the person calling him.
"Great Knight Baltort, a pleasure to see you."
The right hand of the head of the Rosenberg Household greeted him.
Professor Malcolm stood up, and they walked to the access area from where he came.
◇◇◇
Baltort and Malcolm were talking in a dark part where no one could hear them. The topic of conversation was Rudel.
"A hero at such a young age? The kingdom must be having a very hard time if a teenager is a hero."
"I was listening to his companions talk besides the collected report."
Neither was familiar with the kingdom's internal situation and evaluated Rudel incorrectly.
If the Supreme Kingdom of Aster had evaluated Rudel correctly, they would have refused to let him study in their country.
The fact that he defeated the dungeon boss and retrieved a sapling was enough to know that boy wasn't normal or ordinary as he appeared.
Malcolm told him more things.
"Both the gathered information and what I observed of him in class are totally opposite things."
"The reports say he is a frivolous, greedy, very twisted-minded young man who disrespects authorities no matter who they are."
"I would have taken all that as a terrible joke since in class he acted very calmly and didn't stand out. But this... is something totally impossible to believe."
The audience kept arriving for the upcoming event.
"In any case, I'll keep waiting for him to arrive. I left several knights at the entrances to stop him. It's preferable to negotiate calmly than this tasteless spectacle."
Both men said goodbye, but before Baltort left, he observed Sara, who was calmly waiting for Rudel to arrive while her friends attended to her.
Baltort gave her a severe look.
◇
This is very bad.
I came to rescue Lucy and kick these guys' asses really hard. Everything was going well until the mustache guy grew and now his monstrous height and super-exaggerated muscles scared me.
When he stepped normally, a slight tremor shook the place due to his weight.
His footsteps were so large that with three steps, he reached right in front of me.
"Star Finger!"
The giant shouted as he raised his left hand and with his index finger hit me in the stomach.
The impact was so strong that it sent me flying straight into the wall.
I could see concrete debris falling to the floor.
The blow was so strong that despite having a full-body shield, the minimal damage is still strong. The feeling was similar to getting hit in the head with a rifle butt.
Again he approached to hit me, this time with his raised hand to crush a fly.
"Star Chop!"
I jumped from the spot, and the floor was hit, opening a small hole in it.
(This guy is too dangerous!) I thought since I don't have much time; less than 25 minutes remained.
(Even if I run without stopping, it would be more than 30 minutes. I'll never make it unless I fly.)
(But he won't let me go so easily. I must end this as quickly as possible.)
I stood up, and as the giant slowly approached, I ran towards him.
I raised my right fist and slammed it into his stomach.
His muscles were so thick and strong that I could feel my hand fracturing. Fortunately, the feeling is only that; if it were real, I'd be lost.
Since my punch failed, I now attacked him with my left leg in his sacred parts, and even then, he didn't feel pain.
After retreating a bit, I looked at him laughing as if I were a child hitting an adult. Technically, I was in a small way.
For that reason, I'll increase the power and danger level.
A small button was near the wrist; I pressed it, and I could observe as if it were a vacuum sucking magical power from the environment.
It also did it near my feet for what I was going to do.
Now then.
"It's time to cry a little, mustache son of a biiiitch!"
Once again, I ran towards the giant, who laughed while talking.
"Don't you understand? Your weak child punches can't..."
I shut him up by giving a slight jump and, being close to his face, directed my right punch to his face, which changed direction due to the force.
The mustache guy was surprised, but I won't let you react.
Then my left leg returned his face to its original position, and with my left fist, I gave him a very strong punch to the jaw.
He spat red liquid as if he had retained it there for a long time.
"Boss!"
His idiot subordinates shouted.
The guy was falling. Upon reaching the floor before him, I once again jumped, but this time I landed on his body, and with a great right punch, I sunk his head into the floor.
A large amount of concrete and dust enveloped the environment.
I retreated after seeing he couldn't move. His subordinates were terrified by my power.
The power of traps.
They don't seem to come towards me. That's good.
I walked to where Lucy was; she was fine.
I removed the ghost shield from her to untie her.
Upon doing so, she hugged me.
It felt very warm and pleasant for a girl to do that, but I already have two girlfriends waiting for me at home, so I better stop smiling like an idiot.
"Rudel-kun, Lucy-chan is...!"
"Calm down."
I calmed her down because her tears stained her cheeks.
"I found her and took her to a safe place. She'll be fine; she's with a friend."
She didn't understand what I was saying, but it seems it's due to the fear of what happened.
"That really hurt."
I got scared upon hearing a voice.
It was that son of a bitch who was still conscious.
Upon standing up, he shook off the debris and blood from his head.
His mustache and pupils emanated fire.
"It seems you're a more annoying brat than you're supposed to be. I, Ganpino, the head of the Cashmiro Family, will be the one to take you to your creator."
"Lucy, hide!"
The guy ran towards me. Lucy threw herself against some furniture to avoid the upcoming blow.
As he approached, he raised both arms with his hands together and slammed them into the floor.
I dodged it, but it wasn't for long since, upon noticing he didn't hit me, he launched another blow that hit me, and again I crashed into the wall.
While spitting saliva, the guy approached like a wild animal, and the wall was demolished.
I went flying and it seems I received damage since I could feel red liquid coming from my head.
After falling to the ground, the guy grabbed one of my legs and then did the same to me as I did to the blue-bearded pirate last year.
Blow after blow I received against the floor, and the shield's resistance reduced entirely.
Fortunately, there's a meter, but I don't know how much it has since I think I've been being abused for a minute.
Every second and minute that passes will be detrimental since I could lose for not showing up.
Since I seemed dead, the guy threw me against the boxes from the place where we were before.
"Rudel-kun!"
Lucy screamed upon seeing me break boxes and crash into the wall again.
It really annoys me that they treat me like a crash test dummy.
I'm not immortal nor resistant.
But...
"I also don't like that you think you can defeat me, mustache son of a biiiitch!"
The mustache guy and I ran face to face to punch each other.
Upon being close to each other, our fists touched.
The shockwave was so strong that I observed Lucy holding onto a heavy piece of furniture so as not to fly away. The subordinates weren't so lucky.
Then, my right fist returned to its place, and the left moved; again the same result.
"You're using all your power with each punch, I see!"
Our fists touched each other with great power.
Since I'm using magical power, the suit's physical strength increases by heaps.
Let's call it, extreme magic.
The extreme magic runs through my fists, which I punched this giant without giving him rest.
Blow after blow from our fists increase their power and little by little their speed.
Before I realized it.
My two arms moved at great speed like his.
"Ohhhhhhhhh!"
"Oraaaaaaaaa!"
We both shouted due to the intensity of the power and the speed that made the difference between our bodies.
Little by little, I also retreated.
Each blow that missed hit me; in contrast, my punches didn't hit this guy at all.
More due to the height difference.
But... once again.
"Stop believing you can beat me!"
I stopped punching him and ran to his stomach. He gave me a few punches, but it didn't matter.
Upon being at his estimated height, I gave him a very powerful right punch.
"Extreme magic: soft fist!"
My fist was strong enough to send him flying through the air.
I took momentum and also jumped into the sky.
Lucy and everyone watched me.
Upon approaching his body as he was falling, I gave him another punch.
"Extreme magic: super soft fist!"
My fist hit him in the face, and he fell like a meteorite to the ground.
Debris and weird guys flew through the air.
As I was also falling, the mustache son of a bitch stood up.
He jumped and grabbed one of my legs. He gave me a full turn to throw me against the same place he impacted.
But it won't stay like that.
I also stood up and laughed as the guy approached falling.
"This is a good appetizer before the main course!"
I took his arm and, as if it were a judo move, slammed him against the ground.
I took a big jump after seeing him spit blood and, as if it were an Olympic superhero kick, my right leg fell hitting his face and knocking out a few teeth.
The guy grabbed my foot and threw me against a wall where his subordinates I had hit were.
I stood up, and the bastard was falling to crush me with his large body.
Upon dodging it, I lunged at his neck, which I held and used another judo move, throwing him against some boxes that were still intact.
Undoubtedly, it's a very intense fight that I don't enjoy, nor does time allow me.
"You fucking brat!"
"Mustache son of a bitch!"
Again we headed to punch each other, but in my case, it was to finish this already.
I'll use my ace up my sleeve.
"Star Chop!"
He used the same movement with his right, and I grabbed it. Upon taking it, I threw him against the place where I fell from the sky.
The guy shook the place, raising a mountain of debris.
I ran towards him to end this.
"Extreme magic..."
My right fist shone due to the large amount of gathered magical power.
He stood up. Upon talking to me, I could see he was missing teeth; his mustache was a bit cut, revealing his skin and his lip, which was covered.
"You fucking brat. Do you know the influence and danger the Cashmiro Family represents worldwide?"
His body was covered in wounds and blood, while mine had very painful scrapes.
"We have several members, hundreds of hidden branches worldwide, and many relatives. Very important countries want our help."
I approached him more and more.
"Do you think you can get away with it and even more so by facing one of the six great nobles?"
I was inches from his body. My right fist shone so much it looked like a small sun.
"Your life from now on will be plagued with contracts to assassinate you! You'll never be able to sleep peacefully again!"
Before my fist hit his stomach, I shouted at him.
"And what about that?"
I watched the idiot face he made while I launched my final blow.
"Stop spouting shit. Lovingly fantabulous punpun soft fist!"
When my fist touched him, I observed how the magical power energy sunk into his body, twisted it, and his face deformed in pain.
At the true moment my fist hit him.
"Torapurarardahaada!"
He shouted a strange thing while flying out against the wall, which in seconds destroyed and continued flying.
The wall was destroyed entirely, letting in the sun and allowing everyone outside to see what was happening inside.
I observed the guy who had his eyes white like when I fought Liam.
The guy flew until he started to fall. His landing was against a ship that had already left the port.
A large cloud of smoke was observed in the distance.
"That sure was a very long flight, huh?"
I told a good joke, but no one seemed to hear it. How sad.
"T-The boss has...!"
"L-Let's get out of here before that monster does the same to us!"
"Uwahh!"
The idiots wanted to escape.
It doesn't matter since there's a surprise outside.
"Count Bradford! Are you alright?"
Kingdom forces guarding the embassy were surrounding the place.
Before coming here, I asked them to lend me a large number of them.
They seemed to want to refuse after I told them I was going to kick some suspicious guys' asses.
But I threatened them that if they didn't back me up, I would cause many more problems, but the kingdom would be harmed.
So reluctantly, they came with me, and I ordered them to wait until they saw a broken wall.
I just didn't expect it to happen this way.
While I told details to the head of the knights, who took these idiots as prisoners, I found a notebook that seems to have fallen from the flying mustache guy.
Upon opening it, I found very important information.
"It seems Derrick-chan has done very bad things. But with this, not only will I crush him; his Household will also feel the noose around their neck that I'll put on them."
I laughed a bit perversely and handed the notebook to the head of the knights.
Upon turning around, I found Lucy running towards me with the sapling in her arms.
"Rudel-kun! What the hell was all that?"
It's what anyone would ask after seeing it.
"Take it as something only the Kingdom's Hero can do. More importantly, I don't know how much time I have left, but Lucy, what will you do now?"
If Lucy remains under the protection of the kingdom forces, it would be great. That way, I wouldn't have to worry about her.
But if they took the sapling and used it to extort me and stop the duel, it would be very problematic for my revenge.
"I... want to go with you to the duel."
But her words left me astonished since it wasn't part of what would happen.
"Are you sure?"
"Yes. I want to see it... what you're capable of."
Her eyes sent me a strange sensation of seeing how far I can go.
"I understand. I have no problem with that."
"Thank you. But how will we get there if there are less than 10 minutes left for the duel?"
"I can think of a way, but I just want to ask if you give me permission."
She looked at me as if I had said the weirdest thing in the world.
"Huh, permission? I don't know what for, but do it."
"In that case, I hope you're not uncomfortable."
"Huh? Wai— What are you doing?"
Lucy didn't understand what was happening; it was normal since without warning I took her shoulder and then her legs to carry her like a princess.
Wait, do I feel like something similar has happened once before?
Upon lifting her, she seemed nervous.
My right hand unintentionally caressed her soft and plump thigh. I couldn't feel it due to the glove, but it seemed very soft to the touch.
"You don't need to hold onto me; just hold that sapling very well."
"Huh, what are you talking about? Put me down."
"Sorry, but you said you want to go, and there's no time."
After telling the head of the knights I was leaving. Aster forces were arriving; I'll leave the problems to them.
"Now Lucy. Let's go!"
"Hey, huh?"
I took a slight impulse after charging my boots with magical power and shot into the sky.
"Nooooooo!"
Lucy screamed while holding the sapling tightly.
"We'll arrive in less than 5 minutes like this! As long as you don't move much, but first I must go pick up some things I forgot at home."
And thus, I jumped across roofs to get to the duel.
◇◇◇
"Huh, what was that?"
A boy watched Rudel jump from one building to another, but since that was impossible to imagine, he denied it.
"Is something wrong, Tom-kun?"
"No. More importantly, girls. Today is my day off, so why don't we go watch the duel that will happen soon?"
"Eh, I don't want to. I prefer riding in your new car."
"Me too."
"Haha, sorry. In that case, buckle up well; I'll accelerate."
And thus, a conquest target event was eliminated without being able to start.
◇◇◇
Derrick had reached the limit of his patience in the duel arena and spoke annoyed.
"How long are you going to make me wait! Are you looking down on this terrifying duel, huh?"
Rudel hadn't arrived, and the audience was also making annoyed noises.
Derrick shouted angrily at Professor Malcolm, who was acting as referee.
"The duel's time arrived a long time ago! If you keep delaying it like this, then that means you're taking the sacred tree oath lightly!"
Even if Derrick won, it would only seem like he was torturing the weak.
Sara was also waiting patiently, but what Derrick said was true. Rudel should have arrived a while ago.
"That scum didn't come because he's a coward, gyahaha. The great Derrick is getting annoyed because that scum is disrespecting the sacred tree oath duel."
"Professor Malcolm, please begin the duel."
Sara told him that since she also felt it was an offense to the sacred tree oath duel.
Just as he raised his hand, a voice came from the sky.
"Waaaaaiiiiiiit!"
Everyone raised their heads upon hearing a mysterious voice. In a few seconds that passed with their heads stretched, they observed an object falling.
It was a human body. It was Rudel falling from the sky with a girl in his arms.
In less than 5 seconds, Rudel fell from the sky, generating a dust cloud and destroying part of the place.
Lucy trembled since she was being hugged by him while receiving the impact.
Derrick watched that, clenched his teeth hard, and got into Battler, which was unrecognizable.
Sara ran towards Rudel along with Malcolm.
"Rudel-kun, what happened just now!"
"Why did you fall from the sky and aren't dead?"
Rudel, upon seeing them, didn't give explanations.
He left Lucy on the ground, who trembled.
"None of that matters. Just give me two more minutes to start the duel."
Sara watched Rudel, who was covered in dust and blood, while Lucy was dressed as if she were inside her house but was outside.
"Let me ask him. Derrick, is it fine with you to wait two more minutes?"
Derrick heard her and clicked his tongue.
"It doesn't matter if it's two or an hour; he'll still be mincemeat!"
Sara exhaled heavily and said.
"It seems you have two minutes to rest. But I want you to tell me everything later, okay?"
"It's fine."
Rudel approached Lucy and helped her walk to the stairs connecting to the stands while carrying his backpack.
Sara watched them; she seemed annoyed but then turned around to touch her cheeks with both hands.
Her face was red; she seemed like a girl in love after seeing an unbelievable romantic event.
Malcolm observed her and then Rudel.
◇
After leaving Lucy in a seat and equipping myself with what I brought in the backpack, I headed to the center of the arena.
There, I heard different kinds of voices.
"It can't be; he's really going out without an armored unit."
"They're going to kill him."
"This is because he went against a great noble."
Those who felt pity for me and those who mocked me.
"What's up, Hero of Altfode!"
"You can't even prepare any armored unit, huh?"
"Do you think you're brave for just coming to a duel without an armored unit?"
"I paid a lot of money for a bet on how you'll end and in which minute! Don't disappoint me!"
It was a group of scum. But I was more intrigued to see Battler, which was disgustingly unrecognizable.
"Uwa~, what bad taste~."
The pilot, Derrick, laughed when he saw me.
"Gyahahaha! Hey, are you forgetting that this is a duel with an armored unit, idiot!?"
Even though he was the one pressuring merchants so I couldn't get any armored unit, he had no qualms about mocking me this way.
"I'm surprised you can say that when you had planned it from the beginning."
"It's your fault for having been tricked!"
Derrick's words weren't wrong.
That was correct; the one who was tricked was at fault.
Battler, which now looked like a villain's vehicle, pointed at me with its index finger.
"Don't think I'll forgive you even if you apologize now!"
I was listening to Derrick's speech while adjusting my crotch, which bothered me a lot.
"What? Are you going to fight with those toys?"
I had two swords on my hip; it was the only thing I could use that didn't seem suspicious. Besides, after replacing the force shield, I mustn't be afraid.
I watched that scum laugh while his disgusting tongue was out.
"Hey, son of a bitch."
"Let's start this spectacle for which all these people came."
I could feel my blood boiling since my revenge was about to begin.
"Gyahaha, after finishing you off, I'll go to the kingdom and conquer it as the cherry on top!"
I smiled at those words.
"A good spectacle needs the villain and the hero. In this case, both of us are villains. May the best villain win."
The professor closed his eyes pensively after seeing my smile confirming the duel.
Lucy and Sara watched me worriedly, and when Professor Malcolm asked Sara to raise her right hand.
"Oh sacred tree, please watch this duel. Give your blessing of victory to the just. ... The duel will begin now!"
Derrick moved right after that proclamation.
Battler's cockpit closed, and it took two battle axes from its backpack and kept them ready in each of its hands.
"Finally! The great Derrick will be able to demonstrate what he's capable of, yuyu!"
Battler's appearance was sinister. There was also Derrick's voice accompanying it.
"It's scary now that I'm looking at it from outside."
Battler's enormous body headed towards me.
It was scarier than a dump truck running towards me at full speed, but I fled from it.
"Haa!?"
Derrick was taken by surprise.
I ran around the arena, and just when it seemed he would catch me.
He lowered the ax to hit me, but I slid right under Battler's legs at that moment.
"It's unexpectedly hard to attack a human, right?"
When I got behind Battler and said that, he turned around and spoke with a disgusting voice that didn't suit him.
"Don't be arrogant after escaping just once. I'll use you as an example to everyone! The audience will also be more excited if you resist a bit!"
"You're only good at making excuses, huh?"
"I'll kill you even if you cry while begging for your life!"
"Excellent. Don't forget those words."
My perverse smile was showing.
Battler swung its two battle axes as if they were a large bow.
One after another, I dodged the ax blows without interest.
"What's happening? Derrick-chan~, you can't hit me despite being so big. Wait, surely you can't use your tool well with a girl in the same way either, pupupu."
I started to annoy him while dodging blow after blow from the axes.
But at the same time, I was afraid; if I were just a second slower, he would have hit me, and I'd be split in half.
I can be laughing at him. But a fight against an armored unit with me being a human is really disadvantageous.
"You know, I have an older brother. That guy is a useless idiot, but guess what? He has better hand-eye coordination than you, pupupu."
Derrick sounded more and more annoyed.
"It's not fun using these weapons!"
He was losing his temper because I kept running. He discarded his axes. It was very childish of him to blame his weapons like that.
"It's your lack of strength. You really have no talent as a pilot; you can't kill me even though you're using Battler. I think it will be better if you don't ride an armored unit."
Derrick found it hard to accept my honest comment and took out a new weapon.
"No more games, damn bitch."
He took out a mini machine gun that I haven't touched since the war.
There were screams coming from the audience seats.
"I'll blow you to pieces until nothing is left!"
I smiled at Derrick, who aimed at me while the barrels spun.
"Oh, how scary~, Derrick-chan took out a weapon bigger than his!"
"DIIIIIE!"
Derrick pulled the trigger without hesitation.
The bullets flew at high speed, and I took out the swords to repel them.
Since the shield was active, my fear was reduced by half.
When the bullets hit the arena wall, the faint membrane enveloping it began to glow.
It was the magic shield protecting the audience seats.
But the bullets pierced that shield and perforated the wall.
"What's happening!? The fun is just begiiiiiining!!"
I hit the bullets to cut them with my swords.
I could feel the impacts touching my body.
It seemed like a steel rugby ball approached and hit my stomach.
A large amount of dust rose.
"Why don't you die?! This damn scum!"
I kept repelling the bullets very intensely, and one of my swords flew out of my hands.
Right then, he ran out of ammunition.
He took out a magazine to replenish the bullets. I headed to pick up my sword and ran once more.
The attack resumed, but this time it didn't hit me.
"DISGUSTING COWARD WHO CAN ONLY RUN AROOOOOUND!"
I ran at high speed since I did the same when I fought the mustache guy.
Not a single bullet touched me this time.
"DAMN THIRD-WORLD SCUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUM!"
Derrick threw the weapon and grabbed the axes again.
He ran straight at me; he seems tired of me ridiculing him in public.
His large hand extended to hit me, so I slid under his legs to dodge it.
This movement made him fall headfirst.
"Ahahaha, how clumsy and poor idiot he was! Hahaha, you're really pathetic at piloting an armored unit, hahaha!"
Even though I say that, I was really about to die; the shield lowered a lot. Now I'll have to fight hand-to-hand.
"Don't babble so proudly when you can only run!"
"A scum who can't even defeat a single flesh-and-blood human shouldn't talk as if he were human!"
"AaaAAaaAaaaah!!"
Derrick approached; I charged the swords with magical power and used them to cover myself.
A large dust cloud exploded due to the impact.
I could feel the great weight of having a machine and heavy weapons against simple modified iron.
My arms trembled. Derrick kept pressing hard, and little by little, my feet were breaking the arena and sinking.
With the strength I wasn't using, I directed the weight to one side, which raised a large dust cloud, allowing me to escape.
At that moment, I took advantage to run.
Even though it's only midday, I've done a lot of exercise. If it weren't for the training I had before coming and what I've done until now, I would really have died from fatigue.
"Don't run away and come here, damn bitch!"
Derrick chased me worse than a dog chasing a bone.
◇◇◇
The battle unfolding in the area couldn't be called a duel.
A large black armored unit was attacking a flesh-and-blood human with a sinister weapon.
Rudel was Battler's owner and knew its weaknesses. But even that wasn't enough to defeat Derrick, who was using it.
Large dust clouds and roars were heard in the arena.
In the audience seats, Lucy watched worriedly while hugging the sapling jar. She feared Battler would catch him sooner or later.
"Something like this isn't a duel."
The one-sided development caused shouts from the audience seats.
There were also those who looked down without looking among the students forced by Derrick to come here.
"Please, someone stop this duel."
"Should I stop it?"
Lucy looked down and prayed. Then, she heard Jude's voice mixed among the audience murmurs.
When Lucy turned around, Jude was there standing while smiling.
Jude was looking at Lucy and gave her a suggestion.
"I'll stop this duel. In exchange, be mine."
"Jude, you, even in moments like these!"
Jude was making use of this situation to obtain her. Lucy showed her disgust.
"You still refuse? ... Then, that man is going to die."
Jude pointed at Rudel, who was running around the arena.
He was fighting hard against Battler.
The battle axes moved wildly while he dodged them, but one of them hit both swords and sent him flying, crashing him into the wall.
Rudel spat blood. Once again, Derrick approached to attack.
Dust clouds and roars were what was down there.
She saw Rudel fight a while ago, but the battle now is totally different since his opponent doesn't receive damage.
Lucy covered her face with one hand.
"I hate you. I hate you, I hate the great nobles!"
Jude was watching Lucy while talking about Rudel's situation.
"I'll resolve the matter if that guy lets go of the sacred tree sapling. If you refuse, the Banfield Household will also join to denounce the kingdom. The foreign students and their families will become victims because of your fault."
When she heard that, she realized that if it were Jude at this moment, if it were the nobles of Aster at this moment, they surely would have no qualms about denouncing the Kingdom of Altfode.
(... This country is rotten.)
Lucy removed her hand from her face and looked at Jude with a tearful face.
Rudel and the others would be saved if she accepted Jude's suggestion.
But if she refused, this guy would keep doing irrational things to obtain her.
(So in the end, you can't challenge a noble? No, rather, you can't challenge the sacred tree no matter what.)
The sacred tree was absolute for people born in the Supreme Kingdom.
Lucy gave up thinking there was no way she could escape.
(Then the sacred tree still hasn't forgiven those of the Vermilion Household.)
It was as if she could feel the sacred tree's will that wouldn't let her escape.
Just when she was about to accept Jude's offer with a pained look, Sara approached them with firm steps and gave Jude a strong slap on the cheek.
"Sara! What are you— buh!"
Sara launched the second slap immediately. She then spoke forcefully towards Jude.
"Don't you dare do that dirty act here. Making use of another person's duel to lay your hand on a woman, you're the worst. I can't believe the next head of the Banfield Household is advancing towards a woman with this kind of despicable method."
"Sara, even for someone from the Rosenberg Household, there are things you can't say."
"I'm just telling you not to interfere in the duel. Will Derrick really stop if you ask him?"
"Remember this; if you join Derrick, I'll seriously crush you."
The eyes of the surroundings focused on Jude and Sara's conversation.
Malcolm was also here with them. Jude seemed to think this situation didn't favor him and left.
"T-Thank you."
"... I didn't do it to save you. I simply don't want anyone to interfere in Rudel-kun's duel."
"After all, it seems he has a plan."
Rudel still showed no sign of giving up even in the desperate situation.
Sara watched that situation intently. Her eyes looked intensely at Rudel; Lucy asked curiously.
"Sara, why are you so obsessed with him?"
Sara didn't answer Lucy's question.
"It's also strange that the princess of the Rosenberg Household sides with a foreign student. Also, it was the same with Jude just now. Rudel-kun would be saved if I, whom you hate, became Jude's possession. You could also obtain the sacred tree sapling."
Sara was crossing her arms. Her hands were gripping her own arms tightly.
"You don't need to know anything. It's also none of your business."
A part of Lucy also suspected Sara was planning something perverse against Rudel. But from what she was seeing, Sara seemed genuinely worried about Rudel.
Both watched the duel, but suddenly something happened.
Unexpectedly, Battler was thrown against the wall.
A great attack was launched towards it.
Battler fell on its knees. Derrick didn't understand what was happening.
Rudel approached Derrick little by little.
His face distorted, showing a terrifying face. It wasn't the one he normally makes; it was a face showing all the stored resentment.
"Hey, Derrick-chan, stand up."
Rudel stopped; his perverse face now showed a very sinister smile.
"The revenge game has just begun, hehehe."
Erselica saw that face and only thought one thing.
(That face... I remember it. That's the face he makes when he's going to ruin someone's life.)
Her sweat was cold as she trembled upon seeing that smile.
(Those girls... the time he got angry with them was just a tantrum. But this