Holding the girl gently in his arms, Lancer once again bowed respectfully to the audience before carefully delivering her into the hands of the arena's medics. Only after seeing her off safely did he return to the Emperor's side—but before he could speak, the Emperor met him with an approving nod and a smile.
"You handled that very well."
There was no doubt Lancer had not only showcased impressive strength in that unusual battle, thereby affirming the might of the Empire's soldiers, but his thoughtful gesture of taking the injured girl to treatment afterward was the true masterstroke.
"Your strength truly is extraordinary, Sir Lancer~"
At that moment, Honest's oily praise slithered into Lancer's ear, instantly setting off every alarm in his mind.
"You flatter me, Lord Honest."
Lancer was perplexed. While he had performed well enough this past year, it was still just "well enough." There was no reason for Honest to be so openly cordial. After all, he was merely a bodyguard, whereas Honest, as Minister of Finance, stood among the Empire's five highest-ranking officials.
Earlier, just before leaving, Lancer had secretly signaled the Imperial Guard to remain vigilant—fully expecting an attempt on the Emperor's life.
Yet, astonishingly, nothing had happened until the very end of the match.
Even afterward, when the events concluded, Honest merely departed with a genial smile and polite farewells…
...
Esdeath snapped awake abruptly. Despite the soreness engulfing her body, her hand instinctively darted toward her waist, searching for the tiny dagger hidden there—her last line of defense.
"No need to bother~ I've already disarmed you~"
The sudden voice from behind caused Esdeath's brow to furrow, but she refrained from turning around immediately. Instead, she cautiously shifted her position—safest that way—and only then caught sight of a black-haired girl lounging comfortably in a chair, tossing a finger-length dagger playfully between her fingers, eyes glinting mischievously.
"Who are you?"
Esdeath didn't relax just because the other party was a girl. Ever since the night her family was slaughtered years ago, she'd wandered alone, internalizing her father's most important lesson—if you want to survive, become strong.
And right now, she remained weak. So caution was crucial. She absolutely couldn't afford to die—not until she stood atop the world as a victor.
"Oh my, oh my~ You've forgotten me already? How heartbreaking~ Perhaps…this will jog your memory?"
The black-haired girl spoke teasingly while tugging open her collar, revealing her neck wrapped in bloodstained bandages.
Esdeath's eyes narrowed slightly. If her memory had been vague before, those crimson-stained bandages instantly crystallized the image of the girl's identity.
"Have you come to kill me?"
Esdeath's voice, utterly devoid of emotion, elicited no anger from the black-haired girl. Instead, a strange smile crept onto her face.
"No~ no~ At least not here—I don't want unnecessary trouble~"
"Not here?"
Though dizziness still clouded her head, Esdeath immediately seized upon the crucial hint hidden in the girl's words.
But the other girl had no intention of continuing their conversation and rose gracefully from her seat.
"Though you defeated me, don't think I'll just give up~ Next time we meet, let's settle things once and for all. If I win, you'll owe me one request."
"Strength gives the strong the right to dominate the weak!"
Esdeath did not respond directly, yet her words aligned closely with the girl's intent. A blush colored the black-haired girl's cheeks as she broke into a satisfied smile.
"My name is Merraid Oarburgh. Don't forget it. Also, I'll be taking this little knife as a token of our promise, okay~?"
As the door swung open, the black-haired girl vanished as swiftly as she'd appeared.
Merraid Oarburgh?
Esdeath silently repeated the name twice, committing it to memory. Whether this mysterious girl intended to repay a debt or silence her for good—that remained to be seen.
Stepping out of the room, Esdeath was met with the sight of the now-desolate arena being cleaned by workers. Wordlessly, she started to leave, but suddenly someone called out.
"Miss Esdeath!"
...
Esdeath's face was a mask of frustration. Extreme frustration.
Particularly as she stared at the heavy pouch of gold coins in her hand, fury churned within her.
These coins were apparently her reward for winning the tournament.
Winning?! What a joke! She had lost, utterly and completely!
She didn't know why that man had chosen to remove his shield and cloak, but her instincts screamed that he hadn't even used his full strength!
Yet precisely because of that fury, she resolved to accept the gold coins—to forever remind herself of today's humiliating defeat.
At that very moment—
Tap, tap—!
The rapid footsteps of several individuals approached swiftly. Within moments, Esdeath was encircled by a group of men brandishing swords and daggers.
"Do you need something from me?"
Esdeath's voice remained as chillingly indifferent as ever—perhaps even icier, fueled by the flames of her inner anger.
"Do we need something from you? Did you think killing our boss meant the matter was settled?"
Killed their boss?
Esdeath had slain too many to remember such specifics. But it hardly mattered. Her mood was foul, and these worthless scum had kindly volunteered themselves to vent her frustrations upon.
These thugs had chosen an ideal location to ambush her: an empty commercial district adjacent to the slums. Silent and abandoned by night, it was a perfect spot for robbery and murder. Yet, sadly, though they'd found the perfect place, they'd targeted the wrong victim. Even injured, a tiger was not something stray dogs could provoke lightly.
Swish—!
She flicked the sword she'd snatched, frowning disdainfully.
"Tch! With my good weapon ruined, I'm stuck using this trash. It can't even shake off the blood properly."
But just then, another set of footsteps echoed nearby.
The Imperial Police?
"Hey! Over he—"
Tweet, tweet—!
Before Esdeath could fully call out, a shrill whistle blew, and a unit of Imperial Police soldiers armed with weapons rushed in, swiftly encircling her.
She'd fought loudly for several minutes without drawing any attention, yet the moment she dispatched the attackers, these men conveniently appeared. It seemed she'd stumbled straight into someone's carefully laid trap…
But as misfortunes often come in waves—
"Stop right there!"
A man's sharp command instantly halted the confrontation poised to erupt…
---
T/N: Merraid Oarburgh is this, shes from the akame ga kill zero, prequel manga
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