"What do you mean by that?!"
Motoyasu's face twisted immediately.
"Oh please, look who's talking—you're just another slave-trader yourself, and you still have the nerve to lecture me?"
Kiriko put down the chicken drumstick and stood up, staring straight at the Spear Hero.
"No way, even the Spear Hero…?"
"It can't be! Spear Hero-sama is one of the legendary Three Heroes. How could he…"
Hearing Kiriko's words, the surrounding nobles and merchants cast doubtful glances at Motoyasu.
No one liked being looked at with suspicion, especially someone like Motoyasu, who before coming here was just an ordinary university student. He hadn't experienced society's harsh scrutiny and certainly wasn't accustomed to enduring suspicion calmly.
"You… explain yourself clearly! What exactly are you implying?"
"What am I implying?"
Kiriko pulled Lute forward.
"Well? Does this person look familiar?"
"You…"
Motoyasu stared at the Dogkin's furious expression, showing signs of struggling to recall.
"Oh! I remember now—you're that demi-human from back then!"
Kiriko sneered openly.
"Looks like you remember quite clearly. Still denying you're a slave trader?"
Motoyasu shook his head vigorously.
"No, that's wrong! It was Myne... Myne said she was taking him to the healer…"
Lute glared at Motoyasu with intense hatred, eyes almost spitting fire.
"But when I woke up, I was locked in a cage at the slave merchant's place. Spear Hero-sama, I truly appreciate your generous 'care' back then."
Motoyasu vehemently denied it.
"That can't be… I'm not! I didn't!"
Myne quickly stepped forward to soothe him.
"Motoyasu-sama, please calm down."
Motoyasu clung to Myne's words like a drowning man grasping at straws.
"Myne... right, Myne, quickly explain to them! This demi-human collapsed suddenly during our duel. I told you to take him to the healer—I never ordered you to sell him off to a slave merchant, right?!"
"Motoyasu-sama, none of that matters now. What's important is freeing those poor slaves bound by the Zero Hero."
Looks like the healers in the royal capital had some real skill. They'd not only managed to reattach this Bitch's tongue—after Kiriko had personally ripped it out—but even made it as good as new.
"No one knows exactly what happened back then anymore, but what matters is the present. Only you can save them now, Motoyasu-sama."
Myne's words seemed effective. Motoyasu's previously shaken expression quickly regained confidence.
"You're right. If not for you, Myne, I might've fallen into their trap."
Motoyasu pointed his spear directly at Kiriko.
"Kiriko-san, you're truly despicable! Using such dirty tricks to shake my resolve—I won't be fooled!"
"To be able to say such nonsense even at this point—you're really something else."
Kiriko snorted derisively.
"Well, if that's how it is, let's settle it with a duel."
"A duel?"
"Aren't you just some creature who thinks only with his lower half? I've met plenty like you. If you really want Raphtalia and Gabriel freed so badly, sure… defeat me, and they're free to go."
Motoyasu's eyes widened, clearly surprised that Kiriko would make things so "easy."
"Are you serious?"
"Of course. But if you lose, you'll have to hand over this month's support funds and the reward money for repelling the Wave."
Motoyasu barely thought about it before immediately agreeing.
The logic was actually simple:
Perhaps when first summoned, he'd been beaten senseless by Kiriko, but now things had completely changed.
Since that humiliating day, Motoyasu had trained obsessively, finally reaching over Level 40 just before the Wave.
Moreover, after tirelessly hunting monsters, his Legendary Weapon had undergone significant strengthening and evolved into an exceptionally powerful form.
What filled him with even more confidence was that during the Wave, Itsuki Kawasumi and Ren Amaki had fought alongside him on the frontline against the Wave's boss—while Kiriko and Naofumi had remained completely absent.
Although afterward, the knights reported that Kiriko and Naofumi had been busy rescuing villagers...
Anyone with basic MMORPG common sense knew what you should do in such a situation:
Not going straight for the boss, and instead wasting time on small fry—wasn't that just plain idiocy?
Unless, of course, they lacked confidence in their own strength to take on the boss.
This victory was practically guaranteed.
"Kiriko-san, I'll try to hold back and teach you your mistakes clearly."
Motoyasu raised his head arrogantly, coldly declaring.
"Who said I'd be the one dueling you?"
Kiriko asked innocently.
Motoyasu froze in shock.
"But just now, you yourself clearly said—"
Kiriko pointed casually toward Lute.
"My subordinate here will be your opponent. Ever since that day, he's missed you terribly."
...
Inside the banquet hall, the servants quietly moved the tables aside.
Guests either gathered on the second floor or huddled in corners on the first, watching the impending duel unfold.
On one side stood the legendary Spear Hero, savior of the world; on the other was a mere slave of the Zero Hero, an undocumented extra summoned alongside the Four Cardinal Heroes.
Was there even any suspense? Unless you were a total idiot, everyone knew to bet on the Spear Hero.
In the end, only Kiriko and Naofumi bet on Lute's victory.
On Motoyasu's side, several court mages cast numerous buffs on him.
"Hey, isn't that cheating? Who brings outside help to a duel?"
Naofumi protested indignantly.
"Of course it's fair. Technically, these people are all subordinates of my companion."
Motoyasu enjoyed his buffs as if it were entirely natural.
"What?"
"I was shocked at first too—I never expected Myne to actually be the princess of this kingdom."
"That's right. I joined the adventurers purely for the sake of world peace~!"
Naofumi stood speechless, staring blankly at the shameless couple, Motoyasu and Myne.
"Haaah?"
So that's how it was…
Actually, Naofumi had long been confused about why he'd been labeled a criminal based solely on the victim's one-sided accusation.
The princess, secretly traveling incognito, aimed to win favor with her preferred Hero. She chose the weakest and least popular—the Shield Hero—as a sacrifice, stealing his money and framing him with the assistance of her father, the king. They even tried framing Kiriko too.
Thus, Motoyasu, having "rescued" the princess from the "criminal," became particularly close with her—far closer than any ordinary companion.
That explained why Naofumi and Kiriko had initially received more money and equipment than the other Heroes.
In other words, the princess had stolen funds and equipment from Naofumi, and planned to steal from Kiriko as well (though unsuccessfully), to secretly favor Motoyasu.
If Motoyasu had started with obviously expensive gear, even he would've suspected something was amiss and kept his distance.
Exactly how deep their scheme ran was impossible to know now, except by asking the parties involved directly.
But considering how thoroughly this father-daughter duo operated, they surely left no evidence behind.
If not for Kiriko's intervention, he'd have forever been labeled as the worthless criminal Shield Hero, while Motoyasu would've been praised as the gallant rescuer of the princess.
"So that's how it is… You shameless bastards!"