[You killed the Five Dragon Warriors?]

[I dont have any intention of talking about this with every person I see. Well, those Ashinto fellows should be a good cover for me in the meantime.]

[Thats absurd]

Eve immediate cuts of my words and casts it aside.

[Thats impossible.]

I stuck out my hand.

[I dont know if this would be enough proof but]

Suspicious about my actions, Eve prepares her stance.

At that moment, Seras steps forward.

Thunk-

[!]

Seeing that Seras stepped forward, Eve reacts.

Looking at her, distracted with the distance between herself and Seras

[<Paralyze>]

I used my Abnormal State Skill.

[-Nghhh!? What the..? My body is.]

[Its better if you dont force yourself in moving. If you try doing the impossible, youd start bleeding all over your body.]

[Dont tell me This is Abnormal State System Technique?]

[I guess you could call this something like a really powerful Abnormal State endowment to others By the way, this skill has more probability to kill those celebrities than those final duels.]

[Thats absurd]

[Its exactly as you say. Thanks to this absurd power, even a weak person like me could kill Civil Gartland.]

[Gnnnggghhh]

[I should have already told you. You shouldnt unreasonably try to move. This isnt just a threat.]

I started approaching Eve.

[Im going to make it easier for you to speak now.]

I partially released the paralysis on her head.

Eve should now be able to speak normally.

[-Mu? I could now speak easily?]

[I could also bestow other powerful Abnormal State abilities to others. With this power, I have killed the Five Dragon Warriors. Should I even tell you how the members of Five Dragon Warriors died?]

It appears like Eves will to fight has disappeared.

Did she presume that I dont have any thoughts of harming her?

[Is it that truth You killed the Five Dragon Warriors?]

[How about I show you another piece of evidence?]

Hmm?

Seras?

Seras places her hand over her chest.

[Seras Ashrain, the one being chased by the Five Dragon Warriors. Thats me.]

Twitch

Eves ears twitched.

[Its you?]

[Milord saved me from the Five Dragon Warriors with his power.]

[Stop it with all this acting. From the stories Ive heard, that ex-Holy Knight is an elf]

Eves eyes opens wide.

[!]

I immediately understood based on her reaction.

At that moment, Seras removes the changes in her appearances.

[Do you understand now? Just now, Ive borrowed the powers of the spirits and changed my appearance.]

[Nngghh.]

Eve groaned.

Deep inside my heart, I am also groaning.

I havent expected Seras action just now.

I never thought that she would reveal her identity here.

Is she really sympathizing that much with Eve?

Its possible that she wants to save her, one way or another.

[Milord indeed killed the Five Dragon Warriors. Though I said that, Ive only seen the death of four of them.]

After saying that, Seras pulls one step back.

I spoke.

[If there are monsters more powerful than Civit Gartland in the Demon Zone, I may possibly give up going.]

[Certainly, you have quite the power youre holding.]

[Its up to you if you want to believe that story about killing the Five Dragon Warriors or not. In fact, there are many people in the world who only believes what they saw. However, I wanted to show you my power. The evidence of my power.]

Eve snorts in response.

[However, theyre just useless evidence. At any rate, I will still fight in my duel tomorrow. I will also not be going into the Demon Zone. That will not change.]

[If you ever win this duel, do you think that Duke Zuan would really keep his promise?]

[What?]

[Its the same Duke-sama who would kill a prostitute just because shes different from the image he had been looking for, you know? According to the many things Ive heard about him, he doesnt seem to be a good man at all.]

The reputation of Duke Zuan.

When I gathered information about Eve, I lightly checked some information about him.

At least, he doesnt smell like a good person.

Rather than that, he seems to be the same as those guys.

The same shitheads like those people Ive met before.

[I thoroughly understand how trash thinks.]

Because Im also one of them.

[Even if you win your duel tomorrow I dont think the duke would just obediently give you back your freedom.]

[.]

I slightly changed the subject.

[Speaking of which, I heard of a certain Blood Champion. He was just like you, a Blood Champion who was acclaimed as the strongest.]

Eve is silently listening to my words.

[The man had won his final duel. However, he has been found dead the day after his victory. He was found floating in a river running through the capital city early in the morning.]

[That story about the Blood Champion who died shortly after he gained his freedom huh I dont really know the details, but Ive certainly heard about it. I heard that man caused some trouble with some mercenaries in a tavern while he was celebrating his victory. That man was really drunk from alcohol and he also wasnt holding any weapon with him. And then, that man was beaten to death by these mercenaries who doesnt know what moderation is.]

[Well, thats the information that was circulated towards the public.]

[Circulated towards the public? What do you mean?]

[Have you heard of what happened with the daughter of that dead man?]

[I havent heard of it.]

[That daughter was a slave working in a dirty tavern. Just like a certain someone, he was trying to buy the freedom of his daughter. However, do you know whats strange?]

[What happened?]

[The freedom of that daughter havent been bought back at all. Moreover, that man wasnt even celebrating his victory in the same tavern that her daughter was working in. If youre trying to fight for the freedom of someone else, wouldnt you think that he should have normally went towards where she is?]

[I dont really know about that guy Couldnt it just be that he plans to buy back her freedom after celebrating with others?]

[Its possible. However, what Im talking about what happened to his daughter after his death.]

[After his death? What happened to his daughter?]

[There are some documents that after the man died, his daughter was taken custody by Duke Zuan and had been working in the Dukes residence for about two years.]

[-!]

[After that, she was sold off as a prostitute. You should understand what I mean, right?]

[..fuuu]

[Furthermore, one of the mercenaries who beat that man to death has become a Blood Champion for his feat of killing the strongest Blood Champion. He was quite a strong recommendation from the Mercenary Guild. If I remember it correctly Its someone called Gilmud or something like that.]

[Gilmud? I know a man with that name. Though, it seems that hes already dead long before I came in this place However, where did you hear about that story?]

[Ill just say I got it from the dark place. Its up to you how you interpret that.]

[Muu]

It seems that Eve knows the existence of the dark place.

[Well, I havent really heard about the truth directly from Duke Zuan himself. I dont know if this is true or not. Of course, I dont think I would even know something like this from Duke Zuan himself]

[Are you saying that the death of this man was the work of either Duke Zuan or the Mercenary Guild?]

[Thats what I think so.]

[And youre saying that I might get the same fate as him?]

[Its possible So, what are you going to do? Are you going to stay and take on your final duel, or take the young girl and go to the Demon Zone with us?]

I met eyes with Eve.

[The decision is right into your hands.]

[I]

Eve answered without averting her eyes.

[I will get my freedom with my own hands.]

She would be facing tomorrows duel.

Eve has selected that.

[Is that so?]

Somehow, I already felt that she would choose that.

[I would surely win. I have acquired various things after each of my victories. The victories I get in every duels Ive fought were always the one who paves through my path.]

Eve looks towards us.

[Moreover, I cant trust you people at all. Therefore, I wont give the information about the Witch of Taboos to you.]

Seras opens her mouth.

[Milord will be helping you]

[Do you really think Ill trust the words of someone who Ive only met yesterday? On the contrary, Ive had been in the world of duels for a really long time.]

Well, thats what I thought.

I proceeded on asking her a question.

[Can Duke Zuan really be trusted?]

[Certainly, that guy is someone you can never praise as a human. However, its a fact that he has always been responding with the results Ive given to him.]

Thats because Eve Speed still has a use for him.

[Its possible that something would really happen that it would be disadvantageous for me, however it would just be something that would enliven my final duel. Having said that, the Duke is also a child of a human. Ive been with him for a really long time. He isnt someone as ruthless as youre saying.]

How naive.

[Comparing you people with the years of connection I had with the world of duels that Ive always been all this time, its really obvious who I should trust.]

Unexpectedly, that years of connection can easily crumble down to pieces.

[I will believe in the world of duels that had made the current me rather than you just suddenly appeared in front of me.]

Eve insisted.

The smile on my face distorted.

[Why do you say that, Eve Speed?]

[What are you saying?]

[Why are you insisting towards me that you believe in this world of duels so much?]

[What are you]

[Isnt it that youre throwing those words to yourself?]

[.]

[I have already finished proving my strength.]

I cancelled the effect of Paralyze.

[Excuse me for the rude things Ive said I pray that you could win tomorrows duel.]

Turning around, I started walking.

[Lets go.]

[Y- Yes.]

Seras follows behind me.

[Wait.]

Eve called out towards me.

[Why did you release me? You already have an absolute advantage towards me. If I had spoke out the information about the Witch of Taboos, there could have only one option for you to do. I knew about your secrets. And yet, why have you unconditionally released me?]

I stop walking.

[I already told you. We will leave Monroy early in the morning tomorrow.]

I didnt respond to any of her question.

I dont see any reason I should do it.

[We would around the bridge in front of the large front gate until the sun rises. If you ever change your mind, you should come.]

Turning away from Eve, we went away from that place.

On the way back to the inn, Seras opened her mouth.

[I am terribly sorry.]

Hmm?

[What are you talking about?]

[I just revealed my identity on my own]

[Ah, that thing you did just now.]

[I just suddenly followed my own judgement without any approval from Milord Of course, I will be receiving my punishment.]

Seras looked pretty depressed.

Rather than that, punishment?

[I certainly dont have any plans on revealing that, but it turned out to be a convincing material with my persuasion towards her. Thats why, dont worry about it.]

I remembered Eves reaction.

Thats the reaction of someone who should roughly believes in our words.

Perhaps, she knows Seras face based on the portrait she had on her bounty.

Thats why, she immediately believed that shes Seras Ashrain.

[However, that was the result after I had spoken. If I had spoiled Milords plan]

[I wont judge whether thats a bad move or not.]

I interrupted Seras words.

[I wont say anything if the results were good. If I think thats a bad move, then the blame should be mine. And, the result this time is something that happened after the decisions I made. Do you have any complaints with this policy?]

[I understand. If Milord says so]

Fumu

This might have been the influence of being a Holy Knight back then

Its like theyre the type who would respect discipline.

Certainly, moderate discipline may be necessary.

Though I say that, this Mercenary Corps is under my rule.

Its up to me whether to blame someone or not.

The nervousness disappeared from Seras face.

Peko.

She stops in place and bows.

[Thank you for leniency, Milord.]

Recently, I feel like Im completely her master

We started walking again.

I called out towards Seras.

[Anything else in your mind?]

[Ah, no]

[Just say it. Youve said that Im lenient yourself, right?]

[That is]

Looking at my face, Seras began enquiring.

[That story about that Blood Champion you said just now It isnt the truth, right?]

Seras would know if something is a lie.

As I thought, she would notice

[Yeah. That just now was something I fabricated and thought it would be a good idea.]

There were only a few parts there thats the truth.

A story about a man who had obtained his freedom was found dead the next day.

The name of a real Blood Champion named Gilmud.

Actually, I just added some drama into this story.

There is neither a front story nor a hidden truth behind it

Honestly, they were all just stories circulated to the public as I had said in the beginning.

[I know thats something anyone cant praise However, I needed to fabricate a story so that I could plant a seed of distrust inside Eve Speeds thoughts towards Duke Zuan and the Mercenary Guild.]

Eve believes in the world of duels.

I take out the pocket watch from my pocket.

[The rest is for us to wait for when that seed will sprout]

Planting seeds of distrust.

I often saw it in manga and anime.

Agitating the distrust within then after they hear stories interwoven between truths and lies, they would then betray their own comrades.

Conversely, this might also show those who had sincere attitudes.

I shake away this thoughts gathering in my mind.

[Seed, is it?]

[Yeah.]

I had a strong image of someone who would use this method as he tries to tear apart the bonds of the protagonist.

In short

[Now that I think about it, this should be one of the tricks a villain uses.]