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Chapter 15 – Horus Gladiator Troupe (8)
“BWAHAHAHAHA!”
Laughter filled the banquet hall. The city’s lord and nobles invited the gladiators for an afterparty.
“The city’s citizens absolutely loved it. It was a great match, Horus.”
The lord complimented the troupe leader. The matches were successful even in the new city. The Horus Gladiator Troupe’s performance especially stood out.
“It is all thanks to your grace, Your Earlship,” Horus answered modestly. He was good at dealing with the moods of high-ranked officials.
“Oh my, look at that physique.”
“My husband’s stomach is large enough to cover all of that. Tch.”
The noblewomen spoke as they covered their lips with their fans, commenting on the gladiators’ bodies. The women that came without their husbands planned on sleeping with a gladiator of their choice.
“Ha, what a wonderful night.”
Urich sat down at the dining table and chatted. He enjoyed as much alcohol and food as he wanted. It was the same for the other gladiators as well. The nobles indulged in the victorious gladiators.
“Are you Urich? The same Urich that won a 1v5?!”
One of the nobles recognized him. His name was now widely known. It had already been three months since he became a gladiator. There would also be occasional people who would recognize him in the cities that they visited.
“I’m Urich!”
Urich laughed and raised his glass.
“I enjoyed watching your match! It was phenomenal! Would you please show me your skills with the axe? How about it? Can you do it?”
The noble excitedly spoke. He placed an apple on his servant’s head.
“U-Urghhhh.”
The trembling servant stood against the wall. The noble berated the servant, worried that the apple would fall off.
“Don’t move! Urich is going to throw his ax! This man is an expert in throwing axes, so your head definitely won’t split in two! Hahaha!”
With the noble’s words, the banquet hall got even more lively. Everyone’s attention was on Urich’s axes.
“Hic. If you want to see my skills… Of course, I will!”
The extremely drunk Urich stood up from his seat. He received the axes he left to the guards.
Whirl, swoosh.
The axes spun in Urich’s hands. Even when he was drunk, his fingers remained nimble.
“Uhhhhh…”
The servant watched Urich’s axes and trembled harder.
“Oi, your head will really get split in two if you move. Don’t think about moving, and just close your eyes.”
Urich spoke, irritated. The servant hesitantly closed his eyes.
“Urich! Urich! Urich!”
The nobles clapped while chanting his name.
“So the people here also know how to have fun. Hahaha!”
For the first time in a while, Urich was also having fun.
He was the best axe thrower in the Stone Axe Tribe as well. Axe throwing was a skill that required immense amounts of practice as it was difficult to make the handle or blade land exactly where the thrower intended. If you threw it clumsily, the enemy could be hit by the handle, and you would end up just throwing away a weapon.
“Fooo.”
Urich lightly exhaled and took a stance. The banquet hall became silent, waiting to witness a spectacle from Urich.
‘The distance is about ten steps.’
Urich eyed the distance and started moving his shoulders. His muscles jolted, and the axe flew from his fingertips.
CRUSH!
The silence continued as the servant’s legs gave out. The apple was perfectly split in half, and the axe was rooted deeply on the wall.
“Amazing! Absolutely amazing!”
Clap-clap-clap-clap-clap!
A round of applause. Urich shrugged like it was nothing and retrieved his axes.
“Th-Thank you.”
The servant thanked Urich, still trembling. He knew that he almost left this world for the entertainment of nobles.
“Don’t worry about it.”
Urich lifted the servant and tapped his back.
The servant, whose back was completely drenched in sweat, moved to return to his seat.
“Wait. Hold it.”
However, a young noble stopped him.
“Trios, what’s the matter?”
The lord called the young noble by his name.
“My champion is also very skilled in axes. I wanted to display it as well.”
Trios was one of the nobles that sent out their champion to the arena.
“Hm, your competitiveness is a bit excessive at times.”
“It’s just entertainment. There’s no way my champion wouldn’t be able to do a trick that some gladiator can. Mogdy!”
Trios called over his champion. A copper-skinned man then emerged from the crowd.
“Did you call, Master?”
Mogdy was a Southerner. He was a man who often went to the arena for Trios’s entertainment.
“Prepare an axe. You can do it as well, right? There’s no way that my—Trios’s—gladiator wouldn’t be able to do what a common gladiator could, right?” pressed Trios as he lifted an apple from the table.
“Master, that’s…”
Mogdy hesitated. He also watched Urich’s skill.
‘The skills that he displayed in the arena as well as his throwing skill just now… He’s much more skilled than me with the axe.’
Mogdy didn’t have the confidence to do it as well as Urich did.
“Are you planning to embarrass me, Mogdy?” Trios whispered into Mogdy’s ear. The gladiator gulped.
‘Damn it. All this because that fucking child hates losing more than anything!’
Mogdy thought that he was going to go insane because of his young master. But Trios was a noble that had a lot of money. He was willed a colossal inheritance and spent money like it was nothing.
“Oho?”
Urich leaned against the wall with interest. He chuckled and watched Mogdy. The other nobles were also curious if he would be able to do it as well.
‘There’s no way anyone here could throw an axe as well as I do.’
Urich took pride in his skills. He believed that he wouldn’t lose to anyone in axe throwing.
“Hieeek!”
The pitiful servant placed an apple on his head again, shrieking as Mogdy’s nervousness also transferred over to him.
‘It’s hopeless.’
Those with a warrior’s instinct recognized Mogdy’s situation.
‘He’s forced to throw an axe because of his master. If he’s unlucky, the servant will die.’
Urich was relaxed like an expert. Mogdy didn’t show the same feeling at all.
“Mogdy!”
Trios urged Mogdy again.
‘I guess I have to leave it to luck.’
Mogdy threw his axe. It was a simple axe used to chop firewood—one that he wasn’t used to.
WHIRL.
“A-AAAAAAGHHHHH!!!”
The servant screamed as he toppled over. The axe was embedded in his shoulder. Blood violently gushed out from the wound.
“I knew it would end up like that. Think of it as a relief that his head wasn’t split.”
Urich clicked his tongue and snickered. He noticed early on that Mogdy’s stance was unstable.
“Ahem.”
The lord faked a cough to show his discomfort. Because of Trios’s stubbornness, the festive atmosphere was ruined. The banquet hall’s music slowed down, and a few of the nobles tried to get out of their seats.
“Mogdy, you bastard. How dare you embarrass me…”
Trios spoke while grabbing onto Mogdy’s collar. The gladiator lowered his eyes.
“I’m sorry, Master.”
Trios shoved him and stared at the innocent Horus and Urich.
“Hey, troupe leader. What was your name again?”
“It is Horus, Sir Trios.”
“Why don’t we have a match between your gladiator and my champion? Right now. Both of them wielding axes. It will be a simple match for entertainment.”
If it were a normal situation, the nobles in the banquet hall would have cheered loudly. However, a lot of blood had already been spilled.
“Th-That’s a bit…”
It was a troublesome request for Horus.
‘That young master is a pain in the ass.’
The lord, who had been watching the entire interaction, coughed loudly.
“Ahem! It’s been a long night. Trios, why don’t you head back?”
The lord’s words clearly showed the intent of dismissing him.
Trios’s face turned red. He bit his lower lip as his fists shook.
“Urich, why don’t you head back first?”
Horus spoke while poking his side.
“Why? I think it would be fun.”
Urich gave a cheap laugh, which irritated Horus.
“I hope that you’ll return to your dormitory soon, Urich.”
“Alright, Troupe Leader. Stop looking at me like that. Haha.”
Urich grabbed a bottle of alcohol and left. The excitement in the banquet hall fizzled out, and everyone talked about Trios’s foolishness.
All of the guests that were invited to the afterparty left until only the lord and his aides remained in the banquet hall.
“Trios completely ruined his father’s business, but he still hasn’t come to his senses.”
“I hear that he still has a large inheritance left in his hands.”
“You know, I was going to engage my second daughter with him.”
The aides laughed.
“Individuals like him will only cause harm. It will not be beneficial to be associated with him.”
The lord agreed and nodded.
“Then, from the next afterparty and onwards, do not send Trios an invitation.”
“As Your Lordship wishes.”
The aides lowered their heads and stepped away.