Scarlet threw up blood as she was greatly thrown backwards. She was sent flying for almost a dozen meters or more before she rolled on the floor.
âKhuâŠkughâŠâ
The fallen Scarlet held her stomach that was struck by the energy of the black dragon and threw up blood again. She then stopped moving as a puddle of blood formed under her head.
âI-is she okay? Sheâs not dead yet, right?â
The startled Cordelia flew to Scarlet, but Jude calmly raised his hand to stop her.
Because Scarlet wouldnât die from just that.
âFranklyâŠI was a little surprised.â
She had vomited so much blood, so he had flinched at that moment.
But she wore the Red Dragonâs Armor.
It didnât just had a strong defensive power, as it was an item that gave its wearer the regenerative ability of a dragon, so she would not have died despite throwing up a lot of blood.
And it was as Jude had expected.
Scarlet was in a state of near-death, but she was groaning and did not die.
However, âher not dying is enoughâ was Judeâs standard and not Cordeliaâs.
âHey, hey. Are you okay? Hey? Donât die. Donât die.â
Cordelia unknowingly said as she let Scarlet spit out the blood left in her mouth before she laid Scarlet down.
Cordelia put her hand near Scarletâs mouth. It was weak but she could feel Scarletâs breath.
âG-good. Sheâs breathing.â
Letâs skip artificial respiration.
Whatâs next then?
âHey, hey. Are you awake? Hey.â
When she tapped on Scarletâs cheek lightly, Scarlet let out a very small groan. It didnât seem like she was completely unconscious.
Then there was only one thing left.
â<Fast Healing!>â
A spell that recovers oneâs health very fast.
This was actually a chance for her to get the treasures of the Rogue Master, and she had also wanted those, but that was that, and this was this.
Cordelia had no intention of killing Scarlet and taking the treasures away.
Scarlet wasnât a villain.
If she hadnât been possessed by the Soul Taker, she would at least not be an enemy even if she didnât become their ally.
âHaaâŠhaaâŠâ
Perhaps the recovery magic worked since Scarletâs face color improved and her breathing stabilized.
And after a minute or so.
After she had recovered enough to be able to speak, Scarlet stretched out her body instead of raising herself up.
She wiped the sweat on her forehead and said to Cordelia as if letting out a breath of relief.
âJust kill me.â
âWhat?â
âJust kill me.â
Scarlet had a faint smile.
She continued to talk as she faced Cordelia with empty eyes.
âI lost. I lost to you. I couldnât even keep the Rogue Masterâs honor.â
Scarletâs eyes looked red, and tears flowed down her blood-stained cheeks.
âN-now, the honorable name of the Rogue Master will forever be dishonored by the name of Pink Bomb. I canât bear to see that⊠Just kill me. Kill me.â
Rogue Master Pink Bomb.
Aaaah, Rogue Master.
Aaaah, Pink Bomb.
Father.
Grandfather.
Iâm sorry.
Iâm really, really sorry.
Scarlet couldnât become the Rogue Master. I couldnât even keep the honor of the Rogue Master.
Scarlet began to completely cry, and Cordelia felt a mix of emotions and was at a loss.
âFu-f*ck.â
What do I do?
What should I do?
Scarlet was saying some really extreme words, and Cordelia could understand Scarletâs sad feelings.
Scarlet was a person who took great pride in the fact that she was a descendant of the Rogue Master.
âJude, Jude! What do I do?â
Cordelia looked back at Jude with a face showing her troubled thoughts.
Jude seriously pondered when she gazed at him with eyes that were asking him to do something, and he soon had a bitter smile. It was a bit cringey, but it was a good idea.
Scarletâs personality.
Her disposition.
That was why it was the best answer he could give now.
âAh.â
But it was then. Before Jude could give an answer, Cordelia also looked like she came up with something in her mind.
Because she was also a rotten water of Legend of Heroes 2.
âHey, Jude. Iâll do what I want this time. Just this one time.â
Jude nodded at Cordeliaâs gaze. Because Jude himself came up with a similar idea.
And there was one more reason.
âBecause youâre the Rogue Master.â
Cordelia was the Rogue Master and not Jude.
Cordelia nodded her head at Judeâs reply and looked at Scarlet again as she said.
âHey, asshole.â
âItâs Scarlet. And donât bother me anymore. Just kill me.â
âYes, Scarlet. Letâs put the killing behind us andâŠle-letâs compete.â
âWhat?â
When Scarlet opened her closed eyes to ask what Cordelia was talking about, Cordelia said with a smile.
âYouâre the Rogue Master. Not the Warrior Master.â
Scarlet blinked her eyes at Cordeliaâs words and soon understood it. So she couldnât hide her surprise.
âAre you sayingâŠâ
âI have the Rogue Masterâs treasure and you have the Rogue Masterâs treasures too. Both of us are candidates for the Rogue Master position. SoâŠletâs compete for the title. The one who wins in our match will become the real Rogue Master. What kind of match it isâŠyou should know, right?â
Scarletâs cheeks instantly turned red when Cordelia winked and smiled. Because Cordeliaâs smile revealed by the moonlight was so beautiful.
âDo you understand what Iâm talking about?â
âYeah⊠I-I understand.â
Scarlet unconsciously stuttered and she took several deep breaths before raising her upper body in order to stand up.
Cordelia had suggested that they should compete for the position of Rogue Master.
Then what kind of match should Rogue Masters have?
To say it directly, it was stealing.
To say it more elegantly, it was the act of unauthorized transfer of ownership.
âDo you agree?â
When Cordelia asked, Scarlet slowly nodded. But she soon added some words.
âIn return, there are conditions.â
âConditions? Hey, do you honestly think youâre in a situation where you could ask for that?â
âListen to the end.â
âWhat is it?â
Cordelia questioned as her head tilted sideways, and Scarlet avoided her gaze and coughed a few times.
She blushed even more, and then put the words that Jude had expected out of her mouth.
âYou won this match. Nevertheless, you gave me a chance to have an honorable showdownâŠso Iâll return the favor. I will make you wish come true whatever it is.â
âMy wish?â
âYes, your wish.â
âAnything?â
âI mean, thatâs a bit⊠As long as itâs within my abilities. ThatâŠyou know. Something like a job I can do.â
âOh.â
As Cordelia clapped and smiled, Scarlet avoided her gaze again, and Jude who was watching them from a distance clenched his fist.
âBingo!â
As expected, sheâs the same as Lucas.
Just as Lucas was obsessed with reenacting Biltwein the Hero, Scarlet was particularly obsessed with reenacting the anecdotes of the first Rogue Master.
âSomething like this also happened to the first Rogue Master.â
To be exact, it happened between the first Rogue Master and her rival, Thief Master.
Rogue Master, who was still an inexperienced thief before she called herself Rogue Master, fell into the trap of Thief Master once and was completely and helplessly defeated. But Thief Master admired the talent of Rogue Master and gave the same offer as Cordelia.
âLetâs have a match. A real match between the two of us.â
In response to Thief Masterâs suggestion, Rogue Master said that sheâd have the match after she had returned the favor for this incident, just like what Scarlet had now said, and Thief Master was willing to regard such Rogue Master as an honorable person.
âAnd in the end, Rogue Master won and received the Wings of Speed from Thief Master⊠itâs a beautiful story where the two continued to be close friends afterwards.â
That was probably the reason why Scarletâs face had turned red.
She must be really excited and happy to reenact the anecdote of that time and be in the same position as the first Rogue Master.
âOf course, we donât intend to follow the story until the very end.â
After all, what mattered now was Scarletâs promise and not the match against Scarlet.
She would make any wish of Cordelia come true.
In other words, it was a very useful way to get Scarlet involved in their fight at the royal capital.
âItâs better if we get close to her with this opportunity.â
Scarlet had become a villain all because of the Soul Taker.
If they became close from the very start and prevented her from touching the Soul Taker, she would likely remain their ally until the very end.
âAs expected of Cordelia.â
Cordelia wasnât a calculative person like Jude.
She might have thought that Scarlet would respond that way because of Scarletâs personality, but it was clear that Cordelia wouldnât have thought of such conditions like that now.
But Cordelia had said that.
Because she liked the Scarlet who fought for the honor of the Rogue Master.
Because she wanted to be friends with Scarlet who had always been an enemy, rather than have to kill her once again.
âI canât be like that.â
It didnât suit Jude to act so purely with such a pure heart.
âW-what do you think? About my conditions?â
Scarlet timidly asked and Cordelia looked like she was thinking for a moment before she said with her canines glistening.
âOkay, we have a deal. So letâs shake hands.â
âEh?â
âLetâs shake hands.â
When Cordelia stretched out her hand, Scarlet held that hand and blushed again.
Because she was embarrassed.
âAnyway, just go back for now. Iâll tell you what I want later. Do you know of the Blue Moon?â