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Duel
「You’re always working so hard to gather herbs. How about becoming a pharmacist? If you do that, I’m sure it will benefit the people」
A pointy hat, a staff, and a magician’s robe.
Miroslav was dressed how she usually dressed, and shit talked me the way she usually did.
The only thing that was different was that her long red hair had been drastically shortened. Right now, her short, braided hair was almost hidden under her hat.
「Thanks for the advice. Would you mind leaving if you’re done? Unlike you guys who can make a living by sucking up to the guild, I’m quite busy, you know?」
「I didn’t want to talk to you either, but–」
Miroslav glanced at Ciel who was behind me. She made a painful expression when she saw how worn down Ciel looked.
「Making a girl younger than yourself carry all that luggage…you’re such a worthless man. Well, it’s not like that’s anything new」
「I can do whatever I want with my slave. A “murderer” doesn’t get to tell me what to do」
「Did an idiot just learn a new word or what? Besides, you’ll anger the guild master if you keep up with your baseless slandering」
「Save it. You guys don’t have to come all the way out here to do this. This is such an unpleasant conversation」
「We heard that you were doing something terrible to the girl every night like a monkey that’s in heat. The first thing you do after somehow getting an amount of money that you don’t deserve is to get a slave and show how low you are? If you wanted to hold a woman in your arms, you have to get some charm that a woman can fall in love with first!」
After Miroslav let it out, it looks like next is Larz’s turn.
He probably has been holding it in. I can see that his face was filled with righteous indignation.
I’ve said this before, but Larz came from a rural village. Things like people selling their wives or daughters to pay debt was not something new to him.
That kind of story always made him strangely upset. Iria’s also, since she came from the same place as him.
I haven’t heard the details about it, but the two of them might have lost some family members or friends like that.
「Sora, that girl became a slave for her family, right? Take good care of her. If you can’t, then release her!」
「Like I said, who are you to tell me what to do with my slave? What, release her? Mind your own business」
「If that’s how it is, then I have my way of doing things too」
Larz reached for the sword by his waist as he said that.
I sneered at him when I saw him doing that.
「Oh, what’s this? You want to rob me now because you want my slave? Or do you want to kill me? No wonder you’re ambushing me at a place without many people around. And the incident from before too. The “Falcon Sword” sure has stooped so low!」
「Stop fucking around, I’m not trying to rob you! I’m going to beat some sense into you!」
「Ambushing someone to try to take away their belongings is what a robbery is. It’s only in the books you read that you can do anything you want in the name of justice, Mr. hero of justice」
「…So do you not plan on listening to us no matter what?」
「Talking about listening to you when you’ve only been pushing your ideas onto me this whole time… Suppose I release this girl like you say, what will I gain from it? She cost me thirty gold coins, you know?」
「If that’s the case, I’ll pay you thirty coins back! That should be fine, right?!」
「Hell no. What kind of dumbass would buy something for thirty gold coins and sell it back for thirty gold coins?」
「Okay, sixty then, or even a hundred! Give me your price, I’ll pay as much as you want!」
Larz yelled out in a fit of anger.
Even a sixth-tier adventurer would not be able to come up with a hundred gold coins.
However, he might be able to get that much. Even if I raised the price to five hundred, or even a thousand gold coins, he could use his trump card of asking the Sauzar merchant company for a favor.
I smirked as I thought of that.
「Okay then, I’ll do it for a million gold coins」
「…Haah?」
「What’s wrong? I said a million gold coins. Oh, if you like, we can split it into ten payments of a hundred thousand every month」
「Go to hell! There’s no way I would have that much money!」
「You’re the one who told me you’ll pay as much as I want」
「There’s a limit!」
「Look here, are you telling me you were going to buy something with something you don’t have? You’re obviously asking for a fight. Why do you think I should name a price after considering how much money you have?」
After saying that, I laughed as if I was belittling him.
「Maybe you thought I was going to ask for two or three hundred gold coins, then you were going to make me promise on my words if you could really bring out that much money? I guess if the request came from the aspiring sixth-tier adventurer and future son-in-law, that expense would be nothing to the Sauzar company. Oh, what a clever plan. As for the one who thought of that plan…Well, I wouldn’t even need to think about it」
「Ugh…」
「Saving tortured slaves. It’s the type of heroic tale that you really like, but it’s too bad, Larz. Take this as a lesson and don’t bother me anymore. If you continue your journey as an adventurer, you will definitely make it big. Don’t be fooled by that magician over there」
「I…I challenge you to a duel」
「What?」
「A duel, Sora!」
With that, Larz took off his left glove and threw it at me.
The leather glove he threw at me hit my chest and fell onto the ground.
「Fight me for that girl’s freedom! Release her if I win!」
「I decline」
「Are you running away?!」
「Running away or not, I’m level one, you know? I have no reason to go in fights that I can’t win. There’s no benefit in it for me even if I win」
「If that’s the case-」
「If that’s the case, I will be your lovely slave if you win!」
Miroslav stepped up and interrupted Larz when he was saying something.
She spoke with a condescending tone as if she was mocking me.
「You won’t accept the duel without any gains, right? You can make me your slave and do anything to me. Oh, of course, my personal wealth will belong to the master as well, how about that? Expensive magic stones and grimoires… I don’t know how much they’re worth but they would at least be worth more than thirty gold coins」
「O-oi, Miro!」
「It’s fine, Larz. There’s not a one in a thousand chance that you would lose. Whatever I promise won’t become reality. Moreover, even in the one in a thousand chance that it happens…it will be the result of me believing in you. I will accept it with pride and hold no resentment」
「Miro…to go so far for me…」
Larz and Miroslav both looked at each other with tears in their eyes and their faces red.
They started to get into their own world without paying attention to people around them as usual.
Well, the implication of the situation this time is a little different from the past.
「Your offer wasn’t bad, but I don’t feel like accepting those terms. To live with a “murderer”, don’t joke with me」
「Sora, you…!」
「Well, I’ll consider it if it’s that elf over there」
Having said that, I looked at Lunamara who hasn’t said a single word so far.
Iria has not said anything either, but that could be because of her consideration for Miroslav since she started talking. Something like trusting the negotiation to her.
Suddenly, Lunamaria looked at me with a puzzled look when I turned to her for a response.
「M-me?」
「An unaging elf slave would worth no less than a hundred gold coins. However, a person’s consent is required before becoming a slave. If you think that “murderer” and your leader’s words are ridiculous then forget about it」
I looked at Larz as I spoke.
Then, I pointed to the glove on the ground as I continued,
「If you can’t swallow the conditions I’ve given you this time, pick your glove back up, Larz」
「…Are you serious?」
「Yeah, I meant what I said. Would you rather do this on a big scale in a guild managed environment or a slave merchant present? If you win, I will release Ciel on the spot. If I win, Lunamaria will become my slave. Needless to say, it’ll be up to you to get Lunamaria to accept that term. There’s no duel if you can’t do that. How’s that?」
「…Fine with me. I will persuade Luna and then quickly set up a place with the guild. But Sora, until that day comes–」
「Rest assured, I won’t lay a finger on Ciel. You can ask the inn owner’s daughter who is always spying outside of my door to see if I’m lying or not」
After saying that, I picked up the glove by my feet.
At that moment, the duel between me and Larz was decided, leaving behind the essential element that is Ciel and Lunamaria’s will.