Chapter 131 : Chapter 131
Chapter 131: Black and White (6)
Shink… shink…
Listening to the rhythmic sound of a blade being sharpened, Evie slowly opened her closed eyes.
In the corner, a handmaiden was continuously sharpening a knife.
And next to her, Kain was sitting in a chair with his legs crossed, watching Evie.
“How are you feeling, Evie?”
Next to Evie, whom he was watching, two handmaidens were similarly attached, dressing her in ‘duel attire’.
In truth, though it was called duel attire, the outfit was by no means made for the efficiency of a duel.
It was a garment designed only to cover their dark skin in stark white, to make the black blood that would be shed appear more vivid in the world outside, where everything appears in black and white.
It was a garment made to welcome the opponent's blade, rather than to block it.
So that the wearer's ‘black’ blood would appear more clearly.
Other than that, it had no function, with a design that would be more fitting for a social gathering than a dueling ground.
In other words, it was an outfit with no purpose other than to be a spectacle from the very beginning.
However, considering that the dark elves usually regarded such ‘duels’ as a kind of social activity, it could be said that it was not a garment so detached from its essence.
Of course, Evie, who had no way of knowing such a perception, had let out a hollow laugh as soon as she saw the clothes the handmaidens brought to dress her in, immediately recognizing the intention.
Moreover, upon actually trying it on, she was dumbfounded, saying that even the ‘active wear’ she had been wearing until recently—which had to sacrifice some defense for agile movements—wasn't this defenseless, and to top it off, it was even more cumbersome.
“Like shit.”
So, at Kain's question about her mood, Evie answered without any hesitation.
“I feel like cutting something.”
At Evie's answer, Kain burst into a satisfied laugh, “Haha!”.
“You've already become a person of Krom.”
He showed a proud smile, then slowly got up from his seat and patted the shoulder of the handmaiden who was sharpening the knife.
“I'm glad you don't seem nervous at all.”
At that, the handmaiden immediately stopped sharpening the knife and very carefully and gently placed it on a plate next to her.
“It's a gift from your father.”
Then, holding the plate, he approached Evie just as the handmaidens who had brought the clothes had done, and bowed, presenting it to her.
“Your knives, specially prepared for today.”
Evie extended a hand and lightly stroked the two daggers resting on the plate.
“I hope you like them.”
Contrasting in black and white, as if to symbolize Krom.
Possessing a deadly beauty, just like this city.
“The duel will be conducted with masks on.”
Evie, who had been momentarily captivated by the pair of daggers, was pulled back to reality by Kain's words.
“As it is a sacred act, it is to be fought with only one's pure strength, without relying on the power of the Gloom.”
And above all, as it was a ceremony to select the vanguard who would conquer the world outside of Krom where there is no Gloom, the duel had to be fought without the Gloom.
Kain added.
“Fair enough.”
“Time is short, so let's first win this duel and get used to it. I'm sure you'll get used to it quickly.”
“The opponent, is that annoying relative from before, right?”
“Gray. Your cousin. Specifically, the son of the one who is your uncle.”
Kain continued calmly.
“He was originally supposed to be the vanguard of this expedition. He was scheduled to be appointed after offering a suitable sacrifice, but it seems he's in a very bad mood now that he has to fight a serious duel.”
“He looked like it.”
“He's a very narrow-minded fellow, just like his father. He won't even treat you as his own kind if even a single drop of another race's blood is mixed.”
“And now his position is about to be taken by a half-breed. He must be pissed.”
“We'll have to make him bleed a lot to cool his head.”
Kain's lips curved up into a grin.
“He's a very skilled warrior, having received the Krom-style education, but he's a brat who has never left Krom in his life. So he will never understand Tiaria. Can you entrust Tiaria to such a fellow?”
“I can't.”
“Then you know what you have to do, right?”
Instead of answering, Evie once again fiddled with the daggers in front of her.
Then she took one of them in her hand and began to turn it around, as if to check its feel.
“I'll say it again, he's a very skilled warrior. Don't let your guard down.”
“…Back then.”
“Hmm?”
“You just stood there.”
Having checked the feel of one dagger, Ibi took the other one in her hand as well.
“While your child was being insulted right in front of you.”
Kain, who she turned to, asked back without any hesitation.
“Isn't that a matter of course?”
“What?”
He asked, with an expression that seemed to say why are you asking something so obvious.
“Just because I'm the father, I can't take away from you the supreme pleasure of killing the one who insulted you yourself.”
“…Ha.”
At those words, Evie let out an incredulous, hollow laugh.
“You have a point.”
In the meantime, one of the handmaidens carefully placed the last mask she had brought on Evie's face, who had finished putting on her duel attire.
Huuuk─
At the same time, Evie's long exhale was blocked by the mask that covered half of her face, and it made a metallic sound similar to its material.
“Perfect, Evie.”
Kain, who was watching her with a proud expression, raised one corner of his mouth again and said.
“Have a good hunt.”
***
『Take off the sack.』
“…! Wait, what are you──”
Whoosh!
The moment the soldier, who was already under my influence, followed my 「Word Command」,
“──Ah.”
The soldiers were momentarily mesmerized upon seeing my revealed face.
『You trained to death, only to be killed by my tongue, not a sword in the end.』
“…!?”
The three soldiers who immediately heard the 「Multiple Vicious Mockeries」 collapsed to the floor, their minds shattered.
As a signal, Miki and Toric began to struggle, still bound.
『Untie the restraints.』
At the same time, as soon as the soldiers who heard the 「Word Command」 untied the restraints of Rine and Lily.
Poof!
A strong gust of wind, no, a 「Gale」, that erupted, immediately sent the soldiers flying.
At the same time, 「Magic Arrow」s, fired from Rine's two hands which had flashed with light, chased after the flying soldiers and pierced their chests.
In the meantime, Miki and Toric swept the soldiers' legs, knocking them down, and then struck them in the face, making them go limp.
Looking at the scene of the instantly dispatched soldiers sprawled in the hallway, the only one who remained was the guy who had taken off my sack.
He didn't care at all whether the other soldiers had fallen or not, and was only staring intently at my face.
“Y-You promised…”
The guy who swallowed hard, was a prisoner long ago, even though he wasn't bound like us.
“Ah, right.”
So much so that he would gasp even if I just grinned once.
“First, could you untie this?”
So there was no need to even cast 「Word Command」 for him to untie my restraints.
As soon as he untied my restraints, I pulled him towards me with my now-free hands.
“I promised to show you heaven if you followed me obediently.”
I grabbed the nape of his neck and pressed my forehead against his.
So that he could never look away and would have to keep looking at my face.
“Look all you want, at your heaven.”
Then, as I whispered a 「Vicious Mockery」 so that it wouldn't be heard by those around, the man's head soon went limp and fell onto my shoulder.
After that, I let him collapse to the floor and turned my back, and just then, Miki and Toric were also completely freed from their restraints with the help of Lily and Rine.
In the end, we had become free before arriving at the prison as planned, but none of my companions could show a relieved expression.
Because of their worry for the one other companion who was not here.
“Sister Evie, is she really going to… Tiaria?”
“Sister… she didn't seem like her usual self….”
“Ah. B-By any chance, is it the effect of magic…?”
At Lily's question, Rine immediately and calmly shook her head.
“I did not feel any particular aura of magic.”
Right.
There was no need for it.
“Then, why on earth…”
What Kain had done to Ibi was, whether it was domination, brainwashing, or hypnosis, similar to magic.
It was just that he had used the 20 years of time, instead of magic power.
And now, that continuous suggestion had finally sprouted.
“…….”
Although he couldn't detect magic power like Rine, Toric, who must have immediately noticed that fact, was silently fuming.
“Don't worry. I'll turn her back into the usual Ibi.”
“…Do you have a good way?”
“I have to show her the truth.”
Because that's the way to break a suggestion.
“The truth that she can't look away from.”
Therefore, I held up the bundle of keys I had found after searching the fallen soldier's belongings and lightly jingled them.
***
“Honorable warriors of Krom!”
The announcer's shout echoed throughout the arena.
The soldiers who filled the audience seats let out a huge cheer, as if to cover it.
“To our great Grand Admiral, Baron Kain Midrashi! Salute!”
Then they all rose from their seats in unison and gave a sharp, angled salute.
Thump!
As the more than a thousand soldiers stomped their feet together, a huge vibration rang through the arena.
At this, Kain, who stood in the highest seat of the arena, lightly raised an arm in response to the thousands who were looking up at him and cheering.
“Today! In this place! We will witness a sacred duel to seize the position of vanguard who will lead our warriors!”
Then, as Kain sat back down in his chair, the disciplined announcer's voice heated up the arena once more.
“The sacred black blood of the two valiant Midrashi! Will flow on the white earth and bless our warriors!!”
At this, the fierce roar of the soldiers, like the roar of a beast, made the iron bars tremble slightly.
“Welcome them with a fervent cheer!”
Thump!
At the same time, the ground shook violently again.
“Vice-captain of the Krom Royal Guard! Graaaay──! Midrashiiiiii──!!”
With a hot cheer, Gray, who had raised his right hand holding a dagger high, slowly walked to the center of the pure white arena floor.
Then, just as the soldiers in the audience seats had done, he gave a disciplined salute to Kain, who was sitting in the seat of honor.
“His opponent is!”
Meanwhile, Evie was taking a deep breath, looking down from behind the still tightly shut iron bars.
Huuuk─
A sharp, metallic breath echoed through the long corridor.
“The young lady of Baron Midrashi!”
Taking a deep breath like that, she tightened her grip on the pair of daggers in her hands.
“Evieeeeeee──!!”
Then, as her name was called and the iron bars that were blocking her way opened, Evie slowly raised her head.
And the moment she took her first step into the arena, the thick Gloom that had settled, stole the color from her blazing eyes.
And so, as all the light that surrounded Evie disappeared.
“Midrashiiiiii──!!”
Only a gladiator of black and white remained.