а∨天堂入口

Hey guys!

mranon here (yet again). Here’s chapter 104 as promised. See ya all next week. Enjoy the read.

Yours truly,

Duel

“Oh my, is Roxanne ordering me now?”

Upon Roxanne’s raising her voice, the eyes of her unfriendly acquaintance turn into that of a sworn enemy’s.

“Not at all. I don’t mind your speaking ill of me but I won’t allow you to speak ill of my Master.” “Then I challenge you to a duel.” “Duel?” “If you want me to respect your master, you will have to make me respect your master. So Roxanne’s master, would you please allow your slave to have a duel with me?”

The woman loosens her cheeks and forces a smile. Roxanne turns toward me.

“Master…” “I will issue the challenge to you if the duel between Roxanne and I receives your acknowledgement.” “What is this about?” “Only free people can take part in duels, therefore, challenge to a duel is issued only to a free person. However, it is not necessary for you to take part in the duel yourself. You can nominate your proxy. It is a slave’s duty to protect their master after all.”

Sherry explains. No, I wanted you to explain this situation, not duel. Roxanne and the woman were talking too much too fast, so I couldn’t follow their conversation.

“If you nominate Roxanne to take part in the duel in your stead, I will issue the challenge to you.”

This woman isn’t explaining the situation either.

Roxanne is a slave, so the challenge can’t be issued to her. This woman can issue the challenge to me and I can nominate Roxanne to be my proxy. If I don’t accept her challenge, will this woman not be able to have a duel with Roxanne?

So in this world, people challenge others in duels, not in courts? Duels seem to be common here. It’s troublesome, however, that duels are so common here.

“Is she stronger than you?”

I whisper in Roxanne’s ear. If we compare their levels, Roxanne who’s Beast Warrior Lv32 should be stronger than this woman who’s Beast Warrior Lv29. If the odds are in our favor, I may accept her challenge.

“We took part in a mock battle about half a year ago. Most of my attacks missed.” “And her attacks?” “I didn’t let her hit me, of course.”

Yeah, of course.

“I don’t know what cowardly methods you used six months ago to pull a draw but the me now is a lot stronger than the me six months ago. This time, I won’t let you run away with your tail between your legs like a bitch that you are. I will crush you completely.”

Roxanne, too, has become a lot stronger in these six months, just so you know. Half a year ago, she must have been Beast Warrior Lv6 at most. This woman, who is Beast Warrior Lv29 now, couldn’t have been below Lv6 half a year ago.

“Master, please allow me.” “Only if you think you can win.” “W-What might you mean by that?”

The woman seems to disagree with Roxanne’s and my conversation.

“I can’t imagine Roxanne losing but-” “Then please accept the challenge and allow me to shatter the disillusions of both the master and the slave.”

This is troublesome. Because it’s a duel, I might even lose Roxanne if she loses on an off chance. This really is troublesome. That said, I can’t imagine Roxanne losing to this woman.

Even if I win, there is nothing for me to gain from this duel. This is troublesome indeed.

“Having come all the way here and having issued the challenge, it will be an insult to our Baradam family if you turn us down. Or do you perhaps want me to issue the challenge?”

Sabo, Beast Warrior Lv99, who has been keeping quiet till now, opens his mouth.

“Master, Sabo is the strongest Beast Warrior in our tribe. Please let me have a duel with her.” “I don’t think I will lose to him, though.”

He’s Lv99, don’t you know?

“What did you say!? I will not allow this woman to slander me like this!”

Sabo gets angry.

I thought that he was obediently following the woman but it doesn’t seem to be the case.

Still, I have no idea as to why this woman thinks she can defeat Roxanne. Are they perhaps on to something? Have they got a hold of some special item or spell?

“I don’t think Roxanne-san will lose to her. Even if it happens on an off chance, she has ‘that’.”

Sherry whispers in my ear. By ‘that’, does she mean Sacrificial Misanga? Roxanne and the woman both have Sacrificial Misanga equipped. However, even if you have Sacrificial Misanga, it can’t keep you from getting hit.

“It’s a waste to give such a precious equipment to the likes of Roxanne. However, if she drops to her knees during the duel and begs for her life, I may spare her. Baradam family is famous for their benevolence after all.”

She seems to have heard Sherry’s words. And she probably understands the meaning of ‘that’. Well, she has one too, so it’s not surprising. However, it will be this woman who’ll be asking for mercy if it comes that.

“Okay, okay. I get it.”

I don’t think I have any other option but to accede to this duel between these two.

“Thank you very much, Master.” “Ohoho~ you have finally accepted. Roxanne, you better not be regretting it now. Well then, let’s head to the office of Harz duchy knights. If you back away now, it will really be distasteful.”

The woman turns around and heads toward the exit. Other members of her party follow behind her.

“Will it be alright?” “It’ll be alright. There is no monster near the small room at the entrance.”

When I ask Roxanne, she bows in respect and answers. I didn’t ask about that.

“Permission of the order of knights is required for a duel. We should go, too.”

Sherry, too, bows in respect and advises. Because I grew up in modern Japan, this affair seems awkward to me. Duels are so common here yet I had never heard about it till now.

Are duels really that common in this world? Roxanne’s and Sherry’s attitude suggests so, at least. I let out a heavy sigh and head to the exit.

“Wait here.”

When we arrive at the castle of Bode, the woman enters inside by herself. Shortly afterwards, she comes back with Gozer.

“I, Gozer of the order of Harz duchy knights, confirm that she’s a free person.”

Gozer raises his eyebrow upon seeing me but continues without any hesitation. Because as a third party, he is supposed to be neutral.

“Okay.”

Roxanne takes a step forward.

“It will be Roxanne, huh? Do you have any objection to the duel?” “None.” “Well then, the challenge to the duel, issued in accordance with the principle of self-defense, has been accepted. You have the right to nominate a proxy. Do you want to nominate a proxy?” “No.”

Upon Roxanne’s answer, Gozer glances at me. Did he think that I would fight myself?

“The other party wants the duel to be private. Do you accept?” “Because I’m afraid that you will be using cowardly methods yet again.”

The woman explains the reason. I don’t understand the logic behind this reason, though.

Roxanne turns toward me. Well, I don’t want to make it public either. I nod in approval.

“I accept.” “Alright then, only the members of the two parties will be allowed.”

Gozer heads inside the castle.

“I will not let you escape this time.”

The woman stomps the ground and goes ahead. We follow them inside.

Gozer leads us to a corner in the courtyard of the castle. There are neither trees, nor grass. Weed is growing sparsely. Is it a training ground for the knights.

“Is this the place?” “Because you don’t want to do it publicly, I had to prepare an appropriate place immediately.” “Most of the duels are private, therefore, the order of knights keep a place ready.”

Sherry whispers in my ear. So that the duel can be started right away?

“Roxanne, would you like to use my sword?”

If you are to fight immediately, at least take Durandal with you. Durandal has both [HP Absorption] and [Incantation Interruption] skills. I may be exposing it to Gozer but there’s no helping it.

“There’s no need. I’m more apt at using one-handed swords.”

Roxanne declines my offer. Is that so?

I may pull out another bonus equipment but it will be a bad idea to go into the duel with a weapon which she’s not familiar with. I may give her a full face helm in that case. But they may raise an objection if I help her out with my equipment.

I have seven jobs at the moment. Is it alright to have so many active jobs? Job effects are shared by all party members. I have yet to test the accurate effect of seventh job, though.

I select bonus spell, [Partilization]. I haven’t used it yet but it shares the effect of an item with a party member. If I consume recovery medicine, Roxanne will be recovered.

I select [MP Full Release], too. For contingencies. Even though Roxanne and Sherry know about it, Gozer doesn’t. It’s distasteful to help her in the midst of a duel but I can’t afford to lose Roxanne.

I select [Lv99 Death] as well. I have already confirmed that it’s a single target magic attack. Single target magic attack can be used against people.

I open Party Job Settings interface and switch Roxanne’s job back to Beast Warrior Lv32. Was it a bad decision to have had her level Warrior up all this time? Well, I’m sure she can win against the woman even with Warrior Lv25.

“Here, desu.” “Thank you, Miria.”

Miria passes a hard leather hat to Roxanne. Roxanne had Hard Leather Shoes of Willow equipped beforehand. I’m not sure if it’s necessary but it’s better to go in there with the best possible equipment.

“Would you two please come in front?” “Coming.” “Roxanne, losing is not an option.” “Sister, all the best, desu.”

Both of them proceed.

“Ohoho~ in a duel, lives are on the line. I hope you are prepared, Roxanne. I won’t allow you to drop to your knees and beg for your life. Today shall be the day you die.”

The woman goes back on her words just like that. Baradam family doesn’t seem to be as benevolent as she claimed.

“Ready.” “Let me tell you something, Roxanne. Six months back, I didn’t have any party member but this time, I have Sabo. Baradam family is concentrating all their efforts on Sabo. He has already consumed a lot of dope medicine. You understand what that means, right?”

Like I thought, dope medicine seems to be a level-up item. Is it because of dope medicine that he’s Beast Warrior Lv99?

Job effects are shared by all party members and the effects increase with level. At Lv99, the effects must be considerable. So the odds of her victory rest with her party members, huh?

“…” “You seem to understand the meaning. Serves you right. Well then, drop dead already!”

The woman keeps taunting while Roxanne stands there silently, holding her sword. She tightens the grip on her sword and swings it. Roxanne lowers her body slightly and dodges it. She follows it up with another downward swing. Roxanne dodges yet again.

So far, so good. Roxanne is composed as ever. Even with shared job effects of a Lv99 party member, this woman is unable to hit Roxanne.

Roxanne dodges yet another attack of the woman. With the least possible movement, she is avoiding the oncoming slashes. She sways her head to dodge the point of the sword and then draws her shoulder back from the line of the sword.

Because the woman was already committed to the attack, Roxanne thrusts her rapier after dodging the attack. The woman jumps back and then falls over.

“I’m a lot stronger than I was six months ago. How can she still dodge my attacks?” “Kuku~ you attack recklessly as ever.”

The woman stands up angrily and voices hatefully. She swings her sword again. Roxanne lightly sidesteps.

“You were stronger six months ago.”

Nope. It’s Roxanne who has become a lot stronger. It doesn’t mean that her opponent has weakened.

“Even though I’m so close… why…? How…?”

*Sigh* This won’t work against Roxanne.

Roxanne tends to dodge attacks by a hair’s breadth. Because at this distance, the opponent completely commits to the attack. Having missed their attack after coming so close, the opponent tends to think that they can land the next attack.

The reason being, their sword misses by a centimeter- no, a millimeter. Normally, it is impossible to achieve such a feat over and over again. Therefore, they tend to perceive it as a fluke.

When this woman engaged Roxanne in a mock battle six months ago, she must have had similar train of thought. Therefore, she thought that she could win next time. But the result is same.

Like I suspected, it’s Roxanne whose ability far surpasses others’. Being a Beast Warrior Lv6, she was able pull a draw against a Beast Warrior Lv29. And now that she’s a Beast Warrior Lv32. It’s not a contest anymore.

“I knew that I had become stronger in Master’s company, so I wanted to measure the level of my strength but this battle is not serving the purpose.” “Kuh! This can’t be happening!” “Are you done?”

Roxanne expresses her loss of interest and thrusts her sword. Her rapier hits the throat of the woman. The thrust pushes her away.

The woman falls over. Flat on her back.

One hit was enough for her. One thrust of Roxanne’s rapier. It won’t be funny if she’s dead already.

“N-Not yet…”

Albeit shakily, the woman is trying to stand up. While she was trying to stand up, a string falls down her knee.

It’s Sacrificial Misanga. Was one attack of Roxanne enough to kill her? When I used Appraisal, Sacrificial Misanga had disappeared from the list of her equipment.

This woman understands it as well. That there’s no use in standing up now. Next time, there won’t be any Sacrificial Misanga to her rescue.

“Although you plotted for my family to become poor, I must thank you. Because of you, I was able to meet such a splendid Master.”

Roxanne firms the grip on her sword. One more stab and it will be the end.

“Roxanne.”

I call out to her. It’s enough. It’s better to end it as is. There’s no need for Roxanne to dirty her hands.

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