Chapter 97 - Still, There is Hope (6)

Although I had sensed a rather unpleasant aura from the Martial King, the rest of the party didn't know that. Therefore, as soon as the news arrived in the morning, they sought out tickets for the fight between Redmane and the Champion.

It was natural, since it was an opportunity to observe the Champion's martial prowess.

"I did manage to get the tickets, but..."

However, it was a clash between figures who ranked within the top 10 in popularity alone. Furthermore, they had scheduled it for today, not a few days later.

That meant getting tickets had become as difficult as plucking a star from the sky.

Thanks to actively pulling strings with the Magic Tower and the Temple, and DeB running around all over the place with the help of the Information Guild, the result was a mere two tickets. That meant only half of us could attend.

"Since you've been banned from entering, Boss, you wouldn't be able to go even if we had a ticket for you, but... Hmm. What about the remaining one person?"

Even as DeB said that, he acted as if that 'remaining one person' had already been decided. It was obvious he thought he should be the one to step out.

"It'd be best if I sat this one out, right?"

Look. He was immediately looking for an angle to back out.

"No, I think it would be better if I sat out."

However, the situation progressed in an unexpected direction. The Inquisitor volunteered to back out.

"Will you be alright with that?"

"Ah, yes. I am fine. I can enter through another method."

It wasn't as if the Inquisitor was intending to miss it completely, either.

"I was told the arena requested medical personnel in case of an emergency. They say they usually don't step in, but the ones fighting this time are some of the most skilled in the city. They said they had no choice but to send someone to preserve fighting power... so I can just go over there. I am capable of healing, after all."

It was a pretty good method. Though the person saying it actually looked somewhat displeased.

"I personally think it's unfair that they're stepping in to preserve fighting power, and it would have been better to just accept a donation... but I suppose we have no choice but to take it into account."

"Hmm. Is that so? Then it would certainly be better for the Inquisitor to go that way while the two of us go as spectators. What about you, do you think that's alright?"

"I don't mind. It'd be nice to watch."

At the opportunity that arose after he had tried to give up early, DeB answered reluctantly.

"But... if it was going to be like this, wouldn't you be better suited for it than me, Boss? Like, maybe we could poke around and get your ban lifted."

Perhaps because someone had to back out rather than having four seats, he seemed to find it quite awkward to be the one taking a spot. What a hard-won opportunity, yet he was tossing it back to me.

Or did he just not want to go because the arena was too hot? Since there was no ceiling, you had to be completely exposed to the scorching sun depending on its position.

"I have no need."

But do I really need to...?

I was curious about what the Martial King looked like and how he fought. But I had a feeling that this guy wasn't likely to join our party no matter what.

In the end, our ties would end after just this one encounter, so was there really any need to go out of my way to see him? Moreover... if my guess was correct, he was a criminal, wasn't he?

Yeah, no thanks. I'm not watching.

"So he says."

"Iif you say sooo..."

And so, as a result, watching the fight between the Martial King and Redmane became the task of the three excluding me.

I had been left out without even an option, but I actually preferred it. Today was an indoor rest day! Yahoo!

* * *

"Will the Boss really be alright?"

"The Temple didn't say anything much, did they? I am somewhat worried and we must continue to keep an eye on him, but... he should be fine."

Deathbringer scratched the inside of his hood at the Archmage's answer.

He hadn't asked with that intention.

"No, well."

Yesterday, while they were checking out potential talents, the Demon Knight had stayed quietly at the Temple. It couldn't have been because he felt sorry for causing trouble at the arena, so it must have been a purely conscious action regarding the demon...

If they were only considering the demon, then yes. There was definitely nothing much said. According to the Priests who had watched over him, far from any signs of running wild, he had simply participated faithfully in Mass—which really didn't suit him, but wasn't exactly a strange occurrence.

However, that wasn't what he was concerned about. What he was worried about wasn't the possibility that the Demon Knight might be consumed by the demon, but...

"Never mind."

He recalled the Demon Knight who had drawn bathwater and washed up even before he had returned from the arena, and how he had gone to wash up again after the Mass ended.

He was originally a man who was quite meticulous about cleanliness... but he wasn't someone who washed twice a day. Much less after a Mass, an event where there was no reason to sweat or bleed, giving him even less reason to wash up.

"... Is there perhaps another problem?"

"No, it's not that."

But then why did he have to wipe his body down once more?

"That's not it."

Why?

"Understood. Still, if there's anything weighing on your mind, please do tell me."

... He could already guess the reason. And he also knew there was no way to stop it.

"I'll be going now."

"Take care, Inquisitor."

"Yes."

It was a familiar sense of helplessness.

"Oh, here it is."

Deathbringer erased his useless thoughts. Lingering on things he couldn't do would only bring him pain.

Instead, he quickly found his seat and sat down. It was a hard-won seat, but the location itself wasn't bad. He had a clear view of the stage.

"Thanks to you, we found it quickly."

"Don't mention it."

There was still some time left until the clash between Kankan and the Martial King. He bit into the salted dried camel meat he had bought in front of the arena. The salty and sweet taste was quite delicious.

"Ah, come to think of it, about what you asked me to investigate yesterday."

"Hmm? Ah. You mean the ones the Inquisitor said felt bothersome."

"Yeah."

Normally, he should have brought it up earlier when everyone was gathered, but he had been so exhausted from getting the tickets that he forgot to mention it.

In truth, there wasn't anything deeply involved enough that the Demon Knight or the Inquisitor absolutely had to hear it either.

"There... wasn't anything particularly strange."

"Is that so?"

"It's not like there weren't any suspicious points at all, but digging into them didn't turn up anything."

"Hmm. And what would those suspicious points be?"

"They suddenly became stronger."

At first, he had wondered if it might be the case. For those who used to hover around the bottom ranks to suddenly distinguish themselves and leap into the upper-middle ranks.

For someone who knew what Demon Contractors were like, wasn't it worth suspecting?

"But if they contracted with a demon..."

"The Temple couldn't possibly be unaware."

"Yes. That's the problem."

He had investigated everyone whose skills had risen steeply, but while they didn't visit the Temple normally, they received treatment for most of their injuries at the Temple. If they had contracted with a demon, that would be impossible.

"Besides, Demon Contractors can't attack demons, right?"

Crucially, whenever demons swarmed in from the desert, they participated in the city's defense. In the process of participating in the defense, they even killed demons.

This, too, was something they couldn't do if they had contracted with a demon. In other words, they were not Demon Contractors.

"Does that mean it really is nothing much..."

It was suspicious. Yet nothing came up. Amidst that gap, the Archmage fell into contemplation.

It was the same agony he had been harboring since yesterday.

"This seems like something we cannot figure out for now. It would be better to request cooperation from the Magic Tower."

"Yep."

If the Temple didn't know, it was only natural to call the Magic Tower. Even if the Order was superior at detecting demonic energy, the Magic Tower was mostly better at analyzing anything else that wasn't demonic energy.

Therefore, Deathbringer completely turned off his interest regarding the matter. This problem had now left his hands.

"More importantly, I wonder when the match is going to start."

"There's still time left."

"I really want to hurry up and see the skills of someone who has maintained the Champion title for five years."

"Since he's the best in this city, I'd imagine he won't be at a level that disappoints."

"Though he'll probably be weaker than the Boss Knight."

The Archmage didn't reply to that. He merely smiled softly. It was an attitude that showed there was no need to answer.

"Who do you think will win? I heard Kankan was an equally skilled fighter to the Martial King right up until the Martial King ascended to the Champion's seat."

"Oho, is that so?"

Was that all? From a bit more investigation, Redmane Kankan and the Champion were said to be old friends. It seemed they had continued to maintain their friendship even after the Martial King became Champion.

"Yeah. I even heard the two of them are friends. Well, it seems they've grown distant lately, though."

⌈The rumors that employees died at the Champion's residence or that an acquaintance came out injured are true, and that acquaintance was none other than Redmane.⌋

However, there was also a hidden truth. As he spoke, he simultaneously wrote the corresponding truth on the Archmage's forearm.

For reference, the reason he had only found this out now was nothing much. It was an incident personally covered up by the Lord who was said to cherish the Martial King so much, so the Information Guild had simply been holding their tongues.

Bothered by how uncooperative they were compared to other branches, if he hadn't paid a visit as an uninvited night guest rather than an affiliated member, he still wouldn't have known.

"They say the Martial King is really prickly. Could it be because of that?"

⌈And since that day, they say Redmane has been put under surveillance. The people attached by the Lord, and the merchant company that invested in the Champion, both sides.⌋

He continued to write letters on the Archmage's forearm. Whether the Archmage was catching on was unknown, but seeing as he wasn't asking again, it seemed he roughly understood.

"Your words seem correct. When a person is vicious or narrow-minded, it's only natural for people to drift apart."

He had definitely understood it.

"I wonder if that is perhaps the reason Redmane suddenly threw down a challenge. What do you think the reason is?"

"Well. Wouldn't it be similar to what you're thinking, Sir Mage?"

⌈Redmane tried to report it time and again, but was blocked every time. Considering that, he might be intending to just kill the Champion in the arena instead. Because if things go on like this, there might be more victims.⌋

"Do you think he will win?"

"I wouldn't know. But most people are indeed predicting Redmane's defeat."

⌈He loses. 100%.⌋

While exchanging words casually with their mouths and secret information with letters, they scanned the spectator seats that had gradually become packed.

"Then, do you think there might be an 'accident' today?"

⌈Honestly, wouldn't there be, if the Champion has no intention of atoning? Opportunities to legally kill a victim and witness like this are rare.⌋

The match hadn't started yet.

"Still, well, considering who the man holding that seat is, you don't really think he'll die, do you?"

However, it seemed the result was already decided.

* * *

The Inquisitor plopped down in her designated seat. The air was sweltering, but the chill transmitted from her armor gave her room to breathe, making it bearable.

"Blue! Our Champion, the Martial King, is coming up!"

Then, finally, the match began. The first of the two to come up was the Martial King.

Perhaps because he was of the Cutie race, there was a single earring worn on one of the ears attached to the top of his head. He was a Cutie as large as a typical Shaggy.

"He's huge."

The Inquisitor felt a little envious watching him. She had never thought of herself as 'small', but when she saw bodies that large, she occasionally wished she could be that big too.

It was a wish she harbored because in a fight, physical build was a weapon in itself.

"But somewhat..."

She felt something bizarre. The bothersome feeling she had encountered time and again since entering the city felt magnified.

She stopped feeling envious about his build and stared intently at the Champion with white hair and black skin. If she had her way, she would have wildly released her divine power to check if anything caught on it.

"What is the matter?"

"It's just, it feels like there is something subtle."

However, she held it in. As the Archmage had said, if he reacted to divine power, there was no way the Temple would have stayed still until now.

It was also practically hard to consider the possibility that the opponent hadn't gone to the Temple. The opponent had held out as the Champion here for five whole years, and there was no way he hadn't suffered a single injury in the process.

"Something subtle?"

"It is not something you need to concern yourself with."

Was it just her imagination after all? Sullen, she checked the next person coming up. It was Redmane Kankan.

"White! The one fighting against him is Kankan of the Redmane!"

Was it because he had helped them—though it was questionable whether it could be considered help? She found herself cheering for Kankan for some reason.

Even if this was nothing more than a meaningless duel solely aiming for prize money and honor while simultaneously establishing a hierarchy.

The arena's existence hadn't become pleasing to her, but now that she knew the significance of its existence, her disapproval had vanished, and her impression of Kankan himself was good. So she could at least cheer for him.

However...

"Enough! Stop right now!"

"Th-The winner! The Martial King!"

"Hurry with the first aid!"

"I will do it!"

She immediately folded away her cheering heart. More than just folding it away, she began to doubt the significance of the arena's existence that she had come to somewhat understand.

Even with an obvious difference in skill, to intentionally toy with him and inflict more, larger injuries. Even though the purpose of entertainment was significant, this was far too cruel and dishonorable.

"D-Damn it."

"Do not speak."

She poured divine power into the one on the verge of death from excessive bleeding. Since she hadn't needed to use her power in a long time, this wasn't much of a strain at all.

In exchange for a slight throbbing ache, the man wavering on the boundary of life and death began to revive.

It was a miracle where new flesh sprouted, and divine power stimulated every cell, delivering nutrients in place of blood.

"I guess I can't do it after all... With just me, I can't anymore..."

However, amidst that miracle, the opponent did not rejoice in the slightest. He merely placed his forearm, which had nearly been severed off, over his eyes and wept aloud.

"I do not know what is so sad, but you certainly fought back admirably."

She couldn't empathize with that emotion, but she knew that Redmane had at least done his best. The Inquisitor faithfully conveyed what she felt and pulled her hands away.

The treatment was finished. As the price for saving a person, a slightly warm heat rose up her entire body, but compared to when she fought at full power, it couldn't even be called a sting.

She suppressed the heat with the coolness of her armor and stood up from her spot.

"So stand up. Do you not still have a future ahead of you?"

"... I tried everything I could, yet I failed. And you say I still have a future?"

"Well. Have you truly tried everything?"

The Inquisitor reached out a hand.

"Then try again. The person who taught me once said that succeeding on the first try is actually rare. If so, couldn't you succeed when you try again?"

"...!"

The opponent did not take that hand easily, but he did show hesitation right before taking it.

"... And if it still doesn't work?"

"Will you give up because of that?"

"That's..."

"I do not know your circumstances. So I will not criticize you if you give up. However, if you give up on this matter, can you accept it yourself?"

"... No."

"Then challenge it again. Until you find a justifiable reason that can persuade yourself."

The Inquisitor willingly waited through that hesitation. Redmane's expression crumpled.

"Hah, I thought you were a rookie fighter, but you were just a well-spoken Priest."

"Am I well-spoken?"

Her cheeks flushed at the compliment she was hearing for the first time. She didn't know about anything else, but this was her first time hearing that she was well-spoken!

Even though most of the words she had just spoken were things the Priests who taught her had said.

"... Thanks for saving me."

"It was my duty."

"... Like you said... Yeah, I should try challenging him again."

The Inquisitor firmly grasped the hand that finally met hers and pulled him up. The frame, which was slightly larger than hers, stood up and brushed off his clothes.

That man's gaze was fixed on the other side, reaching the Martial King who was still enjoying the attention.

"Even if it kills me... I have to stop him."

It was something the Inquisitor couldn't quite understand. A challenge she could get, but 'stop him'? Did he mean stopping the Champion's consecutive victories? If so, was that related to telling them not to meet the Martial King?

"What are you stopping?"

"...! No, it doesn't mean much."

"Is there no meaning in risking your life?"

"No, I don't mean it like that."

"...?"

Kankan, at a loss for words, added something else to her. It was equally incomprehensible.

Then, wait. Her gaze reached the spectator seats. The Archmage was waving his hand, and the slacker was beside him with a sullen look in his eyes.

"I'm saying, please forget it. This isn't something a Priest should concern themselves with..."

"This works out perfectly!"

"...?"

"I was just wanting to hear about the Martial King. Even though your treatment is finished, you also need to rest properly, so let us take this opportunity and go to the Temple together!"

"What?"

The moment he toyed with an opponent weaker than him, any desire to bring the Martial King in as a companion had completely vanished.

However, at the same time, now that she had felt that bother from the person known as the Martial King, the inclination to investigate him had arisen.

In that regard, if she brought this man in front of those two, they would shake information out of him far better than she could.

"Now, this way!"

"Wait, Priest?!"

She abruptly grabbed Redmane and walked out. Since the match was over anyway, there was no one stopping them.