CH 75

It would be dangerous inside, so we have gathered in the garden we captured Geraldin-san in. I was illuminating the surroundings with magic light.

The participants were Dirk, Jend, Ordo, Pochi, and Nex. Each had a weapon they were skilled with.

Dirk was handicapped and was using a spear for training.

By the way, everyone’s favorite weapon was as follows:

Jend→claws.

Ordo→dark instruments. As far as I am aware, it’s a knife, shuriken-like things, a half-moon sword, and a rope.

Pochi→bow.

Nex→two-handed ax.

The Great King of my pace Geraldin-san, consulted Dirk about the rules.

“You going to advance through one by one?”

“No, that would be troublesome so I will take everyone on at once. It’s their win if they defeat me. Those who lose the will to fight, lose. Is that fine?”

All of the participants nodded. Dirk, to say it’s troublesome… it seems that you have no intentions of losing, so I will keep silent and watch over you.

“What if two of us defeat you together?”

Ordo confirmed the rules with Dirk.

“That won’t happen, but why don’t you have a deciding match among yourself?”

“Got it.”

The rules seem to have been set. The referee was Geraldin-san. The other participants surrounded Dirk and after confirming that everyone was ready, Geraldin-san gave the singal to start.

“Well then, begin.”

“Ruooooon!!”

Jend transformed into a beast simultaneously with the signal and fired his bloodthirst with a shout. The timid Pochi apparently got scared and was unable to move out of fear.

“Pochi, you are disqualified!”

“Fu, fuee…”

The teary-eyed Pochi was collected and comforted by Mary, so he will be probably fine.

Nex who flinched in the moment has fainted after Dirk attacked him in surprise. Yup. He was so fast my eyes couldn’t even chase after him, you know?

“Dirk is mad. How unusual of him.”

Curtis was sweating cold from Dirk’s bloodthirst.

“Well, I don’t feel like I could win against the current Dirk.”

Me too. I have not felt such vigor even during our match. The current Dirk is like a carnivorous beast itself. Not something people can fight against.

Dirk was parrying Jend’s attacks, but that wasn’t enough to bring him down. Jend is strong, but he’s no match for Dirk. Strength, skill, experience. He’s not a match for Dirk in any of those, but Jend continued desperately attacking Dirk.

Ordo attacked from behind, but Dirk dodged Ordo’s attacks without even looking back. Dirk could see only Jend.

“… I concede.”

Ordo stepped down. He seemed vexed, but quite happy too. He did say that he loves fighting strong opponents.

“It’s frustrating, but I can’t rival him at this time. I am going to amass strength for a rematch.”

Seeing Dirk fight, I recalled what a shopkeeper of a pet shop told me as Rin before.

“Cats don’t love. They are cruel animals. They love to play with their prey.”

Dirk is a black panther, but he’s a feline. His animal nature must have been stimulated by the anger.

In the first place, fighting for my hand is weird. I will choose my own husband. Even though I could only choose Dirk even if he wins… I got furious.

Dirk was about to finish the tattered Jend. The last attack. At that moment, I—

“Dirk, you stupid foooool!!”

Simultaneously with a loud noise, I exploded my Warrior Maiden’s ring that turned into a harisen against Dirk. As expected of the strongest weapon. The strength of the harisen wasn’t half-assed. First, I made Jend who was the target of Dirk disappear with illusion magic, Haru then dispersed the sound and scent with his magic, and then I attacked. Additionally, I shouted.

“You mustn’t bully small children! Bullying is not good! Absolutely!! In the first place, this contest is meaningless! I will choose my own husband! I absolutely won’t choose a person that disregards my own will!! I hate the current you, Dirk!!”

“Are you okay, Jend?”

I cast recovery magic on Jend. After taking a look at me, Jend ran to his mother and started weeping. Geraldin-san placed his hand on my shoulder and spoke to me with a serious expression.

“Although he’s young, he’s a man. Yet he had to be saved by the girl he likes and treated like a child on top of that. Leave it at that.”

Umm… Jend’s weeping got even worse. You have gouged out his emotional scars so naturally. Lumia-san is super glaring at you, see? Please, go get yourself scolded.

I certainly did something heartless, but you were even worse.

“Rosarin… I will go to cool my head off.”

Dirk walked away with unsteady steps.

“I will follow him.”

Curtis chased after Dirk.

“Please.”

Curtis was more qualified than the current me. I also need to cool down my anger.

Like this, the sudden contest that happened ended with my incomprehensible overall victory, and came to an end.