90. Trial by Combat

90. Trial by Combat90. Trial by Combat

The Colosseum was packed with numerous people and monsters at the news of a trial by combat.

Two beings entered to cheers.

One was a high-ranking bard who wandered around aimlessly, telling stories to many people.

The other was a one-eyed race called a Cyclops, boasting massive muscles.

The two stood in the center of the Colosseum, glaring at each other.

"Human, I'll forgive you if you apologize now."

"What? I can't hear you because you're an orphan."

"I'll kill you, human."

Just as he was about to swing his huge club, a whistle blew.

'Pheeeeeeeee!'

As a giant iron gate opened, monsters began to enter one by one.

"The rules are simple. The one who survives longest wins."

With those words, the monsters charged.

Excited by their first hunt in a long time, they rushed at both the human and the Cyclops, causing them both to die screaming.

Boos poured from the audience at the anticlimactic end to the trial by combat.

I too felt it was a shame to end like this, so I used resurrection magic.

The revived Cyclops, who had died inside the Colosseum, respawned in the infirmary and re-entered.

"Since it ended too easily, I'll change the rules this time."

This time, it's a one-on-one death match.

Shouting confidently, he pulled out a lute that looked very similar to a guitar.

Then came the buff.

While singing, he cast buffs on himself and finished preparing.

For fairness, I also cast a buff on the Cyclops, causing veins to bulge on his body and his green skin to turn red.

I didn't expect that.

"W-what? What's that!?"

"Is that all for your last words, human?"

With those words, a laser fired from the Cyclops's eye,

taking out the bard in a single shot.

The sight of the Cyclops raising his club high and reveling in the audience's cheers was impressive.

Lasers from the eyes. How romantic.

But why does he carry a club?

After the trial by combat ended, I returned to my office feeling unsatisfied.

It felt somehow lacking to end the day like this.

A coup d'état, no, a revolution was needed.

While looking for a good place on the map, a good idea came to mind.

If it doesn't exist, can't we just create it?

Come to think of it, last time I recommended multi-level marketing to the celestial realm when they said they were short-staffed.

Excited at the thought of reaping unexpected fruits, I called a meeting.

When the executives of the Red Revolution Group gathered in one place, I distributed materials.

"This is happening in the celestial realm. Does a 7-day work week make sense? I can't accept it."

The revolutionaries who checked my materials nodded and smiled.

*

*

*

A being with twelve wings.

The Heavenly King Lucifer was leisurely drinking tea in her office.

Thanks to Yuna, who elevated me to the position of Heavenly King and solved the celestial realm's staffing problems, I can now enjoy such leisurely times.

At that moment, urgent footsteps were heard in the hallway.

"B-big trouble, Heavenly King!"

"What's the matter?"

"H-humans have invaded!"

"What do you..."

I spread my wings and instantly moved to the sky above the celestial realm to look down at the ground, where I saw numerous humans and monsters.

The peculiar thing was that they were waving red flags.

Then I saw a familiar face.

A being shouting through a megaphone on a platform.

Yuna.

"Transform the celestial realm!"

"Transform the celestial realm!"

"Transform the celestial realm!"

What on earth is going on? Why Yuna?

"Workers of the celestial realm, rise up!"

"Workers of the celestial realm, rise up!"

"Workers of the celestial realm, rise up!"

As tens of thousands of humans and monsters advanced waving huge red flags, the angels retreated in shock.

When I descended to the ground where Yuna was, the humans and monsters, and even Yuna, stared at me.

"What on earth is going on?"

"Heavenly King! It's been a while!"

She greeted me happily, but then said we'd talk privately later and shouted again.

"Workers, unite! Unite!"

"Workers, unite! Unite!"

"Workers, unite! Unite!"

At the loud shouts, angels and humans began to appear one by one from the celestial buildings.

They were all wearing red headbands too.

"Unite! Unite! Unite! Unite! Unite! Unite! Unite!"

"Fight! Fight! Fight! Fight! Fight! Fight! Fight!"

"Unite! Unite! Unite! Unite! Unite! Unite! Unite!"

"Fight! Fight! Fight! Fight! Fight! Fight! Fight!"

The celestial realm turned into chaos filled with chanting slogans.

I approached Yuna with a throbbing headache and tried to negotiate, but it was useless.

"Workers do not compromise!"

"Workers do not compromise!"

"Workers do not compromise!"

It seems words won't do.

I raised one hand and shot massive magical power into the sky, revealing the archangels.

But something unexpected happened.

Even the archangels were wearing red headbands.

Led by Michael with a face full of mischief, even the archangels shouted.

"Guarantee angels' rights! Guarantee them!"

"Guarantee angels' rights! Guarantee them!"

"Guarantee angels' rights! Guarantee them!"

Even the archangels have betrayed me.

Is this what it feels like when your mind goes blank?

*

*

*

I didn't expect even the archangels to join the protest.

I knew celestial work had been difficult, but not to this extent.

Our forces swelled instantly, absorbing half of the celestial angels as we continued the protest.

The Heavenly King watching from the side gave a hollow laugh.

After conducting the protest for a while, I handed a parchment to the Heavenly King.

"What's this?" Sёarch* The Novelƒire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

"Our demands."

The Heavenly King checking the contents almost fell backwards, but other angels supported her.

"Sigh, I could overlook the others, but a 3-day work week...?"

"That's the most important part."

"......"

At a loss for words, the Heavenly King grabbed my shoulders and asked.

"Is this really right?"

"Workers do not compromise!"

"No, these are impossible conditions!"

As the Heavenly King shook my shoulders in a frenzy, the archangels intervened to separate us, but still dissatisfied, she complained to the archangels.

"I'm the one having the hardest time!? I don't even remember when I last rested!"

The Heavenly King lamented that she didn't know how busy she'd been since taking the position, and today was the first time she had a chance for tea time, just one cup.

But workers do not compromise.

"Guarantee angels' rights! Guarantee them!"

"Guarantee angels' rights! Guarantee them!"

"Guarantee angels' rights! Guarantee them!"

The Heavenly King, crying out to guarantee her rights too, was led away by the archangels as we continued our protest.

It's a bit pitiful, but what is a protest?

The struggle is life and life is the struggle.

The protest that continued like that for about a week ended with the celestial side's surrender.

I signed the documents while avoiding the gaze of the Heavenly King, who stared at me with a gaunt appearance compared to a week ago.

As the protesters dispersed, the Heavenly King caught me as I was about to leave.

"Where are you going? If I conceded this much, shouldn't I get free use of Yuna?"

"What? That wasn't in the negotiation terms."

"It is."

And she handed me a document, saying there was writing so small it couldn't be seen with the naked eye.

I couldn't see it until I used a magnifying glass.

[If negotiations proceed smoothly, the human representative Yuna will be bound to the celestial realm for 1 week.]

In short, it means to live in the celestial realm for 1 week.

"T-this is fraud!"

"That's why you should have checked the contract carefully?"

Led by the Heavenly King smiling mischievously, the archangels appeared one by one.

Plus even Michael's younger sister Miel appeared.

"You worked hard today too."

Look at that evil smile as she pokes my cheeks while I'm in the Heavenly King's arms.

Her eyes are full of mischief.

I wonder what will happen over the next week.

I'm already afraid.

Then the Heavenly King reassured me with a gentle touch.

"Don't worry. I'll send you back alive."

"That's even scarier."

Led by the Heavenly King smiling mischievously, along with the archangels and Miel.

I thought about running away, but it's impossible due to the contract.

I thought I just had to endure for a week with a feeling of resignation.

But that was a mistake.

I should have run away then.