CH 216.2

Inside her eyes behind the butterfly mask, was the fire of rage. She must have taken the Grim Reaper’s smile as a mockery.

(What is this technique? This is the first time I’ve seen this)

He doesn’t want to avoid it in the first place. So he just stared at it with his arms crossed.

The whip is quite close to his body and comes in contact with Grim Reaper’s ankle. The tip of the whip begins to move in a circular motion around the Grim Reaper.

(Hou… Interesting)

This is a full-body version of the technique that attacked his Death Scythe earlier. The whip coils up Grim Reaper from the feet up.

A few seconds later, the figure of the Grim Reaper appeared, bound from ankle to shoulder by the whip, except for his Death Scythe.

He looked like a mummy found in a ruin.

「Don’t just stand there!」

Letting go of the whip, the Plain Queen kicked the mummy in the leg and rolled it to the floor.

Then she glared hatefully at the Death Scythe, which was bending upward from between the whip coiled around his body.

「Isn’t it dangerous with it all exposed? You should at least have a sheath!」

She pulled out the candle out of the holder on her thigh with her left hand. She then snaps her fingers with her right hand, and the wick burns up at once, as if it was magic.

Seeing this, the crowd also fired up.

「What is she trying to do, that woman?」

Those who had no knowledge about it muttered between themselves. In the midst of all this, the Santa Claus-like vice guild master swallowed his breath.

(The black candle!)

The two candles she had prepared. The red one was low temperature for ordinary people, and the black one she just picked up was room temperature hot.

If he received those candles, he would not be able to avoid getting a burn. It was an act of injury that could even result in disqualification if the opponent requested it.

(Does it mean that the Grim Reaper has already reached that territory?)

It could only be used against skilled opponents who would feel pleasure instead after being inflicted with it.

That’s what Plain Queen’s eyes saw in the Grim Reaper. Unsatisfied with a low temperature candle, he didn’t mind a room temperature candle used on him, rather he was pleased with it.

(I had heard rumors that he had opened the 『Sin and Punishment』 store himself. But I never imagined that he would be able to train himself to this level by himself)

In the red-light district of the royal capital, many stores have adopted this play and can compete with each other in friendly competition. However, in Landbarn, there is only one 『Sin and Punishment』 store, and it’s a store he owns.

Even in such a disadvantaged environment, the Grim Reaper was able to shine.

(Should I say as expected of him, I can’t lose to him)

Even in the kingdom’s red-light district, he was a top-ranking member of the Sin and Punishment category. The shock the vice guild master received was great as he was aware of this.

He promised himself that he would train harder when he returned.

「Uwaaaa!」

「Stop this immediately!」

In the audience seats, there was a continuous stream of protests and screams from both men and women.

Droplets of wax fall onto the tip of the Death Scythe. Each time, the Grim Reaper screams in pain and bounces his body up and down like a shrimp.

They couldn’t stand the sight of it.

「Kyahahahahaha!」

The Plain Queen’s laughter echoed. She was greatly relieved that she was able to bring out this kind of reaction different from the whip.

「Stop moving! I can’t apply a good coating if you keep moving like that!」

She stomps her foot on his belly and holds his bouncing body down with her weight.

And gradually, a long chocolate banana is formed.

(This must feel good for you, right~?)

How many times have the tables turned on me? I can’t even begin to count the number of times I’ve had my candle taken away and dripped on me.

(I can hear it, the hint of sweetness in your scream)

The Plain Queen places a shortened candle on the tip of the banana.

It’s an uneven place. However, thanks to the wax that has not yet hardened, it becomes one with the banana.

「Alright~ Candle service complete」

She waited until it was just about to burn out, and then blew it out in one go like candles on a birthday cake.

The Grim Reaper, who had been staring at the candle, let out a breath of relief and satisfaction and released the tension in his body.

(You’re really advanced beyond help, huh)

The base of the coated banana. From there, the mark of defeat overflows in large quantities.

Seeing this, the Plain Queen exhaled. Then she looked at the priest who was present.

He must have noticed. The priest nodded and took a deep breath.

『Winner, Kingdom Woman B!』

The declaration was made.

But there was no cheer in the air. There was only a disgruntled murmur.

「Isn’t he just standing still?」

「A match? An Offering? What the hell is this?」

It was only natural that such a comment would be uttered.

The Grim Reaper has a single-digit ranking skill-wise. And yet, he was defeated without making any move at all.

「Don’t joke with me! This is bullshit!」

Grim Reaper who gets abused over time.

The same tournament where he lost to Explosive onee-san last year. Even though the result was the same, that match was a very exciting match.

「This is the end of Grim Reaper」

「Well, that’s for sure, with how he fought just now」

Grim Reaper was still lying on the stage. Some of the words that were spat out loudly must have reached his ears.

However, they never reached his heart. Although his expression did not change, he was still dreamily enjoying the aftermath.

***

Meanwhile, Andale who runs an apothecary store in the royal capital. He was enjoying watching the game on a different stage of the same hall.

「Gooo Lightning! Use Lightning Sword!!」

He fanned the cold ale with his left hand and swung his right fist around.

The naked, young man with short mustache receiving the cheers had his hands clasped behind his head and was timing back and forth on his mid-waist.

「Uooohhhh! Go Lightning!」

A shout rose as he dove. Lightning thrusts into the woman from out of her range and retreats without allowing her to counterattack.

Again, he begins to swing his hips back and forth in mid-air.

「It’s working, it’s working!」

The crowd erupted in cheers and shouts.

It must have been repeated so many times that the opponent could barely stand.

Suddenly, Lightning’s figure disappears. At the same time, a burst of energy ripped through the air.

「Here it is! It’s the Lightning sword!」

Andale and the rest of the audience cheered loudly. The crowd was very excited at the appearance of this long-awaited special move.

Lightning stepped in so fast that he seemed to disappear. And now he had already caught the woman and was thrusting diagonally downward.

『Match over! Winner, Black Locust country!』

The young beauty collapses and falls on her back with her legs spread wide.

Even though he let go of her body, she still could not stop. From the center of her body, like a whale, she kept fuming over and over again.

The audience stood up and shouted at the sight.

「Lightning! Lightning!」

He turns his waist and takes a swing with his piercing sword. A young man with a mustache cutting off a drop.

When the priest raises his one arm, he answers the call with a smile he’s not used to.

「Wow, it was great. I always wanted to see it, that high speed thrust」

After the match was over, Andale left his seat in a great mood.

This bald-headed old man had been curious about it since he first saw it in a magazine.

「Lightninggg Swoorrdd!」

He puts his hands on the back of his head and shakes his hips. He wasn’t the only one imitating Lightning, he could see others doing the same here and there.

They are probably still in a state of excitement, a common sight after a sports match.

「All that’s left is tomorrow’s match. Now we’ll eat, take a bath, and then go to the stall」

Uhihihi, he smiled happily.

As a store owner in the shopping district, he is also an E rank merchant. As such, he can watch the tournament and enter the stalls in the inner sanctum of the temple.

(Ah… I’ll also have to think of some souvenirs for everyone)

Because he is the representative of the royal capital’s shopping district, he was able to get tickets to watch the tournament. He also received donations from everyone, so spending some money for souvenirs would hardly hurt his own pocket.

Even so, he thinks that he has to be smart and careful about what to buy.

(Oh well, let’s figure it out after the final tomorrow)

Andale quickened his pace, thinking that he might be able to meet the idol group.

He didn’t know yet that the best goods would be sold out on the last day.