Chapter 748

「Guildmaster! Oh no, you're in tatters!」

Elsa screamed when he saw Diaz carried by Neidhart as he landed beside Sibylla.

Like he said, Diaz had wounds all over his body. He had taken so much damage that his clothes looked like tattered rags.

「Neidhart-sama. Is this your doing?」

「Yes. The other pursuers offered little challenge, but Diaz-dono was so formidable that I would have lost had I not used my trump card. However, I have given him first aid so there is no risk of death.」

Did Neidhart really give Diaz such a beating? Neidhart himself was not noticeably damaged either……

Why is Neidhart working with Sibylla in the first place? Since he was a member of Eliante's mercenary brigade, he should have a grudge against Raydoss……

「Are you telling me that you are working for Raydoss too?」

「No?」

「Huh? So then you were hired as a mercenary?」

「I was hired, yes, but not as a mercenary. I have already left my brigade.」

Neidhart shook his head in response to Elsa's question.

「Hmm. But then I don't understand why you're helping them?」

「I have a reason that makes me want to go to Raydoss.」

The other adventurers and spectators stared with bated breath. They did not have the guts to interrupt the conversation between their celebrity Elsa and Neidhart.

In addition, they were holding Diaz hostage. A careless move could put Diaz's life at risk.

Neither the adventurers nor the nobles seemed to want to take on that responsibility.

「And I don't want to just go there, I would like the freedom to move around as I please. Sibylla-dono can play the role of my ticket to doing so, I suppose?」

「What are you going to do in Raydoss? Don't tell me it's for sightseeing?」

「Do you have anyone you would call a comrade in arms? Those irreplaceable friends that you have shared meals with and are practically family to you?」

Neidhart had replied to Elsa's question with another question. Elsa was somewhat puzzled, but sensed that he was serious and gave an answer.

「Of course. I may be a solo adventurer, but the Ulmutt adventurers are all like family to me.」

「I too used to have friends like that. Or rather, I still have them, but there were many more. All until the mercenary brigade I led was defeated and crushed in the war against Raydoss.」

Neidhart's voice was laced with sorrow.

「Back then, we took the role of rearguard as the Kranzel army retreated. We fought off the pursuing Knights of the Red Sword, Sibylla-dono's division, and many of my people lost their lives on the battlefield. Meanwhile, the rest of us barely escaped with our lives to the Kingdom of Kranzel. What we gained was a pittance of money and honor. What we lost was our families……」

「Then why are you helping Sibylla?! She's your enemy! Or are you saying you want revenge against the Kingdom of Kranzel for assigning you as the rearguard?」

That seems the most likely to me. Sibylla was fighting to protect their country, so maybe they were more angry at Kranzel for sacrificing them?

Pretty much everyone thought that was the case, but Neidhart shook his head again.

「I have no hard feelings. It was part of the contract and someone had to be the rearguard. It may even have been the most appropriate decision at the time. If I had to be angry, it would be at myself for being unable to protect my friends, not Kranzel.」

「Then I still don't understand. Why would you want to go to Raydoss now? Don't tell me it's to visit the graves of your friends?」

「That's certainly one of the reasons, since the battlefield was in Raydoss territory. But that's not all. I've found out that some of my friends that I had thought long dead are actually alive and still in Raydoss.」

「!」

「Some were taken into protection, others enslaved. I want to rescue them. That is why I must go to Raydoss.」

Neidhart would be able to enter the kingdom of Raydoss by himself. However, finding and rescuing his friends, and also escaping the country would be next to impossible without help.

It was absolutely necessary to have someone's support, which was probably why Neidhart referred to Sibylla as his ticket.

「That's why I can't allow Sibylla-dono to be captured here.」

「You mean you're going to fight us?」

「Are you sure you want to fight? You are aware we have a hostage, yes?」

「Oh? You let the children go, but you plan to use the guildmaster as a hostage?」

Elsa's question was answered not by Neidhart but by Sibylla.

「I wouldn't hesitate to do so since he's a warrior. What I don't like is people abusing children without the power to fight.」

「Can't you show some respect for the elderly there? He's getting on in his years and going senile these days. He's also constantly pulling pranks all the time, so can't we agree that he's a child at heart?」

But then right after Elsa said this…

「Who said I'm getting senile?」

「Kya! Oh my god! Don't surprise me like that! You really are just a kid!」

「Eh? When did you…… I've been duped!」

「Haha! I may not be as good a fighter, but no one can claim a victory over me when it comes to deception!」

When Diaz suddenly appeared behind Elsa, the Diaz that Neidhart had been carrying disappeared as if melting into the air.

It seemed he had swapped himself for an illusion. Escaping unnoticed even by Neidhart…… What a terrifying man. However, his whole body was still covered with wounds, so it was clear that he truly had been defeated by Neidhart.

「Did you lose on purpose to get information out of him?」

「No? We went at it seriously and I lost, badly. It's a bit tricky fighting insectkin since illusions don't work well, and their thoughts are difficult to read. But that's not all. Neidhart, you were holding back quite a bit in the tournament, huh?」

Apparently, Diaz was defeated in a serious fight. So that means Neidhart's fighting ability is outrageous, doesn't it?

It was not Neidhart who reacted the most to Diaz's words. Hilt leered at him with an expression of frustration.

「You handed me the win, Neidhart! I knew there was something fishy about it. So you really weren't serious!」

「No, no. Please don't say I wasn't serious. My trump card is not something that can be used so easily. During our battle, I was pushed to the limit, truly.」

「That's what I mean when I say you weren't serious!」

Hilt had a narrow victory over Neidhart, but what if Neidhart was holding back? With her pride hurt, she glared at him angrily.

「Fine…… Then show me your true strength this time. If you don't defeat me, you won't be getting out of here anyway, right?」

「Sigh…… I was hoping to leave peacefully if at all possible…… I suppose this is my fault for letting Diaz-dono get away.」

Neidhart and Hilt's fighting spirit was rising. The same went for Sibylla and Elsa.

（Master, what do we do?）

『Hilt will hate us if we interfere too much.』

Should we target Sibylla's group instead?

But before the death match could even begin, it was once again interrupted.

「Settle down, foolish granddaughter of mine.」

「G-Grandfather!」

Dimitris leapt to the center of the stage. He didn't look to be emitting any hostility, but his sheer strength was intimidating nonetheless. His mere appearance was enough to dissipate the heat that had been swirling around the stage.

「How about I take you on?」