Chapter: 226
‘What?!’
“What?”
The largest guy among the dimwit trio boldly stepped forward in response to my question.
Considering neither of the other two stopped him, it looks like he’s the representative, just like he was in the game.
“I’m challenging you to a duel. The God shall grant victory to the righteous.”
The moment I heard that, my mind went completely blank.
I was so flabbergasted I couldn’t even think of a retort.
The God grants victory to the righteous, huh?
What a load of nonsense.
So, does that mean the people who died at the hands of monsters were worse than the monsters themselves?
People who died fighting the Evil God were more wicked than the God, too?
It was such absurd drivel that it barely drew a scoff, but I knew what he was talking about.
A trial by combat.
It’s a way to settle disputes when it’s fuzzy who’s right or wrong.
This method was actually practiced in the Middle Ages, and I knew it from one of the episodes in Soul Academy.
But seriously, this is not the moment for that, right?
It seems I wasn’t the only one with that line of thought.
Just a moment ago, Mane was desperately explaining things, but now he was staring at the guy with a blank expression before urgently turning his head toward me.
“Lady Alrn. May I speak for a moment?”
Mane’s face had turned bright red.
His expression was so hot-headed that I felt he might say something on my behalf.
So I nodded, and Mane immediately stood in front of the guy.
“Ralph. Are you seriously proposing a duel trial against Lady Alrn?”
“Yeah.”
“Are you out of your mind?… Do you really think this is going to work?”
“Why wouldn’t it?”
“Because it’s a terrible idea! Obviously!”
A trial by combat doesn’t just happen anytime, okay? If that were the case, strong people could just do anything without consequences.
“The trial by combat is only valid when the situation is unclear!”
When it comes to determining wrongdoings, the law should be the first step.
You only do a trial by combat when the law can’t clarify things. You wouldn’t have a trial by combat if you could resolve it legally.
“Isn’t that the case now?”
“What?!”
“Do you think I’m crazy enough to play games with the lady? I’ve never done such a thing.”
“You said that yourself!”
“Did I? I don’t remember. Anyway, you’re claiming I’m guilty without proof, which makes it completely murky!”
“Wh-What about the difference in status?!”
“Aren’t we all equal at the academy?”
“No! No! No?! Are you seriously this insane?! If you pull this stunt, it won’t just ruin you; it’ll ruin us all!!”
In the end, unable to hold back the frustration boiling inside him, Mane grabbed Ralph by his collar, but Ralph brushed him off with a grip on Mane’s wrist.
As a merchant’s son and a mage, Mane was not an obstacle to him at all.
“My Lady Alrn! Please, answer us.”
Looking down at the guy above me, I thought there was no reason to entertain his nonsense. If I sent him to trial, all his crimes would come out immediately.
[Hold on a second, young lady.]
Just as I thought this guy had clearly lost it, my grandpa’s voice rang out.
‘What is it, grandpa? Didn’t you say to handle it myself?’
[Don’t you think his attitude is way too bold?]
‘He’s trying to drag me into a trial by combat because he thinks it’ll go well for him.’
If a trial by combat is established, the results will dictate all blame.
This guy was aiming for that. He likely believes if he riles my pride, I’ll accept the duel. That way he thinks he can survive.
[That’s absurd. The moment the duel is established, he’s done for, win or lose.]
‘…What?’
[You think other nobles would let a commoner threaten nobility slide?]
If he loses to me, not only would he be guilty, but it would also pile on the shame.
However, even if he wins, the outcome wouldn’t change. Other nobles wouldn’t want such a precedent set.
‘Don’t you think he knows that?’
[He can’t possibly not know. He brought up the idea of a duel first.]
Grandpa speculated that the dimwit representative had some sort of backup. Without it, he wouldn’t make such a bold declaration.
[Maybe that backup gave him the confidence to provoke you.]
So this is it. Hmm.
[Do you realize? The threat directed at you…]
‘Grandpa.’
[What? ]
‘So what do I do?’
Just explain that to me.
I was already on the brink of a headache trying to think and act for myself.
Adding more variables to the equation would make my brain explode!
I’d honestly rather die by the Evil God’s nonsense than have my mind blow up!
Grandpa stopped his explanation and sighed deeply before speaking back softly.
[You need to hear who’s backing this guy.]
‘And then what?’
[There are several methods. First.]
Wait, you just said my head was already hurting! How can you forget that, Grandpa!
‘Grandpa?’
As I interrupted, he shouted back.
[I’ve got it! I’ve got it! If you’re just going to deal with the main culprits, pass their names on to Luca! He’ll take care of the trash neatly!]
‘You could have said that from the start. Anyway, thanks.’
[…Sigh.]
Now that the worries in my head were cleared up, I just had to implement Grandpa’s plan.
First, I was told to get the name of this dimwit’s backup, right?
That’s not going to be easy. No matter how much of a dimwit he is, he wouldn’t spill the beans about who protects him. He’ll defend their name to the end.
However, I have my methods.
What silences a person is reason.
In another way, if reason flies out the window, a locked mouth will start blabbing freely.
I glanced at the eyes of the dimwit representative looking down on me.
They were filled with confidence, assured he wouldn’t get wrecked at all.
Even though I didn’t like where he was looking, I stood up, but that idiot continued to look down on me.
Looks like there’s a limit to how high I can raise my gaze.
Guess I’ll have to lower his instead.
“Have you decided…”
As the dimwit began to say something, I punched him right in the solar plexus.
The punch cleanly sank in, and I felt something crack.
Could it be a bone? Nah, it’s ridiculous; he’s a second-year in the academy. There’s no way he’d break a bone like that.
He must’ve been hiding something in there.
Gasping for air and clutching his solar plexus, the dimwit crumpled forward, and I finally felt satisfied and turned back to Mane.
“The door’s closed.”
“Already? You figured out what I wanted without me saying a word! You’re sharp!”
With a smile of approval, I kicked the dimwit’s face into the dirt.
A guy twice my size rolled like a ball and crashed into the wall.
“Lady?! What the hell…”
“I heard you wanted a duel, so I’m giving you one? Any problems with that?”
If there were issues, I was ready to listen, but he didn’t speak further.
Instead, the fallen dimwit staggered to his feet and spoke up, albeit weakly.
“Y-You coward…”
“Coward? Are you seriously saying that? You picked a fight with a cute, delicate girl around here and then call me the coward?♡ Haha! Haha! Ha!♡”
The moment I received his blunt hostility, a wave of exhilaration surged through me, and laughter uncontrollably spilled out.
“Hey, hey, what do you think is fair?♡ Bullying a little girl?♡ Starting the fight then playing the victim?♡ Flexing muscles then whining when you lose?♡”
As I listed the nonsense he did with laughter, the veins in his neck bulged.
“Shut up!”
“According to your logic, you’re just plain trash, huh?♡ I bet even the God of Pathetic would agree you should be tossed in the divine trash can!♡”
Not enough yet. His sanity hasn’t completely shattered. If not, he might still latch onto whatever leftovers he has.
To truly press the issue, I needed to dig a little deeper.
“I’m so jealous of you!♡ How do I become trash like you?♡ Hmm~♡”
“…”
“Nope! Can’t happen. I don’t look as yucky as you!♡ See? This is true talent!♡”
As I clapped my hands together and feigned genuine praise, the dimwit finally shut up.
Nonetheless, I could read what he was thinking.
The tension lacing his forehead, the bloodshot eyes glaring at me, and the shaking fists.
It all signified one thing.
“Are you mad?♡ You’re boiling over with rage, huh?♡ So what will you do now?♡ What can a pathetic little commoner like you possibly do?♡”
“What can I do, you ask?!”
“Ah!♡ I bet you can daydream!♡ You probably sit in your room crying, imagining you’d win!♡”
“I’ll show you! You bitch!”
As I saw him charging at me with a crazed look in his eyes, I was sure he had completely lost his marbles.
Dodging his mindless punch effortlessly, I seized his wrist and hurled him back against the wall.
Bam! The sound echoed as the dimwit went headfirst to the ground.
But it’s cool. He won’t faint from that.
Look, he’s staggering back up, glaring at me like a nemesis.
Now, it’s time to stomp down on that precious pride of his.
To make him realize just how insignificant he is, how unrecognized he is. Get him to say it himself.
“Wow, you really are pathetic!♡ To challenge me with skills like yours? Are you not ashamed?♡ No self-loathing at all?♡ Or did you purposely challenge me because you wanted to get hit?♡ You sick masochistic creep!♡ Bite your tongue and die!♡”
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