Eliya, returning with Judas, unexpectedly met Levi and received a puzzling proposal from him.
“I want to pit my elite guards against yours during the founding ceremony. In Judeca.”
Eliya casually shot back, “What’s the reason?”
“Isn’t it a festival? It can’t just be silent, right?” Levi said with a light smile.
Eliya stared at him intently. What could this man’s true intentions be? Like everyone in the Bevel Family, Levi was particularly hard to read, hiding many secrets within.
Eliya quickly hypothesized, ‘Is it a test?’ Recently, a strange tension simmered between Eliya, the Bevel Family, and the Empire. Levi couldn’t possibly be unaware of this. In other words, he likely wanted to check on the potential war preparations. How battles affected things, if he could survive there, and what roles he would play.
Eliya swiftly calculated the scenario. “Fine, let’s do it.”
This meant exposing part of her strength, but she accepted willingly. She, too, needed information about her opponent. She wasn’t completely oblivious to the enemy’s prowess, but assuming she knew everything could be perilous. Ultimately, to understand her opponent, some disclosure of her own information was unavoidable.
Eliya didn’t see it as a loss. No one could measure her most significant strength without her consent—not even herself. Therefore, revealing her elite guards felt like a manageable risk.
Levi was momentarily taken aback by her unexpectedly compliant answer but didn’t show it. “We both wouldn’t want to lose our valuable guards, so let’s agree not to kill each other.”
She gained another clue from this. Levi was not someone who would blink at the loss of a few elite guards. However, he was the one suggesting the no-kill rule, indicating he didn’t want to lose them. This was evidence of the effort and money he’d invested in forming them.
Though Levi didn’t show any signs, Eliya had already anticipated this. She responded carelessly, “Do as you wish.”
Once the business was done, Eliya turned to leave, and Levi didn’t stop her. Judas quietly followed her.
Eliya stopped only after they got far enough away from Levi. She turned to look at Judas. She hadn’t shown it, but she felt nervous. Judas, a former slave from Judeca, likely had no fond memories of that place. Moreover, he was not someone to take lightly. Even having suggested a no-kill rule, there was still the risk he might get hurt.
The memory of the bolt still lodged in Judas’s back lingered uncomfortably. She had arbitrarily decided that he should fight. It felt strange. It was her right to make such decisions, given their relationship. However, despite knowing this, Eliya found herself irritated by her own choice.
“Um… what’s wrong?” Judas suddenly asked as Eliya halted and looked up at him.
Contrasting with Eliya’s complicated feelings, he seemed to have no particular thoughts. ‘Maybe many people will be watching if we fight in Judeca.’
If the master says fight, he fights; if not, then he doesn’t. Why Levi wanted a fight, Eliya would handle that herself.
“…….”
Watching him, Eliya couldn’t help but chuckle. All the complex thoughts and worries cleared away in an instant. She leaned gently against his body, knowing she shouldn’t, but felt an instinctual desire to share warmth. No matter how many promises she made, her judgments clouded whenever she stood before him.
Wrapping her arms around his waist, she said, “You mustn’t get hurt.”
Judas replied as if it was no concern at all, “Of course.”
*
From the very first day of the founding ceremony, I found myself fighting in Judeca. I was on my way there.
The streets were filled with people. The festival had officially begun. People were already drunk and blissfully wandering about in the daylight. A few recognized us as we made our way to Judeca and shouted various things.
With the surrounding commotion, it was hard to hear. Their expressions, however, didn’t seem hostile. Apparently, fighting was an excellent form of entertainment for them, so they might just be cheering us on.
A few young women approached, handing us handkerchiefs. Most of the guards blushed or awkwardly smiled as they accepted them. It was a superstition that if you entered the match wearing a handkerchief, good fortune would follow, and afterward, you would find the woman who had given it to you… or something like that.
Among us, only three didn’t receive handkerchiefs. Richard.
“I should have asked Big Sis Beninita…” he grumbled.
A bit of a loser. Then Dillon. He simply cordially declined the request. Lastly, me. No women approached me due to Eliya being nearby.
‘Even if they did, I wouldn’t have accepted them…’
What bothered me was how overly cautious Eliya was acting. She shot glares whenever she sensed a woman approaching.
‘Could she possibly… Nah, can’t be.’
Initially, Eliya had decided to move separately from us, but she had come along after all. Now she clung tightly to my side, muttering to herself, “It might be better to lock him up…”
Given the noise around, I couldn’t hear clearly. “What?”
“Nothing.”
With a bright smile, she asked, “Do you like mountains?”
“Mountains? Why are you asking about mountains all of a sudden?”
“Just wondering.”
“Yeah, I like them. Nature and landscapes and all that.”
“Which mountain?”
“Not particularly any specific one… I guess the closest is the best?”
Eliya smiled brightly as if she found that very agreeable. “Me too.”
I learned for the first time today that Eliya liked mountains, especially nearby ones. It was quite unexpected.
‘After all, why struggle to climb when you can teleport and see breathtaking views?’
Anyway, after entering Judeca, I separated from Eliya. She wanted to watch from the stands. We headed towards the waiting room.
‘It’s familiar but feels a bit strange.’
Perhaps it was because of the blend of memories. Judas had been here before, and I had encountered it through a game. The scenery roughly matched what I remembered.
We were guided into a spacious waiting room well-equipped for nobles’ fighters. Slaves like Judas would have been stuck in shabby, poor conditions. Judas himself might have spent time in such a place before.
And here I was, being treated like a guest in the VIP room, which felt quite bizarre.
I sat still in the room, recalling the rules. ‘No killing. Changing from group combat to one-on-one in case of emergencies.’
One member from each elite guard would duel before moving on to the next. Regardless of victory or defeat, each of us would fight just once before the next challenger came.
‘My opponent at the very end will be the enemy’s guard captain. Gora.’
I had no idea who that was beyond their use of a spear. But it didn’t matter. I was going to win anyway.
‘Still, since killing is prohibited, I must be careful.’
It seemed overly complicated to forgo armor while using live blades but forbidding murder at the same time.
The waiting room was quite noisy. It seemed it was the first time for many to fight in front of such a large audience and also the first time they garnered attention from the ladies.
Some were fiddling with handkerchiefs tied to sword hilts, wrists, or belts. Their expressions were all a bit… off.
Awkward smiles, sly looks, or somewhere in between…
Dillon clapped his hands sharply. “Get a grip, everyone!”
His voice was quite serious. “Though it’s a festival, this isn’t a leisure trip for us. We’re here fulfilling our duties as elite guards.”
A few who had been fiddling with their handkerchiefs chuckled awkwardly or averted their gazes.
Richard chimed in beside him, “Right, guys. You can enjoy yourselves after winning.”
Everyone seemed to have retained some sanity as they swiftly complied with Dillon’s words.
“Everyone, please prepare to enter!” The guide from Judeca shouted as he opened the door.
Light from beyond a dark hallway poured into the room. Following the sound of a lever being pulled, chains rattled, and a large door slowly lifted.
The crowd’s roar penetrated the room.
It felt like the room was vibrating.
Once we exited, it would surely get much louder.
I felt an anxious flutter in my stomach, reflected in everyone’s faces.
Just as I was about to step out, something blocked my way.
“…Huh? Miss?”
Suddenly, Eliya appeared.
“Hand.”
“Excuse me?”
“Hand, please.”
Out of nowhere, she asks for my hand.
I extended one, and she placed a handkerchief on it.
A red handkerchief embroidered with golden thread.
“This is…”
Without saying a word, Eliya hugged me tightly.
She took a deep breath, clutching my waist.
“Don’t get hurt.”
I should’ve naturally agreed, but for some reason, it was hard to speak like usual.
Something lodged in my throat made it feel strained.
My heart raced painfully fast.
Moistening my dry lips, I barely managed to respond, “Of course.”
*
Eliya sat in the stands.
In a VIP seat distinguishable from ordinary ones.
Levi sat beside her.
“Beside” might be a stretch; the distance was enough for about five Judases to line up in between.
‘…Five Judases?’
Eliya momentarily pictured five Judases multiplying.
‘Not a good idea.’
One was enough.
And she only had one Judas.
“Who do you think will win?” Levi asked.
Eliya ignored him.
She hadn’t come here for a conversation.
Of course, she understood Levi’s intent.
He wanted to gauge how she assessed her elite guards.
She had no intention of providing any information.
Levi shrugged and didn’t press further.
Moments later, the large gates opened on both sides of the arena.
The audience’s cheer grew even louder.
Eliya had a clear view of both entrance gates.
On the left was Levi’s elite guard.
On the right, Eliya’s elite guard.
Dillon was the first one to step out.
As Judas served essentially as a knight, Dillon was acting as the guard captain.
Following closely were Richard, Lindell, Argon, and others from the elite guard.
Judas was the last to emerge.
Seeing him, a smile unconsciously spread across Eliya’s face.
The handkerchief she handed earlier was tied to his sheath.
Red.
Even from this distance, it stood out well.
Judas glanced around, eventually spotting her.
He locked eyes with her.
He waved, visibly showing he had the handkerchief tied to the sheath.
‘…….’
Observing him, Eliya felt a surge of mixed emotions that was hard to articulate.
Thousands of people surrounded them.
The roaring and noise could topple the arena.
In that moment, it felt like only the two of them existed.
Judas and herself.
Somewhere, she had forgotten everyone else.
Just a brief instant, but when Judas turned back to face forward, her sense returned.
She scanned the audience.
If there were any women among them who coveted Judas… well, just the thought of them existing was unpleasant.
She wanted to flaunt Judas to the world while simultaneously wishing to hide him; it was a conflicting feeling.
If it came down to a scale, the latter leaned more into her thoughts.
‘She said she likes nearby mountains…’
Eliya recalled a list of mountains close to the mansion.
Around that time, the match between the two elite guards officially commenced.
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