n

n

n

n.

nThe duel arena in Alzer was also built in round shape.

nThe walls were high and the audience seats were also placed in high position.

nIf there was any difference with the arena in the kingdom’s academy, it would be the gazes that were directed to me.

nUnlike in the kingdom’s academy where there were boos and jeers showering me, in the academy here I could feel sympathetic gazes and voices instead.

n「No way, he is really going out without armor.」

n「He is going to get killed.」

n「This is because he went against noble.」

nThere were also some who were laughing at me, but those were the hangers-on of Pierre.

nThey were throwing insults at me from the audience seats.

n「What’s wrong, Hohlfahrt’s hero!」

n「You can’t even prepare any armor huh?」

n「Aren’t you gutsy, going out into a duel unarmored like that」

nGood grief, what a vulgar bunch.

nThen a black armor descended from the sky.

nIt landed in a flashy way on the ground. It was the figure of Arroganz that had transformed to have a very spiky look.

n「Uwa~, what bad taste~」

nIt was painted with skull mark that seemed to be Pierre’s preference. The armor looked really sinister.

nThe pilot, Pierre laughed when he saw me.

n『Gyahahaha! Oi, are you forgetting that this is a duel using armor you idiot!』

nEven though he was the one putting on pressure to the merchants so I couldn’t procure any armor, he got no scruples at all making fun of me like this.

n「I’m amazed you can say that when you had been planning this from the start.」

n『It’s your own fault for getting tricked!』

n──Pierre’s words weren’t wrong.

nThat was right──the one who got tricked was the one at fault.

nArroganz that now looked like a villain’s ride pointed at me with its index finger.

n『Don’t think that I’ll forgive you even if you’re apologizing now!』

nI was listening to Pierre’s speech while taking out a glove from my pocket and wearing it.

n『What? You’re going to fight barehanded!?』

nWhile Pierre and his hangers-on were laughing, I placed my hand on my waist in exasperation.

n「Stop wasting time and start the duel already.」

n『Right. Even so, if this is how it gonna be then there wasn’t any need for me to make doubly sure.』

n「──Aa?」

nI raised my eyebrow in question. In respond Pierre cackled with a foul voice.

n『Was her name Cara? There was also a dog with her.』

nPierre only said that and didn’t say anything more.

n「──You son of a bitch」

n『Let’s get this show on the road already.』

n──You’re really a scum that doesn’t betray my expectation.

n.

nMarie who was listening to the conversation between Leon and Pierre from the audience seat opened her eyes wide when Pierre mentioned Cara’s name suggestively.

nPierre was only mentioning the name, but she already got the general idea of what he had done.

nGreg punched his own palm.

n「That **er! Who was it that said about not using dirty method because this is a sacred duel!?」

nJulius was also showing his anger.

n「He not only hindered the procurement of armor but he even take hostage.」

nThe witnesses Narcisse and Louise also seemed to be opposing for the duel to be carried out like this.

n「This kind of duel cannot be allowed.」

n「Yes, let’s stop it immediately.」

nWhile the two of them were thinking to stop the duel because of Pierre’s method that was just too dirty, Marie noticed that Leon was saying something.

nHe took out a device from his pocket and threw it toward Marie.

nMarie caught it and looked at Leon’s face.

nFrom his eyes and expression, she understood that he was telling her 「Save Cara and Noelle」.

nMarie looked down at the device and peered onto the screen. The device looked similar like a smartphone in her previous life. The way to operate it was also similar so she immediately understood.

nWhen she looked at the screen──the map that displayed where Cara and Noelle were apprehended was displayed.

nNoelle noticed what Marie was doing and talked to her.

n「Marie-chan?」

nMarie lifted up her face and spoke with a cold voice and a sharp gaze.

n「The chance to make a comeback has come.」

n「Eh?」

nMarie turned around and snapped at Julius and others who were still complaining in indignation.

n「How long are you guys going to do nothing but complaining!」

n「N-no, Marie. We’re worried for Cara and──」

n「We just need to rescue them if you’re worried.」

nJilk tried to calm Marie down.

n「Please calm down Marie-san. We don’t even know where Cara-san and Noelle-chan are right now, and it might be just the opponent bluffing. We should gather information first.」

nMarie spoke sharply toward the men who were acting like that.

n「Stop saying weak-willed things like that! You guys, aren’t you being cowardly since coming to Alzer? It’s us who are going to save Cara and Noelle-chan! Leon is going to be the one beating up that Pierre while we’re doing that!」

nChris looked toward the arena and hesitated.

n「B-but, the opponent is wearing armor while Bartfalt doesn’t have one──」

n「All of you had lost against Leon already! Do all of you seriously think that guy will obediently come out into this situation to get slaughtered just like that? Believe in that guy. That guy──isn’t a man who will show up to this kind of place without any plan. He is a guy who will have thoroughly prepared to push off his enemy to the very bottom persistently!」

nThe five fell silent after Marie said that.

nKyle scratched his cheek.

n「My burden will increase if Cara-san is gone, so let’s save her quickly. This place will be alright with the count here.」

nMarie raised her voice in front of the five to encourage them.

n「How long are you guys going to have that stupid face while doing nothing!? Hit back when you got hit! That’s all there is to it!」

nJulius smiled.

n「You’re right. Yeah that’s right. It seems we’ve been acting like cowards.」

nJilk also smiled.

n「Marie-san’s words has opened my eyes.」

n「Then let’s go. We’ll go back to the mansion first to confirm the situation.」

nMarie dragged the men away from this place.

nNarcisse was taken aback by their spirit. His hand stretched out toward them who were leaving.

n「W-wait a second! We’ll stop the duel right now!」

nMarie looked back and yelled angrily at Narcisse.

n「Don’t do that no matter what! Just delay it or something, then start it after buying some time! We’re going to save the hostages so don’t get in the way!」

n「E-ee~?」

nNarcisse turned his gaze to Louise to ask for help.

nLouise herself was looking at Leon in the arena. The person himself was making a gesture to continue the duel, so she sighed and put her hand on her waist.

n「──It looks like the person himself want to continue.」

nNoelle who was hugging the case that was containing the sapling was watching the arena where Leon was at with a worried look.

n「Leon──」

nThe duel would continue as it was.

n.

nWhen Marie and the others returned to the mansion, they found the injured Brad there.

n「Brad!」

nMarie ran toward him and lifted up his upper body before using healing magic to heal his injuries.

nBrad opened his eyes and apologized to Marie.

n「Sorry, Marie. I couldn’t protect Cara-san and Noelle-chan.」

n「Don’t talk right now.」

nGreg and Chris brought Brad to his bed after Marie finished giving the first aid treatment.

nJulius who was looking around the ransacked mansion made a bitter expression.

nIt seemed the inside of the mansion had been messed up.

n「They are going this far.」

n「In the end the so called sacred duel only worth this much. Is the word sacred has different meaning for the people of the commonwealth?」

nEven Kyle looked angry. His words were dirtier than usual.

nMarie looked on the device.

nThen an exclamation mark appeared on the screen and there was an alarm sound ringing from it.

n「Eh, up? ──Uhya!」

nThe warning to be careful above their head showed up, so Marie looked toward the sky. Then some kind of box suddenly fell from above.

nThe box hit the ground *gashan!* with a loud sound. It caused dust cloud to rise up.

nKyle peered toward that box.

n「W-what is it? Another harassment from the commonwealth?」

nBut Marie clutched the device tightly and walked toward the box. She opened the lid and looked inside.

n「Marie-san, it’s dangerous!」

nShe didn’t even listen to Jilk’s warning and reached inside. Then her hand took out a firearm from there.

nMarie was familiar with that gun.

n「So you’re telling us to use this.」

nIt was a submachine gun──like the one that she often saw appearing in old mafia movie. It even had a magazine in the shape of a drum.

nJulius also peered into the box and took out some bullets.

n「These are non-lethal rubber bullets? Why are these things──」

nMarie held the submachine gun with one hand and placed it on her shoulder.

n「It doesn’t matter. We’ll use them. All of you should prepare too. After this──we will plunge into the enemy base to rescue Cara.」

n.

nThe location was a warehouse complex at the harbor.

nThe merchant who had close relationship with Pierre was inside one of the warehouses there.

nHe was wearing a showy suit while his mouth was smoking a cigar.

nHe blew out smoke from his mouth and glanced at Cara who was hugging an old dog while trembling.

nThe old dog was licking Cara’s cheek as though it was trying to calm her down.

n「Young miss, you are unfortunate. You people were picking a fight with someone who you mustn’t turn into enemy. You might be able to return back to your country if only you didn’t act defiant, but now it’s too late.」

nThe trembling Cara put on a brave front in front of the merchant.

n「I-it’s you people who are underestimating the count. That person is the hero of the kingdom. He is an amazing person who defeated someone really strong and saved even the country.」

nThe merchant placed his hand on his face and laughed after he heard that.

nThe men in black who were his subordinates were also laughing.

n「He might be amazing back in your country young miss, but this is Alzer, the center of the world. A hero of that level isn’t scary at all. Well, I think he must be turning into minced meat around this time.」

nCara hugged Noelle strongly and looked down.

n「Even Pierre-san might show you mercy if you stay quiet young──」

nThe warehouse’s door was blown away before the merchant could finish speaking.

nHis subordinates took up their weapon and aimed at the door. And then light entered the dark warehouse.

nThe rising dust cloud looked sparkling. In the middle of it some silhouettes appeared with light shining from behind them, covering up their front figure in shadow.

nThe merchant yelled his order to his subordinates in fear.

n「Fire. FIREEEE!」

nHis subordinates fired all at once. The warehouse was filled with sound of gunfire for a while.

nBut when the place became quiet after they ran out of bullet, the merchant and his subordinates opened their eyes widely.

nA magic circle in the shape of shield was protecting the silhouettes. The bullets they fired were crushed flat on it and fell on the floor.

nThe magic circle then vanished and a petite blonde haired girl stepped forward holding a large gun that looked too big for her.

nCara shed tears of happiness seeing that silhouette.

n「MARIE-SAMAAAA!」

nMarie pulled the trigger of her submachine gun after seeing Cara calling her name while crying.

n「Give──Cara bacckkkkk!」

nNon-lethal bullets were fired from the submachine gun.

nThe men in black were shot one after another. The merchants were flustered seeing them dropping like flies.

n(W-what, what’s that weapon?)

nThe merchant had never seen anything like the submachine gun before. He couldn’t hide his shock from that rapid fire capability.

nBut, it immediately ran out of bullet and stopped firing.

n「Now! Subdue that little girl! Take her weapon no matter what!」

nThe merchant wished to obtain that unusual weapon. He saw that his subordinates were still alive and thought that the weapon had low power.

nHowever his subordinates who approached Marie were shot and blown away by the men walking behind Marie.

nMarie handed her submachine gun to the elf boy beside her and grabbed a handgun.

nAll of them were holding guns.

n「Don’t move! There is nowhere to run!」

nWhen the merchant turned his gaze to the backdoor, the door knob was broken by a gunshot. The door then was kicked away and Greg entered while holding a shotgun.

n「All your men around this place has been defeated.」

nHis escape path was blocked and his men were also defeated.

nThe merchant took out a handgun from his breast pocket to aim it toward Cara.

n「D-don’t mess with me you **ty brats! Don’t you care what will happen to this──ihyai!」

nJilk shot the hand of the merchant with his handgun.

n「You shouldn’t point a gun to a girl.」

nJilk was smiling with his gun muzzle aimed toward the merchant.

nChris was tying up the merchant’s subordinates.

nAnd then Marie arrived to Cara’s side and hugged her.

n「Cara, you have done well enduring until now.」

n「Uwaaaaaahn!」

nThe merchant was watching in vexation while holding his wounded right arm with his left hand.

n「D-don’t think that you’ll get away after doing something like this」

nJulius approached him and turned his handgun toward him.

n「I’m tired hearing that line. You should just worry about what will happen to you after this. Marie, let’s tell Bartfalt quickly that Cara is rescued.」

nWhen Julius turned his gaze toward Marie, he found her looking at the screen of the device in her grip.

n「──The duel has started.」

n.

nPierre had reached the limit of his patience in the duel arena and spoke in annoyance.

n『How long are you going to make me wait! Are you looking down on this scared duel huh!?』

nI was amazed that he could still say something like that. I was doing warm up exercise thoroughly while thinking that.

nPierre yelled angrily at Mr. Narcisse who was acting as the referee.

n『The duel time has already come a long time ago! If you keep delaying like this then that means you are making light of the oath to the sacred tree!』

nThe audiences were also making noises.

nThe audiences that Pierre forcefully gathered here looked concerned because the duel wouldn’t start no matter how long time had passed.

nStill, I couldn’t understand Pierre’s feeling. Why would he gather audiences just to show himself winning against me?

nEven if he won against me, it would only look like he was torturing the weak.

n「Mr. Narcisse, please begin the duel.」

nMr. Narcisse closed his eyes in thought after I said that.

nNoelle and Louise-san were watching me with a worried look, but Mr. Narcisse lifted up his right hand.

n「O sacred tree, please watch over this duel. Give your blessing of victory to the righteous. ──The duel will begin now!」

nPierre moved right after that proclamation.

nArroganz pulled out two battle axes from its backpack and held them at ready in each of its hand.

n『Finally! I’ll show my strength to you guys!』

nArroganz’s appearance was sinister. There was also Pierre’s voice that was going along with it.

n「It’s scary now that I’m looking at it from outside like this.」

nArroganz’s huge frame was heading my way.

nIt was scarier than a dump truck rushing at me with full speed, but I calmly──ran forward.

n『Haa!?』

nPierre was taken by surprise. He swung down his axe in panic, but I was already sliding right below Arroganz’s legs at that time.

n「It’s unexpectedly difficult to target a human right?」

nWhen I got behind Arroganz and said that, it turned around and spoke with a foul voice that didn’t match it.

n『Don’t get cocky after getting away only once. This is to make an example of you! The audiences will also be more excited if you’re resisting for a bit!』

n「You’re only good at making excuse huh?」

n『──I’ll kill you even if you cry while begging for your life.』

n「Nice. ──Don’t forget those words.」

nArroganz swung its two battle axes in large arc.

n.

nInside the warehouse.

nThe device’s screen was displaying the figure of Leon fighting against Arroganz.

nAfter watching that, Marie looked toward an airbike that was parked inside the warehouse.

nIt must be something that was used by the merchant’s subordinate.

nIts shape was like a water scooter. It had the size that could be rode by several people.

n「Jilk! Send Cara and Noelle-chan to the area right away!」

nJilk who was holding a handgun immediately understood what Marie was asking him to do and straddled the airbike.

n「Well, I guess I’m the right man for that job.」

nHe turned on the engine and checked the bike’s condition.

n「It can be used!」

nAnd then Marie led Cara to sit behind Jilk with the dog Noelle in her arms.

n「Cara, Leon will be able to fight without worry after he see you two are safe.」

n「Y-yes! B-but, what are you going to do Marie-sama?」

nIn respond to that question, Marie glanced at the merchant who was looking frustrated while Julius and others were surrounding him.

n「I have something to do here. It’s alright. Leon will surely win. Jilk, hurry!」

n「Please leave it to me. I will send them there quickly.」

nThe airbike floated in the air and flew away from the warehouse.

nMarie slowly turned toward the merchant.

n「──Now then, it’s time for interrogation.」

nThe merchant was putting on a brave front.

n「Remember this, I’ll never forgive──」

nThe merchant was showing a rebellious attitude. Marie aimed her handgun to him and pulled the trigger without any hesitation.

n*Bang! Bang!* Gunshot sound resounded. The empty shells that were ejected from the gun fell on the ground with light clinking sound.

n「Hih, hiiii!」

nThe bullets were non-lethal bullets, but it would still hurt if it hit. After Marie continued firing until she ran out of bullet, the merchant’s previous threatening attitude crumbled and he crouched down in fear.

n「Goshujin-sama, I’ve finished the reloading.」

n「Thank you Kyle.」

nMarie had handed her handgun to Kyle who came to her side. She then accepted the submachine gun that Kyle had finished reloading for her as replacement.

nAnd then she stood in front of the merchant.

n「How dare you kidnapped Cara and also injured Brad」

n「I-it’s a misunderstanding! I was only ordered! Pierre-san──no, that bastard Pierre was the one who ordered me, I couldn’t oppose──igyaaa!」

nMarie fired at the merchant with her submachine gun.

nMarie kept firing until the drum shaped magazine was emptied. Then she received a handgun from Kyle while handing over the submachine gun to him.

nHer left hand grabbed the face of the merchant who had become painful to look at.

nThen Marie’s left hand glowed faintly and healed the merchant’s wounds.

nThe merchant felt the pain receding and made a flattering smile toward Marie.

n「Young lady, if you spare me I’ll help you escape from that bastard Pierre.」

nMarie smiled hearing the merchant’s words──and pulled the handgun’s trigger.

n「WHYYY!」

nThe merchant writhed in pain. Marie kept firing at him while still smiling.

n「That’s not what I want to know.」

n「T-then! Ask me anything. I’ll tell you anything if it’s something that I know!」

n「Hee, is that so?」

nThe merchant got desperate in order to weather this situation. Marie turned her gaze toward the dumbfounded Chris.

n「Chris, do you have what I asked you to bring?」

n「Y-yeah, but what are you going to do with this cheap thing? This is the first time I was told to search for a dull knife.」

nChris had purchased a knife on his way to this place. It was an inferior good just like he said.

nMarie accepted the knife and approached a nearby metal shelves. She smashed the knife’s blade on it to make the blade chipped.

n「M-Marie?」

nGreg looked confused because he couldn’t understand the meaning of what she was doing. Then Marie looked at the blade that got chipped in various places and nodded.

n「This will do.」

nThen she turned toward the merchant. Marie’s hands were holding the chipped knife.

n

n「W-wait. What are you going to do with that?」

nMarie innocently answered the shivering merchant.

n「I learned from a book I read in Alzer. Was the title of the book Commonwealth Style Interrogation?」

nThe merchant was starting to tremble something fierce.

n「Don’t worry. I’m good with healing magic. That’s why──you will be fine no matter what!」

n「I’ll talk! I’ll tell you everything you want to know! So please not that!」

nMarie smiled in front of the crying merchant.

n「I’ll continue hurting you, so you can say anything you want. But perhaps I’ll stop if I heard something interesting from you.」

nKyle talked with a small voice seeing the merchant’s trembling figure.

n「Goshujin-sama, don’t tell me you’re going to torture him for real?」

n「──Eh, I won’t.」

n「But」

nEven Marie didn’t want to do something like torture.

n「Don’t be stupid. This is to extract information from him. If we tell this guy what we want to know, he will lie in order to get away. That’s why I’m letting him talk by himself. He will say a lot of important information because he don’t know what we want to know.」

nThere was that kind of description inside a book that she read in Alzer’s library.

nMarie was simply testing that method.

n「You’ll go that far? It’s a major turn off.」

n「Shut up. I have to use this chance to take back Leon’s trust! That guy is really dangerous when he is angry! It’s seriously dangerous! I’ll do this much if it means I can curry favor with him after that!」

nKyle wondered if perhaps Marie was over thinking it after seeing her this scared toward Leon.

n「No, the count isn’t that angry toward you goshujin-sama. I think he has forgiven you.」

n「You don’t know anything about that guy! Enough about that, we’re going to extract information from this man no matter what. If I don’t earn enough forgiveness point here, I will be next after Pierre──hiiii!」

nThe terrifying figure that the merchant witnessed couldn’t be found there.

n.

nAt the arena.

nPierre was losing his temper because I kept running around. He discarded his axes.

n『It ain’t fun using this weapon！』

nIt was really childish of him to blame his weapon like that.

n「It’s your lack of strength. You really have no talent as pilot, you can’t kill me even though you’re using Arroganz. I think it’ll be better if you don’t ride an armor.」

nPierre found it hard to accept my honest remark and took out a new weapon.

n『I’m not playing anymore.』

nHe readied the rifle that was for Arroganz’s use while talking with a low voice.

nThere were screams coming from the audience seat.

n『I’ll blow you up until nothing remain behind.』

nI grinned at Pierre who was aiming his rifle toward me.

n「Just try it you small fry.」

n『DIEEEEE!

nPierre pulled the trigger without hesitation.

nI leaped to the side before standing up right away and ran along the arena’s wall.

nWhen the rifle’s bullets hit the arena’s wall, the faint membrane enveloping the arena began to shine.

nIt was the magic shield that was protecting the audience seats.

nBut the bullets pierced through such shield and bore into the wall.

n「What’s wrong! Are you still playing around even now?」

nBullets were passing through the spot that I had just passed one after another.

n『YOU FILTHY COWARD WHO CAN ONLY RUN AROUNDDDD!』

nPierre kept firing the rifle, but none of the bullets hit me.

n『Why won’t it hit! This damn junk!』

n「You can’t hit me even with Arroganz’s specs. I think it’ll be better if you lament your own uselessness.」

nPierre immediately reacted at my mocking.

nSurely his face was bright red right now inside the cockpit.

n『THIS THIRD RATE COUNTRY’S SHITTY TRASHHHHH!』

nHe threw the rifle toward me, so I crouched to dodge it. Arroganz charged toward me at that time.

nIts large hand reached out to grab me, so I slipped below its legs to dodge.

n「You still haven’t noticed? ──Arroganz was my armor. Naturally I know all of its weaknesses.」

nI was sure that this guy would come with Arroganz.

nAfter all I induced him to do that.

n『Don’t blabber so proudly you loser dog that can only run around!』

n「A garbage who can’t even defeat a single flesh and blood human shouldn’t talk like you’re human!」

n『AAaaAAaaAaaaa!!』

nThe next weapon that Arroganz took out was a black large scythe that looked uncouth.

nIt was like a death god’s scythe. Pierre chased me while swinging around the deathscythe.

nThe weapon’s reach was wide. It was slightly troublesome.

n「It’s tiring even if I’m just running around.」

nI got sweaty. I wiped the sweat that was dripping from my chin and looked toward the audience seats.

n.

nThe battle that was unfolding in the area couldn’t be called a duel.

nA large black armor was attacking a flesh and blood human with a sinister weapon.

nLeon was Arroganz’s owner and knew its weakness. He was able to keep dodging the attacks skillfully.

nBut, his stamina was obviously reaching the limit.

nAt the audience seat Noelle was watching over him worriedly while hugging the sapling’s case. She feared that he would get caught by Arroganz sooner or later.

n「Something like this isn’t a duel.」

nThe one sided development caused screams to come from the audience seats.

nThere were also those who were looking down without watching among the students who were forced by Pierre to come here.

n「Someone stop this duel.」

n「Should I stop it?」

nNoelle looked down and prayed. Then she heard Loic’s voice mixed among the audiences’ murmurs.

nWhen Noelle turned around, Loic was there standing while smiling.

nLoic was looking down on Noelle and gave her a suggestion.

n「I’ll stop this duel. In exchange, become mine.」

n「──Loic, you, even at this kind of time」

nLoic was making use of this situation to obtain her. Noelle displayed her disgust to him.

n「You are still refusing? ──Then, that man is going to die.」

nLoic pointed at Leon who was running around inside the arena.

nHe jumped to dodge the large scythe that Arroganz swung to the side and took a distance.

nHis body was dirty with the cloud of dust that filled the arena.

nHe was fighting well even in this situation where he would die instantly if he got hit even once.

nBut, that was all.

nNoelle covered her face with one hand.

n「I hate you. I hate you nobles!」

nLoic was watching Noelle while talking about Leon’s situation.

n「I’ll settle the matter if that guy let go of the sacred tree’s sapling. If you refuse then Barriere House will also join in denouncing the kingdom. The overseas students and their families will become victim because of your fault.」

nWhen she heard that, she realized that if it was Loic right now──if it was Alzer’s nobles right now, they would surely have no scruple in denouncing Hohlfahrt Kingdom.

n(──This country is rotten.)

nNoelle moved her hand from her face and looked toward Loic with tearful face.

nLeon and the others would be saved if she accepted Loic’s suggestion.

nBut if she refused, this guy would keep doing unreasonable things in order to obtain her.

n(So in the end, you can’t defy a noble? No, more like you can’t defy the sacred tree no matter what.)

nThe sacred tree was absolute for the people who were born in the commonwealth.

nNoelle──gave up thinking that there was no way for her to get away.

n(So the sacred tree still hasn’t forgiven those from Lespinasse House.)

nIt was like she could feel the will of the sacred tree that wouldn’t let her get away.

nJust when she was going to accept Loic’s offer, Louise approached them with determined steps──and slapped Loic’s cheek.

n「Louise! What are you──buh!」

nLouise landed the second slap right away. Then she spoke strongly toward Loic.

n「Don’t you dare do that dirty act here. Making use of other person’s duel to lay your hand on a woman, you’re the worst. I can’t believe that the next head of Barriere House is making advance on a woman with this kind of despicable method.」

n「──Louise, even for someone from Rault House, there are things that you cannot say.」

n「I’m just telling you to not get in the way of the duel. Will Pierre really stop if you ask him? Remember this, if you join hand with Pierre──I’ll seriously crush you.」

nThe eyes of the surrounding were gathered on Loic and Louise’s conversation.

nNarcisse was also here with them. Loic looked like he was thinking that this situation didn’t favor him and left.

n「T-thank you.」

n「──I didn’t do it to save you. I just don’t want anyone to get in the way of Leon-kun’s duel. After all it seems like he has a plan.」

nLeon still didn’t show any sign of giving up even in front of the despairing situation.

nLouise was watching over that situation attentively. It made Noelle suspicious.

n「Louise, why are you this fixated with Leon?」

nLouise didn’t answer Noelle’s question.

n「It’s also strange for the princess of Rault House to side with an overseas student. Besides, it was also the same with Loic just now. Leon would be saved if I who is someone you hate become Loic’s possession. You would also be able to obtain the sacred tree’s sapling.」

nLouise was folding her arms. Her hands were tightly grasping her own arms.

n「──I don’t need to tell you anything.」

nA part of Noelle was also suspecting that Louise was scheming something. But based on what she was seeing, Louise looked like she was genuinely worried for Leon.

nBut she couldn’t imagine the reason why she would be like this.

nWhile the duel where Leon was only running around was continuing, a single airbike landed among the audience seats.

nOn the bike were Jilk and──Cara along with the dog Noelle.

nThe airbike’s landing caused commotion in the audience seats. Jilk and Cara yelled toward Leon in the middle of that.

n「Count Bartfalt! Marie-san has rescued Cara-san and Noelle-chan!」

nCara was also yelling loudly.

n「You can beat up that scum already!」

n「Woof!」

nEven the dog Noelle also barked. At the arena Leon responded to them by lifting up his right hand.

nAt the arena, Leon proclaimed toward Pierre even in his despairing situation.

n「Now there isn’t anything holding me back. ──Are you prepared?」

nPierre vented his annoyance at Leon after hearing those words.

n『Stop dreaming that you can do anything about this situation just because the hostages are freed after this late!』

nPierre’s unreserved words caused Louise to angrily say 「Pierre, you are underestimating us」, while Leon spoke seriously with a low growl that strangely resounded through the arena.

n「──I’ll teach you something good. I’m actually a coward.」

n