Chapter 117
“It’s quite unique to think of this as an exam.”
Seere nodded in agreement with Nahun’s sentiment. They were currently at the 24th-floor arena, the Hirpus Coliseum, owned by Glashalavras.
This coliseum, named “The Battlefield of Wolves,” was the largest and most famous arena on the 24th floor.
To understand why Nahun and Seere were here, one needed to go back in time a bit.
A few hours earlier.
Nahun, accompanied by the disguised Seere and Cecili, headed to the Demon King’s Castle. They had sent a letter in advance and waited a bit before visiting.
Upon arriving at the 24th-floor Demon Castle, a man greeted them warmly.
“Welcome. I am Colton, the steward of the Demon Castle. You are Nahun, who had made a visit, correct?”
“Yes, I apologize for the sudden visit.”
“Not at all. His Majesty is in the audience chamber, so please, come in.”
He politely ushered Nahun inside, arriving at the entrance to the enormous audience chamber.
‘It’s quite grand.’
That was the first impression Nahun had. The size of the Demon Castle was a symbol of the power held by its Demon King. Glashalavras, ranked so highly at 24, also had an enormous castle, and the audience chamber was likewise massive.
One might wonder if there was a need to build it this high and large—such practical thoughts did cross Nahun’s mind. He asked Colton.
“Can we go in?”
“Yes, it seems the maid you brought along can wait outside.”
“Understood.”
Seere seemed slightly displeased at the thought of waiting outside, but it was safer this way. If they faced Glashalavras directly, Seere’s identity could be exposed.
Colton lightly knocked on the door to the audience chamber and called out loudly.
“Your Majesty! The envoy from the Debata estate has arrived!”
“Let them in.”
With the voice heard from inside, the soldiers guarding the door grasped the handle and opened it. As soon as Nahun stepped into the room, the door closed firmly behind him.
Before even raising his head to see her face, Nahun bowed deeply in greeting.
“It is an honor to meet you, Your Majesty. I am Nahun, the royal tutor of Seere von Debata.”
It was a plain and polite greeting. However, Glashalavras’s response to Nahun’s greeting was unexpected.
“…Ah, so you are the talkative tutor of Debata?”
Glashalavras recognized him. Nahun found it slightly surprising and replied.
“That is correct.”
“You’ve only been in your position for 13 years, and you’ve managed to raise her rank from the lowest to 50th. When I first heard only that, I wasn’t particularly interested in it, but… meeting her in person has changed my mind.”
Nahun sensed a shift in the atmosphere. Though he wasn’t looking directly at Glashalavras, the tone of her voice conveyed a change.
“The power of a Demon King at rank 50 is no ordinary force. Her growth is not merely due to her abilities… it would be right to view it as your power as a royal tutor.”
Nahun lifted his head. Though Glashalavras had not yet permitted it, he did so nonetheless.
Originally, he intended to maintain a demeanor of ordinary subservience, but if he had already grasped Seere’s power, the conversation would be different.
Nahun looked directly at Glashalavras. The silver hair tinged with blue slowly raised the corners of her mouth.
“Let’s stop the unnecessary pretense. I find you quite interesting.”
“I am grateful for your interest.”
“How did you achieve this?”
“If you are referring to Seere’s combat abilities, it is more a testament to her innate talent than my instruction.”
“Such is not possible. There’s no way she could achieve that level of growth simply through talent.”
The blue eyes, filled with predatory interest, locked onto him.
“Speak truthfully.”
“…You seem to have one misunderstanding.”
Nahun explained succinctly.
“I am associated with Debata, not with the 24th floor. If you have something you wish, it would be more prudent to first hear our side of the story, wouldn’t it?”
“Are you trying to negotiate with me?”
“You have yet to hear why we wished to see you.”
“You do not know me well. I do not listen to those weaker than myself.”
Glashalavras smiled.
“If you truly wish to speak to me, you will need to prove your strength.”
“Then let’s proceed accordingly.”
“What?”
“If I demonstrate my strength to Your Majesty, I would like you to first listen to our story. After that, you can share what you desire.”
“……”
Glashalavras slowly, and with satisfaction, smiled.
“I quite like your audacious attitude! Very well, then….”
The glint in Glashalavras’s eyes changed. She smiled as if she couldn’t hide the excitement bubbling within her.
“Shall I give you a test?”
“Sounds good.”
A kind of deal was struck. Nahun would demonstrate his strength by undergoing the trial required by Glashalavras, and in return, she would hear his story.
Up to this point, it was all according to Nahun’s plan. Glashalavras’s character, which emphasized power and showed unconditional interest in those with great strength, remained unchanged from the game.
“Then let’s use this for the test.”
“Please proceed.”
However, the content of the test was not what Nahun expected.
“Defeat the champion of the arena and return!”
“…What?”
“Hmm? Are you perhaps scared?”
“No, it’s not that. I thought Your Majesty would have me duel with your prized subordinate.”
“Oh, you have a good grasp of things.”
“Yes?”
“The champion of the largest and most renowned coliseum on the 24th floor is my subordinate. You must defeat him.”
The revelation that the champion of the arena was a subordinate of Glashalavras was quite surprising. Nahun asked with a hint of reluctance.
“Isn’t that unfair to the other warriors?”
“What? There’s no rule stating a soldier cannot participate in the arena.”
“Is that so….”
A coliseum, and he wanted to have a quiet duel, but it seemed he wouldn’t be able to do that now. Nahun felt a bit disappointed and spoke to Glashalavras.
“Understood. Can I go directly to take the test?”
“I’ll notify the coliseum. You just need to prepare right away.”
“Yes.”
It would be quite a spectacle, but this approach was still convenient. There were no unreasonable demands, and all she desired was a ‘demonstration of strength.’ What a simple condition that was.
“Then I will depart now.”
#
Thus, it was settled. The day after they met with Glashalavras, they arrived here to take the Demon King’s trial.
Seere glanced around, looking a bit nervous.
“Teacher, there are quite a few eyes on us.”
“They’re probably curious.”
An outsider suddenly challenging the champion would surely be an interesting topic for the warriors. They watched from concealed angles in the waiting room.
Of course, they had all been seen.
“Can we not clear them out?”
“Let’s avoid causing unnecessary commotion.”
“That’s not what I meant… Their gazes are quite irritating.”
“Hmm?”
Nahun tilted his head, and Seessili explained.
“They’re not looking at you, Nahun, but at His Majesty and me. It seems they’re rather starved for women.”
“Ah….”
Most of the warriors in the arena were male. It was mainly the male demons who took on such rough work.
Understanding the situation, Nahun sighed lightly. Then he scattered some of his magic power around. The warriors jumped in surprise and began to flee one by one.
“Is it okay now?”
“Thank you.”
“I was having a hard time holding back.”
Seere glanced at Nahun with a hint of dissatisfaction, but when he lightly ruffled her hair, her disgruntled cheeks slightly deflated.
“When does it start?”
“It should start soon.”
“Hmm….”
Seere seemed to ponder for a moment, then scattered her magic power around. She then gathered her magic power again, storing external magic power in her hair.
Seeing a few strands of red hair grow in length, Nahun looked at Seere with a look of surprise.
“Seere, your magic power has increased quite significantly.”
“Really? The effort over the past eight years without a single day off has paid off.”
“…Really?”
“Yes.”
Nahun was thrilled. The magic power he sensed from Seere just moments ago was indeed substantial. It felt somewhat burdensome to him.
Over the past eight years, she had indeed managed well on her own. As Nahun thought this, he smiled proudly and ruffled Seere’s hair.
“You did really well.”
“…Heh.”
Seere flashed a shy smile, and Nahun couldn’t help but feel proud of her. Then a sudden question arose in his mind.
“By the way, Seere, why did you suddenly draw in external magic power?”
“For the sake of ‘when the time comes.’”
“Huh?”
Seere merely smiled and offered no further explanation. Nahun looked at her, puzzled, but she remained smiling.
At that moment, a man entered their waiting room.
“Are you ready?”
He was one of the managers of the coliseum. Nahun stood up and answered.
“Ah, yes.”
“Do you not need to wear armor?”
“Is it mandatory?”
“No, not particularly.”
“Then it’s fine.”
Nahun lightly snapped his fingers. As his fingertips flattened, a small hole opened up, revealing his sword.
“A… magic sword?”
“Am I not allowed to use a magic sword?”
“N-no! You can’t! What if something happens….”
Nahun looked disappointed as he placed the sword back. Seere chimed in.
“How strict.”
“Indeed.”
The manager cleared his throat with a slight frown and spoke to Nahun.
“We will lend you a weapon from our side, so please use that.”
“Understood.”
“The participant will follow me, and the others must wait here.”
Nahun nodded and turned to Seere and Cecili.
“I’ll be back.”
“Yes, Nahun.”
Cecili bowed politely, and Seere followed suit, saying,
“Have a safe trip, Master.”
“…….”
Knowing she was acting as a maid, the remark was indeed perplexing. Nahun cleared his throat and spoke to the manager.
“Uh, let’s go quickly.”
“Ah, yes.”
#
The Hirpus Coliseum was filled with numerous spectators. The most prominent spot in the crowded stands was the balcony prepared for VIPs.
“Is it about to start?”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
And there sat the owner of this place, Glashalavras, sipping wine. She held a curious expression, eagerly waiting for the match to begin.
Her wait seemed to be almost over as a man, dressed impeccably in a tuxedo, walked out onto the arena. Amplifying his voice magically, he announced,
“Thank you for waiting, everyone! The special match hosted by His Majesty Glashalavras begins now!”
“Oooh!”
“Finally starting!!”
The audience erupted with excitement at the announcer’s words.
“The participant is the eternal champion of the Hirpus Coliseum, Arjuna! I believe no one here is unfamiliar with the monstrous warrior, who has won 12 consecutive champion defenses!”
“Arjuna! I bet on you again!!”
“Will you finally lose this time? Long live the underdog!!”
The crowd generally responded positively to the champion’s introduction.
“And facing the champion, the outsider challenger, Nahun!”
“Who is that?”
“How should I know? It says outsider, doesn’t it?”
“If they’re challenging the champion, they must be quite strong.”
The crowd exhibited curiosity regarding the challenger.
“Now let’s take a look at the odds for this match. The numbers are…!”
Lights emitted from the magic tool began etching letters into the sky. The displayed odds were an astounding 1 to 19, meaning if the challenger won and the champion lost, those who placed their bets on the challenger would win 19 times their bet.
“What an astounding result! This speaks volumes about the faith in the champion!”
“If an upset happens, it would be quite the spectacle.”
“Will it really upset?”
“They’ll fall victim again without realizing it.”
However, this also indicated that many still had faith in the champion’s victory. The champion’s prestige, having successfully defended the title 12 times, was indeed formidable.
“Now, let’s meet the competitors! Each fighter, please enter!”
The doors that had been firmly closed on either side of the arena swung open. On one side, the champion, Arjuna, clad in silver armor, entered.
On the opposite side, a man walked in. He was without any armor, merely holding a sword, a black-haired young man.
“What the?”
“Where’s the armor?”
“He’s almost bare!”
The crowd stirred with confusion. However, once they stepped onto the arena, there was no option to change or return for gear.
It seemed Nahun had no intention of doing so either. Most had placed their bets on the champion, but those with bets on the underdog were in disbelief.
“Damn… what a trap.”
“Why do underdogs always lose….”
Regardless of the crowd’s reaction, Nahun appeared quite relaxed. Though it did not seem casual, there was clearly a sense of ease about him.
Seeing his demeanor, Arjuna thought to himself that this must not be Nahun’s first time in such a position. He shook hands lightly with Arjuna before stepping back. The announcer addressed both warriors.
“Both competitors, please take your positions at the starting line. We will begin as soon as you are ready.”
As Arjuna and Nahun stood at their respective lines, the announcer asked them.
“Ready?”
Arjuna nodded. Nahun formed an O shape with his fingers.
“Then….”
The announcer lifted his hand high.
“Let’s get started!!”
Crash—!
With that announcement, a tremendous sound echoed, as if something metallic had hit hard against something else. The announcer looked on in slight shock, raising his head, and…
“Um?”
He found the champion already sprawled on the ground as soon as the match began.
