A momentary sad expression seemed to flit across Herta’s face, but it was so brief that I couldn’t be sure.
Herta had once again returned to her expressionless self.
“I haven’t changed my mind. I understand.”
“Yeah, the lightning was impressive. I’ll give you that.”
I praised where praise was due. After all, whether the lightning was excellent or not, it didn’t change the terms of the death match.
Forcing the energy around us to circulate quickly was a technique that even Ezekiel was encountering for the first time.
“Thank you for the compliment. I’ll show it again during the death match.”
Herta calmly accepted the decision.
I thought that would be the end of our conversation, but no. Surprisingly, Herta continued talking.
“These guys… they are the Dullahan from the Demon Realm.”
She mumbled while inspecting a corpse in full armor.
“In the Demon Realm, there are demon entities in various fields, and if it’s Dullahan, they’re likely under Han-shin’s command. They can be quite troublesome to deal with.”
“Mm.”
Ezekiel nodded.
It wasn’t as if Herta was providing fascinating information. After all, this was a field Ezekiel was extremely familiar with.
What was surprising was that she was providing such valuable information to her opponent in the death match. This was information that had been diligently obtained at the Magic Tower.
“Han-shin, huh.”
The thing was, Han-shin was already dead.
“I don’t know why, but there seems to be a strong resentment toward you, Inspector. As I mentioned earlier, they are quite cohesive, so they’ll be a nuisance for a while.”
Herta temporarily rubbed her chin.
“Don’t let your guard down. These guys acted openly out of emotion, but there are also plenty of Dullahan who move silently.”
“…Yeah, I get it.”
Ezekiel felt something odd in his response.
Surprisingly, Herta was treating Ezekiel without pretenses. Even while sharing valuable information, she didn’t seem to expect anything in return. It was just goodwill.
‘Continuing this conversation might be dangerous.’
He unconsciously came to that judgment.
Harboring complex feelings toward an opponent in a death match wouldn’t help him at all. For now, it was enough to think only of the sins of the Magic Tower and Arcne.
Could Herta sense Ezekiel’s mindset?
“Please tie me back up. The Magic Tower is nearby.”
Herta extended her hand, and immediately, Seina and Agnes approached to complete the special binding of the golden-haired woman. It was done in the blink of an eye.
“Inspector, are you okay?”
Agnes asked Ezekiel. When the man nodded, she finally showed a relieved expression.
“We can set off now. We’re almost there.”
Thud.
Drip, drip.
Whooooosh…
Whooooooosh—!
Suddenly, it began to rain heavily.
Rumble! Boom!
Was it because the lightning struck on its own, knowing that the death match between the Magic Tower and the Imperial Tower was about to happen?
The shout was quite haunting.
Finally, they arrived at the Purple Magic Tower.
The banquet at the Purple Magic Tower.
It goes without saying, but the banquet didn’t have a festive atmosphere. The sentiment toward the Purple Magic Tower had become incredibly tense.
Everyone had learned about the deeds committed by the Purple Magic Tower. Therefore, they couldn’t enjoy the banquet in a public setting, and a calm drinking gathering was formed.
Surprisingly, it was a gathering to celebrate the death match.
‘Reminds me of Han-shin’s City.’
Ezekiel thought quietly.
There were two seats of honor, with the rest sat in a row. On each seat of honor, the Inspector Ezekiel from the Imperial Tower and Herta, the next head of the Magic Tower, sat.
In front of everyone, there was a small table. On it were snacks and alcohol.
“Well, it has come to this.”
The one to break the silence was Gendiz, the elder of the Magic Tower.
He was an old man with a white beard that nearly reached his belly. His deeply sunken eyes soon turned toward Ezekiel.
“There are far too many sins to enumerate from the Magic Tower, right? Yet you graciously provide the opportunity for a death match. I truly appreciate it. The grace of the Imperial Tower is immense.”
Of course, this wasn’t a genuine expression of gratitude; it was provocation. Since there was no way to avoid the death match, he was instead trying to rally all his strength against the Imperial Tower.
“No need to thank me. It’s hardly different from execution.”
“Even after seeing Herta’s lightning, you can say such things?”
A young man gulped down his drink and spoke. He was Zeta, known as the elite of the Magic Tower.
“Surely you proposed a death match to publicly embarrass me. But don’t you understand that’s digging your own grave? Another chance has come to the Magic Tower.”
Zeta was quite thick-skinned.
Well, public opinion and support were already pointed at the Imperial Tower. The only thing left for the Magic Tower was to achieve a perfect victory in the death match.
“After taking a few slaps from the Demon Lord, did you hit your head?”
Then Zeta couldn’t hold back and smashed the cup he was holding. He considered the humiliation he had suffered at that time a significant disgrace.
Ezekiel couldn’t help but smirk.
“In the Underground Maze, you betrayed us, and in Clatie, you plundered. Even after committing such crimes, you’re desperately trying to think of ways to win the death match.”
“What? You were the one who proposed it! We’re just doing as you wish. I’ll give it my all.”
“You have no shame. This is futile.”
Just as Ezekiel muttered those words.
“Stop.”
With that single word, all movement within the banquet hall came to a halt. The powerful force of Dragon’s Blood had been unleashed.
Dragon Speech.
In the Empire, there was only one being capable of handling such intricacies. Excluding the woman with Dragon’s Blood in her body, Hedera, there was no one else.
Thud—!
The 2nd Princess burst through the door with a loud noise. Her aura, mingled with anger, was terrifying.
Everyone was taken aback by the appearance of the supreme woman, even without a mask on.
Thanks to that, her entire face was revealed. Despite looking human, she also embodied a majestic dragon-like presence.
‘…Hedera?’
Ezekiel quietly gazed at Hedera.
Originally, it was Hedera who had suggested visiting the Magic Tower’s banquet with Ezekiel, but he hadn’t expected her to appear in this manner.
“Repeat that statement you just made.”
This was also Dragon Speech.
As the faces of the Magic Tower’s mages grew increasingly flustered, Zeta’s lips moved against his will.
“The one who proposed the death match… was you… We’re just doing as you wish… I’ll give it my all…”
“Hah.”
Hedera let out a clear scoff.
As she met Zeta’s vertically slit pupils, his face turned bright red. No matter how thick-skinned he was, he felt shame in front of the princess.
“I know everything that happened in the Magic Tower.”
The 2nd Princess spoke without hiding her rage.
“I allowed the Inspector to deal with it directly out of trust, and I expected that requests for permission to commit suicide would overflow in the banquet hall. But to hear such brazen words from you is astonishing.”
“Your Highness, I apologize. The elites of the Magic Tower are not usually known for their words and actions…”
Elder Gendiz quickly offered his apologies. The old man’s face was also soaked with astonishment.
However, Hedera’s fury did not dissipate in the least. She spat out her words with a biting tone.
“There are a tremendous number of spectators gathered outside, right? With such bad weather, we shouldn’t keep them waiting. Both sides should proceed with the death match immediately.”
She spoke the words “death match” with the premise that there was no danger to Ezekiel. It was a deep trust sent toward the Inspector.
“Immediately, understood.”
The only one to respond was Herta.
Afterward, Ezekiel left the banquet hall with Hedera, but the expression of the 2nd Princess immediately changed. Her anger vanished, replaced by concern.
“I’m sorry, Inspector. I couldn’t pay attention.”
“It’s fine. I have to manage on my own.”
“I thought it was unnecessary to drag this out, so I instructed to initiate the death match right away. Is that okay?”
At her words, Ezekiel quietly nodded.
“Actually, I was about to bring up the idea of starting the death match right away, so this has worked out well.”
“Come back safely.”
Hedera silently encouraged Ezekiel.
He also quietly nodded in response.
Hedera seemed to have a lot to say, but she still made an effort to hold it back. She understood that this was the way to show consideration for Ezekiel.
Before long.
The woman was treating Ezekiel with great care.
At the training ground of the Purple Magic Tower.
Finally, Ezekiel stood facing Zeta.
Surrounded by a packed audience.
