Chapter 66 – The Showdown

Strength against strength.

A standoff in which neither of them yielded continued until a teacup was placed between the two.

“One thing is certain. That you were a revolutionary party member. Otherwise, there would be no reason for you to shield Kaiser like that.”

“You seem to be making up reasons for a treason charge, but I will simply attach a player charge. It will be a summary judgment based on my intuition.”

Unable to watch any longer, Aria intervened between the two.

“Since it seems you both really intend to draw blood, why not have a duel instead? By the first blood rule.”

The gazes of the two landed on Aria.

“I am suggesting it because it seems cleaner. Otherwise, you can just keep arguing like this until you reach an end.”

Although it seemed like a proposal not even worth listening to, the two, who were somehow full of confidence, began to consider the suggestion to some extent.

“Aria, isn’t the winner too obvious? He is not even Ryden, so could a person like this even parry my sword?”

Varasha was certain of her victory, and Rashid, too, did not even think he would lose.

“You can only know the outcome once we try, but aren’t you acting too cocky just because you are a war hero?”

“Aren’t you just all talk since you won’t accept it anyway, Inquisitor?”

“No way. If you challenge me to a duel, I have no intention of avoiding it.”

After a brief silence.

She proposed.

“Then if I win, we can take custody of Kaiser, correct?”

“I will ask the opposite. If I win, will you give up on Kaiser?”

“I cannot miserably go back on a promise once made. I will cleanly give up on Kaiser.”

If so.

“May I decide the rules? Of course, including first blood.”

“I do not care what the rules are. As long as they are fair.”

“Since it is first blood, we will fight without mana armor, and I will also restrict the use of mana. It is a duel of pure skill. We will use swords. The same type of sword for each of us. We can call this fair, correct?”

“Fine. I accept. What about the time and place?”

“Is there any need to postpone it? Let’s go outside and do it right now. In any case, it is quiet outside the Inquisition Bureau. Even if you lose, there is nothing to be embarrassed about.”

Varasha stood up from her seat.

“I will wait outside. Bring the swords you mentioned yourself. I will consider it a handicap.”

She truly had an expression of certainty in her victory.

“Of course.”

Once Varasha left, Aria asked with an indifferent face.

“You are quite overflowing with confidence. The opponent is the war hero of the nation who made her name famous in the Grey Morning. Even if her main weapon is not a sword, she will perform above basic levels. Perhaps she is even at the master level. Do you really have the confidence to win?”

“Why do you think I would lose?”

“That is… because I have rarely seen Sir Varasha lose. I did see her lose once to Senior Ryden during our academy days, but they were neck-and-neck with each other, so it did not mean much.”

Just as she said.

Varasha’s main weapon was a halberd.

Her swordsmanship was also top-tier, but under equal conditions, there was no reason for Rashid to be pushed back.

‘The reason she is strong is largely due to mana or mana armor. Since I cut all of that out and forced a swordsmanship duel instead…’

Could he lose?

Considering how many traits he had.

“For the first time in a while, your senior will taste a bitter defeat. She has probably never lost to anyone other than Ryden, whom she has considered her lifelong rival since birth. If she does, today will be the first.”

As Rashid stood up, she also stood up to follow.

“Conversely, if you lose, Lead Inquisitor, I think I would also be a bit disappointed. Because you would look a bit pathetic.”

“I do not even pick fights that I think I might lose. Just watch and see who wins.”

“What will you do about the swords to be used in the duel? Shall I prepare them for you? I have many in my possession.”

“Any sword will do, so prepare them and bring them out. I need to prepare for the duel as well.”

When Rashid, finished with his preparations, came out of his office, she recommended two swords.

“These are duel rapiers suitable for the first blood rule. When blood touches the blade, it glows red. The winner’s blade will glow red. Would you like to use these?”

Rapiers.

They were swords focused on dueling rather than the purpose of killing.

“Not bad. Let’s go with that.”

Soon, Rashid and Varasha stood facing each other outside the Inquisition Bureau.

Each of them held a duel rapier, and the one who volunteered to referee was Aria.

“As you both agreed, it is the first blood rule. The moment the opponent’s blood gets on it, the blade will glow red, so you must yield immediately.”

The two stood with distance between them.

The duel was right before them, and for some reason, onlookers were gathering one by one in the surroundings.

Seeing this, Varasha let out a faint sneer.

“Inquisitor, is this not your workplace? If you lose, will you even be able to show your face out of embarrassment?”

“There are exceptionally many onlookers today. Normally it isn’t to this extent… But are you really going to be okay? I am just a mere salaried worker, but you are a fairly famous figure. Your name will be embarrassingly talked about in high society for a while. And along with that, I will become famous.”

Among the onlookers, fellow inquisitors and several high-ranking figures could be seen.

They had happened to show up at the Inquisition Bureau and witnessed this duel.

“Hey, isn’t that Sir Varasha? The one who transferred to become an inspector.”

“It’s Inquisitor Rashid. Are they dueling each other?”

“A duel between the war hero who saved the nation and an inquisitor of honorary cleric origin. Interesting.”

“Come to think of it, didn’t Inquisitor Rashid also defeat Heimdall before?”

Forgetting the buzzing surroundings, the two began to warm up.

Once the preparations were complete.

Aria stood between the two.

“A duel is an honorable thing and must always be fair. Foul play is strictly forbidden. As agreed beforehand, the use of mana and mana armor is prohibited. Then, please enjoy.”

As she stepped back after finishing her words, the two rushed toward each other instantly.

Their rapiers clashed, sparks flying.

Having clashed swords several times, Rashid thought.

‘I thought it would end easily, but she is quite good.’

Inherent physical differences between men and women certainly existed.

Men overwhelmed in strength, reflexes, and bone mass, and the only things women could put forward were flexibility and a sense of balance.

However, what compensated for this was delicate mana control and flexibility.

Therefore, just because someone was a woman did not mean she was particularly disadvantaged, nor was a man always at an advantage.

However, this case was a very disadvantageous situation for her.

Since the use of mana was excluded first of all.

‘Her skills are certainly not bad.’

If he were not a player, he might have been overwhelmed by her status and lost.

However, as long as he was a player, even that was not allowed.

Traits: Speed Freak and Double-Edged Time.

The battle was decided in an instant.

A fast sword that she could not possibly follow grazed her, making the blade glow red.

“The victory has been decided.”

She was truly indignant, and her face looked as if she had so much to say.

However, Rashid did not allow this.

“There is no grave without an excuse. Please accept your defeat and go back the way you came. As promised, I will continue to keep Kaiser.”

Rashid discarded the duel rapier used in the duel and departed with the composure of a winner.

Standing in the spot were she, who still had not accepted the defeat, and Aria.

“It was certainly a disadvantageous battle for you, senior. If you were to fight again without mana restrictions at least, the result would definitely have been different. I think it would also be the same if the weapons used in the duel were different.”

“Aria…”

“Yes, senior.”

“No. It is fine.”

Her reluctance to admit defeat was clearly left on her face.

Biting her lips tightly and unable to take her eyes off him for even a moment, she finally forced her head to turn.

Her footsteps, turned in silence, looked considerably heavy as she suppressed her anger.

Meanwhile, there was someone watching the duel from afar with interest.

“That inquisitor is also quite something. It seems he didn’t put on a bold front for nothing.”

“To think Sir Varasha would lose, even if it was a disadvantageous battle.”

They were the disguised Imperial Guard knights.

And in their midst, a woman named Rina was also present.

‘He defeated Varasha?’

Varasha was a hero of the Empire comparable to Ryden.

Defeating her in itself was mocking the world’s setting.

At least, she was certain.

Who the man she was going to visit today was.

* * *

Knock, knock!

It was Aria.

“Inquisitor, you have a visitor.”

Rashid expressed his question.

“The duel is over, isn’t it? Surely she didn’t come back?”

“No. My senior went straight back.”

“Then who is it? Was there someone else to find me?”

“It is an envoy from the Imperial Family. What should I do?”

There were exceptionally many people looking for him today of all days.

Kaiser.

Just how many people were going to bother him because of this one terrible guy?

In his heart, he wanted to just throw Kaiser over to them, but he had no choice in order to keep the Blood Empress in check.

Because the only one with the power to stop her was Kaiser.

“From the Imperial Family? Who is it?”

“She is a person named Rina Spiegel. Would you like to meet her?”

“Rina Spiegel?”

It was a name he was hearing for the first time.

Was there such a person in the Imperial Family?

“Her title?”

“She is simply an envoy. It seems she does not hold a separate title in the Imperial Family.”

“Is she outside?”

“Yes, since she is an envoy sent by the Imperial Family, I treated her with the utmost respect.”

Rashid stood up from his seat in silence.

To think she came so boldly?

Passing Aria, Rashid was able to identify her, who was waiting outside the inner office.

‘A crazy bitch.’

She was the woman who had watched him from afar when he met Kaiser.

‘She came all the way here?’

Rashid, too, seemed to know roughly why she had come.

‘Did she come to blackmail me?’

Confirmation had to come first.

“My body is warmed up from the duel just now. Would you like to talk at a cafe outside? It will at least be better than this gloomy place.”

Rina smiled faintly upon seeing the other inquisitor standing behind him.

“Yes, let’s do that.”

Rashid stopped Aria as she was about to follow.

“You wait here. I plan to talk to the envoy alone.”

He did not forget to add these words either.

“It’s an order.”

Rashid took her and sat face-to-face at an outdoor table of a cafe outside the Inquisition Bureau.

Around them were the Imperial Guard knights escorting her.

All of them were disguised, but Rashid was not someone who could fail to recognize them.

“To think the Imperial Family would send an envoy. Is it because of Kaiser?”

“Yes, you know well.”

Rashid scrutinized her with a displeased expression.

“You are fearless.”

“I think the same goes for you.”

Her appearance looked as harmless as Kaiser’s, but her mind was probably different.

‘Did that woman also raise her sub-stats?’

“What is the reason for your visit?”

She asked for understanding from the Imperial Guard knights nearby.

Now, there was no one overhearing their conversation.

“The reason? The reason is simple. Because you are a player.”

She spoke with a serious face, and Rashid scoffed instead.

“We are the ones who screen for them. Accusing a person like me of being a player. What an absurd joke.”

“Varasha Swallow is one of the strongest in this world, with no one to match her, just like Ryden. Yet you defeated her in a duel. Is this even possible?”

“Why would it be impossible? It could be possible.”

“That is why I am saying you are a player. And why would Kaiser meet you? If it were Kaiser, he should obviously keep his distance from you.”

Rashid’s expression hardened.

“Isn’t the same true for you?”