Save 55 - The Arrival of the Hero of Altfode

The dueling arena in Aster was also built in a round shape.

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

If there was any difference from the arena in the kingdom academy, it would be the stares of those present.

The place was filling up with people in a very unexpected way.

Many of those present were students forced to come by Derrick's lackeys.

Others were foreigners who came to see what a duel sworn by the sacred tree looks like.

Aster nobles were present as well. They did not come to support Derrick, but came because they heard that the sapling of the sacred tree was present.

But they were not the only people who came out of curiosity or interest in the reward of the duel. There was a section of people exclusively related to traitors of the Altfode Kingdom who came to watch Rudel being pulverized.

They were all traitors in one way or another. Either by running away, by not showing up at the call of war or they were framed by Rudel based on dark secret acts.

Near one of the entrances was Erselica's group.

"They are despicable."

She was saying as she saw not only the traitors who were celebrating for the event that was about to happen. She also said it for Derrick who was eating with her group.

"It really bothers me to see those people so happy after stealing the treasures and running away like rats."

Liam exclaimed very annoyed because he couldn't do anything.

Among the ranks of those people was the knight who sent Rudel to jail and destroyed something precious to him.

Liam knew him as he was his bodyguard as a child. And knowing that deep down he was a horrible person filled him with anger.

"By the way Warren, is it okay for you to be here and not resting?"

Liam was asking very worriedly to Warren who had normal clothes with bandages on his body.

"Yes. Thank you for your concern Your Highness, but you see. I'm very well, I just want to watch the Count's duel. Which, by the way, he does take his time getting there doesn't he?"

All agreed that Rudel was late.

Off to the side near them was Professor Malcolm listening to their conversation.

Suddenly, a person arrived

"Nice to see you, Malcolm-dono."

Turning around he was astonished by the person calling him.

"Grand Knight Baltort, good to see you."

The right hand of the head of Rosenberg Household was giving him greetings.

Professor Malcolm stood up and they walked to the access area he came through.

◇◇◇

Baltort and Malcolm were talking in a dark part where no one could hear them. The topic of conversation was Rudel.

"At such a young age is a hero? The kingdom must have a very hard time if a teenager is a hero."

"He was listening to his classmates talk apart from the collected report."

None of them were familiar with the internal situation of the kingdom and assessed Rudel incorrectly.

If Aster's Supreme Kingdom had evaluated Rudel correctly, they would have refused to let him study in their country.

The fact that he had defeated the dungeon boss and retrieved a sapling was subject enough to know that this boy was not normal or ordinary as he appeared to be.

Malcolm was telling him more.

"Both the information gathered and what I observed of him in classes are total opposites."

"The reports say that he is a frivolous, greedy, very, very twisted minded young man and that he is disrespectful to the authorities whoever they may be."

"All of that I would have taken as a lousy joke since in class he acted very calm and didn't stand out. But this... it's totally beyond belief."

The crowd was still arriving for the event to take place.

"In any case, I'll keep waiting for him to arrive. I left several knights at the entrances to stop him. It is preferable to negotiate quietly than this tawdry spectacle."

Both men took their leave, but before Baltort left. He watched Sara who was quietly waiting for Rudel to arrive while her friends waited on her.

Baltort gave her a stern look.

◇

This is very bad.

I came to rescue Lucy and kick these guys' asses real hard. Everything was going well until the guy with the mustache grew up and now I was scared of his monstrous height and super exaggerated muscles.

As he stepped normally, a slight tremor shook the place due to his weight.

His footsteps were so big that with three steps he came to stand in front of me.

"Star finger!"

Shouted the giant as he raised his left hand and with his index finger hit me in the stomach.

The impact was so hard that it sent me flying straight into the wall.

I could see concrete debris falling to the ground.

The blow was so strong that despite having a full body shield the minimal damage was still strong. The sensation was similar to a rifle handle hitting me in the head.

Again he was coming up to hit me, this time with his hand raised to swat a fly.

"Star chop!"

I jumped out of the place and the floor was hit opening a small hole in it.

(This guy is too dangerous!) I thought since I don't have much time, there were less than 25 minutes left.

(Even if I run without stopping, it would be more than 30 minutes. I'll never make it unless I fly.)

(But this one won't let me go so easily. I must finish this as quickly as possible.)

I stood up and when the big guy slowly approaches, I ran towards him.

I raised my right fist and smashed it into his stomach.

His muscles were so thick and strong that I could feel how it was my hand that had fractured. Fortunately the feeling is just that, if it was real I would be lost.

As my punch missed. Now I attacked him with my left leg on his sacred parts and even then It felt no pain.

After stepping back a little, I looked at him who was laughing as if he was a child hitting an adult. It was on a small technicality.

For that reason, I will increase the level of power and danger.

A small button was near the wrist, I pressed it, and I could observe how if it was a vacuum cleaner it sucked the magic power from the environment.

It did it also near my feet for what I was going to perform.

Now it was.

"Time to have a little cry, you mustachioed son of a biiitch!"

Once again I ran towards the giant who was laughing as he spoke.

"Don't you get it? Your weak little boy punches can't..."

I silenced him by giving a slight jump and being close to his face, I directed my forehand to his face which changed direction due to the force.

The mustache guy was surprised, but I won't let you react.

Then my left leg returned his face to its original position and with my left fist I hit his jaw very hard.

He spat red liquid as if he had held it there for a long time.

"Boss!"

Shouted the idiots of his subordinates.

The guy was going down. As I reached the ground earlier I once again jumped up, but this time I fell to his body and with a big forehand I plunged his head into the ground.

A large amount of concrete and dust enveloped the environment.

I stepped back after seeing that he could not move. His subordinates were terrified by my power.

The power of traps.

They don't seem to be coming my way. That's good.

I walked over to where Lucy was, she was fine.

I removed her ghost shield so I could untie her.

As I did so. She hugged me

It felt really warm and nice for a girl to do that, but I already have two girlfriends waiting for me at home so I better stop grinning like an idiot.

"Rudel-kun, Lucy-chan is...!"

"Calm down."

I reassured her due to her tears staining her cheeks.

"I found her and went to drop her off somewhere safe. She'll be fine, she's with a friend."

She didn't understand what I was saying, but it seemed to be out of fear of what happened.

"That really hurt."

I shooed as I heard a voice.

It was that son of a bitch still conscious.

As he stood up he was shaking the debris and blood from his head.

His mustache like pupils were emanating fire.

"Looks like you're a more annoying brat than you're supposed to be. I, Ganpino, the head of the Cashmiro Family, will be the one to take you to your maker."

"Lucy hide!"

The guy was coming toward me running. Lucy threw herself against some furniture to avoid the coming blow.

As he got closer, he raised both arms with his hands clasped together and slammed them to the floor.

I dodged it, but it wasn't for long because when he noticed that she didn't hit me. He threw another punch which hit me and again I crashed into the wall.

As I spat saliva, the guy came at me like a wild animal, and the wall was demolished.

I went flying and seemed to take damage as I could feel red liquid coming out of my head.

After falling to the ground, the guy grabbed my leg and then did to me the same thing I did to the blue-bearded pirate last year.

Punch after punch I was taking against the ground and the shield's resistance was reduced in its entirety.

Fortunately there is a gauge, but I don't know how much it will hold as I've been getting battered for I think a minute now.

Every second and minute that passes will be detrimental as I stand to lose by not showing up.

Since I looked dead, the guy threw me against the boxes at the place where we were before.

"Rudel-kun!"

Lucy shouted as she saw me smashing boxes and smashing me against the wall again.

I really resent being treated like I'm a car test dummy.

I'm not immortal or resilient.

But.

"I don't like it either that you think you can beat me, you mustache son of a biiitch!"

Me and the mustache ran face to face to hit each other.

As we were close to each other, our fists touched.

The shockwave was so strong that I watched as Lucy grabbed onto a heavy piece of furniture to keep from flying away. The subordinates were not as lucky.

Then my right fist returned to its place and the left fist moved, again the same result.

"You're using all your power with every punch I see!"

Our fists were touching each other with great power.

Since I'm using magic power, the physical strength of the suit increases by a lot.

Let's call it extreme magic.

Extreme magic runs through my fists which hit this giant giant without giving him a break.

Blow after blow of our fists increase their power and gradually their speed.

Before I knew it.

My two arms were moving at great speed like his.

"Ohhhhhhhh!"

"Oraaaaaaaa!"

We were both screaming due to the intensity of the power and speed that made the difference between our bodies.

Little by little I was also backing up.

Every hit I missed hit me, on the other hand this guy my hits didn't hit him at all.

More because of the height difference.

But... once again.

"Stop thinking you can beat me!"

I stopped myself from punching him and ran to his stomach. He gave me a few punches, but it didn't matter.

After being in his estimation, I gave him a very powerful right.

"Extreme magic: soft fist!"

My fist was strong enough that it sent him flying through the air.

I picked up momentum and I too jumped into the sky.

Lucy and everyone was looking at me.

As I got closer to his body because he was falling, I gave him another punch.

"Extreme magic: super soft fist!"

My fist hit him in the face and he fell like a meteorite on the ground.

Debris and weird guys flew through the air.

As I was falling too, the mustachioed son of a bitch got up.

He jumped up and grabbed my leg. He spun me all the way around to throw me against the same place he hit.

But he won't stay that way.

I got up too and laughed as the guy came tumbling over.

"This is a good appetizer before the main course!"

I grabbed his arm and like a judo move slammed him to the ground.

I took a big leap after seeing him spitting blood and as if it was a super hero Olympic kick. My right leg fell down hitting his face and knocking out a few teeth.

The guy grabbed my foot and threw me against a wall where his subordinates were standing which I hit.

I got to my feet, and the bastard was falling to crush me with his big body.

Dodging him, I lunged at his neck which I held and used another judo move and threw him against some crates that were still intact.

No doubt it's a very intense fight which I don't enjoy and even time doesn't allow it.

"You fucking brat!"

"Mostacho motherfucker!"

Again we head to hit each other, but in my case it was to end this already.

I'll use my trump card up my sleeve.

"Star chop!"

He used the same move is his right and I grabbed it. Grabbing it, I threw it against the spot where I fell from the sky.

The guy shook the place raising a mountain of debris.

I was running towards him to finish this.

"Extreme magic..."

My right fist was glowing from the large amount of magic power gathered.

He stood up. As he spoke to me I could see he was missing teeth, his mustache was a bit cut off revealing his skin and his lip which was covered.

"You fucking brat, do you even know the influence and danger the Cashmiro Family represents worldwide?"

His body was covered in wounds and blood while mine had very painful scrapes.

"We have several members, hundreds of branches hidden worldwide and many relatives. Very important countries want our help."

I was getting closer and closer.

"Do you think you can get away with it and even more so when facing one of the six great nobles?"

I was inches away from his body. My right fist was shining so brightly that it looked like a small sun.

"Your life from now on will be plagued with contracts to assassinate you! You'll never be able to sleep peacefully again!"

Before my fist hit his stomach I shouted at him.

"So what?"

I watched the idiotic face he made as I threw my final blow.

"Stop spouting shit. fist affectionately fantabulous punpun soft little punpun!"

As my fist touched him. I watched as the magic power energy sank his body, twisted him and his face deformed in pain.

At the actual moment my fist hit him.

"Torapurarardahaada!!!"

Shouted a strange thing as it flew out against the wall which in seconds it destroyed and continued to fly.

The wall was destroyed in its entirety letting in the sun and everyone outside to watch what was going on inside.

I was watching the guy who had his eyes rolling like when I fought Liam.

The guy was flying until he started to fall. His landing was against a ship that already left the harbor.

A big cloud of smoke watched in the distance.

"That sure was a long flight, huh?"

I told a good joke, but no one seemed to hear it. How sad.

"Th-The boss has...!"

"L-Let's get out of here before that monster does the same to us!"

"Uwahh!"

The idiots wanted to escape.

No matter since there's a surprise outside.

"Count Bradford! Are you all right?"

Kingdom forces guarding the embassy were surrounding the place.

Before coming here, I asked them to lend me a large amount of them.

They seemed to want to refuse after I told them I was going to kick some shady guys' asses.

But I threatened them with, if they didn't back me up, I was going to cause a lot more trouble, but the kingdom would be hurt.

So they reluctantly came with me and I ordered them to wait until they saw a broken wall.

I just didn't expect them to take turns like this.

As I was telling details to the leader of the knights who were taking these idiots prisoner.

I found a notebook that seemed to have fallen out of the flying mustache.

Opening it, I found some very important information.

"It seems that Derrick-chan has done some very bad things. But with this, not only will I crush him, his house will also feel the noose around their necks that I will put on them."

I gave a wicked little laugh and handed the notebook to the head knight.

Turning around I found Lucy coming running towards me with the sapling in her arms.

"Rudel-kun! What the heck was that all about?"

Is what anyone would ask after seeing it.

"Take it as something only the Hero of the Realm can do. More importantly, I don't know how much time I have left, but Lucy, what will you do now?"

If Lucy is left under the protection of the kingdom forces that would be great. Then I wouldn't have to worry about her.

But if they took the sapling from her and used it to extort money from me and stop the duel it would be very problematic for my revenge.

"I... I want to go with you to the duel."

But her words stunned me as she didn't formulate part of what would happen.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes. I want to see... what you are capable of."

Her eyes sent me a strange feeling of seeing how far I can go.

"I understand. I have no problem with it."

"Thank you. But how do we get there if it's less than ten minutes to the duel?"

"I can think of a way, but I only want to tell you if you give me permission."

She looked at me as if I had said the weirdest thing in the world.

"Uh, permission? I don't know what for, but do it."

"In that case, I hope you won't be uncomfortable."

"Huh? W-What are you doing?"

Lucy didn't understand what was going on, it was normal since without warning I grabbed her shoulder and then her legs to carry her like a princess.

Wait, I feel something similar like this happened once already?

After lifting her up, she seemed nervous.

My right hand inadvertently caressed her soft and plump thigh. I couldn't feel it because of the glove, but it seemed very soft to the touch.

"You don't need to hold on to me, just get a really good grip on that sapling."

"Hey, what are you talking about? Put me down."

"Sorry, but you said you want to go and there's no time."

After telling the leader knight that he was leaving. Aster's forces were arriving, I left the trouble to them.

"Now Lucy. Let's go!"

"Hey, huh?"

I took a slight boost after charging magic power into my boots and shot off into the sky.

"Noooooooo!!!"

Lucy screamed as she held the sprout tightly.

"We'll be there in less than 5 minutes like this! As long as you don't move too much, but first I have to go pick up some stuff at home that I forgot."

And so, I hopped across the rooftops to get to the duel.

◇◇◇

"Hey, what was that?"

A boy watched Rudel jump from one building to another, but because that was impossible to imagine he denied it.

"Is something wrong, Tom-kun?"

"No. More importantly, girls. today's my day off so why don't we go watch the duel that's coming up shortly?"

"Eh, I don't want to. I'd rather ride in your new car."

"Me too."

"Haha, sorry. In that case, fasten your seat belts tightly, I'll speed up."

And so, a capture target event was eliminated without being able to start.

◇◇◇

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

"How long are he going to make me wait! They're looking pitifully at this terrifying duel, huh?"

Rudel wasn't arriving and the crowd was also making annoyed noises.

Derrick shouted angrily at Professor Malcolm, who was acting as referee.

"The time for the duel has long since come! If you keep delaying it like this, then that means you're taking the oath to the sacred tree lightly!"

Even if Derrick won, it would only look like he was torturing the weak.

Sara was also waiting patiently, but what Derrick said was true. Rudel should have arrived long ago.

"That trash didn't come since he's a coward, gyahaha. The great Derrick is getting upset since that trash is disrespecting the sworn duel to the sacred tree."

"Professor Malcolm, please start the duel."

Sara was telling him that as she too felt it was an offense to the duel sworn to the sacred tree.

Just as he raised his hand, a voice came from the sky.

"Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaait!"

Everyone raised their heads at the sound of a mysterious voice. In a few seconds that passed with their heads stretched out, they observed an object fall.

It was a human body. It was Rudel who was falling from the sky with a girl in his arms.

In less than 5 seconds Rudel fell from the sky generating a cloud of dust and destroying the place a little.

Lucy was trembling as she was being hugged by him while receiving the impact.

Derrick observed that, gritted his teeth and climbed up to Battler who was unrecognizable.

Sara would come running up to Rudel along with Malcolm.

"Rudel-kun what just happened just now!"

"Why did you fall from the sky and you're not dead?"

Rudel seeing them didn't give them any explanations.

He left Lucy on the ground who was trembling.

"None of that matters. Give me just two more minutes to start the duel."

Sara looked at Rudel who was covered in dust and blood while Lucy was dressed as if she was inside her house, but she was outside.

"Let me ask him. Derrick, are you okay with two more minutes of waiting."

Derrick heard her and clicked his tongue.

"It doesn't matter if it's two or an hour, it'll still be ground beef!"

Sara exhaled loudly and said.

"Looks like you have two minutes to rest. But I want you to tell me all about it later, okay?"

"Okay."

Rudel walked over to Lucy and helped her walk to the stairs that connected to the bleachers while carrying her backpack.

Sara watched them, she looked annoyed, but then turned around to touch her cheeks with both hands.

Her face was red, she looked like a girl in love after seeing a romantic event impossible to believe.

Malcolm watches her and then Rudel.

◇

After leaving Lucy on a seat and equipping myself with what I brought in my backpack, I headed to the center of the arena.

There, I heard different kinds of voices.

"No way, he's really coming out without an armed unit."

"He' s going to get killed."

"This is because he went against a great nobleman."

Those who felt sorry for me, and those who mocked.

"What's wrong, Altfode hero!"

"You can't even prepare any armed units, huh?"

"You think you're brave for just coming to a duel without an armed unit?"

"I paid a lot of money in a post about how you'll finish and in what minute! Don't disappoint me!"

It was a bunch of garbage. But I was more intrigued to see Battler who was disgustingly unrecognizable.

"Uwa~, what bad taste~"

The pilot, Derrick laughed when he saw me.

"Gyahahahaha! Hey, are you forgetting that this is a duel with an armed unit, you idiot!!?"

Even though he was the one putting pressure on the merchants so that he couldn't get any armed units, he had no scruples about mocking me like this.

"I'm surprised that you can say that when you had planned it all along."

"It's your fault for being fooled!"

Derrick's words were not wrong.

That was correct, the one who was deceived was to blame.

Battler, who now looked like a villain's vehicle, pointed his index finger at me.

"Don't think I'll forgive you even if you apologize now!"

I was listening to Derrick's speech while adjusting my crotch that was really bothering me.

"What, are you going to fight with those toys?"

I had on my hip two swords, it was the only thing I could use and not look suspicious. Besides, after replacing the force shield I shouldn't be afraid.

I watched that scumbag laugh while his filthy tongue was out.

"Hey, motherfucker."

"Let's start this show that all these people came for."

I could feel my blood boiling as my revenge was about to begin.

"Gyahaha, after I'm done with you I'll go to the kingdom and conquer it as the cherry on the cake!"

I smiled at those words.

"A good show needs the villain and the hero. In this case, we are both villains. May the best villain win."

The professor closed his eyes thoughtfully after seeing my smile confirming the duel.

Lucy and Sara looked at me worriedly, and when Professor Malcolm asked Sara to raise her right hand.

"Oh sacred tree, please observe this duel. Give your blessing of victory to the righteous. ... The duel will now begin!"

Derrick moved right after that proclamation.

Battler's cockpit closed and he pulled out two battle axes from his backpack and held them ready in each of his hands.

"Finally! The great Derrick will get to show what he's capable of, yuju!"

Battler's appearance was sinister. There was also Derrick's voice to go with it.

"He's scary now that I'm looking at him from the outside."

Battler's huge body was heading my way.

It was scarier than a dump truck running towards me at full speed, but I ran away from him.

"Haaa!"

Derrick was taken by surprise.

He ran around the arena and just as he seemed to catch up to me.

He brought the axe down to hit me, but I slipped right under Battler's legs at that moment.

"It's unexpectedly hard to attack a human, isn't it?"

When I got behind Battler and said that, he turned around and spoke in a disgusting voice that didn't match him.

"Don't be arrogant after escaping just once, I'll use you as an example in front of everyone! The public will also be more excited if you put up a bit of a fight!"

"You're just good at making excuses, huh?"

"I'll kill you even if you cry while begging for your life!!!"

"Excellent. Don't forget those words."

My wicked grin was showing.

Battler swung his two battle axes like a great bow.

One after another swing of the axes he dodged them without interest.

"What's wrong? Derrick-chan~, you can't hit me despite being so big. Wait, you sure can't use your tool well on some girl in the same way either, pupupu."

I was starting to tease him as I dodged blow after blow from the axes.

But at the same time I was scared, if I was just a second slower. He would have hit me and I would have been split in half.

I could be laughing at him. But a fight against an armed unit and me being a human being, it's really disadvantageous.

"You know, I have an older brother. That guy's a useless idiot, but guess what, he's got better hand-eye sync than you, pupupu."

Derrick sounded increasingly annoyed.

"It's no fun using these weapons!"

He was losing his temper because I kept running. He discarded his axes. It was childish of him to blame his weapons like that.

"It's your lack of strength. You really have no talent as a pilot, you can't kill me, even if you're using Battler. I think it will be better if you don't mount an armed unit."

Derrick had a hard time accepting my honest comment and pulled out a new weapon.

"Games over, you fucking bitch."

He pulled out a mini machine gun that I never touched again after the war.

There were screams coming from the audience seats.

"I'll blow you to pieces until there's nothing left!"

I smiled at Derrick, who was pointing at me as the cannons were spinning.

"Oh, how scary~, Derrick-chan pulled out a gun bigger than his own!"

"DIEEEEEEEE!"

Derrick pulled the trigger without hesitation.

Bullets flew at high speed and I pulled out my swords to repel them.

Since the shield was activated, my fear was halved.

When the bullets hit the sand wall, the faint membrane that enveloped it began to glow.

It was the magic shield protecting the audience seats.

But the bullets pierced through that shield and pierced the wall.

"What's going on, the fun is just beginniiiiing!!!"

I swung at the bullets to cut them with my swords.

I could feel the impacts touching my body.

It felt like an approaching rugby ball was hitting my stomach.

A large amount of dust rose up.

"Why don't you die, this fucking trash!"

I kept repelling the bullets with great intensity and one of my swords flew out of my hands.

Right there it ran out of ammunition.

He pulled out a loader to replenish the bullets. I moved to pick up my sword and run off once again.

The attack resumed, but this time he missed me.

"YOU FILTHY COWARD WHO CAN ONLY RUN AROUUUUUUUUUUUND!"

I was running at high speed as I did the same thing when I fought the guy with the mustache.

Not a single bullet touched me this time.

"FUCKING THIRD WORLD SCUUUUUUUUM!"

Derrick dropped the gun and grabbed the axes again.

He was running straight at me, seemingly fed up with me ridiculing him in public.

His big hand reached out to hit me, so I slid under his legs to dodge him.

This move caused him to fall on his head.

"Hahaha, what a clumsy and poor idiot I was! Hahaha, you really are too pathetic to pilot an armed unit, hahaha!"

Even if I say that, I was really about to die, the shield went down quite a bit. Now it would be my turn to fight melee.

"Don't babble so proudly when you can only run!"

"A trash that can't even beat a single flesh and blood human shouldn't talk like it's a human!"

"AAAaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!!!"

Derrick was approaching, I charged the swords with magic power and used them to cover myself.

A large cloud of dust erupted due to the impact.

I could feel the great weight of having a machine and heavy weapons against simple modified iron.

My arms were shaking. Derrick was still pushing hard and little by little my feet were breaking through the sand and sinking me.

With the strength I wasn't using, I directed the weight to the side which raised a large cloud of dust which allowed me to escape.

At that moment, I took the opportunity to run.

Even though it was only half a day, I got a lot of exercise. If it wasn't for the training I had before I came and what I have done so far, I would have really died from fatigue by now.

"Don't run away and come here, you fucking bitch!"

Derrick was chasing me worse than a dog chasing a bone.

◇◇◇

The battle raging in the area could not be called a duel.

A large black armed unit was attacking a flesh and blood human with a sinister weapon.

Rudel owned Battler and knew its weaknesses. But it was still not enough to defeat Derrick who was using it.

Great clouds of dust and rumbles could be heard in the arena.

In the audience seats, Lucy watched worriedly as she hugged the sapling vial. She feared Battler would catch him sooner or later.

"Something like this isn't a duel."

The one-sided development elicited shouts from seats in the audience.

There were also those who looked down without looking among the students who were forced by Derrick to come here.

"Please, someone stop this duel."

"Should I stop it?"

Lucy looked down and prayed. Then, she heard Jude's voice mingled among the murmurs of the crowd.

When Lucy turned around, Jude was standing there as he smiled.

Jude was looking at Lucy and gave her a suggestion.

"I will stop this duel. In return, be mine."

"Jude, you, even at times like these!"

Jude was making use of this situation to get her. Lucy showed her displeasure.

"You still refuse? ... Then that man is going to die."

Jude pointed to Rudel, who was running around the arena.

He was fighting hard against Battler.

The battle axes were swinging wildly as he dodged, but one of them struck both blades and sent him flying into the wall.

Rudel spat blood. Once again, Derrick was coming forward to attack.

Clouds of dust and rumbling was what was down there.

She saw Rudel fight not long ago, but the battle now was totally different as her opponent took no damage.

Lucy covered her face with one hand.

"I hate you, I hate you, I hate the great nobles!"

Jude was looking at Lucy as she talked about Rudel's situation.

"I'll settle the matter if that guy lets go of the sacred tree sapling. If you refuse, Banfield Household will also join in denouncing the kingdom. The foreign students and their families will be victims because of your fault."

When she heard that, she realized that, if it was Jude right now, if it was the Aster nobles right now, they would surely have no scruples in denouncing the Altfode Kingdom.

(... This country is rotten.)

Lucy pulled her hand away from her face and looked at Jude with a tearful face.

Rudel and the others would be saved if she accepted Jude's suggestion.

But if she refused, this boy would continue to do irrational things to get her.

(So in the end, you can't challenge a nobleman? No, rather, you can't challenge the sacred tree no matter what.)

The sacred tree was absolute for people who were born in the Supreme Kingdom.

Lucy gave up thinking that there was no way for her to escape.

(Then the sacred tree has not yet forgiven those of Vermillion Household.)

It was as if she could feel the will of the sacred tree that it would not let her escape.

Just as she was about to accept Jude's offer with a pained look, Sara approached them with a few firm steps and slapped Jude's cheek hard.

"Sara! What are you- boo!"

Sara launched the second slap immediately. She then spoke forcefully toward Jude.

"Don't you dare do that dirty deed here. Making use of someone else's grief to lay your hand on a woman, you're the worst. I can't believe the next head of Banfield Household is advancing on a woman with this kind of despicable method."

"Sara, even for someone from the Rosenberg Household, there are some things you just can't say."

"I'm just telling you not to get in the way of the duel, will Derrick really stop if you ask him?"

"Remember this, if you join Derrick, I will seriously crush you."

The surrounding eyes focused on Jude and Sara's conversation.

Malcolm was also here with them. Jude looked like he was thinking that this situation was not in his favor and left.

"T-Thank you."

"... I didn't do it to save you. I simply don't want anyone to get in the way of Rudel-kun's duel.

"After all, it seems he has a plan."

Rudel still showed no sign of giving up even in the face of the desperate situation.

Sara was keeping a close eye on that situation. Her eyes staring intently at Rudel, Lucy asked curiously.

"Sara, why are you so obsessed with him?"

Sara did not answer Lucy's question.

"It's also strange for the princess of Rosenberg Household to side with a foreign student. Besides, it was also the same with Jude right now. Rudel-kun would be saved if I, whom you hate, would pass me to be a possession of Jude. You might as well get the sapling from the sacred tree."

Sara was crossing her arms. Her hands were gripping her own arms tightly.

"You don't need to know anything. It's none of your business either."

A part of Lucy also suspected that Sara was planning something wicked against Rudel. But from what she was seeing, Sara seemed to be genuinely concerned about Rudel.

They both watched the duel, but suddenly something happened.

Unexpectedly, Battler was thrown against the wall.

A huge attack was launched at him.

Battler fell to his knees. Derrick did not understand what was happening.

Rudel was slowly approaching Derrick.

His face was distorting showing a terrifying face. It wasn't the one he normally makes, it was a face that showed all the rancor stored up.

"Hey, Derrick-chan, get up."

Rudel stopped, his wicked face now showing a very sinister smile.

"The revenge game, it's barely begun, hehehe."

Erselica saw that face and thought of only one thing.

(That face... I remember it. That's the face he makes when he's going to ruin someone's life.)

Her sweat was cold as she shivered at the sight of that smile.

(Those girls... the time he got mad at them it was just a tantrum. But this time, that idiot Derrick has been looking for a person with a lousy temper to get angry.)

(Partly. My brother and the real Rudel are similar.)