Wager

[The winner is contestant Haruto!]

The announcer declared Haruto's victory after he knocked out his opponent. Today is the 2nd round of the main tournament and Haruto once again stood at the stage. His opponent was stronger than the previous but it still not a problem for him to win. He knocked out the opponent with a single blow on the solar plexus. The match ended with no more than half a minute.

"Damn, this kid is really strong as the rumor said."

"And he didn't seem to be serious either, he truly the most genius fighter I ever seen!"

"I agree, he's still very young and already this powerful. I bet in the future he might become the second White Monarch."

"Hmph, don't be ridiculous. He maybe quite talented but comparing him to the White Monarch, I'm afraid he's nowhere close enough!"

"Yeah, he still haven't met with the truly strong opponent, we can't be sure just yet. Maybe he's not that strong after all and defeated in a similar manner next!"

The audiences where making noises as they didn't expect a boy not even reaching 20 years old was advancing to the third round. There's mix reactions between admirations and deprecations on his performance. Still, Haruto didn't care about that and exited the arena.

He went back to the waiting room along with his companions who came to him after leaving the audiences seats. There's Lumina among them too as she was coming to see his match. Although he just achieved victory but the atmosphere was not that cheery as they all knew there's no way he's going to lose, for them it was natural.

....

Some time after they went back to the waiting room....

The place was a different waiting room exclusive to the wild cards participants located in basement. The room was vastly more luxurious with the wall made of gold decorated by extravagant ornaments.

There's a large grandiose bed right in the center where a young lion beastman surrounded with several beautiful ladies were laying with almost non-existent clothes. The ladies were showing empty expression as if they were dolls as they served the man without showing emotions other than a fake smile.

"S-Sire, this humble servant congratulates you for advancing to the third round..."

As the voice sounded, the golden haired lion beastman raised his body while his hand received a glass of wine from one of the young women.

"I never expect you to enter my room while I was still relaxing. Perhaps just because you and I know each other a little bit you're getting too full of yourselves lowly mongrel?"

(AN: Imagine Gilgamesh-chan)

His eyes gazed sharply at the kneeling man in front of the bed. If observed closely, this man was the merchant Doen who was approaching Haruto's group during the registration the other day.

The pressure the lion beastman radiated made the man trembled heavily out of fear. His body was letting out cold sweat and just trying to open his mouth needed a lot of effort.

"I-I wouldn't dare to, Erick-sama. T-This humble servant was merely intended to inform you regarding the matters from the other day."

"...."

The lion beastman Doen called Erick narrowed his eyes coldly making Doen's body trembled even harsher.

Erick knew what matters Doen was mentioning of, it was regarding Haruto's group. After he left them a few days ago, he was confronted by his furious father preaching him for his violent actions. As usual, he ignored his father and went to Doen's place in order to order him to gather more info regarding Haruto's group.

Usually, he would never bother with someone's background regarding women but his impression for Asami and the other girls ignite his curiosity.

"Very well I forgive you this time. Speak."

"Y-Yes sire! I-I managed to learn a few things about them from my connections in the southern continent. It seems like most of the people in that group was originated from unknown background, it was as if they suddenly appeared out of thin air. F-For the fox little girl and knight woman, the former is from the rural village on the remote place located in the corner of Filtrania's main province.

As for the latter, she came from the high-ranking human noble Grehilde house. She was originally going to serve as the wife of the house's inheritor that will fall to her future husband but she left the house due to conflict with other noble house and became a member of knight forces, placing herself as a Grand Knight just recently."

"....Rural village? Are you sure about that?" Erick furrowed his brows hearing Fia's background. After he left, he somehow felt a strange sense of familiarity to the young fox girl's appearance. As for a knight coming here, he guessed it was natural considering their status as the people sent by the Human Emperor so he didn't question that.

He was a bit annoyed not learning of the most important girl's background but he expected no less from his soon-to-be bride.

"Y-Yes, I also confirmed this from the people of that village, there shouldn't be any mistake."

"Is that so.... Hmph, very well. You can leave now."

"Eh? Sire? Where are you going to?"

Erick left the bed and started to put on his clothes with the young ladies' help. He turned his head and glared at Doen.

"Who are you questioning me where will I go to? If not for your work in fulfilling my order, your head and neck would already separated from each other by now."

"F-Forgive my insolence!" He slammed his head on the ground.

"But well... since I'm in a good mood today, I allow you to accompany me on picking up my wives just like I promised them before." Erick sneered.

"S-Sire, that means...."

"Naturally, we're going to their room. At the same time I can also deal with that annoying insignificant trash." He snorted and thought of his suppose opponent his father asked him to, he should eliminate him sooner to avoid wasting his time while also slapping the Human Emperor's face by doing that.

Doen was joyful as he could have revenge on the people humiliated him the other day. Without daring to open his mouth any further in order to avoid angering Erick, he followed the golden haired beastman silently.

By this time both of them didn't know that their action now is the same as digging their own graves...

....

Back in Haruto's waiting room.

The group was leisurely playing card games after they watched all the important matches. After this, they only needed to wait for Lotus' second match so they're playing games here to kill some time.

"Heh heh, I got you~ Full House!"

Lumina showed her cards and declared with smug face. Kaori snorted and revealed her own cards to her.

"Not so fast Lumina-san! Straight Flush!"

"W-What!? No way~!!"

"Hehe, it's my second win now~"

Kaori chuckled with proud face. The others made sour face as their card sucks. Haruto who was watching the girls playing excitedly made a displeased expression.

"It's not fair. Why am I the only one not allowed to play?"

He complained with sulky tone because the girls didn't let him join the fun. That's why he could only watch them play from the side doing nothing. The girls rolled their eyes on him hearing his complains.

"It won't be fun if you play along Haruto-kun." Kaori said.

"The winner will be decided right away like that..." Rikka wryly smiled.

"It's weird that Nii-sama would always draw the highest card among us." Elsie pouted. She remembered when one of them drew a Four of a Kind and he drew a Royal Straight Flush, it was unreasonable.

"Yeah, what do you mean unfair? You're the unfair one here." Asami grumbled.

"...That luck is cheating." Fia murmured.

"I cannot support you this time Milord." Selianna averted her eyes.

"Now I understand how he won against me at that time." Lumina nodded with amazed face.

Haruto turned silent because he couldn't refute their sound arguments. It is indeed bizarre how peerless he was at this kind of games. Just like Asami said, it was as if he's blessed by the god of mini-games himself. He remembered trying to enter a gambling place to earn money after their parents' death. He stopped after almost making one of them run out of business and intentionally reduced his earnings severely to avoid being targeted as a result.

"Okay, let's forget about this, why don't we go back to the spectator's seats? Lotus' match should begin soon." He suggested to divert the topic.

"Oh right, it should be two matches after the current one and it should be ending soon too." Rikka looked at the clock.

"Fine then, are you coming too Lumina-san?" Asami nodded and asked.

"Well~ I guess seeing that girl once after some time is not that bad. I wonder how strong she is right now too fufufu." Lumina said.

"That's settled. Let's tidy up here and- ...Hm?"

"Haruto-kun?"

Haruto turned his head on the door with his eyes narrowed. Kaori and the others noticed the odd behavior but then they saw Lumina was also glancing at the same direction as him making amused smile.

"Someone's coming. It's that chuuni bastard from before." He said as his face looking like he was swallowing a bunch of bugs. The girls reacted from his statement and their expression turned ugly.

*Bang!*

Just like before, the door was forcefully opened even though it was only recently repaired. There wasn't any resistance from the staffs and judging from the energy sense Haruto felt, it was likely the culprit was knocking them out from behind.

"Hello my loves, I came here as I promised."

As they expected, the same golden haired lion beastman appeared behind the broken door. He was smiling softly like a gentleman even though the others could feel the repulsing atmosphere coming out of him. There's another man standing there but Haruto and the others had already long forgotten about him.

"You really are persistent huh? We already told you that we didn't have time to play along with your fantasies." Haruto snorted. The girls also moved close behind him right away as if they were showing their response.

Erick narrowed his eyes fiercely at this, it was obvious his anger was ignited from the actions they've shown on him. Glaring intensely on Haruto, he opened his mouth.

"Trash, you should realize your own place here. I'm not a very patient man and thinking you dare to offend me, I don't have problem to crush you into pieces right this instant."

"...Hee~, that's an interesting thing to say there."

Before Haruto could answer, another voice came from the side belonged to a young woman. Erick turned his gaze to her and his eyes opened widely out of shock in an instant. Not only him, Doen behind him was also making pale face as if he was seeing a ghost.

"....Y-Y-You are....." His voice was stuttering.

The young woman smiled brightly as she stood while crossing her arms.

"Hey there little kitty, it's been a long time isn't it~?" She said waving her hand.

"Princess Luminette..."

Erick said while gritting his teeth fiercely. He was glaring at Lumina with hateful gaze that seemed capable of cutting someone into thousand of pieces.

"Hehe so you remember me. I'm so touched here!" Lumina giggled.

Haruto and the others were perplexed seeing their interactions and how such an arrogant man was showing that kind of reaction in front of Lumina.

"Why are you here.....?" Erick asked with dark expression.

"Oh? You want to know? You really want to know??"

"Just answer me!!"

Erick shouted furiously like an explosive volcano, his aura fluctuated at the same time with his yell, cracking the surrounding wall and floor along the decorations.

Lumina laughed ignoring for his outburst before she raised her index finger to her lip.

"...The answer is a secret hehehe!" She laughed once again even more loudly after that.

"...."

Haruto and the others was looking at Lumina with amazement. They were speechless from the attitude she's showing that could make people coughed up blood.

By now Erick already bit his lip until it was bleeding, he was directly humiliated right in front of the girls he was interested in. But there's no way he could do anything against HER unless he was bored on living. No matter how high his arrogance and pride was, he knew there's some people he absolutely couldn't offend currently, one of them was Lumina. He met her several times in the past and the same thing always happened.

Although Lumina was considered the strongest human but that was because there's still unknown Transcendents not making appearance in public at all, otherwise the title of The Strongest in The World would already given to her.

Calming himself down desperately, he took back his flowing dark golden aura and slowly regained back his demeanor.

"Princess Luminette, I'm not here to cause trouble for you so I also wish you won't interfere with my matters." His tone became more polite when he was talking with Lumina.

"Ara? Is that so? What is your business here then?" She tilted her head.

"Previously, I proposed to these beautiful ladies to become my spouses. I promised to pick them up and I came here to keep my promise." He explained.

"Hee~ this is a little unexpected, what do you think my dear sisters?"

Lumina raised her eyebrows and looked at the girls. They shrugged and shook their head with disgusted face as an answer to her. Erick saw this but he paid more attention to Lumina's statement.

"Dear sisters? Princess Luminette what could you mean by that?" He asked dubiously.

"Ara, you didn't know about it?"

"What?"

"They're Haru-tan's lovers so me becoming his future wife meant they're my sisters!" She explained cheerfully as she moved close to Haruto and clung on his arm.

"What!?"

Erick shouted full of shock and disbelief, he glanced incredulously at the young boy who was surrounded by all the extreme beauties he was fond of as they were blushing being called as Haruto's lover. But what most shocking is the revelation of Lumina declaring Haruto as her future husband.

'Why him? Why is it not me?'

He couldn't comprehend the fact laid right in front of his eyes. Unable to accept the situation, he was directing murderous gaze on Haruto.

"Princess Luminette, you must be joking. How could such a puny man become your husband? There's an obviously incomparably better choice right here."

"Oh? You're saying you're better than Haru-tan?"

"Better? No, I'm the best." He declared proudly.

'What an absurdly narcissistic guy...' Haruto and the other girls behind him thought. Lumina laughed hearing this as if she was hearing the most amusing thing in her life.

"If that's what you think why don't you try it during your match later?" She said.

"Hmph, very well. I make sure to crush him right in front of you people's eyes."

"*Sigh* You guys were deciding things on yourselves. This is troublesome." Haruto sighed.

"Princess Luminette, I agree with your challenge but there's something that I want if I win." Erick said.

"Hm? What?"

Erick seemed hesitate for awhile but resoluted himself and opened his mouth. His face while he was doing so was similar to a man that's was about to go for a war that he might not return.

"....If I win, I want you to be my ....slave."

"...."

Haruto and the girls widened their eyes violently as if their eyes about to pop out from their sockets. All of them except the two in this room was making expression like they were seeing a madman. Doen's almost fainted hearing what his protector was doing.

'This guy, did he not afraid of dying? How prideful he was the wanted the abnormal monster princess to be his slave?' They thought.

Lumina's face was covered by her bangs so it couldn't be seen what she was thinking of right now. Time seemed to move extremely slow from the horrifying tension on the room. Erick himself knew he was basically trying to commit suicide but he still wanted to try his luck.

...

...

...

Time passed by and after he began to regret his actions thinking he's going to die-

"Okay, sure."

Lumina said smiling, making everyone dumbfounded.

"....What?" Erick was stupefied.

"I will be your slave if you win."

"R-Really?" He was doubting his own ears.

"Yup, you know I'm not the type to break my promise right~?" Lumina nodded.

"Heh... heh heh heh. Is that so... Then-"

"If you CAN defeat him, that is."

"...."

Erick was beginning to laugh joyfully knowing Lumina agreed on his condition. But she interrupted him with a strong voice that made him grew silent. Her face was radiating confidence and certainty as if she was very sure on her odds. Even Erick was intimidated by how strong her confidence was and couldn't help but feel more hateful against Haruto.

The black haired boy was silently watching the situation that keep making him dumbstruck. He was confused on how did Lumina was trusting him this much that she's willing to wager her own pride and dignity. Her eyes told him that if he couldn't get past this level of trial, he's not worthy of being her husband.

'Heh, what a crazy girl.'

He thought smiling in his heart. His opinion on Lumina was raising more and more after spending times with her. And now he started to grow fond of her, thinking she's very interesting.

"...You're going to regret your decision Princess Luminette." Erick could see Lumina was looking down on him and that deeply hurt his pride.

"Wait a second, you're receiving something if you win but what if I win?" Haruto asked.

"Ridiculous, do you think you can win against Erick-sama!? Know your place!" Doen who was silent this entire time yelled, he hated Haruto to the bone.

"I'm not talking to you, shut up." He said releasing a shockwave aura to the middle aged merchant, knocking him a few meters away before crashing to the wall.

"Hmph, state your wish Trash." Erick humphed. He was sharing similar feeling with Doen because he didn't have doubt on his own self. He was slightly surprised by Haruto's display of power but for him that still not worth mentioning.

"Sure. If I win, I'll cut that unneeded part on your lower body." He pointed on Erick's manlihood.

"What did you say you trash!?" Erick was furious. This insignificant man dares to castrate him!

"Oh, are you afraid then?" Haruto smirked.

"....As you wish, I'll crush you into pieces later...."

He gritted his teeth and turned his back on them after making a final glance on Asami who was glaring coldly at him. He will make sure they would all regret their choices after he humiliated the man they fond of right in front of their eyes...

-

"Hey, where are you going? I didn't say you can go you know~?"

-

!!!!!

A tremendous terrifying pressure enveloped the whole place like a giant mountain. It was so horrible that their bodies felt like they were crushed into pieces. Only Haruto's group was feeling a lot easier but they also trembled on seeing Lumina making a smile with face resembling a demon from hell. Violet aura was flowing out from her body that made her feel more eerie. Erick and Doen was having illusion of a grim reaper putting its death scythe on their neck.

"...Aaah...aaa..."

Terrifying, it was too terrifying!

Erick still managed to hold his ground while Doen already fell with his pants wet out of fear. It was the first time for both of them to feel how close death was. The lion beastman already knew the terror of Lumina so he's not surprised but the merchant was unfamiliar with it as he never met her in person before.

"I already give my promise to that little kitty but that didn't mean I can let you off for being so gutsy to say such thing to me you know~? That little kitty back then has grown up into such courageous man isn't it? I wonder how you guys going to be responsible in dealing with my mood here fufufu"

Even her voice became slightly distorted as she spoke. Anyone there could see Lumina was infuriated from the discourteous thing Erick said to her. The person himself thought he was already safe after she agreed but he never thought she's still pissed off! He slightly cursed himself for forgetting the temperament of this insane princess. There's no way she's not angry from that.

"Well, I can't do anything to the little kitty because Haru-tan had to fight him later so I guess the other person will do~"

"!!"

*Fwip*

Lumina vanished from their sight and appeared in front of Doen who was sitting on the ground with his body losing strength. He couldn't perceive Lumina approaching him with her palm glowing violet extended on his face. His eyes reflected the tender white hand that could captivate every man with how beautiful it was. But at this time, it seemed like the most horrifying thing in the world.

-

-

-

"Disappear."

-

-

-

*Paaa---*

A brilliant purple light erupted from Doen's body at the same time Lumina spoke with echoing voice no different than a judgement from hell. The purple light illuminated the room as the people there saw the figure of the middle-aged man being distorted like a blurry image.

"AH AAAAAAAARRGHHHHHHH----------!!!!!"

The terrorizing hysterical scream of agony sounded from the merchant's throat. His body began to disintegrate into countless particles of light starting from the top. The process continued with ghastly speed, just a second later his feet was dispersed into purple particles too just like his upper body.

The people there could still remember the horror in the pitiful merchant's eyes before they disappeared. Right now the room became eerily silent once again with the light faded out completely.

There's nothing left at all from the place the person was in before.

It was as if he never existed from the very beginning.