Ch.193193. You’re Dead If You Get Up Now.

“Why don’t we just go eat at your place?”

In the only tavern in Pandera territory, Wortman revealed his neat white teeth in a smile.

“How can we do that when Brond is sitting over there glaring at you with that constipated look on his face?!”

Wortman insistently pulled my arm toward the tavern.

The reason was that I’d been allowed to join tomorrow’s monster hunt without taking the test, thanks to the village chief’s permission.

That’s why Brond was sitting at a table some distance away with an expression as rigid as Wortman had described.

I turned my head slightly to glance at Brond before speaking.

“He really can’t hide his expressions, can he?”

“Ah! If only Berik wasn’t on duty today, he’d be holding his stomach laughing at Brond’s face right now… what a shame.”

“Berik’s going to have it rough tomorrow, having to go monster hunting right after tonight’s duty shift.”

“…Yeah, poor Berik.”

By the way.

Today again, Clara was drinking with Brond’s group.

I whispered quietly with a puzzled expression.

“But why does Clara still hang out with Brond even after rejecting his confession?”

“You don’t know? Clara’s a mage too. That’s why they stick together.”

“Huh? Berik is also a mage, isn’t he?”

Wortman gave me an incredulous look.

“Isn’t it obvious? Berik isn’t part of Brond’s faction.”

“Ah… so there are factions among mages too?”

“Factions can only exist when both sides are somewhat equal.”

“You’re saying nothing matters except Brond’s faction.”

“Yeah, so Clara probably hangs out with them reluctantly, like swallowing bitter medicine.”

“What’s the big deal about factions anyway? It’s not like sucking up to them will change your life.”

Wortman let out a short sigh.

“Huff… It might not change your life, but look at Berik who’s excluded from the faction. He’s stuck on duty tonight even though tomorrow is monster hunting day.”

I thought this small territory would be peaceful…

Then again, when three or more humans gather, ostracism exists, so is this just natural?

I looked at Brond again with a sour expression.

“So you’re saying Berik is on duty today because of him, even though he shouldn’t have to be?”

“Hey, don’t stare too much. What if Brond goes berserk like before?”

I took a light sip of my drink.

“Didn’t we come to the tavern to see Brond’s constipated face? Shouldn’t we look then?”

“…What exactly happened to you after leaving Pandera territory that gave you this much courage?”

“His father approved it, so he’ll have to go along with it without complaint. Why would he pick a fight again?”

I gradually raised my voice so Brond and his companions could hear.

I was curious too.

Village Chief Loris must have ordered Selden Alphonse through Jawil Wilson not to cause any disturbances if he wanted something.

However, Wortman couldn’t hide his anxiety at my behavior.

“N-now that you’ve seen Brond’s face, shall we go to my place for another drink?”

“Sure, let’s go. It’s no fun being with someone too scared to say anything.”

Why am I provoking him like this?

After suffering such humiliation last night, shouldn’t a man pay back what he received?

As expected, Brond kept his mouth tightly shut like he’d swallowed honey.

Judging by his reddened face, he was clearly angry, but it seems his father, Village Chief Loris, had given him strict orders.

BANG-! CRASH-!

A drinking glass flew toward my face, but I tilted my head slightly, and it shattered against the wall.

It wasn’t Brond, but one of his companions.

“Jawil Wilson, what did you just say?”

“…Huh? What?”

“You just muttered something about it being no fun with someone too scared to say anything, didn’t you?”

I turned my gaze toward Brond again.

Despite being part of his group, he quickly turned his head away as if it had nothing to do with him.

Ah, so that’s his game?

He thinks it doesn’t matter as long as he’s not directly involved.

Truthfully, Jawil Wilson’s request was weighing on my mind.

However, I needed to give at least a light warning now.

If I appear too easy to push around, who knows what schemes they might plot during tomorrow’s monster hunt?

I might not care, but I couldn’t let Wortman and Berik get hurt.

‘I was planning to show a bit of my strength during the test, but…’

Since Village Chief Loris approved it right away, I had to demonstrate it like this instead.

To show them that the Jawil Wilson they knew no longer exists.

Rising from my chair, I calmly brushed off the companion’s words.

“If you understood perfectly well, why ask ‘what did I just say?'”

“Ha! I was going to let it slide because you’re Berik’s friend, but I see that won’t work.”

“And what will you do if you don’t let it slide?”

“You think a knight stands a chance against a mage!?”

I wanted to blast that guy’s head off with a “Fire Explosion” right then and there.

But I couldn’t.

Everyone would surely be terrified, and Village Chief Loris would become wary of me too.

‘Just a tiny bit.’

With a knowing smile, I walked out of the tavern, jerking my chin.

“Follow me.”

*

The area in front of Pandera territory’s tavern was packed with people eager to see the rare spectacle.

-Jawil Wilson is going to fight Swell!?

-They say he became a knight in a noble family, but isn’t Swell too much for him?

-Yeah, even when they were young, he was no match for Swell.

-Brond says Jawil Wilson has become really arrogant.

-Well, he became a knight in a noble family, so that’s possible.

-Come on, no matter what, can he really beat a mage? Won’t it be over as soon as the mage casts a spell from a distance?

As the crowd grew restless, Swell bit his lip nervously.

For good reason.

According to Brond, Jawil Wilson should have been cowering in fear, but instead he stood there with his arms crossed, completely unfazed.

“Why aren’t you drawing your sword?”

“Why should I?”

“W-what did you say?”

“I said, why should I draw my sword when I can beat you without it?”

He had changed from head to toe.

No, it was impossible not to believe this was a different person.

Jawil Wilson had always been cheerful to the point of foolishness since childhood.

However, he was never someone who couldn’t tell right from wrong.

But now.

Despite clearly knowing that Swell was a mage, there was something profoundly different about Jawil Wilson’s attitude.

Though uneasiness pressed down on his mind, Swell had no way to back down.

Pandera was a small territory.

If he avoided the confrontation, by tomorrow morning everyone in the territory would be mocking him as a coward.

Moreover.

Brond was watching from a distance.

His expression clearly said, ‘What’s taking so long to finish this?’

With no choice, Swell stared at Jawil Wilson standing before him.

“Seems like leaving home has only made your mouth bigger.”

“I think your mouth is the bigger one.”

It was a strange feeling.

Jawil Wilson was still full of openings as always, so why couldn’t Swell move his feet?

Brond didn’t know.

He couldn’t sense the strange aura emanating from the man in front.

Swell squeezed his eyes shut, then opened them.

If he backed down here, he’d fall out of Brond’s favor and be cast aside.

‘Damned if I do, damned if I don’t.’

Swell bent low at the waist and spread his palm.

“Thunder, Kuh!”

Before he could even cast the spell, Jawil Wilson’s palm struck Swell’s neck with force.

Swell clutched his throat and doubled over.

It happened so quickly that the onlookers’ jaws dropped in shock.

-W-what was that!? Is that the movement of a knight from a noble family?

-Wow!! So Jawil Wilson had a reason to be arrogant!!

-Isn’t it unfair to attack before the spell is cast?

-What are you talking about? Is waiting for a spell to be cast part of chivalry?

People watched Jawil Wilson and Swell, offering their opinions one by one.

However, one person—Brond—shouted loudly with a completely distorted face.

“Swell, surely this isn’t over yet!?”

Terror.

It wasn’t because of Brond.

It was Jawil Wilson standing right in front, looking down at him with cold eyes.

The feeling was absolutely overwhelming.

“Kuhak!”

Despite this, Swell, still clutching his throat, put all his strength into his lower body to stand up.

The duel was already as good as over.

The fact that a mage had allowed a knight to get this close was an admission of defeat.

However, Swell was trying to rise only to preserve his life.

If he remained still, he felt he might suffocate under the killing intent pouring down from Jawil Wilson.

“…Spare me.”

Swell whispered quietly.

Humiliation aside, shouldn’t he at least stay alive?

But the answer that came back was even more despairing.

“Stand up now and you die.”

Lose his life?

Objectively speaking, this was absurd.

Yes, there had been provocation, but this wasn’t a duel worth betting one’s life on, was it?

Besides, if Jawil Wilson killed him?

Even if it were a mistake, Pandera territory would hold him responsible.

However.

Swell sensed it.

That Jawil Wilson’s words were absolutely not a joke.

Dignity?

Faction?

What use are those if you’re dead?

Swell slowly released the tension in his lower body.

Then, squeezing his eyes shut, he raised his voice.

“I-I surrender!!”