Chapter 187

Chapter 187

I Proposed While Drunk and Now the Princesses are Obsessed.

Episode 187: Steeplechasing, Double-dealing, And Unfair Trade (9)

A question appeared on Zeta’s face, one of the Purple Tower’s elites.

“Duel to the death…?”

It was only natural when you thought about it.

After rendering the Purple Tower unable to resist, it wouldn’t be strange to decapitate them, yet they were discussing a duel to the death. It meant the Purple Tower could attack freely.

“Auditor, do you even know what a duel to the death means? One side must die. I could kill you myself.”

Zeta said mockingly.

But Jaekiel had a plan in mind.

“Duel to the death or execution, there’s no real difference.”

His calm voice rang out.

“What?”

“No matter how much you struggle, it means I can just proceed with the execution, ignoring any resistance.”

Jaekiel had perfectly assessed Zeta’s combat strength when he was pretending to be a demon.

He had already calculated in his mind. Zeta, no matter how much he struggled, could be completely subdued. Jaekiel could win decisively.

To overwhelm the opponent under the name of a duel to the death, showing the difference in strength while also delivering immense humiliation, there was no better way.

“This bastard…”

Zeta couldn’t hold back his emotions and even swore, but Jaekiel didn’t listen. He cut him off mid-sentence.

“Have you come up with a hundred different plans in your head? Don’t think of trying any foolish tricks. Until the banquet, you’ll stay by my side as a prisoner.”

“…”

“Literally, you’ll remain like a prisoner, and when the banquet arrives, I’ll have you perform like a jester. In the end, you’ll meet a miserable death.”

Jaekiel then turned his head towards the elders.

“You’re not exempt either. All the magicians of the Purple Tower who were complicit in this will take part in the duel to the death that day. It won’t end until you’re all dead.”

The elders’ expressions became very stiff.

On the other hand, seeing their faces, now at a loss for words, Jaekiel felt even less inclined to speak.

“Relax your faces. Didn’t you try to kill the Imperial Tower? I think I’ve set up a good situation for you.”

With that, he turned his head quickly.

Immediately, the telepathic messages from Seina and Anes were heard.

-Phew, that really felt refreshing!

-Auditor, this seems like an excellent method. There’s no magician in the Purple Tower who could match you, so there’s no need to worry.

“Those arrogant bastards…”

Zeta muttered, whether to himself or for others to hear, and the conversation came to an end for now.

With all circumstances now favoring the Imperial Tower, could they refuse to duel? Of course not.

The names of Zeta and the Purple Tower’s elders were fully written on the scroll, and after that, there was nothing but silence.

There was no reason for them to converse anymore.

However, Zeta occasionally looked at Jaekiel with a sinister glance.

It felt as though he was openly plotting, trying to find a way to escape even in this situation.

Jaekiel found even that laughable.

The word “elite” seemed almost wasted on him.

“Tie them all up and let’s head towards the Purple Tower.”

After a long while, Jaekiel muttered.

Naturally, confusion appeared on Zeta and the Purple Tower elders’ faces. A few of them even asked.

“…We’re heading to the Purple Tower? What are you talking about?”

“Didn’t I tell you? You’re prisoners.”

Jaekiel wore an icy expression.

“We can’t waste the buildings and resources of the Empire. Prepare to rot in prison until the banquet.”

The road from Clatie City to the Imperial Capital was extremely rough.

Tall, thick grass reaching waist-high, branches hanging like thorns, an unbearably humid temperature… calling it a rough path was an understatement. It was hell.

“Hey, if we use the dimensional magic circle, we could easily–”

“Shut your mouth.”

Jaekiel cut off Zeta’s comment sharply.

Of course, there were faster and easier ways to go, but Jaekiel’s group deliberately chose this path.

They, too, would suffer, but it was to punish the Purple Tower’s magicians. All of them, tied up, looked as though they might collapse at any moment.

On the other hand, Jaekiel’s group was doing fine. Jaekiel’s cold energy periodically cooled their bodies.

Anes spoke up.

“It seems like we’ll need to camp here for the night. It’s already getting dark.”

“If it were just us, we would’ve used magic to rush through…”

Seina glanced at the Purple Tower prisoners.

“Now we’re dragging around these trash bags. There’s no harm in that. Let’s camp for the day.”

Then, Seina suddenly remembered something.

She chose telepathy instead of speaking out loud. This was not something she should say in front of the Purple Tower magicians.

-But this is the place where the Demon Lord appeared before. Should we move a bit further to camp?

-It doesn’t matter. The Demon Lord isn’t someone bound by location. Let’s stay here.

-Yeah, you’re right. Then this place is the most suitable. The Purple Tower bastards need to suffer properly.

Immediately, the three of them began to create a place to stay. Seina’s ice, Anes’s telekinesis, and Jaekiel’s energy combined, speeding up the work.

The Purple Tower’s magicians were simply thrown into the underbrush, while Jaekiel’s group openly built a makeshift shelter in front of them, wrapped in refreshing cold air.

This was a deliberate arrangement to punish the Purple Tower magicians. They even ate their meal in front of them.

As they ate, Seina laughed as she felt the Purple Tower magicians’ gazes on them.

“You ate off the backs of the Empire’s people without a care, yet now you’re acting like you feel hunger.”

“Don’t treat them as humans. They’re just beasts.”

She continued eating while openly mocking the Purple Tower. Even during this, no resistance came from them.

They had walked through the rough terrain all day without eating or using magic. They didn’t even have the strength to resist.

Suddenly, Jaekiel asked Anes.

“Has word of what happened in Clatie spread well?”

“Clatie is a city with many traders coming and going. They’re probably spreading the rumors all day along with their goods.”

“What about the duel to the death?”

“I specifically asked the citizens of Clatie to spread the news about the duel to the death. There will be an enormous crowd on the day of the banquet.”

Jaekiel didn’t have to say anything more. Anes had truly done her job thoroughly.

“Well done.”

There was nothing else to say but praise.

It was then.

“Why not just kill me here?”

Zeta spoke up.

His face had become gaunt after a day of hunger, but his arrogant expression remained unshaken.

“No one can guarantee what variables may arise in a duel to the death. I understand your confidence is sky-high, but if you lose your life in front of so many people, it would be a huge disaster.”

“…”

“The Purple Tower exists for battle, and it will not hesitate to use any method to win. So if you don’t kill me today…”

Zeta grinned.

“…You’ll definitely regret it. That’s what I mean.”

“Maybe I should have muzzled you? You’ve got a big mouth.”

Even though Jaekiel responded dismissively, Zeta became even more confident. Jaekiel was curious where that confidence was coming from.

“Ah, here’s an idea.”

Zeta grinned.

“Should I sell my soul to the demons and gain some power? Then at least I could cut off the limbs of the Imperial Tower’s Auditor in the duel. Not bad, right?”

He spoke about selling his soul.

‘Is he trying to bargain?’

Jaekiel thought for a moment.

Was it just an emotional provocation?

Or, was the Purple Tower trying to reduce embarrassment by getting him killed here? Could it be a calculated move?

If it was the latter, he was someone with a clever, calculating mind, Jaekiel thought.

Boom!

Suddenly, a burst of black energy exploded.

It was strange, the night was covered in darkness, yet there was an unusually black energy.

It was a very concentrated demon energy. Jaekiel’s group quickly got to their feet to respond.

“Auditor, this energy…”

“Could she be back again? Damn it, this is why I don’t like this place!”

Screeek!

Anes and Seina tried to cooperate to create a protective barrier, but something passed with incredible speed, before the barrier could even form.

Was he pierced?

No, it wasn’t that.

However, Jaekiel’s group was not the target.

Wham!

The sound that followed was quite unexpected. Jaekiel had anticipated a huge explosion, but it was just the dull thud of something hitting hard.

“Ugh…!”

Heavy breathing escaped. It was Zeta’s.

Boom!

A reddish-black demon energy spread in all directions, lighting up the area. Naturally, the attacker was revealed.

A woman with ash-colored hair and blindfolded eyes appeared, and she beat Zeta mercilessly.

It was Demon Lord Valetta.

“You would sell your soul to the demons?”

Tsk tsk tsk, the woman clicked her tongue several times.

“Hmm~ No. I don’t take trash like you.”

Valetta had made up her mind.

How to win Jaekiel’s favor?

Why not just beat up the guy he wanted to beat?