"Hey, ......"

"Huh?"



　Badra turned to me, dripping with cold sweat.



"Duel!"

"What?"

"You will duel me!"



　Dueling.......

　Came up in my study of the history of the empire.

　Nobles are allowed to fight for what they want, regardless of their current crime, if they are challenged to a duel. It was a simple system to maintain the balance of power in a military state, in which the stronger party would rise to the top.

　However, this system is not used these days. The law has taken precedence, and the merits of dueling have almost disappeared.

　And this system is only for the nobles who bet on their houses. It does not apply to legitimate sons who have not yet succeeded to the title.



"Mr. Bhadra, ...... this is an insult to this country, albeit a bitter one."



　Merillia told him in disgust at the various contradictions in his proposal.

　But Varda was not intimidated.



"Hey!　You will fight me in a fair duel!　If you win, I will prove your innocence. But if I win!　You will pay for all your sins and leave this country!"

"You're so f*cked up, ......."



　Awen sighs in disgust.

　Merilia could no longer do anything but stare in disbelief. But she quickly regained her composure and interrupted.



"Do you really think you can get away with that?　When a nobleman challenges a commoner to a duel, he risks his life, or at least his family's destruction, if he loses. It is precisely because nobles are such powerful beings that they are entrusted with positions that support the rule of the land and the nation."

"Gosh, let's do this at ....... If I lose, so be it. But if I win!　That the man is responsible for this whole story."

I don't think you can get away with such selfishness...

"Fine."



　I am sorry to interrupt Her Highness Merilia, but I know that the sooner I leave the better, the sooner I can keep Varda at bay.

　I'm more interested in the dueling system than anything else.



"Mr. Lilt, are you sure you want to ......?　If you lose, you'll be guilty of something you don't want, right?"

"Yes. But I think it would be better for the princess and Rear Admiral Girn if I finish it myself."



　I tried to give him a sense of security by being aware of the <> that Awen had told me to use, but the aftermath of that seemed to have gone the way of Bhadra.



"Gosh. ......"

"Well, ...... this would be ......."



　While Baadra flinched, Rear Admiral Girun nodded his head in agreement.

　It seems to have worked.



"...... understand. We will do it in a less time-consuming way."

"No, Princess. Let's use this as a test."

"Oh. That's good. The next step was the practical test anyway.



　The mischievous expressions on the faces of Her Highness Merilia and Rear Admiral Girun were even more impressive than those of Bhadra and his cronies, who were smiling wryly.