Chapter 6: Chapter 04 ─ Fun school life

After exploring the dungeon and claiming treasures we went to lunch.

It got late and I was tired, so I opted to go to sleep.

But I didn't go to my house, I went to Erselica's mansion.

Since we bought a lot of food using my money, I wanted to see her expression of begging for food.

She looked like a small dog wagging her tail.

When I woke up, Ixion suggested me to stay until Sara's arrival and he sent her a message.

I was in the living room having my coffee and a breakfast cake.

At the table were the idiots telling Chlust what he missed, but it seems the red gorilla took advantage of them with Erselica.

Someone knocked on the door, Allen went to check.

"Rudel-kun! Are you here!"

Sara's voice shouting I heard it clearly, Allen was stunned.

"I'm here."

I waved at her after noticing my presence.

She immediately came running over, her breasts bouncing at high speed.

She grabbed my shoulders and asked.

"Is it true what the letter said? Did you really find the sapling? You're not lying to me?"

Sara was very confused, Erselica more so since she didn't know what Sara was doing here.

I reassured her.

"It's just like the letter said. What's more, it's there."

I pointed to the sapling in the capsule basking in the sun.

Ixion said he would prepare a space pot so it wouldn't wilt.

Sara walked over to the sapling, her eyes looked like a child's eyes.

"It's real. It really exists."

She immediately looked at me and stood up.

"Please hand the sapling over to me. You're a foreigner, so you don't know how important that sapling is to us."

"I'll give you whatever you want. Money, territories, a noble title... even..."

She blushed and whispered in my ear.

"I can even give you something no one has ever gotten from me."

At that moment, I was so flattered that I unintentionally blurted it out of my mouth.

"I-I'm very flattered that you would consider such extremes to get the sapling. B-But I have fiancées and a beautiful girl like you proposing to me for a night of intimacy is something that certainly turning down is very daunting to say."

Sara blushed immediately.

"I-I-Idiot! I never suggested that! I was mentioning that I would give you a massage or pamper you however you want, I never suggested giving you my chastity!"

"Huh?"

(Ixiooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooon!)

(Kill me pleaseeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!)

I wanted to lie down on the ground and be swallowed up by the earth.

Sara used her coat to cover her breasts.

"W-Whatever. It's true what I said, that sapling is important to us."

"Please tell me what you want in return for him. My father would even give a discount and large sum of magic stones to the kingdom."

That sounds tempting, but I don't want to.

I looked at her face after getting up.

"I have two demands to hand over the sapling to you. The first is that both Derrick and his family stop screwing us over, that includes the ridiculous sum of money the Bartolini's are asking for."

"My second wish is that you give me Lucy Algrand."

I noticed that Sara's shoulders shook at the sound of Lucy's name.

Now that I remember, Erselica reported that she was a villainess, even Ixion reported that last year Sara started bullying Lucy.

"H-How do you know that name?"

She asked uneasily.

I lied to her a little.

"My real reason for coming to this kingdom was because I was tasked by my nation's royal family to find the heiress of Vermillion Household because they made a deal years ago."

Sara looked down.

"I see. So that's why you came."

"...What's wrong?"

I wondered why Sara looked relieved when she heard that I came for Lucy.

"If it's you, then that girl will be happy. In that case, I'll help you, I'll immediately go tell my father your demands."

Sara left immediately without another word, but I could notice how a tear ran down her cheek.

Now with everything ready, all that's left is to wait.

◇◇◇

Under one of the huge roots of the sacred tree, was the temple, a place that makes for important meetings for the great nobles.

In a huge room lit by sunlight were all the great nobles gathered.

Two sides were divided at that long table.

On one side, there was Cliff muttering angrily.

"Stupid useless son, they beat you finding it."

On the other side were the remaining great nobles.

The heads of Wayne Household and Lunor Household were muttering about the situation.

While an attractive young man with blond hair and green eyes, Linus Ian Exner, asked the Acting Chairman.

"This is really something unexpected for us. We are up against a rock and a hard place now in negotiations."

Acting Chairman, a middle-aged man with short blond hair, sharp-eyed green eyes and a scraggly beard, Randolf Ciel Rosenberg was the main villain of this sequel.

"Umm, certainly this is bad for us. If it was one of our knights or family members we could have gotten it without a problem. The problem is that he is a foreigner who filed a complaint..."

The great nobles looked at the man responsible for all this.

An overweight man of short stature, pink hair and oily skin, the top of his hair was down and his gun no longer worked.

The head of the Herring Household, Randy Zaja Herring bared his yellow teeth full of fried chicken thinking he had done something wrong.

"Is something wrong?"

"Randy-dono, can you at least be serious in a situation like this that your son occasioned?"

"Wait a minute Randolf-dono. Doug─ no, what was his name?"

"Derrick."

"Yes! Derrick-chan! It was my son who caused this unexpected event."

"But it wasn't his fault, he was just making sure to make Herring Household proud, we never expected that filthy foreigner could do something like this!"

"It's too late for regrets, we must meet his demands. They are no big deal."

Randolf read the demands his daughter wrote to him.

"With that said, it's not hard not to meet them, we don't even lose anything in fact."

Cliff's cigar fell to the ground as he listened to Lucy's demands.

He averted his gaze from Randolf.

(That boy... could this be a ruse of Randolf's to get her in a roundabout way?)

(It's too convenient, that claim.)

For Randolf, the exigency to stop Derrick was no problem, Randy was annoyed to know that he should apologize.

The only convenient one for him was the names.

(Lucy and... Rudel.)

A lump in his throat he had as he read both names.

"Very well, let's proceed with the negotiations, call a kingdom official to begin the formalities."

Randy was so angry, he had to keep quiet during the whole meeting.

◇◇◇

After learning from his father about the sapling's situation, Derrick and his goons invaded Erselica's mansion, broke down the door.

In their hands they had everything from rifles to swords and even some pirates disguised as footmen.

But upon entering he found the interior fortified, Rudel and the others were prepared for an invasion, Rudel had the sapling at his side, as he pointed his shotgun at Derrick.

"Finally we meet, Derrick-kun."

"You third-world piece of shit."

Derrick's face showed how angry he was, Rudel sneered at him.

"Huh? What's with that stupid loser dog face of yours?"

"Sorry. That's just the way your face is, hahaha."

Derrick walked towards Rudel and suddenly an invisible force stopped him.

Ixion was using some invisible shields to protect everyone.

"What is this?"

"Listen well, you piece of shit."

"You raised your hand against not only my compatriots, you raised your hand against the crown prince of my nation. This is international disrespect."

"You even dared to try to do something harmful by entering foreign territory."

A flag was in the garden, the crest belonged to the kingdom.

Derrick's lackeys stepped on it.

Rudel smiled to see that his plan worked correctly.

"That's three strikes, according to the international treaty of disputes. This deserves a duel."

"A duel?"

Derrick couldn't believe his ears.

"Are you deaf or stupid? I said a duel."

"The duel is to cleanse the soiled honor to our country."

"As a knight, nobleman and minister. I have a duty to cleanse and make my country proud."

(All of the above is true except for making the kingdom proud.)

I stood up and took the sprout.

"A duel between us, the winner gets everything and the loser will be the other's slave."

Derrick burst out laughing.

"Gyahaha! That's the stupidest thing I've ever heard."

"You hear yourself on a daily basis so I find it odd that you would say that."

The discontent on his face increased.

"Alright third world scum."

"You and I will have a duel. I'll choose the place, date and day."

"Fine with me, after all I want there to be witnesses."

"In that case, I swear!"

On the ground a green magic circle manifested, from the ground grew roots that wrapped around their necks.

"What the heck is this!"

"This is the test of the duel."

As the ground finished glowing, the roots withered away.

On Rudel's and Derrick's necks were bright green marks.

"This necklace is proof of a duel agreeable. Whoever violates the agreement will lose his head."

(Hey Erselica, you didn't tell me about that.)

(But it's too late for regrets, my plan to make this idiot come and give him what he deserved after what he did worked.)

Rudel knew he could get Lucy and get rid of Derrick without any trouble, but he didn't want that.

He wanted to publicly humiliate him.

"Very well, I'll let you know by letter on the day. Scumbags, let's go!"

The footmen and Derrick left.

Erselica collapsed on the floor.

"I was afraid! My heart was going to burst out of me."

"It was a good idea to bring Clovis along in case they went after him sooner or later."

I nodded at what Frey said.

"It's as you say. Sorry for using your house as a shield."

"You'd better pay for the repairs!"

"I will, don't be mad."

I looked over to see the little sapling.

"It all happened because of you. You're just like any real infant."

◇◇◇

After reaching his lair, Derrick kicked everything in front of him.

"That miserable son of a bitch! He dared to challenge me!"

Derrick was so angry that he didn't notice that behind him was Enzo.

"Good evening, Derrick-san."

"What the fuck do you want!"

Seeing his face, Derrick cowered like he was a puppy.

"O-Oh, Bartolini-dono, I'm so sorry."

Enzo asked Derrick what happened to make him be like this.

Derrick answered him, the anger in Enzo's look showed for all to see.

"I came just to ask how everything was going about the matter of the noble foreigner and now I hear something that not only doesn't leave humiliated, it's also offensive."

"Derrick-san. I hope you make sure you win right?"

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"I know, I can't let that son of a bitch make fun of me!"

A lackey of Derrick's handed him a copy of Rudel's demands.

Enzo's eyes focused on one paragraph.

"Derrick-san, it looks like we've got a pretty good trump card on our hands."

"What are you talking about?"

Enzo's devilish grin showed his malice.

"We can win if we do this. Besides, that we would win more than we think."

◇

It's been a week since the duel was declared.

Aster's diplomat told me all the chaos that was going on between the kingdom and Aster over the duel.

Apparently the duel must happen, it's a sacred thing and they can't stop it.

Good thing that's the case.

I stayed at Erselica's mansion because I didn't feel like going out, plus Allen, Cana and Erselica would cook anything I wanted if I gave them money.

Someone came to visit today.

It was Sara, she looked beautiful today, she came in a dress similar to a military suit.

It looks like she came to negotiate.

"Please don't fight tomorrow."

"It's too late for that, this thing on my neck says we can die if we don't fight."

"I know, but you can help it."

"You say the law of the sacred tree can be violated?"

"... Yes."

It seems that even the sacred tree is not absolute if you can violate its laws.

Sara murmured to me.

"At least make sure you win. You may not know this, but Aster armor and airships are the strongest because we use the emblem of the sacred tree on them."

"It multiplies up to five times the power of normal."

"I appreciate your concern, but it just generates this uneasiness in me."

"Why are you showing so much interest in me?"

She averted her gaze from mine.

"If you win... no, if you make it through, I'll tell you."

"This also involves Lucy so make sure you win, okay?"

"I will, that's a promise."

I held up my pinky finger to seal the deal.

She glared at my pinky.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing... that tradition seems weird to me. Is it a kingdom thing?"

"It is."

She smiled and our pinkies intertwined.

The duel will be tomorrow morning.

◇

Night fell fast after Sara left.

I was alone in the living room.

Ixion informed me that the news to the kingdom came faster than expected.

For that reason, my fiancées wanted to talk to me.

Once the image was visible and I could see their faces, they wouldn't allow me to speak.

"Rudel!"

"Rudel-san! Are you all right?"

"Rudel, what were you thinking of requesting a duel?!"

Apparently Ixion informed Bell about the duel.

I reassured them both.

"You two, calm down, I have the situation under control─"

"How can you ask us to calm down in this situation? Don't you understand how worried we are?"

"We ask you to be on your best behavior and no sooner do we neglect you and you cause a problem."

"A-Alisa, it wasn't my fault. That bastard was the one who picked a fight with us first. We were just defending ourselves."

Alisa touched her forehead.

"I'm going to get something for thinking too much about your problems, really. Why are you such a trouble magnet?"

(That's what I'd like to know, too.)

(I'm just an ordinary guy and before I knew it I had a lot of enemies.)

Airi reassured Alisa.

"Alisa. I'm angry about this too, but remember that Rudel-san is in a dangerous situation. We shouldn't scold him, we should help him."

Alisa understood that getting angry was not good for her health.

"Still, Rudel-san. picking a fight with them just because they mistreated a pet you picked up isn't that too ridiculous?"

Apparently Ixion lied to them about human Lucy and mentioned bunny Lucy.

"S-sorry."

Despite being angry, her face showed a relaxed expression.

"Even if that's the case, I'm glad to see you're still the same Rudel who would fight for a weakling. It was that detail about you that made me love you."

"For next time, please don't cause trouble."

"Rudel-san. We wish you the best for tomorrow."

"You two. Thank you."

You really are wonderful and lovely fiancées.

"Bradford! Let's eat outside!"

Suddenly Chlust and company burst into the room.

"Huh? What's that thing?"

"It must be part of the count's lost item."

"Oh, Alicelotte is there!"

The idiots approached.

"Alicelotte! How come we can see you?"

"Why can we see you if you're not here?"

"It's really interesting this, what else can you do?"

The idiots innocent questions were understandable, I would answer them normally before but now they were being a nuisance.

Chlust was using his finger to tap the holographic screen which was touching Ixion's eye.

I could see a vein mark on both of their foreheads, Alisa politely shooed them away.

"Your Highness, I ask that you please leave us alone. We are having an important conversation with our fiancé."

"Erselica! Come see this, it's amazing."

"Erselica!?"

Both said in surprise.

"R-R-Rudel! Why did His Highness mention that woman's name? I-It can't be possible that you're in her house...!"

"Rudel-san, why did they mention Erselica-san?"

"Wait you two. Let me explain, it's something very simple indeed."

"It's because─"

The conversation was cut off.

Ixion said.

"I said we only had time limit, now we have to wait for some time so we can call them back and explain everything to them."

I turned to those idiots who were still asking questions.

"You guys are... really a pain in the ass!"

◇

The day of the duel came, Erselica and the idiots left early since they wanted to gamble.

They left my breakfast on the table, Ixion notified that an official came.

After dressing I went downstairs to open the door for him.

I greeted him and he handed me an envelope.

The contents appeared to be an urgent change of venue.

"Really?"

"Yes. We are very sorry, but there were heavy rains yesterday and the ground is in bad shape."

It was true that it rained near the coliseum yesterday, I had no choice but to believe him.

"Understood, is the time still the same?"

"Of course. We're making sure everyone knows the fixed time."

After saying that, he left.

Ixion commented.

"It's very suspicious."

"Even if it is, Battler is the strongest of them all. I'll never lose to Derrick."

◇

I was just minutes away from the duel starting.

I was directly flying in Battler to get there.

The original Battler was 5-6 meters longer than the current one.

It was lost in the war, a shame was to see it sink.

But this smaller version is still superior to a lot of armor.

Ixion commented that we arrived at the site.

The ground was an ancient coliseum almost in ruins.

"There's no one there."

"I told you it was suspicious."

"If this is his idea of me losing for being late it's pretty lame. I can get there right away─"

"Master, enemy attack!"

A bullet grazed past Battler, I looked at the direction it came from and noticed an ancient armor approaching.

It was almost rusted.

If that idiot Derrick thinks he can set me up he's sorely mistaken.

I quickly lunged at the armor.

I made him drop his rifle and then sent a few blows sending him crashing to the ground.

It was really easy to beat him.

I raised my axe.

Was I going to kill him?

Of course not, just scare the hell out of him.

As I was bringing the axe down, Ixion stopped me.

"Master, stop!"

Battler stopped his hand.

I asked Ixion in confusion.

"What is it?"

"Master, I detect different breathing than usual."

"Different?"

"I can detect the pilot's age from his breathing, but whoever is inside I've never detected it before, it's from a young person and clearly inexperienced in combat."

"That is to say... a woman."

My hands trembled at an impossibility.

I used the axe to open the cockpit and got an unpleasant surprise.

I saw Lucy, wearing a pilot's suit and she was even banged up a bit.

She was shaking.

"What the hell is going on here?"

"Gyahaha! He fell round!"

"But we couldn't get him to take her out to reduce her mental state."

"Master, they're coming out from all directions!"

Many armed units were coming out from the ground or from dark places even from the sky.

They had me surrounded.

The armors were brown colored alike and mostly brown in color, only one had different color.

"Gyahaha! Country trash, get ready to taste the full power of the Ericius class. The strongest armor of the Herring Household."

Said the dark purple armor.

"Derrick-san, you talk too much."

The armor next to it was the only one that looked the best kept.

That means one thing.

It's a damn ambush!

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