Chapter 127 - Episode 15: "It's Time to Switch!"
Before the eyes of Keeb and myself, Doran was set upon by a multitude of soldiers…….
……The soldiers who closed in on Doran were blown away.
Once a corner of the encirclement collapses, the encirclement itself becomes meaningless.
Doran quickly moved outside the perimeter and began to engage the soldiers from the exterior.
Tearing them down and throwing them aside. Tearing them down and throwing them aside. It was a fighting style that perfectly suited such a description.
……Watching his fight, I am reminded. Of the time he, Giovan, and Chesta attacked the carriage transporting me to rescue me.
Even then, he displayed a superhuman fighting style, taking down a large number of soldiers…….
「……Whoa, what the heck, there's no need to worry at all.」
「Indeed. Doran certainly has the abilities from his many years in the underworld. He has no hesitation in attacking people.」
Even in a place like this Martial Arts Tournament, which advocates for 'non-lethal as much as possible,' there are many who hesitate to attack others. ……Or rather, as a human, that is probably natural. Humans are made to hesitate to harm others. Those who can cast that aside are strong, but…… indeed, they might 'not be human.' Yes.
Well, a man like Doran has lived a life where he doesn't care about killing anymore, so he has no hesitation in attacking people.
And to the audience, who have never been on a battlefield and feel none of the conflict of harming others…… Doran's abnormal lack of hesitation must surely look like brilliant martial arts.
Seeing the soldiers being taken down one after another, Chris could no longer hide his impatience.
「This is fun. This 'match.'」
Doran said as he kicked another soldier off the stage, wearing a truly wicked smile.
「Now, I've had plenty of fun…… but next, you're going to entertain me, aren't you? Chris Bay Clarino!」
When Doran shouted that with a bared-teeth grin, the audience seats erupted in excitement.
The unrealistic existence of a werewolf. A theatrical plot with soldiers lined up on stage. And the unrealistic sight of those soldiers being easily defeated by Doran.
……Because of these, the audience has completely lost their sense of reality. They have mistaken the events before them for a scene in a staged play.
There is a great divide between the audience seats and the stage.
……And just as those in the audience cannot understand the hearts of the performers on stage, those on stage likewise do not understand the hearts of the audience.
「Silence, werewolf! Your actions are treason against the state!」
「Treason!? Don't make me laugh! I never had any loyalty to swear to you people who have killed innocent werewolves all this time!」
On the stage that still looked somewhat like a play, Doran layered provocations upon Chris…… and completely ignoring the fallen soldiers, he simply took a stance toward Chris.
「Now, draw your sword. What's wrong? Where did that vigor from earlier go?」
「You……!」
Now, now, the audience is getting more and more excited, while Chris is being cornered.
Trying to eliminate Doran without fighting was a bit too much of a slight against us.
「Or perhaps, you lack the confidence to defeat me?」
……In the end, that one sentence from Doran seemed to snap something inside Chris.
Chris and Doran collided.
Chris with his sword. Doran with nothing but his physical body.
……However, no matter how magnificent Chris's equipment was, it didn't matter. Chris's sword, which showed his fear, and Doran's fist, which showed no hesitation. There was no need to see the result to know which would prevail.
When Doran dove into his personal space, Chris retreated; when Chris attacked out of desperation, Doran nimbly dodged it.
……It was clear to anyone which of the two would win. Even so, the cheers did not stop because…… they were enjoying this well-crafted 'play.'
The most exciting moment of the 'play'…… the moment the 'villain' is defeated, is what everyone was waiting for.
……But.
「No! Please stop!」
An intruder arrived to shatter the 'play.'
「Chris-onii-sama! Please calm down! ……Doran-san too!」
Lital rushed onto the stage alone and raised her voice.
Chris and Doran both stared blankly as Lital scrambled onto the stage. Naturally, she was an unexpected intruder for both parties.
The soldiers nearby were also surprised by Lital, but seeing her climb onto the stage and try to head toward Chris, they finally stopped her by pinning her arms. I wonder what they thought seeing their master fighting so pathetically on stage; for now, they probably just stopped Lital at the edge of the stage to ensure no interference occurred, but…….
「Chris-onii-sama! It's a misunderstanding! Doran-san is not a bad person!」
Even if her body was pinned down, her words could not be stopped. Lital desperately raised her voice. As if trying to make everyone in the venue hear her.
「Why do you target the werewolf so much, Chris-onii-sama! He hasn't done anything!」
There was no way he could answer 'why.'
For Chris, who thought of nothing but 'killing because he's a werewolf,' there could be no reasoning beyond that.
That's right. In the first place, there is no reason beyond that. Only the petty schemes of the former Royal Family, who directed all hatred toward werewolves, remain there.
……That is why Chris could not answer upon hearing Lital's words.
But for Chris, 'being unable to answer' was likely something that could not be permitted.
「……I see. You are also an ally of the werewolf!」
「Eh?」
Chris glared at the bewildered Lital and…….
「Then die!」
……His sword was swung down toward Lital, who was pinned and unable to move.
Fresh blood splattered. The vivid red caused the audience to scream.
Until now, the audience had only been watching a 'Martial Arts Tournament.' They hadn't been watching a 'fight to the death.'
The moment a person deeply slashes another must have been quite a strong stimulus.
Now, open your eyes wide and look. Remember this well.
A battle that is not a spectacle is this unsightly and bloody.
「……Don't look away. Your opponent is me, isn't it?」
Chris's sword had slashed Doran, who had shielded Lital.
「Doran!」
I pulled Keeb back again as he tried to jump out, and I thought.
……If.
If this was the result of Lital's betrayal, then there's nothing that can be done. It would mean my existence had long since been grasped, and on top of that, Lital was performing a little act on the stage.
But.
……I believe that is not the case!
Taking the bow and arrows prepared as spares for the contestants, I immediately notched an arrow.
My target was…… only one point.
Chris's head? No, that's wrong.
The soldier pinning Lital. Aiming for that guy's gauntlet, I released the arrow.
The arrow struck the metal plate of the gauntlet with great force, making a tremendous sound.
In that moment, Chris's strained consciousness was scattered in that direction…… and in that opening, Lital moved.
The soldier whose gauntlet was struck by the arrow reflexively let go of Lital. In that gap, Lital moved…… and this time, as if to protect Doran, she stood before Chris.
With this, Chris's movement stopped. With Lital standing before him, Doran bleeding, and…… 'someone' who had fired an arrow from out of nowhere. Chris was surrounded by enemies. It's quite a tough situation for a paranoid coward, isn't it?
……And if the coward is being cowardly, then our elegant entrance is perfectly possible.
「I didn't hear that the final match would turn into a brawl?」
As Keeb walked lightly toward the stage, Chris turned his attention there.
The audience seats also erupted at the sudden appearance of Keeb!
「For now, he's a wounded man! Someone, medical aid!」
When Keeb shouted that while lending his shoulder to Doran, the medical team just flustered about and didn't move at all.
「Over here! I will provide aid!」
However, Carol, who had jumped out from the VIP seats, reached Doran before anyone else. The King and Chris must have been surprised by this. That a person who is supposed to be a Saint would rush to a werewolf.
……But to be so surprised shows they were far too blind to their surroundings.
Led by Carol and her Holy Knight guards (these ones are the real deal. Though they are former adventurers who are acquaintances of ours), Doran descended from the stage.
……However, before his exit, he threw one last word to the venue.
「……Are you afraid of me?」
Not to the stage, but to the audience. Those words, which sounded somewhat lonely, were enough to make the venue fall silent.
「It's fine if you're afraid of me. I won't deny your fear of werewolves.」
In the center of the silent venue, Doran spoke while receiving everyone's gaze. ……While bleeding red blood, the same color as a human's, from the deep wound he received while shielding Lital (a human) from Chris (a human).
「Werewolves sometimes harm people. They might even kill. But that is…… simply the same as humans.」
Without making Lital feel indebted or denouncing Chris, Doran exited after saying only that.
For a villain, it was a far too quiet exit. Well, isn't it fine as it's very like Doran? He asserted what he truly wanted to assert, and he was able to appeal to the people for what he desired most. The lack of even a hint of revenge might be a slight deduction…… but…… including that, it's fine as it's like him.
……As Keeb said, perhaps the one truly unsuited to being a villain is Doran rather than myself.
He didn't become a villain because he wanted to. He is someone who came to this path out of necessity…… after all.
I wonder how the audience took Doran's words.
……Well, the persuasiveness was absolute.
'They sometimes harm people and sometimes kill. That is the same as humans.' Yes. It was very persuasive.
That's right. There are surely far, far more instances of humans harming and killing humans than werewolves harming and killing humans.
For example, Chris, who is currently standing still in the center of the stage, is a perfect example of that, isn't he?
「……So, what are we doing? About this. I'm fine with continuing as is. Does the person over there have any intention of continuing the Martial Arts Tournament?」
Now, when Keeb brought that up, Chris finally reacted.
「That is……」
Yes. With Chris's brain, he should be able to understand well enough if he thinks calmly.
That even if he calls for a werewolf hunt now, the commoners won't accept it.
That the current venue has undoubtedly empathized with Doran and the werewolves.
And that the 'villain' in this venue right now is undoubtedly himself!
「……Naturally. Let's continue. Earlier was a trivial dispute…… no.」
That's right. If he called that a 'trivial dispute,' his enemies would increase. As expected of the excellent son of House Clarino. You are quite wise.
「Once the stage is cleared, let's resume your semi-final.」
Chris said that and tried to leave the stage.
Not saying 'the winner will face me in the final' is quite cowardly. Well, I don't hate that cleverness.
「Chris-onii-sama!」
Shaking off Lital's voice as she called out to him, Chris descended the stage and…….
「……Ah, then never mind. I'm forfeiting.」
He stopped in his tracks at Keeb's dismissive words.
「……Forfeiting, you say?」
The venue buzzed and Chris was shaken. And Keeb said with a smirk:
「Yeah. Forfeiting. Honestly, the odds are bad, or rather…… well, it's a bit too heavy a burden for a mere adventurer like me.」
「What do you mean?」
「You still don't get it? 'I'm handing over the lead role.' That's what I mean. ……Hey, you too.」
Before Chris could understand the meaning of Keeb's words, Keeb pulled Lital, who was still on the stage, and descended from the stage.
……And then.
Amidst the great uproar throughout the venue as they looked upon the stage where only the bewildered Chris remained.
With the rhythmic clicking of footsteps, the one emerging from the waiting room is…… me!
「Ohohohohohoho! How comical, Chris Bay Clarino! Now, resign yourself! This final match shall be your execution ground!」
Laughing loudly, I headed onto the stage using the passage on the opposite side of Keeb.
Step by step, as I advanced without hesitation toward the 'villain' I must punish…… I threw away my mask and cast off my cloak. Chris trembled at my appearance on the stage, the King trembled…… and from the audience seats, a roar of cheers erupted!
「Gokigenyou, everyone in the venue! ……I am Violia Nico Fortesia!」