Chapter 260
pwq“One hundred thousand gold for Rosalia Vienderk.”mD4pj
ycJJFernan placed a large sum on the table. Hyde and Gismond were with him.SPTmDZ
maGG“It has been recorded. The payout rate is 3.2 times.”WqXSp
M7FiRIn human history, gambling has never been absent, and this world was no exception.vjOok4
xCFB0HEven in the greatest competition of all, the Grand Dragon God Tournament, betting was part of the spectacle.IqgVQ3
f255dG6Given its scale, the betting limits were also high.ilx
z4jW8idOf course, the identity of the bettor had to be verified and certain requirements met, but since it was managed by the Dragon God Cult, there was no risk of being scammed.4vtTwte
QnMdfMAnd with it being Pellenberg, meeting those conditions wasn’t a problem.zdHKgr
c15P59“As expected, the odds are high.”dWY
Lki5Usually, in Dragon God tournaments or Royal Knight title duels, the challengers had a higher payout rate.3fJ7
J1SUnlike those who had already proven their power, the aspirants still had to overcome that final gap that separated them from the title.zQ9Sx
PTgBut Fernan was certain. That’s why he had even given Hyde and Gismond money to bet up to the allowed limit.1M1
pmGo“The Dragon God Cult managing the bets themselves impressive,” murmured Gismond.tweC2gB
QCEThough, thinking about it, it wasn’t that surprising. He had already seen more than once how greedy Jace could be.nAC
apN“And if we win? Do I get a cut?”jDMUBQ8
SrdHc“Yes, senior.”P0E
t7LZ8“Really?”ta2wTdR
snm1“I’ll give you 10 gold coins.”952s6
kru8Py“…Uh-huh.”IVPhty
gM3PCompared to the hundred thousand, it was a pittance. But coming from Fernan, who loved money, the fact that he’d give anything at all was already a reason to be thankful.EGxc
p1va“Honestly, I always thought the whole thing about the emperor being obsessed with this event was exaggerated, but now I’m starting to get it.”oO1E
9tXkVdVThough only those who met certain conditions were allowed in, the betting hall was packed.IThR
YteNcskThe minimum bet was ten thousand gold. An enormous amount of money would move just for this one-day event.xZzz
TDMVAnd that didn’t even include the stadium tickets, which cost a fortune.nAOupoE
WoHAll that money, naturally, ended up in the hands of the Cult.NFMf
bgTZjVe“We have nothing else to do until tomorrow. If you want to enjoy the festival, go ahead.”qhW38
9KP“Really?”olTxNjv
e2bGismond lit up.Cg5PNWP
fNzjiD“I don’t have to wield my sword this time? Not even a duel with the Cult’s mages?”V9ysWvh
M9RY“No, nothing like that.”J6mf9m
PWDr8The Cult’s priests were all elite. Having them fight Gismond would be interesting, but very costly, and it wasn’t worth spending money just for fun.BeQp4s
jP4“Enjoy the festival however you like.”2tGC
ANL“No take-backs later!”zpFBt
B2xDaFernan tossed him a small pouch. Inside were ten gold coins.MLYEfkw
vbB“The ten I mentioned earlier. Use them to enjoy yourself.”28oXv
mUb“Perfect!”b3fJ
yjF4OGismond disappeared into the crowd.FERf
5RMCM5M“Let’s go, Hyde.”hdeZO
RXszzAc“Do you have somewhere to go?”EGI
qUS“I need to send a letter to my father. At the next conference of the Elector Princes, they must not decide where to place the Pasa Bell.”23yPsCz
viAaMEHe also needed to report that it was possible the northern kingdoms were already under the control of demons.J7Bzf
fwsP“We must find proof and, in the end, ensure the Pasa Bell is installed in the Kingdom of Rinel.”16tX
Osb2fef“To protect Linelt, right?”0QfcUY
IyOOa“That’s right. If the kingdom collapses before I recover my investment, it would be a disaster.”WXE4CE
wmJXtLWhen you lend money, you’re in control. But if the sum is too large, the positions can reverse.AyxFJXt
u4375eThat was the case with Pellenberg now.buOx
ecuKyvcLinelt wouldn’t dare take advantage of him, but if it fell to demons, the result would be the same.nUVfr
tfyMZAt least until the capital was recovered, Linelt couldn’t be allowed to disappear.X5kd3yn
Xf2igPs“So you’re trapped.”oXClxt
b17p“Exactly.”mH4R
Ov7Gaq“With a prophetic book in your hands, young master, how could you make such a mistake?”CSm
aXh“It was a once-in-a-lifetime chance to connect a direct pipe to an entire kingdom. How could I pass it up?”odfX
9oaqOe“You speak of your greed with pride, huh?”fhW
6sEJP“Of course I do.”qIlAtZ
qUBvniLet he who can look at a mountain of gold without trembling cast the first stone.3CPql
ejOU0tFernan headed to the Golden Turtle Guild’s branch in Eargrath.kcl2HZ
MsAvA quiet day.7lZx
9cfg29y***15CfSTO
cOZU2W“Freedom! At last, freedom! How long has it been since I was last free?”MilLhIY
4bLYy0Gismond raised his arms and shouted with joy.Lq2Nu
WLdCOPassersby looked at him oddly, but he didn’t care.6djFOJP
5NtHAfter so many days of being exploited by Fernan, this was a light in the darkness.8S5xn
FNL“I want to play.”cZK
cI1l94aWith a bit of free time, he immediately thought of games. But this world had no computers or consoles.q7I
5YUASo he settled for enjoying the festival.0NjA
MgOShThe streets were packed with stalls, music, food, and games.Kftf
9stIt was so massive it reminded him of a theme park back on Earth.izd
WWd‘Did they do this with magic?’8jH
GBFmeUENot bad at all.QZHm1
KoU65Especially that attraction that looked like a roller coaster—faster and taller than anything he’d ever tried.INp
tpE6“First, something to eat…”VIvBV
uV96AThe sweet aroma in the air led him to a skewer stall.5Zz44e3
E7YH0F“How much is it?”QKVSklk
sxdQ“Five silver.”cQAs
fZFXc8Q“…What?”1kz
fne0pGismond froze.YJXs
DVqCNWv‘Five silver for a skewer?’DmH
widVSure, it was huge. Juicy beef, chunks of lobster, veggies coated in sauce and melted cheese.EBL
LI0PcThirty centimeters long and looked delicious.ic8Gn
LWeBut still—five silver for one skewer?Osobo
j9KxBWas there a “festival scam” even in this world? Or was everything in the Cult just overpriced?Ptqlr
fKSGismond trembled as he smiled awkwardly.Hq6
CacBeL3Even though Fernan had given him plenty of money, his old earthly habits made him hesitate to spend so much.NRo0UJ
wU1fN8UHe looked for another stall.4tnZ
lFj5This time, they were offering crepes covered in chocolate, cream, and fresh fruit.c0qCCg
Cz1“Three silver?”UrK9TqQ
dXAAh, I see. Everything was insanely expensive.pEnYYg
rQs9ewHe could easily spend his ten gold coins, but he didn’t feel like it.DK4noD
SOl“This is ridiculously expensive. Has Eargrath always been like this? Or is it just for the festival?”1bFe
G3bNext to him, someone muttered the same thing he had.uoq0
1TZNRTInstinctively, he turned his head.NV7KhFt
rHqDexH“…Adolf Hit— no, Fridian?”kc86
LRQ8x“You’re… Gismond Ert, right?”iCX5Z
jvpvmrVThey recognized each other immediately.Aq28bh
mm0zAW“What are you doing here?”OT2C
M0MllYb“It’s my first time at the Grand Dragon God Tournament, so I came to see it. And you?”hL6llAI
NeT“I’m accompanying Fernan.”GrU
YIw02X“Then it seems Fernan Pellenberg is here too. Well, I guess it’s no secret he’s sponsoring Rosalia Vienderk.”fAPr55d
5Y7gUaPAnd you, being from the Empire, already knew that, right?vDG
TlOZ“Tell me, is everything in the Empire always this expensive? Or is it because of the festival? Or maybe Eargrath is just always like this? I don’t remember prices being this high at the Academy…”9oa
9krGIM“I’m not too sure either…”ZD9gVH0
bY1j“Are you really from the Empire?”b7mfq
JNWBD“Yes, of course, haha…”xROXp
lObuHDAt least on the outside. The inside, well… that was another story.frCUs
yjMJS“Anyway, yeah, it does seem a bit pricey to me too.”YG8
0GCCyX“So I’m not the only one. I saw everyone buying so casually I thought I was the weird one.”x5Wz
omCpfGb“Not at all. Oh, and you can speak comfortably with me—since you’re Aria’s older brother, you’re like a brother to me too…”DpFmkK
IZ0Pv4Adolf stared at him. That unreadable gaze made Gismond tense up.3EMw1f
Euiw“Alright. Then I’ll call you Gismond.”3xzg0
mW7Sy9“Yes, Brother Adolf.”mqqf8a
yeGXf“Are you close to Aria?”kcYCnKI
d6xns“Well… I wouldn’t say we’re strangers.”CPbj
AGNw1RSince he’d been following Fernan, he’d grown somewhat familiar with the whole group.unUf
X5L2sbpNo one there was unfriendly, and they had all accepted him without prejudice, despite his lack of talent.4257xj
QkK“That sounded vague.”cTJ
2AmWXsy“Let’s say we have a decent relationship.”m7ZvC
oaYx9YR“Then if I ask Aria, maybe she won’t say the same thing, huh?”GubB5Q
ueO“Ehm…”y494jH
mHoAdolf was quite perceptive.mp7Yj
0iz9“Aria has always been a bit picky. She chooses carefully who she interacts with.”NrYU9V
dOJJkD“She’s gotten better lately. Ever since Fernan spoke to her, she’s been treating me better.”kJCEo
2dbIt“So Aria trusts Fernan Pellenberg quite a bit.”11gg
gVbvIs that why she said that? Adolf muttered.ZMWr2DV
dVQK0“Pardon?”6xLUaJf
eK8L“No, nothing.”ZzWF
fv2Ws20He shook his head.s9UpD6H
UZ5QbTv“So what are you planning to do now?”y0AneR
k3K“I just planned to walk around a bit, enjoy the festival, and watch the Tournament tomorrow.”pQtJr
lzAsN“You have a ticket…? Oh, right, what am I saying—you said you came with Fernan.”TTK39e
6bWu“Yes.”hKdTm
jmLo“If you’ve got time, why not walk around with me today? We can enjoy the festival together.”n7TzTr
yHtc“Eh? Just the two of us?”fQjVn
wJBdAqMe… with him?19h
tg9e88zThe sudden invitation made him a little suspicious, but he eventually nodded.jFZ4K
IskAfter all, festivals are more fun with company, and it didn’t seem like Adolf would try anything harmful in such a public place.jO1y8
czZMfeZ‘Besides, might as well take advantage of the opportunity. He’s one of the strongest in Fridian; getting along with him could only help.’CCL
U5EAGbOOriginally, Adolf was an elf who had allied with the demons to overthrow Fridian, but Count Daniel—who was supposed to lead that betrayal—had been eliminated by Fernan, leaving Adolf without a faction.xpF
7LzSo, he probably no longer had any connection to the demons.8LJ
ocnwvyf“Alright.”jDS8tON
u6G“Then, this way.”sfF
rmo2NAdolf and Gismond ventured into the heart of the festival together.xAt
1DkNvRB***FPQM
L1neODawn arrived.dDD2IX
D5q“Waaaaaah!”NIkR
EPvA deafening roar filled the arena.vph
wathPy6Duke Bador Erbeto of the Kingdom of Helfen looked out at the crowd packed into the stadium.G3J5r5i
eDgIn front of him, his challenger stared calmly, eyes full of determination.saSjAMS
YTbU“To be honest, I had already imagined that, ten years later, I’d be back here again.”pflk
ZJM3Z0yBador Erbeto stroked his goatee.IWkB
tMqKH“But I didn’t expect the opponent to be someone else.”wTTl
WPU8Just like challengers had a ten-year restriction, those who had once held the title of Royal Knight or Archmage and lost it also had to wait a decade before attempting again.k3Fbd
HE7That’s why Duke Bador Erbeto had assumed that, ten years later, the great mage he once defeated would return to challenge him.lkF5Es0
luRsAfter all, his victory back then had come by a razor-thin margin.Y9mEq7g
b6dsc“I’ve worked hard for this day. I knew another challenge would come, and I didn’t want my glory to last just ten years.”khxAi
nX71aWtBut he never imagined the challenger would be someone else.6ck
dOOXHlP“I thank you.”uT8pro
8rgalThanks to you, I’ve gained another ten years.Cusy
VnM23ZOr maybe not, he thought, if that other person decides to challenge someone else.poUH8X
cValV94“As a token of gratitude, I’ll let you live. It’s still too early for you to stand on this stage. Come back in ten years.”u0eAX
t2VWuU7He smiled arrogantly.eXJm3r
rHdmeAnd in front of him, his opponent, Rosalia Vienderk, responded coolly.rjf
WE6A3“Are you done talking?”MOP
nlywThe duke’s eyes narrowed.49gdnx1
C6X34“I know you’re a genius with exceptional talent for your age, but how insolent.”tKb
c2Rac“I didn’t come here to listen to the ramblings of a talkative old man.”HSqe
QdEnXwI“How daring… You rely too much on the Vienderk name.”b5X8RzJ
VAG“How amusing.”Xmo
XxNdIWhA cold smile appeared on Rosalia’s lips—a mix of disdain and mockery.ohm8j6
nAl“An Archmage saying such nonsense?”f8fAH
9ViXDI suppose today is the day I become an Archmage.5a0IT
GUsC3“A mage who only knows how to talk can’t defeat someone who actually uses magic, wouldn’t you agree?”TPNL5z2
gf9G“Heh… So you know how to provoke people.”ZRY7s8U
xbf83Perfect.FijcStf
C0kAbDuke Bador Erbeto’s forehead veins bulged.YxKOEG4
Clnw“I’ll give it my all to crush you. I’ll make you understand how vast the world is, and how small you are in it.”mfOssIb
JuUAnd then—qaVj
juKLKFWEEEEEEEET!Ton1
aHwThe whistle blew.HE3YGl
rATThe battle began.uLi0PBI
3mjv───!ECetVj
8oijjQpFire and ice clashed, filling the entire arena with a dense mist.uByYr
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