Chapter 008
After the practice match ended, the players headed to their respective waiting rooms. They let out sneers whenever they passed by, as if the state of Helmet-Guy was laughable.
On the other hand, Helmet-Guy brushed the mud off his armor and trudged back last.
When I couldn’t take my eyes off Helmet-Guy, Loreil asked as if it were strange.
“If you are concerned about that player, would you like to try sponsoring him?”
“Sponsoring?”
He nodded and added an explanation about sponsorship.
“In the arena, you can officially sponsor a player. If the player wins, it sometimes returns as a larger amount of money.”
“……That’s gambling, isn’t it?”
“It is expressed that way as well.”
In fact, it was gambling where one predicted the outcome by betting money.
Of course, besides that, various benefits were given.
Privileges such as the person who sponsored the largest amount being able to stand on the podium together when the player wins, or having a meeting in the player’s waiting room, and so on.
Naturally, popular players all had fixed sponsors.
“It is also a system that becomes the driving force of the matches. Because…….”
“Not only the fun of betting, but you’ll be able to feel the honor of victory together. Conversely, it gives a sense of defeat to sponsors whose player didn’t win, so it’s good for gathering sponsorships competitively. From the organizer’s perspective, they’ll earn money comfortably through commissions.”
“……That is correct.”
Loreil opened his eyes wide. He looked as if he didn’t expect such worldly talk to come out of my mouth.
But I was more concerned about Helmet-Guy’s identity than his impressions.
“Sir Loreil, if I say I will sponsor him, I can have a talk with him, right?”
“It is possible. Since he has no sponsors, meeting one-on-one would also be possible.”
“Is sponsorship by a member of the Imperial family not treated as favoritism?”
“It is not so. Other members have also sponsored several times. More than that……”
Loreil chose his words for a moment.
“Your Highness, do you have the cash to sponsor?”
“……Ah.”
“Given Your Highness’s situation, it does not seem like there will be financial support from the main palace.”
There was no way the Emperor would help me for such a trivial matter. To him, I was a being whose success was fine, but whose death would be more convenient.
Having hit an unimagined obstacle, I fell into thought.
‘Even so, I don’t want to ignore that Helmet-Guy.’
I couldn’t leave alone someone who openly carries the mark of the demons.
I wanted to investigate the reason for having that emblem, and above all, I wanted to correct that terrible skill somehow.
Whether he had a connection with me or not, I couldn’t stand a soldier with that emblem showing a pathetic duel.
‘There’s only one way left.’
After long consideration, I made up my mind. Disregarding my dignity, I grabbed Loreil’s sleeve.
And acting with twinkling eyes (though hidden by the veil), I spoke.
“Sir Loreil. Please lend me some money.”
“……Pardon?”
“We are comrades, aren’t we?”
So, please lend me a little bit, interest-free and without collateral.
Loreil froze like a statue with his mouth hanging open uncharacteristically.
* * *
After the inspection was concluded through twists and turns, the next day.
I visited the arena again.
Fortunately, perhaps with the Emperor’s permission, I was able to go out of the Imperial Palace even without Loreil.
This time, I was with Lilibel instead of Loreil. A pouch of gold coins was held in her arms.
‘It’s a relief he lent it more easily than I thought.’
Those gold coins were borrowed from Loreil. While he was flustered, for some reason his face turned red, and shaking off my hand, he said this:
‘I, I understand. So please let go of this hand.’
It was a very strange expression, but anyway, as soon as morning came, a pouch full of gold coins arrived.
The amount was quite large. Perhaps because he was the successor of the Chancellor’s house, he was big-hearted.
‘And he even attached escort knights.’
I glanced at the 두 two knights following from behind.
Whether he knew I would head to the arena alone, he sent his own knights as escorts.
‘Indeed, the knights of the detached palace are not the kind of lot to keep by one’s side.’
Naturally, there were knights and soldiers at the detached palace as well. They were not loyal knights who swore to me, but those dispatched from the main palace.
In other words, it means they are those with the potential to be assassins.
Thanks to that, Loreil’s consideration was quite appreciated.
‘Although it’s a bit burdensome.’
The knights he sent were a middle-aged man and a young man with an impressive thin gaze; especially the young one’s eyes were unusual.
Presumably having received a mission to monitor me, he did not take his eyes off me the entire time.
Ignoring his gaze that pierced my back stingingly, I stopped by the arena office and paid the sponsorship money.
The staff seemed flustered when a woman wearing a veil entered, but soon upon hearing my identity, they hurriedly bowed and received the sponsorship money.
And I headed straight to the waiting room where the player was.
I already knew from the staff that Helmet-Guy was inside.
“Lilibel, wait here for a moment.”
“Ah, yes!”
I was about to enter the waiting room alone when the young knight following me spoke.
“Um, Your Imperial Highness.”
“What is it?”
“Isn’t the player alone in the waiting room? For Your Highness to enter is, a little……”
‘Right, will it be seen as poor conduct.’
It seemed it wouldn’t be good for a man and a woman to be alone in a room.
While contemplating what to do, the middle-aged knight beside him asked.
“Are you going to meet the Helmet-Guy?”
“That’s right.”
“Then there will be no problem at all. Don’t worry about rumors and please go in.”
“……?”
I don’t know the reason, but the middle-aged knight seemed certain. After briefly saying something to the young knight, he stepped back.
I was curious why it was okay, but anyway, it was more comfortable for me, so I quietly opened the door of the waiting room.
“…….”
And I faced Helmet-Guy, who was maintaining horse gear inside the desolate room.
He stopped his moving hands and looked at me. Since he was wearing a helmet even though it was indoors, I couldn’t check his face.
I let out a short dry cough and explained the situation to him.
“I am the Princess, Dana Lipeon. I have come to sponsor you in this arena.”
“……I greet the Princess.”
Only then, grasping the situation, he offered a quiet bow. Somehow his voice was higher than I imagined.
“Are you the player with the nickname ‘Helmet-Guy’, right?”
“That is correct.”
“Do you not intend to introduce yourself?”
“Ah.”
As if realizing belatedly, Helmet-Guy was flustered for a moment then slowly began the introduction.
“I am called Rusla. I am 32 years old, single, what I like is spicy food, and also my salary is……”
“No, no, there’s no need to say that far.”
“I understand.”
When I cut off the words at the excessive information, he bowed his head again.
‘Somehow he seems like a slightly strange person?’
I began to get confused from the start of the conversation.
I intended to ask about recent affairs slowly or ask about the matches to bring up the topic of identity…… but the moment I heard the introduction, I gave up.
It seemed better to ask outright here.
‘First, I’ll block the sound so it won’t be heard outside.’
Since Loreil didn’t follow, there would be no one who could feel mana. I cast a soundproofing spell around the waiting room and spoke to Helmet-Guy, Rusla, again.
“There are some things I want to ask, can you answer them?”
“I learned to treat sponsors kindly.”
‘That means it’s possible, right?’
I cleared my throat and continued.
“There was a unique decoration at your waist, what is that?”
“Decoration…….”
He stopped his breath for a moment. Then he bowed his head and was silent for a long time.
“……I cannot tell you.”
I let out a short sigh at the expected answer.
‘I don’t know if it’s because he knows the identity of that emblem that he can’t say, or if there are other circumstances.’
If it’s like this, I have no choice but to use strong measures.
I spoke while creating a deliberately heavy atmosphere.
“As a sponsor, I don’t like my player using a decoration like that. I would like you to use the decoration of the Sun God during the tournament.”
“…….”
“A black lion, isn’t it too ominous? Besides, it is far from victory.”
“Victory……?”
‘He reacts to this.’
I changed my tone to be aggressive to draw out his inner thoughts further.
“I once heard a whisper that the black lion is a symbol of defeat. Isn’t the Great Sun God more wonderful than such a stupid symbol?”
“……Take it back.”
“What?”
“Take those words back. It is fine to insult me, but I cannot tolerate insulting that person.”
‘That person?’
Could it be that he’s referring to me?
I needed more information.
“Is the one using such a symbol of a loser your master? Goodness, since you follow such a person, your performance is mediocre. You need to develop your eye for masters a bit……”
“Stop, I said—”
In that moment, Rusla, who had been bowing his head, approached in front of me in a single bound.
“I told you!”
His hand, mixed with murderous intent, reached toward me. Whether he intended to grab my neck or strike my head, the speed and power were unusual.
‘Oops!’
At the too-fast attack, I reflexively pulled my head to the side and simultaneously thrust my fist back.
The counterattack was an instinct as a warrior.
The problem was that I avoided his attack, and he could not avoid the attack.
“Ke-hak!”
The fist imbued with mana slammed his head away fiercely.
Kwang—!
After rolling on the floor several times and slamming into the wall, Rusla looked at me in a pitiful posture with his hand on his cheek.
“……?”
He had an expression of not knowing what had just happened.
