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The Grey Bear Expedition quickly armed themselves and entered the newly built warehouse behind Davian's lodgings.
The warehouse was empty.
Instead, there was only a magic circle drawn on the floor.
"It's a magic circle that leads to Mane City. Everyone, step up."
Some still looked at Davian with distrust, but they all obediently stepped onto the magic circle.
"Let's go. To get the fifth trace."
Whoosh.
A bright light flashed, and the Grey Bear Expedition had arrived in Mane City.
The largest city near the western mining area located in the Perum Mountains.
The very place where Davian had his tarot reading.
"Liber, where is your older brother's accommodation?"
"Are you really going? I'm not kidding, my brother might not let us get away with this."
Bonita gripped the sword hilt, pulled the sword slightly out of its sheath, and then slammed it back in.
"Then we'll have to fight."
"Hey, Bonita. We can't win with just the seven of us, okay? My brother's forces have doubled since then."
"So what."
"Ugh..., really."
Davian urged.
"Where is it? The accommodation."
Liber shook his head.
"Alright. I'll tell you. I'll tell you, but I really don't know what will happen after that. Don't blame me later."
"I won't. I told you to come, why would I blame you? And it's impossible to find the trace without avoiding your brother's eyes anyway, right?"
"That's true..."
"So let's go and negotiate. We have the initiative anyway."
A medium-sized inn in the eastern part of Mane City.
It was the place where Leonel Specula was staying, having rented the entire inn.
The place where all the members of the Leonel Expedition, numbering in the dozens, were staying.
Bang!
"These guys came here on their own two feet! Everyone! Lock the doors so they can't get out!"
A large man stood up, slamming the table.
It was the man who had struggled against Davian and Bonita's combined attack in the Perum Mountains last time, and was knocked back by Latia's finishing magical attack.
His name was Cain.
He was the leader of a mercenary group of twenty hired by Leonel.
Leonel, who was sitting at the table eating, raised his hand to stop Cain.
"Step aside for a moment, Cain."
Leonel turned his head to Liber.
"It's been a while. My youngest brother, Liber."
Liber stepped forward hesitantly.
"It's been a while, Big Brother."
Leonel's eyes turned cold for a moment.
"So. You brought your friends and stole my things, so you must be prepared to take responsibility for the aftermath, right? To think you would dare to steal the collection of Leonel Specula, the eldest son of the Specula family."
"Th... that's..."
Liber, flustered, didn't know what to do and shifted his gaze to the floor.
Then Davian stepped forward.
"Hello. My name is Davian Naone."
"Ho. So you're Davian? I've heard your name. You stopped the war between the two count families. And you're also the one who went to the Demon Realm and rescued dozens of people?"
It was the result of the achievement menu being unlocked and achievements piling up, spreading Davian's fame across the continent.
"Thank you for recognizing me."
"Since they're friends of my youngest brother, I'll show you mercy just this once. Bring back the four traces you stole right now. Then I'll pretend it never happened."
"I believe it was permitted by the Specula family. To find the twelve traces of the Archmage through fair competition."
Leonel's brow furrowed.
"What? So you're saying that stealing the traces that were already found is fair competition?"
"Without the previous trace, you can't find the next trace. It can't be helped."
Leonel's gaze shifted to Liber.
"Did you find out? About needing the previous trace to find the next one. Anyway, you've always been quick-witted since you were young."
"Th... that's not..."
It wasn't Liber who found out.
"I found that out. Anyway, in that situation, it's natural to secure the previous trace to compete with each other, right?"
"You talk well for a thief. Then you should have come and taken it fairly."
It was time to start provoking.
"I should have. I was just trying to reduce the damage on your side."
Bang!
The mercenary leader Cain slammed the table again and stood up.
"What is this brat saying!"
Leonel slowly stood up.
Slap!
Leonel slapped the mercenary leader across the cheek.
"I told you to step aside for a moment. What right does a mercenary have to keep interrupting the conversation?"
Cain's face quickly turned red.
To be humiliated like this in front of all his subordinates.
But there was nothing he could do.
The employer who slapped him was none other than the eldest son of the Specula family.
Unless he was going to quit the mercenary business completely from today, he had to endure it.
But he was not allowed to compromise his pride like this.
Pride is like life to a mercenary.
Wham!
Cain kicked the wooden chair he had been sitting on.
The wooden chair shattered into pieces on the spot.
Cain turned around and headed to the inner room.
Leonel, who had been glaring at the back of the mercenary leader's head, sat down again.
"Davian. Say it again. What was that?"
Davian said clearly again.
"I was trying to reduce the damage on your side, but I should have just fought and taken it."
Grind.
Leonel's gnashing teeth could be heard by Davian.
"I was wondering if I should forgive you even if you begged and brought all the traces back. I guess not, you arrogant brat."
"The traces are in the warehouse inside Elton Academy. No one can take them out of the academy unless we take them out."
Leonel's eyebrows twitched.
"So? What, are you going to beg for your life using that as collateral? An expedition to find these ancient artifacts is something I can stop at any time. It seems more meaningful to turn arrogant brats into half-cripples and teach them the horrors of the world. Everyone, draw your weapons."
Clang.
Leonel's group in the dining room drew various weapons.
The mages wearing robes stretched out their palms and aimed magic at Davian's group.
Magic rings were on their fingers.
Bonita put her hand on the sword hilt.
But she didn't draw the sword.
That was because Davian had repeatedly told her something before entering this place.
"Never draw your weapons until I signal. Don't even use magic. We're not going in to fight."
Bonita kept her hand on the sword hilt and looked at the back of Davian's head.
'What the hell are you planning? This guy.'
Step.
Davian took a step forward.
Luna was trembling behind him, worried.
Nubes was ready to jump out at any time and block the front with his shield.
Davian slowly opened his mouth.
"Let's play a game with us."
Leonel's expression became even more fierce.
"What? This bastard thinks this is your academy's playground."
"We have the key anyway. You can't get the fifth trace without the fourth trace."
"I told you, I don't need that kind of artifact collection. Everyone, now take care of these arrogant bastards..."
Davian interrupted Leonel.
"The game is simple. We'll have three matches, and the first side to win two wins. If you lose, you leave this area so we can get the fifth trace, and if we lose, we give you back the four traces and leave this area."
"......"
While Leonel was thinking for a moment.
"What will happen later if you collectively beat up students with this many people just to vent your anger? Will Elton Academy just stand by? Isn't it more fun and future-oriented to play a game than that?"
Three matches.
Best of three.
The side that wins the bet gets the Archmage's fifth trace.
Leonel was starting to get a little interested.
The gambler instinct hidden inside him was also stirring.
"What are the match events?"
"Let's each freely choose one. And let's have a third party decide the last match event. It'll be over in two matches anyway."
Leonel burst out laughing.
"Over in two matches? Are you saying that because you're going to win both matches, it doesn't matter what the third match is?"
"As expected of the Specula family. You're quick to catch on."
"You arrogant bastard. Fine. Let's meet in the east square tomorrow morning. Each of you has to decide on a match event and come."
"Good."
"How many people per match?"
"One person per match. No duplicate entries."
"Neat. For a fair match, I'll invite the councilors of Mane City and prominent knights as well. Make sure you're ready to be completely humiliated."
"I was going to invite the spectators. Thank you for saving me the trouble."
"Tch. You arrogant bastard. I'll see if you can still stand in front of me with that arrogant look on your face tomorrow."
That evening.
Davian and his party settled in an inn not far from Leonel's accommodation.
The accommodation was on the second floor, and the first floor was selling meals.
The group ordered a simple dinner on the first floor.
Latia asked.
"Davian, was this your plan? To play a game?"
"Yeah."
"What if he refused? Were you really planning to get collectively beaten up?"
"If he's someone who likes gambling that much, it's a hard offer to refuse. You get to do your mission and gamble. How great is that."
This time, Nubes asked.
"But can we win? I saw more skilled people gathered than last time."
Bonita answered.
"We have to win at least one match, no matter what. The one where we choose the match event."
Luna asked.
"Then what are we going to choose as the match event? Did Davian think of it all in advance?"
"No. Not that far yet."
"What? So we have to decide now?"
"Yeah. Let's decide slowly while eating dinner."
Bellum shouted.
"Swordsmanship match! How about it? We have Bonita on our side."
"Bonita is skilled, but she's still a first-year at the academy. There are swordsmen with a lot of practical experience on the other side."
Bonita glared at Davian.
But she didn't argue with Davian's words.
Because the truth is the truth.
This time, Luna asked.
"Then magic match? We have Davian and Latia on our side."
Davian shook his head again.
"For the same reason as Bonita. There might be a 7-star mage from the Magic Tower on the other side."
Latia crossed her arms.
"This is no good, that is no good. Then what match can we possibly win?"
"Well..."
Davian slowly looked around at his friends.
Davian's gaze stopped at Nubes, who was mindlessly stuffing meat into his mouth.
"Let's have Nubes go out for the first match."
"What? Nubes?"
"Nubes?"
"Are you saying the big guy will go out as the representative? Are we going to have a meat-eating contest or something?"
Everyone was questioning.
Davian tilted his head.
"Why, don't you trust Nubes?"
"No, it's not that..."
Nubes, with his mouth full of meat, looked at Davian with a surprised expression.
"Mmmph?"
After chewing a few times, Nubes swallowed the meat and asked again.
"What? You said I'm going out?"
"Yeah. Perfect."
"What... match are we going to do?"
"Arm wrestling."
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