Chapter 24: You Again, Arlo
Misa never imagined Lance would call Samuel “my ticket” directly.
Seeing Samuel’s confused expression, Misa quickly stepped forward, standing between Lance and Samuel, fearing Lance would say something shocking. He hastily tried to cover up the awkward situation.
“Since everyone’s here,” Misa said loudly, “have you decided how you’ll compete?”
He successfully attracted everyone’s attention. Samuel looked at Lance questioningly, tentatively asking, “Sir Lance, you—”
Lance looked down at the weapon hanging at Samuel’s side and said calmly, “Let’s use swords.”
Samuel nodded.
It was just a sparring match; Samuel didn’t want anyone to get hurt. He asked the Templar knights to find two wooden swords, and the rules followed their internal training requirements: a hit counted as a point, and the first to hit the opponent three times won.
Lance had no objections.
He was still curiously observing Samuel. Misa even felt the hero’s gaze was strange, like he was seeing a tool he needed, his eyes full of eagerness to possess.
Just by glancing at Lance, Misa sensed that this duel between Lance and Samuel wouldn’t end normally.
While Samuel was getting the wooden swords and shields, Misa pulled Lance aside to correct his earlier mistake.
“Sir Lance, why did you call Samuel your ticket?” Misa frowned. “That’s incredibly rude.”
Even if the duel wouldn’t end normally, Misa wanted to try to make the story less strange.
Lance paused slightly, nodded in agreement, and said, “Oh, I misspoke.”
Misa: “…”
Misa didn’t believe Lance’s explanation.
Since Lance had stopped hiding his true emotions, Misa had learned to guess his thoughts from his expressions.
For example, now, Lance was nodding seriously, but had no intention of correcting himself.
Misa sighed.
Misa: “You can’t do that.”
Lance nodded seriously.
Misa: “That was very rude.”
Lance sincerely apologized.
Misa: “You…”
Forget it, he gave up.
Why waste time on this? The hero would never listen to him.
Misa sighed deeply and turned back to Samuel, who was talking to some Templar knights.
When he first saw Samuel, he had only focused on his build, wondering how someone so average could knock out Arlo. Now, he had the time to observe other aspects of Samuel.
For example, his character and manners; he was a humble and polite knight. With such a teammate, they might be able to guide this strange hero back to the right path.
Lance cleared his throat, asking Misa a question.
“How do we get him to join us?” Lance pondered. “Would beating him work?”
Misa: “…You should be better at this than me.”
“Me?” Lance was surprised. “What am I good at?”
Misa sighed. “Your eloquence, of course.”
He had seen it many times.
The hero’s incredible eloquence and debating skills.
He seemed to be able to trap anyone, let alone persuading a knight to join their team. He could even manipulate gods; this wasn’t a big problem.
“Oh, eloquence,” Lance nodded. “Indeed, eloquence is the best ability.”
Misa: “…”
Misa didn’t understand this.
Of course, he acknowledged the usefulness of eloquence and social skills in daily life, but how could this be the best ability?
He’d never heard of a hero winning a battle against the Demon King with just their mouth.
Misa didn’t agree with the hero’s view.
He shook his head seriously. “A true hero should fight.”
Lance just smiled slightly, as if hearing the reckless words of an inexperienced child.
“A true hero avoids unnecessary sacrifices,” Lance said softly. “Their own, and others’.”
Misa: “…But you still need to fight.”
Misa couldn’t accept the hero’s viewpoint.
Salvation was a path forged through fighting and struggle. Conflict was unavoidable; eloquence might be useful, but it wasn’t the most important thing.
Fortunately, Lance didn’t intend to argue.
The Templar knight had brought the practice wooden swords and shields, handing them to Lance and Samuel to inspect, ensuring fairness.
Lance refused the shield, only taking the wooden sword, then turned to the Templar knight, “Do we need a referee?”
Templar knight: “This…”
They hadn’t decided on a referee. They looked at each other, and Samuel finally suggested, “Emissaries represent the gods’ justice.”
Misa: “…”
Misa watched everyone suddenly turn to him.
No, he wasn’t an emissary, he was a demon!
What justice could a demon represent? He just wanted the hero to win!
Misa wanted to refuse, but he had no excuse. He hesitated, shaking his head, but he wasn’t troubled for long. Samuel suddenly looked behind Misa and exclaimed in surprise, “Emissary Arlo? What are you doing here?”
Misa quickly turned around.
Samuel had quickly stepped forward, feeling remorseful, and wanted to help Arlo, who was using a crutch. But Arlo retreated in fear, as if seeing something terrifying, indicating he could walk alone, quickly avoiding Samuel, then limped towards Misa and Lance—
Wait, Misa frowned.
Wasn’t Arlo only hit on the head?
What happened to his leg?!
Arlo had hopped to Misa’s side.
Misa frowned. “Arlo, your leg…”
Arlo: “…”
Arlo covered his face, whispering painfully, “Don’t ask.”
Misa: “Ah?”
No, that’s wrong. He was sure that when he saw Arlo earlier, his leg was fine. Although Arlo hadn’t gotten out of bed, his leg wasn’t bandaged, and he didn’t seem to have trouble moving. How could he be like this just a few hours later?
Samuel cautiously followed Arlo, feeling remorseful. “I’m sorry, Emissary Arlo, it’s all my fault.”
Misa: “Ah???”
What?
Why is it Samuel’s fault again?
The nearby Templar knights heard their conversation and nervously tried to explain for their captain.
“Captain Samuel didn’t mean to,” Templar Knight A said anxiously. “He just wanted to take care of Emissary Arlo.”
Misa: “?”
“It was an accident,” Templar Knight B apologized earnestly to Arlo. “If I hadn’t fallen, the captain wouldn’t have reached out to help me, and if the captain hadn’t reached out to help me, he wouldn’t have hurt you, Emissary.”
Misa: “???”
“No, no, no, it’s all my fault,” Templar Knight C covered his face. “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have tried to catch that cat.”
Misa: “????”
“I’m sorry, it’s all my fault,” Samuel bowed his head in remorse. “I broke Emissary Arlo’s leg. Sir Lance, please punish me.”
No! What complicated story did you all experience this afternoon?!
Misa’s gaze shifted between the Templar knights and Samuel, everyone looking remorseful, as if they all believed Arlo’s broken leg was their fault.
And Arlo…
He was looking up at the sky painfully, his gaze seeming to pierce the clouds and return to his beloved divine realm.
If before, he thought the hero was mostly a source of suffering for Misa, and that he wasn’t eager to return to the divine realm, now his attitude had changed.
He wanted to go back.
Every day in the human world was suffering.
And only he was suffering.
Why is this happening?!
Why is it always him who gets hurt!!!
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