251: Just for Fun, or a Recreation Wagered on Pride: Round 2
At my words, ‘If you win, you can have me for a day,’ Samarkand’s eyes lit up.
“Well, I’ll trust in your good sense. Of course, no unreasonable requests. But yes… in the name of the Lord of Disease, I will grant you a supreme commander’s day off.”
“Rebecca-sama. —I have a reason I cannot lose.”
The atmosphere around him changed, from his usual, almost laid-back demeanor, to one of a chilling intensity. His sleepy, crescent moon eyes changed color, and his gaze burned with a crimson light.
He was not a lackey, a black goat, but a demon who had sworn his loyalty to me.
“…Yes, you are a demon. Like this, you’re a completely different person from your usual, spineless self.”
Even seeing this, Rebecca smiled.
“—This will be a good fight.”
She smiled, a loli’s face. A grin. A smirk. A fearless smile.
She put on a black glove. An eerie blue-green will-o’-the-wisp lit up on each of her five fingers. She slowly clenched her fist… and it was engulfed in a blue flame. The flame subsided, and the condensed will-o’-the-wisp made the outline of her fist glow with a pale blue light.
“I’ve been in support and command for a while now… but I haven’t been idle since before the founding of this nation. I’ve seen my fair share of battles.”
She was one of the oldest veterans, along with Harken. Her movements when she had taken down the Liverit Grizzly with a single, zero-range [Fireball] were not those of a mage who was used to being a commander or a fixed cannon.
And in Wessphia, the undead she had summoned had been a factor in overturning our numerical disadvantage, serving as a meat shield.
…That said, Rebecca had not fought with a sword. She had been paired with Harken, and from the middle of the battle, she had been joined by Bridget, Liz, and my bodyguard Barghests, so it was only natural for her to act as a rearguard.
I didn’t know if she had the ‘brute strength’ to match her confidence.
“I will offer victory to my master.”
“Let me teach a fledgling demon the weight of experience.”
…Why were they so fired up, over an arm-wrestling match?
Rebecca, having learned from the previous match, had already grabbed the edge of the table with her left hand.
Samarkand leaned forward, his hand covering Rebecca’s, which was so much smaller than his.
The size difference was so great, I was worried. Samarkand was probably three times her size. Not in height, but in volume and weight, it was possible.
“Um, you two? No serious injuries, okay?”
“Of course.”
“Don’t worry. I know my limits.”
Really? I was very worried, but I raised my hand.
“Then—ready, go!”
I swung my hand down.
“Pathetic, Samarkand. If you try to win with strength alone… you will be defeated by a greater strength. That is the way of the world.”
Rebecca smiled at Samarkand, who was exuding an intense aura and trying to crush her with all his might.
Isn’t that the point of this competition? Of course, as Liz had shown against Harken, the way you used your body mattered, but that was just a prerequisite… in the end, the one with the greater strength would win. That was the way of the world… and I had thought that Samarkand, with his simple size advantage, would have the upper hand.
But the scene before me was the complete opposite. Rebecca, despite the size difference, was holding her own against Samarkand.
“The way of the world… will not be overturned.”
Creak… The balance was broken.
Just a few millimeters from defeat, Samarkand looked at me.
“My master. …This may be a violation of the rules. But please, just one word—say ‘win.’”
“Um…”
“It’s fine. The basic ability enhancement of the blood contract is within the scope of physical enhancement magic. In other words, it’s within the rules. You should cheer him on.” Rebecca was still composed.
“Alright. Samarkand. —Win.”
I commanded him, through the contract that pulsed in my blood. My blood ran hot.
“As you wish.”
“…Oh.”
He stopped, a few millimeters away.
Samarkand’s outline blurred. His glossy black fur lost some of its reality, the tips fading to a pale white. His horns twisted and lengthened, and his gaze burned with a brighter crimson.
“On the weight of the blood contract. On the weight of my vow. On the weight of my love for my master. —I will win…!”
Samarkand’s muscles bulged. Dark red veins appeared, and he trembled. An unreal, yet visceral, dynamism. All of his abilities as a greater demon were being poured into this.
“Samarkand, don’t use such strong words. This is just a game. …You’ll make it a lie.”
But he didn’t move, from those last few millimeters.
“And besides, I told you, didn’t I?” Rebecca smiled, her voice serene.
“—The way of the world… will not be overturned.”
Rebecca pushed, the last few millimeters, as if she were dropping Samarkand’s massive body to the ground.
