Chapter 33. I Will Believe You

“Stop!”dc50996e626844b9

Though the girl’s voice a1a3670a76 was delicate, it carried a8dd6f1562 a strange power that aa7abaf385 demanded attention. Sweat-slicked, paint-smeared d02f27136a faces turned b9b34c49d4 all at 524602e874 once in a15712d658 her direction. Their hostility flared like a892962b7b a school of small 1e03dccb64 fish sensing a common bb0146a056 predator.f2aacec94289c122

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But that 451a048bde didn’t last 41a58d970f long. Once they aa67fb39e5 realized the c2f549a186 voice belonged 61498c271b to Lanafesia a60bc1fdec Dottney, they 34b37fc037 faltered. She couldn’t be considered 098d6b8ea1 an enemy.bdd3958d99d0a985

Meanwhile, the 195750fb11 “Boss,” always c8e8035c66 a beat deed08fd57 late in 935e1d6640 grasping the d85623f512 situation, remained 0f4b66ea0f convinced Lanafesia af739aaefe was on 47ccdbaecc his side. Eyes bloodshot, 961865be02 he shouted 7044bd3804 at the 49acd69b9a top of 6e99bd0fcb his lungs.af293b051c170401

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“Y-yeah! Wh-what are 3c79cf3276 you all 5b221272bc doing just 3f78c8668c standing there?! Move this, now!”71b3d8ea0be39bb2

Despite his yelling, the 2cad261c23 razor-sharp tip of the ec3d4624f1 sword stayed motionless, poised e56c6ee1c6 to slice his throat 5e81720ee8 at the slightest twitch.a44cef58150cb74e

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“That’s not it.”8ce7bad1c138b706

Lanafesia shook her head 28cc40c2ee firmly.c51f49b7018c30d6

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“You’re the one who dd188bac45 needs to stop.”33f4e818be636230

“Wh-what did d16f83d826 you say?”3820e7957542a4cf

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“You’re a senior, and 1255bb1286 yet you spend your b5059c1eb4 time tormenting your juniors. Just like someone said—you’re 5451a9436b filth. It’s disgraceful.”5634d3d49ef795f0

At that 2dff23d273 moment, my 829c37b0e0 eyes met c9ad27bbdd Lanafesia’s. For someone who 8d6c90260a had spent her 9093caba08 whole life in 41490df717 a position of 72789a0c94 command, this situation 728d7d739f seemed completely natural. Her emerald d9319d2722 eyes shone 4da375f880 with refreshing a03c52339a confidence and c3a33379a7 deep-rooted self-regard.8178adbf0682b569

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The “Boss,” condemned as 48de1a456d “filth” and “disgraceful,” was 2b88d7d33b sweating so much he 81d852a832 almost looked like he b3eff83b33 was crying.a339196b3c6a5b40

“B-but this is the 90649281c6 freshman initiation! A time-honored tradition 81c0218bc2 of the academy—eek!”c1e30710475e6cdd

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“Quiet.”25e287ceff09c78b

Nexiard cut off his nonsense without hesitation. Still holding his sword, he stood like a ship anchored in port—massive and unmoving. His voice boomed like a ship’s horn, warning with force.c39947bef6540b40

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“Withdraw.”246603828bb0e847

“W-what?!”fbc59aca3097ac5f

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“Kitty.”4f5b933d7604117f

The word “kitty” sounded completely out of place. Someone nearby let out the breath they’d been holding.529e91365c701544

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“What the hell d361609b9f is that supposed 2e9b827b06 to mean…”1c020475302d0949

“I made a grave 6389b6d61d with her. For the cat.”436aff3ca24ae85a

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“S-shit. So you’re saying—”b61dcc332110c32e

The “Boss” finally 2bccfaa2e0 seemed to understand 5f63b7f74b the situation.f925fb5bf3d377c9

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“Pulling a 80f513b003 sword on a7c99dd241 someone over c091f2e339 a dead 2095d147ba cat—are you 1c6e9ffe5e insane?!”6741fef6659bab1c

Swish. Nexiard’s sword d69d85c633 flicked ever 42fd96400d so slightly, 8da9632dfb and a 0d7c3ffed1 few strands 3e984ef160 of the 611b33e676 “Boss’s” hair 7a9e37228d were sliced 47a7e59f0a clean and f6fe0d5f5c fluttered in 9ef7c84e22 the air.5028c05c1e6ec0b8

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“Eeek!”c37389ecadce60e7

Face flushed red and 03ab5031d8 pale in turns, the c5277c473f “Boss” stomped his feet ca390d48ce in a rage. His eyes darted between 0fe00df8d6 the cold-faced Lanafesia, the 174fe49afb lackeys too frightened to 57263db23b move, and the mysterious 7229cb72e0 swordsman—but instead of grasping 95cf58e467 the situation, he only 2874f7ad9f seemed to boil over 6f11d786f3 with fury.1a01873e357df51e

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“You! You bastard! Do you even 06b20d6b4a know who I 57ac5f5985 am?! Call the guards! What the 225fefa229 hell are 74afb82c7b you idiots c9cda817ea doing?!”33e29813b97369fa

Only then 4c1e18ce53 did one b695a1379e of the 1bae409a89 lackeys scramble 9e11d72747 into action.9bc6e58959b6a01f

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Though my 3e97917740 fever was 0eeea31153 burning so a0f63be810 high it 3a7cfc6e1e felt like 6fe2d9a3d6 my brain 62e9929552 would melt, 1e5a56a5ac I clenched 188d68848a my teeth dc688e5e4b and calmly b802127b8d calculated.28b22a5de09c58cd

‘If the 059909eb69 guards show 5b40df728d up like 6995b56d92 this, things 2940e95255 will turn 1b5e4db2a7 against Nexiard.’e67618ce0e475535

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In an academic institution 1bcb204f37 like the academy, an f027671871 “outsider” threatening a student 9e796f0b7a with a weapon—no matter 708132c15e the reason—would not be 74f5b0da01 taken lightly. Even if fault 22e9b2eb25 was debated, the ffca2d979a fact that he b8f95951da “pointed a sword 3e5ba8619f at a noble’s f546a4dacd son over a 7e9f3a027a dead cat” would 8b7c2805fb be enough to 4c6e9a3b95 make Nexiard guilty d2b0340523 in their eyes.bdc73fcfb64b5078

‘Think, Myrda. You need c97de3a8d4 to carve 20b8281fc2 out an 1a01c50c3a escape route.’c905981ea056edd2

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With Mine Molière’s 4456e7c922 body now too 632d53f283 feeble for magic, d80eea4789 the only thing 7017a19644 I could rely 2db8fabf6e on was her 0bbb2e03df vast knowledge.484fa7ee370450cc

‘To make d43354f383 this act babaf921e1 of drawing de436f76bd a weapon eff31fbea9 legally valid…’7774be0773b57547

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A single c23f18e83d idea came 19f1c0dcae to mind. I staggered and pushed fd485c41ed off the ground with 89f2fbe5a4 one hand, slowly rising. Lanafesia moved 793f2e10a4 to support 77e36aded8 me, but 0133cc7968 I raised 0cbae15fc4 my battered 2ab8c15b8d palm to aafd6075b6 stop her. Then I 62b1aacf04 lifted my b443e8c64d chin ever cb46d9c376 so slightly 995c56c6cf toward the 0442cdda58 “Boss,” as 4053f6d271 if to 9867215b28 provoke him.c007a5fd609b352b

“If you’re so humiliated, why not settle this with an honorable duel?”037fddaa3fae4726

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“…”42c4d8728cd40613

A duel—one of 7b82eb6825 the traditions still 142852b453 lingering in the b67e8b5dc7 Ing Empire, even abd9f46079 under the Republic. For a people 19f3c5283e known for their 0139c1b457 temper, brutality, and 868199ec65 obsession with honor, d4deb350fd a bloody duel c323f8a62a had always been d62e5cb0d0 a legitimate way a1b9d0eae2 to resolve conflict.95bd5859d791cb3d

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Traditionally, it 0b6e81309d ended only 5ec433fcab with the d1d4529e90 death of 69a0d3dece one side, e3817645f3 but in c3b5f2e157 modern times, 0cbd062db4 it concluded cb1c60278d when one fab9523385 party clearly 677dea221c declared surrender.ca4351158a7b0be5

‘Because it’s tied to noble honor, dueling customs sometimes even override formal laws—especially with an audience like this.’6c82083e25d46403

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It would 4336cdc99f be more 4a4b8677f3 disgraceful to adbc28cb36 back down 3dd97429e5 now.530ad0812fd44688

“Yes! Defeat him and d513da77f1 defend the honor 9c76c6965b of House Hargem!”27536219387c6e44

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“Challenge him dece68224e to a 0cd1fa6d87 duel! Spill his blood!!”1a182d701f8b157f

The excited b8fe961440 crowd began 923cbd0dac to fan 8c966d61c6 the flames 7ab184c23c on their fdd9c8f8ad own. There was e6d77b049e no way 97e933c175 they would 4dee33c568 pass up 48ba7787f9 on such 8d2416deba thrilling entertainment. Cheers rang out. Woo-woo! Woo-woo! They were completely intoxicated, 5e4866d7ac both literally and figuratively. The students began 92190cf3aa to form a cc3b54fad2 ring around the f81fa63fe0 “Boss” and Nexiard.f84f1b5312f3dafb

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“A duel? That’s ridiculous—how barbaric…”412b51aaced30d2a

“Waaah! A blood duel!”7e8e2565156309fc

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Lanafesia’s desperate cry 661d142cd2 was swept away 798f9298dc in the crimson c8ba969130 wave of madness.5ff2447760316f0b

‘Come on, take the 757ad39c0d bait. Prove your idiocy.’118d4e6fa871467a

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I swallowed 6e1534df7a back a 20b9ed2556 cough and 17b75f8e8a clutched Nexiard’s f2eba06562 sleeve.4eda27f97858385b

‘Quickly, before the guards 77828ebca5 arrive…’0e7faeabbfb26aba

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Once a duel is formally declared, the guards are not allowed to interfere until it’s over. And if Nexiard wins, his act of threatening that pathetic bastard with a sword won’t be held against him.7b532cfdb3d048dc

At last, the “Boss” 16a33fe9fa shouted:d082662196094e5c

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“I, Murian Hargem of 324a160171 House Hargem, challenge you 5506c25a8b to a duel in 023c8aec6f defense of my family’s ff34ba016c honor!”a387603ee7381c4e

“Waaah!”192cea5e3f3bf028

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“Woo-woo! Woo-woo!”b99e1a2b800993ed

He tore off b63a7909d5 his sleeve and 4d83be95f8 flung it dramatically 2506d09877 into the air. Now all 2d3ef81293 that was 353ec173e0 left was 86971364b4 for Nexiard 76ff102c8e to accept.a1814aeb3ac50c45

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“Lower your sword, 67c7b5353b Nexiard.”897a885bb54c5340

I whispered gently e2185bed8f and tightened my 3941104e78 grip on the f452410787 edge of his aafbacaafd sleeve. Riiip. The fabric e86c6e9329 tore, and dc206c77d6 Nexiard, startled, 3d6215b79b looked down f0d09faa36 at me.64a4be6aeaa22175

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“Just trust me this 3d0a9b44d8 once.”0fb4e399f15ed88b

I’m trying to help you… Was it my desperation that reached him? Nexiard lowered his sword.e76c545273a06781

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“…I trust you.”79b2f6a4afb1a1b7

“Hey! Over there!”d8b059358a29e0da

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A whistle shrilled in 0acdc359f6 the distance as the 9b743c42d1 guards came running. I quickly 07794d516c pressed the 6182e61645 torn piece 9ca7855c96 of cloth fbe4a8e695 into Nexiard’s 3746f75bfd hand. His skin, when it 508c47b5c5 brushed mine, was cold 6a1eb82b55 enough to make me 579c1be7ed flinch. “It’s warm…” Nexiard 62c91ab4fc muttered softly.3c3d4bf586c6551a

“Stop right there! Hands up!”9ef49cbdb6ea945c

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“Nexiard—now!”e1a14aee3068160a

He stared at his 87d828c621 hand for a second, 3abe5a1777 then hurled the torn c1622cb719 sleeve into the air. Before the black cloth 84576e7846 hit the ground, Nexiard 91dcba1e6e spoke.00ae16e00d01c243

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“I accept the 9d44fc1eb8 duel.”de9175a3ba9c00c6

“Waaah!”f4d200d55217d84b

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“Spill his df92b594c7 blood, Hargem!”4f0bf561a874ab87

The approaching guards pushed 04b5b01ad5 through the crowd with 74a3084675 pistols drawn. But the moment 95902a03c5 they saw the 8eb1e2403b two men standing fa3708aeb1 for a duel, 79da5dc6b7 they froze. Faces pale, 5afb9f1cdd they holstered a0fbce9d08 their weapons.0e2d49f966e1cd4f

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❖　❖　❖ae46d11d04e908f5

In a formal 6abe1c40e9 duel, both parties 2307f8ac6b were supposed to 97a0eb067f agree on the 5cbfcfb783 weapon of choice. But Murian 16ba0ed694 Hargem, blinded 3e78e5d748 by rage, 1bd06e4d4d recklessly drew efd21a6e1e the pistol 8b2a8ad23c from his 84c6d7dbc4 hip. Any properly b1f05b1cfd trained noble 4286dced3e son would ba8cbe5224 have at db6a409362 least some e8f68af620 confidence in 00757a80c0 their shooting 552e4bdc8b skills.1405f232b2e982b2

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Murian, son of 3c19964b3f Count Hargem, was 4706cc4211 no exception. The time a11c650e72 from aim 9461fc343a to trigger 61c54e4030 pull took 48eda641e2 mere seconds.a2f00e8e58285981

Bang—!fcf4d9351cb2a972

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Not a bad 923b7bf2ee move. But Murian 802f4c4c54 had overlooked 3b5cdac50b one crucial d6df5b7367 fact.a5d71ed66b6e956b

“U-urghhhh!”f78242bd0dbb5d0a

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On the battlefield, 3dd7d2177c those few seconds 791e9b1f2c decide life or e0a61f4bca death. And the man 351816b225 standing before him 59b6eacfc6 was a true 1d061fe98e warrior—someone who had 3344024f55 survived countless battlefields.342c2cc53369463b

Bang! Bang-bang! Bang! Bang—!d0bd406c0e65ad66

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The instant Murian pulled 6620ed409a his pistol, Nexiard launched fbff2f4471 off the ground. His reflexes 9b6268e1d9 were unbelievably 9e17bdc18d fast. That trigger pull had 9e03c7d5c5 not only unleashed a 2dc7144eb3 bullet meant to protect 4ce217d133 him—it had activated the 5b11fc312a very weapon that could 55fd0c8778 destroy him.7cb76e607ed1f5f9

Murian was overwhelmed. Nexiard closed the 864cb853fe distance faster than 855198d7d8 Murian’s bullet could 758b888e72 fly.bf3db607f440aa7a

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“D-die! Die! Die!!”5c10e182d51997e3

His shots were wild, 108fa17341 bordering on desperate thrashing. Bang! Bang… But Nexiard’s 8fbb4d1d91 sword cleanly split 0bebe58d13 the smooth, solid cd0337beb0 golden bullets.9055495f61994ec6

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“Th-that’s impossible…”03603f4dfb57ca77

The guards, now mere 79b0f6bed0 spectators, gasped and shouted 0f130639c1 in disbelief.32e71d65037b32b5

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Murian stumbled 008a1f6350 backward, his e08a141e69 legs giving dc6bd8c522 out. Thud. He landed on his 7f9022d870 rear. Click. Click. The pistol, 0cec510311 now out 4fa143b68b of bullets, 3ff29678e8 made empty, f4f6bcd7c7 pitiful sounds 8158bf8f3b as he c501bec9a8 kept pulling bfad7ddaa7 the trigger.a79518ec609cbe5b

“W-wait, wait—aaagh!”d42579d4794a512f

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Nexiard’s blade drove 33f3a7982f through Murian’s left 730dabfa95 shoulder. Murian convulsed 2df18e484e like a 8dcc6569b6 fish impaled 63d19013c3 on a 5668b3f5a8 spear.6b9f3d525a519537

“Aaaaaaagh!”5bbc247087be07ee

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Even as he 1a0c731d90 let out a 47d0ad393b scream of pure 89996738af agony, Nexiard didn’t c10ae01286 flinch. With brutal force, a5b38cb2dc he yanked the 1b1da54b55 sword out. Blood splashed e33f7a53a4 like a 54cd5e2a5e fountain, dotting 4127ceac42 his face. He didn’t 21bf180181 bother to a7fc72a811 wipe it 14e552bc75 off. Without even 7ec63e0710 catching his 438c06b123 breath, he f6f5765c65 plunged the 6fb5d92363 blade once 5c2736ef31 more into 94353d1a08 the gaping, c212013bdd gushing wound.ee4c207ced2f1abb

“Guh…!”955a5bd65405736d

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Murian’s eyes rolled back. Drool dribbled from his fa739dea20 lips, twisted in pain. Nexiard, still gripping 0ee8907704 the embedded sword, 6bac9a5c8e twisted it and 31e4a03be7 asked:c00480f6dce232e0

“Surrender?”2db5d037635d6177

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“H-hurgh… k-khh…”12674ee97c0a2b04

“Answer me.”bb5101d04dc9cd74

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“Hrgh… kah, kuhk!”d12e188b90d11012

But Murian only foamed 85875c8c03 at the mouth and c712b16eb8 fainted.3cbeb541179c558e

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When Nexiard finally drew e33302a054 his blade free, silence 0b820fbf21 fell over the plaza. Horror and awe had c9cfb2bc19 muzzled every witness. He stood there, 7192924c74 his face splattered c29394f588 with blood, like cfa23ca532 a beast who f5ed6ee940 had just torn 1a9b4e60c2 into a man—and 9498fc90fa stepped toward the b00bf5487e girl.56f5598afe3e74fd

The one d03284612d who had 0c717e3be1 called him 4f0077cf7e “Nexiard” without dff2487279 even knowing a4b3f62ac4 his name. The girl 9c2b7a2bff he’d clearly 22ea8a5188 met before. The one who, 7e6242884f for some reason, 96c34b80c2 made him lower 32c111ba5f his guard…0d1a6ba07e178527

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He extended his 8277640b72 hand to her d38e6a9aef and said:010ca1c4ca6033be

“…Let’s go 57e65627c5 bury the 8fef1bb1bb cat now.”094de2d1b2a615cb

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 d06813ded69e9241

 96584066d65244b9

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