Volume 8, Chapter 23 – The Trap

“Huh? Why?”

Yisi naturally refused. Although Cynthia’s sword skills were good, they were far from Laxy’s level. She wasn’t confident she could control her strength to a degree that wouldn’t accidentally injure Cynthia. One had to know that when she had fought with Boris, the captain of the Blood Clan’s Royal Guard and Andrea’s confidant, she had nearly shattered his sword. Not to mention Cynthia was of an even lower level than Boris.

Even more naturally than Yisi, Cynthia looked perplexed.

“Isn’t it normal for warriors to spar with each other? Besides, I’ve already told you the way to see Avis. Compared to ‘I’ll tell you I know the way, but only after you fight me,’ isn’t it more sincere to just tell you the result first and then make a request?”

“…Although the feeling of being threatened in the first scenario is indeed unpleasant, the second method isn’t exactly acceptable either.”

It feels like I’m being forced to owe her a favor.

“Is that so? Then it seems you prefer the first option. In that case, let me rephrase. If Yisi is willing to spar with me, regardless of the outcome, I will find a way to get you something that Master Avis has long desired. With that item, you should be able to see him. How about it?”

“There’s no need—no…”

Unlike before, Yisi hesitated for a moment.

It wasn’t that Cynthia’s weapon had tempted her, but that Cynthia had given her an idea. To present a sword better than Durandal to Avis was no problem for her. Not to mention the Sword of Ruin, Laevateinn, lying in her storage, even forging one on the spot would be fine. Durandal was designed to be used only by those above level thirty, and its shape was a standard double-edged iron sword with no aesthetic appeal. If it weren’t for the magic crystal embedded in the hilt to accelerate the conduction of magic power, it would just be mistaken for an ordinary, common iron sword.

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In fact, she had noticed at the auction house that the blacksmiths’ attention was all on the magic crystal, with no interest in the sword’s shape—which was a blow to her confidence. After all, it was her creation. Even though she had thought while forging it that since it was for the Marquis of Taris, as long as it was usable, it didn’t matter if it was ugly, and thus hadn’t put any effort into its appearance, she still couldn’t hold her head high.

So to forge a sword better than Durandal would take almost no effort. The reason she agreed to Cynthia’s request for a spar was because she had thought of something else. As the idea began to take shape, Yisi deliberately put on a troubled look.

“Mmm, it’s not impossible to agree to Cynthia…”

“Conditions?”

“The condition is that after this spar, Cynthia is not allowed to challenge me again.”

With the expression of looking at an idiot, Cynthia frowned slightly.

“That’s it?”

Yisi smiled and confirmed.

“That’s it.”

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Having reached an agreement, Yisi and Cynthia each brought Mary and Alice into the venue. This was an indoor training ground. The wide hall was divided horizontally and vertically into neat, tofu-block-like areas. And in these neatly divided areas, countless warriors in various attires were engaged in one-on-one combat. In addition, besides these warriors fighting in the center of the field, there were many ordinary people on the periphery cheering them on. Among them were commoners and more neatly dressed nobles, but most were also muscular warriors. The noisy and chaotic atmosphere reminded Yisi of some enclosed stadiums, except there were no tiered spectator seats here.

“Everyone is so dedicated.”

Standing on her tiptoes to peer further into the field, Mary, attracted by the lively scene, sighed softly. As a warrior herself, Mary could see the dedication of these fighters. The sight of them drenched in sweat, gritting their teeth and persevering, was not something everyone could do. Of course, it was also very eye-catching. The more intense and evenly matched the battle, the more thrilling the charm.

“Magic chanters, alchemists, and blacksmiths all have associations. Warriors have naturally formed a similar organization. However, compared to the first three, which can be found all over the continent, the Warriors’ Association, due to its large numbers and low entry barrier, and the fact that ordinary people are not prohibited from watching the training, is not as prestigious. In the eyes of traditional continental nobles, the warriors of the association are as vulgar as the gladiators who fight monsters in the arena. Therefore, it is difficult to get financial support from the nobles. The Warriors’ Association can only be found in very prosperous cities. Of course, as Yisi and Mary can see now, the popularity of the association is greater than the other three combined. After all, even ordinary people can understand the battles of warriors, and they are more thrilling.”

As Cynthia was explaining, a fight in the nearest training area ended. The loser was hit in the abdomen with a long spear and sent flying out of the area. The bare-chested victor, amidst the cheers of the surrounding audience, raised his weapon in a symbol of victory.

However, when the victor saw Cynthia in her white gauze dress, his triumphant expression instantly stiffened. He immediately cast his joy aside and squeezed through the crowd, trying to quietly leave the training ground.

But he had already been spotted by Cynthia, who called out to him with interest.

“Yo, what’s wrong? You look as frightened as if you’ve seen a dragon.”

The man, drenched in sweat and with a muscular upper body, turned around—his movements filled with reluctance. A smile that looked more like crying appeared on his lean face.

“Big Sis… you’re here.”

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“Hmph, not happy to see me?”

“Welcome, welcome, of course I’m happy. The gates of the Warriors’ Association are always open for you, Big Sis,” completely ignoring the astonished gazes of the surrounding audience, the man wiped the sweat from his forehead and bowed his head like a lackey, accompanying Cynthia forward. “Are you looking for someone to practice with? If that’s the case…”

Cynthia raised an eyebrow.

“Practice? Is there someone you can’t handle again?”

“Y-yes. He’s a rising star who just appeared recently. Would you like to have a go with him…”

Their conversation made Yisi take another look at the [Omniscient Map]. The person who was so respectful to Cynthia seemed to be the manager here, at level 25. Even without an explanation, Yisi could guess why he was acting this way. Cynthia must have practiced with this person often, and he was the highest-level person in the entire Warriors’ Association.

Looking uninterested, Cynthia waved her hand.

“No need. I have an appointment.”

“An appointment?” As if he had heard something unbelievable, the man’s eyes widened in exaggeration. “W-who’s the unlucky one?”

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“Hm?”

“Ah, no, no, Big Sis, that’s not what I meant. I meant, who is so honored to have the opportunity to spar with you.”

Quickly correcting himself, the fawning look on the man’s face deepened.

Cynthia pointed to Yisi behind her.

“It’s her. I’ll say this first, even I can’t see through her strength. You’d better prepare a large enough area for us, or we might accidentally injure the audience.”

“Alright, I’ll go prepare it right now!”

Fearing that Cynthia would grab him for a practice match, the man turned around with a cheerful air and practically fled. But Cynthia’s next words quickly made his face turn ashen.

“Since you think it’s an honor to fight with me, then we’ll just have a few more fights next time.”

The man’s expression changed so quickly that it made Yisi click her tongue repeatedly.