The relatively large two-story building standing next to the Church is a tavern. It is the only entertainment facility in the 202nd Development Village. It was here that the Crusader Soldiers who attacked the village brought out barrels of wine.
Inside, it was similar in structure to the first floor of the Irz Village Adventurers Guild. There was just a simple wooden hall with several round tables set up. As for decorations, they were mostly wild items like monster horns and furs hanging on the walls. It couldn’t be called an elegant establishment, but it was more than enough for drinking and making a fuss.
Even though it was midwinter, the heat from the customers packed inside made it feel stiflingly thick.
Now, in the middle of this tavern, I am standing half-naked. I am neither performing a strip show nor participating in some punishment game.
“Whoa, your muscles are like steel!”
“That’s a lie; you’re a priest!”
“Great body! I might have a thing for you!”
Already drunk men were cheering from the tavern’s servers, but I can assure you, this is definitely not a strip game.
“You’ve got guts, priest! You confident in those muscles?”
Directly in front of me is Ryan, also shirtless, displaying his own magnificent muscles.
He stands unarmed, confronting me with just his own body, which can only be called a ‘duel.’ As expected, the task Ryan approached me with was indeed a one-on-one duel.
Although, officially, it is framed as a match to gauge our abilities.
“Yes, but only to the extent of delivering divine punishment to the Crusader Soldiers performing evil deeds.”
“Alright then—hey, put on the gloves!”
At Ryan’s sharp command, a man who had been nearby immediately reacted.
I silently extended both hands forward as the man skillfully equipped me with large, tattered gloves wrapped in rags. Opposite me, Ryan was also having a similarly worn pair of gloves fitted by his companion.
It’s just like boxing.
“This is the Elysion style, you know. Do you need an explanation of the rules?”
“I can roughly imagine, but please, do explain.”
Having finished putting on his gloves, Ryan stepped forward, pushing aside his companion as he approached me directly.
What came flying was an uppercut, merely in the form of one, lightly tapping the knuckles of his gloved hand against my chest as if knocking.
“The only weapon you can use is your fists. Kicks, throws, and even magic born from divine miracles are prohibited.”
“I’m relieved by such kind rules.”
“Yeah, even if you get nailed in the face, it’ll just break your nose and front teeth; so feel free to take a hit.”
What a wonderful match where there’s no exchange of lives.
Ryan must have some decent spirit to not pull out a serious weapon right away.
“But you should take off your glasses.”
“There’s no need to worry.”
At my response, Ryan’s confident smile faded, and he leaned in closer.
“What color of eyes are you hiding, huh? I know they’re the same as big brother’s colored glasses.”
It seems he knows about ‘Coloring Eyes.’ Now that I think of it, Ryan barged in right after I received this from Randolph.
In this case, as long as he doesn’t see the color, it should be fine. This is on the premise that Randolph hasn’t let it slip.
“Hey, well, do your best to hide them. You’re gonna get knocked out soon anyway.”
With that, Ryan returned to his original position.
If I punched him in the face, the glasses would likely just break instead of fly off. If the lenses shattered, they would lose their effect, so it would end up being the same thing.
In any case, I have no intention of taking a punch or losing.
If I were to lose easily, even if it was an act, I would lose my purpose as a bodyguard. Although I didn’t introduce myself boldly among the villagers, Randolph has made sure to talk to the main figures in the village. Otherwise, no matter how much I call myself a priest, there would be no room for a dangerous person like me.
However, if it turns into an overwhelmingly one-sided game, knocking Ryan out with a single blow right at the start could lead to grudges. Hmmm, what would be the best way to win in this case?
“…”
When I briefly glanced back, I saw Sariel sitting in a chair holding the robe I had taken off. I thought maybe she would offer some advice, but
“…Please do your best, brother.”
My sister was completely in spectator mode. Damn it, she probably hasn’t thought about this situation at all.
So, without any particularly groundbreaking ideas, the duel, or rather the match, began.
“Well then, let’s commence today’s main event!”
A man who serves as both the announcer and referee declared loudly, infecting the tavern with his excitement. He was one of the guys who had dragged Ryan out of the room yesterday.
Come to think of it, this slightly horse-faced youth, with his blonde hair and red eyes, could now be judged to be of the same Barbatos group as Reki.
The other one, with darker skin, was probably an Ivrham person. He was the one who had put on my gloves for me.
Looking around the tavern again, I could see others who shared the same traits clearly. Now that I recognized it, it was obvious.
“From the East Corner! The strongest fighter who crushed Elysion’s wicked gang, and the captain of our village’s Self-Defense Corps, Ryaaaaan!!”
Woahhh! From the rising cheers, it seems Ryan is quite popular in the village. However, more concerning is the fact that he serves as the Self-Defense Corps Captain.
“And in the West Corner! The mysterious priest who delivered divine punishment to the scoundrels that attacked the village and also took down that Armored Bear! Priest Chloe!!”
I apologize, but it was my sister who took down the Armored Bear.
There’s no way to correct that, and I doubt anyone would believe it. So, let’s just leave it as my achievement. Also, stop calling me ‘the glasses.’
“Go for it, priest!”
“Show us the strength that crushed the Crusaders!”
“Introduce us to Yuri-chan!!”
For now, I felt relieved that there were no boos thrown in my direction. The atmosphere is decidedly different from when I was with the Imperial Guard; there was no bloodlust. Only Ryan was burning with clear hostility, while the others seemed to be enjoying this rare entertainment event.
Indeed, I can’t afford to perform poorly in a match and lose the audience’s interest.
And if Sariel is concerning you, then feel free to attack or do whatever. If their complete lack of reaction breaks my spirit, then at that time, I wouldn’t hesitate to comfort them as a priest.
“No time limit! Victory is determined only by knockout or surrender! Now, ready, set, fight!!”
The gong-like signal rang out loudly.
“Yahh!”
Ryan charged in with full force, determined for a swift victory.
With a physique that could easily be a Heavy Cavalry, his steps were light and quick. You could sense the considerable power packed into the straight punches he was throwing.
However, that is still within the realm of an ordinary human.
“—Tch!”
Did Ryan think he barely missed? In my view, I was effortlessly dodging the initial strike.
“Haah!”
The right straight missed widely, but instead of retracting, a sweeping backfist flew towards me.
Taking a single step back and slightly shifting my upper body, I could watch Ryan’s fist roar past in a loud rush.
“Come on! Come on, come on!!”
Then began Ryan’s fierce rush, filled with passionately yelled battle cries.
Still without an idea of how to defeat him, I decided to continue dodging to buy time. A step left, step right, swaying back. This tavern isn’t that wide, so I can’t move into the audience. For the more precarious punches, I focused on deflecting or defending against them.
“Ryan is attacking, attacking! It’s a torrential onslaught! Priest Chloe is skillfully evading Ryan’s super rush with good footwork, but can’t seem to retaliate!”
So that’s how it looks from the outside, huh?
If so, if I were to land a one-hit KO now, it would likely be dismissed, like a lucky shot.
Ideally, I want the entirety of the gallery to think that priest Chloe possesses skills that could overwhelm even the village’s Self-Defense Corps Captain. While it is also an option to create some counterattacks and pretend to engage in a fist-fight… No, if I could already read every one of Ryan’s punches clearly, then I should push it a bit further and see what I can do.
How to win. That policy finally solidified in my mind.
“C’mon! What’s wrong, priest? If you just keep hopping around like a little bunny, you’re never gonna defeat me!!”
Stepping back to create some distance and catching my breath, Ryan shouted that taunt before lunging at me again—only to be stopped.
“!?”
As he swung back his right fist like a cannonball, my left fist collided with it. To be more accurate, I didn’t hit it; I just placed it there gently, softly, and slowly.
“Wha, damn it!?”
Due to the sudden obstacle that interrupted him in the firing position, Ryan could only pull back awkwardly, losing his stance.
“This—!?”
Trying to launch his left fist from that twisted position, I placed my right hand there.
This didn’t require any quick movements. If I could read my opponent’s movements this well and understand them, then anticipating and interfering with their attack motions isn’t all that difficult.
“What the heck!?! What’s happening here? Ryan’s punches are being shut down before they can even hit!!”
Thanks for the enthusiastic commentary.
As I continued to deftly deflect Ryan’s attacks two or three times, even the untrained eye could recognize that this wasn’t merely luck; I was doing it purposefully.
“Hah, hah! D-Damn it!”
Another punch came towards me, and with complete precision, I offered my soft glove to stop it.
“What is going on?! This is—”
“Is this a miracle!? No, this is undeniably the pure power of Priest Chloe and not some rule-breaking magic!!”
The reaction of the audience, awed and stirred, feels quite satisfying. Indeed, if this were happening on the scale of the Great Arena of Spada, it would be incredibly exhilarating.
During the Cursed Weapon Gladiatorial Tournament, I was so focused on winning that I didn’t have an ounce of leisure.
For now, the excitement is enough. It’s time to decide this match.
“Can I attack now?”
“What did you say…?”
“You can’t defeat your opponent just by running away or blocking.”
While saying this, I slowly raised my right fist, preparing to deliver a straightforward punch that anyone could clearly see.
Of course, I wasn’t channeling any magical power into it. If I used the pile bunker, Ryan, a human, would surely die. Vulcan didn’t die, but…
“Please guard yourself. You might die.”
“Y-You’re kidding me…”
Ryan was a sweaty mess from the rush in the first half and the confinement in the second. His rough breathing and glaring look gave me a sense of intimidation as we faced each other.
However, there is an insurmountable gap in prowess between a normal human and a modified human. Perhaps sensing this overwhelming difference, Ryan naturally raised his arms to shield himself.
The audience behind him also subtly began to shift to the sides, ready to dodge in case Ryan flew into them.
Everyone is perceptive, which is a relief.
Finally, I could launch my attack.
“Here I go.”
BAM, WHAM, CRASH! Three sounds overlapped one after the other.
The “BAM” was the sound of me stepping in, almost as if I would break through the newly laid wooden floor.
The following “WHAM” was the dull sound of my right straight landing squarely on Ryan. My target wasn’t his face or stomach, but his chest, which had the strongest guard thanks to his crossed arms. I aimed there precisely and threw my punch.
And the final loud CRASH! was, of course, the sound of Ryan being propelled backwards and colliding with the wall.
Considering his height and muscle mass, it wouldn’t be surprising if he weighed a hundred kilograms. But for me, who could easily kick away a two-hundred-kilogram beastman chimera, that weight was hardly an issue.
His robust body was sent flying with an impact closer to being hit by a truck than receiving a punch. Had there not been a wall there, I could only speculate about the distance he would have traveled.
Ryan seemed to completely lose consciousness from the super-heavy punch he received head-on, followed immediately by the impact of crashing against the wall. In the next moment, seeming to lose all strength in his legs, he crumpled forward, falling face down.
It’s unlikely he’ll be up within ten counts.
This means I’ve won—but still, there was no cheer celebrating this splendid victory.
“……”
Silence. A quick glance around revealed the villagers all wearing expressions of shock… It seems I miscalculated my strength. They look completely taken aback.
Damn it, if I had known this would happen, I’d rather have been understated, even if it meant being underestimated, and just had a normal fight. But regret is too late now.
The only motion in this frozen space came from one of the braid-wearing, bespectacled waitresses rushing over to help the fallen Ryan. Naturally, one small girl couldn’t even hope to lift the large figure of Ryan up.
Hmm, if I step in to say “Are you okay?” it would seem disingenuous. However, I would better off just saying to get him some help.
“Someone, carry Ryan–”
Just as I was about to say that, the tavern door was audibly kicked open.
“Whoa!? What was that!”
“Geh, it’s Village Chief Randolph!?”
Shocked voices erupted from the men like they had just been kicked in the ass. Just as they said, it was indeed Village Chief Randolph making his entrance.
He must have rushed over in a panic. Sweat dripped from his forehead as he gasped for breath. On top of that, his thin hair bounced messily atop his head.
“W-What has happened…?”
With his bulging eyes wild, Randolph glanced around the scene. He looked like a downtrodden salaryman on the verge of retirement, yet there was an oddly imposing aura about him.
Randolph then dashed through the crowd of onlookers and swiftly reached me.
“I-I sincerely apologize, Priest Chloe!!”
With the force of a high school baseball player sliding into a base, he fell to the ground before me in a deep bow.
“I’m terribly sorry for this rudeness!”
“Please, calm down, Randolph.”
I want to commend myself for being able to respond in honorifics, as I nearly broke character.
“No, this is something that cannot be forgiven. I never imagined Ryan would go so far as to pick a fight with you, Priest… It was my lack of virtue that I couldn’t stop him.”
I see, so that’s why Randolph is sliding in deep bows with such intensity.
He must have heard that Ryan started a brawl with the priest. If it happened openly in the tavern, it wouldn’t remain hidden.
And Randolph surely couldn’t dismiss such information lightly. He likely understands my danger better than anyone.
On the other hand, Ryan doesn’t seem to fear me that much. He hasn’t directly seen how I slaughtered the Crusader Soldiers. The disparity in how we perceive the danger I present is, unsurprisingly, quite large.
That’s precisely why Ryan could casually challenge me to a duel while Randolph is trembling at the thought of inciting my anger.
“Please raise your head.”
“I… am truly sorry. I will make sure Ryan faces the consequences immediately.”
Standing up straight, Randolph staggeringly walked towards the collapsed Ryan while snatching a cheap mug of beer from an audience member.
“Wake up, Ryan.”
He turned the mug upside down and smashed the contents onto Ryan’s head.
“Ugh, uuu…”
Whether this was effective in waking him up, Ryan groaned heavily but opened his bleary eyes.
“Ah, what the… Uncle?”
“You’re awake, Ryan. How does it feel to wake up?”
“…Not bad.”
“I see. So, do you have anything you want to say before we wrap this up?”
Just then, Randolph suddenly drew a knife from his pocket.
“What!? Uncle!? What are you–”
“Ryan, you picked the wrong person to pick a fight with. It’s inescapably fatal.”
“I… I…”
“There’s only one way to settle this. Do you understand?”
“Uncle… I’m sorry…”
Ryan closed his eyes with a face that seemed to understand everything, while Randolph naturally raised the knife with a fluid motion.
Wait, no way, there’s no way that――
“Stop!!”
That was close.
Randolph was genuinely bringing the knife down. Ryan offered no resistance, even as the blade approached his neck.
That’s why I intervened. I was the only one who could stop it.
“Priest!? Why are you stopping this?”
“That’s going too far, no matter how you look at it.”
With my gloved hand, I managed to grasp Randolph’s wrist and halt the blade just in time. If I had been even a second late, that sharp edge would’ve surely found its way to Ryan’s neck.
“But—”
“Calm down. This is… yes, it is what I desired.”
“…What do you mean by that?”
“I asked Ryan to bring me to this tavern. I thought it would help me adjust to this village more quickly. The beer and atmosphere led us to this kind of situation, and both Ryan and I, being confident in our strength, had a meaningful and enjoyable match. I have nothing to resent him for; I am only grateful.”
It’s impressive how one can weave such a web of lies. Anyone here who listened for just a moment would see right through it. Nonetheless, this method was the best way to convey to Randolph that I was not angry and that I had no intention of bringing harm to the village.
“I see… if that’s the case…”
“Yes, that’s the case, so please don’t concern yourself with this matter.”
It seems best for me to leave quickly before the truth comes out.
“I apologize; it seems I have dampened the enjoyable atmosphere a bit. I will take my leave now. Reki and Ursula are waiting for me as well.”
As I spoke, I received the robe from Sariel and quickly donned it from over my head. To step out in just my bare upper body would make it all too obvious how flustered I was.
Staying calm and smoothly exiting the scene is my top priority.
“Everyone, please continue to enjoy yourselves.”
I discreetly hugged Sariel under my arm and began walking toward the exit.
Along the way, I noticed Ryan, who had just sluggishly gotten up, staring at me as if wanting to say something, but ultimately, he uttered not a word.
“Well then, I will take my leave.”
And with that, I exited the tavern.
“I never expected it would develop into such a ruckus. Is this how all Sinclaire people are?”
The question arose, of course, from Randolph’s reckless attempt to kill Ryan. If they killed people like that, they’d go extinct in no time.
“Randolph’s behavior is far from the norm. The closest motivation I can see in him is that of a gang.”
It seems there’s something quite dangerous in his past. My perception of Randolph is definitely changing.
“For now, it seems I should act with more caution.”
“I agree.”
With a deep sense of reflection, I returned to the church standing right next to the tavern.