Kung-
The ground rumbled with a loud noise.
The heavy golemâs head was stuck on the floor.
Finally, all the matches were over.
âThatâs ridiculous.â
âDidnât Memento mori do anything?â
âThatâs what Iâm saying. How can he do that with his bare body?â
The Colosseum buzzing in astonishment.
In the middle of the stadium, Kali stood.
He stood as bent as an old man who stood aloof from everything and stared at the floor. He didnât seem to care about winning or losing.
Long, shaggy gray hair up to the waist as if only skin had been left on oneâs bones; wounds and scars all over the body.
No one laughed at him anymore.
âAll six games are over! Our valiant warrior, Kali, defeated all beasts and demons!â
The host took the podium again and lifted the megaphone.
âHow many of you guessed correctly about todayâs game? Iâm looking forward to everything! Here, wait a minute. Now the results are coming out.â
âOh, my God. Iâm already wrong.â
âWho is going to get all of this right? Iâll change my mansion if there is have one.â
âBut itâs been a while since Iâve seen such a thrilling match. Iâm very satisfied. Itâs okay even if I didnât win the prize.â
Some complained, and some were satisfied.
âIâm sure many of you missed the answer because Kali did a good job today. Is there anyone who got all of them right?â
At the words of the host, the audience became quiet.
âThereâs only one person! Whoâs sitting on number 549?â
âIâll announce the results right now! The one who predicted the six wins!â
âThey really bet on six wins? What kind of person are they?â
âItâs not like theyâre out of their mind. Iâm sure theyâre crazy about money.â
I was the person who was crazy about the money.
I raised my hand slightly, and the host pretended to know.
âYes, youâre sitting there! Please come this way and pick up the prize. Ladies and gentlemen, letâs give the winner a round of applause. I wondered who would bet on Kaliâs victory, but the winner must be very bold. Here we go!â
âThatâs a lot of nerve, isnât it?â
âBut who would bet on victory by looking at that skinny body?â
âThis person deserves the healing artifact, of course!â
I was a little embarrassed to hear the thunderous applause.
âItâs Kali whoâs had a hard time.â
I murmured softly as I went down to the podium from the audience.
For a moment, I felt as if his gray eyes met mine.
I felt chills down my spine.
âNo, it canât be.â
I came here because I needed the healing artifact, but I didnât want to get involved with Kali.
A slave gladiator strong enough to pull out a lionâs tooth and use it as a weapon.
I knew who Kali was.
His real name is âCallix Blakeâ.
He was the only heir to the long-lost Duke Blake family.
The original novel began when the heroine saves him, who was kidnapped as soon as he was born and raised as a slave gladiator.
Therefore, Memento mori was the starting point of the original work.
âEven if the original had not yet begun, I would not come here if I could.â
I know itâs dangerous, but I couldnât help it.
âLetâs just get the healing artifact and go.â
I went down to the podium and received the healing artifact from the host.
âCongratulations. You are the only one who received the prize among these many people. Please tell us how you feel!â
I shook my head, pointing silently at my neck.
It means that I canât speak.
The host opened his eyes for a moment and nodded, as if he understood correctly.
The quick-witted host arranged the situation as quickly as he could.
He snatched the healing artifact into his robesâ pockets and slipped away pretending to return to his seat.
He didnât even turn to Carlyâs side on purpose.
âI know very well. Itâs like becoming a possessed female protagonist who is obsessed with the original male protagonist.â
So I tried not to leave any clues that could identify me.
She wrapped herself in a robe and covered her face with a mask. She didnât say anything on the platform.
âThatâs enough.â
I came out of the Colosseum before the crowd poured in.
Her plan to obtain the healing artifact has not yet been completed.
Just as expectedâ¦
As soon as I hurried into a quiet alley,
âWait. Stop right there.â
âGive me what you have in your hand.â
âYou didnât really think you could hold the healing artifact in your hand, did you?â
A crowd of clichés surrounded me.
âAh, I knew it.â
Would those who kidnap and enslave people just give me the healing artifact this easily?
Of course theyâll try to steal it back!
âIâve been waiting for you. Iâll serve you properly!â
I replied with a broad smile.
âWhat were you waiting for?â
âCaptain, I think sheâs out of her mind.â
âDonât mess with crazy people. Hans next door was bitten by a madman and got rabies.â
âWhat? Does that make sense?â
They exchanged silly conversations, but they were not fools.
Because they naturally surrounded me, pretending to talk among themselves.
âIâd rather say theyâre a professional.â
Isnât it basic to induce the targetâs carelessness?
But this was true for me, too.
I moved my hand on my sleeve and pressed the ring.
Just in time, the mercenary spoke lightly.
âOf course. Why would I lie? I swear on my name, James!â
[The lie detector started]
[Beep! It turned out to be a lie.]
âWell, thatâs him.â
There was no way to hire an upright mercenary from the despicable Colosseum.
I found out a little through the master that all they are after is money. Naturally, they were not loyal to each other.
Especially if they lie to me under their name.
âNo one will believe what he says because he lies as naturally as eating.â
I approached the mercenary named James and spoke to him in a friendly manner.
âThatâs enough. Take care of them now.â
âWhat are you talking about?â
âYou donât have to act. Letâs get those two out of here. The request is over.â
I threw my pouch, and he took it by surprise.
âOh, James, what have you received?â
âNo, she threw it, so I didnât know.â
The knot I tied loosely on purpose was loosened, and gold coins was seen from the inside of the pocket.
Sure enough. The two mercenaries reacted immediately.
âCrazy. What he says is true! Thatâs money!â
âItâs even a gold coin. Youâve done a lot of harm. Youâre not worth that much!â
âDone!â
As a result, James is no match for anyone.
âThe truth is, thatâs not real money.â
Disposable magic tools could be manipulated to look like a certain object for a certain amount of time.
When I framed James to be a double-agent mercenary for me, they quickly split up.
âWhatâs wrong with this amount? Iâm skilled. Canât I get more?â
James protested, but it rather ignited more suspicion.
âWhat? James! Is that what it is? Is that why you took the money and moved on? Were you a spy?â
âThatâs why youâve been spending so much lately. Is this why you did that?â
The other two were united in distrust and criticized James.
Not only with words but also with a sword pointed at James.
Jamesâ face soon flushed red.
âOh, no! Itâs not like Iâm a double agent!â
âThen where did you get all that money from?â
âYes, youâre famous for being penniless!â
At that very moment, James made a deep impression.
It was obvious that he was not feeling well.
âPenniless? Hey. Did you think that way about me? Tell me, have you looked down on me for being a beggar?â
The situation turned ugly for James.
It seemed that the two mercenaries had touched Jamesâ wrath.
âThere are so many things that I can do. Youâre a parasite to me, and youâre barely in the mercenary corps, and youâre talking like that?â
âAre you done talking? Whoâs a parasite on whom?â
âThink of what you stole from us, you beggar!â
Soon, they began wielding their swords.
Chaeng! Chaeng!
The mercenaries wielded their swords in spite of me.
âWell, now Iâm going to run away.â
I took out a moving scroll that I had in my pocket.
âThe place to return to is my room!â
I grabbed the scroll with both hands and tore it vigorously.
Light escaped through the torn scroll and wrapped itself around me.
âEh? Sheâs running away!â
One of the mercenaries who had been fighting furiously shouted as he had seen her.
âCatch her! Catch her!â
âIf you donât take the healing artifact, weâll die!â
The shouts of mercenaries filled the alley.
The moment the magic worked and her field of view is shaken-
âHuh?â
Oh my god!
A blade cut through the air and flew powerfully towards me-
â âRoselina!â
My sight turned dark.