Chapter 40

“Okay, let’s come up with a concept for today’s game. We should also prepare a contract related to debt relief. I’ll get back to you as soon as possible. So we shall sell all 10,000 seats? I look forward to your kind cooperation.”

Darkness, who winked his eyes and shook Lillian’s hands, ran out. He seemed impatient to tell everyone about the arena match and the new player right away.

Female warriors like Lillian weren’t common. Swordsmanship was exclusive to those with money. Swords, armour could only be crafted by hand. And the education fees for fencing classes and tutoring were expensive.

So only the bourgeois could learn the art of the sword, and of those, of course, the majority of them were men. Even if there was a woman, she was at least a lady of a house who was learned and came from an esteemed house that could afford to indulge in her fancies and hobbies. Why would those with comfortable lives fight for their lives in a gambling den?

For this reason, the most popular event at the Billion’s arena, “Beauty and the Beast,” had always suffered from a shortage of talent. Once a match was announced, it sold out. It was a show that guaranteed higher profits than any other event.

Thus, Darkness was exhilarated by Lillian’s consent to participate. He even deliberated about signing Lillian as his exclusive fighter if possible. Lillian’s eyes, staring at Darkness’s back running happily, widened with despair.

‘No, no, no! I’m not going to participate! Come back right now!!’

Lillian screamed inwardly and panicked. I couldn’t figure out why my head was nodding. Her confused eyes wandered through the air, suddenly encountering Saleos sitting across the table from her. Lillian, who saw his playful smile, quivered with a vague foreboding and asked.

“Sa-Saleos, don’t tell me you……?”

“Yes, I did.”

Saleos readily admitted, revealing his white teeth grinning between his red lips. Lillian caught the back of her neck* at his nonchalant answer. [*t1v: Korean expression, like ‘you’re going to kill me—or give me a heart attack—or an early death’]

How can you do this when you know my situation better than anyone else? Lillian, full of betrayal, asked with a shaky look:

“A-are you going to kill me?”

“Me? You? No way.”

“If it’s not like that, then what the hell is wrong with you? You know I can’t fight!!”

“You can make me do it.”

Lillian shut up for a moment. She didn’t know why the devil who did nothing without a price suddenly did something like this.

This why you can’t trust demons.

Lillian, who frowned, asked carefully.

“What the hell are you thinking?”

“I like gambling matches. It’s a beautiful place full of blood, death, and screams. I can’t miss such a fun spectacle.”

Your contractor is going to die because of that fun spectacle!

“I’ve never seen a monster before. I can’t believe I have to kill it.… I’m scared!”

Lillian wanted to grab Saleos by his collar and shake some sense into him. But she was too scared of him. When she bit her lips with a dissatisfied face, Saleos, who saw it, whispered to her sweetly.

“Don’t be so scared. The monsters who eat people and that you have to kill in the arena are also ‘killing’ and feeding me. It means you don’t have to sleep with me, but you are paying my price. I’ll also have fun. It’s a win-win situation. Don’t you think so?”

Indeed, the demon’s whispers were persuasive. After listening to him, Lillian was almost convinced and thought it worth a try.

But could she really kill a monster? Lillian was unsure. The skill would have to be supplied by Saleos—but did she have the courage?

‘I’ve never killed an animal before.’

How many female college students in Korea would shoot a wild boar if you handed them a gun? Most of them would be intimidated by the fact that they would have to kill. Even if you told them the wild boar hurt farmers’ homes and caused casualties.

But since she had already agreed to do it, it was impossible to back out now. Lillian grabbed her head and groaned.

I couldn’t figure out why my life was so rough.