Rise of the Blood Prince: From Slave to Emperor

The place they arrived at was a shabby mansion. The mansion was quite large, but it felt desolate, as if not well-maintained.

Befitting a taxidermist's house, there were many taxidermied monsters and animals everywhere.

Inside the mansion, they could see a man who looked about forty and reeked of alcohol.

Thud!

Liscal threw a money pouch onto the table.

"Now tell us what you have to say, Dyman."

"Do you know how to do taxidermy?"

"That's not what I want to hear."

"First, you have to eliminate the stench. The key is to dry it thoroughly until all the odor is gone. That's easy with animals, but not easy with humans. It's more troublesome than monsters. So you absolutely need a wizard."

"So you worked with a wizard?"

"I only worked once. The rest was all done by my father."

"Tell me a different story than that."

"The key is in this story. My father started receiving those bizarre requests 10 years ago, and received quite many requests during that time. I saw him prepare a few times too. They were very thorough people and didn't want any traces left behind. But wizards are people too, aren't they? There was exactly one time when a clue about the client's identity came up. Naturally, my father pretended not to hear."

"What was it?"

"They said 'young.'"

"Young?"

"That's right. What came from the wizard's mouth was 'young.' That was probably the word referring to the client."

"Too abstract."

"There was nothing more I could know. I only received one request and then stopped. No, I didn't stop. They didn't make more requests."

"Why?"

"They said there was a problem with the work. I thought it was trivial, but they said that trivial thing ruined the work. 'Work' is their expression, so don't misunderstand. I'm not crazy enough to call people that."

"I think so. You're speaking well despite reeking of alcohol."

Liscal said. Liscal's eyes looking at Dyman contained sympathy. He'd once lived drowning in alcohol like Dyman in the past.

"Can you take off your robe?"

Dyman pointed at Aslan. Then Aslan took off his robe to show his face. Then Dyman nodded.

"Right. The corpse I received a request for had the same feel as you. Not quite your caliber, though. Seeing this, I understand why that client is obsessed with you. If what he does can be called art, you would become the masterpiece of that collection."

"I have no such intention."

"I hope so too. It's no longer my concern now."

And Dyman grabbed the money pouch. After grabbing it, he continued speaking.

"Since I received money, I should earn my keep, so I'll tell you one more thing."

Then he looked at Liscal.

"Didn't you hear something when you received the request?"

"What?"

"They definitely said something. About what weapon and in what situation they'd like the death to occur."

"There was."

"That's the way to avoid it. That client examines very meticulously and can't stand even the slightest deviation. So think carefully about ways to escape."

Then he opened the money pouch to check.

And silently held out his palm.

"?"

"That's all the information I can give. This isn't certain information either, but at least this is what I'm guessing."

Hearing this, Liscal's expression crumpled.

***

"Damn. Really a big shot."

"What does that mean?"

"You don't know... well, you might not know."

"Palm?"

"Not palm, but the number. The Five Great Houses. You should just know that much. We can't dig deeper if it's them."

"Are they that much of a concern?"

"Much more than you imagine."

"I see."

"This isn't something to pass over calmly, is it?"

"No. Didn't we hear a definitive answer? A way to avoid the target who wants me. If I win this match, it seems like that method will appear."

"Right. I really hope so. I don't even want to imagine you hanging on a wall."

"Let's go. This time I'll buy kuuns on the way."

***

The match day approached quickly. Aslan was calm, but the expressions of those around him were serious.

"Everyone's too serious."

"Because the opponent is too strong. Who would have thought they'd bring the Smiling Maestro Rosad? Don't be fooled by that grinning face. Even knights acknowledge his swordsmanship techniques. He uses two short swords."

"I think I get the feeling."

While listening to Liscal's information, he went out to the arena. As always, he downed a bottle of liquor at the entrance.

Then the audience responded with tremendous noise.

"Even so, a maestro? Isn't this a mismatch?"

"Today Aslan's coming out with gauntlets too, so you never know. His bare-fist destructive power is already lethal. With thick gauntlets on top of that, it's truly terrifying."

"Terrifying isn't the problem—gladiator matches are very different. Plus Rosad is a top-tier gladiator who's rarely been defeated. Is this even a proper match?"

"Didn't Baskun not fight top-tier gladiators either?"

"He tried to once. It fell through, though."

Since it was such a big game, many words were being exchanged.

But the arena wasn't particularly different just because it was a big match.

Like other matches, the duelists faced each other in the center and that was it.

"But what the maestro's holding isn't a sword, is it? That thing."

"It's a club. Why did he come out with a club?"

"Since his opponent only brought gauntlets, that must be why. This changes things, doesn't it? With a club, there might still be a chance."

"It changes a lot. Still, I'm betting on the maestro. The experience gap is too big. Gladiator combat is the superior version of fighting."

Amid much talk, Aslan chuckled seeing the weapon his opponent brought.

It was the moment his hypothesis became reality.

'So he wants to see me beaten to death? Bad taste.'

"This? A special order came in. Don't think it's too cruel. This is work."

"Right. This is work."

A short conversation.

In it, Aslan once again abandoned hesitation.

That's how the match began.

What differed from previous matches was that Aslan was wearing gauntlets unlike usual.

Moreover, his opponent was holding a club-like weapon instead of a sword.

Ting!

After deflecting Rosad's attack with his gauntlet, he approached. Like jumping, he penetrated Rosad's guard in one step, and Rosad's grinning face momentarily hardened.

'What the!'

Even veteran Rosad was shocked at how easily he'd given up distance. He'd never dreamed his attack would be deflected so lightly and approached so easily.

So he quickly swung his club to create distance.

But Aslan wouldn't just let him create distance.

He drove his fist into his opponent's falling abdomen.

Thwack!

A dull sound was heard, but Rosad concentrated on retreating.

But the problem occurred after he'd stepped back several paces.

Rosad suddenly knelt on one knee from the sudden sharp pain.

"What? Is he collapsing in one hit?"

"Does this make sense? Even with rock fists, still."

"That's what gauntlets do."

"Rosad, you crazy bastard! Aren't you getting up?"

Even just wearing knuckles makes fist destructive power frighteningly strong. But the destructive power of gauntlets that could protect the entire arm solidly was incomparable to knuckles.

The large gauntlets Aslan wore had the disadvantage of being too heavy, but conversely, it also meant he could deliver that much heavier strikes to opponents.

Moreover, fists containing energy.

It was impressive enough that Rosad didn't just roll around on the ground.

Rosad looked up at Aslan with an expression full of wonder. Aslan waited for Rosad to get up with a calm expression.

But gladiator matches rarely involved such waiting.

"It's work."

Aslan said. Rosad changed back to a smiling face and took his stance.

'First, defend. I need to be careful of that step coming in instantly. Coming in like that. Is he someone with no fear?'

In countless gladiator matches, it was the first time he'd seen someone charge in that way.

If you approached like jumping at a target holding weapons, your life could be lost right there.

Because the weapons gladiators used were that lethal.

'Even if it's a club... it's an iron rod.'

Rosad swung his club lightly while being very wary. It was clearly intended to prevent charging.

Then Aslan watched briefly before simply starting to walk toward Rosad.

As if taking a stroll.

Then Rosad's eyes changed again.

He'd never imagined approaching in such a way.

So Rosad was skilled enough to earn the nickname maestro. It meant he wasn't the style to win through wild fighting.

When his opponent approached in an absurd way, he moved sideways to prevent the walking approach.

And very quickly aimed at Aslan's head and lightly swung his club.

Not a heavy push, but a strike focused on recovery, just barely touching.

But Aslan avoided it with just head movement and grabbed the club with his gauntlet.

Rosad wasn't flustered even then. He usually used two weapons.

Such things were common. He'd experienced various methods from using shields to block one side and attack.

He had very proper countermeasures for methods trying to block one side and attack.

But Aslan's movement again exceeded Rosad's expectations.

"What!"

He actually pulled the grabbed club.

But the funny thing was that Rosad was dragged along too easily. Resistance was meaningless.

And with that, the match ended.

A straight punch properly landed on Rosad's head as he was suddenly pulled off balance, and Rosad couldn't get up again from that.

One hit.

With just one hit, Rosad's face became like distorted dough.

It was the power of gauntlets.

Tremendous cheering followed. And countless coins poured down.

"Wow. Isn't Rosad dead?"

"He probably can't live as a gladiator again?"

"Definitely strong. Technique and everything becomes meaningless. Who would have thought Rosad would collapse like that?"

"He was overconfident. He looked down on Aslan too much. If he'd used his usual short swords, such a scene wouldn't have happened."

"Right. No matter what, grabbing a blade with gauntlets is dangerous behavior."

"Wow. But isn't this something that'll go down in history? An active combat fighter beating an active gladiator."

"Baskun fought even more opponents."

"But not Rosad's level. Rosad once fought not five but seven and won."

"Well done."

Liscal said with a smile. Aslan silently nodded as a greeting.