Roma tensed the moment he saw the man's aura—it was like staring into the eyes of a frenzied wolf, glowing red and growling low in its throat.
Instinctively, he took a half-step back. He didn't want to find out how painful the bite could be.
He raised both hands in a small gesture of surrender, though his eyes stayed locked on Ludwig.
He told himself he wasn't scared… but deep down, he knew better. No sane person wanted trouble with someone backed by seven gods.
"Alright…" Roma said in a cautious, low voice, hands slightly raised. "Put away the dagger."
But Ludwig didn't budge. The blade stayed pointed at Roma's throat, its sharp edge catching a glint of sunlight—but it was his eyes that really cut, like he could pin Roma in place with just a look.
Roma swallowed hard but kept his voice even. "You do realize what you guys are doing is a form of trickery, right?"
Ludwig tilted his head slightly, like he couldn't believe what he'd just heard.
"I admit, I can be arrogant," he said, his voice calm but laced with warning, "but I've never had a superiority complex as bad as yours."
Ludwig's fake prince persona had worn off, peeled away by the anger burning in him at Roma's condescending tone toward Yor.
What was left now was Ludwig—ticked off and cold, staring back with the kind of look that warned you not to push him further.
"Your accusations are false," Ludwig continued, voice firming. "No one was tricked. Both sides agreed—"
"They paid, and we'll deliver the service. The deal is done."
He lifted his chin, cold confidence radiating off him.
"You will hire Gummybear."
The crowd had started murmuring. Tension thickened in the air—heavy and suffocating, especially for Roma, who stood with a dagger pointed at him in front of dozens of onlookers. Some of them might've even been from major guilds.
If this dragged on, the humiliation alone could ruin his chances of joining one. And worse—being in a feud with Ludwig meant he could end up hunted across the game, never getting a moment's peace.
But hiring Gummybear under pressure? That would feel like admitting defeat. Like he caved.
Still, if he refused… grinding would become hell. Ludwig would be after him. The game would become unplayable.
Roma slowly lowered his head—and his hands.
"Do something crazy, and you'll get something crazy," Ludwig warned, voice cool and sharp.
Roma took a breath, then straightened. "As a customer of your service," he said stiffly, "I have the right to test if this guy's really worth 10,000 silver."
He gestured toward Yor, frustration edging into his voice. "It's not fair—there's no description of this mercenary. He's masked and looks like some conman trying to act mysterious."
He paused, scanning the crowd as if to justify himself.
"So I've made my decision. To keep things fair—and to see if he's actually useful to our party."
He raised his arm. His cloak fluttered aside as he pointed straight at Yor.
"I, Roma, challenge Gummybear… to a 1v1 duel."
The wind seemed to sense the tension and swept toward Yor. His cloak lifted with the breeze, fluttering behind him like a banner.
Ludwig finally lowered his dagger and slid it back into its sheath with a soft click. He let out a long sigh.
Of course. This guy was doing everything but just accepting—bending every which way just to avoid drowning his pride.
"Whatever you're about to do," Ludwig muttered, "it's a bad move. You're only making it worse for yourself."
He raised his hands briefly, a gesture of surrender, then dropped them and stepped beside Yor.
Leaning in, his voice dropped to a whisper.
"Big guilds are watching."
A pause.
"Destroy him."
Yor, without a second thought, slowly unsheathed his sword, his grip steady. His fingers glided down the blade, drawing attention to the red-orange zigzag line running through the center.
"I, Gummybear, accept your challenge."