‘I didn’t kill him, don’t worry.’ Edmund looked at the announcer.

  ‘Ah, let me see.’ The announcer got closer and checked Seth.

  Edmund looked around and noticed that nobody was cheering or doing anything. It was like time had frozen. The announcer checked if the champion was still breathing and could see that he was just unconscious, so he got up Edmund's hands and raised.

  ‘The winner is Edmund, the slave!’ He looked at the crowd.

  The crowd still did not react, but Ariadne clapped. Rufus and his children followed, and the Archduchess smiled?.

  ‘And the champion Seth is alive; he is just unconscious.’ The announcer let go of Edmund’s hand.

  The crowd erupted in claps and cheers. Edmund smiled and walked to the place where the king was. Coming closer to the edge, he just jumped and landed right on the rail, staring at Ariadne, who nodded at him with a smile.

  ‘Good job, peasant. Maybe some sweets would be a suitable reward when we get back. Now sit.’ Ariadne pointed to the seat next to her.

  ‘I’m a dog now.’ Edmund sighed as he sat next to Ariadne.

  Rufus was doubting his decision, if he had someone like Edmund by his side, Lavan would already be his by this point, the traditions impeded actual prosperity for his country, he could have used Edmund as a weapon to deter Lavan and the tribes from attacking him, he should have listened to his daughter Julia.

  The next announcements and subsequent fights continued with no deaths; even the tribes members gave up because yearly spectators knew losing warriors would become feared enemies, desperate to redeem their shame.

  Edinburg fought a Shafran from the Confederate tribes; none had the upper hand, but at the end, the prince overpowered his opponent when his blade was right in his opponent's throat, making him give up.

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  The last match from the bracket was announced and king Rex walked to the ring, there was a huge ovation to him, his opponent was a member of the confederate tribes that was smiling all the time, glad that he could be the one to kill the monster that slayed so many of his friends and even family.

  When the match began, Edmund and Ariadne were surprised that Rex didn’t finish as Edmund did. Using his short swords, he blocked the attacks and countered ?, but it looked like an equal match between the two; this even confused Rufus, who had already seen how the king fought, and it should be already over. Rex walked around his opponent.

  ‘You want to enslave my people, to destroy my kingdom so that I will humiliate you, but I will not kill you, that will be for the battlefield where I will hunt you down like the pest you and the confederate tribes are and make you see that the hope you are feeling now is just an illusion.’ Rex gave his opponent a devilish smile.

  ‘We have a higher calling. you are standing in our way, the darkness is coming for us all, and it doesn't matter what we do, when we win, we will be heroes.’ His opponent gets into position.

  ‘Every year, the same talk… if you talk this much, you could have ambassadors, but no, instead you kidnap my people to be your slave and kill those that fight back, savages, my God will smite you down like she did before.’ Rex got into position to attack.

  ‘We knew it. You are one of the Demon lord's servants. Die!!’ The tribes men dashed forward.

  For a moment, Rex was confused by what he said, but quickly for him it was like his opponent was moving in slow motion, it gave him time to block his strike with one sword and use the other to cut one of his arms off right in the elbow, it happened in an instant.

  The crowd cheers after Rex's opponent falls to his knees, screaming. He just kicked his sword away and kicked him in the mouth, making him unconscious. As the announcer raises the king’s arm, people from the confederate tribes come and carry his opponent away.

  Ariadne found it interesting how the fight went, it was like Rex was playing with his opponent. Edmund thought the same and didn’t understand why he did that, but something came to his mind: the amount of hate the two have against one another would be a drive for that kind of play in a match like this.

  Right before that, Edmund was called again, but this time, he just walked there, with no weapon again. This time, he didn’t feel the need to care for weapons as the only ones who could make him use it it was Rex and Ariadne.

  The fight was against a Confederate tribes A-Dam, there was no words exchanged, Edmund ended just like he did with the last one, nobody saw, just that Edmund finished the match with one punch to the jaw, this time, the crowd cheer, it was something he didn’t hear everyday so it was nice to have that moment.

  The subsequent fights happened with Edinburg getting the best ouf of another one of his opponents but he was wounded on his shoulder, nothing major but it was a difficult fight, with Rex he got another one of his soldiers so in respect for him, he quickly ended the match with not enough time for a reaction, it just ended because one of his black was already next to his oponent troat, the moment it began of how quick The king of Markaz was.

  ‘So the next is going to be me against Edinburg and Rex against another Confederation guy. I think people like how things are going.’ Edmund smiled.

  ‘I don’t care, just don’t kill your brother, peasant.’ Ariadne sighed.

  Rufus was thinking that it was a real possibility for Edmund to kill Edinburg just to get to him, so he put his hand on top of his son’s hand and looked him in the eye.

  ‘If you want, you can give up.’ Rufus whispered to Edinburg.

  ‘No, I will face my brother in single combat with honor.’ Edinburg pulled his hand away.

  ‘Edmund is not going to kill you, brother. He is a silly, goofy man, harmless.’ Julia looked at her nails.