Chapter 14

"Hey, did you hear what I just said? I really hate it when trash starts barking at me. When I see someone like that, I just want to kill them."

Cradle glared at Lambert with a menacing look.

Cradle had intended to intimidate him.

Despite having just declared that he couldn't run away after being challenged by someone he considered beneath him, Lambert had blatantly provoked him.

He couldn't let this go.

Lambert, however, just stood there, motionless.

Cradle's frustration was evident on his face.

"Hey, I'm one of the top five among the seventy elite adventurers known as the 'Dragon of Mithril.' You, a newbie in 'Twilight of the Spirits,' are nothing but trash. The guild master has told me to avoid trouble... but if you take off that armor and grovel naked, I might consider letting you off."

Lambert had once held one of the four Demon Generals' seats, the pinnacle of the Regios Kingdom's ten-thousand-strong army.

He had no reason to fear one of the top five among seventy.

Seeing Lambert's fearless stance, Cradle became intensely frustrated and realized that further intimidation was futile.

"Hey, you guards, turn your backs on me."

"Huh...?"

"I'm telling you to pretend you didn't see anything, no matter what happens. It's been a while... since someone has mocked me this much. I'm pretty pissed off."

"But, but, sir..."

"Shut up. If you have any complaints, take them to the count."

"U, um..."

The guard fell silent.

(Indeed, it seems the 'Dragon of Mithril' and the Count Obock are quite close.)

It was easy to guess that the guard's employer was Count Obock, the lord of the city of Ainzas.

If Count Obock was close to the 'Dragon of Mithril,' it made sense that the guard couldn't touch Cradle, a member of the 'Dragon of Mithril.'

It also explained why the guard had looked puzzled when he saw Cradle's uniform.

"Draw your sword. I'll show you that your ridiculous, ugly armor is useless in a one-on-one fight."

Cradle drew his sword from its sheath.

"No, I refuse."

"What?"

"It's easy to tear you apart, but I don't want to deal with that count crying to me later."

"Haha, hahahaha!"

After laughing loudly and covering his eyes, Cradle turned back to Lambert.

"Don't get too cocky, trash."

By doing this, Cradle, who had a high sense of pride, would be less likely to come after Lambert with direct harassment after the fight.

However, given Cradle's personality, it was uncertain how he might seek revenge.

But Lambert was already planning to pay a visit to Count Obock, who was above them.

Even if he became an enemy, Lambert wouldn't regret it.

While it might cause trouble for 'Twilight of the Spirits,' it seemed there was no way for them to avoid trouble unscathed.

Moreover, Lambert didn't think Cradle's target was only Fiona.

(Fiona should be returning to the guild after a few days. It's unlikely that Cradle, as he said, is that idle. Does he have another objective, and Fiona is just a side task?)

Additionally, Lambert couldn't bear to hand over a girl who looked just like his former lord to such despicable people.

Even though his former lord had betrayed him, a lord was still a lord.

"K, Knight... This is no good!"

"Stand back."

Inadvertently, his tone matched the one he used to address his former lord, Aurelia.

He almost said 'Your Majesty' out of habit.

This was a habit of the undead, to act as they did in life.

"Take him down! Knock that bastard out!"

Lloyd, holding his bloodied mouth, shouted.

Lloyd had seen Lambert cut down the thief and knew his strength.

He knew Cradle had a good sword arm despite his personality, but he was confident that Lambert could fight Cradle on equal or better terms.

"I declare, I'll start by making you unable to move your feet."

Cradle pointed his sword at the joints in Lambert's armor.

"Then I'll break your jaw with a direct punch."

Lambert didn't draw his sword; he just pulled back his fist.

"Hey, Cradle isn't that easy of an opponent!"

Lloyd tried to stop Lambert, but he didn't move.

Cradle leaned forward, kicked off the ground, and lunged forward, pulling back his sword hand.

"I'll make you kneel before me. First, your left foot..."

Cradle thrust his sword at the gap in Lambert's armor.

(What a fast, clean thrust. That idiot isn't just all talk.)

Lloyd swallowed hard as he watched Cradle's thrust.

It was accurate and refined.

(A simple, slow, and monotonous thrust. If he has to start with this, he's not much.)

But to Lambert, it was far too slow.

It looked like child's play.

Lambert took a slight step back, brushed Cradle's sword tip with his armor, bent his knee, and caught the sword tip in the joint, breaking it.

Cradle's sword handle swung wildly, knocking his hand away.

"Ugh!"

Cradle's sword fell to the ground.

He did a side roll, landing on both feet and his left hand.

He grabbed a hidden knife with his free right hand.

"Indeed, you talk big. But you made a mistake by making me serious!"

Before he could thrust the knife forward, Lambert's armored fist, moving too fast, caught Cradle's face.

"Huh... Ugh!?"

The fist embedded in his face, grinding his bones.

Cradle's body flew backward, landing with a loud thud.

"A, a... K... Kill... I'll kill you..."

Cradle, holding his face, groaned and glared at Lambert.

"I held back quite a bit. If I had gone all out, your head would be gone."

Cradle leaned against the wall, breathing heavily as he stood up.

Blood continued to pour from his face.

"G, gah, gah!"

"I tried to just scare you off, but I might have gone a bit too far. You were weaker than I thought."

Thinking it would be troublesome to make an enemy, he had intended to only give Cradle a minor injury.

The guard ran to Cradle.

"I'll call for someone who can use white magic...!"

"No need. You didn't see anything. I told you that, didn't I?"

"Y, yes!"

After glaring at the guard and making him back off, he turned his bloodshot eyes to Lambert.

"You fool... If you had just left, 'Twilight of the Spirits' would have ignored you. You got cocky because you have some skill. You don't understand what it means to make me your enemy."

With that, Cradle, holding his face, staggered away, leaning against the wall.

(He has a high sense of pride. ...Hmm, maybe I should intimidate him a bit more.)

Lambert let out a bit of miasma, causing Cradle to shudder and collapse.

"A, aah!"

Cradle crawled away like a worm.

(However... If 'Twilight of the Spirits' is being targeted by the 'Dragon of Mithril,' they might be in the sights of Count Obock. It seems I might find a clue to the count from an unexpected source.)