Black Iron Magician

「We’ve been waiting for you, Alezel-sama.」

「Oh, I’d say the welcome was pretty good this time. Is Sango-han there?」

「Of course. We will guide you, please come this way.

Alezel walks forward with the eye-patched man in the lead and surrounded by the other men. When she looked around with a smile on her face, she could see that gambling was taking place all over the place. The casino is still open for business even at night. Or rather, it’s a good time to make a profit. There are more customers than when she visited the other day.

「I was a little surprised.」

「What?」

「Alezel-sama came alone, huh. I thought that you were going to come with your companions from the other day.」

「Ah, you’re talking about my escorts, huh. They have some urgent business. It was unfortunate, but I decide to come alone. I’m a busy person after all. I just wanna get this little job done and go home quickly.」

「………」

Alezel was laughing and the man didn’t continue the conversation.

「This way.」

「Oh, we’re taking a different way than from before, huh?」

「Yes, our destination is not the office this time. But, Sango-sama is there. …… We are still in the regular casino. You can turn back, but what do you do?」

「Hmm, are you trying to trick me? You have quite the nerve there, but that’s the worst question for an underling. Well, I don’t mind. Just lead the way.」

「Very well. Then, this way….」

Alezel was led to a blind spot in the toilet, which the three had guessed to be a suspicious place during their previous inspection. Alezel doesn’t say a word, but she’s making a smug face as if saying ‘I knew it!’.

――――Knock, knock, knock, knock.

When the eye-patched man knocked on the wall several times, the hidden door was opened. Then, the surrounding men blocked the exit as if saying that the only choice is to move forward.

「Hee~, there was an underground, huh~. I didn’t know that~」

Alezel said so in a monotone and then started humming. The melody is the company song of the Quitet Trading Company, which is probably only Alezel who knows about it among them.

「…… Thank you for your patience. We’ve arrived.」

「Hmm? You said that we’ve arrived, but I can only see darkness, y’know?」

After they descended the basement for a few minutes and went through several doors, they arrived in front of a dark room. The room is circular in shape, with a high ceiling, but there’s nothing to be seen when looking up. There’s a passage in front of her that resembled the passage that Alezel went through, but it’s blocked by iron bars.

「If you go inside, Sango-sama will meet you.」

「Pfft! My~, it’s refreshing to see such a blatant trap. It ain’t your instructions, right? The instructions probably came from Sango-han.」

「There’s nothing for me to say….」

「You’re in a tough spot, huh. Well, fine. It looks interesting, so I’ll go.」

Leaving the man with the eyepatch behind, Alezel steps into the room where darkness spreads. From the perspective of the men, Alezel’s back is defenseless and she’s careless, but strangely, they couldn’t see any openings.

「He~y, Sango-ha~n! I came for the inspection as promised~! Come out now~!」

「I can hear you even if you don’t shout. You’re here, President Alezel, no Alezel!」

Sango’s shout came from above. At the same time, this place, which was dominated by darkness, was illuminated by dazzling light, and the sound of the bars closing could be heard from behind.

「Hmm, quite a splendid arena, ain’t it?」

The illuminated room was a round shaped arena surrounded by high walls and iron bars. On top of the wall, there are seats that appeared to be the seats for the audience, and people who are wearing a mask can be seen here and there. Judging from the clothes they are wearing, it’s clear that all of them are upper class people.

「So, Sango-han. What was this arena used for? The gravel on the ground smells like blood, and the iron bars extend all the way to the ceiling. It’s as if I’m a criminal. What kind of joke is this~? I noticed an unnatural increase in the number of customers lately, but is it related~? Also, you just called me without honorific, right? …… Right!?」

「Eek!」

Sango jumped and screamed when Alezel strengthened her word. His firm will was about to be crushed and he was about to kneel down. However, thanks to the eye-patched man who was putting tremendous pressure on Sango from behind, he was able to endure it.

「Ah, when did you get there…?」

「If he apologizes to you here, everything will be for nothing after all. I rushed in a hurry and just arrived. Now, summon up your courage and declare it loudly. Our guests are watching you.」

「T-That’s right…!」

Sango stood up sluggishly.

「Now now~, no need to be hasty. I’m tolerant, so it’s not too late to apologize, y’know? If everyone here, including the audience, kisses my shoes, I’ll just take one arm each and forgive you all. How’s that? It’s an exceptional condition, ain’t it!?」

「O-One arm!?」

Alezel said so as if she was joking, but Sango knows that she’s serious. She was seriously saying so to everyone even in this situation.

「The guests here are probably those who don’t know me or Sango-han’s associates. Either way, you have to follow the rules of Damaya. This kind of spectacle in the city is strictly forbidden, so seeing it and making this show are prohibited. In addition, you tried to get rid of me by calling me to this place. Well, this is a failed attempt, though. There’s no room for excuses, but paying with one arm for your life is cheap――」

「―― S-Shut up, shut up! I’m gonna defeat you and rise again! I can’t let my path be blocked here! Hey, open it!」

When Sango ordered so, the iron bars on the opposite side opened up. Then, a growling of a beast could be heard from the darkness of the passage behind the bars.

「Fuhaha! Alezel, here comes the ace of this underground arena, specially prepared to defeat you! It has eaten countless criminals and slaves, and it can eat even the country’s army if they are unlucky! The name of the monster is――」

「――Yeah, I know. This is Neipam Leol, right? I once ate a whole roasted one in the past. The meat was tough and had a bad taste, though.」

「…… Eh?」

Alezel was holding the head of a monster with a majestic mane in one hand and observing it closely. Fresh blood spilled from the neck, dyeing the ground red.

「Eh, wait, huh? L-Leol is still――」

「It’s dead, you fool! It was so slow to come out, so I went there myself and plucked its head! Sango-han, who do you think I am? Don’t lump me together with the unskilled army, kay!?」

In an exasperated manner, Alezel threw the monster’s head she was holding as hard as she could.