Time passed like a song. Fate's development was just like a random Karo card tossed out by the Hand of God. Nobody knew what would happen next.
From that day onwards, ever since Rorschach officially proposed a "mage duel" to Erwin, he became incredibly busy.
He couldn't afford to lose, nor did he want to lose.
The next day, the Silver Emblem Traveler revealed to the media that a newly arrived level 5 mage had challenged Teacher Erwin, who was vaguely at level 8, to an official mage duel.
That's right, a mage duel, a game for mages, an elegant and respectable competition. Both mages would compare their academic and research results, as well as their ability to teach apprentices.
Elegant, civilized, and no blood would be spilled. What a civilized way to duel.
Compared to having two archmages fight bare-chested, having an apprentice use his or her own research results to duel in actual combat would be a more pure way to compare both mages' academic achievements.
Didn't that sound pretty good? However, Rorschach only felt that these mages were truly hypocritical and bored. They were just trying to find fun.
"Making the apprentice bleed instead of the teacher is already very civilized. Using all sorts of illegal drugs and forbidden mental spells to make the apprentice lose half of his or her life is already considered normal. Making the apprentice self-destruct when he or she is about to lose is a classic tactic … You guys are really going overboard."
Rorschach was rendered speechless by this "civilized" behavior after reading up on the rules of mage duels and hand-to-hand combat.
However, since he was the one who started the duel, there was no room for retreat, especially after the mages spared no effort in spreading the news … Rorschach felt that the mages probably already knew that he was the mortal enemy of the silver elves, Rorschach. After all, 100,000 gold coins was really nothing to them.
Since the mages were certain that Rorschach was a threat, they wouldn't value that bit of information.
However, Rorschach was quite satisfied with the following developments.
"Are these elves so arrogant that their brains are made of grass? It's only natural for a level 7 or 8 mage to win in a mage duel against a level 5 mage. How are they supposed to survive if they lose? Do they really think that they have no chance of losing …?"
Rorschach shook his head. The mages probably weren't that foolish. While it was true that a level 5 mage had no chance of winning against a level 8 mage, it wasn't like he had no chance of winning at all.
In that case, there was only one possibility left …
"… They actually want to kill you so badly? It seems that things aren't as simple as they seem."
The originally spacious hotel room was now as narrow as a passageway, and the reason for this was the "large potted plant" placed in the room.
Hearing Rorschach's words, he struggled violently, as if he was very agitated. The entire hotel shook slightly.
"Relax, I'm not interested in what you're hiding. I probably have more fun than anyone else, so I'm not interested in digging up other people's secrets … Still, this reminds me that since I want you to live, I'll have to modify you further. Heh, in any case, you're already willing to sacrifice yourself for the sake of revenge. "
This time, the tremor was upgraded to an earthquake.
At this time, Rorschach wanted his own laboratory more and more. Not only was it spacious and comfortable, it was also well-equipped. At least he didn't have to go to other streets to get flower pots.
No matter what he did, he wouldn't have to worry about disturbing the residents or causing additional disturbances. The compensation for this hotel room should be enough to rebuild it.
"Why don't I talk to the silver elves and ask them to increase the stakes? At any rate, with their personalities, they'll definitely agree immediately, just like last time. Perhaps they're so impulsive because they were so embarrassed last time …"
Rorschach's mood became even more subtle. Did this count as wasting his time with the elves?
Mage society was probably the most peaceful society in all of Eich. The residents here didn't have to worry about the shadow of war, nor did they have to worry about dangerous magical beasts. In fact, they didn't even have to worry about the gangsters on the street next door. When all the middle-aged women on duty were retired archmages, it would be foolish to be a gangster.
The only thing they needed to worry about was staying as far away as possible from the archmages who were busy with experiments, battles, or idling away in order to avoid being accidentally injured by stray bullets. Every year, more than fifty percent of the people who were accidentally hospitalized were sent to the hospital in this way.
On the other hand, the other side of this peaceful society was that these people really had nothing better to do. They were so free that even the slightest bit of news would immediately spread through the streets.
"A new foreign mage wants to challenge the Silver Emblem Traveler archmage Erwin! A life-and-death (Apprentice) challenge! "
Thus, very strangely, Rorschach became famous. Or more accurately, the human mage he disguised himself as, Hermit, became famous.
Occasionally, when he went out to eat or buy something, he could notice people pointing at him from behind, and often hear people shouting.
"Hermit, come on! Give it to those with long ears. "
"We believe you will win!"
"Don't worry, both sides are apprentices fighting, you are on the same level."
At first, Rorschach was a little touched. The residents here were really enthusiastic, cheering for a newcomer like him.
He also suspected that Erwin had done something to anger the heavens and become the public enemy of the people.
But after a little investigation, he was angry and amused.
"If I win, the odds are 1 to 12. If Erwin wins, I bet that he won't make any money at all. So many gamblers bet on me, hoping to get rich overnight?"
The angry and amused Rorschach directly threw out five thousand … fifty gold coins to let Morton bet on him winning.
Morton looked pitifully at his temporary mentor. Even he himself didn't have confidence? Was he really going to die?
Rorschach blushed under the stare. It was hard to explain that his recent expenses had been relatively large, and there was only money coming in, so he didn't have much money.
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