Not long after, Alicia—feeling somewhat down—arrived at the registration desk for the duel platform, intending to challenge the duelist who had achieved ten consecutive wins.
Abruptly, then, the moment she spoke, the masked woman attendant burst into mocking laughter.
"Hahaha! Where did this country bumpkin come from? You think you can challenge Lord 'Demon' just because you want to!? Our rules are simple: if you want to step onto the platform, you must start from the lowest rank. At the beginning, you can only duel opponents around your level.
"If you want to enter, report your duel rank and pick a title for yourself. I'll register you, and maybe you'll get your turn soon enough!"
Being called a "country bumpkin" didn't make Alicia angry. She obediently reported her rank—Great Magician—then, after a moment of hesitation, she spoke the title she once held back in that small town.
"Great Magician!? You sure don't look like it. And your title is… Golden Princess of Gun and Shield? Hahaha! Princess!? A princess coming to a place like this to duel!?"
Although the attendant mocked Alicia's title thoroughly, she still processed the registration quickly. Then she added, "There's one more duel before yours. Your opponent is also a Great Magician. His title is 'Armed Tyrant Dragon', and he has already won three matches in a row. His strength is pretty solid.
"And let me give you a warning. Newcomers like you better be careful in this place. Duelists here are either genuinely strong… or the type who 'win by any means necessary'."
At this point, the attendant's dim gaze swept across the black-robed figures passing by, a look of disdain rising on her face.
"So, since you managed to become a Great Magician, just make sure you don't win on the platform only to lose off the platform. Because here, even if you lose a duel on stage, you won't necessarily die… but if you lose off-stage, you might end up dead."
Hearing this, Alicia pressed her lips together. The attendant looked at the girl's pearl-like eyes and the hint of golden hair peeking from beneath her black robe, feeling a touch of envy.
"Of course, if you're really confident in your strength, you can treat what I said as nothing. You can even head to the betting booth next door. For newcomers like you, the arena usually sets a high multiplier. If you win, you can earn a tidy sum."
Yuui, watching from the side, couldn't help appreciating the attendant. Despite her sharp tongue, she had given Alicia valuable information.
He leaned close to Alicia's ear and whispered two short sentences. Alicia nodded, then said to the attendant, "Then wait a bit and bet on me to win. Because I definitely will."
With that, she headed toward the betting booth.
The attendant sneered as she watched Alicia's departing figure, but when she remembered the girl's pearl-like eyes, she felt—against her instincts—that the girl might actually win.
But she was still just a newcomer. How much should she even bet on her?
While the attendant hesitated, a commotion erupted from the betting booth. Curious, she looked over.
She saw Alicia walking out—and behind her, numerous masked individuals emerged, staring at her with expressions of surprise, greed, fear, and confusion.
"How much did that girl bet on herself!?"
The question filled the attendant's mind. When Alicia passed the desk again, the attendant hurriedly asked, "How much did you bet on yourself?"
Alicia pulled out her betting slip. A clear string of numbers was printed on it.
Ones, tens, hundreds, thousands—
Five thousand gold coins!!!
The attendant's eyes widened. Rarely ever leaving her station during work hours, she bolted toward the betting booth. After some fierce internal struggle, she invested two-thirds of her savings on the newly registered duelist—Golden Princess of Gun and Shield.
"Ladies and gentlemen, please enjoy today's next match! On one side, already with three consecutive wins, the rising star who commands the mighty Armored Dragons—Armed Tyrant Dragon!
"And on the other side, the duelist who just registered and at once invested five thousand gold coins betting on her own victory—Golden Princess of Gun and Shield!!"
"Five thousand!? My gods, is she some noble lady!?"
"She calls herself a princess. What do you think?"
"Noble or not, she's still a duelist in the arena. If she loses, cries, or gets hurt, it's all the same!!"
"Hehehe, I've never heard a noble girl scream before!"
"Kill her! Let those nobles who only squeeze us dry all die!!"
Hearing the number five thousand, countless spectators' eyes turned red with envy.
After all, a single gold coin was enough to feed an ordinary family for a month—and even afford meat occasionally.
For regular spectators in the cheap seats, spending five thousand gold coins was unimaginable.
Thus, the entire crowd—thousands of people—wished only for the 'Golden Princess of Gun and Shield' to lose miserably.
And it was through this sea of malice that Alicia walked out of the tunnel.
Surrounded by hostile gazes, bombarded by shouts of jealousy, rage, and madness, Alicia felt disgust—and strangely—something familiar.
"So it's this kind of feeling again…"
"You or me?"
"Let me try first. After all, Yuui-san already told me the basics of the Armed Dragon Deck. As long as his strength isn't way beyond mine, I should be able to beat him."
"Good. Make sure Neos appears."
"Understood. He'll be the bait, right?"
As the two chatted casually, Alicia stepped onto the platform, and her opponent stepped on as well.
"Golden Princess of Gun and Shield… daring to call yourself 'princess'? That's a big mouth you've got. I'll make sure you understand. This country doesn't let just anyone call themselves 'princess'."
For some reason, the boy—around Alicia's age—seemed deeply offended by her using the title "princess", leaving Alicia confused.
Regardless, she calmed her mind—the announcer had already begun.
"Now, let us begin a new round of deceit, bloodshed, and no-holds-barred dueling! Duel, begin!!!"
...
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