"I, Cedric Rion, challenge, Laura Webber to combat. Do you accept?" Cedric said in a domineering tone.
Max felt the urge to speak up but reigned in his thoughts. Even if Cedric tried to fight with Laura, all she had to do was refuse the challenge, right?
He would soon come to know when a familiar face walked into the arena. It was Laura and she looked good as new.
This was a result of the rejuvenation potions that were given to combatants after a fight while in the resting area.
Naturally, she had heard Cedric's challenge and came out to give a reply.
"Do you accept my challenge, Laura Webber?" Cedric asked.
A few breaths worth of silence passed before Laura replied. "No. I have no reason to fight you."
Even as he was rejected, Cedric's expression did not change. "Are you sure?"
Laura rolled her eyes. "Of course."
Cedric gave her a sidelong glance before turning to the jester. "Your excellency, I would like to know what happens when a combatant that has already joined the tournament refuses the challenge of a fellow combatant?"
The jester rubbed his upper lip. "There's no stipulation for such a situation in the rulebook."
Just then, the corner of Cedric's mouth curved upward slightly. "So that means you can stipulate your own rules for such a situation?... Am I right?"
The jester nodded in agreement. "That is correct."
At this time, both Laura and Max had a bad feeling about what Cedric was playing at.
"I have a proposal, your excellency," Cedric said.
"Go ahead."
"I want Laura Webber to fight with me. She doesn't have to defeat me, if she can land a single blow on me, then it is my loss. Of course, the normal rules of the tournament would still apply to me." Cedric explained leaving the jester slightly amused.
"Interesting… And if she refused to fight?"
"Then I hope your excellency would be kind enough to disqualify her. A coward has no right to become a combatant."
Just then, Laura chipped in, slightly incensed by Cedric's derogatory remarks. "Hey, who are you calling a coward?"
The jester mouthed. "Interesting, very interesting. I am willing to agree to your proposal but let me spice it up for you. The stipulation in which Laura Webber has to hit you to win would be changed to she has to draw blood from you to be considered a victory."
Cedric had no qualms with the change as he bowed slightly. "I see no issues with your change."
The jester nodded satisfactorily before turning to Laura. "So what do you say, little lady?... Would you rather fight with a chance of victory or immediately get disqualified?... Your call."
Laura suddenly found herself between a rock and a hard place.
As she contemplated her next course of action, Max's voice echoed across the arena.
"What the hell do you think you are doing, Cedric?"
She turned to find that Max had gotten to his feet, his expression showing disappointment for Cedric's actions.
Cedric merely gave him a sidelong glance before returning his attention to Laura. On the outside, he did not seem to care about Max's outburst.
Inwardly, he was jubilating. "Sorry, my dear brother, but since you find it beneath you to join the tournament, then I will force you to join."
Gritting his teeth as he was ignored by Cedric, Max turned his attention to Laura. They exchanged looks momentarily.
They both knew what Cedric was trying to do and Max was unwilling to see Laura getting hurt for his sake. After all, she had no connection with the grudge Cedric had against him.
He wanted to tell Laura to withdraw, that there was no need to fight a battle she was sure to lose but after seeing the resolute expression on her face, he hesitated.
Laura seemed to be telling him that she would be fine.
Seeing Max stand up for her made Laura feel warm inside and reinforced her resolve to face Cedric.
With fire burning in her eyes, she turned to Cedric. "I know what you are trying to gain from this battle but don't think that I'm just some pushover you can use to force Max to do your bidding."
Cedric shrugged. "I have no idea what you are talking about."
"Shameless." Laura spat.
The Jester's voice came once again. "Laura Webber, you still haven't said anything. Do you accept challenger, Cedric Rion's, request or would you rather withdraw from the tournament? Note that once you withdraw, you can't return."
The last part of the Jester's statement felt like a threat to Laura but she remained unmoved since she had already made her choice.
Max had helped her not once, but twice. This time, she would be the one to help him with his hateful brother.
Standing tall, Laura replied. "I accept your challenge, Cedric Rion."
Cedric's mouth curved upward even more as he muttered. "I've got you now."
The jester nodded as he clapped his hands. "In that case, I hereby announce the commencement of the match between Laura Webber and Cedric Rion. Match start!"
Cedric immediately released his aura, sending it toward Laura in a bid to suppress her while she began to weave hand seals.
An Advanced rank Magician at the seventh circle facing off against an Intermediate rank Magician at the sixth circle.
Even though technically there was only a single circle between them, the fact that they were in different ranks made all the difference.
Just as Cedric's aura came pouring down on Laura, she completed her summoning.
The next moment, she was gone from her position, appearing a few meters away with a Cockatrice under her.
Cedric snorted. "Servant rank?... Don't tell me that's what you used to defeat Lisa."
Laura managed a smile. "You are being too impatient. Wait a bit."
"Hmmph." Cedric harrumphed as he controlled his chain knife to attack Laura.
Laura immediately made her move. The Cockatrice underneath her moved about, dodging the attacks of Cedric's chain.
Laura on the other hand began to weave hand seals in quick succession once again. "I need Steel if I want to have a chance at taking this bastard down!"