Tom and Ellin were lost for words, and Halsem looked to be on the edge of despair. Holy Knight Rahon's gaze was scanning over Halsem with all the intimacy of a lover. Goosebumps were popping up all over his body from the disturbing look.
"W-wait!" Halsen cried. "This is strange! Normal people would pick the lovely lady beside me!"
Rahon's hand brushed over Halsem's chin and gently cupped his cheek. It made him feel nauseous.
"Since the olden days, outstanding clergymen always had to keep far from women."
Rahon's utterance prompted Ellin to shoot a look of disgust at Tom.
"… I ask that you don't look at me with such eyes. I'm not one of them."
"I-it's strange!" Halsem hastily yelled out in resistance. "Even if you do happen to swing that way, I sure don't! I'm not your guy! Look to the side! This lad is way prettier than I am! This Holy Knight right here! Not me!"
Rahon glanced at Tom in response before shaking his head.
"Ahh, he's unfortunately a Holy Knight as I am, you see. We should respect each other. Besides, you're just the kind of fellow that I like. Why do you refuse me so? I merely wish to talk. It's a simple inquiry… a full-bodied examination, if you will."
"You just said full-bodied didn't you?! You are clearly talking about getting physical, not speaking with words!" Halsem spun towards Ellin. "Help me!"
But she blushed and turned away, ignoring his desperate pleas for rescue.
"Sorry, I don't know too much about this sort of thing."
"Why are you acting embarrassed?! You don't know too much, my ass! You know exactly what's going on!" Halsem accused. "So save me! And I ask the same of you, my fellow Holy Knight! You're my ally, too! Say something!"
Tom glanced at Rahon, but when the latter's wicked gaze shifted to him, he hurriedly evaded focus by turning to Halsem.
"Halsem," Tom began, "there are no boundaries when it comes to love between men and women."
"It's clearly between a man and a man this time! Not a man and a woman!" Halsem complained.
"All-father Artarrk said this, once: homosexuality is also a part of love."
"You're lying to me right?! Don't you go speaking lies, clergyman!"
Rahon placed a hand on Halsem's shoulder, and slid it gently down his body. He had been feeling Halsem up since the start of the conversation.
"It's no lie. 'Tis recorded in the holy scriptures that any and all boundaries shalt be ignored if thee share love with thy partner."
"That's in the case of mutual love! It doesn't apply here!"
Feeling pity at Halsem's cries, Ellin spoke up to help.
"I don't particularly care about a man and a man doing this and that, but taking interest in a pissy-pants is a bit wrong!"
"Pissy-pants?"
When Rahon repeated the word in a daze, Halsem thought it was his chance to save himself.
"That's right! I dribble piss everywhere!"
Rahon looked enraptured at his words.
"… Amazing. Just my type!"
"Heavens—! Why don't you kill me instead!"
Halsem's pleading voice moved Ellin into action. She kicked Rahon's feet.
"Stop! He doesn't like it!"
Startled, the mercenaries surrounded her.
"Oi! What are you doing, woman!"
Rahon stared at Ellin before glancing down to where he had been kicked. He dusted that spot off with a smile.
"Don't you kick me… miserable woman!"
He ruthlessly back-handed her with his gauntlet, sending her whirling to the ground. The force of the impact caused her to bounce, roll, and smash into the nearby furniture. Had she been an ordinary woman, she would have either been grievously injured or killed from an impact as strong as that.
The mercenaries took a step back out of shock, while Rahon gazed at the fallen Ellin. After a moment or two he tilted his head in curiosity upon noticing the fresh blood now staining the back of his gauntlet. It gave him a strange feeling.
"This is… demonic energy?"
His eyes widened as he backed away. Ellin's cheek was swollen and blood was dripping from her lips. Rahon clenched his jaw upon noticing her unexpected durability.
"Could it be… a demon? Wench! Are you a demon?! A heretic like you dared to sully my holy hand with your filthy blood, and even kicked me?!"
The mercenaries were shocked at the discovery.
"D-demon…?!"
"She's a m-monster!"
"Damn, do you mean it's a devil in the form of a human?!"
They drew their weapons.
Ellin smiled at the reaction.
"Huuh~ Amazing. Finding out I'm a demon just from my bloodstain. Looks like you're on a different level compared to a certain apprentice Holy Knight."
She glanced at Tom, whose attention had been on Rahon and Ellin but was now squarely on Kelvin. The ever present smile on Tom's face was wiped off as he just sat there with an expressionless face, as if he was ignoring Ellin's very existence.
'… What the?'
Ellin had expected him to at least be surprised or even furious at being fooled, but he was merely behaving as if she was not there, whereas Halsem had stepped backwards out of shock upon hearing that she was a demon. He covered his head in fear with his bound hands, avoiding Ellin's gaze as he trembled. The corner of her lips turned up at the sight of his frightened expression. Every human present in this space was scared of her.
'Yes, as they should be.'
The ropes binding Ellin's wrists were cut off. Her fingers and nails elongated and shone with the sharp glint of a blade.
"What should I do now that I'm found out? Should I curse and kill everybody here?"
Her words caused the mercenaries to back-off in dread, while Halsem went over to collapse in the corner, seemingly worn-out.
Rahon stared at Ellin with a calculating eye. He was dripping cold sweat.
"… Body transformation? Ha! Don't spout nonsense. You must be a doppelganger from the looks of it! Unlike other demons, doppelgangers don't have any real power. What does a pathetic fake like you intend to do?"
The muscles of Ellin's eye twitched; 'fake' was the word she detested most. Rahon drew his sword and held it at the ready.
Ellin raised an eyebrow at the sight.
"I'm quite strong despite looking like this. Enough to kill everyone here. You'll lose your head if you underestimate me for being a doppelganger, you know?"
"What a clever tongue. I don't know about the other types of demons, but I could take on doppelgangers like you by the crowd."
Holy energy gathered in Rahon's sword which gave rise to a white aura. As he prepared to swing it toward Ellin, Kelvin's fear-filled eyes sparkled. He opened his mouth to speak as he blankly gazed at Ellin.
"Is that wench… a demon? Rahon?"
Rahon paused in surprise and turned to stare at Kelvin, whose eyes had become taken over with greed.
"If so, I could earn quite a bit! There might be gold to be had! It's hard to find a source of money like this!"
Rahon wet his lips. Although he wanted to kill the doppelganger before him, he was practically an employee of Kelvin. It would be difficult for him to make a living should he disobey Kelvin's order.
Meanwhile, a satisfied smile crossed the face of Tom, who had been paying attention to Kelvin expressionlessly. Ellin saw this and frowned.
'He's smiling?'
Rahon licked his lips as he stared at Ellin and Halsem in turns.
"Then, both of these two…?"
"Yes! Send them to the arena right this instant! A fight between a mysterious doppelganger that can shapeshift at will, a human, and an ogre! Doesn't it make for a wonderful picture?!"
Ellin stared at Kelvin.
"Oi, what are you…?!"
"Very well. Then…"
Rahon grasped Halsem by the neck and dragged him to his feet before tossing him to the mercenaries. Then he threw himself towards Ellin, coming to a stop only when the tip of his sword was at the girl's throat.
"Don't move, doppelganger. I'll give you a chance to live. Follow me obediently to the arena."
"Hah? You think I'll stay still just because I'm told―"
"Ouch! It hurts!"
Ellin jumped in surprise and looked to the side, where Halsem had been caught by the mercenaries and was now being pressed down to the ground. The man looked back with fearful eyes.
"W-wait a moment! This is strange! Putting me in the arena together with that monster? Don't kid me! W-wait… what do you want! I have nothing to do with this…!"
Ellin clenched her teeth at the sound of him going on and on.
"Follow me."
"… Ha, okay I'll play along a little."
The blades disappeared from Ellin's hands, and the two immediately went outside the reception room. The only ones who remained were Kelvin, the mercenaries, and apprentice Holy Knight Tom. Kelvin burst out in laughter at the thought of Ellin who had left.