Feeling a creepy sincerity, Ibi reflexively shouted. Enthe, on the brink of going too far, clenched Ibi’s finger as it was and asked.

“Are you going to kill me?”

“I don’t want to.”

“Hmm…”

“Ah, wait! Just give me a moment to think, ah, ah! Give me some time to think!”

At the plea for time, Enthe abruptly stopped again.

Ibi, who had truly suffered, waited with her breath held, anticipating Enthe’s response as he rested his upper body on her back.

Enthe, still holding Ibi’s finger, seemed to be thinking deeply about something, then eventually let go of her hand and stepped back.

“Got it. I’ll give you time until that cage opens.”

Enthe said so, pointing to the iron bars where the boy was trapped.

Just then, the bell rang. It was the sound announcing midnight.

“Now it begins. Since it’s come to this, watch carefully; it might help you make up your mind.”
Just a moment ago, Enthe, who had attempted to pull someone else’s finger, sat on Ibi’s chair, speaking quite kindly. Meanwhile, he pointed to the arena where the cage and mercenaries confronted each other.

Although Ibi hesitated, she couldn’t help but look at the scene.

Mercenaries surrounding the boy trapped behind iron bars again. The situation felt like a child’s play, but a moment later, the mercenaries brought out a real crossbow. They aimed at the boy behind the iron bars, naturally.

The moment Ibi narrowed her eyes, an arrow was shot from the crossbow. However, the carefully launched arrow hit the wall, bounced off as if colliding with something invisible, and fell to the ground.

‘It hit an invisible barrier?’

Ibi watched the tense situation.

The mercenaries, perhaps making a similar judgment, aimed the crossbow at the boy again. Then, from quite a short distance, they shot the boy again through the iron bars.

But the result was the same. Everyone saw it this time. The arrow clearly went into the bars, but before reaching the boy, it collided with something unseen, broke, and bounced back.

Witnessing this strange sight, the mercenaries began to waver. It seemed that they had just realized the ominous atmosphere.

However, they had nowhere to retreat, hesitating for a moment, and then lifted the crossbow simultaneously. Then they started shooting in succession.

They shot arrows, avoiding any gaps, raining down on the boy who couldn’t escape or hide.

At first, all the arrows bounced off. However, as time passed, instead of bouncing off, the arrows deviated from their trajectory. Eventually, one arrow pierced the boy’s shoulder.

At the sight of the child writhing in pain, Ibi unconsciously turned her head away. However, Enthe didn’t allow even that.

“Don’t look away; everyone else is enjoying it except us.”

Enthe held Ibi’s face, fixing her gaze.

Enduring Enthe’s seemingly kind but savage touch, Ibi looked not at the scene below but at the people sitting in the upper seats.

As Enthe said, everyone seemed to be enjoying it. People coming out to the railing to watch, those next to them constantly chatting, and even those tilting wine glasses.

To Ibi, their elegant appearance seemed more cruel than the scene below.

“I like it here. Here, it’s honest, full of death without salvation.”

Suppressing the urge to retch, Ibi looked at the people in the stands above, not the lower scene.

Enthe whispered again to Ibi, whose nausea was barely suppressed, and his voice sparked her disgust. Still, Enthe continued nonchalantly.

“Displaying privileges and being greedy is the same for those nobles, Tien, or these mercenaries. At least here, there’s no hypocrisy.”

Ibi wanted to dismiss Enthe’s words as nonsense. However, when she tried to deny it, there was no major flaw in what he said.

To Ibi, Enthe suddenly asked.

“Do you know why those nobles enjoy watching death?”
“Because it’s possible. Because there’s no cost to pay. And because they themselves won’t get hurt.”

“That’s right, that’s the reason.”

Enthe seemed satisfied with Ibi’s response. Then, he moved Ibi’s head and made her look back at the arena.

There was blood around the cage. Mercenaries, who had used up their arrows, surrounded the cage with spears and swords.

Thus, the boy trapped inside the cage watched the people trying to kill him in the middle of the cramped cage without any support.

“Isn’t it revolting? That there are those above who incite others’ suffering.”

“…Yes, it’s revolting.”

“If I make the same proposal to them, do you think they would hesitate to kill you?”

“No.”

“While everyone else is struggling to survive, do they have the right to enjoy watching only them?”

“No.”

“But why hesitate? Just kill them. If you want to live.”

In response to Enthe’s persuasion, Ibi bit her lip.

Yes, I’ve decided to survive somehow.

And here, no one cares about the other’s circumstances. It’s all about protecting one’s own interests.

Those who need to be taken from seek sympathy, but those taking it won’t yield an inch from their superior position.

My pleasure takes precedence over your life, and my benefit is more important than your existence.

So, even though we share the same space, even though we inhabit the same world, we are completely separated and endlessly distant.

But this is not a unique story. It’s a story that applies anywhere.

Then, maybe I should too?

It was when Ibi, with wavering eyes, was alternately observing the peaceful yet brutal scenes above and below.

Suddenly, a bell rang. With it, Lord Brick’s attendants climbed up to the arena, calling the mercenaries.

The mercenaries, who were pushing swords into the iron bars, hesitated and stopped their actions. Nobles watching from above began to murmur.

As if something unexpected had happened, a servant of the arena came to the room where Ibi was tied up.

“Excuse me. Due to important circumstances, this month’s spectacle has been canceled. Instead, we’ll refund the entrance fee twice, so please understand.”

Circumstances?

Before Ibi could ask in English, a scream erupted from across the way.

Following the sound, a noble wearing a mask was pushing a servant of the arena as if he was going to throw him outside the railing.

“Who dares to haggle so arrogantly! Stop babbling and continue!”

That noble seemed angry as if interrupted at the height of his excitement.

So, he attacked the servant as if he would kill him, shouting vigorously. However, something flew from the adjacent cell and hit the face of that noble.

It was too dark to see clearly, but judging by its thin shape and the noble seeming more angry than in pain, it seemed like someone’s mask.

“Idiot, what a nuisance!”

The fierce noble yelled, clutching his face. Then, a muffled voice rang out from the next compartment.

“Quiet down a bit.”
The irritated voice stirred the nobles, but the most taken aback was none other than Ibi.

“I can’t stand it, so I won’t watch.”

The person who spoke was none other than the scum.

No, it was Cassel Montra.