Editing Hagure Yuusha no Aesthetica:Volume 4 Chapter 4 (section)

===Part 4===
 
 
Staring at Listy, who returned to her starting position, and preparing to fight, Ousawa Akatsuki suddenly called Alphonse who was about to return to the audience.
 
“——Hey, Prince Alphonse.”
 
“Akatsuki-dono, what do you want? It can’t be that you are somewhat dissatisfied with the new rule of no ties in this duel?”
 
Alphonse turned around with a triumphant expression on his face.
 
“Of course not, I do not have any comment on the new rules. Although picking this time to announce it is unkind, this is the so-called “politics”, so there is nothing to make a fuss about.”
 
“Thank you for your understanding, I feel honored. Then……I do not know what Akatsuki-dono wants?”
 
“About this……”
 
Akatsuki lifted his head and looked at the special box. The glass had a mirror magic effect, and could not be seen from the outside, but Miu, Haruka, Volk and Miranda were all in the box to witness the duel. After Alphonse returned to the box, the duel would officially begin.
 
However, the box had clearly one less person, so ——
 
“——Where’s uncle Baram? I don’t think I’ve seen him today.”
 
After confirming that he could not feel Baram’s true ki in the arena, Akatsuki asked.
 
“How do you know……?”
 
Alphonse was taken aback.
 
“Last night, my father suddenly fell ill, so he returned to our country this morning. This duel is very important to us, so my father really wanted to witness it, but due to his body not feeling well, he could only just return home first. Before departing, my father also expressed his view that the result of the duel was too clear. Perhaps he believes that Queen Listy will get the final victory.”
 
After hearing Alphonse’s explanation ——
 
“Oh, so that’s it……I hope that it is nothing serious.”
 
“Thank for your blessing, Akatsuki-dono. As for the duel, I will witness the final result instead of my father……Are there any other concerns?”
 
“No ——Wait, allow me to ask one more question.”
 
Akatsuki added:
 
“The barrier that turns physical damage into mental damage……Whose idea was it?”
 
“Aleclasta’s High priest Miranda proposed it.”
 
Alphonse replied.
 
“Queen Listy is the Queen of Sherfield, we cannot have anything happening in this duel……Is there something wrong?”
 
“Nothing is wrong, I was just asking casually.”
 
Akatsuki slightly smiled, and watched as Alphonse turned around and left. This was basically the barrier within Babel, looks like the two world’s approach is quite similar.
 
……This also means that he must take out his true power.
 
Akatsuki took a deep breath and allowed his body’s true ki to flow through his entire body.
 
After switching to the new AD, he only required one AD and he could summon the demon sword Laevateinn. However, the demon sword in Akatsuki’s hand was the most basic form. Perhaps the second form that showed up previously when he faced Zahhark was just an illusion.
 
……That’s fine, this time the opponent is not the true enemy.
 
The AD could summon the most suitable weapon for their user’s abilities. Right now, his opponent was Listy, and since he was fighting in a duel, the basic form of Laevateinn was more than enough. Lifting up his head to see, Listy and the others had already raised their weapons and prepared for the battle.
 
Zechs was holding a red long sword, Loutier was holding a silver gun and Listy’s weapon was a golden staff.
 
The trio who had no path to retreat had a sorrowful expression.
 
Akatsuki could not help but think that both sides could not afford to lose this duel.
 
Just when the tense atmosphere reached the very peak, the moment when the audience was completely breathless.
 
The arena gong sounded.
 
The duel that would decide the fate of humans and the demon race had started.