I Want You to Believe in Me

Another intermission was called before the semifinals.

Master left the standing section.

"Where are you going?"

"Out for a bit."

That was all he gave Alexia before disappearing.

He didn't return until just before Azu and Finn's match, right as the intermission ended.

The sky had begun to darken.

Even so, the arena's lighting kept the interior bright as day.

Azu entered. The crowd greeted her with cheers.

Then Finn took the stage.

"Did you bet on Azu?"

"Not this time. Odds were too low."

"Hmm."

Then what had he left to do? Alexia wondered.

She also noticed something different about Finn.

Her clothes were still ragged from the last fight, but her expression was far more relaxed than before.

She was still twirling daggers in both hands, playing with them as always.

The instant the referee declared the start, Finn sheathed her daggers and simply walked toward Azu.

Azu, sword at the ready, was understandably caught off guard.

She couldn't read Finn's intentions, but that didn't change what she had to do.

The moment Finn entered striking range, Azu swept a short slash from left to right.

She'd aimed for the chest, the easiest target to hit. Finn leaned back and let it pass.

Then Finn took one more step forward.

Close enough to throw a punch.

Azu's blue eyes met Finn's black ones.

Azu tried to reverse the blade from the right and swing back at Finn's torso.

But Finn took yet another step in.

Close enough that they could feel each other's breath. Finn's left hand caught Azu's right arm.

Then Finn kicked Azu's forward right knee with her own right knee.

The instant the knee buckled Azu's stance, Finn shoved her chest with her right hand.

Azu was pushed over effortlessly and tumbled backward. Finn was on top of her immediately.

Finn sat on Azu's torso.

Her left hand still pinned Azu's right arm.

Finn leaned her face in close to Azu's.

Finn's shoulder-length black hair hung down, brushing against Azu.

If Finn drew a dagger, the match was over right there.

But she didn't. Instead, she spoke.

"Pretty face. Nice skin, too. Someone's taking good care of you."

"What are you—"

"At first I was thinking I'd mess you up right to the limit. Break a bone or two. The match doesn't end for that."

Finn's free right hand stroked Azu's cheek.

Azu felt a nameless dread.

Finn's hand drifted down to Azu's stomach.

"Your clothes are different. Did you change? These are new, aren't they."

Azu tried to fight back with her free left hand, but Finn caught it with her right.

She kicked her legs, but couldn't reach Finn.

"What do you want?!"

"Blowing off steam, I guess. Wondering what makes you and me so different."

Finn kept Azu pinned.

If this went on too long, the referee would step in to break them up.

"Be grateful to your nice little Master."

"How do you know I'm a slave…?"

"He told me not to break you. You're loved, huh. Pisses me off that it's not the same for me, though."

"You… met him?"

"Sure did. Crazy, right? His very first words were, 'You need money, don't you?'"

From the stands, Master watched the two of them in silence.

No matter how hard Azu strained, she couldn't break Finn's hold.

She had no technique for this kind of situation.

"You're strong, huh. Well, I was in a pretty bad spot myself. But doing what someone says for money pisses me off, so I'm blowing off a little steam like this."

"What did Master say to you?"

Their eyes met again.

"He said to finish it gently. Figured there's no point in winning when the next opponent is what he is."

"… No way."

"What, you wanted to fight fair and square and win? Didn't think you were the type who doesn't know her own limits. Anyway, whatever."

Finn released Azu's left hand.

Then gripped a dagger in her right.

"Tell your Master for me, will you? That it pisses me off, but I'm grateful."

Finn drove the dagger into Azu's heart.

Before any real damage could land, the arena's protection teleported Azu away.

The audience, unsure how to react, offered Finn a smattering of applause.

"We're picking Azu up and heading back to the inn."

Master, still in the standing section, called out to Elza and Alexia and turned his back on the arena.

"You did something, didn't you."

Elza said it while falling into step behind him.

Master didn't answer.

"Oh, so that's what you were doing when you disappeared…"

Alexia murmured as she followed too.

The next match had apparently started on stage, but Master had already lost interest.

Azu was in the infirmary.

Sitting still, doing nothing. Her treatment was already done, and she didn't appear injured.

Her head was bowed. When they came in, she looked up.

The moment she saw Master's face, she started to say something, but couldn't seem to find the words.

Master placed a hand on her shoulder.

"We're done here. Let's go."

"… Yes. Um—"

"Come on."

He held out his hand.

Azu said nothing more. She took the offered hand and stood.

Master had always said that money was the most important thing after your life. And yet he'd paid Finn to take Azu down gently.

Azu thought about it.

Did that mean she was worth more to Master than money?

She was disappointed that he hadn't believed she could win. But in truth, she hadn't been able to lay a finger on Finn.

The girl was nothing like anyone Azu had faced before. Utterly alien.

What would Finn have done if Master hadn't intervened?

She got that far, then stopped herself from thinking further.

Something nagged at her, an emotion she couldn't quite place. But it was one she'd never felt before. The desire to be believed in.

"Master."

Azu called out to him.

"Yeah?"

"… No, it's nothing."

"That so."