Standing in front of the wardrobe, Yae-hime wore a rare serious expression.

“Formal dress… looks nice, sure, but I’m going to a duel, not a banquet. Normal skirts… with that many spectators watching, if I accidentally raise my leg too high, wouldn’t that be a huge loss? No way, that’s out of the question! Professional outfit might work, but… isn’t the skirt a bit too short? Bunny girl costume… Wait a minute, why do I even have such a weird outfit!?”

“That’s something I brought back on a whim,” a cute voice suddenly rang out in the room.

“Little Blue, why did you put this weird costume in my wardrobe?” Yae-hime turned her head and looked unamused at Little Blue, who had just teleported into the room.

“I thought it would suit you, Master, so I brought it back. I even paid for it properly!” Little Blue replied with a playful grin.

“That’s not the point. It’s not about whether you paid for it or not. I would never wear something like this, so why’d you even buy it?” Yae-hime tossed the bunny girl outfit out of the wardrobe.

“Master, that outfit cost 55,000, you know,” Little Blue said with a hint of regret.

Upon hearing that, Yae-hime spun around and leapt forward, catching the outfit firmly before it hit the ground. “You spent 55,000 on a few scraps of cloth?” Her heart ached.

What a colossal waste. With that much money, the little ones at home could’ve eaten for several days…

‘Wait, only several days? What kind of bottomless pits am I feeding!?’

Some things are fine when ignored, but shocking when calculated. Having grown used to spending extravagantly lately, Yae-hime hadn’t really paid attention to her household expenses. But now that her wallet was nearly empty, her sensitivity to money had suddenly heightened.

For Yae-hime, a ¥55,000 outfit was an absolute luxury. What she didn’t know was that the outfits Nangong Lin had custom-ordered for her all cost far more than that.

“I just wanted to see you wear it,” Little Blue said in a cutesy voice.

“Next time, you’re absolutely not allowed to bring back weird stuff without my permission.” Yae-hime shot her a glare, then reluctantly placed the bunny girl outfit back into the wardrobe.

“Wait a second… this tennis outfit, this nurse outfit, this leather suit, and this swimsuit…did you sneak these in too?” Looking at the new additions inside the wardrobe, Yae-hime’s eyelid twitched involuntarily.

“Mhm! I know Master’s measurements perfectly. They’ll fit like a glove!” Little Blue boasted with pride. And promptly received a flick to the forehead.

“Oww!”

“If you buy clothes without permission again, it’ll be fifty flicks next time!” Yae-hime warned.

This time, she didn’t even ask how much they cost, she didn’t want her heart broken. Thankfully, barring any accidents, she was likely to come into a windfall tonight. That would at least temporarily ease her financial woes.

‘Sigh… Who knows when my poor little city will finally be fully repaired.’

All the money she’d earned recently, minus daily expenses, had been funneled into Chaos City’s restoration, and yet only a tiny portion had been repaired.

‘The days of poverty… still seem far from over.’

After rummaging through the wardrobe, Yae-hime ultimately chose a tracksuit. It was a reluctant choice. Because every other outfit either had skirts or was completely inappropriate for going outside.

“I kinda missed this.” Donning a black-and-white tracksuit, the kind commonly seen in Roc City, Yae-hime couldn’t help but recall her early days after the transformation. It hadn’t been long ago, yet it felt like it had been ages.1 That feeling of nostalgia, was itself nothing more than an illusion.

“The time for me to change back should be near,” she murmured while gazing at the now-closed wardrobe. The premise for changing back was that she’d gain access to the Saint Demon Roulette. Since the item came from there, the method to undo it could only be found there as well.

“Change back? Change what back?” Little Blue asked in confusion.

“It’s nothing.” Yae-hime shook her head. “You haven’t had dinner yet, have you?”

“Nope! We were waiting for you, Master!” Little Blue nodded quickly.

“Let’s go together then. There’s still over an hour before the duel starts.”

Yae-hime patted her head, then stepped out of the room and headed toward the dining hall. As for tonight’s battle, she shared the same view as those Grandmasters. It was bound to be a one-sided match, nothing more than a formality.

There was no need to worry about underhanded tactics either. Whether that was due to Lucky’s blind confidence or lack of ability was still uncertain. All in all, this was a perfectly fair duel.

While Yae-hime was having dinner with the adorable ones at home… In an affluent neighborhood in San Francisco, United States—

“Looks like we’re going to lose at least a few hundred million tonight.” In a lavishly decorated, spacious living room, a middle-aged blond man leaned back against a luxury sofa, a cigar resting between his lips. He spoke with an indifferent tone, as if the figure meant nothing to him.

“Only a few hundred million? That’s barely worth any attention at all,” remarked the elderly man seated across from him. He wore a finely tailored robe, his face withered, his voice calm.

“That’s actually quite a bit, Father,” the middle-aged man replied, shaking his head. His name was Carlsberg Rivest, current head of the Rivest Conglomerate in the United States. He was also one of the country’s closed beta players, and Leon’s uncle.

Sitting across from him was the previous head of the family, Budweiser Rivest.

“Oh? Did something unexpected happen?” Budweiser raised an eyebrow, intrigued.

“Yes. That Princess apparently has quite a few supporters in Cathay. We’ve already received nearly 60 million US dollars in wagers on her.” Carlsberg explained.

“Heh. Must be a bunch of rich fools,” Budweiser chuckled.

They hadn’t set up this betting event with the primary goal of turning a profit. That didn’t mean they would turn down the chance to make money from it. Their family understood very well what high society truly craved— thrill. A thrill that transcended everything else!

Most pleasures that ordinary people enjoyed had long ceased to stir the senses of the elite. Things obtained too easily simply failed to excite.

“When I was young, I often wondered why ancient civilizations had things like gladiator arenas. It wasn’t until I came of age that I finally understood. It was about the thrill. That soul-shaking, spirit-rending thrill is what we should be chasing,” Budweiser said slowly.

As he spoke, a twisted smile crept across his withered face. It was under his leadership that their family had risen to its current status. “War, battle, bloodshed, the clash of weapons, the cries of pain, the shadow of death… the shock and excitement they bring are what we’ve always sold.”

Carlsberg chuckled. Their family was unlike typical conglomerates, tainted with the stench of blood. “While the outcome is all but certain, tonight’s Grandmaster Duel still has its highlights.”

Carlsberg set his cigar down. “I imagine elites from all over the world will be watching.”

“Watching from behind a screen… what cowards,” Budweiser sneered in disdain. If not for his old bones being too fragile to travel, he would’ve definitely gone to watch it in person.

A Grandmaster-level duel, such a thing was rare and precious. That was true, transcendental combat, beyond the limits of human strength.

“Heh, you can’t really say that…” Carlsberg began, but before he could finish, his phone suddenly rang. He pulled it out and checked the screen, and his pupils involuntarily contracted.