"Klara!
Upon taking her place, Mary called out, summoning her contracted fae.
"At your command!"
What appeared on her side in a flash of dark green light was a fae in the shape of a mare. Not any old farm animal, but a species called Beetle Horses, creatures similar in form to horses but covered in chitin carapace, making for a heavily armored but still incredibly agile mount.
With its carapace glossy and the body structure of a horse, not to mention bug eyes that appeared uniform and not bug-like at first glance, Klara the beetle horse did not trigger fear even in those few who abhorred bugs. It actually appeared like a battle horse donning actual horse armor.
Its voice was pleasant and feminine, giving her a sophisticated yet gentle image.
Klara materialized in the outside world already saddled and ready to be mounted.
"We have a fool to slay today."
"I pity the fool who…"
Mary declared, putting one hand on Klara's neck, about to climb it, and the fae neighed proudly… only to suddenly snort and freeze up.
With how uniform its eyes were, it was really hard to say for sure what it was looking at, but Klara's master didn't have trouble with figuring that out.
Even though she was confused about her contracted fae's behavior.
"Master. Master, we need to run…!"
"...?!"
The next moment, Klara turned its head towards Mary and neighed urgently, shocking its master speechless.
"Oh, no… No, no, no…! Grand Fae of Nature…! We're already trapped…! Master! Who got us into this mess!?"
Not waiting for Mary's response, Klara began looking around the arena while nervously stomping all of its hooves against the beaten ground, and ended up neighing desperately upon sensing the arena's barrier surrounding them.
"Was it your father? Oh, I bet it was! Always so harsh and cruel, unable to appreciate how much you sacrifice for the family! I knew he would be the end of us!"
"K-Klara! What are you talking about!?"
The fae complained, hoofing anxiously, neighing and snorting pitifully, causing Mary to gasp in bewilderment.
"Nevermind, nevermind…! I'll just go and talk to the judge and explain everything… eh? Eh? Hmm? Eh? M-Master…? Master. Master. Master! Master, there's no judge. There! Is! No! Judge! If this is a duel, then where is the judge, Master!?"
Klara attempted to keep its cool and find a solution to the predicament it foresaw, but just as suddenly as it started neighing completely lost its composure in a quiet panic.
"Klara. This is a life and death duel."
"..."
Mary said with a worried voice, and her contracted fae went silent…
"FUCK!"
"Klara! You're a lady! Watch your language!"
The next moment, the beetle horse cursed loudly in desperation, causing its master to scold her.
"M-maybe if I go and talk to him… nghghg…! Master, I don't like the way he looks at me...! I think he will take his time when killing me… B-but I will try to talk to him anyway! I will get you out of this mess or die trying! I promise!"
"Klara, why are you like this!? That guy is a known cheater who abuses his family name and nothing else! Also, he's a well-known fae hater! He won't listen to you."
The fae muttered before putting up a brave front, only for it to crumble down in a second, so that Klara ended up crying. Fearful, but with the remaining shreds of its determination, it continued to confuse its master to no end.
"Hey, I just might listen. You don't know for sure."
"!!!"
"!?!?"
But then the bleached-blond-haired youth made everything far worse when he called out to the woman and her contracted fae… from all the way of the other side of the field where he certainly should not be able to eavesdrop on them…!
"Mary Treedor has brought out her fae and equipment. Since you wanted to start the duel earlier, I expect you to stop stalling for time, Rotsard Vallhall!"
Cutting the two out of their chance to properly react, the patriarch of the Treedor family called out from the audience.
"What's already on me IS everything I need. The rest is up to my magic."
"..."
The disheveled youth shrugged his shoulders and spread his arms open, presenting his lack of any proper fear for all to see, causing the arena to go silent.
"...so be it… Get ready!"
The patriarch of the Treedor family had another deep breath before calling out.
"Wait! No, we-nnphnhn…!"
"Klara, no! Stop it already!"
The beetle horse really tried its best to prevent the danger that seemingly only it saw, but its master grabbed its head with one arm and blocked its mouth with her other hand while hushing it urgently.
"Klara. I need you to listen to me. You seem scared, but you will aid me in this battle, right?"
"O-of course, master. I will never leave you."
Mary pulled the fae's head even lower, so she and it were on the same eye level, and said, making the fae neigh weakly in an upset and extremely worried voice.
"Thank you. I'll prove to you that there's nothing to fear about that trash!"
"...master, since he can hear us, please, at least don't badmouth him…!"
The woman let out a relieved sigh and cheered out while hopping on and saddling up, while her contracted fae neighed nervously, stealing fearful glances towards their opponent.
Alas, there was no time left to spare on such thoughts…