End of the Banquet

Once the duel was over, the arena emptied out, and many people left, including Ryushin Tenku, Lady Amari Yui, and Suzuki Kyōi.

Ryushin Tenku chose to remain seated in one place so that guests would come to introduce themselves to him.

And indeed, many people crowded around him. Since everyone had seen how strong he was, many wanted to gain his favor.

However, there were also some guests more preoccupied with managing their own grudges and favors among themselves.

Nevertheless, these greetings didn't last long either, as after some time, people were more engaged in managing their own favors and grudges than trying to gain Ryushin Tenku's favor.

So, since Ryushin Tenku, Suzuki Kyōi, and Lady Amari Yui left the arena last night, countless other duels have taken place without pause until now.

And because people could watch the fights, there were more guests gathered in the arena than in the banquet hall.

The "single-log bridge" festival had truly begun.

Thus, Ryushin Tenku decided to watch the various duels taking place, seeking a way to further improve his sword techniques, find a new way to use the laws he had understood, and perhaps comprehend more laws.

He watched several duels of Suzuki Kyōi, and it didn't take him long to understand why he was participating in these duels.

"He's trying to minimize the losses suffered by getting his opponent to bet," he thought.

He also noticed that every time Kyōi participated in a duel, Lady Amari Yui bet on him. In this case too, it didn't take him long to understand the reason for this.

"She's trying to recoup the amount lost in the bet within the stands, and she wants to gain more. If I didn't understand why she's betting, I'd think she's addicted to gambling" he thought.

In the end, he also decided to bet. With his fairly high perception combined with very precise perception technique, he was able to fairly accurately understand the level of the duelists.

Thanks to this, he won all the duels he bet on, improving his proficiency in using his perception technique.

But none of the duels gave him the inspiration he needed to further improve his sword techniques, find a new way to use the laws he had understood, and comprehend some oter laws.

So, he decided to reflect on his duel with Lady Amari Yui, and find the answer for his improvements there.

When seeking a way to improve, experience is the best teacher, so he used it to improve, but he didn't need to wait and experience defeat or engage in another duel before learning from it.

He could use the information he had available to simulate battle conditions, determine his actual power, and understand his weaknesses and habits he should change.

He used all the knowledge he had to simulate various conditions to learn from them.

One of the entities he recently fought and couldn't defeat was Lady Amari Yui .

So he will use her as a virtual entity to fight against.

Thus, he simulated long on the outcome of that battle without any solution. He thought about it for a long time, but he couldn't come to an effective conclusion.

It's because he doesn't have enough information about her abilities. He realized that she was holding back, like him.

So, since he can't accurately say how much power she was holding back, he can't come to a precise conclusion.

He decided to make battle simulations based on the certain information he had gathered.

By doing so, he managed to find various ways to improve.

So he spent the days until a few hours before the end of the banquet, where he greeted everyone before sending them away.

Furthermore, Suzuki Kyōi also warned that the things he had bet under oath would arrive shortly.

"As expected" and from his regretful expression, he could also deduce that he hadn't fully recovered from the losses suffered.

And he found out from his nanny that in the last two days, his duel against Lady Amari Yui had been the hot topic of the banquet that everyone had been gossiping about.

Then she added:

"By the way, the patriarch reminded you to go see him as soon as the guests were gone, young master. Just as you said before the start of the banquet... I think it's time for you to prove your qualifications."

The process to show his eligibility to participate as Ryushin's representative in the Grand Noble Banquet to be held in 5 years.

I see that Ryushin Tenku, if he already expected it, responded casually:

"I see. It seems that we will be leaving the family for a while soon. Where's dad?"

Since he already knew Ryushin Tenku's impudence in calling the patriarch "dad," he overlooked it and simply replied, "At the mausoleum."

At that point, he immediately headed there; it was pointless to waste time.

The Mausoleum

The Ryushin family has a main estate, and an annexed building to it.

Inside it, countless swords are impaled, as many as the lives of the deceased Ryushin family members. Serving as the family cemetery.

But it wasn't the only cemetery of the Ryushin family.

Underground, between the main estate and the family cemetery, there is a mausoleum.

The Ryushin Mausoleum, where family members who achieved extraordinary results, even among the best knights and warriors, could be buried in the mausoleum as heroes of the family, becoming true Heroic Spirits who help the family even after their death.

Inside the mausoleum, on the lowest underground floor, there was not a single bright spot. The darkness smelled of metal, and a low voice echoed.

"You're here."

Ryushin Tenku, seeing Ryushin Chi's silhouette from behind, respectfully lowered his head.

"I heard you didn't win the duel against Lady Amari Yui, tell me why."

Ryushin Tenku expected this question from his father, and replied neutrally:

"It's true that I didn't win, but I didn't lose either. Neither of us expected the other party to be so strong. Moreover, I made the family earn wealth in both the first and second duels I participated in."

Ryushin Chi replied indifferently:

"Is that so? Well, since you won a Dragon's heart and temporary access for fifteen years to a vulcain mine and you made the members of the Ryushin family in the stands earn a nice sum, you deserve 2 gold tablets signed by me".

He paused to continue saying:

"But still, since you didn't win against Lady Amari Yui, why should I let you participate in the Grand Noble Banquet?"

Ryushin Tenku, once again expecting what his father would say, promptly replied neutrally:

"The fact that I found a new way to become stronger and that there will be no one as strong as Lady Amari Yui at the Grand Noble Banquet. Only if I lose to someone in that banquet can I say I disappointed you."

**

The Grand Noble Banquet is an event where members of the 4 Great Families gather to determine who is the best among them, and the winner will be awarded a reward.

**

The father and son pair didn't speak for a while. However, it wasn't an awkward silence.

"Is this your first time entering the mausoleum?"

"Yes, patriarch."

"If the building attached to the main estate is a burial place only allowed for those who bring honor to the family, then the mausoleum is allowed only for those who protect the family."

That's all. So simple.

The Ryushin family had faced countless dangers throughout its ultra-billion-year history.

The dangers ranged from all kinds of personal disputes to great threats that brought the family to the brink of destruction.

In fact, all kinds of conflicts and battles had threatened the family over time.

And whenever such serious incidents occurred, the people who protected the family until their last breath received the honor of being buried in the family mausoleum.

"Did you know? The first patriarch of the family isn't buried here."

"YES. I'm also aware that there isn't a single tomb or gravestone in the entire garden dedicated to the first patriarch."

The only legacy left were his swords, which were also depicted in the family crest, and which were considered the family heirloom.

Apart from the weapons, and a ceremony held in his honor once every Origin Cycle, held once every 10 Origin Cycles, there wasn't a single memorial for him.

This, because together with the patriarchs of the other 3 Great Families, they had tried to take control of the Empire when it was still a kingdom.

"But now, the times are changing. The imperial family is no longer as strong as before, and we 4 Great Families have recovered from that crisis. No, we have thrived even more after it to the point that we can overthrow the imperial family. But you already knew all this, right?"

"Yes, patriarch, just as I also know that the reason we haven't started a rebellion yet is because of the power vacuum that would occur afterward. All 4 Great Families want to overthrow the imperial family but all 4 also want to become the next one. And that's why the Grand Noble Banquet is held."

Ryushin Chi, satisfied with the answer, added:

"Right, it also serves to determine which Great Family is the strongest, and to avoid the outbreak of a war. And you will participate in it, so make sure not to disappoint me."

Although Ryushin Tenku was quite dissatisfied with the few additional pieces of information his father had added, he still had sparkling eyes, full of anticipation, and replied saying:

"Thank you very much, patriarch."

"Before you leave, I have one last question for you. What will you do now to prepare?"

"I'll stay in the family for a while to train, in fact, I'd like to use the gold tablets I just earned soon, and then go on to further refine my skills outside of it."

After saying those words, Ryushin Tenku was given permission to leave by his father.