Chapter 34

"Are the magic circuits working?"

"Yeah, they seem to be able to handle the magical power,"

Since the banquet at the duke's castle and our time in the city has been surprisingly pleasant. So far, no one has bothered us, but I can't help but feel that will change soon. A few dinner and tea parties are coming up soon, but they should be spaced out enough for us to have some free time in-between.

"I don't feel anything wrong when I move,"

Right now, for example, I have enough time to help Satou test out some new magical armour he started making the last night. Yeah, it turns out he was busy making stuff last night and not enjoying himself in a brothel. It didn't stop him from getting a lecture when he showed up this morning, though.

The armour isn't fancy mithral or anything. Still, Satou had improved the hydra leather armour I had given him to repair. He had drawn magic circuits on the underside of iron fruit shells. The shell covering my chest had a protection spell I could activate immediately by pouring my mana through the circuit. The shin guards had air circuits creating an effect similar to the air cushion spell, so fall damage won't be a problem. The helmet circuits enabled users to detect danger as if they had the danger sense skill. The only problem is the armour gobbled up MP like it was dying of thirst, so only Satou and I could wear it.

"Are you two done yet? Breakfast is ready!"

Arisa calls out from the window. We had been working in the garden so we wouldn't disturb anyone, but everyone noticed us at some point and came over to see what we were up to. Still, they got bored watching at some point and returned to the manor.

"Good morning,"

"Morning,"

Satou and I were the last to arrive in the dining hall, and despite the tasty-looking food, no one seemed to have eaten yet. I'm surprised to see the meat on Pochi and Tama's plate hasn't been touched yet despite the two of them drooling and staring longingly at it. But that quickly changes. As soon as Satou and I sit down and Arisa leads us in our "Thanks for the food" routine, the two young beastfolk girls nearly devour their plates along with the meal.

Karina was just as eagerly eating her food as her maids scolded her. She must have worked up quite the appetite. I think I saw Karina training with Pochi and Tama while Satou and I were working on the armour. I hope they didn't break anything.

But I can hardly blame them, the food is good. Not as good as Satou's cooking but on par with a five-star hotel I stayed at on a business trip. The chefs of the Worgoch estate clearly had a lot of talent. After the meal, we were sipping blue-green tea when the butler Sebaf entered.

"Sir Knight, miss hero, we have received letters for the two of you. And you as well, my lady,"

Satou's was for me as well written Tolma, while Miss Karina's letter was from her younger brother, Orion. Tolma's letter said his brother, Viscount Siemmen, would return the following day. He listed times when the viscount would be available to meet, so Satou requested the soonest slot, the next afternoon at two chimes. Tomorrow is my only free day before my matches in the tournament begin.

As for my letter, it was from an unexpected source. Henrietta Seiryuu, my old friend from Seiryuu City, is here. She invited me to dinner tonight at her family's property in the city while apologising for being unable to meet sooner. I can understand why with all the greetings a noble has to do in this kingdom, I imagen she would be busy for the next few hours.

"Oh, that Orion!" Miss Karina bristled as she finished reading her letter.

"What's the matter?"

"Why, if he thinks seeing some martial arts tournament is more important than a visit from his far-off sister…!"

Karina was in tears as Satou tried to offer Miss Karina a handkerchief, but Arisa quickly moved.

"Nana! Give lady Karina a hug!"

"Tactical commands accepted, I report,"

Nana promptly hugged Miss Karina to her chest, mechanically repeating, "There, there," as if comforting a child. I don't know whether it is because Nana's actions are working or if Karina is too stunned to move, but she doesn't try to free herself from Nana's embrace.

"It's all right, Lady Karina. At that age, a fourteen-year-old boy is bound to find affection from his family embarrassing. It might be better to keep a little distance. Otherwise, he's just going to get mad,"

Arisa gently advises Karina. It's hard to remember sometimes with how young she looks and acts, but Arisa has years of experience from her old life in Japan to call from. Once Karina started to calm down, Satou asked Sebaf what sightseeing spots he recommended to ease the awkwardness.

"At this time of year, I suggest the stadium where the second round of preliminaries for the martial arts tournament is held. The master of the house says you are welcome to use his family's premium seats,"

His suggestion quickly gets a lot of attention. Pochi and Tama's eyes sparkled, while even Liza looked interested as her tail lightly tapped the back of the chair. Pearl looks interested, too, as she glances towards me.

"Aside from that, the museum is currently holding an exhibition about the ancestral king Yamato. Cyriltoa, the Songstress, has an extraordinary voice that will soothe your soul, and she will perform at the concert hall. If you don't mind mingling with commoners, perhaps you would enjoy perusing the unusual wares at the grand market in the harbour ward,"

Everything sounded so exciting, but it seemed our first stop today was already decided, judging from the looks in everyone's eyes. When we asked for a vote, it was unanimous, as even Karina voted in favour of watching the martial arts tournament's preliminaries. Sebaf arranged a carriage and seats as we returned to our rooms to change.

<0>

"These seats are pretty good,"

Satou commented as he and Karina settled into the soft sofa. Most of the others had gone to buy snacks at the nearby stands, so the only ones left in the luxury seats were Karina, her maid Pina, Satou, Pearl and me. The seats were open to the stadium grounds but walled in on the other three sides, with the refined decor in muted colours. Given that it was for the use of nobles only, it was no surprise that the furniture was luxurious. Karina was looking out at the stadium from the balcony. She turned to Satou and responded.

"I… indeed. The lower seats are terribly crowded."

Just as she said, the general seating was jam-packed. The areas closest to the grounds were incredibly full of people, so the onlookers seemed liable to spill onto the field. The area where the combatants would be fighting was an elliptical shape, around the same size as an average running track. The pamphlets in the premium seats explained that the stadium was ordinarily used for jousting.

"Lady Karina, please be careful not to lean over the balcony too far,"

It looked like a ten-foot drop from our seat to the ground below, but it shouldn't be a problem with Raka. Still, I can see why her maid is worried.

It's so lively here. The crowd cheers and the fighters haven't even set foot on the field. It's hard to believe that in a few days, I will be fighting in the arena. I feel a little nervous seeing how many people can fit into this place. The door slammed open, and Mia and Nana returned from shopping.

"Kura, 'aah.'"

Mia put one of the candies she held in both hands into my open mouth. Syrup candy. Taking the stick from Mia's hand. The confection was colourless, unlike the light-brown malt syrup candy I tried in Seiryuu City.

"Hero Kura, I have taken custody of these apple larvae, I report,"

"Oh, dwarf apples," Satou mutters as he takes a peak. "Can I have one?"

"Affirmative,"

The apples are tiny. I pick one up after Satou, and it is barely the size of a golf ball. It was very sweet too. The juices flooded my mouth when I bit into the tiny apple.

"Very tasty,"

"Yes, hero Kura,"

"Mrrr?"

Mia, who was also tasting the apple right after the candy, furrowed her brow. It wasn't a good idea to eat that candy before the apple. The Syrup candy residue in our mouths took much of the flavour of the apple away. Next, Lulu came back with Pochi and Tama in tow.

"Octopus skewers!"

"And squid skewers, sir,"

"I thought most people didn't eat octopus and squid here?"

Satou has a point. Despite the pleasant spell, the tour guild did mention that people didn't like eating octopus.

"Really?" Lulu answered. "Commoners were buying them at the stands."

As she spoke, Lulu set up the folding table in the corner of the luxury box and expertly arranged the skewers on top.

"We're back!"

"Master, we have returned,"

Last to arrive were Arisa, Liza, and Karina's maid Erina.

"Man, that was rough," Arisa grumbled. "The chicken and meat skewer stands were really crowded."

"Right? Not to mention all the fistfights and pickpockets about," Erina nodded.

With help from Lulu, Liza added the chicken and various kinds of meat skewers to the table. Aside from the meat, there was also a modest stack of baguette-shaped bread loaves decorating one end of the table.

"Look, look! I got boiled edamame and peanuts for Mia, too!"

"Arisa. Thanks,"

"Huh, that looks pretty good,"

While we were sampling the various snacks, the time came for the matches to begin. The copper gong rang out, and an announcer's voice echoed through the stadium.

"Match one: Magic Swordsman Tan, the Bloodiron Explorer, versus Zi-Gain Master Kajiro, the Samurai of the Saga Empire,"

Most of the group turned to watch the two combatants enter the grounds. Still, Arisa and Mia seemed more interested in something else.

"That announcer sounded a little muffled. Are they using Wind Magic with a speaking tube, perhaps?"

"Mm. Those,"

Mia pointed to several huge tubes sprouting up among the audience seats. I couldn't get them within range of my analysis skill to gather information, but Satou's OP version came through. He said they were called "Wind Speaker Towers" and appeared to work just like the speakers from my old world.

"Ooh, Tan might be a weird name, but he sure is handsome. And this Kajiro fellow is wild and unshaven like a real warrior!"

Peering through one of the luxury box's longscopes, Arisa relayed some utterly useless information. The tall and muscular Kajiro was shouldering a longsword that was more than six feet long, waiting quietly for the match to begin. He was barely wearing any armour, so maybe his style was "victory to whoever makes the first move." Befitting his introduction as a samurai, the man wore a kimono and hakama. He had blonde hair and looked Mediterranean, so he wasn't a typical samurai. As a native of the Saga Empire, famous for its hero summoning, he was probably influenced by Japanese culture in his upbringing. Meanwhile, Tan was equipped with a one-handed mithril sword and a buckler and clad in glossy armour made from the shell of some kind of beetle monster.

Tan was level forty-two, while Kajiro was level thirty-nine. Both were exceptionally high levels, which was probably to be expected in the semifinals of the preliminaries. Too high, in fact. Both were in the top five of the tournament competitors.

"Hmm, I can't see their stats from this distance," Arisa grumbled, then offered her predictions aloud. "From what I hear, Tan will probably win since he can use magic."

"Arisa, that is quite premature. In addition to sir Kajiro's large frame, one must not underestimate the range and power of that enormous longsword. The match will undoubtedly be decided by whether sir Tan can use magic before he is struck down,"

Liza was probably right. If I were to make a bet, I would probably put my money on sir Kajiro. Sir Tan may be a strong caster, but that would be meaningless if he couldn't chant his spells fast enough.

"Whoa, tacky,"

"Yes, his garments rather lack refinement,"

The subject of Arisa's and Liza's appraisal was the referee, who'd just walked into the arena in brightly coloured clothes, holding large red and white flags and a horn. The combatants entered two circles outlined on the ground, about a hundred feet apart. This appeared to be the starting position. At this distance, a magic user probably couldn't finish a lengthy chant before their opponent attacked. It looks like I made the right bet. The referee blew a horn and shouted that the match had begun.

"The warrior man charged, sir!"

Before the sound of the horn had faded, Kajiro sprang forward. His white blade flashed down toward Tan.

"Instant Shield Hirameki Tate!"

A defensive barrier spread from Tan's shield like a ripple of light, repelling the longsword's attack. Before Kajiro could swing his lengthy sword back around, Tan's one-handed blade lashed out toward Kajiro's face. Kajiro contorted to dodge the strike, only to face a triple lunge from Tan.

"Oh, he's moving away, sir!" Pochi flailed her now-empty skewer stick.

"Mmph! Mmph mmph?"

"Tama, try to finish eating before you speak, okay?"

Tama tried to join in on the commentary with a mouthful of food and was met with a light scolding from Lulu. Gaining some distance, Kajiro slid his feet to adjust the space between them. At the same time, Tan used a short Body Strengthening chant to power himself up.

"Strengthening?"

"I guess he's using some kind of buff spell,"

Mia and Arisa listened keenly to the chant, trying to predict its effects.

"But why doesn't Kajiro attack while he's invoking the chant?"

"Arisa, that is precisely what Sir Tan wants him to do. He would likely be met with a severe counterattack if he fell for it,"

Liza knew her stuff.

"Hero Kura, the samurai unit's movements are strange, I inform,"

"Yes, that's a slide step…."

As I explained the move to Nana, the fighters returned to action. No one listened to my explanation, so I also returned my attention to the match. Unlike the previous bout, this time, they were exchanging blows in rapid succession, their blades creating noticeable sparks.

"Wow. He hasn't stopped chanting for a second, even while he's deflecting all those sword blows,"

"Very calm,"

Arisa and Mia crunched away at their snacks as they provided a magic user's perspective on the match. Then, whether it was thanks to the level difference or the Body Strengthening, Tan slowly began to take the lead. The battle was so intense that the cheering audience lapsed into silence, watching with bated breath.

"Ah!"

A loud clang resounded through the stadium as Kajiro's weapon snapped in half.

"Kajiro!"

I heard a woman cry out from the passage leading to the stadium's waiting room. Even with his sword broken, Kajiro refused to give up the fight, swinging toward his opponent in a last-ditch attempt at a comeback. But Tan was ready for him and blocked with his sword wrapped in purple lightning. A static-like ZAP! Boomed through the stadium, and Kajiro fell to the ground. Tan must have paralysed him with an electric shock. Tan pointed his sword to Kajiro's neck, then looked to the referee to pronounce him victorious. But then something I didn't expect happened. Bloodthirsty voices rang out from the audience.

"Kill him!"

"Death to the loser!"

Will they be this driven to see bloodshed when I fight down there? I can only imagine when the proper tournament gets started that, things will get worse. It was only a few dozen men, not the whole stadium. Still, the scattered jeers calling for Kajiro's death were terrifying. But Tan simply shrugged as if to dismiss the demands, refusing to rise to the bait from the ill-mannered spectators. This gesture appeared favourably with the ladies. Shrieks of admiration rose from the crowd.

"Winner: Magic Swordsman Tan!"

When the referee finally declared Tan's victory, an uproar from the crowd drowned out the unpleasant jeers. Naturally, we joined in to applaud the excellent bout. While we waited for the next match to start, we munched on snacks and discussed the previous battle.

"Was that a hakama? What a wonderful piece of equipment. I did not expect it to hide his footwork so well,"

Liza seemed impressed with Kajiro's Japanese-style outfit. Tama, Pochi and, surprisingly, Pearl as well attempted to mimic his footwork, but they couldn't quite get the hang of it.

"This is hard,"

"I can't help lifting my feet, sir,"

"I think it went something like this…."

"Here, try it like this,"

Taking off his shoes, Satou demonstrated the slide step for them. He doesn't look like he has done it before, but Satou's movements are a lot better than the girls. Still, all four of them need some more practice before they can imitate Kajiro's slide step. Explaining the basic move looked easy enough, but showing them how to fine-tune it with their toes was harder. Tama and Pochi crouched on the floor, squinting at Satou's toes.

"Wiggle, wiggle?"

"Like a slug, sir,"

Taking a liking to the movement, Pochi sprawled on the floor and began shunting herself like an inchworm. Just as Tama was about to start doing the same, Lulu cut in.

"Pochi! Good girls don't roll around on the floor in their best clothes, you know!"

"N… no, this is different, ma'am. Lulu, I didn't mean to, ma'am,"

"How is it different, exactly? Now, what do we say when we do bad things?"

"I'm sorry, ma'am," Pochi knelt suitably apologetically.

"Pochi bad."

Tama shrewdly scurried over to Lulu's side, looking reproachfully. Satou gave Tama a pointed look, and she hurriedly switched to the same "apologetic" pose.

The next match was a fierce swordfight between two beastfolk. This time, both combatants ended up bleeding. It wasn't very pleasant to watch. In fact, the way they were slashing at each other with fierce grins on their bloodied faces was terrifying. I hope I don't have to face an opponent like that.

"Master, they're whacking each other, sir,"

"Liza could win,"

"While I would by no means go down without a fight, I somehow doubt that I could defeat either of them,"

Both beastfolk were level thirty, so from a numerical standpoint, Liza would probably lose. But her skill and technique were far better than the two fighters.

"Oh! What a move!"

"Twirl?"

"My head is spinning, sir,"

"Mm. Wow,"

The younger group raised a chorus of admiration for the acrobatic fighters. Getting overexcited, Tama and Pochi started dangling themselves dangerously over the railing to cheer them on.

"You mustn't lean over the railing, you two,"

Liza warned. The two backed away immediately, but each time one of the beastfolk landed a blow or executed an acrobatic dodge, they leapt right back on. Finally, tired of telling them off, Liza picked up Tama and Pochi and held them like stuffed animals.

One of the fighters was a foxkin man armed with a broadsword. He swang around like a shot put, using the momentum to let loose a spinning slash like something out of a manga. Not to be outdone, his opponent, a raccoonfolk man, separated his sword vertically into two thinner swords and began whirling himself around.

"Three turns?"

"My head is really spinning, sir,"

Tama and Pochi, still secure in Liza's arms, whipped their heads back and forth dizzyingly as they watched the fighters. It's a miracle that no one has lost a limb in the fight. But I was fearful that it was only a matter of time.

"Hero Kura, can I move like that, too? I inquire,"

"If you use Body Strengthening well enough, I'm sure you can,"

Unfortunately, my comment also caught the attention of Karina, who had been watching the match quietly.

"Why, in that case, perhaps I could do it, too,"

"Indeed, Lady Karina, it is possible," Raka blinked on Miss Karina's overside chest, giving his answer.

The heated battle between the two beastfolk had the crowd worked up into a fervour. Still, shockingly, it ended in a draw when the fighters knocked each other out simultaneously. The rematch would be held the next day.

The morning's final round was between a beastfolk spearman and a female samurai who appeared to be around twenty years old. Apparently, she was a relative of Kajiro, the longsword-wielding samurai from the first match. She wielded both a polearm and a short sword. Both combatants' levels were in the mid-twenties, significantly lower than the fighters we'd seen.

"Just you wait, Golao. Papa's going to win this tournament and get a government job,"

"I vow to restore Lord Kajiro's pride,"

I could only hear the two combatants' thanks to my keen hearing skill, as they muttered under their breaths. When the allotted time for evaluating the opponent was up, and the match began, the spearman immediately went on the offensive.

"Yaaaah! Kill her!"

The audience was getting a little vicious. They must have been worked up after the previous fight's anticlimax. The edge of the spear's cross-shaped tip sliced through the woman's sleeve, and the other end bit into her arm. Blood sprayed into the air, agitating the audience.

"Bloooood! Woooo!"

I went pale hearing the crowd. Nearly everyone else did as well. Even after hearing the death cries earlier, I couldn't help but feel shocked at the crowds cheering. When I agreed to fight in this tournament, I never thought it would involve fights to the death.

"Yeaaaah! Kiiiill!"

The blood loss sent the woman staggering, and the crowd roared madly.

"Mrrr…."

"Weh…."

Tama and Pochi, still in Liza's arms, curled up fearfully with their ears flattened and tails hiding between their legs. Those three seem to be affected worse by what is happening.

"Arisa, could you cast Calm Field on everyone, please?"

"O… Okeydoke!"

Arisa obeyed my quiet request without making a scene. The magic quickly took effect, easing everyone's panic. Liza, Pochi and Tama collapsed when the spell hit them, so we guided the trio to the sofas. In all likelihood, the cause of their distress was that the crowd's jeers reminded them of the riot back in Seiryuu City. They might have been killed if the magic soldier Zena hadn't stepped in to help. It made sense that the experience would have traumatised them.

"It's all right," Satou murmured, laying his hands over theirs.

"We're here for you,"

"You've got me, too!"

"And me,"

"No one can harm you with us around,"

"I will defend you, I declare,"

"Mm. Safe,"

"Nothing can get past my sword,"

Everyone else chimed in, giving their support as we put our hands on top of Satou's. Karina looked like she wanted to join, too, but she hesitated too long and missed her chance, so instead, she just stood outside the circle, looking left out.

"Master, I apologise for worrying you,"

"We're okay,"

"P… Pochi is just fine, sirs,"

The beastfolk girls smiled with difficulty and returned to their seats. And yet, the cries of "Kill her!" were still roaring through the stadium. I am starting to think this kingdom has a problem with murderous desire. I almost freeze up again when I turn back to the fight. I see the man standing over the bloodied samurai woman with his spear raised. However, reluctantly, he appeared to be trying to stab her in response to the audience's demands.

"Why isn't the ref…?"

Before Satou finished his question, we both realised the woman was still holding her broken short sword. From a refereeing standpoint, that probably meant the fight was technically still on. The woman rolled to avoid the spear a few times, but finally, the spearman trapped the arm holding the short sword under his foot, rendering her powerless.

"That's it! Kill her! If you do well, the house of Count Bobino will gladly employ you!"

Count Bobino. He was one of the people requesting to meet me that I haven't responded to yet. I don't think I will agree to meet with him after this. Hearing the count's words, the spearman muttered as if he'd lost his mind.

"Golao… Papa's going to do it…."

"Stop! Golao is watching!"

Satou used his "Amplification" skill to try and bring the man back to his senses.

"Golao…."

Satou managed to get through to him. Shaken by his words, the man shifted his spear to the side, the cross-shaped tip stopping just short of the woman's neck.

"Winner! Spearman Jirau!"

The man dropped to his knees as soon as his victory was announced. The medical staff came in to help up the samurai woman and carry her off the field.

"Well, I know I'm bored of this now. Should we go back?"

"I agree. This bloodthirsty atmosphere doesn't suit my delicate senses,"

It wasn't boredom that drove me away but the bloodthirsty crowd. I hope they calm down before the tournament starts, for real.

"If Sa… Sir Pendragon is going back. I suppose we shall as well,"

"Hey! What do you think you're doing?! I'm a direct descendant of the esteemed Bobino family. I'll have you know! Foolish knights!"

"Quiet down, please. We are detaining all members of the Bobino family by order of His Grace, the duke. Any resistance will be considered mutiny against him."

The first voice was that awful, arrogant noble from before. Satou delivered the letter as planned, and the round-up began. From the sounds of it, more people are being arrested nearby, and I hope this will be the last we hear from the Wings of Freedom cult.

<0>

When we returned to Count Worgoch's manor, Satou decided to try to comfort the beastfolk girls by preparing hamburg steaks at their request. The housemaid got some tofu for him, so he also made a test run of a tofu version for Mia.

"Pochi!"

"Tama!"

Seeing the steaks, the two squealed and clung to each other joyously. I was glad they weren't just pretending to be cheerful anymore. Hamburg steaks had been the right choice.

"Kura?" Mia tugged my sleeve as Satou put her special hamburg steak before her.

"This is a tofu hamburg steak. Satou made it just for you. It may look normal, but he used soy and wheat flour, so I think you should be able to eat it," I smile and do my best to explain the dish to her. I should have just asked Satou to do it since he made it. "Just try a bite, okay? If you don't like it, I'll make you something else."

"Mm," Mia hesitantly reached her chopsticks toward the tofu hamburg steak. "Yummy."

I smile, watching her face light up after she takes a bite. It looks like Satou's dish was a big success.

"Delicious! It falls apart in your mouth, and the mysterious flavour is nothing like bread or vegetables. It's so good… it's amazing!"

This time, she spoke in Elvish to declare her approval at length. But since Satou and I were the only ones who could understand her, I told the curious onlookers that Mia liked the steak.

"Hamburg steak… I never knew that such a thing existed…!" Karina trembled with emotion at her first taste of the dish.

"Yummy-yummy!"

"Master Satou, the hamburg steak is delicious, I commend,"

Tama and Nana had limited vocabulary, but they still clearly expressed their enjoyment of the food.

"Oh man, hamburg steak is the best! Sir."

"Makes you want to jump up and shout, 'Aww, yeah!' right?"

Arisa and Pochi, on the other hand, had no such problems. Arisa must significantly impact Pochi's vocabulary since they sound more alike daily.

"Kura, more,"

"Satou, is there any more for Mia?"

"Sorry, Mia. I don't have enough tofu to make another helping,"

"Whomp-whomp,"

Mia rarely said sound effects aloud like that. Guess she was really disappointed. Still, Satou managed to earn her forgiveness by promising to make her hamburg steak again for dinner.

Ultimately, everyone but Mia overate and went down for the count. They were all flopped out on the floor, groaning. Once we got them to take some stomach medicine and lie down properly, Satou and I left them to recover for a while. I called out to Mia, who was cleansing her palate with fruit water.

"Seems like we have some time to kill. Want to go check out the aristocratic quarter's magic shop?"

"Mm, let's,"

The magic shop was within walking distance. Still, the Bobino mansion round-up was going on, so we decided taking one of the Worgoch mansion's carriages would be smoother and safer. The magic shop was on the outer edge of the aristocratic quarter, near the lesser nobles' estates. There was a magic shop for commoners in the downtown area, too. But we decided on this one because it was the only place with intermediate attack magic. Satou and I suddenly encountered an acquaintance as we entered the store in high spirits.

"Ooh, if it isn't Sir Satou! Ah, and hero Kura!"

"Hmm? Is this an acquaintance of yours, Tolma?"

"Yeah, I told you about him before, remember? When that army of monsters attacked Muno City, he…."

Tolma was inside the magic shop, chatting with someone who appeared to be the manager. He spun the tale of the defence of Muno City as if he had witnessed it with his own two eyes. The store manager was a large, muscular man with a grim face, hardly the sort you'd expect to run a magic shop. An axe or a broadsword would be more fitting in his hands.

The manager grinned as he listened to Tolma's excited tale. He probably figured that Tolma was exaggerating as usual if his expression was anything to go by. He certainly didn't seem seriously convinced.

"The name's Kikinu. I was born in a small kingdom in the east, so forgive me if my name seems strange. If it's too hard to pronounce, please call me Meathead or Manager or Old Man or something,"

"Not at all. My name is Satou,"

"It's nice to meet you. My name is Kura,"

"Mia,"

"Tsk, tsk, tsk," Not liking to be ignored, Tolma shook his finger.

"You two really should give your full name, you know,"

"My apologies. I am Satou Pendragon, an honorary hereditary knight,"

"Oh-ho? You must be fond of heroic legends, eh?"

"This guy's master is Baron Muno, who used to be called Baronet Donano,"

"I see… That explains that, then,"

"Ultimately, I chose the name Pendragon myself,"

"Well, that's all right. Only fellow die-hards would recognise it anyway,"

Next, it was my turn.

"My name is Kura Suou. I'm a knight in the service of Earl Seiryuu and a hero,"

"So Tolma wasn't lying about you being a hero," The manager laughed. "I guess he can tell the truth from time to time."

"When have I ever lied to you,"

"More times than I can count," He shakes his head. "Anyway, what's a pair like you doing in this place? Collecting more scrolls, I suppose?"

"Well, yes, but I also wanted to see the spell books."

"Spellbooks? Why?"

"Some of my travelling companions use magic, like this one here,"

I gestured to Mia as Satou pointed her out. Shyly, Mia raises her head and nods.

"A beginner's book for the little lady, then? I might have a few that would work,"

"No, no need for that. Could you show me any intermediate or higher books, please?"

The manager raised his eyebrows upon hearing Satou's requests. The magic-casting girls in our party must be far above average. I haven't really thought about it until now, but Arisa, who is elven, can probably cast spells court mages can't.

"I think those would be too difficult for a child…."

"Mrrr,"

Frowning, Mia lowers her hood, letting the shopkeeper see her pointed ears.

"A… an elf?!"

"Mm,"

"Mia is an elf of the Bolenan Forest," I explained on her behalf.

"I… I'm terribly sorry for my rudeness!" Kikinu ducked his head so fast that it almost smashed into the counter.

"Okay,"

Mia is a kind person who quickly forgives people. Her dour expression quickly vanished upon hearing the man's sincerity.

"I didn't know you were a fan of elves, too, Kikinu," Tolma comments.

"I don't know about 'fan,' but… Did I ever tell you I'm from the Black Dragon Mountains?"

"Oh yeah,"

"The monsters from the mountains often carried plagues into our villages," The manager explains his background. "Every year, villagers fall ill to these plagues, but thanks to the Tree of Healing Rest that the elves planted long ago, people rarely die."

"Mm. Good tree," Mia nodded.

"Huh. I bet you could profit off a tree like that if you cut some roots from it,"

"Impossible. One fellow did try to plant it somewhere else to make money, but it withers if planted anywhere but where the elves put it," The manager shook his head.

"Not enough spirits,"

Mia whispered to me, explaining the real reason for the replanting failure. I guess you needed spirits for a Tree of Healing Rest to grow. Come to think of it. The land around the dwarves' home of Bolehart City was withering because of a lack of spirits or mana, too.

"Regardless, that's why I feel indebted to the elves,"

After a few more minutes of idle chatter, the manager brought out his collection of scrolls and spellbooks. As expected of a big city store, his lineup was pretty impressive.

"This one looks good,"

"Really? These books here are old staples, but that one's practically a joke...."

The volume picked up was called Rotation and Romance. It was written by someone called Professor Jahado. There were other books by the same author, who seemed to be fixated on a particular theme: Where Rotation and Reciprocating Motion Meet and New Magic Born of Rotation.

"Oh, I don't know about that. Some of Professor Jahado's inventions are pretty remarkable,"

The "old staples" the manager recommended were. Foundations of Staffs and Catalysts, Gems and Cores, Thirty Circuits for Use in Magic Tools, Magic Tools and Carving Magic, How to Engrave Runes, and From Seals to Magic Circles. I am tempted to buy all of them. Thirty Circuits for Use in Magic Tools and How to Engrave Runes seem particularly handy when improving the prototype armour I am helping Satou make. But despite the selection, Satou looks like something was missing that he wanted to see.

"I'll take all of these and one of each kind of intermediate spell book, please,"

There were also manuals for Explosion Magic and Destruction Magic, which Miss Ringrande was said to have revived.

"Th-that many?!...Oh, right. I almost forgot since you're a friend of Tolma's, but would you mind showing me your noble identification papers, please? And you need a specific license to purchase any books containing spells that could be used for military purposes...."

"Will this do?"

Satou showed him the silver plate denoting my nobility and the permit he'd received from the duke the day before.

"An unlimited permit? And with the duke's official seal?! H… how on earth did you...?"

I wonder how he would react if Satou told him he got his permit because of some tasty tempura. But as Satou moves on to asking about Magical scrolls, something catches my eye. A tiny flicker of light in the corner of my eye causes my head to turn, and I can't fight the urge to get a closer look. The light flickers and move, and I can't stop myself from following it.

It leads me to a shelf at the far end of the room, where everything is covered in a thin layer of dust. The light flickers and fades on an old box. Picking up, I fear it might crumble in my hands due to the age. It isn't big or heavy, but the box doesn't look like anyone has touched it in decades. Still, there is one problem. I can't see how it opens.

Looking it over, I can't see any locks, latches or openings. It appears to be just a wooden cube, but something tells me there is more to this object than meets the eye. Brushing off the dust, I still can't see any clues as to how to get to what's inside. I probably should put it back and rejoin the others, but I can't shake the feeling that I am meant to have whatever is inside of this thing.

"Kura," Mia suddenly tapped my back, frowning, and, by accident, I ended up pressing part of the box inside. "Don't disappear."

"I'm sorry," I promised her I wouldn't do it again after what happened in Gururian City. "But something drew me to this."

"Box?" Mia looks at the box tilting her head.

"I'm not sure, but I think there is something inside of it," Looking at the box in my hand, I noticed it had changed slightly. After pressing in that part by accident, several little dots appeared. "I think it is some kind of puzzle box."

I start fiddling with the box, finding I can move the dots around. I can't move them to different faces, and I think I have to arrange the dots in a specific order to get the box to open. So far, no luck. No matter what I try, the box doesn't want to open.

"Stars,"

Mia gestures for the box, and when I give it to her, she quickly opens it. I can see the pattern now that Mia has done it. I am not familiar with the consultation of this world, but they don't look that dissimilar to those of my old world.

"Good job,"

I praise her, patting Mia's head, causing her to smile as I take back the box. But once I look inside, all I see is text. Neatly carved into the lead of the box, while below it is a black void.

"There are four siblings in this world, all born together. The first runs and never wearies. The second eats and is never full. The third drinks and is always thirsty. The fourth sings a song forever. Who are they?"

Reading the text out loud, I try to figure it out, but I am clueless. One of my work collages back in Japan would be perfect right about now. They used to love riddles and constantly walked around the office asking them. If they were here, I bet this box would have been open in a matter of seconds.

"Water," Mia answers again. "Fire. Earth. Air."

"Oh,"

"Spell," Mia points to the void. "There."

Mia is pretty good with riddles herself. I carefully cast tiny spells adding water, fire, earth and air to the void. It works. Once again, thanks to Mia, another puzzle has been solved. Mia must really love having her head patted since she gestures for me to pat her again as a reward.

With Mia rewarded, the box finally reveals what it is hiding. The black void fades and replaces a red velvet-lined interior surrounding an orb. I wonder what it is. The orb is light and looks like blue-tinted glass, only it doesn't feel the same as glass, more like rubber, but it doesn't change shape when I press into it with my finger.

"You got it open!"

The manager suddenly finds us, and Satou and Tolma follow him over. Both the manager and Tolma look surprised while Satou watches on curiously.

"I'm sorry. Was I not meant to open it?"

I hope I didn't do anything wrong.

"No, it isn't that, but no one has been able to open that box before," The manager says, still looking at me in disbelief. "A weird priestess gave it to me several days ago, saying someone would open the box someday and I should give them the content. I was beginning to think no one would ever open it."

So it was some kind of test planted years ago. I wonder who that priestess is and what she was planning. Whatever it is, I am sure it doesn't matter now after so many years have passed.

"To think it contained something so priceless," The man looks at the orb. "The skill orb is yours. That crazy priestess paid me to store it here until someone picked it up, so take it."

A skill orb? I have never heard of one before. Do they contain some skill that can be used once, like a spell scroll? Judging by the feel of the orb, I think I have to add mana for it to work.

"Mana,"

Mia speaks up again, taking my silence for confusion. But she confirmed what I theorised, so I nodded and slowly added some mana, causing the orb to glow before turning to dust. Did it work? Looking at my skill list, I find it gave me something extra good. Armoured Skin Level One. It was the equivalent of wearing basic leather armour at the current level, but I maxed the skill out. Due to that skill, my skin is now as tough as mithril. It doesn't feel any different as I experimentally rub it. I'm glad I don't feel as tough as metal.

"So what was it?"

Tolma was the first to break the silence after I used the orb. Looking around, I could see his question on everyone's lips.

"It was the armour skin skill," I answer.

"To think you had something so valuable laying around," Tolma muttered. "You could have lived like a king if you sold that thing."

"I promised to store it, and I don't go back on my word,"

"Are skill orbs that rare?"

Satou asks as the manager and Tolma continue to stare at the orb.

"Normally, a skill orb would sell for a minimum of a hundred gold coins to the right buyer," Tolma explains. "But with a rare skill like this, it could easily go for over a thousand. I don't think I have ever heard of a skill orb with the armour skin skill before, so this might have gone for a lot higher."

Once everyone had taken a moment to calm down, we got back to business. Buying magic scrolls for the spells. Attack spells like Fire Storm, Laser, and Explosion, two communication spells called Whisper Wind and Telephone, and a magical interference spell called Break Magic, to name a few. This store has a massive collection.

Satou paid a rather substantial amount using gold coins from his Garage Bag. I offered to pay for half since I would also use the scrolls, but Satou said he didn't mind paying. Ultimately, we settled the matter with rock paper scissors resulting in a loss for us both. I lost the game, and Satou paid the full asking price for the goods.

"Oh-ho? Is that an Item Bag? How fitting for a noble,"

"Do you carry these here, too?"

"Sometimes, but we don't have any in stock at the moment. They're high-class made-to-order items. It can take years to get one in,"

I think Satou is starting to figure out how lucky he has been in this world so far. OP powers, a small harem, and now magic bags in his possession that make the highest quality ones in this kingdom look like garbage. As Satou puts away the scrolls and books, the manager explains how expensive magic bags are and that it usually takes years to get one.

<0>

Once we finished our business at the magic shop, Tolma showed us around the bookstores and trading firms of the nobles' quarter. Then he guided us to the other magic shop downtown. We brought a cask of wine to send to Elder Dohal and the dwarves. We also purchased a special high-grade sake set for Mr Garohal, who had sold me the Forge scroll that helped me defeat the demon lord.

When Tolma said the Old Capital was like his own garden, I thought it was just a figure of speech, but I was wrong. Shops, people, products and prices. Tolma knew where everyone and everything was. Tolma led us all over the old capital, showing us the hidden sights. We went down strange back alleys, cut through other people's gardens, and generally followed a path more like a naughty child's favourite obstacle course than a shortcut. Tama or Pochi would probably have loved it. Still, Mia started falling behind quickly, so I gave her a piggyback ride.

Eventually, this rough course led us to a strange patch of land between two buildings. It was like a small park with trees, green grass and even a small pond with little fishies swimming around. Everything looks so alive, and this little patch of nature looks out of place in this city.

"Fresh," Mia murmured.

True enough, the scent of greenery was strong here, but I was starting to get a strange feeling.

"Sir Satou! Miss Hero! Over here," Tolma had already pushed his way through the weeds and waved us over. Looking in his direction, I saw a single house buried among all the greenery. "This is one of the best shops in town. They've always got tons of good finds."

Cheerfully ignoring the CLOSED Sign on the door, Tolma walked in as if he owned the place. The entrance of the ivy-covered brick building was too small to enter with Mia on my back. I'm not that tall, and I was worried I might hit my head on the door. I let Mia down, and she took my hand as we entered the store.

"Hey, Gramps!" Tolma was yelling from farther inside. "You alive in here?"

After a moment, there was a crashing noise and a yelp of pain from Tolma, followed by an angry retort.

"Am I alive, my arse! If anything, it's been so long since I saw ye that I thought ye might be dead yerself." The shop owner was too short to see behind Tolma. "Anyway, Tolma. Who d'ye think yer bringing into my store?"

"Oh, these are some friends of mine...."

Tolma turned to introduce us, finally giving us a glimpse of the shop owner. He had a green hat like a nightcap, a wrinkled face, pointed ears, and greyish skin with silver eyes.

"It's too bright... I cain't see,"

The old shop owner shaded his eyes with his hands for a moment. When he lowered his arm, his silver eyes were now jet-black.

"Looks like a little humanfolk boy and girl... Hmm? Isn't that the Silent Bell of Bolenan? I see I see," Noticing the bell hanging from my wrist, the shopkeeper folded his arms and nodded wisely. Then he noticed Mia hiding behind me. "Oh-ho-ho? Is that young lady an elf? Yer the spitting image of Cyriltoa, though ye mustn't be."

"Mm. Mia,"

A little sullen, Mia lowered her hood and offered a brief introduction.

"...I'm sorry if I offended ye," The old shop owner removed his cap and stood behind the counter. He then continued in Elvish. "My name is Eucham Bolesven. As you can see, I'm but an old spriggan."

"I am the youngest elf of Bolenan Forest, Misanaria Bolenan, daughter of Lamisauya and Lilinatoa,"

Mia introduced herself in Elvish in response, and the pout vanished from her face. Oblivious to the quiet change in the mood, Tolma began pestering the shop owner.

"Got a few minutes, old man? I want you to show these two that special item you told me about, the one you called a book of treasures,"

"Hmm, that one, eh...? Very well. Just a moment,"

The old fellow disappeared into the back of the shop, and Tolma set about making tea and rearranging the chairs in the room as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

"I come here to buy adult books all the time,"

"Erm, then this 'book of treasures' you mentioned...?"

"Ha-ha-ha! Of course not. At my age, I wouldn't come here to buy those,"

Looks like Satou keeps getting lucky today. If Arisa found out he had that kind of adult book, I doubt Satou would live long enough to regret it. Tolma may laugh off Satou's concerns easily, but Satou looks disappointed. He is lucky Arisa isn't here, or she would have burned whatever book the shopkeeper fetches.

"Kura, tea snacks,"

"I only have some sweets on me,"

"Honey nut cookies,"

As requested, I removed the sweets from my storage, placing them on a handkerchief.

"Something smells sweet in here, eh?"

"Please, help yourself,"

I offered the cookies to the shopkeeper, who returned with string-bound books and scrolls.

"Delicious. Bring these next time, too,"

I guess I am welcome back anytime now. Satou's cooking skills come in handy in many more ways than I ever imagined. But I will have to bring a lot of those cookies. The shopkeeper is devouring the ones we have, like Pochi and Tama, gobbling meat. I left him to eat and started looking through the books and scrolls he had brought.

Oh, I wasn't expecting this. These all look handwritten and rougher than the books and scrolls I have seen so far. None of these was magic scrolls or books, but they were still very valuable. Chants for spells and a guild to how to read the scrolls. Nothing was encrypted, nor did it involve any puzzle-solving like last time. It didn't take Satou and me long to understand what we were seeing.

"Space magic,"

"Is this space magic?"

"That's right. I'm impressed ye two could decipher it so quickly!" The spriggan raised his eyebrows in surprise, then smacked our shoulders admiringly. He then explained the origin of the spell book to us. "No wonder ye were entrusted with the Silent Bell. A travelling sorcerer left these with me and asked me to give them to the first person who could read them."

"Incidentally, Sir Eucham... Are the scrolls on the shelf behind you for sale, by any chance?" Satou pointed to the shelf above the counter.

"Hmm, ye have a sharp eye. I normally dinnae sell them, but they were left to me by the same sorcerer. Perhaps ye ought to have them if ye like,"

"Yes, please!"

Satou scored some nice scrolls… and a few potentially dangerous ones. I hope Satou isn't the kind of guy to take advantage of them. They included the Space Magic spells Clairvoyance and Clairaudience, the Practical Magic spell See Through, and the light magic spell Illusion. The shopkeeper warned him not to peep too much, but I had no intention of using it that way.

Tolma seemed to want to chat with the old shopkeeper for a while, so we decided to go on ahead. Following the shopkeeper's instructions, we left straight from the door and exited an alley near the main street.

"Huh. So this is where it's connected to?"

Satou and I looked over our shoulders, only to find nothing but fences. Satou took a glance at his map and reported there were several empty lots full of trees. When he searched for Tolma and Mr Eucham, Satou found the store some ways away.

"Wandering Forest,"

Mia speaks up with a brief explanation as to what happened. It must be some kind of teleportation that took us to that store. It's kinda scary how I didn't even realise we were transported a good distance. Tolma's meandering route was the key to getting in. From what we gathered from Mia's brief responses, the Wandering Forest was a Spirit Magic spell that formed a barrier to protect the shop. If one were to proceed in any direction but the correct path, they would come out in a different area like we just did.

Deciding to head back, we found a street carriage to take us back to the mansion. Or that was the plan, at least.

<0>

"Lady Cyriltoa does not meet with anyone without an appointment, I am afraid,"

On the way home, we'd passed the concert hall where Miss Cyriltoa the Songstress was performing, so we stopped to see if Mia could meet her. Unfortunately, the older lady at the reception counter sharply refused.

"Then, if I could make an appointment, please…."

"Even if you were the son of a noble or a royal from another kingdom, I could not accept your request. If you would like to make an arrangement in the future, you will have to acquire a 'songstress meeting license' from His Grace the duke,"

Songstress meeting license… it shouldn't be hard to get after what Satou and I have done for the duke. But it sounds like a lot of work just to meet one person.

"Call Ciya,"

"Excuse me? Who do you think you are? Calling the Great Lady Cyriltoa the Songstress by a nickname!"

The receptionist's eyebrows practically shot through the ceiling when Mia spoke up. She had to be a devoted fan of Cyriltoa. Or a worshipper might be a better word to use. But the receptionist's attitude quickly changed when Mia lowered her hood.

"Call her,"

"...Those ears! You look like...! Could you, by any chance, be a relative of Lady Cyriltoa?!"

"Mm. Mia,"

After the receptionists apologised to Mia, we met Cyriltoa, the Songstress, without further trouble.

"Welcome! If it isn't Laya and Lia's daughter Misanaria. How long has it been? A century? Why you've grown so much! How lovely,"

"Uh-huh,"

Cyriltoa spoke surprisingly normally for an elf. Mia and that store manager in Seiryuu City spoke in one or two-word sentences. Cyriltoa was a young elf girl who bore a striking resemblance to Mia. Her hair was closer to light blue in colour, long and straight, but other than that, you could barely tell the difference.

"My, it's been so long since I had fresh fruit from the Mountain Tree,"

"Mm, good,"

The slice Satou offered Miss Cyriltoa put a smile on her face. She had declined the baked goods and dried fruit Satou offered, saying they would be bad for her throat, so he'd brought out the fruit instead.

"The Bolenan Senate contacted me to say you were missing, Mia. Did you run away with these human kids, then?"

"Mm. Lovers,"

Mia should stop making those jokes. If the wrong person heard her saying that as she clung to my arm, I guarantee there would be nasty rumours floating around about me. I tell her what happened, much to Mia's disappointment.

"How wonderful. So you rescued our princess from an evil sorcerer,"

"Romantic,"

When I finished summing things up, each elf commented on the story. It looks like Cyriltoa is fixated on love, too.

"Lady Cyriltoa, it's almost time for your next performance…."

As the three of us were chatting, the receptionist from before came to call Miss Cyriltoa away. Time sure flies by when you are having fun. The others back at the mansion are probably wondering where we are.

"Oh my, what a shame. Will you be staying in the old capital awhile?"

"Mm. Will come back,"

Cyriltoa seemed reluctant to part ways even when Mia nodded reassuringly.

"Oh, I know! Mia, you can have this," Cyriltoa took an instrument case off a shelf and handed it to Mia.

"Ciya!"

"I don't use it anymore. It'll be happier with you,"

Cyriltoa stroked the case lovingly. Her hand was encased in a glove up to the elbow, and how her fingers sounded against the case didn't sound natural. It's rude to ask. By the way, Satou is staring. I take it he has already figured it out.

"...Mm. Okay,"

After hesitating a little, Mia accepted the musical instrument in its case. As the receptionist panicked further, Cyriltoa took her time saying goodbye.

"I would love to chat again,"

"I'll make some sweets that are easy on the throat for next time," Satou offered, making her giggle.

"I can't wait,"

Waving her gloved hand, Miss Cyriltoa left the room. Mia hugged the instrument case to her chest in the carriage on the way home as she relayed stories about the elfin songstress in short, halting sentences. As it turned out, she'd lost her arm in a tragic accident while exploring the Labyrinth City Celivera. Satou added that Cyriltoa's hand, which I thought sounded odd, was a magical item called an artificial hand. It must have been well made because I didn't think it wasn't real.

Mia remembered her singing abilities as average, so she must have devoted herself to training her voice after losing her arm. While discussing this with Mia, the carriage arrives back at the mansion. We decided to take everyone to see her perform sometime.

<0>

A carriage arrived to pick me up two hours after we returned to the mansion. The Seiryuu family property ended up being closer than I thought, at only a ten-minute carriage rides away. Several soldiers stand guard while maids and butlers line up on either side of the Seiryuu family… while must of the Seiryuu family. Henry and her mother smile when they see me, but Henry's brother looks reluctant to be there. I can't see Earl Seiryuu, but I guess he has his hands full back in Seiryuu city.

"Welcome to our home Hero Kura,"

"Welcome,"

"…."

"Don't be rude to our guest,"

"Welcome,"

Henry's mother was the first to greet me quickly, followed by her daughter. Her son, on the other hand, needed some prompting. Even then, he refused to look at me. I hope I don't have to spend any time alone with him. At least Henry and her mother are more welcoming.

"Thank you for inviting me,"

After bowing and some more talk, we went inside. The Seiryuu mansion isn't as big or fancy as Count Worgoch's manor. However, it is still clear that the place belongs to the nobility. Pictures, fancy vases and not a spec of dust in sight. They led me to a small seating room warmed by a fireplace where we sat down on sofas so soft I felt like I was sinking. A maid brought in some tea and snacks for us.

"Is it true you defeated the demon lord?"

Henry was the first to speak up when we were alone in the room while her mother looked at me, expecting an answer. Even her brother is looking interested for once.

"Yes," I nod my head. "I defeated the Golden Boar Lord a few nights ago under the city."

I went on to tell them the story and answer their questions. By the end, I felt like Henry's mother was interrogating me. Henry's brother was just as bad since he didn't believe a word I said, but I proved my story by pulling out the demon lord's weapons and broken core. By the time dinner was ready, they seemed convinced everything I had said was true.

"I heard that the merchant you are travelling with has become a Hereditary Knight serving Baron Muno," Henry's mother comments as the first course is served.

"Yes he has," I reply. "After defending Muno City, he was granted the title."

We discussed the battle over the first course. During the second course talked about taking down a group of bandits. When the third course arrived, I started telling them about the demons in Gururian City. The soup, appetisers and salad courses tasted good, but I couldn't enjoy them with all these questions.

At least things calmed down when the seafood course was served. They brought me up to speed with how things were going in Seiryuu City and told me they found a Choas Jar in the labyrinth. It should be safe since they sealed it in the vault of the Parion Temple, but I am worried something might happen. As for the labyrinth itself, the army has been making maps of the upper layers. At the same time, Earl Seiryuu started to build up the infrastructure needed to support exploring a labyrinth. They are even sending people to the labyrinth city, so we might encounter some familiar faces there.

The rest of the meal passed peacefully, and I am sure Pochi and Tama would have loved the juicy steaks served during the sixth course. I was tempted to ask to bring some back for them, but the steaks were gone before I knew it. Henry's brother may not be a fan of beastfolk, but he can sure eat meat like them. But over the dessert course, the conversation turned to future plans.

"The king and third prince will be arriving tomorrow morning by airship," Henry's mother says as a small slice of cake is placed before us. "You and your companions will be required to join us when we greet him. After that, I believe you will need to head to the arena for the first round of the Martial Arts Tournament."

"Yes,"

I nod my head. It doesn't sound too bad if I only have to stand by their side, bow my head, and greet royalty. Not after hearing the crowd at the arena today… their bloodthirsty cheers scare me more than meeting the king and prince. I make a mental note to ensure Nana knows not to say anything that might cause us problems when meeting the royals.

"Mother, you don't have to be so formal," Henry complains, but her mother ignores her.

"And in a few days, I would like you to….."

"I'm sorry to interrupt, but Lady Ringrande has arrived with an important message from the duke," The head butler suddenly knocks on the door and enters. "They say it is important they meet with you right away."

"Send her in right away,"

Lady Ringrande is here. It must be essential if the duke sent her to deliver this message. But what could be so important? I hope something terrible didn't happen. It only seems more important since Lady Ringrande ran into the room.

"Lady Seiryuu, I'm sorry to interrupt your evening, but we have just received a message from the airship carrying the king," Lady Ringrande looks out of breath. Did she run all the way here? "The third prince, Prince Sharorik Shiga, has demanded to test hero Kura when he arrives. He demanded she uses a Yamato Stone in front of him, and if she was lying, the Kura would be executed."

"Excuted?!"

Henry gasps, but there is nothing to be worried about.

"So he is still as volant as ever…." Henry's mother mutters.

"There's more," Lady Ringrande continues. "If she really is a hero, then Prince Sharorik has demanded she drops out of the tournament and faces him in an exhibition match."

"So all I have to do is fight him,"

"Yes, but you will most likely be forced to throw the fight," Lady Ringrande tells me. "Prince Sharorik wields the holy sword Claiomh Solais. It is a symbol of invincibility for the people of the kingdom."

"The prince can use a holy sword?"

"Yes," Lady Ringrande nods. "Claiomh Solais is spiecal. It is the only holy sword someone can wield without the hero title."

It sounds like a pain, but it isn't the worse thing that can happen. Throwing one fight to the prince is something I can easily do.