Volume 2 - CH 13

Act 2-13: Gong for The Final Preliminary Round of D-Block

In the second preliminary round too, I managed to snatch enough armbands to receive the qualification for the next round. Most importantly, I advanced to the final preliminary round without being too conspicuous.

After that, the Heineman-style instructor raised a fuss about me being a cheater, but the tournament committee flat out rejected his plea without a second thought of further investigation. Well, the reason for that might simply be the huge number of participants in the first preliminary round, which resulted in dozens of similar complaints.

Maybe because Rose herself had expected that, her only reply when I told her about this matter was, “I see. So that happened, huh!”.

These days, Faf’s mood frequently worsened since I often went out by myself for a while. However, perhaps due to her perseverance, Rose could suppress Faf’s withdrawal syndrome by patting the latter’s head.

「You’ll get three million oars as long as you win this. So you don’t need to worry about that money exceeding the amount you need.」

「Indeed!」

Anyhow, I guessed I should just abstain or lose on purpose after the final and return to Barse as soon as possible.

「Oi, Kai! Uhm…」

Although Anna was facing another direction when I looked at her, her hands were nervously fidgeting.

「What’s the matter?」

This woman had mellowed a lot after that incident with the beast girl slave.

「Godspeed!」

A tinge of rosy color appeared on her cheeks when she said those words of encouragement.

「Even Anna has mellowed a lot, huh.」

Rose nodded with a satisfied expression as she said those words.

「R-Rose-sama! It’s not like I’ve me―」

Anna tried to refute Rose’s remark with a beef-red face, but…

「Then, please do your best. Anna and Faf-chan will be cheering for you from the audience seats.」

Rose ignored her and went to cheer me on.

By the way, after finishing his business, Asta had gone back to his room to read the books I had lent to him. I had noticed this peculiarity just recently, but apparently, he’s an extremely avid reader. He gets completely absorbed in reading the books I lend to him that I had found in the labyrinth, so absorbed that he forgets everything. If this continues to happen, I guess I’d have no choice but to drag him out by force to bathe him with warm sunlight. I mean, even the inn’s proprietress was starting to worry about him always locking himself in his room.

Good grief! My direct kin ended up being a pampered dragon and a shut-in majin. Do they think I’m their mother?

「Faf, I’ll leave them to you!」

I said to Faf, who was clinging to me and rubbing her cheeks on me.

「Leave it to Faf, nodesu!」

Faf let go of me and spoke while raising her right fist in the air.

After parting ways with the others, I went toward the arena for the finals of the preliminary round.

The participants of the final preliminary round for the D-block stepped on the round stage in the middle of the venue.

A blond woman who acted as the emcee of this round also stepped on the stage after all the thirty participants had gathered there. She then spoke in a strangely slow voice.

「Ladies and gentlemen, all the thirty participants of the D-block’s final preliminary round have gathered here. From these thirty, only four will advance to the next round. The rule is simple. Everyone who gets knocked out or stepped out of the stage will get eliminated. In sho~rt, the last four who beat the hell out of the other twenty-six will advance to the next round.」

She went as far as saying, “Beat the hell out of.” What a wild big sis!

「Moreover, every person you beat will add 50k oars to the total prize you will get. That’s why even if you get eliminated in this round, you can still receive a lot of money by defeating a lot of opponents on the stage. Not a bad idea to keep your purse filled, right.」

I see! This match format tended to cause a disadvantage to anyone who made the first move due to the number of participants. Since the match wouldn’t be interesting if all participants just glared at each other. Thus, the tournament’s committee had prepared delicious bait for them, the consolation money.

「Well then, let’s start with a simple introduction for every participant.」

The female emcee introduced us one by one in an extremely cheerful voice. The one being introduced had to raise their hands.

「Next is from the Heineman-style sword art, Riku Salvatore. Heineman-style is the sword art dojo of the Sword Saint Elm-sama, who was also a member of the previous Hero-sama’s party, and he slew one of the four demon kings in the past. Now, what kind of a superior sword art Riku is going to show us today? please look forward to his performance!!!」

The handsome blond youth raised his hands with a gentle smile. It was followed by a loud cheer from the audience.

As expected of my grandfather’s dojo. Its popularity is second to none in the Amelia kingdom.

Nevertheless, Riku, huh. Maybe because it was bad timing, but I never got the chance to see Riku swinging his sword before I got trapped in that dungeon. So I never had a virtual match with him back then.

Although I have prepared some countermeasures to fight this youth due to the above circumstances, talent-wise, he might be the same as that greenhorn sword emperor, a youth loved by the Sword God.

「Lastly, Kai Heineman from the Commandement sword art. He… seems to be related with the Heineman-style. And let’s see, he is… EH? The holder of the gift, the most incompetent in this world?」

Just like what had happened in Barse’s hunter guild, this emcee ended up blurting out my introduction. The arena fell into silence for a while, then exploded into an even greater uproar than before.

Yup, this is what I wanted, the information that I was an incompetent spreading wide and far. This would make it easier for me to step back after I find a more suitable royal guard for Rose. Then, I could finally start my pleasure trip around the world.

However, it isn’t that just anyone can become a royal guard; they need to have a good personality. And no matter how talented they are, greenhorns like Riku and co. are out of the question. Well, I might only incite their wrath if I offer that position to them though.

Currently, the best candidate for me was that youngster with a feral-like air, Zack, or someone around his level.

A glance was enough to confirm that Zack fulfilled the requirements I needed regarding strength and experience. After the end of this tournament, I’m gonna apply for a match against him with the condition of him becoming royal guard if he loses. Provoking a battle junkie like him is too easy after all.

「Oi, Emcee, is it your job to speak ill of others? if that’s the case, quickly get the hell out of this place!!!」

A man wearing a red bandana on his head and exuding the air of a swordsman shouted at the female emcee.

「Agreed. I was also irked by her statement.」

The man with slit eyes and dressed in a black robe also agreed with the bandana man. According to the emcee’s introduction a while ago, this bandana man was Bri, and the slit-eyed man who was clad in a black robe was Sigma.

「M-My apologies!!」

As a result of their statements, the blond emcee repeatedly apologized.

「The Emcee only stated a fact. She did nothing wrong! How can you blame her for that!!」

When Riku raised his voice, criticizing Bri and Sigma, the entire arena agreed with him.

It was only natural! This was the Amelia kingdom, after all, a place where the value of your existence is decided by your gift. But then, the place as extreme as my birthplace, Lamour, is rare.

「Cough, this is a place where you speak with your cane or sword, not with your mouth. If you want to argue with your mouth, get out of this place and line up in front of a government building to become a civil official. Ignorant young master.」

「GH!」

As if to answer Riku’s outburst, the slit-eyed man clad in black robe; Sigma, simply shut Riku. He mocked the latter till he couldn’t talk back.

「Y-YOU BASTARD!!」

Riku’s face turned as red as tomatoes due to his rage.

""

「Sorry! It’s really my fault! Please allow me to use this occasion to offer my words of apology! So, both of you, please stop your quarrel!!」

The female emcee repeatedly bowed and apologized in a voice that was already on the verge of crying.

「Good grief! Please start the match already! I hate this battle with mouths the most.」

Well, there was no need for her to apologize since this development was what I had been waiting for. After that, I just needed to win without standing out and push the role of the royal guard to Zack. If it was him, I knew that he should be able to do a proper job as a royal guard. I mean, I didn’t want to get myself involved in bigger trouble than this mess of throne succession.

「Y-Yes! W-well then, everyone. Are you ready! D-block, final preliminary round… BEGIN!!! 」

The gong of the D-block’s final preliminary round resounded as soon as the female emcee’s cry ended.