The next day, Hayato arrived at the sprawling grounds of the Royal Academy. The place was teeming with people, a vibrant mix of students in neat uniforms, richly dressed nobles, and stern-faced mages who were likely faculty.
The air buzzed with excited chatter about the upcoming inter-academy tournament.
He stood outside the grand arena building, a coliseum of white stone and high arches, feeling distinctly out of place in his simple traveler's gear.
He walked through the crowded courtyard, his eyes scanning the sea of faces, looking for any sign of Kerina or the others.
He continued to weave through the crowd, his eyes scanning the taller faces for any sign of his companions. He was so focused on his search that he didn't notice the small, solid obstacle in his path until he walked right into it.
"Oof."
Hayato stumbled, looking down to see what he'd hit. It was Miyamoto Riko, glaring up at him from under her short, black hair, her arms crossed tightly over her heavy white coat.
"You," she snapped, her voice sharp with indignation. "Did you really not see me, or were you just pretending I wasn't down here? I know I'm short! But look where you're walking!"
Hayato looked from her indignant face down to the heavy, high-collared white coat she wore, his analytical mind completely sidestepping her complaint.
"Why do you always wear that heavy coat? Isn't it hot today?"
Riko stared at him, her jaw dropping in disbelief. Her anger at being run into was instantly replaced by a new, more profound fury at his complete lack of social awareness.
"That's what you're asking?!" she snapped, her voice rising. "At least have the decency to say you're sorry before you change the subject! You just walked into me!"
Hayato stared at her for a moment, processing her demand. From a purely logical standpoint, an apology was the most efficient way to de-escalate the situation and return to the primary objective of information gathering.
He gave a slight, formal bow of his head. "You're right," he said, his tone flat but compliant. "I wasn't watching where I was going. I apologize."
Riko was taken aback by the sudden, business-like apology. She let out a small "Hmph," her anger dissipating into a flustered pout. "As you should be," she muttered.
"So," Hayato continued, as if the argument had never happened, returning immediately to his previous point of interest. "The coat. It seems impractical for this climate."
Riko sighed, her brief anger forgotten, replaced by a more somber mood. "It's not for the weather," she said quietly, pulling the high collar of the coat a little closer. "It has a permanent cooling enchantment. It helps me... manage my condition."
Before he could press her on what that meant, a sharp voice cut through the air. "There you two are."
Kerina was striding towards them, her expression all business. "Stop bickering. The preliminary matches are about to start. Let's go."
Riko and Hayato fell into line behind Kerina as she led them through the throng of people and into the massive stone arena.
The roar of the crowd was much louder inside, echoing off the high, vaulted ceilings. Banners bearing the crests of different magical academies hung from the walls, fluttering in the magically-circulated air.
Kerina led them up a flight of stone steps to a reserved viewing balcony that offered a perfect, unobstructed view of the large, circular fighting stage below.
"The preliminaries are just simple one-on-one duels," Kerina explained as they took their seats. "Elina's match isn't for another hour."
Hayato nodded, his eyes scanning the entire arena.
This is a major spectacle. A recruitment event for the guilds, a display of military potential...
A loud, clear chime echoed through the arena, silencing the crowd. A wizened old mage in the ornate robes of the Royal Academy's headmaster stepped onto the stage.
"Welcome," his magically amplified voice boomed, "to the 74th Annual Inter-Academy Arcane Tournament!"
Just as the first two student combatants were announced, a calm presence joined them on the balcony. It was Lenna, who gave a simple nod to the group and took a seat beside Riko.
Her arrival did not go unnoticed. Hayato could hear a sudden shift in the murmurs from the nearby balconies. Whispers erupted from the nobles and merchants seated around them.
"Is that... Sage Lenna?"
"And Kerina, with Riko... what are three A-Ranks and an S-Rank doing together?"
"And who is that man with them?"
Hayato ignored the whispers, his analytical mind simply noting that one person was missing from their group. He leaned over to Lenna. "Where's the other girl?" he asked quietly.
Lenna blinked, then understood. "You mean Ayaka? She's not coming today. After everything that happened, she needs to rest and let her mind recover."
As they settled in to watch, Riko leaned over to Hayato, her eyes fixed on the magical duel unfolding on the stage below.
"This competition is ambitious," she said, her voice a low, analytical murmur. "Each academy sends only their single best student to represent them. It's a matter of great prestige."
"And Elina is one of them," Kerina added, a rare note of pride in her voice as she watched a young mage create a wall of earth to block a flurry of light arrows. "She's at the top of her class, both in her studies and in her practical fighting skills."
Down on the arena floor, the duels continued one after another, a vibrant showcase of the kingdom's brightest young talents as they displayed their various powers.
Lenna watched another pair of young mages finish their duel below, one creating a whirlwind to disarm the other. She then turned to Hayato, a curious, almost mischievous smile on her face.
"All this spectacle. Does it make you want to showcase your own power?"
Hayato looked down at the earnest, teenage students on the arena floor, then back at her.
"Showcase my power?" he repeated, his tone flat and incredulous. "Among kids? Yeah, no. That would be embarrassing."
Lenna's serious expression broke, and she let out a quiet, genuine laugh that chimed like small bells. Kerina smirked, shaking her head at his sheer audacity.
Their brief moment of amusement was cut short by a loud cheer from the crowd below as another match concluded. With the stage cleared, a new pair of students walked out, one from the Royal Academy and the other from a rival school, both taking their positions.
The group on the balcony fell silent, their attention now drawn back to the spectacle. The tournament continued.
The matches continued below, a steady rhythm of magical duels and martial prowess. After some time, a cheerful voice called out to them. "Sister! Everyone!"
They turned to see Elina walking onto their balcony, her face bright with excitement. Tailing nervously behind her, half-hidden, was another young girl in a matching academy uniform.
"There you are," Kerina said, her voice softening slightly at the sight of her sister. "When are you scheduled to perform?"
"In five more rounds!" Elina replied, her energy boundless. "So, probably about two hours from now. I wanted to come watch the others and see what I'm up against."
She then noticed her friend's shyness and gently pulled her forward. "Oh, everyone, this is my best friend, Lia," she said. Lia, looking completely intimidated by the gathering of legendary adventurers, gave a tiny, squeaked "H-hello," and a nervous little bow. "Lia," Elina continued, gesturing to the group, "this is my sister, Kerina, and these are her... associates."
Kerina and Riko gave the shy girl a simple nod, while Hayato continued to observe silently. It was Lenna who broke the slightly awkward silence, her voice soft and gentle so as not to startle the nervous student further.
"It is a pleasure to meet you, Lia," she said with a calm, reassuring smile. "If you are Elina's best friend, you must be a skilled mage as well. May I ask, what is your power?"
Lia flinched under the gentle weight of the Arch-Sage's question, looking to Elina with wide, nervous eyes. Elina gave her an encouraging nod.
"Oh, um, it's nothing flashy like Elina's," Lia stammered, her voice barely a whisper. "I... I have 'Item Appraisal'. I can see the properties and history of objects I focus on."
Lenna's eyebrows raised in genuine interest. "A very rare and valuable talent," she said with a nod of approval, which seemed to give the shy girl a small boost of confidence.
"She's the best at it in the whole academy!" Elina added proudly, putting an arm around her friend's shoulders. "She can spot a cursed item from a mile away!"
Lia's face turned bright red at Elina's praise, and she tugged on her friend's sleeve. "Stop, Elina, don't tell them," she whispered, looking mortified.
Hayato, however, was processing the information with his usual detached logic. He looked at the shy girl. "But this is a fighting tournament. How do you win a one-on-one duel with a power like 'Item Appraisal'?"
The question wasn't meant to be cruel, just a simple inquiry from his perspective. But the moment the words left his mouth, he felt a pair of sharp, hard elbows dig into his ribs from both sides.
Thump. Thump.
He grunted, looking with a confused expression at Kerina on his left and Riko on his right. Both women were glaring at him with a clear message: You're not supposed to say that.
To Be Continued.