Lenna, with a genuine smile still on her face, turned to the vendor. "We'll take five packs of those, please." She then glanced at the small sign. "Twenty copper coins each, correct?"
The vendor, looking a little intimidated by the S+ Rank adventurer suddenly taking an interest in his stall, just nodded eagerly and began preparing the order with practiced speed.
Lila stood silently amidst the powerful adventurers, her mind a whirlwind. How did this happen? she thought, looking at the legendary Arch-Sage who was now buying her dinner. At least I'm not in a prison cell... I could have phased out, of course, but that would just mean more running, more bounties, more being hunted... This is better. I think.
Kerina, holding the three boxes of food, shifted her weight impatiently. "Alright, I'm going back to our seats, I need to get this food to my sister and her friend before it gets cold."
"I'll go with you," Riko said to Kerina, clearly more interested in watching the tournament than standing around in the market. "I want to see the next match."
"Alright," Lenna said as she watched the two of them leave. "We'll be there in a moment."
With Kerina and Riko gone, Lenna's full, analytical attention turned to Lila. She looked at the nervous girl who was clutching a heavy pouch of gold. "Your orphanage… What was its name? And do you have a home, currently?"
Lila flinched, taken aback by the sudden, personal questions. "It was... it was called the 'House of the Gentle Shepherd'," she stammered. She looked at Lenna, a new wave of suspicion in her eyes. "Why? Are you going to go there or something?"
She then clutched her gold pouch a little tighter. "And yes, I have a home. A rented home."
Lenna listened to Lila's answers, her expression unreadable. She took the freshly grilled skewers from the vendor, handing one to Hayato and one to Lila.
"The House of the Gentle Shepherd," Lenna repeated, her voice a calm, analytical murmur. "I know of it. It is funded by the Western Merchant's Consortium. They have a reputation for being... frugal."
Lila's eyes widened as she heard this. "So... they are corrupt," she whispered.
Lenna gave a slight nod. "Based on their reputation, yes. But I have never investigated it myself."
"Sounds like they're going on my 'do not invest' list," Hayato said flatly.
Both girls looked at him, but he just looked back, confused by their expressions.
The vendor then handed over the rest of the order in a paper bag. Lenna now held the remaining three skewers two for Riko and Kerina, and one for herself.
They walked back towards the arena balcony together, a strange and powerful procession. Riko kept her distance from Lila, her eyes occasionally flicking sideways with a look of pure suspicion.
As they found their seats, Lenna handed the bag with the warm skewers to Riko and Kerina.
Hayato looked down at the arena stage, where two new figures were taking their positions. "Who's up now?" he asked.
"It's Lia's match," Kerina answered, her voice tense with anticipation.
The thief, Lila, looked completely lost. "A match? What is this competition, anyway?" she asked the group.
Hayato turned to her, his expression one of pure, deadpan disbelief. "You came here to steal from people, but you didn't even know what the event was?"
Lila shook her head, looking slightly embarrassed. "Of course not. I just saw a big crowd full of rich people. That's all the information a thief needs."
***
A loud, clear voice, magically amplified, boomed through the arena, silencing the crowd once more. "For our next preliminary match, representing the Royal Academy of Aerthos... Lia!"
A polite, scattered applause rippled through the stands. Down below, the small, shy girl Hayato had just met walked out from a side entrance and onto the massive arena stage.
"And her opponent," the announcer continued, "from the Crimson Tower Institute... Viktor!"
From the opposite side, a tall, arrogant-looking boy with fiery red hair strode onto the stage, a confident smirk on his face.
Lia walked to her designated starting position, her small frame looking even smaller in the vast, empty space. She took a deep, centering breath, her nervous expression hardening into one of quiet, focused determination. She held up her simple silver ring, and with a whispered word, a long, elegant staff made of polished, dark wood materialized in her hand, its tip glowing with a soft, protective light. She was ready.
The announcer's voice boomed again. "Let the match begin!"
Viktor, her opponent, sneered from across the stage. Without any warning, he thrust his hand forward, and a whip of brilliant, crimson fire lashed out, cracking like a real whip as it flew towards Lia.
The crowd gasped, but Lia was ready. She slammed the butt of her elegant wooden staff onto the stone stage. A shimmering, blue barrier of pure mana erupted around her, absorbing the fire whip
hiss.
The barrier flickered, but it held.
Viktor didn't let up. He began to unleash a barrage of fireballs, each one exploding against Lia's shield, which began to crack under the relentless assault.
Lia, however, wasn't just defending. While her shield took the hits, she was calmly chanting, the silver ring on her other hand beginning to glow with an intense, cold light.
Meanwhile, not far from the arena floor, Elina was peeking through a crack in the heavy stone doorway that led to the stage. She watched, her heart pounding, as her best friend held back a relentless barrage of fire.
Geez, They are not holding back at all, she thought, a thrill of excitement mixed with a knot of anxiety twisting in her stomach. The roar of the massive crowd was a muffled thunder from here, but she could feel the energy of it.
So many people are watching... Sister is watching.
She pulled back from the door, her back sliding down the cool stone wall until she was sitting on the floor. She hugged her knees, the reality of her own upcoming match finally hitting her with its full weight.
"Could I win...?" she whispered to the empty hallway. "If I were out there... could I really win?"
Elina shook her head, physically trying to dislodge the negative thoughts. Get it together, Elina. You can win. You're the academy representative for a reason.
A new wave of anxiety washed over her, a different kind of fear. Her Firespring was gentle, a power of warmth and life.
But what if my opponent is just a normal person? A swordfighter without magical defenses? What if I lose control and really hurt them? The thought of her life-giving flames causing a serious, lasting injury was horrifying.
She shook her head again, more forcefully this time.
No. That's not how this works. She took a deep, centering breath, remembering the tournament rules. This isn't a battle to the death. It's a duel for points. No one gets killed.
The academy had powerful healers on standby. No matter what happened, everyone would be healed after the fight. The thought was a small comfort, a single solid fact to cling to in her sea of doubt.
Just as Elina was steeling her resolve, a small commotion echoed from the other end of the hallway. A boy, probably a year older than her, strode down the corridor with an air of immense self-importance.
He was flanked by two older women. One, dressed in severe, practical robes, held a sheaf of papers and was clearly his secretary, her lips moving in a silent recitation of what was likely his schedule. The other woman, more stern and matronly, was actively scolding him.
"...and your sloppy morning routine is affecting your mana circulation! If you don't take this seriously, you'll be a disgrace to the family name!" she snapped.
Elina just watched them with a detached curiosity as the strange procession came closer.
The boy, who had been ignoring the lecture, suddenly stopped. His eyes, sharp and arrogant, landed on Elina. He looked her up and down, a confident, dismissive smirk spreading across his face.
"Ah," he said, his voice dripping with condescension. "So this is Elina Solcrest? My opponent?"
The woman holding the stack of papers glanced down at the top page, her eyes scanning the text with a practiced efficiency.
"Yes, Master," she confirmed, her voice crisp and formal. "That is her. She is your scheduled opponent for the final preliminary match." She continued reading from the page. "Name: Elina Solcrest. Innate ability: 'Firespring.' From the Solcrest family."
Elina blinked, her gaze flicking from the arrogant boy to the two women flanking him. Are they even allowed back here? she thought. This area was supposed to be for competitors only.
The boy, completely oblivious to her thoughts, puffed out his chest and gave a condescending smirk. "Allow me to introduce myself. I am Klaus von Eisen, of the Eisen family." He then made a grand gesture. "And my power is 'Metal Creation'. I can create any metal I wish."
He saw the confusion on her face and laughed. "It's a rare genetic mutation, of course. My father's family has an Earth affinity—the power over ore and stone. My mother's line are all Fire mages—the power of the forge. When their bloodlines mixed in me, it created something new."
Elina just stared at him, her mind not focused on his impressive lineage, but on the tactical absurdity of the situation. "W-why...? Why are you telling me this? I'm your opponent."
Klaus gave a final, condescending smirk. "For your information," he said, as if bestowing a great gift.
Then, without another word, he turned and strode down the hallway, his posture radiating an unshakeable arrogance. The two women, his secretary and his matronly handler, immediately fell into step behind him, a silent, efficient procession leaving Elina alone in the quiet stone corridor.
What…
To Be Continued.