Yes! I made it!
I jumped onto the sand. I'd made it to the end of the final game of the afternoon, The Gauntlet of Oars.
It was difficult, a race across a swaying boat, rowers slamming their oars into you, trying to knock you off into the water.
Though two thirds of the games had been completed, only half of the contestants were gone from the game.
Ten people remained.
"Good job, kid. Never thought you'd make it this far! Good thing you didn't listen to me and give up, huh?"
I'd grown sort of close to the large woman who'd told me to give up at the beginning of the net game. She was a cheerful woman, and incredibly powerful too.
There wasn't a scratch on her face. I didn't know why she'd taken a liking to me, but I wasn't complaining. When someone'd go to attack me, she'd butt in and fight them in my stead.
"I'll see you later, thanks for all the help Tressa!"
I ran off to find Liora.
"Linnie, why does she hate me so?"
"She doesn't hate you, she just hates you grabbing her like that..."
I took Lady from her hands. Immediately, she calmed down.
"That's what I mean! Why doesn't she let me hold her like she lets you?"
"Well... I don't know. She just likes me, I guess," I grinned. "Are you hungry, or do you just want to relax until the evening games start?"
"I'm not hungry at all."
A loud growling reminiscent of a large beast came from her stomach.
"...Here, take the coin pouch and go find a food stand or something."
I relaxed on the sand. The air was getting cooler as the sun fell lower into the horizon. It wouldn't be long before sunset.
Lady lay atop my chest, and I certainly would've fallen asleep if I could.
My head ached and my vision went in and out of blurriness at times. I feared for my sanity a little, but what more could I do than I was already doing?
Yes, I was doing all I could.
"Hello there, is that you, Alwyn's apprentice?"
I opened my eyes and saw the crown prince above me. It was a shock.
"Hello, prince." I sat up. "Is there something you need of me?"
"Well, I was wondering if you'd seen Lady Marielle anywhere around here?"
"Marielle? I thought she was spending the day with you."
"I thought so too, see, but I haven't spent one minute with her since breakfast! I completely lost sight of her!"
"How odd... I haven't seen her since breakfast either. I've been spending the day... outside. Enjoying the city."
"Well, good day to you. I'll be on my way then."
That was... random. What a casual guy, for being the crown prince and all. Or is it because I'm 'Alwyn's apprentice'?
I fell to my back again. It wasn't long before my peace was interrupted again.
"Are you asleep?"
"No."
Liora sat beside me, eating whatever she had in her hand. I didn't care to look.
"Aren't you tired? You should take a nap before the games start up again."
"I can't sleep."
"I'm telling you, I'll wake you up, so don't worry."
"No, Liora. I haven't slept since before we even met."
"This entire time!? You mean you haven't even slept a wink?"
"Not even a half-squint..."
"Is that a condition or something?"
"It's a curse."
"Ooh, a curse? Who cursed you?"
"A god. The saint, Pischt."
"Woah, really? You've met a god?"
Oh man... I must be really tired. Why did I say that? I didn't mean to say that...
"Yeah. You don't have to believe me or anything. Actually, forget I said anything at all..."
"What? No, I believe you. I've met a god too, after all!"
Huh?
"What do you mean?"
"I've met a god before, just like you. I've never been cursed or anything, though."
"...Which god?"
"IT'S TIME, I'M CALLING ALL CONTESTANTS BACK FOR THE INCREDIBLE CLIMAX!"
"Go on, Lady and I will be cheering for you!"
"But—"
Liora grabbed Lady and started running back to the stands, waving goodbye to me.
Was she being serious? Or was it some bad joke... she's not the best at making jokes, so I wouldn't be surprised.
The shadow's words resonated in my head as I made my way back to the front of the beach.
"The girl, you should make good use of her."
Yet, the shadow also told me not to tell anyone of... well, anything. What would she do when she found out I accidentally told Liora?
I have more important things to be worrying about...
I arrived at the meeting place.
"Had a good rest, did you?" Tressa rubbed her knuckles on my head.
"Huh?"
"Was that your girl, watching you while you slept?"
"Wha—no! She's my friend, and I wasn't sleeping."
"Is she traveling in a party with you?"
"I guess you can say that, yeah. I'll tell you more about it when this is all over."
"Ha! You might not want to speak to me after this is all over!"
"WELCOME BACK, FOLKS! I HAVE A SURPRISE FOR YOU ALL!"
The crowd's cheers were still energetic despite the setting sun.
"I KNOW YOU'RE ALL EXPECTING THREE MORE GAMES LIKE USUAL, BUT THIS YEAR, WE'RE SPICING IT UP!"
I don't like the sound of that...
"INSTEAD OF OUR TYPICAL EVENING FORMAT, WE'RE DOING ONE EVENING BRACKET! A PLANK DUELING TOURNAMENT!"
Plank dueling...?
"FOR THOSE UNFAMILIAR, PLANK DUELING IS WHEN TWO CONTESTANTS STAND ON A WOODEN PLANK ABOVE THE WATER AND DUEL WITH PADDED BASTONS!"
Ah... that's... not good...
I was untrained in any physical arts. Though I had a sword stored within my hat, I was often better off using my hands in a fight.
Not because I was talented in the martial arts, but because I could fight like an animal. When have you ever seen an animal use a 'baston'? I wasn't even entirely sure what a baston was.
"Sir announcer, we have ten people. That means four people will have to fight once more than the others. Isn't that unfair?" a contestant asked.
"I'M GLAD YOU ASKED, I HAVE MADE THE DECISION ON MY END TO BESTOW THE DISADVANTAGE ON THE CONTESTANTS OF MY CHOOSING."
"Well, who is it?"
"THE MASKED MIRACLE, TONIO, HALRIC AND WHINER!"
Wow... great.
I looked to the masked girl. She seemed unbothered by this news.
The announcer explained the bracket quickly before we began. I was up against some tough opponents. More notably, though, was my second round fight...
I was up against the large woman, Tressa. Not only was I not confident in my ability to beat her, I also didn't really want to fight her.
She'd been nice to me... but I had a job to do! Of course, I wouldn't fold for a woman I'd only met a few hours ago.
"ALRIGHT, GET IN YOUR POSITIONS!"
The rig was pretty interesting... I kind of thought it would be on actual ship planks, like pirates do, but it was just four wooden planks hovering over the water, suspended by wooden pillars.
I was up against the man named Halric. I recalled his interesting introduction.
Something about destruction, right? He's certainly big enough to pulverize me...
I decided to continue cheating. Was it morally wrong? I guess so. But I kind of really needed to win these fights, so of course I'd play dirty. It's not like I'd have any chance if I didn't.
"I'M GOING TO KILL YOU."
"Oh... nice."
"GET READY, GET STEADY, START!"
"RAAAAH!" The man swung.
I ducked and held my hand out to his legs.
If I can cause fire by saying part of the explosion chant, then what if I did the same with the flight chant?
"fi'n agor y gwynt," I whispered.
A strong gust of wind knocked the man off his feet, causing his face to slam into the plank. He fell into the water below.
It worked...! At this rate, I won't even need Alwyn to teach me anything!
"WOW, LOOKS LIKE WHINER WON HIS DUEL FIRST! HE'S REALLY PROVEN HIMSELF TODAY, HASN'T HE FOLKS!? MAYBE HE REALLY IS A WINNER!"
The crowd cheered.
They're cheering for me, aren't they? So why'd they name me 'whiner' then?
It wasn't a long time before the masked girl won her duel. She was incredibly impressive with the baston, using it like a swordmaster even though it wasn't at all a sword.
"WE'LL GIVE OUR CONTESTANTS FIVE MINUTES TO REST BEFORE GOING INTO THE NEXT ROUND!"
The five minutes went by in an instant, and I was once again climbing onto the plank.
"Tressa..."
"Sorry kid!" she smiled.
Looks like she isn't going easy on me. I feel kind of bad playing her dirty, but...
"GO!"
"cod fi'n uchel; cysgod a gwynt!"
She stood still, planted.
"Oh, that won't work on me little wizard!" she grinned devilishly.
Ah... so it's been like that this entire time, then?
"In the name of Saint Pischt, I can't let you pass to the next round!"
She swung and I barely managed to block it.
Really, is sending them one by one at me really that effective? Whatever group this is really needs a reevaluation of their tactics...
"So, what was the plan? Get close to me and then shock me with your betrayal after you learn my abilities?"
"Well, I knew there had to be some way you kept winning! Who would've thought you were a wizard... it's too bad you're but a fledgling."
"So you've got me all figured out then?"
"Your lousy wind and fire spells won't be able to do anything to—"
Tressa flew backwards into the air, falling into the water with a splash.
It wasn't a simple gust of wind, I'd said the chant differently, after all. "cod fi'n uchel; cysgod a gwynt." It was closer to the original enchantment Aliza had taught me.
I enchanted Tressa's boots with flight and tugged her off the plank with my mana.
...I really need to get this sorted out before I get jumped and murdered in an alleyway or something...
If only I could ask the shadow about this. Who are these people to know about my search for Pischt? And why do they care so much? It's not like I'm trying to harm her or anything...
I turned to my side. The masked girl was very effortlessly taking care of her opponent.
How does she do it? She's barely taller than I am...! Is she a swordmaster's disciple or something? Not to mention all the other fighting games she got past unscathed.
"Good job," I said to her as we got off the planks.
"Tch. There's no 'good job,' the job isn't finished in the first place."
So serious...
"What's your big motive? Do you really want to participate in the reenactment that badly?"
"Stop talking to me, Lin."
"Why're you so—"
Ha, what did she just say? Wait, there's no way, right? No way...
She visibly tensed up before walking away, not saying another word.
Okay... she doesn't really think I'm that oblivious, does she? But, really, it doesn't make any sense...?
My second to last fight was no issue. I simply repeated my wind spell. The one on one 'fighting' turned out to be the easiest game yet...
"WOW, WHO WOULD'VE GUESSED THIS WOULD HAPPEN!? I MEAN, REALLY, IF YOU'D HAVE ASKED ME MY FAVORITES FOR THE FINAL MATCHUP, I WOULDN'T HAVE SAID THE MASKED MIRACLE AND WHINER—PARDON, WINNER, WOULD BE UP. THE TWO SMALLEST AND MOST UNLIKELY CONTESTANTS! GIVE IT UP FOR THESE TWO!"
Surprisingly, my fanfare was quite good. It seemed like half of all the audience was cheering for me, despite their original stances.
Kick me when I'm down, but lift me when I'm up, huh? I see how it is!
I waved at the crowd, basking in the attention just a little bit.
"MI~RA~CLE~!" WIN~NER~! MI~RA~CLE~!" WIN~NER~! MI~RA~CLE~!" WIN~NER~!"
We got into our positions, holding our bastons tightly.
"GET READY!"
"Pssst. I didn't know you were so skilled in the physical side of things, being sheltered and all," I whispered."
"GET STEADY!"
"What are you talking about?"
"My only question is, why are you hiding your identity? You were 'disguised' back then, too."
"..."
"GO!"
Immediately I was struck in the face. I felt dizzy and was one more hit from getting sent off the plank. But no hit came.
"What're you doing...? Just take the win. There's no way I can beat you anyway, Mari."
As if I could knock her into the water! What if she died or something!?
"Tch, I never gave you permission to call me that."
I lunged, thrusting my baston at her. It was probably the very best strike that I was capable of, and it surely looked impressive.
"MIRACLE SEEMS TO HAVE LOST HER FOOTING...!? WINNER GOES IN WITH A GAME ENDING STRIKE... DOES HE LAND IT THOUGH!? AND
HE—Oh, that's not good!"
Expertly, she disarmed me, sending my weapon splashing into the water.
"You got me," I said, my hands up in surrender.
She sighed and threw her own baston into the air. Her hand went to her mask, and slowly, she lifted it off her face.
"...IS THAT THE YOUNG LADY OF THE SAIVELLE HOUSE!?"
"Ahem," she cleared her throat. "I THINK I'VE PROVEN MYSELF ENOUGH! I'VE WON THE MOST COMPETITIVE GAMES OF SUMMER, AUTUMN, WINTER, AND NOW SPRING!"
She spoke towards the crowd, but I could tell she wasn't speaking to the crowd.
Marielle took a bow and gracefully leapt off the plank and back onto solid ground.
"And since I care not for the reward, I forfeit it to second place, Winner." She shook hands with the announcer and ran off.
The long run off the beach was a bit awkward, but the crowd was so hyped up that it didn't matter.
"WELL, WINNER, I GUESS YOU ENDED UP WINNING AFTER ALL! HOW DOES IT FEEL?!"
I clumsily jumped from the plank back to the ground, failing to mimic what Marielle had done.
"Well, I guess it feels good. Thank you to my supporters."
"...Is that all? WHAT A GREAT SPEECH FROM OUR WINNER! GIVE IT UP FOR WINNER ONE LAST TIME!"
The crowd... cheered!