Chapter 15: tournament for Power- part 2
Dayama stood atop the grassy hill, the evening wind tugging gently at his dark cloak as he overlooked the growing construction below. Workers moved back and forth like ants, hauling timber, shaping stone, and raising the foundation of what would one day become his master's empire.
The sound of hammers echoed through the valley while smoke curled from newly built furnaces.
A faint smile touched his lips.
For something born from nothing, the progress was absurdly fast.
dwarves, demi-humans… all of them worked together under one banner.
Her banner.
"I hope you're alright, Master Shiori..." he murmured quietly. His eyes softened for a moment before returning to their usual calm indifference. Though he trusted her strength more than anyone, there was always unease whenever she stepped into enemy territory.
Especially alone.
Below him, several goblins nearly started a fistfight over construction materials before a dwarf smacked both of them with a plank.
Dayama sighed."...At least things are lively."
..... ........
"What?! Lady Shiori, you're really planning to crash the coronation ceremony?!" the elf boy nearly shrieked, his face paling as though she'd just announced plans to invade an entire nation.
"That's Shiori-sama to you," Kuroha corrected instantly with a sharp glare
"And the answer is yes!" Haru grinned brightly, pumping his fist in excitement.
The elf staggered backward in disbelief.
"Are all of you insane?!"
"Probably," Haru replied cheerfully.
I pushed open the large palace doors with both hands.
"Now then," I said calmly, "let's go take back what's ours."
Inside the royal hall, nobles and knights stood in organized rows beneath golden chandeliers. Velvet banners hung proudly from marble pillars while priests surrounded the ceremonial platform
The atmosphere was solemn.
Elegant.
Tense.
"According to the late king's final wish," the high priest announced loudly, "we shall now crown Mister Axel Gramdel as the next ruler of Melvialine Kingdom!"
The crowd erupted into applause. Axel stood proudly at the altar, dressed in white royal garments, his smug smile practically screaming victory.
"Should anyone object," the priest continued, "speak now or forever hold your peace."
Silence.
Not a single voice rose.
The priest nodded.
"Very well. Axel Gramdel, by the authority bestowed upon me, I hereby crown you king of—"
"I OBJECT!"
The massive doors slammed open. Every head in the room snapped toward us. I stood confidently by the entrance with my phone raised high into the air like some revolutionary hero in a low-budget anime.
"I object to this coronation," I repeated.
Whispers exploded across the room. Axel's confident expression twitched.
The priest adjusted his glasses nervously..
"...Are you declaring participation in the royal challenge?"
"That's right," I nodded. Axel scoffed loudly.
"You couldn't beat me before, so now you're sending your servant instead?" he sneered.
"This is politics, not some childish game."
"You've got it backwards," I replied flatly. "He's the one serving me."
The room fell silent.
"And honestly," I continued, "isn't it a little hypocritical coming from you?" Axel frowned.
"...What are you talking about?" I smirked and held up my phone.
"A con artist working together with a foreign species to seize the throne." The image displayed a cloaked figure beside Axel.
Murmurs spread rapidly through the hall.
"What is the meaning of this?!" Axel snapped.
I slowly turned toward the crowd.
"Think about it," I announced loudly. "A human leader secretly assisted by a mystical race? If that's your future king, this country's doomed."
Gasps erupted everywhere. Several nobles looked horrified, Others furious.
Axel forced out a laugh.
"Are you accusing me of cheating?"
"I'm simply expressing my opinion," I shrugged. "Or did I accidentally hit too close to home?"
His smile vanished.
"...Very well," he said coldly. "I accept your challenge."
"Wonderful," I smiled sweetly. "Although your little helper won't be participating this time."
I pointed toward the audience.
Immediately, Kuroha vanished into the crowd before reappearing moments later with someone dragged forward by the cloak.
A tiny fairy.
A magical collar rested around her neck.
"Busted!" Haru pointed dramatically like a child exposing a criminal mastermind. The entire hall exploded into chaos.
"A FAIRY?!"
"He really cheated?!"
Axel froze completely. His face turned ghostly pale.
"We'll be playing fairly this time," I smiled innocently. "Meaning little miss fairy won't be helping you."
Axel clenched his fists tightly before forcing himself to calm down.
"...Fine. I'll choose the game and location. You'll be informed when preparations are complete.".
"Thank you for your cooperation," I said politely while pressing my hands together.
Though the murderous glare he sent me suggested he deeply regretted cooperating.
.............
"So he really cheated?!" Eliot exclaimed later that evening.
We sat around the dining table while I casually ate cookies without the slightest concern in the world.
"Obviously," I deadpanned. "I noticed it back at the inn."
Eliot stared at my phone with fascination.
"So that device can detect magic...
"Magic really is absurd," I muttered. "Card manipulation abilities? You wouldn't have stood a chance."
"I-I see..." Eliot swallowed nervously. "But if we exposed the fairy, why not arrest her immediately?"
I sighed heavily.
"...Do I seriously need to explain this?" He visibly wilted.
"Humans are considered a dominant species because of population and influence," I explained. "But mentally? They're easy to manipulate under the right conditions."
Kuroha folded her arms."Other races exploit that weakness. They control a human candidate from the shadows, then slowly take over the kingdom through them."
Eliot's eyes widened.
"But now that they're exposed, they can't cheat anymore, right?"
"...Are you stupid?" I asked flatly. He e looked spiritually defeated.
"Now they'll simply improve their magic so nobody can detect it," Kuroha explained calmly.
"WHAT?!" Eliot nearly flipped the table
"So what do we even do now?!"
"Relax," Haru grinned confidently while giving a thumbs up. "Master already has a plan."
"...That's exactly what terrifies me," Eliot muttered quietly.
On another rooftop nearby...
"You incompetent fool!" Axel kicked the fairy hard across the floor. She cried out in pain but he didn't care.
"You got careless! We were this close to victory!" The fairy trembled fearfully while clutching her side.
Axel's face twisted with rage."...No matter," he muttered darkly. "This wasn't entirely unexpected."
A cruel smirk slowly spread across his face.
"I'll just raise the difficulty."
Shiori's POV
We arrived at the chosen venue the following morning.
A massive temple surrounded by ancient trees and stone statues towered before us.
The atmosphere felt eerie.
"Okay seriously," Eliot complained while following behind me, "aren't you going to explain the plan already?"
"No." I said bluntly
"Huh?!"
"The walls have ears," I replied calmly. "I'm not stupid enough to reveal strategy before the game starts."
Eliot stopped walking
"This isn't some game to me!" he snapped angrily. "If we lose, everything I care about disappears!"
I sighed tiredly..
"Alright then."
I raised one finger.
"First. Axel won't play fairly, so discussing plans openly is dangerous."
A second finger.
"Second. We're crushing him fairly and publicly."
A third finger.
"And third..." I glanced at him. "I'm not one of you. If people learn too much about me, we're all doomed."
"...Okay?" I explained slowly enough for a five-year-old.
Eliot blinked.
"...Wait. What do you mean you're not one of us?
"For someone who claims to have common sense," I muttered while opening the double doors ahead, "you ask an impressive amount of stupid questions."
The doors creaked open, Below the balcony stretched a gigantic life-sized chessboard.
Massive living pieces stood upon each square like soldiers awaiting orders
"...What is this?" Eliot whispered.
"We'll be playing chess," Axel announced from the opposite balcony. "Though unlike ordinary chess, these pieces possess free will."
"But they still obey commands," he smirked. "Mostly."
"...I see."
"Then I'll be your opponent," I stepped forward.
Honestly, I would've preferred forcing my brother to play instead. But Kuro would probably eat the pieces halfway through the match.
"Very well," Axel smiled smugly. "Your side moves first."
Everyone knows first turn advantage is massive.There's no way he doesn't know that. Something felt wrong
"Pawn. Advance two spaces." I said
The pawn obeyed immediately.
"Bishop, advance!" Axel ordered
The bishop suddenly moved diagonally far beyond standard chess rules.
"Huh?! That's cheating!" Eliot shouted.
Axel laughed mockingly.
"I told you already! These pieces act on will and morale!"
My eyes narrowed. "I understand now..." I murmured.
This wasn't ordinary chess.
The pieces followed motivation.
Fear.
Confidence.
Loyalty.
Which meant—
"Bishop, destroy the pawn." He ordered
The bishop smashed my pawn apart instantly.
"...Knight, attack the bishop." I ordered
Nothing happened.
As expected. No sane soldier willingly marches toward certain death.
Meaning sacrifices were nearly impossible.
But somehow Axel was still forcing his pieces forward.
"...How?" I muttered
"This is bad!" Eliot panicked. "What do we do?!"
"Silence," Kuroha smiled proudly. "Shiori-sama is concentrating."
My eyes scanned the battlefield carefully.
Analyzing.
Calculating.
Searching for loopholes.
Then suddenly—
I found it.
"Better hurry," Axel smirked confidently. "Time is running out."
I inhaled deeply, Then shouted at the top of my lungs.
"ATTENTION EVERYONE ON THE BATTLEFIELD!"
The entire arena went silent
"AS YOUR QUEEN, I DECLARE THAT ALL TAXES WILL BE ABOLISHED!"
The pieces froze.
"ANYONE WHO SURVIVES THIS WAR GETS EARLY RETIREMENT!"
The soldiers began murmuring excitedly.
"And FOR THOSE WITH FAMILIES WAITING AT HOME—"
I pointed dramatically.
"DON'T YOU DARE DIE HERE!"
Silence.
Then—
The entire battlefield erupted. The pieces roared with overwhelming morale and charged forward like maniacs possessed by pure patriotism.
"WHAT?!" Axel's eyes widened.
"Pawns support the frontline! King and Queen, stop slacking and get down there too!" I barked.
My pieces obeyed instantly.
"HEY! It's not your turn!" Axel shouted furiously.
I stared at him like he'd said something profoundly stupid.
"...In an actual war, what kind of idiot politely waits for the enemy's turn?"
The room fell silent.
"I'll admit it though," I smirked. "Using magic to artificially boost morale was clever."
His expression froze."You knew?!"
"No matter what schemes you make," I said calmly, "I'm always three steps ahead."
I pointed forward.
"Finish it, Queen."
Everyone watched in stunned silence as my queen appeared directly behind Axel's king
and sliced its head clean off.
The king collapsed.
Silence consumed the hall.
Then—
"And the winner is Lady Shiori!" the priest announced loudly.
Cheers exploded everywhere. Axel slammed his fist against the railing in fury.
Eliot stood frozen.
She'd done it. She'd actually won. The kingdom was saved.
"...Grandfather would've loved this," he whispered with watery eyes. I walked over casually and handed him back his bracelet.
"Oi. I think this belongs to you." A tear slid down his cheek.
"...Thank you, Shiori-sama."
I blinked.
"...Did you just call me that willingly?"
{Location: Melvialine Palace}
"With no remaining challengers," the priest declared proudly, "according to the late king's final wish, I hereby crown Shiori Koromi as ruler of Melvialine Kingdom!"
A beautiful silver tiara rested upon my head.
.
Everyone bowed.
My followers stood proudly behind me.
I sat upon the throne quietly.
"...This feels weird."
Haru nearly cried from excitement. Kuroha looked proud. Dayama simply nodded calmly.
Operation: Save The Country.
Complete.
A few days later...
I stood awkwardly in front of the Merchant Guild building.
Honestly, becoming queen was somehow less stressful than paperwork.
Flashback—
"Huh?! You're a monster?!" Eliot stared at my fox ears in complete shock.
"Duuuh," I deadpanned.
After appointing him ambassador, I figured hiding my identity completely would've been pointless.
Surprisingly, he handled the revelation better than expected.
"I just don't want to personally manage every kingdom," I explained while lazily playing my handheld console. "You'll act as my public representative."
"...You're trusting me with this?" he asked nervously.
"I'll explain every problem beforehand so you don't accidentally destroy the country."
He looked emotionally damaged.
Then suddenly perked up.
"Wait... you're a merchant, right?".
"Yeah."
"Have you registered at the guild yet?"
"...No?"
"I hope you pass the test."
"...Test?"
Flashback ends.
"Yes," the receptionist explained politely, "all merchants must complete a mandatory examination."
"...Why does this feel illegal already?"
"The first portion is written. The second is practical retrieval."
"What kind of retrieval?"
"Anything from mushrooms to Ignis Magnus crystals."
I nearly choked internally.
"Also, failed applicants must wait six months before retrying."
Cruel.
Absolutely cruel.
"Can I have the guild manual?"
"That'll be two gold coins."
EXCUSE ME?!
The receptionist smiled awkwardly.
"You could always apprentice under another company instead—".
"Not necessary."
I dropped the coins dramatically onto the counter. She handed over the massive manual.
"...Thank you."
I opened the first page.
Then froze.
What in the unholy name of capitalism is this nonsense?!
The receptionist smiled sympathetically.
"Most people react that way."
"Oh no," I replied calmly. "I was just wondering if I could take the exam immediately."
"...Huh?" She blinked
Inside the examination hall, I quietly memorized trade laws while waiting.
The invigilator entered.
"Please keep your papers face down until instructed." He placed the exam before me.
"You may begin."
I flipped it over and started writing immediately.
Trade legality.
Economic calculations.
Import classifications
Inventory law.
Honestly?
This was basically beginner-level business studies.
The mana suppression devices around the room prevented translation magic, but brute-force interpretation still worked.
The invigilator watched smugly.
"Difficult, isn't it?"
"I'm done."
"...What?"He snatched the papers and reviewed them rapidly. His expression slowly transformed into horror.
"A PERFECT SCORE?!" He clutched his head dramatically.
"In all my years—!"
"But!" he suddenly shouted. "The practical exam is much harder!" He shoved a box toward me.
I drew a slip.
"...Ignis Magnus crystal, Moonlit Lily, Zippy Rabbit pelts, and Cuta Fruit."
Three days.
Seriously?
"...Here you go."
I casually dumped the materials onto the desk moments later.
The invigilator stared in absolute disbelief.
"IMPOSSIBLE! How did you obtain these?!"
"Some adventurers gave them to me," I lied smoothly.
"...You've passed." He looked seconds away from crying.
"Please be more excited! This is history!"
"...Okay." I sweatdropped
{Location: Ethereal City}
I stared down at Blobby with a tired sigh.
No matter what I tried , mana infusion, healing magic, alchemy, nothing worked.
"Honestly," I muttered, "you might actually be cursed."
The blob merely jiggled sadly. I groaned and reached for another book.
"Ouch!"
A tiny paper cut sliced my finger. A drop of blood fell directly into the potion beside me.
The liquid instantly changed from pale blue to glowing green.
"...Huh?" I slowly poured the potion onto Blobby.
A bright light erupted across the room.
The rotten flesh began repairing itself rapidly.
Bones formed.
Skin regenerated.
A humanoid figure emerged from the slime.
Then—
My eyes widened.
My jaw dropped.
My face turned bright red.
"AAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH?!"