16 – Festival (Part 2)
A brief pause before deciding to enter the arena.
-But how are you going to handle it?
Sariel posed the question.
I looked puzzled by her inquiry.
“What do you mean?”
-Are you going to compete with your identity revealed?
“Hmm, can’t I use something like a mask?”
-That should be fine.
“Then I’ll wear a mask and compete.”
-Right. We wouldn’t want your identity getting exposed and them getting wary. That sounds like the right move.
She replied in a convinced tone to my words.
I asked her.
“How’s the assignment going? You’re doing well, right?”
-Ah. Actually, I wanted to talk to you about that. First, I have something to ask. The woman you’re looking for, she does exist, right?
“Hm?”
Caught off guard by the question, I couldn’t help but respond with confusion.
Then, I affirmed the inquiry.
“Yes, she’s a real person.”
-Hmm, I see.
“Is there some kind of problem?”
-Well, I’ve investigated thoroughly, but I couldn’t find any information whatsoever.
“What?”
I blurted out, taken aback by the unexpected response.
Information that even Sariele couldn’t obtain was unthinkable.
Considering the capabilities she had shown in the army, my surprise was inevitable.
-It’s almost the first time I’ve encountered a complete lack of information like this. It feels like there’s something more here.
“No information, yet you think there’s something more? What does that mean?”
-How should I put it? There’s nothing in my head, but… Maybe it’s intuition? I just have a feeling.
“Hmm.”
Coming from her, it was unlikely to be a mistake.
And it was a fact that I looked at her objectively.
“Alright, understood. Then, let’s really disconnect now.”
-Yes. Get back to me with your report.
With that, the call was ended.
I stroked my chin, deep in thought.
‘No information at all.’
It was Sariele who couldn’t find any information, of all people.
‘Was there another reason she left, then?’
She had left suddenly a long time ago without a word.
Back then, I hadn’t paid much attention, but in hindsight, her expression did seem different than usual.
For some reason, the image of Liza surfaced in my mind.
“Phew, for now, I have to wait and see.”
There’s nothing that can be done right this moment, is there?
It’s best to wait until I have received information from Sariel.
More importantly,
“I wonder how you sign up for the arena tournament.”
There’s a chance that defectors we thought we had eliminated years ago might still be around.
Now is the time to verify that for sure.
Quietly, I shifted my gaze.
Then, Maria appeared at the forefront, engaged in conversation with the other students within my field of view.
“The problem is, I’m currently supposed to be working as a professor.”
I quietly gathered the magic within my circuit.
Then, I drew the spell and quickly infused it with magic.
The next moment.
– Woong.
A man looked just like me appeared before my eyes.
One of the magic spells I had developed anew in the past, a clone technique.
I worried about a possible failure since it had been so long since I had used it.
But it seems that worry was unnecessary.
Seeing how well it activated.
“You know what to do, right?”
“Yes. I am aware.”
“Then please take care of those kids for me.”
“Understood.”
With those words, the clone headed towards the students.
“Now, should I go to apply?”
With that thought, I donned an awareness-suppression mask and made my way towards the arena.
***
Indeed, they had prepared thoroughly; I clicked my tongue seeing the arena before me.
“They’ve prepared quite well.”
There was a magical barrier spread around the arena.
It was clear at a glance that it was set up to block the magic of the participants.
‘Hmm, but that magical barrier looks oddly familiar?’
With a question in mind, I headed toward where the staff was stationed.
Then, one of the staff members looked at me, tilting their head quizzically.
“What brings you here, sir?”
“I came to apply for participation.”
“Oh, in that case, could you please sign here?”
Before me, the staff member handed over a magical contract.
I looked at it and couldn’t help but smirk.
‘I thought the magic barrier looked awfully familiar, and that’s why.’
This contract was none other than the type commonly used by the Mage Tower.
In other words, this means that the one hosting this arena tournament is none other than the Mage Tower owner, Meria!
‘Now, why on earth would they hold something like this?’
More to the point, why didn’t I know about it?
I am, after all, the current heir to the Mage Tower.
Of course, they might have sponsored it, but anyway.
‘I’ll have to confront them about this later.’
I could faintly hear that Meria surely must have mentioned it, but that wasn’t particularly important right now.
More than that, I needed to figure out exactly how to sign.
‘It might be better to hide my name, too.’
After all, it wouldn’t do to accidentally reveal my identity.
I signed the magical contract.
“Kyle. Participant, we will now proceed with enforcing the contract.”
As the staff member spoke, they infused magic into the magical contract.
Ordinarily, the contract would not be valid if a fake name were written.
However.
‘This item was created by me.’
And so, while signing, I surreptitiously intervened with my magic in the contract.
Being the creator of this object, it was as easy as eating cold porridge.
“Yes, then participant Kyle, please proceed to waiting room number one.”
After hearing those words, I followed the guideposts and began walking.
Soon after…
“Is this the place?”
I arrived at my destination.
Inside the door, I sensed an aura brimming with fierce magical energy.
Judging by the caliber of the magic, it seemed there were quite a few formidable opponents here.
I opened the door and stepped inside.
Upon entry, the eyes of the participants inside turned to gaze at me.
“Hmm, all of them seem to be tough pieces of work.”
I had thought it natural that there wouldn’t be many women in a combat arena competition.
Honestly though, that didn’t really matter.
But in front of me, there they were—several participants working out without their shirts on.
“At this rate, calling it a combat arena competition would be an understatement; it’s more like a training ground.”
With that thought, I casually took a seat where there was an empty space.
Swiftly, I looked around the room.
“No sign of any of Callie’s officers.”
The name of the officer Sariele mentioned was Hail.
Looking at the participant list, there was no name like Hail.
He must have been placed in a different group.
“Hey, you.”
Just then, a participant looking at me frowned.
I turned my head in his direction.
The guy glared back at me.
“Do you think this combat arena competition is some kind of joke?”
“?!”
What’s with him? Why’s he picking a fight all of a sudden?
“What are you talking about?”
“Your frail body doesn’t belong here. And I can’t understand why you would hide your face.”
Caught off guard by the situation, I scanned the surroundings.
The next moment, the other participants seemed to nod in agreement with his words.
Judging from their reaction, it seems they must think I’m just playing around.
“Sorry, but I’m not here to play.”
“It would be appreciated if at least you would take off that mask before speaking.”
As he says this, he tries to remove my mask.
I grab his wrist.
-Snap!
The next moment, his brow furrows deeply in irritation.
A dangerous tension swirls between us.
And at that moment.
-Contestants in waiting room number one, please enter the arena immediately.
The announcement is telling us to proceed.
I release his hand.
He narrows his eyes and cautions me.
“See you in the competition.”
With those words, he smoothly vanishes.
The rest of the participants follow him.
It appears he’s asserting himself as the leader here.
‘I thought I could take it easy, but that won’t do.’
With that thought, I, too, start to follow.
***
Upon arriving at the arena.
-Wowww!!!
The thunderous cheers blast in my ears.
Looking around, a vast crowd fills the stands in my field of vision.
‘They’re well prepared.’
With that thought, I scan the area to pinpoint exactly where Meria is.
There, unlike the other areas, an exceptionally expensive-looking stand catches my eye.
And from there.
“Huh?!”
An unexpected figure enters my line of sight.
It was none other than the hero party.
‘I heard they were returning for the festival, but who would’ve thought they’d be here.’
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Though it was somewhat disconcerting to encounter an unexpected figure, anything related to them was now irrelevant.
‘But I wonder if Ely was here too.’
She said she couldn’t participate due to a schedule conflict, only to find out later that she was actually watching the tournament.
‘Hmm, good thing I kept my identity hidden.’
Otherwise, things would have certainly been problematic.
Just as I felt relieved internally,
-Let’s start the match now, please!
The referee resumed the competition.
The next moment, a contestant approached me.
“Captain, can I handle this one?”
“Yeah, take care of it.”
“You’ve heard, right? Consider it fortunate to end in my hands···· Cough!”
Kayne plunged his mana-infused fist into the ground, cutting off the chattering fellow’s sentence and burying him.
One contestant remained stuck and unconscious on the floor.
Cracking his knuckles, Kayne spoke up.
“Let’s start with you guys to warm up.”