Chapter 26
Chapter 26
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 26
Chapter Title: The Beginning of the Prophecy (1)
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⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ You have acquired the trait 'Auto Healing'! ‘——Auto Healing!!’
I widened my eyes as I checked the message for the trait I had just acquired.
Auto Healing.
As the name implied, it was a healing spell that activated automatically.
And just from the description of ‘automatic activation of healing magic,’ anyone could tell how ridiculously overpowered this skill was.
‘Yesss—!! I believed in you!!’
It had been a long time since Fairy King Elisis’s Quartet of the Wind that I’d finally gotten a proper trait.
Of course, Morduin’s Soul of the Burning Artisan and Arkan’s Male Pheromone were plenty useful traits in their own right.
But this was the first ability since the Quartet of the Wind that provided such direct help in combat.
‘And Auto Healing is a trait that dramatically boosts survival...! With this...!!’
It was perfect timing, too, since I had a death flag hanging over me.
Astril’s gift of Auto Healing shone even brighter because of it.
As expected from the lawful good races.
The elf and seraphim had bestowed pretty traits in tandem.
Overwhelmed by the emotion I hadn’t felt in so long, I ended up shedding a few tears.
“Sob...!”
This was right at the moment when the slum residents were having their tearful reunion.
I tried to hide the tears that had burst out unbidden by covering my face with my arm.
“Ahh..., Gladiator Sir...”
“To think that for us, whom you hadn’t seen in just a few days, you would go so far...”
The slum residents, misunderstanding my actions, looked moved and teary-eyed.
Tiriel in particular approached me, clutching her hands tightly with sparkling eyes.
“How can you have such a kind heart...? Gladiator Sir.”
“......”
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ Ancestor 'Eternal Teacher of the Fairies' wipes away tears. ⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ Ancestor 'First King of the Beastkin' nods. ⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ Ancestor 'Star Prophet' is moved by your actions. The ancestors watching over me seemed to have misunderstood something as well, sending their messages.
...I was just moved by getting a good ability.
Well, the result was good, so it didn’t matter.
“You’re our hero...! Thank you, truly thank you!”
“Thanks to you, I got my daughter back...! Thank you so much...!”
“No, no, it was nothing. I just did my best with what I could.”
Doing a good deed and becoming a hero felt pretty great.
And on top of that, I’d gotten a satisfying reward for it.
With a happy heart, I received the slum residents’ thanks and exchanged blessings with them.
“Well then, it’s getting late, so I’ll head back.”
“Thank you so much for today...! We’ll never forget this kindness...!”
I waved to the slum residents, who were still teary-eyed and thanking me right up to the end.
Afterward, I returned to the Colosseum with Tiriel.
‘Alright..., now that I’m back, let’s test the performance of this new trait right away.’
As I followed behind Tiriel with excitement bubbling up at the thought of my new ability...
“Gladiator Sir.”
“...Yes?”
Tiriel, who had been walking ahead, called out to me cautiously and slowed her pace to walk beside me.
She matched my steps but kept her eyes down at the ground, head slightly bowed, without looking at me.
For some reason, the tips of her ears seemed flushed red.
Soon, she softly opened her mouth.
“Gladiator Sir is kind and just..., and incredibly skilled as well.”
“Yes...?”
At her sudden praise, I blushed and asked back in a pathetic voice.
She then smiled brightly and met my eyes.
“About how I wanted to get to know you better.”
“Ah..., you mean the conversation you had with Karga?”
“Yes.”
Tiriel blushed faintly and continued.
“Just like I told Karga..., this time, I feel like I got to know you a lot more deeply.”
“......”
As I stared at her in a daze from her pure praise, Tiriel averted her eyes slightly and stepped closer to my side, pressing against me.
“But..., it still feels a little lacking.”
“Yes...?”
Thump, thump.
Was this... seduction?
No, not seduction.
It felt more like... pure affection.
Affection as a woman toward a man.
“I want to know... more about you in detail...”
“......”
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ Ancestor 'Eternal Teacher of the Fairies' holds her breath in focus. ⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ Ancestor 'First King of the Beastkin' perks up their ears. ⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ Ancestor 'Star Prophet' clutches her flushed cheeks. The ancestors had sensed it too and were making a fuss.
Of course, my heart was pounding and making a fuss as well.
“So..., would it be alright to... extend your rental a bit more?”
“......”
Tiriel asked with a tense, anxious expression, as if worried about being rejected.
Ironic.
She was a normal seraphim, and I was just a mongrel slave.
If she ordered it, I’d have no choice but to obey.
That’s why.
I asked her carefully.
“Lady Tiriel...”
“Y-Yes...?”
“I’m... a mongrel, you know?”
“......”
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ Ancestor 'Eternal Teacher of the Fairies' smacks their forehead! ⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ Ancestor 'First King of the Beastkin' smacks their forehead! ⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ Ancestor 'Star Prophet' smacks her forehead! Hey, don’t make it so obvious that you think I’m pathetic.
This was an important point.
She was heavenly winged folk, and I was a mongrel.
If she was approaching me with romantic feelings, it was only natural to address that clearly.
“Hee hee.”
And fortunately.
Unlike the ancestors, the kind Tiriel smiled purely and answered my question.
“Who knows...”
“......”
“Maybe that’s exactly why you feel so special to me, because you’re a mongrel.”
“......”
But that wasn’t much of an answer.
“Hee hee.”
Still, Tiriel seemed satisfied, smiling as she walked beside me.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ The day after Astro, the pureblood dragonkin young master, got thoroughly beaten by a mongrel slave.
“Dragonkin young master Goldma suddenly returned to his homeland? What’s goin’ on?”
“No, I didn’t hear the reason. Just that...”
“Just?”
“For some reason, severe bruises appeared all over his body overnight...”
“Bruises? You mean the kind ya get when ya get beaten black and blue?”
“Yes.”
“Kyahaha! What, did he have a bare-handed gladiator match overnight or somethin’? That young master’s a riot.”
Taira laughed heartily, slapping the armrest at her servant’s report.
A pureblood dragonkin young master getting beaten up overnight and fleeing back home like that—it was a rare situation that was amusing no matter what.
And to Taira, the servant added one more thing.
“...I’ve heard rumors that last night, Number 17, the gladiator slave, visited the dragonkin estate.”
“......Number 17?”
“Yes, it’s not confirmed, but... apparently he had Astro’s certificate and took some important item...”
“Hoo..., Number 17 again...”
He was the man who, right after returning from the labyrinth, had been ambushed by a team of elves and dwarves—and unbelievably handled them all alone before coming back.
A peculiar mongrel slave who brought about an unbelievable result.
And now he was tangled up in another inexplicable incident.
Taira grinned with interest and delight.
“So, who’s that Number 17 facin’ next? Got an opponent set?”
The special mongrel providing the biggest entertainment in Parion’s Colosseum these days.
Taira showed her curiosity about him by asking her servant about his next match.
And at that moment.
The servant, looking troubled, cautiously spoke up to Taira.
“Ah, milady. Actually, there’s something I need to tell you about that...”
Before the servant could finish.
Knock knock knock.
“Hm?”
An unscheduled visitor knocked on Taira’s door.
[Lady Taira, it’s Elena. I’ve come without notice because I have an urgent request.] “......”
The visitor was Elena.
Elena Silbaren, the pureblood fairy noble lady.
“......Whatever, come in first.”
Taira permitted entry with a bored expression.
Soon the door opened, revealing a beautiful golden-haired elf.
“I’m busy too, so since ya came unannounced, no need for tea, right? So, what’s the business?”
“......”
No matter how sudden the visit, serving tea to a pureblood noble was basic etiquette.
But Taira skipped even that basic courtesy.
It was a sign of how displeased she was.
‘As expected..., she suspects me regarding the labyrinth incident...’
Elena guessed why Taira was treating her so coldly.
The elf-dwarf hybrids who had tried to kill Number 17.
Taira believed Elena was behind them.
Of course.
That was correct.
So Elena brazenly stated her business without minding it.
“...Number 17 is participating in this gladiator match too, right?”
“...Yeah. What about it?”
“——Put my gladiator up against him.”
“......What?”
At Elena’s bold demand, Taira gaped and stared at her blankly.
She surely knew.
That Taira suspected her as the mastermind behind the labyrinth incident.
And.
This request right now——to designate Number 17’s opponent——was tantamount to admitting that suspicion was correct.
“What... the hell are ya thinkin’?”
“......Hee hee.”
Elena smiled faintly at Taira’s incredulous question.
Though smiling, the air between them was tense and hostile.
“Ya think I’ll grant ya that favor?”
“Yes. That’s why I came.”
“Ha, I knew elves were shameless, but you’re on another level. Oh, by the way, that’s a compliment.”
“Hee hee, our great eternal teacher was always dignified in the face of any trial. Your words just now are compliment enough for me.”
“......”
“......”
Elena pushed her demand without backing down an inch.
Taira glared at her with a hardened face for a moment.
Finally, she replied sharply.
“Get lost.”
“......”
She had tried to carelessly kill one of Taira’s gladiator slaves.
That crime warranted severe punishment in Parion, no matter if the perpetrator was a pureblood noble.
But because she was a pureblood noble.
Taira planned to end it with harsh words and sending her back to her homeland.
So naturally, she had no intention of granting this request either.
“My, are you sure that’s wise?”
“......What?”
However, Elena hadn’t come here just to be shameless.
“You should hear the whole story first.”
“You..., what the hell are ya schemin’?”
Elena didn’t retreat even at Taira’s sharp refusal.
Instead, she stood confidently with a smile.
And.
“I’ll share the rest with the next guest, Lady Taira.”
Elena stepped aside slightly and glanced at the door she had entered through.
Creeeak.
Soon, that door opened, and another person entered Taira’s room.
“......”
Taira was speechless at the sight of the newcomer.
It was an elderly man.
Old enough to naturally be called grandfather.
But the old man had distinct features.
Silver hair and silver eyes.
Sharp ears protruding from his head.
A calm tail visible behind his back.
The man who entered was a werewolf, a beastkin.
A pureblood beastkin at that.
“Taira.”
“......Old man. What’re you doin’ here...”
“Still mimicking that lowly wet nurse’s dialect, are you? Foolish child.”
“......”
Faded, powerless eyes from age.
But that gaze still held the characteristic sharpness of a werewolf.
“......”
Taira shut her mouth at the gaze of the old man she hadn’t seen in ages.
No matter that she was the master of this gladiator city, Parion.
She couldn’t treat this pureblood beastkin elder lightly.