Martial Arts Tournament (5)
“A raiding party from the rear! Maintain formation!”
Under the command of the Moonlight Palace captain, the knights moved in perfect unison. Having broken through the prince's army—knights of the emperor's nephew—they aimed to seize the next high ground. It was a prime vantage point for scouting the entire arena.
“That northern knight is tough.”
“He's been scouting ahead of his unit's advance path single-handedly for a while now. No wonder he won the individual matches.”
“I hear he's from the Gotberg Marquisate. I thought they only trained healers, but they must have a lot of talent there.”
The emperor watched Tanya while sharing his impressions with his brothers, the princes.
“He seems fiercely loyal to the marquisate. To have a knight like that means the young heir of Gotberg must be quite capable.”
“He's the chief physician for the Third Princess, right?”
“If he can bless an entire knight order, his skills must be the real deal.”
The fierce battle raged on amid clouds of dust.
“My knight order!!”
The Earth Palace knights had long since mutually destroyed Rauga's unit. Georg, having barely made any impact before dropping out, tore at his hair in frustration over the mock battle results.
The Moonlight Palace knights had charged forward with great momentum, but as the battle dragged into its later stages, their limits became apparent. They'd done well to lure the two remaining enemy units into fighting each other first in the final three-way clash. But the surviving knight order was formidable.
'First Princess Heike's knights.'
Heike wasn't in the stands because she was out on the field herself, mounted and leading her unit personally. Like Georg, she was deadly serious about succeeding to the throne—a woman brimming with ambition.
“Victory is within reach! Advance!”
Resembling Asella but with a sturdy, robust build, she swept across the battlefield, her abundant golden hair flowing like a painting come to life.
Our side's First Company were imperial knights, but they were regular soldiers. They lacked the skill to hold off Heike's elite knights. The Moonlight Palace knights weren't being overwhelmingly pushed back, but they were outnumbered. In the end, the twenty Moonlight Palace knights, including Tanya, found themselves surrounded by Heike's elites.
“Knight of the North.”
Heike called out to Tanya, pointing her sword tip her way. Amplification magic broadcast her resounding voice across the arena for all to hear.
“You can see the state of the battle. The outcome is decided. Will you continue this meaningless resistance?”
It was a call for surrender. Asella, catching the implication, furrowed her brow.
“Haha, urging the top knight of the enemy faction to betray her loyalty—Sister Heike, you're cruel.”
Georg explained the situation, clearly intending to mock Asella. I understood the intent perfectly. Even if it was a festival mock battle and he was the lord's brother, they were effectively rival factions within the imperial court. By offering surrender first, she framed the strategically sound choice of retreat as the cowardly act of a traitor. Heike, ever the throne-aspirant, was a master of political maneuvering.
Now the Moonlight Palace knights had no choice but to fight to the end—and that would end in a humiliating beatdown. Asella would lose the emperor's favor in the process. With a single phrase, Heike had laid an efficient trap.
“...Tch.”
Asella clicked her tongue. I whispered to her softly.
“Princess, just wait a little.”
“Why.”
“Excessive stress suppresses digestion and causes sleep disorders.”
“...Hoo, you got me there. I knew Heike's knights were strong, but still.”
“We just need to establish a justification, right?”
“You have a way?”
I nodded.
“I already passed on the countermeasure for this to Tanya.”
Asella turned back to the arena. Tanya sheathed her sword, stepped forward, and met Heike's eyes.
“Have you chosen surrender?”
“The reason the Moonlight Palace knights end the fight here is...”
Tanya removed her gauntlet, glancing around at the audience. Scars large and small from the battles dotted her arm.
“...we can no longer show such irreverence to our loyal lord.”
Tanya took a red ointment from her bosom and applied it to her wounds. A soft glow accompanied the healing effect.
“Hmm, what's that?”
The emperor, watching intently, leaned forward with interest.
Tanya continued.
“This is an alchemical salve that heals wounds, made by my lord and teacher, Ras Gotberg.”
Her declaration sent a murmur through the stands.
“Alchemy?”
“Not an artifact?”
“Healing wounds without healing magic?”
“The Gotberg physician!”
Tanya carefully tucked the red ointment away and held up her now-clean arm for the audience to see.
“My teacher spares no effort not just for the princess, but for the health of all Moonlight Palace knights. Continuing this battle any further...”
Tanya glared at Heike.
“...would steal time from Teacher Gotberg, my lord. That would harm Princess Asella's health as well, which is the utmost irreverence.”
Hm, well said. She'd put in plenty of time in our marquisate.
“Under these circumstances, to uphold our loyalty to Princess Asella, our knight order hereby acknowledges defeat and ends the mock battle.”
As Tanya finished, applause poured in. Cheers of encouragement for the noble losers.
“The winner of the team mock battle has been decided!”
The announcer's voice filled the colosseum as the knights gracefully withdrew from the arena. Heike shot a sharp glare at Tanya's retreating back, then looked up at our stands and curled her lip. Her blood was only half-shared with Asella's, but that imperial smile was somehow chilling all the same.
“Young master, did you tell Tanya to do that?”
As the colosseum buzzed, Asella asked me.
“Yes. When I heard First Princess Heike was competing personally, I figured something like this might happen and prepared the red ointment.”
“Hm.”
“Not to your liking? Should I have prepared more thoroughly?”
“...No. We'll talk later.”
Asella whipped her head away so I couldn't see her expression.
After the break, the magic competition followed. Day one was packed with all the highlights of the martial tournament. It was scheduled with the emperor's health in mind, apparently. Day two was pure entertainment with the imperial orchestra and kitchens performing. Day three meant departing in the morning, and I'd have to monitor Asella the whole time—unsure if my focus would hold.
“Out there, the Second Prince faction's mages are competing. Good reaction.”
I peered through the waiting room curtains and relayed the arena view.
“They didn't even have court mages originally, but Grandmother must have provided her disciples after all.”
Asella snapped curtly. Her maids were adjusting her changed outfit and retouching her makeup. She'd switched to mage robes for the competition. The staff in her hand looked a bit heavy compared to her frame, its head ornate like a hair accessory. She flicked her high ponytail and asked,
“Does it suit me?”
“You outshine any great archmage in elegance.”
“That silver tongue of yours is innate.”
Asella spat the retort but seemed not entirely displeased, sitting obediently at the table to await her turn.
My turn. I pumped air into the cuff to measure Asella's blood pressure.
...Systolic 105, diastolic 50. Slightly hypotensive as usual, but fine. Checked with the thermometer I'd made: 35.8 degrees. Jotted the numbers in my notebook.
“What're you writing so much?”
“All necessary for you, Princess.”
“You always carry that notebook.”
“Yes. Whoa, it has top-secret info including yours. Please don't expose it.”
Asella glanced at my notebook. All the salve ingredients and recipes were in there. Might need it for a book someday—gotta keep it safe.
“Finally, pulse.”
As I reached for her wrist, she pulled her arm away slightly.
“Do I always have to do that?”
“Yes. It's part of the mana circuit check. Especially today, we need to confirm your circuits are normal.”
“I checked this morning. My mana flows smooth as the Neka River.”
“That was ten hours ago.”
“...Ugh.”
Asella grumbled but extended her right arm. Her wrist was so slender my thumb and middle finger encircled it with a knuckle to spare. Blood pressure and pulse aren't directly correlated, so separate checks. Deviations from average signal issues. A stethoscope would be easier, but she'd freak about souls getting sucked from her heart or whatever, so this it was.
—Thump, thump.
Manual pulse via artery.
“Same as always. Every check shows your heart rate's fast despite low blood pressure. Could be constitution, but it's a bit worrying.”
“Shut up.”
“Don't ignore your physician's medical advice. The patient needs to be aware for me to treat... Ow.”
Asella scowled and smacked the back of my hand. Definitely the type who threw tantrums to skip the doctor as a kid. Smart and sly—no falling for pork cutlet bribes. She'd probably dunk me in oil and make cutlet out of me instead.
“Respiratory rate would be good too.”
“Respiration?”
“Like this.”
I held index and middle fingers horizontally near her nose. Asella leaned her face back while keeping her torso still, then tucked her chin like a turtle hiding in its shell.
“Breathe normally. Respiration's a key health metric... Princess, holding your breath blocks the check.”
“You!”
Asella slapped my hand and shot up from her seat. She gripped her staff, golden pupils blazing with fury.
Hm, she looks stronger than ever.
Cheers erupted from outside. The Second Prince faction's magic round had ended. Asella's turn next.
She finally dropped her grudge against me and straightened her staff.
“Good luck.”
Ignoring my send-off, Asella strode out of the waiting room.