The Young Champion and the Growth Elixir
Dwayne, one of the executive committee members for the martial arts tournament, could not hide his astonishment. He was staring at a young girl. She looked like a child who had only just passed the age of ten. And she was the champion of this year’s martial arts tournament.
In his long years serving as guild master of the Brizra Town Adventurer’s Guild, he had met countless skilled individuals, yet this girl operated on an entirely different level. Even now, her Sword Qi still lingered vividly in the air. A golden Sword Qi that raged like a storm. It called to mind a hero who had left the world ten years earlier—the Sword Saint, Adrean.
Dwayne had met him once before, back when the Sword Saint visited the city with the Hero. He had used that same technique when he defeated the fiend who had taken control of the city. The form was similar. The power, however, was on a completely different scale. Naturally the Sword Saint’s Sword Qi had been far more overwhelming. But that wasn’t what mattered.
What mattered was that this girl was using swordsmanship that closely resembled the Sword Saint’s. Just who… was she? Could she have been a hidden disciple? The thought lasted only a moment. The timing didn’t match. She would have been born right around the time the Sword Saint passed away.
Yet it wasn’t only her swordsmanship that shocked Dwayne. She had used Holy Power as well. In all his life he had never seen anyone wield both mana and Holy Power with such freedom. He had never even heard of such a person. One of the more eccentric cardinals was known to handle a sword, but even he could not manifest Sword Qi in this manner.
Even as fear gripped him, curiosity bloomed in Dwayne’s chest. “Hah…” He swallowed a dry breath and rose from his seat, then walked toward the girl. It was time to conduct the winner’s ceremony.
“Congratulations on your victory. Your skill is truly extraordinary.”
“Thank you.”
He offered his hand. The girl took it in a handshake. Her hand was small and soft, yet the palm carried faint, yielding calluses. They were the marks of sword training, but they still belonged to an ordinary young girl’s hand. A genius? Dwayne shook his head inwardly. No, this could not be explained away as mere genius. It was something far beyond that.
“Where did you learn your swordsmanship?”
“I never learned it.”
“What?”
The girl looked up at him with ruby eyes that sparkled like polished gems. “I practiced alone.”
It’s a lie. That makes no sense. Yet he sensed no childish boast or falsehood in her words. Dwayne’s curiosity about the girl only deepened. Anyone would want to ask a strong person exactly how they had become so strong.
“When you have the time, please visit the Adventurer’s Guild. I would very much like to hear your story.”
“Hmm…”
The girl stroked her chin exactly the way an old man might stroke his beard. “It will be difficult.”
That, too, was surprising. It was rare for anyone to turn down an invitation from the guild master. Any adventurer would have accepted at once, hoping for even a scrap of favor.
“I would like to talk as well, but…” The girl pondered for a moment, then shook her head as though it truly could not be helped. “I plan to leave the city today.”
“It doesn’t have to be today. Come visit the guild whenever you like.”
“Understood.”
The girl gave a polite bow. The award ceremony was simple. A medal was placed around her neck and the prize delivered.
A milky-white liquid contained in a glass vial. The masterpiece of alchemist Arte Faust.
Effect:Triggers extreme physical or magical growth. Effects vary by individual. Never harmful.
Value:100,000 gold (recently risen due to material shortage)
“Here, this is the Growth Elixir.”
The cork came out with a pop. The girl opened the elixir immediately.
“Huh…?”
Without the slightest hesitation she gulped the contents down. One hundred thousand gold—perhaps even five hundred thousand—disappeared in a single swallow. Dwayne was stunned. The spectators watching were equally stunned. One hundred thousand gold was enough to live comfortably for a lifetime. Anyone else would have hesitated, yet the girl showed no reluctance at all.
The shock lasted only a moment. Anticipation quickly replaced it. Just what kind of change would appear? From what he had heard, the elixir’s effects manifested the instant it was consumed.
“Ueeeh…! It’s bitter!”
The girl stuck out her pink tongue, scrunched her pretty face, and spat repeatedly. Nothing else happened.
“Do you not feel any change?” Dwayne asked.
The girl shook her head. “Not at all. Are you sure this isn’t fake?”
It was definitely not fake. He had received it directly from Arte as a reward for gathering potion ingredients. It had come from a dragon subjugation quest; there was no way it was counterfeit.
“Don’t you feel your mana increasing… or your physical strength growing… anything like that?”
Once again the girl shook her head.
“…Just as I thought. That quack.”
She clicked her tongue and muttered under her breath. “Real or fake, may I leave now?”
Even though nothing had happened—something that would normally make a person furious—the girl simply tossed the empty vial aside with casual indifference and prepared to depart.
“Ah… well… the tournament is officially over, so you may leave.”
“Then I had fun. Goodbye.”
After a polite farewell, the girl left the arena with quick, adorable steps. A strange silence settled over the arena. The swollen expectations had cooled in an instant, leaving everyone frozen. The tournament itself had been thrilling, yet the ending felt strangely flat.
I started running the moment I left the arena. I was late! So late! I had enjoyed the final match far too much and wasted precious time. Sister Bertina was definitely going to scold me again.
I dashed into the waiting room, flung off my cloak, and placed the neatly folded veil on my head.
“I used this properly!”
I returned the practice sword and ran again.
“Oh, this too!”
I took the medal from around my neck and handed it to the receptionist. I felt bad for the people who had prepared it, but I couldn’t take it with me. Ignoring the receptionist’s calls from behind to come back for the medal, I kept running.
“Elia!”
“Yikes!”
While sprinting toward the infirmary beside the arena, I ran straight into Sister Bertina. She looked furious.
“Where have you been all this time? Do you have any idea how long I’ve been searching for you?”
Sister Bertina, who had refused to watch the fights and stayed in the infirmary the entire time, fortunately seemed to have missed my match. I had hidden my identity well, but I had been a little nervous when my hood slipped off during the finals. I had no desire to stir up unnecessary trouble just because people learned I could handle a sword.
“…I’m sorry.”
I put on the tearful expression of a child who knew she had done wrong. “I tried to look around the city a little and got lost…”
“Honestly…”
If this had been only a short while ago, a knuckle would have already flown at my forehead.
“Still, I’m glad you’re safe.”
Sister Bertina took my hand. “Let’s return before it gets dark.”
“Yes, Sister.”
We entered the building to gather our luggage. A few patients were inside—some injured by the crowd, others former participants from the arena.
That was when it happened.
“Hiiiiiik!!”
A man staggering down the far end of the corridor let out a scream.
Ah… I recognized that face. It was my opponent from the finals only thirty minutes earlier. What had they called him? The Ghost of the Eastern Swamp? His name was… Illuner, I believe.
Sister Bertina jumped in surprise and hurried over to him. “Teacher, what’s wrong?”
“Hii! Hiiii!”
The man trembled violently the moment he saw me. He lowered his head and looked away.
Oh dear. I’m sorry about this. I hadn’t expected him to become this terrified.
I approached to calm the situation and placed a hand on the man’s knee. “Please calm down.”
“Uwaaaah! I’m sorry! I was wrong!”
The man sprang up and began having a fit. He was making far too much noise. I admit I had gone a little overboard, but it shouldn’t have been enough to cause trauma. I’m not going to eat you, you fool.
While Sister Bertina tried to soothe him, I leaned close and whispered into his ear.
“…Be quiet and get out.”
The man’s body went rigid. “Y-yes, yessir!”
He bolted upright and fled down the corridor at full speed.
“Teacher!”
Sister Bertina tried to stop him, but he was already gone. The poor man. His former dark, sharp aura had vanished completely, leaving only a coward behind. I had healed every physical wound, but mending the heart was far more difficult. I offered a small prayer to the gods, hoping he would recover.
“What on earth was that?” Sister Bertina stamped her feet in confusion.
I took her hand. “Sister, leave the rest to the others. We should go back or we really will be late.”
“Y-yes, you’re right.”
We gathered our things and climbed into the carriage. The rattling sway urged sleep.
“Huaaam…”
I had used both mana and Holy Power all day. I was exhausted. I closed my eyes. Before long I was snoring softly, fast asleep.
Time passed as swiftly as the speeding carriage… and I turned nineteen years old.