Chapter 114
Chapter 114
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 114
Chapter Title: 49. Form of Coincidence (1)
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The tournament progressed amid a flurry of hot topics.
What captured the empire's attention above all was Oliver of the Elgast family.
Born of noble blood, he had garnered acclaim since childhood for his skills that overwhelmed his peers.
To the imperial citizens, he was a matter of pride.
The empire's people believed without a doubt that he was the most skilled in the tournament.
"Isn't Brioll's third prince strong too?"
"I heard he didn't participate."
"Does that mean he's not that good?"
"Even if he is skilled, that's only in a small country like Brioll. He must be scared it won't work against the empire."
"I heard he shone in the allied forces."
"That's probably exaggerated. I hear Rolang is stronger."
"In the end, a prince is just a prince, huh?"
On the other hand, doubts began to arise about Yuri's skills since he hadn't entered the tournament.
Especially those dissatisfied that the hero of the allied forces was Brioll's prince rather than the empire's raised their voices.
But Yuri didn't care.
He preferred that the empire's people, who would become future enemies, looked down on him rather than receiving fleeting praise.
Underestimating the enemy usually came at the price of blood.
"Your Highness, shall I go say something?"
"No need."
Jared, walking incognito alongside Yuri, frowned at the conversations drifting from around them.
"Hearing that makes my blood boil. Why not just enter the tournament..."
"If I butt in while they're fishing for loaches, it'd be cheating."
"That's true, but..."
"Is Rolang fighting Fenek today?"
"Yes."
"Tough break for Fenek."
The tournament proceeded without major upsets. Those who should win did, and those who should lose fell.
And so, it reached the round of sixteen.
Now, names Yuri recognized were scattered throughout.
"Sibylla's up against Oliver?"
"Yes."
"Wonder if she'll drop on the same day..."
It would be a hard day for the Holy Kingdom.
Fenek and Sibylla were strong knights in their own right, but they couldn't compare to Rolang or Oliver.
"Did Sven survive?"
"Yes."
"Ho..."
"Whether luck or skill, he somehow made it through."
Unexpectedly, Sven kept winning, and Proin steadily racked up victories as well.
"What are your plans today? Not going to watch the tournament?"
"Yeah."
While the tournament continued, Yuri practiced one-point sword strikes at the swordsmanship guild or volunteered at the temple to build rapport with the Black Knight.
There wasn't much else to do.
With the trail on black magic cut off at the imperial palace, he couldn't investigate further.
All he could do now was trust Laguna.
"No word from Laguna to Your Highness?"
"No."
"Hmm..."
After passing on the suspicions about the crown prince, Laguna had been moving about very busily.
"Or maybe..."
Suddenly, something occurred to Yuri.
It was a thought he hadn't had once since arriving in the imperial capital.
"Shall we head to the Magic Tower today?"
Yuri had never been interested in magic before. So the idea of visiting the Magic Tower hadn't crossed his mind.
But suddenly, he felt like going.
Just a whim.
"Will that work? With Sir Hernando there, we should be able to get in."
"Probably."
Hernando had been going back and forth to the Magic Tower to investigate that mysterious parchment, but he hadn't explained exactly what he was doing.
"Since I thought of it, let's go."
"Sounds good. I've been curious about the Magic Tower too. Always wanted to visit the main branch sometime..."
"Interested in magic?"
"When I was little."
"Wanted to be a mage, huh?"
"Not that much. But doesn't everyone have fantasies about magic as a kid?"
They called a carriage traveling between the imperial palace and the Magic Tower and headed there.
Though called the Magic Tower as a proper noun, only the main branch actually used a tower structure.
The imperial branch was a large rectangular building of ivory color. Square windows lined up at regular intervals, giving it a geometric feel.
Yuri and Jared got off the carriage and walked to the entrance.
There was no one at the entrance.
"No guards?"
"Can we just go in?"
"Probably?"
"Hmm..."
"Let's check it out."
After a brief hesitation, the two opened the entrance and stepped inside.
A strange smell hit them immediately. Like herbs or sulfur.
"Smells weird."
"Mages do alchemy too, I guess..."
The interior was unremarkable. An ivory corridor just like the outer walls stretched on.
Aside from wooden doors closed at regular intervals, there were no decorations or furniture, making it feel like they'd wandered into an uninhabited new building.
No matter where they looked, only they were standing there.
"Hello?"
When Jared called out, his voice echoed.
"No one's here?"
Silence followed as the echo faded.
Unable to bear it, he knocked on a nearby door.
A response came right away.
"I'm concentrating, so get lost! Don't disturb me!"
"Wha?"
Not expecting a reply, Jared startled at the sudden shout and stepped back.
He'd thought it was empty, but someone was there.
"Wasn't Hernando the nice type?"
"Kinda..."
"Is there really no receptionist here?"
Then, one of the many firmly shut doors creaked open.
A disheveled woman with thick glasses shuffled out.
She walked unsteadily, shoulders slumped, and passed Yuri and Jared without a glance.
Jared followed and asked her.
"Excuse me."
"Yes...?"
"We're looking for someone, thought you might know..."
"No idea."
"I didn't even say the name..."
"I haven't slept, my brain's not working. Can't even remember my mom's name, so don't bother me and leave."
She waved him off like shooing a fly and walked away.
Yuri shouted.
"Do you know Hernando by any chance?"
"..."
She didn't react at first, taking five more steps before turning back belatedly.
"Huh? Sir Hernando...?"
"Yes."
"You're his guests...?"
"That's right."
"Oh, in that case..."
She adjusted her glasses, closed her eyes, and rubbed her temples.
"That, uh... floor, which one was it..."
"Upstairs?"
"Numbers. This is the first floor, right?"
"Yes."
"What's above that?"
"Pardon?"
"What floor is above the first?"
"Second floor."
"Ah, right. Then above that..."
"Fourth?"
"Higher?"
"Fifth."
"Ask there."
It didn't make sense for a mage to not count numbers. As Jared stared blankly, the woman frowned and turned away.
"I said I haven't slept..."
She shuffled off again.
I'd heard mages were eccentric, but this was something else.
"They're really weird."
"Guess all mages are like that."
The two took the stairs in the middle of the corridor and went up.
The fifth floor was the same. A long corridor with evenly spaced wooden doors, just like the first.
"Hernando must be somewhere here?"
"Should we open all the doors?"
"That'd be rude..."
"Then let's shout."
"Yeah, give it a try."
"Your Highness too..."
"Pass."
"Why?"
"Someone might blast us with magic for being loud."
That was when it happened.
"Who are you looking for?"
A voice suddenly came from behind.
Yuri's heart skipped as he whirled around.
He hadn't sensed a thing.
"You are..."
A hooded figure stood holding a wooden staff taller than himself.
Face hidden, but the small stature and clear voice suggested a boy.
"Hernando, was it?"
"Yes, but."
"What a marvelous coincidence. I'm here looking for Hernando too."
His speech was like an old man's. Jared tilted his head.
"Ah, well... Do you know where Hernando is?"
"Not yet."
"Then..."
"We can find out now. Heh heh heh..."
"How?"
"Wait."
He thumped his staff on the floor, gripped it with both hands, spun it like kindling, then released.
The spinning staff lost balance and fell.
He picked it up and pointed where the tip had landed.
"There, he's in that room."
"Pardon?"
"Hernando is in that room."
"Does that really work? Or just random spinning?"
"Tch, how dare a mere swordsman question the harmony of heaven and earth."
Jared chuckled dryly. It seemed like a kid caught up in mage fantasies putting on a show.
"Kid, enough games. Run along."
"Kid? Games?"
"Grown-ups are busy, no time to play."
"Grown-ups?"
He burst into laughter.
"How long have you lived to call yourself grown? As if you lot even qualify for the word."
"This brat..."
"Call me 'brat' once more, and you'll regret it sorely."
"You need a lesson from this big brother today."
"Big brother? Hahaha..."
As they bantered, one of the closed doors quietly opened.
Yuri, watching from behind, tilted his head at the sight.
"Huh..."
Did that silly staff spin really mean something?
From the exact room the hooded figure had pointed to, Hernando truly emerged.
Hernando, stepping out, looked at Yuri with complicated eyes.
The gaze was odd, making Yuri tilt his head.
"Hoo..."
After a sigh, Hernando bowed slightly to Yuri and approached the standoff.
"Now, both of you, please stop..."
But neither backed down.
"Sir Hernando, this kid's got no manners."
"Hernando, he calls me a kid."
"Ugh..."
Hernando wedged between them and forcibly separated them.
"Not here. Come into my room."
They glared at each other grudgingly before following Hernando. Yuri trailed behind into the room.
The door closed.
Yuri blankly looked around.
"How is this..."
Incredibly, a lush forest spread inside.
Vegetation thrived, flowers bloomed, and birds chirped overhead.
The earthy scent rising from the ground proved it was no illusion.
"My domain."
"How..."
"A kind of workshop. Connectable via the Magic Tower. Anyway, not important..."
Hernando glanced at the hooded figure.
"I get the prince and Sir Jared, but what brings you here?"
"Can't I visit?"
"You who hated seeing me..."
Jared tilted his head.
Hernando was treating the other with great respect.
Maybe the voice was young, but under the hood was a wrinkled elder.
Hernando said to Yuri and Jared.
"Let me introduce. This person is..."
"No, I'll do it."
Interrupting Hernando, he turned to Jared and prodded his chest with the staff tip.
"Young one, look closely. See who I am."
He removed the hood.
Out spilled soft salmon-colored hair. His face was delicately pretty, big eyes making him look almost girlish.
Jared tilted his head.
"Definitely a kid."
"Tch..."
Yuri poked Jared's side.
"Hey, Jared."
"Yes?"
"Look at that."
"What?"
"The ears."
Jared's eyes shifted.
Through the boy's shoulder-length bob, long pointed ears protruded.
"Uh..."
Jared's eyes widened.
He stared alternately at the boy's face and his long ears.
"N-No way..."
"That's the one."
"If I may ask your age..."
"Older than your great-grandfather's great-grandfather."
"Ah..."
Jared bowed his head.
"My apologies. Forgive me. Please accept my sincerest regret."
"You humans must break the habit of trusting only your eyes."
"Yes..."
Yuri was considerably surprised watching the boy.
The continent once hosted various races besides humans, but as their numbers dwindled, each retreated to hidden enclaves known only to them.
Now, none could be found anywhere on the continent.
But not all had vanished.
Some still wandered without entering the World Tree's forest.
The continent's last elf.
At the same time, one of the Ten Strongest—a mage.
"I am the 'Archmage' Inariel."