Chapter 30
Chapter 30
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 30
Chapter Title: The Path to the Tower
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Our first victory in the Legion Colosseum.
We defeated three skilled knights from the 'Black Bear' Knight Order, known as the gatekeepers of the Bronze class.
The rumor spread quickly throughout the city, leaving no one unaware of our party.
To the extent that in the pub on the first floor of the Adventurer's Inn we were visiting now, we were drawing piercing stares from everyone.
Crack up!
Bichon jigged around dancing and kneaded my shoulders.
"I mean, I figured the Strange family would be strong, but I never dreamed it'd be this strong! How the hell did you slice three necks in one stroke?"
He let out one exclamation after another.
Unable to stop laughing in his joy at fighting alongside me in the upcoming matches.
"Right you are, Boss. I've never seen anyone this strong in my life! They just dropped like flies with a whoosh-whoosh!"
"A class that rips steel and cleaves bodies in one blow. Whew! Absolutely mind-blowing."
Chiwa and Collie chimed in agreement.
Well, the swordsmanship I displayed was on a level incomparable to ordinary knights, so their reactions were understandable.
After all, I'd trained to the point of sparring with Bess, the guardian knight commander of Strange Castle. Who in Bronze class could possibly match me?
'Of course.'
Someone hiding their power and suddenly revealing it to the world, like me—possible, but no such powerhouse had been born on this continent yet.
A few decent ones did emerge the year I turned seventeen, but they all died to Gunter before they could bloom.
'...Hold on?'
In this life, Gunter vanished before they did, meaning those guys now had the perfect conditions to grow without interference.
'What were their names again.'
They were fifteen or sixteen the year I turned seventeen, so a couple should have been born by now somewhere.
"Alright! A toast to Berddin!"
Bichon raised his mug of brown liquid high overhead.
Chiwa and Collie followed suit.
Clink!
"Sir Bichon."
"Yeah? Spit it out, Berddin."
"Do you happen to have a Guardian Spirit?"
He startled at my question and set down his mug.
Thud.
"Why do you ask?"
"Just wondering."
"That's a secret..."
He has one.
I could tell not from his words, but his face—he had no talent for hiding his expressions.
"We'll be comrades for a while, so I'd like to gauge the party's full strength."
"Fair enough. But I can't just tell you. Guess it yourself."
Easy enough.
I peered intently at the space above Bichon's head. No matter how well hidden, traces would remain.
With that thought, I let a wisp of aura flow out, and Bichon reacted.
"Whoa! That was aura just now...!"
"You have a Guardian Spirit."
"How did you wield aura like that? Incredibly precise control...!"
"Nothing special. Just a Strange family technique."
At the mention of Strange, Bichon chewed his lip.
"R-Really?"
Definitely has one.
"Shall I guess its abilities too?"
"Even that...? From aura control alone?"
"Let's see... Sir Bichon's Guardian Spirit has healing powers. Strong enough to survive one brush with death."
"...!"
Bichon's jaw dropped.
"...How the hell did you know?"
I threw his own words back at him.
"Secret. You guess mine sometime, Sir Bichon."
Bichon clutched his head like it ached, then nodded.
"Figures. A Strange through and through. Even more impressive than I thought."
"No need for flattery. By the way, I thought healers were all gathered in the western plague zones by imperial decree?"
"Ah, well. I hid my abilities and bolted."
"Pardon?"
"Keep it secret, yeah?"
If true, Bichon could be executed on the spot today.
Defying the emperor's command—even Hysteria the vicious never pulled that.
"Got it. But in exchange for my silence, could you grant me one favor?"
"Favor?"
"You said you're from the west, right Sir Bichon?"
"Yep."
"I'm looking for a kid in the Western Holy Knight Order."
"A kid in the Holy Knights...? Not too hard. What's the name?"
I wrote it on paper with an inked quill so he'd remember.
"Don't know the name. Age six or seven. Brown ponytail, long horizontal scar across the forehead. Lost one arm, wears an alchemical prosthetic."
Tournament staffer Lily said with a terrified expression.
"I-It was someone from the Strange family. The silver coins that young master brought had the cross emblem clear as day."
Pereira of the Bourbon Knight Order pulled the dagger from her throat and replied.
"Strange?"
He couldn't hide his flustered look.
A member of the continent's top swordsmanship house participating in some backwater colosseum?
A low-rank knight might, but did the Strange family even have 'low-rank' knights?
Maybe just the name—distant branch, diluted blood, lacking talent. That made sense.
Pereira concluded his doubts thus.
'Not direct lineage.'
Probably branch family trying to earn the main house's favor by entering the colosseum.
"So the guy's name is Berddin?"
"Yes."
"When did they come here?"
"A few days ago... the day you were looking for that item, Sir Pereira."
"What did they come here for?"
"Said they needed a Gold class badge to enter the dungeon."
"Dungeon?"
"Yes, but Gold class entry requires procedure, so they asked for at least a simplified match."
"Are you insane?"
"...Pardon?"
"You knew they were Strange and still said that crap?"
Lily tilted her head.
"D-Did I do something wrong?"
"Damn right! Lucky it was a kid—if another Strange blood showed up hearing that..."
Pereira mimed slitting his throat.
"You'd be dead already."
"D-Dead?"
"Yeah, you idiot. Be grateful your head's still on. How do you work the colosseum without knowing how dangerous the Strange are?"
"......"
Their conversation ended there.
Pereira clicked his tongue and left.
He headed straight to the Gold class waiting room and reported Berddin's info.
"Their goal's just the Gold badge anyway—no clash with us, so no need to worry."
As Pereira wrapped up, a burly man slapped his cheek.
Smack!
"You moron."
"...Why?"
"If the kids really wanted the dungeon, they'd use the Strange name for academy access or get an imperial pass from the family head. Why waste time here when easy paths exist?"
"Th-That-"
"Dig deeper. He's no real Strange."
"......"
"Until the next match starts, tail this Berddin. Watch his every move and report back."
"...Yes, Captain."
Three days until the next match.
I decided to spend it at the Strange family lodge inside Legion Castle.
To train with my master, better avoid prying eyes—staying low-key was ideal.
Clang!
I crossed swords with a Strange apprentice knight.
"Too slow. Against a small opponent like me, don't just use the sword—use your feet to pressure too."
"Y-Yes sir! It's an honor to receive your teachings, Young Master Berddin!"
"Honor, my foot."
They ignored my age.
At least 3-star knights, eager to learn better swordplay from me.
The training here differed vastly in quality from Strange Castle, so naturally they'd want extra spars while I was around.
Siegfried looked down at me approvingly.
"Basics are solid enough. Time to slowly unveil my secret techniques."
I moved to the shade under a tree and replied.
"Really?"
He'd nagged endlessly about basics in my past life.
"Starting tomorrow, lessons on Siegfried Style Form 1. Got it?"
"Understood. No take-backs tomorrow?"
"Hmph!"
Brunhilt approached with graceful steps and settled lightly on my lap.
"Din's thighs are the best, nyang. Pillows are too squishy and uncomfortable."
"Lady Brunhilt."
"Yes?"
"When will you teach me the spells I need?"
She rubbed her face against my pant leg.
"Not yet, nyang. Once you master that sword, I'll teach you then, nyang."
"Sword?"
"Yeah, that one. The sword you brought this time."
"Misteltein, you mean."
"That's the one."
The demon sword Misteltein.
I still hadn't figured why its blade changed color at the colosseum match start.
Siegfried and Brunhilt claimed ignorance too—said it was forged after their active days.
Siegfried flew right up to my face and asked.
"So, when the blade turns black, your mind reels, right?"
"Yes."
"You didn't use aura in the colosseum."
"Correct."
"No other interference while wielding it... But it didn't blacken when you drew it elsewhere?"
"Yes."
"Then the answer's obvious."
"Answer?"
"Yeah. Draw that sword again."
I did as Siegfried instructed.
But the blade remained its silvery hue tinged with blue.
"Now, think about killing that bastard."
"Who?"
"That guy. The one hiding behind the wall over there, watching you. From the colosseum."