Chapter 26
Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 26
Chapter Title: Path to the Tower
Central Continent.
The nation of 'Legion', where the Empire's greatest forces have gathered by the Emperor's command.
I arrived at the Strange Family villa there.
"I'll book a room at the Adventurer's Guild, so let me impose on you until then."
The butler 'Deveri', the villa's master and my father's old friend, replied.
"Impose? Please stay as long as you like, Young Master."
He tilted the teapot and filled my cup with black tea.
Chrrr.
"Thanks, even if it's just words. As I said earlier, I won't be staying long, so don't worry about it."
"Understood. But may I ask why you're planning to stay at the Adventurer's Guild? There are a lot of uncouth types there. It would be better for you to stay here."
Deveri didn't know why I'd come all the way to the capital.
He probably assumed I was here for a few days' rest, or perhaps passing through on my way to the Academy.
After all, he knew my age.
"I want to experience it."
"Experience?"
"Yeah. While I'm staying here, I want to see how squire knights live and grow. I'll have to face them on the battlefield someday."
Deveri was quite surprised by Berddin's response. A mere eight-year-old boy saying he was entering the Adventurer's Guild for such reasons.
Noble children usually avoided low-class inns teeming with noisy, barbaric crowds.
"I understand your intent. Then I'll make preparations so you can stay comfortably in the mansion."
"Oh, and one more thing."
"Yes, Young Master?"
"I'd like you to check the VIP auction house in Legion."
"The auction house?"
"There are a few items I want to buy."
"What are they?"
I wrote a list on a piece of paper and showed it to him.
"This should be enough."
"Mana Control Necklace... Random Luck Dice... Octagonal Pendulum... Huh? Beast Giant's corpse?"
Deveri tilted his head.
"Young Master, may I ask why you're looking for a Beast Giant's corpse?"
I patted the shoulder of Rox, who was standing blankly beside me, and continued.
"I need it for a friend."
"A Beast Giant's corpse?"
"Yeah, as many as possible."
"Well... I'm sorry, but a single Beast Giant is bigger than a tree. Acquiring a lot would be impossible."
"Try anyway."
"......"
"Even if it's not preserved in salt, most of the mountains near Legion Castle are Father's property, so funding shouldn't be an issue."
Deveri looked out the window. Beyond it stood the Blade Mountains, densely packed with peaks owned by the Strange Family.
"Understood. I'll acquire everything that comes up at auction."
"I'll be taking the Beast Giants in a month. Have an alchemist assigned to preserve the corpses so they don't rot in the meantime."
I headed to Legion's center, Peace Square, with Rox.
As expected, it was bustling. Adventurers from all over the continent swarmed the place.
Though each had come for different reasons, they all headed to the same destination.
The massive gray tower guarding the continent's heart. I took a deep breath right in front of it.
Suuup! Puha-
'I'm back.'
Tower master.
The peak piercing the clouds, its end invisible.
How hard I'd strived to reach it. Seeing it again like this brought fresh emotions.
Not just me—Siegfried and Brunhilt wore expressions of resolve as well.
"This is the tower?"
Rox, who'd come along with me, scratched his head and asked.
"Yeah."
"Can't see the top."
"You can't see the tower's peak from outside."
"Why?"
"God's blessing blocks it."
"...It's just too close here, so you can't see it? You could from farther away, right?"
I'd thought the same in the past. I'd even climbed the continent's tallest mountain to check, but the peak remained hidden.
"No, there are clouds upon clouds."
"Clouds on clouds?"
"Yeah."
"What does that mean?"
"There are layers of clouds above the ones we're seeing now. No matter how far you look, you can't see the end."
Rox shrugged.
"No way that's real. I'll check it out later."
"Do what you want."
I walked with him into the crowded square.
Having confirmed the tower was the same as before, now I needed a way to enter.
And I knew the method.
The tower didn't allow entry to just anyone, so as an adventurer, the obvious requirement was clear.
"Who is the continent's strongest knight? Welcome to the Legion Arena!"
As I opened the arena door, a young woman with pink twintails shouted energetically.
Her flashy gestures and greeting welcomed the arriving adventurers. She was giving her all to her role.
"...Why's that girl acting like that?"
"Like what?"
"It's weird. She could just say 'hello' but she's going all out."
"Don't mind it. It's all salesmanship."
"Salesmanship?"
"Arenas make money from fights. The more fighters they have, the more they earn."
"What's that got to do with her making a fuss?"
"That's how they trick newbie adventurers into signing contracts without knowing better. No man dislikes a pretty girl cheerfully approaching him after a tiring journey."
"I see."
"In our case, it's the opposite of a contract. They probably think bored rich young masters came for some gladiator fun."
"Gladiator fun...?"
"No one this young comes to risk their life in the arena."
"Ah!"
I approached the arena staff with Rox. The twintailed receptionist waved her hands widely to greet us.
"Welcome! How did our two handsome young masters find their way to the Legion Arena?"
"Contract."
"A contract? Um... I don't know which family you're from, but I'm sorry. Our arena only registers prepared adventurers, so please come back when you're a bit older—"
Clink.
I pulled two silver coins from my pocket and handed them to her.
"Contract."
The receptionist gulped at the sight of the two silver coins. Had it been anyone else's money, she wouldn't have reacted this way.
The reason for her surprise was the Strange Family's cross emblem on the coins.
"Here's the contract."
She slyly pulled the two coins toward her with her fingers while handing over the contract with her other hand.
I nodded shortly with a bright smile.
"When's the next match?"
"What class do you plan to enter?"
"Gold."
"...Young— I mean, Sir Knight. I'm sorry, but Gold class isn't accepting applicants."
"Why?"
"Gold class is only for those who've proven themselves in Bronze and Silver classes."
Bang!
Someone kicked the door open.
All eyes in the arena's first floor turned to the entrance. I couldn't help turning too.
Thud, thud, thud.
Five figures wrapped tightly in black cloaks strode in.
All five exuded menacing killing intent as they walked, suggesting they were big shots in the arena.
Swish!
One removed his mask.
Green spiky hair and three long scars across his face starting from his left eye stood out.
"Lili."
At his word, the pink twintailed staff member who'd been talking to me dashed out.
"Yes! Sir Pereira!"
"I'm here, and you don't come greet me right away? What were you doing?"
"I'm sorry... I was just welcoming a guest."
"A guest?"
Pereira slowly turned his gaze.
He scanned me up and down, snorted, and said to the staff.
"You like guests, huh? This bitch is all smiles. Can't keep a straight face?"
"Th-that's not—"
"Shut up!"
Slap!
He slapped her without mercy. His strength was so great her head whipped around, and her legs gave out as she collapsed.
Thud.
Pereira didn't stop there, spitting on her head.
Ptooey.
"I'm letting it slide today because I'm in a good mood, but do it again and I'll cut your throat."
The receptionist clutched her reddened cheek and replied.
"I'm sorry..."
"Are the items ready?"
"Ah, well... The porters haven't arrived yet—"
"Have them all in my room by afternoon. If they're not there when I return, everyone here dies."
"Y-yes, got it."
The conversation ended.
Pereira donned his mask again and headed inside with his comrades.
"That bastard..."
Rox clenched his fist. The clown Guardian Spirit floating above his head danced excitedly, itching for a fight.
I blocked his path and shook my head.
"No."
"Why?"
"Not now."
"Didn't you see what he did to that girl?"
"I did."
"And you're holding back?"
She'd been wronged by those black-cloaked men, which was unfortunate, but she had no connection to us.
Even if we helped, there was no gain, and I wasn't the type to fight for strangers without reason.
"Don't waste emotions needlessly."
"...Hey, Berddin."
"What?"
"In situations like this, you help that person."
"Why?"
"A fragile woman is getting bullied by villain-like guys."
"She's not weak. And that guy might not be a villain."
"What?"
"Helping without knowing the situation could make things more complicated."
"What do you mean?"
I took the receptionist's hand and helped her up as I continued.
"If I'd confronted that Pereira guy to help her just now..."
The receptionist, who'd been listening, jumped in alarm.
"N-no, absolutely not! You must never touch those people."
"Why?"
"They're... knights from Bourbon. If you'd done that, they wouldn't have let you or me go!"
I see.
I'd suspected they weren't ordinary, and sure enough, they were from Bourbon.
This confirmed they were knights of Pierre de Bourbon, the continent's richest man.
'Interesting.'
"Hear that, Rox?"
Rox pondered briefly, glanced at her swollen cheek, and replied.
"Got it."
"Good. Let's drop the pointless thoughts and stick to the plan."
"Okay."
I rewrote the contract, placed a few silver coins beneath it, and handed it to the receptionist.
"Book us the fastest matches to Gold class, all of them."