Chapter 6: Bella and [Sanda (Thunder) Knight]
Bella and [Sanda (Thunder) Knight]
"Bella. I'm sorry for burdening you with this in the end."
Click. Clickclickclickclick.
The last image of her brother as she left her hometown.
"Yeah... I promise. I'll definitely seize the future I want."
"Hah! Then I'll be waiting for you!!"
KWA-GAGAGAGAGAGAGAGAGAGAGAGANG—!!!
That day, she made a vow.
That she would definitely save her homeland.
Murmur murmur murmur.
To take the first step toward fulfilling that vow, she had now arrived here.
Tap.
A girl stepped onto the bustling street.
Her blue hair cascaded down to her waist, fading into a silvery hue at the ends. With mysterious sky-blue eyes, she began surveying the city.
"Wow... It's so beautiful..."
"Is she a fashion model? Should I ask?"
Her outfit—a white blouse with exposed shoulders, a black corset belt, and short denim shorts—was accentuated by a black garter band wrapped around her left thigh.
Even among the eccentric crowd of [Stardust], her look stood out as particularly refined.
Naturally, her appearance drew the attention of many.
Bzzzt.
"Bella. The real battle starts now. Steel yourself."
A delicate AI voice came from the girl's phone.
"Of course. I won't tolerate even the slightest mistake."
Firming her resolve, she began walking toward her destination.
___. ___
Humanity had achieved countless advancements through the realm of science.
But with the emergence of magic, a new epicenter of progress was born.
The city of mages—[Stardust].
Stardust wasn't just a settlement for magic practitioners.
It was a colossal international metropolis where modern civilization and magical arts had perfectly fused.
Magical trains raced between towering skyscrapers, while enchanted artifacts and drones shared the skies.
Gigantic magic circles replaced billboards, displaying advertisements, and everywhere you looked, people casually wielded magic in their daily lives.
Mages from all over the world revered this place.
Heirs of prestigious Western magical families, Middle Eastern sorcerers, Eastern Taoists and Onmyoji, even spirit shamans from remote regions—regardless of nationality, lineage, or magical system, anyone who sought the arcane dreamed of Stardust at least once.
The reason was simple.
Stardust housed the world's foremost institutions of magical education.
From elementary programs to specialized research facilities, countless magical academies were established here. Among them, [Valentine Garden], where geniuses from every corner of the globe gathered, was regarded as the most prestigious institution—one that every mage aspired to attend.
A place where new magical theories were unveiled, forgotten ancient spells were restored, and next-generation magical technologies were born.
Stardust was the heart of the magical world's academia, technology, and culture.
And in the midst of this heart, a girl's quiet scream echoed.
"Ah... Aah... Aaaaah..."
"Bella... It's been ten minutes since you said you wouldn't tolerate mistakes..."
Inside a spacious café, Bella clutched her head over the table.
"Leaving my luggage on the train... Why didn't you remind me—?!"
The girl's name was Bella Streccayi.
A 22-year-old mage who had traveled from a distant city to Stardust.
"That's entirely your fault for being so overconfident. I distinctly told you to double-check."
The female AI rebutting Bella was named Siv.
A presence as close as family to her.
"Excuse me, miss. Would you mind sharing your table?"
While the two bickered, a staff member approached and asked.
"Uh... Sure..."
At Bella's reply, the staff member smiled and called over another guest.
"Sir. This young lady has agreed to share."
Swish.
As the staff stepped aside, a long-haired woman with an eyepatch calmly walked over.
Tap. Tap. Tap.
Thud.
And quietly took her seat.
"Thank you for allowing me to join you."
She gave Bella a polite nod of gratitude.
"No problem..."
At Bella's weak response, the woman tilted her head curiously.
"Forgive me if this is intrusive, but are you facing some kind of trouble?"
"Bella. This woman is a guardian mage of the [Valentine] family, one of Stardust's Four Great Houses. If you need help, now would be the perfect opportunity."
"Pffft—?!"
Bella, who had been sipping iced coffee, spat out its contents all over the table at Siv's bombshell.
"Gah—! Cough! Cough! S-Sorry...! Ptooey—!"
"............"
The woman fell silent at Bella's unsightly display before...
Swish.
Gracefully offering her own handkerchief.
"Please don't mind me. If anything, I'm a little flattered you recognized me."
Her gentle demeanor and smile made Bella's cheeks flush.
"N-No... Uh... T-Thank you..."
Bella accepted the handkerchief sheepishly, turning her face away.
"Your AI companion is correct. I am [Subaru], aide to Headmistress [Azaria von Valentine]."
("Subaru...!!")
A veteran mage ranked among the absolute elite of A-rank.
Rumored to be so powerful that there might not be a single person in Stardust capable of defeating her.
"If you need assistance, don't hesitate to ask. I owe you for sharing your table."
"Here's your order~!"
Tap.
A parfait and a sweet fruit pie were placed before Subaru.
"..........."
Bella watched Subaru casually begin her meal and fell into thought.
("Even the mages here are just people after all...")
She had assumed Stardust's mages were all cold-blooded elites.
But seeing someone who enjoyed sweets and ate like a normal person made her feel oddly dissonant.
"Um... Do you happen to know anything about male mages?"
"...........?"
Subaru's spoon paused at Bella's question.
"Ah, were you looking for a male mage?"
"Yes...!!"
Swish.
Bella's eyes sparkled with hope as she answered.
"I regret to inform you, but male mages don't exist in this world."
"Eh..."
"Historically, there have been some, but in the present era, all remaining mages are female. If I may ask, what reason do you have for—"
".........!"
"Ah, my apologies. That was presumptuous."
Subaru immediately withdrew her question upon seeing Bella's startled reaction.
Clench.
Bella balled her fists and forced out her words.
"I have to find him..."
"Find him?"
"I'm looking for... the strongest male mage."
"............."
"I can't explain why, but I need his help...!! If he doesn't officially exist, that doesn't mean the possibility is zero, right...?!"
Heh...
Subaru smiled faintly at Bella's impassioned declaration.
"Ah... Sorry. I got too worked up..."
"Not at all. I personally admire passionate people like you."
"Eeeeeh...?!"
"Bella. This isn't a marriage proposal, so calm down."
"I know—!!"
Bella's cheeks burned as she snapped at Siv.
"If you're searching for strong men, have you heard of the [Arena]?"
"Huh?"
Bella blinked at Subaru's question.
"In the [Shadow District] at Stardust's northern edge, there's an [Arena] where fighters wield [Magic Soldier Gear]. You can hire mercenaries there for a price."
"R-Really...?!"
"But I wouldn't recommend it. Most are unlicensed outlaws. And if you venture deeper, you might see... unsavory sights."
".........!!"
"I'm only telling you this so you're warned before someone else suggests it. If you need affordable but reliable help, our [Valentine Garden] employs mages who—"
Screech—!!
"Thank you—!!"
Bella suddenly shot up and grabbed Subaru's hands.
Thud—!!
"Eh...?"
"Your advice was really helpful—!! See you next time—!"
Patpatpatpatpatpat—!!!
Before Subaru could finish, Bella bolted from her seat and dashed out.
"Wait... She's seriously going to the Arena, isn't she..."
Subaru fretted briefly for her before...
Swish.
"Mmm... Still delicious..."
She quietly resumed her meal in the now-silent café.
___. ___
"Bella. Are you sure this is the right choice?"
Siv questioned dubiously as they took in the sight before them.
"There's no other option. I have to find him here."
Bella had arrived at this place, her face hidden under a hood she'd scavenged from somewhere.
This was the Shadow District.
A hub for countless cargo ships, where most of the [Magic Soldier Gear] used by mages circulated.
Invisible to the eye, numerous mages stood guard to deter looters, and the atmosphere was palpably hostile.
"Where's the entrance to the Arena?"
Swish. Swish.
As Bella began scanning her surroundings...
"Hey, girl."
"Huh?"
An old man sitting on the ground called out to her.
"You don't know the rules here?"
"Rules?"
"The Arena's only mentioned underground. Only idiots talk about it up here and get caught by the mages."
"..........!"
"I don't know why you're here, but take an old man's advice."
"O-Okay..."
She'd expected this.
The name "Arena" itself was illegal-sounding.
Likely, it was too entrenched to eradicate completely, and since it benefited some mages, it was tacitly ignored.
"Bella. Look there."
"Huh?"
Rumble rumble...
In the distance, a crowd of men was filing into a red container.
"If you're looking for that place, that's your answer. Today's the champion's match, so I should head in too."
Swish.
The old man got up and walked toward the container.
"Champion...!!"
Bella was certain.
If there was a powerhouse here, they'd surely be a mage—or someone on par with one.
Step. Step. Step.
As Bella walked with trembling steps, Siv asked:
"Are you afraid, Bella?"
"Yeah... This person might shape our future."
"You're getting ahead of yourself. They might not even accept our offer."
"Shut up—!! Anyway, we have no choice."
As Bella entered the container, a staircase leading underground appeared.
"WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAH—!!!"
Clang. Clang. Clang.
Deafening cheers erupted from below, confirming she'd come to the right place.
"THE CHAMPION—!! HAS CLAIMED VICTORY ONCE MORE—!!!"
"What? The champion?"
Patpatpatpatpatpat—!!
Bella sprinted down the stairs at the announcer's cry.
Flash—!!
And there it was—an underground arena packed with spectators.
"THE CHAMPION'S CELEBRATION—!!! THE EARTHQUAKE CELEBRATION—!!!"
At the center of the colossal arena stood a black-armored knight, raising his arms triumphantly.
""SANDA (THUNDER)—!! SANDA (THUNDER)—!! SANDA (THUNDER)—!!""
Boom—!!
Amid the crowd's chants, the Black Knight dropped to the ground and...
"GRAAAAAAAAAAAH—!!!"
THUDTHUDTHUDTHUDTHUDTHUDTHUD—!!
Began violently humping the floor at seismic speeds, shaking the entire arena.
"Eh."
"SAN-DAAAAAAAAAAAH—!! GOOOOOOOOOOOD—!!!"
Bella's heart shattered.
The person who might join her journey was...
"Ahhh... That floor-humping was god-tier. If I had a dick, I'd have cum eight times already."
...the Black Knight, vigorously dry-humping the arena floor.
"Ugh... Aaaaah..."
Bella's despair was...
"WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAH—!!!"
"GODDAMN—!! SIGN MY CHAMPION-EDITION ONAHOLE—!!"
"THERE'S ART IN THE CHAMPION'S FLOOR-HUMPING...!!!"
...drowned out by the insane cheers of the crowd.