Chapter 118 - Episode 6: "Go Ahead and Become Naked"
Good day! I am Violia Nico Fortesia!
Following the opening ceremony, I am once again tuning out the King's boring speech...
The number of people who passed the first round was probably as the royal family expected, or perhaps a little more.
This time, 61 people passed the first round. From now on, a tournament battle among these 61 people will begin.
...However, I suspect there are far more nobles than the royal family had anticipated.
After all, that's only natural. Noble brats without any real ability are standing here because they bought medals with money.
Last night, those who could buy medals with money were, naturally, only the wealthy. Therefore, in a sense, the first round became a battle of whether one had money or not!
Even now, those standing on the stage are nobles with equipment that screams of their wealth. Of course, there are probably some among them who can actually fight, but...
...Well, I wonder about winning by the power of equipment in a martial arts tournament!
Since it's a martial arts tournament, one should win by their own martial prowess!
While martial prowess includes preparation and strategy, I absolutely will not forgive a brainless, powerless fool winning by money alone!
"Young lady. Over here, over here."
"Oh. Thank you for saving a seat."
"Yes, yes. Well, since I made a good profit last night, I'll serve you that much."
After the opening ceremony for the tournament battle ended, Keeb and I came to the spectator seats after drawing lots.
...It's a tournament of 61 people. Since Keeb and I ended up toward the back in the lottery, our matches are tomorrow. Since I have free time, I thought I'd watch the battles of those who seem worth watching.
"Eh? Where's Doran? Isn't he with you?"
"His turn was today. I think you'll be able to see him without waiting too long."
Chesta seems curious about Doran's whereabouts, but that's obvious. He's in the players' waiting room.
...It's a bit funny to think that he's currently intimidating the players in the waiting room with that Holy Knight armor. Yes.
Now then. While drinking the beverage Giovan prepared, I decided to watch the tournament battle that had already begun.
...That said, they are uninteresting battles.
When someone who looks like an adventurer comes out, it's reasonably enjoyable, but a battle between a noble and a noble is not interesting at all!
After all, their battles are nothing but a clash of financial power.
Which equipment is superior. A battle that's almost entirely about that is not interesting to watch at all!
...In the midst of that, by the time the 8th match ended, Keeb tilted his head.
"...Could it be that there are few mages?"
Oh, that's quite a basic...
"That's only natural. Those who can use magic well enough to fight with it are precious."
"Heh."
'Heh,' Keeb, could it be you haven't realized your own value? That won't do!
"Listen well? You are very precious, you know? Be careful not to be kidnapped by someone, okay?"
Keeb has a past as a slave! It would be a disaster if he were kidnapped and made a slave again!
"...But even if you say precious, it's not like there aren't others."
Look, Keeb points, and the 9th match is already starting.
In the 9th match... Lital is out. A great cheer is rising from the audience. Yes. Audiences are fickle, so they are incredibly soft on good-looking warriors...
The opponent seems to be some adventurer, but... ah, the match was decided quite easily. Lital apparently uses water magic. He ended it by deflecting the opponent's sword with a vicious water gun.
And while watching that match, Keeb said:
"If it's a mage, wouldn't that Lital guy be fine too?"
"Don't worry, I have no intention of sending cute you away and bringing in Lital."
"I'm not particularly worried."
Oh my, he's making a grumpy face. He's cute even with that face, though. I wonder what I should do with this cute boy.
"I'm confident I'm stronger, and since I've shown you my hand once, I know you can't just send me away now. I don't need any more reason than that. Just... that, 'cute' thing..."
Keeb keeps his eyes fixed on the stage.
"...For example, if I were someone a bit taller, would you have teamed up with me?"
"...I would have."
I don't even have to think about it. Yes.
At the time, there's no doubt I wanted a mage, and in the first place, how should I put it, a twist of fate? Since we met like that, naturally, I wanted to catch you.
Keeb's height doesn't have much to do with it... we-well, at first I was happy thinking you were a girl... But even if I had known from the start that you weren't a girl, there was no choice but to pick up Keeb there.
"Why?"
"Eh? Well, I'm happy that you're cute... but it's not like I teamed up with you because you're cute."
He's asking quite strangely... It's a bit rare. Well, I don't dislike it. This kind of thing is fine once in a while.
"At the time, we didn't have the luxury of deciding whether to make you an ally by scrutinizing your performance in detail, and in fact, since becoming an ally, you've worked well, so I have no complaints. And I have no intention of letting you go now. Isn't it true that no fool would purposely let go of something they like or have obtained?"
When I said that, Keeb looked blankly at me. I think it's a very concise and clear answer.
"...Oh, I know. The reason I think you're cute is probably that too."
"Eh?"
"Because things you like end up looking cute, don't they? That's right. I didn't like you because you were cute. You're cute because I like you!"
Keeb, who had been looking blankly, suddenly turned away! That part of him is cute too!
"...Ah, I see."
"That's right. You are my favorite. Strong and cute. Isn't that the best?"
"...Violia, I don't think you're suited to being a villain."
"Is that so? I think I'm quite suited to it myself."
Someone not suited to being a villain wouldn't enjoy committing arson. Probably.
Now then. While we were having a fun chat, the matches progressed steadily...
Finally, it's Doran's turn.
"...Man, when you put Doran next to a normal guy like that, the difference in physique is cruel."
"Hahaha, Doran's just like that, after all."
Yes. It might be because the opponent is a bit small... but there's such a difference in appearance that it's almost pitiful.
How big, how big that silver full-face armor is. I wonder if the opponent has already sensed their own defeat.
"...Ah, it started."
And so the match began.
"Oh, it ended."
And so the match ended.
...It was... an instant...
The venue buzzed at this. Yes.
That armor, which looked so heavy, moved in an instant to close the distance, and with neither sword nor axe but with his fist, he dealt a painful blow to the opponent's abdomen, and that was it.
The speed and courage to close the gap in an instant. The power and accuracy to knock out the opponent with a single blow.
Since those were clearly visible in a match of just a few seconds... the buzzing of the venue soon turned into a great cheer.
Doran gave a beautiful bow like a Holy Knight on the stage and quickly returned to the waiting room. How gallant, heroic, and big he looked...
"...Haha. Nice. Doran looks stronger than that Lital guy."
"He does, doesn't he... eh? Keeb, did you have some grudge against Lital?"
"Not really."
...We-well, fine. Fine, okay?
"Oh, it's about time for me to go."
"Eh?"
As the matches proceeded appropriately, I quickly stood up from the spectator seats.
"...Are you going to do something?"
"Yes. It's irritating that those nobles with nothing but money are winning by the power of their equipment."
Humming a tune, I took a single Spatial Bag and quickly headed toward the players' waiting room!
My destination is the players' waiting room... the room on the floor above it.
I've already investigated that the place, which is apparently used as a warehouse, is completely empty.
"Ah, Violia. Just in time."
Onii-sama was already waiting there. In Onii-sama's hand was the reliable and trustworthy iron pipe. He wouldn't be Onii-sama without it.
"Is it going well?"
"Of course. ...As you can see, the vent and the floor have been modified."
Where Onii-sama pointed, the area around the vent leading outside was melted as if acid had been poured on it, and part of the floor was cracked.
"Then all we have to do is release them here!"
"That's how it is. Oh, I've modified the door too. I reversed the hinges so it opens inward."
"As expected of Onii-sama!"
I am enchanted by the speed of Onii-sama's work!
...Now, quickly.
"Come out."
When I turned the Spatial Bag upside down and gave it a shake... Pink Slimes came out from inside.
Ah, by the way, Pink Slimes are strange slimes whose hobby is eating human equipment. Ohohoho.