Chapter 122 - Episode 10: "My Former Fiancé's Misfortune Makes Dinner Taste Divine"
Good day! It is Violia Nico Fortesia!
I am currently about to watch Keeb's match!
Keeb's opponent is Dactor Fila Orchesta-sama.
...He is my former fiancé, but I wonder exactly what kind of way he will lose. I am looking forward to it!
The audience is greatly excited by the appearance of the Seventh Prince. Well, Dactor-sama originally marketed himself as being close to the people, so his popularity among the masses is quite high. Yes, that is precisely why he became engaged to the daughter of a house like Fortesia, which rose from the commoners.
...On the other hand, Keeb is also an adventurer whose popularity has skyrocketed over the past few days.
A highly skilled mage who came recommended by the Elsemarin Guild. And a beautiful boy at that. Naturally, the audience is delighted.
Now, with these two fighting, the spectator stands are more packed than ever. It's so crowded that even the standing room is full... so naturally, I cannot sit and watch.
Therefore, I have taken the liberty of slipping into a room that is off-limits to unauthorized personnel and am watching the arena from the window there. I can see very well from here. It is a premium seat! Ohohohoho!
When the two stepped onto the stage, the venue finally reached a fever pitch, to the point where the announcer's voice could not be heard.
In the midst of that, I could see the two contestants talking while shaking hands... oh, Dactor-sama's expression stiffened a bit. On the other hand, Keeb has a truly wicked smirk... I wish he wouldn't make that kind of expression with such a cute face!
"Both sides, take your stance!"
When the referee raised the signal flag, the two contestants braced themselves at that signal, and the audience fell silent. I truly love this tense atmosphere.
"...Begin!"
And finally, both sides began to move, and things have become interesting.
Naturally, the one to make the first big move was Dactor-sama. After all, his weapon is a sword. Unlike Keeb the mage, he cannot even land an attack unless he moves around himself.
On the other hand, Keeb does not need to move around just to attack. Rather, in the sense of concentrating on magic, it is better not to move at all.
However, if he stays still, he will naturally be hit by Dactor-sama's sword first, so Keeb moves to evade while preparing his magic.
Keeb dodges Dactor-sama's sword while using a bit of earth magic for harassment. For Dactor-sama, having his footing messed with is more than he can bear, so he immediately moves to evade after his first attack.
But Dactor-sama immediately moves to the next attack.
...This is only natural. If you are facing a mage, a quick offensive is essential. It is a self-evident truth that the more time you give the opponent to prepare magic, the more intense their attacks will become. Unless you layer attack upon attack as much as possible to interrupt the mage's concentration, you cannot defeat a mage.
For Keeb, the opponent must be annoying beyond belief... but he really has grown.
It is a far cry from when he fought me in the noble district of Elsemarin. The precision of his magic has increased tremendously.
Keeb is using water and earth magic as his mainstays, continuously unleashing small attacks. Indeed, with as many moves as Dactor-sama's attacks.
...I wonder if that way of fighting is alright. The basic for a mage is to charge, charge, charge, and then release a single massive blow to finish it all at once. If he releases it in small doses, it becomes a war of attrition, and when it comes to a war of attrition, the mage is the one who suffers...
For a while, that kind of battle continued.
However, the equilibrium was suddenly broken.
"I've got you!"
Dactor-sama's sword completely evaded Keeb's magic and rushed toward Keeb with great force.
At that moment, a tremendous light spread along with a thunderous roar, scorching the arena.
Keeb was a lightning mage. He had been hiding that all along, using magic like water and earth.
But his essence is lightning. It flashes, falls, bursts, and scorches. That was Keeb's magic.
Keeb, who had saved his best magic until the very last moment, held out until Dactor-sama was at point-blank range and dropped lightning right there.
Since Dactor-sama had been fighting under the assumption that Keeb was an earth or water mage, he couldn't possibly react to lightning falling from the sky in an instant.
...Or rather, he probably didn't think Keeb could prepare such a spell while simultaneously continuing the back-and-forth of small-scale magic. Naturally, Dactor-sama flinched at the unexpected attack and took a defensive stance.
Yes. A defensive stance. Dactor-sama defended. He raised his shield and protected himself from the falling lightning.
Normally, this would be impossible.
Against magic that should end it in one hit if it connects, a defensive stance.
What this means is... Dactor-sama is wearing anti-magic equipment.
Equipment that weakens magic is somewhat common, and equipment that nullifies it certainly exists.
Of course, they are made using incredibly precious materials and incredibly advanced techniques, and since they are consumables, they are incredibly expensive items. Only a wealthy royal could afford to equip such a thing.
To be able to withstand a one-hit-kill spell just by defending is like a foul play from a mage's perspective!
...But Dactor-sama's equipment is anti-magic equipment. He had prepared such equipment for today.
Even when Keeb's lightning fell, Dactor-sama was unharmed, protected by the shield he held aloft. He likely took some impact, but such a thing is not a major blow.
Furthermore, while easily withstanding the lightning with the power of his equipment, and while the remnants of the lightning made the arena glow, Dactor-sama closed in on Keeb, who was now full of openings after releasing such a large spell...
And so, when the light running through the arena subsided.
Dactor-sama's sword, which had failed to reach Keeb, was wobbling in the air.
Yes.
What was gripped in Keeb's hand was not a staff, but a sword.
And that sword was held against Dactor-sama's throat.
...Come to think of it, that boy was carrying a single sword to hide the fact that he was a mage!
Keeb's victory was announced, and the venue erupted in cheers.
Those who were rooting for Dactor-sama are screaming, but at the same time, the cheers for the beautiful mage who outwitted the Prince and advanced are also loud.
Keeb seemed a bit unsteady as he sheathed his sword, but above all, he looked happy. Unlike me, he has a curt attitude that doesn't even spare a glance for the spectator stands, but the audience should be happier to see him with a smile of accomplishment than with any fan service, so this is the best behavior!
Before Keeb left the stage, he said something to Dactor-sama and wore a truly wicked smirk. Dactor-sama's expression stiffened again... um, I wonder what kind of conversation that was...? I'll have to ask him later.
And so, the Seventh Prince of the Kingdom of Orchesta, Dactor-sama, was eliminated here.
Despite wearing equipment that makes him almost invincible against mages, he was beaten by a mage in a sword contest, so it was quite a pathetic way to lose!
And above all, Keeb! Keeb was wonderful!
The high level of skill to prepare his best move behind the scenes while releasing magic in small doses!
The bold strategy of making the opponent block his greatest strike, the lightning magic, with anti-magic equipment!
And! The unexpectedness of taking the win with a sword despite being a mage!
No matter which part you take, it was a perfect battle!
"Good work, Keeb! You were wonderful!"
"Whoa."
I caught Keeb in the hallway on his way back to the contestants' waiting room and gave him a big hug! Ah, what a cute, what a wonderful boy he is!
"I was watching! It was perfect! You were perfect!"
"Ah, I see. Thanks."
Keeb is unusually honest. He wore a lovely smile mixed with embarrassment, but he seemed more happy than embarrassed, and just watching him made me feel happy too!
"How was it? I beat that guy."
"The best! It was the absolute best! To lose to a mage while wearing anti-magic equipment, serves him right! Yes, I am very satisfied!"
After hugging Keeb to my heart's content, I released him, also feeling very satisfied!
...Considering he didn't complain about being hugged, Keeb's mood also seems to be soaring from the victory! That part of him is also quite cute!
"By the way, you were talking to Dactor-sama about something. I wonder what you were saying."
It would be difficult to talk in the waiting room, so we found a suitable place and decided to talk there.
"Oh, that? Before we started, he said something like 'Sorry, but I'll be the one advancing,' so I told him, 'Try it if you can. I hate your guts, so I'm glad I got the chance to crush you.'"
"Oh, how cute. Then, after it was over?"
"'You spent a lot of money on that equipment, so you didn't think you'd lose, did you? Pathetic.'"
"Oh, how cute."
To say such malicious things with that cute face, this boy!
"...Hey, Violia, are you really using 'cute' in that sense?"
"Hmm, let me see... it's a feeling of 'I like this!'"
"Ah, I see..."
I believe a maiden's 'cute' is generally something like this, not just for me. Yes.
After that, while listening to Keeb talk about the match and feeling happy about his growth, I realized that I had my own match after this.
"Ah, come to think of it, I have a match after this."
"Oh, that's right. Good luck."
There is still a bit of time, but it would be unsightly to be late. Yes. I must head out early.
"...Oh, right, Violia."
"What is it?"
"Since I'm happy I won, give me a reward."
Oh, how cute! This is definitely a request made while being fully aware of his own cuteness! That's what makes it even cuter!
"Yes, certainly! What would you like?"
"I want you to bake a cake. Oh, naturally, one without any medicine in it."
"Is that all you want? Not something like three whole dragons' worth of meat?"
"Yeah."
Oh, what an unusual boy. But well, certainly!
If it's a cake, I should be able to make it if I borrow the inn's kitchen.
Then let's finish the match quickly and go buy the ingredients!
I won. Naturally. I might have won a bit too easily because I was a little too excited.
The way I won was simple. In an instant, I took a stance for a desperate thrust and aimed for the eye deep inside the visor of the helmet. It seems he didn't expect me to go for a thrust right from the start, and well, the victory was decided easily.
I didn't expect him to start crying, perhaps because the sword slipping through the slit of the helmet and being pointed at his eye was so terrifying.
Did I lack a bit of restraint against a noble brat who came up through a seed? But it ended quickly and became a brilliant victory in its own way, so let's call it good!
That night, we had dinner in a private room at the inn. Since we have to hide our identities, it wasn't anything too grand, but well, since Dactor-sama suffered a historic defeat of losing to a mage while wearing anti-magic equipment, dinner tastes divine!
"Ah, man, if possible, I wanted to be the one to personally crush Dactor-sama."
"It's fine, isn't it? Since I did it."
Well, it's fine. There will likely be another opportunity to roll Dactor-sama over.
"By the way, why a cake? Did the young lady bake it?"
"Yes. It is a reward for Keeb."
"Heh. Good for you, Keeb."
...Above all, Keeb looks happy, so I think it was good that I let him have Dactor-sama this time. Yes.
Ah! My former fiancé was pathetically defeated, and on top of that, a very cute boy is smiling—it's the best! Tonight's dinner is delicious as well!