Chapter 124 - Episode 12: "I Wonder if This Boy is Quite All Right"
Good day! It is Violia Nico Fortesia!
Yesterday Keeb beat up my former fiancé, so I am in a very good mood!
And today is finally the semifinals!
...In other words, it is the day of the match between Doran and Chris, and also the day of the match between Keeb and me.
Since I am fighting against Keeb, I am naturally nervous. When it is a battle I do not want to waste, I am always nervous.
But at the same time, I am also looking forward to it. I cannot suppress my rising spirits.
Therefore, I went out for a night walk.
At night, there is little chance of my identity being discovered even if I walk around the town, and above all, the moon is beautiful, and it is a very pleasant night.
"It truly is a fine night. Well, though there is one wolf with me..."
"My apologies."
By the way, when it comes to a night walk, my favorite way to spend it is to enjoy the quiet streets, the moonlight, and the deepening night while lost in thought alone, but today, unfortunately, I am not alone.
Doran is with me. Yes. He is out despite having holes in his body. ...Or perhaps, it is because holes were opened in his body?
"How is the moonlight bathing going?"
"Not bad. At this rate, I'll be able to move by tomorrow."
...Since it is a walk from the outskirts of the Royal Capital where there are no people to even further into the outskirts, there are almost no eyes on us.
There, Doran seems to have decided to bask in the moonlight and the outside air to his heart's content to heal his wounds.
"Is there no burden in walking?"
"None. The wounds are much smaller than when I was hit before. At this rate, moving my body a little seems to make the healing faster."
I really don't understand werewolves...
...Because I don't understand well, I am following along as a guard and assistant like this.
"Oh. Your ears and tail have come out again."
"I suppose so."
After being exposed to the moonlight for a while, wolf ears and a tail grew on Doran. I shall ask for permission and then let myself touch them! They are so fluffy! So fluffy!
"...Come to think of it, there was one thing I had to tell you."
"Eh, what is it!?"
Doran suddenly said something ominous, so I was quite startled!? This isn't something like 'Sorry, but please die,' is it!?
"Lital Pia Esclan was so dejected after losing to me that I asked him why."
...Yes? I don't quite see where this is going.
"Then, he said, 'I swore victory to the woman I admire.'"
Ah... w-well, I know that. Though that 'woman he admires' is a great criminal whose name cannot be spoken to a holy knight.
"So, I replied, 'If she is a woman that a strong man like you admires, she will surely laugh and forgive you.'"
"Well, I do forgive him, though."
Or rather, I am actually happier that Lital didn't win.
"He asked, 'Have I disappointed her? Will I have another chance to speak with her?' so I told him, 'Try it and see. You won't be stronger than me.'"
...Eh.
"So, Lital Pia Esclan might be looking for you right now."
"Y-You should have told me that sooner..."
Doesn't that mean there's a possibility Lital will appear around here right now? Since we met in Elsemarin before, if he looks there, we won't run into each other, but...
...And so, we walked through the warehouse district, where there are even fewer people, bathed in the moonlight, and just as we were about to return to the inn.
"...He really was here..."
He was there. Lital was there!
"Doran, you must run! You have no excuse for those ears and tail!"
Lital is a mage. He should be sensitive to presence. Since we've noticed him, he must have noticed us too!
"...No."
But Doran didn't run; instead, he walked toward Lital.
"Do you have business with me?"
"Eh...?"
When Doran stood before him, Lital was naturally perplexed.
Lital is, for better or worse, a normal person. Not a villain, just a very normal person. Therefore, it means he naturally harbors prejudice against werewolves.
I saw Lital put his hand on his staff and prepare his magic in an instant.
...But I cannot have him firing magic here.
"Good day, Lital. Are you out for a walk on such a night? What a coincidence."
Therefore, I also stepped out quickly.
"Eh!? A-Ah, Violia-sama...?"
"Yes. It is Violia Nico Fortesia."
While letting my hair flutter smoothly, I stood before Lital alongside Doran.
With this, Lital shouldn't think of attacking Doran. Because the one he admires, me, is not wary of Doran.
"...A-Ah, that werewolf... person, is he your companion, Violia-sama?"
"Yes. He is my watchdog. Isn't it also unsettling for a maiden to walk alone at night?"
"A-Ah... I see. You startled me."
For now, I stepped in front of Doran and faced Lital. Lital looked relieved... though a look of perplexity still remained, he at least took his hand off his staff.
"Now, Lital. I was watching your battle."
Thinking it would be better to finish the business before he could poke into the werewolf matter, I quickly brought the conversation this way.
"Ah... you were watching..."
Lital immediately looked dejected and hung his head.
...But even if he looks dejected here, it somehow leaves a bad taste... well, I suppose so. I can be a little kind to him. Yes.
"Lital. Raise your head? See, I was properly watching your battle. ...So, I was happy. To see your growth. You have become quite splendid, haven't you?"
The moment he realized he was being praised, a flush came to Lital's cheeks, and he turned eyes filled with perplexity, tension, and plenty of adoration toward me.
"Wasn't it quite difficult to deploy wind magic and water magic simultaneously?"
"Ah... y-yes. I practiced simultaneous magic deployment a lot over this past year. I thought that if I couldn't do at least this much, I wouldn't be able to protect you..."
Lital said that... and then immediately looked dejected again.
"I'm sorry. Even though I said I would win and surely save you, to be in this state..."
"Yes. It doesn't matter. I shall win my own freedom myself."
Therefore, I just went ahead and said it. Yes.
"I am participating, you know? Did you not notice?"
"...Eh."
"'Stradivarius.' Does that name not look familiar?"
When I told him, Lital suddenly realized. Yes. I am currently the only female participant remaining. Naturally, I stand out. There's no way it's not known. Ohohoho.
"...I thought for sure your weapon was a bow, Violia-sama."
"I am better with a sword."
Come to think of it, I had only ever shown Lital my use of a bow... well, when hunting monsters, it's often more convenient to use a bow than a sword, so it can't be helped.
Lital looked at me with an impressed face for a while... but then he snapped out of it, looked at Doran, compared him with me...
"A-Ah, could it be that werewolf person is... 'Ed Hades'-san? The one who fought me today..."
Gah! I didn't intend to reveal Doran's identity too!?
"Yeah, that's right."
Doran isn't denying it either!?
"I knew it...! I thought the voice was similar! And the build, and the atmosphere, and the feel of the magic too..."
...W-Well, Lital seems to have quite a sensitive nature. Doran only uses body reinforcement magic, so he doesn't have much magic. To sniff out and remember the feel of his magic... hmm, in terms of sharpness of senses alone, he might be even better than Keeb...
"How was it? Did the woman you admire laugh and forgive you?"
"...Yes. It was true."
While Doran smirked, Lital nodded while beaming. H-Hmm, he really is honest...
"Um, 'Ed Hades'-san."
Lital called Doran by his alias (the one he used when registering for the tournament, that is) and stared intently at Doran.
"Tomorrow, you'll be facing Chris Bay Clarino, right?"
"Yeah, that's right."
...It must be complicated for Lital.
My companion is fighting against his dear older cousin.
Or so I thought.
"...Please be careful. Chris-niisama has been acting strange lately."
"Strange?"
"Yes. It's like he has no composure, or he's rushed..."
Lital stopped there once, and then said hesitantly.
"If I had won against you, I was going to be advised to withdraw."
"...For a man of martial arts, he certainly uses underhanded tricks."
"Yes. I also doubted my ears when I was told, 'If you had won, I would have advised you to withdraw.' For Chris-niisama to say such a thing..."
According to Lital's story, Chris's behavior is strange, but does that mean he is obsessed with victory?
"S-So, um."
"No problem. I'll fight whoever the opponent is."
Doran said that, cutting off Lital's words of anxiety.
"And, sorry, but I'll be taking the victory. It might not be pleasant for you to see your relative defeated, but..."
"N-No! I don't mind! Either way, the one I'm rooting for is Violia-sama. You are Violia-sama's companion... and I'll root for you more than the current Chris-niisama."
"Even if I'm a werewolf?"
"...If you're Violia-sama's companion, even if you're a werewolf."
Hearing Lital's honest, single-minded, and slightly worrisome-for-his-head reply, Doran laughed. That laughter somehow resembled a wolf's, making me think, 'Ah, he really is a werewolf.'
"So he says. You're quite well-liked, aren't you?"
"Yes. I wonder how it turned out like this."
It might have been a bit pitiful to say it in front of Lital himself, but I shouldn't hide my true feelings here. Yes.
"T-That's because Violia-sama taught me about the world! Because you took me, who knew nothing and could do nothing, out into the world... I-I also wanted to stand in a position equal to you..."
...And then there's this. He's honest. Very honest. That's why I'm so worried!
"...Thank you for that. But it's alright. Even without your help, I shall seize victory myself."
While being very worried, I threw a wink and said it elegantly.
"Watch from the spectator stands tomorrow. My way of fighting. ...I shall show you something enchanting."
At this, Lital's cheeks flushed again, and he nodded vigorously.
Yes, he really is a good, honest boy. Yes. I wonder if he's quite all right.
...Well, tomorrow is finally the semifinals and the finals.
I am concerned about what Lital said about Chris acting strange... but even so, we have no choice but to fight. Yes.
While being sufficiently careful, let's enjoy the fight even more.