75 - Grenore Martial Arts Tournament
When I started sleeping in the attic room again, Leonardo also began going to the fortress for work. It seems my mental state was being judged by how often I used the attic room. Whether it was thanks to having plenty of playtime with Leonardo, the time I spent clinging to Jinbei also decreased, so it's not entirely wrong, which is a little embarrassing. Seeking comfort by hugging a stuffed toy is just like a real child.
...Well, I've heard that even adults feel comforted by hugging a stuffed toy, so it's fine, right? It's just the stuffed toy effect. Not because I'm a child.
While I was making such excuses, Leonardo's work seemed to have gotten busy again. He came home at different times every day, spent a little time with me, and then immediately went back to the fortress.
"Is work busy, resu ka?"
We were spending a relaxing post-meal moment, including Alf, with the recently completed Reversi board between us. Perhaps because he was interested in Reversi, Alf had been coming to the residence more often lately. Since he also played with me frequently, Leonardo's skill had improved as well.
Speaking of Reversi, I thought it would take time to make something that had never existed before, but the Reversi pieces and board were completed in less than a month. Since they started with just the pieces first, Leonardo seemed dissatisfied that they were wooden, but to me, who had only ever touched plastic pieces in my past life, the wooden ones felt somehow luxurious. Not only were they simply made of wood, but the corners and the board surface were neatly finished with not a single splinter, and they were coated with varnish, making them glossy. As for the pieces, each white piece had a brand of Cerberus, the symbol of the Grenore Knights, giving them an incredible sense of luxury. After confirming the feel of the finished product, Alf borrowed it once, so he might have had another one made for himself. Reversi is currently a quiet boom centered around the gatekeepers of the Fortress Lord's Residence.
...Well, I forcibly taught them by saying "play with me," you know.
Thanks to that, the first paper-made pieces were already tattered, so I couldn't be happier with the wooden pieces that don't break easily.
"...We were debating whether to cancel the tournament this year since Wards disease broke out at the fortress, but we decided to hold it after all."
"Tournament...?"
It seemed that the reason Leonardo had been busy lately was that he had started preparing for the martial arts tournament. Speaking of the Black Knights' tournament, I'd heard about it somewhere. I searched my memory for where and from whom I'd heard about it, but I couldn't quite recall. While I was furrowing my brow, Leonardo's explanation continued.
"Didn't you hear about it from someone? In the summer, there's a competition inside the fortress, and your ranking within the fortress is determined by your results."
"...Is this the match where Leonyaldo-san became number one at the fortress, resu ka?"
"That's right. That match is the martial arts tournament."
It was already past summer and approaching late summer heat, but apparently they decided to hold the tournament after all, albeit delayed. For lower-ranked knights, it was a chance for a raise, and for higher-ranked knights, it was an excellent opportunity to test their skills. Since canceling the tournament due to the disease that had mostly subsided would only cause the knights' frustration to build up within the fortress and lead to trouble, Leonardo seemed to have made that judgment.
"Since Jean-Jacques, who was third place at Grenore Fortress, will be out for at least a year, many knights want to compete for the third-place spot."
Alf's white piece was placed in the corner, and in one go, Leonardo's black pieces were flipped over. Leonardo had gotten quite strong, but he still often overlooked the strategy of securing the corners.
"Tina, do you want to come watch the tournament too? Come cheer for me."
"It'll motivate me," Leonardo said with a laugh, but the outcome of the Reversi match already seemed beyond recovery. All the key positions on the board were held by Alf, and no matter where he placed a piece, it was a drop in the bucket.
"...It's an important match for the knight-sans, isn't it, resu ne? Is it okay for an outsider to come watch, resu ka?"
"Tina is my family, so I wouldn't call you an outsider."
"For the families of the Black Knights, it's also a match that determines whether their wages go up. Everyone comes to cheer enthusiastically."
The two of them invited me, but honestly, I wasn't very interested. Or rather, when I heard "match," I didn't think much of it, but when I heard "martial arts tournament," the image immediately became one of men fighting while swinging swords.
"In the tournament, do they fight swinging swords and stuff, resu ka? It sounds scary, so I don't want to go, resu."
"...If Tina doesn't cheer for me, I'll lose. If I lose, we won't be able to live in the residence anymore, you know."
Leonardo was entrusted with the fortress because he was the strongest, and as the Fortress Lord, he was given the Fortress Lord's Residence. If he lost in the match and was no longer the strongest knight in the fortress, he would naturally have to leave the residence for the new strongest knight.
"Living in a tiny house with no helpers, isn't that also its own thing, re?"
That was pretty much the original life in Meiyu Village. In fact, without servants, I could help with the housework, so it would probably be much more comfortable mentally than this life where I'm just being supported. Living a life where I don't work, don't study, and just have food, clothing, and shelter guaranteed is strangely uncomfortable. There was a saying in my past life, something like "Those who don't work don't eat."
"...True, a home waiting for Tina's cooking doesn't sound bad either."
"If you lose at Grenore, you'll just be transferred as Commander to one of the other three fortresses, right?"
Alf made a sharp retort at Leonardo, whose expression had softened slightly at the thought of a carefree life with just the two of them. Leonardo was the strongest knight at Grenore Fortress, but he was also the strongest knight among the other three knight orders of Grenore. Even if he was no longer number one at Grenore Fortress, that didn't mean he'd immediately become a lower-ranked knight.
"I don't want to move, resu. Leonyaldo-san, please do your best."
I was finally starting to get used to the city of Grenore. Moving again and starting over from scratch would be troublesome and unsettling.
"If Tina comes to cheer for me, I'll do my best."
"If you lose, I'll become Alf-san's child, mashu."
In opposition to Leonardo, who was trying to get me to come to the tournament by any means, I presented the risk if he lost instead of cheering. Even if I said I'd become Alf's child, it wouldn't be much of a threat unless Alf agreed, but these words had an unexpected effect. Alf's hand was placed on my shoulder, and he looked at me with a serious face.
"...Tina, if you're going to become my child, I would be happy if you lived at Aurelia's house."
"I like Aurelia-san, so I'd be very welcome, resu yo."
I added that I'd like to at least learn to read, so if they could consider education in that regard, I'd appreciate it. When I said that, Leonardo brushed Alf's hand off my shoulder. He sat me on his lap and held me tightly.
"Tina is my child."
"It seems you'll become my child if he loses."
As a war of words began above my head, I realized I had pushed some strange button. It was meant to be just a light joke, but the two of them started delving into the finer details of the rules, and it seemed like things had gotten troublesome.
On the day of the tournament, the weather was beautifully clear. Under a cloudless blue sky, for some reason a crowd had gathered at the main gate of the fortress.
"What's this gathering, resu ka?"
Since Leonardo was scheduled to be at the fortress all day, Bart was accompanying me as an attendant. When I looked up at Bart, who was holding my hand, he told me that this crowd was spectators for the tournament.
"All those people are families of the Black Knights, resu ka? There are so many, resu ne."
"The people lined up in front of the main gate are those who are not families of Black Knights, I believe."
"Can people who aren't family also watch, resu ka?"
"Families of the knights are given priority entry, but the tournament is also open to the general public. The tournament is a good spectacle for entertainment."
As we were talking and approaching the main gate, the Black Knight gatekeeper guided us to the service gate. It seemed that since the main gate was being used by the general public today, family members could enter through the service gate with priority. As I was about to obediently pass through the service gate with Bart, following his guidance, my hair was suddenly pulled with strong force.
"Kyaa!?"
The ponytail that Tabitha had tied for me was crushed, and a bundle of hair was pulled backward. It was pulled with such force that my hair roots hurt. Sensing that several strands of hair were being torn out, I crouched down holding my head, and a loud noise came from behind me.
"You little brat! What do you think you're doing to our young lady!?"
I heard Bart's angry voice, which I'd never heard before, followed by a loud thud, and then I was scooped up and protected by a Black Knight. Before I could turn around, two Black Knights moved, and the boy who had been holding his head near Bart was restrained by the Black Knights.
My thoughts weren't working from suddenly having my hair pulled, and I stared blankly behind me. In the blink of an eye, Black Knights gathered and surrounded us, and the boy was completely out of sight.
...Have I seen him somewhere...?
I lightly pressed my throbbing scalp and thought, my mind starting to recover from the shock. I never imagined I'd be suddenly subjected to such unreasonable violence in the city, and in front of the fortress gate where the knights were stationed. I might have been completely off guard, but normally you wouldn't expect a complete stranger boy to pull your hair for no reason. I don't think I was being careless or anything.
"Are you alright, young lady? I apologize. It was my carelessness."
Normally, he would never do something like pat my head as a servant, but this time, whether to heal me or reassure me, I didn't know, but Bart stroked my head. It seemed he was parting my hair to check something. Perhaps the scalp that had been pulled so hard was swelling.
"...That kid, what was that?"
I felt like I'd seen him somewhere before, but the sudden attack was too shocking for me to remember. I left the thinking to Bart and asked, but it seemed Bart didn't recognize the child either. He shook his head slightly and told me that the boy would be put in jail from now on, so for now, I could be at ease.
"Eh? Just for pulling a girl's hair, he'll be put in jail, resu ka?"
"Even if you say he only pulled your hair, the person he did it to is you, young lady. And he did it right in front of the Black Knights..."
He had committed an offense against the sister of Leonardo, the Fortress Lord, right in front of the Black Knights. This couldn't be dismissed as a child's prank.
Today's fortress was busy with the tournament. Therefore, even if they were to conduct an investigation, it would be postponed until after the tournament. The boy would be put in jail during the tournament, and the intention seemed to be to encourage reflection during that time. If he came to the main gate of the fortress today, he was probably there to watch the tournament. For a child, not being able to watch the tournament he was looking forward to should be punishment enough.
...Well, committing lawless acts like suddenly pulling random people's hair is something that needs to be corrected while adults can still laugh it off as "childish pranks." If he grows up doing that, it'll be bad in the future.
As a child, it might be dismissed as a "prank," but if an adult did it, it would be a clear case of "assault." And since the victim is a commoner like me, even if I am Leonardo's adopted little sister, the punishment probably won't be too severe.
...If this had been an assault on a noble princess, it wouldn't be a laughing matter, so for that kid's sake, being put in jail as a harsh lesson might have been for the best.
The tournament was held in the center of the courtyard, surrounded by spectator stands, but the management personnel were in tents set up in a corner of the courtyard or in offices within the building. When I spotted Leonardo in the tent where the Black Knight guided me, I suddenly felt like hugging him, and without greeting, I hugged his side. Leonardo was wearing solid armor today, so hugging him felt hard.
"...Tina? What happened to your hair?"
"A weird kid pulled it, so it's all messy, resu."
I was taking my frustration out on Leonardo, saying I shouldn't have come to the tournament at all, when Tabitha, who was supposed to be staying at the residence today, came into the tent. Since Bart went out as she came in, Tabitha might have been called to fix my hair. While Tabitha was fixing my hair, Leonardo also left the tent. He was probably going to confirm the details of my complaints with Bart during this waiting time.
"Tina, come on out. Let's go watch Alf's match."
"...Yes, resu."
After having my hair neatly fixed, I poked my head out of the tent. Bart was outside the tent, so it seemed the fact-finding had indeed taken place. Even though Leonardo was wearing armor, he picked me up as usual. I wondered if it wasn't heavy, but the reassuring feeling of the armor against my back was welcome today. Protected by this armor, at least I shouldn't suddenly have my hair pulled by a complete stranger boy.
...Huh? Complete stranger?
The face of the boy I felt I'd seen somewhere before. I wasn't absolutely sure, but I felt like I remembered where I'd met him.
"I think it was that kid, resu. The boy who was mean to me at the Menhishumi Church!"
On the day I went to visit the Menhishumi Church, a boy with the same black hair as Leonardo had been mean to me. The boy who had come after me, saying things like "You're like a baby" and "Babies shouldn't come to church" while I was being carried by my guardian (Leonardo).
"Ah, that kid. ...By the way, Tina, what do you want to do about that child? He pulled your hair with all his might, right?"
"I want to pull his hair back with all my might, resu. But Bart-san said that if he's kept in jail for the day, he won't be able to watch the tournament, and that will be punishment for him, desu."
Also, right after my hair was pulled, Bart had probably hit the boy. There was a loud sound, so he must have done something. So it seemed like physical retaliation from me wasn't necessary.
"...Then, is it fine to just keep him in jail for a day to encourage reflection?"
"Yes, resu."
While having this discussion, we made our way to the match venue surrounded by spectator stands. When I heard "martial arts tournament," I somehow imagined a circular stone stage like in a shounen manga, but it was more like a fence. A total of six fenced areas had been set up in the courtyard, and inside those fences, the knights were having one-on-one matches. The spectator stands were tiered, higher in the back, so that matches inside the fences could be seen even from a distance. The people sitting in the spectator stands to watch the matches were the families of the Black Knights, while other spectators seemed to be standing around the fences watching the matches. Occasionally, the sound of clashing swords rang out, and each time, cheers erupted from the spectators.
"...It's scary, resu."
The excitement of the match venue was scary, but the sound of clashing swords stirred up anxiety in me. I had never seen humans fighting with swords before, and even though it wasn't me facing them, I felt an indescribable unease, so I asked Leonardo to put me down. Then I hid behind him, clinging to his leg.
"Tina? You won't be able to see the match like that."
"I don't need to see it, resu."
Leonardo's hand went around my back, trying to push me forward, but I braced myself and stayed behind him. I couldn't really explain why, but even knowing it was a match, I didn't want to see people fighting with swords.
"Aren't you going to cheer for Alf?"
"I can't tell which one is Alf-san, resu."
I thought I should at least try to watch the match since I came, but I couldn't help hiding behind Leonardo out of fear. The distance between the spectator stands and the fenced arenas was considerable, probably for safety, and I couldn't make out the faces of the knights during the match. Moreover, they were wearing helmets, so even if I were watching from around the fence, I wouldn't have been able to tell who was Alf.
"Alf is in the middle one, wearing a crimson cloak."
"Cloak..."
When I peeked as told, there was indeed a knight wearing a cloak in the middle fence. It looked like Alf, wearing the cloak, deflected the sword of the approaching knight, and immediately after, the tip of his opponent's sword broke off and stabbed into the ground just inside the fence.
"Ah, that's dangerous, resu...!"
"That was indeed dangerous. Well, sometimes swords fly all the way to the spectator stands, so one falling within the fence is..."
"It's dangerous, resu!"
Having heard such a dangerous example, I couldn't bear to watch the match anymore. At any moment, a sword might break in one of the fences and the flying piece might stab into my chest. I didn't want to endure any more fear to watch the match.
"...I guess the tournament wasn't interesting for a girl."
When I pulled Leonardo's hand back to the tent, Leonardo shrugged and said this. "There are town girls who come to watch the Black Knights' matches enthusiastically, you know?" he said, looking puzzled, but he didn't realize what those girls' purpose was. Those town girls weren't coming to watch the knights fight each other. They were coming to see the knights themselves. They were probably dreaming of maybe getting closer to the Black Knights if they were lucky.
In the end, I didn't cheer for Leonardo, nor did I cheer for Alf. The loud cheers and the sound of clashing swords scared me, and I just sat on Leonardo's chair in the tent, hugging my knees and trembling. I really didn't know what I came for.
Bart, who went to watch the match in my place, told me that Leonardo had won against Alf. Apparently, Alf had proposed a special rule this year where the match wouldn't end unless one admitted defeat, was knocked unconscious, or was thrown out of the arena, and the fight wasn't limited to swordsmanship. They could also use their arms and legs. A ridiculously intense setup. The battle was apparently more heated than any previous year, and some of the young ladies watching reportedly even fainted.
Oblivious to the passionate gazes of those young ladies, for some reason I was called up onto the platform during the closing ceremony and asked to kiss Leonardo's cheek. Although it was only known among the Black Knights... or rather, it seems it was a hot topic among them. This was a deadly serious battle between the Commander and Vice-Commander over custody of me. As the prize for victory, it might have been only natural.
...A prize being a kiss, is that cheap or expensive, I wonder?
In terms of me being embarrassed, the bar was high, but in terms of money, it was cheap. My father used to do it often, and he was like a big brother to me, so I made up my mind and gave Leonardo a kiss on the cheek. I also later kissed Alf on the forehead, who had apparently fought Leonardo until he lost consciousness, but that's a secret from Leonardo.
Leonardo once again defended his title as the strongest in Grenore this year.
I believe boys of that age are essentially wild monkeys. Alf seriously gave it his all in the match because he wanted Tina to live at Aurelia's house.
Chapter 4 is supposed to be a calm, heartwarming story going into winter... but at the summer point, the chapter count is already close to Chapter 3... orz Next up, we enter autumn. I might go see Jean-Jacques's face for the first time in a while, or I might not.
I'll fix typos and errors another day...
I found and fixed the typos and errors.