by Yuu Tanaka
Fran watched as Forlund was declared the winner.
He’s strong.
Hm! But I’ll get stronger than him. And Amanda, too!
Of course.
The Beast King looked down at the arena with the eyes of a carnivore. His fighting spirit boiled over into murderous intent. “Forlund…I’d love to fight him one day.”
“Your Majesty, restrain yourself.”
“Don’t go attacking him out of nowhere, Lord Rig.”
“I won’t! What do you take me for?!”
“A meathead?”
“A battle junkie?”
“Urk…” Even the proud King Rigdith was no match for his vassals Rosch and Royce. He sulked quietly at their reproach.
“Well, it’s almost time for the award ceremony. You should get ready,” Royce said.
I had completely forgotten about that. Fran did win third place, after all. I hoped she would be able to stand a boring ceremony. If worse came to worst, I could move her around with telekinesis.
You can sleep if you want to, but just don’t snore.
“Hm?”
Just stay awake while you’re on stage.
Chapter 7:
The Truth About Godswords
WE LEARNED A LOT from participating in the tournament.
First and foremost, Fran had evolved. We probably wouldn’t have found any leads on Evolution if we hadn’t come here. Not only that, but we learned the conditions of breaking the personal and collective curse of the Black Cat tribe—the most vital piece of information Fran needed to accomplish her grand goal of lifting them all up.
And the experience gained from our battles was invaluable. This was the first time Fran could go all out against powerful opponents without worrying about losing her life. Even if we lost to Amanda in the end, we learned valuable lessons about our strengths and weaknesses.
More importantly, we didn’t lose when our lives were on the line. We got acquainted with the Beast King, and learned about the current state of Black Cats in the Beastman nation. That was all pretty good.
Personally, Fran’s new nickname was of the utmost importance to me. “The Princess of Black Lightning” was so much cooler than “Swordceress.”
Fran, wake up!
“Hrm…I’m…awake.”
We’re almost done. Come on, it’s your turn.
“Hm…”
Fran was half-asleep, but I couldn’t drag her all the way to the podium with telekinesis. Hang in there, Fran!
There’s a present for you if you can stay awake!
“Hm. New and improved curry.”
I’ll cook a batch up just for you.
Fran’s eyes lit up at the mention of it, her appetite blowing away her sleepiness. The effects were even more potent now that her beloved curry was involved. This buff wouldn’t last forever, but it should keep her awake long enough for her to receive her medal.
“Fran? Black Cat Fran? Please make your way to the podium.”
Go on.
“Hm.”
Fran walked up to the podium and received a medal from the viscount of Ulmutt. This was our first time meeting him. Apparently, Dias was the de facto ruler, and the viscount was only there as a formality. The man was lean, and didn’t seem disposed towards interfering in other people’s business. His meekness made him perfect for the position.
Fran’s medal had the Ulmutt crest on it, as well as the words “Third Place.” The prize money of one hundred thousand gold would come tomorrow.
“They were spectacular battles.”
“Hm.”
Fran was curt as usual, but I told her to give him an elegant bow, made possible by Royal Etiquette. There was quite a stir when the crowd saw the young star had impeccable bearing. It always paid to have good manners.
With the award ceremony over, we were summoned to see the Beast King again. He had taken up residence at the most expensive inn in town, going so far as to rent out the entire floor. The Adventurers’ Guild had called for her too, but Fran had questions to ask Rigdith first.
There were a number of beastmen outside his residence. I listened to their conversations, and gathered that they were nobles who had come to greet their king. However, he wasn’t one for such stuffy formalities, and they were all turned away at the door. They knew His Majesty’s ways. He probably did the same thing back home, which meant they’d visited despite knowing they would be turned away. I suppose ignoring your king was in bad taste, even if he didn’t feel like seeing you.
Of course, all of them knew Fran. She caused a commotion just by showing up. They gathered around her, though no one dared to say anything. Jet was back to his original size, and glared at anyone trying to approach. A low growl was all it took to give them second thoughts.
Fran passed through the crowd and entered the inn. Jet retreated back into her shadow as soon as they passed through the gates. I didn’t think we could see the Beast King without an appointment, but it turned out that Fran’s name was already on his guest list. He must’ve told reception to let her up. Rigdith was more considerate than I thought.
“Hey. You’re early.”
The Beast King was lying on his grand sofa. He had taken off his gear and was only wearing a plain white shirt and pants, giving him a wild look. Still, the gold ornaments decorating his clothes suggested that they weren’t cheap. The man looked like he belonged in a painting. He was like a lion lazing about in the savannah, while somehow managing to retain his royal aura. But Fran wasn’t interested in his appearance, and got closer so she could talk. “Tell me about Kiara.”
Yep, that’s my girl!
“I’m about to. Have a seat.”
“Hm.”
Fran sat in front of the Beast King, and Rosch got up to make tea. Rigdith slowly rubbed his chin, thinking about how to start. “I’ll have to talk about my old man first—the previous Beast King.”
“Sure.”
Fran straightened up and listened. The previous Beast King was called Velthus Narasimha, a paranoid man who was feared by his servants. His Evolution into a Golden Lion was only made possible with the help of other members of the royal family. He wasn’t a capable warrior, and he was just as bad at commanding his army. Physically and strategically, he was the weakest of all the Beast Kings.
His mad paranoia, coupled with his nonexistent talent, made him fear other members of his race. He exiled many of his subjects, weakening the Beastman Nation’s army in the process.
Velthus’ paranoid delusions reached their peak in his persecution of the Black Cats. Prejudice was decreasing before he came along, and beast tribes mostly left them to their own devices. But the paranoid king ordered the Blue Cats, both within and without the Beastman Nation, to capture and enslave the Black Cats. He was afraid of an uprising should one of the Black Cats ever evolve. Like him, they were of the Ten Tribes. Like him, they were feline. The king couldn’t afford to let sleeping tigers lie.
“In the end, it was my old man’s cowardice that made him stop at slavery.”
If Velthus wanted to stamp out the Black Cats for good, he should’ve ordered their genocide. But he was too afraid of incurring the wrath of the gods—or worse, the wrath of his fellow tribes. And he couldn’t shake off the feeling that one of them would survive and rise up to kill him.
“It prevented him from killing Kiara, at least.”
The king ordered her capture after receiving news from his Blue Cats outside the country. He hesitated to kill her, and besides, he could use her to set an example. He could nip their rebellious tendencies in the bud by showing that no one could oppose him—not even the strongest Black Cat of their tribe. Velthus could’ve employed the powerful Black Cat as his own servant, highlighting his influence. Instead, he made her clean drains.
Rigdith then repeated the part of the story we knew already.
“The Beast King held the other Black Cats hostage, and made Kiara into a slave.”
The incident with the enemy summoner
happened when Kiara was in charge of waste disposal. That was where she met Rigdith, Gaudartha, and Royce. She hadn’t lost an ounce of her spirit, despite the long years of slavery. In fact, the scent of royal waste was far less pungent than the depths of a dungeon.
Slavery had forced the Black Cats to be more hardened to suffering than the other races. I remembered Fran’s excitement during her first stay at a cheap inn.
“Meeting Kiara made us question the awful conditions the Black Cats were in. To begin with, why were we enslaving members of our own race?”
Kiara’s strength showed Rigdith that Black Cats were not inferior. He began looking into historical records and discovered the sins the tribe had committed, strengthening his conviction that prejudice against them was wrong. Even if they had committed a great crime, the gods had already punished them for it. There was no need to enslave them. Young Rigdith even thought it was the king’s responsibility to help the tribe undo their curse. The straw that broke the camel’s back came when he found out that his father had burned all records of the curse.
“I was the first generation of the royal family to have never heard about it. My old man destroyed everything.”
“I already know how to undo the curse.”
“What? You do?!”
“Hm.”
The Beast King bowed his head. He brought it down so fast that it hit the table with an audible thud. “Tell me,” he said. “Please! Just name your price!”
“I’ll tell you for free.”
“Are you sure? I doubt that information came cheap.”
“Yeah, but I don’t mind. Make sure this information gets to every Black Cat and we’ll call it even.” It was Fran’s turn to bow her head. She needed his help getting the word out.
A confident look came to the Beast King’s face. He grinned, knowing that his network of merchants would be able to spread the word. “I’ll get the Adventurers’ Guild on it, too. The entire world will know.”
“You sure?”
“Count on it. You’re talking to an S-Rank, remember?” The king puffed out his chest.
“Why is a king an adventurer?” Fran wondered out loud.
“Why? To get stronger, of course.” Rigdith was talking about raw physical strength. “I didn’t like the way my father did things, so I became an adventurer, along with Kiara’s other pupils. We got stronger, accumulated more and more supporters, and eventually overthrew the old man.”
Rigdith would never admit it, but he was willing to bear being called “Patricide” and “Usurper” for the sake of helping Kiara and her tribe.
“Thank you.” Fran bowed her head, understanding his motives.
“Cut that out. Don’t you thank me for being selfish. You’re giving me the creeps!”
“Hm. Got it,” Fran said, still bowing her head.
“Okay! We’re done here! Away with you; I’m busy!”
I doubted that very much, considering Rigdith’s state when Fran entered. Still, we excused ourselves, leaving him to his duties.
Come on, Fran.
“Hm.”
Next stop, the Adventurers’ Guild.
“Bye.”
“Yep! See you around!”
Fran raised her hand and the Beast King waved her off. He displayed such unkingly levity, which was probably what made him popular.
Having said our goodbyes, we made our way to the Adventurers’ Guild. It was right next door, and I expected our interview with Dias would take more time than our walk there.
“Why hello, Fran. Congratulations on getting third place,” Dias said as soon as she walked into his office.
“Hrm.”
“Heh heh. What’s the matter? You don’t seem too happy.” The facetious old man knew what he was talking about.
“Because I lost to Amanda.”
“An average C-Rank would give his head to place third in our tournament.” Dias grinned. He knew Fran was not your average C-Rank. The fact that a C-Rank could beat an A-Rank was downright miraculous. I daresay anyone capable of such a feat had a right to let the victory get to their head. Still, the Guildmaster didn’t need to warn Fran about such a thing.
“I couldn’t beat the Beast King, either…” she continued, still disappointed in herself.
“No need to compare yourself to a monster like that. I don’t think I could do anything to him, either…”
“I’ll beat him one day.”
“You sound like you’re serious.” Dias shivered. Well, we still had Forlund and Amanda to beat before we could take on the S-Rank. “I tried pushing you into B-Rank because of your accomplishments…but it’s not happening any time soon.”
“But I just got into C-Rank.”
Isn’t she advancing too fast?
Did the tournament count towards her evaluation? It was a good measure for a professional soldier, but an adventurer?
“Even so, you beat an A-Rank. Your fighting capabilities are far beyond a C-Rank.”
I guess…so why isn’t she getting promoted?
“The other Guildmasters disagreed.”
“Other Guildmasters?”
“Yes. I was just on the manaphone with them.”
Her age was the primary issue.
“Some appealed to the lack of precedence. But most of them complained that a fighting tournament was a poor measure for an adventurer.”
“I see.”
I figured. Winning an organized fighting tournament didn’t mean you were suited to be an adventurer. That was reasonable enough. The strength of an adventurer lay in more than just combat prowess. A weaker adventurer who could sense and disarm traps, had extensive knowledge about magic and monsters, and had the calmness of mind to adapt to the situation, could be just as successful as their stronger-but-less-knowledgeable counterpart.
Still, beating an A-Rank did make Fran closer to a B-Rank than a C. In the end, an adventurer still had to know how to fight.
“Fran has also been the subject of exceptional promotions. Others were bound to speak up if she ranked up again so soon.”
I couldn’t disagree there, either. Fran had gained most of her promotions through special missions.
“They also doubted Fran’s ability to lead a party in combat.”
“What do you mean?”
“B-Ranks usually band together to take on missions. They need party leaders to deal with stampedes, disasters, and high-rank monster hunts.”
Fran’s not doing that.
“Hm. Can’t be bothered.”
“I figured,” said Dias. “That was the only point I agreed with them on.”
Her personality made it impossible for her to lead. She had no experience and didn’t really talk. Her party would be wiped out in minutes.
“Finally, Fran’s conduct made her unsuited to become a B-Rank. B-Rank adventurers have to deal with aristocrats.”
“Really?”
“Yes. You are free to accept and refuse, of course, but try telling that to a marquis or a member of the royal family. The guild looks to its stronger members to accomplish the tasks the nobility have for us.”
And that’s where B-Ranks come in.
A-Ranks were powerful, but they were few and far between. They couldn’t take all the important requests if they wanted to, so the guild would deploy its B-Ranks. They risked upsetting the aristocracy if one of them gave offense.
“Not that you have no manners, judging by your conduct at the award ceremony.”
Fran’s manners were impeccable thanks to Royal Etiquette, although the same couldn’t be said for her speech. Maybe she could play the strong and silent type? No, maybe not.
“Which is why Fran will remain a C-Rank for now. Sorry.”
“Hm. It’s okay.”
You did all you could.
A twelve-year-old B-Rank would set too strange a precedent. Fran would have to store up points and work for her promotion like everyone else. But it would make for good training.
“Still, I wanted to g
ive you the promotion if I could, if only to thank you.”
“Thank me?”
Dias looked at her seriously. “Yes. I have you to thank for telling us of Kiara’s whereabouts. I would’ve gone on resenting the Beast King if you hadn’t come in contact with him. I would’ve been suspicious of his every move.” He bowed his head. “Thank you. Thank you so much. I kept up my end of the deal with Lumina, too, so that’s a load off my shoulders.”
I’d never seen him so earnest before.
I wondered what would happen with Lumina now. The Black Cat knew that Kiara was safe, but she’d spent a huge amount of her power helping Fran evolve. Ulmutt’s dungeons would definitely be affected until she could recover, but I was more worried that she would be disposed of now that she was no longer useful.
Speaking of, how are the dungeons doing?
“Right. There have been fewer monsters since Lady Lumina lost her powers. We’re probably going to drop its difficulty rating.”
O-oh.
“I’m sorry.”
I would have some choice words for us if I were Dias, but the old Guildmaster just shook his head and laughed. “Remember that her previous plan involved sacrificing herself to help Black Cats evolve.”
Dias had known about Lumina’s plan, though she didn’t tell him the details. She was willing to turn herself into a Fiend and die in order to help Fran evolve.
“Looking at it that way, dropping the dungeon’s difficulty is a small price to pay.”
But you can’t get as many materials and crystals from it.
“True. But now lower-rank adventurers can use it to train. The economy might experience a slight boom if beginners start flocking to our city.”
I was glad to hear that Ulmutt was going to be all right. Fran would’ve been depressed if the once-bustling city became deserted for the sake of her Evolution.
“We can finally get to talking about your quest.”
You mean the C-Rank personal quest?
“Oh yeah.”
It had been put in place to guard Fran from the wiles of the Beast King. Not that we had any use for it now, since Rigdith was our ally…
“I’ve notified the other guilds that you’ll be taking on this quest. You can’t refuse, I’m afraid.”