“You!” the large figure standing on the platform shouted in shock. “What is your kind doing here?!”
“My kind?” I blinked. What did he mean by that?
The man glanced behind him and suddenly smiled. “It doesn’t matter. Regardless of your reasons for being here, I have already accomplished my goal! The gate shall open!”
I didn’t know what he meant at first, but then I realized that all of the villagers were rapidly growing thinner. It was like their bodies were decomposing while they were still alive. Their skin became shriveled and their bodies looked like twigs. Their faces soon sank around their cheeks as the eyes in their sockets seemed to bulge. Then their skin cracked and began falling apart. As these people began withering away, colorful streams of Spiritual Power wafted off their bodies and were pulled toward a large archway that stood behind them.
“NO!” Erica shouted as she saw the villagers die. However, the sound of her voice was drowned out by the mad laughter of the creature in charge.
“AH HA HA HA! Finally! I have finally opened a gate after years of experimentation! Now our legions can enter this world!! Our invasion can begin again!!”
His words were shocking, but what shocked me even more was what happened to the archway. A large film of black swirled around the archway like liquid metal. It rippled and undulated for several seconds before stabilizing, and then something emerged—several somethings. Several hundred somethings.
A grim feeling swept over me as I saw more creatures like the one before us exit from that strange portal-like thing. It reminded me of a Warp Gate, but it was different. It felt different. Something about it caused a chill to freeze my bones.
The expressions on the members of the four Battling Valkyries and Kari turned just as grave when they realized how perilous our situation had become.
What had once been a rescue mission was now a fight for survival.
* * *
I released a gasp as I woke up. My body was covered in a cold sweat as remnants of the dream I’d just had filled my mind. Violence and death covered my vision behind closed eyelids, causing me to release a pained groan. However, while my mind was inundated with scenes from my previous life, my body felt oddly comfortable.
It took me a moment to figure out why.
Someone was stroking my hair.
Soft fingers ran through my sweaty hair. The nails at the tips of these fingers were slightly longer than what most people normally had, and they were a little sharp, but the tenderness—and dare I say loving? —way those fingers lightly grazed my scalp caused me to release a sigh of pleasure. This sensation was so comforting that I was tempted to fall asleep again.
Except I didn’t.
The reason I didn’t was because I realized, belatedly, that my current situation was one in which there was only one person who could possibly be running their fingers through my hair.
I opened my eyes and stared into the golden orbs of Lin. She was in my bed again, using one of her arms to rest on her side as she stroked my hair. Long curtains of darkness descended behind her like threads of silk, and a few strands also fell down her front. The dark skin of her chest was completely visible. Her nipples were hard and goosebumps had broken on her skin, but she just continued to run a hand through my hair.
“You are finally awake,” Lin said.
My first impulse was to ask that she stop running her hand through my hair, but there were a few reasons I didn’t.
The first was because of the worry on her face. Lin’s expressions often ran on the haughty side. She generally kept this slightly arrogant but mostly childish composure that made her seem like a spoiled princess. However, her current face reminded me of the expression Kari wore when Kayli ran into our bedroom crying because she’d had a nightmare. There was no way I could tell someone to stop when they looked that concerned.
The second reason was honestly because her actions just felt that good, that soothing, and my nerves were frayed enough that I’d accept comfort from anyone—or so I told myself.
“You were worried about me?” I asked instead.
Lin bit her lip as if tempted to deny my accusation, but then she nodded and spoke in a halting manner. “You were thrashing about in your sleep… and you wouldn’t wake up when this princess called to you.”
“I’m sorry,” I apologized in a hoarse voice.
“Were you having a bad dream?”
“A very bad dream.”
Lin nodded. “This princess has had bad dreams before as well. Before meeting you, she used to dream of the attack that separated her from her bodyguards. There was violence and death everywhere. This princess’s guards would always sacrifice themselves for her, falling by the blades of her unknown assailants. She would try to help, but it always ended the same way, with her being forced to flee and getting injured in the process.”
“Before meeting me?” I breathed. “Does that mean you haven’t had them after meeting me?”
“That is correct.” Lin smiled at me, and it was filled with a tenderness that I easily recognized. “Ever since you saved this princess from those boars when she was unable to transform back into her original shape, she stopped having those nightmares. Part of the reason this princess sleeps with you is because the nightmares don’t haunt her when she’s in your arms.”
I didn’t know what to say to that, so I kept my mouth shut and closed my eyes. Lin didn’t seem to mind. She continued to stroke my hair with the gentleness only a lover could pull off. I remembered hearing the term “guilty pleasure” once, and I believe they were referring to something like this. It was a pleasurable experience, but the guilt I felt for feeling that pleasure made it hard to accept.
“Thank you,” I said at last.
My eyes were still closed, but I could imagine Lin’s smile as she said, “You needn’t thank this princess. You are her husband. She will always be here to help you.”
This girl said some of the sweetest things, but those words felt a lot like someone was digging a knife into an already open wound.
“The tournament you are taking part in should be starting soon,” Lin finally said, causing me to open my eyes. “You should probably get ready.”
I sighed. “Yeah. You’re right.”
My morning routine didn’t consist of much. After leaving the bed, I went into the bathroom and washed myself off. My body was covered in sweat, so I ended up washing more than just my face and hair. Following that, I got dressed in the outfit I’d worn the other day. I decided this was going to be my standard attire from now on. It was the first outfit someone had bought for me in this life, so it had sentimental value.
Lin was in the living room when I finished getting dressed. She trailed after me with her eyes as I wandered into the kitchen, and then came back with a large loaf of bread, some slices of dried fruit, and two plates.
“Would you like some breakfast?” I asked as I set everything out.
Lin stood up from the divan and slithered over to me. “This princess is pretty hungry. She will have some breakfast with you.”
Our breakfast was eaten mostly in silence, but I think a part of that was my fault. I really didn’t know what to say.
Lamia were meat eaters. I remember speaking to one in Midgard, a member of the Battling Valkyries, and she’d told me that while they could eat fruits, vegetables, and food made from wheat, they really needed meat to sustain themselves. Despite this, Lin ate the bread and dried fruit without complaint. Despite acting spoiled, she was a good girl.
I was going to buy two meat pies for her when I got home from the tournament tonight.
Once we finished breakfast, I grabbed the Dragon’s Tail Ruler and found myself standing by the entrance. Lin stood beside me. There were no overt signs that she was feeling anything, but I could somehow tell that she wanted to say something. It looked like she was seconds away from opening her mouth. The rose-shaped ring pattern on my hand was also throbbing.
“Go… good luck,”
Lin finally said. I didn’t think that was what she wanted to say.
“Thank you.” I smiled at her and turned around. My hand was on the door when I paused, turned my head, and looked at her. “Once I’ve won, there will be nothing stopping me from taking you outside.”
A strange luster filled Lin’s eyes as I said that. Her lips trembled a little. For a moment, I thought she was going to cry, but then she smiled, and her long ears wiggled happily.
“This princess will wait for you to return,” she said.
I nodded before turning back toward the door. Taking a deep breath, I adjusted the ruler over my shoulder, walked outside, and began my journey toward the Colosseum.
* * *
With the preliminary rounds over, the Colosseum had become even more packed now than it was before. Perhaps this was the result of people hearing about the amazing fights that had taken place the other day. Kari was sure there would have been some people who decided not to attend the tournament at first, but then decided they needed to come after hearing about the incredibly intense battles that happened yesterday.
The Colosseum had a total capacity of about 150,000 people. All of the seats were made of stone, and were elevated above the arena floor by about five meters. The other day, about two-thirds of those seats had been filled, but today, it appeared as though the entire stadium was overflowing with people. She even found some people who couldn’t find seats and were standing near the entrances or on the stairs.
“Which contestant do you think two think is going to win?” asked Geirolf.
Mykkel stroked his chin. “That’s hard to say. Had you asked me who I thought was going to win before the preliminaries, I would have said either Catalyna Kriger, Hellen Brynhild, or Torgny Leucht… but that was before I witnessed Eryk Veiger fight.”
“Do you really think he is that powerful?” Geirolf scratched his head. “I’ll admit, he really surprised me during that preliminary match, but I mean, come on! He was good, but he wasn’t that good.”
“Eryk Veiger is definitely the black horse of this tournament,” Earland said before falling silent once again. His words caused Mykkel to nod in agreement and Geirolf to scowl.
Kari’s brothers were sitting behind her and Mother as always. She listened to them with just one ear, frowning a little when she heard Geirolf talk about Eryk. Her first inclination was to dispute him. Fortunately for her, Earland did it before she could.
“What do you think, Kari?” asked her mother.
“Excuse me?” Kari looked toward her mother, startled.
Her mother smiled. “About the tournament. Who do you think is going to win?”
Kari frowned at her mother’s question, but then she looked down at the arena floor, where all of the contestants were currently standing in front of her three fathers. There were only sixteen now. Among them, she saw Eryk and Fay standing next to each other. While Fay looked a little nervous, Eryk wore a calm expression as he let his ruler rest on his shoulder and spoke with the redhead, seemingly trying to reassure her.
“Eryk will win,” Kari said.
“You sound pretty confident,” Geirolf muttered. “You realize he’s going up against some of the top Spiritualists in Nevaria, right? What makes you so certain he’ll win?”
“Because… I just know.”
“Hmph! Is this that woman’s intuition crap I’ve heard about?” Geirolf snorted. “Sounds like a bunch of bullshit if you ask me.”
Kari’s only response was to shake her head. She didn’t know why, exactly, but she was certain that Eryk would win.
* * *
Stelys Valstine was sitting in the noble section of the Colosseum, which was located on the upper tier. Of course, even though he and his family were doing much better for themselves, he still didn’t have the political or financial power to have his own private booth like some of the noble families. He was grateful, though. His current finances were much better than they had been in nearly two years… and it was thanks to Eryk Veiger and his idea to work with the Alchemist Association.
It was too bad the boy had rejected his proposal to marry his daughter. He really did think they would have made a good match, and he actually liked the boy, unlike Grant.
A commotion suddenly attracted his attention, causing him to turn his head, whereupon he found a beautiful woman dressed in modified alchemy robes walking toward him. She had reddish-orange hair. The sleeves of her robes had slits running through them, meaning everyone could see her bare shoulders. As she walked up to him and his small group of elders, a number of eyes were drawn toward this woman.
“W-who is that pretty lady?!”
“I think I’ve seen her before…”
“Wait. Isn’t she the Head of the Alchemist Association?”
“No way!”
“I had no idea the Alchemist Association head was so gorgeous!”
Stelys almost snorted when he heard the comments being bandied about. There was no doubt that the woman also heard them, but she merely maintained her smile as she walked up to him.
“It is good of you to make it, Feinrea,” he greeted.
“Stelys Valstine. Esteemed elders.” She gave him and the elders a respectful nod. “I appreciate your inviting me here today.”
Stelys laughed. “It was no trouble at all. My daughter and our little benefactor are currently taking part in this tournament. I figured it was only appropriate that you also have a good seat to view this battle.”
“I normally would not attend an event like this, since I prefer remaining in my office and testing ingredients.” Her smile widened. “But I figured it would be a good idea to witness this tournament since Eryk is participating.”
“Indeed.” Stelys nodded as he stroked his beard. “That little fella has surprised me quite a bit lately. I’m expecting very good things from him. I have even put 70,000 valis on his victory.”
“You are gambling?” Feinrea’s eyes widened a little. “What are the odds currently?”
“Eryk Veiger has 4:1 odds, which is better than I expected for someone who is the obvious black horse of this tournament. Currently, most people believe the victor will either be Catalyna Kriger or Torgny Leucht. Hellen Brynhild is listed as the third most likely person to win.”
Feinrea hummed in thought before a smile lit up her face. She reached toward her waist, where a coin purse was tied to a sash that went around her lithe torso. The coin purse jingled as she untied the string.
“I suppose I should also place a bet on Eryk as well. Given everything he has done for my Alchemist Association, placing my faith in him is the least I can do.” Feinrea wore a smile as she stood up again. After asking Stelys for directions to the betting booth, she bid them a quick farewell.
When she returned, Stelys would ask how much she put on Eryk. He would be shocked to discover that she bet 360,000 valis on Eryk winning the whole tournament.
* * *
“Everyone, welcome to the second and final day of the Spiritualist Grand Tournament,” Rainer said, standing between Dante and Valence once again as he took on the role of spokesperson. “I hope all of you managed to get some rest. Today is the day of the tournament. This day will be divided into four rounds: round one, round two, the semi-finals, and the final round.”
I stood next to Fay as I listened to Rainer speak, but the longer I listened, the more I felt someone else’s eyes on me. A frown crossed my face. Glancing around with just my eyes, I tried to locate the source, but I couldn’t find them. Of course, everyone’s eyes were currently on us. It could have been that my nerves were simply getting to me, but I didn’t think that was it since I didn’t feel nervous.
“We’ve decided on the first round match ups,” Rainer continued. Dante removed a fairly large goatskin scroll from inside of his red jacket. He and Valence unrolled it as their spokesperson kept talking. “The first round matches have been divided into sixteen brackets that were randomly selected last night. The winners of round one’s matches wi
ll go on to face each other in round two. The winners of matches one and two will fight each other, matches three and four will also fight each other, and so on.”
The goatskin scroll that Dante and Valence were holding between them did indeed show off the brackets for round one. Sixteen rectangles were lined up from top to bottom on the far left. Within these rectangles were names. A thick line was drawn from the ends of each rectangle, forming a “[” shape between two of the sixteen names, and then another line extended from that to the next bracket, which had yet to be filled in.
My name was in the first bracket.
So was Grant’s.
I smiled.
“The rules for these rounds are the same as yesterday’s,” Rainer continued, unaware of my feelings. “The winner will be decided by knockout or forfeit. No killing is allowed. Furthermore, if I decide that someone has lost, you cannot contest that decision. It is final. Attempts to contest it will result in your automatic disqualification and ban from attempting next year’s tournament. Is everyone clear on the rules?”
“Yes!” everyone said at the same time.
“Good.” Rainer nodded. “Then will the first two contestants please remain behind, while the rest go with Dante to the waiting room?”
“Hehe, all right everyone! The fourteen of you who aren’t fighting right now should follow me,” Dante said as he walked toward the door. Everyone except for me, Grant, and Fay followed him.
“Good luck,” Fay said.
I didn’t think I’d need luck, but I accepted her sentiment with a smile. “Thanks.”
WIEDERGEBURT: Legend of the Reincarnated Warrior: Volume 4 Page 10