Twenty days later, I was on my way to the Imperial Capital in a magnificent carriage prepared by the school to participate in the martial arts tournament.
　In order to participate in the martial arts tournament, I was riding in the magnificent carriage prepared by the school and heading for the imperial capital.

　I was on my way to the imperial capital.

...why are you guys here?

　Inside the carriage were Yifa and Amu.

''Wow, I'm Seika-kun's squire! I can't stop following you!
'Well, not Yifa...'
What? You got a problem with that?

　Amu said with a Buddhist smile.

''It's good. I've never been to the imperial capital before. I wouldn't go there if I didn't have this opportunity.

　But I guess the purpose is to watch a martial arts tournament.
　It seems that he's worried about his losing opponent's fighting style. I'm a pretty competitive person.

But are you sure?　I'd have to miss school.
'Half a month at the most, right?　I'm fine.
What about the accommodation?
I'm going to have to go to Yifa's room.

　The school had indeed provided a room for the squire.
　I don't know if there are two beds, though.

'By the way, Seika-kun, are you okay?　It's a carriage, but....

　Yifa looks worried, and I answer her honestly.

"No, I'm not okay. I'm already feeling pretty sick.
Do you have to say it out loud, or is it...?
So, Mabel, I'd like you to take the window seat. I'd like to take the window seat if I could.

　The girl with the rust-colored hair took one look at me with her blue eyes and turned her head away, muttering, "No.

'No.'

　Yes.
　As a matter of fact, Mabel was in this carriage, too.
　No, it's just a matter of course. Our destination is the same, and there's no point in splitting the carriage into two cars.

''Hmph?　You're a pretty cocky junior guy for a guy one year younger than me.

　Amu, being a former adventurer, was picky about the pecking order.
　Mabel replied to that with another soliloquy.

''The academy is all about competence. That's what I've heard. And I'm the same age as you.''

　Amu says surprisingly.

''Huh, it's unusual for an aristocrat to enter the school a year late. Then we are all the same age.
Ummm....

　Yifa raises her hand timidly.

'I'm a year behind, too, so I'm one year ahead of everyone else.
Oh, really?
'You didn't tell him?　EFA.
It's just not the right time.
'Hmm ... he was older. No wonder......
"...where do you look, Amu?

　Yifa hugs her own chest and distances herself from Amu.

'....Shut up.

　Mabel murmured in a voice so quiet I could barely hear her.
　When she noticed me looking at her, she said with a sigh

'There's all this stuff in the school.'
Like this?
"Numbskull, child.
Actually, we're just kids. There's something wrong with that.

　Mabel says, taking a breath.

'The part that doesn't seem funny is funny.'
What you say is....
...?
...or nothing.

　Let's not say anything else.

　Mabel is right.
　If there is a crop failure, we starve and die. If there is a pandemic, you get it and die.
　That's the nature of human nature. Not many children can live with impunity.
　Even in this empire, far richer than Japan's, it was not unusual for people to beg or sell themselves into slavery because of poverty.

　Children who were able to go to school were blessed with that.

　But personally, I didn't want them to be too bad about it.
　I hope that at least the people who are able to see them will live happily. That's why in a previous life I picked up orphans and took them as my disciples.

To tell you the truth,

　Mabel looks sidelong at me and says, "You're a piece of navel-gazing.

"You're one of those no-nonsense people,
... "I'm sure you're right.

　I've been blessed from birth in this life.
　In a previous life, I wasn't so fortunate.

　And.
　I don't know what kind of past I have but maybe Mabel wasn't either.


****


　Two days later, we were rocked by a carriage.
　Two days later, we arrived at the imperial capital.

　Urdonescu, the capital of the Urdwight Empire.
　It was a city not far from Rodnea, but its size was so vast that it could be called remarkable.

Wow you're an amazing person.

　Yifa let out a breath of admiration.

　Tall buildings lined the streets, and as Yifa said, there were many people coming and going.
　Compared to the territory, Rodnea was also a city, but as expected, it can't be compared to the imperial capital.

''But there are fewer carriages than Rodnea.
The rule is that carriages coming from outside are not allowed in during the day. There's too much traffic and it's dangerous.
Yeah. So that's why they let you down outside the walls.

　I listen to the conversation between Yifa and Amu with admiration.
　Come to think of it, I heard that Rome, once the capital of the Roman Empire, had a similar law.

　Then they look back at me.

"Is everything okay with you, by the way?
What do you think about staying at the inn tonight?

I'm fine.

　I responded by leaning my back against the wall of the building and breathing heavily.
　I had wounds all over my body even before the competition. I felt like throwing up.
　It was a relief to be let down before the walls, but it still doesn't make me feel any better.

　d*mn it...do you want to fly home in a specter now?

You don't have to do anything today...
'No I want to see the combination first.

　We were heading to the arena where the tournament was to take place.
　The names of the participants, their combinations, and the date and time of the match were to be posted on the bulletin board.

　Incidentally, Mabel's figure had disappeared as soon as the carriage was dismounted.
　The lodging seemed to be different, and the next time they would meet would be at the venue.
　After all, I'm still not sure what to make of her.
　I wrote to Luft and asked him about the Baron Crane family, but I didn't get much information about them.

　Amu says.

'You can go and have a look, but we still have a bit of a walk ahead of us. 'What shall we do?　Do you want to pick up a street carriage?
You're killing me.


****


　The arena in which the event was to take place was surrounded by a large auditorium in an oval shape, and it was impossible to see inside from the outside.
　The only thing I need right now is a huge bulletin board set up outside.

"Let's see, my name is...

　The games seem to be played in a winner-take-all tournament format, with branching lines drawn from top to bottom, with names at the end of the lines.
　There were thirty-two contestants in all.

　My name and Mabel's were found shortly afterwards.
　It's not a completely separate block. If we win, we'll meet in the semifinals, a halfway point.

　Surprising.
　I thought that the tournament list would definitely be made arbitrarily first, but the people from the school would be competing against each other before the final?
　Or is this one of the intentions...?

Amu, do you know anyone's name?
No. No famous adventurer would ever enter a tournament like this.

　I don't see any familiar names in my eyes either.
　I don't know most of the names of the martial artists in this world.
　After memorizing them by heart, I turn my back on the board.

I got to see what I wanted to see and I'm resting at the inn.
Yeah?　Then I'm going to have to....
No, I'm fine. I'm just laying there anyway. Why don't you two just go sightseeing for the evening?
But....
Yifa. You know, sometimes a man just needs to be alone. It's still a little bright.
'Yeah, yeah...'
'Hey, don't blow that shit up. I'm still sick, I'm just going to bed.

　Just kidding.

"Just kidding. Since you're saying that, let's go, Yifa. If Seika and the freshmen lose in the first round, we'll have to leave soon.
"Uh, no, I'll get something for you then, Seika. I'll get you something to eat when I return.
Yeah.

　I'm going to leave them and go to town alone.

　Alright.
　How many rats and crows and owls do we need?

　It's going to be a bit painful to explore the specifics of this strange convention.