I wonder if I should say that this day has finally come.
Various races mingle and crowd together.
It was no longer an unusual sight to see races other than humans, but I had never seen so many gathered in one place before.
Whether old or young, male or female, if people gathered to see us, I think it would be a deeply moving sight.
Just within my sight, there were this many people.
Not all the spectators were employees.
Judging by their attire in the stands, there were probably civilians mixed in.
I could also see individuals dressed like soldiers and adventurers, and nobles with escorts.
From the size of the crowd, I realized that this event was known to all, regardless of age, gender, or status.
I was in a position to witness such a scene.
An important event to decide a general’s position.
A martial arts competition.
Fifty participants lined up in the center of a giant coliseum.
I stood at one end.
“Now, we will receive words from the Demon Lord, so please be quiet.”
The demon acting as the emcee finished explaining the rules of this tournament and finally, the Demon Lord, the President, stepped onto the stage to give the opening remarks.
Just his presence alone caused the space, filled with thousands of people, to fall into a profound silence.
“Well, with the venue so lively, it would be rude of me to speak at length. Many words are unnecessary in this situation, so I will send you this one message as my opening remarks.”
The President, standing on stage with a bright, refreshing smile, slowly surveyed the participants.
“Fight, and win.”
He uttered the words “Fight,” and moments later receiving them, which seemed to pierce his chest, a great cheer erupted.
Greatly satisfied with the reaction, the President left the stage and returned to the spectator seats, flanked by guards and with generals on either side.
“The first match will begin in thirty minutes. All participants are requested to wait in the waiting rooms.”
Everyone complied with the emcee’s words, taking over from the President, and began to move.
As I walked to the coliseum entrance to leave, the gazes I felt were, to put it mildly, not pleasant.
The participants directed hostility at me, making me truly feel what it means to be in an “away” game.
And the spectators’ suspicious glances, wondering why a human was in such a place.
It was truly like sitting on a bed of needles.
Honestly, if it weren’t for the escort, who also served as a guide, that the supervisor had prepared at the entrance, I thought at least one person might have tried to pick a fight. But of course, no one wanted to cause trouble under surveillance, and with a single tsks, everyone returned to their respective rooms.
Feeling relieved by this, I was led by the goat-faced demon escort to my waiting room.
“Whoa, that’s a lot of guests. The general seating must be hell.”
“Seeing this crowd reminds me of the summer and winter festivals, gozaru.”
“Why would you compare it to that? Well, there are certainly a lot of people, but there were other ways to compare it, weren’t there?”
“We have various guests not only from within the company but also from our home country. For us, this event is like the Olympics or the World Cup in this world.”
“Haa–, no wonder it’s so exciting.”
It was so amusing to see the usual faces, who seemed to be enjoying themselves, that I almost laughed, wondering what my earlier tension had been about.
Outside the window, the coliseum was packed to capacity.
And the central plaza was clearly visible.
In a room reserved for VIPs, Kaido, glued to the window, marveled at the sheer number of people, while Minami compared the crowd to a certain doujinshi event.
Kitamiya, though finding it hard to empathize, showed a hint of understanding.
Suella spoke about the scale of this competition to the assembled group.
This was a room prepared for the competition participants. As someone related to me, a participant, my usual party members, Suella, Memoria, and Himik, were invited.
As a result, the room had become so lively.
Well, for me, who had been tense until just moments ago, it was a good thing that I could relax.
“…Honestly, these guys.”
“Were you nervous?”
As I silently watched the scene, Memoria approached and spoke to me. She seemed to have mistaken my stillness near the entrance for nervousness about the upcoming match.
“Memoria, yes, I was. I received the ‘away’ baptism. Thanks to that, I’ve reaffirmed my position. I don’t want to be on a stage like that again for a while.”
“If you can say such a joke, you seem to be alright.”
“I might just be making it seem that way. If I stepped on a scale now, I might have lost two or three kilograms.”
“Then I wish you would rely on me honestly instead of making lighthearted remarks.”
“Will you indulge me?”
“If necessary.”
I gave Memoria a wry smile as she spread her arms wide, inviting me to jump in, and told her I would save her kindness for when I truly needed it.
“Then I’ll ask when it’s necessary.”
“Yes, let’s do that.”
As I told Memoria, I wasn’t as nervous as I thought I would be, even with people directing hostility at me on that stage.
Perhaps I was so nervous that the sensation had numbed me, but that was unlikely, as I had experienced far more terrifying killing intent in the past, which made such hostility feel like a gentle breeze.
I don’t know if I should laugh, but training was tougher.
“However, I’m a little surprised that you don’t seem down, aside from being nervous.”
“Surprised?”
Memoria blinked several times, perhaps surprised that I had managed a relaxed smile despite being in such a situation.
Her expression was a little amusing, and partly to tease her, I asked back.
“Yes, after all, your first opponent is the favorite to win this tournament. I thought even you, Jiro-san, who’s good at facing facts, would be nervous or depressed.”
“You say that, but I was disheartened when I drew the ticket. However, the fact that my opponent is so strong has actually helped me to calm down and accept it.”
This year’s competition was a knockout tournament decided by lottery.
We drew lots one by one during the opening ceremony.
Depending on the draw, I thought I might survive until the second round, but my bad luck was apparently no joke.
I wanted to lament my misfortune right then and there, but I knew that making a scene during such an important event could have unforeseen consequences, so I controlled myself.
My first opponent was the renowned favorite to win this tournament, the副団長 of the Imperial Guard, the Ogre Kizan Kuyo.
When I learned who my opponent was, he briefly glanced in my direction, but seeming to consider me insignificant, his gaze quickly moved away.
Even though I’m accustomed to fighting instructors and fighting Ogres, my opponent is far too strong.
His reaction was natural.
I’d say the probability of losing if we fought was 99.9%.
It would be a matter of whether I could seize victory with a chance as slim as threading a needle. The spectators would probably be hoping it wouldn’t end in one strike to make it exciting, or conversely, praying that I would be eliminated quickly, given the pairing.
If it were a winnable or closely contested match, my mindset would be different, but with an opponent who was clearly superior, with a significant difference in skill, I had no choice but to accept it.
“I’ll just make sure not to lose shamefully.”
So, rather than declaring that I would win, I decided to take it easy.
“What are your true feelings?”
My wife, as if she could see right through me, saw through my pretense with her upward gaze and asked for my honest feelings, the ones simmering deep within my heart.
“If I win this, I’m really looking forward to seeing the crowd’s reaction.”
“Then I’ll look forward to it.”
“Oops, I spoke too soon.”
So, with a sly grin, like a mischievous child hatching a plan, I honestly expressed my desire to create an upset, and she responded with anticipation.
“However, if it truly happens, it will certainly cause a stir.”
“No doubt about it.”
It was rare for a human to participate in the Demon Lord’s Army’s event.
After all, it was common knowledge that humans were considered an inferior species.
Just appearing would draw boos, and then defeating the favorite to win would undoubtedly cause a commotion in the venue.
With that desire in my heart to shatter that atmosphere, I turned my gaze towards a subtly wafting delicious aroma in the air.
“Put a little sugar in here.”
“Hmm, I see, a hidden ingredient. To have such skill at your age is truly impressive.”
“No, it’s not that much.”
“No, don’t be modest. Your skill is remarkable. Just like our Master, humans are indeed full of potential.”
“Mmm, it smells really good, ne.”
Perhaps they had planned to bring their own chefs, as a moderately equipped kitchen was provided in the room for participants.
There, Katsu and Himik were cooking something for the spectators to snack on.
Amelia gazed at the scene like a puppy waiting for food.
“What a peaceful sight.”
“Evia-sama created this environment.”
“Suella, is the commentary over there finished?”
Although it was in the form of a match with judges, I found the sight remarkably peaceful, given that the content could easily lead to death. Suella, supporting her stomach, walked over to us, presumably after her commentary was done.
“Yes, they seem to be engrossed in the participant profiles right now.”
“I see. So, what you said about the supervisor preparing it…”
My initial thought was to have the participants gathered together in the waiting rooms, but the rooms were individually prepared for each participant, and guards arranged by the supervisor were stationed at the entrances.
I wondered if this was a precaution after that incident.
“Yes, to put it simply, it’s to avoid trouble. Differences in race, status, affiliations, and various other factors could lead to trouble. It’s easier to prevent problems by giving each person their own room, rather than grouping them all together where guards might have a harder time.”
“Is that so? Well, from my perspective, I’d prefer not to be bothered before a match, so I’m grateful.”
It seemed to be a more fundamental issue. The intention was simply to avoid putting incompatible people in the same room, and I assumed I was included in that intention.
“Jiro-san is an exception to the exception, I believe.”
“After all, I’m an unprecedented human participant. It’s possible that I’m the only human who has ever participated in this tournament, now and in the future.”
“Then, we are fortunate to be witnessing such a precious moment.”
“Yes, if you win, it will be an even more precious sight.”
“Yes, that’s true.”
“My wives are strict.”
Smiling wryly at my wives, who wished me victory with cheerful smiles, I thought it would be good to achieve such a result.
“Oh! It looks like the match is about to begin!!”
“I’m looking forward to it, gozaru.”
“The opponents are a Dark Elf and a Dragon.”
“Himik-san, let’s carry them to that table.”
“Indeed, leave it to me.”
“I’ll help too!!”
The start of the first match.
Watching the opening of the feast of battle in such a relaxed atmosphere,
I quietly clenched my fist and vowed to win in my heart.
No matter who my opponent is, my spirit will not be defeated.
A word for today:
Sometimes, desperate measures become necessary, but other times, an unyielding spirit is also called for.
That is all for today.
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*The first volume of the series has been decided to be published by Hayakawa Bunko JA.*
*The release date is scheduled for October 18, 2018.*
*A digital version will also be released on October 31 of the same year.*
*This publication includes revised and added content from the one posted on Shosetsuka ni Narou, along with an additional unreleased interlude.*
*We appreciate your continued support.*
