I returned to the office with Reaper and was greeted by Rowen’s energetic voice.
“Kanami! I heard some great news from Snow!”
“Great news?”
“Apparently, there’s a tournament soon in this country to compete in strength. If I enter and win, my wish will surely be granted. It seems I won’t have to trouble you with it, Kanami.”
“Come to think of it, there was something like that… Was it called the ‘Dance Battle Tournament’? You’re right, it’s perfect for Rowen’s wish.”
“Yeah. I’m going to register right away!”
“No, no, no. It’s too late. Let’s do it tomorrow.”
I stopped Rowen, who was about to leave.
“Huh, is it night now? I see… In that case, I suppose it can’t be helped…”
Rowen stopped, looking disappointed.
Once I confirmed he had settled down, I spoke to a tired-looking Snow.
“Snow, are you tired?”
“…Y-yes. I was bombarded with questions.”
“That must be exhausting. But you got a little glimpse into Rowen’s personality, didn’t you?”
“…He certainly doesn’t seem like an evil person. But I’ll tell you, there’s no guarantee an evil person won’t appear evil.”
“That’s too cynical.”
“…Besides, an evil person to Kanami and an evil person to me are probably different.”
“That’s true, but… Is Rowen really that unacceptable to you?”
“…No, he’s not the issue. It’s just something else I don’t like.”
“Something else?”
“…Never mind. It’s not a problem. I’m just tired. So tired. I’m leaving now.”
Snow moved with a sway and exited through the window.
Lately, it felt like the office window had become an exit…
I saw Snow off and addressed Rowen and the others.
“Well, shall we get some rest? For now, let’s head to my sister’s room.”
“…Wait, Kanami. You’re not planning to have me stay in your sister’s room too, are you?”
“Huh? Is that not okay?”
“Of course, it’s not! Kanami, you don’t have to worry about us. We’re not human, so we can manage.”
“Manage how… manage what?”
“Perfect timing… Let me show you what a monster can do…”
With that line, Rowen presented both his arms to me.
His arms transformed into crystal with a sound like stones clashing together.
“You turned into crystal…?”
“I have some monster lineage from the Stone Statue system mixed in, so this is second nature to me.”
“Um, so…?”
“Let me be placed as a stone statue on top of this building. It’ll serve both for surrounding vigilance and rest, which is quite advantageous. It’ll probably act as a ward against evil too.”
“Huh? You can rest like that?”
“It’s enough. Monsters don’t need as much rest as humans. Besides, I’ve been entrusted with your protection. Please let me do this.”
I looked intently into Rowen’s eyes, trying to gauge his sincerity.
At least, from what I could see, he wasn’t lying.
“Alright. Rowen, that’s fine. But what about Reaper?”
“You could probably make him sleep by floating him in the air. He can probably do that.”
“No, that’s problematic…”
A man’s stone statue appearing on top of the building only at night is already strange enough. I don’t want any more bizarre phenomena in ‘Epic Seeker.’ The stone statue is somewhat explainable, but a girl floating in the sky has no excuse.
“No! I won’t! I want to sleep in a bed!”
Reaper naturally objected.
However, the fact that I didn’t deny it meant he could probably sleep in the air if he tried.
“Reaper, we are guests here. Have a little more modesty. And with modesty, sleep in the air.”
“No, having you sleep in the air out of modesty is also problematic…”
Rowen interjected, thinking she was missing the point somewhere.
“I’m sleeping with my Older Brother, so it’s fine!”
“For now, Reaper, please come to my sister’s room. I don’t intend to make a girl like Reaper sleep outside.”
“As expected, Older Brother!”
I beckoned Reaper over.
Rowen watched this with a look of extreme surprise.
Rowen quickly regained his composure, shrugged his shoulders, and walked in the opposite direction from us.
“I see… In that case, I’ll be going outside. Reaper, be good and stay put.”
Rowen gave Reaper a stern warning and quickly climbed onto the roof from the window.
I didn’t have time to stop him. I hadn’t expected him to leave through the window. But thinking back, both Snow and I had used the window. Perhaps Rowen saw that and mistakenly thought the window was the exit.
I resolved to correct that misunderstanding tomorrow and headed towards Maria’s room with Reaper.
As I kept Reaper, who was restless, in check, I moved upstairs and reached Maria’s room.
After knocking, I entered.
Maria was sitting on the bed inside. She noticed me and her face brightened. However, her cheerful expression froze as she sensed Reaper behind me.
“Maria, I’m home.”
“W-welcome home, Older Brother…”
Maria replied with a greeting, her expression still frozen.
However, her attention remained fixed on Reaper.
Although her vision was obscured, she seemed to be able to sense someone’s presence from the footsteps.
“Um, this child will be staying with us in ‘Epic Seeker.’ Her name is Reaper. Please be kind to her.”
“R-Reaper? What is that child—”
Before Maria could finish her sentence, Reaper interrupted.
“Yay, not an adult! Mhm, mhm! What a great sister you have, Older Brother!”
Reaper happily approached Maria.
It seemed Maria was to Reaper’s liking. I had a feeling Reaper was looking for someone her own age.
“O-Older Brother?”
However, the problem seemed to be with Maria.
Her frozen expression was contorting.
“What’s wrong, Maria?”
“Older Brother, what’s your relationship with her?”
“Uh, um, she was lost in the labyrinth, so I rescued her. Reaper seems to have suffered a severe shock in the labyrinth and her memory is unstable, so it would be helpful if you were gentle with her…”
This excuse was decided with Rowen on the way back.
Incidentally, Rowen has become a wandering swordsman for training.
“Oh… So, you picked up a weakened girl and had her call you ‘Big Bro’, huh? That’s quite a noble hobby of yours.”
“No, she calls me that on her own, I don’t make her… That feels like the situation is getting complicated. Maria’s expression had softened and turned into a gapless smile.”
It’s true that she’s smiling.
However, I felt an unfathomable pressure from Maria’s smile, and sweat began to break out on my skin.
“You don’t make her call you that? But you didn’t stop her when she did, did you?”
“Well, yes, but…”
“In other words, that means you chose to be called ‘Big Bro’. – That’s a grave sin.”
“I’m going to be punished for a crime!?”
The pressure, akin to heat, emanating from Maria intensified.
This is bad.
I don’t know what’s bad, but my instincts are sounding the alarm like crazy.
Just as I was about to use my calculation abilities to their limit to make excuses, Reaper let out an innocent voice.
“Um, umm, um, is it, ‘Big Sis’? You shouldn’t bully Big Bro too much, okay?”
Hearing that voice, Maria suddenly lost the heat.
“B-Big Sis? Me?”
“Yeah, since I’m smaller. I think I’ll call you Big Sis, is that okay?”
Every time Reaper called her “Big Sis,” Maria’s face gradually softened.
“I… I don’t mind. It doesn’t matter what you call me…”
“Yay! Thank you, Big Sis!”
When Reaper hugged her with thanks, Maria’s expression stiffened. To be precise, she was maintaining a stern face to prevent her cheeks from softening. I’m sure of it because I activated Dimension – Decisive Calculation. Right now, Maria is desperately hiding her emotions to not let Reaper realize she’s happy.
Maria, while maintaining her stern face, said in a strained voice.
“…I don’t mind being called Big Sis. However, let’s stop calling Brother ‘Big Bro’.”
“Why?”
“Th-That’s because… Brother already has me as his sister, so it’s confusing to have two people call him ‘Brother’.”
“It’s not confusing at all! If anything, you can be my sister. Then, your Big Bro will be my Big Bro too!”
“M-My sister–!?”
Leaving Maria flustered, I released Dimension – Decisive Calculation.
It felt like Reaper could resolve everything from now on.
Reaper turns into a mad grim reaper when Rowen is involved, but otherwise, she’s a purely innocent girl. Reaper is more suited for this than me making clumsy excuses.
“Hey, Big Sis! Can I get in that fluffy thing too!? It’s my first time on a bed!”
“Huh? A bed…? I suppose that’s fine…”
“Hee hee, thank you.”
Reaper climbed onto the bed and opened a picture book she had borrowed. Maria accepted it with blushing cheeks.
My conjecture has now turned into certainty.
Maria is weak to those who act like younger sisters…!!
Having often been in the position of the youngest. Her slower development for her age meant she was often seen as a child, and these circumstances made her very happy to be called “Big Sis.”
“W-What is this…?”
“It’s a picture book. Big Bro borrowed it from the library. I’ll read it to you.”
And then, in a natural flow, Maria began to take care of Reaper.
Seeing that, I borrowed just one blanket and sat down in a corner of the room.
It should be fine to fall asleep like this, leaving the two of them.
“—Ah, I have something to talk to you about later, Brother.”
However, the moment I closed my eyes, Maria’s cold voice cut through. I could only nod with cold sweat pouring down my face.
The thought that Reaper had somehow managed to cover for me was an illusion.
However, for now, Reaper is acting as a buffer. It seems I can sleep soundly tonight.
With Maria and Reaper’s playful voices as a lullaby, I escaped into the world of dreams.
***
And so, the next morning—
“—What beautiful light! Is this the sun!? Is this the sky!? Ahh, how, how beautiful!!”
As the sun rose, I was awakened by a cheer from the top of the building. My face turned pale, and I immediately jumped out the window of my room to warn Rowen on the roof.
“R-Rowen. Be quiet, stay quiet!”
“This sky! Is this the ‘blue sky’… This is the scene everyone was striving for… Ah, it’s good. The world has truly reached the ‘blue sky’…”
However, an overwhelmed Rowen didn’t seem to hear my warning. He even seemed to have tears in his eyes.
I had no choice but to use Freeze to cool Rowen’s head.
“Cold!?”
“Be quiet…, it’s morning…”
I urged him again.
“S-Sorry, Kanami… I lost my composure…”
Rowen became meek and lowered his head.
Then, I sensed through Dimension that the members who had been sleeping at the Epic Seeker’s headquarters were waking up.
Just behind me, Reaper, who had followed me out, was floating and gazing at the sky.
“Hmm, hmm? What’s this? It’s blue, so incredibly blue. Wow, is this the ‘Blue Sky’? This is more beautiful, Rowen.”
“I agree, Reaper. It’s incomparable to that murky sky.”
Although they were talking casually, my head ached.
“Stop chatting and quickly get inside the building. Someone might come to see us. Also, Reaper, I told you not to float outside the labyrinth.”
Rowen, finally seeming to sense my distress, quietly entered Maria’s room. Through the window, of course.
Incidentally, Reaper turned into mist and entered me. When I asked why, she answered, “It’s troublesome to walk without floating,” so she might think of me as a vehicle of some sort.
Maria was surprised by the newly appeared Rowen, but easily accepted him when I explained he was like Reaper’s guardian.
Unlike with Reaper, I didn’t feel any sense of crisis. It seems calling Reaper “big brother” was the mistake.
Next, I need to explain Rowen to the other members.
Only a few people were staying at “Epic Seeker” today. All of them had heard Rowen’s strange cries, so an urgent introduction was necessary.
Using Dimension, I found the members and introduced Rowen to them.
Introducing him as a guest was surprisingly easily accepted. Apparently, taking in guests from abroad is common for running a Guild.
As I repeated this, I sensed Snow waking up through Dimension.
I met Snow in the corridor and exchanged morning greetings.
“…Good morning. What are we doing today?”
“Good morning, Snow. I’ve mostly introduced Rowen to the Guild members, so I was thinking of registering for the Dance Battle Tournament with Rowen. That means no work or dungeon exploration today.”
“…Alright. Then I’ll sleep in the office… Ah, it looks like it’s going to be a good day today.”
“I doubt you’ll be able to sleep. I’m leaving Reaper here.”
“…Huh? Huh? Why?”
“It’ll take too long if Reaper is here. That’s all. Come on, Reaper, get out.”
I answered briefly and chased Reaper out from my shadow.
“Huh? Am I staying behind?”
Reaper, slithering out from my shadow, tilted his head.
“That’s right. I’m leaving the picture book, so have this big sister read it to you.”
“Picture book? Hmm, hmm, indeed, it’s more of… a picture book. Alright, have a good trip. Rowen, big brother.”
It seems Reaper prefers picture books to going outside.
Feeling relieved, I took out the borrowed picture book from my Inventory and thrust it at Snow.
“…Huh? A picture book?”
“Yes, please.”
“…Wait, wait, Kanami. I haven’t yet—”
Snow tried to refuse, but Reaper immediately nuzzled up to her.
“Big sister, read it, read it!”
“Huh? Ehhh…”
Snow smiled with a troubled expression but didn’t push him away.
Once I’ve pushed it on her, Snow would handle the job with a certain degree of responsibility. There was no doubt about that. For now, Reaper would be safe.
I confirmed that Snow and Reaper were entering the office together and headed out to town with Rowen.
◆◆◆◆◆
We visited the public institutions of Laura Via, gathering information about the Dance Battle Tournament. Then, we found the location of the government office where applications were being accepted and passed through its gate.
Inside the spacious wooden building, various people were packed.
We could see that the majority of people in Laura Via were of rare races and different nationalities. And from their postures, it was clear that many of them were skilled martial artists. Grown men wearing unfamiliar weapons and armor roamed around with dangerous looks in their eyes. Given the timing, almost all of them were likely participants in the Dance Battle Tournament.
“Whoa, this is amazing…”
“Fufu, what a great atmosphere. This is how it should be before a battle, after all.”
I felt intimidated by the fierce atmosphere, but Rowen, on the other hand, was excited.
He seems to have a more combative personality than I thought.
Not wanting to stay long, I expanded Dimension to gather information and find the reception desk.
I found an available reception desk in a corner and approached it with Rowen.
“Excuse me. I’d like to ask about participating in the Dance Battle Tournament…”
“Ah, a participant for the ‘First Month Allied Nations Comprehensive Knight Tournament’! Please sign here.”
I wanted to hear an explanation, but the receptionist quickly handed me a paper that looked like a contract.
First Month? Tournament? Not Dance Battle Tournament?
I froze, faced with words I had never heard before.
However, Rowen, from the side, took a quill pen and started to sign.
“Ah, Rowen, don’t just sign without checking—”
“This is correct. It essentially means it’s a tournament for knights hosted by the Allied Nations. Grand names for tournaments are common.”
“Even so, I think you should read the tournament rules and such more carefully.”
I urged Rowen to pay attention as I looked at the densely written text on the paper handed to me.
“Usually, with these things, they mean ‘you can’t complain even if you die.’ Also, they often include fine print traps to cheat you out of rewards. But our objective this time is honor, so there’s no problem.”
“If you say so, then it’s fine…”
While being persuaded by Rowen, I used Dimension – Multiple Expansion to grasp the contract details written on the paper.
It seemed that it was almost the same as what Rowen had said.
“So, Kanami, aren’t you participating?”
“Huh? Me too…?”
Indeed, there were two papers.
It would be a good idea for me to participate here, for the sake of “Epic Seeker.”
However, due to the matter with those two individuals, I decided it would be better to focus on that for now. I didn’t want to neglect dealing with those two by getting distracted by the tournament.
As I was gathering my thoughts, the receptionist spoke to me.
“…Um, you are Kanami, right?”
“Ah, yes. That’s me. Why do you know my name?”
I was surprised to be called by my name so suddenly.
“Ah, I knew it. I suspected it was you from the moment you came in. I’m glad it wasn’t a mistake!”
“Huh? Eh?”
“Ah, I apologize. I got carried away. Recently, the Guild Master of ‘Epic Seeker’ is very famous in Laura Via. So, I had heard rumors about your appearance…”
“Ah, so that’s how you knew my name…”
It seemed like word had gotten around about me. Since she’s working at a reception desk, she’d likely be well-informed about such things.
As I was feeling shy, the receptionist extended her hand.
“I’m a fan. May I have an autograph?”
“Ah, yes. If someone like me is okay.”
Fan—meaning she’s cheering me on, I suppose.
I sheepishly extended my hand.
” ‘Someone like me’ … You really are just like the rumors. A handsome man with a burn mark on his neck. Skilled, but a bit too timid.”
As the receptionist shook my hand, she voiced the rumors about me.
“H-Handsome? That’s absurd…”
“If you’re as good as my Older Brother, being handsome isn’t a problem. Explorers are all rough old men anyway, so exaggerating promising youths is necessary for Eltralyu’s vitality.”
“Haa… Is that so.”
I forced a bitter smile and accepted it.
For some reason, Rowen was behind me, looking at me with envy, “Nice. A young knight who suddenly appeared. I wouldn’t mind that either.”
Perhaps Rowen’s definition of glory has a pretty low hurdle…
“So, about Kanami’s registration… He’s already registered for the ‘First Moon Allied Nations General Knights Tournament’ as a recommended participant for Eltralyu Country.”
“Huh? Recommended?”
“Yes. The country is recommending him. It’s very unusual, so there’s no mistake.”
“Eh? Do they do this without the person’s consent?”
“No, that shouldn’t be the case… Um, the person in charge of recommendations is Palinkron Legacy, it says here. Have you heard anything from this person?”
“Ah. I understand everything now, so never mind.”
Palinkron Legacy.
Just hearing that name solved everything.
Come to think of it, Palinkron had served the country. He must have used that connection to get me into this recommended slot.
“Currently, Kanami is registered as a solo party. What do you want to do? Would you like to form a party with them? If you do, they won’t have to participate in the preliminaries.”
“Eh, a party? Isn’t this tournament a solo challenge?”
“That’s for the tournaments held in even-numbered months. The First Moon is a ‘Knights’ Tournament,’ meaning it’s a team tournament.”
Based on my knowledge from my previous world, most tournaments like this were one-on-one. It seemed I had misunderstood the premise.
“So, does that mean I have to fight three matches alone?”
“No, you’ll basically be fighting three opponents simultaneously. However, if the opponents are knights or nobles who value etiquette, you might fight them one-on-one three times.”
It seemed like I would mostly be fighting one against three.
What was Palinkron thinking, registering me as a solo party?
“In that case, I’ll have Rowen join my party. For the remaining spots, maybe Snow or Reaper…”
“Wait.”
Rowen stopped me, however.
Then, he explained his reasoning with a serious expression.
“Since we have the chance, I want to fight Kanami too.”
“If you’re aiming for victory, wouldn’t it be better to be on the same party…?”
“Ah, right… However, I have a bad feeling. If I win by avoiding strong opponents, can I truly be freed… I might not be satisfied myself.”
“Ah, I see. I guess that’s possible.”
To eliminate Rowen’s ‘Lingering Desire.’
The standard for that depended heavily on Rowen’s emotions. If it wasn’t in a form that Rowen himself could accept, everything could be in vain.
“So, I’ll participate as an individual. Besides, if I’m going to win, I want all the glory for myself.”
“That’s troublesome. And doesn’t that mean I have to take the tournament seriously too?”
“It would seem so. Ah, I’m sorry.”
Even if I held back and helped Rowen win, it would be pointless.
If he noticed me holding back, all my efforts would be in vain.
“No, it’s fine. I don’t have a problem giving it my all for the ‘Epic Seeker.’ However, your chances of achieving your goal just became extremely difficult. This is a problem.”
“Oh, quite the confidence you have there.”
“I was already aiming to take down the Guardian of the 30th Floor, so of course, I’m confident.”
I had confidence.
However, it wasn’t a confidence I had earned myself, but rather a type of confidence that had been bestowed upon me.
I was favored in this world. My strength, talent, and the system—everything felt like cheating.
I was being treated as if I were the world’s ‘Hero.’ That’s precisely why I had assumed I could accomplish the subjugation of the 30th Floor Guardian, an achievement unmet by humanity, as a matter of course.
“The ‘Dance Battle Tournament’ looks like it’s going to be interesting. After all, a tournament is meant to be won by climbing through the ranks of the strong.”
Seeing my overflowing confidence, Rowen trembled with excitement.
I was curious if there were true powerhouses in the ‘Dance Battle Tournament’ that Rowen spoke of. Honestly, I probably was the strongest among the people in the Allied Nations. After reaching the 30th Floor, I no longer felt I would lose to Glen, the strongest explorer in humanity.
I wondered if there were any participants who possessed a strength comparable to mine, a strength that could satisfy Rowen. It seemed unlikely.
“Excuse me, what kind of people gather for the ‘Dance Battle Tournament’?”
“What kind of people? Well… as usual, we have representatives from each country. They’re seeded. …And then there are mercenaries with strong reputations and criminals who participate.”
“Criminals too?”
“Yes. Come to think of it, before you became a Guild Master, Kanami, you were in a remote region, weren’t you? If so, it’s understandable you wouldn’t know. Allow me to explain.”
“Ah, yes.”
It turned out she was a fan. She knew at least part of my profile.
“The venue for the ‘Dance Battle Tournament’ is on the canal that flows between Eltralyu Country and Eltralyu Country. It will be held on the ‘Valfala,’ a giant mobile theater floating on the massive canal.”
“On the canal…”
“When matches are being held, the anchors are dropped, so there’s no need to worry about shaking. The important thing here is that on the day of the ‘First Moon Allied Nations General Knights Tournament,’ this mobile theater will be positioned on the border between Eltralyu Country and Eltralyu Country. This means it is held in a place that does not belong to any country, so no country’s laws apply. Criminals can participate without worrying about their charges.”
“No, no, no, that’s absurd logic—”
“Yes. Of course, ‘lawlessness’ is an exaggeration. However, it is true that sinners gather. The ‘Dance Battle Tournament’ provides a chance for those overflowing with power, and it is also a place where the rich can hire free agents. In other words, it’s the continent’s largest and final job-hunting opportunity.”
“But isn’t it dangerous for criminals to participate so openly?”
“We have enhanced security precisely because of that. Professionals from five nations are keeping a close eye. If anyone tries to cause trouble here, they’ll be charged with five counts for each of the five nations. That’s five times the usual penalty. So, problems rarely occur at the ‘Dance Battle Tournament’ every year.”
“…”
I didn’t feel the need to reply.
Whatever I said, I knew it would be an opinion from a different culture and out of place for the current conversation.
In this other world, they have a culture of holding such tournaments. I just had to accept it.
In essence, it was just a large-scale festival where inhibitions were lowered for a few days.
“Also, many nobles participate…”
“Nobles?”
That was an unexpected type of participant.
I’d assumed they’d just be watching from the sidelines, but it seemed that wasn’t the case.
“Some simply participate to train as knights, others to gain prestige, for various reasons… But, the real main objective is to gain opportunities to speak. That is, they often use it for marriage hunting.”
“M-marriage hunting…? Didn’t you just say it was a place for job hunting?”
“It serves both purposes. After all, it’s the largest tournament on the continent.”
“B-both?”
I had hoped for something more casual, but the tournament seemed more complicated than I’d anticipated.
“All statements made during the main rounds of the ‘Dance Battle Tournament’ are officially recorded. With many influential figures present, these statements are practically the equivalent of an oath for a duel.”
“If someone proposes there, it must be quite exciting…”
“Yes, it’s incredibly exciting. If they gain the support of the citizens and influential figures, they can even get married on the spot. That’s why it’s often used by lower-ranking male nobles who wish to marry higher-ranking female nobles. And those watching also look forward to it.”
The receptionist explained marriage proposals with a cheerful demeanor. There seemed to be many past examples.
Apparently, this method of proposing was permitted because many people found the romantic pursuits of people like the receptionist to be amusing.
Then, she turned serious and issued a warning.
“Kanami and Rowen, please be careful with your pre-match speeches, no matter what. Both of you are handsome, so you’re likely to be targeted.”
“T-targeted?”
“You might be tricked by smooth talk and find yourselves married before you know it, have your future jobs decided, be driven to bankruptcy, or even be made slaves.”
“Can things like that happen before you even realize it…?”
“It happens quite often. Knights who shout things like, ‘I’ve never seen a knight as skilled as you. If you can defeat me, I’ll give you my daughter!’ and then deliberately lose. Or nobles who say, ‘I offer this to you who loves battle. And with victory, let me convey my feelings as a reward to you,’ and propose in an atmosphere where refusal is impossible. Or even bandits who, by skillfully enticing people, try to extort all their fortune by saying, ‘How can I apologize to the audience with mere pocket change for a treasure to be wagered on this grand stage! How about we stake all our fortunes and cross swords together!?'”
The receptionist delivered a vivid performance, explaining various scenarios.
I listened with a pale face. Not a single one of them was funny. Many people’s lives were ruined.
Finally, the receptionist repeated her caution.
“In short, don’t get swept up by the atmosphere of the venue and agree to strange rules out of a battle of words.”
I nodded repeatedly, engraving her warning in my mind.
There were no strong opponents among the participants, but the tournament rules themselves seemed to be the formidable foe.
Next to me, Rowen nodded with a wry smile.
Rowen handed the completed form to the receptionist.
“Yes, with this, Rowen’s registration is complete. Fufu, I’m looking forward to it with Kanami’s friend participating… I’m sure this year’s ‘Dance Battle Tournament’ will be very exciting. It’s the year of ‘Saint Tiara’s’ ‘Prophecy,’ after all. The number of participants has reached an all-time high.”
The receptionist placed the form on a stack of papers beside her and laughed, looking at its thickness.
“The year of ‘Saint Tiara’s’ ‘Prophecy,’ you say?”
I wasn’t interested in the number of participants. Rather, the preceding part caught my attention.
“Yes, there is a ‘Prophecy’ remaining within the Revannism, the clerical order of the Allied Nations—’In the year the Shiso Tiara is Reborn,’ ‘Swords shall unite, and the True Hero shall appear.’ People believe in that ‘Prophecy.'”
“Ah, I see.”
My world also had such prophecies.
However, in this world, it involved religion, which seemed to create excessive anticipation.
“Since the recent ‘Christmas festival’ ended with disappointing results, the nation has placed its hopes on the ‘Dance Battle Tournament.'”
“The ‘Christmas festival’ ended with disappointing results?”
“Oh, you don’t know? According to the ‘Prophecy,’ ‘Saint Tiara would reappear’ this Christmas festival, but there were no signs of it. It ended as the usual festival with the usual ceremony, so everyone was quite disappointed. Therefore, it is being whispered among devout Revannism followers that something befitting the ‘Prophecy’ must happen at the ‘Dance Battle Tournament.'”
“Fufu…”
After hearing various anecdotes from the receptionist, we finally confirmed the detailed rules of the tournament.
And then, we completed our registration for the ‘Dance Battle Tournament.’
The receptionist waved goodbye, saying, “I’m rooting for you.”
Rowen and I, grateful for having encountered such a chatty and friendly receptionist, left the building.
“We barely made the registration deadline. It was fortunate that Kanami woke me up when he did.”
Rowen said, walking with a look of relief.
“Yeah, it was really fortunate. Well then, I should buy some souvenirs for Snow and Reaper—”
I also felt relieved that everything had gone smoothly. Then, as I tried to check if Reaper was behaving himself by activating my 《Dimension》… I spotted a single girl.
“—Indeed, it’s just perfect timing, Christ.”
“Wh-what!?”
A clear female voice, like the ringing of a bell, echoed. I turned around and looked up at the building.
There sat Rustiara Fuziaze, a detachedly beautiful girl.
My heart leaped.
I felt as if I had seen this sight before, somewhere, someday.
Yes.
Somewhere, someday—
