Chapter: 63. Gladiatorial Arena (Five Thousand Words)
It is said that in the frozen northern land, there exists a magical bird, usually appearing in pairs of two female birds, darting through the icy plains and snowfields, arriving without a trace and leaving no shadow.
These two female birds often migrate together to milder regions to bathe in the streams and play.
Bathe without worry.
The key is that once these birds start bathing, they indulge for seven days and seven nights!
People admire their patience for bathing, which is why these paired female birds that adapt to their surroundings are called the “Double Bathing Birds.”
“沐” (Mu) means “to bathe.”
“双” (Shuang) means “in pairs.”
The Double Bathing Birds are like this, but are there people who are the same?
Of course there are.
Humans do not have the patience to soak in the bath for seven days and nights.
But unexpectedly, a simple bath lasted for five hours! This was something Miss Sephira never anticipated!
【Healing】【Healing】【Advanced Healing】.
Having changed into a pure violet dress, Miss Shaya, with her transformed black hair, was continuously casting healing spells on her waist and legs.
In fact, she didn’t need so many repeated healings; a low-level healing would be enough for her to feel refreshed and lively. However, Miss Sephira felt that if she didn’t do this, her waist and legs would continue to emit a faint phantom pain!
Dressed in a light brown dress and holding a sun hat, Xialet, who went out with Miss Sephira, didn’t quite understand her behavior.
“Are you okay, Sephira? Didn’t we just take a bath? Why the exaggeration?”
“Just took a bath…? You call everything that just happened a bath?!”
This statement infuriated Miss Shaya; she stood on her tiptoes and pointed at the setting sun!
“We agreed to go out at noon! And now? Now it’s past midday! Do you see that dusk? You’re still holding a sun hat? Hurry and put it back! We’re about to see the stars! Ah, you call that a bath… that was just you nonstop groping around!”
“I… I wasn’t groping, just using my hands… my hands didn’t even move that much… just mainly my fingers… right?”
“Hey, are you trying to nitpick with me? Huh?”
“I’m not…”
Oh, look at you, Xial, you’re feeling wronged?
I’m the real victim here, okay!
Xial called it a bath, and after taking a bath, we would go out! Such a straightforward agreement, and the innocent and kind Miss Sephira really believed her nonsense.
But what happened?
When they both decided to save time and jumped into the large bathtubs of the pool together, everything went awry.
Logically, if the bathtub didn’t provide a continuous water supply, the water level should decrease the more they bathe, right?—But the reality was the exact opposite.
Some things can only be understood implicitly and cannot be explained in words.
Ahem! In any case, Miss Sephira had always been lazy when it came to bathing; she made do and got by, and this was the first time in her two lifetimes that she bathed for more than five hours!
“Absolutely absurd… bathing for five hours… and in the end! Only the last hour was actually spent bathing. Xial, let me tell you something, you can’t behave recklessly just because of your superior physique, you know? Maybe your physical condition is unlimited, but your spirit is limited! Look at me, look carefully into my dull eyes, all of this is thanks to you! How pitiful I am!”
“Ha… but if I may say so, Sephira’s eyes are still so beautiful… like jewels, sparkling.”
“Wha…! Stop, stop, stop! I see you say this, which means you haven’t learned your lesson at all! Are you determined not to go out tonight? Do you want to go back and continue battling?”
“Of course not… cough, no… I understand that everything requires moderation. I promise… I’ll definitely pay attention next time.”
“Very good, that’s the way to be!”
One can only say, when pressed, Miss Sephira is like a younger sister, but when she stands up to speak, she occasionally acts like an older sister.
Xial certainly felt guilty, but there was nothing she could do. Seeing the naked Miss Sephira drove her wild; it was an instinct propelled by affection that was hard to suppress.
So later, she would advise Sephira to wear proper clothes whenever she was at home; that was the way to solve the problem.
Sephira appeared very angry, but with her arms crossed, gazing into the distance, the setting sun casting a reddish hue on her face made it seem not so fiery. What she was specifically thinking, no one knew.
No “human” knew.
But there was a sword that knew.
The invisible small holy sword, Xial, tucked away at Xialet’s waist, had something to say!
“Um… But we heard just now that Lord Sephira also seemed very happy outside. You were so excited in the bathroom shouting ‘Sister Xial, Sister Xial’! The echoes were so loud, much more excited than when you saw cabbage mushrooms while eating! How could that be unhappy? Please don’t blame me for talking too much, Lord Sephira. A thousand years ago, I witnessed someone getting into trouble because of being stubborn, so being obstinate is unacceptable; being honest is a virtue. Virtue is a form of… umm, wah?!!”
“Get away from me!!”
“Sephira?!”
The small holy sword had taken off.
Even within the sword, she could see the blue sea and sky.
Not only that, but after a moment, she descended rapidly, seeing the lakes and mountains, with schools of big fish.
In simple terms…
—She was caught and thrown into the lake by Miss Sephira.
Thank you, Lord Sephira, for bringing me this beautiful scenery. Is this the power of maternal love? Love it, love it.
Sephira, with a flushed face of shame and anger, maintained the perfect throwing posture, closely watching the holy sword gradually sinking.
Getting her revenge!
Then she made a gesture of cutting her neck, meaning to erase!
Xial kindly patted Miss Sephira on the head, indicating that it was all okay…
Sister wouldn’t laugh at you, oh, not only would she not laugh, but she was also very happy.
But Sephira still wanted to punish this little holy sword!
Damn it… Xial! You’ve seen someone get into trouble for being stubborn, yet you certainly haven’t witnessed someone sinking to the bottom of the lake for talking too much!
And isn’t this nonsense… if someone can cross that last line with a person they connect with, saying they’re unhappy must be untrue…
But but…! This has to be limited, because look at Xial!
Sephira suddenly turned her head to look at Xial, who was curiously tilting her head in confusion.
Hiss… look at that golden-haired, world-class beauty, embracing all rivers, looking so dazed; if Xial can’t control herself, the consequences would be unimaginable! It could even be world-shattering without light!
Thus, moderation is indeed a virtue; occasional distance can produce beauty, and that saying isn’t incorrect.
Of course, later, the two of them would definitely pull up the small holy sword that was extremely satisfied with their magic from the lake.
Along with that, they also pulled up a big fish that had just been pierced by the holy sword.
The big fish remained stable for a night but eventually met its end.
Handing the holy sword to Xial, at the same time, Sephira used storage magic to store the unexpected big fish, and her mood improved significantly.
She patted her slightly flushed cheeks, trying to restore herself to a somewhat normal state.
Really… since last night, it had been a muddled and foolish state. This wouldn’t do!
Once she regained her senses, the little tuft of hair that had just dried and curled after her bath… drooped down disheartenedly.
Seeing this, Xial became anxious, continuously feeling guilty about her actions earlier in the bathroom.
She thought Sephira was still tired, so she quickly made what was difficult to call a promise.
“Sephira… Sister is really reflecting this time… I promise! Tonight when we get home, I will definitely control my impulses!”
“Hey… I’m not worried about that.”
“Huh? Then what are you worried about…”
Sephira gazed into the distance across the lake.
She looked up again at the already dimming sunset.
Another heavy sigh escaped her lips.
“It’s over, it’s over… the promised gladiatorial arena, the promised limited edition donuts, now it’s so late, they must have been snatched away… Xial, do you know? I hate limited editions. I want to rob the supplier.”
“Don’t.”
With a concise “don’t,” Xial safeguarded Sephira’s wrongdoings.
The quiet lake breeze blew, all the big fish held their breath and dared not surface, as if everything was silent along with Sephira’s sorrow of not being able to eat the donuts…
Suddenly, two entry tickets slid down from above onto Sephira’s head—those were placed there by Xial.
Sephira reached out to catch the two thick tickets and naturally glanced at the contents on top.
As she read the words on the tickets…
Her originally listless eyes brightened, and a delightful smile appeared on her face along with her little tiger teeth.
Finally, Sephira perked up with excitement and turned around!
“Xial…! This is…!”
“Right~ it’s the Kingdom Capital Arena, and the evening entrance tickets are unlimited in donuts!”
“Great, great…! This supplier! So insidious and crafty, the same type of donut is limited in the afternoon yet unlimited in the evening; isn’t this just pure deception?!”
“Pfft, what now?”
“What else can be done? Let’s go! We must eat all the unlimited donuts!”
“What if we can’t finish them?”
“Take them to go!”
………………………………
Recently, the heroes’ carriage has been very weary.
These horses didn’t know what was wrong with their usually outdoors-loving owner; they always brought along that little girl who was as explosive as a demon, circling the capital city.
They wouldn’t take a walk; they insisted on riding in the carriage regardless of distance!
Well… Xial thought this was quite normal.
When she felt down alone, she liked to walk; when she had someone she liked, she didn’t want her to tire from walking, not even a little.
Feelings exist in such delicate forms, present in every detail of life.
Every time they returned to the core area of the Kingdom of Komir, Miss Shaya’s eyes sparkled, and delighted exclamations filled the air.
“Wow…! Xial, look over there! That entire venue is decorated with light magic stones! So bright!”
“Right~ that’s the Komir Gladiatorial Arena we’re going to. Hmm? I think I previously introduced it to you?”
The capital city at night is always the warmest town under the starry sky.
Perhaps the human race doesn’t have the advantages of other races, but they always know how to adorn the originally noisy night with splendid sights.
Unlike those proud races who disdain brightening the night, making them appear even more mysterious.
Clearly, just yesterday, this area had suffered an attack by the Six-Winged Demon Jeffrey, yet the temporarily closed and undergoing repairs Komir Royal Hall had already begun to restore its grandeur, adding several swan statues to its already noble atmosphere, as if last night’s crisis had occurred long ago.
In fact, that was not the case; the crisis was ever-present.
It was just that humans were adept at finding joy in suffering.
Previously along the streets, amidst the bustling atmosphere, the sounds of stalls selling miscellaneous goods and snacks filled the air.
But upon reaching the core area of the Komir Royal Castle, with the knight corps patrolling along the streets, the vendors dared not go beyond their limits; further ahead was where nobles and royalty resided.
Here, there were no more food stalls.
That was okay.
Miss Shaya had already bought a variety of delicious specialties from the capital city along the way!
Hehe, the hundred gold coins seized from that portly noblewoman in the name of justice proved to be truly useful; she could buy whatever she wanted, as having money meant being able to eat well!
“Night market… night market! This grilled northern region octopus ball isn’t found in the demon territory. Hehe… hmm? Xial, what did you ask just now? Ah, never mind what you asked, try this; it’s delicious, open your mouth!”
“I’ll try… ah… um.”
The octopus box contained two bamboo skewers, and what Sephira handed to Xial was the one she had already eaten.
Xial had no intention of switching skewers.
It was unclear whether the two were oblivious to these small details.
Or perhaps they noticed… but chose not to say anything?
“… Um, it’s a bit hot, hmm… it’s okay, I’ve had this before when I was a kid, but the filling seems to have lessened since then.”
“Cutting corners?”
“Well, it can’t be helped~ with the fighting over the years, it probably would take some time to return to the way it used to be.”
“Tsk tsk, coming to the capital really is the right decision; even if it’s for food, it still remains delicious. This war can’t continue!”
“Indeed, Miss Shaya’s decisions are undoubtedly correct; Sister wholeheartedly agrees~”
“Don’t… don’t say unnecessary things! This box is all yours! I… I’ll try those over there!”
Mm-hmm.
Looking at the excited but still turning back frequently, bouncing around the night market, Xial was also very happy.
Before, she had no interest in night markets at all, but now she found them colorful and vibrant.
It seems that going out for a walk depends on having a charming companion by your side?
Her laughter echoed.
She looked at her with affection.
Miss Shaya had strolled a considerable distance and was full of energy, completely free from the fatigue of the afternoon.
This is the power of healing spells, and it is also the power of food!
After running a large circle, Sephira finally recalled that Xial seemed to have asked her a question earlier, so she ran back in front of Xial with a slightly delayed response.
“Ah, I remember, you just asked me about that Komir something… bean… what was it again?”
“It’s the Komir Kingdom Gladiatorial Arena, not food.”
“Oh?”
“I certainly know, I’m not a silly girl only thinking about food. You told me that this arena is where deadly enemies meet to sign contracts for duels, the type where killing is not illegal! I have no interest in that kind of thing~ So let’s just go eat some donuts later; don’t waste your entrance ticket.”
Xial took out the entrance tickets, dividing one for Sephira, estimating the time was about right, and advised her to put away the food first, as they could watch the matches while eating later.
“The entrance tickets weren’t bought… after expelling Jeffrey, didn’t the king give out a bunch of rewards? This is part of the rewards. Hmm… that’s not important; what’s important is that I seem to have not made it clear last time that the arena isn’t just about fighting… like tonight, it’s not open for enemies to duel.”
“Oh? I thought so!” Sephira tilted her head and said to Xial, suddenly understanding, “I was wondering how humans could be so cruel, having enemies on stage dueling to the death, yet the audience below eats unlimited donuts! That scene seems very unappetizing! So, what are they going to do in the arena tonight?”
“……”
Xial fell silent. No wonder Sephira had mentioned rushing for donuts.
It turned out she didn’t want to watch a scene of bloodshed disturbing her appetite.
But such events wouldn’t happen tonight.
To raise Sephira’s interest and ensure she understood the activity, Xial elaborated further.
“This kind of event should be more performance-oriented… The Kingdom holds such events weekly, and higher-level combatants sign up to compete one-on-one; the winners receive rewards. Hmm… that’s roughly how it goes? Actually, I’m not too clear on it either; the last time I went was a long time ago, but I can guarantee that killing is not allowed in this type of competition. Winning is based on points, and losing focuses on participation; it’s a grand gathering of martial arts.”
“Ha… that sounds pretty good, like two big fish fighting, the winner is sweet and sour, the loser is steamed.”
“That truly is a tragedy with no winners…”
The gladiatorial arena was just a short walk away, and they could already see the outer fence checking entry tickets.
At this moment, Miss Shaya suddenly remembered something, her eyes lighting up with a great idea!
“Is there a reward…? Xial, is the reward money?”
“Seems like it? Rewards aren’t just money; mostly, many people seek glory. Winning is not just recognition at the national level but also among the audience’s rumors, becoming a strong person, right?”
“Xial, let’s enter the competition! We need the prize money. Um, poof…! Why are you hitting my head again? Is it wrong to earn money to support the family?!”
“Are you just looking to join in the fun?! Our family isn’t short on money, and I know what you want to say. But unfortunately, I can’t participate in this competition because the identity of a hero cannot take part in these civilian combat activities. Moreover, even if I participated, I would be scorned; those who come to compete hope to be recognized as champions and win honor, right? Established strong fighters may not even get approved to sign up, as everyone knows it’s a competition where killing is not allowed, and the audience won’t favor watching those who already have a reputation.”
“Oh… I see! Then how about I go!”
“Which little cutie said she didn’t want to stand out?! Hmm…?! How come when something fun happens, you love to join in?! Is it this little head of yours?!”
“Um wow… I was wrong! I’ve realized my mistakes!”
Xial’s fist spun and struck Sephira’s head, reminding her to stay obediently in the stands and not always think about causing a big scene!
Under the veiled threat of her fists, Sephira undoubtedly smiled bitterly and promised not to cause trouble.
She picked up her ticket, raised her hand, and motioned for Xial to enter.
“Let’s go, Xial! Time to watch the competition; there seems to be a fast-track entrance over there; our tickets mark us as VIPs, meaning we don’t have to line up!”
“Shaya, wait… hey, is it really okay?”
Regarding whether my girl Sephira can sit quietly and watch the competition without messing up…
To be honest, Xial didn’t have much confidence in that~
