"Truly remarkable," Caesar said, his tone both impressed and analytical as the group discussed the match they had just witnessed. "There may be a few minor flaws in his personality, but he certainly lives up to his title as the Strongest Knight. His display of loyalty during my arrival at the palace, along with that… rather straightforward way of thinking, would make him an ideal soldier. Normally, I would have asked if he might consider joining my party, but I doubt he would accept—and given your current situation with the kingdom of Oscuora, I'll refrain. Still, for a general like me, commanding someone of his caliber would be nothing short of a dream."
"Thank you for your kind words, Hero Caesar," replied Sequoria with a graceful smile, her regal tone carrying both warmth and apology. "I'm not sure if King Leo mentioned it, but originally, instead of our best Ranger, Emeralda, we had considered assigning Fortore to your party. However, after the divine chimera's attack a year ago left us weakened, and considering the tense relations with the Oscuora Kingdom, Leo and I agreed that it was wiser for Fortore to remain here."
Meanwhile, Lucas faced a much more mundane problem—he had completely forgotten to do something quite essential during the earlier break.
Standing up abruptly, he said in the most elegant tone he could muster, "Excuse me, but I really need to use the bathroom."
"I understand, Alberia," Caesar replied smoothly, maintaining his usual elegance. "If you happen to miss an important match, I'll make sure to describe every detail perfectly."
"Thank you, Caesar," Lucas said before making his way toward the exit of the royal cabin—only to stop when he heard the unmistakable sound of footsteps following close behind.
"Aislyra, why are you following me?" he asked, his voice laced with irritation.
"Your Majesty," Aislyra replied calmly, "I understand you may not appreciate being followed everywhere, but considering the threat posed by the Silent Gate, I believe it's safer if I accompany you regardless."
Lucas hesitated, tempted to argue but unable to deny her logic.
Then, Sequoria's gentle yet commanding voice intervened. "Aislyra, let her go alone."
"But Mother, it's too dangerous to leave her by herself!" Aislyra protested.
Sequoria shook her head, smiling faintly. "Aislyra, I don't believe there's any real danger. The arena is filled with guards, and you've told me yourself that Alberia's training with you and Katerina has been progressing well. You know as well as I do that she can defend herself. However, if her people were to see their queen escorted by her bodyguard even for something so trivial, they might begin to doubt her strength. During my reign, that wouldn't have mattered—I never hid my own weakness—but you know your sister. Her image of power is reality, and maintaining that perception is vital. Sometimes, excessive caution can become its own danger."
Aislyra exhaled heavily, clearly torn between concern and obedience. Finally, she met Lucas's eyes and said firmly, "All right. Go on your own, but promise me you'll stay alert, big sister."
Lucas nodded, smiling faintly but with solemn gratitude, then left the royal cabin.
Caesar, watching her go, smiled with genuine admiration. "So Queen Alberia continues her training even though she's already considered one of the most powerful mage on the entire continent? Truly admirable."
"Yes," Aislyra replied, folding her arms as she turned toward him. "I only mention it because I believe the situation is under control now. As you said, my sister has long been recognized as one of the most powerful mage alive—but she's never been particularly skilled in close combat. Normally, that wouldn't matter, since no one can get close to her. But after the recent attack, we decided to work on her physical weaknesses. With the Silent Gate's ability to appear suddenly and force close-quarters combat, we couldn't afford to leave her vulnerable."
Caesar nodded thoughtfully, though he sensed that Aislyra wasn't telling him everything. He didn't press the matter, however, as his attention—along with everyone else's—shifted back to the arena, where the next match was about to begin.
Meanwhile, Lucas found the bathrooms.
A Royal Knight stood guard not far off; the moment he saw the queen, he offered a solemn salute and then returned to his post.
Lucas was about to enter when a voice stopped him.
"Your Majesty, wait — that's the men's bathroom!" the guard called.
Lucas froze and glanced up. The door bore the unmistakable stylized symbol of a man in blue.
"Ah… right, thank you for the warning, ahahahaha," Lucas said with a nervous laugh, then moved to the next door, this time double-checking that it was indeed the women's bathroom. Still, having to use the ladies' bathroom made a small part of him feel oddly guilty.
The bathroom itself was immaculately clean — cleaner than most public facilities Lucas had ever seen back home. There was probably some sort of spell at work. Although he wasn't yet fully comfortable with always having to sit, everything went smoothly.
"Ah, I really needed that…" Lucas sighed as he stretched.
he left the restroom and began returning to the arena, walking calmly but alert.
"Ah, look — the queen who likes to collect trash," came a cold, sarcastic voice.
Lucas turned and saw Buio, vice-captain of the Dark Knights, striding toward her with a deliberately provocative smile. When he was about one meters away, just before he could reach her, the Royal Knight on duty planted his halberd between them.
A look of pure, unreadable contempt hardened Buio's features. He stared at the guard and sneered, "Move, trash."
"I'm sorry, Mr. Buio, but I know who you are, and I cannot let you near Queen Alberia," the knight replied, voice steady though his limbs trembled. He had faced Dark Knights before and always needed backup to survive — yet he refused to yield. Even if he were among the weaker, he was still a Royal Knight, and he would hold his ground.
Lucas never rushed to condemn someone or rely on others' judgments alone; he believed in giving people a chance. Buio, however, had squandered any such chance long ago. He rested a hand on the guard's shaking shoulder to signal he could lower his spear. Protecting his subjects was part of his duty; if it came to a fight with Buio, he would stand between him and the knight.
The royal knight, reassured by the queen's determined, kindly gaze, lowered his halberd—though clearly reluctant.
Lucas turned to Buio, anger in her eyes, and demanded bluntly, "What do you want?"
"Isn't it obvious?" the dark elf replied, stepping closer, fingers brushing the hilt of his sword. "You should know well the state of affairs between our two kingdoms, Queen of Trash. I'm here to kill you." His face was cold, but his smile was warm and twisted.
The air froze. Lucas snapped to attention, ready to cast any of the spells he'd learned these past weeks. The knight braced himself to intervene.
Buio's hand halted before actually gripping his sword. "Or at least, that's what I would have tried if I were an idiot," he continued with irritating arrogance. "I know perfectly well that alone I could not kill you. If a fight started, guards would flood the area within a minute and I'd be barred from the tournament. So what's the point?"
"Then what do you want?!" Lucas demanded, voice low and dangerous.
"Ohhh… it seems the Queen Collector of Trash didn't like my little joke," Buio said with mock sorrow. "No — I just dropped by to say hello since it's not every day I get to stand near the 'great' Queen Alberia. But yes, there is one thing I'd like you to pass along to that traitor you sheltered: tell him to get ready. "We'll take back what he stole."" His tone darkened as he delivered the message.
"I'll see," Lucas replied, every syllable edged with hostility.
Buio chuckled softly. "It was… amusing speaking with you. I hope we meet again in the after the final match. One piece of advice: stop picking up trash — some of it will make you sick." He turned and walked away calmly, moving in the direction he had come, that sadistic, arrogant smile never leaving his face.
When the vice-captain of the Dark Knights was finally far enough away, Lucas let out a deep breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding. 'That was really scary', he thought, his heart still beating faster than he liked.
"Are you all right, Your Majesty?" asked the Royal Knight nearby, her tone full of concern.
"Yes, thank you. Don't worry—please, return to your duties," Lucas replied gently.
The guard saluted once more and resumed his post as Lucas made his way back toward the stands.
As soon as he stepped into the royal cabin, Aislyra immediately rushed to his side. "Big sister, are you all right? You took quite a while," she said, her voice laced with worry.
"It's a little embarrassing to admit," Lucas replied, forcing a sheepish laugh, "but I forgot where the bathroom was. It took me some time to find it."
Inside, however, his thoughts were far from calm. 'I'd rather not worry them. Buio didn't seem intent on attacking me, but that message… what exactly did he mean by it? Scuro doesn't seem like the type to steal, but still…'
"Your Majesty, you shouldn't admit such a thing in front of guests!" Aislyra scolded, switching instantly into her strict 'bodyguard' tone.
"Don't worry," Caesar interjected smoothly, his voice composed yet friendly. "I completely understand Queen Alberia's difficulty. This arena is enormous. I almost lost my way a couple of times myself."
Lucas caught the glimmer of understanding in his eyes. He had seen through her excuse but chose to support her story rather than press further.
Sequoria said nothing, only smiling softly, her calm presence diffusing the tension in the air.
Lucas decided it was best to steer the conversation elsewhere. "Anyway… what happened in the arena while I was gone? Is the match that was about to start already over?" he asked, his tone slightly nervous but curious.
As promised earlier, Caesar answered with his usual composed elegance. "Yes, in fact, that match is finished—and the next one as well. The first was quite brief. A minotaur named Astro defeated his elven opponent with a single blow. The second match lasted a bit longer, but you didn't miss much. Neither the fighters nor the battle were particularly remarkable, I'm afraid."
"I see…" Lucas murmured, a hint of disappointment in his voice. 'Too bad. I would have liked to see the minotaur's match,' he thought as he returned to his seat, settling in just as the next bout was about to begin.
"Ladies and gentlemen, are you ready?" Chiacchera's voice boomed across the arena, brimming with excitement. "Our next participants are about to enter the field—and I can assure you, this one will be a wild match!"
The crowd roared with anticipation.
"From the right side," Chiacchera continued, pointing grandly toward one of the gates, "comes a renowned hunter, famous throughout the Winter Alliance—the coalition of the greatest northern beastkin tribes!"
From the gate strode a tall young man with short white hair streaked with black, and white tiger ears peeking through from behind his head. His arms were bare, showing off his lean, powerful muscles. He wore a sleeveless black leather jacket trimmed with white fur that ended just below his chest, and from his lower back swayed a tiger's tail, the same snowy color as his hair. His confident grin revealed sharp, gleaming canines.
"Angre Snow!" Chiacchera declared.
Angre marched proudly toward the center of the arena, exuding a mixture of strength and self-assurance that immediately drew attention.
"And from the left side," Chiacchera continued, turning dramatically, "comes another beastkin—but one who should be far more familiar to all of you! She is none other than the personal maid of our beloved Queen Alberia! Don't be deceived by her role, for she is also one of the kingdom's finest mages—personally, one of my favorites!"
From the opposite gate, Katerina appeared, her expression calm and her half-closed eyes giving her the same air of serenity she always carried. Even now, she was dressed in her maid uniform, perfectly pressed and utterly unbothered by the crowd's astonished murmurs. Her long green hair fluttered gently in the breeze, glimmering like spring leaves in the sunlight.
"Katerina!!!!!!!" Chiacchera cried passionately, her voice echoing through the arena.
The crowd erupted into thunderous applause, their cheers mixing excitement and admiration as the two beastfolk faced each other in the center of the arena.