Chapter 155. Engagement – Halpas
The Retii tournament had begun. The venue was a semicircular structure called ‘Moguntiacum,’ which was usually an open-air theater, with round stone steps serving as seats.
The citizens of Manubil had already gathered here and there, waiting for the warriors to take the stage even though the event hadn’t started yet.
The central high spot on the stone steps was left widely vacant.
It was a place reserved for the king and the royal family who would soon arrive, with cushioned chairs being arranged, and a canopy being set up to block the still harsh early autumn sunlight.
“First… Lady Lena, Sir Mainz. Please have your equipment rechecked by the examiner and proceed to the arena.”
Behind the stage was the waiting room bustling with warriors. The knight assisting with the proceedings chose Lena to go first.
Lena weakly lifted her sword wrapped in white cloth and said,
“I’ll be back.”
“Yes, Lena. Don’t get disheartened, stay strong! Just don’t get hurt.”
Leo encouraged her.
Lena gave a reassuring smile, but her hair, tied with a feathered ribbon, swayed weakly.
Lena, who insisted on short hair, usually didn’t tie it up.
She hated hair getting in her mouth and always cut it short because it interfered with her swordsmanship training.
However, as they traveled away from Avril Castle, she hadn’t had the chance to cut her hair. It had grown to her shoulders, and Leo had bought her a hair ribbon as a gift.
Lan and Ann once said a feathered hair ribbon was pretty.
When Leo found a similar one, he thought it wouldn’t be a bad choice.
– “I was actually thinking about cutting my hair myself. Thank you, even though my birthday has passed. But isn’t it a bit too modest for how long you wandered about? Hehe, just kidding. I’ll use it well.”
Lena tied her hair right there, saying, “Then maybe I should grow my hair a bit for a while?” Holding the ribbon in her mouth and lifting her hair revealed her triangularly folded ears and her fine nape.
She looked irresistibly beautiful, and Leo hugged her. They almost missed the dawn prelimeinaries.
The prelimeinaries ended at noon.
Leo easily outmatched a great warrior from some tribe. Few in the entire kingdom could compare to him, even among the considerable knights.
Despite other duels remaining, Leo’s advancement to the finals was instantly confirmed by the judging knight.
On the other hand, Lena had a few more hurdles to overcome. She barely made it to the finals after precarious clashes.
Compared to the same period when she planned to break off the engagement, her skills were lacking.
Despite her efforts to train even during travel, Leo convinced her to take breaks.
Nonetheless, Lena’s swordsmanship had steadily grown, inspired by the techniques Leo demonstrated using Bart’s style, making her attacks more visible and distinct.
Her cautious yet deliberate strikes posed a threat without being reckless.
Combining Noel Dexter’s stable swordsmanship with Leo’s aggressiveness, those facing her couldn’t let their guard down.
Yet, the opponents were seasoned warriors who had weathered many storms. They sometimes attacked recklessly, and Lena, lacking real combat experience, struggled to keep pace.
Today, unfortunately, she wasn’t in her best condition. Her stance was slightly off, as she had complained that morning, “I feel unusually heavy.”
Lena participated in the first match of the finals.
Leo waited idly in the waiting room. Hearing the cheers from outside, “Warrior from the Einarrr tribe, Lena~~~ Einarrr~~!!” he looked around.
The waiting room was filled with twenty-nine warriors who had made it to the finals, each easing their nerves in their own way.
Some swung their weapons to warm up, while others knelt to pray.
A tattoo of a certain Asin was etched on the bare back of one praying warrior, but Leo paid it little mind. According to the {History of Asin}, it was the mark of an Asin whose followers the Cross Church had already converted.
Because of the harsh environment, the northern barbarians generally revered gods reminiscent of strong warriors. The Cross Church had long strived to convert them, often finding it easiest to replace their revered gods with Lord Rachar.
One of the main god’s four avatars, Rachar, symbolizes combat and honor.
The northern barbarians didn’t mind that their god was supposedly a greater being, so naturally, the Asin lost followers and faded.
However, the barbarians often misinterpreted the doctrines spread by the Cross Church. For instance, they believed a great warrior, growing by hunting spirit beasts, had the right to challenge God – a myth associated with toddler Akiunen.
Leo idly fiddled with his sword wrapped in thick cloth to prevent severe injuries while waiting when the knight entered the waiting room.
“Next… Leo, Droxa. Please go to the inspector to have your equipment checked and then proceed to the arena.”
Leo’s turn was the second. He got up from his seat and smiled brightly. Outside, cries of “Lena! Lena! Lena!” were echoing.
* * *
Leo won.
It was an expected result. It was unusual for someone who could become a knight at any time to participate in a competition where the prize was the opportunity to become a knight.
He defeated his opponents with overwhelming skill in match after match. Among the contestants was a warrior named Droxa Albacete, who had come here with Lena Leo and was seen as a favorite to win by many. However, he met Leo in the Round of 32 and was eliminated.
Still, he won first place in a kind of consolation match held among those who did not make it to the Semifinals.
Winning in the Maunin or Retii competition meant either reaching the semifinals or taking first place in an additional match, like Droxa Albacete.
“Hayu. Congratulations, Leo. I expected it, but… you really became a knight first.”
Lena was eliminated in the Round of 16.
She had an unfavorable opponent. She was unlucky enough to meet a semi-knight who had wasted time under a senior knight and then joined the tournament with a ‘whatever happens, happens’ attitude.
Even if she had become a knight that way, joining the knight order would have been quite tough… but that didn’t happen. She met Leo in the subsequent quarterfinals.
Still in a gloomy mood, Lena offered congratulations. She was disappointed that she couldn’t fulfill the dream of becoming a knight and getting married with Leo, but she tried not to let it show.
“Thank you. But Lena, you just met a bad opponent today. You were in bad condition too. It was just bad luck, so don’t be too…”
Leo tried to comfort her, but Lena shook her head firmly.
“No. Managing my condition is part of my skill, and even if I had beaten that semi-knight, I would’ve met you in the quarterfinals anyway. I also lost to Droxa in the consolation match… I could make endless excuses. I simply don’t have enough skill to be a knight.”
That’s not true.
Whenever Lena went to the battlefield, she grew at an amazing speed. In less than a year, she had reached the skill level above an average knight.
The reason Lena did not become a knight this time was because I distracted her from her training.
It wasn’t intentional. I just wanted to spend as much time with her as possible, but deep deep down, I was somewhat relieved that Lena didn’t become a knight.
I hate myself for being happy that her dream was delayed. But it’s only a slight delay, and Lena will become a knight within a few months…
“I’m sorry.”
Leo sincerely apologized.
Lena laughed and patted his back, saying, “Haha! Why are you apologizing? If you’re sorry, can you wait for me to become a knight?”
“Whist! How old is that kid? It’s the first time I’ve seen such a young champion!”
As the thirty-two participants who made it to the main tournament stepped onto the stage, applause erupted from the citizens. When Leo was the last to step up on the stage, cheers erupted due to his overwhelming skill.
“Now we’ll proceed with the awards. Please take your seats.”
The female announcer shouted.
Traditionally, in the Retii tournament, the winner was given a high-quality sword from a lady who played the role of the Retii queen during the festival.
Leo had the best sword in the world, but he received the sword from the queen without any complaints.
Once again, applause erupted. Lena, standing beside him, also clapped her hands to congratulate his victory.
While the four award-winning warriors were also being presented with prizes and the event was seemingly coming to a close…
“The king wishes to see the winners. Please come up this way.”
The announcer approached the five winners. With the citizens’ eyes on them, Leo climbed the stone steps.
But halfway up, a masked knight blocked his way.
It seemed that he wanted to collect the sword from those approaching the king. At that moment, a message suddenly popped up.
[Achievement: Swordmaster, 3/3]
[The ‘Swordmaster’ achievement will disappear.]
[Quest: Guardian, 1/3]
‘What, what’s this?’
Unconsciously handing over his sword, Leo stared at the knight before him.
Is this man the Swordmaster?
However, the short, slender man did not seem to be the continent’s strongest warrior.
Moreover, the bizarre and continuous messages distracted Leo’s focus. He didn’t realize that he was casting a hostile glare through the eye holes of the knight’s mask.
After handing over his sword, Leo began to climb the steps again. He tried to gather his thoughts amidst the deafening cheers and distracting messages…
When he was almost at the king’s presence, another message popped up.
[Achievement: King 2/7]
This time, Leo wasn’t startled by the message. It was the same as when he met the elderly king of the neighboring kingdom. But his focus was interrupted once again.
The man sitting on a higher chair than Prince Pablo de Klaus. With deep navy blue hair that symbolized Klaus royalty, the man was in his early middle age and exuded both ambition and wisdom. He was looking at Leo with discomfort. No, he was… he was not the king.
This person, with black divine power swirling around their body, was an ‘Apostle’.
“It’s nice to meet such an excellent warrior.”
– Barbatos?
‘Petra de Claus’ spoke. As soon as he opened his mouth, a nervous and somewhat cawing voice followed Leo’s mind.
“I’ve seen well. Very impressive. So young, yet so impressive.”
– What brings an apostle of Barbatos here?
The king’s eyes momentarily turned to Leo’s white-knuckled fist.
As if piercing through his fist, Barbatos’ mark, invisible to others, was engraved on his right palm.
“The other warriors were excellent too. It’s been a while since we had such a good match. Everyone did well.”
– Answer. Why. Are. You here? Can’t you answer? Then call that Barbatos guy. How dare an unknown Asin send an apostle to me…
Only then did Leo seem to understand. This king was an apostle half-consumed by Asin.
And judging by the divine power swirling around him, forming a shield-like octagon, the god he served was part of MalHas, intertwined with two black ravens,
Halpas.
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