Chapter 32: Tournament (part three)
After the semifinals finished, the game arenas roughed up by the intense battles were tidied up.
A leveling tool similar to a tremendously large rake was pulled by a dragon as large as a number of cows together.
It seems to be a difficult job just to level out a vast match arena.
The final would be a match between Auguste who has disguised himself as the unknown Black Knight riding the Black Dragon Blackcurrant against Louis Ode-Ignitia who is riding the White Dragon Camellia.
Not only Auguste, Louis has also won consecutive victories to the final.
Louis’ ride, the White Dragon Camellia, seems to have more speed and power than the other dragons.
Although there are little differences in the riders’ competence, there is a big gap due to the performance difference of their dragons.
On top of that, Louis likes to play rough.
It is forbidden to use dragons’ fangs, claws and breaths, but he has launched attacks in all other ways.
Due to the fact that his dragon has more strength, even if his spear doesn’t hit, it would cause his opponent’s stance to collapse as it is.
He would keep a position from where he can hold his opponent’s head by taking advantage of his dragon’s speed, and then make his opponent hit the ground.
He would let Camellia roar as they pass their opponent, and cause their opponent to lose their composure.
Blow up sand to blind their opponent’s eyes, or make smokescreen.
Etc.
The King said that Louis’ rough way of fighting is because he is from Karkinos.
Dragon knights from the Ignitia’s territory in Karkinos, be they young or veterans, are rich in battle experience without exception.
Their way of fighting involves a riding technique assuming the opponent is a giant, the King said.
“As a knight it’s not something to be praised, but it is another thing if you think of it from the point of view of a soldier. That rough play would be a good stimulus for young dragon knights who only had few battle experiences.”
“I see. But Your Majesty although you say it’s a good stimulus……it seems that you like Blackcurrant’s unknown Black Knight rider better?”
“Fufufu. It can’t be helped, you know? I am just a person. My thoughts as a King and my personal preferences are different.”
King Ignitia winked with a look like a mischievous child.
When I saw that, I remembered Auguste when he was being the self-proclaimed Angel-san.
The King and Auguste’s gestures resembled each other at that moment.
While the King and my father were happily talking how ‘That was a great game’, ‘That dragon knight is good’, someone came up to the noble guests’ seats.
The one who appeared diving under the banner in which the emblem of Ignitia was woven was Actorius-sensei who had the badge of management staff attached on him.
Huh? Are your glasses already askew, Sensei?
“Your Majesty the King, Honorable Duke, pardon me for disturbing you during a meeting.”
“Oh, Elric-kun. What is it?”
“There has been a report from the observation team saying that there are foul plays performed by means of magic.”
My father easily introduced Actorius-sensei to the King.
Actorius-sensei took out a parchment printed with the stamp of the management staff from his bosom and showed it to them.
My father looked into the parchment.
“Hmm, Blackcurrant……that Black Knight, huh.”
“That’s right, Your Majesty. Because of the incident in Hafan’s territory, strong mages were dispatched all over the place, although only a few traces of cleverly hidden concealment magic were perceived……”
I heard a somewhat disturbing conversation.
Auguste is cheating?
I have never heard of such story, and he doesn’t seem to be a person who likes to cheat.
Even if he did ride on the dragon behind my back, since the suspicions about Auguste’s blood hasn’t been cleared, there is no meaning in cheating.
Either way, this is the person who took a dynamic approach of fusing with a contract beast by putting his life on the line.
Is it a conspiracy?
Or, is history becoming distorted because I took different actions from the original?
While thinking about such a thing, a big cheer rose from the audience.
When I saw the arena, two dragons were flying away.
King Ignitia who saw that straightened his back and shouted unexpectedly.
“What! Why has the game started while it is still under discussion!?”
“Ah, oh no! I’m very sorry, Your Majesty the King. I forgot to contact the other departments to put in a break!”
Uwah, Actorius-sensei is already a clumsy person by this time, huh.
Actorius-sensei made a commotion in his panic, trying to fix his glasses’ placement many times.
However, the pair of glasses shifted in a strange direction each time.
What’s with that, are those eyeglasses cursed?
My father stopped Actorius-sensei who was finally trying to break into a run somewhere.
“Elric-kun, calm down. Anyway, let’s check the facts first.”
“Aah, once the tournament has started, it cannot be interrupted at a moment’s notice. Even if it is the command of the King.”
My father nodded in the words of the King and took out a single wand.
Made of sugar maple, with a square emerald stuck to the head of the wand – it was the Wand of Glam Sight.
It was somewhat longer than the wand of Eduart-oniisama and it was specially made in which the peacock feather workmanship and the surface of the emerald were inlaid with gold.
My father was called with the epithet Long-Armed Ernst.
My father’s role in the naval battle of Aurelia was a super long-range bombardment that buried the giants over the horizon with a blow.
Therefore, it seems that my father’s wands have been subjected to range extension.
Looking at the Black Dragon Blackcurrant who was already dancing far above in the sky, my father waved his wand.
After the same magic circle like the ordinary Glam Sight appeared, multiple magic circles overlapped in a binocular shape.
“Hm……so the source of the magical effect is the stirrup, huh? I see. There is a concealment magic layered over and over. It is no wonder that he passed through the exam before the match since this is the case.”
I was in shock.
I wonder if Auguste really did cheat.
There has to be a misunderstanding.
“But, it is harmless……no, although it cannot be said to be harmless, at the very least it isn’t strengthening the dragon illegally.”
“Otou-sama, that, what magic is it?”
“It is Intoxication.”
“Intoxication?”
Intoxication magic?
Why is there such a thing on Auguste’s dragon?
While I was worried, the King gave a broad smile.
“Hahaha. Intoxication magic? Certainly, if people could be strengthened with such a thing, the bar would be overflowing with mighty men. Rather, he used Intoxication on his dragon, but he can still manipulate his dragon splendidly over there.”
As the King said, he is right.
Drunk dragons seem dangerous to approach.
To the words of the King, my father shrugged his shoulders.
“However, this is awkward, Your Majesty. Although it is only an Intoxication magic, there is no doubt that it will be in violation of the prohibition of use.”
“As long as he loses, we can handle this internally as our secret……but that Black Knight, he is not likely to lose that easily.”
After thinking for a while, King Ignitia slowly nodded as if coming to a conclusion internally.
“Yosh. Let’s continue it. Look at the audience’s faces. It would be a riot if we interrupt this match. Unfortunately, even if the Black Knight wins, it cannot be treated like a win.”
“In the first place, Your Majesty wants to see this match, right?”
“Fufu. You caught me.”
To my father’s statement, the King stuck out his tongue.
However, he soon put on a serious look and instructed Elric.
“Anyway, Elric. That magic is an Intoxication magic and does not strengthen dragons and the riders……so, I would like you to notify other staff members.”
“Understood, Your Majesty the King.”
Elric bowed out, left the noble guests’ seats and went down the stairs in a hurry.
I was a little worried whether or not he would fall.
But, I was more worried about—
Unexpectedly, the audience stood awkwardly.
My father, the King and I restlessly returned our eyes to the two dragons.
Somehow, it seemed that Auguste was being overwhelmed by his opponent.
The King and my father immediately analysed the situation of the match.
“Hm? Just now, was that a hit?”
“No, Your Majesty, that was a feint. Simultaneously with the attack on the Black Knight, Louis hit his own shield. It seems that you mistook it as a hit by that sound.”
Attentive to the sound of Louis’ shield, Auguste took his gaze off from Louis’ spear for a moment and confirmed the state of his own shield.
Without missing that chance, Louis tried to knock down Blackcurrant by Camellia’s body slam.
Even though I thought that it would hit her for sure, Blackcurrant avoided that body slam by a hair’s breadth.
Although Auguste was good at fighting, his pace was broken by Louis’ rough play attacks.
(Wow, dangerous……nevertheless, even though he didn’t see the other party, Auguste avoided that well, huh.)
Ignitia’s dragon knights can see their surroundings by their dragon’s line of sight.
A few matches before, King Ignitia taught me such a thing.
Whenever they ride on a dragon, they are able to grasp their surroundings that they shouldn’t be able to see normally through the eyes of their dragon.
The more adept they are at riding, the clearer their field of vision through the eyes of their dragon, and the duration for borrowing their dragon’s eyes become longer.
(So, in fact, Auguste who is riding on a dragon for the first time is not supposed to be able to see behind him that much……it’s strange.)
The two of them took a distance and turned, and once again took a charging stance.
Just as in the several spear matches before, Camellia was rising to a high and far away position.
The difference in speed and power of the two dragons appeared clearly.
According to the explanation of my father and the King, basically it is advantageous in the battle between the spears for the one whose dragon can fly farther and higher.
It is because there is more room to accelerate more in the immediate following attack.
“Blackcurrant is in disadvantage at the spear match after all.”
“Umu. Until now, because the dragons were equal in terms of physical abilities, that Black Knight overwhelmed his opponents by his riding technique alone……it is natural that Camellia has become a difficult opponent for him.”
Why do two dragons of the same 20-meters class have such a big difference?
While watching the matches, I heard this from the King and my father.
The answer seems to be because one of them was bred by a wealthier aristocrat.
King Ignitia arranged things so that every noble can have rich environment to breed their dragons.
Each of them have their own private stables and hunting ground.
Foods containing abundant nutrition and keepers who manage their balanced nutrition.
A proper training menu.
Many staffs gather just to manage a single dragon, including a specialized dragon doctor who manage not only their physical health but also mental health.
“Although the strength of Camellia is unnatural to be only from the matter of rearing environment differences……well, even if the Ode-Ignitia family hides one or two techniques to raise a strong dragon, it wouldn’t be strange.”
The King said that while tilting his head.
Anyway, I found out that Auguste’s Blackcurrant is in disadvantage.
I wonder if the dragon eggs he was raising had hatched, for him to be able to confront a dragon equivalent to Camellia.
Auguste continued avoiding while riding a dragon which was inferior in performance.
However, overwhelmed by the speed and power of Camellia, Auguste seemed to have no time to attack.
After ten or so attacks, Blackcurrant’s balance was eventually thrown off.
Louis didn’t miss that opportunity.
In order not to give Blackcurrant time to recover, Louis charged with the smallest turning radius.
Making a sharp descend with Camellia, Louis aimed at the shield on the left rear of the saddle from the back of Auguste.
(Dangerous!)
Just before Louis’ spear hit, Auguste made Blackcurrant do a somersault at the perfect timing.
From Auguste’s position, he shouldn’t be able to see the exact position of Louis.
Nevertheless, he used the dragon’s field of view again to avoid that attack.
Louis’ spearhead stabbed the empty air.
While Auguste was upside down, he stabbed his spear aiming for Louis who made a mistake, but he didn’t hit the shield.
Immediately after the two of them passed each other, something unexpected happened.
Louis was gone from Camellia’s saddle.
(Ah, that’s wrong! He wasn’t gone!)
When I moved my gaze towards Auguste, something was stuck to his spear and struggling.
It was Louis who was hanging suspended with a strap of his armor getting entangled with the spear.
(Eeh—? But Louis has a big body, so how did that happen!?)
When I looked closely, the spearhead was fixed to the metal fixtures attached to the saddle.
That should have been the metal fixtures to attach the spear in while riding.
Certainly this would give all the weight to the dragon, so he didn’t need power to lift him.
Instead, the timing to entangle the armor strap and fix it to the opposite side was supposed to be quite difficult.
If he failed, Louis would be wary of it and he wouldn’t be able to try it again, and I was impressed by that bold move.
“He pulled it off using the momentum when the dragon turned direction, huh.”
“Hou……that was very clever……”
My father was convinced by the King’s commentary, he sighed in admiration reflexively.
Even the audience didn’t understand what happened just by looking at it.
The venue fell silent.
However, when Auguste held Louis out towards Camellia’s forelimbs, the audience broke into cheers.
If the opponent’s body is completely separated from their saddle, it is counted as one win like an attack on the shield.
Despite being said to be at disadvantage, Auguste, who rode on Blackcurrant, won the first match.
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