Volume 5 Chapter 33 Kiryou's Town Martial Arts Tournament, Held (I)
The martial arts tournament was being held in the front yard of Mō Etsu-sama's estate.
Since it was the garden of a noble's mansion, the grounds were more than spacious enough. A section had been fenced off to serve as the arena.
Seating had been arranged around the arena for spectators. The most prominent area—clearly the VIP section—was occupied by Yuuri-sama, with Mō Etsu-sama seated nearby. Yuuri-sama had purposely chosen a seat where she would be easily noticed. Her presence sent a clear message: the royal family places its trust in Moukou.
Naturally, Yuuri-sama was accompanied by many guards. Shuu-sensei and Touri were nearby as well. Master Raikou stood within the arena itself. With them present, security was more than sufficient.
The next best seats were reserved for Tan-sama, daughter of Mō Etsu-sama. High-ranking bureaucrats sat on either side of her. In short, these were S-class seats.
At the edge of the S-class section, a single seat had been prepared for Haku-sama—a commoner. Mō Etsu-sama had reportedly struggled with where to seat her In the end, she was placed just barely within his line of sight.
Further away from the VIP and S-class areas were the invitation-only seats. These were reserved for influential townspeople and wealthy merchants.
There were no seats available for the general public. Given the need for heightened security, it was inevitable—but dissatisfaction among the townsfolk was expected. The martial arts tournament was extremely popular. Some wanted to watch it in person; others simply wanted to hear the results.
To address that, bulletin boards had been set up throughout the town. Matchups and results would be posted as the event progressed. Later on, singers would narrate the events through song. The people of the town would be able to enjoy the tournament in their own way.
"Seirei and Senkou are with Yuuri-sama. So... we're good."
I checked on their positions. Seirei held a black cat in her arms, while a white dove perched atop a nearby flag. Even the animals were in position and prepared.
This tournament had more than one purpose.
First, to dispel the rumors that had begun to circulate in Kiryou's town.
Second, to lure out those who were spreading those rumors and drag them into the light.
Of course, for Mō Etsu-sama, the ideal outcome was that the tournament would proceed without incident. If no disruption occurred, the rumors would lose their weight, and the intentions behind them would be crushed.
"But if the ones behind the rumors decide to show themselves..."
I'll crush them with everything I've got.
If they're members of the Golden Feather Syndicate, I'll capture and interrogate them. I'll tear apart their entire plan, piece by piece.
That way, we can erase the so-called Aika Country Destruction Ending. If that threat is removed, then I—and everyone else—can finally live in peace.
With those thoughts in mind, I headed for the participants' waiting room.
Each participant had been assigned their own waiting space.
Some martial artists were quick to provoke or pick fights. If they ran into each other before their matches, trouble might start. To prevent that, individual waiting rooms were provided. They also served as a small form of comfort for those about to compete.
"Would you like some tea, Shuu Rikuhou-sama?"
"Thank you. I'll have some."
Attendants stood outside the waiting rooms. If requested, they provided tea and light refreshments.
These attendants had been personally selected by Mō Etsu-sama. They also acted as surveillance. Any suspicious behavior would be immediately reported. Depending on what was discovered, a participant's spot in the tournament could be revoked.
Some might try to sabotage opponents before the match—even poison their tea. The attendants existed to prevent such underhanded tactics.
And there was another reason they were stationed here—
"──Thank you for waiting."
A male attendant entered the room, carrying a tray with a tea bowl on it. After setting it in front of me, he bowed politely and exited.
When I picked up the tea bowl, I noticed a small piece of folded paper underneath it.
It was a letter from Rotaimei.
Apparently, the attendants also served as liaisons—allowing contact between participants and their guards without direct interaction.
'From Uncle Ro. To Riku-dono.
I'll get straight to the point.
Is there anyone among the participants you find suspicious?
Below, I've listed the names that concern me.
I'd like to hear your opinion.'
There were ten participants in total, including Rotaimei and myself.
Yet... Kai Yougetsu was nowhere to be seen.
I had confirmed it earlier with Mō Etsu-sama—there were no boys around my age among the contestants.
Even Ko Eison, Kai's close companion, hadn't entered the tournament.
Could it be... that the protagonist of the game—and his trusty sidekick—weren't joining the competition?
If that's the case, would their subordinates take the stage instead? Would some nameless underling win, only for Kai Yougetsu to swoop in later and declare, "I am the brave bird!" or something just as dramatic?
...No. I can't let my assumptions cloud judgment.
For now, I just need to stay sharp and keep an eye on everyone involved.
The two names Rotaimei flagged were:
—Gaion, swordsman of the Rizan faction.
—Kouson Sen, an axe-wielder from the Suukoku school.
Gaion had supposedly mastered the traditional sword arts. However, there was a stain on his record—during a drunken brawl, he'd injured a fellow disciple. The incident caused friction within the Rizan faction, and eventually, he was forced to leave. That incident made Rotaimei wary of him.
Kouson Sen was a large man known for his strength and his signature axe. By trade, he worked as a bodyguard for traveling merchants. He occasionally passed through the town of Kiryou, and Rotaimei was personally acquainted with him. While his background wasn't suspicious, his overwhelming hunger for recognition was. Whenever he encountered strong opponents, he'd boldly challenge them in the hopes of gaining fame. Rotaimei believed that made him dangerous.
Impressive. Rotaimei had sharp instincts.
My thoughts lined up perfectly with his. I had already marked both Gaion and Kouson Sen as possible threats.
They were characters from History of Swordmaster.
Gaion, in the game, was a loud and brash fighter. He'd cry out things like, "I am the hero!" or "Follow me, the brave!" before charging into battle. He had little connection to the main character, but his hunger to become a hero could easily be twisted—used by the Golden Feather Syndicate to further their schemes.
Kouson Sen's portrayal was also memorable. A man consumed by ambition, he'd wander from one strong warrior to the next, challenging them with, "Please, instruct me in a move." He fought indiscriminately, seeking to climb the ranks by brute force. In the game, he joined the protagonist after being defeated—but under different circumstances, he might side with the enemy.
"'I think Rotaimei-sama's judgment is sound'."
With that in mind, I picked up a brush and began writing my reply.
"'There is one more person I'm concerned about. His name is Kan Shunki. According to the receptionist, he has the kind of beauty that often leads people to mistake him for a woman. The reason for my suspicion is as follows—'"
His face resembled a certain character from the game.
Even the surname was the same: Kan.
In the game, the character was female.
But this Kan Shunki was a man.
Of course, it could just be a coincidence—a relative or distant family member with the same name.
...Or it could be a disguise.
"'If Kan Shunki is, in fact, a woman hiding her identity, then she may have a hidden agenda. We should stay alert.'"
After finishing the letter, I called for the male attendant.
Sliding two neatly folded sheets between the tea set and the tray, I handed it to him.
"One more cup of tea for Rotaimei-sama," I added. "And another for Shisui—the one handling security."
Shisui was an alias. The real name was Shouou.
She needed this information as well.
"Understood," the attendant replied with a bow before leaving the room.
Gaion. Kouson Sen. And Kan Shunki—the possible hidden character from the game.
I would keep my eyes on all three.
As those thoughts ran through my mind, time continued its quiet advance.
Then, the call came.
I had been summoned to the arena.
The first match was about to begin.
Notes:
• Mō Etsu - Current lord of Kiryou, son of the late Mō Boku Etsu
• Moukou - Mō Boku Etsu. Deceased former lord of Kiryou, revered as the “Great General White Crane.”
• Yuuri - Princess, daughter of Ryougen-kun, niece of the king’s younger brother.
• Tan-sama - The daughter of Mō Etsu (lord of Kiryou) and his legal wife.
• Haku - Mō Etsu's legitimate daughter. She is observant and thoughtful, often questioning her father's decisions.
• Rotaimei - Bald, bearded, large bodyguard/martial artist of Mo Etsu, frank and loyal, called ‘the man who does what he can’t,’ underdog
• Gaion - Male. A swordsman of the Rizan faction. Likely in traditional swordsman attire. Suspicious due to past conflicts and desire for heroism. May be exploited by the 'Golden Feather Syndicate.'
• Kouson Sen - Male. An ax-wielder of the Suukoku school. Large build, likely in martial attire. Ambitious and challenges strong opponents. Acquainted with Rotaimei but considered suspicious due to his drive for success.
• Kan Shunki - Male. A participant with striking beauty, often mistaken for a woman. Appearance androgynous, possibly disguised. Suspicious due to resemblance to a female game character, raising concerns of ulterior motives.
• Shisui - Female. Shouou Alias. In charge of security. Likely in discreet or tactical attire. Uses an alias for security purposes. Receives information from Shuu Rikuhou about suspicious participants.
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