ALL NOVEL Chapter 40 – Martial Arts Tournament I
Today, Brother Sieg seemed a bit different from usual. Maybe greeting the Crown Prince had something to do with it. But... he still carried himself like a gentleman... it's kind of amusing, really.
Althea thought to herself as she watched Siegfried's back, letting out a small chuckle. As she chuckled, their eyes met briefly, surprising her, but she quickly composed herself with a smile as if nothing had happened.
They soon reached the arena, where Laila was stopped at the entrance and directed to a separate room. It seems you really couldn't get in without an invitation, Althea noted as they passed through security and were guided to their seats by Siegfried, who naturally took the seat beside Althea.
"Um, Your Highness? Are you prepared for the competition?" Clara asked Siegfried.
"Yes, it's still a while before it starts. Reg will join us after his match, so I thought I'd go to the waiting room in his place. But there's plenty of time. I want to watch from here until then. It gives a different perspective from the stands," Siegfried replied with a smile, as another scream-like voice echoed in the background.
Althea felt a bit nervous, wondering if something was wrong, but Siegfried reassured her quietly, "It's alright. That noise isn't anything to worry about."
"But, Brother Sieg, I heard a similar scream earlier too...?" Althea unintentionally adopted a more casual tone influenced by Siegfried's manner.
Instead of answering Althea's question directly, Siegfried smirked slightly and gestured toward the arena, diverting her attention, "Look there. The tournament is about to start. The top-ranked student from last year will make an oath, then the matches will begin, including Regalus's."
Following Siegfried's indication, Althea noticed a group of adults explaining the rules in the center of the arena. After the explanation, a student entered and pledged to fight fairly.
"...So, the tournament is all about sword fighting without magic..." Althea muttered, to which Siegfried responded, "Not just swords. There's unarmed combat and the use of concealed weapons too. Although the weapons used should be declared beforehand, there might still be minor injuries."
"But, with weapons, there could be more than just minor injuries, right? Accidents happen," Althea voiced her concern, gripping Siegfried's hem unconsciously.
"Don't worry. Special enchanted weapons are used in this tournament, designed not to cause harm. No bloodshed. Although, you might fare worse against someone skilled in unarmed combat," Siegfried explained, comforting Althea.
"Really? Enchantments to prevent harm by weapons... Is that possible?" Althea asked, feeling relieved.
"Yes, it's like how weapons can be enchanted to deal damage, they can also be enchanted to negate attacks. But, it's a time-consuming process," Siegfried elaborated.
Their discussion was interrupted by the audience's excitement, signaling the start of the tournament as the first contestant entered the arena.
The first participant, Jack Rarito, a third-year student, quickly defeated his opponent. Siegfried muttered, "Being third last year wasn't for nothing... Reg is in for a tough match too..."
"...About brother's match..." Althea began, prompting Siegfried to explain that Regalus's match was next and that if he won, he'd face Jack Rarito. But it seemed Regalus wouldn't have much time to strategize, given the quick pace of the matches.
Amidst the cheering crowd, Regalus entered the arena, greeted by a chorus of encouragement, mostly from female voices. Althea couldn't help but feel her own cheer might not even be heard.
"That's not true," Siegfried interjected. "For Reg, your support is special. Your cheer means more to him than anything else. Look, he's looking over here."
Following Siegfried's gaze, Althea saw Regalus pause in his entrance, glancing in their direction.
"...Maybe he's waiting for me to wave to him?" Althea pondered, prompting Siegfried to remind her of their promise.
With a nod, Althea waved to Regalus in the arena, shouting, "Brother, do your best, I'm cheering for you!!" Though her voice was drowned out by the crowd, she saw Regalus acknowledge her wave before heading to the match area.
