Heh, I guess Risty's original wild look is something that just sticks to your head, ain't it...
Next poll, Nyx' reveal takes the spotlight~
And here we continue the story! It could be argued that the PV has kiiiinda confirmed it's a flute rather than a whistle... but we'll stick to our guns until we can get a proper look~ (also, if the 1st volume has some bonus, we can always release an updated volume version, amirite)
Enjoy!
Chapter 2 : A match before her Majesty the Queen (Part 3)
Determination to Fight
Despite the overwhelming roars from the surrounding crowds, the trio, Elina included, watched on from their appointed VIP seats at the battle below.
Unlike matches fought out on street corners or in grassy fields, battles taking place in a stadium were subject to a few additional rules, the most obvious one being that in the event where a fighter were to fall from the ring, regardless of whether or not they are still able and willing to continue, it would be counted as a loss.
“Lady Elina, I believe I see a familiar face.”
Airi’s words shifted the Vance girl’s attention beyond the battle and to the stadium steps, where she spotted Risty walking past the audience, towards the ring.
Risty’s weapon of choice was a war club. The large iron ball at the end of it was both spiked and absurdly heavy-looking. A direct hit from that could easily tear skin and break bones.
(Hm… and yet, Tomoe beat her, didn’t she?)
Elina tried picturing the battle between the two. Judging from Tomoe’s frame and the outfit she’d seen her wearing back at the inn, she hardly seemed the type to easily shrug off one of Risty’s blows.
(In which case, it must have been more a matter of agility.)
Still lost in thought, the blonde nearly missed the moment the Amazon put a decisive end to her match, and to her opponent. All it had taken was a single -no holds barred- strike from the bandit, the poor girl facing her simply crumpling onto the arena in a heap without so much as a twitch.
“Amazingly strong, that one.”
“Fairly large target though. Should one manage a dodge, counter attacking would be child’s play, no?”
As you’d expect from any, other, beautiful fighter, Airi had been paying especially close attention to the battle.
“W-Whoa.”
The boy on the other hand, covered his eyes.
“T-That was kind of gruesome to watch…”
“That’s because you’re still new to this…”
Elina gently told the boy, whose face had gone pale.
“Take a good look… this is what battle really is.”
“D-Doesn’t this bother you a little, Lady Elina?”
“Not in the least.”
Elina answered without pause.
“When our blades cross, injuries are bound to follow. That’s just how it goes.”
Once again, the boy was left breathless at Elina’s fortitude.
“If I hadn’t been at least that determined in my will to fight, I would have never been able to save you from Airi to begin with.”
“Well put.”
The wraith bowed deeply.
“When fighters choose to battle, what often determines the outcome, more so than abilities, is their drive to fight. That’s what keeps me from losing.”
Basking in the cheers of her glory, Risty let loose a victory cry to the crowd while the loser quietly walked away.
“But misread the difference in your abilities and a fate similar to that may await you as well. After a loss like that, that girl may never fight again.”
The maid fixed her gaze on the loser.
“Then again, perhaps it is better that way.”
The bandit’s ability to swing a massive war club around like it was nothing was not something to be trifled with.
“Knowing one’s own limitations is always important.”
The stadium quieted down for a moment but soon picked up again. The next match was about to start.
“E-Err… Lady Elina, I… have a favor to ask you.”
***
The crowds gone, the stadium finally fell completely silent.
“For all your usual complaints on the matter, you watched every single match.”
“Y-yes, well, you know, there could have been future enemies among the fighters here, so it always pays to stay abreast of the competition. I didn’t enjoy a second of it.”
“Of course.”
The exchange brought a smile to Airi’s face.
“Looks like it’s showtime.”
Michel glanced up and spotted someone. A figure looming over the stadium from its highest balcony… Queen Aldra. She was staring right at them.
“Lady Elina… that girl…”
A deeply oppressive feeling suddenly took hold of him, making him swallow before he could add more.
“Yeah, that’s the Queen alright.”
“No, I… I mean next to her!”
The Vance girl blinked, then took another look, and right beside the Queen, she saw…
“Huh? Why is….?”
Elina suddenly blurted out. The girl standing next to Queen Aldra was none other than the very same person who’d brought them into town in the first place, Menace.
“I guess she and the Queen know each other.”
The boy murmured while, next to him, Airi merely furrowed her brow.
Paying no heed to their reactions, the Queen turned away from the stadium and began motioning in an overly theatrical way.
“Today’s matches are over and yet, we remain unsatisfied. Will no one step forth to battle for our sake?”
Her voice echoed.
“And now for the farce...”
The Vance girl frowned. Her part to play in this charade would come up soon, but first…
“If you do not mind, allow me to answer that call, Your Majesty.”
Directly beneath Aldra’s VIP room, at the very entrance of the runway leading into the central arena, the Warrior Priestess revealed herself.
“Wha-? Lady Elina, is your opponent…?”
“Yep, it’s her.”
Tomoe, who’d bested Risty. Given the bandit had also lost to Leina, it could be argued the two were about equal in terms of fighting skill. In which case, beating Tomoe would give Elina a good idea of where she herself ranked, one of many reasons why she so readily accepted the challenge.
Under their watchful eyes, the priestess calmly stepped over to the ring, her red hakama swaying.
“I am the Warrior Priestess, Tomoe. By Queen Aldra’s wishes, I stand here and await my chance to show what true righteousness is to those western warriors who’d prefer to wallow in their own obscenity and base desires instead.”
“Obscenity? Do you even hear yourself talking?”
The blonde hopped down onto the stage, landing gracefully. Michel could never help but be mesmerized by her vivid movements.
“Are you not the very avatar of obscenity yourself?”
“What? What are you talking about?”
“Don’t pretend like you’ve forgotten. Last night. To think you’d use your young attendant’s tool for your own vices like that…”
Just recalling what had transpired the night before was enough to tinge Tomoe’s cheeks pink.
“I’d say you’re misunderstanding something, but…”
The Vance girl answered, prepping her spear.
“The fact you managed to even come up with a scenario like that… just goes to show how ‘obscene’ you are yourself, doesn’t it?”
“Wha-!?”
Seeing Tomoe’s face go from pink to crimson, Elina pressed on.
“Were you hoping to join in? You should have just asked, you know?”
“W-What are you saying!?”
“He may not look it, but Michel’s got a lot of stamina in him. I’m the only one who’s managed to satisfy him so far.”
The blonde bent her body forward, embracing her long spear in a clearly suggestive manner.
“S-Shameless! Absolutely shameless! Even more so if he actually consents to it!”
“Want me to bring him over? They both belong to me, so I can make them do whatever I want.”
Elina grinned. Throwing her opponent off before a battle with just a few of words was a forte of hers.
“Oookay you two, that’s about enough of that.”
Heavenly light illuminated the arena, making the two look up.
“The Refere Angel, Nanael, descends!”
The angel slowly floated down from the radiant lights.
And it was at that moment that the Queen let herself be heard again.
“Elina, in the name of Queen Aldra, we order you! If thou art a beautiful fighter, do battle with the Warrior Priestess. Show us everything that you might have!”
In my head, Avatar of Obscenity is now Elina's official title.
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