Chapter 18: Imperial Capital – Martial Arts Tournament – 11
The next day began with the much-anticipated dragon unveiling.
After finishing breakfast, our butler, Zorberg, arrived to escort us to the Knights Order’s training grounds, located a short distance from the castle.
Upon our arrival, we were greeted by around ten knights, all of whom exuded an air of elite adventurers, having once held high ranks. Among them stood a particularly robust knight, around forty years old, with a sharp gaze and a well-groomed beard. He stepped forward and extended his hand toward me.
“Count Okuno, welcome to the Knights Order’s training grounds. I am Weisel Dominate, the commander of the Imperial Knights. It is an honor to meet the legendary hero count.”
“The honor is mine, Your Excellency, Commander Dominate of the esteemed Imperial Knights Order.”
I shook his outstretched hand, though I had known nothing about him until just moments ago. Still, social niceties are important.
The commander personally guided us through the training grounds. As we walked, I learned that he, too, was a former A-Rank adventurer. Born into a count’s family, he had made a name for himself as an adventurer before inheriting the title and becoming the commander of the knights.
“You have quite an impressive background,” I remarked.
“Not at all. I am but a humble man who rose from commoner to adventurer and then to count. I cannot even begin to compare myself to you, Count Okuno. The knights are eager to witness your achievements, and I share their anticipation.”
His tone held no hint of mockery. I was somewhat surprised, as it is common for people to view sudden heroes with skepticism. Instead, it spoke volumes about the caliber of individuals within the Empire.
It seemed that His Imperial Majesty and Princess Marishielle had already arrived, as they appeared as soon as we entered the training grounds. Alongside them were four officials dressed in formal attire and about twenty individuals equipped with dissection tools. It appeared they intended to conduct a dissection here.
“Shall we proceed with the demonstration?” Commander Dominate asked.
At his request, I opened my Item Box and retrieved the Chaos Flare Dragon. I had taken it in and out of the box numerous times, but this would likely be the last.
The massive body, the size of a small mountain, was exposed to the sunlight. Its jet-black scales still shimmered with an unyielding brilliance. The only notable wounds were on its jaw and throat. There was no dragon in better condition than this one, defeated as it was.
As they beheld the dragon, I could sense the collective intake of breath from His Imperial Majesty, Princess Marishielle, Commander Dominate, and everyone else present. For some reason, Larni, Shizuna, and Karma wore expressions that seemed to say, “What do you think?”
His Imperial Majesty stepped forward with Princess Marishielle, gazing up at the dragon’s colossal form and touching the scales along its flank.
“What a magnificent dragon! To retain such a pristine form, what kind of power must one possess to defeat it in such a manner? What do you think, Marishielle?”
“It appears the attack was focused on the jaw and throat alone. Moreover, judging by the wounds, it seems it was crushed by some enormous hand rather than by weapons like swords. The tale of it being defeated barehanded is entirely believable,” she replied.
“Do you share the same opinion, Weisel?”
“Indeed. The blow to the throat was undoubtedly fatal. And this massive body, its grandeur, it can only be the Chaos Flare Dragon. There is nothing more fitting to be presented to His Imperial Majesty.”
“Thank you. So this is the power of the hero known as Soushi. There seems to be no room for doubt even before witnessing the martial arts tournament. However, I must admit, I feel a twinge of regret at the thought of dissecting this dragon.”
At those words, Lady Dorozitte reacted slightly, but His Imperial Majesty turned to her with a warm smile.
“I was merely jesting, Grand Master. We are in need of the dragon’s materials at this time; I have no intention of turning it into a trophy. However, if Count Soushi were to capture a second one, I would certainly like to try that then.”
“That puts my mind at ease. If I do manage to capture a second one, I shall certainly make that request,” I replied.
“Please do. It would be a national treasure.”
As they continued their conversation, I couldn’t help but think that the likelihood of another dragon appearing in this world was slim.
His Imperial Majesty took another moment to admire the dragon before walking toward me.
“Count Soushi, you are willing to present this to the Imperial Family, correct?”
“Yes, I humbly offer this to Your Imperial Majesty.”
“That is a noble gesture. Such a gift has never been seen in the history of the Empire. Of course, your achievement in defeating this dragon has prevented widespread damage within the Empire, which is a significant accomplishment in itself. Additionally, you have also defeated two members of the Kin of Twilight. Considering all this, we shall prepare a fitting reward for you, Count Soushi.”
“Thank you very much. I shall graciously accept it when the time comes.”
“Ah, I look forward to it. Though, as I mentioned earlier, it will likely be something along the lines of what I previously stated. Oh, and Count Soushi, you promised to show us the weapons of the Soul’s Guidance members as well.”
“Yes, I will present them here, but it might be best to do so a little further away from Your Majesty…”
“Indeed. Let us step back a bit.”
His Imperial Majesty moved away, with Princess Marishielle and Commander Dominate flanking him.
Once I confirmed their positions, I opened my Item Box and began to retrieve my weapons: That Which Equalizes All Things, the Immovable Fortress Wall, the Saint’s Prayer, the Purple Wolf, the Beast King’s Fang, the Dragon Tail Cutter, and the Blizzard. I had stored everyone’s weapons in my Item Box upon entering the Imperial Castle.
As I laid them out, it was clear that Princess Marishielle and Commander Dominate, along with the knights present, were captivated. While their own weapons were undoubtedly of high quality, it seemed that for those who fought, the joy of seeing various weapons was unparalleled.
“These are magnificent. I have seen many weapons said to be national treasures of the Empire, but none compare to these fine pieces. I apologize for the mundane nature of my comment, but if these were to be converted to currency, they would likely exceed half of the Empire’s national budget,” His Imperial Majesty remarked, nodding repeatedly.
Princess Marishielle seemed particularly intrigued by Larni’s longsword, the Purple Wolf. It appeared she was also a skilled longsword wielder.
“This was crafted by the Dwarf chief, Lianos. Without a doubt, it will become one of his representative works. It is a splendid sword.”
“This greatsword is also remarkable. Was it crafted in the Dwarf Village as well?” Commander Dominate inquired, clearly interested in Karma’s Beast King’s Fang.
“That one was obtained from a dungeon. It came from a rare boss’s treasure chest.”
“Hmm… To acquire something like this, it seems you possess a knack for attracting such fortuitous encounters,” he mused.
In my mind, I could vividly picture the figure of Bad Luck nodding in agreement.
After examining the weapons, my gaze inevitably fell last upon That Which Equalizes All Things and the Immovable Fortress Wall. His Imperial Majesty gently caressed the orichalcum shield, gazing thoughtfully at its surface.
“However… this shield and this fearsome mace are truly extraordinary. One would not doubt if they were said to be weapons used by giants.”
“Forgive me, Count Okuno, but may I take a look at this mace?” Commander Dominate asked, his expression reminiscent of a child.
“Of course. Just be careful; it is far heavier than it appears,” I replied. He eagerly attempted to lift the mace…
“What is this? It feels as if it is glued to the ground. Hmm… Hmm…!”
Realizing he couldn’t lift it by the handle, he opted to grasp the mace’s head instead. The fact that he could lift it at all showcased his incredible strength. After all, Chief Lianos had mentioned that it would take ten strong men to wield it.
“Indeed, this… does not balance at all with its appearance and weight. This is not merely orichalcum,” he concluded.
“Yes. It contains a material known as the Abyss Metal Sphere, which was discovered in a mine, sealed within the head. It is said to be the heaviest metal in the world.”
Commander Dominate set the mace down on the ground, breathing heavily as he looked at me, his eyes sparkling with a youthful wonder.
“I see… I am at a loss for words in the presence of such a remarkable individual.”
“I believe you mentioned wanting to spar with Count Soushi earlier. Why not make that request here?” His Imperial Majesty teased with a playful expression, but the commander shook his head.
“Your Imperial Majesty, Count Okuno effortlessly wielded both this mace and that shield with one hand just moments ago. I could never hope to match him. One swing of that mace would leave nothing but a memory of my existence.”
“Even you think so, huh? Hehe, Marishielle, you must be looking forward to the upcoming martial arts tournament,” His Imperial Majesty remarked, setting his sights on the next target.
Princess Marishielle, on the other hand, looked at me with the expression of someone who had found a particularly amusing toy or a fun playmate. Yet, behind her sparkling indigo eyes lay an undeniable burning spirit, a ferocity akin to that of a beast.
Indeed, she was not merely the refined young lady she appeared to be, and I resolved to remember that.