Chapter 18: The Magic Tournament
Three days before the Magic Tournament, an invitation arrived from Viscount Hamawar. To be precise, it was delivered directly by Fiene, who had slipped away for a breather.
As we sipped tea, she shared details about the tournament. For both the general and Adventurer categories, participants needed to hit a target 30 meters away with at least five out of ten shots. After introducing themselves with their name, age, and the magic they had received along with their Mana Grade, contestants would proceed to the target shooting. The judging criteria focused on distance, power, and accuracy, while speed was deemed irrelevant since everyone would be chanting their spells.
The tournament was divided into sections for commoners, Adventurers, and the Royal Mage Corps, along with a separate category for nobles.
Interestingly, the general and Adventurer sections often saw exceptional talents emerge, leading nobles to compete for their services. The grand prize for the winner was a hefty sum of 100 gold coins, making it a must-participate event for anyone aspiring to rise in status. Even those who didn’t win but were recognized for their skills would find themselves in high demand, making it a gateway for young mages who had received their magic. If they didn’t show promise by the age of 25, they would likely resign themselves to taking over the family business or becoming Adventurers.
Those who didn’t wish to serve a noble typically avoided the tournament, leading to the belief that true power lay among the common folk. Fiene glanced at me with a teasing look, but I shrugged it off; I had no interest in such matters.
The noble section, however, was rather dull. Nobles and their offspring with a Mana Grade of 60 or below were simply announced and told to withdraw from the tournament. Those above that threshold were forced to participate, with exceptions only for illness or injury. Thus, someone with a Mana Grade of 61 would be made a spectacle. I could imagine Hyalda and Fiene despising that.
“I have something to discuss, or rather, I’d like your advice,” Fiene said.
“If it’s about magic, I think I can help,” I replied.
“It’s not that. I want to keep my abilities hidden. If I rank too high, it’ll be a hassle.”
I raised an eyebrow, prompting her to continue with a sigh.
“Unmarried women with high abilities receive an overwhelming number of marriage proposals. I’m already struggling to turn them down.”
“Fiene, you’re beautiful, so it’s no surprise proposals would flood in.”
“That’s easy for you to say. I learned magic to prove myself to the nobles who look down on me, but I never expected to improve this much.”
“It’s simple; just hold back. Hyalda and you probably don’t even consider holding back due to noble pride. You should have a good idea of your remaining Mana by now. Before you leave the mansion on the day of the tournament, just squeeze out your Mana to the point of near collapse before heading to the venue. You’ll recover a bit, but it should be within acceptable limits. And don’t forget that fire can shatter.”
“Right. If I accidentally shoot the target with a fire spell, it would be a disaster.”
“Then do this: mix in some unstable small flames that suddenly grow large and then vanish. Keep the speed to that of a thrown stone, only making it travel 40 to 50 meters. Shoot 15 to 20 times, mixing in some shots that miss entirely, and for the last two or three shots, let them fizzle out. That way, you can pretend to run out of Mana perfectly!”
“That’s quite a terrible plan.”
“Then you’ll be inundated with marriage proposals.”
“I’ll do it! With weak flames and slow speed, literally missing the target, and then pretending to run out of Mana. I’ll let Hyalda know too.”
“If Hyalda gets flooded with marriage proposals, she’ll have her pick of suitors.”
“It’s not that simple; that’s the unpleasantness of being a noble. Thank you. I can always count on you, Kaito.”
With a cheerful tune, Fiene left.
＊ ＊ ＊ ＊ ＊ ＊ ＊
On the day of the Magic Tournament, I boarded the carriage arranged by the Viscount’s household and headed to the training grounds of the Royal Capital’s defense forces. After showing the invitation from the Viscount, I was guided to the spectator seats where I met up with him. The first two days featured the commoners and Adventurers, which felt like a comparison of acorns and mushrooms, with the occasional bamboo shoot standing out, making it somewhat entertaining. The third day was set to conclude with the noble section, followed by a demonstration from the Mage Corps.
However, just as the noble section wrapped up and the Mage Corps was preparing, an incident occurred. Magic was unleashed from the opposite side of the venue, aimed at the seats occupied by the Royal Family and the Duke’s household, including His Majesty the King.
It caused quite a commotion. While everyone else was in a frenzy, I felt like a spectator watching a distant battle on a screen—completely detached.
The Viscount and others were not so fortunate. He ordered Hyalda to protect His Majesty, and she rushed to shield him. Fortunately, the assailant’s aim was poor; despite firing numerous shots, they only managed to blow away the guards at the entrances and barriers.
Hyalda dashed to the King’s side, turning her back to the attacking knight, and conjured an Ice Wall. The sturdy wall, measuring 4 meters in height and width, absorbed and deflected the incoming magic. Blood dripped from Hyalda’s forehead. The knight halted his attack upon seeing the Ice Wall, but not before he managed to injure Hyalda’s head.
Ignoring the blood trickling down, she instructed the King and others to hide behind the wall.
Maintaining the wall at a width of 6 meters, it stood firm against the magical onslaught. Seeing this, she ceased channeling more Mana. There was no need to reveal her full capabilities; she smirked, recalling my advice to keep her cards close to her chest.
As Hyalda leaped out, Fiene, witnessing that the defense was in place, attempted to counterattack but I stopped her.
“Go between His Majesty and the assailant, and counterattack from there. Just reduce the power and speed. It’s enough to disrupt the assailant’s attacks; there’s no need to kill him,” I instructed as I sent her off.
The Viscount looked worried, but I reassured him. If Fiene were to retaliate, the assailant’s objective would be thwarted, so she wouldn’t be attacked. The assailant was now in a position where escape was their only option, and I informed the Viscount that the commotion would soon settle down as I scanned the surroundings. The Viscount understood my actions and began to survey the area.
“Hyalda, to the left!”
The Viscount’s voice was drowned out by the chaos. A man stood up, chanting magic aimed at the King.
With no other choice, I conjured a small clump of earth about 15 centimeters in size, reducing its power before launching it at the man. It struck his back, sending him tumbling down in a cloud of dust. Hyalda, noticing this, quickly erected an Ice Wall around the area. The Viscount rushed over, kicking the man’s head and twisting his arm to subdue him. The Viscount was quite rough, wasn’t he?
I glanced at Fiene, who had stopped her magical attacks and was now watching the assailant. Guards were swarming towards him. There stood a lone maiden amidst the battlefield—quite a sight to behold. Guards rushed to the Viscount, binding the assailant.
As Fiene returned, fixing her disheveled hair, I led her back to the spectator seats to regroup with the Viscount.
“Viscount, should I disappear now?” I asked.
“If you leave the venue now, you’ll be subjected to questioning. Just say you’re a child of an acquaintance, and it should be fine,” he replied.
“Do you think I managed to hide it well?”
“Probably. You were shooting randomly, but the intervals were a bit short, which might raise some suspicion. If asked, just say you were desperate.”
Hyalda seemed to be kneeling before the King, answering questions, but what was done was done; I dismissed it as someone else’s problem. A royal knight rushed over, informing the Viscount and Fiene that the King wished to see them.
“Kaito, you should head back first,” the Viscount instructed.
“Yes, Viscount,” I replied.
Though I was seated with the Viscount’s household, I wasn’t family, so it was best to make a quick exit. As the commotion settled, I showed my identification as a member of the Viscount’s household and was easily allowed to leave the crowded venue.
As the coachman prepared to take me to the hotel, I told him to head to the Viscount’s residence instead, as I needed to report to the lady of the house. The coachman recognized me and, without hesitation, pulled the carriage up to the front entrance.
Oh no, I thought, as a man who appeared to be the butler opened the door and regarded me with suspicion.
“I am Kaito. There was an incident at the Magic Tournament venue, and I have something to report to the lady of the house.”
“Kaito-sama, I’ve been informed about you. Please, allow me to escort you to the lady.”
Under the butler’s guidance, I was led to meet Lady Filleen Hamawar, where I relayed the details of the incident at the venue and informed her that the Viscount and others would not be returning immediately. After the butler arranged for my return by carriage, I expressed my gratitude and decided to indulge in the hospitality.
＊ ＊ ＊ ＊ ＊ ＊ ＊
“That was a magnificent display of ice magic. You have my gratitude.”
Hyalda quickly turned around, kneeling before His Majesty the King and bowing her head.
“What is your name?”
“Yes, I am Hyalda Hamawal, the legitimate son of Viscount Sharda Hamawal.”
At that moment, Viscount Hamawal and Fiene arrived, also kneeling before the King.
“Your Majesty, it is a relief to see you safe.”
“Viscount Hamawal, your son has proven himself a shield, and your daughter has raised the banner of counterattack. What is her name?”
“I am Fiene, the daughter of Viscount Sharda Hamawal.”
“What a remarkable family! The son stands as a shield, the daughter raises the banner of counterattack, and the head of the household has subdued the intruders. I owe my life to the Hamawal family. I shall express my gratitude to all of you later.”
With those words, His Majesty the King departed the venue of the Magic Tournament, guarded by his knights.