Chapter 126

Chapter 126 \nChapter 126 – Meeting an Old Friend\n

「Yosh」

Yumika slapped her cheeks to rouse herself and came back to her companions.

Only Kazane went to the waiting room. They didn't know what kind of exchange happened there, but Yumika had clearly cried her eyes out while Kazane remained the same as usual.

Tiara felt like that showed the strength of the bond between the two people and her chest hurt, but Naoki beside her had a similar expression, so the pain in her chest lightened a little. It was the time after that kind of match.

「I completely lost, master.」

Yumika said frankly with red eyes that showed she was crying until just now.

「Did you learn anything?」

Yumika nodded to Jinrai's question.

「It seems I still quickly get cocky.」

At those words Jinrai leaked out a short laugh and replied「Maybe so.」It was different from his goal, but Jinrai could tell that his disciple learned a lot from this tournament.

「Well, win tomorrow. Don't look down on that Axe Devil Gorgol's ability.」

「Yes.」

Tomorrow morning there would be a third place match.

「After that it is my final.」

Kazane was next to Yumika and spoke.

「The opponent is that Karti?」

「She is one of Jinrai-san's old companions, isn't she?」

「That's right. She worked as a scout in Mefirus-sama's party.」

『She was still a brat in those days. She was a restless child. She was afraid of ghosts and wet herself when we encountered them.』

「Aah, she had an accident. She woke up very early the next morning by herself and her underwear was left out to dry, so the secret was easily found out.」

Louise's imprudent words made the light disappear from Kazane's eyes.

「Bu, but, Mefirus-sama. Karti is quite strong, isn't she?」

Yumika thought she should cover for her friend. Yumika currently had a somewhat affectionate feeling for Kazane. She was hoping to keep the secret from the smart Tiara and the idiotic Naoki. But Louise was ahead of her.

「Oh my, Yumika. Are you trying to hide something about someone peeing their pants?」

At those words Naoki finally guessed the situation and looked at Yumika, then his older sister.

「Aneki, no way.」\n

「Grrr」

Naoki was full of terrified anticipation at that voice, and Kazane reacted by kicking his shin.

「Gyaaーーーー」

Naoki's scream echoed. It was like Kazane was surrounded by speech bubbles with the word angry. Jinrai looked at that scene with a yareyare expression and Mefirus seemed happy to observe, so Jinrai decided to move things along by explaining.

「Karti's fighting strength was low, but she was nimble. She was close in age to Iria, so their relationship wasn't bad.」

「But when we told her about Iria's youthfulness at our meal yesterday, she really snapped.」

At those words Jinrai and Mefirus sighed and nodded. Apparently they met with Karti yesterday.

「So when you said you were going somewhere else for dinner yesterday you were meeting with Karti-san?」

Louise nodded after Kazane's question.

「We had a brief class reunion. Although we didn't have Iria or Rezon.」

「Rezon?」

Kazane knew about Iria. She was the female ninja that was currently Yuuko-nee's body double. However, she didn't remember ever hearing Rezon's name.

『That guy was the last member of our party at that time, and he was an armed priest. Right now he should be in Hyvern's capital city as the priest at Norman's temple.』

Armed priests were warriors who used blunt weapons and defensive magic.

『Since we're heading into Hyvern we should be able to meet him at some point.』

「That's right.」

After Mefirus and Jinrai spoke, Kazane asked a question.

「You said Norman, so it's that child's temple?」

After Kazane's words Jinrai said「Is that so? So that's who you met.」

「That gentleman in the arena is like god's eyes, ears, and mouth, so to speak. His main form should be in Hyvern's capital city.」

「That reminds me, he said he was a terminal.」

Jinrai tilted his head at Kazane's next words, but Kazane said「Well, it has the same meaning as being the eyes, ears and mouth」so that was a good enough understanding for now. She thought the meaning of the word terminal was probably impossible to convey to the residents of a world near the Middle Ages. Naturally Yumika and Naoki understood the meaning of the terminal, but they were tilting their heads because they couldn't understand what she was talking about.

「But talking about Karti-san is more important that talking about that person.」

「Ah, that's right.」

After Kazane's words, Jinrai also noticed that the conversation had gone on a major tangent.

「Well, speaking of the strength of the person herself, it was certainly below average since that was unimportant for a scout. Then, just like you, a Childstone yielded to her along the way. That guy is the summoned beast Sly Greed that she named『Bismarck.』」

「It's a lizard, right?」 \nJinrai nodded to Kazane's question.

「Originally it was an Earth element lizard monster, but now it seems to be a mixed element of Earth and Wind. Its length was around 2 meters in the old days, but I don't know what it is now.」

By the way, the overall length was from the tip of the head to the end of the tail, so it wasn't bigger than she thought. But it was still 2 meters.

「Hmm. The elements themselves don't seem to be strong against Yuuko-nee?」

『Well, be careful. Despite her personality, I didn't have incompetent companions.』

「Yeah. I can tell from seeing Jinrai-san and Louise-san.」

After Kazane's words Jinrai looked embarrassed, and Louise hugged Kazane and said「Oh, you.」

◎ Resurrect City, Peligoera Tavern, Night

It was the appropriate time after the sun had set. The man with silver armor Vanil was drinking at a tavern located at the edge of the city called Peligoera tavern.

The man was there because he was in tomorrow's final. If he went to the usual places someone would call out to him, but no such person was here. He had removed his armor, and he didn't have the cheerful smile that he showed at the venue. Vanil looked like he was in his early twenties, but his expression was like an old man, and nobody in that place noticed that the person who had advanced to the final was there.

No, one person noticed, and that person was approaching Vanil.

「It has been a long time, Val Nielsen-dono. So you also came here?」

That person was Jinrai, who sat down in front of Vanil.

「Hmph. You? You certainly used to drink here long ago.」

「Yes. That's right.」

Jinrai replied, and Vanil grinned and drank.

「Although this is the first time I have come here during this tournament.」

After Vanil's words, Jinrai said「Is that so?」Well, Jinrai thought that it was considerably questionable whether or not they would meet, so he wasn't surprised.

「Nevertheless, you're visibly older than before. Well, you still look younger than I would have expected.」

Vanil's voice was young, but it could somehow be felt that he had lived a long time.

「That should be my line. I never would have thought the Lightning Val Nielsen became young again like this and appeared in the tournament. Honestly, I didn't notice until today.」

「Please don't say my name so much. It would be troublesome if somebody suspected.」

「Is that related to the devil?」

After Jinrai's words, Vanil cynically smiled.

「Fu, will you rebuke me?」\n\n「However, you have a disciple? I thought you didn't have any interest in anything but strengthening yourself.」

「I want to say I still haven't changed ….. but recently I may be thinking a bit differently.」

Vanil replied to Jinrai's expression by saying「No need to say any more.」

「If I hear I'll probably become jealous, and my resolution to kill you when we battle might be damaged.」

Vanil poured more into his cup and drank again.

Yes, he was really envious. The man before him had a satisfied expression. It was a different way of living than himself, who had been slowly decaying like a dead tree. And the man who might be throwing it away had a composed attitude.

But Vanil can obtain that again. To that end he sold his soul to the devil.

(Well now, Genzo. Your obsession or my obsession, which will come out on top?)

Whether or not he could obtain everything depended on tomorrow. Vanil thought of the fight that would be held tomorrow and smiled a nameless smile. He felt like he was a tree that had been slowly drying up and dying that had finally sprouted new buds after water was poured on it.

Name: Yuihama Kazane

Occupation: Magic Swordswoman

Title: Ogre Killer, Dragon Slayer

Equipment: Staff 『White Blaze』, Two Handed Sword『Black Fang』, Adhesion Sword『Gum』, Spell Dagger, Dragonscale Breastplate, Drake Gauntlets, Silver Sheep Clothes, Sylphyn Skirt, Plasma Pants, Dragon Ogre Greaves, Indestructible Cloak, Mysterious Pouch, Crimson Saint Coffin, Heroic Spirit Summoning Ring, Circlet of Wisdom, Magic Accumulator, White Magic Accumulator

Level : 29

Health: 101

Magic Power: 170+420

Strength: 49+10

Agility: 40+4

Endurance: 29

Wisdom : 55

Dexterity : 33

Spell : 『Fly』 『Torch』 『Fire』 『Heal』『Firestorm』『Healer Ray』『High Heal』

Skill : 『Warrior's Memory』 『Night Vision』 『Crushing Blow』 『Dog’s Sense of Smell』 『Golem Maker: Lv2』 『Rush』 『Fire Principle: Third Chapter』 『Healing Principle: Fourth Chapter』 『Air Jump: Lv2』 『Killing Leg: Lv2』 『Fear Voice』 『Invisible』 『Tiger Eye』 『Wall Walking』 『Intuition』 『Cheat Death』 『Nimble』『Charge』『Material Shield』『Information Link』『Optical Camouflage』『Dash』『Bloodsucking Blade』『Dragonization』『Regenerate』『Rear Presence』『Stealthy Placement』『Thunder Chariot』

Kazane:「Yumika's third place match will be tomorrow morning, but we'll be skipping it. My final and the final between Vanil and the Ojii-chan are the main part of the story.」

Yumika:「Eh, I'm being skipped?」

Kazane:「Yeah. It's a throwaway match.」