Side Story: The Other Beast King Festival (cont.)

“Kelvin, hang out with me today!”

“That’s a random request...”

I couldn’t remember which day this happened during our stay in Gaun. What I did remember was that I was in the middle of an elegant breakfast, thanking the karma from my usual good deeds for a great morning where I got to wake up peacefully.

All of a sudden, Sera plonked herself into the seat directly across from mine and demanded my time.

“You went to an event with Mel the other day!”

“I did?”

“Don’t play dumb! That day I was stuck in bed all morning with a hangover!”

“Oh, right.”

“Don’t give me your ‘Oh, right’! Mel told me she got to drink and eat a lot and had a ton of fun! That’s so unfair! I wanted to go too!”

That...would’ve been a bit difficult. But Sera will probably get even more huffy if I tell her that. Mel must’ve been referring to “the other Beast King Festival” drinking competition that she participated in the other day. It’s true we went together, but she had all the fun. Anyway, it would have been impossible for Sera to take part when alcohol is one of her weaknesses.

“All right, then let’s hit the town together today!”

“Just saying, I reject your right to reject me! Give up and— Wait, huh? Really? That’s surprisingly compliant of you.”

I mean, I don’t think there’s anything I can say to convince you to do something else. There’s no point resisting, so I might as well just go along with it. I’ve already blocked out time to spend with you, so we would have already gone out if not for the hangover incident. I’ve really been looking forward to it myself, so there’s no reason to turn you down.

“So, since you’re asking, I assume you already have a place in mind? Where are we going?”

“Huh? Uh, I... Hold on! Give me a minute!”

Sera turned around and fumbled with something behind her back. In all likelihood, it was something similar to Mel’s favorite reading material. In short, a travel guide.

“Oh, that’s right! I found a place with a really good vibe the other day! Let’s go there!”

A figurative light bulb seemed to light up over her head at the same time her guide book flew into a mini-Clotho’s body. Nice shot.

“Sounds good to me. But let me finish my breakfast first. I’m not done yet.”

“Oh? Want me to feed you? Efil does it for you every once in a while, doesn’t she?”

“Pffft!” I spat out all the water in my mouth and choked violently. The nice shot from earlier turned into a killer pass that just stabbed me in the heart.

“Sera, wh-where did you—”

“Heh heh, I can’t have you underestimating my detection abilities! I can tell exactly what you’re doing even when I can’t see you!”

That sounds pretty worrying—no, that’s VERY worrying!

“Give up all thoughts of resistance! Come on, I’ll feed you!”

In the split second I was so flustered that I let down my guard, she snatched away my wooden spoon.

“Hold on, this is the dining hall of the inn. Let’s do this after we get ho—”

“All right, say, ‘ah’!”

“Nngh!”

We were right in the middle of the inn’s breakfast hours, which meant there were a ton of guests at the tables nearby. Sera was a drop-dead beauty who turned heads wherever she went. By the time she reached my side of the table, many of our neighboring diners were already looking over. And since I had only just started my breakfast, the food on my plate was largely untouched.

“Here’s the next one! Say ‘ah’!”

The bliss of having Sera feed me by hand coupled with all the gazes—jealous, tender, and everything in between—pressing down on me had turned the room into a unique space that was truly beyond words. Mortification coursed through my veins for an eternity under an untold number of gazes.

◇ ◇ ◇

After surviving the morning’s tribulations, I left the inn with my demon companion. She led me through the streets for about five minutes before we stopped in front of what looked like a café. Due to the hour, we spotted quite a few people having breakfast within.

“Is this it?”

“That’s right! Even Goldiana recommends this place!”

I’d been wondering how she’d managed to find such an off-the-beaten-path establishment. I heaved a sigh of relief, thinking, Ah, then we’re safe. To my surprise, I found myself with a strange sense of faith in Goldiana’s recommendations. Well, aside from his—ah, her—very impactful appearance, she’s a rather reasonable person with a lot of common sense. Maybe it’s whiplash from the contrast that’s getting to me.

When Sera pulled me into the café, I found it filled with a very calming atmosphere that even I, as someone who knew nothing about such matters, felt was pleasant. The beastkin clientele I had spied from outside looked very soft and gentle, in sharp contrast with Sabato “Hah! Give me a tavern any day!” Gaun. It was a combination of the shop and customer base that gave the establishment its tranquil air. I can’t quite put it into words, but that was the general impression I got.

“Kelvin, you’re going to have to be quiet and well-mannered here. Don’t cause another scene, okay?”

“Really? You’re telling me that?”

I had been a little worried about how well the overly energetic Sera would fit this café’s mood, but those worries had been unfounded. Oh, right, Sera’s actually quite mindful about etiquette and stuff. Whew, so I don’t have to worry about being tortured with embarrassment here.

“Welcome. Here are your menus.”

“Thank you.” Without even glancing at the menu, Sera ordered an item with a very alarming name right off the bat. “I’ll have the Blood Cake and warm milk. What about you, Kelvin?”

“You decided the instant you sat down?! Um, uh...” C’mon, that’s way too fast. Can you give me some time, please?

“Well...I just had breakfast, so I want something light.”

“In that case, I recommend the pound cake, dearest brother. It comes in small pieces but it’s moist and tastes heavenly.”

A small finger pointed at a hand-drawn illustration on the menu.

“Oh, really? I guess I’ll have that, then... Wait, ‘dearest brother’?”

“Ehe he, what a coincidence seeing the two of you here!”

The hand before me was too small to belong to Sera and the voice was too young. My eyes followed the finger to the hand, the hand to the arm, the arm to the face—and I found myself looking at Shutola.

Sera glanced up. “Oh?”

“SHUTO— Mmft!”

I was so surprised that I was about to call out her name in public. However, a hand snaked around from behind and covered my mouth halfway through. The white arm and maid uniform sleeve told me it was Rosalia.

“Master, please keep your voice down within this establishment. Especially when mentioning Shutola-sama by name.”

“I admit that was careless of me, but suddenly being hugged by a maid from behind is also going to attract attention, you know?”

“Everything was so sudden that I unfortunately did not have time to think it through. I suppose we can consider this a draw?”

Although Sera couldn’t see it, there was currently a very soft sensation against the back of my head. I appreciated it very much, but there would be hell to pay if Sera found out, so I did my best to keep a straight face. I am keeping it straight, right?

“Shutola-samaaaa! I went and ordered already! Wait, huh? Why are Master and Sera-sama here?” Huba popped up cheerfully, naming Shutola out loud just after Rosalia had admonished me for the very same thing. The people around us started whispering furiously.

“Shutola? Is that possibly Trycen’s, uh...”

“I don’t think so. The girl may be cute and has blonde hair, but I remember Princess Shutola being an adult. I’m sure she just has the same name.”

“Ohhh, that’s gotta be it.”

The beastkin in the café had heard Huba loud and clear. Thankfully, Shutola’s youthful appearance was effective in convincing everyone they had merely misunderstood.

Rosalia sighed. “I’m very sorry, Master. I’ll make sure to properly reeducate Huba later.”

“I’m not really in a position to rebuke her after having nearly made the same mistake myself,” I chuckled wryly. “Go a bit easier on her.”

“Huh? What’d I do?” Huba asked, looking confused.

Rosalia sighed once more. “I swear, you really do turn hopeless when Azgrad isn’t around.”

Although she looked active and spirited, Huba was actually a rather huge slacker back at the mansion. That aside, I was really surprised to see Shutola’s group at this restaurant. Rosalia and Huba are probably accompanying her as her guards, which means it was Shutola who wanted to come here?

“Oh no, were you on a date, dearest brother?” Shutola asked. “If that’s the case, then I’m sorry. We’ll leave you alo—”

“Hmph! I’m not so small-minded that I need you to be considerate of me, Shutola! Since you’re already here, come join us!” Sera puffed out her very impressive chest and invitingly patted the seat next to hers. Her words and actions did not match the personality of the person who had been crying “It’s unfair! It’s unfair!” all morning.

“Aww, thank you!” Shutola gushed. “Rosalia and Huba, you should come over too!”

While Huba immediately complied with a cheerful “Absolutely!” Rosalia seemed less certain.

“Are you sure, Master?” she asked, looking at me.

“Gotta make every moment of this trip count, right?” I replied. “Don’t be reserved. Go ahead.”

“Understood.” Rosalia bowed before elegantly sliding into a seat. “Excuse me.”

She seemed to have perfectly adopted the mannerisms of a veteran maid, while her colleague was already in the middle of ordering another drink.

It’s not like I’ll comment on it, this being a trip to relax and all, but seriously, how did these two end up so different?

“Were you guys having breakfast here?” I asked Shutola. “I don’t remember seeing you in the common room at the inn.”

“Yep! Rion-chan shared a book with me that mentioned this place, and it caught my eye.” Shutola tilted her head cutely. “What about you, dearest brother and sister?”

Sera smiled knowingly. “I heard about this place from Goldiana.”

“My! That makes me even more excited to try the food!”

Even Shutola puts stock in Prettia, Inc.? Its value sure seems to be shooting up.

“Oh right, dearest brother, dearest sister, do you have any plans after this?”

“Not really,” Sera admitted. “We were going to think about it while we ate. What about you?”

“Me? There’s an event in the neighborhood that I’ve been hoping to participate in for a while. Now that I have the opportunity, I’m thinking of giving it a try.”

“An event?!” Sera shot to her feet, her eyes sparkling.

Ah, I can tell what she’s going to say. Maybe I’m prophetic too?

“Kelvin! We have to do this! To restore my reputation for the one I missed!”

“I’m not sure how it affected your reputation, but su—” Just as I was in the middle of accepting Sera’s request, a certain thought flashed through my mind. This event is not going to involve alcohol, is it? I don’t think it will, since it’s Shutola who brought it up. But I should confirm, just in case. The possibility is extremely slim, but I want to know ahead of time if Sera’s going to go on a rampage.

I shot Shutola a glance and tapped into the Network. Just asking, but this festival—

::Has nothing whatsoever to do with what you’re worried about. Don’t worry, dearest brother.::

Look at that—she beat me to the punch. Hah! Let me just say that I believed in Shutola from the start. There’s no way this wise princess would bring up an event related to alcohol in Sera’s presence. She might be young, but she’s bright enough to know that would grab Sera’s interest.

“Mm, yep.” I nodded. “Let’s pay this festival a visit.”

“Yay! We really must!” Sera cried.

Whoa there, weren’t you supposed to remain quiet and well-mannered in here?

“So, Shutola, what exactly do people do at this festival?”

The young girl smiled. “Actually...”

◇ ◇ ◇

After having had our second breakfast, we made our way through the streets of Gaun with Shutola’s guidance. I was giving her a ride on my shoulders as she held one of Sera’s hands. Rosalia and Huba kept pace slightly behind us.

“Next, turn left into that alleyway!”

“Aye, aye, Princess.”

“Stick to just one ‘aye’!”

“Ayyyyye.”

I continued going where the voice from above commanded me for the next few minutes. Everyone we passed gave us “Awww” looks, but we ignored them and eventually reached our destination.

“This is the venue? Isn’t it a bit too quiet?”

The building before us was indeed noticeably larger than its neighbors. However, it lacked the bustling liveliness common to the Adventurer’s Guild and inns. The lack of a commotion actually felt somewhat eerie, considering a so-called festival was supposed to be taking place inside.

“There are plenty of people in there,” Shutola assured us. “It’s just that this isn’t the kind of event where people shout and get heated up. Well, there’s no point standing outside. It’s go time, dearest brother! Go!”

The pat on my head served as my launch button. Following the rules that had naturally developed as I continued role-playing Shutola’s transportation, I walked into the building despite my reservations...and immediately realized how wrong I was.

“Whoa, there really are people in here!” I exclaimed. “Quite a lot too!”

Contrary to what the building’s exterior suggested, the place was packed. There were easily more than a hundred people inside, roughly half beastkin and half human, which was a very rare racial distribution to see in Gaun. What’s more, everyone was astonishingly quiet, almost as if they were part of some larger hive mind.

Uh, we are still in Gaun, right? This is such a far cry from the drinking competition the other day.

As for decor, there were several long tables, each flanked on either side by long benches. Multiple sets of a square board and many game pieces dotted those tables at regular intervals.

“So this is the hidden Beast King Festival. A board game competition!”

Indeed, there were many spin-offs of the Beast King Festival that I did not know about. The one I had participated in was the large-scale tournament where everyone in the country who was confident in their physical fighting prowess got together to compete for the title. The one that Melfina and Gerard had participated in was a drinking competition referred to as “the other Beast King Festival,” which truly encapsulated the meaning of the term “festive.” What was about to take place now, however, was a competition of brains and wits, an area considered the farthest removed from the hearty and simpleminded character of the country!

The board game being played seemed, as far as I could tell, to be a cross between chess and shogi. Having never heard of it before, I could not participate and therefore would be merely spectating once again. However, I kind of felt like whoever was arranging the competition had chosen the wrong country for it.

I’m sure you could have gotten a lot more traction anywhere else on the continent.

Shutola did an energetic little hop. “I’m so excited for this! I couldn’t join the fighting tournament, but I can participate in this!”

Forget getting to play, I suspect our genius princess will have a clean sweep.

Sera nodded. “All right, since I’ve learned the rules, I’m off to sign up as a participant.”

“Huh?! You what? But all you did was read through the rule book Shutola lent you. You just flipped through it back at the café!”

“Don’t underestimate me, Kelvin. It’s true that I only read it for a short period of time. However, I was concentrating that much harder on it!”

Even so, that doesn’t change the fact that you’re a beginner, right? Then again, Sera picks everything up pretty much with the snap of a finger, so I can’t rule out the possibility of her miraculously showing up as a dark horse.

“Okay, if you say so. I’ll be cheering you on from the spectator seats. Do your best and aim for gold!”

“Don’t you dare miss a second of my path to victory!”

“Oh, wait for me, dearest sister Sera. I’m going to the reception too.”

The pair ran off energetically.

“Don’t get lost!” I shouted after them before turning to the others. “Should we head to the spectator area?”

“Masteeeer, may I buy some snacks to eat while watching?”

“You just ate, Huba. But sure, I guess. If you still have the appetite for it.”

“Breakfast is breakfast, snacking is snacking. Different stomachs! Since it’s a festival, I want to enjoy it to the fullest!”

“You never change, do you?” Rosalia sighed. “Very well, Master and I will secure seats. Come join us afterwards, Huba.”

“Ma’am, yes, ma’am!”

The maid in the miniskirt shot towards an area lined with food stalls with an alacrity rarely seen while she was working. She looked just as energetic as the two who had taken off a moment before.

“I can’t help feeling bad for Azgrad, imagining what he must have gone through.”

“In her defense, she was always the very picture of diligence whenever she was with Azgrad. Though you might not believe it from how she’s acting right now...”

I guess that just goes to show how powerful love is. Or maybe not, given the unspoken implication that she slacked off when she was out of Azgrad’s sight.

Without further ado, Rosalia and I headed to the area set aside for spectators. A short while later, Huba rejoined us, both hands bearing hearty meat skewers. Although being able to pack away so much food in her slender form would normally be considered an impressive feat, due to Mel’s influence, I found myself thinking, Oh, that’s a pretty modest amount. Is that an appetizer? Sometimes, I honestly worried if our family had gone beyond the point of no return and what would become of us.

Soon enough, a familiar voice rang out, interrupting the chat that we were having in the spectator seats.

“Come one, come all! Here we are at this event for the very limited number of Gaun’s intellectuals, the Beast King Game Master Competition! The quiet tension in the air here seems so out of place in Gaun! However, I, Ronove, the official announcer of the Gaun Mixed Fighting Arena, will choose to ignore the atmosphere and deliver my commentary with my usual passion and excitement! If you have complaints and want to make a claim, please direct it to the organizing committee led by the head honcho running this country, His Majesty Beast King Leonhart Gaun!”

Oh, hey, Ronove’s commentating for this festival too? That’s a bit surprising. I see many people grimacing after her entrance, but I doubt any of them would actually submit a claim. It’s not worth getting the attention of the Beast King. I totally understand that.

“All participation applications at reception are over as of this moment. After tallying all the names, including the last-minute jump-ins, we have...exactly 128 people! That’s right, 128! What a coincidence! That’s the exact number we need for a tournament!”

You just capped the number of participation slots at 128, didn’t you?

“A tournament of 128 people!” Huba exclaimed. “To be the champion, you’d have to win, uh...six times? Seven?”

“Seven,” Rosalia replied. “It appears we’re here for the long haul.”

“Whoa, that does sound like it’ll take ages. I can’t bring myself to like the game. I’d probably give up after one match, even if I won.”

Quitting after one match might be a bit early, but if I think of this in terms of shogi, then seven consecutive matches... Yeah, that’s gotta be tough. I don’t know how long one match takes, but if it were shogi, there’s no way they’d finish in a day.

As if answering my thoughts, Ronove announced, “Although today’s event is being held in the style of a tournament, in the interest of expediency, all matches before the semifinals will be allotted a shorter period of time than usual. Don’t get impatient, stay calm, and bring your A game!”

“Ah, that makes sense.” I nodded. “I hope Sera’s all right...”

“Are you not worried about Shutola, Master?” Rosalia asked.

“If this were a fighting tournament, then I’d be as worried as Gerard can get. But there’s no need to worry about this game, is there?”

“None at all,” both maids replied at the same time.

Wow, perfect harmonizing.

“Well then! Since we’re short on time, let’s move things along! All participants should have received a numbered slip upon signing up at reception, and we have a brackets chart with the matchups all assigned at random. That’s right! With how smart everyone here is, I’m sure you’ve already figured it out: the chart was made beforehand! Here it is!”

As Ronove gestured towards the stage, a hanging banner that was rolled up near the ceiling slowly unfurled. Sure enough, it was the brackets chart for the tournament.

“Ugh, there are only numbers on the thing,” I groaned. “I didn’t ask the two what numbers they got. Now how am I supposed to tell where they are?”

Rosalia tilted her head. “Can’t you just ask them through the Network, Master?”

“Oh, right.”

“You sometimes forget the most obvious things!” Huba chortled.

I don’t want to hear that from Huba, of all people! But never mind. Time to get asking.

::What? My number? I’m 77.::

::I signed up after dearest sister Sera, so I’m 78.::

Got it. With that in mind, time to take another look at the brackets chart... Hmm, I see.

“The two of them are quite far apart,” I told my companions. “There’s no risk of them bumping into each other early on.”

Huba sighed with relief as Rosalia said, “I’m glad to hear it.”

Now I know where Sera and Shutola are. But I have no information on the rest of the participants from this chart alone.

As I continued staring at the numbers, a buzz ran through the venue which, aside from Ronove, had remained quiet all this time.

“Hm? What’s happening?”

“A favorite for the championship has appeared, it seems.”

“Master, over there!”

I looked up as the other spectators murmured among themselves.

“He’s actually here! Is he going to make it to the final match again?”

“He ended up finishing second last year, but I heard he’s done a ton of research and training since!”

Hey, the audience really likes this guy. I wonder who it is.

“Ladies and gentlemen, the tournament floor is all aflutter, and for good reason! After all, the one participant everyone’s been looking out for has finally arrived! Let’s give him a proper introduction! I present to you the runner-up of last year’s Beast King Game Master Competition, Kilto Gaun!”

“Although Goma couldn’t make it, I’ll do my utmost for her sake! GOMAAA! I hope you’re watching me with your mind’s eye from the castle!”

“Wow, looks like you get as emotionally unstable when it comes to Goma-sama as ever, Kilto-sama!”

Th-That’s my comrade, Kilto! Why is he... No, it all makes sense when I think about it. Comrade Kilto possesses one of the most brilliant minds in Gaun. Of course he’s good at a game of strategy. But hold on, if he was only the runner-up last year, who could have beat him? The Beast King?

“Everyone, silence, please! It’s finally time for the entrance of last year’s Beast King Game Master Competition champion!”

Everyone present gulped audibly. If they had been in suspense when Kilto showed up, I thought I could now hear all their heartbeats. It was making me tense up too.

“Once again, he’s made the journey all the way from the Village of Elves! Last year’s champion, the man who invented this game after securing a stable living and finding himself with too much time on his hands, a maverick of mavericks, a god of the world of games! Ladies and gentlemen, give it up for the representative of the Village of Elves, Elder Nellaaas!”

The building shook with passionate cheering from all the participants and spectators who had maintained a dignified silence until mere moments ago.

I brought a hand to my head. “That’s strange. I feel like I saw this scene just a few days ago...”

“Are you perhaps so tired that you’re imagining it, Master?” Rosalia asked in a concerned tone, looking up from the tournament pamphlet she had picked up earlier.

“A lot did happen these past few days,” Huba offered.

That’s true. But damn, Nellas apparently has as many talents as the number of things I went through. Seriously, what the hell are you doing, Nellas?!

“That man is apparently the one who developed this game several decades ago and is responsible for spreading its popularity,” Rosalia informed me as she continued going through the pamphlet. “I suppose that’s why he’s so good at it.”

I hope there isn’t a punch line where Elder Nellas turns out to be a transmigrator too. Given how close he got to Mel in the drinking competition, he’s clearly not someone to be underestimated!

“That said, this tournament doesn’t have seeding, so both Nellas-sama and Kilto-sama will be participating from round one just like everyone else. By the way, Nellas-sama’s number is 7 and Kilto-sama’s number is 50. Looks like the tournament is peaking for their respective opponents right off the bat! Go for broke!”

A scream of despair sounded from somewhere in the venue—in all likelihood, it was either Nellas’s or Kilto’s opponent. They’re so lucky, being guaranteed a game with someone they can learn so much from. As for Sera and Shutola... Aww, they’re out of luck. They have to reach the semifinals to have the honor.

“Round one will begin in ten minutes sharp. Here is the seating chart. All participants, go to the toilet and make any other preparations you need to. If you aren’t in your seat at the starting time, we won’t wait for you!”

The people in the venue began milling around all at once. Sera was easy to spot, even from a distance, due to her conspicuous red hair and incredible presence. Similarly, although Shutola was small, all the well-mannered intellectuals around took care not to bump into her. Consequently, I only had to look for where people were separating like a wave to figure out her location.

Huba got up. “Master, I’m stepping away too!”

More food? Or maybe using the bathroom? “Don’t get lost in the crowd,” I replied, nodding my permission. A few minutes later, I murmured, “It’s almost time, right?”

“I believe so, yes,” Rosalia replied. “The commentator should be announcing it soon.”

“Ladies and gentlemen, it is now time! Please check if your opponent is properly seated across from you. If not, feel free to declare a win by default right now!” Ronove paused, but the room remained quiet. “All right, I’ll take that as a no! Since all participants are properly at the starting line, I’m gonna go ahead and claim the honor of the first shout! ROUND ONE, START!”

A chorus of “Let’s have a good match” filled the air as all the participants bowed their heads.

Clack, clack...

Clack...

Clack!

Clack...

“Okay, if I can be honest...this is pretty boring to watch from afar.”

“In your case, Master, perhaps part of that feeling is because you aren’t familiar with the rules.”

I even felt bad about talking in this absolute silence. Then again, it’s not like I have anything else to do. I guess I might as well watch Sera’s and Shutola’s matches through the Network.

“I-I’ve lost.”

“Will you look at that?! The tournament’s very first victor has appeared! How fast! It’s way too fast! The one who’s proceeded to the next round is...number 78! What a surprise! It’s neither Kilto-sama nor Nellas-sama! That honor has gone to the little girl of number 78!”

“I’m first up? Yay!”

Completely overturning everyone’s expectations, it was Shutola who had finished her match first.

“I still can’t believe it... How can I lose? To such a young girl, no less!”

Shutola’s opponent, a scholarly beastkin, seemed at a complete loss. Is he one of Comrade Kilto’s subordinates? Either way, I’m sorry, man. You just had really bad luck of the draw today.

“Oh? Someone interesting’s showed up.”

“Heh heh, maybe this year will be more fun than ever.”

“Aaaand right on the heels of number 78, Kilto-sama and Nellas-sama have also won their matches!”

Did those two just mutter generic tournament arc spectator lines? Not that I heard it, but I have a feeling they did.

“As expected, Shutola is doing great,” I commented.

“And she appears to be having fun as well,” Rosalia agreed. “I couldn’t be happier.”

“Sera, on the other hand...” I peeked at her view, expecting her to crow in victory at any moment now that a few of the other pairs were finishing up as well. “Surprisingly, she’s still in the middle of it.”

“She is a beginner, after all. I imagine the veterans will be quite the match for her, considering her lack of experience.”

“Maybe.”

Although I could not understand the state of the game based on the pieces on the board, I could see that Sera’s opponent had a frown on his face and appeared quite deep in thought. From that, I determined the match was even so far; whoever won would probably do so with only a slight lead.

Sure enough, a while later, Sera’s opponent admitted, “I have no more moves. Ugh, I was so close...”

Sera, for her part, simply had her arms crossed and looked thoughtful. She did not leap with celebration the way I’d expected.

“All right, that’s all the matches for round one completed!” Ronove announced. “By the way, I just want to say this on the record: it’s really, really tough not being able to commentate while the matches are going on! Ahem. So then, those who won, congratulations! Those who lost, I’m sorry! It’s time for you to leave the venue with your tails between your legs!”

Half the participants shuffled out obediently. As it turned out, Gaun’s culture of “the one who wins is in the right” applied here as well; no mercy was shown to the losers whatsoever.

“Whew, it’s now so much less stuffy in here! Without further ado, it’s time to start round two! What? A break? You don’t get breaks on a battlefield, do you?! You’ll get a short break between rounds two and three, so if you really have to go, either desperately claw for that victory or throw away your pride and surrender. With that said, everyone move to your positions!”

“What an unreasonable announcement...”

“That just goes to show how pressed for time they are. But speaking of stepping away, where on earth is Huba and what could she be doing?”

The tournament continued and Huba never returned. Our beloved genius princess, my comrade who loved his little sister as much as I did mine, and the maverick elven Elder all handily blazed through the rounds. Despite her matches being very close, Sera also managed to reach the top four.

“Knowing what she’s like, I’d expected Sera to get quite far. But winning this many games as a complete beginner is just incredible.”

“She must have a truly exceptional knack for it.”

The brackets for the semifinal matches were decided, and as expected by the crowd, Nellas and Kilto claimed two of the spots. As expected by my group, the third spot belonged to Shutola. The fourth was Sera’s, which had been a complete surprise even to us.

Damn, how do I even begin to guess who’ll win here?

“Thank you for being patient with us, ladies and gentlemen! It’s finally time for what you were really looking forward to: the semifinals! But before that, let me introduce the valiant warri—sorry, the valiant sages who have made it this far! Going in order of their numbers, we have number 7! Elder Nellas, the favorite for the championship! Never once has he yielded his throne since the start of the Beast King Game Master Competition!”

Not even once? The old man’s way more incredible than I thought.

“Next, number 50! Prince Kilto, he who shoulders the hopes of all beastkin pursuing the scholarly arts and is expected to carry the mantle of the next generation Game Master champion! Although he’s joined this tournament since his youth, he’s always remained one step short of reaching the top! Will he finally be able to vindicate his honor this year?!”

Personally, I’m secretly supporting Kilto too. Why, you ask? C’mon, don’t make me spell it out.

“Then we have number 77! Sera, who’s managed to climb all this way on consecutive close matches won with a paper-thin difference! Wait, you’re a participant in the real Beast King Festival, aren’t you?! What’re you doing here?! It’s said that heaven does not give with both hands, so what’s with her?! She’s got brawn, brains, and beauty! That’s so unfair!”

That last part isn’t commentary but your personal take, right? If you’re gonna go there, you should probably complain about Nellas too—he’s clearly got a lot of talents.

“Last but not least is number 78! Just who is this master who has been blazing through the rounds with her overwhelming prowess?! A famous mage? A renowned scholar? No, no, no! Listen and be surprised, because she’s a charming young lady who’s been playing all her matches with her adorable teddy bear in hand! Suffice it to say this tournament has never seen such a dark horse! She’s asked to remain anonymous, so her name’s a total secret! The mystery only deepens!”

Oh, you can participate in this tournament without giving your name? But doing so makes you even more conspicuous...

“Finally, on to what everyone’s dying to know: the matchups for the semifinals! First, the grandmaster, Nellas, versus the red beauty, Sera! The pervert with a little sister fetish, Kilto, versus the mysterious little girl who’s asked to remain anonymous!”

Isn’t your introduction of Kilto a bit harsh?! Granted, it’s sort of correct, but still!

“Please go easy on me, Sera-san.”

“Why would I do that? I want to give it all I’ve got.”

“Ha ha ha, no mercy for an old man, I see. However, I am the inventor of this game. I have no intention of losing either.”

The brief exchange before the match already had sparks flying between Sera’s and Nellas’s eyes. At the same time, Shutola and Kilto appeared to be saying something to each other.

“You’re very impressive, reaching this point at such a young age. That said, I’m confident I would have achieved the same even if I was your age.”

“You must be someone who really hates losing.”

“When it comes to a field that I’m confident in, I do hate losing, even if it’s a game. I will neither let down my guard nor go easy. I hope you’re ready.”

“Just the way I want it!”

Looks like things are heating up on this side too. I suppose we can expect a good match from—

“By the way, do you perhaps have an older sibling?”

“Mm-hm, I do. Why?”

“Ahh, I knew it. You have incredible little sister energy. I could tell from one look. Mm, you are a good little sister.”

“Uh...should I say thank you?”

That’s probably not the right response, Shutola. But my comrade sure has a perceptive eye. I can’t help but be impressed. Of course, Rion is still number one.

“All the participants are fired up, which means we should get started right now! The semifinals get double the time allotted to the earlier matches! Feel free to enjoy the game to your utmost! And without further ado: Ready... START!”

Four voices said, “Let’s have a good match” in unison.

Clack, clack...

“I suppose it’s not like the game is going to change just because we’re in the semifinals now,” I muttered.

“Well, that is the game. On the board, however, the back-and-forth is so intense it is practically a slugfest. These are truly incredible matches.”

So, Rosalia knows how to play? Then again, even Huba does, so I suppose it makes sense. Sadly, I’m still in the dark. I can feel how passionate everyone is, but my own heart isn’t beating any faster. I’d really appreciate it if Ronove could commentate on how the games are going, but she’s been pretty careful about staying quiet while the matches are going on, probably to avoid ruining the players’ concentration. Ugh, what a model of a commentator!

“I didn’t see that coming... How about this?!”

“Then I’ll do this.”

“What?! You ignored my move?!”

Both Shutola and Kilto were having a great time, as was everyone else who was watching.

Gah, I feel so out of place. I swear I’m going to learn the rules when I get back to the inn today!

“Aren’t you going to do something about this side?”

“Huh?!”

Shutola and Kilto started exchanging banter in this way halfway through their match. Thanks to their reactions, even a complete beginner like me could sort of tell who was gaining the advantage. Now that the duration of the game was doubled, it ended up being quite long, but it seemed to me like they were fast approaching their endgame.

“I...no longer have a way out. I surrender,” Kilto eventually admitted, putting down the piece he had lifted.

“Kilto Gaun has surrendered!” Ronove immediately shouted as if she had been counting down to this moment. “As a result, the anonymous young girl moves on to the championship match! Who could have predicted this huge upset?!”

Phew, glad to see Shutola taking the win again. Ah, her banter with Comrade Kilto kind of stole my attention halfway through and I stopped looking at Sera’s game. How is she do—

“I see, so a match can develop this way too. Just learned something new again.”

“Huh? Dearest sister Sera? Uh... Huh?!”

For some reason, Sera was standing right next to Shutola and Kilto’s table and observing their match up close with no one having noticed her up until that moment. Everyone, including me, gave a start.

“Whoa, what’s this?” Ronove exclaimed. “Sera-sama is watching this mat— Um, Sera-sama, what’s happened to your own game? Your timer is ticking down!”

“It was over a while ago. Nellas wants to keep going until the timer runs out, so I came over to watch instead of calling it.”

“I-Is that true?!”

Surprise swept through the venue. When we turned to look at Sera and Nellas’s board, we found Nellas desperately racking his brain as sweat beaded his forehead.

“Sera-san...”

“Hm? Have you made your decision?”

Upon being called by Nellas, Sera returned to her seat.

You sure are free-spirited.

“Indeed I have. I cannot describe how astonished I am at all the new moves you have shown me. You have the creativity to think outside the box and the deftness to realize your ideas. I take my hat off to you. I knew this moment would come someday, but to think that day is today... Sera-san, please take my title as grandmaster. I acknowledge that you have the ability to shoulder the next generation. I surrender.”

Ronove gasped. “Nellas-sama has just announced his surrender! The god of games has finally been struck down!”

The building rattled from the loudest blast of cheering it had heard so far.

“Wow, Sera actually won,” I murmured.

“What a surprise, right?” Rosalia replied. “And now the pairing for the final match has been decided. This is going to be a fight that goes down in history!”

Uh, am I imagining it? Rosalia still looks as cool as a cucumber, but she’s actually really excited right now, isn’t she?

“The final round of this year’s Beast King Game Master Competition is! Between! Sera! And! Anonymous! Now that we’ve come this far, let’s continue rolling along on that wave of momentum! Cry and laugh all you like; this is undoubtedly the very last match! ‘It’s just a game’? ‘Just playing around’? Shut it, none of that matters now! Show us the greatest entertainment ever!”

Wow, they’re already starting. Gaun seriously does everything based on momentum.

“Dearest sister Sera, let’s have a good match.”

“Of course we will. I knew you’d make it this far!”

“Me too. You weren’t trying your best up until the semifinals, were you? Instead, you were using this tournament to practice. That’s why you purposely played slow and didn’t overwhelm your opponents, keeping the scores as close as possible to prevent them from surrendering.”

“Oh, you could tell? We had a similar game where I grew up, and I beat Viktor at it so many times. However, there were some significant differences between the two games, so I wanted to familiarize myself with this one as much as possible.”

“I can’t wait to get started! I’ve only ever gotten serious while playing Colette-chan. It’s time I get serious again. Dearest sister Sera, let’s play!”

“Heh heh, challenge accepted!”

And with that, the curtains rose on a truly furious and mind-blowing match that went down in history.

◇ ◇ ◇

“Waaaaah! I can’t believe that just happened! It sucks!”

The setting sun illuminated our path as we made our way from the tournament venue back to our inn. The person wailing with heartfelt regret while latched onto my back was Sera. As was obvious from her reaction, she had lost to Shutola, albeit by a very narrow margin. This year’s Beast King Game Master Competition had ended with Shutola as the champion.

“Ha ha, you had to let go of the grandmaster title pretty much as soon as you got it,” I chuckled.

“I...am...num...ber...one!” Shutola sang repeatedly with pride, skipping along.

“Ugh! I promise I’ll beat you next year!”

I can tell through the Network that Sera is feeling really crushed. On the other hand, Shutola is loving that trophy in her arms. And I’m not sure, but I think Rosalia is feeling really proud of her right now.

“Huba never came back, did she? Where could she have gone?”

“I’m here, Master!” A maid in a miniskirt suddenly popped out from a side street.

What is this, a prank video?

“And I’m with her!” Rion cried as she popped out too.

Shutola’s eyes widened. “Huh? Rion-chan?”

“I’m sure there’s a lot you want to say, but first come with me!” Rion grabbed one of Shutola’s arms and started pulling her along.

Rosalia and I exchanged puzzled looks, then followed them, eventually ending up at...our inn.

“Shutola-chan, congratulations on the championship!”

A countless number of dishes laden with food were all laid out before us, with birthday-like decorations hung up everywhere. Beside Rion stood Efil, Ruka, and Huba. Actually, scratch that—everyone was present.

“Huh? Huuuh?!” Shutola was flabbergasted.

Even our genius princess failed to see this coming, huh?

“We started preparing this morning after Huba told me you were joining a large competition!” Rion said proudly.

“Heh heh, this is a surprise from us!” Huba added.

In other words, these two are behind the commemorative celebration.

“Ahhh.” I nodded with understanding. “I did think it kind of weird that Rion wasn’t coming along to cheer for Shutola.”

“I thought about asking you to help too, Kel-nii, but you all went in a group. So we decided to surprise you too. I’m sorry for lying to you, Shutola-chan, saying that I had something to do today.”

“R-Rion-chaaaan! Thank youuuu!”

“Oh no! Don’t cry, Shutola-chan!”

Awww, their friendship is so beautiful. This sight would have been even more beautiful without the suit of armor choking up with tears in the background, though.

“Hey, this all looks delicious.”

“You think so too, Sera? I’m already on my fourteenth plate.”

Before I knew it, Sera had dropped off my back, fully recovered. She was enjoying herself next to Melfina, who was, as usual, busily stuffing food into her mouth.