Chapter 38: The Colosseum (1)
The Kingdom of Demesia.
A tightly closed kingdom that rejects everything unrelated to martial arts.
Not only magic, but alchemy, elemental manipulation, and witchcraft were all rejected.
As for the Holy Maiden, it wasn’t exactly clear what she dealt with, but her abilities included reading destinies and divination.
It was obvious that these weren’t related to martial arts.
An unwelcome guest.
Receiving unfriendly glances was expected.
“You are the culprit.”
“?”
Being immediately accused of being the culprit upon arrival was unexpected, though.
“…What are you talking about?”
The Holy Maiden remained calm even in this sudden situation, maintaining her usual composed demeanor while calmly questioning.
“I haven’t done anything since coming to this city.”
“Nothing? What nonsense!”
Balkan’s security captain sneered.
With dark skin and a muscular build, he proudly displayed his immense physique, enhanced by his plate armor.
Bang!
When he slammed his fist on the table, it shook violently.
Wow, isn’t that going to break?
“There have been several reports accusing you as the culprit! Are you saying the righteous citizens of Demesia would falsely accuse someone?”
“It might not be false but rather a misunderstanding or misjudgment.”
“You witch, you talk too much.”
‘This is chaos.’
It seemed like the captain had already identified the Holy Maiden as the culprit. Whether or not she was guilty didn’t matter; it was just another instance of capturing an undesirable group and throwing them into jail.
This was problematic for Evan’s side. His plan to increase the Holy Maiden’s favorability was falling apart.
Sigh, I don’t want to do this. Not because it’s scary, but because the captain looks so menacing.
He somewhat resembles Tyson, doesn’t he? Even without a sword, just swinging his fists could turn Evan into mush.
Though, with the Living Golem around, it probably wouldn’t come to that.
“Huff, huff!”
Evan could handle it! He tried to calm himself down. Though he felt somewhat betrayed by his quiet teammates behind him, it didn’t matter now.
“Could you please explain the situation more clearly?”
Ah, I’m getting nervous. My face stiffened, and my tone became rigid. One little mistake and I might start stuttering.
I need to keep my voice steady.
“…Who are you?”
Finally recognizing Evan, the captain turned his head. Could it be he hadn’t noticed until now?
“Are you perhaps a noble?”
The suddenly respectful tone. Whatever he saw, this was better.
At least now there was no need to fear intimidation or threats from the captain.
“My name is Evan Alkart.”
Evan subtly implied, “Don’t mess with me because my family is powerful.”
“I’ve briefly come to Balkan for some business. This person is my companion, and I’d appreciate it if you could clarify what’s happening here.”
Hmm, should I put my hand on his shoulder? That might seem too friendly.
“I don’t want my valuable companion to get unnecessarily involved in trouble.”
“…Alkart?”
It seemed to hit home. The captain hesitated slightly, a faint hint of fear detectable in his eyes.
Oh, they know the name in the Kingdom of Demesia?
“Lately, people in Balkan have been disappearing frequently.”
The captain scratched his head with trembling hands. His hair gleamed.
“There have been many recent disappearances, so discreet that even honorable warriors can’t find them. Therefore, we suspect a mage to be the culprit.”
“Hmm.”
Disappearances, huh. Did something like this happen during this period? It’s hard to tell since it’s a few months before the main story begins.
One thing is certain:
‘This shouldn’t be a big issue.’
If the Holy Maiden were identified as the culprit, then she wouldn’t appear in the Kingdom of Demesia in the future.
Even though the probability is low, she has shown up in Balkan City multiple times. If she were the culprit, she wouldn’t ignore the laws and enter anyway.
In other words,
It would resolve itself eventually.
But,
‘What if I solve it first?’
Could I gain her favor?
“It doesn’t seem right to label someone as the culprit without properly verifying the truth.”
“…Do you not know who this person is? She is the Holy Maiden of the Night Sky. A famous witch.”
“She is not a witch but a Holy Maiden.”
A phrase the Holy Maiden often repeated. Whenever someone called her a witch, she kindly corrected them, “I am a Holy Maiden.”
By mimicking her tone, Evan could feel the Holy Maiden turning to look at him in surprise.
“Could you explain the details about the culprit? I’ll help resolve this for you.”
Good job.
Phew! Great, masculine Evan!
This was definitely enough to qualify as manly!
Just as Evan was feeling proud internally,
“Wait a moment.”
Woosh!
The Holy Maiden grabbed Evan’s sleeve. It seemed like a spell was activated, distorting the space slightly and creating an opaque barrier.
‘Is this it?’
[Mirror Distortion], a fifth-tier magic that conceals appearances and blocks sound. Impressive how quickly she cast it.
Despite its short duration, it seemed irrelevant. The Holy Maiden quickly initiated a conversation.
– What are you doing right now?
– It seems like you’ve been unjustly accused.
Evan maintained his composure as best as he could.
– I’m trying to help resolve this for you. It feels unnecessary to involve me in this.
– …No, that’s not true.
– If I’ve overstepped, I’ll retract my offer now.
The Holy Maiden bit her lips lightly. It seemed she hadn’t crossed any boundaries.
Well,
Wouldn’t I know if I crossed the line?
After all, she’s one of my favorite characters.
This implies that my analysis is accurate.
– …What do you want?
– ?
– There’s no such thing as a selfless act without any reward. Whether it’s personal satisfaction, money, time, or something else, there’s always a desire. What do you want?
The Holy Maiden stared intently at Evan. She believed in giving nothing without expecting something in return. Even small tokens were reciprocated with similar value.
A kind of equivalent exchange, almost pathological in nature.
So, what would she say she wanted?
She couldn’t give anything immediately. Only in the future could her assistance prove invaluable. Reading destinies could help avoid impending threats and potentially save lives.
While Evan mentioned that destinies couldn’t currently be read, once the main story starts, things might change.
– I’d like you to read someone’s fortune later.
– But…
– It doesn’t have to be me. Lapis, Elder Isi, Felix, or even my family would suffice. I’d like you to read the fortune of whoever I designate.
– …
Surprisingly, the Holy Maiden lost her words, staring at Evan with a complex expression before nodding.
– …Alright.
Mission accomplished!
Great job. Now, this truly makes Evan a man among men!
Evan marveled at his own success.
Luckily, the security captain didn’t notice the conversation between the Holy Maiden and Evan.
Was using a fifth-tier magic really necessary?
“Are there any suspects at all?”
Evan’s question caused the captain to slightly frown.
“…They’re always seen wearing black robes.”
Glancing at the Holy Maiden, whose robe had a slight bluish tint, she shook her head.
“It’s not just plain black. This is navy…”
“I’m aware.”
Why does it bother you?
“At least ten people travel together. When they play a flute, children disappear… Their identities remain completely unknown.”
A flute-playing man?
That’s certainly strange. Calling it magic might not fully cover it.
It sounds closer to a cult.
“…Reports also mention traces of human sacrifices or offerings.”
“!”
“!”
Isis and Lapis turned their heads. Isis reacted to the mention of human sacrifice, while Lapis responded to those two words. Evan reacted similarly.
‘…Isn’t this a heretic?’
Human sacrifices, fleeing criminals, unidentifiable individuals—these must be foreigners. In this era, information about foreigners should be available.
“Do they recite lines like ‘for whom’?”
“All reports are based on distant observations, so I’m unsure.”
‘Hmm, it seems fitting.’
Heretics expelled from the Empire. Hunted by Arthur, captured by Evan, and now pursued by Gloria. It appears the remnants of their group have infiltrated here.
Well, where else could they flee to? They’d have to come abroad if they wanted to escape.
“…Heretics? Would those ridiculous ones dare to come to our kingdom?”
“They were pushed out due to power struggles in the Empire.”
More accurately, they were massacred.
“The remnants have fled here.”
“…How dare they.”
Krrr!
The security captain clenched his fists and ground his teeth.
Wow, that’s creepy.
“The last reported sighting was at the colosseum.”
Grumbling, the captain pulled out a piece of paper and slapped it on the table.
“There have been periodic disappearances at the colosseum. Mostly gladiators, and bodies vanish as well.”
“Colosseum…”
Felix muttered.
The colosseum. A sacred ritual of combat held in the Colosseum.
To Evan, it was more of a form of entertainment and gambling where warriors fought for money.
“Have there been any unusual items circulating at the colosseum lately?”
“I heard the potions favored by gladiators have changed.”
“Perhaps red-colored?”
“Correct.”
That fits. A popular potion. Likely not for recovery.
Probably for strength or stamina enhancement. To improve, either a skilled alchemist is involved, or they’re using the dark forces of a cult, possibly involving blood.
It’s the latter. If it were the former, Isis would have reacted earlier.
‘Hmm, should I go to the Colosseum?’
It’s a bit scary, no, it smells bad there.
‘The best solution would be to destroy the colosseum entirely.’
But that could harm innocent people. That’s concerning. No matter what, killing good people is unacceptable.
“Let me go.”
At that moment, Felix stepped forward.
“I’ll investigate the situation at the colosseum.”
“Oh! You’re a warrior, aren’t you?”
The captain’s face lit up upon seeing Felix.
“Your bearing and posture… Excellent!”
“I’m Felix, son of Elim. I’m on a pilgrimage journey, aspiring to become a Swordmaster.”
“Impressive! You’re still young, yet…”
The captain admired Felix, patting his back enthusiastically. Clearly pleased, he even volunteered information.
“This is confidential, but the grand prize for this year’s colosseum competition has been updated.”
“Updated?”
“Five Ananke’s Pens.”
Huh?
Evan’s eyes widened slightly.
“I’m not sure about their capabilities, but they were acquired at great expense.”
‘Is this item appearing here?’
Ananke’s Pen. Created by a brilliant magician who, after losing her freedom post-marriage, yearned to regain it. Its distinguishing features include slightly worn graphite and an old casing.
Its effect is immediate—
“…Spatial teleportation?”
Instantaneous teleportation to anywhere, using a fourth-tier space magic [Flicker]. Rechargeable, requiring one year per use. With five pens, that means five uses.
The Holy Maiden seemed to recognize this artifact, pausing briefly. Evan sensed its potential value.
‘…Maybe I should join in?’
It proved useful in the original storyline, primarily as an emergency escape artifact.
Just having one of these could slightly lower the difficulty of the plot!
Of course, Evan didn’t plan to participate directly. That would be too frightening.
Felix alone was a bit risky. Thus,
“Unit 5.”
?
Unit 5, quietly stored within Evan’s belongings, was a golem designed solely for combat. Evan whispered softly to the miniature golem.
“Please take care of it.”
Bang bang!
Unit 5 pounded its chest, signaling confidence.
The Holy Maiden hailed from the Tower of Space-Time, exceedingly familiar with magic involving time and space.
All the more so as one of the few remaining inheritors of celestial magic on the continent.
‘…How did such a valuable item like the pen end up here?’
An artifact inscribed with space magic. Extremely rare.
So rare that it’s hard to obtain even on the black market. Finding it by chance seemed unlikely.
Was this arranged beforehand?
Evan’s reaction suggested the same. He didn’t seem particularly surprised, as if he had anticipated its appearance.
‘Did he plan all of this?’
Due to the recent incident regarding her being labeled a “witch,” the Holy Maiden felt increasingly uneasy and suspicious.
Even Evan’s kindness was under suspicion. Helping her or participating in the colosseum—could all of this be part of his plan?
What if Evan was the mastermind orchestrating everything from behind the scenes?
Is this event somehow connected to him?
“…”
A complex gaze lingered on Evan, as if trying to decipher his true intentions.
