Chapter 109: |
Even great men were bound to suffer injuries of various sizes. Sure, the priests on standby could treat their wounds, but they couldn’t restore the mental strength the warriors consumed by fighting for their lives over several minutes. As such, several days fell between the preliminaries and the final match to accommodate the fighter’s recovery.
Today was round 16: the quarterfinals.
If you bought a ticket two days ago, it only counted for that day, so spectators had to buy a new ticket today. The system caused a lot of complaints: the audience didn’t mind spending money, but getting tickets wasn’t easy in the first place. The struggle affected both commoners and nobles.
Some aristocrats and royals from other countries who came to celebrate Founding Day had invitations, so they didn’t have to fight for a seat… Or they shouldn’t have to… If anything, their fight was more intense than the others. It wasn’t a question of whether they had a seat but who they had to sit next to.
People returned after enjoying a break after round 16 that morning. As the empty seats filled one by one, they found a particularly striking figure in their midst: Prince Haqab, the influential heir of Balta, who had not attended the previous match.
To Haqab’s right was his sister Ganje, but the seat to his left was empty. The Crown Prince of the small kingdom, Maram, who had watched him, snuck up to fill the seat.
Haqab felt a presence approaching and turned his head from Ganje to look to his left. The hesitant Crown Prince greeted him with an awkward smile.
“Ah, it’s a pleasure to see you again, Prince Haqab.”
“Oh? Have we met before?”
The man’s face turned red. They had previously met in another foreign country, but Haqab seemed to have forgotten. Haqab laughed lowly while the Crown Prince of Maram was conflicted over whether he should introduce himself again.
“I’m kidding, Alse Maram. How can I forget the Crown Prince’s face?”
Despite the unpleasant joke, the Crown Prince of Maram smiled, relieved that Haqab remembered him. Ganje looked at Haqab with a surprised expression. One has to be careful with every word one says. He’s just playing with you.
Meanwhile, Alse Maram asked Haqab if he could sit next to him.
“Oh, my dear prince. My apologies. I know I should avoid reserving a seat, but I’m waiting for someone. Can you forgive me?”
“But of course. Haha.”
“How considerate you are. Let’s meet at the banquet.”
“Ah, that’s-”
“Have a good day.”
Haqab drove the Crown Prince away with a smile. The Crown Prince glanced back at him as he left. He seemed to want to make a specific appointment, but when Haqab turned his head toward Ganje again, he lost his chance.
Afterward, several contenders approached Haqab, unaware that Crown Prince Maram had been treated almost like a peddler and driven away. However, not a single person could exceed one minute of conversation with Haqab and had to leave for another seat.
Even though there was a lot of noise next to her, Ganje looked down at the stage with her arms crossed. Haqab wrapped his arm around Ganje’s shoulders and rested his head against hers.
“It’s tiring to be so popular. Come to think of it, Ganje, the match hasn’t even started yet, so what are you so focused on?”
“I’m just…”
“Just what?”
Haqab gave strength to the hand wrapped around her shoulders. Ganje frowned and shook his hand off.
“I’m just looking at people’s heads. Don’t bother me, Brother. It’s annoying.”
“People’s heads? Why? Would you like to rip them off?”
“They’re fascinating because they’re colorful. There’s only black hair in Livita.”
“Right? I’m not used to it either.”
Haqab laughed as if it was funny and stroked her head wildly. Ganje neatly trimmed her messy hair again with a grumpy expression.
“Ganje. Can you guess who will sit next to me?”
“The Baiferm.”
“You are smart.”
“The ones who don’t know are stupid.”
“That’s right. There are too many… stupid people.”
Haqab looked around with a short sigh. Eyes coveting an empty seat still floated around. Ganje read the true meaning of his smiling expression. He looked like he wanted to rip off their heads, as he had mentioned before.
“Yes, the Baiferm,” Haqab continued what he was saying earlier. “Which one do you mean?”
Which one? The Baiferm that Ganje spoke of was, of course, Dimla. You could quickly conclude that the current Baiferm Guandite was nothing more than Dimla’s puppet. However, Ganje now realized that the Baiferm her brother spoke of referred to Guandite, not Dimla.
You’re waiting for that kid? Ganje thought suspiciously.
“Is Baiferm Guandite even old enough to speak?”
Guandite would be 11 on her upcoming birthday. Although she looked a couple of years younger than that young age, she was still naturally able to talk, even if she was seven or eight. Ganje was asking not because she thought of the girl as an infant but to question whether the girl-child was grown up enough to understand and think through her words to give a proper answer. Haqab smiled as he understood her meaning.
“She babbles, but… I don’t know. We’ll have to meet her first.”
“It’ll be hard to get in a word with the Regent present.”
“I heard the news yesterday that the priests of Illavenia had stopped by the castle where the Lagos delegation stays. It seems the Regent’s health isn’t good, sadly.”
Sadly. But the man who said that seemed to be very happy. Ganje’s expression distorted a bit.
“Stop smiling, Brother. I can’t stand you.”
“You punk. Where did you learn to speak like that?”
Then a group appeared from the entrance. It was Baiferm Guandite who had brought some of her servants. As Haqab had expected, Dimla did not appear.
Haqab, who found Guandite searching for an empty seat, jumped up from his spot. As he approached, the attendants took one step closer to Guandite. The girl’s eyes widened in surprise, but she raised her hand to the attendants. The servants took a step back with dissatisfied expressions.
“Oh, isn’t this the Baiferm? What a fateful encounter.”
“Prince.”
The girl tilted her head slightly as she looked at Haqab, who looked almost twice as tall as herself. A vigilant look fell on her face.
“If you don’t mind, may I guide you to your seat?”
The girl’s gaze turned to the servants behind her. One of them firmly shook her head. Blink. Blink. Guandite’s large eyes fluttered. One could easily read the conflict in it. She was well aware of the dangers of Prince Haqab, but it seemed she found it troubling to reject the polite request.
The girl nodded her head eventually.
“Please, Prince.”
Haqab grinned. He guided Guandite to the seat next to him as if it was natural. Except for the uncomfortable company, it was a great spot to watch the show, even for the short Guandite. The problem was that the big chair was high enough for her to whine internally. Her royal dignity was on the verge of falling to the ground. When Guandite hesitated, Haqab went on one knee.
“Baiferm.”
Then he placed his large hand on top of his knee. Anyone who saw it would understand he was offering Guandite to step on his knee. Guandite’s eyes fluttered.
“I told you I’d guide you. It’s okay, Baiferm. Just grab my shoulder and go up.”
On his knees, their eyes were almost at the same level. The girl lowered her eyes slightly as if embarrassed. She hesitated but grabbed Haqab by the shoulder and stepped on his offered hand. Even though Guandite put her weight on him, his hand still supported the girl. Haqab raised his hand to help the girl sit before taking his place.
Ganje greeted the Baiferm with a smile. Guandite also greeted her politely. Haqab opened his mouth as he watched the two greet each other.
“Did you come to see Sir Rosaline, Baiferm?”
Guandite raised her chin proudly as if she’d never been previously tense.
“I came to see the brave warriors of Illavenia.”
“Ah, but there’s no man braver than the warriors of Lagos who overcome the freezing cold.”
The girl, who tried to calm down, showed a little emotion as if she were happy. Ganje looked at the attendants who had followed Guandite, thinking they must be crazy. What on earth were your thoughts on bringing this unguarded little child to the snake’s den? They say Lagos raises their children harshly. It doesn’t seem to be empty words.
Although Guandite didn’t lower her walls too much, she enjoyed talking to Haqab. He left out complicated words and political terms and spoke instead about trivialities, such as the snow-capped mountains of Lagos he had seen, crystals of ice that hardened like jewels, and the bones of whales left on the shore. How deeply that amazing scene engraved itself onto his heart. He slowly unraveled the tale as if he were telling an old story to a child.
As Haqab’s story progressed, Guandite, who had raised her fur like an animal, softened her vigilance.
“I went out to the terrace once, and then that ice— the one frozen from above… I heard the name, but I forgot.”
“You mean an icicle.”
“Right, an icicle fell and hit my head, and then I stumbled and slipped on the frozen floor. It is a relief that no one saw it.”
“Ahaha!”
The girl covered her mouth with her hand and laughed. Haqab bitterly smiled as he laughed with the girl.
“That was the first day I met Baiferm Ploeto.”
Guandite’s expression hardened. When the story of the imprisoned former Baiferm came out, the light of vigilance began to shine again.