Chapter 48: Old Friends
Amphere Harrison
The quarterfinals of the tournament have just finished. Apparently, the only four left in the tournament are the most powerful enemies I could face in my life time.
The first semifinalist is me, Amphere Harrison, who won fights miraculously with my intelligent and skillful dragonoid Airelina Frembell, who happens to be a key member of Arcadia and is the one behind annihilating a whole city. We fight to become the Princess's Knight, and convince the very princess about the approval of the Dragonoid Rights Bill; the law that will liberate all the dragonoids.
Second is the Student Council President and a Chevalier Unit member, Reina Stephanie Fleuret and her new dragonoid Richard Harrison (Astherson). Now that they both knew Airi's secret, they have a goal of revenge against my dragonoid. Honestly, these two are the scariest couple I could ever face since they have the intent to kill. I need Airi alive to pass the Dragonoid Rights Bill. After that, I won't care whatever they do to Airi.
Third is the dubbed Vesryn Pulse Canceler, Mark Anthony Octavius. I have seen almost all of his fights, and all of them are one sided maybe because of the fact that he cannot just cancel the transformation of the enemy dragonoid, but he can also prevent anyone from casting spells or enhanced skills.
And lastly, Cleru Neos. I'm quite confident about taking out this guy since each and every fight, he struggles to win. His shield plate is almost below 10% whenever the battle ends, but I'm sure that it wasn't just his luck. I have sensed a fine swordsmanship in him, and his burning desire to become the Princess's Knight makes him to win every battle he faces.
All, except for me, have already shown their Dracaryx. It may be advantageous information to us, but also a handicap for the reason that Airi and I are the only ones who didn't have any Dracaryx in this tournament. We have one more week for the next fight, and I hope we can unlock our own unbalanced special attack.
When the tournament ended, a lot of my annoying fans came rushing to me in the backstage. Every one of them wanted some selfie pics and autographs. Some even wanted me to shout "Objection!" just to hear my manly voice. I guess my popularity went uphill after they saw how I defended Airi in the face of the Regional Trial Court. Yes, they're annoying but I didn't have any balls to shove them away. I did what they asked me to do.
I totally lost my screw when this one fan approached me. She lifted up her skirt, and revealed up her white….undies and pointed her buttocks at me, while modestly saying this: "Can I have your autograph on my butt?"
I don't have enough sanity for this! What's more is that the girl is silently blushing! W-What the hell!
Good thing, Airi is here to save me. She…She immediately bolted forward, morphed her right heel to have some rocket-powered boosters and kick the girl's arse with all the power she had! She even shouted "GOAL!!!" as she saw the girl outrageously crying and flying like a fireworks! T-That's… above fifty meters, right!? Deadly!
"Don't worry, Amphy. She's safe, totally! She's wearing a Shield Plate, so the impact in her fall will not hurt." Airi have this naïve smile at me as she dragged me out of the mountains of fans begging for my attention.
Good grief that girl is wearing a Shield Plate. I swear to heavens that I will never defend you again if you ever kill somebody…again. Just when I thought I'm no longer in trouble, I was caught up with more.
"Horaaa!" It was a familiar voice from behind. When I turned around, I saw a thirteen-year-old boy dashing to me, and then he jumped forward and hit my right cheek with a flying kick! What a way to greet someone!
The thirteen-year-old boy is Gaz. If it doesn't ring a bell, he was the one who stole my backpack a few years ago, which led me to know Airi and the Arcadia. Maybe everything has happened is all thanks to him, but I still hate the guy. Also, this boy is part of Arcadia.
"You dare cheat on my wife Airi!" Gaz held his hips as he glared at me. He looks more mature now, wearing normal clothes and not a beggar boy on the streets. "I can't forgive you for humiliating my wife Airi!"
This dumb kid, blabbing about wife and crap. I was about to get up and reply with a punch but then Airi went between us, making this childish quarrel in a phase of temporary halt. "Stop this, you two!"
Airi gave of some chilling aura beside her. Whenever she does this, she's up to no good. Gaz and I know this better than anyone so we took a step back and calmed down a bit.
Gaz cleared his throat and then gave a letter to Airi. "Commander Estoff said that the communication signals are tapped if not jammed, so he sent me to deliver this information."
When Airi opened the envelope, a three-page coupon with the lists of transactions and other information about Duke Dragunov showed up. It seems like it is the financial statements of the duke, and his income during the Second and Third Dragonoid War, including the Crimson Dragonfly Incident. Several billions of credits are involved. At the back of the paper, is a red permanent pen which told us something.
Duke Dragunov is the mastermind of all these wars.
It may be incomplete evidence, but I already know that something is off with that duke. Alder hinted these when he was interrogated by Kyle and Rudolf.
"So that's how it was."
I never knew that Richard and Reina was eavesdropping and also, secretly spying on our back. Richard have this friendly smirk at us, but Reina…She's been staring at Airi in a horrifying mental manner. She's clenching her fist, trying to suppress her anger. She's trying hard not to kill her mother's killer.
"Reina." Richard turned to his love. "You know it's not the time for this. We can have your revenge later, after we have dug all information about this."
"So we're going to hear and watch them point fingers at each other, passing the baton on whom to blame?" Reina's tone is somewhat in the verge of crying but full of hatred. "I can't afford seeing my objective run freely after chasing for information all this time."
Airi bowed down in guilt, while Gaz seems expressionless. He doesn't know anything about the Crimson Dragonfly after all. And me…I just held this pokerface. I don't have any slightest intention in joining this rebuttal.
"I trust Estoff's words. I trust Airelina's actions. They were there for me when I was in the middle of darkness. The least I could do to them is to give them chance to justify their sins. Give them chance to explain first."
Reina, still shaking of anger, took a deep breath and then sighed. She crossed her arms below her bosoms and when she opened her eyes, we saw the past Reina, who is friendly towards others. "Think first and action later. That is my motto. I wanted to hear Estoff's and Airelina's justifications after we caught and extracted every bit of information from Dragunov."
Richard turned to me and smiled. I did the same in response. This temporary ceasefire will do.
"Looks like we're getting into trouble again, Amphere."
It was Rudolf's voice. I turned around again, and saw him fully geared up with silvery ceremonial knight's armor. It is the uniform of the Pentagram Knight in battle after all. Beside him is his beloved dragonoid Kyrie.
"I had information that General Kyle is currently confronting Estoff Wraith. But that's not our concern since I know both sides can last long. Our mission is to capture Duke Dragunov in the nearby Twilight City. Are you guys on it!?"
Rudolf's enthusiastic voice made everyone pumped up for action. Once Duke Dragunov is captured, we will complete everything in the puzzle. The whole truth that everyone is yearning for.
"Yeah!" Everyone replied.