It's one day before tournament. Not much really happen the past week other than people who looked at me surprised when the tutor from academy announced who'll be participating in the tournament.
The list goes down from Jeanne Sanctia, Darius Welch, for 4th year. Rena Daschnel, and some other ranker in 3rd year. Charlotte Niel, Steve Haven, Lucille Sanctia, and finally, Me. There's a total of 100 participants from the academy and I'm ranked like, the second lowest.
I'm satisfied with that ranking list. Nicely done! It's a place fitting for a mob character.
The reason why I am participating is because I need to have entry for the tournament to get inside it. Without that you'll have to sit on the audience seats that's a little bit far from the one that the participants are. I'll go, and just lose at the first match. It's for my performance of mob character. There, I'll boost my existence as a mob character to everyone present. What an intro.
That's why I prepared two applications form. One with my public identity and one with the fake name. By using a little bit of mana to cause confusion and some mind control magic on the judge, he just accepted my participation form without a question. It's totally feel like a superheroes in disguise! Muahahaha!
The plan is to lose as Raye Daschnel and then establish my mob character to every eyes from audience and participants. Then leaving the coliseum with my back swinging left and right and shivering legs. A total cowardly mobs!
Then, after I'm eliminated, I'll join back. As a MYSTERIOUS MAN IN BLACK.
What a perfect plan. Or so I thought. My eyes goes as wide as possible when I looked at the tournament events that's will be held tomorrow…
Listed in first, is "Mock Battle Royale Practice Stage". The description is, "You are chosen to join the opening. If not, will be disqualified. This event will serve as an opening for the tournament."
@$?!#%&*+-=/!?$(@)#
This… This can't be.
Why does it have to be a Mock Battle Royale as an opening?!!
My plan failed now. Not my plan as the mysterious man in black, but the one that'll establish my position as mob character in the eye of the empire's citizen and the world.
Curse the one who made the events…
It's different from last time!
Hah… I guess I'll just go with introducing my mysterious man in black on this tournament… What a disappointment…
I shrugged my hair and feeling depressed, enough for everyone to take attention at me.
I heard something like, "Guess he's going to disqualifying himself. It's mock battle royale in first events after all." and all kind of other sentences, filled with mockery and laughter…
What a bad day…
*****
"WELCOME EVERYONE! THE TOURNAMENT THAT EVERYONE HAS ANTICIPATING IS FINALLY ABOUT TO START!"
The person that shout those seems to use some kind of voice amplification magic with the item he hold in his hand. Similar to a microphone but with a crystal-like gem that he directed to his mouth.
When he finished his sentence, a loud cheers and hysteric scream of joy are shouted by the audience. Filled with many colors and many nationalities, the whole seats avail in this coliseum is packed with people. One can say that this scene feels like a world cup final.
"NOW, BEFORE WE OFFICIALLY START THE TOURNAMENT, WE HAVE A SPECIAL GUEST THAT WILL GIVE THE SPEECH! BEHOLD, THE EMPEROR! JULES THE THIRD!"
Another round of cheers are heard. And the person who make the announcement moved aside and said in humble voice, "Your Majesty, My Emperor, its your time to give a speech."
A man on his mid life, with luxurious uniform that's resemble a suit from earth, smiled at the announcer. He then get up and received the microphone-like item from the announcer and walk toward the stage in grace.
"MY GREATEST CONGRATULATIONS FOR EVERYONE THAT'S PRESENT HERE, AND EVERYONE THAT'S BEEN ANTICIPATING THE TOURNAMENT UNTIL TODAY. AND MAY I BLESS A LOT OF THANK TOWARD THE TOURNAMENT COMMITTEE THAT HAS WORKED HARD TO ...…"
While the emperor's giving his speech, the situation behind the coliseum, in the participants waiting room is quite dark. Most of them are nervous because of the appearance of the emperor that's never been announced before. While other are afraid of the upcoming opponent they had to face, as the match table is already presented to them in that big board stand. Some are relaxed, chatting with each other. While some are bothering themselves to take a peek at the emperor.
One of them is a familiar face, with pale white hair and green eye, sitting and relaxed.
"Lucille. So you are participating after all."
That comes from Jeanne, followed by a few upperclassmen that'll be participating as well. One of them is Darius. Lucille didn't react much to her sister, while staring with emotionless eye at her. Few glares of hate could be seen from some of her sister follower, directed toward Lucille. Though she doesn't seems to care at all. The ice breaker of that situation comes a bit later, and who else but Rena who's always cheerful almost all the time. She seems to be looking for someone and decided to asked the sisters about it.
"Did anyone sees my cute little Raye? I can't find him at all."
"Ohh, Rena-san. It seems like you're as lively as always. About your little brother, no. We didn't meet him as well since we came to this room. Didn't you both come together?"
"That's it! Jeanne-san. He said he'll be late because he had a stomachache and is doing his business in the toilet. So I came here first."
"I hope he didn't late. And also let's hope his stomachache didn't hinder his performance later."
"It won't! My cute little Raye is strong!"
"Ahaha… Is that so?"
The two chatted for awhile. Until one of Jeanne's follower badmouthing Raye and is heard by Rena.
"I guess he's making excuses to be late. Ha, what a coward."
While Rena didn't say anything, but her glare are strong enough to make that follower flinch and sweating cold sweat. If only glares could kill, then Rena's expressions right now would be perfect for it.
"That's not good. You can't badmouthing someone like that, all right?"
"Ye… Yes, Jeanne-sama. I'm sorry."
They're exchanging conversations for awhile with Lucille getting annoyed as she got caught up by it. And suddenly a louder cheers than the first and second one are heard from the audience seats, which also stopped everyone in the participants waiting room to stop their activities.
"It seems to be starting."
They're preparing themselves to be called. As the total participants this time is about 500 in total, not all of them will be participating in the opening.
The first few names are quite insignificant and the cheers are not quite pleasing, until Jeanne Sanctia was called. Loud cheers, females and males, all are crazy to welcome her to step into the arena.
When Lucille's name are called, rather than cheering, it's more like people busy exchanging conversations with one and the other, like whispers and casual talk. But mostly is talking about Lucille. Then, Darius is called. And others are also called.
"AND FOR THE NEXT ONE, IS… RAYE DASCHNEL!"
…
No one responded to that name. They don't know anything about him after all. Some even asking loudly about who is it. Then, a minute passed. But nobody is going to the stage.
The announcer decided to call for his name once again, but, still no one.
Then someone come at the announcer and whispered to him.
"UMM, IT SEEMS LIKE HE'S NOT PRESENT. AND THE COMMITTEE HAS DECIDED TO DISQUALIFY HIM. SO, NOW, FOR THE NEXT PARTICIPANT!"
And that's how Raye Daschnel got disqualified. Most of the people are laughing and spreading hate. Cowards, pussycat, lame, suck, and more. All but his sister. Dark aura can be seen on her back, and her face are that of when someone is in the situation of ready to kill and die.
I'll ****** kill all of you!
That was uttered inside her head, but all the people near her could see those word slipped out from her head. The names continues to be called.
"AND THEN THE LAST PARTICIPANTS, GEHEIM NISUBELSCHATT!"
The cheers stopped. Not because they're shocked by who that guy that bear the name, but because of how rare the name is.
Geheim Nisubelschatt (ゲハイム•ニヅベルシャット) is not a common name from this empire. There's no name of nobles that goes by Nisubelschatt in this empire. As far as one know, that name is not even from this continent.
It gets the attention of most of the people around, even the emperor is interested.
"Hoo… It's quite a peculiar name. As far as I remember, those name are from the continent of Herrlichkeit (ハリシュカイト)."
Says the emperor. All the people are expecting him. But, like that one time with Raye, his arrival is delayed. Many people started to murmurs, and wondering what's happening. Until a footstep heard from inside the hallway to the stage.
Katsu. Katsu. Katsu.
As time goes, the sound are getting clearer and loud. Everyone are silent. Looking at that overshadowed hallway, feeling fixated by the step. As time goes, they felt like their breathing are hard and rough. Later on, they're not taking breath at all. Just keep looking at the hallway and waiting for that 'something' that caused the sound. At that moment, a foot appeared over the shadow. Black boot. Black long pants. Black dress. All in black. Behind the back of his waist, placed a super rare looking sword sheathed in it's super rare looking scabbard. His gleam reddish eye are sharp, yet so calm and composed. It's not an exaggeration to say that every single part of him is a perfect gentleman figure in this world point of views.
The figure are young. Or that's what most people will think. And even with half of his face covered in a mask that looked like a skull, they can see that the gentleman has a really charming face. If not, there's no reason to keep looking at him.
Even the emperor are opening his eyes as wide as possible.
"What a gentleman. With just those footstep and his presence, he captivated all audience and participants… And, Alexei, you should learn from him. Did you feel it? It's the aura of greatness and noble. How charming."
"Tsk!"
The emperor seems to take a liking at that gentleman, while Alexei, his son, clicked his tongue when his father complimented the gentleman.
One of the committee member finally realized that he's acting weird right now, and quickly return to reality. He's also the one that calls the announcer and tells him to continue. While stuttering his word many times, the announcer finally getting ready to announce again.
"A… AND THAT'S A… ALL THE PA… PARTICIPANTS THAT WILL BE… BE JOINING THE OPENING MO… MOCK BATTLE ROYALE MATCH!"
Then one by one, the audience came back to the reality and is totally dumbfounded. All of them are busy with asking one after another question, mostly about that gentleman in black that has charmed their heart. Especially the ladies. While the guy are going crazy on how good-looking he is even with that hidden face, showing that they are lacking charms compared to that gentleman. Some are wondering how can a man be so beautiful.
"What an entrance… He totally took everyone attention. Even though we have Jeanne-sama with us here…"
So uttered Darius. While he's more composed than anyone here beside Jeanne and Lucille, he felt a burning heart filled with jealousy and sense of inferiority just by looking at that gentleman.
He spread around a kind of charm and presence that's not to be taken lightly. Someone like him are not a simple guy from nowhere. He must be someone important.
A prince. Or maybe a ruler from some faraway kingdom outside this continent. There's no way a man of this level is being kept unknown from public in this continent that respects arts and beauty.
Amongst all the people here, there's one that show a different kind of stare at him. Admiration, love and affection. Those eyes are gloaming with respect and love.
She know it. There's no way his little brother are going to run away from this tournament. Rena quickly seen through the gentleman, and his identity. She know, that that gentleman, is his lovely cute little brother, Raye.
To be continued…