Elaine putted her heart together and breathed calmly, "Calm down... Calm down... This my first battle there is no need to be nervous, I need to do this." She whispered herself then watched as Diluc defeated a nameless man with his claymore which the Demi-Servant is going next.
'That feeling is normal, Elly. All you need it to do is doing you best.' Told Galahad while Diluc noticed her and headed straight towards her.
She griped her shield tightly then let the air out of her and Elaine's eyes were shown brightly. 'I will do my best. Afterall I promised to Kaeya that I will make it to the final round.'
"Elaine!" Her adoptive brother tapped her shoulder which she lifted her head towards him and saw that he smiled her brightly but Elaine saw his doubt on her, "It's your turn. Are you going to be alright?" Diluc asked and the Demi-Servant just nodded.
"Yes I am. Now if you excuse me brother, I'll go to the battleground." Elaine said to him with a confident smile then she passed away from him as she went down while the red haired boy couldn't help, but yelling at her hastly.
"Elaine!"
She stopped her footsteps and eyed at him questionable as he looked kind of angry and Kaeya is with them as he managed to win his first round like Diluc did.
"Why are you decided to leave us behind in the future? Is this because we aren't good enough for you?" Diluc's last question was stabbed her in the middle of her chest and only looked at him unreadible while Kaeya was silent as he want to hear it aswell since her intention was very unclear for him as Elaine told him that she wanted to see the world, however there's something more about her words that made him feel unease.
"I... I'm not feel ready to tell you Diluc and even you Kaeya." Said Elaine and turned away from them as she didn't want to show her face to them, "But what I only I can say is that I love you guys."
Their eyes widen as they both heard it from her.
"It's the part of it why I don't to tell you because this selfish reason of mine."
Then the Demi-Servant left them alone as she rushed to the battleground leaving Diluc and Kaeya behind who were spechless.
'Isn't this way too cruel to say that to us?'
Thought Kaeya grimly while Diluc clenched his fist.
"Well, I believe we should let this slide for now." Suggested Kaeya which the redhead looked at him with unreadible emotion which the blue haired boy slowly understood why she didn't want to tell them anything, "Elaine will tell us someday in the future which we need to understand her decisions for this moment." He said it simple.
Diluc just nodded silently.
'I should I apologieze her later from what I told her.'
-
As Elaine keep walking to the battlefield with guilty feeling from the conversation.
"I should able tell them, but I couldn't bring it up." She said filled with regret because it felt so wrong for her to hiding about her condition, but Elaine was afraid what they are going to do if she told them. Afterall Elaine is just a outlander who doesn't belong in that world and she was supposed to be die in that rotten fire.
'Elaine Ragnvindr!'
She flinched when Galahad yelled her in their mind.
'You're right that you should them told that even it was not the right time for you, however you knew that day will come that the both asking you that and it did but that's okay that you didn't open up your voice.' The holy knight told her while Elaine kept listen to him, "You three are still children that had yet to see the world. Someday, You will telling them what you want to tell but don't just think that it was a mistake to live. You are the one who summon me at the end of the holy grail war and I made this decisions that you should live your life!'
Elaine's eyes are widen filled with so many emotion then she put it away as the gray haired girl lit her 'fire' that was weakened just a little.
'I'm apologiezed, Sir Galahad. I will give all my strength today."
She felt him smiling upon her as she was back to usual self then someone called her that she was next to fight.
As Elaine was arrived, she was a little bit dumbstrucked who her opponent was, It was that light blue haired girl from before who glared at her sharply.
"I, Eula Lawrence will drag you down to where you belonged." Her gold-purple eyes was like ice when her opponent whose name is Eula drawed her claymore out of her hands and pointed at her which the people around the stadium whispered but it it was really clear from the two girls.
"Who even let that Lawrence child to let competed this tournament?"
"What are those Lawrence clan planning?"
"Are the they planning to overtake the knights of favonius like this?"
"A sinner shouldn't participate here."
The last sentence was to much for Elaine and looked to the refree who glared toxic to her opponent.
"Can you please step aside?"
The refree who was apparently a squire from the knights of favonius flinched a little when he caught her gaze that was scary for a child to have and obeyed which the grandmaster who watched the spectacle hummed in surprise.
"Hohoo, What am I seeing here?"
As the refree was very far from them, Elaine took a deep breath and took her shield to her front.
"I, Elaine Ragnvindr will not falter from here until the very end and see you, Eula Lawrence as my only one rival from now on!"
Eula was a little gobsmacked of that girl's speech which the people from above gobsmacked aswell except Romani and Crepus who just clapped to her.
"To think your daugther has such a backbone." The pink haired doctor commented which Crepus took this as his pride then they said nothing as they watched the their battle while the crowds are gobsmacked that the Ragnvindr head has another child who was apparently adopted.
Elaine took action without a word when smashed her shield at Eula which she blocked with her claymore but the demi servant wasn't done when rushed head straight towards her with her shield.
However Eula quickly slashed her shield which Elaine took a stepped back then she widen her eyes as the blue haired girl saw a opening from her that she raised her claymore once more to strike her which the demi servant quickly block it with her shield and pushed her back.
"Why?" Asked Eula while Elaine jumped back to gain more space as she turned her shield little then she rushed once more to the blue haired girl and slammed her which Eula nearly keep her balance.
"At the battlefield," The Demi Servant looked at her which Euka couldn't recognized her expression, "It doesn't matter If you are noble or a commoner and also doesn't matter if you are sinner or not since we humans fighting to each other all the time, also I want to fight with all of my might so don't dare disappoint me if you want to drag me down where I belong to."
The noble child couldn't believe what she was saying to her and for now their battle did not stop unlike the others that the crowds above couldn't help but ask how long does it takes that one of each reached their limit.
Among the crowds there was a mysterious woman hiding, who observed Elaine for a long time with a serious expression but she was also happy to see her. "So you're always like that since you were little, Elaine of the Round Table." She said with a thin smile then she goes to the exit, "I'm so glad to see you so alive but it would be so strange to see me since you don't know me just yet since Time is a strange thing even to us divines." Then she disappeared as she went to some kind of a ice mirror portal that she used to go to her palace.
"Grandmaster Varka! What shall we do?! Those children especially that kid with that enormous shield will nearly destroy the half of the stadium." Yelled Varka's friend Cyrus who is apparently the head of the Mondstadt's Adventure Guild branch while Varka just keep going on to cheer them as he forgot the true purpose of the whole tournament.
"Go! Go! Shield Girl! Do your thing with your crazy shield like it has a blade on it- OH! That punch has really in it that just created a small crater! Just how much strength do you hold back Kiddo?"
Cryrus couldn't help but sigh why was he befriended to that respectable man? Oh, he don't actually remember that which he couldn't but hit Varka with his fist and said.
"Get off your ass and stop those children to stop their fighting!" The Grandmaster rubbed his head a little and sighed.
"Fine. Fine. I'll go, Mom." He teased his old friend which Cryus took it as personal and want to throw some random things at him as he was being called like that.
"Don't call me like that! You know that I and the old adventures are raising child who calling us Dads!" The Branch Head yelled at him and cursed that Varka just escaped under his wrath with a laughter.
Meanwhile at the battlefield that Elaine and Eula fighting each other like there's no tomorrow. They both are sweating and reaching their limit, however they aren't going to give up just yet because they felt so restless as forgotten about the competition.
"How far are you standing with you claymore of yours, Lady Eula?" Huffed the gray haired child sweatly and gave a thin grin which the blue haired girl glared at her like usual.
"Hmph! So far, so good. Can't believe that someone like you managed to stand like that. Hmph... Mark my words my revenge will be mine."
Elaine and Galahad couldn't help, but sweatdropped of those words that came out from Eula.
'...A TsunTsun?" the holy knight slowly asked which the gray haired girl nodded in agree then she quickly evaded the slashes of the claymore that Eula gracefully attacked her like she was dancing.
"You're battle style is really beautiful, lady Eula. It's like I actually fighting to a graceful fairy." Praised Elaine and blocked the blow of the blue haired girl's claymore then she was about to crush Eula with her shield when she was intended to kick at her, but someone managed to stop them as a tall figure stood between them.
"That's enough!" He yelled which they both took a stepped back as they realized who the person was.
"Grandmaster Varka?" Shouted Diluc perplexed as he broke free from his awe of the battle between his adopted sister and the Lawrence's soon-to-be head. It's not everyday that Varka showed himself noneless to a ordinary tournament like this even though the Knights of Favonius and the Adventure Guild created this to see if someone is capable to their word, but the chance are prettly slim as it is a dangerous job for someone who doesn't know how to fight.
"It was truly splendid! Two of you have outstanding ability when it comes to combat and refused to fall down... Which I am truly sorry that I have to stop you because you guys fighting each other non-stop!"
Which Elaine's face turned slightly red in embarrasing while Eula just huffed in displease and sweared under her breath.
"I will remember this." She muttered and was going to exit which the Demi Servant was surprised over her action.
"E-Eula? Where are you going? Our Battle isn't over yet."
Eula just waved at her.
"This is your win. Just as the people said I don't belong here in this tournament and my 'family' will be so angry from what I did today." The light blue haired girl said and Elaine noticed her loneliness which she wanted to say something, but the Grandmaster hold her back.
"It would be the best to let it go. She lived a different world than ours so it would be the best to not to get involved." Advised Varka to Elaine even though he dislike it that he said to that outstanding girl that has the great potential to be a knight of Favonius, but little did he know that she take another path to be a adventurer.
However Elaine didn't listen to him as she shout to the noble girl.
"Eula Lawrence!"
Eula stopped her feets but didn't look back to the Demi Servant who looked at her in purest determination.
"I dislike winning like this and I hope we can settle our score when we are going to cross our path so-" The blue haired girl with a royal burden filled with sins of her past ancestors continued to walk to the exit while Elaine still shouted to her, "Let's meet again to a different time and place!"
Eula couldn't help but smiled thinly as she was thinking how weird that girl was, but it was very warm to heart which she still strive more to escape her so-called family of hers.
While the crowds didn't know what to do but clapped over the girl who wields a shield waved at them as she went with Varka to the waiting room then suddenly she felt a nausea which the Grandmaster noticed and give her some water.
"Here is some water for you, kiddo. Honestly I was truly moved how you wielded you shield of yours. I never met someone like you before, Elaine Ragvindr."
The Demi Servant chugged her water down and sighed with frustration but politely smiled him, "Thank you very much of your kind words Grandmaster Varka but I felt frustated that you called off our battle like that though."
Varka laughed heartly at her.
"I felt the same way! My guts told me that I should watch instead of stopping you but unfortunatly that tournament is not suitable for this. I wish I want to watch more or rather join to the battle which my old pal will properly scold me for this!"
"I see..." That's all what Elaine said with disbelief and wanted to conversed more to him but unfortunatly the grandmaster silently apologised to her as he was needed to his people which they parted ways.
Now she was all alone with only Galahad on her mind as he was taken care their saint graph as it was overheated a little and she curiously looked at the board when suddenly someone tapped to her shoulder silently which she turned around and saw Diluc who looked at her in guilty.
"...Sorry from before, I shouldn't have said that to you." The red haired boy sincerely said that to her and Elaine eyed at him for a while then she sighed.
"Forgiven and forgotten. And I'm sorry that I didn't to say anything about my real intention but all I can is that its partly true, that I want to travel the world." That's all that Elaine have to say then she hugged him which Diluc was little red, but he gladly returned her hug while Kaeya watched them from afar in jealousy as he wished it was him.
"Come to think of it... How did managed to wield that massive shield?" Pointed Diluc over that massive cross-shaped shield he ever saw in his life and Elaine shrugged.
"What do you think what I did when you managed to wield a freaking claymore of all of things?" The Demi Servant asked back.
Diluc rubbed his cheek with a childish frown.
"...That's a good point. But anyways, let's go back to our father because the second round will started tomorrow."
Elaine nodded at him with lovely smile and she noticed Kaeya who eyed at them with a emotion that she can't decipher it now but she headed towards him and smiled as she took his hand.
"Come on Kaeya! Let's go home together!"
His mouth was slightly widen but then he chuckled a little and tagged them along.
-
Ugh... I don't know what I felt about this chapter but anyways.
Please feel free to leave a comment and grammar suggestions are always welcomed here!