After confirming the matchups for today's duels, I wandered around for a bit with Sana and Sona until the matches began at 09:00 am.
Apparently, they were intrigued by the various food stalls and such that had been set-up around the place all this time, so I thought I'd let them take a gander as a reward for doing well.
Then, as I let the twins off to do their thing, I decided to watch the matches since I didn't have to go until this afternoon, but it ended up being rather disinteresting before long.
To be honest, I expected a bit more from the tournament's second-half, but I suppose it's because the first day or two still has lucky stragglers from the first-half, so there are bound to be a few anticlimactic matches.
Eventually, however, I laid eyes upon a contestant I hadn't noticed until now.
[―And now! Welcoming the Rising Star of the North! Avon Laura~!]
Listening to the announcer's hyped-up voice, I watched as a tall woman entered the arena; eyes as blue as the grand ocean and as vivid as a sapphire, with hip-long straight hair that matched the colour of pure snow on a winter's eve.
Her suitably cold demeanour and frosty visage as she sharply analysed her surroundings gave the impression of a royal majesty, and the unblemished, knightly white armour she donned from head-to-toe only amplified that notion.
That penetrative gaze of hers quickly scanned the entire audience, and before long, met my own.
[All~right! Let's start the duel in three! Two! One! Go~!]
Interrupted by the announcer's shout, the woman broke eye contact and focused on the fight ahead.
Hm~
...I spy a brazen little dog.
Avon Laura, huh?
It was for no longer than a moment, but she flinched upon meeting my eyes, didn't she?
「Yes」
Casually, I covered my mouth as I held my face with a hand. The corners of my lips arching, I soon realised what was going on.
...How amusing.
Clang--!!
Splatter-!
"Agh!?"
Fresh blood dripping to the cracked and dehydrated ground below, the ivory knight's relentless blade sliced through the air, splitting flesh and flesh apart with each swing and only the occasional collision of metal to break the combo.
Splatter-!
"Gehk...!"
Spilling copious amounts of bodily fluids, every wave of her arm caused seemingly irreparable damage to the enemy, and like magic, she somehow evaded, with swift and immaculate movements, all of the attempted attacks on her at the same time.
"Aaaarrrggghhhh...!"
Clang-!!
Clang-!!
Splatter-!
"Aagh...!"
Whether a contest of strength, technique or skill, the difference between the two was overwhelming in every category.
It was evident that her opponent wouldn't stand a chance right from the beginning.
And soon―
"I-I surrender...!"
The match had ended.
[It's over...! Yet again, the winner is the White Knight of the North, Avon Laura~!]
Barely listening to the announcer fervently begin to talk about the results of the battle, I got up and left the spectator seating area.
This woman, Avon Laura.
She knew me.
Or at the very least, she knew who I was, since I don't recall ever meeting such a person.
She looked somewhat special the second she entered my sight, but wouldn't you know?
Avon Laura, you're certainly a cheeky one, but don't think I wouldn't notice.
―You've been sent here by the Wardens, haven't you?
===
***
===
Today was the final day of the Festival of Might, August 15th.
Ever since I had spectated her match on the eighth day, Avon Laura had not yet confronted me, despite confirming that I was here.
I knew she wasn't waiting for something like reinforcements to arrive―anyone working under the Wardens knows better than anyone else how futile an effort that would be.
What she was waiting for was an opportunity to talk to me, one-on-one.
In other words, she aimed to be paired against me in a duel.
But... man, that's troubling for me. Because, well, I was going to fight the Supernatural Ability user from the Order, wasn't I? But now, that position has competition.
My, I didn't realise being popular was so troubling.
However.
I came up with a rather simple solution to that problem:
[Now, for the fourth time in Auriga's history! A 1v1v1, free-for-all Finals match with the Top 3 contestants! Are-! You-! Ready--?!]
―If I couldn't fight both of them alone, then I'd fight both of them at once.
By assassinating the other contestant that was supposed to fight today, only three remained―an odd number.
Only three times had a situation like this occurred before in the 800-year-long existence of the Aurigan Empire.
Not only did this solve the problem of not being able to fight both of them, but it also saved me a lot of effort in fighting because the two of them would want to quickly get rid of each other before they finally confront me.
Really, am I not a genius?
[First, a newcomer who shot through the other competitors like a comet with her unmatched blade; the Northern Knight of Frosty Excellence; Avon Laura enters the field~!]
I watched as Avon Laura walked into the arena with a displeased frown.
Was she irritated by my plan, or was it the unnecessarily flashy title that did her in?
Haha! Didn't expect this, did you? Miss Wardens' dog.
[A veteran warrior originating from our very own Auriga! The man who has held the title of King Conqueror for 7 consecutive years! Entering, the Gluttonous Boar for Glory, Vahara-!]
Then, a man of particularly bulky stature and wearing skimpy animal pelt clothes like an ancient hunter made his way into the arena. At his waist were two abnormally large and jagged daggers that seemed sharpened from a dark stone.
This guy... He was the one from the Order who challenged me...?
「Yes」
...It's not a mistake, right?
「No」
Right... It's just...
...I found the image of a man like that using the internet rather unfathomable...
Another interesting thing was that this guy is a higher-up of the Order in some capacity. Though not at the level of an executive, he must at least be some kind of manager.
What an odd character.
[And now, last but certainly not least! Yet another newcomer who finishes every match with an ominous smile! The only one to finish every single fight thus far in under a minute! Entering, Sage-!]
Following the cue, I walked through the gate that had just opened in front of me, and into the arena, where I was immediately blinded by the glaring sun's uselessly intense rays of light.
Not only that, but the noise was disorientating, too.
The constant roar of the crowd was deafening, and it rumbling the entire colosseum like a full-sized earthquake greater than any of the previous matches in the past two weeks.
More spectators than people I had ever seen in my life combined.
I suppose it was to be expected.
This was the final match of the Festival of Might, after all, and it took the form of an extraordinarily rare 'free for all' fight too.
One versus one versus one.
The Dog of the Wardens.
The Pig of the Order.
And me.
[Here we go~! The finals of this year's Fighter's Championship! The outcome will decide the new Champion of Auriga, the King Conqueror!]
Finally, the moment I've been waiting for.
[Start the match-!!]