When Alberto and Neizan decided on the day to make the contract, they agreed it would take place on the same day they would depart for the capital. When the time came, it was Meilia who placed her hands on their palms. The two stood face to face, watching as Meilia closed her eyes to perform the spell that would bind them through a spiritual contract. Arthur and Nana, who gracefully wagged her tail, witnessed the scene.
With her eyes now open, Meilia calmly declared:
With the spell completed, the group headed to the mansion's entrance to step into the garden. It was a perfect moment to depart for the capital: the rains from the previous days had stopped, leaving a clear, bright blue sky. In the vast garden of the grand mansion, everyone was gathered. There, two elegant carriages awaited them, along with their coachmen. Each carriage, pulled by two horses, was ready to begin the journey.
Meilia, Neizan, Arthur, and Nana boarded the second carriage, while Sir Miguel and Marquis Alberto settled into the first one. Once everyone was on board, the coachman flicked the reins of his whip, giving a light tap to the horses' backs, which began to move along the sandy path.
『Arthur: Wow, what a magnificent carriage! I've never seen one with silver engravings and such elegant fabrics. 』
Arthur was impressed by the luxurious seats and everything around him. The carriage was so spacious that it could easily seat six people.
『Neizan: Don't start drooling just yet. When all of this is over, you'll be able to buy one just like it. 』
『Arthur: Of course! And I'm sure there will be big bets with lots of money behind the fights. We'll get rich, Neizan! 』
『Neizan: I thought we had already dropped the betting topic… 』
『Arthur: Yeah, but this opportunity is unique. Wouldn't it be a waste not to take advantage of it? 』
『Neizan: I'm pretty sure that guy plans to bet too. He told me that, aside from surviving, I should avoid drawing too much attention in the early fights. According to them, they've seen him in person and know how it works. If I pretend to be weak, I'll have a better chance of making it through the first matches without much difficulty. 』
『Arthur: I suppose that's true. It makes sense. If people saw you were clearly stronger than your opponents, they would give you tougher challenges. Plus, the odds for your victory would rise, and those of us who were certain you'd win wouldn't be able to make as much profit. 』
『Neizan: ...There will only be four matches until the final. Although, from what I understand, the first one will be a large elimination round that gathers all participants from each faction. 』
『Arthur: That will give us an advantage. It's less likely that the spectators will see your hand and anticipate your moves later on. 』
Arthur said, nodding with a confident smile as he tapped his fingers on the armrest.
『Meilia: How many days are we from the capital? 』
『Neizan: We've only been here for a few minutes, and you already want to arrive? 』
Neizan responded with a brief laugh, trying to lighten the mood.
『Meilia: It's not that… I was just asking. 』
『Arthur: I think it will be about three or four days. And there are only seven days left until it starts. 』
Arthur commented in a reflective tone, while fiddling with a buckle on his belt.
『Meilia: And where is Lina? 』
『Neizan: She should already be there waiting for us, according to Alberto. Why do you want to know? 』
『Meilia: ...I still haven't apologized to her. She must hate me… 』
Meilia said, lowering her gaze, her voice heavy with each word.
『Neizan: Yeah… 』
『Arthur: Meilia. You don't need to worry about that now. 』
Arthur leaned toward her, trying to sound encouraging, though his expression showed he wasn't sure what else to say.
『Meilia: ...I know. Still, I want to make amends with you all. 』
Meilia whispered, lifting her gaze for a moment, revealing eyes filled with regret. As she said this, she let out a deep sigh, as if releasing a heavy weight, and lowered her guard, revealing her sincerity.
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Upon arriving at the capital, Deval, Neizan and the others stopped to take in the vast and majestic city surrounding them. The architecture had an imposing air, reminiscent of the grandeur of ancient Rome.
『Arthur: Wow! Impressive! I've never seen anything like it. 』
Arthur's amazement was evident. It was understandable, given that he was used to villages with modest streets and houses. Here, however, every corner held true masterpieces of architecture and engineering, and the streets were packed with people.
『Neizan: Hard to believe that, so far from the mansion, places like this exist. 』
『Meilia: Are we there yet? 』
Meilia, who had been asleep in her seat, stretched and, with a slight sigh, leaned closer to the window to take a look.
『Arthur: Yes! Look! 』
『Meilia: Finally... I was getting tired of the long journey. 』
『Neizan: From here, you can already see the coliseum. 』
『Arthur: Oh, really? Where? 』
『Neizan: Look over there in the distance. Do you see the main square? Just past it, to the right. 』
『Arthur: Is that the coliseum? It's huge! 』
『Meilia: How can you be so sure that's the coliseum? 』
『Neizan: I've seen them before. 』
『Meilia: You mean you've been to one before? 』
『Neizan: No, but I already knew about it. 』
Through the carriage windows, they could observe each corner of the city in detail and with awe.
『Arthur: We've stopped. 』
『Neizan: It seems so. 』
『Meilia: I'm getting out now. 』
She took hold of the door and opened it, letting the light from outside flood in.
『Arthur: Wait, they haven't told us we can get out here yet. 』
But after Meilia stepped down, Neizan followed her, ignoring Arthur's words.
『Arthur: Ah… "Well, I guess I'll get out too." 』
Once they were all outside, they found themselves standing in front of what appeared to be a luxurious private residence—a grand building of about four stories.