Chapter 2: Magic Tournament
“Wow, this place truly lives up to its name as the ‘Magic Kingdom.’ Magic is everywhere you look.”
“Jirei-kun doesn’t usually come to this part of town… But when the ‘Hero Birthday Festival’ is near, everyone gets excited like this! Some shops have already set up food stalls… Oh! There’s a stall selling Hero Manju! I want to try it!”
“But there’s a line. I’ll go to the reception, so you can go ahead and buy it, Charl.”
“Hmm, then I’ll wait… I won’t be able to be with Jirei-kun anymore…”
A few days after Luna and the others made their plan.
Charl and I strolled along the lively street, heading towards the Magic Tournament venue.
Originally, I was supposed to go to the venue alone, but Charl insisted on accompanying me, even if it meant closing her shop. So, we’re going together.
I told her that I didn’t really need her to be here… Well, if Charl wants to come, then it’s fine. She looks happy with a smile on her face.
“Nevertheless… It’s truly amazing.”
I sighed as I gazed over the city from the observation deck along the way.
Magic and various magical tools were being used everywhere I looked, creating a dazzling spectacle.
If you looked up at the sky, you could see people flying on colorful rented magical brooms made by Matieta Corporation (only for use within the Magikosmaia’s unique barrier).
Along the streets, ornate carts pulled by horse-like magical creatures made their way.
Invisible to most people, spirits such as wind, earth, fire, and others gathered, drawn to the dense magic and festive atmosphere.
The city’s residents wore bright expressions, perhaps due to the upcoming Hero Birthday Festival. They applauded enthusiastically as jesters and minstrels performed at various locations.
The whole city was infused with magic.
Anyone who visited Magikosmaia would undoubtedly be amazed by this sight. It was truly incredible.
Moreover, I’ve heard that the day of the Hero Birthday Festival itself will be even more astonishing.
I’ve never witnessed it before, so I didn’t know, but this year, I managed to secure (tentatively confirmed) tickets to the Ancient Relics Exhibition thanks to Eve. I’m looking forward to it a little.
“Oh, there it is. Well, I’ll go to the reception for a moment. See you later.”
After walking for a few minutes, admiring the cityscape, I spotted someone in an unattractive mascot costume holding a sign that read “[Magic Tournament Reception here→→(No entry for non-participants)]”. I bid farewell to Charl and followed the directions, making my way towards the reception.
By the way… That mascot costume is really unattractive. It’s supposed to be the design character for this tournament, but I doubt anyone would find it cute. The eyes bulge out, and it’s more scary than cute. Whoever came up with this must be crazy.
“You’re a participant, right? Please present your entry ticket and fill out the documents.”
The reception area wasn’t as crowded as I anticipated, and after a few minutes, it was my turn.
I took out my entry ticket and handed it to the receptionist, who then provided me with the necessary documents.
I filled in some basic information, such as the affiliated institution and adventurer rank, and submitted it.
“Your affiliated institution is the Royal Magikos Academy, and the recommender is… Headmaster Aldi!? That’s… a recommendation from a truly prominent figure…!?”
“…He’s renowned just by his name.”
It’s quite strange, but for some reason, that cat is incredibly famous in the field of magic.
Apparently, he holds a high-ranking position in the magical organization. I don’t pay much attention to it, though. In my opinion, he’s just a cat with a bad attitude and too clingy.
“Apologies, I’d like to speed things up,”
As the receptionist urged, causing the surrounding area to stir and prompting me to hurry. She quickly resumed processing the documents.
“I-I’m sorry! Um, then, what would you like your tournament name to be? If there are no issues, it will be registered under your real name as stated on the entry ticket…”
“I don’t want to use my real name. There are certain people I don’t want to find me, you know.”
“I understand. In the case of a recommendation, we need the approval of the recommender, Headmaster Aldi. Do you have any documents that can confirm this?”
“Oh, here it is.”
I retrieved the pre-written documents from Aldi that he had prepared for me in advance and submitted them.
“I’ve confirmed it. Well then, what will be your tournament name?”
I paused for a moment, considering my options.
Honestly, it doesn’t matter since it’s a fake name… Well, I guess I can casually modify my real name.
“Then, I’ll go with ‘Rei’.”
“Um… Ray, is it?”
The receptionist hesitated for some reason upon hearing my chosen tournament name.
“Um, I don’t really want to say this, but it might be better not to have the same name as ‘Lord Ray’—”
“…What are you talking about?”
The same name? Who is this ‘Lord Ray’?
“I just randomly came up with it… I don’t know who this ‘Lord Ray’ is, but well, I don’t want any trouble, so I’ll change—”
As I tried to express my desire to change the name, the receptionist interjected.
“What!? Being in Magikomaia and not knowing ‘Lord Ray’? You’re missing out on half of your life! Look, look! That person, that person!!”
For some reason, the receptionist raised her voice, widened her eyes, and pointed to a large bronze statue in the distance, located in the plaza. It was the statue of a stylishly designed armored figure holding a well-suited longsword, exuding determination and skill.
I move my head and look at the indicated statue.
A stylish and cool design of a full-body armor.
Similarly, a cool-looking long sword that suits the armor well.
The sculpture of the face is incredibly handsome, with shining eyes, as if filled with determination.
The pose exudes a sense of dynamism and showcases the skill of a master craftsman. To put it simply, I thought, “This bronze statue must have cost a fortune.”
“That person is the hero ‘Lord Ray’ who saved MagiKosMaia! I witnessed Lord Ray’s heroic deeds, and he truly is a hero among heroes… Thanks to Lord Ray, the city has prospered, and there are still many fan clubs dedicated to him.”
“I see. Yeah, yeah.”
The receptionist enthusiastically shared her love for ‘Lord Ray,’ but I pretended to listen casually. I had no interest whatsoever. Instead, I wanted to finish the reception quickly.
“The upcoming ‘Hero Festival’ will have everyone dress up as redheads in honor of Lord Ray, who had red hair—”
Speaking of red hair… During my training days, I used to wear a red wig when I came here.
At that time, due to the aftereffects of a typical chuunibyou illness, I was too embarrassed. So, I disguised myself, changed my name, and left that dark past behind. I never wanted to remember it.
“Ray, the hero Ray, huh…”
Come to think of it, Eve also mentioned someone named ‘Ray’…?
Well, it’s a common name, so it doesn’t matter. It must be a case of mistaken identity.
———————————————-
“I’ll go ahead and submit this document for approval. Is there any issue with the tournament name ‘Rage’?”
TN : Rage = Reiji -> Jirei
“Oh, that’s what I wanted,” I respond.
Confirming the contents of the document, the receptionist repeats them to ensure accuracy.
I inform her that there is no problem. Ultimately, I decided to change my name, as sharing it with the rumored hero might lead to various troublesome situations.
I prefer to avoid unnecessary entanglements whenever possible.
“Then, the match schedule will be announced from noon today. And here, please take this,”
the receptionist states, placing a square box on the desk.
“This is a random lottery for accessory-type magical tools that participants are supposed to wear! They have great designs and are quite popular! It’s free, and you don’t have to wear it if you don’t want to. Consider it a gift for participants!”
“Oh, wow… Let me see,” I reply.
Thinking that receiving a free magical tool is fortunate, I reach into the round hole on top of the square box and pull out a lottery ticket. It’s quite enjoyable.
“Um, ‘SSS Award ???’. What’s this?” I ask.
“Oh! This is amazing! It’s a big hit!” the receptionist exclaims.
Handing over the lottery ticket, I watch as she rings a nearby bell and says, “Congratulations!” The other participants nearby also turn their attention, curious about the commotion.
“Congratulations! For this tournament, the royal organizers have specially created a one-of-a-kind SSS award! Please make sure to wear it when you participate!”
It appears that I have won something incredible. I didn’t want to stand out… Well, it’s troublesome, but so be it.
“Well, if you say so, should I wear it then? So, what kind of magical tool is it?” I ask reluctantly, trying to maintain a calm demeanor while secretly feeling excited inside.
I briefly leave my seat to collect the magical tool and quickly return. “Here it is!” I announce as the receptionist hands me a box containing the SSS award magical tool.
Since it’s a custom-made item by the royal family, it must be a highly functional and stylish magical tool. If the handsome me were to wear it, I would become even more charming. Well, if it’s a rule of the tournament, I suppose I can wear it. Honestly, I have no interest at all. Let’s take a look.
…Ah, so this is the magical tool for the SSS award. Hmmm, indeed, it’s a masterpiece worthy of being custom-made by the royal family–
“But not really. What is this? I don’t need it,” I declare.
I slam the SSS award magical tool onto the reception desk, expressing my intention to return it.
“Eh?! This is the ‘Flower Glasses’ for the SSS award! Are you sure about this?” the receptionist questions.
“I don’t need it. It’s incredibly tacky. I really don’t need it,” I assert.
It resembles glasses that enhance vision, with flower decorations adorning various parts. It even has an ornament in the shape of a nose that can completely cover the wearer’s nose. Overall, it’s a fancy magical tool…
But it’s neither cute nor impressively gaudy. Whoever came up with this has a questionable sense of style.
“…It’s better not to say that in front of ‘Elena-sama.’ She genuinely thinks it’s fashionable…” the receptionist whispers apologetically.
I understand now. The royal named Elena is the one responsible for this tasteless magical tool. I’ve never heard that name before.
“Well, it’s not mandatory to wear it during the tournament, so why not keep it as a memento?” the receptionist suggests.
“…Just as a keepsake. By the way, what is this magical tool used for?” I inquire.
Considering its performance, it might be somewhat useful. Since it’s a custom-made magical tool, it should serve a purpose.
“…It’s not usable,” the receptionist reveals.
“What?” I respond in confusion.
What does she mean by saying it’s not usable? I fail to grasp the meaning.
“This magical tool is purely decorative. It can’t be used for anything other than as an accessory. It lacks popular features like ‘far-sight’ or ‘detection’ that glasses-type magical tools usually have. However, it does possess ‘sturdiness,’ ‘automatic repair,’ and ‘resistance,’ so it probably won’t break even if attacked by an S-class monster… impressive!” she explains.
“It’s not impressive, though,” I retort.
In other words, it’s an ugly indestructible pair of glasses. I genuinely have no use for it.
“…In that case, I’ll give it to you since you don’t want it,” the receptionist says.
“No! I don’t need it—I mean, it’s too much for someone like me to receive a custom-made magical tool from a royal,” I insist.
Despite my attempts to return it, she refuses to accept, claiming she won it in a lottery. Even when I call out to the other participants, they avert their gazes and hastily retreat.
“Damn it… I guess I’ll store it in the interdimentional space. I really don’t need this repulsive object—” I mutter reluctantly, intending to toss it into the interdimentional space.
Just as I’m about to discard it, a loud voice echoes through the room.
“What?! I’m sure I submitted the application! Is this some kind of mistake?” the voice exclaims.
Curious, I turn my attention toward the source of the commotion.
There, I spot a blond boy causing a scene at another reception desk, while a composed receptionist handles the situation. Nearby, a girl dressed in black robes, likely a member of his party, and a lightly armored swordsman with blond hair observe the situation with bewildered expressions.
“I apologize. Your application was invalidated because you didn’t meet the participation requirements. The details are written on this form—” the receptionist explains.
“Huh?… Oh, it’s written here. What a waste, I came all this way…” the boy sighs in disappointment.
“…Alto, don’t you have something to say? You should apologize to the party member who brought us all the way to Magikosmaia based on their misunderstanding and caused trouble for the receptionist, right?” the girl scolds.
“Huh… Oh, Ruse wanted to come too? Why didn’t you say so earlier… Alright, let’s both complain! Maybe that will work!” the boy suggests.
“There’s no way that would work, you idiot! Just apologize already! Now! Right now!!” the girl insists, pulling the boy’s ear.
“Ow, ow! I told you to stop pulling my ear! I get it! I get it, okay!!” the boy yelps in pain.
The strong-willed girl with brown hair and the foolish-looking boy with brown hair create a ruckus. It’s a rather noisy party.
“Well, well… I don’t believe Alto had any ill intentions, but it’s causing trouble for everyone else…” the other party member, the blond boy, remarks with a wry smile, expressing his apologies to those around him.
Wait, haven’t I seen him before?
“–Eh?” I mutter.
As I try to recall who he is , our gazes inadvertently meet.
The blond boy wears a surprised expression as he looks at me.
“Oh, you’re my mentor–“
“!”
I exclaim, suddenly remembering who he is. In a swift motion, I hastily put on the “flower glasses” that I had in my hand.
“Cain? What’s wrong?” he asks, puzzled by my actions.
“Oh… It’s nothing. You have red hair, and my mentor wouldn’t wear something as peculiar as this,”
Cain informs his companions that it was a case of mistaken identity and turns away from me.
That was a close call. Why is Cain here? His equipment is different from the flashy gear he had before, and he appears more reliable and steadfast. He seems to have grown into a fine young man. I wonder if something has shifted in his mindset.
“…” I fall into deep thought.
Swiftly, I decide to leave the reception area. There’s no need to hide or be sneaky, but my instincts caution me against unnecessary contact. It would be best to avoid willingly getting entangled in any troubles.
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