Chapter 9: Registration

Amphere Harrison

The sunlight heaves unto my face which forced me to open my eyes. I turned to my left, and the beautiful clear blue skies made me relax in this comfortable bed. I wanted to sleep some more but I have to get early. Today is the registration of the Dragon Knight’s Tournament.

I slightly rolled to my left, and then an adorable face welcomed me with a smile. Her ruby eyes is the perfect form of the word beauty, yet right now it is filled with lust. Wait, why is she lying in the same bed as mine?

“Good morning Amphy~”

My reflexes jumped in. I unleashed a full power karate chop on her head which made her utter a sudden cry. She fell down on the carpet and then rolled in pain while covering her forehead with her arms.

“Uwa! That’s very rude, Amphy! Totally!”

“W-Why are you staying on my bed?” I glared at her coldly.

“That’s my bed!” She immediately sat while still covering her steaming forehead. “You’re the one who jumped unto my bed last night! Totally!”

Come to think of it, my bed is over there beside her. Darn, I also smell like beer. I don’t remember anything last night except Estoff being hysterical about his past. Maybe I got drunk, considering how insistent that damned Pentagram Knight was. Anyways, I think nothing happened last night. I’m still wearing my ‘Metal Rockz’ shirt and jeans and Airi’s wearing her cute pink nightgown.

“T-Then why didn’t you switch beds?” I asked boorishly.

“Geez, you totally…” Then she mumbled on herself. “I wanted to watch you sleep because you’re cute.” She didn’t know but I overheard it.

“Let’s go, we have to register ourselves to the tournament.”

“Totally!” She hyperactively raised her fist and stood up like nothing embarrassing happened.

We prepared ourselves quickly. I suited up into my white tuxedo uniform. I had to throw my favorite shirt to the laundry because it already smells with beer. So I have to make up with something that would fill up my personality.

As we step out of the hotel, the black limousine was waiting in front of us. The window opened, and the long-haired blonde man smiled at us. With sparkles. Again. This Estoff…He looks so cool but deep inside he’s overdramatic whenever he gulped five bottles of pint.

“Sir Estoff!” The duchess exclaimed. Apparently, she has to go with us for better security.

It’s the same scenery in the limousine as yesterday. Duchess kept talking and talking, Estoff kept maintaining his cool aura and smiling, and Airi kept sleeping and drooling on my shoulder. So after twenty minutes of ride, I felt refreshed as I made my first step to the castle.

“Oh, Amphere!” A familiar guy waved at me. He was wielding a smile as he grabbed my attention.

“…Rudolf.”

My best friend, Rudolf Azregon. He was my friend since grade three and until now he was my classmate in the Dragon Knight Academy. He is a handsome individual with curly brown hair and blue eyes with a mighty physique that is obvious even if he’s still wearing his academy uniform. No homo about that, but we keep tagging along with each other until now. That’s what best friends always do.

He was being accompanied by his pretty dragonoid, Kyrie. Kyrie is a shy but loveable lady with long hair. She’s wearing the same outfit as Airi; a business casual shirt under a blazer and a short black skirt. That’s what female dragonoids are supposed to wear inside the academy.

Among the dragonoids, Kyrie is a special one…or very strange. She doesn’t have the ability to hide her wings and tail. And the colors of her angelic wings are different; one is white and other is black. Her tail is colored pure black.

“Kyrie!” , “…A-Airi!?” Airi greeted Kyrie merrily and Kyrie welcomed her timidly. Those two were friends since we entered the academy. No, more than that. Kyrie also came from the slums with Airi and they know each other than anyone. But Kyrie didn’t know anything about the Arcadia or the group members.

“I knew you’re going to sign up for the tournament! I am sure we could see awesome dragons in this event!” Rudolf energetically said. Rudolf is really fond of dragons, and unlike some other dragon knights or dragon maniacs, he treats his dragonoid with extreme care.

“Hm!” I nodded with a smile. “Let’s fight until we get to the finals!”

“Oh yeah! I’ll be waiting for you at the top!”

We crossed our arms together as we glared with blazing will to each other. I know that he wants to battle me in an official tournament, and I want that too. We’re a bunch of blood thirsty idiots.

“…Um…I prefer not to fight but I’ll do my best for Rudolf!” Kyrie said to Airi.

“Yoooosh! I will not lose to you guys! Totally!” Airi fistpumped with composed resolve.

The registration for the tournament is really quick, even though almost every student participated in this event. Only a few paper to fill up, some pictorials and such. After ten minutes, we were instructed to go to the main hall, the deeper part of the castle.

I never thought that the hall was this wide and big! Everything is golden, and there is a red carpet from the entrance which leads to the stage. This place is filled with prestigious Dragon Knights. Most of them look strong, but others are meh.

There are plates of luxurious cakes on the table, so Airi dashed and chomped freely as she could. “Mmmm~, this cake is lavishly sweet, but the texture is so cushy that melts in your mouth! Totally!” I didn’t know that Airi is such a food critic. Kyrie drooled so she followed Airi and started to taste a white cake.

I felt embarrassed for Airi’s sake, but then Rudolf gnawed down too when he felt envious about those two. Those three idiots look barbaric, and the other knights are starting to watch them. I just smiled there dumbstruck. I would like everyone to know that I didn’t know these guys.

“So these are the disgusting Dragon Knights.”

Duchess Corasell muttered. She seems to hate every dragon knight with a special exception of Estoff whom she really adores very much.

“But that kid is not ‘that’ disgusting.” Estoff, who was beside the duchess said. He is certainly pertaining to Rudolf. “That boy has a powerful bond with his dragonoid. They have a compatibility of a hundred percent.”

The duchess’ jaws hanged. “H-How is that possible?”

“Simple.” Estoff crossed his arms. “A knight loves his dragonoid, and his dragonoid loves his knight.”

Is that possible? A hundred percent compatibility just because they ‘love’ each other? There’s no scientific evidence to conclude that affection between knights and dragonoids can affect the compatibility rates. It’s a laughable matter. But Estoff looks serious. There’s no way he’ll lie about something like that. I glared at Estoff to see if he’s going to burst out laughing but he wouldn’t. He must be serious after all.

There was a shiny golden vase above Estoff’s head, which reflects to the upper aisle.

There was a cloaked masked man in a magician’s hat.

And he was holding a pistol. It was pointed to our direction.

A gunshot echoed throughout the hall.