The cloth-like vertical blinds began to sway as a small breeze came from the slightly open window. And each time they did, the in between flickering of sunlight greeted my shut eyes—causing me to finally stir awake. Befuddled, I could just make out a distant and muffled voice coming from downstairs.

"This is actually pretty damn tasty!"

Even in a dazed state, I winced at her exclamation. As I unwillingly grew familiar with her voice during our night at Baal's Tavern, a groan-induced breath escaped my mouth as I realized exactly who it was. It only furthered my desire to remain in bed.

"Astrid?! Please don't go suddenly mixing my coffee with your spirits. You'll end up ruining the taste! I didn't make this batch with that sort of combination in mind."

"Ahaha! Relax, Ery~ You should definitely try some. It's almost as if...I can feel it coursing through my veins! That's how good it is."

Their back-and-forth echoed and sauntered up to the second floor, further disrupting my inept attempt at ignoring their voices.

"Y-you can't be serious, right? Unbelievable. To be drinking this early in the day... Lukos, please help me here!"

"Sorry, but there's no stopping her once she gets going. In fact, we should be glad that she found something early on to satisfy her cravings."

"Ahahaha~"

An echoed cackling from a chronic alcoholic then jolted my senses completely awake, by force, as I finally gave in and lifted myself from the narrow bed. There wasn't much space to move around to begin with, thus I remained sitting at the bed’s edge. I sighed, as I mumbled a complaint to myself.

"Can't say that's exactly my preferred way of starting my morning, but at least the smell of Eru's brew is a pleasant greeting. But geez, did they really have to arrive so early?!"

Like they promised, Astrid and Lukos had arrived—a bit too early—at the boarding house that was provided to both Euler and Alisa during their stay in the capital. Eru and I had also spent the night here. It had fairly small rooms and was numbered at eight separate ones in total. Each room only held a single bed and small nightstand with a drawer to keep personal items in. It definitely wasn't suited for any long-term accommodations.

“No use further prolonging the inevitable... I better start getting ready and head down, huh?”

I felt reluctant at the thought of coming in contact with the stench of alcohol so early in the morning, but surely Eru was eager to head out already. I was planning on being part of her group today after all.

Though, I’m still a bit curious as to how the tournament will go. I wonder if we’ll have time to pass by later?

Quickly finishing, I adorned my usual set of casual clothing—a basic, black long-sleeve and dark beige pants. After walking around yesterday in my black robes, I had received a lot of side-glances and raised eyebrows for whatever reason. Something I'd rather not have happen again.

“All right, and we’re good to—?”

It felt sudden in its approach, like the sound of a whistle from afar that tickled one's ears. It was faint for now, but it was a familiar feeling that I had become accustomed to after all this time.

“Oh? It’s finally returning?”

The messenger I had sent during our time in Firspur was on its way back finally. It was seemingly close enough that it would possibly arrive as we were on our way over to the Garden Quarters.

“At least I’ll be able to lay those worries from before to rest. Well, hopefully...”

Between that vision and Cruubi taking more time than I thought it would to return, I could only feel as if I were in for a hefty explanation—prime cinema even. With that thought in mind, I headed downstairs. Yet, something was vastly different than before.

“It’s too quiet...?”

Serenity had begun to openly bask amid the boarding house before I had realized it. Reaching the first floor, I glanced around and only could see two others near the doorway, Euler and Alisa, seemingly whispering between each other with their backs turned to me. The prior group of alarm clocks was nowhere to be seen as I then spotted a mug and a letter on the table.

We’re planning on heading to the marketplace since Lukos informed me that I could find materials there. I made a rather splendid batch today, if I say so myself! So, take your time and meet us by the entrance to the Garden Quarters whenever you’re ready. - Eru

I was greeted with a quite disheartening message. I was left behind as Eru and her group decided to visit the marketplace in the Administrative District for their morning venture. Once again, I felt a tad bit left out—just a smidgen.

“I haven’t even been there myself yet...”

With a disappointed sigh, I began preparing a cup for myself. As I poured the divine elixir, I could only further voice my newfound mood in a dampened mumble toward the filling mug.

“At least you’ll always be there for me, won’t you?”

The mug, now filled to the brim, had refrained from replying, but I was reasonably certain that it would have agreed if it could. I then took a long whiff and toasted in silent reverence.

To the one that transcended worlds and remains with me even to this day—to my oldest ally.

“Albel...”

Sluggishly turning my crestfallen gaze in the direction of the sudden voice, my eyes met with two individuals that had now seemed to share in my episodic depression. Looking toward Euler, something else had caught my attention as well. He was also the recipient of a letter this morning. And as I slowly began to realize what that meant, he suddenly motioned the letter in my direction.

“I...have some bad news, Albel...”

I didn’t say a single word as I took the letter into my hands, reading it to myself. I could feel the sudden crease in my brows in response to what was written. It felt as if the sender was simply stringing us along—a self-evident, yet senseless jest.

Figured. A cup of fine coffee really is the only saving grace for this morning, huh?

❖

“LADIES AND GENTLEMEN—!!!”

The crowd’s collective cheers and shouts continued to seemingly shake the entirety of the old arena as I made my way over to the upper eastern halls. Upon my arrival to the arena, and giving my false name, I was directed to the area in which the rest of my group resided. I wasn’t given any other details besides one, that the 16 remaining participants would be split into two groups—with mine being the second. It seemed I had arrived just in time as the announcer began to enliven the crowd on my way over.

“—Today is finally the day! The struggle and bouts between the strong, the valiant! A clash between beasts of prey, and those in whom scheme and prey onto the very beasts themselves! The awe-inspiring display from those who brush daily against that precipice of death—and survive! The beginning of round two of the Tournament of Trials is here!!!”

Another wave of cheers came at the cusp of his fervent appeal. I couldn’t help but feel as if he were dramatically romanticizing the tournament, but that would just mean that he was actually doing his job properly.

“Well, there’s still Zaeh and whoever destroyed the labyrinth walls yesterday, so maybe he isn’t so wrong after all.”

I had also yet to see the other contestants. If I had known I would have been participating again, I would have definitely arrived earlier to at least get a glimpse of the others. But unlike last time, I could now see over and into the arena from above. I continued walking while keeping my eyes on the announcer.

“Oh, wondrous eyes, here today! You are all in for quite the surprise, a treat to say the least! We have a guest—and not just anyone—but the guest to have in regal flesh! In all her splendor and eminence, the Queen of Cretho will be observing today’s stage!”

Watching as he gestured to his side, I stopped momentarily and followed the direction. Some distance behind him, there was a red and golden curtain that was now slowly being drawn open. As it did, a single throne now seized the area and everyone’s eyes—as a dark navy blue-haired woman occupied the seat. She was wearing smoke grey garments, seemingly light armor and a charcoal-colored cape with white fur—as a silver crown rested on her head. Her light blue eyes remained front and center as she then lifted herself from her throne and began walking forward.

“Her Majesty is here today to gift a speech to her people and the combatants participating! I ask that you listen intently and without any disturbances. Your Majesty.”

With another gesture of his hands, he deeply bowed and made way for the Queen. There was a spectral glyph of some kind, hovering at the front’s edge—where the announcer was previously standing. One that I could only gather was a form of lesser magic to act as microphone for all to hear.

“My people, and those in whom have ventured from afar...”

In a short recount of the prior day, she expressed her satisfaction in how the festival—the tournament—was proceeding so far. I was more focused on something else in particular though, as I decided to take this opportunity to bring evidence to a lingering suspicion.

Name: [Leonora Creth]

Rank: [Aberrant]

Level: [51]

Class: [Cavalier/Swordsaint]

Alignment: [Neutral Good]

INFO:

Titles - [Queen of Cretho],

[Bearer of the 1st Heavenly Virtue]

And there it was, the rank of Aberrant—as I expected the current ruler of Cretho to have. That being said, I was also unsurprisingly greeted by another one of those titles. Was it a string of coincidences, or was there more meaning behind the why?

Two heads of a royal family, but then an unrenowned woman from a random village...

If Eru didn’t have her title, I could have simply accepted the fact that the title of a Heavenly Virtue was associated with possibly the circumstances of one’s birth—being of a noble or royal lineage. Yet, that didn’t apply to Eru as far as I knew. Her father was someone who had come from the Outer Region, whereas her mother had spent her whole life in Druhwood—according to Torrel.

Wait, but the rank of Aberrant is directly stated on her status. Unlike Eru, who I thought—!

A sudden array of cheers now pulled me from my thoughts as the Queen had seemingly ended her speech. I glanced back over to the balcony they remained in, watching as she waved to the masses and returned back to her seat. A grey-haired man then whispered something at her side before he departed. The announcer then continued on, bringing to light the first part of round one—that involved the first group.

“As I stated before, this will be a direct contest of brute will—to be resilient and calculating amid the battlefield. For the sake of one’s survival! This is an ever-changing, ever-shifting field after all— quite literally!”

The arena itself began to groan at his words as the center field below began to shift and quake. Flickers of the elements—a storm of varying attributes—quickly came and went like a tease, a snippet of what was to come. It was simple to understand after he explained further.

“LADIES AND GENTLEMEN!! The first group will now take to this sprawling and sporadic stage! A series of rousing battles that will lead into a final between who the strongest is—the victor of group one or two!”

It seemed like a standard tournament now with a slight twist. Personally, I was all for it—as long as it didn’t lead to them going on an experimental fringe with the ever-shifting grounds. There was a lot it could virtualize back in MO, and seeing the prior Labyrinth of Gniemra only gave proof it still held that ability.

“What a day this is going to be...”

I sighed deeply while thinking back on my prior train of thought regarding Eru and toward what was to come during the tournament. I was readying to have the devil’s own time as a sudden shout came from ways ahead of me—further prompting the need for that preparative.

“Yo! Human!”

I glanced her way as I was then met with a familiar face, one I wasn’t too welcoming of currently. It was Zaeh, and alongside her, a tall and dark-skinned man followed. Wearing no shirt, several scars adorned his chest that was accompanied by tattoo-like tribal markings. More importantly, he had downward pointed, taupe-brown ears extending from the sides of his black head of hair.

I had noticed a few of his kind before around the city too. A species that also come from Espen—holding the majority for its population—the Feliad were cat-like, demi-humans and beast-kin that were separated into three tribes.

A down-eared tribe Feliad, huh?

In MO, the down-eared and long-eared tribes were the most common, whereas the four-eared tribe—or the Aarala—were akin to royalty amongst their species. That being said, I greeted the enthusiastic Zaeh with a lethargic wave.

“I see you actually decided to show up. Good! I won’t be able to fight you in the first round or two, so make sure you survive until the semi-finals. There we can finish what we started in the labyrinth, so don’t you dare lose until then!”

I blinked my eyes in confusion to her words as the man beside her seemed to notice this.

“Judging by your expression, you haven’t looked at the tournament order, have you?”

Tournament order? Is that listed somewhere already?

“I just arrived a short while ago, so I haven’t yet. Where is it exactly?”

He then pointed over his shoulder, in the direction of my initial destination—the upper eastern halls. Looking over, I could now see two staff members standing near a board. And that wasn’t the only thing I saw either, as my eyes then immediately locked onto a man in a mask who was wearing something akin to kimono. He was frantically looking around, as if searching from something or someone.

Hold on, is that the guy from yesterday? The one that helped me after the carriage incident? He wasn’t wearing a mask before though...

He began walking into another area as I then put the thought aside for the time being. I thanked the man who then introduced himself as Baccas, an Adventurer and partner to Zaeh. As Zaeh attempted to remain and chat more, Baccas immediately began forcibly, but lightly, pushing her away from me. I could tell within an instant based on his exhausted expression—he was saving me from a lengthy talk. They then began chatting and bickering off to the side, while I headed for the board.

“Okay, now where is my name. Wait, no. Where is 'Euler'...?”

Scanning the board, I came across Euler’s name at the very bottom. Above it, the name of the person in whom I would be facing off against was also listed.

Guil? Who? Well, it’s not like I would have known who any of these people are besides Zaeh—and thank goodness I’m not facing her right off the bat.

Judging by the order, if she were to win her two fights, then she would be my opponent in the semi-finals after all. But winning against her or whoever else made it there wasn’t required as far as I had known. My only objective here, was to win my first two fights—that's it.

“The letter said that we had to at least make it to the semi-finals this time. It still didn’t say anything about winning beyond that though...”

The varying levels of cheers and shouts further continued amid the arena walls as the first group of participants were already starting their fights. It seemed I still had some time to spare and kill, so I moved back toward where Baccas and Zaeh were. Spectating, in quiet thought.