They were fine. I noticed that each tent were being shielded with a feint yellow green barrier.

"Serafina", pointed May, as she removed her sword. There she was her hands gleaming with light green magic that not only shielded us from this magical fighting, she also managed to shield the entire strip of the audience's benches to the private viewing deck of the royals and guild members all on her own.

As soon as nuns and monks reorganizing themselves from the explosive fight. Their hands glared up in light green magic like Serafina. They then joined their strength and helped Serafina encapsulated the two in a transparent dome glass like barrier where faint traces of light green fell like snow around the two as they seemed to revel at the exchange of magic attacks. Where lightning rods where hurled like spears that made explosive sparks that was like a lightning bolt hitting a transformer.

Neil while also sporting the same power had flame turned to whips, water trident torrents, and titan shield stones. Neil was unrelenting as I ever knew him and, not long, after a combination of dodging, cunningness, and feints. Niel was on top of the bewildered adventurer and one strike of his sword sent the adventurer down to earth that everyone in the field could have heard that thunderous thud. Neil could have ended there, but he dropped a few meters away.

Clouds of dust fell lazily over the adventurer's impact sight but with one fell swoop with his sword the dust cleared away. He removed his helmet to show us the full extent of the damage he has taken, a bleeding nose and heavily damaged chainmail that his black clothing over it was vaporized and his paddings were ineffective. He was wobbling weakly yet he held his sword that sparks of lighting was emanating around it. This should be over and O'Brian might have ended this but the barrier made the battle progress.

I could see Neil smile and move his mouth that in turn made the adventurer smile as well as he straighten his back.

Which after a respite of a second the two bolted at one other, the adventurer turning in to a ball of lighting while Neil... Neil was just running in his normal. He stopped and was about to slice thin air until the ball bolt of lighting turned human and... Swing... The sound of that metallic slice echo that resonated throughout the field that, surely, we all felt like a sword made an entire metal armor cut easily like knife through butter and indeed, his sword unbroken yet his armour was cut in two... Neil fell like a chopped down tree as the adventurer wheezed in pain yet standing. The adventurer won.

*****

Free drinks and bread were given. Entertainers of fire juggling, horse stunts and the what not kept the crowd well entertained and distracted as the Mayor called for a short break as the adventurer and the important figures; Lord Magnus, Mayor Ronald, Serafina, May and other prominent guild masters were seen having a meeting on the viewing deck.

Drinks and food were offered to us contenders while monks and nuns went tent to tent asking if we got hurt, but what I really went to know is what happened to Neil. He was quickly healed by Serafina when the fight ended, but he never woke up that Allan and Roland carried him too church as I was told. Meanwhile, with the help of his two female companions and Serafina they quickly healed the adventurer with in a few minutes. I was there when a thundering May and glowing sword dragged the adventurer and his companions to the royal view deck where a meeting was held right now.

After fifteen minuets of nothing Wendy volunteered to get a scoop.

Ten minutes has passed since she left she returned.

“They've settled it.”

She wheezed out when she arrived.

“What do you mean settle?”

I asked after telling her to rest and giving her some water.

“At first they offered one hundred Solidus gold coins for them to abdicate since it wasn't a fair fight for the remaining representative...”

She paused as she took a drink.

“They declined then? They want something else... The white rose?”

I speculated.

“Y-yes. They want the white rose of the goddess's... A divine gift for Lord Magnus victory over the Advenlorn army.”

“What's so special about it? You said its divine, but they seemed to be giving it to us commoners for free.”

I heard the adventurers want it for an ingredient, but what does a normal person gain from a rose?

“I-I can't fully tell since I too find it absurd that people would fight over some flower, no matter how elegant it may look, but know this. The flower is said to be divine and is popular among adventurers for reasons unbeknownst to me that's why the adventurer said he'll fight one hand tight behind his back with no magic at all.”

Then a triumphant trumpet boomed out that we saw all notable figures step out and low and behold the adventurer with his left arm tied behind his back with iron chains squeezing him good.

My match is coming,

Before she could say more I took my sword and buckler and jogged my way to the dirt terrain with metallic boots thumping as I met my opponent.

Where after Katherine telling us to have a fair fight.

“You're Elfien, right?”

And that voice came out to be female. We were wearing the same armor, only the surcoat of arms looked different, thus I assumed that she was a he earlier. I replied with a yes and asked what's the matt—!

“Haaa!!! Yarghh!”

She fought ferociously and better than I have faced in the first match, and like in the first match, due to the surprise this time, I was in the defensive again! Until I dodged and hot on my toes, raising my buckler to halt her attack before she could swing I stabbed her at her temple and staggering her. With a follow up I strike her hand making her drop her sword and then forcing her to yield when my sword was near her neck.

“Dammit! I Yeild!”

She smacked the ground as a stripped yellow pole pushed me away. O'Brian declaring me winner. Edmund this time asked if I was good which I nodded and asked if I can talk to my opponent before she gets taken away by Katharine.

“Y-you're... What was that all about?”

I asked while I catch my breathing.

“Hehe... Heeh... Ha... You're not so good as master Wendy said, but be thankful for her.”

I didn't know what she meant by that but when I returned to tent and wiped off my sweat I couldn't help those words, and recalling her fight earlier, even though the candle maker representative was good not great, the merchant representative fought in precision and caution attacking only when prudent and when her opponent falls for her feints. That's why I was surprised by her sudden change of maneuver... Then there's that statement in which... Seems rather odd.

“You know her, right?”

I said to Wendy who was happy with serving me water and praising my quick victory.

“Ah, Ivy, she's my third adoptive sister. She's the one who thought me how to use the sword.”

She then asked me if was hungry which was strange since we just ate.

“Thanks, but, she said I should thank you for winning this match.”

I then told her how odd it is that she's good at defense and counterattacks on her first fight, but she seemed to changed her pace, badly I might add, when she fought me.

“Yes, I kinda agree on it, but I my self don't know why Ivy did it. She's a clever girl, same age as I am, and not only a journey woman under our parents she's also one of our best soldier when we travel from city to city.”

She then continued that both of them cherished one another. She became the big sister that Ivy always wanted and the little sister that Wendy spoiled, tutored, and trusted. She was the only three people that knew that she went ahead of her caravan to met up with me.

“I am quite upset that she quickly lost despite knowing she might beat you.”

Her face then turned away from mine and seemingly stared blankly on the next fight with a small sigh.

“I think I know why.”

She let out melancholy like face.

We stayed silent as we watched, I didn't delve deep in it since it was a family matter that Ivy chose to do that risky maneuver; she intentionally let her self be defeated for Wendy's happiness.

I kinda feel bad for thinking for a second that Wendy ordered Ivy to lose intensionally against me, or something like that.

As the farm representative won against the butcher, the smith's representative stepping up the ladder against the shoemakers and then the murmurs grew loud as the adventurer came to the field with chains tied his left hand to his back. Not only that, May was accompanying the Vintner's representative to the field and was giving her sword to him. It glowed in divine light as May left the field where the announcer did his thing.

“No magic they said, no enhancement they said! What heck is that!?”

I heard a feminine shout being muffled as the fight began and the Vintner hid behind his shield while the sword rested atop of the shield as if it was a scorpion's tail ready to sting the one armed adventurer. It wasn't long until the adventurer rested his right foot forward and dashed quick and he was already above the vintner already about land a hit. And it did a blow to the helmet but the vintner stood intact unscathed... The adventurer looked surprised as he backed off from a counter attack made by the vintner. The crowd was one-sided only cheering and roaring praises when the vintner managed to counter, dodge, and land a hit to the adventurer while they went silent if the adventurer got an upper hand.

The climax came when the Vintner made a quick thrust to his temple and a bash that stunned his enemy for a second where his follow up blow would end it there but the adventurer did an acrobatic jump backwards kicking the vintner and landing a few meters away where he rested his right foot again.

The vintner saw this and in return he squatted, hid behind his shield and hid his sword behind his shield, but I am sure that thrust would spring out from that posture. Both of their attacks are really predictable, like all guards stances, but it was the one who will land their predictable strike will win.

The wind cracked as the adventurer sprinted with great speed that the vintner seemingly was going to stab the empty air whilst hiding behind shield, but as the glowing sword was already piercing the empty air the adventurer suddenly was on top of the vintner and slashing that thrust away and tackling the shield with his full weight dropping the vintner on the hard ground. Everyone was silent.