WIEDERGEBURT Chapter 29

I paused at the sound of the voice, which was so loud it rumbled across the street like rolling thunder, containing a rage that was difficult to describe with words. It sounded like the man’s face was a boiling pot overflowing with scalding hot water.

Keeping calm, I glanced at Kari. Her face was a little pale when she heard the shout. However, more telling than her suddenly pale face was the displeased frown marring her lips. It was so small no on would have noticed unless they really knew her, however.

I turned toward where I heard the voice come from, watching as the sea of people parted to allow an older man in his twenties to storm over to us. He looked a lot like those two who had fought me the other night. His sandy blond hair reached his shoulder and was combed back in a neat style. He wore leather armor with a layer of black underneath him. The chestplate was decorated with a house crest, swirling clouds that reminded me of the sky.

“Albert Himmel, what is the meaning of this?” asked Kari, the frown on her face growing to the point where others could see it as well.

The one known as Albert Himmel suddenly paused when he realized who was standing next to me. He hurriedly moved into a polite bow, though it was still easy to feel the anger radiating from him.

“Princess Kari, I apologize for being blunt, but this matter has nothing to do with you. I would appreciate it if you did not interfere in my family’s affairs,” Albert said with a tone of forced politeness.

“Nothing to do with me,” Kari said in a soft spoken voice that caused a slight chill to run down my spine. She only used that voice when she was really mad. “You come running up here, screaming at my friend about how you are seeking revenge on him, and you tell me that this is none of my business?”

Albert’s ears turned red when he heard the way she had phrased it. He tried to speak, but his mouth didn’t seem to be working, causing him to open and close it several times. Me and Kari could only watch as he eventually raised his hand and coughed into it.

“What I meant was that your friend here has gravely injured my two younger brothers.” Albert’s face hardened as he mastered his embarrassment. His eyes shifted from her to me, turning into a glare before they went back to Kari. “Alf and Arvid were found gravely wounded the other morning. We brought them back home to heal them and eventually learned that the person who injured them so gravely was none other than your friend right there.”

I frowned as Albert pointed at me. “And what makes you think that I injured those two? Did they tell you that I injured them?”

“They do not even remember your vicious assault!” Albert all but snarled as he took a threatening step forward. “An eye witness claimed to have seen you beating them senseless in the streets the other night!”

An eye witness? I frowned. So there had been someone present the night before. It was strange that I had not been able to sense them with my Spiritual Perception, but that only went to show me how powerful that person was, whoever they were. There were only a few ways to mask someone’s Spiritual Signature and all of them required a near perfect control of one’s Spiritual Power.

“Who is this eye witness?” I asked, spreading my arms out. “If someone claims to have seen me beating your two younger brothers senseless last night, I would very much like them to step forward so I can rebuke them.”

All of the people surrounding us glanced at each other, as if wondering which one of them was the eyewitness who’d seen me violently destroy Alf and Arvid, but of course, none of them stepped forward. None of these people had seen me. Whoever it was had clearly been someone with not only an incredible amount of control over their Spiritual Power, but they obviously had an affinity for the darkness element.

Darkness was an element that excelled in stealth attacks. If a skilled Spiritualist had the darkness element, they could hide their presence using the shadows. There was even a technique called Shadow Walking that would let them travel between shadows. Not only did the darkness element have excellent stealth techniques, but the powers of a darkness user increased during the night, which explained why I couldn’t sense them.

Just as I was about to lay into Albert for not having his witness step forward, someone spoke from amongst the crowd.

“I am the witness.”

I was sure an ugly expression crossed my face when I heard that voice. Beside me, Kari also looked like she’d swallowed something foul. The person who had spoken, who was now walking out from behind Albert, was Grant Leucht. He wore a mocking grin as he looked down his nose at me.

“I had been out late that night, searching for Alf and Arvid because they had to run an errand and never returned,” Grant began his “tragic” tale. “While I was traveling through the streets, I found you mercilessly beating those two senseless.”

“Is that so?” I asked with a soft frown. “If that is the case, and you did indeed see me beat up your two friends… why did you not intervene and rescue them?” I tried not to smile when I saw his face twitch. “Are you not friends with Alf and Arvid? You witnessed them fighting someone who was superior to them and didn’t even try to help? Did you wait until I was gone before slinking over and bringing them back to the Himmel Family with your tale of woe? Are you that afraid of me?”

“I’m not afraid of you!” Grant glowered at me, his face boiling red.

“And yet you did not step up and protect your friends when they were in danger,” I replied in a soft, mild voice. “Could it be that you are lying? If you do not fear me, then surely you would have stepped forward and rescued them… unless, of course, I did not beat them up and you are merely trying to falsely incriminate me.”

I carefully watched as Grant’s face turned an ugly puce color. Then I looked at Albert, who was glancing at Grant as though asking what they should do now. It was clear to me that these two were in cahoots with each other. I didn’t know what this Albert or the Himmel Family’s relationship was with Grant or his Leucht Family, but it was at least easy to recognize that one was subservient to the other.

“Of course I wanted to step in and help my friends,” Grant began slowly. “However, by the time I had arrived, the battle was practically concluded. I could have attacked you, of course, but I deemed getting my friends back home where they could be treated for their injuries was more important.”

“But Albert said his younger siblings were found early the next morning,” I pointed out. “This battle you claim to have witnessed happened during the night. If you brought them home immediately after the battle, then would that not mean they had not been found early the next morning? In which case, one of you is lying.”

As my words echoed across the street, many of the common folk who had surrounded us began murmuring. My ears perked up as I listened to those people while they were talking.

“That’s true. How could they have been found early in the morning if Lord Grant brought them home after the battle last night?”

“Do you think Lord Albert is lying?”

“Maybe Lord Grant is lying.”

“They could both be lying.”

“That’s right! What if these two are just trying to implicate that young man for some reason?”

“But why would they do that?”

“Don’t you know? That boy is Eryk Veiger! He and Princess Kari have become very close. There’s a rumor going around that Lord Grant covets Princess Kari and wants her for himself. I heard his family is even undergoing marriage talks with Empress Hilda.”

“So he’s jealous?”

“Verily.”

I glanced at Kari, whose cheeks had gone from pale to pink. It seemed I wasn’t the only one who heard the conversation about how she and I had become close. Despite her obvious embarrassment, she still reached out and gently grabbed the sleeve of my shirt. This action caused Grant, who had shown up a little after Albert, to glare at me with even more vitriol.

“Well?” I asked, staring between Albert and Grant. “Albert says they were found early this morning. Grant says he witnessed my battle and brought Alf and Arvid home late last night. You can’t both be speaking the truth. That would be contradictory. So, which one of you is lying?”

I almost smiled. If Grant confessed that he was lying, it meant he had also lied about witnessing the battle between myself and his two friends. In which case, neither he nor Albert would have any grounds to stand on, but if Albert confessed to being wrong, then Grant could still potentially make the claim that he had witnessed the fight.

Albert glanced at Grant, clearly aware of this problem. The young Leucht Family heir returned the look and frowned.

“It could be… that I was mistaken,” Albert admitted in a voice that made it clear he was forcing the words out. “I only heard about what happened late this afternoon, after I had returned from the Demon Beast Mountain Range. It is possible that I merely misheard the elders when they spoke.”

Even though I wanted to frown, I didn’t let it show on my face. I glanced at Kari. She was biting her lip now. As the Princess of Nevaria, she was well-versed in politics and understood that I could still be implicated as the person who had assaulted Alf and Arvid, which would be considered a serious offense. One did not just assault nobility. At the same time, there were ways around this.

“It seems we are at an impasse,” I muttered with a sigh. “You have implicated me in the crime of assaulting nobility, but I have never once laid a hand on anyone who has not laid their hands on me first.”

“So you plead innocent?” Albert asked.

I stared at him with an even frown. “I do.”

No one dared to speak for the longest time as a thick tension filled the air, clogging the throats of those who were too weak-willed to deal with it. Most of these people had probably never seen such a confrontation before. It was almost like watching a dramatic play.

Beside me, Kari continued to chew her lip for several seconds before her eyes hardened.

“Since it seems neither side is willing to back down, I believe there is only one way to settle this.” Kari stepped forward, standing between me and the other two. Her eyes were polite but firm. “As the slighted party, you have the right to challenge Eryk to an Honor Duel. Should he prove victorious, these charges that you have brought up against him will be dropped. Should he lose, then it means he is guilty and will face an appropriate punishment.”

Honor Duels were only something I’d heard of before. Kari had once told me about them a long time ago. They were used to settle disputes between nobles. I’d never heard of a peasant having an Honor Duel with a noble, and I was sure these two hadn’t either, but they didn’t dare dispute Kari.

“When and where will this Honor Duel be held?” asked Albert.

“We will hold it in five days,” Kari said. “I will inform my mother, Empress Hilda, about this matter and have her prepare a proper venue for the two of you.”

While Grant looked like he wanted to dispute Kari, Albert nodded, turned around, and began walking away. After glaring at me with a look that could have killed lesser men, Grant also turned around and followed after Albert.

With the situation resolved, the common folk who’d gathered to witness this event slowly dispersed. Many glances were still cast at me and Kari. What’s more, the numerous conversations had become heated and excited as they talked about the upcoming duel. I was sure these people were enjoying the drama.

“It seems I’ve gotten myself into some trouble,” I said with a sigh.

Kari smiled. “You have indeed, though I do not believe what happened just now is your fault.” She glanced at where Albert and Grant had disappeared. “It is obvious that Grant is the one who instigated this event. The Himmel Family is a minor noble family who are subservient to the Leucht Family. In fact, it was only thanks to Grant’s family that the Himmels were able to gain the status of a noble family to begin with.”

“Can you tell me more about them?” I asked.

“I will tell you what I know of the Himmel Family and Albert in particular tomorrow.” Kari’s eyes crinkled a little as she glanced at the darkening sky. “It is getting quite late. I should have been home by now.”

After noticing how late it was, I realized that the confrontation had lasted for longer than I’d thought. I cursed those two. They had completely ruined the time I had been spending with Kari. Did they have no tact?

Sighing, I glanced at the young woman beside me. She appeared just as unwilling to part as I was. That made me smile. It also made me feel bold.

Reaching out, I placed my right hand against Kari’s smooth, warm cheek. Her eyes widened as I leaned down. That was the last thing I saw before my lips made contact with her skin. I did not kiss her on the lips, which had been my first impulse, and instead I placed a soft kiss on her cheek. When I leaned back, Kari’s face was burning.

“I… hope that wasn’t too forward,” I said. Kari shook her head, but that was seemingly all she could do. It was like she’d been rendered temporarily speechless. “I’m glad. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“R-right. See you tomorrow.”

After gracing me with these parting words, Kari turned around and walked away, her gait still graceful even as she hurried along.

***

“Why did you agree to an Honor Duel?” asked Grant as he and Albert walked through the Noble District. His teeth were gritted as he spoke. “An Honor Duel with a peasant? Who has ever heard of such a thing?!”

Albert sighed. “What would you have me do? Would you have me slight Princess Kari by denying her suggestion?”

“But it’s an Honor Duel!” Grant growled.

The high walls of the many grand estates lay on either side of the street. If they were to look over, they would have been able to see the massive homes of the numerous noble families situated within. A number of carriages were also rolling past them. They were being pulled by Mares, harmless F-rank Demon Beasts that had been tamed for the purpose of transporting people and cargo.

“I am aware that it is an Honor Duel,” Albert said. “You do not need to tell me that.”

“Then you should know what is at stake!” Grant clenched his hands. “Should you lose, not only will all the charges against that peasant be dropped, but his prestige among both the peasants and the nobles will soar!”

“Your point? All I have to do is not lose.”

Grant gritted his teeth as he heard Albert’s words, but he eventually relaxed. There was little point in getting mad now that this situation had come to pass. He took several calming breaths, and then sighed.

“I suppose it is unlikely that you will lose,” Grant admitted. “Among our generation, you are one of the finest warriors. Only a few other people our age like the younger members of the Kriger Family are stronger than you.”

“You are slighting yourself,” Albert said with a faint smile. “I still have yet to defeat you in combat.”

Grant smiled but did not say anything. He looked up at the dark sky and clenched his hands once more. Even if Albert lost, which he didn’t believe would happen, he would still be able to learn more about Eryk and his abilities. In the meantime, he would have Skygge and his group search that peasant’s house to learn anything they could.

Just you wait, he thought as a black feeling penetrated his heart. I will destroy you for humiliating me and trying to claim Kari and Fay as your own!

***

I arrived home much later than I expected. Lin was already sound asleep when I gently shut the door behind me.

I glanced around the room as I walked in, studying the very few pieces of furniture I had. All of this would need to be moved to the house I had just bought, which would require the aid of other people to help. I was going to have to hire someone to bring it all over. However, there was a problem with that.

Reaching my bed, I glanced at the sleeping Lamia girl. She was turned on her side, her snake tail curled up and poking out from under the covers. Because her tail was so long, the tip was dangling off the edge and touching the floor. Her black hair flowed across her body and the bed like a curtain of silk. I glanced from her face to her bare breasts. The pink nipples had hardened thanks to the chilly night hair. She seemed cold.

“How am I going to get you to our new house and have the movers move everything over without you being seen?” I wondered out loud as I slowly reached out with my hand and stroked Lin’s hair. I didn’t even realize what I was doing until much later. After which, I retracted my hand and shook my head.

It really was difficult living with such a cute and exotic girl.

***

The next morning was a little problematic for me. The first thing I needed to do was find some people who could help me move all of my current furniture into my new home. Fortunately, the Eieren Family actually had people who could do that. After speaking with the young man who had helped me find my house, I soon brokered a deal to have several people come over the next day after I got off from work. It did cost me 3,000 valis, but that was honestly a small price to pay. The only problem I could foresee came in the form of Lin. I’d have to get her over to the new house tonight. I’d also have to convince her to hide somewhere so none of the people helping move my furniture would see her.

Once I had finished speaking with the young man from the Eieren Family, whose name I learned was Kaleb Eieren, I traveled to the training ground. Fay was not there today. She had classes at the Spiritualist Academy.

I stood in the clearing and wondered what Spiritual Technique I should practice today. I’d basically remastered the Flash Step by this point, or at least the first stage of the Flash Step. It came in several stages.

“I suppose I should focus primarily on getting the hang of Flash Step Version 2,” I muttered.

Taking a deep breath, I unleashed my Spiritual Power, which flowed through my body like an overbearing tempest. My aura swiftly soared. Pale arcs of blue lightning skittered across my body as swirling eddies of Spiritual Power flowed around me. However, despite the power flowing around my body, none of it affected the environment as I carefully controlled my power.

Once my Spiritual Aura had appeared, I gnashed my teeth together and enforced my will over it, drawing all of my Spiritual Power back into my body. The pale blue aura was drawn back inside my body as though it was a black hole sucking it up. This was different from merely letting it dissipated. The aura was still circulating, still there, but now it was underneath my skin. It felt like lightning was flowing through me just underneath the surface of my flesh.

After taking my aura back into myself, I took a single step forward and the world around me vanished. Not even a second had passed before I was fifteen meters from my previous location. I looked back and frowned.

“There’s no afterimage.” I sighed.

It looked like the Flash Step Version 2: Illusion Step was going to take awhile to master.

***

Kari sat in the lecture hall alongside the other students who attended the Spiritualist Academy, biting her lip as she waited for the old teacher’s lecture to finish. Instructor Duendas was currently teaching them about the uses of Spiritual Power outside of Spiritual Techniques.

“Many of you have yet to reach the stage where you can create a Spiritual Aura with your Spiritual Power,” he was saying. “However, once you have attained this ability, your Spiritual Aura will not only act as a suppressant that can cause your opponent’s Spiritual Power to grow sluggish, you can also emit a Spiritual Pressure that can make your enemies feel fear, a great reluctance to fight, and even create a near physical discomfort that feels as if something is pushing them into the ground. Of course, the greatest asset of a Spiritual Aura is defense. Your Spiritual Aura will act as a shield that can defend you against both physical and spiritual attacks.”

Biting her lip as she continued listening with one ear, Kari glanced at Fay several seats away. She had yet to speak with the girl about Eryk. However, she really did need to. The longer she put this matter off, the harder it would become.

Instructor Duendas continued to lecture them. At the end of his lecture, he activated his Spiritual Aura. A vast and mighty Spiritual Pressure swept around the room, causing even her to pay more attention. The instructor’s Spiritual Aura was a fiery red that appeared around his body like a flame.

“I’m sure all of you can feel the Spiritual Pressure I am exuding,” Instructor Duendas said. “Currently, what you feel is merely a side effect of me releasing my Spiritual Aura. However, if I were to focus it on a specific individual, that person would be subjected to an even greater pressure than what you are experiencing right now.”

All of the students nodded at his words. Some of them scribbled down notes on a sheet of parchment, and a few of the noble children even had leather bound books to write in. Kari was not taking notes. She had already reached the stage where she could release her Spiritual Aura. Instructor Brynhild was currently teaching her how to use it.

“That is all for today’s lesson,” Instructor Duendas said as he released his Spiritual Aura. The disappearance of his Spiritual Pressure caused the many students to sigh in relief. “All of you should do your best to increase your Spiritual Power so you can one day attain a Spiritual Aura, especially if your goal is to join the Nevarian Spiritualists or the Imperial Royal Guard. You are dismissed.”

Everyone stood up and rolled up their scrolls or closed their books. Ink bottles were capped, quills were cleaned, and the students walked down the stairs and hurried out of the room. Kari looked around and found Fay already heading down the stairs and toward the door, causing her to quickly rush down the stairs after her.

“Fay!”

At the sound of her voice, Fay stopped walking and turned to her. A flash appeared within her eyes. The look on her face caused Kari to stop for a moment, but she soon put a smile on her face.

“Do you mind if I talked to you?” Kari asked softly. “It’s about Eryk.”

Fay’s eyes partially widened before narrowing again. She considered Kari for a moment, and then nodded in a slow, almost wary manner.

“I suppose we can talk.”

“Thank you.”

Kari smiled and led Fay toward the door. Just before she exited, she noticed that Grant Leucht was looking at the two of them with a hunger in his eyes. She shuddered before disappearing into the hallway with her once upon a time friend.

They did not speak at first, instead continuing to walk in awkward silence. Kari took several deep breaths. She needed to say something. This situation with Eryk was something that she wanted to resolve now.

“So, um, about Eryk…”

“I’ve heard from Eryk that you are the woman he loves,” Fay interrupted.

Kari felt her face become hot. Even the area around her chest felt warm at Fay’s blunt words, but she tried to suppress both her embarrassment and the joy she felt. This was an important matter.

“Yes… I… well, he confessed to me a little while ago…” she said, trying to muddle her way through this conversation.

“And what about you?” Fay suddenly turned to look at her, freezing Kari in place with her startling green eyes. “Do you also have feelings for Eryk? Are you also in love with him?”

Kari thought about what she should say, to think of how she should answer, but a suitable answer didn’t come. Of course she wouldn’t lie. However, she wanted to think of a way to word this answer so she could lead it into the original reason she had gone up to Fay.

“I am,” she finally said.

Fay did not appear startled at her answer. She nodded as if she had been expecting it.

“I am a little surprised, but given how Eryk acts the few times you have been brought up in our conversations, I can easily tell that you and he share a mutual attraction toward each other.” Fay’s eyes flashed once again. “However, that doesn’t mean I have given up. You might be in the lead right now, but even if you have feelings for him, it does not mean something will happen between you two. He is a commoner and you are the Princess of Nevaria. A relationship between the two of you is incredibly unlikely. I might be a member of a noble family, but we are minor nobility. It would not be too much of a problem to have a man who is as talented and strong as Eryk marry into my family.”

This conversation was slipping even further away from what she wanted. Her original intent had not been to instigate hostilities between her and Fay. She needed to quickly bring this conversation back on track!

However, before she could do anything, Fay turned around.

“I will not lose to you,” Fay gave her this last parting shot before walking off.

Kari reached out as though to grab the other girl, but her hands only touched empty air. She opened her mouth. However, no words came out. She couldn’t think of a single thing she could say right now that would make Fay turn around and talk with her again. In the end, all she could do was watch as the person she wanted to be friends with more than anything disappeared.

“Why must we compete?” Kari whispered to herself as her eyes stung with something wet. “Can we not both be happy?”

Silence was her only answer.

***

I arrived at the library after practicing the Flash Step Version 2: Illusion Step for several hours to find Ms. Nadine sitting behind the table. She looked up from the book she was reading as I walked over to her.

“I hear you’re going to have an Honor Duel with Albert Himmel,” were the first words that left her mouth.

“So you’ve already heard about that, huh?” I reached up and tugged at the bangs framing my face. “News sure travels fast.”

“Your confrontation with Albert Himmel was very public,” she said as if that explained everything. “All of the common folk who witnessed the confrontation have likely spread it across the entirety of Nevaria by this point. My husband was among those who saw you the other day.”

“Which would explain why you know about it already,” I muttered.

Ms. Nadine nodded as she placed a small goatskin bookmark in her book and closed it. She set it on the desk and stood up, but instead of leaving like she normally would, she eyed me.

“Are you sure it is okay for you to be here?” she asked.

“Excuse me?” I stared at her, befuddled.

“I mean, shouldn’t you be spending as much time as you can training?” asked Ms. Nadine. “I do not know much about nobles, but even I am aware that Albert Himmel is considered a powerful Spiritualist among the younger generation.”

I paused for a moment, and then a grin slowly spread across my face. “Are you concerned about me?”

Ms. Nadine’s face went blank. “You are imagining things.”

“No. No. I am fairly certain I heard concern in your voice.”

“Like I said, you are imagining things. Whatever you thought you heard was merely a figment of your imagination. It seems you are becoming more delusional with each passing day. I’d recommend seeing a doctor, but they can’t cure people of their delusions.”

“That’s rather mean of you to say.”

“Whatever. I’m leaving now. Try not to mess up my library.” Ms. Nadine grabbed the book she’d been reading, walked out from behind the table, and turned toward the door. She paused for a moment, and then looked at me. “Good luck in your Honor Duel. I hope for you win… for that girl’s sake if not your own.”

I watched the woman leave. Her last comment was obviously about Kari. Speaking of, I wondered if she had arrived yet.

She hadn’t. I checked the second floor and saw that Kari was not sitting at any of the tables. Since that was the case, I began cleaning up while I waited for her to show up. It took longer than I expected. Not only had I cleaned everything twice, but I had also rearranged several bookshelves that had books that were put in the wrong places.

When Kari arrived with a desolate expression, I could tell something was wrong. Her eyes were a bit red. It didn’t look like she’d been crying as there were no tear tracks on her face, but it seemed like she might start at the slightest provocation.

“Eryk…” she said in a voice so desolate it shook my heart.

“Not here. Let’s talk up stairs.”

I took her by the hand and led her up the stairs. After sitting her down at a table near the far corner where no one could overhear us without being spotted by me, I sat down beside her.

“What happened?” I asked.

“It’s nothing.” Kari shook her head. “I am just… dealing with a problem right now.”

“Kari…”

“Eryk. Please.”

Her pleading tone made me pause. The previous Kari had spoken to me with his tone a few times before. She only did so when there was a problem that she believed I couldn’t help with, and sadly, she was usually correct.

“This problem,” I began, “Is it something I can’t help you solve?”

“Not… right now,” she said with some hesitance. “I will eventually need your help, but right now, I think if you were to get involved, it would create more problems than it would solve.”

“I understand.” I sighed. “I’ll back off then.” Feeling my lips twitch into a frown, I stared into Kari’s eyes. “But promise me that you will tell me once you need my help.”

A soft smile lit up Kari’s face like the gentle glow of fireflies dancing in the night. “I will.”

Knowing when to push and when to back off, I nodded and switched topics. There were other matters we needed to focus on.

“Can you tell me more about Albert and the Himmel Family?” I asked.

“The Himmel Family is the youngest of the minor noble families,” Kari explained. “They were only granted noble status within the last fifty years, which means they currently aren’t very powerful. However, their heir, Albert Himmel, is considered one of the most powerful Spiritualists of our generation. Despite being just 25 years-old, he has already led two groups of Spiritualists into the Demon Beast Mountain Range. During one of those excursions, his group fought against a B-rank Demon Beast. I’m told that he landed the killing blow.”

“That is fairly impressive,” I admitted, though I honestly didn’t think it was that big of a deal. In my previous life, when Kari and I had been 24 and 22 respectively, we had been able to kill B-rank Demon Beasts on our own. The two of us had even killed an A-rank Demon Beast with just the two of us. Of course, that was saying nothing of the S-rank Demon Beasts that I had fought and killed when I was older.

“You will have to be very careful when fighting him,” Kari said, staring at me with concern clear on her face. “I have all the confidence that you can win. I wouldn’t have suggested an Honor Duel if I didn’t think you could, but still…”

“Do not worry.” I reached out and placed my left hand over her right. “I promise you that I won’t lose.”

Kari’s shoulders relaxed a little when I said this, and though she still looked worried, she graced me with a smile.

“I know. I have confidence in you.”

Her words made me smile as well. Even though she had not seen me fight before, she still expressed confidence in my abilities. That made me happy.

“Where is the battle taking place?” I asked. “Has the arena been selected?”

“The battle will take place in the Colosseum,” Kari told me. “The same place where the Spiritualist Grand Tournament will be held.”

The Colosseum, huh? I almost smiled when I heard that. It looked like I would be making my debut a little earlier than expected.

Since I didn’t want to remain on such a heavy topic during the only time I had with Kari, I quickly changed gears, and the two of us spoke well into the night.