#1210 A Beginning Full of Hiccups

“We’re back~” 
“That we are~” 

Hm?  
Why did you two suddenly vanish, Veil and Sensei? 

Thanks to you, only Horkosfon remains at the training grounds, and we ended up endlessly munching natto together.  
I was this close to getting gout. 

“Ah, my apologies, Master. It was just a little bug extermination.” 
“Also, a bit of screen-door repair.” 

?  
Well, anyway. 
Our training’s come a long way; don’t you think they’re finally polished?  

After days of alternating ramen and natto, their whole countenances have hardened. 

“Hmhmhm. That’s because we personally forged them into warriors. We’re talking a combat power of five-point-three billion!” 
“And I slipped in some of my lessons.” 

Sensei’s help has been invaluable. 

“Gufufufu...! Lord Saint…!” 

Oh! Lord Dalkish?  
You joined the training, too? 

“Of course. I can’t simply leave everything to my subordinates and relax. Thanks to this, I’ve gained solid experience. Now I feel we can repel any challenge, any difficulty, together, forged by the same trial!” 

That sense of unity really shows the value of training. 

All right, they’re looking sharp now. It’s time to let them handle things completely. For this year’s Orkubo’s Castle, the farm team steps back and watches the local crew at work! 

*** 

Thus, the day Orkubo’s Castle is held arrives. 

It’s a huge hit again this year, packed not only in the main arena but at all the surrounding stalls, too. 

Under our theme of local leadership, the locals run everything… except the food stalls, where farm residents still take part.  

Mainly Veil’s ramen stand, Letasreit’s bean stall, and Platy’s curry shop. 

Honestly, it’s more about their competitive streak. They just can’t hold back.  
Today, they’re battling it out to see who tops the sales charts. 

“Beaaaaaaans! Who wants beanssssss?!”  

Especially Letasreit, who launched her own company this year, so she’s all fired up.  
Orkubo’s Castle is the perfect stage to show off, and if she were told she couldn’t join, she’d flip. 

— “If I can’t run a stall, I’ll storm the main competition and dominate it! You sure you’re fine with that?!” 

Faced with that threat, we had to let her in.  
The same goes for Veil. Soon, the world’s soup broth will reach new heights of gonkotsu intensity.  
Honestly, I wonder how much longer her giant stock pots will llast. 

Platy, meanwhile, chases the ultimate curry blend, hawking platters nonstop from her stall. 

So, while we haven’t completely stepped away from the farms, we’ve handed over as much as we can to Lord Dalkish and crew.  
It’s what Orkubo’s Castle needs to thrive for years to come. 

Before the main event, Dalkish takes the stage. 
It’s time for the organizer’s greeting. 

“Uh… testing. Today’s weather is splendid. I am Dalkish, your feudal lord,” he begins, drawing every eye. “You might wonder, yes, I am the feudal lord of these lands, but I’ve dashed through Orkubo’s Castle competitions countless times. But from this year on, that’s over.” 

He explains: 

“As some know, Lord Saint used to host Orkubo’s Castle each year. But recently, he has turned to founding and running the Farm Kingdom, appearing in public and dedicating all efforts there. There’s simply no time left to oversee the castle event.” 

So… 

“We locals have stepped up to run things. We can’t promise the same polish, but we’ll give it everything to make this spectacular. Now then…” 

He draws in a deep breath… 

“Do you want to visit the Farm Kingdommmmm?!” 

YEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!! 

An earth-shaking roar of approval! 
I feel like that energy is misdirected, but anyway... 

The locally run Orkubo’s Castle kicks off. 

First up: the balance-beam crossing. 

The classic attraction: a narrow bridge across the moat acting as our beam.  

Balance is everything. 
But it wouldn’t be fun if that were all. 

After progressing a bit, participants get targeted by catapults. 
It’s the kind of obstacle you’d expect in any athletic event, meant to slow you down. 

The catapults fire cushions made of 100% farm-raised feathers, so there’s no real risk of injury. 

Still, a direct hit packs enough punch to knock you off the narrow balance beams. 

It looks simple, but it’s trickier than it seems. Nearly half of the challengers drop out at this first checkpoint every year. 

That said, the event’s been around for years, so most contestants know what to expect. 
Some veterans even sprint through at full speed like it’s flat ground. 

Those kinds of powerhouses usually breeze right into the second checkpoint, but nothing’s ever that easy. 

Even for them, there's always a chance of getting knocked out. That’s why the catapults are there. 
Last year, the farm’s goblins operated them. This time, it’s Dalkish’s men taking aim. 

“We won’t let a single soul pass!” 
“That’s right! Our hard training has prepared us!” 

The crew manning the catapults begin rapid-firing cushions. 
...Rapid-fire? 
Since when did our catapults have that feature? 

“With the power we’ve gained from ramen and natto and the techniques we learned from Sensei!” 
“It’s totally possible to launch a hundred cushions per second!!!” 

Uh, except we didn’t stock that many cushion bullets, though? 

But with this many flying through the air, it’s basically a bullet hell game now. 
This isn’t just an obstacle course anymore! 

“Gyaaaaahhh!” 
“There’s no way to dodge all that! I’ll fall if I even try o dodgeeeeee!!!” 

Being forced into a bullet hell scenario with nowhere to run but forward or back is just straight-up cruel. 
One by one, the challengers were overwhelmed by the cushion barrage and dropped out, unable to hold their footing. 

Even so, a few hardcore veterans pushed forward without flinching, braving the cushion avalanche and making it across the balance beam. 

“Tch, we missed a couple.”  

The catapult crew groan in frustration, but hey, missing a few is part of the event. It’s designed that way. 

The second checkpoint is another classic: giant boulders rolling down a slope. 
Contestants have to dodge traps worthy of a Jones movie while climbing uphill. 

It’s a test of leg strength and quick reflexes to predict the boulders’ paths and avoid them, but… 

What’s this? A whole line of boulders, rolling down side by side in perfect formation?! 

No escape. 
It’s pure, concentrated malice. 

Even the few battle-hardened veterans who made it past the first stage stood no chance and were flattened instantly. 
...Well, to be fair, the boulders are enchanted to teleport challengers to the “loser zone” just before impact, so safety isn’t an issue. 

Still, having everyone wiped out at the second checkpoint is unheard of. 

After all, Orkubo’s Castle is supposed to be entertainment. 
The whole thrill comes from seeing how far people can make it, so players and spectators alike get caught up in the excitement. 

If the organizers crank the difficulty up to impossible, the game falls apart. 
And a broken game is no fun for anyone. 

"This is bad...!" 

The locals probably just wanted to prove they could live up to expectations. You can tell they mean well. 
But their enthusiasm is backfiring badly. 

At this rate, trusting them might end up being a mistake. 

Which means… we’ll have to play our trump card. 

Go! Our shining star of hope!!!!