#913 The Greatest Duo Appears

The venue for the Tenkaichi Butokai is a riot of blooms wherein every flower will compete for supremacy.

The number of females present is staggeringly high.

Of course, they’re all young women. Mind you, there are more than a hundred of them.

These damsels, each more radiant than the last, are cloaked in gowns of red, blue, yellow, green, pink, and white… an overwhelming cascade of hues that could easily tire your eyes out.

In this spectacle, Sensei and I remain hidden observers.

“Too vivid, it’s almost blinding.”

“It’s a stark contrast to us, always dressed in neutral colors.”

Together, we are but two middle-aged men on the brink of being swallowed by the sheer vibrancy of the current situation.

The vitality of the room is almost too much for our aged bones.

Amidst this... Ah.

There he is. Found him.

Ritheseus stands at the very heart of the gathering, looking every bit the deer in headlights.

Despite being the man of the hour, he exudes an aura of awkwardness.

“Don’t worry, Ritheseus! I’m here for you!”

Who’s that lady encouraging him? ...Oh, it’s Eryngear.

Ritheseus’ true betrothed and the center of another controversy altogether.

“Y-Yeah, you’re right...!”

“A ruler of the Human Kingdom trembling over a bride selection? Leave it to me! I’ll ensure no other contenders stand a chance against me, proving myself as your rightful fiancée!”

“B-But won’t they criticize you for being chosen as my fiancée… Aren’t you mad?”

“Not in the slightest!”

“Really?”

Even if you weren’t angry to begin with, being asked over and over again can somehow conjure up irritation out of thin air.

Naturally, even after being officially recognized as the fiancée back in the Demon Kingdom, the criticism here in the Human Kingdom could provoke anyone’s wrath.

Their engagement has the direct blessing of the Demon King himself.

To challenge that is to smear mud on the Demon King’s face. Did they not grasp the political implications, or is their tactful discretion their only redeeming quality?

“Both of them seem in high spirits, which is heartening to see. Watching my students thrive post-graduation is the pinnacle of joy for a teacher,” Sensei murmurs, touched by the scene.

After all, Ritheseus and Eryngear were once students at the farm, receiving direct tutelage from him, making them particularly dear to him.

Naturally, today’s events are of paramount interest to him.

“Oh, look, the new king plays hard to get. How about sparing a moment for someone not of the demon kin?”

A love bug interjects, ready to stir the pot!

A lady in a striking rose-red gown, the epitome of assertiveness, makes her entrance?!

“It is a pleasure to meet you, Your Highness Ritheseus. I am Linenze, the eldest daughter of the once-prominent Simonan family of the human nobility.”

“Uh-huh…”

“As the herald of a new era, it is my duty to stand by Your Majesty and shape our shared future.”

“Right...”

Ritheseus’ response is dry, bordering on disinterested.

Clearly, he’s not invested in this interaction.

“In the many years to come, I anticipate offering countless pieces of advice, but let me start with this: favoring a specific lady in such a setting might not be in your best interest,” boldly states the lady in red.

She draws the attention of all present.

“A king must embody fairness, and so must his queen be chosen with impartiality. Any act that might cast doubt on your kingly demeanor should be avoided at all costs.”

“He’s not a king but a president,” Eryngear retorts sharply. “If you can’t even discern that much, then you’re ill-suited to be Ritheseus’s partner.”

“Presumptuous, aren’t we, demon girl? This is the Human Kingdom; outsiders like you have no place here, especially not as our leader. If you had any decency, you’d leave.”

At the same time, a thunderous wave of disapproval rolls in from all around.

“It’s as Lady Linenze says!” “We know you’re trying to trick the king and take over the Human Kingdom!” “You invader!” they say.

Amid the rising clamor, Eryngear remains unfazed, while Ritheseus looks utterly lost.

...He was never the type to have the courage to butt into a fight between women, after all.

“…Sensei.”

“Let’s go.”

Having gathered enough intel while cloaked from view, there’s no longer any reason to stay hidden.

Our patience has worn thin.

“Ladies and gentlemen,” I announce, still invisible to the crowd.

Sensei’s mastery over invisibility is such that even as I raise my voice, our presence remains undetected.

Confusion sweeps through the crowd as they try to locate the source of the voice.

“Eek! Who’s there?!” “A voice without a form?!” “Unmask yourself, you fiend!” “I’m scared!”

The crowd erupts in fear. Undeterred, I continue, “Fear not, for we are the special judges invited to oversee this grand contest of selecting Ritheseus’ bride. Our decision will be final, rendering all other opinions null and void!”

“How preposterous! Show yourself! Who dares make such bold claims?!”

Having sufficiently stirred the pot, it seems the right moment to reveal ourselves.

“Let’s go, Sensei.”

“Understood.”

With a flick of his wrist, Sensei dispels our cloaking magic, revealing both of our forms to the world.

“I am Sensei!”

“And I, the saint!”

Together, we are… 

“SENSAINT!”

How about that?

A blend of Sensei and Sensei gives us SenSaint.

For a spur-of-the-moment idea, I think it’s quite a clever team name.

Praising my own wit only makes my heart twinge with a mixture of pride and embarrassment.

“Ahhhh! A Lifeless King?!”

“Why is the world’s most fearsome monster here?! We’re going to be possessed and killeddddddddd!!” 

“Run for your livessssssssssss!!!”

The sight of Sensei alone sent the city-dwelling nobles into a frenzy, and they scrambled to flee the ballroom in utter chaos.

“Hmph, how rude, judging someone by their appearance.”

Having become accustomed to interactions with the mundane world, Sensei has developed a thick skin, unfazed by the immediate fear he inspired.

“As much as I’d like to let you flee as you please... I have a particular need for you to stay.”

With a snap of his fingers, a sinister fog gathers at the exits, thwarting the escape attempts of the panicking attendees.

“Yikes!”

“What is this fog? It’s pushing us back! We can’t get through!” 

“We’re trapped!”

The sight of the nobility in disarray is hardly pitiable.

They were the ones who sought to use their daughters, granddaughters, sisters, and nieces as pawns to gain power through marriage to Ritheseus.

My sympathy for them is minimal.

“Lord Saint, what is this?! I thought you were going to help us discreetly, but this is anything but subtle...!” 

“Sorry, but it seems direct intervention was necessary.”

Otherwise, there was no other way to address the situation at hand.

“You all listen up! Your petty schemes have caught our attention, and we’ve decided to act as judges!”

“We, SenSaint, have taken it upon ourselves to do so!”

Even Sensei is clearly enjoying our newfound team name.

The ballroom erupts into confusion as we, uninvited judges, make our presence known.

A noble-looking man, likely here with one of the candidates, challenges us indignantly.

“How dare you?! By what right do these unknown creatures and commoners decide the fate of the great Human Kingdom’s future queen?!”

Oh, questioning our credentials, are we?

“I am known as the saint, the one who commands dragons.”

“Before I became a Lifeless King, I was Thomack Moore, the Grand Archbishop.”

Our introductions are met with gasps of disbelief. 

“Wh-What?! The Saint Kidan?! The one rumored to wield the power to end the world?!” 

“Thomack Moore?! The lone voice of conscience in the church, now a legend? He turned into a Lifeless King?!”

They’re all caught by surprise.

Their perception shifted instantly. Fame, it seems, can be quite the useful tool when wielded correctly.

“Let’s get straight to the point. We’re aware that this event was spurred by your greed for power. Choosing a true queen based on such motives is impossible. Thus, we’ll take it upon ourselves to judge.”

“B-But, honorable sirs...” someone attempts to protest. “This matter should be left to us mortals. Your divine intervention could only bring chaos to our world!”

“A clever argument, coming from someone so entrenched in worldly schemes.”

A sharp sarcasm from Sensei!

“Indeed, we are beings who have already severed ties with the mundane world. It must be irksome to receive unsolicited advice from such entities. If only we could have said the same when the church strutted around in their heyday.”

“Urk...!”

“In that case, why don’t we summon a capable person to adjudicate in our stead, one whom none here can dispute...Or should I say capable divinity?” Sensei smiles slyly.