"I see... so he won."
A whispering voice echoed through the VIP room.
Aside from the man who had just spoken, only two others heard him: the owner of the room, Emperor Trajist Gnos Bestia of the Bestia Empire, and a maid standing in attendance. The speaker was the S-Rank adventurer Noise, known by the alias "Immovable."
None of the other members of the Imperial Family were present; they were either watching the Fighting Tournament with their respective factions or had not bothered to come to the arena at all.
Under normal circumstances, failing to appear at an event attended by the Emperor would be considered an act of gross disrespect. However, since this Fighting Tournament was effectively a massive festival, the rules were relaxed. Furthermore, the Main Tournament was a multi-day affair. As long as the royals attended the opening and closing ceremonies, they were generally free to spend their time as they pleased.
Of course, many nobles still frequented the arena, driven by the need to scout talent, negotiate with rival factions, and manage various other political affairs.
"He certainly won," Trajist observed. "He barely used any magic, and he didn't even use the blade of that great scythe."
"Yeah. He’s likely building up his strength specifically to face me. In fact, his technical skill has noticeably improved since the first round."
"Oh? To think you, the man they call 'Immovable,' would go that far. It seems this adventurer Crimson truly does hide an extraordinary power."
"Naturally. That's why I set my sights on him. Even though the Chancellor approached me first, I would have turned down the invitation to this tournament if I hadn't found him interesting when we met by chance."
Noise’s manner of speaking was hardly what one would expect toward the Emperor of the Bestia Empire, the nation with the largest territory on the continent. Had anyone else been present to hear it, they surely would have stared in shock.
Trajist, however, merely wore an amused smile, and the maid showed no sign of intervention.
This was the privilege of an S-Rank adventurer. The fact that Noise was permitted to speak on equal terms with a head of state made it clear just how significant an S-Rank adventurer—one of only three in the entire world—truly was.
Indeed, Noise’s presence was the reason the room lacked any other guards. Trajist trusted Noise’s strength so deeply that he felt no need for additional protection; conversely, Noise’s presence signaled that he would allow no harm to come to the Emperor as long as he stood there.
While their relationship was a product of mutual pragmatism, it was also true that they recognized each other as close friends, despite the significant gap in their ages.
"I see... Then, let me ask you a question in jest. Do you think that man will stand in the way of the Bestia Empire in the future?"
Trajist called it a "jest," but the subject was grave. The Spring War had made it painfully clear that if Crimson became an enemy, an entire army would simply be wiped out. In other words, to counter an opponent like Crimson, who specialized in wide-range annihilation warfare, the Empire needed quality over quantity. They needed someone—either an individual or a party—capable of contending with him head-on.
"I can only say the possibility is high," Noise replied. "From what I gathered when I met him, he didn't seem like the type to swear absolute loyalty to the Kingdom of Mireana. However, if he accepts a job, he’ll side with his employer for the duration. That seems to be his attitude."
"In that case, is he open to recruitment? If he has no deep attachment to Mireana, he might be persuaded to take our side."
It was a natural question, but Noise slowly shook his head.
"It's just my intuition, but I doubt he’ll ever side with us if it means becoming an enemy of the Kingdom of Mireana."
"Why? If what you say is true, there is no inherent reason for him to remain their ally."
"Like I said, it’s just intuition."
Intuition. It was a simple answer, yet it was enough to satisfy Trajist. If a common adventurer had cited intuition as their reasoning, the Emperor likely would have laughed in their face. But this was Noise. The intuition of an S-Rank adventurer was a commodity worth trusting.
And that intuition was correct.
It was true that Rei held no particular loyalty to the Kingdom of Mireana as a state. If anything, his memories of the place were filled with unpleasantness, particularly his disputes with the Noble's Faction.
However, the possibility of Rei turning against the kingdom was incredibly low. Chief among the reasons was the existence of Elena Kerebel. Furthermore, he was beginning to feel a genuine attachment to Gilm, the frontier city where he had first arrived.
For those reasons, Rei currently had no motivation to become an enemy of the Kingdom of Mireana. Noise’s ability to sense this instinctually, without knowing the specific details, was a testament to his status as a pinnacle of the adventuring world—a truly supernatural existence.
"I see. Then he will be nothing but an obstacle to my future plans. Good grief... I would feel much more at ease if a man like that were my successor."
Trajist let out a small sigh. He was well aware that his sons and daughters were currently engaged in a cutthroat struggle over the Right of Succession to the Throne.
He didn't necessarily disapprove of the infighting. From his perspective, he almost wanted to encourage it. The Bestia Empire was the strongest nation—at the very least, its citizens believed so and acted accordingly. While it was certainly a powerhouse, it was still far from strong enough to claim the title of "strongest" undisputed.
Consequently, anyone aiming for the throne was required to possess an equivalent level of power. Trajist had fought his own bloody battles against his kin to become Emperor, so he understood the necessity of that trial deep in his bones. Only one who possessed strength, luck, and the support of competent allies could claim the throne of Bestia.
In that regard, the adventurer with the alias Crimson had struck a chord with the Emperor. Trajist felt that if a man like Rei took the throne, the nation would likely soar to new heights. They would finally seize the sea—the Empire's long-standing ambition—swallow the Kingdom of Mireana, and raise the flag of the Bestia Empire over the entire continent.
Of course, this was merely Trajist's own intuition speaking. But given that it was the intuition of a man who had climbed to the peak of an empire, just as Noise had reached the peak of his class, it carried a certain weight.
"Then why not just take him in as a son-in-law?" Noise suggested mockingly.
Trajist replied with a wry smile. It was the most efficient choice, certainly. But such a move would ignite a firestorm of resentment among the nobility and could very well spark a civil war.
"It might have been different if we hadn't suffered so much damage at the Seremuse Plain," Trajist noted.
"But if you think about it, isn't it because he did so much damage at the Seremuse Plain that he earned the alias of 'Crimson' in the first place?" Noise countered. "His name became so famous that the nobles of Bestia can't just ignore him now. If he hadn't performed like that at the Seremuse Plain, we wouldn't have to think so highly of him."
As Noise wore a small smile, a cup was quietly placed before him. He offered a brief word of thanks for the maid's consideration and reached for the tea.
"Well, as things stand now, bringing Crimson over would be difficult regardless."
"...I see. 'Currently,' is it?" Trajist looked at Noise with a meaningful, knowing gaze.
Relations with the Kingdom of Mireana were poor at the moment, but that wouldn't necessarily last forever. As the Emperor, he could never back down, but if the other side offered concessions, he wouldn't be averse to showing mercy.
"Though I don't know when that 'currently' will ever end," Noise added.
"Hmph." Trajist snorted in mock displeasure at Noise's teasing tone. But a moment later, his lips curled into a small smile. "As for you, you'd prefer he stay an enemy, wouldn't you?"
"I won't deny it. After all, that’s the only reason I’m participating in this farce."
"Oh? 'Farce' is a bit much. This is one of the Empire's greatest events, you know?"
Trajist chided him, but his voice was filled with amusement. He knew that the S-Rank adventurer beside him was struggling with an immense, stifling boredom, even if he never showed it on his face.
It was the curse of reaching S-Rank. He was overwhelmingly strong—so strong that no one could serve as a proper opponent. Yet, because he had nothing else to do, he never neglected his training, which only made him stronger still. In many ways, he was a clumsy, singular man.
If he had taken an interest in alcohol or women, things might have been different, Trajist thought.
It was a state of stagnation born from his earnest devotion to the class of adventurer. If there were someone rising through the ranks to challenge him, things might change, but while Bestia had its share of A-Ranks, none possessed the caliber of an S-Rank. After all, there were only three in the world; they were not a resource that increased easily.
This was precisely why Trajist felt such a strong interest in the man Crimson, whom Noise had recognized. He had been curious since the Spring War, but that curiosity had only deepened.
Crimson and Immovable. If things proceed smoothly, they’ll meet in the finals... I wonder what will happen then.
Trajist turned his gaze back toward the arena floor, where the next match had already begun.
"Here's your money."
As soon as he entered the VIP box, Rei was handed a cloth bag by Elk. Inside were the winnings from the bet Rei had placed on himself. However, as Rei took the bag, his brows furrowed slightly. The weight felt almost identical to the amount he had originally given Elk to place the bet.
"I have to ask—I did win, right?"
"Of course you did. That’s why your stake increased, at least a little. But your name is so famous that the odds were in the gutter. You’re what they call a 'sure thing'."
"I thought plenty of people bet against me in the first round?"
In the first round, many spectators had indeed bet against Rei out of pure spite for the man who had humbled their nation. However, since those people had bet on Anacel instead of Rei, they had lost everything when Rei won. It seemed fewer people were willing to throw their money away a second time, resulting in Rei's dismal odds for the second match.
"I thought my reputation from the first round was pretty bad," Rei admitted.
"Well, to a layperson, it looked like you were being pushed back the whole time," Elk agreed.
For an amateur, it had looked like a desperate defensive struggle. But for anyone with genuine skill, the match had told a completely different story. Many had seen Rei's technical display as a true threat, and the bag in Rei's hand was the result of those rumors spreading.
"Mmm. I guess it can't be helped."
Rei let out a small sigh and stored the bag of gold and silver coins into his Misty Ring.
A noble who was sharing the VIP box with Daskar witnessed this and let out a cry of shock, his eyes wide. Rei figured the man was likely visiting this particular box for the first time; he ignored the noble's reaction and turned his attention back to the match on the stage.
There, quite unusually for this world, a woman in her 20s armed with a staff was dominating a middle-aged swordsman.
"Normally, you'd think she’d pick a spear over a staff," Elk muttered beside him.
"Maybe she’s studied a style of martial arts meant for capturing targets alive?" Rei suggested.
"If that’s the case, she might have a background as a guard or something similar."
As the two talked, the scene unfolding below was anything but a peaceful "capture." The staff appeared to be made of a highly flexible material; with just a light flick of the woman's wrist, the weapon's trajectory would whip and curve, striking the swordsman repeatedly. Because the weapon lacked a blade, the middle-aged man wasn't receiving fatal wounds, but he was being unilaterally pummeled as the damage accumulated.
In the end, the woman maintained her one-sided assault until the match concluded in what could only be described as a perfect victory.
"...If my son keeps winning, he’ll eventually have to face her," Elk remarked, a look of concern on his face. "I just hope he doesn't awaken to some weird hobbies after that."
Elk's comment left a deep, lingering impression on Rei's mind.