A heavy tension dominated the area. Wiping the sweat from my brow with my sleeve, I fixed my gaze on the opponent before me.
This was a battle on the razor’s edge. I was backed into a corner—but so was my foe. One more blow. If I could land just one more hit, victory would be mine.
However, there was no room left for error. If I missed now, I would lose. It was a fight where a single hair's breadth meant the difference between triumph and defeat.
"...Master... please, do your best."
Anima’s voice reached me from behind, her words sounding like a prayer. Perhaps she was as gripped by the tension as I was, for her voice trembled slightly.
Yet, her encouragement kindled a spark of courage in my heart. Surrendering myself to that rising heat, I shifted into my stance.
Time seemed to accelerate. As the surrounding scenery sharpened into vivid clarity, I planted my foot firmly and unleashed the final blow.
"Go for it!"
The white streak flying from my hand traveled true, as if answering my silent plea. It soared through the air and captured the target perfectly.
...Well, it was really just target practice, though.
"Congratulations! You hit five points, so here is your stamp."
"You did it, Master! That was amazing!"
The staff member announced my success with a smile and pressed a stamp onto my stamp card. Anima looked as delighted as if she had won it herself. Heartened by the sight, I made my way back to her side.
This was one of the attractions Anima and I had stopped at on our way to the third arena. The goal was to throw balls at a target with nine boards; if you knocked down five or more, you got a stamp.
To put it simply, it was the same baseball-style target practice game that existed back in my world.
Anima had given it a try as well, but she hadn't managed to clear it. Her pitches were incredibly fast, but her control left something to be desired. She had unfortunately fallen one point short of the goal.
My ball speed was nothing to write home about, obviously, but my control was decent enough that I had managed to scrape by.
After the violent developments that had plagued the first two arenas, a normal game like this was remarkably refreshing.
Megiddo-san hadn't been lying when he said he'd prepared all sorts of attractions. Before we even reached this stall, we had passed by things like quizzes and card games.
I really wished the trials against the Five War Generals were more like that... I honestly had no idea what Megiddo-san was thinking.
Lost in thought, I left the attraction and continued down the path with Anima.
We moved leisurely toward the next arena, our eyes wandering over the countless stalls lining the street. Suddenly, Anima’s gaze locked onto a particular shop.
"...Hm? Oh, salt-grilled fish. Want to grab some?"
"Ah, n-no! I am quite alright! It... it just happened to enter my field of vision by chance..."
"I see. But looking at it made me hungry, too. Since we’re here, let’s eat together."
"Ugh... Yes, Master."
Anima ate meat, of course, but she definitely seemed to prefer fish. She probably thought she was hiding it, but her eyes sparkled whenever she saw a fish dish, making her incredibly easy to read.
Still, knowing her personality, she would never ask to stop for her own desires. In cases like this, it was better to be a little pushy with the invitation.
I bought two sticks of salt-grilled fish and handed one to her. As usual, she started to insist on paying for it herself, but I used my Master Authority to quiet her protests.
The fish was excellent—the skin was fragrant and crispy, while the white meat inside was fluffy and soft. The saltiness was perfectly balanced.
"How is it, Anima?"
"I-It is delicious!"
"Glad to hear it. Want another?"
"N-No! I am already quite full with just this..."
"Excuse me, could I get one more, please?"
"Master?!"
She had finished her first one in no time and told me how good it was with a look of pure bliss; it was obvious she wasn't full yet. Ignoring her frantic protests, I bought a second one and pressed it into her hand.
"...Ah... thank you very much."
She tended to be far too reserved, so being a bit forceful with her was usually the right call. I felt like I was starting to understand how she worked.
As an aside, the long coat Anima was currently wearing was actually quite similar in design to my own clothes.
Mine had gold thread embroidery in various places, while hers didn't. Her version was also a bit more understated in its overall design.
Apparently, this was Alice being mischievous. She had used a "Master and Attendant" motif, intentionally making Anima’s outfit a slightly humbler version of my own.
Anima herself absolutely loved it. She took great pride in being my attendant, so wearing something that marked her as such at a glance seemed to make her genuinely happy.
Though, to be honest, that "pride" of hers was a bit of a headache for me.
I wasn't a total idiot. I had noticed that Anima harbored feelings for me that went beyond a simple master-servant relationship, and truthfully, I was happy about it.
The problem was... Anima herself hadn't realized it at all. She seemed to believe those emotions were merely the deep affection and respect she felt for a master she admired.
Her loyalty was so high that it seemed to mask any other feelings. It was a complicated situation. Even though I had explicitly called this a "date," her serious nature made her default back to being an attendant whenever she had the chance.
"...Hmm. Maybe I should be even more forceful?"
"Did you say something, Master?"
"Hm? Oh, well... I was just thinking about how cute you are, Anima."
"Fweh?!"
"Anyway, let’s head to the arena."
"Eh? M-Master?! P-Please, wait a moment..."
Well, there was no need to rush. I had been bewildered by her at first, but now I couldn't imagine my life without her. She had become an irreplaceable presence.
We would be together from now on, as long as she didn't grow to dislike me. Besides, Anima was a former Black Bear. Her "age" as a person was much lower than mine—less than a year, in fact.
It was better to let things progress slowly, step by step. I smiled at the flustered Anima as we walked side-by-side toward the arena.
Dear Mother, Father—
To be honest, after I lost you both, I thought I’d never feel the warmth of a family again. I still don't quite understand the nuances of the master-servant dynamic, and I’m not entirely sure if this feeling is the same kind of love one has for family. But, I don't know... thinking of Anima as family... it feels strangely right.