Chapter 38: Arena (1)

The Kingdom of Demisia.

A rigid nation that shuns everything unrelated to martial prowess.

Magic, alchemy, spirit arts, and shamanism were all rejected.

The Oracle’s abilities, though not fully known, involved reading fates and divining fortunes.

Clearly, they had nothing to do with martial skills.

An unwelcome guest.

Receiving hostile glares was expected.

“You’re the culprit.”

“?”

Being branded a criminal the moment they arrived, however, was not.

“What do you mean?”

The Oracle remained unfazed despite the sudden accusation.

Maintaining her usual calm demeanor, she responded coolly.

“I haven’t done anything since arriving in this city.”

“Nothing, you say!”

The guard captain of Balkan scoffed.

His tanned skin and muscular build, clad in plate armor, boasted an imposing presence.

Thud!

He slammed his fist on the table, making it shake violently.

Whoa, is that table not going to break?

“You’ve been reported as the culprit multiple times! Are you saying the righteous citizens of Demisia are lying?”

“It might not be lies, but perhaps a misunderstanding or mistake.”

“You witch, you talk too much.”

What a mess.

It was clear the guard captain had pinned the Oracle as the culprit.

Not actually the culprit?

That didn’t matter.

It was just a matter of throwing one of the despised types into jail.

The problem was on Evan’s side.

His plan to gain the Oracle’s favor was falling apart.

Ugh, I don’t want to do this.

It’s not that I’m scared, but the guard captain looks too menacing.

Kind of like Tyson?

Even without a sword, a single punch could turn Evan into mush.

The Living Golem might prevent that, though.

Hoo, hoo!

I can do this!

Evan tried to reassure himself.

He resented his companions for staying silent behind him, but whatever.

“I’d like a clear explanation of what’s going on.”

Oh, crap.

His face stiffened, and his tone turned rigid.

One slip, and his voice might crack.

He needed to stay composed.

“And you are?”

Only then did the guard captain seem to notice Evan, turning his head.

He didn’t notice until now?

“Are you perhaps an esteemed person?”

His tone suddenly became polite.

Whatever he’d heard, this was better.

At least Evan wouldn’t be ignored or intimidated—er, no, he wouldn’t need to be slightly cautious!

“My name is Evan Alkart.”

Evan spoke with the implied message, “My family is powerful, so don’t mess with me.”

“I came to Balkan for some business. This person is my companion. Please explain exactly what’s happening.”

Hmm, putting a hand on the captain’s shoulder might seem too friendly, right?

“I don’t want my valued companion caught up in unnecessary trouble.”

“Alkart?”

The captain flinched, clearly affected.

A faint trace of fear flickered in his eyes.

Oh, so even the Kingdom of Demisia knows the name?

“Recently, people have been disappearing in Balkan.”

The guard captain scratched his head with a slightly trembling hand, his bald head glinting.

“There have been frequent disappearances lately, so discreet that even honorable warriors can’t track them down. We suspect a mage is behind it.”

“Hmm.”

A disappearance case.

Was there such a thing during this time?

It’s two years and a few months before the main story begins, so it’s hard to know for sure.

What’s certain is…

It’s probably not a big deal.

If the Oracle were the culprit?

She wouldn’t have appeared in the Kingdom of Demisia in the future.

Though unlikely, she did show up in Balkan multiple times.

If she were a criminal, she wouldn’t be allowed in, and the Oracle wasn’t the type to flout such laws.

In other words,

This would resolve itself if left alone.

But…

What if I resolve it first?

Wouldn’t that earn some favor?

“To accuse someone as a culprit without properly verifying the truth doesn’t seem right.”

“You… don’t know who this is? The Oracle of the Starry Sky. A famous witch.”

“She’s not a witch; she’s an Oracle.”

It was something the Oracle often said.

Whenever someone called her a “witch,” she’d kindly correct them, “I’m an Oracle.”

Mimicking her tone perfectly, Evan felt her surprised gaze turn toward him.

“Please explain about the culprit. I’ll resolve it for you.”

Well said.

Phew!

Nice, upper-class man Evan!

This was more than enough to be a true man!

Evan felt proud of himself.

“Wait a moment.”

Whoosh!

The Oracle grabbed Evan’s sleeve.

As if casting a spell, the space around them shimmered slightly, and an opaque barrier formed.

Is that what I think it is?

Fifth-tier magic, [Mirror Distortion].

A spell that conceals appearances and blocks sound.

To think she could cast it so quickly.

It has a short duration, but that didn’t seem to matter.

The Oracle quickly spoke.

What… are you doing?

You seem to have been falsely accused.

Evan replied as calmly as he could.

I’m trying to resolve it. It feels like you got dragged into this because of me.

That’s not true.

If I’ve overstepped, I’ll take back my words now.

The Oracle bit her lip.

It didn’t seem like he’d crossed a line.

Well, of course.

How could he not know her boundaries?

She’s his favorite character, after all.

He’d analyzed her this much.

What do you want?

?

There’s no such thing as a selfless act. Whether it’s personal satisfaction, money, or time, you want something. What do you want?

The Oracle stared intently at Evan.

She might perform acts of kindness without expecting reward, but she always paid a price herself.

Even for small gifts, she’d give something equivalent in return.

A kind of equivalent exchange.

Almost an obsessive compulsion.

What should he say he wants?

She didn’t have anything to offer right now.

Her value lay in the future.

She could read fates to avoid threats or even save lives.

While a saintess heals wounds after they’re inflicted, the Oracle prevents them altogether.

She said Evan’s fate couldn’t be read now.

Wouldn’t that change once the main story begins?

So…

I’d like you to read a fortune for me later.

But…

Not just for me. It could be Lapis, Elder Aegis, Felix, or my family. I’d like you to read the fortune of someone I choose.

The Oracle, caught off guard by Evan’s response, was momentarily speechless.

She stared at him with a complex, subtle gaze before nodding.

Alright.

Contract sealed!

Well done.

Now, isn’t this the mark of a true man?

Evan inwardly marveled at himself.

***

Thankfully, the guard captain didn’t notice the conversation between the Oracle and Evan.

No surprise, given it was fifth-tier magic.

“Are there no suspects at all?”

The guard captain frowned slightly at Evan’s question.

“They say the culprit always wears a black robe.”

He glanced at the Oracle.

Her robe had a slight bluish tint.

The Oracle shook her head.

“It’s not just black. It’s navy…”

“I know.”

Why’s she acting guilty?

“They say there’s a group of ten or more. When they play a flute, children disappear afterward… and their identities can’t be traced.”

A flute-playing man?

Definitely strange.

It doesn’t quite sound like magic.

More like a cult.

“!”

“!”

“I’ve heard reports of traces of human sacrifices or offerings left behind.”

Aegis and Lapis turned their heads.

Aegis reacted to “human sacrifice,”

while Lapis reacted to something tied to those words.

Evan felt the same.

…This isn’t a cult, is it?

Human sacrifices, fugitive criminals, untraceable identities.

In simple terms, foreigners, right?

In this era, there’s no way to track foreign identities.

“Do they say things like, ‘For whom—’ or something?”

“They were reported from a distance, so I don’t know.”

Tch, I think I’m right.

A cult exterminated in the Empire.

Hunted by Arthur, caught by Evan, and now chased by Glory.

It seems the remnants fled here.

Well, where else could they go?

To escape, they’d have to flee to another country.

…A cult? Those pathetic fools in our kingdom?

“They lost a power struggle in the Empire.”

More like they were massacred, but still.

“It seems the remnants fled here.”

“…Those insolent bastards.”

Crunch!

The guard captain clenched his fist, grinding his teeth.

That’s chilling.

“The last report came from the arena.”

The captain, fuming, pulled out a piece of paper and slapped it down.

“Disappearances have been happening periodically. Mostly gladiators or corpses vanishing from the arena.”

“The arena…”

Felix muttered.

The arena.

A sacred combat ritual held in the colosseum.

To Evan, it was just entertainment or gambling where warriors fought for money.

“Is anything strange circulating in the arena lately?”

“I’ve heard the potion popular among gladiators has changed.”

“Is it red?”

“Correct.”

Got it.

A popular potion.

Probably not a recovery one.

Likely for strength or stamina enhancement.

For that to improve, it’s one of two things.

Either a skilled alchemist is involved, or cult-like blood magic is used.

The latter, probably.

If it were the former, Aegis would’ve reacted by now.

Tch, do I have to go to the colosseum?

That place is kind of scary—er, I mean, it smells bad.

The best option would be to just shut down the arena entirely.

But that could kill innocent people.

I don’t like that.

No matter what, killing innocents is a bit much.

“Let me go.”

At that moment, Felix stepped forward.

“I’ll enter the arena and investigate.”

“Oh! You’re a warrior.”

The guard captain’s face lit up as he looked at Felix.

“Your aura, stance, body… impressive!”

“I’m Felix, son of Elim.”

Felix bowed politely.

“I’m walking the path of pilgrimage, aspiring to be a Swordmaster.”

“Remarkable! You look so young…!”

The captain, clearly impressed, slapped Felix’s back heartily.

He seemed so pleased that he started spilling information unprompted.

“This is a secret, but the top prize for the arena has been updated.”

“Updated?”

“Five of Anakne’s Fountain Pens.”

What?

Evan’s eyes widened slightly.

“They say they were acquired at great expense, though I don’t know their capabilities.”

That’s here?

Anakne’s Fountain Pen.

Crafted by a brilliant mage who, after losing freedom in marriage, created this magical artifact out of a desire for liberty.

Characterized by slightly worn graphite and an aged casing.

Its effect—

“…Teleportation?”

It allows the use of fourth-tier spatial magic, [Blink], for instant teleportation anywhere.

It’s rechargeable, requiring a year to recharge after one use.

Five pens mean five uses.

The Oracle, seemingly aware of the artifact, fell into a quiet pause.

Evan felt its importance too.

…I think I need to get involved.

It’s useful even in the main story.

Mainly as an emergency escape artifact.

Just having one lowers the difficulty of the game slightly!

Of course, he wasn’t planning to fight himself.

That’s a bit scary.

Relying solely on Felix feels risky, though.

In that case…

“No. 5.”

?

No. 5, quietly tucked in his pocket.

A golem made solely for combat.

Evan whispered softly to the miniaturized golem.

“Do your best.”

Thump! Thump!

No. 5 pounded its chest as if to say, “Leave it to me.”

***

The Oracle hailed from the Tower of Time and Space.

She was intimately familiar with magic dealing with time and space.

Even more so as one of the few inheritors of celestial magic on the continent.

…Fountain pens, such a valuable item?

An artifact imbued with spatial magic.

Incredibly rare.

Even the black market struggles to procure them.

To think it just happened to show up?

It feels like someone planned this.

Evan’s reaction was telling.

He wasn’t surprised.

As if he knew it would end up here.

Did he plan all of this?

Was it because of her recent “witch” state?

Anxiety and suspicion kept creeping up.

Even Evan’s kindness felt suspect.

Helping her, participating in the arena—

What if this was all part of his plan?

What if he was the mastermind pulling the strings?

Her complex, probing gaze lingered on Evan.

She was determined to figure out his intentions.