As I was directed to stand before the group, Dante took his place behind Empress Hilda. He stood next to Rainer. Valence was on Rainer’s other side. Behind them were their four children: Earland, Mykkel, Geirolf, and Kari.
I glanced at Empress Hilda. She smiled at me.
“Nevaria honors the strong,” she began, and her words quieted the cheering crowd. She spoke with a soft but powerful voice that reverberated across the Colosseum. “The Spiritualist Grand Tournament is a time-honored competition that has been around since Nevaria’s founding. Those who emerge victorious from this grand tournament are given the highest accolades. As the winner of this year’s tournament, you have earned the right to make a request of me. Should it be within my power to grant, I will not hesitate to do so.”
“And I can request anything I want?” I asked for clarification.
“So long as it is not an impossible request,” Empress Hilda confirmed. “You can ask for fame, fortune, a noble title… I can grant you as many rewards as there are stars in the sky.”
I nodded, but I didn’t say anything at first. While the audience watching the proceedings from the seats above me waited on baited breath, my eyes locked with Kari standing next to Geirolf. She stared at me with those bright, innocent eyes, which were far too pure, limpid crystals of unfettered blue. These were the eyes she had before everything went to shit in my previous life. I wanted to protect that innocence of hers. However… there was something I wanted even more.
“I only have one request.” I nodded and looked back at Empress Hilda.
The empress smiled at me. “Name it.”
“Give Kari her freedom,” I said bluntly. “Let her explore the world outside of Nevaria. Stop keeping her locked away inside this city. Allow her to go on adventures, explore ruins, and make discoveries she will never be able to by remaining here.”
I spoke loudly and clearly, making sure there was no way for Empress Hilda to not hear me. Everyone else probably heard me as well, but I was focused solely on the woman before me. The empress was blinking her sky-blue eyes like she couldn’t understand my request.
“I’m sorry,” she said at last. “That is indeed something I can do… but perhaps you would like to make another request? One that would benefit yourself, perchance?”
Her words caused me to frown for a moment, wondering if perhaps she was trying to make me change my request to avoid letting Kari travel outside of Nevaria. I didn’t know much about Empress Hilda. I only knew what Kari told me, that she had been a stern but loving mother who refused to let her explore the Demon Beast Mountain Range due to how dangerous it was.
“I don’t know what you are talking about. This request of mine obviously benefits me more than anyone else.” I smiled when I saw how confused Empress Hilda appeared. “Do you think Kari will be exploring the outside world by herself? Obviously not. My intention is to travel alongside her. This means that she and I will go on adventures together. In my mind, there is no greater experience than being able to travel the world with the woman I love.”
Empress Hilda’s eyes went so wide I was afraid they would fall out of her head. I wondered what part of my speech surprised her. Was it my confession? My desire to travel beside Kari? The fact that this was my only request? Or did she think my request was too much? After several seconds of the Empress of Nevaria just staring at me with a blank expression, her face suddenly relaxed.
And then she smiled.
“I think I am finally beginning to understand,” she said at last, though I had no idea what she was “beginning to understand.” I wasn’t sure I cared either. “Very well. If that is your request, it is something within my power to accomplish, especially if you are intending to travel with her. That said, I do not believe this reward is enough. Most people request a noble title, status, or land. Since you have requested something so simple to accomplish, I would like it if you could join my family and me at my residence for dinner. There are many things I would like to discuss with you as well, so this will be a good opportunity for me.”
I hesitated the moment she said “join my family and me for dinner.” It wasn’t because I didn’t want to. I did. But when I thought about dinner, the image of a Lamia girl with dark skin currently at my house popped into my head. I didn’t doubt that Lin was hungry, lonely, and waiting impatiently for my return.
However, I also sensed an opportunity. The Empress had said my request was too small, so perhaps during dinner tonight, I could tell them about Lin and request that she be given citizenship. There was also the fact that I still needed to discuss how to resolve my current problems regarding Fay with Kari. She said she had an idea to fix the gulf that had formed between Fay and me, but she didn’t want to discuss it here.
“I would be more than happy to join you and your family for dinner,” I said, bowing slightly at the waist.
“Excellent.” Empress Hilda clapped her hands together. “In that case, I officially announce that the Spiritualist Grand Tournament has come to a close. Everyone, let us give a round of applause for our victor and those who bravely fought and showed off their talents this day.”
The crowd erupted into applause and cheers, the sound loud enough that I felt like I would go deaf. It was too bad I didn’t have a wind affinity. If I did, then I could have created a vacuum around myself, which would have blocked out this atrocious screaming.
As I lamented my dual-elemental affinity, Kari and I locked eyes and shared a smile.
* * *
After the tournament ended, everyone filed out of the Colosseum. I was given the VIP treatment as an honor guard escorted me outside along with the entire Astralia Royal Family. There were a lot of people who stopped and stared at our group as we were led to a white carriage with golden metal designs and glass windows. I guessed that explained why they needed an honor guard. The family would probably be mobbed with well-wishers and fans otherwise. Of course, there was also the chance that an assassin might be hidden amongst the populace.
While Empress Hilda was the first one to climb into the carriage, Kari and I were second. I proceeded Kari, but after getting inside, I turned around and offered the girl my hand. She took it with a smile and slightly reddened cheeks. I ignored the scowl of her brother, the youngest-looking one among the three, as I pulled her up. I noticed as I sat down that Empress Hilda was observing my actions with a smile of her own.
The interior of the carriage was posh, but it had nothing on Erica’s carriage. The padded seats were comfortable and covered in royal purple fabric. I sat on one side of the carriage near a window, while Kari sat right beside me and her three brothers squeezed in. Empress Hilda also sat near the window. Her three husbands sat on her side with Valence sitting the closest to her. I wondered if that denoted some kind of hierarchy among her husbands.
An awkward silence fell over the carriage. To be honest, I didn’t know what I should say. I’d met with numerous powerful individuals in my life, but this was my first time meeting with Kari’s family. I was afraid that if I said something, it would probably be incredibly stupid and make them think less of me.
“I was very impressed with your battles,” Empress Hilda said suddenly.
“Oh. Thank you very much,” I replied.
“Do you mind if I ask about your strange Spiritual Techniques?” she inquired further. “They were very unusual.”
“I assume you are talking about how I don’t require specific movements or dances to use Spiritual Techniques,” I said, shaking my head. “You can ask, but I don’t know how satisfied you will be with my answer.”
“Oh?” Empress Hilda raised an eyebrow, and even her three husbands suddenly leaned forward like they were curious as well.
“I honestly don’t know much about my own abilities myself.” I raised my hand and stared at it, clenching and unclenching it several times. My fingers were fairly long and thin. Kari had called them elegant, but I called them girly. “As you know, in order to activate a Spiritual Technique, y
ou need to move your body and limbs in a specific way that lets you channel your Spiritual Power through your Spiritual Pathways and expel it outward. For example, rotating your hand in a clockwise motion to gather your Spiritual Power into that spot.”
To illustrate my point, I rotated my hand as specified, though I wasn’t channeling my Spiritual Power so nothing happened.
“When I first learned how to use my Spiritual Power, I discovered that I couldn’t use regular Spiritual Techniques. The movements used to channel and activate Spiritual Techniques do not work for me. After a lot of experimentation, I realized that the reason for this was because I didn’t need the movements. When I use my Spiritual Power, I manipulate the elements directly like a Spiritualist who has reached the Third State of Spiritualism can. However, just how and why I can do this, I have no idea.”
“So not even you know how your powers work?” asked the youngest among Kari’s three brothers. “Lame.”
“Geirolf,” Empress Hilda said with a touch of warning in her voice. However, the one called Geirolf just huffed and looked away.
I sighed and placed my hand back on my leg. I was about to turn back toward the window when something warm, soft, and quite pleasant was laid over my hand. It was another hand. After staring at the delicate-looking hand for a moment, I glanced up at Kari, who was blushing even as she smiled. I smiled back.
I also ignored Geirolf making gagging noises.
The carriage jumped a little, and I realized that we were ascending something. I glanced out the window, but all I could see was trees. It wasn’t until I turned my head to look out the other side that I saw Nevaria growing slightly smaller. That was when I realized the carriage was climbing up the mountain upon which the Imperial Royal Palace sat.
“When we arrive home, I will allow you some time to get refreshed,” Empress Hilda said to me. “You must be fairly exhausted from having fought so much.”
I wouldn’t say I was tired. The battles I’d fought during the tournament had not been difficult, but I did feel a little gross. Fighting several battles for who knew how many hours would make anyone feel grimy.
“Thank you,” I said.
Empress Hilda waved her hand. “It is no trouble at all.”
We soon reached a large gate, which was opened by a pair of guards, allowing us to pass through. Our carriage entered what appeared to be a sprawling series of buildings. Each building was beautifully designed with white stones and featured numerous impressive columns surrounding them. All of it was surrounded by a lush garden composed of trees with different colored leaves, a myriad of flowers, verdant green grass, and a couple of ponds. Small stones marked the paths people could walk to reach each building.
The carriage soon came to a stop. The door on the side furthest from me opened, allowing everyone to disembark. As I stepped outside behind Kari, I got my first look at the Imperial Royal Palace.
Even though I had seen bigger buildings, when compared to the other buildings found in Nevaria, the Imperial Royal Palace was absolutely massive. It was at least five stories high, seemed to span a few thousand meters in length, and featured an impressive array of flying buttresses and columns to decorate the outside. It was marked by an elevated platform and a large double door in the front.
“Come,” Empress Hilda said with a gesture of her hand.
I walked with Kari as we were led into the palace. A pair of guards dressed in golden armor opened the doors, revealing a large entrance hall with marble floors and sparse decorations. It seemed while the outside looked ostentatious, the inside was more modest, though that was like comparing a bull to an ox.
More impressive than the actual house were the several butlers and maids who stood lined up on either side of a red carpet that extended to the double staircase at the end of the entrance hall. The butlers bowed and the maids curtsied.
“Welcome home, Your Grace,” they all said.
Empress Hilda smiled. “Garret, will you please have someone show Eryk Veiger here to the baths? I would like to let him freshen up before dinner.”
A butler standing at the head of this procession bowed low. “Of course, Your Grace.”
The butler, an old man with a handlebar mustache and a widow’s peak, gestured toward two other butlers and tasked them with showing me to the baths. I glanced at Kari, but she merely gestured for me to follow the butlers. Left with no other option, I allowed the two butlers, who didn’t look much older than myself, to lead me down a series of hallways.
The baths were on the first floor. It consisted of a small room for getting changed and a large room with a single, massive stone tub. A set of steps led into the bath, which was shaped like a rectangle with a half-circle that spanned at least ten or twelve meters. On the opposite side of the entrance was a wall where the face of a griffin was carved into the surface. Water fell from the griffin’s mouth and into the pool, from which steam rose, showing that this was a heated bath.
“We’ll provide you with a set of clean clothes to change into upon finishing,” Garret said.
I could do nothing but nod. “Thank you.”
* * *
I didn’t spend much time in the bath, though I’ll admit I was tempted. The warm waters were relaxing and eased the tension of my muscles. Yet for however pleasant this was, I did not feel comfortable taking a bath in an unfamiliar location by myself. Perhaps if Kari were present, but… no. Given our current relationship in this life, I did not think that would have been appropriate.
Someday.
The outfit I was provided was simple but comfortable. I slid the black pants on, buttoned up the white-collared shirt, and put on the socks and boots that had been provided for me. While the outfit was simple, everything was made from Giant Silkworm silk, so it felt pleasant against my still damp skin.
“I see that you have finished getting dressed,” Garret said after I emerged from the bath. He nodded after taking a look at me like he approved of my appearance. “Please follow me. I shall lead you to the dining hall.”
The man walked off, leaving me with no choice but to follow. I tried to keep track of where we were going, but I got lost after we turned down the sixth hallway. This building seemed to consist of many large hallways, all of which featured the same marble tiles, the same walls, and the same ribbed ceiling. Finally, after taking several more turns, I was led to a door that opened into a large room.
I believed the room seemed larger than it really was because there wasn’t much inside of it. Sitting in the center of the room was a rectangular table. There were six chairs on either side and two at either end, making for a total of fourteen chairs. Currently, only one chair was occupied.
The chair at the head of the table.
“I see you’ve had a chance to freshen up.” Empress Hilda smiled at me as she gestured to the seat on her left. “How was the bath?”
“It was nice, though I am a little uncomfortable using such a large bath by myself.” I sat down where she indicated.
She nodded. “I imagine it would be discomfiting for someone who has not experienced this kind of opulence.” I smiled but said nothing. “I was hoping to speak with you before the others arrived.”
“What would you like to talk about?” I asked.
“You seem to hold a great deal of affection for Kari,” Empress Hilda began, her words possessing a slow clarity that made me sit up straighter. “Judging from your request at the end, I can only assume that the entire reason you entered the Spiritualist Grand Tournament was for her sake. I wish to know what caused you to obtain such intense feelings for her?”
“Is that a trick question?” I asked, shaking my head. My shoulders relaxed as I realized I was not speaking to Empress Hilda but to Kari’s mother. This was just her being a parent. “There was no real cause. Love isn’t something that happens for a reason. If I had to give one, then I would have to say that I love Kari specifically because she is Kari.”
“You love Kari because she is Kari, is it?”
Empress Hilda pondered this for a moment before giggling. “I see. What an interesting answer.”
I was not sure what she found so amusing about my answer, but I didn’t get a chance to ask about her response because Kari walked in at that moment.
She was dressed in a simple purple gown that went down to her ankles. The fabric shifted across her body, allowing me to see the silhouette of her figure. Her hair was let down. It descended to the middle of her back before stopping. As she walked in, she looked at me with a smile that caused my pulse to race.
Empress Hilda giggled again.
“I see you’ve changed outfits,” she said as Kari sat next to me. “Are you hoping to impress someone?”
“That… not really,” Kari muttered, her cheeks and ears slightly red.
“You look beautiful,” I said. “That dress suits you.”
The hue of Kari’s cheeks and ears darkened. “T-thank you.”
One by one, the members of the Astralia Royal Family entered the dining room. Once everyone had appeared, a maid and a butler duo walked in through another door, pushing a cart. Several small plates sat on the cart, and each one contained food I recognized but hadn’t eaten in… ugh… how long had it been? Two… three decades maybe?
“Dinner tonight is finely chopped lamb mixed with fresh onions, salt, herbs, honey to taste, and red wine,” the butler announced as the maid set the plates of food in front of everyone. She then filled our wine glasses with a rich red wine that had a faintly fruity aroma.
I wouldn’t say dinner was a lively affair, but I wouldn’t say it was dull either. I was asked many questions, from ones regarding specific Spiritual Techniques to ones about my current living arrangements. Some of the questions were more invasive than others, like when Geirolf asked me if I had ever “fucked” someone before. Except for that last question, I answered all the ones I could to the best of my abilities.
WIEDERGEBURT: Legend of the Reincarnated Warrior: Volume 4 Page 19
