Reincarnated Devil's Strongest Hero Training Plan ~The baby he picked up has grown up so well that his father is confused~ - Chapter 33

Reincarnated Devil’s Strongest Hero Training Plan ~The baby he picked up has grown up so well that his father is confused~

Chapter 33   The martial arts tournament is over

“What…!? Wh-where is this?”

“Oh, you’ve realized it, Ein! The final match of the martial arts tournament was such an intense battle. I was so impressed!”

“Y-Your Highness?”

Hmm…

Why is Her Highness here?

And the martial arts tournament, and the final match…?

Oh, right.

It’s starting to come back to me.

The martial arts tournament in the Kingdom of Calamiera, in the children’s division, the final match.

I fought against a younger boy named Ars, and I was defeated.

I thought I gave it my all, putting my pride as the prodigy of the sword and kingdom’s strongest knight captain, my father, on the line. But in the end, I was helpless against the mysterious transformation Ars showed me…

“Anyway, Ein, congratulations on your victory! As expected of my escort. I’ll praise you. Come on, let me pat your head.”

Hmm…?

What is Her Highness talking about?

It’s a frustrating story, but I certainly lost to that guy.

I mean, I was knocked out cold in the infirmary until late afternoon.

So why am I being declared the winner when I was supposed to have lost?

Doubting, I brush away the persistent hand of this foolish saintly little sister trying to pat my head.

“Your Highness, what do you mean by that? The winner should be that Ars guy, right?”

“What are you talking about? …Oh! I see! You don’t remember that Ars-sama was disqualified! Because you were completely unconscious at that time! Certainly, if you were knocked out so cleanly, you’d think that way! Teeheehee.”

Huh?

Disqualified?

What is this carefree princess talking about?

Could it be that she’s so carefree that she can’t distinguish between imagination and reality?

No, I can’t afford to be lying here asleep at a time like this.

I need to treat this carefree mind right away…

“W-what’s with that look, Ein…? I’m telling you, you really did win! Believe me a little!”

“Are you serious?”

“Yes, I am! Because you saw it, didn’t you? The moment Ars-sama activated the grand magic of the wings with divine light at the end. If that wasn’t a disqualification, what else could it be? Well, it’s true that Ars looked much cooler, but it’s definitely your win!”

Grand magic…

So, that was done with magic…

Certainly, there’s no way humans could replicate such flight capabilities without magic.

In that case, can I accept disqualification…?

“No, is that really the case…?”

“What do you mean?”

It just doesn’t add up.

Why don’t I feel any unease about the premise of using magic?

“Because it’s strange, isn’t it? No one in the neighboring countries, let alone the entire continent, or even the world, has ever heard of flight magic that allows such unrestricted high-speed movement. And above all, Ars, who was fighting me with all his might, couldn’t have had the luxury to chant. It’s also unlikely that such a large-scale magic could be performed without an incantation.”

“Huh…?”

If that’s the case, then what was it?

Ars, who are you exactly…?

“Well, the referee’s decision is final, so I don’t intend to protest now. However, my father must have noticed this. Let’s address it as soon as possible.”

Probably, this is the infirmary attached to the royal castle.

I vaguely remember seeing it when I came here for training with my father before.

I recall that the top performers of the martial arts tournament were supposed to be invited to the evening gathering, so someone might have calculated that I would wake up by evening and made sure someone could attend immediately.

I’m grateful for that consideration right now.

“Hey, wait a minute, Ein! It’s reckless to head to the evening gathering right after waking up like this. Are you sure you’re okay health-wise?”

“If I were to say there’s no damage at all after such an intense battle, it would be a bluff, but fortunately, as long as I’m just moving around, I’m fine.”

“Huh… Y-yeah… I think so, but both you and Ars are acting a bit strange, aren’t you? Are you really human?”

Ignoring such a rude impression from the young lady, I fix my bedhead and head towards the venue of the evening gathering.

Looking outside, it’s only just become evening, so the party hasn’t officially started yet.

My father should still have some time left.

As I make my way to the venue while escorting the young lady, I find familiar faces already gathered there.

One is a towering figure over two meters tall, clad in dragon armor, the super warrior Gaius, who defeated my father in the final match of the adult division and, above all, suggested a strategy for defeating Ars to me, in a sense, the hero of this tournament.

And he’s accompanied by a noble dark elf woman, as well as a black-haired, black-eyed man whose facial features seem a bit shallower than those typically seen in this region.

He’s probably also a nobleman.

Considering that Ars is with them, they must be his family.

And speaking of which, Ars is indeed a noble.

As expected, but more than that, if he was raised surrounded by such masters, it’s understandable how he acquired such extraordinary skills.

However, compared to the aura emitted by the dark elf woman, the black-haired nobleman seems a bit weaker.

He doesn’t seem like the type with high combat power, but well, nobles are primarily expected to excel in governance, so he’s probably better in that regard.

As I ponder these things and stop in my tracks, I’m greeted with a warm smile from the dark elf woman.

“…”

“What’s wrong, Ein?”

“N-nothing, milady.”

It seems she noticed that I was observing their abilities. Moreover, from her smile, I felt not the demeanor of a warrior but rather the composure of a strong individual, as well as a sense of fear, as if my heart was constantly being gripped.

She’s an extraordinary lady… Surely, letting me glimpse a portion of her strength like this was all part of her plan.

“Ars, it seems you have a friend here. Say hello.”

But in the next moment, without showing any sign of such thoughts, she addressed my rival, Ars, with impeccable composure.

She’s terrifying…

“Oh! Ein, you’re awake! And Princess Isha, good evening!”

“Ah, good evening. It was a good fight we had in the final match. The result may not have been what we hoped, but I’m proud to have fought alongside you as a fellow swordsman.”

“A-Ars-sama! Y-you remembered my name!? I-I’m so happy!”

Hold on, you foolish saint. He came all the way to this country for the martial arts tournament, so there’s no way he wouldn’t know the name of Isha Grace de Calamiera, the princess and daughter of the Pope.

“Sigh… I apologize, Ars. Our young lady is a bit… eccentric. Please forgive her. I don’t think she meant any disrespect toward you. And, um…”

“Oh, nice to meet you, Ein-kun, right? I’m Kakyu, Ars’s father. I don’t particularly intend to use my surname, so you can just call me Uncle Kakyu or something like that.”

That’s how the black-haired nobleman, Kakyu-san, responded. His intention of not using a surname is probably a manifestation of his will not to look down on the players, who are the main characters of this event.

Using a surname implies asserting a peerage, which could exert pressure on those around him. Indeed, being Ars’s father, he seems to be a very composed person, at least internally, despite his martial prowess.

“Thank you, Kakyu-san. I’m Ein, the son of the captain of the Knights Templar, who fought against Lord Gaius. I’m delighted to have competed with your son in the final match.”

While he suggested calling him “uncle,” I felt that might still be a bit rude, so I decided to address him with “san,” which might still be considered impolite. It’s important not to be too subservient to someone seeking friendliness, nor to misinterpret their humility as condescension.

Navigating this kind of interaction in the aristocratic society is still a bit difficult for me…

“Haha! I see, I see. That’s good to hear. It seems it was a positive experience for both of you… Well, you probably won’t feel comfortable chatting with us adults around. How about letting the kids have some time together? I’m sure Ars would be happy to hang out with his friends.”

“Oh my! That’s perfectly fine, Lord Kakyu. Then, I’ll borrow Ars-sama!”

“Ah, yes. Ars, enjoy this event to the fullest… and come back safely.”

Kakyu-san then gave Ars a gentle push and waved his hand towards us. Well, in that case, since my father hasn’t arrived at the venue yet, I might as well relax in the garden adjacent to the royal castle for a while.

Normally, it wouldn’t be allowed to bring outsiders inside, but since it’s the princess herself who’s heading there voluntarily, there’s nothing to worry about.

With just Ars and me, both of us having exhausted our energy, there shouldn’t be any danger.