SIEG-SAN HAS ARRIVED ③

“Lain! Can I leave the village for a while!?”
“Eh? What’s with you all of a sudden?”

Aria spoke the strangest words as soon as she came through the door.
She was called out by Milia so I thought something had happened during the negotiations, but since I didn’t know the progression, I couldn’t comment on anything.

“Aristocrats are required to participate in the martial arts tournament!”
“Yeah, I’m totally lost here.”

She explained it to me, but I still didn’t get it.
Aristocrats? Arts? Is she going to a dance party?*

After that she desperately tried to explain something to me, but remained unable to do so.

“Geez! Why won’t you get it?”
“Well, it’s a tall order to get it based on how you’ve explained it.”
“All royalty is obligated to take part in a martial arts tournament, once a year passes into their adulthood. It must be an invitation regarding that. I did not participate last year, so I’m no longer royalty.”
“Milia.”

As I calmed the excited Aria down, Milia explained in detail.

It seems that in this country, the family head can’t arbitrarily disown his family or strip them of their ranks.
But someone who doesn’t fulfill their noble obligations is not fit to be called one either.
That’s why, there are certain events which aristocrats must participate in, and those that don’t will be deemed unworthy of their royal rank and stripped from it.

One of those events, is this martial arts tournament that one participates in a year after reaching adulthood.

Apparently, it serves to test a person’s courage, and there’s no punishment even for killing your opponent.
Well, even if you end up killing them, you’ll end up being targeted by their house, so it’s unlikely that someone would get killed.

However, it’s different for those that don’t have the backing of their house like Aria.
Even if she died, her house would not protest.
In fact, they might even be grateful they could wash their hands off her.
In that case, her opponent would most likely try and kill her.

“Is it okay to enter such a tournament?”
“It’s fine. I will surrender as soon as the first round starts.”

Aria said while brimming with confidence, but I just couldn’t shake off my anxiety.
Milia making an anxious face was enough proof for that.

“I also think it’s better for you not to participate.”
“Milia’s such a worrywart. It’ll be fine!”
“But-“
“If I remained as an aristocrat, Reno and Sui could receive proper citizenship. That’s why I want to stay as one for 3 more years.”
“Aria…”

In this country, you get citizenship once you become an adult, but you also need a guarantor in order to apply for it.
Well, citizenship isn’t something to be given out so liberally, so I get someone having to confirm that they both live in the village.

However, while the guarantor may be able to show that the new adult is a villager, that guarantor cannot be a woman.
I opted to become one myself instead, but apparently only someone who’s lived for more than a certain period at a place can become a guarantor. This village isn’t that old, but as someone who hasn’t lived in it since it was created, I cannot become one.
After all, in the past, someone had once become a guarantor for a criminal, whom the villagers eventually had to drive out.
Things didn’t end there, and that guy kept moving to different villages and did the exact same thing.
As a result, only those who’ve lived over a period at a certain place can become a guarantor.

However, if a woman is also an aristocrat, they become an exception to the rule and can become guarantors.
In other words, if Aria lost her royal status, Sui and Reno would be unable to become citizens.

Aria tends be hard on herself whenever people close to her are concerned.
I guess she won’t listen even if I tried convincing her.

“…If Aria wants to, then why not let her participate?”
“Lain?”

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When I said something positive, Milia looked at me in surprise.

“Thank you Lain!”
“In exchange, you have to lose the 1st round and come home, got it?”
“Yes I do!”

Aria said so and left the workshop.
In all likelihood, she went to prepare for the tournament.

“Lain! That tournament is really dangerous you know!?”
“Well, I’m sure Aria will be fine. She’s pretty strong.”
“But…”

Milia was becoming more and more anxious.
It seems that she still isn’t aware of how strong they have all become.

“Milia, what’s the total value of your magical power?”
“Eh? Total? It’s 33.”
“Sounds about right. Aria is around that figure as well. Also, a greywolf is around 10.”
“What do you mean?”
“Since none of the participants trained inside the Demon Forest, their magic value wouldn’t have risen more than 1 per year. That’s why their magic value should be either 3 or 4. 5 at most.”
“Ah…”

If you didn’t train inside the Demon Forest, despite proper training, it would only go up by about 1 in a year.
In fact, both Aria and Milia had a magic value of 3 before training, while Kili, Sui, and Reno had only 2.

“At this point, do you think she’ll lose to someone that’s half as strong as a greywolf?”
“B-but, there’s also the risk of surprise attacks outside the tournament.”
“If she’s losing in the first round then we don’t have to worry about that.”
“T-that, may be true…”

Milia still had an uneasy expression.

“If you’re that worried then how about going with her?”
“Lain might not know this, but for a commoner to leave an aristocrat’s territory, they first need to get their permission.”
“Ah~”

That reminded me, there’s such a rule in my country as well.
I almost never moved so I forgot about it.

“In that case, I’ll give her a single-use magic tool as a sort of talisman, which I also used long ago. She should be fine as long as nothing extraordinary happens.”
“…I see.”

Well, it’s not like I’m not worried at all either.
I intend to hand her various talismans, and send her out in perfect condition.
Though I won’t tell her that.
It would be a problem if she disregarded all danger and rushed into it head-first as well.

We waited for Aria to finish preparing while considering which ones we should give.

 

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* – Meaning lost in translation.
舞踏会(Butoukai) = a ball, while 武闘会(Butoukai) = martial arts tournament
That’s why Lain confused martial arts with dancing.

‘Foolish Royals’ chapter after this.

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