I let out a sigh of relief when I see that light envelop Areci’s body. Not only because I now stand as the champion of this final, but because she was taking far more damage than usual. The rules had become a bit more flexible since the semifinals—the fights turned more violent, and it was necessary to push the opponent to their limit to activate the bracelet.
I feel a bit stupid for relying too much on the bracelet. My last strike was aimed directly at her forehead—I feared I wouldn’t be able to win without landing a critical blow. I trusted too much that it would activate regardless of the situation. I’m glad everything turned out well in the end.
When that feeling of guilt fades from my heart, I finally realize my position. I won the tournament! I won the final against Areci! I managed to defeat her!
That woman is as tough as a rock and stubborn beyond belief—she refused to give up until the very end. My body is still slowly healing from her last blows. I had to drain my mana pool almost completely.
The entire fight was a constant strain—there wasn’t a single moment where we could relax. I’m sure we both bled from our noses or mouths due to overexertion. We couldn’t stop our bodies or minds for even a second—that would have meant defeat.
I look directly into Areci’s eyes… she doesn’t seem sad or angry—just confused. I wink at her to see her reaction. I can see her frown for a second before bursting into laughter.
I walk toward her slowly—my body isn’t in optimal condition. Areci has healed significantly; it seems this time they weren’t stingy with the life magic embedded in the bracelet. She’s almost fully healed, with only a few small scratches left.
I extend my hand to help her up. She gives me a firm grip as she stands. “It hurts to admit it, but I lost.” She murmurs softly before suddenly pulling me into a hug.
“Now the score between us is 1–1. I wouldn’t mind facing each other again to decide a winner.” I try to offer some comfort with my words—her eyes look a bit sad.
Her expression changes slightly when she hears me. “I’d rather keep it as a tie. If you’ve improved this much in such a short time, I don’t even want to imagine what you’ll be like in a few years.” She lets out a sigh—I can feel her exhaustion.
“Don’t worry about me—I’ll be fine in a few hours. Now enjoy your moment!” She grabs my arm and raises it. It reminds me of when a referee lifts the winner’s arm.
I look up and see several screens around me, all showing different parts of the stands. People are shouting, whistling, applauding—some even jumping or hugging each other.
I’ve been a champion in smaller tournaments in both my past life and this one, but never in something this important. This tournament is, by far, the most important one for sapphire ranks—there’s nothing above it.
Areci lets go of my arm and steps to the side. I look out at the crowd again and clap in every direction to show my appreciation to the spectators.
The announcer also thanks everyone for attending. She reminds them that this isn’t the end—there will still be a great show to close the tournament, and she recommends they don’t go home today, because tomorrow will be the most important day of the fair.
Areci and I begin to walk away slowly. Before we can reach the arena exit, I freeze—I can see four people already waiting for me. They shoot forward like rockets the moment I step into the entrance tunnel.
The four of them cling to my body like koalas. I have to reinforce my body as fast as I can to avoid falling—the little mana I had recovered is already gone.
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“CONGRATULATIONS!” the four girls shout at the same time. They’re wearing the same dress, just in different colors, each matching the color of their hair.
“Thank you, all of you.” We share a tight hug for a few seconds. The first to separate is Brendu—she turns toward her friend, approaches to congratulate her as well, and the two share a strong embrace.
The girls also separate from me. Brendu introduces them one by one, and Areci greets them with a big smile. The three girls congratulate her as well—and a second later, I’m completely ignored. They’re already chatting among themselves.
“Huh? What happened? I thought I was the important one today.” I ask, clearly confused. They’re ignoring me like I’m a tree.
They all turn to look at me. Marga is the first to speak. “Can’t you understand a lady’s heart? She just lost to the strangest creature on this entire continent—show some empathy for Miss Areci.” Everyone nods at the duke’s daughter’s words.
“Sometimes I feel like you don’t deserve to be surrounded by these women. They’re beautiful and intelligent, and you’re just a weirdo who likes training all day.” Areci is the next to attack me, then she turns to Marga. “You can call me Areci—I hope I can call you all by your names as well.”
“Sorry about this display, Areci.” Sol lowers her head slightly as she apologizes. “We’d be happy to—hopefully this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship.” They resume their conversation, ignoring me once again.
I can only roll my eyes. They’re ignoring me a bit, but I know they’re very happy for me. Their Imras keep touching me constantly, like an indirect embrace, and I can feel their gazes on me every few seconds. I can feel their happiness and pride in seeing me crowned as champion.
Little by little, we reach our destination. It seems everyone has moved to a larger box since more people are arriving. I wouldn’t be surprised if the party starts the moment we enter—or if it has already begun.
The moment the door opens, I have to reinforce my ears. “CONGRATULATIONS!” everyone shouts at once. I’m not the only one reacting—the girls do the same as if they already expected it.
All our friends, some professors close to us, other tournament participants who became somewhat close to us, and more people are already inside.
I can even see Charles and Saule—they fought for third and fourth place before us. The prince managed to secure the bronze medal in a very close match—either of them could have won.
Everyone approaches us—some first to me, others to Areci. We’re both being congratulated. The lively atmosphere is contagious, and at some point someone hands me a bottle of wine. I take it without thinking—I didn’t even see who gave it to me.
When everyone finishes congratulating us, I realize where that bottle came from. There’s someone sitting in a corner—I’m sure she’s the one responsible. When I see Susan, I feel slightly stunned for a moment. That entire group consists of obsidian-ranked individuals—I’ve never seen so many gathered together.
The emperor has a dominant presence—his Imra feels oppressive, just like the first time I met him. But he doesn’t have the strongest presence—the woman beside him, Eisty, feels even stronger.
I approach when the woman in white calls me with her hand. Everyone turns to look at her when she makes the gesture, and no one says anything—they all fall silent, waiting for me. I activate my mental ability to stay calm—I need to stay focused.
“Congratulations, Maki. You didn’t disappoint me at all, although you could have used your ice affinity a bit more.” Eisty ruffles my hair.
Susan, Emperor Sadim, King Jucam, Julio Timal, and a woman very similar to the emperor also congratulate me. I don’t know that last woman—she seems simple at first glance, but my instincts scream at me not to do anything foolish.
I thank them, and then they introduce me to the woman beside them. She is the emperor’s sister—everyone on this planet must have heard her name. She is the spearhead of the empire, with even more achievements than the emperor himself. Rumors say she’s stronger. Marvi Kar.
“Don’t look at my new disciple like that, Marvi—I won’t let him go with you.” Eisty complains. “Sadim, say something to your sister. She can’t try to steal Maki from me.” I’m surprised at how casually the white-haired woman speaks to the emperor.
“She won’t do that, Eisty—don’t worry. It’s just simple curiosity.” The emperor rolls his eyes for a moment—he seems used to my new teacher’s personality.
Areci joins us along with Charles. We talk with this group for a few minutes before they finally let us go back to our friends.
Being with that group was a bit of a headache—not because I felt uncomfortable talking to them, but because Eisty is very spontaneous. One thing I can’t deny—I like her personality more and more. She seems so free, not strictly bound to anyone.
When I return to my group of friends with Areci and Charles, we make a toast. The lively atmosphere hasn’t diminished at all. I sit on a large sofa with the four girls—they had been playing something like rock-paper-scissors to decide their seating positions.
“It’s time to start the celebration!” Charles raises his glass, and we all take a big drink.