Chapter 267: Chatting and Laughing

The first person I met was Freese-san.

He was completely engrossed in eating meat, so much so that he didn’t even notice me approaching.

“Freese-san, long time no see. So you’re participating in this mock battle tournament.”

“—Huh? Sato-san, is that you? When I heard this tournament was happening here, I just couldn’t resist joining. I need to settle the score from last time, after all.”

“Donnie-san will also be participating in tomorrow’s main tournament, so do your best to advance and get your revenge.”

“Oh, so Donnie told you about me? Feels a little condescending, doesn’t it? Haha, but the food is so delicious I’ve stopped caring about details like that.”

“I’m glad you enjoyed the meal. There’s plenty, so please help yourself.”

“I sure will. Thanks a lot.”

Freese-san was enjoying his meal, cheeks stuffed full, completely absorbed.

I didn’t mean to look down on him, but judging from today’s matches, I couldn’t help thinking that he probably wouldn’t be able to beat Lime.

He seemed better prepared than last time, but Lime had evolved even further.

Still, you never know until you actually compete. I was looking forward to seeing if a rematch might happen.

Next, I went to Shannon-san.

I thought it would have been nice if she had given me a quick message, but then I remembered—Shannon-san didn’t know I lived here.

She had just happened to participate in the mock battle tournament, and she must have been the one surprised to discover that I was the organizer.

“Shannon-san, long time no see. I didn’t expect to meet you here.”

“Oh! Sato-san! You remembered me? I didn’t think you would recognize me outside the shop!”

“Of course I remember. You’ve been very kind before. Thank you so much for participating this time.”

“Not at all! It’s been fun moving my body again, and above all, the food is incredible! I didn’t realize you lived in such a wonderful place.”

Shannon-san’s plate was piled high with desserts.

Starting with desserts right away—clearly, women can’t resist sweets.

“Yes, it’s a simple place, but there’s plenty of nature, and it’s nice here. If you’d like, Shannon-san, you’re welcome to come visit anytime, even outside the tournament.”

“Really? If you say so, I’ll come by when the shop’s closed!”

“Of course, we’ll be expecting you. And please do your best in tomorrow’s tournament—I’ll be cheering for you.”

“Thank you! I’ll enjoy it to the fullest!”

Shannon-san’s smile was radiant and full of energy.

Though magic users are at a disadvantage in the mock battle tournament, her fighting style seemed capable of taking her far.

I was happy she said she’d come to visit regardless of the tournament, but first, the tournament came first. I would cheer her on so she could achieve a good result.

After leaving the dessert area, I went to Harry-kun last.

Among the people I had approached, he was the only one I hadn’t met before. Being the youngest, he stood out a bit.

I wanted to talk to him, and this seemed like the perfect opportunity.

“Harry-kun… that’s right, isn’t it?”

“Oh! You’re the organizer? T-thank you for talking to me!”

“I saw your matches and you left the biggest impression on me, so I just had to say hello. First of all, congratulations on advancing past the preliminaries.”

“You noticed me?! Hearing that from the organizer… that’s amazing! And on top of that, I get to eat all this delicious food—I’m truly grateful!”

His speech was heavily accented; perhaps he came from a distant place.

The accent, combined with his nervousness, made him feel very fresh and earnest.

“The greater thanks goes to you for participating. Where did you come from, Harry-kun?”

“I came from a place called Marv Village! I’m the strongest in the village, and traveling merchants told me about this tournament!”

“I see… the strongest in your village, huh? No wonder you put up such a good fight against Freese-san.”

“Freese-san was strong. It was my first time fighting someone that powerful, and just being able to fight him made coming here worth it!”

“I’m glad to hear that. That makes holding the mock battle tournament worthwhile. Tomorrow, there’ll be a competitor about your age as well, so I hope you gain all kinds of new experiences.”

“Someone my age!? That sounds exciting!”

I could see a spark ignite in Harry-kun’s eyes, replacing his earlier nervousness.

At this point, I was starting to look forward to a potential Harry-kun vs. Joel-kun match.

They seemed evenly matched, and it would definitely be good stimulation for both of them.

However, the tournament pairings are completely random, so whether they actually face each other would depend on luck.

With excitement building for tomorrow’s main tournament, I finished my meal a little early and went ahead to take a bath.