Chapter 158: The Grand Arena

As they ascended the final slope towards Elixirburg, they saw several horsemen riding towards them from the front.

Clad in deep blue armor, they were likely knights of the Eriksen Count's household.

As they weren't sure if they were sent for them, they slowed down and moved to the side to observe. The horsemen rode towards them.

"Hey, it's Isamu and the gang after all! Long time no see!"

The one who dismounted from the lead horse and called out was Gascoigne, the leader of the Eriksen Mercenary Knights, who had fought them in the previous royal match.

"If it isn’t Gascoigne-san.Long time no see. Did the captain come personally?"

Isamu also got off the magic car and greeted him with a handshake.

"We got word from the lookout that some weird carriage without horses was heading this way in a hurry. When we checked, we saw the Klaufeldt family crest. It's probably you guys earlier than expected, so I came to check it out."

"I see. We're sorry for the trouble."

"If we ride in like this, it might get complicated over there. I'll lead the way, so follow me."

With a laugh, Gascoigne mounted his horse again and turned his heel.

"Hmm, running without horses, huh..."

Gascoigne muttered in surprise as he stared at the magic car running alongside his horse.

The knights who had come with Gascoigne were also fascinated.

"It's still a prototype. This visit is also a long-distance test run."

"A prototype, huh... Seems like it could be something incredible."

Gascoigne, sensing a glimpse of Isamu’s insatiable desire to improve his magic tools, muttered with a sigh.

One of the knights who had accompanied Gascoigne led the way at the gate to the capital, exchanged a few words with the gatekeeper-like knight, then returned to report to Gascoigne.

Gascoigne explained once again after receiving the report.

"The boss has a message. Since you're probably tired today, she wants you to rest at the inn and come to the Grand Arena tomorrow morning."

"The Grand Arena, huh..."

It was a delicate situation whether to be grateful for even getting a break today.

"Our general is hardly ever at the mansion. Of course, when a noble she isn't very close to comes, she will greet them in the mansion's reception, but Isamu is now family."

"...Seems fitting for Her Excellency."

Replying with just that, Isamu was then guided by Gascoigne to the inn.

Perhaps it was because the formidable captain was escorting them, but they didn't get approached as they did in the town they visited yesterday.

"We'll pick you up again tomorrow morning. Rest well today. Oh, and if you're interested, feel free to stop by the arena."

At the inn where they were guided, Gascoigne pointed with his thumb.

The inn was conveniently located right in front of the Grand Arena. Being right in front of the city's most popular spot, it seemed to be the city's finest inn.

It would undoubtedly be the best inn for guests, but as someone more likely to be guided to the non-guest area, Isamu couldn't feel at ease.

Spending the night with a hint of anxiety about what they would be made to do tomorrow, they passed the night.

The next morning, after enjoying breakfast in the living room of the inn, Gascoigne came to pick them up.

"Morning! Did you sleep well last night?"

"Ah, Gascoigne-san, good morning. We were a little nervous being in front of the arena, but thanks to being at the city's best inn, we rested well."

Responding with greetings, Isamu held a cup of tea in one hand.

"That's good to hear. I'm waiting downstairs, so come down when you're ready."

"Understood. We just need to do a final check, so we'll be right down. Oh, can all of us go to visit?"

"Yeah, they said they have lunch and dinner ready, so it's better if everyone comes."

"Got it. Since we're here, I think we'll use the magic carriage for the debut. Is that okay?"

"Yeah, no problem. I'll guide you to the entrance for carriages."

With that, Gascoigne disappeared downstairs.

Seeing him off, Isamu stood up and clapped his hands.

"Well then, shall we go out?"

“"Yeah!"”

Everyone responded, and they all returned to the living room after returning to their rooms, putting on their equipment and belongings, then heading back down.

Even though they were going for a meeting, they were all dressed in combat gear.

After everyone was ready, they descended the stairs and boarded the magic carriage parked in the backyard, heading towards the front of the inn.

"We're ready."

"Yeah. Let's go. Not that it's far."

Led by Gascoigne, who was riding, the group headed towards the Grand Arena, which was just across the main street.

"Ooh, Isamu and Annemarie are here too!"

"Long time no see, Eleonora-san."

"It's been a while, Your Excellency Eleonora."

"It's been about three months, I believe. I heard it was around the beginning of the fourth month, but it seems a bit early. Is something the matter?"

As they exchanged greetings with Eleonora at the noble's entrance with the carriage stop, they lightly chatted as they headed to the noble's waiting room.

"Yes. There have been some concerning movements, and I've received a message from His Excellency Lubinda regarding that."

"Oh, from Lubinda Ojii-san?"

At Isamu’s words, Eleonora raised an eyebrow lightly.

"I stopped by there before coming here. Lubinda-sama said there was no need to rush, but..."

"I see. Let me hear the details later."

Eleonora nodded slightly and quickened her pace a bit.

"Hehe, I see, you managed to take down a Wyvern!"

In the waiting room, Eleonora rejoiced when they handed her Wyvern jerky as a souvenir, saying they had taken it down themselves.

When they explained that they had defeated it with a newly developed magic device, she asked to see it afterwards.

However, as they talked about the circumstances leading up to the defeat, her expression gradually became more serious.

"It's not uncommon for one to become a 'stray' on its own, but it's rare for a group to become 'strays'... "

"Yeah. They said four of them had taken up residence in a ruin."

"They have a habit of living in a chosen dwelling as a group for a long time, and they rarely leave unless something significant happens."

As expected of Eleonora, who has fought various opponents in different places, she was knowledgeable about the ecology of monsters.

"Something significant, you say..."

It didn't seem likely that such a formidable creature would have a reason to leave as a group.

"Well, the most obvious reason is being chased by a stronger monster."

Seeing through Isamu’s thoughts, Eleonora grinned.

"It's not very peaceful if they're stronger than that group."

"Hehe, well, you can probably assume that's unlikely. Realistically, it would be if they found it difficult to stay in their current habitat due to natural disasters. Like fires or floods."

"I see..."

"They seem to have come from the border near Zun... What do you think, Gascoigne?"

"We haven't heard anything about recent wildfires or floods. There's a smell of human intervention in something."

Gascoigne answered almost immediately.

Since mercenaries of the Eriksen family could potentially find work all over the country, they regularly collect various information such as weather and crop yields from scattered hands and collaborators throughout the country.

"You think so too, huh. I have the same idea... Understood. Let's send a squad to ojji-san’s place right away. In addition, let's send a squad to the border near Zun. Gascoigne, I'll leave the personnel selection to you, so find them quickly."

"Understood."

With Eleonora's instructions, Gascoigne immediately left the room.

"It might have been the right decision to have you come in a hurry. We don't know what's still happening, but it's probably better to be cautious."

"Thank you. Oh, right. Do you have any stock of swords supplied to these knights?"

"Stock? There are quite a few in the warehouse, but why do you ask?"

"If it's okay to modify them, I'll turn them into magic swords. It might look a bit ugly due to the rush, though."

"...Turn them into magic swords?"

"Yes. Our Eto and Willem have perfectly memorized the magic circle for the earth magic sword. If you can help them with the construction of the place to embed the magic stones and draw the magic circle, I think we can make a squad's worth by the end of the day."

"...I see. Isamu understands the meaning of the magic circle through his ability skill, so he can draw it on any sword. The craftsmen who have received his teachings are the same. Hehehe!"

Seemingly convinced, Eleonora laughed and slapped her knee.

"Well, well, I've heard that you can do that, but... When it's said so naturally in front of me, I can't keep up with understanding it. Haha, can we really make a squad's worth of magic swords in a day? My, my, that's incredible."

Nodding in agreement with a happy expression, Eleonora said.

"May I ask you a favor? We have a workshop here to repair swords and armor, so I'll guide you there later."

"Understood. Eto-san, Willem-san, please make them the same as Type 1. And please chrome them just to be safe."

"Got it."

"Understood."

Afterwards, while handing over the souvenir mahjong tiles and the sacred object of Orihime, we talk about our journey so far, including the magical tool we developed. It's now time for lunch, so we move to the large dining area.

Since it is common for noble entourages to come and view the palace, several such rooms are prepared for such purposes.

"Is everything covered regarding our discussion and the requests?"

"Yes, we've covered everything for now."

As they had lunch, Eleonora and Isamu talked.

Since a considerable number of people were attending the luncheon, it was being held in a standing buffet style.

Apart from Eleonora, the Eriksen family also had upper-class civil and military officials as well as squadron leaders from the knighthood attending, so there were over 30 people gathered.

By the way, it is said that the average private militia of a count's family consists of about 200 knights and 500 soldiers. On the other hand, the Eriksen family has a similar number of soldiers, about 500, but the number of knights exceeds 1,000. This surpasses even duke families and is comparable to the Royal Capital Knights directly under the king. This number clearly demonstrates the peculiarity of the Eriksen family, which sends formidable knights as mercenaries throughout the country, reducing the number of soldiers to show no intention of rebellion.

"Where do you plan to go after here?"

"I intend to visit Lord Nazario first. After greeting him, I plan to discuss business at the Nashara Company and then dive into the ruins after a long time."

They had discovered many readable items in the ruins in his territory, so he wanted to dive in again. He was also interested in the parts that seemed to be parts of an as yet undeciphered magic giant golem.

"Oh, the ruins... By the way, during the joint subjugation, didn't you fight with that crab-like creature in the ruins?"

"Yes. It wasn't in the ruins of the Rocky Desert, but in the ruins of the Kalenberg territory."

"I see... Isamu, is there still room in that magic vehicle of yours?"

"Well, we've unloaded some souvenirs, so there's space for a few more people. What's up? Oh! That expression on your face!?"

As he answered, Isamu looked at Eleonora's face, which was smiling brightly.

"I see. So, it can accommodate a few more people. Isamu, let's have a little chat.”

”Boss, this won't do... Ahem."

Just as he was about to ask Isamu for a favor with sparkling eyes, she was interrupted.

"Please don't click your tongue... Even though it's not a large-scale expedition or official duty, what will the boss do if she leaves her territory empty?"

"Ugh."

Eleonora gritted her teeth at Gascoigne’s sound reasoning. She was not satisfied at all.

"Ha, you really are stubborn, aren't you? If I go with Isamu and the others, there's a chance to fight unknown monsters. I mustn't miss such an interes... ahem, a valuable opportunity. As a leader, I will personally verify it and share the experience with everyone."

(No, that's definitely not right, is it? I mean, you just said it sounds interesting, didn't you?)

Gascoigne let out a deep sigh as Eleonora averted her gaze.

Though Gascoigne seemed like a hands-on leader at first glance, it was clear he had quite the struggle acting as Eleonora's aide, or perhaps more accurately, her chaperone.

"To begin with, I really wish you'd refrain from going to the front lines. Your strength is indeed incredible, but as the leader, you should stay in the rear."

"Grrr..."

Eleonora ground her teeth at Gascoigne's sound argument. She was not convinced at all.

"Well, if you accompany Isamu and the others on their ruins exploration, there's certainly much to be gained."

"See? That's exactly what I've been saying."

"So, I will go to the ruins with one more person, Schmeichel. Isamu, can the two of us ride without any issue?"

"Yes, since you both travel light, there shouldn't be any problem."

"That being the case, Schmeichel and I will go. He's a former adventurer and thief, and he can use magic to some extent, so he's well-suited for exploring ruins."

"Wait a minute! Why is it okay for you to go but not for me? You're a knight commander, you shouldn't be going to the front lines either, should you?"

"No, no, I'm the field commander. I need to be more familiar with the front lines than anyone else. Basically..."

For another ten minutes, Eleonora tried to argue back, but she eventually surrendered to Gascoigne's impeccable logic.

"Damn Gascoigne... Always taking the good parts for himself."

"Haha, well, you are the lord after all, Eleonora. It's just how it is."

After lunch, as they headed to the VIP seats of the grand arena, Eleonora vented her frustrations.

"That's easy for you to say, Isamu. I don't feel alive unless I'm on the front lines."

"Ah, well, I can somewhat understand that feeling. If I were told to step away from developing magica tools, I wouldn't be able to bear it either."

"Right?"

"But the front lines of battle come with risks. It's a tricky situation..."

Though Isamu, who also loved creating things, sympathized with her, the risks of crafting and combat were vastly different.

"You're sounding like Gascoigne now. Well, I get it."

Even while voicing her complaints, Eleonora didn't go so far as to force her way through, which was perhaps why she was fit to be the lord.

"Alright, we're here. From here, you can get a full view of the grand arena."

With that, Eleonora opened the large doors flanked by two knights.

"Wow, this is incredible..."

"...It's enormously spacious."

Squinting in the bright sunlight as they stepped outside, they gradually took in the full extent of the arena.

It looked big from the hilltop, but up close, its vastness was overwhelming.

According to Eleonora's explanation along the way, the field alone was about 400 meters by 300 meters.

A soccer field for international matches is around 100 meters by 70 meters, so this arena could fit over fifteen of those. Including the seating area, it was even larger.

It was built over more than ten years, making its scale truly astonishing.

"The far side is hazy..."

Tiramisu muttered to herself, but it was clear that she couldn't see all the way to the other side. Rather than an arena, the area was more like a large park.

"This arena was built so that groups could hold mock battles and view them from every angle. In a normal arena, the limit is a squad (around five people), like in a Royal Tournament. But here, if we try hard, we can fit in a company size (around 90 people)."

Eleonora explained to the shocked Yuu and the others.

"We don't only have to deal with monsters. We are often called to war. In order to avoid dying in vain, we also train in group battles."

According to Eleonora, it's possible to train outside the city, but it's less effective if you can't see it from a bird's-eye view.

By observing their own movements objectively, they develop the habit of perceiving positions and situations on the battlefield in three dimensions.

It is certainly a world of difference to being one person among many and only looking at what you can see.

"Today we're going to have a mock battle with multiple squads, and then we'll have a platoon-based mock battle. Do you guys want to join as a squad?"

When Isamu looked at the knights at Eleonora's invitation, they all nodded slightly.

"I understand. I'd love to participate. Thank you for giving me this valuable opportunity."

Seeing this, Isamu accepts Eleonora's invitation.

"Hmmmm. I heard that he was quite a commander during the joint extermination. I'm really looking forward to it."

Eleonora chuckled happily.

"It's about to start, so I'll watch a few games here first to get a feel for the atmosphere."

When I looked down at the field after hearing that, about ten knights appeared on each side.

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