Alice Tale in Phantasmagoria Vol 2 Chapter 41

The Battle tournament

Concerning entry itself, Francesca seems to have already settled it. After we were done at the Colosseum’s reception, I was quickly sent to the waiting room.

The waiting room is wider than I thought and it is perfectly suitable for the blood-thirsty opponents.
In the battle tournament, first the preliminaries are held, and then it moves into the final event.

Only 16 people will remain at the finals.
There will be selections from A block to H block and only 2 of them will win and advance in their respective block.
There are 10 people separated into each block respectively and those who can rise up to the final selection are truly the strong people.

Negligence is forbidden.

I was a.s.signed by the reception to Block A with a Representative badge being attached onto my chest.
So, with this, I become something to grant Francesca’s wishes but….
Not just the Battle Tournament,  the danger around me and risk will jump by leaps and bound.
After the preliminary rounds has ended, I will collect my advance pay.

「My Apologies, Are you Wilmington family’ s representative?」

I turned around towards the voice.
A refres.h.i.+ng young guy.
With red hair with grey eyes.

A guy who has the airs of a prince?

「Yes. You are?」

「I am Reynold Sacremento. Was entered into the C block 」

Their family member came out in person!?

…. Wa, if I were to compare him with Francesca, the requirements are simple huh.
Other than being a girl, I have no other connections with Francesca.

「……I am Alice. Francesca’s friend」

「I see. Because of that girl’s character, I thought she will come out personally, but… I am relieved.」

Oh?

「You too should give up before you get seriously injured. Such a pitiful girl like you being sent off to the battlefield, I am troubled.」

「I am greatly obliged by your concern. But I am not here to play. I am here to show my power, as the girl’s friend.」

「I see… Then, I will not hold back.」

After saying that, the prince places his hands on his chest in a knight manner and stands at attention as a polite greeting and leave.
The specialized weapon hanging by his hips is a knight’s sword huh..

Sacramento huh….

The preliminaries are in sequential order.
As I am in the A group, I am part of the first group to enter the stage.
In the preliminary contest,we’re split into groups of five, and the winners of the battle royales in their respective groups will advance.  The process is very simple, yet savage.

If I was inferior, things like fighting against four people at once would be terrifying.
Resigning myself, I enter the circular stage arena.
When the Colosseum’s stand starts to become excited as the deadly event begins.

With an estimated diameter of 200 meters around structure, it can hold a capacity of over 30 thousand people.
As I survey the crowd, I see that there are banners flying around the Colosseum celebrating a full house.

My opponents are all stern males.
As for weapons, 2 of them carry Blades, 1 Lance, and the last one holds an Battle-Axe.

『The first preliminary round! Group A’s match is about to begin! The rules are simple. If you fall off from the stage, you are disqualified! If you say you give up, the referee, me, will announce that you have been eliminated! If you die, also eliminated!』

From the stage who is magnificently announcing is a skimpily clad onee-san referee..
Using a magic stone as a megaphone near the mouth, her voice spreads all around the Colosseum.

『And for this preliminary contest a special rule ! Projectiles are forbidden!』

OI!

….. Thunder-like magic can’t be used?  

I thought I would definitely be able to show a magician-like appearance here.
There were cheers from the audience.
By chance, they aren’t imagining me being stripped after I lose, right?
Sleazebags.

『Don’t look down on me, really.』

I clenched my hands and b.u.mped my gloved fists together.
They’re weapons freshly made from raw materials gathered by Ilya and Saira.

Caster Gloves ( Smelting) ( Inscription: Saira)
Forged exceeding the highest quality.
With these weapons, I’ll show off my hand-to-hand combat.

I don’t have any blind spots since I studied the Fairbairn System.
Fairbairn system (defendu)

…… … That’s a lie, though.

『Okay. Please begin!』

Immediately after the referee Onee-san’s announcement, 4 of them rushed towards me.

　――As expected huh！

「Spirit of Lightning come to my side, become my blade! Lightning Enchant!」

Naturally, my glove becomes lightning enchanted.
I gazed at my opponents.
In front are 2 swords, behind them is the lance and the last one lagging behind is the Battle-Axe

TL: he just called them by weapons. Lazy Alice.

Getting surrounded would be bad.

If possible, the ideal situation will be fighting them one vs one.
If that’s the case, I will aim the first one!
I insert magic power into my legs and jumped.

I jumped over the sword and lance.
My target is the lagging Battleaxe.
Slow response!

I reached his back in one leap, inflicting a blow to his side as he frantically turned around.
Although it has no strength in it, I hit it in with a intelligence five thunder magic.
Body convulsing, the Battle-Axe fell in the situation.

The arena went completely silent.
It is different from what the spectators had expected huh.
It’s perfect. Using 1 of my opponent as a warning to the rest.

「I had also betting my life on this. I do not specifically plan to kill you people but…  Therefore, I am saying this. I am not going out of my way to avoid killing you either. So do you have the resolutions to face me ?」

Narrowing my eyes, I tried to say it a slightly threatening manner.

I can perceive that a few of my opponents flinch from it.
I do not plan to let my opponents showcase their powers.
For if I were to eat an attack of the opponent, it will be the end.
It’s due to my close combat is like tightrope walking

In actuality, I have no room for any doubt.

「――tsu！」

During the moment they swallowed their saliva, I drew a circle and used my magic to move.

Aiming to disappear from their sights, I struck the sides of the troublesome long reach lance.
This time I struck with my palms and during the instant of the impact, I detonated the repellent force.
I gradually become accustomed to regulating my magic power.

With my foothold firmly stuck to ground due the magnetic field I created to stabilize my body, I blew the opponent away who is heavier than me.

The spear flew and landed outside of the arena.

「The h.e.l.l did she do!?」

With this, 2 people remain.
I wish to seal my victory during the chaos.
I dived into the sword’s chest and drive in my kick enchanted with Lightning.

　――Kicks are actually my specialty.。

But it’s not martial arts though.

Landing my kick, I blew the sword out of the arena and slip into the last sword’s chest.

As expected his timing is bad and the opponent’s downwards swing of the sword is too slow.

From below, as if I am pus.h.i.+ng up, I strike the sword’s jaws with my lightning palm and knock him out.

「Fuu」

I have to take a chance with close combat.
I am still far away from Til’s strongest moment.
With great pains, I had recently started learning the basics of close combat.

The palm strikes I received during training hurt greatly…
I unintentionally rubbed my stomach.

『Th… THIS IS COMPLETE UPSET!! Victory goes to the Wilmington family’s Alice! 』

With the referee Onee-san’s announcement, huge cheers broke out from the stands.

「Alice! What a splendid effort desuwa~! As I thought, my eyes did not deceive!」

「Thank you, Francesca.」

During the duration of the Battle tournament, the country has arranged for exclusive high cla.s.s lodging for the players. So I was moved to there.
As for the player’s family, if you were to mention the number of partic.i.p.ating members, they will let them stay together with you.
Therefore, I am together with Ilya and co.
While relaxing in that wide high cla.s.s lodging, Francesca came.

「You are alone?」

「If it’s that too rude butler, I made him wait at the room’s entrance desuwa~」

That said, when I peeked out from the window, that hypocritical butler immediately stood up.

Turning my back towards the window, I face Francesca

「First of all,Alice . Even though I said it was good enough to just enter and appear on stage for me, the conclusion is better than I had expected. I am thankful desuwa~」

「I will receive without reservations」

I received the platinum coin that Francesca pa.s.ses to me.
Ooo, a platinum coin coin.
My motivation to work vanished, this heaviness.
Although I want to keep staring at it forever, with force of will, I stuffed the platinum coincoin quickly into the leather bag.

「――Alice」

「~ng?」

With a serious face, Francesca look at me.

「No.. I might not have the right to say it, but be careful.」

「Fufu」

This time round, Francesca tilted her head.

「As expected, I have a hunch that I can become friends with Francesca. 」

Being Wilmington family’s representative, I understand that the risk from now on increases by leaps and bound.
Is it alright if I laugh whole-heartedly at the fools who were lured in by money?
I feel that there is an affinity somewhere.

「Alice… I will let you call me Fran 」

With her face reddening, Francesca who was facing the setting sun is cute.

「I understand, Fran――」

――When I finished talking, there was sound of the windows shattering and approximately at the same time.
I felt an impact on my back.

「――Ah」

I have trouble breathing.
Due to the impact, I was thrown forward
I was being caught into Francesca’s arms who was facing in front of me.

「Alice-sama!」

「Alice!」

Ilya who is nearby holding back and Francesca who is before me saw everything. Both of them paled.

What happened?

「――An Archer is it?  Sneaky cowardly a.s.sa.s.sin.」

「Os.h.i.+shou-sama! Use recovery magic on Alice-sama! Please!!」

「The arrow is stopped. My my, what a troublesome disciple―― That coward, is he only quick at running away? 」

Till looked out of the window and murmured unamusedly.
With that sudden attack, I lost my bearings but when I gently patted my back, I was not stabbed by the arrow.
When I look at it closely, there is a pinpoint ice wall on my back.
That is what made the arrow stop.

After I had confirmed that I am fine, I felt a chill in my body.
Now…. If Til is not around, I will die…?
My body s.h.i.+vered.

「Alice……」

Francesca who caught the s.h.i.+vering me in her arms is distorting her face into a painful expression.
When one saw that, it shows back their true character.

This is the risk.

「――This kind of royal capital, you’ll change it, right?」

「Alice, you……」

「Fran」

「――Alice, I swear to be your friend desuwa~. By my name ,Francesca Wilmington, I will remake this rotten system again!」

I am being hugged strongly by Francesca.
I can understand the situation as to why I am being personally invited by Francesca.
Even if that’s the case, I want to be with this kid.

I will be useful to her.

That feeling is mutual.

Therefore, more than anything else, it is likely that there are no lies hidden within those violet eyes.

――And thus, the curtains have raised to an act where risking my life is nothing but an everyday occurrence.