Chapter 46. Dungeon Conquest Tournament (5)
Ridipin seemed like she had a lot she wanted to say, but in the end all she managed was,
“B-but it’s Ceres’ wish, so how could I possibly object…?”
And so Ceres and I split off from the others and walked together.
It was a Sunday afternoon with no classes. The streets were bustling with students, and most of their gazes were fixed on us.
“Hey, look. That’s Laplace and Astraea.”
“Did they become close after fighting together in the tournament yesterday?”
“I heard they were in a group study at the library with others.”
“Then why are they just the two of them now?”
“Huh? Now that you mention it…”
Their looks weren’t ordinary stares.
But no matter how piercing the eyes around us were, Ceres acted as if nothing was wrong.
After we walked in silence for a while, Ceres suddenly asked,
“So… what do you actually do on a date?”
“…Wait. You asked me out without even knowing what a date is?”
“No, I get it. A man and a woman spending time alone together, walking around and such. Isn’t that what a date is?”
“Well… that’s not entirely wrong, but it’s a little too vague.”
Her long strands of hair drooped weakly, like wilted grass.
“I know what a date is. I just don’t know what you’re supposed to do.”
…Truthfully, I didn’t really know either.
“You just eat something good, take a walk, maybe talk… actually, now that I think about it, just the two of us walking around like this already makes it a date.”
“Hmm… we already ate earlier, and we’re walking now. So what else should we do?”
We put our heads together to think about it, but in the end, we came up with nothing.
“Why did you even ask me on a date in the first place?”
“Because I wanted to be alone with you, Ban.”
“Why did you want that?”
“Because of Ridipin.”
“…?”
She stopped for a moment, staring at me with an expression that looked faintly hurt. Then she nodded.
“Right, I guess Ban wouldn’t know. Remember what Drenner and Sonia said earlier?”
“You mean about you disappearing and Ridipin suddenly overwhelming the intruder?”
“Yeah. At that moment I realized it. Ridipin really likes you.”
“No way.”
“But think about it—when she thought you were dead, she suddenly became strong, stopped stuttering, even got mad at us. Doesn’t that mean she was angry because you were gone, because she likes you?”
I finally began to understand what Ridipin had done.
She must have temporarily lost her rationality when she thought I had died. That’s why she was able to shake off her trauma and fight at full strength.
But that wasn’t necessarily because she liked me romantically. More likely, it was because I was one of the people who had helped her overcome her trauma.
If it had been Reina who disappeared instead of me, Ridipin would’ve lost it just the same.
“…That’s more of a fondness as a friend, not as the opposite sex.”
“There are different kinds of liking someone?”
“Of course. There’s liking a friend, liking family, and liking someone romantically—they all feel different.”
Ceres propped her chin in her hand, thinking for a while.
“…I don’t get it.”
“Think about it this way. If Drenner suddenly disappeared like I did, how would you feel?”
“…Relieved, honestly.”
…Bad example.
“Okay, then what if Sonia disappeared?”
“Hmm… that would make me sad. But I don’t think I’d get angry like Ridipin did.”
“You can’t be sure. If you were actually in that situation, you might get angry too.”
“…Really?”
“There’s a big difference between imagining something and actually experiencing it.”
Her drooping hair swayed slightly as she nodded.
“You’re strange, Ban. You seem to know me better than I do.”
Well, I had been watching her for a long time.
Ceres was a bit eccentric, but if you built a bond with her, she was a reliable character who played her role in the final battle—much like Seren.
And her unusual way of thinking reminded me of someone I knew, so I often found myself paying attention to her.
“So what’s the difference between liking someone as a friend and liking them romantically?”
“It’s different for each person. Some value romance over friendship, others value friendship over romance.”
“…It’s different depending on the person? This is complicated.”
With her unique way of thinking, thanks to the magic eye, it seemed that people were still difficult for her to grasp.
“Anyway, back to the point. Why did you want to go on a date with me?”
“When I saw Ridipin angry, I thought I should ‘stake my claim.’ But now that I think about it… I don’t think I like you romantically.”
“I see.”
“But I do like you as a friend.”
It felt a little like being rejected without confessing, but I didn’t mind much.
“Still, I want to stake my claim. Because you’re special to me.”
“…Alright.”
“Then I’m curious about something.”
“What is it?”
“What do you think of Ridipin?”
“She’s a good friend. Reliable.”
“…That’s disappointing.”
“Disappointing? Why?”
“Usually in times like this, people hesitate and answer carefully. You answered way too fast.”
“…Where did you even learn that?”
“Romance novels.”
“That’s fiction.”
Her hair drooped at my blunt answer, but then swayed again as if she thought of something amusing.
“Then what about Reina?”
“Well… I wouldn’t say I just like her as a friend.”
“Looks like Ridipin has some competition.”
“That doesn’t mean I like her romantically either.”
“You never know. Like you said, people like others in different ways.”
…Since it was my own logic, I couldn’t refute it.
After that, we chatted about all sorts of little things as we walked.
Mostly, she talked about the romance novels she read. It was strange but fascinating to hear her, expressionless as always, talking so passionately about love.
When I glanced up at the sky, puffy clouds drifted like scattered cotton candy, overlapping in shapes that looked like constellations in the daytime.
Eventually, our aimless walk brought us to the central plaza fountain, where Ceres suddenly stopped.
“This is the end of our date.”
“Alright. So… how was it?”
“Very different from what I imagined. But fun. You too?”
“Yeah, I enjoyed it.”
“Good.”
I wasn’t sure if this really counted as a “date,” but since Ceres looked happy, that was enough.
Monday morning.
The Dungeon Conquest Tournament awards ceremony was held.
The one presenting the awards was none other than the “Saint of the Battlefield,” Maria.
“Third place: Anis Protinnus Ajerum and team.”
As the Second Imperial Princess stepped onto the stage, the crowd erupted in cheers and applause.
“Next, second place: Camilla Spade and team.”
Camilla led her five teammates up. Among them were Drenner, Sonia, and Ceres.
So she was in the same group as Camilla… If Camilla trusted Drenner and went into the dungeon with him, she probably got eliminated without even a proper fight.
“And finally, first place! Resta Rightgers and team!”
When we stepped onto the stage, unlike the previous two teams, the audience went utterly silent. Even Maria looked startled.
But it was inevitable. Our victory carried heavy meaning.
Even the three great factions hadn’t been able to stop us.
Applauding us would mean acknowledging us to some degree. And anyone who applauded first risked being marked within their own faction.
Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Drenner about to clap despite himself—when, before his hands could meet, the sound of applause echoed.
Clap. Clap. Clap.
The three faction leaders—Seren, Anis, and Beryl—were applauding. Following them, their seconds-in-command clapped, and gradually the entire student body followed suit.
I could guess why Seren clapped, but as for the other two… whether it was pride, or some hidden motive, it didn’t matter.
From now on, everyone would see us as a faction in our own right—one on par with the great three.
After we received our certificates, Hazen stood beside Maria holding a longsword.
That was the prize for winning the tournament.
Maria spoke.
“To the victors, we present ‘The Flower Yet to Bloom,’ the final masterpiece of the legendary blacksmith, Stia Vesta.”
The crowd stirred in shock.
“What?! A weapon by Stia Vesta?!”
“So the rumors of an unknown masterpiece were true…!”
When Hazen held out the sword, Reina stepped forward to accept it.
This had already been decided.
Resta didn’t want the weapon, Ridipin was an archer, and I was a mage.
Reina had initially refused out of modesty, but we convinced her.
The hilt of the sword, sheathed in a scabbard engraved with beautiful patterns, bore the name of Stia Vesta.
Once Reina returned to us, Maria explained,
“This sword was donated to Iris Academy by Stia herself upon graduation, with the wish that it be passed down to an outstanding junior. I pray you become as great a swordswoman as she, whose name is forever etched into history.”
“Yes, ma’am!”
After the ceremony, once Resta left, the three of us gathered to examine Reina’s new prize.
Creaaak!
The unpleasant sound made Reina grimace. It was the kind of noise a sword should never make.
“…?”
It wouldn’t even draw smoothly, and when she pulled harder, the blade finally came free.
The blade was rust-colored, jagged like a saw, with strange, intricate shapes carved into its surface—not magical circles, but something equally complex.
Reina’s jaw dropped in shock.
“This is supposed to be a masterpiece…?”
“It is.”
Just then Hazen approached us.
“I figured some explanation was needed. I know what you’re thinking—that there’s no way this is a weapon of Stia Vesta. But it is, without question, one of her masterpieces.”
“…Really?”
Ugly as it looked, Hazen was right. This was the real deal—one of Vesta’s legendary works, with astronomical value and absurd abilities.
The problem was in the name: “The Flower Yet to Bloom.” It was incomplete.
And only one person in the world knew that fact.
“According to my seniors, the sword has always been this way, since it was first forged.”
“…Made like this, on purpose?”
It looked like a weapon worn down after hundreds of battles. To deliberately craft it that way took extraordinary skill.
“Yes. And because of that, no blacksmith has ever been able to repair it.”
In the game, Vesta’s masterpieces were famous for one thing: indestructibility.
No matter what force struck them, they never changed. Even spatial distortions couldn’t damage them. That alone proved it was the real thing.
Ridipin nervously asked,
“I-if it’s really one of Vesta’s masterpieces, why would they use it as a tournament prize? I-I thought every noble wanted one.”
“Look at it. Rusted, chipped, and with no special properties like her other works. If word spread, it would only tarnish her reputation. So it was kept hidden. Eventually, the headmaster suggested using it as the prize for this tournament.”
The two girls let out sounds of understanding.
Finally Hazen added,
“I doubt it would happen, but just in case—don’t sell or transfer this sword.”
“Yes, sir.”
After he left, Reina slid the blade back into its scabbard.
“So after all that, it’s just… junk.”
She gave a bitter smile, but looked relieved.
Probably because she hadn’t wanted the burden of inheriting some great weapon of power. Now that it seemed little more than a keepsake, she could relax.
But this would eventually become her main weapon. It would only be “junk” until summer break.
To make sure, I asked her,
“You’re going to keep that sword no matter what, right?”
“Of course. Professor Hazen told me to, and Lady Maria said it carried the wish for someone to become great. Even if I can’t use it, I have to keep it.”
“You won’t suddenly decide to toss it away later?”
“…Why do you keep asking? Do you think I’d sell it or something?”
Because later, when it became too powerful, she’d definitely want to refuse it.
But I had set the groundwork now.
Before she could suspect anything, I quickly changed the subject.
“Anyway, midterms start next week. Are you ready?”
At Iris Academy, midterms and finals were in weeks 8 and 16. Some courses had practical exams, others just written.
“Ugh, I totally neglected studying because of the tournament…”
“R-Reina, we share a lot of classes, so let’s study together!”
“Great idea!”
Reina hugged Ridipin tightly, shooting me a look that seemed to say, Jealous?
Damn it. I was extremely jealous.
…Ridipin, in Reina’s arms!
