Chapter 2 – Entering the Tournament
This place hasn’t changed… It’s as lively as ever.
Sieg smiled to himself as he walked through the crowd, taking in the sights. The market street, lined with stalls and shops, was overflowing with people.
This was the capital of Treden, a territory famous as a city of commerce. It was a large domain situated next to a great river, its most distinctive feature being the network of canals that crisscrossed the city. The canals were used not only for transporting goods but also as a major thoroughfare for its citizens.
Sieg found an inn near the main gate and immediately made his way to the artisan district.
In addition to the usual blacksmiths, weapon shops, and armorers, the district was also home to wholesalers dealing in medicinal herbs, leather, cloth, and lumber. He visited several weapon shops and forges, gauging the skill of the craftsmen.
This was a job for his [Appraisal] Blessing.
By appraising the weapons and armor on display, he could determine if their prices were fair, which in turn told him about the smith’s skill and honesty. He could, of course, appraise the smiths themselves, but his proficiency with the skill was still low, and there was a risk they would notice. To avoid any trouble, Sieg made it a rule not to appraise people until his skill level was higher.
He was looking for a skilled blacksmith who could do some custom work on a sword. His Sacred Silver Sword was far too conspicuous; he needed it modified to look like an ordinary blade.
As he wandered the district, he came across two travelers in noble-looking attire arguing with a shopkeeper. It seemed they had broken an item and were being pressured to pay for it. The exorbitant price they were being charged was audible even from outside the shop.
Sieg considered just walking past. It was likely a common scam where a customer is handed a pre-damaged item and then forced to pay for it. He wanted to avoid trouble, but turning a blind eye would leave a bad taste in his mouth.
With a sigh, he stepped inside.
The shopkeeper shot Sieg a glare. “Sorry, kid. We’re busy. Go somewhere else.”
On the counter lay a knife with a broken hilt. That must have been the item in question. It didn’t take an appraisal to see it was junk. All the weapons and armor hanging on the walls were of the lowest quality. It was clearly a shady shop that preyed on rookie adventurers and lower nobles who didn’t know any better.
The two travelers, their faces hidden by deep hoods, stood silently in embarrassment.
Seeing this, Sieg addressed the shopkeeper. “That’s enough. You handed them a knife that was already about to break, didn’t you? I’ll give you two silver coins for it. Let’s call it even.”
Sieg placed the coins on the counter, and the shopkeeper exploded in rage. “HAAAAH!? What the hell did you just say!? Who do you think you are, waltzing in here and spouting that nons—!”
The shopkeeper’s words caught in his throat. His eyes went wide, and he fell silent.
For just a single instant, Sieg had unleashed his [Intimidation], one of the Hero’s Blessings used to cow an opponent.
“…You understand now, right? Leave it at that,” Sieg said calmly. He then turned to the two travelers. “You two should get going. I’ll handle this.”
The shopkeeper, though still trembling, found his voice. “D-Don’t screw with me! Hey, we’ve got a customer! Take care of him!”
At his call, a large man lumbered out from the back of the shop, apparently the store’s muscle. The man looked down at Sieg and immediately threw a punch. Sieg was slightly impressed by the unhesitating first strike.
But there was no way a common thug who couldn’t even gauge his opponent’s strength could ever land a hit on Sieg.
He dodged the punch with minimal movement, grabbed the man’s outstretched arm, and swept his leg. The large man lost his balance and stumbled headfirst into the counter.
“Whoa! H-Hey! Gyaaaah!”
The man crashed into the counter, taking the shopkeeper down with him and sending goods scattering everywhere.
“Ugh… guh… RAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!”
A moment later, the big man scrambled to his feet, his face flushed with rage. He was now holding a dagger—one of the shop’s products. He raised it high and charged.
If you’re going to use a weapon, I don’t need to hold back anymore.
Sieg slipped inside the man’s guard and delivered a series of palm strikes to his chest. One, two, three. It was a high-speed combination that looked like a single blow to the untrained eye—a benefit of the Hero’s [Martial Arts] Blessing.
The large man froze for a second, then collapsed to the floor with a heavy thud and didn’t move.
Sieg let out a breath and surveyed the now-trashed interior. Maybe I overdid it a little… Oh well, it’s a scummy shop. It doesn’t matter.
As he turned to leave, he noticed the two travelers were still huddled in a corner.
“I told you to go,” Sieg said. “Report this shop to the Commerce Guild and—”
The taller of the two interrupted him. “Was that a single strike!?”
The shorter one spoke in a firm voice. “No… I think that was… three hits…”
Sieg was surprised she had seen through the combination, but he was even more surprised when he heard her voice and realized they were both women. And more shocking than any of that was recognizing who she was.
The two lowered their hoods, and the smaller one bowed her head. Her eyes seemed to be sparkling.
“Um… thank you for helping us. We’re not… very accustomed to shops like this… Uh, so we don’t have to pay, right?”
Her companion answered for her. “Of course not! We were gettin’ scammed! I knew somethin’ was fishy from the start!”
Her cheerful, opportunistic words barely registered. Sieg was too stunned.
W-Why is she…
Sieg gritted his teeth, cursing his fate.
Why is she here of all places!?
“Um… is something wrong?” she asked, tilting her head. That familiar expression was directed right at him.
She was Cordelia, the Fifth Princess of the Veltoria Kingdom.
He knew her well. After becoming the Hero, Sieg had been invited to the royal castle and stayed for several days, during which he had met the princes and princesses. The Fifth Princess, Cordelia, was a die-hard fan of the Hero legend. When she met Sieg, she had become so flustered and excited that she fainted multiple times. The memory of that commotion brought a bitter taste to his mouth.
I can’t get involved with her…
Sieg left the shop and tried to dismiss them quickly, but the princess persisted.
“Please! At least tell us your name!”
“I’m not anyone worth naming. Just be more careful from now on.”
“Whoa, so cool!” her companion chirped. “C’mon, what’s a name? It’s not like it costs ya anything!”
Sieg sighed deeply. He knew her too—the princess’s royal guard.
…You should be doing your job, not getting duped in a place like this.
“Stop it, Emma. That’s rude,” the princess chided.
“Yeah, yeah,” Emma, the guard, replied without any real conviction.
Still as flippant as ever, I see!
Hiding his internal frustration, Sieg gave the two a proper look. Their clothes were well-tailored and clearly brand new. It was no wonder they’d been targeted; they looked exactly like some clueless young nobles who had wandered into the city for fun.
After a moment of deliberation, Sieg gave in and offered some advice.
“You should get rid of those nice travel clothes. Wear something of poorer quality, something a little dirty. And you should try to look like men if you can. Two women traveling alone are a prime target for thugs.”
The princess looked down at her clothes in surprise.
Her guard, Emma, piped up. “Eh? But ain’t this outfit cute? We just bought it special!”
You, be quiet, Sieg thought, cursing her internally.
“And that bag,” he continued, “that’s a magic bag with a storage enchantment, right? No one can travel with just a bag that small. Carrying a magic bag openly is like advertising that you have money. Put it inside a normal, larger bag. Use the regular bag as a decoy.”
The princess nodded, impressed. “…I see… So to criminals, we look like easy prey?”
“Exactly. And… your friend there is your guard, isn’t she? She should at least have a sword at her hip. What’s the point of a guard otherwise?”
“But a sword would be so uncouth with this outfit! Our cover story is that we’re sisters!”
Cover story… I don’t care!
He sighed, exasperated. The princess smiled. “You know, Emma? Could you be quiet for a little bit?”
“Oh, roger that.”
Emma’s one virtue was her obedience.
In the end, at the princess’s insistence, he ended up accompanying them to second-hand shops and general stores to buy new clothes and bags. He also advised them that since two women traveling together stood out, they should eat their meals at their inn’s dining hall or at food stalls. Of course, they would likely be staying at the lord’s castle, so that last bit of advice was probably unnecessary.
As they were about to part ways, the princess asked with determination, “Um… my name is… C…Juliet. And this is my guard, Emma. May I ask your name?”
Emma was giving him a smirking look, so he reluctantly answered. “…It’s Sieg.”
“Sieg-san. Thank you again for today. I am deeply grateful.” The princess performed a noble’s curtsy, which Sieg stopped with a wave of his hand.
“Stop that, too. It’s like announcing you’re a noble. You should also stop using formal language in the city. You’ll just get taken advantage of.”
The princess blinked, then nodded in understanding. “So it is… I mean, I get it. Okay. Uh… Thanks a bunch? Hmm?”
Sieg couldn’t help but chuckle. But his smile vanished when he saw her guard’s grin widen. Emma was seriously getting on his nerves.
“See you,” he said, and walked away without waiting for a reply.
He didn’t know the purpose of their journey, but this was a large city. He likely wouldn’t have to deal with her again.
Still, what a surprise… to think I’d meet her again… He recalled the princess’s face and bit his lip. …I’m glad she seems to be doing well…
Later, Sieg found a skilled blacksmith just as he’d planned and commissioned the work on his sword.
It was an unusual request to tarnish the Sacred Silver Sword he’d found in the labyrinth so it would look like a plain iron.
The master blacksmith initially refused the odd job, but the chance to work with sacred silver was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. In the end, his craftsman’s curiosity won out, and he accepted the job. He and his apprentice were fired up to take on the challenge.
“I’ll be back in three days to pick it up. Thank you,” Sieg said.
As he was leaving, the master smith asked curiously, “So, you came for the tournament after all? With a rare sword like this, you must be strong.”
The tournament he mentioned was the fighting competition held in the city. With the event just around the corner, skilled fighters from all over were gathering, making the city livelier than ever.
“Yes, that’s right,” Sieg said. “…Actually, let me give you a good tip.”
The master and his apprentice exchanged a glance.
Sieg lowered his voice as if sharing a secret. “If you’re going to bet on the tournament, bet on me. You’ll make a fortune.”
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