THAT DAY I BECAME A STAR

In the evening, we all eat in the dining room of the same place. There are maids who brought us food from god-knows-where.

"Those are pure delicacies. I hope you will enjoy them thoroughly." Frankher tells us as the maids reveal the different dishes. I see some kind of crabs encircled by orange, a pig's head with an apple in its mouth. And many others things I haven't seen much since my birthday.

"Thank you, daddy!" Without a care for us, Keltia kisses her father's cheek and jumps at the table.

Frankher turns red like that of a newborn baby and an incredible smile decorated his face. This guy really loves his daughter. At least, I hope that's really the case.

We all sit and start eating but just a few minutes after, somebody knocks at the door and enters the place.

"They aren't here?" I hear Farner's voice. They have come in the end.

Frankher stands up and goes outside the dinning room then brings them back.

"Hello, everyone." The heroes all greet us as they enter, with happy and relieved faces. They are all wearing the same long white robes that cover their whole body with the insignia of the church on the chest area. Where were they?

"You came here directly after the prayer?" Cordel is the one to ask them the meaning of those clothes they have on. Prayer? For who?

"Yeah, they kept insisting about it. They are really forcing our hands."

"It's not every day that a kingdom receives the heroes. You should understand them a bit." It seems Frankher knows exactly what they go through. That's why I said people see them as objects.

"Even so, their way of asking is-"

"We are doing our duty and that's all. There is nothing to complain about." Of course, Roxcia is adamant about it.

"W-we weren't really complaining."

After Roxcia sets them up straight, they all join us at the table, with Farner making the extra effort of sitting next to me even though her sisters are sitting on the opposite side. Though, it's true that the seat was empty. The table of the dining room is big enough to contain all of us and still has two empty seats. I guess if Aspen and another teacher were here, that would have completed it.

"What are you eating?"

"Pig cutlets with a white creamy sauce. Didn't you guys eat there, Farner?"

"Nope, it is mandatory to do a fasting before a prayer so we haven't eaten since yesterday."

"Just for a prayer?" isn't that a bit much?

"It's not just a prayer. It is the sacrifice WE are doing and addressed to our MOTHER, MEETIA. A savage like you wouldn't understand."

"Thank you for the explanation, Roxcia."

"There was no need to call him savage, you know."

"Oh, did I? I am sorry, Farner."

"Don't apologize to me."

"Anyway, let's eat." If I let you guys start, this might end in a fight. I don't want to see you sisters fight. For one because this place will certainly turn into ruins, and for the others because I don't deserve it yet.

***

After our noisy meal, everyone goes back to the living room. There are rooms for everybody upstairs apparently, just like our dorms, though there is one last floor for the teachers it seems.

"Everybody, please rest as well as you can. Tomorrow will be a big day so you have to be in top condition. A well rested body…"

"WILL CONNECT EASILY TO ITSELF AND NATURE!" We all answer teacher Mneme at the same time and she smiles shyly.

"Everyone must be ready tomorrow at seven." Smith breaks the mood with his not so entertaining voice and we all head upstairs. The boys have the first floor, the girls the second and the teachers the third. I am surprised that Frankher will sleep with us but I suppose it is better that way.

After a while, when I am sure they are all sleeping. I do as usual and escape by the window. I don't think Farner or Lanuvel will come to my room seeing how tired they were. I have put Frankher's stealth armor on with the mask.

"Let's see where they can be." I won't try to attack the hammer hands tonight but at least, I should find out where they are staying. Then I can easily deal with them before the end of the tournament.

***

I jump from roof to roof while watching for signs that would indicate them. The buildings here are higher than those in Mercuria.

"Where can they be?" Maybe I should have tried to ask for some intel. But I don't think Frankher would give them to me. Not after-

"Looking for something?" Right as I land on a roof, I hear a voice. No, I hear his voice. the guy from earlier today.

"Do you normally stay on roofs like that?" I look at the direction of a shadow created by a part of the roof. I can feel the crystal energy coming from there.

As I do, the guy appears from the darkness, wearing a black and kaki armor covering his whole body except his head and holding a green short sword in one hand and needles the length of a forearm in the other.

"Yup. I like to feel the wind."

"At midnight?"

"Oh, don't mind the details. But tell me, murderer, what are YOU doing here?"

How did he know it was…No, of course, he would know. They provoked me knowing that I would do something like that. I fell into their trap like a vulgar child to a piece of candy.

"I don't know what you are talking about." He can't see my face so I can still save some face.

"Is that so? Then let's see who is behind the mask."

He throws one of his needles with such a slow motion it shouldn't fly and yet, as the needle leaves his hand, it accelerates like thunder and I barely manage to evade it. So barely managed that a part of the mask is hit and breaks, revealing my cheek.

"Good, good. At least, you have reflexes. Otherwise, this would have been so boring."

In the same way, he throws two other needles but this time, I bring the raizen Frankher gifted me and knocks them away. I should thank him later.

I can't use anything that would give me away so it is better to escape.

"Don't even think of it. You will only go when I decide it. Until then, you will entertain m-"

"Lumion."

I use Lumion on him but he manages to block it. That guy is good. He effortlessly blocked the simultaneous slashes with a strike of his sword. Could he be at Dilt's level? No, I don't think so. I don't feel the same pressure coming from him.

"What the fuck was that weak thing? Don't tell me it was a script?"

"Lumion." Once again, I use Lumion then jump forward using the momentum of my body's spinning. And once again, he blocks it and even attacks me right after that.

"Master was right. You were just a murderer, but there is nothing to fear about you."

We clash our weapon as he says that.

"Titanic Slash." He uses Titanic slash and I answer with my own.

While on his side, five slashes come, on my own, four and two stabs are aimed at him. Our scripts clash with each other and my shoulder is hit. While I back away, I see him holding his lungs' area. So we were both wounded then. Though I am surprised. His script went through my armor but mine doesn't seem to have done much damage.

Still, he is destabilized. Time to flee. I jump from that roof and lend three story lower, to the ground. It is better to go through the ground and reduces his visibility. I didn't make a noise while landing thanks to Silent Steps.

"You fucking dare to hurt me!!"

Sadly, it seems the guy has reached me.

"Fuck!!" I start running but then a light illuminates the surroundings above me.

"SUNFLARE!" As he screams something, I hear a crackling of a fire coming to me. As I turn, I see a ball of fire the size of a carriage falling in my direction.

"Are you insane?!" How can he use something like this when there are buildings around?!! "Sphere!"

I use the sphere of light and it blocks his script which explodes with such power the walls of the buildings around me utterly vanish. Still, this is a good opportunity so let's not waste it. I use Disperse and arrive at a wall then use it, again and again, three or four times until I am far enough.

"What just happened?!!"

"I don't know!!! Let's go first!!"

"Send a team to bring water!! Quick!!"

While I am hiding in a dark alley. I see guards running in the direction of the explosion.

"Fuu…Let's go back."