Game Opportunities Become Reality Episode 69
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Game Opportunities Become Reality Episode 69
20. Only I Feel at Peace (4)
'Still, he's an Aura Master, so he wouldn't be dead, right? And since he didn't use a Magic Staff, the power would've dropped too.'
At the merciless attack, all the cast and crew froze.
The magic was so powerful that the barrier created to protect the Duel arena was destroyed in an instant before being restored.
Each 7th Circle spell has enough power to devastate an entire castle.
It's strong enough to serve as the main cannon of a floating fortress, so it was only natural to worry about Count Felix who took that kind of barrage head-on.
"M-medics! Lady Ibril! Hurry!"
The MCs urgently called for the medical team and Ibril, the Saintess candidate.
At that, a group of people including Ibril came rushing over.
"No need to worry."
I waved my hand at the flustered filming set, telling them not to worry.
"I held back enough, so he shouldn't be dead."
"T-this is what you call holding back?"
"You saw I didn't use a Magic Staff, right?"
"Ah..."
I checked on Count Felix through the Myriad Mirror and confirmed he wasn't dead.
When I cleared the Duel arena, which was filled with flames and smoke, using magic, I could see the Vanguard in the center, pitch-black and charred, with his Force Sword stabbed into the ground.
-Fssssssh.
Following that, the Force equipment worn by Count Felix shattered like glass.
"C-cowardly..."
Then Count Felix recited that line along with white smoke and collapsed once more.
The Force equipment, worth over 50 billion per set, ultimately couldn't withstand the impact and was destroyed.
But if I had used a Magic Staff, it wouldn't have just been equipment destruction he would have actually died.
My Magic Staff, crafted by Grand Duke Lucas, has high efficiency and increases power by about 50%.
Ibril used Heal while the medics urgently sprayed potions to treat him.
Thanks to the Force equipment sacrificing itself, the wearer's injuries didn't look too severe.
At that level, wouldn't he be back on his feet soon?
"Uhm, this battle is Marquis Lawrence's victory, but... this is a bit."
The referee looked at me with a troubled expression.
It seemed he was questioning whether this even counted as a Spar.
To that, I gave a simple answer.
"This kind of situation can happen in real combat too."
After all, what I'd been arguing was that a Mage can utilize a wider variety of magic in battle.
But so far, I had only shown four spells, so my argument wasn't very convincing.
However, the clear fact was that with Count Felix being knocked out twice, the notion that Mages are weak in combat seemed to have been somewhat dismantled here.
The one-sided magical beating, which could easily be seen as bullying, even made some people sympathize with the already unpopular Count Felix.
"If Count Felix wishes to fight again, I'll make sure not to repeat the same spell with Memorize this time. If possible, I'll try operating magic through various methods."
"Grrk! You think I'll accept this kind of method? We need to fight properly again."
"Ah, you're awake."
Count Felix gritted his teeth and got up.
His Force equipment was destroyed and his clothes were in tatters, but his eyes were still very much alive.
I couldn't help but commend that fighting spirit.
"Count Felix, are you really alright?"
Now people were worried about Count Felix, not me.
Count Felix, who hadn't expected this reaction, gritted his teeth and shot back at the MC's question.
"Are you speaking to me?"
"Ah, no. I think it'd be best if you changed your clothes first."
"Tch, fine."
At Baron Jimmy's suggestion, Count Felix, now aware of his own appearance, withdrew with a look of resignation.
I called out to his retreating back.
"Send the bill for the destroyed Force equipment to the Marquis Lawrence territory."
"Not needed!"
He shouted angrily and left the filming set.
If that pride of his would just cool down and accept it, he'd be getting 50 billion.
With Count Felix's departure, filming took a short break.
I approached Ibril, patted her back saying she did well, then took a seat next to Arcia, who was eating popcorn with a fascinated expression.
"No matter how much of a scheme this is, are you sure you're alright? Count Felix is too worked up."
The MC, Baron Jimmy, approached me with concern.
It seems he'd noticed I was toying with Count Felix.
"The more worked up someone gets, the more likely they are to lose even winnable fights."
"Is that so? Hah, goodness... Even for a broadcast, this makes my skin crawl."
I'd been wanting to have a word with him, and here he came to me.
I figured it was good timing and asked him.
"I've heard that Baron Jimmy is famous for having wide connections in the entertainment industry, both at home and abroad."
"Well, I do know quite a few people."
"Could I make use of those connections?"
"Pardon?"
Caught off guard, he wore a dumbfounded expression, and I smiled, making clear this was a proposal, not a threat.
"I'm looking to get Ibril some broadcast appearances to raise her recognition, but I lack connections in that field. It feels odd saying this myself, but wouldn't someone like me be a pretty good draw?"
"Hmm, it's true that Marquis Lawrence is a noble with an excellent image among commoners. On top of that, you've got good broadcasting presence, outstanding looks, and ability I imagine plenty of shows would want you."
He seemed to mull it over for a moment, then judged it a deal that wasn't bad for him either.
If he played his cards right with me, he could put favors on his acquaintances as well.
"Alright. I'll act as your manager for a bit. I'll bring you plenty of work."
"Haha, thank you. I'll be sure to compensate you handsomely."
"Ah, no need for compensation. More than any material reward, I consider the bond formed with Marquis Lawrence the greater gain."
It's a relief he's someone easy to see eye to eye with.
Still, though the request was my own, I inwardly sighed at the situation of having to make numerous broadcast appearances.
I was bound to be led around by the will of 'Eric', the brains of the Ibril Saintess Making Camp.
"I'm ready!"
Count Felix was the type to switch between formal speech, casual speech, and half-formal depending on his mood at the moment.
He'd cleaned himself up in no time, with his hair perfectly styled as well.
"Glad to see you had spare Force Equipment."
"Do you need a lengthy talk?"
On edge to the fullest, he looked at the referee again, and the referee shot me a look asking if I wanted to continue.
I gave the OK sign.
The referee had no choice but to start the countdown.
"I won't launch a surprise attack this time, so charge in at ease."
"Thinking of going easy on me I'll make you regret it."
Whether I go easy or not, unlike him wearing Vanguard armor, I've been taking nerfs throughout the spar.
Wouldn't viewers who saw Anthony's 10th Anniversary Special think something like this?
That in reality, a Knight is no match for a Mage.
Maintaining my composure, I spun my Magic Staff around to loosen up.
The motion called to mind a spear master more than a Mage.
[3]
[2]
[1]
[0]
And the final spar began.
* * *
"Hm? Count Elfried?"
"Oh? Duke Riverdale?"
Olivia Riverdale, the Duke, wore a baffled expression at running into the Intelligence Chief of the Bringham Empire who ought to be swamped with the war right now in such an unexpected place.
But the problem was that the other's expression was hardly any different.
The two who had worked together about a month ago while scouting Adrian's lord's castle grounds had now met again over the same common subject of Adrian.
The place where Duke Riverdale and Count Elfried stood was the famous Duel Island of the Jordy Kingdom.
Today, Adrian was filming a broadcast on that island, and the two had just run into each other in the VIP room of the duel ground where he was to spar against an Aura Master.
Duke Riverdale was accompanied by her comrade, Count Preston, while Count Elfried was with her adjutant and disciple, Viscount Joseph.
At the sight of the two women who clearly didn't care for each other, their companions could only tilt their heads in confusion.
"I thought you'd be busy with the war these days."
"What is the Prius Republic before the might of our Empire? Nothing much differs from the usual here."
"I wonder why you keep showing interest in our disciple."
"I'm merely interested as a fellow Mage. That's why I brought my disciple here to observe his battles."
"Is that so? Hmph."
At the sight of the two women with sparks flying between them, the two men, who were companions but lower in rank, kept their mouths firmly shut.
Not only the two of them, but the VIP room was also packed with numerous figures, including royalty from the Jordy Kingdom.
After all, a head-on match between a Grand Mage and an Aura Master was an entertainment/diversion rarely seen outside of a battlefield.
"Master, it looks like they're about to begin."
Viscount Joseph stepped between the two women who were glaring at each other with disdain.
At that, Duke Riverdale and Count Elfried took their seats with extremely quick strides.
The ironic thing here was it that the two of them had been assigned seats right next to each other?
"Oho...."
"Count Felix. This foolish ."
Everyone except Duke Riverdale's and Count Elfried's parties reacted as if the outcome was obvious, but once the first round actually began, exclamations of admiration flowed from every direction.
They had thought Adrian would surely win if Spatial Teleportation Magic was available, but they never imagined he would toy with his opponent so one-sidedly.
Thanks to that, Duke Riverdale covered her forehead with her palm.
Though she was rooting for her disciple Adrian, she also didn't want Count Felix, who belonged to the same Kingdom, to be broken so easily.
"His opponent underestimated the Mage far too much."
"The next round will probably be a bit different. Count Felix won't let his guard down either, and Brother Lawrence can't use Spatial Teleportation Magic."
But the second round was more severe than the first if anything, it was worse, never less.
-KWAHAAAANG!
-DRDRDRDRD!
"Ughhhh!"
"Kyaaak!"
The VIP room, far from the duel ground, shook violently as if it were about to collapse at any moment.
However, Duke Riverdale, knowing that this facility wouldn't easily crumble, had to sigh at the sight of the foolish Count Felix rather than at the aftermath of the explosion.
"Is 'dodge and reposition' not in your vocabulary?"
A head-on charge toward an opponent who had a 7th Circle spell stored in Memorize Magic was the worst possible choice.
"Truthfully, it's easy to judge from afar, but in real combat, moving as you think is not easy. Count Felix's charge was too simple, but Marquis Lawrence's strike, aimed at an unavoidable distance and timing, was exquisite."
"That may be so, but...."
"This battle will be a great opportunity for him. At the very least, he won't die so stupidly on the battlefield, won't he?"
At Count Elfried's back-and-forth between mockery and shielding, Duke Riverdale had to click her tongue.
Apart from the two of them, however, Count Preston and Viscount Joseph, who had become their companions, were so captivated by Adrian's dazzling performance that they paid no attention to that conversation.
And so the third round began.
As a fiercer battle than before unfolded, everyone was beyond admiration they were shocked.
"What kind of Mage is this?"
"Is something like that even possible?"
"The person capable of it is right there."
Because Adrian was engaging in a back-and-forth melee against an Aura Master-class Vanguard.
Duke Riverdale and Count Elfried curled the corners of their mouths, saying this was exactly what they wanted to see.
'I can already hear the sound of Mages' perceptions changing.'