"So, all of us sitting here have won our respective matches today."
"Yes, Lord Sallin. Now that you mention it, that's true. Nia here was a gladiator in the arena of Ixtarn before coming here. Perhaps, in terms of swordsmanship, Nia might be better than me. Hahaha..."
"Oh… Then, for the next match, I should go to Nia's dueling arena instead of Sir Leben's match."
Sallin said, wiping his mouth with a small piece of linen cloth that was on the round table.
"Oh, that's quite disappointing for the pathfinder knight who escorted Lord Sallin all the way to Ves-Dinas, Haha."
"Not at all. In fact, I'm looking out for Sir Leben. If the opponent he'll meet in the finals is sitting in the audience under the pretext of cheering, he might not be able to perform at his best."
"Hmm… Is that how it works?"
"Yes, pathfinder knight."
Leben shook his head, lowering the hand that was stroking his chin, towards Sallin, who was smiling innocently.
"Come to think of it, I seem to have been too focused on the jousting match. I even forgot the day Nia is participating in the dueling tournament."
"I agree with Sir Leben. So, I plan to win tomorrow's match quickly and then go around to see other Grand Tournament events. As I said, I'm curious about Nia's match, and there are also crossbow and archery competitions, so I need to visit various places."
"I would also like to accompany Lord Sallin's schedule if I have the time."
Leben said, using the large spoon placed next to the Paelya bowl to scoop a spoonful of Paelya onto his plate. Then, when an empty plate appeared in Nia's hand, he also scooped a spoonful onto that plate, receiving a satisfied nod from Nia, who met his eyes.
"Since both you and I have matches tomorrow, we have to refrain from drinking, which is a bit regrettable. Good food like this should be accompanied by good wine."
"Yes. The food is exquisite, but it's a bit disappointing that we can't drink wine to enhance the taste."
"Haha. Let's leave this regret for tomorrow, Sir Leben. Will Nia understand? To hold the lance properly in tomorrow's jousting match, there shouldn't be any wine in the body."
Sallin and Leben continued their conversation, wistfully fondling the water glasses in their left hands with gestures full of regret.
"It doesn't matter. Even without wine, it's delicious."
Unlike the two who were disappointed about the lack of wine, Nia, still busily moving both hands, answered Sallin's words and opened mouth wide to stuff it full of Paelya, chewing.
"Then, that's a relief. If there's any food you're lacking, feel free to order more, so eat as much as you want."
"Thank you. I'll eat till I'm full-full."
Nia, who had been busily moving the fork in the left hand and the spoon in the right, put them down for a moment, bowed to express gratitude to Sallin, and then grabbed the body of the Cobalt Crab, whose legs had all been removed, from the round table with both hands and moved it in front.
Since there were two more Cobalt Crabs left even after Nia took one, there was no hesitation in taking the huge crab body.
"Then, to celebrate the victory of the three of us sitting here. To more victories for each other!"
"See you in the finals, Lord Sallin!"
"Woo~!"
Three glasses filled with lemon water were raised high above the round table.
Side Story: Dogs Chasing the Dragon
In the dark early morning streets, there was a Droko walking with a shrunken neck against the cold air.
It was Nia, holding a shiny red apple in hand, walking while looking at the unfamiliar streets.
"Umm… It's cold."
Nia took a big bite of the apple in hand and felt the chilly wind seeping through the coat while looking around.
The white breath coming out of Nia's mouth made one feel the coldness of the wind blowing in the quiet streets where only black darkness had settled before the sun rose.
Last night. The strong memory of the taste left by the dish tasted in Miofra came to Nia's mind.
Then, to appease the hungry stomach, Nia bit into the apple in hand.
Another memory from last night came to mind. The three who parted ways, promising greater victories. Nia had walked towards the Adventurer's Guild building with a full stomach.
When Nia arrived, it wasn't too late at night, so there were still many adventurers inside the guild building.
Passing by the guild's reception desk, where voices were full of today's adventure stories, sharing the unfading heat of adventure with each other, Nia stopped in front of the guild's request board.
Looking up at the numerous requests attached to the request board, Nia's gaze stopped at a tattered request that showed it had been there for a long time.
Nia approached closer, took the yellowed request, faded by the sunlight, from the board, and read the contents written on it.
[ Request to exterminate the Basilisk in the Rasar Swamp west of Ves-Dinas ]
The request to exterminate the Basilisk that was hindering the hunting of waterfowl and the collection of reeds in the swamp had a drawing of the Basilisk.
It was a picture of a giant snake with a crown-like pattern on its head.
The thick body had dozens of curved sharp teeth drawn in its wide-open mouth. Below the picture, the description read, 'The breath of the Basilisk, the king of snakes, contains a terrible poison that can wither grass and trees and shatter stones with just its breath.'
After that, Nia, holding the Basilisk request, headed to the reception desk, received several warnings and cautions from the guild receptionist, and, at the receptionist's recommendation, took three antidotes to counter the Basilisk's poisonous breath, left the guild building, and headed for the Tiabard Inn.
And now. At this early hour before the sun rose, holding a small map indicating the location of the Rasar Swamp. where the Basilisk was, Nia was walking towards the western gate of Ves-Dinas, which was frequently visited for hunting Altus Boars.
Not the large gate that opens only in the morning, but the small gate that opens after confirming identity with the guard and paying a few silver coins for the trouble of opening and closing the door, Nia headed towards the Brandivian Forest outside the western part of Ves-Dinas.
"From the forest, further west… Rasar Swamp…"
Nia was looking at the map under the moonlight with narrowed eyes.
'Since there's a match tomorrow, I need to kill the Basilisk and return to Ves-Dinas before that.'
Nia put the small map, which connected Ves-Dinas and Rasar Swamp with a red line, back into the cloak and walked along the path towards the forest.
Although it was a forest with thick morning fog, it was a path that was very familiar due to frequent visits, so Nia walked towards the inside of the forest without hesitation, unaffected by the fog covering the forest.
"Umm… Two apples are not enough…"
Nia said, looking down at the growling stomach. Then, immediately putting a hand into the cloak, searching for something, and taking out a preserved food made by mixing dried meat and animal fat with red and black berries embedded, put it in the mouth and chewed.
Since it was mixed with spices, there was no smell of meat and fat, and the taste of the preserved food, made by grinding dried meat, binding it with fat, and putting sour berries in between, was hard to compare with the taste of the dishes eaten at the high-end restaurant yesterday, but its own flavor and taste satisfactorily appeased Nia's hungry stomach.
Nia was walking through the forest. In places where the light of the moon and stars did not reach, only black shadows, whose shapes were hard to discern, slightly twisted their forms with the wind.
It wasn't long after Nia entered the dark forest path.
"Uyo… A campfire at this hour…"
In Nia's eyes, far away, obscured by the branches of the trees in the forest, a bright orange campfire was visible.
'Who could be in the forest at this early hour?'
Curiosity led Nia's steps towards the campfire.
Making loud rustling sounds, Nia walked with large strides, pushing through the bushes. Just in case the owner of the campfire might be startled by a sudden appearance, Nia stepped even louder and passed by the side of the dense bushes.
"Hello!"
Nia raised a hand to greet the man who was warming by the campfire.
"Welcome, Nia Calagon."
The man, wearing a gray wolf fur cloak, lifted his head and greeted Nia, showing gold teeth that reflected the campfire light.
His hair, grown to his shoulders, was tied with gold rings in several bunches to prevent it from sticking out wildly, and his face and neck had deep scars.
"Clothes? You know me? Where have I seen you…?"
Hearing the name from the stranger's mouth, Nia tilted head and carefully examined the man's appearance while asking.
"I know you, but today is the first time I've seen you!"
The man said, picking up the double-edged axe that was leaning against a tree while warming by the campfire, and stood up.
The man was so huge that Nia had to look up significantly while standing in front of him. With a bulging belly and thick arms and legs matching his obese build, he moved, holding the thick-handled double-edged axe in one hand, and smiled even wider at Nia, showing his gold fangs.
"Hahaha! You seem confused! Red Droko Nia!"
"Yes…"
Nia answered the man's words with a furrowed brow.
"Explaining is a hassle! Let this be the answer instead!"
At the end of his words, the man shouted with force, raised the axe high above his head, and swung it down towards Nia.
With a bang, the swung axe hit the ground, and the wind from the swing made the campfire flames waver and bend towards Nia, who had jumped back to avoid the man's attack.
"What are you doing!"
Nia, who had already drawn the half-spear, shouted at the man.
"Swift, aren't you? Well, Droko are all quick… I need to swing this faster! Hraat!"
The man moved his heavy body towards Nia and swung the axe widely once more.
"Why are you attacking me, fat human!"
Nia, who had moved away from the campfire and was faintly visible in the darkness, shouted at the man.
"Oh, I didn't even tell you my name since you're going to die soon anyway. If I don't tell you, you'll probably keep running around noisily… What to do."
"Shall we handle it, Lord Hazuul?"
Another voice asked from the darkness above the trees to the man who was pondering while stroking his chin after setting the axe down for a moment.
"No. I'll do it myself. You guys just make sure this Droko doesn't escape towards the city!"
Hazuul, who had turned his neck to make a cracking sound and loosened his shoulders, said as he slowly approached Nia in the darkness again.