#20 – Riverfall Night
“Hey.”
Midnight. I had received a phone call, and came out to meet an unexpected person.
“Mr. Grafios. You said it was an emergency. This place is…”
“Aye. A good place.”
The place I was called out to, was the center of the blindingly bright entertainment district.
Stores were filled with youngsters, drunks, and women in provocative outfits, luring in customers.
“You came all the way to the capital. It would be like wasting your life to not enjoy Riverfall at night.”
“I’m leaving.”
“Wait, wait, wait.”
I immediately turned on my heels, but Mr. Grafios stopped me with a headlock. He was ridiculously strong.
“…My students are competing tomorrow. Their teacher cannot be out playing at a time like this.”
“Don’t be like that. Besides, there’s someone that I want you to meet.”
“Who…?”
“Oh? You are curious? Of course, you are. Let’s go then!”
“Hey, that hurts…you idiot…!”
He grabbed me by the shoulders and dragged me through the door of one of the bars.
The sign above had been flickering, pink neon.
(It’s a strip bar!)
In the back, illuminated by dim pink light, a woman in lingerie was wrapped around a pole.
I had seen videos of it, but it was definitely different, seeing it up close.
I turned to the side, and the bastard grinned at me.
“Ah, you’re late.”
Just as I was about to complain, a man who sat at the bar counter waved his hand.
“Gileus…!?”
He was now wearing normal clothes instead of his uniform. A cocktail glass was in his hand as he chuckled.
I didn’t expect to see him here. Grafios patted me on the back. He then sat next to him.
“Ah, is this your first time, Yukito? How lucky for you.”
“Lucky? You idiot. If the students find out…”
“I feel the same way. If my sister knew, I would have hell to pay.”
“You two have no balls.”
“Maybe I’ll tell Emily then.”
I saw Mr. Grafios freeze at those words, and I let out a sigh.
“…Sorry, Yukito. I shouldn’t have let him choose the place.”
“No, well…yeah.”
I chuckled at Gileus’s words while ordering a nonalcoholic drink.
Apparently, he was the person that Grafios wanted me to meet.
“You know, I didn’t get your phone number the last time we met. But I thought Gras over here would know, and I was right.”
“It surprised me that you two knew each other.”
He also called him Gras, so they must have known each other for a long time.
“Yukito, it should be no surprise.”
Muttered Grafios after draining his cup of beer.
However, he did not elaborate. I turned to Gileus, but he shrugged.
“It’s because we both won in the general division.”
“So you know each other from that?”
Gileus nodded.
“If you win once, you cannot compete the next year. Students are an exception. You know that, right?”
“Aye.”
The empire used the tournament to scout for new talent. And so it would be no good to have the same people dominate every year.
“On the other hand, winners are allowed entry into the garden of heroes. Every year, we gather together on the day before the tournament for a party.”
“The day before…so today?”
“Aye. During the day.”
Grafios chuckled and drained his second glass of beer.
“Though, I didn’t expect to see Gras come.”
“I just happened to have some other minor business here. And some people would have been furious if I didn’t pay them a visit in spite of being in the capital.”
“Indeed,” Gileus said with a laugh.
(The victors of the tournament…huh.)
In the general division, you could use anything, from magic to swords. And the strongest prevailed. And so it had a special meaning.
So aside from these two, there were plenty more powerful fighters in this city.
I couldn’t help but smile at the thought. And then Mr. Grafios raised his glass.
“Well, things will get interesting from next year onwards.”
“Huh…?”
“Because you will be in the garden.”
Mr. Grafios said, as if it was an established fact. I blinked.
“Of course,” Gileus laughed.
After that, we chatted about inconsequential things.
Once Mr. Grafios started to get distracted by the dancers, I turned to Gileus.
“…So, why did you call me?”
He placed his glass on the table. While he had drunk a lot, he did not look like he did.
He turned to me and straightened his posture. And then he bowed his head.
“I’m sorry.”
“Sorry? For what?”
“Students from our school went over to your hotel. It was very ill-mannered of them. As their instructor, I apologize.”
“Ah…”
I see. The students had told me about what happened.
“I probably should have made them apologize directly, but…”
“That won’t be necessary.”
If they had anything to say, they should say it on the field. With their skill.
Winning and losing was everything.
There was no need for words. Anger and frustration could be unleashed in battle.
They would have to win.
Gileus understood this as well. And so he was telling me instead.
“It’s all about tomorrow, eh?”
Gileus nodded.
And then we smiled and clinked our glasses together.
Children grow up so fast. 😀