How to Raise a Dumb Wolf - Chapter 91

Because the competitors varied widely in skill and time was limited, the World Tournament qualifiers were not especially festive. Rather than placing every match in the giant stadium, the organizers ran several standard arenas simultaneously. Naturally, victors received no victory flowers during this stage.

Tickets for the qualifiers were relatively inexpensive but still sold out for every match. Those involving favorites to win the championship often commanded a premium.

For the moment, none of this changed Aisha’s life very much. During the qualifiers, she continued studying with Eric in the mornings and went with the volunteer medical team to treat competitors in the afternoons.

Les was competing, so their time together decreased even further. Aisha sometimes missed him terribly, but feared her neediness might disturb his preparation and forced herself to endure it. Occasionally they met inside the arena complex, yet those brief moments did nothing to satisfy her longing.

Les’s record from six years ago, his recent status as a young officer, and the military achievements he earned in such a short time were more than enough to make him one of the tournament favorites. He received enormous attention.

Several times, Aisha happened to be working with the medical team while Les fought a qualifier. She desperately wanted to watch but could not leave injured patients. The frustration tormented her. She could only congratulate him after his victories.

The thought left Aisha discouraged and guilty.

She was his lover, and yet…

“Aisha?”

Elizabeth’s voice abruptly sounded beside her.

Aisha stared into her concerned gaze and realized she had drifted into thoughts of Les while spending time with Elizabeth. Her cheeks warmed with embarrassment.

Qualifiers took place simultaneously in several standard arenas, so even an invited guest could not attend them all. Elizabeth was therefore relatively free during this period. On a quiet afternoon, she slipped from the stadium to catch her breath and went directly to the medical center to find Aisha.

Aisha was only an apprentice. She could not leave during her volunteer hours, but no patient currently required her skill, so she was allowed to rest on a chair near the entrance.

She sat there with Elizabeth. The princess had been discussing her future fiancé, Edward, which led Aisha to think of Les and lose track of the conversation.

“I’m sorry.” Aisha apologized, her face faintly red. She was ashamed to have stopped listening. “What did you… say?”

Elizabeth smiled and did not mind. She was more than a year older than Aisha. While she envied Aisha’s freedom and magical talent, she also believed that after receiving so much care from Aisha, she should occasionally look after her like an older sister.

Unfortunately, Elizabeth was too short to pat Aisha’s head at a moment like this.

After a pause, she repeated, “I was only telling you that Edward visited me because his father told him to. We’ve met several times recently and walked around the market together. He is my future fiancé, so he said he will compete in the World Tournament… although I suspect that may have been his father’s idea as well.”

Elizabeth pressed her lips together, concern appearing on her face.

“I’m a little worried.”

“About what?”

“That he might be hurt.” Elizabeth smiled shyly. “You know injuries are common in tournaments like this. Occasionally, someone even suffers damage that affects the rest of their life. Crown princes generally do not compete, so I’m worried about him. If not for me, he might never have entered at all.”

Discussing something with such maidenly sentiment embarrassed Elizabeth.

But she was correct. Injuries were common in the World Tournament. The rules emphasized avoiding harm to one’s opponent, but once emotions ran high, competitors found control difficult. Warriors and mages sometimes even injured themselves while attempting difficult maneuvers.

Aisha worked in the medical center and remained busy every day, even as a volunteer.

Naturally, each tournament employed many advanced healers and mages skilled in treatment. The facilities and staff were excellent. Most injuries caused no serious problem, and competitors often returned to the arena in perfect health before their next match. Death was extremely rare.

Aisha considered the matter but did not know how to reassure Elizabeth when the objective danger could not be denied.

Finally, she said, “Don’t worry. I hear Prince Edward received professional sword training and is as skilled as an ordinary warrior. He won’t be injured easily. And even if he is, we have excellent healers here. They’ll certainly cure him.”

Still… would Elizabeth truly become engaged to Prince Edward once the World Tournament ended?

Aisha watched her anxiously. But Elizabeth looked so earnest in her concern for her future fiancé that Aisha could not bring herself to ask.

Her reassurance did seem to relax Elizabeth. The princess smiled and thanked her in advance. Then, after hesitating, she said quietly, “Actually… there is one more thing…”

“Hm?” Aisha blinked.

“It’s…”

Elizabeth opened her mouth and thought for a long time. In the end, she waved a hand to conceal her concern.

“…Oh, it’s nothing. I’m sorry. Don’t mind me.”

Aisha gave her a puzzled look. She was curious, but since Elizabeth did not wish to speak, she respected her decision.

Elizabeth lowered her head in disappointment.

She knew herself well enough. She was not beautiful and possessed no special accomplishments. Before becoming an invited guest, almost no one outside the palace knew she existed.

The formal tournament would begin soon. Each victor would receive a victory flower. When that happened… would anyone truly give one to her?

In an ordinary year, someone certainly would. But this year there were two invited guests, both women. Lieutenant General Killott surpassed Elizabeth in every possible respect. As a celebrated female general, Tina was admired as a goal and model not only by women but also by many male warriors.

The difference between them was overwhelming. If Elizabeth herself won a victory flower, she felt certain she would give it to Tina Killott too.

Elizabeth had become an invited guest only because Tina recommended her. She felt profound gratitude toward the lieutenant general and immeasurable joy that she could fulfill her dream of visiting Wold and breathing the same air as Aisha.

But as the formal tournament approached, Elizabeth could not suppress her anxiety over sitting in the most conspicuous place in the giant stadium, watching the matches while everyone else watched her.

She drew a deep breath and released it slowly, barely calming the sudden acceleration of her heart.

…

Elizabeth’s fear came true.

When the qualifiers ended, the formal tournament began, with one match each morning and two each afternoon. Even after most applicants were eliminated, a considerable number of warriors and mages remained. The overall standard rose several levels, and favorites for the championship became clear. Tickets sold out immediately.

Because so many competitors remained, the World Tournament would continue for days. In truth, it had only just begun.

Once the formal matches started, even a poorly ranked competitor received a victory flower for winning any fight. The flowers’ special meaning and symbolic honor made their destinations a focus of public attention.

Flowers presented to invited guests were not especially interesting. The true spectacle came when passionate warriors and mages gave them to lovers or people they were pursuing. Some kissed, confessed, or even proposed on the spot. Those moments provided the gossip spectators craved.

Many competitors in the formal tournament were already famous, making the destination of a renowned fighter’s flower even more fascinating.

Even when a winner did not give the flower away in public, simply carrying it off instead of presenting it to an invited guest drew knowing laughter and whistles from the crowd.

But…

“…Thank you.”

Tina accepted her second bouquet of victory flowers that day and naturally thanked the young man who offered it.

The human warrior was in his twenties and had just won a spectacular fight. Once Tina accepted the bouquet, he shyly scratched his hair and leaped down from the high platform occupied by the invited guests and judges.

The fighter who remained perfectly composed in the arena twisted his ankle upon landing, drawing laughter from the stands.

Tina sat slowly with the flowers, feeling awkward. She looked toward Princess Elizabeth with concern and guilt.

“I’m sorry. I…”

Elizabeth quickly waved her hands and smiled.

“I’m all right! Please don’t worry about me! I will never forget what you did for the Helman Federation and its people, and neither will anyone else. Compared with you, I achieved nothing during the war. I was even captured by the darkfolk and caused trouble for the country and for you…”

She lowered her head in shame.

“…You did very well under those circumstances.”

Tina paused and patted her shoulder.

This was the third day of the formal tournament, and eight matches had been completed. One mage and one warrior had presented flowers to lovers in the audience. All six remaining bouquets rested before Tina.

They even included flowers won by two women, who broke convention and insisted on approaching the platform to offer them to her.

Tina’s prestige among women—especially those who longed to enter the battlefield—was extraordinarily high. She was an icon who had shattered the tradition of male domination and near monopoly over military life. Calling her a symbol or spiritual leader would not have been excessive.

She was surprised by the flowers from women but not astonished. Still, they intensified the awkwardness between her and Elizabeth.

Elizabeth said nothing and maintained her modest, courteous smile. Her gaze even held envy and admiration. Tina felt guilty nonetheless.

She regretted not foreseeing this outcome. She knew perfectly well about the World Tournament’s flower custom. With two invited guests, most competitors would naturally choose Tina, or at least give their first bouquet to her. Elizabeth’s position became painfully embarrassing.

If any earlier victor had been darkfolk, matters might not have gone so badly. Humans viewed Tina as a hero, and beastfolk respected her as a warrior. To the darkfolk, however, she remained a hated enemy. They might have offered their flowers to Elizabeth, who was at least less dangerous despite being an enemy princess.

But whether because the darkfolk population was smaller or through pure coincidence, the first eight matches either included no darkfolk or ended in their defeat. Every victor who remained admired Tina.

She placed the latest flowers somewhere less conspicuous and sighed. Then she examined the information in her hands and confirmed the identities of the final pair of competitors.

At the names, Tina froze.

Edward Gerden versus Brandon Grey.

Elizabeth’s future fiancé, the prince of Bisnis, against… a darkfolk prince?!

What kind of pairing was this?!

The two names looked as though they had been arranged to stage a miniature reenactment of the war between humans and darkfolk. Tina was shocked, but at the same time, she released a breath of relief.

At least if Prince Edward won, he would certainly give his flower to Elizabeth.

From the corner of her eye, Tina saw Elizabeth clutching her skirt. Her face was tense, and her gaze repeatedly darted toward the competitors’ preparation rooms. She looked more anxious than before.

Tina immediately understood that the princess was worried about Edward and what might happen afterward.

She was still a young woman, after all.

With a smile, Tina patted her shoulder. Then she too looked toward the entrance and waited for the two princes to appear.