Sword Saint's Reincarnation-Chapter 68: Tournament (3)

In the main room of the Flameheart manor, Gerard looked at Rast Vaard with a grave expression.

“Are you certain?” he asked in a low tone.

Rast, Calan’s father, nodded while looking equally serious.

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“Yes.”

Gerard closed his eyes with a sigh.

“…How many people can we gather into a team?”

“Not nearly enough. My forces are spread thin as they are, since we’re trying to destroy everything Evenon Bled built. It’s why I’m here in the first place.”

Gerard rubbed his temples.

“Have you talked to Alfira?”

Rast nodded.

“Yeah. She’s doing what she can, but you know how Adventurers are.”

“…Damn it. I’ll try to reach out to a few people.”

“No matter what, we need to do this quickly. The number of monsters pouring out continues to increase, and as I told you, there are stronger ones among them.”

Gerard nodded with a frown.

“How did a Dungeon like that even stay hidden for so long?”

Rast shook his head with a bitter smile.

“I don’t know. Maybe the System turned a monster into a Boss. Either way, it’s a dangerous situation.”

Gerard nodded. Rast had arrived at the Flameheart estate bringing news about the Open Dungeon that had been discovered in the heart of the Woodlands. The Level of the monsters coming out of it kept increasing, as did their number. Ogres had been sighted, alongside Ents and Spriggans, which were capable of magic. Hobgoblin Shamans were also seen.

We need to raid the Boss as soon as possible.

It was the whole point of this conversation, since an Open Dungeon became an ordinary Dungeon once the Boss was defeated, but things weren’t so simple. Based on the monsters coming out of the entrance, it was a high-Level Dungeon. That, coupled with the fact that nobody really knew what other monsters awaited inside the Dungeon, made this a risky undertaking.

“…There aren’t many powerful people in Cantavega,” Gerard stated with a sigh. “We would need to ask the other nearby towns for help.”

Rast nodded.

“However, that doesn’t mean they would actually help us. There’s no way around it: I need you to create a team and raid the Dungeon. I will naturally participate, as will Alfira, probably. We still need more people.”

Gerard scoffed.

“How many people can throw themselves into an Open Dungeon of an unknown level? Most are probably concerned with moving to another town as soon as possible.”

Rast nodded again with a furrowed brow.

“…I know. We still have to try. Adventurers will be more likely to participate if we turn this into a quest with a good reward. I’ll gather whatever resources I can,” Rast stood up and extended his hand for a handshake. “But I’ll need you. Can you help me, old friend?”

Gerard also stood up and shook Rast’s hand with a frown.

“…I will. I’ll see if I can reach out to a few people too. I’ve got contacts in the capital.”

For the first time since their conversation started, Rast smiled.

“Thank you. Then, I’ll be off.”

Gerard walked Rast to the doors, where an attendant awaited. The attendant bowed and led Rast out of the manor. Meanwhile, Gerard headed to his study with a frown.

He’s under a lot of pressure.

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As the Head of the noble house responsible for the City Guard, his duties were to Cantavega as a whole. Once the monsters started leaving the area close to the Dungeon and getting closer to the town, the level of unrest and uneasiness would only increase, putting Rast’s back against the wall. Over time, that would only get worse. In fact, it was highly likely that the population would also start putting pressure on Gerard and Alfira, as they were the two strongest Mages in town.

If Rylan were here…

Gerard blinked, surprised by his own thoughts. Still, they made sense. Rylan had fought and killed Evenon, a Fourth Circle Mage, months ago, when he was much weaker than his current self, even if he'd needed some help at the final moments. Over the months of training, Gerard and Rylan had sparred frequently and continuously; Gerard was aware of how much Rylan had improved and how powerful he was. His gaze softened as he grinned.

The past few months were also an opportunity for him to observe Rylan. Even if his explanation about a past life had been the only way to explain his change, Gerard had still hesitated to trust him. The wounds Rylan had inflicted were too deep. Sarah continued to report to him, but both his observations and the reports indicated that Rylan had really changed. He hadn’t done any Dust or been to a brothel at all. In short, Gerard had grown to believe his son completely.

If Rylan were here, it’d be easier to raid the Boss.

Gerard wouldn’t need to worry about leaving his back to a stranger. He would be fully willing to try and raid the Boss with only the two of them, given the power of Rylan’s Sword Arts. His mind wandered to the first time he’d sparred against Rylan and how shocked he had been; this shock never really went away, only intensifying as time passed and he led Rylan through more training.

He looked through the window, watching the garden outside. The sun shone on the red and yellow flowers as they gently moved in the breeze. Beyond them, trees stood tall, protecting the ground from the sunlight with their dense canopies. Gerard continued to stare at them absent-mindedly. His thoughts turned to his family, as they always did whenever he had some time.

Would Aelfric do well in the entrance exams? What about Rylan? Had Regis and Lillia already found out about him? If so, how had they reacted? The questions were endless, just like his worries. Rylan’s older siblings hadn’t seen his change from up close. In fact, they didn’t know about it at all. It was only natural that they would think Rylan was trying to exploit Gerard and Aelfric again, like he had done so many times.

I hope they manage to figure things out.

Gerard’s heart thumped in his chest as he furrowed his brow. It almost physically pained him to be so far away from his children, especially when they were going through such a sensitive moment. A bitter smile made its way to his face. His whole life, he’d prioritized his duties over his family, and here he was, doing it again. The urge to just go to Caer Rhelon and deal with it all personally was overwhelming. Since Rylan had changed, couldn’t he change too?

However, because of the Open Dungeon, he was tied down. Even though he wished to run to his children as soon as possible, he still had responsibilities. He needed to protect Cantavega from a possible monster wave.

In the maelstrom that was his mind, a single question stood out.

…How will she react?

Gerard still tried to keep contact with his wife, but her family continued to hinder them, after all these years. Right now, Elizabeth was in Caer Rhelon, completely removed from everything that had happened. It had been a year since Gerard last saw her. Sadness filled his chest as he looked at the ground.

I was told there would be a tournament.

Her family would definitely pay attention to it. Rylan’s identity would be revealed then. There was no way for Gerard to predict what would happen: he only had a few guesses, most of them negative. He dearly hoped that Regis and Lillia would forgive Rylan and accept his change, but it was an impossible wish.

Gerard raised his gaze. Steeled resolve burned in his eyes. No matter what, he would do whatever he could to mend his broken family. Part of the fault was his, after all. Now that Rylan had changed, he needed to change too.

Once Rylan passed the entrance exams, Gerard would head to the capital and be with his family. Worst-case scenario, he would have to return quickly because of the Dungeon, but Rylan would be able to return with him.

I’ll help you heal the wounds you created.

It was a father’s promise.

***

Rylan threw his arm around Aelfric’s neck with a smile and pulled.

“See? I told you it would work out!”

His happiness was genuine as he looked at his brother’s embarrassed expression.

“I didn’t even win all my fights!” Aelfric exclaimed, trying to get out of Rylan’s chokehold.

“Didn’t you make it to the next phase of the tournament?”

Aelfric finally pried himself loose, but Rylan immediately ruffled his hair, making him slap his hand away.

“Well, yeah.”

Rylan gave him a satisfied nod, grinning.

“That’s what matters.”

Next to them, Sarah bowed. Pristine form, as usual.

“Congratulations, young masters. I’m happy for your success,” she said with a light smile. Both of them nodded at her at the same time before Aelfric looked at Rylan with shining eyes.

“Did you win all of yours?” he asked. After Rylan gave him a proud nod, he smiled widely. “I knew it!”

Rylan stretched his body.

“Now, go rest, Aelfric. Tomorrow, the real tournament starts.”

Now that they had made it past the qualifiers, every match would take place inside the capital, open to the public. The main stadium would be used for the quarterfinals onward. At this point, the matches’ results were elimination-based, resembling a real contest. Of course, Rylan expected that those who lost would be able to compete against each other, but only eight people would advance to the quarterfinals.

From this point forward, it was highly likely that all of his opponents would surpass him in magical ability. He would have to make up for the difference using Roland’s experience and the senses he’d honed. He hoped that from now on, things would be even more difficult than he expected. Only by facing his limits and overcoming them would he be able to rise like Roland had.

Rylan smiled in anticipation.