This month, Ero is busy with his thesis, so this chapter was delayed a bit.

Let’s pray Ero can finish his thesis as soon as possible with rainbow colour so he can back translating for us. ?

Rest a.s.sured, I’m almost done with ch.90, if things going well, you can get it on next week. XD

Cheers!

Translator: Ero

TLC/Editor: Darknari

Chapter 89

=====

Goblin Carriage, Trip to Brett

=====

It was a smooth journey to Brett, almost scarily smooth. There were no skirmishes at all, we were just shaken from the carriage drawn by Pica.s.so.

By no skirmishes, I meant that they were all finished without my a.s.sistance.

It's the state of "there will be no one to impede my way".

"It is great if the trip to Brett is always smooth like this." (Hibiki)

I saw that Lux laughed after he heard that.

"Of course it is not, it's just that your goblins are competent." (Lux)

Half of the goblins I choose to accompany us this time all had experience guarding the carriage to Brett.

We had marked down all the important spots, such as water sources and places to spend the night, thus we arrived at Brett smoothly.

=====

Brett

=====

"The contest starts tomorrow right?" (Hibiki)

"That's right, so will you join through regular registration? Or through my recommendation?" (Lux)

"Nah, I don't want to attract attention. Besides, I will be pleased with winning regularly and getting the money." (Hibiki)

That was the excuse I gave to Lux. It was not a strange reason for an adventurer.

"Ah, that's right. Then, let's go register then regroup with Baara and the others to have some lunch together." (Lux)

The public registry was held in a plaza near the Adventurer's Guild.

"Well then Master, we will finish our business first." (Amy)

"Yeah, I'll leave it to you. We'll regroup at noon around here." (Hibiki)

"Yes." (Amy)

Ayla and Amy left. Zir had been walking behind me looking here and there. Everyone would know that she was a country hick.

"Where are Ayla and Amy going by the way?" (Lux)

"Buying supplies that are not available at Welburg. Since the carriage is empty, might as well fill it up with something." (Hibiki)

"Aah, I see." (Lux)

I didn't know the contents of their shopping list. I left it all to Amy.

To begin with, going shopping wasn't a lie but it wasn't the truth either.

The real goal laid somewhere else.

=====

Royal Contest Registration

=====

"Alright, registration complete." (Clerk)

The information needed to partic.i.p.ate was your name and the type of weapon only.

The main reason it costs so much time to register was because of the amount of applicants.

I saw many applicants who looked strong, but of course there were some ordinary people who also wanted to partic.i.p.ate in the royal contest.

"The main event where the hero candidates battle each other is the main reason attracting these many applicants." (?)

It's been awhile since somebody was able to read my mind, it was my master, Kuesu.

"It's been a while, s.h.i.+shou. Glad you're well." (Hibiki)

"Hibiki also changed… let me correct that. It seems you have practiced your magic diligently." (Kuesu)

I didn't know how she came to that conclusion, but for now I will just nod.

For my question about why normal people would want to partic.i.p.ate in this contest, "If I'm lucky enough to pa.s.s the prelimination, I can look at the battles between the hero candidates from closeby" was the reason.

"Yo Hibiki! Where are your ladies?" (Gary)

Said Gary while smiling with his scary face.

"My ladies are on an errand, we're currently taking action separately." (Hibiki)

"That's a shame. Now, will you introduce the lady with the black hair to me or not?" (Gary)

"She is Zir. Didn't you see her when we parted back then?" (Hibiki)

Gary tilted his head and thought about it, then he made that gesture of "I see" with his hands.

"That was rude of me, my apologies. Next time, as a token of apology, why don't you let me treat you to a drink?" (Gary)

It seemed that he had realized that Zir's hair color had changed though he didn't say a word about it.

"Gary, don't be rude to Hibiki." (Baara)

Baara who had different clothing than before, smacked Gary on the head from behind.

"I'm sorry for his att.i.tude Hibiki. Spoiling our reunion like this." (Baara)

"Don't mind it. Zir doesn't seem to hate it too." (Hibiki)

Or rather, she was br.i.m.m.i.n.g with excitement on what kind of liquor this town has.

After our reunion and Zir's introduction, the surroundings became noisy.

"Is there something wrong?" (Hibiki)

"It seems there is a strange applicant at the registration." (Lux)

Then I directed my sight to the registry and there was certainly someone that attracted attention.

"Dragon Warrior…" (Lux)

Lux said vacantly.

There was the "Dragon Warrior" who was clad in red scale armor.

It wasn't me inside that armor. Then, who was it inside?

It was Ayla.

I knew it had become quite the rumour back in Welburg. Still, I was surprised that Lux knew about it.

The true goal of the errand back then was this.

I asked Sai and Lux about the public registration to get as much details as possible, and as I expected it was not a problem to hide your face and use an alias.

Well, everyone must have thought that it was not necessary to hide one's ident.i.ty if one wanted to gain fame from this contest.

Because of that, there was no one who would be able to retort about who was inside the armor.

After Dragon Warrior Ayla quickly finished the registration, she slipped into the crowd.

Some people went to the registry asking for the Dragon Warrior's personal information but…

Registrant's Name: Echo

Weapon Used: Sword

Only this much information was written there.

That Echo alias, of course came from me.

"Echo, I've never heard of that name before. How about you Lux?" (Baara)

"There was a rumour about the Dragon Warrior in Welburg. But I had never heard anything about Echo. Right, Hibiki?" (Lux)

"Hm? Yeah. I only ever heard the rumour too." (Hibiki)

I was a bit surprised, but I managed to put on a poker face.

Why did he ask only me? Was what I thought, but it was only me, Lux and Zir who had any information about the Dragon Warrior, so it was obvious.

"He is no ordinary person I bet." (Gary)

Gary muttered while looking at the direction where the Dragon Warrior went.

"I felt a great magic power from him. Lux, he is a formidable foe." (Kuesu)

Said Kuesu while nodding.

"Hey!! I said Heyy!!" (?)

I heard someone's screaming voice. I had been ignoring her for a while… it seemed her patience just ran out.

"…Yes?" (Hibiki)

I said as I met my gaze with Seira while sighing.

"D-don't stare at me so suddenly!? Y-you, have been ignoring m-me since the beginning huh!?" (Seira)

"I'm not ignoring you. It's just that everyone was speaking to me from different sides. Besides, I never thought you had need of me." (Hibiki)

"Grrr." (Seira)

Seira was with Kuesu and the others, but I ignored her the whole time.

She took a glance at me from time to time but I ignored her since I didn't have anything to say.

The others were smiling wryly, but in the end they became my accomplice in ignoring her.

"You, don't get c.o.c.ky just because you are famous in Welburg. The winner of this royal contest is definitely my hero candidate Hylux-sama." (Seira)

"Uhm, though I don't know if he is yours or not, but I believe so too." (Hibiki)

"That's right, no matter how much you struggle, you will never win this contest." (Seira)

"I'm okay as long as I get the money, it's not like I'm aiming for 1st place" (Hibiki)

"Wha-!?" (Seira)

After she heard that, Seira's face became red in embarra.s.sment.

"What an outrageous thing!? Are you saying you will hold back in front of the n.o.bles and royals!?" (Seira)

I wonder what her true intention was. I will test her a bit.

"…Are you serious about what you said just now?" (Hibiki)

"Ehh!?" (Seira)

Her body twitched. I bet she remembered something after I said that.

"If you were to go all out without thinking of the consequences just because it was a royal contest, your response will be delayed when something does happen, you know?" (Hibiki)

My statement seemed legit, but it was just a quibble. It's not like I am the one who had to move if something were to happen there, the royal's guard and this town's security will take care of it.

"Ah, auh." (Seira)

But this worked to Seira. Thus it must have worked to Lux as well.

"That's right Hibiki. It seems I still have a long way to go…" (Lux)

I didn't know why he had valued me so highly.

I managed to convince Lux with "Going all out in the contest is a given. But for me, saving the strength to run if anything bad happens is more important." nonsense that I didn't even understand.

s.h.i.+shou had told me to not mess with Lux, but my target was Seira from the beginning.

These two thought that a hero and a good guy had the same image.

For short, the image of a hero for both of them was someone who would save everyone without exception.

"Sorry for the wait, Master." (Ayla)

It was Amy and Ayla, who had come back from their errand.

The luggage was already loaded unto the carriage, or inside Ruby.

"Well then, it's a bit late now, but let's go have lunch together" (Lux)

Said Lux while leading everyone there. As expected, he has the charisma of a leader.

We, the party of heroes, left while being stared at by our surroundings.