[X] Go to where the Tournament's being held! (Opens in 30 Minutes?)
As the group slows down, so do you. It's only then that you notice where you've arrived at in your haste. You arrived… at the tournament area? Well you can't mistake it with the large clearing booked out to a reinforced assembled enclosure with obvious accounting for seatings and.. simple stands. It doesn't seem to be open yet.
Glancing around your immediate vicinity, much the same as the girls were doing, you note that it'd seem there's a bit more than a few people who would seem to be participants in the tournament, though the state of more than a few- their exhausted appearance, tattered or recently worn out clothing, and other such things- clearly indicate something had happened.
A trio catches your attention for a brief moment. A certain black haired Far Eastern girl from before and her blond companion that you heard about the tournament from are a short distance away, though they seem to be speaking with someone else of whom is dressed similarly to the girl in dark blue attire, but with a crimson color scheme instead.
With that in mind, you simply stride forth towards where the counter is. "Was there a change in schedule?"
You don't bother pretending you know what's going on. But all the same, you don't act in a way that screams that you have no clue what you're talking about either. After all, what you're saying does make sense in light of the surrounding area. With the girls behind you and your Mother's, probably, imposing figure... there's no way this can possibly go wrong.
"Ah, Baron, Baroness." The attendant quickly makes a half bow- as much his stand would allow him- before replying proper, "Yes, the Lord requested that the affair be resolved due haste due to some urgent circumstances. Of course, the semi-Finals and Final round will still occur. Currently, the quarter-Finals should be resolving itself right about now."
"I see," you say, and nod for him to continue.
"If you'd like, the Marquis has granted permission for Nobles to freely attend it, even with the adjustments," informs the attendant as he turns to motion for another employee. "Hurry up and get over here, don't make the Marquis's guests wait!"
"Y-yes," a second attendant, a female in about her mid twenties, scrambles out from around the corner and quickly bows- slamming her head into the stand in the process. Yeah, it's not low enough to bow around. "O-ow- ah, my apologizes. Please, if you'll follow me."
So you do, while beckoning for her to lead your little group forth.
The poor woman seems to shake a bit for a few seconds as she leads you towards the booths reserved for wealthy..., high class..., guests, and the like. The booths are constructed in a manner akin to a room with a open view directed towards the arena floor, and also made to a rather... sturdy grade via alchemy.
Seemingly having regained her composure, the woman speaks, "We have several booths available still so you can pick the angle you're viewing from."
Your booth is on... which 'floor'?
[ ] The one on the third 'floor'?
Sure it's a good angle view, but maybe it's a bit too high?
[ ] The one on the first 'floor'?
It's down to earth, a good feeling under your feet, but the view is a bit limited.
[ ] The one on the second 'floor'?
It's not too high, not too low, but maybe it's like a target sign.
---
The girls entered first. Serianna taking the lead, and beckoning the others to following in afterwards, with Helion entering after you. After all, someone has to take up the rearguard. She seems to trust Helion enough with that, why, you're not sure. You make a note to ask on that, or to that effect, later.
"The Semi-Finals will begin shortly after a ten minute break after the Quarter-Finals are complete," says the attendant as she stands outside the door.
"Thank you," says your Mother simply. "Please, leave us."
"Understood Baroness," says the woman. She bows again, this time not slamming her head into anything. "We hope you enjoy the tournament." She turns, and leaves, but not before closing the door first.
As if on cue, all four take up positions. Erisalia positions herself towards the front right of the booth before laying down in a 'seated' position with her head in a position that would not obscure your view. All the same, it would at least give her a passable view of the tournament area. Serianna to your right, with Arianna taking up position to the front left of the booth. Helion on the other hand, takes up position behind and slightly to the left of you, about in position right between the space behind you and your Mother.
Of course, its time for a quick briefing up to date on what exactly was the due cause of the immediate movement. So you say, "So, details?"
Serianna turns to face you and makes a bow. "My apologizes for earlier. I've seen more than a few instances where such oddities in a local area resulting in... problems if one hangs around there a bit too long."
"How so?"
"Well, in about half of them, they were directed at my Lady at the time," replies Serianna. She frowns as she speaks, "though the other cases were incidents that I had the misfortune to have dallied too long in the area."
"I see-," murmurs Arianna. She blinks and turns, bowing in the same movement, "My apologizes for the interruption."
"It's fine," you say, waving off her interruption. "I don't suppose you've had anything of the sort happen before Arianna?"
She shakes her head. "Unfortunately, I haven't encountered such before. That's not to say I haven't seen such in the texts in the Academy."
"Experience and textbooks are different," replies Serianna. "It's a lot harder to attempt to protect your charge when you're in a disadvantaged situation set up to the assailant's wishes. Generally, unless you're on about par with say, one of the North West region's Light Knights or the like,
and the attackers lack such knowledge, you'll be neck deep in trouble."
"That is, speaking if it's just by yourself, correct?" says Arianna.
"Correct, my Lady was attempting to slip out from under pursuers without too much attention to herself. As such, a large entourage would have given it away. Instead, that was done as a decoy." Serianna shakes her head. "They didn't make it. As expected."
A moment of silence. Two. Then, Helion speaks up, "If I may-"
You nod.
"Thank you, My Lord," says Helion. "Serianna, is... your Lady fine?"
"Last I saw, yes," replies Serianna.
Helion sighs, a relieved sigh you think. "That's good to hear. Thank you, Serianna."
"So it's possible huh...."
You don't interrupt their explanation and discussion. It's easy to make out, for you, that Serianna's previous employer at the time was a rich fellow, or connected to someone who was. For a definition of rich of course, since slipping by with just a single escort means you would take the best you can that you can also afford to pay. That aside, given the difference in situtation, heritage, and more... well, you're in a far better position.
"So girls, I would not be wrong to presume that Serianna is the most experienced in actual combat?" you say, mostly, for confirmation. It's better than just assuming it is.
"Yes." / "Correct."
That easily confirms things. No wait, Erisalia hasn't said anything. You glance over at Erisalia. "..."
You see a small sheet of metal or so, with markings on it, positioned facing you on top of Erisalia's back. It's obviously her own doing. Except, you can't make heads or tails of those... scratch marks. Or whatever they're supposed to be. Why isn't she speaking?
"Erisalia? I can't... read what you're writing," you say. "Rather why ar-"
"My apologizes My Lord, but...," interrupts Helion, "technically speaking, most Monsters can't... speak the human tongue. I'm not familiar with which can... but I do recall reading somewhere about those that are related to them... yet can speak the human tongue despite being Monsters."
Your Mother sighs and shakes her head. "So the education around here is lacking in regards to those of such heritage. That's understandable."
Just depressing. You understand as she was listening to the conversation... but refraining from commenting as there was no need to demonstrate her knowledge of it. Rather, her lack of participation in it was to allow for them to show
you what they know. After all, first day on the job, a good impression is ideal.
"Hybrids are the exception to the rule, of course, the Church likes to deny their existence as it meshes well with their prosecution of Monsters. Furthermore, it also is in line with their presumption that
all Monsters are inferior than humans intellectually. If anything, they and Mixed Bloods descended from them due interbreeding with humans, are more akin to those with Lineages." Your Mother frowns for a moment at the comparison with Lineages. "They have their own benefits, but they're nothing in scale with a Lineage. Do not forget that."
The girls nod. It's not a threat. It isn't a statement. It is but a pure and simple fact.
"Monsters of course, have their own language and tongue. A Hybrid can understand it and the human tongue. And from what I recall...," your Mother pauses for a moment, "there are ways to learn the tongue of a Monster, of course, there's no such need in the Far East."
In other words, you'd probably have to do it yourself without outside assistance. Then again, you could try to make sense of what Erisalia wants or tries to convey, but that poses a lot of problems on its own. As you think to yourself on how to deal with the matter, the next part interrupts your thoughts.
"Those of said heritage do posses both forms, with some exception. Those descended from
those however, lack such entirely. So you'll have to make up your mind," concludes your Mother. "Now then, Victor, Maids, why don't we view the matches. The Marquis is sponsoring it after all."
You nod, along with the girls and do so. After all, you have something to think on later. If you keep this up, then you'll miss out on the tournament! Well, the rest of it anyways. Glazing over at the tournament grounds, you note there isn't much left that's happening down there. Only three quarter-Finals matches are ongoing still. Of course, you only have one set of eyes to focus your attention on. So which do you pay attention to?
One appears to be a Church Knight, or whatever they're called, you're not sure on the name. You recognize him due to the x shaped symbol accompanied by a star on each of the two upper legs and one in between the two, positioned akin to a 'head'. The knight is simply matched up against what appears to be a rugged looking guy whom you guess to be physically twenty-three in appearance. The way he handles himself is kind of like how your Mother does in the few instances you've seen her handily dispatch an assassin, then again, those were just very late coincidences you walked in on, cleanup that is.
The second appears to be an Alchemist or so, judging from the exact appearance of the weapon he's wielding. His opponent however, seems to be just a magic knight... then again, those are a dime a dozen. From a certain point of view that is, that is in comparison to every other profession that is both of better renown, ability, skill, or more. A simple comparison of their ability isn't need as their ability with a weapon is about the same.
On the other hand, the third is... probably a bit more interesting. Like the first one, there's a Church Knight. The second combatant, however, is a woman, whom of which seems to be on a receiving end of some kind of... fury by the Church Knight, or something. It doesn't seem to be shaping up very well for the woman.
Which reminds you, you could get a better view if you say, mounted Erisalia. Though, it's not needed, just maybe it'd help given the added height.
Mount Erisalia?
[ ] Yes
[ ] No
Which Match do you Watch?
[ ] The Church Knight and rugged fellow.
[ ] The Alchemist and magic knight.
[ ] The Church Knight and the woman.
