“Haah...”
In the waiting room, Alveiro Velburn sighed deeply. A series of turbulent changes had marked his days. Ever since he’d stopped being just a normal assemblyman, all of his free time had disappeared, and now, he was busy running around, working from morning until night. This was what he’d wanted, and he believed it necessary... To be perfectly frank, though, life might have been easier held captive as a terror suspect. Still, all his busy days thus far had culminated in today. The time had come to show his loyalty to his country.
“Assemblyman Alveiro, are you nervous?”
The one who’d spoken to him was Helgar Landros, the vice commander of the First Imperial Order of Knights.
“I am. With so many people here, I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t.”
“Ha ha. Fair enough. I haven’t seen this many people either since...the Great War.”
“Indeed...”
The war was still fresh in their minds. Every bit of change that had followed had led to this day. Surely there wasn’t a single person in the Reauxgard Empire who hadn’t endured hardships up to this point. The same went for Alveiro and Helgar. And because they were so deeply entwined with the country’s politics, their sentiments were all the stronger.
“We owe His Majesty Yuki a great deal,” Helgar started. “Our relationship with him will continue for many years to come. Because above all, this is what Lord Shendra wanted.”
“You are correct,” Alveiro replied. “In his own way, His Majesty Yuki acted for us. He fought for us. However...no matter what, the head of our nation must be a native.”
“Well, His Majesty isn’t all too keen on the position himself, so I doubt you’ll hear any argument from him.”
“Indeed. I suppose he sees it as fulfilling a duty. He was asked, he agreed, thus here he is performing to the best of his ability.”
“Lord Shendra must have seen through him and recognized his strong sense of duty. Although now that I think about it, I wonder what was going through his mind at the time...”
“As it so happens, I’ve had the same thought.”
The two laughed.
“No matter what, I must survive today.”
“Yes. I hope for your safe return.”
At long last, the moment arrived. A young man appeared in the middle of the stadium. Demon Emperor Yuki. There were likely more people who didn’t recognize him than people who did, but when all the staff who’d been hurrying to and fro moved aside and he stepped forth alone, everyone assumed that the event was finally going to commence, so the commotion gradually died down.
Then, when the moment was right and anticipation filled the air, he spoke confidently, not a trace of nervousness in his voice.
“Ladies and gentlemen! I am Yuki, the twenty-third emperor of Reauxgard! The one entrusted with this country!”
His voice, amplified by a magical device, echoed throughout the vast space. Murmurs came from the crowd not long after.
“So he’s the one...”
“I heard he was young...”
“The one rumored to be a demon lord...”
“That aura that doesn’t seem human... I see.”
Very few imperial citizens even knew what he looked like because there had been no grand ceremony for his ascension to the throne. And since humans weren’t particularly sensitive to power, all they saw of their new emperor was his youth... The other races clearly didn’t feel the same way, however. As Alveiro watched the audience from the waiting room, he could see them staring at the young man with equal parts awe and respect.
“As the one responsible for this country, I’m truly grateful to see this day come without any trouble in sight! More than anything, I’d like to thank Dwarf King Dodah and the countless craftsmen who completed this stadium despite having such little time! From the bottom of my heart, thank you!”
The spotlight turned toward the VIP seats, revealing a dwarf with his fist raised. The king of the dwarves, who had built this stadium. Their race was said to possess the most advanced technology in the world. A huge round of applause exploded in the stadium.
“I would also like to express my gratitude to the rulers of each nation! Without their cooperation, we never would have gotten here, and this tournament would have stayed an idea. My deepest thanks to everyone who helped make the Magical War Games a reality!”
Another round of applause erupted.
He had grit. He seemed to believe himself unfit for the role of emperor, but there was a certain dignity to him as he stood there, utterly unafraid in front of such a large audience. He possessed the nerve to be a ruler. And Alveiro’s mission was to surpass him, which was...easier said than done.
“Right, then! Before we officially kick things off, there’s one thing I want everyone here to witness!”
This is it, Alveiro thought to himself.
“On the one hand, the people of the Reauxgard Empire must be happy about the Magical War Games being held in their country. On the other, they must be wondering if their country’s politics still remain in the hands of foreigners! Are you thinking, ‘We lost the war, which is what it is, but how long must we resign ourselves to being losers?!’ Well, let me tell you that I’ve encountered thoughts like this plenty of times!”
As he spoke, the murmurs from the audience grew louder and louder. Alveiro stood up from the bench where he had been sitting.
“Right. Here I go.”
“I look forward to the moment when I bow to you.”
Helgar saw him off, and he stepped out into the stadium alone. Suddenly, all eyes were on him.
“If that’s really how you folks feel, then as the emperor of this country, I’ll show you my resolve! Stand up to me, Demon Emperor Yuki, if you genuinely believe in your convictions! Any takers?! Well, well! What do we have here?! Alveiro Velburn, is it?!”
He stood a short distance away from Yuki, facing him. Seeing that the Demon Emperor was grinning fearlessly, he fashioned a smile of his own to shore up his determination.
“Ladies and gents, I give you Alveiro Velburn! A member of the empire’s senate, but...that doesn’t matter! Because right now, he’s nothing more than a challenger! A man showing us his will and ability to prove himself worthy! So show me your conviction! Your resolve!”
While Demon Emperor Yuki continued speaking, elven magicians spread out across the audience, casting defensive spells. They would repeat the process when the tournament finally started, but in terms of their protective capacity, this magic was far, far stronger. The murmurs throughout the stadium grew louder yet, with everyone wondering what would happen, and the atmosphere became increasingly heated.
“Are you ready, Alveiro Velburn?”
“Say the word.”
At that moment, the intimidating aura emanating from Demon Emperor Yuki swelled so powerfully that it seemed to distort space itself. It exerted immense pressure on Alveiro’s entire body. Each cell. His very spirit.