Thus all the fires in the Town of Yggdrasil were put out.
“Winner, Floortje!”
As the gray referee raised his hand, the enormous crowds of elves and monsters spectating erupted in cheers that felt loud enough to blow the rain away.
“Thank you for saving our town, yokozuna Floortje!”
“Damn, that was a hell of a bout! What a skill she used at the end!”
“Holy shit, sumo is amazing!”
The heavy rain didn’t seem to dampen the spectators’ excitement.
Aikio got up, his legs wobbling.
“Sorry I sent you so high up,” I apologized.
“Hey, I was on the receiving end of the fabled technique that is the bell hammer backwards body drop. It’s the proudest day of my life. Heh.” The troll’s face creased up in laughter.
“Even I didn’t think I could pull it off.”
It was surely thanks to the combination of my sumo spirit operating at maximum power and the Air Sumo Form. After all, even in my previous life the bell hammer backwards body drop was a fabled bold move. It had never been used in grand sumo even once. Of course, I had never used it either.
“Thank you, Floortje. The town is safe now,” spoke a voice directly into my head once more.
“Don’t mention it. In fact, I’m grateful to you for the Air Sumo Form. It really helped.”
“You shall be able to use the Air Battle Form for as long as you are in the Elven Forest Republic. We would be delighted to assist you in your further adventures.”
Apparently, I had gotten the name of the skill wrong. Oh well, no biggie.
“We’ll make sure you can use it by calling it the ‘Air Sumo Form’ too.”
“Thanks!”
The yin-yang dohyō slowly sank into the ground, while the gray referee bowed and vanished.
“You did it, Floortje!” uttered the prince.
“Milady! Your sumo got you through this one too! It’s amazing!”
“W-Well, the Air Sumo Form isn’t a sumo power.”
“It’s not?”
“Grr...”
I was already regretting having memorized the wrong name for it. Regardless, since this power was limited to the confines of the elven forest, it seemed reasonable to assume it had been granted by the fairies. That meant that the prince should be able to use it too. All demons and monsters seemed to have special powers themselves, so a protective power of our own was most welcome.
“Now, Aikio, allow us to pass through the gate.”
“You may go. I wouldn’t go back on a promise made in sumo.”
“Thank you.”
“Will you fight me again in the future?”
“No problem. Let’s meet on the dohyō again. You too, Givun.”
“I’m so happy, ribbit! We should definitely do that, ribbit!”
The prince had an awkward smile on his face.
“You befriend everyone you fight in the ring, huh?”
“That’s what’s amazing about milady!”
“You’re giving me too much credit.”
I felt a little awkward being praised by both the prince and Adela. This was simply the natural outcome of coming to understand each other on a deep level through sumo. It wasn’t as though I had done anything special.
“Now slow down! We have orders to arrest the Aryakan Crown Prince Richie and the Crown Princess Candidate! Cease your resistance at once and proceed with us to the Administration Tree!”
Around thirty elven soldiers stepped forward, pointing their spears at us.
“I’m the one guarding this gate, and I say they can pass. Stay out of this, you salad munchers!” shouted Aikio in return.
“And who do you think you are?! This land belongs to us! Why should we take orders from some monsters?!”
Aikio’s unit and the elven commander’s unit glared at each other. Then, a gorgeous, slender elven woman with a shopping basket—perhaps a housewife—threw a radish at the elven troops.
“Look what you’ve done! Yggdrasil would’ve burned down if the yokozuna Floortje hadn’t saved it with her sumo magic! Get out of here before you do any more damage!”
The other townsfolk all began to voice their agreement with the woman, protesting against the soldiers.
“You idiots! We’ve removed the old-fashioned fairy king from power and accomplished a revolution! Don’t you realize we’re fighting for people like you?!”
Still, the townsfolk looked ready to attack the elven troops any moment.
“Yokozuna Floortje! We’ll handle this, so hurry up and go!” said Aikio.
“Let’s meet again somewhere, ribbit!”
“Thanks, you two!”
Adela nimbly got into the driver’s seat of the coach and brought it towards us.
“Don’t let them escape! You—monsters! If you get in our way, your superiors will hear of this!”
“By all means, tell them, salad muncher!”
“They’ll kill you if you do, ribbit!”
A scuffle broke out between the monsters and the elven troops. Elven townsfolk joined the fray on the monsters’ side and punched their ilk without restraint. Meanwhile, Prince Richie and I jumped aboard the speeding coach.
“We’re breaking through the gate, milady!”
“Do it, Adela!”
“We must hurry and let my father know what has transpired here in the Elven Forest Republic.”
Indeed, we had to hurry to the border with Aryaka, lest our kingdom fall to the Demon Lord’s army too. Driving through the town gate at full speed, we ended up on a highway. The skies were already dark, and only the moon lit the road ahead.