I got out of the Magic Train and left the Aryagard central station. The size of this city was overwhelming, and people were everywhere.
“Look at that flower in her hair! It’s so pretty!”
“I’ve never seen such a flower before.”
Those Aryagard ladies had a keen eye. Me being an alraune—a flower monster—the flowers in my hair were the real thing. Also, my body was made of ivy and wood, but you couldn’t tell from over my clothes.
Today marked the second day of my trip from the demonic capital on a Magic Train, and I was exhausted. That said, without the train, I would’ve been forced to walk for a whole two months, so the world had definitely gotten smaller. And coming here on a Magic Train from the demonic capital to see sumo had become a popular trend.
I saw a few monsters here and there near the central station, all in gorgeous formal attire.
“Aikio, wait for me, ribbit!”
“Can’t you go any faster, Givun? I can’t wait to see the Aryakan Sumo Hall.”
I spotted Aikio and Givun—it turned out they had taken the same train as me. They looked handsome in their formal suits.
The central station had been newly built after the rail tracks were laid from the border station to Aryagard. Today was the day of the wedding between Lady Floortje and Prince Richie, so numerous well-dressed elves and dwarves could be seen near the station. Lady Floortje had been the key figure in creating a sumo fever in every nation, and so many guests of honor were coming for her wedding, while lots of other people simply came as tourists.
My best friend Kukuri was marrying Clifton today in the same double wedding in the Aryakan Sumo Hall—I was really looking forward to it.
Looking up at the large, newly made station clock, I saw I had about half a day before the ceremony. I had some time for a little sightseeing. For now, the plan was to leave my luggage at the hotel and go for a stroll.
I checked into the classy hotel I had reserved ahead of time. In the lobby, they gave me a map. The size of the city was astonishing. Now, where do I go first...?
Rustle rustle! Ah, my map flew away in the wind!
Some gaudy-looking elf caught it in midair and returned it to me.
“Hey there, pretty lady. You should be careful,” said the elf, and flashed his teeth in a flirty way.
What a fine man!
“Thank you...”
“You must be a tourist. I’ve just come here today myself, but it’s not my first visit, so I know the place well. Would you like a tour?”
High elves were so gorgeous... And he was obviously very accustomed to women and was awfully flirty.
“A tour? Forget it. The Demon Lord has strictly forbidden me from coming anywhere near you, Ulupano.”
“Oh, how terrible of him. Come on—why not just go for it once in a while? Let’s have tea together, Uta.”
“Should the head of the Elven Forest Republic really be hanging around this place?”
“I’m on the guest list for the wedding, so I have nothing to do at the moment.”
“Then go hit on someone else, because I don’t waste my time on flirts like you.”
“Tsk, how cold of you.”
Ulupano pouted and went after a different woman. He really never changed. It was surely unheard of for a head of state to be picking up women on the street. We alraune are monsters of many romances, but a flirty elf? Spare me.
I wondered whether there was a single, wild, thin, muscular, tanned, white-haired dragon boy somewhere... There he is.
“Phalariiiiis!”
“Ah, you’re the flower monster.”
He was wearing a neat uniform and carrying a school bag. Walking beside him was a female student in glasses.
“Hey, Phalaris, who is she?”
“Heh heh, someone close enough to touch him and be touched by him in all sorts of places with our clothes off.”
“Hey! That’s not wrong, but you’re making it sound wrong.”
“You do sumo, then.”
She seemed to be pretty smart, fitting the stereotype of someone wearing glasses.
“Are you busy, Phalaris? This older lady is on her first visit to Aryagard. Would you show her around?”
“Eh, screw that—sounds like a pain in the ass. Go ask that elf over there.”
“Him? No way.”
“School’s finally over. I’m going to training now, then I have to change into some kinda crested ceremonial clothes and attend Floortje’s wedding. I’m busy.”
“I see you’re very earnest in your training. Good on you.”
“Oh, right! If you give me a rematch, then sure, I’ll show you around.”
“Eh, I can’t be bothered right now. And I’d be late for the wedding.”
“Then that’s a no. Go ask Yustin for a tour or something.”
“Yustin got himself a really big belly recently...”
“Man, you’re hard to please.”
“We alraune like beautiful people.”
The handsome dragon with an indifferent attitude left together with the girl in glasses. Damn it! Also, that girl had a crush on him. I could see it in her eyes, as my alraune nature made me an expert in romance.
Sigh... Maybe I’ll walk around alone. I could go for a cup of tea in a café.
I strolled through the main street, seeing plenty of restaurants around. There were also stores selling fashionable clothes, precious stones, accessories, flowers, mawashi, watches... They had pretty much everything here.
“Hey there, lady. You’re so pretty. Wanna do sumo with us?”
“We hold pretty good spots in the amateur table of rankings.”
“And if we win, you’ll do anything we ask. Sound good?”
Three ill-bred rikishi who didn’t seem to belong to any stable stood in my way. Surprised to discover that even such a thriving capital had types like these roaming around, I wondered what to do. Teaching them a lesson didn’t seem like such a bad idea.
“Stop right there! You’re a disgrace to Aryakan rikishi for harassing foreign guests!”
As I contemplated my course of action, a handsome man in a snappy military uniform showed up.
“Gah! General Maurilio!”
“W-We’re sorry.”
“Please let us go!”
The three rikishi ran away.
“Th-Thank you, General...”
“It’s nothing. Oh, wait, you’re...”
His observant eye pierced my chest. It was that lovely leader of the elite unit of rikishi who had protected the Town of Yggdrasil.
“You’re Uta of the Demon Lord’s army, if memory serves me right. I apologize that you had to deal with those delinquents here in Aryaka.”
“Don’t worry about it. Those types are worse in our lands. I’m used to it.”
“Oh, if you say so.”
“It’s my first time in Aryagard. I know it’s presumptuous of me to ask, but would you mind giving me a tour of the city?”
The general smiled.
“Gladly, if you’re okay with me. I have time until the wedding. Would you like to visit one of the city’s scenic spots?”
“By all means!”
Yay, got myself a handsome guy!
General Maurilio led me to the central park. It was a nice place with lovely gardens. I was thrilled to be walking through a park on a date with a handsome officer.
“Are you appearing in tomorrow’s friendly match?” he asked.
“Yes, I was chosen since Kukuri won’t be appearing.”
“I’ve been chosen too. Hopefully we get to go against each other.”
It really would be nice if I got to do sumo with the general, I thought. I wondered what his style was. Regardless, I was looking forward to the following day. And since I was quick to fall in love, I was crazy about the general already.
After he saw me off to the hotel, I took a shower, put on a traditional alraune outfit, and headed to the sumo hall in a coach.
“You’re late, Uta,” spoke the Demon Lord.
“Sorry, sir!”
“Now...everyone’s here...”
“All right, team, time to show up to this double wedding!” spoke our leader once more.
“Yeah!” we replied.
Those who would be participating in the following day’s friendly match had been allotted the ringside seats for this ceremony. The sumo hall was simply an amazing place for doing sumo. It was dazzling, and I found myself trembling with excitement. In the ringside seats across the dohyō sat General Maurilio. He returned my light wave with a smile.
After a round of drumming, Floortje ceremoniously entered the ring, wearing a white horizontal rope—a yokozuna—and carrying herself in a dignified manner.
Thus began the double dohyō wedding of Lady Floortje and Prince Richie, as well as of Kukuri and Clifton.
(The End.)