Ch.170169. Journey? (11)

# 169. A Trip? (11)

It was supposed to be a trip for students who had trained hard for a year to rest, but from my perspective, it didn’t feel like that at all.

Fortunately, unlike the first and second days, the other days passed quite like an actual trip.

The Academy hadn’t prepared any strange activities like before, but I think it was more because I was traveling alone.

“Now this finally feels like a trip…”

The park and observatory were the final destinations of our school trip.

My classmates were thoroughly enjoying the trip’s essence while exploring the park and observatory, where they could appreciate the beauty of nature and the greatness of the heroes who fought to protect this place.

However, I was enjoying the trip’s charm in a slightly different way from those kids.

-THUD!! SLASH!!-

“WOAH!!!!”

Warriors aiming for each other’s lives in the arena and spectators cheering as they watched them.

Normally, I would have been up in that arena, but today I was visiting the Colosseum as a tourist, enjoying the duel as a spectator.

‘This is definitely more fun…’

The intense battle of wits hidden behind the brute force confrontation—watching it was quite satisfying.

Dueling was fun both to participate in and to watch.

It was certainly about a thousand times more entertaining than touring the park.

-THUD!!!-

‘Wow…’

A warrior who shattered his opponent’s weapon with a single punch and immediately ended the duel.

I couldn’t help but admire that warrior, and the other spectators roared with cheers at his overwhelming power.

I wanted to shout like those people too, but…

‘I would have shouted if it weren’t for that person…’

I was too embarrassed to cheer because of that person who was still hiding, thinking I didn’t know when I actually did.

I stared blankly at that tactless person during the break between duels.

And finally, that person revealed themselves.

“You… knew?”

“You’re just wearing a robe and glasses… did you think I wouldn’t recognize you?”

She didn’t even use [Stealth] to hide herself, just a crude disguise using clothing, yet she thought she wouldn’t get caught…

Reina approached me cautiously after her identity was exposed.

“Can I… sit here?”

“Go ahead…”

After I answered her puzzling question, Reina sat down right next to me with a subtle smile.

Then I asked her a rather pointless question.

“Why are you here like this? Everyone else is at the park…”

“It’s free time, isn’t it?”

“Well, yes, but… we’re on a trip.”

“You’re here too, so how can you say that to me?”

“I’m… different…”

I’m not sure what’s different, but she claims there is a difference.

I half-listened to Reina’s words while focusing on watching the next duel that had just begun.

While doing so, I asked Reina, who was watching the match with wide, attentive eyes beside me.

“So why did you come here? From the way you’re talking, it doesn’t seem like you just came to watch this…”

“Just… I had something to ask you.”

“Something to ask me?”

“Yeah…”

“What is it?”

“Well… it’s a bit difficult to say…”

Even as Reina said this, she couldn’t keep her mouth still, clearly wanting to speak.

Of course, I had no intention of asking again what it was.

I wasn’t particularly interested in knowing anyway…

“Then don’t tell me.”

“Um… you see…”

Apparently she really wanted to talk about it, as she started speaking despite my telling her not to.

I wasn’t particularly interested, but since I couldn’t help but hear it, I listened to her story while responding appropriately.

“Let’s say… you like someone.”

“Okay.”

“But that person already has a partner?”

“Okay… so?”

“What would you do in that situation?”

It seemed Reina had followed me for relationship advice.

But seeking relationship advice from someone like me who was experiencing romance for the first time… she really had no eye for choosing advisors.

Still, since Reina asked what I would have done, it was easy to answer.

“If it were me… I probably wouldn’t give up? But instead…”

“Instead?”

“I wouldn’t show it.”

“Really…?”

“Yeah.”

I could give a clearer answer because I had definitely experienced something similar.

“But why? Does the person you like have a girlfriend?”

“Yeah… they seem to be doing well together, not even caring about what others think…”

From that one statement, I could tell Reina and I were quite different.

She probably had no intention of following my advice from the beginning…

“I see? Good luck.”

“Thanks…”

The consultation created a suffocating, awkward atmosphere.

In that atmosphere, I offered Reina one suggestion.

“Aren’t you bored?”

“Huh…? Suddenly? A little bit, I guess…”

“Then let’s go.”

“What?”

I stood up abruptly and immediately headed toward the contestants’ waiting room with Reina.

“Don’t we need to register or something for this…?”

“No need.”

***

Seeing her immediately resume training with Aelin even though her body hadn’t fully recovered made me sigh.

There was no particular reason to train now that the graduation exam was over, but she wouldn’t rest.

“Why don’t you… take a break…”

Riel said this while sitting on a nearby bench, watching other people’s duels in real-time on her phone.

That place was the Colosseum near Lester, and realizing this fact, one possibility came to mind.

“Maybe… he’ll show up? Or is that too much to expect during a trip?”

Riel was secretly hoping as she watched the broadcast.

After 10 minutes passed, then 30 minutes, then an hour without seeing him, Riel was about to turn off her phone.

“I guess it was too much to expect after all…”

But at that moment, a boy with pitch-black eyes and hair appeared on the screen, along with his name.

The commentator introduced him as someone with no prior Colosseum experience, but contrary to the description, the boy climbed onto the arena with a relaxed smile.

“He really never disappoints! I wonder how far he’ll go?”

In the Colosseum, losers exit while winners remain to continue competing.

Thinking about this rule, Riel became curious about how long Albert would last.

“Maybe about 10 matches?”

“What are you looking at?”

“Your Highness, look at this.”

Riel showed her phone to the princess, who had just finished training and come down from the arena.

She was surprised to see the familiar face on the screen.

“Oh…? He’s at the Colosseum…”

“How far do you think he’ll go?”

“At least 16 matches?”

“If he makes it to 16, that means he’s better than you, Your Highness?”

About two years ago, she had also appeared as a contestant in the Colosseum during a school trip, just like him.

At that time, she had defeated 14 opponents before falling to the 15th contestant.

Considering that, she was rating the current Albert higher than her past self.

“Isn’t that obvious? He was much stronger than me even back then.”

“I was just saying.”

“He’s doing that even on a trip…”

His first match began with Aelin’s deep sigh.

And shockingly, the match ended before her sigh could even fade away.

“Huh? What just happened?”

“I’m not sure… something happened, I think…”

She explained for the benefit of the two who couldn’t see properly because it happened too quickly.

“He just kicked him.”

“Kicked him?”

“Yes, he just approached with [Haste]. Focus, or you won’t be able to see properly.”

***

In the Colosseum, not only raw power but also stamina management and conserving strength are important considerations.

You need to defeat your opponent using minimal energy and techniques.

Of course, in my case, it didn’t matter since I had done this countless times before.

‘Brings back memories…’

I remembered the days when I used to come to the Colosseum almost daily under her guidance.

“Those were good times too…”

“Don’t get distracted, kid!!”

My opponent charged straight at me like an angry bull while shouting.

However, his speed was too slow compared to his shouting.

I simply dodged his sword by slightly turning my body and delivered a powerful kick to his exposed side.

-THUD!!-

“Ugh..!!”

Hit by my foot that had become like steel due to [Reinforcement], he lost consciousness and his head hit the ground.

Watching the scene, I thought:

‘I’m going to make some money today.’

Afterward, as I expected, matches similar to the first one continued, and I was able to secure victories without much difficulty.

However, seeing the person who appeared for the tenth match, I realized I needed to be a bit more serious now.

“You’re quite late?”

“Well… I was thinking about it… But why are you only using [Haste] or [Reinforcement]?”

“Because there was no one like you.”

With Reina here, it would be a bit harder to continue as before.

I knew very well that I couldn’t dodge Reina’s [Lightning Flash] with just [Haste] alone.

Knowing this fact all too well, I immediately activated [Sword of the Distant Abyss].

The pitch-black sword appeared.

The spectators roared with excitement upon seeing that sword.

-WOAH!!!!-

‘Why are they like that…’

Ignoring all the murmurs from the crowd, I pointed my sword at Reina.

And Reina, with a serious expression quite different from before, pointed her sword at me as well.