Chapter 55. Festival of the Kingdom of Kalus (1)
By noon the next day, a special event was held to solidify the friendship between the Empire and the Kingdom of Kalus.
Although it was quite an elaborate occasion, the reason behind it was simple.
It was a celebration Karsen organized solely to honor the Empress of the Empire.
“How could a national event be held in just one day without any planning? This is completely absurd.”
Karsen’s secretary, Moritz, complained several times. But Karsen didn’t even pretend to listen.
“Just send carrier pigeons to the tribal leaders. Only those who can attend will come.”
“I already did.”
“Think they’ll arrive okay in the middle of the night?”
“I wouldn’t know. I’ve never seen a pigeon nod off before.”
“In this day and age, using carrier pigeons is a bit primitive, don’t you think? Should we train some mages?”
“Then the witches and shamans will revolt. They’re the ones who let us control the birds in the first place.”
“Still, it’s kind of disappointing.”
And so, this festival, born from Karsen’s whims, ended up taking shape despite the tight schedule.
The event grounds that came together in a single day were a testament to the tireless effort of Moritz and many other officials.
“Thank goodness we held the ancestral rites recently. A state festival in one day… This really is madness.”
Public participation was high.
Despite the pigeons being sent at dawn, many citizens rushed to the capital.
From noon till late into the night, the Festival of Kalus continued.
True to their reputation as hearty and straightforward northern folk, the people of Kalus partied hard.
A small market even sprang up spontaneously.
The lively atmosphere, with music and dancing, was both unique and delightful.
Among the many colorful events held during the festival, one event stood out as the main attraction.
“They call it the Trial of the Red Dragon.”
Moritz, seated beside me, explained in a solemn tone.
Under the guise of guiding me through the festival, he hadn’t left my side all day.
To be honest, there had been some tension when he volunteered as my escort.
That was because I had just learned that Leonard and Cedric had been imprisoned.
When I confronted him seriously, Moritz got on his knees and begged for forgiveness.
He even offered to resign his position and apologized sincerely, so I forgave him—reluctantly.
Of course, since then, I hadn’t let Leonard or Cedric leave my side even for a moment.
“The Trial of the Red Dragon?” I asked.
To that, Moritz replied,
“There’s a legend tied to the founding of the Kingdom of Kalus involving a red dragon.”
“What kind of legend?”
“The first king of Kalus happened to discover a wounded red dragon and helped heal it by retrieving three legendary treasures.”
“What treasures were they?”
“Well… something about a bell and a sea or whatever… I’ve been up all night and can’t remember a thing,”
Moritz said as he rubbed his eyes.
Honestly, he looked like he could faint at any moment.
So Cedric stepped in to explain.
“There are regional variations to the story, but the three treasures share common elements.”
Cedric held up three fingers as he continued.
“One is the golden bell hanging atop the Gates of Heaven at the end of the world.
Second is the red banner from the entrance to the River of the Dead.
The last is the Breath of the Deep, hidden beneath the ocean floor.”
It sounded like something out of Greek mythology.
As Moritz, now slightly more alert, continued,
The founding king of Kalus retrieved the three treasures at the dragon’s request.
In return, the dragon vowed to protect him and fulfill his wishes until the end of his life.
Based on this myth, the Kingdom of Kalus holds three competitions called the Trial of the Red Dragon during major ceremonies.
When I first heard their explanations, I assumed it would be like a small local sports day.
But once the matches began, the crowd’s excitement exceeded all expectations.
“Waaaaaah!”
“Win!!”
“Kill him!”
The cheers of the crowd filled the square, thundering in my ears.
And in this match, two familiar participants took the stage.
Leonard and King Karsen.
“Karsen! Over here!”
“You’re amazing as always!”
“Kyaa! He waved at me! You saw that, right? He waved at me!”
“What are you saying? He made eye contact with me!”
“Your Majesty! We’re cheering for you!”
Karsen was immensely popular.
“Karsen!”
“Karsen!”
The spectators chanted his name in unison.
“The first match is archery.”
The contestants soon entered the circular arena.
“Ugh, what a humble turnout. If I had just one more week…”
Moritz, beside me, sighed deeply.
Humble?
There were easily over a hundred contestants entering the arena!
I was shocked by the sheer vigor of the Kalus people.
Such spectacle was rare in the Empire, which valued refinement and elegance.
Soon, the targets were set.
They were placed a full 200 paces away.
In the center of each target was a small golden bell.
The problem? The bell was barely the size of my palm.
Wait— they’re expected to hit that tiny target from that far away?
Could an arrow even reach that distance?
But that wasn’t the end of the challenge.
“Each contestant must walk thirty steps while firing ten arrows before the bell rings ten times. That’s one arrow for every three steps.”
So they had to hit that tiny target while moving, within a tight time limit?
This wasn’t an archery contest—this was a trial for master-level archers.
Is that even possible?
Just as I was thinking that—
“Waaaaaah!”
“They hit it?”
“Two arrows! Two hits!”
Some incredible individuals managed to succeed.
Several men who appeared to be knights of Kalus hit the target.
One even landed three arrows.
But the truly outstanding competitors were still to come.
“What the—?”
“They’re hitting every shot!”
“How many now?”
“Five… no, six!”
It was Leonard and Karsen.
The two of them shot arrow after arrow with perfect rhythm— and unbelievably, every arrow struck the target.
“Ten… ten arrows?!”
“Both contestants have landed all ten arrows!”
Not a single shot missed its mark.
Even the other contestants and the once-raucous crowd were left speechless as they witnessed the nearly supernatural skill of the two men.
“The first match ends in a draw.”
“I wish that were true, but… ah!”
Cedric, who had been closely observing the target, let out a quiet sigh.
Why? Didn’t they both hit the target? Isn’t that a tie?
Soon, the judgment was announced.
“Waaaaah! Your Majesty!”
King Karsen was declared the victor.
Though both Leonard and King Karsen had landed all ten arrows on target, unfortunately, Leonard’s final arrow had pierced through the target.
So only nine arrows remained embedded in the target. The last one didn’t stay and thus wasn’t counted.
“No way!”
I voiced my complaint at the unfair ruling.
Whether it stuck or went through, it hit the target!
“It’s unfortunate for Sir Leonard, but due to the legend surrounding the Golden Bell, this result was inevitable.”
“What legend?”
Moritz explained with a smug expression.
“According to the tale, the founding king of Kalus tied a rope to his arrow to retrieve the Golden Bell atop the Gates of Heaven. Hence, only arrows that remain embedded are considered valid.”
In short, the rule has always been that only arrows lodged in the target are counted. So it wasn’t biased in favor of Karsen.
“If that rule existed, someone should’ve said so beforehand. If he’d known, Sir Leonard could’ve adjusted his strength.”
Just then, Karsen, having won the first round, waved his bow at me with a bright grin.
“His Majesty seems very interested in Her Majesty the Empress. I’ve never seen him greet someone so cheerfully. Did something happen last night?”
To Moritz’s comment, I forced an awkward smile.
Something did happen.
— I’ll take you from the Empire no matter what.
— Why don’t we see who suits Her Majesty better?
Quite a lot, actually.
He probably wouldn’t believe me if I told him.
Haha…
***
At the edge of a sheer cliff, a red flag fluttered in the wind.
Emblazoned on it was a fire-breathing dragon—the symbol of the Kingdom of Kalus.
“This match is a race to capture that flag,”
Moritz explained the rules for the second event.
“It’s a running competition then. Sir Leonard is fast, so he’s sure to win this one.”
Leonard wasn’t just a master swordsman—his movement was exceptional too.
I’d seen it myself when he fought those bandits.
He was so fast it made me question whether he was even human.
‘That’s why I know he’ll win this one.’
It may just be a friendly contest, but I couldn’t help rooting for Leonard, especially after the disappointing loss in the first round.
“Sir Leonard’s movements are impressive, no doubt. But this match won’t be in his favor.”
Cedric pointed toward the starting area.
Just then, Leonard, Karsen, and the other competitors came into view.
“Oh!”
Only then did I realize what Cedric meant.
This wasn’t a simple footrace.
All the participants were on horseback.
“It’s a horse race…”
“More accurately, it’s a test of riding skill. The method doesn’t matter. The one who gets the flag first wins.”
Just as Moritz said, there were even competitors on mules.
In a match where means didn’t matter, riding obviously gave a huge advantage over running on foot.
And the quality of the horse mattered too.
I looked at Karsen’s mount.
A gleaming red horse, perfectly matching his nickname, Crimson Monarch.
Of course, Leonard’s horse was of a fine breed too.
But compared to Karsen’s, it still seemed lacking.
Not to mention this was enemy territory.
Karsen, who knew the terrain like the back of his hand, would obviously have the advantage.
“This round puts Sir Leonard at a clear disadvantage.”
Yes. Just as Cedric said, everything was stacked against Leonard.
But despite the grim outlook, I clenched my fists and cheered for him.
“It’s fine. If it’s Sir Leonard…”
He can win.
I just had a feeling.
Right, Sir Leonard?
***
Pwoooo—!
A horn blared through the air.
With that, the race began.
A cloud of dust kicked up behind the charging horses.
But even after all the others had taken off,
Leonard and Karsen remained at the starting line.
“Go ahead, Sir Leonard,”
Karsen offered graciously.
“There’s no need for that.”
“It’s not out of courtesy.”
At Leonard’s curt reply, Karsen adjusted his reins and spoke.
“This is my land. My homeland. I know every tree and blade of grass. In other words, I know this terrain like my own hand.”
“…”
“Starting at the same time would hardly be fair, given my advantage.”
Karsen held up one finger.
“I’ll wait until one incense stick burns.”
That would make it a fair match.
That’s what Karsen meant.
But Leonard, gazing at Karsen, shook his head.
“I appreciate the offer, but I’ll decline.”
“Stubborn man.”
Karsen lifted the corner of his lips into a slight smile.
He didn’t dislike the refusal, nor the stubborn pride.
“Very well. I wish you luck.”
With those final words, Karsen kicked off and galloped ahead.
His horse was truly remarkable.
The red steed tore through the wind at a speed that far outpaced the earlier racers.
Leonard simply stood and watched.
***
“What are you doing, Sir Leonard? Hurry!”
Frustrated, I jumped up and shouted.
But the roar of the crowd drowned out my voice completely.
I was desperate.
Even if he started before Karsen, he’d already be at a disadvantage.
Yet for some reason, Leonard still hadn’t moved from the starting line.
“Why hasn’t Sir Leonard started?”
Moritz offered a calm smile.
“Maybe he realized the match was unwinnable and gave up?”
Give up, just because the odds were bad?
No way.
At least the Leonard I knew would never do that.
He was someone who didn’t even understand the word “give up.”
But if he hadn’t given up, why was he still standing there?
While I mulled it over, Cedric spoke.
“Maybe he’s come up with an entirely different plan.”
“A different plan?”
“Look at where Sir Leonard is staring.”
He gestured toward Leonard.
Following Cedric’s gaze, I looked at him again.
Leonard was looking at the top of the cliff.
At the fluttering red flag planted on that sheer precipice.
He was looking at the flag.
So he hadn’t given up after all.
Rather, he was thinking of a way to overcome the disadvantage.
And that way was…
“Oh my god.”
A gasp escaped my lips.
—
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