After leaving the government office, I went looking for an inn.
I visited one situated on a high terrace and checked in.
It was a luxury inn that offered a panoramic view of the Bernada royal capital’s cityscape.
We were staying on the top floor.
「What a beautiful inn this is.」
Said Nordura.
「The bed’s so fluffy, nyaaa!!」
Vichy cried, leaping onto it and rolling around gleefully.
Since this was a high-class establishment, they didn’t bother with petty rules like banning pets.
「……」
I stepped out onto the balcony from the window.
It was a wide space, about twenty meters on each side.
There was a roof overhead, and beneath that roof sat a bath.
In other words, it was an elegant open-air bath.
(Not bad at all.)
That was my honest impression.
The Grand Martial Tournament wouldn’t begin for another half month.
We’d been traveling on foot nonstop, so I decided to spend the next while relaxing here at the inn.
-0-
The next morning.
I woke up, had breakfast, and stepped out onto the balcony.
In addition to the bath, the balcony had a bench and a table.
It was a perfect table seat with a sweeping view.
A gentle mountain breeze, descending from the harsh natural peaks surrounding the city, brushed against me.
I sat on the bench and decided to read through the rulebook for the Grand Martial Tournament.
I reviewed the tournament rules.
The most important parts were likely the following.
◆◆◆
〈Structure of the Grand Martial Tournament〉
The Grand Martial Tournament consists of four rounds.
• Round 1: Free-for-all
• Round 2: Semifinals
• Round 3: Finals
• Round 4: King’s Deciding Match
In the first round, all registered participants engage in a chaotic free-for-all.
Only the last four remaining will advance to the semifinals.
The semifinals and finals will determine the tournament’s overall champion.
After a three-day rest, the champion will face the current king in the King’s Deciding Match.
If the champion wins, they will immediately ascend to the throne.
If they lose, the current king’s reign continues.
◆◆◆
The first round is a large-scale free-for-all.
――――The Grand Martial Tournament is a massive event, drawing participants from all over the nation.
The number of entrants is enormous.
So to narrow them down, the tournament begins with a massive brawl between all contestants.
Only the four who survive that chaos move on to the second round.
The second round will follow a tournament format, meaning it’ll likely be one-on-one matches from there.
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