Work Prophet
Chapter 493 - 111: Steps to Advancement

Chapter 493: Chapter 111: Steps to Advancement

The Red Lion Empire did not have an arena as grand as those of Ancient Rome, where most martial arts tournaments were in fact simply carried out on any open space or hillside, with audiences surrounding the competitors in the center to watch them fight and determine the victor.

However, this time the tournament was organized by the Imperial Family, not only inviting brave warriors from all over the nation but also attracting many masters from outside the Empire, effectively turning it into a grand event for the entire Bratis Continent. Of course, it could no longer be held in such a makeshift manner.

Therefore, the venue was set up on a carefully selected patch of grass outside the Triumphal Arch, where wooden stands had been erected early on, displaying the red flags that symbolized the Imperial Family.

Rumor had it that when the Angry Lion Alexandro had pacified the Western Region and removed the final hindrance to the Empire’s unification, it was here that he returned to Lion Heart Castle. His descendants named this city gate the Triumphal Arch when they expanded the Royal Capital.

When Ireya arrived here, tens of thousands of people had already gathered outside the Triumphal Arch, including both nobles and commoners.

The Royal Knight Order and the local guard were both deployed to maintain order at the scene, while the Imperial Army was mainly responsible for protecting the Emperor, the Empress, and those other dignitaries present.

They all looked serious, not indulging in laughter and chatter, their palms resting on their sword hilts at all times as if ready to draw their swords, their silver armor gleaming in the sunlight.

Ireya stood on her tiptoes, trying to find her uncle, but there were too many people and she couldn’t spot Torres after scanning the crowd.

Instead, she saw Captain Steave of the Sixth Division of the First Knight Order.

The latter approached her, "Sir Ireya."

"Captain Steave."

"You shouldn’t have a match today, the nobles’ tournaments start from tomorrow."

"I know, I’m just here to take a look," Ireya said.

A glimmer of realization flashed in Steave’s eyes as he then lowered his voice, "East side, second venue."

"Hmm?"

The Lady was baffled, puzzled, and just as she was about to ask further, the guard leading the way urged her, "Lady Ireya, His Majesty has arrived, don’t keep him waiting too long."

"Oh, alright," the young girl could only follow upon hearing this.

As soon as Ireya appeared in front of the stands, she immediately felt dozens of gazes converge upon her.

The nobles of the Royal Capital were evidently quite interested in this Lady from the Western Region, be it her previous Dragon Slayer exploits or the Emperor’s inexplicably fond attitude towards her, had been a much-relished topic within the noble circles for a considerable time.

Moreover, her journey to participate in the tournament from Green Field, accompanied by a Foreigner named Merlin, had even caused the locals to follow in droves. By the time they arrived at the Royal Capital, the number of followers around the two had nearly reached ten thousand, which seemed to also indirectly prove the young lady’s wisdom.

Afterward, she and her men successively defeated challengers from the Second Knight Corps, and the Third Knight Corps, showcasing her bravery.

Looking at it this way, she truly deserved the title of Dragon Slayer Knight bestowed upon her by Edward II, comparable if not superior to the other three legendary Female Knights in the history of the Empire. No... perhaps even surpassing many.

If she could also win the championship of this upcoming martial arts tournament, then a new star would truly rise. If she was willing to stay in the Royal Capital and possess just a bit of political savvy, she would likely soon ascend to the upper echelons of the Empire, maybe even into the center of power.

Don’t find such things inconceivable.

The reason why so many people are crazy about the martial arts tournament is that it resembles another plane’s college entrance examination, an excellent opportunity to change one’s fate.

In the history of the Bratis Continent, there have been numerous commoners who leapt into nobility because of the tournament.

Even if they couldn’t become nobles immediately, they might be noticed by other nobles because of their outstanding performance, become a Squire Knight, or serve a great Lord and later be knighted.

Besides, there have been many declined nobilities that regained fame and lands through the tournament, successfully turning their fortunes around and even leading their families to become one of the Empire’s powerhouses—one of the ancestors of the Gedeon family, which is one of the twelve great nobilities of Lion Heart Castle, was the champion of the Empire’s first martial arts tournament.

Therefore, even though the tournament had always been known for its bloodiness and brutality, with a multitude of casualties or permanently disabled participants in each session, and even an Emperor who lost his life in the tournament, it remained popular among commoners and nobles alike until the Furious Lion Andrea decreed its prohibition.

After all, no matter how dangerous the tournament is, it’s never as perilous as a real battlefield, and the Empire had been at peace for a long time, making military merits increasingly hard to come by.

The tournament thus became an important path for advancement, not just for commoners and minor nobles, but also for secondary sons without inheritance rights and illegitimate children of great noble families who also hoped to make a name for themselves in the tournament.

When Edward II reopened the tournament, the voices of approval were much louder than those of opposition, and even helped improve the somewhat tarnished reputation of His Majesty over the past couple of years.

However, as the person involved, Ireya hadn’t thought that much; Miss Rabbit was currently pondering how to slip away unnoticed after meeting the Emperor.

She still had to study how to use the Hand of Judgment today, and the more she could practice, the more confident she’d feel when it was her turn to compete tomorrow.

As for the upcoming matches, it didn’t really matter whether she watched or not since she couldn’t defeat anyone without Merlin’s help.

The Lady, led by an Imperial Guard, arrived at the very center of the grandstand.

As she approached, Ireya’s heart was a bit nervous, for this area was occupied by the important figures; if they weren’t princes or princesses, they were dukes or marquises, and she felt like a sheep entering a tiger’s den.

Luckily, at that moment, Heloise waved to her.

The Elf Queen was wearing a light green gown today, a color ever beloved by elves, embroidered with complex golden patterns that made her look even more graceful and luxurious.

Ireya went before her and curtsied.

Heloise nodded slightly and pointed to the seat beside her, "You’ll sit here."

"I’m just a knight; wouldn’t it be somewhat inappropriate for me to sit here?"

"This was His Majesty’s decision, you needn’t feel burdened by it, come, the tournament is about to begin."

Hearing this, the Lady finally sat next to Heloise, and noticed another empty seat beside her; she asked curiously, "Where is His Majesty? I heard he was already here."

"Hmm, he was supposed to be here by now, but he ran into something on the way, and it looks like he will be slightly delayed," replied the Elf Queen indifferently, seeming unconcerned about her husband.