"Before we get to the arena, I'd like to stop by a few shops. I'm curious to see how the items they sell here differ from those in my country," said the girl who looked like Alberia.
"Well, I know a couple that I think you'll like, but..." began the girl who looked like Aislyra. Then she leaned in close and whispered into the other elf's ear, "Remember, we need to get to the tournament arena before lunch. I wouldn't mind escorting you around all day while you explore the city, but Katerina is really scary when she gets mad, and I'd rather not be late."
"Yes, don't worry, I don't intend to be late," replied the girl who resembled Alberia, lowering her voice to match. "But this is my first real chance to explore the capital of the country I now rule, so I want to make the most of the time we have."
These two elves weren't simply look-alikes of Alberia (Luca) and Aislyra. They were Lucas and Aislyra, disguised using the high-level general spell Color Mask. It had altered the color of their eyes and hair. Plus they swapped their hairstyles, and Lucas wore a wide-brimmed straw hat that shaded his face, making his even harder to recognize.
Lucas was dressed in a simple yet elegant white dress, its long skirt ending just above her feet. Aislyra, on the other hand, wore a light blue dress that, while equally fine, was far more revealing and better suited for someone expecting to move quickly if needed.
The reason the two were wandering the streets in disguise was because of a request from Lucas himself. With the preliminaries of the Golden Tree Tournament beginning tomorrow, Lucas had been tasked—as queen—with inspecting the preparations and confirming everything was up to standard. He had suggested remaining incognito during the journey to get there, using the excuse that he hadn't left the palace much recently and wanted to take this rare opportunity to walk among the people and reconnect with the city. In truth, his primary motive was simply to see the capital on foot for the very first time.
Initially, Scuro had objected, worried about the queen's safety. But Aislyra offered to accompany Lucas in disguise, and with some persuasion from Sequoria, they'd eventually won him over—though only on the condition that they would arrive at the arena by midday. Katerina was already in the arena, assisting with the final preparations using her specialized derived magic.
The first shop Aislyra wanted to take Lucas to was only a few minutes from their current location. As they walked, Lucas took the opportunity to observe the people moving through the streets. As Caesar had mentioned, most of them did appear happy—though that didn't mean everyone was truly content—but overall, the city seemed to be thriving. Most of the passersby were elves, but occasionally he saw humans or beastfolk like Katerina, though none appeared to be of her specific type. Some of the townsfolk glanced at them, but no one seemed to recognize them. Their disguises were clearly working.
"Well, we're here!" Aislyra announced with enthusiasm.
They had arrived at what appeared to be a shop. Unlike most buildings in the kingdom, this one had not been carved directly into a tree. In its window were displayed various swords and bows, and above the door hung a sign that read:
"Lamadora's Armory and Blacksmith: Everything You Need to Defend Yourself."
"So it's a weapon shop..." thought Lucas. He probably should've guessed that this would be the first stop if he let Aislyra lead the way. Though it didn't exactly scream "sightseeing," he didn't mind visiting a place like this. A shop full of medieval weapons wasn't something you'd stumble across in his world these days.
"This is where I usually come to maintain Ice Burn and buy spare swords," said Aislyra proudly. "It's not extremely famous, but in my opinion, this place makes the best weapons in the entire kingdom."
She opened the door and gestured for Lucas to enter first.
Inside, the shop was packed with all kinds of weapons: swords of varying styles and sizes, bows, spears, halberds, daggers, and even exotic weapons you wouldn't expect to find in a place like this—katanas, naginatas, and others Lucas didn't recognize at all.
As the two disguised girls admired the rows of steel and wood displayed across shelves, walls, and racks, they spotted something unexpected—or rather, someone unexpected.
Standing near the back of the shop, carefully inspecting one of the weapons, was a very short figure: Roterberg, the dwarven member of Caesar's party.
Lucas and Aislyra both froze in place.
The dwarf looked up, having heard footsteps. He stared at them for a few seconds. And probably because their faces were still fresh in his memory, he immediately realized who they were. A wide smile formed on his lips—a knowing, almost parental grin, like a father who had just caught his child sneaking cookies.
That smile alone told them everything: they had been discovered.
But neither Lucas nor Aislyra spoke. They weren't yet sure what Roterberg would say or do.
"It's a pleasure to see you again, ladies… Forgive me—at my age, I have trouble remembering names that aren't related to my craft as a blacksmith. Would you be so kind as to remind me?" said Roterberg, finishing with a hearty laugh that echoed through the shop.
Lucas and Aislyra both let out a quiet sigh of relief. It seemed Roterberg had no intention of blowing their cover; in fact, he appeared more than willing to play along.
"No problem, Mr. Roterberg. My name is Ambrosia, and my little sister here is Gracia," said Lucas, smoothly slipping into the aliases they had agreed on before leaving the palace.
"Ah, right, right—it's a pleasure to see you again, Lady Ambrosia and Lady Gracia. Have you come to browse the weapons?" the dwarf asked cheerfully.
"As you may know, my big sister and I only recently arrived in the capital and were out exploring the city," Aislyra replied. "A friend of mine, who holds an important position in the Royal Guard, told me this shop is known for its excellent craftsmanship. So we came to check it out for ourselves."
"Ah, I see…" Roterberg nodded. "Well, Lady Gracia, your "friend" clearly has a good eye. The weapons here are indeed very well made. I must admit, I didn't expect elves to be capable of forging such beautiful and durable weapons—but of course, the weapons I make are still better! HAHAHAHAHA!" the dwarf finished, his booming laughter rattling the walls.
Lucas flinched slightly from the force of Roterberg's laugh, but still managed to ask, "But Mr. Roterberg, if you don't mind me asking, why are you here?"
The dwarf stroked his thick red beard thoughtfully before answering in his deep, resonant voice. "Let's just say… I'm checking the competition. Whenever I visit a new city and have a bit of time, I like to visit every blacksmith and weapon shop I can—starting with the famous ones, then moving on to the smaller, lesser-known ones. You see, just because a blacksmith is well-known doesn't mean they're the best. Sometimes, if you want to find true gems, you can't just look at the ones that shine the brightest. You've got to dig deeper—look in the shadows. Maybe one of those shabby little stones is actually worth more than the biggest jewel in the cave! HAHAHAHAHAHA!"
His roaring laugh filled the entire shop once more.
Lucas and Aislyra both nodded thoughtfully. That idea made sense. Fame didn't always mean quality.
Aislyra was about to ask, "Roterberg, are you going to buy—"
"STOP RIGHT THERE! IF YOU DON'T PAY ME, I'M NOT GIVING BACK YOUR SWORD!!!"
The sudden shout came from the shopkeeper, cutting her off mid-sentence.
The three of them turned toward the counter, curiosity piqued. They quietly approached, staying far enough away not to attract attention but close enough to observe the commotion.
A man with Eastern features was kneeling in front of the counter, clearly begging the shopkeeper. He wore a male kimono, half red and half blue, that was in relatively clean condition but heavily worn—full of tears, cuts, and patches. His unkempt, jet-black hair fell in soft waves just below the back of his neck. Two katana sheaths hung at his waist, but one of them was empty.
"Please, shopkeeper-san! I need that katana to participate in tomorrow's tournament!" the man pleaded.
"THEN YOU SHOULD HAVE THOUGHT OF THAT BEFORE ASKING ME TO REPAIR IT!" barked the shopkeeper, a stout elf with sharp green eyes and calloused hands. "I gave you a rough estimate of the repair cost when I took the job. If you didn't listen, that's your fault. But don't worry—I'm not going to sell it or charge interest. As soon as you give me what you owe, I'll return it."
"But I need that katana tomorrow!" the man repeated, desperation deepening in his voice.
"Then bring me the money by tomorrow!" the shopkeeper snapped.
"But I'll never get that much in time… please, I swear I'll pay you right after the tournament!"
"NO, NO, AND STILL NO! How do I know you'll actually come back? This is your first time in my shop—you're not a regular, and I don't know if I can trust you. So unless you pay now, get out!"
The three were intrigued by the conversation, and Aislyra leaned in slightly before asking, "Hey, Gali, what's going on?"
The shopkeeper shifted his gaze and noticed the three new arrivals. Among them, he immediately recognized one of his regular customers. "Ah, Lady Ais—" Gali began, but the moment the first syllable of the queen's personal bodyguard's name left his lips, Aislyra shot him a look as cold as the void of space. He immediately cleared his throat and corrected himself, careful to use the agreed-upon alias. "Gracia, you see, this customer came in a few days ago and asked me to repair one of his two katanas. It was in terrible condition, so I told him it would cost at least two hundred dorae, and he agreed. Today was the pickup date, and as it turns out, the final price came in slightly lower—one hundred and ninety dorae. But now he has the nerve to come without enough money and begs me to give it back to him anyway," Gali explained, clearly annoyed.
'One hundred and ninety dorae… That should be about three hundred and eighty euros in my world,' Lucas estimated mentally.
"Is what Gali said true?" Aislyra asked the man sharply.
"Unfortunately, yes," the man admitted with a sigh. "I arrived in this city a few days ago to participate in the Tournament of the Golden Trees . On the way here, I fought a strange beast that left one of my katanas badly damaged. While searching for a repair shop, I noticed the fine craftsmanship in this place and asked the shopkeeper if he could fix it. Luckily, he agreed. At the time, I had just enough to cover the cost. But when I went to register for the tournament at the arena, I discovered that board and lodging for participants only start once the tournament begins. So, I had to pay for my own accommodation for these days, and that wiped out all the money I'd saved for the repair. I tried taking on some small jobs to earn the difference, but I couldn't make enough in time."
"I see..." Aislyra said flatly. Then, without hesitation, she added, "Big sister, let's go. There's no reason to help this man. It's his fault for not preparing properly."
Gali's eyes widened. Hearing her call the red-haired girl "big sister" immediately tipped him off to her true identity. But he wisely decided to say nothing, afraid of how Aislyra might react if he did.
'Aislyra is right... but he doesn't seem like a bad person,' Lucas thought. 'And honestly, I'm curious to see what this guy can do in the tournament.'
"Wait, Gracia," Lucas said, and Aislyra halted immediately.
Turning to the man, Lucas asked, "Do you really need both katanas to compete in the tournament? Can't you just use the one you still have?"
"Technically, yes," the man replied. "But my sword style is built around dual-wielding. If I go in with only one blade, my combat ability will be severely reduced. It wouldn't just lower my chances of winning—it would be extremely more frustrating to lose because I couldn't use my full power."
Lucas paused for a moment, thinking carefully. Then she turned to the shopkeeper. "Mr. Gali, I'll cover the cost of this man's repair."
"Seriously?!" the samurai exclaimed, shocked.
Lucas nodded.
"But que—er, I mean, lady—you really don't have to do that," Gali said, caught between protest and gratitude.
"Don't worry about it," Lucas replied. "It's my decision. And besides, one hundred and ninety dorae isn't a problem." The spending money she had been given for this outing was more than enough to cover it.
"I understand," said Gali, nodding.
Lucas pulled out her wallet and paid for the repaired katana in full.
"All right, you can have your sword," said Gali, handing the weapon over to the man. "But next time, try to be more careful with your money."
"Absolutely. Thank you," the man said gratefully. He bowed deeply before Lucas. "Miss, I'll never forget this favor. If we meet again, I swear I'll do everything I can to repay you. But for now, I must return to training. The tournament starts tomorrow, after all."
Without giving Lucas a chance to ask for his name, the man darted out of the shop.
'Though... I think I have a pretty good idea who that guy might be,' Lucas thought to himself.
After saying their goodbyes to Roterberg, Lucas and Aislyra resumed their tour. But because of the time lost at the weapon shop, they didn't have time to visit many other places before they needed to head to the arena to meet Katerina.
They hurried toward the stadium, and when it finally came into view, Lucas's eyes widened in awe.
The arena stood tall, supported by four enormous trees wrapped in shimmering golden foil with beautiful silver leaves. It sparkled in the sunlight and radiated grandeur. It was, without question, the most breathtaking thing Lucas had seen in this world so far.