Shirone rushed into the room where his family was staying. He was worried about his mom and dad.
His mother, Olina, had big, dark circles under her eyes. She looked like she hadn't slept in days. She tried to smile so Shirone wouldn't worry, but her face was as white as a sheet of paper.
Shirone's heart ached. He had trained to be a mage and was strong, but this situation was scary even for him. For his kind mother, who had never hurt anyone, this must have been terrifying.
Quietly, he thought, 'I'm sorry, Mother.'
His friend Amy saw him and gave him a small, understanding smile. She wasn't super happy or super serious. She just raised her hand to say hello. Shirone could tell that Amy was a true friend who understood how he felt.
Just then, Reina came out from the next room. Her face lit up when she saw Shirone.
Reina said, "You're here, Shirone! I was waiting for you."
Everyone else looked tired and worried, but Reina was full of energy. As a musician for the king, she was used to being in the castle. Seeing her so confident was new for Shirone, but right now, he didn't feel happy about it.
It wasn't that he disliked Reina. He was just upset that no one understood how he felt. He had to trust other people to protect his family, and he had spent the whole day feeling frustrated and helpless.
Shirone said, his voice cold, "I met with Orcamp." (Orcamp is the king.)
Reina's smile disappeared. Shirone was so angry he didn't even call Orcamp "the king." She knew he was furious.
Reina said, "I'm sorry for not telling you in advance. But I was worried you'd—"
Shirone interrupted, "I understand why you did it. But everyone was in danger!"
Reina felt a chill. She had seen Shirone angry like this before, and it was scary. She felt her heart freeze.
Reina said, "It's alright now. We have more guards protecting us. I asked for extra soldiers—"
Shirone said firmly, "You should have told me."
Reina closed her mouth tightly. Amy, who was watching, sighed. She had known Shirone would be this angry. She had agreed with Reina's decision because she thought it was the right thing to do, but she knew Shirone loved his family more than anything.
Vincent, Shirone's father, gently spoke up.
Vincent said, "Shirone, Reina was in a difficult position. We all agreed with her decision. If you are angry, be angry with me."
Shirone bowed his head. He knew his father was right. He was just so angry. His family was in danger, the king and queen only seemed to care about his magic power, and even his friend Reina had kept a secret from him. It was all too much.
Shirone said, his voice shaking a little, "I'm sorry. I know Reina saved us all. It's just… I was so frustrated, I couldn't help it."
Reina heard the tremble in his voice. She wondered what the king had said to make strong Shirone sound so hurt.
Reina said, "No, I'm the one who's sorry. You had every right to be upset. It is my job to keep you informed. From now on, I will tell you everything."
When Shirone forced a small smile, Reina finally relaxed. She thought he looked best when he smiled, and she never wanted to see him look so sad again.
Once everyone had calmed down, Amy asked the important question.
Amy asked, "So, what did you and the king talk about?"
Shirone said, "Ah, well…"
He explained the king's offer. Amy thought about it carefully before nodding.
Amy said, "Hmm, that's not a bad offer. If he keeps his promise, of course."
Shirone said, "It doesn't matter. I plan to leave after I graduate from the magic academy anyway. We can figure things out later. So I accepted."
Amy said, "Fair enough. I'd do the same."
Amy cheered him on, clapping her hands.
Amy said, "Alright! If we're doing this, let's do it right!"
The Colosseum Showdown
The Colosseum was a huge, old arena north of the castle. Long ago, warriors and monsters fought there for sport. The sandy floor was stained a dark red, a color that would never wash out, no matter how hard people tried to scrub it.
Nobles filled the seats. Amy and Reina sat in a special spot on the third floor. The king had said Shirone's parents could come, but Olina was too exhausted, so Vincent stayed behind to take care of her.
Underground, in a dusty preparation room, Shirone waited. The room was filled with old training equipment and shelves of weapons.
Creak! The heavy iron door opened. Zion and Wuorin walked in. Zion looked around, smirking.
Zion said, "What a lonely place. What do you think the warriors who waited here thought about? 'Please don't let the lions eat me'?"
Shirone answered sharply, "No. They probably promised themselves they would defeat their enemies. That was their only choice."
Zion smirked again. He knew he couldn't win a war of words with a mage.
Zion said, "Tch, still as sharp-tongued as ever. Why are we even doing this silly show? Did Father promise to make you king?"
Shirone said, "I already told you. I'm not interested."
Zion ignored him and walked around the room. He was also surprised the king had ordered a real magic demonstration so soon. It showed how desperate Orcamp was.
Finally, Zion stopped in front of Shirone again.
Zion said, "I'll send you home."
Shirone was confused.
Shirone asked, "What do you mean?"
Zion explained, "You said you don't want to be king, right? Then the reward for this show should be your freedom. I can give you that. Kazura will be mine, and you will be free to go. It's a good deal for both of us."
This was a very tempting offer. But Shirone knew it was a trap. If Zion became king, he would have Shirone's birth parents, King Orcamp and Queen Elisa, killed.
Shirone asked, "What do you want me to do?"
Zion said, "It's simple. Ruin the magic show. Make your 'Great Angel' power fail. Then, tell the nobles, 'The rumors were exaggerated. I just got lucky.'"
Shirone understood. If he gave up now, the political game would be over. The only problem was the fate of Orcamp and Elisa. They had abandoned him, but they had let him live. Did he have the right to cause their deaths?
Shirone said, "I'll think about it. No—give me time to think."
Zion said, "Take all the time you need. I'll hear your answer in the Colosseum. No matter what you choose, I will win. Make the wise decision."
As Zion left, Shirone's mind was in turmoil. He didn't know what to do.
Wuorin, who had been quietly looking for her pet cat, was now ready to leave.
Wuorin said, "Good luck, Brother."
Shirone looked at her, his eyes begging for help. But Wuorin just tilted her head and smiled, as if she didn't understand. Shirone felt defeated and stared at the ground.
Then, Wuorin let out a soft sigh.
Wuorin said, "Haa." Her voice was now calm and serious. "Do you want me to help you?"
Shirone looked up, surprised.
Wuorin said, "Of course, I could help you." She took a few steps back. "But I might also choose not to. You need to give me a good reason. Right now, you don't have one. In this demonstration, you may lose a lot. But it is also a chance to gain something very precious. I hope you choose wisely."
Without another word, Wuorin left. The beautiful, happy smile Shirone had hoped for never appeared.
Alone again, Shirone thought hard about Wuorin's words.
'I see,' he realized.
"Losing much" meant giving up the chance to be a prince. "Gaining something precious" meant saving Orcamp and Elisa's lives.
Wuorin was telling him: "If you let Zion become king, I will have a reason to protect your birth parents. Surrender the throne."
'Fine. That's enough,' Shirone decided. He would ruin the magic show.
A loud siren blared. The demonstration was about to begin.
Having made his choice, Shirone stepped onto a metal lift. With a loud clank, it rose up from the darkness. He found himself in a tunnel, facing a heavy iron gate. As the gate lifted, bright light poured in. Shirone walked out into the center of the giant Colosseum.
Zion was right—this felt like a clown show. Hundreds of people were staring at him.
In the distance, where the sun was setting, stood a single, shabby wooden plank. It was his target. It was almost an insult. Did they not believe in his power?
A voice boomed through the arena.
The Announcer said, "We will now begin the aptitude evaluation of the First Prince candidate!"
An 'aptitude evaluation'—what a silly name for this fight, Shirone thought.
He bowed to King Orcamp.
Shirone said loudly, "Your Majesty, magic is a powerful force. There is a risk of damaging the equipment. I seek your understanding in advance."
He was warning them that their flimsy target was about to be destroyed.
King Orcamp understood and supported him.
King Orcamp declared, "Worry not. The target is merely a formality. As long as you demonstrate your abilities, you may do as you please."
The stage was set. Shirone took a deep breath, ready to begin his demonstration.