Book 5: Chapter 57: Well Earned Rest


    <strong>Scarlet</strong>


    Silence fills the arena as the others approach. And it continues even after they reach me without any of them saying a word.


    We all just kinda stare for several seconds.


    Amelia finally breaks the silence by saying, Well, that was fun to watch. Ill just go find a corner to sit in for the rest of this. Then she walks away under the surprised gazes of me and the others.


    Huh.


    A faint grin begins to grow on my face as a realizationes to mind.


    And so, with absolute dignity and no shame whatsoever, I float into the air and form arge orb of Red gue around me. Which proceeds to repeatedly devour the image of the crown that constantly disappears and reappears over my head.


    Amelia was the only one who can actually nullify my Red gue, so if shes not participating, why not just rest for the remainder of thepetition?


    <strong>Youre shameless, you know that, right? </strong>Tarments from the in-between, not daring to appear thanks to the Red gue that is dangerous even to him.


    No idea what youre referring to. Im an innocent snowke.


    He starts coughing at that, but I choose to ignore him.


    Instead of paying the traitor any mind, I look down below at the Knights who are all discussing amongst themselves about if they can even attack me. Meanwhile Xyvandra gives up right away and finds a corner of her own to take a nap. And Vorgrim walks away too, apparently feeling too thankful towards me to even think about attacking me, regardless of if hed actually hurt me.


    After those two, Purple is the next to walk away. Probably because she isnt exactly abat Guardian.


    Which leaves ck, Blue, and Red. None of whom seem to know how to get rid of my Red gue.


    Not for theck of trying either, since they all attack the Red gue. But it doesnt really result in much other than them burning their mana.


    The only people in the tournament I know can erase the Red gue are Leonidas, Amelia, and possibly Vorgrim. And two of those three decided not to do anything, while thest lost to me.


    Also, something I found rather surprising was that very, and I mean <em>very </em>few people decided to go without the anti-death use activated. To the point that I think only Amelia and Xyvandra did. Everyone else activated it. Even I did for this round, although that was at mom and dads insistence.


    I went with it because Im already in the lead anyways, so theres no reason not to.


    The boost is only a 1.1x multiplier though, so its not much of a difference. And the Red gue has already left me very far ahead.


    <strong>Just be honest, </strong>Tar suddenly says, making me narrow my eyes slightly.


    Honest about what?


    He snorts, <strong>You just had it on because you wanted to fight Leonidas. And you knew he wouldnt go all out if you didnt have it activated.</strong>


    I stare up at the sky where I imagine the tanuki at for a few seconds before averting my gaze without responding.


    <strong>Thought so, </strong>he says with a briefugh.


    So what do you think the nextpetition will be?


    I can practically <em>feel </em>the judgmental stare hes no doubt sending me right now from the void, but he answers anyways, <strong>I can see it probably being some sort of teampetition. Its currently the fifthpetition and we havent had any teampetitions yet after all.</strong>


    Oh, right. I almost forgot that teampetitions were a thing.


    Uh, I honestly have no idea what Ill be doing for those. Im not exactly the best team yer when I can identally permanently kill my teammates just from bleeding on them


    <strong>Thats </strong>Tar mutters, pausing for a second, <strong>true</strong>


    I really wanted to team up with Belle, Aria, Leonidas, and Amelia. A rather unbnced team, but what the heck.


    Then again, we dont know howrge the teams can even be. Dont know any of the rules about the teampetitions.


    <strong>Well, you can at least team up with them in theterpetitions, </strong>Tar points out. <strong>The ones that arentbatpetitions.</strong>


    True. No risk of bleeding on them in those.


    I furrow my brows slightly.


    That sounds wrong.


    <strong>It does, </strong>Tar agrees.


    I nce down at the three Knights when I hear them finally giving up entirely and just going to find their own corners. And then, just as youd expect, the arena suddenly vanishes and everyone but me is teleported to their towers.


    <strong>And the winner of thepetition is </strong>King Oberon trails off.


    Huh? Why am I still here when everyone else-


    <strong>Princess Scarlet, would you mind removing that sphere of Red gue? </strong>the king awkwardlyments, apparently realizing that Im not up on the tower.


    Oh. Guess he cant teleport me when Im covered in Red gue like this.


    So I absorb it all before immediately finding myself teleporting onto the highest tower.


    <strong>And the winner of thepetition is the Princess of the Demons, Apex Predator, Warden of the Red gue, Bane of Corruption, </strong>he briefly pauses to quietly mutter under his breath, <strong>with a lot of Titles, </strong>before finishing just as loudly and grandly as the first part, <strong>Scarlet Art Asger de Archeron!</strong>


    I blink as the audience goes wild. But I cant help but focus on the fact that he referred to Princess of the Demons as if it were a Title instead of just a title.


    Thats not a Title. Then again, guess he couldve just grouped it up with the others since it is still something Im known as, even if its not an official System Title.


    Either way, the audience continues going wild for a little while. All while King Oberon shows reruns of my battle with Leonidas on the main screen.


    I just yawn, feeling emptied out of mana during this time.


    Can I just go now?


    Eventually the king finishes going on and on before he says, <strong>And now we have the duels! But since our dear first ce and her father went and gave us such a splendid show for the fifthpetition, what do you all say about excusing them from judging?!</strong>


    My eyes suddenly open wide as my attention fully focuses on him. And when the audience goes wild with cheers, agreeing with that suggestion, I feel actual tearsing to my eyes.


    <strong>Then that decides it! Since they were the only ones fighting during thispetition, theyll be excused from judging duels this time around! </strong>King Oberon deres, making me feel relief. <strong>Now to get the duels started!</strong>


    Now to get some sleep.