As soon as the swords touch each other the duel begins.
Both elemental coat their swords and Robert takes the initiative by doing a flurry of windy thrusts.
'A rapier style that's very gentleman-like,' Ray smiles, and then weirdly enough his sword looked like it bent and bounced the rapier away making Robert's eyes open wider in surprise confused at what happened, taking a step back.
"Was that it? That was worse than a light warm-up," Once again Ray starts laughing while everyone is focused on his sword including the people that ended up passing by watching a dispute between the white rose family known for peerless swordsmanship and an unknown old man who kept on mocking them with words while waving a sword.
Ray starts walking outside as this place is becoming too crowded, noticing this, I follow through leaving the nobles behind after lightly waving at Alicia whose eyes were fascinated at the old man's skill.
"That old man is quite dangerous, it seems like it wasn't all talk, I don't know what he did but it looked like his sword bend and then bounced mine off, never seen something like that."
"That was the old man showing off one of the skills I didn't learn due to marrying Alfred, but I know the theory, the sword didn't bend neither bounced that was mana with a soul layer which makes it look like it can stretch or enlarge by taking the same appearance as the weapon itself, we humans have a low life span so our soul is usually small but that old man has lived for quite a while and has done quite the killing and title farming, and on top of that he has learned how to do things with his soul, in fact, during one of the matches Iris mana started doing cuts on the floor, that was a different use which I disregarded initially, however, now that I know she's her student it's no wonder that happened once she ages a lot more she'll be able to take the next step of swordsmanship."
"Mana coating, elemental coating, and soul coating..." Alicia says while smiling excitedly to learn new things.
"I do understand that, however, the old man looks truly ancient so it makes sense, but how come Iris was able to do it?" Robert questions making Sylvia also confused.
"I suppose... Iris must have a considerable big soul already perhaps since she has a twin, maybe they're connected in a mysterious way, perhaps since Aurora can't use an element she becomes a sort of reserve power to Iris..."
"That does sound like a plausible theory milady, but I don't know anything that could measure a soul size, I've seen the adventurers stone book and inside the pages, something like a soul wasn't mentioned."
"I do know the royal family and the church have a unique book of the sort, I've also heard rumors about a red book used by the dark priests that criminal cult," Alfred said confidently as he remembered them.
"In other words, from all of them the one who could possibly measure souls would be the church one since they serve the goddess Aria who makes humans reborn through the reincarnation portal, it wouldn't be weird if their book had something like that in it."
"Are monsters, beasts, and demons able to possess such things? Since in the end, they should be able to learn mana, elemental, soul coating, and all sorts of skills and classes that we have, since the system is the same right?" Alicia sneaked a bomb into the conversation as she knew through the hero memories that such things were indeed real and in the past had been quite the threat to the human race.
"Go on ahead I'll go back and talk to Julius right away as what you said makes complete sense and we didn't even think about something so simple like that, monsters might be stupid but what if one of them actually learned the very few weapons that have kept us humans survive till now, including our war tactics and everything else, in fact... Alicia, you have the memories of the hero so be honest with me, was it on purpose?"
Upon being questioned Alicia smiles and then says," I did say I acquired important information and tactics from long ago to deal with the enemies of humanity, not to forget the hero summoning isn't restricted only to the goddess Aria though compared to other gods she's a cut above in that ability," upon hearing her words Alfred ran towards one of the coliseum rooms to meet the crown prince Julius and Aurora who he assumed would be together.
Iris and Ray left for the Tonne village while Sylvia and Robert took Alicia who's still recovering to the wagon while they waited for Alfred.
Meanwhile, Alfred found two royal guards protecting one of the rooms which he passed through without asking them for permission due to his own status.
The doors opened with some strength surprising Aurora and the crown Prince Julius who were discussing domestic affairs before Aurora returns to the front lines and a maid who was on standby waiting for orders.
"Julius, we need to talk," as soon as Aurora heard that she was about to get up out of respect for their relationship with one another, and then Alfred said," this matter includes the general too," Aurora stared at him as it felt strange from the few times she's been with the white rose family to head the girl had never seen him this flustered.
"What's wrong Alfred, come sit with us, do bring the Lord a cup of tea," the maid who was on duty during their discussion leaves the room and then he starts talking while approaching them without sitting.
"So basically... how should I say this, you might not believe me but my daughter Alicia has gotten the memories of the first hero the peasant one, and she said that the system works equally for every race, in other words," he unsheathed his sword and mana coats it and says," this is one of the things we humans learned and use to fight our enemies, but Alicia said that there have been monsters and beasts capable of using this skill too, which would include elemental coating as everyone is generally born with an element, as well as soul coating that is very exceptional, more like the only person I know that can use it is the old teacher of my wife, the swordmaster known as the fallen noble Ray."
He took a deep breath and then continued talking.
"The skills, classes that we humans have, in other words, it wouldn't be weird for the goblins to have them, be fame or disgraced type ones, their king should also have learned to use the tactics that he encountered through the last war waged against us as well, as having subordinates equally or even stronger than us, could even appear a special type of goblin summoned by their goddess Luna," the more and more Alfred talked the more startled the crown Prince Julius became, as for Aurora she remained quietly listening to every single word unfazed as they were pieces of information that had been assumptions, while she learned more of this world and that she knew the short straw had been taken by her, as Iris race had been the weakest of them all, and ever since reading about the system being fair, it would certainly mean that every god had close to the same set of skills.
"That's indeed pretty dangerous and could without a doubt make it harder for us especially since their number will be a lot more than what we have currently what do you think general?" Julius asked while sweating nervously from the room temperature and the news.
"As long as my conditions become true before the war begins, I cannot possibly imagine us losing to goblins, of course that for our victory to happen the army needs to keep training and improving the way I envision them to, while we get the number of soldiers I need, we're currently way too few and if I were to guess they should attack us with their whole force, be it composed of goblin children, females, men, or even elderly, from the information I've received from the pope and the Saintess one hundred years ago, they used half of what they had a force of 400 thousand goblins, after studying and learning more about goblins they should be around three times more so one million and two hundred as long as they're not fighting other fronts," in reality they are one million goblins due to the ceremony they do with the children from time to time, due to it the number ended up reducing by 100 thousand and the rest murdered by other races around their kingdom, as well as internal strife and the law of the strongest.
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"That's an insane amount..." Alfred said and then both of them frowned as Aurora had kept this information to herself to not demoralize anyone, she then spoke," and yet we live in Lumen kingdom despite everything we have around 9 to 10 million humans, just not many into the army, in other words, due to the summoning of the heroes and the visions of the Saintess the humans got used to living in comfort and peace, forgetting that they live in a world that they can die at any given time, they have turned into slothful beings," Aurora said coldly making both of them silent.
"Get me at least 500 thousand soldiers and I promise I'll wipe the goblin race out of this world unless... of course there're other goblin kingdoms around the world seeing as we barely had any information about what's around us, the reason why I've formed some scout parties when I joined the army and have been acquiring information from all the fronts, that include the sea in the west, and beyond the mountains in the east where it is recorded for an ogre kingdom to exist, but basically I'm drawing a map of the world, certainly we won't be able to reach to the deepest parts, and possibly not even to the edges of the world due to every freaking enemy we have to face because we don't have a single allied kingdom of any type, aside of perhaps the golems on top of the mountains to the east who are just peacefully living there, if it wasn't for that I'm sure we would've been invaded by that position as well."
'Even though she's saying everything bluntly and in an angry tone she doesn't look mad at all, she's truly different than her twin sister Iris who is fairly easy to read, what are ogres even,' Alfred thought while paying attention to this little girl closely,' the most interesting point would be her confidence that seems to have no end almost like a bottomless well, but from everything she has done the numbers don't lie, in a very short amount of time she's clean the entire central-southern section of the forest and even cut the trees as she progressed shortening the territory of the goblins by force, picking small to big groups of enemies defeating them mercilessly without going beyond heavy injuries, there hasn't been a single death for now at least, if she were to fight an army of 1.2 million with what she has currently, everyone would simply die, even if Aurora has the skills but does not have the numbers, she's bound to fall.'
"Currently the defenses of the kingdom consist of mostly the guards, as the military left Isabella to command and will join us in the South through the support of the pope, seeing as it was the choice of the people it simply can't be helpt, furthermore peasants who hear your tales from the pope, your speech and also from the tournament, they will for sure be encouraged to join our army Aurora, I believe it's truly just a matter of time."
"I agree with Julius it'll be even easier now that it's flowering season named after the goddess Aria, the weather will be perfect for people to be convinced as well as I'm sure people are hearing all the changes and laws you and Julius been preparing, especially the one that protects those who end up with a disgraceful class, and that criminals will be solely those who harm others in some way, everything is changing, in fact, your brain is truly special, I'll let you meet my daughter once she's finished her training, there are some memories that Alicia wishes to share with you to help you beat our enemies."
To that Aurora replies," I'm thankful as every help is necessary especially information, the more I have the less to- humans will die on the battlefield."
'Oops, the word toys almost escaped my mouth,' she let out a smile.
"I'll be going now your highness, general if either of you needs anything just write me, I'll be contacting the noble houses that are connected to me, so the army side expands, once I have a decent number of troops I'll be going south to give you two a hand, and hone my skills too, can't allow that freaking old man to mock me like that and get away easily next time I meet him."
'Seems like Iris did find a great teacher how amusing,' Aurora smiles lightly, making it look like an innocent expression to not disrespect Alfred.
"I'm thinking in making word be spread for peasants who don't have a job to become guards increasing the law and enforcement of justice in the capital, and with an even better payment to become soldiers of our army, as well as doing a deal with the other prince and princess, so that they too get a share of men as the scale of war, will need all fronts to survive since we don't know if it's only the goblins we'll be facing or not, and we may even end up fighting one of the other two successors if they don't achieve enough, it's also an option that could lead to a usurpation of the throne once we win."
"You're truly a confident child Aurora, to think you're only 9 years old and go to that extent even if I don't spend much time with you, I can tell that you're truly something else, I've met kids your age my daughter and your sister included and their a lot more childish, the only child aspect of you is your body, for that mind of yours it's like it has lived for a very long time," Alfred says and then turns around leaving.
"See you later Alfred," Julius says as he stares at him leaving, and then the maid arrived with some tea and cake," seems like our break from work has arrived," Julius says happily as Aurora smiles at something since she's not looking at anything in particular.
'This world is starting to get fun with the number of pieces I can play with,' Aurora thought to herself filled with amusement.
'I can't wait to destroy millions of beings with you again Aurora, it'll truly be a vicious and delightful meal, speaking of which, you didn't tell Iris that you too received two skills from the Saintess and the goddess blessing via soul-bound.'
'It is fine, one of them is the endless cap which will allow my pandemonium skills to be better used, but she needs to awaken before we reach that stage, and the other blessing skill is endless awakening which will be interesting to use once I'm alone, even though as a weapon I probably have a limited growth rate, but it should at least help me get to it faster.'
'That way you'll become even more useful to our master as well as strong enough to protect us.'
'Indeed.'
'This world will be turned upside down soon enough Aurora,' the voice started laughing madly in her head and then it started talking through her mind again,' will you ever tell her about our past? After all, we did...' as the voice was about to say something Aurora's head started hurting making the voice disappear, she places her hand in the spot where it's painful.
"Are you okay Aurora? Does your head hurt?"
"Don't worry prince Julius everything's fine."
"Alright here have some tea it'll help."
"Thank you," she takes a light sip noticing it's pretty hot.
'Even if I wanted to tell Iris anything about my past life I don't remember it, I was something different in a world of humans I was a different being... something else entirely... but I don't remember what... in a way, I hoped the red book held the answers to my problems but the information was classified sadly, and even then my memories are all messed, cursed, sealed... I don't know who I am anymore, all I know is that I'm Aurora, and even that name feels rather... wrong for me.'