This book is old and battered, and has a musty smell to it. However, a keen-scented reader will recognize the scent as preservative rather than mold.
Possession of this tome is worth **** Research Point per session. If delivered to the Church, this tome is worth **** Church Prestige Points. With a year of study and **** Research Points, this tome will provide information on the topic of Ancient History.
Queen Sofia needs a new Royal Champion. Jitani Arima has killed himself, after killing his lover Issora Mikaera in a jealous duel. The Jitani have been embarrassed by this event; the Royal Champion should be better than that. Arima certainly should have known better than to get involved with an Issora.
He was a fine swordsman, though.
There is a Tournament to select a new Royal Champion. Any Komaran, even peasants, is welcome to attend. There will be a series of duels that will narrow the field of contestants down to eight, and then the Queen and her brother will choose a new Royal Champion. It promises to be very exciting. Jitani Arima was appointed by Queen Sofia's mother, and there has been eight years for new talent to emerge.
Forty faces have emerged from the fields and backwoods of Komaru to compete for the position of Royal Champion. It is not usually a position sought by those with other titles to maintain; it requires that the Champion leave behind his family and his previous life and live only to defend the Queen's honor and life. There are always commoners who participate in the tournament, because of the possibilities available to one so close to the Monarch are dizzying, especially as the Age progresses and the Royal Champion's responsibilities grow more serious. Unfortunately, most of them, having nothing to lose, die rather than surrender in the preliminary duels.
This writer has only heard of a few of these names. Dara Dassingen is the one commoner I expect to have a chance against all the nobles with better training. She is fierce and aggressive, and something of a self-trained prodigy. Komaru Ashitana is a young lady from the capital who holds a small barony; by all accounts she is bright, cheerful and serious. Komaru Ravani, a professional duelist, announced her intent to participate immediately after Ashitana did, and this writer believes some rivalry there, especially given Ravani's sarcastic remarks about Ashitana's suitability for the role. Minamei Satsuki is one of the few nobles with more than a barony at stake; he is a powerful count in the Minamei lands. This writer suspects that after the death of his Asawa wife, he is looking for some other precious thing to defend. Jitani Merri has made many extended speeches about how he will win this tournament to restore the honor of his family; he is very earnest even if this writer has heard no tales of his accomplishments before now. And then there is Minamei Chiaki, who also believes that he will win this tournament. He is very proud, and swift and fierce on the battlefield.
This writer believes that the enormous turnout of young men for this event has something to do with the occasional past Royal Champions gaining the additional duties of Royal Consort, and our lovely young Queen's lack in that department. Certainly historically a closeness develops between the Monarch and her Royal Champion, but our Queen seems quite content with the family she already has.
In the fourth round of the tournament, Dara Dassingen, the favorite of the commoners, encountered Kodacha Tadaka, who has not yet lost a match, and was beaten. While she had won her other match previously, she was unfortunately injured against Tadaka, and has been forced to withdraw from the match. She was eager to continue fighting, but after an interview with Tadaka, she withdrew. Kodacha Tadaka is nobody this author has heard of, and upon immediate inspection, doesn't seem impressive. He is self-deprecating and looks scholarly; he has the cheerfulness of one who is not afraid of life and even in combat he lacks physical grace. Only against Dara has this author yet seen him lengthen his stride and push towards what might be his limits. With the absence of Dara, only a single commoner remains in the competition, Arisan Esteban, who accepted his only loss to date with an atypical equanimity. Much commoner support transferred over to him, but there are still many commoners grieving over the loss of their favorite.
Another favorite who dropped from the competition is young Minamei Aranu. Only seventeen, he is a prodigy with the blade. His astonishing agility and ambidexterity helped him cut a swathe through the initial rounds, but in the fourth round, he faced Komaru Ravani after losing once to Kodacha Tadaka. Ravani fights like an angered viper; she is fierce and passionate and driven. While Aranu is practically her equal in speed, it seems that his youthful genius can not compare with Ravani's decade and a half of experience. Ravani caustically remarked after the duel that Aranu would be better served managing lands than seeking a career as a duelist.
Issora Tiana fell ill shortly before her first duel with Asawa Akira and was so weakened by her illness that she lost a duel that most educated observers agree that she should have won. Before her next scheduled duel, with Komaru Ashitana, she withdrew. More than one suspicious eye has been cast towards Jitani Merri, brilliantly snatching victory after victory from the lesser ranks; she was the only remaining Issora in the competition, and educated observers were fairly certain that if Merri and Tiana were to face each other in a duel, Tiana would be the victor.
The field has been narrowed to eight by the end of the fourth round: Komaru Ashitana, Asawa Akira, Komaru Ravani, Jitani Merri, Kodacha Tadaka, Minamei Chiaki, Minamei Satsuki and Arisan Esteban, the commoner. Instead of continuing rounds until there is a single victor, the eight finalists will swear the oath of the Royal Champion under the stern eye of the Royal Court, the Queen and her brother Prince Annei, and then the Queen and her brother will choose the Royal Champion.
It is a stressful moment for the Queen. This writer has heard that Kodacha Tadaka has caught her interest, while Minamei Chiaki has been overlooked; Komaru Ravani has intrigued her while Asawa Akira annoys her. The Queen must choose a Champion whom she can trust, but if she chooses a favorite, she must face the truth that she is asking them to die for her.
During the swearing of the Oath, Komaru Ravani faltered. The potential Champions must swear to put the Queen's life and honor before all others, including their own; they must fight all duels for their Queen, and in a new addition to the Oath, they must swear to love none but the Queen. Komaru Ravani faltered, and looked at Komaru Ashitana, and stopped. Then, bowing her head, she asked quietly to be excused from the proceedings.
When Minamei Chiaki swore the oath, one of the observing miko argued with him, calling him a liar. "You are aware of your own passions, your own fallibility. You know you will not keep this oath you swear." He began to argue, but then the Prince looked at him, and he departed.
Merri gave the oath in a strong, clear voice, and was not dismissed, but this writer does not think the Queen will choose another Jitani so quickly in the wake of Arima. Merri has done honor to his family's fighting skill, certainly, although the sickness of Issora Tiana casts an unfortunate shadow over his presence at the final section.
So at the final reckoning, there were six for the Queen to choose from. She sat in her throne for a long time, staring at each of the competitors, and finally, she rose to her feet, her scepter in her hand, and went to pace among the potential Champions, peering into their eyes, resting her hands on their faces. Ashitana she looked at sadly, but she did not dismiss her. Upon Tadaka she cast a sad longing gaze, and did not dismiss him. Asawa Akira received a measuring, calculating look quite reminiscent of the Queen's mother; Arisan Esteban the same, and Minamei Satsuki she paused longest before. Then she returned to her throne and raised her scepter, and made her choice.