She left soon after that. We had our meal, which was quiet but not unpleasant. I went to bed rather early. When I woke up, I did a standard morning routine. I was still feeling the aftershocks of last night. Orosu, Nova. I didn't know what could happen between the two. While it was bothering me, I couldn't do anything about it either. So I did the only thing I could do. I carried on with my day.
I put my tournament fighting kimono on and stepped outside my room into the hallway. It was 7:30 right now, so the first match, Nova's match, was in about 2 hours. While it sounded like a lot of time, the passage of said time can feel different for many people. That said, I should use it wisely. I went down to the main hall for breakfast, sniffing the air and catching a whiff of the delectable eggs and sausages. The mess hall was crowded with combatants and their families, along with celebrities who had been invited to the event. Low but constant chatter among them. While I was scanning the gathering, I spotted Arthur Hexdragon, the opponent Nova defeated in the second fight of the first round. I was surprised he was still here. Arthur recognizes me and waves me over. As I approach him, he greets me with a simple but firm handshake.
"Arashi, correct? I saw your fight with Luis, and I must say, you are someone to look out for in this tournament," he spoke with the elegance and grace of a knight you would find in the Dark Ages.
"Why are you still here?" I asked with genuine curiosity. "I thought people who are out of the running have to leave. Or at least they can't access anything the combatants still in the tournament can."
"Ah. That is where you're wrong, my good friend. See, if you are an acquaintance to one of the participants still in the tournament, you get all the perks," he said, eating his scrambled eggs elegantly with a fork and plate in his hand as he stood.
I decided to get my own food at this time since my stomach was growling. I started towards the incredibly large buffet table that was set up for the combatants and, apparently, their acquaintances. I packed my plate with fried eggs, sausages, hash browns, rice, and a piece of toast.
"Quite the meal you have there," Arthur remarks with a chuckle.
"Oh, shut up," I say halfheartedly. Then I decided to ask. "Say, who is your 'acquaintance' anyway?" I ask, my mouth full.
Arthur takes a break from devouring his breakfast and looks up. "She's over there," he says, pointing across the room to Nova, of all people.
She sees us and makes her way over. "Good morning, Arashi, Arthur," she greets us with subtle enthusiasm.
"How long have you been awake for?" I ask her
"I woke up about an hour ago. Why? Does my lack of sleep concern you?" she asked with a condescending tone
"No," I answered her bluntly, turning my head away for a moment before bringing it back to face her.
Arthur smiles faintly and puts his arm around my shoulder. "If you're going to hide your intentions, at least do it well," he says teasingly.
I raise an eyebrow. "And what intentions would I be hiding?"
Arthur pulls back, shakes his head and clicks his tongue. "What kind of sorrow befalls you, Arashi?"
"I'm sorry?" I say as Nova puts her hand over her mouth to hide her smile.
Arthur, finished with his food, sets his plate down and heads off toward the stands. "I shall be awaiting your triumphant victory, Arashi! Please spare no greatness in the heat of battle! I would like to witness you in your full glory!" he calls out behind him.
"Did he time-travel or something? He sounds like a holy knight from the 13th century," I remark.
"He's one of the last living members of Arthur Pendragon's family," Nova explains.
I just about choked on my food. Once I save myself with some water, I turn to her. "Arthur Pendragon? You mean, King Arthur?!" I say, surprised, but a bit confused. "But… his last name-" I protested.
"Yes, his last name is Hexdragon. He says they had to change their family name in the early 17th century because other opposing kings were trying to hunt down and execute the last remaining members of the Pendragon lineage. So they changed it to avoid suspicion," she shrugged. "Blood test checked out. He showed me his results, and sure enough. It matched up with the DNA preserved on the original Excalibur in the museum of ancient artifacts."
I look back at Arthur with a bit of admiration. "It's a shame you knocked him out of the tournament so early. I would have liked to face him."
Nova smiled and looked at him as well. "I'm sure he feels the same way."