The Gatekeeper Chapter 25- Challenge.

After I descended to the floor, I was a target to the scowl of many people.

They were looking at me with eyes full of hatred and resentment, the same kind of hatred and resentment I've been receiving since I was a kid, but this was harsher and more fierce than any I've experienced.

I believed that I was immune to hatred and resentment, but the eyes filled with those emotions I was receiving right now penetrated deep into me, it felt like I would be killed if I even took a glance at the people who were directing their anger and ill will at me.

"It will be really hard for you from now on."

I felt a light tap on my shoulder, I felt his presence, so I wasn't surprised, rather, I was baffled by the fact that somebody actually approached someone like me, who was the common target for enmity and hostility from more than 200 people.

I turned around, throwing out all of these unreasonable questions out of my mind and responding him in a kind way, fit for someone who was showing me good will, at the price of his own standing.

"No, it's okay, I'm used to these glares."

I said so with a troubled smile attached to my disheartening words. Listening to which, the man couldn't help but smile.

"It seems so, and I can vaguely grasp the reason as well. You don't have any openings, do you?"

"Can't let my guard down while being showered with such dense killing intent, can I?"

"Of course not. I am surprised that you can even handle killing intent this harsh."

"Can't be hearing that from a man who is just as immune to it as I am."

We had a light conversation, at the conclusion of which, the tall, wide and imposing man chuckled.

"You are surely interesting. I can see why Vernyx did what he did."

"To be honest, I am still confused as to His Highness's true motives. He just seemed like a battle-maniac to me."

"Ooo~ So you could deduct all that from such a short conversation. It's certainly true. He comes from the species as me, we're both battle-maniacs to the core."

"It seems like I was scouted by some dangerous people. However, tell me, would it be presumptuous of me to consider myself a battle-maniac to the core as well?"

"Kuku, surely, you are very interesting, my daughter seems to be about your age. Oh, allow me to introduce myself, my name is Bernard Lenach, and I am a soldier."

So he is the Great General Bernard Lenach, the second strongest man in the Kingdom? Seems nice enough.

"Calling yourself a soldier? Isn't it a little too humble?My name is Toru, and I am a commoner."

"At the end, that's what we all are, ranks don't matter on a battlefield, do they? We all go into the battlefield with the resolve to kill, and if need be, be killed."

"It is as you say Great General Bernard Lenach-sama."

"Drop the t.i.tles. You're introduction is a little amusing. Vernyx just wouldn't pick up any commoner, you know?"

"You may be right. However, I am more interested in what you mentioned before, something about things getting harder?"

"Yes, as you know, n.o.bles despise commoners. It may be a little weird coming from a n.o.ble, but you commoners are despised, resented, and considered a waste of s.p.a.ce in the eyes of the n.o.bles. And you come here, in a party filled to the brim with n.o.bles and strong adventurers, and get personally acknowledged by the strongest man in the Kingdom. Surely, you understand the consequences, right?"

He had a troubled smile on his face. I could understand from this that he was a true 'battle-maniac', he wasn't looking at me with the eyes of a n.o.ble, he was looking at me with eyes of a 'man'.

Gauging my strength, finding weaknesses, and coming up with countermeasures, he was already forming strategies to face me in the tournament.

"Yes, I do, but as I said earlier, I am used to it. They won't be able to touch me, if they do, they'll burn."

"Fire mage, huh?"

"It is as you say."

"Hehe, I have lost interest in any kind of flame, since I witnessed that one. It was beautiful, and truly so. Beautiful than any woman to have ever existed, more beautiful than any poem or story ever written, it's deeply etched in heart. The blue flame which I saw six days ago."

He had a faraway look in his eyes, he was remembering something that he could not hope to ever witness again.

Well, he is a good guy.

I raise the index finger of my right hand, and slowly place it on the wine gla.s.s that Bernard is holding.

He doesn't flinch, he just looks at my face with a look of puzzlement and confusion.

"Let's keep it a secret between us, okay?"

I say so and lit my index finger ablaze. The flame which erupted was a magnificent blue one.

Bernard's eyes widened to the point that his pupils were practically dots. His mouth agape, his feet trembling, and his face turning red.

I lit his wine aflame and move away from him after dropping these few words.

"See you in the tournament, Lenach-sama."

His eyes were glued to the gla.s.s he held, even if it were to injure his hand, he would not care.

"I didn't think it would work."

I say so while moving through the crowd and the tray under my arms. I believed that it was a normal wine, so it shouldn't have caught fire, but it seems like the alcohol content is much higher in wines here.

I could hear the words "What happened?" "His hand is on fire" and "His hand is on fire, but he is still smiling!" from behind me, but they were completely ignored.

I notice Sylvia's beautifully arranged light-blue hair, and move in that direction swiftly, while avoiding the horde of men who were going to crash into me intentionally.

As I approached them, I began to hear bits and pieces of their conversation.

"Ah! You look like a prost.i.tute from the red light district, you know?"

"And with that gown, you look like a maid whose only job is to please her master."

I recognize Sylvia's voice, but the other voice seems vaguely familiar as well.

"You are just a b.i.t.c.h who likes to obsess about 'equality' and whatnot but you are just as cheap as everybody else."

"What did you say? You are cheap one, always hanging out in the guild, and eyeing those innocent girls."

"What are you trying to imply here Sylvia? I have already fallen in love with a man, you know?"

"Haha, this man you talk about must just as good-for-nothing, unattractive and irritating as you, Alissa."

When I finally reached their position, I heard this statement from the glamouring and sparkling Sylvia, the one who she was having this friendly argument was, of course, Alissa.

And I just had to hear the part about 'love' huh. We just met about 2 hours ago, Alissa, what is with this development.

I could see a small circle of women when I arrived.

There were Sylvia and Alissa facing each other while talking in a voice which couldn't be heard by anyone else, except me, d.a.m.n these senses.

There was also Celice present, ma.s.saging her temple with her index finger and thumb, I could also see Aneeka there, ma.s.saging her temples as well.

These four absolute beauties were in the middle, while numerous guys were eyeing them from all around them, it seemed like the both of them were unaffected by the l.u.s.tful eyes sent by dozens of guys towards them, or it could be that they just didn't notice.

After hearing that last hurtful comment, which was indirectly directed at me, I made my way to them, ignoring the ranks of men who were scowling at me for more reasons than one.

"Good-for-nothing, unattractive and irritating man here. Can you guys stop?"

I said so in a low voice, to which, all four of them reacted by being startled. I had hidden my presence so they wouldn't notice, looks like they didn't.

"Eh? Eh? Eh? Toru? What do you mean by that?"

Sylvia, who was the one who recovered the fastest, asked me with an expression filled with embarra.s.sment and confusion.

Looks like she remembers that indirect confession from before.

"Sylvia, ask Alissa who she's in love with."

"Eh? Eh? 'Alissa'? Alissa, why is Toru calling you like that, I wonder?"

"... It's him. I am in love with him. Leaving that aside, why is Toru calling you 'Sylvia', I wonder? I wonder?"

Why the extra 'I wonder'?

"...I am in love with him."

Okay, let's jot this down, two confessions from two G.o.ddesses of comparable beauty and glamour. And there is one more, right? I turn my eyes towards Aneeka.

"Hey, hey, Sylvichan, Alisssan, I am in love with Toru-san as well."

'Sylvichan', seems like she is older than her, and wait, Aneeka, I need to apologize, I turned your father's hand into cooked meat just five minutes ago.

"You are quite popular, aren't you?"

"I am just happy that you aren't confessing as well."

"I am not one to go with the flow, but spend some time with me, and I might."

"Please no, Celice, I need some comrades."

"Kukuku I was just kidding."

"""Hey you, don't go off on a tangent, we just confessed to you."""

This was also said in a low voice, I am happy that there are more than 100 men surrounding us, or that one line would've reverberated throughout the hall.

"Good evening, Your Highness and Celice-san, you look as lovely as ever."

While I was utilizing my hyper perception to think of a suitable reply, my savior appeared.

The ladies who were glaring at me with eyes full of affection and antic.i.p.ation turned around in the direction of the voice, so did Celice.

"It is me, Nex Ellis, the eldest son of the house of Ellis, at your service. I was late because I had some work to take care of, busy as usual, you see..."

He said so and grinned, his grin was filled with arrogance and mockery. What I saw from the gap between the women was that he was linking arms with a woman. The arms seemed white and pretty, the dress pink dress she was wearing was certainly amazing as well. She had a commoner's mana, I wonder if she's Nex's wife or something, but why would a n.o.ble marry a commoner? It could be a concubine.

The answer was provided to me when all the four ladies surrounded me and hid behind me.

All three of them snuggled close to my back. Celice just stood beside me while clasping the sleeve of my white shirt between her fingers.

I could feel three different set of soft cushions pushing on my back, each of them were twitching and hitting each other, as if trying to monopolize my back.

The person I saw beside Nex Ellis was an absolute beauty, a beauty on the level with the ones on my back right now.

She was wearing a pretty pink dress which had a slit in its skirt, her peart white and alluring thighs peeked out of the slit, sending the noses of the men to a trip in hot springs of blood, her figure was one which was peerless in terms of adult charm, her face was as magnificent as they come, on the same level as Sylvia, Alissa or Celice. Her azure blue hair was tied into a pony behind her, which exposed her seductive neck, she was wearing a normal looking necklace, her eyes of the same azure colour were moist, but the reason for their moistness could be described as her meeting an unexpected person.

"Master?"

"Yo."

"Master~!!!!!!!!!!"

"Don't even think about it!"

"Master~ Master~ Master~"

"NO! Nirvana, don't jump on me, that's a command, I'll dance with you later as compensation."

"Uuu~"

Her expression changed from a pained smile, to a beautiful and blooming smile, and then back to a pained one within a matter of seconds. Seems like no one noticed.

"Oh, Commoner, you are here, and as a waiter? Haha, that costume suits you, get me a wine, servant."

"Yes, Ellis-sama, as you command."

I'll have to reward him later somehow. I'll command Nirvana to not kill him. Yes, that would be perfect.

When I started walking in the direction of the kitchen with a lively mood.

The back of my jacket was pulled by three hands, and my sleeve was pulled by one.

"Toru, you can't escape that easily."

"Toru-san, that's not allowed."

"Toru, as your guildmaster, I ask you to stay here."

"Sorry Toru, I would've loved for you to get away from here as quickly as possible. But I personally hate that guy."

I just made a new comrade, and I was instantly betrayed.

Nex, tell me, why can't women like you?

"Fine..."

I say so in a defeated voice.

All four of them regain their smiles, All four of them join together in a line and greet Nex with blooming smiles.

"h.e.l.lo Nex, 'it's been a long time' wouldn't be a good greeting, we met a week ago."

"Yo, Nex."

"h.e.l.lo, Nex-chan, it's been a while. You don't visit the guild recently."

"h.e.l.lo, Ellis-san. You haven't been to the Lenach house in a while."

All four of them greeted Nex and bowed. All eight of their a.s.sets bounced and some of the men fainted from excessive blood loss.

"Yes, yes, sorry for not being able to see you girls in a while, I know you must've felt lonely. And Alissa, stop with the 'chan', we're the same age."

You have no idea how lonely they were.

"Hehe, it is just as you say Nex(lol), by the way, who is this impeccable and dazzling beauty beside you?"

"Why do I feel like there was something attached to my name there Celice? And she happens to be my girlfriend."

"Nirvana, say it, I give you permission."

"Thank you."

"What are you talking about Ellis-sama? Didn't you beg me to come as your companion because you didn't have anyone else to go with?"

Nirvana said so and adopted a satisfied smile, she came forward and addressed the four ladies.

"Nice to meet you. My name is Nirvana, and I am the head in-charge of the construction of the battle dome."

"I am the first princess of Athena, Sylvia Silbinas Athena. Allow me to apologize on behalf of the Royal Family for causing you so much trouble."

"Ufufu, don't worry about it Princess-chan, I get to go on a date with Master because of it."

"U-Umm, I couldn't hear what you said there at the end."

"Ufufu, it's nothing~"

Nirvana took a sidelong glance at me, and after I nodded, her eyes started to sparkle.

"Well, leave it be Sylvia. h.e.l.lo Nirvansan, my name is Celice... You are very pretty."

"My name is Aneeka Lenach. You sure are very pretty Nirvansan."

Alissa was looking at Nirvana with inquisitive eyes, seemingly unable to remember something.

"Hey, Alissa, it's rude to not introduce yourself."

Sylvia said in a provocative voice, but Alissa remained unaffected.

After what seemed to be about thirty seconds, she finally opened her lips to speak something which was highly problematic.

"Aren't you lady that Toru brought to the guild?"

Before I could telepathically tell Nirvana to refuse, she said in a highly cheerful voice.

"Yes! I am!"