Hidden Before Their Eyes

Chapter 7: Being Alone is not Loneliness

My nerves are on edge today. Not only from reading maybe a little too much on demons, but also because today is effectively Lily's tenth battle. Either today she will move up to the next level or she will be set back once more. She told me this is her fourth time on this battle and each time she has just barely lost, and one of the others ends up progressing.

Her battle will involve weapons so it will end up being very different from the one I had previously. As I watch I impatiently tap my foot. I am not sure if I want her to move up or not. Sure she has a hell of a lot of talent, but I do not know if she has the talent to take on succubi. That is one problem with humans moving up to the next level. They just are not equipped to combat the magic not only of the succubi but also the other magic bearing people that inhabit the upper levels.

I am pulled from my thoughts as Lily slams into her opponent. They stumble back and end up falling. A few seconds later Lily has them submitting to her. There is a considerable amount of cheering and I smile, she has worked very hard for this moment.

At dinner we make a ruckus congratulating her on moving up. A lot of laughs go round and it stays light hearted. We drink to her success and I end up a little tipsy.

"Be careful up there Lily," I warn, my good sense realizing that it is not the best way to send her off, but the haze saying it anyways.

"Come join me quickly so you can protect me then Carino," she responds, before bursting out in laughter. I roll my eyes knowing that she does not actually mean that she thinks I will not manage to make it up anytime soon, like her tone had implied.

On that same strain of thought, I have my second battle tomorrow. I still have to win four times, without any losses, to get to move up like Lily is. I am confident that I will not have much trouble getting there but it seems like a long way off.

As I leave the meal hall Yara calls me over, a stern look about her. It is pretty sobering and I head over with a straight face. "What is it?" I ask.

"They want you to run a back to back on battles," Yara says.

"What, I thought there was basically always at least a few days between battles?" I question.

"That is the norm. However, some higher ups are a little too interested in you and want to see you move up quickly. You're attracting the gaze of people you probably didn't want to Carino," Yara warns.

"Did they say why they are interested?" I inquire, worried that my cover may have been blown already. After all if I move up to the next level and end up encountering my betrothed it could be disastrous. I had not thought of that. I curse silently as Yara shakes her head. Who knows if anyone has figured out I am not human yet. "What do these back to back battles entail? Is it day to day or?"

"Day to day, you will have one fight per day until you incur a loss," Yara answers.

"What about the other scheduled battles?" I ask, freaking out a bit.

"You will battle after the others that are scheduled. Turns out your fight with the incubus is going to bite you back," Yara says.

I nervously run my hands through my hair and Erphi constricts rapidly around my arm. I had forgotten he was there in my lapse of worry. Either I throw a battle to elongate the time between now and when I have to see him, or I hope that someone strong enough comes along that I do not end up thinking I will need to.

The next day Yara gets me excused from my morning lecture and takes me to the training arena. She wants to practice me in actually fighting with the Doppelhänder. I have become proficient in wielding it against the air and dummies, but I have yet to even think about trying against another person.