C70
As soon as the game began, Isidor, who had caused a great commotion, dismounted his horse and ran like a flash of light.
"Huk, who gave him that handkerchief?"
"Oh God, oh God."
"Kyaaa, nooo!"
When I found the handkerchief I had given him fluttering belatedly on the handle of his lance, I somehow felt embarrassed.
"Since it's an expensive handkerchief, you have to tie it because it has a good texture."
It's common for a lady to give a handkerchief to a knight.
As I tried to shake off the strange feeling and distract myself while fidgeting with my fingers, Isidor broke his opponent's lance into two pieces in an instant, and the match ended.
"It's a match where you can't deal with auras, but is he strong enough to do that?"
My mouth hung open wide at the incredible sight.
A brief silence also flowed through the arena.
It seemed I had underestimated Isidor's skill as a knight because his appearance stood out too much.
The audience became even noisier when he showed an overwhelming performance that was as good as Diery's.
The atmosphere heated up even more with people betting on the winner.
Even after that, famous knights predicted to be championship candidates came out and played in the tournament.
It's time for them to appear.
While everyone was only interested in the match content, I anxiously looked near the barracks where the knights were waiting.
Currently, it was a little past two, the hottest time.
I glanced at the pocket watch.
"Why haven't they come yet?"
The request was made to the administration of the Khorun district a month ago, and it had already received approval from the imperial family.
"There's no way they'll back out after all this, right?"
In a state of anxiety, I saw the store personnel and workers carrying large luggage approaching the barracks where the knights were staying.
"They've arrived."
Nervously, I watched how the situation unfolded in the arena's barracks.
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"It's hot."
It was past noon, and the ground of the barracks and the interior of the barracks were as hot as a sauna.
Oryx Mirkain wiped his sweaty forehead with an old handkerchief.
"A joust in this weather..."
As it was summer, he expected it to be hot, but the temperature was even higher due to the heavy armor.
He was from the colder northern region and was even more vulnerable to this warm weather.
Young Oryx didn't have much experience in the tournament compared to the other competitors, so he had to contend with the overwhelming tension.
This year, 17-year-old Oryx left his territory and enlisted in the military after his brother threatened to kick out their younger sister last year.
Perhaps his overwhelming constitution was noticed and caught the attention of a knight in the capital, and he became an apprentice before participating in a jousting game for the first time this year.
Fortunately, the jousting game didn't involve auras, so he was able to climb quite high using his excellent vision and the physical strength he was born with.
He even had some luck and reached the final rounds, but he encountered an unexpected ambush.
Sweat accumulated inside his armor and dripped onto the ground.
Oryx is currently experiencing some signs of dehydration.
Knights from high-ranking noble families could afford to have a servant handle their condition, but he, an apprentice to an unknown knight, couldn't afford it.
It was even difficult for him to make a living with his earnings.
"Ah."
Sweat kept flowing to the point where the handkerchief dried up due to the heat of the sun.
If he were to go out to the match in such a state, he wouldn't be able to properly position the lance and would obviously lose.
"Of all things! I don't even have anything to show."
When he was in good condition, he was encouraged to give in to his opponent, so today, he wouldn't be able to perform on the grand stage.
In the meantime, he had been lucky.
It was a great opportunity to make his presence known to many people and take one step further, but it's a pity to give up like this.
However, his head was spinning, and his body still felt weak.
At that moment, someone brought out a cup of water.
"What's this?"
"It's a drink prepared by Armand for knights who raise the dignity and glory of the empire."
An employee dressed in a neat uniform carried teapots and distributed drinks to the knights in the barracks.
Armand?
He looked at the cup with the purple logo printed on it with a curious feeling.
"The cup is very light. Is it made of paper?"
On the paper wrapped around the cup, a brief description of the drink it contained was written along with an explanation that the drink could be packed in the store.
"Replenish hydration, quench your thirst."
Oryx was thirsty just in time, and he took a sip of the clear drink with a floating lemon and was pleasantly surprised.
This was because the liquid quenched his thirst.
It was slightly sweet but smooth, and it felt refreshing due to the lemon scent.
"I don't know what it is, but it's good."
As he slowly drank, he felt a little sad.
When you're seventeen, it's not a very young age, but it's not very old either.
Because he felt desperate as if he had been left alone in the world, he sweetly appreciated their goodwill.
In no time, he finished all the drinks and took a deep breath.
"Oh?"
Suddenly, Oryx, who was drenched in sweat, burst into a brief exclamation.
He had been blanking out and feeling like he wanted to die because of the heat, but he suddenly regained some consciousness.
He stood up and moved quickly.
Normally, after drinking a lot of water, he felt like the water was accumulating in his stomach, but the feeling of discomfort didn't kick in.
"My physical condition is better."
The knights who were sitting also peeked their heads out to see if they felt a similar effect.
"What kind of magic did they put in this drink? It's a bit different from water, but it's good."
"Isn't it holy water?"
"Holy water is for healing wounds. I've never heard of it being used to quench thirst."
As the sky filled with clouds just in time, the fierce sun's intensity gradually softened.
"I think I can do well in the next match."
When his turn came, Oryx stood up from his seat, taking an old helmet and a long lance that he had borrowed.
And that day.
He caused the biggest change in the jousting.
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Isotonic Drink.
"Or sports drink."
I put it in a paper cup with an Armand seal.
If you sweat a lot due to vigorous exercise, the balance of electrolytes and moisture is disrupted, and isotonic drinks help absorb electrolytes quickly.
"Digestion also improves."
In the past, while attending health classes, I learned how to prepare ionic drinks or oral fluids.
"The production method was surprisingly simple."
If you mix 6 tablespoons of sugar and half a tablespoon of salt in over 1 liter of water, this warm drink is easily completed.
It's not a big deal, but I placed a thin slice of lemon as a garnish in a clear drink to make it look decent at first glance.
Looking at the faces of the knights, the reaction didn't seem bad. As I was sitting in the ideal front seat near the barracks, the atmosphere of the contestants was vividly felt.
Finally, with a brief interval before the Round of 16 of the tournament, the nobles near me looked curiously at what the main characters of the day were drinking.
"Hey, what's that thing stacked like a tower?"
The aristocratic ladies around me opened their mouths.
"What else is it? It's a spectacle."
To draw the audience's attention, I had previously asked to distribute drinks to the knights while carrying a large stack of paper cups.
"I think it's a cup?"
"You're stacking cups that high? What are they going to do if it breaks?"
At that moment, a certain lady confidently intervened in the conversation between the two ladies.
"It'll be fine because it's made of paper."
"The paper will get wet. How can it hold water?"
"They applied a thin water resistance attribute magic to it. I saw it in Armand a while ago."
"How amazing. It also looks convenient for outdoor use."
"Yes. That way, you can enjoy a drink comfortably while strolling outdoors. Don't you know the trends these days?"
"Well done. You're doing great."
The lady waved her fan and pretended to be knowledgeable, but she wanted to instigate them to stand by her side.
"But what are they drinking?"
In addition, the sight of the knights suffering in the sun and quenching their thirst sweetly appeared as quite a positive vision for the audience.
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