CHAPTER 79: THE ROYAL GARDENS TOURNAMENT, PART III

Maldie took a deep breath. Finally, she gave the last riddle:

"It has cities but no houses. It has mountains but no trees. It has water but no fish. What am I?" she asked, looking at Sayaka, who flipped the hourglass.

Everyone went quiet, thinking.

"A painting?" Yuri asked uncertainly.

"Unfortunately, no."

"A drawing!" Asahi shouted.

"Also no," Maldie said.

"We have to think of something, and fast! Otherwise the time will run out," said Shion the Second, looking at the hourglass.

"Jeez, sweetheart, you really went all in. Couldn’t pick anything harder?" Gari asked.

"I’ll admit it’s tough even for me to think about," Sayaka said, a little embarrassed.

"Lánshuò, got any ideas?" Yuri asked hopefully.

"Sadly not, my lady."

"It’s not that hard," Maldie said with a smile. "Think a little more. I’m sure you’ll get it."

Again, everyone fell silent. Unfortunately, the sand ran out, and Maldie sighed.

"The answer was a map."

"So it’s a tie?" asked Shion the Second.

"Looks like it," she said with a smile. "So two to two, right?"

"Yes," Yuri nodded. "So, do we draw lots to pick the next category?"

"Yeeeah!" Asahi yelled enthusiastically.

Sayaka and Lánshuò sat next to him on the bench. The rest played rock-paper-scissors again to choose the next winner. This time Gari won.

"Alright, we had a little break,now I’m gonna give you a real challenge," she said, grinning. "How about a speed run?"

"But that won’t be fair!" Shion the Second argued. "Yuri has two adults on her team."

"So do we."

"Shion, you can rest now if you want. I run pretty fast, I should manage," Gari said.

"No, I’m not dropping out."

"I think we should draw pairs for the race. Someone stands at the end of the short track, and whoever high-fives them first wins," Sayaka suggested.

"That works, but if the matchups are really unfair, we switch them," Maldie added.

"Sure. Sounds good," Sayaka said, giving a quick nod.

"Instead of drawing lots, let’s do rock-paper-scissors. The first two people eliminated from each team race each other. And the winner doesn’t run at all," Maldie said.

"Alright," Gari nodded. "The winner will be our finish line," she grinned.

They played another round. Shion the Second won.

"Oh, hey, it actually worked out like we wanted," Asahi said.

"Yeah, true. Alright, line up, and I’ll stand at the end of the track, a bit away from the bench so no one crashes into it," Shion the Second said.

He did exactly that. He stood in the middle, then held his arms out to the sides, ready for high-fives.

"Who’s giving the signal to start?" he called from afar.

"Yoooou!" Yuri shouted back.

"Okaaay!" Second Shion replied.

Both teams lined up in their arranged order. First run: Asahi versus Yuri. They both crouched into starting positions, and Shion the Second gave the signal, shouting:

"Start!"

Asahi shot forward like a comet. Yuri started a bit slower, but she pushed her little legs as fast as she could. Still, Asahi outpaced her by a third of the track in basically one breath. Yuri reached the end, panting and slowing down. She barely got a high-five to Second Shion, more walking than running.

"Running sucks," Yuri wheezed, stepping back to the bench with her brother.

"For you maybe, but I like chasing around," Asahi said with a grin.

"Maybe half-dragons have bigger lungs. But I guess princesses just aren’t meant for this," Yuri teased.

"Not my fault your stamina is trash," he shot back, sticking his tongue out at her. "One–zero for us. Next is Auntie Gari. I don’t remember who she’s racing, but we definitely got this., hehe."

"I don’t think so," Yuri said with a smug grin. "She’s racing Lánshuò."

"Whaaat? No way! Okay, now I’m not sure anymore," Asahi groaned, and Yuri laughed.

Shion the Second gave the signal. Before Gari even started moving, Lánshuò launched forward like lightning and in the blink of an eye – or maybe even faster than a blink – she was already at Shion the Second. Smirking at Gari, she high-fived him.

"Oh come on!" Gari yelled, shocked, not even having started running. "I didn’t even manage a few meters! She totally crushed me! " she muttered awkwardly, then slowly walked over to Shion the Second and reluctantly high-fived him.

"Now it’s Sayaka versus Maldie," Yuri said. "Wonder who’ll win."

"Maid versus maid," Gari laughed. "Let’s see which servant’s got more spark, hehe."

"This might be a close one," Lánshuò said. "Sayaka’s much younger, but from what I’ve seen, Maldie has very good physical stamina."

"Honestly, fair point," Gari admitted thoughtfully.

Second Shion gave the last signal. Maldie and Sayaka ran as fast as they could. Maldie was ahead by just a few centimeters, but Sayaka tripped on the ground at the very end — accidentally brushing her hand against Shion’s, causing them both to finish at the exact same moment.

"Another tie," Maldie sighed. "Three to three. You didn’t have to go that far for your team, Sayaka," she added with a small laugh.

Sayaka, who lay flat on the soft grass, face down, lifted a thumbs-up to show she was fine, then pushed herself up on trembling arms.

"As if I meant to. If it weren’t for my clumsiness, we probably would’ve lost. Can’t believe it was actually useful for once, hehe," she said with a chuckle. Her right cheek and her maid outfit were smeared with dirt.

"So, time for the next competition!" Asahi shouted enthusiastically. "It’s a tie and only three people are left."

"True," Maldie agreed. "Now it’s just me, Yuri, and Shion. This will go a lot faster," she smiled at them, then they played rock-paper-scissors again.

This time Yuri won.

"Hmmm..." the girl tought. "I don’t want anything where we’re competing super hard. And definitely not running or any other stupid sport!" she said firmly. Yuri thought even harder.

"Don’t stress, my lady. I’m sure you’ll come up with something wonderful," Lánshuò said.

"I got it! A talent show! Since there’s seven of us, one person writes down the score. Someone from the opposite team shows a talent on a timer, and the other team rates it from one to five, but honestly – no sabotaging each other! The team with the higher score wins."

"In that case, like I promised my team, I’m resting now," Maldie said. "Besides, I don’t have any special talents anyway, so I can keep time and write the scores, heh."

"Not true, sweetheart! You’re super talented and everything," Gari argued.

"Shhhh, I know, I know, but I want to give the kids a chance. They’re the ones who should be having the most fun," Maldie whispered back, and Gari nodded.

They drew the order, and meanwhile Maldie went back to the palace for paper and something to write with. When she returned, she sat on the bench, ready to write points, and flipped the hourglass.

First up was Shion the Second.

"Ugh," he said out loud, stressed. "I don’t have that many special talents. So maybe... this?" Then he lifted one leg and stretched his arms out to the sides.

Second Shion held the position until the timer ran out, standing perfectly balanced on one leg without wobbling even once.

A moment later Yuri’s team gave their scores: Sayaka clapped and gave him a nine, Yuri gave him a nine – Lánshuò gave him a five.

"Huh?! Why so low?" he asked her. "Not many people can do such a good balance pose!"

"Maybe so, but I’ve seen so many that this doesn’t impress me," Lánshuò said bluntly.

"Lánshuò, be nicer to my brother!" Yuri ordered.

"Yes, my lady, sorry. Just don’t take it personally — I’ve seen too much... or rather heard too much... ever since my lady trapped me in the mountains."

Then it was Yuri’s turn.

"Hmmm. What could I show?" the girl wondered aloud.

"Just please don’t turn anyone into gold this time!" Second Shion said, a little scared. Yuri laughed.

"Of course I won’t. And that time was an accident!" she said, a little offended at the end.

But maybe I can control my magic somehow? Maybe I can do something other than turning the people I love into gold?

Right then, Yuri remembered the beautiful dream she had while sleeping cuddled against Haru. She imagined again the river of golden stars she drifted through in that dream.

Instinctively, Yuri lifted her hand.

"Star, show yourself!" she said loudly and clearly.

Everyone stared at her hand in amazement. Around her fingers appeared a big, golden star – exactly like the one from her dream – wrapped in shimmering, magical mist. The star danced on her palm, then wrapped itself around her arm like a snake, leaving behind a trail of glittering gold mist. Yuri laughed, and the star returned to her open hand before shooting upward – only a few meters high.

The star burst into what looked like fireworks made of liquid gold, leaving a gold-silver glowing orb above them that slowly faded.

Yuri stared up at it in wonder.

Wow... so I really can do something other than hurting the people I love with magic? I didn’t think I could... but I actually did it...

That turned out amazing. I wonder if I can do even more?

Everyone stood stunned in awe. Yuri got three perfect tens from the opposing team.

Neither Yuri nor anyone else in the Royal Gardens knew that this wasn’t just a bit of play magic–

–it was the awakening of Yuri’s power, the power that had been sleeping inside her since the moment she was born.