And so, Dea-kun won the Tamer Tournament

Dea-kun's second match.

This time the opponent actually took the field instead of forfeiting, but Arthur's lightning-fast preemptive strike took down half of them, three creatures, right off the bat.

The remaining three immediately counterattacked, but… Arthur dodged without breaking a sweat. Well, yeah. Thunder Dragons are fast.

A casual tail swipe on the backswing took care of all three at once, securing a quick victory.

In the following third match, the enemy targeted Dea-kun directly, but Arthur intercepted and took the hit. Since it wasn't an attack that could penetrate dragon scales, Arthur was essentially unharmed.

After that, Arthur won by casually going "Fuh!" and pulling off a slick move where he shaped his lightning breath into a ball and lobbed it straight at the opposing Tamer.

The opponent's familiars didn't protect their master, huh. Too bad.

"Strong! Way too strong! This is a dragon!! This is the Dragon Priestess!!"

Dea-kun waved to the crowd from the stage as the winner was announced.

Dragon Priestess, huh… That title might just fit Dea-kun perfectly right now. Oh, maybe I should dress him up in shrine maiden clothes too.

Will the finals be just as easy?

My entire fortune (excluding Healer funds), Mashiro-san's entire fortune, plus Dea-kun's and Aishia's allowances, a total of four gold coins, are riding on this, so I really need Dea-kun to win.

Just then, Arthur, who had returned to base, poked his head out of my backpack.

In his small mode, as long as he hides his wings, he just looks like an iguana.

"Man, the Tamer Tournament is such a blast! I totally lost my confidence after you beat me up, Anego, but I really am strong, right!?"

"Well, you're stronger than most monsters. You're a dragon, after all."

"But you're stronger than me, Anego… What kind of creature are you?"

Ask the Goddess about that. Personally, I consider myself human.

"For the finals, I'm gonna wear the armor the Five Elders made, and Dea-kun-chan is gonna be a dragon rider!"

"Does that even still count as being a Tamer, I wonder… Make sure you check with Dea-kun that it won't be against the rules, okay?"

"Okaaay!"

With that, Arthur retracted his head and went back to base.

Oh right. That ball Arthur uses to come and go? I've dubbed it the Monster Orb, but it's just a prop made by the Five Elders' workshop. Its only function is to emit a red beam that envelops the target.

In reality, I'm the one moving him in and out of my base from the audience seats.

It is absolutely a Monster Orb, not a Monster Ball. Totally different thing.

I considered having him shout something like "Come out!" or "Return!" but the light wrapping around him was more visually striking from a distance. Voice commands might not carry in a crowded arena, after all.

But seriously, what's with that clinging light effect? How does the physics even work?

The Five Elders' Magic Tool technology is truly terrifying…!

And just like that, we reached the finals.

"Now then! It's finally time for the finals! First, in the red corner, the Shepherd, Shepard! His monsters are six rampaging sheep, Mad Sheep!! The tournament favorite!"

Dea-kun's opponent was a dog beastkin who had charged his way to the finals with a trampling strategy, all while standing on the backs of his six ferocious sheep-type monsters.

An acrobatic fighter who cracked whips and slung magic from atop the sheep while directing them and attacking all at once.

"Facing her is this tournament's dark horse! In the blue corner, Contestant Dea! Her monster is just one—a Thunder Dragon bearing a hero's name!! A true contender who has battled his way here!!—Oh my, the dragon is wearing armor! And there's a seat attached to its back!? Could this be!!"

Just as the announcer said, and as Arthur had declared beforehand, Arthur was decked out in armor with a seat mounted on top. He gently lifted Dea-kun with his tail and settled him onto his back.

"W-w-what!! Contestant Dea, a Dragon Rider!? A proud dragon willingly allowing someone to ride on its back!! There's no doubt about it, she is the legendary princess! The Dragon Priestess!!"

For the record, riding your familiar is perfectly within the rules.

"Now then, are you ready to be trampled?"

"Tch, talk big while you can, princess!"

The two sides glared at each other—and the moment the announcer called "Fight!" Arthur launched into the sky.

"The match is decided. Now then, Arthur, breath attack… Please go easy on them, okay?"

Gyuaaa!

The finals—but what followed was a completely one-sided battle.

Shepard tried to strike the dragon circling overhead with magic and his long-range whip, but Arthur was too fast to hit. Instead, balls of lightning breath rained down on the ground.

With air supremacy secured, Dea-kun and Arthur left Shepard with no options.

Just as declared, Shepard was being utterly trampled.

"D-damn it!! Coward! Get down here and fight!!"

"My apologies. But this is simply how a dragon fights."

If you've got a problem with it, go tame your own dragon. That's just how it is.

Commanding a powerful monster and leveraging its unique fighting style are both part of a Tamer's skill set.

Gyaooon!

Reality isn't balanced like a game, you know. It'd be weird if ground-bound sheep could fight on equal footing with a flying dragon.

"This is brutal! What a one-sided match!! But this is a dragon! This is what a dragon truly is!! It's just showing its full potential, what's wrong with that!? That's right, nothing's wrong with it!!—Winner, Contestant Dea!!"

A victory that showcased a dragon's overwhelming might. The finals had been nothing short of a stomp.

The audience erupted in thunderous applause for the exceedingly rare dragon and its dragon rider.

And so, Dea-kun won the Tamer Tournament.