Reincarnated as the Vampire Princess' Familiar
Chapter 30 - 29 - The gap between me and the top

Chapter 30: 29 - The gap between me and the top

«The most awaited battle of the day is finally upon us! And we hope it will also be the most thrilling!» The announcer’s voice, enhanced by magic, vibrates with anticipation. «Kajetan Valakys, Princess Daphne Valakys’ familiar, reigning champion for three consecutive years, faces off against Rashid Narkov, the former number one, now ranked second. Will Rashid reclaim his throne after countless attempts, or will Kajetan prove once more that he is the undisputed best? We are about to find out!»

I am seated in a section of the stands reserved exclusively for the Valakys family—far more luxurious and comfortable than the areas designated for ordinary spectators. It resembles a private canopy, lavishly arranged with fine food, exquisite drinks, and an unobstructed panoramic view of the entire battlefield. A seat that, under normal circumstances, no human should ever occupy. There is no explicit rule against it, yet it is an unspoken custom: familiars do not watch battles between other familiars. A tradition that Daphne has disregarded without hesitation—her authority as the king’s eldest daughter is beyond question.

That said, Daphne is not here with me. She is seated in the reserved section beyond the arena, where the masters of the combatants observe from a place of honor. In other words, she has left me here, alone, at the mercy of Sasha and Levreshka. Their gazes rest on me with thinly veiled disapproval—the silent judgment of those who believe my presence here is nothing short of an affront. Their scrutiny is suffocating, but my curiosity outweighs the discomfort. This is a battle between the two strongest familiars—I can endure a few hostile stares for the chance to witness it.

At last, the two contenders step into the arena, greeted by a wave of deafening cheers and applause. The anticipation is palpable.

Kajetan walks forward, his posture impeccable, his expression as cold and unyielding as ever. His platinum-blond hair is styled to perfection, almost as if he were about to grace a fashion runway rather than a battlefield. Yet, I doubt he cares about such things—this level of refinement must be someone else’s doing, a requirement imposed upon him.

Then there’s Rashid. Roughly the same age as Kajetan, he is tall and slender, his brownish complexion and short black hair clearly marking his Arab heritage, just as his name suggests. But his acquired surname... Narkov? That name stirs something in my memory. Where have I heard it before?

...Ah. That’s right. Tristan Narkov—the familiar defeated by Ginevra. He must be from the same house.

Only now, from my privileged vantage point with an unobstructed view of the entire arena, do I notice something peculiar. Among the vampire spectators—especially the younger ones—merchandise featuring Kajetan and Rashid is everywhere. Flags waving in the air, hats adorned with their names, even shirts and banners displaying their images. It’s almost surreal. Who would have thought that vampires would proudly wear memorabilia featuring humans? Then again, perhaps they view the strongest familiars the way we humans idolize sports legends.

With that in mind, it suddenly makes perfect sense why the Lunae Plenae dormitory, where the top fifty familiars reside, is—according to Ayra—more akin to a luxury resort than a simple dormitory.

...It would be nice, one day, to see my own face printed on a shirt. A ridiculous thought, maybe. But still... who knows?

«Let the battle begin!»

The moment the announcer’s words echo through the arena, the two challengers vanish. They flicker in and out of sight, appearing and disappearing at different points across the battlefield in rapid succession.

In the rare moments when they slow down enough for me to see, I catch glimpses of Kajetan—his energy blade glowing the same deep blue as in the battle at Noxscura—launching powerful and rapid strikes. His opponent defends himself with equal skill, wielding a similar energy weapon, though his is slightly curved, resembling a scimitar.

A thin blue veil surrounds their bodies—just as Clotilde taught me, a sign of their absolute mastery of Vis energy. Their speed is beyond what my eyes can track. In contrast, Sasha and Levreshka—though the latter with some difficulty—seem to be following the battle in its entirety. I can tell by the way their eyes dart wildly across the arena, never losing sight of the fight.

Every now and then, I catch sight of the ground splitting apart, fractures spreading through the arena floor. The two familiars reappear only for an instant—just long enough for their blades to collide—before vanishing once more, leaving behind a swirling cloud of dust and sand.

Daphne had invited me to watch, insisting that this battle would be instructive. But honestly... I’m not sure how much I’m actually learning.

Still, something keeps gnawing at me. How are their reflexes so sharp at such speeds? I understand that vampires—being naturally infused with magical energy—can keep up with their movements. But humans? No matter how strong they are, how do they enhance their senses to such an extent?

Could this be another application of Vis energy? Clotilde never mentioned anything about using Vis to amplify sensory perception, but I can’t think of any other explanation.

I inhale... exhale... inhale... exhale... Closing my eyes, I attempt to apply the breathing exercise Clotilde taught me. But it’s difficult—maintaining focus in the middle of this chaos feels almost impossible.

Then, that sensation returns—the same one I felt before breaking free from the bubble, though weaker. Probably because I haven’t managed to concentrate enough.

This morning, I moved that energy, directing it into a single point. If I try the same thing now... but focus it on my eyes... maybe...

I open my eyes and... it worked!

They still move at an incredible speed, but now their movements appear slightly clearer—almost as if I were watching their fight in slow motion. It’s astonishing what can be achieved once you understand how Vis energy works.

It took me almost a full minute just to enhance my vision. In a real battle, my opponents wouldn’t wait patiently for me to catch up. I still have a long way to go before reaching a level of Vis mastery that allows me to use it effectively in combat.

As I watch Kajetan and Rashid—locked in what seems to be an even match—I can’t help but wonder: is the gap between me and the top really that vast?

«It seems the battle is reaching its climax!»

For the first time since the battle began, both fighters remain motionless, thrown to opposite sides of the arena after yet another violent clash of their energy weapons. They are visibly exhausted, yet a satisfied smile lingers on their faces. It’s the first time I’ve seen Kajetan smile so genuinely—I never thought he was even capable of it. It must be the thrill of facing an opponent as strong as himself, or perhaps a sense of rivalry between him and Rashid.

«You were already incredibly strong three years ago, and yet, with every fight—if I’m not mistaken, this is our seventh match since I first defeated you—you continue to grow stronger. You are truly incredible, Rashid Narkov,» Kajetan states, his voice carrying unmistakable respect.

«And yet, despite everything, it seems I still haven’t managed to reach your level,» Rashid replies with the same respect. «Let’s begin the final act of this battle!» he declares firmly, pointing his energy scimitar at his rival.

«I was about to say the same thing,» Kajetan retorts, adopting the same stance.

Then... they vanish, kicking up a cloud of dust.

Even with my enhanced vision, I can’t track their movements—they’re moving even faster than before.

A roar erupts from the stands—most of the spectators must have realized what just happened.

I find some solace in the fact that Levreshka, sitting beside me, seems just as lost—her puzzled, almost fearful expression tells me she couldn’t follow their movements either.

Sasha, on the other hand, looks astonished, almost mesmerized—she must have thoroughly enjoyed that hyperspeed exchange.

Then, out of the corner of my eye, I catch sight of Sasha—almost by accident.

Everyone is focused on Kajetan—everyone except her. She’s looking at me, wearing that same sly, almost seductive smile she had after my training session with Clotilde, when I broke free from the bubble.

What does that sadistic demon want from me? I have a feeling I’ll find out soon enough.

Just before leading me to the stands, Daphne had warned me: «Sasha told me she wants to be alone with you because she has something important to discuss—I assume it’s about Ayra, but I can only speculate since she didn’t share any details. Keep one thing in mind: Sasha has a rather manipulative way of acting and often distorts reality to get what she wants. Whatever she tells you, don’t make the mistake of taking her words at face value. You can never be sure when she’s lying and when she’s telling the truth. That being said, you can rest easy; she assured me she won’t do anything to harm you, so there’s nothing to fear.»

...I really hope so.