"Ladies and Gentlen, welco to the academy's one and only Grand Festival!"
The announcer's voice bood through the air, the sa familiar, enthusiastic tone as last year, echoing even into the waiting areas where participants gathered.
As the roar of the crowd filled the arena, the hype for the Grand Festival kicked off once more. Unlike last year, however, there was a noticeable difference in the crowd.
While the number of visitors remained relatively the sa, this year's audience was dominated by ordinary citizens-people from nearby towns and cities who had co to watch the spectacle.
The usual swarm of adventurer guild leaders, knight order scouts, and prestigious magic tower representatives were few and far between.
It made sense.
Most of those influential figures had likely already identified their targets during the first sester.
They knew who they wanted to recruit, and the Grand Festival was no longer about discovering hidden talents but more of a spectacle for entertainnt.
It had shifted from being a fierce battleground for scouting talent to sothing more akin to a grand show for the public.
Despite that, the festival still held weight for the students.
Grades were still being evaluated, and our performances today would factor into the overall rankings for the sester.
Even if the festival had taken on a more relaxed atmosphere compared to last year, no one could afford to slack off.
Every fight, every display of skill, was being closely monitored by the academy staff, and our results here would determine our standings moving forward.
For those confident in their written exam scores, like , there was so comfort in knowing that today's performance wouldn't make or break their rank-as long as no one else from the sa class or a lower class managed to outshine them during the festival.
For most of us A-Class students, a rank change wasn't really sothing to lose sleep over. Our positions were more or less set in stone.
At this point in the sester, we had already solidified ourselves within the class hierarchy, and any real shifts were unlikely.
However, with the absence of the twins, there was a chance that a few students from B-Class would be promoted to fill those vacancies next sester.
Those students would be eager to prove themselves, and that alone would keep things interesting.
My overall rank had remained relatively stable throughout the entire sester.
I made sure to put in just enough ti into studying for the written exams, and as a result, my scores were well above average in that departnt.
While physical prowess and mana control dominated the academy's focus, the written exams still played a role in determining a student's standing.
It wasn't just about brute force, after all-strategy, theory, and knowledge mattered too. Speaking of stats, mine had shown a decent improvent since the start of the sester.
My physical and magical abilities had grown stronger, but more importantly, I had learned how to refine and control them better.
My overall growth hadn't stagnated, but I knew that if I wanted to stay competitive and maintain my rank next sester, I'd need to keep up the pace.
So of my peers were advancing quickly, and I couldn't afford to be left behind.
But beyond the imdiate concerns of rank and growth, there was a much larger issue looming on the horizon.
With one year already behind , my inevitable confrontation with Liyana was drawing closer by the second.
I had no doubt that the events surrounding her would reach a critical point before the end of my second year.
And when that happened, Lucas would need to unlock that crucial skill.
The divine energy within him was sothing even the Saintess would be drawn to, and the mont he unlocked that ability, she'd surely beco infatuated with him.
It was almost a guarantee.
Still, nothing in this world had gone as predictably as I once thought.
Too many variables had erged, too many things that could go wrong.
And if, for whatever reason, Lucas failed to unlock that skill in ti, I might have to intervene sooner than I had planned.
'Since he already has the holy sword, the scenario should go smoothly... I hope, like seriously I really hope so!'
As my thoughts drifted, the crowd's roaring cheers gradually died down, signaling the start of the Grand Festival.
The announcer's voice echoed across the stadium, explaining the rules.
The match-ups were traditional-first years versus second years, and third years against fourth.
It was a grand event designed to showcase the talent and potential the academy had nurtured. But this sester was a bit different.
The announcer took extra care to clarify the exceptions, since there were many personal duels happening outside the standard pairings.
That likely threw off so spectators, but with how many students realizing the loophole placed in the system it wouldn't be weird to find so fixed and planned matches here and
there.
I couldn't help but think of the matches set up for today.
Rose and I were paired up, Kagami versus Seo, and then there was Lucas and Janica.
From what I heard, Lucas and Janica had applied for their duel at the very last second. Knowing the two of them, they respected each other deeply, so it was unlikely they'd hold
back.
Their fight could easily beco one of the highlights of the festival.
With Lucas wielding the Holy Sword and Janica's reputation as a fierce and talented knight, I could already feel the excitent building around that duel.
It was bound to draw attention from scouts and students alike.
As I tried to focus, I began calming my mind, channeling mana through my body.
The warm sensation spread through my limbs, awakening a familiar energy deep inside .
Controlling and manipulating mana had always felt strange to , ever since I first arrived in
this world.
It was sothing that didn't exist in my old life, and for a long ti, I struggled to understand how to wield it effectively. Let alone even have the thought using it.
But now... now it felt more natural.
My stats had been steadily improving since the start of the sester, and with them, my mana control had grown more refined.
Warming up my insides, I prepared my body for the fight ahead while keeping my mind cool
and sharp.
Although the thought of Rose one-shotting , much like what had happened to Senior Alice, lingered in the back of my mind, a flicker of confidence rose within .
I wasn't the sa slouch I used to be back then.
Sure, Rose had grown stronger too, but I had also honed my abilities.
The past sester wasn't wasted, and I wasn't about to be blindsided this ti around.
Given Rose's talent for overwhelming opponents with her intricate spellcasting, my priority would need to be on evasion-dodging her attacks rather than trying to block or counter them
head-on.
My sword skills had naturally sharpened with each bout, each swing, and each kill.
But focusing solely on swordplay would just lead to hit a wall eventually, especially against an opponent like her.
I had to broaden my horizons. Rose wasn't just a powerful mage-she was a perfect opportunity for to test myself against a new type of challenge.
If I could keep up with her, maybe even land a hit, that would prove how far I'd co.
But as much as I wanted to plan out my strategy for the duel... I had a more pressing issue at
the mont.
'I really need to pee...'
My match with Rose was right after Gilbert's, and since his was third on the lineup, I had
plenty of ti before mine began.
With that in mind, I stood up from my seat and hurried toward the bathroom.
Kagami, who was still lounging nearby, glanced at for a second, likely wondering where I
was going, but when he saw the look on my face, he didn't bother to ask.
Instead, he just laughed, a knowing smirk plastered across his face.
How he could tell just by looking at , I had no idea, but I decided to ignore his annoying laughter and continue on my way. I had more important things to focus on.
But just as I reached the door to the bathroom, a lively female voice called out from behind
.
"Hello, friend."
I stopped in my tracks and turned around, curiosity imdiately piqued.
Standing there was a woman dressed in gray robes, her appearance mostly concealed beneath
the fabric.
Yet, sothing about her felt familiar, as if I had seen her sowhere before.
My mind raced, trying to place where I had encountered her before.
"I finally t you, Riley Hell~"
The voice was almost playful, like she had been waiting for this mont.
My eyes narrowed as I turned to face her fully. "Do you know ?" I asked, unable to mask the
suspicion in my tone.
"Yes, you're quite famous, after all," she replied with a chuckle, her voice light yet sohow carrying an undercurrent of sothing far more serious.
She began to circle around , her gaze sweeping over from head to toe as if I were so
kind of curiosity she had to study in person.
I didn't like it.
My body instinctively tensed; my hand twitching closer to my sword hilt. Sothing about
her was... off.
My instincts scread at that the woman before wasn't just so random stranger
who'd happened upon by coincidence.
She was dangerous.
But why?
"Hehehe, you don't have to reach for your sword, you know. I won't bite-~" she said casually,
her lips curling into a mischievous grin.
Despite her words, my instincts didn't relax.
She giggled and finally took a step back, as if satisfied with her assessnt, before nodding to herself, touching her chin thoughtfully like an investigator pleased with their findings. "Yup~ yup~ the rumors really didn't do you justice, at least based on your appearance that is...
though I wonder if your skills live up to those rumors~" she continued, her eyes glinting with amusent. "I heard you have a match with the golden child this ti. Is it true~?"
My brows furrowed. "How'd you know that?" I asked, trying to keep my voice steady, but the question ca out sharper than I intended.
The information about my match with Rose wasn't public.
It wouldn't be announced until the actual event started, and only a handful of people knew
about it in advance. There was no way she should've been aware unless soone leaked it.
But who? Only Rose and I were aware of our upcoming duel, and the only person I'd confided
in was Kagami.
And Kagami wasn't the type to gossip or spread information recklessly.
As for Rose, while she was popular, she wasn't the kind of person who'd let this slip either-
especially since it wasn't in her best interest to reveal her opponents beforehand.
Then how...?
"Ah~ looks like my actions riled you up for a bit," she said with a playful tone, her smile never
wavering. "But please, don't worry. I an you no harm. Hehe, I just really wanted to see you
for myself, you see. Please don't take everything I just said and did too seriously~"
She giggled again; the sound light yet unnerving.
"Since the first match is about to start, I'll get going now, Hehe, please do show
sothing fun once your match begins. Bye-bye~"
With a final wave, she disappeared in a flicker of wind, her figure vanishing as if carried away
by the breeze.
The air where she had stood monts ago crackled with faint, lingering sparks of mana.
They shimred for a brief second before dissipating into nothing, leaving standing there, frozen in place, my mind racing. The strange encounter left a bitter aftertaste.
As the realization began to sink in, a cold sweat started to form on the back of my neck.
That aura... that flicker of wind and the mana sparks that followed her departure that mimicked butterflies....
As the realization began to sink in, a cold sweat started to form on the back of my neck.
A terrible thought crept into my mind, one that I really didn't want to think about.
'Haha... it can't be, right?'
It's too early for that biological bomb to show up!
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