Three days later, Karl was ready to deploy himself back to the border just to escape the Blue Dragon Clerics and their never-ending quest for knowledge.
But today was a special even that they simply couldn't miss. It was ti for the annual Elite Recruitnt, and this year was expected to be a huge spectacle.
The Bureau of Elite Developnt had been teasing the reporters for weeks that the success rate would be going up, and the Injection Ceremony would have minor celebrities, in the form of Karl and his team. Normally, it was done by doctors with a few Commander Rank and lower Elites on guard.
Karl looked down at the suit he had on, freshly made by Rae for the occasion, then smirked at Dana, who looked uncomfortable with the amount of gossar fabric among the layers of her cream and gold coloured Hanfu style dress.
Rae was particularly proud of that creation, and she wouldn't take no for an answer when Dana had suggested that she should maybe change into sothing less flashy.
As Dana had repeatedly ntioned, it was a recruitnt for students, not a red carpet event.
"I have already told you. You're a Princess Mage. You need to look like one." Rae insisted again.
"How about a coat?" Dana compromised.
Rae considered that. She had seen mages in long coats that split up the back before. They would hide the majority of her masterpiece dress, but if their Dana really did want to be covered up, she could make her still look like a Princess.
[Hawk, lend so white fur. I'm making a coat.]
Minutes later, Rae had a long coat made for Dana, woven a bit heavier than necessary for the weather. It would be good for winter events this way, and it would encourage Dana to take it off once they were inside.
Rae wasn't giving up on showing off her work that easily.
Besides, Tessa and Lotus hadn't agreed to let her dress them up, as they had formal wear for the occasion, and Ophelia flat out refused to wear a dress, so she was in a similar suit to the one Karl was wearing, except that Rae had made the shirt a bit more flashy and ruffled, and the cut much more flattering.
The one thing that she had done for Karl was to give him an extra fancy fur trimd cape in place of a coat. All kings needed capes. She had seen it in a book.
Plus, it was part of the official uniform for Monarch Rank Elites, though nobody ever wore it.
While she hadn't gotten to do all the decorating of the humans that she had hoped, she had managed to get the honours of delivering the weapons that Karl had stayed up all night making for their students. They were simple ones, just a Commander Rank weapon suited to their preference, mostly short swords, with daggers for Sybil and spiked gloves for the monk. But getting to sneak into the dorms at the Cathedral to deliver the weapons, all gift wrapped for their new owners, had been great fun while it lasted.
Nobody had even seen her do it.
Librarian Kelithuza ca to et them at the apartnt to escort them to the eting. The Librarian wouldn't willingly miss out on the first chance to see a mass recruitnt, so she had nominated herself to accompany the group that the Archbishop had sent to assist with passing out the System Linked items for the first round of testing.
"Lady Keli, it's a pleasure to see you again. Hopefully, we are properly dressed for the event." Karl greeted her.
The dragon's slight smile told him that even though she resisted the nickna at first, she didn't actually dislike it.
"You are worried about being underdressed while wearing a suit that would buy you a house in the suburbs? I believe you will be fine. Lady Dana looks exquisite, and Princess Ophelia is quite dapper today as well."
There was no need to ntion the clerics, as they were wearing their formal robes, so the Blue Dragon simply gestured for everyone to follow her out.
"There is a bus waiting for us. I had suggested a limo, but policy says that outside vehicles are a security risk and shouldn't be used to arrive at the awakening ceremony." She added.
The bus was one of the plain white church transports, empty except for the cleric who was driving.
Once they were moving, the Librarian began to detail the plan.
"Once we arrive, the mages will open the barrier so we can access the floor of the auditorium. Then there will be the customary tearful speech from the superintendent of schools, followed by the acolytes passing your group items to have the students try on.
Once the first batch of successful students is identified and removed from the auditorium, we will proceed with the usual injection process, using doctors. Unless you believe it would work better with one of you performing the process."
Rae smiled. "I don't have any objections to stabbing people."
The Blue Dragon gave her an indulgent smile. "I have no doubt that is true on many different levels. But it would set the students' minds at ease to see a friendly face during the most stressful mont of their lives."
Rae shrugged. "Well, keep in mind. I can see every vein from across the room."
While that was a useful skill in many different situations, the Divine Injection was given as an intramuscular injection. They didn't need to find a vein.
The security teams parted the crowds who were still waiting for entry to the auditorium, and the bus passed smoothly into the loading bays, where a group of white robed acolytes were waiting to escort the team inside.
"This way, please Sir and Madams. The Minister of Education is waiting for you."
Karl bent his arm for Dana to take as they walked through the corridors, which were lined with paparazzi once they were past the loading area.
They made quite the spectacle entering together, looking like Nobles from a storybook, followed by the Priestesses and a Lady Knight.
The hushed whispers made Dana self-conscious, but Karl could hear that it was almost all praise for her dress, or speculation about who these dignitaries were. So of them were familiar faces, but it seed that they didn't imdiately recognize Karl and Dana in their formal best and with their hair styled. The Minister fell in step beside Karl with a polite nod, and silently guided them to the barrier around the auditorium floor, where the mages opened the barrier a little for them to enter.
As soon as they walked onto the hardwood floor, the crowd fell silent. [Please welco our special guests for the day. Minster of Education, Davies. Overlord Kelithuza, Chief Librarian of the Cathedral Library. Monarch Karl, with his partners, Lord Thor and Lady Rae. Princess Dana. Princess Ophelia. And finally, the Royal High Priestesses Tessa and Lotus.] The announcer stopped after every na for them to make a polite bow or curtsy, and then wave to the crowd.
Then the Superintendent began his speech, and Karl realized that many of those in line would not get to hear the opening ceremony. Schedules were schedules, and everyone was eager to get the process underway.
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