Festival (1)
Festival (1)
The opening ceremony party came to an end with the group draw.
Inside a First Academy bus departing Royal Academy.
"Jane?"
"Yes?"
Jane Moore, who had been watching the scenery roll past the window, turned her head and looked straight up at the head professor, whose expression was deeply conflicted.
"I heard you had some trouble with an Arena Academy student during the party. Is that true?"
"Trouble? No. I simply declared war."
"Oh... we generally refer to that as trouble, Jane. Societally speaking."
Sam Willis, the head professor of F.A. who had attended as an observer for the match between Baek Woo-jin and Ben Stiller, scrubbed his face with both hands.
"Would you tell me what you said to the Arena Academy student?"
"Of course. I told them to be ashamed for having seized the king's seat by unjust means. And that I intend to expose the injustice they committed on stage."
"...Is that all?"
"Yes. Should I have said something more?"
"Oh! No. No, no. Not at all. I see. So that's how it is."
Sam Willis let out a relieved sigh and shook his head.
It was not as bad as he had feared.
Picking a fight with Arena Academy was still an extremely, extremely, extremely poor decision, but what Jane Moore had done fell within the category of matters resolvable among 'students' themselves.
Trash talk was commonly exchanged at opening ceremony parties.
People said this year was unusually quiet, but that was only because this year was an exception. After all, who would dare open their mouths after watching a world ranker get slapped and knocked out cold earlier in the day?
'It's just that this child's tendency to cause trouble is more exceptional...'
Jane Moore.
America's treasure, possessing insane talent rivaling anyone in all of history, starting from the Day of Cataclysm.
Power, talent, skill—she had it all.
On top of that, her personality was righteous, and she was a beauty anyone would find appealing.
She was the ideal Awakened for the hero or saintess frame that America wanted to craft for her.
The single flaw was that she was an utter maverick.
No matter who stood beside her and tried to reason with her with whatever evidence, if she hadn't seen it with her own two eyes, she would never believe it, even with a knife to her throat. She was that stubborn.
'Still, she does apologize properly once she admits she's wrong...?'
Sam Willis, heading back to his seat, hesitated.
Would the Arena Academy student she had trouble with be able to earn Jane Moore's acknowledgment?
'No, wait.'
The worry didn't last long.
This wasn't just any academy. Even the professors' ranks were determined each year through Cession Battles.
Setting aside other considerations, since it pursued meritocracy more fiercely than any other academy, the person who ascended to the king's seat undoubtedly possessed the skill to match it.
'Hoo. Fine. Let the kids settle matters among themselves.'
Sam Willis quietly returned to his seat and sat down.
**
Inside an Arena Academy bus.
"I'm sorry, Ha-na."
"...Huh? For what?"
Baek Ha-na, who had been staring blankly out the window, blinked and turned her head.
"About the girl who started trouble at the party."
"Ah... were you two acquainted?"
"Yes. She's in the same year as me. We first met two years ago in America. I participated in the ceremony as the freshman representative back then."
"Did you win?"
"Mm, what do you think?"
"I think you won, senior."
At the answer that came without a moment's hesitation, the corners of Yoon I-seul's lips gently curved upward.
"Your reason?"
"Your mana reserves are much larger, senior... and that person seemed incredibly simple-minded...?"
"Pfft."
Yoon I-seul laughed aloud without meaning to.
She couldn't remember the last time she'd laughed genuinely.
"Thank you for thinking highly of me. But regrettably, we've clashed three times until last year, and I've never won once. It's also part of the reason our academy's ranking has never escaped third place."
"...When I faced her, I didn't get the impression she was that strong."
Though today had been their first true meeting, Baek Ha-na had already defeated Jane Moore once inside the rift.
She hadn't managed to create the overwhelming gap she usually displayed, but the fact remained that she had claimed victory with room to spare, even against the world's number one.
"Her skill is similar to mine. But Jane and I—our abilities are polar opposites. In other words, the matchup was the biggest problem."
"Ah, matchup."
"Fufu. Do you play T.G. as well, Ha-na?"
"T.G.? What's that?"
"The Guild. You don't know it?"
"Ah, The Guild. I know it. I play it too."
"If you want to indirectly experience how much matchups affect real combat, try any PvP content you like."
"Uh... I'll give it a shot when I have time."
"Fufu. Though, I suppose matchups don't really apply to you, Ha-na."
An innate mana capacity overwhelming ability-types, combined with the control to handle it delicately.
She simply couldn't use magic, but Baek Ha-na was practically something beyond a hybrid.
"Anyway, the reason I lost to Jane Moore is that my shadow ability is weak against Jane Moore's light."
"But shadows grow darker when the light gets stronger."
"Correct. But just because a shadow becomes darker doesn't mean it can approach the light."
"Mm..."
Baek Ha-na furrowed her brow, as if she couldn't quite grasp it.
"No need to overthink it. Think of it this way: if Jane Moore's 'light' is an A grade, then my 'shadow' is a B grade. If I had awakened the 'darkness' ability, which is also an A grade, the outcome would have been reversed, wouldn't it?"
"Ah..."
Baek Ha-na's eyes widened as she finally seemed to understand, nodding slowly.
After that, Baek Ha-na was able to learn many things from Yoon I-seul about Jane Moore and the other students. Then, as the bus approached the hotel—
"Ha-na?"
"Yes?"
Baek Ha-na, who had unbuckled her seatbelt and was preparing to disembark, turned her head.
Yoon I-seul took out her smartphone and whispered quietly into Baek Ha-na's ear.
"Shall we add each other?"
That day, one new name was added to Baek Ha-na's friends list.
**
Two days after the opening ceremony party ended.
At last, the morning of the first day of the Ceremony dawned.
"It's done."
"Okay."
Swish.
"Nn..."
Claire's face flushed instantly as Baek Woo-jin gently pushed aside her bangs and pressed his lips to her forehead.
"I'll be going."
"I, I will see you later..."
After seeing Baek Woo-jin off as he donned his black coat and walked out the door, Claire removed the apron she'd been wearing and headed to the bedroom.
She then used light to cleanly burn away the bedding that still bore the traces of night and dawn.
Afterward, she changed into outdoor attire and prepared to leave.
Swish.
A dressing table she seldom used.
She put on the perception-inhibiting glasses she had placed on top of it.
Ding—!!
[ Maria : Executor! We're all ready!! (Photo) ]
A message with an attached photo of the children seated in the lobby lounge.
Claire exited the room and boarded the elevator.
Ding.
The doors of the smoothly moving elevator opened, and Claire walked toward the lobby lounge where the children were waiting.
"Maria."
"Ah, Big Sis."
Maria, who had been sipping warm coffee, swiftly rose from her seat.
"Hwaa-auhm~"
"Ah, hello..."
Behind Maria, Idni let out a long yawn, while Lee Na-young greeted her with a face that still couldn't hide its nerves.
-Piiuuung...
The Fairy inside Lee Na-young's pocket rubbed its eyes blearily for a moment, then relocated into Claire's front pocket and fell back asleep, its breathing evening out softly.
"We all watched movies together until dawn. Ppiyaki enjoyed it so much..."
"This trip is meant for rest, so there's no need to speak of that."
"Hehe..."
Maria laughed sheepishly and glared at Idni, who was still yawning loudly. She looked ready to slap her on the back any second.
"How is Na Yeon-ju?"
"Ah, she's waiting at the parking lot."
"Then let's move."
"Yes."
Claire turned around first, and Maria followed behind, linking arms with Idni on one side and Lee Na-young on the other.
"Hello-m!!"
As the passenger-side door opened, Na Yeon-ju, seated behind the wheel, gave a spirited greeting.
"You seem bright. That's a relief."
"Everyone's been so nice to me, it's been super fun!!"
"If anyone bothers you, don't hesitate to speak up."
"Understood!!"
"And don't shout too loudly inside the car."
"Ah, s, sorry. Hehe."
Na Yeon-ju scratched her cheek.
"Alright, we'll depart for Royal Academy."
The scenery outside the window began to flow smoothly.
-Hey, snap out of it.
-I am perfectly alert, thank you.
-Uwaa, d-don't push me...
Claire watched the children chatting softly in the back with a quiet smile and pulled out her smartphone.
[ Me : Report. ]
[ Lee Ye-sol : It's extremely quiet here. End of report. ]
[ Lee Ye-sol : More importantly, I heard from Maria that you booked a separate room for the kids? (¬◡¬)✧ ]
Flush.
The skin below Claire's neck colored faintly red.
[ Me : Be quiet. If you have nothing to report, don't contact me needlessly. ]
[ Lee Ye-sol : Ufufu~ Don't worry about things here, just enjoy your time! Ah! The first servant of the Goddess of Benevolence is still in Italy, so you needn't worry about that either. ]
[ Me : What worry? Who said anything about worrying. ]
[ Lee Ye-sol : (★≧▽^))★☆ It's my morning prayer time, so I must go! ]
Claire furrowed her brow for a moment, then let out a small sigh and tucked her smartphone back into her pocket.
The broadcasts for the others had ended the moment the match results were decided, but the broadcast connected to her had continued all the way through her conversation with the Goddess of Benevolence.
And from their brief exchange just now, she had learned that Lee Ye-sol had also witnessed the same conversation with the Goddess of Benevolence.
But Lee Ye-sol's worry was in the wrong place entirely.
-Keu, can't we call it even if I share two of my secrets, Claire...?
-I'll consider it after I see the items.
'Damn you, Lord...!!'
That was the truth.
What Claire was truly worried about wasn't some first servant of the Goddess of Benevolence, but the secrets she herself would be forced to sell out to her god for the sake of her god's own amusement.
"Um, Executor?"
Claire shook off her thoughts at Na Yeon-ju's call.
"...Call me Big Sis when we are outside."
"Ah! Yes, Big Sis!!"
"What is it?"
At Claire's question, Na Yeon-ju scratched her cheek.
"Well, it looks like there's been an accident up ahead. At this speed, we'll probably miss the beginning and catch it from the middle."
"That's fine."
"Yeah, we only need to see Ha-na's match anyway."
Maria suddenly poked her face forward and chimed in to support Claire.
"Then put on the radio. At least we can listen to the broadcast."
"Ah, got it!"
Na Yeon-ju turned on the radio and tuned to the channel.
[ Right from the start, the matchups are unusual. ]
[ Indeed. The strong title favorites, First Academy and Arena Academy, are clashing this early on. ]
The group listened to the radio, each focusing on their own task.
"What are you looking at?"
"Betting odds."
"...Was all that furious tapping yesterday you placing bets?"
"Heuh. How could I not bet money when the outcome is obvious?"
Maria peeked at Idni's smartphone and sighed.
"I know Professor Baek helped her, but does winning every single match make sense?"
"Gah!! You blasphemous wench! How dare you not trust Professor Baek!! Big Sis!! She doesn't trust Professor Baek!!"
"Be quiet."
"...Yes."
At the chilly stare reflected in the rearview mirror, Idni hastily fell silent.
"Later, don't ask for a single bite."
"...You had better not ask to borrow money from me later, either."
"I, I also think winning all of them seems a bit hard..."
"Na-young. I am going to win big and buy you all the ingredients you want, so stay quiet."
"Uh, o, okay!!"
At the mention of ingredients, Lee Na-young's eyes sparkled and she nodded eagerly.
[ Ah, as we speak, the students for the first match are taking the stage! ]
Gulp.
Idni swallowed dryly and focused her attention on the radio.