"Thanks, Maeda! … I learned a lot!"
Like master, like pupil, Oli's enthusiastic voice rang out with a playful grin.
"About time you got serious!"
Zelsh bounced up to his feet, pointing at his winning disciple with arrogance and pride.
"What was with all the teasing? If I catch you playing around and wasting essence in the tournament, I'll spank your ass till everyone knows how naive you truly are!"
Oli spared the outspoken king a single second of attention. Then, Oli looked back to his former opponent, who was already being rolled over and treated by Lord Uutrai.
"It was a grand match. Both of you pass."
Uutrai's hushed voice barely reached Oli's and Maeda's ears. Of course, it was Maeda who shirked and trembled under the mysterious weight of those words.
"But Chief–"
"Hush now, Maeda."
Uutrai caressed her broken wing with a powerful salve, a moment before realigning the broken and dislocated joints one by one.