"I just knew that they were off campus doing research. I'll have to make sure to show my appreciation to them as my seniors." Deuce noted to himself to remember thoughtfully.
"Oh yeah, I've only ever seen third years. So even wizards have to do internships." Yuu noted in surprise.
"National Magic School Joint Culture Festival brings representatives from many different fields: the board of magic education, ministry of magic, magic corporations, research departments and even celebrities all pay close attention to this event." Crewel listed carefully dismissing the fact that the four had spoke during lecture before reminding them with a solemn and strict glance, "Any of you puppies in cultural clubs need to brush all your fur in line."
"Hmph, so this is for culture clubs." Ace grumbled in disdain.
"That means any of us in sports clubs won't have much to do." Deuce sighed in disappointment.
"So, since it's a festival are there gonna be a bunch of things to eat like during magift?" Grim concluded in better understanding and excited.
"All you care about is food." Deuce shook his head in disappointment.
"That's all for homeroom." Crewel announced before they continued further, "Today's first period will be dedicated to practicing defensive magic. Puppies, come here!"
That morning, they practiced defensive training against the other students as Lotus had to give Grim and Yuu a hand by showing them how to say the chant one more time and watch others cast it carefully.
.....
"All the dorm heads are here, yes." Crowley confirmed pleased with the start of the meeting's attendance in the mirror room and around a round table surrounded by the dorm leaders of each dorm, except for two.
"Seems like Malleus isn't here again?" Vil scowled upon seeing this.
Lilia spoke up, "Apologies. I knew where he was up until lunch break but… He vanished as soon as classes finished."
"Could it have been on purpose?" Idia's voice came out from the tablet floating around the table.
"Don't say things like that, fae just happen to experience time differently." Lilia huffed and informed them, "That and he has this terrible luck about him."
Hearing this, Riddle was instantly reminded of the previous conversation with Peony. Hm, so it's actually that...
Kalim laughed out loud in a carefree manner when he heard this, "Ah hah hah, I get that! Jamil gets so mad whenever I forget about meetings."
Lilia chuckled having his friend support him in this indirect manner and said with a wide smile, "So, please allow me, the vice dorm head, to attend in his place."
"Makes no difference if that haughty bastard is here or not. Just get started already." Leona growled in dismay as he heard this and showed clear dislike for the fae.
"Ahem. Let's begin the dorm head meeting." Crowley announced seeing that some were already getting rather intimidating though in good health, "Preparations for the National Magic School Joint Culture Festival have been well under way for the past two months. Mr. Rosehearts, please give us your status update as the leader of the executive committee."
Recalling the present situation, Riddle focused on the meeting once more as he place the stack of papers from his arms to the table, "Understood, please take a look at the data in front of you."
As the others closed in to have a look, he continued, "We are in the middle of accepting applications for the presentations and performances from other schools. The due date for any who wish to sell food and drink or handmade crafts at a booth has already passed."
Kalim picked up one of the paper and looked at it carefully in surprise, "Hm? I get food and drink but what're crafts?"
"Clothing, ceramics, carvings, art and any other product made by a culture club. They can display and sell their works." Riddle explained, "There will also be those who do live painting and show screenings of their student films."
"Whooaa, it's going to be awesome having all that stuff!" Kalim looked at the paper with excitement.
"Next, I'd like to talk about the stage where we'll have the research presentations and speech contest. The plan is to set up three separate stages around campus. Red in the courtyard, blue in gymnasium and the largest, purple, in the coliseum. Since announcing the stages, we've received applications from international media outlets as well but…" Riddle hesitated after looking over the papers he printed out with hesitation, "Hmm..."
"What's that face for?" Kalim looked to him in confusion once again.
"The Vocal & Dance Championship is scheduled to take place on the purple stage has had a flood of applications of outside media outlets." Riddle explained as he could feel a migraine coming on.
"Ahh, well that makes sense." Azul shook his head in exasperation and explained, "The Vocal & Dance Championship, VDC for short, is the most important event for any budding musician and draws in challengers from all over."
"We've been calling it the "music presentation" so I'd been thinking of it more like a chorus contest." Riddle said in confusion when he heard this.
"Well, in the beginning, VDC was something like a chorus contest you'd find at any culture festival." Vil explained, "But as time went on and music evolved it began to diversify along with it, resulting in a tournament that is used to evaluate not only singing but the dance and performance abilities of the participants. Now it has become the gateway to success for anyone who aspires to go pro in music."
"The audience votes for the finalists in real time and nothing about the excitement it creates is fake.. Azul added, "There is a decent chance that a new star will be born on that stage. On top of that, our own Vil will be performing. It's no wonder the media is all worked up."
"Hmph." Vil stood before them in aloof in his chair.
"Is that...so?" Riddle noted doubtfully.
Azul looked to Riddle in surprise as he noted aloud, "Oh my, I would have assumed that you'd be familiar with this already this as the top student. Are you unaware of Vil's global popularity?"
Seeing the glint in the other guy's eyes, Riddle huffed in disdain, "You sure like to phrase things in the worst way, even I know that Vil also works as a celebrity."
Azul nodded as the glint continued to shine in his eyes, "Yes, he is an extremely popular talent that does everything from modeling in fashion magazines to acting in movies. The moment fashion week begins he'll get no shortage of brand name offers, he was the number one runway model last fall and winter season. Furthermore..."
He continued with his usual polite smile, "He is a magicamegrammer with over five million followers. They say any product he endorses will sell so quickly it's like it never existed in the first place. He's what we in the business call an influencer."
"Oooh, he's really popular." Riddle smiled understandingly and nodded his head pretending to have understood things better if it could make Azul just shut up.
"Hmph." Vil scowled as he glared daggers at Azul, "Azul, you sure like to run your mouth. Anything of that level is too run of the mill to be proud of. Could you refrain from over exaggerating?"
"Ahh, speaking of influencers..." Idia brought up as he recalled something and informed them, "Vil's not the only one in VDC… Neige LeBlanche is also gonna appear on stage. The media lost their minds when they saw the news a few days ago. No wonder they all want in."
"Neige LeBlanche?" Riddle thought harder this time as he recalled that name from somewhere, "Oooh, I do remember seeing an application with that name a few days ago. He's a second year coming to represent Royal Sword Academy."
"Ooh. Neige is currently the number one actor. He's known for his adorable face and naive personality." Lilia said with a wide cheery smile, "You can't go a day without seeing his face all over the internet and TV these days. I had no idea he was a student at Royal Sword Academy."
"Sounds like something normies would be into. Wait, do you actually watch TV and stuff in Diasomnia?" Idia exclaimed in surprise.
"Obviously. We are high school students as well." Lilia responded with a wide smile, "We watch dramas and play games."
"O-Ohhh… That's unexpected." Idia whispered audibly in secret elation.
"Mr. Vil Schoenheit and Mr. Neige LeBlanche. The two of the most popular talents in the world will take to the stage for the Vocal & Dance Championship." Crowley thought to himself aloud carefully with his usual thinking pose of a sharp metal talon fingers on his chin, "It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say this is going to be the most watched Vocal & Dance Championship in history. Mr. Rosehearts, please be prepared with any and all trouble that may arise during the event."
Riddle looked up in surprise as he nodded hesitantly, "Uh, yessir. This is going to be a lot more difficult than I originally thought."
Azul nodded firmly, "There is the possibility of the crowds fighting their way to the front and going wild if the management is inept."