Numerous people were hanging out on the road connecting from the nearby cafe up to the other alley. Mahrisse has been called by one of her knights or bodyguard. Aran is looking intensely at her expression and tried reading her lips but he can't comply with their conversation. He sighed from the current event of their day.
"MMMM~ This is so delicious!" Lisa squirmed after swallowing the pasta that she has ordered. The cafe was not that full and most of the customers have already left to continue their shopping streak.
On the table, were three plates of pasta with a special sauce, a saucer dish of a slice of cake with a lovable design of strawberry frosting, three cups of tea, and one coffee for Aran.
(They ordered a lot, as expected of Mahrisse. I wish I am rich as her...)
"You're right! The flavor is really good. Aran, you should try one of these." After soothing her tongue with the food, Eunice invited him to try the pasta.
"No thank you, I'm fine with this..." Aran raised his cup of coffee and took a sip of it, and then placed it down on the saucer.
"What is taking her so long?" Lisa glanced outside the window to check on Mahrisse.
"It is probably something important... Responsibility of being a noble," Aran replied with a nonchalant idea as he glanced through the window as well.
"Hmm, she really got it rough huh... Must be really hard to become a noble," Lisa replied, taking another spoonful of pasta and swallowing it with a slurping sound dripping from her mouth. The pack that she ate returned a slight stain of the brown sauce near between her lips and cheeks. Noticing the stain, Aran grabbed two pieces of the tissue from the table and leaned forward towards her.
"Come here, you should mind your table manners..." Lisa tried to lean back. She doesn't know what Aran was doing.
"Huh?" But then Aran wiped the stain on her cheek.
A moment of silence interrupted her eating habit as Aran goes back to his seat. The two girls were shocked by what just happened and Eunice made an appealing weary expression on her face, Lisa sat in silence as she fumed, brimming with flustered emotion. She lowered her head in slow motion.
"T-Thank you..."
"You're welcome, you should really try to hold back for a bit. You're also a noble, you know?" Aran chuckled at her action.
"Y-Yes, haha..." Lisa couldn't help but feel embarrassed but then she thought it was a good experience since Aran actually cares about her actions.
After a few minutes, Mahrisse has finished talking with her knights and came through the door with a lively presence.
"I'm back!" She blurted as she approaches the table.
"Hey, so uh... What's that?" Aran asked.
"Oh yes, well, I think we may have to cancel our dinner for tonight, Aran." Her tone seemed to have advocated sadness and disapproval.
"What, why?"
"Father has something to attend to in the palace. He will be busy for the rest of the day. Well, it is not like I expected him to stay anyway." She replied with her lowered head.
"Umm... Don't worry about it, Mahrisse." Aran cheered her up.
"No... I apologize, Aran. You must have been expecting it. I got your hopes up and it got ruined. I hope you forgive me for dragging you outside." She bowed with a not-so-good expression. Aran placed his large hand on top of her head and stroked it. Surprised by this sudden change, Mahrisse raised her head and looked at him.
"What are you talking about? I had fun today. You even bought me some new clothes and treat us to delicious food. This trip didn't get wasted. I really have fun, you know? It is my first time hanging around with my friends. And besides, I am not going to run away. I will still keep my time free so I can meet your father. So I am really looking forward to the next opportunity."
Hearing Aran's opinion on their 'date' for today melted everyone's heart in surprise. The fact that he has been so gloomy for the rest of the day contradicted his way of approach in hanging out with them, but then he realized that he may have gained a few traits of social interactivity and improved his confidence. Everyone is the same as him, Eunice and Lisa glanced at Mahrisse with happy eyes indicating that they had fun for today as well.
"Mmm! He is right! I had fun today! Thank you so much for treating us, Mahrisse!" Lisa bowed.
"Yeah! Thank you for joining us!" Eunice did the same.
After accepting their appreciation, Mahrisse got her spirits lifted up once again and joined their conversation.
"Thank you very much, everyone! And you're welcome. It is my pleasure to be treating you guys." she replied and took the other seat on their front.
"Why don't you relax for today, Mahrisse? Here, the pasta is really great." Lisa gave her the other plate with the pasta.
"Ah! Thank you so much."
"Are we going to have another session for tomorrow as well?" Aran raised another topic on the table.
"I don't think so... I think almost everyone is preparing for the upcoming Triathlon event. We have the full week as our free time and rest for the sake of preparing." Lisa answered.
"I see, are you going to join the event, Lisa?" Aran asked.
"The Triathlon? Well, I am still not sure. We still have a lot of paperwork and activities to do. But if we get a clean schedule of our section's demand then I might join the Cycling event. It seems pretty fun to ride a Magic Bicycle you know?"
"I agree, though, I am not really fond of using magic as the main part of the category. Like isn't it pretty much unfair for those who don't have that much affinity for magic?" Eunice slumped her shoulders.
"That is actually my concern as well, those who have a high affiliation for magic can easily win the round without even using their physical attributes. Working hard to train is disputed at this side of the rule." Aran agreed to Eunice's concern.
"What about you, Mahrisse? You are from the star section, right? How are they building up?" Lisa asked her.
"Almost everyone is ready for the event, to be honest. And just like what you guys have said, they are already packing in excitement because they are confident with their magic skills. They think it will be easy for them to win the rounds because they are considered to be a good magician." She replied with a weary smile, swallowing another round of pasta.
"This will be very hard for Section C. Most of our classmates can't even reach the third category of basic magic. How are we supposed to counter their abilities if we don't have any chance at magic?" Eunice asked.
"I am in disagreement, but we don't really have a choice. I think they are testing magic users these days because we need to implement an equal account for every candidate that enrolls in the academy. If we were to be recognized as good magicians then they will earn more with that account. Not to mention that magic is the primary source of strength that we need to improve because that is the major requirement in passing the candidacy and selections." Aran gave his insight into what turned out to be the fact and inevitable truth.
"At this point, Section A or Section B will take the lead. Even if we continue to practice with our magic activation sequences, we are still far from their level." Eunice added.
"Come on guys, don't lose hope. I am pretty sure that you guys will take some of the rounds even without the use of magic." Lisa subdued them upon her cheery front.
"You're right, but we need a couple of people who can last long with the event. Eunice, do you have any idea of who are we going to assign?" Aran glanced at her.
"Hmm? Well, I have a few suggestions. First, I and Huck can go participate in the long-distance running event and cycling event. After all, we have the most amount of energy in the whole class. As for the swimming event, I haven't been able to directly analyze everyone so I don't really know who to put in that section."
"It is true that you guys might have the chance to win because you guys are the top candidates of section C alone. But then, we should also give the others a chance." Aran replied.
"A chance? I don't think they will be eager for this, Aran. We've seen their hopeless expression and honestly, it pains me to see them getting demotivated as time passes by."
"Yeah, you're right. I have noticed that as well. Hmm..." Aran placed his hand on his chin for a couple of seconds and began to think of his own accord.
(Needless to say, I don't want our section to rely on these powerful candidates. They need to improve as well, otherwise, they wouldn't get the right recognition that they need. It will be an unfair and unjust treatment for the whole section. They need someone to regain their confidence and train harder for the sake of this event. But where should we even start? It is not like there is someone out there who could help us with–)
While thinking straight ahead, an epiphany has been shot through his line of thought. Indicating that he realized something.
"I got it!" He stood up from his seat.
"Mmm?" Everyone glanced at him.
"We don't need to worry about their shortcomings! We just need to encourage and help them grow!" He suggested with a bright smile on his face.
"Huh? What do you mean, what are you planning?" Eunice asked.
"I know the perfect person for this job!" Aran followed.
"So you're saying, you are going to like, hire a teacher or something?" Mahrisse asked.
"Pretty much, but this guy isn't an ordinary teacher. He was the one who trained me before we enter the academy. If you guys are interested in how I pulled those action moves when I fought the masked magician, he is the perfect instructor for physical and magical attributes. He can pretty much train everyone without any problem!" Aran explained.
"Aran, you don't mean?" Lisa finally realized what he was talking about.
"Yeah! William Smith." He answered.
Shocked by what Aran have said, Mahrisse and Eunice both slammed the table.
"What the?! That guy! He trained you?" Eunice exclaimed.
"Yeah? Uh, why?"
"So you are saying that the famous Noir Magician is your teacher?" Mahrisse asked.
"What? Noir Magician?"
"You don't know?!"
"Uh... He didn't tell anything about those. Wait, do you guys even know him?" Aran can't help but get confused about what they are saying.
""OF COURSE!"" Both of them answered.
"William Smith is known for his creational invention of magic stones. He is also a member of the Magikill Federation, no, not a member but the founder of the Magikill Federation. He is the one who garnered almost every magician in the kingdom and they made a lot of successful expeditions and attempts outside the walls. They are pretty much popular for their work and he is really really strong. I really love his account and lesson for magic!" Mahrisse took the spotlight on explaining who William Smith is.
"Oh my... And here I am effacing myself over the fact that he called himself a professor inside Fosier Academy and also a physicist. I didn't know that he had that much title and success, to be honest, we just literally spent the whole week training with him. He didn't open up about anything." Aran replied.
"That's pretty much true as well though, he is a physicist but he doesn't work in the same department as we have. Fosier Academy has many branches throughout the entire kingdom. We have at least four major divisions of our own academy. This one is where we are currently studying is division one, and the name of our division is Griviogar which is from the central capital, Knightstar. The next division is Weammilon from the east, Aphecion from the west, and Nuclecyre from the south. And considering that you have met him for like a week, he might have been staying on Weammilon or working there." Eunice added.
"And like, you said that he trained you for like a week? How did that even happen? What are you to him?" Mahrisse asked Aran and Lisa.
"Well, we are not really the one who called to him. It was Huck's father. He said he knows someone who is good at training people so he settled it with him." Aran answered.
"He really is good, but I am ashamed to not recognize him." Lisa followed.
"That's not your fault, Lisa. We have been dealing with our own problems for a few years now. We don't have time for those updates and news about who is getting popular nowadays." Aran convinced her.
"So umm, what are you planning?" Eunice asked.
"Well isn't it obvious? If he is that popular and good, then I will have to ask him for help to train us and then boost the morality of each of our classmates. That is what I am thinking. After all, we have a full week of free time. We can just use those weeks to improve their magical affiliation." Aran answered.
"We should ask for permission first, Aran," Lisa suggested.
"We are taking lessons from an outsider, I am pretty sure the academy doesn't let that kind of thing pass by. They need to be aware of what kind of preparation we are trying to do." She continued.
"Yeah, you're right. I will talk to Ms. Julia about it. Or maybe we can just directly ask your grandfather, Lisa!" Aran replied.
"Eh?! Umm... I don't really know, but umm... Yeah, maybe I can. If it is for you, Aran..." She mumbled in response.
"Great! We are starting to see the light!" Aran suddenly gained confidence.
"I feel like we just lose 50 percent of our chance because of your connection to popular people, Aran." Mahrisse took a sip from her tea.
"Haha! Well, it is not like it will be a conclusive strategy, but we don't have a choice. Those guys are pretty much bored of their own study so I figured they need a push." He replied.
"He is right, we need every help we can get in order to win the event. Though, we can't just sit here and do nothing at all. And I forgot to tell you guys that they are looking for at least fifteen participants for each section." Eunice added.
"So five for every event, huh? That seems like a good partition to hold. We can figure out our contestants tomorrow. But for now, I need to seek some permission." Aran said.