Just then, the principal's voice resonated, announcing, "The tournament's about to start."
"I know it's a bit early, but we've decided to bring the tournament forward and it starts today," says the principal with a smile on her face.
You can hear the students murmuring, some of them saying that the principal was a sadist, some of them exited, others crying, but Evangeline was rather excited, and then as usual, seeing Evangeline and Megumi arrive, Seiko stood on Evangeline's head.
"By the way, this tournament is compulsory for all students without distinction. If you refuse, you'll be expelled immediately, and this time it's no joke" said the principal, laughing even louder and terrorizing the students.
We could hear some students calling the headmistress a witch and others regretting entering the school, while others were ecstatic, including Mana, who thought she'd finally be able to beat Evangeline without punishment.
"The first test will take place in a few hours, and it will be a team challenge. You'll be working with the groups assigned at the beginning of the year, whether you like it or not. Best of luck," the principal announced before disappearing, leaving behind the echo of her laughter. A countdown appeared, signaling three hours until the start of the test.
Amidst the panic of the students, uncertainty loomed about the nature of the first test, other than it being a team event.
Turning her attention to her own group, Evangeline exchanged greetings with Megumi before the latter departed to join her team. Evangeline observed the mixed reactions within her own group. Yuriko and Soon-mi appeared excited, anticipation evident in their smiles.
"It's finally time to demonstrate my superiority," declared Yuriko confidently.
However, Somi and Lily wore expressions of distress, their faces on the brink of tears.
"I thought things would settle down after the incident last week, but they had to go ahead with this cursed tournament," Somi lamented, dropping to his knees in despair, with Lily mirroring his actions.
"Don't worry, I'm here with you. Everything will be alright," Seiko reassured them, brimming with confidence. But before he could offer further words of encouragement.
Before Seiko could utter another word, he and Evangeline suddenly vanished. Everything turned black, and then within moments, it returned to normal. However, when Evangeline opened her eyes, she found herself in the principal's office, with Mana also present. Mana wore a displeased expression, while the principal sported a wide smile.
"Seiko, you can't participate in the tournament because magical beasts are forbidden, so for now, you'll stay with me," says the principal. Seiko then descends from Evangeline's head and into the principal's arms.
"As long as you provide me with something to eat, I'm fine with anything," Seiko replies.
"And as for Mana and Evangeline, don't think I've forgotten your punishment. You'll both be teamed up together; you'll be the exception," Rosaline adds with a broad smile.
"But how will the rest of our teams cope without us? They'll be outnumbered," Mana expresses with a hint of concern.
"Don't worry about that. I've already planned for everything," assures the principal.
"Are you sure we really have to team up? It's not cheating, considering how strong we are," Evangeline questions, sounding confident.
The principal chuckles. "Don't worry, Evangeline. When the first test starts, you'll understand that it's not going to be as easy as you think. Now, you can go."
Seiko leaves the principal's arms and climbs back onto Evangeline's head. "I'll come back to you when the test is about to start, but for now, I'm staying with Evangeline," he declares.
The headmistress simply nods, and the three of them exit the office, leaving the headmistress alone.
In the corridors, the three of them make brisk progress, but along the way, they encounter Toshiko. As soon as Mana spots Toshiko, she separates from Evangeline and Seiko to approach him. Evangeline doesn't seem particularly pleased by this, but she can't quite pinpoint why she feels this way.
"You can go ahead, Evangeline. We'll catch up a bit before the trial starts," Mana says, taking Toshiko's hand and leaving without giving Evangeline a chance to say anything.
"So, Evangeline, feeling jealous, are we?" Seiko teases, laughing.
This only worsens Evangeline's mood, and Seiko laughs even harder.
"Don't be ridiculous, I'm not jealous. I just don't like Toshiko, that's all," Evangeline responds.
"Sure, sure, I believe you. But you don't hate Mana, do you? Did something happen between you two?" Seiko presses, noticing Evangeline's flushed face.
"Stop teasing me, Seiko. It's not funny. If you want to play this game, we can play together," Evangeline retorts, her tone tinged with a hint of threat.
"Okay, okay, I give up. But how long have you had that necklace? You weren't wearing it when we arrived here," Seiko asks curiously.
"Oh, Megumi gave it to me when we spoke alone," Evangeline explains, touching her necklace.
Seiko furrows his brows, finding the necklace rather peculiar. "There's something... off about this necklace. It feels like there's a malevolent presence emanating from it," he remarks, his voice tinged with concern.
Before Evangeline can respond, the necklace suddenly begins to glow, its light engulfing them both and seemingly erasing the conversation they just had. Then, as quickly as it started, the glow fades away, leaving Evangeline and Seiko momentarily stunned.
Just then, Megumi appears out of nowhere, interrupting their conversation. "Hey, Evangeline! Seiko! Are you guys ready for the tournament?" she asks, oblivious to the strange moment they just experienced.
Evangeline blinks, still trying to shake off the odd sensation from the glowing necklace. "Uh, yeah, we're ready," she replies, her voice slightly unsteady.
Seiko nods, but his gaze remains fixed on the necklace, a sense of unease lingering in his mind.
Seiko's curiosity gets the better of him, and he asks Megumi where she bought the necklace. Megumi furrows her brows in confusion. "I don't remember where I bought it. It's been with me for a while now," she replies, scratching her head.
Seiko's expression turns even more puzzled. "That's strange. How can you not remember where you got such a unique necklace?" he questions, his suspicion growing.
Megumi shrugs, seemingly unconcerned. "I don't know, it's just always been in my possession," she says casually.
Evangeline observes the exchange, a sense of apprehension creeping over her. Something about the situation feels off, but she can't quite put her finger on it.