But unbeknownst to Aviva, there was someone who had took notice of her strange behavior.
Along with Xue Yiran victory, Hermes academy was finally qualified to pass on to the semi-final. Later that day, the homeroom teachers treat the students to a heartfelt buffet ceremony to celebrate their passing into the semi-final.
Xue Yiran, the ace of the team, was constantly shower with praises from time to time by the homeroom teachers. The teachers couldn't help getting agitated and began to make a lot of promises, all to get her to perform well for the upcoming semi-final tournament.
Some of the students seated around the table began to feel uncomfortable seeing the attention Xue Yiran was getting from the teachers. Though they tried hard not to expressed it on their face, they couldn't help but feel disheartened with the teacher's behavior.
Perhaps due to this, Xue Yiran would start gaining attention from everyone. While none of them had strike a conversation with her, Xue Yiran could detect from their gaze that they really want to know how she had contracted Sky. Not excluding the agitated homeroom teachers.
But why would she bother to explain to them. Whether they were curious or not, none of it matters to her. Ignoring their probing gaze, Xue Yiran ate her food in silence under the gaze of everyone.
After the dinner, Xue Yiran head back to her hotel room. On her way to the room, she suddenly received a warning from Susu.
[Host. I have a hunch that Aviva is planning something evil against you. Back then at the stadium, I spotted her looking at you with a vile gaze. It's likely that she might have arranged some underground schemes that may possibly lead to your downfall in the next round. It wouldn't hurt to be wary of other contestants during the next match]
"Hmm." Xue Yiran nodded, agreeing to heed to Susu warning. She had indeed noticed Aviva displeasure against her the moment they arrived here, but since she was used to ignoring anyone irrelevant to her, it hadn't sparked a cautiousness in her.
Arriving at the door to the hotel room, Xue Yiran input in the access password and entered the room. She was the first to arrive, as her other roommates were still in the dining hall enjoying their first treatment of a buffet. As a result, she took the first privilege of using the bathroom this time again.
...
"Ahhh!" The loud yell of a girl resonated through the dark night. Thankfully, the area where the scream was coming from is known to be a very desolate place. Otherwise, those who were passing by would have thought that the area was being hunted by a female vengeful ghost.
Nonetheless, there was a certain individual who was facing the brunt of the girl's frustration. A male figure could be seen huddling in a certain corner, as he tries to keep his presence minimal; away from the girl. But it was no use. The girl's body swiftly turned around, her petrifying black eyes locked onto his; seeming to be able to look into his soul.
"Gosh!" Zach heart had a jump scare again. He had just been discharged from the infirmary, since his fever had gone down. Still, experiencing such an excruciating pain took tolls on his body. Most especially, his head. He felt like he was carrying a huge mountain across his neck.
Right now, all that he needed was a deep sleep to wash off the fatigue across his body. But just as he was about to head for his assigned room to rest, he suddenly received a call from Aviva.
The good news was that Hermes academy had successfully pass on to the next round. While the bad news was that the torture, he had experienced in the infirmary wardroom had all been for nothing. Their perfect plan had failed. As the victim of the situation, he was the most pitiful one. Yet still, he was the one being getting yelled at.
"I knew I shouldn't have counted on you." Aviva spat, looking at Zach with a disdain expression.
Zach was about to refuse her statement, but thinking of what she was capable of doing, he shut his mouth and took the blame all alone.
Finally venting all the anger in her heart, Aviva became calm. She reached for her communication device, and successfully made a transaction.
Zach on the other side, heard his device vibrating. Since it was in his hand, he was able to see what was on the screen. On the screen, was a notification of a payment transaction entering his account.
Seeing the name of the sender, he immediately became alarmed. Lifting his head, he looked at Aviva with a questioning gaze. "You... Didn't you say that you're going to delete the video? Why are you suddenly giving me money?"
Zach was from a well to do family. He had never been in any form of financial constraint.
As for why he became Aviva's underdog, that was because the other party had a video of him flirting with girls. Zach was scared of the video ending up in his father's hand. Due to fear, he had hurriedly agreed to Aviva's deal.
But what was happening. She had not deleted the video, but instead made a measly transaction of money to him.
"Tch." Aviva scorned at Zach's question. "I did say that I was going to delete the video. However, that's on the premise that the plan was successful. Since it wasn't, then you should have guessed the outcome of the situation."
"You." Zach became furious.
Thinking of how he was almost tortured to death, all for ingesting that unknown solution and yet the other party was renegading on her promise, the anger in his heart burned more. There's no way he would agree to this. "Are you not afraid that I'll tell everyone about our shady deal?" He threatened.
"Then please do. So long as you're ready to risk your video being spread, I don't mind." Aviva said with an indifferent expression. "My reputation at school is already ruined. Thus, it won't add a bit if another were to join in the bad records."
Her last sentence instantly crushes all the fighting spirit Zach had built up. He never knew she could be this shameless to admit it herself.
Aviva chuckled, seeing his downward state. "You can resent me as much as you want. Yes, this is my true nature. As for why I became like this, you can all blame it on that girl called Xue Yiran. Hence, if you're to curse anyone for putting you in this situation, curse her instead. Treat the money I sent to you as your medical bill. It's the exact amount you spent at the infirmary. Our partnerships end here." With that, Aviva walked away, leaving the despair Zach alone to himself.
[He-he-he. Caught you red-handed] Susu who just saw what had transpired between the two, through a nearby monitoring camera gave an evil smile. Though the video feed had no sound function, but it was an easy thing for him to do. Looking at the pitiful Zach nearby, Susu felt sorry for the poor guy. But notwithstanding, he would never hold back for anyone who tries to hurt his host.
He began to hack into Aviva's communication device. The video feed which she had used to blackmail Zach was retrieve and also the transaction she had just made. After gathering enough evidence, he deleted the original video from her device. His last act could be said to be a way of helping the poor guy, but if situation however occur for him to use the video as evidence, he wouldn't hesitate in doing so.
***
A day off was given to all contestants for them to train competently for the semi-final. As a result, all the training room available in the hotel was crowded with people. Every one of them can be seen putting in effort as they train for the big event tomorrow.
The victory of tomorrow match will determine the two academy that qualifies to head into the finals. With the appearance of a dark horse like Xue Yiran, all of the contestants felt a huge pressure press down on their heart.
Xue Yiran was also inside the training room, working on her skills; on the order of the combat teacher. After their victory, one of the homeroom teachers had informed the school of Xue Yiran brilliance performance and hence, the school decided to send the school combat teacher over to assist in training her.
Celia had been awed when she heard about the news of Xue Yiran brilliance performance at the tournament. Although, she knew that Xue Yiran was very talented. But she hadn't envisaged the young girl, to be able to summoned out a B rank beast king as her contractual pet.
This was simply astonishing.
Looking at Xue Yiran who was working out in the distance, Celia was taken aback by her improvement. Her trajectory, stance and movement. They were all executed perfectly without a flaw. As a former mercenary member herself before switching occupation to a teacher, Celia knew that Xue Yiran skillfulness was up to a mercenary standard.
Perhaps even higher than her.
'Could she be going outside of the wilds to train herself.'
It was no strange thing seeing young hot-blooded teenagers wanting to venture outside of the wilds by themselves. However, without proper knowledgeable experience, it's the same as them sending themselves off to their grave.
Although, it isn't illegal for one to venture outside of the wilds all alone by themselves. But to ensure one's survival, one must have a proper knowledge about the survival tactics in the wilds.
Even though the high school scheme had begun to introduce the knowledge of the wilds to the students, things like survival tactics hadn't been imparted to them yet. Which is why the notion that Xue Yiran might have joined the mercenary immediately fades away from Celia's mind.
'I heard she was previously from Roland academy. Perhaps her family might have hired a strong mercenary team to help her capture the beast king. And also employ a high-level mentalist to aid her in contracting with the B rank beast king'
In a backward planet like Starry Sky, Mentalist were rare to see. Most are from a mid or top-grade planet. As a result, Celia summed that Xue Yiran's parents must have spent a fortune in hiring a mentalist to aid her in contracting successfully with Sky.