The game encouraged the players to be as competitive as possible.
Essentially using rivalry as a means of growth for every main or side character.
Everything Theo won against Liam in a competition or any kind of event, Liam would have his growth boosted further comparable on how big the gap was between rivals.
So having more competitive spirit between the characters the better.
Unlike in the game where Liam, Theo and Liana were equals or Selene, who should be way weaker, now Theo surpassed the two geniuses and Selene was at the cusp of catching up to them, Selene and Theo believed that their growth would be exponentially rise faster compared to before.
It was one of the first few steps Selene and Theo devised for World Peace.
"Liam Grace, I've never heard of you before. I'm curious of your origins."
Theo simply nodded, though not as excited as Selene, he was happy that the two people who were fated for each other are starting to connect with each other.
A start that Selene and Theo fully welcome. They were also one of the reasons for their final goal.
She was nervous?
Theo glanced at Selene smiling softly at Liam and Liana.
Theo still wasn't used to the soft of Selene.
This side of Selene was a rare sight for Theo.
The Selene he knew was proactive and arrogant but seeing her like this gave him a ticklish feeling in his heart.
"Are you ok Theo?"
His trance got broken and a familiar insufferable voice rang in his head.
I can't believe I even tried seeing her in a light.
Selene's comment drove his mood in the opposite direction, from soft to sour.
"Nothing, I was just mesmerised by your beauty"
Theo
Selene took Theo's gloating personally and started insulting him once again internally
Making Theo regret, thinking about Selene in a more positive light.
Though they were once again fighting internally, others perceived and mosumderstood their glares as passionate gazes
"... They really get along with each other"
Liana agreed and nodded at Liam's comment.
"Who knew that people who are in a arranged marriage would get along so well"
As Liana and Liam observed the two "lovebirds", other students started to appear from the teleportation circle and finishing the second test.
Familiar faces started popping up. People who finished the fastest last test were the first ones to finish the first test.
Though some finished the first test fast because of the destruction Theo left on the way to the exit, most of the people who finished first were still the best of the best in the current year.
So it wasn't surprising to see Violet, Patrick and the others finishing after the top 4.
There was also the familiar fox Kim with distinctive green fur sighing in relief after surprisingly finishing faster than average.
Liam felt a pang of shame underestimating the fox kin.
He swore to himself to apologise to the Fox kin, who he remembered named Huo.
*****
Selene on the corner of her eye saw Liam bowing his head to an familiar person.
Theo glanced to the side and saw a scene that was reminiscent of the game when one played as Liam.
A scene that showed Liam's good qualities, making many players like him even more.
Both of them knew that Liam was apologising for misunderstanding Huo's strength and underestimating her.
Which for many people thought was unnecessary but was something Liam believed to be important.
He would apologize for any little mistakes he made no matter how small even a small thought like underestimating someone was something that bothered Liam's conscious.
This weird and gullible trait of Liam triggered another scene which Selene was looking forward to.
"Hey hey, what's wrong here. Did you do something wrong Liam? Why are you bowing at Little Huo here?"
"L-little Huo!?"
Huo blushed and fiddled with her fingers in embarrassment.
Liam who just finished bowing to Huo faced Liana and spoke in a clear and serious tone.
"I was apologising to Ms. Huo for underestimating her and thinking that she was lucky to finish the first test."
Liana who heard this was taken aback and processed on what Liam just spouted but seconds lager started to tremble as she held her stomach as she leaned forward.
"Pfffffff!!!! Hahaha!"
Liam and Huo were startled by the sudden outburst of laughter.
Liana has never met someone as gullible as Liam. She couldn't help but laugh at the lofty reason Liam was apologising for.
"U-um? Are you ok miss Liana?" Liam asks in a confused tone.
"Your a piece of work Liam! Hahaha!"
Liam represented the dense protagonist trope.
A person with an upright and strong willed disposition, but extremely views some aspects of the world one dimensionally.
Liam was a very dense character when it comes into developing human relationshop.
That's the reason why he gets into extremely awkward and vague romantic relationships that make his affection with Liana, the main Heroine when you play Liam, extremely precarious.
They were also the only pair main characters that had the best ending, where both barely survive with Liana only becoming permanently blind or Liam losing his right arm.
Not the best but they end up together in the end.
Selene and Theo were determined to prevent their permanent scars from happening.
Selene, who was especially into shipping people, was passionately burning with a resolve that kindled stronger than Liam's flames to make her future companions married and happy.
<.. She's lost it> Theo
Theo couldn't help but shake his head in disappointment at Selene's absurd delusions.
Theo glanced at the trio, Liam, Liana and Huo who were merrily getting along.
His eyes inevitably landed on Huo.
A scene flashed on Theo's head.
A young fox kin stepped forward taking a fatal blow for Liam.
Theo clenched his hand in anger.
Not a single one of you will die when I'm here.
"You mean when we're both here Theo"
"WOAH!"
Theo was startled by the tingling breath that bathed his ears.
Selene grinned mischievously.
Theo glared begrudgingly.
<....>
Theo was again at awe at Selene's sharp intuition.
But despite her rude gesture, he found it helpful nonetheless.
Theo took a step closer towards Selene and brought his lips close to her right ear and whispered.
"And thank you as well, Selene"
"Kyaaaa!!!-"
Selene jumped a whole meter because of Theo's unexpected actions, causing a bigger commotion than Theo, which took the attention of the students around them.
Selene glared daggers at Theo, her face beet red in embarrassment and betrayal.
Theo simply giggled and sent his own message.
Theo and Selene were once again fighting internally.
Others finally rolled their eyes in exasperation and started whispering to each other.
"How are they so carefree?"
"Ugh, van they stop flirting for just a minute? This makes me want to vomit"
"It's broski that's the fate of us singles. All we can do is endure the harshness of the world in the face of stupidly in love couples"
"I'd smack the sh*t out of them if they weren't the top prospective students and royalty"
***
Abigail on the pther hand was clenching her hand so hard that her nails were in the verge of digging into her skin.
How are they so close already????? They barely had time to be together????
Abigails plan was slowly crumbling as she saw the duo's "public display of affection".
Her mother's wish and her mission as the sole child of the Grauschild family was the severation of the Union pact and the seizure of the imperial power if Ignatius.
I have to take drastic measures!
"Hey"
Abigail was struck by a voice from behind. Snapping her from her head from spirring out of control.
"What it is Lord Campbell"
A switched flipped automatically and she reverted to her facade, to a perfect pretty and benevolent woman.
"Are you good? You seem disturbed by something"
Abigail was surprised by the sharp intuition of the young Campbell, but it made sense, he was the Heir son of a Duke she loathe so greatly.
"I was simply embarrassed by the bold display of his and her highness. Such acts should only be done in private settings"
Lysander nodded and spoke in agreement with Abigail.
"Yeah, how stupidly in love should they be to do this in public. Get a room or something"
Abigail got more and more annoyed at Lysander Campbell's presence.
She didn't know if he was sharp or an oblivious monkey. Though, he was one of her targets to get along with, so she had to endure and smile brightly for the sake of her mission.
"Indeed, Lord Campbell, is in the right. I would also hope for them to keep the dignity of royalty"
******
Theo noticed two antagonist interacting either each other and smiled.
They're interactive sooner than expected. Good.
Theo's plan was slowly coming into fruition, but first he had to deal with Selene who was about to summon her knight out of anger.