Sarita tightens her tie and sees everyone in the venue whispering about her. A bad memory resurfaces in her mind.
There is a classroom, filled with faceless students. A young blond girl stands in the centre and the faceless students starts to praise her. Suddenly Sarita felt cold and distant as they praised her. This feeling of isolation slowly took over her mind which made her respond with hate. She hated the classroom. She hated everyone in the classroom. She hated the blond girl. And the person who Sarita hated the most in the classroom was herself because she knew that her feeling of hate was not justified. Yet she hated.
"Sarita. Sarita. Sarita!"
"Huh? What?" The startled Sarita looks up and sees her former instructor.
"Estha is apologizing. You should do it too." Vivnena says as she taps on Estha's shoulder.
Sarita looks at Estha's face who clearly isn't interested in apologizing.
"Don't take the wrong idea. I am only doing this for big sister." Estha extends her hand for handshake.
Sarita bits her lip and clenches her hands.
Estha narrows her eyes in annoyance. "Do it fast. I don't have all day-"
THAMP! Sarita slaps Estha's hands. "I am not apologizing to you. I know you did something to my students and I will find out. Even if I have to appeal to the judges." With these words Sarita bolted from the venue.
Estha clenches her fist as she watched Sarita's back.
"Dear, please don't hate her. She is a good child too." Vivnena expresses her thoughts. 'Afterall, her current behaviour is my fault.' She thinks in sorrow.
Few rows ahead, Rick and Ken quickly let out a groan and took their glasses off. "And here I thought I would see some action." Rick complains.
"Right? I was eager to see their fight. If not for that strange noseless woman."
Rick quickly leans to whisper. "Sir Ken. You really should not refer an elder of Branchio Family as noseless. Also by no means she looks like woman, she prefers to be called as granny."
Ken gets up from his seat and sits straight, facing the giant screen. "Forgive me, I didn't know about her. Are you familiar with her?"
Rick also does the same. "She occasionally come to meet the Chief to discuss about the market price about herbs and other resources."
Ken nods in understanding. "Hmm. Branchio family grows and supplies majority of medical and personal resources to the entire block."
"Yes. Whenever she comes, she greets me. I think she is really kind and good natured. Unlike other elders I have met."
"Seems like a good person. It may be impolite of me but she doesn't look normal…should I say alive?"
"I know what you are implying. I heard that she became like that after spending most of her life in the Red border."
Ken loses interest after hearing the Red border. "Must be that."
On the stage, referee makes an announcement. "The winner of 12th round is Leonard Avaritia from Black Pegasus academy. This concludes the first fight between Black Pegasus academy and the Groover and Aquilae academy. And the victor is Black Pegasus academy which will advance further."
Even after the referee's announcement nobody cheered. The dome was dead silent. All eyes are fixed on Karl as he steps down the stage with one thought. 'This was definetly rigged.'
Without wasting any time, Lady Treypin signals the referee to start the second fight. All three of the judges knew that something was wrong during Karl's fights. "Karlos, did you noticed for any interference from the outside?" She asks.
"I have searched 50 kilometers in every direction from this dome. Twice. There was nothing that seemed out of ordinary." Karlos answered.
"Susen?"
"I personally scanned every participant's personal data which was clear." The Chief answers.
The lady Treypin glances at the VIP section and sees Estha and Sarita arguing. She narrows her eyes. 'These two couldn't be this foolish.'
Just as Lady Treypin is about move, her eyes falls on the person sitting beside Estha. Vivnena is looking straight into Lady Treypin's eyes. Her hollow eyes which have sunken deep into eye sockets due to lack sleep looks terrifying. Their stare down continues for few seconds before Lady Treypin looks away.
"Karlos keep searching. Susen check the medical report of the students who lost and check if they were under the influence of any substance."
Karlos nods and Susen taps on his watch.
After giving orders, Lady Treypin looks at Karl. 'We cannot afford to stop the tournament while the deal is in it's final crucial stage. We are aware that many hostile individuals are present here who have vile intentions. But my true fear is that those individuals might be wearing human skin. Oh, the Sage above. Please look after us in such difficult time.'
Karl enters the corriorder away from the questioning gazes. Mikaela silently follows behind, keeping her distance. "Did the Phirescot family really paid them to lose?" She asks.
"No." Karl answers.
"Lies. Have much did they paid you to sell your dignity?"
They arrive at the elevator.
"Just mind your own business." Karl says while coughing.
TING! CLANG! CLANG! CLANG! WHOOM!
Suddenly the elevator doors opens and Hector the butler of Phirsecots smiles. "This generation doesn't even have basic manners." Karl looks back and sees a wall of fire separating him and Mikaela.
WHOOSH! The fire dies out at the moment of Hector's finger tips. "I heard that the Princess of Light was righteous and obedient. but here she is, backstabbing her own classmate."
17 golden spears lie on the ground, their golden colour burned bright.
Mikaela clenches her fist. "I will have my justice and prove you all guilty. I swear it." She sneers and walks past Karl into the elevator.
'She has grown. The spears also increased.' Karl thinks as he stares at the fallen spears.
"Sir Leonard." Hector offers Karl a handkerchief. "Your nose."
"Huh? Yes." Karl quickly takes the handkerchief and covers his nose. "So? What were you doing in the elevator?"
Hector calls the elevator. "I was tasked to escort you to my master and young master."
"Ray? He is here?"
"Yes."
"Then let's go."
TING! The elevator arrives and the door opens. Karl and Hector steps in. Once inside, silence falls. Karl folds the handkerchief which is covered in his snot and blood. "Uh-"
"Please keep it." Hector says without looking at Karl.
"Of course. Hector, did Alessa came with Ray by any chance?"
Hector glances at Karl. "Yes. She is here."
"Good."
The conversation quickly dries as both individuals are not the talkative type.
TING!
The elevator door opens and Karl alongside Hector enters a different suite. This one is bigger and more spacious than the previous one. There is even a hot tube in the corner and a large dining table in the side. Few knights bearing the crest of the Phirsecot family step up to stop Karl.
"No need." Hector commands in a soft voice.
The knights quickly bow and leaves to guard the door.
Infront of Karl, a giant is sitting on a large sofa. Ray is wearing a large coat made from some beast hide and tight black pants on bottom. Unlike before, now his face looks healthy and well defined with prominent cheekbones on sharp jawline. Even if the coat is covering his entire body, Karl could see the outline of his body and guess that his arms and shoulders are bigger now.
"Watched your match kid." Ray says with a chuckle.
"Oh?" Karl walks to the dinner table and grabs a chair.
"Lucky that you matched up with bunch of addicts."
Karl places the chair in front of Ray and takes a sit. "What can I say? It just happened."
"Good thing that seem aware. I thought you would be filled overconfidence after defeating an entire academy alone. That doesn't seem to be the case."
"Then, why are you here?" Karl's vision starts to blur.
"To watch your match." Ray answers with a straight face.
"What? Seriously? Cough! Cough!" Karl ask with a surprised expression.
"This tournament is a big lake for rookie fishing. Majority of knighthoods comes every year to recruit a raw talent, including sentinel families. In the expedition against ancient beast Koraet Phirsecots suffered many causalities to recover from that we need new recruits. That is the first reason that I am here."
Karl takes out Hector's bloody handkerchief. "And you think that people will come despite our reputation?"
Ray narrows his eyes in annoyance. "Rumours doesn't prove anything. Also why fear when we know that we did not do anything wrong."
Karl stares at Ray for second. "Sure. Good luck with that."
"Second reason that I am here is because of an agreement I made with you."
Karl wipes blood from his nose. "Yeah, Yeah. I will kill that Chris guy."
"You have to." Ray states it as he leans back.
"Well, now that you mentioned it. How am I going to kill him? Should I just punch him until he can't move a muscle?" Karl asks.
"You have the blades that Ian gave you?"
"The twin blades with the Phirsecot crest at the handle?"
"Yes those. They are covered in poison mana, you just need one cut and he will fall on his own. Stall him till then."
"Dude! Tell me about this beforehand, what if I have used this in my earlier fights?" Karl raises his voice.
In response, Ray just remains silent.
"Just be grateful that I don't like short blades. Cough! Cough!"
Ray observes Karl's behaviour. "Kid. Are you okay?" He asks.
Karl looks into Ray's eyes. "I-Cough! Fine."
Suddenly the door opens and Ian followed by Alessa walks into the suite.