Half an hour after Leo and Hana's equal battle, Veritas, Alice, and Mercury sat at one of the tables at the cafeteria.
Veritas got his usual chicken and rice, Alice munched on a newly added snack called melon bread, and Mercury spun his fork around to grab ahold of his white pasta.
Without Leo, Veritas felt awkward around the two.. Somehow, he appreciated the loudness and unrestrained behavior of the auburn-haired boy.
'These two are so nonchalant..'
With disbelief in his eyes, Veritas quickly thought of a topic to discuss.
"You're up next right?"
Veritas stared at Mercury, who was focused on his white pasta. A few moments passed and he noticed Veritas stare, he then replied:
"Yes."
"That's.. good, you will have the last match though, I wonder who you will be paired up against. But seeing as you and Luciphus are the only ones left to battle, it would be common sense for you two to fight.."
"Mhm."
His tone sounded cold and distant as he focused more on eating his food. Veritas was slightly hurt by their unwillingness to talk, making his meal even more sad.
"What about you Alice? How is your recovery doing?"
"Mmfnnfghfh"
"What?"
She stuffed the melon-bread in her mouth which rendered her ability to speak. Then, once she swallowed the bread, she replied once more..
"I'm doing good."
Veritas nodded with a warm smile on his face, clearly suggesting that she go on with her words.
But.. she missed his queue and stuffed her cheeks with the melon bread.
Veritas was appalled.
He stared at the ceiling and began to pray.
'Leo, please recover quickly. I can't handle these people..'
With his desperate attempts at conversation, the meal shared together was filled with the sense of isolation.
Thus, the three of them continued to eat in silence.
Meanwhile, in the infirmary, an auburn-haired boy suddenly jolted awake in his bed.
"What was that?! Did someone call my name?"
He looked left and right, seeing nothing but patients that shared the room with him.
Suddenly, a black-haired girl with flower pupils stared at him with a blank expression, ate an apple, and said:
"You're finally awake Leo.. I woke up 2 minutes earlier than you, I win."
"Hana!"
He tried to jump and hug her but his body was stricken by a sharp feeling of pain.
"Gah!"
"Oh right.. you shouldn't move right now, the potion that was used on you is finally taking effect."
"Couldn't you have said that earlier?"
"My bad."
Hana then took another bite of the red and juicy apple on her hands.
"Hey, where do I get an apple?"
"It's beside you, fiend."
"Oh."
Seeing the abundance of juicy apples on the table near him, Leo grabbed one and took a small bite.
"This is good! By the way.. did you hear someone calling out to me just now?"
"Nope."
"Huh.. I could've sworn I heard someone pray to my name. Maybe I was just imagining things."
Leo shrugged and sat straight up, taking another bite of his apple.
"I wonder how his majesty and the others are doing, I hope the match hasn't started yet! Hey! Hana, how long until we can stand up again? Did you ask the Professor?"
"Stop talking so loud please, there are other patients in the room."
"I know, I saw Morgan on the bed closest to the door, then there's Rykard, Berliz, and oh- Luciphus. Wait, why are you here?"
Revealing the figure of the boy named Luciphus, he looked fine as the potion worked its wonders, but his eyes showed a massive amount of fatigue.
"Why are you here?"
The energetic charisma of Leo suddenly radiated towards the boy's direction.
"What other reason is there to say? I lost. It's that simple."
"Really? To whom?"
He clicked his tongue and looked as if he was in despair.
"Why'd you have to go rub the salt on my wound, I didn't even stand a chance against him.."
"That's too bad, but who was it though?"
"There were only 2 people left after you two's battle! Have some common sense! Are you mocking me?"
"Yeesh, you don't have to be so loud. Am I right, Hana?"
Hana couldn't help but reply to Leo with a lousy expression.
"You're louder than him."
"Hahaha, that's a funny joke."
Leo continued to light up the room with a warm smile on his face. Although some found it annoying, others felt thankful towards Leo because his loudness kept them from fainting due to their fatigue.
Hana.. didn't feel grateful at all. She was the vanguard from Leo's loud mouth, and she heard his voice point-blank.
'Ugh- so annoying..'
'Someone, save us..'
'So this is my end.'
Various people inside the infirmary preferred to faint than listen to Leo's unending voice.
That was until.. their saving grace came from outside the door.
He donned a white version of their uniform, his pure-white hair flowed as his figure radiated from the light behind him. To the people inside, he was like a deity that had come to free them from the shackles that is Leo's voice.
'Is that.. God?'
'I've been accepted to heaven! At last!'
'Finally.. I can rest.'
"Your maje- Veritas!"
The white-haired Prince walked inside to check upon his dear classmates. Behind him stood two expressionless individuals. One had curly blonde hair, and the other.. had silky and short blonde hair.
They almost looked like brother and sister but the utter difference of their eyes had made it differentiated their looks. The curly blonde hair girl had striking red eyes while the silky blonde hair boy had light blue eyes.
"Leo! Hana! How are the two of you."
Veritas smiled brightly as he checked upon his group.
"I'm good! I'm good! Veritas Veritas Veritas! You know.. I just recently found out that.."
Veritas listened attentively to Leo's bombardment of words, carefully maintaining the bright smile on his face.
Suddenly, amidst his explanations, Hana interrupted Leo as to not burden the Prince any longer.
"Don't bother the Prince any longer!"
"H-hey! I was retelling the story of my great great great great grandmother. What gives?"
Hana suddenly threw her finished apple towards him.
"Fiend!"
"What did you say?!"
Leo threw his apple too, but Hana precisely dodged the projectile!
The two of them glared at each other, they would fight if there was a chance but right now.. they cannot move.
"Stop it, you two.."
"Hmph."
"Hmph, my ass you flowery girl!"
"Ha?!"
"Alright, alright.."
Veritas took a minute to stop the two but in the end, they both calmed down and took a bite of their 2nd apple.
'These two are like children..'
Veritas could almost feel a vein pop in his forehead.
"Seeing as all of you are awake, Professor Newt told me to be the bearer of news for all of you."
The room suddenly tensed up as the topic got serious.
"He said: Announcements of the Participants for the upcoming tournament will be made next Wednesday at 1PM sharp. The list of names shall be announced directly by the Student Council at the main hall."
With that, excitement grew inside the hearts of the people inside. Although there was some hesitation, the excitement they felt was too overwhelming.
"That would be all."
After Veritas concluded the message, he walked to the door and wished them well.
"I hope that all of you make a speedy recovery. Please, try not to move as much, the potions aftereffect will prolong itself if you do so.."
Veritas explicitly made that last remark towards Leo.
"Thank you, your majesty.."
"Thank you.."
"Thanks Veritas!"
"Thank you, my liege.."
Thus, Veritas and the two people behind him left the infirmary. However, it was not as noisy as before, the people inside thought that the excitement got through Leo's body and made him quiet.
But that was not the truth at all. He was.. thinking of something.
Something about Hana's true Path.
He leaned to her direction and asked seriously with a quiet tone.
"...Why did you hold back?"
"What?"
Leo got closer and whispered:
"I said.. Why did you hold back?"
"I.. didn't, what are you talking about fie-"
She was cut off with his sudden words.
"You didn't use your Path."
Her body felt cold as her goosebumps ran wild.
"Servitude does not work that way.. I have to serve someone in order to activate its essence, otherwise.. it's useless."
Leo stared at her directly.
"That's a lie. Servitude is not your Path."
Her eyes suddenly widened but she remained composed.
"I don't know what you're talking about, how could you possibly know better than me?"
"Hmm.."
The atmosphere between them was suspenseful as Leo held back his initial questions. Then, he reverted back to his old jolly self.
"I guess you're right! I'm sorry for doubting you.."
He laid down at his bed and stared at the ceiling, contemplating his thoughts and his many questions.
Then.. he opened his mouth.
"Hey guys, did you know that cicadas..."
The infirmary was filled with his noise once again..
That day, the people inside wouldn't forget the loudness of Leo's mouth.