"I heard the Fiery Fairy is addicted to some games. What was it called again? Worl-World... WorldCraft!"
So, Ms. Sophia is a fan of a game my company made.
No wonder she sent an invitation to us.
"Yep! Games from Tech Genesis are always fun. Their latest game, WorldCraft, is even better. I can build stuff and play with others. I've spent hours on it. You should try it. We can play together, and I can show you the town I built!"
Sophia's excitement made it clear she was hooked on the game.
I felt proud knowing even high-ranking people enjoyed my work.
"Yeah, yeah, I'll check it out. It better be good. Anyway, I heard Justin is planning something special for your birthday."
"He's so full of himself. He knows I love Tech Genesis games and said he'd gift the company to me."
"What a show-off! Trying to impress you and failing. I can't believe he has the nerve to chase after you."
Julia's comment made me freeze.
( So that's why DevilFuckers was so desperate to get my company! I thought someone with a grudge against me was behind it, but it turns out Justin did it to impress a girl. )
I was stunned.
My company's profits had dropped for days, and I thought it was because of rivals or enemies.
But no—it was because of some guy trying to win over Sophia.
"I sent an invitation to Tech Genesis, but I don't know if anyone will come."
Sophia seemed eager to meet the owner of Tech Genesis, but since no one had registered with our invitation card, she assumed we refused.
This made her a little sad.
If only she had noticed the card Xerox showed to Lance earlier.
She might have realized Xerox was the one with the Tech Genesis invitation.
But given the situation, she hadn't paid much attention.
While Sophia remained clueless, Layla figured it out.
She remembered Xerox mentioning that he got the card from his company and concluded he must be Tech Genesis's owner.
However, Layla wasn't thrilled or upset.
To her, training came first.
If Xerox's company ever distracted him from improving his strength, she wouldn't hesitate to tell him to stop managing it.
For Layla, nothing mattered more than getting stronger.
Money couldn't save you from monsters.
The music stopped when Crazy Sword, the federation master of Silverblade, appeared.
"I believe most of you know me, but I'll introduce myself anyway. I'm Chris Flores, also known as Crazy Sword. I'm grateful you all came to celebrate my daughter Sophia's birthday. This party is also to honor her achievement of reaching A-Rank."
CLAP! - CLAP! - CLAP!
The crowd erupted in cheers.
Some were stunned, while others clapped loudly.
"Did I hear that right? Ms. Sophia reached 7-Rank! She's as talented as the Ice Queen."
"The Fiery Fairy! She's the only one who can keep up with the Ice Queen."
"No way. The Ice Queen hit 7-Rank ages ago. She's probably at the peak by now. Sophia can't compare."
"If not for the Ice Queen, Sophia would be the most talented woman of our generation. It's unfortunate they were born in the same year."
Reaching 7-Rank at 23 was a huge accomplishment.
But it couldn't match Layla Costine, who reached 7-Rank at just 20.
"Enjoy the party. It's just getting started!"
Chris raised his glass, and classical music filled the room again.
The guests began dancing to the lively tunes.
A sarcastic voice called out,
"Haha. If it isn't the Ice Queen, the number one talented girl in the universe."
I turned to see who had spoken, and my eyes widened in surprise when I saw the owner of the voice.
The woman in front of us was stunning.
Her chestnut hair was tied up neatly, and her smooth forehead, along with her long, thin eyes, made her even more alluring.
Her raised eyebrows and the malicious look in her eyes gave off a dangerous vibe.
It was clear she had a fierce presence about her.
But what shocked me more than her beauty or aura was the fact that she was one of the leaders of the Dark Federation, or at least, she was on her way to becoming its future leader.
Her name was Melisa, also known as the Slaughter Witch.
Right now, she holds the position of Professor at Zucket Academy.
Zucket Academy was the second strongest academy in the region, only behind Eclipse Academy.
The competition between the two academies was fierce.
The Zucket Academy had been stuck in second place for years, and that had caused a growing rivalry with Eclipse Academy.
The two institutions didn't get along.
"What do you want, Professor Melisa?"
Layla asked coldly.
There was obvious tension between them.
Layla and Melisa had a history of animosity.
Before Layla reached 7-Rank, Melisa had been considered one of the most talented girls in the academy, achieving Rank-7 by the age of 26.
But Layla, at just 23, had overtaken her.
Layla's rise had left Melisa frustrated and envious.
Despite Layla being younger, she had the same rank as Melisa.
The public had started to favor Layla, and Melisa felt overshadowed.
Their rivalry had only deepened as Melisa had been stuck at Rank-7 while Layla caught up and surpassed her.
In the novel, Melisa was destined to break through to Rank-10, but before she could make her move, a war with the Dark Federation would occur.
Despite the support of other federations, they couldn't defeat the Dark Federation.
The MC party would eventually suffer a bitter defeat to Melisa, who was two ranks higher than them at the time.
She was one of the main villains of the story, with unlimited potential.
"Eh. Come on! I just wanted to see you. It's been a while, right? I heard you came here with your little lover. I'm curious about him,"
Melisa said with a smirk as she turned toward me.
She stared at me, and I immediately felt a crushing pressure.
It was the kind of pressure a prey feels when it's being watched by a predator.
I felt paralyzed, unable to move or breathe properly.
Her gaze alone was enough to make me feel like I was about to be crushed.
I swallowed hard, feeling the cold sweat form on my face.
It wasn't just her beauty or her strength that scared me, but the overwhelming presence of her bloodlust.
The title "Slaughter Witch" fit her perfectly.
Her mere gaze could make someone freeze with fear.
WHOOSH!
Layla stepped in front of me, blocking Melisa's gaze.
The pressure lifted instantly, and I could breathe again.
I let out a heavy breath, realizing how close I had come to being overwhelmed.
Melisa was truly a monster.
Her presence was more terrifying than anything I had faced before.
"Melisa, what are you doing?"
Layla asked, her voice sharp.
"No need to be so protective. I was just assessing your little lover,"
Melisa replied with a mischievous grin.
"Don't worry. I won't take him."
Layla was angry, knowing that Melisa had intentionally directed her bloodlust toward me.
The pressure from Melisa's gaze could drive a low-ranked person mad, and Layla didn't like it one bit.
"Anyway, I'll see you again at the Tournament of Academies. I hope your geniuses can entertain our academy students. Haha..."
Melisa said as she turned to leave.
"Last year, our academy won! This year will be the same,"
Layla retorted.
"Last year, Omar Noel was just a second-year student. Now he's in his third year, and your best student, Harvey Morin, has graduated. Is there anyone left who can beat Omar? This year, Zucket Academy will take first place and finally surpass Eclipse Academy,"
Melisa declared confidently.
In the novel, Zucket Academy did indeed beat Eclipse Academy, with Omar Noel being the academy's top genius.
He was already stronger than most students by his second year, and after careful nurturing, he won the tournament.
But the following year, Aerox, the protagonist, would lead Eclipse Academy to victory again.
Melisa left after her words.
"Layla,"
I whispered.
"Melisa is a teacher at Zucket Academy, and she's said to have 10-Rank potential. Omar must have gotten even stronger since the last tournament. Honestly, the best students from Eclipse Academy don't stand much of a chance against him."
Layla seemed lost in thought, pondering the upcoming tournament and how to ensure their academy's victory.
It seemed unlikely, and she knew she needed to come up with a plan.
But there was only so much she could do on her own.
She decided to consult with the other professors.
"Xerox, you came here today because of my selfishness and suffered for it. As compensation, I'll dance with you,"
Layla said, offering a playful smile.
"Are you sure this is compensation and not a punishment?"
Xerox jokes.
Layla glared at him, and he quickly turned his gaze away.
"Haha, just joking. It would be my honor to dance with the most beautiful woman,"
Xerox replied, bowing and taking Layla's hand.
The music changed, and Zero danced with Layla.
In that moment, Layla truly seemed like a queen, but now she was enchanting not just with her ice abilities, but with her graceful dance.
The night was peaceful, with the green fields and the soft sounds of music filling the air.
The moon hung high in the sky, casting its gentle light on the scene.
But to me Layla's all those dance moves were all things that matter to me at the moment.