But suddenly, the hospital door burst open, interrupting the charged atmosphere.
The earlier sounds of feminine delightful were instantly replaced by a shriek of utter disbelief of someone.
Avyanna stood in the doorway, her jaw slack, witnessing our embrace.
"What in the world are you doing, Alstair?!" she erupted, her fury immediate and intense.
Lisa and I stared at her in bewilderment.
"Who is she?" Lisa asked, her arm still around me.
"A friend," I replied smoothly. "She's Avyanna, leader of the Crystallice Guild. Avyanna, this is Lisa."
"Is there a problem, Avyanna?" I inquired, noting her furious expression.
"Nothing! I'm not upset or anything!" she retorted, averting my gaze.
Her anger remained inexplicable.
Avyanna, impeccably dressed in her business attire, entered, carrying flowers similar to Lisa's, even though those flowers lacking the intricate mechanisms Lisa had described.
"I thought you were on the way to Knight Association headquarters, Alstair!" she snapped, her voice laced with venom.
Her anger was baffling.
"I was, but Lisa surprised me with a visit," I responded calmly.
Avyanna remained unconvinced.
Her frustration was palpable, made Lisa speak up.
"Alstair was merely being courteous for letting me in before he go," Lisa interjected, seeming slightly surprised.
"Speaking of Knight Ceremonial in Knight Association Headquarter... I'm also headed there; we can travel together." She smiled, gently squeezing my hand.
"W-wait... you're going there too? Are you a B-rank Knight?!" Avyanna's disbelief was evident.
"An A-rank Knight Healer, actually," Lisa stated serenely.
Avyanna's jaw dropped.
"You're a Knight? An A-rank Knight?!" She was speechless, utterly stunned.
Avyanna eyed Lisa's claim about her A-rank Knight with profound skepticism.
She meticulously scrutinized the Knight's application, ultimately confirming Lisa's A-rank Knight status is true.
"Alstair," Avyanna demanded, her voice tight with urgency, "where did you meet her?"
"I—"
Lisa, ever the siren, smoothly interrupted, her arm a possessive snare around my hand.
"We met during the Dawn City raid. We shared a… memorable night, didn't we, Alstair?" Her tone dripped with innuendo.
Avyanna's shriek cut through the air. "You what?! Alstair! Explain yourself! What were you two doing?!"
"It was a recovery period," I responded, my voice flat, devoid of emotion.
Lisa's smirk was a cruel punctuation mark. "An unforgettable recovery period, to be precise, Alstair."
Avyanna, her grip on my other hand fierce, unleashed her fury.
"Alstair! You're Crystallice Guild's representative! This is unacceptable!" Lisa's response was laced with disdain.
"Such extreme guild rules? How… restrictive. What kind of organization stifles its members' personal lives?", Lisa questioning with playful manner.
"Silence!" Avyanna retorted, her authority strained. "I'm the guild leader! I dictate these policies!"
Their shrill, pointless argument continued, both women clinging to my hands like desperate vines.
The absurdity of their debate gnawed at me.
This petty squabble was consuming precious time.
"Enough," I declared, my voice edged with irritation.
"We're going to the Knight Association HQ. Now."
I forcefully free myself from their grasp, dragging them from the hospital room, propelling us toward the Knight's evaluation ceremony before this ridiculous display drove me to madness.
***
A dazzling spectacle unfolded in the Knight Association's grand hall as the ceremony commenced.
Hundreds of knights filled the chamber, seated in anticipation of the upcoming evaluations.
The proceedings began with a Guild assessment, rigorously scrutinizing each organization's mission performance.
Failure to consistently contribute to the crucial invasion missions resulted in harsh penalties for some guilds, potentially leading to demotions.
Conversely, exceptional performance paved the way for elevation in rank, accompanied by prestigious accolades and substantial financial rewards from the Knight Association.
"Ladies and gentlemen!" the emcee proclaimed with fervor, "The highly anticipated new Guild rankings are here! Behold the top twenty guilds of the Knight Association!"
A projection of the ranked guilds illuminated the hall's main screen.
"Alstair, look! The Crystallice Guild is 20th!" Avyanna exclaimed, her delight palpable.
Our fledgling guild, comprising only Avyanna and myself, had unexpectedly emerged as a radiant newcomer among established powerhouses.
While some lauded Crystallice as a remarkable debut, skepticism, particularly among seasoned knights, ran rampant.
Whispers of favoritism, fueled by Avyanna's familial connection to an Association executive, Aldwin, circulated freely.
Personally, I dismissed such negativity as inconsequential chatter.
The Claymore Guild, under William's command, secured a prominent second-place position, as displayed on the screen.
Notably absent, however, were several S-rank knights I knew – William, Kael, Minerva, and Stella.
Undoubtedly, they were engaged in critical missions elsewhere.
Wilder, another S-rank knight, was present, his imposing stature and intimidating presence commanding attention.
His muscular physique, coupled with a fierce countenance and arrogant demeanor, instilled fear in many.
His formidable iron gauntlets rendered him an almost monstrous figure, a far cry from the typical knight.
As the guild evaluations concluded, the focus shifted to the Knight ranking ceremony.
A strikingly beautiful woman with long, dark hair, adorned in a midnight-blue uniform, took center stage.
She held a sheathed legendary sword, a relic wielded by the Knights' founder, imbued with the potent ability to vanquish monstrous threats.
Only the most elite knights – those surpassing even S-rank – could wield its immense power.
Today, the legendary sword served as an unparalleled instrument for gauging the knights' prowess.
Its mystical luminescence revealed the true measure of each knight's rank upon unsheathing.
A faint white glow signified an ordinary knight or a mere human; cream, a rank E; orange, rank D; a vibrant green, rank B; a serene blue, rank A; and finally, a regal purple, the coveted rank S.
Though seemingly magical, the assessment was unfailingly precise; high-ranking knights invariably hailed from prestigious guilds.
Hundreds of knights ascended the main stage, one by one, their hearts pounding as they drew the legendary blade.
Knights from less distinguished guilds predominantly received D and C rankings.
Conversely, those from elite guilds frequently earned B or A designations.
Lisa and Avyanna exemplified this disparity.
Both ignited a brilliant blue aura, confirming Lisa's steadfast A-rank and elevating Avyanna from B to A – a testament to the Crystallice Guild's remarkable ascent.
Lisa's sustained ranking, however, concealed a harrowing truth known only to me: her succeed in the Dawn City Raid had nearly cost her sanity.
During the measurement, no knight achieved the extraordinary leap from A to S-rank, an evidence to the extreme rarity of such exceptional skill.
Even S-rank knights grind away relentlessly to maintain their position.
Wilder, radiating self-assured menace, approached the stage with a chilling smirk.
His very presence instilled palpable terror in the woman sword-bearer, who visibly trembled before him.
It took me a bit of shock when Wilder suddenly give a brutal shove that rendered the poor woman unconscious.
"Behold, Knights!" Wilder roared as he seized the sword, his voice echoing with arrogance. "I am the top among knights, the only one worthy of this blade!" He unsheathed it, its purple glow a stark declaration of his continued S-rank status.
His hubris led him to carelessly brandish the sacred weapon, impair the stage with reckless abandon.
Fear paralyzed the onlookers; none dared challenge this brutal force of nature.
His chaotic display culminated in a sudden, menacing gesture.
He pointed the legendary blade directly at me, his voice dripping with venom.
"You pathetic fraudster!" he bellowed. "Why do you stand there, a vacant expression upon your face? Your turn, magician. Let the truth of your tricks be revealed!"
Avyanna, her face a mask of revulsion, hissed at me, "What in the world is he blathering about?"
Lisa, her voice laced with worry, added, "There are rules against Knights behaving this way. But Wilder's an S-rank... we must proceed with extreme caution, Alstair."
Honestly, I cared little for Wilder's taunts.
Yet, I was obligated to assess the legendary blade.
With a weary sigh, I approached the platform, my demeanor halfhearted.
Wilder's malevolent grin met my gaze; disgust gnawed at my soul.
Regardless, I would face him.
"Give me the sword," I demanded, halting before him.
"Overconfident, facing the finest S-rank Knight?" Wilder's gaze burned with lethal intent.
But his threat held no sway.
The instant his glare intensified, he lunged, the purple-glowing sword a blur aimed at my throat.
My Fire Pillar shield flared to life, a response pre-programmed for such aggression.
The blade halted inches from my defense.
Wilder's eyes, I realized, saw through the shimmering barrier; a testament to his extraordinary skill.
He might be a brutish, arrogant fool, but his perception was undeniably sharp.
"That gaze… the hunter's eye! No wonder my brother fell! You're the predator!" Wilder's laughter echoed, maniacally, as he tossed the sword to me.
The throw was erratic, but I caught it with practiced ease.
The moment my fingers closed around the hilt, a surge of mana coursed through me, flooding my veins.
The purple luminescence faded.
As I suspected, the weapon did not recognize me as an S-rank.
But what exactly was my rank?
A?
B?
Even C?
A hush fell over the hall.
The assembled Knights were undeniably intrigued.
Seconds stretched into an eternity.
The expected light failed to materialize.
The wait was far too long.
Was there something wrong with the sword itself?