It was nearing noon, and Claire and Mia were getting ready with a look of disappointment on their faces.
After changing into her school uniform, she looked at an evening gown and let out a sigh.
It was custom made by Mayflower, a fashion house founded in Egrein city over seventeen thousand years ago. For the past couple of thousand years, Mayflower was the most valuable and popular brand in the Northern and Southern Qudour nations.
As soon as team Twilight got into Quarter-finals, the fashion house started to make those dresses after having a talk with the school management.
For bringing honor to the nation, Mayflower felt the kids have earned these dresses that are made of pure materials like chiffon, satin, and silk, usually cost over 10 million credits per dress.
Since they are so expensive, the outfits were kept at the indoor training facility until the finals were over and the Vice Principal took everyone there, later, telling them to wear them for the Royal Feast because many important people are going to attend the event.
However, due to the attack on the school, all the preparations for the Royal feast were wasted, and so was Claire's excitement.
While later, they got the message that the Royal Feast will still happen on the following day's lunch, the Vice Principal advised them to wear school uniforms instead of the custom-made ones, surprising not only them but the other champions.
It was Barton's idea to change the decision abruptly.
He expected the Royal family to attack the school, long ago. So, he and Aegis made preparations beforehand. However, no one expected the Church would send a Cardinal to assist the Royal Ancestor who is already at the Supreme Realm.
The incident once again reminded the principal of how weak he is that he needs to depend on outsiders.
Barton then thought about his deal with a certain woman who managed to force WAMO to shut out the complaints of Dragon Academy and Heavenly Academy regarding the location.
To make this a memorable day, Barton requested the organizing committee head to impose the dress code for this feast.
Thankfully, the Vice President of WAMO is an ally. So, he agreed with it even though it is a sudden request.
As it isn't that uncommon for the academies to impose a special dress code for the royal feasts, most of them didn't care about it either. Some of them are looking forward to meeting with scouts and those legendary realm experts while others just wanted to be done with it and return.
Fifteen minutes before 1 o'clock in the afternoon, Mia, Snivy, and Claire left for the Elite division's academy building where the second-floor cafeteria/dining hall is converted into a banquet hall.
Different sizes of round tables with seats around them were arranged in the middle of a hall.
On one side, there's a small stage with a mic stand. On the left and the right, there were long tables for the food.
The remaining side is where the only entrance and exit lies.
As the girls entered the place, they found many guests already arrived before them. However, the hall is very silent.
The twins of the Ash clan seemed nonsocial and they were just sitting at a corner table, minding their own business.
Vann didn't care about anyone but Leah and Azzy. So, he stood in silence.
Meanwhile, Skylark Flame as well as Team Commandos from the Central Academy were seen sitting together at a table in their military-style uniforms. However, they were just looking at each other in silence while waiting for their instructor.
As the girls arrived, everyone takes a glance at them and then, looked away. Because the girls from Aclein didn't get a proper chance to show their full strength, these prideful people from the top academies still look down on them a bit.
Adding on top of that, the Central Academy couldn't digest how such a weak team became the winner. In their eyes, without Azzy, Team Twilight isn't worthy to attend this banquet…
So, no one bothered to come and say hi. The three of them knew it and so, they didn't go their way to greet others either.
The whole hall was silent until the two girls from Phoenix Academy arrived.
The summoners of the poisonous mushroom and the fiery peacock were a bit more social birds. So, they are acquainted with everyone in the Elite division female dormitory.
Laura and Izetta instantly greeted the girls with a look of excitement and already started talking about how they shopped all around the city to wear a new dress and matching accessories for the feast. The five girls quickly engaged in a girl talk, not bothering to think what others feel...
A while later, the duo from the Maple Academy also arrived.
"Mia, where are your teammates?" Laura asked Mia. "Only those two and Camelot's princess have yet to arrive."
"Hmm, there's also Dragon Academy." Snivy reminded her.
Izetta shook her head, "they must have returned to the Arcana world. Honestly, if I'm in place, I would do the same."
Laura nodded in agreement. "Right. They lost the finals; one of their team members is dead; I heard the team captain lost his soul orb and became a mortal; even their instructor is now facing criminal charges. You can say their reputation is now damaged. It would be surprising if they still stay here."
It was at that moment, two males arrived there. "Excuse me…"
They were the duo from Maple Academy who bagged the bronze medal.
"Hello. I'm Hawk and this is Acke." The tall guy with blue medal hair and piercings over his ear introduced himself. His eyes were fixed on Snivy.
As he put forth his hands towards her, she blushed a little bit, shaking his hands. "Hello…"
Meanwhile, the other guy with amber eyes who looked a bit short and thin was glancing at Claire. He appeared to be shy and just stayed behind his friend.
After greetings others for formality, Hawk turned his attention back to Snivy and said, "Your soul skill, the one that punches the people towards the sky is quite amazing. You are just my type…"
The rest of the girls were taken aback by his bashful proposal. The others just stared at them.
Meanwhile, Snivy blushed even more. She appeared really shy at the moment, not being able to believe that the hammer user she admired from the beginning of the tournament is now talking with her, even more, proposing to her…
Snivy doesn't really know how to even respond at the moment.
The guy then continued with a laugh, "By the way, I'm enrolling the Maple University after graduating this year. You still have one year, so, I'm not sure which university you will enroll in but I want to know you more. I wonder if..."
He then handed her a message card, telling her that it contains his soul energy signature. Using it, she can send a message to him at any time.
As she involuntarily took it, he then asked for her soul energy signature, taking out a blank message card to have a two-way conversation.
The girls were also secretly squealing inside as a scene of youth romance was blooming right before their eyes.
It was at that moment, one of the siblings of the Ash clan who was silent until now opened her mouth. "Azrael is here, brother."
Her voice wasn't loud but it was enough for everyone to turn their heads towards the entrance, including the well-disciplined students of the Central Academy.
Azzy, Leah, and Gideon are seeing entering together with Azzy in the middle. While both of them attracted the attention, Gideon, on the other hand, was almost nonexistent in their eyes.
"Do they know each other?" Laura whispered to Claire, to which the latter shook her head, "they only met a couple of times. Must have encountered on the way by coincidence."
While her voice was calm, her expression doesn't look good with how Leah and Azzy were walking too closely.
The only thing that's a consolation to her is how he was just indifferent as before.
"Wait a second, Indifferent?" When such a thought occurred, Claire looked at Azzy in surprise to observe carefully.
Like Claire, Snivy was seemed to be surprised a bit, she wondered out loud, "It's strange. Azrael looks the same as before. Didn't his facial expressions returned?"
Mia and Claire immediately turned towards her in surprise and then, glance at Azzy.
"You are right." Mia agreed with her after observing for a few seconds.
This 𝓬ontent is taken from fre𝒆webnove(l).𝐜𝐨𝗺