“Second place…” Areci whispers at my side. All of us are watching the massive projection in front of us. The faces of my teammates are filled with disappointment, but the saddest ones are the two students from our school who were eliminated.
My competitive side is burning right now. I didn’t think I would care this much about the tournament at first. I assumed we would secure first place in every round regardless of what the other schools did. It’s time to give it my all.
The school that took first place is the best academy in the empire. Nine out of their ten participants managed to complete the trial. We secured second place with the same number of participants as the Kingdom of Merno; the difference came down to a few extra Medals of Honor.
I hadn’t paid much attention to the explanation before the second event. I didn’t know that ties could be decided by Medals of Honor. If I had known, I might have focused on collecting more to guarantee a higher placement in case of a draw.
Humyr is giving words of encouragement to our two eliminated teammates while wrapping an arm around each of their shoulders. They look calmer after hearing the big guy’s voice, their expressions slightly more at ease.
“Don’t worry. The next round is ours,” I whisper to Areci. Only Brendu, standing on my other side, must have heard me, because she’s smiling while gently stroking my hand.
Areci’s eyes have changed. The look of disappointment vanished in an instant. She’s completely focused on winning this tournament, and I can see traces of anger in her Imra. She hasn’t fully calmed down since I helped free her from that prison in the previous stage.
I can’t judge her. I understand perfectly. She and Shawu could have been eliminated even after earning three Medals of Honor. To advance to the next round, you have to be inside the circle where all the students gathered.
“Are you going to get a little wild?” Areci asks, clearly intrigued.
“I’m going to show them the difference between them and me in the next round.” I wink at her.
“That makes me feel a bit better.” Her Imra brushes against mine, and I let her in to sense what she’s feeling. It’s a strange mixture of many emotions. She’s judging herself harshly, she’s anxious about the future, but the most dominant feeling is expectation. She’s waiting to prove who she is—just like I am.
“The round after this will be the moment to remind the world why our school is considered the best on the continent.” I crack my neck from side to side.
“We can’t leave any school standing.” Areci raises her fist toward me, and I mirror the gesture, bumping our fists together.
The ceremony continues just like the one after the first stage. As the hours pass, the sad faces slowly begin to fade. The festival and events lift everyone’s spirits, and we decide to have dinner together to lighten the mood a bit more.
After dinner, Susan calls me to her private balcony. I’m a little surprised that I wasn’t summoned along with Areci or Brendu. It’s just me.
I can’t sense anything behind the walls or the frosted glass door. My Personal World is being disrupted by enchantments. The sensation is strange, but I’ve felt it many times in rooms like this.
The door opens just as my hand is a centimeter away from knocking. I didn’t even have time to touch it. Once inside, I still can’t sense anything either within or outside the room. It reminds me of the office where I first met Areci and Shawu. The first time, that function had been disabled. Every other time, it’s felt like this.
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There are only two other people in the room: Susan herself, sitting comfortably in a casual dress, and another familiar face.
“Aren’t you going to give your favorite uncle a hug?” Julio Timal rises from his seat. He’s dressed in a tailored midnight-blue suit, his smile shining like always.
I walk over and give him a tight hug. “It’s been a long time, Uncle. I’m glad to see you.”
As I get close enough, I notice something different. I can’t quite pinpoint what it is. Physically, he looks the same. Is it his Imra? His mere presence? I stare at him carefully for a few seconds. Both he and Susan seem to have noticed, because they’re sharing a knowing smile.
A few seconds later, it clicks. By brushing more carefully against his Imra, I reach a conclusion. “Congratulations on reaching Obsidian rank.” He’s no longer Diamond. He’s finally ascended to the highest level humans can reach.
“Took you long enough to notice. Slacking on your training? I’ll feel cheated if you start falling behind the other limit-breakers.” Susan speaks from her chair.
I roll my eyes as I turn toward her. “I spend more time at school and in the training domes than in my own apartment.” She knows that. She could easily check with the program that manages the complex.
I never stop being amazed by this world’s technology. I’m sure someone is influencing its rapid development, combining magic and technology to create something unprecedented.
Susan stands up from the sofa and gives me a firm hug as well. “You’ve reduced your training time since you came back. I hope that means we’ll have a grandchild soon.” My ears turn slightly red at her words.
Julio raises an eyebrow and looks at me suspiciously. “If the princess gets pregnant, I hope the same happens with Arisa. I want a grandchild too.” My face grows even redder.
“I’m not planning to be a father so young. I have a lot of plans ahead of me.” I dismiss their thoughts quickly.
“What a shame…” I could swear I heard Julio mutter beside me. I’ll blatantly ignore that comment.
“Why was I called here? What’s the reason for being in a room with two of the most powerful and influential people on the continent?” I ask as I sit on the sofa across from them.
“Nothing too special. We just came to criticize your performance in the second stage.” Julio’s voice turns serious, and his usual smile disappears. I freeze for a moment, unsure how to react to that kind of comment. My delayed response makes them burst out laughing, and I realize they’re teasing me.
“I can’t be everywhere, unfortunately. But yes, finishing second felt like losing.” I know it’s a joke, but I decide to admit how I really feel.
“You can’t blame yourself. Those two were unlucky. If they’d run into some of your group earlier, they would’ve survived.” Julio replies, and I feel his Imra gently brushing my shoulder in consolation.
“Let’s change the subject. Tomorrow’s a rest day. Time to enjoy ourselves like proper adults—obviously with alcohol.” Susan pulls out several bottles of wine and, with divine grace, places them on the table.
“I’m not even twenty… wait, technically I’m not even fifteen.” Three years passed inside that strange dungeon.
They both stare at me with utter disbelief. Julio and Susan are looking at me like I’m some kind of odd creature. Their expressions remind me of my grandmother whenever I said or did something inconsistent for my age.
“Maki, you’re more mature than many adults my age,” Julio says.
“Sometimes I forget you’re technically just a Sapphire-ranked kid,” Susan adds.
“I give up. Pour me a glass, please.” Susan doesn’t even need to move. She uses Imra to lift the glass and the wine. Her movements are so practiced that it looks like she’s using her hands. I think sometimes she does it unconsciously.
Susan is the first to bring up topics—about organizing the event, the headaches and stress of overseeing every detail of the tournament. In the end, she gave up and decided to trust key aspects to the empire, especially organization and security.
Julio talks about his promotion to Obsidian rank, matters concerning his territory, and plenty of amusing stories about hunting monsters while pretending to be an ordinary person in small villages around his domain.
They both bombard me with questions about the anomaly, my time with the four girls, and countless random subjects. Right now, we’re just three people of different ages sharing a pleasant evening and enjoying some wine.
It’s incredibly relaxing to talk with older people who treat you as an equal, regardless of status, age, or rank. I haven’t laughed this much in a long time. Julio has always been hilarious, and Susan never stops making sarcastic remarks and telling funny stories about Julio or me.
Time flies. I feel as if my body and soul are slowly healing throughout the night. I’m glad I was called here and able to experience this moment.