"Participants 115 and 116, please proceed to Field 3. The competition is about to start. Participants 101 and 116, please proceed to Field 3. The competition is about to start."
The powerful magitech speakers cleverly hidden in various corners of the neighborhood simultaneously broadcasted the sweet voice of the announcer, announcing the start of the next qualifying match.
The first day of the Martial Arts Festival at the academy proceeded normally and orderly.
Three days had passed since the Black Elf attack, and the damage had been completely repaired. The damaged buildings and streets had been revitalized, and the broken equipment had all been replaced.
- In fact, for a city with a magic-using maintenance team like the academy, doing these things only took a day's work. As for the remaining two days, a large number of academy patrol teams and emergency-recalled "Watchers" had turned the whole city upside down under the orders of Lucius, in an attempt to find the escaped Dark Elf from before.
Unfortunately, they had made no progress. In theory, those dark-skinned guys should stand out, as it's hard to forget them once you've seen them. But they seemed to have vanished into thin air.
"Huh, Lucius, you're too naive. I told you it wouldn't be so easy to find them. Those guys are strange, they must have some means to escape right under our noses. Can you really expect ordinary students to discover anything?"
As the academy head sneered, the next second he was thrown into a small black room and punished to transcribe the academy head's handbook by the irritable headmaster.
"They even let those guys escape despite their Holy Rank, yet they're still so proud!"
Recalling that scene, Aya described it to Tiran amidst the crowded crowd.
"Ah, Master Reisuke's image in my heart is crumbling." The princess expressed her sadness. She still didn't want to admit that that person was Master Reisuke.
"Hey, hey, make way, make way, if you keep squeezing, I won't be polite!" Accompanied by another slightly childish voice, the crowded crowd around Tiran and Aya loosened slightly.
A figure constantly striving to push through the crowd beside the two also caught the attention of some onlookers.
"Hey, hey, what is that child doing?"
"Not sure, are those two in the middle some important people?"
"Hmm, doesn't seem like it, but that child looks quite cute."
...
Hearing the passersby's comments, Aya couldn't help but curl her lips, her face unable to hide her embarrassment. "Fei, aren't you trying too hard?"
"Don't worry, Aya-senpai! I'm perfectly fine! I'm full of enthusiasm!"
Lately, Fei, who had developed a liking for various cute human dresses, unusually changed into a pure-white butler uniform. Her golden hair was neatly combed into a single ponytail, giving her a confident and handsome look after this style transformation.
"That's not the issue." Tiran also covered his face in sync with Aya.
Originally, they had planned to wander around like ordinary people as spectators. To do so, Aya had specifically cast a spell to obstruct their recognition, making them appear like ordinary passersby.
But when Fei stood beside them in her pure-white dazzling outfit and with her outstanding demeanor as an Angel, it was impossible not to attract attention!
"Seriously, Fei, have you been taking drugs lately? Weren't you always saying that this Miss here is an evil witch? Why are you suddenly so enthusiastic?"
Leaning close to Fei's ear, Aya asked in a low voice.
"Well, well, well..." It seemed like she had been caught red-handed, and Fei's eyes looked a bit flustered.
Even if she's a witch, she's still a witch that Her Majesty the Goddess wants to protect! Little Angel feels very uncomfortable. Who would have thought that Tiran, whom she only touched for a short while, would be attacked! Speaking of which, this guy is really weak now. Clearly, he couldn't even defeat a few Elves who have never seen the rules before. How did he get defeated back then!
Luckily, Aya senpai arrived in time this time. Otherwise, if Tiran were to be captured or accidentally killed, although Little Angel would feel satisfied personally, the Goddess would definitely dislike it!
"Hmm, did Little Nana fail her mission? What a pity..."
"P-Please wait! My lady, please forgive me!"
"Ah, forget it. I still prefer obedient and capable children."
Wah, that kind of gaze that treats me like trash...
No! This can't happen! Little Angel shook her head forcefully. So, she must reform and strive to be released from prison soon... no, she must work hard and try to return to the holy land as soon as possible.
Unfortunately, the Angel's Holy Contract doesn't have the effect of mind reading. Otherwise, Princess-sama would surely be amazed at herself, who managed to make the cold Little Angel become so quick-witted and imaginative in just a few months.
At this moment, a burst of cheers attracted the attention of the three.
In just a few minutes, the battle on the stage already had a result.
Participant number 116, a contestant with a slender figure shrouded in a cloak, propped herself up with both hands in a gymnast-like posture, and with her legs wrapped around her opponent's head, she flipped and threw him off the stage with a back arch.
However, such a big move caused her cloak and hood to fall off, revealing a somewhat eye-catching face and a beautiful figure. It was indeed pleasing to the eye, no wonder it drew enthusiastic applause from the audience.
"Oh, oh, an Elf? Are you Garlan's student?" Tiran was a little surprised, as the Martial Arts Festival was mainly focused on the human world, and upon seeing an Elf, he would mostly associate it with the official representative team of the Elf Kingdom.
"No, that child is not our student, but her skills are really good. Probably a wanderlust adventurer."
The voice suddenly sounded, and then Tiran felt a weight on his shoulder, almost stumbling off balance.
"Coco?" Tiran, who was bumped by Coco, was startled, and Aya recognized the person beside her.
"I can't believe you can still recognize us," Tiran said with annoyance. "It seems that the Magic that obstructs cognition is not as mysterious as someone claimed."
"Hmph~" Coco proudly raised her chin. "It has nothing to do with Aya's magic! I can smell my lady's scent, okay?!"
While saying this, she suddenly hugged Tiran's neck and planted a kiss on his cheek.
"... " Aya suddenly felt a subtle feeling of "I lost". Are you a dog that finds people by their scent?!
The Princess seemed to be accustomed to it, as she didn't blush or get excited when she was kissed, but rather, it was Aya who was the most shy.
Indeed, even Little Angel is more skilled in this aspect than Aya. No, it would be more accurate to say that if the relationship between this person and the Goddess is really like that, then her experience is probably the most abundant...
Speaking of which, is this world a bit out of balance? Silent for a moment, she pondered over the interpersonal relationships around her in recent times. Coco and Tiran, Goddess and Little Angel, and the maid in the castle who only thinks about how to seduce the Princess... Don't you guys think there's something wrong?
"Dad, Mom, I miss you..." Sulong sighed quietly.
"Ah, she's coming down."
After completing the registration for the winner's signature, the elf girl on the arena put on her robe and hood again and disappeared into the crowd amidst cheers and whistles.
"A ranger? It's rare to see an elf participate in the human Martial Arts Festival," Tiran glanced in the direction the elf girl disappeared with some curiosity.
"Are you suspecting she's a dark elf?" Aya noticed his suspicion.
"Hopefully not, but I should still let Lucas know," Tiran nodded, then suddenly turned around, forcefully pinching Coco's face with both hands and sternly questioning her, "Hey, Coco! Didn't Lucas and your assistant say you should stay at the academy? How did you come out? And what about Ciella? Wasn't she supposed to protect you?"
The dark elf came for Coco, and at a time like this, both the Garama team and the Mirt side would definitely do their best to protect her. Lucas had even arranged a room for Ciella and Coco to rest, which showed his careful intentions.
—Of course, the strong protest from a certain academy leader was ignored.
"Um, that academy leader seemed to have disappeared because they wanted to slack off, as for why I came out—it's because I missed big sis of course~" Coco's answer was nonchalant, followed by a pitiful expression (#>д<)ﾉ,
"I know big sis is nearby, but not being able to see her is unacceptable! How could a mere dark elf stop my love for big sis?"
Hey hey, this is not the time to be wilful. Aya silently complained, things would be bad if something really happened. And Ciella, it seems she really can't change her nature... let's just give up on her.
"Um, now that you mention it, that does make some sense. Big sis is relieved." Coco patted her head.
She actually agreed!
Wait a minute.
Aya suddenly realized she was being foolish again, oh right, the princess herself isn't exactly someone with a normal thought process.
"Well then, let's go to the next venue to watch the matches!"
"Oh oh! Understood! Let's go to venue number one! Our academy's students will be participating."
"Approved! Private Coco! Xiao Feizi, lead the way!" The princess waved her little hand, speaking with grandeur.
And so, Angel, who was determined to be dedicated and make up for her mistakes, became the vanguard, subtly using Holy Light to block and push people aside. Leaving Aya alone... a mess in the wind.
...
Rushing through an alley, then turning at a street corner, participant 116, who had just finished her match, hurried as if escaping something.
But when she reached the corner, she had to stop.
Two young individuals dressed like ordinary adventurers blocked the not-so-narrow path. Though it was actually possible to go around them, their presence gave off a feeling of the path being blocked.
The small silver emblem pinned to their collars indicated their identity.
"Miss, we are members of Mirt Academy's special patrol team. Could you please cooperate and accept an investigation?" The man on the left with a smile on his face politely asked.
"..." Participant 116 hesitated for a moment, attempting to step back.
"This way is also prohibited, miss."
The four of them, dressed in ordinary adventurer attire with silver insignias, found themselves trapped with no way out. All of them were "Watchers," graduates from Milt Academy. In their eyes, the strength of the contestant was decent, but far from being able to escape their grasp.
With no retreat possible, the expression under the hood of Contestant Number 116 remained unchanged. Calmly, he stepped back against the wall and gently brushed his right hand over the emblem on the left side of his chest.
