Chapter 251: The Night That No One Will Forget

[Duke's mansion]

About 2 days has passed since both Sephiria and Shun had arrived at the duke's estate, Sephiria's birthday celebration and debut to the outside society of the Holsteia Kingdom had been commenced. Due to the tight schedule most of the children of the people invited weren't able to attend due to the recent release of their term break.

Most of the noble's children invited to the party chose to stay at home and rest, but despite that, there were still some people along the age of Sephiria and Shun that had attended the party itself. Primary example of people who didn't attend Sephiria's birthday celebration was Wendy herself, and the prime example of people who attended regardless of their tight schedule was Cedric himself.

Since this was a duke's party, many influential figures were present alongside some promising figures in the Holsteia kingdom. Of course speaking of influential people, among them is Iris together with Akito Tomura who had the most run ins with the duo. Alongside it there were also rising stars in the kingdom who just recently received recognition due to their achievements in many subjugation forms that are ranked impossible, Lorius and his group were those people who had achieved such accomplishments and deserved to attend such grand gathering.

The moment both Shun and Sephiria saw this guys, they then approached them in a friendly manner, as Sephiria received gifts from this people themselves. From Iris, she received a red necklace, from Akito she received a small dagger meant for her protection, from Lorius and his groups pool she received a spell book which could enhance her magic capabilities. Each and every one of them gave her gifts in which she wholeheartedly accepts.

This was the first time that Sephiria had received gifts genuinely with no pettiness involved, those gifts were not obli9gation but rather genuine from the heart of the giver. With that she couldn't help but get teary all over as she tried her best to hold back her emotions.

After receiving their gifts, she was planning to led them all towards their respective table, when a maid suddenly intercepted her path and pulled her away from the scene. Apparently since she is the star of the event,  she would need to be dressed elegantly before the party itself starts. Due to that Shun was left all alone to deal with the guest.

"Sooo.... How do you do?" asked by Shun as he fumbled on his glass of wine

"Your already drinking?" asked by Iris

"This? Its grape wine, closely related to juice and almost non-alcoholic" answered by Shun

"Oh really? Let me have some" said by Lorius

"Sure thing! how about you Akito?" asked by Sun as he turned towards Akito

"I prefer soju or rice wine..."

Soju is a clear and colorless Korean distilled alcoholic beverage. It is usually consumed neat. Its alcohol content varies from about 12.9% to 53% alcohol by volume. Although it can be made from rice, soju is not a "rice wine" and it's very different from sake, which hails from Japan. Soju is distilled, like vodka.

Rice wine is a generic term for an alcoholic beverage fermented and possibly distilled from rice, traditionally consumed in East Asia, Southeast Asia and South Asia. Rice wine is made by the fermentation of rice starch that has been converted to sugars. Microbes are the source of the enzymes that convert the starches to sugar.  Sake in Japan, Mijiu in China, and Cheongju and Makgeolli in Korea are some of the most notable types of rice wine. Rice wine typically has an alcohol content of 18–25% ABV. Rice wines are used in East Asian, Southeast Asian and South Asian gastronomy at formal dinners and banquets and in cooking.

"I see... well lets just enjoy ourselves" said by Shun

However before Shun could leave, Lorius then called him out as he said.

"Shun! You do know that after this break there will be the final test that will be given to the graduating students right?"

"Well isn't that natural? Just like the six academies competition that was held only for the second years of the six academies?"

"Yes but that competition is only short lived and is nowhere near to the scale of this final test which would grade our capability to survive"

"Capability to survive? it's like your indicating that this test would be quite hard... is this some kind of another collaboration of the six academies?"

"Yes but this time there are no representatives, all the third year student will participate in this test and this test will be a test for survival... this will be a a month long test which will be held at the last month of the term"

In that moment Akito intervened and asked.

"We have no knowledge of this, just where did you hear this kind of information?"

"Well i'm quite close with the principal of my academy, so making him talk about the final test is easy peasy for me" answered by Lorius

"Then why are you telling this to us? wouldn't it be more advantageous for you if we were caught off guard?" asked by Akito

"It does, but i want to fight you guys again at your top shape, so i'm telling you this so that you would be ready for me" answered by Lorius

"So your going to hunt us down?" asked by Shun

"More or less"

Hearing Lorius reply, everyone then couldn't help but imagine Lorius rampaging all over the area trying to hunt them down. If no one was able to pin him down, then it would be expected that it will take only few days for him to to eliminate everyone who was involved in the test. That's juts how strong he is.

After a few minutes of waiting for the start of the party, the duke himself together with his wife then came out and begun giving his own speech towards the attendees of the party. Since he was now giving off his speech, such an act was an indication that the star of the night would finally appear before the crowd in her grand clothes.

Take note that everyone was in their party clothes, due to that aside from Akito who preferred his own samurai clothes styled in sengoku era, the rest are in dresses and in tuxedo for the party itself.

At last Sephiria's name was called, as she walk towards the crowd in her beautiful dress of black and silver blue which goes well with her hair and and type of attributes she primary wields. coupled with gems at its neck piece, she was quite beautiful with her arranged wavy hair and was further[perfected by her perfume which gives off the scent off a beautiful winter.

She was just gorgeous. AT that moment Shun couldn't help but utter a single word.

"Whoa!"