The Path 048

With Ahmad losing his bout against the fourteenth-ranked First Year, it wasn't surprising that Alessandra and Ishyll lost against the eleventh and eighth-ranked. Alessandra surprised onlookers by charging directly at her opponent despite wielding a bow, but while she was inordinately agile for a young human, her opponent, a brown-haired youth who wielded a pair of bladed, gauntlet-like shields, specialized in close-quarters combat and defending himself against ranged attacks. As for Ishyll, he was even more unfortunate as his archery had been honed via hunting, requiring him to remain hidden and patient. It wasn't suitable for battles where his would-be quarry knew his position from the outset, so his match didn't even last a full two minutes before he was bifurcated at the waist by his opponent's oversized battle axe...

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Since they had no reason to stick around after Ishyll's defeat, Will and Ohta made their way to the arena's medical ward to see how everyone was doing. The injuries duelists sustained in their matches didn't transfer to reality, but due to the psychological strains associated with the event, students who had participated in fewer than ten duels were required to undergo post-match mental and medical evaluations.

Taking advantage of this, the representatives of various companies and brands gathered outside the medical ward, hoping to arrange meetings with future talents, regardless of whether they had won or lost. Will saw this as extremely predatory, as those in the ward were doubtlessly under duress, but while he didn't agree with it, that was simply the culture of the world he had found himself in.

"Ugh...just look at these vultures..." muttered Ohta, referring to the large crowd of would-be sponsors and journalists. Unfortunately for him, the crowd wasn't just interested in those who had participated in the tryouts, as the moment they spotted the approaching duo, several split off from the main group to intercept them.

"Katherine McKennedy, Capital News," said the woman leading the pack, blonde hair fixed in a ponytail and blue eyes glistening with excitement as she held up a recording device to Will's face and asked, "Would you mind explaining why you and your friend here decided to withdraw from today's tryouts? A lot of people were looking forward to seeing what the rumored disciple of the Ebonsword could do."

"And they'll get their opportunity, just not today," affirmed Will. "Now, step aside. I didn't come here to entertain you and your colleagues."

Ignoring Will's words, another reporter asked, "What will you do now that you won't be entering the Duelist League?"

"I will walk forward now," said Will, his smile waning as he added, "If you deliberately stand in my way or attempt to bar my passage, expect to be moved."

Stepping forward, Will compelled most within the group to immediately move aside. One of the few exceptions was a man with stylish white hair and shades, attired in a white suit with an ash-black undershirt and white tie. His lapels and cuffs were adorned with platinum pins resembling five stars linked to form a hexagon in their center, and as Will approached, he made it clear he had no intention of moving by blowing a bubble with the gum he was chewing.

Raising his right brow, Will questioned, "Can I help you with something?" in a curious tone. Five platinum stars indicated that the man before him was at the pinnacle of the Fifth Rank, also known as a Champion. Others might find this intimidating, but Will found it amusing and, depending on how things played out, sad that someone of such high standing would go out of his way to intimidate children.

Flicking the index and middle fingers of his right hand, the man held out what looked like a black, embossed, gold-embroidered business card as he explained, "I'm a representative of the Royal Public Relations Agency, Altus Platina. We'd like to sign you as one of our talents."

"Altus Platina..." parroted Will, accepting and inspecting the well-made, pleasant-feeling business card. He recognized the name as the parent company of the firm representing Delphina, founded a few years prior at the behest of the current Queen, Erisia Pipoltr Astralis. He still didn't know much about them, but as they had made great strides in 'modernizing' the upper crust of Axial society, they could prove useful.

Noticing Will's interest, the white-haired man thumbed over his shoulder and suggested, "Let's relocate someplace else. I'm not fond of the stench of carrion."

Though the media in the Capital was state-sponsored and controlled, that only stemmed unwanted information from spreading to the public. When it came to the inner circle of the aristocracy, everyone who was anyone had contacts or spies within the various newsgroups and brokerage firms.

"Maybe some other time," replied Will, smiling as he placed the business card into his Inventory rather than his bracelet, cutting off the faint signal it was sending. He had nothing against Demons, as he had lived as one in his past incarnation, but he could tell the white-haired half-demon looked down on him. Blocking his path was one thing, but doing it before a group of reporters was a clear attempt to antagonize him.

"You serious...?" asked the man, frowning as he pointed out, "We're giving you a lot of face by sending someone at the Fifth Rank just to greet you..."

"And now you're disrespecting me by insisting when I've already made it clear I have other matters to attend," contested Will. "Now, are you going to move? Or will you be petty and force me to go around?"

'This little punk...' thought the man, creasing his brows and grimacing. It wasn't obvious due to his sunglasses and the fact he was chewing gum, but it was clear he didn't appreciate the position Will had forced him into by refusing his invitation and 'provoking' him.

"Interesting..." mused Will, narrowing his eyes slightly and smiling as he stepped around the man, adding, "We won't be in contact..." as he made his way further into the ward amidst a sea of flashes and extended mics. The white-haired man followed him with his gaze, seemingly wanting to call out to him. But, just as he had been too proud to make way for Will to pass, he couldn't lower himself to be the one to offer a compromise.

'This kid is going to be trouble...' thought the man, closing his eyes and pushing up his sunglasses to conceal his glowing crimson eyes. Then, as he no longer had a reason to be there, the shadow beneath his feet began to expand outward, startling many as he promptly disappeared into it with a static 'fwoom.'

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"I'm the only one who qualified...?" asked Madeen, her tone disbelieving and mouth slightly ajar as she sat atop a comfortable bed in the arena's medical ward. She wasn't injured, but due to the trauma it had suffered, her left arm was in a sling, and she had been administered a mild sedative to mitigate the phantom, tingling sensation emanating from her previously shattered bones.

"Hey, I gave it my all, you know," responded Alessandra, poutily asserting, "My opponent was just too strong."

"It makes sense..." muttered Ishyll, looking depressed as he pointed out, "More than half the current First Year team is comprised of seniors in our sister Class. They've had half a year to build and refine their strength, so it was optimistic to believe we could supplant them so easily..."

"The path of a warrior was never meant to be easy..." countered Madeen, disapproving of Ishyll's excuse. Then, looking at Will, she asked, "Where is the big one? I believe his name was Ahmad."

"According to the staff, he left shortly after his physical exam," answered Will, shrugging helplessly as he explained, "The staff encouraged him to stay and rest, but he insisted on tracking down Hyste and lauding her for getting the better of him in their duel."

"Nn...he does seem like the type to commend his foes..." agreed Madeen, nodding approvingly. She personally couldn't stand losing, but that didn't prevent her from appreciating Ahmad's integrity and spirit.

"I'm kind of hungry," remarked Alessandra, naturally directing her gaze to Will to ask, "If Madeen is up for it, want to get out of here and grab a bite to eat at the cafeteria? We can discuss what other extracurriculars to sign up for while eating."

"We might as well discuss it here," said Will, pulling out a red, bento-like box from his Inventory, handing it to Alessandra as he explained, "I try to avoid food and drinks prepared by strangers."

"Oh, wow," remarked Alessandra, accepting the lunch box while staring at Will's bracelet with sparkling eyes. Most storage-type artifacts could only store non-perishable and inorganic materials. However, as Will originated from one of the most ancient and affluent families in the world, she didn't question how he was able to store the bento and even keep it warm.

"So, do you have all your food delivered...?" asked Alessandra, passing a second bento to Madeen while Will handed out two others to Ishyll and Ohta.

"I prepare it myself," responded Will, surprising not just Alessandra but Madeen and Ishyll.

"Really...?" asked Alessandra, looking between Will and the scrumptious-looking, neatly arranged food within the bento. She was going to jokingly propose preparing his meals personally, but while she knew how to make a few basic dishes, she could tell her skills were inferior at a glance.

"Do you perhaps have an interest in cooking...?" asked Ishyll, an awkward smile adorning his face. It wasn't unheard of for nobles to take an interest in culinary art and haute cuisine, but as a future Lord, he didn't expect Will to possess such a...base talent.

"That's right," affirmed Will, nodding as he explained, "I've come to learn you appreciate food much more when you understand the effort required to prepare it. It also makes me happy to see people enjoying the food I've 'painstakingly' prepared, so feel free to let me know what you think."

"..."

With Will playfully putting emphasis on the word 'painstakingly,' Ishyll felt as though the box in his hands suddenly contained explosives. The aroma emanating from it was saliva-inducing, but if it turned out unpalatable, he wasn't sure he could convincingly state otherwise.

"It's good..." muttered Madeen, earning everyone's attention as she hung her head and slumped slightly with a fork in hand. She had come to terms with the fact she was a disaster in the kitchen, but knowing Will was good at it hurt her pride in a way she couldn't express.

"I'm glad you think so," said Will, his expression and tone softening as the smile on his face became more natural.

"It's 'too' good..." remarked Alessandra, a slight pout marring her face as she looked to Will, adding, "You're already the prize that every girl in the Academy is aiming for, Will. If you keep raising the bar, none of us will be good enough for you."

"If it bothers you, feel free to join a cooking club or attend Dorne's private lessons," teased Will, taking a bite from his own bento before stating, "But my preferred type of woman is someone who pursues their personal goals and interests without being influenced by external pressures..."

"Oooh~? Does that mean I can win you over simply by being persistent?" asked Alessandra. "Because my only dream, despite becoming a capable warrior, is marrying a strong and handsome man around my age. One who can support me, no matter how difficult things might become."

"Well...I can't stop you from trying..." replied Will, closing his eyes, shaking his head, and exhaling a faint laugh via his nose. Alessandra's chances of success were very nearly zero percent, but if she was able to grow into a more powerful and independent version of herself while pursuing him, he didn't mind indulging her until she found someone she truly loved or was willing to reciprocate her advances...

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