(Rodova Military Academy, Spectator Stand, The VIP Box)
Principal Alric sat leisurely, swirling his glass of champagne as the murmurs of the merchant groups and sponsors around him flooded the private gallery.
His eyes flicked lazily across their expressions— widened eyes, whispered exchanges, and barely contained intrigue.
As he couldn't help but scoff internally, his contempt masked behind a calm facade.
"We thought Clarence Academy was going to usurp Rodova and steal the number two spot this year," murmured one representative from the Silvergrain Syndicate, stroking his beard. "But seeing this... Rodova still has teeth."
"Su Yang, the Su Family's young master," another whispered. "Why did he enroll into Rodova? Why not Geneva? With talent like that, Geneva would've rolled out the red carpet for him."
A third, sharper voice then cut in, belonging to the Gray Metal Consortium's representative.
