The morning sun bathed Liana's house in a golden glow as Arthur stretched his arms, blinking sleep from his eyes. Hyorinmaru sat by the window, his small dragon form gazing out at the horizon.
"Today's the day we've all been waiting for," Hyorinmaru murmured, his voice calm but carrying an air of anticipation. "Can we win this tournament?"
Arthur chuckled as he scooped Hyorinmaru up and placed him on his head. "Of course, we can! And I'm not just saying that for myself. I trust my friends. I know they've all gotten stronger too."
He grinned, excitement buzzing in his chest. "I wonder what kind of opponents the Velundria Kingdom has. What kind of students will we be facing? I can't wait—"
Whack!
Hyorinmaru flicked his tail against Arthur's face. "Don't get too ahead of yourself."
Arthur winced, rubbing his nose. "Oh… right, sorry."
"Go freshen up. We'll be leaving soon," Hyorinmaru instructed, his eyes narrowing slightly.
"Yeah, yeah," Arthur said as he set Hyorinmaru down and walked to the bathroom. As the door shut behind him, Hyorinmaru turned his gaze back to the window, his mind clouded by the remnants of a strange dream. Who was that person…? he wondered.
Not long after, Arthur emerged from the bathroom, drying his hair. "Let's eat before we head out."
Hyorinmaru landed on his shoulder as they made their way to the dining table, where Luca and Mira were already seated.
"Good morning!" Mira greeted cheerfully.
Liana looked up from her plate. "Today's the tournament, huh?"
Arthur nodded as he sat down. "Yeah."
Liana sighed. "I wish we could come watch you, but only nobles and Sword Mages are allowed to attend."
Arthur smiled. "Don't worry about it. Even if you can't be there physically, you'll still be with me in my heart. Right, Hyorinmaru?"
The little dragon was too busy stuffing his mouth with food to respond. "Huh? Yeah, yeah."
Arthur narrowed his eyes. "You just said what I wanted to hear, didn't you?"
Hyorinmaru ignored him, continuing to eat.
Once breakfast was finished, Arthur stood by the door, his friends wishing him luck as he waved back at them. "See you all later!"
---
Luminara Mansion
Seraphina walked through the gates, her pristine white uniform catching the morning light. Floating beside her, Tenmei twirled midair, a mischievous grin on her face.
"I wonder what the Velundria students are like," Tenmei mused. "Not that it matters. We're going to kick their butts."
Seraphina sighed. "Are you sure you're really a spirit? You're way too invested in this."
"Hey! I'm just excited! This is our first match together, after all!"
Seraphina raised a brow. "You've always been with me during my previous matches. What's the difference?"
"A huge difference!" Tenmei declared, arms crossed.
Seraphina walked toward the carriage when one of the maids hesitantly spoke. "My lady… is something the matter?"
"Hm?"
"You've been talking to yourself a lot lately. I was just… worried."
Seraphina stiffened slightly before offering a polite smile. "Nothing's wrong. Just a little stressed about the tournament."
She climbed into the carriage and whispered, "You're making me look crazy, Tenmei."
Tenmei pouted. "It's their fault for not meeting the requirements to see a divine being like me!" She flicked her hair dramatically.
Seraphina rolled her eyes as the carriage rolled forward.
---
Sage Academy – Arthur's Room
Arthur pushed open the door and immediately spotted Riven standing inside, his arms crossed.
"It's been a while," Arthur said with a grin.
Riven smirked. "Yeah."
They bumped fists before Arthur asked, "So, how are you feeling about the tournament?"
"Who knows?" Riven shrugged. "Mr. Nathaniel said we should change into our uniforms and head to the field."
"Got it."
Arthur quickly changed into his uniform, a sense of anticipation growing in his chest.
---
Rose Hall – Seraphina's Room
Seraphina sat on the edge of her bed, exhaling slowly. "Tenmei, I need you to be quiet unless I call on you."
"What?!" Tenmei gasped. "This is cruelty! A violation of the Divine Decree of Spirits!"
Seraphina deadpanned. "What decree?"
Just then, Lyra entered. "Was someone else in here?"
Seraphina quickly composed herself. "No."
Lyra frowned. "I thought I heard you talking to someone. Must've been my imagination. Anyway, Mr. Nathaniel said we should put on our uniforms and head to the field."
"Got it. Thanks."
As Lyra left, Tenmei huffed. "You're really making me suffer."
Seraphina rolled her eyes as she began changing.
---
The Field
Damon, Orion, Kaelius, Darius, Cedric, and Edlias stood together, all dressed in their uniforms.
"Let's smash this tournament and prove we're the best!" Damon said, his fist clenched.
Kaelius smirked. "Of course. We have to win. All the noble families will be watching."
"I just wonder what kind of people the Velundrians are," Edlias murmured.
"Doesn't matter. We'll still win," Orion said confidently.
"Let's all give it our best!" Darius added.
They put their hands together in unison as Nathaniel watched from a distance, smiling to himself. They've all grown so much…
Seraphina, standing nearby, whispered to Tenmei, "See? Arthur can't see you. You were scared for nothing."
Tenmei hesitated. "It… seems that way."
Arthur turned back toward Seraphina, and Tenmei instantly hid behind Seraphina's hair. Arthur gave a small wave, but Seraphina turned away with a hmph!
Just then, Callista walked up. "Hey, Arthur."
"Hey," Arthur replied. "You ready for this?"
Callista smiled. "Yeah. And don't worry—fight to your heart's content. I'll be here to heal you."
Arthur scratched the back of his head, laughing. "Thanks. That's reassuring."
As Callista smiled back, she glanced toward Seraphina and stuck her tongue out teasingly before turning away.
Seraphina's eye twitched, her hands clenched into fists. Tenmei chuckled. "I sense anger~"
"Shut up!" Seraphina hissed, her face red.
Nathaniel raised his hand, gathering everyone's attention. "The tournament will be held at Battle Ground Alpha. Let's move."
A ripple of excitement spread through the students.
Arthur smirked. "The tournament is about to start." Hyorinmaru, still perched on his head, let out a small snore.
Arthur sighed. "Seriously? Now?"