Vol.2 Chapter 65

Upon returning to the hotel for participants after a demanding day at the tournament, I swiftly took a refreshing shower. Shortly after, Liz extended an invitation to grab a meal at the dining hall. I initially refused since there would be many participants there at this time of the day, but after a bit of convincing, I finally gave in.

Currently, Liz and I are strolling towards the dining area following her invitation.

It's a tad earlier than I prefer, considering the dining hall is likely to be bustling at this hour. However, I opt not to risk dining alone, particularly in a venue teeming with tournament participants.

"Where are Chu and Clarence?" I inquired curiously, as I did not see them with her.

It would be uncharacteristic of Liz not to invite them too for dinner after convincing me to eat with her this early.

"They're off training. I suppose they're avoiding relying too much on you. They seem inspired after witnessing your duel with Lua. They're determined not to depend solely on you to carry our team," she remarked in jest.

I see. Boys and their pride, huh?

“Uhm, now that I think about it, should we perhaps fit in some training before dining?" she suggested tentatively.

"No. This is entirely fine. Since we're uncertain about our next opponent, pushing ourselves to train in preparation for three possible fights could have negative consequences. Rest is crucial preparation for a tournament, after all," I replied.

"Are you sure? Are we perhaps being too laid-back?" she pressed on.

"Absolutely," I replied promptly. "Consider it akin to studying for an exam. You're less likely to perform well if you cram for hours at the last minute compared to studying consistently over weeks of short study sessions and then resting the day before the exam," I elaborated on my rationale.

“T-that’s what I always do, though…” she said in a weak voice.

I stared at her mockingly. “Makes sense. So that explains why you always get low grades on our tests,” I teased.

“Hmph! I’m just not as studious as you.” she pouted at my jab.

“I don’t really study that all too; I just do my due preparations, that is all,” I rebuked.

“Yeah! That’s what I meant. You like to be always prepared, even in this tournament. It’s the same as being studious,” she declared.

"...I'm pretty sure it's not..."

After a couple more of the same back-and-forth exchange, we finally reached our destination. Stepping into the dining hall, a delightful array of savory aromas wafted towards us.

“I would never get used to how huge this place is,” I murmured to myself as I took in the surroundings.

In the central area, a lengthy buffet table extends across the room, showcasing a top-notch assortment of dinner dishes. The spread features various options, including succulent roasted meat cuts and other enticing selections, that immediately grabbed my attention.

Adjacent to the main buffet, a bakery section presents a tempting array of freshly baked bread and similar treats. Moving along, a vibrant assortment of fresh fruits and juices awaits those following a fruit-based diet. Nearby, the cold section displays an array of yogurts, granola, and chilled seafood elegantly arranged on ice.

On the left side of the hall, a barista stands prepared at a bar with a selection of beverages. The beverages are likely non-alcoholic to cater to the young Esports participants in attendance.

The atmosphere is even more relaxed today since most of the people here have already been eliminated from the tournament. The attentive staff moves discreetly among the guests, ensuring that everyone's needs are attended to. However, given the limited number of guests, this level of service may seem a bit too excessive.

Some teams opt to dine with different groups, such as the Dragon Dynasty and the Shadow Vanguards, whose members engage in conversations amongst themselves.

Towards the center, Arthur and Xeno from the round table are present, although their other two members are not in sight.

On the left side, Draven and his companions are also having their meal. Surprisingly, Draven appears rather subdued now that his tournament journey has ended. I anticipated he would exhibit more aggression, given his early elimination, but he appears calm and has already accepted his early exit.

To be honest, I think he isn't probably that bad; he just had a different perspective on life. He seems only to exaggerate his rudeness for his stream, which he thankfully isn't doing now. Not that he is not rude in the first place, but he is not the overly obnoxious guy that he wants to portray himself for clout and stream views.

As we walked towards the center buffet table to get our plates, the mood suddenly changed, and people began to notice us.

Some began to murmur instantly, eyeing me with interest and, from their looks, a bit of reverence. I don’t really mind it too much, but I just have one major complaint. Why are you guys looking at me like some sort of exotic creature that escaped from a nearby zoo?!

I'm starting to regret arriving here too early, with so many participants still dining.

Well, on the bright side, Liz and I can surely enjoy our meal without interruptions if they are this warry of me. I just need to maintain my usual poker face and proceed as if nothing unusual is happening right now.

Although I thought no one would bother us, a person approached us casually, destroying my hopes of having a peaceful and carefree dinner.

“Hey ladies, it seems that you're also eating. What perfect timing! We were just about to have our meal as well. Care to join us at our table?" Xeno said with a flirtatious wink.

I sighed internally. It looks like I jinxed it pretty badly. Out of all the people, why did it have to be this guy?

“Sure! The more the merrier!” Liz accepted the offer without a second thought.

Liz! Don't just accept random guys' invites, especially when the guy in question is clearly a pervert! I sometimes fear for your safety.

“I’m glad you feel that way, too. You know what they say: two is always better than one," Xeno gave Liz a winning smile while uttering some cheesy lines that made me want to cringe uncontrollably. Thankfully, I managed to suppress the urge through sheer willpower—just barely, though.

Suddenly, Arthur intervened with a swift head chop to his friend's head.

“Ouch!” Xeno cried in pain.

Good. That was well deserved.

"I told you a thousand times, stop bothering people with your antics," Art reprimanded his wayward friend.

He then turned towards me before apologizing, "Please excuse my friend's impoliteness."

Pausing as if pondering something, he then proceeded to ask politely, "Nevertheless, I would also appreciate sharing a table with you all and engaging in some friendly conversation about the tournament… that is if you're amenable to it."

At least Arthur is here to reign in his friend, so I guess it's fine to dine with them. We fought them earlier, and our team is also one of the reasons why they got eliminated from the tournament, so it’s a bit rude to turn down their offer now.

I nodded in response while Liz had no qualms about the offer.

Once that was settled, we picked up plates and began selecting our preferred dishes from the enticing array laid out before us. The tempting spread whetted our appetites, and we eagerly filled our plates with a variety of delicious offerings from the buffet.

Following this, we sat at Arthur’s table to enjoy our meal.

“Where are your other teammates? I’d love to have a chat with Astrid too!” Liz inquired.

“Astrid doesn't enjoy crowded spaces too much. She'll likely dine later when the crowd thins out. As for Gwyn, well... she's fast asleep,” Art shared.

"How about your teammates? I find it hard to believe they would leave two lovely, charming ladies to dine on their own," Xeno remarked, likely aiming to earn some brownie points with Liz.

“Oh, they’re training right now. They said they wanted to prepare as much as they could for tomorrow,” Liz took Xeno’s remark in stride.

While Liz, with her customary sociable demeanor, engaged in conversation with them, I quietly savored my well-deserved meal. As the discussion progressed, it eventually shifted towards our previous bout. At that moment, Arthur directed a question at me while I was simply relishing my food.

"In our fight, I truly believed we had a shot, but you weren't even giving it your all, were you?" he expressed, his tone tinged with disappointment.

Was his pride wounded or something? Should I offer an apology?

“…Sorry,” I murmured.

“Oh, I'm not blaming you or anything. It's on us for not meeting the level that would require you to give it your all. I understand the importance of keeping your strategies hidden to catch opponents off guard. We employed a similar tactic with our ace, but sadly, we were just a bit short of winning against Hana’s team and got eliminated early,” he elaborated.

I gazed at him with a sense of sympathy. We were the reason they got knocked out of the upper bracket in the first place, so I felt responsible for their early tournament exit.

Noticing my gaze, he quickly reassured me. "Please don’t feel bad. Truth be told, although I'm disheartened by the loss, I'm also slightly relieved. Now, we can relax and enjoy some thrilling matches tomorrow, so make sure to give it your all! I'll be cheering for you wholeheartedly,” he said with a dazzling smile. It was so bright I almost instinctively shielded my eyes so as not to get blinded.

“D-don’t forget about me! I would cheer for you girls, too!” Xeno butted in.

He then turned his attention to Liz. "Especially for you, Elizabeth. You have my undivided attention at the tournament," he said in a sultry voice that sent shivers down my spine.

“Thanks!” Liz gave him a bright, innocent smile.

I don't know if I should be irritated or sad.

Irritated that this guy is blatantly trying to flirt with Liz, or sad that she doesn't notice his advances at all and thinks of his act as a friendly gesture.

Or maybe Liz knows but is just blatantly ignoring his advances, which is even sadder.

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Seer's PoV

DUEL END: YOU LOST!

I heard the system announce the same word for the who knows how many times. In response, I surveyed my surroundings to regain my bearings after the loss.

The moon hangs high in the sky, its silvery light casting an ethereal glow over the ancient stones of the amphitheater of the Roman Colosseum arena dueling stage. It barely illuminated my opponent, who defeated me as swiftly as the battle began. Her progress throughout the tournament is undeniable, to the extent that I now struggle to keep pace with her as a sparring partner.

"I think we should call it a day," I said wearily, unable to hide the fatigue in my voice.

"No, let's continue, please," Ariadne insisted.

I sighed at her stubbornness.

"Aria, aren’t you pushing yourself too hard? You know as well as I do that rest is important, especially since we may have a few matches tomorrow. Besides, I’m nowhere good enough of a sparring partner for you to improve drastically in just a short time," I gently reminded her.

She closed her eyes, contemplating my words.

"...You're right, forgive me," she eventually conceded.

“It’s fine. I understand that you want to win a revenge match against Lua. I also feel the same,” I said emphatically.

"No... There's someone else I wish to face on the main stage. For that to happen, I must first reach the finals," she stated with unwavering determination.

As she uttered those words, one person immediately sprang to mind.

The most aberrant player in this entire tournament who defied all expectations... Novo.