Fate is such a puzzle, isn't it? It twists and turns like a river, leading us down paths we never imagined we'd take.
I'm Kaios, the son of Ashmeyer who descended from a lineage that originated from the Parpaldia Empire's oldest colony called Deventer. By my country's customs, that will make my legal name "Kaios Ashmeyer van Deventer." Having my name rendered like that makes it feel like a big name akin to nobles, but to tell you the truth, the 'van Deventer' part feels distant to me since I was born in Esthirant near the sea, far from that colony in the interior. I've never even set foot there. The busy streets of the Imperial Capital are all I've ever known. My name might as well be "van Esthirant."
My dad runs a fleet of five clippers, and he's done really well since taking over the family business after my grandfather and mother passed away. When I get home from school—well, former school in Parpaldia—I often help out with little chores. But I can't help but wonder what my future holds. The questions swirl in my mind like leaves caught in a gust of wind. Will I just follow in my father's footsteps? Or will I try to forge my own way, find my own path?
And then, out of nowhere, my friend Elto and I ended up studying in the Holy Milishial Empire. Not just visiting as a tourist, but actually studying there, thanks to our luck being selected to represent the country in an exchange program after doing well in the given tests. It's a lot to take in.
And thus, we found ourselves catapulted into a situation far beyond our wildest dreams... into the Land of Stars.
----------------------------------------
October 31, 1616 Central Calendar, 14:30
Northern Lafleya Training Ground, Runepolis, Holy Milishial Empire
"Psst...! Hey! Blondie over there!"
A voice called out from behind Kaios, who was crouched low behind a bush on the training ground.
Startled, he snapped a glance over his shoulder to find a taller boy sneaking out from the shadows. The boy had messy black hair that fell haphazardly over his forehead and striking red eyes. He was dressed in a dark green jacket with white stripes that hung loosely over a pinstripe white shirt. His khaki pants were a bit wrinkled, and scuffed brown boots were visible beneath the fabric. In contrast to Kaios' bold red-and-black parka, this boy seemed to blend into his surroundings better by virtue of his more subdued outfit.
"Oh... it's you, Crow," Kaios blinked.
The other boy gave him a relaxed smile. "...Yeah, it's me. You're Chaos right—"
"Kaios."
"Yes, yes. So, I wanted to talk to you... Sorry for turning you down earlier. I've thought about what you said, and I'm convinced. So... let's work together?"
Kaios let out a small sigh, his heart racing with a mix of relief and wariness. "Really? You mean that?"
"Yeah, I realized taking on the examiner alone was a bit reckless. I mean, she's tough! And..." Crow's voice trailed off while he looked into the distance dreamily. "Damn... she's fiiiineee..."
"W-what? What are you talking about?"
"The examiner! She's fine—like, crazy stupid fine."
"Hah?"
"...The bottom line is that our examiner is hot."
Kaios gaped. "——How is this helping!?" he suddenly shouted.
Someone has to remind everyone to stay on the assignment... Because if not, the intrusive thoughts will enter Kaios' mind too.
Suddenly, a distant yelp cut through the air, and both boys winced instinctively.
"Is that... the Redhead?"
"Shirley," Kaios corrected worriedly. He hoped their groupmate was okay, however abrasive her attitude might be. "We need to check on her... I think we should regroup. All four of us should work together. I mean, this test is going to be tough, and if we don't collaborate, we might all end up failing."
"That's nice and all, but don't forget there are only two bells. Only two out of four of us will pass this exam. You really think the others are just gonna start holding hands and singing positivity?"
Kaios winced, reluctantly admitting that Crow had a point. The exam was intentionally designed using the divide et impera approach and challenged the examinees to overcome it and work together for a better chance of winning—at least that's the theory of the exam's main objective. However, Exam Group 58 isn't exactly the most cohesive unit from the beginning.
"Well, I think there's more to this test... I have a theory: the examiner set it up like this to see if we can set aside our rivalries and help each other. It's a way to test our teamwork and trust."
Crow raised his eyebrows, half in disbelief and half amused.
"That's some deep stuff right there. But let's be real for a second. This is a competition. There are only two bells, and if we don't make sure one of us gets one, we're both toast. So why not just team up—just you and me? That way, we can watch each other's backs and secure our spots."
"Are you really sure that whoever those two from this group will definitely pass when the exam is over?" Kaios asked. "All the groups' results will be announced on the same day, remember? Why is that?"
At first, Crow didn't quite get the meaning behind that question, but after mulling over it, his eyes widened in realization.
"Oh, shit. You don't mean..."
"I think it's possible that depending on the performance, there might be one or two groups that performed so well they all pass, or be so terrible at their assignment that none of them pass. That's what I'm thinking!"
"Oh... shit..." Crow held his head.
"I remember that my mentor said that this exam is a substitute for war. Now, if we're thinking along those lines instead of seeing this as a sporting event—what is the cardinal sin in a military strategy? Dispersing your forces and watch as they are defeated piecemeal."
"Whoa, whoa, whoa... Okay, that's a bit of a reach but it makes sense, I think."
"The point is we're going to have a better chance of passing this exam if we work together instead of acting separately. What's the harm in trying?"
"Counterpoint: Shirley. I don't know about the Other Guy—"
"Ishmael."
"Yeah, him. But I say again, I don't think you can convince them that easily."
Kaios brought a hand to his chin and pondered about it.
"Hmm. How about we—"
"—Done discussing, boys?"
"Huh?"
A teasing feminine voice suddenly came from above. When both of them looked up, their eyes widened as they saw the examiner perched on a nearby branch, interrupting their strategy meeting with a grin on her face.
"OH, SHI—"
"Language!"
The examiner's grin widened as she dropped down and twisted mid-air before aiming an axe kick directly toward Crow.
"NGAAAAAAAAAAAAH—!!!"
With a comically high-pitched shriek, the raven-haired boy just barely evaded the strike, flinging himself backward while his legs splayed wide to avoid her boot, which smashed into the ground alarmingly close to his groin.
Scrambling in fright to create a distance, they pivoted to face the examiner and assumed fighting stances, forming a shaky two-man front.
"That was close...!"
"Y-y-yo-you don't say!" Crow cried. The ramifications of that one attack if it connects will be immense. What was she even thinking!?
Kaios still couldn't believe it. This woman might be crazier than they initially thought.
Shizuna R. Misurugi, 24 years old. Hailing from the Hinomawari Kingdom in the Second Civilization Area, she in fact belonged to that country's military organization called the Order of the Sun Ring, an affiliation the examiner greatly emphasized in their initial meeting. Six years ago, she came to the Middle Lands with a purpose similar to Kaios', following the Holy Milishial Empire's initiative to invite youths from foreign nations to study as part of its intentions to deepen the cooperative relationship between nations, at least that's the gist of it. For the most part, it was really an attempt to improve the condition of this world before the Ancient Sorcerous Empire arrived, but some other countries see it as an arrogant self-proclaimed ruler of the known world flexing its might and giving away some of its secrets due to it believing itself to be so far ahead their 'primitive' civilizations. Some people just can't be pleased.
Shizuna had long, silver hair reminiscent of the Rogueriders and Pendragons, and striking blue eyes. Wearing a form-fitting black bodysuit beneath a long-sleeved white jacket that finely accentuated her figure, this woman in her mid-20s radiated a playful confidence that instantly put Kaios on edge.
Amidst their standoff, Shizuna sized up the pair facing her and cocked an eyebrow.
"That's a good answer to the exam's real question, I must say."
"Is... is it the right answer, though...?" Kaios timidly probed her in response.
"Hmm... the right answer? Well, is there even the 'right' answer?"
Meanwhile, Crow steadied her breathing and whispered to Kaios out of the corner of his mouth.
"...Alright, Blondie, here's the plan. I'll go in first, close range. While I'm trying to snatch those bells, you find an opening. Attack from her blind spot, then cover me if she counterattacks."
With a tight nod, Kaios' gaze flicked back and forth between Shizuna and Crow. Even with the numbers on their side, he couldn't imagine a pair of high schoolers standing a chance against a military mage in a direct contest of martial arts and magic—it would be foolish to expect that. Instead, he resolved to do his best and hoped that the "process" would also be part of the evaluation.
"—Alright."
"Let's give her our best performance. Here we go. Maximum effort!"
Crow charged at Shizuna, summoning tendrils of water that spiraled around his arms as he closed the distance. He twisted his hands to shape the water into a sharp-edged whip that snapped toward the examiner's ankles in a blur. But Shizuna easily sidestepped the attack, barely breaking a sweat as the whip sliced into the ground where she'd just stood.
Meanwhile, Kaios darted sideways into the examiner's blind spot while she was busy engaging his partner. After bringing his hands together and willing his water elemental magic, his desire was swiftly translated by the Manadriver attached to the holster on his left waist underneath his parka, which let him paint the reality and conjure the spell in an instant!
'Attack, one, two, three, four...!'
Channeling his mana, Kaios conjured a swirling mass of water before him and launched it at Shizuna in segments. With each punch and a sweeping roundhouse kick, he sent blasts of water at high speed while continuing to circle around the melee. Unlike the typical fighting style used by mages with a water elemental affinity, Adonis Roguerider taught Kaios to wield his element in a less elegant but more agile manner, employing sharp, swift movements to direct streams of water.
Four of those blasts were now hurled at Shizuna, curving midair to surround her from directly behind, left, right, and above.
Shizuna gasped in excitement sensing Kaios and Crow's attack converging on her. She then proceeded to briefly turn in Kaios' direction and dodged three of the incoming water blasts. As the remaining fourth shot surged toward her head, she raised her arm and slashed through it with a mana-covered hand chop, scattering the water into a mist that glimmered in the sunlight.
Crow, seizing the moment, lashed out with his water whip, aiming for Shizuna's midsection. However, the examiner sprang into a somersault over the whip. As the two tracked her movement while continuing their assaults, Kaios and Crow's jaws clenched upon seeing how effortlessly she had evaded their attacks.
"Nuh-uh...! You're not bad, boys, not bad at all," she teased, casually dusting off her jacket. "But I hope you didn't think you'd catch me so easily!"
Crow groaned. "Are we even making a dent?"
"You know, I've been in a number of situations like this," as Shizuna continued, her voice dropped several octaves. "Let me show you what will happen next."
"!!!"
"Uh-oh..."
Crow and Kaios instinctively tensed up, bracing for whatever punishment the examiner was about to deliver. Her eyes glinted dangerously, and both boys felt an icy chill run down their spines.
This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.
But then, to their absolute bafflement, Shizuna turned on her heel and bolted, sprinting across the training ground into the clearing's direction at full speed.
"Catch me if you can, boys! Kyahahahahahaha!" she called over her shoulder, laughing along the way.
Crow blinked, dumbfounded. "...Is she running away!?"
"Oh, no! That's the One-Thousand Step Tactical Repositioning Technique!" Kaios gasped.
He had seen this being done several times, mostly by his sparring partners from the three families of Roguerider, Pendragon, and Legendorga. Things will turn troublesome when they pull off this particular technique. Seriously.
"That's just running away!" retorted the other boy fiercely.
"No, no, there's a difference!"
"GRRRR! WHAT IS EVEN HAPPENING RIGHT NOW!? ...Ugh, fine! D-don't lose sight of the examiner! We can't let her get too far!"
With that, Crow took off after Shizuna, followed by Kaios.
"Wait! The examiner knows what she's doing. She might be aiming to disrupt our plans, or maybe moving somewhere to negate whatever advantage we have!" Kaios explained in the middle of the pursuit.
"That's a lot of speculation right there, smart guy! Like what!?"
"...Yeah, well, a 'disruptive variable' is already within visual range. Twelve o'clock!"
Kaios pointed ahead, where the trees thinned and the ground sloped down into a small clearing next to a small lake. From the bushes in the opposite direction, a girl with long sanguine hair jumped out and angrily charged at the examiner head-on.
Shirley Orlando, 16 years old. Unlike Kaios, Crow, and Ishmael, who all attended the Runepolis Magic Academy (though they were in different classes), she hails from Runes Valletta, an aviation specialist famously known as a rival to the RMA. This baggage that she carried to the exam for some reason added to Kaios' chagrin, as it complicated any attempts to approach let alone work together with her.
Furthermore, as a wielder of fire elemental affinity—unsurprising, if Kaios were to be honest—her approach to developing her magical skills is rather problematic. Although harnessing anger is a quicker way to train fire magic, it is very much not the best method. There might be personal issues involved, but someone should really drag her to a therapist for anger management to break this negative cycle before she harms herself or someone else.
"Great, just our luck! This group is cursed! I'm so done..."
As the two boys stopped at the edge of the clearing to see how things played out, Crow let out a frustrated groan while watching the other examinee barreling down the clearing with reckless abandon like an ogre. However, he quickly turned to Kaios beside him.
"—Alright, Blondie, what's the play?"
"Hah?" Kaios blurted, taken aback.
"Well, aren't you the 'plans' guy? You carry yourself like a 'plans' guy. You have a plan for this?"
Kaios frowned as he tried to contemplate their next move. "Earlier, I wanted to say that if we can adjust to Shirley's movements, we could create an illusion that we're working together, and I hope it's good enough," he said, trying to devise a plan on the fly.
"That's easier said than done," Crow grimaced.
Looking at the chaotic scene in the clearing, the two of them witnessed the examiner easily dodging Shirley's firebending as if she were toying with the angry girl. She didn't even try to fight back, which made the wild redhead even angrier.
At that moment, Kaios' eyes widened as he remembered something.
"Crow, what time is it!?"
"I don't know, I left my watch before the fight."
Kaios deflated. To be fair, he had done the same too.
"The exam will be over at the next bell toll from the clock tower. It's already been forty-five minutes since the exam began... How many times does the bell toll here again?"
"Eight times a day. Dammit... we might not have much time left!"
"Then we can't waste any more time!" exclaimed Kaios. "I'm sorry, I can't think of any other plan. We have to adjust to Shirley, or dither and we might miss our chance entirely... what say you, Crow?"
"Hnggggg...! Fine! Let's give it a shot. We'll adapt to Shirley's moves or whatever—somehow. Just for the record, I won't blame you if we all fail."
Kaios sweatdropped, but found those words nice(?).
Shooting another wary glance toward the clearing, he witnessed the examiner dance around Shirley's fiery attacks with irritating ease. Every time the redhead thrust a fist or whipped a blazing arc of flame toward her, Shizuna sidestepped or spun out of reach, the flickering heat never so much as grazing her jacket. Shirley was red-faced, whether from effort or rage, and her frustration was building like the sparks of explosion curling from her hands.
"Shirley's fighting with everything she has," Kaios muttered. "But she's wasting so much energy. She'll tire herself out soon."
Crow rubbed his neck. "Must be because of whatever happened between them earlier."
Meanwhile, Kaios also felt a gnawing discomfort as he glanced around. Where's Ishmael? The fourth member of their group had been conspicuously absent ever since they split up.
"So, we're doing your plan now or what?"
At those words, Kaios gave him a nod. "Yes. It's now or never."
"Okay, then! On the count of three. One...! Two...! Three...!"
The two darted out from behind the cover of the trees and into the clearing, each taking up positions flanking the fighting Shirley and Shizuna from opposite sides.
A frustrated Shirley unleashed a close-range explosion attack. While the examiner leaned back just enough to avoid the brunt, Crow seized the moment, channeling his mana into the air around him.
"Water Dragon—now!" he shouted, conjuring a small dragon of water that surged toward the examiner from the side.
But before it could close in, Shizuna twirled and finally cast her own magic spell: a frosty whirlwind suddenly erupted around her. The water dragon struck the snowy barrier and instantly fractured, dispersing in a shower of droplets that misted into the cold air.
Caught off guard by the storm and thrown back, Shirley whipped around as she got up and glared at Crow. "Huh!? What the hell are you two doing!?"
Visibly annoyed but undeterred, Crow shot back. "Helping ourselves pass, obviously!"
"What!?"
As Shirley's frustrated glare darted between Crow, Shizuna, and Kaios, the latter took a quick breath and raised his hands in a placating gesture.
"Shirley, look. From now on, we're going to provide you support!"
"What do you mean 'to support me'?"
"Oh, come on! Just attack the examiner or something, we're going to give you covering fire!" Crow shouted.
What a rude groupmate. This is a greatly frustrating day!
From across the clearing, Shizuna looked on in visible amusement, as if she was watching a particularly entertaining show.
Then... Kaios saw the examiner's attention flick toward him and in a flash, the silver-haired woman closed the gap and lunged. Kaios barely had time to raise his arms before she was upon him and struck. He managed to parry a knee strike, but she followed with a spinning back kick with that same leg that struck his guard, sending him staggering several feet to the side.
But just as Shizuna went for a follow-up, two hands burst from the ground right at her other foot, fingers reaching to latch onto her ankle.
"Oh?"
Kaios' eyes widened. It looked like their missing groupmate had finally made his move.
However, Shizuna soon yanked that leg free and pulled Ishmael out of his hiding spot in the process. Dirt flew as his head and shoulders emerged from the ground.
With one powerful heave, Shizuna proceeded to throw the panicked short black-haired boy through the air in the direction of Shirley, who had just raised her arms for another fire spell. As soon as Ishmael went airborne, his frantic flailing intersected perfectly with Shirley, and the two collided with a painful thud, tumbling into a messy pile as Shirley's spell sputtered out, leaving only embers in the air.
Meanwhile, Shizuna turned back to see Kaios who rushed to the bells on her waist from behind. Before Kaios could react to the situation, she whipped her jacket off in a swift motion and flung it right at his face. Blinded, he stumbled and crashed next to the examiner. Furthermore, while he was frantically trying to bat it away, Kaios felt a surge of air swirl around him—a powerful gust of wind magic that Shizuna had cast.
"I can't see! Ah—!? AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHH!"
"Blondie! NO!"
With a startled scream, Kaios was lifted off the ground and sent launching headlong toward the lake's edge far away from their spot.
For a moment, Kaios felt a sensation of weightlessness before a cold and wet shock suddenly enveloped him like a blanket, all while his vision was obscured by the stubborn fabric. Panic surged through him as he thrashed, but it only made the situation worse. Dark water enveloped him, blurring his vision further and robbing him of direction.
'Water!? ...Am I drowning!? ...No, nonononono! I don't want this! Please...! Augh! Up! I want to go up! Send me upward! PLEASE!'
Kaios desperately formed a coherent thought to escape and channeled his mana... enough trigger for his Manadriver to turn into his lifesaver.
As the magical tool resonated with his strong desire, the water around him began to churn and bubble. In that instant, Kaios felt the water morphing into a powerful surge that propelled him exactly in the direction he wanted—upwards. With a violent splash, Kaios broke through the surface of the lake and managed to remove the jacket covering his face, gasping for air.
What Kaios saw was the rest of his groupmates devolved into a disorganized mess soon after his forced departure. It was heartbreakingly quick, although that was a given seeing how their 'teamwork' was barely existent.
Still determined to rejoin the fray, Kaios took a moment to steady his breath and calm himself, before once again focusing on his desire to get back. The water around him began to swirl, forming a powerful jet that thrust him upward and toward the shoreline.
"WHOOOOOOOOOOO—!!"
Kaios felt himself lift from the water, his heart racing from the sensation. However, the splashdown he had envisioned turned into a graceless crash landing as he hit the ground and rolled unceremoniously across the grass before coming to a stop. Pain shot through his body, but he quickly pushed himself up.
"Ugh...! Not the landing I was hoping for," he muttered, shaking off the dizziness.
Despite his unceremonious return, he couldn't help but feel wonder at the capability of his Manadriver. Equip the sailors with it and train them well, none of them will ever drown anymore, that's what he thought.
"Alright, enough getting sidetracked, I have to—"
BONG...... BONG...... BONG......
The embers of Kaios' spirit withered in an instant at the dreaded sound. It was the tolling of the nearby clock tower's bell.
"Oh no........."
❖⟐❖⟐❖
The far shore of the Lafleya Training Ground's lake remained peaceful throughout, where two young men could be seen sitting on a rug, contentedly watching the bout unfolding on the opposite side. Both of them were born with hair the color of fresh snow glinting in the sunlight, whose silver strands shimmered faintly in the late afternoon glow.
One of them, caressing a small, crystal-like translucent green mechanical butterfly in his hand, chuckled quietly to himself before turning to the other young man.
"Do you want to hear what I'm thinking? You throw a rock out here, you hit a reincarnated person. They look like them, bear a similar name as them, but can act completely differently from them. Out of trillions, he only succeeded once... Amatsu-Mikaboshi's little failures have created such an amusing sight to watch in this plane of existence. But at the same time, it also makes things so chaotic."
The second young man shifted his gaze toward his companion, his clear, piercing blue eyes meeting the other.
"It's best not to question it," he commented offhandedly. "If you think too hard about such things, where any of them came from or who they truly are, it'll all seem nonsensical. Existence is chaos. Nothing makes any sense, so we try to make some sense of it. That's how it has always been. That's the glorious purpose they and we have been burdened with."
The first young man glanced back to the scenery across the lake.
"That little one's purpose is more burden than glory."
"I want to see how that one lives with it."
"Like so many times before. Of course you do."
The first young man gently released the crystalline butterfly into the cool late afternoon breeze that day, watching it flutter for a moment before it disappeared into the distance.
"I think it's time for me to return and finish my work. You?"
"I might just wait here for a little bit, and let time pass..."
❖⟐❖⟐❖
18:30
A certain room in an apartment's 3rd Floor, Tranquila District, Runepolis
While waiting for Gabi to make dinner, Kaios lay on the couch while tightly wrapping himself in a blanket and stared emptily at the ceiling, tuning out his roommates' chatter and Irmiya's attempts to play a certain popular song from the Holy Empire that he learned on his guitar—unless someone spoke to him directly.
The events several hours ago at the training ground were clearly still lingering in his thoughts.
Kaios barely stirred as his childhood friend from Parpaldia, Elto van Dalsen, slipped into the apartment from across the hallway. While he noticed her, Kaios didn't feel like reacting, remaining cocooned in his blanket and just waiting for Elto to enter.
Elto was halfway through entering the room when she suddenly stopped. A shift of her posture signaled her attention elsewhere before she turned back to Kaios.
"Hey, Kaios. Guess who's coming."
"Hmh...?"
"Hey."
Accompanying that familiar voice, a mop of silver hair peeked in. Seeing the figure who had appeared at the doorway with Elto's prompting, Kaios couldn't help but smile slightly.
"Please, don't just stand there, you two," Kaios called out.
"Excuse me..."
"Hey, everyone."
"Meteos! Are you staying for dinner?" Irmiya waved with a grin. "Gabi's making us some fancy dinner tonight!"
"His Highness is too kind."
Elto sat down on the sofa opposite Kaios, while the other visitor, having entered the room with the girl, slid into the seat on the side where he could face the blanketed blonde head-on. Kaios noticed that he had a backpack hanging from one shoulder but didn't inquire further, as it wasn't his place to ask.
Meteos Roguerider, 16 years old. This silver-haired boy is one of the children of the corporation sponsoring Kaios and his friends' education in this country. Being the same age as them, he naturally became one of their first friends from Milishial. He used to be very blunt, lacking even Elto's tact and spoke his mind without restraint, but he seemed to have become more diplomatic over time, though he still had his moments. He also didn't enjoy being teased.
Like all of his older siblings, Meteos possessed an intellect that seemed to rival that of an entire country, despite his very young age. It's hard to believe that he's responsible for at least a dozen inventions in this country. Kaios found it difficult to accept, but it is what it is.
Such a person had introduced Kaios to the wonders of technology, the sight of which sparked something inside him.
"How are you doing?" Meteos asked after settling on the couch. "Elto messaged me earlier saying you got thrown into the lake during the exam."
"Yes, he was soaking wet and forgot to bend the water to dry himself for some reason until I reminded him before he got out of the Training Ground," the girl confirmed.
Kaios chuckled sheepishly. "I'm fine. My body's fine. I'm not sick or anything..." He paused, clutching the blanket tighter around him. "I just... mentally exhausted, I guess?"
"Ah..."
"My prospects of passing looks bleak..."
Elto raised an eyebrow at Kaios' comment. "Wasn't it you who said that you weren't expecting to go that far?"
Kaios sat up at her words. "I am...! But... during the exam, I—well, I don't know how to explain it. It was like... I wanted to pass, like, really badly. Like, everything in me was pushing for it, even though I'd never get that far in the first place. It's weird, right?"
Meteos, listening quietly to Kaios' confession, cleared his throat and adjusted his position to lean forward.
"......What's so wrong with that? If you want to be an inventor, that is exactly what you must have. A drive to see if you can push further, even when you think you've hit your limits."
"Haah... wow, that makes me feel better, somewhat."
"Really? Don't tell me you think it's a wrong thing to feel?"
Kaios' face went red at the two's teasing.
"Sheesh... now I really envy you, Meteos. You just sat down and played schaken."
"I don't recall you ever winning a game against me, Kaios," Elto retorted.
Hearing that, Irmiya who had been quietly listening couldn't contain himself and burst out laughing. And with that, Kaios' attempt to redirect the topic backfired hilariously.
❖⟐❖⟐❖
21:00
After partaking in a hearty dinner with the foreigner kids and talking for a bit more, Meteos had decided it was time to head back. Inside the car driven by his eldest brother, Meteos watched languidly as the city lights faded into a blur during their drive home.
"Kaios needs a little encouragement, but otherwise he's fine."
With his hands steady on the wheel, Adonis merely hummed in acknowledgment. "Is that so?" he said in a neutral tone, before his next words held a sliver of accusing edge in them. "Then, do you want to be more of help than that?"
Meteos couldn't help but chuckle softly, well aware of what his brother was implying. "That wouldn't be necessary. Therefore, I'll leave the judgment to Shizuna. She's his examiner after all."
Adonis glanced at him for a brief moment.
"I see."
"However... I'd like to see the footage from today and get a copy of her report."
Even though the bout had concluded, the current phase of the exam wouldn't be over until the time came.