Cecil and the two girls quickly met up together with Yuna. They walked out of the stadium together and quickly headed towards La'Flay, a restaurant-slash-lounge that the group frequented many times during their breaks. The foods and desserts served in the shop were some of the tastiest in the Academy. On their way out many students eyed them with admiration, and many of the spectators recognized the earlier match's winner, Yuna.

Ainz had gone to visit his family and so have Velicia and Eli, so right now, it was just Cecil, Lucia, Fina, and Yuna that were together. They soon arrived at La'Flay and they quickly ordered some food. Since the place was also like a lounge, the party loved to just relax in the place for a long time whenever Cecil declared that they would take a break from training.

They slowly ate the food and snacks when they arrived. Lucia and Yuna were talking about the latter's earlier match. Although it was easy and one-sided, Yuna wanted to reflect back on her actions and wanted opinions from her Master and her new friends, asking them if she could have done it better or not.

Cecil didn't have an opinion because he wasn't a proper mage, but from what he saw, using a low-tier spell, like wind bullet, to force her opponent off of the stage was brilliant and efficient. Use the right tools at the right times, use the right spells at the right occasions, simple as that. Lucia and Fina also gave their two cents, and now the 3 girls were talking about possible originals that Yuna could create based off of her Wind Bullet barrage earlier. Fina had the opinion that it was similar to Cecil's Mana Volley, so she wondered if Yuna could also create a Mana Wave, using her magic. While they were discussing, an unexpected guest dropped by.

"Lucia, I knew I could find you here!"

The voice came from a golden fox girl. It was Aurellia, who Lucia and Yuna were previously acquainted with.

"Oh, hey Aurel... is there something you need?"

Cecil eyed the girl who had just arrived. He recalled that this golden fox girl was the female leader of the Royal Fox Faction. He only frowned a little, but didn't say anything since it seemed that Lucia knew the girl quite well.

"Oh, hey, there's Yuna and the other members of your party! Oh, there's only a few of you. Where are the rest?" Aurellia asked.

Lucia pulled the girl to sit down beside her and said, "They're visiting their families. We're here just to chill out since we have nothing to do~ Yuna's next match isn't until the evening."

"Hey, I almost forgot! I met with your parents earlier, Lucia!"

Fina widened her eyes when she heard this while Cecil only raised his brow slightly. Lucia was elated and she quickly asked, "Really? Where? And when?"

"Earlier this morning, our clan elders and chief personally came to receive your parents!"

"O~OH!"

"I wanted to go over and look for you, but your mother said that she'll be looking for you and...Cecil later, after she's greeted the King." Aurellia said as she eyed Cecil. She didn't know the connection between Lucia's family and Cecil yet, so it struck her with surprise when she heard her Aunt mention Cecil's name.

"Ah! Cel, you hear that?! Mama and Papa are here!" Lucia said excitedly.

"Mhm. I told you, they'd be looking for us later. Just sit tight for now, I bet mother already knows where we are."

Lucia began nodding her head up and down in elation. The girl began taking more food off the table and stuffing herself happily. She invited Aurellia to join them in their small feast, but the foxgirl had somewhere else to be. She only came to find them to inform the two about Lucia's family's arrival.

"Okay, I'll see ya around Aurel~"

"Yup! Oh, Yuna, good luck in your matches!"

"Mhm," Yuna nodded back in response.

After a short grunt in reply, she turned her attention back to the food in front of her and resumed her feasting. It was food that she normally never tasted since Ancient Dragons like herself only needed mana as nourishment in place of food. So it was a novelty and pleasure to have such delicious tasting food to eat.

After Aurellia had left, Fina began asking Lucia what her parents were like. The little merfolk girl was also very curious about their social statuses since her best friend's parents had the position and power to go and 'greet' the king of Anglaria. Lucia explained that her mother was actually the previous headmaster of the Academy. It was bound to come out sooner or later, but it was better for her to inform her friends than to let it be a surprise later on.

"Really?! She's that legendary figure?! Even back in my home country, we'd hear plenty of news about the genius headmaster that helped bring the magical research of Urrugdrasil—no, the entirety of Alterna—forward by a couple of decades or even centuries!" Fina exclaimed in shock.

"Eh? I've never heard about this..." Lucia said with a pout.

"...that's because mother never explained those things to you." Cecil said. "Although I haven't known her for long, just from the magical research notes that she gave me, I could see that they were pretty advanced. How come you didn't notice this, Lulu?"

"Eh~? Well, they were so complicated... I never really paid much attention to the ones that you never explained for me~"

"...typical," Cecil sighed in exasperation.

Although Lucia was a genius in her own right, it seems that magic research wasn't her forte. Cecil had a really high interest in this topic and would many times ask Anna to teach him more when the two were still back at Fauxe Village. They leisurely spent their time at La'Flay. Lucia was getting a little anxious since her parents still hadn't come to meet up with her and Cecil. Cecil only reassured that they'd come in time.

It was already evening and Yuna's match was close, the group quickly headed back to stadium 03 and Yuna went towards the waiting room as soon as they arrived. Yuna already told them to just wait outside and not come in. She said that she wouldn't be long. Cecil shrugged at this. He brought Lucia and Fina to stay outside of the stadium to wait. They went towards a nearby bench and the 3 just sat there waiting.

Stolen story; please report.

Lucia had Silver in her arms and was grooming him with a brush, while Fina was playing with the young Frost Wyrm by conjuring small butterfly familiars which the little guy would chase as he flew about in the air. Cecil was a little bored, so he began channeling Mana into his pathways. He conjured a small mana bolt and began playing with it, manipulating the golden globe of mana to fly in between his fingers or circle around his hand.

Lucia quickly became drowsy despite the loud noises coming from the stadium. She leaned comfortably onto Cecil, who didn't seem to mind, and closed her eyes for a nap. From afar a group of foxkin teenagers turned their attention towards the 3 who were relaxing on the bench.

"...is that her?" the leading foxkin boy asked to another next to him.

Friedrich looked over and saw both Lucia and Cecil, there was a slight tinge of annoyance present in his eyes, but he still answered.

"Yeah, that's your clan's princess."

"...who's the boy then?"

"Hm?"

Friedrich saw that the young master of the Golden Fox clan didn't seem to know about Cecil. He smiled slyly and said in mock surprise.

"Huh? Young master Ariel, could it be that you don't know? I know that you haven't enrolled in the academy due to clan matters, but hasn't your clan's First Princess told you about this?"

"...enough with the babble just get to the point!"

"Well, everyone in the academy knows this, but that young boy is the princess' boyfriend!"

The young master of the Golden Fox clan frowned when he heard this. His father, a member of the elder council had ordered him to have a cordial relationship with the princess, and hopefully one that would lead to a more intimate relationship. He was spoilt since he was young and always got what he wanted, no one ever asked him of anything and this was the first time his father or anyone had wanted something from him.

At first he thought that it was beneath him to go court some girl, but after seeing Lucia, he began having different thoughts. As a young girl she was already very attractive, not to mention her own personal strength was a great bonus. She was also the daughter of the former chieftain candidate; the current family chieftain's respected elder brother.

Ariel no longer had any qualms with getting closer to Lucia, hoping to form a more intimate bond between the two, but the black foxkin boy next to Lucia would pose a problem. Ariel began walking towards Cecil who was still playing around with the mana bolt in his hand. As he got closer, he finally saw Lucia intimately leaning on to the boy, napping so defenselessly. His face twitched a little seeing this, but he had to admire the very attractive girl.

'She really is beautiful...alright; I'll definitely make you mine!'

He arrived just a couple of steps away from Cecil and called out, "Hey, you!"

Fina and Silver turned towards the newcomer and eyed him suspiciously. What did he want? Cecil who was being called out wasn't paying attention at all. His focus was entirely on the mana bolt he was weaving around his hand. Even while the boy began rambling haughtily in front of him, Cecil didn't give him any sort of response.

On the side, after hearing what the boy was rambling on about, Silver began to turn hostile while Fina's mood also plummeted as she began to get angry. The boy had rambled on and on about how a commoner like Cecil should stay away from the princess of the Golden Fox clan. Of course, no one associated Lucia with the Golden Fox clan since only people of the clan knew about her status.

Fina didn't know, so she thought that the boy was referring to Aurellia Aurielle, the faction leader of the Royal Foxes as well as the first princess of the Golden Fox clan. Fina was angry because in the first place, Cecil wasn't close to Aurellia at all! They had barely even met and besides he already had Lucia! Now this unknown golden foxkin boy was badmouthing her party leader and her best friend's loved one. Just as she was about to yell and give the ignorant fool a piece of her mind, Cecil abruptly squeezed the mana bolt in his hand.

BAAANNNGGG WOOOOSSSSHHHHH

The resultant outcome was a loud bang and a strong repulsing wave of mana that pushed back everything with Cecil as the epicenter. The repelling mana wave caused the rambling foxkin to stumble a couple of steps back as well as the group that was behind him.

Fina also exclaimed in surprise as she too was pushed back, just as she was about fly out of her seat, Silver dashed behind her and held her in place. Lucia was okay since Cecil had quickly grabbed onto her shoulder when he felt the repelling mana wave. The loud bang had startled the sleeping girl awake. She opened her eyes and began rubbing it.

"Mmmnnnn... Cel~ what's wrong~" Lucia yawned, her eyes still a bit unfocused.

Cecil just stared back at her and said, "Maybe you should go sleep back at the house."

"...yeah...Haaaaaauuuuhhh....mnyah?" Lucia yawned once more before she waved her hand in the air. A Misty Gate quickly opened and she sleepily walked through it.

Cecil turned towards Fina and asked, "Are you going as well?"

"Eh? But then what about Yuna...?"

"...Let's just go back now. I'm a little tired myself and sorry about the commotion earlier. Silv, go tell Yuna to just open a gate back to the dorm, we'll head back first."

"Woof!"

"O-Okay... but is it alright? You're not mad are you?"

"Mad? Mad about what? Shouldn't you be since I almost blew you off of the bench?" Cecil replied in confusion.

"...never mind. Let's just go back," Fina stood up and carried Ruru with her, and then she quickly began pushing Cecil into the Misty Gate.

"...?"