The following day was the start of the competitions. However, only few people watched the event. The only event that has the most people was the one in the arena. Because it was the start of the arena battles, it was somehow filled with more people than other events. The Emperor watched along with the Fay kingdom's royal siblings. This is the opening of the event after all so they have to make an appearance. But instead of the citizens talking about the event, they were now talking about what happened in the banquet. Thus, not much really happened in the first day of the competitions.
---
"Lucas, you should go back to your room and rest. It seems like your mind is not that calm and it would hinder with your fight tomorrow."
Evelyn, Lucas' master approached Lucas who was sitting cross-legged in a corner of the Heaven's Peak area.
"But master, I need to watch over m---"
"No need to watch over your juniors or watch any match today. We are here anyway. You can go back to your room."
Lucas couldn't do anything but follow his master's suggestion. He also knew that something was amiss with the state of his mind and that his master seems to also be helpless and can only guide him.
When Lucas was about to exit the Heaven's Peak area, their headmaster showed up in front of him.
All headmasters who attended the event have a special place in the watch stand. They were separated from the students and teachers area. As such, seeing the headmaster in front him, Lucas knew that they would talk about something.
"Let's talk while going to your room."
Lucas followed the headmaster.
"Have you reached a bottleneck already?"
"Yes, headmaster."
The headmaster glanced at Lucas who was feeling dejected for somehow.
"What you're experiencing is not really a bottleneck. If it is, it would have been easy to overcome given your talent and skills."
Lucas furrowed his brows and looked at the headmaster in front of him.
"Then, what is it, headmaster?"
The headmaster stopped walking and turned around to face Lucas.
"Have you heard about inner demons?"
---
Leonard and Ceres were standing at some place where they could see Lennard and Leona. Even though they were in the same area, they were not allowed to go near the royal siblings. Hence, they could only stand at the back and carefully observe everything from there.
"You guys haven't told me everything yet."
It was Leonard who spoke to Ceres. Even though he wasn't looking at her, he could pretty much guess what face Ceres have today: a blank one.
"There is no need."
"Oi. It was an assassin who killed the Empress and there was that who almost kidnap Leo---rather, the princess. Aren't I supposed to know the things going around here?"
Ceres didn't bother replying to Leonard but the latter kept on talking.
"How can I perform my duties if you don't even talk to me about what to do in the first place? You're not supposed to tell me what to do just when you feel like telling me or just when the moment of need arises. You have to let me in on your plans otherwise, I may fa---"
Leonard suddenly felt cold and then, he saw Ceres looking at him.
"Wha-what?"
"You are too noisy."
Ceres then, faced towards the arena. She was quietly observing how magicians fight in the arena battles. Maybe, she could learn a thing or two. However, Leonard kept on talking and she doesn't like it. Although she could ignore it but, if Leonard kept on talking and someone unexpectedly heard him, something bad may happen to them.
After some time passed, Ceres narrowed her eyes and as soon as a battle was done, she told Leonard that she will be resting. Gil then, appeared out of nowhere and Ceres went out. This surprised Leonard but he couldn't do anything at all. He knew that Ceres and Gil are also people who needed rest and perhaps, Ceres was really feeling tired.
---
When Ceres decided to step out of the arena, she just wanted to breathe some fresh air. Also, ever since coming to this city, she never once explored it. It was Ceres' birthplace after all. She was curious if she could gather more clues about her missing memories and also, the people who wanted to harm her. Hence, she decided to roam around the city. Of course, she was careful and changed into an ordinary adventurer's clothes before heading out.
Just when she was walking down a street, she heard a woman's scream and a child's cry.
"Help! My child!!"
"Mama!!!"
She immediately proceeded to check out what was happening and saw that a woman was running while a child was sitting in the middle of the road crying. A carriage was about to run over the child and thus, the commotion happened.
The woman wouldn't make it in time to help the child while the other people were only looking by and pitying the two.
"That is the carriage of an official. The poor child..."
"If we intervene, who knows what might happen to us."
"The heavens have closed their eyes for this child. He would be dead for sure."
"Why did that child has to stumble on the road right when an official was about to pass through?"
"Truly pity."
Ceres glared at everyone who voiced out their opinions. She thought that if they helped the child, that child would have been safe.
Thinking of only watching because that person has nothing to do with you? How admirable...
Right after she said those words in her mind, she felt something familiar. But she soon neglected it as she wanted to save the child.
Ceres decided to throw in some daggers towards the carriage's wheel. This in turn made the carriage change directions before turning to its side. Of course, Ceres already carefully analyzed where that carriage would fall and thus, no one was hurt in the process. After which, she turned to the child. She saw that the child was already in the sidewalk and running towards his mother.
What caught Ceres' eyes was the person standing near the child. It was Lucas. And, he was staring at Ceres.
It seems like Lucas saved the child, too.
Of course, Ceres already saw him in the banquet but this time, it was different. Lucas was intensely looking at her.
For some unknown reasons, Ceres felt her heart ache like there was something prickling it. Then, she brushed it off as something not good. She wanted to leave the scene as soon as possible. She silently retrieved her daggers and made her way as she tightly clenched a part of her clothes in the chest area.
Lucas wanted to catch up to her but even though he ran fast, he wasn't able to see her again.
"Who could that person be? Why did she run away as soon as she saw me?"
Then, Lucas remembered the headmaster's words.
"You are extremely gifted young man. You must severe these inner demons and your magic abilities will rise to extremely high levels. However, it can only be done by yourself. No one can help you with it. Focus well and you will certainly be able to do far more things in the future."
Instead of thinking about other things, I have todo something about my own self, right? -tbc
A/N: This is the end of the five-chapter update! Yaaay! *crying tears of joy* I honestly didn't think that I could make it this far. I was really working my brain cells to their highest capabilities so that I could push through with the succeeding chapters. ;A; I need to connect my filed chapters to the ongoing ones. It was really hard. It was not my best work but, I still am proud of finishing the banquet event.
I would very much like to thank you for reading this far. Even though, these past chapters were craps, you still read them and made it here. It's really enough for me that you've given this story a chance. Thank you for everything. Thank you very much. Words are not enough to express my gratitude.