Merylin stifled a yawn, raising the fan she held within her hand to hide the slightly twisted expression upon her face. How dull this sort of thing was. Living in the upper echelons of a sect meant that she was not unschooled in the arts of war, but the melee's she had watched so far were messy and ungraceful. At one point, she had witnessed a bear of a man simply walk around the perimeter of the stage shoving weaker opponents off, yet being unable to be removed himself. How was that proving his martial arts in any manner?
Of course, that had been in the outer school and Merylin and Maimai had followed their father and his guards to the inner school to watch the inner school students fight in the afternoon.
Normally, the sect leader would not be the one attending the Standings, however, daddy had wished to see his two precious daughters, so had decided to witness this year personally. The Standings were not only good for students and Teachers, but for sects and kingdoms seeking to recruit or seeking to further their own youngsters talents. Their sect had five youths in the outer school and three within the inner school. Their father was seeing how they had progressed as much as to seek new talent.
"Oh look Merylin!" Maimai said, gleefully. "I see Leo over there and he's with his warrior friend." Merylin's eyes shot forward with little discretion as Maimai pointed out the handsome youth. Honestly, she had been very disappointed to hear that he would not be participating in the Standings. Merylin had thought it was compulsory. "Ah! If he's not participating, could that mean he is actually a first year, like us?"
"This is possible," Merylin agreed, softly, feeling the knot unwind in her stomach. Why had she not thought of that?
"Who is this Leo?" Their father growled, sullenly, his eyes narrowing as he glanced around to see which brazen youth had captured his baby girl's attentions.
"Leo is a senior student alchemist," Maimai replied. "He gave me some tips for refining pills, even though I had broken his glasses by mistake. He never blamed me for it." With the mention of the glasses aiding him, the man zeroed in on the slight youth with white striped hair and thick spectacles. He sat with other youths, a few of which had strong auras and confident bearings. The boy practically disappeared in presence amongst them. Why would that sort of boy attract his Maimai's attention?
"I do not approve," he grumbled.
"What in heavens daddy!" Maimai exclaimed. "Leo is not interested in me that way! He was only being helpful as he knew what it was like to mess up when making pills!"
"What's wrong with the boy? My precious daughter not good enough in his eyes?"
"Daddy! You are being ridiculous!" Maimai pouted.
Merylin fluttered her fan in front of her face, inwardly agreeing with her sister. Besides, she was not interested in Leo, but the person beside him. When will you notice that I am better than him? she wondered wistfully, sure that if she could just show him how superior her pills were to other alchemists in the outer school, she could get him to truly see her. Or maybe if not her pills, maybe her position in the sect? She could help him obtain all sorts of advantages if he joined their sect!
Pleased with her plan, she gave a small, half smile as her eyes fell upon the stage that now had just twelve people standing upon it. One, a youth with brown hair saluted and bowed in their direction, his eyes clearly focused upon her. Ugh, she disliked that boy, Justin. He was one of those born within the sect, his father one of her father's close subordinates. A plain, freckled youth who had always liked to try give her bugs and spiders when they were small. He was uncouth and his martial arts only a bit above average. He completely lacked the grace and inner strength of nobility that of a certain First year, her eyes crept over to at that moment.
Her fan fluttered as she sighed, dreamily.
Jin Li shivered as if someone had dropped ice into his inner robes.
"Are y-you alright?" Leon asked him.
"Yes," Jin Li replied, dismissively, causing Leon to simply shrug.
"The guest rooms are likely all full," Pike was saying. "I don't think we'll have a spare bed for Leo, but it's troublesome for you to keep travelling back and forth to your school."
"How did you get here this morning?" Sun asked curiously, as he was aware that they had both been at the alchemist school over night.
"Griffin," Jin Li replied.
"We m-m-met with T-Teacher Sagi, who h-happened t-t-to b-be travelling over w-with others," Leon confirmed. "Th-they m-m-might still b-be g-going b-back."
"Maybe," Pike replied, but wasn't sure. There were spare accommodations for teachers after all as lectures could be performed by teachers from any of the other schools as well as their own.
"It does not matter," Jin Li said, suddenly. "Leon can simply stay with us." Sun did not bother to protest, he knew once Jin Li had spoken, he would not change his mind.
Bowyer frowned. "Why do you call him Leon not Leo?"
"It's his name."
"It is?"