Whether he finished first or second no longer mattered since Baston had already advanced to the next round.
At the moment the result was displayed, he had held thirteen points. It was the highest score among the surviving participants.
The boy who once led the alliance now only possessed twelve points.
Unfortunately for him, the disqualification earlier had frozen that number permanently and his score could not rise again. The moment Baston secured his thirteenth point, the noble boy's fate was sealed.
He had already lost.
The young noble's fingers curled tightly as he stared at the arena floor and his teeth grounded together with quiet fury.
It was such carelessness because that single moment had shattered the entire arrangement.
Originally, everything had been simple. Baston was supposed to fall before the final moments of the round. Afterward, the group would perform a small staged conflict so the audience would believe the fight had been genuine.
It was a minor drama, a believable outcome, and a victory that preserved reputation. However, the reality had turned against them.
Their leader was eliminated first and when the leader fell, the agreement lost its meaning.
The two remaining members of the alliance stood inside the arena, facing one another across the cracked marble tiles and the fading mana circles.
For several seconds, neither of them moved.
Both of them understood the situation and both of them understood the temptation.
If they did nothing, they would finish with ten points but it would secure nothing. Still, if one of them won with fifteen points, it would be a clear victory. It was a clear path into the next round as the first champion.
The human greed rarely respected the loyalty. The air between them tightened before the first spell was ignited.
*****
"Principal, do you think those two participants will take advantage of the situation?"
A woman's voice carried a quiet amusement.
Inside the academy's VIP observation room, two figures watched the arena through a suspended magic monitor.
Principal Viral leaned back in his chair with hands folded across his chest. The floating screen reflected in his calm eyes.
Beside him, Claire of the Versance family stood proudly.
The woman's posture was elegant with her long hair that was shimmering faintly with residual mana. A thin layer of frost-like magic drifted around her shoulders like an invisible cloak and her gaze remained fixed on the arena.
Principal Viral answered without hesitation, "Miss Claire, you already know the answer."
Claire's lips curved into a faint smile, "Yes..."
Below them, the fight had already begun. The two noble boys attacked each other with reckless desperation.
Their mana reserves were nearly empty, their breathing was uneven, and their robes were scorched and torn from earlier battles.
Yet, neither of them stopped because the possibility of victory still existed. That possibility was enough to motivate them.
Claire watched silently but her thoughts were not entirely focused on the duel. Her attention returned again and again to a single figure who was standing far from the arena.
It was Baston, the fat boy from the poor district.
The academy records described him as insignificant. He had a background that promised nothing and a future that should have been ordinary, yet the reality had refused to follow that expectation.
The moment he awakened the ice magic, everything changed. After all, ice magic was not a common element and it did not appear randomly.
For several generations, the Versance family had been the dominant lineage of controlling its inheritance through artifacts, ancient spell records, and the training methods that were refined over centuries.
All of it existed within the Versance archives which meant Baston's existence was unusual.
Claire studied the boy carefully.
A poor background yet possessing ice magic. He was calm under pressure and he was very calculating even during a chaotic battle. That combination was not normal.
The Versance family had already noticed him which was why Claire had come personally. If Baston was promising, he could become an asset.
The resources could solve many problems. They had money, status, artifacts, training, and even companionship.
Claire understood men well that power and wealth rarely satisfied them completely. Eventually, they desired the admiration and such admiration often arrived through the beauty.
Many powerful men liked displaying their success to the world with a beautiful woman beside them. It could be stated as a symbol, a trophy, or a declaration of victory.
Claire had used that method many times and it rarely failed yet the boy below her did not seem easy to read.
He watched the arena calmly. He was not like someone who was desperate to prove himself but he was observing his own performance. Such action made her slightly curious.
*****
Meanwhile, Baston remained perfectly still far from the arena platform.
The duel above intensified with several collided spells and flared mana, making the dust rose into the air.
Baston simply watched and his lips slowly curved into a faint smile.
Just as expected, he had never intended to claim the first place. The second place was enough since advancing to the next round was the only objective.
The real entertainment came from watching human nature unfold. When the alliance collapsed, Baston had deliberately stepped back.
He left the two remaining members alone. He left them with opportunity and that opportunity was the most dangerous weapon.
The noble boys like them were raised with pride, with prestige, and with the constant expectation of superiority. They did not merely want the victory since they wanted to be seen winning.
That desire was easy to manipulate.
The fight lasted less than three minutes before one of them collapsed first and the other remained standing.
The victor raised his head in exhaustion. He earned fifteen points which was signifying the first place.
However, the celebration lasted only a few seconds because the noble boy with twelve points stormed forward.
"You idiot!" he shouted, "You ruined everything!"
The victor glared back immediately, "How is that my fault?"
"Because of you, I can't advance!"
The winner laughed coldly, "Then, what did you expect me to do? Let that fatty win?"
His finger stabbed toward Baston, "If I let him take the first place, everyone would say he crushed us!"
"But he still advanced!"
"Yes," the winner snapped, "But he's not the first!"
Their voices grew louder, making the students nearby turned to watch. What began as an argument quickly turned into a public spectacle. Several excuses soon flew back and forth.
"You were too slow!"
"You didn't guard him properly!"
"You barely helped at all!"
"Don't blame me!"
The alliance slowly dissolved completely when the trust shattered and the pride replaced a strategy.
Within minutes, the noble boys looked less like competitors and more like the clowns who were arguing in the street.
Baston exhaled quietly since this moment was perfect. Once the suspicion appeared between allies, their cooperation became impossible.
They would never trust each other again which meant they would not unite against him at the next round.
His small manipulation had achieved its purpose. Without another glance, he turned around and walked away.
*****
In the meantime, Karte nearly exploded with excitement, "Young master! That was amazing!"
The servant's eyes shone like polished glass, "You advanced to the next round! I knew it! I knew it!"
Baston waved his hand weakly, "Yes, yes..."
Karte continued praising him the entire walk back toward the dormitory while Baston listened quietly even though his mind remained somewhere else.
The competitions were only temporary but the attention was permanent and such attention often brought problems.
By the time they reached the dormitory corridor, Karte finally left to prepare the food.
Baston continued alone. The hallway was unusually quiet where the mana lamps flickered softly along the stone walls with his footsteps that echoed faintly. But then, he stopped his steps.
A woman stood before his door with blue mana that was drifted faintly around her. It was truly a pure ice magic. Baston immediately stepped backward and hid behind the corner wall.
"Another problem seems appearing…" he muttered quietly.
Before he could retreat further, the woman spoke, "Young boy…"
Her voice carried easily through the hallway, "Why are you hiding?"
Baston froze, thinking he had no way to escape from the new problem.
"I've been waiting here for quite some time…" her tone remained gentle, "I only wish to speak with you."
Baston frowned slightly and he peeked around the corner. Claire still stood near his door but her eyes were not looking directly at him. The situation was quite interesting.
Could she sense him without seeing him directly?
Such possibility was troubling. Baston considered his options quickly since facing a great wizard directly was unwise, especially one that was connected to the Versance family.
He quickly summoned his puppet and the transformation happened silently.
The moments later, Baston's duplicate stepped into the hallway while the real Baston slipped into the old book. He was hidden while watching and waiting.
*****
Claire smiled when the boy appeared, "I saw your fight. You performed very well."
The puppet Baston scratched his head awkwardly, "I was just lucky. If I hadn't defeated one of them early, I might have been eliminated."
Claire chuckled softly, "The luck rarely explains such precision."
She studied him carefully but Baston's puppet revealed nothing. There was no nervousness and no excitement. It was just a plain expression which made him more interesting.
Claire gestured toward the door, "May we speak inside? After all, this conversation is somewhat personal."
Baston soon opened the door. The room inside was small and simple with a bed, a desk, and two chairs. There was nothing luxurious and Claire sat down calmly.
"I won't stay for too long," she said, "There's no need for tea."
The puppet sat opposite her and Claire leaned slightly forward, "Baston, I represent the Versance family here. We would like to invite you."
The puppet blinked, "Invite me?"
"Yes..."
Claire's voice softened, "You possess ice magic and that alone is significant. Our family has studied ice magic for generations. We have resources, artifacts, and training manuals."
She paused briefly, "If you join us, your growth will accelerate greatly."
Baston tilted his head, "However, I'm from the poor class. Wouldn't that damage the reputation of your family?"
Claire laughed quietly, "You misunderstand. The entry into the main family requires merit. Those who prove themselves will gain the access to our resources."
Her gaze sharpened slightly, "And of course, I believe you can reach the top easily. Many exceptional girls in the family would like to know you more. They are beautiful, talented, and well educated. I believe many young men would find that appealing."
She winked but the puppet remained completely expressionless.
Inside the book, Baston sighed since her way was predictable. Using a beauty as persuasion was a classic approach.
Unfortunately for Claire, Baston had already learned an important lesson in this world. The beautiful women often attracted the dangerous men, just like Clark and Alicia. Even the same thing happened with Miss Pashan recently.
Every encounter had been surrounded by trouble. Such beauty was rarely peaceful since it was only a bait to greater problem.
Claire continued speaking about promises, resources, status, and prestige. Every offer sounded attractive yet the puppet never agreed.
Finally, Claire leaned back slightly, "So… What is your answer?"
The puppet hesitated deliberately, "I… I need some time to think."
Claire studied him silently for several seconds before she nodded, "That is reasonable since you've just finished the competition round. A clear mind is important for such decisions."
She stood gracefully, "I will return later…"
Before Baston could respond, her figure dissolved into drifting frost. She was gone in front of him.
*****
Several minutes passed and Baston remained inside the book. He was waiting for one minute, three minutes, and five minutes. Finally, he emerged and replaced the puppet. He collapsed quickly onto the couch.
"What a trouble…" he muttered.
He had expected the attention but not this quickly.
Claire would not give up easily. The Versance family rarely did, making Baston rubbed his temples.
He could delay for a few days. Maybe a week at the best, but eventually, she would demand a final answer.
Baston already knew his real objective which was Levan. That quest still existed and it was his main prioritize.
If Claire approached Levan directly, the merchant would be powerless to refuse her. A noble family like Versance could easily pressure him which would destroy his arrangement.
That outcome could not happen.
He stared at the ceiling quietly and the plans moved slowly in his mind.
The arena had been easy since the human pride was predictable but dealing with the noble families, that required a different strategy.
Outside the window, the evening shadows stretched across the academy.
Baston exhaled slowly, "Yes… If I handle this poorly, everything could collapse."
He did not move for a long time.
The room was silent except for the faint crackle of the mana lamps outside the corridor. Yet, he felt as if something was still lingering near his door, an aftertaste of the frost that should have vanished when Claire left.
The old book lay on the desk like an obedient object but he knew better than to trust the silence.
He stared at the leather cover until his eyes began to ache. There was nothing happened, no quest, and no glowing letters.
That was what disturbed him since the book always reacted when the danger approached, when the fate shifted, and when a choice carried the consequences.
But this time, it was quiet. Perhaps, because he must finish the active one first.
He reached out and touched the cover. For a heartbeat, the leather felt warm like a skin.
He withdrew his hand instantly and his mind flashed back to Claire's gaze. She hadn't looked at him directly in the corridor but she had spoken with certainty as if she already knew where he was hiding.
If she could sense him, then perhaps, she could sense something else too. The puppet trick had protected his face but he wondered if he just exposed his secret.
At the outside, somewhere in the hallway, a soft sound echoed like a thin layer of ice that was cracking under pressure.
Baston suddenly understood that Claire hadn't come to only recruit him.
She had come to confirm whether the rumor was true. Whether the boy with ice magic was only a common wizard or a rare possibility.