THAT DAY I BECAME A STAR

Though, it never bothered me so I stayed silent about it, if they are the ones who told him, then I won't let them be anymore.

I enter the same carriage as Frankher, followed by Smith and Mneme.

"Is there a problem, sir?" I read his thoughts while I ask him why he called but it seems I was worried for nothing.

"I need to ask you something regarding the individual tournament."

"What is it?"

"You have seen the pupil of the hammer hands yesterday, right? What did you think about him?"

"He was weird." I mean, he has a crystal in him, that's weird. And the strength he showed was incredible as well. Though the two things that would like to know more than anything are whether he is still a human or not and why can he use Angas.

"Weird?"

"Yes, I felt weird when he approached me."

"I see. Well, I was talking about something else but I guess you had your own concerns."

"What do you mean, Sir?"

"It's nothing, forget about it."

Apparently, Frankher thinks that the hammer hands is working with Veronica and I guess he is right. But why does he not want me to fight his pupil?

***

We reach the coliseum of the city after twenty minutes. It is right in front of us as we get down the carriage.

"Well, well, would you look at that." Samson's eyes are going up and down as he admires the place.

The coliseum is as big as the one in Mercuria. Though there are no statues of the goddess here. Just openings everywhere, creating a sort of 'V' design as you focus on them. Indeed, it is impressive.

"Sir, I didn't see the heroes." Now, that I think about it, didn't they sleep with us yesterday?

"They went ahead of us this morning. They will be present as honor guests during the ceremony."

"I see."

That makes sense. I wonder what they will be wearing though. Surely not the same robes as yesterday. It didn't suit them.

There is a crowd present as we get down, restrained by a line of knights on each side. This makes us look important somehow.

"Syldavie!! Syldavie!!"

"You gon' lose, bastards!!"

"Nivalnheilm will win this time for sure!!"

Different people are shouting different things but it seems most people aren't too fond of us. We walk through the line made by the knights and enter the coliseum under a round of applause.

"Make a thunderous applause for the last winner of the schools' tournament, the star shining above all, the creator of prodigy from Syldavie, the one and only: the eternal academy!!!"

People start clapping like crazy as we enter through the gate of the coliseum and get on the stage. On the stage, others schools were already there, three to be more precise. With twenty-seven people each, they are aligned in a height fashion behind one who seems to be their headmaster. The teachers first then the students.

"Will they be victorious once again? Or will a possible contestant snatch the s precious trophy under their noses? One thing is for sure: we will have a very interesting tournament this time around."

While we are aligning just like the others schools, there is a guy screaming like crazy in front of us. Well, not really in front. He is standing on a platform built with the arena which is coincidentally in front of us. Next to him, there is a small hotel with a trophy made of gold on it. I can clearly discern its form from here though.

After us, other schools arrived and they are all applauded in the same way. As the sun is shining on my right cheek, all schools are present. The hammer hands came last so they are not in my sight. Though they are not my immediate concern right now.

"Your hair smells weird. How does she like you with such smelly hair?"

I never thought I was taller than the rest of the guys here. Well, I never cared, until now that is. Apart from Germinia, I am taller than everybody else, and it bothers me a lot. Germinia keeps poking me here and there, examining my body like some kind of mystery she discovered.

"ATTENTION, PLEASE!!! THE LIGHTS OF THE WORLD!! THE SAVIORS OF HUMANITY!!! THE ONLY SALVATION IN DARKNESS!!! THE HEROES WILL NOW SPEAK AND DECLARE THE BEGINNING OF THE TOURNAMENT!!!"

"Heroes!! Heroes!! Heroes!!"

Like a single body, the whole coliseum starts shouting 'heroes'. Is that really how much they are look up to? The coliseum and our bodies vibrate under the continuous shouts of the crowd. And finally, they come. Roxcia in front, Excia to the left, and Farner to the right. They and stand in front of the trophy while greeting the whole place with their hands.

"Kyaa!!"

"Heroes!!"

"Our saviors!!"

Even among the students of the other schools, some people show surprising reactions seeing them. I am more and more amazed by how those girls are respected and loved. I start to understand a bit why Rebecca got angry when I said they were normal girls.

As Roxcia raises her other hand in the air and closes her eyes. The whole coliseum goes silent.

"People of Schamerin, we are all reunited here for the sake of becoming stronger. Because the darkness grows stronger every day, because we must steel our heart and become a single weapon that will tear through that darkness, we shouldn't forget the purpose of this tournament and focus on our petty desire."

Our petty desire, eh? That's rich coming from you. Or not, I must admit she hasn't really done anything out of self-desire until now. I think.

"We shouldn't let our grudges and anger get the better of ourselves now, because the opponents of today will certainly be the allies of tomorrow. Only then, will this trophy hold a real value, because it will be proof of our hard work and desire to advance together. All hail Schamerin!! All hail our goddess, MEETIA!!!"