The Mysterious Black Magician

After entering the main building of the academy, Ella noticed that Cinde was still following her.

"M-Miss Ella, can I come with you?" Cinde asked while furrowing her brows.

"What are you a kid?" Ella said in haste. But she wasn't angry particularly. Just had the urge to ask.

She also remembered that Wolfmen was supposed to be a prideful and aggressive race. But it looked like there was an exception to it.

"I can't find my brother… and I don't have someone that I knew in the academy!"

Cinde said with beads of tears, forming at the corner of her eyes.

She noticed Ella was staring at her with a can't be helped face while shaking her head.. Then she sighed and stared at her.

Never Ella imagined that she would be babysitting a lost wolf. She thought. In her eyes, Cinde was like a lost puppy.

Cinde blinked her eyes like an adorable puppy.

Ella touched her forehead. "Okay, let's go to the Student Council first."

Cinde was wondering, 'why Miss Ella want to go there?' She thought. "Okay!" But then she replied enthusiastically. 

They then continued walking towards the Student Council room.

"Uhm, are you a member of the Student Council, Miss Ella?" Cinde's curiosity got the better of her.

She noticed Miss Ella made a thinking gesture. "Hmm… I can't say I am one with them. Perhaps an irregular one."

"Eh?"

Ella noticed the puzzle face of Cinde from her reply.

"I mean… I used to hang out in their domain whenever I had free time."

"Oh, does it mean… you know someone in the Student Council?" Cinde asked. "Wait, aren't Her Highness Princess Liya part of the Student Council?" She added after she remembered that she once heard it.

"Mhm!" Ella nodded.

"Woah! D-Did you often saw her?" After asking it, she saw Ella made a nod.

"We even talk," Ella said.

"....."

Well, can't be helped as Miss Ella was also a great figure in the empire. She even had the chance to meet the empress in person.

Ella noticed the envy on Cinde's face.

While they were walking in the clean and spacious hallway of the main building of the academy, some people were nudging each other and pointed to the two beauties walking in the middle.

Thanks to Miss Ella's presence it lessened the anxiousness she was feeling.

She admired her way of bringing her self. She had the presence of the mountain.

Although she too was from a famous family, she was like an ordinary person compared to her. Perhaps because she was like a turtle in the shell-- or a snail.

While Cinde was looking down on herself, from the other people's perspective she was a goddess herself.

The inside of the academy building has a serene ambiance. And it was spacious that they needed to climb the spiral snake-liked ladder to reach the second floor.

They could also use the flying disc that serves as the elevator of the building. It was powered by flying magic using a complex array. 

The atmosphere inside was what would you expect in a fancy academy-- a peaceful and clean surrounding. The walls and floors were tiled with shiny slabs.

It was natural that the ambiance was that of a castle. After all, it was an academy where the people from the highest echelon family in the empire were admitted.

Inside the Student Council room, Hannah and Liya-- together with the other members were currently discussing the coming World Competition.

Everyone was giving suggestions and their outlook from it.

"The first part of the competition is the Resource War," Hannah said.

"President, will it be a battle royal this time?"

One of the members asked.

"No, unlike before, this time it will be a two-way pattern. In the first round of the competition, the demihumans will be fighting the other demihuman academies; whereas, the humans will be fighting the other human academies. The top 10 demihuman and human academies are the only academies that eligible to attend the finals."

Hannah explained.

"Hmm… so the higher-up committees decided to focus on the Resource War first?" Another of the members muttered.

"There's no decision about that as of now. The duel of the strongest students or the Aces may be held after the first round of Resource war. But actually, no words about it yet. Let's just wait for further instruction from the committee."

Princess Liya was the one who answered this time.

"The Vice-President was right. For now, let just focus on choosing which among our experts are suited to enter the competition."

"Shall we do a mock battle to see if who among our candidates are the best?" 

Princess Liya suggested.

"Hmm… that is a good idea Vice-President Liya," Said Hannah while glancing at the two people who were weirdly silent the whole time. It was weird to see them uninterested as they used to be the noisiest members. "What do you think of it, Jura, Nicholas?" She asked them.

The two were seemed to wake up from a long dream.

"Ah, ahem! I agree with the princess. It's truly a wonderful idea," said Nicholas in haste as he glanced at Jura.

Both of them could not forget the shame of getting killed in the first elimination round of the previous competition in the empire.

It was like a nightmare for them. Even though no one was pointing about it, they knew that deep inside everyone was pitying them.

Jura secretly gritted his teeth. If that guy showed his face in front of him, he would take his revenge.

That shameless person even quit after getting a treasure chest. Jura was sure that inside the cheat was a precious treasure.

"I also agreed with the princess's idea. And we can also add a little twist on it."

"Hmm… what do you mean, Jura?" Hannah asked.

Jura smiled and explained to them what he meant by a little twist.

Right after this moment, the door of the room made some knocking sounds.

"It must be Ella," Hannah said.