F-ranker Sword Saint: My Soulbound Sword is Secretly SSS-tier!-Chapter 276: A Little Too Late

Hostess Nathalie was very passionate and professional.

But she was human, too.

Hearing Lucas’s vile, shameless mouth talk endlessly made her seethe in anger.

The ending of the match could not have been more perfect for her, considering it was clear that it was too difficult for the Moon Fairy to overcome the hoodlum’s sword.

And so, her emotions made her risk her career a bit, taking questionable liberties, though what she did only ended up bolstering it instead.

Professional tournament organizers loved a bold breath, after all.

"T-The match ends! Moonpiercer, after a vicious attack on the private holdings, tactically acknowledges her limits and surrenders the top sixteen spot to Valthuzar! A brilliant victory for the representative of Class 59!"

Hearing her words, a minority among the crowd could not help but burst out laughing, though the majority was able to hide behind claps and smiles.

What a brilliant victory indeed.

Meanwhile, at the main stage, Lucas’ frame rose and fell in slow, punishing rhythm, every movement straining against the fury he barely held in.

He did not even want to think about what just happened. He just wanted to explode right then and there.

However, he was in a public place, and he would definitely end up as a generational laughing stock if he erupted, but at the same time, it was impossible not to think about it.

The b*tch...dared embarrass him and flee without giving him a chance to retaliate?!

Shameless!

Lucas wanted nothing more than to rip Elune Tseradze to shreds, his hate for her surpassing his hate for Cody Han and Daru Finnley at that moment.

Still, he ultimately could not move for a while. Only after a dozen seconds was he able to drag himself off the stage with slightly bloodshot eyes.

Lucas knew it. He was only inviting more fury upon his heart, yet he still did it. He glanced at Cody Han.

The bastard seemed to have been waiting for him to look, a hateful, mocking grin on his accursed face.

Lucas had never been angrier, staring absolute daggers at Cody.

The next match...he can let everything out in the next match. If the moon b*tch had decided to delay her punishment, then he would collect payment from his fellow A-ranker.

The strange, gleeful atmosphere brought about by the "brilliant" victory eventually calmed, though residual whispers that were impossible to hear breezed here and there.

Nathalie’s "human" side soon took the back seat for her professional one, too, and the problem she had been deferring came biting back.

She had done her best.

"Next match. Class 36’s Rasharen and Class 69’s Edelweiss, please come to the main stage."

Unfortunately, the same scene as the one at the start of the Round of 32 played out.

Rasharen, now with a heavy frown, ascended the stage, looking in the direction of the empty seat, then the entrance.

She waited at the designated space.

"It seems that Class 69’s Class Representative, Edelweiss, has still not arrived. Based on the competition rules, if she doesn’t show up within two minutes, Representative Rasharen will be granted the top 16 spot."

Then Nathalie’s dreaded awkward atmosphere ensued, but there was no way around it.

She could not be blamed, for she had done what was within her means.

This one was on Edelweiss.

Thankfully, the murmurs of the crowd eased the unacceptable heaviness in the hostess’s heart, as at least it brought liveliness, though through cheap gossip, not control.

Time passed.

Ten seconds, thirty, sixty...but nothing.

Those who bet on her prayed to the heavens for mercy, but no god answered.

Until the 120-second mark, Iris did not show up.

Daru was disappointed, but his reaction was on the milder side, especially compared to those who had put money on her name and skills, and the scouts who wanted to see her depth as an S-ranker, because clearly, Alopecion was quite shallow.

Even Principal Jebroham was puzzled.

He had been trying to look for Iris in the entire academy since earlier. Ironically, it was her room that they could not access, as the dormitory staff was only allowed to knock and not barge in.

At least not until he could declare it an emergency.

Unfortunately, the academy head was given way too little time, not expecting that someone would actually pass up such a prime chance to secure their futures, especially Iris.

There was, however, a strange finding that he had learned while moving in and out of the Myriad Sword Realm during the Round of 32.

Her mother, Vicky Snowcrest, had visited the S-ranker.

There seemed to be no doubts about the visitor’s identity. It was just that it resulted in such a huge, questionable matter.

Principal Jebroham certainly planned to get to the bottom of this later.

But for now...

"Since Class 69’s representative, Edelweiss, has not arrived within the grace period, Representative Rasharen advances to the top 16."

It was a rather regretful and boring way for the competition round to conclude, though there was nothing that could have been done.

After the official declaration had been made, burning delight flickered within a pair of ruthless scarlet eyes.

Skylar was clearly pleased at Iris’s disqualification for reasons unknown.

The event proceeded with a short advertisement break while the competitors were resting, but this one was not as well-received as the ones yesterday.

Nathalie masked her heavy heart with an enthusiastic smile.

The show must go on, and it did, stirring into a more chaotic and uncomfortable path.

The moment she returned behind her desk, somebody emerged from the arena’s competitor entrance, chest heaving up and down in exhaustion.

The hostess winced.

The second day...was not treating her as well as the first day had.

’Damn it, why just now?!’ she cursed inwardly.

There Edelweiss was, panicking and almost on the verge of tears. There was a hint of indignation on her face. It was as if she were just so, so frustrated.

The moment Iris saw Nathalie, she immediately headed over to clarify the situation, perhaps beg for a reconsideration if need be.

She absolutely could not afford to lose by disqualification after preparing for this day for a long time.

But someone suddenly stood in her way: a scarlet-eyed prince.