Sling—Pop!

"Wow! Damn, Bossman! That was amazing! You hit that thing right at the perfect angle! It didn’t even look like you were trying!" Sadie clapped as her face lit up in awe.

Kurt smoothly lowered the fake wooden crossbow belonging to the shooting range. He didn’t even blink as his eye tracked and easily shot down the stuffed white teddy bear from the top rack of the stall.

The open fields of Future Academy had been completely transformed into a global bustling festival ground. Hundreds of vibrant stalls stretched as far as the eye could see, draped in the unique banners of the four competing nations.

Thousands of students and visitors from around the world filled the academy, laughing, bartering, and playing games under the warm late afternoon sun.

The elderly merchant behind the small shooting range counter let out an appreciative whistle and hauled the massive teddy bear over the wooden ledge.

"A masterclass in marksmanship, young man. Here is your prize!"

"Thanks." Kurt caught the giant bear with one hand and handed the huge plush toy to Hope.

"Wah! It’s so big and soft! Thank you, Kurt! I’ll name him... Mr. Fluff-Fluff!"

"You have a remarkably steady trigger aim, Rossana-sama," Ayako murmured. "The plastic bolt that was shot out of the crossbow was by no means heavy. To account for the wind distortion of while aiming for the exact spot to strike, all without using a speck of mana or conjuring a spell... you possess the instincts of a true killer."

’Holy glaze... It’s really not that deep.’

"Thanks, Izumi-san. Just old habits I suppose."

As the group wandered deeper into the festival, taking in the dazzling sights and sounds, a very different, far more intense conflict was quietly brewing right beside them.

Ayako was walking perfectly in step with Emelie with a refined posture of traditional elegance. However, beneath that serene facade, the Myrian was actively doing everything in her power to provoke Eldoria’s best.

She wasn’t using words. Instead, Ayako was subtly – and very deliberately – letting her immense mana signature flare out in precise pulses that were directly meant only for Emelie’s senses.

Emelie’s jaw tightened and a visible vein throbbed faintly near her temple. She kept her eyes fixed straight ahead and forced herself to remain looking unbothered. If she reacts, it’s over.

"The architecture of your academy is quite impressive, Ms. Herst," Ayako dripped her tone with a sweet innocence as she tilted her head. "Though, I wonder... does the structural integrity of your training facilities truly hold up well against someone as strong as yourself? Or do you find yourselves constantly having to piece the stone back together after a light warm-up?"

Emelie let out a slow controlled breath through her nose. "I train just fine, Izumi Ayako. It’s only when guests forget their proper manners and begin to flaunt their energy needlessly that we find ourselves having to... clean up the clutter."

Ayako’s smile only deepened as her grey eyes gleamed with a battle-hungry thrill. "Fascinating. I look forward to seeing how you handle the clutter tomorrow, then."

Sadie and the others, walking a few steps behind them, looked between the two girls and swallowed hard while dragging Hope a bit closer to her side.

"Uh... Bossman? Is it just me, or does it feel like we’re currently stuck between a rock and a hard place?"

Kurt, however, wasn’t paying attention to the silent cold war between the two prodigies. He was instead scanning through the clustered crowds gathering around the stalls as if looking for something. Or someone.

"Just keep walking, Sadie. Don’t make eye contact with either of them if you value your life."

Suddenly, his gaze locked onto a very specific, familiar group of wealthy aristocrats standing near a luxurious Myrian jewelry display.

"Hey, Sadie," Kurt said, stopping in his tracks and pulling his hands out of his pockets. "I’m going to have to split up from the group for now. I just spotted some people I need to have a private word with."

Sadie quizzically tilted her head as she followed his line of sight toward the jewelry stall. The moment her eyes landed on the posh figures, her mouth formed a perfect ’O’ of sudden realisation.

"Aah... I see. Yep. Hey, you don’t need to say anything more. I got the memo."

Emelie stopped walking and turned to where Kurt and Sadie were looking. "You want backup Kurt? I don’t mind going with you." She offered as her expression softened into one of genuine concern.

"Nah, don’t sweat it, Emy. Thanks for the offer, but this is a personal matter. It’s something I’ve got to handle on my own."

Emelie looked at him for a long, silent second before nodding understandingly. "Alright. Do what you must."

Ayako’s eyes darted between Kurt and the distant group of nobles. A flash of intrigue crossed her pale features as she smiled mysteriously.

"It seems that you, Rossana-sama, possess quite a complicated web of relationships on this continent. Far be it from me to intrude upon your private affairs. Please, lead the way, Ms. Herst. Show me more of your fascinating campus."

Kurt turned toward Sadie and Hope who was holding her giant teddy bear almost the size of herself. "Sadie, Hope. You two can take the carriage and head back to the mansion without me. I’ll meet you guys back home later tonight."

"You got it, Bossman!" Sadie gave him an encouraging pair of thumbs-up.

Hope peeked out from behind Mr. Fluff-Fluff and nodded her head vigorously. "Good luck, Kurt! Make sure you don’t let the mean people be mean to you!"

With a quiet chuckle, Kurt waved them goodbye and began to weave his way through the dense crowd, navigating a direct path toward his targets.

...

Near the grand Myrian jewelry stall, the atmosphere was thick with the suffocating aroma of high-society perfume and oblivious arrogance.

Everette Herst stood in front of a velvet-lined display case, carefully holding up two beautifully embroidered silver hair ornaments shaped like blooming lotus flowers.

A boastful grin was plastered across his face as he turned around to proudly display the intricate items to his mother and father – as well as to Reuben Valentine and Julianne Valentine, who were standing a few inches apart, looking bored by the display.

"Ahh... Look at the exquisite craftsmanship on these pieces, Mother, Mother-in-law. The beautiful gems embedded within the silver and the embroidery will beautifully complement your natural complexion as well as any dress you shall wear in the future. I truly believe these would look absolutely magnificent on the both of you."

Everette’s mother happily accepted the ornament with a proud, doting smile that graced her wrinkled features.

"Oh, Everette, you have such an impeccable eye for beauty. You truly know how to treat a lady of high standing."

Everette beamed and immediately turned his head toward Reuben, hoping to secure a scrap of validation from the stern duke. "What do you think, Father-in-law? Won’t this specific piece look stunning on Mother-in-law’s marvelous platinum hair?"

"Hm. It is adequate, I suppose."

Everette’s smile faltered slightly at the cold response.

He then turned toward Julianne, desperately trying to salvage his pride. "Mother-in-law, truly, you must admit that this–"

"I mean, it’s alright. However, personally... I think that piece doesn’t suit her at all," a smooth and utterly unbothered voice suddenly cut through the space right beside them.

Out of nowhere, as if he had appeared directly out the shadows of the shifting crowd, Kurt stepped in to join their private circle.

Instead of focusing on Everette or Reuben, his attention was fixed on Julianne who looked like she was about to commit a mass genocide if Everette had said another word.

With a fluid motion of his wrist, he picked a completely different hair ornament and gently placed it in her hair.

"Now, this one will actually match your style perfectly, Julianne. It doesn’t need to scream for attention to look beautiful. The wearer enhances the jewelry, not the other way around."

The moment Julianne’s eyes landed on Kurt, her previously detached demeanor evaporated and her face lit up with breathless excitement.

She took an eager step forward, entirely ignoring Everette as she looked Kurt up and down, taking in his neat clothing and sharp posture. "Kurt! My goodness, look at you... you look so handsome in that suit. I almost didn’t recognise you, hahaha!"

Reuben’s eyes sharply narrowed into dangerous slits as a sudden, heavy pressure vibrated from his massive frame.

Everette, however, completely lost his mind.

His face turned a deep shade of furious crimson. "What... What the hell are you doing here, you lowly F-rank?! Have you not been chased back to the ghetto you came from?! Leave! Now!"

Everette’s mother and father exchanged confused looks. "Everette... who exactly is this rude man?" His mother asked. "And why does his face look so terribly familiar to me?"

"Mother. You don’t need to–"

"Well, where are my manners?" Kurt said with mocking politeness as he dipped his head in a flawless bow.

"Allow me to introduce myself properly to the Herst family. My name is Kurt Rossana. The lowly F-rank adventurer, a "fake noble"... and, more importantly, Diana Valentine’s official lover – now, and for the rest of eternity~"

Without missing a single beat, Julianne nodded her head enthusiastically as a wide grin spread across her lips.

""Lover?!"" Both Everette’s mother and father gasped in unison.

They snapped their heads around and stared at Reuben with horrified expressions of confusion that silently demanded an explanation for the sudden scandal that had just dropped directly into their laps.