Chapter 481 Pressure
As Vale slowly awakened from his slumber, he felt the warmth of the morning sun gently caressing his face.
Blinking away the remnants of sleep, he rose from his bed and proceeded to freshen up, preparing for the day ahead. Donning his neatly pressed uniform, he reflected on the events that transpired the previous day, when he successfully conquered the Ascension Tower.
As soon as he came out of the Tower, he found himself immersed in a flurry of responsibilities as he received the First-Place reward and fielded numerous inquiries about his experiences within the Tower.
However, amidst the chaos, Headmaster Jean and Royal Mage Odessa proved to be invaluable allies. They skillfully averted the onslaught of questions from Arcanists representing various factions and organizations, ensuring that Vale was not overwhelmed.
Following the intense ordeal, Vale was escorted to the infirmary for a thorough check-up to ensure his well-being.
Before that, he entrusted the five dragon scales to Headmaster Jean, a decision witnessed by all.
Vale expressed his desire for the scales to be either transformed into a valuable item for a Dark Magician or to be converted into currency. As soon as this was announced, the attention of the crowd swiftly shifted to Headmaster Jean, granting Vale the freedom to continue his own journey.
That was an idea that Vale came up with on the spot.
Even if the Arcanists needed the dragon scales or not, they would certainly try their best to obtain it because of its rarity.
In the midst of the commotion, Vale received a message from Headmaster Jean through telepathy, informing him that his shadow's return would take place in the next two days.
Needless to say, excitement coursed through his veins as he eagerly awaited his freedom from the shackles of the Dark Arts Faction.
Clink…
As Vale opened his room, he was greeted by Maya Featherstar.
"Vale! Congratulations! I heard that you have a meeting with Royal Mage Odessa and the Third Princess this morning. Is that true?" She inquired, her eyes filled with admiration.
At this point, she no longer cares how she underperforms compared to Vale in this competition. Even if her family would get mad at her for failing to have a better result than Vale, she wouldn't mind it at all.
Currently, she could only admire Vale for his historic achievement. She was already happy to witness it in person.
Behind Maya, Vale spotted his other friends, Philip and the rest of their group, eagerly awaiting his response.
Vale smiled at their presence, grateful for their support. "Yes, it seems they want to know more about my experiences inside the Tower…" He replied with a helpless smile on his face.
He already expected this to happen, but he couldn't help but feel lazy for this.
Seeing Vale's indifference to being in the same room with the two popular ladies or girls, Philip couldn't resist teasing Vale, a mischievous glint in his eyes.
"Oh, I don't think so. I believe Lady Odessa will try to recruit you to her Mage Tower… Perhaps even the Third Princess will request your service as her Personal Shadow Knight…" he playfully suggested.
"Perhaps you can even have a romantic relationship with the Princess…"
"Ahh! Is he going to become a higher-ranked noble?!"
Luna and Crystal couldn't help but comment.
"There's no way that will happen."
Vale chuckled, appreciating the lighthearted banter.
"Alright, I'll go now. Let's meet up later." Vale said.
"Of course! We'll celebrate your achievement. We don't have any more competition for the day, so we're free." Maya replied.
***
Vale now stood before Royal Mage Odessa and Princess Ceres, and he couldn't help but take a moment to appreciate their presence.
Odessa exuded an air of authority and elegance. She seemed to be in her late twenties, marked by her striking beauty and regal grace. Her royal mage's robe, adorned with intricate rune patterns, further emphasized her status as a Royal Mage.
Princess Ceres, on the other hand, possessed long blond hair and fair, delicate skin. Clad in attire befitting her position as the third princess of the kingdom, she exuded a charm, akin to that of a beautiful doll.
They seemed to be genuine noble figures of the kingdom.
Vale couldn't help but admire their appearances before extending his greetings.
As Vale approached them, he confirmed that there were only two of them waiting for him, just as Philip had mentioned. Odessa wasted no time in congratulating him once again.
"It was late, but congratulations, Vale. I don't want to make this long, so I will make this quick for you."
Odessa paused for a moment to see Vale's reaction before continuing. "Many individuals from various factions expressed their desire to be present in this briefing, including representatives from the Untainted Sentinels, Illustrious Liquidators, Lore Hunters, Prime Wisemen, and Faith Guardians. Would you be comfortable with their presence?" She inquired.
Vale pondered the question briefly before nodding in agreement. "Well, I suppose they will come seeking answers from me as well. As long as they don't overwhelm me or resort to any spells that invade my privacy or manipulate my thoughts, I see no issue with their presence…" He replied.
A warm smile graced Odessa's face as she reassured him. "Rest assured, Vale. As long as I am here, they will not be able to employ any spells that compromise your well-being or violate your boundaries." She said with confidence.
Since the Royal Mage was the one who said this, Vale wouldn't doubt that.
With Odessa's assurance, Vale nodded appreciatively.
In a swift motion, Odessa snapped her fingers, causing the barrier in the room to dissipate, granting entry to the representatives of the organizations she had mentioned.
Vale then felt the presence of some powerful individuals outside the room even if he didn't use his Phantasm State… They weren't using their Spells against him but were certainly showing their might to appear more intimidating.
As the ten individuals stepped inside the room, Vale couldn't help but sense the weight of their presence.
'So, it seems they want to remind me of my place.'
Vale mused as it indeed felt as though they were subtly reminding him of his position, a mere student.
Taking a moment to collect his thoughts, Vale contemplated how best to respond to their actions.
After careful consideration, he decided to maintain a composed demeanor and chose not to display any visible reaction.
Instead, a mysterious smile graced his lips as he greeted them.
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