When Xia Liang dragged her slightly weary steps to where Lin Xiaolu and the others were, most of the crowd had already dispersed.
Considering that this Magic Armor assessment's combat section lasted only one day, there were too many good shows happening on site. Even though Lin Xiaolu was the only one with an SS rating and quite the topic of discussion, she couldn't occupy the audience's attention all day.
At this moment, Lin Xiaolu appeared much more stable emotionally. Although still a bit dejected, with her head buried like an ostrich, she at least was willing to respond to questions from Mint and Bai Jingxuan.
"Long Dan has already left?"
Glancing around and realizing the absence of Emerald Sparrow, Xia Liang asked.
Upon hearing her voice, Lin Xiaolu lifted her head slightly, "Hmm."
"When?"
"Just now, said there was something to do," mumbled Lin Xiaolu.
"I see."
Xia Liang nodded, "So, are you feeling any better now?"
Lin Xiaolu remained silent.
"You really, I don't know what to say to you. Yesterday, I told you to tone it down a bit, you wouldn't listen; today, I came to comfort you, and you're acting like this. Doesn't matter if you're happy or not, you just won't listen to others."
Xia Liang couldn't help but chuckle bitterly, "It's just one lost match. Besides, you're only at Seed Level, while your opponent is already Leaf Level and a well-known combat expert. Do you think people would really think you didn't do well?"
"Even if the opponent is Leaf Level, the rules didn't allow the use of Magic Techniques,"
Lin Xiaolu grumbled, "And a loss is a loss. Others will only know that I lost, not how I lost or to whom."
"Not that many people are going to focus on your flaws."
Xia Liang sat down beside Lin Xiaolu, "And so what if they know you lost? They've already known you're the junior of Cornflower, and favored by the Royal Court as an SS Level. These things won't vanish just because you lost once."
"Doesn't that just make me seem like an empty shell with no skills, just background..." Lin Xiaolu spoke, tears almost coming out again.
Now Xia Liang was genuinely taken aback.
—This person was so brimming with confidence just last night, and now just because of one loss, they're this pessimistic? Can someone really be this fickle?
She wanted to put her hand on Lin Xiaolu's forehead to check her temperature and ask, "Are you okay?" But held back because of basic friendship decency, instead silently patting Lin Xiaolu on the back:
"It's okay, you'll win it back."
That's all she could say.
"...How about you, did you win them all?" After a moment of silent dejection, Lin Xiaolu asked concerningly in turn about Xia Liang.
"Won four, lost the last one," Xia Liang answered nonchalantly.
"I see, won four... huh? Lost?" Lin Xiaolu's voice suddenly rose by several decibels.
"Why? Are you happier hearing I lost than winning?" Xia Liang gave a wry smile.
"No, I mean, you actually lost?" Lin Xiaolu looked incredulous.
"I was overconfident, went through five matches. The first four were too easy, so I thought there was no need to replenish Magic Power for the last one."
Xia Liang sighed, "So you see, one really can't be proud, because unbeatable troops get defeated."
"But still, it's weird. Weren't all your challengers B Level?" Lin Xiaolu peeked curiously.
"What do you mean?" Xia Liang glared at her, "Mocking me?"
"Literally," Lin Xiaolu pursed her lips, "I think you're better than B Level."
"I'm better than B Level..." Xia Liang couldn't help but laugh, pulled Bai Jingxuan closer between them, "Then why don't you and this B Level have a match to see who wins?"
Bai Jingxuan looked at them innocently: Though she was the one who texted Xia Liang to come over, she didn't want to get caught up in their bickering. She tried to minimize her presence as much as possible, but still got dragged in.
"That's hardly the same," Lin Xiaolu simply pinched Bai Jingxuan's cheek, "Magic Armor doesn't represent this child's entire strength."
"Yes, Magic Armor doesn't represent all strength. Can't this same phrase apply to our opponents?"
Xia Liang shrugged, "Besides, you know my Magic Armor doesn't have much offensive power, it relies entirely on Magic Techniques. But this event forbids Magic Techniques, so I was out of tricks."
"So it was the rules restricting you, not that the opponent was better," Lin Xiaolu summarized.
"Not just the rules... Underestimating opponents so that I didn't restore Magic Power, the opponent was also strong, plus... hmm, anyway, due to multiple reasons, I lost."
Xia Liang admitted frankly, "So I also have to tell myself what I just said."
"Which is?"
"'It's alright, you'll win it back,'" Xia Liang smiled, "At least one should have that confidence, right?"
"A rare time for you to be so optimistic,"
Lin Xiaolu leaned her cheek against her arm, turning to look at Xia Liang, "When clearly before the exam you would say every day that you'd definitely lose in practical combat."
"You don't know until you try. After fighting, you have an idea of others' strength."
After saying this, Xia Liang paused briefly, "So, do you feel a little better?"
"No," Lin Xiaolu answered without blinking, "but I can say yes, because you losing to B Level suddenly makes my loss feel not so unacceptable."
"As I thought, you were mocking me."
Xia Liang feigned anger, poking Lin Xiaolu's arm twice, but soon turned anger to laughter, "Forget it, I don't expect you to say anything nice. Just take it easy, see, I don't really mind."
"...Hmm," Lin Xiaolu responded softly.
"Then shall we head back to the hotel?" Xia Liang suggested, "Anyway, I've completed my challenges, do any of you still have things to do?"
Lin Xiaolu and Bai Jingxuan both shook their heads, Mint whistled to indicate no.
After all, among the candidates participating in the assessment, there weren't many combative ones. Challenges and being challenged mostly occurred between B Rating and C Rating – B Rating is Good, while C Rating's rank would be much more precarious. As for A Level and above candidates, unless particularly confident in their own strength, or if there were personal grudges, there was no point in competing in such score-related events.
Therefore, the vast majority of the candidates present today weren't really participating in matches, and were here mainly to "spectate." Obviously, Bai Jingxuan and Mint belonged to these spectators.
"If that's the case, let's disband here then. Besides, I need to head to another stand to watch,"
Mint inserted her hands into her pockets, looking as if she had endured long enough, "I've already wasted too much time comforting Miss Bai Mei here. If this continues, my information savvy levels will drop."
"Go, go," Lin Xiaolu waved her hand dismissively at her, "Do whatever you like, nobody needs your comfort."
"I was just afraid I'd neglect you, and make Cornflower have issues with me,"
Mint shrugged and turned, "Alright, I'll be off first."
The group then dispersed, each heading towards their destinations.
Xia Liang, Lin Xiaolu, and Bai Jingxuan moved towards the outskirts of the Silver Corridor. Considering today was the last time for the assessment at the Silver Corridor, they took a slightly longer route just to take a good look at this school famous for producing "Elite Magical Girls."
And when they'd had their fill and decided to head back, Xia Liang met someone on the way.
It was Qing Xiang.
Or rather, the opponent whom Xia Liang lost to in the final match.
Previously, on the stand, under the public eye, Xia Liang explicitly acknowledged her loss to the other party.
However, the supposed "victor" didn't have a pleasant expression at the moment, but stood at a distance, a bit displeased, signaling a few gestures to Xia Liang where Lin Xiaolu's group wouldn't notice.
Xia Liang could understand the meaning, as after the match on the platform, the other party had made similar gestures.
—"This doesn't count, no holding back next time."
Xia Liang didn't stop or say anything, only briefly turned her head in the gap when Lin Xiaolu wasn't looking, smiled, and winked at the other party.
Then, the figures of the three disappeared into the distance together.
