The match between the team of Theo & Irene and Andrew & Sally has come to a close.
Hailey, without delay, approached the hooded man with sharp features.
'Who could he be?'
She felt a mix of unease and excitement.
He definitely wasn't ordinary.
The only others she had seen with such a commanding presence recently were the heroes from the 'Ataraxia' guild.
"Hello, I am Hailey from the 'Ataraxia' guild."
With a businesslike smile, Hailey greeted the hooded man.
'I wonder how he will respond...'
It was likely that anyone with even a passing interest in the continent would recognize her name.
Especially here, in the renowned Elinia Academy.
"Ah, greetings. My name is Maitri from the Ford Company. It's an honor to meet Hailey, the Chief Administrator of the prestigious 'Ataraxia' guild. You're even more beautiful than in the photos I've seen."
Yet, the hooded man's reaction was rather plain.
Introducing himself as Maitri, the man removed his hood, offering a handshake.
To Hailey’s surprise, the man appeared rather normal—at least on the surface.
'Ford Company, huh.’
The magical city up north.
A city belonging to no nation, where mages, alchemists, and all sorts of unique individuals gather.
A peculiar place that elects a representative every set period.
Ford Company stands as the representative of this classless, rankless city.
Beyond their recently unveiled robots, they've crafted countless mysterious and bizarre inventions.
"Thank you for your kind words. But Maitri, you are quite handsome yourself. I wonder why you'd hide such a face under a hood."
Hailey accepted Maitri's hand, shaking it firmly.
She was a professional, having encountered countless personalities over her career, never letting her emotions betray her.
Maitri chuckled, pulling the hood back over his head.
"Ha, as you might know, the public perception of the magic city hasn't been positive lately. Especially since our company introduced robots. Some claim we are trying to play god by creating life. And given the number of reporters here, I'd prefer avoiding their attention. I'm not thick-skinned enough for that."
“I can see why you'd feel that way. Though my knowledge is mainly based on newspaper articles, it’s a tricky position. But I believe that the continent needs pioneering companies like Ford Company.”
"Ha, your kind words leave me flattered. Initially, I wasn't planning to come, but my curiosity got the better of me. Seeing these bright talents here, how could one's heart not be moved?"
With that, Maitri gave a hearty laugh.
'Doesn’t seem like a research position...'
After a brief conversation with Maitri, Hailey handed over her business card.
"Oh, it's already time for the next match. Here's my card."
"It's an honor. Hailey, it's well-known that you don’t just hand out your card to anyone. Here’s mine in return."
Maitri, in turn, handed his card to Hailey.
[Ford Company / Maitri]
The card was devoid of additional information.
However, Hailey wasn't surprised.
She was well aware.
The northern magical city was once a place where those expelled from various countries had gathered.
The company they formed was 'Ford Company'.
Inheriting that spirit, the Ford Company's business cards notably lacked the usual titles and contact details you'd expect.
"It was a pleasure, Mr. Maitri. I apologize for taking up so much of your valuable time. I'll take my leave now. I hope to see you again."
"Haha, I hope to see you again as well. I enjoyed our conversation today, Hailey."
After Maitri tucked the card away, Hailey returned to her original spot.
'His nonchalance makes him even more suspicious.'
She thought, feeling uneasy.
The quarterfinals have come to an end.
Before anyone realized, the Elinia Academy's Knight Department 2v2 Tournament was steadily moving towards its climax.
The teams advancing to the semifinals were as follows:
Neike & Cyrus.
Travis & Jacob.
Aisha & Julia.
Lastly, Theo & Irene.
Inside the waiting room for Aisha & Julia's team,
"Now that we've reached the semifinals, I feel warmed up. Haha! Isn't our luck just too good? Our next opponents are Theo and Irene! My muscles are tingling with excitement already! Aisha, how about you?"
Julia said cheerfully, stretching her limbs in the waiting room.
After all, her goal was not just to achieve a high rank but to fiercely compete against strong opponents.
"Ah... I'm looking forward to it too."
Said Aisha, though her expression was much more serious.
It was because of Theo.
'How should we counter him...?'
Aisha had watched every match Theo participated in.
Her [Sharp Vision] not only allowed her to see distant things clearly but also the minute movements of muscles and facial expressions.
In other words, she could accurately assess an individual's current state.
'I thought for sure he'd forfeit after the match against Noctar's team...'
After his match with Noctar, Theo's physical state had completely deteriorated.
Of course, Theo hid his condition right until he left the arena, so others might not have noticed, but he couldn't deceive her eyes.
Yet, in the quarterfinals against Andrew's team, Theo looked as good as new and even claimed victory.
He miraculously neutralized the unique magic cast by Andrew, just like the time he dispelled the debuff on her during an evaluation.
He made it seem as though the magic never existed in the first place.
'Well, that doesn't matter right now.'
After all, Julia and Aisha mostly relied on physical attacks.
What she needed to focus on was speculating what strategies Theo might employ this time.
'Come to think of it, he did use magic.'
Theo had certainly cast some form of debuff magic against Noctar's team.
Noctar and Gulrik's reactions were unmistakable.
How a person with zero mana like Theo could use magic was beyond her, but she decided to set that thought aside for now since it didn't seem to be much of a threat.
All magic requires casting time, and even the briefest moment was enough for her.
Before Theo could even initiate a spell, she could strike him down with her arrow.
Alongside the unease, Aisha felt another emotion rising within her.
It was anticipation.
'We can win this.'
She had that much confidence in Julia.
She was already renowned for her prowess, but seeing her firsthand, she was even more formidable than the rumors suggested.
Usually, rumors tend to exaggerate, but in her case, they had underestimated her.
As Julia valiantly held the frontline, all she had to do was comfortably draw the bowstring.
'Julia and I... we're quite a pair. No, we mesh really well together.'
Having taught the orcs with Theo just last week, she'd grown familiar with their habits.
It might be odd to say, but in Aisha's eyes, Julia was like an orc in human skin.
However, that was no problem for her.
She might not be on the same level as Theo, but she also had her own talents when it came to strategizing and handling people.
'I won't lose on purpose.'
In the past, maybe, but the Theo of late had changed.
If she deliberately lost, he'd likely be even more upset.
If he did lose now, instead of looking at her with eyes filled with despair or anger, he'd probably seek areas for improvement.
Aisha's thoughts ran wild.
She kept imagining different scenarios.
'If he lost to me, how would Theo react?'
─It seems I still have a long way to go. I need to work harder. Thanks for enlightening me, Aisha.
─Even if you combined all the talents of our family, they wouldn’t match up to you, Aisha. Please continue to support me in my shortcomings.
Just thinking about it sent a thrilling shiver down her spine.
"Hehe, that sounds great."
Her joy bubbled up, escaping through her lips.
'What should I say in response?'
Aisha was deep in thought, even more so than when deciding on a venue for the Foodie Exploration club's meetup.
'Should I say, "Oh, Theo~ dear♡, you really do need someone as competent as me by your side~ It can't be helped~?"'
Just then.
“Team Aisha & Julia. The semifinals will start soon. Please get ready to enter.”
A staff member knocked and informed them.
Aisha jolted in surprise.
Julia tilted her head, her expression reading, 'What got into her?'
"We got it, we'll head out shortly."
"Oh, oh! Yes, yes! Got it!"
A flustered Aisha, her face turning red, hurriedly responded.
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