Melania searched for August for several days before giving up.
She just couldn't find him. She wanted to talk to him about many things, but since she couldn't find the opportunity now, she just had to wait until they saw each other in the elimination round.
There were many things she could do before then.
For instance, curing her mother.
Her mother had fallen ill after having her two younger siblings. It was around the same time that their father died. Ever since then, they'd been living on barely enough money to feed themselves.
Melania found out what her mother's illness was long ago. She also knew where the cure was. However, it was far too expensive for her to afford even if she worked for her entire life.
Entering the heir wars was a last resort. She believed that her talent could at least get her noticed by a few big shots, who would provide her sponsorships and chances at higher positions where she'd get more pay.
She was correct. After all, Rakon offered her a sponsorship the moment the qualification test ended.
She didn't end up taking it.
When August left the conversation, the terms changed and became far more demanding. For someone in her position, it was still a great offer, but she decided to wait.
The elimination round was near. If she made it through, then Rakon's offer would pale in comparison to what she'd receive. If she failed, she would do so while attracting the attention of people who want her talent for more than just the heir wars.
It was all planned out.
But…in just one day, hadn't that plan been brought to ruin?
With the gold that August gave her, Melania could purchase a house in a safer district and cure her mother while still having some left over.
Considering that this was only a small portion of August's wealth, one could assume just how much Damien gave him.
Nevertheless, Melania could solve the problems that originally led her to participate in the heir wars.
window.pubfuturetag = window.pubfuturetag || [];window.pubfuturetag.push({unit: "64ce79d606107d003c23ea27", id: "pf-5140-1"})Yet, she wasn't planning to withdraw herself from the competition.
August gave her a far better starting point, but it wasn't a long-term solution.
Her goals hadn't changed much now that her family was safer and healthier.
Still, with her newfound hope, she was able to see the coming competition as more than just a money-making opportunity.
She could focus more on herself and her growth.
When five days flew by and she found herself in front of a teleportation array that would take her to the location of the elimination round, she was filled not only with stern ambition, but also excitement.
She wasn't going to waste the chance she'd been given.
Nor was she going to let August's gratitude go unreturned.
If she did, she wouldn't be a proud dragon at all.
***
August also stood in front of a teleportation array, though it wasn't the same one.
Rakon's assistants had found him at his hotel early in the morning and led him to that place.
The array was located inside of the testing facility, which had, by now, been repurposed as the office of some organization that August wasn't told the name of.
"Where's Melania?"
It was the first question he asked when he arrived.
"She will be taken to a separate array that is more convenient, considering her location."
window.pubfuturetag = window.pubfuturetag || [];window.pubfuturetag.push({unit: "64cc9e79c7059f003e4ad4b0", id: "pf-5109-1"})There was a bit of disdain in the assistant's tone when she mentioned the outskirts, which made August frown.
'It runs deep indeed.'
This woman was probably a maid or something in the Scorch Clan, not someone of high status in the slightest. Even still, she felt superiority over those in the outskirts.
August didn't say anything about it. No good would come from lecturing this one random assistant.
Instead, he quietly allowed her to lead him to the array and stepped into it.
Rakon was there as well.
"Have you thought about my offer since then?" he asked, somewhat hopeful.
However, August shook his head.
"It would be nice to have support, but I only came out here so that I can achieve something on my own, so I can't accept anything of the sort."
His answer had changed since the last time they met.
Instead of a flat-out refusal…
'...did he just confirm it?'
August practically told Rakon that he was a hidden genius from a noble clan, didn't he?
It was a great misunderstanding to uphold since it gave August more freedom to act, so he decided to reinforce it just a little bit. It was a good way to keep Rakon off his back too.
"I understand," Rakon responded, his eyes brighter than they were a second ago.
"Then, prepare yourself. You will be teleported shortly. Remember, though you'll arrive directly inside the arena, do not attack anyone until the horns are blown. That…will become a fatal mistake for anyone who makes it."
window.pubfuturetag = window.pubfuturetag || [];window.pubfuturetag.push({unit: "663633fa8ebf7442f0652b33", id: "pf-8817-1"})Rakon left August one last piece of advice, to which he nodded thankfully.
To Rakon, if August was a hidden noble, it was impossible to sponsor him. However, since his desire to do so had left a good impression on someone of high status, he was satisfied.
He walked away with some pep in his step, and the array around August lit up.
'It's time.'
After so much delay, and a week that led to a surprising amount of development, August was finally on his way to participate in what was, by all means, the first round of the heir wars.
His body disappeared from Arragon, and when they received light again, he was in a massive colosseum unlike anything he'd ever seen before.
"This…"
He couldn't help but say it out loud.
"This is what I was made for."
***
The entire heir wars would be "televised."
Everyone in Arulion was able to watch the event in some fashion. For those in the central region, tickets were available that let them watch some of the events in person. For those outside of the checkpoint that only True Dragons could pass, the events were only available to watch on projection devices.
Still, August wasn't alone in believing that the elimination round was the official start of the heir wars. Most people thought the same, since it was the first event that could be viewed by the audience.
This battle between commoners would set the stage.
They would create a benchmark by which every genius participating in the heir wars would be judged, and it was the key determiner of the public's attitude towards the event.
It was an important day, even for the nobles who didn't have any part in the competition.
People flooded the coliseum stands in droves, and geniuses appeared on the stage below one by one.
None of these people were known names. Not even the most talented of them.
However, many of them had people in the stands cheering for them, awaiting their victory.
August also had a person like that.
A part of Damien was still searching for the Dragon Emperor, but his main body had taken a break from that quest.
Today was his son's big day, after all.
If he wasn't here for it, then he'd be nothing but a terrible father.
He blended in with the dragon people and smiled as he saw August arrive on the field.
His expression was strong, and he looked to be surveying his opponents from the second he could see again.
Regardless of August's performance, Damien was already set in how he was feeling about it.
He was proud, and he was excited to see what August could do in an environment like this.
The cheers and conversations in the stands were loud enough to create a tsunami of sound that assaulted the geniuses below from all directions, but they were all silenced with a single sound.
A man appeared in the sky, his draconic aura fully exerted.
"Welcome, everyone…" he said, his voice amplified by mana.
"Today, we see a hundred and fifty-three fine geniuses who have proved that they have the qualifications and talent to proceed, however, only fifty of them can continue on to the next round!"
It was a brief explanation for anyone who didn't know what was going on, but that was the end of it.
But it raised the anticipation in the stadium to an all-time high.
Everyone was waiting for him to say one thing and one thing only.
Because, with a single word from him…
…the heir wars would commence!
