Crystal had already returned to her seat. She sat beside Cryshela with her veil firmly back in place, her expression unreadable. Damien leaned against the railing, arms folded, as if the crowd's stunned silence were a song composed in their honor. Around them, murmurs continued to rise like storm clouds gathering.
"Their team had secured a perfect record!" A shocked teacher observes.
Next to him was the beautiful fourth-year teacher who now wore a frown.
The preliminary scores, particularly in the first phase of the tournament, had set a powerful precedent. Damien's original performance had already been heralded as one of the fastest castings in the entire school's history, drawing the attention of those watching.
But as Fate had determined, none of the mages who were of position and importance could attend it and did not witness the rise of Damien.
And not only did his actions fail to gain attention, but he was also all the more hated.
