Earned It

"Sixth place goes to… Team Saddler! They were eliminated in stage two, but displayed phenomenal command of Magic and the Elements!"

…Come on.

"Fourth place… Team Himitsu!"

Come on…

"And third place… Team Tyrion Grimmveil! Their high-spirit summons impressed even the most skeptical judges!"

Aimer's eyes trembled. She couldn't wait for the result.

Who would be first?

"Second place goes to… Team Sylas Grimmveil!"

At that moment, Aimer froze. Her eyes — hollow. She remembered the number 170. If Sylas only made second with that, there was no way we'd be first.

We lagged behind both Sylas and Tyrion in points. We didn't even showcase many unique techniques. The result was obvious.

"And in first place…"

"I don't want to hear it…" Aimer lowered her head and covered her ears. "I don't want to know…"

I placed my hand on her shoulder. My calm expression gave her strength. But she couldn't hide the pressure.