"It's kind of scary, isn't it? To see something ge so suddenly before your eyes."— Shiori Asagiri, Tamako Market

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  As the sun dipped below the horizon, Roy and the girls returo the castle.

  Just like the previous night, a ball was being held in the main hall.

  However, this one wasn't reted to the Bde Da was simply a social event for the nobles.

  Hardly any Elementalists were present.

  Those participating in the main touromorrow weren't in the mood for parties.

  Just as Roy returo his room, he heard the voices of young girls ing from the hallway.

  "Your hair is so beautiful, Onee-sama!"

  "M-Mirelle, don't pull my hair!"

  That was Ri's voice.

  "What's going on?" Roy opened his door and stepped into the hallway.

  He saw a little girl pying with Ri's hair.

  "Ri, what are you doing?"

  "Aah! Roy?!" Riurned around in surprise.

  "Roy?" The little girl also looked at him.

  She had the same beautiful blonde hair as Ri and wore a white dress that plemented her emerald eyes.

  She was around seven ht years old, and although still young, she was adorable and bore a striking resembo Ri.

  "Wow! It's Roy-onii-! I finally met you!" The girl ran towards Roy and hugged him tightly.

  "Uh... what's going on?" Roy was surprised by the sudden hug.

  "Mirelle, that's not proper! A dy of the Laurenfrost family shouldn't behave like that!" Ri scolded her.

  "It's okay. Roy-onii- will be my brother-in-w someday, right?"

  Roy chuckled. She was quite a character.

  "M-Mirelle! What are you saying?!"

  "Eh? But you always write in your letters... Mmm!" Ri quickly covered her sister's mouth.

  "Is this the little sister you mentioned, Ri? She's adorable," Roy said with a smile, patting the girl's head.

  "Yes, I'm Mirelle Laurenfrost, the third daughter of the Laurenfrost family," Mirelle introduced herself with a curtsy.

  Her lively emerald eyes sparkled with mischief.

  She would surely grow up to be a beautiful young dy like Ri.

  "I'm Roy, Ri's teammate."

  "I know, I know. You're Onee-'s boyfriend, right?" Mirelle teased.

  "N-No! That's not true! How could he be my boyfriend..." Riammered, her face as red as a tomato.

  "Oh, Onee- is shy. How cute!"

  "Hmph, stop teasing me!" Ri lightly swatted Mirelle's back.

  Roy was amused by their iion.

  Rihe usually proud and stubborn older sister, was pletely flustered in front of her little sister.

  He gently patted Mirelle's head.

  "Mmm!" Mirelle let out a happy sigh.

  "Although I am your sister's boyfriend, you shouldn't tease her so much," Roy said gently.

  "Okay, Roy-onii-, I uand," Mirelle replied with a nod.

  She seemed to be a straightforward and kind child, just like her sister.

  Ri blushed but didn't deny his words.

  "As expected of Roy-san. Even our third young dy has been captivated by your charm," Carol suddenly appeared, giggling.

  "Carol?! When did you get here?" Ri excimed, surprised.

  But then, she seemed to realize something and turo Roy with a flustered expression.

  "Roy, no! I won't allow you to have a threesome with my sisters!"

  "Ri, what are you thinking?!" Roy asked, bewildered by her sudden outburst.

  "I-I think... if it's with Onee-... even if I'm deflowered... it's okay..."

  'What is she saying?' Roy thought, speechless.

  Carol cleared her throat and grabbed Mirelle's colr. "Mirelle-sama, Lady Ri and the others have important matters to attend to. Let's go back to our room."

  "But I want to py with Onee- and Roy-onii-!"

  Seeing Mirelle's stubborn refusal, Carol whispered in her ear, "Be a good girl. Don't disturb their private time."

  "Oh, that's right. I uand, Carol."

  Mirelle suddenly stopped protesting and grabbed Ri's arm.

  "Onee-, I'll cheer for you tomorrow! You have to save Judia-neesan!" she said with a serious expression.

  Ri nodded, her gaze filled with determination.

  "I will."

  Mirelle let go of her sister's arm and turo Roy with a bright smile.

  "Roy-onii-, you have to visit our Laurenfrost territory after the Bde Dance!"

  "Of course, I promise," Roy assured her.

  "I'm so gd you'll be my brother-in-w!" Mirelle decred happily, then skipped away with Carol.

  "That little sister of mine... she's quite a handful," Ri sighed.

  "You're a good sister, Ri," Roy said with a smile.

  "W-Well, of course. I'm the eldest, after all," Ri replied, blushing slightly.

  Roy was curious about the name Mirelle had mentioned.

  "By the way, who's Judia?" he asked.

  "..." Ri's expression turned somber.

  "Sorry... did I ask something I shouldn't have?"

  "No, not at all," Ri shook her head.

  "Judia is also my sister, the sed daughter of the Laurenfrost family."

  Roy finally uood. The anime had only covered the first part of the story, so he wasn't familiar with the ter events.

  "What happeo her?"

  "She's currently in a deep sleep at the Laurenfrost castle," Ri replied, her voice filled with sadness as she expihe situation.

  ...

  ...

  Judia Laurenfrost, the sed daughter of the Laurenfrost family, was once a promising Princess Shrine Maiden didate.

  But a few years ago, during a ritual to appease the Wind Elemental Lord, she made a mistake.

  The enraged Elemental Lord imprisoned her within a seal.

  t Laurenfrost had hired many renowned Elementalists to try and break the seal.

  But even with the help of powerful spirits, they couldn't break it.

  Judia remairapped, her body frozen in time.

  "A seal created by the Wind Elemental Lord?" Roy frowned, his anger rising.

  "Don't worry, Ri. I'll save Judia after the Bde Dance," he promised.

  "Really?" Ri looked at him with hope in her eyes.

  "Of course. I won't let you down." Roy pced a hand on her shoulder, his gaze sincere.

  Ri's eyes filled with tears as she threw her arms around him.

  She had initially po win the Bde Dand use the reward, the blessing of the Elemental Lords, to plead with the Wind Elemental Lord to release Judia.

  But she trusted Roy more than the Elemental Lords.

  To her, Roy was capable of anything.

  "Thank you, Roy," she whispered, her cheeks flushed.

  Roy found her genuine smile incredibly cute. She usually had such a stubborn and petitive demeanor.

  "Well then, Roy... I'll go bay room and prepare for tomorrow," Ri said, then hurried away.

  ...

  The day, the Bde Dance officially began.

  The grand hall was filled with excitement and anticipation.

  A massive crowd of spectators from various tries had gathered.

  There were nobles, iial figures, and shrine maidens from different Elemental Spirit tractor training institutions.

  Even some students from Areishia Spirit Academy were among the crowd.

  The participating teams were gathered oar in the ter of the hall.

  Sihe audience sisted mostly of nobles and dignitaries, there were no jeers or boos.

  Some of the more famous Elementalists even had their own fan clubs.

  Whenever a team appeared, the hall would erupt in cheers and screams from their supporters.

  "Go, Roy!"

  "Go, my dy! Go, Roy!"

  "Onee-sama, I'll be waiting for your triumphaurn! May glory be with the Laurenfrost!"

  Carol and Mirelle, waving fgs with the Laurenfrost family crest, were at the forefront of the crowd, cheering for their sister and Roy.

  Rias and the irls were also there to support them.

  "Those two... they're so embarrassing!" Ri grumbled, hiding behind Roy with a blush.

  "I think it's cute," Roy chuckled.

  "Roy, be careful... it seems many people are watg you," Ellis warned, notig the numerous gazes directed at them.

  "Yes, I know."

  Roy sed the crowd and indeed felt many eyes on him.

  Perhaps they saw him as a threat, or maybe his as on the airship had beeed.

  Either way, those staring at them were likely not friendly.

  ...

  All twenty-three teams, except for Rubia's team, the Inferno, were now assembled in the hall.

  These teams were all posed of elite Elementalists carefully selected from their respective tries.

  Among them, the Draia Dragon Knights, led by Leonora, exuded the most formidable aura.

  They were all top-css Elementalists, disciplined and focused, like a well-trained army.

  Roy and Leonora exged gnces.

  Leonora blushed, clearly still embarrassed about their enter in the library.

  She might even target their team during the tour.

  "The Draia Dragon Knights are well-trained. Even those besides Leonora are formidable," Ellis ented, their oppos.

  "Yes, if we don't sider the Inferno, the Dragon Knights are definitely one of the favorites to win. But we have to be wary of other teams as well," Cire added.

  "First, there are the other teams representing our academy: 'Silent Fortress' and 'Lux'," she tinued.

  "Just dealing with my sister alone will be tough," Ellis said with a worried frown.

  "Don't worry, they won't target us first," Roy reassured her with a smile.

  "That's true." The girls nodded in agreement.

  This was a petitioween nations. It wouldn't be wise tet a team from the same try.

  And with Roy oeam, Velsaria wouldn't be foolish enough to attack them directly.

  Cire then noticed a group dressed iic attire.

  They were from the Quina Empire, a powerful nation in the east.

  Their eastern culture was vastly different from the western tries, like the Ordesia Empire.

  "That's the Quina Empire's 'Fods' team, known for their teamwork and powerful spirits," Cire expined.

  "That girl with white hair and a qipao is their ace, Shao Fu. She wields the Sacred Beast, 'White Tiger'."

  "Fods? But there are five of them," Ri pointed out.

  "That girl at the front must be their strategist," Roy replied, referring to the petite girl standing before Shao Fu.

  "Yes, her name is Linfa. She's the ander of the Fods."

  "Wow, she's so small! She looks about the same age as Mirelle," Ri ented in surprise.

  Cire then turned her attention to aeam dressed in white robes.

  "They're the Holy Spirit Knights from the Holy Kingdom of Lugia. Their leader is Luminaris Saint-Leisched, one of the top four in the previous tour. They're a strong oppo."

  "Finally, there's the 'Rupture Division' from the Principality of Rossvale. Their leader, Mil Bassett, is the you partit this year, only thirteen years old. But she's incredibly powerful."

  "Rossvale gained independence from Lugia a few decades ago. It's a retively new nation."

  "Although they don't have a long history, their Elementalists are said to be top-css. Well, those are the main teams to watch out for."

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