SAINTESS [Chapter 153: The Chosen One] (Patreon)

Aesphyra had issued a challenge. Winnie got mad, so mad that he was mad for a moment, then confidently accepted her wager.

Afterward, he devoted himself to self-improvement.

So, what did he do during the days leading up to the tournament?

Day one: Play cards.

Day two: Play cards.

Day three: change locations, then continue playing cards.

Day four: Winnie, oh Winnie, how could you sink so low? You can't go on like this.

Day five: continue playing cards.

Don't misunderstand. It wasn't that Winnie had fallen into depravity. Even if Aesphyra hadn't made that wager with him, this had been his original plan. There were fewer than seven days left until the finals. It was too late to accomplish anything in seven days anyway. The academy had specifically set this time aside for the finalists to rest and recuperate, not to train or anything of the sort.

The finalists should have been getting enough rest and giving their tense nerves a much-needed chance to relax.

Winnie understood this very well and followed it accordingly. He ate, drank, played, and slept at the proper times.

He had followed the same principle in his previous life: play a little before a minor exam, play more before a major one, and play regardless when there were no exams.

That said, Winnie knew where to draw the line. As long as he didn't stay up all night and ruin his rest, it was fine. Every day, he ate on time, played on time, and slept on time. He never carried his fatigue over into the next day.

Colorful banners hung throughout the arena, flowers carpeted the grounds, and the spectator stands were packed.

At long last, the finals of the Chosen One Contest began.

That day, Winnie felt energetic and lively as he walked out of the dormitory alongside Shikondell.

“S-So many people…” Before they had even entered the arena, Shikondell began suffering from stage fright at the sight of the surging crowds and the heated discussions outside.

She had always been afraid of places with large crowds, especially when all those people would be watching her compete and discuss her every move.

“Don't be afraid, Dell. Show some spirit. Have you forgotten what this young master told you?” Winnie struck a pose, flexing his muscles at Shikondell.

“A true man should be brave and full of passion, always ready to face any challenge! And you're already nervous about going on stage?”

“Have some confidence, Dell. Making it to the finals has already proven your strength. You're stronger than most people. You just lack confidence. With a little confidence, you'll slaughter them all!” Winnie encouraged her.

“Come on, follow this young master and take a deep breath!” Winnie said, demonstrating the technique himself with complete confidence.

“Mm! I understand, Winnie.” Shikondell obediently followed suit.

“Well? Now that there's some air in your chest, do you feel better?”

"Mm. I think... I really do feel much better,” Shikondell said in surprise.

“That's right. You're in excellent condition today. Maintain this state, understand?” Winnie said, clenching his fist.

"Mm!"

The arena entrance was extremely crowded. Spectators were lined up, all hoping to secure the best seats they could. Students from every year were present, although first-years made up the majority. Those from the other years were mostly contestants who had been eliminated during the preliminary or official rounds.

Clearly, neither the first-year students nor the eliminated upperclassmen wanted to miss such an unusual event. They were eager to find out how far the competitors who had defeated them would advance.

If those competitors were eliminated in the very first round, many people would surely mock them and secretly think, “Serves them right! What goes around comes around!”

But if they reach the final match, those same people can let go of their resentment and sigh, “What terrible luck. I can't believe I ran into a monster like that.”

Either way, they would have something to say.

Of course, that was only one reason they had come. Another was to study the fighting styles of the finalists and update their own tactics.

Anyone who had reached the finals was undoubtedly already a star of the entire Carillian Academy. Watching these experts clash would certainly be far more entertaining than watching two rookies flail around and spoon-feed each other victories.

The first-year students had much simpler reasons for attending. Most were excited to witness the top upperclassmen compete against each other. It was much like gaming fans eagerly watching a professional esports tournament.

Winnie and Shikondell bypassed the long queue and entered the arena through a door on the opposite side. As contestants, they had their own entrance and naturally didn't have to squeeze in with the spectators.

"Brother Winnie! Little Brother Dell!"

Just as Winnie and Shikondell were about to enter, they suddenly heard someone calling out to them from the queue nearby.

Hearing the familiar voice, Winnie smiled and turned toward the line. There, packed amid the crowd, were Fred, Aiden, Andre, and the rest of the card players.

Trapped in the tightly packed crowd and unable to move properly, the group could only raise their hands and wave awkwardly, creating a rather amusing sight.

“Damn, there are far too many people here today! We're packed together like sardines in a can! At this rate, I'll be squeezed flat like dried fish!” Fred complained irritably.

“Brother Fred, did you come all this way just to cheer us on?” Winnie asked with a smile.

“Of course! Times like this are exactly when we card players need to show our solidarity! There's strength in numbers, right? That's why I called every member of our club over, to cheer for the two of you! Little Brother Dell is an honorary member of our Card Club too. Anyway, do your best! Beat the hell out of your opponents! Especially you, Brother Winnie. Don't embarrass us!”

With so many people and so much noise around him, Fred had to shout at the top of his lungs.

“All right, all right. How many times have you said that already? My ears are getting calluses. Of course I know.” Winnie dug in his ear.

“We're heading in first. You'll have to keep waiting in line.”

With that, Winnie and Shikondell entered the arena.

The inside and outside of the arena were like two entirely different worlds. Outside was loud and chaotic, while inside was exceptionally quiet. Red curtains had been laid over the training grounds normally used for practice, concealing them and leaving only a broad passage central carpeted in crimson velvet.

“Students, please present your qualification certificates.”

An instructor stood ramrod straight before the passage, staring at them expressionlessly.

Winnie and Shikondell handed over their qualification certificates.

The instructor passed them to a colleague, who produced a long, cylindrical magical seal and carefully inspected them. Afterward, he returned the two certificates and handed each of them a gold-trimmed number plate bearing a different number.

“Identities confirmed: Contestant Number Fifteen, Winnie Varelis, and Contestant Number Twenty-One, Dell.”

“Chosen ones, may victory be yours from the very first battle.”

The two instructors stepped aside, revealing the crimson-carpeted avenue leading to the main arena.

“Thank you.” Winnie tilted his head and walked down the red carpet with Shikondell, heading toward the light.

As they emerged into the main arena, bright sunlight fell across their faces. Half of the enormous white stands, shaped like a bird's nest, were already filled to capacity.

Winnie and Shikondell entered the main arena, which resembled a Roman colosseum. Bathed in the spectators' cheers and shouts, they met the gazes of the other contestants who had already gathered at the center.

They had arrived well ahead of time, but they were hardly early. Many contestants were already standing in the middle of the arena.

Their postures varied. After all, no one had required them to stand at attention.

Winnie didn't recognize most of them, but he did spot quite a few familiar faces.

Just as expected, they had all come. They had all reached the finals.

Aesphyra smiled warmly at him, while Isatia watched him with a calm expression. Mirexia looked at him affectionately, and Milian, the big fool, stuck out her tongue at him.

They were all here.

All the Heroines of Destiny currently attending the academy had assembled in one place.

Aside from the Heroines of Destiny, many people Winnie didn't recognize also turned their eyes towards him. Some merely looked for a moment, while others stared at him outright.

Winnie figured some of them were probably staring because of the second-year insignia on his uniform. Others might recognize his face and know who he was.

Three instructors stood on either side of the stage. Even the vice principal, despite his gray hair, was present, looking remarkably energetic and spirited.

After Winnie and Shikondell showed their qualification certificates and number plates to several more instructors, they stepped onto the elevated platform covered in red carpet and faced the gazes of the entire audience.

“Don't be nervous. Everyone's looking at us with envy and admiration right now. Hold your head high and stick out your chest.”

Winnie had noticed that Shikondell still couldn't relax. The way she constantly remained within three meters of him, like a child trailing behind her parents and afraid to wander off, made that abundantly clear.

It was as though she would lose all sense of security the moment she moved away from him.

They could still stand together while they were onstage receiving the audience's attention and discussion, but once the matches began, Winnie naturally wouldn't be able to stay by her side. Thus, he could only lower his voice and reassure her now.

“M-Mm.” Shikondell nodded slightly, but the tension on her face remained painfully obvious.

“Dell, don't be afraid. Displaying yourself before so many people may be difficult for you, but there's nothing to fear. When it's your turn to compete, I'll cheer for you,” Winnie whispered.

“Virtue + 60.”

“Current Virtue: 19, 389.”

“Winnie, d-don't you feel uncomfortable?” Shikondell couldn't help asking, her voice trembling faintly.

“Me?” Winnie smiled softly. “Not at all.”

“Far from it. I wish there were even more people. The more people who could see me, the better.”

Under the eyes of the entire crowd, Winnie's tone remained relaxed and confident.

Throughout his journey, the scenes he had witnessed were far beyond anything here.

“Winnie, you're so brave.”

“Dell, I know what you're afraid of. You're worried you won't perform well in front of everyone. You're afraid you'll make a mistake and embarrass yourself.”

“It's not that I'm particularly brave. I simply have nothing to fear. In this world, anything that doesn't concern life or death is insignificant. They're just rumors and meaningless gossip, so why should I care? Besides, reaching the finals is proof that you're stronger than the vast majority of people sitting in those stands. What right do they have to criticize someone like you?” Winnie said with a smile.

“Don't let stage fright get the better of you, Dell. And don't back down. You'll face much tougher challenges in the future than this. If you give up now, how will you ever overcome the obstacles that lie ahead?”

Hearing his words, Shikondell's pupils shrank as she stared at Winnie in stunned silence.

“Virtue + 120.”

“Current Virtue: 19, 509.”

After saying that, Winnie fell silent.

The rest will depend on Shikondell herself, on her ability to adjust and process her emotions.

Under such circumstances, quite a few contestants were clearly unaccustomed to receiving so much attention. Of course, many remain perfectly composed as well. Aside from that idiot Milian, all the Heroines of Destiny seemed calm in the face of such a spectacle.

Aesphyra went without saying. As for Isatia and Mirexia, this was an everyday occurrence. As the first heirs to their respective royal families, they often had to proclaim decrees under the scrutiny of countless citizens.

That was far more stressful than this. Every word and action of theirs represents their Nation's royal family.

As for Winnie, relaxation was practically written across his face. Everyone else was more or less nervous, but after standing there for so long, he had grown bored enough to feel sleepy.

Shikondell beside him, on the other hand, reminded Winnie of how he had stood at attention during military training in his previous life.

An unknown amount of time passed, and more contestants gradually arrived on the platform. When they emerged from inside the arena, they all looked surprised.

They had arrived clearly early, so how had everyone else gotten there even earlier?

Winnie noticed that several gazes had remained fixed on him the entire time. They didn't come from the spectator stands but from the platform itself.

Yet whenever he tried to find their sources, they immediately turned away.

Winnie was certain those gazes didn't belong to the Heroines of Destiny.

Now this was interesting.

Aside from the Heroines of Destiny, he didn't know most of the people here, since nearly all of them were upperclassmen.

‘Who exactly was so interested in this young master?’

If it was because he was one of the few second-years present, Aesphyra and the others were second-years too. Every last one of them was a top-tier beauty worthy of being called the campus belle. Why keep staring at a man like him?

If they had a crush on him, they could just say so.

Winnie joked inwardly.

As for all the gazes directed at him from the spectator stands, there were far too many to count. There was no way Winnie could search through the tightly packed audience to determine who had looked at him a few extra times.

Quite a while passed.

How could he tell?

This was because Fred and the others, who had been struggling their way through the crowd while playing cards, had finally made it to the spectator stands.

It wasn't that Winnie had particularly sharp eyesight, nor that he had been so bored that he had spent the whole time watching the stands.

Those fellows were simply far too conspicuous.

Once they finally reached the stands, their first move was to unfurl a banner and hold up several placards. They had even drawn a portrait of Winnie on one of them.

Luckily, Fred had drawn it, so no one could possibly tell it was Winnie. At best, it could be described as vaguely humanoid.

Otherwise, what sort of person cheered someone on by holding up a black-marker drawing on a white board?

It looked like a damned funeral portrait.

They had clearly managed to spot Winnie on the platform and were now shouting something in his direction.

It was too noisy and they were too far away, so Winnie couldn't hear them.

But even without hearing a word, he could roughly imagine what they were shouting.