As the tournament approached, Leesa's training sessions became more intense and frequent. A merchant was enlisted to assist her in finding the ideal outfit for the occasion. Even Byrant couldn't contain his enthusiasm upon hearing about Leesa's participation in the competition. He eagerly professed his full support, prepared to cheer for her with determined confidence and energy. Byrant went the extra mile to enhance his contribution. Recognizing the importance of stamina and nutrition for outstanding performance, he pursued guidance from Paul to learn how to prepare food that would provide a boost in energy. Byrant was determined to give Leesa the food she needed to outperform the contest.
Excitement filled the empire as participants eagerly anticipated the opportunity to showcase their skills and demonstrate their strength. To ensure the safety and convenience of those without lodging arrangements, rooms were allocated to them in a secure inn. Naturally, the participants were grouped based on their respective teams.
Meanwhile, in the royal palace, Flavian and Jeremy were discussing,
"You dumbass, you organized a whole tournament, and involved all of the empire in it just to make Lady Marlene your assistant! You could have asked her outright about it."
Flavian looked at Jeremy with an incredulous expression and said, "What did you expect me to do? Just walk up to her and say 'Hello there, Lady Marlene, fancy being my assistant and bodyguard?'"
Jeremy rolled his eyes and replied, "Yes, at least it would have been simpler."
"But there was no reason for her to say yes."
"You could have made one, how hard couldn't it have been?"
"And I just did" mumbled Flavian
"What was that?"
"Nothing"
"Now what did you call me here for?"
"Oh, yes I want you to come to the tournament as a judge's guest to check up on the mage part of the competition and who knows you might even find some powerful mage during the event."
"I was going to come whether you invite me or not."
"Oh, great then, anyone else you are bringing with you? How many spare chairs should I arrange?"
"Just my assistant and me."
"You mean your one and only crush and you, okay," smirked Flavian, he never once left the chance to harass Jeremy on this topic.
"Shut up you eccentric idiot."
"Well, then that makes you a hopeless idiot."
[In the empire, a robust security structure was in place, wherein each noble had their own army dedicated to protecting their lands and people. Additionally, there existed a royal army that served directly under the command of Elzar Amadori. However, due to the army's expansion, it became necessary to appoint another commander who would oversee the division of the military, with half serving under Elzar and the other half under the new commander. The mage army, on the other hand, operated under the direct authority of Jeremy Martinez. Both Elzar and Jeremy, being part of the imperial order, were unable to act independently and served directly under the crown prince.
In the event of a war, these two armies, under the imperial order, were deemed capable of handling the situation. However, if required, the nobles were obligated to send their own soldiers to contribute to the fight. Nevertheless, the last war took place during the time of Flavian's great-grandfather, and since then, a peace treaty had been established between the Astandra and Wraisan empires, ensuring a period of relative peace and stability.]
"We are currently in a position where we must seek out another commander to oversee half of the army, with a particular focus on finding someone who can collaborate effectively with you. Elzar, I would like to hear your thoughts on this matter," asked Flavian.
"I understand that the strength of the royal army is increasing, and it will further expand following the tournament. However, does this not imply that the competition among the soldiers will intensify, Your Highness?" responded Elzar after considering the fact that it is crucial to select a commander who not only possesses military expertise but also shares a similar vision and can collaborate with him.
"Yes, you are right, it will lead to a dispute among the soldiers but if we divide them as half new soldiers to one group and half to the other, then?"
"But it will still consist of internal problems," mumbled Elzar.
"That's where you and the other commander shall come in, you both need to train and supervise the soldiers appropriately to not let the situation occur."
"Yes, certainly Your Highness."
"So, now hopefully, we are able to find such a talent in the tournament."
"I shall do my best to find any suitable candidate from the commoner and noble's teams."
"Yes, you do, although I have a gist of what will happen," said Flavain in a serious thought.
Elzar's expression displayed a hint of confusion, as he grappled with the sentence that Favian immersed himself in.
With the arrival of the tournament day, the grand spectacle commenced with the opening ceremony. The emperor took the stage, delivering a speech that outlined the intricate details and rules of the competition. The inaugural battle unfolded between the commoner's team, setting the tone for the intense clashes to follow. As the day progressed, participants took turns entering the ring, showcasing their skills and unleashing their full potential in fighting their opponent.
Amidst the thrilling battles and enthusiastic cheers from the audience, Flavian and Elzar attentively observed the participants, their attention keenly focused on potential candidates for the coveted commander position. Simultaneously, Elzar also shouldered the responsibility of carefully noting down the names of individuals who exhibited the potential to be enlisted into the royal army.
It was proceeding as planned, each team was divided into two parts and then the winners from each part would proceed to compete for the top position within their respective teams. However, due to the more significant number of participants in the commoner's team, it was necessary to further divide them into four groups. Consequently, the contenders within the commoner's team that became the victor from the four groups would engage in battles amongst themselves, with only one emerging victorious. This system ensured that only the strongest competitor from each team would advance to the final stage of the tournament. In the end, only one contender emerged undefeated – Hendricus from the commoner's team claimed victory, concluding the eventful first day of the tournament.