Vol.2 Chapter 19

Vol.2 Chapter 19

Xeno’s PoV

October 26, 2031

Monday, Morning

To my right, a long buffet table stretches across the room, laden with a world-class selection of breakfast dishes. The display is a food lover's dream, with everything from classic pastries and cereals to gourmet cheeses and charcuterie.

The bakery section boasts an array of freshly baked bread, croissants, and muffins, their enticing aroma wafting through the room. There's a live cooking station where chefs prepare made-to-order omelets and pancakes, their skilled hands moving swiftly to cater to each of the tournament guest team’s needs.

Further along, a colorful array of fresh fruits and juices beckons, offering a refreshing start to the day. The cold section houses an assortment of yogurts, granola, and chilled seafood, beautifully presented on ice.

To the left, a barista stands ready at a gleaming espresso machine, brewing fresh coffee and specialty drinks. The rich scent of freshly ground coffee beans fills the air, a perfect accompaniment to the delightful breakfast spread.

The atmosphere is relaxed and luxurious, with attentive staff moving quietly among the guests, ensuring everyone's needs are met. But considering that there are only a few of us guests, this seems like overkill. Not that I’m complaining though. My hard work in practicing night and day with Art paid off with this.

Looking around, some of the teams are already eating, and most of them are in groups of three or four. A bit in contrast to ours since only Art and I are currently sitting at this table in the middle of the dining room, both of our two teammates for the tournament are not around to join us for breakfast even though I tried to invite them. A shame since both of them are extremely cute after all. I want to get closer to the two of them, but one seems to despise me for no reason at all.

Based on the information I received from Art, it seems that the teams currently present are the Shadow Vanguard, a formidable guild in the world of CoA, Sakura, a Japanese E-sports organization-sponsored team, Dragon Dynasty Gaming, a renowned Chinese organization that enjoys great popularity in China, and Unfiltered, a team formed by a notorious streamer whom Art advised me to steer clear of. And, of course, our team, Round Table, led by Art's character, Arthur, is also among those present here.

Each team is sizing each other while talking animatedly with their own teammates, creating a half-jovial, half-solemn atmosphere. I can sense some stares directed at us when I’m not looking. This feeling of being outnumbered prompted me to complain to my best friend.

“Tell me again why are we the only ones here? Where are Astrid and Gwyn?” I complained as I took a bite off of the omelet.

“Astrid doesn’t like crowded places, and Gwyn is still asleep. They both would probably eat later at their own pace; the Opening Ceremony won't be held until 10:30 so it's fine,” he stated while taking a bite off his own breakfast.

“I see, but what is up with Astrid? Lately, she seems like she is staring daggers at me. Did I do something wrong, perhaps?”

“Dude, are you seriously asking that? You flirted with her the moment you two met in person!”

“That- it was just a joke, an icebreaker to be exact because she always seems to be silent when we play our matches! I said almost the same thing to Gwyn, but she didn't mind," I explained myself.

"Please refrain from comparing the two. I'm sure you're already familiar with their personalities from our practice matches. You know that Gwyn is, well, a bit slow, for lack of a better word. I'm certain she didn't fully grasp the implications you were making. However, the same cannot be said for Astrid, whom I specifically warned you not to engage in your usual antics with. You know how temperamental she can be. That girl prefers to be left alone in solitude.""Oh, come on! You know it's disrespectful for someone like me not to at least compliment a woman on her appearance when meeting her in person!" I exclaimed."Your compliment came across as creepy, though, like a desperate attempt to score points with them," he stared at me disapprovingly."Ugh! Fine, I know you're the expert when it comes to dealing with women. Go ahead, rub it in some more, why don't you!" I teased."Wha- I'm not an 'expert' and I never claimed to be one. Don't you dare spread false information about me like you did last time in our guild, you bastard!" he played along with my banter.Our conversation about his supposed expertise with women was abruptly interrupted by a sudden shift in the atmosphere.

I noticed the room became silent. Following the gaze of the participants, I saw three individuals entering through the dining hall entrance. It was evident that all eyes were fixed on them. From my recollection, they were members of the Paragon team. However, I couldn't help but notice that they were one member short, as there were only three of them. Still, that doesn’t explain the sudden shift in atmosphere though.

My curiosity won, and I decided to ask my best friend.

"Who are those individuals exactly? And why does the atmosphere in the room seem to...change?" I asked, gesturing towards the newcomers, whom Art had only just noticed.

He took a moment to contemplate before answering my question. "They are the Paragons. They are considered the favorites to win this tournament," he explained.

"I see, so that's why the other teams are sizing them up. However, the girl in the middle is quite attractive. She certainly has...impressive assets, if you catch my drift," I said, winking at Art, knowing he understood what I meant.

Art stared at me with exasperation before issuing a warning. "I'm telling you this for your own sake, but do not mess with Aria. She is the vice-captain of the Paragons, one of the largest guilds in CoA, and also the protege of Yuusha. If you provoke her, you'll likely receive death threats from Yuusha fanatics," he stated solemnly.

She glanced around the room as if seeking out a familiar face. Our eyes met for a brief moment, and in that fleeting instant, it felt as if time stood still and we were the only two people in the world. But then, she looked away, leaving me with a profound feeling of regret and longing. "Art, I've never asked you a question that I desperately needed an answer to," I said, my voice filled with urgency. "Huh? What are you talking about now?" Art replied, sounding slightly confused. He fixed his gaze on the newcomers, instantly recognizing who I was referring to, as there was only one girl among the three individuals who had just entered the room. "Those are the members of the Paradigm team. They're considered underdogs in the tournament, so I don't really discuss them much. But from what I remember, we played together with one of their member mate, Novo, a while back. Nevertheless, I don't think they pose a significant threat that we should be concerned about," he explained unhelpfully.

As they were near our table, I focused my attention on their conversation.

"Good morning, everyone! Did you all have a good rest?" Elizabeth greeted cheerfully.

"A pleasant morning to you too, Liz," the girl serious-looking girl, Aria, responded with a smile.

Aria looked around for a moment as if searching for someone, before continuing the conversation.

"Is Katherine not with you?" she inquired curiously.

"Oh, she's still asleep. I think she stayed up late last night watching replays, so I didn't want to disturb her," Elizabeth explained, showing concern for her supposed friend.

"Seer also stayed up late for the same reason," Aria remarked, drawing a comparison.

"Yeah, it looks like they both have a similar personality, I’m sure they would get along in when they help each other with the preparation for the tournament," Elizabeth joked, adding a playful tone to the conversation.

"Hmph! So now you're teaming up? And you dare to call yourselves the new generation of Paragons, how disappointing," a man from the Shadow Vanguard team exclaimed, his voice resonating throughout the dining hall and attracting the attention of the other guests and staff.

"Why are those guys being so confrontational?" I whispered to Art, perplexed by their behavior.

"Let's just say that the Paragons guild and Shadow Vanguard have a bit of a history between their members," he replied, offering a vague explanation.

The other teams seemed content to observe the situation unfold, their curious gazes fixed on the unfolding drama.

"What's wrong with teaming up? Jealous because no one wants to help you, Jinny boy?" the member from the Paragons taunted, exuding a carefree and jovial attitude. Art had mentioned that this individual was the strongest duelist in the tournament.

"I agree. There are no rules prohibiting participants from assisting each other," the emo-looking member from the Paradigm calmly dismantled the rude guy's argument with precision.

The rude guy scoffed in response. "They're just using you because they know you don't stand a chance against them. You guys are such fools for not realizing it," he mocked.

“Huh? What? Are you picking a fight or something?!” the other guy from the Paradigm team exclaimed.

“Uhm, Renz. Please calm down,” Elizabeth tried to reason with her teammate.

Beautiful, cool, calm, collected, rational, and non-confrontational! What a combination! It seems like I’m falling more and more!

Feeling the need to showcase my own good side and earn some brownie points with Elizabeth, I prepared to step in. However, Art beat me to it, stealing my thunder.

"Let's leave it at that. This is a place to eat and relax, after all. Let's not cause a commotion, shall we?" Art calmly attempted to diffuse the situation.

The rude guy from the Shadow Vanguard scoffed but didn't argue further. I overheard snippets of information that Art was highly respected within the CoA community, but I didn't expect his words to hold such influence.

I’m so jealous he got to show his good side to Elizabeth! I’ll make you pay later for this, Art!