While Ares was planning with Livia, Ayla was already plotting her next action.
***
"We have to revise our plans, Brother," Ayla told Lucas.
"Huh? Is this because of Ares?" Lucas stated, his face contorted.
"Yeah, he would have been a tough opponent on his own, but now that Livia has joined him, there is nothing stopping him," Ayla replied, pounding her nails.
"But Livia has already declared that she will not be participating in this tournament, correct?" Lucas inquired.
"She did say that before, but Ares wasn't interested in the tournament at the time,"
"I'm not sure what changed Ares' mind so abruptly to declare that he will participate in this tournament as soon as he returns from his absence," Ayla muttered to herself.
"Well, I guess I just have to deal with him; I already had some scores to settle with him and was waiting for an opportunity," Lucas exclaimed, his eyes sparkling with delight.
After hearing Lucas, Ayla shook her head repeatedly before speaking.
"Brother, I don't doubt your strength, but dealing with both Ares and Livia together will be difficult even for you," Ayla told Lucas.
'I'm sorry to disappoint you brother, but I don't think you can even deal with Ares on your own; in fact, I don't think any first-year student can overcome him; there was one, but she joined him as well.' Ayla reflected to herself biting her nails.
"Tsk, So, what do you think we should do?" Lucas clicked his tongue before inquiring Ayla.
"Let's contact the other first-year faction leaders, Claude and Diana," Ayla said, staring at Lucas.
"Don't tell me you want to form an alliance with them to deal with Ares," Lucas queried, his face dissatisfied.
"...Yeah, we should collaborate with them to bring Ares down," Ayla agreed with Lucas.
*Sigh
"Do you believe they will readily accept this alliance? Because I doubt they would," Lucas sighed and stated.
"Yeah, I know they won't accept it easily...but we should at least try, right?" Ayla said.
'To be honest, I am almost certain that Claude will join us because he, too, has a resentment against Ares.
Seeing his contorted look when Livia hugged Ares, I believe he has affection for Livia, which we can utilize to convince him to join the alliance.
But I have my doubts about that Narcissistic Diana, and I don't think she'll easily accept my suggestion,' Ayla was pondering to herself when she was interrupted by Lucas's words.
"Alright, if you say so, you might have already thought it through, right sister?" Lucas asked, his gaze fixed on Ayla.
"Yeah," she answered, smiling.
***
Meanwhile, Claude who was seated in one of the classrooms, surrounded by his faction members, had just received a Message.
...
"Prince Claude, this is what the text we received from Lucas' faction indicated," After reading the text aloud he had received, one of the guys standing behind Claude stated.
"So they want to join forces, huh? What are your plans for this, Claude?" Kevin, who was sitting across from Claude, inquired.
"...."
"It's true, that bastard needs to be taught a lesson," Claude said angrily, slamming his hand into the bench.
'Oh, he's taking him seriously now after seeing the earlier scene, which works for me as well.' 'I, too, want to make him pay for what he's done to me all along,' Kevin thought to himself with a smile of amusement on his face.
"Are you going to accept their offer and join the alliance?" Kevin asked Claude a question.
"Yeah, we'll join them, at least for now," Claude remarked, an evil smirk on his lips.
"Do you intend to betray them when the time comes?" Kevin inquired after noticing Claude's devious smile.
"Isn't this self-evident? We're all competing here, and there is no alliance that can last long. They might be thinking the same thing; once Ares is out of the picture, they'll come after us" Claude stated.
"You're right, we can't trust Lucas either," Kevin nodded and agreed with Claude.
"But you're only saying this because he's good friends with Ziona, right? I'm not sure what you saw in that insane Beastwoman," One of the men standing behind Claude commented.
"...."
Kevin just stared at the person who made the comment for a moment before speaking.
"It's the same as what Claude saw in that crazy woman Livia," Kevin remarked.
When they heard Kevin, everyone fell silent and turned their attention to him.
"Huh?" Claude exclaimed.
"...."
***
Diana stood in the archery range, aiming her bow at an apple that was perched atop a person's head.
—Swish!
She shot an arrow and watched as it struck the apple in the middle,
—Thud!
Allowing the person who was holding the apple over his head to breathe in relief.
"So they intend to form an Alliance to oppose Ares?... and they want me to be a part of it too?" Diana questioned.
"Y-Yes, Princess, that was what indicated in the message we received from the Lucas faction, and Claude appears to have consented to join him as well,"
The professor of the Archery course, atop whom Diana had placed the apple, answered Diana while wiping away his sweat.
The Archery course instructor was an elf with yellow hair and pointed ears who had previously worked for Diana's father before being chosen to be a professor at the Soreh Academy.
He had no power in front of Diana, the princess and the next candidate for Empress of an Elven Kingdom, even if he is the professor who is supposed to instruct her.
The Academy would not appreciate this, but the professor can do nothing because the Elven Kingdom is his home, and he had to return there in the end to meet his wife.
If he does not behave appropriately in front of Diana the future Empress, his wife, and his life in the Elven Kingdom will turn pretty horrible.
"She's treating the professor like a servant," Diana's female bodyguard says awkwardly.
"But isn't he really her servant? I expect nothing less from our future Empress," According to the male bodyguard.
"...."
Hearing him, the female bodyguard simply sighed and turned to face Diana.
"Do they truly believe I'll join their alliance? I know Ares is powerful, but I have my own ways of dealing with him; I will not lower my standards by ganging up on him when he is standing alone," Diana remarked.
"They believe Livia will also be joining his faction," the female bodyguard added.
"...."
"Hmm, it isn't a bad idea to see what they have planned in this alliance; maybe I should pay them a visit as well," Diana mused.
"...."
"But we should keep our guard up because I don't believe that sly Ayla," Diana said.
"Roger!" Both bodyguards responded in unison.
***
As Ares finished explaining his plans to Livia, he received a notification on his phone, and as he read its contents, a wide grin emerged on his face.
"I guess peace was never an option," Ares mumbled.
"Hmm, who sent you a text just now, and what was the content that caused you to make that expression?" Livia inquired after observing Ares' expression.
"It seems Ayla has already made her move; I knew she would react quickly, but I never expected her to form an alliance with other faction leaders to deal with me," Ares explained.
"How idiotic are they? They're forming an alliance to deal with you, so why can't they do the same to win that so-called tournament?" Irethiel remarked telepathically.
"...."
***