So many people—too many, I'd say. But thinking about it, it's only natural. Many are curious, and others overly excited about what's happening. After all, this is the first time in its history that the academy's gates have been opened to the general public. People from all walks of life can be seen wandering back and forth, eager to take in as much as they can and enjoy this rare opportunity for as long as possible. It's incredible to see just how many people the academy's campus can accommodate. Children are running everywhere, playing and engaging in all sorts of activities. The atmosphere feels like a festival.
"Smart move by the director," I muttered to myself. It's clear why he opened the academy's doors: to salvage its reputation. After the disaster of the second event and the fallout involving certain individuals, it was obvious that they couldn't escape unscathed. They tried to keep everything contained within the academy, but it was impossible. The rumors spilled out into the empire's streets, and the whispers among the citizens spread much faster than anyone had anticipated.
A bad public image is damaging enough, but when doubts begin to fill people's hearts, it stirs even more trouble. And as they say, you can't silence your own citizens. This unrest hit especially hard for the students involved, some of whom belonged to noble families. As a result, a bold decision had to be made by the empire's leadership and the academy director.
There were countless ways they could've tried to "fix" the problem—offering money to the affected families or granting certain privileges for a few months. But that would've been unfair, especially for those from lower classes. In the end, the brilliant idea came from Elizabeth. Of course, it had to be her. As the student council president, she's a highly influential figure in the academy, and her suggestions are always well-received. Plus, considering she's the imperial princess, it's no surprise her voice carries weight. Initially, her idea wasn't well-received. Who would've imagined it—opening the academy's gates to the public? A bold move. But Elizabeth's words gradually convinced the empire's higher-ups and the academy's leadership. Finally, with the emperor's approval and the director's consent, the announcement was made across the streets of the empire.
"The Academic Festival"—that's the name they gave this special day, so to speak. But of course, that wasn't enough. While the idea was daring and intriguing for the citizens, simply wandering around aimlessly would eventually bore them, bringing the academy back to square one. To avoid this, they decided to allow merchants to set up small stalls—selling food, artifacts, clothing, and other items of public interest.
As for how I know this…
"It was so boring having to talk to all those people about things that were far from interesting. Seriously, sitting for five hours and chatting isn't exciting in the least…" Elizabeth muttered while crouched, talking non-stop.
She was carefully examining what seemed to be a wooden doll, turning it over to inspect every detail. She seemed oddly fascinated by it. I glanced at the merchant selling it—his hands clasped together, sweating nervously. No wonder; he was extremely tense. After all, the image of the imperial princess is well-known throughout the empire. Snow-white hair, ocean-blue eyes, a beauty bordering on divine, and an aura so peculiar it compels people to approach her. All of this together makes her an unforgettable presence. And for merchants, this wasn't just about her. Many influential students were roaming the festival grounds. For these merchants, this was an incredible opportunity.
"Hm…" Elizabeth stared at the doll intently. After a few moments, she nodded with a smile. Then, turning to me, she looked hopeful, her peculiar eyes filled with anticipation. I hesitated, wondering what her intentions were. Glancing at the doll in her hands, my eyes widened slightly.
Shaking my head, I sighed. I understood what she was trying to say, but unfortunately—or perhaps fortunately—I didn't have any money on me.
Elizabeth smirked mockingly. "No money, no luck with women," she quipped, pulling out a gold coin and handing it to the vendor.
"N-No! How could I…?" The poor man grew even more flustered, sweating profusely. Receiving money from the princess, and far more than the doll was worth, clearly overwhelmed him.
"Just take it. Remember, the academy's motto is that everyone is equal within its walls. As a gesture of gratitude for being here, keep the change," Elizabeth said, placing the coin in the vendor's trembling hands before standing up. She turned and motioned for me to follow her.
Looking around at how calm everything seemed, I thought, Of course, it's all thanks to the motto she just mentioned. The most important thing at this festival is maintaining order. Some of the arrogant, spoiled children from noble families will inevitably try to cause trouble for the commoners. For this, there are students assigned to deal with such problems.
"Do you think this was the best decision?" Elizabeth asked, glancing around. I couldn't tell if she was genuinely excited or just pretending.
"It's the best they could've done. Look around—people everywhere are enjoying the festival." I had to admit, everything had been organized very quickly. From what Elizabeth told me, the day I found her with Elias—or rather, the day they found me—they were verifying if the rumors about something big happening at the academy were bearing fruit. Not that I knew much about it, since I was more interested in the food than the gossip.
"Yes, it's much better than I expected. But it's still not enough. There's one piece missing from the puzzle. We need to do something that will leave a lasting impression and give people something to talk about for a long time. Time we need to restore our image," Elizabeth said cryptically.
"A situation you caused yourself?" I raised an eyebrow, surprised by how shameless she could be.
"Of course. I don't want to keep hearing my aunt's complaints about how the academy's situation is my fault," Elizabeth sighed. "That's why I decided to open the academy's gates. But even so, there's still one thing missing." She smiled brightly. "As you know, this festival will last five days—a full week of classes. But on the last day, there will be a little surprise for the entire empire to witness!"
Elizabeth extended her hands, bowing slightly in a noble farewell gesture. "It was a pleasure spending the day with you, Arthur," she said before taking her leave.
With my hands in my pockets, I glanced around once more. "There really are so many people."
This day had been a bit strange. With Elizabeth's invitation, I had no choice but to accompany her. It wasn't a bad day overall, but I couldn't help keeping my guard up around her. I couldn't tell what she was really thinking or the true purpose behind this five-day festival, based on her words.
Still, I had a good idea of what the last day would entail. It seemed obvious. The event would likely showcase the power of the academy's students and the empire's future promising talents. Without a doubt, this would generate countless rumors, diverting attention from previous incidents. It was a clever move on Elizabeth's part. But if this event really happened as planned, I'd find myself under the watchful eyes of the entire empire. And if I failed miserably… Well, that was something I wanted to avoid at all costs. Fortunately, I had five days to prepare.
Sitting on one of the few empty benches, I observed the people around me. Many changes had been set in motion, but for now, nothing notable seemed to be happening. Still, I had an uneasy feeling. So many innocent people gathered at the academy, including women and children… It seemed like the perfect moment for an attack.
Gazing up at the sky, I murmured to myself, "The perfect time for a demon attack."
I could only hope that the academy's higher-ups were aware of the risks of hosting such an event. Surely, they wouldn't just sit idly by. Or so I hoped.