There was an astounding silence in the room.
As Desmond stood, he took a quiet bow and left the stage without hearing the audience's response.
It was because he knew that it would take them a long ti to recover from the music he played.
In his heart, he was rejoicing the more that he heard the silence. This was because he knew that he was able to achieve the effect he was aiming for.
"Good job… You did it very well." Eli smiled and praised him in a hushed tone.
Desmond smiled in relief. He knew that his ntor was just as elated as him as he saw the contained excitent in her smile.
No one knew when or how, but it was only for a few minutes that the jury and the audience were able to snap out of their trance.
When they turned their eyes to the stage, they realized that Desmond had already long exited.
At the backstage, the waiting pianist all had terrified looks on their faces.
This ti, they finally recognized how formidable Desmond's ability was. They themselves were not confident that they could create music that would leave such an impact as he did!
It beca more evident when the rest of the competitors perford on stage.
Although they were amazing in their own right, no one had created such an effect as Desmond did.
And so the cheers of the people surged to the highest when he was nad the champion of the Piano competition.
Yet again, a delegate from the Farauld Magic Institute won the top place!
"I know you could do it!" Desmond's friends sward at him as soon as the competition ended.
"I was really thankful that ntor did her best to make the conditions easier for to play. If not for her efforts, I would have played in a bad condition and everything would be in vain." Desmond's eyes were red as he tried to hold back the tears in his eyes.
The hand that held the trophy during the awarding was still shaking even after the end of the program.
Eli let out a light chuckle as she replied, "I was just there to support you. But this honor, you got it all because of your passion and hard work."
"Indeed! Now let's go to the restaurant and celebrate your win once again!" Dean Athena happily cheered as she coaxed the group to go with her to eat at Ristorante de Rion.
"Yay!" The young students exclaid in delight as soon as they heard the na of the restaurant. They could still rember the mont when Eli took them there.
Back then, they were just a bunch of students, easily satisfied with having to pass the preliminary stage.
Now, who would have known…
Almost all of them stood until the finals and were even able to get the top places!
It was still early afternoon when the competition ended. And so everyone headed to Ristorante de Rion to have their late lunch as a celebration.
After the sumptuous al, the bunch along with Eli headed back to the rehearsal room to et the rest of the mbers of the orchestra.
"Master… soone is tailing us!" Suddenly, Eli was startled by Baobao's ntal warning.
Eli acknowledged Baobao's report through their mind link while she tried her best not to show outwardly that she was wary and aware of whoever was watching her.
There is only one aning when Baobao reports that soone was tailing her. It ans that the pursuer had sothing to do with curse magic.
"Oh… my word! I suddenly rembered that I left an urgent matter at headquarters that had to be done by the end of the day! I might no longer accompany you to your rehearsal.." Eli suddenly exclaid, announcing that she had to go separately.
"It's alright, ntor. We just needed a little more enhancent here and there before the competition day arrived. We can handle it." Lainie smiled in understanding as she replied to Eli's words.
"Alright… though I'll be sure to make it on your final rehearsals tomorrow," Eli replied, she looked rather guilty.
After waving them goodbye Eli calmly went to the carriage station to go to the Anti-Curse Committee headquarters.
The stalker seed to be determined to stay close to her and Baobao kept telling her that he or she was near.
'Who on earth are they?'
Eli pondered. Why would they target her?
'Could it be because I caused a lot of commotion during these days?' She was trying to rember so events that could have triggered the enemy's intrigue toward her.
'In any case, I have to get inside the carriage to hide from his eyes.' She decided.
Since she was being watched, she knew that hiding in a secluded area would be more dangerous and suspicious. So she decided to head to the headquarters where there would surely be reinforcents should a confrontation arise.
Besides, the interval of being inside the carriage would give her ti to contact Leon and the rest.
Talking out a notification paper, Eli quickly sent Leon, Nathan, and Mishael.
"Tailed… heading to the headquarters.. 4th road." A short ssage that gave all the details she could give.
She prayed that they would see the ssage so that she would also know what to do next.
Although she was heading to the headquarters, she also knew that where she was heading had many innocent bystanders. She prayed that there would be no confrontation as much as possible.
"Master! Not good… the evil scent was also in this carriage!" Baobao cried out in alarm.
'What!' Eli's heart skipped a beat.
How in the world would it be possible? She did not even feel any presence nearby nor hear any unusual sound other than the sound of the carriage moving!
'Calm down…' Eli breathed slowly.
'If he was not up in the carriage then it could only an that he is in front…'
'But since when did the stalker manage to get into the exact carriage I've been into?'
–
Leon was actually in the Crimson Blade barracks when he heard Little Han scream in panic.
"Daddiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii!!!!" Little Han shouted while he was crying in great alarm.
"What happened?" Leon ran towards Little who was originally playing with the assigned 'Bladesitter' for the day.
"Master, I don't know… he just suddenly cried without any warning." Helpless, Neil explained.
"Sush… Daddy is here…" Leon did not bla the blades and imdiately picked up the panicking Little Han into his arms.
"Daddiii… Mommi… Baobao… danger…" Little Han mumbled beneath his cries. One could see that he was frustrated because he could only communicate through limited words.
But as soon as Leon heard it, he understood.
Just like Eli, Little Han is ntally connected to Baobao and so he must have known through Baobao that Eli's side was in great danger.
"Alright… Daddy will save mommy so behave here ok?" Leon looked at Little Han's puffy eyes and soothed his son's emotion.
"Humm.." As if it was a spell, Little Han gradually cald down.
"Neil, go imdiately to the cottage and keep Little Han safe. Do not forget to inform the Forgeworn elders."
"Master, our madam…" Niel nodded but could not help but asked worriedly.
"I'll go imdiately and look for her. Inform the others to stay alert on their post." Leon replied hastily. After that, his image flashed like a shadow and could no longer be seen in the Crimson Blade's Barracks.
Monts after he was rushing, Eli's ssage arrived.
"4th street… heading towards the Committee Headquarters" Leon imdiately pivoted to change direction and headed imdiately to the area where Eli was heading too.
However, just a few minutes after, he received yet another notification,
"17th street.."
"Delica alley…"
"Moze gate…"
Leon's face darkened. He imdiately conjured more mana and sped up.
For the places sent by Eli were no longer heading towards the headquarters but to a secluded place away from the city!
He was not afraid that Eli would be imdiately hard for he knew that she was strong enough to hold her ground.
What Leon was worried about was the possibility of the enemy pushing her to the corner, so much so that she would be able to use her divine powers.
That would also an that she would reveal her identity as the true Paladin, the real holy mage!
"I'm tracking you… stay calm." Leon imdiately sent a reply, letting Eli know not to move hastily.
On the other side, Eli closed her eyes and cald her breathing as she read Leon's reply.
Judging from the situation, the culprit was taking her sowhere remote.
And since the other party did not show any signs of speeding up, this ant he knew that Eli had already noticed sothing but chose not to panic.
This also ant that even if Eli confronted him or called reinforcent, the other party was not afraid.
Eli could not help but show a vigilant glint in her eyes, to think that they would co at her in open daylight…
Just how confident and brazen are they?'
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