Same World, Same Princess, Different Path [WMMAP]

Chapter 20 - The Hunting Season Part.6 - End of The Arc I

"We finally have our two finalists! Congratulations to Ijekiel Alpheus and Athanasia de Alger Obelia for making it this far!" The applause of the assembly resounded loudly in the eardrums of Athanasia and Ijekiel, this time in the middle of a huge stadium whose bleachers went around it. Everyone was there, everyone except him. Once again, the Princess' expression became sadder as her eyes searched unsuccessfully for the magician's.

"Father! They did it!" Clinging to Claude's arm and almost hysterical, Jeanette almost shook him in every direction, excited to see the two members of her family on the podium.

"Huh huh." Claude just sighed, rested his chin on the palm of his free hand. Watching Athanasia being cheered, he thought about her request. She wanted the crown. And if she won, he definitely couldn't refuse it. Besides, was it so bad? She had already proven to him in the past that she knew how to deal with administrative documents, just the opposite of Jeanette. And the Empire would have a better chance of getting by with her in charge.

"Calliope? Where are you going? He's about to announce the final event..." When Calliope suddenly stood up from her seat, her friends' eyes turned directly to her.

"I know Helena but... I need to find someone really fast! I'll be back in a few minutes!" And without them having time to ask her where, Calliope managed to run away and finally out of the stadium.

Trotting around at a rather hurried pace, she headed for the forest soon enough, trying to go unnoticed. 'Last time, I saw him leaning against a tree. So he must surely be around, right?' The girl lifted the flaps of her dress, turning her head from right to left in the hope of spotting the person she was looking for. And it was only a few seconds later that she saw what seemed to be a cloak hidden behind a huge tree trunk.

"Sir... Lucas?" She stomped closer to her target and finally, two red orbs came to meet her pink eyes. "I knew I would find you here." Taking a few more steps closer, Lucas' voice rang in her ears.

"A noblewoman in the forest? You shouldn't be wandering around so innocently here, child." He lectured her in a reproachful tone and Calliope couldn't help but raise an eyebrow.

"You're doing it again."

"What?" Frowning, Lucas straightened from his previously seated position.

"Child. You keep calling me that." She put on a sulky expression and let a "Huph!" come out of her mouth. "If you know about Athanasia, I don't need to hide my situation from you, since you must know too, right?" Suddenly, Lucas' face relaxed and he finally stood up, a smirk on his face.

"Oh~ So she finally told you about it?" His eyes sparkled with mischief and excitement as he stretched the different parts of his body.

"You... can say that. But whatever, I came to take you back with me." When he heard that, he stopped dead in his tracks, carefully scanning Calliope up and down.

"Take me back? Really? And why?"

"What do you mean "Why"? Athanasia won the second event and is about to take the last one." She took his arm with hers. "You must come and cheer her on, at least for this event!" She tried to pull him towards her, but it was without counting on Lucas and his strength that didn't move him one iota.

"I told her I'd come back later." He retrieved his arm and put on a rather indecipherable expression. "So I don't need-"

"Lord Ijekiel and her are going to compete for victory." Suddenly, Lucas stopped. For reasons Calliope didn't know, the name 'Ijekiel' caused him to fly into rages that were sometimes quite intense. But she didn't see the aura around him turn black and continued. "Since they were hunting together this morning, it is normal that they are both finalists. But you should have been there to see the huge beast they-"
With a snap of the wizard's finger, Calliope and him found themselves at the side of Elphinny and Carsein, who flinched in unison.