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"What talent are you going to present to us?" Seneca finally spoke up, breaking the uneasy silence. His voice carried an unexpected tone of amusement and challenge, which confused the other game makers—none of whom expected him to engage so directly. They had assumed the man would keep to the shadows, overseeing peace and appraisal from afar.
Estella returned a sweet, composed smile, carefully maintaining the image of the graceful spirit girl, the persona that the crowd so eagerly adored and expected from her. It was a mask she wore well, one that had been crafted from the hopeful eyes and whispers of those watching.
"There isn't much I can do," she replied softly, her voice laced with a polite but sharp edge. "My partner is kind enough to show what he can. And, I'm afraid, you people seem a little shaken up." Her words cut through the room like a blade, provoking a wave of curses and roars from the crowd.
The rudeness of her tone was palpable, but Seneca wasn't fazed; instead, he smiled proudly, as if amused by the disruption. Letting the protests echo in her ears, Estella calmly scanned the now spotless, blood-free training hall—a stark contrast to the violent scene Aries had just left behind.
Her gaze landed thoughtfully on the knife-throwing dummy. Aries had already shown far too much—if she overperformed now, it might ignite tension during training, especially with the Careers watching closely.
Settling on something simple, Estella picked up five knives with practiced ease. She threw them all in one smooth, effortless motion—so fast that the naked eye could barely follow the blades. Each knife struck true: two pierced the dummy's heart, another buried itself in its head, and the final two severed the ropes suspending the target in midair.
That display was enough.
With a graceful bow, she exited the room without looking back, leaving behind a silence thick with both awe and unease.
When she reached the waiting room, her expectations were confirmed. Aries was already there, standing unfazed as Dennis erupted in furious screams, berating him for the violent scene he had just caused.
Yet Aries met the anger with a calm scoff. "What can they do to me? Kick me out of the games?" His attitude was cool, as if defying consequences, but it softened slightly as he caught sight of Estella standing quietly beside him.
Dennis's rage was boiling over, barely held in check. "No! But they might do something to others—your mother, your family!" the mentor shouted, desperation thick in his voice.
Aries's response was a sudden burst of boisterous laughter, genuine and full, as if he had just heard the funniest joke in the world. Dennis looked to Estella for an explanation, but she said nothing. Aries's eyes darkened, glinting with bitter memories. "Dennis, you old man," he said, roughly patting Dennis's shoulder with a smile that was both mocking and angry.
