A few days later…
Eight young students assembled in front of the academy gates, all bringing their own equipment and instruments with them. They looked at the familiar majestic facade of the Farauld Magic institute, they all wore nostalgic yet strained expressions.
They seemed to have taken pride in the fact that they were wearing the same uniform as the other, however, there was an obvious sadness in their eyes.
"We came back… surprisingly…" One of them, a youth with a tall build yet a docile expression mumbled to his companions.
They were once deemed students by the institute, but because of the sudden decline of their own departments, the school had no choice but to completely abolish their department.
They were given a choice to be sent abroad at the institute's expense but they could not bring themselves to accept it because the fact that they were accepted by the institute without any tuition for their first year was already something they could never repay.
They were ready to go out and hone their crafts for themselves as they thought that the learnings they gained during their one year of attending the school were already more than enough for them.
However, the Deputy Chairman was insistent to have their education continue in other ways. And so he found several willing professionals to take them in as apprentices, to immerse them with the real-life application of their own areas of expertise for the next two years.
But these so-called professionals were just out to take the money from the institute.
They appeared to have accepted the job by taking in the students only to leave them right after receiving payment. Some of them still managed to teach a thing or two, but the others were completely abandoned.
Even so, these eight unfortunate students agreed not to worry the deans and instead tried to make a living on their own while trying as much as possible to hone their crafts.
Until they reach the two-year period, they hoped to come back with great improvements so as to give back to the institute and volunteer as teachers to revive their lost department.
But who would have known that they would be summoned back to the institute before their two-year immersion period lapsed?
"Shall we head inside?" Lainie suggested to everyone after she took a few nervous breaths.
"Alright, we should head in… Deputy Chairman and Dean Athena might have been waiting." One of them answered.
Upon entering, they were asked to patiently wait in the conference room while the assistant informed Deputy Chairman Bramwell and the rest of their arrival.
"What could be the reason why the Deputy Chairman called us?" A shy-looking lady quivered nervously as she looked around.
"Well… maybe he was here to ask for some updates about our 'apprenticeship', though I have to remind everyone that we have to stick to what we have decided to tell them.." Another lad answered.
Everyone nodded as if they had already agreed to something beforehand.
After some time, the door opened, revealing Deputy Chairman Bramwell, Dean Athena, and Eli. Upon seeing them, the eight young people got up and greeted them respectfully. Although they count not help themselves throw some curious glances toward Eli, whom they were unfamiliar with.
Except for one person, Lainie.
"!!!" Lainie was surprised to see Eli in the deputy chairman's entourage.
Even though Eli had completely disguised herself during the flea market encounter with Lainie she was still able to recognize Eli's current appearance. That was because they had once met before Eli finally moved into the Capital with her 'official appearance' the only difference was Eli was now 'dyed' with dark hair.
Eli met Lainie's gaze and placed her index finger in her mouth, asking Lainie to keep their previous encounter a secret from anyone in the room.
Lainie gave a slight nod of understanding as she shifted her focus to the elders in the room.
"It is good to see you all, Anna, Raphael, Max, Haley, Marie, Raya, Lainie, and Desmond," Deputy Chairman Bramwell smiled amicably to the young students as he gestured for everyone to sit down and hear what he wanted to say.
"Before I say my reason why I called you here all of a sudden, I'd have to introduce someone to you. Although you might have heard of her name before…" Bramwell looked at Eli proudly before announcing her name.
"The lady in front of you was none other than Eli, the great inventor… and also my niece…" Bramwell cheerfully announced.
Everyone was struck with surprise, even Lainie who had met Eli earlier on. They never thought that the legendary young inventor who has made countless households' lives easier was now in their midst.
"I-its a p-pleasure to meet you… Great Inventor!" They all shyly greeted, their eyes which were once curious were now filled with admiration and respect.
"Nice to meet all of you…" Eli replied with a curt smile.
Although she was excited to meet them deep inside, she was currently wearing a hat of a future instructor to some of them.
And so, while she was still figuring out their personalities and attitude towards the matter that will soon be brought up by her Uncle Bramwell, she maintained a docile yet businesswoman-like demeanor in front of them.
The youth did not take it wrong as well because of Eli's profession. Everyone in Prasinos would view researchers and inventors like Eli to have an eccentric personality, and so they somehow expected her to act this way.
Instead, her calmness made them recover from the initial shock and started to properly introduce themselves.
"My name is Anna, I am a student learning Painting." The girl with a shy expression yet gentle-looking amber eyes greeted Eli nervously.
"Great Inventor, my name is Raphael, I am also learning the art of painting…" The lad with a tall build yet a slightly tanned complexion added.
"Please call me Max, great inventor… I am an aspiring sculptor…" Another lad with a slightly ragged appearance that might be due to the harsh conditions of his work environment introduced himself.
"My name is Haley, Great Inventor… I play the Cello…" A cheerful young lady with lush curly hair greeted Eli.
"I am called Marie… I play the Viola…" A petite lady with a cute bunch of freckles on her youthful cheeks greeted shyly.
"Raya… violin…" Another young lady with quite a silent demeanor in contrast with her lively bronze hair shortly introduced herself.
"Desmond, a student in piano… Nice to meet you, Great Inventor…" Another young lad with features sharing the same as Raya but with a more approachable countenance greeted Eli.
Finally, Lanie introduced herself, "Lanie, I am currently studying music arrangement and composition."
"Now we are done with the introductions, let us move to the main topic." Deputy Bramwell looked at everyone as he now navigated the discussion.
Suddenly the atmosphere in the room became serious.
"The reason why we have called all of you back was that the Institute needs you…" The vice chairman explained.
The young people looked at each other, then back to Bramwell and Dean Athena. They all had a look of confusion on their faces.
"Do you remember the Grand Tournament that was done every five years?" He asked the young ones, to which the young ones nodded in affirmation.
"It turns out that the competition would be held here in our empire, and that two of the chosen topics under the Academic Division were Music and Fine Arts."
The young people were shocked by the news. If it was not for the fact that they were talking to the elders, they would have reacted in their usual rowdy ways.
And so Desmond, who seemed to have been acting as the leader of the group raised his hands and asked the Vice Chairman's permission to speak.
"Ask away…" Vice Chairman Bramwell asked.
"Deputy Chairman… If I am not mistaken, the tournament seldom takes music and fine arts as subjects of the competition for various reasons. Why suddenly choose it now…" Desmond asked with a careful tone.
"Sigh… it was actually because some people wanted to take advantage of the fact that we are not in any way ready to host a big event and that our department was virtually non-existent that they wanted to get this opportunity to get something from the academy.
"Deputy Chairman, you mean… for the tournament prize?" The young ones asked, it was known to every student at the institute to know of the real prize of the tournament.
Subconsciously they looked at Eli. In their minds, they were thinking that the rival schools might want to take advantage of the tournament to get the great inventor's knowledge.
"It is as you have said." Deputy Chairman Bramwell answered. "That is why we have called you to become representatives of the institute."
The young people looked at each other, clearly troubled by the information they were given.
Lost as to what they wanted to answer, Desmond sighed. Looking as if he was about to say something that might cause him to lose his life, he mustered his courage and finally replied,
"Not to offend the Deputy Chairman, the Dean, and the Great Inventor. I must speak for myself only… that I'd have to decline to participate in this matter…"
"I/we feel the same, Deputy Chairman…" The rest replied with fearful expressions.
