Chapter 447: The Grand First-Year Combat Festival Opening Day

"Good morning, my dear Britannians!!"

Patrick West shouted with an excited expression as he stood at the center of the Arena’s fighting platform.

His voice boomed through the enormous hall.

"YEAHHHHHHHH!!!!"

The response came almost immediately.

Cheerful cries rose from the audience as applause followed from every side, thousands of hands clapping together while the sound rolled through the Arena.

The crowd had already been lively before Patrick appeared, with conversations and excited voices filling the stands, but the moment he opened his mouth, the atmosphere seemed to rise another level.

The entire Arena was getting packed with Nobles and Non-Nobles.

Adults had brought their families.

Young children sat beside their parents, some of them leaning forward in their seats as they looked toward the fighting platform, while others had to be pulled back by their family members after becoming too excited by the noise around them.

People continued entering through the different passageways of the Arena.

The place was quickly getting packed.

That was also one of the reasons the Arena had been reconstructed.

Its previous size had been unable to properly accommodate the growing number of Britannians who wanted to watch major events held by the Royal Academy, especially an event like the Grand First-Year Combat Festival.

The reconstructed Arena could now carry more than one hundred thousand Britannians.

Even then, the seats were steadily filling.

"It’s that time of the month, my people!"

Patrick shouted excitedly.

He slowly turned around, spreading his arms as he looked toward the cheering crowd surrounding the fighting platform.

The response only grew louder.

Patrick grinned.

High above and around the stands, several large Holographic Screens displayed his figure, allowing the people seated farther away to clearly see his expression and movements from the center platform.

The BNC Group was broadcasting the entire Festival live across all the regions of Britannia.

It wasn’t only the people gathered inside the Royal Academy who were watching.

The Festival was also being watched live in other academies across Britannia, with students and staff gathering around Holographic Screens to witness one of the largest events of the year.

***

At the Ash Academy...

"It’s starting."

A rushing group of students moved through the halls, their footsteps echoing as they hurried toward the Ash Academy Hall.

The large hall had been prepared for the students interested in watching the live broadcast of the Grand First-Year Combat Festival. Several Holographic Screens had already been activated around the room, each displaying the same scene from the Royal Academy Arena.

Students continued entering through the doors.

Some quickly searched for empty seats.

Others stood in groups while arguing about who would win the Festival.

"Who do you think will win?"

Scott asked Nathalia as the two of them took their seats.

"Of course, it will be Lady Vera. Why else would win, if not our Lady?"

Nathalia replied with a confident expression, answering so quickly that it was obvious she had already made up her mind long before Scott asked the question.

"But, Lady Diane Bergwyn will be a tough opponent, though."

Daniella said calmly.

Her eyes remained on the Holographic Screen.

She wasn’t denying Nathalia’s confidence in Lady Vera. However, the memory of Diane Bergwyn beating Vera in the young ages, wasn’t something to dismiss.

"I’m sorry to spoil your delusions, but Sir Ravenor Burnwick has it in the bag."

Freed said as he adjusted his glasses.

Nathalia immediately turned toward him.

"Shut up, Glasses Boy."

She pointed at him with an annoyed expression.

"Why are you even sitting with us? Go sit with your goons."

Daniella added with an irritated tone.

"Where I sit isn’t your business."

Freed replied without looking bothered.

He ignored the looks the two girls gave him and focused his eyes on the Holographic Screen showing the live broadcast of the Combat Festival.

His expression remained calm.

Still, there was a slight look of anticipation behind his glasses.

After all, regardless of which student they supported, everyone present understood that this Festival would show them just how much the Royal Academy’s first-years had grown since the beginning of the year, compared to his own growth.

"Wait... what about you, Gena?"

Nathalia asked.

The group turned their attention toward Gena.

Gena was sitting with a plate of vanilla cake resting in front of her.

She was already eating.

Nathalia narrowed her eyes.

"You’re already eating?"

"What? I want to enjoy the Festival while eating."

Gena replied with a piece of cake still in her mouth.

She calmly picked up another piece as if there was nothing strange about what she was doing.

Nathalia and Daniella exchanged helpless smiles.

"Gena, who do you think will win?"

Nathalia asked.

"Ehn... win the Combat Festival..."

Gena repeated while looking toward the Holographic Screen.

For a moment, her eyes remained fixed on the live broadcast.

Then she answered without any hesitation.

"Obviously... it will be between Lady Vera or Ezra."

"Ezra?"

Daniella and Scott looked slightly uncomfortable the moment they heard his name.

The two of them could never forget Ezra Ashenlocke.

Not after what he did to them.

And because of that...

The two knew that Gena’s words weren’t impossible.

Even Nathalia knew that too.

However, placing him beside Vera as one of the two people most likely to win the entire Festival was still something that sounded difficult to accept.

"Gena, don’t be overly delusional, like the rest."

Freed said calmly.

"There is no way that guy is going to make it to the quarterfinals, not to even mention the semifinals."

He spoke in a firm tone.

However, when he glanced toward Gena, his expression softened slightly.

"I don’t care about what you think. And why are you even here?"

Gena replied before turning sharply toward Blake.

"Ezra will definitely win. Isn’t that right, Blake?"

Blake was sitting nearby with his eyes glued to the live broadcast.

He had been watching the Holographic Screen without paying much attention to the conversation happening around him.

Only after hearing Gena call his name did he turn his head.

"Yes. Sir Ezra will win."

He replied with complete confidence.

There wasn’t even a moment of hesitation in his voice.

Gena nodded in satisfaction.

"I also believe Ezra can win."

Bobby suddenly raised his hand excitedly.

Everyone looked at him.

However, the confidence on Bobby’s face quickly disappeared.

His raised hand slowly dropped.

"Wait... I also want the Young Lord to win."

He muttered to himself.

Panic appeared on his face.

His eyes moved between the people he wanted to support, and his entire expression gradually became more troubled.

"Ahh... I don’t know who to support."

Bobby placed a hand against his head.

Nathalia, Freed, Scott, and Daniella looked at Gena, Blake, and Bobby.

The three people were all supporting Ezra.

For a brief moment, the four of them didn’t know what to say.

Freed adjusted his glasses again.

Nathalia sighed.

Daniella shook her head with a helpless smile, but there was a small hint of fear coming from hearing Ezra’s name.

Scott simply looked back at the Holographic Screen.

The Festival hadn’t even begun yet, and the arguments over who would win had already started.

***

Back in the Royal Academy...

"Welcoming the Count and Countess of House Evergrey."

Patrick announced from the center of the fighting platform.

He bowed politely while facing the area where the Count and his wife sat.

Count Everard Evergrey calmly raised his hand and waved toward the audience.

Henriette Evergrey also waved her hand lightly, a soft smile resting on her face.

The crowd applauded them.

At this point, the Arena was finally filled with all the guests who had paid to attend the Festival.

The noise of the audience remained lively, though it gradually became more organized as Patrick continued the welcoming ceremony.

He had already welcomed all the Counts and Countesses present.

And now, it was time to welcome the main powers of the Kingdom.

"Welcome the Duke and Duchesses of Galehart!"

Patrick raised his voice.

He lowered his head while facing the side where the Duke of Galehart and his wives sat.

That section was located at the very top podium of the Arena, where the other main powers of Britannia were also seated.

The moment Patrick announced them, everyone in the audience rose from their seats.

The movement spread across the enormous Arena.

Then, they bowed.

The Duke of Galehart and his two wives calmly waved toward the crowd.

The Duke’s emerald-green eyes slowly looked around the Arena.

His expression remained calm.

He wasn’t doing anything special.

He was simply seated there, looking over the hundreds of thousands of people gathered below him.

Yet even through the Holographic Screens, many people felt a faint chill run through their bodies.

The feeling was difficult to explain.

Perhaps it was because they knew who they were looking at.

The head of one of Britannia’s Duke Houses.

"Welcoming the Duke and Duchesses of Burnwick."

Patrick announced.

He bowed again.

The crowd remained standing and lowered their heads in another respectful bow.

The Duke of Burnwick raised one hand and waved once.

He was seated with the side of his head resting against his left hand, looking completely relaxed despite the attention of the entire Arena being directed toward him.

Beside him, his three wives waved at the crowd with elegant smiles.

The contrast between their relaxed expressions and the serious attention of the audience was clear.

Yet no one found it strange.

They were members of House Burnwick.

They had every right to remain comfortable while an entire Arena stood to welcome them.

"Welcoming the Duke and Duchesses of Bergwyn."

Patrick said calmly.

He bowed respectfully toward the position where the Bergwyn family sat.

The crowd bowed again.

Another round of applause followed.

The sound continued spreading through the Arena as the Holographic Screens displayed the members of the Duke House.

The welcoming ceremony was moving from one powerful House to another.

And with each name Patrick announced, the atmosphere changed slightly.

The people sitting in the Arena were no longer only looking at important guests.

They were looking at some of the people who stood at the very top of Britannia’s noble society.

"Welcome the Duchess of Drakes."

Patrick announced.

He bowed toward the position where the Duchess of Drakes sat.

She calmly waved toward the audience.

However, the person seated beside her was not the Duke of Drakes.

Drax Drakes occupied the position his father was supposed to be sitting in.

Since the Duke of Drakes wasn’t available to attend the Festival...

Drax had come to represent his father as the Young Lord of House Drakes.

The crowd bowed again.

Although he was still the Young Lord, his position among the guests made it clear that he was representing the authority of the Duke House in his father’s absence.

"Welcome the Duchesses of Ashenlocke."

Patrick turned toward the section where the two Duchesses of Ashenlocke were seated.

He lowered his head into a respectful bow.

The crowd followed.

Regina Ashenlocke and Hailey Ashenlocke calmly waved toward the audience with warm smiles on their faces.

Byron Ashenlocke sat on the left side of his mother, Regina.

Bale sat beside his stepmother, Hailey, on the right.

The two of them had come to represent the Duke of Ashenlocke.

The Duke himself was not available to attend because he was still in seclusion, and since Veda the Young Lord was amongst the first-years, the festival was about.

He couldn’t be there.

Still, the absence of the Duke and Young Lord didn’t lessen the attention directed toward House Ashenlocke.

The name itself was already enough to make many people look in their direction.

After all, the Duke House was known throughout Britannia as the home of Gun Alchemists.

And presently...

They were on a big rise.

"Welcoming the Duchess and Duke of House Derlis."

Patrick faced the final Duke House.

The Duchess of Derlis, who was also the head of the House, raised her hand and waved with a pleased smile.

Her husband also waved calmly beside her.

The crowd bowed.

With that...

Patrick had finished welcoming the major Duke Houses of Britannia.

The people in the audience raised their heads.

However, they still remained standing.

Patrick hadn’t finished yet.

After that, he finally turned toward the center of the place where all the main powers of Britannia sat.

The central position.

"Welcome the Lord of the Royal Alchemists... Sir Alister Morgan."

Patrick bowed respectfully.

The crowd, still standing, immediately bowed as well.

Alister calmly raised his hand and waved.

He was seated close to the person occupying the main position at the center.

Two Royal Alchemist Apprentices of the Solar Branch stood at his sides in professional military stances.

Their backs remained straight.

Their expressions didn’t change.

They stood silently beside Alister, carrying themselves with the discipline expected from people serving under the Royal Alchemists.

"And finally... welcome our lovely and beautiful Queen of Britannia!"

Patrick’s voice became even louder.

He bowed respectfully.

At the same time, the entire Arena reacted.

The Dukes.

The Counts.

And the entire crowd all stood fully and bowed toward the woman seated at the center.

The Queen of Britannia.

Her face was covered by a veil as she politely waved toward the crowd.

Her white hair was neatly arranged, with golden flower petals resting among the strands.

She wore a white-and-gold gown.

A golden crown rested neatly upon her hair.

Two Royal Alchemists stood at her sides.

The moment the entire Arena lowered their heads, the atmosphere became noticeably different.

The earlier excitement surrounding the Festival didn’t disappear.

It simply became quieter.

More respectful.

For several moments, the sound of the cheering crowd was replaced by the quiet movement of thousands of people holding their bows.

Then...

The Queen gently waved her hand.

Everyone slowly raised their heads.

However, they still remained standing.

Because the next phase before the Festival truly began was about to commence.

The Britannia Anthem.

And the Royal Academy Anthem.