Chapter 601: The Grand First-Year Combat Festival: The Final

The lively noise of the Arena continued to fill the vast structure as another performance began, with music spreading through the stands while spectators sang along, waved their hands, and settled into their seats in preparation for the final match.

The atmosphere had changed.

This was no longer the excitement of another ordinary round.

The entire Kingdom had been talking about the two finalists for days, and now hundreds of thousands of people had gathered to see which one would stand at the end.

Some spectators leaned over the railings while discussing the fighters with the people beside them.

Others waved banners bearing the names of their favorite Young Alchemists.

A few simply sat with their arms folded, waiting to see whether the battle would live up to all the rumors that had spread throughout Britannia.

The main topic of nearly every conversation was the same.

Who would win?

A large number of spectators were supporting Lady Vera Ashenlocke.

After all, Vera already had more fans than almost every other Young Alchemist who had participated in the Combat Festival.

And because of her calm attitude, her strange ability to manipulate the battle rhythm of her matches, and the way she had fought through the tournament had only made her even more popular.

However, Maxwell had gained a large number of supporters as well, especially from the sides of the Bergwyns, Evergreys, Drakeses, and Galeharts.

Many of them did not want an Ashenlocke to win.

Especially Vera Ashenlocke.

Several members of the Bergwyn and Galehart Duke Houses still remembered that Vera had defeated their young ladies during the tournament.

That alone was enough for some of them to cheer for Maxwell.

As more people argued about the finalists, small discussions quickly became louder ones.

A supporter of Vera would praise her ability to predict attacks.

Someone supporting Maxwell would immediately bring up the destructive power of his Alchemy Path.

Another person would mention the white flames Maxwell had revealed during his previous match.

Then someone else would argue that Vera had the ability to control the battlefield better than Maxwell.

The arguments spread through the stands until the once peaceful excitement of the morning became a lively clash of voices.

At the seating section reserved for the High Powers of the Kingdom, however, the situation was considerably more entertaining.

"Alright, girls... let’s get ready."

The Queen of Britannia spoke with a pleased smile.

She was holding a hand fan with Vera’s picture printed across it.

The Queen raised it proudly and waved it toward the Arena.

Two Royal Guards stood nearby, each holding one side of a large banner bearing Vera’s face.

The Queen had apparently made sure that everyone around her knew exactly which side she supported.

She had even convinced almost all the Heads of the Royal Alchemist Branches to wear Vera merchandise.

The only real challenge had been getting the Flowers of Britannia to wear them.

But the Queen had somehow succeeded.

Sasha immediately raised both hands.

"Yeahhhhhh!!! I’m feeling ignited!!"

She smiled brightly, clearly enjoying every second of the situation.

"That’s the spirit, little Sasha."

The Queen looked at her with satisfaction.

Then she turned toward the other Flowers.

"You girls should also act like her. Or don’t you want your fellow Flower to win?"

Willow lowered her head slightly.

"I am rooting for Vera, Your Highness, but I’m not sure if she can win this fight."

The Queen did not seem bothered by her uncertainty.

"Who cares about whether little Vera can win or not? All we have to do is show our support, isn’t that right, my daughter?"

The Queen turned toward Stella Aethelmont.

Stella was standing there while holding Vera merchandise, her face already showing how embarrassed she was by the entire situation.

"I’m not even a Flower, and you’re forcing me to do something like this."

Her voice cracked slightly as she looked at the Vera merchandise in her hands.

The Queen’s smile widened.

"Come on. Isn’t Vera the person you look up to?"

A cheeky smirk appeared on her face.

"Mother!"

Stella’s face immediately turned pink.

The Queen laughed softly.

"I would have also made Victoria join us, but she’s such a lady that she refused even her own mother’s request."

She placed a hand against her cheek and shook her head lightly.

"Ahh... Ahh..."

Sasha looked completely entertained.

"Your Highness, we are here to make up the numbers."

She spoke clearly, obviously enjoying Stella’s embarrassment.

"We will do our best to cheer for Vera."

Selena smiled elegantly.

"My girls, you are such flowers."

The Queen’s eyes sparkled.

She seemed even more pleased now that everyone had agreed to support Vera.

Bale Ashenlocke raised both hands.

"I will also support my sister with everything I’ve got, Your Highness."

He lowered his head respectfully toward the Queen and the people gathered around her.

Duchess Regina and Duchess Hailey also approached and lowered their heads.

"Thank you, Your Highness, for this support. The Ashenlockes really appreciate it."

The two spoke at the same time, pleased smiles appearing on their faces.

The Queen waved one hand dismissively.

"Don’t bother about it. It has been a long time since the Royal Academy started the Grand First-Year Combat Festival that a Flower of Britannia has made it to the final."

Her gaze returned to the Arena.

"So, as a former Flower myself, I have to cheer for my successor."

Her voice remained calm, but the Vera fan in her hand moved again as she waved it proudly.

Nearby, Vice Headmaster Godwin and the other Heads of the Royal Alchemist Branches could only smile helplessly.

The Queen had been one of the people supporting Maxwell from the beginning.

Then she had switched to that other child of Ash.

And now she was completely devoted to the Flower of Ashenlocke.

The Heads looked at one another.

Then, almost at the same time, they shook their heads.

None of them seemed surprised anymore.

"Are you ready, Britannians?!"

Patrick’s voice suddenly echoed from the speakers surrounding the Arena.

The Queen’s head turned sharply toward the platform.

"It’s starting."

She immediately sat down elegantly.

The others followed, taking their seats as the noise from the crowd began to rise again.

Patrick stood calmly on the fight platform alongside Professor Kent.

He lifted the microphone.

"I said, are you ready, my Britannians?!"

His voice was louder this time.

"YESSSSSSSSS!!!!"

The entire Arena responded.

The sound shook the stands.

Young nobles and non-nobles raised their hands.

Some children jumped in place.

Others waved their banners above their heads as the enormous crowd answered Patrick’s question.

Professor Kent smoothly took over.

"We have come a long way, but now the strongest two Young Alchemists have been decided."

His voice carried through the speakers.

"Today, we are going to watch the Top First-Year Student of the Royal Academy be decided!"

He raised his voice at the end.

The crowd erupted again.

"Yeahhhhhh!!"

"Lady Vera Ashenlocke will win!!"

"Mr. Maxwell, you’ve got this!!"

"Show us your white flames!!"

"The Jewel of Ash!!"

"My Black Queen will win!!"

The voices continued overlapping.

Some spectators were shouting Vera’s name.

Others were calling for Maxwell.

They continued waving the banners while others simply cupped their hands around their mouths to make their voices carry farther.

The people watching through Skynet were no different.

The live chat continued flooding with excited comments, with viewers arguing about which finalist had the greater chance of winning.

The excitement spread far beyond the Arena itself.

Everyone wanted to see the final.

Professor Kent lowered his voice slightly.

"Now..."

He allowed the word to hang for a moment before continuing.

"Without wasting any more of our time, I would like to welcome both fighters..."

His words came slowly, allowing anticipation to build through the stands.

The crowd became quieter.

Not completely silent, but noticeably quieter.

Everyone knew what came next.

"Mr. Maxwell!!!!"

Patrick West took over.

His voice became loud and bright.

"Mr. Maxwell!!!"

"Let’s go, Golden Flames time!!!"

"You can do it!!!"

"You’re going to win, I believe in you!!"

The spectators supporting Maxwell erupted as the left Arena entrance opened.

Maxwell stepped out.

His expression was more focused than ever.

Even so, the nervousness that usually followed him was still there.

He could feel the eyes of hundreds of thousands of people watching him.

His hands tightened slightly before he relaxed them again.

He continued walking.

His footsteps carried him toward the center of the Arena.

The cheers followed him the entire way.

Maxwell eventually reached the fight platform and lowered his head respectfully toward Professor Kent and Patrick West.

Patrick waved his hand in greeting.

Maxwell nodded once.

The cheering continued, but there was a strange quietness beneath it.

Most people were waiting for the other name.

They already knew who was coming next, but they wanted to hear Patrick say it.

"Versus..."

Patrick shouted, stretching the word.

The atmosphere changed instantly.

Vera’s supporters leaned forward.

Some stood from their seats.

Others raised their banners.

A few had already prepared their voices.

They were waiting.

Patrick’s voice rang through the Arena.

"Lady Vera Ashenlocke!!"

The response was immediate.

"The Jewel of Ash!!"

"You are so beautiful!!"

"You can do it, Lady Vera!!"

"So elegant!!"

"The Best Flower of Britannia!!"

"Lady Vera Ashenlocke!!"

The cheers erupted with such force that they towered over the spectators who had been supporting Maxwell only moments earlier.

The sound rolled across the Arena.

Some of Vera’s supporters waved her banners more energetically.

Others raised their hands higher.

The Queen’s banner was visible among them as the Royal Guards continued holding it high.

Then Vera finally appeared from the Arena entrance.

She walked out while giving the crowd a lazy wave.

There was no rush in her steps.

She did not hurry because this was the final.

She did not look overwhelmed by the hundreds of thousands of people shouting her name.

She simply walked toward the platform at her usual pace, her expression relaxed as though she were heading toward something far more ordinary than the final of one of the largest tournaments the Royal Academy had ever held.

Her dark dull eyes moved across the crowd for a brief moment.

The noise continued.

Vera did not seem particularly bothered by it.

She continued walking until she reached the platform.

After stepping onto it, she politely greeted Professor Kent and Patrick West.

"Professor Kent. Patrick."

Her voice was casual.

She then turned her attention toward Maxwell.

Her eyes settled on him.

The cheers from the crowd continued behind her, but Vera seemed to pay little attention to them now.

Maxwell stood on the opposite side of the platform.

The two Young Alchemists looked at one another.

The final match of the Grand First-Year Combat Festival was about to begin.