Chapter 615: The Grand First-Year Combat Festival: Award and Ending Ceremony II

A lady dressed in an elegant pink-and-black gown walked out through the arena entrance, with the Golden Matching Order Band following behind her.

The moment she appeared, several spectators who had been talking among themselves turned their heads toward the entrance. A few recognized the familiar figure at once, while others needed only a brief look at her face before realizing who had arrived.

The lady was Edith Evermont.

Her gown moved gently with each step, and the pink fabric caught the light whenever she passed beneath one of the lamps illuminating the arena. The black sections of her dress gave the outfit a neat balance, while her posture remained graceful as she walked toward the center of the arena.

Behind her, the Golden Matching Order Band entered in an orderly formation, carrying their instruments with care. The musicians did not rush, nor did they allow the crowd’s growing excitement to disturb their movements. They had come to perform at the Award and Ending Ceremony of the Grand First-Year Combat Festival, and their presence made it clear that the ceremony was about to move into its next stage.

Once they had entered, the members of the band moved toward the sides of the First-Year students standing on the platform.

Edith continued walking toward the front of the assembled students, her steps steady as she approached the position from which she would address the arena. When she reached the front, she turned toward the seating section where the High Powers of the Kingdom were gathered.

She looked at the students standing behind her.

A warm smile appeared on her face.

"Oh, my scholars."

The words were simple, but the reaction from the First-Years was immediate.

Many of the students standing on the platform like soldiers raised their hands to their mouths, while others placed their hands on their heads. Several looked at one another with wide eyes, their earlier discipline giving way to excitement now that they had seen Edith up close.

A few boys stood straighter without even realizing it.

Others tried to maintain their composure, though the smiles spreading across their faces made their efforts rather obvious.

The students had known that the ceremony would include several important guests, but not everyone had expected Edith Evermont to appear before them.

"That’s Miss Edith Evermont."

A First-Year noble lady pointed toward Edith while tapping the shoulder of the friend standing beside her.

Her friend turned immediately, following the direction of the pointing finger.

"I didn’t know they would invite her for the festival."

"My day just got better."

"Wow, she’s so pretty."

More voices rose from the assembled students as they discussed the woman standing before them. Some were excited about her appearance, while others seemed more interested in the chance to see someone they admired from such a short distance.

Edith heard the growing excitement around her.

Rather than rushing into the ceremony, she allowed herself a moment to acknowledge the students.

She raised one hand and waved toward them, maintaining an elegant smile as her gaze passed across the rows of young Alchemists.

The response from the boys was particularly noticeable.

Several First-Year boys blushed when she smiled in their direction, and one or two quickly turned their faces away, only to look back a moment later when they thought nobody was watching.

Edith did not appear to mind the attention.

She continued waving before turning her gaze toward Selena Galehart, who stood at the front of the sixth column.

Sasha Burnwick stood on Selena’s right, while Diane Bergwyn stood on her left.

Vera Ashenlocke stood to Diane’s left, and Willow Derlis stood on Vera’s left.

All five Flowers of the Kingdom occupied positions at the front of their respective columns, standing among the ten-column horizontal arrangement of the First-Year students.

With so many students assembled on the platform, their positions made them easy to notice, but none of the five stepped out of formation. They remained where they were, facing forward as Edith turned back toward the rest of the arena.

The lady raised her head slightly and looked around.

The arena now looked somewhat like a field of stars shining in the night.

The ceiling had already closed, and the lights spread throughout the enormous structure gave the spectators and the banners around them a different appearance from the bright morning scene outside. Hundreds of thousands of faces were visible beneath the lights, while the Royal Academy crest remained displayed across the walls.

Edith took in the sight before addressing the gathering.

"Good Morning, Britannians!!"

Her voice carried through the arena.

"Good Morning!!!! Miss Edith!!!!"

The crowd responded energetically.

Many young adults, teenagers, and children who recognized Edith Evermont rose to their feet, waving the merchandise they had bought before the ceremony began.

Some held small banners above their heads, while others waved cloth items bearing her name. A few spectators leaned forward from their seats, trying to make sure Edith could see them among the enormous gathering.

They had already been excited about the Award and Ending Ceremony, but knowing that Edith would make an appearance and perform had given them another reason to look forward to the event.

Now that she had finally arrived, the excitement spread quickly through the arena.

"We Love you, Miss Edith Evermont!!"

"You are so beautiful!!!"

"I love your voice!!!"

"Yeahhhhhh!!!"

Her fans continued expressing their excitement, with some shouting loud enough that their voices carried across several rows of seats.

Edith allowed them to cheer for a little longer.

She stood at the front of the platform, smiling as the noise rolled around the arena. Rather than trying to speak over everyone, she waited for the crowd to enjoy the moment, giving the spectators enough time to settle into the excitement of seeing her.

Eventually, she brought her hands together in front of her body and bowed elegantly.

It was a proper greeting befitting a Lady of Britannia, performed with the kind of care that came from knowing exactly how to present herself before a large audience.

The cheering gradually became quieter as she straightened.

Edith then turned her attention toward the section where the Kingdom’s most powerful figures were seated.

"Good Morning to the Powers of the Kingdom, and to the Queen of Britannia."

She spoke calmly and respectfully.

At that moment, the four Holographic Screens changed what they were displaying.

Until then, the screens had shown the First-Year students standing on the platform from different angles. Now, the images shifted to the Queen, the Dukes and Duchesses, the Vice Headmaster of the Royal Academy, and the Heads of the Royal Alchemist Branches.

The change allowed the spectators to see the important guests more clearly.

The Queen and the others were already standing with calm and elegant postures, awaiting the commencement of the Anthem recitation.

Some spectators turned their attention toward the screens, while others continued watching Edith at the front of the platform.

After a few seconds, Edith raised her head.

"Let’s begin the recitation."

She said softly.

The Golden Matching Order Band responded to the signal and began preparing their instruments.

Several musicians adjusted their grips, while others made small movements to settle their instruments into the correct positions. Those holding string instruments checked their bows and placed their fingers along the strings. The woodwind players brought their instruments into position, while the brass players prepared to join the opening melody.

The percussionists waited for their cues.

Among the instruments was a Grand Piano, which had been brought into the arena on a flat wooden platform fitted with wheels. Professor Liliana had used Alchemy Levitation to move it into position, guiding the platform through the air before setting it where the musicians needed it.

The piano’s polished surface reflected some of the light falling across the platform.

Once the musicians were ready, the arena became quiet enough for the smallest movements to be heard.

Then the melody began.

The first notes came gently from the instruments, creating a calm and measured opening. The strings carried the melody forward, while the woodwinds joined them with softer notes that filled the spaces between the main phrases. The brass instruments entered in their proper places, adding depth to the music without overpowering it.

The percussion remained controlled, supporting the rhythm rather than drawing attention away from the melody.

Edith listened to the opening before beginning the recitation of the Royal Academy Anthem.

Her voice joined the music with a natural flow.

She led the anthem without forcing her voice above the instruments, allowing her melodious Mezzo-soprano to carry the words across the arena. Her delivery was steady, and she moved smoothly from one line to the next, giving the assembled crowd time to follow.

The Nobles and Non-Nobles joined in.

The professors of the Academy began singing alongside the staff, while the students standing on the platform joined them as well.

Soon, the entire arena was filled with the voices of people from different backgrounds, all singing the same anthem.

The First-Year students remained in their formation as they sang, their uniforms catching the light whenever they moved their heads. Some sang with serious expressions, while others seemed more relaxed as the familiar melody continued.

The music travelled through the enormous structure, reaching the upper seating sections and the people gathered near the entrances.

Even the people of Britannia watching through the Skynet stood to their feet and joined in the singing.

Across the Kingdom, spectators who had been watching from their homes, public gathering places, and other viewing areas rose from their seats as the Royal Academy Anthem reached them. Some sang confidently, while others followed the words as the voices from their screens carried the melody.

For a few minutes, the arena and the people watching through the Skynet were joined by the same song.

As the Royal Academy Anthem approached its end, the musicians gradually guided the melody toward its closing notes.

Edith followed the music without breaking her rhythm.

Then, as the first anthem reached its conclusion, she fluidly began the next one.

The Britannia Anthem.

The change came naturally, without an awkward pause between the two songs.

The Golden Matching Order Band continued playing, and the people of Britannia joined in once more. The voices of the Nobles, Non-Nobles, professors, staff, and students rose together as the anthem spread through the arena.

The atmosphere had changed from the excited noise that had filled the gathering before Edith’s entrance.

There were still hundreds of thousands of people present, but the attention of the crowd was now focused on the music. The earlier cheers had settled, leaving the sound of the anthem to fill the enormous space.

A few minutes passed.

And finally, the recitation was completed.

The Golden Matching Order Band began bringing the music to a gentle close, their instruments playing the final notes with care.

Edith waited for the proper moment before allowing her voice to follow them into the ending.

Her Mezzo-soprano remained clear as she performed the final part, but this time, she was preparing to finish the ceremony’s opening with the special performance move for which she was known.

Sound Alchemy.

The technique was a familiar part of Edith’s performances, something she used when she wanted to end them on a memorable note.

As the last notes of the band settled into the air, an Alchemy Circle formed beneath her heels.

There was no clap.

Edith did not need one.

The Sound Alchemy Circle ignited beneath her feet, and the music began to change.

The melodious voice coming from her mouth blended with the final sounds of the instruments, and the notes started to bend into visible shapes.

A soft pink glow appeared around them.

The glowing musical shapes rose into the air, moving above the platform as though the melody itself had taken form. Some drifted upward slowly, while others followed the rhythm of the final notes, their paths crossing as they climbed toward the ceiling.

The shapes continued rising.

Their pink light reflected faintly across the faces of the students standing nearby, and several spectators leaned forward to watch them more closely.

Then the musical shapes reached the highest point of their movement.

They burst into fireworks.

The glowing forms scattered across the air in a display of light, leaving the spectators and students looking upward as the last traces of the pink glow faded.

Many of their eyes sparkled at the sight.

For a brief moment, even the students who had been standing in strict formation seemed caught by the display, their attention following the fading lights above them.

The performance ended.

Edith lowered her head in an elegant bow.

The Golden Matching Order Band bowed as well, their instruments held carefully as they acknowledged the crowd.

For a moment, the arena remained filled with the last traces of the performance.

Then the spectators began clapping.

Hundreds of thousands of hands came together, and the applause spread throughout the arena.

"Woah!!"

"Amazing, just amazing!!"

"Miss Edith Evermont!!!"

"Beautiful!!"

Voices rose from different parts of the enormous gathering.

Hundreds of thousands of spectators had attended the ceremony, and many responded with pleased expressions and loud cheers. Some continued clapping while calling Edith’s name, while others looked toward the musicians to show their appreciation for the performance.

Edith remained at the front of the platform, accepting the applause with a graceful smile.

The members of the Golden Matching Order Band stood beside her, waiting for the next cue.

Professor Liliana’s voice soon echoed through the arena speakers.

"Thank you, Miss Edith Evermont and the Golden Matching Order Band, for this amazing lead."

The crowd continued clapping as Liliana spoke.

Some spectators remained on their feet, while others gradually returned to their seats. Edith and the band waved toward the gathering before preparing to leave the platform.

Their part of the ceremony had ended, and the attention of the arena was about to shift toward the next speaker.

Once Edith and the members of the band had begun taking their leave, as Liliana’s voice returned through the speakers.

"Without further ado, let’s give a round of applause as the Vice Headmaster of the Royal Academy, Elder Godwin Fraser, gives his speech."

She spoke calmly.

The spectators who had already settled into their seats began clapping again.

Elder Godwin Fraser rose from his seat.

The old Elder walked forward at an unhurried pace, his movements steady as he made his way to the position prepared for his speech. Several spectators turned toward him, while the students on the platform remained facing the High Powers of the Kingdom.

A microphone hovered gently in front of Godwin.

He reached out and took hold of it.

"Hoho... Hoho... Hoho..."

He laughed lightly.

The sound carried through the microphone, and his eyes moved toward the First-Year students standing on the platform.

"It was like the day I met all of you First-Years in the Grand Auditorium."

Godwin spoke calmly as he looked down at the children.

He could see the Cognis flowing within their bodies.

The change was clear to him, even without needing to ask them how much they had trained. The way their Cognis moved, along with the strength and control they had displayed during the Combat Festival, showed him how much they had grown over the past months.

They were no longer quite the same students who had first gathered before him in the Grand Auditorium.

Some had improved their control.

Others had gained a better understanding of their Alchemy Paths.

Many had also learned to use their abilities in combat, where a mistake could cost them a match and hesitation could give an opponent the chance to strike.

Godwin had watched them grow through the festival, and now he could see the results standing before him.

"You were all still greenhorns, at least most of you."

He joked.

A few of the adults laughed.

Some of the students laughed as well, while others looked at one another with slightly embarrassed smiles. A few seemed ready to object to being called greenhorns, but they remained where they were, allowing the old Elder to continue.

Godwin’s expression remained warm.

"But now, look at many of you..."

He paused.

The arena quieted again, and his gaze travelled across the rows of First-Year students.

"The level of Alchemy understanding over your Paths and the combat skills you all displayed in this Festival have really impressed everyone. Not only me. Not only your parents, but many people in this Kingdom have watched you all put in your best, and I want to say..."

He raised his hand and pointed down toward the First-Year students.

"We are all proud of you."

Godwin said it with a pleased smile on his elderly face.