Conquering The Novel

As Rose and Livia continued discussing the tournament instructions, their car approached the Golden Colosseum which is situated on a floating island.

"We have arrived at the Golden Colosseum, Master," Meira announced as she parked the car outside the colosseum gate.

Before leaving the car, Rose handed Ares and Livia caps from her storage ring.

"Wear these," she instructed. The two put them on gratefully, knowing that a huge crowd of reporters awaited them outside.

'It would be bothersome if they recognized us and started rushing us for pictures and interviews,' Ares and Livia had the same thought.

And as Meira opened the car door, Ares stepped out first and extended his hand to help Livia out. She smiled and took his hand, gracefully stepping out of the car.

"Meira, you can stay with Miss Roselia. I don't think you will be allowed to enter the students' accommodations with me," Ares said to Meira.

Meira bowed slightly. "I will do as you say, Master."

Rose overheard their conversation and muttered to herself, "...Why does it look like he's giving me the order to let Meira stay with me? He didn't even ask for my permission."

"It does not look like he is giving you an order, in fact, he is really giving you an order," Irethiel replied when she overheard Rose.

Rose held her hair in frustration. "Argh, it makes me annoyed for some reason just thinking about it."

"...Don't worry, you'll get used to it," Irethiel remarked.

!?

Rose made a disbelieving expression when she heard Irethiel. As she never expected to hear those words from her prideful master.

'Is she really accepting him as her master now?' She thought.

As Meira stayed back with Rose, Ares and Livia walked towards the Golden Colosseum, the excitement of the crowds outside echoing in their ears. They had put on the caps given by Rose, hoping to remain unnoticed among the bustling crowds of people.

As they approached the massive structure, Livia couldn't help but murmur, "It's...marvelous!"

Ares nodded in agreement. "Yeah, it's my first time here too."

The Golden Colosseum was an imposing structure unlike anything Ares had ever seen before.

The stadium was made of pure gold, with intricate carvings and designs etched into its walls.

As they approached the entrance, two burly guards stepped forward to block their path. One of them glared at Ares and Livia before gruffly asking, "What's your business here?"

"We're here for the academy tournament," Ares replied, holding up his academy identity badge.

The guard's eyes widened in surprise as he looked at the badge. "Oh, a student from Soreh Academy! My apologies, I didn't recognize you at first. Please proceed," he said, quickly signaling to his companion to open the gate.

The gate slowly creaked open, revealing the grandeur of the Golden Colosseum in all its splendor.

As Ares and Livia walked through the gate, they were greeted by a bustling courtyard filled with people from all over the world. The air was thick with the sounds of music, laughter, and excitement.

The interior of the colosseum was just as impressive as the outside. The stadium was massive, with rows upon rows of seats towering over the field in the center.

The seats were arranged in a circular fashion, with each section of seats representing a different academy.

The field was constructed with a unique material that could transform into any terrain required for the match. However, it wouldn't be utilized during the tournament as it was taking place in the VR world. Instead, there were massive screens situated in the center that would provide the audience with a live experience.

The colosseum was more than just a stadium, it was a complete ecosystem. There were accommodations for students and professors from different academies, as well as for spectators who had come to stay and watch the tournament until it ended.

The accommodations were built to cater to the needs of different species, with everything from luxurious suites to dormitory-style rooms.

The food court was another highlight of the Colosseum. It was a massive area with hundreds of food stalls, each offering a different type of cuisine from around the world.

The smells of various dishes wafted through the air, making Livia's stomachs rumble with hunger.

"I'm hungry, Ares," Livia said, tugging at his sleeve.

Ares glanced at his phone for time. It had only been a few hours since they had breakfast, but Livia's stomach seemed to have a mind of its own.

"...We can grab something to eat after we meet up with the other academy students," Ares suggested. "Remember, I'm the representative for our academy, and I need to check on how our team is doing."

"Okay, we can come back to eat later," Livia agreed and nodded, her gaze still fixed on the spread of delicacies laid out before them.

Ares sighed in relief as they walked further into the stadium. He noticed that there were other facilities on the way, such as training grounds for participating academies to hone their skills before the matches. There were also areas for vendors to sell their wares, and even a small amusement park to keep the younger visitors entertained.

Overall, the Golden Colosseum was not just a stadium, but a complete city in itself, with everything one could need for a comfortable stay while enjoying the tournament.

***

As Ares and Livia approached the accommodations for Soreh Academy students, they were greeted by a woman with sleek black hair wearing a white and gold uniform with a Bluetooth earpiece in her ear. She looked like she was part of the academy's management team.

"Ah, Student Ares, you're finally here! We've been waiting for you. The opening ceremony is about to begin, and all the representatives and vice representatives of the academies should be present on the main stage. There's no time left," she spoke hurriedly.

Before Ares could respond, the woman took out a small device that had a design of a gun and pressed it against his chest.

Beep!—

!?

"Sorry about that, I just needed to scan you for your measurements. I'll send your new uniform to your room shortly. In the meantime, you can meet up with your team and vice representative. They're waiting for you in the meeting room over there," she said, pointing to a nearby door.

And with that, the woman quickly scurried off, presumably to attend to other tasks.

"....."

"...She didn't take my measurements though?" Livia asked, confusion etched on her face.

"There are different uniforms for Representatives and vice Representatives," Ares explained as he made his way toward the meeting room.

Livia followed him closely, "So... who is the vice representative then?" She asked.

"It's Erina," Ares replied.

As they walked towards the meeting room, Livia couldn't help but feel disappointed that she wasn't chosen to be the vice representative.

She tugged on Ares' sleeve again and asked, "W-Why wasn't I chosen as the vice representative?"

"...Because you weren't present at the academy when the decision was made," Ares explained.

"...."

Livia nodded, trying to understand. "I-I see. So that's the only reason?"

Ares stopped in front of the meeting room door and turned to face her. "What other reason do you think I have? Erina was the most suitable choice in your absence."

"Y-Yeah, that makes sense," Livia nodded understandingly. However, a hint of disappointment lingered in her voice.

Despite this, she would also rather prefer Erina to be by Ares' side as the vice representative over Ayla and Diana.

***