Chapter 25: Flowing Support on the Eve of the Game
The Rising Stars talent show is the most crucial moment in the entire competition, especially after the score ratio is increased. It can be the final word or a counterattack. Among all the large and small events in Kagano throughout the year, it can be regarded as the most elegant performance.
After all, we are used to seeing fights and killings, so we have to sit down and drink tea and wine to cultivate our sentiments.
Therefore, when large numbers of construction mechas appeared back and forth on the campus, this seemingly smokeless competition had reached the peak of everyone's expectations.
Fortunately, the young masters and young ladies of Kagano are rich and powerful, and they spend piles of white currency like water pushing sand. They think the venues of previous years' competitions are too old-fashioned, so they applied for the dome auditorium of the Sky Tower early this year.
This is no small venue.
Because the Sky Tower is not an ordinary tourist building, but a military tower suspended above Kagano. The dome auditorium occupies the top floor, which is a huge circular dome space.
The periphery is surrounded by panoramic porthole-style floor-to-ceiling windows, providing an unobstructed and expansive view. The center of the inner field is a sunken circular stage, covered with layers of high-transmittance metal panels, which will open along the circular light strip. With the night sky as the ceiling, it seems to be suspended above the sea of clouds.
Although it is nicknamed the Cream Puff by students, there is no more magnificent venue than it among the many colleges in Granton Area A.
On the night of the competition, the top ten contestants in the voting had been announced. They submitted their programs to the student union and then went into the lounge of the dome auditorium to wait.
The students who had been fighting each other in mechas and clashing with guns all day long also calmed down and changed into dresses or formal clothes. In short, they had to dress like human beings and could not wander around shirtless like they did in the training ground.
Then couples walked hand in hand, noble widows gathered in groups, and talked loudly about topics including but not limited to tonight's game results, "My dear, you are so beautiful," "My brother, you smell so good," and "Who the hell is braying again..."
This extremely lively scene, to use Professor Laura's words to describe it, is like tens of thousands of ducks marching into a large pond.
Of course, no one let go of the traditional practice of sending the prepared support gifts backstage.
The competition of each company's strength must be reflected in every detail.
At this time, outside the lounge belonging to the dwarf rabbit orcs, there were piles of small gifts from the fan club that Yin Pei and his companions had sent early on. There were no valuable things, but the momentum was definitely not to be feared!
Looking around, it is much more spectacular than the outsides of the other lounges.
"An eyesore and a pariah."
The noisy movement was isolated outside the door, and the servants lowered their heads to clean up the debris on the carpet, as if they were used to it.
Ava Winters fiddled with the light screen with a cold look on her face. The popularity value displayed on it was far lower than expected, and was far behind her.
"It's quite a surprise, isn't it?" Lorion put down the tuned violin and walked slowly past the servants who were picking up glass on their heads. He leaned against the dressing table piled with cosmetics. "Father and the others are here. I hope they won't be disappointed tonight."
"Don't try to laugh at me. Not only those untouchables, but you are just a foil."
Ava sneered expressionlessly, stood up, pushed Lorion's shoulder away, and walked back to her lounge in her high heels without looking back.
Soon, her bodyguards followed.
"Excuse me...excuse me...please make way! Whose tail is getting in my waistband? How presumptuous!"
The healing guy, sweating profusely, carried two large bags of fragrant biscuits, and fought his way through with the pace of a crab, buying goods from the wholesale market, and stopped at his destination, panting.
When I looked up, I saw an acquaintance standing at the door, looking coldly at a basket of lush silver-leafed rabbit-ear daisies at the door, and in his arms was a bunch of more exquisite but slightly smaller ones.
"Good evening..." Xin Fei greeted dryly and put the big bag in his hand behind him. He did not forget the scene on the way here when he was laughed at as a cheap product by Zack and his group.
But Calix had seen it: "What are you hiding?"
"You're talking about this...ah, nothing, just some cookies my mom baked. Youan really likes them."
"oh."
Seeing that he had no other reaction, Xin Fei asked politely, "Want to try it? She's done too much."
Calix spread his hands: "...Thanks."
I didn’t expect it to be necessary.
Xin Fei came to Kalix, picked and chose, chose a crushed piece and threw it to him, followed his line of sight, and saw clearly the bouquet... marked with Vincent's name.
It's pretty, so what?
Xin Fei moved it to the very edge. Kalix raised his eyebrows and glanced at him with a slight surprise, then put his bouquet in the vacant space and adjusted the delicate and plump buds.
As the two of them were crunching their cookies and admiring the new layout with satisfaction, they noticed a strange shadow gradually sliding by.
They turned back at the same time and looked at the curved floor-to-ceiling window on the other side of the corridor——
Eighteen supporting aircraft were parading like floats, with half-human-high mechanical rabbit balls on top and four or five-meter-long bright red banners hanging from their tails, fluttering in the wind. Anyone could clearly see the golden and gorgeous cursive words "Yuan Will Win" printed on them.
Xin Fei and Kalix looked at each other, and under each other's suspicious gaze, they each took a step back, indicating that these extravagant things had nothing to do with them.
Fortunately, an elegant and gorgeous voice appeared in time to clear their suspicions——
"Good evening, everyone. If you have nothing to do, please take a seat in the audience. It's not advisable to stay here for long... What are you asking me? I'm a close friend and roommate of the contestants. Please don't lump me in with the rest of the crowd!"
The speechless person in charge was pushed away by a hand, and a slender figure walked out of the corner.
His long red hair, which was usually smooth and beautiful, was particularly dazzling today. Lancelot raised his radiant and handsome face, stood straight and gracefully, with a coat hanging from his arm and a red fox tail swinging behind him.
A string of attendants followed him with their heads lowered, each holding an exquisite gift box that almost reached above their noses.
Calix didn't even bother to roll his eyes. He shuddered with disgust. "Is he crazy? Is this a show to support or to welcome the bride?"
Lancelot pretended not to hear. People without manners did not understand his sense of ritual. With a look of contempt, he raised his eyebrows and snapped his fingers as he walked.
Fiona understood what he meant and immediately took the biscuit from Xin Fei's hand. She followed the end of the team and the arrogant young master in the lead into Youan's lounge.
In the lounge, You Tuantuan was squatting on his brother's toolbox, staring at the mirror. The hair between his ears had become flat because he always liked to rub against people's palms.
Youan frowned slightly and used a small comb to help him restore it with a serious face, but it had little effect. Before he could think of another way, a huge team rushed in.
You An took a breath and said, "Isn't this too high-profile?"
"Sir, life is short. There's nothing wrong with being a little outspoken and showing off." Lancelot came over with a smile, wrapped his big hands around You Tuantuan and rubbed them. With a glance, he touched the other's open collar.
Youan took out his tie and said dryly, "I haven't had time to tie it yet."
"You're such a pain in the ass! What else can I expect from you?" Lancelot snatched the tie from his hand and took a look. "I told you I'd let Fiona stay with you... This one won't do. I wore it last time. Get a new one."
He picked out a steam brown twill with an embroidered bunny head.
You Tuantuan tilted his head back to look: "Looks like me."
"Yes, I had it embroidered according to your image." Lancelot laughed, gestured at Yuan's beige shirt, thought it was good, and hung it around his neck.
He spread the coat hanging on his arm onto the table, raised his chin to Youan, and said, "Sit down."
Youan obediently turned his back and sat on the table on tiptoe. His legs, clad in calf socks and leather shoes, hung naturally, with the tips of his shoes swaying just above the ground like a dragonfly skimming the water.
Normally, Lancelot could tie a flower even with his eyes closed, but this time, he had to untie and repeat a simple four-hand knot several times.
Youan lowered his eyes and watched Lancelot tie his tie silently.
He had some recollections of when he was in kindergarten, surrounded by his parents, one of them painting his cheeks red, and the other helping him tie his bow tie. After that, in his student life, he was the only one left sitting alone in his seat, like a lonely little mushroom in the corner, watching the joy on the stage and the excitement in the audience.
Whenever this happened, Youan would think that my beast form was naturally very small, so it was natural that it was not noticed by others.
But he didn't get lost in his memories for too long, as the rabbit ears on his head were about to be filled with incessant chatter.
"Don't be nervous. Just do it like you practiced. Stand up, play, bow, and leave the stage..." Lancelot adjusted his collar and turned his triangular ears back, as if thinking about whether he had missed anything. He stared at the person and repeated, "Don't be nervous. Just wait..."
You An had memorized the procedure by heart, and smiled with his beautiful black eyes: "Don't worry, I won't let you lose the bet in embarrassment."
Lancelot paused in arranging his hair, lowered his eyes to stare at those shining eyes, and moved his lips -
"I'm sorry, you have to go out."
The Organization Department official knocked on the door and reminded with an embarrassed look, "And those mechanical rabbits flying outside the auditorium... The principal said it hurt his eyes..."
Oh, it's still on tour.
Lancelot seemed to have just remembered it and told someone to notify them not to fly it yet, but to park it directly in the compartment on the lower level of the center of the inner field.
Under the other party's urging, he made the arrangements casually, put You Tuan Tuan on his shoulder, turned to look at You An: "Okay, see you later."
It was like sending a child to their first kindergarten art performance, and the furry tail on the back of the overalls wiggled slightly.
Youan waved to them happily: "See you later!"
There was still some time before the game started, and after everyone had rested for a while, the lounge area returned to peace again.
This was Youan's first time participating in this kind of competition. When he thought about performing in front of so many people, he knew that nothing could go wrong.
He took out the guitar and prepared to practice fingering for a while. The student secretary came back and asked Youan to confirm the performance positions again.
"Okay."
Youan put down the piano and followed him out. When he reached the door, he thought for a moment and locked it again.
Because of this delay, the other party disappeared. He trotted to the fork at the end of the corridor and was about to go to one side.
"Here, here!" The officer who had returned quickly grabbed him, saying with a mixture of laughter and tears, "That direction is the tower's energy control area, don't rush around."
Youan touched his nose awkwardly; he really hated the similar interior structures of these buildings.
"There are so many rooms here, and the signs aren't fully marked..."
Youan understood the other party's implication and quickly stepped forward to follow closely.
As the footsteps of the two people gradually disappeared at the end of the empty corridor.
“Click.”
The door that had just been locked by Youan slid open silently.
"What's wrong?"
Lancelot stopped.
He put his hands in his pockets and strolled leisurely through the messy crowd, when he suddenly felt a furry little paw patting the side of his face.
You Tuan Tuan lifted his long hair from his shoulders like a curtain, took off his small backpack, and took out an object from it: "Boss Fox, my brother asked me to return this to you."
Spread out in the palm of his hand was the red fox brooch, which now opened its eyes gracefully and looked vivid, with no sign of having been broken before.
Lancelot's eyelashes drooped slightly, and the color of his eyes seemed even more intense than usual. He said softly with a smile, "He fixed it?"
"Yeah! I helped too. I was the one who pieced together the broken pieces of glitter." You Tuantuan rubbed the biscuit crumbs on his cheek with his paws, laughing as he did so, and then prepared to get into his pocket as if he had completed a mission.
"Stay here, this is your family seat."
Lancelot held the fluffy little rabbit ball and placed it on his shoulder as he cheered "Wow wow".
Under the even and soft light, they saw Quan Yi and others in the crowd.
Lancelot walked over slowly and sat down next to them.
"Hey, what's that on your shoulder?"
Quan Yi stared at the small thing on his shoulder. At first he thought it was Youan, but later he guessed it was a decorative doll.
Before he could poke with his finger, Lancelot slapped his hand away with a look of pity, as if he were looking at a mentally retarded person: "This is Youan's younger brother."
"What? He has a younger brother? Hey... so cute." Quan Yi happily moved closer, looked again and again, and narrowed his eyes in confusion, "But why does this kid have a flat head?"
As soon as he finished speaking, he was hit by a rabbit punch on the tip of his nose, and the pain went straight to the top of his head.
You Tuantuan held his head high and chest out, his eyes squeezed into an oval shape as he glanced at the stunned young man. His cheeks were puffed up, making him look like a little pufferfish.
"Why are you so angry? You have a round head." Lancelot rubbed the little rabbit's head with his fingers to calm him down. He took the opportunity to push the hair on top of his head forward, smiled and raised the corners of his lips, and offered slanderous words like a treacherous flatterer, "He is just a mean-mouthed and rude person. You are a good child, so stop arguing with him."
Quan Yi smacked his lips and sneered, with his nose flushed red, thinking it was really funny that he came over to talk to someone.
He snorted coldly, his eyes glancing at the familiar ornament on Lancelot's chest, and he couldn't help but wonder, "Didn't they say it was broken?"
They all knew that this was a gift from his father. He had won the gold medal in a practical competition that year. Lancelot liked it very much and would wear it whenever he attended an important banquet.
I didn't see him wearing it last time, so I asked him about it. After learning the reason, Quan Yi couldn't help but feel sorry for him.
Lancelot shook his ear and took it off with a bit of show-off so that they could take a closer look.
You Tuan Tuan stepped back and forth on Lancelot's shoulders with his front paws. After the first person finished praising him, he immediately said, "Youan, it was Youan who fixed it. He's my brother."
"I didn't expect he could do this!" His friends laughed, holding it in their hands and examining it carefully, suddenly sniffing, "But it smells weird..."
“It’s not a strange smell.”
You Tuantuan was stunned, hanging his head and scratching his belly.
They couldn't afford the original materials, so the brother found a kind of red shells. The dried shells were still difficult to get the color from, so he used a knife to cut them off bit by bit, and the thin calluses on the palms of his hands were worn out.
Someone tutted their words, revealing a hint of regret. "You really should let Inoan from the next school try. He seems to be here today too, and his skills are truly exceptional."
"No need." Lancelot raised the corner of his mouth and snatched it back.
You Tuantuan immediately perked up, took the brooch out from his fingers, rubbed it on his belly hair again and again, and returned it to Lancelot under the other's smirking gaze.
"You're so sweet, darling."
Lancelot praised it, squinted his eyes, held it up, and admired it happily with the little rabbit towards the light.
Quan Yi rolled his eyes: "Such a show-off."
After a while, Enzo also arrived, and as people sat down around them one after another, the backstage gradually became lively.
Several people looked at the program list. Enzo put the bet behind him and crossed his legs, asserting that Youan would be able to enter the top three after tonight. The others were not optimistic. After all, those who could go on stage were not easy to deal with.
Without intending to interrupt his friends' conversation, Lancelot checked the information and popularity of the top ten without even looking up.
At a glance——
Stupid ferret, passerby A, stupid ferret, passerby B, cute bunny, passerby C...
"That's enough, Vanser. Even if you look through this information over and over again, it won't change anything."
Seeing the other person wagging his tail leisurely, the senior student from the combat department in the back seat couldn't help but laugh and teased nonchalantly, "Yuan is indeed good. At least since the start of this competition, no poor student has made it into the top five. But it's still a stretch to be the top. You're doomed to lose."
After learning about the gambling game at the card table in the club, these nobles and rich second-generations also started another game to join in the fun. Most of them believed that Winters had a greater chance of winning.
"Don't jump to conclusions, gentlemen."
Lancelot turned around and looked at them with a half-smile. Under You Tuantuan's crazy gaze, he raised his chin and said, "Do you dare to increase the bet? He must be the first."
You Tuantuan followed his tone and pushed her chest forward.
Normally, bets were for small amounts, so Enzo was a little surprised by Lancelot's proposal: "Are you short of money?"
"No, that's just my way of responding to provocation."
Lancelot shrugged and added lightly, "The civilized version."
The senior students did become closer to the Winters family, and after being provoked by Lancelot's arrogant appearance, they also restrained the frivolous and playful expressions on their faces.
"How about a small manor in Xilin District?"
"Twenty tubes of mental power amplifier."
"The Genesis aircraft is a limited edition!
"Forget it, I'll just give you two million!"
Several voices came out one after another. For the children of nobles who were still students, this was a huge act. It was so serious that if their parents and elders knew about it, they would be beaten to a pulp.
They crossed their arms and looked at the young noble in front of them: "What about you? Vanser, what are you going to throw out?"
The night wind blew through Lancelot's red hair, and the dazzling color burned like fire, but his face was calm and without any fluctuations.
"Is an S-level energy crystal core enough?"
In an instant, everyone looked as if they had seen a ghost, and they couldn't believe what they heard!
This is an S-class crystal core! Enough to power a small warship. Furthermore, possessing it requires military approval, which is completely beyond the scope of measurement in White Orchid Coins!
This weight is like fat meat thrown to a pack of wolves, enough to attract everyone's interest.
How much confidence do you have in that dwarf rabbit orc to be able to spend such a large sum of money?
Realizing this, the senior students' faces suddenly changed, and the others involuntarily began to lean towards the other end of the scale.
A noisy cheering suddenly broke out.
Quan Yi's eyes lit up with excitement: "Oh my God! Lance! You are such a generous lunatic!"
"Thanks."
Lancelot leaned back in his chair, playing with the fox brooch in his hand, his smiling eyes exuding a look of arrogance.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
