14th September, 1507

A sense of desperation hung in the air amidst the chaos of students jostling for position and vying for the favor of Susie. Some resorted to pushing and shoving, while others resorted to mocking their peers in hopes of gaining an advantage. Some students even resorted to desperate measures to curry favor with Seren by trying to bribe him.

"Hey, move out of the way!" a boy exclaimed, attempting to push past the crowd in his eagerness to get ahead.

"Look who's talking, your pathetic ignis grade isn't cut out to be with Susie," a girl mocked from the side, also trying to make her way forward.

Meanwhile, the situation mirrored in Ethan and Noah's group, with their classmates employing similar tactics to secure a spot on their team. The atmosphere surrounding the two brothers was no less frenzied, as students clamoured for the chance to align themselves with their formidable prowess.

Elise watched the scene in bewilderment, her thoughts swirling with incredulity at the scene unfolding before her. Despite her own capabilities, no one dared to approach her, preferring instead to risk facing off against Kai and his formidable teammates.

‘Hellooo? Susie isn’t the only ethereal grade here. I won't mind joining you if you just ask me nicely’. Elise thought with a sense of frustration tinged with disbelief coloring her inner dialogue as she observed the chaos around her.

“What do we do?" Susie asked with an anxious voice.

Seren remained silent with a steady gaze as he watched the crowd of students clamor for his attention. Then with a deliberate step, he moved forward, the crowd clamoring before him becoming silent.

As Seren made his way through the crowd, a path seemed to form before him, the students instinctively making way for him as he scanned the throng of eager faces. The students watched in anticipation, their hopes pinned on his decision, knowing that Susie's high regard for Seren meant that his opinion would carry significant weight.

Seren left the periphery of the crowd, and it was then that his path led him to Elise, standing solitary amidst the crowd. Without hesitation, Seren walked up to Elise, his voice carrying a confident undertone as he extended an invitation.

"How about it, want to join us?" Seren's words rang out, breaking the silence that enveloped them.

Elise remained silent, her expression unreadable as she met Seren's gaze with an unwavering stare. For a moment, the air hung heavy with tension, each passing second amplifying the intensity of the moment.

Then after 10 seconds of silence, Elise nodded her head gently, accepting Seren's offer. Seren smiled at this as he extended his hand in a gesture of camaraderie, inviting Elise to seal their newfound alliance with a handshake.

"Pleasure working with you," Seren remarked, his smile warm and genuine.

"The pleasure's mine," Elise replied expressionlessly, her tone measured yet earnest as she reciprocated the sentiment.

Meanwhile, In Elise's mind ‘YES! YES! I won't have to be in the awkward situation of being without a group. I knew my cute face in this life was going to come in handy!’ she thought with a sense of triumph, her thoughts brimming with excitement and anticipation. A surge of relief washed over her, grateful to have found a place within Seren’s group.

But amidst her elation, doubts lingered in the recesses of her mind. ‘I wonder if he likes me or is he just fearless and does not care about potentially getting caught up with the Frostshade family’ Elise pondered, a hint of uncertainty coloring her thoughts.

While outwardly calm, inwardly Seren pondered the significance of his choice.

He mused, a hint of skepticism coloring his thoughts as he weighed the risks and rewards of aligning himself with Elise. ‘Elise is also an ethereal grade like Susie, this gives me a good and natural excuse to become friends with her as well’.

The students who witnessed Seren's and Ethan's group selections were initially shocked, their hopes of being chosen dashed, leaving them disappointed. However, after a moment of reflection, they swiftly rallied up and started forming teams with whoever they could find amidst the remaining candidates.

Despite the initial setbacks, each student eventually found their place, and now there were seven groups in total: Lorien's group, Seren's group, Ethan and Noah's group, and four others. Seren glanced over at Ethan's group, observing the teammate they had chosen. The student was of medium size, with brown hair and a nervous demeanor. His eyes darted around anxiously, a palpable sense of concern etched into his expression. The student appeared lacking in confidence and strength, despite Noah's attempts to reassure him.

As the groups deliberated over their opponents, a veil of tension hung in the air, particularly surrounding Lorien's group. Most other teams avoided any eye contact that might hint at a potential confrontation. Even Ethan and Noah, known for their confidence, appeared reluctant to take on Lorien's formidable trio.

Meanwhile, Lorien's intense gaze bore into Seren, who feigned disinterest as he went about his own business. It was a struggle for Seren to maintain his facade of indifference in the face of Lorien's glaring scrutiny.

Seeing that he had no way of getting out of this situation, Seren signed before he started walking towards Lorien to which Lorien responded the same, their eyes locked in a silent battle of wills. Each step brought them closer, the tension thickening with every passing moment.

Without a word spoken between them, they met in the middle, their silence speaking volumes as they regarded each other with a mix of contempt and determination. Lorien's eyes burned with a desire for payback, fueled by memories of past humiliations.

After a prolonged moment of silence, Lorien extended his hand, a silent gesture of acknowledgment and acceptance of the impending challenge. Without hesitation, Seren accepted the handshake, sealing their upcoming battle.

...

As Elise observed the unfolding dynamics between Seren and Lorien, her mind still wandered to the question of why Seren had chosen her as the final teammate. Lost in her thoughts, she noticed Susie nearby, casting a concerned glance toward Seren. She then saw the stitch marks on her arm and was able to confirm that surgery was indeed the likely reason for it.

‘Should I ask her about it?’ Elise pondered silently. But considering their lack of closeness and the sensitive nature of the topic, she decided against it. Instead, she opted for a different approach, diverting the conversation towards lighter topics.

"He's quite charming, don't you think so as well?" Elise remarked, casually directing Susie's attention towards Seren. Susie, caught off guard by the sudden question, initially reacted with wide eyes before composing herself to not let her true intentions be read by Elise.

"Do you like him?" Elise asked bluntly, cutting through the awkward tension. Susie hesitated, her uncertainty evident in her response. "I guess so. He's... nice," she replied, her words tinged with hesitation.

Sensing Susie's discomfort, Elise pressed on, determined to break through her shell. She tried to inquire in a playful tone to coax Susie to open up, "You seem a bit unsure. Is there something you don't feel like telling me?".

"No, it's nothing. Just... I don't know him that well yet,” Susie replied tentatively. But Elise wasn't ready to let the conversation end there.

"Oh, come on, don't be shy! We're teammates now, we should get to know each other better. And... maybe even help each other out with... other things," Elise teased, a mischievous glint in her eye.

Susie blushed at the suggestive remark, her embarrassment evident as she attempted to deflect the conversation. "Other things?" she said sheepishly, her discomfort growing but also her interest with each passing moment.

With a playful grin, Elise leaned in closer, her warm breath tickling Susie's ear as she whispered, "Oh, don't play innocent with me. I've seen the way you look at him. You're totally crushing on him, aren't you?"

Unable to hide her embarrassment any longer, Susie fell silent, her cheeks flushed beet red as she avoided Elise's gaze, fidgeting nervously with her fingers.

As Seren concluded his business and began to make his way back, Elise sensed the need to bring their conversation to a close. With a reassuring tone, she whispered to Susie, "Don't worry, I won't take him away from you."

Susie's expression remained embarrassed, but inwardly, she felt a wave of relief wash over her. The assurance from Elise alleviated any lingering worries about potential romantic competition.

However, deep inside Susie felt insecure about herself. She couldn't help but compare herself to Elise, who had both physical beauty and the weight of her prestigious lineage as the daughter of the Frostshade family. In contrast, Susie saw herself as merely an average girl who had stumbled upon her ethereal grade through luck rather than merit.

The realization of her perceived inferiority lingered in Susie's thoughts, casting a shadow over her self-confidence as she silently grappled with her insecurities.