The rise of the strongest woman

42

Evangeline felt a tap on her back, and suddenly, the blinding whiteness around her dissipated, returning her to the familiar corridors of the castle.

"Evangeline, what are you doing standing there staring into space? We have to go and eat or we'll be late," said Azumi, giving Evangeline a gentle pat on the head.

Shaking off the remnants of her disorientation, Evangeline followed Azumi and Misaki to the kitchen, her mind still grappling with the cryptic message from the spectral Mana and the mystery surrounding her necklace.

Upon reaching the kitchen, they were met with an unexpected sight – an empty table and Seiko, lounging contentedly atop it, his belly full.

"Seiko, you devoured all the food? How could you? Food is sacred!" scolded Misaki, lunging towards Seiko in a playful yet exaggerated manner.

Seiko deftly evaded Misaki's grasp, hopping onto Azumi's head for refuge. But Misaki was relentless, and in her pursuit of Seiko, she accidentally collided with Azumi, resulting in a comical chain reaction of chaos.

"You struck me, Misaki! You're in trouble now," Azumi exclaimed, her tone laced with mock indignation.

Amidst the ensuing laughter and chaos, Evangeline donned her jacket, still pondering the enigmatic warnings and the necklace's significance.

As the commotion settled and a new table laden with food appeared, Evangeline observed the bumps on Seiko and Misaki's heads, evidence of their playful antics.

"So, why are you accompanying me to school today?" Evangeline inquired, curiosity piqued.

"You'll see for yourself when we get there, Evangeline," Azumi said with a cryptic smile.

They swiftly finished their meal and departed from the castle. Thirty minutes later, they arrived at the school, greeted by a bustling scene of parents and students milling about. As they ventured deeper into the school grounds, they noticed bleachers erected around the stadium.

"Ah, I see now. We'll be watching you compete in the second round," Evangeline mused, scratching her head in realization.

"I'm eager to witness your prowess in battle, Evangeline. Show us how far you've come," Misaki remarked, her eyes gleaming with anticipation.

"Indeed, fight with all your might, but remember, no unnecessary destruction. We can't afford repairs," Azumi cautioned with a smile that sent a shiver down Seiko and Evangeline's spines.

Their conversation was interrupted by the arrival of Megumi and her parents.

"It's been a while, Hanako and Fuji," Misaki greeted warmly, exchanging handshakes with Megumi's parents.

"Well, wouldn't you be my future daughter-in-law?" Hanako quipped with a knowing smile, eliciting a blush from Megumi and a stern retort from Evangeline.

"Madame Hanako, there's nothing romantic between me and your daughter," Evangeline rebuffed, while Megumi's disappointment was palpable, though she quickly masked it with a forced smile.

"Mom, please stop teasing. It's embarrassing," Megumi interjected hastily, attempting to diffuse the situation.

"Yes, let's not make things awkward. Megumi and I are the best of friends," Evangeline added with a reassuring smile.

However, Megumi's expression tightened further upon hearing Evangeline's words, betraying her inner turmoil.

"But don't you remember the first day you visited our kingdom? You fought against those blue-haired boys, and the reward was the promise to marry Megumi," Fuji remarked calmly.

Hanako and Misaki exchanged a knowing glance, while Megumi blushed furiously. She looked at Evangeline, awaiting her response, but it was Azumi who spoke up.

"I believe they share a strong friendship, and there's no need to take things any further. Besides, they were just children back then, and we're not in dire need at the moment," Azumi said with a gentle smile.

"But we're facing a severe financial crisis, and if Evangeline—" Misaki began, but before she could finish her sentence, Azumi swiftly silenced her with a firm tap on the head, joined by Principal Rosaline, who seemed to appear out of nowhere.

"If you would kindly proceed to the stadium, we're about to announce the details of the second round," Principal Rosaline interjected before vanishing into thin air.

The unexpected interruption left everyone bewildered, but they followed the directive and made their way to the stadium. As they arrived, Principal Rosaline materialized on the stage with a microphone in hand.

"Good morning, dear students and parents. I'm pleased to welcome you all here as we commence the second and final phase of the test," Rosaline announced with a congenial smile.

With a snap of her fingers, a standard blackboard materialized, displaying several names in neat rows.

"As you can see, the names listed here represent the participants who have successfully advanced to the second round," Rosaline continued, gesturing towards the blackboard.

The crowd murmured with anticipation, craning their necks to catch a glimpse of the names.

"We will now proceed with the drawing to determine the matchups for the next round," Rosaline announced, her voice ringing out clearly across the stadium.

She reached into a velvet pouch and withdrew several folded pieces of paper. With deliberate care, she unfolded each slip and announced the pairings one by one.

"First up, we have Evangeline Suzuki  versus..."

Evangeline's heart pounded in her chest as she awaited the announcement of her opponent.

"...Toshiko Tanaka " Rosaline finished, revealing the first matchup.

A collective gasp rippled through the crowd as the names were revealed. Evangeline's eyes widened in surprise.

"We will now proceed with the rest of the matchups," Rosaline declared, and the tension in the stadium mounted with each subsequent pairing.

Evangeline scanned the board, her mind racing with thoughts of strategy and preparation.

"We will now proceed with the rest of the matchups," Rosaline declared, and the tension in the stadium mounted with each subsequent pairing.

Evangeline scanned the board, her mind racing with thoughts of strategy and preparation. 

Evangeline bid farewell to her parents and exchanged pleasantries with Megumi's parents before parting ways with Seiko, who remained in the company of Azumi.

"I have every confidence in you, Evangeline. This is your chance to finally settle the score," Seiko said with a supportive smile.

Evangeline's determination surged at Seiko's words, her resolve strengthened by the thought of facing Toshiko in the upcoming battle. The prospect of confronting her rival filled her with a mix of excitement and anticipation.

"What's got you two so fired up?" Azumi inquired, her curiosity piqued by their exchange.

Seiko, always one for mischief, couldn't resist teasing. "Oh, just discussing Evangeline's budding rivalry with Toshiko over Mana," he replied with a playful grin.

Before Azumi could respond, Evangeline dashed off, eager to make her way to the arena where her fate awaited.

Fifteen minutes later, the stadium buzzed with anticipation as spectators filled the stands, eagerly awaiting the commencement of the tournament. Evangeline and Toshiko stood poised in the arena, separated by the imposing figure of the principal.

Locked in a silent exchange, Evangeline and Toshiko exchanged determined glances, their eyes reflecting the intensity of the impending battle. As the principal raised her hand to signal the start of the match, she uttered the fateful words:

"Let the battle begin."