Prickly

  prince Eden is going to prove a bigger obstacle than thought. He has been building es with imperial nobles, and fn powers. Among those being prisoner exges with the undead, trade with the jungle, military exercises being doogether with Dalka, and ao pira the western seas on royal imperial ships in exge for a tithe. We o fihods to curb his influence fast.-
  It's been a while of going slow and steady. There were some deals made regarding the regions we represent, and from the letters I have been receiving from Lychta I actually have the authority to do so on behalf of Quintillius. The nobles are highly annoying in actually making deals with the Empire as a whole, but I simply bypassed them by setting the tithe rule to only apply to Eden's ships. I have also made major strides in magid most likely reached my maximum size in the process. Now I'm even bigger than the mia, and me beihe teachers scares them as well. Although I'm not sure if that is because of my size or me having effectively hunted svery out of the capital. Apparently my killings have reached a point where I am being treated as a natural disaster.

  "Thus in two weeks there will be a petition in the arena, third-year students have some limited mandatory attendance. Css representative Eden will tell you all about it." We also forced the css rep position on Eden, because no one wahat kind of spotlight.

  "Eden isn't even here, I feel bad for the professor since Eden is effectively showing him up for this." I didn't know Ky had the capacity to feel empathy for Sors. Let alohe man she always gets in a fight with ical theory.

  "That gilded shrimp hasn't been showing up to sparring csses either. I really wao test out some spells on some tougher humans." Some human cssmates frown in my dire, whatever shrimpies. Should have gotten training from elites since birth as well if you didn't want to get called out.

  Before things get too out of hand for the professor, Edeers, looking more dismayed than usual. Carmil who sits close by the door clearly notices as well, and I get to read her lips to check what she asks. "You look like shit, did your dad do something again?"

  "You could say something like that." Eden shifts from dismayed to begrudging acceptance as he takes to the front of the css.

  "Alright css, I have an annou. As you might have heard, the yearly arena petitions are ing up again. This year will be rger than usual as the Emperor has made a few decrees. First off, the rewards for the tour have been increased, along with some artifact equipment being avaible at the higher tiers. The first pce reward is also a favor from the Emperor himself, within reason, of course. All this brings me to the meat of the annou, along with four of the third years participating as is tradition, four of our css are to participate as well. Those that scored best during bat csses get first pick, and I will be participating separately as well." Eden said it with grace, but he couldn't hide a grimace where he said that four of our css with the higher scores would be participating.

  A lot of people are suddenly looking at Ky ahere really isn't anything that iing going on here. I'm just pig out some leftover meat from between my teeth with a bolt, and Ky briefly looks up from a big tome titled 'strategic dark magic at the archmage level'. I think one of our four to go along with Eddy would also be Bessielle. That cowgirl takes the phrase 'go break a leg' rather literally. People are still upset at me about that when I told her that, saying something along the lines of 'encing excessive violence'.

  "Not to worry, dy Esstrey, I'm sure you won't o [face/challenge/fight] any stairs there." Cathy knows me really well, I may have plenty of ways to bypass stairs now, but a Russian remembers those whed them. Any accusations of property damage doo stairways at the academy is Dalkan snder.

  "What are the rewards?" I ask the important question since Bessielle got caught up in aheological debate with our css padin, and Ky is enjoying her book. Eden simply sighs ied acceptance.

  "I will now hand out the reamphlets, there will also be betting, and attendance is reended for the entire css to see what big league fights look like. I wouldn't reeing myself, but I also know I 't stop you. However, you will o make an official decration that you have not, and will not get information os through a seer. Don't try to lie, the staff will know." He starts handing out a list of all the prizes. I practically steal one of the dots off his hands by the time he finally gets to our er. He also whispers something rather loudly to us. "Please don't kill ahat goes for all of you. It would really not help any of us if you did." That's reasonable enough. It would be bad sportsmanship, after all.

  I look at the rewards starting from the bottom, being allowed to participate is apparently already big enough for a massive payday. The bottom pce gets fifty gold, which sidering you only really need es to get there is absolutely massive. Further up, I see that fifth pd above get uricted access to the imperial library. With increasingly impressive sounding names being gifted as equipment for each as well. There is also a gold reward of FIVE THOUSAND GOLD AT SED PLACE? THAT'S A LOT OF DEAD PEOPLE.

  Apparently I'm drooling as a napkis moved ay by some stubby arms. "Esstrey, when ya win a nice spot, ya gimme a peek at tha equipment ye'll get? Eye would love a ga those beautes" Urist slurs the words, as it's clear he's excited about the equipment. Also, the reason why he's able to reach my in the first pce? I'm letting him ride on my shoulders nowadays, at first academy staff was annoyed by it, but the only thing that matches my size is Urists vulgar tongue.

  Meanwhile, Ky is simply eyeing the first pce reward. Having properly set her book down to get a good look at it. It seems a realizatios in for her as well as her eyes go wide.

  "A favor from the Emperor?"