Lara's Point of View

  "You two better not start fighting again," I muttered, rolling my eyes as I heard my name called for the competition.

  Caelum stood next to me, and I turned to him with a frown. "By the way, Caelum, what's the deal with this competition? What happens if I win?" I asked, feeling a bit out of place. I mean, I just joined this thing without much thought.

  "You should probably ask the elf over there," Caelum replied, pointing lazily at Thailon.

  Thailon, who was standing not far from us, overheard the conversation and shrugged. "Well, if you win, you'll be announced as the greatest adventurer of the year. You know, with all the incentives and praise and stuff."

  "That sounds... like a good thing?" I asked hesitantly.

  "Well, people might recruit you, and you'll get a bunch of missions," Thailon explained with a casual wave of his hand. "Could be a good thing. Or... maybe not, depending on how much you like people hounding you."

  Nope, definitely not. That sounded like a nightmare.

  "Oh, yeah, okay..." I trailed off, my enthusiasm quickly fizzling out. "Can I... like, leave the competition?" I asked, hoping I could slip away quietly before things got too serious.

  Thailon raised a brow. "Why would you want to leave? You're already in it."

  Well, there was that whole awkward thing about someone pushing me into this mess, and now I had no clue what I was doing. But I couldn't exactly explain that without sounding like a total idiot. "Oh, never mind," I sighed... PEOPLE ALWAYS NEVER LISTENNNN. Guess I'll just... pretend to lose or something.

  Third Person Point of View

  As Amelia stepped onto the stage, the crowd erupted in cheers, excited for the semi-final match between her and a boy named Jack. However, the crowd's focus soon shifted from the competitors to the unexpected arrival of two familiar faces.

  There, standing at the edge of the stage, was none other than Thailon, the High Elf of the Academy, alongside Caelum the Fifth, the Young Master of the Hennesy family. It was the first time the two had appeared together in public, and it was a sight to behold. Though they both looked elegant as always, they were... a little worse for wear. Bruises marked their cheeks, and their usually pristine hair was a mess. Still, they managed to radiate the sort of attention-seeking elegance that only they could pull off.

  The crowd watched in stunned silence for a moment, unsure what to make of the situation, until suddenly—

  "GO! SMASH HIS HEAD IN!" Thailon yelled out, his voice echoing across the arena, causing a collective gasp from the audience. This was the elf who organized the competition, and here he was, openly rooting for one of the contestants.

  "Don't worry about injuring him, I can heal him as many times as needed!" Caelum added cheerfully, waving his hands like an overenthusiastic parent at a school play.

  Caelum, not to be outdone, chimed in, "If she fails, I'll finish him off for her."

  The horrified look that swept through the audience was priceless. The crowd exchanged nervous glances, unsure if they should cheer or start running for the exits.

  But one thing is for sure those two are idiots.

  Lara's Point of View

  A Few Moments Later...

  "Kid, chill!!" I shouted at the mage in front of me, barely dodging yet another barrage of flying fireballs and magic whatevers he kept tossing my way. How on earth was I supposed to let him win if he kept attacking me like this? The kid was relentless!

  "This is a competition! Why would I chill?!" he shot back, his voice full of righteous fury. His determination was admirable, but also... exhausting. Was it really that serious?

  System suggests you defeat the kid.

  I blinked. "You're serious right now? You want me to defeat that kid? No way. I can't hurt a child!"

  This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

  Reward for defeating the kid: Luck +10.

  "Luck +10?" I muttered, squinting at the system message. "Wait, hold on, that's actually a big deal..."

  I looked over at the kid, who was now summoning something that looked suspiciously like a lightning storm. Ugh, this was going to be a problem. I needed to get out of here—I had way too much on my plate already to be stuck in this mess. But I also couldn't bring myself to seriously hurt the poor kid.

  A fireball whizzed past my head, narrowly missing me. "Can't we just talk this out?" I called, trying to reason with him.

  "No! Fight me!" he yelled, charging up another spell.

  Sighing, I dodged his next attack. This was going to be a long match. Then I find the chance to play dead

  Third Person Point of View

  The arena was filled with cheers, excitement, and anticipation. But all of that quickly turned into stunned silence as Lara collapsed in the middle of the ring. The crowd collectively held its breath, their cheers dying down as they watched the scene unfold.

  Lara, having deliberately put herself to sleep to lose the match casually, lay motionless on the ground, her chest rising and falling peacefully. However, the crowd didn't know this. They stared at her lifeless form with concern, not understanding what had happened. But more than anything, what shocked the audience wasn't Lara's fall, but the two figures who suddenly dashed from the sidelines with inhuman speed.

  Thailon and Caelum, who had been watching the match, vanished from their seats in the blink of an eye. The air around them shimmered as they moved with a swiftness beyond mortal comprehension. One moment they were standing in the audience, and the next, they appeared at Lara's side in the center of the ring, as if time had momentarily bent to their will.

  The crowd gasped. Even the announcer, who had been ready to declare the match over, faltered in disbelief. Their speed was something only seen in legends—almost as if magic itself had carried them to Lara's side.

  Thailon, the elegant High Elf, the great hero itself, knelt beside Lara with a grace that belied the concern etched on his face. His normally composed demeanor cracked as he carefully cradled her limp body in his arms, his long, silver hair shimmering under the arena's light. His fingers glowed faintly with a soft, golden magic as he checked for any signs of injury. His sharp eyes narrowed, scanning her face for any hint of consciousness.

  "Lara? Can you hear me?" he murmured, his voice unusually soft but filled with urgency.

  Meanwhile, Caelum, the young master of the Hennessy family, was already in action. His hands flared with vibrant, arcane energy, casting spell after spell as he attempted to revive her. The magic surged around them in a display of raw power, swirling in vivid hues of blue and silver. Caelum's brow furrowed in concentration, sweat glistening on his forehead as he poured his strength into his spells.

  "Come on, Lara. Wake up," he muttered, frustration evident in his tone. His magic was powerful, capable of healing and protection, but he was used to battle, not delicate situations like this. He worked feverishly, his hands glowing brighter with each passing second.

  They are in fear.

  The crowd, still in shock, could only watch as these two extraordinary figures gave their full attention to the unconscious woman. Even though the match had technically ended, with Jack being declared the winner, no one cared about the result anymore. Their eyes were glued to the scene before them—the High Elf and the noble heir, both deeply worried for Amelia's safety.

  The air around the ring pulsed with energy, a magical tension that the audience could feel. The very atmosphere seemed to ripple as Thailon and Caelum's combined magic swirled around Lara's body. The faint smell of ozone lingered in the air, and sparks of light flickered across the arena floor.

  A murmur spread through the crowd. Whispers of awe and confusion rippled like a wave.

  "Is she alright?"

  "Why are they so concerned about her?"

  "Who is this girl that has both the great hero and the young heir of Caelum so worried?"

  Thailon's hand, still glowing with magic, gently brushed Lara's cheek. "She's breathing," he said softly, though his voice held an edge of worry. "She's just... asleep?"

  Caelum's spell finally settled, and he stared at her, dumbfounded. "She put herself to sleep?" he asked, incredulity lacing his voice. "She's fine... She did this on purpose?"

  Thailon blinked, then let out a long breath, his shoulders sagging slightly in relief. "You've got to be kidding me," he muttered. "She made us panic for nothing."

  Caelum ran a hand through his hair, his relieved . "Unbelievable. All that magic for—what? She wanted to lose casually?"

  The crowd, unaware of the full conversation, only saw the worried looks on their faces turn into baffled amusement. But they couldn't shake the image of the two powerhouses rushing to Lara's side with such speed and concern, as if they'd do anything to protect her.

  Still holding Lara gently, Thailon stood, his arms supporting her effortlessly. The great hero elf shot a glance at the crowd, his earlier embarrassment now hidden behind his usual calm facade. Caelum, on the other hand, waved dismissively at the audience, as if trying to downplay the entire spectacle.

  "Alright, show's over," Caelum called out to the crowd, his voice tinged with mock exasperation. "She's fine. Just... tired."

  But the crowd didn't disperse so easily. They continued to watch, transfixed, as Thailon carried Lara's sleeping form with the elegance of a prince holding a rare treasure. Even though the match had officially ended, and Jack had been declared the victor, it was clear that the attention had long since shifted to Lara, the mysterious adventurer who had captured the concern of two of the most powerful figures in the land.

  The murmurs grew louder, the whispers of speculation echoing through the arena.

  "She must be important."

  "To have both the High Elf and the Young Master at her side? She's no ordinary adventurer."

  And as Thailon and Caelum made their way off the stage, still carrying the peacefully sleeping Lara, the crowd remained, their eyes following the trio with awe and intrigue. The competition's outcome had been decided, but the true spectacle—Lara and the two powerful figures by her side—had only just begun.

  not a reverse harem. Even there is a lot of man character. Why? Because my other novel—yeah, the one that’s still unfinished—was supposed to be the chaotic love mess. But, thanks to my ever-looming thesis (seriously, it’s like a shadow), that one’s been stuck in research limbo. So, no harem here—we’re keeping it classy… or at least, as classy as this plot allows.

  this research paper… hopefully.