Zeke opened his eyes and blinked away the drowsiness. His surroundings were wholly unfamiliar to him. He had woken up on a hard mattress. He found himself in a large room that was filled with empty beds. The walls were yellowish brown, reminiscent of sand. This fact alone made him sure of one thing: Zeke was still in the arena.
The last thing he remembered was Leo's rapier closing in on him. He recalled the feeling of dissatisfaction and indignance that had risen within him before passing out. By the rows of empty beds that lined the walls on both sides, Zeke recognized where he was. This had to be the healer's ward. He must have been brought here after the fight.
A voice from outside the room alerted Zeke to the presence of other people. He immediately recognized Maximilian's jovial tone. He seemed to be talking to a person whose voice Zeke was unfamiliar with. After checking his condition, Zeke got out of bed and put on the set of clothing that had been laid out for him.
Now clad in an elegant robe, he limbered his body by stretching. Zeke felt great. It was as if he had just woken up from a good night's rest. His body had been restored to its peak, and even the missing blood had been replaced.
Zeke stepped out of the room and found himself the focal point of three inquisitive gazes. Maximilian and Leo on the one side and an elegantly dressed gentleman on the other. Zeke eyed the stranger. The man was tall, almost as tall as Maximilian. He had a kind face and warm, brown eyes. A quick scan told him that the man in front of him was an Arch Mage as well. Zeke recognized the man as Kurt Genesung, the only Arch Mage with a life affinity in the empire.
Zeke bowed his head in greeting. "Good day, Mr. Genesung," he said with heartfelt gratitude, "I believe I have you to thank for my recovery."
Kurt smiled at those words. "Nonsense, I was merely doing my job. It would reflect badly on me if the champion of the tournament could barely walk during the award ceremony, don't you think?" he said with a smile.
Zeke was taken aback by those words. Champion? Him? Zeke caught himself before the surprise showed on his face. He put on a jovial mask and chuckled at the man's obvious joke, all while diving into his recordings to find out what had happened. His perfect recollection would continue to work even while he was sleeping or passed out.
Zeke found the recording of the fight and skipped toward the end. He could see Leo's saber closing in, this was the last thing he remembered. With wide eyes, Zeke saw himself catching the blade and then proceeding to choke Leo out with an iron grip.
Through his [Perfect Spatial Awareness] he got a good look at the anomaly in the recording: His eyes. In his own gaze, he could see arrogance and confidence that were absolutely foreign to him. Those were not his eyes. He immediately understood what must have happened. Somehow, the dragon had managed to take control for a couple of seconds.
Zeke mentally sighed. Of course, that guy was still around. It would have been way too convenient for him if the dragon had just silently vanished. Still, the reptile had come through for him. Winning the fight was all that had mattered and the dragon had actually managed to pull it off. He would need to find a solution to the situation sooner or later, but for now, he needed to deal with his current issues.
Zeke returned from the confines of his Memory palace after only a few seconds. Still, the three men were looking at Zeke strangely; he had gone still and silent all of a sudden. Zeke cleared his throat to dispel the awkwardness.
"Sorry for being so violent at the end, Leo," Zeke said.
"No worries," Leo replied with a smile, "we agreed that there would be no hard feelings."
"Did you already tell him the good news, old man?" Zeke asked Maximilian.
The old man burst out into hearty laughter. He looked between Zeke and Leo for a moment before speaking up.
"Yes, he knows," he said with a smile. "It is you that is still unaware of the situation. I have a tiny confession to make."
Zeke was getting suspicious of the old man. He wouldn't go back on their deal now, would he?
"It's like this," Maximilian continued. "After our discussion, I had already decided to give Leo a chance. I thought that this was a good opportunity to test the both of you. Therefore, I paid Leo a visit as well after you had left. I offered him the same deal I made with you."
"What!?" Zeke exclaimed. "Then why did I have to fight without Magic? Do you even know what kind of a monster Leo is?"
"Stop being so dramatic," Maximilian said while rolling his eyes. "I am certain you would have done the same thing anyway."
Zeke thought about his mentor's words. The old man was right, there was no way that he would have used his Magic against Leo while his friend couldn't even defend himself. He reluctantly nodded his head, acknowledging the point.
"Anyway," Maximilian said, "we should continue this as we walk - the ceremony will start soon. Are you coming with us, Kurt?"
"No. I can't stay, unfortunately," Kurt replied with a reluctant expression. "I have left the troops alone for too long already. I can't in good conscience attend such a frivolous event if people might die in my absence."
Maximilian agreed with a nod before bidding the man farewell. He led the two boys down a hallway in silence. It was a while before he spoke up again.
"I'm going to do the ceremony with Leo tomorrow. Until then, don't share any secrets with him, Zeke," Maximilian said in a stern voice.
"What ceremony?" Zeke asked with clear confusion. "You only had me sign a simple document before taking me in."
"Unfortunately, that won't cut it for Leo," Maximilian said as they made their way around another bend. "He is not a Mind Mage and needs a way to protect our secrets if he is to be part of the family."
"You want to put a seal on him?" Zeke asked. He looked over at Leo and saw that his friend was not at all surprised at the revelation. They must have talked about the subject already. Leo didn't seem to have a problem with it either. A seal was as much a protection for them as it was for Leo. Nobody would go through the trouble to abduct him if he was literally incapable of spilling secrets.
"Can I watch? I have never seen how that is actually done," Zeke asked excitedly.
"I have no problem with it," Leo replied. "But didn't you promise Sophia and Viola that you would accompany them to the festival tomorrow? I remember Viola bragging about how you would pay all their expenses."
Zeke grimaced. He had indeed made a promise to accompany them. The second part he had no recollection of.
The three of them arrived before an intricately carved stone gate that was guarded by two Grand Mages. This had to be the venue of the award ceremony. Maximilian turned around and gave the two boys a fatherly smile.
"Are the two of you ready?" Maximilian asked.
Zeke and Leo exchanged a glance before they both nodded. Maximilian's smile widened. He turned around and wordlessly stepped through the gate. The guards immediately stepped to the side and made way.
The three of them walked down the aisle in the middle of the luxuriously decorated hall. Tables full of drinks and food were everywhere. The hall was filled with nobles. Zeke only recognized a portion of the family crests of the hundreds of people milling about.
Out of the corner of his eyes, Zeke saw Viola next to her grandfather. The two of them were surrounded by a large crowd. He saw that most of the nobles around them had false smiles and fawning expressions on their faces. He could only imagine how annoying it would be to deal with people like that.
Maximilian led them deeper into the hall. Their target was a middle-aged man that was talking to a blonde girl who Zeke immediately recognized as Sophia. That meant that the man was most likely the person the emperor had sent to give out the rewards. Zeke studied the figure as they got closer.
The man had dark hair and piercing blue eyes. He was wearing a ceremonial military uniform that was decorated with a huge assortment of medals and accommodations. He seemed to sense Zeke's gaze as he immediately looked up. Their eyes met. Zeke felt uncomfortable under the man's gaze. It appeared to him that the man could see through him and discover all of his secrets. However, his pride didn't allow him to break eye contact. The two of them were exchanging gazes for a long moment until Maximilian spoke up.
"Thats enough, Otto," Maximilian said. "People might get the wrong idea about you if you keep staring at my boy like that. Even I'm starting to feel uncomfortable at your intense glare."
"Still as crude as ever," the man replied as he averted his gaze from Zeke to look at Maximilian instead. "I was merely curious about the young man that managed to win the tournament this year."
The two shook hands as Maximilian arrived in front of the waiting man.
"I honestly didn't expect the emperor to send you," Maximilian said. "You must be swamped with work, with all the upcoming plans. I have no idea how you found the time to come here."
"You have no idea," Otto replied with a sigh. "But my responsibilities are far-reaching. I can't neglect my duties just because I am busy."
Zeke finally recognized who the man in front of him was. He had not immediately made the connection, but now it had finally dawned on him. The man was Otto Geistreich, the chancellor of the empire. It was said that he was the de facto ruler of the country as the emperor didn't concern himself much with policies and the day-to-day business of the empire. Zeke had heard stories about the man in front of him ever since he was a child.
Otto was said to be a duo affinity Mage, with the Mind and Metal attribute. He had become famous for his uncompromising politics and was rumored to be a genius strategist even among Mind Mages. Now that Zeke was face to face with the man, he didn't feel that the rumors had been exaggerated. Otto was giving off an unassailable aura. It was as if nothing could affect him in the slightest. He also radiated power that seemed not inferior even to Maximilian.
"How are the preparations coming along?" Maximilian asked with a twinkle in his eyes.
"Well enough," Otto said with another sigh. "I'm getting daily visits from foreign ambassadors now."
"It seems they have gotten wind of the imminent attack," Maximilian said.
"Imbeciles! The lot of them!" Otto said with clear disdain. "When has an army ever been stopped by words alone?"
"Still, I believe that you are being too hasty," Maximilian commented. "What if this turns out to be a mistake?"
"Only a fool learns from his own mistakes," Otto remarked with a scoff. "A wise man learns from the mistakes of others. History has taught us over and over again what happens to an emerging power like ours if we are perceived as frail. You have it backward; showing weakness now would be the biggest mistake of all."
"I'm no match for you in the art of politics," Maximilian allowed. "But I still get the feeling that you are starting the war too lightly."
"Lightly…" Otto repeated, before falling into contemplation for a moment.
"Anyone who has ever looked into the glazed eyes of a soldier dying on the battlefield will think hard before starting a war," he finally said. "I can ensure you that I would rather take any other path, was I left with a choice. But a man cannot control the current of events. He can only float with them and steer to the best of his abilities."
Both men fell silent. Zeke exchanged a glance with Sophia who was giving him a smile and a wink before laying her hand on Otto's shoulder.
"Uncle, I think you might have forgotten why you came here in the first place," Sophia said. "You are supposed to give out rewards, not talk politics."
Otto awoke immediately from his contemplation at Sophia's words. He gazed at the blonde girl with fondness and gave her a warm smile.
"Right you are," he said. "I believe that all the contestants have finally arrived."
Zeke could feel Otto using magic. He recognized the spell: the man was sending a telepathic message. A moment later, Jorgel popped out from the crowd and walked up to the group.
"What can I do for you, Lord Geistreich," Jorgel said with obvious respect.
"I believe it is about time that we started with the award ceremony," Otto proclaimed. Jorgel nodded and immediately started his announcement.
"Ladies and Gentleman. A moment of your time, please. We have witnessed a great spectacle this year. Our young talents have proven once again why our empire is the number one power on the continent. Please give a round of applause for our brave contestants," Jorgel yelled.
There was scattered applause from all around. It was by no means comparable to the atmosphere Zeke had gotten used to.
"Especially noteworthy was the performance of our 16 finalists," Jorgel continued, "All of which I will ask to step up individually to receive their reward. Please make your way over here first, Matthias Wellenreiter."
Over the next half an hour, Zeke saw all the finalists walk up to Jorgel and receive their medals. Jorgel said a few words about their achievement and the history of their families. It was only when I came to the third-placed candidate that the routine changed.
"…and so, Edmund Steiner has managed to triumph over Felix Feuerkranz for the third place. As promised, in addition to the medal, he will also receive a share of essence crystals." Jorgel proclaimed.
Edmund stepped up and received his reward. Zeke could see a hint of a smile on Edmund's usually stoic face. It was clear that the victory over Felix was something that he took great pride in. After receiving his prize, he returned to the crowd of applauding Earth Mages.
"In the second place, we have Leo. I have heard that he will officially join the von Hohenheim house tomorrow. That makes Leo the only candidate to ever make it to the top three without being officially adopted by a noble family," Jorgel announced.
"Congratulations, Leo. In addition to your medal, you have also earned three kilograms of Earth and Fire Essence crystals each. This might not be enough to get you to Grand Mage, but it will take you most of the way. I'm sure that the von Hohenheim house will have no problem providing you with the rest," Jorgel said to Leo as he presented him with his prizes.
Leo merely nodded and returned to his position beside Zeke and Maximilians after thanking the man.
"And in the first place, we have Ezekiel von Hohenheim. Truly the dark horse of this competition. The versatility of his toolkit was absolutely astonishing. It truly speaks volumes of the capabilities of old man Maximilian. It is not often that a Mage so young is able to effectively wield three affinities in combat. On top of that, he was even able to advance to the semi-finals without revealing his short-range teleportation. Truly a marvel," Jorgel said as Zeke walked up.
"Congratulations, Ezekiel von Hohenheim. In addition to the first-place medal, you have earned ten kilograms of Blood, Mind, and Space crystals each," Jorgel said to gasps from the audience. It was clear that many of them had not yet realized how much Zeke had gained from this. His share of space affinity crystals alone was more valuable than all the other rewards combined. Zeke could not stifle a grin at the envious faces he could see in the crowd.
The smile was quickly wiped from his face as Otto Geistreich stepped in front of him to personally present him with the medal. It was a beautifully crafted piece of jewelry, a shining clear crystal was set into the center of the piece. The words 'Number 1 of the empire' were etched along the side of the medal. Zeke bowed his head slightly, allowing Otto to place the ornament around his head.
"In the name of the emperor, I congratulate Ezekiel von Hohenheim on his victory!" Otto proclaimed solemnly. His deep voice and commanding tone immediately silenced the room.
"I expect great things from you," Otto said more quietly to Zeke as he placed the medal around the boy's neck. Zeke merely nodded. He didn't quite know what the man meant by that. He just hoped that Sophia had not told her uncle too much about him.