The exit lay between towering pillars. Two massive gates—deep red and enormously tall—stood wide open.Beside the exit was a slab of carved stone. A woman stood there, one hand resting against it. A fixed smile clung to her face. Twirling the ends of her long hair between her fingers, she accepted slips from people and bowed to them in greeting.
When she noticed Millie approaching, the woman's smile widened even more. Her lips fluttered as she spoke toward her,"Millie, are you alone today? Your mother… I mean, Miss Mary—didn't she come?"She widened her deep brown eyes as she looked at Millie.
Millie knew this woman well. Whenever Millie came here with her mother, the woman never tired of praising her mother directly to her face.Millie remembered one incident clearly—once, the woman had slightly twisted her mouth and said to Millie,"You don't look much like your mother. Perhaps you resemble your father."Her mother had laughed at the remark, but Millie had not liked it at all.
Handing the slip to the woman, Millie said calmly,"No. Today I'm here with my friends."
Millie felt the happiness on the woman's face fade slightly.The woman's gaze shifted to the two girls standing behind Millie. Smiling, she said,"These lovely girls are with you?"
Millie nodded in response.After handing over the slip, she stepped aside.A short while later, she moved forward through the gates along with Tessa and Neon.
Beyond the doors lay a corridor, its walls built entirely of stone. Millie felt a faint chill creep across her skin. Only the echo of footsteps rang through the passage. A dim darkness lingered there.Neon walked ahead, with Tessa and Millie following behind her.
The moment they emerged from the corridor, a wave of noise crashed over Millie's senses. Before her stretched a vast field. On all four sides, slightly elevated, stood rows of carved stone seats.
Tessa's voice rang out, swaying with excitement,"This is my second time here, but still—everything looks so magnificent!"
Millie only smiled faintly.It truly was magnificent.
People sat atop the carved stone tiers surrounding the field. Their surging voices rippled through the air. Warmth and excitement spread across the entire venue. Even the blood flowing through Millie's veins seemed to heat up at the sight.
She then heard Neon's voice, sharp and cold,"You like everything anyway—no matter how terrible it is."
Tessa hadn't heard Neon's words at all. She was too busy gazing at the surroundings.
Neon wasn't happy. She disliked wielders. Millie had never once heard her praise them, nor had she ever seen even a hint of curiosity in her eyes.
Millie gestured for both of them to follow behind her.Those holding yellow passes were seated separately from ordinary people. While three-quarters of the vast field was occupied by the general crowd, one quarter was reserved exclusively for yellow-pass holders.That section was divided off by thick wooden barriers.
After passing through the corridor, Millie moved along a path made of black stone and stepped into an area built of wood. Climbing the steps, she sat down on a wooden chair placed in the empty space. Tessa and Neon took their seats beside her.
Millie noticed that at the very top were three large royal chairs made of green stone. The event organizers were seated there.Some distance away from Millie, others were seated as well, but they were completely silent. On the opposite side, however, people were overflowing with joy—shouting, swaying, moving with excitement. A flame of passion seemed to flow through them.