By Zephyria “Wow.”
The participants being guided and moved let out sighs mixed with admiration. Of course, Leonardo was no exception. His Gold Eyes, wider than usual, looked around the inside of the main stadium through the arched windows.
He had guessed that it was wide when he was moving outside to find the entrance, but when he actually came inside, the scale was so grand that the other side of the stadium felt infinitely far away. It was a stadium in name only; to exaggerate a bit, it felt like entering an island that had been remodeled for the purpose of the league. Inside, there were not only home grounds and spectator seats but also various convenience facilities and commercial facilities.
Moreover, the strong energy of water made him wonder if it was because of the nearby river, but that was not the only reason. Artificial waterfalls formed in tiers between the spectator seats were flowing coolly. The streams of water pouring from the waterfalls all gathered in the center of the stadium, forming another river that flowed along the edge of the wide ground.
The mysterious room he had found in Romance City suddenly came to mind, but it was only for a moment. The river then flowed back up through curved transparent pillars that encompassed the ceiling.
Eight pillars extending from all directions met at the open ceiling, forming a semi-circular roof. According to the laws of the world, the streams of water that should have fallen vertically swirled at the center of the ceiling, then flowed leisurely down the opposite pillars again, becoming waterfalls and pouring down.
He could not know the exact principle, but it was a beautiful sculpture that combined water and light without blocking the sky. Thanks to that, shadows of waves rippled on the ground where the sunlight was shining. It was a unique structure that took advantage of the characteristics of Agrigento Territory, called the city of water, and pleased the eyes. It was like being in an underwater world.
In terms of compatibility, it was the worst place for Leonardo, but he didn’t feel bad because it was the Duke’s home ground. However, he was saddened that he could not recognize his energy at once. It is not easy to find a hidden blue gem in this place full of the color and scent of water.
Of course, there was no way that he would not attend the league event hosted by the Council on the opening ceremony day. With that one hope, Leonardo leaned on the open window frame and peered around the stadium.
‘Is he still in here now?’
Some of the spectator seats had been remodeled into box seats like opera houses, or private seats were prepared separately for VIPs. There were not many seats filled yet, but as the Duke of the Empire, the Legion Commander of the Council, and the lord of this land, he would likely sit in such symbolic seats.
Stopping in disappointment and looking outside, a member came over and warned him.
“The test start time is approaching soon. Please move quickly.”
Leonardo, who turned around, nodded in response. Then, while moving his steps, he repeatedly scanned the other side of the stadium and the ground where the rehearsal was taking place.
Temporary Portal entrances were shining here and there. It seemed that they were installed for convenience because it would take half a day to cross on foot. Or the venue for the game may be connected to the outside.
If it was the latter, the probability of meeting him would be lower, so he hoped that the test would end as soon as possible so that he could have a moment of free time. He wished he could see his face at least once from afar….
His hesitating gaze moved to the stairs that appeared in front of him, unable to overcome the urging eyes of the member. Leonardo slowly climbed the stairs, following the guidance while chasing Hugo’s energy until the end.
On the one hand, he repeated vague expectations and defensive resignation, wondering if that person would recognize his face covered tightly.
“Preparations are proceeding smoothly. In about 30 minutes, after adjusting the delay value by connecting to the stadium of the Central Branch, the opening ceremony is scheduled to be held simultaneously from 7 pm Zodiac time. All routes exclusively for VIP and VIP entry have been controlled, and we have briefly mentioned routes that are not crowded while reconfirming attendance in the morning.”
Hugo scanned the inside of the main stadium while listening to the report from the person in charge of the Council League operations. The north side of the stadium where he was located was an area where only officials could enter. Although the operations staff occasionally ran around busily, it was relatively less crowded than other areas.
“All of the performance cast members except for one team have arrived and are finalizing their rehearsals in the assigned waiting rooms and halls. The remaining team had a slight problem on the way, so we excluded them from the rehearsal for now and received a reply that they would arrive by 2 hours before the opening ceremony. All ignition and lighting devices to be used for the performance have also completed safety inspections and confirmed normal operation.”
There was still some time left until the opening ceremony, but Hugo, who had deliberately arrived at the stadium early, was checking the inspection items directly to ensure smooth progress. Of course, that was not the only reason he was moving diligently.
“We have adjusted the entry time to be possible from a slightly earlier time because there is a risk of crowding when the entry time is approaching. However, we have instructed in advance that they must have a ticket when entering, and that re-entering spectators must also pass through the security checkpoint. The location assignment of security personnel is….”
“Have all the test participants arrived?”
The person in charge, who was looking into the notebook, suddenly stopped talking and glanced up at the Legion Commander. Hugo, who had stopped walking, was standing with his hands behind his back by the window in the hallway, scanning the left side of the stadium.
The person in charge checked his wristwatch and replied.
“Ah, yes. The meeting time was 2 pm local time, so the participant support team would have guided them to the multipurpose hall. Do you have any separate instructions?”
“…No. I was wondering when it would end.”
“Um… It varies depending on the type of test, so I can’t specify a specific time, but it seems like it will end around the same time as the opening ceremony. I heard that the number of participants this year has increased by about 1.5 times compared to last year, so we decided to divide the events and conduct the test over two days. I will inquire with the person in charge and get back to you.”
Hugo nodded, but he couldn’t take his eyes off one point on the other side of the stadium. The crowd was so large that it was unclear, but it felt like Leonardo’s energy was fluctuating in that place.
However, he could not be sure whether it was his illusion or truly his energy. There were some who applied to participate but did not actually attend, and above all, he was cautious in his actions, so even if he had participated, he would have completely concealed his energy.
‘Still, if I say I stopped by to encourage them before the test, I think I can naturally contact the participants.’
Of course, it was not the finals, and there was no precedent for the Legion Commander to visit and greet the test participants directly. The number was so large, and there were so many other things to pay attention to.
Come to think of it, he might feel burdened if he met him before the game. Hugo let out a silent sigh and decided to wait quietly until Leonardo had finished the test well.
At that time, the person in charge, who was continuing to turn the pages of the notebook, opened his mouth.
“Ah, and there is one report that came up 2 hours ago. There was a small commotion at the security checkpoint at the A-9 entrance.”
“Commotion?”
“Yes. An entrant was caught trying to enter with a weapon hidden, so he was arrested and handed over to the 2nd branch of the Eastern Branch Inspection Office. However, in the bag he was carrying, three Council uniforms and three tickets that were not his own were found hidden among the used clothes.”
Hugo, who had been walking with his hands behind his back, stopped in his tracks.
“Our uniform and three tickets? Where did he get them?”
“The origin of the uniform is unclear. However, judging from the fact that it is not new clothes but used clothes, it seems that there was an omission in the handling process of the cooperating company that collects the uniforms. We checked the unique identification number of the ticket, and it was not issued to a specific individual, but it was for invitation distribution.”
Hugo’s brow slowly narrowed. It is always common for gnats to swarm on a noisy event day. But the timing was not good. It had only been a few weeks since the explosion at Pentagov was externally concluded.
The fact that the suspect had even prepared a Council uniform had to be seen as an attempt to infiltrate with a specific purpose. Hugo was increasingly nervous that it might be a precursor to a similar crime imitating the accident that had been a hot topic.
The person in charge, who was watching the Legion Commander’s expression, added, trailing off.
“Perhaps the ticket was obtained from a leak from another organization….”
“Did you figure out the purpose?”
“Ah, although it is an unreliable statement, he claims to be from Bermuda and came to find Kardo’s Gemstone. He also said he came to realize the will of the universe….”
“…….”
“Yes, it seems that he is not of sound mind, so we have not yet grasped the exact purpose and identity. We will deliver the details as soon as the results of the additional interrogation come in. Other weapons found were lighters, matches, small firecrackers, and cheering flare guns, which have often been confiscated since previous years, so the counter-terrorism response team immediately disassembled and disposed of them on the spot.”
Hugo, who was habitually trying to sweep his hair back, paused at the touch of the hair gel on his fingertips and lowered his hand. Soon, he fiddled with his tie for no reason and continued.
“…Good work. But it doesn’t seem like a matter to be easily dismissed, so request additional manpower from headquarters. About 200 people.”
“Yes, I understand.”
“The matter may be a dispute to incite hatred against people from Bermuda. So, first, finish the interrogation and do not inform the outside until the exact results are out. In addition, it seems that we need to verify whether there are any infiltrators inside, so we will entrust the matter to Lieutenant Rebernil. Listen to him for detailed instructions.”
“Yes, I will keep that in mind.”