With Elise's victory over one of Seidoukan Academy's Page One, the match officially came to an end.
For the next two days, Elise could finally enjoy a proper break. Although her next match would be on the first day of the second round, there were still two full days until the first round concluded—plenty of time to rest.
While Elise herself was living peacefully, the outside world had already exploded with excitement.
After all, the Lindvolus was a global event that drew the eyes of the world! With footage of Elise's match circulating and her long-standing reputation backing her, she had now become one of the top contenders for the championship in the eyes of the public!
Just like two other participants, she had become one of the focal points of this year's Lindvolus.
The "Wordweaving Strega"—Elise Holiness.
The "Battle-Rhythm Strega"—Sylvia Lyyneheym.
The "Venom Strega"—Orphelia Landlufen.
A clear tripartite power structure had formed. Some even began to refer to this year's Lindvolus as the "Witch War"!
It was inevitable that this tournament would decide who was truly the strongest Strega of this era!
Some websites had even opened betting pools for their matches. Among them, Orphelia still had the highest odds of winning—after all, she was the reigning champion of the previous Lindvolus.
For the upcoming matches, the Operations Committee had arranged the fight order based on popularity: Elise's match was placed first, Sylvia's second, and Orphelia's last.
To the committee, Elise was a crowd-favorite—because she always gave her opponents room to perform, regardless of their strength. If they had any injuries or flaws, Elise would often guide or even heal them.
That compassionate fighting style won her massive popularity.
Sylvia's matches, however, were a bit more unique. Her "universal" ability allowed her to adapt to any opponent by countering them perfectly.
Add in her vast reserves of Prana and refined physical skills, and ordinary student-level fighters didn't stand a chance against her.
Not to mention, Sylvia's power was activated through "song," which made her matches feel like concerts—cheered on by roaring audiences.
But the next match would be entirely different.
Orphelia would enter the stage.
The audience cheered, of course—but unlike Elise and Sylvia, their cheers were mixed with reverence and fear.
Orphelia simply stood there, silent and unmoving—until her opponent collapsed unconscious.
Her opponent had launched every possible attack against her, but before her overwhelming miasma of poison, it was like rain splashing into the sea—making no ripple at all.
In the end, they passed out, unable to resist the toxic fog.
If Elise and Sylvia's battles were graceful and dazzling, Orphelia's could only be described as terrifying. Absolutely terrifying!
Most contestants dreaded being matched with Orphelia. But under the Operations Committee's arrangements, they had no choice but to face her. There was no way the organizers would allow the top three to clash early—that would be a tremendous loss!
"Elise's match, just like always, had that soothing, healing feel to it!" the announcer commented enthusiastically. Getting to commentate a Lindvolus match of this caliber was a massive honor.
"This was also the first time the Wordweaving Strega's abilities were fully displayed to the public, wasn't it?" another commentator chimed in. "It suits her perfectly. As expected of the Saintess!"
"That said, the Battle-Rhythm Strega's performance was equally thrilling!"
Sylvia's strength was undeniable. Becoming the top-ranked fighter in her academy was no small feat. But it's worth noting...
After all, Queenvail Girls' Academy was considered the weakest academy!
Those students spent most of their time singing and dancing. Aside from their "idol" appeal, they had little to show—and their historical results were unimpressive.
Yet Sylvia had made a name for herself at the Lindvolus. That alone proved how powerful she was—undoubtedly a top-tier Strega. She had completely reshaped the public's view of the "World's Number One Diva."
The tournament continued, but from start to finish, it was ruled by those three Strega. The other contestants had completely lost any realistic chance of competing for the championship.
Whether it was Elise's compassion, Sylvia's dazzling showmanship, or Orphelia's absolute dominance, each had etched an unforgettable impression into the audience's minds.
Nearly everyone was waiting for the inevitable clash between the three. Who would rise above the others?
At last, under the watchful eyes of the world, the tournament reached the moment everyone had been waiting for:
The Semifinals—
Elise Holiness vs. Sylvia Lyyneheym!
Wordweaving Strega vs. Battle-Rhythm Strega!
As the two stepped onto the stage, the roar from the crowd reached a whole new level—more excited, more frenzied than ever before!
"Now then, I hereby announce—the semifinals of the Lindvolus officially begin!" The host's voice rang out as every camera in the stadium adjusted to its optimal angle, ready to capture this historic moment.
Who was stronger—the Battle-Rhythm Strega or the Wordweaving Strega?
Everyone wanted to know.
All eyes were glued to the arena.
But…
The two on stage didn't seem interested in fighting at all?
"To think we'd end up meeting this early," Sylvia said, a little helplessly, as she looked at her opponent—and close friend.
"Isn't it obvious?" Elise replied with a smile. "Orphelia's the reigning champion of the previous Lindvolus. The Operations Committee was always going to place her in the final slot."
"I really wanted to fight you in the actual finals… but looks like we won't get that chance."
"It's not that different, is it? This might as well be the final."
"You're right!"
Who would have expected… the two were chatting casually on the battlefield?
Countless spectators were baffled, not understanding what was going on. But quite a few sharp-eyed fans lit up with excitement—like they'd just discovered something wonderful.
Could it be… these two actually know each other?
Ah, I get it now!
This ship practically sails itself!
I'm fully behind Sylvia and Elise! No one can stop me!
The awkward silence on stage dragged on for about thirty seconds before more people realized something was off. At the same time, anticipation grew.
Finally, the host's slightly awkward voice broke in—
"Um… Elise Holiness? Sylvia Lyyneheym? The match has already started, you know? Are you two going to begin anytime soon?"