"You?" Gaga turned to Hayatobi, seeking a final confirmation. The general offered a light, knowing smile that didn't quite reach his eyes, but it was enough.
Gaga nodded and turned back to Carl, her expression now holding a newfound respect for the boy who had just casually dropped a fortune. "Ok young man. Tomorrow, your status in the Military Academy will be changed. Please visit me in my office when you're ready."
She turned to the rest of the group, her voice booming over the music. "On everyone! Have fun!"
The words acted like a starting pistol. The common students, driven by the realization that their gold was now a dwindling resource, rushed the tables. It was a frantic, desperate scene—the clatter of silver against porcelain and the sound of people eating as if it were their last meal. For many, it likely was. From tomorrow onward, every morsel would be bought with blood and points.
Mirabella didn't join the frenzy. She turned on her heel, the weight of the room's envy sliding off her like water. Cupcake sat perched on her shoulder, a silent sentinel of fluff. Her attendant bowed and followed her out—a loyal shadow ready to give her life at a moment's notice.
_
The transition from the boisterous hall to the sterile, high-vaulted hallways of the academy was jarring. Mirabella walked with a calm, measured pace, navigating the labyrinthine turns as if she had walked them a thousand times before.
"Tell me, what is your name?" Mirabella finally asked, her voice echoing softly against the cold stone.
"I am Elizabeth King, Milady," Elizabeth replied, her tone a perfect blend of professional distance and warmth.
Mirabella nodded slowly. In her previous life, she had heard whispers of this system. The Dragon Empire didn't just give their Elites servants; they gave them guardians. These "attendants" were the secret backbone of the military—warriors far stronger than their charges, trained to sacrifice everything to ensure the Empire's future leaders survived their training.
Graduate, and the servant is granted a choice: continue to serve as a free citizen or take their freedom. It was a life of total devotion, one Mirabella had only ever watched from the sidelines of the "common" ranks in her past life.
She glanced over her shoulder. Elizabeth was striking—a middle-aged woman with inky black hair and piercing green eyes. She looked like a high-society diplomat, but the aura radiating from her was thick, suffocatingly dense with spirit energy.
'Was she specifically picked for me?' Mirabella wondered, a frown creasing her brow. 'With such dense spirit energy around her... I am sure she is almost on par with Hayatobi. What type of monster is she, why didn't I know her in my previous life?'
Driven by a mix of suspicion and awe, Mirabella decided to test the limits of her perception. "Ok Elizabeth, what level are you on?"
"Oh, Milady, I am a Lv200 All-Bloodline, and you are the only one that can know this information."
Mirabella froze. Even Cupcake's tail stopped twitching. The world seemed to tilt as Mirabella turned around fully, her system interface flickering to life as it scanned the woman before her. The data that flooded her vision was impossible.
{Name: Elizabeth King.}
{Title (6): World crusher. Blood Queen. One Hit. Invincible Queen. Demon exterminator. World Boss sovereign.}
{Level: Lv200 (Peak God Level).}
{Origin: Dragon Empire—Galaxy Fall.}
{Physical Attack: 2,200,000.}
{Agility: 2,500,000.}
{Defense: 3,000,000.}
{Health: 3,000,000.}
{Magic Attack: 3,890,000.}
{Spirit Energy: 6,000,000/6,000,000.}
{Bloodline: All-Bloodline.}
Mirabella stood paralyzed, her eyes wide with sheer disbelief: 'It... It can't be... She... She is stronger than Hayatobi?! She looks so innocent and calm, how... How is she stronger than Hayatobi?!!! What type of monster is she?!!!' The numbers were incomprehensible. This wasn't just a guard; this was a walking apocalypse.
"Milady, are you ok?" Elizabeth asked, her head tilting with genuine concern.
"You? You are so powerful? Why are you here, serving me?" Mirabella's voice was barely a whisper.
Elizabeth blinked, her smile remaining serene. "I chose this, Milady... I am tired of moving around, I want to settle down and experience something new."
"Ok. But why this life? Why serve? Are you that curious? I mean, with your current strength, you can be a pillar of the Dragon Empire."
"Oh, don't worry about that," Elizabeth replied smoothly. "Just know I will be by your side all day long."
Mirabella stared at her for a long moment. Having a God-level All-Bloodline as a bodyguard was an asset she couldn't afford to question too deeply—not yet. She had to play this right.
"Ok... I will let you follow me for two conditions," Mirabella said, raising two fingers.
"What are the conditions, Milady?" Elizabeth asked with a small bow.
"Stop calling me 'Milady.' My name is Mirabella. That's the first condition. The second condition... You will train with me."
Elizabeth paused, her green eyes scanning Mirabella as if seeing her for the first time. Then, she bowed again. "Ok, Miss Mirabella. I accept both conditions."
"Thanks."
Mirabella turned and resumed her walk. Internally, her mind was racing:
'I need to know how to fight without my Multiplier... My stats are high, but there might be a situation that requires me to hide my powers. I need to know how to do it flawlessly.'
"Miss Mirabella... You seem to be familiar with the Academy structure?" Elizabeth noted, watching the girl navigate the complex halls without a single hesitation.
"Um, yes... Lady Gaga showed us the layout, I knew it from there," Mirabella lied smoothly. She reached into her system inventory, pulled out a small candy, and popped it into her mouth. The sweetness helped ground her.
"Want some, Cupcake?" she asked.
"No..." Cupcake replied, shaking her small head.
"...?!"
Elizabeth stopped dead in her tracks, her composure finally breaking for a split second. "Your pet... It can speak?"
"Oh yeah... And she is not a pet. This is Cupcake, my family." Mirabella said, gently scratching the cat behind the ears.
Elizabeth stared at the small animal, then at the girl who treated a talking creature with such casual indifference. A soft, intrigued look crossed her face:
'Hmm... Seems I didn't make the wrong decision.' She thought, quickly catching up to her new charge.
"So where are we going, Miss Mirabella?"
"I need fresh air," Mirabella answered, her eyes fixed on the distant exit that led to the academy gardens. The real games were about to begin.