Above the mage

Chapter 718 Complaint

As Richard finished speaking, a slight commotion instantly arose in the square.

The captains of all sixty-four participating teams stepped forward in response.

Some looked calm, some tense, and some spirited as they walked in an orderly fashion down the steps on either side of the platform to the lottery area in the center.

The Golden Flower Dynasty team was naturally represented by Liu Ying, who was in charge of the draw.

So three days later, the group was able to see their captain for the second time.

Although she still maintained a very obvious "distance" from everyone, with a faint elemental pressure swirling around her and a cold expression on her face.

It's as if the scene of them reaching out to Gaode three days ago was just their illusion.

Representing the team to draw lots on stage is itself a great honor.

Because of the lottery process, people from all over the world came to watch, exposing themselves to countless eyes, including many mages, nobles and other important figures.

This is not just a group draw, but a public appearance, a perfect opportunity to raise awareness.

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Among the team captains present, some did not care about these empty titles.

They are either focused on the competition itself or come from top-tier backgrounds, so they no longer need to boost their fame in this way.

But many people value this exposure even more.

After all, having fame, especially positive fame, is a good thing in any world.

It can bring many additional benefits and resources, and enable one to gain more say in one's family, power, or even country.

Liu Ying is very confident in her abilities and in the competition.

Therefore, after going on stage, she did not hesitate at all, nor did she think carefully like the other team leaders.

She simply walked straight to the lottery box, used her magic to quickly pull out a crystal card engraved with her group number. Liu Ying didn't even look down to check which group she was assigned to before handing it directly to the referee.

The entire movement was swift and decisive, as if it were just a trivial matter.

Compared to Liu Ying's composure, most of the 64 teams and over 500 players were feeling very nervous at this moment.

Even for strong teams, this is the same.

Because this draw was completely random, with no previous results to refer to and no avoidance rules, all teams were on the same starting line.

No one could have predicted how the group assignments would turn out.

In the most extreme scenario, it's possible that the three most favored champion seed teams—the mage teams from Linhai City, the Holy Empire, and the Golden Flower Dynasty—could happen to be drawn into the same group.

That would create a "group of death" situation.

With three strong teams battling it out, one of them will inevitably fail to advance and be eliminated in the round of 64.

While the possibility is indeed very low, it is not entirely impossible, and this is the biggest concern for all the top teams.

For weaker teams, the draw means a glimmer of hope.

If you're lucky enough, you might be placed in a group that's generally weak and doesn't have any top teams.

Even if they lack the necessary strength, they still have a chance to secure a top-two spot in the group and advance to the knockout stage through tactical coordination and on-the-spot performance.

Moreover, everyone knew that this kind of luck-based advantage was only available in the first French Bulldog tournament.

In the second edition (if there is one), teams with excellent historical records will most likely be directly guaranteed a spot in the round of 16, skipping the group stage.

Even without guaranteed admission, corresponding avoidance rules will be introduced to prevent top teams from meeting too early and reduce the possibility of upsets.

In just half an hour, all sixty-four team captains completed the draw and handed their crystal cards to the referee.

The judges immediately gathered together to quickly tally and verify the group assignments. The entire process was open and transparent, with representatives from the three host countries jointly supervising the process to prevent any underhanded dealings.

A moment later, the group assignments were finalized. Richard, holding the group list, once again used his magical amplification spell to announce the matchups for each group to the entire audience.

Nothing dramatic or melodramatic happened.

The three seeded teams, Holy Empire, Linhai City, and Golden Flower Dynasty, belong to three different groups.

They will not meet in the group stage, giving them a relatively easy chance to advance.

The onlookers from all three sides breathed a sigh of relief, their hearts finally at ease.

They also did not want to see their country's mage team encounter strong opponents too early.

The lottery process has officially ended, but today's arrangements are not yet completely over.

Next, the referee team will formulate the specific schedule for tomorrow's group stage matches on the spot, based on the newly determined group assignments.

This includes the time, venue, match order, and referee assignments for each game, all of which require time to coordinate and cannot be announced immediately.

As the organizer, Richard immediately announced the end of the event, allowing the crowd who had come to watch the lottery to leave first.

After all, it is unreasonable and could easily cause chaos to have tens of thousands of people gather in the square and do nothing but wait for the schedule to be set.

Not only onlookers, but also team members can leave first.

All that's needed is for each team's captain or team leader to stay behind, wait for the final results of the competition, and then bring the information back to their team.

"I'll head back now," Cedric said, stretching and speaking in a relaxed tone.

Upon hearing the group assignments, he felt completely relieved.

They drew a good lot.

At least that's how it is for them.

As long as you don't draw the Imperial Team or the Coastal Team, it's a good draw.

Therefore, the specific group stage schedule is not very important, and he doesn't care about it.

The other team members shared similar thoughts, nodding in agreement as they prepared to leave the square.

Gaode followed his teammates and left through the designated passage for participating teams on the side of the square.

This passage was specially designed so that there's no need to squeeze in with the crowd of onlookers, making it both convenient and avoiding unnecessary trouble.

As soon as they stepped out of the passage, Gaode sensed something was wrong.

His teammates, who had stopped walking at some point, looked at him with strange expressions.

His eyes held a mixture of schadenfreude, a hint of mockery, and an inexplicable curiosity.

They remained silent, exchanging glances with each other.

They looked as if they were watching a good show about to begin.

Gao De frowned slightly, a hint of doubt rising in his heart, not understanding where this strange gaze came from.

He subconsciously stopped and turned to look at his teammates. Just as he was about to ask them a question, he saw that the corners of their mouths couldn't help but turn up slightly, clearly trying to hide something.

"It's not an easy thing to take the jewel off the crown, Gao De." Just then, Feng Lin, who was standing next to him, crossed her arms and smiled playfully, teasingly saying in a low voice.

Ok?

Gao De's heart skipped a beat, and he was about to say something when he suddenly understood the origin of everyone's strange self-illumination.

Following the subtle gazes of the crowd, he saw a young lady dressed in gorgeous clothes walking towards him with several servants not far away.

She was about twenty-four or twenty-five years old, wearing a light purple mage robe with dark patterns.

With fair skin, delicate features, and an air of noble bearing, she possessed an air of innate aristocratic elegance.

Behind her followed four servants, each with a straight and upright posture, and short-handled staffs at their waists.

Such a grand display is not something an ordinary family could afford; it's clear at a glance that they come from a top-tier aristocratic family.

Gao De's teammates clearly recognized the girl, which is why they gave him such strange looks.

Even the most "aloof" Cedric stopped in his tracks, crossed his arms, and prepared to watch the spectacle with great interest.

She walked gracefully to Gaode and slowly stopped in front of him.

Her almond-shaped eyes were fixed on Gao De, making it impossible to guess what she was thinking.

"This is our eldest daughter of the Laurent family, Isa Laurent," a servant stepped forward and introduced her clearly to God.

The sound wasn't loud, but it was enough for Gaode to hear clearly.

"The Laurent family?" Gao De confirmed.

"Yes." The servant nodded slightly, respectfully retreated behind Isabella, stood with his head bowed, and said no more.

So Gao De smiled at Isa Laurent in front of him.

He knew about the Laurent family.

This is one of the great noble families of the Plantagenet dynasty, with a profound heritage.

What is particularly noteworthy is that from the very beginning of the dynasty, the Laurent family has steadfastly regarded the Wang Mian family as their patriarch, and has remained loyal to the Wang Mian family for generations without ever wavering.

Therefore, under the protection of the Wang Mian family, the Laurent family has been able to continue to this day and has grown stronger.

In Luge County, Laurent is definitely one of the top three noble families, with power and wealth that are among the best in the entire Nora continent.

Moreover, he does have some connection with the Laurent family.

Lieutenant Colonel Greylin, a sea sentinel, was married to a man from the Laurent family, and he had even sparred with Greylin's son, Theodore Laurent.

Lieutenant Colonel Grayling also had a certain degree of favor towards him; if it weren't for Lieutenant Colonel Grayling's strong opposition, his rank wouldn't have been promoted so quickly.

Therefore, Gao De had a slight initial goodwill towards Isa, the eldest daughter of the Laurent family, and his tone was relatively gentle.

"Gaode?" Isa's voice was as clear and melodious as a wind chime, but her tone was quite flat, revealing little emotion.

"It's me." Gao De nodded slightly in response, looking at her calmly, waiting for her to continue.

"He's not bad looking, his features are decent, not as ugly as I imagined," Isa said after looking him up and down.

"Thank you for your kind words, Miss Isabella," Gao De said with a light laugh.

He was not displeased by the condescending praise, as if he had not noticed the implied meaning in the words, and his expression remained gentle.

"I heard you're not from this country, but a foreign mage?" Isha raised an eyebrow and asked again.

"That's right, and we should also thank the dynasty for taking us in," Gao De said frankly, without any attempt to hide his background.

Upon hearing this, Isa smiled faintly, her tone remaining calm: "A foreign mage, from humble beginnings, with no background or connections, relying solely on his own strength to overcome all obstacles and ultimately represent his country in the Unparalleled Magic Tournament, is truly remarkable."

"I am deeply grateful to the dynasty for not rejecting me because of my background and for giving me the opportunity to participate in the competition." Gao De spoke these polite words fluently and naturally.

Although it was only a few words, Isa was "praising" him.

But Gao De wasn't stupid; he had already read the contempt hidden behind those words.

Disregard for his background and identity.

"Your talent as a mage is exceptional; you are destined for great things, I acknowledge that..."

Looking at his composed and dignified demeanor, Isa took a deep breath, her tone suddenly becoming serious: "However, you must recognize your own place and know your place. Don't be delusional; a toad shouldn't dream of eating swan meat!"

"Now the empire is becoming increasingly ambitious, and its covetousness towards our Golden Flower Dynasty has a long history. There are undercurrents in the court, and the borders are not very stable either."

Although the dynasty's glory remains, the empire's power is undeniable.

"In this situation, the dynasty also needs to concentrate all its strength and unite the people."

"If Your Highness can form a marriage alliance with the royal family, it will surely unite the dynasty more closely, stabilize the court, and deter the empire."

"This is not only about the glory of the Wang Mian family, but also about the survival of the entire Golden Flower Dynasty!" Isa became more and more emotional as she spoke.

"Princess Liuying is such a revered figure; only the royal family is worthy of her. She is absolutely not someone a commoner like you, a foreign mage with no background, could ever hope to be worthy of!"

"I've come to see you today not to make things difficult for you, but simply to advise you to have some self-awareness."

"Stop trying to curry favor with Princess Liuying, don't jeopardize her future, and don't overestimate yourself by coveting things you shouldn't. Otherwise, you'll definitely suffer more losses in the end!"

Upon hearing this, the teammates who had been watching the commotion immediately fell silent, their expressions varying.

Cedric raised an eyebrow, his interest deepening; Feng Lin frowned, seemingly finding Isha's words too blunt, and her invocation of dynastic righteousness was somewhat lofty...

As for Gaode, although the smile on his face gradually faded, his eyes remained calm.

There was no embarrassment or anger at being slighted, nor any resentment at having one's sore spots touched.

"Is this your intention, or the Laurent family's?" He looked at Isa quietly, remained silent for a moment, and then slowly asked.

"This is just my opinion at the moment."

Isa was taken aback by his question, then straightened her back and said firmly, "But I believe my father thought the same thing."

Not only my father, but all those who hoped for the dynasty's enduring glory thought so.

Gao De suddenly smiled and continued, "But what you think is none of my business."

Isa's eyes sharpened, and her tone became impatient as she questioned, "Are you determined to be a toad trying to eat a swan?"

She simply couldn't understand why Gaode could be so open and so ungrateful.

"Of course not." Gao De gently shook his head.

"Then what do you mean? If that's not the case, then you should do as I said and keep your distance from Princess Liuying!"

"No, I didn't mean I don't eat swan meat."

Gao De shook his head: "What I mean is—"

"I am not a toad."

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