The atmosphere in the Royal viewing room was a mix of amusement, concern, and curiosity as the former generals and royalty discussed Mixarnt's apparent heartbreak. Gundrik's booming laughter echoed through the room as he declared, "Hmmm, looks like my protégé is suffering from a broken heart from last night! Gahahaha!"
"Oh dear~ So that's why he is acting like that." Rosalinda giggled, clearly entertained by the situation, she hopes that her granddaughter comforts him, but she also knows that Rosalind is quite dense sometimes.
Sunshine, who had been quietly observing, perked up at this. She turned to Gundrik, her golden flame eyes narrowing skeptically. "Oh really? No wonder he can't focus," she said, though her tone suggested she wasn't entirely convinced.
"Sigh... Matters of the heart, huh?" Lancelot added, his tone thoughtful but tinged with amusement.
Arthur, the former king, leaned back in his chair, laughing heartily. "Ahahahaha! Well, that boy is popular with women. He'll move on eventually. If another woman comforts him and gives him attention, he'll forget all about it."
Eclipse, standing nearby, flinched slightly at Arthur's words. Her Lunar Eyes flickered with a mix of guilt and unease as she watched Mixarnt struggle on the screen.
King Arnold chuckled, clearly enjoying the conversation. "Oh, so it really is about love, huh?" he said, his wife, the queen, giggling beside him.
Prince Art, however, looked worried. "Having your heart broken at the tender age of 11... That's going to scar him, and he'll carry it his whole life," he said with a sigh. Eclipse flinched again, her expression growing more conflicted.
Xavier, ever the pragmatist, shrugged. "Love is illogical."
Theron, the kind-hearted former general, shook his head sympathetically. "Poor boy. I'd give him advice if I see him after this."
Leoric, leaning against the wall, crossed his arms. "We don't even know if he'll win or lose."
Lusaric grinned. "He always pulls something at the end. Who knows?"
Sunshine, still processing Gundrik's words, turned to her father again, this time with a curious expression. "Father, please tell me more about this broken heart. What happened yesterday that I'm not aware of?"
Gundrik chuckled, his tone casual. "He came to the tavern with that beautiful receptionist girl, Moon. You know, the woman you got into an argument with the other day. Well, all I know is she just left him. He looked really hurt, wondering what he did wrong."
Sunshine's eyes widened in realization. She turned to look at Eclipse, who was standing nearby, her expression unreadable. Sunshine's eyes narrowed as the pieces fell into place. "Tsk," she muttered under her breath, sitting down next to Eclipse.
Now, Sunshine understood. Mixarnt's reckless behavior, his lack of focus, and his emotional distress—it was all because of Eclipse. Sunshine had always known that Mixarnt had a soft spot for Moonlight, not realizing that Moonlight and Eclipse were the same person. Seeing Mixarnt hurt on the screen, acting so unlike himself, made Sunshine's chest ache. She had always cared for Mixarnt, even if she didn't always show it, and seeing him suffer because of Eclipse's actions was hard to watch.
Eclipse, standing silently beside Sunshine, felt a wave of guilt wash over her. She had never intended to hurt Mixarnt, but her own emotions had gotten the better of her. Seeing him struggle in the trial, his body battered and his mind clouded, was a stark reminder of the impact her actions had on him. She clenched her fists, her Lunar Eyes flickering with unease.
She again remembered the look on Mixarnt's face when she had slammed the table and left the tavern. It was a moment she couldn't forget—the hurt in his eyes, the confusion, the way he had called out to her. She had been so caught up in her own jealousy and frustration that she hadn't considered how her actions would affect him. Now, as she watched him limp through the trial, his wounds bleeding and his spirit broken, Eclipse felt a pang of regret. She had always prided herself on her composure and control, but when it came to Mixarnt, she had let her emotions get the best of her.
For hours, Mixarnt and his team managed to avoid detection, but they couldn't set up camp due to constant attacks. Several groups had already claimed territories in the forest, leaving them with no choice but to venture deeper. However, going further meant facing even more elves and monsters, and Althea feared she wouldn't be able to protect them all.
Then, without warning, Mixarnt's demeanor shifted. His nonchalant attitude vanished, replaced by cold determination. He let out a sigh, his voice low. "Alright... let's end this."
Turning to Althea, he spoke firmly. "Althea, come up with a strategy to win this. From now on, you have my permission to speak freely and the same authority as me. You can command everyone here—including me. I'm not giving up my role as leader, but there's nothing in the rules that says I can't share my authority with a soldier."
Althea blinked, surprised by Mixarnt's sudden change. She nodded, her sharp mind already working on a plan. Meanwhile, Mixarnt lay on the ground, activating his mana cycle. His eyes scanned the forest, and through his enhanced senses, he pinpointed the locations of the other teams. "Team 1 is nearby. I'll attack them," he declared, his voice steady.
Liva's eyes widened in concern. "W-wait, Mixarnt! You're injured! What's more, we don't have a healer in the team, nor were we given supplies for the trial. You might end up hurting yourself even more!"
Mixarnt shook his head, his expression emotionless. "I've accounted for that. But who cares? Even if I get seriously hurt, Saint Isolde is on standby for this trial. She wouldn't let me die. It's up to you guys after this."
Althea stepped forward, her tone firm. "Mixarnt, your strategy is reckless! I don't agree with sacrificing a team member. There are other options."
Mixarnt met her gaze, his eyes unwavering. "Sure, but we only have 30 minutes left. And it's my fault that we're in this muddy situation. Sorry." With that, he activated Enigma Enhancement, black lightning crackling around him. "Xacion's camp is 125 meters to the east. I'll go on ahead." Before anyone could stop him, Mixarnt dashed forward, vanishing into the forest.
Althea bit her lip in frustration, but she knew there was no time to waste. "Fine. Everyone, listen up! We're following Mixarnt—that's how we win this."
She took a deep breath before continuing. "Xacion isn't as smart as Gawain, Borris, or Gerald, but he's strong. Our main goal is to steal their flag, then retreat here and hold our ground. The chaos Mixarnt creates will put pressure on their team, and without Xacion, they'll be like headless chickens. Rosalind, you're in charge of securing the flag. Liva, you're coming with me—we'll set traps to make sure Xacion's group can't follow us."
With Althea leading the charge, the team moved swiftly, following Mixarnt's lead.