Chapter 179: VOL 3 - 17: Why don’t you team up with us?
Upon seeing the information, Erik couldn't help but glance at his ever-reliable personal maid with amusement, already imagining what she must have done to make Eleonora limit the display to only that information—and the fact that several entries were crossed out was very likely her form of retaliation. But Seraphina, ever the perfect maid, simply stood by his side like a loyal shadow after serving his tea, smiling with quiet satisfaction, which made him chuckle softly once more.
After a few seconds, Erik returned his gaze to his book while Seraphina remained standing behind him, giving the impression that the two of them were in their own little world—completely disconnected from the tears and farewells taking place around them. That was until they were interrupted by the arrival of three beautiful young women: one with chestnut hair, one with jet-black hair, and another with short blonde hair.
The moment the trio appeared, Erik quickly closed his book and stored it in his storage ring. Immediately after, he summoned three chairs identical to his own, which he placed around the table. The young women calmly took their seats.
"Hello, long time no see."
Erik greeted them with a smile, looking at Elara and Zoe, both of whom were dressed in armor just like him. In Elara's case, she wore what could only be described as an elegant magical armor, featuring a fitted metal breastplate adorned with a beautiful glowing red gem in the center and various runes carved into the surface that glowed with a warm golden light.
Elara's breastplate extended from her neck down into a beautiful black skirt with an inverted V-cut, which revealed her legs clad in elegantly styled plate armor, matching the armor on her arms and shoulders. From those shoulders, a ghostly, enchanting flame emanated, giving her a mystical and otherworldly appearance.
Zoe, on the other hand, wore a highly detailed and stylized silver plate armor with intricate runes carved throughout, glowing with a soft whitish hue. The breastplate hugged her body tightly, accentuating her voluptuous feminine figure, and ended in a skirt of layered plates that protected her hips and upper thighs. This same layered design extended to her pauldrons, which featured a sharp and intimidating finish.
Meanwhile, Zoe's arms and legs were protected by gauntlets and greaves made of layered plates, their elegant design perfectly balancing coverage and mobility. The entire ensemble radiated a sense of unmatched femininity and strength.
"Well, Disciple Erik hasn't bothered to come see us—not even to apologize for the rough time he gave us during the tournament—so we decided to come to him." Zoe remarked in a calm, measured tone, seated in her chair as Seraphina gracefully served her a cup of tea.
"I'm sorry about that, and although I wanted to meet with you as soon as Liliana told me about the trouble you went through because of me, I've been incredibly busy and it just wasn't possible. But if there's anything I can do to make up for it, don't hesitate to let me know—I'll do my best to help."
Erik replied with a warm smile, while Liliana—dressed in the university uniform and only there to say goodbye to her friends, and, reluctantly, her annoying younger brother—rolled her eyes, clearly not believing a single word he said.