Chapter 479: A Win-Win Scenario Finally came the long-awaited day. Once Solara Academy opened its gates, countless visitors flooded in. They all came for the festivities, but many secretly wanted to be the primary source among their friends for what would surely become the talk of the town. Either way, everyone wanted to know how the tournament that might decide the Saintess’s future spouse would turn out. Neither the Duke nor the Saintess had confirmed nor denied the rumors. However, the father-daughter pair were spotted heading to the Colosseum. Witnesses did not need to see more before they started yapping. "Did you see that? Even the Duke has come!" "The Saintess is beautiful as always. But is it true she has chosen a commoner to be her future husband?" "The Saintess can marry whom she wants to marry. Who are we to judge?" "But a commoner of all people... Will that not affect the prestige of her Ducal House?" As the visitors speculated wildly, the competitors gathered in the underground waiting room of the Colosseum. Each of them had paid a thousand gold coins just to participate. The tournament listed no monetary prize and it hadn’t been confirmed that the victor would gain the Saintess’s hand in marriage either. However, the possibility of marrying the Saintess was too alluring for these competitors to sit the tournament out. For noble young men who were the second, third, or even fourth sons, this was a good way to promote themselves. They could not inherit most of their families’ territories and titles and needed to rely on such opportunities to attract the attention of noble ladies. 𝕗𝐫𝐞𝕖𝕨𝐞𝗯𝚗𝕠𝘃𝐞𝚕.𝐜𝗼𝚖 Commoners stood to change their lives even more dramatically if they performed well. Of course, everyone knew that marrying the Saintess was very unlikely, but no one could bring themselves to dismiss this possibility altogether. Being able to wed the representative of their Patron Deity would bring unmatched honor to them and their families. To Alex’s surprise, over two hundred people indicated their interest in joining the tournament. After a discussion with the Headmaster, Alex had decided that the first round should be a Battle Royale. Participants would be divided into groups of fifty. The last two standing from each group would proceed to the semi-finals. To make things interesting, Alex had manipulated the rosters so that Henry, Emil, and Renard wouldn’t clash so early. That way, they would only face each other during the semi-finals, the highlight of the tournament. After all, they were the most serious among the Saintess’s suitors. With one of them gone, the audience would have one less thing to look forward to. Those who couldn’t afford the entrance fee for the Colosseum or arrived too late had to content themselves with watching the battles through the magical projections, but even that would cost thirty gold coins. Obviously, Alex was the one who had dreamt up this money-making scheme. The Headmaster of Solara Academy hadn’t rejected his suggestion, happy to maximize the profits. To boost their sales, they had decided to hold this event for three days, squeezing the visitors as much as they could. "Would you like to transfer here, Alex?" the Headmaster of Solara Academy, Harry Patterson, asked with a smile. "I’ll handle everything. We need young men who are as flexible and resourceful as you." Alex smiled faintly but still refused the offer firmly. "I’m sorry, Sir Harry. I have many responsibilities at Frieden Academy and I can’t leave them behind." "That’s quite regrettable. But if you change your mind, the door of this place will always be open for you." Harry patted Alex’s shoulder. "Thank you, Headmaster," Alex replied. "Now... How much profit are we looking at?" Sir Harry showed Alex the amount they had earned so far. The two gluttons exchanged a glance before chuckling evilly. Alex kept looking at the seven-digit number and nodding in satisfaction. One could never have too much money. The more money, the better! "You know, I don’t really care who the Saintess marries," Sir Harry admitted. "But are you sure your friend can even reach the semi-finals? I’m sure his competitors will target him during the battle royale." "Whether he wins or not ultimately depends on his ability," Alex stated. "If he loses here, there’s nothing we can do about it." "I didn’t expect you to say that. I thought you would say your friend would win no matter what." "I believe in Renard, but it will not change the outcome of this tournament. The most I can do is give him favorable match-ups in the semi-finals. But that can only make a difference if he gets there." Sir Harry nodded in understanding. With so many talented individuals joining the tournament, who could say that there were no dark horses among them? "It’s almost time." Sir Harry looked at his pocket watch. "Go ahead and proceed to the Colosseum, Alex. After all, you’re one of the people who have made it possible." "Alright," Alex replied. "I’ll see you later, Headmaster." After leaving the Headmaster’s Office, Alex called out to Lumi, who instantly materialized beside him. "Have you placed our bets on Renard?" Alex asked. "I did. The odds of him winning is 1:20." "Nice." Alex smirked. "If he manages to win, we will earn at least two million gold coins." "Are you sure about this?" Lumi asked anxiously. "You bet a hundred thousand gold coins." "I wish I could bet more." Alex sighed. "But the absolute limit for students is a hundred thousand. Lumi, why don’t you bet under your name? I’ll provide the funds." "... But aren’t you using our club’s funds?" Lumi’s worries only increased. "If you lose, Latifa will skin you alive." "Don’t worry. We’re more likely to win than not," Alex insisted. "Even Dim Dim and Chuck bet on Renard. Nessia is very stingy, but I managed to convince her to bet half of her savings on Renard." Lumi looked at the young man as if he had gone mad. Everyone knew how frugal Nessia was. If she lost half her savings to Alex’s honeyed words, he would have to deal with her wrath after surviving Latifa’s punishment. "Relax. I have this under control," Alex said before handing Lumi a pouch with a hundred thousand gold coins. "Just make a bet under your name. Regardless of what happens, I promise that Latifa will not blame you." "... Fine." Lumi finally relented and vanished without a trace. Alex and the academy would also get a cut from the gambling houses. Even if he lost his bet, he would still earn. He made a win-win situation for himself, so there’s no need to worry about anything. Renard’s potential loss would only cost him a few hundred thousand max. He would still get a million or two from his profit shares. And if Renard won, Alex would gain millions. With such favorable outcomes, how could he possibly not take any chances? Since the tournament wouldn’t start without him, Alex took his own sweet time arriving at the venue. That way, Lumi would have enough time to go to the gambling house and place her bet. Alex didn’t know that while he was making his way towards the Colosseum, Renard was also heading to the underground waiting room. Vaan, Charles, and Chuck served as his escorts, ensuring that no one would harm their friend until he stepped into the arena that would decide the fates of more than two hundred hopefuls.