"What were you two talking about back there?" Mia suddenly turned around and asked.
Soven jumped in fright, but Ron reacted quickly and casually said, "We were talking about the matches he commentated on today. Apparently, the players he praised all basically lost."
If you did not want the person questioning you to grow suspicious, the best follow-up was to bring up the topic they were most sensitive about. Ron had clearly handled it perfectly.
"Hmph! Soven's praise is practically cursed. If I'd run into him these past few days, I definitely would've gotten crushed again." Mia wrinkled her nose.
"You can't put it like that." Soven could not help retorting. "I wasn't the one shuffling the deck, I wasn't the one banning or picking cards, and the players drew and played their own cards."
"How did I end up taking the blame for this?"
"My praise is just encouragement, yet you people have maliciously twisted it!"
Mia made a face at Soven. "Nora told me all about it. Nine times out of ten, the players you favor end up losing. Even if it isn't your fault, it still proves your luck is absolutely terrible—bad enough to affect other people's wins and losses."
"You can't slander me like that." Soven shook his head with a smile. "How about I commentate one of your matches tomorrow and clear my name?"
"No!" Mia was instantly terrified. She hurriedly grabbed Nora's hand and blinked at her pitifully.
Nora pressed her lips together in a smile, then softly said, "The schedule and commentators have already been arranged. For your next eight matches, Mia, Prince Soven won't be there."
The six of them made their way to the hot pot restaurant and sat down in a private room.
They chatted about this year's Magic Cup,