Inside was a letter of guarantee Claire had signed for Hephaestus.
Pandora was visibly moved, but she quickly calmed down. She put the letter back into the bag and asked, "Can I take it with me?"
"I'm afraid not." Claire smiled. "This is only a copy kept for our records. The original has already been submitted. I imagine we'll be seeing Hephaestus at the academy very soon."
Pandora was instantly delighted. "Really?"
Claire smiled gently. "Her own qualifications meet the academy's requirements. Otherwise, she wouldn't have been admitted no matter what. If things move quickly, she might even make it in time for the opening ceremony of the 'Silver Cup.'"
Watching Pandora so rarely show her feelings, Winnie finally understood why she had agreed to this simulated duel invitation.
She had thought Pandora had only accepted because she was close to the boy on the other side... So there had been this reason as well?
"But Hephaestus... is she family? Wasn't Pandora an orphan?"
The cat inside Winnie quietly poked its head out.
The two sides quickly signed a cooperation agreement.
Yet neither side showed any intention of leaving right away.
After all, having afternoon tea with the "Sage of Beasts" was an exceptionally rare opportunity.
Winnie and Pandora also wanted to study the simulated duels and card compendium further.
For their own respective reasons, neither of them wanted to lose now.
And if they did not want to lose, they naturally had to spend time studying.
But while they studied, they also chatted.
Once Claire had finished up, she took out a book and read while conversing.
This ability to split one's attention between two things clearly ran in the family.
Spotting an opportunity, Dark quietly returned to the "office" and retrieved his backpack and Dragon Fang Sword.