It was the twelfth day since the Champion Mage Challenge's main tournament began in Number Three Floating City, and the second rest day after the group stage ended. The Top Thirty-Two knockout stage would begin tomorrow.
As with many major tournaments, while the spectators rested, the staff running the event were rushed off their feet.
So when Ivan arrived at the Champion Mage Committee with a group of people, they were left waiting for a full half hour, even after identifying themselves as members of the Felistin Family.
Only half an hour later did Kieran Burns, who had helped arrange the Mana Telecommunications System partnership, hurry over to receive the Felistin Family members on the committee's behalf.
"Sorry I wasn't here to welcome you, my friends from the Felistin Family... Why didn't you notify the committee before coming?"
Although Kiran wore a smile and seemed to welcome the Felistin Family members, his heart had already lurched and sunk to rock bottom.
Generally speaking, if they had only come to say hello or discuss something minor, there was no need to bring so many people, let alone important figures.
Of those he recognized, any one of them visiting the committee would mean serious business.
At the head of the group was the Felistin Family's patriarch. The current patriarch still commanded considerable respect within the family, which remained firmly under his control.
To his right stood the Felistin Family's most accomplished member, Ruge, winner of the All-Forms Mage Award. For a member of a mage family, earning that award was no small feat.
What was more, Kiran had heard that Ruge had gone to Number Nine Floating City ahead of time to take charge of matters related to the Mana Telecommunications System.
Kiran had little recollection of the family members behind them,