The poised young Girl released the fallen woman, and life-giving magic flowed into her body.
A satisfied smile touched Armored Girl's lips. Beside her, a burly man waved a hand. "Throw her out."
"Escort her out, and give her some food and money," Armored Girl said.
"You're still afraid of that man?" The burly man frowned.
"I just think he was right. This is the Imperial Capital. If we go too far, the Ceremonial Affairs Department won't be pleased."
Footsteps sounded outside. The burly man waved for the woman, who had narrowly escaped death, to be dragged away, then turned to greet the figures entering the building. Each wore a different Academy badge on their Mage Robe or chest.
"The other passages through the Barbecue Layer have all been destroyed. What now?"
"We wait." The seated young girl raised her eyes. "That man is on his way up. We'll meet him and take his Invitation Letter."
“There are ten Academies here. Even if he has ten Golden Invitation Letters, that's only one each,” said the captain from Cambridge Magic Academy.
"Our abilities have limits. This brief contest has taught me something... Stealing Golden Invitation Letters from Lower Hive residents is no different from what the other Academies are doing. So we'll join forces and steal the other Academies' Golden Invitation Letters."
"The Barbecue Layer sits in the middle of the Lower Hive. Every passage from here to the upper levels has been destroyed except this one..."
The seated young Girl smiled.
"There are ten Academies among us, and this contest will decide which ten Academies win."
"This town is under my control for now. No one is allowed to leave."
After fifty Greater Earth Elementals surrounded the Town, Annan told its frightened leader, "Don't worry. I'm not like them."