It was the first day of the Wallace Cup.
Today was the preliminary round. Its main purpose was to eliminate the eighty percent of entrants who were just dabbling through a quick, one-minute performance.
Those who remained would basically be the cream of the crop.
Because there were so many entrants on the first day, the three head judges would not all be present at once.
Instead, they would work three shifts, from morning until night, before all the contestants advancing to the main competition were decided.
Young Master Mao had chosen the midday shift, so while everyone else had gone to the venue early that morning, he had only just woken up at his leisure.
With Lorelei on his arm, he leisurely rented a boat at Lake Valor and set off for a cruise.
The morning mist had yet to clear from the shimmering lake.
Young Master Mao brewed a pot of hot tea over a charcoal stove at the bow. Peeled oranges and nuts roasted gently over the coals, giving off a faint fragrance.
"Whew~ This really is the life~" Reclining against the side of the boat with her legs crossed, Lorelei took a light sip of fragrant tea and could not help sighing.
"Of course..." Young Master Mao smiled. "I'm a professional slacker. Unlike that idiot Lucian, who got up early on his day off and had a black coffee... I bet he's already in full-on, hyperactive overtime mode."
"Pfft~" Lorelei covered her mouth and chuckled. "He really was born to work~"
Beside Gary and Lorelei, Eevee-chan and Lorelei's Glaceon sat side by side at the bow.
The little ones were still half asleep, opening their little mouths to yawn.
Mesprit and Uxie hovered around Gary and Lorelei respectively.
Although neither of these two lake deities had