'As Argo likes to put it– get you a guy that could do both, huh!'
Alephee chuckled when she observed the kind of effect Eren had on his female audience. She knew that Eren came across as an enigma to these ladies.
Eren had a dreadful t.i.tle given to him by King Emil based on his individuality. But the way he handled poetry challenges revealed a different side of him. A side not known to the ma.s.ses.
Of course, things didn't end with Levine. There was another person from Eren's table who wanted to challenge him. It was as if the poetry challenge was an ideal way for the ladies to express their feelings toward Eren. It was also a way to appreciate their importance in Eren's life.
Jiana Jihang walked through the crowd with an ethereal air around her. She was a beautiful elf woman with long, cute ears and silky blonde hair that cascaded down her shoulders. Her supple skin seemed to glow with a golden hue that accentuated her angelic looks.
She had topaz blue eyes and a pretty nose that gave her a charming and innocent aura. Her small and cute lips were accentuated by a rope chain necklace that hung around her neck, catching the light as she moved. Her fuller cheeks looked like they were exposed to morning rays, adding to her natural radiance.
Jiana had a slim figure that emphasized her mature and innocent vibes. Her attire for the Grad Ball was a white dress with a golden floral print. This dress hugged her curves in all the right places, giving her an enchanting look.
Her dress had a slit on one side that revealed her toned legs. She paired it with matching Pump footwear that added an extra inch to her already tall frame.
Osha introduced Jiana by her kingdom bona fide t.i.tle– Goldy Wings. Just like Levine, Jiana could also hear murmurs about her guild being destroyed by the cultists. And just like Levine, she ignored them before activating the sound-element runes on the lectern.
Jiana's voice was pure and coated in her subtle elven charm as she spoke her next words.
"Once I had everything I owned,
With golden wings that were mine to hone,
But they were plucked away and I fell,
Doubting myself and living in h.e.l.l.
Then you came as my saving grace,
Masked in misfortune and toughened face,
You gave me cold facts and taught me strife,
The realities of this challenging life.
I started believing in myself anew,
Seeing my potential, my wings grew,
Greater glory than ever before,
All thanks to you, my heart's dear core."
Eren started clapping slowly a second or two after Jiana finished. He was glad that Jiana had seen the errors in her ways. It seemed that she finally accepted Eren's criticism of her as wise advice.
Jiana also received her due response from the audience. But Osha cut the audience's applause short and told Eren to give his response to Jiana's challenge. She seemed eager to wrap up everything related to Eren because others were waiting.
Eren was mentally exhausted from receiving all the challenges directed at him back-to-back. He again cursed the promiscuous lifestyle in his mind. Thankfully, there were no other ladies in his group who wanted to challenge him. So he decided to answer Jiana's challenge with the same enthusiasm as he had shown for the very first time.
"I showed you the path that lay ahead,
With iron in your heart, you bravely tread,
Through stormy nights and sunlit days,
You walked with purpose and found your ways.
Your wings of gold once plucked away,
Have now grown back, stronger each day,
And with each beat, they lift you high,
To distant skies and worlds beyond the sky.
It was not I who took you there,
But your own strength and will to dare,
To rise above fear and doubt,
And so to the heights you once dreamed about.
So spread your wings and take to flight,
And never let your dreams out of sight,
For with each step, you're one step closer,
To the endless possibilities that life has to offer."
Eren didn't receive as enthusiastic a response from his male audience as before. Instead, he became popular with the ladies. They cheered for him and his composition, allowing him to beat Jiana, if only barely.
Osha confirmed to her audience that most of the compositions either directed at Eren or created by him was going to be turned into songs and played at the Grad Ball. Eren thanked Osha and the band of musicians.
Grimdawn finally returned to his seat after competing with Jiana. He took a deep breath and exhaled audibly to vent his mental exhaustion. The ladies by his table laughed and consoled him at the same time, telling him how they loved his compositions for them.
The rest of the poetry challenge proceeded as usual. Eren's presence on stage changed the mood. The rankers stopped focusing on group challenges and fought each other on individual levels.
The night progressed with excitement and applause. Osha announced some more compositions to be converted into songs. The drinking games and truth-or-dare events added a dose of comedy and hilarity to the event.
There were also a few female rankers who challenged Grimdawn and asked him to come on stage. But the latter preferred to answer their challenges right from his seat. Even then, he scored a few wins.
A few male graduate rankers got jealous of Eren for swooning their plus-ones off their feet with his words alone. They complained to Osha that he was cheating in the poetry challenge by using Sativa Stick and time-element spells.
Grimdawn laughed when accused of cheating. But he used it as a way to retreat from all the challenges. There was nothing to be gained from getting more ladies' attention and upsetting their partners. Especially here.
Male graduate rankers respected Eren again when he refused all the challenges thrown at him. They nodded in agreement and the unwritten brotherhood code was restored once again
With a huge round of applause in the backdrop, Osha announced the end of the poetry challenge. She urged the rankers to stand up. And with a snap of her fingers, the round tables and chairs in the grand hall disappeared into thin air.
"Hehe. We will now begin with the main event of the evening! The Grad Ball."
Osha declared and the grand hall's atmosphere got charged once again.
===
AN: The slice-of-life essence in the VEH-verse seems to have resonated well with most of the readers. Thanks for the kind words, thoughtful comments, generous gifts, and Golden Tickets contributions that you have shared. With this short break over, we will get back to our main storyline. ;)