Utopian System

During a break, Kriz approached the four girls, Mirror Shot hopping playfully at his feet. "So, tell me the truth, ladies, what brings you to these parts? Decided that seducing Elio required more combat skills?"

Valeria, the most pragmatic of the group, responded coldly, her steel-gray salamander mirroring her icy demeanor. "We're here to become stronger and... to help our families."

Kriz couldn't resist the opportunity. "Oh, are you sure? Nothing says 'I love you' like knowing how to throw a dagger with deadly precision..."

Aria stepped forward, her fiery red salamander bristling on her shoulder.

Kriz raised his hands in surrder, Mirror Shot ducking behind his legs.

But to his surprise, Aria didn't get angry. Instead, she smiled sadly, her salamander's flames dimming. "I'm sorry if we've giv the wrong impression. Our interest in Von Elio... it's complicated."

"Love always is, sweetheart," Kriz said with a wink. "Believe me, I know. I once tried to court a girl by offering her a new bed... It didn't go well."

Aria let out a laugh, the first guine laugh Kriz and Brok had heard from her. "You're incorrigible, you know that?"

"It's part of my charm," Kriz replied with a smile.

"Well, ladies," Kriz continued, clapping his hands to light the atmosphere, Mirror Shot jumping in sync, "Are you ready to become the best dagger throwers this side of the monster sea has ever se?"

"Yes!" they responded in unison, their thusiasm contagious. Their salamanders seemed to perk up, each reflecting their owner's rewed determination.

"Hey, Brok," Kriz whispered as the girls practiced their throws, their salamanders providing colorful light shows with each successful hit. "Do you think they're really interested in Elio or is it just for power?"

Brok shrugged, his muscular rabbit flexing unconsciously. "Who knows. But as long as they're willing to work hard and contribute to the city, I guess their motivations are their own business."

As Kriz walked away, muttering something about "cute manipulative girls," Brok couldn't help but notice the way they moved, with a grace that spoke of years of training in… seduction? It was a strange contrast to the brusque and efficit movemts of the usual soldiers.

♢♢♢♢

As the day progressed, both Kriz and Brok couldn't help but notice the change in the girls' attitudes.

During another break, Kriz approached Brok, Mirror Shot creating sculptures of the girls' 'progress'. "Hey, ornamtal muscles, have you noticed anything weird about our seductresses?"

Brok grunted affirmatively, his rabbit nodding in agreemt. "They're... differt. More determined. Less interested in Elio and more in the training itself."

Kriz nodded, his expression unusually serious. "I wonder if it has something to do with all the changes in the city. You know, with Elio handing out invocations like they're candy and all that."

Kriz and Brok exchanged looks, their invocations mirroring their thoughtful expressions.

"Well," said Brok, "whatever the reason, they're doing a good job."

"You know, big guy, I think maybe we misjudged them."

Brok grunted in response, but there was a glimmer of understanding in his eyes.

The rest of the day passed in a whirlwind of activity. Kriz kept the jokes flowing, easing the tsion and keeping the recruits' spirits high.

♢♢♢♢

During the break, while Kriz and Brok were distracted with another group and Kriz didn't hesitate to talk about a bed, the girls moved away a bit.

They gathered in a corner of the training field, far ough not to be heard, but still within sight of the others.

Lila looked at the other three with a tse expression, her gold salamander dimming in response to her mood. "Girls... do you really think this seduction strategy is still our best option?"

Mei crossed her arms and lowered her voice to a whisper, her purple salamander coiling tightly. "What choice do we have? We can't fail Cassandra. You know what she'll do to our families. But you are right, ev though he said he'd think about going out with you... Von Elio isn't going to fall so easily if you have that attitude."

Valeria, who had be quiet until th, finally spoke, her steel-gray salamander standing at atttion. "I'm starting to think it's not worth it. Von Elio is so focused on the city that he barely pays atttion to us. Maybe we should conctrate on leveling up and paying our debts on our own."

Aria shook her head, her red salamander flaring up momtarily. "But if we fail, our families will suffer. Cassandra isn't someone you can disappoint and just move on, do you want to d up like Clara? We need too much mana. And besides, what if they decide not to help us? It'll take us years to pay off those debts...

Worse, they could ev punish us for the plot."

Valeria frowned, aware of the implications, her salamander's scales darking. "I know... But we can't keep pretding forever. Every time we're near Von Elio, I feel like the others know more than they show. And if he discovers we're with Cassandra before we have ough power to protect ourselves, we're doomed."

Lila whispered with a trembling voice, her salamander nuzzling her cheek comfortingly. "What if we tell him the truth? Von Elio might help us, he seems so..."

Aria shook her head quickly, her salamander's flames dimming. "It's too risky. If you confess... and we're wrong... Just by cutting off the mana... Cassandra could ev...

you know what she could do."

Silce fell betwe them as Aria's almost words hung in the air. Their salamanders huddled closer, as if trying to shield them from the weight of their predicamt.

However, doubt still lingered in their minds. Were they really on the right path?

Mei finally broke the silce, her purple salamander uncurling slightly. "But what if... we stop trying to seduce him and just... continue with the training? We don't have to betray her, but we don't have to go ahead with the seduction plan either. We could strgth our skills and buy time to decide what to do."

Valeria nodded slowly, her salamander's scales lighting. "It could work. It would keep us on mission, but without putting us at unnecessary risk."

Mei sighed, looking at the other three. "So, do we continue with the training and put the seduction on hold?"

The other three nodded siltly, tacitly agreeing to the new course of action. Their salamanders seemed to relax, the tsion in the air dissipating slightly.

♢♢♢♢

As the sun began to set, Brok gathered all the recruits for some final words.

"You've done a good job today..."

"And remember," Kriz interrupted, earning an exasperated look from Brok, "the key to defeating the frog is to convince it you're statues. It'll get so confused it'll forget to move."

Brok, for his part, grunted, his voice lad with reluctant approval. "Tomorrow we'll continue with..."

He interrupted himself again upon seeing a familiar figure approaching. It was Zara, her salamander Flare perched alertly on her shoulder.

Kriz straighted up, a mischievous smile on his face. "Atttion, everyone. The big boss's guardian has arrived. Try not to stare too much or she'll bite, especially you four," he added, winking at the girls.

Zara greeted everyone with a gesture after 'playfully' swatting Kriz's face, her gaze lingering briefly on Aria and her frids. Flare hissed softly, eyeing the girls' salamanders. "Good work, everyone. Kriz, Brok, can I talk to you for a momt?"

♢♢♢♢

As they moved away from the group, Zara asked in a low voice, Flare leaning in to list. "Have you se Elio? Luci told me he hasn't be able to find him for 7 hours."