I loaded the Wizard panel.

Chapter 17 Rugby Match

"Speaking of which, could my sister be considered your rival?"

Newt patted Edwin on the shoulder.

Edwin would like to say that he was just there to make up the numbers, but this local competition was not like it was when he was in elementary school on Earth—it was meaningless if he didn't win first place.

As long as you get the money, you've won.

"Is the word 'competitor' too kind of me?"

"It's okay, Edwin. I think you're a little bit smarter than my sister." Newt's expression didn't seem to suggest that Edwin could be a real competitor to his sister.

After all, there's a one-year time difference.

But he felt that his judgment was correct.

With limited time to chat, Edwin and Newt parted ways as more students entered the auditorium. Although they were in the same class, their social circles were different. Newt had to maintain relationships with other people, while Edwin only needed to spot his big friend among the students in uniform.

The students of St. George Grammar School gathered in the Great Hall. The wooden doors behind them slowly closed. Edwin stood there, turned his head to glance at Billy Longbottom, who was slumped over and looking listless, and asked in a low voice, "You don't look too good."

"Sigh..." Billy sighed, his face full of worry, his eyebrows forming the shape of the Chinese character "八" (eight).

"I talked back to my mom last night, and she punished me by not letting me eat breakfast today. My sisters don't understand my difficulties either and won't give me any snacks."

Edwin thought they should use this as an opportunity to make Billy eat less, rather than to laugh at him.

He patted Billy on the back with a look of sympathy.

"Let's try to make it to noon. Oh, by the way, we're still more than half an hour late."

Upon hearing Edwin mention this, Billy suddenly seemed to remember something, and a hint of joy appeared on his face.

"My natural philosophy tutor praised me to my mother yesterday, and I told her about the extra supplement you gave me. Thank you, Edwin."

Compared to Bili, studying is tiring, but being affirmed by her family is also very gratifying.

Edwin sighed, "Well, thank you too."

"Then my mom said she'd like to invite you and your sister to our house as guests."

It was such an expected development... Edwin knew it would turn out this way.

Oh well, these are things we'll have to face sooner or later.

In a sense, this can be considered as exchanging mental labor for compensation.

Upward socializing is beneficial and harmless.

"She asked me to ask if you're free this weekend afternoon."

There is no problem with time, but it will take up some of the time he needs to accumulate progress in the [subject] or physical categories.

The key point is that visiting someone's home means he can't arrive empty-handed.

Billy Longbottom comes from a well-off family, so what gifts should he prepare...?

Edwin sensed that his and his sister's wallets were about to emit a desperate, empty lament.

Of course, we can also see if there are any other ideas that won't embarrass the siblings.

In short, he had to accept the invitation.

This is not a classmate visiting each other's homes.

I'll talk to Clara about it when I get home later.

"If you're free, then I'll be troubling you then."

Just as Billy was about to respond to Edwin's reply, the somewhat boisterous auditorium quickly quieted down.

The elderly headmaster, with his gray hair, was dressed in a respectable suit and a hard bow, while the pastor behind him wore a cross necklace and carried a well-worn Bible.

The stained glass windows in the auditorium are somewhat similar to those in a church. The morning sunlight streams in and shines on the adults in front of the stage, making them look like brightly colored roosters.

The walls were covered with Latin copies of passages from the Bible, and directly in front of them, above the adults' heads, hung the world-famous oil painting "The Last Supper".

...Of course, this is a fake.

Morning prayers have begun.

The opening remarks were always given by the old principal, and after a while, he seemed to get a little bored with it, his voice slow and languid.

"Domine, dirige nos in via recta." (Lord, guide us in the right path.)

Latin was a primary language that almost all grammar schools required students to master, and after students had grasped the basics of Latin, the first thing they were taught was how to recite the Bible.

Now the teachers will repeat it once, and then the students will recite it along with them.

Next came the pastors' routine readings.

Edwin, like the other students, was mouthing the words from below the stage.

......

"Benedic nos, Domine, et custodi nos" (Lord, bless us and protect us.)

Then it ends with the classic "Amen".

The middle paragraphs can be leisurely and sparse, but the ending must be neat and consistent.

The sound was so loud it seemed to shake the little crows that had landed on the roof of the auditorium.

The pastor closed their "rice bowls" (portions of bread) and turned to leave sparsely through the side door. Next, the teacher on duty at the door should open the door and let the students who had received Bible baptism go back to class.

But the teacher didn't open the door, and the principal remained standing there.

It seems there's something to announce.

"Please wait a moment, everyone." The principal's voice sounded more energetic than before.

The restless crowd was forced to quiet down again.

"I think some of you probably already know what I'm going to say." As he said this, the principal reached into his pockets and pulled out a small piece of paper, which he then unfolded.

The principal cleared his throat and glanced down at the note in his hand, as if he hadn't fully read the words on it yet.

"That's how it is..."

He paused.

"...our school..."

There was another pause.

Some students in the audience had already started whispering to each other.

Like Professor Alrid, do people tend to forget things more easily as they get older?

"...will be at the beginning of next month..."

"...hold an event..."

He brought the note closer to his eyes and looked at it again.

"...intramural rugby game."

There was a slight commotion in the auditorium.

But the commotion wasn't because of the game, but because of the old principal's usual "composure".

His calm demeanor while reading the announcements would cause the start of the next class to be delayed, and then the teachers would naturally extend the class time.

So, in the end, the only thing that will be deducted is the precious free time between classes.

The principal raised his hand to signal for quiet, and after the crowd calmed down, he looked down at the note again.

"The competition rules... let me read them..."

However, the old principal's promise to "read it aloud" was never fulfilled.

Perhaps the ink on the paper has smudged?

"...I'll have the teacher post it on the bulletin board later, please check it yourselves."

He folded the note and put it back in his pocket.

"But remember, dignity comes first, friendship second, competition third, and the ultimate goal is... to improve physical fitness."

The old principal sighed, and it was unclear what he was lamenting.

"That's it, everyone go back to school for classes."

The auditorium doors were finally opened, and the students left, discussing the matters the old headmaster had just announced, while Edwin began to search his memory.

He only has an impression of the annual class-versus-class rugby match, but why doesn't he have a deeper memory of such an important event?

Edwin soon found the answer.