Before those boisterous "aunts" took action and turned the banquet into a matchmaking event, Aiven found an excuse to quickly slip away.
Behind him, a few ladies chuckled "kindly" at his somewhat embarrassed retreating figure.
"Aiven, over here!"
"Krell, you finally made it."
Leaving the small circle of ladies, Aiven had barely walked two steps before he ran into his roommate Krell, who was also the teammate chosen for this operation.
"What's the matter? Is there a situation?" Krell looked around the hall suspiciously, seeing nothing unusual in response to Aiven's uneasy demeanor.
"It's scarier than a situation! Forget it, let's not talk about it. I left too early; are there any new instructions from the commander?"
"No, we were both originally invited to this banquet. The commander just asked us to stand by as a backup force in case anything happens. The academy hasn't received any requests for aid or cooperation from City Hall either."
