Vlad did not give more than a fleeting thought to Max's warning. He kept walking forward, their footsteps echoing on the stone path in an otherwise silent and cozy environment. The evening air was cool against his skin, and the distant chirping of crickets only deepened the calm.
"You aren't worried about being targeted?" Max asked, curious as he reached Vlad's side.
"Not much. From what I saw of the peers in the competition, except for a certain few, no one stands out as remarkable," Vlad replied. "If I'm being honest, I'm a bit disappointed if this is the intelligence level of the continent's geniuses."
For a moment, Max did not say anything. He stared at Vlad with an exasperated expression. And then, he began chuckling, shaking his head.
"What's so funny?"
