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"Hm. A speech. I feel the outcomes of this event should speak volumes already, but I will indulge.

Some of you stepped into this because it was simply a game. A matter of knowledge, of wit, of skill. That's what your oh, so beloved Headmaster intended. It is what Aldebast wishes to foster, is it not?" A pause, and he looks towards Elsinon with a strangely... happy. Sort of smile. If it were not from him, it might be endearing. Might is the key word.

"To push your potential, to which this lovely establishment is brimming with. We all come out of this better versions of ourselves, versions of ourselves that have grown through the friendships made, the... Fun. Had. A joyous time... That is. What I would be expected to say, for a speech such as this. That is what your Headmaster would say, if she had come out victorious. But... oh... She has not." His smile turns more smug. It's clear that he's mocking her to some degree.

"This is where I would be expected to thank you all. Actually, not all of you. Some of you. But instead I take this moment to extend the offer to thank me. For it was I who so generously extended my territory, my resources, my time... Into allowing you a taste of something you could not have received in any of your courses. Something real. Something tangible. It was not simply a game. It was a missive. It was something that required your persistence, your dedication, your perseverance. The world outside this school does not follow rules or regulation. To traverse beyond was to put your very existence at risk... And yet you did that without question... Such loyalty has not gone unnoticed."

Is that a compliment...? You assume it's probably intended as a compliment.

"And it does not stop there. This was simply a beginning. A start to something new, to something greater. To keep said loyalty, and to allow yourself to delve into stronger, more powerful magics than you could have ever imagined. And just how would you do that, you might ask?" He chuckles, looking amused. "You wouldn't. Not without me, of course. I would allow that opportunity, for the same price you have already paid. All this did was prove you made the right decision. And you should continue that decision. With me."

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