The test was temporarily suspended. It was to treat Luna and Daike.
Although all the scratches came from collapsing the stone wall with force and crawling over the collapsed pile of stones.
‘This is a test, not real combat.’
It’s only natural to check the students’ physical conditions.
Whisper whisper-.
Perhaps because they were given an unexpected break time. Or because the waiting time got longer.
Some kids glanced at me and whispered. They were kids from the Yuridia faction.
“Breaking the labyrinth. Should I say it’s very Kraken-like?”
“Certainly, the scale is different.”
“Moreover, look at Luna, who faithfully carries out such an absurd plan.”
No. Luna did not faithfully carry out my plan.
She didn’t properly execute a single thing I instructed!
“It’s so sad. To instruct such an ignorant plan to Luna… But why did he give such a plan?”
“It’s to show off. To show that Luna can’t escape from his grasp!”
“Look at those hands full of wounds. To make Luna’s delicate and soft hands like that…”
No. I instructed a plan that wouldn’t get even a drop of water on her hands, let alone dust.
And her hands were full of wounds even before meeting me!
“Shouldn’t we separate them now?”
“We can’t do that. We are beings who support Luna’s love until the end. It’s fundamentally forbidden to interfere between those two. It’s clearly stated in Article 2, Clause 3.”
…Article 2, Clause 3? With that level, isn’t it unreasonable to see it as a simple club activity?
Perhaps Yuridia is up to something more dangerous than I thought.
“Sob sob, I feel so bad for Luna. I keep crying…”
“Everyone remember today’s pain. On the day Luna’s heart changes, we’ll return it all. The pain of Luna and us!”
Whisper whisper.
Murmur murmur.
Mumble mumble(?).
It seems like misunderstandings are only piling up as time goes on.
At this point, I feel like I should set a date and clear up the misunderstandings.
Because it seemed like I would face a bad ending I’ve never seen before, where I get kidnapped by the Yuridia faction and buried in the mountains.
‘Oh, if this is also a Hidden Piece, then it’s a Hidden Piece.’
The problem is that I’m about to experience it directly with my body?
I never wanted to experience the feeling of being buried in the mountains and coldly cooling down.
‘In the first place, this wouldn’t have happened if Luna had behaved properly.’
Knowing this fact or not, Luna, who finished a simple treatment, ran towards me.
“Big sis is here! How was my skill? I perfectly executed your plan.”
“Keke, don’t go around saying it’s my plan. It’s embarrassing.”
“What’s embarrassing? Didn’t you use it confidently in the entrance exam?”
Luna, there’s a huge material difference between bushes and rocks.
I never told you to use the method from the entrance exam this time!
‘The reason Elester praised us in the entrance exam wasn’t simply because we made a path that didn’t exist.’
The reason Elester admired us.
It was because we broke free from the way of thinking trapped in a ‘frame’.
The theme of the ‘labyrinth’ test. Originally, if it’s a test, you’re supposed to find the answer within that theme.
But we didn’t do that.
We presented a new solution by breaking the frame of the labyrinth.
It was only natural for Elester to praise. Breaking the frame.
That is the mindset that a magician pursuing truth must always have.
Then isn’t what Luna did now the same?
…Yeah, she certainly did break free from the way of thinking trapped in a frame.
‘She broke free too much, that’s all.’
They used rocks to make the labyrinth so that the same thing as the entrance exam wouldn’t happen. And quite sturdy stone walls at that.
But she smashed them.
It’s also contradictory to the act of breaking the ‘frame’ that Elester praised.
Because while anyone can pass through bushes, not everyone can collapse stone walls.
Unlike last time, this time it’s something only people with the absolute ability called ‘power’ can do.
If Elester saw this situation now, wouldn’t he be appalled?
“Well, whatever. As long as we passed, it’s fine. Be a little happier.”
“Keke, I am happy.”
“Be even happier!”
“Impossible. Such an ignorant plan. It fundamentally doesn’t suit me.”
Ugh.
Perhaps because I, a smart, clever, and intelligent person, can’t accept it.
Recalling what happened a little while ago, I felt nauseous involuntarily.
“This is really!”
Luna gritted her teeth.
A symptom that appears before she bites my ear.
I quickly placed my index finger on Luna’s lips.
Kyaaaah-!
A scream rang out from somewhere.
Hmm, it seems like misunderstandings are piling up without rest, but… Protecting my ear is the priority now.
Moreover.
“Keke, it’s too early to be happy.”
“What? What do you…”
“The test isn’t over yet. No, should I say it’s in progress?”
“Huh?”
While Luna was puzzled, the test for Team 14, which Luna belonged to, began.
The 2nd stage, the illusion magic test.
But Luna only tilted her head and showed no particular reaction.
‘Because Luna also has an artifact that blocks illusion magic.’
But the other kids were different.
“Ugh…”
“Eek! G-Get away!”
“Ah, a demon! A demon has appeared!”
The kids from Team 13 who had already passed the 2nd stage shook their heads as they watched them.
Because a little while ago, they had the same experience as them.
“He-Help me!”
“Please save me! Please…!”
Even seeing them crawling on the floor, they were busy frowning rather than thinking of making fun of them.
The illusion magic test was that horrific.
‘It’s weaker than the entrance exam, but… That doesn’t mean it’s easy.’
Because the mind doesn’t get trained just because you want it to be trained.
It was also one of the reasons Elester and Caron were highly evaluating me.
Because I never get intimidated and think deeply no matter when or where.
‘Mental Defense… It’s a much better skill than I thought.’
Of course, it’s the worst skill when being tortured though.
Anyway, the harder the illusion magic test, the better for me. Because.
‘I need Daike’s help.’
Daike, who was kneeling on one knee and trembling, stood up.
He had overcome the illusion magic.
An instructor nearby immediately ran to check Daike’s condition.
“You pass. Can you continue? It’s okay to give up though.”
“…I will continue.”
“Okay, good job. Just hang in there a little more.”
The instructor lightly patted Daike’s shoulder and passed by.
Because he had to take care of the kids who had collapsed without passing the test.
“So the 2nd stage was illusion magic? Just as you predicted. Well, I would have passed even without this.”
“Keke, I still vividly remember the sight of Luna crawling on all fours and crying during the entrance exam.”
“Wh-When did I do that!”
Luna wildly swung her fists.
Hmm, it hurts. Did her stats increase again?
I don’t know whether to like this or be sad about it. It’s unclear.
Receiving Luna’s storm-like fists on my back, I headed towards Daike.
Currently, he was leaning against a tree, trembling.
“…What is it.”
“Keke, I just want to give you a small gift.”
I handed a small hand mirror to his suspicious hands.
“This is…?”
“It’s an artifact. One that blocks illusion magic.”
“…!”
That’s right. What I handed over was [Parma’s Hand Mirror] I received from Caron.
It’s an artifact with limited usage, only usable once a day, but.
‘I have the Mental Defense skill.’
There’s no way the effect of an artifact inferior to that will be triggered.
So I handed the [Parma’s Hand Mirror] that was left over to Daike.
Illusion magic is horrific not simply because it torments the mind.
It stimulates trauma and makes you keep recalling that memory even after escaping from the illusion magic.
It’s also the reason Luna was unusually violent before entering the duel test during the entrance exam.
Because she kept recalling the memory of the day her family was destroyed, she had no choice but to be violent.
‘But if you have an artifact, you can escape from it.’
I heard it can block the ‘afterimage’ of illusion magic.
It was a story many kids were talking about during the entrance exam, so it should be certain.
“……”
Daike’s trembling noticeably subsided.
As planned. I immediately moved on to the next stage, putting my hand in [Dimensional Pocket].
Soon, my arms were full of various items.
Water, handkerchiefs, and snacks.
“Oh~ You have a good sense? I’ll gratefully eat them because I saw your sincerity…”
Swish-!
But Luna could only make a futile gesture.
Because these items had a different owner.
“Oh my! Look at this sweat. The academy is really too much. To commit such an atrocious act!”
“……”
“Daike, eat these and regain some energy. If it’s not enough, tell me anytime.”
A pile of snacks poured out in front of Daike.
Luna immediately pulled my ear.
“Taking care of the enemy! Are you in your right mind?”
“Keke, Luna. He’s not an enemy. He’s a friend.”
“You only have one friend, and that’s me?”
“Umm… Then how about a close friend?”
“Sounds like a relationship closer than a friend. No way!”
Companion, comrade, chum, even buddy.
All rejected. In the end, what I chose was.
“How about a friend-ish?”
“Well, that’s fine… I’ll specially allow it! I’m a relationship closer than that, so I can eat the snacks, right?”
“Keke, of course.”
Only then did Luna give permission.
Leaving behind Luna, who was mindlessly munching on snacks, I turned towards Daike.
Daike hadn’t touched the food and drinks I gave him.
“Keke, wouldn’t it be good to have some? Daike, my friend-ish.”
“Don’t you think the other person will hate being called that?”
“Then do you prefer being called a friend? Oh my, this is surprising. To think you considered me a friend! As expected of Daike.”
“…Let’s stop this word play. What do you want?”
“Excuse me?”
“You gave me this because you want something, right?”
Daike threw [Parma’s Hand Mirror] at me.
After putting it in my arms, I cautiously approached, rubbing my hands.
“Want something? What a disappointing thing to say! Should there be something like that between us friend-ishes?”
“Then I can just go.”
“But a friend-ish is certainly hard to see as a real friend. Oh no, I have no choice but to receive compensation in this situation! How sad!”
“……”
Daike’s expression turned sour.
It’s like an expression saying ‘What kind of bastard is this?’. It must be my imagination, right?
“So, what do you want?”
“Keke, about that…”
Whisper whisper-.
When I cautiously told him what I wanted, Daike’s eyes widened.
“…How do you know that?”
How do I know? Of course.
“Keke, it’s a secret.”
Daike turned his head and thought for a moment.
But his contemplation was short.
“…I don’t know the reason, but since I received help, I’ll do that much for you. It’s not a difficult task anyway.”
“Thank you. As expected of Daike, my friend-ish!”
“……”
A little later, I obtained the final puzzle piece behind a tree that blocked the view.
The final puzzle piece that might allow me to pass Lucia’s quest.
The dueling ground of the 3rd stage, the group duel, where we arrived under the instructor’s guidance.
As soon as he saw the unique marble floor of the dueling ground, a boy jumped on it and shouted.
“A duel! I’ve been waiting only for this moment!”
He was a kid from the Teron faction. 5th rank, his name was… I didn’t remember.
Was it Zedaniel? If he had a simpler name, I would have definitely remembered it.
I should recommend him to change his name.
“Zero! Let’s have a match! This time, you won’t be able to avoid it even if you want to!”
“Be quiet.”
The owner of a low but clearly audible voice.
Caron was already standing in front of us.
“I will use the strength of a 6-star knight level. For you guys, if you subdue me, it’s a victory; if you fail, it’s a defeat. Of course, the score will be higher if you win.”
An explanation about the 3rd stage that started before even greeting us.
The kids were immediately thrown into confusion.
To be precise, it was the eight kids excluding me.
“F-Fight and win against Teacher Caron?”
“There’s no way that’s possible!”
But compared to what was about to happen, it wasn’t even on the scale of confusion.
“Really? Then what about me?”
At the same time as a slender, beautiful voice rang in our ears.
The first daughter of the Lucid family, one of the Ten Swords of the Empire.
Lucia appeared in front of us.
–TL Notes–
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