Chapter 119
Royal Academy Yggdrasil Main Building auditorium, on the day of the exam.
All 600 first-year cadets sat in their seats with restless expressions, either waiting for the exam or frantically studying.
Lapin, sitting to my left, was peacefully asleep with her head down, while Karin, sitting on my right, was reading her textbook just like the other students.
“Phew……”
Karin let out a sigh and hastily flipped through the pages of her book.
With only a few minutes left before the exam, her troubled face looked heavily distressed.
But when one was too tense, even things they usually did well could fall apart.
“Studying for a few more minutes won’t change anything. Just calm your mind instead.”
When I snapped at her, Karin flinched and nodded.
“Yeah…… I was reading, but nothing was going in anyway……”
Karin closed her book and started taking deep breaths as if to steady her nerves.
She looked so pitiful that I reached into my pocket and pulled sothing out.
It was handmade chocolate I had prepared.
‘I even grew a cacao tree for the experint, and thanks to the system, it grew really well.’
The chocolate wasn’t overly sweet but balanced just right, making it effective for easing tension.
On top of that, since it ca from cacao grown through the ability of a spirit beast, the effect upon eating was dramatically amplified.
“Eat this. You’ll feel better.”
I broke the chocolate cleanly in half and handed a piece each to Lapin and Karin beside .
“Mmm……?”
Lapin, half-asleep, took the chocolate and began chewing, her eyes widening more and more.
“Ah, thanks.”
Karin also took the chocolate and put it in her mouth, her shoulders flinching at the taste.
Soon, both Lapin and Karin spoke at the sa ti.
“It’s delicious.”
“Seriously! Where did you buy this? This is the best chocolate I’ve ever had in my life……!”
With her cheeks stuffed with chocolate, Karin shouted with a blissful expression as if she had ascended to heaven.
“Well……”
I didn’t bother to ntion that I had made it myself.
Either way, seeing their state, it was clear their nerves had eased.
……That was when it happened.
Step, step……
In the hall filled only with the sound of pages turning and pens scribbling, footsteps echoed.
“Attention.”
As the owner of the footsteps spoke in a dignified voice, everyone turned their eyes toward him.
The man who commanded everyone’s attention was Professor Ruber, the instructor in charge of the first years.
“Put everything away and quietly follow outside the Main Building.”
Leaving those words behind, Ruber exited the auditorium.
The students hesitated for a mont, then all stood up at once to follow him.
“Aren’t we taking the exam here? Where are we going?”
“Maybe there’s a separate testing site?”
But none of them actually knew anything about the exam.
Ruber had never given any explanations or guidance regarding the exam.
He had only issued orders to follow.
Not long after we left the Main Building along with the other cadets, the sky that should have been bright suddenly darkened.
A massive shadow blocked the sun as it slowly descended.
It was a sight I had seen before, one I recognized.
Bwoooom―!
A ship that sailed the skies, the Grand Galfell.
‘We rode that on the school trip.’
Countless propellers cut through the air as they slowly spun, and the floating stones and mana stones beneath the hull shone brightly.
mories of the school trip briefly flashed before my eyes, as though replaying an old scene.
“Are we riding that to the exam site……?”
“Ah……”
No one here showed the slightest hint of excitent or anticipation.
‘Because today isn’t a trip for fun.’
Everyone watched the massive ship descend in tense silence.
The 600 cadets boarded the massive skyship, the Grand Galfell.
Karin, clutching Lapin’s hand tightly, spoke with a trembling voice.
“It’s not written, but practical…… A practical exam is fine. Right, Lapin? We’ll do well just like on the school trip, right?”
“Yeah.”
Lapin nodded in affirmation.
I let them chatter and instead picked up a nearby newspaper to read.
「Two Black Knights, only one truth remains at the end.」
On the front page was an article about the recent incident where Rubin had impersonated .
‘……Well, I did set that up.’
I had secretly provided Hazel, the student reporter, with information about the duel between the Black Knights.
To spread word quickly that Rubin had impersonated , I needed the dia’s help.
At first, I had considered staging a grand duel before a large crowd without involving the press, but I quickly abandoned that idea.
‘If too many people are present, soone could get hurt. And with a large crowd, variables beco too difficult to control.’
So in the end, only a handful of key individuals connected to the Student Council had been seated as spectators.
Thanks to this newspaper, word that Rubin had impersonated the Black Knight spread like wildfire, and once again, the Black Knight’s identity vanished into mystery.
‘……Yeah, my identity must never be revealed.’
Knowing what form this exam would take and what kind of story would unfold, I steeled my resolve.
In this exam episode, I decided not to wear the Black Mask if possible.
‘I hope the episode resolves on its own according to the main storyline without interfering…….’
Well, what else could I do?
I had no choice but to trust that the protagonist, Ren, would handle it well.
As I was reading, one particular sentence caught my eye.
「Jed Rubin was a refugee from Hetarion, a nation regarded as having one of the highest cri rates in the Empire.」
‘Hetarion.’
The na of a kingdom destroyed seven years ago due to a mysterious contamination.
I was lingering on that na when it happened.
“Ah!”
With a short cry, thud!
A body hit the floor.
Soone growled threateningly.
“Can’t you watch where you’re going?”
“Ah…… Sorry……”
The one who had fallen on his butt was a male student.
Standing over him with both hands shoved into his pockets was the red, spiky-haired “Kunking.”
Just from the sight, it was clear they had bumped into each other.
“Tch.”
Kunking snorted at the fallen student and walked off.
Other students hurried over to the fallen boy, whispering softly.
“You okay? Why’s he so short-tempered today…….”
“Don’t even ntion it. Of course, he’s from Hetarion.”
“Yeah, those refugees are all like that. Just ignore it.”
Their hushed words reached my ears.
They all seed to view Hetarion negatively.
But it wasn’t just them.
Most people held unfavorable impressions of Hetarion, and so many Hetarion natives either lived quietly in hiding or concealed their origins.
Just like Rubin.
‘They say Hetarion carries the plague, add in the refugee problem, plus the high cri rate committed by Hetarion people…… They’ve earned the world’s resentnt for many reasons.’
Recalling what was to co, I folded the newspaper and set it on my chair.
Before long―
Bwoooom―!
The ship’s horn sounded as we neared our destination.
***
The cadets who disembarked from the Galfell looked bewildered.
“Where is this……?”
“……The sea?”
Before us stretched an endless horizon and a wide sandy beach.
Beyond that lay a dense, overgrown forest.
As everyone stood there glancing around, a voice called out.
“Hello!”
The one calling to us was a black-haired man wearing glasses.
With a bright smile, he greeted us loudly.
“I am Lahan Arsene, Professor Ruber’s assistant, here to explain the exam!”
The real test was beginning.
Sensing this, the cadets fell silent and focused on Lahan’s words.
“The content of the Comprehensive Exam is…… to survive on this massive island for four days.”
At the word “survival,” there was a small stir, but Lahan continued speaking with a practiced smile.
“This is not simple survival. You will be evaluated through ‘Points.’ During these four days on the island, you must earn points in three ways. But before I explain those thods……”
Lahan snapped his fingers, then pointed upward.
Imdiately, a ‘shining ring’ appeared above his head.
It wasn’t just above him.
A ring appeared above the heads of all the cadets present, including .
“You see the shining rings above your heads? That is your points.”
Looking closely, I saw the number ‘100’ displayed.
“This island is under Professor Ruber’s special magic, which converts most physical damage into ntal damage.”
It was a familiar explanation. The cadets, myself included, would recall a similar situation from before.
‘That sparring match at the start of the sester had the sa kind of system.’
So kind of combat adjustnt system that prevented physical harm, or sothing like that.
In any case, this seed similar.
“In other words, if you take a heavy blow and your points reach zero, you’ll faint. Ah, don’t worry about fainting. Professor Ruber’s powerful barrier will protect you while you’re unconscious. Now, let explain the simple rules.”
Lahan raised one finger.
“First, Subjugation Points. You can earn points by defeating the monsters scattered across the island. The closer you go to the island’s center, the more monsters there will be. Stronger monsters yield more points.”
When the cadets realized that this vast island was crawling with monsters, they glanced toward the forest, swallowing hard as they listened closely.
“Second, Survival Points. Each day you last, you’ll gain 100 points. And third…… are Plunder Points.”
Though Lahan spoke with a cheerful face, the cadets’ expressions darkened with tension.
Plunder.
Just hearing the word was enough for everyone to realize it ant attacking and stealing.
“From the second day, you may attack other cadets and steal their points. If all your points are stolen, you’ll faint until the next day passes.”
At those words, the cadets instinctively looked up.
The shining rings.
They began to realize those rings showing their points could beco pri targets for others.
In an instant, one could beco hunter or prey in this ga.
“I believe that covers the basic rules. Well then, are you ready?”
Clapping his hands together, Lahan smiled broadly.
“The exam begins now!”
At those words, the cadets imdiately began moving about in confusion.
“Anyone want to team up?!”
“Do you have a team? Join !”
In this kind of test, going solo was certainly a disadvantage. You needed to form groups.
Realizing this, the cadets hurriedly searched for teammates.
While I was watching this scene, soone tapped my shoulder.
“You.”
Turning toward the voice, I saw flowing violet hair and a dazzling golden badge.
It was Elined, descendant of the Finjer Duke Family.
“In survival tests, it is advantageous to act as a team. Join .”
“……”
I only looked at Elined silently without answering.
“Ah……!”
Beside , Karin belatedly nodded.
“Congratulations, Villed! If you team up with Lady Elined, you’ll surely get great results! Then I’ll go with Lapin……”
“Well.”
Before Karin could finish, I turned to Elined.
“You already have plenty of good people around you.”
I tilted my chin toward her supporters standing not far behind her.
“……”
Elined gazed at with a slightly irritated face, then sighed and nodded.
“……Very well.”
With that, she turned her back.
As she walked away with faint steps, I called after her.
“Still, don’t trust them too much.”
“What do you an by that?”
I didn’t answer her question. Instead, I approached Lapin and Karin.
“Follow . We need to secure a campsite in the forest quickly and set it up.”
As I led the way, Karin spoke behind in a puzzled tone.
“W-wait, Villed. Why did you refuse Lady Elined’s offer……? If you tead up with her, we’d definitely reach the top ranks. It’d be way better than being with soone useless like in a survival……”
“Stop talking and just follow.”
“Ah, okay!”
Karin’s face brightened as she grabbed Lapin’s hand and stood beside .
‘I had no reason to join Elined’s team anyway.’
My decision wasn’t made solely for the sake of the main storyline.
To , a good team wasn’t simply one made up of strong mbers.
‘I know the way to survive this exam.’
That’s why I needed companions who would obey without hesitation, without raising objections.
Yes, even if the weakest of failures gave the order, they would follow without doubt. Only these two could do that.
‘Betrayal between teammates is possible in this exam too.’
No, calling it “betrayal” was vague.
After all, this test wasn’t officially team-based.
Nowhere in the exam regulations was there any ntion of teams.
The partnerships the cadets were forming were nothing more than unofficial alliances.
‘In gas too, plenty of players tead up only to betray each other at the end.’
Usually, as the exam went on, greed for teammates’ accumulated points tempted many to exploit the loophole and stab their allies in the back.
Striking an unsuspecting ally from behind was as easy as eating cake.
Unless you had soone you trusted absolutely, teaming up carelessly was not a wise choice.
Even if you did team up, by the end it was safer to leave and go solo.
In the main storyline, Elined was supposed to reach the top ranks in this exam.
‘So I dropped her a hint, telling her not to trust too much.’
Well, she’d figure it out on her own.
I glanced at Karin and Lapin beside .
If anyone was to be betrayed, it’d be them—never the other way around.
“You two, what departnt do you want to enter?”
As we walked, I suddenly asked them.
“I want Alchemist!”
“The Alchemist Departnt is mid-tier. What about you, Lapin? Which departnt do you want?”
At my question, Lapin tilted her head, then spoke as if she had finished thinking.
“Wherever Villed goes?”
……Well, I already knew. Lapin had no desire for any departnt.
‘But will Lapin even make it to the second year?’
The thought struck suddenly.
By the original storyline, a month later, Lapin was supposed to die at the Clock Tower.
……No, now wasn’t the ti to get distracted with such thoughts.
I shook my head and spoke.
“Then it’s decided. None of us will apply for the top departnts.”
The one I planned to apply to was the Common Magic Departnt, a lower-tier departnt.
Which ant we needed far fewer points.
“As long as we survive, we’ll keep our points. With just the base points, we can manage mid-tier. Let’s just focus on survival. They say surviving itself is a form of strength.”
It was the sa in gas.
Even without killing a single monster, as long as you didn’t lose points to others, you could still place mid-tier.
“That’s right! There’s a saying that the one who survives is the strong one!”
Karin nodded energetically.
That was our strategy.
Not competing to hunt monsters, not clashing with others—just surviving quietly in a remote corner.
“The island is big. If we pick the right spot, we won’t get attacked.”
In real-world terms, the island was about the size of Ulleungdo.
With so luck, we might not encounter a single cadet in the four days.
“Alright, so where do we set up camp?”
As Karin said, finding the right spot was the issue.
‘Of course, I know a few decent places, but…… maybe there’s sowhere safer? What’s the best way to make a hideout…….’
As I rubbed my chin in thought, a flash appeared before my eyes—the system popped up.
Forest Farm unlocked!
Let’s build an Animal Farm in the forest!
Reviews
All reviews (0)