“Service concluded.”
Lomio withdrew a cloth from his system space and carefully wiped the bloodstains from his dragon sword. The sticky, difficult-to-clean grime couldn’t seem to cling to the blade at all; a single wipe cleared it completely.
“Remember to give a five-star review. Your next visit will be zero discount.”
Elena walked over, her gaze passing over Lomio to lock onto the silent Cafnir. she pushed up the glasses that had already been straightened on the bridge of her nose.
“Cafnir, you really found yourself a good dog.”
‘This layout, this information, this kind of calculation of the human heart… It was definitely not something that man who only talks about credits could come up with.’
The only explanation was the leader of the top-tier team, the legendary “Cafnir.” It was he who had orchestrated everything. Lomio was merely the sharpest and greediest blade in his hand.
“Think what you want.”
Karenina didn’t care about Elena’s searching gaze. She couldn’t fully fathom what the proctor of the Russell Imperial Court wanted to do, but there was one thing. Their positions as team members and as a proctor tied the two of them firmly together. This kind of connection was something others could never experience.
“I will forgive you this once, but if you dare call my team member a dog again…” Karenina’s expression and tone were calm, devoid of any emotion. “I will personally freeze you into an ice sculpture.”
“That is truly…”
‘Just as I thought!’
Elena and Lilith subconsciously glanced at each other. What a powerful aura! Silent and taciturn, playing everyone in the palm of his hand. Looking at Lomio, who was still wiping his blade, the two of them suddenly felt that his greedy face wasn’t so unacceptable anymore. At least the mad dog’s intentions were written on his face, while the true master didn’t even bother to leak a hint of emotion.
“Big brother, we’re rich!”
Kexia’s cheer broke the heavy atmosphere as she lunged over to see the spoils of war. Lomio shifted his body and dodged her.
“What do you mean rich?”
Turning around, Lomio ignored the strange atmosphere between the others and began to take stock of his gains. To waste even one second on such emotions was a sign of disrespect toward credits.
“A fourth-order scroll… Travel. A few lousy cards… better than nothing. A Black Mage’s robe… Does anyone even buy this stuff?” He muttered while categorizing the items and stuffing them into his storage. “These guys are too poor. They didn’t even have decent legacies. It seriously affects my user experience.”
“Your swordsmanship has truly opened my eyes.”
It was then that Ibuki Rei seemed to have made a decision. She walked to Lomio’s side and bowed deeply to him. “I wonder if there is an opportunity to meet and spar in private?”
Lomio waved his hand. “Want to learn?”
“You’ll have to pay a tuition fee.”
Ibuki Rei’s expression froze. “As long as it’s something I can afford…”
“Hey, I’m just joking.”
Lomio wasn’t going to pass up an opportunity to bind her even tighter. She could be a front-liner in battle, act as support, spoke pleasantly, and was beautiful. Choosing her as a teammate during the placement exam had been a god-tier start.
“But a simple spar is boring. How about a wager of ten credits per session?”
“You are truly considerate.” Ibuki Rei smiled slightly, her heart warming. “I am naturally willing to accept this condition.”
Ten credits were quite a lot considering the difficulty of obtaining them. However, a warrior’s cultivation was different from classes that relied purely on alchemy cards. She had to progress further in swordsmanship. Therefore, she had no reason to hesitate.
Lilith and Elena watched this scene, but they couldn’t bring themselves to smile. What was with this attitude?! Was this the same person from before? Recalling how Lomio had blackmailed them compared to what he said to Ibuki Rei, the two of them were suddenly fuming with rage.
‘What happened to “serving the customers”? Is this also part of some play?’
“The exam point is fifteen minutes away.”
Annie’s figure emerged from the shadows, her voice cold as always. “The ones from the Cromwell family are in that direction.”
“Let’s go.” Lomio tucked away the last piece of loot and took the lead. “Time is credits, my friends. Especially for certain friends who are currently burdened with massive debt.”
Lilith’s cheeks flushed red instantly. It was from anger. She clenched her fists and followed. Elena sighed and led her own team members to follow as well. The group marched toward the depths of the dense forest in a grand fashion.
The team’s formation naturally shifted without anyone giving orders. Karenina and Lomio walked at the front. Lilith and Elena stayed on the left and right, protecting the rear flanks. It was both a precaution and a tacit agreement of cooperation. They looked at the back of “Cafnir” with complicated expressions.
What did this person want to do? What was his purpose for cultivating a “servant” like Lomio?
‘Boring.’
Walking at the very front, Karenina could feel the scrutinizing gazes behind her. Russell people were already out of place. But what did it matter? Rather than classmates, they were perhaps nothing more than props in the proctor’s hand to set up the examination hall.
***
Meanwhile.
Behind an exam point carefully camouflaged with vines and flowers, the blonde girl, Beatrice, was elegantly wiping a tube of alchemy potion that shimmered with runic luster.
“My brother is truly far-sighted.” A self-satisfied smile played at the corners of her mouth. “Once they arrive here exhausted, I will make my move. The top-tier team, the Black and White Queens, and those small fries—their credits will all belong to the great Cromwells!”
She looked up, her green eyes flashing with the light of “victory.”
“Calculating the time, they should be here soon.”
Just as the words left her mouth, a rustling sound came from the woods ahead.
“They’re here!”
Beatrice’s spirits lifted as she gestured to the team members behind her. “Prepare to close the net!”
She stood up and straightened her magnificent alchemist robes, preparing to welcome the lingering losers in the posture of a victor. Then, her smile froze on her face.
Emerging from the forest was not an exhausted small team. It was a group so large it was suffocating. The entire top-tier team was there. The main forces of the Black and White Queen teams were there. Even Kexia’s notorious hunter team was present. There wasn’t a hint of fatigue on them; their steps were steady and their auras were heavy. The black-haired man in the lead was even casually tossing a credit coin.
“Fine then.” Lomio spoke noncommittally. He looked at the students standing ready behind Beatrice. “So, what are you guys doing? Cosplaying as trees? Or do you want to experience my latest financial product?”
Beatrice took a deep breath, forcing herself to calm down.
‘No. Something is wrong. Even if their numbers are many, they must be exhausted on the inside! Fighting a fifth-order magic beast without any consumption is impossible! They are just bluffing right now!’
“Stop putting on an act!”
Beatrice pulled a massive metal suitcase from behind her. The box unfolded on the ground, transforming into a complex alchemy turret. “Your mana has already hit rock bottom, hasn’t it? Surrender now and hand over all your credits and alchemy cards. I can guarantee your qualifications will remain intact!”
Her words restored confidence to her team members. ‘That’s right! It must be so!’
However, the one who answered her was not Lomio. It was Lilith. The female knight took a step forward, and the flaming greatsword in her hand ignited with a roar of intense fire.
“The thing I hate most is people speaking to me in that tone.” Her voice carried a hint of suppressed irritation.
Elena also stepped out, tapping her staff lightly on the ground. An emerald green mana ripple spread out. “Agreed,” she said calmly. “The last person who was this confident already has grass growing on their grave.”
Beatrice was stunned. Weren’t these two the archenemies of the top-tier team? Why were they standing together? Moreover, looking at them, their mana was abundant and their auras were terrifying. Where was there even a hint of exhaustion?
“Wait, you guys…”
“Don’t wait,” Lomio’s voice rang out leisurely, carrying a trace of impatience. “Time is precious.”
He didn’t even bother to do it himself, only lightly tilting his head. “To my two customers, please hurry and get to work.”
‘Customers?’
Beatrice couldn’t understand the meaning of the word at all. But in the next second, she had no time to understand.
“Roar!”
Lilith let out a roar comparable to a magic beast, her entire being turning into a crimson meteor as she charged straight for the alchemy turret! She had held it in for too long! The humiliation of being blackmailed by Lomio, the horror of being hunted by a fifth-order magic beast, and the frustration of being besieged by classmates! Now, a sandbag she could vent on had finally delivered itself to her door!
“Wait?!”
“How can you…!”
Beatrice cried out in alarm, frantically trying to control the turret. It was impossible! Hadn’t they been planning to take down the top-tier team and take the top spot for themselves since the placement exam?! What was going on?!
But Elena’s movements were faster.
“Nature’s Bind.”
Countless vines burst from the ground. Instead of attacking the people, they precisely entangled the joints and muzzles of the alchemy turret.
*Crack! Crack! Crack!*
The complex alchemical creation instantly turned into a pile of immobile scrap metal.
“Ibuki Rei.”
“Yes.”
The samurai girl’s figure was like a ghost. Under the cover of the frontal impact created by Lilith, she cut into the flank of Beatrice’s team. Blade light flashed. The shields of two students preparing to cast spells shattered, and they vanished into white light.
“W-What is this?!” Beatrice’s team members completely panicked. This was entirely different from the plan! Where was the exhausted army? Where was the sitting back to reap the benefits? How did it turn into a one-sided massacre?!
“Crowd control.”
Karenina’s cold voice rang out. Large patches of frost spread out with Beatrice’s team as the center, slowing their every movement. Kexia’s team had already found their sniping positions. One bolt after another, carrying paralyzing effects, accurately shot toward anyone who tried to resist.
“No… Impossible!”
Beatrice watched her team disintegrate in an instant, her face filled with disbelief. Her last hope was to look at the “Cafnir” who had remained unmoved. However, the man just stood there quietly, as if everything before his eyes had nothing to do with him. That indifference terrified her more than a direct attack.
*Pfft.*
Lilith’s greatsword, carrying an unrivaled momentum, flattened that expensive alchemy turret into a metal pancake. Carrying her still-burning greatsword, she walked up to the despondent Beatrice and grinned.
“Little sister, now, who is the one who should surrender?”