“And so, the winner of this field trip is you, Iris.”
“But Chief Instructor Maxim, I…”
“I won’t hear any objections.
I’m simply adding a couple of new rules for the next field trip—self-destruction of bracelets will no longer be allowed, and staying in a non-combat zone for more than an hour is prohibited.
Regardless, there are countless trials ahead of you until you graduate from Pantheon Academy.
Just because you won this trial through sheer luck doesn’t mean you should be overly happy or upset.
The only right answer is to recognize your shortcomings and move forward diligently.
Don’t waste your time on unnecessary thoughts.”
Strictly speaking, it was actually a victory for both Iris and me as a duo.
Since the reward for this field trip included the right to choose a treasure from Headmaster Lyn Dragos’ lair, the snowball effect of winning first and second place was quite significant.
However, I saw no reason to bring that up.
There was no need to stir up trouble when I could gain a great advantage by simply keeping quiet.
It seemed that Iris was feeling guilty about winning first place despite mostly avoiding combat and simply gathering various lucky encounters.
To be honest, I was also a bit surprised that she managed to take first place—maybe if it were just the Top 10, I wouldn’t have thought much of it.
No one could have predicted that, despite the clear limitations of the makeshift filter made from Cordyceps roots, Iris would refuse to take off her mask in the end, fall into a half-dreamlike state, and somehow reach a state of enlightenment, advancing her Moonlight Divine Art to the Small Accomplishment level.
“Well, let’s set that topic aside.
The field trip ended much earlier than expected, leaving us with some extra time.
So, I was thinking—why don’t we have a barbecue party on the third day, in the true spirit of a field trip?
What do you think?”
“I think it’s not a bad idea, but is there a particular reason you’re asking for my approval?”
“I’ve never experienced such a leisurely and peaceful event before.
So, I’d like you, as the student representative, to take charge of the barbecue party.
Of course, the instructors will provide the meat, food, and equipment.
And while the party is ongoing, the instructors will step away for a bit so that the students can enjoy themselves comfortably.”
“I don’t think that’s really necessary, but if it’s Chief Instructor Maxim’s order, I will follow it.”
“Good. I’ll leave it to you. Oh, and… I apologize for speaking ill of your partner and the other female students before.”
Maxim, seemingly unaccustomed to the act of apologizing, hurriedly left before even hearing Iris’s response.
“I suppose Instructor Maxim might actually be a good person after all.”
He’s not inherently a bad person; he’s just had a rough life.
“By the way, Nameless King, to be honest, I’ve only ever read about barbecue parties. I’ve never actually experienced one before. What should I do first?”
“Hmm…”
First, you’ll need a lot of firewood, so instruct the students to gather wood.
I’ll explain the details afterward.
To be fair, I wasn’t exactly an expert on barbecue parties either.
But as a Constellation of Omniscience, I couldn’t just admit that I didn’t know.
So, I decided to buy some time.
I figured I could just recall and describe barbecue party scenes from dramas or anime.
As I braced myself and dug deep into my memories, I had the distinct feeling that the third day of the field trip would be a grueling trial—albeit in a very different way from the first two days.
* * *
“Damn it! Damn it! Damn it!”
Philip cursed repeatedly as he vented his frustration by punching a random tree.
Since he wasn’t a student from the martial arts division, his fists were already covered in blood—so much so that it was almost concerning whether his bones were exposed.
While the rest of the junior division students excitedly set off to the forest to gather firewood for the barbecue party, Philip alone was seething with rage, pushing himself to the point of self-destruction.
“Damn it! The plan was perfect, but of all times, that damn Iris had to show up!!”
Some small fish in the ocean employ a strategy where they cluster together to appear as a massive entity, fooling predators like sharks.
Philip’s plan followed a similar principle—he intended to recruit as many lower-ranked students as possible within his network and financial reach, overwhelming his opponents with sheer numbers.
In practice, this strategy worked well.
Even high-ranking students often avoided confrontation and chose to flee when faced with such a large group.
The problem arose when Philip set his sights on two weak support-type female students, prey he could have easily handled alone without relying on his numbers.
Unfortunately for him, he hadn’t accounted for an even greater predator—one not just a shark, but an orca.
Iris Lunai, the top student of the academy, appeared and didn’t just crush his pride—she utterly obliterated it.
Looking at the situation objectively, Philip was largely at fault.
Instead of destroying the girls’ bracelets outright, he had chosen to curse them with a minor hex just to satisfy his own sadistic urges.
However, his mind twisted the truth into a self-serving justification.
“Damn hypocritical bitch!
She exploited loopholes by staying outside the combat zones, yet she threw a fit just because a dark mage placed a minor curse?
If only I had a little more power, I could have wiped that self-righteous trash off her high horse.”
If I grant you power, do you think you can crush Iris Lunai beneath you?
“W-Who’s there?!”
I am the Queen of the Deep Sea, a Constellation who has been watching over you.
Oh, poor Philip.
You possess remarkable talent, yet you’ve been unable to grasp any opportunities, forced to crawl in the filth.
Won’t you take my hand?
I will save you.
“A-Are you really a Constellation?
B-But… why didn’t you approach me during the Pantheon Induction Ceremony?
Not a single Constellation even bothered to interview me!
I was utterly humiliated!
That’s why I wanted to prove myself on this field trip…”
Oh, I know.
I understand.
But I was a bit preoccupied at the time.
Still, now that fate has brought us together again, it’s only right that we form a Constellation contract.
Opportunity only rings the doorbell once.
“O-Of course, we must form a contract. My stigma is located near my heart— Kuaaaagh!”
And a demon, unlike opportunity, keeps pressing the doorbell until a foolish sacrifice walks out on its own.
Kehahahaha!
Splat!
The moment Philip pointed to the location of his stigma, an ancient tree branch—previously thought to be lifeless—suddenly shot out like a spear, impaling his heart.
As blood gushed out like a fountain, splattering against the ancient tree, a sinister hexagram formed, emanating an ominous energy.
From within the symbol, a monstrous fish with a human-like face emerged.
It was none other than a Grade 2 Devil Doll— the Human-Faced Fish (Inmyeon-eo).
Despite its grotesque nature, the creature was still, at its core, a sea-dweller.
It flopped helplessly on the dry ground at first but soon opened its mouth, spewing out a foul, black sludge.
Uweeek!
The already damp earth surrounding the ancient tree turned into a muddy swamp, allowing the Human-Faced Fish to move with slightly more ease.
Having completed its adaptation to land, the creature extended the feelers on its head, swiftly latching onto Philip’s neck.
Then, dragging his limp body, it began advancing—slowly but surely—toward the area where the students were enjoying their barbecue party.
* * *
“A barbecue party isn’t something you need to overthink. It’s simply about grilling meat over an open flame and enjoying it with drinks. Of course, since we’re still students, we’ll be substituting alcohol with soft drinks of our choice.”
“Iris, you really are knowledgeable. But don’t you think a campfire is a must for a proper school trip? We’ve gathered more than enough firewood, so we can’t afford to skip this!”
“The highlight of a campfire is, without a doubt, confessions and dance time.
First, we reflect on the hardships we faced during the trip.
Then, we recall how comfortable and safe our lives were in our parents’ embrace, shedding tears in the process.
Finally, we dance with our trip partners, overcoming that sorrow and replacing it with joy.”
“Huh? What did you just say? Crying one moment and laughing the next? That sounds kind of weird, doesn’t it?”
Seeing how my fragmented knowledge of school trips had been completely misinterpreted by Iris, I instinctively shut my mouth.
Maybe I should’ve just said that constellations don’t do things like barbecue parties and left it at that.
Now I was the one feeling embarrassed for no reason.
But whether the details were accurate or not, as long as there was good meat and a lively atmosphere, a barbecue party would run its course one way or another.
As the students enjoyed the party in their own ways, a male student suddenly ran up to Iris, his face pale as a sheet.
“I-Iris! I’m sorry, but Philip has been missing for a while now. I think he went deep into the forest to gather firewood and got lost.”
“Got lost? I clearly told everyone to move in pairs with their partners.”
“I-I’m sorry! It’s just… Philip ran off on his own. I don’t think anything serious happened, but maybe we should report it to the instructors just in case?”
“I’ll go and look for him first. You said he went in that direction, right? Kim Sunghoon, follow me. No matter what happens, we must stay in pairs until the instructors arrive.”