“Believer. Believer.”
Even with her black robe pulled tightly over her head, lilac hair spilled out.
I quickly adjusted her collar, wrapping her up tightly so no one would see.
“…Why are you here, Saintess?”
“As a servant of the god who watches over the continent, isn’t it my duty to look after the believers?”
Vanice smiled faintly, tilting her head up to look at me.
“This robe is a gift from the god. It has recognition-dampening functions, so rest assured.”
“But still…”
As we stood in the middle of the hallway outside the examination waiting room, talking, I felt as though passersby were stealing glances at us.
‘This isn’t going to work.’
“Saintess, please come this way.”
The robe she always used for her secret outings was undeniably functional, but it still looked suspicious to anyone who saw it.
I decided to lead her to a quieter corner with fewer people around.
“How can you walk around without any escorts?”
“Hehe, don’t you count as an escort, believer? Besides, I’m not so weak as to be easily caught.”
What does she see in me, someone she’s barely met, to trust me like this?
From the feast I had that day to the baptism so grand that even royals would pale in comparison, nothing about her made sense.
“Now, now, we don’t have much time. Please sit down on this chair.”
Vanice gestured to a chair against the wall, urging me to sit.
Thunk.
She placed her hand on my head, closed her eyes, and began to recite a prayer.
“Dear Elea, I thank you for taking this humble servant into your grace and bestowing blessings upon them…”
About a minute passed.
The ticklish sensation, as though my entire body was being scanned, disappeared along with her prayer.
“Hmm, you’re still fine.”
Vanice removed her hand, smiling with satisfaction.
“Believer, please be careful. The actions of the unbelievers are becoming increasingly troubling. We don’t know how far their reach may extend.”
“Unbelievers? Who are—”
“Shh. This is for you to know and no one else. Promise me you won’t tell anyone.”
“…Understood.”
Satisfied, Vanice waved her hand as if her business was done, turned, and walked away.
“Huh… Looks like she has a rough idea of what’s going to happen.”
She’s the key to this story.
The villains aim to assassinate the Saintess, and everything unfolds from there.
‘They’ll probably target other key figures along the way, too.’
The Arcane Academy is like an imperial treasure trove.
Unlike those who have already matured, it’s filled with raw gems brimming with potential.
Naturally, the group trying to upend the continent sees it as an obstacle in their plans.
‘Their goal is to eliminate promising talents before they bloom.’
I never expected her to be aware of this.
The original story didn’t reveal her perspective, so I didn’t know she was this well-informed.
“Maybe that’s why her security detail was no joke.”
As the Saintess, her personal combat ability is anything but weak.
People are misled by her delicate image and the reverence of her title, but later, she’s seen smashing enemies’ heads with a mace like it’s nothing.
“Still, I didn’t expect her to bring in the Inquisitors.”
Inquisitors are a rare breed within the church, only assigned to those with unshakable faith and exceptional combat prowess.
Even within the church, their influence is immense.
“With them by her side, Vanice will be fine.”
As long as they’re around, no one will dare lay a finger on her.
That leaves me to worry about the others.
“This is exactly why I recruited Gray for situations like this.”
I brought him in to deal with events outside Arcane Academy and gather hard-to-access intel, yet there’s been no news from him.
‘That bastard didn’t take the money and run, did he?’
His complete radio silence made me wonder if he’d taken his cured younger brother and fled to some remote countryside estate.
As an ordinary student, my ability to gather information is limited, and it’s frustrating.
I have a general idea of the overarching plot but no way to prepare for every twist and turn.
On top of that, the story keeps diverging from the original, giving me constant headaches.
* * *
After the first practical exam ended, the students became noticeably more noisy.
There were some unexpected results, and many amusing incidents occurred.
“It’s not common for someone to be disqualified for ignoring protective magical equipment and beating someone down.”
At the center of the students’ gossip was Isabelle.
The rumor was that she kept hitting someone until their face was smashed in, even after they had surrendered.
According to her, it was because they had mocked her, but with her usual reputation, no one believed her.
“If I can just get through today, the scholarship is as good as mine.”
The risky plan to use the designation right against Roxanne had succeeded.
As long as I didn’t slip up here, I could secure the leap scholarship with ease.
“When will it be my turn?”
The place where the beast hunting was taking place was the same as the first exam.
However, the setup was slightly different.
The high platforms and spectator seats remained,
but in the middle of the open area, several wide, long prefabricated containers had been placed.
The containers were made of transparent material, making the insides clearly visible.
Inside, the beasts growling and prowling around were vividly clear.
“Ugh, gross.”
For others, beasts might feel like a part of their everyday life.
But not for me.
Seeing these creatures, grotesquely twisted beyond the sensible image of animals I’d seen on farms, made my stomach churn.
“This practical exam is a beast hunt. Professor Belle Enel, an outstanding beast trainer, will select beasts suitable for your level.
Don’t be too afraid and do your best in the exam.
If we judge the situation to be dangerous, the supervisors will stop the test at their discretion, so keep that in mind.”
After the brief explanation about the beast hunt, the supervisors began calling out the students one by one.
This time, the order was determined regardless of grade level.
They called students based on their suitability for the beasts’ grade and habits.
Considering those details, my turn should be fairly early.
“A rank 5… No, maybe even rank 4 is possible.”
My record of defeating Roxanne would be taken into account.
If it wasn’t a particularly difficult beast to deal with, a rank 4 beast could definitely show up.
.
.
.
.
.
“Second year, Theonar. Wait at number 3.”
After waiting for about four hours, my turn finally arrived.
Calming my nervousness as much as possible, I stood in front of the container.
“Gruuuh…”
Two fierce beasts bared their sharp fangs, welcoming me.
They painted like dogs exhausted from the heat, tongues hanging out.
“…They’re not licking their chops at me, are they?”
Were they seeing me as food?
When I opened the door and stepped inside, their gaze looked as if they’d immediately pounce, sink their teeth in, and shred me apart.
“When you’re ready, go in.”
With the supervisor’s permission,
I opened the door without hesitation.
“Looks like I got lucky.”
The creatures, resembling dogs or wolves, were rank 4 beasts called Blood Wolves.
Despite their massive size, they were known for their agility, making them challenging opponents.
“Normally, I’d hate this.”
For both mages and knights, these creatures were notorious for being troublesome to handle.
Their defining characteristic was their relentless, aggressive use of their swift movements.
“Let’s put that aside for now.”
As soon as I entered, I set my sword on the ground.
“With these guys, a good old fist fight is the way to go.”
It was the close-quarters combat technique Isabelle had taught me.
For some reason, I could use it as smoothly and naturally
as the Alteia swordsmanship I had learned with EXP.
Feeling the results of my hard training,
I was filled with excitement to test my skills.
Boom!
A deafening noise rang out from outside the container, and the ground began to shake.
I turned my head to grasp the situation.
“Ah…”
The once clear and blue sky had turned into a pitch-black darkness.
The sunlight that had streamed through the transparent, glass-like material disappeared.
The inside of the container became a dark space, void of even a single ray of light.
‘This wasn’t supposed to happen now…
They weren’t supposed to begin their operation until after the demon beast hunt was over.
It was supposed to be during the event match between the first and second-ranked students of each grade.’
‘I can’t stay here.’
I hurriedly grabbed the doorknob to escape.
“Damn it, this is so messed up.”
The firmly closed door wouldn’t budge.
‘Did someone block it on purpose?’
Normally, the container doors were never locked in case of emergencies.
They weren’t even designed to lock, and there was always a supervisor around to handle unforeseen circumstances.
“Grrr…”
There was no time to think further.
A Blood Wolf had already approached, right in front of me.
* * *
“Ugh… I almost got screwed for real.”
The attacks of the creatures emerging from the darkness were relentless.
If I hadn’t sacrificed one of my arms to counterattack, I might have truly become a corpse.
“Looks like it’s just some flesh torn off.”
Fortunately, the bones weren’t crushed, so this much could be treated.
Using my sword, I carefully cut through the container and stepped outside.
A chaotic scene filled with screams and the stench of blood unfolded before my eyes.
“Grrk… urgh…”
“Help me! Someone, please… I’m begging you…”
“Do you know who I am? Filthy commoners, protect me with your lives if you must!”
A brutal slaughter unfolded as the demon beasts and students clashed.
It resembled a hellscape.
“This is a total mess.”
I couldn’t save everyone who was dying.
I quickly scanned my surroundings, searching for key figures.
Sylvia was grouped with some students, taking down approaching demon beasts.
Rozennia and Vanice were being protected by their escorts.
Isabel was…
“Bring it on, you damn beasts!”
She seemed fine, given how she was handling things.
‘They’re all safe.’
The best course of action now would be to join them, eliminate the beasts, and ensure safety.
Dragging my exhausted body, I started running.
‘Wait a minute.’
A nagging feeling tugged at my mind.
What was it that I had forgotten?
As I thought deeply and pieced it together, something clicked.
The most crucial thing in this situation.
‘Ah, that lunatic Ian.’
That’s right.
Only one person wasn’t here.
The moment I realized it, an overwhelming sense of anxiety washed over me.
‘The one who should be making the most impact here… where the hell did he go?’