When teams are assigned for the joint exam, students move to the classrooms designated for their teams.
There, they meet their teammates, establish rapport, and discuss the joint exam they will soon undertake.
Since Rosaria had been assigned to a team, she moved to meet her group. Soon, she found herself with the members of Team D-19.
“Is everyone here? Nice to meet you, rookies. I’m Gren, a fourth-year majoring in close combat. I’ll be the leader for this exam.”
A male student with a muscular build and short-cropped hair introduced himself, casually propping his feet on the table and crossing his arms.
Gren’s domineering demeanor matched his boastful attitude as he continued speaking.
This exam wasn’t structured with teams from the same year or field. Instead, experienced upperclassmen were assigned as leaders, with younger students as their teammates.
“I’m… I’m Rasel, a third-year… My major is… detection and support… Yes, that’s right.”
The next to introduce himself was a third-year male student, his hoodie pulled tightly over his head. Stammering, he avoided eye contact, keeping his gaze fixed downward. He had been fidgeting nervously ever since he sat down.
“Rachel Smeeren, first-year, Department of Magic.”
The next person to speak was a girl with striking red hair that gleamed like fire. She carried herself with the poise of a noble.
Instead of the standard-issue robe and staff given to all magic students, she wore a custom-made robe of fine crimson silk and held an ornate staff embedded with a brilliant orb.
Her tone was indifferent as she introduced herself.
“Your introduction is a bit curt, don’t you think, first-year?”
Gren, displeased with Rachel’s brief response, glared at her, his face twitching with irritation.
“Where’s your respect for a senior? Oh, wait, let me guess—you’re a noble, right? Did your high-and-mighty family teach you not to associate with lowly commoners like us, huh?”
Bang!
Gren slammed the table with a loud thud, unfolding his crossed arms and escalating the tension.
“First of all, you’re not even a senior in my field. Second, after this exam, we’ll likely never see each other again. Third, you’re not exactly behaving like a role model senior yourself, so why should I show you respect?”
Rachel, unflinching, responded firmly, backing her words with clear reasoning.
“You’ve got some nerve for a first-year…!”
“Hey, hey, calm down, alright? The atmosphere’s getting a bit heated. Let’s all cool off and discuss this rationally.”
“…Tch.”
“…”
As the situation seemed on the verge of spiraling into physical confrontation, Rosaria stepped in to mediate, diffusing the tension.
“I’m Rosaria Evergarden, a second-year majoring in combat.”
‘What a mess for a first meeting’
“Hmph. Anyway, as much as I hate the idea of that obnoxious girl earning points, my score is on the line too. So, listen up—I’m going to explain how to ace this exam.”
Once the group introductions were over, Gren turned the conversation to the exam itself.
“The best way to score high on this test is to rack up points quickly. Our goal in this artificial dungeon is simple: head straight to the center and secure our position as early as possible.”
“In the artificial dungeon, you earn points by defeating monsters, but the best way is to take down the dungeon boss.”
“And every time the boss is defeated, it respawns after a certain period.”
“This means other teams will definitely try to take down the boss during the remaining time.”
“So, we’ll secure the central area before anyone else, then wait for other teams to come and deal with the boss.”
“Wait, why would we wait?”
Rosaria, curious about Gren’s plan, interrupted with a question. If they reached the boss first, wouldn’t it be better to defeat it and leave?
“Hah, nobles are all the same, stuck in their rigid thinking…”
Gren snorted dismissively, lumping Rosaria and Rachel together in his mocking tone.
“You all heard the rules, right? To pass, someone on the team must hold the magic stone dropped by the boss for ten minutes after defeating it.”
“Yes, we heard that. But what does that—”
“That means after beating the boss, you’ll still have to wait ten minutes, duh.”
“Right…”
“So instead of wasting effort, we just wait for another team to defeat the boss. Once they’ve done the hard work, we swoop in, take the stone, and pass without breaking a sweat.”
“…Ah.”
Rosaria nodded in reluctant understanding. Gren’s plan made sense in the context of the rules. The academy had emphasized that almost anything was allowed in the dungeon, short of outright killing someone.
“I even passed the last exam this way—totally hassle-free!”
“Ah…”
Rosaria forced a weak smile as Gren proudly boasted about his prior success using the same underhanded tactic.
‘What’s the point of this? Isn’t the thrill of entering a dungeon about exploring with your team and facing the boss together?’
Rosaria found Gren’s plan disheartening. To her, it felt petty and cowardly, far from the proper way to tackle an exam.
“Um… Maybe we could just work together and fight…?”
“What nonsense are you spouting?”
“Eek…!”
Rasel, timidly interjecting with an alternative idea, shrank back when Gren barked at him in anger.
“Or is it that you nobles can’t stoop to follow a lowly commoner’s orders because of your precious honor?”
“N-No, not at all! I was just thinking the exam might lose some of its excitement that way…” Rosaria interjected smoothly, deflecting Gren’s glare.
‘This guy’s so obnoxious… I’d love to wipe that smug look off his face.’
Rosaria suppressed the urge to retaliate. She wasn’t sure how skilled Gren was, but she didn’t feel she would lose in a direct fight. Still, she chose to endure.
As this was her first joint exam, Rosaria wanted to avoid unnecessary conflicts. She already had a less-than-stellar reputation at the academy. Causing a scene by challenging Gren could potentially ruin her standing even further.
“I don’t mind. I already thought this was an unnecessary exam anyway, so there’s no need to waste energy.”
To Rosaria’s surprise, Rachel accepted Gren’s proposal without hesitation.
Despite her sharp and aloof demeanor, Rachel seemed more inclined to prioritize convenience and take the easier route through this test.
“Well then, it’s settled. No need for further discussion, right?”
“…Sorry, what?”
With the team’s direction roughly decided, Gren stood up, signaling that the meeting was over.
“What? Got a problem?”
“Um, isn’t it risky to skip any kind of preparation?”
Sigh. “Rookies. What is there to prepare for?”
“Well… we’ll be spending three days in the dungeon, so maybe some planning for that?”
“Don’t need it! Just follow this senior’s orders and don’t waste my time with pointless chatter.”
“…Oh, sure.”
‘I don’t trust him at all.’
Rosaria voiced her concerns about their lack of preparation, but Gren dismissed her worries, insisting they simply trust him.
“Whatever. It’s just an artificial dungeon anyway. It’s not like I’ll have any trouble. I’m leaving too.”
“Th-Then, take care…”
One by one, the team members left without raising objections. Rosaria, now alone at the empty table, stared at the vacated seats with an ominous feeling in her chest.
‘This feels really off…’
“Ugh, forget it. It’ll work out somehow.”
Unable to come up with any better solution, Rosaria eventually left the classroom as well.
Outside the Classroom
“Excuse me. Just a moment.”
“Eek! W-What the—!”
As Rosaria turned a corner after leaving, a shadow approached her, startling her enough to take a step back.
“Huh? You’re… from earlier…”
“Rachel Smeeren, of the Smeeren Count family. You are Lady Rosaria Evergarden of the Evergarden Count family, correct?”
It was none other than Rachel, who had left the room ahead of her.
“Oh… yes, that’s right.”
“……”
“Um… hello?”
“Excuse me. I’ll be going now.”
“…Huh?”
Without offering any explanation, Rachel stared at Rosaria in silence for a moment. Then, with a slight bow of her head, she turned and walked away.
“…What was that about? Seriously, what?”
Confused by the sudden encounter, Rosaria could only watch Rachel’s retreating figure, muttering in disbelief at the strange interaction.
“Is that person really Professor Felix’s sister?”
Rachel muttered to herself as she walked down the hallway, recalling the absent-minded look on the girl’s face she had just seen.
Professor Felix Evergarden.
An esteemed honorary professor and an outstanding magician and scholar who showcased his vast knowledge from the very first lecture, even amidst a crowd of accomplished professors.
For someone said to be his sibling, Rosaria seemed far too unimpressive.
She was certainly beautiful, but her sharp eyes gave her an unapproachable air, and despite being a noble of the same count family, she interacted with commoners without any distinction.
Her clumsy demeanor, as if she was missing a screw, left Rachel deeply disappointed.
“Well, I’ll see for myself on exam day, I guess.”
Deciding it was too soon to pass judgment, Rachel gradually quickened her pace.
She was eager to get back to her dormitory as soon as possible and continue studying the magic circle she had been working on the night before.
With her crimson hair flowing behind her, Rachel headed swiftly toward her dorm.