Chap 78-Practical Exam

After packing my things, I arrived at the academy square, which was teeming with students.

Everyone was waiting for the starting signal with expressions that were either slightly nervous or full of anticipation.

A moment later, a huge warp gate installed in the center of the square began to open with a majestic sound, emitting a blue light.

Like a door opening to another dimension, a shimmering, unfamiliar landscape lay beyond the gate.

At a glance, it looked like hundreds of academy freshmen, along with their team members, began to step into the gate one by one.

The sight of so many people moving to another space in an instant was truly spectacular.

It felt like watching a giant vacuum cleaner sucking countless people into a single entrance in an orderly fashion.

Normally, with a large-scale teleportation magic of this magnitude, sensitive people would often complain of headaches or nausea due to the powerful magical power fluctuations generated in the process.

But because it was directly designed and constructed by the great Guardian Witch, my Master.

The faces of the students passing through this warp gate showed no signs of such discomfort.

Some teams seemed to have already become quite close, chattering, laughing, and joking with each other.

Some teams were huddled together with serious expressions, as if already planning their strategy.

And some teams were exchanging silly jokes to relieve their tension.

Everyone seemed to have bonded in their own way.

On the other hand…

A suffocatingly awkward atmosphere.

No one in our team opened their mouth first and we were just awkwardly walking, only looking at each other.

An uncomfortable air lingered between the five of us.

Even Lina, who was always chattering and sticking right next to me, was quiet today, perhaps watching Camilla’s mood.

She glanced back and forth between me and Camilla, but she didn’t try to talk to me or joke around like she usually did.

Not to mention Lea and Clara.

Lea was just observing me with a mixture of curiosity, and Clara didn’t even try to come near me…

‘This… it’s probably because of me, right?’

I sighed inwardly.

It was clear that I had completely ruined the atmosphere of this team.

Since that incident with Camilla, our team had never had a single private conversation.

Even during team project meetings, Camilla would unilaterally give instructions, and the rest of us would just remain silent or nod.

I felt a little sorry.

But that didn’t mean I was going to take the initiative to ease the atmosphere.

It might sound like an excuse, but what could I do in the first place?

It would only make the situation worse if I, the cause of the problem, stepped forward.

Lost in our own thoughts, we somehow passed through the warp gate, and the scenery that finally greeted us was…

An ordinary forest.

No, to be precise, it was a ‘seemingly ordinary’ forest.

Tall trees, dense bushes, and the feel of soil beneath our feet.

At first glance, it looked no different from any other forest near the academy.

I sniffed. A very subtle, but clear, stench of Contamination rode on the wind.

It was such a faint smell that ordinary people wouldn’t notice it, but to me, who was sensitive to Contamination, the ominous energy was clearly felt.

And…

My heightened senses could feel the presence of countless creatures wriggling and hiding throughout the forest.

Easily hundreds of low-level magical beasts.

They were waiting for new prey to appear, like hungry beasts.

They were clear evidence that we had finally arrived at the ‘farm’.

A dangerous contaminated zone in the middle of human territory.

A precarious balance maintained by holy springstone.

From now on, we had to survive in this dangerous place for 24 hours.

…

In front of the numerous warp gates leading to the farm.

Each team was waiting at their designated starting point.

Our Team H was also standing in front of the gate leading to the most northern, heavily forested area.

Each team was starting from a different entrance, seemingly as a measure to prevent them from encountering each other too early in the test.

“Is every team ready?”

A moment later, Professor Merlin’s voice echoed throughout the academy through a magical megaphone.

“Good. Then, from now on, the 24-hour survival practical exam begins!”

Under Camilla’s command, they began to explore the forest relatively cautiously.

Clara and Yeon guarded the surroundings at the front, Lina followed behind them, and Camilla and Lea supported them from the very back.

Clara was somewhat satisfied with this team composition.

Of course, she was a little scared because of the terrible memory of that day when Yeon Bennet was tortured.

Honestly, she secretly thought it was fortunate to be on the same team as Yeon Bennet.

Because unlike the other teammates who were much more talented than her, she was worried that she might be buried among them.

But since Yeon Bennet, the notorious troublemaker, was with her, she had a shallow calculation that even if she performed at an average level, she would receive a smooth evaluation thanks to her.

Clara was even more relieved when she saw her acting recklessly and making a mess when discussing the team project.

But it didn’t take long for her to realize that it was just her delusion.

Crack!

Bang!

Crackle!

Due to the unexpected surprise attack, Clara, who was in the rear, couldn’t react properly and her legs gave way, causing her to collapse on the spot.

She closed her eyes in fear and opened them again, and in front of her eyes, Yeon Bennet, who was nonchalantly stepping on the corpses of the magical beasts that had been threatening them until just now, was holding out her hand.

She had appeared in an instant, moving like a shadow, and had dealt with the magical beasts.

“Are you okay…”

Yeon was about to say something casually, but suddenly withdrew her outstretched hand in a hurry.

Then, she glanced at Clara once and moved away without saying a word.

‘What…? Could it be that she was just about to ask if I was okay…?’

Slap!

Clara tried to come to her senses by lightly slapping her cheeks with both hands.

She must have been seeing things.

There was no way that woman would worry about her in the first place.

She didn’t seem like the type to worry about others with her vicious and selfish personality.

Moreover, they had a bad relationship, if anything.

There must be some other ulterior motive, or she just happened to reach out her hand.

‘…Anyway, this woman…’

Clara stared at Yeon’s back as she guarded the surroundings from a short distance away.

‘Why is she so good at fighting?’

The formation of Team H, led by Camilla, was, to be honest, quite deformed.

Usually, when forming a formation, close combat personnel are placed at the front and rear to block the enemy’s attacks first and protect the rear of the allies.

In particular, the vanguard is naturally the position where they can encounter the enemy first, so an excellent close combatant had to stand there.

It was also standard practice to have skilled close combat personnel in the rear to protect the wizards and priests who used magic or holy power.

However, Camilla, Lina, and Lea were all so talented in their respective fields.

They were such excellent forces that they didn’t need any escorts.

Camilla’s command and magic, Lina’s holy power and luck, and Lea’s precise magic.

They themselves were already a powerful shield and spear.

Therefore, Camilla was taking a strategy of placing the relatively less skilled close combat personnel, Yeon and Clara herself, all in the front to compensate for each other’s shortcomings.

In Camilla’s calculation, that would be the most efficient formation.

Clara, who stood side by side with Yeon Bennet at the front.

She couldn’t grasp her exact skills since it hadn’t been long since the practical exam started, but after seeing her deal with the magical beasts just now, one thing was certain.

At least she was much better than herself.

Those concise and efficient movements, the attacks without hesitation.

It was like a veteran who had experienced combat for a long time.

‘…With skills like this, why were her academy grades so bad?’

Even when she was abandoned by the duke’s family and being bullied by other students.

Even when she was surrounded and tortured by Camilla’s faction, including herself, under Camilla’s orders.

She had never really resisted.

She would just indifferently endure it, or avoid the situation as if it were a hassle.

At that time, she naturally thought that she was too weak or really intimidated to resist.

Because with her notorious personality, it didn’t make sense that she was just being obedient even though she had the power.

‘Could it be…?’

A sinister thought flashed through Clara’s mind.

‘…Could she have some other ulterior motive?’

Hiding her skills on purpose, and then betraying us when we’re off guard at a crucial moment.

Or for some other, more terrible purpose.

Clara swallowed hard without realizing it.

Yeon Bennet, that woman might be a really dangerous being.

Clara firmly resolved to be even more wary of her in the future and to pay close attention to her every move.