Ch.1818. End-of-Term Evaluation (6)

After making me climb a rock wall and cross a river, the third test was the opposite of the first—descending this hill.

Even if the first stage test was considered gentle, it still involved climbing an 8-meter rock wall.

They call it a hill, but in reality, for someone who couldn’t control their expression—like a rabbit facing a predator—wouldn’t it have been more like a cliff?

‘Still, she made it down well.’

It seemed Renias had a fear of heights.

Just looking down was enough to trigger a visible reaction, so she clearly detested high places.

What was more impressive was that she managed to overcome it herself.

If I were in the same situation, I might not have been able to overcome it.

“You did well.”

It was truly remarkable, but the professor who taught me when I was a beginner once said the same thing to me.

Praise after achieving such results is quite valuable.

For me, it was merely a practical review of skills I already had, but for her, it must have been the worst possible conditions.

“Ehehe… thank you.”

Seeing her awkwardly grinning, she finally returned to the familiar face I was used to seeing.

I’m glad I praised her.

“Junon, Renias. I acknowledge that you both have passed the third stage test. I will take you to the next location, so follow me.”

An instructor who had been waiting at the bottom of the hill guides us to the next test site.

The end-of-term evaluation consists of four stages in total.

I was a bit curious about what kind of strange test they would present for the final stage. Since it was created by that eccentric Professor Muniher…

Following the instructor, we soon came upon a dense forest.

“The remaining task is to camp at this location. First, look at the pocket watch you were given at the beginning.”

I had wondered why they gave us pocket watches, so I had already examined it and figured it out without needing an explanation.

This watch with two buttons appears to be just a timepiece when you look at it, but no functions work unless you press the buttons.

It can’t even be considered a watch unless you use it.

“When you press the upper button, it shows the time, and when you press the lower button, the watch’s brightness changes to indicate day and night…”

In other words, the watch indicates day and night and time, so we were supposed to use it for camping.

I had a hunch about this, so during the second test, Renias and I discussed it and pressed the lower button, resting for about 30 minutes until it brightened before proceeding to the next test. It seems we were right.

“You need to stay here for 3 days, so rest during the night and be active during the day for 3 hours. Any questions?”

“None.”

The time we need to spend camping for the final test is 3 days.

Due to time constraints, it’s impractical to conduct it over 3 actual days, so 1 hour counts as one day.

Therefore, we need to rest for 3 hours, utilizing the day and night cycle.

I thought this test might also be ridiculously easy, but this time it seems we don’t even need to exert ourselves physically.

I really wonder what’s going on in Professor Muniher’s mind.

Whatever the case, since I’ve already moved my body around, I might as well set up the tent we were given, rest a bit, and then leave the test site.

There doesn’t seem to be anything else useful here anyway.

“Your test will begin in 10 minutes.”

I thought it was quite easy for a final test as second-year students.

…Yes. At that time, I thought it was easy.

***

A height approaching 2 meters and rugged muscles bearing traces of long training, visible through sweat-soaked clothes.

A student named Goden quietly bowed to the supervisor and Professor Muniher before leaving the test site.

“Perfect. That guy is definitely going to be in Class A.”

“…I think so too.”

To ensure fairness, Professor Muniher assigned a supervisor from Hardia who had no prior acquaintance with Goden.

He scored high in most categories, with the only deduction being for a torn pair of pants—an otherwise flawless record.

He simply had bad luck with his partner, but he proudly upheld the honor of being Hardia’s top student, ready to be deployed to an actual battlefield.

‘The remaining ones are the same.’

Although 60% of the first and second-year students received failing grades, the remaining 40% did not.

Some asserted their own beliefs or values. Apart from being slower than those who went before them, there was nothing to fault them for.

Considering there was essentially no time limit, there was hardly any reason to criticize them.

It was a blessing in disguise. Thanks to this, one side of Professor Muniher’s heart, which had been full of anger, calmed down.

“Um… Professor Muniher.”

During this moment when his worries had temporarily subsided, about six supervisors approached Professor Muniher, who was reviewing the evaluation records.

Their expressions suggested something was wrong.

“What is it?”

Professor Muniher asked again, sensing something ominous.

And his seasoned intuition was, as usual, correct.

“It seems the weather has been implemented at the test site…”

With an “Ah” of resignation, he immediately connected the climate and geography of Mount Utulum, and Professor Muniher covered his eyes with his left hand, which wasn’t holding a pen.

“Are you saying it’s going to rain?”

“…Yes.”

Professor Muniher was the creator of the Talbert Akra object, but climate was still a sensitive aspect to control, so he hadn’t touched it.

Setting aside the unfinished features, the biggest obstacle was that the students hadn’t all completed their tests yet.

Some had already finished and left, and if they had to reschedule and conduct the test again, there was a high possibility that the current results would change.

‘Rain…’

Stroking his chin, Professor Muniher carefully recalled the criteria for the end-of-term evaluation and test scores.

Patience: How much can they accomplish while restraining from using magic?

Direction: Can they question what the intention of this test is and what purpose it serves?

Cooperation: What effect did strengthening bonds with their partner have on the test?

And the final criterion:

Judgment: How will they respond if obstacles arise during the test?

Rain was undoubtedly an obstacle for the students.

“We’ll continue as planned.”

As he decided to proceed with the end-of-term evaluation, the six supervisors tried to persuade Professor Muniher that it might be too much for the students.

But he disregarded their concerns and decided to immediately change and apply the rules of the test.

“Students who wish to give up will be considered to have completed all four stages of the test. As for the rest…”

For the students facing the geography of Mount Utulum and the natural challenge of winter rain, another test had been imposed.

***

Mount Utulum is not a place for people to live.

In a way, it’s hard to understand why such a place was chosen as the site for the end-of-term evaluation.

I had been relieved when I realized they had lowered the difficulty for the evaluation, but if that premise were betrayed, something absurd would happen—something frightening enough to make one terrified.

The reason I was alarmed that this region was the test site was because of the rugged terrain and rapidly changing weather.

“Ahhhh… finally finished…”

Renias had just finished setting up the tent and was basking in satisfaction.

Unfortunately, now is not the time to be satisfied.

I had to deliver some cruel words to my junior, who was lying inside her self-pitched tent, sighing contentedly.

“Renias. This is important, so could you get up?”

“Huh…? I’m a bit tired right now… Ngggh. Can’t I rest a little…?”

…No choice. I’ll have to be direct.

“We need to pack up the tent right now.”

At that, Renias sat up abruptly and asked.

“What?! But I just finished setting it up… Wait, why? If we’ve set everything up, don’t we just need to complete the test?”

A mountain location might not matter if the altitude is low, but this is a high mountain, thousands of meters high.

In high mountains, they may have removed the snow, but the real danger is something else.

“I’m not joking. If we stay here, we’ll experience a living hell. If you don’t want to give up on the test, we need to pack up immediately.”

“Whaaaaat????”

This is no ordinary mountain.

If it rains here… we’ll be inevitably swept away by a landslide—this mountain has a geologically very unstable terrain.

Why do you think Princess Ophelia avoided the humid summer and set out on the Moras Great Wetland expedition this winter? It was to avoid natural disasters!

Look at the clouds gathering in the distance. Unmistakably cumulonimbus clouds.

If cumulonimbus clouds form over a mountain, they will inevitably pour down rain, and this rain will cause a tremendous landslide down the sloped terrain.

This is from my own experience.

I experienced it vividly and almost got swept away properly.

If you think it’s just soil and sand being washed away, you’re gravely mistaken.

This is literally the ground moving—a genuine natural disaster with no solution.

This is not the time to leisurely set up tents; we need to take measures to minimize damage immediately, or at least find a location where we won’t be swept away by a landslide.

‘No wonder it seemed too easy…’

What a bolt from the blue.

Perhaps it’s a problem that we didn’t finish this test quickly, but we haven’t received any notification that the main test has been canceled.

‘Or did they not announce it at all?’

…That would be just like Professor Muniher.

Then there’s only one stance I can take.

With winter rain falling, creating a harsh environment on its own, who has the luxury to continue with the test?

I needed to hurry and pack up with Renias to secure a safe place even if a landslide occurred.

In a situation where we can’t escape through a break time, I certainly don’t want to retire by being buried in a landslide, test or no test!

***

“To think a partner would appear there of all places…”

It couldn’t be helped. It shouldn’t reach anyone else’s ears.

Silvia was anxious.

She didn’t have many opportunities or much time left to meet him.

In other words, the current Stage 4 test was her last chance to negotiate with Junon.

“Please… appear quickly…”

The moment I’m expelled from the count’s family, I’m finished.

As Silvia was thinking this, cold cumulonimbus clouds were gathering above her.