Ch.87. Entrance Exam (3)

# 7. Entrance Exam (3)

“Is this the end?”

After defeating the mutant wolf pack that served as the dungeon’s boss, the exit opened.

But leaving just like this felt somewhat unsatisfying.

‘Let’s at least find a treasure chest before leaving.’

I searched throughout the dungeon for a treasure chest.

As I thoroughly examined the dungeon, something briefly glinted behind a particularly large torch.

I carefully cut down the torch.

-THUD!-

When the torch supporting the chest disappeared, the chest instantly fell to the ground.

This chest, with its antique appearance, looked quite old.

I slowly opened the chest, which resembled a worn-out antique.

-CREEEAK-

It made an eerie sound befitting an old antique, but the item inside was definitely not something to be dismissed as a mere relic.

‘A pendant?’

Inside the chest was nothing but a single pendant.

Like the chest, the pendant had an impressive antique design.

The gem embedded in the center of the pendant was very small, but it exuded a strong presence.

I picked up the pendant.

As I lifted it, my status window reacted to the pendant.

[Pendant of Swiftness (Neck): F+]

[A pendant with a well-matched antique design.]

[Increases the wearer’s Dexterity by 2.]

‘2?’

It was an antique that only increased dexterity by a mere 2 points.

True to being equipment from a low-difficulty dungeon, it boasted modest performance.

Still, better than nothing.

I wore the antique around my neck and proudly exited the dungeon.

Once outside, an official guided me to the waiting room where my family was.

“How are you so good? Without even using skills.”

“Isn’t this level just basic?”

“I guess so, but how’s that thing’s performance?”

She pointed at the pendant I was wearing.

“Dexterity 2.”

“2? Not 20?”

“Just 2.”

“Wow…”

She seemed surprised by the pendant’s formidable performance.

“Still, it’s good to have. What’s wrong with 2 more dexterity?”

“True, any stat increase is good for you.”

In competitive fields, even small differences can determine victory or defeat.

There’s nothing bad about having higher stats, so I should be satisfied with this.

“Where’s Mother?”

“She went to buy something. Ice cream, I think?”

“Ice cream…”

“Why that expression? Don’t you like ice cream?”

“No, that’s not it.”

The mention of ice cream unconsciously reminded me of someone.

And I recalled a summer day spent with that person.

***

“Aren’t you hot, Lord Albert? You seem completely unfazed despite this sweltering weather.”

Her Majesty the Empress was enduring the hot weather with a fan so small it could be held with one hand.

The black-haired young man watched her and said:

“It is quite hot. This is why I dislike summer.”

“I also dislike summer somewhat. Rather…”

“You prefer winter, don’t you?”

She seemed a bit surprised by his words.

“How did you know?”

“You mentioned it before, that you like cold things.”

“I’m pleased you remember such details.”

“The honor is mine.”

A smile bloomed on his previously expressionless face, as if genuinely happy.

He was such a loyal subject that despite his busy schedule, he participated in events and remained by her side.

Seeing him like this, some officials thought:

‘He must be exhausted…’

‘He could rest a bit…’

People around admired how he neglected his own well-being for her sake.

Caring for and worrying about her even more than her husband did, he was, contrary to others’ expectations, living a happy life.

He found happiness just seeing her happy, and justified all his hardships with just one of her smiles.

While some admired him for this, others found his situation pitiful.

Suddenly, the voice of someone who pitied him called out:

“Hey, take a break already!”

The voice belonged to Ellin Veros, one of the Kainis Empire’s greatest powers and his younger sister.

She was speaking to him in a somewhat angry voice.

“I’m fine.”

“Ugh! Really! What if war breaks out in your condition!”

Since the Kainis Empire was in the midst of war, Ellin wanted to use that as an excuse to make him rest.

He had been hiding in enemy territory for nearly two months to complete a mission she had assigned.

And immediately upon returning, he took charge of festival preparations.

“Then there’s nothing I can do. And you should rest too. You just returned from a mission.”

“How well did you manage during those two months that you’re pushing yourself so hard? Did you even sleep properly?”

“…”

Indeed, he hadn’t had a proper night’s sleep there.

“Don’t worry too much. I know what I’m doing.”

Realizing it was impossible to reason with him, she stormed off somewhere in frustration.

He simply watched her disappearing figure and threw meaningless apologies into the empty air.

***

We decided to sit in the stands and watch the matches until my turn, eating the ice cream Mother had bought.

She and I discussed various things while watching the matches.

“He’s really bad at fighting.”

She criticized a student who had been utterly defeated by his opponent.

“He probably doesn’t practice regularly.”

The reason wasn’t simply the stat difference with his opponent, but the lack of skill utilization.

She was somewhat angry about this fact.

“Maybe he awakened recently.”

“No, his first awakening was six months ago.”

“Do you know him?”

“Yeah.”

Looking at him, her expression seemed uncomfortable.

I was curious why, but didn’t ask.

I already knew, and moreover, it wouldn’t be polite to her.

“Curious?”

“Not particularly.”

“He used to stalk me.”

When she was in her first year of middle school, she was stalked by a second-year senior.

Of course, she never mentioned it to her parents or me.

She didn’t show any signs, so neither our family, her friends, nor her homeroom teacher knew about it.

“Why are you telling me this when our parents aren’t around?”

“I just wanted to let you know. And don’t tell Mom or Dad.”

“Alright, but don’t keep things like that to yourself.”

“Huh?”

“Don’t bottle everything up inside. You always cry alone where no one can see you. Don’t do that—talk to us.”

She was always like that.

Whatever happened, she suffered alone and grieved alone.

She always pretended to be fine to reassure us.

“It’s okay to be a little spoiled at your age.”

“…”

“If it’s hard, say it’s hard. If you want to cry, cry your heart out. It’s okay.”

Her eyes gradually reddened.

Looking at her expression that seemed ready to burst into tears at any moment, I said:

“At least you told me sooner this time.”

My change had brought a positive effect on her as well.

That fact made me incredibly happy.

“Ah, it’s time. Wait here.”

Looking at the clock, I saw my turn was approaching, and Mother had just returned.

“Mother, please look after her.”

I left her in my mother’s care and headed down to the arena.

***

I was engaged in a psychological battle with him on the arena platform under the pretext of preparing for the match.

“You seem quite confident.”

The opponent spoke first.

“That’s because I’m stronger than you.”

“What?”

He glared at me as if he wanted to kill me.

But I didn’t feel even a hint of fear from that gaze.

The opponent wasn’t weak, but he was far inferior compared to them.

-Swish-

I picked up my sword with a rather confident expression.

“Come at me.”

He was staring at me intensely.

-TWEET!-

With the referee’s whistle, my long-awaited first match finally began.

As soon as it started, he crudely gripped his sword and charged at me with full force.

“How crude.”

Upon reaching me, he swung his sword wildly.

His swordsmanship was extremely crude and rough.

I easily parried his pathetic swordplay.

-CLANG!-

The metallic sound of swords clashing was as loud as his crudeness.

He was certainly much stronger than me, but his sword couldn’t wound me.

“Too predictable.”

His swordplay was so obvious that anyone could predict it.

“What did you say!?”

I smiled slightly and deflected his sword.

Seeing his swordsmanship ineffective, he appeared quite angry.

He swung his sword randomly.

His swordsmanship resembled an orc’s club-swinging more than a disciplined swordsman’s technique.

“This is painful to watch.”

Unable to bear watching his swordsmanship any longer, I wanted to end the match quickly.

So I swiftly parried his sword and kicked it far away to prevent him from retrieving it.

His sword, separated from its owner, clattered on the arena floor.

He was flustered after losing his sword, and I didn’t miss the opportunity to place my sword against his neck.

-TWEET!-

Acknowledging his defeat, he quietly collected his sword and left the arena.

I also returned to the waiting room to await my next match.