Chapter 19 – Special Entrance Exam

The girl in the navy hoodie rushed at me, her face pale with terror, and blurted, “This is a real labyrinth! The monsters aren’t fakes—they’re real, soaked with mana!”

Her panicked words came from someone who had just recklessly used fire magic in an oxygen-limited space. Naturally, I didn’t believe her.

How could I?

Even if my old comrades from the past had claimed this, I wouldn’t have believed them. Besides, they wouldn’t have even thought this weak labyrinth could be real. They would have treated it as a sightseeing tour, just like me.

And if, by some bizarre chance, this really was Labyrinth’s work… well, then she must have developed dementia. There was no way she had grown weak enough for me to kill her so easily.

In any case, this labyrinth wasn’t real.

“If you think it’s real, just press your bracelet and forfeit,” I said.

“Are you an idiot? If this is a real labyrinth, the bracelet won’t work!”

“Then press it and see.”

She flinched, uncertain, and I couldn’t help but chuckle at her hesitation.

“If you’re so sure, press it. If it doesn’t work, then you’re right. But if it does, you’re just bad at this.”

Her violet eyes glared at me sharply. “Do you always talk like this?”

“Am I wrong, though?”

Her jaw tightened, but she finally admitted, “I’m not terrible… but you’re right.”

At least she wasn’t the emotional type.

“Want me to press it for you?” I stepped closer and grabbed her wrist.

“Eek!”

“Relax. Stay still, or I’ll break your wrist.”

Her frail arm was easy to grip, and she had no strength to resist me.

“W-What are you doing?!”

“Pressing the button for you. Now, hand it over.”

“W-Wait, no, don’t!”

Seeing her face grow even paler, I smirked. “Scaredy-cat.”

Then, I let go of her wrist and placed a macaron in her trembling hand.

“Here. Eat this while you think it over. If you’re still scared, press the bracelet. If it doesn’t work, tell me.”

“And what exactly will you do if it doesn’t work?”

“I’ll handle it—better than you could, anyway.”

I turned away and began walking.

“Anyway, I’m going. Come with me if you want. Stay if you don’t. And if you want another macaron, just ask.”

Behind me, I heard the rustling of the macaron wrapper. She wasn’t eating it—probably just stashing it in her pocket.

Tap, tap. Click, clack.

Despite her earlier panic, she trailed after me.

Still just a scared little kid.

“So… are you really going to fight the basilisk?” she asked.

“Yep.”

“How do you plan on beating it?”

“By fighting really hard.”

“And if this is a real basilisk?”

“Then I’ll fight even harder.”

She clicked her tongue in frustration, her footsteps quickening as she caught up to me.

“You’re insane… Do you even know what real labyrinths are like?”

“Oh? So you do?”

“Yeah… I’ve been trapped in one before.”

I stopped and turned to face her.

She flinched under my gaze.

“Alone?” I asked.

“…Yeah.”

“Impressive you survived.”

“…Barely.”

“How long were you stuck?”

“Five days.”

Her voice trembled as the memory resurfaced.

“Five days? Bet you drank your own piss,” I said bluntly.

“W-What?! No! Why would I do that?!”

“If you want to survive past three days, you drink it.”

“I-I didn’t have to! I had plenty of water!”

Her familiarity with labyrinths and her confidence in navigating them… Had she been to Gevihenum?

What kind of kid would go to the demon realm during an era of peace?

Her violet eyes peeked out from under her hood, defiant but trembling.

She wouldn’t tell me why she went there, and frankly, I didn’t care enough to ask.

“Good job surviving,” I said casually, turning away again.

She followed closely, still muttering.

“You sure seem to know a lot about drinking piss… Have you been trapped in a labyrinth, too?”

“Plenty of times.”

Though I didn’t say it aloud, I’d been trapped so often that I knew how monster meat tasted raw and how urine changed flavor as dehydration set in.

But instead of saying that, I replied, “No, I read it in a book.”

“Hah! Reality isn’t like that.”

“True. But running out of water is still a fact.”

She grumbled something under her breath, clearly irritated.

***

After some time, she fished the macaron from her pocket and ate it. I popped another peppermint candy into my mouth.

Just then—

Krrrrr…

A lizardman appeared.

It had a head that was somewhere between a lizard and a snake, and it walked upright like a human.

Lizardmen had the usual monster traits—sharp claws, venomous fangs, and the ability to spit poison. They also used weapons, usually spears, though some carried swords or bows.

We hid behind a small platform, barely large enough for both of us.

The girl clutched my arm tightly.

“Still think these are fake monsters?” she whispered urgently.

I let out a quiet laugh.

Are these fake?

The creature’s rancid odor, the greasy residue on its weapon, and the blood-soaked stench were convincing enough. Even the eerie, sticky sound of its breathing clung to my skin.

But I could tell it wasn’t real—not quite.

The mana was faint, the body smaller than usual, and its senses dull.

If this were a real labyrinth with a real lizardman, we’d already be fighting for our lives.

But here we were, calmly watching from the shadows.

That confirmed it—this was a simulation, not a real labyrinth.

“See? I told you it’s real!” she hissed, misinterpreting my laugh as agreement. She tugged on my arm, urging me to run.

“This is why you shouldn’t—never mind. Just run!”

“And what about you?”

“I’ll handle it. But if it smells us, it’ll call for reinforcements.”

“You think you can take it down?”

“Of course. I’ll just need to use fire magic if more show up…”

Despite her fear, there was a fierce determination in her eyes.

“Didn’t you hate me?” I asked, smirking.

“What?”

“You’ve been glaring at me since the written exam. I figured you didn’t like me.”

“I wasn’t glaring! And why would I hate you? We just met!”

Her violet eyes wavered, betraying her lie.

“Sure, whatever you say.”

“Enough talking! Just stay here and let me deal with it.”

“Why not kill it together?”

“Because if we mess up, more will come! Are you an idiot?”

She tapped her chest in frustration, glaring at me.

“So… you don’t want me to get hurt?”

“What?! No! I just don’t want you getting in my way!”

“Then prove it. Kill it.”

“Not because you told me to!”

She raised her staff, violet mana swirling around the tip like a lion’s fang.

Pew!

The magic shot forward, shattering the lizardman’s skull in one clean hit.

A gust of wind blew back her hood, revealing her face.

“…What the…” I stopped, stunned.

She grinned smugly, thinking I was impressed by her magic.

But that wasn’t why I was staring.

“Why… are your clothes like that?”

“Huh?”

“Your clothes. They’re all torn up. Why?”

Her expression twisted in confusion as she inspected her hood.

“What’s wrong with them? They’re fine.”

“Fine? They look like rags.”

“Rags?! Do you know how expensive this is?!”

I stared, dumbfounded.

“If that’s expensive, whoever sold it to you deserves to have their fingers broken.”

Her face twisted in disbelief.

“This is one of the most expensive brands for adventurers!”

“Wait, people pay to wear stuff like that? What’s the world coming to… Don’t your parents say anything about you dressing like this? If it were me, I’d just tear it all up.”

At the mention of parents, her face turned ghostly pale.

“…Shut up.”

“Ah, I see.”

There was definitely some family issue there.

“Anyway, women need to keep their stomachs warm. Cover yourself properly. Here, have another macaron for your efforts.”

I draped her hood back over her head and handed her a milk-flavored macaron.

She glared at me, her face red with frustration.

“Aaaargh! You are so annoying! I hate you!!!”

Yet, despite her outburst, she carefully tucked the macaron into her pocket.