Chapter 21 – Special Entrance Exam

For a while, the girl trembled under her hood, but soon, she stood up.

“…Thank you,” she muttered.

I didn’t expect her to express gratitude so quickly—turns out, she’s more polite than I thought.

Just as I smiled at the sight of her dejected appearance—

“But you do know that using artifacts is cheating, right?” Her face still reflected fear, yet her voice cut sharp as a knife. The poor girl had some bite to her.

I adjusted my thoughts. Yeah, this girl’s got no manners.

“What artifact?” I asked.

“That arrow just now. There’s no way anyone could catch it barehanded. You used an artifact, didn’t you?”

“Why would I bother using something like that?”

“Don’t lie. If you tell the truth now, I’ll keep it a secret.”

“There’s nothing to tell! Look, here—see? Do I have anything on me? Do I?”

I rolled up my sleeves, revealing my pale, soft skin. Then, I pulled down the collar of my shirt to expose my neck.

“See anything? Huh? What, should I strip down completely and show you?”

“No, no, you don’t need to go that far. Then… how did you catch that arrow with your bare hands?”

“Even if I explained it, someone like you wouldn’t understand. Why bother?”

“Hey! Don’t call me ‘someone like you!’ I told you, I’m not a nobody! You saw me just now!”

“You mean when you almost died?”

“Grr!”

The poor girl swung her staff again. I tilted my head slightly to dodge and gave her a light poke in the side.

“Hiyaaak!”

“Now that you’ve calmed down, let’s go,” I said.

“…Go where?”

“To catch the basilisk.”

“You’re serious? After what we just saw?”

Even as she protested, she followed me. It was clear her fear had pushed her to stick with me—she must have known getting separated in the labyrinth was dangerous.

“Yeah. We need to catch it quickly. I’m in a hurry.”

“What could you possibly be in a hurry for?”

“The bathroom. That brownie earlier was so dry I ended up drinking too much milk. I used to hold it better before, but these days… it’s tough.”

“What…? Then why don’t you just go here—”

“Are you crazy? Even I have standards. I can’t just go anywhere when people are watching.”

“…Do you still think this is a fake labyrinth?”

“Enough, let’s just move. It’ll take five minutes.”

I strode forward without hesitation.

There was no need to be cautious. From here on, there would be no monsters.

Monsters may not know much, but they are exceptionally good at sensing fear.

When they sense a stronger monster nearby, they instinctively retreat.

This was exactly that kind of situation.

As we moved forward, the path became more suffused with dark energy and an eerie atmosphere.

The only sound was our breathing.

If you listened closely—

“Hey, hey… did you hear that cry?” the girl whispered.

A faint sound, the cry of a monster, reached us.

“Yeah. We’re almost there.”

“W-Wait. Hold on a second…!”

Her small, panicked voice halted me.

“What now?”

“You’re seriously going to fight it alone?”

“Oh, are you planning to help?”

“Of course! But wait, let me prepare.”

The poor girl rummaged through her hood and pulled out a small notebook and a pen.

With quick, practiced flips, she turned to pages detailing various monsters’ characteristics and weaknesses.

After finding a blank page, she started sketching a rough layout.

“I’m not sure what the basilisk’s lair looks like, but we’ll position ourselves like this, right?”

“You draw pretty well.”

“I know. But focus on what I’m saying, not the drawing. Now, listen closely—”

Mixing her trembling voice with a deep breath, she explained the plan in detail.

She knew everything about the basilisk—how to avoid its petrifying gaze, dodge its tail and flames, and more.

It wasn’t just information she’d read in some amateur book—these were real strategies, probably from adventurers or knights.

“—So, that’s how it’ll go. Your role is crucial.”

When she finished, she looked at me with suspicion.

“…Did you understand everything?”

“Yeah, I got it. But are you really going to help?”

“Why do you keep asking that? Of course, I will!”

“I just don’t get it. You’re so scared, yet you’re still willing to help.”

“Don’t be ridiculous. I’m not scared.”

She genuinely believed this labyrinth was real and that death here meant actual death.

And yet, she followed me, intending to help fight the basilisk.

I figured she stuck with me because she knew it was dangerous to split up.

But offering to help fight? Maybe she thought she owed me for saving her life. Or perhaps—

-Kaloso. Why do you save scum like that? Don’t you remember that guy? He backstabbed us three times!

-Hahaha! Ronan, do we need a reason to save someone’s life? If you must know, I’ll tell you this:

-In this world, monsters kill humans, demons kill humans, and humans kill each other. It’s a messed-up place.

-In a world like this, someone saving another person is reason enough. That’s all there is to it.

There’s no need for a reason to save someone.

Damn Kaloso.

I clicked my tongue, glancing at the poor girl.

Did she resemble him?

No.

Her hair, eyes, personality, and mana—none of it matched.

But in some ways, she did resemble him. The way she cast spells without incantations, the shape of her magic.

No way.

Could someone who sided with the Demon King have descendants here in the Empire? It didn’t make sense.

It was just a coincidence—plenty of people imitated Kaloso’s magic back then because it was so remarkable.

This girl’s magic must be part of that legacy.

Shaking off my thoughts, I chuckled.

“You’re impressive.”

“Of course I am. I became a 3-circle mage at the youngest age ever.”

With a huff, she marched ahead, then stopped and looked back at me.

“…Aren’t you coming?”

Her anxious eyes met mine.

***

The basilisk.

Known as the King of Serpents, it’s classified as a mid-level monster.

The original basilisk was a creation of Incanus, Commander of Gevihenum’s Second Legion, the Incarnation of Jealousy.

Every basilisk today descended from that first creature.

Whether by inheritance or instinct, basilisks are born with the evil eye and possess a high level of intelligence, along with control over reptilian monsters.

The one ahead of us had a body over five meters long.

It had jaws big enough to swallow a carriage, venomous fangs, razor-sharp scales, claws protruding between them, and reptilian eyes glowing green.

That basilisk was in the room next to us.

“Hiccup…”

Its hissing tongue might have seemed cute to me, but not to the girl.

“…Hic.”

She started hiccupping the moment she saw the basilisk’s silhouette.

“Will you even be able to cast spells? Don’t end up hitting me by mistake.”

“If that happens… hic… I meant to hit you.”

Even while trembling, she kept talking back.

“So, when do we start?”

“Just… hic… give me a minute.”

She gripped her staff tightly, puffing her cheeks as she tried to hold her breath.

“Isn’t there a spell to stop hiccups?”

She shook her head.

“Useless.”

She swung her staff, and I dodged again with ease, this time pinching her side.

“Eek?! Did you just hit me?!”

“No, I pinched you.”

“That hurt! You definitely hit me!”

“At least your hiccups are gone.”

“…Huh?”

Rubbing her side, she realized her hiccups had indeed stopped. She glared at me.

“You’re so annoying…”

I just grinned and stood up.

“You need to work out. Even mages need basic fitness. Your squishy body won’t do. The monsters will love biting into you.”

“Why do you talk like that? You’re so crude. What’s your deal?”

She chewed on her lip, rising to her feet.

“Don’t push yourself too hard. If you collapse from mana exhaustion, it’ll just be a hassle.”

“Shut up.”

We fell silent, hearing the basilisk’s growl just around the corner.

“…Get ready.”

Her whisper was accompanied by a surge of violet mana.

She would strike first.

The plan was to hit the basilisk with powerful magic before it noticed us.

Her lips moved, casting a silent incantation to conserve mana.

Three magic circles spun fiercely. At the tip of her staff, light coalesced into a dazzling spear.

She launched it.

And then—

It vanished before reaching the basilisk.

“What the—? That’s not magic, that’s a magic trick. Are you trying to become a magician?”

“…W-What? No! It was perfect!”

Her dumbfounded voice echoed through the labyrinth.

At the same time—

[GGGGGGGRRRRRRRRRRrrrrrr―!!]

The basilisk, flames flickering in its maw, charged straight at us.