Chapter 25: Lucia is defeated, Part 1

Having students fight each other in a forest to find some objective was a staple of academy stories.

Any novel with the “academy” tag likely had a similar exam scenario.

It was a convenient way to showcase individual personalities, abilities, and establish rivalries, making it a popular trope among authors.

The protagonist rescuing a heroine and sparking a new romance was another common element.

However, while readers and transmigrators like myself might be familiar with this trope, the students experiencing it firsthand were not.

Many likely weren’t concerned about the combat itself.

The Royal Academy’s reputation attracted skilled individuals.

However, students like Lucia, who had extensive combat experience due to her frequent involvement in incidents, and commoner students who’d worked as adventurers before and during their academy days, had a significant advantage.

The sudden, chaotic nature of the exam, the forced cooperation with strangers, and the need to utilize the terrain were challenging for less experienced students.

And the exam format was a deathmatch.

Each student received a magically enchanted bracelet.

If the wearer suffered a fatal blow, the bracelet would teleport them out of the arena, marking them as eliminated.

The attacker’s bracelet would then register a kill.

The final score was based on the number of kills and the individual’s performance during the exam.

This type of exam shouldn’t have a practice run.

A practice run would allow students to form alliances and strategize, giving them an unfair advantage in the actual exam.

Revealing one’s abilities in a practice run would make them vulnerable in the real exam.

Betrayals during a practice run would lead to mistrust in the actual exam.

A practice run would disrupt the delicate balance of the exam.

Moreover, conducting a practice run for an end-of-term exam at the beginning of the semester was unusual.

Perhaps it was because the story skipped Act 1 and jumped straight to Act 2.

Pondering this, Lucia gripped her sword, scanning her surroundings as she moved forward.

“Lucia… do you sense anything…?”

“No… not yet.”

“Alright… I’ll watch our backs.”

Ciella observed the two, intrigued by Carmel’s relaxed demeanor and Lucia’s uncharacteristic use of informal speech.

Carmel wasn’t surprised.

She’d seen Lucia switch to informal speech whenever faced with danger.

It was… endearing, in a way.

Seeing Lucia’s assertive side, a stark contrast to her usual timid demeanor in the palace, Carmel chuckled. She felt a strange sense of protectiveness towards Lucia, like a small creature baring its fangs in a display of defiance.

Currently, Lucia, Carmel, and Ciella, the transfer student who had recently joined their group, were participating in the exam together.

It was pure coincidence that Carmel, who had grown close to Lucia after two years of shared experiences, and Ciella, whom Lucia had approached due to the system’s guidance, ended up in the same group.

They’d been randomly teleported to nearby locations and ended up working together after one rescued the other from an ambush.

Since a high score could be achieved with a sufficient number of kills, cooperation was the logical choice, unless one aimed to monopolize the points.

Currently, their kill counts were: Lucia – 4, Carmel – 3, Ciella – 3.

Despite her royal status, Carmel had gained considerable combat experience due to her frequent involvement in Lucia’s incidents.

Ciella’s unique magic was a one-hit kill, and she had extensive dueling experience from the Magic Tower.

“Huff…”

Their only issue was their dwindling stamina.

Strangely, their current situation mirrored the end-of-term exam in Amadeus.

From the coincidental formation of their group to their individual kill counts.

And then, the unexpected happened. Lucia struck down someone who suddenly emerged from the bushes.

“Lucia…!”

“I know…!”

A cloaked figure jumped out from the undergrowth.

Between Lucia and Ciella, in Lucia’s blind spot.

They’d infiltrated the formation, where Lucia and Carmel, wielding swords, protected Ciella, who was vulnerable in close combat.

Weapons? None.

Then, magic?

Magic in this world didn’t require incantations.

Most mages opted for faster casting times and instant activation at the cost of reduced power.

There was no sign of a staff.

Lucia opened her right eye.

Her vision and mind overloaded, and green markings appeared, highlighting weak points.

Guided by Insight, Lucia swung her sword.

Her holy sword, capable of slicing through what an ordinary blade would only dent.

Even a glancing blow would be considered fatal, instantly teleporting a student out of the arena.

The protective barrier generated by the bracelet would prevent the sensation of being cut.

Slash!

But Lucia felt the blade piercing flesh.

Severing muscle, shattering bone.

And the warm gush of blood splattering her face.

“Huh…?”

Ding!

Ciella gasped as the dreaded sound echoed.

[Part 2, Act 2: Academy Attack!
The demon-worshipping cult has attacked the academy!
Protect the students from the cult and thwart Rahat’s plan!
Rahat Subjugation: 0/1
Cultist Subjugation: 1/50]

Lucia was stunned. She had killed a human.

The sensation was no different from cutting down a goblin or other humanoid monster.

But the emotional impact was profound.

It seemed paradoxical to be unfazed by killing monsters and animals yet be shaken by taking a human life, but the fact that she’d killed someone she could have potentially reasoned with weighed heavily on Lucia.

Of course, a cultist likely wouldn’t have been open to negotiation.

But instead of despair, she felt… rage.

The status window had endangered her and her companions, entangled them in incidents orchestrated by human organizations, but it had never forced her to take a human life.

Yet, the current quest objective clearly targeted humans.

The status window usually used the term “repel” when referring to humans.

“Subjugation” implied they were treated like monsters.

And this time, the stakes weren’t just her life or the lives of a few companions, but the lives of all the students participating in this exam.

Want to save them? Then kill.

That’s what the system seemed to be telling her.

“A… cultist…?”

Carmel muttered, looking at the cloaked body lying on the ground.

A small star was embroidered on the dark cloak.

A pentagram, inverted. A symbol opposing divinity.

The mark of the demon-worshipping cult. The equivalent of an inverted cross in Kayleen’s original world.

And judging by the status window, there were 49 more cultists bearing this mark within the forest.

Lucia glanced at her bracelet. The protective barrier that had enveloped her body had vanished.

The small counter on the bracelet flickered and died.

Click.

The artifact meant for contacting the supervising instructors in emergencies was also unresponsive.

“Mana… it’s being blocked…?”

Ciella looked up at the sky, her magic sight activated.

A faint barrier was spreading across the sky, slowly descending towards the ground.

Lucia gritted her teeth.

“I-it’s alright, Lucia… You did the right thing… If you hadn’t, Ciella would have been hurt…”

“It’s not alright.”

Communication with the outside world was cut off, and the expanding barrier prevented anyone from entering.

Reinforcements wouldn’t arrive anytime soon.

And among the remaining students, few had combat experience comparable to Lucia’s.

Even those who did had likely only fought monsters, never taken a human life.

Because of this status window, these students would now experience the agony and burden of taking a life.

Or face death themselves.

Rustle.

The bushes rustled, and two more figures emerged, wearing the same cloaks as the fallen cultist.

She didn’t want to, but she had no choice.

Cursing the status window, Lucia raised her sword.