Omen

Opening the door and stepping inside, there were 10 goblins in a room slightly larger than the one from the first trial.

Each of them looked shabby, holding old weapons like swords and spears, and wearing tattered clothes.

Seeing the goblins frozen in place like statues, I cautiously took a step into the room.

Only then, as if to announce that they were living beings and not statues, they began to move, making a “Kureureuk-” croaking sound.

I tightened my grip on the spear shaft and took another step forward. One of the goblins, which had been wandering around aimlessly, stopped abruptly and turned around.

The moment our eyes met, without either of us making the first move, we swung our weapons at each other.

Kang-!

I deflected the old sword and simultaneously pierced the head of the one approaching from behind, who had been hiding their presence. As if that was a signal, the goblins began to charge at me with unintelligible screams.

Unlike the Raccoon-ta from the first trial, these were incredibly easy opponents. There was no need to read the trajectory of a spear or to bait an attack. They were just monsters moving on instinct.

I repeatedly created dimensional entrances and stabbed the approaching goblins in the back of their heads with my spear. The green blood flowing down the shaft made my hand sticky.

I relentlessly unleashed continuous strikes. The one trying to throw a spear and the one charging with a sword both became corpses a few steps away from me.

When I smashed the skull of the last goblin, smoke billowed from the corpses filling the room, and then the room became clean without leaving a single trace of blood.

The sticky blood on my palm didn’t disappear, so I roughly wiped it off on my pants. At that moment, a red light appeared on the ceiling.

Seeing that there were four unlit lights next to it, it seemed that the trial would end after I survived four more waves.

As if rising from the ground, another monster appeared in the room without any warning.

It was a muscular orc with green skin. At first, there was only one, but it gradually increased in number and began to fill the room.

The orcs wielding greatswords and hammers looked quite threatening, but for some reason, I felt that orcs would be easier than goblins.

Perhaps because their heads were bigger, it seemed easier to stab them in the back of the head than the short goblins.

As if sensing my gaze, one of the orcs summoned nearby turned its head. Its yellow eyes met mine, and it immediately revealed a thick murderous intent.

“Kuwa-!!!!”

The orc roared and charged, raising its greatsword menacingly, followed by the other orcs swept up in its momentum.

Was it because of my indomitable courage? Or was it because I had died to Raccoon-ta dozens of times?

I felt no fear or sense of danger towards the orcs approaching with fierce momentum.

My mind was filled only with the thought of efficiently killing the orcs without any emotional turmoil.

I had already recognized all the spatial coordinates within a 50M radius around me.

Eliminating an opponent that charged straight ahead without any feints or speed, unlike Raccoon-ta….

It was too easy for me, who only needed to land a single blow.

A dark dimensional entrance, like an abyss, was created in front of me.

If I just endlessly poured out continuous strikes towards it, simply adjusting the connection of the eight divided dimensional exits…

“Kuaaaaak-!”

No monster could reach me.

***

,Welcome, Ellie. It looks like you two ended up gathering together?”

Luna knew that Bella’s words were false, but she couldn’t say anything and kept her mouth shut.

,What did you call me here for? I don’t have time.”

Luna glanced at Ellie, who was openly hostile to Bella.

She felt as if she were looking at a giant storm. A natural disaster that couldn’t be overcome by human power. A threatening storm that would break through anything blocking its path.

Luna suddenly wondered what relationship this beautiful girl had with Ross. Being a ballroom partner… wasn’t something you did with just anyone.

Seeing Ellie’s blatant hostility, Bella removed the mask of a gentle smile and gave a sinister smile like a snake.

,If you don’t have time, I’ll get straight to the point. It’s about the grade test. I think you two have the highest chance of becoming the top students in the Department of Magic and the Department of Magic Engineering.”

As she said that, Luna swallowed hard, watching Bella gracefully drink her tea.

The top student in the Department of Magic Engineering…? She just hoped she wouldn’t fail a grade.

,I want you guys to help me in the future. So, I’m going to give you some… help.”

Bella waved her wand, and papers flew in from somewhere. Bella took the papers and stretched her lips into a long smile, placing the papers on the table.

,This is the exam paper for the upcoming grade test.”

,Huh…?”

When Luna heard Bella’s words and asked back in a dazed voice, Ellie, who was sitting next to her, glared at Bella, grinding her teeth.

Ellie’s narrowed gaze was filled with the sentiment of asking if she was really serious.

,I can become the top student without doing such dirty things…”

Bella’s lips twisted at Ellie’s voice, which seemed to be suppressing her rising anger. She shook her head as if she had heard something stupid and looked at Ellie again.

,Think about it. If I give this to someone else, do you really think you can become the top student?”

,Do you think I’ll just stand by? I’ll report this to the academy.”

,Do you think I’m stupid enough to admit it if you report it? Didn’t you notice what it means that this, which should be in the hands of the professor in charge… is in my hands?”

Ellie couldn’t contain her anger at Bella’s mocking question and stood up. As Luna was looking around, not knowing what to do, Bella whispered in a small voice.

,I’m not doubting your talent. I really think you’ll be a great help to the empire…. But since you keep showing me hostility for no reason, I want to tame you, you know?”

Luna felt goosebumps on her arms at the sharp blade hidden beneath Bella’s soft voice.

It was a voice filled with the clear emotion of trying to subjugate the other person to her will.

She wanted to get out of this place right away, but she was in front of the Imperial Princess, who she had to show respect to.

She was afraid that her reckless actions would harm her beloved family.

,Pledge your loyalty to me. Then I’ll guarantee you Roel and the top spot. Of course, if you reject my generous offer, your academy life will become very difficult. I promise.”

Ellie sent an unreadable glance at Luna without a word at Bella’s sweet threat, and then left the lab without hesitation.

Bella, who had been silently stroking her lips for a while, turned her gaze and looked at Luna.

Her golden eyes glared fiercely at Luna, like a snake aiming for its prey.

,What about you?”

,Yes, yes…?”

,For the record, I hope you don’t make a stupid choice like Ellie. I don’t want to be disappointed in the Grace family.”

Luna lowered her gaze in fear at the sight of Bella handing her the exam paper with a snake-like smile.

***

…I sat down in front of the stone door leading to the trial room. A dumbfounded laugh burst out.

,Lack of stamina….”

Even when wolves appeared after the orcs, I thought I was doing well.

Until then, everything that approached me had their heads blown off, as if they were being ground in a mixer.

But then, as I continued to swing my spear against the endless onslaught of demonic rats, my stamina ran out, and I ended up being bitten to death by the demonic rats.

After solving the magic power problem, my below-average stamina became a hindrance.

Even if I trained every day, stamina was something that usually required effort and time to improve.

Of course, if I had a lot of money, I could buy effort and time with stamina-boosting potions…. But that was a dream for a commoner like me.

I sighed and got up, leaving the cave. It was already night, and there was no more time to challenge the trial.

Everyone must have returned to the dormitory, as there was no one in the club room. I wanted to brag about passing the first trial, but I felt a little disappointed.

A strange box on the table caught my eye as I was about to return to the dormitory.

Was there something like this?

The box, decorated with colorful paper and tied with a purple ribbon, was eye-catching.

I approached the box and checked it, and for some reason, my name was written largely on the box.

As far as I know, Ross’s birthday is in winter?

When I thought about who would send me something strange like this out of the blue, Rosaline immediately came to mind.

Hoping that it might contain stamina potions like last time, I untied the purple ribbon and opened the box.

Inside, a purple dagger was beautifully packaged, tied with a heart-shaped ribbon.

,…?”

I checked the lid and bottom of the box, but there was no letter or anything. I checked the name written on the box again, but it was my name.

If it’s not a potion, it wouldn’t be Rosaline. Then the only person who would give me a gift would be…. Luna.

What did she mean by giving me a purple dagger? I don’t even know if it was Luna who gave it to me.

Since tomorrow is the weekend anyway, and I promised to go on my first date with Luna, I decided to ask her casually then, and without much thought, I put the box as it was into my spatial storage.