Chapter 35

Galimar's written exams are notorious for their brutal difficulty.

The scope alone is mind-boggling. The syllabus spans everything from ancient texts to complex magical formulas, the disassembly and reassembly of circuits, and sometimes even the latest research from the Mage Tower. It’s packed with so much information that it feels borderline impossible to handle.

And that's just the beginning.

The questions themselves are designed to elicit curses. They demand high-level thinking and creativity, so much so that it’s nearly impossible for average students to even fill out half the test. Every line of ink reeks of the professors' spite, and inevitably, some students end up crying during the test.

This is truly a trial from hell.

Earning even a decent grade here—let alone a high rank—would be commendable. Securing second place, as Emilia had, was no small feat. I was fully prepared to offer her my heartfelt congratulations.

“Lady Emilia.”

“...”

“Lady Emilia.”

“...”

“Second place is a remarkable achievement.”

“I told you to stop. If you say it one more time, I’ll seriously get mad...”

“Second place is a remarkable achievement.”

“...”

If it had been anyone other than Emilia, of course.

"I told you to stop mocking me..."

She trembled with anger, her aristocratic composure crumbling. I could see she was genuinely frustrated but, even so, she looked at me, her irritation barely contained, unable to fully express it.

I watched her with a mischievous smile.

*This is quite entertaining in its own way.*

This was that dopamine rush I had been holding back from. But her reaction was just too amusing to resist.

“I didn’t expect you to dislike it this much. My apologies, Lady Emilia.”

“It’s... fine.”

“I didn’t expect you to dislike it this much. My apologies.”

“How long do you intend to keep this up?”

With her teeth clenched, she asked through barely restrained anger. Honestly, I thought this was Emilia’s fault. After all, wasn’t such an entertaining reaction practically an invitation to tease her?

Feeling a rare sense of blissful satisfaction, I kept smiling like a child and playfully tormented the “loser” in front of me.

“What? You actually enjoy this?”

“It’s delightful.”

“...”

“It’s delightful.”

“Enough already...!”

Emilia seethed, struggling to calm herself. As I continued to revel in my antics, a curious pink-haired creature sidled into view. It was Rezia.

“Um, ah... excuse me... Lady Emilia.”

“What do *you* want?”

“Eek...!”

“Are you planning to ridicule me too, now that I’m just another commoner?”

“N-no, I just...”

Intimidated by Emilia’s sharp tone, Rezia’s shoulders shrank. Though her voice trembled as if on the verge of tears, she stammered out her intentions.

“I-I just wanted to say... I think you’re amazing, Lady Emilia...”

“What?”

“The, the written test, I mean... it was so hard for me, and you came second...”

Her words were pure admiration.

“I just thought you were so impressive... if I was overstepping, I apologize!”

“...”

Emilia froze, momentarily stunned by the unexpected compliment, before her lips twitched into a faint smile.

“Ahem.”

She tried to appear calm, but she couldn’t hide her beaming face. She murmured softly.

“Is that really what you think?”

“Yes! You’re incredible, Lady Emilia!”

“Hmm... Perhaps you’re not as blind as I thought.”

Why did he believe so easily in someone she herself couldn’t fully trust? The weight of his faith in her was almost overwhelming.

“Still... I don’t want to disappoint him.”

With a soft murmur, she closed her eyes, finally seeking sleep. She had no idea of the horrors that awaited her the next day.

---

The following day arrived, the highly anticipated practical exam.

We gathered early, listening to the instructions in a designated area where teleportation arrays were set up.

“The exam will proceed as previously announced.”

The three of us—Snake, the puppet master, and the vain one—were joined by a sultry woman with purple hair. She was Selena, our supervisor for this practical exam.

She looked at us with a detached gaze, her red eyes shadowed with fatigue. After standing quietly, she took a swig from her flask before continuing with her explanation. A notorious drinker indeed.

“This is a monster extermination test.”

A magic array has been prepared in front of you. This array is composed of space, illusion, and dimensional spells, and as soon as you step into it, you will be teleported to a designated location.

At that location, each team will encounter monsters matching their level. Once you clear the assigned area, the test is over.

“There’s no need to worry about safety.”

The surrounding area will have safety personnel stationed. In the event of a serious injury, you will be immediately removed and returned here.

As an additional note, the environment is unknown. It could be ruins, a forest, the sea, a cave... It’s one of many terrains, so adapt quickly.

“Any questions?”

With a quick glance, Selena scanned the room. Already well-versed in the plan, we quietly shook our heads. With that, she opened her book and continued.

“Then let’s begin immediately.”

With her signal, I stepped forward calmly. My toes touched the glowing magic circle.

In the swirling flow of mana, I turned to the girls beside me, giving a meaningful smile.

“Miss Rezia, Lady Emilia.”

“Y-yes?”

“What do you want now?”

“There’s something I’d like to say.”

I didn’t want them to be too surprised by what lay ahead.

“Whatever you see, try not to be too shocked.”

A sudden piece of advice. They looked at me in confusion, but I paid it no mind and took my final step. We stood at the center of the magic circle.

And then—

*Rumble...!*

The mana surrounding us began to swirl violently. The stored spell activated, filling the air with blue sparks. It was a dazzling sight.

Just as the three of us were about to teleport—

*Zap!*

A strange

noise echoed.

The static crackled, flashing repeatedly, and soon grew louder. The blue of the magic circle turned blood-red.

“...?!”

“W-what...?!”

*Crackle—!!*

Dark red shards burst in all directions, the rampant mana storm distorting the air like a cyclone.

And we were right in the middle of it.

“The magic array...?!”

“W-wait, what’s happening?!”

“Ah! Prince...!”

“Heh.”

While Selena, Emilia, and Rezia panicked, I remained relaxed and smiling.

It was beginning.

“Shall we?”

With one final remark, everything went dark.

And so, we were flung into the unknown.

To a place where monstrous horrors awaited us.