◆ Avangarde Plains ◆
The trio approached Roel with an overbearing attitude. Just as one of them reached out in frustration to turn her around, I grabbed his hand. The man with slicked-back hair looked at me, a beat too late.
“What’s this? Are you seriously in a party with Roel?”
“And what if I am? Who do you think you are?”
“Hey, this is the Rua who won the Combat Tournament!”
The girl whispered to the man while glancing at me, her tone conspiratorial. The man merely raised an eyebrow, his mouth slightly agape, looking unimpressed.
“Such a big shot is with Roel? Ha! I see how it is. Roel, you useless one, how did you manage to get in with her? Once you form a party, all you have to do is sit back and let her do the work. I honestly didn’t expect to run into you here. So, Roel, how does it feel to be so embarrassed?”
“Um… I—”
“Huh? I can’t hear you! What was that?!”
I tightened my grip on his wrist. How dare he show up out of nowhere and insult her like that? From Roel’s demeanor, I could guess what had happened. These guys had been in a party with her before, and their treatment of her was evident just by looking at them.
I didn’t know the details. Roel might have caused them some trouble, but all I felt was pity for her as she stood there, unable to respond to their taunts. To mock Roel was to mock me as well. I considered breaking his wrist right then and there, but we were in the middle of an exam. Causing a scene would only complicate things further.
“Ow, that hurts… What kind of strength is this…? But seriously, why is someone like you in a party with Roel? Do you have some dirt on her or something? Huh?”
“Enough of this. Focus on solving this pointless problem instead of bothering Roel.”
“Yeah, right. Just make sure you don’t let that loser drag you down.”
Even after I let go, they didn’t stop their insults. I half-regretted not breaking his wrist. The three of them laughed mockingly as they walked away.
“I’m sorry, Lua-chan… I made you uncomfortable because of me… Those people, I used to party with them back in Queemil. I was so bad that I ended up causing them trouble…”
Roel spoke, her voice trembling as if she might cry at any moment. Just seeing her like that made it clear how much she had suffered. Yet, she insisted it was her fault, and it made me want to cry too. If that was the case, then there was only one thing to do: we had to pass this exam and show those jerks what Roel was capable of now.
“Let’s show them the new Roel! Don’t worry, I’m right here with you.”
“Yeah, you’re right… I’m not the same as I used to be.”
“First, let’s tackle this problem. We need to…”
I was pumped up, but I quickly hit a wall. I had no idea what the answer was. It wasn’t something you could figure out just by thinking; it required knowledge I didn’t possess. Did Yuyu come up with these questions? If so, she was quite the benevolent angel.
“Roel, if we keep thinking like this, we’ll never find the answer. At this rate…”
“Hey! You just looked at my answer, didn’t you?!”
“Huh? If you didn’t want me to see it, maybe you should pay more attention to your surroundings.”
“You’re just bluffing, aren’t you?!”
Over there, a commotion had finally broken out. Whether someone saw an answer or not, if Yuyu was watching, they would be disqualified immediately. That’s what I believed. But Yuyu just stood there, smiling, watching the unfolding drama. It was strange; if someone had cheated, they would surely be disqualified. Yet Yuyu remained silent.
The two who had been arguing finally drew their weapons and began to fight. The clash of blades echoed across the plains. Before I knew it, a portion of the spectators had gathered around, getting hyped up over the spectacle. I wondered if those people had managed to write down their answers. Some might have already given up. The two were evenly matched, and it was hard to tell who would win. While the fight was intense, this wasn’t the time for such distractions.
As I watched in disbelief, Roel tugged at my arm.
“Lua-chan, if that’s allowed, then can’t we just look at someone else’s answers too?”
“What are you talking about? Yuyu wouldn’t allow that…”
“But Yuyu hasn’t said anything despite all this chaos. Remember her initial explanation? She said it was fine to solve it alone or in a party. How we solve it is up to each of us. It seems like she anticipated this kind of situation when she chose this location for the exam.”
I found myself nodding in agreement. Watching the person who had been knocked out still lying there felt pitiful, but on the flip side, it meant we could do whatever we wanted until someone said otherwise. Looking at someone else’s answers felt wrong, but if we wanted to pass, it was our only option.
However, the person whose answers we looked at would surely feel uncomfortable about it. The fact that it had escalated into a fight was proof of that. Even if I fought, I didn’t feel like I would lose, but I wanted to avoid conflict if possible. Who should I look at? With so many people struggling, it was likely that not many had the correct answers. If I copied the wrong answer, it would be a disaster.
“Roel, I’m going to check someone’s answers.”
“About that… I think that person would be good.”
Roel pointed to Barm. For a moment, I wondered if that was a good idea, but he had mentioned that this was his tenth time taking the exam. He should have a wealth of knowledge, and considering he had analyzed Dragon Slayer Poison, he was no ordinary person. More importantly, he seemed to be resting under the blue sky, completely uninterested in the fight happening nearby. He looked both tired and bored.
I couldn’t read. I could manage simple characters, but anything complex was beyond me. However, in this case, whether I could read or not didn’t matter. I just needed to memorize the answer, so I could jot down symbols without needing to understand them.
But then I thought, he might actually show me the answer if I asked. I didn’t know him well, but I had a feeling he would.
“If he hasn’t passed in ten years, he might not take kindly to rivals like us. He might show us, but if he refuses, he could become wary of us afterward.”
That was a valid point. It might be a prejudice, but it was a possibility. In that case, I would just copy his answer. I was confident that I could do it without him noticing. No, I was sure that no one here would notice.
I just needed to dash over to where that uncle was. I ran up to Barm, who was not even trying to hide his paper. It took only a second or two to make the round trip. In that brief moment, I stole a glance at his paper. It had answers that looked quite correct.
But I couldn’t let my guard down. Just because it looked right didn’t mean it was. After consulting with Roel, we decided to check other people’s answers too. If we found that many had the same answer, it would likely be correct. One question at a time, we took our time filling out the answer sheet.
◆ Soon, the First Exam Will End ◆
“Yes, that’s almost correct. You pass.”
I didn’t feel like celebrating with a fist pump. Why? Because I had copied someone else’s answers, so the sense of achievement was lacking. Why did Yuyu make the exam like this? It didn’t seem like something necessary for an A-Rank, and knowledge of the problems could be learned later.
Looking around, I noticed many people still struggling. On the other hand, there were quite a few who had passed and were resting or idly waiting. It seemed that fights had broken out everywhere since then, leaving traces of battle across the plains, regardless of the outcomes.
“Hey, you’re pretty good…”
“You’re not too shabby yourself.”
The ones who had fought earlier seemed to have developed a sense of camaraderie. They had been fighting for a while, and both would likely be disqualified, but it seemed they were planning to go out for drinks afterward, so the exam might not matter to them anymore.
“Lua-chan, look at that person over there. They’re amazing!”
“How about this much?”
“Well, I guess it can’t be helped…”
【Bebe Level: 30 Class: Merchant B-Rank】
There was someone paying money to copy answers. I see, that method could have avoided all the trouble. We were genuinely impressed. But he was short and chubby, not someone who looked particularly skilled in combat.
“You’re making me waste my time, you idiots.”
“Ugh, my favorite boots are already this dirty…”
Around the ill-tempered Marilyn and Kank, about ten Adventurers lay defeated. Each of them clutched several sheets of problem papers, lazily checking one at a time and scribbling answers onto their own sheets.
Upon closer inspection, I noticed that neither of them wielded any weapons. This meant they had taken down that many people with their bare hands. The remaining challengers, who had dared to confront them, were all devoid of fighting spirit. Some ground their teeth in frustration, glaring at the duo with resentment, while others sat slumped, heads bowed. Just from their demeanor, it was clear how overwhelmingly powerful those two were.
“How can they get away with that?”
“But we didn’t exactly play fair either…”
Kank began tearing up the problem papers of the other Adventurers. Those who had weakly protested seemed to have lost all will to stand. This was definitely going too far. What purpose does a test like this serve if such behavior is allowed? Just as I was about to stand up and approach them, Yuyu clapped her hands loudly.
“Alright, time’s up! Now, let’s announce the successful candidates. First up…”
Yuyu began reading off the names of those who passed in a calm manner. At first, she read seriously, but it quickly became apparent that with hundreds of names, it would take too long, and she abruptly cut it short. Our names were read clearly, but Kank and Marilyn, whose names were omitted, clicked their tongues in blatant annoyance. They even muttered curses under their breath, and I couldn’t help but think that if they were overheard, they would surely end up like those sprawled on the ground. Speaking of which, I wondered if that person would ever wake up.
“How did everyone find it? There are various means to achieve your goals. Whether it’s looking at someone else’s answers, buying information, or overpowering others, it was enjoyable to see your unique methods. Of course, there isn’t just one correct answer. Any method is merely a means to an end. Since you are already functioning as Adventurers, it may be a bit rude to say this now, but this is what being an Adventurer entails. There are times when you must achieve your objectives by any means necessary, especially at A-Rank, which I will emphasize now.”
Her speech took a strange turn at the end. Was that what Yuyu wanted to convey? I understood, but for those who had been humiliated, it was hardly comforting. Those who had been crushed by Kank and Marilyn must have felt an unbearable shame. While we had also resorted to underhanded tactics, I had never wanted to hurt anyone for no reason.
“Well then, we have 312 successful candidates. To the 183 who didn’t make it, better luck next year.”
The unsuccessful candidates quietly began to leave the area. I wondered if they would try again next year. There were those like Barm who had failed for years, and many who aspired to reach A-Rank. On the other hand, what about me? I only wanted to go to Ikana Village, and that was my sole reason. I couldn’t help but be curious about the strong feelings those who had failed might be hiding.
“Before we know it, it’s already noon. It’s just the right time to start the next test. Um, the second exam proctor should be arriving soon… Ah, it seems they’re here.”
“Whoa! Look at that!”
“The Gigas Horse!”
From across the grassy plain came a massive carriage pulled by a Gigas Horse, its thunderous footsteps shaking the ground. Muscular and imposing, its legs were as thick as several logs combined. Just its hooves alone could crush most monsters, and I was certain of the sheer strength that beast possessed. Since coming to this world, it was one of the few monsters that seemed formidable. Of course, that was excluding the Twelve Demon Generals and the Golem army.
Looking around, I noticed the candidates were clearly divided between those overwhelmed by the horse and those who were not. Seeing Kank and Marilyn yawning, it seemed they were indeed quite powerful.
“Perfect timing, Shinbu.”
“Ugh, why do I have to babysit these guys?”
“The ‘Fancy Kill’ Shinbu… So, the exam proctor is one of the Five Elites again?”
A dazzling man clad entirely in pink emerged from the carriage, leaping down with flair. So it was him for the next proctor. From the first time I met him, he gave off an unpleasant vibe. And for some reason, he seemed to want me to rise to A-Rank. Spotting me immediately, he twisted his mouth into a knowing smirk.
“I’m Shinbu, the second exam proctor. Well, it’s quite a gathering you’ve got here. Let’s ignore the fact that most of you look like you wouldn’t pass a test anyway…”
With a suspicious sway of his hips, Shinbu pointed at us candidates. How rude! How could someone like him be a proctor? I wished he would just go away.
“Get on that thing already; we’re moving to the second exam site.”
Given that he had brought that massive carriage, it was clear we would be changing locations. The question was, where exactly were we headed using something like that?
Current number of successful candidates: 312/495
◆ Shin Report ◆
A boundless, vast sea
Shin is steadily advancing
To the Kingdom of Avangarde,
In an instant, he shall arrive
On a journey to find those two.
Lost, wishing for death.