133. Final exam selection (2)
The stronger the light, the thicker the darkness that lurks behind it.
The kingdom of Aeonia is currently enjoying a peace that cannot be found even looking back on its long history.
There was a commotion for a while, but the demon lord was still asleep and two of the top three demons had completely disappeared from this world.
Even the last remaining Diamon is suffering in the flames of Eternal Fire with its power sealed.
The light was stronger than ever.
But the light is so dazzling that people don’t notice it.
That a new demon’s family is being born.
Demonic spirits wait for the day when they bow their heads to a great being who will soon spread its wings.
Aeonia was stained with evil.
* * *
“Okay, I’ll eat ah… … !”
Bell put her palms together and her eyes lit up.
Watching me, my senses of smell and taste were directed toward the food that had just been served. I’ll have to keep an eye on myself, and I’ll go crazy when I see the food… … .
It was hard to hold back laughter when I saw Bell go crazy in front of food.
“Mo, Mo, you smile like that. Are you laughing at me?”
Bell glared at me with hatchet eyes. It was difficult to hold back the laughter.
Normally, Bell would tell embarrassing jokes like a fox with nine tails, but in front of delicious food, even Bell would disarm.
“no. The food will cool down. Please eat.”
I gracefully raised my palm and offered food.
The food I served her was ‘Beef Bourguignon’, which Belle liked very much in the game.
It is a stew made by simmering beef in red wine for a long time.
“then. thank you… … .”
Bell swallows saliva and carefully grabs the fork.
“Ugh, uhm… … .”
Bell takes a bite of beef. eyes wide open Then, ‘Heo-eok!’ I can’t control the joy with the chuimsae.
One bite, two bites. eating faster
When it comes to eating, she throws off the cumbersome position of being a candidate for sainthood and eats with great happiness.
“How does it taste?”
“Drink it!!! no, mum. It’s delicious.”
Shouting out that it was delicious at best, then pretending to be polite again at the last minute. Do only one, do only one.
It took a long time to pay for the mistake of pushing Bell. Still, seeing Bell eat deliciously makes me feel more at ease.
“Ummm. Come on, senior, too.”
“yes.”
Belle was ready to stick her nose in the food.
‘As expected of Bell.’
There is even a demand among ＜Warriors Kingdom＞ users to provide separate content to feed Belle delicious food, so there is no need to explain how happily Belle eats.
“I really enjoyed the meal. Thank you. Mum. Senior Aren.”
After clearing the plate, Belle wiped her lips in an inappropriately dignified manner.
Well, no matter what, the sauce on the chin remains the same. While I was contemplating whether or not to talk, I heard that I was going to the bathroom, so my worries were resolved.
Belle returned, blushing.
She sits down in a chair, covers her lap with a purple blanket, and raises her eyebrows as if looking at something.
“What, what problem?”
After eating delicious food, I always smile like that. I’ll feel better too. It is proof that she has returned to the mischievous Belle again.
“no. There is not.”
“then. Shall we plan a plan?”
Belle leans her upper body eagerly. The cross necklace flicks and falls down.
‘That’s… … .’
A crucifix necklace, probably given to her by Sister Olivia.
She is smiling brightly now, but it is proof that she has not yet overcome all her sadness.
At times like this, it’s best to roll without even having time to be sad.
.
.
.
.
.
“Are you going this way?”
Belle opens her eyes wide and listens to me with an exaggerated gesture. I feel it every time I see her, but she is far from the ‘calmness’ that comes from the image of a candidate for sainthood.
“yes.”
“Mmm.”
Bell tucked her hair behind her ear and looked at the map. Her faded light green hairpin catches my eye. I turned my gaze back to the map.
This map is a guidebook for the final exam selection, and all the information necessary for the exam is marked.
The goal of the final exam is to:
1. Reach the summit of Mt. Pribit within 48 hours.
2. Earn points against professors and teaching assistants placed at each corner of the street.
Of course, the faster you arrive and the more points you accumulate, the greater your chances of being selected as a warrior for the Great Festival.
“Ugh. Seniors? Professor Julius is on Route 8, is that okay?”
Bell asked, pointing his finger at Route 8 I mentioned.
There are 10 routes in total.
Each route has a different skill level and number of professors, and there is also a difference in how long it takes to reach the top.
“Route 1 is the shortest, but the 3rd year magic professor is holding out. Is he famous for his skills?”
“Route 2 is not easy, but there are many dangerous wild animals, and above all, there are too many cliffs, so climbing is difficult.”
“Route 3 is the road that Instructor Gilliot endures… … Let’s avoid it if possible.”
I persuaded Bell by kindly pointing out the pros and cons of each road.
“Five. I know.”
“Well. I can’t climb cliffs.”
“Are you scary?”
Bell nodded her head with a reaction that made me wonder if she was teasing me or if she was really concentrating.
“therefore. Route 8 has the best odds.”
“Oh, no. excuse me… … Senior Aren.”
“Yes, please.”
Bell narrowed her brows and stared at the map.
“You don’t understand?”
“What do you not understand?”
“therefore. why. Are you going to Route 8?”
“… … .”
Bell pointed to each of the obstacles on Route 8 with her finger.
“look at this. Other routes have at most five assistant professors. But number 8 is seven, right?”
“Yes.”
“On top of that, if you just look at the map, the mountains are also steep.”
“Yes.”
“Then it will take a long time and the difficulty will be high, right?”
“Yes, that’s right.”
“yes???????”
Bell looks at me in amazement. You look like you want to hit me?
“Well, this is the most difficult route! Are you kidding me now!?”
It’s funny that Belle gets angry. Even if he got angry, he wasn’t afraid because he had a cute face.
“Candidate Saint. raise your voice… … .”
There are many people around. It’s troublesome when a ‘candidate for a saint’ screams in a restaurant. Bell, conscious of the gazes belatedly, sat upright.
Bell shook her head and leaned toward me. Then he whispers with a serious face.
“That, so. I don’t understand. If winning is the goal, why go the hard way!”
actually. There was a complex reason why I chose this route.
First of all, it is to avoid the path of other main characters.
Going down the same route as guys like Ackerman and Cain and bumping into them would be a headache.
If, by any chance, I meet the guy from Ponte, from that moment on, it will be the Coliseum, not the final exam. How can I endure that? It is horrible.
Another reason was the subject of the test.
The final exam guidebook has maps and information on the placement of teaching assistants. At first glance, it’s very useful information, but something really important is missing.
It’s just a test item.
It is easy to misunderstand that the test item is ‘combat’ simply because the assistant professor is holding out and the points are mentioned.
Actually, that’s not the case.
Each assistant professor has a different test subject.
It could be a battle, it could be a puzzle, it could be a magic response test or a common sense quiz.
Cadets who do not consider this part at all will fall into a panic as soon as they meet a professor who gives a quiz out of nowhere.
‘I did too… … .’
A bitter memory came to mind. There should never be such a mistake this time.
Since there is not only ‘combat’ in the test, having many assistant professors is an advantage in earning a lot of points.
It’s me, because I know everything about the test.
In addition, since the exam time is 48 hours, it is difficult to stay overnight in the mountains.
As for Shiana in Serious Mode, it is impossible for an ordinary cadet to clear it in one day.
So, you must sleep during the day. If you do that, you may be attacked by other cadets, so you need a suitable shelter.
Considering all these conditions, route 8 is said to be optimal.
“Candidate Saint.”
“… … Yeah? Fournet?”
Bell, who was cutting the blueberry cake with a fork while waiting for my answer, hesitated and answered.
I looked at her intently.
“What, what so. What did you ask?”
Above all, Bell would not be able to even feed half a serving.
Because his faith is so low that he will pierce the mantle.
It’s not useful in battle, and of course, there’s no way you know the basic common sense that penetrates this world.
In fact, I alone must pass this test while guarding the bell.
Number 8 is not an option, it is a must.
“The reason I dare to take the difficult path is because of the saintess.”
“… … !”
Bell averted her gaze as if embarrassed.
“Me?”
“yes. With the candidate saint, wouldn’t it be easy to pass through any ordeal? That’s why it’s a plan to get a lot of points.”
I said with a teasing laugh.
“ah. Aha. ha ha ha. That, that’s right.”
Belle smiled awkwardly and cut the blueberry cake.
“Well, wouldn’t it be better to go through it quickly…?” … ?”
Bell made a sneaky suggestion in a voice without confidence. Taking route 10, which seems the easiest on the surface.
However, there are a lot of magic traps prepared by Pompeius. It is one of the most difficult routes.
“It must be the route that Dean Pompey is preparing, but there must be a lot of traps, right?”
“That, is it? Well then… … ”
There’s no way. The 9th route is supported by an instructor called the Fortress of Iron Wall. There is no way it could be physically pierced.
“Ahhh… … .”
After about 30 minutes of persuasion, he succeeded in subduing Bell.
Bell was on the verge of crying.
* * *
“ha.”
After taking a shower, I sat down at my desk.
The moon is bright. The time was already past midnight.
When I was with Belle, it didn’t itch at all, but when I was away from her, my forehead itched again.
I had no choice but to cut off the horn again. It’s already the second one.
Jade is ignorant of the world and is sleeping snoring again. It seemed that he had been training all day to prepare for the tournament.
Turn on the simple magic lamp and open the note.
There were a lot of things to organize for the contest.
Bell had told her to bring a lot of holy relics since she wouldn’t be able to use blessings or divinity for the time being.
Of course, Bell insisted that her pride be left to her until the end. I don’t know how you’re going to do the rear end.
I’m here for Bell’s awakening anyway, so there’s no reason to complain. I have to feed Bell as much experience as possible and roll it.
“Bell is the one who doesn’t have one.”
First of all, with that premise, I started making plans for the preliminary round.
I scribble with a pen and organize my thoughts.
1. Practical 1st year teaching assistant Pretento ― dismantle magical engineering items (within 1 minute)
2. 3rd year Combat Trainer Rophilia ― 1 blow
3. Clara, a first-year magician professor – understanding the circle structure
… … .
7. Priest Vice-Dean Julius ― All-Out War (requires trump card)
I searched for the memories of playing the preliminary round, organized the sports that each professor would present, and wrote down the answers as well.
“It is not necessary to dismantle all of the magical engineering supplies because you only need to take out the core parts.”
“Rophilia uses her shadow to catch up with her speed.”
“Finding out the circle structure is now a piece of cake.”
Put the response method into your head. Thanks to the vast amount of data accumulated through multiple rounds of experience, this level of testing is not an obstacle.
Rather, I care more about the additional things.
“Let’s sleep in that cave.”
Make sure to check the secret places that the other cadets will never know about. There are a few hidden places that only old players know about.
Step by step.
A near-perfect plan was being completed.
“the problem is… … .”
Julius.
Contrary to everyone’s expectations, he had to fight with all his might against Julius, who was a teacher-professor.
For each route, the professor in charge of the final phase gives the most points.
To safely get into the top 3, he needed to defeat Julius firmly.
Julius’ combat power was beyond imagination.
He is also a talented person who wouldn’t be strange at all if he became a cardinal when he only had a chance.
As the great festival is important, the professors in charge of the final phase plan to destroy the cadets with all their might. Few cadets ever beat the last professor.
“It is difficult.”
It might be a monster or an external enemy, but you can’t use the demon’s power against Julius.
If I put on the shadow armor, I’ll definitely be able to win, but then I’ll really be expelled.
It seems difficult to fight honestly with only the sword while protecting the bell. The difference in skill between a cadet and a professor was clearly large.
In that case, I had no choice but to borrow the power of black magic.
This is one of the biggest reasons why I chose route 8.
If you win by using black magic, you will definitely have a fight.
It’s not like they’re breaking school rules, but there are definitely people who stumble because of their negative image.
But what about Julius? He’s someone who won’t take issue with me even if I use black magic because he’s already experienced it once.
“You have to make sure.”
If you decide to use black magic, you will need a powerful move to defeat Julius.
Of course, there was no proper magic.
At most, it’s all about raising stats with shadows and attacking.
Since the opponent was a priest in the first place, it was also a powerful counter to black magic. All stupid black magic is destroyed.
Now that this has happened, I have to go to the place where there is a ‘deepening’ process that I usually did not even pay attention to.
“My pure strength is not enough.”
You must borrow another power. It’s also very powerful… … !
I am Chapter 5 of Necrotula. I unfolded the second half of ＜Contract Summons＞.
Whoo-wook
Is it because of my mood?
As if a shadow was approaching, the magic light staggered. It was like looking into an abyss just by unfolding it.
Slowly and carefully, he began examining the dark ‘existences’ that could be contracted and summoned through black magic one by one.
◆ Low-ranking monsters
■ Siren
―A vicious monster that seduces humans, drowns them, and then eats human flesh.
―Hazard Level: ★★☆☆☆
―Materials: Pirarucu scales, 100-year-old carp scales, pig liver and hide, contractor’s blood, and magic power.
―Contract method: 2 o’clock in the morning. Scatter the offering on the waterside where the siren is. While the sirens devour the pig’s liver, they recite incantations.
―Spell: Stahlsburks.
… … .
◆ Medium level monsters
■ queen spider
―It lives in a colony in deep mountains and caves. It eats humans and monsters caught in spider webs.
―Hazard Level: ★★★☆☆
―Materials: Mirrors to be installed in 8 directions, an orc’s heart, and a dagger stained with the contractor’s blood.
―Contract method: 3 p.m. when the queen spider is asleep. After installing the mirrors with the blood of the contractor in 8 directions, cover them with cloth. Then, place the heart of the orc in the center. When the spider queen enters the trap, aiming for the orc’s heart, the cloth is removed. Then, the spirit of the queen spider is trapped in the mirror, and she breaks the mirror with her magic.
―Shamanism: Gukkasten
“Hmm.”
There are records of ways to command powerful monsters, but there are none that I really need.
It’s because you can’t bring monsters to the test site in the first place.
“There is no contract.”
I turned the page to ＜Summon＞.
Then… …
◆ Higher Spirit
■ Paramela
―Higher level Dark Spirit. It is said to be a spirit with a unique temperament that rather eats up divine power, unlike normal dark spirits who avoid divinity. Its personality itself is docile, possessing the gentleness of a water spirit rather than a dark spirit. During battle, it is dangerous like a higher level dark spirit. Since it is a rare spirit that lives at the edge of the abyss, its existence has never been properly verified. There is only a hypothesis that it responds only to the horns of demons.
―Hazard Rating: ★☆☆☆☆ ―＞ ★★★★★
―Summoning Spell: Darkness 8.
―Materials: Contractor’s blood, 3 demon horns.
―Summoning Method: Stand on top of the spell and call the name of the spirit 3 times.
You will find something quite interesting.
“The devil’s horn?”