136. Final exam selection (5)
For Belle Irushi, childhood is a fragment of unhappy memories.
There were no memories of my parents left, and the only things left were things I didn’t want to think of, such as struggling to survive day by day.
Belle learned to please the grown-ups when she was just beginning to take on her own identity, was quick to catch the moods and thoughts of others, and learned to be cunning so as not to reveal her lies.
In addition, I was able to distinguish what I could eat from what I couldn’t eat, and I learned how to increase the amount as much as possible with insufficient ingredients and how to cook without stomach upset through trial and error.
Ironically, the extremely difficult times were the driving force that allowed Bell to survive until now.
Because they survived like that, the day they saw the light came.
Life is really a long tunnel that is unpredictable.
Who would have known that she, who lived on rotten food on the street, would now become a saintess candidate? Whether she wanted it or not, it is true that ‘survival’ has become easier than in those days.
Of course, if you ask me if I’m happy right now, that’s a separate issue to think about.
‘I’m really… … It’s a tool.’
Who would have known that, as a candidate for a saintess, she would make acorn porridge that she had promised never to eat again.
“please wait for a moment. We are almost done.”
Now that only the last test gate was left, Bell’s heart was very heavy.
Because there was not a single time she was helpful while passing through the seven gates.
It was not an exaggeration. Not even 1 really helped. At least, she was determined to act as a meat shield, but the remaining tests did not help her.
The faith that I didn’t have before has hit the bottom, I have to live in the academy, I have to take the exam, but my pride is hurt because it’s worse than baggage, and I don’t have the confidence to handle the aftermath of the aftermath of quitting the saintess candidate, I want to cry, and I hate the world.
‘I want to cry… … .’
At the moment of dilemma, Bell’s decision was to help with miscellaneous tasks. I didn’t think about the face of being a saintess candidate.
At least she was pretty confident about cooking, so she rolled up the sleeves of her saintly dress and went out.
“Are you really okay?”
The great saintess candidate lifted the front of her saint’s dress like a pocket and gathered acorns. If even one of the priest-class cadets saw this, they would bite Aren with crab foam.
Since Aren knew that fact, he asked Bell three times. I will prepare the meal myself. Candidate Saint, tell me to rest.
It wasn’t Bell who said he would know that.
“it’s okay. I have to do something too.”
Whenever that happened, Bell sternly refused and tried to somehow relieve the debt in her heart.
Huihui, sitting in front of a simple bonfire, Bell stirred acorn porridge.
The savory scent of acorns rises. It was a smell that reminded her of her unhappiness.
But now the misfortune did not come to mind. Season and taste with the determination to serve only one person.
‘Eh, it tastes good!?’
Bell is confident that her skills haven’t rusted yet. He puts the acorn porridge into the soup bowl, holding back the slight upward movement of the corners of his mouth.
But on the other hand, I’m also worried. The man in front of him is ‘Black Fire’, who is also famous as a pure-blooded aristocrat. He must have never tasted porridge made from acorns he picked up on the street in his entire life.
As soon as you eat, you might scream why are you eating this trash?
‘Oh, that’s scary… … .’
However, this is all Belle, a street beggar, can cook. I’ve never eaten meat, let alone remembered having cut it beautifully.
With trembling hands, Bell hands over acorn porridge to Aren, who watched as the food was being cooked.
“It’s done. Try it.”
“… … thank you.”
Aren received the acorn porridge with an unchanging, more anxious face.
and a bite.
Bell gulped and watched Aren’s reaction. Aren’s expression did not change. He is a very unchanging person. That aspect annoyed Bell even more.
However, contrary to her nervousness, Bell was relieved by Aren’s sentiment.
“Five. It’s delicious.”
“I-really!?”
“yes. Simple and clean crab, a friendly taste that cannot be tasted near the academy. Candidate saint, please come and eat. The last hurdle is going to be pretty tough.”
Tears stinged my eyes.
Contrary to her cold image, Aren did not choose what to eat.
Bell was moved by Aren’s thoughtfulness, as if he would say that it was delicious without changing his expression, even if it didn’t suit his taste.
Something buzzes in my chest.
Feeling better again, Bell started eating acorn porridge.
* * *
Eating Belpyo acorn porridge made me feel warm and reassured. As my body warmed up, my vitality naturally surged.
As I climbed the steep mountain with a energized body, I quickly approached the top of the mountain.
The landscape had changed before I knew it. The thick trees are gone, and now all you see are grayish-white rocks and stones.
As the thick grass and trees disappear, the wind also becomes stronger.
“Senior, there is a person over there.”
“yes. It’s all here.”
And there was a man waiting for us facing the wind head on.
‘Julius.’
He kept his mouth shut as if he would not let anyone go. His eyes were closed, but he must be praying to the god of light.
It looks like you’re going to beat a candidate saint, so please take a look at it. What, wouldn’t it be something like this?
I approached him with nonsensical guesses. Bell, who was a candidate for the saintess, hid behind me and followed me.
“Are you here, candidate saint?”
As we approached, Julius got down on one knee and gave Bell an example as a follower.
“Ahhh. yes… … Wake up.”
Although she is a candidate for sainthood, the academy here treats her as a student more strongly, so if she behaves excessively like Julius, Bell will be embarrassed.
Julius got up. He made eye contact with me too, but he didn’t say anything, just lowered his head slightly.
“I won’t say anything useless. The rule is all-out combat without seriously hurting or killing. The set time is 5 minutes. In the meantime, do your best to knock me down.”
Julius took the hourglass out of his arms and placed it on a rock in plain sight.
“I apologize to the saintess candidate, but a test is a test, so I hope you will understand even if it is a little rough.”
“… … Absolutely. Never mind.”
Bell responded with an awkward smile.
“Then, tell me when you are ready.”
Saying that, Julius took a few steps back.
“Hey, senior Aren. Ha, I have something to say… … .”
So far, I’ve been able to do it all by myself.
Bell must have been relieved that he had come this far without revealing his skills. However, the final gateway does not work with a clumsy fluke.
The opponent is a priest-type professor and a veteran combat priest.
The moment they entered the battle, it was only a matter of time before Bell’s incompetence was revealed.
Bel, perhaps knowing that she can no longer hide it, musters up the courage to confess her incompetence to me.
‘Not yet.’
You must not yet confess your incompetence to others and fall into despair. Then she would give up her candidacy for the saintess.
Then Act 4 is over. All of my plans go awry, and I end up becoming a sacrifice to Diamon.
“Candidate Saint.”
“Um, yes?”
I opened my eyes and said.
“I hope you will listen to me from now on.”
“Ah, I, I have something to say… … .”
“no. Please listen to me first.”
Belle’s light purple hair blows in the wind. Her eyes are shaking.
“Don’t doubt it, and give me your blessing.”
What is Bell thinking when she sees me trusting her endlessly?
I would not dare to say that I am not religious here.
“Ah, I see… … .”
Belle cried again and began to pray by eating mustard.
* * *
The clouds floating leisurely in the blue sky are a symbol of peace.
But the moment the golden divine sword rips through the clouds, the peace is gone.
“Candidate Saint! Blessings on agility!”
“yes?! Yes, four!”
Bell closed her eyes at my request and began to pray. Whether or not it is possible, put your hands together and see.
I didn’t speed up on purpose, but just as Bell started praying, my stats rose sharply as a shadow.
――!
Energy bursting from the calf.
I narrowly avoided the cross falling from the sky and ran sideways.
“Where!”
It wasn’t Julius who was just watching.
He immediately moved his lips and recited an unknown prayer.
Jing-!
‘This!?’
A golden halo clung to my body and began to make my body heavy.
bondage prayer. It was also difficult to shake off. It is a prayer with strong binding power enough to bind large monsters.
“Candidate Saint! Blessings of strength!”
Of course, it doesn’t come easily.
“yes!? Ah yes!”
Even while keeping Bell a secret, she carefully countered Julius’ attacks. This time, he raised his strength stat, shook off the restraining prayer, and attacked Julius again.
Julius’s attack pattern was already in his head.
Phase 1 is baptized with attack prayers from combat priests like now.
Phase 2 is Julius’ fighting technique.
Phase 3 is wide area cross saturation.
If you endure all this, 5 minutes will pass. There was no need to defeat Julius like an obsessive person because he would get a perfect score just by holding on.
It was his pattern that made it impossible for anyone to endure anyway.
Julius took his stance.
He is a strong person among the priests, who is trained by self-injury and whose mental and physical training is the basis. never a good opponent.
Bang!
Bang bang!
I hit his divinely clad fist with a purifier. It was fortunate that the level of simple swinging was only ticklish.
“Cadet Aren! Can you survive this too!”
Julius, who had been pouring out martial arts, fell backwards while doing somersaults. Then he stretched his legs back and assumed a pose like a frog.
“Candidate Saint! A prayer of protection!”
“Yep!”
A couple of times, it was Bell who witnessed my ability change with her own prayers. I don’t know why, but once the blessing seems to be working, it seems that he has stopped hesitating any longer.
Again, in line with her prayer, I wrapped the shadow all over my body.
――!
Julius shooting like a bullet.
However, Julius’ target was not me. He took advantage of the gap in his mind that he would attack me, of course, and flew to Bell.
“… … Hee!”
Seeing this, Bell clutches her head and sits down. Julius really had no intention of stopping.
Highly focused. Blood rushes, everything starts to look in slow motion.
It was too late to run and block it.
Without thinking further, I raised the holy sword above my head.
‘Sword skill.’
A dark red aura quickly wraps around the purifier. Then, strike with all your mind and strength.
――!
The floor was deeply dug and a line was drawn.
Julius stopped just before crossing that line.
“Hoo… … You are an excellent swordsman, Cadet Aren.”
If he hadn’t stopped at that moment, Julius’ legs would have been blown off.
“Ha ha ha.”
Bell opened one eye and looked at Julius. Shedding really relentless eyes. In Bell’s eyes now, Julius would be Thanatos.
I leaped in an instant and stopped in front of the bell. Julius also came out again and distanced himself.
“Time is up… … .”
He muttered to himself, then closed his eyes and grasped the crucifix hanging around his neck.
“Stop, senior!”
Bell pointed a finger in the air. Before I even raised my head, I confirmed that the floor was dyed golden.
look at the sky Huge golden crosses filled the sky. It is a rare scene as if an angel descended.
“Oh, what should I do? What should I pray for… … !”
Bell’s eyes and shoulders shake.
“Candidate Saint. A prayer for recovery.”
I held her trembling shoulder for a moment. The shaking stopped, and Bell closed her eyes tightly and began to pray.
the cross falls
Even if they safely endured until Phase 2, no cadets could withstand the crossfire that only cardinals could use.
… … Of course, neither do I.
But for this moment, a secret contract was signed last night.
More than 3/4 of the mana drained from the core.
High-ranking spirits consume more mana than expected. Value for money wasn’t very good.
‘still… … .’
I summoned the spirit of darkness, believing that the performance alone would be great.
“Accept.”
Dark clouds began to form in the brilliant golden sky. The wind got stronger.
The divine scenery, where an angel might have descended, suddenly turned into a dreary atmosphere. Divinity is being eaten by something.
“… … how!”
Julius, sensing a sudden change, looked up into the air.
Darkness fell over his pupils.
* * *
“Cadet Aren. What are you… … .”
Julius let out a deep sigh as if he was really fed up.
“Nevertheless it is. Summoning the spirit of darkness.”
“Should I be as good as a professor who recites prayers for weed to cadets?”
I responded to him without backing down a bit. There were a few jokes in each other’s conversation.
Bell, not knowing between me and Julius, was restless between them. It looks like they are fighting.
“Huh. I was expecting how much it would grow, but it has grown beyond my imagination.”
“thank you. Is that a compliment?”
“… … I hate to admit it, but it is.”
Julius said as he brushed off his messy combat priest uniform.
“Is there a problem?”
Bell, still serious, asked, sweating profusely. He seemed worried that something might be wrong.
“There is not. Cadet Aren and Candidate Saint passed through the final barrier of Route 8 with confidence.”
“Is that so?”
Belle puts her hand on her chest and sighs. He’s a quick-witted guy, but he seems to be so nervous right now that his head isn’t working properly.
There can be no problem. It wasn’t another professor, it was Julius, so he summoned the dark spirit.
Julius entered a perfect score in his point notebook.
“But, Cadet Aren. Remember this.”
“yes. You mean it can be misleading if seen by others?”
“I know you well. As you know, the world is still… … .”
Then Bell intercepted him.
“no! I saw it. I didn’t feel anything like Margie! It was just a little bit scary.”
“… … but. you’re right. I’m relieved that the candidate saint said that. If the candidate saint testifies, no one will be able to throw up.”
Heh heh, Julius smiled dejectedly. Belle also puts her hand on her waist while saying ‘Ahem’. I also scratched my head awkwardly.
“thank you.”
“Thank you for protecting the candidate saint. Cadet Aren.”
“… … no.”
Saying that, Julius returned the point notebook.
“Oh, and.”
Julius pulled out a piece of parchment from within his bosom.
“Isn’t this necessary? I would rather ask you to accept this.”
“ah.”
On the parchment, the phrase ‘Recommendation for selection’ was written.
* * *
“Ka, Lady Cain! We are here!”
cried Lorlie when she finally set foot on the top of the mountain.
Cain also climbed to the top, wiping the sweat from his brow.
The time is 36 hours and 19 minutes.
This speed was so fast that it could be counted among the cadets.
Above all, when she arrived at the top of the mountain after starting route 3 for the 7th time, there was no one in sight.
‘Am I number one?’
It was a very difficult test. It wouldn’t surprise me if Cain was the only one to reach the summit.
Cain and Lorli walked a little further and approached Headmaster Bemillion, who was waiting for the cadets in the center.
“Huam. You are here. You worked hard.”
Vemilion said as she got up from a luxurious bed, not knowing why she was at the top of the mountain.
Cain and Lorlie looked at each other with puzzled faces.
Vemillion sat on the edge of the bed. He muttered as he looked into the magic orb.
“Let’s see… … . The time is 36 hours and 19 minutes? That’s fast.”
“Are we the first to arrive?”
Cain asked, expecting to win first place.
“Well? no. Of course, student Cain came early, but he wasn’t first. haha.”
He pointed backwards with his finger.
“Go over there.”
why?
There were quite a few nice tables, along with a bed that I never thought would be at the top of the mountain.
“Whoops. You worked hard, so enjoy your dinner.”
“ah?”
“yes… … .”
Cain and Lorley went to the white table, feeling disappointed. At first glance, it looked like an outdoor festival.
“uh?”
“Hello Cain!?”
And there… … .
Aren, Siana, a candidate for sainthood, and an unknown person were sitting together and eating pasta.
Looking back, it was not an outdoor festival ground, there was no separate battlefield.