—————————————————————–
Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: Chaos
—————————————————————–
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
Out of the over one thousand applicants who took the preliminary exam, just under thirty were able to board the train bound for the Empire, where the main exam would be held.
“Isn’t the number of participants reduced a bit too much, even before the main exam starts?”
Regret asked, and Fiore replied,
“No, it’s actually a lot. There are more than ten preliminary testing sites within the Sphero Kingdom alone, and that’s a small number compared to other kingdoms. The Empire has over thirty, so there are still countless participants remaining overall.”
Moreover, Fiore added with a mischievous smile,
“Frankly, the Sphero Kingdom is the weakest among the Empire and its vassal states. If over thirty passed here, imagine how many more there are in other places.”
“And we’re from that weakest kingdom.”
I chuckled, but didn’t bother denying it.
Fiore was right.
The Morian Kingdom, which rivaled the Empire until the very end with its powerful magic legions and secret arts honed over a long history.
The Nahat Duchy, the only vassal state ruled not by imperial royalty but by a general trusted by the former Emperor and his lineage, boasting a strong military presence due to its geographical location bordering the Ivesthan Empire.
Compared to these two nations, the Sphero Kingdom lacked Morian’s history and had less need to strengthen its military, making it relatively weak.
As for the Empire, it was in a different league altogether, requiring the combined strength of the three vassal states to even stand a chance.
It wasn’t even a comparison.
“I’m sure you know this, but don’t go around saying such things outside. There are already plenty of people in the Sphero Kingdom who hate us. If they hear that, they’ll come at us with fire in their eyes.”
“Of course. I wouldn’t be so careless. Don’t worry, Oppa.”
Regret, who had been observing us, asked,
“…Come to think of it, why are you calling him ‘Oppa’?”
“Huh?”
“Eh?”
“Well, if you’re eligible for this exam, you must be fifteen, Fiore. Doesn’t that make you the same age?”
Oh… right.
Theo Midas kept calling her his younger sister, and Fiore naturally called me “Oppa” from the start, so I just accepted it without thinking.
While I was momentarily flustered, Fiore answered calmly, as if I had asked something obvious.
“Regret-unnie, it’s simple. Men tend to keep their distance from relatives of the same age, but when it comes to the ‘younger sister’ category, they feel obligated to look after them and do things for them, even if they don’t owe them anything. It’s better to be friendly than awkward since we’ll be together from now on.”
“Hmm, is that so?”
“No, I don’t know! And stop asking! No matter how I answer, it’ll sound weird!”
What kind of upbringing would lead to such a terrifyingly nonchalant statement?
I wanted to meet her parents, then remembered that one of them was Bern Midas and immediately understood.
“Even considering birthdays, Oppa was born in January, and I was born in December, so it’s not that strange. But if you’re uncomfortable, should I change how I address you? Like, ‘Chrom-ssi’?”
“…It’s too much trouble to change it now, so let’s just keep it as it is.”
What could I say when she wanted to call me “Oppa”?
It definitely wasn’t because I was reluctant to part with the term “Oppa,” which I had never heard in either this life or my previous one. Absolutely not.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
There was still some time before the train arrived at its destination, so I decided to check the items I had brought with me.
I had five “Sealed Relics,” or Cubes, whose ownership Bern Midas had acknowledged as part of our agreement.
Instead of rashly using the limited opportunities or blindly choosing black Cubes, I had spent two years selecting the ones that felt right, resulting in the following relics:
“Thoth’s Large-Capacity Backpack,” connected to a subspace large enough for five adult men to lie down in, capable of storing various items regardless of weight.
“Amulet of Vitality,” which reduced the owner’s fatigue and stamina consumption.
“Pheldos’ Summoning Gloves,” which could summon three throwing spears per day from thin air.
“Ancient Guardian’s Longsword,” which possessed no special effects but boasted sharpness and durability surpassing even most magic tools.
And “Dantalion’s Monocle,” which allowed me to identify the names and approximate information of these relics.
Especially for “Dantalion’s Monocle,” which, like the “Ancient Guardian’s Longsword,” came from a black Cube, I had to go through hell to keep it from the greedy Lord.
A monocle that allowed one to appraise the value of an item just by looking at it? It was understandable for a merchant to go crazy over it, but I couldn’t give this one up.
With no system window available, how could I hand over such a useful item?
Given my abilities, I would be opening countless Cubes in the future, and there was no way to know the powers of the unsealed relics just by looking at them.
I might think a sword is just sharp, only to find out it amplifies magic, or conversely, that it carries a curse that weakens physical abilities.
Against the Lord’s endless coaxing, persuasion, bribery, and threats, I played deaf, responding with “I don’t know. I can’t hear you. I’m not giving it to you.” After two grueling months of struggle, I finally managed to get him off my back by pulling a similar item from another Cube.
Someone really needed to stop that greedy profiteer.
“Fiore, take this.”
I took the “Amulet of Vitality” from my backpack and handed it to Fiore.
“An amulet…? I can feel a strong magical power emanating from it.”
“It’s an item that prevents you from getting tired easily. I can manage without it, so you use it.”
Fiore hesitated for a moment, but accepted the amulet without refusing.
“This isn’t just a simple gift, is it, Oppa?”
“You know me well. There will probably be many trials ahead that are physically demanding. I’ll help you to some extent, but you’ll have to endure on your own when the time comes, so grit your teeth and bear it.”
Considering I had already given the “Ancient Guardian’s Longsword” and “Pheldos’ Summoning Gloves” to Regret, I only had two relics left, but I didn’t feel any regret.
Items were meant to be used, not hoarded.
Since Fiore had proven herself to be a worthy ally, not just someone I was bringing along because of a deal with Theo, it was necessary to invest in her.
Besides, considering life at the Academy, it was wise to secure a priest early on.
Healers being valuable wasn’t limited to games.
‘Regret is the warrior, Fiore is the healer, and I’m something like a merchant-thief hybrid. So, we still need a tank or a mage. I wonder how many other Template holders are taking this exam.’
As I was lost in thought, Regret spoke,
“…Why have we only been seeing grass outside the window?”
“Oh? You’re right. They usually don’t lay tracks in the middle of a forest.”
At her words, I also looked out the window.
No matter how long we traveled, all we could see was green grass, grass, and more grass.
It was definitely strange to see nothing but grass for over ten minutes while riding a high-speed train, not some bumpy dirt road in a car.
‘Wait a minute…’
A memory flashed through my mind. A post by a player shortly after “Planetarium’s” release.
「What the hell, Academy entrance exam. Is this just me? I got dumped in a forest in the first round of the main exam?」
「? What are you talking about? The first round of the main exam is a deathmatch in designated areas until a certain number of people remain.」
「What a crazy school, making students kill each other.」
「At least there’s life insurance. There’s nothing like that outside the Academy.」
「I also had the deathmatch exam. Are you sure it’s the first round of the main exam?」
「I’m telling you, it is! Second year, first round of the main exam. Damn it, why is this only happening to me?」
Back then, there wasn’t much information available, so the reason remained unclear. However, new information discovered by other players was later revealed.
「The first round of the Academy entrance exam is usually a deathmatch between students. However, the exam content may change if certain triggers are met.」
「The exam content varies depending on the trigger. The ‘Forest Breakthrough’ exam occurs when the player scores 10 points or higher in any of the three categories of the preliminary exam.」
「However, in ‘Hero Assembly’ mode, the condition is also met if another Template holder scores 10 points, even if the player doesn’t.」
The metallic screeching grew louder as the train began to slow down.
At the same time, an announcement echoed through the speakers.
[Attention, examinees.]
[If you check the luggage compartment above your seats, you will find a special compass and a backpack containing four days’ worth of food.]
[Please reach the destination indicated by the red needle of the compass within the time limit. The time limit is one week.]
[This train will return to its original location in ten minutes. Any examinees who do not disembark by then will be automatically disqualified.]
[Now, we will commence the first round of the main exam.]
Immediately after the announcement, the train erupted in chaos.
People rushed to get off the train, frantically checked the luggage compartments, or anxiously looked out the windows.
Observing the scene, I realized.
Another Template holder, besides Regret and myself, was participating in the exam.
A monster who had reached 10 points in the preliminary exam on their own, even at this early stage.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
