༺ Joint Practical Evaluation (3) ༻
The second gate was also cleared smoothly.
It was a test where you first examine the mana circuit engraved on a huge magic pillar. You needed to find a place on the circuit where mana flowed the most smoothly. To pass the test, you would pour magic into the specific area you found and the pillar would start to shine in a blinding light.
As stated before, I was one of the OGs to play ❰Magic Knight of Märchen❱. I didn’t even need to scrutinize the mana circuit since all I needed to do was look at the pattern on the pillars to easily pass the test.
The third gate was a battle with demonic creatures. Eliminating any 10 demonic creatures was enough to pass the gate.
I was still inside the forest.
Now was the time to recruit some allies. No matter what, they had to be good at combat.
To get to the frog demon, I needed to pass the fourth gate. And to pass the fourth gate, I needed to win in combat against a gatekeeper that would positioned there.
Most students would be eliminated at the fourth gate. Even I couldn’t defeat the gatekeeper alone.
‘If things went as planned, I should get there pretty easily.’
If Plan A worked, there was no need for any allies.
However, because of an unexpected variable, I needed to turn to Plan B which required actual teammates.
Oh, by the way, in ❰Magic Knight of Märchen❱, the main characters were different for every playthrough, so I had no idea who I would end up meeting on my way to the fourth gate.
「Rock Avalanche (Rock Element, ★4)」
Roar───!! Kwang! Kwang!!
[Gueghh!!]
“Stop whining so much.”
Right on time, a noisy rock spell paired with a husky voice could be heard. I had a feeling that she would choose the same path as me.
With orange hair tied into a ponytail, a female student with gold eyes appeared. It was Lisetta Lionheart. Before the Joint Practical Evaluation started, she was on the same starting line as me.
For once, she had all her uniform shirt buttons fastened, but her jacket was tied around her waist. Now that I think about it, I have never seen her wear her uniform normally.
Lisetta looked down at the Fang Hippo that she was pummeling with rock magic, slinging her Rock Bat over her shoulder.
‘Target spotted.’
Looks like I found my first prey.
I was teammates with Lisetta during the hunting evaluation as well. The connection I formed back then looked like it was going to pay off now.
[Gueghh!!]
At that moment, a ferocious purple hippo with long fangs began to charge towards me.
This bastard must have also seen me as prey.
It was the demonic creature, Fang Hippo. Despite it standing on four legs, it was still taller than me.
“…?”
After hearing the Fang Hippo’s roar, Lisetta turned her face towards me.
Her two eyes opened widely, almost bulging out of her face.
“You asshole, why are you here…?”
Before saying hello, I should probably get rid of the Fang Hippo first.
I raised Zhonya’s Staff and pointed its head in the direction of the Fang Hippo.
Next, I poured ice mana into it.
「Ice Spear (Ice Element, ★4)」
Stab──!
[Guegh…]
A spear of ice materialized above my head and cut through the air, completely penetrating the Fang Hippo like a kebab.
One blow was enough to destroy the bastard.
During the hunting evaluation, I had to be cautious around such a monster… However, I could now kill it with ease.
‘Less go.’
The Fang Hippo pierced by [Ice Spear] convulsed a bit before transforming into a rough outline of a puppet.
Beep–.
The bracelet had the number ‘1’ written on it. In the third gate, the number would increase by 1 for every demonic creature I eliminated, and once that number reached 10 I would clear the gate.
Only then did I turn to look at Lisetta. She twitched as her shoulders trembled.
[Lisetta Lionheart] Psychology: [Nervous because of her fear of you.]
A relationship based on fear was not suitable for being teammates. Even if it was a one-time thing.
If so, I should probably try my best to reassure her right?
“Long time no see. Have you been well?”
I pretended to wear a gentlemanly smile.
I approached Lisetta and greeted her in a friendly manner.
“W-why are you acting all friendly?! It’s giving me goosebumps…!”
Lisetta broke out in a cold sweat as she nervously backed away. During the hunting evaluation, she treated me like her lackey, a far cry from what was shown now.
I tried my best to appear gentle so I was kind of sad that she reacted like this.
Whatever. Let’s go back to the topic at hand.
“You. Join my crew.”
“Stop spouting bullshit.”
It was supposed to be a universal rule to become allies if I hit her with that pickup line though… Lisetta had no hesitation in shutting it down instantly.
Well, I should have expected it.
“Lisetta.”
I stuck close to Lisetta and slung an arm over her shoulder. It was a move to express my friendliness.
Lisetta’s face slightly trembled for a moment. She tried to act tough, but she couldn’t even control the slight tremors in her body. Her golden eyes were filled with subtle fear.
Judging by her inability to fling my arm away, it looked like she had no courage to resist me in the first place.
I didn’t know she was this scared of me… I should hurry and relieve her anxiety.
“This is just my thoughts, but I think the fourth gate will be pretty hard to clear. Let’s help each other. If I’m one of the members of your party, isn’t it also beneficial for you? We even exchanged secrets together, remember?”
“Um, uh, how do you know that the fourth gate was difficult? Did you find out with that Archwizard-level mana perception bullshit of yours? This asshole…”
“Are you going to join me or not?”
I cut off her bullshit straight away.
“…Why do you need to go this far? Didn’t you want to take it easy for the exams?”
“There’s something important I need to do.”
I decided to stop talking secretively. I whispered in a serious voice.
Lisetta’s eyes squinted. Her gold eyes met mine.
“Is a dangerous bastard popping out this time as well?”
“Not as dangerous as last time.”
“Ha, fuck… Not again.”
Lisetta grabbed her head as she let out a deep sigh.
Shortly thereafter, she continued in a sharp voice.
“…I don’t like you.”
“Oh really? I like you because you’re like a friend to me though.”
“What?”
“Thanks for helping me out during the social gathering.”
I was being sincere. She was annoying when I fought Elphelt the Evanescent at Elt Island, but I was touched when she supported me during the social gathering.
I mean, wasn’t it normal to become friends by stacking up both positive and negative affection? That Rose bitch was an exception, of course.
“It wasn’t for you so don’t misunderstand since it makes me feel like shit if you do.”
Lisetta grumbled with annoyance as she lifted the bracelet on her left wrist.
“…Fine, only until the fourth gate.”
[Lisetta Lionheart] Psychology: [Doesn’t want anything dangerous to happen to the students.]
I saw it often in ❰Magic Knight of Märchen❱.
Although she seemed belligerent and rude, she secretly cared about and tried to protect others. She was the sterotypical bully tsundere. That was who Lisetta was.
“I’m counting on you.”
I smirked as I placed my bracelet over hers.
Ding─♪
A tiny blue light started to glow on our bracelets. It signified that we were now in the same party.
‘Yes!’
I obtained a dependable force!
“Hah! Let us go, Lisetta!”
“Ahk! Don’t pat my head, it’s gross!”
I happily stroked the hair on her head, however, Lisetta quickly put distance between us, acting as if she was startled by some pest.
What kind of treatment is this?
Whatever, I don’t care anyway. It was enough for me to recruit a reliable ally.
Crash───!
Crack──!
Lisetta and I easily destroyed the demonic creatures and, after filling the quota, we passed the third gate.
Once again, mana pellets flowed out of the bracelet to form many different directional markers, each of which led to the next gate. Additionally, some of these were further marked with deep red mana pellets in a ‘triangle’ shape. This meant that another student had already reached this location.
I started to walk towards one of these triangle markers.
“Hello, did you forget what that shape stood for?”
“It’s fine so just follow me.”
I already manipulated the situation so that no other student would choose this path.
As I left the forest, bright sunlight poured down on me. I shaded my eyes with my hands. Far beyond, a palm-sized blue sky could be seen.
We were still on top of the canyon. I turned my head to the side and saw a cliff.
There were steep limestone cliffs right in front of us, the stairs to the top were jagged. If we reached the top, we would be able to proceed with the fourth gate.
“I shouldn’t have chosen this path…”
Lisetta’s inner monologue held deep regret.
I mean, how bad could the stairs be? Even if it was a little high, the cliff was in such an open space. I could probably climb up the stairs with my eyes closed.
I turned my back towards Lisetta and kneeled down with one leg.
“Get on.”
“Are you fucking crazy? You’re better off telling me to hop up the cliff like a rabbit.”
“Hooo, I knew you would be like this.”
“…Eh? W-what are you trying to do? W-wait! Ahhh!”
It was enough to express my considerate nature just once. We were on a time limit after all.
I approached Lisetta, and forcefully lifted her into a princess-carry.
Although Lisetta, in her own way, had a pretty good physique from exercising, there was no comparison to me whose pure strength was so overwhelming that I could manhandle her with ease.
[Lisetta Lionheart] Psychology: [Currently very flustered because of you.]
“You! Wh-wh-what is the meaning of this…?!”
“Don’t move.”
I responded in a firm voice and sent rock mana beneath my feet.
「Rock Generation (Rock Element, ★1)」
Dudeuuk────!!
“AHHHHH!”
In an instant, a rock pillar erupted beneath my feet, our bodies rose upward as the pillar grew in size.
Just like before, whenever a stone pillar reached its limits, I made a new one from the cliff.
After switching to the new pillar, I continued to shoot up, repeating these actions continuously.
It was a method that required execptional mana mastery, a sense of balance, and athletic ability. It was full of risk and danger, but it wasn’t that big of a deal for me.
“Ar-ar, are you crazy?!”
“This is so much faster, right?”
“Ugh, this bastardr…!”
With that, Lisetta didn’t say anything else and only sighed deeply.
Dudeuuk────!!
After a while, the pillar that we rode finally reached the top of the cliff, allowing me to lightly jump off and land safely.
Right in the middle of the flat ground surrounded by maple trees, there was a small entrance to an underground cave.
“Lisetta, are you okay?”
“Sigh…”
Lisetta sagged with deep lamentation. Looks like she lost her soul on the way up.
“Sir Isaac!”
As if she was waiting, a girl in green pigtails was leaning against the maple tree. She started running towards me as she squealed in delight.
It was the freshmen second seat of the Magic Department, Kaya Astrea.
Her eyes were a jade hue. It was her original self.
“Second seat?”
Lisetta was flustered when Kaya popped out of nowhere.
“I was waiting for y-!”
Suddenly, Kaya froze. It was as if time had stopped for her alone.
Immediately, a complicated emotion flooded into her trembling pupils.
[Kaya Astrea] Psychology: [Currently filled with envy and jealousy towards Lisetta Lionheart who is being princess-carried in your arms.]
For now…
This isn’t a very good situation.
