While Frondier and Aten were searching for monsters.
A man moved stealthily through the forest.
He had set out from the beginning for 'material hunting'.
Students eager for points would be too distracted by monsters.
'...Good.'
The man stopped moving.
Frondier was now within range.
Frondier's gaze, wandering absentmindedly around, was as languid as it gets.
'!'
This was a stroke of luck.
Of course, Aten, standing next to Frondier, was dangerous.
He preferred to avoid confrontation if possible.
However, he hadn't been noticed by them yet.
If approached carefully, he could pick Frondier's pocket without Aten noticing.
After the theft, getting caught didn't matter. He could just run away.
The practical test was, after all, an examination.
Violence between students was prohibited.
They were probably watching this scene through a drone right now.
Stealthily, he moved closer to Frondier.
Stealth was his strong suit. That's why he attempted such material hunting.
Thud
'Huh?'
At that moment, he felt like he touched something near his ankle.
It wasn't due to carelessness.
He had been watching where he was stepping all along.
'There was definitely nothing there before?'
There was nothing, but he definitely felt like he touched something.
Instinctively, the man scrutinized Frondier.
'...Nothing?'
There was no particular reaction from Frondier.
He still had that sleepy expression.
'Phew, did I get too tense?'
Just as he thought that, Frondier suddenly raised his arms.
As the man stiffened at the rapidly extended arms.
"Yaaawn~"
Frondier yawned widely.
It was just a stretch.
‘Geez, that startled me. Why stretch so loudly,’
But that was it.
The man’s thoughts were still intact.
“Pfft!”
The man was hit on the head by a falling branch.
Caught off guard by the unexpected ambush, the man lost consciousness in an instant.
Rolling, rolling.
The branch rolled away beside him.
Until the very last moment, as his consciousness faded completely,
He failed to grasp the connection between Frondier’s stretching arms and the falling branch.
And so, the man was eliminated.
///
‘It’s like some kind of comedy.’
Unfortunately, the man’s disgraceful figure was captured on the broadcast screen.
Ellen watched it, dumbfounded.
She had originally come to check on her younger brother Aster, but Frondier’s figure appeared on the broadcast as frequently as Aster’s.
It must be because of Aten.
‘Frondier had used an invisible weapon.’
When the man who tried to ambush Frondier approached, there was a slight reaction from Frondier.
Perhaps the man touched something invisible, and Frondier felt it.
Then, as he stretched, a branch was cut off and fell from above, hitting the man directly.
It must have been something thrown at the branch while pretending to stretch.
Probably a dagger.
Though it was also invisible.
‘Has his throwing skill improved?’
Ellen was making a reasonable guess.
This was a possible speculation for her, having seen Frondier fight before; others would simply think the branch fell on its own and hit the man on the head.
‘With Aten around, Frondier might surprisingly not need to worry,’
The moment Ellen thought this,
She felt a chill down her spine.
In the blink of an eye, her hand was on her sheath and gripping the sword handle tightly.
However.
"The response is good."
Someone pressed the handle of the sword with a finger.
"......!"
'I can't draw it.'
The force of that single finger suppressed the drawing of the sword.
"The sense of killing intent is good, and the posture for transitioning to drawing is decent too. Hmm, so this is the skill level of Constel's best swordsman."
There was no malice in the calm voice.
The killing intent was also momentary and disappeared soon after.
It was then that Ellen finally saw the face of her opponent.
'...Who is this person?'
A plain face with brown hair.
It seemed like a common appearance that one could find anywhere.
But Ellen knew.
Who this man was.
And that there would be no one who didn't know this man, besides herself.
"...Mr. Eden Hamelot."
"Oh, you know me? Miss Ellen Aster."
Of course, I do.
What modesty is this?
The number one in the pro ranking, Eden Hamelot.
The strongest man of humanity at this point.
"...I was surprised."
"Sorry. Was the joke too much? But most people don't even react when I project killing intent."
So, he's been projecting killing intent to everyone he meets.
Such a prankster for the strongest man.
"Do you know me?"
"Of course. I've been watching your brother Aster for a long time."
"...Then, Aster is your main objective, I presume."
"Hahaha, certainly, his potential is amazing. I won't deny it. But I'm also very interested in you."
"Is that so."
Ellen replied with a heart not quite delighted.
Eden seemed not to care much either, turning his gaze to the screen.
"Let's see, that Aster boy... seems to be doing fine."
Inside the screen, Aster was teaming up with his friend Lunia to deal with a magical beast.
It was almost certain he would rank first.
"Aren't you proud as a sister? Your brother is almost guaranteed the first place."
"Well. Aster's movements are still clumsy. He tends to push through with his divine power too often."
"Haha, you're strict. Then who is the person you're watching closely?"
Eden asked as if he knew the person well.
It was their first meeting today.
Ellen sighed.
"Frondier de Roach."
She said it with a resigned feeling.
Well, without knowing the true nature of Frondier, it might sound like a joke.
"Hmm, Frondier de Roach. Who is that?"
"…I'll let you know when he appears on the screen."
Ellen then focused on the screen.
Maybe Eden would quiet down if she pointed out who it was.
But then.
'Huh?'
The giant screen in front of them kept changing the display.
Sometimes zooming in on someone, or showing an overview from above.
Aten and the team, including Frondier, were often shown.
But then.
"Hmm, Miss Ellen. Has Frondier not appeared yet?"
"…"
But Frondier was not captured.
No matter how much time passed.
Even though it was about time for most of the first-years to be shown on the screen.
"…What?"
The screen, which was just calmly broadcasting, now seemed too alien.
* * *
"Huh? Mom?"
Suddenly, Philly stood up.
Without saying anything to Elysia and Sale.
But soon, Philly said with a smile.
"Mom is going to bathroom~"
"I thought it was something else. Go up and into the corridor, you'll see it."
"Got it."
And Philly left the seat and walked away.
No one saw her face, which was filled with utter despair.
'What's this.'
It's the activation of foresight.
I don't know what's happening.
But this dirty and sticky feeling crawling down my throat is unpleasant.
The unseen foresight always made her anxious, but she had never felt such a strong premonition before.
Philly looked at the screen.
The practical test being broadcasted.
There seemed to be no issue at a glance.
It appeared to be proceeding normally.
But the anxiety and fear surged every time she checked that screen.
Though not visible,
In the field where the practical test is being conducted, something is happening.
