15 - Grade Selection Exam
The moment of the grade selection exam, my thoughts froze—then started moving again. What the hell?
I pointed at myself with a finger to confirm once more. Instead of answering, Aria gave a slight nod and held out the application form toward me.
"Uh... that is..."
As I blinked in confusion, she said, "Have you already saved someone?"
"Not exactly."
"Then let's do it together."
"......"
Aria doesn't force anything on people without reason. So why is she trying to form a party with a third-rate villain like Lev Denek? There's no way she's already tangled up with the main characters. No status window for feedback popped up, so the novel's setting hasn't changed. That means the cause must be something I did.
For now, let's hear the reason.
"Why?"
"...I have some questions about you—no, about the archer."
Still that emotionless expression, but it's a lie. She sucks at lying, so this interest feels off somehow. I quickly activated Demonic Eyes.
Aria Bluebell
▶ Status Average: 2.0
▶ Specialization: Healing Magic (2), Holy (2)
▶ Unique Traits:
Healing (Lv. 2) (Details Unavailable)
Surveillance (Lv. 1) (Active) (Details Unavailable)
Surveillance... activated in her unique traits.
Aria lost her family to demons in the past. Back then, all she could do was hide and watch, inheriting the surveillance ability as a dual trait. The issue is, in the original story, it was latent at level 0 and awakened later. Level 1 from the start must be the author's power inflation bullshit.
And "active" probably means I'm the target?
Why me? Because I'm the villain? Or maybe Aria Bluebell's always had a thing for Lev Denek and was keeping tabs... No way such a dogshit backstory exists. Per the setting document, she just likes walks. Hates people who break promises... Nothing rings a bell. Unless it's some bullshit coincidence like sensing my demonization while on a nighttime stroll...
Wait. Huh?
In the novel, maybe not, but in the game, Aria's walks were a rare event with super low probability. Her affinity was a pain to raise, but that day she happened to be walking?
No, no. Don't think in probabilities. This isn't a game—it's reality. It's not impossible.
As I mulled it over, a familiar voice broke the silence.
"Wha-what?! Ria, what are you doing?!"
Melissa grabbed Aria's shoulders and started shaking her.
"Ria, are you sick? Did this guy get some dirt on you?"
Can't blame her. Proposing a party to her stalker out of nowhere looks bad no matter how you slice it. Melissa's face flushed as she stammered, "I-if it's not that, then... the kind of indecent relationship I think..."
"It's not what you're thinking."
Aria let out a shallow sigh and cleared things up.
"If you dislike it, Melissa, I can go alone..."
"N-no! Then I'll join too. Who knows what this creep might do."
I muttered quietly, "I haven't accepted yet."
"What...?"
Melissa looked exasperated at my words, while Aria seemed ready to accept even that, asking me, "Are you refusing, then?"
"No, but I have one condition."
"Condition...?"
I started to point but hesitated—ah, can't quite picture her face. "Bring Hazel into our party too."
"Hazel... you mean?"
If it's Aria asking, Hazel won't refuse. Sure, I could turn down Aria's invite, but linking up with the protagonists here is a golden opportunity. I can aim for Hazel's side quest rewards too, and with Aria's surveillance magic active, it'll cramp my style going forward. I need to prove I'm not some mastermind villain.
"Fine."
"Ria! You're listening to this guy?!"
Despite Melissa's protests, Aria accepted curtly and gracefully headed off to recruit Hazel.
And soon after, with all the instructors gathered at the assembly point, the exam began.
"We will now commence the main exam."
To sum up Instructor Sylvester's explanation: Parties of five enter unique barrier realms in pairs, hunting near-real magical beasts summoned by the professors. The beasts drop certification loot, and the party collecting the most within the time limit gets bonus points.
"But if it's just about quantity, some parties might scatter to farm fast, right?"
"That's why we've placed 'it' in the forest. This will restrict individual actions."
Even Sylvester's warning matches the novel.
"Good."
I stood up to ask Sylvester an extra question.
No party wants Lev Denek.
Party 2-1: Edwin (frontline), Aria (frontline), Hazel (midline), Melissa (midline), Lev (midline), [rear]
But Melissa, suddenly stuck on the same team, grumbled a bit.
"What the hell? Magic aspirant suddenly wants to be an archer... drags Hazel in too..."
Hazel and Lev had zero connection before. If anything, Hazel's just that unnoticeable...
Anyway, now he's off grilling the instructor about something.
He's not planning to bail, is he?
I didn't want to team up again, but here we are. He won't boost our firepower, but since Aria proposed it...
Good thing is, even without him, Melissa's confident in her magic to carry the team.
Still, why'd Edwin agree so easily?
Come to think of it, Edwin didn't object to adding Lev either.
What are they all thinking??
Unfortunately, Melissa couldn't grasp that the three shared something.
"Seriously..."
They were just too nice and naive for her. Easily trusting people wasn't something you could fix... Having grown up around endless facades in high society, she figured she'd have to lecture them one day: the world ain't kind.
Lev Denek started approaching after getting the answer he wanted.
Not bailing... after all?
If not quitting, then asking the instructor means he's desperate about expulsion? Still that hard-to-read face.
Should've just done better from the start!
After getting his answer and returning, Edwin brushed off the day's memory with a simple self-intro, as if it didn't matter.
"P-please take care of me..."
With Hazel's low-energy greeting, we awkwardly waited our turn.
"Party 1, enter the left barrier first."
Following Sub-Instructor Bella's orders, Parties 1-1 and 1-2 vanished into the forest.
My opponents...
Party 2-2 facing us:
Party 2-2: Raymond, Selena (frontline), Lily (rear), Dylan (midline), Bryce (frontline), [midline]
Selena and Lily were in it.
Our frontline's only one...
Edwin awakened as Executor, but unlike canon, with me in, front dropped from two to one. Less stable, but with front, mid, rear covered, it should be fine?
"Next, Parties 2-1 and 2-2, enter."
Our turn.
—Shooo... The Lint Forest at dusk welcomes us with a swirling barrier entrance. Avoid probation, and get Hazel through too... Tricky conditions.
—Step.
Edwin leads, followed by Melissa, Hazel into the woods.
"......"
Last, Aria pauses at the entrance, glances back at me.
"What?"
—...... Her gaze low, almost sad. She mutters softly.
"......Let's go."
Those clear azure eyes from any angle. Yeah, you wanna uncover my identity with those, huh?
Meanwhile, watching the cadets enter, Sub-Instructor Bella sidled up to Instructor Sylvester.
"Senior, about that crossbow kid earlier."
"Yes?"
"What'd he say to you? Was he already quitting...? Or asking how to leave...?"
"No. Asked something interesting."
"Interesting?"
"Yeah. What happens if you catch 'it'... and if that counts for evaluation."
"What?!"
Bella's shock had reason.
Why wonder about that?
'It' is a Rag Doll beast. Even F-rank, it's a named monster with extra enchantments to avoid easy capture. That's at least C-rank. No freshman topper could kill it. It wasn't meant to be caught anyway—it's illusion magic, not summons, for a reason.
If real, casualties every year...
Bella shook off the grim thought. A magic aspirant playing archer? Pointless to understand lunatics.