Mentor and Mentee
Same time.
Unlike Ifrin, a remarkably peaceful forest.
“Here, take it. For you, Lady Sylvia. I present it to you.”
Sylvia had seized the third map from her target. She gathered all three and stacked them together.
Just as Reilly had done, she deduced the magic circle and activated a Near-Distance Portal.
Vwooom—!
A blue passageway materialized in midair.
“......”
Sylvia shot a glare at the male mage she’d just stripped of his map. Kneeling on the ground, he gulped nervously while staring at the portal.
Tap. Tap.
Without a word, Sylvia stepped into the portal.
Exactly three seconds later, a guttural scream of “Gaaaah—!” echoed as the male mage tumbled through after her.
......It wasn’t a portal meant for solo use. In other words, there had been no need to fight at all.
She’d been backstabbed again.
“Huff... huff... huff......”
Ignoring the man sprawled on the floor, gasping for breath, Sylvia surveyed her surroundings.
The setting was underground. A few long church pews lined the dark walls.
Some twenty mages had passed the test so far. A few were eating, others sleeping—and among them were those two.
Reilly.
Dozmu.
“Hey!”
The moment their eyes met, Reilly flinched in surprise. But he quickly forced a wry smile and approached.
“Ah~ Lady, as expected. You made it, huh?”
“......”
Sylvia fixed her with a silent glare. An icy flame blazed in her eyes.
Reilly slyly extended a hand toward her.
“C’mon~ Why the long face~? I believed in you~?”
“Don’t touch me.”
“......Haha. Hahaha. Hahahaha...... You see...... we had our reasons......”
Her aura screamed that she’d unleash magic at any moment. Reilly, thoroughly spooked, subtly scanned for Dozmu—but the bastard had already vanished.
Reilly cursed inwardly. What a fucking joke of a teammate.
“Hm. Twenty people?”
Right on cue, the exam proctor appeared. Reilly’s eyes locked onto him, while Sylvia clicked her tongue in annoyance.
“Not many have arrived yet. Still, I’ll make the announcement early. Everyone, listen up.”
The proctor, speaking in a boyish voice, continued.
“The second test is ‘Mentor’ and ‘Mentee’.”