Chapter 85
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 85
Chapter Title: 29. Midterm Exams
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"Good luck to everyone."
With the long explanation finally over, Professor Ingrid reached out toward the magic circle.
And soon, the magic circle began to vibrate slowly.
Flash!
Before anyone could react, a blinding white light swallowed the plaza whole.
The moment I squeezed my eyes shut against the intense glare, a sensation of floating—as if the ground had vanished beneath my feet—enveloped my entire body.
"…!"
A moment later.
Whoosh.
Cool, damp air brushed against my skin.
The pungent smell of moss and stagnant water filled my nostrils.
As the ringing in my ears faded and I slowly opened my eyes, the noisy academy plaza was gone.
A thick gray world greeted me instead.
"Now that's some fog."
No matter where I looked, all I could see were dense trees shrouded in heavy mist.
Visibility was so poor I could barely make out anything ahead.
The faint outlines of trees twisted grotesquely, their branches reaching toward the sky like a witch's claws.
The atmosphere here's downright menacing.
The Mist Forest in the kingdom's north.
One of the locations students end up in for the survival portion of the midterm practical exam.
It was a notorious demonic realm, a staple stage for these academy- and kingdom-managed survival tests.
Kriik, kriik, kriik.
"…!!"
Mana fluctuations pulsed from all directions.
And from deep within the forest came the presence of beasts.
Definitely the kind of vibe that would make timid freshmen quake in their boots.
"Survive for three days, and you'll pass the practical. Of course, since it's dangerous, use the item we gave you if things get dire, and you can exit the forest anytime."
"You'll need to collect the flags scattered throughout the forest. Your final score depends on how many you gather, and you're allowed to steal from other teams."
"This forest is full of magical beasts and traps that threaten your life. We've set up safety measures, of course, but…"
"Survive three days to pass. But to score high, you gotta collect flags."
And yeah, they said stealing from other teams is allowed too.
"Well, guess I'll figure it out as I go."
I cracked my neck with a light pop and scanned the surroundings.
The forest was wider than I'd expected—maybe they spaced us out on purpose when teleporting to give us a fair start.
Either way, the other teams seemed pretty far off. The thick fog made it hard to judge distances anyway.
Aside from one presence nearby, I didn't sense anyone else.
And that one? Had to be her.
"Evan? Where are you?"
A clear voice rang out from a short distance away through the dense fog.
It was Elysia.
"Stay put. I'll come to you."
I immediately headed toward the sound.
Pushing through the hazy mist, her figure gradually emerged—blonde hair faintly glowing within the fog.
The skintight suit clinging to her body made her look like a forest spirit, utterly mystical.
But even so, her curvaceous figure was impossible to ignore, drawing the eye instinctively.
"Ah, thank goodness. I was worried we'd gotten separated…"
She let out a relieved sigh and gave an awkward smile the moment she saw me.
"…"
Glancing at her hand out of the corner of my eye, it looked like the sudden teleport had startled her.
She was trying not to show it, but her hand trembled faintly now and then.
"…You okay? Your hand's shaking."
"I-I'm fine! Just… a bit startled by the sudden change of scenery."
She forced a bright smile to prove it, but her eyes still wavered with unease.
The abrupt shift in environment and the isolation.
No matter how talented she was, she was still just a student. A natural reaction.
Sometimes, one action speaks louder than a hundred words.
"Don't worry. I've got you."
To ease her fears, I took hold of her trembling hand.
"Ah…!"
If you're asking whether I had any impure motives? I'd say no, absolutely not.
It was purely a gentlemanly gesture to reassure an anxious teammate.
Back when I was a kid, someone holding my hand like this always calmed me down.
Species aside, she's still a scared girl at heart.
I figured it'd help settle her nerves a bit.
"…Thank you, Evan."
I felt a faint grip in return from the hand I held.
She squeezed back lightly and leaned against me, seeking support.
Didn't see that coming.
My heart pounded at the soft sensation pressing against my arm, but I played it cool and checked our surroundings.
She seemed calmer now anyway, so it was time to assess the situation.
Three days to survive.
The Mist Forest's limited visibility made wandering recklessly dangerous.
We'd have to hunt for flags eventually, but I had no intention of pushing hard on day one.
And we're not alone out here.
Besides the beasts, we'd run into other teams too.
With the flag-stealing rule, clashes between students were inevitable.
S-Class or otherwise.
Not that I was scared, of course.
Just being cautious, that's all.
Honestly, outside of S-Class, most students weren't that tough anyway.
Well… Iris and Celine's team is pretty scary.
Running into those two as enemies would be a real pain.
"…"
"…"
We walked in silence as I sorted through my thoughts.
She'd calmed down by now, at least.
But for some reason, Elysia showed no sign of letting go of my hand.
No, worse—she hooked her arm through mine and pressed even closer.
It was getting awkward to look at, not to mention distracting.
That massive chest was practically devouring my arm with its delightful pressure.
Just as I was about to suggest she give me some space…
"Evan. Where to now?"
Her voice, now steady, cut in.
Her elven senses and spirit affinity let her pierce the thick fog farther than I could.
She was probably scouting even better than me.
"Wandering blindly is risky, so let's find a safe spot first."
I answered cautiously, but I already had a plan in mind.
The Mist Forest might be vast, but it's just a test site.
With my game knowledge from multiple playthroughs, heading to a familiar spot would do the trick.
Should be a lightning-struck tree up ahead. There's a cave nearby.
No monsters inside—perfect early-game safe haven.
We could use it as a base, scout around, map the flags.
Bonus if we snag one on the way.
"This way."
"Okay."
She followed without complaint as I took the lead.
I'd worried she might push for flags over securing a base, but it was unfounded.
Since arriving, she'd quietly matched my pace.
Squeeze.
The only issue was our proximity.
She's been way too close since earlier.
Her grip on my arm wouldn't loosen.
Every step brought natural brushes, presses, rubs—impossible to ignore.
And with the fog dampening her suit, every sensation was vividly sharp.
To top it off, a faint floral scent overpowered the wet earth and moss.
This setup was perfect for losing focus, exam or no.
Focus, Evan.
I shook my head to clear the distractions.
Now wasn't the time.
We were deep in the wilds.
Any moment, beasts or rivals could pop out.
Still a ways off.
As I navigated by my mental map, staying vigilant…
"Evan! Look, over there…!"
Elysia halted and pointed in one direction.
Through the fog where her gaze fell, a faint red glow flickered.
"…A flag?"
I narrowed my eyes for a better look.
Beyond the mist, a red flag emblazoned with the academy crest fluttered from a tree trunk.
One of our targets.
I hadn't planned on hunting on day one.
Talk about lucky.
"We're off to a great start! A flag right away."
Elysia beamed and started toward it.
"Hold up!"
I urgently grabbed her arm before she could yank it free.
"E-Evan?"
"Too easy."
Luck's luck, but nothing's free in this world.
I scanned the flag thoroughly.
A flag just sitting there unprotected? Suspicious as hell.
Trap.
I picked up a nearby stone and tossed it at the flag.
Thud.
The instant it hit the ground nearby…
Whoosh!
A massive net burst from the earth.
If Elysia had rushed in, she'd have been caught for sure.
"…Kyaa!"
As the net sprang up right in front of her, she shuddered like a startled rabbit, clutching her chest.
"Th-thank you, Evan. That was close."
"Be careful. The whole forest is probably riddled with these."
I skirted the net and carefully retrieved the flag.
It felt solid and heavy in my hand.
Not planned, but first point scored.
"You're amazing, Evan. I didn't notice the trap at all…"
She gazed at me with eyes full of admiration.
The intensity made me clear my throat awkwardly and look away.
Honestly, nothing amazing about it.
It's just a test—they wouldn't make traps that subtle.
"Just got lucky."
"No way. Staying calm and spotting it in that moment? Not easy. You saved me."
She glanced at the flag in my hand, then bowed her head with a bitter smile.
"…Same with big brother Leon. I'm always the one getting helped by you."
Memories of that day must've resurfaced; her voice dipped low.
Instead of empty words, I gave her shoulder a light pat.
Wounds like that don't heal from consolation alone.
"Water under the bridge. Let's focus on the exam."
"…Yeah. You're right."
We'd walked quite a ways after grabbing the flag when the scenery started feeling familiar.
Twisted rocks and gnarled dead trees—landmarks from memory.
We were almost there.
Where exactly…
As I scanned around…
Finally, the lightning-struck tree appeared before us. I breathed a sigh of relief.
The cave had to be nearby.
"See that lightning-struck tree? Cave should be close by."
"Really?"
Elysia perked up.
She hadn't shown it, but the endless fog must've worn her out too.
"Yeah. We'll drop our stuff there and take stock."
We quickened our pace toward the tree.
Luckily, the cave wasn't far.
As we approached, a small entrance hidden by bushes came into view, offset from the trunk.
"Found it."