Caught Red-Handed?
Being evaluated on a class was only natural.
But it had come faster than Rune expected.
At that moment, Baekya dabbed black fox ears with cream and spoke cheerfully.
“A score means that, right? Checking who did well!”
Amelia bit into the strawberry confit crepe that appeared as dessert, chewing thoughtfully as she nodded.
The water princess cautiously opened her lips.
“Um… d-do you think I did okay…?”
Amelia fidgeted with her hands, nerves making them tremble.
Perdikion crossed his arms, watching the mixture of hope and worry on everyone’s faces.
“Everyone’s making a huge fuss. This much is nothing.”
At the end of Perdikion’s gaze stood Rune, calmly emptying his pudding.
“Look at Rune. He’s acting so composed, as if there’s no need to react to such evaluations.”
Rune was a little surprised by his own name being mentioned.
Why is it coming from there?
When Rune looked back at Perdikion, the red dragon hatchling gazed at him with full of trust.
“As I thought, my little brother. Without fear or worry, you gave your all and are listening to the result humbly.”
……
Rune had no particular reaction. That was only natural.
He already had some guess about the early evaluation.
It would have been stranger to show a dramatic reaction over something he had already expected.
He hadn’t even exerted all his abilities.
I can’t say this honestly.
Rune, who was being watched as too outstanding for a normal hatchling, sighed inwardly.
Since he couldn’t reveal that he had lived as an Imugi for 999 years, he could only sigh inside.
In the end, Rune smiled gently and offered appropriate thanks.
“……Thank you for looking out for me, brother.”
Perdikion watched his gentle little brother who had just expressed his gratitude after a long silence.
“You can show more confidence. Hiding modesty while having that much skill can actually look like arrogance. Becoming bold is a necessary trait for someone who will lead the clan.”
Of course… defeating Dullahan was an amazing achievement.
Yet he couldn’t truly feel happy.
Instead, Rune quietly shared the credit with Perdikion.
“You helped me. I might not have managed it without you.”
If I’d tried to defeat Dullahan alone, my identity might have been suspected.
Luckily, Perdikion’s expression seemed pleased rather than displeased.
No, rather, the corner of his mouth twitched as if he was very happy.
“You thought that? Quite thoughtful.”
Rune chuckled inwardly.
He spoke composedly, but the pleasure at his little brother’s praise couldn’t be hidden.
He’s still a long way from growing up.
Rune thought that as he waited for Christina’s next words.
Christina, watching the situation, continued her explanation.
“Of course, this score doesn’t tell you everything about them. This is what we call a ‘talent evaluation’ that reflects their current state.”
As expected.
Just as he thought, the score they received now was the result of a mock test conducted for upcoming classes.
Heungmi, shaking her fox tail, exclaimed with sparkling eyes.
“Whoa! Amazing!”
Rune asked slowly.
This was the real important thing.
“Then, how did our scores come out?”
On the floating leather parchment in front of her, several golden sentences were written. From Rune’s angle, only the wobbling ends were barely visible.
Christina looked at the parchment and spoke.
“Since it’s a basic evaluation, the basic items were divided into only three categories. Combat, magic, and life adaptation.”
Everyone listened to her words.
Even Perdikion, who was pretending to be calm but was nervous, had his hand holding the lemon sorbet slightly slow.
The first to be evaluated was Heungmi.
“First, Heungmi. Her life adaptation is the highest among those here, and she skillfully handles the fire spirits and utilizes her innate physical abilities well. She received high scores in both magic and combat.”
“Wah!”
Heungmi, who received the good praise, sparkled her eyes and clenched her fist lightly.
“But her instinct for charging is too strong. She charges thinking it’s a chance and falls into traps. She’s weak against counters.”
After the follow-up words, Heungmi’s expression turned regretful and she folded her fox ears.
“Hiiing.”
Rune recalled the scene where Heungmi had been caught in Dullahan’s net and failed.
Good reflexes, but the lack of experience showed.
Still, the evaluation was quite good.
Heungmi’s overall grade was A.
Her growth potential reached S-grade.
To Rune, it was more than enough.
“Uung. So Heungmi can become even better from now on?”
Heungmi asked after receiving the score.
Christina nodded with a smile.
“Of course.”
Heungmi laughed “Hit!” and perked her ears while smiling back.
“Great! Heungmi will become even better from now on! Right, Baekya too?”
“Piyap!”
The beak covered with potato chip crumbs opened with a cheerful sound.
At that, Amelia, who had been tense, wanted to giggle “Cuk cuk” but froze.
“Next is Amelia.”
“Hah?!”
Clang!
Amelia, startled by her name being called, dropped the fork she was holding onto the plate.
Perdikion clicked his tongue “Tsk” and Rune shook his head inwardly.
Like that.
Amelia, suddenly in the spotlight, looked at the plate with a panicked expression, then at Christina.
“Don’t be so flustered. Listen comfortably.”
“Ye… yes…”
Amelia took a deep breath.
Christina gave her a moment to calm herself and then read the parchment record.
“Even though she was the first to appear on the water, her life adaptation is the highest among those here. She must have worked hard.”
She didn’t say it, but Christina had worried that he might receive harsh criticism inside.
But the following words were so positive that her worry could be set aside.
“All of us who taught you said the most effort was put in.”
“! T-Thank you…”
Amelia, blushing shyly, smiled softly without meeting the gaze.
A smile even appeared on Amelia’s face, who had received recognition from the Gold Dragon Elder.
However, there were still shortcomings.
“But combat is still immature. Because of hesitation, she didn’t seize the opportunity to attack or escape and counterattack.”
Amelia’s white face flushed with embarrassment as she opened her mouth.
“Ah… I-I had parts that weren’t done well…”
“I know you think a lot, but you must also learn to make decisions at the right time.”
Amelia was at a loss, her gaze wavering.
Christina gently stroked her.
“It’s your first time, so it’s only natural. Although I said your decision-making is lacking, you responded to the enemy more boldly than expected.”
“!”
Amelia’s eyes briefly glanced at Rune.
Rune nodded slightly.
She has talent and has worked hard.
As if reading Rune’s thoughts, Amelia’s eyes sparkled for a moment.
Originally, combat was an action to harm someone.
Amelia, who was timid and feared harming others, would have avoided it.
But she had faced her fear when saving the Water Lair and had trained with Dullahan with Rune’s help.
She had learned how to fight to protect.
It was undoubtedly a great achievement that she had accomplished that much.
Thanks to Rune…
Amelia thought only inside, unable to say it in front of everyone.
Christina continued.
“Your overall grade is A, but your potential is S+. Please keep it like this, Amelia.”
“Ye…!”
From the side, Heungmi raised her thumb and smiled as Amelia also smiled slightly.
Yes, this is the beginning for me now.
Looking back coldly, it was the right honey and medicine.
Amelia answered with a more stable appearance.
“Yes! I’ll work hard…!”
Christina nodded slightly while smiling, her gaze turning to the red dragon hatchling boy.
“Next is Perdikion.”
“Yes.”
Confidence was already visible in the answer.
And the good evaluation followed in proportion to that confidence and self-assurance.
“Fast offensive and suppression, appropriate full-scale battle at the right time. In combat alone, he received the most outstanding evaluation.”
“Thank you.”
Perdikion, who had stubbornly attacked while opposing Dullahan single-handedly and clinging to Rune to prevent him from looking away.
His bold fighting style, as befitting his fiery personality, would have earned applause from anyone.
But even Perdikion had shortcomings.
“But he almost forgot about his surroundings while getting lost in combat. Thanks to Rune’s interference, it wasn’t highlighted much.”
Perdikion slightly furrowed his brows.
But he didn’t deny it.
Christina’s explanation continued.
“Your aggressive side is good, but you must not forget the purpose. You are someone who will carry out the adult trial task. Remember that you are in a position to lead these people here.”
“……I will remember.”
Although there were shortcomings, the evaluation was S+.
Magic ability, combat sense, basic life adaptation—all satisfied, he had received the best score.
“Finally, Rune.”
“Yeah.”
Rune had prepared his mind.
The story about the others was as expected.
But what about his own evaluation?
Curious, he waited as Christina’s voice was heard.
“A+.”
Her ability to handle darkness, though sealed, was excellent in using the sealed magic weapon and immediate judgment, combat sense.
It was a satisfying result.
More precisely, it was the evaluation he had intended.
Perfect. Not too flashy, but a good evaluation.
It was satisfying.
But the following words from Christina were strange.
“The overall grade should be A+ …”
Christina’s atmosphere changed.
“Rune, no matter how I think, I can’t erase the feeling that it’s S+ or more.”
Rune felt an ominous feeling inside.
But he skillfully sank his emotions below the surface.
With ability not exceeding, using the weapon’s ability. Then A+ fits perfectly.
His sense of using abilities was good, but the effective hit was by the sealed magic that was the opposite attribute—light.
That is, because the weapon was good.
At least on the surface.
“Why do you think that?”
Christina asked ambiguously, her gaze piercing into Rune.
Christina’s eyes while looking back at him seemed to look into his heart.
No way, was it revealed?
Maintaining composure outwardly, Rune waited calmly for Christina’s words.
Her lips opened.
“To be honest, this is something that can’t be measured simply by numbers or grades. Rune, you are…”
While hesitating, Christina took a deep breath.