Chapter 144: Joint Practical Evaluation (1)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 144: Joint Practical Evaluation (1)
During the joint practical evaluation.
“Aaaaah!”
Swoosh—!
A sharp blade of water cleaved through the demonic illusion.
It happened the moment Princess Snow White let out a scream, having witnessed the grotesque form of the demonic illusion that had lunged out from the shadows.
The illusion dissolved into nothingness, vanishing like dust.
Abel Carnedas, a male student with grayish-blue hair and a mischievous glint in his eyes, glanced at White with a troubled expression.
“Princess White, are you alright?”
“Princess, the demonic illusion was defeated by this guy, so please, rest easy.”
“‘This guy’? Choose your words carefully, Roanna. You’re in front of the Princess…”
Standing before Abel and Roanna—a girl with light green hair—White cleared her throat with a small ‘ahem’ and tried to steady her racing heart.
“I’ve made a pitiful display of myself…”
White offered a defeated smile, her eyes still shimmering with unshed tears.
Abel dispelled the water mana from his sword, sheathed it, and gave Roanna an awkward grin. Despite her friend’s smile, Roanna remained stoic. To Abel, she was a comrade who stayed level-headed regardless of the situation.
“Princess, over here.”
“Ah.”
In the dim corridor, the only light came from the lamp Roanna held, casting a soft, flickering glow around them. She lowered the lamp to illuminate the floor.
“It seems someone was ambushed here. We should have noticed it sooner. I wasn't careful enough. My apologies, Princess.”
On the ground was a long red mark that looked like a deep scratch, leaving behind a faint trace of mana. As they had been told earlier, it was a ‘Scar of Elimination.’
In the event a student was eliminated for any reason, the exam proctors would mark the spot just before the encounter that caused the disqualification.
“No, no! I’m the one who’s sorry! Let’s keep moving.”
White and her teammates quickly hurried through the dark corridor.
*
About an hour earlier.
[Let the joint practical evaluation begin.]
The massive, isolated island was entirely the property of Märchen Academy. Beneath its surface lay a vast underground facility—a maze-like complex that branched out like the legs of an octopus, aptly named ‘Octovus Hall.’
It was a former emergency shelter that had been repurposed for training. Usually, the facility was saturated with the mana of Headmistress Elena Woodline, allowing her to detect the location of anyone inside. However, for today’s exam, her mana had been withdrawn.
Octovus Hall, Entrance No. 13.
The walls, lined with glowing lamps, brightly illuminated the narrow corridor. In the air, heavy with moisture and a quiet, hovering tension, four students listened to a message delivered by a circular magical device. It fluttered in the air like a hummingbird—a messenger.
Two first-year students from the Magic Department: Princess Snow White von Kairos Elfieto and Shera Hectorica.
Two first-year students from the Knight Department: Abel Carnedas and Roanna Shelton.
The team had been formed by the academy, balanced through a combination of a lottery and academic performance.
“Uh…”
Snow White bit her lip, trying her best to calm her trembling heart. This was her chance to show the results of the rigorous training she had undergone under Isaac since enrolling. The more effort she put in, the more the pressure weighed on her.
White took a deep breath to steady her rampant emotions, reaffirming her resolve not to end up in the bottom ranks this time.
[The test format is simple. It ends when you reach the destination.]
The kind voice of a middle-aged female professor flowed from the messenger. She was a professor for the second-year Class D of the Magic Department.
[This is our underground base, Octovus Hall. The paths are designed like a maze, but the compasses we’ve provided will guide you. The faster you reach the goal, the more points you earn, so please hurry~.]
Abel Carnedas looked down at the compass in his hand. The needle pointed firmly in one direction.
[And if you are eliminated midway, your score will be based on how close you were to the destination and how quickly you were moving.]
In short, speed was everything. However…
“Eliminated midway?” White tilted her head in confusion.
[Oh, did I forget to mention? This place is filled with all sorts of demonic illusions and labyrinth traps. If you can’t overcome them with your knowledge and wisdom, you’ll be eliminated. Also, every student outside of your team is an enemy. If you incapacitate another student and render them unable to fight, they are eliminated. You will receive bonus points proportional to that student’s grade and class. Of course, the most crucial part of your score is reaching the destination, so keep that in mind!]
It made sense. Since it was a ‘joint practical evaluation,’ combat was inevitable.
[But remember, intentionally blocking someone’s path is considered cheating and will lead to immediate disqualification!]
It was an obvious rule. If a high-ranking student were to create a magical barrier to block the path of others, the victims would have no way to compete.
[And! As you move along, you might see areas where red mana flows—we call those ‘Scars of Elimination.’ If a student ahead of you was eliminated, a Scar will be marked at the location where they encountered the threat. Paying attention to these can significantly increase your survival chances.]
Essentially, the faster you moved, the more points you earned, but the risk of elimination skyrocketed. Moving slowly increased your chances of survival since you could learn from the ‘Scars’ left by others, but you couldn't expect a high score.
[Even if a team member is eliminated, you are allowed to continue. However, unnecessarily sacrificing a teammate will heavily penalize your teamwork score, so be cautious. Even if you take down another student, the points won't change regardless of how many members your team has left, so avoid reckless actions.]
[One more thing. Exam proctors are stationed in key areas. If a particularly dangerous incident occurs, focus on escaping first and report the situation via your bracelet. The proctors will protect you.]
The mention of ‘danger’ likely referred to the potential appearance of actual demons.
Suddenly, White recalled the announcement from the Märchen Academy entrance exam. It had stated: ‘Under the auspices of the Elfieto Royal Family and Lord Manhalla, we will ensure the protection of our students and guarantee their educational opportunities regardless of the dangers that may arise.’
White looked down at the bracelet fastened to her left wrist. It was clear the academy had taken extensive measures to ensure both the quality of the curriculum and the safety of the students.
As White gulped nervously, sensing the start was imminent, the voice added one last thing.
[Lastly, in this exam, there are ‘Predators.’]
“Predators?”
The name alone sounded ominous.
[The Predators are composed of your seniors—either from Class A or those with equivalent skill. If you manage to incapacitate a Predator, you will earn a massive amount of bonus points! Whether you choose to be prey, flee from them, or become the hunters who capture them is entirely up to you.]
The purpose of the Predators was clear. The exam was modeled after a dungeon crawl or maze exploration. How they handled high-level threats like the Predators would undoubtedly be a major factor in their final grades.
[Well then.]
The messenger flew to a corner, clearing the path. A dark corridor stretched out before White, Shera, Abel, and Roanna.
[We wish you the best of luck.]
The messenger’s voice cut off abruptly. The joint practical evaluation had officially begun.
“Well, then…”
“I’m going off by myself~.”
“…What?”
Just as Abel started to speak, a girl with bright red hair raised her arm and casually declared her withdrawal with a smile. It was Shera Hectorica.
She had short, vibrant red hair, partially braided toward the back, and wore red earrings and a gold hairpin, all shaped like hearts. She was petite, with red eyes that glinted like a sunset sky. She looked so young and cute that it was almost hard to believe she was a classmate.
“You guys seem boring.”
Her way of speaking was completely childish, lacking any sense of decorum. White, Abel, and Roanna couldn't hide their shock.
“It’s pretty obvious I’m the most skilled person here. If I stay, I’ll just end up having to lead you all around~. Where’s the fun in that?”
“Great joke. Except it’s not funny.”
Abel scratched his cheek with an awkward smile. He hadn't expected a psycho to act so brazenly right in front of Princess Snow White.
“Um, excuse me! You’re Shera Hectorica, right? Please, reconsider!” White interjected, breaking into a nervous sweat. “We need to get good grades, don’t we? And… and it’s dangerous to be alone! With Predators roaming around, the most logical thing is to move together…”
“Why don’t I just catch a Predator myself?”
Shera chuckled, a playful ‘hehe’ escaping her lips. White, Abel, and Roanna were left speechless.
“You guys are nothing more than dead weight~. Take care of yourselves!”
With those parting words, Shera cheerfully skipped into the corridor ahead of them. The remaining three stood there, utterly dumbfounded, wondering what on earth they were supposed to do now.