Chapter 128
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 128
Chapter Title: The Black Forest
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The Black Forest truly lived up to its ominous name.
As soon as we flashed our passes to the knights guarding the entrance and stepped inside, the world seemed to shift, plunging into an eerie gloom.
It wasn't merely the effect of the towering trees.
"Hmm... It really is a Demon Realm."
"Everything's all twisted up. Total safety obliviousness."
As Luna said, nothing was normal—not the paths, not the flow of mana.
I muttered to myself the moment I sensed that unnaturalness upon entering the forest, and Isna, who had been walking ahead with light steps, turned back to me.
"The exam is simple. Groups explore the Demon Realm. Of course, it's called a Demon Realm, but compared to the real ones, it's just child's play."
Hunting monsters or gathering rare materials was allowed freely, though each had its own point value.
"Then some students will push too hard. How do you control the variables?"
"Normally, the supervisors make sure monsters don't gather in excessive numbers. We don't interfere with material gathering, but if dozens suddenly swarm, accidents could happen."
Sure enough, clerics from the Holy Kingdom were on standby during the exam to provide healing at any moment.
It was clear that midterms and finals at the Academy were major events.
Thud!!
Soon, Isna picked up a stone and tossed it into the dark depths of the forest.
Whoosh!!!
At the same instant, a few small goblins—tiny monsters—burst from the underbrush.
"As you can see, the monsters here aren't that strong. Most cadets in the swordsmanship department are Aura Users anyway."
There might be some cadets who hadn't even reached Aura User.
Still, it was true that the Imperial Academy's standards were higher than other academies.
And for Aura Users, goblins weren't much of a threat, even if the little pests tried their tricks.
-Kieeeek!!
The goblins came charging at us, drooling as they rushed to devour us.
"Is that their max number?"
"Yes. The Academy administration periodically culls their population to keep numbers in check. Even if students go wild throughout the exam, it shouldn't cause major issues."
She spoke as if it had always been that way, but something felt off.
"It sounds like you're saying this time might be different."
"To be honest, I'm not thrilled about holding the exam in a Demon Realm. You never know when or where something might go wrong in a place like this."
Slash!!!
Isna casually drew the two swords from her waist and swung them with fluid grace.
The unarmed goblins charging forward were swept away like fallen leaves in the wind, spraying blood.
To an Expert-level fighter, goblins were no challenge at all.
"Reminds me of the old days..."
She said it offhandedly, like tossing away a pebble.
Yet for some reason, it felt laced with bitterness to me.
After following Isna to survey the entire Black Forest exam grounds, we finally headed back.
On exam day, the Black Forest buzzed with crowds.
The cadets chattered excitedly, unable to hide their mix of tension and anticipation.
Professor Rommel, overseeing the exam, had been circling the outer edges of the Demon Realm exam area since early morning, conducting checks over and over.
He was also preparing supplies in case of injuries.
"The exam lasts three hours total. There are two objectives: gather special materials or subjugate monsters. Remember this—if you've kept up with classes, you can complete the exam safely without injury. Don't overdo it, and retreat if things feel dangerous."
He repeatedly emphasized safety rules to the cadets.
Of course, since it was a practical exam, anything could happen, so Professor Rommel distributed protective artifacts to each cadet—one that would shield them from fatal wounds.
These were high-grade artifacts; even against goblin-level monsters, injuries would be minor at worst.
If it activated, though, it basically meant failure and a plummeting score—but better than a body count.
The cadets seemed accustomed to the routine, as if this was standard procedure.
As before, the supervisors assigned were me, Luna, and Isna.
Professor Rommel wouldn't enter himself; he'd oversee the forest's overall situation and coordinate.
Our job was straightforward.
Patrol the woods, intervening only in emergencies or dangers. Otherwise, keep a distance, ensure monsters didn't swarm, and rescue any cadets who signaled or whose artifacts triggered, escorting them to safety.
We also watched for cheating or potential hazards, assigning on-site bonus or penalty points.
Their scores were ultimately determined by the spirits and artifacts recording their actions anyway.
Apparently, the original method was different, but with staffing shortages, Professor Rommel had lightened our load somewhat.
Still, the unease lingered, so I told him.
"Professor, no matter how I look at it, the Demon Realm is too dangerous."
"It's fine. There haven't been any incidents here in over ten years."
"Ten years of safety doesn't make a Demon Realm safe."
Some cadets snickered at our exchange.
"Huh? Are the TA and professor fighting?"
"Since when was the Black Forest dangerous... Just start already..."
Damn their safety obliviousness.
This wasn't just the cadets' problem—it was the Academy's.
Maybe it was just my imagination, as they said. Not all Demon Realms were the same.
If it turned out to be unfounded worry, great—but if not, it could spell disaster.
"We can't back out now. Student safety is paramount, but this is excessive concern."
He wasn't wrong, but why did it feel so ominous?
"Sigh... Understood. I shouldn't meddle as an outsider."
"I understand your feelings, Young Master. We're taking extra precautions, so it should be fine."
"Got it. I'll try to relax a bit."
The moment I entered the forest on Professor Rommel's signal, that muffled silence enveloped me again.
Luna and Isna must have felt it too, as comms crackled.
-Doesn't a creepy place like this scream 'sudden intruder'? Hehe.
"Cut the nonsense. A Demon Realm isn't something to take lightly."
-Aw, you're too tense~ In a chilly spot like this, imagine a campfire with roasted sweet potatoes... Ah! Kids! Got any sweet potatoes?
A proctor snacking on cadets during the exam. She's definitely nuts.
Even so, the Imperial Academy was supposed to house elite talents.
Some cadets, like Melissa, had reached Expert level.
Most were older than her, but reaching Expert still marked exceptional talent.
With my record board in hand, I moved at a distance they couldn't see, kicking my shadow lightly.
"Muyoung, release the kids. Chase off all monsters heading near the exam-takers except a reasonable number. Don't let them enter their vicinity."
-Grrr.
My shadow spirit wolf Muyoung swallowed the meat chunk I tossed in one bite and melted into the shadows.
Black shapes scattered from my shadow in all directions.
The exam proceeded smoothly.
Advanced classes had solo exams, but these were basic track, so group activities.
Group projects rarely ended well for me, but they were assigned by skill level, so it might be okay.
The cadets seemed initially cowed by the Black Forest's oppressive aura, staying vigilant, but soon adapted and began exploring.
I left the tedious work to the spirit undead and slowly trailed the cadets, suppressing my presence.
Slash!!
-Kieeeeeek!!!
The feeble goblins fell to blades, meeting their end.
The cadets entering the forest first showed panic and tension, but adapted quickly.
I scored them on my record board without missing a beat.
"Hm... Cadet 1: excessive shoulder stiffness on left, minus 4 points. Cadet 3: severely lacking overall battlefield awareness, minus 6 points."
I wasn't scoring everyone at once, so my marks might not heavily influence finals, but noting them would ease Professor Rommel's artifact review later.
Might as well do it properly.
I meticulously recorded every flaw with a hawk's eye, then slipped away unnoticed to the next group.
Luna and Isna's situations were similar.
Without undead minions like mine, they handled variables directly—but flawlessly, processing everything like clockwork without disrupting the exam.
"Exam proceeding without issues."
-Injury here. Taking them out.
-Aah, two down here too. Pulling them.
Periodic updates via comm artifacts.
I'd been patrolling, checking cadets, and jotting scores when I spotted a group battling a Giant Goblin—far larger than regulars—without yielding an inch.
Among them was a silver-haired girl; their skills were no joke.
Hmm, well-balanced team. Impressive. Plus 5 points.
"Lucia! Fall back to the left!"
"Yes, Your Highness!"
Ah, good command?
Individually, they were greenhorns, flaws everywhere.
But the commander turned weaknesses to strengths, exploiting monster vulnerabilities and reading the situation on the fly.
Aelena Lu Pascalia.
The top-ranking princess cadet Professor Rommel had praised.
She directed from the big picture, issuing spot-on orders to subjugate the foe.
'Not bad for rookies. Plus 5 points.'
Out there, she was imperial nobility worlds above us, but here, just cadet and supervisor.
No need to greet her personally.