[Valeria's POV]
The moon tonight is incredibly beautiful...
Maybe it's because I've always been in the bustling Capital and never noticed it. It's so quiet here, with only the sound of the wind and the silence of the night keeping me company as I bathe.
Aaahh...
It's been a long time since I've soaked my body...
Right now, I'm swimming in the lake near where we're camped, cleaning myself. Raul is sleeping not far from me. We take turns keeping watch to stay alert in case any monsters approach.
"Is tomorrow the last day?"
Once we finish this test, the third phase will be even more challenging. This time, we won't be wearing the Limiter artifact rings during the test, meaning participants could actually die during the trial.
Just last year, eleven participants failed to survive the test. However, the points gained if we pass the third phase are immense.
It's almost certain that those who fail to make it to the third test won't get into the Calvatra Knight Order or the Castille Magic Tower.
Considering everything I've been through to make it this far, I can't help but feel a bit skeptical about surviving the third phase.
"Well... It's better if I just focus on finishing tomorrow's test and make sure I'm the first to reach the finish line."
After soaking and cleaning my body, I put my academy uniform back on. Even though I didn't have soap or shampoo, it was still nice to clean up after so long.
On my way back to our resting spot, I saw Raul sleeping, leaning against a tree. His face is completely different from when he's awake.
It's time for the shift change. But I want to let him rest a little longer since he'll only get a short break before the last watch.
Looking at his body, I'm surprised. Raul has been hiding his muscles under a seemingly ordinary physique. He has very little body fat.
Watching his sleeping face, so innocent, no one would believe this guy fought hundreds of participants at once during the first trial.
"...!"
Suddenly, his eyes opened, startling me and making me lose my balance. Before I could fall on top of him, he grabbed my shoulders, keeping our faces from colliding.
We're so close. I can feel his breath tickling my neck and face.
If I remember correctly, we were in a similar position after we defeated two Cricket monsters the other day. Our bodies were pressed against each other, and I even dozed off on top of him after that exhilarating fight.
For some reason, thinking about that makes my body feel warm and comfortable.
I want to experience it again... That adrenaline-pumping battle with him...
Looking at his lips, I can't help but feel like my body would feel even better if my lips touched his.
"Valeria..."
He spoke my name in a raspy voice.
"Is it my turn to keep watch?"
His question snapped me out of my wild thoughts. I quickly moved away from him, turning my face in embarrassment.
"Y-yeah, I was going to wake you," I mumbled, trying to hide my embarrassment. "B-but you woke up suddenly and startled me, so I fell."
Ugh... What a lame excuse. How embarrassing.
"Is that so?" he muttered as he stood up.
He dusted off his clothes, which had a bit of sand on them.
"Alright, Valeria. You can rest now," he said casually.
"Why don't we just set up a barrier with my magic so we can both rest without having to keep watch?" I asked him.
"Well... There are a lot of dangerous little monsters around here that can burrow underground," Raul replied. "I don't want to take unnecessary risks on our last day."
Ugh... I forgot about that. I was bitten by a Pinktail scorpion on the first day, and it prevented me from using mana the next day.
"Good night, Valeria."
"Yeah... Good night, Raul."
---
[Raul's POV]
The next morning, Valeria and I left the Oasis. We began walking toward the Daeshil Mountains, about 30 kilometers from here.
"Hey Raul, where are we headed now?" Valeria asked curiously.
"We're heading for a labyrinth in the mountains," I replied. "We need to go through it if we want to reach the finish line on time."
This labyrinth was once a secret route used by the Kingdom of Kuwalid during wartime. They used it to surprise their enemies by suddenly emerging from the mountains.
After the Empire conquered the area, they discovered the labyrinth but abandoned it because it didn't have much strategic value compared to the cost of maintaining and stationing troops there.
Hearing my answer, Valeria touched her chin, as if deep in thought. "Hey Raul, how do you always know so much about the geography of every test location we've been to?" she asked.
Well... I'm one of the gods who created this world, but I can't exactly tell her I'm the game's Developer, right?
"You knew more about the terrain than the other participants even in the first trial," she added.
"Didn't the library mention where the survival test locations would be held?" I answered, trying to sound nonchalant.
"You're right, but the books don't give detailed information about the geography of the test sites," Valeria said, looking more suspicious. "So where did you really get this information?"
Ugh... Why is she so persistent about something so trivial?
Information about the test locations is only accessible to academy students and instructors so that no one from outside can exploit it. Only the instructors are allowed to know the exact details of the terrain.
Only Information Brokers can access this kind of data. But as the Developer of this game, I don't need to rely on them to know it.
"An Information Broker," I said naturally.
"I-is that so? You're using an organization that operates in the black market."
The black market is where illegal goods circulate. By law, anyone caught buying from the black market could be punished by the Empire. However, it's common knowledge that nobles often visit the black market.
After walking for several hours, we finally arrived at a corridor along a high cliff.
"We're here."
There are several entrances into the labyrinth within the mountains. If our journey through it goes smoothly, we should be out in about four hours.
"Let's go inside, Valeria."
---
[Third Person POV]
On the last day of the second trial, only about 70 participants remained, out of the original 140 when the test began. Most had fallen during battles with monsters in the urban area.
Some teams had already reached the labyrinth and were starting to enter.
In one section of the maze, a group of six was walking cautiously.
"It's really dark in here," said one man in the group.
With only three meters of effective visibility, they had to be careful with every step to avoid falling into any traps set in the labyrinth.
"Hey, Ronda, can't you use your light magic again?" the man asked one of their mages.
"Hey, I've already been using light magic nonstop for thirty minutes," Ronda replied. "If I keep it up, I'll suffer Mana Exhaustion."
The group had two mages, but only one could use light magic.
"Being a mage is harder than I thought," said the man, who was a Knight student.
Though mages have more mana than Knights, that doesn't mean they can use it recklessly.
"Of course. Do you think mages have unlimited—"
Ronda's voice cut off as her throat was suddenly slashed by something. She collapsed, clutching her neck as blood gushed out.
"M-monster! A monster attack!" one of them shouted.
A magic circle appeared, swallowing Ronda's body whole, marking her elimination from the trial.
"Where is it?! Damn, it's so dark!"
"Did it target Ronda first on purpose?!"
In this pitch darkness, mages who could cast fire or light spells were essential. The monster must have been stalking them and took out the person who could detect it first.
"Argh!"
Another scream echoed. One more participant fell, a deep slash across their abdomen.
"Show yourself, you bastard!" the man yelled.
Just as he shouted, he heard footsteps approaching. A humanoid monster with a rat-like face emerged, walking on two legs.
Its long, sharp claws glistened on both hands.
Scree!
"Attack it!"
The remaining four participants rushed at the creature, but the monster dodged their attacks with ease and began its counterattack.
One by one, they fell. They were no match for the monster in this dark labyrinth, where it held the upper hand.