Our heroes continue walking through the forest, visibly exhausted. Geal has a bandage on her injured leg, and Mathias wears one on his shoulder. It has been about 23 hours since the trial began, and it is nearing its end, yet they still haven't secured a single badge.
"The trial is almost over, and we don't have anything yet. Fighting that robot distracted us. What are we going to do?" Uruta says, his gaze downcast as he lies atop Geal's head, still recovering from his own attack.
"We just have to keep searching. We'll find someone and steal their badges!" Geal responds, trying to lift their spirits.
"Well, hearing you talk about playing dirty is definitely out of character," Uruta remarks sarcastically.
"But there's less than an hour left in the trial. How are we going to find anyone?" Mathias inquires.
"Don't worry, I've got an idea..."
Deeper in the winding forest, two men are locked in combat, clashing weapons. Both have brown-colored Crystals, and their faces are twisted in rage as they fight to the death.
"Give me your badges, or I'll cut off your hand!" one of them shouts.
"In your dreams, bastard! I'll be the Chosen One. You can try again in your next life!" the other retorts.
"Jason, now!"
A third figure emerges from the bushes and stabs the man holding the badges in the back. The wound is conspicuous but not fatal. The victim collapses face-first into a red pool of his own blood.
The perpetrators strip the unconscious man of his badges, mocking him.
"With these, we'll pass. All we had to do was steal them—so easy!" one of them says, admiring the shiny badge in his hand.
"He brought it on himself. If he'd just handed them over, this wouldn't have happened."
"Help..."
A pained cry rings out nearby, catching the participants' attention. Both men head toward the source of the sound to investigate.
"What was that?" they both wonder.
As they approach, they see Geal sitting against a tree trunk, clutching her injured leg (the one hurt by the robot), with a tear in her eye. She's deliberately drawing their attention.
"A girl?"
"Hey, you two, please help me!" Geal pleads, feigning weakness and crying. "My leg is injured, I can't walk. Help me out of the forest... I want to go home."
"Wait, how do we know this isn't a trap? What if you're trying to steal our badges?" one of the ruffians asks, growing suspicious.
"I-I won't! My leg is bleeding so much. If I keep going like this, I could..."
She trails off, letting the ruffians draw their own conclusions. The two brutes exchange glances, debating whether to help her.
"What if we help her? It wouldn't hurt us," one whispers.
"Idiot! Look closely—no one can be trusted in this trial."
Reluctantly, the bigger of the two kneels down to examine Geal's leg.
"Let me take a look..."
As soon as he leans in, Geal jabs her fingers into his eyes. The fool stumbles back, screaming in pain and clutching his face, while the girl bursts out laughing—they fell for her trap.
"Ghaaa—! You wretched...!" the ruffian groans.
"Hey, are you okay...?" the other asks.
Before he can react, Mathias appears behind him and knocks him out with two swift chops to the neck. Bredgy and Uruta emerge from the bushes where they were hiding.
"We've got them!" Mathias exclaims triumphantly.
"It worked! The badges are ours!" Geal wants to jump for joy, but her injured leg won't let her.
Rummaging through the brutes' belongings, Mathias searches for the prized badges.
"Alright, let's see..."
In the pocket of one of their vests, Mathias finds the badges and takes them out. Unfortunately, there are only two. The group feels a pang of disappointment.
"There are only two," Mathias confirms, slightly crestfallen. "Only two of us can pass. What do we do?"
The group exchanges glances, pondering their next move.
"What a mess! But there's no way I'm letting Geal go without a badge, just so you know," Uruta adds.
"Yeah, I'm not planning to fail either... I guess we'll have to think of something," Bredgy says coolly. She knows she can't afford to stay behind Geal, or her plans will fall apart.
It doesn't take long for a resolution to surface. Mathias swallows his pride and speaks maturely, making a decision.
"Alright... in that case, I'll be the one to go without a badge."
Though Mathias speaks with conviction, Geal isn't entirely satisfied with this solution.
"Are you sure? But... you'll fail the trial again," our heroine says, worried. "You'll have to wait another year to take the trial again. I should be the one to fail. After all, I couldn't do anything but get injured..."
"It's fine, Geal. You have to pass," Mathias responds, extending the badge to her with a sweet smile. "You came up with the plan to steal the badges, after all. You deserve to have one."
Hesitant, Geal considers for a moment.
"Y-You mean it? B-But... you're just one badge away from challenging the Chosen One. What about your dream?" she murmurs.
"It's okay," Mathias says, his expression reassuring. "I don't mind waiting another year to try again. We're rivals, aren't we? It wouldn't be a fair competition if I had all the advantage. I promise I'll catch up to you somehow!"
Geal smiles, knowing she can trust his words. She accepts the badge from her friend's hand, settling the matter. And so, the group decides. Mathias voluntarily forfeits his chance at a badge.
Without wasting any more time, they head toward the end of the trial.
*
An hour later, back at the forest entrance, our heroes are gathered with several other aspirants before Callum. The trial is over; all those who emerged from the forest with a badge are now winners.
"Congratulations to everyone who passed the trial! You are now one step closer to becoming the Chosen One," Callum announces, celebrating. "One thing this trial should have made clear: the strongest doesn't always win, but the most cunning does. A good Chosen One must not only be skilled in combat but also possess a sharp intellect and the ability to adapt to any situation. It's essential to know which battles are worth fighting and which are not, when to be patient, and when to act. Knowing your flaws as well as your strengths: Wisdom! That's the key!"
The participants feel satisfied and inspired by Callum's speech, as their expressions reveal.
"With that, I declare the Trial of Wisdom concluded. Best of luck to those who still have to face the other Chosen One's Trials. For those who didn't pass today, you can try again next year. Until then!" Callum concludes before disappearing in a burst of white light.
Amid the celebration for some and the disappointment for others, the participants leave for their respective destinations. Meanwhile, our group of heroes is in high spirits. Geal examines her badge like a new toy.
It has a curious design: made of gold, it features an intricate decoration at the center depicting the Two-Toned Crystal of the Chosen One, adorned with finely polished jewels.
"This badge is so beautiful!" Geal exclaims, her cheeks blushing. She looks at Mathias with a smile. "Thank you for everything, Mathias! Without you and Uruta, I wouldn't have passed this trial."
"It was nothing; it's what the next Chosen One should do," Mathias says, scratching the back of his neck. Geal has a sense of déjà vu.
"You'd better not lose it. I don't want to go through that nightmare again; my feathers are filthy," Uruta adds, trying to clean himself.
"So, where do we go now?" Bredgy interjects.
Mathias thinks for a moment, then raises a finger as an idea strikes him.
"All this chaos with robots, trials, and fights has me exhausted. I know a very comfortable inn here in Paintbrush. How about we go there to recharge?" Mathias suggests. "I'll tell you everything you need to know about the next trial while we're there."
Both girls agree to the invitation.
*
Night falls, and Geal, Bredgy, Uruta, and Mathias are in a room at the inn. The space is entirely wooden, illuminated by a fireplace. The warmth of the fire and the room's earthy tones give it a cozy ambiance. They wear light clothing and have bandages on their bodies. Geal and Bredgy are lying on their respective beds, while Mathias sits on the floor next to the fire.
Geal is lying on her back on her mattress, which is soft and sinks easily under her weight. She looks relaxed.
"Ahhh... It feels so good to bathe after all that chaos!" she says, rubbing her back against the sheets.
"You hadn't bathed in a week, gross. Your hair was starting to smell bad," Uruta complains.
"For an old place, the bathtub is surprisingly comfortable. It's been a while since I felt this relaxed," Bredgy says.
"I've been coming to this inn since I arrived in Paintbrush. It's cozy, isn't it? It reminds me of my room back in Canvas," Mathias comments.
"Well, well! Tell us! What's the next trial about?" Geal asks, turning onto her stomach to face Mathias. She rests her chin on her fists, her legs swinging.
"Well..."
Mathias pulls the badge for the second trial out of one of his pockets. It's square with rectangular patterns and very eye-catching. The girls prepare for the explanation.
"The next trial is in Sketch City, east of here: the Trial of Perseverance. Unlike the trial we had this afternoon, this one you'll have to face alone, without help," Mathias reveals. "I remember almost fainting when I took it. It's not the kind of challenge to be underestimated."
"Trial of Perseverance? What a name," Bredgy remarks.
"I'd love to go right away, but..." Geal shifts and looks at her leg, her spirits dampening as she remembers her injury. "It'll take a long time for my leg to heal—probably months. I don't think I can take this year's trial."
"Don't worry, I know someone who can help. Someone with a special Crystal," Mathias reassures.
"Someone with a special Crystal?" our heroine asks, her hope reignited.
"Yes, an excellent doctor. We'll visit him first thing tomorrow," Mathias concludes.
"Thank you, Mathias. I don't know how to repay you for everything you've done for me," Geal says, relieved.
"Don't worry, you won't owe me anything..." Mathias says with a teasing tone. "It's obvious I'll become the Chosen One before you. When I do, I'll tell everyone that you don't like bathing—that'll pay off the favor, ha ha ha."
Uruta holds back laughter, and Geal frowns for a second but soon raises an eyebrow and smirks. She lets out a mocking chuckle.
"Oh, really?"
Geal stretches out her uninjured leg, pointing her toes toward Mathias. She wiggles them in front of him. The boy immediately stiffens.
"When we were kids, you used to stare at my feet every time I took off my boots. You think I didn't notice when we played by the river? You still like them, don't you?" Geal says, laughing softly.
Recalling this, Mathias turns bright red.
"H-Hey, don't say that out loud! I-I'm not a kid anymore; I stopped liking them ages ago! Y-you're so annoying, you know?" the boy stammers, sweating nervously.
Our heroine laughs while Mathias fidgets in embarrassment.
"I remember that. When you two lived in the village, you played all sorts of weird games. You were always so close," Uruta adds.
"Remind me not to take off my shoes around him," Bredgy jokes.
The exchange of embarrassing memories continues.
"W-Well, when I become the Chosen One, I'll tell everyone about the time you fell into a mud puddle on your birthday!" Mathias retorts.
"When I become the Chosen One, I'll tell everyone how you cried because a caterpillar crawled onto your pants!" Geal counters.
"Well, I'll tell them how you wet yourself because you climbed a tree and were too scared to come down...!" Mathias blurts out.
"H-Hey... not that one!" Geal protests, red as a tomato.
After laughing and teasing each other for a while, the atmosphere grows more harmonious. Geal, in particular, adopts a softer expression.
"I'm glad to see you're still the same boy you've always been. I was worried you'd changed after leaving the village and forgotten about our promise," she says, smiling with flushed cheeks. "Let's keep working hard until one of us becomes the Chosen One, Mathias!"
The boy blushes but this time with a softer, more content expression.
"Of course, Geal."
Quietly, Bredgy observes the pair. Seeing such a genuine friendship unfold gives her a new perspective—one she might not have expected to encounter.
*
The scene shifts abruptly to the dark chamber where Dubh sits on his throne. He watches the events inside the inn through a monitor, courtesy of one of those tiny cameras trailing Bredgy and her companions. His technology is not to be underestimated.
The screen focuses on Bredgy's face, showing her cheerful expression.
"Bredgy has been playing her role very well; she's gradually earning Geal's trust. The plan is progressing perfectly," the man thinks.
Then, he grips the armrest of his chair, his fingers digging into it as if trying to tear it apart. His brow furrows.
"But there's still something that bothers me..."
The spy camera shifts its focus to Uruta, who is laughing along with the others.
"That bird managed to destroy one of my robots. What species is it? I can't stop thinking about it..."
Dubh smiles wickedly.
"I'll send someone to deal with this. A new plan comes to mind."