Louis Mana Academy's entrance exam. A yearly event for students who had signed up to enter the academy.
Although it changes every year to keep it fair, there was a key theme about it every time.
The examinees were always given an option to work as a pair. Of course, this increased the difficulty, needing a double amount to pass, but the academy would reward extra points for good teamwork.
Now, the reason why they do this? Is it due to the constant ongoing war happening worldwide and the academy wanting to have their students develop their ability to act as a team early on?
It could be. But it was mainly so the developers of the game could allow its players to progress further in their system as the heroine.
Lillian shrugged, 'But since I don't need to do that, I could just go solo. Not like I don't know most of the monster's attack pattern anyway.'
She had played through this event so many times that getting a grade A was the bare minimum. Rarely B's, but that was due to her picking duos and running out of time.
'Of course... since, as the heroine, you get some pretty good buffs that already outrank you slightly higher than the average person.' She snuck a glance at Millis, staring at the Headmaster, explaining what was going to be in the exam.
Obviously, Lillian is blocking it out - already knowing what's going to be on it.
'And currently, this body's control over water is... very shit!'
Scanning over her memories, she realised that the previous Lillian could barely even slay an E-rank monster without getting herself injured in the process. In other words, unless she figures out a way to increase her control over it in the short amount of time that she has, she's screwed! Especially when the monster in this exam is at bare-minimum D-rank.
'Heh! But that's where you come in, my darling little system!' She gave a low chuckle and summoned her system before widening her eyes at the current sum of points she had gained. (3)
'117!? It has only been what? An hour? To think it would grow to such a huge number.'
Finishing ogling at her points, she began to look through the system shop, checking out each and every individual product that could give her even an edge.
Unfortunately, she couldn't acquire any of the "special-looking" items because, for one, suddenly pulling them out in a massive crowd is definitely going to cause misunderstanding, and two, any items that the academy didn't provide during the exams were taken away.
So then, how would Lillian be able to magically increase her control if she isn't able to use some enchanted ring that enhances her ability? Well...
Lillian gazed at an inconspicuous blue pill filled with liquid that swirled like a whirlpool. 'With the power of drugs, baby!'
The "medicinal" drug she is currently looking at is an "Affinity Enhancement Pill". Well, it's the inferior one since she is currently too poor to afford a more effective and higher-quality one.
It is a unique item only found inside the system shop and rarely ever found in the actual world. And since Millis is also a holder of a system, she is also given the luxury of snacking on these whenever she can afford it.
'I knew I could find you in here! Eh...?'
"A hundred...?"
"Hm? Did you say something, Lillian?"
"H-huh? Oh no!" Lillian nervously laughed off Millis's question, who just tilted her head at her before turning back to the Headmaster, whose voice still boomed out from the speakerboxes.
Lillian also turned back to what she was originally looking at and couldn't help but have the urge to pull her hair out. These pills were 100 points each.
Double their original price!
Lillian just sighed in defeat. She knew it was just too good. Unlike Millis, she didn't have to work as hard to accumulate a massive amount of points she could spend "Willy-Nilly", but it seems that because of that, whatever is in the shop is exactly double what is in Millis's.
With a heavy but resolute heart, she tapped at the screen and purchased the item.
She watched as her points dwindled from its magnificent 117 all the way down to 17... she could feel herself cry inside. The feeling of being poor returned to her soul before letting out a deep sigh and waiting for the hole to appear on the screen so she could retrieve her item.
After seeing the familiar pitch-black hole that widened on the screen, she now had to figure out a way to bring it out without causing too much attention.
'Whew, I got it!'
Of course, why complicate things when nobody is even looking at you?
She gazed at the magical pill before popping it into her mouth and feeling it burst open moments later, flooding her mouth with mystical energy, which she could assume to be mana.
From her mouth, down her throat, and eventually throughout her body before slowly gathering inside her mana core - situated near her heart.
Despite it being of the lowest quality, it gave her a feeling akin to what could be felt as... confidence?
'Is it confidence, or am I just feeling something else?' She couldn't dwell much on it, for the headmaster seemed to have finished explaining the exam.
Meaning...
"Hey, Lillian! Ya wanna team up for the exam?"
Millis's attention was now all focused on her.
Millis wrapped her arm around Lillian's shoulder, smirking at her with an expectant look, "So? Ya wanna? Or are ya going to ask for black hair over there to pair up?" She pouted a bit at the end.
"Hm..." Lillian thought for a bit before answering with, "How about..."