"A-ah! M-my name's Ermenfleda Ercangaud! N-nice to meet you...!"
"Whoa... stars... so many stars..."
Fleda and Alruna slumped on the guild hall's steps, pale and drenched in sweat, their eyes glazed like overcooked eggs. Their souls might as well have been halfway to the afterlife. I half-expected spectral versions of them to start floating upward.
"Come on, you two."
I hauled them to a bench, letting them mutter incoherently about "floating equations" and "ethics questions" for a solid thirty minutes. When their pupils finally undilated, I tossed them each a handful of cranberries I bought from the market yesterday.
"Eat. They'll clear your heads."
Fleda popped one in her mouth. "Mmm—ACK! Sour! SOUR!"
"Bleh! Tastes like goblin sweat!" Alruna spat hers onto the cobblestones, her face contorting like a stomped gnome.
"Pfft! Look at you two!" I doubled over laughing.
No sooner had they chewed the cranberries than their faces twisted comically. Their tongues lolled out, and every muscle in their faces seemed exaggerated. The sight was priceless, lasting for about thirty seconds. Gradually, the familiar expressions of Fleda and Alruna returned.
"You knew they were unripe!" Fleda swatted my arm, her cheeks flushed.
"And miss this masterpiece?" I grinned. "Never."
Once the theatrics faded, Fleda eyed my relaxed posture. "How'd you do? You look like you napped through the exam."
"Oh, just a perfect score." I flicked my guild parchment at her. "Claudia's new favorite."
"PERFECT!?" Fleda gaped. "Well, it's not that surprising. My sister's a literal walking library."
"Walking...?" Alruna tilted her head.
"When we were kids," Fleda stage-whispered, "she'd vanish for days to read. Once, she holed up in a friend's library for three nights. We thought bandits kidnapped her."
"F-Fleda... you're exaggerating..."
"But it's true!" She turned to Alruna. "She memorizes everything. Laws, recipes, census data—ask her the average rainfall in southern Zea."
"Around 1,200 millimeters annually, but it varies by season." I muttered, cheeks burning.
Alruna's eyes sparkled. "Amazing..."
"Now it's your turn." I nudged Alruna. "Results?"
She shrugged slightly. "My performance wasn't as stellar as yours. I passed, but just barely. I was confident in most of my answers, but I suppose I slipped up more than I thought."
"And you, Fleda?"
"I had ten wrong answers and left five questions blank. At least I passed," Fleda replied, kicking a small pebble on the ground.
"Good enough!"
I ruffled Fleda's hair—soft, lavender-scented, just like when we were kids. It struck me that it had been a long time since I'd done this. Perhaps some of my old habits had faded as we'd grown older.
"Mmm...! Sis, stop that!" She swatted my hand, scarlet to her ears. "I'm not a child anymore!"
"Don't worry! In my eyes, you'll always be my tiny little sister," I teased, grinning widely.
"For real, stop teasing me, Sis!" she huffed, though a small smile tugged at the corners of her mouth.
I chuckled. Moments like these made me realize how blessed I was to have such an adorable sister. Her youthful indignation was endearing.
"Alright, alright. Back to the main topic," I said, regaining my composure. "Let's tackle the rest of the exam. Today."
"Today?!" they chorused.
"Rules say one test per day," Alruna said.
"Oh, come on," I sighed. "By coincidence, my test instructor was Claudia. Maybe we can persuade her to make an exception?"
Fleda choked. "C-Claudia!? That terrifying gorilla woman!?"
"She's... intense," I conceded. "But fair, I guess. She respects grit."
"Wow, I thought I was unlucky today getting a strict instructor, but it turns out there's a sky above the sky."
"What does that supposed to—nevermind. Don't sweat the small stuff. Let's just ask."
"...Are you sure about this...?" Fleda asked hesitantly.
Both of them exchanged glances, clearly perplexed. It was understandable; in their eyes, Claudia was someone incredibly intimidating, her commanding presence making it difficult for others to approach her comfortably. But to me, that wasn't the case. In fact, Claudia was supportive of my aspirations to become an adventurer—a thing I only knew after staying in her estate for one week.
"Trust me," I assured them. "She's not as unapproachable as you think."
Taking the lead, I started making my way back into the Guild building. The grand entrance loomed before us, bustling with activity. Adventurers of all ranks moved about, some discussing quests, others examining job postings on the message boards.
As we stepped inside, the familiar scent of parchment and polished wood greeted us. The distant hum of conversations filled the air.
"We should head to the reception desk first," I suggested.
The guild's reception desk loomed ahead, manned by a friendly-looking elf with bright green eyes. "Good afternoon! How may I assist you?" she asked with a warm smile.
"Hello," I began. "I was wondering if Claudia is available?"
The receptionist's eyes widened slightly. "Dame Claudia is currently resting in the first examination chamber. If you are an acquaintance of hers, I can send a notice for you."
"Thanks. Tell her Adele the bookworm is looking for her."
"Understood. Please wait here for a moment." She bowed her head before walking out of my sight.
Fleda gripped my sleeve. "This is suicide."
"Trust me."
Minutes later, Claudia emerged, her glare sharp enough to flay skin. "What are you planning now?"
"You hear what the receptionist said."
"Seriously?" Claudia loomed over me, her shadow swallowing the torchlight. "Three tests in one day?"
"Dead serious." I met her glare, spine rigid. "I won't wait another sunset to claim my rank."
She sighed, massaging her temple. "Guild rules dictate one trial per day. But..." Her gaze sharpened. "For you, I'll make an exception. Your friends, however—"
"We'll follow the rules!" Fleda blurted, dragging Alruna backward. "Sis can go first!"
"Fleda—"
"Just go!" Her smile wavered. "We'll catch up."
The hall emptied, leaving Claudia and me in suffocating silence.
"Follow me."
Claudia turned and walked toward the backdoor. Naturally, I followed. Her back looked enormous, hiding a lot of secrets from the past. As we walked, I asked several questions.
"Is it really that difficult to conduct all Nito's trials in one day?"
"There is a long tradition that the Nito is done over three days. I don't know exactly the reason, nor it's my duty to know. One thing is for sure, the Guild's higher-ups will make a fuss about it later."
"O-okay..."
"Don't worry. I'm confident they'll stop complaining once they find out you're a high elf who is also a once-in-a-century genius."
I froze for a second, wondering Claudia's identity. "Does that mean you have a high position in the Guild?"
"Hahaha!" Her laughter echoed through the stairwell. "Didn't Leofric tell you? Do you think an ordinary adventurer would become an instructor in the Nito?"
"...No. I though you were affiliated with the Guild, but as a regular veteran adventurer."
"All right then. This time, let me introduce myself properly. I am Claudia Augusta, one of the seven Dux-ranked adventurers in Ingvaeon. I currently serve as the Deputy Head of the Guild in Aureo."
Rank Dux...? Wait, wait. Guild adventurer rankings from the bottom are: Quartus, Tertius, Secundus, Primus, Dux, and lastly, Praetor.
"...So all this time I've been living in a mansion owned by one of the 28 Dux-ranked adventurers on the continent...?"
Knowing this made me tremble with excitement. Achieving Rank Dux is no easy feat. Individually, they are incredibly powerful and wise. Even a thousand ordinary soldiers would be no match against them.
"Hahaha! Now you know who I am, right?"
"...Yes, Dame Claudia."
"No need to call me that, just Claudia, like you usually do. I don't like formal titles."
Slowly, Claudia unlocked a large iron door. Up until now, I'd been wondering where we were headed. I had merely followed her down a seemingly endless set of stairs. We finally arrived at a vast chamber that looked like an arena, its walls scarred by centuries of combat.
"Choose your weapon." She gestured to an armory rack. Swords, maces, spears—all blunt-edged for training.
"Wait. What am I supposed to do here?"
"Simple. You'll duel with me."
"Duel with you—Pffft!" I choked on air. "No, no, no! I'm clearly no match for you!"
"If you were taking the test like everyone else, you'd perform several tests to demonstrate your combat power, guided by an instructor. But for you, I'm offering a shortcut."
"O—okay. What's the rules?"
"Just survive for three minutes. Don't die. Pass, and you skip to Mediocris rank."
"And if I land a hit on you?"
She laughed—a sound like grinding stone. "Dreamer."
I lifted a longsword from the armory, its weight unfamiliar compared to my trusty Audiganus. Meanwhile, Claudia chose a shortsword and twirled it lazily.
"Get ready."
As soon as Claudia said that, the air particles around her seemed to vibrate. I could feel a mysterious force emanating from her, making my entire body feel heavy.
I trembled, drenched in cold sweat. Even standing became difficult. She truly seemed intent on killing me.
"...Haha. I'm ready." I let out a small smile.
In my entire life, I had never faced anything this powerful. It made me scared, but also exhilarated. This wasn't the same emotion I felt sparring with Alruna.
Back then, I felt joy at finding a worthy opponent. But this time, my opponent could easily kill me. Perhaps it was best to think of what stood before me as a monster.
"Very well."
One heartbeat, she stood ten paces away. The next, her blade kissed my throat. I threw myself sideways, the sword screeching against my pauldron.
With just one slash, Claudia created a fierce gust of wind. And her strike was so fast, my eyes couldn't even follow it. But this was just the beginning. Claudia hadn't lost her momentum. After her initial slash, she leaped and attacked again.
Clang!
I managed to parry her strikes. But each blow felt like a stampede of muskoxen. My arms felt like they were about to snap. So, I immediately prioritized dodging whenever possible.
But it was to no avail. Five attacks later, my lungs burned. Claudia's relentless assault had reduced me to a panting mess. Blood trickled from a cut above my brow, blurring my vision. Still, I refused to buckle.
"If this is all it takes to break you," she jeered, twirling her blade lazily, "you'll crumple in half a minute."
"Shut it!" I spat, tasting iron. My grip tightened on the sword. Aggression was my only path now. Attack as defense.
I lunged, sword blazing. The longsword felt alien in my grip, its balance off compared to Audiganus, but I adapted.
Slash. Thrust. Parry. My blade clashed against hers in a frenzy, sparks flying like angry fireflies. Claudia's guard was impenetrable—a walking fortress. But I didn't care. I'd batter her down through sheer stubbornness.
"Persistent brat!" she barked, deflecting a strike that nearly nicked her shoulder.
"Haa!"
I screamed until my lungs run dry. But—
Crack!
My sword snapped against her vambrace. Momentum lost, I stumbled. Claudia's counter swung—a deathblow arcing toward my skull like a guillotine.
Think. THINK.
Instinct took over. My fingers traced a script mid-air—Ruptis erupit!
Boom!
The explosion detonated at my feet, hurling me backward. I skidded across the stone, ribs screeching, until my back slammed into the arena wall. The taste of dirt and copper flooded my mouth.
"Hoo." Claudia lowered her sword, impressed. "Using a repulsion spell to flee? Bold. Stupid, but bold."
She was right. My ears rang, vision swimming. Close combat was suicide. Time for a new tactic.
"Aquae, rursus crystallize coram me inimicum tuum!"
Ice shards—jagged, gleaming—erupted from the ground. They hurtled toward Claudia, exploding on impact into a billowing mist. Useless against a Dux-rank, but perfect cover.
Move. Now.
I darted left, silent as a shadow. The fog clung to my skin, damp and biting. Claudia's silhouette blurred ahead—a specter in the haze. Distance was my ally now. My fingers trembled as I traced another Script into the damp air. But then—
"Iam vox."
—Thunder cracked. Claudia's lightning spell tore through the haze, dispersing it in a shockwave. She stood unscathed, blade crackling with residual energy.
"Impressive for roadside bandits," she sneered. "But I'm no amateur. Show me your true self, Adele!"
"Gladly!"
I abandoned the training sword. Law was my strength. My mind raced through grimoires I'd devoured. Claudia advanced, her steps deliberate.
***
"Haah... Haah..."
Adele Ercangaud. Female. Thirty-eight years old. High elf. And in this singular, excruciating moment, I understood true exhaustion. Every breath seared my lungs. Every heartbeat thundered in my skull. Standing upright alone felt Herculean, my improvised ice sword a crutch against collapse.
The duel hadn't been a fight—it had been an avalanche. Three minutes stretched into eternity. Claudia's strikes had carved furrows into stone, her Scripts bending reality itself. Yet here I stood, somehow alive, my body a tapestry of cuts and bruises. Blood continuously trickled from a gash above my brow, blurring my vision. My left arm hung limp, dislocated during a desperate dodge.
Across the arena, Claudia remained upright, though not unscathed. My ice shards had grazed her torso, leaving frostbitten welts. A scar marred her forearm where my final ice Script had singed through. Her braid had unraveled, red hair wild as a storm.
"Phew!" She put down her sword, grinning through labored breaths. "A worthy three minutes. You alright, girl?"
Hey! Do you have eyes? Do I look alright to you?
...At least, that's what I wanted to scream, but my body wouldn't allow it. My ribs felt shattered. My mana veins pulsed like overstrung lute strings. But pride choked the complaints.
"Yes..." I croaked.
"Good. You pass. Barely."
Relief buckled my knees. The ice sword slipped from my grip as I crumpled.
"Rest," Claudia said, her voice uncharacterively soft. "You've earned it."
"Heh... Thanks..."
Darkness swallowed me before I hit the ground.
What happened afterward is a blur. From what Claudia told me later, I collapsed, unconscious, but with a wide smile on my face.
It seemed, despite my mind considering the duel as torture, my body found it an immensely satisfying experience.
***