Chapter 47 - Entrance Exam (8)

"I don't understand why."

"..."

Sion's master stood quietly with his back to her, admiring the city view outside the window.

"Sion, you possess the greatest talent among all the children I've seen."

"Then why...!"

"But you're only half complete."

"Then all the more reason I shouldn't go to Eternia. I still have a mountain of things I need to learn from you, Master. I can't waste time at a place like Eternia."

Sion considered attending Eternia meaningless. Having the Sword Master as the best possible teacher by her side and spending four years at Eternia seemed like a complete waste of time.

However, Sion's master had a different opinion.

"No, that's precisely why you must go to Eternia."

"There you go with that again."

"That other half isn't something I can fill for you."

"I have no idea what this other half is. You're uncharacteristically vague about this issue. But it doesn't matter. You remember our bet, don't you? If I defeat all the candidates, you'll allow me to decline admission to Eternia."

"Of course."

"Now that I've defeated even Gale Varianne, there's no one left who can match me. As promised, once I finish the entrance exam, I'll decline admission to Eternia."

He swirled the wine glass in his hand leisurely and said, "Haven't I always emphasized ‘It's not over until it's over’?"

It was strange. Even as she defeated not just candidates but even senior students, he didn't seem to think he would lose the bet.

"Master, do you think someone capable of defeating me will suddenly fall from the sky?"

He laughed heartily. He looked like a seasoned gambler.

"Hahaha! That's entirely possible!"

It was absurd. If it had been anyone but Master, she would have accused them of being unreasonable.

Instead, he looked at Sion with pity.

"I've taken you around the entire continent, yet you're still inside a well."

***

Inside a well.

Sion kept mulling over those words as she climbed Mount Grace.

She knew well that her skills didn't come close to her master's toe and that she still had a long way to go before reaching the highest realm of swordsmanship.

She could accept being inside a well.

However, to Sion, Eternia felt like just another well.

She couldn't understand what expectations her master had for Eternia.

It was Master who taught her to push through to the end when she believed she was right, regardless of what others said. Following that teaching, Sion was simply persisting with her opinion quietly.

She didn't want to leave any blemishes. So Sion found a path no one had taken, breaking through Mount Grace alone without anyone's help.

Thus, Sion reached checkpoint 2 faster than anyone else.

Following the route shown on the map from here, it wouldn't even take half a day to reach the summit.

Looking at the empty checkpoint, what she felt wasn't achievement or conquest. It was doubt.

She wasn't sure what she was doing, or what meaning it held.

Perhaps part of her had hoped for an unexpected turn in the bet with her master.

But the exam had proceeded exactly as expected and was completely in Sion's favor.

Unless she deliberately slowed down, there would be no surprises.

She had no intention of waiting kindly to meet challengers. There was no meaning in surprises gained through half-hearted efforts.

Sion moved straight toward the A route entrance without any delay.

***

Lilith knew well how to maintain the upper hand in relationships.

The key was to want nothing from the other person. If one followed this rule, they’d never lose to another person. Once one understood the other person’s desires, the relationship's hierarchy became perfectly clear.

This rule applied to all relationships, not just romantic ones.

The reason so many noble young men clung to Lilith was because they wanted something from her.

They desired her beauty, and thanks to the overflow of attention, she never needed to fixate on any single man. Once she perfectly understood what the other party wanted, Lilith dominated the relationship.

However, knowing this principle didn't mean it worked in every situation.

Lilith was completely losing to the masked man.

She depended on him for almost everything.

Lilith wanted many things, but he wanted absolutely nothing.

The man led the way, casually dismantling any Planteras that appeared.

She had nothing to do.

Though he had retrieved her Century-Old Wood Wand for her, ironically, he was also the one who had made it useless.

Considering his contributions so far, he could have demanded a hefty reward from Lilith. She was willing to compensate him generously.

But he demanded nothing.

"Kyaa!"

Lilith tripped over a tree root.

The man glanced back, grabbed her wrist, and helped her up.

He quietly dusted off her clothes and continued forward.

"..."

It irritated her how he occasionally took care of her like an older brother with his little sister, seeming indifferent yet attentive.

Ha! So you do care about me after all. You jerk, but you say we're not companions? We are companions... we are!

"Hey!"

The words rose to her throat, but she held them back.

"Let's go toge..."

Leaving the cave early in the morning, they reached checkpoint 2 before noon.

Unlike checkpoint 1, there was only a lonely old two-story log cabin.

Looking around the checkpoint, Lilith said, "No one's here? Are we the first ones?"

To be ahead of even Gale, Luna, and Cecil. It was unimaginable when she first started the entrance exam. 

She finally confirmed that following the masked man had been the right choice.

From here, taking routes A or B, they could finish the test before sunset or at least be safely within passing range.

Of course, it was impossible for Lilith to follow routes A or B.

As one got closer to Mount Grace's summit, the mana emanating from the ground grew stronger. This enhanced the Planteras' combat abilities significantly.

On those routes, their aggression peaked, with Planteras attacking relentlessly from all directions.

Upon reaching the checkpoint, only one question filled Lilith's mind.

Will this man take routes A or B?

The man opened the cabin door wide and quietly stared at the floor. Sensing something strange, Lilith approached the cabin.

"What is it? What's wrong?"

Following his gaze, she also looked down.

There were muddy footprints. The moisture hadn't dried yet.

Judging by the foot size and shoe shape, they were clearly a woman's.

"We weren't the first after all..."

Someone came to Lilith's mind. He seemed to be thinking the same thing.

Only one person could have gotten ahead of everyone else.

"It must be... Sion?"

The man didn't enter the cabin but stood still, then took out a potion from his bag.

Lilith didn't know exactly what it was.

She only remembered that whenever signs of battle appeared, he would drink it in small sips. And afterward, his eyes would glow faintly.

He slightly lifted his mask to put the potion bottle to his lips.

One sip, two sips, three sips.

Lilith's pupils gradually dilated.

He emptied the entire potion.

This was the first time she'd seen this since traveling with him.

It meant he was preparing for a major battle.

So you're leaving after all.

Is it time for us to part ways?

Though she had somewhat expected this, when the moment actually came, her heart strangely sank.

If Lilith continued following him beyond this point, she would undoubtedly become a burden.

She finally understood.

Lilith could never be his companion.

His attitude made some sense now. At the most crucial moment, Lilith would be of no help.

Thinking about him leaving without any farewell made her stomach churn and drained her energy.

"...I'm tired. I'll rest in the cabin."

Lilith entered the cabin first. She grabbed some firewood piled against the wall and threw it into the fireplace, lighting it. Then, she laid down on a long wooden bench.

She was certain that when she opened her eyes after closing them here, the man would be gone.

She shouldn't feel regret. This was always meant to be a temporary relationship.

***

The dirt paths around the cabin were all muddy from the previous night's rain that hadn't fully dried.

I found a footprint there.

Following it quietly, it led to Route A.

Since starting the entrance exam, there had been no news of Sion.

I had wondered where she'd disappeared to, never expecting to encounter her traces like this.

Judging by the single set of footprints, it seemed she had come without companions.

Her reputation for being skilled was undoubtedly true.

It was time for me to give it my all as well.

However, I couldn't be certain if I'd have enough stamina left before the final gate.

I returned to the cabin.

I threw firewood into the dying fireplace and checked on Lilith.

She was curled up, sleeping on the bench. Looking at her like this, she was just a small, young girl.

I approached Lilith. Then I opened her tightly closed fingers and placed three candies in her hand.

Though she hadn't been particularly helpful, her company had kept things from being boring.

She'd made it this far, so she should be able to manage the rest on her own.

Leaving the cabin again, I opened the map. Since she was a rival personally chosen by Silveryn, I couldn't just follow behind.

I confirmed the direction to Route B and started walking. Just as I was about to enter Route B's entrance after leaving the checkpoint, someone shouted from behind.

"Wait!"

When I turned around, there stood Lilith, having followed me at some point.

She approached me with angry eyes, taking large strides.

"I knew it."

"..."

"Trying to sneak away while I was sleeping? How could you do that?"

Lilith came up to me and grabbed my wrist.

Then she placed a potion in my hand.

"This is the House Yumer special vitality potion I was saving as a last resort. Drink it when you're exhausted. I don't need it anymore."

"..."

Did she follow me just to give me this?

I put the potion inside my chest.

But for someone giving a friendly gift, Lilith's glare was unsettling.

Those eyes were filled with anger and resentment.

She seemed to be waiting for some words, but I had no intention of obliging.

I silently turned around and continued on my way, my back to her.

Thanks to the Griffin Potion's effects sharpening my senses, I could overhear Lilith's muttering.

"...Bastard."

***

A massive explosion echoed along the mountain range.

"Oh my!"

Trisha jumped in surprise and hid behind Cecil.

Cecil looked up toward the source of the sound. It came from somewhere near the top of Mount Grace.

Except for Trisha, all of her other companions seemed to sense something wasn't right as they looked up at the mountain's upper section.

Cecil took out her telescope and focused on the upper part of Mount Grace. Blue light flickered several times through the trees.

She quickly took out her map and compared it with the location of the light.

"It seems to be... Route A."

Cecil's companion and cousin Bertrand spoke as if dazed.

"Impossible. This quickly?"

"It must be. At this speed, it can't be anyone but Sion."

"Haa, haha, she's really fierce as rumored."

BOOM

Another explosion rang out.

"Huh? The explosion's coming from somewhere else?"

"Look, look there!"

A companion pointed to another location.

Not far from where the blue light had appeared, white light burst forth occasionally like lightning.

Cecil checked the map and said, "What? That's toward Route B. There's someone else?"

"What? Is there someone else who can go that fast besides Sion?"

The white light was charging up toward the summit at a fierce pace.

Going up Route B at that speed? Judging by the intensely bursting lights and explosion sounds, this was certainly no ordinary person.

The momentum suggested they might even arrive before Sion.

Bertrand muttered while blankly watching the scene, "What's happening up there?"