'Is she really going to start a fight?' It could not be helped that she would be annoyed at the fact that Fahna lured the minotaur toward them, but Xian did not want to waste time.
'That's a main heroine, Carmillia… You'd be swarmed with death flags later if you offend her now!' As much as he did not want to admit it, main heroines in the game were favored by both the system and its people.
With Carmillia's background and role as a villainess, she was bound to attract dangerous gazes at all times. While Serika and Lucinelle would be by her side, she would not be able to avoid traps laid from places they could not see.
From his memories, while the two swordmaidens could overpower their peers and match some seniors in the academy, they were not competent when it came to intrigue. Especially against manipulative heroines, of which Fahna was a prime example.
With her lineage and identity as the Sword Saint's daughter, there was no doubt nobles opposed to the duke would rally behind her if she stood against Carmillia.
As he was currently Carmillia's butler, he would obviously support her, but if that happened, he would be too occupied and hard-pressed to interact with other heroines. Not to mention, his relationship with Fahna might become irreversible before it even started.
Xian quickly made his way toward Carmillia and discreetly whispered, "We're running out of time, young miss." He gestured toward the minotaur slowly regenerating its arm. "Let's kill the monster first and proceed."
Carmillia frowned upon hearing those words. Since earlier, this butler had been leading her by giving hints to the grid maze, which had actually worked and even saved her from another hidden assailant.
"Young miss."
"I know, so shut up."
Finally, she waved her arm as multiple vines tried to catch Fahna, who had to dash away several times.
"Wait, stop!" As she moved further away from the exit, she realized it a step too late.
A wall of vines finally took root between them and the passage, thick and tall enough to cover the whole room. Carmillia sent her one last sneer, and that was the last Fahna saw of her.
Fahna could only stare back with a stunned expression.
"… I'll remember this," she muttered, her smile and clear gaze replaced by a glare. Realizing that a perfect score was now out of the picture, she sighed in defeat.
"Hah, what now? It'll take some time to cut through all these vines… So annoying." Fahna stared across the wall of vines stretching towards both ends of the room complaining. The vines looked especially dark and thorny without a semblance of life at all giving her a sinister impression.
'But how could that be if its vines and a product of magic? Aren't vines related to plants? So it needs life like energy to grow right?'
She was wondering if the other girl was a witch when suddenly, she heard another footsteps in the room.
She looked behind her raising her guard, and a blurred space slowly revealed a figure.
As someone from a clan who kept to themselves, Fahna had investigated potential opponents and rivals in the academy through her own efforts. However, she made the fatal mistake of only looking into those with surface-level reputations. No simple information sellers would dare to sell information about the infamous dukedom and its sole heiress, after all.
However, even among her clan members, the face who had just arrived was someone she easily recognized.
An already famous figure, said to usher in another coming of an archmage.
The individual held out her hand, grasping an ornate branch staff with a blue stone attached at its tip. Then she slowly let go, and it levitated on its own, pointing toward the wall of vines.
Her eyes gleamed blue, a sign that magic was being performed through her 'Mind's Voice'. Feeling the pressure, Fahna quickly moved out of the way.
They had not even spoken to one another, but Gumin, who found an obstacle in front of her, was already taking measures to remove the vines in her path as if it were a natural thing to do.
She had already been present and watching when Xian clashed with the minotaur, but could not be bothered to move and had fallen asleep. But when she felt a surge of magic and saw the walls of vines emitting a thick miasma of darkness, she was roused awake.
'I've never seen such vines and dark elements before…' Dark-attributed magic was, needless to say, frowned upon from where she came. Carmillia's magic was a breath of fresh air to her curiosity.
'I want to know.' Those were her thoughts as her other mind worked on casting a spell to cut through the vines.
'Oh flame, my herald…' A magic circle of three layers appeared, facing the wall of vines, emitting heat and an orange hue. Then a small fourth layer tinged in red appeared.
'… Burn me a path of ashes.'
A cascading wave of fire surged forth, blasting away the vines and boring a hole through them. It lasted for a few seconds before finally dying down.
"Whoa… That's definitely overkill." Fahna marveled at the destruction it brought, flames spreading across the vines, burning all traces as if they had never been there.
While the mage took almost twelve seconds to cast and release the spell, the power it exhibited was truly extraordinary. The fourth circle indicated that Gumin was already as capable as the weakest mage graduate.
Gumin immediately held onto her staff with somewhat bated breath. Her excitement caused her to exert herself and add an additional layer to her spell.
She looked through the wall of vines, now punctured by her flames, wide enough for a person to pass through without issue, but she did not find the pair of entrants.
She felt slightly disappointed, but she hoped the other mage felt her magic. That had been her purpose from the start. Since she had used quite a strong spell, Gumin wanted to quickly finish the exam and sleep.
A smiling orange-haired girl landed before Gumin and waved at her.
"Um, hello? Thanks? Do you want to team up? Be friends?" Fahna spoke consecutively as she caught up with her, but Gumin only nodded at her and then walked onward, unbothered.
…
Earlier, Carmillia and Xian had felt pressure from the other side of the vines. Xian sprang into action and walked toward the mimic minotaur, slashing its throat. The mimic turned into wisps of blue flame and a core, shackles and protection suddenly enveloping it.
Then he felt energy seeping into his body, although it paled in comparison to when he had killed the coachman.
He didn't try to take the core, still brimming with what he recognized as a lump of 'exp, since it was the academy's property with obvious security measures wrapping it.
'Where's the exp bar?' Xian wondered, but right now he had other concerns, which is Carmillia.
Luckily, she didn't even react, but is instead focused on the other side where the pressure came from. She had a complicated expression and narrowed eyes glaring over there.
"We need to go, young miss." In a hurry, Xian directly asked Carmillia.
"Go on. You want the first spot right?" She had noticed long ago that her butler is somewhat restless and hurried in his actions. Carmillia realized a few things why this butler stuck to her.
Xian didn't bother to hide it, since he's in a hurry, wanting to avoid conflict with Gumin and Fahna chasing both of them.
"Yes." He admitted. "But please, follow suit. Your safety is also my concern."
"Your concern, you say… hmph." She smiled with a huff, casting a faint sneer at Xian, who continued to assert his claim. From the looks of it, this butler of hers is finally showing his own motives and it concerned the academy. Staying close to her may well have been nothing more than a convenient excuse.
'To get support from father and establish himself? To meet someone? To infiltrate? There's plenty of possibilities.' Carmillia mused, watching Xian's back. He could be one from those families her father had pruned for all she knew.
Soon, they left the room, leaving only the mimic's core on the floor. Slowly, it reshaped itself, molding into a form far removed from the towering minotaur.
A smaller humanoid silhouette emerged, dressed in a butler's suit and holding a longsword. Wisps of blue embers trailed from the edges of its attire as the two entrants faced their new foe.
Gumin regarded the mimic without concern, but Fahna clicked her tongue in irritation, vexed to be dealing with the creature once again.
"Tsk. Careful, this one copied someone comprably fast," she muttered, hoping her new companion wouldn't cross her like the previous two.
The mimic tilted its head in an almost curious gesture. Then, an uncharacteristic smile curved across its face, its eyes arching like crescent moons.
…
In the third stage of the entrance examination, Carmillia and Xian stood together before an imposing sight, five monumental doors, each several meters high. Their intricate carvings and unique designs seemed to breathe with life, and each door radiated an aura of differing nature.
Xian's eyes were first drawn to the picturesque scenery of jagged peaks hidden by misty clouds. He knew that was where he wanted to be for the best result and benefits possible.
The second door shimmered with the surge of falling water, leading into a colossal waterfall with protruding platforms along its path.
The third was densely filled with forest, with a single towering tree at its center, its branches sprawling to encompass the entire landscape.
The fourth radiated light, depicting an empty and merciless desert, its dunes warping the horizon under intense heat, making the landscape seem to ripple and shift.
The final door was pitch black, radiating cold, filled with gleaming pairs of eyes that seemed to stare back at its onlookers. These five doors were among the most fantastical sights Xian had ever witnessed, apart from the academy itself.
"Welcome, entrants!" Boomed a voice, drawing their attention. A slightly plump and benevolent looking old man with graying hair stepped forward to greet them. He wore a modest coat and a neatly folded cravat that nestled at his collar.
"You two are the first to reach this stage," He said kindly as he fiddled with his monocle. Then he chuckled softly. "But placements means nothing if you fail, hoho."
He gestured toward the five doors with pride, like a wealthy man showing his treasury.
"Allow me to explain. Before you, stands five doors representing the academy's accomplishment and power. Five 'environment's' taken from 'lairs' that historically altered the landscape in some parts of the world as we know it. Of course, this is but a fragment of the original pieces, but a still significant nonetheless."
He paused waiting for the entrant's reaction. Seeing that they remained silent without so much as a twitch, he continued.
"Ahem. Just like the two previous stages, your last mission is to find your way through these environment. But, instead, you will be looking for a professor to let you exit and finally pass the entrance exam."
"But, in order to do that, you have to prove yourself. Convince the professors of your worthiness, be it through combat, strategy, wit or even… sweet words."
A faintly mischievous smile crossed the old man's face, but it faded just as quickly.
"So, go forth and choose what's best and to your liking. Make sure to choose a door that resonates with you."
Silence once again lingered in the room. The professor had unluckily encountered two reticent entrants at the same time.
Xian was familiar with this part of the exam. The first two stages were always themed and connected, while the final stage involved the professors. Most of the time, it was a straightforward demonstration of power, though occasionally it incorporated elements from the first two stages.
"Any rules we need to abide to?" Carmillia finally broke the silence and asked a question.
"The same rules as the first stage, my dear." The professor answered kindly.
Xian already knew which door he would choose, but his eyes shifted to Carmillia, curious about her decision. This part was never shown in the game before and the player entered a door along with a companion.
She met his gaze, and for a brief moment, their eyes locked. A faint smile blossomed on her lips, startling him. Xian's mind spun quickly and saw that her affection level still indicated a [Black] heart, numbered 70.
'An act?' Xian mused, but the purpose still remained unknown to him.
"Any advice as well this time, my butler?" Xian couldn't answer right away.
He wanted to take Carmillia along but the doors gave opportunities based on the characters classification. The door he's going to choose is for those who took their path on the Martial Class.
So, instead, he offered what he remembered from his game knowledge. If Xian had been a Magic Class and is someone like Carmillia, he would've chosen the dark caves or the forest with a large tree.
"Only that the darkness and forest would suit you the most, young miss."
"I see."
Then she stepped forward.
She walked towards the door that depicted a forest and a large tree. Xian followed suit and went to the door that depicted jagged peaks.
'The Mist Peaks…' Beyond this is a professor who will become quite integral to the grown of Martial type students and players. A man who went against all odds and defied his fate.
Xian could say that this professor is deserving of the trait [Defiance] he had. Unfortunately, all he was blessed with is an incredible grit and never yielding spirit.
His fingers brushed the cold surface of the door. The carved scenery rippled like water upon touch, and a gentle force tugged him forward.
'So this is how it looks.' In the game, the screen would simply ripple and fade into darkness after the players chose. But here, he was swallowed by blinding white light as the scenery came into life.
This marked the second time that Xian entered through a magic door.