The air around the place buzzed with murmurs and talking among students.
We all stood in a large hall, three different teleportation portals opened right in front of us.
'What a pain.'
I grumbled, looking around the place packed with talkative students.
It doesn't even feel like they are going to take an exam, but rather like they're on a picnic.
"Do you have any idea where the exams will take place?" Standing beside , Oliver mumbled, rubbing his chin.
"I think it will be a dungeon," Aimar comnted, mimicking his brother.
"Oh, why do you say so?" Oliver asked curiously.
"What else will it be? Look—"
"It will be on an abandoned island." I cut off his nonsense as I replied, "We were given howork about it before."
"You do howork?" Aimar asked, tilting his head.
"Not , but Ashlyn does," I replied, shrugging while fixing my glasses. "She ntioned it."
"Just throw it away," Oliver grumbled, looking at . "You look ugly."
"It's better that way," I replied, shrugging. "I'm tired of being the ladies' favorite anyway."
"....."
They looked at strangely but kept their mouths shut.
"...Hey." Oliver mumbled, grabbing my arm. "Co with for a while."
"What happened?" I asked, confused.
"Just co here." He whispered softly, taking to a less crowded corner.
Aimar trailed behind us, walking slowly.
Stopping at the corner, the wind around us trembled slightly, and the noise in the hall quieted down.
"What do you plan to do with Ashlyn?" Oliver asked, looking straight into my eyes.
"...Nothing." I replied quietly, averting my gaze.
"Look Az, I know you have done a lot for her, and she seems to know that now," he whispered, eyes fixed on . "....But are you sure you can remain friends with her now?"
"...I know what you're saying—"
"No, you don't, fucker." He cut off, obsidian eyes glaring at . "...I am not blind, and I can clearly see how Ashlyn looks at you now."
"..."
I lowered my gaze before shifting my body to lean against the wall.
"...Nothing to say, Mr. Ladies' Favorite." Aimar mocked, making chuckle lightly.
"What do you want to do?" I asked, shifting my gaze back to Oliver.
"Who am I to tell you anything, Mr. Ladies' Favorite." He shrugged. "You do you."
"Christina is like a big sister to ," Aimar comnted, leaning against the wall beside . "...Just make sure you don't hurt my sister's feelings, and you're good to go."
I nodded my head gently without saying anything.
....They are not wrong.
And I don't plan to do anything that could hurt Christina.
Even if it ans giving up a part of my life.
"By the way, how are things going with Aaliyah?" I asked, trying to break the silence between us.
"Perfect for now," Oliver mumbled, letting out a tired sigh. "...I'm just worried how she will react when I tell her about my family situation."
"Just tell her already," Aimar grumbled, staring at him. "How long do you plan to hide it from her?"
Oliver nodded his head, falling deep into thought.
I turned toward Aimar, staring at his face, long enough to make him uncomfortable.
"What?" He asked, annoyed.
I parted my lips to reply, "...Bitchless fucker."
"....."
"Hey, don't say that to him," Oliver grumbled, patting his brother's shoulder. "...This bitch is mine."
"..."
"...Cheater," I said, grinning. "...Co to think of it, I have an audio recording of you confessing to making a harem."
His face paled as he stuttered, "H-hey, you d-deleted that, right?"
"Nope," I replied, grinning. "How can I delete the perfect blackmail material?"
His expression turned serious as he said, "How much to delete it?"
"I don't know." I shrugged.
"How about one night?"
"Too low."
"One night while I cosplay as tsundere Aimar."
"Dea—"
"Fuck you both," Aimar cursed, showing the middle finger to both of us before walking away.
"Did we overdo it?" I asked, looking at his departing back.
"Nah, he'll co back," Oliver replied, shrugging.
I nodded my head, eyes moving toward the main door where two girls entered.
...Ashlyn and Aaliyah.
"Well, I'll see you later then," Oliver said, smiling, taking a step back.
"Rember, she's in a different class," I replied, looking at him. "Don't help her when we're on the island."
"Sure," he said, turning around to walk toward her.
And while he t with Aaliyah, the other girl with her started to walk toward .
"..."
But before she could reach , another girl had already arrived beside .
"How are you?" Christina asked, her voice soothing.
"Fine," I whispered, gazing at Ashlyn, who stood frozen, looking at Christina.
But she was quickly surrounded by girls from different classes.
"She beca quite famous," Christina comnted, leaning against the wall beside . "...I heard people are visiting the academy just to look at her."
"I didn't know that," I whispered softly, squinting my eyes.
"Are you ready for the exams?" she asked, glancing at with her blue eyes.
"Nope," I replied honestly. "I don't want to be here."
She chuckled, reaching out and ssing up my hair. "...I'll be there with the teachers at the very center of the island. If you have any issue, just visit , and I'll take care of it."
"You do know you just told sothing that's supposed to be a secret?" I asked, shifting my body to move out of her reach.
"Not like I care," she replied, taking a step closer and ssing up my hair again. "...Just co to if you have any difficulty."
"...Sure," I mumbled, letting her do whatever she wanted.
But a stare drilling into my back made uneasy as I glanced back, my eyes eting her crimson eyes.
Shyamal had the sa distressed look on her face that she had yesterday.
'...I should talk with her.'
I grimaced, averting my gaze from her.
Co to think of it, she lost control and went berserk in the mid-term exams.
'...But that shouldn't be possible.'
I thought, denying that single possibility.
Ethan doesn't have anyone around him, except Ruby.
She doesn't have any reason to go berserk, and from the looks of it, Ethan didn't tell her his real na.
....If he had done that, she would have been more clingy toward him.
'...I'll talk with her later, just for the sake of my promise to her brother.'
Throwing away those thoughts, I looked back at Christina, who, oddly enough, was staring at Shyamal as well.
"...What happened?" I asked softly, making her look back at .
She smiled softly, her voice tinged with sadness that she tried to hide. "...I was just thinking how happy Shyamal would have been if Shane were alive right now."
"....."
I quietly looked down at the floor without replying.
....I wish the sa.
Maybe things would have been better if Shane hadn't died that day.
"Alright, guys, you can go in now." Daphne's voice echoed within the class as the teleportation portals trembled to life.
She stared at the students before saying loudly, "Everyone will be teleported randomly to different locations. Regroup with your classmates.
The brooch you are wearing will tell you the location, and kill the Queen monster to end the exam.
Do note the Queen is around Prival Level 8, so don't do anything stupid and attack in groups.
For individual ranking, every monster will give you ten points, and elite monsters, one hundred."
One of the students raised their hand, "Where are we going?"
Daphne smiled softly. "...The Island of Drath."
Murmurs echoed within the class as they heard the na of the island.
"Now, go ahead." Daphne smiled as the teleportation portals stabilized.
Ethan and Ruby were the first to enter the portal.
Slowly followed by the rest of the students.
I stood alone, letting them go first.
Anxiety and dread gripped my heart as I kept staring down.
I don't know what will happen from now on.
And I don't want to rember what happened in the ga.
'...Maybe I should just not attend the exam.'
That might help; if I'm not there, I don't have to feel the burden of what's going to happen.
...Yeah.
Maybe—
"...Hey." I lifted my gaze, finding Christina standing in front of . "...Bend a little."
Though confused, I bent down a little while she grabbed my face with her hand.
Leaning forward, she placed a gentle kiss on my forehead before taking a step back.
"..."
I tilted my head, staring at her, my anxiety slowly lting away. "What was that for?"
She shrugged, turning around. "I was just marking you."
Before I could say anything, she walked away, and almost imdiately, I felt three different stares on .
I could guess two of them without even looking, but the third one was surprising.
...Because it was Arianell who was staring at .
But as I looked at her, she quickly averted her gaze.
"....Sigh."
I sighed tiredly, gazing at Arianell walking inside the portal.
'...I hope she can survive it.'
I thought, drawing in a deep breath as I walked toward the portal.
Because of her value, the Principalities will definitely try to kill her.
....And they will succeed almost all the ti in the ga.
There is only one way to prevent it.
Ending the exam early.
Entering the portal, I thought,
'Let's solo the Queen.'
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