Chapter 66 – Battle Proficiency Test – Part 1

Karen almost fainted, but it was a suitable warm-up for me.
She is pleasantly sweaty and her heart is pounding.
I came out of the inn, stretched, and waited for Karen and Isti to come out.

“Darling, let’s go now.”

Estee opened the inn door and came out.
Behind her, Karen stood with a shy face.

“Karen. Are you okay?”

“Yeah. I can move… Onii-san, I’m sorry.”

“Why are you apologizing? I’m the one who lost my temper.”

“…Because I pushed my brother to continue in the middle. Don’t you remember?”

It seems that it was.

“Gee, it’s enough if you don’t remember! You don’t have to remember!”

It must have looked quite disheveled, Karen hurriedly turned around.

“Esty. Does Noah know the location of this inn?”

“Yeah. I told you before we parted ways… Though Noah already knew.”

… If it were Noah, it wouldn’t be strange even if she knew.

“Should I hurry before it’s over?”

“Huh!”

Karen held my hand.

We followed Isti’s guidance to the next walled-off block, a street with upscale residences.
As we got closer to the castle, the slope got steeper, so we climbed some stairs and came across guards blocking the door.

As soon as they saw ISTY, they talked among themselves and hurriedly opened the door.
Easty doesn’t care and just goes by.
We were about to follow, but guards blocked me and Karen.

“Stop it. No one is allowed in from now on.”

“This is my group.”

Estee turned around and said.

“Excuse me!”

Then the guards turned around and withdrew.
It made me think about what kind of existence Isti is in the kingdom.
Karen also told me what she felt.

“Esty is amazing. A lot of people remember what she did.”

“Why not?”

It was pure admiration that came from the heart.
The high-end residential areas are people from noble backgrounds. It seemed to be a space where people of the privileged class lived.
When I see people walking on the street, they are all dressed in fancy clothes, and no one is intimidated.

There were a lot of people who pretended to be nobles like Diana.
Some of them would raise an insult or something just by bumping their shoulders?

When I thought I had walked quite a bit, I was finally able to see with my own eyes the large building I had looked out from the carriage.

“Here.”

Estee said.

“Hero candidate training management organization. Commonly known as [Hero School] Melbrit.”

Melbrit was a magnificent building that towered like a cathedral.
Beyond the majestic tawny walls, like a castle wall, were the buildings that made up Melbrit.
The one at the end of the main street looked like the main building, and the other building looked like a dormitory for students.

“Do the brave candidates live inside the school?”

“Yeah. While living in the dormitory, I get evaluated on all aspects of life.”

Ugh. I’m breathless just listening to it.
But it’s okay. There is no place where hypnotism works as well as the school.
The population density is high, everything is done by people, and all facilities are concentrated in relatively close proximity.

If there is even a place to live and sleep together, the icing on the cake.
It’s like my living room.
If you set your mind to it, you can hypnotize every woman in Melbourne within three days.

It’s like a game with unfair rules, but it’s not without elements of a game over.

Warrior and Goddess.

If they recognize me as an enemy in the first meeting, a lot of disadvantages arise.
The key is to approach it carefully without making a big deal out of it.
In an emergency, Bella decided to intrude, but it is best not to create something that would cause Bella to intrude.

Large-scale tasks such as “Hypnosis of former students” Are done when it is completely safe.
Before that, let’s pursue small pleasures…

“There are so many people.”

As ISTY said, the front of the school is a gated city.
Everyone was young or young, and several were already wearing Melbrit’s uniforms.
Wait. Where do you think you’ve seen it?

“Some people take the regular entrance exam.
There are only a handful of people out there who have accomplished an emergency mission like Darling.”

I guess so.
If we include those who have not yet arrived, the number will be even smaller.
So, instead of feeling like a newbie, I looked around to see if anyone had a slightly unusual look.

There is one woman who stands out.
She looks like a monster witch living in the forest. She covered herself with a black cloth that was nothing short of rags and pulled her high-brimmed hat down.
Her hair is grown according to her spirit and reaches down to her ankles. Are you a ghost?

I couldn’t see her face, but I thought she might be pretty.
Anybody else… Once a man filters

“Brother. What are you looking at so intently? Let’s go quickly.”

“Don’t you think you’ve seen Melvrit’s uniform somewhere?”

“Melbrit’s uniform?”

Karen also takes a closer look.

“Ah, it’s like the clothes the blonde girl I met in the Bordeaux Dungeon wore.”

“Ah!”

That’s right!
Richie before us… Not the blonde woman who defeated the skeleton boss.
Will it be here too?

“Are all the candidates wearing those clothes? It’s so pretty.”

Karen deserved to say that.
Melbrit’s women’s uniform was a pure white color scheme reminiscent of a navy uniform, a short skirt, and black over-knee socks that reached above the knee.
There were quite a few candidates wearing a black blazer coat with a gold embroidery pattern on the chest.

If Karen wears that… That would be great.
The top that couldn’t handle the volume of her breasts would swell like it would burst?
Legs are exposed under the skirt. Oh my, the pleasant imagination doesn’t stop.

“Ah, Mr. Noah!”

Then Karen spotted Noah and shook her hand.
Noah recognized this side and came closer.

“You’re all here. I was waiting one step ahead.”

“Did you do well with the executive branch?”

“Yes. I’m on my way after covering the incident in Marne Village. I also returned the artifact that solves the brainwashing magic.”

Ah. Something like that happened.
It seems that he was considerate so that there would be no noise later.

“I think you can keep quiet until the news of your duel with the Vanguard family is known.”

I have to be willing to endure that.

“Decal-sama. How do you feel about seeing Mel Brit?”

“I like the girls’ uniforms, though I’m not wearing them.”

Noah smiled softly.

“I thought you would say that, Decal-nim. But please be careful.
The strictest ban in Melbourne is 〈 Dating with the opposite sex 〉.”

“Okay?”

It was to be expected.
It was rather nice because I wouldn’t have to see anyone else having sex except for me.
The rules don’t bind me. Noah was well aware of that fact.

“Looks like you’re ready.
The man over there is the examiner. I’ve talked about the two of you beforehand.”

“Will Estee wait here?”

If you go to the exam with Karen, what will happen to ISTY?

“I’m going to meet with Melbrit’s council.”

“Dekal-nim. If you don’t mind, leave that job to me. I’ll help Ms. Isti.”

Noah stepped forward to help ISTY first.
She has no reason to refuse. Because Noah is trustworthy.

“Okay. Estee won’t be used to dealing with people, so take care of Noah.”

“All right.”

ISTY gave me a tight hug.

“Darling. I’m sad that we’re breaking up.”

“We’ll meet again, what?”

I kissed Estee and said goodbye.

“See you at Melbourne. Darling.”

“Okay.”

ISTY didn’t seem to think that I would fall at all.
You have to live up to those expectations.
After Noah and Isti entered the main entrance to Melbrit, Karen and I were left behind.

“Shall we go?”

“Huh!”

We approached the examiner.
The gathered candidates were talking about something with their mouths together.

“Wasn’t that just Sir Bale Noah from [Iron Wall]?”

“Did you hear? Someone said they caught a ‘thin wolf’.”

I think Noah has already talked about us.

“Decal-nim and Karen-nim, right?”

The examiner looked at our faces and said.

“Yes.”

“We have confirmed that you are an urgent mission completer. Please move inside.”

Karen and I received a reception ticket from the examiner and followed the woman in charge to the inside of Melbrit.
However, I didn’t enter through the front door like Istina Noah did, but walked along the outer wall for a long time and was guided to another entrance.
There were quite a few aspirants like us who had been guided there.

About forty people.
Everyone is a wannabe right? Why are we the only ones without uniforms?

“First, there will be a combat proficiency test.
Please note that this will be reflected in Melbrit’s ranking evaluation in the future. First of all, 20 people, please come forward.”

I walked forward with Karen.

“What are those people?”

“I don’t even have a uniform.”

“Are you sure you’re an emergency mission accomplished?”

“I’ll check the votes I received earlier.”

The lady with glasses meticulously checked the tickets we handed out.

“The two of you have accomplished an urgent mission. You have a track record of dealing with [Thin Wolf] As a two-person party. The examiner is Lord Bale Noah…”

“Bee, veil Noah?”

“The Iron Wall Examiner?”

The wannabes are buzzing.
If they are mentioned together, the fact that they were judged by Noah rather than Sin Wolf draws more attention. That’s great.
I feel with my skin that Noah has a reputation comparable to that of ISTY.

“It is not possible to proceed with pre-formed party members before this point.
I’m sorry, but I think you’ll have to stay.”

“Hmm…”

Well, it’s too obvious that we’re party members.
If they come up with a task that they can accomplish easily by cooperating, they will definitely cooperate and will not be on a par with other aspirants.
Does not matter. Because I think Karen has the skills she deserves.

“Karen. I’ll go first.”

“Huh.”

It’s rude to ask Karen if she’s okay at a time like this.
The lady with glasses checked the first 20 people, including me, in turn and said.

“I’ll guide you to the test site. Please follow me.”

Behind the woman with glasses, her aspirants walk in tandem.
I walked slowly from the back.
Where is this place on the Melbourne campus? Passing through a long corridor, a large door painted red greeted us.

“If you pass through this door, a [Task] To test your abilities awaits.”

The lady with glasses quietly looked around us and spoke again.

“You worked hard during the three-month trial period. I hope you have the character and skills to be a hero candidate.”

… Is the regular route 3 months? That’s great.
I can’t ignore the kids gathered here.
The glasses lady bowed her head at us and placed her hand lightly on her door.

Then, the intricate diagram drawn on the door emitted a soft light and opened by itself.
I went ahead first.

What. Playground?
The other side of the door was just outdoors. There is no roof, and the floor is made of fine earth without a single gravel.
It is a square space made of a certain standard horizontally and vertically. Not completely outdoors, but not indoors either. Such an obscure composition.
On the opposite side or side of the wall, there was something like a black curtain, and I could see the shadow of a person hanging on it.

I knew right away that those shadows were people who saw and evaluated us.
That means something is happening here.
While everyone came to the center and looked around, I quietly moved to a corner.

“We met again.”

Someone suddenly spoke from behind.
When I turned around in surprise, there was a face I had seen before.

I don’t know her name, but she’s a blonde girl I met in the Bordeaux Dungeon.
The boss of Bordeaux Dungeon was dealt with before Karen and I.

“Since when have you been there?”

“All along. I’ve been behind you all along.”

I had no idea.
Even when we are all together.
If it had such a striking appearance, I would have recognized it right away.

“I’m Stia Harpe. How about you?”

“…Decal. Adventurer.”

What?
At that time, while he shot me as pathetic, he was oddly sympathetic.

“Dekal, I took a second look. You made it in the end. With that girl.”

“…”

Ah.
After hearing that, I understood why the attitude was different from then.
It’s a guess, but Stia, who was upset when she saw Karen crying, couldn’t she have kept that moment in her mind?

Then it would have been very nice to see me and Karen.
It’s clear that he thinks we’ve overcome our frustration and finally caught the Thin Wolf and followed him.
Then, of course, your impression of me will inevitably improve.

The Thin Wolf was captured long ago, and Stia can’t even imagine what happened after that.
Anyway, this is an interesting relationship.

“It’s also thanks to you. … We were able to come here.”

Stia looked at me and her red eyes glittered like jewels.

“I thought there were only pathetic ones among adventurers… Decal. There are rare, serious people like you.
We could be good friends.”

Stia held out her hand.

“Please take care of me. Decal.”

This handshake seems to mean that we will be friends from now on.
There’s no reason to refuse.
I held Stia’s hand.
At that time, I felt a slight vibration of the ground. Stia immediately turned her eyes inward and drew her sword from her waistband.

“Decal. Let’s move together to achieve the task. Can we do it?”

“Good.”

It’s possible because it’s not “Planned in advance”.
Thinking that this kind of appearance might also be the subject of their evaluation, I readily accepted it.
The earth rumble intensifies. A large rock rose from the center.

“It’s a golem.”

Stia muttered.