The Silence Before the Trail
Our group was well balanced.
We had real chances of ranking among the top positions.
“The test consists of exploring the Forest of Black Beasts. There is a spell that will immediately teleport you back to the academy if you suffer severe injuries. Combat between cadets is permitted.”
Another instructor stepped forward, taking Yè Rèn’s place.
His physique was robust, broad-shouldered, yet he wore a mage’s robe.
A mage?
Mages could train their bodies just as fighters could train their magic.
It wasn’t impossible—but the gains were almost unsustainable.
Extremely low.
Barely worth the effort.
I glanced into the distance and saw the aberration Helene.
Our eyes met.
She waved at me.
I ignored her.
“We will now begin the test. A barrier will be deployed around the area, preventing anything from entering from the outside. Your safety will be guaranteed.”
Several robed instructors stepped forward together.
A mana circuit formed in the air, breaking apart into white and black lines.
At the center—green, red, and blue.
One circle became many.
The empty patterns twisted, turning into spiral lines beneath every student.
!!!
A forest as dark as pitch appeared before me.
There were no other students nearby—only the members of my group.
“It looks like they used mass teleportation.”
“It’s quite precise,” Mark replied, “but the more accurate term would be matter transfer.”
“What’s the difference?” I asked, noticing he clearly knew more about this than I did.
“Teleportation requires an enormous amount of mana and allows the user to travel only to places they’ve already been to. Matter transfer allows travel to locations where another transfer circle exists. It used to be limited to commercial goods, but a few decades ago they managed to apply it to living beings.”
In short, it was teleportation that consumed less mana.
I didn’t say that out loud.
It might start an argument.
“Let’s prepare,” Shaitan said.
“We need someone to scout ahead. The others can set up camp. We need to start drawing a map.”
She continued calmly.
Her intelligence was impressive—and she’d also given me the perfect excuse to separate from the group without having to say anything myself.
Was my luck actually working?
“I’ll scout then…”
Hyeol raised her hand.
Why did she want to scout?
“Why?” I asked.
“Because we need a scout. Isn’t that what you just said?”
I’d been noticing something strange about Hyeol since earlier.
That answer—so blunt, so off—made the unease settle deeper.
Still, I couldn’t afford to lose this opportunity.
“I think you should stay, Hyeol. Even if you’re the most stealthy among us due to your aura being practically invisible, it’s still better if I go. You protect the mages.”
“That’s right, girl,” Mark said. “I think Assir is correct. Someone stealthy is better staying with us. Since we’re strong, enemies will focus on us, and you’ll be able to eliminate them more easily.”
Good support, Mark.
Mental score: ten out of ten.
Damn you, Luiz. You’re influencing me even when you’re not here.
“I agree,” Shaitan added. “Besides, Hyeol, you look far too pale today. It’s better if you stay here and rest a little.”
The darkness made another oddity about Hyeol easier to notice.
She placed a hand on her own shoulder.
“It does feel a bit stiff today… You’re right. I’ll stay and wait.”
“Then we’ll divide our roles,” Shaitan said. “Mark will be our primary mage. I’ll provide support as the secondary mage. Hyeol will serve as our vanguard and assassin. Lastly, Assir—you’ll be our scout and frontline.”
The princesses had probably received all kinds of strategic education.
“I’ll get going, then.”
Shaitan stepped closer and grabbed my white coat.
“Don’t get hurt.”
“Uh… right.”
She released me and returned to the group.
From afar, Hyeol watched me.
For a brief moment, her body seemed even paler, and she lost her balance—but quickly recovered.
Is she really okay?
I didn’t know what was happening with Hyeol, but her body had been showing signs of weakness constantly.
Almost like anemia.
It was strange.
I couldn’t help wondering if she had some illness—or if she simply wasn’t eating properly.
But she was.
Most of the time, we ate together.
I moved between the trees.
Their bark was thick and ancient.
One spark—boom—the entire forest would go up in flames.
Magical streaks ran through the falling leaves.
Of course, the instructors wouldn’t allow fire to spread.
I could feel suppression magic in place.
It reduced both the intensity and spread of flames.
Running through the forest was less exhausting than I’d expected.
I avoided most groups I encountered.
It would make finding Helene harder—but far more efficient.
I still had to retrieve the artifact.
I knew where it was.
I just didn’t know where I was.
Being deep inside the forest made orientation difficult.
The Dungeon of the Forest of Black Beasts.
Since it was a broken dungeon, it was already connected to the outside world.
The mages had erected a barrier to prevent anything from entering and agitating the monsters.
Even so, it was still possible to leave.
The artifact I was searching for wouldn’t just disable my sister’s teleportation within a certain area—it would shut down all mana.
That way, I could use that zone as a breach to enter again.
Eventually, I reached a river.
Now all I had to do was follow it.
I was certain the correct route was east, so I moved against the flow, heading straight toward the river’s source.
From there, I leapt through the trees, using my aura to give small impulses against the branches.
Finally, I passed through a transparent barrier.
And there it was.
A towering tree rose before me, imposing and ancient.
The artifact I sought was there.
