Chapter 47
“Please, don’t go doing anything reckless just because people call you a genius.”
“You’re using please now? That worried about me?”
“Don’t you think you’re the most worrisome one here?”
Erna wholeheartedly agreed with Lenart’s words.
“Lanze, take this seriously. His Highness isn’t wrong.”
Just like yesterday, she pressed her hand against the back of Lanze’s.
“I understand this exam is an important opportunity… but your safety should always come first.”
“I never said I wasn’t listening,” Lanze mumbled with a slight pout, prompting Lenart to soften his tone.
“There will be more chances. It’s only the first semester of your first year. You don’t need to rush.”
“What if the next exam is like this too?”
“You could try actually studying theory properly. Not that I think you will.”
“Now that sounds more like the senior I know.”
“What?”
“Anyway, thanks. I do feel better now.”
Lanze stretched with a long yawn.
“I should stop worrying in advance.”
Those watching weren’t sure whether they should feel relieved that she seemed more like her usual self—or even more anxious.
Despite Lanze’s words, it became clear in the exam the next day that she hadn’t avoided trouble entirely.
While waiting at the forest designated as the testing site, Lanze pulled Erna and Heine aside from the group.
“Erna, wear this under your coat.”
Lanze handed her a crumpled vest. It took Erna a moment of inspection to realize that the strange designs all over it were runes.
At first, it seemed like she had hand-embroidered them, but partway through she must’ve run out of time and had sewn papers with drawn runes into the lining instead. All of them were for protective spells.
“Don’t tell me… this is what you were working on last night…”
Lanze had stayed up at her desk well past lights-out.
Maybe their conversation had somehow sparked a new motivation in her, Erna had wondered—but she’d fallen asleep without confirming it. She needed to rest before the exam, and the medicine she took at night made her drowsy.
Now, with a sleepier face than yesterday’s, Lanze nodded.
“It doesn’t look great, but you won’t see it if it’s under your coat. It was rushed, so it’ll probably only block one attack. But that’s better than nothing if you get ambushed.”
Heine peeked at the vest alongside Erna. Though they had studied rune magic this semester, they were still beginners, so this was their first time seeing such a complete item.
Noticing their curious gazes, Lanze added quickly,
“Don’t try to copy this later. Only use rune magic the way the school teaches you. If you try making this on your own, it won’t last long, and attack spells could explode during crafting.”
As Erna carefully put the vest on, making sure not to smudge the runes, she noticed something: Lanze herself looked the same as usual—unlike her, whose movements were now restricted by the extra layer.
“Wait… did you only make one?”
“I needed sleep too. Sorry, Heine—didn’t have time.”
Her words were followed by a small yawn, completely undermining her apology. And she had clearly misunderstood Erna’s question.
Heine, catching Erna’s meaning, explained,
“Erna’s worried about you. If anything goes wrong, it’s more likely to happen to Team 3.”
Unlike Team 1, which included Erna and Heine and was fairly neutral (if not especially friendly), Team 3 had Veronica, who had started their partnership by grabbing Lanze’s collar.
Erna frowned, concerned by Lanze’s vacant expression—whether from sleepiness or indifference.
“You should wear this instead.”
“I’m fine. I can run faster than you. Besides, if you take it off and on again, it might fall apart.”
Just then, a voice called everyone to line up with their teams. It was time to regroup.
“Well, I’m off. You two be careful.”
With a brief warning, Lanze went off in search of Team 3.
It wasn’t hard to find them. Veronica was already glaring her way, flanked by three other members.
“Hey.”
Lanze offered a greeting, since they were on the same team. The others gave her awkward nods—except for Veronica, who immediately exploded.
“What were you scheming over there?”
“Scheming?”
“You gave something to another team!”
“Oh, I just gave her a vest. My sister’s kind of frail. And even if I had given something, why do you care? It’s not like it affects your team.”
“That’s exactly the problem! You can’t go helping another team like that!”
“And why not? It’s not that kind of exam anyway.”
Technically, the outcome would affect final grades—but the primary focus was on how well each individual fulfilled their assignment or made an impression.
Teams existed to keep the cadets from running wild in the forest. Cooperation wasn’t forbidden or required.
At Lanze’s response, Veronica’s face turned red. Then she grasped for another excuse.
“What if the instructor accuses you of cheating?”
“Worst case, I get disqualified. Wouldn’t that be good for you?”
After all, she’d practically tried to strangle her before.
Veronica looked like she couldn’t decide whether to be frustrated the punishment hadn’t happened or angry she was being mocked.
She opened her mouth again to argue, but one of the other teammates cut her off.
“Veronica, that’s enough.”
“Anna! But—”
“You’re the one picking a fight. The test’s about to start. Focus.”
Lanze had expected Veronica to shout again. But though her face twisted, she didn’t yell.
After all, they were just minutes away from starting, and the instructors were watching. It wasn’t the time to make a scene.
The instructors went over the rules, procedures, and goals again.
Then they handed out maps marking the basic terrain of each team’s assigned area.
The mission: update the map with detailed information on geography and traces of sea beasts. Hunting was also permitted for those with the skill and opportunity.
Once they received tracking spells (like in the entrance exam) and stepped into the forest, Veronica struck a pose she must have thought intimidating.
“Baer, I know you don’t like me.”
She made no attempt to hide her intention to kick Lanze out.
She clearly thought she was being subtle, but Lanze understood and responded with her usual brand of nonsense.
“I respect your preferences, but I’d find it hard to like someone who grabbed me by the collar.”
“…Huh?”
Veronica blinked.
“Wait, are you saying—”
“Were you worried I might fall for you? Because that would mean you actually considered it possible.”
“YOU—!”
With the instructors out of sight, Veronica lunged at Lanze.
But Anna and Doris each grabbed one of her arms to hold her back.
Lanze was genuinely surprised. She hadn’t expected anyone to stop her.
“What are you doing?”
Veronica’s face looked utterly betrayed.
“Like I said—cut it out. This is an exam.”
“Yeah. And kicking Baer out hurts us.”
“You’re worried about her? Leave her alone! She always acts so high and mighty—she’ll be fine on her own!”
“No. We’re saying that losing Baer is our loss.”
Before Veronica could reply, Anna opened up the map.
“Look. Our area is twice the size of the others. That’s probably why Baer was assigned to our team. You want to do this with just the four of us?”
“Why not?”
Anna firmly shook her head.
“Without Baer, we won’t even finish the map today.”
Lanze stayed quiet and watched.
Veronica’s face alternated red and pale, eyes starting to glisten with unshed tears. Anna wasn’t wrong.
Scouting was a core skill of mage officers.
Lanze might’ve found mapwork boring, but compared to these cadets who’d only trained for one semester, she was far more experienced.
Completing the map without her would be impossible.
And even if she were kicked out, Lanze had other options. She could still earn points by hunting sea beasts.
“If they let me go, I’ll have it easy.”
In fact, being pushed out by Veronica would be the best outcome. No guilt. No need to explain.
But Anna clearly didn’t want that.
When Veronica went quiet, Anna pressed harder, her tone cold.
“If you’ve got a problem, you leave. Doris and I want to pass.”
Veronica went pale. She was used to leading a clique—not being excluded.
At that, Lanze finally spoke up.
“Hey… maybe I should leave.”
“What?”
“I have opinions too, you know.”
Her hesitation earlier had a simple reason: she was waiting to see if things would swing in her favor. And there was a part of her that felt bad for inconveniencing her team.
As Anna pointed out, the area was just too large.
“No way they’ll finish without me.”
The others hadn’t bullied her like Veronica had. But that was it—they hadn’t done anything for her either.
They weren’t family. They weren’t partners. They weren’t even friends.
So why should she put in extra effort for them?
“It’s not like I picked this team.”
