Episode 7
Marina and I entered the lounge alone.
I sat on the sofa, but Marina stood glaring at me.
“Shameless. You think you can take the exam?”
“With a recommender, why couldn’t I?”
“That recommender is the problem.”
The deputy leader is in charge of the exam.
He creates the questions and chooses the winner.
Since he recommended me, fairness will be questioned.
Marina sneered. “Beg him now to withdraw. You idiot who can’t even imagine what’s at stake in this exam…”
“Your future and your uncle’s, I suppose.”
I was trying to think about the assignments, but her buzzing beside me was distracting.
Marina’s eyebrows shot up. “You’re stupid. You think a single exam affects my uncle’s future?”
She pretended to be bold, but panic flickered in her eyes.
‘Annoying. Better shut her up so I can focus.’
“You ran to your uncle for help after I caught you bringing in the alchemist?”
“…!”
“Your uncle got caught embezzling barracks funds by the deputy leader before he could help you.”
“…!”
“That’s why you kidnapped the candidates as a desperate move, fearing you’d be kicked out.”
“…!”
Marina turned pale.
How did I know all that?
‘I’m involved in the first two, and the kidnapping follows logically from the game story.’
Even though she denied it, Marina shrieked.
I sighed. “Enough excuses. Stay quiet, or…”
I showed her my clenched fist.
Marina flinched, remembering being thrown and crying.
Finally, she shut up.
‘Good. Now I can think without interruption.’
The exam is crucial.
Fail, and I can’t stay in the castle.
‘No, not just the castle—this city.’
I’ve provoked Viscount Sanmiguel too.
I must pass.
‘I’ve played the game, so I know the original exam.’
But that was prepared by the deputy leader.
With his recommendation, fairness demands changes.
If the viscount bribed vassals, it’ll favor Marina.
‘If I were the deputy leader, what exam would I propose?’
Something the viscount would bite…
My thought made me clutch my skirt.
‘If that’s right, this exam is unwinnable.’
A game I’m destined to lose.
* * *
Castle colosseum.
Called out, Marina and I looked up at the platform.
Viscount Sanmiguel and the deputy leader stood side by side.
Vassals and members filled the tiered seats.
The viscount spoke. “Marina Galvan.”
“Yes!”
“Eustea No-Name.”
“Yes.”
He emphasized my lack of surname.
Vassals, thinking this was for the princes’ squire, looked displeased.
Sending a commoner as a prince’s squire is absurd.
The kidnapped candidates were noble ladies, even if lower-ranked.
We can’t ignore their kidnapping.
‘So the exam under these conditions…’
“The one who finds the kidnapped girls wins.”
I closed my eyes tight.
‘As expected.’
Unlike me, Marina barely contained her cheer.
Her uncle kidnapped them, so she knows the answer.
The viscount said, “Marina Galvan and Eustea No-Name, each select seven from Sanmiguel’s soldiers to form search teams.”
Marina frowned.
Sanmiguel’s best soldiers are all Irregular.
With the deputy leader’s recommendation, I could form a better team.
“The exam will be broadcast via magic mirror.”
With that, the viscount sat in his prepared chair.
Thump. Thump. Thump.
Foot-stomping, soldiers lined behind the colosseum marched forward.
Antonio glared at the viscount, furious.
One of his members said fiercely, “Kill him?”
“When I signal…”
The deputy leader, beside Antonio, said, “Don’t kill. No signal.”
The member sheathed his weapon hastily.
But Antonio was still upset. “Is this a fair exam?”
“Write that down.”
“Ugh.”
The deputy leader smacked Antonio’s head.
“If it weren’t this biased, Eustea couldn’t even take it. Me recommending a participant is unfair too.”
“You’re abstaining from judging.”
“To prevent fairness complaints if Eustea passes.”
Antonio frowned.
‘“If” she passes.’
The deputy leader didn’t expect her to win.
“You don’t believe in her? Why let Little Teacher take it?”
“…”
“Why push her into a losing fight and watch?”
As a former gladiator, Antonio knew hope’s cruelty.
Win this match, and you’re free.
Countless gladiators killed family, siblings, comrades for that hope.
Antonio glared at the silent deputy leader.
His aide said awkwardly, “No choice.”
“Turning a desperate person into a circus animal?”
“This exam was unavoidable. The viscount targeted you, Antonio-sama.”
“…”
“The deputy leader chose between you and the girl.”
He chose Antonio.
Since it was inevitable, gain something.
He proposed this absurd exam.
Bring back the kidnapped girls.
The viscount bit.
Antonio said grimly, “Great calculation. Leaves Little Teacher pitiful.”
The aide looked troubled between Antonio and the deputy leader.
“The deputy leader tried to make conditions better.”
“By letting her pick from members.”
“Yes. She’s close with them, so it’d help… Huh?”
The aide stopped, smiling awkwardly.
Eustea was picking members swiftly.
‘The state of the picked members…?’
Antonio stared coldly. “How is that helpful?”
Eustea picked without hesitation.
“This big one. The bigger one behind. The even bigger one in the back. And the biggest one over there.”
“Why only big ones?!”
The aide looked at the deputy leader in panic.
The deputy leader, frowning since she started picking, covered his eyes.
Eustea was ruining her only advantage.
The aide swallowed.
‘Does she not understand?’
The viscount kidnapped the girls.
He’d tell Marina their location.
In this situation, pick stealth experts, not ‘big ones.’
Follow Marina’s team to find the girls.
But those ‘big ones’…
Antonio’s members muttered blankly.
“All tanks.”
Body-ramming types.
They don’t know the ‘stealth’ in stealth.
“Assuming combat when finding the girls?”
“But finding them comes first! All over 2 meters—how to tail?”
“Impossible.”
“Then…”
“Ah.”
Watching Eustea, people looked wistful.
‘Little Teacher… picked the strong-looking ones…’
Teaches letters well, but not this…
Marina, tense hoping Eustea might form a good team, snickered.
The viscount slapped his knee, laughing.
He signaled by poking his waist.
Pick those with red innerwear under armor.
‘All pros using messenger birds.’
Messenger birds.
Special birds transmitting via specific frequencies.
Useful for long-distance search updates.
Marina picked as signaled.
All the viscount’s hidden private soldiers, unrelated to the deputy leader or Antonio.
Eustea’s giant search team and Marina’s were formed.
A judge on the platform blew a whistle loudly.
Exam start.
[Good luck.]
In the magic mirror, Eustea said cheerfully.
Her big picks…
[Little Teacher, sure about us?]
[Um. Change now?]
…looked unsure.
Colosseum viewers burst laughing.
“Entertaining show.”
“Thought she was capable from all the boasting.”
“Indeed.”
Vassals bribed by the viscount sneered at the deputy leader.
Antonio’s members grumbled.
“They don’t know Little Teacher’s braised ribs.”
“She likes big guys, but her ribs are amazing.”
“And brews great liquor.”
“Right.”
In the mirror, Eustea smiled.
[Best to move together.]
‘Split up!’
Divide the 7 to maximize search area!
The deputy leader’s aide clutched his head.
While Eustea struggled, Marina performed excellently.
* * *
Near Sanmiguel Castle forest.
Marina recalled the viscount’s words.
“Swidden farmers live at the beech mountain dry stream. The carriage with the girls is hidden there.”
‘Uncle’s brilliant.’
Chose there to frame the farmers.
A member handed a map.
Marina glanced at the broadcasting magic device.
“Search teams scoured the area right after the kidnapping.”
“Yes.”
“Not found means someone familiar with Sanmiguel terrain.”
“Where do you suspect?”
Marina pointed at two map spots.
“Mining village knowledgeable in underground tunnels. And the swidden farmer village familiar with rugged beech mountain.”
Can’t act like she knows the answer.
Performance matters.
‘One fake choice for you, Eustea.’
Doubt your big members can tail, but try.
“Split 4-4 including me.”
“Yes.”
“You four to mining village. Me and three to beech forest.”
Knights stomped in unison.
Colosseum broadcasting via magic mirror.
Antonio’s members groaned.
Marina’s team moved in perfect order.
Vassals reacted positively.
“Mining village and swidden farmers. Makes sense.”
“Those places rebel against the castle.”
“Marina-sama has broad vision.”
The viscount smiled. “She cares for Sanmiguel like her own. Hesitant to recommend my niece, but she’ll do her best.”
“Wise choice.”
Vassals and viscount laughed exchanging compliments.
Antonio’s members’ faces soured.
Marina moves because she knows the answer.
Her team: search experts.
[ Mining village. Vicinity. Arrived. ]
[ Mountain. Entrance. Arrived. ]
“Using messenger birds.”
The deputy leader’s aide frowned.
“Can join immediately if found on one side.”
“Team knows messenger birds? Viscount prepared well.”
Antonio’s members grumbled.
No opening for Eustea to turn it around.
‘Settle for finding the girls.’
The aide sighed regretfully.
Pity for the exam, but Eustea was talented.
If not for the exam, she might’ve stayed as a member.
Knowing it was out of kindness for Chari and Antonio hurt more.
Then—
“Huh?”
The aide flinched at the mirror.
[ Mining village. Vicinity. Girl. Found. ]
A messenger bird on a member with Marina chirped.
The viscount, watching with a smile, froze.
‘What?’
Mining village?
The girls are at the swidden farmers.
But found at mining village?
In the mirror, Marina panicked.
[ No way. Not mining village…! ]
She spotted the broadcasting device and covered her mouth.
Marina swept her hair back, stiffening.
Pondering why found at mining village.
The viscount urgently looked at his aide.
The aide rushed, whispering, “Didn’t move from swidden farmers.”
“Then why the bird…!”
At that moment, Antonio, shielding his forehead, said, “That tree. Isn’t it Little Teacher?”
A girl on a thick branch blowing a small flute.
No sound.
But each note…
[ Mining village. Vicinity. Girl. Found. ]
The bird chirped.
Antonio and some members recalled.
Her introduction in the first cave.
“Eustea Andres, 15! Marquess’s daughter kicked out 3 years ago! Jobs since: dishwashing, information disruption, market loan sharking…”
‘Yes, that.’
‘Information disruption…!’
Antonio and his unit stood, roaring.
“Woooooo!”
“Woooo!!”
Thunderous cheers.
