Although she knew that Nero was well aware of her identity, she still introduced herself, curious to see his reaction. Despite her reputation for having a fiery temperament, she was someone who knew how to think critically; her intuition was sharp, and it was currently telling her that this person was intriguing—far from ordinary.
"I’m Elreth Sameal."
"Nero Adams," he replied curtly before closing his eyes and focusing on swinging his sword, testing its weight.
Elreth chuckled; as expected, this man was interesting. Just as she was about to say something, another person walked in, causing the princess to frown as if she had just bitten into a bug.
The person who walked in was a woman, a beauty who was in no way inferior to Elreth. If the princess exuded a hot allure that could compel any weak-willed man to grovel at her feet, forsaking everything to win her over, then the young woman who entered radiated an unapproachable aura. While Elreth gave off a temptress vibe, this one projected the demeanor of an Ice Queen—someone you simply couldn’t approach. This wasn’t a defensive mechanism; she had been born this way.
Nero briefly observed the girl: her white hair was nearly silver, and her ice-blue eyes seemed devoid of any emotion, cold like a northern glacier. Just like the sub-law of water—Ice she had awakened. He recognized her name from the gossip: Khione Undine.
As soon as she walked in, the temperature in the room seemed to drop. Elreth frowned, not bothering to hide her disgust and blatant dislike for the newcomer, while Khione completely ignored her, simply looking for a seat and closing her eyes.
Elreth’s face twitched, and Nero could sense her frustration from where he stood. As the gossip suggested, those two never got along; it was understandable given their incompatible affinities.
The princess calmed her emotions and gave Nero one last glance, smirking as her interest was piqued. This boy could make a good toy. Elreth then walked over and took a seat on the opposite side of Khione.
Shortly afterward, a few cadets entered, but none were as notable as the two already present. Most of the cadets gravitated toward the princess, trying to engage her in conversation, though she responded with annoyance. As expected, no one approached Khione, knowing all too well that they would be frozen out for their efforts.
Nero had already finished testing his sword and was now sitting, waiting for the examiner to arrive and announce the beginning of the second test. He didn’t have to wait long before a giant instructor walked in, standing two and a half meters tall with a muscular physique covered in countless scars. His eyes were sharp, resembling those of a beast. The moment he entered, all conversation ceased; the pressure he exuded was palpable.
Looking at the giant, Nero thought, ’Strong! At least an Intermediate-grade knight.’
The instructor, known as Balrog, briefly scanned the hall, his gaze lingering on a few promising cadets, including the princess, Khione, and lastly, Nero, the boy with the unusual eyes.
’So here you are, the boy from the Raizen family, said to be cursed and unblessed. Interesting—let’s see how you fare.’
Before the students could begin gossiping about Nero’s eyes, Balrog clapped, and the simple gesture sent shockwaves rippling outward.
"Attention! As you may have heard, the next test is to face a D-grade monster."
"D-grade?"
"Isn’t that too much?"
Most of the cadets began murmuring as soon as they heard the examiner’s words.
"Silence!" Balrog ordered, and quiet fell over the room. He continued.
"Your objective is to survive for an hour. You pass if you survive, but your overall score won’t be high, meaning you will be placed in a lower class. As you know, being placed in a good class comes with many benefits for those who don’t know. While the goal is survival, injuring the monster will earn you bonus points, and killing it will grant you a super bonus, guaranteeing you a spot in the upper class. The time taken will also be considered; the first person to kill the monster will receive a Marrow Cleansing Pill. With it, your physique will improve, free of any impurities. Whether you’re a knight or a mage, a perfect body is essential."
If it weren’t for the imposing presence of Balrog, the cadets would have erupted in joy; the reward was exceptional. To acquire this pill, one would need to spend around two million Zeniths (Ẕ), a price easily afforded only by members of the seven families, as it was not easily obtainable without certain connections.
Naturally, both Elreth and Khione were uninterested in the pill, having taken it before, but they were still determined to be the first to complete the test.
Nero clenched his fists, feeling the tension. He had to do his utmost to obtain this pill; it would greatly aid him.
Sensing the burning determination of the cadets, Balrog nodded inwardly, thinking, "That’s the spirit."
He then added, "An additional reward will be given: 500 credits will be awarded."