CH 80

Training center annex, research building.

The atmosphere of the all-white building was breathtaking.

This is the final gateway to graduation from the training center, a place for class measurement.

‘There are 20 kids graduating this time.’

About 20 children have completed their graduation scores through this monthly evaluation.

[Mana Formal Room A]

[Mana Formal Room B]

[Mana Formal Room C]

In the hallway in front of the measurement room with each signpost, they were sitting in the order they arrived.

“Wow, I’m graduating. I still can’t believe it.”

Jem, who was sitting to my left, muttered blankly.

“What are you going to do when you leave, Jem?”

“Of course I have to join the mercenaries! It’s the best way to get ahead as a Dies (*Dies: 6th rank among 6 talented people class)!”

I nodded my head happily.

Jem. Jemian Traha will quickly take control of a mercenary and become famous. 

“I will work hard! Until I create my mercenary group later!”

“Of course, of course.” 

“Do you know that I already thought of a name?”

“Wow, really?”

I asked as if I was curious, but I already know.

The name of her mercenary group is <Red Wild Dogs>.

Jem’s Red Wild Dog Mercenary is better than the 3rd-class Septima army. 

‘That’s why the imperial army always hires them when they form a punitive force.’

Jem’s money cushion, a flower road, fame soon—.

She’s going to take all of that, and she’s going to subjugate Cheshire whenever she has a chance. 

“Hihi. Jem, you can definitely do it. What is the name of the mercenary group you have in mind?”

“Hmm, embarrassing.”

“What is it, what is it?” 

“Lilith’s wild dogs!”

Ding.

I twisted.

“That, what is that…?” 

“Ahaha!”

Jem wiped her nose shyly and said.

“I wouldn’t have been able to graduate without you. Thank you for teaching me to study and taking the exam with me.”

“You, you are so strong, Jem! Don’t you think you can still graduate without me?” 

“No. I really couldn’t do it without you. And I’ve never seen a good aristocrat like you. I’m a commoner, and thank you for being my friend.”

“N, no…” 

“Thank you so much. The name of my mercenary group is Lilith’s Wild Dogs.”

“No! Stop!” 

Embarrassed, I pointed to Jem’s hair.

“You, you have pretty hair. How about ‘red wild dog’ after the color?”

“What is that? It’s childish.” 

Jem was disgusted.

“Lilith is more childish!”

“Hmph, it’s not. The red wild dog is even more childish.”

“I told you it’s not? C, Cheshire!” 

I hit the S.O.S on Cheshire who was sitting on the right. 

“Stop Jem. Her naming sense is weird.” 

“Why? It’s good.” 

“What?”

“Right! It’s over!” 

I shrugged my shoulders between the two.

“I, I, I vote for L, Lilith’s wild d,dogs too!”

Even Rom, who was next to Jem.

I just stopped thinking and nodded my head with cloudy eyes.

‘Yeah… What’s the point of changing the name of the mercenary group…’

It was a historic moment when the <Red Wild Dogs> mercenary group, which had been out of force since its name, was forcibly changed to <Lilith’s Wild Dogs>—.

At that time. 

“Huh.” 

“Wow, it’s Dos.”

The children who were waiting were buzzing.

From what I could see, it was Gerard who came out of the measurement room after receiving his rank.

On his left wrist was a shiny gold bracelet, and a small gold button fastened to his chest.

The bracelet is a magic tool called a ‘rank slit’ and is a kind of identification.

And the gold button, that’s a badge of ability.

“T, the color is amazing…” 

Jem was amazed.

All of Gerard’s badges and rank slits had ‘DOS’, symbolizing first class, clearly engraved on them.

“….?” 

We stare blankly at Gerard, but for some reason he comes and stands in front of us.

‘What is it? Are you going to pick a fight now that you got the rank?’

There is a huge difference between when the expected rank was Grade 1 and when you came out after receiving the real Grade 1. 

A class system that eats away at one’s status.

In this country, there is a rank above the status of Duke or Marquis. 

Even the only heir to the Duke of Schmidt, a first-class Dos.

Cheshire and Jem will shrink no matter how brave they are.

‘Phew, I wish he could just go away instead of arguing.’

That’s what I thought—.

“Thank you.” 

“….?” 

Unexpected words came out of Gerard’s mouth.

I opened my mouth in surprise.

“I’ll definitely pay back what I owe you.”

He added that while making eye contact with our members one by one.

And 

Gerard looked down at Cheshire, who was sitting there. 

“…Sorry. Forget what I said before. I made a mistake.”

“….” 

What you said before? What did you say before!

As expected, it must have been a fight with Cheshire without my knowledge.

However, Cheshire, whose heart is as wide as the sea, willingly nodded. 

“Yeah.” 

“See you again when we have a chance.”

“G, Gerard! Wait a moment!”

I grabbed Gerard as he left and gave him a thumbs up.

“You are absolutely cool.”

Gerard laughed lightly.

“Thank you. See you later, Lilith.”

“Yes, goodbye! See you when we leave the center!” 

I continued to wave after Gerard as he walked down the long hallway and disappeared.

Did he… change? 

To be honest, Cheshire even threw his body to save him from the flower monster, and he would have been more impressed. 

‘I arranged the original sweet potato in advance!’

Thump, thump. My heart was beating in excitement for a while.

“Lilith Rubinstein, Measurement Room A. Cheshire, go into Measurement Room B.”

The manager called us.

* * *

Mana formal room.

The people with power had to go through this place to measure their rank.

Researcher Selena Rudendorf was checking the mana formal while waiting for the next turn.

A glass tube large enough for one person to enter.

This magical tool called ‘Mana Formal’ measures the amount of mana possessed by people with abilities.

“Ah.” 

The sign of the door opening.

Selena turned around and froze in surprise.

‘Oh my.’

As if surprised, a small child with blue eyes wide open like a surprised rabbit.

Lilith—.

‘Why of all the things?’

There are as many as three measurement rooms, but it’s a Godsend or something.

“Hello.” 

“Ah, yeah. Hello.” 

Selena tried to look away from Lilith, who bowed to her politely.

“I didn’t expect you to come here a month after you joined the training center. That’s great.”

“Yes.”

Selena stroked her dry lips at the sound of Lilith’s steps approaching.

“Please wait…a moment.” 

“Yes.” 

Selena pretended to check the mana formal, deliberately avoiding eye contact. 

“You know how, don’t you? Here, you can go in and use any magic once.”

“Yes.”

Lilith entered the open mana formal.

Their eyes met through a piece of glass.

“Excuse me…” 

“….” 

“…Mother.” 

“….!” 

Selena’s eyes widened.

“Ah! That, to Kyle… I won’t say anything. It’s just the two of us here right now.”

“….” 

“I, if you hate it… Should I call you teacher…” 

Lilith’s body, slightly lowering her gaze, was shaking.

The child was nervous.

“…No. Call me whatever you feel comfortable with.”

“Ah, yes.”

The child’s small cheeks quickly turned red at the insignificant permission.

“Mother, you know… If, just one favor… Can I ask for it?” 

“What do you mean?” 

“Just… I’m just asking. You don’t have to listen, just…” 

One step closer, Lilith put her small hand on the glass.

Her eyes were red.

“If that rank comes out, by any chance. Can you hide it?”

“What?” 

“A class that doesn’t have to go to the battlefield. Class 4… F, for me. My mother is lying…Can you do it for me?”

“….” 

“Kyle… About Kyle, mother is trying to protect Kyle, not sending him to the battlefield… That’s why you let His Majesty know where Dad and I are…” 

The child’s lips trembled.

There was a little resentment in her tearful eyes.

But more than that, she waited. 

Selena knew what answer Lilith was looking for.

She asked her to lie about her rank.

She knew full well that it was nonsense, but she asked for it at least in words.

You’re worried, too.

If I could, I’d love to do that.

—Like that.

“Lilith.”

“Yes…”

“I’m sorry.”

“….” 

The child’s body was limp.

Selena added hastily.

“But you, you will be fine.”

The child’s father, Enoch.

He is a powerful man that the emperor has long coveted.

Unlike her, who had no choice but to sell her daughter to protect her son.

“Your father will protect you. You don’t have to worry about anything…  You can stay alive.” 

“…How?” 

The child asked, with tears hanging from her big eyes as if it would fall at any moment. 

“Instead of doing nothing, Dad just… killing people from other countries? Will he protect me like that?”

Selena swallowed her breath.

The child knew more than she thought.

“…I’m sorry. I was just asking.”

Lilith finally wiped away the tears that flowed down her small cheeks with her sleeve.

And at the tip of her finger, a single white flame was lit.

“….” 

With mixed feelings, Selena stared at the rank measurement board at the bottom of the lighted mana formal.

The daughter of Enoch Rubinstein—.

Class measures were meaningless. Even without confirmation, the child was Dos.

White, Class 6 Dies.

Black, Class 5 Nuveno.

Green, Class 4 Octava.

Selena looked impatiently at the color of the measuring board, which was gradually rising in rank.

‘I’m really sorry.’

Blue, Class 3 Septima.

Red, Class 2 Quarto.

Gold, Class 1 Dos.

“Ha.” 

Selena closed her tight eyes.

That moment.

Beep—.

Along with a beep indicating an error, the screen of the measurement plate went blank.

! Error!

No mana.

Powerless person.

‘…What?’

Selena’s eyes narrowed.

She’s a powerless person with no mana.

Didn’t she see Lirith using magic with her own eyes?

“What’s wrong with this?”

Selena, who was moving closer to examine the mana formal, hesitated.

Lirith, trapped in a glass tube, was holding back her tears with her mouth closed.

Her expression was strange.

As if she had anticipated the magic tool’s error.

“Ah.” 

At that moment. 

Selena realized like lightning.

“It can’t be…?” 

There was no problem with the magic tool.

The child, Lilith.

“N, no way…” 

Selena staggered, closing her mouth with her wide eyes as she fell.

She has no mana ability.

“Y, you… h, how…?” 

God of this world,

A class permitted only to the Emperor.

Primera.

“This!”

When she was about to approach her in surprise

The shape of the child’s mouth said ‘I’m sorry’.

That was the end.

Her eyesight went blank.