CH 31

【First Ordeal: Knowledge】

Ulan stared straight ahead.

At first, he thought that each of them would choose their own Ordeal, but given the circumstances, it seemed more likely that they were assigned randomly.

‘I suppose I have no choice.’

The dice had already been cast.

Ulan's current task was clear – to utilize all the knowledge he possessed and overcome this Ordeal.

"Come at me as much as you want."

He was confident he could overcome the ordeal, even if it meant pushing himself to the point of fainting due to exceeding his learning capacity – Ulan vowed to himself.

Some time later.

Countless characters were etched into the air; characters that resembled worms.

They were familiar characters, the ancient script of the Desert Kingdom that Sylphie had been deciphering.

But there was a problem...

"What does it say?"

…he couldn't understand the content; since he couldn't comprehend the characters themselves, his brain didn't experience any overload.

As Ulan continued to puzzle over it.

Charrrak! Charrrak! Charrrak!

Suddenly, the ground started to be inscribed with characters.

And four choices appeared soon after; as if he had to choose between them.

"At least that's a relief."

Feeling a brief sense of comfort, Ulan examined the choices; his gaze became more careful.

After a while, he selected the first option; because it had the most characters.

As soon as he made the choice, the floor turned a bright red.

After a moment, he chose the first option.

Swoosh!

Soon after, a single diagonal line was drawn. Even Ulan could read this much.

It represented the number 1.

"Does this mean it's the correct answer?"

If he had chosen incorrectly, the number 0 would have appeared. But the drawn line meant he had earned 1 point. Thinking this, Ulan murmured to himself, "I'm lucky."

As he thought that, a new problem appeared.

Once again, he was presented with choices.

Ulan continued to make his selections.

Each time, the floor turned red, and a diagonal line was drawn.

After a considerable amount of time had passed.

Finally, he had solved all the problems.

Boom!

This time, it wasn't just the floor, but the entire room was bathed in a red glow, and Ulan exclaimed in admiration, "I never thought I'd get a perfect score."

It was too good to be true; it was like a stroke of luck. Perhaps he was being blessed by the goddess of luck.

As he entertained this fleeting thought—

Thump! Thump! Thump! Thump!

—the sound of drums echoed from all directions.

It sounded like the sound of a battlefield. Was it congratulating him on getting a perfect score? Ulan wondered.

"Krrrr! Kirik!"

"Squeaaal!"

Monsters poured in from all directions.

Undying ones, and even bizarre creatures he had never seen before. Watching over the array of monsters, Ulan's eyes widened as though he had understood something, "I see. Is this the final Trial?"

Well, they couldn't just send problems and then let him go; a small smile tugged at the corner of Ulan's mouth.

"If it's this kind of problem, I'm confident," he even knew the answers already.

Annihilation. Ulan chucked.

Soon, he was facing the incoming monsters from all sides.

His bright red axe tore through the air.

━━━◇◆◇━━━

Meanwhile, in that very moment, Ibella's gaze was also drawn to the characters that materialized before her.

They were none other than the script of the Heretics, the same symbols that Sylphie had pointed out to her before they arrived here.

【Second Ordeal: Battle】

An Ordeal that should have been Ulan's.

However, the fact that it was given to her meant that the group's plan had gone awry.

‘I'm fine with it, but…’

She wished Sylphie and Ulan had been given the Ordeals of Knowledge and Talent, respectively, because Sylphie had no fighting ability.

It was true that she was worried.

At that moment…

Thud!

A resonating thud reverberated, an unforeseen, weighty footfall.

Quick as a flash, Ibella's hand instinctively clutched her sword. An intruder was approaching, of that she was certain.

‘I don't care who it is.’

She was determined to overcome the ordeal and reunite with Ulan.

With a composed expression, Ibella prepared herself. However, when the opponent came into view from a distance, her expression cracked.

"...Himmel?"

It was a young man with brown hair. It was her half-brother, Himmel Deorg.

Himmel's appearance was unexpected, and Ibella was taken aback. And in that moment, a sharp blade flew through the gap created by her panic.

Whoosh! Clash!

With a deft movement, she thwarted the blade, narrowly averting disaster.

Through a series of swift exchanges, clarity descended upon her.

‘This is unmistakably his style.’

This was clearly Himmel's swordsmanship.

The swordsmanship of the Count Deorg’s family.

‘Why is Himmel here?’

He had left with the group earlier.

In the midst of her bewilderment and questions, a realization struck her. She noticed that she couldn't hear any breathing from the Himmel before her, and his gaze was different from usual.

It wasn't a gaze of disdain or hatred, but rather a dry, emotionless stare. It was as if she was looking at an emotionless doll.

After prolonged scrutiny, the truth crystallized within her.

He is not the real Himmel.

‘Then what is he?”

An illusion? Or a monster?

A new question arose in her mind, but it was quickly resolved. She remembered Ulan's words.

‘Didn't he tell me that if I don't know if it's a person or a monster, just smash its head in?’

That would solve the problem.

Ulan had definitely said that. So she decided to do just that.

Kagagak! Kaang!

Blades clashed, a symphony of colliding steel.

Though the blows resounded powerfully, the timeworn blade she wielded resisted shattering. In contrast, Ibella's endurance waned.

"Argh!"

The onslaught continued.

Initially, it seemed an even match, yet with each passing moment, the chasm in their prowess became pronounced.

The reason was simple.

‘I'm weaker than Himmel.’

Ibella was no match for him.

Unlike Himmel, who had been trained in the art of swordsmanship from birth, she had only held a sword for three years.

The difference was in the amount of time she's spent learning.

Clash! Thud!

As their swords clashed, Himmel's fist suddenly slammed into Ibella's abdomen.

"Ugh!"

The pain was too much to stifle a scream.

She felt a dull ache in her lower stomach, but she didn't have time to examine it. She gritted her teeth as she rolled to the ground, narrowly avoiding the attack.

"Cough, cough!" she coughed, struggling to regain her breath.

At that moment, he looked at her. His gaze felt odd and crooked. And then, suddenly, the fake Himmel spoke.

「You have no talent for swordsmanship.」

His voice was cold and emotionless. It was the same words she had heard long ago when she first held a sword.

「Even if you have the blood of the Deorg family, half of your body is tainted with impure and lowly blood. For someone like you to wield a sword is tantamount to insulting the family.」

Those words were etched in her memory.

It seemed that this imposter Himmel was created based on Ibella's memories. The fact that he kept bringing up the memories she wanted to forget was evidence of that.

「If you want to be of use to the Deorg family, seduce the scion of great aristocratic houses and spread your legs. Just like your mother did. Then your worthless body might be of some value.」

Ibella bit her lip.

Then she shook her head vigorously.

"........No."

Despite her intense emotions, a feeble voice escaped her lips. The words ‘no talent for swordsmanship’ and ‘dirty blood’ echoed in her mind.

If she really had talent in swordsmanship, could she have defeated this fake Himmel easily?

As she was consumed by these gloomy thoughts.

Suddenly, a massive noise rang out.

Koooom!

The ground shook violently.

Even the fake Himmel seemed taken aback by the intense disruption. And Ibella, too, snapped out of her melancholic reverie, her eyes widening in surprise.

"That is….."

It was Ulan.

She had no basis for thinking so, but it felt like him. Perhaps he was the first person she thought of.

Thud! Koooom! Kwaang!

The vibrations reverberated, showcasing their presence. The powerful shocks continued without respite, relentlessly shaking Ibella's memories of despair.

At that moment, a memory suddenly surfaced in her mind.

Words of encouragement she had heard from Ulan long ago.

「If it’s you, you can do it.」

His eyes were filled with unwavering belief.

The words of conviction.

「You will undoubtedly reach the realm of a Master.」

These words contradicted Himmel's, offering encouragement and assurance.

As this memory resurfaced, something within her seemed to shatter.

Memories she had been trying to suppress, the childhood nightmares, shattered at Ulan's words. Shortly afterward, Ibella bit her lip forcefully.

‘I can't lose in a place like…….’

Ulan believed in her.

He believed in her talent as a swordsman.

In order to fulfill this faith, Ibella had to defeat the fake Himmel at the very least. Biting her lip until it bled, a sense of composure returned.

At that moment...

…she suddenly saw a reflection in her eyes.

【The Second Ordeal: Battle】

This was the Ordeal of Battle.

But what is a Battle?

A battle was not about showcasing one's swordsmanship or engaging in an honorable duel. It's something simpler and clearer.

‘A Battle is fighting to win.’

Using whatever means necessary to achieve victory.

The moment she realized this…

…Ibella's eyes flashed with determination.

‘If that's the case…’

After making her decision, she took a deep breath. Then, with boldness, she rushed towards the fake Himmel.

Clang! Thwack!

Although she faced fierce counterattacks, she didn't retreat; as long as it wasn't a vital strike, she didn't mind.

For the sake of victory, Ibella willingly endured pain. Eventually, she reached just before her opponent.

And then, she swung her sword.

「This is futile.」

The fake Himmel raised his sword diagonally.

A defensive stance that perfectly blocked Ibella's sword strike. Perhaps in the past, she might have retreated here or engaged in a clash of swords.

However, now that she understood the meaning of Battle, her choice was different.

「............!」

The fake Himmel's eyes widened. Just before their swords clashed, Ibella decisively let go of her sword.

As the first traces of surprise appeared on his face, Ibella's pristine white hand tightly grabbed the fake Himmel’s collar with a ferocious grip.

"I finally got you."

With a smile of conviction, she slammed her fist into Himmel's face.

Crack!

Although her knuckles hurt, she didn't mind.

After grabbing Himmel's arm, Ibella flipped him onto the ground.

Soon, she was straddling him. Holding down his arm with her knee, she grinned, "I've finally fulfilled my wish."

She had wanted to give that annoying face a good punch for a long time. With all her might, her clenched fist struck the fake Himmel's face.

Pow! Whack! Crunch!

Once, twice, thrice.

The repeated punches, fueled by determination, ceased when the figure beneath her was no longer Himmel.

"Sand?"

The body had suddenly turned to sand.

And in that moment, the surroundings changed.

The place where the three of them had been together before. And not far away, a familiar face came into view.

"Ulan…..."

She mumbled his name in a daze.

He turned toward her. Then, with a faint smile, he approached her, "Looks like you've won."

".......why do you think so?"

"Because you're smiling."

Ibella was taken aback.

Perhaps the thought of defeating Himmel had brought a smile to her face. She quickly composed herself and approached Ulan.

"By the way, where's Sylphie……?"

"Here she is."

Ulan gestured beside the campfire; there, Sylphie lay curled up, unconscious.

"She's been like this since I found her."

Fortunately, she didn't seem seriously injured. Her heartbeat and breathing were stable. Ibella nodded in relief.

Later, as they sat beside the campfire...

…Ibella's cyan eyes met Ulan's gaze.

"Thank you, Ulan."

"What's with the sudden gratitude?"

"Thanks to you, I was able to win."

Remembering what she'd heard from Ulan.

Ibella regained her confidence. She had triumphed with her swordsmanship and confronted her past she had been avoiding.

So she wanted to thank him and express her gratitude.

Ulan, on the other hand, shook his head, "No, it's all thanks to your talent."

In her past life, Ibella had proven her swordsmanship talent by reaching the realm of the Master.

Ulan had watched it from the sidelines.

So of course he was convinced.

That Ibella's talent was real.

"With your talent, the Ordeal of Talent should’ve been a breeze."

"Huh? The Ordeal of Talent?"

Meanwhile, Ibella blinked.

As if she didn't know what he was talking about.

"I already passed the Ordeal of Battle, didn't I?"

"Battle?"

"Yeah, wasn't Ulan the one who had the Ordeal of Talent? I was pretty sure it was like that..."

"My ordeal was about the Ordeal of Knowledge."

His reply left her speechless.

Then, as if to reassure her that she shouldn't worry, Ulan added a further explanation, "There is nothing to worry about. I got a perfect score."

"Really? You truly are the top scorer."

She was relieved to hear that she had passed.

However, the feeling of relief was short-lived.

"But if I took the Ordeal of Battle, and you took the Ordeal of Knowledge……."

Her voice trailed off and she looked back at Sylphie.

In other words, Sylphie had taken the Ordeal of Talent.

Immediately after realizing this…

…Ibella looked uneasy. Sure, she had the ability to interpret ancient texts, but Ibella couldn't help but feel that Sylphie’s other talents were lacking.

But her unease didn't last long.

Clang! Kurrurur!

The front wall of the room collapsed with a loud crash. Soon after, a new passage appeared before them.

A path leading to the final Trial.

Upon discovering it, Ulan and Ibella looked at each other and smiled.

It meant that Sylphie, too, had made it through.

━━━◇◆◇━━━

The gate to the final Trial.

Even with the coolly stretched passage ahead, Ulan and Ibella had no intention of leaving the campfire.

The reason was simple — because Sylphie had not yet awakened.

Also, the long battle exhausted the mind and body. So they intended to rest for a while and reorganize.

"Take it."

Ulan took out food and water from his backpack and handed them to Ibella. Surprised, she accepted them and looked at him with wide eyes.

"I can't believe you brought food and water," she said, “You are surprisingly prepared, Ulan.”

"I didn't bring this."

"Huh? Then who brought……."

"Noah."

"Noah?"

"The little one I've been traveling with. We've been companions for a short while."

With that explanation, Ibella remembered who Noah was.

A girl with black hair and piercing blue eyes, who looked mysterious somehow.

"So her name was Noah."

It was the same girl who had shared a bed in the infirmary with Ibella.

"You seemed to be quite close with her. Did you know her before you entered the academy?"

"We were fellow disciples, serving the same master."

Ah, I see. They were fellow disciples. Ibella nodded her head. 

Somehow, she felt a sense of calmness wash over her.

But there was still something she wanted to know. So, she cautiously asked, feigning casualness, "Then, what about the princess from the Kingdom we met earlier?"

Dilia Arpen.

Even Ibella, who tended to be indifferent to others, knew about her. She was a well-known figure.

For such a famous person to greet him first meant that she was familiar with Ulan.

So, she was curious.

That's all it was, really.

"I met Dilia during the specialization test?"

"Really? That's it?"

"That's it," Ulan nodded.

What's this? It's a situation similar to mine, isn't it?

Ibella felt relieved.

Then, she tilted her head and chuckled. She didn't understand why she felt relieved just now.

However, her momentary peace of mind was short-lived.

"Ugh, ugh."

Because a low moan soon followed.

It was Sylphie. She stirred with pain and quickly opened her eyes.

Once Sylphie regained her senses, Ulan handed her water and food before asking about her experience with the Ordeal of Talent. He was curious about what had happened.

But an unexpected response came.

"You don't remember what happened?"

"......I don't remember anything."

She didn't look like she was lying.

Her blinking eyes were evidence of her uncertainty. Well, if her memories had completely vanished, it was natural for her to feel anxious.

"But still, I'm relieved that things were resolved!" Sylphie smiled weakly.

Indeed, that was true.

There were more important things than investigating how she'd gotten through the ordeal.

The final Trail.

Looking toward the passageway that led there, Ulan rose from his seat.

"Let's go, then."

After finishing their rest and preparations.

The group set off once again.

To discover what lay at the end of the Trail and to find their way out.