Chapter 211 : Qualification Exam (3)

Morning dawned.

Today was the day we were heading out for the extracurricular activity.

I had to get to the meeting place with the applicant on time.

In a way, it was a suspicious extracurricular activity.

When requesting support from the Academy, the basic content usually included is ‘why the Academy’s hands are needed’.

However, Oliver’s request form didn’t have anything like that written on it.

‘I am an herbalist. I have to go far away this time, but since it is my first time on this path, I do not know what dangers there might be, so I am requesting protection.’

This is all.

Obvious details like where the destination is or what he is looking for were not written down.

In the original work, Ivan feels curiosity because of these things and accepts the request.

Thanks to having played the original work and gone through this extracurricular activity dozens of times, I knew where the applicant Oliver was leaving for and why he was going there.

Also, what kind of person he is.

“Senior! Over here!”

As I left the dormitory building, Yuria, who had been waiting for me, got up from the bench and waved her hand.

“Making women wait. Your lack of manners is still the same, I see.”

Karina is next to her too.

She picks a fight as soon as we meet again.

“Sorry, sorry. Let’s go.”

“Yes!”

“Tch.”

The meeting place was the Central Plaza, famous as a meeting spot for the capital’s citizens.

There was a towering clock tower and a large fountain located in the center there, and the image of various people sitting around the fountain waiting for someone was a commonly seen scenery.

Since our faces were too well-known due to Royal Dream and various incidents, we pulled our robe hoods up to cover our faces.

If many people recognized us, it would only become needlessly annoying, and even more so in a place like this with a large crowd.

‘There they are.’

I looked at the groups gathered next to the fountain and headed there.

Those who had thrown away style or aesthetic sense and armed their thick bodies with tough leather clothes and cloaks made solely for practicality and activity.

It was a mercenary troop.

And the person sitting among them had the exact same face as the face I saw through the monitor screen.

‘Oliver.’

The Academy extracurricular activity applicant, and the client who gave the request to our Shadow through Mr. Parnaci’s introduction, was him.

“I think it’s that person?”

Karina discovered him from afar and tilted her head.

“What. But he’s super young? Since he said he was an herbalist, I thought he’d be an old person.”

Of course.

That is not his real identity.

“You’ve come.”

At that moment, Oliver also discovered us, his eyes shining as he raised his body.

I stepped forward and made the introductions.

“I am Gerard from the 888th Class, from the Academy. This is Yuria from the 890th Class, and Karina.”

“Oliver.”

A short greeting.

At that moment, I saw Karina’s brow crinkle furiously in my peripheral vision, but I didn’t think much of it and asked while looking at the surrounding people.

“What are the names of the other people?”

Oliver said.

“I’ll give you 5 minutes so share greetings on your own.”

Just like he looks, he has absolutely no manners.

Of course, I already knew that personality, so I only spoke inwardly.

“Why does he have no manners like this?”

But our Karina couldn’t hold it back.

As expected.

“…….”

Oliver, who was turning his body, looked at her.

A staring contest unfolded just like that.

However, Oliver turned his head again and flopped down onto the fountain.

Without any particular response or retort.

At his behavior, which seemed to say she wasn’t worth dealing with, Karina looked at me and Yuria with an expression of ‘What kind of bastard is that?’.

But at that time, I was looking somewhere else, not sympathizing with her mood.

First, the mercenary troop.

As soon as they heard we came from the Academy, the atmosphere over there became somewhat bustled.

Some were observing us with interesting eyes, and I could see a few secretly slipping out of the plaza and heading somewhere.

They were the mercenaries Oliver had personally requested aside from Shadow and the Academy.

The name is Silver Lion.

A mercenary troop where all members hold silver badges, quite famous within the Frey Empire.

The mercenary captain is the Gold Badge Mercenary Gorian.

Correct.

He is a Gold Badge mercenary like Narsi of Bandarok.

‘Of course, in terms of name value, Narsi is far above him.’

Still, Gorian is also a skilled person who cannot be ignored.

And the opposite side again.

Two people wearing black outfits were looking this way from a place slightly separated from the fountain.

Both were women.

One had black hair and a sharp impression, and had a sword hanging at her waist.

And the other one had a naive appearance with blonde hair cut into a short bob up to her neck, and was standing holding a blunt staff.

At that moment, my gaze collided in the air with the woman with the sharp impression who was scanning us.

“……!”

She quickly turned her head.

However, I didn’t miss her pupils trembling slightly.

‘He changed their appearance perfectly. As expected of Luis.’

That’s right.

Those two people are the twin sisters who came to take Shadow’s qualification exam.

Rachel and Reina.

‘The black hair is Rachel and the short hair is Reina.’

Since she was leaning on a crutch, I could distinguish them easily.

But really, from the face mask to the dye and hairstyle, they changed it so much it’s unrecognizable.

Still, just in case, I looked at Yuria and Karina, but as expected, they show no signs of noticing at all.

“It seems those over there are women. Are they mercenaries?”

“Wouldn’t they be?”

“Should we ask? Just to say hello as well.”

I considered it.

How Rachel would react when we greeted them.

Because I was curious about that handling, whether she would greet us naturally pretending not to know, or if she would be flustered and stutter.

Acting while wearing a mask and hiding one’s true feelings is also one of a thief’s abilities.

But there was someone who approached us and offered a greeting before that.

“To meet people from the renowned Academy here. This is an honor. I am Gorian.”

It was the captain of the Silver Lion Mercenaries, Gorian.

He laughed while extending his hand, and the scar crossing his face wriggled along with his laughter, making him look grotesque.

I stared blankly at that appearance and then held his hand.

“I am Gerard.”

“I know. Hehe. It is a name vibrating through the Academy recently, so there is no way I wouldn’t know.”

Gorian looked behind.

“Among the two beautiful ladies there, isn’t the one on the right Sir Isaac’s disciple, and the one on the left the daughter of the Duke Zain family, the best family in the Empire?”

“Hoh. You have an eye for things? That’s right. I am Karina Zain.”

Karina brushing back her hair and acting boastful.

And, Yuria looked like her expression wasn’t good for some reason.

“Me. I’m not Sir Isaac’s disciple.”

“Hmm? Is that so?”

Nod-

“Oh my. I have committed a great discourtesy here. Since wandering around is my trade, I pick up this and that, so I just… There is no rule that it is always right. I shall apologize.”

“It’s okay.”

“Hehe. Thank you. Since it has turned out like this, it’s fate, so I hope it becomes a good journey for both of us.”

At those words, I looked at Gorian and asked.

“If you don’t think useless thoughts and only focus on the given task, wouldn’t it be like that?”

And I smiled significantly.

“…….”

Gorian stared at me intently.

After the expression that had been situated on his mouth disappeared.

But soon he smirked back and nodded his head.

“Right. You just have to do the given task well. That is the best. As expected, an Academy cadet thinks differently. Very reliable.”

Gorian, who tapped my shoulder with his fist, turned his body and returned to his camp.

“What is that? That jerk. Unpleasant.”

“Are you okay, Senior?”

It seems Yuria and Karina also felt the insidiousness hidden within Gorian’s eyes and laughter.

They look towards the Silver Lion Mercenaries with displeased eyes.

“It’s fine. Let’s get ready too.”

Like that, 5 minutes passed.

Right before departing, Oliver called the leaders of each group together.

Me, Rachel, and Gorian.

Checking that we three had gathered, Oliver asked abruptly.

“I assume you’ve all roughly done your greetings. Do you know Yurad Forest?”

We all answered that we knew.

It was only natural, as anyone who has lived in the Frey Empire even a little bit would hear the notoriety of Yurad Forest at least once.

‘A place where you can never come out alive again once you set foot in.’

A place as dangerous as the Great Forest because the yin energy is thick and deep, and various monsters inhabit it.

Of course, now that the forest’s secrets have been investigated to some extent, it isn’t to that degree and the notoriety has faded a lot, but…

Still, it wasn’t a place for an herbalist to leisurely go in and out to pluck grass.

“Is the place we are going surely Yurad Forest?”

“Correct.”

“Hmm. I heard and knew we were going to the south, but the destination was quite a dangerous place? If so, you are asking us to protect you from monsters. What are you looking for?”

“What would an herbalist be looking for? Obviously herbs.”

“What herb?”

“If I say it, would someone like you know?”

It was an answer that ate up all manners.

However, Gorian just rolled his eyes without showing much emotion. It was an expression deep in thought while stroking his chin.

Oliver, who glanced at him, asked.

“Why? Now that you know the destination, are you suddenly scared?”

Gorian twisted the corners of his mouth.

“No way. Rather, I’m doing this because I’m worried about that side.”

“That side?”

Gorian looked at Rachel and gestured with his chin.

“Those people. Looking just now, it seemed one of the party members had a disability in her leg.”

Everyone’s gaze headed toward Rachel.

Then, her complexion hardened stiffly.

“……Turn off your concern. I will do my money’s worth.”

“How can I not be concerned? It is obvious she will become baggage let alone help if a battle occurs. I don’t know which mercenary office you came from, but how about quitting even now?”

“Whether I will have baggage or not, I want to check……?”

Her chilling voice.

Seeing her hand go up to her waist, Gorian smiled even more grossly.

“Hehe. That just so happens to be a good proposal…….”

However, the two people could not achieve their will.

“Depart.”

Oliver standing up abruptly and leaving the fountain area.

Gorian, who shrugged his shoulders while looking at that back figure, led his mercenary troop.

“Now, let’s go earn money!”

“Yes!”

We also followed behind them, and as Rachel and Reina attached themselves to the very rear of the formation, the request began in earnest.

I thought while walking.

How will this journey turn out indeed?

Will it flow exactly like the original work?

Or just like the main story that has become twisted, will this sub-quest also flow differently.

I can’t be certain, but for some reason, I thought it would be the latter.

Why?

Yuria and Rachel, Reina.

……Lastly, even me, Gerard.

Because four people who should have died long ago in the original work are gathered here.

Wouldn’t there be no way it’s the same.

‘I’m curious. How it will come out.’

I looked at the back of Oliver’s head and Gorian walking in front of him, and fell into deeper contemplation.

***

“Unni. Aren’t those people Unni’s friends?”

At Reina’s question from beside her, Rachel hurriedly lifted a finger and blocked her mouth.

“……Shh. Be quiet, Reina. We are on a request right now. Did you forget?”

“Ah, right. Hehe. Sorry.”

“Listen well. Until the request ends, I am Mitchell and you are Michelle. And…….”

‘Now they aren’t my friends either.’

However, Rachel was unable to spit these words out of her mouth.

For no reason, she touches her face wearing the Face Mask again.

It was since she met eyes with Gerard earlier.

Just in case they recognize their identities.

‘If that happens, what do I do?’

In a fearful and anxious heart, knowing that Luis’s disguise art is perfect, Rachel touched the seams of the Face Mask and checked constantly, checking again.

‘Haa. Please, I hope it ends without getting caught and without any incidents.’

Rachel bit her lip quietly while stealing glances at her past friends.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep