In the next morning, Milo woke up and slowly opened his eyes. After a short moment of silence, he sat up and took a deep breath, shaking off the last traces of fatigue from the previous day. Without wasting much time, he got ready and left his house, heading toward the examination grounds where the second test would take place.
After some time of walking, Milo arrived again at the same destination.
He and the others had come early. The gate of the arena had just opened, and only a small number of participants were already there most of them from the wealthy district, since they were closer.
Milo scanned the crowd as usual.
Korito was there, standing as always with his usual cold presence. Beside him stood his cousin Komiya. For a brief moment, Korito's eyes shifted toward Milo… then he looked away without saying anything. Komiya remained close to him, silent and composed.
Milo also noticed the same young man from before the one wearing a shirt pulled up to cover the lower part of his face.
Milo thought to himself as he looked at him.
Doesn't he feel suffocated wearing that all the time…?
For a brief moment, another presence arrived.
This time, the girl he had seen yesterday appeared beside him.
It was Selunarion Selea.
Once again, their eyes met.
And once again… they held that silent gaze for a few seconds longer than necessary.
Milo felt a light, gentle touch on his back.
"Ah… hi!"
Milo turned slightly, his eyes shifting toward the source of the touch.
Standing behind him was the shy girl he had saved during the previous day's incident.
She looked a bit nervous, her fingers slightly fidgeting as she avoided direct eye contact.
"I-I just saw you and thought I should… say a quick greeting…"
Milo gave a gentle smile, his expression calm and kind as he looked at her.
"Oh… it's you from yesterday. How are you?"
She looked at him for a brief moment, surprised and even more flustered, then quickly answered while trying to avoid his eyes.
"I-I'm fine! W-what about you?"
Milo replied calmly.
"I'm fine."
The difference between their behavior was clear. She was visibly shy and tense, while he remained calm and gentle.
The girl lowered her gaze, lightly gripping her dress with both hands, fidgeting as she looked down.
"W-well… my name is Emi. What about you?"
Milo smiled softly.
"I'm Milo. Emi… that's a nice name."
Her face turned slightly red when he complimented her name, making her even more flustered for a brief moment. Still, she quickly gathered herself and asked in a small voice:
"A-are you free to talk for a little while?"
Milo looked at her with a hint of surprise at the sudden request, but he didn't seem to mind.
"…Sure."
He gave a calm nod.
In his mind, he observed quietly.
She's really shy…
They stood together for a while, talking. She spoke more freely now, though her voice still carried traces of shyness. Milo listened quietly, occasionally responding with short, calm replies that kept the conversation going.
Emi talked a little about her daily life and her family, describing it in a soft, careful tone as if she wasn't used to opening up to others. Milo remained attentive the entire time, not interrupting her, simply letting her speak at her own pace.
For Emi, it felt unusual… but comfortable. Someone was actually listening.
After she finished speaking, Milo fell briefly into thought, analyzing what she had told him while she quietly listened to him.
"So… you're from a family called Solvire, living in the wealthy district. And the reason you're taking this test… is because they want you to become an adventurer."
Emi looked at him and nodded firmly, confirming his understanding while still holding a slightly nervous expression.
Milo looked at her quietly for a moment, then asked:
"But… are you okay with this?"
His question made her fall silent.
For a brief moment, Emi's expression changed. The nervousness faded slightly, replaced by something heavier… a quiet sadness.
"Not really… I don't want to be away from my family… but I also don't want to become a burden to them."
She lowered her head, her voice soft and fragile, clearly conflicted.
Milo stayed silent for a moment, thinking.
Then, slowly, he raised his hand and placed it on her shoulder.
He hesitated for a second… unsure if he should do it or not, but he still did.
Milo kept his hand on her shoulder for a moment, then spoke calmly.
"You don't have to become what they want immediately."
He paused briefly.
"But if you're doing this because you're afraid of being a burden… then you're already thinking about others more than yourself."
His gaze stayed steady, not pressuring her.
"Just focus on what you want. Not what they expect from you."
Emi looked at Milo for a moment, a faint sense of relief appearing in her eyes from his words. She quickly wiped away a tear that was about to fall.
"What I want…?"
Milo watched her calmly, waiting without rushing her.
She stayed silent for a moment, as if trying to sort out her thoughts between what her family wanted and what she felt herself.
Then she spoke in a soft voice.
"My family wants me to become an adventurer… that's something they decided long ago."
She paused briefly, then slowly lifted her gaze.
"But… my older sister was an adventurer too."
Her hand tightened slightly at her side.
"I used to watch her… how she helped people, and how she always came back smiling even when she was exhausted…"
She looked down again, but this time it wasn't just shyness. There was something softer in it… something closer to nostalgia.
"I think… I don't hate the idea as much as I thought I did."
"I'm just scared…"
Milo replied calmly.
"Being scared isn't a weakness. I'm scared too."
His words made her heart beat faster in surprise. She looked at him, her eyes reflecting a faint, unfamiliar light.
Milo answered shortly, without any false confidence.
"I'm scared of being weak… of not being able to protect the people I care about from those stronger than me."
He paused for a moment, his voice steady.
"But that's exactly why I keep moving forward."
His gaze remained calm.
"I'll become stronger, and I'll face whatever threat comes near them… whether it's outside Novara or inside it."
Then he looked at her directly.
"Will you promise me you'll become stronger too?"
Emi's eyes widened slightly. A faint smile appeared through her tears, and she quickly wiped them away. For the first time, she didn't look away.
"Yes!"
A brief silence followed her answer.
The air around them felt lighter… as if something inside Emi had quietly shifted.
Milo nodded once, as if that single word was enough.
"Good."
He didn't smile widely. He didn't make it dramatic. It was just a simple acknowledgment… but it carried weight in the way he said it.
From a distance, the sound of movement began to grow louder.
Other participants were gathering more actively now. The second test was close to starting.
Emi quickly realized the situation and straightened herself a little, wiping the last traces of tears from her face in a hurry.
"Ah s-sorry… I didn't mean to take so much of your time before the test…"
Milo glanced toward the arena gates, then back at her.
"It's fine."
After a short while, Herax, Ryo, and Lilithia walked toward Milo.
Their footsteps cut through the growing tension of the arena.
Herax stood in front of Milo.
"Did you rest well?"
Milo smiled softly.
"Yes… I'm fine now."
Lilithia looked at Milo, a faint hint of affection in her gaze.
"Good… stay that way."
Milo returned the same expression for a brief moment, then his eyes drifted around the arena. He was searching for Emi.
After a few seconds, he found her talking with her friends. She looked… happy.
A soft smile formed on Milo's face the moment he saw her well after their conversation.
Beside him, Ryo noticed it and interpreted the situation in a completely different way.
"I didn't think that was your type of woman."
Milo tensed instantly at Ryo's words and stepped back slightly.
"N-No… it's not like that."
Herax looked at Milo silently for a moment… then a single tear slid down his cheek.
"I'm proud of you, Milo."
Milo looked at Herax, clearly annoyed in a somewhat funny way.
"Can you stop looking at me like that every time there's a misunderstanding!"
Lilithia kept watching their interaction in silence, a calm smile forming on her face.
In her mind, she thought quietly:
I only see them happy… and it makes my day better. I don't know why… and I don't think I want to know either.
After a few moments, the gate closed once again.
Then, the door to the chamber opened, and George stepped out from the passage leading to the room.
He announced the beginning of the second stage.
Everyone entered the room once more, waiting in silence.
At that moment, Milo met Solir and his friend Aurelius.
All those present stood ready, as usual focused, calm, and prepared for whatever came next.
George spoke in a loud and clear voice.
"The second stage is very different from the first one, and it will last only thirty minutes, as I told you before."
Without saying anything more, he began to leave through the gate again, disappearing behind it and leaving the participants behind.
As the gate closed, a brief silence filled the room. The tension inside grew heavier.
Then, a large screen suddenly lit up in front of them.
Lyra's voice came through the system, calm and precise as always.
"You will be transferred immediately."
The lights turned off again.
Then, a deep dark-blue light flickered on.
And in the next moment… everyone vanished once more. They were transported.
Milo opened his eyes and looked around. This time, all the participants were in the same place.
The space resembled the previous room, but it was slightly larger and more spacious.
Milo turned his gaze toward his companions and felt relieved that they were still beside him.
"So… it looks like we'll be together in this stage."
Solir stood next to him, watching calmly.
"Yes… but I really wonder what this stage is hiding."
In another corner, George stood behind the gate. It opened again, revealing the now-empty room after everyone had disappeared.
He slowly stroked his beard while stepping forward.
While two guards stood behind him, following him everywhere he went.
George talked wisely
"Hmmm… I wonder how they will perform in this stage. It won't be as easy as the previous one…"