Silence.
I listen to Nelly's ragged breaths, the birdsongs, the munching of Valeria, and the trembling of Nicklas.
"Nicklas," I call out, tearing my eyes from the stupefied girl in bondage.
"Yes…?" He looks at me, bewildered.
"Loot the camp. We need to move." I hand him Nelly's dagger. He takes off his large pack and puts it in, then scrounges for the scraps—these weaklings have almost nothing. "And untie the fat one. We're leaving him here."
"Why?"
"Just do it." Pack mules don't talk back. Pack mules don't think. Pack mules may sometimes whinny endearingly and occasionally use their hobby skills to tie up unconscious people. Pack mules do nothing more than what I say.
"Alright…" Good donkey.
Samuel is left to the wilds. He'll serve his purpose in the future. I don't really care what happens to him.
I sling the hogtied Nelly over my shoulder—who doesn't resist—before signaling to Valeria for us to go. She rolls her eyes in response. Insubordinate mutt. Why don't you listen to me?
I'm not a fan of babysitting Leara's dog. A beast loyal to another master is a dangerous thing, especially when it can speak. Everything I show to Valeria will be shown to Leara.
"What's the rush?" Valeria yawns. "We already beat these lessers bloody."
"And we've been moving all day… can't we make use of their camp?" Nicklas chimes in.
"We'll be ambushed in no time." These morons are no better than the ones we've just massacred. "The airship came down. It's essentially a flare. Everyone in the area knows we're here."
Nicklas nods happily in enlightened agreement. Valeria stays silent, but that's as good an agreement as I'll get. So we move.
We've gone a bit south of the Mateiko faction village base. It's still the same, never-ending forest here on the eastern side of the island.
Leara came from the north-northeast side of the island, so our biggest gap in intelligence is to the south.
We've also run into another team once before; Valeria eliminated them all before I could question them. At least she held back this time, but I can't help but feel a hypocrite for actually killing my target. Why don't those damn protection Artifacts absorb killing blows? Too expensive? This cheap ass institute gets 20 fucking million from every aspirant!
Speaking of my folly, I made the great decision to kill the strongest among them before he could use his Imprint. Now it'll be like Christmas morning. Surprise me, universe.
┌─────═━┈┈━═─────┐
Misty Step: Evade the physical realm as well as you dodge accountability. Obscures and hastens your form. First Stage.
└─────═━┈┈━═─────┘
Everything works out for me.
It wasn't that long ago that I—albeit quite offhandishly—groaned about not having a movement option.
I turn mistakes into boons—the Midas touch. My infallibility is growing to concerning heights.
Now I don't have to rely on Empowered for short-range mobility. This will do the trick, more effectively and more efficiently.
Using Misty Step over Empowered will grant me a faster activation time, a faster travel speed, and a blurring illusion.
It's a minor upgrade; there are better, more versatile options out there, certainly—some with 0 Essence cost. It's the First Stage of a Mutable Imprint, so it's naturally a bit underpowered, but still. It'll be quite useful.
Better to keep it in my back pocket. Keep my cards close. Information is half the battle. I'll use it when the time comes.
In the meantime, we make it to a small forest clearing a decent distance away and settle down.
I toss Nelly to the ground with a hard thud. She wheezes and coughs. Yanking her by her long, greasy blond hair, I prop her up against the trunk of a tree.
Seems she's had some recovery time. Fantastic.
"Had some time to think about my question?" I ask, crouching to eye level.
She loathes me. Reminds me of the scorn that Ranni showed me right before I beheaded her. So pure and fulfilling, that was.
That won't be happening this time, unfortunately. Intentional acts of brutality will have me thrown in prison. I'm only in the clear if I pass the previous killing as an accident. I think the Dim will be scrambling to cover Henri's death up—they designed this shitty, loose test, after all.
"Cossa?" Nelly says, as if feeling out the name on her lips.
"Yes."
…
"I don't—"
CRACK.
I yank and twist on Nelly's index finger. The bone breaks like a piece of cardboard under the grasp of my C-rank Strength.
"GhhHHHAAAAAAGHHHhh—!" she yells out in excruciating pain.
I stand up and pace around. Out of the corner of my eye, I can see Nicklas grimacing at the cruel sight. Weak little lamb.
"Now, Nelly of Alania," I glower at her. "Here's the deal: you're a pathetic excuse for a Viscount. But on the bright side, you aren't eliminated!"
"How," she pants between hyperventilated breaths. "How do you… know my—"
SMACK.
"I ask the fucking questions!" I snap.
Her breaths become heavier, hastier—angrier. Fire hides behind those teary eyes.
I relish the sight, but credit where credit is due, Nelly isn't all that average as she's been made out to be. Or maybe she's just a polarizing form of the 'stupid and insecure' archetype.
"Ready to listen?"
…
Good.
"If I eliminate you now, you'll have no chance at passing." That's quite obvious, considering how worthless her team was. "You'll go back to your shitty Viscounty, 20 million Gold lighter." And your strict parents will probably kill you for being embarrassed on camera. Loser.
"Or we can do the alternative," I continue. "You tell me what I want to know, and in exchange, you can cling to the small chance that I'm kind enough to let you walk free. The same kindness that allowed big, unconscious Sam to walk free."
"It's incredibly simple. Lose, or take a chance."
…
"Fuck… you." Nelly exhales.
I really thought I had her. Seems like logical Humans only make up a small percentage of the population.
Oh well. See where kindness gets you?
"Ah, right." I stand up and chuckle to myself. "I forgot to tell you that the second option was mandatory."
To the side, Nicklas has paled at the sight of Nelly's mangled finger.
And Valeria honestly looks a bit taken aback. Am I the only one here giving this exam the gravity it deserves? Whatever.
"Nicklas."
"Uh… yeah?" he squeaks.
"Hand me that dagger."