By the time Team 7 returned to the waiting room, word of their battle had already spread.
The heavy door had barely opened when the atmosphere inside shifted. Conversations stopped mid-sentence, heads turned one after another, and within seconds the entire room's attention was focused on the group that had just stepped inside.
"There they are!"
"That's Team 7!"
"They're back already!"
Students who had been resting, preparing equipment, or discussing their own upcoming evaluations now leaned forward with obvious curiosity.
The noise quickly grew louder.
"Did you see that final attack?!"
"That skeleton control was insane!"
"No way a first-year should be able to control that many undead!"
Someone even whistled.
"That Bone Nail spell—was that something Simon made himself?"
Simon, suddenly surrounded by attention from every direction, scratched the back of his head awkwardly. Praise was still something he wasn't used to.
"Well… yeah. I guess you could say that."
Rick, standing beside him, folded his arms proudly and nodded as if the compliments were directed at him as well.
"Of course it was impressive," he said with a wide grin. "After all, I was there too."
Meanwhile, not everyone looked pleased.
Near the back of the waiting room, a few students who had previously mocked Team 7 exchanged glances.
"Tch… they're making such a big deal out of it."
"Yeah. That Cyclops was acting weird from the start."
"But they still won."
One of them sighed.
"…I honestly thought they were finished."
Even those who had doubted them earlier could no longer deny what had just happened.
Team 7 had survived—and defeated—the Cyclops.
Amid the noise, Meilyn walked slightly behind the others with her arms crossed. Her expression looked as indifferent as ever, as if the praise around her had nothing to do with her.
But the faint redness creeping up the tips of her ears betrayed her.
Cami, on the other hand, had no energy left to pretend.
The moment she stepped inside, she collapsed onto the nearest bench with a tired groan.
"…I think I lost half my blood back there."
Rick laughed. "You literally did."
Simon was about to respond when a familiar cheerful voice suddenly rang out from the entrance.
"Ah! There you guys are!"
The door swung open again.
Group 8 had arrived.
Knox stepped inside first, calm as always. Behind him followed Cindy and Claudia, while Merida trailed behind them at a noticeably slower pace.
Merida looked like she had just woken up. Her eyes were half-closed, and she covered her mouth as a small yawn escaped her.
Cindy, however, immediately spotted Simon.
Her eyes lit up. "Simon!"
Before he could react—
Pat! Pat!
She cheerfully smacked both of his shoulders.
"That was amazing!"
Simon nearly stumbled forward.
"Th-thanks, Cindy…"
"I'm serious!" Cindy continued excitedly. "That skeleton at the end was crazy! The Cyclops didn't even know where to look!"
Claudia walked up beside her, smiling warmly, though her demeanor remained far more composed.
"She's right," she said gently. "The coordination was impressive."
Her gaze shifted toward Cami, who was still sitting down.
"And that bleeding spell earlier… that was Overflow, wasn't it?"
Cami blinked in mild surprise.
"Yeah… though it nearly killed me."
Claudia chuckled softly.
"That spell isn't easy to control. Even most members of the Ursula family struggle with it."
Then she added, her tone sincere,
"You handled it very well."
Cami looked slightly embarrassed but nodded.
"…Thanks."
Meanwhile, Knox had walked over to where Meilyn stood.
He stopped in front of her.
Meilyn looked up.
"…What?"
Knox's expression carried the faintest hint of amusement.
"You did well."
Meilyn blinked.
"…Huh?"
"Your Ice Wall," Knox continued calmly. "The timing was perfect. Without that platform, Simon wouldn't have reached the Cyclops's neck."
For a moment Meilyn simply stared at him.
Then her face flushed.
"H-huh?!"
She immediately turned her head away.
"I-I just reacted normally! Anyone could've done that!"
Knox chuckled softly.
"Really?"
He tilted his head slightly.
"After all the time we spent sharpening your Ice Magic, it would've been a waste if it didn't pay off."
Meilyn froze.
"…!"
Her face grew even redder.
"S-shut up! Don't say it like that in front of everyone!"
Cindy burst out laughing.
"Wow. Tsundere mode activated."
"CINDY!"
Meanwhile, a few steps away, Merida had already leaned against the wall.
Her arms were folded.
Her eyes slowly drifted closed again.
"…Not bad," she murmured sleepily, almost sounding like she was talking to herself.
Rick suddenly cleared his throat loudly. Everyone looked at him. Rick pointed at himself.
"…Are you guys forgetting someone?"
Silence fell over the group.
Rick frowned.
"How come nobody praised me?"
Group 8 paused.
Knox looked at him.
Cindy looked at him.
Claudia looked at him.
Even Merida lazily opened one eye.
Then the four of them nodded almost simultaneously.
"Good job," Knox said calmly.
"Very impressive," Claudia added politely.
"Nice work!" Cindy said with a thumbs-up.
"…Good," Merida muttered before closing her eyes again.
Rick stared at them.
"…That was the most half-hearted praise I've ever heard."
They had already turned their attention back to Simon.
Rick's eyebrow twitched.
"Hey! At least pretend to be sincere!"
Simon couldn't hold back his laughter.
Even Meilyn, who had been trying to stay annoyed, let out a small chuckle.
And just like that, the tension left behind by the brutal battle finally dissolved inside the waiting room.
Then suddenly—
"—Group 8, step forward."
The call echoed through the waiting room.
Almost instantly, the previously lively room fell silent, as if someone had pressed a mute button. Conversations stopped mid-sentence, and dozens of eyes turned toward the group that had just been called.
Group 8 stood up.
At the front, Knox stepped forward first.
A confident smile slowly formed on his face.
For some reason, the moment he smiled, several girls in the waiting room immediately reacted.
"Kyaah—!"
"Did you see that?!"
"He's smiling!"
Excited whispers and squeals erupted here and there among the female students.
Claudia, who noticed the reaction, slowly turned her head toward them. Her calm gaze swept across the group of girls.
Her eyes didn't say a single word, yet the message was perfectly clear.
Silence, you perverts.
The girls instantly shrank back, embarrassed.
Claudia then let out a small sigh before shifting her attention forward again. The softness in her expression faded, replaced by a focused, serious look.
Beside her, Cindy—who had just been laughing together with Team 7 moments ago—froze for a brief second.
Then she suddenly slapped both of her cheeks.
Pah!
"Alright! Let's go!"
Her bright tone returned immediately as she pumped her fists with renewed determination.
Behind them, Merida quietly straightened her posture.
Her expression turned serious as well, though the faint trace of sleepiness still lingered in her half-lidded eyes. She rubbed the back of her neck once, as if forcing herself to stay awake, before lazily following after the others.
And with that—
Group 8 began walking toward the dungeon entrance.
Another evaluation was about to begin.