Chapter 3
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Episode 1 - Holy Academy [3]
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"You're next."
The man pointed toward Clementine Lunovar. She stood up, unsheathed the sword at her waist, and stepped in front of the evaluator.
"Three, two, one…"
When the evaluator finished counting, Clementine shifted her gaze, raised her sword, and blocked the attack.
The evaluator smiled.
"Not bad, but…"
This time, he vanished again and again while launching multiple sword strikes at Clementine.
She gritted her teeth as she managed to block every blow with a series of light steps and swift movements.
Clementine's fighting style was based on agility and high-powered attacks.
However, during the next exchange, her sword was knocked out of her hand, and a sharp blade appeared at her throat.
The evaluator's voice echoed through the ears of every candidate.
"9 out of 10. Not bad for someone from Lunovar."
Clementine stepped down from the platform, clicking her tongue as she muttered:
"Damn bastard."
Naturally, I could hear her muttering as if she were standing right beside me.
By nature, Clementine is the kind of person who gets angry easily, no matter how ridiculous the situation may be.
For example, the clash I had with her less than an hour ago is a clear reflection of her personality.
'It's better not to stay near her.'
I made that promise to myself.
After a few seconds, the evaluator pointed at the next candidate.
"You're next, Leon Starlight."
According to the character design, his hair is golden and his eyes are red, and his brother shares the same traits.
He is tall and has a lean build, but with well-defined muscles.
Additionally, he is considered a "handsome" character on the forums, especially among female players.
Leon stepped onto the platform while unsheathing his sword.
Then the evaluator said:
"Three, two, one…"
Just like before, he disappeared and attacked Leon. The fight lasted no more than five seconds, and his evaluation was 9/10, the same as Clementine's.
The following matches were Charlotte's, Leon's sister, whose main weapon is a spear, and she received a 9/10.
Princess Clana achieved a 9.5/10, the highest score so far, followed by Julian Reinhard, who also received a 9.5/10.
And Diana, with a score of 9/10.
Finally, the main character whom I had not seen for quite some time appeared.
The protagonist of this world, someone particularly special.
Platinum-colored hair and eyes with an intense shade of violet: Lumina Moonlight.
And also… a regressor.
'I wonder which regression she's in this time.'
In the game Holy Land, the last regression was number 9999. And judging by her stoic, emotionless expression, along with the obvious exhaustion in her eyes…
'It's probably the 9999th. Though it could also be the 10,000th, which was planned for a future DLC of the game.'
However, unless I ask her directly, I probably won't know which regression Lumina is currently in.
When she stepped onto the platform, she unsheathed a white sword with a moon design on the hilt.
The evaluator observed her briefly and smiled.
"Lumina, from House Moonlight… the only house with the strange lunar attribute."
Lumina did not say a single word. She only stared at him in silence.
The evaluator looked at her once more and sighed. Then he counted:
"Three, two, one…"
He vanished and attacked Lumina with his sword.
However, she reacted with ease and counterattacked.
The evaluator looked at her, clearly surprised. Even so, he stepped back and then moved his feet in a strange manner.
Suddenly, rose petals appeared around him and covered the entire platform.
At that moment, the candidates widened their eyes.
'He's using a sword art after realizing that Lumina could defeat him if he doesn't.'
That was my assessment, along with the knowledge I already had.
Upon seeing the petals around her, Lumina took on a somewhat strange stance and closed her eyes.
Soon, a white light covered her sword, and finally, small points of light appeared around her.
These faint lights collided with the petals, and at the same time, Lumina's body moved swiftly.
The evaluator smiled faintly, surprised, and attacked Lumina.
The two exchanged more than a dozen blows in just a few seconds.
The other candidates could not help but watch in astonishment; meanwhile, my expression remained emotionless.
Just like Lumina's.
Finally, the fight came to an end. Lumina's sword was sent flying; however, anyone observing closely could notice a faint red hue on the blade.
When they looked at the evaluator, he had a wound on his cheek with blood dripping from it, along with several more on his arms and shoulders.
Seeing this, the candidates could not help but fall into shock.
"Ha, ha… we've got a monster this year, huh. Ten out of ten."
That was Lumina's score.
A perfect ten.
Lumina stepped down from the platform, and since I was the last one, I stood up and walked toward it.
As she passed by me, I heard her whisper.
"Good luck."
"..."
I instantly turned my head and looked at her in confusion.
'What the hell… I thought she would say "who are you" or something like that.'
The normal reaction for a regressor, upon seeing a completely unfamiliar person who had never existed in their previous life, would be to say something like:
"Who are you?"
Or simply…
"…You're an anomaly. You weren't here before."
Or something along those lines.
It made no sense for her to say those words. I was certain that my sudden appearance would make her keep a close eye on me.
However, something felt very strange.
In the game, whenever players selected a character in multiplayer mode, the very first words Lumina always said upon seeing the player were:
"Who are you?"
That made me think seriously.
'Something is wrong.'
I couldn't help considering several possibilities, yet I couldn't arrive at an answer immediately.
Lost in thought, the evaluator's voice pulled me out of it.
"A blind candidate… now isn't this quite interesting?"
Coming back to my senses, I finally stepped onto the platform and stood in front of the evaluator.
"Since you're a swordsman and also blind, I assume you have something special, don't you?"
I didn't respond. I simply raised my head as though I were looking the evaluator in the eyes.
He sighed and said:
"Just like that girl… heh. Alright, three, two, one…"
At that moment, everything around me slowed down, almost as if time itself had stopped.
'Good, let's get this over with.'
I wasn't sure whether I would take first place or not. Even so, there were more important things to deal with, such as understanding Lumina's strange words.
At that instant, before my True Sight…
Dozens of red lines appeared, while blue lines intersected against them.
This time, I would test my senses: Mana Sense, True Sight, and Weakness Detection.
***
"Good luck."
When Lumina said that to Adel, she noticed that he suddenly froze and immediately turned toward her.
However, Lumina walked back and sat down, ignoring his expression.
A smile formed on her face, yet at the same time, sadness and emptiness filled her heart.
'Adel…'
Seeing him once again in front of her, she had almost thrown herself at him, hugged him, spoken to him… even kissed him.
But she restrained herself, suppressing everything in an almost unnatural way.
Lumina could not help remembering the moment of Adel's death before she herself died in her previous life.
"W-what are you doing?"
Lumina looked at Adel standing before her. Then she looked at his back, and when he spoke, his trembling voice reached her ears.
"What else do you think? Unlocking a happy ending, of course."
She did not understand those words. She begged him not to do anything foolish, but he ignored her.
She did not want to lose him. He was the one who had saved her life, the one who had changed the fate of her countless regressions.
And the person she fell in love with for the first time.
'Who are you?'
That was her first question when a blind man suddenly appeared out of nowhere back then.
And now, that man was about to leave.
Lumina could not be certain that Adel would ever appear again.
She was afraid of returning to her lonely state, of dying over and over again at the same point, unable to save the world.
Even if it was selfish, she did not want Adel to disappear.
She was afraid that Adel would no longer exist in her next regression.
She still had a promise to fulfill.
Adel murmured something that she barely managed to hear back then:
"I guess I'll die without regrets… even so, I would have liked to see the 'Garden' or return home…"
"N-no… please, stop… don't go, Adel."
"Didn't I tell you that I would fulfill my promise of a happy ending? Even if I never see the Garden or return home… you're the only one who matters to me, Lumina."
Lumina understood the part about the Garden, but not the part about returning home.
She knew Adel had no place to return to, and yet he still insisted on it.
However, there was something melancholic in his voice whenever he spoke about going back home.
Even so, Lumina watched that moment when Adel used a trait.
〖The trait: Beyond Limits has been activated〗
〖All stats, traits, unique trait, and skills increase ×100 for five minutes〗
〖Warning: once this trait is activated, the player will self-destruct〗
When an enormous explosion covered the world, Adel had disappeared.
Lumina watched that final moment… when Adel's eyes were finally revealed and looked directly at her.
Golden eyes with a reddish hue and semi-reversed pupils like those of a dragon.
They were beautiful.
And it was also the first time she had ever seen them, always hidden beneath a blindfold.
Back in the present, Lumina looked at Adel, who, with his absurd senses, had matched the evaluator and left him speechless.
She placed a hand over her chest and thought:
'This time, I'll fulfill my promise and…'
'…make sure you survive.'
'My Adel.'