The story of the black silk female knight

"Waaah... Tia, you're so good to me."

Valensa hugged Tia, deeply moved.

"I don't know how to repay you... How about I just offer myself to you?"

"...I don't want an idiot like you!"

Tia was quite vulnerable to this bold, direct attack, and immediately blushed, then seriously changed the subject:

"Speaking of which... Valensa, don't you think something's a little strange?"

"strangeness?"

Valensa didn't seem to want to let Tia off the hook so easily. The points she had accumulated made her very relaxed, and naturally she wanted to mess around and have some fun.

So she grinned mischievously and opened her claws toward Tia:

"What's strange? Is it that your body has suddenly become strange, Tia? You started to feel hot and weak after hearing that I wanted to repay you with my body? Then let me treat you... I'm very skilled... Ouch."

"I'm serious, you idiot!"

Tia, enraged, kicked Valensa hard.

"Haven't you noticed that since we entered the Trial Maze, we haven't encountered a single other person participating in the third stage of the assessment?"

"Hey?"

Seeing that Tia really didn't seem to be joking, Valensa frowned slightly and thought carefully.

Indeed, since she and Tia entered the trial labyrinth, they haven't encountered anyone else.

"Hmm...it's nothing, is it?"

But Valensa didn't find this strange at all:

"There aren't many candidates who can successfully reach the third stage. We arrived late and spent most of our time in the trial room with its own private space, so it's normal that we didn't run into any other candidates, right?"

"If it's just that I don't encounter the candidates who are currently taking the exam, that's normal; everyone should be working through the trials in the training rooms, but..."

The more Tia thought about it, the more her brows furrowed.

"It's strange that even candidates who have accumulated enough points to pass the assessment can't see it."

"……Why do you say that?"

Valensa was somewhat puzzled.

"Before taking the assessment, I specifically asked students at the War Academy about the unspoken rules of the assessment that are rarely circulated outside... such as the bonus question we encountered in the second round."

Tia explained earnestly:

"In this third stage, the trial maze does not immediately drive away candidates who have failed the test or have already passed it... Although most candidates do leave immediately, a small number do not."

"Oh?"

Valensa became even more curious:

"They finally passed the test, why aren't they leaving to rest or celebrate? What are they doing lingering here?"

"make money."

Tia shrugs:

"Not all candidates are from noble families like us. They are not wealthy and are happy to seize the opportunity to earn some pocket money."

So some people would wait outside the trial rooms where they had failed before, selling the information inside to those who came after them... Many noble candidates were willing to spend this money.

Especially in some rooms with higher ratings, several groups of people might even be bidding against each other.

"This……"

Valensa had never heard of such a thing before, but upon reflection, it wasn't surprising.

Where there are people, there will be transactions.

People with a keen business sense can always make money in various ways.

But if the unspoken rules that Tia found out are true, then the fact that there is no one else in the entire trial labyrinth is really strange.

"...Be careful, I have a very bad feeling."

Tia thought about it for a while longer before gritting her teeth and making a decision:

"I suggest we don't rush to the finish line to submit our points... Anyway, we still have time, so let's rest for a bit, eat something, and get our bodies in top condition."

"Okay, I'll listen to you."

Valensa smiled and nodded:

"After all, you are a famous genius girl in the capital. I trust your intuition and judgment."

Chapter 149 The End of the Trial

"I really didn't encounter a single other test taker..."

Following Tia's advice, the two women did not immediately head to the finish line of the assessment after accumulating enough points. Instead, they ate some food and rested to get their bodies into the best condition.

During her break, Valensa explored the entire area of ​​the Trial Maze used for the third stage of the admissions assessment, but she didn't see anyone except Tia.

She had to admit that Tia was probably right; an unexpected turn of events had occurred during the assessment.

"Be careful, the end of the assessment is just around the corner. Normally, an examiner will be there waiting for us to submit our scrolls and give us the academy's admission certificate."

As they approached the only place in the area they hadn't been before, Tia became even more cautious, and even Valensa's intuition sensed a hint of danger.

There, something... or rather, someone is waiting for them.

"or……"

Tia hesitated for a moment:

"Shall I use the Fate of Encounters to check the situation first?"

"Hmm... I think it's better not to."

Valensa thought for a moment and then shook her head in refusal:

"Your chance encounter will make them aware of us as well, and at this distance, even if they know who we are, we won't have time to prepare... If there really is an enemy, they will definitely attack after discovering us."

Therefore, instead of using the Encounter of Fate, you'd be better off saving your magic and mental energy for other secret arts.

"……Right."

Tia did not reject Valensa's suggestion.

She knew very well that her so-called genius was still only theoretical; Valencia was currently better at adapting to real-world situations.

But there are some things that only Tia can do.

"You wait first."

Seeing Valensa about to turn the corner, Tia quickly grabbed her and took out a red magic card from her bosom, gently placing it on the ground.

The card has the character "幻" (illusion) written in the very center.

"This is……"

Valensa immediately recalled the night she had walked right into the trap and understood Tia's intentions.

Illusion traps can create an illusion identical to the caster to confuse enemies. The controllable distance and duration of the illusion are determined by the caster's skill.

With Tia's current level being equivalent to a Pearl-level spellcaster, the illusion can last for about 20 minutes, which is enough time, mainly due to the distance.

Judging from the fact that Tia has only just created the illusion, the distance at which she can control the illusion should not be far.

Thinking of this, Valensa immediately raised her shield and silently stood in front of Tia, preparing for the possible pursuit that might occur after the illusion was exposed.

As Tia activated the illusion trap, a lifelike illusion of Tia quickly appeared out of thin air. It even gave Valensa a disdainful look, just like the real Tia, before turning the corner and heading towards the end of the test.

! !

Less than five seconds later, Tia's illusion was attacked before it could take more than a few steps.

Because of the corner, Valensa couldn't see the specifics; she only saw Tia's expression change, and the [Illusion] magic card on the ground instantly turned gray.

There was indeed danger ahead!

Valensa became even more alert, using her mental powers to enhance both her hearing and smell, hoping to make a discovery.

Unfortunately, even though she could hear the sound of a needle falling to the ground a hundred meters away, she didn't hear a single suspicious sound, only the sound of even breathing coming from ahead.

Along with the sound of breathing came the stench of blood... not just from one or two people, but from the mixed smell of many people's blood.

Valensa's face turned completely ugly.

Those examinees who were not encountered are likely all ahead of you, and most likely they are injured, probably the work of the enemies who just broke Tia's illusion.

Who exactly is the enemy?

How did they get into the War Academy's territory?

What's the purpose?

They injured so many test-takers but didn't kill them... Could it be that they're taking hostages and want to negotiate?

Valencia thought of many things in an instant, but the enemy did not give her a chance to continue thinking.

After Tia's illusion was shattered, the enemy continued their pursuit as expected.

It was a cold light that suddenly shot out from around the corner, moving at an extremely fast speed. Even though Valensa had greatly enhanced her senses with her mental powers, she didn't have time to react.

Fortunately, I had raised my shield to defend myself beforehand.

Valensa had just felt a moment of relief when she felt a sharp pain in her arm holding the shield, and blood splattered as her sleeve tore.

"How...how is it possible?"

She gritted her teeth and endured the pain, continuing to stand in front of Tia, her eyes filled with disbelief.

The rare purple round shield that had protected her many times since she began her cultivation was actually cut into six neat pieces, like a birthday cake, and scattered all over the ground.

This round shield, like her longsword, is crafted using advanced technology, and its physical resistance is stronger than most enchanted equipment in this world.

It can easily slice a round shield like a cake...

Valensa's eyes followed the glint of cold light, finally locking onto the short sword in the attacker's hand:

"A Noble Phantasm?"

"It is not a Noble Phantasm, but it is as sharp as one."

A deep, somewhat familiar voice rang out:

“Once, an arrogant Moon-class dragon ravaged my homeland, but was slain by the combined might of my warriors. Its fangs and scales were forged into weapons and defenses, and this short sword is one of them, which was personally given to me by the Prophet before I set off.”

"You are……"

Valensa then looked at the attacker's face and was even more surprised:

"Belok? You did all this? Are you insane?"

Valensa's tone was uncertain, because the Belloc before her was indeed quite strange.

The previous frivolous and frivolous feeling was completely gone, and his aura was exceptionally calm. His weapon had also changed from the Demon-Slaying Metal Club to the Dragon Fang Short Sword.

Not only that, Valensa also discovered that Belloc's skin was noticeably green, with faint scales growing out, and his eyes had completely turned into apricot-yellow vertical pupils.

"You don't mean...?"

Thinking of Belloc's bloodline, Valensa guessed with a wry smile:

"During the near-death experience, a primal mutation occurred, and the bloodline of the Natural Wood Scale Dragon fully awakened?"

"No, it is neither Belok nor has it awakened the bloodline of the Natural Wood Scale Dragon."

Tia rejected Valensa's guess, her voice very serious:

"The Natural Wood Scale Dragon is a very beautiful dragon, far superior to it... It's just a lowly, filthy lizard... It's a beast! A rare mutant lizard-like beast, and it has possessed Belloc's body!"

"Desolate beast?"

Valensa was even more surprised:

"This is the War Academy Trial Maze next to the capital city of Fran. How could wild beasts have infiltrated it? Could it be those that stormed in a while ago... Damn it, the blockade and encirclement near Suli City still failed to eliminate it?"