Chapter 42. Sudden Test (1)
The day after the meeting.
The Knight Order examination was held as scheduled.
Swish.
Enoch checked his attire once in front of the mirror.
Lien, who had been quietly watching beside him, finally opened her mouth silently towards him.
“This time, I cannot help you.”
“I know.”
Enoch nodded.
He had already heard that from Lien yesterday. But as if that wasn't enough for her, she warned him again, driving the point home.
“Because outsiders are forbidden from entering the Knight Order's examination grounds.”
As Lien said, the Knight Order's examination was a test conducted under strictly defined regulations.
It was natural that he couldn't receive her help.
But even so, Enoch’s suspicions had to be resolved somehow.
If he were branded a dark mage by the family right now, even Enoch’s body would be finished.
‘Probably Lien understood that, which is why she didn't particularly object to this examination.’
Rustle.
Lien, having quietly approached, began adjusting his clothes with a blank expression, as usual.
“…….”
Her actions, as if managing the original Enoch's body was her responsibility, regardless of her antipathy towards him.
That contradictory yet consistent attitude was no longer surprising.
“Keep this in mind.”
Lien, gently adjusting Enoch’s shirt collar, slightly opened her lips with a cold tone.
“If anything happens to the Young Master’s body inside the examination grounds……”
Lien stopped her words and briefly glared coldly this way with her usual emotionless expression.
A gaze filled with transparent anger about this being a mission where she couldn't even care for Enoch.
Receiving her chilling gaze, Enoch replied calmly.
“I’ll be careful.”
He knew how important Lien's existence was.
Being able to survive encounters with Rank 10 mages until now was crucially thanks to Lien's help.
Naturally, for any mission, he actually wanted her company if possible, but…
“But, this time it’s fine.”
Enoch added, quietly looking down at the beautiful silver-haired maid reflected in the wall mirror.
Lien didn't know, but this was an examination he had taken countless times, not just the 1st stage but all the way to the final pass.
“At least I don't need your help.”
But just then.
Flinch. Lien’s movements, adjusting his clothes, momentarily stopped.
Lien looked up sharply this way, as if possessed by something.
For a brief moment, a faint, uncharacteristically soft voice escaped her lips.
“……Young Master?”
A wave of emotion, seemingly impossible to find, momentarily flashed across Lien’s silver-blue eyes.
A first-time expression from the always emotionless Lien.
Enoch, also surprised, met her gaze.
“What?”
He had merely said he didn't need help in this examination.
Why was she showing such a rare reaction all of a sudden?
Lien stared this way for a while, then muttered blankly in a small voice.
“……Sometimes. You, why do you keep…… How can you be exactly like him……?”
But in a very fleeting moment, the silver-blue eyes, colored with clear emotion, returned to their usual coldness.
“……No.”
She looked this way for a moment, then turned her head away and said in a transparent tone.
“It’s nothing.”
***
Enoch readjusted the black cloth bag slung diagonally across his back and briefly looked up.
The chilly early spring sky had already turned a clear noon blue.
Enoch, who had been walking along the path avoiding crowds for a while, paused his steps briefly.
A building casting a huge shadow on its surroundings stood imposing right before him.
「Nemesis Knight Order: 1st Examination Hall」
…Damn huge.
That was his first impression upon seeing the examination hall.
A tall, massive, and splendid gray building, fitting for the Magic Empire. Seeing it in person really had a different impact.
It was a place he had seen dozens of times in-game, but seeing it in reality made its immensity palpable.
‘And it probably starts here.’
Enoch briefly recalled yesterday’s events.
As soon as Enoch declared in the regular meeting that he would prove his suitability for this mission, Nemesis put him to the test as if they had been waiting.
Perhaps from their and the family’s perspective, they were also eager to resolve the doubts about his skills, but…
They probably didn't realize.
‘This happened to be one of the routes I had considered as an option.’
[Nemesis Knight Order 1st Entrance Examination]
Needless to say, one of the essential scenarios cleared countless times in the original work.
Come to think of it, there were quite a few elements obtainable here.
Especially the ‘Proof Token’, one of the items obtained upon passing, was very useful, to the extent that this was one of the essential courses for a standard clear.
And most importantly….
‘The 1st examination held by Nemesis is a closed-door examination, not revealed to outsiders.’
Therefore, it was the perfect place for him to pass while hiding his sword from others' eyes.
Because the original work's lore itself stated so.
「The details of the Nemesis Knight Order's 1st examination are traditionally veiled in secrecy. Only the theme of the 1st examination being related to ‘cooperation among team members’ is publicly announced.」
At best, an examination whose basic theme of proving teamwork was the only thing revealed externally.
That was probably why they put Enoch here this time.
As Dionil mentioned in yesterday's meeting, proving ‘teamwork’ would be necessary to participate in the Allied Mission.
‘The Nemesis entrance examination consists of 3 stages in total.’
Only those who pass all three stages earn the right to challenge the ‘final examination’.
Regarding the contents of those examinations, not once have the details ever been leaked outside.
According to rumors circulating, it was said to be a harsh ordeal with numerous casualties.
‘Especially without teamwork, it’s said to be difficult even for mages with vast combat experience.’
Though just rumors, such fear of the unknown likely served as a device to exert considerable pressure on the participants.
Of course, he knew from having done it tiresomely often.
Enoch recalled the tedious examination contents.
How many times had he actually cleared the <Nemesis Knight Order Examination Hall> episode, considered an essential route in the original work, to the very end?
Step, step….
After walking down the gray corridor for a while.
Finally, a space as large as an auditorium was revealed.
Numerous mages participating in the examination had already arrived and gathered in that place.
The participants' origins, families, attire, and even magic gears were all diverse.
“It’s been a while! Good to see you.”
“Ah, we meet again since the last mission.”
Some among them, seemingly acquainted, gathered in small groups, exchanging light greetings.
In contrast, many were quietly sitting on the numerous metal folding chairs provided in the hall, or leaning against corners observing the participants.
Then again, there were also those already exchanging a few words, engaging in a power struggle.
“Bold of you. I heard your family isn’t much in terms of combat mages? Many children from renowned magic houses are attending this time, so please be mindful of your safety.”
“Haha! Well, I wonder if the same words will come out during the examination. Let’s both do our best.”
At first glance, a disparate appearance.
However, there was one commonality among them.
Enoch quietly confirmed this, roughly grasping their abilities through his Sense of Mana.
‘Most of these are mages backed by combat talent and experience.’
They weren't just any mages trying to apply to the Nemesis Knight Order, known for gathering only the elite.
An examination hall gathered with mages called prodigies or geniuses, backed by innate talent and effort.
Surely, among the participants, many were individuals who made a name for themselves somewhere in the Empire.
‘Moreover…’
Enoch’s black eyes swept around briefly.
From some point, he began feeling gazes observing him from the crowd of mages, one by one.
‘Looks like it’s as interesting as expected.’
He had roughly guessed, but there were more participants openly paying attention to him than he thought.
The rumors about Enoch seemed to have already spread.
Other mages preparing for the examination likely also knew about his sudden participation.
‘Need to be careful.’
Although the examination was closed-door, being under such scrutiny within the examination hall meant he had to be even more thorough about hiding his sword.
Just then.
“We meet here, Young Master Enoch Elsyde.”
Someone approached from the front.
A boy with rather handsome but narrowly slanted eyes.
“Greetings to Lord Enoch, 9th Circle.”
Through the crowd of people parting ways on their own, three or four men following the boy bowed their heads briefly towards him.
The guy with narrowly slanted eyes, seemingly their leader, raised the corner of his mouth and said.
“I am ‘Adonic’ of the Philemon family (家), third son, one of Young Master Dionil’s Follower Families.”
Instantly, Enoch’s eyes narrowed.
‘Adonic, surely if it’s Adonic…!’
…Who was that again?
Enoch thought for a moment, then tilted his head slightly.
He vaguely felt like he had heard the name somewhere before, but it wasn't memorable enough.
‘Come to think of it, was he related to Dionil?’
Only after pondering deeply for a while did the guy’s name faintly come to mind.
Not exactly a significant character, but did he briefly appear as Dionil’s follower in the original work?
It was surprising even to himself that he remembered such trivial details.
‘Come to think of it, wasn’t it mentioned in the official history (正史) that this guy also took the Knight Order examination?’
He didn't know if they met purely by chance, or if he followed after hearing about Enoch’s mission.
But well, he wasn't a particularly relevant guy anyway.
If he got in the way, he could just get rid of him.
“Please don’t think too strangely of it. We too, as a Follower Family, merely applied for this Knight Order examination to prove our skills directly. The rewards for passing the exam are also attractive.”
Though his words showed courtesy, his eyes clearly looked down this way arrogantly, as if trying to pick a fight.
He continued speaking, disregarding the surrounding gazes.
“Regarding Lord Enoch, Young Master Dionil, whom we serve, also seems quite concerned. In my opinion… perhaps it’s somewhat excessive worry.”
Hearing those words, Enoch almost looked at him with a pathetic expression but managed to suppress it.
If this was truly Dionil’s instigation, it was quite low-level.
If not, and it was an act done to gain merit and catch Dionil’s eye, then he was a fool who didn't know his place.
Enoch quickly sized up the guy.
‘The level caught by Sense of Mana is around Rank 12.’
Even by Elsyde’s combat mage standards, a Rank 12 talent was a considerable powerhouse.
‘Come to think of it, lore-wise, it was mentioned this guy passed up to the 3rd stage of the Nemesis Knight Order examination.’
That was the problem.
Despite being skilled enough to reach the 3rd examination stage in the original work, he had no information about this guy.
‘Anyway, having revealed himself as Dionil’s Follower Family, his objective is as clear as day.’
If Enoch failed the examination, Dionil, whom they served, would succeed in keeping him in check.
In other words, it was likely a scheme to deliberately participate in the examination and make him fail.
‘Adonic… things might get a bit annoying once the ‘examination’ officially begins.’
Not just him, but if all of Dionil’s other Follower Families came at him, it would be troublesome.
Worse, he couldn't even openly use his sword.
Things were definitely disadvantageous.
However, he knew a lot of information they didn't.
For instance, about ‘how the Nemesis 1st examination would proceed’.
Precisely why he needed to act now.
‘If I know everything that will happen next, I just need to use that very fact.’
He couldn't catch all the potential threats hiding in this examination hall at once, but he could start by dealing with those brazenly making themselves known.
If so, here….
“You said Adonic? This is quite a fate too. Meeting in a place like this.”
Thump.
Enoch deliberately approached the guy closer, and casually sat down on the folding chair right in front of Adonic.
At his completely unreserved action, the guy’s eyes momentarily widened in surprise.
While the guy hesitated briefly.
Suddenly, from the podium set up in the hall, a strong wave of mana surged.
-Woong!
As the participants' gazes focused that way, a figure materialized on the stage.
An entrance so natural it would have been hard to detect without such an intense mana flow.
The gazes of all participants in the room, including Adonic, naturally focused there.
A tall man dressed in the black and gold-trimmed Nemesis Knight Order uniform, wearing a formal cap pressed down.
Enoch, still seated, calmly watched him. Everything was proceeding as expected.
‘As expected, he showed up.’
The first examiner, in charge of conducting the examination in the original work.
「Nemesis Knight Order - Reconnaissance Knight: Teleos」
Enoch knew his identity well.
‘Teleos was a Rank 10 combat mage who appeared in the work.’
「Spatial Transition」, considered one of the most difficult magics.
He was a powerful expert who created numerous related Unique Magics and used them freely.
His Unique Magic and combat power were depicted as having outstanding performance even in the original work.
“Greetings, everyone.”
-Wooong….
He once again deployed a spatial transition magic circle, instantly bringing a chair from below the stage.
Thump.
“It’s annoying, so let’s get straight to the point.”
Teleos casually sat astride the chair and continued speaking languidly.
“Among you here, there might be those raised preciously in some renowned magic house somewhere, and there might be trash who crawled their way in through forged documents after rolling around here and there. Here’s one warning that applies equally to all you bastards.”
Looking around at the people in the hall abruptly, he slightly distorted his lips into a smirk while sitting on the chair.
“As you know, we hold the Knight Order selection examination every 5 years, and each time, without exception, fatalities occur.”
At those words, tension genuinely began to fill the room.
He added.
“Healer-Mages from the Order are dispatched near the examination grounds and are on standby at all times, but during the actual examination process, there are no separate safety measures.”
The Nemesis Knight Order entrance examination, true to their policy of thoroughly selecting only a small elite, was always veiled in secrecy.
Therefore, regarding its content, no one knew until they experienced it firsthand.
Under the pressure felt from the unknown fear of what was to come, the mages gripped their respective magic gears and focused on Teleos’s words in a state of extreme tension.
“If you value your life, you can leave right now. This is your last chance.”
Beneath the shadow of the formal cap, the same color as the black uniform, Teleos faintly smiled and declared.
“Idiots who applied without the skill, get lost if you value your lives.”
But even after his words ended, no one moved.
Enoch, sitting among the crowd, smirked slightly at the expected development.
Understandably so, because even if one couldn't become a member of the Knight Order, just passing each examination was enough to earn a ‘Qualification Token’, which served as sufficient career credentials.
「Qualification Token」
One of the major items in the original work.
Proof of being a skilled individual trustworthy enough for missions above a certain level, and a precious item (貴物) guaranteeing various supports, including priority selection for family missions.
In essence, it was the Empire's number one certificate indicating competence for a combat mage to enter someone’s Follower Family or become a member of a renowned magic house.
It was actually natural.
The elite of the Elsyde Main House's elite.
Because it was proof of passing the ‘Nemesis Knight Order’ examination.
Truly a career cheat key for Empire mages.
Proof tokens were given upon passing each examination, and possessing a higher-grade examination qualification token granted correspondingly greater benefits and recognition.
‘Which also attracts many skilled flies.’
Therefore, this place wasn't just filled with those genuinely seeking to join the Nemesis Knight Order.
It meant the examination hall was teeming with skilled individuals and talented prodigies aiming for a reversal of fortune by securing even a minor position in the Main House, the pillar of the Empire.
And that was always the same whenever Nemesis held its examinations.
“…Alright.”
Teleos looked around the unmoving crowd in the room and said.
“At least there are no cowards. I like that.”
He slightly leaned forward in his chair as if anticipating.
“The 1st examination you will undergo this time aims to determine if you guys possess the capabilities to follow our Knight Order's training. That is, whether you possess the minimum talent and skills as combat mages.”
Takt!
Saying so, Teleos snapped his fingers once.
“But naturally, this doesn't apply to incompetent bastards who don't even qualify.”
Chrrr, Clank!
The next moment, the hall’s windows and doors slammed shut simultaneously, and mechanical locks engaged.
Only the faint light of green lamps eerily illuminated the bewildered mages inside.
“Uh, huh?”
“Wait, the door…”
Inside the completely sealed examination hall.
Teleos’s words echoed.
“Therefore, before the official 1st examination, we go through a ‘selection test’ to weed out such chaff.”
His eyes, revealed beneath the dark shadow of the formal cap, shone coldly as he looked at the participants.
“The rules are as follows. The selection test is held for a limited time. And through the monitoring magic tools placed in the examination hall, Knight Order members acting as exam proctors will evaluate your capabilities from outside.”
He twisted his eyes, hidden by the deeply pressed formal cap, once as if enjoying himself.
“Alright. Roughly understood?”
Then, as if it were natural, he raised one finger and said to the participants below the stage.
“Kill each other starting now.”
“……???”
Instantly, all the mages in the examination hall stared blankly at Teleos in confusion.
It was a statement utterly unthinkable for an Elsyde elite Knight Order examination.
But while everyone was doubting their ears.
There was one boy who moved first, as if waiting.
Swish-
As soon as the examiner’s words fell,
Enoch stood up straight from the chair and….
Pooooow!
Immediately picked up the chair and smashed it straight into the back of Adonic’s head, who was sitting in front.