Even after hearing Valfis’s explanation, Rita still had some doubts.
“If money could solve everything, then why did those people bribe the examiners before? And what about the points from the First Round?”
“Let’s answer the latter question first. The First Round was designed for the examiners to get an initial impression of each candidate—to see if they made it here on their own merits or if someone was backing them.”
Valfis shook her finger, tracing it across the now mostly empty candidates’ seats. “Think about it, the Second Round is so dangerous. Sending clueless but arrogant young masters and misses to their deaths wouldn’t be appropriate, right?”
Rita frowned. “So the staff overseeing the exam have to consider the candidates’ feelings during the mission?”
“Of course. And since those young masters and misses take up limited slots, some genuinely capable candidates couldn’t be excluded just because of connections. So within those limited slots, another round of competition happened. Besides, money spent on the state and money pocketed by the examiners—can those be the same?”
“Besides, no one knows what the mission really is. If it were just sending people to hunt monsters, then money alone wouldn’t fix things. So within the scope of what they could control, they definitely spared no expense to fight for their spot. That’s what ‘spending money wisely’ means.”
“Oh, and remember what I said about the gunmen? Once they toss the record stones, they automatically lose their qualification. So there are really many hidden rules here.”
Indeed.
Rita had thought this was just a regular exam, but it seemed she had been too naive.
“So Lady Cecilia refused bribes…” Rita muttered to herself, recalling what had happened earlier.
“I think she was a bit naive. Although this princess is smart, she still has a long way to go in understanding this game,” Valfis sighed.
After that, the called candidates came forward to receive their record stones and activate them on the spot, with Dorothy confirming their effectiveness.
When Rita saw the little stone light up in her hand like a tiny LED, she couldn’t help but feel it was a bit magical.
Then more detailed information was announced, but it boiled down to just a few sentences.
The mission to retake the outpost would be led mainly by the Army.
The candidates’ tasks were to establish safe routes, transport supplies, hunt monsters, and handle situations requiring quick thinking.
Candidates could act alongside the Army or operate independently, as long as they earned more points than others.
Of the three examiners, besides Angus stationed in the city, the other two would accompany the mission to cover situations the record stones couldn’t track.
Replacing Angus was General Maggie, whom Rita had seen once before but who had not yet arrived—showing the scale of the operation.
The operation would officially start three days later, but the assessment began the moment everyone left the exam hall.
These three days were preparation time for candidates and their backing forces, and early action was permitted.
Valfis’s extreme example made it clear.
“If you can gather people and push through in three days, the examiners could give zero points to all other candidates without issue.”
What Rita didn’t know was that candidates normally wouldn’t get such a long preparation time, and the three days weren’t just for them.
It was also a deadline set by Angus for himself.
Last night’s matters were still unsettled—one Sea Siren had been burned alive, but a Nightmare Demon was still at large.
No one knew if the mastermind behind it might act again, so Angus couldn’t leave no matter what.
Otherwise, the person deployed would be him, not Maggie.
Maggie replacing Angus was a last-minute decision made by a few people after the morning speech.
Their joint appearance in the square had this reasoning behind it.
Maggie’s early departure was to prepare to take Angus’s place.
Even if Cecilia might not need it, Angus had to give her some explanation within three days, even if just preliminary.
Otherwise, letting Cecilia leave with doubts would worry both Angus and Cecilia herself.
Rita didn’t know these things, but she knew she might really have to explain herself to Cecilia.
She had disappeared for a whole day during Cecilia’s most dangerous moment and only returned, covered in blood, after curfew.
It would be odd if Cecilia didn’t ask.
She hadn’t asked yet only because she went to bed early after finishing her duties last night, and had pressing matters this morning, so no chance to bring it up.
Just thinking about how she might be called away right after returning to the lord’s manor to explain her disgrace made Rita’s head hurt.
While Rita was struggling, Valfis suddenly threw out an invitation: “Sister, want to go hang out for a bit?”
True to being her good sister, Valfis offered a pillow the moment Rita felt sleepy.
Besides the two of them, Momoka also came along—or rather, she had volunteered.
The three headed to that elegantly decorated tavern again, and unsurprisingly ended up discussing the Nightmare Demon hunt.
“As far as I know, that Nightmare Demon has pink hair, about your height, Rita. She flies extremely fast and was injured,” Momoka said seriously, relaying hearsay.
Rita kept a serious face, making up a story. “Right, I was walking down an alley when she suddenly swooped down at me. She was already hurt then, and I just slid under her—”
Her mouth ran away with her.
They had no proof, and everyone knew Rita had Nightmare Demon blood on her, so she could say whatever she wanted.
It ended with: “We fought for three hundred rounds. In the end, she couldn’t beat me and ran away.”
After the discussion, Rita felt Momoka seemed to know a bit too much and pressed for the source.
“It was told by the landlady’s brother’s wife, who heard it from her card friend’s daughter’s colleague’s husband.”
Wow.
Not sure which unlucky gossiping soldier that was.
After chatting for a while, the three couldn’t figure out much and had to give up for the day.
Before parting, Valfis and Rita walked together, and Valfis unexpectedly spoke up.
“Sister, a reminder. Nightmare Demons aren’t ordinary demons. Hunting them isn’t easy. Slightly more mature ones erase traces of their feeding. This one hasn’t yet, but she’s probably still strong. It’s best not to start a fight with them lightly.”
“Aren’t you the one Momoka brought in for intel? Why are you warning me now?” Rita asked.
“This is sisterly advice—very important info! I’m really afraid you’ll get hot-headed and mess with that Nightmare Demon. If it turns violent and you get injured but don’t kill her, what if she holds a grudge? You’d have to go out less, avoid walking at night. Better safe than sorry!”
She really had stabbed that Nightmare Demon.
Guess the demon hated her too.
But whether she could find her was uncertain—her impromptu pink hair disguise was misleading; who would guess her true form was pure white hair and red eyes?
After saying goodbye to Valfis, despite her reluctance, Rita returned to her small room in the lord’s manor.
Not long after she got in, a maid knocked on her door.
Rita climbed down from the bed, looking dreadful, and opened the door before the maid could speak.
“Please inform Lady Cecilia that I’m coming.”
“Coming? Coming where?” The maid was stunned by Rita’s abrupt answer.
“To Lady Cecilia’s room, of course. Not the meeting room, right?”
“What? Lady Rita, what are you talking about?”
“Didn’t Lady Cecilia want me to come over?”
“No, definitely not. It’s a letter for you.”
A letter?
Rita was even more confused.
She didn’t know anyone here.
Who would write to her?
Curious, Rita took the letter from the maid.
It was in a cloth envelope, with no signature.
Only the recipient’s name—Rita—was written on it.
When Rita pulled out the letter, a shard of a cup slipped out with it, shattering further on the floor.
That scene seemed strangely familiar.
Rita unfolded the letter.
It contained only a brief sentence.
“Lady Rita, I will tell you everything you want to know. Please help me—I don’t want to die.”
And an address.
Near the city outskirts warehouse.
Signed by a familiar name.
Kros.