* * *
Kaila gently lowered the eye patch covering one eye and showed Anakin her empty, hollow pupil.
Staring, as if mesmerized, her black pupil had a strange, cosmic glow, and a mysterious power was palpable at a glance.
Moreover, in Anakin’s reflection on her jet-black iris, though the colors could not be distinguished, an unknown aura was clearly shimmering.
“It may be difficult to believe now, but my eye has rarely been wrong when distinguishing between good and evil. Please keep this in mind.”
Kaila made her bombshell statement, then pulled her robe back over her head and surveyed her surroundings.
She then bowed and left the premises without lingering.
“…”
Anakin stared blankly at the spot she had left.
She couldn’t trust Kaila’s words a hundred percent, but it was hard to ignore them either.
She had watched Hilde since before his powers manifested, and he was one of her few friends.
Yes, in the real world, you could call him a childhood friend.
Although she wasn’t sure if Hilde thought so too.
Kaila seemed certain that Hilde would cause her harm.
…This damn, wretched world.
There’s nothing to rely on.
It was exactly as the saying goes, ‘Leaving home is a dog’s struggle.’
Well, even though she said that, Anakin didn’t actually think Hilde would hurt her.
“Hilde Astar, passed.”
As soon as the words ended, Anakin, who was sitting in the spectators’ area, stared intently at Hilde, who quickly received his acceptance and calmly descended.
Hilde looked at Anakin and opened his mouth.
“Did that red-haired girl come by?”
“How did you know?”
“I just saw her.”
He looked my way while taking the test?
When Anakin frowned strangely, Hilde spoke with an indifferent expression.
“It seems you heard something. The judgment is yours. She’s been sneaking glances at me ever since, in a nasty way.”
“Hmm…”
Anakin rested her chin on her hand, looking into the air as if deep in thought.
Then she took Hilde’s hand and said.
“We’re friends, right?”
Hilde’s cool, golden eyes stared intently at her, meeting Anakin’s uniquely affectionate and ticklish expression.
Hilde lowered his head, focusing his gaze on Anakin’s small, clasped hands, and replied.
“Friends…”
Anakin’s expression gradually hardened as Hilde failed to give an answer.
Her eyes widened in surprise.
She was so shocked that even her eyelashes were trembling.
“No… Were we really not friends?”
When she blinked a couple of times and asked, Hilde turned his gaze away and merely shrugged his shoulders, remaining silently unresponsive.
Anakin, who felt as if she had been utterly blindsided by Hilde’s reaction, stared blankly at his profile.
Then she quickly and abruptly pulled her clasped hands away.
“Anakin?”
Hilde looked at Anakin, perplexed by her action of swiftly withdrawing her hand, when she had grabbed it without permission moments before.
“I’ve thought we were close ever since we met again…”
“…Is she sulking?”
He’d said he didn’t like her getting hurt a moment ago.
If he was worried that much, weren’t they friends?
Anakin turned her head and kept her mouth tightly shut.
Seeing this, Hilde spoke as if he couldn’t help it.
“…I can be something similar to a friend.”
No, if he was a friend, he was a friend.
What on earth was “something similar”?
She hated herself for being tempted by Hilde’s offer to be her friend, even in that moment.
Anakin remained silent for a long time even after hearing those words.
Feeling that she was thoroughly sulking now that the conversation had broken off, Hilde stared blankly at Anakin without a word.
Then, he seemed to have a good idea, smiled faintly, and called Anakin’s name.
“Anakin.”
Hilde grabbed Anakin’s chin and gently turned it.
Due to this, the robe was partially removed, subtly exposing Anakin’s bare face.
Hilde’s brightly shining golden eyes stared intently at Anakin.
“I don’t need friends. Even if it’s you, Anakin. It would be a waste to keep a pretty Omega like this… just as a friend.”
“…”
Anakin remained still in his grasp, only batting her eyelashes.
Her wide, clear eyes on her white skin looked like a meticulously crafted work of art.
Hilde looked at it indifferently and said.
“Why, did you think I’d be different from the other guys?”
Why is he acting like this all of a sudden? Is he playing a prank?
Anakin looked at Hilde with wide eyes.
It wasn’t that she hadn’t considered a situation like this, but hearing it right in front of her felt like her thought process had come to a halt.
“…”
Just as Anakin, whose expression had hardened, was about to say something.
“The 100-person tournament has ended. The total number of individuals currently selected as probationary disciples is eight. There are only three spots remaining in total. One of those spots is a privilege reserved for the winner.”
Pasadian’s announcer used magic in his voice, echoing it throughout the large arena.
Only half had been eliminated, yet there were only three spots left in total.
It was very disheartening news for the remaining people.
“Both of you, please come this way. We will guide you to Pasadian’s dormitory, Tran.”
Meanwhile, a man who seemed to be a guide, a mage wrapped in a Pasadian robe, approached Hilde and Anakin and spoke.
He looked gloomy, but somehow also somewhat intimidated.
The total number of people currently selected was eight.
Anakin, Hilde, Kaila, Lute, Mantis, Lucien, and Lana and Henry.
Excluding Mantis, who was severely injured, the children seemed to be already waiting far away, standing beyond the exit.
Hilde and Anakin looked at each other simultaneously and nodded.
“Yes.”
Seven children followed an unidentified disciple.
After passing through the arena’s passage, a magnificent platinum statue came into view.
The figure of Pasa, the legendary great mage and founder of the school, was vividly carved.
“Just like the founder, he built it pointlessly grand.”
A grumbling sound was heard from behind.
Soon, they reached Tran’s central plaza, and Anakin witnessed numerous Pasadian disciples freely conversing there.
Most of the disciples had deep dark circles under their eyes and sharp gazes, and they briefly glanced their way before indifferently continuing what they were doing.
It certainly wasn’t an atmosphere that welcomed newcomers.
Their expressions were like looking at a pebble on the side of the road, automatically making the viewer feel intimidated.
Is it just my imagination that I feel like an academy student on a field trip to Pasadian?
Anakin smiled awkwardly.
The plaza was quite spacious and offered comfortable and convenient areas.
However, the unique gloominess of mages could not be concealed.
“The air is stale.”
Lute frowned and looked around.
“We can’t help it. It’s Pasadian. Still, it’s relatively brighter today because you’ve arrived.”
This is the bright side…?
Just what kind of place is Pasadian…
While Anakin was surprised, the nameless mage guiding them took off his robe and introduced himself.
“My name is Dylan. I am a probationary disciple, just like you. I am in charge of the management and supervision of the probationary disciples. So, feel free to ask me anything you don’t know about life here.”
Dylan’s eyes were hollow and empty, and he looked emaciated.
He looked like an empty shell with only the soul pulled out of his body.
Anakin was curious about what kind of experience would make a person like that, but since she would likely find out soon enough once she entered Pasadian, she quickly lost interest.
While he was introducing Tran, a fist-sized wad of paper flew from Dylan’s right side.
Thud.
The wad of paper accurately hit Dylan’s head and fell.
Excluding Lucien, who was uninterested, the taciturn Hilde, and Lute, the children all looked with surprised faces in the direction the wad of paper had come from.
Several disciples were giggling and laughing.
They were too far away to hear what they were saying, but it was easy to tell that they were mocking Dylan.
Given the white embroidered robes, they must be official disciples.
Why were official disciples in the probationary disciple dormitory, Tran?
The ones openly insulting him looked young, but seemed three or four years older than the children who were just selected as probationary disciples this time.
They were estimated to be around the age of majority.
Such overt disregard. And right in front of the children who had just arrived.
“…Then, please follow me.”
Dylan guided them, as if he was used to this kind of treatment.
Dylan ignored them and led them deeper into Tran.
None of the eight people following asked about the way Dylan was being treated.
They seemed bothered, but they didn’t have the leisure to worry about it amid the unfamiliar environment confronting them.
Anakin immediately understood why Dylan had such empty, hollow eyes like an empty shell upon arriving at Pasadian.
* * *
