Tuesday arrived with an unusual shift in routine.
From the moment Lily woke up, something felt off.
There were no normal lectures. No slow buildup of theory. No quiet scribbling in notebooks or half-focused listening while experimenting with mana under the desk.
Instead, every class on the schedule had been replaced with one thing:
Practical Magic.
That alone was enough to put everyone on edge.
Lily walked with Kane through the familiar stone corridor that led to the portal room. The air felt heavier than usual—not physically, but in the way people spoke quieter, walked faster, and glanced around like something important was about to happen.
Kane, as always, looked mostly unfazed.
Lily glanced at him. Does anything ever bother him?
When they stepped through the portal, the world shifted instantly.
The academy disappeared.
In its place—the outskirts of the capital.
Open sky. Uneven grass. Distant forest lines. The faint scent of earth and wild plants carried by the wind.
But something was different.
It wasn't just their class.
Students were everywhere.
Groups gathered across the field—some standing, some sitting, some already whispering strategies. Lily immediately spotted familiar faces.
Gina.
Olivia.
And many others from different classes.
Lily frowned slightly, then walked over and dropped onto the grass beside Kane.
"Hey, why is everyone here?" she asked, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear.
Kane glanced around, scanning the crowd.
"I'm not sure," he said after a moment. "Probably because the exam will be between classes."
Lily paused.
"…oh."
That actually made sense.
Too much sense.
She leaned back slightly, staring at the sky.
I should've figured that out…
Time passed slowly.
Students talked. Some laughed too loudly, masking their nerves. Others stayed quiet, conserving energy.
Lily and Kane chatted idly, though Lily's attention drifted often. Every now and then she turned back toward Olivia and made random gestures—half waves, exaggerated expressions, anything to get a reaction.
Olivia, of course, responded with either an annoyed glare or complete indifference.
Lily smirked.
Still fun.
Then—
The air shifted.
Three figures appeared.
No, not three.
Several.
Teachers.
From different subjects—history, general science, magic theory, herbology.
And standing at the center—
Joane Mili.
Blonde hair catching the sunlight, posture relaxed yet commanding. Unlike the others, she looked completely at ease in this open field—as if this was where she truly belonged.
She stepped forward.
"Um, every student here," she began, her voice carrying clearly across the field, "I'm here to tell you that me and your teachers of other subjects have worked together to create the fairest exam we could."
A faint murmur spread through the students.
"Additionally, it has been decided that the exam will be held between classes—high, middle, and low rank."
The murmuring grew louder.
Lily only half listened.
Her mind snagged on one detail.
Between classes…
That meant stronger opponents.
Unpredictable matchups.
Real competition.
"…students in the lower class rank will be given certain perks to assist them during the exam," Joane continued.
Lily tuned out the rest.
Details blurred together.
Her focus sharpened instead.
So this isn't just a test…
It's a competition.
Then—
Everything disappeared.
Darkness.
Complete and sudden.
Lily's body tensed instantly.
Her mana reacted on instinct, flaring slightly beneath her skin.
Before she could move—
A voice echoed from all directions.
"Please do not panic. This is your test."
The tone was calm. Controlled.
Lily forced herself to stay still.
"When we lift the spell, you will be inside a maze. Beside you will be a random student. Work with them—or don't. It's your choice."
A maze.
Lily's thoughts raced.
"If you decide to work together, click your emblems. They contain a device that will register your party."
"Parties must consist of at least three people."
Lily frowned slightly.
Three… so two isn't enough.
"If someone in your party betrays you, your team will lose points."
Her expression hardened.
So trust matters…
"Otherwise, eliminations will grant points. High rank students are worth three. Middle rank, two. Low rank, one."
A quiet tension filled the darkness.
"Monsters within the maze will also grant points to whoever lands the final blow."
"Traps are present."
Lily exhaled slowly.
Of course they are.
"The goal is simple—earn as many points as possible."
A pause.
"At the end, you will reach a door that cannot be entered unless your party has at least three members."
Another pause.
Then—
"Well… for the rest… uh… good luck."
The voice cut off abruptly.
The darkness shattered.
Lily blinked.
Walls.
Tall, overgrown with twisting vines.
The air was thicker here, humid and faintly suffocating.
The ground beneath her feet was uneven stone, cracked and worn with age.
And—
"…Gina?!"
Gina stood a few steps away, facing the opposite direction.
At Lily's voice, she spun around.
"Lily!"
Relief flashed across both their faces.
Without hesitation, they pulled out their emblems and pressed them together.
A soft click.
Light flared between them.
Then—
A bracelet formed around each of their wrists.
Blue.
Faintly glowing.
Lily turned her wrist slightly, watching the light pulse.
So this means we're a team now…
Gina grinned. "Good start."
"Yeah," Lily said, nodding. "Now we just need one more."
They began moving, sticking close to the left side of the maze.
The walls loomed high, blocking out most of the sky. Vines crawled across every surface, some thick as ropes, others thin and twitching slightly as if reacting to movement.
Lily narrowed her eyes.
Are those… alive?
She didn't test it.
Not yet.
Their footsteps echoed faintly as they walked.
Every turn looked the same.
Every path felt uncertain.
Lily's senses stretched outward, trying to feel for mana fluctuations, traps, anything unusual.
Too quiet…
Elsewhere—
Olivia stood frozen.
Her arm was raised high, muscles visibly tensed.
In front of her—
A boy with his hands up in surrender.
"W-wait! What did I miss, holder?" he stammered.
Olivia's eye twitched.
"...Corey Key."
Of all people.
Of all possible pairings.
It had to be him.
The one she despised the most.
A so-called genius.
A nightmare disguised as a teacher.
Corey gave a nervous smile.
"Hey… Olivia… fancy meeting you here."
Olivia's glare intensified.
"I hate you," she said flatly. "Why was I paired with you?"
Corey laughed awkwardly, taking a step back.
"Well, technically, the teacher said we don't have to team up—"
Olivia's mana flared slightly.
"And high rank students are worth three points," she added calmly.
Corey froze.
"Y-yes! That's correct! But don't you think I'd be more useful alive?"
He spoke quickly now.
"Come on, Olivia! Think about it—how could you do this to your teacher? Don't you remember all those hours I spent helping you study?"
Olivia's expression darkened.
"You are not a teacher."
Her voice dropped.
"What kind of teacher makes their student read books while being upside down?"
Corey looked away.
"Th-that increases blood flow—better memory retention—"
"And what about forcing me to memorize an entire textbook in one day?!" Olivia snapped.
Corey coughed.
"That's… efficient learning."
"You made me carry it everywhere!" she continued. "Even to the toilet!"
Corey's eyes lit up slightly.
"Ah! That's part of the system!"
Olivia blinked.
"…what?"
Seeing his opening, Corey straightened slightly.
"Yes. The Three On's."
Olivia stared.
"On the pillow—when sleeping. On the walk—during daily activities. And on the toilet—when relieving yourself."
He spoke with increasing confidence.
"These ensure maximum exposure and optimal retention. Full utilization of all 24 hours—"
Olivia said nothing.
Just stared.
Completely speechless.
Corey slowly, carefully, subtly—
Reached for her emblem.
Click.
Red light flared.
Matching bracelets formed.
Corey pumped his fist.
"Yes!"
Olivia's expression shifted.
Slowly.
Dangerously.
She raised her hand.
Corey immediately pointed at her bracelet.
"Wait! No betrayal among teammates! That's a rule!"
Olivia paused.
Her hand trembled slightly.
Then—
She smiled.
"Oh… don't worry."
Corey relaxed slightly.
"My hand just slipped."
THUD.
Her punch landed squarely on his face.
Corey dropped to the ground instantly.
Olivia flexed her fingers.
"…slipped."
Back in the maze—
Lily suddenly stopped.
Gina nearly walked into her.
"What is it?" Gina asked.
Lily raised a hand.
"Did you feel that?"
A faint tremor.
Mana.
Close.
Something was nearby.
Not human.
Lily's eyes sharpened.
A slow grin formed.
"…finally."