"Hypothetically speaking. How hard would it be to kill Archivist Byrne now that he knows we are coming for him?"

"Ilya, no."

"He's a Runeweaver, so we should assume he has a lot of tricks up his sleeve."

"Zaon!"

The boy gave me an apologetic smile.

"We are talking hypotheticals!" he said.

Ilya opened her mouth to say something, but stopped short when a group of first-year cadets passed by our side. The selection exam was going to take place in the meadow, so the path into Cabbage House was quite populated that day. I looked up at the sky. It was early morning, and we still had half an hour.

"I guess Byrne isn't a threat as long as we don't intervene in his plans. However, we should have a plan to silence him if he turns out to be dangerous," Ilya said when the cadets passed.

"Or, we can not talk about killing people at all," I replied, just to quickly add, "At least without solid proof of their wrongdoings. I'm all for self-defense and justice, but I'm not entertaining vigilantism."

Ilya gave me a sly smile.

"You don't have a contingency plan in case people go rogue?"

I massaged my temples. In a world with supernatural powers, a hint of paranoia never hurt. However, I wasn't sure Byrne was guilty of anything. A part of me was demanding I eliminate any possible source of danger, but another part, the one that belonged to the old Rob, told me to be cautious and observe. With each passing day, I felt less aligned with that fair-minded part of me that refused to judge anyone without overwhelming evidence. I was getting worse.

I couldn't tell if Byrne was a threat. If anything, he'd brought me up to date with every secret of this world without demanding anything in return.

Last night, I stayed up late thinking about our conversation. I replayed the scene in my brain, wondering why he seemed to trust me so easily. The answer was obvious. [Awareness] had told Byrne I wasn't a threat, and he trusted the skill as much as I trusted [Foresight]. I had fallen into the same pitfall before, when dealing with Janus.

"What are you going to do if Byrne goes rogue?" Ilya asked.

"Rest assured, I do have a contingency plan if he does. He's a Scholar and a Runeweaver. I know his weaknesses," I said.

"Fair elven maidens?" Ilya said with a mischievous smile.

"Keep doing that, and I will start acting like a clingy, overbearing parent."

Ilya raised her hands in defeat.

"Okay, okay. No need for threats. I have a reputation to maintain."

"I will keep an eye on him. You focus on graduating," I said, ending the conversation.

We walked down the cobbled path toward the Cabbage House. Some cadets walked along with us, but most attendees used the main gate by the Egg's side to get to the meadow. Ilya greeted a few second-year Cadets she had mentored at Holst's Basilisk Class. Zaon did the same with a few girls Ilya hadn't met before.

Cabbage Squad was already gathered in the front yard. I didn't need [Foresight] to know they were nervous. After a couple of years as a teacher, it was easy to recognize the I-didn't-study-for-the-test face. The only one who wasn't jittery was Rup. I couldn't say the same about her puppet.

"Good morning, cabbages! Let's start with two laps around the house!"

Leonie's hand shot up.

"Yes, Leonie. I'm aware we should be going to the meadow. I swear this will help. Now, two laps!"

Obediently, the cadets jogged twice around the house, and a minute later, they were back at the starting point.

"Now, deep breath. Keep it inside. One, two, three, and blow slowly. One last time," I said. "How do you feel now? Better?"

The cadets nodded. At least their faces weren't pale anymore. My mind lingered on the party with Byrne, so I took a deep breath and focused on the present. The kids were looking at me, like they were waiting for a speech. Clearing my throat was enough to catch their attention.

"As you already know, today's exam is designed to break you. That's how the Academy operates. I won't sugarcoat it. The Academy is looking for someone who can think clearly and perform under pressure. When you think you are about to break, when you feel the pain is too much, I want you to remember why you are here."

Leonie shyly raised her hand.

"To become Imperial Knights?"

"No. You are not here to become Imperial Knights. That's just a title. You are here because you want to make your family proud, because you want to protect your loved ones, because you want to prove yourself, and because you don't want to live your lives under the thumb of others… well, and because you want to impress the ladies. Don't think I forgot about you, Fenwick."

The boy gave me a very exaggerated curtsy.

"This will be one of the hardest things you have ever done, but you are ready for it. If you want to give up, just remember everything we have done this month, everything you've already endured: all the steps, the pushups, and the squats," I continued, examining their faces. I couldn't help but smile. "I'm very proud of each one of you. You have already far surpassed my expectations. That's it for today. Let's show them how it's done."

I've never been especially skilled at giving speeches, but I was glad to see how my words positively affected the Cadets.

"Lettuce crush it!" Fenwick said, wrapping his arm around Rup's neck.

"L–leaf no one standing…" the girl replied, eliciting a wave of laughter.

Before I could join the pun-fest, Ilya covered my mouth with her hand.

The moment passed, and I guided the group down the road, through the gnome neighborhood. We crossed the gate, and the war chants stopped. The meadow was gone. Instead, there was a hedge maze with walls as tall as a house.

"That wasn't there yesterday, right?" Kili asked.

"I'm positively sure it wasn't," Yvain replied.

Despite our vantage point, there wasn't much I could see. The hedge wall covered any points of interest hidden inside the maze, if there were any. Completing the maze seemed too simple for a selection exam. A treasure hunt, maybe?

"Don't let your guard down. You will be inside there for a whole day, maybe more," Zaon said.

Down the path, the rest of the first-year cadets had gathered with their respective classes—around five hundred in total, including Cabbage Class. The other classes each had between twenty and twenty-five cadets, except for Holst, who had his original students plus those who decided to dip from Cabbage Class. He had even accepted those who left after I had sealed the deal with the Gairon kid.

"Listen carefully. The rules are absolute, which means everything that isn't explicitly stipulated is fair game," Ilya said as an aide approached us.

The young man greeted me with a deep bow.

"Cadets, this way," he said, pointing at the clump of cadets. "Instructors and… assistants, this way."

The instructors gathered behind a podium between the maze and the cadets. There were forty of them, two per classroom. I recognized about a dozen instructors who lived in the teachers' barracks. The others must've lived off the Academy grounds. Someone raised her hand in the back of the group, and I recognized Talindra's fiery red hair. She was standing alone on the outskirts of the group.

"I'm nervous," she said as soon as I was within earshot. "I wasn't this nervous last year."

"That's a good sign. It means you care about them."

Talindra gave me an awkward smile and looked at the hedge wall.

There was no visible entrance.

"This is the work of the Nature Circle," she said. "I can't feel the inner layout, and I can't remember if something similar has been done before."

I focused and activated my mana sense. The colors of the world washed away. I tried to look through the leaves but found only an opaque wall.

You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.

"Zaon?" I asked.

"Nothing. Not even my [Sonar] can go through."

The conversation around us wasn't all that different. Everyone was trying to figure out what the test was about. I looked at Rhovan's group. They didn't seem to know what was happening either.

A familiar voice behind my back caught my attention.

"First, you ask me a favor, and then you steal my assistant? The audacity of some Scholars."

I turned around to find Holst. He was dressed in a sober fencing uniform that was drowned out by the flashy attire of the other instructors. His piercing black eyes showed nothing but his usual mild disdain. Still, I noticed a hint of amusement in them.

"Am I getting better?" Holst asked before anyone could say anything.

Ilya shook her head, and Holst sighed.

"I've been trying to be more personable so I can connect with my students, but alas, it seems the Clarke's school of teaching doesn't quite suit me," he explained, as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

Was Holst making a joke?

His dry tone made it hard for me to read him, even with [Foresight] assisting me.

"Not all teachers have to be the same. There are other methods to keep the kids engaged," I replied.

Holst raised an eyebrow.

"Reassuring… I'm taking notes," he said.

I still hadn't gotten used to the fact that Holst was studying my teaching style and applying it in his own classes. He always struck me as too proud to adjust his worldview, even in the face of proof. I couldn't help but respect his effort to improve, regardless of whether it was driven by personal ambition or a sense of duty to his students.

"You must be wondering why I came to say hi," Holst said in his usual dry tone.

Despite his success as a martial instructor, he had the charisma of a cold, naked concrete wall.

"I want to ask you a favor, Robert Clarke."

Technically, I did owe him a favor.

"What do you want?" I asked.

"After the selection exam, I want to organize a joint exercise between our classes. I'm curious to see your teaching style in action."

I could almost sense Talindra having a nervous breakdown behind me. I silently apologized to her. A fresh batch of new opponents would be a great opportunity for the Cabbage cadets to hone their skills. Besides, I couldn't turn away such a promising potential apprentice for my teaching style. He was one of the greatest instructors at the Academy, and he was already starting to see that commoners had as much potential as nobles, regardless of what Classes the System gave them.

"My teaching methods aren't a secret, Darius Holst. Feel free to visit us whenever you want," I said.

Holst gave me a slight bow.

"I respect that, Robert Clarke. Let's discuss the details later," he said. "Here's to your class succeeding in the selection exam."

When he disappeared behind the group of instructors, Talindra let out an audible whine. I thought her displeasure would annoy me, but it felt strangely comforting instead, like a sudden sign of trust from a shy dog.

A few weeks ago, Talindra couldn't even voice the slightest disagreement.

"I agree with Instructor Mistwood. Why should we have Holst?" Zaon asked, not bothering to mask his displeasure.

"It's what's best for the kids," I replied.

"Are we using him as a bad example?" Talindra asked, suddenly extremely tired.

"If we show Holst what it means to be a good teacher, it'll benefit not only his current cadets, but every student he teaches in the future," Ilya replied with a scolding voice.

Talindra seemed to fold inward.

This time, it was my turn to put my hand over Ilya's mouth before she could continue scolding Talindra.

"Mister Reyes, my mentor when I was getting my teaching degree, told me that good deeds multiply through time. Every choice you make as a teacher sends ripples through your life and those around you. Your good actions can inspire others to do the same," I said. "You are a very kind person, Talindra. Why not try to infect Holst with a bit ot that kindness?"

Talindra gave me a shy smile. I never held back on giving praise when it was earned, and she had done a fine job in the Cabbage House. Still, she hadn't quite gotten used to accepting compliments.

"A-alright. I will try," Talindra said.

"Hoofsy promise?" I asked with a mischievous grin.

Talindra was suddenly flustered, tripping over her words.

"That's a Faun thing! How do you know that?!"

"You told me when you were drunk."

"No, I didn't! Impossible!"

Talindra was threatening me to erase all my memories with a single headbutt when Astur appeared through the inner wall, followed by a large group of Nature Circle librarians and dozens of aides carrying crates. Suddenly, the hundreds of people gathered outside the maze fell completely silent.

"At ease, cadets. I will explain the selection exam in a moment," Astur said as he climbed the platform, his voice magically amplified.

Assembling into formation didn't seem to be a thing in Ebros. The cadets followed the Grandmaster with their eyes, arranged in small clumps based on their squads. Some stood with their arms crossed, others joined their heads to whisper. Discipline was loose compared with what I was used to seeing in the military back on Earth. Fighting in formations might not be a huge thing here, at least not among Imperial Knights.

Astur exchanged a few words with an old woman whose robe identified her as the Archivist of the Nature Circle, and the librarians spread along the hedge wall.

Maybe it was my imagination, but Astur didn't seem particularly excited to be there.

"This year's selection exam is called the Maze. The exam will be divided into two parts: gathering and extraction. During the gathering section, you will explore the maze and gather totems. A thousand totems are hidden inside the maze. Summoned monsters guard half of them, and the other half have been placed in dangerous spots. The gathering section will last six hours," Astur explained with a straightforward, professional tone. "The extraction section will start immediately after the gathering section and will last another six hours. During the extraction section, the exits will open. Those cadets who manage to extract at least four totems will automatically pass the exam. Those who gather zero totems or remain inside the maze after the time limit will automatically fail. Depending on the number of free spots, those who manage to extract with less than four totems might have a chance to pass as long as they remain among the best two hundred and fifty cadets. Any questions?"

Before any cadet could raise their hand, one of the instructors jumped forward. It was a tall woman with dark hair and tanned skin wearing a flashy pink, yellow, and turquoise tabard with a broad sword strapped to her back. I remembered her from my first day at the Academy. Ghila the Gorilla.

"What does this mean, Astur? If there are a thousand totems, that eliminates half of the cadets!" She said it loud enough that everyone in the meadow heard her even without magical amplification.

Astur looked over his shoulder, displeased.

"That's correct. The exam was designed so that only half of the cadets would pass."

"Who decided that?! We've only ever cut one-third during the first exam!"

The instructors shook their heads and whispered. Nobody seemed to expect the sudden change in the evaluation methods. I glanced at Holst, silently asking for an answer, but he raised his shoulders.

"It was my call, and it's final," Astur said, turning to the Cadets. "If you can't pass this simple test, you are not Imperial Knight material. The test will start in five minutes. Please leave all your weapons in the designated box, grab your bag of supplies, and wait for the entrances to open. Good luck."

Without saying more, Astur stepped down from the podium and walked up the road back to the Egg while the aides distributed the supply bags. I wasn't expecting the atmosphere to be so tense.

"Isn't this too harsh?" Ilya asked.

"It is," Talindra replied. "The first selection exam doesn't usually involve fights between cadets."

In the end, the rumors were true. The Academy wanted to eliminate a large number of cadets and focus its resources on those Astur deemed worthy. I looked at Ghila, who stomped her way back into the Instructor's group. She had told Firana about the increase in difficulty, Firana had told Zaon, and Zaon had told me. The question was, how had Ghila known?

"Instructors!" the Grand Archivist of the Nature Circle caught our attention. "We will spectate the selection exam from above."

On cue, a watchtower made of curling vines and roots emerged from the center of the maze. The structure rose dozens of meters into the air, well above the height of the hedge maze. I quickly noticed the lack of a proper staircase.

The Instructors exchanged glances of silent resignation and jumped on top of the hedge maze. The center of the wall was made of solid stone. Some used their innate physical capabilities of their Classes, while others used magic and skills to climb the 'floors' of the watchtower. I couldn't tell if the librarians did it deliberately, but the lack of easy access seemed intentional and malicious.

A few Instructors—those who didn't have the skills or the physical capability to climb the watchtower—sighed and turned around.

"Last to arrive pays a penalty," Ilya said.

Zaon didn't answer. Instead, he climbed the hedge wall and ran towards the watchtower before Ilya could react. I sighed. That only left Talindra and me. The kids were too busy getting their supply bags. Still, I caught Malkah's glance and gave him the thumbs-up.

"Let's go," I said, preparing my [Minor Aerokinesis].

Talindra nodded, channeling her mana. However, her spell fizzled.

"Their spell must be controlling this area. I can't use my vines," she muttered in defeat, turning to look at the backs of the magic instructors leaving the premises.

"I can give you a lift," I said, without thinking about the logistics of the procedure.

Talindra didn't think about them either, and a moment later, we were soaring through the skies, her arms wrapped around my neck and my arms around her waist. Talindra didn't scream, but her heart beat like it was going to burst. We landed on the watchtower's platform and parted ways like magnets flipped the wrong way. The people of Ebros weren't cold by any stretch of the word. Izabeka and Astrid hugged me occasionally, and Lyra had grown a bit closer in the past two years. However, I had only known Talindra for a month, and the experience had been slightly awkward.

"We should have thought that out better," Talindra pointed out.

Kudos to her for voicing our shared thoughts.

"Well, we made the hoofsie promise twice. We are basically besties at this point," I jokingly replied.

"Right?! Nothing awkward happened, just a fraternal hug between besties, like the ones you give Zaon and Wolf."

"Exactly!"

In the end, we laughed it off.

Deep inside, I knew I was really fortunate to have Talindra as my colleague. I wondered if I could convince her to join us at the orphanage, but quickly pushed the thoughts aside and turned my attention to the watchtower.

The floor was made of woven vines, and the windows were shielded with a magical one-way barrier that let us look outside while keeping the cadets from seeing us. In the center, there were tables with fruit bowls. The maze was larger than I expected. It surrounded not only the meadow but also the lake and the grove. The exits were already marked on the inner edges of the maze, although they were not open yet. Part of the 'gathering' section would be plotting the maze layout to plan a swift escape after gathering the totems.

Along the outer wall, the cadets prepared themselves for the starting signal.

The Cabbage Class remained together near the intersection of the hedge wall and the western stone wall.

"Nervous?" I asked.

"Yes," Talindra replied.

"Me too."

As if on cue, the hedge wall opened, and the cadets rushed inside.

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