Chapter 79: False Calm II

By the time the sun began to dip, only two groups remained outside Base Camp D.

The eastern gate opened first, allowing a broad-shouldered boy and his three teammates to stumble inside. Mud covered their uniforms, and one of them had wrapped a bloodied strip of cloth around his arm.

However, the pouch hanging from their leader’s waist appeared somewhat full.

"Group Eleven has returned!" Instructor Klein announced. "Report to the medical tent for any injuries before depositing your cores."

The broad-shouldered boy raised one hand. "Gareth Holtz. Group leader. We managed to recover twenty-three cores."

’Just twenty-three? That’s definitely not enough for all their members to pass yet...I guess I shouldn’t be expecting too much.’

’But Gareth Holtz, huh?’

Rian searched his memories of the original but found absolutely nothing.

Despite the enormous spear resting across his shoulder, Gareth didn’t seem particularly memorable. He looked like someone who came from a military background, and that was it.

Instructor Klein simply nudged his chin toward their crate, where Gareth proceeded to place his cores within and lead his team back into their tent.

A few minutes later, the southern gate opened, and the last team had returned. They looked considerably more organized, and at their front walked a green, short-haired girl carrying a wooden staff in one hand and a folded map in the other.

"Group Twelve," the girl reported before Klein could ask. "Mira Duvall, twenty-nine cores, although four are likely only 1-Star."

Klein studied their pouch before nodding. "1-Star cores count for half while 3-Stars count for double."

"That means we have twenty-seven points," Mira nodded.

Rian attempted to remember her as well, but nothing came up once more.

’Who the hell are these people?’

Mira began recording something on her map while the other members of her group deposited their cores. Judging by how naturally everyone followed her instructions, she was probably competent.

Yet Rian couldn’t remember her name appearing even once in the original story.

It wasn’t because she was unimportant. Maybe her name had likely only existed in a list of casualties, just like Julius’s was.

Finally, Orion’s group gathered around their own crate. And unlike Gareth or Mira, Rian recognized every member instantly.

Orion stood at the front, his white hair dirtied slightly by dust from the northern mausoleum district. A sheathed sword rested against his waist, while the stuffed pouch in his hand suggested that his group had enjoyed a considerably successful hunt.

Beside him stood Lillian Arkens.

The heroine had already cleaned most of the mud from her uniform. Her honey-blonde hair remained arranged in neat curls, and she looked far more comfortable now that she was safely inside camp.

There were two others with them.

The first was Nolan Hartwick, the eldest son of Marquis Hartwick. He was a broad-framed Shield Knight who would eventually become one of Orion’s most dependable companions at the Academy—the stern and dependable kind.

In the novel, Nolan had begun as an arrogant noble who disliked Orion’s lesser noble status. That rivalry lasted for approximately three Chapters before Orion saved his life and earned his undying loyalty.

And judging by how the guy was practically glued to Orion, that event probably already happened.

The final member was Celine Vautrin, a talented Fire Mage from another prominent noble family. Her dark-red hair hung just above her shoulders, while a pair of black gloves covered both hands.

If Rian remembered correctly, she was subjected to excessively harsh training, causing both hands to become badly burned in an accident. Due to this, she rarely spoke and kept to herself, but was just as talented as the rest of the party.

And, naturally, another heroine.

’Of course, he already has two of them.’

Orion emptied their pouch into the crate, and just like Rian expected, they had gone to the yellow regions where there were mostly 2 and 3-Star Undeads.

"Group Ten," Klein counted aloud. "Thirty cores, with three verified 3-Star cores. That puts your total at thirty-three points."

The other groups gasped at their progress. In just one day, they had almost hunted enough cores for all members to pass easily.

Rian glanced at the cores they had once more, realizing that one of the 3-Star Cores they had was the Bone Hound’s.

’So they took the initiative, huh?’

"That puts Group Ten in the lead," Klein announced. "For now."

Lillian smiled with satisfaction, although her eyes were already moving toward the staff tent, where the custodian was standing at attention.

’Neither of them has made a move yet.’

Marie placed her pouch inside their crate and emptied everything she had collected. Compared to Orion’s pile, theirs looked almost pitiful.

Klein counted each core before raising an eyebrow. "Twenty verified cores, why did you guys return so early?"

The number was more than Rian expected, especially since those had all come from Marie, who hunted alone.

Rian played the fool. "We ran out of monsters?"

"Ran out?"

"The western region was surprisingly peaceful, and you told us not to go too far. So what else could we do?"

Somewhere inside Rian’s head, Sylpheed began laughing.

Instructor Klein scratched his head, looking toward the two scouts that were assigned to survey the area. "I could’ve sworn there were a lot of monsters in the western area?"

Rian simply shrugged. "Then I guess they decided to stay dead when we came?"

Fortunately, the sound of a metal ladle striking against a pot echoed across the camp, saving Rian from having to explain any further.

"Dinner is ready!" Martin announced. "Please form an orderly line. There is enough for everyone!"

The candidates forgot about Rian almost instantly.

After spending the entire day fighting monsters, even the high-ranking nobles abandoned most of their dignity and hurried toward the cooking area.

Martin had prepared a thick meat stew filled with vegetables, accompanied by several loaves of freshly baked bread. Rian had no idea how the butler managed to bake anything in the middle of the Graveyard, but he decided not to question it.

Martin handed Rian a generous serving before moving toward the next candidate. His white gloves remained spotless despite having served more than a dozen people.

"Thanks."

"You get the largest portion since you’re the last one," the butler said, adding a heaping scoop. "Now I should wash this pot before the remnants dry."

Rian nodded and returned to Group Thirteen, sitting beside the campfire with his teammates.

Julius and Eliza had already begun eating, while Marie stared intensely at the piece of bread floating inside her stew.

"What are you doing?" Rian asked.

"Waiting for it to absorb everything."

"Why?"

"Because then it tastes better."

Rian glanced at the two girls again, watching them completely devour their bowl of soup without any sense of elegance.

’It’s getting harder to believe either of them could be involved...’

He shook his head, looking at the other candidates.

Gareth’s team were discussing how to avoid the monster that had injured one of their members while Mira’s team studied her map between every spoonful.

Orion’s group sat on the opposite side of the fire.

Nolan and Orion discussed tomorrow’s route, while Celine quietly ate beside them. Lillian, however, seemed considerably less interested in their plans, taking glances every so often at the custodian.

The man had taken a seat beside Instructor Klein with a bowl resting between his hands. He hadn’t eaten a single bite. Every few seconds, he would glance toward the staff tent before lowering his gaze again.

’He’s going to do it.’

Rian continued eating while watching him from across the flames.

The brass receiver remained concealed beneath his cloak, pressed against his side where nobody else could see it. Its needle hadn’t moved yet.

Perhaps he intended to wait until everyone returned to their tents. That would be the smartest option. With Instructor Klein sitting beside him and sixteen candidates gathered outside, accessing the reservoir now would be impossible.

The stew was surprisingly good, with a deep and rich aroma that he never would’ve expected to be eating a field full of undead monsters.

’Maybe I should hire the field chef if Declan ever lets him go.’

His eyes returned to the custodian, only to hear a noise coming from his waist...a faint click, and then another.

Rian carefully reached beneath his cloak and pulled it out just far enough to see the needle beneath its glass surface spinning violently.

’What?’

The man was still sitting beside Instructor Klein, head down and looking like he had just seen a ghost. Marie was beside him, and Eliza and Julius were both across.

Even Lillian remained with Orion’s group.

The receiver’s needle abruptly locked toward the staff tent, before...

BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM—!

Dirt and smoke shot up into the sky, the resulting force shaking the entire camp. Several candidates were thrown from their seats, while bowls and pieces of bread scattered across the ground.

Ash rained down from above, as everyone turned to look at what just happened.

Instructor Klein reached for his sword, yelling.

"Everyone, stay back!"

Rian couldn’t move, his eyes completely fixed on the terrified custodian sitting across the fire, and the equally scared Lillian hiding behind Orion.

’Was it a traitor—’

’...After all?’