In the lounge of the Imperial Palace, Enzo, the handsome knight, and the slender butler sat across from one another in silence.
The room was oppressively quiet, but none of the three seemed to mind. Enzo occasionally removed his monocle to polish it with a crisp white cloth, his movements calm and deliberate. The butler, ever composed, took a few quiet sips of the inferior tea they'd been served, steam rising gently from the porcelain cup.
Isn't that your third cup of Therisan Yellow Tea, John? Don't you ever get sick of it?" Enzo commented casually, glancing at the slender butler.
"So what? We've been here for two hours. It's good to stay hydrated," John replied, taking another sip without looking up.
Enzo and John casually exchanged remarks. Though they had done business together before, they weren't exactly on friendly terms.
Instead of staying hydrated, I think you should focus on bulking up a bit more-unless you're trying to make your master look bigger by comparison," Enzo said with a sarcastic grin.
John shot him a glare. "Maybe you should worry more about your own master. Out of the five candidates, he's the most likely to die."
"You-!"
Cling.
Enzo's retort was cut off by the sudden metalic sound hitting the floor.
They turned toward the source of the sound.
Sitting calmly on the sofa, the handsome knight exuded an authoritative aura. The golden tip of his scabbard, now touching the floor.
"I don't care if you two want to trade insults or start throwing punches. But keep it between yourselves. Leave your masters out of your little squabble." He said, voice calm and indifferent.
Enzo and John looked like they wanted to argue, but in the end, both sank back into their seats in silence.
Tsk, he's right... Enzo admitted inwardly, forcing himself to calm down. Arguing with John here would only drag Lord Roland's name through the mud.
Not long after, the door to the lounge creaked open. All three men turned their heads toward the sound. The moment a figure stepped into the room, they all stood and bowed in perfect unison.
Good afternoon, Your Grace," the three men greeted in unison.
Crimson-haired Archduke Cyrus stepped into the lounge, his presence commanding. With a faint smirk, he glanced at the trio and spoke calmly, "It appears I am the first to complete the trial."
Without another word, Archduke Cyrus strode over and took the seat John had been occupying.
Following his lead, Enzo and the knight resumed their seats. John, now displaced, hesitated for a moment before begrudgingly walking over to Enzo's sofa, seating himself at the farthest edge.
Enzo frowned inwardly, already bracing himself. Just great... This is going to be a long day, isn't it? Lord Roland, please pass the trial and come back soon...
...
Back in the trial, Roland slowly regained consciousness.
Argh... my head... He groaned inwardly. Don't tell me I died and transmigrated again. The thought was half a joke, half a desperate hope that it wasn't true this time.
His fingers twitched as he stirred. With effort, he cracked open his eyes, and there it was. The collapsed cave, the scattered rubble, and the soft hum of wind brushing through the trees.
Phew... thank god... Roland inwardly breathed a sigh of relief as he attempted to sit upright.
His entire body throbbed with pain, but after a moment of struggle, he managed to push himself up, leaning against a chunk of rock. As he shifted, he noticed something odd-the deep gash on his right abdomen had mostly closed. Only a shallow, surface-level wound remained.
Roland furrowed his brows, confused but not entirely surprised. Is it because I'm in some kind of dream world? Maybe that's why my body's healing so fast.
Actually, ever since I entered the trial, my body's been in top condition... It doesn't feel frail like it does in the real world, Roland pondered.
There were many unanswered questions swirling in his mind-like how he was able to conjure ice, what time it was now, and what had become of the beast.
He glanced up at the sky. Judging by the sun's position, it was probably around three or four in the afternoon. If time flows the same in here as it does outside, then I've likely been unconscious for about two hours...
Now the real question is-what's the deal with my ice powers?! Roland thought, wracking his brain for any connection to ice. Then it hit him.
The Moonstone! That's the only object I had on me in the real world that could possibly grant ice-related abilities.
He recalled what Alice had told him. The Moonstone had been imbued with the essence of an ancient beast. Maybe... it resonated with the trial, allowing me to manifest a portion of that beast's power!
However, just as Roland finished his deduction, a loud crash echoed from the collapsed cave-followed immediately by a deafening roar.
"Bang! Roar! Bang! Roar!"
Roland's eyebrows twitched as his face twisted into a grimace. Great... I already suspected the beast wasn't dead since the trial hadn't ended-but I was really hoping I was wrong!
He let out a tired sigh, shedding a few tears in his heart, before pushing himself up from the rock.
It's best if I get my ass out of here as fast as possible. Fighting it on this narrow path would be suicide. Roland thought, quickly but carefully making his way down the trail.
After roughly twenty minutes of tense descent, he finally reached the base of the hill. Standing at the edge of a dense forest, he narrowed his eyes, already formulating a plan to deal with the beast once it inevitably broke free.
That thing's massive... it won't be able to move freely in a place like this. I can use the terrain to my advantage-trap it, bleed it out.
A glint of determination flickered in his eyes as he stepped into the thick shadows of the forest.
He conjured a small knife out of ice, using it to mark the trees as he ventured deeper into the forest. Wouldn't want to get lost in all this damn vegetation, Roland thought, carving another shallow mark into the bark.
After several minutes of cautious movement, he arrived at a moderately open clearing nestled within the woods. He dropped to the ground and sat cross-legged in the center.
First step to setting a trap? Know your resources, Roland began his internal monologue, scanning the area with sharp eyes.
As a former shut-in gamer, I'm basically an expert on raid bosses. Roland smirked to himself. If I think of this like a game, then I'm just an under-leveled noob trying to solo a raid.
But hey, that's not impossible. I can bridge the gap in power with strategy-hit-and-run tactics, traps, wearing it down little by little.
Ice spears while weaving through the trees... maybe even pit traps if I can dig fast enough. He clenched his fist, sparks of excitement mixed with anxiety fluttering in his chest.
Too bad I don't have any buffs or debuffs. If I did, this would be a full-on MMORPG raid boss. He let out a soft chuckle. Guess I'll have to make do with just commitment and sheer will.
But first, I need to test the limits of these ice powers. Roland stood up and approached a nearby tree, its bark rough beneath his fingers.
He pressed his palm against the trunk and closed his eyes, focusing. A cold sensation welled up in his chest, spreading down his arm. Slowly, frost began to creep from his palm, crawling over the bark like living vines.
Within seconds, the entire tree was encased in shimmering ice, its leaves frozen mid-sway, glittering like crystals beneath the afternoon sun.
After seeing the frozen tree, Roland's mouth curled into a wide grin.
"I can work with this."