The next morning.
The students from various academies had already gathered at the inn's entrance. Today, however, many of them wore expressions of eager anticipation.
Raymond stood before a temporary wooden table, a map and a roster spread out in front of him.
Several guild members stood beside him, clearly acting as guides responsible for leading and protecting the groups.
“Listen up!” Raymond tapped the table, silencing the whispering crowd.
“We’re starting the group assignments now. Each group will consist of five to six people, mixing students from different academies, led by a guild guide or a veteran guard.”
“Remember, you are there to scout, not to hunt. If you encounter danger you can’t handle, fire off a fire spell toward the sky, and our people will come immediately. Is that understood?”
“Understood!” This time, the response was much more unified.
The grouping began quickly. Raymond called out names, and those selected stepped forward to stand behind their respective guides.
Lilith listened intently; she actually preferred to act alone.
After all, being with a group was restrictive, making it difficult to do many of the small things she wanted to do.
Seeing that the list was almost finished, Lilith couldn't help but raise her hand. “Um... Mr. Raymond!”
Raymond looked up and saw her.
“I... Can I apply to act alone?” Lilith asked with a serious expression. “I’m fairly confident in my abilities, and a single person is a smaller target.”
Before she could finish, Raymond interrupted her directly.
“Nonsense!”
Raymond frowned deeply, his voice rising.
“Act alone? Do you think this is academy training? Student Lilith! I don’t care how high your talent is at the academy; if you run into a lone Rank 3 magical beast, as a Rank 2 mage, you’re as good as dead. Do you understand?”
His tone left no room for argument.
Lilith was momentarily speechless. She opened her mouth, wanting to say she wasn't actually that easy to kill.
But seeing the look in Raymond’s eyes, she wisely swallowed her words.
Fine. In the eyes of a normal person, a Rank 2 mage apprentice entering a mountain range filled with magical beasts alone was indeed no different from seeking death.
“I understand,” she said, lowering her head.
Seeing her admit her mistake, Raymond’s expression softened slightly, but he clearly didn't feel comfortable putting her in an ordinary team. His gaze swept over the roster before settling on a specific spot.
“Lilith, Holy City Magic Academy.”
He called out, then pointed to a group of four people nearby. “You’re assigned to Team 3. Hans, she’s yours. Keep a close eye on her.”
The guide named Hans also frowned, seemingly dissatisfied with having a dead-weight mage added to his team, but he said nothing.
Lilith obediently walked over and stood behind Team 3, quickly sizing up her temporary teammates.
The leader, Hans, had strength roughly around the mid-to-late stages of Rank 3.
One teammate was a tall, green-haired girl who appeared to have some elf blood.
The other two were a young warrior carrying a greatsword and a thin boy clutching a magic book.
Including herself, the composition was decent enough.
Hans briefly introduced himself and the team members, and they all nodded to one another in acknowledgment.
“Our team’s mission is to investigate a valley southeast of the incident site.”
Hans laid out the task succinctly, his stern gaze sweeping over everyone and lingering for an extra second on Lilith’s face.
“Remember Raymond’s words: follow my commands in everything. Especially you, the new mage lady. Stay close to the team, don’t wander off, and don’t touch things randomly. Understood?”
“Understood,” Lilith replied along with the others, though she pouted inwardly.
Once all the teams were assigned, they left the inn in batches under the leadership of their guides, heading toward Gimi City’s east gate.
Team 3 joined the flow of people leaving the city under Hans’s lead.
The scars on the earth along the road and the mountains in the distance—which were now noticeably shorter—silently testified to the terror of the previous day.
The closer they got to the mountains, the more desolate it became.
Lilith was protected in the middle of the formation.
After walking for a while in relative safety, the atmosphere relaxed slightly.
The youth carrying the greatsword suddenly spoke up.
“Look over there. How did that black-robed expert do it yesterday? With a wave of a hand, a mountain was flattened. I’d only heard legends about Rank 9 before, but I never expected it to be so terrifying to witness in person.”
As he spoke, a hint of yearning appeared on his face.
The other members of the team joined the discussion.
Although Hans didn't participate, his eyes betrayed a deep sense of awe. As a veteran who dealt with magical beasts on the border year-round, he knew all too well how frightening that kind of power was.
Standing nearby, Lilith listened to her teammates use all sorts of words she’d never heard before to praise her. She felt a bit of secret satisfaction and wanted to laugh, but she had to try her best to hold it in.
“Yeah, she’s the most incredible person I’ve ever seen,” she agreed with a nod. “I wonder what that black-robed expert is like. Maybe they’re someone just like me.”
“Hmph, shallow,” the greatsword youth scoffed.
“A powerhouse like that is surely a profound and mysterious existence.”
They continued to discuss the topic.
Lilith listened while frantically roasting them in her mind.
Just then, Hans suddenly raised his left hand, signaling the team to stop. He whispered, “Careful, there’s something ahead.”
The idle chatter ceased instantly, and the team entered mission mode.
Everyone stood ready, prepared to cast spells at any moment.
Lilith also played the part, pretending to condense a longsword in her hand.
Rate on N.U.
