Exam: Part 1

In the study room...

"It will be your two-month training now Lady Evelyn."

"That's true Sir Ivo."

'It will also be the time where my father will go home from the border.'

"The Duke said that you will have an examination... if you want to continue your training he said."

"Yes... that was the condition when I requested for a tutor."

"A week from now, the examination will take place. We need to report to the Duke about your progress."

I nodded. "I have been preparing myself for that Sir Ivo."

"Vey well... Prepared yourself, I'll be collaborating with Sir Shiek for your test. We will go to the forest of Shield, it's a low-level forest where monsters lurked but only those who can be defeated by the beginners so, It will be safe."

"So you want me... to experience killing monsters?"

"Well, we did teach you for that kind of purpose."

I was looking dumbfounded by what he said.

"I only want to have the bare minimum power to defend myself...!"

"Of course that's also one of the reasons why we teach you, Lady Evelyn."

"So... can I just spar with you, Sir Ivo and Sir Shiek?"

I displayed my pleading facial expression to my Magic tutor.

"Sigh... we can't do that forever Lady Evelyn."

"B-but..."

My face crumpled up with the immediate refusal of my teacher.

"You've been doing sparring for almost the entire month... but you need experience. Battle experience."

He emphasizes the last words...

"But... I don't know if my powers can help me..."

The nervousness is obviously displayed in my voice. Sir Ivo looks at me with assurance.

"Sir Shiek and I will be there, so if anything happens you'll still be safe."

"We're strong you know ~~"

Sir Ivo playfully said his last statement about the practical exam, dismissing any refusal from me.

Sigh...

I bow my head with disappointment. 'I'm a girl from the modern world, I'm scared of monsters even if I knew that this is just a story from the novel.'

I was dejected... but I know that this is also for the sake of my safety.

"Okay... I'll just do my best!"

"Haha... that's how you should have answered me earlier."

"We'll start our class now."

***

It's the day where she'll go hunt for monsters... to be specific, it's where Evelyn needs to kill for the first time.

She deeply sighed at the thought of killing a living being.

After a week, we need to go to the Shield forest.

The Shield Forest is near our dukedoms' estate, it's where small monsters appear and it's suitable for students like me who want to gain experience.

The lush trees in the forest have different kinds of color, that is also the reason why it's popular.

I heard from my maid Sheila that in the center of the forest there's a lake where the water shimmer when the sun touches the water surface.

'It would be good to play around the lake when the exam is over."

I quickly prepared myself for today's event.

"I need to pass this test... my strength isn't enough to fight a professional assassin."

The event will eventually come and I will get in danger... 'yes!... I need to fight to survive.'

I can't rely on my family whose too cold to each other. I only have myself.

I went and grab the knob on my door and walk down the quiet hall.

It's always like this... I only have my personal maid to serve me, and everyone's isolating me.

It's the result of how the Duke and my brother treated me, that's why the old me do all outrageous things... to get everyone's attention.

"How foolish..."

I strode down the stairs and was in the front garden where the two adults are waiting for me.

In the right, a man wearing a blue cape and has thick glasses with his signature grey hair that always looks like a bird's nest.

On the left, a young man whose arms folded in his chest and wearing all black clothes suited his black hair and eyes and his lips who's arched up into a smile.

When I came into their field of vision the two are talking and immediately stop their conversation.

"Oh... Lady Evelyn is here." The grey hair man said.

I nodded my head to acknowledge what he said.

"We should get going... are you ready?" The black hair guy asked.

"Yes... Please take care of me." I bow my head again to let them know my worries.

"Don't worry... it won't be that dangerous."

We walked for awhile from the estate and the lush greens are in view.

"This is the entrance to the shield forest."

"We will only go to the middle part of the forest where will hunt to find you a suitable monster to fight with."

I keenly focus my attention to what they said.

"You'll be fighting them first with your combat training and then we will find another monster to test your magic capabilities."

"You should prepare yourself... if it will be too dangerous for you, both I and Sir Ivo will step in."

"But that will indicate that you didn't pass our qualifications." Said Sir Shiek.

"There's that kind of condition...?!"

The other man answered my question. "Of course, we need to spice things up..."

'I kinda find this late but Sir Ivo's playful nature didn't match with his messy look. It's odd.'

We entered the forest and the two are simply walking without regard to the dangers that will happen.

'How can they be so nonchalant about this?'

When I was having a conversation in my head, Sir Shiek stop followed by Sir Ivo.

Sir Shiek's hand was in the air gesturing that we should stop for a while.

The bushes suddenly move and a rabbit with its bloodshot eyes and a horn in his head.

"It's a low-level monster called spliks, that monster could transform to the size of an eight-year-old kid when it is attacked. He jumps and kicks his opponent and will thrust its horn to his enemy until he dies."

Sir Shiek is looking at the spliks movement while explaining to me.

I gasped when I heard how brutal this small looking rabbit that's eating the leaves of the bushes.

"This is perfect... this will be your first opponent."

"Wh-what? Isn't it more appropriate for me to fight a slime for a first-timer? Rather than the-that... splik."

"It should be fine..." The grey-haired Sir Ivo said. "We already know your capabilities that's why this type of monster should not pose a threat to you. You just need to focus and be confident."

"What's the use of your training if this small creature will beat you?" Sir Shiek joins the conversation with a touch of sarcasm in his voice.

"Fine... this is my test after all."

I slowly and silently approached the spliks who are leisurely eating when his long ears twitch and he suddenly turns his head to look at me.

We stared at each other for a while, I was in a fighting stance while the splik is looking at me... seemingly watching my every movement.

The rabbit-like looking monster run fast and attack me with its feet, I braced myself with my hand crossed in my head and hanging in the air.

I defended myself but the impact was quite different from what I expected.

I thought that what I will feel is its paws grazing only my arms but it was different for what I expected.

I was sent flying a few steps away, I didn't know that this small cute thing can be that powerful.

I gritted my teeth when the two people that I know are silently laughing at the side.

'Tsk. This pair of monster... when I finish fighting this spliks, I'll freaking scold those two for laughing at me...!'

I quickly averted the next attack of the splick.

He uses his horn to launch at my stomach, I step aside but the horn grazes my clothes.

'The fuck is this...?! Did this stupid monster just try to stab me...?!'

I curled up against my fist and internally said 'I'll swear I'm going to cook you after this!'

I look at the spliks and smiled menacingly.

"It's payback time stupid monster...!"