Entrance Exam: Dolls Hunt [5]

"....."

"....."

The awkward silence was only disturbed by the swirling flames around us, controlled by the candidate in front of me. We stared at each other for a moment, and the embarrassment from my point of view was so intense that I really wanted to avert my gaze.

His surprised expression soon turned neutral, and I think he quickly understood why I had slipped inside his circle without an ounce of shame.

I hesitated for a second, considering slipping outside to spare myself this embarrassing moment, but the candidate spoke out.

"I am Arthur Fleming."

Contrary to my expectations—which involved either a great kick or punch to send me out of the circle—he didn't do any of that. Instead, he introduced himself with a small smile.

I was honestly speechless. I had expected a much harsher response.

"Don't you have a name? At least answer me," he asked, raising a brow and looking down at me.

"A-Ah, right, sorry. I'm Fray Duran," I quickly replied.

"...."

Another awkward silence followed.

"Erm. I'm sorry about this... There were two Yureis rushing toward me, and I panicked a little, so here I am..." I stood up as I spoke awkwardly.

"Yurei? You noticed as well then?" Arthur said with a surprised smile.

"Yeah, I read about them," I nodded.

"It was a bit hard at first. I mean, female entities wearing white and screaming—there are at least several hundred of that kind," Arthur laughed.

I couldn't help but laugh in agreement. "Tell me about it. I think I just felt it and guessed it in the end."

"You have sharp eyes then. Look, most of them don't even know what kind of Entity they're fighting against," Arthur remarked, pointing towards the other students.

"With the sheer number of Paranormal Entities we need to learn about, I suppose it's understandable," I replied, allowing myself a moment of pride. "I read a lot, so I guess I have a bit of an advantage."

"Same here, though in my case, my sister forced me to learn everything about them day and night," Arthur said, wincing slightly as a shadow crossed his face.

It must have been tough for him.

"Oh, you have a sister too?" I asked, intrigued. "And she's the one who made you learn all that?"

Arthur appeared to be a commoner, so it was surprising that his sister had such an influence on him.

"Yeah," he said with an affectionate smile. "She adopted me when I was a kid, but she's like family to me now."

I could completely understand him. "I also have a sister, well, more of a sister-in-law, but she's very important to me. It's for her and my niece that I want to become an Exorcist."

Arthur smiled, but there was a hint of bitterness in his expression. "You have a much better reason than me, at least."

Suddenly, a nearby scream jolted us back to reality, reminding us of the ongoing exam. I had gotten too absorbed in the conversation, probably because it was rare for me to chat so casually with someone my age.

"Anyway, thank you... I should get back to the exam," I said, preparing to move, but I felt a firm hand on my shoulder.

Turning my head, I saw Arthur with his characteristic confident smile. "I think we can do better if we stick together. What do you think?"

"Huh?" I was taken aback. He seemed to be handling himself well alone, so why did he want to team up?

"I know what you're thinking—I'm doing well on my own. But the truth is, while I can hold them off, I can't subjugate the Yureis by myself," Arthur explained, scratching his cheek.

I was even more confused. "Are you sure? I think you could manage it alone if you took them one by one."

"That's not the issue," Arthur sighed, glancing around. He wasn't looking at the Yureis, but at some of the other candidates.

I followed his gaze but couldn't quite grasp his meaning.

Arthur sighed in resignation. "I'm being targeted."

"Targeted?" I echoed, feeling even more bewildered.

"Yeah," he confirmed, his voice tinged with frustration. "There are some people who don't want me here and are determined to make sure I fail to integrate into the Academy."

He didn't elaborate further, and I sensed there was more to the story. However, there wasn't time to delve into it now.

"So, you want us to work together to subjugate the Yureis and pass the exam before those people can sabotage you, right?" I asked, rubbing my temples.

"Exactly," Arthur grinned. "I doubted you at first, but you seem genuine. You don't know me, so you're not carrying any grudges or unjustified dislike towards me. Plus, let's be honest, you're weaker than me, so you could use some help too."

The last part stung a bit, but he was right. I could use the assistance. 

"How about it? Are you in?" Arthur extended his hand toward me.

I glanced around, noticing that several candidates were working in teams. If some, like Arthur, were being targeted, it only made things more complicated. Couldn't everyone just participate in the exam normally?

"I'm in," I said, shaking his hand and matching his smile. There was no way I would refuse help from someone this strong.

"Great," Arthur said, his smile widening. "Now, let me point out the ones you should be wary of. See that guy at the far back, shielded by other candidates as if he's some sort of king?" Arthur gestured towards a dark-haired youth.

"Yeah," I nodded, still puzzled. It was odd to see candidates working together, but this guy had a whole entourage acting like his personal guard.

"That's Ethan Borg. He's gunning for me and a few others here. Be careful around him," Arthur warned.

"Why would he do that?" I asked, struggling to understand the motivation behind such hostility.

"We don't have time to get into the details now. Just be wary of him and his goons," Arthur said and looked at me. "Are you ready?"

"Ready for what?" I asked, a sense of foreboding creeping over me.

"Reassure me, you don't have a fear of heights, right?" Arthur asked, instead of answering my previous question.

"No... I mean, I've never really—woaaaah!" Before I could finish my sentence, Arthur's strong grip on my arm tightened, and with a grunt, he launched me into the air.

Is he kidding me?!

-KRRRIIIIII!

One of the Yurei's piercing gaze fell upon me, freezing me mid-air.

"Do it, Fray!" Arthur's voice called out from below.

Understanding what he meant, I pushed my fears aside and gripped the hilt of my sword tightly as I descended. The Yurei closed in, its ethereal form menacing and cold. Just as it got close enough, Arthur's circle expanded upward, trapping the Yurei within the barrier along with me.

The Yurei let out a chilling yelp and tried to escape, but I acted swiftly. With a forceful thrust, my sword, glowing a vibrant green, pierced its throat. As I landed, I drove the blade down, pinning the Yurei to the ground, and pulled out one of the enchanted dolls.

With a whoosh, the Artificial Yurei shrunk, swirling into a small ball of light that was absorbed into the white doll in my hand, turning it black instantly.

"Ugh!" I groaned as I fell to the ground, my arms scraping against the rough surface.

Arthur approached me with a grin. "Great. Only nineteen more to go."

Oh god.