Survival Test (7)
Treasure No. 19. 100% HP Recovery Voucher.
âA treasure not found in the original work.â
Probably a new addition since Baek Ahyeong came to the academy.
âFeels like a spare life.â
Well⊠Iâll see if itâll really come in handy.
Alice was giving me the side-eye.
Honestly, I donât think Iâll use it as a backup life. Maybe toss it into the mix tonight or tomorrow night in a cave like this.
âLetâs get out for now. Doesnât seem like thereâs anything more to gain.â
âYeah.â
We stepped outside. Around noon, a big helicopter cruised into the sky.
âThat looks like a supply helicopter.â
Now, things are getting interesting. While treasures and boss monsters are the kind of thing you stumble upon first by not knowing where they are, supply boxes literally rain down from the sky. Thatâs why scuffles often kick off.
âOh? That seems worth a look.â
A supply crate landed not far from where we were. Iâve got my essentials, but supply boxes pack more than just food; theyâre loaded with stuff that comes in handy for survival.
Youâll find useful bits like sleeping gear to dodge the rough nights, cooking tools for grub, special training gadgets exclusive to the survival test, and, most importantly, every time you zap the code inside the supply crate with a smartwatch, the survival test app gets updated.
You can scope out where people are hanging, spot monsters or treasures, and more.
âAlice, letâs go check that out.â
âAre you sure about this? It might turn into a student gathering hotspot.â
âWeâre together; whatâs there to fret about.â
Alice and I quickly moved our feet. It fell quite close, so we should see it soonâŠ
âOh, look at that.â
I might as well cross my fingers for some sleeping gear. Sharing a tent with Alice will be awkward.
Taking the lead, Alice cracked open the supply box.
âThereâs nothing in itâŠ?â
âWhat? Did someone beat us to itâŠâ
Thump!
My Battle Sense tingled, warning me of danger. Without thinking, I conjured up Cotton Guard on my right.
Whoosh!
âNo way, itâs blocked! Wasnât it supposed to hide mana?â
âCheck out our opponent. Itâs that guy.â
âAlice and Lee Hoyeon teaming up? Thatâs a serious balance breakdown.â
âNot really~â
Four students popped out from the right bushes. Since I couldnât sense their mana, they probably obtained an artifact from the supply box to conceal themselves.
Most artifacts canât escape my Mana Sensitivity, but those exclusive to the survival test, though limited, pack quite a punch. Maybe they synced up with my smartwatch. Still, lucky I caught on in the end.
âCaught me off guard there.â
ââŠOff guard? Really, how did you predict that?â
âJust a gut feeling.â
Alice looked a bit sheepish for not detecting the ambush. I geared up for a fight.
âUgh, talk about unlucky.â
âStill, itâs 4 against 2; we got this, right?â
The students who ambushed us are from Class A, familiar faces but not familiar names. Teaming up with four top-class students, theyâre probably pretty confident⊠but tough luck for them.
âHey, Iâm taking the artifact.â
I had my eyes on the green veil the girl in the back was holding.
***
âNot too shabby.â
Naturally, we took down the four and sent them on their way. Checking the loot, there was an artifact called Verdant Veil, something that can make you blend in. Surely, thereâs a use for that.
I tucked the artifact into my pocket and strolled toward the boss monster. It was the only one I knew the location of. Unlike treasures, monsters tend to roam, making them elusive. But in this cave, only the giant tarantula stays put.
âAlright, letâs do this.â
I was gearing up to boost the team spirit when Alice hit the brakes.
âHey⊠I, Iâm running lowâŠâ
âOh, okay. Iâll fill you up.â I grabbed Aliceâs shoulder and infused some mana. Doing this a few times a day is a bit of a chore, but farming is just naturally a hassle. If I put in the effort, things should start looking up eventually.
âAll set? Letâs go.â
âYeah, Iâll take the lead.â Alice enchanted her sword and dashed at the Giant Tarantula. Despite being a spider, it attacked with its massive body and legs instead of using silk. I restrained its legs with fiery spears and aimed for its big eyes.
Krrrrrr!
The Giant Tarantula flailed its legs, putting up a decent fight, but since Alice had the situation under control, I joined in; there was no way it could stand up to both of us.
âWeâve⊠got it down⊠darn it!â As I walked ahead to loot the fallen tarantula, suddenly, a small baby tarantula clung to my arm and nibbled away. I swiftly shook my arm, stomped on the critter with my foot, and squashed it.
âYou okay?â Alice sheathed her sword and came over.
âItâs a bit stingy. My arm feels a tad tingly. Seems like itâs got a bit of venom.â
âLetâs call in Saint Baek Ahyeong.â
âDo we really have to? Tarantula venom is a weak paralysis toxin; itâll wear off quickly.â
I might get better in a bit, itâs a waste to use it here.
âYou never know⊠Just use it.â
Aliceâs expression as she insisted on calling Baek Ahyeong was, well⊠if I didnât call, she seemed ready to get mad.
â Heroine Status Window
[Alice]
[Affection: 33]
[Lust: 57]
[Appetite: 40]
[Fatigue: 79]
Current Status: Verdant Veil⊠Yeah, as long as I keep still, I wonât get noticed.
Whatâs this all about?
âAlright⊠Letâs check the rewards first.â
Well, I do want to see Ahyeong too, so letâs not overthink it.
I detached the device attached to the Giant Tarantulaâs back and recognized it with my smartwatch.
[Defeated Giant Tarantula! Youâve earned 100 points.]
âIâll send you 50 points.â
âOkay.â
We agreed to split the points straight down the middle. I couldâve grabbed a bit more, but considering Aliceâs aim for the top, I went for an equal share.
[Boss Monster Elimination Reward]
[We will provide an opportunity to contact the outside world.]
[This opportunity is transferable.]
âWhatâs thisâŠ?â
An opportunity to reach out to the outside world? Why are they handing us this?
âAlice, do you want to use it?â
âUm⊠If youâre offering, Iâll take it.â
âThen go ahead. I donât need it.â
For me, itâs probably Professor Im Sol or Moon Soorin, or maybe Liliana. Whatâs the point of contacting them? Oh, and Baek Ahyeong too. But since I can meet her whenever, itâs all good.
âShall I use it now?â I reached for the button labeled Treasure No. 19. 100% HP Recovery Voucher.
âYeah. Since weâre in a cave anyway, go ahead and use it.â
âGot it.â As I pressed the button, a portal materialized with a âpoofâ sound. Then, out popped Baek Ahyeong from the portal.
âAre you okay? Take a slow breath for now⊠Huh?â
âHey, Ahyeong.â
âUh⊠Hello, Student Lee Hoyeon.â
Baek Ahyeong seemed a bit puzzled that I called her, seeing me perfectly fine. I subtly gestured towards the drone that was keeping an eye on us.
âOh, letâs sort out that injury.â Baek Ahyeong, catching my signal perfectly, started her healing duty and ushered the drone outside.
âThanks, Ahyeong. Youâre really quick on the uptake.â
Iâve never used âAhyeongâ in front of others, but since Alice knows everything, I decided to keep it casual.
âYes? Huh?â Seeing how comfortably I interacted with Alice next to me, Baek Ahyeong raised an eyebrow.
âItâs okay. She already figured out our relationship.â
âWhat? What did you say?!â She genuinely seemed shocked. Her eyes widened to a size I hadnât seen before. Before she could conjure up even stranger thoughts, I quickly interjected, âDonât worry. Sheâs not the type to go blabbering to anyone. Right?â
âYes. Iâll be guarding the entrance from outside, so you two enjoy your time. Oh, could you lend me the Verdant Veil? Iâll be watching the entrance.â
âOh, sure. Thanks.â
Why did she suddenly become so formal?
She offered to stand guard herself, so Iâm thankful. With Alice now outside, erasing her presence and hiding in the foliage, I can relax.
âAhyeong, itâs been a while. Right?â
âYeah⊠I havenât seen you in a whileâŠâ
To be honest, three days isnât that long to go without seeing each other⊠Weâve been seeing each other so frequently until now.
âWhy didnât you tell me about the survival test in advance? I could have prepared more comfortably.â I teased her just for the fun of it.
âS-Sorry⊠Iâm bound by the Mana OathâŠâ
âEnough with the excuses. Come over here.â
âHmphâŠâ
â Heroine Status Window
[Baek Ahyeong]
[Affection: 89] (+0.5)
[Lust: 80]
[Appetite: 30]
[Fatigue: 35]
Current Status: Didnât expect to see him this week⊠Hmm, Iâm so happy.
I initially tried to take care of Ahyeong more since she was the only heroine outside the academy, but now sheâs become the person I meet the most. In the beginning, it was difficult to fit into her perverted antics, but now I feel like weâve become one, and itâs a bit scary.
I pulled a chair out of the pocket subspace and sat down, legs stretched out.
âAhyeong, do you miss it? Itâs been agesâŠâ
âYes, darlingâŠâ Baek Ahyeong, kneeling down, unzipped my pants. She then stared intently at my somewhat erected penis and licked her lips.
I hope sheâs not thinking of calling my penis âdarlingâ instead of meâŠ
***
Alice left Baek Ahyeong and Lee Hoyeon to their own devices in the cave and strolled outside. Activating her smartwatch, she used the communication voucher Lee Hoyeon had just handed her.
[Available for 1 person. Duration: 5 minutes. The academy assures no eavesdropping nor recording. However, severe punishment may be imposed if any actions that affect the test are revealed.]
A warning popped up as the contact window appeared, and Alice pressed the Sebastian button.
âSebastian, can you hear me?â
[Miss?! Are you not in the middle of the survival test?]
Sebastian seemed bewildered by the sudden contact.
âYeah. I got a chance to communicate outside, so sorry for interrupting your vacation.â
While he probably wouldâve enjoyed a week-long break, Alice felt a tad sorry, but urgent matters couldnât wait.
[No, itâs alright. What happened that youâre calling during the test?]
âDo you happen to keep any videos or photos while investigating Lee Hoyeonâs relationships?â Alice asked cautiously, lowering her voice.
[Videos or photos� I do have pictures of Lucy and Lumi with him in a café, and pictures of him and Saint Baek Ahyeong entering the infirmary, among others.]
âNo, more specifically⊠any photos involving him, you know⊠having se-sex or intimate contact?â
Alice was so frustrated with Sebastian for the first time.
I donât need those photos! Why are you making me spell it out?
[Those donât exist. Direct videos or photos like those are too riskyâŠ.]
âIâve been in contact with him, and I need to find his weakness. Can you provide such photos? Oh, videos would be even better. The more explicit, the better.â
[Um⊠that seems quite difficult. Firstly, Lee Hoyeonâs barrier magic is high, and to capture a video, Iâd need to be in the same location for a few minutesâŠ]
âOh, so itâs beyond your abilities, huh⊠So be it. Iâll find another way myself.â
[Wait, I⊠I will do my best to figure something out.]
Alice smirked. She knew just how to nudge someone with a once-inflated pride.
âAlright. Donât push yourself too hard.â
[No, I will ensure perfect preparation before you arrive.]
âThanks, Sebastian.â
Time was up, and the call ended.
It canât be over, rightâŠ?
With limited knowledge in intimate matters, Alice found it difficult to estimate the duration of the relationship between a man and a woman. She hastily unfolded the Verdant Veil to erase her presence and stealthily approached the cave wall, sneaking inside.
Gulp
Only the sound of swallowed saliva lingered outside the cave.