People started gathering around the ship, and I worried I wouldn't find my team in time. Luckily, after scanning the crowd, I heard a familiar voice shout.

"HEY! Captain, over here!"

It was Nora, standing above the crowd and wobbling precariously. For a moment, I wondered what she was balancing on. When I got closer, it became clear Ren was the platform. Of course.

Nora jumped down and walked up to me in a few quick steps, nudging me on the shoulder.

"We're finally heading back! Isn't that great? I can't wait to have a real dinner and a nice bath. OOH! Ren, how about making pancakes when we get back?"

Ren, rubbing his arm, replied with a serious expression.

"I think there'll already be a meal waiting for us, so there's no need for me to make pancakes."

In an instant, Nora was nose-to-nose with Ren. Despite her sudden closeness, Ren didn’t flinch. With a pout and her hands clasped in a pleading gesture, Nora said,

"I'm sure there'll be lots of yummy food waiting for us, but I'll always have room for your pancakes. And who said you need to make them right away? They could be our second dinner!"

I couldn’t help but be amused by the idea of a second dinner, though I stayed out of their conversation. Ren stared at her for a moment, then sighed.

"If you're still hungry after dinner, I'll make you pancakes."

As soon as he said this, Nora hugged him tightly and let out a joyful scream. For a moment, I thought I saw Ren smile, though I couldn’t be sure. What an unusual pair they were.

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Once Nora let him go, I stepped closer.

"Hey, have either of you seen Pyrrha?"

They both looked at each other, clearly surprised. Surprisingly, it was Ren who spoke first.

"I thought she was with you."

Great. It seemed we wouldn’t be looking for Nora this time we’d be looking for Pyrrha. Before I could think about what to do next, Nora was back on Ren’s shoulders, shouting at the top of her lungs.

"PYRRHA! WHERE ARE YOU?!"

I cringed as her shouting drew attention from the crowd, but I couldn’t deny its effectiveness. A moment later, I spotted Pyrrha weaving her way toward us. As soon as she noticed us, she quickened her pace and arrived moments later, slightly out of breath.

"I’m so sorry! Did I keep you waiting long?" she asked, her voice apologetic.

Before I could respond, Nora chimed in cheerfully.

"No problem! The important thing is that we’re all together now."

I nodded in agreement, and together we boarded the ship.

I found a seat by the window, with Pyrrha beside me and Nora and Ren across from us. The engines revved, signaling our departure. As we took off, I turned to Pyrrha.

"Did you manage to take care of everything you needed to?"

She turned to me, her usual smile lighting up her face.

"Yes, everything went smoothly. Thankfully, the transport of the wounded was handled without any issues, and no one is missing."

I nodded, sharing her enthusiasm, but her words left me uneasy.

The wounded? Missing people? What had she been dealing with?

Looking around the hold, I noticed plenty of empty seats. At first, I thought they had just sent a ship that was too large. But then another thought struck me what if those seats were supposed to be filled? Almost half of the participants were missing.

Taking a deep breath, I stared out the window at the shrinking forest below. This had been more than just an assignment to form teams it was our first test.

They must have been watching us, grading us. And I realized…

I might not have made it out of that forest on my own.

This could have been my end.