CHAPTER 32: I LEARNED FROM MY MISTAKES
There were about seventy students, which meant fourteen groups, but not all of them had to be watched by Aurora and Alice.
That was because some groups had their test in dungeons in very safe places.
In Atlantis City, there were several dungeons, and five of the groups were held here, and they did not need protection, as Director Vincent was present.
The rest were divided between Aurora and Alice; that was the most effective.
Of course, it was quite possible that nothing happened, even so, Aurora did her job.
She had seen the group of Erica, Joslyn, and Wendy, along with two more students.
Then Andrés, Cristian, and Eva, with two support students, and then she saw about four different groups fight.
Each showed their skills, some being more professional than others.
Others simply facing each other cautiously and calmly, but all showed their skills.
Not all the dungeons were B-Rank, which were not cleared for a month like their group’s, but that didn’t mean it lessened the difficulty.
This was the case with Marc’s group; his group was acting defensively.
The group was well balanced with a psionic, a mage, an archer, a knight, and Marc, who was a fighter.
However, what they were facing were wolves in the B-Rank dungeon, ‘The Howlers’, which was located in Finland.
The beasts that appeared were wild and fast wolves.
That was the big problem for the group, and although they were being protected by a knight who had a large shield, the wolves could avoid them and surround the group.
They were C-Rank wolves, but the dungeon boss was a B-Rank.
A wolf with enough intelligence to know how to hunt its prey.
These creatures thrashed and ran, making it impossible to follow unless the group outpaced it.
Although the mage and the archer made their attacks from a distance, the wolves were faster than them and cunning.
“Damn!” shouted Marc and jumped towards some wolves to hit, him already tired of being held back.
Aurora stopped watching at that moment and shook her head.
The teachers were projecting the situation inside the dungeon, and the teachers expanded the screen for the other students to see.
“I think you’ll have quite a bit of work today,” Aurora said to the young woman next to her.
Marc attacking by himself was leading to the group breaking their formation, and while they could win, surely some of them would get hurt.
“I hope not,” Vanessa replied with a sigh as she shook her head.
Aurora hadn’t noticed before, but among the group that had accompanied them, not all of them were to protect the ‘expedition’, being upper-year students, first-year students were also found.
They had their own tests and practices. Vanessa, who had entered the support section, was a simple example of this.
A healer who had come to demonstrate her skills.
Looking around the temporary camp they had set up, Aurora could see how the alchemists were preparing themselves by seeking information from the wolves to see what they could get.
The crafters were instructing the cleaners to be careful with their furs while the healing team, led by Vanessa, was preparing potions in case the situation was complicated.
“I didn’t think a combat class student would agree to help us,” Vanessa said suddenly, and when Aurora looked at her curiously, she explained. “You know we’re the ‘support’ class.”
Her tone was weak and seemed to carry a negative connotation, but...
“Well, that doesn’t matter... At least in my case, I don’t have a problem with the support class. Indeed, I think they are necessary. Without them, it would be difficult for our class to survive,” Aurora commented without giving it much importance.
At the Academy, she had not heard too much about the differentiation of support classes with those who fought at the front, but there was a conflict between the two.
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One fought at the front, risking his life, and another stayed behind to be protected... Certainly, there would be a conflict and more so when heroes were idealized as people who helped by fighting ‘villains.’
But the reality was different.
“There are heroes who fight evil creatures, and there are heroes who fight otherwise. What matters is the end goal, not how it is accomplished,” Aurora said with a sigh.
The healers, alchemists, or craftsmen each had their task and their work helping in their own way.
Seeing Vanessa nod with a pleasant smile, Aurora asked. “Is there such a conflict in the academy?”
Vanessa’s smile froze slightly, but she finally sighed and explained. “I wouldn’t say that much, but yes... There are still people who think that our kind should support those who fight head on regardless of our situation.”
Aurora blinked, rather surprised.
While Aurora had seen some that other types of discrimination like Marc with demons, it wasn’t as excessive as elsewhere.
“Well... Actually, it’s not that bad. Those people are the same ones who believe that those of us with powers should rule the world, or who believe that all demons should die,” Vanessa said quickly and then looked at Marc, who had been lightly wounded and muttered. “Also, those who think the Falion Empire are invaders.”
Aurora just sighed, looking at the battle.
For that kind of person to get along badly with others over a conflict of opinions wasn’t that important... After all, craftsmen, healers, and alchemists were not in short supply.
“Looks like they’re going to finish,” Vanessa muttered and, turning to observe her group of healers, she ordered. “Get ready. We’re going to have work!”
Hearing such words, Aurora looked at the projection.
The group had some light wounds and tough cuts; the teachers had not interrupted because of that result being within the limit, and the students seemed to have no interest in giving up.
Marc and his group were now finishing off the B-Rank wolf and all of his lackeys.
Watching their enthusiastic and savage-filled fight, Aurora thought about what her new master had told her.
What was her reason for fighting?
******
Aurora walked into the dining room after meeting her friend and returning from her little job.
She couldn’t walk too far when she noticed someone approaching.
“Oh, Aurora, I heard you took part in the cleaning crew supporting them,” Clémentine commented as she approached, and when Aurora nodded, she murmured in a low tone. “Are you testing students for your group?”
Aurora looked at her, and Clémentine became slightly nervous at her curious look.
“I looked into your group. At least a bit, and I saw that you were among those to choose from,” Clémentine replied, and observing Alice, who went to get a drink, she expounded. “I thought, if I was good enough, we could be together... You know we work pretty well.”
“I would think a psionic as talented as you would seek a more recognized group,” Aurora said honestly.
Her group had no name and wasn’t that well known, at least anywhere other than Africa.
Even if someone looked into it in the mercenary guild registry, they would find that their official record didn’t have many missions.
Clémentine looked at Aurora, and seeing that her question was sincere, she sighed.
“I want to be a heroine. That’s what I entered the academy for, even though my father and brother told me that this profession was useless,” Clémentine commented with a sincere tone.
People who did not believe in ‘heroes’ were many, as this name for some was exaggerated because both adventurers and mercenaries performed similar tasks.
Why should they be called heroes and not others?
“It is good that you have a worthy aim, but our group is not as easy as it seems. We have our standards of both values and missions,” Alice interjected from behind Clémentine’s back, and when she turned around, she declared. “Even though we may be friends here, on the job, we’ll be partners, and we’ll have to treat you as such.”
Alice’s serious tone and scrutinizing gaze made Clémentine swallow hard.
Aurora nodded seriously.
She would invite students she believed shared similar values or whose desires to help were sincere, but during her stay, it would not be easy.
Alice knew that which is why she advised prudently about the situation.
While they were usually lazy, once on the job, they acted overly serious and professional.
That was because in many of their missions, not only were their lives in danger but also those of other people.
Their job was not a game.
That was what Aurora believed, but the reality could be very different when she had a partner like Alice.
Clémentine nodded, understanding the former, but...
“That’s the reason why I would like to go to your group,” Clémentine said, understanding her point and glancing at the duo, explained. “I can accept to join a highly recognized group, but they will take too much care of me because of my background, and that’s something I don’t want. I want to take this opportunity to really experience what it’s like to be a heroine... Or, in this case, a mercenary.”
Hearing those words, Aurora nodded but mentioned. “There’s still quite some time left to choose a group. You can think about it better during the remaining days.”
The first stage of the test in groups took quite a while because of the high number of groups, so adding the next stage was still too long until the middle of the year.
That was what Aurora thought, but...
“Today, they report the groups of the second stage of the test, and when we finish that, we only have exams,” Clémentine muttered, and seeing Aurora’s expression, she added. “And after that, we have the mid-year vacations where we do our ‘internships.’”
For Clémentine the test and exams, they would go by fast!
Before anyone would know it, she would be taking the actual test in the group; that’s why she moved ahead of everyone else.
Just by simply looking at the academy’s social network, they would realize that getting into Alice’s group was being a priority for many who respected or admired her.
Aurora sighed as she heard those words.
For her, exams were the longest and most exhausting period; she could cheat by asking the system, but...
—It is preferable that you study to pass the exams honestly.
Her system that read her shallow thoughts and rejected her immediately.
Aurora only sighed again for the exams that were to come and for her system, which was simply a very different system from any history she had ever read.
Why did it seem to be too strict?
Why wasn’t it like it used to be?
Those times when she would ask for something and her system would respond, making dangerous weapons appear for her to use.
—I learned from my mistakes.
The text of her system appeared in her mind, and Aurora just gave a smile inwardly.
Even though it looked like a lifeless and emotionless text, she could feel something else...
“Just ignore her. She freezes sometimes,” Alice said as she saw that Aurora was ‘frozen’ like the other times; she looked at Clémentine and commented. “As soon as the stage officially starts, we’ll start choosing students.”
Clémentine nodded seriously.