As the first ray of morning light gradually dispelled the chill of the night, spilling onto the streets, buildings, and benches along the sidewalks.

The light gradually lengthened.

This city called Icerite seemed to be awakened by the divine's love.

Before long.

Shops on both sides of the street successively opened for business, with enthusiastic shop owners greeting their neighbors.

Under the outdoor canopy of the cafe, faint wisps of coffee aroma wafted through the air, accompanied by light and energetic jazz music permeating the bustling streets.

More people who got up early for work began to appear, hurrying through the crowds in the center of Icerite city.

In this morning breeze still lingering with the fragrance of fruits and flowers.

Lanqi wore a faint smile on his face, walking with Talia on this street of Icerite.

Bathing in the morning sunlight, he looked peaceful, with a sunny disposition all over.

Lanqi seemed to be in a good mood.

He now finds the school exams and Shadow World quite interesting.

Talia, on the other hand, was in a state of going to work like going to a funeral.

She was very reluctant to accompany Lanqi to Icerite Academy again.

The last time she left the academy with Lanqi, she was stared at several times, making her feel her scalp tingling.

Fortunately, the third round of the exam will not be broadcast live publicly.

It will only be watched by academy teachers backstage.

Otherwise, Talia would have called in sick today rather than follow Lanqi again.

"Tata, are you in a bad mood?"

Lanqi felt that Talia had been much less talkative these past two days.

Today she was even more obviously reluctant to stay with him.

"..."

Talia ignored him.

Just looking ahead.

Walking straight forward.

So Lanqi slightly quickened his pace, jogged up, turned back and secretly glanced at Talia's face.

Her expression was cold, still not responding to Lanqi.

But at that moment, Lanqi inadvertently noticed Talia's eyes.

It made Lanqi feel like Talia really hated him...

He couldn't help but stop in his tracks, standing there dumbfounded and scratching his head.

He clearly felt like he had somewhat improved his relationship with her during this time.

How did her attitude seem to plummet again?

A demon's mind is really hard to understand.

Let alone an old lady who's been single for hundreds of years.

Lanqi thought to himself.

"..."

Talia just walked up to Lanqi's side.

She turned her face, staring at Lanqi.

For some reason, she felt an inexplicable urge to kill Lanqi in her heart.

But he hadn't even opened his mouth just now, and his expression looked normal...

"What's wrong, Tata?"

Lanqi asked gently.

Completely unable to tell what impolite things he was thinking inside.

"Nothing."

As the words fell.

Talia no longer paid attention to Lanqi and walked forward.

"Go the cloud away~"

Lanqi also hummed a tune happily, stepping forward to follow.

......

Half an hour later.

Icerite Academy, Learning and Education Building, seventh floor atrium.

Sunlight refracted through the huge glass dome into the room, forming soft arcs of light, bringing some tranquility to the entire atrium.

As the light and shadows danced on the ground, Lanqi walking could see the faculty coming and going on the surrounding corridors.

Following the exam time, he once again walked into this spacious and bright exam venue, still marveling at the architect's ingenuity.

Looking from afar.

The huge magical device artificial Shadow World startup terminal seemed to have been repaired.

However, there was now an additional sign in a conspicuous position that read [STRICTLY PROHIBITED FROM FORCED RESTART].

From the font, it could be seen that the person who added this warning was quite angry.

Unlike the second round of the exam.

There weren't many students and faculty waiting here today.

The third round of the exam is coordinated by teachers from the Sage Academy, and the chief examiner for the corresponding session will appear directly in the Shadow World.

Dean Loren wasn't here either.

It's said that he still has responsibilities in the Church of the Goddess of Fate, and often leaves the capital Icerite.

Slightly skirting around the marble door railing, walking into the waiting area, only two figures were seen looking towards him.

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One was Teacher Teresa, who was holding a tablet-like magical device, responsible for guiding in the exam venue.

She had met Lanqi before when testing attributes for enrollment.

Teacher Teresa was very gentle, and showed a slight smile to Lanqi when they met.

The other, also wearing the same candidate bracelet as Lanqi, was obviously his teammate for the third round of the exam.

In the exam notice received yesterday, Lanqi had seen the explanation——

The theme of the third round of the exam is "Combat and Survival".

In this type of exam mode, healing mages and support mages often find it difficult to fight alone.

So the academy adopted a team assessment mode, teaming up damage mages with healers and supports.

In most cases, it's three people in a team.

It can also test students' team coordination ability.

After all, in the real Shadow World, teams often rise and fall together.

If an accident occurs, it's likely to be a team wipe, with no ifs.

However.

When Lanqi saw clearly his teammate—that noble young lady with extraordinary temperament.

Both seemed somewhat surprised.

Two days ago, at the end of the second round of the exam, she had asked Lanqi how long it took him to pass.

And Lanqi had very conservatively answered less than 50 minutes.

"Less than 50 minutes?"

Huberrian seemed to find it somewhat amusing, asking Lanqi with a tone of absurdity.

After leaving the exam venue the day before yesterday, she had heard.

There was a black-haired, green-eyed person who only took 10 minutes to pass.

She was wondering at the time, it couldn't be that guy next to her who said "clearance time less than 50 minutes", right?

Now, she was very sure.

It was this old sly fox.

Lanqi scratched the back of his head slightly embarrassed.

He hadn't thought at the time that the third round of assessment would use this method of team division.

"Do you know each other?"

Teacher Teresa, seeing the subtle reactions of the two, couldn't help but ask curiously.

Both shook their heads.

Then.

"My name is Lanqi Wilford, I'm a white mage, but compared to healing, I have more functionality."

Lanqi introduced himself frankly first.

What matters between teammates is honesty, there's nothing to hide.

After a brief silence.

"...Huberrian Alansar."

The duchess hesitated slightly, giving her name,

"Just treat me as an assassin-type function."

Her words stopped abruptly, introducing herself very briefly.

Obviously she didn't have that much trust in Lanqi.

Lanqi nodded.

He didn't intend to ask anything more.

He looked towards the entrance of the exam venue, seemingly waiting for their third teammate.

"No need to wait, he probably won't come."

Huberrian said.

Her sudden words attracted puzzled looks from Lanqi and Teresa.

"Why?"

"If nothing unexpected happens, when the exam starts soon, we'll receive news that this guy can't participate in the exam here for some reason. As for what specific reason, it depends on whether they use threats or inducements."

Huberrian shrugged, saying with a cold look in her eyes.

Although there was more resignation in her tone, her pupils couldn't hide the violent anger in her heart.

She understood too well what those nobles who like to manipulate situations would do.

"Uh... Student Huberrian, this, this is just your speculation, right?"

Huberrian's aura was in stark contrast to Lanqi's, making even Teresa feel a chill down her spine.

If Lanqi was like the pure white warm sun in spring, then Huberrian was like an ominous thing unable to obtain redemption in the depths of cold and dirty blood.

Teresa looked at Lanqi.

Lanqi, on the other hand, remained calm and indifferent as usual, with no change in emotion.

Since Lanqi didn't say anything, she as a teacher also didn't feel it appropriate to express any opinions.

......

Before long.

As the exam was about to start.

The magical device in Teacher Teresa's hand indeed sounded a notification——

Their teammate had actively given up the exam because he decided to transfer to another academy.

"This..."

Teacher Teresa also became somewhat troubled.

She probably knew in her heart that this seemingly coincidental situation might not be so coincidental.

After all, even Huberrian had guessed it in advance.

"Do I need to ask the dean or vice dean for instructions?"

Teresa asked very hesitantly.

She knew that the practical assessment to be conducted by Felat later would definitely not be easy.

Moreover, Felat himself belonged to those people who "don't want Huberrian to enroll".

With just Huberrian plus the white mage Lanqi with weak magic power, the two of them had no possibility of passing...

Huberrian shook her head.

Her cold eyes softened half a degree when looking at Teresa.

Although she had never really felt kindness, only growing up in mutual malice.

But more or less, she could still distinguish some good and bad in others.

"These noble gentlemen just like to create seamless coincidences, not leaving any chance for people to catch their flaws."

Huberrian sneered,

"Although today's exam won't be broadcast externally, there must be many eyes secretly watching this stage."

Although more excessively, they could have let Huberrian's last teammate come to take the exam normally first, then act as an actor, or even directly backstab Huberrian.

But if it's done too obviously, if Dean Loren discovers some clues, Loren might go to investigate the fairness of the exam deeply.

So the manipulators prefer to create a coincidence.

"Then why didn't these people come to find me?"

Lanqi cupped his chin and frowned, seemingly pondering something seriously.

Huberrian was slightly silent.

She didn't know if Lanqi really didn't understand or was pretending not to understand.

"Those guys also like to save some face, if they directly bribe two candidates, it would be too unlike a coincidence."

Huberrian explained simply.

Of course, she believed that a smart person like Lanqi could easily understand the real reason——

Those big shots don't think Lanqi has much combat ability.

Not only that, Lanqi can also allow the exam to continue normally, becoming a tool to drag down Huberrian.

If there really was only Huberrian left as a candidate, the academy wouldn't be cruel enough to let her continue to solo the chief examiner, but would more likely stuff her into other teams and slightly increase the overall difficulty of the exam.

"I see, that's really a pity..."

Lanqi nodded slightly, sighing.

His expression looked like he had missed an opportunity to make a fortune.

"Do you really want to be bought by them?"

Huberrian stared at Lanqi's undisguised regretful face, finding it very ridiculous.

What had she done to make him so disrespectful to her, that he didn't even bother to pretend?

Even if this guy had some unique talents, he was ultimately no different from those bastards with bad intentions.

"Of course."

Lanqi sneered, nodding affirmatively,

"Heh, dare to interfere with my exam, I guarantee I'll collect evidence on the spot, then donate the dirty money to the Church of the Goddess of Fate, and go report these people for bribery and disrupting the order of regular national exams, while applying for the divine intervention clause on page 675 of the 'Hutton Code', requesting the temple to use divine arts to trace the source of this wrong account and conduct a thorough investigation. The clergy of the Goddess of Fate will judge that I had no subjective intention of extortion, only to collect evidence. Then I will receive commendation and protection from the church, which might even allow me to become a novice clergyman in one go..."

His righteous appearance, if he had a law book in his hand, he would probably have opened it on the spot to explain to Huberrian.

Huberrian: "..."

Teresa, who was listening to Lanqi's words beside them, also had her lips slightly parted, unable to utter a word for a long time.

Huberrian found that she had misunderstood.

She decided to take back her previous words.

Compared to those unscrupulous bastards, this Lanqi was the real scumbag.