Avoiding Death in an Otome Game

Chapter 45: Chapter- 45: Viridian Forest

So we are here. The stage of the first combat event of the game, Viridian Forest.

Yes a combat event in an ’Otome Game’. Still not the weirdest thing I have scene on the internet but I was also surprised when it appeared in my first play and maybe that was the reason I played all three routes despite being a guy.

Now about the location. Viridian forest is the nearest large forest to the capital and as its name suggests it is luch green with tall trees massive grasses. A winding maze of trees and grasses, that’s what Viridian forest is.

"You seems unusually nervous. Is that ’senses’ of yours has again detected something?"

Ian standing on my side, asked half jokingly.

Since the circus event all those years ago, I have always been on alert mode and by detecting dangers in several occasions, my ’senses’ has earned quite a weird recognition in the family.

"Actually yes. I am having an uneasy feeling." I replied to Ian as I scanned the groups of students around us.

"Don’t scare me dude."

"What are you talking about Ian?"

Ray asked the question that seems to have popped in everyone’s mind after hearing Ian’s words.

By everyone I mean our group which now consists of 6 male students. Namely, me, Ian, Lucian, Ray, a boy named Kevin and son of law minister, Tudor.

"Well you know, whenever Kai has strong gut feeling about danger, it’s mostly right." Ian said like it’s the most normal thing, but I guess nothing is unusual in the world of magic.

"Ah? Didn’t Hina also said something that this test might be dangerous?" Prince Lucian who has been listening silently from the side said.

*Of course because she knows about the game event and might be worried about the variables.*

Well talking about it, currently all the students are divided by previously formed groups. Groups of male and female students are gathered in section of the camp prepared by the academy. Though not too far away, so I can still see Elena’s team from here.

The girl gang seems to be in full spirit, especially Luna and the other two girls she recruited in their team. Of course other three remains focused, I have already told Elena to be careful in the forest and which route is safer to take.

And since Hina also knows about the danger, I think they will be able to avoid taking the route where the monsters appeared in the game.

Maybe noticing my gaze, Elena looked back at me with a smile or should I say with a blush? She has been acting like that after since that day in the library, though it is kind of cute.

"Attention students!" Suddenly we heard the voice of instructor Ben. He along with some other teachers is responsible for conducting this test.

"I hope you have already read the guidelines of the test beforehand but for the students who hasn’t, I will repeat it one last time." Instructor Ben said as he scanned the groups of students.

"The rules are simple, there are 50 emblems hidden throughout the outer region of the forest by the teachers. Your goal is to find those emblems. The more emblems your team finds, better the score you get. As for the team those are unable to find even a single emblem, they will get 0 score and will have to take extra classes for the following month."

I can already she horrified expression of some boys who has obviously not read the complete guidelines of the test.

There are 17 teams in total, 9 teams of male students and 8 teams of female students. Most teams has 6 members each except for a few female teams.

"The time limit is until 5 PM. Teams aren’t allowed to directly attack each other and if teams are found engaged in a confrontation against each other then they will be disqualified from the test and get 0 points."

Means you can’t snatch other’s emblem by force which seems like a good rule which prevents ganging up of teams against weaker ones.

"There is also an editional change in the rules. Teams of female students will get a head start of 10 minutes."

Instructor Ben’s words caused a wave of murmur among the students.

"That is so unfair!"

"Yeah that wasn’t even in the rules!"

Some boys let out a voice of complain but unfortunately for them, the teachers were not even picking on their words.

On the other hand, the girls look elated over receiving the beneficial treatment.

"Students get ready, the test will start in half an hour. First female students will enter the forest then male students will follow after 10 minutes."

Following the instructions of the teacher, all teams starts preparing. And for most students preparation means...eating.

"Dude try this, it tastes awesome. I brought it before leaving the capital." One of the boys said to his friend as he offered him some kind of delicacy.

"Oh my, you are right. It tastes great!" His friend replied.

Of course they were not the only ones engaged in things far from test preparation as we can also spot some girls engaged in makeups like preparing for a ball party.

"How can all of them be so chill?" Ray asked with a wry chuckle.

"Maybe because most of them has never ventured in a forest without carriage." I said as I scanned through the groups.

Not all students are so willy nilly as I can spot some of them actually making serious discussions or warming up with basic excersices.

It’s finally time for the female students to enter the forest and honestly this is making me even more worried. I didn’t expect them to suddenly add this new rule.

.....

Ten minutes later we are also allowed to start the test, so our team along with other students entered the forest and dispersed in different directions.

Our group headed to the same direction Elena and her team went to for obvious reasons. If two teams cooperate then not only will we able to ensure getting more emblems but also will stay safer.

"I think they went little too far, I can’t dictate their sound at all." Ian said as he uses his sound magic to sense the girl’s group.

"But we did agree to cooperate during the test so why?" Lucian raised a question which was also in my mind.

"...um guys...I think I know the reason."

Ray said as he scratches the back of his head nervously.

"Actually Luna and I made a bet a few days ago over whose team will be able to find more emblems."

*What?*

"But I don’t remember you telling us about it?" Lucian asked, obviously not pleased with the sudden change, neither am I.

"That’s....actually I almost forgot about the bet." Ray replied with a sorry smile.

*You couple for real!?*

"What the heck!? I thought I would get to spend time with pretty girls."

Before I could say anything, I heard Kevin’s cry of complaint which was met by judging looks of everyone.

"I..I meant Candice and Grusha."

Kevin suddenly added after sensing the piercing look of everyone, especially Ian’s, maybe because his relationship isn’t stabilized yet.

[Author:- Kevin is one of the two extra boys in their team, the other guy is Tudor, while Candice and Grusha are the two girls accompanying Elena’s group. Just some extras you don’t need to remember the names.]

"Don’t mind him, so what’s the plan now?" Tudor, who seems used to of Kevin’s personality asked with a monotonous tone.

Honestly Tudor’s personality is weirder one as he almost always has that straight face and monotonous tone like a guy who is away from all worldly affairs.

"Let’s continue on the road, they should not have gone too far ahead so we can catch up if we quicker the pace." I suggested as it’s the only option now.

"But what about the test? We also need to find the emblems." Ray asked. Dude seems to have remember the bet with his fiancee with I don’t know what on stake nor I have any wish to know.

"It’s not a big deal, we can collect some on the way or find them later." I said as we speed up our pace.

*Why all these unexpected things kept happening in this event? It’s making me even more uneasy*

....

In a certain dark corner of the forest, a silhouette is standing with a vial of a weird dark color liquid in its hand, their figure is obscured by some kind of magic.

"It’s finally time to test our new candidate, let me see what you got little one....." The silhouette murmured as it turned the vial upside down.

But instead of falling on the ground, the liquid spreaded like a gas and quickly disappeared in the atmosphere. At the same time the silhouette stepped back and disappeared in the forest like it never existed in the first place.

...

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