Chapter 10

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The next day. Since Arnold's exam was to be held at the castle, I accompanied him there. I thought Mercedes would come along, but it turned out to be just the two of us. Walking alone with him, still unsure of the cause of his recent bad mood, made me feel a bit uneasy. However, it seemed Mercedes had no intention of coming along from the start, as she saw us off with a smile. I decided that complaining about wanting her to come would only worsen Arnold's mood, so we left the inn together in silence.

We walked in silence on the way to the castle. There was no sign of him wanting to start a conversation, but at the same time, there were no frowns on his face, so perhaps he wasn't in a particularly bad mood.

However, this made me even more curious about his outburst at Lukas the other day. Had his personality simply gotten worse?

Without a word, we finally arrived at the castle gates. There were several boys and girls of our age around, who were probably also there to take the exam to become apprentice royal alchemists. We stopped at the gate. Thinking that I should say something to see him off, I opened my mouth.

"Good luck."

"It goes without saying."

I could only give a wry smile in response to his blunt dismissal. Even without considering the events from the other day, we hadn't been particularly close, and it had been three years since we last saw each other. I had no idea how to approach him.

As I watched Arnold disappear into the castle, I suddenly realized I didn't know where or how long I should wait for him. Did I have to wait until the exam was over? If I returned to the inn early, would I be scolded later?

Unable to decide, I shuffled my feet a few times. Then, a voice suddenly called out to me.

"Did you come with your brother?"

Startled, I looked up to see a man with a gentle smile looking down at me. His light green hair and pointed ears reminded me of Mercedes. He was an elf. The man was wearing heavy armor that didn't match his gentle appearance, and the emblem of the country was engraved on it. He must be a member of the royal capital's knight order, the Chvalia Knights.

He must be talking about Arnold as my brother. After a moment's hesitation, I nodded.

"Yes... Is it okay to wait somewhere?"

"There is a waiting room for relatives. If you'd like, I can show you the way."

"Thank you!"

The man knelt down and extended his hand to me. His soft, graceful movements made me think, "He looks like a prince." Indeed, this world could be considered a game world, but to me, it was reality. The idea that such a person existed in reality was surprising.

The Chvalia Knights, which he belonged to, were also a significant presence in "Last Brave." One of the party members was the leader of this knight order.

As I was led through the castle gates, the scene that unfolded before me was exactly as I had seen in "Last Brave." The magnificent castle was at the center, surrounded by lush greenery.

We didn't enter the castle directly but instead headed towards a garden on the side. Continuing on, a separate tower appeared. Was this the waiting room? The tower was familiar to me.

I compared the surroundings with my memories of the castle. So far, I hadn't noticed any significant differences.

"Do you work in this castle?"

"Yes, I belong to the Chvalia Knights."

As expected, my guess was correct. Despite his young appearance, he spoke to me politely and with a smile. He was a very nice person.

The knight leader in the party was a bit rough in his speech, but he was also a warm-hearted person. Lukas had about five years left before he set off on his journey. By then, he would already be the knight leader.

The image of his hearty laugh that came to mind made me smile naturally.

"Is your brother here to take the alchemist exam?"

The man seemed to have completely assumed that Arnold was my brother. While we didn't look alike, he might not have noticed from a distance. Despite the slight hesitation, I nodded.

"Yes. I plan to take it in a few years."

"Really! -- Ah, here we are."

As expected, it was the separate tower. When the man opened the door, several pairs of eyes pierced through me. The parents of the children taking the exam today were sitting in the waiting room with stern expressions.

The atmosphere was heavier than I expected. Among the parents, my presence clearly stood out. However, it was much better than waiting near the castle gates.

I bowed to the man as we parted ways.

"Thank you for showing me the way."

"Not at all. I might need your help in a few years. Please take care of me then."

His soft smile and gentle voice made me think he was a very nice person. I hoped to meet him again if I passed the exam to become an apprentice royal alchemist.

---

Sitting on a soft sofa and sipping the clearly expensive juice provided, I waited for hours. Finally, Arnold himself came to the waiting room.

I tried to gauge the results of the exam from his expression, but he remained expressionless, and I couldn't read anything. I simply said, "Good job," and we headed back together.

"What are you doing tomorrow?"

"Since today was the written exam, tomorrow must be the practical."

I tried to start a conversation, but this was his response. I should have thought more carefully about my questions, but there is a way to phrase things.

Feeling annoyed, I deliberately dug deeper into the topic. I know I'm being childish, but in such situations, I should use my experience.

"Will you actually be compounding something?"

"The practical exam involves compounding a recovery potion with a specified effect, and the selection of herbs is also graded."

Despite my annoyance, I was impressed by the exam content. Then I remembered, I had come to the capital to prepare for my exam in two years. I needed to gain something from this trip.

The first day is the written exam, and the second day is the practical. The practical starts with the selection of herbs, so I need to memorize the types of herbs and their effects thoroughly.

I pride myself on remembering most types of herbs, but I still need to study diligently for the next two years to ensure I don't miss anything.

"...Your childhood friend, Lukas, right?"

As I was renewing my resolve, Arnold suddenly asked a question, almost to himself. I was doubly surprised, not only because I didn't expect him to start a conversation but also because the topic was about Lukas.

"What is that mark on his left eye? It's clearly not normal."

Arnold asked another question without waiting for a response. His voice and expression showed no fear or discomfort. I tried to choose my words carefully to make a good impression on him.

"I don't know. But Lukas has a... mysterious power. It's a very nice power, one that protects people. It might be related to that."

Explaining it as the power of a hero might make it sound suspicious, given that monsters are still being suppressed by human power.

In a few years, Arnold will also be saved by Lukas in a broader sense. So while I wouldn't say he was being rude, his comments the other day were unnecessary. However, the fact that he asked me about it suggested he had some interest.

As I glanced at his face to gauge his reaction, he suddenly noticed something and pointed in a direction. There was a stall selling drinks.

I thought he might want something to drink, so I looked at him casually, but then he said something unexpected.

"Hey, buy me a drink."

"Huh?"

"Isn't it okay to treat me? I'm thirsty."

Indeed, I should have treated Arnold after his exam. I had no complaints about buying him a drink as a thank you for letting me observe. However, his tone and attitude were clearly more arrogant than three years ago, and I didn't like it. I couldn't control this honest feeling, but I didn't refuse to buy him a drink. Instead, I thought of a slightly mischievous question.

"Sure... but are you thirsty because you were nervous?"

"I was. Is that a problem?"

---

Surprisingly, he gave a straightforward answer. My attempt at mischief backfired. When he gave me a sharp, dissatisfied look, I quickly shook my head.

"No, not at all."

I was relieved to realize that he was still just 14 years old. I hid my true feelings and gave a harmless response. Arnold then looked away, seemingly uninterested, and bluntly ordered me to buy the drink quickly. I left Arnold and ran to the stall.

I remembered thinking something similar three years ago, and I felt nostalgic. A smile had unconsciously appeared on my face.

---

"Laurel, welcome back."

As soon as I returned to the inn, Lukas greeted me with a smile. After spending half a day with the gruff Arnold, my body was tense. His warm smile from a childhood friend was healing both my body and mind.

"I'm sorry for leaving you alone after you came with me..."

"It's okay, I just wanted to come. Besides, Mercedes showed me around the city today, and it was fun."

I know it's disrespectful to think this, but from my perspective, Lukas is like a cute medium-sized dog. Compared to Arnold, whose thoughts I couldn't read at all, Lukas showed his affection—just as a childhood friend and friend—through his entire being.

The smile on my face was natural as I looked at the cute—mentally younger—boy.

"By the way, I found a shop that you might like. If you have time tomorrow or the day after, let's go."

I nodded enthusiastically at Lukas's inviting suggestion.

We had two days left in the capital—technically one and a half days, as we were leaving the day after tomorrow. I would accompany Arnold to his exam again tomorrow, but I had a free half day the day after. I had already planned to tour the capital with Lukas on the last day, and I was looking forward to seeing the shop he found.