The days passed in a quieter rhythm than usual.

Unlike the previous trials, there was no pressure of combat hanging over everyone’s heads, no urgent need to spar, no visible enemies to prepare for. Because of that, most of the candidates chose to rest, spending their time inside their rooms, lying down or sitting still with their eyes closed, trying to calm their thoughts and prepare for what was coming.

Others preferred a different approach.

Some sat cross-legged in silence, slowly circulating their Cognis through their bodies, guiding it carefully through their veins, making sure everything was steady, controlled, and at its peak condition before the trial began.

The halls, which were usually filled with noise, arguments, and footsteps, had grown noticeably quieter.

There were fewer people moving around.

Most doors stayed closed.

Only the occasional footsteps echoed faintly across the stone floors, and even those felt restrained, as if people were trying not to disturb something invisible in the air.

A few candidates still kept up their early morning training routines, their figures occasionally seen outside in the cold air, their breaths visible as they moved.

Others spent most of their time in the library, turning pages quietly, searching for something...anything...that might help them prepare for what couldn’t be seen.

As for Ezra...

His routine remained steady, but it changed slightly.

He focused more on sleeping properly.

The sleeping drug the nurse had given him became part of his routine, helping him reduce the nights where his mind refused to rest. Because of that, he cut down on his late-night reading, allowing himself to sleep earlier, waking up with a clearer mind.

He still trained in the mornings, still studied in the afternoons and still sat in the library when he wanted silence.

As the days continued to pass, another announcement spread quietly among the candidates.

It was about the claim letters.

Those who had won their matches in the seventh trial had the right to claim a servant, but there was a deadline. Once the eighth trial began, all submissions would be closed.

Because of that, people hurried.

Some wrote their claims immediately, while some hesitated before deciding.

Others rushed, afraid of missing the chance.

Time, once again, felt short.

Ezra sat in the library, leaning back slightly in his chair.

The place was quiet, as always with the faint sound of pages turning, soft footsteps moving between shelves.

Nothing more.

The afternoon light slipped through the tall window beside him, casting a soft glow across the table and the open book in front of him.

He was reading an animal encyclopedia.

At least, that was what it looked like. His eyes moved across the page, but they didn’t focus on the words.

His mind was somewhere else.

Tsk...

He clicked his tongue lightly in his mind.

I wanted to ask Vera about the business world of Britannia...

His fingers tapped faintly against the edge of the page.

But even with this one-week break... she still went into seclusion.

He leaned forward slowly, letting his forehead rest lightly against the table, his eyes half-lidded as he stared at the page without reading it.

I could have asked Gena...

His gaze shifted slightly.

But she went into seclusion too.

His eyes moved across the opposite page, still not reading.

Well... it’s not like she would have all the information I need anyway.

He exhaled quietly.

So, I’ll have to wait for Vera...

He paused, then sighed.

"What got you sighing like that?" 𝕗𝚛𝚎𝚎𝐰𝗲𝗯𝗻𝚘𝚟𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝕞

Veda’s voice came from in front of him.

Ezra lifted his head slightly.

Veda had already taken the seat across from him, sitting casually, his posture relaxed but his eyes attentive.

"Are you worried about the trial... or your group members?"

He asked with a faint smile, as if he already had an answer in mind.

Ezra sat up properly, closing the book and placing it flat on the table.

"I wonder what brought that question."

His voice was calm.

Veda laughed quietly.

"I knew you were going to say that."

Ezra stared at him without expression.

"This is actually the first time I’ve seen you here."

"What?"

Veda placed his hand on his chest dramatically, leaning back slightly as if he had just been accused of something serious.

"I’ve been here a few times," he said, gesturing lightly with the book in his hand.

"Maybe it’s because you always sit in corners like this, hiding yourself, that you don’t notice me."

Ezra’s eyes shifted slowly to the book Veda was holding.

Mental Bypass.

"...So, you’re the one who’s worried huh..."

He said flatly.

Veda froze slightly, then leaned back a bit, an awkward expression appearing on his face.

"I guess... that’s why you are here." Ezra narrowed his eyes slightly. "In a hidden corner..."

His voice slowed.

"Where nobody usually comes."

His gaze dropped to the book again.

"A good place to hide while reading something like that."

He pointed at it lightly.

Veda smiled nervously, his lips stretching a little too thin as he avoided Ezra’s gaze for a brief second, clearly unable to argue against what had just been said.

"Why are you this quick-minded?" he asked, letting out a small breath as he shook his head slowly, the book still resting loosely in his hands. "One second you see the name on the book, and the next... you are already reading my actions like I’m some kind of open page."

His voice dropped a little at the end, losing some of its earlier lightness.

"I don’t want anyone to know how worried I am about the trial, to be honest," he added, this time lowering his eyes to the book in his hands, his fingers tightening slightly around its edges as if holding onto it gave him something to steady himself.

Ezra watched him quietly for a moment, then folded his arms across his chest.

"Is it because you are scared of the dark?" he asked, his tone calm and direct, without any hint of teasing.

"No... no, no."

Veda responded almost immediately, shaking his head more strongly this time, his reaction a bit too quick.

"I was... before," he admitted, his voice softening just a little as he waved one hand dismissively in the air, as if trying to brush away something from the past.

"But I’m way past that now."

His hand dropped back down, though his expression didn’t fully return to normal.

"Okay..."

Ezra replied slowly, not pressing further.

"Then what is the great leader so concerned about?"

He leaned back slightly in his chair; his gaze steady.

"Because when I think about people who will pass this trial earlier than the rest... three people come to mind."

He raised a finger slightly as he listed them.

"You... that vice-captain from that shitty Felix’s group... and Vera."

"Ehn..."

Veda leaned forward at that, placing both hands on the table, his earlier uneasiness fading as a smirk slowly crept onto his face.

"Vera, huh..." he repeated, dragging the name a little as his eyes narrowed playfully.

"Sounds intimate."

He tilted his head slightly, studying Ezra’s face.

"I guess you two are getting closer."

"What makes you think like that?"

Ezra asked, narrowing his eyes at him, his expression remaining flat and unchanging.

"I mean..."

Veda began, leaning back into his chair now, crossing his arms with a smug look on his face.

"From what I’ve seen, I thought you would do everything to avoid talking to her."

He raised a brow.

"Considering she tried to kill you during the second trial."

He paused, letting that sink in.

"But now... I see both of you showing up at the café together."

A mischievous smile spread across his face.

"And you’re telling me nothing is going on between the two of you?"

Ezra looked at him for a few seconds, his gaze steady and unreadable, then he let out a quiet sigh.

"Do you really think that just because you see me talking to her normally, it changes the fact that I know she tried to kill me?"

His tone remained flat, but there was a faint edge of seriousness beneath it.

Veda’s smirk faded slightly.

"So... you clearly haven’t forgiven her," he said, his voice losing its teasing tone as his expression settled into something more neutral.

"No."

Ezra replied immediately, his face still unchanged.

"Also, I think you need to understand something."

He shifted slightly in his seat, his fingers tapping lightly against the edge of the table.

"It’s already stressful enough thinking about survival and revenge at the same time."

His eyes lowered for a second, then returned to Veda.

"Especially when there are so many things to deal with and Vera isn’t someone I can just plan to kill or attack randomly."

His tone remained even.

"She could easily catch wind of my plan or escape since she’s on a level of her own."

There was no emotion in his voice when he said that...just a simple statement.

"And she was the one who started talking to me first."

He shrugged slightly.

"At the end of the day... that’s all there is to it."

"Wow..."

Veda blinked once, clearly caught off guard by the straightforward answer, his earlier playful mood completely gone.

"I didn’t expect that."

He scratched the side of his head lightly, letting out a small breath.

"Well... back to your question, before I tried to tease you."

His expression shifted again, becoming more serious.

"I look worried because... even though I keep telling myself I’m mentally strong enough..."

His voice slowed.

"...remembering the bad days isn’t easy for me."

His fist tightened slowly on the table.

"I’m quite scared, Ezra."

He looked up and this time... There was no smile hiding it.

"I don’t know if I’m truly ready... to face my regrets."

He exhaled deeply.

"Or the things I’ve been trying not to think about."

Ezra watched him for a moment.

"That explains why you got angry so quickly in the café."

"Yeah..."

Veda let out a quiet laugh.

"Hehe... Hehe..."

It sounded light, but it didn’t feel light.

Ezra continued to look at him, noticing how Veda still wore that familiar smile, how natural it seemed on his face, even after admitting something like that.

It was almost as if...

He didn’t know how to stop smiling.

"Just read the book," Ezra said finally, his tone returning to its usual calm state as he reopened the animal encyclopedia in front of him, flipping back to the page he had left.

"Learn how to bypass your mental distress."

Veda didn’t reply immediately.

He simply picked up his book again, his fingers adjusting their grip slightly.

The space between them grew quiet, only the faint sound of pages turning remained.

"Oh, before I forget."

Veda suddenly spoke, his voice breaking the quiet between them as he dropped the book in his hand onto the table with a soft thud. The sound wasn’t loud, but it carried enough weight to pull Ezra’s attention away from the page he was reading.

Without wasting time, Veda reached into his space bag and brought out a neatly folded sheet of paper. He slid it across the table toward Ezra, the edge of the paper brushing lightly against the wooden surface.

"Here."

He tapped the paper twice with his finger, as if emphasizing its importance.

Ezra’s eyes moved from the book to the paper slowly, then to Veda, his expression unchanged.

"What’s this?"

He picked up the sheet with two fingers, unfolding it carefully. His eyes scanned the contents, and the moment he read the words written on it, his brows drew together slightly.

"You wrote a letter of claim... on my behalf?"

His gaze lifted back to Veda, sharper this time.

"Yep."

Veda answered immediately, smiling like it was nothing serious.

"That Lucy girl needs a good master,"

He continued, his tone turning more earnest.

"And I also found out Felix is after her."

His smile faded a little.

"So, I had to act fast."

He leaned forward slightly, his elbows resting on the table.

"I know it might sound like I overstepped, but... try to see it the way I’m seeing it."

His voice lowered.

"I don’t want someone like her to fall into Felix’s hands."

His fingers tightened slightly.

"Actually... I don’t want anyone falling into Felix’s hands."

Veda lifted his head and looked at Ezra again, this time with an almost pleading expression, his eyes softening.

"I already tried to submit it without telling you,"

He added, scratching the side of his cheek awkwardly,

"But they said I needed your blood signature."

"Huh?"

Ezra’s frown deepened just a little.

"You did all that behind my back."

"I’m sorry."

Veda bowed his head slightly, the apology coming quickly.

"But I felt like... if anyone should have her, it should be you."

This time, his face was serious, no trace of joking left.

Ezra stared at him for a few seconds, then let out a quiet breath. The slight tension in his expression faded back into its usual neutral state.

"Why didn’t you just take her yourself?"

"I already took someone." Veda replied, straightening up. "The guy who fought Gena."

He rested his chin briefly on his hand.

"I asked Gena when I visited her in the infirmary if she was going to write a claim for him, and she told me..."

He paused, recalling her exact words.

"’I’m still at the servant level... so how can I be a master to a servant?’"

Veda shrugged.

"So, I went for him."

"Right."

Ezra replied, his tone flat, carrying a faint trace of sarcasm.

"Come on, Ezra."

Veda leaned forward again, his expression shifting back to that familiar pleading look.

"Can’t you at least think about the good side of having a servant who is also an alchemist?"

His voice softened.

"I know you said you don’t like getting involved with people, but... it still matters."

He held Ezra’s gaze.

"And I’m sure you already know that."

"First," Ezra said calmly, raising a finger slightly, "stop making that face. It’s disturbing."

Veda immediately straightened his expression, wiping away the puppy look as if it had never been there.

"Second..."

Ezra lowered his hand, letting the paper fall back onto the table.

"I already submitted my letter this morning."

"You did?"

Veda blinked once. Then twice.

"Wow..."

He leaned back in his chair, clearly surprised.

"And here I was thinking about how I was going to convince you to sign it."

A small laugh escaped him.

"Who knew you had already done it."

Ezra didn’t respond. He simply picked up his book again and continued reading, his attention returning to the pages as if the conversation had already ended.

The space between them fell silent once more.

Only the faint sound of paper turning and distant footsteps from other candidates filled the air.

Time passed and before long...

The day of the trial arrived.

***

The main hall was filled again.

Candidates gathered in their full outfits, standing in rows that stretched across the wide space. The air felt different today—heavier, quieter, as if everyone was holding something back.

Their watches and space bags were taken.

Instead, each person was handed a simple sack, one by one, as they stood in a straight line. The fabric was rough and the weight light.

Inside...

Only materials for alchemy.

Nothing else.

Some candidates tightened their grip on the sack as they received it, while others checked its contents quickly, their fingers moving with slight tension.

Among them, a few held shields.

Some carried one and some carried two.

Their arms slightly raised, as if preparing themselves ahead of time.

After the distribution ended, the guards led them forward.

They entered a new hallway.

One none of them had seen before.

The walls were smooth and cold, stretching long into the distance, lit only by dim lights that barely pushed back the shadows.

At the end...

A structure that looked similar to their hostel.

But different.

Inside, stairs spiraled upward, leading to multiple levels. Doors lined the walls, each one identical, each one closed.

One by one, candidates were guided to a door.

The tension grew quietly with every step and breath.

Ezra stood in front of his assigned door.

He exhaled once.

Slow and steady.

Then...

All the doors opened at the same time.

A mechanical sound echoed through the space, gears shifting somewhere within the structure.

Steam poured out from the openings, rolling across the floor like a thin fog and beyond the doors...

Nothing...

No light, no shape. Only darkness.

Pure and endless.

At the far end, standing on the middle floor to the left, Raymond and Kyle watched over everything. Four guards stood behind them, unmoving.

"The Eighth Trial begins now."

Raymond’s voice rang out.

Deep and cold.

Candidates began to move.

Some paused for a second, taking in a breath before stepping forward.

Some glanced sideways at others.

Some...walked in without stopping.

Ezra stepped forward.

The darkness swallowed him the moment he crossed the threshold.

Behind him...

The door shut.

"Thud."

The sound echoed once, then everything...

Went silent.