“I’ll explain it to you slowly after we get out of here,” Liana said.

“...Your Highness Liana, are you afraid?” Loraviel saw that Liana’s hand was trembling slightly. 𝒻𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘸ℯ𝒷𝘯𝘰𝑣ℯ𝑙.𝘤𝑜𝘮

“Of course. We’re facing the demon race, after all.” Liana had noticed long ago that her hand was shaking uncontrollably. “From the moment I first sensed that foul mana aura from them, I’ve been scared to death.”

“I’m sorry, Your Highness, for making you feel uneasy.” Loraviel felt a little guilty, thinking she hadn’t given Liana a sufficient sense of security.

“It has nothing to do with you. you’ve protected me very well,” Liana said. “It’s just my body’s instinct to be afraid. Because I know the terror of the demon race, I tremble involuntarily.”

“I will absolutely not let the demon race harm you. I will absolutely not let them get close to you. Unless they get past my...”

“Shh.” A twig landed on Loraviel’s lips. “I know. So, you don’t have to say it. Besides, I won’t let that happen either. I don’t want to lose you.”

“...I’m sorry.”

“There’s nothing to apologize for. You’re doing it for my sake, aren’t you?” Liana smiled, and her trembling hand now calmed down again.

“Even though you were scared, Your Highness almost didn’t show any signs of fear at all,” Loraviel said.

“Fear is fear, but I can’t let it disrupt my own battle formation.1自乱阵脚 (zìluànzhènjiǎo), an idiom for losing one’s composure and falling into disarray. That’s a great taboo in battle, isn’t it? Besides, it’s precisely because I’m afraid that I need to be more serious, more focused when facing these things. Otherwise, the things I’m afraid of will really happen.” Liana was very clear on when to do what, and when she could show her weaker side.

“I must learn from you as well, Your Highness.” Loraviel smiled. As expected, this is Her Highness Liana.

However, Liana couldn’t quite bring herself to smile right now.

She looked around. Apart from the elf teams, the human side could only be described as an unbearably tragic sight.

Only a small portion of the humans had withstood the monsters’ assault.

And Liana had also discovered something. The strength of the monsters seemed to be related to the person they were facing.

The monsters encountered by archmage-level individuals were a little weaker than their own strength, and the same was true for executor-level individuals.

This was why this situation occurred, where some executors performed miserably, but some archmages could handle it with ease.

Of course, the most relaxed among them were the knight-captain with their longswords. They hadn’t expected to be able to use their sharp blades to carve out a bloody path in this place.

Liana didn’t know if this was a hunting habit of the demons or if someone had done it intentionally.

In any case, everything that had happened today was a bit abnormal.

If it was this dangerous, it was impossible that Mephilia wouldn’t have told her.

Besides, it was also impossible for not a single whisper to have leaked out. No one wanted to watch the descendants of their family die in vain.

“What the hell does this damn Ibett Magic Academy want?!”

Soon, everyone on the field was filled with complaints, and even hatred, for the academy.

Liana, however, was watching her surroundings for the key.

Crack!

The space they were in suddenly showed signs of shattering, followed by a bang.

The entire space began to collapse and shatter. Before them appeared the sight the Ibett Magic Academy was supposed to have.

Gorgeous lights illuminated the entire campus, and students spread their magic wings in the air.

Everything was no longer deserted. Everything was the same as before. Only the students’ racing heartbeats, their fatigue, and their wounds told them that everything that had just happened was real.

Just as Liana had thought, the students who had been eaten and torn apart had now reappeared in the plaza, only now they were lying on the ground in a comatose state.

“It seems less than a hundred people have passed this second assessment.” The black crows gathered on the streetlamps again, and the headmaster’s figure reappeared before them.

“Does your Ibett Magic Academy want to kill us?!” The survivors voiced their dissatisfaction.

“No wonder the assessment this time was so simple. So this is what it was?!”

Having survived the disaster, they no longer cared about the present situation. They pointed at the headmaster and let loose a torrent of curses.

“Is this already too much for you to accept?” The headmaster’s calm tone sent a chill through everyone’s hearts. “Do you know what we are about to face? Do you still think that we can continue to study lazily as we are now?”

Liana went to a corner and leaned against a wall. Next, is the headmaster going to completely announce the matter of the demon race?

Loraviel stood quietly by her side. Now, even if someone asked, there was a suitable reason.

Her Highness Liana, as in Lady Jacaranda, saved me. To repay her, what’s wrong with being her maid? It was a very reasonable explanation.

At this time, it wasn’t just the headmaster speaking. The King of Lisat was also projecting this scene to every corner of the kingdom.

Perhaps making this decision at this time would cause a lot of panic, but this was the truth. If they kept hiding it, the questioning voices would only become louder when people found out later.

Besides, by announcing it in advance, people would have a way to cope when they faced the demon race and wouldn’t be unilaterally slaughtered like they had just been.

“What do you mean by that?”

“Not long ago, we discovered traces of the demon race’s advance forces within the borders of the Lisat Kingdom. Yes, the same ones you treat as fairy tales to scare children. They are real, and now they are slowly showing signs of revival. That is why we decided to restore the Ibett Magic Academy’s original assessment method.

“That is, to engage in actual combat with the demon race. But because this happened rather suddenly, and it has been too long, what you have just experienced was only one-tenth of the danger of those years, or even less.

“The students of the past had to face the demon race, not just demonic beasts. The true demon race is dozens of times stronger than these beasts. And if they lost, they would really die. Theirs was a life and death assessment in the truest sense. In comparison, your current assessment is dozens of times gentler. You’ll only be unconscious and in pain for a while.”

The headmaster’s words made the students, who had originally been complaining, shut their mouths.

“This is just the beginning. The school life that follows will no longer be the same as before, with just playing around. Perhaps when you open your eyes, perhaps in your deep sleep, perhaps in the very next second, the demon race will invade.

“You must be fully prepared. Otherwise, you will die a painful death, and then wake up. You only have two chances. After experiencing two ‘deaths,’ you will leave the Ibett Magic Academy,” the headmaster said coldly. “If anyone cannot accept this, then leave.”

Now, the Ibett Magic Academy was no longer simply a place to acquire knowledge, but a cruel crucible.

If it were just a matter of fighting the demon race, it would be fine. They could prepare for it. But the academy would not notify you when this kind of trial would take place. This state of constant worry would torment everyone’s heart.

No one knew who would be next, or when the next time would be. Perhaps just after surviving one disaster, they would have to enter the next trial.

This was not only a test of strength and practical combat, but also a form of mental trial.

“The upcoming school life doesn’t seem very peaceful.” Liana said lazily. “Forget it. I’ll get a good rest today. I’ll go find Princess Mephilia tomorrow.”

Just as Liana was about to leave, a beam of light fell on her.

“Is there something, Headmaster?” Liana stopped and looked back at him.

“Thank you, Miss Elf. If it weren’t for your reminder, I’m afraid few people would have been able to pass this round of the assessment.”

“Although I used to dislike humans, while getting along with some of them, I could feel their kindness. Gradually, I have also come to accept humans. I have also come to understand one thing.

“This is only what I should do. We are elves, and we know more about the demon race than humans. Besides, the demon race is our common enemy. The more people who know how to deal with them, the better, isn’t it?” Liana said.

“If there is nothing else, I will take my leave first. I am a little tired.”

“There is nothing else. Please rest well, Miss Elf. All of you who have passed the assessment today will not encounter this kind of trial again for the next week. But do not let your guard down because of this. In this one week, improve yourselves. Understand the demon race, face the demon race.

“As for those who failed, our Ibett Magic Academy will also treat them. But after they recover, they will not be able to continue staying here.”

After hearing these words, Liana slowly left the plaza. The next week could be a bit more relaxed. She could go to the library to learn more.

But as for Mephilia, would she also have to experience this?

And from the headmaster’s words, it seemed their group was the first to undergo this trial. One could say they were quite unlucky.

Without any preparation, without any warning, they had to face the demon race. It was almost impossible to defeat them.

Loraviel followed not far behind Liana.

Not long after Liana walked out, she saw Mephilia outside, looking around anxiously, as if searching for someone.

But soon, as Liana’s figure appeared before her, the expression on Mephilia’s face relaxed. “Liana, are you alright?”