[Lifespan Remaining: 2 days, 13 hours, 49 minutes.]
Noct flinched, but realized that doing so would be rather suspicious. So instead, he played the only remaining card he could:
Gaslighting.
"What are you talking about?"
Alice pointed a finger at his right eye, getting even closer. Annie, on the other hand, tried to tug at her friend’s shirt to stop her.
"Alice, stop! Don’t you know it’s rude to point fingers?! Especially at an Arcadia?!"
Though that did little to deter her. She stopped right in front of Noct and tried to get a closer look, but he turned away before she could.
"Could you not invade my personal space?"
Upon realizing she might’ve gone too far, the girl stepped back, muttering. "I could’ve sworn I saw something..."
’Those eyes are way too dangerous. Sensing Sylpheed’s sanctuary with just a single glance...’
Getting involved with someone like Alice was risky, both in terms of the story and the potential plot line she was involved in. But looking back at the clock, there really was no more time to dawdle or find others.
"Alright, you can join us."
"Really?" Annie’s eyes lit up from behind. "We’ll make sure not to be hindrances! We promise!"
[00:37]
Alice still looked conflicted, but when she glanced at the clock, whatever curiosity she had about Noct had disappeared just as quickly.
The four of them hurried toward one of the registration desks lining the edges of the hall. Several Academy officials were already dealing with the last few groups, while those who had registered were already lined up in front of several mirrors that were at least two stories tall.
"Names?" the official asked without looking up.
"Noct de Arcadia."
"Finn de Rexford."
"Alice Alstromeria."
"Annie Biscotti..."
The official finally raised her head after hearing the first two names. Her eyes moved between Noct and Finn before briefly settling on their two companions.
Noct could already imagine what she thought of them. A troublesome noble with a terrible reputation, a prince who wanted nothing to do with the succession, a soot-covered girl, and her wide-eyed friend from the boonies.
The attendant side-eyed them before sliding four small silver bracelets across the desk toward them. "Make sure to keep these on. If they get damaged, then it will result in immediate disqualification."
He remembered from the game that there were four regions that each group could be assigned to. Coincidentally, Robin was sent to the hardest area with the most treacherous path and aggressive monsters.
If Noct wanted to seriously compete for first place, then an easy area like the Blackwoods would be ideal. Its monsters were weaker, but they were also far more numerous. Higher-quality cores were worth more points, but Noct could overcome that difference through sheer quantity.
Though it didn’t matter too much, Noct wasn’t picky. All they needed to do was avoid the Graveyard. That was all.
Yet, when he looked down toward the bracelet on his hand, there was a small letter ’D’ as well as the number 13, indicating where his group would go.
At the far end of the chamber stood Mirror D. Unlike the other mirrors, its surface revealed nothing but dead trees, gray earth, and a sea of crooked gravestones buried by a blanket of gray fog.
Noct fought the urge to faint on the spot.
"The Graveyard?" Finn asked from beside him. "We’re going there? That doesn’t sound ominous at all..."
A few students in front of them had already started going through the portal. In the very front, Noct managed to spot Robin’s white hair stepping through as well.
’Ugh...is this what I get because I decided to mess with the main characters?!’
Though before Noct could complain any further, the surface of Mirror D began to ripple. An attendant who stood by the mirror suddenly called out.
"Group Thirteen! Step through together and clear the arrival platform!"
"Together?" Annie asked nervously.
Alice grabbed her hand before she could reconsider. "Come on. It can’t be that bad."
The two girls stepped through first. Their bodies sank into the mirror as though its surface was made of water, disappearing within seconds.
Finn stared after them. "Do you think it hurts?"
"We’re about to find out."
Noct placed a hand against Finn’s back and pushed him straight through.
"Noct, wait—!"
An icy sensation swallowed his body, but just as quickly as it began, Noct’s feet struck solid stone on the other side.
By the time his vision cleared, Annie was pitching face-first toward the ground. Before she could embarrass herself any further, a gloved hand caught the back of her bag and pulled her upright.
"Careful," a man said. "Students who arrive headfirst usually have bad luck on examination day."
Annie blinked several times before hurriedly straightening herself. "T-Thank you!"
The man who had caught her appeared to be somewhere in his late forties. His short brown hair had already begun graying near the sides, while an old scar ran from the corner of his jaw to the base of his neck.
He wore a dark Academy coat under a layer of light leather armor. Although he didn’t look particularly imposing, the amount of mana surrounding his body told Noct otherwise.
’A 4-Star Knight...? Maybe close to his advancement I would say.’
"Group Thirteen, I assume?" the man asked.
Noct raised his bracelet, showing him the silver letter engraved upon it. The instructor simply nodded and gestured toward a small base camp that had been set up in the surrounding area.
"Head over there first and wait for me. We’ll have a little orientation."
The four of them did as they were told, crowding around a small area that had been set up with various tents, wooden crates presumably containing supplies, and a big campfire in the middle.
Noct managed to spot Robin off by one of the tents, talking to his groups. Just like in the game, he had teamed up with the same side characters.
But as Noct’s group passed, Robin couldn’t help but glance at the first villain who was supposed to be dead by now.
Yet, Noct de Arcadia simply kept walking without a care in the world. Though even without looking, he noticed an inconsistency.
The side characters in his party consisted of all high-ranking nobles that attended Rexford Prep. In the game, they obviously teamed up with him because he was the school’s Hero.
’But why are they with him now?’