As the last echoes of the Tower Master's announcement faded, the dungeon remained still for only a moment. Then, the students erupted into motion. Groups formed quickly, alliances were made, and those who had no companions hesitated, debating their next move.

  Elviana, however, had already made her decision. She had no interest in groups or unnecessary distractions. Without sparing another glance at the scrambling students, she turned on her heels and strode toward the deeper parts of the dungeon.

  Some students noticed her departure.

  "Should we invite her?" one murmured, watching the silver-haired girl walk away.

  "Didn't you see her reject Lucian Belmont?" another whispered. "Why would she accept our offer? Let's just find someone else."

  With that, they moved on, leaving Elviana to disappear into the dungeon’s dimly lit corridors.

  Lucian Belmont stood in stunned silence, still processing what had just happened. He, the heir of one of the greatest noble families, had been rejected—no, outright dismissed—by a commoner. His hand clenched into a fist, but he quickly schooled his expression.

  “Tch. Whatever,” he muttered. “She’ll regret that decision soon enough.”

  His companions exchanged wary glances before one of them hesitantly spoke.

  “Lucian, we should get moving. If we want to win this trial, we can’t waste time.”

  Lucian exhaled sharply, forcing a smirk. “Of course. We’ll take first place—let’s go.”

  Just as he turned, a voice rang out.

  “First place, huh?”

  Lucian stopped. His eyes flickered toward the speaker—a girl with flowing black hair and piercing violet eyes. She walked with effortless grace, her noble attire a perfect blend of elegance and practicality.

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  Lilith Valefort.

  “Did you forget that Princess Alina is also in this trial?” she said, her tone amused. “And the other three powerful families? You think you can take first place that easily?”

  Lucian’s expression darkened. “Who the hell are you?”

  Lilith smirked. “Lilith Valefort. Surely you’ve heard of my family?”

  Murmurs spread through the crowd.

  The Valefort family… One of the richest noble houses!

  Why is she even here? I thought she never participated in these things…

  Lucian scoffed. “Tch. And? You think you can fight monsters with money?”

  Lilith chuckled. “No. But money gives access to the best training and weapons. Unlike you, I don’t get rejected by commoners.”

  Lucian’s jaw tightened. His companions stood silent, unwilling to get involved.

  Lilith’s smirk widened before she turned to her own group. “Let’s go. We’ll let the ‘great’ Lucian Belmont talk while we actually earn points.”

  With that, she walked away, her group following without hesitation.

  Lucian exhaled through his nose, forcing himself to remain composed. “Annoying Bitch,” he muttered under his breath before motioning his team forward. “Come on. We’re wasting time.”

  And with that, they vanished into the dungeon’s depths.

  Above them, the Tower Master watched through floating magic screens, a smirk playing on his lips.

  “Oh? So she’s going alone, huh?” His gaze followed Elviana’s solitary figure. “Expected. The others still cling to safety, but she chooses solitude… Interesting.”

  His eyes shifted.

  “And there’s Princess Alina… also going alone, as expected. A prideful one.”

  Then, something else caught his attention. His grin widened.

  “Oh? And isn’t that the son of the Vaelmont family? Azrael… Interesting. But more intriguing is that figure beside him. I didn’t notice them earlier… Now this trial is getting fun.”

  Deeper inside the dungeon, Elviana moved cautiously. The air was damp, thick with the scent of mold and decay. The flickering torches along the stone walls cast shifting shadows, making every corner seem alive.

  Then—

  A growl.

  Elviana’s grip on her sword tightened. Her golden eyes scanned the darkness, searching for the source of the sound.

  A wolf-like beast lunged from the shadows, its matted black fur bristling, bloodshot eyes gleaming with hunger. Its claws scraped against the stone floor as it charged.

  Elviana didn’t hesitate.

  She stepped to the side at the last second, her sword flashing in a precise arc. Steel met flesh—a deep gash opened along the beast’s side, blood splattering across the cold floor.

  The creature howled in pain, but it wasn’t dead yet. It turned sharply, snarling, and leaped again.

  This time, Elviana didn’t dodge.

  She met the attack head-on, driving her blade straight into the beast’s chest. The force sent a jolt up her arm as the monster let out a strangled cry before collapsing.

  Silence followed.

  Elviana exhaled, lowering her weapon. A small card materialized above the slain beast.

  [Point Card: 5 Points]

  She picked it up, studying it for a moment before slipping it into her pocket.

  “So this is how it works…”

  Without another word, she turned and walked deeper into the dungeon.

  —

  Above, the Tower Master leaned forward, eyes gleaming with amusement.

  His gaze lingered on Elviana. “She already killed one… and got 5 points? Hah, she’s fast. Even Princess Alina hasn’t taken down a monster yet, and she’s already ahead. Interesting… This is going to be fun to watch.”

  His smirk widened as he sat back, letting the screens display the unfolding trial.