The King's Tomb

Looking at Li Yan's somewhat slender figure, Kanne and Lawine sensed a strong demeanor that seemed out of place for his age, emanating from his loneliness and solitude.

His silhouette stood out strikingly in the sunlight, as if he were carrying the weight of the entire world on his back.

Lawine and Kanne watched quietly, their eyes filled with admiration and curiosity. Even Li Yan, who could research Youth-Restoration Magic, had a lover he couldn't save. They were drawn to Li Yan's unique aura and captivated by his words. Every word he spoke seemed to carry Mana, and every step he took resonated with the rhythm of their hearts.

"Senior Li Yan, you will definitely succeed."

Lawine couldn't help but encourage him. She could sense a hint of sadness in Li Yan's eyes. Senior Li Yan must have gone through something very painful.

"Senior Li Yan, everything will be alright."

Kanne wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes. From Li Yan's words, she understood Li Yan's plight. Even though she had gained the money and power that everyone in the world craved, she had lost the person she loved most.

Li Yan smiled with relief, gazing at the clouds in the sky that resembled those of Flamme. He couldn't help but reach out to gently touch them, but his hand only touched empty air.

"It's okay, I just miss her a little."

Li Yan sat on a roadside chair, a look of longing on her face. Kanne and Lawine sat down beside Li Yan in a comforting manner, gently patting Li Yan back.

"Senior Li Yan!"

Kanne seemed touched by Li Yan 'Li Yan expression, and pulled her head into his arms. Although she was just an ordinary B-level mage, the soft touch and the youthful fragrance of the girl made him feel breathless.

"Cough cough..." Li Yan coughed lightly as her face was completely buried in the glass.

"Kanne, don't suffocate Senior Li Yan!"

Lawine gave Kanne a light tap on the head, knowing that Kanne was only trying to comfort Senior Li Yan. Although she wanted to comfort Senior Li Yan in the same way, the etiquette of the Noble made her restrain her maternal tenderness.

Stopped by Lawine, Kanne wiped the moisture from the corner of his eyes and released Li Yan from the B-level strength situation, allowing Li Yan to breathe fresh air again. Looking at Kanne's cute little belly winking, Li Yan looked away awkwardly.

Although the magic to preserve his youth was sealed and his body did indeed revert to that of a twelve-year-old, his physical strength was still formidable, and he yearned for the fusion of youth and vitality.

"Senior Li Yan, I can't help you with magic, but if you ever have any troubles in the future, you can always come to me and Kanne. Kanne and I can help you comfort you."

Lawine gently stroked Li Yan's head, her tone soft and gentle. Although she regarded Li Yan as an adult in her heart, looking at Li Yan's childlike appearance, she still spoke her mind. Although they could not help with magic, as friends, they would help in a friendly way.

"You two girls, I'm not some fragile little child."

Originally, Li Yan's thoughts were still somewhat occupied by missing her lover, but they were completely disrupted by Kanne and Lawine. After having her face washed like that and experiencing Lawine's head pat, even with her eight-times magnification, Li Yan could only use her calming magic to quell her agitated heart.

"Godfather..."

On the other side, Fern was enjoying the view with Frieren at the highest point, gently bit her lower lip and looked down at Li Yan's position not far away. Frieren was snoring softly, resting her head on Fern's lap and enjoying a sunbath. Only half of her face was exposed to the sun, which was just right for Frieren, as it blocked the sunlight from shining into her eyes.

Ancient King's Tombs in the Northern Countries.

All the candidates who passed the first round of exams gathered at the entrance to the King's Tomb. This time, the examiner was Zanze, a petite woman with hair that reached her legs.

"Dear candidates, I am Zanze, your examiner for this exam. The content of your exam is simple and not complicated. It is simply to enter this King's Tomb, reach King's Tomb deepest part, and conquer this Royal Crypt Labyrinth."

Zanze spoke calmly, causing many examinees to widen their eyes. They could conquer the maze, but conquering this maze, where almost no adventurer had ever survived, was simply a pipe dream.

"Examiner Zanze, are you not planning to let anyone pass this test? No adventurer has ever successfully explored this King's Tomb. Very few adventurers who have explored this Royal Crypt Labyrinth have ever left alive."

The exam content angered the candidates, who wanted to become First-Class Mage to bring glory to their families and gain powerful magic, wealth, or status, rather than become corpses in the labyrinth.

Zanze looked indifferently at the person who spoke, "First-Class Mage is the most esteemed pillar among the Kingdom's mages. They can turn the impossible into possible and calmly resolve any difficulty. That is the true First-Class Mage."

Of course, as the future pillars of magicians, the association will provide you with certain self-protection items.

These bottles are Escape Golems created by the First-Class Mage, Lairen. Although they are still in the testing phase, if you encounter an insurmountable danger, simply break the bottle, and the golem will protect you and help you escape. Of course, if the bottle is broken, you will lose your eligibility for the exam, but compared to losing your lives, I think you should be able to distinguish which is more important."

"Understood!"

Upon learning that life-saving items would be distributed, the test takers breathed a sigh of relief. After all, it was hard to accept giving up one's life for a difficult exam.

"Then, Examiner Zanze, how can you be so sure that we will all reach the deepest point in the maze without anyone cheating or slacking off along the way?"

"Edel asked."

"There's no need to confirm that. I will go with you, but I won't help you if you encounter any danger. You'll have to rely on yourselves."

Zanze seemed to have gotten tired of talking, so he stopped and waved his little hand to signal that the exam was officially starting.

As the exam began, some candidates entered alone, while others entered in groups of three or five. Li Yan simply sat and waited. This exam did not require candidates to form teams or fight each other; it was very free with only one rule: to conquer this labyrinthine King's Tomb.