The First Exam Ends

The heavy rain stopped, the sun rose and set, and the world was shrouded in darkness.

Teams that failed to find the Meteoric Iron Bird and were missing members were eliminated.

Dugu Qing, Frieren, Fern, Laufen, Denken, Ubel... handed the Meteoric Iron Bird to the examiner, officially passing their first magic test.

At the last moment, Ailu, Velubeye, and the others found the Meteoric Iron Bird on a tree branch and narrowly passed the test.

Standing in the darkness, Genau announced the end of the first test, stating that details of the second test would be announced later.

Now, all mages, please disperse and go back to rest.

Dugu Qing bid farewell to Denken and Laufen, found Fern and Frieren, and the three of them used Flight Magic to return to the Moonlight Hotel.

As night fell, the hotel lobby was brightly lit.

Dugu Qing, Fern, Frieren, Stark sat in chairs.

A variety of delicious foods were laid out before me: fried shrimp, herb-roasted chicken, honey-glazed ribs, fried potato wedges, sliced smoked ham, cumin lamb, fruit salad, buttered bread, cream cake, milk...

"Let's drink to the end of the exams!"

Dugu Qing raised a glass of warm water, using tea instead of wine, clinked glasses with everyone, and drank it all in one gulp.

Everyone raised their glasses and enjoyed the hearty meal, their demeanor gradually softening.

The competitive mindset that arose during the exam over the past two days seems to have dissipated, and calm has returned.

The following day, at 11:00 AM.

Dugu Qing woke up slowly, and in the warm bed, she turned over and over, stretching her limbs.

Time flew by and it was already 11:30.

Fern, carrying a tray laden with golden-brown roasted lamb chops, fragrant fried fish, vegetable salad, water, and bread, gently knocked on the door.

Dugu Qing jumped out of bed quickly, put on her slippers, and welcomed Fern in.

"Dugu Qing, did you just get up? I bought you lunch."

Thank you.

Dugu Qing took a shower, brushed her teeth, quickly sat back on the sofa, and enjoyed her meal.

After the meal, Dugu Qing suddenly realized that she seemed to have been having some bad luck these past two days, so she decided to go to the church in the city to pray to the Goddess for protection.

Upon hearing this, Fern carefully tidied herself up, putting on delicate earrings, a purple fitted short skirt, and tight-fitting tall leather boots.

The two walked out of the hotel together and headed towards the magnificent cathedral.

The square in front of the church was wide and bright, with a constant flow of people.

Many couples stood side by side by the fountain, admiring the magnificent church.

Fern followed Dugu Qing, unable to resist moving closer to him. The two seemed to be pressed together, walking forward shoulder to shoulder.

Dugu Qing sensed something was amiss, feeling things were getting a little too intimate, and quietly distanced herself from Fern.

Upon entering the church, Dugu Qing sat down in the fifth row, closed her eyes in quiet prayer, and asked the Goddess to bless her with good health, success in her exams, and to keep away from any more shady characters...

Fern sat beside Dugu Qing, closed his eyes to calm his mind, and made a wish with dignified posture.

I hope that the days I spend with Dugu Qing can last forever, without ever ending...

After finishing her prayers, Dugu Qing saw Fern beside her, who also had her eyes closed, wondering what she was praying for.

I close my eyes again and pray that the Goddess will bless Fern with all her wishes fulfilled, everything going smoothly, and peace and safety...

After the prayers ended, the two admired the exquisite murals and left the church.

Moonlight Hotel.

Frieren rested in her room all day.

As night fell, she dressed formally and invited Dugu Qing, Fern, Stark to dine at the best restaurant in Auwest.

Dugu Qing, Fern, Stark were invited to go.

Frieren had once visited this restaurant with Himmel.

At this moment, revisiting the same place inevitably brings about some changes in one's mindset.

The waiter handed over the menu, Fern looked at Frieren in surprise.

"The food here is so expensive!"

Frieren held up her fork, smiling calmly.

"Because of its long history and excellent taste, it's a bit pricey. But we're not short of money right now, so let's eat our fill!"

Everyone ordered their own food.

The waiter quickly served the food, and everyone picked up their knives and forks to enjoy the meal.

Frieren cut into the steak, chewed gently, trying to distinguish it from the steak she remembered eating with Himmel.

The head chef and owner of this restaurant once confidently declared that no matter how many years passed, the taste of this restaurant would never change.

Now, as Frieren savored the tender and juicy steak, she sensed something different, and her expression immediately turned to disappointment.

"What?! You said it wouldn't change, but the taste still changed!"

Dugu Qing forked the steak, took a bite, and found the meat to be tender and delicious, truly a fine dish. He ate it in small bites.

The restaurant doors opened, Denken and Laufen walked in.

When they saw Dugu Qing, their eyes lit up, but they still observed proper dining etiquette and did not disturb her.

Dugu Qing enjoyed the delicious food, quickly filling his stomach, and his weary body regained its vitality.

"The taste is alright, it's the pinnacle of gourmet food, it couldn't be better, Frieren, let's come back and eat it again in a hundred years!"

Frieren nodded slightly.

The food at this restaurant has changed, but it seems to taste even better now!

Fern pouted quietly. Here it comes again. When Dugu Qing is happy, he always does this—talking rambling, unfocused, and full of wild ideas. It's really...

After the meal, the four of them walked slowly down the street toward the Moonlight Hotel.

Ubel appeared quietly at some unknown time, following behind Dugu Qing. His tall figure moved through several streets and alleys, waiting for his chance to strike.

Dugu Qing, Fern, Frieren chatted enthusiastically about the interesting things that happened during the exam, creating a harmonious atmosphere.

The group quickly returned to the hotel.

Dugu Qing closed the door and took a bath and washed her hair.

Ubel stood outside the inn, his gaze falling on the conspicuous location where Dugu Qing's two hundred years of magic power resided, a faint smile subtly curving his lips.

He flipped over the window and sneaked into Dugu Qing's room.

Wearing her tall boots and resting her chin on her hand, she sat down on the sofa like a queen.

After taking a shower, Dugu Qing came out in her pajamas and saw Ubel. She awkwardly fastened her belt, not understanding why Yubel had appeared.

Ubel smiled confidently, activating the Gaze-Binding Magic he had seen in the exam with his gaze.

This is also one of Ubel's special talents; as long as she sees magic that can resonate with her, she can immediately take control of it.

The effect is nothing short of miraculous.

Dugu Qing's fingers paused, his magic power dried up, and his movements became restricted.

"This is really useful! Gaze-Binding Magic."

Ubel stepped forward and circled Dugu Qing once, her delicate nose twitching slightly, her smile becoming even more radiant.

Dugu Qing could have tried to break free from the magic, but Ubel showed no murderous intent and behaved very strangely.

He didn't resist, deciding to get to the bottom of things first. "What exactly do you want from me?"