As the assessment entered its later stages, Team 277 advanced steadily, while Larkspur increasingly felt like she had nothing to do.
After clearing the first node and being the first to claim a reward, they efficiently found a second node. Although another team had already entered it and had initially been reluctant to cooperate with Team 277, they reconsidered their attitude after Tudingui displayed her astonishing strength and practically handled the Aberrant Beasts within the node single-handedly. In the end, out of respect for Tudingui, they voluntarily yielded half the reward.
After conquering the second node, the three of them found and solved two more puzzles. Combined with those they had completed earlier, they had accumulated rewards from five puzzles. With the points from five puzzles and two nodes, Team 277 had firmly secured first place in maze reward points.
Throughout the process, Larkspur had done nothing again. Or rather, she had not even had the chance to do anything that could be called a contribution.
She had become an ordinary spectator, watching Tudingui show off her skills from the sidelines the entire time. If she had done anything at all, it was probably saying things like, "That was amazing," after Tudingui finished fighting, depending on the mood.
Yes, she had noticed it. Tudingui seemed to be someone who rather liked being praised.
She would never bring it up herself, nor reveal any sign of it. But whenever she returned after a battle, there would be this subtle atmosphere of, Shouldn't you be telling me how amazing I was?
For some reason, Larkspur could sense that atmosphere, and she simply went along with it. Since saying a few nice words cost her nothing, she praised Tudingui a little to satisfy her vanity. Even when the praise was nothing but empty