Chapter 4 — The King's Tomb, Lain's Replica
"Roasted meat?"
Genaul looked puzzled as he stood up, searching for the source of the smell.
Very quickly, his gaze locked onto a candidate who was sitting leisurely beside a campfire. The examinee had skewered a bird on a sharpened wooden stick and was slowly roasting it over the flames.
The bird's feathers had been scorched to a dark golden brown. Fat dripped into the fire, producing a constant sizzle.
That rich, mouthwatering aroma was coming from there.
And the shape of the bird—
It was unmistakably an Meteorite Bird.
Crack!
Genaul's expression didn't change, but a fine crack spread across the teacup clenched in his hand.
"Who is that examinee?"
His voice carried no visible emotion. "He appears to have roasted the examination objective."
Sense tilted her head slightly and glanced over. Her gaze remained flat and indifferent.
"I don't see anything particularly special about him."
While the two were speaking, Lain had already torn off a golden-brown bird leg, blew on it a little, and took a bite.
"The taste is decent," he commented. "A bit tough, though."
From afar, all Genaul could do was let out a silent sigh.
After finishing one bird, Lain found himself unsatisfied. His figure flickered—
—and vanished from the spot.
Less than half a minute later, he returned to the campfire, now holding two half-dead Meteorite Birds.
Just as he sat down again, a thoroughly exhausted team of examinees happened to pass by. All three of them were covered in dust and grime, their magic nearly depleted—clearly victims of a failed hunt.
"It's too fast. We couldn't catch it at all!"
"Our binding spell was dodged the moment we cast it!"
They were hanging their heads in frustration when Lain's relaxed voice drifted over.
"Hey, guys."
The three looked up, only to see Lain casually holding a Meteorite Bird—restrained purely by the strength of his grip.
"Want a Meteorite Bird?"
He smiled kindly. "Alive. Freshly caught. Five gold coins each. Fair price."
The three examinees froze.
"Y-You're… selling them?" one of them stammered.
"Yeah. Catching one or catching three—it's all the same to me," Lain said matter-of-factly.
"If you don't have money, I'll accept magic of equivalent value."
After a full half minute of silence, that team scraped together their funds and actually bought one.
Once there was a first, there was a second.
Before long, word spread throughout the exam grounds that Lain was doing business.
Teams that had repeatedly failed and were on the verge of despair began rushing back, trading all sorts of things for their target objective.
On Genaul's side, the atmosphere had dropped to freezing point.
"I'm revoking his qualification immediately," Genaul said calmly—though the words themselves were steeped in anger.
"Let him be, Genaul," Sense replied indifferently.
"The rules never said you can't capture more than one. Nor did they say you can't give the captured bird to others."
Hearing this, Genaul could only fall silent.
Sense's gaze shifted away from Lain and toward the sky.
"By the way… have you noticed something?"
"Noticed what?"
"It seems someone is analyzing the barrier maintaining this exam field," Sense said softly.
Genaul snorted dismissively.
"No need to worry. That barrier is Lady Serie's masterpiece."
He lifted his teacup again—though his eyes couldn't help drifting back toward Lain, who was busy counting coins.
"The sun doesn't rise in the west."
The moment his words fell—
Heavy raindrops poured down, instantly shrouding the entire Grobe Basin in a pale white curtain of mist.
---
Lain was soaked through. He frowned and looked up at the sky.
"So Frieren dismantled the barrier magic."
Imagining the ever-stern, perpetually gloomy Richter now being blasted by water magic like a drowned rat, Lain couldn't help but feel amused.
As the rain gradually eased, the bell signaling the end of the exam rang out.
Examinees began returning to the entrance one after another.
Most of them looked utterly miserable, their magic completely drained.
Richter was practically supporting Denken as they walked. Their robes were soaked through, caked with mud and grass.
In contrast, Laufen—aside from her slightly messy bun—had kept her birdcage perfectly protected.
When Richter saw Lain, his expression darkened.
"You look awfully relaxed."
Lain ignored the accusation, his gaze instead fixed on the cage in Laufen's hands.
Good. No accidents. Otherwise, he would've had to rush out and toss a bird into the cage at the last second.
Denken, however, was staring at the ground near Lain's feet—where several Meteorite Bird skeletons lay scattered.
When he looked back up at Lain, there was a new trace of wariness in his eyes.
"The examination is over. I will now announce the teams that have passed," Genaul declared.
"Teams 1, 2, 4, 8, 13, and 17 have passed.
The second round will begin in three days. You may all disperse."
"I shall take my leave," Denken said to Lain, before departing with Richter and Laufen.
"Farewell," Lain replied with a nod.
---
Back at the inn, Lain enjoyed a long, satisfying sleep.
The next morning—
As soon as he opened the door, he saw Fern standing in the hallway with her hands on her hips, scolding Stark.
"Stark, were you still sleeping just now?
Did you stay up late again?"
Fern puffed out her cheeks as she questioned him.
Stark drooped his head obediently.
"I stayed up late… and drank juice while doing it."
Watching the young couple bicker, Lain muttered quietly, "Henpecked."
Fern's ear twitched. Her gaze turned icy as it landed on Lain.
Lain gave an awkward smile and silently retreated.
---
Outside the inn, the streets were sparsely populated.
Just as Lain reached the street corner, he saw Denken, Richter, and Laufen approaching from another road.
Laufen was carrying a woven bamboo basket filled with golden donuts, releasing an irresistible aroma.
"Good morning, Elder Denken," Lain greeted.
Denken nodded in return.
Richter merely cast Lain a cold glance.
The moment Laufen spotted Lain, she immediately hid the basket behind her back.
"These were bought for me by Grandpa! I'm not sharing!"
Lain turned to Denken.
"Elder, whoever sees it gets a share. I want one too."
Denken stroked his beard and laughed.
"Let's eat first. Desserts can wait."
The group headed toward a restaurant.
Walking beside Laufen, Lain suddenly reached out and deftly snatched a donut from her basket.
Feeling the basket lighten, Laufen turned her head.
Lain was calmly admiring the scenery, as if nothing had happened.
Except—
There was a speck of sugar glaze stuck to the corner of his mouth.
Laufen stared at it for a long time, silent—yet clearly screaming "Admit it! You stole my donut!"
Richter sighed quietly.
"Kids…"
They entered a simply decorated restaurant.
Frieren's group was already seated inside.
Lain waved. "What a coincidence."
"Mhm."
Frieren simply smiled and nodded.
Fern seemed to be in a good mood and even offered a rare smile.
"Mr. Lain, what a coincidence."
Stark returned the greeting with a friendly grin.
Everyone sat down and ordered.
The restaurant gradually grew lively, filled with clinking cutlery and conversation.
After the meal, Lain bid everyone farewell.
With three days remaining before the second round, he had no intention of wasting time.
Outside Äußerst, the forests were home to many thick-skinned monsters—perfect targets for Lain at his current level.
For three days straight, screams echoed endlessly from deep within the forest.
---
In the blink of an eye, notice of the second round of the First-Class Mage Exam arrived as scheduled.
Location: The Ruined King's Tomb.
The Ruined King's Tomb lay within the desolate mountain range north of Äußerst.
Lain arrived early at the entrance.
The tomb sat halfway up a barren mountainside. Four stone archways led deep underground.
Many examinees had already gathered there, the atmosphere tense.
Lain spotted Denken's group—and Fern carefully fixing Frieren's hair.
They exchanged nods, but said nothing.
Before long, a petite figure appeared before the crowd.
She had nearly floor-length, silky hair, a doll-like face, and eyes that seemed hollow and empty.
It was the chief examiner for this round—First-Class Mage Sense.
"This is the Ruined King's Tomb," Sense said flatly.
"The exam content is simple. Conquer the labyrinth. Anyone who reaches the deepest point passes."
A murmur rippled through the crowd.
Sense's hair suddenly moved as if alive, curling forward to deliver small transparent glass bottles to each examinee.
Inside each bottle was a tiny golem.
"These are for escape," Sense continued.
"If you encounter danger, crush the bottle. The golem will carry you out. Of course, that means forfeiture."
After a brief pause, she added,
"I will also enter—but don't expect me to intervene."
"…The exam begins."
Examinees quickly exchanged thoughts and began moving.
Lain chose not to team up with Frieren and her disciples—they were completionist explorers, and Frieren in particular had a talent for getting eaten by mimic chests.
In the end, only Lain, Denken, Richter, Laufen, the older sister Methode, and the younger girl Lüge remained at the entrance.
Staring into the dark passageway, Lain felt a stir of anticipation.
The most disgusting part of the Ruined King's Tomb wasn't the maze itself—
—but the Water Mirror Demon.
It could perfectly replicate an intruder's strength, memories, and even combat techniques.
In other words—
The greatest enemy… was oneself.
"My replica, huh?"
Lain smiled faintly.
"Interesting…"