When I turned around to see who was screaming my name, that’s when I saw Selena and Brian, the duo I’d found in the dungeon who helped me leave.
Unlike before, I was much stronger now, with a good chance of being stronger than they were.
Anyway, I wasn’t expecting to see them there. They already had hunter IDs, so why were they here?
"What are you doing here?" I asked them. "And don’t yell like this. Everyone’s staring at us."
Selena looked around, realizing everyone was indeed looking at her. She instantly got shy, trying to hide her face.
"Sorry, my bad," she said.
They both sat next to me on the grass. It was nice to have someone there that I actually knew.
"We’re returning to the academy," she said. "This hunter ID we have is temporary. We didn’t finish our training yet."
The situation was pretty much the same as that of the red-haired woman who was in Mike’s team with me. Speaking of her...
I saw her there too. We exchanged glances across the park. I saw the shock in her eyes, and the guilt for what she’d done to me. This was going to be a problem.
She would never buy that I survived against that many vampires. That was just impossible. So she could get suspicious of me. Anyway, she didn’t come to speak with me, and I didn’t go there either.
"And why are you here?" Selena asked me. "Don’t tell me you’re taking the entrance exam."
Selena thought I was already a lonely hunter exploring the dungeon.
"In fact, I am," I said. "If I pass, maybe we can study together."
"Yeah, perhaps. We’re in our first year as well," she said.
I frowned.
"Really? I thought they only took one batch of people per year."
That’s what I’d found on the internet, at least.
"Well, yeah, usually, but something’s up, I think. Brian and I, along with some others from the last batch, entered the academy four months ago, and they’re already running another exam."
Strange. I couldn’t think of a reason for that, but it definitely wasn’t a good sign.
We talked about mundane stuff until the two buses arrived. I waited in line to get on. A man in a military uniform stood outside near the bus door, checking everyone who boarded.
They had our names, so I showed my ID, and they let me through. I got myself a window seat.
Someone came to sit beside me, obviously. The bus was full. When I looked over to see who it was, it was the red-haired woman from Mike’s group.
She didn’t say hi. She went straight to business.
"How are you alive? You couldn’t kill that vampire even if you wanted to."
I had to agree with her on that one. Back then, killing the vampire had been impossible.
"Ouch, that hurts. I honestly thought you’d keep your word about protecting me, but instead you stole my backpack and kicked me to the vampires."
She placed her soft hand on my lips to shut me up.
"Don’t say this out loud, I can get in trouble for it. Damn it, that wasn’t my call. That fucking Mike told me to do it, and I had to obey him. He was in charge."
"I know, I know," I said, looking back at the scenery through the window, "but that doesn’t mean I forgive you."
"Will you tell me how you got away, or what?"
She could get suspicious and figure out that a vampire had spared my life so I could help them somehow, which I had no intention of doing, but at that moment there was no way I could go against them.
"My ability," I said. "It does more than just store items. I just didn’t feel like sharing that with Mike."
"Oh, okay. Makes sense."
Sounded like she believed me, which was good. The last thing I wanted was an enemy right before joining the academy.
"So you’re trying to get into the academy. I don’t think you’ll make it. It’s tough to get in, you know."
She was right, but I had the recommendation letter. Basically my cheat code.
"Wanna bet?" I asked her.
She crossed her arms, smiling. "I do, yeah."
I already had something in mind.
"If I pass the test and become a new member of the academy, you have to give me a kiss. If not, you can do whatever you want with me."
She stayed silent for a moment, then agreed.
"Deal."
We shook hands to make it official. I couldn’t wait to collect that reward.
The bus went straight to a city, where we got on a boat to the academy. The views were breathtaking. The mountains, the water, all of it.
I saw a lot of powerful people guarding the academy the moment we arrived, high-rank hunters there to keep it safe from both beasts and other humans.
Everyone stepped off the buses, me included. The academy’s metal gate opened, and a man in a beret showed up.
He had an eye patch and walked with a cane. Despite the looks, I could feel he was powerful. Something was off about that man.
"All of you, shut the fuck up."
"This is the entrance exam for the academy, as everyone knows. Prepare to risk your lives to get in."
He looked at each one of us, and when his gaze landed on me, I broke into a cold sweat.
"Does anyone have a recommendation letter? Usually no one has this shit, but I have to ask. It’s in the rules."
Barely anyone had a recommendation letter. I stepped forward, raising my hand.
The man frowned.
"Why are you moving?"
"I have a recommendation letter," I said.
Everyone was looking at me again. The red-haired girl too.
"Do you? If you’re lying, you fail the exam instantly."
I nodded again.
"I have a letter from Lion Heart."
When I said his name, all conversation stopped. I was the center of attention.