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Before the sun had even peeked over the horizon, the morning air was still cold enough to sting my skin.

The sky, pale with the first hint of dawn, was cloudless as I loaded my luggage onto the carriage, my breath puffing white in the chill.

The carriage wasn’t ours—it had been sent by the village.

Helping me load my things from the driver’s seat was Caron Curnot, the young man the village had sent to fetch me. He’d just advanced to 2nd rank this year, and at nineteen years old, he was like an older brother figure.

“Caron, I’m counting on you!”
“Y-Yes, sir! Leave it to me!”

Papa Howard’s voice came right as we finished loading, and Caron stiffened in his seat, answering in an overly high-pitched voice.

Those who took the “trial” had to leave home alone before dawn on their birthday.

The village would send someone to pick you up, but your family could only see you off at home—they were not allowed to come along.

When the last of the luggage was in place, Mama Sonia and Miss Elrose called out to me.

“Take care, Susie… be careful.”
“Safe travels, my lady.”
“Yes! I’ll be back before you know it!”

I replied with a bright, energetic voice.

“Just be sure you don’t overdo it, all right?”
“Yes! I’ll be fine—I’ll take it slow and steady!”

I smiled at Papa Howard, too.

Before leaving the house, Papa Howard, Mama Sonia, and Miss Elrose had all given me their birthday wishes. When Mama and Papa hugged me and said, “Congratulations,” their warmth lingered on my arms and cheeks—even now, in the cold air outside, it spread through me all the more.

Honestly, the grown-ups in our family have been a little too protective lately. That was probably because, during dinner two nights ago, I burst into tears… It seemed like I’d made an embarrassing dark history in this world as well.

“If you get lonely, don’t hesitate to ask for help,” Papa Howard told me.

(Wha—?! Do they already expect me to cry again?!)

“I-I’ll be fine! I’ll see it through to the end, you’ll see!”

Even if my smile was a little strained inside, I clenched my fists tightly and made it look convincing.

With Caron’s hand to help me up, I climbed into the carriage.

“We’re setting out,” Caron announced, and the carriage began to move.

In the east, the sky was already tinged red—the sun was about to rise. Those taking the “trial” had to leave home before the sun was fully up.

With Papa Howard, Mama Sonia, and Miss Elrose seeing me off, I waved from the moving carriage and said my farewells. The three of them stood in place, watching me go down the slope of the hill until I was out of sight.

(Ah… oh no… I think I’m going to cry again!)

“You’re very loved by everyone, my lady,” Caron murmured.
“Papa Howard, Mama Sonia, Miss Elrose… they’re all… very kind to me.”
“I see,” Caron said with a smile before turning his eyes forward and handling the reins again.

(He’s a good person…)

I think he was being considerate, pretending not to notice my teary eyes. I buried my face in my cloak and sniffled, just a little.

As the carriage rolled on, the sun rose, bathing the sky in the glow of dawn. The earth, the sky—the whole world was dyed in the colors of daybreak. It was a world that existed only for that fleeting moment. In that world, Caron urged the horses forward without a word. Our destination, the first Station.

By the time the sun was fully up and the sky’s colors had settled, we arrived at the station.

Several members of the order were already waiting outside.

“Congratulations, my lady! I’ll be looking after you for the next week!”
“Thank you very much, Millie! I’ll be in your care!”

The first to greet me after I stepped down from the carriage was Millie, from Cecilie’s shop. She was one of the four members of the guard who would be looking after me this week.

The trial of the Coming-of-Age Ceremony. One week of survival in the Amukham Forest. In other words, camping.

During that week, the guard members would watch over and guard me from a distance.

And not just any guards—middle- to higher-rank members, all highly skilled. Just for one child, they were assigning multiple mid-to-high ranks… What luxury! What trouble for them!

Millie Bullet was a scout, dressed in dark leather armor. Her slender frame and the glimpse of pale thighs from her hot pants were dazzling!

“Congratulations, Miss Cloud. I’ll be in your care from today,” said another.
“Thank you very much, Miss Ilta!”

Ilta Lindman was an 8th rank Higher Rank healer. At just twenty-two, she was a High Priest. When we shook hands, I caught a glimpse under her mantle of a bustle skirt and corset. Apparently, Miss Ilta was following fashion trends as well. The sight of her pale legs under the skirt made my heart skip for a second, and the volume of her bust—even under the mantle—made me think that, despite being a holy woman, she was probably the “sexy” one of the group. How scandalous!

“Congratulations, Lady Susie. I’ll be accompanying you for the next week.”
“Thank you very much, Miss Katy! I’ll be in your care!”

Katy Forest was a Warlock who had mastered summoning magic. She’d reached the 7th level in the Middle Rank at just twenty-one years old. A Warlock’s summoning magic could serve offense, defense, and support purposes, allowing just one person to cover two to three roles, but that versatility came with a high learning curve. And yet Katy had mastered it young. Papa Howard had said it wouldn’t be long before she reached the Higher Ranks.

“Happy birthday, Susie! I’ll make sure you’re well-guarded all week!”
“M-my… uh, thank you, Aria! I’m counting on you!”

After greeting the three others, the fourth—Aria—pulled me into a hug and offered her congratulations.

Aria Brook was the eldest daughter of the Brook family. She was also the older sister of my classmate, Lombard.

Since family members would often teach classes at the training area, I’d seen her often and knew her well.

At just twenty-four, she was a 10th-rank Battle Master, the highest rank in the guards. The combat style of the Brook family, one of Amukham’s 12 families,
involved smashing enemies with a battle axe and using it for defense as well—a perfect blend of offense and defense in the front lines. While both Aria and Lombard used the same style, Aria’s strength was in a completely different league from Lombard’s. It was said she could hold off an entire battalion single-handedly. Papa Howard had told me she’d soon be granted the “A” title.

The “A” was a title given to those 10th-rank members recognized for exceptional strength. The grades went “A,” “AA,” and the highest, “AAA.” Those with a grade had their names known far and wide, often earning epithets like Ryder’s Golden Vampire Slayer. Incidentally, Ryder was an “AA.” When your name got out, you’d receive personal requests from the Royal Capital and major cities—VIP protection, Demonic Beast extermination, that sort of thing.

Apparently, this was actually Amukham’s biggest source of income. After all, a person capable of fighting a battalion on their own could easily be considered a living weapon. Just the fee for an *A’s* services could match the annual salary of ten full knights!

Papa Howard, by the way, had retired from the front lines, so he’d “dropped” to the “A” grade. If he’d dropped to an “A” grade, that must have meant that Papa Howard sure was something else. As for me, I swore to myself that I’d never become a graded fighter with some fancy epithet.

Thinking about it calmly, the fighting power in Amukham was… kind of insane. When a person could singlehandedly crush an entire knight order by themselves, and there were several of them, how did the kingdom even allow that kind of force to exist?!