Chapter 42: A day in the cave.
From his supplies, he retrieved some of the preserved meat he had brought from outside the gate. While he could potentially cook bear meat from his recent kills, he preferred to use provisions he knew were safe and properly prepared.
[Master, this is nice! It’s our first camping trip.] Zephyr settled comfortably near the fire, clearly enjoying the warmth and security of their temporary base.
As the meat cooked over the flames, Draco took inventory of his accumulated cores. Counting carefully, he found that he had collected exactly fifteen beast cores throughout the day’s activities.
Fifteen cores means 150 points, plus any herbs I might find tomorrow. Not bad for a day’s work, but probably not enough to compete with the top-tier students.
He was realistic about his position relative to students from higher-ranked classes. Selene Frost, with her A-rank ice manipulation, was probably devastating entire groups of creatures with area-of-effect attacks.
The B-Class and A-Class students probably have accumulated close to fifty cores by now, maybe more if they’ve been working efficiently.
However, Draco wasn’t particularly concerned about his current standings. He had a strategic advantage that none of the other students possessed – tomorrow would mark a fundamental change in his capabilities.
Tomorrow is what truly matters. Once I reach elite rank, everything changes. Then I can hunt more aggressively without worrying about conserving energy or avoiding risks.
Elite rank would provide significant attribute improvements and potentially unlock new skills that would dramatically enhance his combat effectiveness.
As he settled in for the night, Draco felt confident about his prospects for the examination’s second day. Resting now would keep his energy level high for the upcoming finale.
...
Time passed slowly in the comfortable warmth of the cave, with shadows dancing across the stone walls from the flickering campfire. Draco remained in his position leaning against the cave wall, his eyes closed and breathing steady, giving every appearance of peaceful sleep.
However, despite his relaxed posture, he was actually maintaining a state of alert rest. His senses remained active, monitoring the sounds outside the cave and the subtle changes in air currents that might indicate approaching threats.
[Master, I’m keeping watch! You can trust me to spot any problems! (・∀・)] Zephyr perched nearby, his evolved capabilities making him an excellent sentry. His enhanced hearing and vision could detect movement long before it reached their shelter.
Not even two hours had passed since they had settled into their secure position when a sound erupted from outside the cave entrance. The noise was subtle but distinctly different from the natural sounds of nocturnal wildlife, it carried the deliberate sound of human footsteps.
Draco’s eyes opened softly, though his body remained in the same relaxed position. "It’s another student," he murmured quietly. "Someone found the cave."
[Should I go check who it is, Master? (・・?)]
"No need. Let’s see what they want."
Draco found himself facing a two way decision.
When the student entered, and they almost certainly would, given the dangerous nature of spending the night exposed in the open. He could either accept their presence or force them back outside to face whatever threats the darkness might hold.
Allowing them in creates potential complications, but sending them away would essentially be condemning them to possible death. The examination is meant to test capability, not survival against impossible odds. There is no need to kill another student over a test.
Indeed, a figure appeared at the cave entrance, moving with the careful, hesitant steps of someone trying to avoid detection. A young woman slowly made her way inside, clearly expecting to find bears or other dangerous creatures occupying the space.
Her eyes widened dramatically when she spotted a fellow student already comfortably established near a warm campfire. The surprise was evident on her face as she processed the unexpected encounter.
’Draco?’ Amy thought to herself, recognizing the figure from their shared classes. ’How did he manage to secure this place? Did he just get lucky and find an unoccupied cave?’
She had been searching for shelter for over an hour, encountering numerous bears and other nocturnal threats that made sleeping in the open extremely dangerous. Finding what appeared to be a safe cave had seemed like a stroke of fortune, but discovering it was already occupied complicated matters significantly.
Amy felt his eyes tracking her movement and realized she needed to address the situation directly. The silence was becoming increasingly uncomfortable, and she could sense his awareness despite his seemingly relaxed posture.
"H-Hi, I’m Amy, a student from C-Class," she said hesitantly, her voice carrying the nervousness of someone making a potentially dangerous request. "May I settle in with you during the night? There are many bears outside, and it’s quite dangerous to sleep in the open."
Draco’s eyes remained fixed on hers for several long moments, his expression unreadable as he evaluated both her request and her potential threat level. Amy found herself holding her breath, waiting for his response.
"Do as you please," he said finally, his tone neutral but not hostile.
"T-Thank you," Amy muttered, genuinely bewildered by his acceptance.
Despite having asked the question, she honestly hadn’t expected Draco to allow her to stay. After all, she was a direct competitor in the examination, and there was always the possibility that she might use her abilities to threaten him or attempt to steal the cores he had accumulated throughout the day.
He’s being surprisingly nice and reasonable. Maybe the rumours about his personality were exaggerated.
Amy settled herself at a considerable distance from Draco, choosing a spot near the cave wall that provided some shelter while maintaining respectful space between them. However, she quickly discovered that her chosen position had significant disadvantages.
The cold air flowing in from the cave entrance was extremely uncomfortable, and she hadn’t come prepared for extended exposure to low temperatures. She wasn’t wealthy enough to afford a storage ring that could hold additional clothing, and her basic academy uniform provided minimal insulation against the night’s chill.
I should have thought this through better. The cold is going to make it impossible to get any real rest.
She found herself glancing repeatedly toward the warm, inviting campfire where Draco sat comfortably. The heat radiating from the flames looked incredibly appealing compared to her current situation, but asking for additional favours felt presumptuous.