Kiril could no longer hide his disdain and openly mocked Nina. Originally, Lev’s spot was replaced, costing him a chance at the essence drop.
And now, a mere fourteen-year-old girl had shown up…unless she was some kind of genius, Kiril could see no way they’d gain any rewards from this trial.
He had prepared extensively for this opportunity.
If he could secure two shares of Bear Prime’s essence drop, he might advance even further.
Now, not only had he lost out on two shares, but he might not get any at all. This thought made him furious.
Kiril’s talent was the lowest among the group.
The only reason he managed to reach a moderate level was due to Lev’s resources, which he exploited under the guise of friendship.
Without an essence drop this time…he couldn’t bear to think of what would become of him, reduced to his original state. He simply couldn’t accept that outcome.
And he wasn’t alone. Though the others stayed silent, they shared similar thoughts.
They had all prepared for this trial for a long time, taking full advantage of their age, having just turned sixteen—the maximum age allowed. frёewebnoѵel.ƈo๓
If they didn’t get an essence drop, wouldn’t all their hard work be in vain?
In this moment, the Dragonscale Bank group, even Kolman, their leader, felt an unusual sense of unity. Explore more stories at freewebnovel
“If you ask me, we should all go together and confront Lord Ronan! We’re here to compete for an essence drop, not to babysit some spoiled little lady…” Kiril’s voice trailed off as he noticed the group’s attention shifting toward him.
Why were they all looking at him? Shouldn’t they be focused on that little lady who had just…vanished. She must have left to cry alone somewhere after being scolded so harshly.
Surely, she now understood her place.
Then he could rally everyone to convince Ronan to restore Lev’s spot.
That way, he’d still have a chance for those two shares of essence drop…
As Kiril daydreamed, his vision suddenly went dark, and he collapsed to the floor. Standing behind him was Nina, looking furious.
“I hate it when people talk about me like that! Say it again, and I’ll get really angry!” she warned.
Nina had held back—although this guy was annoying, he seemed somewhat weak.
She didn’t want to hurt him too severely.
After all, she was here to compete, not to kill.
She had promised the headmaster she was no longer a child and would act with restraint, like an adult.
Glancing at the others, Nina noticed their strange looks. But as a grown-up, she could handle such stares.
She’d seen Dean Isolde look at the headmaster this way back at the academy.
Now, she was receiving the same respect as him—proof she wasn’t just a kid anymore!
Enjoying the attention, Nina returned to her seat.
The room was silent; everyone was shocked by her quick action.
Nina had moved behind Kiril almost instantly, casting her spell without giving him any chance to react.
They still hadn’t fully processed what had happened until Nina returned to her seat.
Finally, Kolman, the group’s leader, spoke up, “Someone…take Kiril to the medical ward. Check if his injuries will interfere with the upcoming…”
“He’ll be fine! I was only trying to scare him! I’m not a child; I know my limits, so it won’t affect the trial,” Nina stated seriously.
Kolman blinked, then replied, “Alright. Let him lie here until he wakes up.”
From her actions, Kolman and the others could see that although Nina might have used connections to enter, she wasn’t here to play around.
Or perhaps…she just saw the Trial of Gods as a game.
Even Kolman couldn’t have defended himself against her sudden attack. Appearing silently behind someone and releasing a spell that quickly—who could guard against that?
“I like this new kid,” said the girl with the dagger, looking at Nina. “She’s interesting.”
“At least she’s better than that blockhead Lev,” she added.
Nina, curious, looked at the girl and asked, “Who’s Lev?”
“Don’t worry about him; he’s a fool. Name’s Sarra,” the girl replied.
“Hi, I’m Nina,” she repeated, shaking Sarra’s hand.
“Why don’t I show you around the venue?” Sarra offered.
“Sure!” Nina replied enthusiastically. She nodded eagerly at the chance to see the gathering place and quickly followed Sarra out of the room.
“So…what about Kiril?” someone asked after a long silence in the room.
“That fool can stay there. Let him wake up on his own and realize his mistake,” Kolman replied, clearly uninterested.
…
The gathering venue was lavish, as expected for an event hosting Trial of Gods participants.
Two figures walked in through the entrance—Sarra, tall and confident, and Nina, who looked around, taking in everything.
Just then, a young man spotted Sarra and approached her eagerly. “Sarra…”
“Scram,” she said coldly, ignoring him. Startled, he forced an awkward smile and walked away.
Sarra led Nina to a corner of the hall. “Two Firebloods,” she ordered at the bar. Those who didn’t enjoy the regular drinks could order specialty cocktails here.
“Please wait a moment,” the bartender replied. Shortly after, two drinks that looked as if they were aflame were set in front of them.
Nina stared at the drinks without blinking.
“So? Can you handle it?” Sarra asked.
“Of course! I’m not a kid anymore!” Nina declared, grabbing her glass and taking a big gulp.
Instantly, the drink’s flavors burst in her mouth, giving her an intense, strange sensation.
Seeing Nina’s momentary daze, Sarra chuckled. Fireblood was no ordinary drink—it was brewed using spell beasts and magical potions unique to Winterrealm.
The drink held intense energy, and even Sarra could only take small sips. But Nina had just taken a huge gulp to prove herself. She must be feeling awful right about now…
Hic! A long hiccup escaped Nina’s lips before she finished the rest of her Fireblood in one go. Looking at the bartender, she asked, “One more, please!”
Sarra’s eyes widened in disbelief. She couldn’t believe it—Nina had taken just a moment to absorb the drink’s intense energy.
And by the second sip, she didn’t even pause, as though the Fireblood offered no resistance to her at all.
Was that…even possible?