When Arla was still wondering where Sara had gone, Sara suddenly appeared—quietly sneaking up from behind and patting Arla's shoulder.
Sara:
> Hey, Arla~!
Startled, Arla instantly went into combat mode, spinning around with a fierce stance.
Sara (panicking and backing away):
> Whoa, whoa! Easy! It's me—Sara! Hehe…
Anyway, come with me to my room. There's something I need to show you.
---
A few minutes later, the two arrived at Sara's room. Sara's expression was full of excitement as she pulled out something wrapped in old fabric.
Sara (excited):
> This, Arla! This is what I was talking about—a super important piece of information for completing our mission! It's a map showing the locations of the trap engineers… and even how to get past them!
Arla (eager):
> Then let's open it! What are we waiting for?!
Sara (scratching her head):
> That's… actually the problem. I don't know how to open it. It's sealed—and only the staff can unlock it.
Arla (frowning):
> So what are we supposed to do then? If we can't open it, it's useless.
Sara (grinning):
> That's where my plan comes in.
Arla (curious):
> ...A plan?
Sara:
> Yup. You're gonna use your strength as a knight trainee to distract the staff—while I sneak in and figure out how to open this thing.
Arla (confused):
> Wait… but aren't you a knight too? How are you gonna sneak around? You're not an assassin—you'll get caught by the mages guarding the area.
Sara (smirking):
> Oh, right! I forgot to mention—I'm not a knight. Hehe.
Come on, Arla, do I look like someone who'd swing a sword around and touch gross, slimy monsters? Ew, no thanks!
Arla (expression flat, slightly hurt):
> ...Right. Whatever you say. Are you sure this will even work?
Sara (grinning wickedly):
> Of course it will. I'm a future top-class assassin from the southern region. Now, let's move! The timing's perfect!
Arla (panicked):
> Wait—what? Right now?! What about preparation? Backup plans? What about PLAN B?!
Sara (chuckling):
> Plans are overrated. Just go wild near the staff office and make a big scene. I'll take care of the rest.
And before Arla could even respond, Sara vanished—completely gone in a blur.
Arla (sighing):
> Go wild, huh… Fine. TAMAN PARA PEMULA, here I come!
---
Taman Para Pemula (Beginner's Garden) —a peaceful park near the staff office. A perfect spot for… chaos.
Five minutes later, an older-looking woman suddenly went berserk, screaming and swinging wildly—it was Arla, of course. Staff members rushed to restrain her, casting calming spells left and right.
Meanwhile, a shadow darted among the crowd—Sara, sneaking closer to the restricted area.
Sara (whispering nervously):
> Oh no, if I get hit by one of those sleep spells, I'm done for… Come on, Sara, focus! The mission must succeed! AaaAAAaaa!!
In the confusion, she brushed her fingers across several enchanted seals—but nothing worked.
Sara (muttering):
> Ugh, so it's not just touch-based. This is trickier than I thought...
Deciding to take the risk, she slipped into the staff building, scanning the shelves until—
Sara (excited):
> There! A manual! Perfect timing~
She skimmed through it quickly.
Sara (smiling slyly):
> Hah, easier than I thought…
---
Outside, Arla was starting to lose strength, barely conscious.
Arla (weakly):
> Ha… this magic's too strong… I can't… hold on…
Suddenly, a loud voice rang out.
???:
> WAIT! Don't take her away! That's my friend—she's been depressed ever since her family left her! I'll take responsibility for her!
The staff hesitated.
Staff:
> Alright. If she can be controlled, we'll release her to your care. But don't cause trouble again.
Arla (smiling faintly):
> Thank you. But before I go, may I shake hands with the one responsible for keeping peace and order around here? I'd like to apologize for causing chaos.
Staff:
> You mean the production operator? Sure, here they are.
Sara stepped forward, shaking the staff member's hand—except her grip was unusually firm and warm.
Staff (awkwardly):
> That's… quite a grip. Your hand's burning hot! Been soaking in lava or something?
Sara (grinning):
> Hehe, something like that. Anyway—thanks!
Alright, Arla, let's go. Bye, everyone~!
And just like that, the commotion ended.
---
Once they were safe back in Sara's room, she proudly unrolled the now-unsealed map. Strange marks, colorful symbols, and unknown words sprawled across it.
Arla (confused):
> What's all this supposed to mean?
Sara (excited):
> Okay, quick rundown! The first test's here—we'll face trap challenges made by the staff.
The second test's a maze—we just follow this route.
The third test's about writing a reflection on what we've learned… though, weirdly, it says there's no paper?
And the final part—THE MIXED TOURNAMENT! According to this, we just have to pick even numbers!
Arla (overwhelmed):
> That's… a lot to take in. Can't we read it later?
Sara (panicking):
> No way! The map only stays open for a few minutes! Memorize everything now!
Both of them spent the entire night cramming every detail.
---
The next morning…
Arla (groaning):
> Sara… are you coming? We're gonna be late for training...
Sara (half-asleep):
> You go ahead, Arla. I'm not going anywhere unwashed. I'll just take a day off…..
So Arla went alone—and the others immediately noticed the… scent of someone who hadn't showered.
Arla (grinning awkwardly):
> Heh… guess they noticed. Oh well—LET'S TRAIN ANYWAY!