Velren sheathed his katana and approached Eterna.
The girl, as if only just noticing someone drawing near, subtly shifted her stance. She then rested her fingers lightly on the hilt of her rapier—ready.
Velren blinked before raising both hands high.
"Whoa, it's just me."
Eterna didn't relax. Instead, she locked her gaze onto him, her posture still taut.
Then, she spoke:
"What's the name of my Vital Crest?"
Velren hesitated.
"What?"
She didn't repeat the question. She simply stood there, waiting with an unwavering caution.
Velren felt a prickle of unease but answered.
"Wh— When Stars Decide."
Only then did she relax—just slightly.
"One can never be too careful," she murmured.
Velren exhaled. That… actually made sense.
With all the strange abilities floating around in this exam, there was no telling what kind of tricks other students possessed. Illusions, mind control, shapeshifting—who knew? A moment of carelessness could mean defeat.
