Murmur here took a deep breath.
“Well, it’s exactly as Murmur says.”
“That’s right. Lady Murmur clearly understands the rules!”
Esme and Monica were glued to the frame, reading the rules.
Just in case, I, Murmur, double-checked the rules—and they were identical to the game.
【MUST FOLLOW!】
『1. Must obtain consent from all participants before starting the exam』
『2. Accurately hit the magic stones hanging under the corridor to return it to its original position』
『3. Three or more consecutive failures result in one hour of ineligibility for the exam』
『4. Alignment attempts during corridor movement are prohibited』
『5. Once aligned, the corridor remains stable for 24 hours』
【TAKE HEED!】
『Lightning-attribute magical barriers surround the corridor』
『Immediate exam failure and mandatory restoration upon destruction of magic stones』
『Only practice bows and arrows may be used』
“If we fail three times, it looks like we can’t do anything for an hour.”
“Lady Murmur would never fail!”
Though I heard comments about heavy burdens being placed on my shoulders, it was fine.
I, Murmur, had diligently prepared for the Softy Trio Trial up until today.
Although we ended up not participating in the test and came here to save Torlin instead, effort never betrays people.
“Murmur will show you…!”
With the bow in hand, I aimed at the magic stone dangling beneath the floating corridor.
—Prrrr!
Though pulling back the bowstring with my small, soft hands and arms was quite challenging, it wasn’t a problem.
I, Murmur, possess the Archery Skill!
—Paaaak!
“Uwaaah!”
The arrow flew smoothly and struck the magic stone precisely.
Since this is an exam, there are no exceptions to the rules.
“It’s moving! It’s moving! We can go save Torlin now!”
“One down! But, Lady Murmur, you’ll surely hit them all from here on out!”
While my friends cheered, the floating corridor gently returned to its place, creating a new path.
“As expected of Lady Murmur! Magic or martial arts, she excels in everything…!!”
Citrine, eyes sparkling, applauded enthusiastically.
Isn’t this overdoing it by praising me too much just for hitting one arrow?
“Hieeeep…”
—Paaat! Pat!
Since time was short, I quickly shot another arrow.
The sleekly flying arrow struck the magic stone accurately, and with a humming sound, the corridor moved.
“Perfect accuracy! Murmur!”
“To hit a moving magic stone so precisely… Lady Murmur is truly remarkable!”
Indeed, as Citrine said, hitting the magic stones hanging under the moving corridor was harder than expected.
“But if I were a bird flying in the sky, it might have been tough. Still, it’s okay.”
“Is it really okay? The corridor seems to be moving faster than expected…”
The faster I, Murmur, hit the magic stones, the subtly quicker the floating corridor moved through the air.
But that was fine.
It was becoming increasingly fast, but it didn’t suddenly dodge or stop mid-air.
“Properly aim… Predict the speed, and it’ll be easy to hit.”
“B-but, Murmur, you know that’s absolutely not easy, right?”
Esme gasped, but I, Murmur, was actually hitting them.
Though I didn’t know the exact speed, after aiming the bow and observing the moving corridor, I felt confident that shooting around this point would work.
—Piiuung!
“Uwaaah! Another direct hit, Murmur!”
Esme happily grinned while hugging me and rubbing cheeks against mine.
“Uuuuh… Esme! That’s unnecessary.”
“No, no! You’re doing incredibly well, Murmur!”
If I let her continue, she’d probably lift me up and spin me around!
“But Lady Murmur… There was no mention of this in the rules, was there?”
Unlike the ecstatic Esme, Citrine pointed tensely at the sky.
—Krik krik!
There, several mechanical birds appeared, making gear-like sounds.
“Yikes! No need to look closely! This must be Senior Garitosha interfering unfairly after kidnapping Torlin!”
Letting go of me, Esme smiled.
“It’s obvious they’ll try to interfere with Lady Murmur’s archery.”
“That’s true. They might fly in and break our arrows or even attack us…”
“Hmph! If they think they can act so despicable, I’ve got a plan too!”
Would you call it crude or, in some sense, precise?
Esme swiftly drew a magic circle with her fingertips.
“There’s only one thing forbidden in the Archery Test! Do not destroy the magic stones!”
As ignorant as it may seem, it was accurate.
Esme generated lightning from her fingertips and deftly destroyed the airborne mechanical birds.
—Zzzap! Flash!
“Oh-ho ho ho! That’s right, Lady Murmur! We’ll block Senior Garitosha’s despicable interference!”
Citrine skillfully created a giant water droplet in her palm and struck the mechanical birds.
Who would’ve guessed this part would be exactly like the game?
Wait! Then Monica must…
“Tch!”
With a loud creak, the room’s door opened, and Monica was already there, having smashed an automaton’s head with a holy weapon conjured in her hand.
“Lady Murmur, don’t worry about it and focus on shooting!”
…
Isn’t she too good at close combat?
If she keeps fighting so fiercely like that, people will definitely train Monica as a tank!!!
“Murmur wants to thank everyone!”
I, Murmur, couldn’t handle shooting arrows, dealing with mechanical birds, and fighting automatons rushing out of the room alone.
Thanks to my friends’ help, I could calmly draw the bowstring.
“Tch…”
Another arrow flew straight toward the magic stone.
—Whiiiing!
As Citrine predicted, a few mechanical birds flapped their large wings, creating wind.
It was natural for the arrow’s trajectory to change.
“I knew they’d act so despicably!”
Esme perfectly countered with a wind magic spell, correcting the arrow’s trajectory at just the right moment.
Before the mechanical birds could do anything else, Citrine fired a rapid magic arrow, shattering their wings.
—Paang!
“Another hit! Murmur!”
“At this rate, we’ll reach the fourth floor in no time!”
Encouraged and assisted by my friends, I, Murmur, calmly drew the bowstring.
Only six magic stones remain!
With my nearly invincible friends supporting me, there was nothing to fear.
“I’ll hit them all, so everyone, please keep going just a little longer!”
*
“No way…”
Garitosha’s hand began trembling as she watched Murmur through the crystal orb.
At first, she shook her head in disbelief, but her face gradually contorted.
“Liar! Liar! Liar! Liar!!”
Her screams became increasingly hysterical, her nails scratching the crystal orb’s surface with sharp noises.
Watching Murmur through the crystal orb, Garitosha eventually lost her temper and grabbed her own hair.
“Other fools were wiped out on the first floor… And yet, these brats…!”
She couldn’t comprehend it.
Last year, and even earlier, this Clubhouse, which she had occupied, was an impregnable fortress, untouchable even by faculty members.
Whenever she heard screams from the first floor, she felt euphoric confirmation of her righteousness. Even when someone managed to ascend to the second floor after many sacrifices, she could laugh watching them battered by automaton attacks.
“…These annoying brats…”
When Murmur arrived at the third floor and casually picked up a bow, Garitosha mocked her.
What could that tiny demon race brat possibly achieve?
Matching the floating corridors was an extremely difficult task.
They’d undoubtedly tire from the endless onslaught of automatons and mechanical birds.
“I’m not wrong… This Clubhouse is invincible… No one can pass through my precious sanctuary…”
Garitosha clenched her teeth until they cracked, breathing heavily as she pulled away from the crystal orb.
Behind her stood ‘Torlin,’ tied to a chair.
“Ugh…”
Garitosha, who had abducted her in the early morning, forced a smile as she looked down at her.
“You sure are tight-lipped, fitting for a dirty dwarf.”
Garitosha clicked her tongue and spoke.
“I told you, no one will come to rescue you.”
“B-but…”
“Shut up! Just shut up and tell me what I want!”
Garitosha magically levitated a feather pen and paper in the air and shouted.
“Reveal the secret! You know it, don’t you!”
“N-no, I don’t know…”
“You must know! The daughter of House Stonfire wouldn’t not know!”
“B-but I’m not T-Torlin Stonfire! I’m Stoneheart!”
Garitosha slapped Torlin across the face roughly.
In her excitement, she exhaled sharply while grabbing Torlin’s crimson hair and forcing her to look at her.
“Do you think I’m a fool? Did you really think I wouldn’t know you’re the daughter of House Stonfire?”
“W-wah…”
“There’s no one coming to save you! At best, there are only those elementary unit kids! They’ll all die trapped in my traps!”
Torlin sniffled.
“I-I-I don’t know anything! R-really, I d-don’t know anything!”
“You can’t not know! Is it believable that the eldest daughter of House Stonfire doesn’t know about the forge’s secrets?!”
“I-I-I’m still in fifth grade… P-please, I-I don’t know anything about the Holy Sword…”
“Shut up! You’re a dwarf! Your age isn’t comparable to ours!”
Garitosha whined while tormenting Torlin.
“W-wah…”
Torlin’s cheek stung, her stomach hurt, and her fingers were swollen red. She sniffled.
Hiding her family name during her first meeting with Murmur, this situation was all too familiar to her.
The pain was just more intense this time.
No one saw Torlin as Torlin.
“Nobody… Nobody will come to save m-me…”
In cooperative assignments, she naturally ended up alone due to her poor social skills.
She knew how others viewed her, making it hard for her to make friends easily.
But she didn’t give up.
She always cherished the stories her father told her and remembered the kind words her grandmother often shared while smiling brightly.
“Still, I can’t say… No matter how much it hurts, I can’t say…”
Even though she might have crumbled easily in the past, something was different today.
Deep inside the young dwarf’s heart lay the stories Esme had shared.
Citrine’s proud tales.
Nicasia’s gentle smiles and kind words.
Monica’s sparkling eyes and the countless heroic tales she told for hours.
“Maybe… Maybe Murmur will come to save me…”
Perhaps the brave hero might come to rescue her.
It was a shining dream that the young dwarf, who knew the secrets of the Holy Sword, could earnestly wish for.
