"Ugh! I'm so exhausted! I don't feel like I managed to stand out at all!"
"That’s not true. You did a great job, Melt!"
"Yugo's right. Well done, Epee-san."
"Mmm, but it still feels like things didn't go right... Yugo, comfort me!"
"Whoa! H-hey! Ryuga's watching, you...!"
The exam had officially begun, and since the first group finished their segment early, Yugo had gone with Ryuga to meet Melt. He now found himself in a flustered state as she leaned into him and hugged him tight.
Part of him wanted to praise Melt for her hard work—and there was no denying he enjoyed the physical contact—but the gazes from Ryuga and the others were becoming unbearable.
Ryuga watched them with a warm, indulgent smile, but the glares from the other male students were sharp with resentment. Yugo desperately wanted to avoid their eyes, but Melt, still resting her full weight against him, suddenly spoke up.
"Come to think of it, those Lord Hero Candidates didn't bother me much during the test. Usually, when you aren't around, Yugo, they're even more persistent than usual."
"Now that you mention it, you're right. I was watching the monitor, and they didn't follow their usual pattern."
"I wonder if they finally realized there’s no room for them between us and gave up? That would be a huge relief!"
"Maybe... though I suspect it's because their eyes are glued to the Warrior Shrine Maidens right now. If that means they'll stop picking fights with us, it’s a win in my book."
Yugo recalled the footage of Melt's exam. Unlike their usual behavior, boys like Cyan hadn't approached her at all. He wondered if they had finally learned their lesson after the string of entirely self-inflicted misfortunes they’d suffered... but then he remembered who they were. They weren't the type to reflect on their actions.
A chilling thought crossed his mind.
(If Cyan or Egos managed to catch the Warrior Shrine Maidens' favor and treated them the way they’ve treated Melt and Ann, it would trigger a massive international incident!)
The reality of that possibility made Yugo turn pale. Surely the Shrine Maidens wouldn't fall for such vulgar losers, right? But then he remembered how the general student body inexplicably idolized the Hero Candidates. His anxiety grew, but Melt—who had clearly recovered her spirits—turned her attention to him and Ryuga.
"Oh well, enough about me! What matters now is you two! Regardless of the Shrine Maidens' evaluation, this is your chance to go all out and show everyone what you can do!"
"Actually... Ryuga, I was thinking it might be better if we didn't work together for this test."
"Eh...?"
Melt let out a soft sound of surprise.
Ryuga also looked slightly surprised, though he kept his composure. "And why is that? Do you not trust me?"
"It’s not that. It just doesn't feel fair. We only met this morning by chance, and things have just worked out too perfectly. It feels wrong to coast through the exam on that kind of luck. I want to take this test in a way that no one can claim I cheated or took an easy path."
"You’re honest to a fault, aren't you? It’s almost funny how straightforward you are."
Ryuga let out a soft, amused chuckle as he gave his assessment. Then, he continued.
"If that’s what you want, I’ll go along with it. I had a feeling that even if we did cooperate and succeed, we’d only end up being the target of rumors. But... well, I have a feeling neither of us will get the chance to stand out in this exam. It’s just a hunch, though."
"Eh? Why do you think that?"
"If you don't understand, don't worry about it. Just stay exactly as you are."
With that cryptic parting shot, Ryuga walked away. Yugo and Melt shared a confused look, both of them tilting their heads in thought.
"What was that all about?" Melt wondered aloud. "I could understand if he meant it would be hard for you to stand out, Yugo, but he said 'we,' meaning himself too."
"I don't know... and what did he mean by 'stay as I am'?"
Ryuga hadn't sounded like he was mocking Yugo. He sounded like he was simply stating a future fact, which made the warning even more unsettling. At that moment, Yugo couldn't begin to guess what Ryuga meant... but once the exam truly began, the meaning became painfully clear.