"We're in the exam." Thalia replied softly. She seemed to realize how short that answer was and turned her head, her expression suddenly full of realization and shock.
"You don't know where you are?"
A hundred thoughts rushed through Orion's head, but it only took him a few seconds to decide.
He'd lie. A little bit.
"I don't remember, Thalia. Can you tell me more about this place? When I opened my eyes, people were fighting everywhere. There were monsters and I had to run to stay alive." It wasn't even a complete lie.
Now that Orion had a reliable person he could talk to, he finally felt like he could relax and start his new life.
"I will explain everything."
Orion was enjoying her touch very much. And her breath smelled sweet. I wonder if my mouth smells? He had no clue.
He'd vomited and oozed pus and other things during his first few deaths. But after that, his body had been destroyed and rebuilt so many times that he wasn't even sure what he looked or smelled like anymore.
Thalia's soft gaze made his heart speed up a bit. The last time he'd gotten this close to a woman was a paid experience during his college years. If I smelled bad or looked terrible, she wouldn't be looking at me like this. I need to keep trusting my instincts.
At that moment, Thalia picked up a small branch from the side and tossed it into the fire. Then she threw in a few more and turned her full attention back to Orion.
"Why are you here?" she asked, her voice unintentionally slipping into something closer to a principal's command. She quickly caught herself, softened her tone and played the role of a nervous student again.
"I meant you should be happy. Coming this far in this maze is excellent. Also, this area is far from where the entrance exam normally takes place. Just being here probably puts you among the top candidates."
"Entrance exam?" He said that aloud but his inner thoughts were in chaos.
So, this is a magic school kind of test with a huge ass dragon inside? He didn't want to believe that.
"I've seen a lot of death just getting here. I was already in the middle of a battle when I woke up. But somehow, I kept surviving. It all felt like a dream."
He leaned forward, staring directly into her curious hazel-red eyes. They were inches apart. "I remember nothing except my name."
He grinned inside as Thalia's expression changed like a puzzle piece had clicked into place. "So you don't remember the written test either?"
He shook his head.
"I don't know how I will get home either. Can you help me get out, Thalia. Please?"
A puppy-like expression appeared on Orion's face, something he had never managed to have even once in his previous life. He looked into the eyes of the red-haired young woman in a sweet and irresistible way.
He isn't lying. Thalia thought. And she was sure.
She was an experienced power figure for most of her life. Even if she wasn't a mage, Thalia still had basic abilities related to lie detection.
If Thalia were in her right mind, she would still question Orion like a predator and extract the whole truth. But she was in a romantic mood and had her own needs. So she accepted the whole memory loss story with a small smile.
She reached into her bag and pulled out a brochure. A photo of a huge building filled the front page. There were texts etched across it. It was clearly the Language of Midka. Orion could read and understand the words. The System really helped him this time.
"We are inside the entrance exam for Midka Academy. And like I said, it's almost over. We can get you checked out by a doctor to see if they can help you with your memory problem."
As Orion looked at the smiling girl and the picture of the school, a wave of warmth rushed through his chest. Maybe this wasn't some dark, gritty survival world after all. Maybe my new life will have romance and a regular school life.
Things were looking pretty good. How will I commute to school though? All my clothes and belongings were destroyed earlier.
Thalia showed a sweet smile and took a sneak peek at Orion's body using the topic at hand.
"Don't worry about that. We had to submit all personal belongings before the exam started."
"And the school wanted you to prepare a backup set of clothes in case you survive the Hell Maze. The Academy doesn't allow students to walk around naked, silly."
Her smile and reddish hazel eyes were mesmerizing. If Thalia didn't look so adorable, Orion would have caught on sooner.
Wait, she really said 'if students survive.'
..
So the entrance exam has a real death risk and I would be dead after transmigration. That means I got lucky with the 'Cheat Your Death'.
Thalia handed him a water bottle while shaking her head gently.
"Don't worry about anything. The entrance exams finished half an hour ago. The last one was the Hell Maze. As long as you passed the exam, nothing else will be a problem anymore."
After Orion drank, she took the bottle back and shoved it inside her bag. And she pointed at the images on the brochure again.
"Let me explain the basics. Right now, you're in the most important place in the Human Domain: Midka Academy.
And as I said before, your exam is already over. So no need to stress." She was overly enthusiastic to explain the basics.
"Once we leave here, there's no need to find your family either. Because those who pass the entrance exam aren't allowed to leave the school for their entire first year."
Thalia was still speaking excitedly, full of joy and passion. She was incredibly pure, despite being the Headmistress of the Academy and the strongest human around.
She was too pure in the most twisted ways possible.
Thalia truly believed that she'd get to spend time with Orion as fellow students. And that they'd flirt, maybe-no definitely fall in love and live out some beautiful romantic school life together.
When she paused mid-sentence, Orion smiled. "Don't stop. Keep going. Once we start school are we going to attend the same classes?"
Thalia nodded, her face lighting up. "Yes! We both passed the exam, so we'll be spending tons of time together. There's dormitories, many interesting dining places and huge training fields, theaters and so many other fun places!"
Orion paused, then realized he didn't have anything. No wallet, no clothes, no books.
"I should probably go shopping for at least some school uniform and school supplies."
Thalia was enjoying Orion's hand on her hair. It was the first time a man- actually anyone was caressing her head.
"That won't be an issue. Actually, it's the last thing you should worry about. The Academy doesn't allow outside currency during the first year. Instead, you're given a certain number of credits. Everything you need for your classes is given to you based on your entrance exam ranking.
If you need extra things like boxers, alcohol or body cologne, you can use your credits to shop."
Orion didn't see the excited look in Thalia's eyes or what her examples really meant. He was still thinking about his new life.
"What about you, Thalia? You said this area is more dangerous than the upper floor, but you're here.."
For the next several minutes, Orion continued to sit with her, changing their posture from time to time, holding her hands, stroking her hair. No matter what kind of physical contact he initiated, Thalia never once resisted.
As Orion listened and acted on new instincts, he noticed Thalia looking at him with increasing warmth. Trusting his feelings even more, he never stopped acting close and intimate. Even though he knew she wasn't who she claimed to be, he trusted the charisma of his new body.
With all his questions answered, Orion was now sure this was an extremely dangerous magic school. It lasted five years.
The Academy lasted five years and as far as he could tell, they were still within the Academy grounds. But in a dangerous and forbidden sector that was used for entrance exams each year.
The full name of the school was something long and boring like "Midka Imperial Academy of Arcane Sciences and Applied Essences". After a few hundred years, everyone had just shortened it to Midka Academy.
It wasn't just an academy or college, it was a weapon according to Thalia.
Midka Academy was the most powerful military, technological, magical and intellectual institution under human control.
Royalty, nobles, elite families and tycoons all sent their children here through various channels. Also, all geniuses, accomplished people and individuals with promising abilities were sent here and tested if they met certain criteria.
There were other schools but this place was the top school meant to unite the whole Human Race.
This was where the best of the best came to become even better. Only humans or half humans between the ages of 18 and 20 could apply to enroll in the school.
Candidates at 18 and 19 could delay taking the exam to increase their chances of a better entrance rank. This was because you only had one chance in the exams. If you failed, you couldn't try again for Midka Academy.
Most students joined the exams at 20 years old to aim for the highest possible score. And it wasn't just because of the one-chance rule.
Class placement affected too many things, like resource allocation, privileges, money, clothes, personal trainers, dormitories and even the quality of food.
As far as Orion understood from Thalia's words, everything in this school was determined by your entrance rank.
The quality of your daily items, potions, weapons, magic instruction, teachers and even the quality of your underwear all depended on that score you had in the beginning. Orion didn't understand the underwear part but still trusted Thalia.
And lastly, this red-haired innocent Thalia, claimed to be 20 years old was the Headmistress's niece.
"Yeah, you aren't..." Orion thought to himself, but making sure his eyes didn't wander or look suspicious.
He had seen the shredded monster corpses. He also understood that this young woman wasn't as innocent or young as she looked. But for now, he acted as if he believed the lies Thalia told about herself.
Thalia nervously squeezed her fingers together, gazing at Orion's long lashes and kind smile.
"Dimples. He has cute dimples." Thalia wasn't acting like a 55-year-old Immortal War Queen. She was behaving like a young girl meeting her idol.
The way Orion looked at her made her heart race. He must like me too. This must be how love at first sight feels.
Thalia Arken, the feared Immortal War Queen, was blushing as she looked at Orion's lips and bare chest.
She warned him, "If teachers try to recruit you as a personal student, just ignore them. Surviving until here is already a huge achievement."
Orion nodded and looked at the ceiling of this floor.
"Maybe we should start going outside. I missed the sunlight already."
She was about to say something sweet and hopeful about their future school life together, but Orion's body suddenly glowed.
And he vanished.
Thalia stood up in a flash. It was like she disappeared while sitting and suddenly showed up standing on her feet.
She looked at the spot where Orion had just been. After a brief pause and a blush spreading all over her face, she shook her head with a sigh.
Can't the damn ranking last a few more hours? Or a few days.. I guess I'll sniff-I mean talk with him later.
Thalia was trembling with her fantasies.
Grabbing her bag and taking out the water bottle inside, she slowly and carefully opened the cap. As she looked at the mouth of the glass bottle, her face had a strange look.
After a few seconds of daydreaming, she opened her mouth and started licking and drinking from the bottle.
( ´ཀ` )
Her face changed into a silly grin. "This is an indirect kiss, right? I hope it counts."
While drinking from the bottle lost in her fantasies, Thalia could now see the approaching creature in the distance. A few seconds later, a giant beast appeared in the air.
If Orion had been there, he wouldn't have believed that the entire region he had walked through in ten minutes was now completely covered by a living being. From a scientific perspective, the existence of such a massive flying biological entity was an insult to his modern logic.
Thalia put the water bottle back into her bag and sent a voice message through the communication device on her left arm.
"Start a detailed investigation on candidate Orion Vale. Also, promote him directly to S-1 ranking. I want no issues until I return!"
She put on her helmet and took her sword in hand.
The giant monster in the air lowered its head and roared toward her.
The ground shook like an earthquake and a terrifying battle erupted where a gentle campfire had stood moments before.