The morning of Ryn's third trial finally arrived.
He reached the meeting point at dawn, and just like before, the crowd was thick with people—and whispers about him filled the air.
Goran walked over and greeted him.
"So, ready?"
Ryn nodded.
At that moment, the sound of approaching horses echoed nearby.
The Divine officers arrived and ordered everyone into formation.
One of them stepped forward and announced,
"My name is Seraph Wentworth. I will be leading this operation."
When Seraph's gaze landed on Ryn, his expression flickered with brief surprise. However, he quickly concealed it. The second-in-command leaned in and whispered something to him.
Goran leaned toward Ryn and muttered,
"There they go again. Whispering as soon as they see you. You really should stay alert."
Ryn nodded.
He had noticed everything—but what surprised him was that he didn't sense any hostility from this commander at all.
Once all the soldiers and mages had assembled, the order to march was given.
Ryn had traveled north before when he was assisting Richard.
But this time, the army headed northeast—a completely different route.
They marched until they reached the edge of a sparse forest, then continued into a denser woodland not far beyond.
By then, the sky had begun to darken.
Tents were set up, and everyone went about their assigned duties.
When the sun disappeared, campfires were lit to provide light.
After dinner, people began gathering in small groups, chatting in a relaxed atmosphere.
Ryn was talking with Goran as usual when footsteps stopped in front of them.
"Are you Sir Ryn?" a voice asked politely.
Both Ryn and Goran turned.
A female mage stood there and continued,
"Commander Seraph requests your presence at the main tent."
With that, she turned and walked away, leaving the two of them staring at each other in confusion.
"Again? What is it with these Divine officers?"
Goran grumbled.
"I bet they're sending you to risk your life again, just like always."
Ryn stayed silent.
He didn't know why he had been summoned, but from the very beginning, what he sensed wasn't malice—it was the gaze of someone seeking help.
Ryn parted ways with Goran and headed toward the main tent at the center of the camp.
At the entrance, he spoke clearly,
"Ryn Ardent reporting as ordered."
After a moment, Seraph's voice replied from inside,
"Come in."
Ryn stepped into the tent.
Inside stood Seraph Wentworth and his aide.
Ryn bowed respectfully to both of them, following proper protocol.
Seraph spoke first, introducing the man beside him.
"This is my aide, Rennford Blackridge."
Then he turned to Ryn and asked,
"You… are truly Sir Richard's disciple?"
Ryn answered without hesitation.
"Yes, sir."
After that, silence fell over the tent.
Ryn began to feel uneasy. He had been summoned here, yet no one said anything further.
After waiting a moment, he finally spoke up.
"So… what is it that you wish to see me about?"
Seraph remained hesitant. His expression showed that he wanted to speak, but the words refused to come. The awkward silence dragged on, growing increasingly uncomfortable.
In the end, Rennford could no longer endure it and cut in,
"We have something we'd like you to help us with."
Ryn paused slightly.
"Help you… with what, exactly?"
Seraph inhaled deeply before trying again.
"It's just that… for tomorrow, I'm not confident in the plan. I mean…"
He stopped.
"I…"
He hesitated once more, as if the words were stuck in his throat.
Rennford spoke up bluntly in his place.
"We want you to help us plan the operation."
Ryn froze in shock for a moment.
"Plan the battle…"
He spoke slowly, then added,
"But I'm not authorized to do that."
Seraph immediately replied, his voice urgent,
"I'm begging you. Please help me. Not so I can pass the trial… but because I don't want anyone to die because of my incompetence."
Ryn remained silent, carefully reading the situation and questioning what Seraph truly wanted from him.
Rennford spoke up to clarify,
"We were forced to change our mission at the last minute. Originally, we were supposed to head southwest—open wetlands. That kind of terrain suits our planning style."
He continued,
"But this place is a forest bordering a cliff. We're not confident at all."
Ryn listened without interrupting.
Seraph spoke again,
"To be honest, the one who was supposed to come here was Sir Rowan Veridan, the grandson of the Grand Sage of the Central Council, Silam Veridan."
"He didn't want this assignment, so he used his grandfather's authority to swap missions with me."
Seraph lowered his voice.
"I beg you…"
He shifted his posture, as if about to kneel.
Ryn quickly stopped him.
"Don't… don't do that."
He shook his head.
"It's not that I don't want to help. I truly can't."
He tried to refuse politely. The expressions of both Seraph and Rennford darkened.
"You know…" Ryn continued calmly,
"A trainee soldier like me isn't even authorized to study battle planning. How could I possibly act like I know better than officers who've been trained for it?"
At last, the two men sank into their seats, as if accepting defeat.
"You're right…" Seraph said in a subdued voice.
"I suppose I forgot."
He raised his head slightly.
"When I saw you this morning, I felt hopeful. Your reputation is famous—wherever you go, fewer people die."
He let out a sigh.
"But I forgot that you're still only a trainee."
He bowed his head faintly.
"I'm sorry for burdening you with my problems."
Ryn felt regret that he couldn't help them, yet he remained standing, waiting for permission to leave.
And then—
His gaze drifted toward the tactical board on the table beside him.
On the map, a Calami cave was marked, its entrance facing east. Dense forest surrounded the area, and not far beyond it stood a long, sheer cliff.
As Ryn studied the layout, something clicked in his mind.
His eyes swept across the table, searching for something.
A cup of water…
That's it, he thought.
Ryn bade the two of them farewell, then deliberately extended his hand—just enough to knock over the cup of water.
The water spilled out, flowing across the surface of the map and streaming straight toward the cliff's position.
The small wooden markers placed on the map were swept away by the current, tumbling along the water's path… and falling over the cliff's edge into the abyss below.
Seraph and Rennford stared at the scene in shock, then slowly looked up at Ryn.
They weren't sure whether what had just happened was intentional or merely an accident.
Even so, Seraph thanked Ryn for taking the time to speak with them, and at last gave him permission to leave.
When Ryn stepped out of the tent, Goran—who had been waiting anxiously—hurried over.
"So? Did those officers make you do anything weird again?"
Ryn shook his head.
"No. They just asked a few things."
Then he added calmly,
"Let's get some rest."
Goran nodded, and the two of them went their separate ways to sleep…