"Alright, with this, all members of the White Team are here. Now, everyone, get on this airship. This will take you to the next test site—it''s a first-class luxury airship!"

    When we reached the assembly point transmitted through the watch, Tempest, the examiner, welcomed us with open arms.

    Behind him was an enormous airship.

    That must be the aerial aircraft carrier owned by the Fixer Association.

    Since the next test site, the Sky Garden, was hundreds of kilometers away in the sky,

    It made sense to use a large airship to transport a lot of people and supplies.

    Surprisingly, this massive airship could travel at speeds comparable to a train.

    It gave me a vague sense of just how advanced the technology of this era was.

    "Whoa...! There''s even a fountain inside!"

    "Is this really an airship? ...It looks as luxurious as a cruise ship."

    "It feels like walking into a building. The Association is really something else."

    Tempest’s description of a "luxury first-class airship" wasn''t an exaggeration.

    The interior of the airship was so impressive that it made me involuntarily click my tongue in awe.

    The high ceilings gave a sense of openness, and the floor and walls were decorated with expensive materials.

    It was as if a section of a high-end department store had been seamlessly grafted onto the airship.

    Even I, who had seen this in the original story, was amazed. Imagine how surprised those who hadn’t expected this would be!

    The examinees couldn’t close their mouths, too busy looking around in fascination.

    Tempest, perhaps expecting such a reaction, smiled like a mischievous old man and spoke soothingly to the exhausted candidates.

    "Kuhuhu, looks like you’re all quite surprised. Well, you’ve all been through a lot. Think of this as a short break. By the way, everything on this airship is free. As long as you don''t fight with other examinees, you can use it as much as you want!"

    "Whoa! Is that for real?"

    "Unbelievable hospitality..."

    The examinees responded with excitement at the unexpected declaration that all facilities on the airship were free.

    None of them could have imagined experiencing such luxury during the Fixer Exam.

    They could worry about the next test later.

    For now, it was best to enjoy what was being offered.

    While the White Team examinees were still in a bit of a daze,

    The Red Team and Blue Team members also boarded the airship.

    "Tch... That guy''s still alive, huh..."

    "Where did that jerk go? I need to get revenge for stabbing me in the back..."

    "That traitor! He still managed to pass?"

    As the new groups entered, the atmosphere became tense as examinees began to glare at each other.

    Considering all the betrayal and conflict during the last task, it was natural for things to be uncomfortable.

    It felt like an explosive situation was just waiting to ignite.

    But the examiners seemed completely unbothered, calmly approaching Tempest as if this was all part of the job.

    "Senior Tempest. The Red Team has arrived."

    "The Blue Team has arrived as well."

    "Ah, yes. Good work. You can clock out now. I’ll handle the report to the Association... Hey, kids. Quiet down. Are you really planning to fight here? Well, fighting is good—it shows you''re healthy. But remember, whoever breaks something pays for the repairs, got it?"

    By the way, the experts who repair this airship are so highly paid that the repair costs are astronomical.

    Tempest spoke as if sharing a boring story, but his message had a strong impact.

    The examinees, who had been ready to bare their teeth at each other, hesitated and backed down.

    No matter how angry they were, none of them wanted to quit the exam and end up paying for damages.

    And only a fool would start a fight with a powerhouse like Tempest right there.

    As the heated atmosphere gradually cooled,

    Tempest looked around at everyone and added a final comment.

    "Alright. If there’s anything important, it’ll be sent to your watches. Until then, get some rest. And remember, if you try to take off your watch by force, you’ll face a very serious penalty. Got it?"

    "Then, dismissed!"

    As soon as he finished speaking, Tempest turned around and left.

    The examiners followed him, bowing slightly before disappearing from view.

    Left behind in the airship’s grand lobby, the examinees exchanged wary glances.

    Then, one by one, they began to disperse—some to rest, some to eat, and others to seek entertainment.

    As the crowd thinned out in the lobby,

    A familiar voice called out brightly as someone broke through the crowd to approach me.

    "Ah, Yuria!"

    "...!"

    The voice belonged to none other than Alice.

    The current task didn''t seem particularly difficult for her.

    Her face showed no signs of fatigue—only the joy of seeing me.

    But her light, energetic steps suddenly halted midway.

    Probably because of the unfamiliar woman clinging to me right beside her.

    "Uh... Who, who are you...?"

    Of course, the woman''s name was Vespera.

    She seemed strangely fond of me from the start, so unless I deliberately pushed her away, there was no choice but to stick together.

    The two women exchanged glances as they faced each other.

    And then Vespera lightly licked her lips, as if she had just remembered something.

    "Oh, you''re... that kid who was next to my little one during the first task. Hmm, your magic..."

    She looked Alice up and down intently.

    And as if she had found something interesting, she licked her lips again.

    She wasn''t even trying to hide her identity anymore. She looked every bit the villain.

    Alice, who was now fully wary of Vespera’s suspicious aura, cautiously asked,

    "U-Um... What is your relationship with Yuria...?"

    "What relationship? Well... I like her, so I''m just tagging along. Then again, the nosy one over there—are you perhaps this little one''s guardian?"

    "Y-Yes, something like that... We''ve known each other since before the exam."

    "Aha, but you don’t seem very... Hmm, maybe I should hold my tongue?"

    Crackle. For a brief moment, sparks flew between Alice and Vespera’s gazes.

    Strange. They were meeting for the first time, but it seemed they already didn’t like each other.

    Naturally, this was a problem.

    Vespera was a dangerous bomb that even Tempest, the Dragon Mayor, handled with caution.

    No matter how skilled Alice was, compared to Vespera, she was just a firefly before the sun.

    I didn''t expect them to become friends, but it would be nice if they could at least stay civil.

    If Alice ended up upsetting Vespera and got hurt...

    Yeah, that was absolutely unacceptable.

    So, if it was going to turn out that way...

    "Huh? Yuria?"

    "Oh my."

    "...!"

    I looked back and forth between Alice and Vespera, then grabbed Vespera''s hand and walked forward.

    With my other hand, I took Alice’s hand and forced the two of them to hold hands.

    Naturally, both of them looked baffled by the sudden hand-holding.

    But I ignored their reactions, hugging their hands between mine as if to hold them close.

    Of course, this was all part of my calculated plan.

    I trusted that if Vespera’s real goal was the World Tree Seed, she wouldn’t cause any trouble before reaching the Sky Garden.

    And Alice, who had such a soft heart, wasn’t someone who could easily hate others.

    This was the only way to cut through the awkward tension.

    "Puhuhu... What a cute idea. Ah, isn''t this just adorable?"

    "Of course. Yuria is the cutest in the world. You’ve got quite an eye, I see."

    My plan seemed to be working well, draining the tension from both women.

    They let out light, incredulous chuckles, shrugging their shoulders.

    "By the way... So your name is Yuria. I didn’t know that before. It suits you quite well."

    "...."

    "S-So, if you''ve been with Yuria... Did you help her during the third task? How on earth...?"

    "Well, sort of. Actually, I got help too. I almost ended up sleeping outside on such a cold night."

    My peace-making strategy appeared to be a success.

    Alice and Vespera started talking about me, exchanging this and that.

    Of course, since one of them was a rather serious criminal, I wasn’t hoping they’d become close friends.

    But once this exam was over, they wouldn’t cross paths again. There was no need to worry too much about it.

    "Well, whatever. What’s your name?"

    "Me? I’m Alice."

    "Got it. I’m Bess. Want to hang out for a bit? I’ve got a lot of questions about this little one."

    "S-Sure? Is that okay, Yuria?"

    "...!"

    To be honest, being alone with Vespera was incredibly stressful.

    If Alice stayed with me, it would be a huge relief.

    Since I knew her goal, I was sure she wouldn’t act out for now.

    As long as it was just hanging out, nothing serious should happen.

    However, just as things seemed to be settling down, a very troublesome message appeared on my watch.

    [To Examinee Yuria: Please come to Room 101 in Zone A in 30 minutes. Failure to arrive on time may result in significant disadvantages to your exam results.]

    A pre-interview before the fourth task? Seriously?

    I looked at Alice and Vespera, briefly contemplating.

    Was it really okay to leave these two alone?

    I felt an unsettling sense that something strange might happen if I left.