Chapter 344: Reflection After the Exam

When Team 277 exited the labyrinth, several hundred examinees had already passed through the exit.

Clearly, Senior Cuique and the others did not find the exit particularly quickly.

Although Senior Tu Dinggui had already employed her true strength, their location was simply too poor—after penetrating several nodes, they were quite far from the true exit, so even with rushing, it still took nearly an hour to reach the exit.

Regarding this result, Senior Cuique had no particular thoughts; after all, compared to the thousands of examinees, finding the labyrinth exit within the top few hundred was already considered very good. Adding the reward points Team 277 obtained inside the labyrinth, their final total score could also rank third, which could be said to be quite excellent. In fact, measured against Senior Cuique's own goal of remaining as low-key as possible, this result was too good.

However, Senior Tu Dinggui did not seem quite satisfied with this outcome.

Although she did not display too much emotion on the surface, the slight urgency she showed while finally exploring the exit, and her disappointed expression upon learning her departure order from the exit had ranked beyond the top hundred, were all captured by Senior Cuique.

"It's only the first practical assessment, isn't this already a good start?"

Taking advantage of Senior Tu Dinggui's rest break, Senior Cuique pretended to speak casually: "As long as we perform steadily and achieve good rankings in the next few assessments, isn't it possible to get first place in the end?"

"Hm? Ah."

Realizing Senior Cuique was speaking to her, Senior Tu Dinggui reacted for a few seconds before responding softly: "Sorry, did I show my disappointment too obviously?"

Senior Cuique did not expect her response to be so direct.

"... Not really, at least Senior Gouweicao probably didn't notice."

After thinking for a moment, she stopped hiding it: "Actually, I didn't really feel any 'disappointment' from you; I just logically inferred that you might not be quite satisfied with this result."

"Mm, indeed, I am a bit dissatisfied."

Probably because her mana consumption inside the labyrinth was considerable, Senior Tu Dinggui had already dispelled her transformation state; she took off her coat and held it in the crook of her arm, speaking bluntly: "I would prefer to be the first place."

"That is quite obvious."

Senior Cuique nodded: "And what you want, Senior, shouldn't just be first place in a single assessment, but first place in this entire assessment cycle, right?"

"... Of course." Senior Tu Dinggui hesitated slightly: "Rather, I must be the first place."

This speech sounded like that of a top student in a class during school days, the kind who might cry because an exam wasn't a perfect score.

"Then your self-standards are truly strict."

Senior Cuique was slightly stunned: "But so many people are participating in this assessment, and there are surely many talented examinees; the idea of 'only being first place' will make things very hard for you."

"I know."

Senior Tu Dinggui nodded while holding her coat: "That is why I feel that if the result of the first assessment could be a bit better, the chance of achieving first place in the total score would be greater."

"Ha." Regarding this self-abusive self-demand and logic, Senior Cuique could only emit such a sigh.

"Sorry." Hearing Senior Cuique's sigh, Senior Tu Dinggui apologized softly.

"Why apologize suddenly?"

"These things are my own demands on myself, but since we are currently a team, in the upcoming events, they will more or less affect you all." Senior Tu Dinggui spoke seriously.

"In that case, shouldn't I be the one apologizing to you, Senior?"

Senior Cuique looked utterly bewildered: "After all, I stated my ugly words upfront; I am not a very powerful magical girl, and being my teammate certainly won't help much with your goal of 'fighting for first place'."

"But if it weren't for being on a team with me, a normal examinee would actually only need to achieve a 'passing' result normally."

Senior Tu Dinggui clearly believed in her own logic: "And to achieve my goal, in the upcoming events, I might also semi-forcibly push you all to move forward together."

How exactly was this child raised normally?

Rarely, Senior Cuique began to feel that Senior Tu Dinggui was also a quite troublesome child.

She had no doubt that if it were her own daughter, having dragged the entire team to climb to first place in exploration points inside the labyrinth and achieving third place in the comprehensive score for that assessment, she would absolutely have her nose stuck in the sky, thinking "you all should thank me and praise me."

Rather, most people at this time should have a similar mindset.

Yet Senior Tu Dinggui, who clearly did the most work and made the most contributions within the team, could now turn around and apologize to her teammates, feeling that not getting first place meant she hadn't done enough?

"I do want to get a good result, Senior Tu Dinggui."

Controlling her facial expression, Senior Cuique spoke as calmly as possible: "And as far as I know, Senior Gouweicao probably thinks the same. So you really don't need to feel that 'wanting first place' is just your own wishful thinking; if possible, we all hope for this."

Of course, this was a lie.

Senior Cuique herself actually didn't want to be first at all; rather, she was actually the kind of person Senior Tu Dinggui mentioned earlier, who "only wants to achieve a normal passing result."

What she was saying now was completely

based on assuming what a magical girl named Gentian, a newcomer participating in the assessment, would feel, and speaking accordingly.

A newcomer magical girl participating in an assessment for the first time would be strange if she didn't want to get a good result.

"But, even if you want high scores, if you hadn't been assigned to our team, Senior Gouweicao and I probably wouldn't have been able to achieve such good results. So, you are actually the hero of our team right now."

Senior Cuique tried hard to step into the role of "Gentian" and spoke to Senior Tu Dinggui in a very serious tone: "In my view, you have already done very well and are also very remarkable, Senior Tu Dinggui; I am very grateful to you."

"... Thank you for saying that."

The encouragement from a "junior" apparently did make Senior Tu Dinggui feel slightly happier; a bit of joy appeared in her calm expression: "Yes, I actually should thank you too, Gentian. Although I don't know why, I feel you have said many things very valuable to me today, including right now; I have learned a lot."

"It's just a few phrases I picked up from others in daily life; if they are useful to you, Senior, that would be even better."

Senior Cuique was equally humble: "I hope you can cheer up, Senior, because our team's ranking in the next few assessments depends entirely on you."

For a moment, the atmosphere between the two became quite harmonious; such polite and humble dialogue, if seen by the teachers of the Silver Corridor, would probably be listed as a typical case in the "Etiquette for Magical Girl Team Cooperation."

"Mm, I will."

Senior Tu Dinggui smiled slightly: "Rather, please leave it to me."

"That is truly reassuring." Senior Cuique likewise showed a ritualized smile.

"However, Gentian."

"What is it, Senior?"

"Um, although it might be a somewhat Tang Tu request, or could be said to be my personal preference, but..."

Somehow, Senior Tu Dinggui suddenly acted a bit shy, and then, quite hesitantly, said:

"If possible, could you stop calling me 'Senior' and instead call me 'Big Sister'?"