The path leading to the cedar tree was completely empty, a bonus from knowing the plot meant nothing would come as a surprise, so when Carlene entered the village with no human life insight she just kept walking.
A crow cawed overhead as a guest of wind swept towards her, sending sand flying into the air, causing her to close her eyes to protect them.
And within the time her eyes were closed, an impromptu stage had rolled into her path, an old woman sat in the front with masked and cloaked figures lined up behind her, holding different types of instruments.
"Exciting… exciting… Time for the exciting multiple choice quiz!" The old lady shouted and the cloaked figures played their instruments. Carlene closed her eyes tiredly, ready for the question.
"Let me guess… you young lady are heading for the cedar tree on the top of the hill. There's only one way to get there… You'll have to pass through this town first."
Carlene caught the woman's stare. And turned to her. Aged eyes staring down at each other waiting for the other to say something.
"You must pass a quiz consisting of a single question." The old woman stated and Carlene nodded along.
"You have five seconds to answer, if you are correct then you get to move on. If not then you are disqualified from this year's exam."
"I understand, I'm ready for your question." The old lady blinked at her slowly before continuing.
"Your answer must contain the number one or two, any answer that is not the number one or two will be considered incorrect.
A figure with red hair then brought over a podium with a buzzer on it in front of her then walked away, "Now here is your question…"
A figure honked their horn and the crow cawed.
"A group of villains comes after your town, and you can save the entire town if you sacrifice one person but if you save that one person then your entire town will perish. Choose one to sacrifice the one person, or two to save the one person. Which of these two will you do?"
The wind went by in a violent breeze, Carlene stood there unfazed.
"Five… four… three… two… one! Time is up!" The old woman smiled at Carlene's silence.
"That is the correct answer." The old woman got up and walked over to a closed doorway, "The path you must take is right here, you will walk for about two hours and you will reach the cedar tree."
Carlene walked over and stood next to the elderly woman.
"There is a couple who live in a cabin under the cedar tree, who serve as navigators, they will lead you to the next part of the exam." The elderly woman looked up at Carlene and smiled.
"It is only the first day of the start of the Exam period, most examinees are still within the first part of the testing, and you have shown some excellent wit. Do your best to become a great Hunter!"
"If I'm being honest, I don't plan to take the exam." Carlene begins, flicking her eyes down the tunnel.
"Oh?"
"My younger brother, he ran away from home and is planning to take the exam, I only wish to get to the exam site and see if I can convince him to go home with me."
"And if you can't?"
"Then I will take the exam by his side." The only lady's eyes softened and Carlene felt a little better about the task that made her feel sick to her stomach at the thought.
"Then I wish you and your brother luck."
Carlene left, entering the dark tunnel with no more words and had to pretend she couldn't feel the eyes boring into her back as she walked away.
A part of her wondered if the only lady and her colleagues could tell that she has already made such a choice, and she doesn't regret her choice to save only one person.
The path up to the cedar tree was long, the songs of unfamiliar birds being the only noise and Carlene found herself enjoying the peaceful atmosphere, paying no attention to the 'beware magical beast' signs as she passed them by, bag bouncing on her hip as she walked.
As she finally came across the cabin she looked at its stairway leading to the door and made her way up the stairs slowly, feeling no rush when this test would be done quickly.
She knocked loudly and when she got no response she sighed and pushed the door open gently, there one of the Kirikos stood, laughing menacingly when it made eye contact, its daughter faking unconsciousness in its arms and her brother laying on the ground.
The Kiriko jumped out of the window quickly, expecting her to chase after it. She sighed and walked over to the brother, sitting him up as he groaned.
"P-please! You have to save my wife..!" He muttered out and she felt the need to applaud him for his performance.
"Your wife will be alright, what happened?"
"W-we were about to have dinner and that- that thing broke through the window and attacked us! Please! You need to save my wife!" He gripped her shoulders tightly, but she didn't feel like keeping the act going.
"That was a Kiriko, a magical beast that can take human form. I don't understand why you're so surprised. After all, somebody had to put up the beware signs. And for someone who was about to have dinner, then where are all the broken plates and food on the ground?" Carlene moved his hands off her shoulder and stood up.
"It's a good ploy, great even. But Kiriko number four, it isn't enough to trick me." She said, and the son stopped his defenceless husband act.
"Hey mom! Dad! You guys can come back now! We were figured out!" The navigator stood up, brushing dirt off his pants with a wide smile. As his parents and sister's laughter got closer and closer.
"Kekeke, that has to be the quickest an examinee has figured us out!" One of the parents laughed out, the other giggling beside it. Their children, standing in human form in front of them.
"Allow us to introduce ourselves! We are the navigators, our family provides support for the Hunters Exam."
"I'm their daughter!"
"And I'm their son." They introduced themselves and Carlene nodded, trying to figure out which was the mom and which was the dad.
"The exam site always moves around, keeps it interesting and hard to find, but that's why they keep moving it around each year. Understand?" The first Kiriko started only for their spouse to continue.
"They hire navigators like us to help by guiding worthy participants to the exam site."
"Miss, you had only been inside the cabin for a few minutes and had a few hints along the path, but you were able to determine that I wasn't married, nor human with only that! Because of this, you are qualified to take the Hunter Exam!" The son said simply and Carlene was glad to have the easy parts done.
The daughter changed her form and raised her wings, "Alright, our daughter, she will now be taking you straight to the exam site! We wish you luck!"
And with that, Carlene found herself in Zadan City, the daughter led her to the front of the small restaurant where the exam was waiting.
"I swear, you must be one of the first ones here! You must be very proud!" She said with a grin and Carlene could only give her a small smile.
As they entered the small restaurant the chef looked up and gave the two of them a look.
"What are you having?"
"The steak combo, the one that will make us see the light, make it for one." The navigator said with a smile, and the chef narrowed his eyes at them.
"Combo for one huh, and how would you like to have it cooked?"
"Grilled slowly on a low flame until done please!" She said with a smile and the chef went back to paying attention to cooking.
"Got it, see yourselves to the backroom."
"I'm afraid that combo will have to wait." Carlene stated, causing the navigator and the chef to look up at her quickly in confusion.
"There is someone I'm waiting for, I don't know if they will make it so I want to wait for them." The chef and navigator shared a look and shrugged.
"All right then, if you are sure that's what you want to do. I hope to be able to be your navigator next year! Good luck!" The navigator said before leaving the restaurant and disappearing into the crowd.
And so the wait for Iquella begins.
