Chapter 54: The Trust Exercise

The three reflected figures stepped into the classroom.

They looked exactly like Ethan, Rowan, and Noah.

The real Ethan stared at the mirror.

Noah stared at his reflection.

Rowan stared at the reflected classroom.

Adrian stared at everyone.

Elena stared at the mirror’s edges, searching for the spell structure.

The reflected Professor Voss stood behind the teacher’s desk.

"One of them is not who they claim to be."

Noah raised his hand.

"Can we make an educated guess?"

The reflection turned toward him.

"You may ask questions."

"Can we ask easy questions?"

"No."

"Can we ask the difficult questions and pretend they were easy?"

"No."

Noah lowered his hand.

"This is an unfriendly educational environment."

The real Professor Voss’s voice came from somewhere beyond the mirror.

"Stop complaining and focus."

Noah turned toward the glass.

"Professor, are you watching us?"

"Yes."

"Then you can confirm that I am being treated unfairly."

"Yes."

"Are you going to help?"

"No."

Noah placed a hand over his heart.

"I feel abandoned."

The reflected Professor Voss continued:

"The exercise will last ten minutes. You may ask questions, compare memories, and decide who you trust."

Ethan looked at the three reflections.

The reflected Ethan stood with his arms crossed.

The reflected Rowan looked confused.

The reflected Noah was already searching beneath the desks.

Ethan frowned.

"Why is reflected Noah checking the furniture?"

The reflected Noah looked up.

"I am looking for a weapon."

Noah pointed at the mirror.

"That is definitely me."

The reflected Professor Voss shook her head.

"Identity is not determined by habits."

"It should be," Noah said. "My habits are very consistent."

The reflection of Ethan stepped forward.

"If one of us is false, then the test is pointless."

"Why?" Elena asked.

"Because a false copy may possess the memories of the original."

The reflected Ethan looked toward the real Ethan.

"He could be the copy."

Noah immediately pointed at Ethan.

"That is what a copy would say."

Ethan looked at him.

"That is also what I would say."

"Exactly. Suspicious."

Rowan stepped closer to his reflection.

"What memories do you have?"

The reflected Rowan looked at him.

"I remember being created."

"What happened afterward?"

"I chose my name."

"What name?"

"Rowan."

Rowan looked at Ethan.

"He answers correctly."

Noah raised a finger.

"That only proves he knows the story."

The reflected Rowan tilted his head.

"What would prove that I am real?"

Noah thought about it.

"Do you know what boiled cabbage tastes like?"

The reflected Rowan paused.

The real Rowan immediately answered:

"Like a vegetable that has surrendered."

Noah pointed toward him.

"That is the real one."

Adrian frowned.

"That is your method?"

"It is a very serious question."

The reflected Rowan looked offended.

"I have never tasted boiled cabbage."

"Exactly."

The reflected Rowan said:

"Because I have existed for less than a day."

Noah slowly lowered his hand.

"That is also correct."

The reflected Professor Voss wrote something on the blackboard.

**NOAH BLAKE: METHOD QUESTIONABLE. RESULT INCONCLUSIVE.**

Noah looked at the mirror.

"You could at least reward creativity."

**CREATIVITY IS NOT EVIDENCE.**

"It should be."

**THAT IS WHY YOU ARE NOT A TEACHER.**

"I never wanted to be a teacher."

**NO ONE ASKED.**

Elena examined the reflections carefully.

"The false one may not be a complete copy," she said. "It could be an illusion designed to create doubt."

The reflected Ethan turned toward her.

"Then how do you intend to identify it?"

"By comparing reactions."

"That is unreliable."

"You are reacting now."

"I am reacting because you accused me."

"That reaction is also useful."

The reflected Ethan smiled faintly.

The real Ethan narrowed his eyes.

"That is not my smile."

Noah pointed at him.

"I agree. Your smile is usually more threatening."

"I do not smile threateningly."

"You smiled at a training construct before throwing it through a wall."

"It was irritating."

The reflected Ethan took one step forward.

"I am Ethan Vale."

The real Ethan said:

"So am I."

The reflected Professor Voss spoke:

"Both statements are accepted."

Adrian folded his arms.

"Ask about the past."

The reflected Ethan looked at him.

"Which past?"

"Your first life."

The reflected Ethan answered immediately.

"I was raised by Darius Veyr. I was trained to become a vessel. I killed him at seventeen. I became Azeroth Veyr. I divided my power into fragments. I died before the First Door."

The real Ethan remained silent.

Adrian looked at him.

"Is that accurate?"

"Yes."

The reflected Ethan continued:

"However, the real Ethan would not answer so quickly."

Ethan looked at him.

"Why?"

"Because he dislikes discussing his past."

Noah turned toward Ethan.

"That is accurate."

The reflected Ethan pointed toward him.

"The real Ethan also dislikes being observed."

"That is less useful."

"The real Ethan pretends not to care about his friends."

Noah raised his eyebrows.

"That one is useful."

Ethan looked at the reflected version.

"You are using information that I already revealed."

"That is what a memory does."

The reflected Ethan stepped closer to the mirror.

"You cannot prove that I am false."

"Neither can you prove that you are real," Elena said.

The reflected Ethan looked at her.

"I do not need to."

"Why?"

"Because Ethan does not trust easily."

The real Ethan glanced at the reflections.

"Then why did you agree to this test?"

"I did not."

The reflected Professor Voss smiled.

"You entered Room 13."

"I entered because Rowan disappeared."

"You followed him without knowing whether the room was safe."

"That was necessary."

"Necessary is not the same as trusting."

The mirror darkened.

The reflected classroom disappeared.

The three copies stood in a white space.

Three doors appeared behind them.

One black.

One silver.

One blue.

The reflected Professor Voss spoke:

"Each door leads to a different outcome. Only one path protects the class."

Noah looked at the doors.

"Which one is the exit?"

"There is no exit."

"Then why are there doors?"

"To test your choices."

Noah pointed at the black door.

"I choose that one."

Ethan turned toward him.

"You do not know what it contains."

"It may contain an exit."

"It may contain danger."

"That is why I chose it. It is honest."

The reflected Noah smiled.

The real Noah immediately stepped backward.

"That is not my smile."

Ethan looked at him.

"You said that about me."

"Yes, but I was correct."

The reflected Rowan approached the blue door.

"This one feels safe."

Rowan looked at him.

"How do you know?"

"I do not."

"Then why choose it?"

"Because I want it to be safe."

The reflected Ethan stood before the silver door.

"This one contains the answer."

Noah looked at him.

"You always choose the mysterious door."

"I choose the door with the greatest probability of information."

"Which is what a person with terrible instincts would say."

The reflected Professor Voss raised her hand.

"Choose."

The three reflections moved first.

The reflected Noah opened the black door.

The reflected Rowan opened the blue door.

The reflected Ethan opened the silver door.

The doors revealed three scenes.

Behind the black door, the academy was under attack.

Students ran through burning corridors.

Behind the blue door, Rowan stood alone in a quiet classroom.

Every student had left him.

Behind the silver door, Ethan sat on a throne.

The entire magical world knelt before him.

Noah looked at the visions.

"These are not possible outcomes."

"They are possible fears," the reflected Professor Voss said.

The real Rowan stared at the blue door.

"Everyone leaving is my greatest fear."

The reflected Rowan looked at him.

"That is why I chose it."

"You chose your fear?"

"I wanted to understand it."

The reflected Ethan looked toward the throne.

"This is not my greatest fear."

Noah glanced at him.

"You look extremely uncomfortable."

"I am uncomfortable because the throne is poorly designed."

The blackboard appeared above them.

**FALSE ANSWER.**

Ethan frowned.

"What?"

**THE THRONE IS COMFORTABLE.**

Noah laughed.

"It knows you too well."

Ethan looked toward the silver door.

"The throne represents control."

The vision changed.

The people kneeling became students.

Noah.

Elena.

Adrian.

Rowan.

They all looked afraid.

Ethan’s expression hardened.

"I do not fear the throne."

Noah looked at him.

"You fear what you would do from it."

Ethan did not answer.

The reflected Ethan looked at him.

"You see?"

"You are not me."

"Why?"

"Because you speak as if you already understand the answer."

The reflected Ethan tilted his head.

"Is that not what you do?"

"Sometimes."

"And when you do?"

"I am usually wrong."

The reflection went silent.

The false Professor Voss watched him.

"Interesting."

Ethan turned toward the real Noah.

"You said you would choose the black door."

"I did."

"What was behind it?"

"The academy burning."

"Why did you choose it?"

Noah stared at the scene.

"Because if the academy is attacked, I know what to do."

"You know what to do?"

"Run toward the nearest person who looks more competent than me."

He pointed at Ethan.

"Usually you."

Ethan looked at him.

"That is your strategy?"

"It has worked surprisingly well."

The black door’s vision changed.

The academy was still burning, but Noah was carrying three unconscious students toward the exit.

His face was terrified.

He was still moving.

The reflected Professor Voss looked at him.

"You are afraid."

"Yes."

"You would still help them."

"Yes."

"Why?"

Noah shrugged.

"Because they are there."

The black door began to fade.

The reflected Noah looked at the real Noah.

"You are not me."

Noah frowned.

"What?"

"I do not understand why you would do something so dangerous."

Noah looked at him.

"That is because you are not me."

The reflection cracked.

The real Noah took a step closer.

"You copy my memories, but you do not understand what they mean."

The false Noah’s face changed.

For a moment, it looked empty.

Then it became a blurred shadow.

The reflected Professor Voss turned toward him.

"First identity rejected."

The false Rowan stepped forward.

He looked toward the blue door.

The scene inside had changed.

Rowan was no longer alone.

Ethan, Noah, Elena, and the others stood with him.

But their faces were not clear.

Their backs were turned.

They were present, but distant.

The false Rowan spoke:

"They will leave eventually."

The real Rowan looked at the scene.

"They may."

The reflection stared at him.

"You are not angry?"

"I would be."

"Then why do you not reject the possibility?"

"Because I cannot force them to stay."

The false Rowan frowned.

"They belong with you."

"No."

"They chose you."

"That does not make them mine."

The reflection began to fade.

Rowan continued:

"If they leave, I will be sad."

The blue door cracked.

"But I will still be Rowan."

The false copy looked at him.

"How can you remain yourself without them?"

Rowan thought about it.

"I do not know."

The door shattered.

"But I can try."

The reflected Professor Voss looked at him.

"Second identity rejected."

Only the reflected Ethan remained.

He stood before the silver door.

The throne inside it grew larger.

The people kneeling before him lowered their heads.

The false Ethan looked at the real Ethan.

"Your friends have rejected their copies."

"Yes."

"Then you must reject me."

Ethan walked toward the silver door.

"I do not know if you are false."

The reflection smiled.

"You admit uncertainty."

"I have done that before."

"You still believe I may be real."

"You may be a part of me."

The reflection’s smile faded.

"A part you rejected."

"No."

Ethan stepped inside the silver vision.

"A part I refused to understand."

The throne room surrounded him.

The false Ethan stood at the top of the steps.

"You wanted this once."

"Yes."

"You wanted everyone to obey."

"Yes."

"You wanted the world safe."

"Yes."

"You wanted to eliminate uncertainty."

"Yes."

"You still want those things."

Ethan looked at the people kneeling before him.

"I want people to be safe."

"That is the same."

"No."

He looked at the frightened faces of his friends.

"It is different when safety is chosen."

The false Ethan descended the steps.

"You are willing to let people suffer because you refuse to control them."

"Yes."

"You will lose people."

"Yes."

"You will fail."

"Yes."

"You may become cruel again."

"Yes."

The false Ethan stopped before him.

"Then why not take the throne and prevent all of it?"

Ethan looked toward the crown resting on the throne.

"Because I would not be preventing suffering."

"What would you be doing?"

"Choosing who is allowed to suffer."

The throne cracked.

The false Ethan stared at him.

"You still need me."

"I know."

"You fear me."

"I do."

"You may become me."

"I may."

"Then why reject me?"

Ethan placed a hand against the false Ethan’s chest.

"Because knowing that you exist does not mean I have to obey you."

The silver door shattered.

The three reflections disappeared.

The white space faded.

Ethan, Rowan, and Noah returned to Room 13.

The real Professor Voss stood before them.

The mirror was dark.

The classroom was silent.

Noah looked around.

"Did we pass?"

Professor Voss checked a small crystal.

"Yes."

Noah raised both hands.

"I would like to hear the exact score."

"Seventy-eight."

Noah lowered his hands.

"That sounds dangerously close to failing."

"You passed."

"Did Ethan pass?"

Professor Voss looked at Ethan.

"Seventy-nine."

Noah stared at him.

"One point higher?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"He identified his false self."

"I did that too."

"You identified yours after it insulted your knife."

"That is valid reasoning."

Rowan looked toward Professor Voss.

"What was the purpose of the test?"

"To determine whether the three of you could recognize identity without relying on memory alone."

Noah frowned.

"Why us?"

"Because Ethan carries a divided identity, Rowan was created without one, and you..."

She looked at Noah.

"...are difficult to classify."

Noah smiled.

"I knew I was special."

"You are difficult to classify because you make decisions without planning."

"That is also special."

"It is not always positive."

The mirror behind them flickered.

A message appeared:

**EVALUATION COMPLETE.**

Beneath it:

**TRUST LEVEL: ACCEPTABLE.**

Noah raised his hand.

"Can trust be excellent?"

The mirror answered:

**NOT WITH YOU.**

Noah placed a hand over his heart.

"That is becoming personal."

Ethan looked toward the hidden door.

"Who was the external evaluator?"

Professor Voss’s expression became serious.

"I do not know."

The mirror displayed another message.

**EXTERNAL EVALUATOR: APPROVED.**

Ethan’s eyes narrowed.

"Approved for what?"

The answer did not appear immediately.

Then the words formed slowly:

**FIELD EXAMINATION.**

Rowan looked at Ethan.

"What is a field examination?"

Professor Voss closed the mirror with a sealing spell.

"An academy exercise outside the school grounds."

Noah’s face brightened.

"Does it involve homework?"

"No."

"Then I am interested."

"It involves a forest."

"Less interested."

"It may involve monsters."

"Even less interested."

"You will be assigned to the same team."

Noah looked at Ethan.

"Can I change teams?"

"No."

"Can I change schools?"

"No."

"Can I fake my death?"

"Absolutely not."

The mirror cracked despite the sealing spell.

One final message appeared:

**FIELD EXAMINATION LOCATION: THE OLD EASTERN FOREST.**

Ethan stared at the words.

That forest had once been part of the Final War.

The academy had used it for training decades ago, but the region had been closed after several students disappeared.

Professor Voss looked at the message.

"This location was not selected by the academy."

"Who selected it?" Elena asked.

The mirror answered before anyone else could.

**THE EXTERNAL EVALUATOR.**

Noah slowly raised his hand.

"Is it possible to evaluate the evaluator?"

The mirror wrote:

**NO.**

"Can we at least send someone else?"

**NO.**

"Can I stay here and repeat Basic Mana Control?"

**NO.**

Noah looked toward Ethan.

"I miss the Royal Army."

"You said that yesterday."

"They were more predictable."

Ethan looked at the sealed mirror.

The test had been funny.

The classroom had been ridiculous.

But the final message was not part of the academy’s normal system.

Someone had selected the forest.

Someone had watched them.

And someone wanted Class 1-B to leave the academy.

Professor Voss dismissed them.

"Pack your supplies. The field examination begins tomorrow morning."

The students left the room.

Noah walked beside Rowan.

"Do you know how to prepare for a forest mission?"

"No."

"Excellent. We are equally qualified."

Rowan looked at him.

"Should we bring food?"

"Yes."

"How much?"

"Enough for three days."

"The examination lasts one day."

"Then bring enough for four."

Ethan followed behind them.

The blackboard from the corridor appeared above the classroom door.

**FIELD EXAMINATION RULE ONE: DO NOT LEAVE YOUR TEAM.**

Noah raised his hand.

"What if my team leaves me?"

**THEN YOU HAVE FAILED RULE ONE.**

"That is not fair."

**ACADEMY LIFE IS NOT FAIR.**

Ethan glanced toward the blackboard.

"For once, it is right."

Noah turned toward him.

"Do not encourage it."

The sign changed.

**ETHAN VALE: FIRST CORRECT OPINION OF THE DAY.**

Ethan stopped.

Noah laughed.

Rowan smiled.

Even Elena, walking a few steps ahead, looked amused.

For a moment, the academy felt normal.

Students complaining.

Teachers assigning impossible tasks.

Friends arguing in the hallway.

No ancient entity.

No world-ending crisis.

No royal army.

Just Class 1-B preparing for its first field examination.

Then, inside the sealed mirror, a final golden eye opened.

A message appeared where no one could see it:

**THE TEAM HAS BEEN FORMED.**

**THE TEST WILL BEGIN IN THE FOREST.**

And beneath it:

**ONE OF THEM HAS ALREADY BEEN REPLACED.**