We cannot afford to lose

Alicia raised her hand hesitantly. "Um, Professor, what exactly does this survival test entail?"

"Ah, an excellent question, Miss Greene!" the teacher said, his tone brightening as if he'd been waiting for someone to ask.

"The test is simple: survive a series of challenges while outsmarting, outmaneuvering, and outright defeating your opponents from the magic section. Points are awarded for creativity, resourcefulness, and teamwork. The team with the most points at the end wins."

He paused, his eyes gleaming. "And the losers? Well, they get to scrub the entire academy kitchen for the next three months."

A collective groan rippled through the room.

"Exactly," the teacher said, nodding gravely. "Which is why we cannot afford to lose. Again."

"But, sir," I spoke up, unable to resist pointing out the obvious, "the magic section has actual magic. How are we supposed to compete with that? We're chefs, not combatants."