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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: Simzy
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“Ainim Von Rongreut.”
In the afternoon, at the practical exam site on the outskirts of the campus.
Offensive magic is allowed in the exam. Even
a 4-star spell usually has a considerable range, so it’s not suitable for use within the campus.
The exam began, and several students demonstrated their magic first, and now it was Ainim’s turn.
“Ainim Von Rongreut. Is she not here?”
“Where did the Princess go?”
“Haven’t seen her since the written exam.”
“Me neither.”
Even as the students looked around, Ainim was nowhere to be seen.
“I’m here.”
The voice came from the opposite direction.
It was Ainim, walking leisurely from the campus. There were four professors present, but she was the Imperial Princess, so no one dared to scold her for being late.
“Just in time, right?”
“…Yes. We will begin the exam.”
“Lama Tro Le Gran—”
Not a hint of tension, not even a customary deep breath. She was even incanting the spell as she walked.
That much wasn’t surprising.
Ainim’s lively, popping voice continued. Long. Extremely long.
“H-how many chains are there?”
“An eight-chain sequence?”
“Is there a 4-star spell like that?”
“No, there isn’t…”
It wasn’t just the students.
The professors’ reactions were even more intense. Even those with considerable seniority were the same. Everyone raised their voices with surprised expressions.
“No way.”
“That is clearly…!”
“Are my ears deceiving me?”
Nothing was visible, however.
While the students were bewildered, Ainim’s incantation finished.
“—Adia (Fall)”
Only after hearing the final deciphering did everyone’s heads collectively turn towards the sky.
Red starlight adorned the daytime sky. Their number reached a staggering thirty.
A 5-star fire magic, Rain of Flames.
Two of the four professors present were 5-star mages.
A mere sixteen-year-old student could wield magic on par with a professor of Somerbadge Academy, who would be considered an elite.
“W-what day is it today?”
“It’s June 1st.”
“Good heavens, isn’t that a week earlier than Mage Kanin?”
“That’s not even certain. She might not have just reached 5-star today.”
“No, let’s talk about that later and please help me. I can’t block all of this alone.”
Normally, it doesn’t matter if the surroundings become chaotic after casting an offensive spell.
That’s why the exam location was set on the outskirts.
However, a 5-star spell, especially a fire attribute bombing, requires a significant amount of effort to clean up.
Many more participants were still left. The professors gathered their magical power.
Paaang—
The intensely falling flames were suppressed and scattered by the professors’ magic. It was a forceful dispelling.
“Magic level, 4 out of 4 points.”
“Understanding of magic, 12 out of 12 points.”
“Completeness of magic, 14 out of 15 points.”
“Development of magic, 3 out of 9 points.”
Rain of Flames is a spell that drops about 100 flames like rain.
However, when it was named by the Magic Academy, it was a 6-star spell, not 5-star. Nowadays, dropping 100 flames is difficult, and its magic efficiency is poor, so its rank was lowered during re-evaluation.
About thirty flames were considered excellent.
“Total 33 points. Good job.”
Normally, students stay to watch others even after their turn is over. Sometimes, if a student uses the same magic, it provides a comparison.
However, there was no way there would be another freshman besides Ainim who could use 5-star magic, so Ainim scurried back towards the campus.
I hope she’s not overdoing it.
“Wow, 33 points.”
“Isn’t that the highest score?”
“Lord Baeller also got 33 points as a freshman, I think.”
“The Imperial Family is truly different.”
Although the perfect score is 40 points, scores in the 30s were extremely rare.
It’s virtually impossible to earn the 9 points allocated to ‘Development of Magic,’ the fourth assessment item. This wasn’t just the case for freshmen.
Magic has evolved for hundreds of years.
To find room for further improvement requires the diligent research of excellent mages in the magical world.
Ainim and Baeller only received 3 points due to the Rongreut Imperial Family’s unique magical talent. Since it lacks universality, higher points cannot be awarded.
“Shall we go now?”
“Go where? The highlight is still left.”
Several students followed, demonstrating their magic. There were no particular surprises.
Excellent students scored in the mid to high 20s, while most were in the high teens or barely reached 20.
“Lockstryn Aindarok.”
The moment the name was called, silence.
The noise ceased as if it had never been there.
One could almost hear someone swallowing, and the wide-open space instantly became quiet. I slowly rose.
“How impressive.”
“The student hasn’t demonstrated magic yet, Professor Katreena.”
“Ahaha. Yes, that’s right.”
For a moment, laughter bloomed among the students. The female professor had effectively eased the children’s tension with a lighthearted joke.
“Are you ready?”
“Yes.”
“Begin.”
Haa.
I took a long, deep breath.
Hundreds of eager and expectant gazes sharply pierced me.
What for?
It was an empty can from the start. From now on, it will slowly go downhill.
Still, it would be good to leave some room for potential. Not a cliff, but a slope.
“Will Le Life”
Thump.
The spell ended there.
It took less than 3 seconds to recite. The surroundings became embarrassingly cold.
Whooosh.
Still, I poured a considerable amount of magic, and the Wind Veil spread about 5m in front of me, easily surpassing my height.
Unfortunately, with only level 3 magic, making it this large gives me a sharp pain in my chest. I haven’t been able to practice much. About 300 times.
“That’s all.”
It’s so embarrassing.
Why don’t they say anything? The professors are just keeping their mouths shut…
“Huh.”
No, it was the opposite.
I turned around and saw that they weren’t keeping their mouths shut but wide open, saying nothing. Were they that dumbfounded?
I worked pretty hard on this. It’s a 2-star spell.
“Now, what…?”
It was a simple spell, so I thought the score would come out immediately, but it didn’t.
The old professor asked with a trembling voice.
“What was the magic you just demonstrated?”
“It’s Wind Veil.”
“My ears are getting dim with age, but how did you incant the spell?”
“Wind attribute, a dual-chain sequence of continuous and overlapping. Will Le Life. I merely added silent casting for the projection.”
“Why did you do that?”
At first, I didn’t understand the intention of the question.
However, I soon deduced the conclusion from their expressions and excited voices. Two professors had even jumped to their feet.
“The spell for Wind Veil is not that.”
“There was no deciphering either. It’s a completely wrong spell. Such magic cannot be created.”
“I’m asking why it was completed.”
“In a perfect form.”
They weren’t disappointed.
When the faint expectations they held turned into a result far beyond their imagination, the professors were bewildered.
‘It’s subtly hidden.’
Then, Ainim’s words from just a few hours ago suddenly came to mind.
‘In deciphering, and in form. Some magic fits perfectly with the spell, but some magic don’t make sense from the start.’
Now that I think about it, Ainim devised this method. The fact that she stopped me and even showed me implies it had some meaning.
What was Ainim trying to say?
A conclusion quickly emerged.
“Because the deciphering of ‘development,’ Ver—”
Even if one method is superior in all aspects, it cannot still be called the correct answer.
However, one thing became certain.
“—was wrong.”
That all other methods were incorrect.
After a brief silence, a young professor hesitantly spoke.
“It’s a dangerous idea.”
“And an excellent idea at the same time.”
The magic itself is only a minor part.
It was sufficiently demonstrated with a 2-star spell. The professors could see it.
“Magic level, 3 out of 4 points.”
“Wind Veil is a 2-star spell. I can only give 3 points.”
The young professor swallowed a low groan.
“Understanding of magic, 12 out of 12 points.”
“This is a fundamental stage. It was cast stably, and the number of continuous and overlapping uses was uniform, so the magic power was solid like a wall and did not waver. He clearly understands it.”
The middle-aged professor calmly said.
“Completeness of magic, 15 out of 15 points.”
“Distance, size, and casting speed are all perfect.
That spotless perfection is comparable to Baeller Rongreut, the student representative.”
Despite the strict deduction-based scoring, the female professor declared 15 points.
“Development of magic, 9 out of 9 points…”
The old professor closed his eyes.
What does this mean?
The Empire has constantly challenged the authority of Rhyden, which claims to be the progenitor of magic. Yet, they haven’t produced any tangible results so far.
But at this very moment, a spark was ignited on the fuse.
Thus, the old professor thought carefully about what was to come, with his eyes closed. He shook his head.
How dare he…
I cannot judge.
“9 points.”
The scoring was over.
The assistant who had received hundreds of sharp gazes hastily shouted.
“T-total score 39 points…!”
Only 1 point short of the perfect score of 40.
Just 1 point, and that was for the rank. Even if it was deducted, who could call it a flaw?
The highest score since Somerbadge Academy’s founding had been achieved. It was fortunate that Ainim was not present.
Sorry, Ainim.
I’ll tell them it was your achievement later.
“…Let’s just continue for now.”
“Alright.”
There weren’t many left.
My turn, the highlight, was over, and with the highest score ever, many students left the exam venue feeling relieved.
I stayed until the end.
“Good work, Hira.”
“You waited for me? I was almost last…”
“Hmm. Honestly, it was for a few reasons. Why? Disappointed?”
“No way! Not at all.”
Hira was unlucky and her turn was pushed back quite a bit. Hmm, actually, it wasn’t for a few reasons, and I hadn’t really been paying attention.
Then she cautiously moved to sit next to me. It was a subtle distance, about three hand-spans apart. She was clearly sulking.
“There’s someone I really need to see.”
“Freed Raspid.”
Speak of the devil, Freed’s name was called just then.
Now there were hardly any students left. I didn’t think there were any student of worth watching, so it was probably just a few of Freed’s commoner friends.
“I’m curious too. How amazing is he for Locks to be interested?”
“Well, I wonder if he’s amazing.”
Thud.
“…”
I subtly gave a thumbs up towards Freed as he walked past. Freed acknowledged it with a light nod.
Hang in there, man… But where are you going?
“Freed Raspid? If you go that far, it will be difficult to evaluate.”
A reprimand immediately followed.
Freed stopped only after walking far beyond where other students had taken their exams.
Then he smiled awkwardly and said,
“Well, actually, I’m nervous. It’s my first time trying this. It might not work.”
“Hmm… In any case, it won’t have a positive effect. Is that alright?”
“Yes.”
“Begin.”
First time?
This is the guy who practiced Spike until his magic was depleted in the practice room. Such a lie wouldn’t mean anything to the professors.
Professors don’t consider any factors unrelated to magic, so it won’t affect the score. Did I push him too hard?
“Terra Fin Arfon Dura”
Earth attribute, dual-chain sequence of thorns and uplift, deciphering of pulsation.
It was indeed the incantation of Spike.
Taking my advice, Freed’s uniquely fast magic proceeded in the form of a ‘pulsation’ from his feet.
Even the professors briefly marveled.
The change occurred immediately after.
‘It’s coming back?’
The magic that had extended about 10m suddenly returned. Because the magic was operated so quickly, the uplift had not yet begun.
The pulsation split from beneath his feet.
As the pulsation spread out in six different directions, the uplift finally began.
It all happened within 1 second.
Boom! Boom-boom-boom-boom-boom!
Once initially, then thorns surged from the ground that rose in five subsequent directions.
Although the thickness was somewhat disappointing, the hundred or so sharp thorns overflowed with lethality.
“What in the…?”
It was dangerous.
If they hadn’t been far away, it was a range where they could easily have been caught. Would they have been able to stop the first pulsation?
None of the professors present were confident.
“…This isn’t Dura.”
Furthermore, it was a magic completely different from Spike from the start. There’s no way something like this is only 2-star.
A wide-area destruction magic that devastates a 10m radius around oneself. Such magic is rated at least 4-star or higher.
“That’s why I told you it might not work. Luckily, it went well. I saw Lockstryn’s magic and decided to try it.”
Freed, catching his breath, turned his head and met my gaze. Honestly, it was so absurd I laughed.
Everyone but me is a genius, I swear.
After seeing my Wind Veil, Freed also figured it out. Though it must have been close to a gamble.
“That’s amazing.”
He didn’t have to stick to the fixed deciphering.
So he twisted the deciphering of the magic he had practiced to the point of exhaustion for a month. He chanted Dura, but in his head, he thought whatever he wanted.
Even if only Freed himself could use something like that, the fact that he created new magic doesn’t change.
“What do you think?”
“I will refrain from speaking. I wonder if I became a magician to be here. Although I couldn’t be the protagonist. Hahaha.”
“I’m of the same opinion.”
“I want to run to the Mage quickly. The Dean’s face will be worth seeing.”
And so, the midterm exam ended.
[1st Year Top Student]
Lockstryn Aindarok
Written: 40/40
Practical: 39/40
Total Score: 79 points (All-time #1)
The next day, an announcement was posted on the central avenue, and as expected, he was proudly the 1st-year top student.
And the all-time #1.
I became the 1st-year representative of Somerbadge Academy.
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