—————————————————————–
Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: Vine
—————————————————————–
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
In the VIP room above the circular arena, the faculty members gathered to evaluate the students. The atmosphere was relaxed, unlike the previous year’s tense entrance exams. Failure wasn’t an option for those who arrived with recommendation letters. They watched the students’ performance against the golems as if it were entertainment, maids serving refreshments, turning the evaluation into a casual party.
“Haha, shattering a golem? We have many excellent students this year.”
The old man at the center of the faculty, stroking his long beard, chuckled at Lucia Russell’s feat of destroying the practice golem with a single blow. He wore an obnoxiously colorful, multi-hued cloak, yet no one dared to frown at his poor taste.
“It’s all thanks to your discerning eye, Headmaster.”
“The recommended students are impressive. The one who just broke the golem, that was the Russell heir, right? The Count always complained, but he raised her well.”
“Recommendation letters are only given to those who meet the Headmaster’s standards. Those who don’t receive them may call it preferential treatment, but most children from prestigious families would pass the entrance exam without issue.”
The faculty, composed of the Empire’s top talents, competed to flatter the old man, showering him with compliments. He was Morgan, the Headmaster of the Academy.
Amidst this jovial atmosphere, one person stood out, drenched in sweat.
“Phew… I hope nothing goes wrong…”
The handsome man with slicked-back blonde hair dabbed his forehead with a handkerchief. Despite his good looks, his posture projected an air of insecurity. Andy Robinson, a former Royal Knight, was a new instructor at the Academy. This was his first semester.
“Instructor?”
“Y-yes!”
“Haha, this isn’t the Knights. It’s your first year, so you must be nervous. Relax. Here.”
A wrinkled professor approached Andy and offered him a drink in a pewter mug.
“You were with the Royal Knights, right? New environments can be stressful. I’m so relieved! I heard all Royal Knights were stern and unforgiving, so I was quite nervous!”
“Haha… Thank you.”
Contrary to Andy’s nervousness, everyone treated him well. He was the first Royal Knight to become an instructor at the Academy. The presence of a Royal Knight, known for serving until death or incapacitation, added another layer of prestige to the Academy. To the faculty and the Headmaster, Andy was a shining trophy.
“Oh no! Headmaster, we have a problem!!”
A woman in a sturdy grey robe, her face smudged with soot, rushed into the VIP room. Lena, a professor from the Magical Engineering Department, was responsible for controlling the golems during the exams.
“One of the golems I was controlling… it seems it was mistakenly brought in with the practice golems!”
“Tsk tsk, such carelessness… What kind of adjustments did you make that caused such a commotion?”
The Headmaster’s tone was nonchalant, yet he sensed trouble from her frantic arrival.
“It’s a golem I specifically modified with combat data for my research paper… If it breaks, my three years of work will be gone!!”
“Find it quickly. Forget your paper, we’ll have a serious incident if a student gets hurt. Fortunately, there are no signs of that yet…”
“Headmaster, why is my paper a secondary concern?!”
“Tsk tsk, if it’s so important, you should have been more careful…”
Andy’s eyes widened. Combat modifications meant the golem possessed the power of one used in actual battles. The extent of its power was unknown, but a well-made golem could easily match a Sword Expert, posing a significant threat to the inexperienced freshmen.
“Should we stop the exams?”
“Haha… Even if it’s a formality, we can’t delay the process. It doesn’t seem to be among the currently active golems, so find it quickly.”
“But we just replaced a broken one. What if…?”
“We have a hundred spares. Surely, it’s not that one. Albert, are there any distinguishing features?”
“It has additional components on its head, giving it a conical shape. You’ll recognize it immediately.”
“I’ll help with the search. The evaluation can be done with the golem’s data.”
“H-Headmaster, you don’t have to… Th-thank you!! Let’s go!”
As everyone rushed out to search for the golem, a new student and a replacement practice golem entered the arena. Andy, also eager to find the misplaced golem, paused, his attention captivated by the student who just entered.
“That student…”
A boy with similar blonde hair, wielding a longsword. The most striking difference was his small stature, the longsword almost matching his height. However, his proportions were good, making it difficult to gauge his size without a point of reference.
He looked familiar. Like someone Andy had seen before. Upon closer inspection, both the student and the golem seemed unusual.
That golem’s head is conical…
Could it be the combat-modified one…?
A flash of light erupted from the arena. The newly replaced golem shattered.
“What… just…?”
It happened too quickly. A clean strike, almost silent, split the golem in two as it collapsed. Another golem destroyed, like Lucia’s, but this time, no one reacted. They were all outside, searching.
But Andy had seen it. A high-level attack spell, at least 6th circle, fired from the golem’s head. And the student, cleaving through both the spell and the golem with a single stroke. That had to be the combat-modified golem. Such power… definitely Expert level or above.
As Andy stared, the student looked up, their eyes meeting his. A chill ran down his spine. And in that gaze, he saw someone he desperately wanted to forget.
“I… I just remembered something… I’ll have to leave early today.”
“Instructor?”
By the time he regained his senses, he was sprinting down the hallway.
Why is he at the Academy?
No, he couldn’t be. Unlike Andy, who retired young, broken by the horrors of the front lines, he was a true monster. It must have been a mistake, a trick of the light, fueled by his anxiety.
Despite his rationalizations, Andy couldn’t stop running. But what if he was right? He needed to get away.
-Tap tap tap tap
The rhythmic sound of footsteps pursued him. It was definitely the student. If it wasn’t him, why were they chasing him? Why was he running? If it wasn’t him, he could just face them.
The footsteps faded, then disappeared. He had experienced this once before.
Is it really him…?!
The ominous sign dispelled any remaining doubt. Silence meant they were airborne. Andy dove to the right, anticipating an attack from above.
“Gah…!!”
Before he could react, a powerful blow struck his back, sending him sprawling. He fell face-first onto the stone floor, despite the carpet, the taste of blood filling his mouth. He tried to get up, but something pinned his head down.
It can’t be him, it can’t be him, it can’t be him…
This is just a student who knows how to swing a sword.
“Ugh…!! Who are you…?! Do you know who I am…!!!!”
He was a Royal Knight, an instructor. He couldn’t be seen as weak in front of a student. Andy raised his voice, trying to convince himself. But the student’s response confirmed his worst nightmare.
“Shut up.”
-Crack!!!
A longsword plunged into the floor beside his head. He looked up, finally seeing their face.
“Why are you running, senior? Did you do something wrong?”
“You… It’s you, Atlas…”
It really was him.
What was a Royal Knight doing here, taking the entrance exam among these fledglings? Wasn’t he embarrassed?
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
