Chapter 30: Chapter 30

Leila, fortunately, seemed to have gotten over her pride. Her overconfidence and thinking that she would win without even knowing my own abilities disappeared.

Of course it was because she never landed a single successful attack on me.

“Just wait and see, I’ll definitely win later.”

I thought she had become a little obsessed because she felt so wronged, but I just found it cute.

The only way to develop was to have an obsession. It was much better than the self-centered emotions that ate away at a warrior.

But thanks to that, I was able to sweat a bit. To be honest, it had been a long time since I’d faced an opponent who attacked me so tenaciously.

No matter how much my father told them not to give in to me, the knights who were my sparring partners soon began to treat me gently. Then, after they were allowed to strike me, they gritted their teeth and rushed at me.

So, the so-called fatigue from the journey was washed away like that, and I watched Leila practice her swordsmanship until the day before the entrance exam.

“Here, at this point. There should be no hesitation. Look carefully. When you are stabbing, think of focusing on a single point.”

“I know that! But how can you stop here like that?”

“Just.”

“…”

Leila seemed to be impressed with the technique of stopping my spear wherever I wanted that I used in our duel, so I taught her because she asked me to. However, it didn’t seem to be easy.

That was only natural.

It was difficult.

It required more than just long-term thinking to swing a weapon and make it stop where you wanted it to. It was a move that required more precise control of force.

“How the hell do you do that? Do you know how hard it is to do it with a sword? You’re a spearman!”

Instead of answering, I picked up the practice sword lying next to me.

Then, I got into position and swung my sword一

Whoosh!

一which stopped exactly in front of the practice dummy’s neck.

“…no way.”

After that, two, three, four, and five times. Leila seemed completely speechless as I stopped my sword at exactly the same distance from the head, chest, arms, legs, and again, the neck.

“…”

Putting down my sword, I said, “See? It’s also possible with a sword. The important thing is consistent effort.”

“…”

Leila looked down at her sword with a shocked expression on her face. I suppose it was because it was clearly no different from my sword, but she couldn’t understand why I could do it but she couldn’t.

“Don’t come looking for me. I’m not eating dinner tonight.”

“Really?”

“Yeah, really. Don’t look for me.”

“Okay.”

I shrugged at Leila’s answer and she looked at me as if that was it.

“…You’re not going to stay and help? Or anything like that?”

“Cultivation is originally a lonely path.”

“So stingy. We’re enrolling in the academy together though.”

As she mentioned the academy, I asked, “Oh right. Are you taking the swordsmanship test?”

“Sure. I didn’t think about the others. Aren’t you going for spearmanship? Oh, you’re also close with summons, right? Then, do you also have talent at summoning?”

As I nodded, Leila puffed out her cheeks.

“It’s unfair. You’re so good at spearmanship, but you’re also talented at summoning!”

It was a little cute to see her grumbling as if she was being wronged.

“What the hell are you? Honestly… I thought there was no one my age who was better than me!”

I couldn’t help but laugh at Leila’s honest words.

“Y-you! Are you laughing at me?!”

How could I? I was just laughing at the sudden honesty that popped out of her mouth.

“No.”

“You’re really not?”

“I’m not.”

Leila continued with a relieved expression, “So, which major are you going to apply for? Well, I’m sure you would get accepted to any majors you applied to. But if you’re aiming for the top position, I think it would be best if you applied for spearmanship.”

“I’m not interested.”

“Liar. Do you know what an honor it is to be admitted as the top student?”

I shrugged my shoulders.

“I’m thinking of doing something fun.”

Leila shook her head and changed the subject, seemingly giving up on persuading me.

“Okay, do as you wish. I’ll take the top position.”

“Do as you like.”

“By the way, tell me honestly, what kind of training did you receive?”

“Training?”

“Yeah, it’s strange that you’re so outstanding.”

I crossed my arms and asked, “Then what would you say if the person who lost to you asked you that?”

“…talent? effort?”

“That’s right. That’s it.”

“…”

I never knew teasing a child could be so fun. However, I thought I should do it in moderation.

She might cry if I kept it up.

“I don’t like you. Don’t smile like that!”

“Why can’t I smile?”

“J-just!”

It was the same with my eldest sister and second sister.

Women. Who could understand them?

Well, that wasn’t important in my life right now.

Then, I said a little seriously as something occurred to me, “Oh, right.”

“What is it now?”

“It’s really important. I was going to ask you this before I came here.”

Leila’s expression also grew serious.

“What is it?”

“Where is the best tart shop in the capital?”

“…”

My eldest sister once said that the capital had as many different desserts as in the south. I wanted to start my dessert tour with a tart.

Leila looked at me with a bewildered expression on her face.

“…That’s what was important?”

“Yeah. Very.”

I was pretty serious. Tarts were a snack I could never get enough of.

Leila shook her head and finally gave me the answer I wanted.

“Our family’s tarts are the most delicious.”

Her voice was full of pride even amid the absurdity she felt about the situation.

That was nice to hear.

The Imperial Academy’s entrance exam was a kind of festival because talented people flocked to the capital from all over the empire to take the entrance exam.

With them were their families, and for the nobles, their attendants. Literally thousands of people poured into the capital all at once.

For most people, it was just an event where a lot of people gathered, but for the people involved, it was a solemn and tense evaluation session. It was so not only for those taking the test but also for those evaluating it.

“Fuu… it’s going to be tough from today onwards. Didn’t they say two thousand people passed the first test?”

“It’s a little more than that. It’s going to be really busy these next few days.”

The first test had just ended.

The first test, along with the second test, were each worth 50% of the overall score. It was a pre-selection device to test basic skills and knowledge.

The number of applicants for this year’s Imperial Academy was approximately six thousand. Anyone who paid the appropriate examination fee was eligible to apply, unless you were from a family of traitors.

However, about two-thirds of them did not pass the first test. In the end, about two thousand people would take the second specialization test.

“How many people do you think will pass this time?”

“Two hundred at most.”

Ultimately, the competition rate was 30 to 1, meaning that out of six thousand people, only about two hundred would pass.

“I wonder what kind of kids will take the entrance exam this year.”

The professors in charge of evaluating the entrance exam today were all different. Some professors responded that they were already tired, while others were curious to see what kind of students would show up.

“By the way, is the first test checking not finished yet?”

“They’re still doing it. Who do you reckon will get the highest score?”

Meanwhile, opinions about the second test poured in.

“This time, the top student in the swordsmanship department will be Lady Leila of House Thermion, right?”

“Of course. She won the Dantère Cup. I watched the final, and her basics were really nice.”

“Duke Thermion has done one good job raising his children.”

The one who was definitely the talk of the town was Leila Thermion, the youngest daughter of Duke Thermion, who came from the family of a war hero and was the winner of the Dantère Cup.

“At this rate, I guess we can expect the top student to come from the swordsmanship department.”

“Is it just something to look forward to? Isn’t it almost certain?”

The Academy’s entrance exam was conducted according to the majors chosen by each applicant, but only one person was selected as the top student.

In the process, there were fights between professors, but generally, the student who everyone agreed on would be selected as the top student.

This time, unless there were any unexpected changes, everyone thought that Leila Thermion, the winner of the Dantère Cup, would be admitted as the top student.

“Hmm, I don’t quite agree with you.”

Among them, Professor Dinavo, who was the head of the Magic Department and served as the head of the Antallion Magic Tower, expressed a different opinion.

“Cidrane wrote a recommendation letter.”

A recommendation letter was just a piece of paper that every new student brought. Although it used to mean something, the competition for admission to the Imperial Academy became fiercer by the day, and organizations that issued fake recommendation letters often emerged.

Now, it was just reference material that didn’t really have any particular meaning.

“Cidrane? That cranky mage?”

“Yes, here it is. The seal of the Nixion Magic Tower contains magic, so it can’t have been tampered with.”

The Head of the Nixion Magic Tower. Cidrane, who was famous for not taking on any disciples, even wrote a recommendation letter.

‘Huh, already a 3-chain… at the age of fourteen?’

Dinavo’s eyes sparkled.

A talent.

A talent like Arabella, which seemed like it would never come again.

And he was Arabella’s younger brother.

“Who received the recommendation?”

“Dane Sogres”

“House Sogres…”

Sogres.

Another family that came to mind when thinking of war heroes, along with Thermion. It was also the family that produced great geniuses such as Arabella Sogres and Clare Sogres from the Magic Department and Summoning Department, respectively.

“Huh, a serious contender.”

“Wow. House Sogres, huh?”

A sigh rang out.

Thermion.

Sogres.

Two children from two families whose prestige was known not only across the empire but across the entire continent were now applying for the entrance exam at the same time.

“Wait a minute, isn’t that house famous for spearmanship? The eldest daughter is good at magic, the second is good at summoning, and the son is good enough to get a recommendation letter from a mage.”n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

One professor nodded and the others chimed in.

“Is he not following in his father’s footsteps?”

“Hmm. Then House Sogres will be famous for magic now.”

“The Magic Department is blessed, truly blessed. Haa. I thought he would obviously apply for the Spearmanship Department…”

Sighs and surprised exclamations followed.

Needless to say, the professors of the Magic Department were all smiling brightly.

Even without that, the prestige of the Magic Department was already sky-high thanks to the extraordinary genius that was Arabella Sogres.

It wasn’t just because she got good grades. Arabella had developed numerous magical inventions since her undergraduate days and wrote three papers that shook up the academic world.

There was a reason that in recent years, the professors of the Magic Department were said to be so proud that their shoulders could reach the sky.

But now, there was a boy who received a letter of recommendation from Cidrane and was taking the entrance exam.

“Haha, it seems that we’ll be taking the top spot again!”

After all, unlike Leila, whose skill was well known after winning the Dantère Cup, others didn’t know what Dane Sogres was good at.

But magic?

‘After all, the Imperial Academy is famous for magic’

As Professor Dinavo laughed heartily, Professor Esterande, the head of the Swordsmanship Department, frowned as if displeased.

“We’ll have to wait and see. Do you know how difficult it is to win the Dantère Cup?”

The Swordsmanship Department was also quite good.

The winner of the Dantère Cup, and an overwhelming victory at that. She also came from House Thermion.

“Hmph. Of course it’ll be our Magic Department.”

“No, the Swordsmanship Department.”

As the professors were arguing in a way that didn’t suit their age一

“I’m sorry to interrupt. The applicants have just finished selecting their specializations.”

An assistant professor came running in and said that the exam selection was over and prepared a magic projector.

Click.

“Swordsmanship Department, 1,367. Magic Department, 227. Summoning Department, 152…”

The number of applicants for each major came up, and then the names were listed below.

Traditionally, there were so many applicants to the Swordsmanship Department that it was impossible to fit them all on the projector screen all at once.

Some unpopular departments seemed to have failed to gain applicants again this year. They sighed at the noticeably low number of applicants.

Then Professor Dinavo waved his hand.

“Okay, just display the list of students.”

“Yes, professor.”

As the assistant professor operated the projector again, the names of the applicants disappeared in an instant, and only a few names from each department appeared.

“Oh.”

Professor Esterande smiled when he found Leila’s name on the list of applicants for the Swordsmanship Department.

On the other hand一

“What? Show it again.”

“Sir?”

“Dane Sogres. I don’t see his name.”

Professor Dinavo tilted his head when he didn’t see Dane’s name on the list of applicants to the Magic Department.

“Oh, Dane Sogres didn’t apply for the Magic Department.”

Professor Dinavo’s eyebrows twitched at those words.

“What are you talking about? There’s a recommendation letter right here. Take a look again.”

The assistant professor broke into a cold sweat, wondering if he had really checked it wrong.

But it really didn’t appear.

There was absolutely no one named Dane Sogres on the list for the Magic Department.

“I looked again… but it wasn’t there.”

The professors muttered and Professor Dinavo’s expression darkened.

The assistant professor quickly searched for the name before he could get any angrier. Without hesitation, he looked at Dane’s major.

“Dane Sogres applied for the autonomous major.”

Autonomous major?

At those words, the professors’ eyes all widened.

“The results of the first test just came out, and I’m here to inform the professors.”

The door opened and another assistant professor came in with some surprising news.

“Dane Sogres of House Sogres scored the highest in the first test among six thousand applicants.”