Chapter 81: His Exam (1)

Chapter 81: His Exam (1)

Tap, tap, tap—

Rain drummed against the restaurant window as Epherene, drowning in melancholy, absently pushed her food around on the plate.

“Why does life take such turns?” Epherene murmured. “It often strays too far, beyond the point of no return. When despair comes uninvited, you wish for hope to follow, but reality is seldom so kind. Relief that balances this kind of despair... is rare.”

Epherene toyed with her chopsticks for a moment, then set them down, her eyes glistening with unshed tears.

“B-but why? The food is delicious,” said Lethe and Endel, Sylvia’s maids, their voices tinged with confusion. To them, the steak was perfectly fine.

“She just prefers another type of pork,” Sylvia said offhandedly, continuing to eat without a care. To her, it didn’t matter if it was rice balls, fried rice, pork, or beef.

“Why did it have to be today, of all days...” Epherene muttered, her voice heavy with despair.

The Flower of the Pig restaurant was closed today, leaving her puzzled. She resolved to ask Julia about it later.

“Foolish Epherene,” Sylvia sneered, rising from her seat with a smirk.

Epherene was too drained to respond. One of the three maids followed Sylvia out, while the other two remained, silently observing Epherene.

“This is the first time,” one of them remarked to Epherene, whose spirit appeared utterly drained.

“... Pardon?”

“Since the mistress’s passing, Lady Sylvia has never once brought a friend home.”

“Ah...” Epherene muttered, a bitter smile crossing her lips.

Sylvia's reputation, along with her family’s history, was widely known. Not just those at the magic tower, but even ordinary university students were aware that Sylvia’s mother had passed away. This was the weight of her fame.

“That is why we were so pleased when you visited, Miss Epherene. You entered the mansion so freely.”

“Ahaha... well, I must admit, I did feel a bit hesitant...”

To be honest, I was merely lingering outside when I was brought in. The attendants were so kind that, before I knew it, I had taken a shower without realizing.

“No, truly, it was the first time. Everyone finds Lady Sylvia intimidating, and she has never pressured anyone like that before. She’s never twisted anyone’s nose like that.”

“... I-is that so?”

“Yes, so... might you continue your friendship with Lady Sylvia?” the maid asked.

Epherene hesitated, knowing they wouldn’t realize that the relationship between the Iliades and the Lunas was far from amicable.

“Would it be too much to ask...?”

“... Sorry? No, no, of course, we should get along well,” Epherene responded, her voice tinged with unease as she forced a smile, picking up her fork and knife before returning to the steak she had set aside earlier.

***

Sylvia returned home before nightfall. With Deculein’s exam only a week away, she had a great deal to prepare, including revising her application.

“Sweetie.”

In the dimly lit living room, however, an unexpected figure was waiting for her—Glitheon.

“Oh, Master. When did you—”

“Lethe, leave us,” Glitheon ordered, his voice icy as the tension in the room deepened.

"... Yes, sir," Lethe replied, her voice tinged with worry. After a brief hesitation, the maid bowed slightly and left Sylvia behind as she quietly exited the room.

Tilting her head, Sylvia stepped closer to Glitheon and asked, "What's going on?"

Glitheon tapped the application on the desk without a word.

"Why did you look at that without permission?" Sylvia said, her eyes widening as she confronted her father.

She reached for the application, but Glitheon, with a stern expression, intercepted her and asked, "Are you seriously considering applying under Deculein, sweetie?"

"... Yes, but just for six months."

Glitheon clenched his teeth as he stared at her, struck by how much she resembled her mother.

"... Sylvia, I wanted you to grow up surrounded by kindness and beauty, not burdened by the harsh realities I faced."

Glitheon’s eyes settled on a framed photo of his late wife, Cielia, who had been gone for years. Her smile was still as radiant and joyful as he remembered.

“The conflicts between mage families, the ruthless nature of mages—I was certain that the world was still too harsh for you,” Glitheon said, his expression growing increasingly severe.

This was no pretense. Even Glitheon, who had planned to mask his true feelings, couldn’t hold back the wave of emotions rising within him.

“What do you mean?”

“... Sylvia, do you know the history that binds the Iliades and the Yuklines? Do you truly grasp the depth of the hatred between us?”

Sylvia remained silent. The sight of Glitheon without his usual mask was both unsettling and terrifying. As she slowly stepped back, he watched her retreat with a cold, detached gaze.

“Cielia,” Glitheon said.

The name was that of the person Sylvia had loved most in this world—her mother. A faint tremor ran through Sylvia’s shoulders.

“She was a beautiful woman, an exceptional wife, and a devoted mother,” Glitheon said as he suddenly rose and stepped toward Sylvia. He gripped her shoulders firmly, preventing her from retreating, and looked directly into her eyes. “Listen carefully, Sylvia.”

He carefully enunciated each word with unwavering intensity.

“The Yuklines killed Ciel—the woman you loved and the one I once called my own.”

While talking with Julia and the others, Epherene continued to glance at Sylvia, who remained detached from the lively conversation around her. Then, a voice suddenly cut through the chatter.

“Welcome.”

Everyone froze and stood at attention while Deculein observed them from a hill in the forest.

"Congratulations. You are the 117 Debutants who have successfully arrived at the exam site," Deculein announced to the group.

Sylvia's eyes glazed over as she gazed at Deculein, utterly captivated. Epherene smiled bitterly, noticing her fascination.

The subject of today's exam is the integration of theory and intuition," Deculein continued

The difficulty of the task was unmistakable. Epherene and the other mages grew tense, concentrating fully on the challenge before them.

"As I have often stated, without theory, intuition falters. And without intuition, theory is nothing more than an empty shell," Deculein asserted.

He effortlessly combined the earth and wood around him, forming an elegant chair with his usual refined Ductility magic.

"In Lokail’s Forest, various magical phenomena and disasters will continually disrupt your sense of theory and intuition. Your task is to complete your assignments without faltering," Deculein instructed, his tone firm as he took a seat.

"Allen?" Deculein called, and Allen promptly appeared.

Allen smiled as always, but his energy seemed noticeably diminished.

"Alright, everyone~ Please step forward to collect your exam papers," Allen said.

1. Manifest and secure the following three spells in the specified order below.

2. Identify and record the eight properties of Pure Elements.

3. Describe the magical phenomena encountered in the Lokail’s Forest.

4. Analyze and cast the forthcoming spell of magical disaster.

5. Demonstrate the reactivity of Pure Elements within the forest.

The exam presented five tasks. Epherene sighed as she looked over the list, noticing the other mages mirrored her reaction. Even so, she reminded herself of the importance of staying focused. If it was difficult for her, it was difficult for everyone. This was the mindset she needed to hold on to.

"Certain spells may require specific materials for manifestation, which you can locate within Lokail’s Forest. However, exercise caution. The Special Floor is designated as such for a reason—it is extremely dangerous!" Allen cautioned.

"What is the time limit for this exam?" Epherene inquired.

Allen sneezed loudly, then replied, “Oh, excuse me. There is no time limit. Should you face any danger, do not hesitate to seek assistance from Professor Deculein~”

Allen quickly made his way up the hill, unrolled a mat beside Deculein, and sat down calmly.

"Professor, may I offer you some tea?"

Allen’s soft voice carried through the air, reaching Deculein clearly as he spoke.

***

Seated by the stream, Sylvia cast occasional glances at Deculein, who was still deeply immersed in his book.

“Deculein is the one who killed Cielia.”

Glitheon’s words played over and over in her mind. Whenever Sylvia looked at Deculein, her father’s enraged face seemed to blend with his. She shook her head, trying to push the thoughts away.

"It must be a lie. It has to be," Sylvia whispered to herself, repeating the words over and over. "The only truth is probably the conflict between Iliade and Yukline. Everything else has to be a lie. Father always exaggerates and twists the truth."

“... The exam.”

Sylvia refocused on the exam, crouching over the test paper with intense concentration.

Clunk—!

Suddenly, a piercing cold pain struck her head.

"Ouch."

Sylvia clutched her throbbing head and looked up, only to see hailstones pelting down from the sky. Without hesitation, she quickly created a shelter.

1. Manifest and secure the following three spells in the specified order below.

She proceeded to the main task, carefully manifesting and preserving the three spells in sequence. It wasn’t difficult. Yet, the words continued to echo in her mind, overwhelming her thoughts...

“... Then why don’t you ask him yourself? He wouldn’t dare accuse me of lying. So...”

"My head hurts," Sylvia groaned, gripping her head as the tormenting words refused to fade.

Deculein remained visible in the distance—her muse, the one she admired, perhaps even loved. Yet, her father had accused him of murdering her mother.

After enduring the headache for what felt like ages, Sylvia finally nodded to herself. She would finish the exam, complete it perfectly, and then ask. Once Deculein told her she had scored full marks again, she would confront him. She knew Deculein would surely deny it, insisting that Glitheon was mistaken.

"You can do this," Sylvia whispered to herself, gathering her determination as she began working on the first problem.

The tasks were easy for someone of her skill, yet within minutes, she sensed something was wrong.

"... Ah."

1. Manifest and secure the following three spells in the specified order below.

She was meant to cast the three water-based spells in sequence, but instead, Sylvia unintentionally fused them. Ironically, her mistake stemmed from the sheer brilliance of her talent and overwhelming magic. The merging of the three mid-level spells was sudden, and the resulting backlash was unavoidable.

"Oh no."

Roaaaar—!

The moment she whispered those words, the magic erupted. A surge of Water and wind, bound by her spell, rushed forward. Sylvia was caught in the turmoil before she had a chance to react.