Chapter 18 - The Pilot (1)

[Translator - Peptobismol][Proofreader - Demon God]

Chapter 18 - The Pilot (1)

{Swish—!}

Amid the deafening roar, shards of steel rain down.

Hundreds of swords surge like a storm. It’s a sight that inspires awe in all who witness it, as if flaunting a wall of talent beyond reach.

Yet, there was one boy who did not cower before this disaster.

Golden hair fluttered in the wind as he reached out toward the raging waves, as if daring to block them.

{Shatter.} Sᴇaʀᴄh the NøvᴇlFirᴇ(.)nᴇt website on Gøøglᴇ to access chapters of nøvels early and in the highest quality.

Everyone thought the boy was being reckless.

However, the moment his lips recited the incantation, the entire situation turned on its head.

{Boom—!}

With a thunderous crash, the scene shook.

Beyond the violently flashing images, dark shadows rapidly engulfed everything around them.

It was a menacing darkness, flickering ominously.

{Clang—!}

Immediately after, the barrier covering the arena shattered.

The seemingly impenetrable wall of talent crumbled like mere glass, shattering into countless pieces.

The fragments dissipated into dust, returning to a state as if they had never existed.

All of this happened in the blink of an eye, no more than three seconds.

{Hah.}

The golden-haired boy casually exhaled.

He acted as if the result was only natural.

As he flicked the remaining mana from his fingertips, the scene froze.

“...”

The faculty stared at the screen in silence.

They had replayed that part several times already, yet it was still hard to shake the shock.

The sharp, fluctuating killing intent.

The mana waves stretching to their limits.

Even in the face of danger, he maintained his composure.

All of it far exceeded what a student should be capable of.

As a heavy silence lingered, someone absentmindedly muttered,

“...Is this really a student who just entered the academy?”

The dazed voice was laced with disbelief, echoing the thoughts of everyone in the waiting room.

Like a malfunctioning magical device, the staff members stuttered momentarily before they erupted into a flurry of reactions.

“What on earth did I just see?”

“Rewind to that scene! Could it have been a recording error?”

“This doesn’t make any sense.”

“Is that really magic a student can perform...?”

“Did he use minimal mana to create a dispersion effect? That’s a technique far beyond what a student should manage—this is incredible!”

“Where on earth did a talent like this pop up from?”

Eyes alight with excitement, they stared at the screen.

The faculty’s reactions were blazing with enthusiasm, likely because this boy had defied their expectations of inevitable defeat.

It was the emergence of a raw gem that could leave a mark on history.

“I didn’t expect much from the son of the Snake, but... this is an interesting talent.”

“To think there’s a genius who could surpass Her Highness the Princess.”

“This is beyond the level of even a graduate, isn’t it?”

“He’s at least on par with an assistant instructor... push it a bit, and you could even compare him to a professor, don’t you think?”

“Oh, come on~ That’s going too far.”

“You’re probably right, haha.”

A young professor sheepishly scratched his head.

It seemed he had been overly generous in his evaluation.

After all, the professors of Galimard Academy were monstrous talents of another realm, incomparable to ordinary people.

But of course... there are always exceptions.

This was a scenario the boy had carefully orchestrated.

In the process of shattering the barrier, he had subtly controlled his power, ensuring he didn’t reveal himself beyond a certain level.

To others, he would appear as nothing more than an “extraordinary raw talent.”

“Still, it’s impressive.”

“‘Impressive’ doesn’t even begin to cover it. He’s already better than most of the teaching assistants.”

“To reach this level at such a young age... his future looks promising.”

The faculty had no idea.

They had no clue that if the boy wanted to, he could easily slaughter every single one of them.

Sometimes, ignorance is what keeps people alive.

Blissfully unaware, the professors continued their heated discussions.

“Let’s keep the noise down.”

It was the Dean who finally calmed the room.

The elderly man remained composed. His steady gaze, unaffected by the excitement around him, hinted at his seasoned experience.

“Selena.”

“Yes, Master.”

“It seems we’ve found the top student for the class placement exam.”

“It appears so.”

Selena responded indifferently.

Her weary red eyes blinked lazily.

Purple hair, falling messily over her shoulders, framed a delicate hand holding a bottle of strong liquor as usual.

She was the picture of a drunken mess.

“...”

The Dean suppressed a sigh.

He desperately wanted to scold her, but he was currently indebted to her, so he held back.

With a reluctant tone, he said,

“It was a mistake on my part.”

“What do you mean?”

“About the top student in the entrance exam. I doubted the documents you approved and even imposed conditions to pressure you.”

“Ah... well, yes.”

Selena shrugged nonchalantly.

Her reaction suggested she hadn’t cared in the first place, but it only made the Dean more uncomfortable.

“I apologize.”

“It’s fine.”

“I figured you’d say that... but is there anything you want?”

“What do you mean by ‘want’...?”

“If it’s within my power, I’ll grant it.”

“Hmm.”

For the first time, Selena showed genuine interest.

She pondered for a moment, then, with a faint smile, spoke up.

“Well then, I’ll tell you. From this class, I want to...”

The request that followed left the other faculty members wide-eyed in shock.

Her colleagues stared at her in disbelief.

But Selena simply took another swig from her bottle.

***

The plan had completely collapsed.

I originally intended to fail the exam in style and give up the top spot... but things got so tangled that I had no choice.

I hadn’t accounted for Charlotte’s overwhelming sense of consideration.

Still, it wasn’t all bad.

Through this opportunity, I made proper contact with the Little Prince and even managed to have a brief chat.

Her reaction wasn’t too bad either.

At the very least, she didn’t seem suspicious of me.

‘Considering Charlotte’s personality, she’s unlikely to spread rumors about me.’

After all, I can’t exactly turn back time.

Well, there is someone who can turn back time… but I’d rather not get involved with them.

Let’s just be content with this for now.

With that thought, I lifted my head.

The first thing that came into view through my hazy vision was the arena.

“Hmm.”

I was seated in the waiting area, observing the ongoing exam.

Currently on the field were a pink-haired girl and a blue-haired villainess.

I quietly checked the match list.

[Match 23]

[Regia Filarts vs. Emilia Vanity]

‘The protagonist versus the villainess...’

I was already familiar with this scene from the original game.

I calmly recalled the details.

[EP1. The Outsider]

Regia enters the academy, filled with excitement.

But waiting for her… was the class placement exam.

As one of the top students, she feels pressured, but she’s more eager to meet new people.

She hopes this will be a chance to make friends.

-I’m going to make friends too.

-Ugh... I’m nervous, but I’ll do my best!

Having lived a wandering life without a single friend, Regia makes a promise to herself.

This time, she’ll definitely build good relationships.

So, with confident steps, she walks into the arena...

-How pathetic.

But she ends up losing miserably.

Her opponent was simply too formidable.

After all, she was up against the daughter of the Vanity Duke family, a genius second only to Charlotte.

-You need to know your place.

-This academy is for those who are qualified... it’s not a place for some commoner to waltz into.

As a commoner who entered the academy, the protagonist naturally becomes a thorn in the villainess’s side.

When the opportunity of the class placement exam arises, Emilia seizes it to utterly crush her opponent, both physically and mentally.

-Leave, outsider.

The cold voice echoes mercilessly.

That harsh remark leaves a lasting scar on Regia’s heart.

Thus begins the protagonist’s rough journey in the first episode.

“...This is worrying.”

I muttered unconsciously.

Growth comes with trials.

I understood that it was a necessary process, but I couldn’t help feeling bad.

As I watched the exam with conflicted eyes...

“She’s really getting overwhelmed.”

“Irene.”

The fox beside me murmured.

Dressed in her maid outfit, Irene leaned back and watched the exam. She tilted her head and asked,

“But didn’t you say that pink-haired girl is a summoner?”

“Yes.”

“Then why isn’t she summoning anything and fighting barehanded?”

“Ah.”

She was right.

There wasn’t even a trace of a single mouse in the arena.

The majestic wyvern she had shown during the entrance ceremony was nowhere to be seen—only a trembling girl stood in its place.

I gave a bitter smile.

“There’s a reason.”

“A reason?”

“It’s Regia’s weakness... if you could call it that.”

Regia freezes up when she panics.

As someone with far below average mental fortitude, which is crucial for summoning rituals, she often fails to summon anything when under pressure.

In the original game, she couldn’t use any skills when under a "confusion" effect.

She’s powerful but requires careful management.

‘She eventually overcomes that weakness in the later stages...’

But for now, it’s only the tutorial stage.

Given that, the exam playing out this way was inevitable.

“Such a shame.”

“It is. But that’s part of Miss Regia’s charm.”

“But how do you even know all this? There’s no way the pink-haired girl would have told you...”

“Hoho... Do you really want to know?”

I smirked slightly.

My smile, with narrowed eyes and a curved grin, had a distinctly eerie aura.

“...Never mind, I’ll pass.”

“Good choice. I was wondering how I’d answer you.”

For some reason, whenever I smile like this, people tend to avert their gaze.

It’s been quite useful for dodging awkward questions or avoiding topics I’d rather not discuss.

Irene quickly changed the subject.

“Anyway, putting that aside... Isn’t she going to get hurt like that? The pink-haired girl can barely manage basic spells.”

“She’ll be fine.”

“What makes you so sure?”

“Just a feeling.”

Despite being a villainess, Emilia was someone who strictly adhered to her own principles.

While she might break Regia’s spirit, she wasn’t the type to cause serious harm.

“Even though I’m saying this, I can’t help worrying a bit myself.”

“That’s surprising.”

“Hmm?”

“I didn’t think you’d ever worry about anyone. I figured you wouldn’t care about anyone.”

“Haha, how could that be? I’m only human, after all.”

“...Are you really human?”

“Then what do you think I am?”

“A chimera?”

“...Let’s stop there.”

This wasn’t the first time we’d had a conversation like this.

Psychopath, monster... and now a chimera?

I’m actually curious what wild label she’ll come up with next.

‘I did so much for her, and yet... she’s been seeing me as some kind of *Edward Elric this whole time.’

[*Name of the protagonist of Fullmetal Alchemist, who is a chimera.}

It was a heartbreaking realization.

Feeling a bit bitter, I grabbed the fox’s tail.

“Eep?!”

“This is punishment.”

“W-Wait...! Not the tail! It makes me feel weird... H-Haaah!?”

“Take it like a champ.”

I thoroughly petted the soft tuft of fur.

After spending some time disciplining the cheeky fox, the announcement echoed across the arena.

The voice signaled the end of the match.

{The 23rd match has concluded.}

{Students who have finished their exams, please exit as instructed by the faculty.}

In the arena, two girls stood.

The villainess turned away with a cold demeanor, while the protagonist knelt on the ground.

{Regia Filarts has forfeited. The winner is Emilia Vanity.}

There were no surprises.

The pink-haired girl stood frozen for a moment before staggering to her feet.

She wobbled as she left the arena.

Her retreating figure looked especially lonely.

“Well... Shall we get going too?”

“Already? There are still about ten matches left.”

“Someone needs me. A friend should be there during tough times, don’t you think?”

“What are you planning...?”

I answered with a smile.

The sky above was unusually overcast. Dark clouds hung thickly, hinting at the possibility of rain.

I casually asked the fox,

“Miss Irene.”

“What?”

“Looks like it’s going to rain.”

“I brought umbrellas... but why did you insist on packing three when there are only two of us?”

“There’s someone I want to shield.”

I gave a simple answer.

“I don’t want them to be alone.”

Now then.

Shall we go cheer up our protagonist a bit?

[Translator - Peptobismol]

[Proofreader - Demon God]