Chapter 32

Chapter 32: Entrance Exam (3)

Three professors

Dinavo.

Delphineso

Ingrid

“Haha.”

The three of them were laughing in disbelief. This was because of Dane, who had just finished his exam.

“Finishing the test in thirty minutes… and a unanimous pass at that… If anyone heard about it, they would say that he bribed all three professors.”

The other two professors burst into laughter at Ingrid’s muttered words.

It might seem that way. He was the first person to pass the exam in a hundred years, and he completely satisfied the requirements of three professors in less than ten minutes for each major.

“To think he would analyze my magic link, copy it, and then connect it to himself…”

Dinavo tilted his head in curiosity at the words of Delphineso, the dean of Summoning.

“Is that really so amazing?”

“Yes. It’s a big deal. That he could analyze my mana in that short period… His affinity, too.” Delphineso clicked her tongue and told Dinavo, “You were worse. It was like your soul left your body a while ago.”

“Hmm. I suppose,” Dinavo admitted honestly

The problem he posed was this:

After drawing an unrecognized magic circle, he tasked Dane to complete the magic circle within a given time limit and rearrange his magic to perform the spell corresponding to the magic circle.

It was a three-step problem that required one to finish drawing the magic circle, rearrange their magic power, and then cast the spell.

If Dane were a normal applicant, he would probably be blocked by the fact that he had to complete the magic circle. Without knowing the rules, you’d never be able to complete it.

“Who would have thought? Not only did he complete the magic circle, but he also performed ‘another’ spell.”

But Dane took it a step further.

It seemed like he was staring at the magic circle for a moment, but he immediately figured out the code and drew a magic circle, but then he changed the direction and cast a different spell that applied the same rule.

From Dinavo’s point of view, it was absurd. Not only did he get right a problem he was meant to get wrong, but he also showed off his genius by performing another spell.

“Understanding the codes and analyzing the structure of spells and magic circles are the basics of a mage, and the biggest difference is dependent on talent.”

For that reason, Dane’s analytical skills were already at a level that even average mages couldn’t even compare to. Some mages were able to analyze a magic circle that would make others go blank the moment they saw it with just a glance.

“And with that magic circle, he even cast 3-chain magic.”

Naturally, he passed.

“You two, your shock can’t compare to the one I received…”

Meanwhile, Ingrid, the professor and dean of the Spearmanship Department, was just staring blankly into space.

Dinavo and Delphineso tilted their heads.

“You passed him after seeing him stab his spear a few times. Why are you like this? What kind of shock did you get?”

Ingrid shook his head at Dinavo’s question.

“It wasn’t just a simple stab.”

Ingrid saw it clearly.

“It… was more perfect than any stab I’ve ever seen.”

“Perfect?”

“Yes. And it was even destructive.”

The way magic exploded out and distorted the air the moment Dane stabbed forward and paused his movement.

Dinavo and Delphineso also saw it. They just didn’t think it was that great, as they didn’t know spearmanship as well as Ingrid did.

“Perhaps, he may surpass Count Sogres…”

In this way, the three professors witnessed a single boy displaying three overwhelming talents.

That was why一

‘Since he got first place in the first test, that means he’s the top student.’

‘There’s never been a year it was so easy to pick a top student.’

‘He’s definitely the top student. Hah, so all the children of House Sogres are top students?’

As if they had discussed it, all three were thinking similar things.

My mother and father were very happy to hear the news of my passing.

⸢As expected of our son!⸣

⸢Thank you for your hard work, Dane!⸣

At first, I thought they would be a little confused when I told them that I chose the autonomous major. I hadn’t even told my sisters yet.

My exams ended too early, and my sisters were banned from contacting the outside world until all the tests were over.

Anyway, I passed.

Now that I was fully enrolled, I could take any class I wanted regardless of major. That made me happier than the fact that I passed.

And of course, Leila also passed. But as soon as she heard the news that I was accepted to the autonomous major program, she became gloomy.

“It was over in thirty minutes…?”

Should I have said it took two hours?

Of course, Leila did well too. She didn’t just do good, she did incredibly well.

It was said that the Swordsmanship Department’s exam was conducted in a sparring format with practice weapons. Whether or not the duel with me had helped, Leila took her opponent seriously and immediately crushed her opponents.

Thanks to that, she took first place by an overwhelming margin among the applicants for the Swordsmanship Department. seaʀᴄh thё NôᴠeFire.ηet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

“Then you must be the top student…”

“It hasn’t even been announced yet.”

“No, I’m sure you’re the top student.”

But I guess she thought I did better in the exam. Her gloom didn’t last long as the banquet prepared by Duke Thermion to celebrate Leila and my passing the exam began.

It was a ‘private’ banquet held among members of the duke’s household, where guests were not invited. Despite it being a large table, there were so many foods and desserts laid out on it that it looked like the table could break at any moment.

Even my favorite tarts were available in different varieties.

“I told the chef in advance that you like tarts,” Leila mentioned slyly.

Where else could I have ever met such a wonderful person?

“There are also strawberry tarts. They are hard to find in the South.”

“They were brought in from the North. Just cast a preservation spell on them.”

After all, this was the capital.

Considering how difficult it was to maintain preservation magic while traveling from North to South, doing so was an excessive luxury for me.

I couldn’t use teleport magic to import some strawberries, after all.

“Eat as much as you want, ‘Top student’.”

I was dumbfounded at Leila’s words.

“Are you sulking?”

“Don’t you know that if you ask someone sulking that, they’ll get angry?”

Still, she was honest. If it had been a while ago, she would have said she wasn’t sulking.

“How could you… pass the autonomous major test? Ridiculous… Do you know how that feels now?” Leila met my gaze and continued with a disbelieving tone, “I feel like I shouldn’t even try to understand you. I should just accept it. Uncontrollable? Natural disaster? Something like that?”

“What a nice comparison.”

“I’m not joking! Spearmanship, magic, and even summoning! Do you know how the rumors have spread?”

We took the exams just that day, but the rumors had spread that fast? As expected of the capital.

“Haha, you two are like siblings now,” they heard Duke Thermion say.

“Father.”

“Your Grace.”

As always, there was no one beside him. It seemed that the duchess was sick, as usual.

“You both did amazingly. Congratulations, both of you. Leila, I’m very proud of you.”

Leila shyly nodded her head at those words.

“You are a talented child, so, don’t be in such a rush. Just go your own way.”

“Yes, Father.”

Then, Duke Thermion turned to me.

“Count Sogres would be very proud.”

“I think it’s thanks to your consideration during my stay.”

“Haha. You only stayed for two days. What could we have done?”

Just being able to eat those delicious tarts was a wonderful thing for me.

“By the way, autonomous major? How on earth did Arken teach you?”

Duke Thermion leaned in and whispered in a voice too small for Leila to hear.

“I was lucky.”

“If passing the autonomous major could be done by luck, why haven’t there been any successful applicants so far?”

Duke Thermion turned away again and smiled.

“Today is a celebration for these wonderful children, so eat and enjoy yourself.”

As the banquet continued in such a grand manner, I talked about various things with Duke Thermion. There were also a few people who appeared to be relatives.

“Oh, how is the count? It seems like only yesterday that we spilled blood together on the battlefield, hahaha!”

“Listen, little brother, be honest. You’ve never held a sword before, have you? Weren’t you an executive officer?”

“Hmph. How many times have I told you? I was an executive officer, but the retreat operation I participated in at that time was the turning point of my life!”

They showed great interest in me. If Duke Thermion hadn’t stepped in so promptly, I would have been tormented with questions all night.

“They have a lot of questions, don’t they? Please understand, Count Sogres is quite the man. By the way, have you thought about what you’re going to make at the forge?”

I shook my head.

“I have a sword in mind, but I have no plans to make it yet.”

“Hmm, I see. Is there a reason?”

“The first reason is that my body isn’t fully grown yet. I also don’t know what kind of sword I want.”

I was being honest. I knew a lot about swordsmanship, but I didn’t know much about the ‘sword’ as a weapon.

If it broke, you picked up another and used it, and if that broke, you picked another and used it. It was not that they weren’t well-maintained, but in a rough environment like a battlefield, most were easily damaged and broken.

“I’m going to think about it for a little longer since this is a good opportunity.”

“Alright, you do that. Hahaha!”

Duke Thermion laughed brightly.

How long did the banquet last like that? One of the attendants approached Duke Thermion and seemed to whisper something to him.

Duke Thermion immediately stood up and said, “I’m sorry, Leila. I think your mother is looking for me.”

“It’s alright, Father.”

Duke Thermion naturally left.

Where was he going? The reason became clear soon enough.

“There is no cure for my mother’s illness”

Duchess Thermion.

She was sick now. That was why she couldn’t go on the southern inspection tour seven years ago.

“My mother says we shouldn’t worry about her and just work, but how could my father do that?”

Leila’s expression said it was okay, but her eyes and voice didn’t.

“I think that’s why he tells me to stay like that so that I don’t feel left out. Last time he went to the palace, I thought he would stay for a week, but he came back in two days.”

Leila continued speaking heavily.

“Fortunately, Mother’s condition didn’t get worse, but it didn’t get any better either. It just stayed the same for several years.”

It was a shame. As someone who had never seen my parents get sick, I couldn’t easily understand her feelings. So, rather than offering unnecessary consolation, I chose to listen to her.

“I thought that if I told my mother the news of my acceptance, she would be happy and wake up, but is that silly of me?”

I shook my head and said, *Your mother will be happy just with that thought.”

“…Thank you”

By the way, this was supposed to be a banquet, but there weren’t many people. Duke Thermion had his reasons, but two others were nowhere to be seen.

Leila’s two older brothers weren’t there.

“Let’s have fun together today. My older brother is currently on assignment in the East, and my second brother… has been away from home for a while now.”

Leila forced herself to smile.

“But we exchanged glances a little while ago when I was taking the test, hehe!”

It was only then that I realized the emotion in Leila’s eyes.

It was loneliness.

In my previous life, I had comrades and colleagues, and in this life, I had a happy family, so I couldn’t feel it.

“It’ll be exciting to enter the academy, right?”

“Yeah, it’s going to be great.”

Soon, we would enter the academy. The entrance ceremony was in two days. This was the first time both Leila and I had left the castle or mansion that protected us.

“Dane, even if you’re an autonomous major, you’ll still hang out with me, right? Come to classes with me, and if possible, take a few classes as a swordsman, right?”

I tilted my head at those words, which seemed earnest.

“Let’s do it together. I mean that’s what academy life is supposed to be, right?”

I looked at Leila’s face, which was brightening again, and I returned her smile with a bright one of my own.