Chapter 133: Day of the Entrance Exam (1)

༺ Day of the Entrance Exam (1) ༻

“We’re nearly there, Princess White.”

Märchen Academy was bustling with people for the first time in a long while, regaining its former vibrancy.

On a sunny morning, with the school gates wide open, young examinees walked across the grounds, each filled with their own sense of determination.

It was the day of the entrance exam.

Despite a series of unfortunate incidents, the competition for entry into Märchen Academy didn’t decrease in the slightest.

Its reputation as the continent’s top academy remained, and the Imperial Family had declared that they themselves would directly protect Märchen Academy from the disaster known as demons.

With the widespread information that the fifth Imperial Princess would be enrolling in Märchen Academy, the examinees felt a sense of relief.

When crossing the bridge that connected the Zelver Empire and the Märchen Academy grounds, one could enjoy the view of the expansive Arkins Sea.

Accompanied by numerous guards, a magnificent carriage was crossing the bridge. It was a luxurious blue carriage with a gold trim, a color symbolizing the Zelver Empire’s Imperial Family.

Inside that luxurious carriage, a girl with grey eyes was looking out the window.

Her pure white hair, which reflected the sunlight like snow, was neatly braided and tied at the back, and adorned with a pretty red ribbon.

She had skin as clean and fair as a doll, and she wore an exquisite dress that harmoniously mixed white and red.

Imperial Princess Snow White, commonly known as White.

“...”

White did not respond to the knight sitting across from her.

The knight was Merlin Astrea, the daughter of the Sword Saint, Gerald Astrea, she was a swordsman prodigy selected as White’s personal escort knight while still being a student at the academy.

‘Almost at Märchen Academy,’ she said... Merlin’s words were undoubtedly meant to prepare White mentally.

But White just gazed distantly at the horizon beyond the Arkins Sea, with a wistful expression.

“...Merlin.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

Blinking once...

...White looked at Merlin, her face filled with fear, before trembling.

“I-I know it’s a bit late, but can’t we just go back now...?”

The tone was cowardly, sharply contrasting with the heavy, contemplative atmosphere she had been immersed in just moments before.

“It’s not possible. It is an Imperial Order.”

“Look at that vast sea. Many lives must be conceived in its depths. Wouldn’t there be demons over there? Yes, of course! Oh oh, when you think about it...! Here, so many demons appear, right? This place is like a demon realm, a demon realm! Why on earth isn’t this place abandoned already... No, that’s going too far, but why isn’t it temporarily closed? No matter how much I think about it, i-isn’t it too dangerous? It would be better to go back right away, right?!”

“Regardless of the words Your Highness speaks, His Imperial Majesty the Emperor’s will remains the same.”

That damned Imperial Order, Imperial Order...!

Tears welled up in White’s eyes.

Father, why do you put me through such trials...!

White was the only princess of age who could attend the academy.

Despite being a princess with high authority in this country, White’s pure wish was to enjoy her youth as she studied and grew alongside her peers.

From the beginning, she was completely excluded from the imperial succession conflict. Being like a flower in a greenhouse, it was perhaps natural for her to harbor such sorrowful feelings.

Moreover, observing the undercurrents of the upcoming battle for imperial succession was immensely burdensome.

Inevitably, she increasingly felt the desire to flee from the Imperial Palace

But, telling Emperor Carlos that she wanted to go to the academy... turned out to be the root of the problem.

‘Of all places, why Märchen Academy...’

I want to go to Märchen Academy.

Not long after saying that, demons started appearing one after another at Märchen Academy...

And then there was that Black Monster that was said to have reached the realm of an Archwizard. Where did such a suspicious monster suddenly appear from? What were the academy’s faculty and the Imperial Knights doing if they couldn’t identify it?

In her mind, Märchen Academy had transformed into a demon realm where she could lose her life at any moment.

The protection of the Imperial Knights? That wasn’t enough to reassure her. She was a fearful person, constantly imagining the worst scenarios to the point of unintentionally frightening herself.

So when she decided to give up on going to Märchen Academy, this time it was Emperor Carlos who pushed her forward.

Bianca Anturaze, the Saintess of the Helize Church, and of noble status in the Holy Kingdom of Bardio.

And Miya, the Priestess of Horan, the Land of the Fire Blossoms.

The reason was that he had learned that these two were planning to enroll in Märchen Academy.

White had been told that she should definitely build a friendship with those two when she said she wanted to attend Märchen Academy. It was said to be for the future of the empire...

“Move. You’re in the way.”

The Priestess with black pearl-like hair lowered the leg she had used to kick. Her attitude was incredibly nonchalant.

The air in Duke Hall became heavy.

Not only the male student was startled, but the other examinees and Princess White were equally startled.

Miya, the Priestess from Horan, the Land of the Fire Blossoms. A girl who demonstrated abilities so overwhelming, they were easily enough to claim the top seat in this entrance exam, a formidable authoritative figure, akin to a ruler of the Eastern Nations, and revered as a ‘Divine Maiden.’

To put it in terms of the Zelver Empire, it was as if both the power of the Emperor and the authority of the Saintess were concentrated in this one girl.

If one had even a basic education, not knowing who she was would be unthinkable.

In the Zelver Empire, her power might be somewhat diminished, but her status remained unapproachable.

‘But...’

White was puzzled.

It seemed that the male examinee was just blocking the way... Couldn’t the issue have been resolved with a simple request to move aside? Kicking him was an overreaction.

The Priestess’s gentle and pretty face didn’t seem to match her character.

“Shall we go, Lady Miya?”

“Yeah, yeah.”

Following the female escort wizard’s words, the Priestess Miya answered in an annoyed tone and hastened her steps.

The boy, startled, quickly stood up to apologize, but Miya didn’t even pretend to listen.

“Oh, Manhalla...”

White, with a look of despair, touched her forehead and called out the name of god in distress. The scenery made her feel dizzy.

To have to befriend a woman with such a shitty personality, just based on first impressions...?

What am I going to do about this bleak future?

White looked at Merlin for help but she just gave a thumbs up with her sparkling eyes.

Her commanding expression seemed to say, ‘Princess, you can do it. Become friends! For the peace of this world!’. It brought tears to White’s eyes.

Meanwhile,

The priestess, Miya, after leaving Duke Hall, walked demurely while humming a tune.

The Princess, the Saintess, and the Priestess were all globally famous; they boasted exceptionally neat and beautiful looks among the examinees and drew frequent glances from others.

Despite the red cat-eye makeup, her calm and innocent-looking eyes surveyed the surroundings with curiosity.

“Hehe.”

Miya suddenly let out a laugh.

The personal escort following her asked, “Is there something that pleases you?”

Miya, holding a magic weapon in the shape of a black fan, gently tapped her lower lip with it and turned her head towards the escort.

“Someone is watching me.”

“What? Who...?”

The escort reached for the wand at her waist, adopting a defensive stance.

“Mae is telling me now. It’s not an ordinary gaze. This is... a mystical power. It must be him.”1ED Note: Mae definitely refers to Tamamo-no-Mae aka the name of the Nine tails fox for those who didn’t know

Miya blushed. ‘Mae’ referred to her nation-destroying familiar, a nine-tailed fox.

“Hehe, he’s watching over me...! Ah...!”

Take me, Sir Hero.

This was the constant plea of Miya, the Priestess from Horan.

‘He’ referred to the Black Monster, the Nameless Hero. A being beyond imagination who slayed demons and had single-handedly defeated the Floating Island just a few months ago.

It was clear how much Miya, who usually treated people like trash, idolized and obsessed over the Nameless Hero. It was quite dramatic.

But to the extent of moaning in excitement... Such a scene was new for the escort, but it wasn’t too surprising.

But still,

“What gaze?”

No matter how much she looked around, the escort couldn’t understand Miya’s response.

There was nothing but the scenery of Märchen Academy, mystical or not.

The escort had no way of knowing that Isaac was monitoring Märchen Academy with his [Clairvoyance].

Footnotes:

1ED Note: Mae definitely refers to Tamamo-no-Mae aka the name of the Nine tails fox for those who didn’t know