Chapter 8: Entrance Exam (2)

「Carl」.

Anyone with even a bit of sense would realize that name was a nickname for Carlos.

In fact, the people in the hallway were looking around, trying to spot the cadet candidate who had been called Carl.

“……”

Carl quickly concealed his presence.

He tried to slip away by hiding among the crowd, but Darius, who had strode over with large steps, reached out with his thick hand and grabbed him.

“Wahaha! First place in theory! That’s truly impressive! Even your oh-so-smart brother couldn’t manage that!”

He hooked both hands under Carl’s arms and lifted him up, bursting into loud laughter.

“Brother Darius, there are a lot of people around……”

“Well done! I knew you were clever, but I didn’t expect you to take first place!”

Carl tried to maintain a good relationship with his family.

There was no reason to ruin a peaceful atmosphere by acting out.

But for the first time, he seriously considered the survival of that relationship.

“……”

All kinds of stares poured in from every direction.

His face had already been exposed long ago.

Carl gave up on escaping from Darius’s grasp.

……Among them, the most striking gaze came from Yuria’s golden eyes, which were twisted in a grimace.

‘Hmm.’

It seemed that the plan to gradually get closer to her would run into trouble right from the start.

After that brief commotion,

While eating lunch in the cadet cafeteria of Bayern, Carius, who had just heard about the situation, also let out a hearty laugh.

“Carl’s pride must’ve taken a hit. Causing such a fuss right from the start.”

“Isn’t it actually a good thing? Now everyone knows Carl’s face.”

“That’s the kind of thing someone with thick nerves like you would say.”

Carius shook his head.

“Still, well done, Carl. You can be a little prouder of yourself. Taking first in theory isn’t something you can do with luck. Especially since the cadet candidates this term are supposed to be quite exceptional.”

“Don’t they say that every generation is special? When I took the entrance exam, they were going on about a golden generation or whatever.”

“Is that so?”

Carl half-listened to the conversation while twirling pasta noodles and putting them into his mouth.

At first, this culture had felt unfamiliar, but now he could eat quite comfortably.

By now, he even found it somewhat fun.

“Since you took first in theory, you only need to show the basics in the practical and field tests. You’re around average now, so just act like usual……”

“Brother, you should be honest now. The entrance exam is right around the corner.”

Darius interrupted the eldest brother’s words and looked at his younger brother with cold eyes.

“Carl, your skills are clearly below average compared to the other cadet candidates. Even if you get docked a few points, it can’t be helped. But since you got an outstanding score in theory, just perform as usual. You probably won’t fail unless something extreme happens.”

“I’ll do my best.”

Carl nodded lightly.

Since he had already secured top marks in theory, just showing basic performance would be enough to pass.

“What if Carl fails because of the practical test?”

“He can cover that with his theory score. The real problem is the field test. He’ll just have to hope for decent party members.”

“Can’t we use the family name to apply pressure? Maybe bribe at least one supervisor.”

“Don’t do anything stupid. You know how the Bayern entrance exam works.”

Though Carl himself hadn’t thought much about it, his two brothers were analyzing every possible outcome to ensure his success.

It was a sign of how much they cared about their youngest sibling, but their affection was becoming a bit annoying.

Carl’s goal was to be someone others would describe as “somewhat ambiguous.”

Since he had scored overwhelmingly well in theory, there would naturally be expectations during the practical and field exams.

Sure enough, during the afternoon practical test, the supervisor who faced him looked at Carl with expectant eyes.

“Well then, let’s see the skills of our theory first place.”

The supervisor was composed of cadets who were one year senior.

It was both an entrance exam for new cadets and a chance to assess the growth of last year’s students.

“Please take care of me.”

The practical test required winning 3 out of 5 sparring matches to pass.

Carl didn’t draw it out and earned passing marks in the first three matches.

“…Well, that’s a borderline pass. It shouldn’t be a problem.”

The supervisor, who introduced himself as Eriksen, scratched his head with the butt of his spear and looked at Carl with a subtle expression.

“Thank you.”

Carl bowed politely and stepped down from the sparring arena.

Now that he had passed, there was no reason to stick around.

Right after the practical test, the field test was scheduled.

Entering the cadet waiting room, he noticed the atmosphere was more lively than during the theory test.

‘Getting this far basically means you’re going to pass.’

This year, 5,284 cadet candidates applied for Bayern Academy’s entrance exam.

Of those, 3,127 were eliminated for failing the theory test.

Out of the remaining 2,157, only 500 would pass through the practical and field exams, making the competition roughly 4.2 to 1.

Most wore expressions that said they believed they could make it into the final 500.

“Once all ongoing tests are completed, we will announce the party assignments for the field exam.”

The field exam involved clearing an artificial dungeon beneath the academy.

Everything—from the environment, to the monsters encountered, to the objectives, and even the party members—was determined at random.

“……”

Carl quietly sat in a corner seat, waiting for the party announcement.

……Because of the earlier scene, some people recognized him.

Some came up and introduced themselves like they had already passed, saying they looked forward to working with him.

Others simply observed from a distance.

Carl just responded appropriately to each one.

‘There’s no need to make enemies.’

An average, unremarkable yet capable person.

That kind of image was ideal for approaching high-profile targets.

“The practical test has concluded. Cadet candidates, please check the party board at the front to see your assigned party members for the field test.”

Soon, the party list for the field exam was revealed.

Carl didn’t care who ended up in his party.

Even if someone deliberately tried to sabotage him, he was confident he could trample over them and pass with ease.

……But this was truly unexpected.

“……”

A pair of golden eyes quietly stared at him.

Was it a coincidence?

Or was something at play?

He let out a hollow breath and checked his party composition once more.

[4-D Party]

Nerian

Yuria

Laysis

Carlos

Of all things, he ended up in the same party as all the people he had marked as persons of interest.

Several minutes had passed since they had gathered in one place after confirming they were in the same party, but no one had spoken a word.

Yuria kept staring at Carl with half-dead eyes.

Laysis wore a troubled smile, and Nerian stood with arms crossed, eyes closed, leaning against the wall, looking as if he didn’t care about anything.

‘This might actually be for the best.’

Carl nodded inwardly, lightly brushing off Yuria’s gaze, which seemed like it could burn a hole through him.

If he helped them score high marks in the field test, it could be an opportunity to close the distance with them before even entering the academy.

While he was at it, he decided to memorize their appearances and traits.

First, Yuria Euclid.

Her sleek silver-white hair was tied up at the back of her head.

She wore a dark gray robe that clearly marked her as someone from the Gray Magic Tower, and glimpses of various artifacts could be seen peeking from underneath.

There was still a hint of youth lingering on her face, but true to her nickname, “Gray Lily,” her looks were stunning.

Her iridescent golden eyes, a hallmark of the Euclid family, for some reason emitted a fierce light.

“What, why, what.”

The moment their eyes met, she picked a fight.

There were rumors that her conduct didn’t match her background and knowledge—seemed they were true.

“……It’s nothing.”

Next was Laysis Alforam.

A princess of the Kingdom of Alforam, known for her outstanding swordsmanship talent.

Her bright blonde hair and blue eyes shone dazzlingly, just like the royal bloodline she came from.

According to the report, she generally had a gentle personality.

When their eyes met briefly, she gave a slight smile and tilted her head.

“……”

Lastly, Nerian Hopenheim.

His forget-me-not colored hair was a hereditary trait of the Hopenheim bloodline.

In other words, a sign that he had inherited the power of ice.

Perhaps because of that, his entire demeanor was as cold as can be.

Though they were formally in the same party, he gave off a vibe that he didn’t want to speak with anyone.

Clap.

As expected, the first to speak after the prolonged silence was Laysis.

She looked around at the group and spoke with a faint smile.

“Since we’re all here, shall we at least introduce ourselves? Some of us are meeting for the first time today.”

Carl nodded.

These three likely met often at noble social gatherings.

Though the Leipzig family held the title of Count, they guarded the imperial border, so they hadn’t advanced into central politics.

“I’m Laysis. I use a sword.”

“Nerian. Magic swordsman.”

“……Yuria. Mage from the Gray Magic Tower.”

The three quickly finished their introductions and turned their gazes to Carl.

“Carlos. You can call me Carl. I also use a sword.”

In truth, Carl had studied magic in addition to the Primordial Unity Divine Art.

It wasn’t a martial art from the Central Plains, so he had been intrigued and started learning it—and now, even by cadet standards, he had reached a fairly high level.

But there was no need to mention that now, so he introduced himself with a straightforward attitude.

“……So, a swordsman.”

Yuria muttered in a deadpan voice.

It must’ve been frustrating to her that a swordsman, not even a mage, had taken first place in the theory exam.

Laysis glanced at her briefly, then clapped her hands again and nodded.

“Let’s all do our best. I’m sure everyone here is aiming for the top ranks.”

“I’ll work hard.”

“……We should cut one out. I saw someone tank their score hard during the practical exam earlier.”

Yuria sneered.

Mages took their practical tests separately from the martial division.

And yet, it seemed she had gone out of her way to watch Carl’s exam.

“You seem weak in real combat, so just do what you’re told. You can still score decently that way.”

“Miss Yuria.”

At her rather provocative remark, Laysis narrowed her eyes.

Yuria simply shrugged and took a step back, saying it was just sincere advice.

‘She really hates me.’

Carl gave a bitter smile and nodded to show he understood.

Objectively speaking, it was true that his actual combat skills were lower than theirs.

“As long as you don’t hold us back, that’ll be enough.”

Just then, Nerian, who had stayed silent, cut in.

He pointed not only at Carl but also at Yuria and Laysis as he continued.

“You, and you too. Just follow behind me quietly.”

His tone implied that he looked down on everyone else.

Then, as if he had nothing more to say, he turned and walked off.

Yuria clicked her tongue and let out a scoffing breath at his arrogant behavior.

“……That attitude hasn’t changed. He really thinks he’s something.”

“Miss Yuria.”

“I’m right, aren’t I? Anyway, just don’t drag me down. I won’t hesitate to ditch you if things get tough.”

Yuria, too, walked off in a different direction, clearly unwilling to speak further.

“……Haha.”

Only Laysis remained, smiling awkwardly as she looked back and forth at the two who had left.

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