The Entrance Exam (Part 2)
The day of the Arcadia Academy entrance exam had arrived. The streets echoed with the footsteps of countless examinees and citizens. The clock tower hands pointed to 9:50. It was almost time for the written test to begin.
With the exam guide paper clutched in my hand, I headed toward the testing room indicated at the reception desk. Several examinees had already lined up by the door at the end of the corridor. Most seemed to be commoners, though a few noble-born were mixed among them. Those with recommendation letters or who applied under a noble family name took the written exam separately. The ones here were likely illegitimate children scorned by their houses or fallen nobles who possessed nothing but the title.
I let out a sigh. Will everything I prepared over the last two months actually hold up in the real exam...?
Inside the exam room, test papers waited on each desk. They covered mathematics, language, history, and additional questions for knight department applicants. I sat down and drew a deep breath. Picking up the pen, I read through the questions.
Math had always been a strength of mine; my fingers recalled the formulas naturally. The language section posed no great burden either, as this world's script flowed easily for me. History was the problem. The founding of the Astrea Empire, the subjugation of the Demon King... I had to remember every key year, event, and name.
Steadying my breathing, I solved the questions in silence. The timelines and incidents memorized over two months arranged themselves in my head, and my hand moved on its own to write the answers. Time passed, and the exam ended. I set down my pen and glanced around. The other examinees had already submitted their papers or were filling the final page.
"Good... it's finished," I muttered quietly.
The written test was over, but the practical exam was only beginning. Arcadia Academy's practical test was divided into two stages: a one-on-one instructor evaluation followed by sparring between examinees. After the written portion, the instructor evaluation checked whether each examinee met the minimum standard. Only those who passed could move on to the student sparring matches.
I stared at the test paper and guide for a moment. If I fail the evaluation, I'll get the lowest possible practical score... A near-perfect written score might still secure a pass even without clearing the practical evaluation. But I didn't have that kind of margin. I needed to pass the instructor evaluation and rack up as many points as possible in the sparring rounds.
I took a slow breath and pictured a sword in my mind. As I walked the exam hall corridor toward the practical testing ground, I recalled the blade that had grown familiar in my hand. I calmed my thoughts and focused. The sword's weight, the position of my arms, hands, and feet... I aligned every sensation into one.
I have to show my talent in today's exam.
The instructor appeared.
"Next examinee, enter."
My heart fluttered slightly, but the experience accumulated over two months was neatly organized in my head. I gripped my sword and stood before the instructor. A short, sharp voice rang out.
"Are you prepared?"
I steadied my breathing and composed myself. Today, I must pass the practical no matter what.
The instructor stood with one hand behind his back, wiggling the fingers of the other. It was an invitation to begin. I started slowly, repeating basic thrusts and cuts from the fundamental stance. The instructor remained silent, evading with minimal movement or deflecting using only the hand not tucked behind him.
Good... focus.
I controlled every muscle, sharpening my movements to their limit. Once the sword's weight felt natural in my grip, I could cut and thrust with greater precision. I stayed alert to the smallest tremor, watching the instructor's eyes. After several minutes, he spoke.
"Good. Your basic forms are at a passing level. Now I'll test your real combat reactions."
He drew the sword from his left hip and launched a short attack. I responded instantly, calculating speed and distance as I moved my blade and body. Parrying his sword, I channeled the power of Pride to amplify my weapon's force and overcome the gap in raw strength. After receiving his strike, my body was pushed back farther than before, yet my posture remained unbroken.
When the evaluation ended, the instructor gave a quiet nod.
"You pass. Proceed to the sparring matches with the other examinees."
I exhaled deeply. First hurdle cleared... but the real test starts now.
The moment I stepped into the sparring arena, tension hung thick in the air. Examinees watched one another warily. The matches proceeded without separating nobles from commoners. Though their origins differed, their goal was the same. I gripped my sword tightly.
The instructor decided the order. Potential talent and strategic judgment weighed more heavily than simple victory or defeat. Losing did not mean elimination, but a low score would reduce one's chances of passing. I faced my first opponent.
Right. Let's reveal everything I have today.
I took one deep breath and studied the girl before me. Unlike the other examinees, she carried a calm demeanor yet her eyes burned with fierce resolve. Her blonde hair caught the light and glowed softly, while her golden eyes pierced me like the tip of a sharp spear. Her frame was slender and petite, but an unbelievable aura radiated from that small body. A long spear rested in her hands.
Ah... I didn't expect the protagonist to appear this early.
My heart beat a little faster. Still, I steadied my nerves and gripped my sword firmly. In this place, only skill would be recorded.
"Ready?" she asked quietly. Her voice was soft, yet it carried a clear edge.
I nodded and took my stance.
Aurelia. Those close to her called her Ria. She took a breath and looked at the spear in her small hand. A petite commoner with no recommendation letter. She simply had to prove her worth through the written and practical tests. But she felt no anxiety.
I'm... fast.
She needed no flashy magic. Her speed alone was enough. Today, in this exam hall, it was time to display all her talent. She breathed steadily and gripped the spear tight, focusing every nerve on her fingertips and toes.
The small girl with flowing golden hair did not look threatening at all if one judged only by her build. But the instant her spear moved, that impression vanished.
Fast. Far too fast. Even with my senses enhanced by mana, keeping up was difficult. If speed was her weapon... the power of Pride at my fingertips reacted faintly. It could apply physical force proportional to my own stats across any distance. I used it the moment our blades met, strengthening my sword while concentrating power on her legs to slow her movement.
Neither of us spoke. Only the sound of breathing and the tension transmitted through our weapons filled the space. She thrust her spear first. I twisted my body back slightly and blocked with my sword.
Speed, distance... focus!
The brief clash of spear and sword sent a metallic ring stabbing into my ears. She retreated quickly and attacked from a different angle. I lowered my center, adjusted my footing, and prepared a counter. Uniting sword, body, and the power of Pride, I met her rapid spearmanship head-on.
After the first few exchanges, we probed each other's movements and took short breaths. Her eyes remained sharp. I calculated defensive and offensive patterns in my head while checking the sensation in my fingertips. This time, I would strike first.
"Stop."
"Both of you, cease."
The red-haired instructor observing from the side spoke. "Expending so much strength from the very first match? What are you thinking?"
I had been so focused that I forgot. There were three spars total. I had to face three different opponents. Scoring well in the first match would mean nothing if I ruined the remaining two. The instructor lowered his hand, signaling the end of the bout.
"Good. The first spar is over. Prepare for your next opponent."
I lowered my sword with a breath and slowly scanned the area. Ria slightly lowered her spear and gave me a short nod. Despite her small frame, her eyes still held firm resolve.
Good... first gate cleared.
I renewed my determination and gripped my sword once more. The instructor set the order, and the remaining two examinees stepped forward. The first was a large, muscular man. The second was a girl of average build. Both still moved with slight awkwardness from nerves, yet their fundamental stances showed real skill.
The second spar was against the muscular man. He wielded a massive shield and an arming sword. The difference in strength and his solid defense prevented any meaningful attacks from landing, but whenever he lowered his shield to strike, I aimed for those brief openings. Neither of us could attack recklessly, so the match continued with my probes and his defenses until the instructor's signal ended it.
The final opponent was a girl with short brown hair who used magic. It seemed sparring was conducted jointly between the swordsmanship and magic departments. The original story hadn't covered this in detail, so I hadn't known, but the instructors serving as professors for each department were observing together.
The girl tried to obstruct my vision with light-attribute magic and bind me with plant magic. Her plan did not succeed. Realizing the light magic was meant to disturb sight rather than attack, I charged forward immediately. By the time she finished preparing her plant spell, my sword was already leveled at her throat. She stared up at me in a daze.
She was cute. She must have been praised for her looks back in her village. Plant magic usually required borrowing power from elves or artifacts unless the user was a half-elf or quarter-elf.
"Stop." The instructor's voice echoed through the room, signaling that all three spars had concluded. As I lowered my sword, the tension slowly drained away and the air in the hall felt lighter.
In one corner of the sparring ground, the red-haired instructor stepped forward and surveyed the examinees.
"You've all worked hard."
He added one final remark.
"Results will be compiled within today. Check the official notice later to see whether you passed."
The tension in the room gradually melted. Examinees rose from their seats one by one. Ria had already vanished. The tension I had felt at the tip of her spear now belonged to the past.
A brief silence settled over the exam hall. At that moment, an unfamiliar shadow near the entrance seemed to watch me before disappearing in an instant. I turned my gaze, but only an empty corridor greeted me.
That just now... it looked like Aurelia. Or was I imagining things?