Chapter 16
Chapter 16
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 16
Chapter Title: Results Announcement
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"There he is. The bright red one."
Ronan pointed to the middle of the crowd. Asel's figure, staggering amid the press of people, looked just like a tulip blooming in a field of miscanthus.
He had been standing on tiptoes, looking around, when he spotted Ronan and waved his hand.
"Ronan! Marya!"
"That kid must've aced the exam."
"Yeah. Anyone can see it."
Asel's expression was as clear and bright as the sky overhead. The three who had finished their practical exams headed to a restaurant Marya knew well. It was a famous chicken joint, renowned even in the capital.
"Ehehehe..."
Asel giggled like he was drunk throughout the entire meal. He'd chew with his tiny mouth, then break into a hehe laugh—it really made him look a bit dim-witted. Finally losing patience, Ronan spoke up.
"What the hell did you pull off to be grinning like an idiot? Did you use telekinesis to wipe the examiners' asses or something?"
"Wanna die?"
Marya flung the chicken wing she was holding. Asel finally snapped out of it and explained what had happened at the exam hall.
"Damn, thirty logs all the way up to the ceiling? And you spun them around too?"
"Uh-huh..."
Among the examinees who showed up that day, Asel was the only mage who handled telekinesis. Maybe because of that, the examiners had been somewhat favorable, and he'd demonstrated his skills without a single mistake.
"You take care of everything, Asel. Move my house here too while you're at it."
Is this kid actually a genius? Ronan marveled as he tore into a chicken leg the size of a man's head. Considering how he'd grunted just lifting a kid, this was remarkable progress.
After the meal, the group dispersed to their lodgings. With the written exam right around the corner, there was no time to play. Asel, sprawled on his bed reviewing, asked a question.
"Ronan, you sure you don't need to review once more?"
"Like this... no, was it this angle... Hm? What'd you say?"
Ronan was mimicking the swordsmanship Naviroje had used during the day's exam. It was a technique he'd never seen before, sparking his keen interest. His notebook was shoved in the corner of the room with the laundry that needed washing.
"I know you studied hard, but... what if the questions are tough?"
The written exam had fewer points than the practical, but it wasn't something to ignore. Ronan snorted.
"Dude, worrywart. Ask me anything. I'll answer."
"Um... okay... What's the main architectural style of the Doranda region in the west?"
"Aresco."
Asel's eyes widened. He flipped through his notebook, firing off a few more questions.
"Th-then... The three great achievements of Archmage Rorhon?"
"Spiral Tower, light attribute magic, boiling fire."
"The name of the phantom species called the Mother of Fire?"
"Red Dragon Navardoje."
Ronan answered without even turning around. He nailed eight out of the next ten questions perfectly. Asel clapped without thinking.
"A-amazing, Ronan! For real!"
"Hell, I memorized it saving even shitting time. Wouldn't be right if I didn't know it."
Lacking any foundational knowledge, Ronan had basically memorized the entire book Marya lent him. The two he missed were mana equation problems that required solving.
He'd given up entirely on calculation-heavy math problems and gone all-in on rote memorization.
Ronan turned his back again and resumed his stance. The intricate sword path Naviroje had shown was being recreated in the narrow room.
"Phew... good."
Asel sighed in relief and closed his notebook. Honestly, he hadn't imagined Ronan would prepare for the written exam at all. But this was more than solid—wasn't it excellent?
Whistling a tune, he pulled another notebook from his backpack. The summary of the lower volume of the book Marya had lent—the other half of the info.
Of course he memorized the lower volume too, right?
Asel decided not to ask. Given how perfectly he'd nailed the upper volume, it'd just be meddling.
No way it'd turn out he only studied the upper one~ or some shitty joke like that.
"What a shitty life."
It was a spotless, clear night. Beneath the full white moon, the grand plaza teemed with countless people. All examinees there to check their academy admission results.
Ronan stood among them, smoking a cigarette. His hollow eyes looked half-mad. Asel fidgeted anxiously, tugging at his collar.
"L-let's go back to Professor Baren now. Beg for the recommendation letter again. Yeah?"
"I'd rather shove a sword up my ass and slice a watermelon."
"B-but you said you'd grovel for it?"
"Can't I joke around?"
"Th-then what do we do..."
Asel was on the verge of tears. Guilt coiled around his heart like a massive serpent. Ronan exhaled smoke again.
"Why're you worrying? If I fail, it's on me."
"It's my fault... If I'd just asked back then..."
"Forget it. If I didn't know till then, I'd have bombed it anyway."
Never in a million years. Ronan hadn't even known the lower volume existed. He'd scraped by on memory and common sense, but blew about half the questions.
"Eh, don't worry too much."
Marya, joining late, patted his back. Unlike the fretting Asel, her face showed no trace of anxiety.
"If you fail, just enroll next year as my underclassman. Huh? Not bad, right?"
"Thanks for the well-wishes."
Marya giggled. She said that, but she didn't think Ronan would fail.
Having crossed swords with him, she was certain. His skill was top-tier worthy.
Then, a blue fireball shot into the empty night sky.
-Pfyoooo!
Reaching a certain height, it exploded into a massive eagle shape. Marya's eyes went wide as she grabbed the boys' necks and yelled.
"Results!"
"Gah!"
Asel smacked at Marya's arm choking him. At the same time, the eagle spread its wings. The wings encircling the plaza's sky were densely packed with the names of the admitted.
Magic enhancing eyesight and reading speed let admits spot their names quickly. Soon, cheers and sobs erupted from the crowd.
"I passed! Caw!"
"M-me too!"
"Aaaah! Nooo!!"
It was a moment of joy and sorrow. Some girls collapsed sobbing out of nowhere; some idiots spun headspins howling. Far more wept than cheered.
"M-Marya... there!"
Asel suddenly pointed to the middle of the right wing. Marya turned and froze like stone. A very familiar name was there, with ranking.
[Martial Arts Department / Marya Karabel: Practical 9th, Written 9th (4)]
"Ah..."
Scholarship-worthy scores. She stared blankly at her name. Memories of her hard days blurred her vision for a moment.
"Eh, shoot."
Wiping her eyes with her sleeve, Marya looked up again. Scanning the list, she suddenly shouted.
"Hey! Top of the list!"
Asel was still hunting for his name. Marya hoisted him up to see the eagle's left wing.
"Fifteenth from the left! Three spots from the top!"
"Uh...?"
Clang. His staff slipped from his hand like melting ice, hitting the ground.
[Magic Department / Asel: Practical 12th, Written 1st (3)]
"I... I'm 1st in written...?"
"Cutie! What the hell happened?!"
Marya hugged Asel tight. Unbelievable for just a month's prep. Practical got a telekinesis boost, sure, but 1st in written meant near-perfect.
"But what's the (3)?"
"Means three others tied with you. One's probably Schlieffen; the other, I can guess."
Marya mentioned the girl newly adopted into House Acalusia.
A once-in-a-generation genius handling three attributes. Likely Magic Department's top.
"Gotta call you two seniors now."
A chuckle came from beside them. Both turned, faces stiffening. Ronan, eyes off the list, was smoking.
"W-wait, Ronan. No name...?"
"Don't mess around."
"Just enroll next year."
Ronan shrugged, pointing at the sky. Look for it yourselves.
Asel levitated himself with telekinesis and scanned the list again.
"N-no... really gone..."
Asel's voice trembled. Marya forced a smile, gripping Ronan's arm hard.
"Nah, no way. It's there."
"Told you, it's not."
"Don't say that."
She acted calm, but her breathing quickened. Ronan silently packed more powder into his pipe. The two desperately scoured the list.
"This... this can't be..."
No Ronan. No matter how many reads.
"Must be a mistake. Right? This makes no sense."
"Marya."
"Common sense! Does this even make sense?!"
Marya grabbed Ronan's shoulders, yelling. Ronan smiled bitterly at her teary eyes.
Then another fireball launched skyward.
-Bang!
Red, contrasting the prior blue. Much brighter, drawing all eyes.
"That’s...?"
Only Marya knew what it was.
Glory Phoenix. Announcing only the top two—chief and runner-up.
The fireball morphed into a phoenix, swirling overhead.
-Pfyoooo!
The phoenix spread wings. A brilliant glow, like sunrise, lit everything.
People craned necks, cheering.
"Waaaaaa!!"
Asel and Marya still sought Ronan's name. Reflexively looking up, they froze.
Ronan tilted his head.
"Huh? What's up?"
"R-Ronan... th-th-that..."
"Spit it out, man."
Asel stammered like a demented parrot. Marya was no better.
Annoyed, Ronan looked up. Four names floated in the night sky.
[Martial Arts Department Chief / Schlieffen Sinivan de Grancia]
[Magic Department Chief / Erzsebet de Acalusia]
The letters were huge, visible across the capital. Gold for the chiefs first.
Schlieffen for Martial Arts chief, as expected. Who's Erzsebet?
Confirming chiefs, Ronan glanced lower. Silvery runner-ups shone less opulently.
[Martial Arts Department Runner-up / Ronan]
[Magic Department Runner-up / Pion Shalpine]
The pipe dropped from Ronan's mouth.