Chapter 73
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 73
Chapter Title: I Want to Do It After a Long Time
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The qualification for passing the first entrance exam at the academy was surprisingly simple.
For those who chose literature, passing the exam presented by the academy was enough. For the martial arts track, it was even more straightforward.
Merely brushing the examiner's lapel in any way was enough to pass. There couldn't be a more concise method to check a prospective cadet's potential. Even if you failed, the examiner could pass you at their discretion if they saw potential.
It might seem easy on the surface. But any cadet who had actually faced an examiner would shake their head at that notion.
They were talents recognized across the entire empire. They could rightly be called monsters.
"...The shortest time, huh."
The man letting out a hollow breath was one of them.
There was a clear scorch mark right in the center of his chest.
Beneath the charred hem of his clothes, the slightly twisted fabric spoke volumes about the price of carelessness.
Hovering in his mind was the image of a blue-haired prospective cadet. The sight of her smiling confidently in the middle of the exam hall hadn't faded yet.
She was clearly a child with a sluggish body. That's why he hadn't paid her much attention at first.
But amid all the outstanding applicants, she was the first to land a hit on the examiner.
Of course, the reason was entirely the examiner's own carelessness. But no matter the cause, the result didn't change.
"Kids these days are really bold."
The blue-haired girl had taken both insignia the examiner offered without hesitation.
No prospective cadet chose that. There was no advantage to taking both.
On the contrary, failing one meant automatic disqualification from the other. It was taking unnecessary risk in an exam where passing just one was enough.
"But passing both exams would leave a deep impression on you, right, Examiner?"
The bold voice seeped into the examiner's mind. A smile was already creeping onto his lips.
"Rahel Tani... was it."
There was no instructor here who disliked cheerful, bold students. If there was, they didn't belong at this academy.
"Guess I should give her a little hint."
Rumor had it that someone born with the Hero's Divine Power had applied for this exam too.
For some reason, it felt like a fresh wind was about to blow through the academy.
The massive academy boasted a variety of convenience facilities inside. The gorgeous park I was sitting on a bench gazing at right now was one of them.
"Passed?"
Camilla sat down next to me and asked. I proudly pulled out my pass certificate and showed it to her.
"Of course. You?"
Camilla casually showed me hers as if it were nothing. It was such an obvious outcome that it didn't stir much emotion.
"Still, you should be careful with the second exam."
The second exam was originally meant to evaluate personality and was so basic it was called a free pass. As long as you had a basic level of sanity, there was no way to fail.
The problem was that Camilla was quite far from that basic level.
"How about smiling a little? Don't be so gloomy all the time."
I grabbed the corners of my mouth with two fingers and mimicked a forced smile.
"You look ugly."
My enthusiasm deflated at Camilla's indifferent reply.
"Hey, if you fail, I can't go to the academy either."
Attending with Camilla was a prerequisite for Roselia's enrollment. If she flunked, it would create all sorts of headaches.
"...So you're saying you need me, Big Sis?"
But the annoying little sister turned my worry into a weapon against me.
"What, you gonna blackmail me?"
"Something like that."
Her immediate response made my body flinch involuntarily. A bad premonition crept up in my chest.
"I want to do it after so long."
Camilla pursed her lips slightly and began to quiver. Knowing what that meant, I furrowed my brow.
Belly raspberry. That weird prank she'd done whenever she got the chance since we were kids.
I let it slide when we were little, but I couldn't understand it now. What kind of mindset made her keep doing this?
"Why the hell would you want to do that? What's so great about it?"
"You hate it. That's why it's great."
Could there be a more infuriating little sister? Finding joy in tormenting me like this.
"You're not a kid anymore..."
Camilla's childish behavior made my head spin. But thinking about it, fourteen was still young enough to call her a kid.
"Fine, but I'll definitely pass."
I fell silent at Camilla's promise. Roselia aside, her pranks didn't really bother me much. They just soured my mood a bit.
"...You'll really pass, right?"
"Yeah."
A short sigh escaped me. I wasn't thrilled, but I nodded anyway.
"Then do it at home."
"I wanna do it here."
"What?"
I blinked dumbly. Right now, Camilla and I were sitting side by side on a bench in an open park. Looking around, I spotted other prospective cadets our age here and there.
"Are you insane?"
I glared at her with contempt. Instead of answering, she lightly snapped her fingers.
A faint gray veil softly enveloped us.
"No one can see us now. Good?"
Camilla stood up casually from the bench, knelt in front of me, and rested her face on my thigh.
"Hey...! This is still outside..."
When it came to magic, there was no need to doubt Camilla. If she said no one could see, then no one could.
But there was still a mental issue. What kind of brain lets you do a belly raspberry in a sunny park like this?
"I won't bug you for a week."
Tempting.
A week of peaceful life without Camilla. That didn't sound bad.
"Make it two weeks."
"Ten days."
Ten days wasn't bad. For one raspberry, I was coming out ahead.
Doing this in public felt like it chipped away at my human dignity a bit, but luckily Camilla was blocking the view.
"Better do it quick before anyone notices."
Camilla urged me. I squeezed my eyes shut and gripped the hem of my blouse with both hands.
"...Make it quick."
I lifted my blouse, exposing my bare stomach right in front of Camilla's face on my lap.
Camilla pressed her hands on my thighs and placed her lips below my navel. Then came the vibrating lips. Along with the weird sound from below my navel came an unpleasant sensation.
"Ugh... Seriously, why do we have to do this crap..."
I grumbled in disgust, but Camilla ignored me and kept going. Just as shame made my face burn, her lips finally stopped.
The moment I thought it was over.
Camilla opened her mouth wide, leaned in again, and shoved her face into my stomach.
Chomp—
"Hgyaak?!"
A sharp pain shot from my lower belly. I reflexively kicked out, shoving Camilla's shoulder.
Camilla tumbled onto the grass. I wiped the tears of pain from my eyes and glared at her.
"Y-You psycho... What the hell! Why'd you bite me!"
"Sorry, my bad."
"...I really hate you."
What a brazen response. I gritted my teeth and hurriedly fixed my disheveled clothes.
"You know you seem like a total perv, right? Belly raspberry at your age."
"It's fine between family."
"Normal families don't do this."
"...You hate me like this?"
Camilla's voice suddenly dropped. Her eyes were unexpectedly serious. Why'd she get all earnest out of nowhere? Now I felt embarrassed.
"Everything you do, every word out of your mouth—it annoys the hell out of me and I hate it."
"..."
"...But I don't hate you."
It wasn't a lie.
No matter how infuriatingly Camilla tormented me. No matter how much Roselia scolded and berated me. The day I truly hated them would probably never come.
They were the first real family I ever accepted. And to me, family was a bond that couldn't be broken unless you stabbed each other in the heart.
Well, that didn't mean my desire for independence had vanished.
"I don't hate you either, Big Sis."
Camilla smiled faintly.
It was such an unchanging expression that I wasn't even sure it was a smile, but it was the first one I'd seen from her in ages.
"...If you went around smiling like that, you wouldn't fail the personality eval. Do your best."
I left her with that brief advice and walked away from the clearing alone. The second exam was about to start soon.
As I walked, feeling my throbbing lower belly, I looked around.
Confirming no one was nearby, I slightly lifted my blouse to check my body.
My stomach exposed under the thin fabric. Right below the small, flat navel in the center.
Camilla's sharp tooth marks were vividly imprinted there.
"...Damn you, Camilla."