A Fiery Entrance Ceremony
The entrance interview proceeded as smoothly as expected. Where are you from? Do you have any particular specialties? Do you hesitate when cutting down another person? I was growing a little tired of the sheer audacity of being asked such things after what they had already put us through in the first and second rounds of testing. Have you decided on your career path after graduation? Questions like that.
Honestly, the impression left by meeting the Heir of Red and Blue Blood right before the interview had been so overpowering that I probably answered half of them half-heartedly.
From the moment I saw the preliminary exam results, I had a rough idea….
If there was anyone capable of entering a special route even without my help, it would almost certainly be the Heir of Red and Blue Blood, who boasted the highest base stats, or at worst the Proud Barbarian, whose physical abilities were overwhelming. My prediction had been correct.
Among the six templates in Planetarium, if the Nameless War Demon possessed the greatest degree of freedom, then the Heir of Red and Blue Blood existed in perfect opposition. Their high specs and powerful combat prowess were similar, yet unlike the War Demon who could essentially do whatever he wanted, the Heir faced numerous restrictions, forced to weigh the reactions of those around him and the balance of power in every move.
This contrast showed clearly when actually raising the character. If the Nameless War Demon had stats suited for a physical build and excelled in one-on-one fights, the Heir of Red and Blue Blood shone when developed as a magic specialist and performed better in large-scale battles.
The fact that neither was completely useless in the opposite field was true for both.
Since they were the two most popular templates among players, magic-oriented Nameless War Demons or physically built Heirs of Red and Blue Blood were never mainstream, but they still existed. While they couldn’t match the standard builds, they were still evaluated as possessing considerable power in their own right. If the standard specialization was Tier 1, unconventional builds sat around Tier 2. In contrast, raising a Proud Barbarian or Scheming Saint in the opposite direction would send them plummeting straight into Tier 4 hell.
Incidentally, the Greedy Debauchee was Tier 3 in combat even when raised optimally. At best, 2.5. That was only natural; the template had never been designed for the user to fight on the front lines but to support others from behind.
I need to bring her to our side somehow. What would be the best way?
Even as those thoughts occupied me, time flowed on, and the day of the entrance ceremony finally arrived.
Anyone could tell how much importance the Barhart Empire placed on this event simply by the fact that they had operated a dedicated train for the entrance exam and handed out magic tools like candy. Massive funds had been poured into the project. Instead of repurposing existing buildings, they had constructed entirely new dormitories and educational facilities from the ground up. Countless support personnel were immersed in their assigned tasks to ensure the academy ran smoothly, yet no one dared call any of it wasteful.
No one possessed the gall to interfere with a project personally planned and directed by the current emperor’s father, the hero who had laid the empire’s foundations on solid rock. Besides, for an empire that drew in wealth from every corner of the continent, possessed the richest resources and talent, and was experiencing dazzling growth in both economic and technological power, the expenditure was hardly a burden.
When asked what the academy built against such a backdrop looked like, my only response was:
“...No matter how you slice it, isn’t this a bit much?”
I shook my head, clutching the paper I had been given as a campus map.
The current student body numbered fewer than two hundred. Even counting future freshmen, the total would never exceed a thousand. What kind of school had mountains, lakes, and its own dedicated shopping district on the premises? The central area containing student housing and core educational facilities was smaller because outsider access was restricted, yet it was still enormous in scale.
Even the auditorium where the entrance ceremony would be held had been built with such extravagant splendor that students stood frozen in front of it everywhere, mouths hanging open, unable to bring themselves to step inside.
“Our sponsor sure knows how to spend money.”
“At that scale, most temples wouldn’t even come close.”
To Ligret and Fiore, who were offering their respective blunt opinions, I said,
“Let’s head in. There’s no point getting marked for being late from the very first event.”
“You’re going to get marked soon enough anyway.”
“He definitely doesn’t seem like the quiet, model-student type, does he, Brother?”
“Do the two of you have any right to say that?”
Grumbling at each other with pointless banter, we entered the auditorium. The other students gradually recovered their senses and followed after us.
Inside were not only students but also a wide variety of spectators. They sat in the seats installed on both sides, looking down at the roughly one hundred students gathered in the center as if appraising goods.
Among them were soldiers with strict expressions, bureaucrats who practically oozed the smell of ink, merchants with greedy eyes, and the heads of famous families along with their noble wives. Every single one was a prominent figure in their field. It was a clear measure of just how much interest the entire continent, not merely the Barhart Empire, held in this academy.
“All present—! Be silent—!”
The previously chaotic auditorium fell into utter stillness in an instant.
“His Majesty the Great Former Emperor of the exalted Barhart Empire enters!”
Receiving the gazes of nearly a thousand people, an elderly man appeared with measured steps.
His long beard and hair had gone completely white. Skin that must once have overflowed with vitality was now etched with fine wrinkles. Yet his spine was perfectly straight, his withered hands and feet showed not the slightest tremor, and his dignified gait brimmed with such vigor that it was impossible to believe he was an old man well past sixty.
Ludwig Barhart, the Great Emperor.
One of the most important figures even in Planetarium, he quietly opened his mouth.
“First, I wish to express my gratitude to the students who have overcome those rigorous trials and now stand here with us. Truly… truly well done.”
“I know that not all of you have gathered for the sake of the empire or for me. Some dream of success. Some crave power. Others seek wealth, fame, or pleasure. There may even be those who resent me.”
“However, I do not consider that a bad thing. Because such desires are among the most powerful driving forces that elevate humans to greater heights.”
“From this day forward, you will spend your days becoming a single blade. This academy shall serve as the anvil, and the trials you face will be the hammer. It will not be easy. Some may fail to endure the merciless hammering and shatter. I will not deny that possibility.”
“Everyone calls this an era of peace. They praise it as a golden age without the pain or bloodshed of war. Yet a threat capable of shattering all of that now aims at this continent.”
“The Ivestan Empire. And the demon race that pulls their strings from behind. They are the external enemies who can shatter this tranquility at any moment, and at the same time, the foes you must cut down.”
“Become a single blade. Become the most beautiful, brilliant, and resilient sword, and cut down your enemies. By doing so, you shall obtain what you desire. By doing so, you shall protect what you have obtained. You shall become heroes. Many will be captivated by you and feel envy at the sight. I, and no one else, will create that reality!”
Neither students nor spectators could produce even a single breath. The emperor’s presence was that tyrannical, his charisma allowing no room for argument.
With those final words, the former emperor stepped down from the platform.
While everyone remained stunned, I let out a hollow laugh at the cold sweat pooling in my palms. I had just realized how naive I had been to think that no matter how great a hero he was, he was still just an old man.
The Ludwig I had seen through Planetarium’s game screen and the old man standing before me now were completely different beings. The realization struck me to the bone.
It was a truly fiery entrance ceremony.