Chapter 139
Chapter 139
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 139
Chapter Title: How to Survive as the Second Son of a Magical Noble Family
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"Let's go."
Cerringen beckoned with his hand.
I glanced back one last time before heading to the exam hall.
The first-year exam wasn't until evening, so there was still plenty of time, but spotting some first-years poking around made my head turn instinctively.
Cerringen, who had been watching me, spoke up.
"You've seemed distracted lately."
"Yeah. Has it affected your training?"
"No, not at all. I didn't mean anything by it."
He smiled and nodded toward the exam hall again.
Any other day, I wouldn't have paid it any mind, but today was different.
'I have to pass this exam to advance to the second round.'
Whether it killed me or fed me, I was making sure we passed.
Of course, there was no need to overthink it.
From what I'd seen today, Adelbert wasn't dropping out in the first round.
* * *
'Ah... so that's how it is.'
That dawn, I rested my chin on my hand and stared at Adelbert across the desk.
His skyrocketing favorability, the way he'd started squeezing out tears—there were things that didn't make easy sense, but I figured it out before I could dwell on them.
He muttered slowly, his eyes—which didn't well up easily—barely blinking.
"...I don't know why it had to be like that. My friends and I all got scored on our usual performance..."
'He decided he finally had someone to talk to.'
Just to check, I'd stopped by Bayern on the way back and visited again, and he'd opened the door without resistance.
My words must've bounced right off his ears, but it seemed like having someone to vent to had eased his mind.
Had no one tried talking to him until now...?
'Well, he probably shut them all down himself.'
He'd chased everyone away without realizing his own needs. Worth sitting there for an hour and a half under the pretense of script analysis.
Smoother than expected.
I'd been pondering what to do next to get him to let me stick around, but despite his prickly vibe, he trusted people easily.
'Is it because he's young, or is that just his nature?'
Probably the former, but no matter how I looked at it, the childhood of the villain who led hundreds of mages to kill Elias didn't sit right.
Raising him the opposite way could be fun.
I tossed him a purified candy I'd meant for Pie.
"Want one?"
"......"
He ate it without a word and fell silent.
Aside from looking a bit sleepy, he was tolerable company.
The next day, I spent most of my time with Adelbert too.
After classes, Elias sent chat requests, but I could talk to him anytime, so I ignored them all.
'If I tell him I'm with Adelbert, he'll throw a fit.'
This was for things to go well with Elias—no tantrums allowed.
For some reason, Leo—who hadn't contacted me—finally did, but I was skipping all meetings in Bayern right now, just taking written reports.
No energy to deal with him in that state. We saw each other in class mornings anyway—no need for chats.
Two days passed without incident, bringing us to exam morning.
Since it was exam day, I sparred briefly with him first thing.
Adelbert, looking far healthier than a few days ago, greeted me calmly.
"Thank you, Senior. Could you train with me once before the exam?"
"Sure."
Huge progress from the start.
He still hadn't fully shaken the idea I was Pleroma, and he eyed my magic skills with faint suspicion, but given the circumstances, he kept it to himself.
"Here I thought you were just rambling to yourself and recovering on your own."
"...You kept dragging me out, Senior."
He averted his gaze, embarrassed.
Fair enough. I'd grabbed him every time he tried heading back to his room and shoved him into the training grounds.
'He has to pass, right?'
Even if I planned to raise him for later use, he needed a spot somewhere to make it efficient.
Whine all he wanted—just whine during training.
Luckily, today's Adelbert would pass the first round smoothly, no issues.
And so, lunch passed, bringing us to the second-years' exam time.
Once your waiting turn ended, you could head back to class, but not only Class 1-B—Class 1-A students were sticking around too.
I finally realized it was because of our team.
The noisy chatter that had filled the air since our team was called had completely died down.
"Lucas."
Cerringen, standing at the exam hall entrance, grinned mischievously and held out his hand.
Obvious what he wanted.
Over the past three days of training, he'd kept trying high-fives or similar.
'Not like I can't indulge him.'
Pre-exam motivation boost, so I lightly slapped his palm.
It synced surprisingly well with Cerringen.
He matched Leo's skill level, and that confidence showed in his relaxed demeanor.
No matter how I moved, he breathed in sync with me.
As we entered the hall, he spoke.
"You saw the scores earlier. Average was 5.2 points, times between 5 and 10 minutes."
A惨 score compared to Round 1-1.
Most wrapped up around 8 minutes.
"And only two second-year teams hit the 9-point range."
"Got it."
Victims were classified into 9 grades total.
Round 1-1 tested the lowest, Grade 9, but this was Grade 6.
Three full levels up, so top-scoring teams had thinned out.
Same for third-years.
Cerringen, gloved hands clinging tight to his skin, turned to me with a smile.
"Shall we give it a go?"
I answered with a grin.
Not "shall we"—for the guy who always claimed first with Leo, it was "we will."
Same for me.
As Cerringen stared ahead waiting for the cue, I adjusted the collar of my issued training uniform, peeling it from my skin. Unlike the school uniform, it clung weirdly.
[30 seconds until exam start.]
As practiced, I spaced out from Cerringen, drew my wand from its holster, and spun it. Crimson mana coiled around the ebony wand.
Watching, Cerringen commented.
"Your mana always looks like fire."
"Just the color."
"Haha, yeah. Your pink eyes are a wonder too."
I chuckled it off.
Lately, Elias said that every time he saw me.
Thanks to Elias yelling it everywhere, students were sneaking glances—clearly Cerringen had caught it too.
"Wonder what it'd be like if your hair matched in pink."
"As if."
I said that, but eye color was just as impossible.
No one was born with pink eyes.
Then the alert cut my thoughts.
[...3, 2, 1. Exam start.]
The hall air darkened, a mass forming far off.
Grades 1-3 were too powerful; beyond shared intelligence, grouping them meant little.
But 4-6 and 7-9 had tendencies.
7-9 looped rote attacks and defenses solvable by sheer volume, but 4-6 calculated far more.
Like now.
Kwaang—!
Right on the start signal, the floating, writhing core dumped vitriol on the floor, shoving it outward.
'No eyes, so gauging our positions with vitriol.'
It waited for our attack.
Real victims couldn't see well, moved the same way.
'So we'll play along.'
I pictured the mana spread in my head, then slammed my staff down.
The wave of vitriol met my mana and clumped into a pillar like iron filings to a magnet.
Kwaaaa—
The vitriol surged, twisting wildly toward me. While I attacked, Cerringen dashed opposite, positioning behind the core.
'We receive, don't initiate.'
Strategically better to let it come.
If I pushed, it'd counter dynamically.
Manageable, but a hassle.
Kwaang—!
Mana in my legs, I rolled across the ground, spun the staff, gripped with both hands.
Light pink barrier bloomed around the horizontal staff.
The groping vitriol rushed right up to my face. Eyes blinked shut—vision went black.
Kwagwang! Drdrdr— drdr—
Puk—
Vitriol splashed against the barrier and flowed off.
Seizing the distraction, Cerringen struck the core—dull thud.
Strike was momentary.
Simple hits got absorbed by vitriol or regenerated fast.
'Real deal starts now.'
Early as it was, faster was better.
Cerringen's barrier bloomed behind the core. Gold flashed.
All as practiced. I thrust my wand forward—crimson mana arced high.
[I saw a dream at night: the four winds of heaven bursting on the great sea.]
Ssaek—
Words done, attack split four ways, streaking out.
Core sensed too late, thrashed back for escape—but too slow.
My lips twisted up.
Kwangwang! Kwang!
Peureok—
Core vitriol splattered against the rear barrier.
"Total mush now."
Cerringen's heavy voice from afar.
Normally it'd scatter and reform magnetically, but not this time.
We pinned it from both sides, blocking regeneration.
Now, kill the vitriol-spewing spot.
I whispered the incantation, raising my staff.
[Turning back to us.]
Kwaaang—!
Slamming down, flames erupted from floor to staff tip.
Gripping tight, I whirled it wide—flames trailed, mana surging. I aimed the tip at vitriol's heart.
Problem: all black, no clue where the core hid....
[Toward that face, we draw the bow.]
Trust the practice.
Chanting the adjustment, cool flames detached from hands and staff, lancing the core's center.
Kwajik— kwang!
Muddy splatter echoed as my mana pierced vitriol, hitting Cerringen's barrier.
His gesture cleared the air, wand raised skyward.
Kwaang!
Unlike Leo's soft veil, sharp golden mana stabbed down like bars, trapping vitriol debris and tainted air inside.
Cerringen compressed the barrier, crushing it. Exam-end alert chimed.
Beep—
[1 minute 33 seconds.]
"Nice record."
Cerringen strolled over casually, trying another high-five.
'He really loves this.'
Fair reason to.
Shortest time for second-years—even including third-years.
I slapped back lightly, awaiting scores.
Cerringen straightened his clothes.
"Score guess?"
"Dunno. You?"
He stroked his chin slowly, smiling, no answer.
[9.8 points. Well done.]
Eyes met Cerringen's.
His golden irises gleamed satisfaction.
9.8 points.
Now three teams over 9.
We'd bumped the prior 9.7 second place.
* * *
Perfect strategy.
Pairing with Lucas Ascanien, that is.
Cerringen thought, eyeing the leaderboard.
With Class 1-B practical first and prior Class 1-A first teaming up, first place was forfeit.
Everyone in school thought so.
Elias covered Leo's mana shortage, Leo covered Elias's technique gap.
If paired separately, different story—but together, chasing first was futile.
'So aim for another rare value.'
Of 36 teams, only two over 9 points.
Third at 8.5 showed top vs. upper gap.
We'd chased right up to Leo and Elias—not just rank, but score too.
'Hope same team for round two.'
Everyone watching thought it.
Round two: proper six-man teams vs. Grade 4 berserker.
Higher grade plus real teamwork—way tougher.
No point dwelling; couldn't pick teams anymore.
Roster out tonight—hope for luck.
"Lucas. Let's head out."
Cerringen flashed a proper smile, nodding outside.
* * *
Outside, dead silence like entering.
Students who'd lounged freely now stared at the massive leaderboard across the gym.
Elias and Leo's gazes hit.
Elias eyed me and Cerringen alternately, whistling sharp.
Leo nailed the cold face he'd practiced since semester start—impressively.
At this point, others'd misunderstand. 'Newbie jumps to second?'
Reality: no rivalry.
Cerringen pocketed his gloves in his clutch, said to me.
"Round two teams at 10 PM. Hope we're together again."
"Yeah. Would be nice."
He seemed pleased.
Who wouldn't be?
Perfect win-win.
Cerringen grinned without hesitation.
"And separately from team exams—personal training going forward? Last two days were fun. Train with me more?"
'Hmm.'
His moves were worth learning.
Similar yet different from Leo—great for mastering styles. Plus, he adapted to me well.
But after getting wrecked by Leo, no energy left.
Gotta turn it down nicely.
"I'd like that, but..."
"Lucas."
Leo's icy voice.
Students' averted eyes snapped to Leo and me.
"Come here a sec."
"Why?"
"......"
Half-turned Leo scowled back at me.
Even Elias froze mid-grin, glancing between us.
I shrugged at Cerringen, headed out.
Out the gym door, excited shouts erupted inside.
"Whoa whoa whoa!"
"Hey, should we stop them?"
"Uhaahahak!"
Elias's laugh capped it—then Leo grabbed my arm, warping us away.
Leo's training ground.
But...
"......"
I let out a hollow laugh.
Knew it'd come to this.
He probably thought another Hans popped up.
"Everyone thinks you're picking a fight with me now, Leo."
Must be his rep doing the heavy lifting.
Leo sighed deeply, rubbing his face, then dead serious.
"Yeah."
"...?"