Chapter 153
Chapter 153
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 153
Chapter Title: Exam in the Alps
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"Only half the people here right now get to survive."
"Well, if not us, then who?"
"Ah, hahaha! True enough."
Chelringen burst into loud laughter.
He looked satisfied.
'As long as it goes according to practice, no big issues.'
The space the school had saved in the mimesis was a basic one.
With victims honestly tucked away inside buildings, it wasn't easy. In real scenarios, victims didn't stay that safe. By the time reports came in, they'd already bolted from the buildings and charged into crowded civilian areas.
'Compared to that, this is convenient.'
"By the way, Lucas, are you more nervous about the art festival than the exam?"
"Ah... You heard."
"Of course. Congrats on landing the lead role. I thought your acting was great at the last festival, so I'm thrilled to see another play with you starring."
He could say such embarrassing things right to my face.
Expressing everything by the textbook was a trait of noble kids, but Chelringen took it to another level.
"It was thrown together in a rush back then, so thanks for the kind words. But you don't have to come."
"Why? You worked hard on it. More audience is better, right?"
"......"
Good thing I hadn't tried convincing the new humans back then. High chance I'd just waste my energy without getting through to them at all.
Look at this.
Unlike old humans, he didn't feel a shred of doubt. Just 'protagonist = good thing', 'good thing = congratulate' kind of thinking.
'Whatever, doesn't matter.'
It wasn't a role I couldn't handle.
Just like I told Adelbert, when learning acting, you try all sorts of parts.
If I'm doing animal impressions in front of people, changing gender isn't suddenly a dealbreaker.
Visuals are the only hitch.
'Never thought coming to this world would lead to trying something new.'
Still, aside from my sensibilities, nothing was an issue.
If anything, it was a gain.
If it were a loss, I wouldn't have taken it.
Memorizing lines is no problem for me, and few spots let you rack up favor in two hours standing there.
So I took it to see how high my face value could climb.
"Do whatever."
"Hm? Oh, we're doing afterparty after today's done, scheduled it after your play. Cool with you? Should the theater club do one too?"
"Probably. But at that late hour, you can't walk out of school. Warping out?"
I warped out at dawn often, but getting caught would be trouble.
No one from dorm mother to anyone else came to my room, so I warped carefree. But vanishing as a group could draw tails.
"It's fine. Got it pre-bought."
"Yeah? If it's okay midway, I'll swing by."
Then, the alert chimed.
[Exam starts in 30 seconds.]
Team 1 students were already inside the exam hall. Team 2 too.
So right now, two relay screens ran side by side here.
Chelringen's face, chatting beside me, turned serious.
"Here it comes."
[3, 2, 1. Begin.]
Beep—
The relay screens switched with the chime.
[...Announcement to the loyal subjects at Frankfurt Central Station.]
"...?!"
"That field wasn't in the mimesis prep?"
Students buzzed.
The relay showed a massive train station beyond crowds of pedestrians.
Surprisingly, both Team 1 and 2 got the same field, but the unexpected one drew no big attention.
Our team was no exception.
Philip couldn't hide his bewilderment and yelled.
"What the hell? We didn't practice that! Unpracticed fields too?!"
"Hmm..."
Chelringen furrowed his brow.
"This is off-script."
Agreed.
I narrowed my eyes, scanning the field.
Not matching the mimesis specs. I'd expected terrain tweaks, but a whole new building type? No clue.
Frankfurt Central Station was one of the empire's top rail hubs, with insane foot traffic.
Three lines converging here said it all about the crowds.
Biggest issue: magic made empire cities expand faster than my old world's past.
Not even 21st century, yet population hit 100 million, everyone zipping empire-wide by train.
Biggest building field we'd handled.
'Figured with 20 fields saved in mimesis, it'd be one of those. Underestimated the school.'
Too easy indeed.
Like theory snoozefests turning into freakish exam puzzles, practicals got twisted too.
Then alarms blared.
[Announcement to loyal subjects in Frankfurt Central Station's Taunus platform area. A berserker has appeared in Taunus station. Those in Taunus, follow staff directions and evacuate promptly. Those heading to Wiesbaden, do not approach until suppression ends.]
[Let's go.]
Leo grinned, adjusting his wand. Wind whipped his hair and robe fiercely, but his relaxed face just made watchers smile.
If Team 2 saw this start, they'd feel uneasy from jump.
He'd been under scrutiny from the get-go, yet no flinch ever.
'This guy knew?'
Overheard student council intel? Could know difficulty tweaks.
Or Narke tipped him.
Doubt he knew the exact field—guy wouldn't stoop to that.
Anyway, that's why they grilled my judgment so hard.
'Not practice scale.'
New building use, new environment.
Chelringen shook off surprise, analyzing fast.
"Problems already. Lucas, your take?"
"Yep. Fix that broadcast first. Population in there, and same as other fields?"
"Good. Thought the same, and you agree? Confirmed."
Words only—he was sure of his call already.
Chelringen went for a high-five.
No term or gesture for it here, yet he kept trying fresh moves.
Made me chuckle now. This time, I slapped his hand proper.
Then Leo beckoned Narke.
Narke, at the station plaza, slammed his staff down.
Kwaaaang—!
Screen flashed white, then cleared.
Holy power flooded the station instantly.
'Pulled off that 10,000-square purge in one go.'
"What? Purging?"
Student questions nearby.
'No way.'
Knew Leo's order.
Using holy power to calm civilian panic.
Fake footage, but actions mirror real, so needed.
'Now verbal too.'
Sure enough, Leo layered amplification magic and spoke.
[Imperial Response Team here! Coordinating with station staff for evacuation. Follow directives from imperial badge mages, maintain order, exit the station.]
Leo finished, gesturing two students.
They entered the west entrance—berserker spot—so evacuate civilians fast.
Time to handle the berserk victim.
Leo called Narke.
[Narke.]
Narke nodded, warping solo.
"...!"
I chuckled.
Narke hadn't gone to Taunus with the berserker.
"Done."
Chelringen muttered.
Yeah, done.
In a good way.
Narke warped to the central hall linking the three stations.
Crowd densest spot.
Leo threw his ace at rescue, not victim.
'Holy mage from Response Team in? Panic accidents drop.'
Faith in holy power made sense.
Students prioritized berserk, but overall safety key.
Bold call not using ace on berserk? They'd score bonus.
'No need to watch more.'
Zero hesitation in unpracticed mega-space, strategy set.
This team gets extras.
Meanwhile, Team 2 with them...
'Trouble.'
Hundreds screamed, school lowered volume.
Crowds jammed every central building door. Mages warped out, all old humans left.
Team 2 lead amplified and bellowed.
[Keep order!]
[Hey, no good...! Break windows!]
[Wait, deduction! Warp 'em out one by one holding hands!]
[This ain't deduction?!]
[Don't know damage points here! Suppress berserk fast, rebroadcast! Right?!]
[Ah, fuck... We're fucked....]
Some teammate cursed under breath. Voice alone screamed wanna-cry.
Window shatter followed.
[What? Who broke window without orders? Teamwork?! Civilians hold longer!]
"That team trained fine, big mess."
Chelringen grimaced beside.
No flops in joint training then. Round 1 cut lows, so mid-tier up here.
'Well, blatant one-out 8 got worst.'
Rest textbook solid, hard to rank.
Unexpected shook 'em to noob state.
Chelringen muttered.
"Next, Team 7 and 8. Curious who scores high."
Order: 1-2, 7-8, 3-4, 5-6. Ours last.
Last had pressure, but peeking Leo and Elias's good.
Asked Chelringen.
"Between those two, who higher?"
"Dunno."
Chelringen's lip curled.
Few days back different, now he knew.
Team 1-2 training flowed as expected.
Tension eased, I pulled cola from bag. Chelringen eyed curious.
"What's that?"
"New import, carbonated drink."
"Oh yeah? Coffee-colored."
Early production, not famous yet.
Mainland famous, whatever.
"Want some?"
Philip dodged cola gaze, bad memory.
All wary, so gave to paling Melvin for cheer.
1st Academy gym borrowed, huge space, snacking fine.
Other dept profs watching snacked too.
Melvin, lips tight, popped top.
'Why's his hand hovering like that?'
Thought he'd sip fine, then splash on floor.
Tiered seats, drip sound vivid right behind head.
"Uh... Uhhh...."
"Something in your cola?"
"N-no. First huge field, tense..."
Philip bugged eyes at that.
"Field? Not drink? Hey. Shake in exam, you're dead."
"Haha, that calm you? Should've said it every time."
Chelringen quipped, Philip shut up.
Meantime, both teams finished.
They exited exam gym to our stands.
Unlike Team 2's fuck-this vibe, Team 1 all chill.
Truth, minus Leo and Narke, Team 1's rest matched Team 2's.
Luck of teammates decides pass-fail here.
[Team 7, enter.]
[Team 8, enter.]
"Them now."
Focused on their moves.
[Exam starts in 30 seconds.]
Team 7, whatever.
Locked on Team 8 screen.
Elias arm around Team 8 lead's shoulder.
'Already strict discipline.'
Lead frozen smiling.
Only Elias buddy there, yet...
[3, 2, 1. Begin.]
Beep—
[Announcement to Trier residents. Victim appeared near Porta Nigra. Loyal subjects...]
Trier.
Rome ruins spot, empire's oldest city.
[Hmm~ Porta Nigra? Roman good. Obvious heavy damage deductions fun.]
Elias yanked distant Gunther's training hood, arm around.
Dragged lead eyed tense.
[Let's do good, German boy. Know what to do?]
[Y-yeah.]
[Ah! Let go.]
Elias ignored Gunther, grinned at relay cam.
[Hey, Leo! Thanks~]
[...Elias...!]
Thanks for clear instructions, huh.
And Team 2 damage whiner? Seen this first, no way.
New station fixable, but ruin-packed city? Damage deductions brutal.
Elias released lead and Gunther, shoved backs.
[Gunther. Barrier all ruins.]
"Hm?"
Chelringen stroked chin intrigued.
Lead role swapped?
Elias scanned students serious, ordered.
[Ulrike, you handle civilian control first.]
* * *
Elias's team handled the victim successfully.
Scores pending, but eyes said opposite of joint training days back.
Next two teams smooth too.
Smooth for me watching meant quick ends; they'd hate it.
'Cause 3 and 4 bombed worse than joint.'
Varied fails, astounding.
Then our call.
[Team 6, enter.]
We headed to exam gym.
Tension muted all.
Long quiet, Chelringen grinned back.
"Our unique abilities, first... lightning strike, plants there, hyper-senses here. That's it?"
"For now."
Class 1-A Ainsidel deadpanned.
"Plant growth user, so natural terrain field best."
Melvin timid-nodded Chelringen's words.
"...Y-yeah, then... lightning needs thunderhead. Warm helps? Tropical rainforest good."
"Ha... Think we got rainforests? Slept science?"
Philip piped as expected.
I turned to him, he shut like before.
Chelringen eyed Philip, smiled, shifted.
"Really curious what we get~? Two urban, one natural so far, probably nature ours."
Countdown swelled.
[3, 2, 1. Begin.]
Kuuuung—
Wind battered ears.
Winter robe-hard chill hit, I huddled instinctive. Status said teammates worse. Yeah, they shivered harder.
'What?'
Snow blanketed everywhere.
And underfoot... rock?
January or not, this robe survived fine. Coatless wrap beat midwinter cold. Capital mild anyway.
Alarm then.
[Announcement to Garmisch residents. Victim on Zugspitze peak. Loyal subjects...]
Victim-named berserker region.
Bavaria.
Not key now.
"...Zugspitze? January?"
Someone muttered.
Wanted natural, got it.
Empire's tallest mountain, and...
Chelringen laughed, turned.
"Kids, we..."
"......"
"...get to test in the Alps."