Chapter 35
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 35
Chapter Title: Comprehensive Evaluation Week (2)
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Using the skill {Piercing Eyes},
he was smoothly working through the written exam problems for the comprehensive evaluation.
"Overlapping the final operation of the magic formula ... This technique is called magic multcasting."
"A method of using muscles and nerves in swordsmanship ... This maximizes the sword's durability and maintenance."
"In practical combat studies, the most efficient way to deal with multiple opponents is ... It's best to use this to face as few enemies as possible, even if just for a short time... That's it!"
After everyone had gone through and solved the magic, swordsmanship, and practical combat sections of the comprehensive evaluation written exam in turn,
he stood up from his chair to submit his test paper.
Beep—
The familiar sound rang out as he submitted his test paper to the magic machine,
and for the first time since the entrance exam written test, his vision shattered like a hologram and began to shift once more.
The S-Class classroom inside the academy came back into view,
and Elina was standing at the front podium in that familiar space, looking at him with an "I knew it" expression.
"As expected, you finished first, Aden."
After that, Elina opened her mouth as if she had anticipated it,
and she picked up a paper from the podium, glanced at it briefly, and gave a simple explanation of tomorrow's schedule.
She mentioned that on the second day, S-Class would duel with the elective subject professors,
and on the third day, with the required subject professors,
and that starting tomorrow, they should head not to the classroom but to the massive exam hall far behind the annex.
"Alright, if you're done with the written test, you can head back first."
After that simple explanation, Elina followed up by saying they could now return to the dorms.
Hearing that,
he gave her a brief greeting and left the classroom to return to the dorm.
"Nice weather."
As he stepped out of the academy,
the sun, still asserting its presence in the sky, greeted him.
A sight he could never see on a normal academy class day.
The peace brought by the warm sunlight at this unusually early hour felt nice,
and occasionally, days like this that eased both body and mind didn't seem so bad.
Isabel Helm.
Right now, she was burning with competitive spirit as she breezed through the written exam.
The score gap between her and Libia was 3 points,
a margin she could definitely overturn during this comprehensive evaluation week.
"Academy's Third Seat, Isabel!"
"Ah... Ah... Is this the level of the Third Seat?"
"It's okay, Isabel! It's natural for the Third Seat to lose to the Second Seat, right?"
Grind—
Thinking back on all the teasing she'd endured from Libia made her teeth grind automatically.
"I'll overturn it this time...!"
So she couldn't lose this time.
If she failed to overtake again, there'd be no chance until the midterm evaluation.
That would mean enduring that irritating teasing non-stop until then,
which was infuriating just to think about.
However, since comprehensive evaluation week didn't bring huge changes to overall scores,
to overtake her, she had to nail everything perfectly—from the written test to the duels with the professors,
and even the spars with the other cadets.
"And after that, I'll tease her until she drops dead...!"
With that resolve, she was deep into solving the written exam when—
she finally succeeded in completing everything she knew.
"Tougher than I thought..."
Of course, as an academy written exam, it boasted considerable difficulty,
but this was satisfying enough,
and no better answers came to mind even after double-checking, so she stood up and submitted her test paper.
Beep—
Just like at the entrance exam, the alert sounded,
and at the same time, the white space vanished as her vision shifted back to the classroom.
"Libia...!"
She barely had time to marvel at the sensation—
when she turned to look at where Libia was seated—
"Ah..."
"Hm..."
Their eyes met; Libia had apparently finished the written exam at the exact same time.
A written exam finished at similar speeds...
Of course, speed didn't matter for the written part,
but to the two of them, aflame with rivalry, that fact was irrelevant.
"Finished quick, Libia?"
"You too—for Third Seat, that's fast."
"Hah... Let's see if you can say that after comprehensive evaluation week ends."
As they traded sharp, rivalry-packed barbs while glaring at each other, a voice came from the podium in the classroom.
"If you're gonna fight, take it outside—both of you."
S-Class homeroom professor Elina Levan,
stepping in to stop them, continued.
"Written exam's over, so quit fighting and get out. Starting tomorrow, head to the exam hall behind the annex."
A brief explanation of tomorrow's venue, followed by an order to leave the classroom.
At those words, she stood up carefully,
and together with Libia, cautiously exited the classroom.
Even after Elina's professor order to leave and stepping out—
"Tch, got scolded because of you, Libia..."
"Hah... You started it with that edgy tone!"
Isabel and Libia continued their bickering—which could feel childish—
as they walked toward the dorms.
After walking quite a ways and arriving in front of the dorms,
"Just watch, Libia—I'll climb to Second Seat this time."
"Like the entrance exam, I'll win again!"
They shot wary glances at each other,
traded more sharp, rivalry-filled words, and returned to their respective dorms.
"I absolutely won't lose...!"
Even after returning to her dorm,
she reignited her competitive fire inwardly once more.
Until the entrance exam, most of their contests had ended in her opponent's victory...
So this level of rivalry was a feeling she hadn't had in a really long time.
The next morning,
Isabel greeted the dawn bathed in the warm sunlight streaming through her window.
Today was the day S-Class cadets dueled with their elective subject professors.
Facing academy professors was no easy task,
so she lightly circulated mana through her body to check her condition.
Mana spread smoothly through her body,
with no hitches anywhere,
and her body moved freely.
"Good thing I went to bed early yesterday."
Since she'd gone to sleep soon after finishing the written exam,
she was in peak condition.
She rose from her perfectly conditioned body, lightly prepared for school, and left the dorm.
Her elective subjects were Advanced Magic Studies, Dungeon Practice Studies, and Alchemy.
Among the elective professors, the Advanced Magic Studies and Dungeon Practice Studies professors were quite strong.
The Alchemy professor was on the weaker side among professors, fortunately...
"Still creepy..."
Thinking of the chilling aura and gaze always felt in the classroom made it clear he was a tricky opponent.
As she exited the dorm with those thoughts and walked far behind the annex,
a massive, majestic colosseum-like building came into view.
"Whoa..."
Even for her, raised amid grand buildings worthy of a marquis's daughter, this scale drew an exclamation.
A small gasp escaped her lips automatically upon seeing it.
After a brief moment of awe—
she quickly composed herself and headed toward the entrance of the building.
Inside, she saw several cadets,
and one person dressed like a guide standing in front.
More cadets kept arriving after that,
and soon, the guide-dressed person spoke up.
"Welcome, cadets. First, please enter through the gate corresponding to your elective subjects in order."
After a light opening greeting came the explanation—
which gates to enter for each elective,
how things would proceed inside,
and that after all duels ended, they could watch others' matches.
With the explanation done,
she moved toward her assigned gate as instructed.
Her electives—Advanced Magic Studies, Dungeon Practice Studies, and Alchemy—were gates D, A, and F respectively, so she entered D first,
where there was a waiting room-like space with quite a few cadets and a single passageway,
and an announcement echoed inside:
[Cadet [Name], please enter.]
The announcement was calling cadets one by one.
After some time passed,
and about half the cadets had left the waiting room—
[Cadet Isabel Helm, please enter.]
At the announcement calling her name, she stood and headed toward the passageway.
Passing through the dark tunnel thick with mana, a massive sparring arena came into view,
along with spectator seats that were still empty for now.
"How many places like this are there...?"
The sight drew another gasp of admiration for the academy's scale.
As she expressed her awe—
Clap—!
A clapping sound from the center of the arena drew her gaze.
And there stood a familiar figure,
who met her eyes and spoke with a light smile.
"Cadet Isabel, admiring the view is fine, but you came to duel me, right?"
Advanced Magic Studies Professor—Arona Tempres,
the former imperial court mage, faced her with a welcoming smile.