Chapter 3
Chapter 3
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 3
Chapter Title: Grand Royal Academy Entrance Exam - (2)
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***
"..."
"..."
Just then, the woman looked at me, and our eyes met for a fleeting moment.
*Swish.*
She abruptly averted her gaze, her expression cold. I was momentarily dumbfounded.
‘Why…’
…is she in the same line as me?
I had left the training grounds and headed straight for the examination hall.
I did it to get my number as quickly as possible. Yet, I had no idea how she ended up in the same group.
I truly couldn't make sense of it.
“The examination hall has a gravity field, similar to a basic physical fitness test. Everyone, please find your designated spots and stand ready.”
As the proctor at the entrance spoke in a frigid tone, the others, who had been hesitating, began to find their places.
Even as they all settled in, a part of me felt uneasy.
‘Dammit….’
My mood soured as I took in the examination hall.
Inside the combat division’s testing area, three individuals who could be called academy instructors were watching us from a distance.
The examinees were to state their traits to them and then demonstrate their abilities on the training dummies in front of us.
Typically, only the single most outstanding examinee from the ten of us would be chosen.
There were cases where multiple people were selected, but I knew they tended to focus only on the one with the highest score.
I had thought it best to achieve a high score on this entrance exam to be assigned to a high-level class.
But because of that woman, all my plans could be ruined.
“First, examinee number 491, please step forward to the center. Introduce your trait, and we will proceed with the test immediately.”
At the proctor’s announcement, the person in the first spot stepped forward.
*Clomp.*
The man, with the number 491 pinned to his chest, walked awkwardly, clearly nervous. The moment I saw him, I knew he wasn't worth watching.
“My trait is, uh, Strength, and my trait level is 2. With my innate strength, I can exert more power…”
As he fumbled through his explanation, the proctor cut him off.
“Strength Trait, Level 2. That concludes the introduction. We will now begin the test. All subsequent examinees will also be given only three seconds. Please attack the training dummy on my signal.”
At the proctor's cold words, the man approached the dummy with a tense expression.
“Begin.”
The test followed.
As if to show off his Strength trait, he swung a massive longsword, striking the dummy made entirely of iron.
*Clang!*
*Clang!*
A fierce clang echoed as he unleashed a furious barrage of attacks.
I could feel him straining, pouring every ounce of his power into the assault.
“Stop. That’s enough.”
At the proctor’s command, the man froze.
“Examinee 491, you may now proceed to the exit.”
There was no announcement of whether he had passed or failed.
He simply introduced his trait, demonstrated his skill for three seconds, and was then directed to the exit.
“Th-Thank you for your consideration!”
The man shouted one last time before disappearing through the exit, and a heavy silence descended upon the hall.
"..."
"..."
I could hear the sound of people swallowing nervously around me.
So this was the entrance exam, a merciless ordeal for those who came without any prior information.
It was an anticlimactic end to a life-defining test—a few seconds to appeal to the instructor-examiners, and it was all over.
And so it went, from number 492, to 493, and all the way to 495, the person just before me…
They all finished their brief tests and walked toward the exit with dejected steps.
The proctor continued to conduct the tests with a frosty demeanor, while the examiners evaluating us had yet to utter a single word to any of the examinees.
“Next, examinee 496. Please step forward, introduce your trait, and we will proceed with the test.”
When my turn came, I strode forward with confidence.
*Clomp. Clomp.*
Unlike the intimidated examinees before me, I had to show what made me different.
“Spearmanship Trait, Level 3.”
I didn’t offer a long-winded explanation to promote myself like the others had.
I stated only the trait level.
Because that alone was enough.
“...Level 3?”
One of the examiners, a woman with red hair, spoke for the first time since the test began. A wide smile spread across my face.
The red-haired woman who had just shown interest in me was named Kalli.
She was a high-ranking officer who had distinguished herself on the battlefield, so much so that she had earned the epithet ‘Crimson Dawn.’
Now, she was taking a break from the front lines to teach at the academy, and I knew exactly what words she liked to hear.
The word was ‘effort.’
Of course, in a world that prized innate traits, it wasn't a highly regarded concept, but Kalli was different.
Despite possessing an absurdly Unique Trait herself, she was a woman who, strangely enough, placed great importance on effort.
“Yes. Level 3.”
“You must have worked very hard.”
Just as I expected, Kalli brought up the word ‘effort.’ I nodded, putting on my most charming smile.
“Traits may be given, but effort is the best one can do, is it not?”
I was using the exact words that Bezel, a knight who would later become famous, said during his entrance exam. As I predicted, Kalli let out a small laugh.
Anyone could see she was pleased.
“Good. I like your answer. Go ahead and begin.”
At the words of Kalli, an examiner, not the proctor, I felt a surge of hope. I walked toward the training dummy.
*Shing.*
I smoothly drew the iron spear from my back and took my stance.
"..."
I calmly steadied my breath.
When an examiner addressed an examinee directly, the proctor did not interfere.
This meant I had a privilege, of sorts, to take my time to prepare and demonstrate my true skill.
‘I’ll unleash my strongest move.’
I naturally recalled the ‘principle’ I had grasped upon reaching Level 3 in Spearmanship.
Traits seemed simple at first glance, but they were anything but.
The moment a person in this world was granted a trait, they instinctively understood how to use it.
Someone with a fire-based trait, for example, could conjure flames without any prior knowledge.
Moreover, there was an absolute difference between Level 2 and Level 3.
From Level 3, one naturally began to understand the concept of ‘mana.’
*Woooong!*
A blue light gathered at the tip of my spear. It was a minuscule amount, as my mana reserves were low.
But even that made a huge difference.
The destructive power, durability, and even the fluidity of movement were all enhanced when a weapon was imbued with mana.
Fixing my gaze on the dummy's head, I raised my spear.
—!
Stepping forward, I twisted my waist with all my might.
*CRACK!*
The spearhead shot forward, striking the left side of the dummy's head.
…!
Without even a moment to catch my breath, I retrieved the spear.
My hands trembled from the impact of striking the solid iron dummy, but I forced myself to remain composed.
The attack was the beginning.
The end was the retrieval of the weapon.
Just as one must see things through to the end, I believed that finishing gracefully would leave a good impression.
"..."
As I turned my gaze to the examiners, I could feel Kalli’s curiosity.
Of course, the other two examiners looked at me with bored expressions, but her interest was enough.
At the very least.
“You. What’s your name?”
I was certain that I had made a good impression on the examiner, Kalli, who was now asking with a smile.
“My name is Han Cheon-seong.”
“...Han Cheon-seong.”
Seeing Kalli clearly enunciate my name, which would be foreign in this world, made her seem incredibly beautiful.
In fact, the smile playing on her lips was truly a sight to behold.
“I have high hopes for you.”
“Thank you!”
I replied in the loudest voice I could muster. Seeing Kalli chuckle, I slowly backed away.
“...Wow.”
I glanced at the next examinee, who was looking at me in surprise, but I didn't head for the exit.
Although most examinees left through the exit after their test at the proctor’s cold command, we had the right to watch the others.
And my gaze naturally fell upon…
“......”
...the blue-haired woman, who was now looking at me. Our eyes met once more.
A woman who wielded a sword with such force that it stirred the wind, possessing a trait that was anything but ordinary. After Kalli’s reaction, I had no doubt I would pass.
Not only had an examiner spoken to me directly, but she had used the phrase ‘high hopes,’ a sort of code for a guaranteed pass.
But on the other hand…
‘Please, just go easy.’
I also knew that I wouldn't receive a better evaluation than the blue-haired woman.
This world was, after all, centered around traits.
A world where people lived and died by their damn bloodlines and traits.
The fact that the other two examiners had looked at me with such indifference just because Spearmanship was a Common-grade trait was proof enough of the discrimination based on rank.
So, all I could do was hope that the blue-haired woman would hold back enough for me to be placed in a high-level class.
“Next, examinee 497. Please step forward, introduce your trait, and we will proceed with the test.”
Hearing the proctor's voice, I stood my ground.
I needed to know the specific name of her trait.
…
After number 497, the examinees up to 499 all headed for the exit just as plainly as those before them. Soon, it was her turn.
“Examinee 500. Please step forward, introduce your trait, and we will proceed with the test.”
At the proctor’s command, the blue-haired woman walked forward calmly.
"..."
She then gave me a strange look as I remained in the examination hall.
Her gaze was as cold as before... but something about it felt different.
*Swish.*
Then, she turned her head and calmly opened her mouth to speak.