Artina Academy Entrance Exam (3)

"Hmph, I shouldn't have applied."

Ibel slowly descended the steep mountain path. Ever since Kyle had shoved her down earlier, she was a total mess. The modest shoes and white stockings gifted by her late mother—her treasured possessions—were now caked in dirt and dust. She felt unfairly wronged, her mood soured.

"Sigh, they shouldn't get dirty like this…."

In the end, Ibel crouched down and brushed them off by hand. The itchy sensation of dust clinging to her palms. Even after a year at Artina Academy, surviving every ordeal it threw at her, she still wasn't used to it. Mages focused more on theory than practice, after all. Unless it was an evaluation or sparring match, she rarely dealt with this kind of thing.

That was why she regretted applying for the campus work program on a whim. If not for this, she'd be hanging out with her classmates and seniors, or lounging at her family home. She fondly recalled the tea party with the student council seniors before winter break.

— "Ibel, why don't you apply for campus work? There's so much to learn!"

— "Yeah~ You'd do great at it!"

— "Especially if you get on the professors' good side—you could build a hotline. They say once you're in their favor, they grade leniently!"

It had clearly been the devil's whisper. It sounded like senior advice at first glance, but the truth was different. The student council officers, scolded by professors for the lack of applicants, were desperately recruiting with sweet temptations. Back then, Ibel didn't have the connections to see through it.

— "H-Hmm, really?"

— "Absolutely~!"

Dazed by the barrage of praise, she'd applied without thinking. At the time, she'd dreamed of ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠an exciting work life, but now she knew better. It was all a lie. What awaited was an exploitative grind that worked students for cheap. The campus staff called her "the noble girl who works hard anyway," while her peers snickered behind her back. The excuses about new experiences and impressing professors meant nothing.

"Ugh, seriously…."

One mistake, and she'd shouldered the workload for the entire second semester. She regretted it deeply. She'd kill her past self to stop it if she could, but it was done. Ibel had long since resigned herself.

"At least the work itself isn't too hard."

Mostly handling paperwork, occasionally helping with academy events like this. The pay was meager, but student welfare perks were solid: discounts at the cafeteria, scholarship priority, reduced loan rates, dorm fee cuts. Plenty to make a commoner's eyes spin.

"But it's all useless to me."

The Adford family, equivalent to earls among nobles, was too wealthy. They'd paid four years of Artina Academy tuition upfront, and she got dozens of gold as pocket money monthly. A lavish life even most nobles couldn't touch. Normally, she'd be content, but something nagged at her.

'Kyle Adford….'

Her disowned older brother from the earl's house. They hadn't spoken since that day, so she had no idea how he'd lived. But the Kyle she'd met this time seemed capable, battle-hardened. His demeanor was different—refined, rational, almost human. Not lurking in bushes or caves like a commoner, but climbing treacherous paths just to reach her. Without the minimum cutoff she'd told him, his judgment might've been spot-on.

"What on earth has he been through?"

Thinking of Kyle's dramatic change, he'd turned over a new leaf after exile. New experiences could inspire anyone. She'd changed a bit from campus work herself, though not positively…. People change easily at pivotal moments, but Kyle's shift seemed extreme. Memories of the mansion surfaced.

— "Um, Brother…! What do you think of what I drew today…? Ah!"

— "Get that away. It's disgustingly bad. You have no talent. I wasn't wasting time on that crap at your age."

He'd been a villain since childhood, and

— "I made this handkerchief myself…?"

— "You call this a gift?! You see me as trash too, huh? Everyone in this mansion is the same…! Get out, all of you…!"

As he aged, it worsened. Beating servants half to death for minor mistakes was routine. Later, he even stabbed a finger with a fork just for looking at him. In the end, exiled with dozens of crimes listed. It wasn't public knowledge, but it stirred noble society. For someone like that to change so much—what trials had he endured? How much time? Hard to guess. Some ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠live in ignorance forever, unchanged. Yet he'd transformed.

Ibel brushed dirt from her notebook and wrote 'Kyle' under persons of interest. At this rate, he'd slay beasts and pass Artina Academy. Sniping three low-grade beasts at once wasn't average skill. They'd cross paths again….

Rustle, rustle.

"Hm…?"

Then, a rustling sound nearby. Looking up, the whole area was freezing over in white crystals. Only one freshman mastered ice magic to this degree.

"Siel Dunhart…."

Top of Ibel's report notebook. The Dunhart family's only daughter from the imperial north. Twin prodigies' child, a dual heavenly talent. Unrivaled in ice magic. Already eyed as next archmage and era leader.

"……."

Soon, Siel appeared. Ice-blue hair in a short, neat ponytail. As their eyes met—Ibel's meeting Siel's icy gaze—a magic circle unfolded.

Ibel yelled instantly. "Stop the attack! I'm the supervisor!"

"Mm, okay…."

Siel nodded, dismissing the circle. She resumed walking. As she brushed past Ibel.

"Wait, where are you headed?"

Ibel grabbed her. Siel turned her head, cherry lips parting slightly.

"Mountain peak. Why?"

"The peak? No one's there."

"No… someone is."

Siel showed her bracelet. The compass pointed summit-ward.

'The peak…?'

Ibel thought. Only one person was up there. Was Siel going for Kyle? If so…!

"Nothing to say? I'm going."

As Ibel froze, Siel started walking again. For anyone else, summiting was tough, but not Siel. She'd meet the hidden student, claim points.

"Hey, wait!"

Ibel grabbed her again. Letting Siel go meant Kyle's definite failure. Even sniping low-grades like that, Siel was beyond specs.

"Why. Business?"

But Ibel couldn't speak. This exceeded supervisor authority. And why care if Kyle failed? He was still a 'villain.' She'd wished he'd fail at first sight. So,

"It's nothing…."

Ibel hesitated long, then released her. She didn't understand her own actions. Was she secretly hoping Kyle passed? Her mind tangled at the thought he might not be pure evil.

"Then."

Siel passed, heading summit-ward. Left behind: ice statues. The world frozen, creatures transparently encased. Ibel hugged herself.

"Cold… Gotta head down quick."

Snowflakes tickled her nose.

"Achoo—! He'll handle himself."

Ibel shrugged it off easily, descending.

"Not late."

Good, right on time. The stele pulsed, magic circle glowing red. A bit later, and it'd release. I dashed to position. Beasts summon in 5 minutes.

"This spot works."

Cliff edge overlooking stele and circle perfectly. I'd eyed it earlier.

'This slope—even variant wolves can't climb easy.'

Beasts charge when I shoot. Need distance to avoid mishaps. Snipers giving up range? Absurd. My class demands it. Semi-auto firing needs reload time. Like with those three low-grades—distance saved me, or crisis detection might not have. Close call.

Answer: Maintain distance on flat ground too. High ground. Clear low-grades, buy time till mid-grades reach. Rest is improv. Gamble, but no better idea.

Kuuuung!

Earth quaked. Orange sky turned ominous. Circle blazed red, branding stele. Catalyst used. Next: summon. As in original.

Even from afar, students' glares stung. They sensed wrongness. All eyes on us now.

Drdrdrdr!!!

Stele shattered, black mana erupting skyward. Vision-blocking vortex. Goosebumps everywhere.

"Even knowing, this intense…?"

Bad vibes. Beast pack appeared. One blue mark turned red. Use Insight or miss. Aimed mid-boss, mid-grade wolf, infused mana.

Mid-grades around Lv35. Normally I'd be 35 too, but pack bonus bumped +5.

'Still manageable!'

I formed mana bullet. Blue cross appeared. About to fire—

"What the… beasts…?"

A girl ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠summiting entered view.

'Siel?'

Too focused on beasts, missed surroundings. But no change. She'd come anyway. Early meeting only. But her solo vs beasts changes plot. Chapter 1 Act 4 'Underground Cavern' fails if she exerts. She has incurable curse—body freezes deeper magic use. North lord and ex-tower master's prodigy daughter. Her power backfired. Fine vs normal students, not nightmare ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠mid-boss. Needs high-tier magic beyond mid. Worsens curse. Snowballs in cavern. Can't fight.

"Come…."

Siel deployed circle already. Ending fast risks her spotting me. Like if I'd helped Lumina earlier. Any ideas?

"Ah!"

Got it—! Rifled skyward quick, released trait via mana. Artifact power.

「Perfect Accuracy」 Unique trait: Every shot hits. Great, but not guaranteed. Thousand shots? Million? Improves odds. Released?

Archer trait pinnacle. Next stage I knew as dev… Simple code, user aim cheat….

Unlike unique Clairvoyance, mana sufficient. Release name:

Certain Hit

Tang!

Saw text, pulled trigger. Once. Enough.

Wuuuuung!!

Light pillar pierced sky. Mana particles light-element. Massive energy pulsed like endless beam.

…But then.

Bullet reversed. Not gravity or drag. Defying physics like otherworldly law….

Bullet ignored force, inertia—curved. Straight bent. Sole reason: target below.

This world's law.

Kwaaaaa—!

Certain Hit.