Chapter 3
Chapter 3
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 3
Chapter Title: Veronica
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Hello.
This is Adel, the applicant who applied for Yollam's entrance exam.
*…Right.*
But now?
It wasn't a few days after the exam with a rejection notice.
It wasn't delayed due to complicated evaluations either.
Just.
Really, just.
Cut at the gate.
"You're disqualified."
After hearing that.
"Please turn around and leave."
Along with those words.
I became Adel, the reject from Yollam's entrance exam.
***
*Heh heh…*
Hee hee.
*Hic.*
Laughter leaked out.
No words come out.
If I open my mouth, who knows what'll spill.
I activate 【Walker in Silence】 and sit on the bench.
*Hee.*
Leaning back, I tilt my head up.
Blinding sky.
Clear and blue, not a cloud in sight.
*Ow, my eyes.*
The sun hits me straight on.
My eyelids fluttered, then my head droped.
*…….*
Stats
: Stamina: 10 (E)
: Strength: 1 (F)
: Intelligence: 26 (B)
: Mental Strength: 30 (A)
: Mana: ■ ()
'Mana's a box!'
I glossed over it.
Not a question mark, not '0', just a plain box.
✦━━━━━━━━━━━━✦
【Mask of Silence】
Grade: Mythic
Unique Skill
: 【Binding】
Completely bound to the wearer.
Cannot be stolen or transferred, not even removed.
: 【Mana Suppression】
Mana usage is sealed.
Mana regeneration fixed at 0.
Can manipulate natural mana.
: 【Stigma】
Unique trait 【Stigma】 activates.
✦━━━━━━━━━━━━✦
See?
The description in 【Mana Suppression】 says mana regeneration is fixed at 0.
It doesn't say mana is completely 0.
'But now it's 0?'
Even ants have mana.
It's the most basic resource in this world.
It should flow naturally from the body, like blood from a wound, like a heartbeat circulating blood.
Every being has mana from the moment they're born.
…But me?
0.
Zero.
None.
'Fuck.'
Null attribute, and now null mana.
Not 'infinite potential', just 'nothing'.
'Ha.'
Did I get beat by a slime for this bullshit?
'Talent's bottom-tier, mana 0, stats are trash.'
Seriously.
Too cliché to blame the world.
Self-loathing? Feels like even that's worn out now.
: 【Mana Suppression】
Mana usage is sealed.
Mana regeneration fixed at 0.
He could manipulate natural mana.
That was the one silver lining.
Natural mana—that is, the pure mana scattered throughout this world—can be manipulated.
But.
'The problem is the method's fucking crude.'
And another problem.
'I'm already rejected.'
Yeah.
Right.
Exam reject Adel.
Feels like that title's floating over my head.
Sluuump.
Strength drained from my body, I melted into the bench.
Even a slime moves with more dignity than me.
'Mana… Can I fake it with mana?'
Sigh.
As if.
Suppressing my frustration, I pulled a whiteboard from my pocket.
Pop.
I twisted off the marker cap and scribbled meaningless doodles.
[lol]
[╰(°益°)╯]
Yeah.
Let's laugh.
[ಠ_ಠ]
What else can I do.
- Thud.
I know without turning.
Some kid's approaching.
'Even that brat has mana.'
Nah, don't think about it.
Makes me feel more pathetic.
But.
'Huh?'
Looks familiar.
'More importantly.'
Is that kid looking at me?
The brat was Staring right at me.
*….*
No.
Staring straight at me.
"..."
【Walker in Silence】 is active.
I'm invisible to the world right now.
Except for that weird woman earlier, no one should even notice me.
"...Those eyes."
The kid opened their mouth.
'No way…'
Black hair.
Violet eyes gleaming with light.
"Creep me out."
Vertical slit pupils.
*….*
Yollam's master.
The nominal dean.
'And…'
The pinnacle of demons.
The strongest being in the world.
"This fucker."
King of kings.
"Won't look away? Wanna die?"
「Dragon Emperor」 Veronica.
*…Why the hell are you here?*
Oh… the surroundings feel a bit hot.
***
"Hmm…."
Veronica sensed an unsettling aura.
'Feels familiar.'
Hmm….
She had definitely felt it somewhere… a thousand years ago? That lingering echo.
"Dean, here's the list."
As she tried to recall the aura's echo, Vice Dean Kaus Ostris placed documents on the desk.
"...Huh."
At his words, Veronica set aside her thoughts and flipped through the papers.
"Quite a stack."
Pretty thick.
"Well, they're all renowned geniuses."
Familiar names popped up as she turned the pages.
The Spade family, famous for spears….
Even the Ayrin family, famed for spirits.
"...And what's this saintess?"
And a saintess from the Holy Kingdom.
"Wow~ Crown Prince too?"
"...You forgot already?"
"No… There is just too much on my plate."
Ugh….
Veronica had plenty besides entrance prep.
"Oh, right, Dean."
"...What now."
"I heard word from the exam hall earlier… that…."
"Spit it out."
"...A kid with level 0 mana couldn't even take the test."
"...??"
Her eyebrow twitched.
Level 0 Mana?
Was that even possible?
"...So what'd you do with the kid."
"Processed as rejected on the spot."
Hmm….
Not even a 'rejected' letter home—just straight-up executed right there.
"But isn't that overkill?"
Yollam is practically the world's only top education institution, not just in the Empire.
They don't judge solely on mana levels.
Weak body? Knowledge compensates.
Lacking smarts? Insight works.
Spotting and nurturing diverse talents is Yollam's creed.
"...So, the examiner thought it was too much and went back for the kid, but…."
"Out with it, punk."
"He completely vanished."
"...Completely?"
"Yes. No mana means no tracking by mana traces, and even spells couldn't find them."
"Spells failed too?"
Talent enough there alone, and you rejected them?
"Who's the examiner."
"Uh… Emilio."
"Yeah? Tell him he'll regret crossing me."
"...Yes."
Kaus silently prayed for Emilio's soul.
- Tap. Tap.
Veronica drummed her fingers on the desk.
"What's the kid's name."
"Adel."
"...Adel."
Veronica mulled the name.
"I'll look into it."
Convenient, since she had other business.
"And… another oddity: he wore a mask."
"A mask?"
"Yes, a White one."
"He's a quirky one."
"Right?"
"Got it, i'll be back."
"Yes."
Kaus prayed to the gods Veronica would take her sweet time.
***
'Is that the one?'
One human slumped on the bench like a slime.
'Wearing a mask… yeah, that's the kid?'
…But.
'It was you huh?'
The unsettling aura Veronica felt.
Its source was this human.
"...Those eyes."
Golden pupils peeking through the white mask.
"They creep me out."
But this fucker.
'Won't look away?'
Few humans could meet Veronica's gaze head-on.
*….*
*….*
Even fewer for this long.
"Ha…."
Even Vice Dean Kaus averted his eyes.
"Look at this punk."
I like it.
But it pisses me off.
"Won't you look away? Wanna die?"
Liking it doesn't change the creep factor.
'Should she rip 'em out?'
In the midst of such vicious thoughts.
The human pulled out a whiteboard from somewhere.
'*Subspace magic?*'
No.
How's a mana-less punk using a subspace?
Whatever. Pop.
Adel uncapde the marker and scribbled.
[Who are you?]
Why write on that shitty board instead of talking?
It was absurd, but whatever.
"Ahem… You're Adel, right?"
[Yes]
Okay… that's the one.
'*…Now what?*'
She found him.
And after seeing him in person he was good so far.
'*Should I send him back to the exam hall?*'
Even as dean, that's pushing it.
She can't just say 'pass' either.
…Something's there, but there was no proof.
"Hmm… Pick one."
[?]
Veronica points at her face.
"Me."
The she swung her finger toward the exam hall.
"Or over there."
[??]
"What'll it be?"
[???]
"C'mon, no pretending—pick quick."
[Who are you first?]
"…?"
Veronica tilts her head.
"You know."
[I don't?]
This fucker's lying.
Even if true, not knowing me is insulting.
"Yeah?"
[Yes]
"Is that so…."
She was offering a special retake, and this attitude, was he refusing? Infuriating.
"Alright… Here goes?"
Veronica raised her hand, index finger aimed at Adel.
- Whoosh…
Heat rose.
"Dodge and you pass."
In dragons, arrogance was innate.
"Can't dodge?"
They kneel to none, seize what they desire.
"You'll be mine?"
She wanted his talent now.
"There will be no pain, I promise."
She didnt expect Adel to dodge.
"Pew."
It was a cute(terrifying) sound effect.
―――!!
Vanish.
The bench Adel was on disappeared.
"…?"
But Adel was gone.
'Huh.'
Uh….
Cold sweat beaded on Veronica's forehead.
'*Cast protection magic though…?*'
Gasp.
Was he dead?!
Such thoughts occured.
But.
?
He was dangling.
"...What."
Adel dangled mid-air.
"Mana?"
Natural mana woven like hooks, were tearing into his skin, and suspending him aloft.
"...How'd you do that?"
Manipulating natural mana, in that form?
"You got elf parents or what?"
Shake shake.
Adel shook head, denying it.
*….*
Was he not a dragon, spirit, or elf?
"Ugh… Whatever."
She wracked her brain, but nothing came to mind.
"…Show up to next week's entrance ceremony."
Adel's eyes sparkled.
he nodded vigorously.
*…Right.*
Veronica felt a pang of regret inwardly.
'*Could've bagged a slave…*'
[Wait]
Desperate, Adel grabed the returning Veronica.
"...What."
[Save me]
"…Wanna come down?"
Nods.
"Come down yourself."
[Can't]
"Why."
[Hurts]
*….*
Ah, it hurts?
"Then just take the hit. Why dodge and suffer…."
He should've been her slave obediently.
[Would you take a flying spell head-on?]
"…No, but why's your tone so rude?"
[Get me down quick]
Veronica sighed, and extended her hand.
She caused this mess anyway.
- Plop.
Adel touched the ground.
He shook out his body, then scribbled on the board again.
[Don't do that next time, Dean]
Then vanished.
"But this fucker…."
Knew after all.
*…Makes me want you more.*
He was a sparkling raw gem.
How radiant would he be once polished?
'*Should she kidnap him?*'
It was a serious contemplation.
'*…Even for me, that's too much.*'
Still… it was worth pondering.