Chapter 150: Eliminated (1)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 150: Eliminated (1)
Violet - Hero of the Magic Department.
“Violet! Violet! Violet!”
“I knew I could trust you!”
“You’re the hero of the Magic Department!”
I had become the hero of the Magic Department.
It wasn't something I had wanted, but what’s done is done.
“The only reason I pretended to be on Adam Smith’s side was to wait for an opportunity.”
“Wooooooo!”
First, win over the crowd.
“I will also give you all the Proofs of Survival I obtained from taking down Adam Smith!”
“Waaaaaaa!”
At first glance, it seemed like a loss.
But of course, it wasn't.
My workplace boss might have shown a completely broken personality when it came to mages, but the reason he could still walk around perfectly fine was solely because he was strong.
Furthermore, unlike a typical citizen of Leon—a wasteland for magic—he hunted mages as if he were their natural predator.
The number of Proofs of Survival he had spat out after being 'defeated' was staggering.
Beyond Proofs of Survival, there were even quite a few Proofs of Life.
To give you an idea of the scale, it took the TA a considerable amount of time just to take them away and verify the score.
While it wasn't as good as keeping the stolen tokens until the very end, the system awarded points just for seizing them in the first place. So, even if my boss didn't resurrect until the exam ended, his high ranking seemed guaranteed.
Anyway, even after distributing the Proofs of Survival, there were surprisingly many tokens left over.
This was because quite a few people had charged in prepared to be eliminated, only to be... well, perfectly eliminated.
Just holding onto these would be enough to aim for the top ranks, but…
“Adam Smith is dead. However, our enemies still remain.”
In my past life, I lived in a society that encouraged infinite competition from childhood.
No matter how hard I worked or how well I did, I knew all too well that if someone else did better, I would inevitably fall behind.
Therefore.
“There is still Prince Ellen of Leon, whom even Adam Smith couldn't defeat! And Asran, the so-called Minor Sword Emperor, who claims to be the third strongest in the Swordsmanship Department!”
Therefore, the most important thing for me to climb higher was the removal of competitors.
Using these people as pawns for that purpose was enough.
“For the complete victory of the Magic Department!”
…And they were the easiest targets among the students stronger than us.
Plus, they were opponents I could actually justify attacking to my boss who was currently in 'hell'!
Of course, there was a very high probability that the other RoFan male leads would become my enemies in the process…
I felt a bit sorry for those RoFan male lead punks, but it couldn't be helped.
It wasn't like I was doing this just for my own benefit!
It really couldn't be helped.
It truly, truly couldn't be helped!
Academies have their own tiers.
There are top-tier academies like Leon and Dale, where students from other countries come to study.
Then there are high-tier academies that might not attract international students but are considered the best within their own nations.
Beyond those, there are academies that are respectable enough if you just attend, and then there are those similar to no-name provincial universities where you're better off just inheriting the family business.
And naturally, the Imperial Academy was the best of the best.
Most of the people here belonged to prestigious families in the Empire or other nations.
Even if they didn't, they were individuals with talent to match.
What did this mean?
Unless the students gave up their human rights and became graduate students, the Academy couldn't treat them poorly.
Thus, despite the term 'Eliminated,' they weren't locked away in some underground dungeon.
No, rather…
“This is too good.”
They were waiting in accommodations that made it hard to believe this was currently an uninhabited island—proof that the Imperial Family had once used this place as a resort.
“It wasn't hell; it was heaven.”
Outside, there were attacks from Magic Spammers during the day and Dark Mages at night.
Since they were on the run, they had to be careful about lighting fires, leading to poor meals.
Even if this was a hidden area on the outskirts, to think such luxury facilities existed on the same Akensom.
“…Is there even a need to resurrect?”
In fact, I almost suspected this was a high-level psychological tactic by the Academy to test the students' passion for their studies.
It made no sense unless it was a temptation, asking if there was any need to go through hellish suffering in a losers' revival match when they could live such a good life here.
And.
“Did those Magic Spammers give up this kind of life and risk their lives to find me?”
As expected, Magic Spammers were definitely psychopaths.
After eating a buffet-style breakfast, I lightly warmed up at the training ground and headed to the area prepared for the eliminated students.
“Oh…”
In a facility reminiscent of a movie theater from my past life, parts of the exam were being broadcast in real-time via video magic tools for the benefit of the eliminated.
Of course, it was impossible to search for a specific person.
The Academy broadcasted scenes they deemed most important in real-time.
“As expected of Boradori…”
My interest was the RoFan group anyway.
And naturally, since this world revolved around the RoFan cast, the screen was showing them.
However.
Our RoFan male lead punks were getting one-sidedly thrashed.
It was truly entertaining to see them suffering exactly what I had gone through.
Well, I had been thrashed alone, while they were holding on with the strength of their comrades… no, sometimes they were even pushing back.
Boradori, who was gallantly commanding the mages, was digging into the weaknesses and habits of the RoFan male lead party with uncanny precision.
Even the great Prince Esid was protesting to Boradori in a flustered state.
Our Boradori drew a firm line and continued the attack without a hint of hesitation.
“Popcorn… I need popcorn…”
I had no choice but to pull out the popcorn I always kept ready in my subspace.
Aeryun - What on earth...
I ended up being eliminated from the exam.
It was an absurdly hollow elimination.
To think I would be eliminated by my own master’s party.
The ice demon statue I saw upon arriving at the scene was absurd enough.
The foreign prince who treated people like score tokens the moment our eyes met was also absurd.
The agent under that prince, who immediately cut ties with us saying he was already eliminated the moment he grasped the situation, was equally absurd.
And seeing my master using magic instead of stopping them made me more indignant than bewildered.
But the most absurd thing was… quite seriously.
No, I really gave it my all because it felt so unfair, but…
“Those monsters…”
I was beaten like a dog.
Even though the agents who came with me backed out the moment they realized this was an internal Academy exam and not official business.
And even though Marie—the Fire Spammer who betrayed me the moment she saw the person she liked… no, her master—was there.
I didn't expect to lose so hollowly even in a 1:1 fight.
“Truly a monster…”
Whether it was Prince Ellen or that Adam fellow who dealt with such a person on a daily basis.
I could now be certain that Leon was not a place where normal people lived.
I was officially processed as eliminated from the exam, but… it wasn't all bad.
The process was a bit unpleasant, but since I had discovered a secret base of Dark Mages where even a demon had been found, I couldn't have taken the exam normally anyway.
…Well, it wouldn't have been much different before that, either.
“Is this the famous Eternity…”
It was chilling to see even a demon frozen solid.
It was easy to forget because of Adam Smith, who ran wild in a way that made it hard to believe he was an agent of Leon… or rather, an agent at all.
But the unique magic of Dale was indeed terrifyingly powerful.
“There’s a long way to go.”
Since the Empire was a nation that integrated many countries and peoples, it possessed numerous swordsmanship styles and magics…
But because the history forming the foundation of the nation was surprisingly shorter than that of Dale or Leon.
Unlike Leon of the Sword or Dale of Magic, the Empire was just the Empire.
Of course, that wasn't a bad thing.
To live up to the name of the Empire, they had made efforts to catch up to the two nations.
There were many balanced talents who had mastered both sword and magic to a high level, like Prince Esid or the second son of House Rias, who were with the princes of Dale and Leon.
But humans can't help but crave what they don't have.
“So. Have you grasped the purpose of this place?”
However, work was more important than such thoughts right now.
The Academy, located near the heart of the Empire, had been breached several times, but…
Akensom was the island closest to the capital—the very heart of the Empire— and was connected to the river veins that traversed the nation.
A demon had been discovered in such a place.
This was a grave danger to the Empire.
“As Agent Adam Smith said, several unusual magic circles have been discovered. Upon verification, they share characteristics with magic circles that amplify magical effects, but…”
The conclusion was always 'it seems like,' and because they were modified by demons or Dark Mages, they couldn't be certain. I could only sigh at the reports saying they had called in experts.
If there was any silver lining, it was that this place hadn't been built specifically targeting the Academy exam.
Looking at the traces scattered about and the research reports from the Dark Mages being found, the danger to the Empire was ultimately discovered quickly thanks to the Academy exam.
“……”
I hated to admit it, but honestly, it was thanks to that Adam fellow.
I was initially horrified to see him using the Saintess as a mere Dark Mage detector or bait.
“…Should I admit it now?”
If you stay still, the Academy gets breached.
Even if you try, it gets breached!
But by shifting the perspective… those Dark Mages, whose traces are usually so hard to find, had become bait that they themselves sought out.
“I’ll have to speak a bit more strongly to the higher-ups.”
Opinions were still divided, but the recent movements of the Dark Mages were very suspicious.
Because of this, there were talks about having a dedicated Imperial Dark Mage unit and some of the Holy Kingdom's Heresy Inquisitors stationed within the Academy, but opinions were still split…
“Since it can no longer be avoided.”
Honestly, as someone in the field, I strongly felt the need for them.
It was just as I was making up my mind to lend some strength to the supporting faction.
“Lord Aeryun!”
A subordinate came running in a hurry.
Had something important been discovered in this facility!
“L-look at this!”
But what he brought was a familiar magic tool.
It was a video magic tool connected to the grading tools installed throughout the exam site, which even the professors and TAs carried.
And there.
“What on earth…”
It was a familiar face.
Violet.
The Imperial noble who had gone over to Adam Smith’s side.
She was leading a large number of mages and attacking someone.
The problem was… that 'someone' included Prince Esid…
“This is an exam.”
“I-is that so?”
“Yes. That’s just how it is.”
Since it was all part of the exam process, and everyone was equal in the Academy!
All we could do was watch.
…It was absolutely not because I felt catharsis seeing Prince Ellen, who had thrashed me, and my master, who had stood by and watched, getting beaten up.
Absolutely not!
