Chapter 37
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 37
Chapter Title: Have You Made a Friend, By Any Chance? (3)
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The students gathered in the training grounds wore a variety of expressions. Some looked extremely tense, while others grinned with evident enjoyment.
I wasn't much different from them. I stood in a suitable spot, my face taut with tension.
Though my mindset might have been a little different.
'I can't lose the friendly match...'
I hoped the others would score higher than me. That way, I wouldn't have to participate in the friendly match.
That's when Yubel approached me. As usual, he wore a smile, as if something trivial like an exam didn't faze him at all.
"Luke, let's do well this time too."
"Yes, let's give it our best."
I said we'd do well, but that didn't mean I intended to win a duel.
To begin with, no one here—including me—knew how the exam would proceed.
If someone had bribed their way to information, that might be another story...
But I doubted Shavel would allow such a thing. She was a knight with upright principles.
'Well, it doesn't really matter anyway.'
This wasn't a written exam—it was practical. For students in the Swordsmanship Department like me, there was only one thing to do.
Show off the swordsmanship we'd honed up to now.
A sword was always honest. The more you trained, the more it became yours.
Those who'd slacked off chasing romance would surely see it reflected in their performance.
That's why I didn't date. For the sake of the sword alone...
Huh? Wait, why are there tears...
As I was swallowing tears in my heart,
Shavel entered the training grounds.
"Everyone, please focus."
All of us, myself included, fell silent and turned to her.
Trailing behind her were two figures in robes. They looked like mages in attire, but not students from the Magic Department.
"Before we begin the exam, I'll explain the content."
In sync with Shavel's words, one of the two stepped forward.
"Hello. Students of the Swordsmanship Department, I'm Rud Fran, a magic tool developer from the Magic Tower."
The man who introduced himself as Rud Fran rummaged in the small pouch at his waist. He soon pulled out a tiny tetrahedron. It resembled a cube in shape.
"It may look like an ordinary object, but if you channel mana into it like this..."
The cube floated lightly from his hand, emitting light as it grew in size.
A moment later, a golem at least two meters tall stood before me. It was the transformation of the tetrahedron Rud Fran had taken out.
With his role complete, Rud Fran bowed slightly and returned to his spot.
Now it was Shavel's turn again. She slowly scanned the students' faces before continuing her explanation.
"This is the golem you'll face today. I've tested it myself, and since it's an exam, I thought it would serve as good practice, so I arranged this."
The fact that the Magic Tower had unveiled such a thing meant knights might one day face it as enemies.
In that sense, today's exam would be valuable experience. Even if we encountered one as foes later, we could draw on these memories to find a way through.
Even outside such scenarios, more combat experience—and more varied—was always better.
"The golem is programmed not to kill, but that doesn't mean it won't attack. In other words, even if your arms or legs break, you won't die."
Arms and legs breaking...
It was a chilling thought.
They said lions pushed their cubs off cliffs. It seemed Shavel wanted to raise us just as rigorously.
I could understand it. Knights were beings who killed others and risked being killed themselves. If you weren't strong, you'd just become prey.
It wasn't wrong to say knights protected others, but it sounded too idealistic. Like a potato chip loaded with air.
"Now, we'll begin the practical exam. Those I call will stay here; the rest wait outside. Yubel Lutwalt, prepare for your exam."
Yubel was the golem's first opponent.
I gave his shoulder a light pat of encouragement and stepped away.
'Please, please do well.'
I might not usually root for him, but today, at least, I was on his side.
"Elena Frozenheart, prepare for evaluation."
Professor Adella from the Magic Department called her name.
Elena moved under everyone's gaze, soon standing at the center of the magic training grounds.
Lifting her head slowly, she saw a massive golem. It was a self-operating magic tool born from the Magic Tower's long research.
'The mana source is that round thing in the center...'
Reading the flow of mana, Elena quickly grasped the golem's structure and mechanism. And that meant identifying its weakness, naturally filling her with confidence.
"Start whenever you're ready. No signal will be given."
Glancing sideways at Adella, Elena shifted her gaze back to the golem.
Its blue eyes flashed with intimidation, but...
She didn't think she'd lose.
With a smooth motion—
Elena drew a short wand from her waist. It was the one her mentor Cecily had given her as a child.
She could obtain better ones easily, but she didn't want to neglect the gift from her teacher.
Soon, a blue aura rippled around Elena's body. The mana dormant within her responded to the call.
Mana circulated through her circuits, transferring from her fingertips to the wand, where it amplified.
A single point formed at the wand's tip. It became a line, then shapes and letters.
What emerged was a blue magic circle. It suited Elena perfectly, born in a land of endless snow.
Noticing the change, perhaps, the golem's blue eyes flashed as it stepped forward.
Thud—!
Dust rose with the resounding boom.
At the same time, a massive arm swung toward Elena at incredible speed, belying its bulky frame.
If that fist connected, it wouldn't end with minor injuries. Something would surely break or shatter. Of course, treatment would heal it, but the pain would have to be endured fully.
By now, the fist was closing in, yet Elena hadn't moved a step. She simply aimed her wand at the golem, eyes fixed on it.
It didn't take long to prove this wasn't arrogance.
Crack—
The fist halted right before her. A distance of a second—or just a fraction less—from impact.
The golem was encased entirely in white ice, frozen solid. Elena's magic had done it.
Sheathing her wand at her waist, Elena tapped the golem with her hand—
Rumble—!
It shattered into pieces with a roar. The intimidating blue glow and the spherical mana core had already lost their light.
The watching students could only blink in stunned silence.
Even Professor Adella was the same. She let out a hollow laugh, unable to say a word.
It was overwhelming talent, forged into a monster through relentless effort.
Elena seemed lost in thought for a moment before turning to Adella and bowing politely.
"Good work. You may go."
"Thank you."
As she walked away, Elena thought.
'I wonder if Luke's doing well...'
He'd seemed uncertain, so she hoped for good results. Ideally, they'd compete together in the friendly match.
But there was no need to worry. Everyone knew he was an exceptional knight.
"Luke Nineheart, enter the training grounds."
At Shavel's call, I stepped inside right away.
The grounds bore traces of previous exams. Potholes dotted the area, with slashes everywhere.
Glancing aside, I saw those who'd already finished. They sat on the ground, battered and bruised.
'Just how strong is this golem...'
I knew Ebi and Yubel's skills well enough. If even they were wrecked like this, the golem's power went without saying.
And not a single scratch on some—truly awe-inspiring.
'If things like this spread, knights would all be out of jobs...'
Harboring such thoughts, I faced the golem.
Its eyes glowed a fierce red, utterly terrifying. It felt like it would kill me any second.
"Luke Nineheart, start when ready. No signal."
I drew my sword from my waist. My sword at the blacksmith's wasn't ready yet, so I used a rented training blade.
Come to think of it, were its eyes always red...?
Weren't they blue before...?