The Assassin Hides His Art (2)
Sinia observed the movements of Candidate 348 and reached a conclusion. This was assassination. To be precise, it was a movement that belonged strictly to the domain of the Assassination Arts.
'There is no form, no style.'
Simply swinging a sword did not make it swordsmanship. Only when it possessed a consistent framework of form and style did it truly become a technique. In that sense, if judged by the standards of swordsmanship, his movements were no different from flailing a blade at random. However, that randomly swung sword was just too—devastatingly—effective.
A single word quickly came to Sinia's mind to define his actions: 'Talent.'
He was not an assassin. He had never learned the Assassination Arts. He simply possessed a natural talent for them.
'But what if he's just hiding his identity as an assassin?' She quickly shook her head. Unless he could somehow surgically excise the very concept of assassination from his muscle memory and soul, such movements were impossible.
If Sinia herself tried to pretend to be a complete novice and swung a sword randomly, the sheer mastery accumulated in her body and subconscious would naturally seep through, transforming even a clumsy swing into a magnificent strike.
'Still, I should make sure.' She beckoned to him. "Candidate 348, would you mind stepping over here for a moment?"
Ah, now that she thought about it, Drin Libringer had mentioned earlier that she was acquainted with Candidate 348. "Candidate 347, you come along too."
Just as she was about to call the two of them aside— "Huh?" Kasha had quietly slipped in right behind them.
"Oh my, did I call Candidate 344 as well?"
"I need to hear whatever it is you're about to say to that guy."
The way the two girls looked at the man was rather peculiar. It seemed they, too, had caught on to the anomaly in his movements. They have sharp eyes.
"Alright, you've earned the right to listen." With those three in tow, Sinia entered the office prepared for the proctors.
The first thing she did was lean her upper body toward Candidate 348, bringing her face quite close to his. Her soft, light pink hair brushed against her shoulders. Her eyes, matching the color of her hair, curved into gentle crescents along her relaxed eyelids. Her eyebrows and the corners of her mouth followed the same soft lines. Sinia stared at the man with an expression that could only be described as benevolent.
"Candidate 348, now that I think about it, I haven't heard your name yet. What is it?"
"Ah, I am Sillon, Proctor."
"Very well, Sillon. I'll ask you directly. Candidate 348, have you ever made contact with the Harashin, or have you ever learned the Assassination Arts?"
Yet, the aura she exuded was unmistakable. It was the aura of a master swordsman who had reached the pinnacle. A razor-sharp pressure bore down on him, silently declaring: I will tolerate no lies.
Sillon replied with a look of utter bewilderment. "Yes? The Harashin...? What... is that?"
However, his confusion was of an entirely different nature than what Sinia had feared. Seeing his blank, clueless reaction, Sinia was once again convinced. He was not an assassin. His movements earlier were merely a fluke, a coincidental manifestation of raw talent.
Sinia beamed. "I'm so glad it was just my needless worry. The reason I asked is because the movements you showed in your exam record just now, Sillon, fall squarely within the domain of the Assassination Arts. So, could you tell me... in what context did you come up with those movements when you subdued the Mana Golem?"
At that, Sillon let out a soft grunt, looking somewhat surprised. "You felt the intent behind it?"
"Oh? What do you mean by that?"
"Ah, well..." Sillon glanced briefly at Drin before continuing. "The moment I entered the barrier and faced the Mana Golem, goodness, my breath was completely taken away."
"Mhm, mhm."
"So, as I was wondering what on earth to do, I suddenly remembered what Lord 347 told me when she looked over my swordplay before the exam. She said, 'If you had walked the path of an assassin, you would have been born with the talent to achieve greatness.'"
"Oho. So, keeping that in mind, you wondered what assassination arts actually were, and what your innate talent as an assassin could be. And as you kept focusing on that, those movements just came out naturally without you even realizing it? Is that it?"
"Exactly! As expected of the proctor!"
"Hmm." Sinia crossed her arms, lost in thought, before letting out a soft chuckle. "Ha! Well, that is a massive relief. We almost had a disaster on our hands."
"Pardon? What do you mean by that?"
Sinia thought to herself. It is a blessing that this man is at the Academy right now. It is a blessing that he did not stray onto the wrong path. If he had headed toward the underworld instead of the Academy—and if he had caught the eye of the Harashin and formally walked the path of an assassin—
'I don't even want to imagine it.' He would have become a terrifying existence capable of plunging the entire continent into chaos on a mere whim or personal grudge.
*Clap!* Sinia clapped her hands together, changing the subject.
"In any case, Candidate 347's assessment of our Candidate 348 was spot on. Sillon, even in my eyes, you possess the innate talent to achieve greatness had you walked the path of an assassin. You clearly demonstrated that in the second exam. As the proctor, I acknowledge it! Your record is perfectly valid! However, Sillon... would you mind if I made a proposal?"
"Whatever our proctor proposes, I shall certainly consider it in a positive light."
"Fufu, thank you. Here is my proposal, Sillon. Would you allow me to void your record? Your passing status will remain, but we will erase the specific record. I will manually set your score to be just slightly above the average of the other candidates."
"Oh, my. That is quite an unexpected and sudden proposal. Don't tell me even the proctor cannot tolerate a mere commoner dare standing above the nobility—"
"Hahaha! What nonsense is that? Sillon, I am making this proposal entirely for your own sake, you know? It's because of the reaction in the testing hall earlier. And—"
Sinia smiled mischievously as she looked at Kasha, who had been wearing an expression of extreme confusion for some time now. "As you can tell from Candidate 344's reaction—" *Flinch!*
"Your record is a bit—no, frankly, it's unprecedented. If I officially report this record to the Academy and it gets reflected in your grades, the same situation that just happened will happen again. Only this time, on an Academy-wide scale. Everyone at the Academy will want to verify your record. Perhaps even people outside the Academy as well. A commoner who surpassed the geniuses of the Libringer and Hanahan families? It would be impossible not to draw attention."
"So, if it becomes known that I possess the talent of an assassin, it might put me in a difficult position. Therefore, we should hide it. Is that it?"
"Exactly."
"Hmm, I am truly grateful for the proposal. But in that case... if things go wrong, won't it put you in a difficult position, Proctor?"
"I appreciate you recognizing my sincerity, even if a bit late. And yes, of course. It would be difficult for me."
"Then why go so far?"
"I told you, didn't I? I always pay back my debts. Since you saved my life, Sillon, it's my turn to save yours."
Sinia gave him a reassuring smile and winked. It was a lovely gesture, though the wink itself was rather clumsy.
"Oh... What an incredibly clumsy yet adorable wink...!"
"Sillon, do you want to die?"
"Ah, my apologies. It slipped out before I could stop myself."
"Anyway, let me summarize once more. First of all, even if others discover your innate talent, it won't immediately cause a problem so massive that you can't handle it."
If they could read the talent of an assassin from his movements, they would also be able to read the fact that he had never actually learned the Assassination Arts.
"However, it will become quite tiresome. It might even interfere with your admission to the Academy. So, you should—at least until the Academy entrance exams are over—keep it hidden."
"So you are asking me to give up my first-place score and restrain myself from showing this 'assassin's talent' until the entrance exams are completely finished?"
"That's right. From what I've seen, you'll still easily pass the Academy entrance exams. However..."
"However...?"
"Regrettably, you will miss out on the top spot."
"Proctor!" Kasha urgently cut into the conversation. "What do you mean by that?! Miss out on the top spot?"
"Hmm? Exactly what it sounds like."
She asked back, her face filled with disbelief. "So, what you're saying right now, Proctor, is that this guy—under normal circumstances—possesses the skill to take the top spot in the entrance exams? Surpassing both me and Drin Libringer?"
"Well, things might change depending on the nature of the third exam, but it's certainly a strong possibility, isn't it? As you just saw." As Sinia shrugged and replied, a shock that could not be fully concealed washed over Kasha's face.
"Well, it's highly regrettable for our Sillon. But still, isn't it better than having your admission to the Academy compromised if things go awry? Besides, there are people who recognize your true, outstanding skill. First of all, there's me, and then—"
Sinia turned her gaze toward Drin, who nodded in agreement and spoke to Sillon. "Sillon, I also believe the proctor is correct. Though it is regrettable, it is only right to let go of the score for now and prioritize your admission to the Academy."
"Oh, Candidate 347. Don't tell me you're just worried I might steal the top spot from you...!"
"Excuse me?!" A dumbfounded gasp escaped Drin as Sillon curled the thin lines of his lips and eyes into a mischievous smirk. Flustered to the extreme, she waved her hands frantically as she spoke.
"N-No! Of course not! How could that be! Sillon! Good heavens, did my words just now really sound like I had such intentions?"
"Hahaha~ I'm joking, just joking. I know, of course I know. Our Candidate 347 would never be that kind of person."
"..." Her frantically waving hands dropped. Letting her arms hang limply at her sides, she muttered in a low, chillingly cold voice.
"No, actually, you are correct. I said that because I am terrified of you stealing the top spot from me. Therefore, please. Do make sure to display your skills to your heart's content so that the top spot is not stolen by a mere nobody like me. I shall be right behind you."
*Rumbleeeee*
As if an ominous sound effect were playing, Drin muttered with a terrifying aura. She was already quite provoked by her "low" rank of third place.
"Uh... P-Proctor...? Is it really true that I can take the top spot...? Over this person...?"
"...On second thought, maybe it'll be difficult...?"
Seeing him act so dramatically terrified, Drin let out a deep sigh. At that, he immediately spoke up with a bright, beaming grin.
"Ah, by the way, Candidate 347—no, Lady Drin. I haven't even had the chance to thank you properly yet."
"What is it all of a sudden?"
"Thank you so much for defending me in the testing hall earlier. It was a huge help to me back then. Truly." He spoke with a rare, utmost sincerity. Feeling his genuine gratitude, Drin's expression softened into a wry smile.
"Even though we have absolutely no relationship, you went out of your way to help me despite the trouble. I must say, I was deeply moved...!"
However, at his subsequent words, Drin's face crumpled once again. She muttered in a voice so quiet that no one else could hear. No relationship?
"Pardon? Lady Drin, did you say something?"
"...It is nothing, so do not speak to me."
"Excuse me?!"
"Since we have absolutely no relationship, after all." With those final words, Drin snapped her head away from him.
"Proctor, I shall return to the testing hall first."
"Uh...?" Sillon looked at Drin's retreating back as she headed back to the testing hall, genuinely bewildered for once. Most of Drin's reactions to Sillon had been calculated by him, but this time was different. He had absolutely no idea why she was suddenly acting this way.
Sillon scratched the back of his head awkwardly and looked at Sinia. She merely shook her head in response.
"Well, in any case—" His gaze shifted to Kasha this time.
*Flinch!* Kasha's body, which had been stiff as a board, trembled slightly.
"Candidate 344?"
"...W-What is it?" Her tone was still harsh, but her spirit was clearly subdued.
"Well, will Candidate 344 finally acknowledge me now?"
"..." Kasha weakly averted her gaze and muttered, "The talent of an assassin. How absurd." Her sharp, indigo eyes trembled slightly.
Sillon stared at her with a look that carried a deeper meaning. He watched her for a moment with his usual sly, smirk-like expression, before speaking in a calm, clear tone, ensuring his words reached her ears perfectly.
"Is that so? That is a pity. I would have been truly delighted to be acknowledged by the esteemed Lady Kasha."
"...What?" By the time Kasha snapped her head back, looking as if she had been cast under a spell, he had already looked away.
"Now then—Candidate 344, 347, and 348. Shall we head back to the testing hall? The other candidates must be waiting."
Kasha stood frozen, blankly staring at Sillon's retreating back.