Chapter 36
Chapter 36
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 36
Chapter Title: Supplementary Exam (4)
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"I'm back~♪"
A soft voice echoed through the student council room.
As the beige cardigan fluttered, revealing a massive presence, Seon-hwa, who had been reviewing documents at her desk, greeted her lightly.
"Welcome back. Have you met with the victims?"
"Of course. I met every last applicant and explained everything."
Tatiana approached with light footsteps and handed over a single file folder as she continued.
"I also explained the situation to the hospital staff and got their cooperation. I asked them to provide perfect care until the victims are discharged, so they should handle it appropriately."
"Thank you for your hard work. I'll take care of the rest, so you can return to your regular duties, Sister."
Originally, coordinating with the hospital and caring for the victims was Seon-hwa's responsibility, but with so much on her plate, she had no choice but to enlist the accountant's help.
"Alright. Just let me know if you need anything else."
"Yes, thank you, Sister."
They shared warm smiles in a harmonious atmosphere, then turned their gazes toward the student council president's office inside.
"Isn't the president in right now?"
"The Imperial Princess visited and took him away."
"The Imperial Princess?... Ah, right, his fiancée."
She had heard that the princess was enrolling this time.
Recalling the passing memory, she nodded, and Seon-hwa's voice reached her ear.
"He's been her fiancé for years without even showing his face, so he probably won't make it today."
"Oh my. Then maybe tomorrow."
"...We can only pray he doesn't get dragged off to a hotel mid-date."
'Still, the princess isn't the type to take the initiative, so no need to worry.'
The sight of the princess teasing the Young Master only to get played in return was a familiar one to Seon-hwa.
Early on, she’d sensed the princess as a potential threat—but after they began exchanging letters upon her arrival in Academy City, that feeling had completely faded.
'She even consults with me sometimes.'
Now, they were almost like friends.
Of course, the princess had no idea that the woman she trusted and confided in was actually a cat eyeing her fiancé.
Well, in that sense, she was pure—and just as naive...
She probably wouldn't climb onto the stove first.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ Meanwhile, at Agor General Hospital.
Noah, face-to-face with Rachel, squeezed her eyes shut in a dizzying mix of emotions.
"Um, sorry, but who did you say you were?"
"Rachel Miller. Chief scout for Slaine Academy."
"Slaine Academy—the one under SKY, right?"
"That's the one."
"The G1-grade academy?"
"Technically an academy, not just a school."
Good lord.
Noah's mind blanked for a moment at Rachel's introduction.
"Student Noah?"
"...Huh!"
"Are you alright? If you're tired, we can talk later."
"No, no! I'm fine! Totally fine! Ha, haha!"
Slaine Academy.
It was a name even Noah, lacking in common knowledge, couldn't possibly be unaware of.
Among the countless academies in Academy City, it was one of the Big Three that dominated with an overwhelming gap—the ones nicknamed SKY after their initials. To students entering Academy City, they were known as academies of dreams.
G1—the pinnacle of top-tier academies.
And Slaine was at the very top of those G1s!
Someone of her level, who had even failed the transfer exam, would never cross paths with such a person—yet here she was, being approached directly!
Noah sat up, wiped her hands on her patient gown, and hurriedly offered a handshake.
"I-It's an honor to meet you!"
"Hehe, nice to meet you, Noah."
After the handshake, Noah examined the business card she'd naturally accepted and immediately plastered on a stiff smile.
'I-It'S real! A real Slaine scout!'
And not just any scout—the chief scout.
It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say every incoming student at Slaine passed through her eyes.
The very person every applicant was dying to impress was standing right in front of her!
Noah felt such immense pressure she thought her breath might stop.
"I saw your performance, Noah."
"Huh? You watched the supplementary exam!?"
"Of course. I was there observing."
"...!"
No way a VIP like her was in that shabby place...!
"Though the runaway incident prevented a proper exam, we highly evaluate your flexible handling of the sudden situation."
"M-Me? I didn't do anything special..."
"No, I didn't see your fight with the mage myself, but I heard about it from the president."
'The president talked about me?'
Noah gazed at her with eyes mixed of anticipation and excitement.
Rachel, closing her eyes as if recalling the past under that intense stare, smiled and spoke.
"The president ended the rampage, but you all defeated the mage."
"Gasp!"
"He told us directly while we were there."
Do you grasp the meaning of that?
"Let me be straightforward."
"Y-Yes!"
"Your flexible response to the rampage, cooperating with the other applicants to defeat the mage, and the president acknowledging it all. Without a doubt, Noah, your value is at its peak right now."
Plus, you have a recommendation from the Student Council.
"From a scout's perspective, you're the big fish we've been dreaming of."
"B-Big fish?"
As Noah reacted with dazed disbelief, Rachel grinned and pulled a file folder from her pocket.
Thud—!
"Noah, Slaine Academy highly values your talent. Though you didn't shine in the transfer exam, your excellent performance in the supplementary exam leads us to make this offer!"
Join Slaine Academy.
With that, Rachel spoke to the frozen Noah with a slightly bitter tone.
"Well, that's what I'd like to say, but unfortunately, like other academies, we can't offer extravagant benefits."
"O-Of course...!"
It was only natural.
Slaine was where only the most promising prospects among applicants went. For a dropout like her, even performing well in the supplementary exam didn't change that.
Equal benefits would be problematic.
"Many things will likely be restricted. Maybe G2 would be better."
"..."
"But know this one thing."
We guarantee the world's best education.
"Slaine has never lost its number one spot since its founding by the great hero long ago. It's the only place in Academy City called an academy, boasting the highest level of education system across all academies."
"..."
Rachel continued, but seeing no reaction from Noah, she moistened her lips and cautiously added.
"Noah, of course, this is a tough decision. You might worry about your own skills. Slaine prides itself on strict meritocracy, so adaptation could be hard."
"..."
It was the truth.
At first, Noah had been purely thrilled, but as time passed and she thought calmly, worry overshadowed joy.
The biggest reason was her own ability.
'Can I even adapt if I enter Slaine now?'
It was a place where continent-topping geniuses competed.
Could a lucky average joe survive there?
Her thoughts reached that point, and Noah couldn't rashly nod to the offer.
And then.
"But, Noah."
"...?"
"If you want to become a hero, you must come to Slaine."
"Why is that?"
"Ever heard the saying, 'Good liquor deserves a good glass'?"
It's the same principle.
Rachel looked at Noah with serious eyes.
"Outstanding talent needs an outstanding school to bloom. We at Slaine pride ourselves on drawing every student's potential to its limit. Noah, I don't want your talent to wither away unused."
Noah closed her eyes, pondering her sincere words.
But perhaps misreading Noah's reaction negatively, Rachel hurriedly continued.
"Slaine Academy, with its long history as a prestigious institution, has produced numerous outstanding heroes. Currently ranking in the top 20 S-rank heroes are 'Lightning Flash' and 'Omniscient,' and single-digit ranker Great Agent and Golden Gong are also Slaine alumni."
That many S-rank heroes?
Considering that even top 'in 300' heroes beyond the 30th rank were called peak or S-rank, the number from Slaine was staggeringly high.
"That's not all. The current pinnacle of heroes, the Spirit King, and even the Student Council President leading Academy City today both passed through Slaine."
Wait, what?
"The president is a Slaine graduate?"
"Yes? Ah, yes. Correct. Though he graduated in just three years, he was part of the Golden Generation, including the Spirit King."
She'd heard of the Golden Generation.
"The legendary graduating class from five years ago."
It was famed as the greatest class ever, with rumors spreading even to foreign lands.
'That's how I knew about it too.'
"Yes. That's what they call that year's graduates. Especially the top ones—each could have been valedictorian."
Even thinking back gives me chills.
"Anyway, the Student Council President and Spirit King are Golden Generation graduates from Slaine. Notably, they were in the same class, so they're quite close."
The rest was unnecessary info.
There was only one fact that mattered to her.
"So the president graduated from Slaine?"
"Yes, that's right."
"Do alumni ever visit Slaine?"
"Sometimes. They come to give advice to juniors or share frontline experiences."
"...The president too?"
"Well... He's so busy he doesn't come often, but he visits at least once a year."
Right then, Rachel realized her hand was gripped and stared blankly.
"Wha—Huh?"
"I'll enroll!"
It was a lightning-fast decision, making her prior worries seem pointless.
'Enroll in Slaine, build my skills bit by bit, join the Student Council! Get the president to notice me occasionally! Then meet as president and member, and later...!'
"Ufufu, uhehehehehe."
Oblivious to Rachel's drained expression, Noah was once again spreading her wings of imagination.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ Meanwhile, the applicants who finished the transfer exam were to stay within Academy City for the enrollment ceremony a month later.
There were public dorms prepared for commoners, but among them were private mansions for nobles.
These private mansions, permitted only to high-ranking nobles, each boasted antique grandeur. Amidst them stood one particularly eye-catching mansion.
The blue-and-white blended mansion seemed newly occupied, with unpacked luggage scattered messily—except for one neatly organized spot.
A woman with fiery red hair down to her waist, her stylish figure wrapped in a uniform, casually addressed the servant waiting behind her.
"How'd it go? Got the info?"
"Yes, Princess. As ordered, I obtained the enrollment destinations for the Imperial Empire's First Imperial Princess, the Dongri-am Enforcer, and the third Saintess candidate."
"Tell me."
"The princess is enrolling in Slaine Academy. She applied to Golden Venus Magic Academy as well due to multiple submissions, but if accepted to Slaine, she'll go there."
"Is that so? Proof?"
"Yes. Rumors are already spreading inside Slaine, and checks with Acropolis staff confirmed she's prioritizing Slaine."
"Good. The enforcer?"
"...No clear enrollment for the enforcer. No info circulating among academies, no expressed interest in any specific one. But recent intel says she accepted Slaine's recruitment offer, so likely heading there."
"...Pathetic."
A cold scoff echoed, followed by the uniform jacket dropping onto the servant's head.
"You have until tomorrow to confirm. With Totenkopf disbanded, our kingdom might be able to sway her."
"Yes, I'll hurry as much as possible."
With that, the uniform top fell onto the servant's head.
"Not 'as much'—find out no matter what. Got it?"
"...Understood."
Gazing at his master slowly undressing, the servant desperately averted his eyes.
"So, the Saintess?"
"As expected, the Saintess is enrolling in Saint Maria Holy Academy. They've already exempted her from the entrance exam, reserved her spot, and even formed factions around her."
"Saintess to Maria, huh."
Hard to approach her.
Resting her chin on her hand in brief thought, she soon tossed aside her skirt and said.
"Next order. Paul."
A photo flew toward her.
It showed a man with mysterious platinum blond hair and an oddly feminine appearance.
"Name's Noah. Dropout from the transfer exam. You have a week—investigate everything about him thoroughly."
"May I ask why?"
At the same time, her undergarments landed on him.
Now nude, she murmured lowly.
"The president has his eyes on him."
"What does that...?"
Crunch—
"He's caught the Student Council President's interest. Definitely not ordinary."
She bit her nail, deep in thought.
Having observed him closest, she was even more certain.
There was something extraordinary about him.
An average-ability person defeating a rampaging mage.
Even one with mana equal to hers?
'Confirmed. There's a reason the president is watching him.'
Fortunately, she'd infiltrated his side safely.
That casual first conversation was a stroke of luck.
"Paul, bring every scrap of info on Noah."
"Understood."
Dismissing the servant, she moved to the bed.
'Cute Noah.'
Mana then poured from her body.
The enveloping mana slowly erased her form, redrawing it.
The fiery red hair left a red streak at the roots, turning orange; her borderline woman-girl face matured into a voluptuous seductress.
Her stylish build transformed to match, becoming curvaceous. Once changes completed, a woman evoking sunset rather than flame sat on the bed.
'Appearance is to my taste—if he's useful, I'll raise him myself.'
Vowing so, the Second Princess of Vihite Kingdom, Marie Camilla Vihite, flashed a bewitching smile.