Chapter 38
Chapter 38
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 38
Chapter Title: Entrance Exam (2)
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With one month left until the entrance ceremony.
Due to the even shorter time remaining until the entrance exam, the General Student Council was spending another busy day.
"Please send this to the Environmental Division."
"Where are the security-related documents?"
"The president should have them!"
"Young Master, the security documents."
"Here they are. And where's the list of observers for the entrance ceremony?"
"It's probably with the Diplomatic Division. They haven't finished compiling the external VIPs yet, so it'll come to us once that's done."
"Alice, tell the Diplomatic Division head to compile the list and report it immediately."
"I'll dispatch a secretary right away."
"How's the entrance exam plan coming along?"
"G1 hasn't finished organizing theirs yet. We have plans from G2 and G3—should I hand those over for now?"
"Yes, and tell G1 to hurry. I know it's tough preparing a fresh exam every year, but we can't afford delays."
"Understood. I'll contact the schools that haven't submitted their plans yet."
"Tatiana, here's the plan. Please pass it to the Guidance Division once you've reviewed it."
"What about the documents for the middle and elementary divisions?"
"High school and university divisions take priority right now. We'll handle middle and elementary later."
"Got it. I'll relay that to each department."
The president repeatedly read and approved documents at a terrifying speed, Yu Seon-hwa's hands blurred with motion leaving afterimages, and Tatiana darted about reporting from each department.
"Pardon the interruption. Time for a short break."
The student council room, demanding utmost concentration, finally calmed only after Secretary Chief Alice brought in refreshments.
"It's even busier this year."
"With all these big shots enrolling."
Starting with the Imperial Empire's princess, then the enforcer from Dongri-am, the saintess candidate from Rosaria, and finally the disciple of the Divine Archer that every school from G1 on was after.
"And Vihite's second princess too."
She had enrolled in secret for some reason, but those managing all students had already uncovered even her identity.
"No need to poke at her unless she harms the city. She's just a student anyway."
The president gave a light reply to Tatiana's words, merely sipping his coffee with a weary look.
After a few minutes of enjoying the refreshments in the quiet space.
"When's the vice president coming back?"
The president, who had been silently downing his coffee, muttered in a fatigued voice.
At the question touching on something they had deliberately avoided thinking about, the two sighed in unison.
"Yeah. If the vice president were here, we wouldn't be this swamped."
"She's probably on her way back by now."
Everyone in the student council's executive board acknowledged her excellence in every field—she was a true all-rounder—but her paperwork skills were especially overwhelming.
Yes, her absence felt particularly glaring today.
Like the old man in the story wailing for Raemong, the president inwardly longed for her before remembering he had sent her outside the city himself, letting out a deep sigh.
"Maybe I shouldn't have sent the vice president..."
"Heh, that's impossible, President."
"Given who she is, only you or the vice president would be on her level."
"Mm... The Divine Archer's disciple, right."
Even a regular high elf was treated like royalty in the Great Forest.
With the title of Divine Archer's disciple to boot, the only ones worthy of greeting her were the president himself or the vice president.
And since the president had his noble(?) duty to watch over the protagonist, the vice president had been dispatched in his stead.
"She was exempt from the transfer ceremony, right?"
"Yes, so she's visiting during enrollment season instead."
"Quite the exceptional decision."
"No choice. Her symbolic value is too great to ignore. Better to keep it low-key than stir up waves."
The president, who had approved her transfer exemption, explained, and the two nodded.
"True. It'd be ridiculous to make the Divine Archer's disciple go through a transfer ceremony."
"I heard some academies are even waiving the entrance exam for her?"
"Ridiculous."
As if they'd do anything as long as she enrolled there.
It was beyond exceptional—utterly absurd.
"We've rested enough. Let's get back to it."
Shaking off his brief reverie, the president downed the rest of his coffee in one gulp, rose from his seat, stared at the new stack of documents on his desk, and muttered blankly.
"The vice president won't make it for the entrance exam, will she?"
"Unfortunately."
"...Depressing."
Meaning he'd have to tackle this endless paperwork hell without her.
Facing the inevitable truth, he squeezed his eyes shut.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ Meanwhile, Slaine Academy was just as busy preparing for the entrance exam.
Boasting a long history and tradition, Slaine Academy had an excellent curriculum befitting its reputation, but unfortunately, it wasn't applied to the annual entrance exams.
【To discover exceptional talents, we must always present new and creative trials.】
True to the founding great hero's ideology, Slaine Academy devised a different exam every year, making it the place where the concept of a "playbook" fit least.
And among them, the entrance exam was the most creatively grueling.
Ignoring even slightly fixed curricula, they threw out entirely new tests annually, earning them infamy among aspirants.
Slaine was the school prep academies in the city dreaded most—a place farthest from "preparation" or "readiness."
Thanks to these ever-creative trials, Slaine attracted uniquely talented students, but as a side effect.
The teachers, in turn, racked their brains every year just to create the exams!
And so, this year's meeting room at Slaine was packed with various instructors.
Among the gathered instructors, the combat magic teacher opened the discussion first.
"Wouldn't using Leyvik Forest be best?"
"That's problematic. While Leyvik's land-based beasts suit judging real-combat response, it raises basic safety issues and fails to distinguish non-combatants."
"Ranking would be tricky too. Basing it on beast kills favors wide-area magic users, and lairs would spark party contribution disputes."
"Party or solo is another issue."
"Above all, Leyvik Forest is already requested by Yeoncheol. Applying now won't make it for the exam."
"But what about hologram virtual training?"
"That needs control AI approval. The process is stricter than you think—apply at least a month ahead."
One suggestion sparked a barrage of counterarguments, darkening the instructors' faces.
"How about duels with instructors? Sparring in the training hall against an instructor suited to each student, evaluated by them."
"Duels, huh."
"That might be tough. We have about 300 applicants this year. Even including non-combat instructors, we're under 50. Excluding evaluators, that's 30 handling 300—one facing 10 each. Fairness complaints would arise."
A student facing them fresh versus half-fatigued isn't fairly comparable, even if instructors wouldn't tire from 10 fights.
The mere possibility of objections was the problem.
"Slaine's exams must be conducted clearly and fairly."
"Any backlash stains the academy's name."
"Every applicant must accept it without a shred of doubt."
"Hm... What was last year's exam?"
"A tournament among students."
"Combat majors dueled, non-combat showed specialties. Different specialties got cooperative tasks combining them."
Aspiring to Slaine meant no need to consider raw talent.
All were top continental geniuses with explosive growth potential.
So instructors focused less on potential, more on current proficiency.
How much skill had the aspirant built by now?
Had they trained diligently without complacency in their gifts?
In short, diligence was key.
And such students took pride in their skills, so even losses prompted reflection, not complaints.
It made for a discerning exam from the instructors' view.
They'd love to reuse it yearly, but exam recycling was forbidden by school rules—such a shame.
"Tricky. Nothing's coming to mind."
"Yeah. Wish a beast would just drop from the sky."
"Hahaha, that'd be fun!"
"Evaluation on judgment and adaptability in emergencies?"
"Proactivity in resolution too. Casualty prevention and rescue for partial scores."
"Sounds fun!"
"Won't happen, though!"
──No, that does sound fun.
The meeting room, loosening with idle banter, snapped to attention as a serious voice shook the room.
Wrinkle-covered skin, barren scalp like a wasteland.
Half-closed eyes spoke of ages past.
His beard draped to his toes.
Stroking his pristine white beard with a chuckle, the elder spoke again as all eyes turned to him.
"Looks promising."
"But, Director, that idea's feasibility..."
"Why not? Students treat a sudden beast as real combat. Perfect picture."
The vice principal fidgeted as the director laughed heartily, stroking his beard.
"Even so, beasts are tricky. Where do we get one?"
"Eh? Tricky?"
"Of course! City beasts are executed on sight, and any available are lab specimens. You know it's hard to procure now."
Even with city permits, this season beasts rampage with demonic unrest thickening mana, especially animal-types turning feral in winter.
Can't show bug or flying types to rookie aspirants.
'Animal-types are safest, but timing sucks!'
Exam near winter made capture burdensome.
The director knew this.
'Has senility set in?!'
The vice principal's irreverent thought halted at the next words, eyes turning back.
"Hm? No need for a live beast, right?"
"...Pardon?"
"Heh, the young ones said it: hologram virtual training."
"That's...!"
Though they had mentioned it!
"But that's not feasible."
"Exam too soon?"
"...Yes. One month to ceremony, exam in two weeks. Even applying to control AI now..."
The director, stroking his beard silently, gazed at one side of the room and spoke.
"Child. What do you think?"
"I..."
The woman with glossy black hair to her waist opened her golden eyes and spoke.
"Think it's fully possible."
"W-what?!"
Ignoring the stunned atmosphere, the cool-faced woman continued steadily.
"Actually, we got a notice from the General Student Council recently."
"From the General Council?"
"Yes. They promised top-priority support for anything needed for this entrance exam."
──?!
Her bombshell sent the room abuzz.
"Full support from the General Council?"
"What's their angle?"
"What’s Yeon Je-seong thinking?"
"Interested in Slaine's talents?!"
Despite being an alum, his sudden shift from aloof professionalism baffled them.
"Quiet, everyone."
The director quelled the uproar with a light pressure.
Peering through half-closed eyes, he asked her.
"Child. Is that true?"
"Yes, Director. It is."
"Hmm..."
Even the director pondered silently, caught off-guard by the change.
After a moment, he continued.
"Well, good news regardless. With his cooperation, that plan works, right?"
"T-that's..."
"Definitely possible."
"Time was our only issue..."
"Yeon Je-seong's sudden support is odd, though."
"He's a Slaine alum too. Even separating work and school, he feels some debt."
With General Council backing confirmed, the mood brightened.
"Good. This year's entrance exam: virtual beast training. Combat and non-combat evaluations by lead instructors for fair rules. Instructors, plan security assuming real combat."
──Understood!
The meeting ended.
Director first, all instructors filed out.
"Gonna be busy for a while."
"Ours need to draft eval methods ASAP."
"Lucky. We're doing the same."
"Coffee before diving in?"
"Yeah. Oh, good work, President!"
"Thanks for your efforts, Instructor."
Seeing off the last instructor, the woman who stayed till the end carefully drew a mask from her bosom.
Heavily damaged—cracked and shattered in places—it bore clear signs of cherished care.
Clutching it tightly to her modest chest, she spoke with resolute voice.
"The chance Oppa gave me. I won't disappoint you."
Slaine Academy's Student Council President.
Yeon Ji-eun murmured in a determined tone.