The Academy Entrance Exam (1)
Ah...
Ahhh...
Aaaah...
Ha... haa...
The pain surged through me like molten lava, my mind fogging over until I could barely think.
Aaaaah...
My entire body screamed in protest, but I clenched my teeth, squeezed my eyes shut, and fought with everything I had to keep standing.
Finally, the last sound burst out of my mouth on its own.
At the same time, my body gave out completely. The crushing weight of agony that had been wrapping around me vanished like mist in the sun.
Thud.
My exhausted frame collapsed onto the floor with a heavy slap, merging completely with the ground beneath me.
Ah... I really worked hard to get like this, didn't I? I've never felt this drained in my entire life.
Push-ups. I did a few sets of push-ups. My already weakened body looked like this after barely exercising for a moment.
Back when I was younger and first got taken in by the Knight Order for training, I never looked this bad. Maybe this body was just naturally weak from the start.
Haa... The sun's already up, huh.
I wiped the sweat beading on my forehead with the back of my trembling arm, then pushed myself up to sit against the wall.
Grabbing the cup of water I'd set out ahead of time, I gulped it down and stared out the window.
The sky had been a deep blue just moments ago, but now it was clear and bright.
I don't sleep much anyway. And after spending over a decade in the Knight Order, waking up right when the sun is about to rise became second nature.
That habit let me use the remaining time to train my body. At first I couldn't even do ten push-ups, but now I could manage a solid set.
I glanced at the clock. It was almost seven in the morning. Time to wrap up and head out.
Lir... Lir Ostrin.
Documents covered in personal information lay scattered on the table. Farnike Academy entrance forms.
My exam number, birth date, and Helahem's recommendation signature were all written there. But the one thing that unsettled me most was the name.
My name was Rigel. Rigel Belheim. But the section that had my name written in it wasn't that.
Lir Ostrin. That's what was written as my new name, and the flowing script made my heart twist uncomfortably.
Lir... Lir something.
Helahem had told me that name days ago when he gave me the recommendation. Since it's not my real name, it doesn't matter what it is... but still.
'I'm really living a second life.'
Putting a made-up name on the papers instead of my own felt strangely, painfully sad.
Not knowing when my body would come back, and now knowing it would never... the feeling of losing my old self entirely.
Lir Ostrin. Compared to Rigel Belheim, it sounded like the delicate name of a delicate young lady. It was completely unfamiliar to me, who had only grown up inside the Knight Order.
But what could I do. My face and body really are delicate enough to qualify as Lir Ostrin.
Until I can go back to being Rigel, I have to live as this identity at the academy.
Tuk, tuk. I tapped my finger on the place where my new name was written.
Then I decided to head to the bathroom to prepare for the academy.
In the mirror, a girl with blue-tinted hair and eyes like emerald mixed with sapphire stared back. I still hadn't accepted that the reflection was me, even though my body moved exactly as the mirror showed.
I turned on the faucet, waited for the water to warm up, and just stared at my own face in the mirror for a long time.
Why does she look so pretty? My previous appearance wasn't exactly ugly, but it wasn't beautiful either.
This body is so beautiful it's almost unfair for comparison.
I kept staring at the mirror, then turned my head away with a sigh.
I heard somewhere that if I looked beautiful, it meant I was really bad off.
***
Farnike Academy.
In my mind, the word "academy" always referred to Farnike Academy.
It's the kingdom's capital, the biggest and best place for promising young people across the realm.
Of course, I'd never been there before. I could only see the distant view from the outskirts of the capital while wandering the palace.
But the grand sight of the academy now felt like it was pressing down on me directly. The stone statues of mages and knights standing guard at the gate looked exactly like they were watching me.
The Knight Order... wasn't this big.
The Knight Order's barracks on the opposite side of the academy weren't grand at all. Sure, the scale wasn't behind the academy, but...
Each building in the Knight Order was more than just traditional; it was the kind of place that wouldn't fall apart over a single day. We constantly had to patch up the internal structure.
Here, despite the old history that rivaled the Knight Order, every building was perfectly maintained, showing off that unique solemn grandeur.
Tsk.
I clicked my tongue. I felt a surge of irritation, but I had already left the Knight Order behind.
Comparing everything to the Knight Order from the start was pointless anyway.
I stepped past the gate and into the academy. After a while, the path split into two.
In the middle of the split, a guide sign stood out.
Left side is the Knight Faculty, right side is the Magic Faculty.
The left path was decorated with blue ribbons, the right with red ones.
The exam applicants, who had been mixed together before, naturally separated.
On the left, people looked sturdy and full of energy in their strides.
On the right, a thick aura of mana flowed naturally.
The single crowd that had once been together split into two paths. People instinctively glanced at those who had chosen different roads from themselves.
Positively, they could become rivals or motivators. Negatively, they could become enemies.
But for now, it was just the realization that their paths were different.
After separating from the other half of the students, several minutes later I arrived at the classroom.
Let me see... my number.
291. The unfamiliar name Lir Ostrin wasn't used yet. Only the number 291 was written.
Helahem hadn't told me anything about the exam. But that was fine. I had no problem.
I already knew the knowledge from the Knight Order, and the competitors were much younger than me.
I was confident. Who am I? A complete genius who had lived a second life. This kind of academy entrance exam was nothing but a piece of cake.
I looked up at the sky and smiled.
And with a confident stride, I headed toward the academy.
***
Uh... Who are you?
What? Why are you asking that all of a sudden?
Several days had passed since the written test. It was early morning, and Helahem had come to my place right from the start and said that.
Half annoyed, half flustered, I answered while sitting on the floor with sweat dripping down.
How can I answer when I'm dying here? I hadn't even finished drinking my water yet, and you're showing up at my house now.
As I grumbled and complained while fidgeting, he suddenly tossed a red envelope at me. The seal on the envelope was the academy's.
It's finally here. The results of the first test.
I tore open the envelope and, without hesitation, unfolded the papers with a satisfied expression.
The word "PASS" was right in front of me, of course. It was a burning pass, though.
I nodded my head in satisfaction.
Then I looked at Helahem with an energetic face, but his expression was slightly wrinkled.
Why such a face? It's a pass!
It's a pass... but if your rank was only one step lower, the character 'fire' would have been attached in front, you know!
Helahem pointed at me with his finger and spoke in a boiling voice.
What? That's not possible!
I'm the professor. How could I have been mistaken? You were exactly on the cutoff line... so was what you learned at the Knight Order really correct?
Wait, what?
Me? Me, who had lived in the Knight Order for so long, ranking at the bottom among these kids?
The exam itself was unfamiliar, and there were some questions that required a little more head than usual... but still.
So what? That means I'm giving up to these younger kids who haven't even seen the battlefield?
I couldn't believe it. But when I looked into Helahem's eyes, which were staring at me suspiciously, I had no choice but to accept it.
...Only the battlefield, huh? It's been several years since I learned the manual, the principles, the theoretical stuff.
That's true. Several years would have changed the battlefield, and even the people I was close with would have changed. Of course the manual and the lessons would have changed too. So it's only natural I don't know them.
How much time has passed?
Yeah, that's probably it.
Actually, except for practical training at the Knight Order classes, I don't remember much... but anyway.
The times have changed. If I had really prepared properly, I wouldn't have just scraped by, right?
I closed my eyes and nodded my head.
When I opened my eyes slightly and looked at Helahem, he was still looking at me with a displeased face, but...
Well, that could be. But you should know? Our agreement only comes true if you enter the academy.
Are you saying you won't fail the academy entrance exam? Even if you are the Commander-designate.
I hope you don't fail. If you do, my face for writing the recommendation will be in trouble.
Helahem, who had his hands on his hips, turned around.
The final result is the sum of the first and second tests. The second test has a much higher weight, but if you don't get an exceptionally good score, you'll definitely fail.
At those words, my heart slowly sank.
Me? Me failing?
So, please, I hope the next test goes well. Then I'll take my leave for now.
Thud, thud.
The sound of his footsteps stopping for a moment, then he looked back at me.
With your current momentum, it's a waste to call you by the name Rigel, and even the name Lir I gave you. For now, just call me 'Rir'.
Klang.
The door closed.
After Helahem left the room, Lir let out a long breath and lifted her head.
There's no way.
Ha ha.
I let out a hollow laugh.
Even if it was a long shot, I hadn't considered this situation. Even if I faced this, I had confidence.
Of course. The second test was a practical test. That is, a combat ability evaluation test.