Chapter 58
Chapter 59
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 58
Chapter Title: Must Claim First Place (2)
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The bulletin board listing the subjugation exam team members.
My eyes, quickly scanning the team members, stopped at one name.
'...Huh? Why is this guy on my team?'
A name I hadn't even considered was on the same team as me.
Ruena Eliad.
Even checking again, Ruena's name was right above mine.
'For real... I never imagined I'd be teamed up with Ruena.'
I really hadn't.
The academy already knew I was Ruena's aide.
We'd known each other before even enrolling.
Partners who'd long understood each other's levels and synced perfectly.
In an academy that prided itself on fairness,
I figured they'd never put us together.
Obviously, to avoid any concerns about exam fairness.
But,
why on earth?
Why were Ruena and I on the same team?
'Ah, maybe...'
At that moment—
A plausible hypothesis flashed through my mind.
Magic and summoning.
And even alchemy.
Ruena had been predicted to be top-tier,
and she had the skills, but various variables led to much lower scores than expected.
Plus, among those,
there was the incident where she overused mana cleaning up a near-disaster in the exam hall.
It wasn't even her fault,
but Ruena had stepped up first to suppress the flames.
The academy probably considered that merit and gave her this special treatment.
So she could take the subjugation exam at her true level.
On top of that, Ruena wasn't just any student—
she was the heir to Grand Duke Eliad's house.
Recording low ranks even here, in the pinnacle of practicals, would spell trouble in many ways.
But my guess shattered the moment I looked further down.
Marian Labelin.
That guy's name was clearly listed right below mine.
'......They just dumped a bomb on us?'
The main reason Ruena's scores tanked.
Swordsmanship aside,
magic and summoning were entirely Marian's doing.
Everyone who'd taken the entrance exam knew he'd turned the exam hall into chaos twice.
'Alchemy was... kinda my fault for framing him.'
Anyway, Marian Labelin.
No doubt, he was the entrance exam's ultimate disaster magnet.
Two explosions.
Serious bonehead.
Clearly skilled in swordsmanship and magic,
but the type you feared would cause accidents before showing it.
Naturally, no one wanted to team up with him.
Including me.
A deep sigh escaped me involuntarily.
They should've split me and Ruena up and isolated Marian.
This wasn't special treatment—it was a sandbag and another ominous flare.
'We're screwed, for real.'
We hadn't even started, and my head already hurt.
After checking the rest of the team—
I went through the inspections and headed to our team's waiting area.
I was apparently the last to arrive.
In the waiting room were Ruena and Marian, plus one human man and a beastkin woman.
The atmosphere... wasn't great, to put it mildly.
Marian was still glaring at Ruena,
and Ruena leaned against the waiting room wall, maintaining her Eliad heir expression.
The other teammates were gauging the mood in between.
Envy toward Ruena,
worry and curiosity toward Marian.
After roughly assessing, I entered the waiting room.
At that moment—
Ruena, who'd been staring straight ahead, turned her gaze to me.
'As expected...'
Her eyes widened in an instant.
Her gaze sparkled brightly.
Her mouth corners lifted high, her face unable to hide her joy.
That look held no intimidation, no calculation, no pride.
Just pure joy like a kid reuniting with a long-awaited friend.
It was a face very familiar to me.
More than her heir face.
'Expression.'
I mouthed silently.
Ruena finally composed her face,
but her persistently twitching mouth corners seemed uncontrollable.
Just like a dog's tail betraying its emotions.
'Seriously, is she the heir or a well-trained pup? Can't tell.'
The other teammates then looked at me.
Questioning.
Curiosity.
And, fondness.
Marian's face lit up upon seeing me and approached.
"Whoa, Celen—! We're really on the same team?! For real? This is awesome—!"
"...Yeah. Guess we're together again."
"Yeah! Oh, right. Thanks so much for those cookies earlier! They gave me energy, way more than before... "
Marian's words cut off abruptly.
A chilling, somewhat menacing presence approached from right behind.
A quiet but oppressively heavy aura.
Ruena Eliad.
My longtime childhood friend stood before me.
For some reason... more intimidating than usual.
"Enough chit-chat."
"Ah, uh... "
Her concise, firm tone.
Marian shrank and nodded faintly.
"Celen, shouldn't we start the strategy meeting soon?"
"Yeah. Right."
Unlike with Marian, her voice was much gentler and warmer.
The mood softened a bit because of it,
but the questioning and curious stares grew even more.
I decided not to mind.
'Not important right now.'
We had to somehow handle the bomb named Marian and score top marks.
For that,
we needed to utilize everything we had.
First, I quickly assessed the team.
'As expected, the team comp itself is solid and standard.'
Subjugation exam teams were generally
balanced with one top-ranker and two mid/low-rankers each.
Our top-ranker: Ruena.
Current scores mid-upper, but true skill was top-tier.
Knowing that, the others weren't protesting much.
Except Marian.
Next, mid-tier: me and Marian.
Honestly, hated being on the same side as this guy, but balance was fine.
Me: high in brainy areas, average or low in practical combat.
And—
the brute with the thick skull.
For now, we complemented each other's weaknesses.
Finally, low-tier.
Beastkin girl and human guy.
I'd checked their scores quickly before entering.
Beastkin girl: formal summoner.
Human guy: high magic scores.
But both abysmal in stamina and martial arts.
They were best as rear support.
In summary—
Ruena: main combat, front line.
Me: tactics and support.
Others: rear support.
Marian...,
front-line combat for now,
but classify as disposable meat shield.
I pulled various items from my pouch.
Potions,
snacks,
other stamina-recovery consumables.
All handmade by me.
These were what I'd just had inspected by the instructors.
This was legal, not special treatment.
Other teams were using their own handmade consumables too.
With many crafting practicals,
the academy evaluated self-sufficiency as part of skill.
Pre-made consumables were thus your own merit.
'As long as not excessive or unverified.'
Luckily, as Eliad's aide,
I'd mastered the standards months ago.
What materials allowed,
what effects deemed safe,
what gray areas.
Thanks to that, my items passed fine,
and I entered with everything needed.
Truly, dexterous hands were a blessing.
I smiled and offered my handmade snacks to the team.
"Here, all cleared by inspection."
"Whoaaa—! For real? Can I have more of those from earlier?"
"Yeah. Plenty here."
Marian rushed over first, eyes shining.
She sniffed the cookie then shoved it in her mouth.
As I thought earlier...
Impressively fast eating speed.
Marian beamed innocently, eyes sparkling.
"Still delicious! Celen, you're a total baking genius, right?"
"Bit of an overpraise. Here, Ruena."
"......"
"You guys too. Gotta eat after practicals, right?"
The other teammates, watching from afar, approached.
As expected—
sharing food softened defenses.
Built goodwill while chatting.
Guy's name: Luke.
Beastkin girl's: Lime.
Luke: low mana, strong in theory/analysis.
Lime: great summon affinity, but weak practical experience/mentality.
'Clear weaknesses, but strengths too.'
Assign roles properly,
and this combo might balance surprisingly well.
As long as Marian doesn't screw up. Just Marian.
Then—
Sensing something off, my gaze naturally turned one way.
Ruena.
My longtime childhood friend was eating a cookie against the wall.
Having watched her long, I knew instantly.
That girl...
Clearly sulking.
Slightly downturned mouth,
avoiding my eyes,
futilely brushing cookie crumbs.
'Seriously, high-maintenance.'
Maybe because I'm her longtime friend.
Ruena often reacted like this when my attention went elsewhere.
'Even so, you're still my most precious person.'
I handed potions to the team.
Fatigue and mana recovery.
Taste...
A bit astringent and bitter, but that's how the good ones are.
'Adding sweeteners just makes 'em pricey and tricky.'
Groans erupted everywhere.
"Ugh, what’s with the taste?!"
"It's too bitter!"
"Uwaaaaaah—."
Whatever... ignored it.
Eat nearby cookies, bitterness gone quick.
Bonus goodwill too.
Holding a specially set-aside potion, I approached Ruena.
Made just for her.
Considering her tastes, constitution, everything.
"You too. You used a ton of strength earlier."
"...Celen."
Despite sulking moments ago, her mouth corners lifted right away.
Ruena drank without hesitation.
No grimace at all.
The others gasped in unison at the sight.
Not that surprising.
Ruena's potion was sweet strawberry flavor.
No need to tell them.
Eliad heir drinks bitter meds without care.
That image bolsters Eliad dignity too.
"Thanks. Celen."
Ruena smiled softly while drinking.
I reached out instinctively.
Potion smeared on her mouth corner.
'So sloppy.'
I wiped it with my thumb; her eyes widened.
"...Ah?"
"It was on your mouth."
I whispered just for her.
She nodded slightly, resuming her expression.
Ear tips... still bright red, beyond her control.
Teammates murmured something.
Worried Ruena's sloppiness leaked?
As I focused on their talk, a huge cheer erupted from outside.