Chapter 12
Chapter 12
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 12
Chapter Title: Exam (2)
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Siona scratched her cheek as she peered into the screen.
“This guy… Is he a sword the Hero personally raised? No matter how I look at it, he’s no ordinary guy.”
In truth, the sight unfolding on the screen was something even she, a Templar, had never witnessed before.
There was Carlyle, methodically dismantling one automaton after another.
Well, if it were an exceptionally talented freshman, something like that might be possible. Several names of freshmen who could pull off similar feats immediately came to mind.
But none of them could do it quite like Carlyle was doing right now.
…He’s good.
More than just good—it was on a level where she couldn’t even grasp how he was pulling it off.
Of course, if it were merely superior combat prowess, Siona wouldn’t be this impressed.
But Carlyle’s movements themselves were bizarre.
It wasn’t about superior dynamic vision, raw strength, or refined technique.
‘He’s dodging before it even happens?’
It was almost as if he could see the future.
As if he were ‘predicting’ movements a few seconds ahead and positioning his body accordingly.
And for some reason, he was doing all this with his eyes closed, which was utterly strange.
It was a freakish display of a technique she herself had never even seen.
“How does he do that?”
“…No idea.”
A curt reply came back from Gray.
“Huh?”
“I said I don’t know. I never taught him that.”
Siona blinked at Gray in surprise.
“…Wait, no, if it’s not something the Hero taught him, then how the hell is he using a technique like that?”
If it was a trajectory even she, a Templar, couldn’t follow, it didn’t make sense unless the Hero had taught it to him.
“That’s what I’m telling you. That’s not something I—”
Gray’s mouth clamped shut mid-sentence.
As if she absolutely refused to let the rest of those words leave her lips.
“He must’ve wanted to use it.”
Siona and Gray’s gazes snapped toward the sound.
Someone was striding into the dean’s office.
An elderly man in his twilight years. A scar running across his entire face—especially over one eye—made for a striking impression.
“…Dean.”
“…”
Siona gave a polite bow in greeting, and surprisingly, Gray dipped her head in acknowledgment as well.
Shea Whiteburn.
Dean of ‘Cradle.’
One of the rare few in the world whom Gray showed respect to—meaning she didn’t immediately throw a punch.
The reason was simple.
He was a former Hero, from before Gray.
The strongest human in history.
One of the few who had fulfilled the Hero’s role and lived to tell the tale.
More than qualified to serve as dean of what was considered the continent’s top educational institution.
“It’s a technique he’s been practicing. Right, junior?”
“…”
Gray gave a tiny nod, her face twisted in irritation.
Seeing this, Siona’s jaw dropped slightly in disbelief.
She had finally pieced together the proper interpretation of that statement.
“Wait, hold on. So you’re saying even the Hero can’t use that technique?”
“…”
Silence was the ultimate affirmation.
Especially from someone whose pride pierced the heavens.
“Mind’s Eye… It’s been a while since I last saw it. Even among geniuses, those who awaken it are rare.”
“Does the Dean know what it is?”
“Well, you could say it’s grasping all movements around you with your eyes closed. Reading your entire surroundings through senses rather than sight.”
The dean yawned as he flopped into a chair.
“Just think of it as ‘sensing’ a few seconds into the future. Easier that way. In theory, it’s honing your fundamentals to the extreme to adapt to any situation… Something like that. Explaining it properly gives me a headache.”
“…No, no, isn’t that a bit too simplistic?”
The dean’s tone was casual, but the concept he described was absurd.
Battles were decided in the blink of an eye, where life and death hung on split-second differences.
And in such scenarios, ‘foreseeing’ events a few seconds ahead?
It was tantamount to entering the fight already guaranteed victory.
“Well, the practical applications are ridiculously difficult. So it balances out.”
“Huh?”
“Wind Talker of the Storm Knight. Floating Grass of the Spring Wanderer. Three Talents swordsmanship. Any knight worth their salt knows them. Right?”
“Y-Yes, sir.”
“Then, Siona Libel. Can you reinterpret and recreate all of those yourself?”
Even faced with a question from such a lofty senior, Siona could only stare silently at the screen.
She was reeling from the shock, as if hammered in the back of the head.
What Shea had mentioned were techniques so famous that any aspiring knight knew them. Only an idiot wouldn’t.
But.
Reassembling them anew, reinterpreting them, and recreating them into entirely new movements was a different story altogether.
“…Are you saying that’s what the guy on the screen is doing right now?”
“Precisely, he’s cherry-picked only what’s ‘necessary’ from them. Those who’ve reached the pinnacle might do it effortlessly, but I wonder if any academy student could pull that off.”
“…”
Naturally, the more universally applicable a technique, the more thoroughly tested its depth and practicality.
The foundational ‘answers’ crafted by the era’s apex fighters.
To recombine and recreate all of them…
It meant he possessed a talent for ‘insight’ rivaling the very creators of those techniques.
That was…
How to put it.
‘A monster.’
Siona let out a hollow chuckle as the thought crossed her mind.
No mere academy freshman could do that.
The movements she’d merely sensed as ‘impressive’ were the end result of an insane talent far beyond appearances.
Even the Hero herself had just admitted she couldn’t do it.
“Looks like you’ve brought an interesting one, junior. Starting to raise successors at that age?”
“…He’s just a servant.”
The dean chuckled.
“If you’re serious, that’s hilarious. How is that ‘just’ a servant?”
“…”
“Send him to the dean’s office after the exam. Looks like the Gray Cardinal isn’t just sticking her nose in for fun.”
“—!”
Gray’s face crumpled.
It felt like a name she absolutely didn’t want to hear had just slipped out.
“…Why that old hag?”
Hearing that, Shea’s expression softened slightly, in contrast to Gray’s.
“What, afraid she’ll steal him away?”
“…You’re talking nonsense.”
“Just seeing your reaction makes whatever proposal she brought sound fun.”
“…?”
What the hell?
Gray tilted her head in confusion, but Shea merely smiled enigmatically.
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“…”
“…”
What to say.
From Carlyle’s perspective, having served at Gray’s side all this time, one thing stood out.
This woman was always either wearing a fierce scowl or a blank expression—one or the other.
But her blank expressions had quite the range.
Dissatisfied blank, irritated blank, pleased blank.
A rare talent for conveying such emotions through the subtlest facial shifts.
And based on all that experience, Gray’s current face screamed ‘extremely dangerous—take immediate action.’
She was on the verge of exploding.
Probably because she had a mountain of questions about the technique Carlyle had just demonstrated in the exam.
Like how he could use something like that, where he learned it—her eyes screamed she desperately wanted answers.
However, with the rare need to suppress her anger in front of the person before her, she stayed silent.
“Nice to meet you, Mr. Carlyle.”
Cardinal Felix bowed her head demurely.
“Sorry for summoning you so suddenly—it must’ve been startling. I just have some urgent questions that need answers.”
The Gray Cardinal personally poured tea she had brewed into the cup before Carlyle.
“…”
What to make of this.
The situation itself felt off.
With the Hero right there beside him, the Cardinal was addressing Carlyle first.
As if her interest in this gathering was blatantly him.
And her next words turned that suspicion into certainty.
“Miss Chasefield. Sorry, but could you step out for a moment?”
“…”
“We have some important matters to discuss.”
…Her blank expression nearly cracked just then.
Carlyle could sense the intense emotions bubbling up beneath it, making him even more tense.
But Gray let out a sigh and rose from her seat.
She was complying, it seemed.
‘Whoa, she held back.’
Good girl.
Gooood…!
No unnecessary trouble here…!
“Cardinal Felix.”
“Yes, miss?”
“If you stir up any hassle, I’ll flip this whole thing upside down.”
“…”
Message retracted.
Her temper hadn’t gone anywhere.
Felix, however, merely smiled as if accustomed to such outbursts.
She watched Gray snort and storm out the door, then turned her gentle gaze back to Carlyle.
“She’s on guard, huh? And we’ve never even met.”
“…”
Busted.
Carlyle gave an awkward smile and took a sip of tea.
“Acting like you’ve heard something about me. Did Gray say something bad?”
“…No. Lady said nothing.”
“Hmm—Guess Gray really cherishes you.”
“Huh?”
How’d you get there?
“Her not mentioning you to me means she doesn’t want to get you tangled up. Obvious it’d be a hassle if you got involved with me.”
“…”
“Rare for that girl. You should be proud.”
Proud, schmroud.
This woman had just admitted with her own mouth that getting involved with her would be a hassle.
So.
“…May I ask what troublesome business prompted you to request this private audience?”
Felix burst into laughter.
She seemed to quite like Carlyle’s manner of speaking.
“No need to worry. I’m not here to harm you or Gray.”
“…I see.”
Carlyle responded calmly, his mind racing.
‘Hero. Can I trust her?’
[She doesn’t lie.]
‘Doesn’t lie’ was a far cry from trustworthy.
No harm didn’t mean any benefits for him or Gray.
As he gauged her intentions behind that smiling facade, Felix beamed and spoke again.
Let’s see, what shady scheme is she about to—
“I’m someone who wants to bring you two together.”
“…”
“Like a love helper—does that work?”
…What?