Talent Evaluations (2): Prodigies Shine, I Fake the Flop
The admiration for the crown prince exploded right over my head too. On the platform set up to watch the evaluation hall, the academy's top brass and guild scouts like external figures were huddled together.
"Th-that monster...! Cutting steel with pure strength and sword skill alone, without even using aura!"
Among them, a grizzled old knight who'd seen it all—the head of the Swordsmanship Department—shot up from his seat and shouted. The guy next to him, who looked like a scout from a major guild, gulped dryly and muttered,
"Insane. If it weren't for his status, I'd have handed over our guild's entire annual budget to recruit him."
"Watch your words— that could be lese-majeste."
"Just speaking figuratively. Weren't you scrambling for budget yourself?"
"Ahem... ahem."
Judging by their reactions, the crown prince's talent really was something else. Amid the flood of praise from the brass, Leonhardt Bell slotted the broken wooden sword back into its rack with a bored, icy expression and turned away. Just then, a breeze picked up, lightly tousling his blond hair.
—
"Kyaaaaah!"
Cheers erupted. Hearts weren't just pouring from the noble ladies' eyes—they were cascading like waterfalls.
...Talk about perfect protagonist staging.
I glanced around with that thought, and the guys wore heartbreaking expressions.
"...Urgh!"
"This year's ladies are all getting snatched by His Highness."
They seemed to sense defeat already.
"Heh."
My lips curled up involuntarily. Men turn to ero-manga harder when real-life romance flops. 'Go for it, Your Highness! My sales depend on you!'
Make as many guys kneel as possible. I kept that cheer—which could've gotten me summarily executed for lese-majeste if overheard—to myself and kept watching.
"Mana control: advanced or higher!"
"Academic basics: perfect score!"
"Administrative law couldn't be more flawless."
One by one, he smashed through the tests, flaunting his male lead prowess. Hearts flowed from the girls' eyes. Tears from the boys'.
"Tower Master, no! He's the crown prince!"
Up on the platform, chaos broke out as they stopped the Tower Master from kidnapping him.
'What a circus.'
This was a true femme fatale? No, homme fatale?
Finally, the last one.
"Um, f-for the Art Department test, p-please come this w-way—"
The pink-haired Art Department head was waving frantically from their evaluation station, on her tiptoes with effort. Huh, wasn't she at reception earlier? How'd she get here so fast?
The empty reception desk. Looked like the Art Department only sent their head. A stark contrast to the professor-packed booths everywhere else.
'Poor thing.'
But pitying her was premature.
"I have no interest in art. Zero is fine."
The crown prince shot her down flat and walked off.
"Ah—."
The art head deflated like a punctured balloon, slumping into her seat. Pitiful sight, but luckily—or not—I seemed to be the only one watching.
And right then—
—
"Whoa..."
"I think I need to start believing in God today."
Something flashed dazzlingly from the magic side, murmurs erupting. Looked like the saintess had shown her holy power. A pure, sacred white light filled the evaluation hall at a glance.
And then.
"Everyone, stop him!"
"Grab him!"
After a commotion from above, one man finally stood before the saintess.
'...The Tower Master.'
Snow-white hair. Cat-like sharp eyes. Intellectual, with blue eyes now flickering with madness.
A genius obsessed with the heroine's talent, eventually falling in love—the tragic sub-male-lead.
His appearance in that role...
"Saintess Arina. Choosing the Mage Tower—or rather, the Magic Department—would be best for your well-be—mmph!"
Three department heads—the strongest from Swordsmanship, Administration, and Academics—suddenly appeared and barely restrained him.
"Forgive his rudeness."
"He's a bit mad."
"We beg the Goddess's mercy."
As the three bowed in apology—a ridiculous sight.
"No, no. For a lowly servant like me to receive such high praise leaves me at a loss."
The saintess showed off her flawless character. Late-arriving attendants whisked her away under the pretense of rest.
Thanks to that, the Art Department got skipped again, oh so naturally.
"U... uuugh..."
Tears welled up in the Art head's eyes.
"Resuming evaluations!"
The announcer called out.
Third up: Judith La Roche, the villainess whose mere presence drew every eye. Even her evaluation was flashy. Her three-sword stance was elegant, her magic circuit response high, and she solved the academic problems with a sneer.
"Lady La Roche! Join Swordsmanship—"
"No."
"Then Academics—"
"Not interested."
Her rejections were flashy too.
"Um, c-could you at least take the Art Department's t-t-test?"
The art head mustered courage to ask. Judith curved her red lips and spat,
"I think I suit being the picture more than drawing it, Head."
These were cadet evaluations. Yet somehow, the art head kept losing battle after battle.
Once the leads' evaluations wrapped, the hall quickly settled.
My turn approached. Ignoring the pitiful art head, I scanned around.
The biggest threat was definitely the Tower Master. Up on the platform, eyes gleaming murderously. The moment he spotted untapped magic talent—not from known prodigies like the prince, saintess, or Lady Judith—he'd pounce to kidnap them.
'Magic talent's rare to begin with.'
Just 1% of the population. Even in the academy gathering the empire's best, only about 20% had it. No wonder his eyes were sharp.
Right on cue, a familiar face stepped up.
"Next. Cadet Kano Ameri."
Oh. Curious what she'd show. I turned to watch—
"H-hey!"
Kano swung the sword like some elementary school girl.
...What the hell was she doing?
"Average. Needs more training."
"Ehehe."
Kano scratched her head.
'Th-that was her hiding her strength!'
I nearly blurted it out but swallowed. The sparkling sword ki that grazed my cheek was still vivid.
But Kano kept up the act.
"Average."
"Passable."
"Nothing stands out."
No mana. Academics middling. Admin middling. All mid-to-low ranks.
'Whoa... that's peak power-hiding.'
I'd thought, if I go munchkin, I'll try power-hiding too! But witnessing it live was fresh. My mouth itched to spill.
'She's a swordmaster, damn it!'
But that'd just make her shine like a tiny twinkling star right here.
"Good work."
I just greeted her as she passed. Our eyes met briefly as she bowed. A look like, "Thanks for covering."
Hm. Guess I'd snagged one transmigrator secret now. Nice to have that leverage.
But savoring it lasted a second.
"Next. Ian Ashy."
My name was called.
First up: Swordsmanship.
"Assume basic stance."
"Yes."
I gripped the sword. Wait, why was this wooden thing so heavy?
Thud—.
It kissed the floor.
"……."
"……."
The professor and I went silent together.
"...Try gripping properly again."
I tried stancing, wrist slipped, tip scraped floor again. My pride wouldn't allow this!
"Hup—! Raaagh!"
Deep breath, shift stance—foot slipped. Tried thrust, hilt spun in palm.
Clang— Sword dropped.
The professor asked, "Are you joking?"
"No. Dead serious."
Don't look at me like I'm some pitiful loser.
"Below low grade. Next."
...Good. Yeah. Perfect. Just what I wanted, right? Good scores here would've just drawn unwanted eyes. Yeah. Totally.
...So why did my chest hurt?
Worse.
"...Man, can't even mock that."
"Hang in there, arts kid."
Even the guys who'd normally roast me were consoling. Damn it. Roast me instead!!!
"...Haa."
Regaining composure. Results are all that matter.
I set the sword down and headed to Academics. This'd be easier. Isekai noble studies? Like I'd know.
Why memorize some romance-fantasy empire timeline?
"Year of the Third Emperor's ascension?"
"No idea."
"Cause of the Ancient Demon Empire's fall?"
"Dunno."
"Name the Seven Dukes at Ascania's founding."
"......A lot?"
The old prof pinched his brow.
"Abysmal."
"Yes."
"What can you do?"
Suddenly emotional. Draw ero-manga, duh. Can't say that here.
Lowest score on academics too.
'W-win.'
That was the plan. Really? N-no way I'd thought watching Kano, power-hiding's cool, wanna try or anything. Nope.
"Don't make eye contact."
"Ignore him, ignore."
...See? Kids ignoring me now. Power-hiding's way better. Yeah. Yup.
"Ch-cheer up, student."
Even the art head cheered me on, so I swallowed tears.
Finally, Magic's turn.
'No talent here either.'
Actually relieved. On the magic eval stand sat a round crystal orb. Head-sized, unnaturally smooth.
"Place your hand. The omniscient, dignified Tower Master's mana-measuring orb will reveal your essence."
Deep dark circles. The mage muttered like a pitiful grad student. At that level, mage or master's student?
...Definitely skipping Mage Tower. Or can't go?
"........"
I slapped my hand on the orb. Cold.
And immediately.
[……Filthy.]
'...What?'
Who? Who just insulted me out of nowhere?
[Over here, right? Never touched a magic tool, huh? So bumpkin.]
A voice from the orb. More like burrowing straight into my head. Like that knockoff sorting hat from Harry PotX...
[Harry PotX? What's that?]
'...Nothing.'
This thing reads minds too.
[Talking nonsense too, huh. Hmm, let's see. Beggar's hands. Poverty, fatigue, ink, cheap paper dust. No dignity whatsoever.]
'Starting with personal attacks, huh.'
[Just stating facts, human.]
Personality matched its master—total asshole orb.
[Not for you to say. Now, mana circuits... Hm?]
The orb's voice cut off.
Then, brief silence.
[......What?]
'Why.'
[Wait. This can't be. Why would a bottom-feeder beggar like... No, impossible. Isn't this vanished mana...? And this capacity? Alien but complete structure?]
What the hell? What'd it find?
Cold sweat trickled down my spine.
'Hey.'
[Incredible. Research subject.]
'Hey, don't joke—check properly.'
[Monstrous. First time seeing this. Not the mana itself, but the vessel's shape—]
'Shh.'
[Must tell everyone—]
'Don't tell. Wait, let's negotiate.'
[Negotiate? What?]
'What do you want? Money?'
Serious offer. But the orb buzzed mockingly.
[Hmph. Think I'd fall for money?]
'Find you a female orb?'
[You're insane.]
The trembling paused.
[But... does one really exist?]
Hm. Not sure.
'Could draw a female orb pic. Pink okay?'
The orb started shaking violently.
[H-how dare a human mock me?!]
Oh shit. Big mistake.
[I am omnipotent. You can do nothing. Hide if you can. Now, I shall shine brilliantly!]
Light welled inside the orb. Dangerously fast.
Flash.
Not just a flash. This was billboard-level "Big talent here!"
"W-wait—"
[Shine I shall!]
Sudden crisis. Brain raced. How to shut this orb up?
Then, a novel scene flashed.
—Your single drop of blood is worth more than that. Tower Master's line to the heroine.
'But I'm not her?'
No time. More thinking = death. Couldn't forget the Tower Master's mad eyes or the exploited mage-grad's gaze.
I snatched the orb off the stand.
"Huh?"
The mage-grad's eyes widened.
And then.
Crack—!
Slammed it into the marble floor. Shattered into transparent shards, mana remnants scattering.
"Whew."
Age-old truth: For AI, robots, or magic—if it won't shut up, hammer's the cure.
The surroundings went dead silent.