Chapter 79
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 79
Chapter Title: College Tour (4)
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3:50 PM. On the way to Central Building with Gerkken.
"This is delicious."
I'm walking across the university campus, munching on cup sweet-and-spicy chicken. I bought it from a street vendor on the way.
"...Huh?"
Then I caught sight of a scene.
It was Soliet. She was standing face-to-face with someone in an alley near Cenbil.
The other party was a man with snow-white hair.
"Hey. Hey, Stab."
I hurriedly grabbed Gerkken. He frowned, checking his watch.
"Only ten minutes left."
"Wait and see."
I activated the SZX-9500 Mana Optics Microscope. Soliet came into sharp focus, along with the person she was talking to.
Snow-white silver hair and pale eyes. The prestigious Aventahir family, which had produced the most Chairpersons in Edshila's history. The man destined to stand at the pinnacle of that bloodline, 'Sieric Aventahir'.
He's also Sierin's twin brother, but whatever.
—Soliet. You still can't forget those two?
Sieric poked straight at Soliet's sore spot without mincing words.
Probably because he likes her. Then and now, he believes she's the only one fit to be his partner.
—Nothing changes if you're shackled to the past.
—Be quiet, sir.
I could only see the back of Soliet's head, but her voice brimmed with anger.
—You wouldn't exist without the past either, Senior.
—Everyone's the same. But you're the one obsessed with it. Wasting your present on the dead.
Soliet clenched her fists tight. She looked ready to deck him any second.
For me, it was riveting.
"...Hmm."
Gerkken was glued to it now too. But he was chewing something. Chewing away, like gum. What the hell was he eating?
I flinched and glanced at my cup of chicken.
"Hey. Why are you eating my sweet-and-spicy chicken?"
"..."
Gerkken abruptly halted his chewing.
Meanwhile, their conversation went on.
—...Forget it, Soliet. The dead don't come back. Live in the present.
—Am I in the past right now? If this isn't the present, what is?
—No. You're stuck in the past. You can't live fully if you're—
—Shut your fucking mouth. What drama did you watch that from? Keep spewing that dogshit, and senior or not, you're toast. I'll smash your skull in.
—...Pfft.
Even amid the raw torrent of curses, Sieric just chuckled like it was adorable. Soliet spun on her heel and stormed toward Cenbil. Big strides. Her face flushed as red as her hair.
In that instant, Sieric flicked his gaze our way. Right at us.
Gerkken played it off. I hurriedly deactivated the SZX-9500. Counted the chicken pieces. Four gone.
"You scarfed down four in that time."
"...To Cenbil. Only five minutes left."
We headed to Central Building again.
Gathered out front were elite seniors from various mana high schools who'd chosen the national university.
"Endex, over here~"
I approached Assistant Baison, who was calling for Endex.
"Ten people. All here. Now, hand in your cards."
The ten of us submitted our cards. Baison flipped through them, beaming.
"All passed. Excellent."
No failures in sight. Well, aside from me, they were all 4-to-6-star prospects. Failure would've been the real shock.
"Now, inside we go. Follow me."
We trailed Baison into Cenbil.
The building teemed with college students.
They shot us curious or weary glances, and we gawked right back.
"Right here. Dean's coming soon—sit tight and wait."
We entered Wise Hall in Cenbil.
It was a vast lecture room. Podium up front, 300 to 400 seats fanning out.
Goody-two-shoes like Elise snagged the front row quick. Middling types like me? Middle seats. Wait, no.
I'm top-tier too, aren't I?
"...Ahem."
I took a seat at the very back anyway.
Meanwhile, seniors from across the continent packed in. Easily over 300.
"Hey, everyone~ Hello~"
As the room nearly filled...
Assistant Baison took the podium.
"Ahh. Before the dean arrives, I'll give a quick rundown on Edshila National University admissions as your assistant. You all know it already, but... honestly, just killing time."
The seniors chuckled softly.
Edshila National University admissions. For an ignoramus like me, even 'everyone knows' info mattered.
Libra wouldn't give you the time of day without a national uni pedigree. Extreme elitism.
They even checked departments—if not Knight Faculty or top-tier, instant rejection.
"We take 300 a year. Splits into Knight Faculty and Mana Faculty. Knight freshmen: 80 slots. Mana: 220, but that's across eight sub-departments."
Put simply, Edshila entry meant top 300 out of 10,000. Knight Faculty? Top 80.
Why 10,000? Repeater and foreign applicants included.
"College Board Quarters 1 and 2 happen at your home schools, but Quarter 3 is uni-specific exams. You know—repeaters and foreigners join in."
Baison laid it out much the same.
"Anyway, just study your asses off..."
Knock knock—
A knock rang out right then.
"Ah, dean's here. She has words for you all—listen up. Applause!"
Baison dashed to open the front door.
I tensed up a bit. My mouth went inexplicably dry.
Edshila's current dean... probably...
A figure appeared in the doorway.
Clap clap clap clap—! Applause thundered from the seniors.
"..."
She stood before the podium, wordlessly scanning the room with those signature dry eyes. Her obsidian pupils pierced straight through everyone.
I sat up straight. Gripped the desk corner hard. A storm of ineffable emotions churned in my head.
"Greetings, College Board seniors."
Too long since I'd seen her—young again.
"I am Dean Theia Esil."
Her plain self-intro and deadpan delivery felt so familiar. Familiar enough to ache with longing.
"The college tour is a staple special activity in every past College Board cycle. I did it myself."
Theia continued quietly.
"Word from the assistants: zero failures on today's task. Congratulations."
She nodded, pleased.
"Plenty of quitters and stragglers so far, I'm sure. First quarter's always rough. Stats show 70% of dropouts in the first 45 days. Meaning: from here on, just the contenders compete."
By her words, I was a contender too.
"Work hard, hit your goals. But ditch the fantasy of smooth sailing post-admission. University changes nothing. Competition's forever. There."
Theia paused. Checked her wristwatch, lips twitching.
I had a hunch about her next line.
A riddle.
"Now, a little riddle."
Called it.
She loves riddles. Posing or solving them—her sole hobby.
"Don't want to? Go home. Solve it? Small gift."
"R-recommendation letter?"
Someone up front asked, voice shaky. Theia Esil's rec letter? Game-changer.
"No. Clear now: I write none. Watch for celeb rec scams."
Public service announcement delivered, she grabbed chalk. Drew mana formula strokes on the board.
In seconds, eight linked mana formulas formed a spell.
Seniors gaped. Utterly alien to them—but familiar shape to me.
"That..."
Seen it before.
I knew the answer.
"This mana spell hates having things together. What is it?"
I grinned. Couldn't help the laughter spilling out.
Theia Esil.
She taught me everything.
From leveraging Dantian Cancer symptoms positively, opening bank accounts, balanced nutrition, underworld survival, Dantian Breathing, to my personal Mana Body 'Body Integration'.
To a walking corpse like me, she taught how to live—my life's master.
Riddles were just one lesson among legions.
"No correct answers in 30 minutes? Hint—"
"Correct."
I raised my hand. Every eye locked on me. Theia blinked.
"...Correct?"
She echoed. I replied firmly.
"Yes. Correct."
"...Stand."
I rose. Under the hall's packed stares, I met her eyes.
"Cat."
"..."
Theia's shoulders twitched for a split second, then composure. Expressionless gaze. Head tilt. Gesture.
"Come up."
Gladly.
From back row, down the stairs to the podium. Three hundred gazes stabbed in sequence. Ignored.
I walked only to my old mentor.
At her side, she said,
"Explain."
"Yes."
Finger to the board.
"...This spell: eight mana formulas total. But as stated, it hates company."
Every eye tracked my hand.
"Here's my take. Erase all shared circuits among the eight."
Swipe— swipe— swipe—
'Hates having things together.'
Simply: wipe every overlapping circuit.
"Like so."
A big circle face, perky ears, round eyes-nose-mouth, three whiskers per cheek sticking out.
"Cat."
Only the cat remains.
Hah— Disbelieving snickers filled the hall. Plenty of what-the-fuck faces.
"How's that?"
I turned to Theia. She stared blankly, expressionless, alternating between board and me five, six times.
"...Correct."
She nodded.