Chapter 17
Chapter 17
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 17
Chapter Title: Class Assignment Test (1)
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After the entrance ceremony, the students followed the faculty's guidance to their assigned dormitories.
West Dormitory, East Dormitory, and Central Dormitory.
Among the three dormitories, the newly established Central Dormitory this year granted priority assignment based on entrance exam scores.
The process was conducted strictly by grades.
No room for high or low status to interfere.
Aphria Academy was a place of learning officially recognized by the king. Within Aphria, no matter who you were or whose child you were, everyone was classified as a single student.
And.
Even if you were a princess, that fundamental principle remained unchanged.
"Hm..."
Having entered Aphria as the top student and proven her skills, the Fourth Princess Aila inwardly marveled at the room she was assigned.
'I didn't expect much, but this is...'
She hadn't held high expectations for the facilities. In fact, she had entered the dormitory with a somewhat bold idea of experiencing commoner life this time...
"...Isn't this too nice?"
Aila felt an inexplicable sense of disappointment at the unexpectedly well-equipped accommodations.
*
"Sylphy."
-You called, Master?
"Could you dust the room a bit? And air it out."
-Hmm, this isn't the lab, Master? There's hardly any dust, and the air seems clean.
"Still."
-Alright then...
The lower wind spirit, Sylphy.
The spirit, resembling a dandelion seed, emitted light. Soon, the curtains in the room rustled, and the bedding fluttered.
"Thanks, Sylphy. Rest now."
-Yes, Master.
Releasing the summon, Resti sat on the edge of the bed. The Central Dormitory—she had heard the rumors, but being here in person brought fresh emotions.
'It's spacious.'
It was larger than the accommodations in her original lab at the Mage Tower. No smell of reagents seeping in. Opening the window let in fresh air immediately.
"No need for airing out anymore."
She had habitually called Sylphy, but it seemed unnecessary now. Sitting on the bed, Resti organized her thoughts.
The entrance ceremony was over.
Main classes would start in three days.
And top entrance exam students would take a separate class assignment test.
-Take your time exploring the academy over the next two days.
-Resti, your main specialization is Summoner, right? The Summoning Magic Department is just around that large building you see after exiting the Central Dormitory.
-Please stop by sometime.
She recalled the assistant who had clung to her while guiding. That assistant, fending off the others and sticking close to Resti.
"..."
The assistant's gaze hadn't been on Resti, but on the badge pinned to her chest. Remembering that look, Resti clicked her tongue briefly.
"Creepy."
Resti despised that kind of thing.
Ashen Mage Tower, Ashen, that damned Ashen.
She was a girl sitting in the position of next Mage Tower Lord, just like that Ashen Mage. Surely impressive; if she played nice, maybe get into the tower...
Resti could see right through such thoughts from a mile away. And it wasn't the first or second time.
'I'm inferior to that person, and my influence in the tower isn't that great anyway.'
It was a position in name only.
When the Ashen Mage returned, she could be discarded anytime. Resti sneered weakly.
"Seriously, it's nothing special."
Those who approached with expectations soon disappointed themselves and left. And in leaving, they spread malicious gossip about Resti as a bonus.
Having grown numb to such incidents, Resti didn't welcome the assistants' reactions. She could already see their attitudes flipping after just a month.
"Sigh..."
Resti sighed. Because of the unwanted attention from uninterested assistants, she hadn't even seen the person she wanted to meet.
Rosel's adopted daughter and assistant.
Lania van Trias.
The one Resti truly wanted to talk to had vanished somewhere right after the entrance ceremony.
'Well, it's not like I won't meet her...'
Fundamentals of Mana and Trade Studies, Advanced Class.
If she could enroll in Professor Rosel's class, they'd meet naturally. For that, she needed good scores in the class assignment test.
"..."
Resti silently began unpacking the luggage from the Mage Tower. Dozens of spell scrolls sealing the familiars she raised and contracted spread across the floor.
Class assignment test.
Whatever they called it, it was still a test.
One with rankings assigned and publicly announced.
'I have to do well.'
Anything with public rankings...
Resti had no intention of slacking off.
-Do your best.
-I'll always be watching.
Unlike others, Resti didn't want to betray the Ashen Elder's expectations. She wanted to live up to at least those.
"If I'm doing it, it's top rank. Number one, no question."
No matter what anyone said.
No matter who she was compared to, she was the Ashen next Mage Tower Lord. Reminding herself of that, Resti began organizing her spells.
Having passed the entrance exam as top rank, she had no intention of yielding the number one spot even a tiny bit.
2.
"Let's begin the meeting."
Assistant Professor Sezar announced the start of the meeting. Having served as assistant the longest, he led most meetings.
"Most assistants know the outline, but since there's someone here for the first time, I'll explain briefly."
Someone here for the first time.
No need to name her; everyone gathered knew who. Soon, all eyes turned to one spot.
A corner of the table.
The person now sitting in the seat for 'Fundamentals of Mana and Trade Studies,' always vacant before.
Lania van Trias.
The gazes directed at her were far from kind. Sezar deliberately let them linger, waiting leisurely until they returned to him before continuing.
"As you know, the entrance exam failed to properly classify students this time. Especially with top scorers clustering too much."
Students' levels were higher than last year's graduates, causing the top ranks to bunch up. Thus, the need to reclassify them.
"To address this, we'll conduct a class assignment test for top students to subdivide their levels further."
Sezar tapped a document, and a large map unfolded in the air.
"The class assignment test will be held in the Harmain Forest near Aphria."
Harmain Forest.
"As you know, Harmain Forest always has saturated mana in the atmosphere. This tangles mana flows and makes controlling your own mana difficult."
"That's precisely what we're testing."
An assistant beside Sezar followed up.
"How well can you control mana? Can you suppress your talents from running wild? That's what we're looking for."
"Mana control is fundamental. If a student's basics are lacking, no matter how talented, we must teach from the start."
This wasn't decided by assistants.
It was the core principle of the test set by Professor Rosel, who checked the new students' talents, and Dean Aaron along with other professors.
-A mage must always perfectly command what they possess. If not, it's just a bomb that could explode anytime.
Having seen their talents in the entrance exam.
The class assignment test would examine how well they understood their talents and controlled them.
And concretizing that test was the assistants' role. Professors had only set the broad framework.
"So, we'll divide into four zones and have students with similar specialties compete."
The map split into four zones.
"Each zone has a central 'Mana Crystal.' Score based on contact duration with it."
Sezar nodded slightly.
"Some interference and competition allowed."
Of course, Sezar added.
"But no excessive rivalry harming students. Assistants will be dispatched as supervisors to each zone."
Moving his finger again, red dots appeared in the four zones, marking assistant positions.
But one spot was empty.
The northern zone among the four. No red dot there. Blatantly empty, as if no one wanted it.
"We've chosen our zones, but one hasn't."
Sezar narrowed his eyes at the woman opposite him.
"Assistant Professor Lania?"
"Yes."
"Well, you joined late as assistant, and recently with the adoption ceremony and all... I understand you were busy?"
A faint smile played on his lips.
"Since you're here as assistant, choose a zone."
"Then..."
"Ah, but only one spot left."
Sezar pointed to the northern zone.
"This one seems fitting."
The northern zone.
All assistants avoided it for a reason: the students assigned there.
Disciple of the White Mage Tower Lord, Rak van Grace, heir to the Northern Duke.
Disciple of the Black Mage Tower Lord, Belnoa the Twilight Nightmare.
That zone was prepared solely for those two at the mage tower lords' request. Intervening in their fight wouldn't be easy, even for assistants.
The northern warrior who tore trolls apart.
The assassin who dyed the slums blood-red.
If they clashed, one would be seriously hurt, and the supervising assistant would bear the blame.
'Don't want to get caught in mage tower rivalries and take pointless responsibility.'
Sezar chuckled inwardly, glancing at the ash-haired woman opposite. Frankly, he didn't like her much.
That seat was originally his.
At least, that's what Sezar thought.
He had applied for Professor Rosel's assistant position two years ago and last year too, but was rejected each time. Ignored.
'And some unknown woman rolls in and takes it? Even becoming his adopted daughter?'
He didn't show it outwardly.
But most assistants felt the same disdain for this Lania woman.
'Serves you right, parachute.'
They were all sneering like that. Convinced of it, Sezar flashed a kind smile and spoke.
"Ah, but only two students there. Should be fine, right?"
To that question.
"Sure, whatever."
Lania just nodded.
3.
'Why's that bastard grinning like an idiot?'
That was her first thought after the meeting ended. She didn't know what was so funny, but he kept smiling at her, making it feel weird.
'Am I that amusing-looking?'
She didn't think so.
"Anyway, what an odd method."
I knew Harmain Forest. I'd heard of it before. It was the forest an ancient dragon mage gifted to the kingdom, I remembered.
'But why here?'
I tilted my head at the map I'd received.
As far as I knew, Harmain Forest's true value was at its center. The 'Mana Spring' gifted by the ancient dragon mage. That should be the purpose of visiting...
Was there any need to hold the test on the outskirts?
Just throw everyone in the center and pick those who walked out unscathed for advanced classes.
"...Well, they must have their reasons."