The Academy Entrance Examination (1)
The Imperial Academy Chancellor's Office. Chancellor Croto examined the list of entrance exam applicants.
"Oh my..."
He let out a murmur of admiration as he reviewed each profile one by one. This year, too, several promising talents had applied. The children seeking admission to the Academy were elites hailed as prodigies from the Empire, the Five Kingdoms, and the Holy Kingdom. Among them were a few whose names had already spread across the world.
Skadi van Skolhart, the second daughter of the Northern Archduke, known as the Wind of the Snowfields.
Hot Ragtree, the berserker from the Southern Kingdom who single-handedly crushed a Demon King army squad.
Yohan, disciple of the great hero Louis.
And finally, the noble lady who graced the last page of the list.
The Saintess, Elia.
Each of them was destined to lead the coming era. Among them, the one receiving the most fervent attention was, of course, the Saintess. It had been less than a week since the Papal See announced the existence of a new Saintess following the death of Saint Aris. The sudden announcement had thrown both the Holy Kingdom and the Empire—which followed the Heavenly God as its state religion—into chaos.
A wave of mourning for Saint Aris had continued for three days and nights. At the same time, interest in the new Saintess began to surge. Almost nothing was known about her yet. Only the name Elia. Not even her appearance was public, as the succession ceremony marking the first public appearance of the new Saintess had been held modestly within the Papal See, coinciding with Saint Aris's funeral.
Some voices expressed concern toward the new Saintess. Though she was the woman chosen by the Heavenly God, her complete lack of known accomplishments led some to question whether she could truly follow in Saint Aris's footsteps. After all, being a Saintess did not guarantee competence. Moreover, Saint Aris had been one of the three greatest Saints in history, so such doubts were only natural.
Chancellor Croto shared the same thought.
"I wonder if she can even pass..."
He checked the Saintess's application. It contained only her name, with no record of any activities. On paper alone, she would have failed the first round. She had passed the initial screening solely due to her status as Saintess. From here on, however, everything depended on her abilities. The second examination for the Theology Department tested one's Holy Power. She would need to demonstrate a certain level of proficiency. No matter how exalted her title, the Imperial Academy selected candidates based on merit, not status. It was entirely possible she could be rejected.
"She may possess innate Holy Power, but..."
The question was how well she could utilize it. Most Saintesses received training at the Papal See before entering the Academy. Possessing Holy Power and knowing how to wield it were two entirely different matters. Since she had been appointed Saintess only a week ago, she would likely take the entrance exam without proper instruction.
The Academy entrance exam was no easy feat. Out of every thousand applicants, barely two passed. Even those hailed as prodigies could fail its brutal difficulty. Yet tens of thousands applied each year. Graduating from the Academy guaranteed a smooth path in life. Last year's top graduate from the Swordsmanship Department had entered the Imperial Army as a 1-Star Knight Commander. Considering that 3-Star Knight Commanders and 1-Star Knight Grandmasters typically led knight orders, starting at such a high rank was extraordinary. Even those with poor grades were guaranteed at least one position upon graduation, which explained the flood of applicants. Hence, the exam had to maintain its extreme difficulty.
Could a novice whose only qualification was the title of Saintess possibly pass such a test?
"We'll find out soon enough."
Half expectation, half concern. Chancellor Croto tapped his desk while gazing at the Saintess's name.
Early morning. Crowds gathered at the Imperial Academy. All of them were examinees here to take the entrance exam.
"Haa..."
Yohan, the hero's disciple, sighed deeply as he stared out the carriage window.
"I have to compete against monsters like them?"
Every person passing by outside looked formidable. He even recognized several faces from the newspapers. Before them, Yohan felt utterly intimidated.
The Empire's hero. The Sword Saint. Disciple of the hero Louis, who had been personally trained by Adrean. That alone had drawn enormous expectations toward Yohan. Unfortunately, his skills were far from transcendent enough to meet those expectations. Compared to the first-year students of the Academy's Swordsmanship Department, Yohan's abilities placed him around the middle ranks. He could enter the Academy, but he lacked the talent for top or second place. And now, that truth would be laid bare before the entire world.
His master had told him not to worry, but the weight of those expectant gazes made it impossible to feel at ease. He had trained diligently in swordsmanship, yet he was still lacking. He couldn't even properly manifest Sword Qi yet. Meanwhile, the young lady from House Skolhart, who would be taking the exam alongside him, had reportedly been using Sword Qi since she was fourteen. The sense of inferiority only grew stronger.
...Come to think of it, there was another person who must be feeling the same inferiority.
"...The Saintess."
She stood at the center of everyone's attention. Having inherited the legacy of Saint Aris, known as "the most radiant woman," she was now the focus of scrutiny. No matter how she performed in this exam, she would face criticism. All because the previous Saintess had been too extraordinary. Her status rivaled even the first Saintess, who had ended the Hundred Years' War. To follow directly in the footsteps of such a figure...
How pitiful.
Yohan smiled with sympathy. She would be compared again and again. No matter how well she did, it would be the same. She would spend her life measured against a once-in-centuries genius. How heavy must that burden feel right now? She might even be clutching her stomach from the stress.
"Right. Master did say we should get along."
Yohan recalled Louis's words upon returning from the Holy Kingdom—that the Saintess had also applied to the Academy this year, and that he should befriend her. She would eventually become part of the hero's party when the time came to form one.
"I'll meet her sometime soon."
Yohan let out another string of sighs.
"Huaaah..."
At the same time, inside a white carriage heading toward the Academy, Elia stretched with a yawn.
"Ugh... mnya..."
She rubbed her sleepy eyes and looked out the window.
"Are we still far from arriving?"
"Not much longer now."
The man sitting across from Elia was Lael, her Holy Knight bodyguard.
"Nothing happened while I was asleep?"
"No, it was peaceful."
"Really?"
Elia smacked her lips, looking somewhat disappointed. Her protruding lips made it seem as though she had hoped something would happen.
Elia stared at Lael in silence. Lael averted his gaze. It was somewhat embarrassing to be scrutinized by such a beautiful girl.
"You said you were a Holy Knight?"
"Yes, that is correct."
"Then which department's exam are you taking this time?"
"The Swordsmanship Department. Holy Knights are primarily knights rather than priests."
Lael, the youngest of the Five Holy Knights of the Holy Kingdom, was also taking the Academy entrance exam. He had insisted on staying by the Saintess's side, but the Papal See had specially granted him this opportunity to learn. It was apparently Elia's idea. She had given him the chance to enter the Academy so he wouldn't waste time merely guarding her and could experience a new world instead.
Was this really acceptable? Could a bodyguard enroll as an Academy student? He would have to be separated from her during classes and wouldn't be able to respond immediately in emergencies. He had raised this concern with the Papal See, but their response had been dismissive. The Saintess herself had been equally nonchalant.
'No matter what, what if something happens to you, Saintess?'
'What could possibly happen at the Academy?'
'You say that because you don't know, Saintess!'
She had come from a rural convent, after all. She probably didn't understand how the world worked. How cunning and vicious people could be. Moreover, the Academy had students from other kingdoms who didn't follow the Heavenly God, so there was always the chance some bold fool might pick a fight. Yet no amount of persuasion could sway Elia.
'I can protect myself just fine.'
She looked far too delicate for such confidence.
"Wow... I'm jealous."
"Pardon?"
"No, I misspoke."
Elia clasped her hands together on her lap. The motion naturally emphasized her ample bosom. Already possessing an overwhelming presence, it only grew more pronounced. Lael coughed awkwardly and turned his head. She was a captivating woman in many ways.
"Are you skilled with a sword?"
"Well... at least within the Holy Kingdom, I'm among the top five."
"Ah, right. One of the Five Holy Knights. The entrance exam should be easy for you, then?"
"No, that is not the case. The finest talents from the Empire and the Five Kingdoms gather here, so it cannot be taken lightly."
"How modest of you."
Elia smiled faintly.
"The second exam is a duel, right? Probably?"
Elia tilted her head.
"Yes. It is a test where you select one opponent and compete against them."
Victory or defeat did not matter. What was evaluated was the content of the duel. Thus, both could pass or both could fail.
"That sounds fun."
"Pardon? Fun?"
"No, I misspoke again. I meant to say I'm worried, not that it's fun. Children dueling with real swords... What if someone gets hurt?"
Elia wore a worried expression, genuinely concerned. Seeing the Saintess like this, Lael felt a small surge of admiration. She was truly a Saintess, worrying about others before her own exam.
'Haa... Living as a Saintess is exhausting.'
Behind the Saintess's smiling face hid a weary expression dripping with sweat.