Midterm Exam (6)
The interior of the packed Great Hall.
Yesterday, a huge circle had formed around me.
Today, it was sparse.
"You're less popular than I thought."
"There were tons yesterday. And it was because of you."
For ordinary people, the Saintess was someone hard to approach.
She was just on too high a pedestal.
One wrong move, and you'd rub her the wrong way—ruining your future in all sorts of ways.
"You know that's just an excuse, right?"
"Well, isn't it good for you if I'm not popular?"
"Huh? Why?"
"Less chance of getting hurt."
Hearing that, the Saintess furrowed her brow in thought.
"True... but now that you mention it, it pisses me off. I kinda want some idiots to come at me just so I can beat the crap out of them."
"That'd just mean more work for you."
"...Don't annoy me."
You started it.
"You're doing all three duels today too, right?"
"Yeah... probably."
Of course, if I could rest, I would.
Quests or whatever—honestly, my bucket list is just holing up in a quiet house by the fireplace, reading a book with a mug of cocoa.
Living this frantically was too much for me.
But people wouldn't leave me alone.
No matter my 3-0 record yesterday, no one would change their opinion of me.
They'd just say I bribed my opponents or whatever.
Sure, fewer today than yesterday, but the number applying to duel me wasn't much different.
Probably all the Class B guys from yesterday were still here.
"You doing all three duels today too?"
"Dunno... maybe."
"Why?"
"Normal people don't usually wanna fight me."
Hmm...
Fair enough.
We all fight with swords, spears, fists... and she's the one blasting away with a gun.
"Isn't that kinda cheap?"
"Me?"
"Yeah."
"If it bugs you, use one too. A gun."
God, that pissed me off.
She knew damn well no one else could.
"Ah, yeah, that pissed-off face suits you way better."
"Is that something the Saintess should say?"
"You don't know? Gap moe is super popular."
True, but...
"Anyway, I should head out."
"Suddenly?"
"Yeah, my fans who're dying to fight me have waited long enough."
Hmm, sure.
But you wouldn't stick around out of consideration for me.
Our Saintess wasn't that thoughtful.
"Guess I gotta do duels today too."
"You said no one earlier."
"Usually lasts till day three. A few pervy types who wanna get beat up by the Saintess."
If that's the reason...
Way too impure.
"How about I fight them instead?"
"Don't steal my punching bag."
"Punching bag?"
"I'm already stressed—how am I supposed to vent without one?"
Hmm...
Who the hell made this girl a saintess?
God?
If so, must've been a mistake.
Otherwise, it makes no sense.
Her words suddenly killed my mood.
"Fine, whatever. Go beat 'em up."
"Don't get beat up yourself."
I wouldn't go getting pummeled by mere cadets.
Aen Arbel and the Hero were the outliers.
The Saintess probably knew that much, having seen me fight them a few times.
She could gauge my level.
Her last line was probably her idea of a joke.
So I just turned away without a word as she walked off.
"Hoo..."
Once the Saintess left, the guys who'd been hanging back awkwardly started closing in.
We'd just been chatting like old pals, holding hands even...
Now back to dueling sweaty dudes...
"I hate this..."
Already drained.
"Alright, everyone, I'll take you in the order you signed up yesterday."
So please don't all rush me at once.
I might get crushed before the duels even start.
* * *
Visitors to the Academy—guests and professors alike.
Those evaluating the cadets could watch the duels live.
In the lounge prepared for visitors, they could view any cadet's duel they wanted.
Most guests focused on Class A cadets.
Academy Class A was always full of prime talent, every year.
This year's second-years were no exception.
If anything, more so.
The Church's Saintess and the Tower Master's daughter.
The empire's fallen princess, once the empire's shining sun.
And the last one the Academy had hidden away so carefully.
Until last year, no records at all.
No appearance even in last evaluation match.
Guests assumed the Academy was hiding him again this year.
They were wrong.
Sudden debut: Class A's final member.
Shin Iheon.
The name everyone whispered about, finally in the spotlight.
One day, three duels—enough to electrify the crowd.
Crisp movements.
Sharp insight.
Precise technique.
Total exchanges across three duels: barely over ten.
Impossible not to call it peerless.
So today's duels had the crowd buzzing with anticipation.
And it was duly satisfied.
A scythe—not your average weapon.
Handling every situation with it flawlessly.
Opponent with rapier.
"Whoa... Captain, did you see that?"
"Yeah, I saw."
"Short range, so he deliberately let the vital spots close, baited the attack, parried perfectly, and instant counter!"
"No way that's cadet-level precision. Fights better than you."
"Nah, come on!"
"Feels like a joke, right?"
"Uh, what?"
Evaluation from the world's top merchant guild's guards.
Opponent with spear.
"Insane."
"From the start, closed distance to make thrusting awkward, baited the slash... right?"
"Yeah, then deflected and stepped in one more for the finish..."
"Damn... talent really has no limits."
Church holy knights' evaluation.
Opponent with mace.
"Mace has short reach, big swings. So he kept distance at first, building frustration."
"Yes, then suddenly closed in at the end—like tossing bait."
"Exactly. Baited a big attack."
"Dodged and subdued..."
"Beyond his years. Seasoned..."
Empire knight order's evaluation.
Opponents weren't weak.
All Class B cadets—solid even by Academy standards.
Yet utterly one-sided.
Not just technique—exploiting psychology too.
Guests desperate not to lose such talent to rivals.
Empire, kingdoms, guilds, Church.
Even the Mage Tower.
Shin Iheon hadn't shown any magic yet.
But the Tower's interest stemmed from one thing: mana control.
A method with no records—yet visibly hyper-efficient just from watching.
The Tower had no choice but to take notice.
As duels progressed, Shin Iheon's value skyrocketed.
But one person fixated not on him.
Shine El Soladion.
The current emperor.
Outwardly a mere civilian—no Performer, no Arhat.
But post-'that day,' he'd shattered quest rules, receiving one past twenty.
That day, Shine hadn't finished what he started with Sellin El Soladion.
Thus, his quest was... off.
Content, rewards, penalties—gaps everywhere.
He figured he'd failed to fully meet the activation conditions.
Lifetime of scornful glares.
Emperor mocked by petty kings.
Knight and vassal doubts.
People's resentful murmurs.
All because he lacked power.
To purge it all someday.
That's why he'd clawed this quest into existence.
Wrong path or not—didn't matter.
As long as he could erase the deniers.
He was the empire's sun, its emperor.
His path was the righteous one.
But it couldn't have flaws.
An incomplete quest was intolerable.
If only he'd just killed that bitch Sellin that day.
If not for that damn lust.
Thoughts that haunted him whenever he saw the quest's gaps.
Regrets he'd always carried.
Soon to vanish.
This Academy midterm.
Yes, this midterm would be their final day.
Muttering it to himself, Shine El Soladion watched the screen with his outcast daughter, his eyes cold.