Chapter 19
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 19
Chapter Title: The Dean's Curiosity
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(4)
8.
The Empire's Archmage, Deplin Chernio.
She was one of the top three mages in the Ruben Empire, a researcher overflowing with curiosity.
That was why she always considered her birth as a half-human, half-elf to be a blessing.
Her lifespan was five times longer than a human's, and for some reason—perhaps a trait of mixed blood—her growth and aging had completely stopped since her early teens.
A young, healthy body.
A lifespan far exceeding others'.
It was the perfect condition for immersing herself in research.
Around the age of 116.
She had amassed numerous achievements through various studies and became the Empire's court mage. Afterward, she traveled across the Empire and kingdoms, taking on many disciples.
And in the Arpen Duchy.
Deplin met her greatest talent.
Dilia Arpen.
A mixed-blood like herself, and the most outstanding disciple among all those she had ever taught.
However, perhaps due to her young age, she seemed to harbor resentment toward Deplin over some familial affection.
'In about a hundred years, her thinking will change.'
About how fleeting and futile blood ties and bonds truly are—just as Deplin herself had learned.
In any case, since it had been a while since she last saw her disciple, she planned to simply check on her growth and leave.
But then, in an unexpected place, she discovered someone who piqued her curiosity.
'Ullan, was it?'
A man who possessed two mana vessels.
Especially the one formed near his small intestine—it made her want to interrogate him relentlessly about how on earth he had done it.
And from that fact.
Countless curiosities began to chain together.
If he used magic, how would the mana flow? The two vessels were quite close together—perhaps magic would manifest in an entirely different way from the norm?
As various questions swirled like a vortex, even Deplin's patience reached its limit.
'Let's experiment on him once.'
First, she needed to create a situation where he had no choice but to use magic. So, she deliberately paired Ullan with Dilia.
The reason was simple.
Dilia had strong pride as a mage, and Ullan had aced every exam in a way that barely resembled magic.
'In other words, their compatibility was bound to be poor.'
In a group exam, if they didn't mesh well, problems were far more likely to arise. That was why she deliberately threw them together.
But what was this?
'What's going on? They're fighting surprisingly well?'
Deplin's eyes widened.
They actually synergized quite nicely. More precisely, it looked like Ullan was appropriately accommodating Dilia as they battled.
'This is a problem.'
Her original plan was to induce a dire situation and force him to use magic. But like this, there was no point in pairing them up.
Deplin frowned.
But her worry didn't last long. The exam wasn't over yet.
'No choice, then.'
She would have to intervene a little.
Deplin immediately set her plan in motion. She secretly channeled mana to the mana golem buried in the ground, intentionally causing it to go berserk.
And during this process.
Dilia suddenly looked her way.
With suspicious eyes.
'She noticed.'
As expected of her disciple.
Deplin smiled faintly.
Even though her trickery was exposed, she didn't stop and pressed ahead with the plan. Soon, the berserk mana golem erupted from the ground.
Kwaaaang!
Its body expanded as if it might burst.
Thanks to the substantial mana she had infused, the rampaging golem's momentum was truly terrifying.
'About a 3-star magic beast level.'
An opponent that would require an elite Empire platoon, a regular mage, and an experienced hunter to barely take down.
Not something a single student could handle.
No matter how strong or physically superior they were, in this situation, they wouldn't last without magic.
Deplin was convinced of that.
But her conviction shattered.
"……!?"
Thud! Thud-thud! Bam!
Ullan, who had jumped in to save Dilia, began pummeling the golem with his fists. And eventually, he even took it down.
Boooom!
A deafening explosion, and the golem fell silent.
Silence blanketed the exam grounds. Deplin stared at Ullan with her mouth slightly agape.
'He took that thing down barehanded...?'
Equivalent to a 3-star magic beast?
Beat down something like that with just his fists?
Deplin's eyes bulged. A bewildered expression spread across her face—the first one she'd shown since arriving at the exam grounds.
"Ha, Dean."
"The exam is over."
The voices of the assistant supervisors reached her then.
Regaining her composure, Deplin quickly schooled her expression. Then, as if nothing had happened, she approached the two with a beaming smile.
"Wow, that's really amazing. Who would've thought you'd take down a golem barehanded."
A mask-like fabricated expression.
With a peculiar smile, Deplin probed casually, mixing sincerity and jest half-and-half.
"You... you're really a mage, right?"
If it hit a nerve, there would be at least some flicker of agitation. No matter how talented, he was just a green 16-year-old.
But Ullan showed no reaction.
Seeing this, Deplin narrowed her eyes.
'He really is a mage, then.'
Well, if he weren't, he would've been filtered out at mana measurement. And above all, he wouldn't have taken the magic specialty exam to begin with.
As she thought that.
Ullan suddenly countered with a question.
"What do you mean by that?"
"I was watching from afar the whole time, and during the fight with the golem, I didn't sense even a hint of mana flow from you."
Why didn't you use magic?
With that intent, Deplin phrased it indirectly. Meanwhile, Ullan regarded her with a blank face.
Well, of course. He couldn't use magic.
It was such an obvious truth that there wasn't even agitation. But admitting it outright would only trouble Ullan.
So he muddled through vaguely.
"The opponent was too weak."
"Pardon? What do you mean?"
"Not strong enough for me to use magic. So I just handled it like this."
Ullan extended his fist.
Deplin flinched involuntarily.
Probably because the image of him brutally smashing the berserk golem flashed in her mind, making her shrink back without realizing it.
"Th-then, if a truly strong opponent appeared, you'd use magic, right?"
"Yeah. My magic is special, after all."
"Ufufu, good. I want to pry more, but let's leave it at this for today."
Deplin smiled enigmatically.
Ullan, on the other hand, tilted his head.
"But why are you talking from so far away?"
"Feels like I'd get hit if I got closer."
"Why?"
"Well......"
Because she'd seen him mercilessly pounding the golem with those two fists. Anyone would want to keep a few steps away from Ullan after that.
Plus, she had meddled too.
As she thought that.
"Are you insane?"
Dilia suddenly barged into the conversation.
Her face flushed red with anger. She glared fiercely at Deplin with eyes full of fury.
"The golem, the rampage, cheating...!"
Dilia knew exactly what Deplin had done. She intended to call her out—why deliberately make the situation dire.
But she couldn't.
"......!?"
Her voice suddenly wouldn't come out.
Her lips moved feebly.
Dilia quickly realized why. Deplin, having anticipated what she would say, had swiftly cast a silence spell.
Still as underhanded as ever.
Dilia's gaze sharpened even more. Deplin averted her eyes and pretended nothing was amiss.
"More importantly, what a shame. You're getting docked a point for being one mana core short."
Crescent-moon curved eyes.
A smile so infuriating it made her fists clench. Then, with an expression hiding unknown intentions, she spoke.
"So, how about a retake..."
"If it's the mana core, I've already recovered it."
But she didn't achieve her goal.
A lustrously glowing mana core emerged from Ullan's fist.
"......!?"
Deplin's eyes widened like saucers.
Not just her.
Dilia, whose mouth was now free, and the other examinees all wore shocked expressions. Deplin stammered in disbelief.
"Wh-when did you...?"
"During the fight."
Why ask about something so obvious?
Ullan looked at Deplin pityingly. To Dilia, who wore a similar expression, he gave a relatively kind answer.
"I told you. I'm used to hunting magic beasts."
So, golem or not.
Dilia, who had been dazed, chuckled softly.
'What a weirdo.'
What kind of life had he lived to smash a golem barehanded and even extract its mana core?
Dilia's curiosity began to sprout.
The moment she became interested in the person named Ullan. Along with it, she recalled the embarrassingly bold words he'd uttered—ones she'd never heard before.
'......Really a weirdo.'
Her cheeks flushed again.
As she bowed her head to hide it.
Deplin's voice rang out.
"Alright. Process aside, I'm satisfied with the result, so 5 points each. Speak up now if you have any objections."
There were none.
They had already proven their skills.
Especially Ullan, a monster who smashed a golem barehanded. With high odds of entering the Academy, no one wanted to unnecessarily get on his bad side.
"No objections? Then it's finalized. Oh! And you two, come to the dean's office tomorrow morning. I'll give you the 'special benefit' I promised."
With Deplin's bright smile.
Ullan's final exam came to an end.
9.
After the mana detection specialty exam ended.
The final rankings were announced shortly thereafter.
Ullan, who scored 5 points in all three exams, received an S rank. Dilia, with the next highest score, also received an S rank.
By Professor Direk's standards, it should have been an A, but Deplin brushed it off lightly. With the supervisor changed, so too were the criteria, she declared.
No significant objections arose.
There wouldn't be any examinees willing to irk the dean before even entering the Academy.
With all results announced, the examinees dispersed in groups.
To prepare for the next exam, no doubt.
But not Ullan.
He had already completed all his exams and had nothing pressing to do. As he pondered what to do next, someone suddenly poked his side.
"You......"
A petite build, like Noa's.
A girl with silver hair and golden eyes. It was Dilia. Ullan posed a question at her sneaky approach.
"Do you need something from me?"
"......"
Dilia said nothing.
Instead, she pulled out her staff and squatted down on the spot. Then she began scribbling something on the ground.
『Dilia Arpen』
Why was she suddenly writing her name?
As Ullan wore a puzzled look, Dilia's staff moved again.
『And you?』
Ah, was she asking for his name?
Guessing as much, Ullan spoke up.
"Plains Warrior, Ullan Bator."
As soon as Ullan's introduction ended.
Dilia mumbled with her small lips. As if committing his name to memory.
『Got it.』
With that short reply.
Suddenly, Dilia scribbled something quickly with her staff. Then she sprang up and scurried away.
Her face somewhat flushed.
Afterward, where she had squatted, these words were written.
『Thanks for today. See you later.』
A perfectly ordinary thank-you.
Ullan chuckled.
"No wonder she ran."
Even in his past life, Dilia had been clumsy with expressing emotions. She had probably fled from embarrassment. So Ullan thought.
And that evening.
Ullan reunited with Noa.
All exams had concluded, and word had come that the final admissions would be announced.
Chapter 7. Result Announcement