Chapter 83
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 83
Chapter Title: Changing Future
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Mana Spring, Second District.
Upon arriving at the exam hall, Professor Direk locked eyes with the huddled group of students. He promptly ascended the podium and opened his mouth to speak.
It was to explain the exam content.
"Today's exam is divided into three main parts."
No sooner had Direk finished speaking than the assistant proctors waiting behind the podium wheeled out a cart. It was filled to the brim with pitch-black stones.
"First, pay attention to these magic stones here."
They were magic stones.
Magic stones referred to mana stones that had completely depleted their mana. Each one in the cart bore a single engraved number.
"The numbers on these magic stones correspond to your student numbers. Take your assigned stone, determine how many mana traces are inside, and submit your answer."
Mana traces.
These were the faint marks etched into the stone's interior by the flow of mana when it had still been a mana stone.
With the explanation of the first exam complete, just as he was about to move on to the next...
Suddenly, several students shot their hands up.
"Um, Professor."
"Can we use mana for this?"
The intent behind the question was simple.
If mana could be used, the exam's difficulty would drop dramatically. Of course, they wouldn't allow it that easily.
So, as they waited tensely for his response...
An unexpectedly permissive answer came back.
"Yes, it doesn't matter."
"Pardon? You mean that seriously...?"
"Provided you remember this is the Second District and take full responsibility for anything that happens afterward, feel free to use as much as you want."
"......"
The students who had asked clamped their mouths shut.
It seemed they had only now recalled that this was the Mana Spring—specifically, the Second District.
'The Second District has two key characteristics.'
Magic tools don't function properly, and the risk of mana surge increases by up to 20%.
'In other words, the moment you release mana outside your body, you bear the risk of a mana surge.'
This wasn't a graduation exam or assignment—just a midterm. No student would risk that for one test.
And Direk's prediction proved spot on.
No counterarguments followed.
"Above all, the purpose of this exam is to find mana traces without using mana. If you've paid attention in my lectures, anyone should be able to do it."
With that final jab, he continued the explanations.
"The second exam requires you to wander the Second District and submit the substance with the most stable mana flow. The fewer fluctuations in the flow, the higher your score."
Perhaps thanks to the straightforward explanation, no questions arose this time.
"The third exam consists of a written test and a simple evaluation. You'll take it after completing the first two."
With that, the briefing concluded.
Direk immediately stepped down from the podium and handed his baton to the assistant proctors, transferring authority to them.
"For reference, I have personal business and will be stepping away briefly, so follow the assistant proctors' instructions from here on."
He added that he'd return before the third exam began, then turned to leave.
At that moment.
One assistant proctor followed after him.
Her face was hidden under a deeply hooded robe, but her petite, slender frame gave her a girlish air.
"......"
Ullan silently stared at the retreating figure of the assistant proctor. Noticing this, Noa tilted her head and asked.
"Ullan?"
"Yeah?"
"What are you staring at?"
"I smell something familiar."
"Huh? A smell?"
But no further answer came.
Ullan simply kept gazing at the girl's fading silhouette.
'Feels like I've seen her before.'
Even her gait seemed awfully familiar.
Yet he couldn't place who it was, so Ullan soon lost interest.
If it didn't come to him after pondering this much, she probably wasn't that important.
Just as he turned his gaze away.
"We're starting magic stone distribution now!"
"Come up in student number order to receive yours."
The exam preparations began in earnest.
Ullan followed the assistant proctors' instructions and received his numbered magic stone.
Soon after.
Once distribution ended, the proctors placed a large clock on the podium.
"The time limit is 30 minutes."
"Counting the traces accurately matters, but submission time is also heavily weighted, so submit as quickly as possible."
"Exam starts now!"
With the proctors' shout as the signal, the final midterm exam commenced.
5.
The first exam: finding mana traces in the magic stone.
Viewed in isolation, this was yawn-inducingly easy.
Because detecting mana traces in a magic stone could be done precisely just by channeling mana through it.
But without using mana now...
The story changed entirely.
More accurately, the difficulty spiked dramatically.
Of course, as Professor Direk had mentioned, distinction methods existed without mana.
The problem was that 30 minutes was far too short to apply them effectively.
"Isn't 30 minutes a bit tight?"
"A bit? It's insanely tight."
"Even if you made second-years do it, fewer than half could finish in 30 minutes."
Watching the struggling students, the proctors exchanged opinions.
"I thought he'd at least give us an hour."
"Classic Professor Orminu."
"Zero mercy on exams."
Direk Orminu had long been infamous for his brutal exams.
If the time was generous, the questions were brutally hard; if easy, the time was suffocatingly short.
"Half will fail this one, for sure."
"Eh, half would be lucky."
"At least twenty will bomb it, I'd bet."
The exam was that tough.
So the proctors predicted: out of twenty-six students, maybe only five or six would pass.
But then.
"I'm done with the exam."
A student approached the proctors.
A silver-haired girl with an expressionless face.
Dilia Arpen. The proctors visibly faltered at her arrival.
"......What?"
"You already found the traces?"
"Yes. Here's my answer sheet."
Dilia handed over the paper.
The number 26 boldly written.
The proctors checked the answer key and blinked in astonishment.
"Dilia Arpen, 1 minute 32 seconds."
"Spot on. Correct."
The fastest time imaginable.
As Dilia turned to leave, the proctors burst into admiration without missing a beat.
"Whoa, insanely fast."
"That speed without mana..."
"As expected of the duchy’s genius mage."
"That's real talent."
They kept marveling.
And rightly so—even the exam creator, Professor Direk, would need at least 10 minutes without mana.
But the surprises weren't over.
"Um, excuse me."
Following Dilia, another.
A black-haired girl approached the proctors.
"I'm done too. Can I submit?"
Hesitantly offering her answer sheet.
The owner of talent equal to Dilia’s.
Noa Darshen. The proctors were stunned again upon checking.
"Noa Darshen, 2 minutes 15 seconds."
"Excellent. Correct."
The second-fastest record, defying common sense. The proctors made a fuss in shock. Meanwhile, Noa turned to head back.
Then a sudden voice.
"Not bad at all."
Dilia.
Perhaps from the unexpected praise, Noa grinned bashfully.
"Aw, I'm still far off. Slower than you."
"Because I'm, superior, to you."
"......"
Noa shut her mouth.
Infuriating as it was, it was true. Even by character rank alone, Dilia was one of the rare SS-ranks.
"Anyway, where's Ullan?"
Dilia glanced around curiously.
Noa shrugged and replied.
"Struggling, as you can see."
Her pale finger pointed.
There, Ullan gripped his magic stone, silently glaring at its surface.
No progress in sight.
Dilia watched for a moment, then lightly approached him.
"Ullan."
Softly calling his name, she spoke in a subtle tone.
"Want me, to help, a bit?"
She could do more than help—she could outright whisper the answer.
Dilia was loved by mana.
She could see mana with her eyes, making traces a simple matter.
"Appreciate the offer, but I'm good."
But Ullan shook his head.
As if he didn't need it.
"I can do it myself."
"But you, don't have, mana either..."
"This is my exam. It only means something if I solve it with my own strength, no help."
Stubborn responses in succession.
Dilia clamped her lips. Moments later, she puffed her cheeks sulkily.
"......Why am I, an outsider."
A mosquito-like whisper slipped through her lips. But Ullan didn't notice, still fixated on the stone.
Time ticked by.
Ullan finally realized.
'No clue at all.'
He didn't even know what mana traces looked like.
He'd guessed dot-like marks, but found none on the surface.
'Inside, then.'
But he couldn't just crack it open. He'd have to return it intact after.
As he pondered...
'That...'
Something caught his eye.
The stone in Dilia's hand.
A magic stone with a temporary student number. Ullan called out immediately.
"Dilia."
"......What?"
"You don't have to submit that one?"
"No. They don't, collect them, it seems."
A fully depleted magic stone was just a worthless rock. No need or reason to collect.
Right after her explanation.
Ullan's eyes lit up.
"Mind if I take it?"
"Doesn't matter, but what for?"
"Experiment."
What experiment?
Curious, but she didn't dwell. She handed it over readily.
"Here."
"Thanks."
Ullan grinned.
Dilia watched quietly, wondering what he'd do.
Meanwhile, Ullan gripped Dilia's stone with both hands.
And tore it apart.
"Ah...?"
It split cleanly in half.
So natural, like cleaving an apple. Monstrous strength. As she stared blankly at the superhuman act...
His question came.
"Are these the mana traces?"
"......Huh? Oh, yeah. Right."
Dilia nodded a beat late.
She pointed to the white marks inside the stone and added.
"These white ones, all of them, are mana traces."
"Got it. Thanks for the info."
Hesitation gone.
He set Dilia's split stone down and seized his own.
Crack! Craaaack!
It split in two as well.
White traces appeared.
As Ullan counted them, Dilia nodded as if enlightened.
"So when you said, you'd solve it with your own, strength, you meant literally, with brute force."
"......"
Some misunderstanding brewed, but he let it slide. Counting traces mattered more now.
"Twenty-eight in total."
Double-checked, same result.
Ullan wrote his answer and submitted.
Result came quick.
"Confirmed. Correct."
"Ullan Bator, 15 minutes 24 seconds."
He nodded slightly in acknowledgment and returned to his spot. The proctors muttered in surprise.
"Way faster than expected."
"Yeah."
"Looks can be deceiving; he's got solid magical talent."
Slower than the two girls, but fast overall.
Only they three had submitted so far.
"Looks like he'd swing an axe before bothering with exams..."
"Can't judge a book by its cover."
Leaving their admiration behind, Ullan returned.
Dilia asked curiously.
"How'd it go?"
"Correct."
Obviously. He'd cracked it open and counted visually. Hard to get surer than that.
After submitting.
As he waited silently...
"Hey, Ullan."
Dilia approached hesitantly, looking tense.
"Um, after midterms, what're you doing?"
"Grabbing food."
"Not that."
"Then?"
"......Let me rephrase."
She cleared her throat needlessly and got direct.
"Got time this weekend?"
"Plenty."
"Really?"
Her face brightened, as if hearing what she wanted.
"Then wanna hang out, in the capital?"
"Capital?"
"Yeah. Using an outing pass..."
"Sorry. Already got plans for that."
"......Plans?"
Flat refusal.
Dilia's expression froze. Her smile vanished, golden eyes icing over.
Moments later, dryly:
"Who with, if I may ask?"
"Ivela Elead."
The name dropped.
Dilia's brow furrowed deeply.
"Sneaky, beating me to it..."
Her fine brows twitched irritably.
But soon, she stared at Ullan intently.
"Next time, go with me."
"Next time...?"
"Next week."
Her golden eyes flashed.
A gaze laced with peculiar obsession. No compromise. Ullan blinked in confusion.
"I heard passes are one per person..."
"I'll get another."
"Possible?"
"Yeah."
Confident reply.
Hand on chest, she declared.
"I'm Arpen's princess."
One extra pass was trivial. Securing his yes now mattered more.
Tensely:
"......You'll go out with me?"
"If you've got the pass."
"For real? Promise?"
"Yeah."
"Okay. It's a promise."
Only after his repeated affirmation did her face soften.
And at that moment.
Preeeeeeech!
A shrill whistle pierced the air.
"Exam over!"
"Anyone without a submitted sheet, hurry up!"
"No sheet means disqualification!"
The first mana detection exam ended.
The students all looked glum.
As expected.
Only five of twenty-six had properly submitted.
"Ten-minute break now, then straight to the second exam!"
"Students needing the restroom, use the temporary ones over there."
Hearing the proctors, Ullan stood immediately—a signal had come. Dilia hopped up too.
"I'll go with."
"Women's is that way."
"I know. Just till the split."
Sulking reply—then.
Dilia shuddered violently.
"......!"
Her eyes widened like saucers.
She whipped her head around, utterly startled.
"What is it?"
"......"
Ullan asked puzzled, but no answer.
Dilia just gawked beyond the Mana Spring.
So he tried again.
"Dilia?"
"......Nothing."
Finally responding, she shook her head vigorously.
"Just a bad feeling."
"Bad feeling?"
"Yeah. Hard to explain..."
Trailing off, she looked again.
Beyond the thick fog enveloping the Second District.
"......Probably nothing."
This was the Mana Spring.
A demonic realm where outside logic didn't apply.
Such inexplicable ominous vibes were par for the course.
She tried to ignore it.
That was the plan. But her eyes kept drifting back.
The spot stealing her gaze.
Beyond the fog—the direction Professor Direk had gone for "business."
The Mana Spring's Third District.