23. Special Entrance Exam
23. Special Entrance Exam
Why Stella's surname was Verheigen.
Why Kaloso had left descendants behind.
And how in the world those descendants had set foot in the Empire—there was no time to think about any of it.
Because the moment I recovered the artificial Mana Stone, Stella and I were standing in the middle of Signia's training hall.
"Oh! They're out!"
And as if that weren't enough, starting with the dean, who wore a grave expression, four or five professors had formed a perimeter.
The hell.
A grand welcome like this is a little embarrassing.
As I stood there awkwardly for no reason.
My instincts screamed a warning. There was no time to figure out what it was. Dodge? If I dodged, Stella would be in danger. I immediately drew up every bit of Mana and wrapped it around my arms. I planted both feet firmly and raised my arms. I clenched my teeth and braced for the impact.
"Hey, duck."
"Huh? What do you—"
BOOM—!
"Kuh, hup...!"
"Heeeyaaak..!"
Horrible pain flared through both arms.
My head spun. My legs wobbled. My arms felt like they hadn't just broken—they'd burst.
There was no killing intent. No hostility. But if I'd taken this attack wrong, I definitely would have died. I glared wide-eyed at the opponent in front of me.
I saw brown ears. Fluffy hair like a lion's mane swayed gently. Beneath it, golden eyes gleamed. Vertically slit pupils. A predator's eyes fixed on my face.
And a tail brushing against my leg.
"What? You blocked it?! You blocked it??"
"The hell. You think I'd just stand there and get hit while you're swinging at me?"
"Whaaat?! Kyahahahaha!! Sedil, listen to this one talk!"
A voice bursting with laughter rang through the training hall.
She was a little taller than me.
About the same as Stella.
Around the same age, too.
A Beastkin.
A lion Beastkin.
One strike.
With just one strike, I understood the gap between me and this Beastkin. As I am now, I can't beat her. No way.
Even so.
"What the fuck is this..."
I couldn't hold back the curse.
"What the hell is wrong with you? Who kicks someone the first time they meet them?"
"And she said 'fuck' to me! She said 'bullshit'!! Uhyahahak!"
Stella, who'd been looking back and forth between me and the insane Beastkin bitch, went pale.
Right after, Sedil came rushing over and, with some unknown magic, swept the Beastkin far away.
"Aaaaaah! I said don't grab my tail!"
"Are you all right?! Are you—are you hurt anywhere?!"
"Huh? Well, it's not that I'm not all right, but what the hell is that bastard?"
Nothing was broken. Nothing was cracked, either.
She seemed to have held back, but my arms were tingling.
For at least an hour, I probably wouldn't be able to hold chopsticks, let alone a spoon.
Anyway, seriously, what is that crazy animal?
Not to brag, but I'm not weak.
Most people even know I'm the young lady of Eustetia when I walk around without a hood, so what the hell is that animal bastard kicking me for?
She even seemed to know who I was.
"...She is Vice Dean Leona Megenberta."
"Excuse me? That animal... no, the vice dean... ma'am?"
"Yes. I am truly, truly sorry. I had been holding her back, but she slipped away before I knew it..."
I looked at the Beastkin—the vice dean—who was scowling and thrashing far behind him.
"Eliarnes! You pass!! You absolutely pass!! Anyone who tries to fail you, I'll smash their heads in myself!! Got it?"
I blinked a few times and looked at Sedil.
"...She seems to like me quite a lot."
"...Yes. Even at the previous meeting, she showed tremendous interest in Lady Eliarnes. I am truly sorry about what just happened. Our academy will take responsibility—"
"No. It's fine. Nothing's broken. Anyway, didn't you come because you had something to say?"
It was getting late.
I wanted to get through the talking quickly and be done.
I looked at Sedil with that feeling in my eyes.
Sedil, who had been glancing back and forth between me and Stella, finally let out a relieved breath and slowly opened his mouth.
"Well... the Magic Tools you two were wearing malfunctioned, and..."
"You mean the bracelets?"
"Yes. The location-tracking magic inside, the magic that picked up life signals, and even the video-transmission magic that showed the situation—all of it broke. So we were discussing whether to halt the exam, since we couldn't grasp the situation inside."
Stella's face went pale.
"So what the dean is saying is... even if I pressed this button, we couldn't have escaped?"
"Yes. That's correct. I am truly sorry this happened."
Seeing Sedil bow, Stella's body trembled.
I mean, what kind of mistake is this, that he's bowing like that to kids much younger than him.
"You don't need to go that far. Even if you couldn't see the situation, we brought out the proof. Surely you won't make us retake the exam just because you couldn't see what happened?"
"Of course not."
Sedil nodded and looked at the artificial Mana Stone Stella was holding.
"...Huh, this is...?"
"It's the Basilisk's artificial Mana Stone."
Sedil's face, which had been shadowed until just now, brightened.
Arkand beside him, and the other four or five professors, also burst into exclamations.
Some professors went beyond cheering and even shed tears.
Among them, a bald, vicious-looking professor scowled.
Why's that bastard making that face?
"You subjugated it...? A Basilisk?"
"Yes."
The dean's jaw dropped open as if it would fall off.
Heh heh. Nice, nice.
I don't mind this reaction.
As I shrugged my shoulders in satisfaction, Stella's expression darkened.
And she kept sneaking glances at me.
Did she think I was going to say I caught it alone?
"I apologize, but I'll do a quick verification."
"Yes. Please do."
"What's there to verify?? Sedil! She blocked my kick, I'm telling you?! Huh?! Listen to me!!"
While Sedil and the professors were examining the artificial Mana Stone and talking among themselves, I walked over to Stella.
"Hey, loser."
"Y-you... you... I'm not a loser... hnn... hoo... What. What do you want."
"Why are you so down?"
"...What are you talking about. I'm not down."
"Scared I'm gonna say I caught it alone?"
"Wh-what? Hah, ha! No, I'm not? It's not like that? If I fail, I fail. I don't care."
Having said that, Stella fidgeted with her fingers and clutched the hem of her hood tightly.
"Yeah? I was gonna try to put in a good word for you if you were upset, but fine. I'll just tell it like it is."
I let out a snort and turned my back.
Then.
"W-wait. Wait a second."
I heard Stella's thoroughly deflated voice.
"Why?"
"I-I... I caught thirty-seven Lizardmen too. No, forty-two."
"Yeah. I caught a Basilisk."
"Hnn... If I... if I hadn't been there, you might have had a hard time."
"You seriously think that?"
"Ugh... Th-that's..."
At a loss for words, Stella chewed on her lip and glared at me.
Tears were welling in her eyes, and the tip of her nose had turned bright red, but she was barely holding her expression together as if nothing was wrong.
Ah, this is fun.
"Nothing else to say, right?"
"...You... why are you really like this to me?"
"Like what? I'm just going to state the facts."
"That's... true, but still... you don't have to tease me like this... You... you're really going to be punished..."
"Punished? I've already been punished."
Being born as Arisa's descendant and becoming a Martial Artist is the greatest punishment there is.
I giggled, then turned back toward the faculty.
"Have you finished checking?"
"Yes. The check is complete. This is certainly a Mana Stone that can only be extracted by subjugating a Basilisk. Impressive. Truly impressive. Hahahaha!!"
Sedil answered my question with a big laugh.
Then, with a smile brighter than ever, he approached me and Stella.
"Did the two of you subjugate the Basilisk together?"
Stella's body trembled hard.
I turned my head slightly to look, and the tears that had been welling in her eyes were rolling down.
Even so, she was glaring at me fiercely.
So, so, so much fun.
So I parted my lips just enough for only her to see and said,
'Do me a favor later.'
Stella's mouth fell open blankly.
Whether she did or not, I answered Sedil.
"Yes. We subjugated it together. Right, Stella?"
"...Huh? Uh-uh? I-I... yes... r-right... right."
Hearing our answer, the bald man's mouth fell open.
I immediately continued speaking.
"You won't need us to prove this separately too, will you? If necessary, I'll even swear on my Mana, but I think responsibility should be addressed for the retest caused by the academy's accident."
I looked at the bald man who'd been scowling the whole time.
The bastard's face went blue.
"Well, since I'm young, someone from my family will probably come in person to ask about it."
Now he'd gone white.
So you're the one behind this?
"Not at all. Since the young lady of House Eustetia and the young lady of House Verheigen are saying so, I'll believe it. The Mana Stone is right here before our eyes, isn't it? And with Vice Dean Megenberta carrying on like that... I have no choice but to believe it. Hahaha."
Good.
I shrugged and turned to Stella.
...No, wait.
"Dean. What did you just call Stella?"
"Pardon? I called her the young lady of the Verheigen Marquisate..."
"...Young lady of a marquisate?"
"Yes."
"...Stella Verheigen, marquis... young lady? That girl, no, Stella is a marquis's daughter?"
"That's correct. Did you not know?"
Marquis? Marquis??
Maar-quis?
You've got to be shitting me.
They gave a noble title to a bastard who sided with the Demons.
And a marquisate, no less?
No, it might not have been given to Kaloso himself.
His descendants might have received the title.
Then does that mean the Empire doesn't know about Kaloso's betrayal either?
Did Arisa come back and say nothing?
In the first place, where were Luna and Paulo and what were they doing?
Didn't they come back together?
Knowing Luna, she definitely would have gone around broadcasting Kaloso's atrocities to everyone.
So why?
One question spawned another.
My head felt like it would burst from the endless chain of questions. Then, click-clack, click-clack—through my chaotic thoughts came the sound of infuriating heels.
"Hmph. You heard, didn't you, Lady Eustetia?"
Stella walked up to me without any tact and struck up a conversation.
And in a needlessly dignified, refined tone, too.
Her eyes were still wet and her nose bright red, but she looked every bit the noble young lady.
Seeing that ridiculous sight made me laugh in disbelief.
Thanks to that, my chaotic mind settled a little.
"Why are you talking like that?"
"Ugh... Lady Eustetia...? I received help from you inside the Labyrinth, and since everyone is watching, I am showing respect to Lady Eustetia? So Lady Eustetia should also show me a certain degree of respect—"
"Ugh, creepy. Stop it."
"...L-Lady Eustetia...?"
"If you keep pulling that shit, I'll spill everything right here. Huh? What'll it be? Do it, or don't. Just say it. I'm ready. How about it? Huh? Fuckin' hell."
"...Eek, hic... Hey! You! Why do you keep doing this to me!! What is wrong with you?! Huh?! Why, why only to me... hic..."
"Well, look at that. Hey, are you crying? Crying?"
"Hic... I-I'm not crying! Get lost! Go away!"
"You came to me, so why are you telling me to go away?"
"Aaaaah!! Hic, waaaa..."
I watched Stella being soothed by Arkand, then looked back at Sedil.
He just smiled bitterly, as if he couldn't understand what in the world was going on.
"Anyway, that's how it went. And I'd like you to keep what happened today—the special admission—a secret."
"Huh... why keep it a secret? This is something to be very proud of."
"Well... there are various troublesome reasons. It's a bit much to explain here, so please."
Father and Mother.
No, Mother is fine.
The moment Father finds out, he might show up at the academy without any dignity.
And if praising me until I'm embarrassed isn't enough, what if the practical exam comes up?
Absolutely not.
"I'll take it that it's settled, then, and be on my way."
"If that's what you wish, then yes. Understood. Then I'll see you on the day of the entrance ceremony. Haha!"
"Sounds good. I'll see you at the entrance ceremony, Dean Sedil Mershdoff."
I gave Sedil a bow.
I bowed to the professors behind him and to Arkand as well, and shot the bald man a glare.
Lastly, to the vice dean flailing in midair...
"Uhehehe!! Yeah! Bye-bye!! See you at the entrance ceremony!! Byeee!"
I didn't greet her.
I walked over to Stella, who was grinding her teeth behind me.
"I'm going. See you next time. Since it's come to this, I hope we're in the same class."
"Hic... Absolutely not. If I'm in the same class as you, I'll drop out."
I meant it when I said I hoped we'd be in the same class.
There's a lot I want to ask Stella.
And a lot I need to find out.
If possible, visiting Stella's family home wouldn't be a bad idea either. There might be information about the Verheigen ancestor, Kaloso.
And.
If it's Stella, who shows interest in the Demon World and has a genius talent for magic, I think she'd be more than enough help in achieving my goal.
Of course, it won't be easy.
No, it might even be impossible.
Because at the same time I thought she'd be helpful, I also thought the Verheigens might be in league with the Demons.
If that's the case.
If Stella is in league with the Demons.
Then.
"Hey."
"Wh-what. Hnn... I-I'm not going to drop out. I was just saying that! Why are you glaring at me like that!"
I looked into Stella's violet eyes.
Clear and bright.
Not eyes clouded by Demonic Energy.
Not a gaze that would accept Demonic Energy.
There was no dark emotion in them, only a passion for magic.
Betrayal.
I don't know the reason, but Kaloso Verheigen, who put a hole in my stomach and sided with the Demon King.
His descendant, Stella Verheigen.
Blaming a distant descendant for his crimes is absurd. And seeing as she openly gave her name, she seems to know nothing about Kaloso.
On the other hand, she knew about Eustetia and showed emotions different from others.
An emotion close to fear.
Of what? Of what Eustetia does.
Why is she afraid?
I can't know right now.
But even so.
Just because she's a traitor's descendant.
It would be a shame to conclude she's the same kind of traitor and let talent like this slip away.
Killing her when I'm not even sure would be insane.
So for now, I'll do what I've always done.
I'll do what I want.
I'm not an idiot who gets screwed over by the same thing twice.
It's what I wanted, so there's nothing to regret.
Even when I died in Arisa's place, I didn't regret it.
If because of this choice of mine.
The thing I feared comes to pass.
Then I just couldn't hesitate.
That settled it.
For now, I'll keep her close.
That's my choice.
"Loser. Let's be friends from now on, yeah?"
"No! I'm not going to be friends with you! And I'm not a loser! It's Stella Verheigen, okay? You... even for a Eustetia, this is insulting me! Got it?!"
"Insult, my ass. Hnnng—!"
I shook off my complicated thoughts, stretched, and pressed the one remaining macaron into Stella's hand.
"Eat this and live a good life. Don't go doing bad things and getting caught. Okay?"
"Wh-what...? Eek... hnn... hic! Heeey! Who are you to tell me what to do!? I really hate you! I fucking hate you!!"
"Same here. I hate you too."
Leaving Stella shrieking behind me, I walked out of the training hall.
I didn't go to the bathroom.
Because it wasn't that I actually needed to go to the bathroom and wanted to finish quickly.
"Ah! My lady!"
"Sorry to keep you waiting."
"No! I was people-watching, so the time flew by! Anyway, my lady, did you catch the Basilisk?"
Eurasia, who had tied her thick blonde hair over one shoulder to cool off, ran over to me.
"Yeah. I caught it. What about you, Eurasia?"
"I caught one too!"
As expected. I knew she would.
I smiled lightly and stood on my tiptoes.
"Good job. I figured you'd be more than capable of catching one."
Then I gently patted her head.
Every time I did, my arm throbbed.
I should ask Sara to use some healing on me.
"Hehe... Oh, right. My lady! The crepes! We need to hurry now! If we stop by the dorm to wash up, we might be late!"
"Why stop by the dorm? Let's just go straight there. Sara's probably waiting in front of the academy too."
"Uh... you're fine because your sweat smells nice, my lady, but I'm not..."
"What's this about my sweat smelling nice? You pervert."
Ignoring her bizarre comment, I stepped closer to Eurasia and sniffed.
A faint sweat smell did waft off her, but more than that, Eurasia's distinctive citrus scent came through even stronger.
"Nnhyak?!"
"You're fine too, see. Let's just go. If we eat first and then go in, we'll have to wash up again anyway. It's a pain."
"Ugh... hnn... Fine. And... that... it's embarrassing, so don't go sniffing my sweat like that!"
"Oh? Hit puberty, did you?"
"Ugh... I hate you, my lady."
*****
"Why did both of them come out perfectly alive?"
"...I apologize."
"I didn't ask because I wanted to hear an apology."
"Well... I can't determine the reason. The Magic Tool they wore into the Labyrinth malfunctioned..."
"Malfunctioned?"
The basement of a mansion in the Imperial Capital.
In a room lit by a single faint lamp, a woman with a bewitching voice spoke.
"So you're saying you can't figure out how those two bitches got out of the Labyrinth?"
"...I apologize."
"How strange. I clearly received an Authority from Labyrinth. And you received a share of that Authority from me. It was a real Labyrinth made that way, so does it make sense that a mere two girls escaped it, and even caught a Basilisk?"
The man could no longer answer.
Because in his own head, he also thought this situation made no sense.
But he couldn't answer that he didn't know, either.
Then he'd die. If he revealed ignorance twice, he'd have no choice but to die. So the man bowed his head low.
"You weren't followed?"
"No. I heard that the academy's Magic Tools also malfunctioned, just like ours. And since I swapped the artificial Mana Stone for the academy's as planned, not a trace remains. However, if the 'Crow' moves, they might find our trail..."
"Hmm..."
Tap, tap—the woman, who had been sitting alone on a sofa far too wide for one person and idly wiggling her foot alluringly, dropped her irritable tone and giggled.
"It's fine. The Crow moving isn't something you can do anything about. Robert, you'll do better next time, won't you?"
"Yes."
"Good. I'll trust you."
With a sweet sigh, a damp snake slithered out from the hem of the woman's skirt.
The snake instantly climbed up the body of the man called Robert and burrowed into his mouth.
It was a situation of terrible pain and suffocation so severe he couldn't breathe, but Robert bowed his head as if he were used to it.
At last, when the damp snake had completely vanished into his body.
"Thanks be to Xavier."
He, too, disappeared from the spot.