Chapter 150: Joint Practical Evaluation (7)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 150: Joint Practical Evaluation (7)
Though golden lines etched themselves seamlessly into the air, they could not disperse the violent gale. It was impossible to tell what was happening within that torrent of mana.
However…
Whoosh—
As the [Meteor Shower] ceased, a blond man tumbled limply from the whirlwind, as if the outcome had been decided from the start.
Thud.
Tristan Humphrey collapsed onto the ground, bloodied and still as a corpse.
The winds died down. Alexa, already drenched in a cold sweat, let out a heavy sigh. She deactivated her [Rock Wall] and stared down at his crumpled form.
“…”
He was an annoying, irritating man. Alexa clicked her tongue and began to walk away.
But as she passed Tristan’s side—
Whoooooosh!
“…!!”
Suddenly, as if he had been waiting for that exact moment, a fierce, light-green wind erupted.
Rumble!
“Ugh!”
A barrage of wind spells slammed into Alexa. The moment she sensed the mana, she instinctively conjured a wall of stone around her body to block the gale, but…
“Kahaha!”
Hearing that laugh, Alexa’s face went pale with fright, and a chilling shiver ran down her spine. Then, piercing through the fierce whirlwind, the blond man thrust his blood-drenched face toward her.
“Is that all you’ve got?!”
“Aaaaaah!”
Unable to endure that terrifying visage, Alexa let out a piercing scream.
“Kha…!”
However, Tristan’s wind quickly flickered out. He could no longer maintain consciousness. He collapsed right there, a contented smile plastered on his face.
Alexa bit her lip hard, huffing an angry “Hmph!” Her eyes were wide, burning with rage. As if she were about to crush a disgusting cockroach, she raised her arm high, ready to unleash her rock magic and finish off the unconscious man.
Just then, someone caught Alexa’s raised arm from behind with a black-gloved left hand.
“Alexa.”
“…!”
It was a black-haired student wearing glasses. As his deep voice resonated, Alexa’s eyes wavered.
“What are you doing? Didn’t the Queen specifically tell you not to do anything conspicuous?”
His voice was as cold as frost, laced with a sharp edge of lethal intent. Alexa lowered her arm without resistance and steadied her breathing to calm her emotions.
“Haa… I’m sorry.”
For Alexa, who had always lived exactly as she pleased, common sense was a foreign concept. Even in an exam hall, she thought nothing of smashing through walls simply because she didn't want to take a detour. She didn't truly understand what was considered "sensible."
Therefore, even though she had been warned by the other Paladins and Trump soldiers… she had acted recklessly during the joint practical evaluation because she simply didn't know any other way.
It was only through the male student’s intervention that she realized her mistake. She would surely be scolded. She must have caused trouble for Queen Alice.
The student adjusted his glasses with his gloved left hand. The fabric was meant to hide the Spade emblem on the back of his hand. He was the Spade Paladin—the first and strongest among them.
Alexa’s gaze fell once more on the unconscious Tristan, who still wore that faint smile. Even though she had won, it didn't feel like a victory. Despite having mana left, she felt utterly drained.
Alexa clutched her side. As the adrenaline of battle faded, a sharp pain surged through her, forcing her to bite her lip.
Soon, several exam proctors hurried down the corridor and surrounded Alexa. She secretly handed a compass to the Spade Paladin before following the proctors without resistance. The situation resolved more easily than the proctors had expected for an emergency, leaving them somewhat bewildered.
The Spade Paladin was thanked for stopping Alexa. After being declared disqualified, the unconscious Tristan received emergency healing magic and was carried away on a stretcher.
“…”
The Spade Paladin looked down at the compass he had received from Alexa. It was pointing toward the Eltra Coast. He began walking in the direction the needle indicated.
*
Elsewhere within Octovus Hall.
Miya, the Priestess and top-ranked first-year in the Magic Department, was wandering the halls alone. She had decided to act independently after realizing her teammates were utterly useless.
Because she was the top seat, her teammates had been selected for "balance," meaning they were all lower-tier students from Class C and D. To Miya, they were nothing more than disgusting insects.
[Even so, it might be better to cooperate… Shouldn’t you consider the teamwork score?]
Her Nine-tailed Fox familiar, Mae, who was hiding within Miya’s index fingernail, offered her opinion timidly despite her usually imposing tone. She felt guilty whenever she misspoke and upset her master.
“This exam is fundamentally flawed.”
Whoosh!
Miya crossed the dark corridor, incinerating demonic illusions with fire magic as she moved. The death throes of the illusions grated on her ears, so she repeatedly blasted them until they were nothing but ash.
“I can’t waste my time with bottom-tier insects. I need to find a Predator instead.”
[A Predator?]
“My Prince might be a Predator, you know. Ah, how I miss him…”
Whenever she spoke of "her Prince," Miya’s voice dripped with affection. The Nine-tailed Fox let out a heavy sigh.
“…Haa. What now?”
Suddenly, Miya’s expression hardened, and her voice grew solemn. She frowned, detecting a demonic illusion hiding in the darkness, waiting to ambush her. She conjured a red flame in her right hand, preparing to strike.
It was then.
“…!!”
A tremendous surge of mana brushed against her skin like a cold wind. Startled, Miya whipped her head toward the source of the power.
Could it be my Prince? The power of the Nameless Hero?
…No. This was a creepy, chilling mana she had never felt before in her life. Miya quickly realized what it was, and a wide, manic grin spread across her face.
Finally, what she had been waiting for had appeared.
“It’s a demon.”
Last year, demons had appeared frequently at Märchen Academy. And whenever they did, the Nameless Hero would appear without fail to defeat them.
That meant…
“This is when my Prince appears…!”
Miya’s eyes sparkled. She had no interest in who died or how many perished at the hands of the demons. Her only desire was to court the powerful figure she adored—the Nameless Hero. That was her primary reason for enrolling in Märchen Academy.
She had already sworn her heart to him. Miya was utterly fascinated by the tales of his heroism and strength she had heard back in Horan. Such a man could be found nowhere else.
It was a joyful day. Miya waved cheerfully at the demonic illusion and skipped forward like a rabbit, humming a folk song from the Land of the Fire Blossoms. The stunned illusion eventually roared and lunged at her, only to be effortlessly consumed by Miya’s laughter-tinged flames.
*
Meanwhile, within Octovus Hall, everyone except those with the most pathetic mana perception felt it. A damp, immense mana was pouring in from the outside.
The slit-eyed girl with pink hair, Saintess Bianca Anturaze, also stopped in her tracks. Even in her academy uniform, she wore a white veil on her head, symbolizing her holy status.
Bianca turned toward the source of the mana. Though the walls blocked her sight, she knew exactly where that direction led.
“Hehe, hehehe…”
Bianca began to giggle, her shoulders trembling.
“Have you finally come, evil demon?”
Saintess Bianca Anturaze. She was born with the element of light, but unlike Ian Fairytale, she was unable to grow her power. Being a pure human, she had limitations in handling the divine element. However, no one in the Helize Church knew this.
The power of light was meant to destroy demons. That was why Bianca had one wish. She was a Saintess born with the light, a gift of grace from the Lord Manhalla. She, too, hoped to one day slay an evil demon.
That was why she had come to Märchen Academy. Here, demons appeared frequently for unknown reasons. She would finally encounter one. With her own hands, with her own weapon, she would defeat it!
Bianca couldn't suppress her excitement. Her usually narrow eyes were wide open, sparkling with anticipation. Blushing, she extended her right arm. Divine power emitted a rainbow light, and a steel mace adorned with a beautiful mana stone materialized in her hand.
Unable to contain her thrill, she began to pant.
“Quickly… I must pass judgment with this mace of justice…!”
Clutching her mace, Bianca moved excitedly toward the Eltra Coast.
*
“Well done, Tristan.”
The words escaped my lips involuntarily.
As I moved through Octovus Hall, I had watched Tristan and Alexa’s fight through [Clairvoyance]. Tristan, driven by his intense desire to win and improve, had provided an excellent distraction. He had fought better than expected against a Paladin far stronger than himself. Though I couldn't give him a gift since he hated my guts, I offered him my silent gratitude.
Thank you!
Before I knew it, my exam bracelet let out a small pop and ceased to function. Now, only one task remained.
[A demon has been detected nearby.]
With a light gesture, I dismissed the system window floating in the air. I took a deep breath. After steadying my emotions, I began to run toward the Eltra Coast.