Translator: RaidenTL

Chapter 3: Mana Evaluation (2)

Students filed out from their provisional classes, forming lines for each group. Once in position, they gripped their mana meters and channeled their power into the open air.

Each student emitted an elemental aura corresponding to their affinity. Once dissipated, this aura left behind what was known as a "Mana Trail"—physical evidence proving that magic of a specific element had been used.

In addition to elemental types and mana capacity, this evaluation contained a hidden metric: "Mana Control." When mana is channeled, traces of magic usually linger, especially with powerful individuals possessing vast reserves.

Essentially, if a student achieved a high mana capacity score without leaving a visible elemental aura, it meant they possessed exceptional mana control. Such a feat would significantly boost their score in the upcoming class assignment evaluation.

Once the first group finished, Professor Fernando used telekinesis to lift the mana meters into the air. He lined them up and began reading the results aloud.

"…Provisional 3rd Class. 1st, Grade C-. 2nd, Grade C+. 3rd, Grade C-. 4th, Grade C+. 5th, Grade C."

Naturally, none of them received extra points. Even with such mediocre mana levels, they had still let their auras leak.

"Next!"

The evaluation continued at a brisk pace.

Meanwhile...

Haaaaaah—!

"Oh my, it seems I simply couldn't contain my thick, limitless mana..."

Tristan Humphrey, the vainglorious noble, tossed his head back with theatrical flair as he unleashed a gust of overwhelming wind magic. Delivered with such a confident expression, it sounded more like a rehearsed stage line than a serious comment.

The resulting gale buffeted the hair and uniforms of professors and students alike. Several girls grumbled as they tried to smooth their hair back into place. Professor Fernando, however, remained as expressionless as ever.

Tristan Humphrey’s result was a Grade B-. At that level, he was already among the elite of the Magic Department. His cocky attitude wasn't entirely empty bluster.

Of course, his mana control score was in the negatives.

Mateo Jordana, an early-game villain, also clocked in at Grade B-. He only released a faint trace of his rock elemental aura, earning him a few extra points.

Next up were the stars of the year: the first seat, Luce Eltania, and the second seat, Kaya Astrea.

The noisy crowd fell into a sudden hush as the two girls, radiating elegance, made their entrance. The very air seemed to grow heavy under the weight of their presence. Every eye in the stadium was fixed on them.

"Whoa."

The exclamation escaped me involuntarily. Luce was far more beautiful in person than she had been in the game.

Silken rose-gold hair flowed down her shoulders, accented by a unique hair tie shaped like a Morpho butterfly—its deep blue wings shimmering within an intense black border.

Her deep aquamarine eyes, which seemed to hold the depth of the ocean itself, were clear and piercing. Combined with her fair skin and graceful features, she radiated an aura of pure, youthful brilliance.

As I joined the crowd in admiring her, I willed her level to appear. A system window flickered into existence.

*

[Luce Eltania]

Lv: 110
Race: Human
Elements: Water, Lightning
Danger: X

*

Level 110. A number that was utterly overwhelming for a first-year.

Among the characters in Magic Knight of Märchen, Luce was my second favorite. She was one of the official heroines and was destined to be paired with the protagonist, Ian, for the class assignment evaluation in a few days.

That’s not to say Kaya Astrea, the second seat, isn’t beautiful, but... sorry, I’m just more of a Luce fan.

Of course, if my absolute favorite, Dorothy Heartnova, were here, it would be a different story entirely!

...Focus. Let's just watch.

Luce and Kaya gripped their mana meters and extended their arms, just as the others had.

But unlike the other students who were erupting with elemental energy...

The two girls remained perfectly still.

"...?"

After a few moments of silence, Luce and Kaya simply lowered their arms as if nothing had happened.

The students who were unaware of the hidden grading factor were perplexed; they assumed a visible release of aura was a mandatory part of using magic.

But at that level of restraint, their mana control scores were undoubtedly perfect.

Professor Fernando lifted their meters with telekinesis.

"I will announce these names directly, as they are our first and second seats."

After a brief explanation, the professor looked at the displays and read them aloud.

"Luce Eltania, Grade A+. Kaya Astrea, Grade B+."

A collective gasp rippled through the audience. An A+ grade—something no one expected to see in this examination—had actually been awarded.

Kaya, as the second seat with Grade B+ mana, was already at the level of an active wizard. It was ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠a ridiculous feat for an academy freshman, but Luce’s Grade A+ was so overwhelming that Kaya’s achievement was almost buried in its shadow.

A Grade A+ was widely considered the ceiling for most wizards. With that much talent, reaching Grade S was a realistic possibility.

To put it in perspective, the highest grade an ordinary person without innate talent could achieve through sheer, immense effort was a Grade A- at best.

Grade S was a realm reserved for the gifted.

This was lore I had read countless times while playing Magic Knight of Märchen. Since Luce was both a genius and a hard worker, she was slated to reach Grade S before her second year.

"Grade A+? Wow."

"Is she really a freshman like us?"

"Are we even the same age?"

However, as of right now, Luce Eltania couldn't actually access the full extent of her Grade A+ power. The evaluation only measured maximum capacity, not usable output.

She was currently consuming a massive portion of her mana just to suppress her familiar, the Thunderbird, Galia. Only after the "Thunderbird Subjugation" event at the end of the semester would Luce be able to unleash her true strength.

So, what was she supposed to do until then? Well, she’d be aided by the protagonist, who would be quite active by that point... though unfortunately, it was looking like he might be a total moron in this reality.

Amidst the buzzing gossip, Luce and Kaya exited the stage. Kaya was clenching her fists in frustration, shaking her head.

She looks pissed.

Throughout the game, Kaya constantly felt inferior when faced with the immovable wall that was Luce.

Eventually, Kaya would grow strong enough to cast the 8-star ultimate spell, [Yggdrasil]. In this world, 9-star magic was the absolute peak, capable of world destruction, making 8-star magic powerful enough to decide the fate of nations. Even so, she could never quite surpass Luce.

Fortunately, Kaya wasn't the type to let an inferiority complex ruin her. She actually tended to admire and blindly follow those who were overwhelmingly stronger than her, regardless of their status.

As I’d noted before, she was the type of person who would definitely get scammed if she ever ran into a cult.

"Next."

Hearing the professor, I steeled myself. It was my turn.

I stepped forward and took my place among the other students. Once the mana meter was in my hand, I thrust it forward.

My current max mana is 320...

Come to think of it, I didn't actually know the specific grading standards for mana in this world. It was just a minor detail I’d skimmed over in the game.

I wonder how 320 mana stacks up against the average?

"Start!"

At the command, I squeezed the meter and poured out every drop of mana I had.

Controlling this... is actually pretty hard.

Because of my poor control, a wave of cold air leaked out, forming small shards of ice around my feet.

Soon, the mana meter emitted a sharp buzzing sound, and I immediately cut off the flow.

What’s the verdict?

My heart hammered against my ribs as I checked the display.

...It was Grade "E."

"..."

The absolute bottom of the barrel. You could have pulled a random passerby off the street with zero magic experience and likely gotten a better result.

This is... a bit serious, isn't it?

...Wait, I just remembered.

Wasn't there another Grade E student besides Ian this year? Was that actually me?

In the game, after Ian’s turn, I remembered a background student commenting, "There are two Grade E students this year."

Now that the pieces were falling into place, I finally remembered who Isaac was. He was an extra among extras—a character who harbored a pathetic sense of inferiority toward Ian despite being completely insignificant.

At least Kaya, who felt inferior to Luce, had the talent of a second seat.

Isaac, who felt inferior to Ian, was just sad.

In the early story, he became one of Mateo’s lackeys and tried to harass Ian—who was also a Grade E, but wouldn't stay that way for long. Watching Ian’s rapid growth eventually drove Isaac to the point of madness, but in the end, he amounted to nothing more than a third-rate extra who vanished like dust.

His only purpose was to be a tiny speck of darkness that made Ian’s light shine brighter. He was widely considered the weakest link in Magic Knight of Märchen.

"Provisional 3rd Class. 21st, Grade C-. 22nd, Grade C. 23rd, Grade C. 24th, Grade C. 25th, Grade E—?"

The students whose names were called, myself included, began heading back to our seats.

When Professor Fernando reached my meter, No. 25, his expression shifted into one of pure bewilderment.

"Grade E...?"

Huh?

So what?

"Grade E?"

"Wait, did he really get an E?"

"How the hell did a Grade E get accepted into the Märchen Academy?"

"That’s insane. He’s a legend in his own right, isn't he?"

As my pathetic result was announced, the eyes of every student fell on me. Some laughed; others looked genuinely shocked. Unlike the awe inspired by Luce, this was the kind of shock that asked, "How are you even here?" It was pure mockery.

This was Märchen Academy, the most prestigious institution on the continent.

The fact that someone with Grade E mana had made it into the Magic Department was nothing short of a suspicious miracle.

For context, Ian Fairytale—who would also receive a Grade E—was only admitted because of his "rarity." He possessed the unique ability to use "Light" magic.

On the other hand, all I had was low-level ice magic. Nothing rare about that.

Perhaps the original Isaac had been accepted based on his theoretical scores during the entrance exam. If so, it was a damn shame I didn't have a single bit of that knowledge left in my head.

...Uh?

Wait a second. The more I think about it, the more I realize I have absolutely nothing to offer, right?

While the students gossiped, Professor Fernando suddenly cleared his throat. "If you were able to enter this academy with this amount of mana, your theoretical grades must be exceptional. Your goal must be to become a 'Scholar,' then. The role of a magic scholar is vital to the development of our craft. You'll have to work hard, but do not be discouraged by the others."

"..."

He said it with such certainty, as if being a scholar was my lifelong dream.

I wasn't angry, though. This was Professor Fernando’s way of being considerate. As long as people thought I was aiming to be a scholar, they might mock my lack of mana a little less.

I recalled him saying the exact same thing to Ian in the game.

However, Ian had reacted with fury, shouting, "My dream isn't to be a scholar! I’m going to be a Magic Knight!"

That unrealistic claim had earned him endless ridicule from the student body.

"Grade E? An E? How dare such an inferior creature stand in the same line as someone as superior as me! It’s funny—no, it’s utterly hilarious!"

As expected, Tristan Humphrey, the blond aristocrat, made a loud, cruel mockery of my score.

The dialogue was classic, but the guy saying it was undeniably a moron.

Bastard.

"Excuse me!"

Suddenly, the second seat, Kaya Astrea, raised her hand and shouted.

What now? I don't remember this happening in the game.

"Has there ever been a case where the evaluation process failed? For instance, a result being measured incorrectly...?"

"What?"

Both Professor Fernando and the students looked at her in confusion.

I felt the same way.

Was she asking because she couldn't wrap her head around a Grade E being in the same school as her?

"Hmm... I see. First of all, there is nothing wrong with the evaluation method," Professor Fernando answered calmly, picking up my mana meter—the supposed root of the issue.

The professor began pouring his own mana into the device, ignored the stares of the crowd.

As expected of a professor, no elemental aura was released. With a sharp ping, his mana was measured.

Grade A.

Professor Fernando showed the result to Kaya.

"As you can see, the meter is functioning perfectly. Our inspection this morning showed no abnormalities. In fact, there has never been a recorded case of an incorrect measurement. If an error occurs, the device’s structure prevents it from operating at all."

"...Is that so?"

Kaya looked disappointed, as if that wasn't the answer she ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠wanted.

Seeing her reaction, Professor Fernando added a second possibility. "...Of course, there are cases where ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠the evaluation is 'wrong' without a mechanical error. It is rare, but possible."

This confused the students even more.

"It is said that an Archwizard possesses a level of control beyond the realm of possibility, allowing them to deconstruct and reconstruct the flow of mana within their own body. If one can do that, they can manipulate their output during the evaluation to achieve whatever grade they desire. However, this is only possible for Archwizards who have been blessed by the heavens and honed through a lifetime of meditation and solitude."

"Are there no exceptions? No other method to adjust one's magic level without being an Archwizard—?"

"I assure you, there are no exceptions. If there were, that person would be a superhuman who has already mastered all forms of magic. It would never happen at the student level, even if you were born with a level of genius that defied all logic."

Professor Fernando stood firm. That was the official setting of this world, after all.

An Archwizard was a transcendental being existing outside the laws of nature. Even the Emperor had to treat them ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠with caution.

"I see..."

For some reason, Kaya looked genuinely shocked by this common knowledge.

Was she really that flustered by the existence of a Grade E? She clearly took pride in being at Märchen Academy, so a Grade E student probably felt like a stain on the school's reputation to her.

Well, that was probably an exaggeration. She was a good person at heart, so it was likely just minor discomfort.

It was a shame, though. Even if she ignored me, Ian was still coming. Having two Grade E students in one year must have really bruised her pride.

After forty more minutes of testing, the evaluation finally concluded.

The story progressed exactly as it should have. Ian was graded E, mistaken for a scholar, and then announced his dream of becoming a Magic Knight, making himself the laughingstock of the department.

Professor Fernando addressed the students one last time. "The mana evaluation is over. Each of you should now be aware of your position. Keep it in mind every moment; let it fuel your devotion to magic. As you know, the tradition of Märchen Academy is survival of the fittest. The strong consume the weak. If you wish to avoid being consumed, become strong to your very core. Do whatever it takes to survive. That is all."

I had experienced the harsh climate of this academy many times while playing the game.

Ha. The weakest. A Grade E. Isn't that the perfect target for bullying in an environment like this?

I decided then and there that I’d have to keep a low profile for a while.

"..."

Yet, for some reason, I could still feel Kaya glaring daggers at the back of my head.

I pretended not to notice, but I was certain it was because of my Grade E.

It looked like this was going to be a very rough start.